Jerome Gambit: Slow and Static (Part 2)

                                                  

[continued from previous post]

perrypawnpusher - diegorocha82

Italian opning rapid players, Chess.com, 2025

After the game, Stockfish 16.1 (37 ply) assessed the position as equal.

16...Qe8 

Keeping White's Queen off of h5.

A calm alternative was 16...Kf7 17.Be3 Rf8 18.Bxd4 cxd4 19.Qxd4 Kg8, maintaining equality.

17.Be3 

I wish I had found 17.Nc3 Nef5 18.b4 cxb4 19.exf5 bxc3 20.Qxd4 Bxf5 21.Qxc3. 

It is a bit embarassing, as a Jerome Gambit "expert", to not see deep enough.

17...b6 18.Bxd4 cxd4 19.Qxd4 Kg8 

The position is similar to the one discussed in the notes to Black's 16th move - although, notably, here the second player's King locks in his Rook.

20.Nc3 

It was possible to play 20.e5 right away, but I worried about the response, 20...Nf5, and so added more development.

20...Bg4 

I am not sure what this move is about. Surely the Bishop would be safer on d7.

In turn, White now has (again) f5-f6, but instead opts for slow.

21.h3 Bh5 22.g4 Bf7 23.e5 

According to plan. The "Jerome pawns" control the field and give White the advantage.

The idea h7-h4, activating the Rook and attacking White's pawn structure, should be coming to mind for the defender.

23...dxe5 24.fxe5 Bg6 25.Nb5 

Threatening the fork at Nc7, planning to land on d6.

Still, the consistent 25.d6 was more to the point.

25...Qc8 26.d6 Nc6 

Forcing the exchange of Queens, while returning some material, can lead to some amusing play, 26...Qc5 27.dxe7 Qxd4+ (27...Qxe7 28.Qd5+ Bf7 28.Qxa8+) 28.Nxd4 Re8 29.Ne6 h6 30.Rf8+ Kh7 31.Rxe8 Rxe8 32.Nf8+ Kg8 33.Nxg6 Kf7 34.Nf4 Kxe7 and White's material is winning. 

27.Qd5+ Bf7 28.Qxf7 checkmate