Jerome Gambit: A Rarity

Bill Wall likes the Jerome Gambit. He has over 1,000 games in The Database, scoring 92%.

I present the following game, therefore, as a rarity - one of Bill's losses. Usually, no matter how much trouble he faces, Bill manages to produce a win, like a magician pulling a rabbit out of a hat.

Just not this time. After all, when you play an opening that has several "refutations", it should not come as a surprise that you risk losing.

Wall, Bill - HighNoon

internet, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4 

As I wrote in "Jerome Gambit: In and Out of Danger"

Although I have lightly labeled this as a "pie-in-the-face" variation, it is a strong counter, with a focus on piece development and attack on the King. It was first seen in Sorensen - Anonymous, Denmark, 1888 (1-0, 27).

7.O-O Qxe4 

Also 7...Ng4 8.h3 Bb6 9.hxg4 d6 10.f3 Be6 11.Be3 Bc4 12.Re1 Ne7 13.f4 Rhe8 14.Nd2 Ba6 15.Nf3 Qg3 16.a4 Ba5 17.c3 Kf8 18.b4 Ng6 19.f5 Nf4 20.Bxf4 Qxf4 21.Qc2 c5 22.bxa5 Qxg4 23.Rad1 cxd4 24.Rxd4 Qg3 25.Qb3 Qf4 26.Qb1 Qg3 27.e5 g6 28.Rxd6 Re7 29.f6 Ree8 30.Qb4 Bb5 31.Rd8+ Kf7 32.e6+ Kxf6 33.Qd4+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Rajiv, Chess.com 2010. 

8.dxc5 Nf6 9.Nc3 

Or 9.Bg5 Qc6 10.Bxf6 gxf6 11.Qh5+ Kg7 12.Nc3 Qxc5 13.Rae1 d6 14.Ne4 Qb6 15.Re3 Qxb2 16.Rc3 Qb6 17.Re1 Be6 18.h3 Rhf8 19.Kh2 Ng6 20.Ng3 Bxa2 21.Nf5+ Kh8 22.Ne7 Bf7 23.Qf5 Kg7 24.Rg3 Qc5 25.Qf4 Rae8 26.h4 a5 27.Ree3 Qh5 28.Qd4 c5 29.Qxd6 Rd8 30.Qf4 Rd4 31.Re4 Rxe4 32.Qxe4 Kh8 33.Nxg6+ Bxg6 34.Qf4 Qe5 35.Qa4 b6 36.Qb3 Rb8 37.c3 b5 38.Qd1 b4 39.cxb4 axb4 White resigned, Fritz 12 - Wall/Houdini, Palm Bay, FL 2018. 

9...Qc6 

9...Qb4 was tried in Wall,B - Guest7715764, PlayChess.com 2017 (1-0, 21); and

9...Qc4 was seen in  Wall,B - Guest6296711, PlayChess.com 2014 (0-1, 22) and Wall,B - IraHaru, lichess.org 2016 (1-0, 19). 

10.Be3 

Instead, 10.Qd4 was seen in Wall,B - felineMMXI, blitz, FICS 2011 (1-0, 18); Wall,B - Guest1986192, PlayChess.com 2019 (0-1, 19); Wall,B - Guest4725905, PlayChess.com 2019 (0-1, 21); and 1-0 Wall,B - Guest1845717, PlayChess.com 2019 (1-0, 29).

10.Re1 was seen in Wall,B - Gorodetsky,D, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 18).

10...b6 11.Bd4 Bb7

Protecting the Knight on e5 by threatening checkmate.

12.f3 Rhe8 13.Re1 Ng6 14.cxb6 Rxe1 15.Qxe1 axb6

Black's presure is clear.

16.Qd2 Nd5 17.Ne4 Ndf4 18.Be3 Ne6

Black is making good use of his extra piece, while White's extra pawns have limited scope.

19.b3 b5 20.Nf2 Qd5 21.Nd3 d6 22.c3 Nh4

One more piece joins the attack.

23.Rf1 Re8 24.Rf2 Kg8 25.Rf1 Qf5 26.Ne1 Qg6 27.Kh1 Qf7

Black is taking his time.

28.Nc2 Qf5 29.Qf2 Rf8 30.Ne1 Qe5 31.Bd2 Ng6 32.Nc2 Nef4

Storm clouds gather.

33.Qa7 Qe2 34.Qf2 Qd3 35.Ne1 Qf5 36.Be3 Ra8 37.Qb2 Re8 38.Qd2 

Has anyone read the novel Beau Geste, by P.C. Wren?

38...h5 39.h3 Nxh3

White resigned

White must wait while his opponent further executes his attack.