Jerome Gambit: The Daily Grind

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game made it to the half-century mark in terms of moves, as Bill Wall systematically ground down his opponent.

Wall, Bill - Ahmad

SparkChess.com, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d3 Bb6 

Bill has also faced 

9...Nh5 in Wall,B - Guest6614602, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1/2-1/2, 53); Wall,B - Guest3611504, PlayChess.com, 2015 (0-1, 54) and Wall,B - Guest9159455, PlayChess.com, 2019 (0-1, 31);  

9...Be6 in Wall,B - Milsrilion, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 50); 

9... Kf7 in Wall,B - Badbeat994, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 48); 

9...Ng4 in Wall,B - Filipmihov, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 39); 

9... h6 in Wall,B - Guest1055608, PlayChess.com, 2019 (1-0, 26); and

9...Bg4 in Wall,B - Guest2928386, PlayChess.com, 2015 (1-0, 38) 

10.O-O Kf7 11.Kh1 Rf8 12.f4 Kg8 

13.Nc3 a6 14.f5 Bd4 15.Be3 Be5 16.Qf3 Qe8 

Black overlooks that this move puts his Bishop in danger. He could have kept his advantage with either 16...d5 or 16...c5. 

17.d4 Bxh2 

Black could have complicated things with 17...Nxe4.

The text move gains a pawn in exchange for the beleaguered piece.

18.Kxh2 Bd7 19.Rh1 c6 20.Bf4 d5 21.e5 Ne4 

22.e6 Bc8 

If this were a blitz game, he might have tried 22...Rxf5 23.exd7 Qf7 24.Rhf1 Nd2 25.Bxd2 Rxf3 26.Rxf3 Qxd7 when maybe his Queen could have been more effective than White's 3 extra pieces, with the clock ticking.

As it is, he can grab one of the two annoying "Jerome pawns", but the situation still favors the first player.

23.Nxe4 dxe4 24.Qxe4 Qh5+ 25.Kg3 Qxf5 26.Rae1 Qxe4 27.Rxe4 Re8 

With all the Rooks on the board, any drawing chances due to the Bishops-of-opposite-colors will have to wait.

28.e7 Bf5 29.Re2 Kf7 30.Bd6 h6 31.Kf4 Be6 32.Rf2 Bd5 33. Ke5+ Kg8 

This King retreat will cost the exchange.

34.Rf8+ Rxf8 35.exf8=Q+ Rxf8 36.Bxf8 Kxf8 37.Rf1+ Ke7 

The Rook now proceeds to outplay the Bishop.

38. a4 g5 39. Rh1 Bxg2 40. Rxh6 g4 41. Rh7+ Ke8 42. Rxb7 Bf3 43. Kf4 Kd8 44. Rb6 Kc7 45. Rxa6 Bd1 46. a5 Bxc2 47. Kxg4 Bd3 48. Rb6 Bc4 49. Rb4 Bb5 50.Rxb5 

Simplifying things.

50...cxb5 51.b4 Black resigned