Jerome Gambit: Not Safe Enough

In the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, Black learns that even a small slip can separate safety from a lost game. Eternal vigilance is the price of a win.

anilone - arisaljabrik3

10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Bd4 

Similar play, a move earlier, i.e. 7.f4 Bd4, has been looked at in "Computer Ideas in the Jerome Gambit (Part 1)", "Jerome Gambit: A Machine Idea", "Deadly Duel in Denmark", "R2R Nails It" and "Ionman vs the Bots"

The earliest examples of 8.f4 Bd4 in The Database are from five Fisher-Kirshner games versus an early version of Fritz, known as KnightStalker. They continued 9.fxe5+ Kd6 10.b4

9.c3 

First seen in two games between ionman and Fleurybot. See "Ionman vs the Bots".

9...Nd3+ 10.Kd1 

Or 10.Ke2, as in anilone - anthonyguinto123, lichess.org, 2024, 10...Nxc1+ 11.Rxc1 Qf6 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.g3 Bb6 14.d4 c6 15.Qb3 Qe6 16.Nd2 Qxb3 17.axb3 d5 18.e5 Bg4+ 19.Ke3 h5 20.c4 h4 21.c5 Bc7 22.Rg1 hxg3 23.Rxg3 Rh4 24.Rag1 Nh6 25.Nf3 Nf5+ 26.Kf2 Bxf3 27.Rxf3 Rxh2+ 28.Ke1 Rah8 29.Rf2 Rxf2 30.Kxf2 Rh2+ 31.Ke1 Kf7 32.Rg5 g6 33.e6+ Kf6 34.b4 Bxf4 35.Rg1 Be3 36.Rf1 Kxe6 37.Rf3 Bxd4 38.Rf4 Ke5 39.Rg4 Kf6 40.Rf4 Kg5 41.Rf3 Ne3 42.b5 Kg4 43.Rf7 Bxb2 44.Rf2 Bc3+45.Ke2 Black resigned 

10...c6 

Preparing shelter for his King.

He also had the retreat 10...Ke7, or furthering his attack with 10...Nf2+, as in anilone - iskaako5050, lichess.org, 2024,  11.Kc2 Nxh1 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Qxd4 Qf8 14.d3 d6 15.Qg1 Ng3 16.hxg3 Bg4 17.Be3 Nh6 18.Qh1 c5 19.f5 Qf6 20.Nd2 Rab8 21.Nc4 b5 22.Na5 Kd7 23.Re1 Nf7 24.Qf1 a6 25.Qf4 h5 26.Nb3 Rhc8 27.d4 c4 28.Na5 d5 29.Rf1 dxe4 30.Qxe4 Nd6 31.Qd5 Bxf5+ 32.Kc1 g6 33.Rf4 Qe6 34.Qf3 Bg4 35.d5 Qe5 36.Rf7+ Nxf7 37.Qxf7+ Qe7 38.Qxe7+ Kxe7 39.Nc6+ Rxc6 40.dxc6 Rc8 White resigned,  

11.e5+ Kc7 12.Qxd3 

Black's King has found safety. Now it's his Bishop's turn.

12...Bb6 13.Qd6 checkmate.

Ouch. Not safe enough.

A different retreat for the Bishop was called for - 12...Bc5 13.f5 Be7 and Black would maintain his advantage.