Jerome Gambit: Getting Lost In The Shuffle

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can appear bizarre enough to the defender that sometimes basic things seem to get lost in the shuffle. 

Wall, Bill - Kiev

SparkChess, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qxc5 N8e7 8.O-O 

Or 8.Qh5 Re8 9.f4 as in Wall,B-Suku, internet, 2023 (1-0, 23). 

8...Re8 

Planning to castle-by-hand, with his Rook on the e-file.

9.Nc3 d6 10.Qh5 Kg8 

White will now attack. Black is comfortable with his position.

11.f4 Nf8 12.f5 Nc6 13.d3 

White's "Jerome pawns" advance, but I don't think he expected Black's next move.

13...Qf6 

As OMC sang, how bizarre...

I think that as Black continued to build his defense, the danger White's Queen posed got lost in the shuffle.

14.Qxe8 Black resigned

Down two pawns and the exchange, Black has had enough.