Jerome Gambit: Blitz, It Happens

Blitz chess can be exciting, even more so when you add the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), but it can also be annoying if it limits how deep the players can analyze in complicated positions. 

Jakub2201 - kareol83

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 

Now: Blackburne's 7...d6 or Whistler's 7...Qe7. 

7...d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.O-O Nf6 

10.Nc3 

White goes for development, perhaps after realizing that only his Queen is in play. Still, he needed to continue 10.Qd8 Bh3 11.Qxc7+ as mentioned in the previous post (See "Jerome Gambit: Surprise Ending"). 

10...Qg5 

Missing his major threat, 10...Ng4, when White can wrigle, but he cannot escape e.g. 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5 13.Qxa8 Qg3 14.Qg8+ Kxg8 15.exf5 Qh2 checkmate 

Blitz, it happens.

11.Qd8 

Reaching the escape square one move too late, as Black demonstrates.

11...Bh3 12.Qxc7+ 

Gotta try...

12...Nd7 

The snarky computer points out 12...Kg8 13.g3 Qh5 14.Qxb7 Qf3 15.Qxa8+ Kg7 16.Qb7+ Nd7 17.Qxd7+ Bxd7 18.g4 Bxg4 19.d3 Bh3 20.Bh6+ Kxh6 21.a3 Qg2 checkmate. 

13.g3 

Would you agree with Stockfish 16.1 that White would get sufficient compensation for his Queen after 13.Qxd7+ Bxd7 14.d4 Qe7 15.dxc5 dxc5 16.Bf4  ? 

The game remains messy - and the clock is ticking.

13...Qg4 

The computer suggests that there is now a draw after 14.Qxb7 Qf3 15.Qd5+ Ke7 16.e5 Nxe5 17.d3 Bd4 18.Bg5+ Kd7 19.Rae1 Rf8 20.Bf4 Rxf4 21.gxf4 Bxc3 22.Rxe5 Qg4+ 23.Kh1 Bxe5 24.Qb7+

If it says so... 

14.Nd5 Qf3 15.Nf4 Bxf2+ 16.Rxf2 Qd1+ White resigned