Jerome Gambit: Roller Coaster

A blitz game between club level players can be quite a roller coaster, as the following game shows, but there are things to learn from the play, anyhow. 

Matthew_Slater - Sparrowchakse

3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 

As I noted in "Jerome Gambit and Vlad Tepes"

This is a reasonable defense, first mentioned by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in his premier analysis in the March 1874 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal.

It was first played by O.A. Brownson, against Jerome, in 1875.

6.Nxc6 dxc6 

This pawn capture, vs 6...bxc6, puts pressure down the d-file.

7.Nc3 Nf6 8.d4

White gets away with this, although 8.Qe2 Bd4 9.d3 Kf7 10.Be3 Rf8 11.f4 was more likely the way to go. 

8...Bb4 

Black prefers to threaten the e-pawn, rather than capture the d-pawn with 8...Bxd4. Possibly he was afraid of 8...Bxd4 9.Ne2, but, as Yury V. Bukayev pointed out, he then had 9...Bxf2+!? 10.Kxf2 Nxe4+ with a strong attack.

9.Bd2 

The two are playing quickly. Or, perhaps they are playing casually. In any event, with the text, White un-pins his Knight; although, instead, a capture on c3 would put the enemy e-pawn at risk. Better 9.Qd3. 

9...Bg4 

Development with a threat. 

10.f3 Bh5 11.Qe2 

Suggestion: 11.Ne2 Bxd2+ 12.Qxd2 and White's strong pawn center is almost the equal of Black's extra piece.

11...Qxd4 12.O-O-O Qe5 

13.Qc4 c5 14.Nb5 

The Knight is not really doing anything, but it does attract a lot of attention.

14...Bxd2+ 15.Rxd2 a6 16.Nc3 b5 

17.Qe2 Kf7 18.Nd5 Nxd5 19.Rxd5 Qe7

Missing the tactical trick 19...Qf4+ 20.Kb1 Bg6, saving the Bishop.

20.Rxh5 

White is a pawn ahead, his King is a bit safer, but Stockfish 16.1 rates him about a piece better.

20...Rhd8 21.Rd1 Rxd1+ 22.Qxd1 h6 

Overlooking something.

23.Qd5+ 

Fork 

23...Kf8 24.Qxa8+ Black resigned