Jerome Gambit: Is A Draw Good Enough?

One timeless question when it comes to the Jerome Gambit has been whether a draw is a good enough result for White, after his wild sacrifices.

In the following game, Bill Wall declines an offer to split the point, and receives his opponent's resignation a couple of moves later.

Wall, Bill - Braveheart

SparkChess, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Kf8 

Black's King simply steps away from the action. 

The Database has 10 games with this position. White scores 60%.

7.dxc5 Nf6 8.O-O d6 9.Nc3 Be6 10.f4 

Black has the piece development, White has the center pawns.

10...Nc6 11.Be3 Qe7 12.cxd6 Qxd6 

Capturing with the pawn was probably better.

13.Qf3 Nd4 14.Qd1 Nc6 15.Qe2 

Declining to go for the draw with 15.Qf3 Nd4 16.Qd1 etc. 

The game is now about balanced.

15...a6 

This may have been intended to keep a Knight off of b5.

More aggressive was 15...Qb4, which could lead to the win of the exchange, 16.e5 Bc4 17.Qf3 Bxf1 18.Rxf1 Nd7, although after 19.Nd5 Stockfish 16.1 continues 19...Qc4 20.b3 Qxc2 21.Nxc7 Re8 22.Qd5 Re7 23.Ne6+ Ke8 24.Nc7+ Kd8 25.Nb5 Qe2 26.Bc5 Rhe8 27.a4 Rxe5 28.fxe5 Qxe5 29.Qxe5 Rxe5 30.Bd6 Re2 31.Bg3 Nde5 32.Rd1+ with an equal game.

16.e5 Qb4 

This is a move too late.

17.exf6 Bc4 

Again, too late.

18.Qh5 Bxf1 19.Bc5+ Black resigned

Black will lose his Queen.