Jerome Gambit: Flag Down

Things happen quickly in a bullet game, especially a Jerome Gambit bullet game.

The following game shows quick play, where White gains the advantage, slips, and then keeps things level until analyzing the tactical nature of positions leads to his opponent flagging. 

feritTurkey - RussellFrege

2 1 bullet, lichess.org

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 

See the posts "The Abrahams Jerome Gambit (Part I and II)".

3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ g6 5.Qxe5 Qe7 

There are 30 games with this position in The Database, with White scoring 75%. 

It turns out that Black placing his Queen on e7, very strong in the Jerome Gambit proper (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7) is not as effective here - in fact, White has the advantage.

6.Qxh8 Qxe4+ 7.Ne2 Qxg2 8.Qxh7+ Kf8 

Or 8...Kf6 9.Rf1 Bxf2+ 10.Rxf2+ Black resigned, feritTurkey - Gonzalo-06, lichess.org, 2022. 

9.Rf1 

This move is best, although we have also seen

9.Rg1 Qxf2+ 10.Kd1 d6 11.c3 (11.d4 Black resigned, feritTurkey - dhaoui, lichess.org, 2023) 11...Be6 12.Rxg6 Qf1+ 13.Kc2 Bf5+ 14.d3 Qxe2+ 15.Bd2 Bxg6 16.Qxg6 Nc6 17.Qf5+ Ke7 18.Qe4+ Qxe4 19.dxe4 Nf6 20.Bg5 Bg1 21.Bxf6+ Kxf6 22.Nd2 Bxh2 23.Rf1+ Ke5 24.Nc4+ Kxe4 25.Re1+ Kd5 26.b3 b5 27.Ne3+ Ke4 28.Ng4+ Kf3 29.Nxh2+ Kg2 30.Ng4 Black resigned feritTurkey - Pisaevic, lichess.org, 2022; and

9.d4 Qxh1+ 10.Kd2 Qd5 11.Ke1 Qh1+ 12.Kd2 Qd5 13.Ke1 Be7 14.Bh6+ Ke8 15.Qxg6+ Qf7 16.Qe4 d6 17.Nbc3 Bf5 18.Qxb7 Nxh6 19.Qxa8 Kd7 20.Qxb8 Bxc2 21.Qb5+ c6 22.Qb7+ Ke6 23.d5+ cxd5 24.Nd4+ Ke5 25.Nxc2 Bh4 26.Qxa7 Qxa7 27.Ne2 Qxf2+ 28.Kd2 Nf5 29.Kc3 Qxe2 30.Re1 d4+ 31.Kb3 Bxe1 32.Nxe1 Qxe1 33.a3 Qh4 Whiter resigned, feritTurkey - Ivanchik86, lichess.org, 2022 

9...d6 10.d4 Bh3 

This attack looks scary for White's King, but he will survive.

Retreating the Bishop did not help Black: 10... Bb6 11. Bh6+ Nxh6 12.Qxh6+ Kf7 13.Qh8 Bg4 14.Qh7+ Kf6 15.Qh8+ Kf7 16.Qh7+ Kf6 17.Rg1 Qf3 18.Qh4+ Kf5 19.Ng3+ Ke6 20.d5+ Kxd5 21.Nc3+ Kc6 22.Nge2 Bxf2+ 23.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 24.Kxf2 Bxe2 25.Nxe2 Nd7 26.Rxg6 Ne5 27.Nd4+ Kc5 28.Rg7 c6 29.Rd1 Rf8+ 30.Ke3 Nc4+ 31.Kd3 Black resigned, feritTurkey - Lotfii, lichess.org, 2024. 

11.dxc5 

A slip, but, remember that this is a bullet game. Instead, White stays on top with 11.Rg1 Qd5 12.Bh6+ Nxh6 13.Qxh6+ Ke8 14.Qxh3. 

11...Qxf1+ 12.Kd2 

12...Qxf2 

Pinning the Knight, which he hopes to win after 13...Bg4, but overlooking something.

13.Qxc7 

White misses 13.Qxh3 as well. 

13...Bg4 

Too late. Necessary was more development, 13...Nc6 14.Nbc3 Nf6.

Now White lets the air out of the position.

14.Qxd6+ Ne7 15.Qf4+ Qxf4+ 16.Nxf4 

Here, in a position where White has an edge, Black lost on time.