Jerome Gambit: What Did Both Black and White Miss?

Familiarity with tactical ideas in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can lead to advantage - or victory.

Next time, the players will see the threat.

vagel - Hamdankhan29

5 3 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6 

This is more of a trick than a trap. Or, it should be.

My warning came a couple dozen years ago, in "Something to Watch Out For".

8.O-O 

Uh oh. What did White miss?

8...d6 

Uh oh. What did Black miss?

9.f4 c5 

Uh oh. What did both White and Black miss?

Black could have won White's Queen after 8...Nf3+ or 9...Nf3+.

10.Qd5+ Be6 11.Qxb7+ Nd7 Black resigned

White is up the exchange and a couple of pawns. Time does not seem to have been an issue.