Jerome Gambit: Patience Is The Companion of Wisdom

Sometimes the explosiveness of the Jerome Gambit fizzles out, and the first player has to bide his time, making small adjustments or gains here or there - patiently waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Once again, Bill Wall demonstrates.

Wall, Bill - Singh

SparkChess, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4

 6...Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.O-O Ne7

 

Varying from the game in the previous post, which saw 8...h6.

9.f4 N5c6 10.Qf2 Rf8 11.Nc3 Kg8 

Black has castled-by-hand, and he is better.

It is up to White to make something out of the position.

12.f5 

In an earlier game, Bill had tried 12.h4, 13.h5 and 14.h6. See Wall,B - Smithey, internet, 2022 (1-0, 40). 

12...a6 13.g4 Ne5 14.g5 b6 15.Bf4 N7c6 16.Qg3 Bb7 

Although Stockfish 16.1 still rules in favor of the defense, it is a truism in club play that it is more difficult to defend than it is to attack.

17.f6 g6 18.Rad1 Rf7 19.h4 Qc8 20.Nd5 Qe6 

21.b3 Re8 22.Rd2 Nb8 

Time to get rid of White's annoying Knight.

23.Rfd1 Bxd5 24.exd5 Qg4 

This is a tactical slip. With a piece for a pawn, Black decides that his task would be easier with Queens off of the board.

This is the point where the advantage changes sides.

25.Bxe5 Qf5 

Unfortunately, 25...Qxg3+ would be met by 26.Bxg3, and White would have grabbed a piece.

26.Bf4 Re4 27.Rf1 Nd7 

Instead, the Black Queen needed to get off of the f-file.

28.Bxd6 Qxf1+ 

Hoping that a Rook and a Bishop would be the equal of the enemy Queen.

29.Kxf1 cxd6 30.Qxd6 Black resigned

On second thought, the second player decides he has had enough.