Jerome Gambit: Crossroads (Part 1)

The following miniature Jerome Gambit game ends quickly - not just because it is played at bullet speed - when Black evaluates the position, and sees that he is two pawns behind, with an unsafe King, and no compensation.

angelcamina - omer08can

1 0 bullet, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

The earliest examples of the text move in The Database are the twin games Hultgren, R - Harrow, SVE cup Campbell, CA, 1960 (1-0, 13) and Blackstone, John - Dommeyer, Carl, skittles game, Campbell, CA, 1960 (1-0, 13) 

However, from "A Second Chance to Decline" 

While declining the second piece [with 5...Kf8] is as old as Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875 (1/2-1/2, 29), the safest place for Black's King to retreat to is f8, not e8.

I remembered this in my recent game, see "Jerome Gambit: Giddyap! (Part 1)"

6.Nxc6 bxc6 

The alternative, 6...dxc6, is about the same strength. The strongest response, however is 6...Qh4, 

7.Qh5+ Kf8 

Also: 7...g6 8.Qxc5 Qe7 9.Qxe7+ Kxe7 10.O-O Bb7 11.d3 Nf6 12.f4 Nh5 13.Nc3 Raf8 14.Be3 a6 15.g4 Nf6 16.Bd4 Rhg8 17.h3 Ne8 18.Bc5+ d6 19.Ba3 c5 20.e5 Ng7 21.Rae1 Kd7 22.exd6 cxd6 23.Ne4 h5 24.Kg2 hxg4 25.hxg4 Ne6 26.Kg3 Nd4 27.Rf2 Ne6 28.Ng5 Nd4 29.c3 Nc6 30.b3 Rf6 31.Bb2 Rgf8 32.d4 Ne7 33.dxc5 dxc5 34.c4 Nc6 35.Bxf6 Rxf6 36.Rd2+ Nd4 37.Nf3 Kc6 38.Nxd4+ cxd4 39.Rxd4 Kb6 40.Re5 Black resigned, angelcamina - Afroto, lichess.org, 2023. 

8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3 Qf6 10.O-O Black resigned

[It turns out that there is more to the story]