Jerome Gambit: Surprise Ending

The following Jerome Gambit has much to recommend it: it has exciting tactics, interesting history - and a surprise ending.

kav03232 - RIFL

3 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 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 

This looks scary, but White can defend.

9.O-O 

But not this way. The key is 9.d4

From "Traps and Zaps", which quotes from Bruce Pandolfini's Chess Openings: Traps and Zaps.

An improvement suggested by Munoz and Munoz in the August 1885 Brooklyn Chess Chronicle, repeated by Fletcher in Gambits Accepted (1954) and Druke in the November 1987 Gambit Revue, to give some early citations. (Actually, the move is rarely mentioned, but see "A Closer Look (Part V)".) 

After 9...Nf6 (9...Qxe4+ is defused by 10.Be3 when neither 10...Qxg3 or 10...Qxc2 gives Black enough) 10.Nd2 Bxd4 11.O-O 

Now, a draw is available.

9...Nf6 

As Emil Gelenczei said in his 200 Eroffnungsfallen, "the bag is closed" - (I speak German like a French cow...)

10.Qd8 

Anticipated by Harris,Sgt. W. A. - Quayle,E. H., correspondence Los Angeles, CA, 1944 (0-1, 14) and analyzed in Chandler,Geoff - Dimitrov,Todor, 5 minute special game, 2004 (1-0, 13).

10...Bh3 

Offering the Rook or the Bishop.

11.Qxc7+ 

The safe way: checking the enemy King repeatedly, taking the draw.

Taking the Rook with 11.Qxa8 leads to being checkmated by 11...Qg4 12.g3 Qxe4 etc,

11...Kf8 

Any other move leads to advantage by White.

Now, White can force a draw with 12.Qxb7 Qg4 13.Qxa8+ Kf7 14.Qb7+ and continued checking of the enemy King.

White can also offer Black the option of forcing a draw, with 12.gxh3 Qxh3 13.d3 Qg4+ 14.Kh1 Qf3+ drawing.

But what if the first player does not want a draw?

12.d4 

After this, Black has a checkmate with 12...Qg4 13.g3 Qf3, with ...Qg2# coming up.

However, to Black's misfortune, at this point White won on time