Sicilian Jerome Gambit Redux

 

Although the focus of  this blog is the Jerome Gambit - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ - I have occasionally examined the sacrifice Bxf7+ in other openings.

For example, about 15 1/2 years ago, in "Sicilian Jerome Gambit", I looked at the game Jyrki Heikkinen - Timo-Pekka Lassila, Tampere, Finland, 1987 (1-0, 26,) which started 1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.Nf3 e5 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.Bxf7+, a Sicilian Defense that took on Jerome-ish quality.

Recently, chessfriend Yury V. Bukayev pointed me toward another Jerome/Sicilian hybrid. It was chosen "Game of the Day" at ChessGames.com.

Rhine, Frederick - NN

blitz, lichess.org, 2018

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Nxc3 

So far, we have a Smith-Morra gambit in the Sicilian.

4...e5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bc4 Na5 

This can't be good. Black looks to win the "minor exchange" of Bishop for Knight, but this is a time-waster. Compare the move to the outcome of 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Na5, where White scores 71%.

7.Bxf7+ 

Even Stockfish 16.1 prefers the Bishop shot over the quiet alternative, 7.Nxe5 Nxc4 8.Nxc4. 

7...Kxf7 8.Nxe5+ Ke6 

Black's King advances to his doom.

Better was 8...Ke8, although then 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Nxg6 Nf6 11.Qe5+ Be7 12.Nxe7 Qxe7 13.Qxa5 would be winning for White, too. 

9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Nb5+ 

This gets the job (checkmate) done, but faster was 11.Bf4 Qg5 12.Nxd7+ Qxf4 13.Nb5+ Kc6 14.Qd5#

11...Kxe5 

Or 11...Kc5 12.Qd5+ Kb6 13.Be3+ Bc5 14.Bxc5+ Ka6 15.Qd3 Nc4 16.Nxc4 Kxb5 17.Na3+ Kxc5 18.Rc1+ Kb6 19.Qb5#.

12.Bf4+ 

White can see his way to a pretty end. Impatient Readers can try 12.Qf5#. 

12...Kxe4 13.Nc3+ Kd3 14.O-O-O  checkmate

Alonzo Wheeler Jerome would be pleased.