Jerome Gambit: Messy vs Clear

The following game shows the impact of both messy situations - and clear ones.

White, clearly, wins.

Wall, Bill - Smart

internet, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Nc6 

8.Qc4+ 

Or 8.Qd2, as in Wall,B - 1063314, lichess.org, 2017 (1-0, 26) and Wall,B - Guest10755845, PlayChess.com, 2018 (1-0, 23); 

Or 8.Qd3 as in Wall,B - Number555777, lichess.org 2017 (1-0, 23), Wall,B - Guest7503555, PlayChess.com, 2017 (1-0, 36) and Wall,B - Aliwael, internet, 2021 (1-0, 21); 

Or 8.Qd1 as in Wall,B - PerGranBom, lichess.org, 2017 (1-0, 24). 

8...Kf8

Or 8...Ke8 as in Wall,B - Kas55, lichess.org, 2016 (1-0, 17) 

9.O-O

Or 9.Bd2 first, as in Wall,B - Guest7127865, PlayChess.com, 2019 (1-0, 28).

9...Nf6 

Or 9...Qf6 as in Wall,B - Guest526975, PlayChess.com, 2016 (1-0, 18); or

9...Ne5 as in Wall,B - Guest616903, PlayChess.com, 2020 (1-0, 16).

10.Nc3 Ne5 11.Qb3 d6 12.f4 Neg4 

Black starts his attack.

13.h3 Nh6 

Sharper was 13...h5!? 14.hxg4 hxg4.

14.Be3 Qd7 15.g4 

This is a calculated risk - one that succeeds.

15...Qe6 

Black avoids the messiness of 15...Nxg4 16.hxg4 Qxg4+.

16.Qxe6 Bxe6 17.g5 Nh5 

He should have gone for more mess, again, with 17...Bxh3.

18.gxh6 gxh6 19.f5 Rg8+ 20.Kf2 Bc4 

21.Bxh6+ Kf7 22.Rfe1 Rg3 

23.Be3 

Also 23.Re3

23...Rxh3 24.Rh1 Rxh1 25.Rxh1 Nf6 26.b3 Ba6 

The position seems less messy - but Stockfish 16.1 now assesses it as 3 3/4 pawns better for White.

I don't know how Bill keeps doing this.

27.Bd4 Ng4+ 28.Kf3 Ne5+ 29.Bxe5 dxe5 30.Rxh7+ 

30...Kf6 31.Nd5+ Kg5 32.Rxc7 Rh8 

Black's pieces are active, but they are out-numbered.

33.Rg7+ Kh6 

White now has a forced checkmate.

34.Rg6+ Kh5 35.Nf6+ Kh4 36.Rg4+ Kh3 37.Rg1 Kh2 38.Rg2+ Kh1 39.Ng4 Rh4 40.Nf2 checkmate