Not Regarded to Be A Very Good Move (Part 1)

My record with the following gambit (arguably a relative of the Jerome Gambit) is rather ordinary, 1 - 1 - 1 against humans, and 2 - 0 against (rather lightweight) Chess.com bots.

perrypawnpusher - Serega40

Italian opning rapid players, Chess.com, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

The Two Knights defense

4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Bxf7+ 

The Noa Gambit, otherwise known as the Monck Gambit, otherwise known as the Open Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. 

"Not regarded to be a very good move" according to International Master Alex Astaneh, in his video Italian Game | Noa Gambit | Four Knights Game | Chess Openings | Alex Astaneh.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe4 d5 

There was the unusual 6...b5 7.Nfg5+ Kg8 8.Qf3 h5 9.Qf7 checkmate, in perrypawnpusher - Chidobe Awuzie bot, Chess.com, 2023. 

7.Ng3 e4 

Calmer was 7...Bc5 8.O-O Qf6 9.d3 Rd8 10.Bg5 Qd6 11.Bxd8 Qxd8 12.Re1 Bg4 13.h3 Bxf2+ 14.Kxf2 Bxf3 15.Qxf3+ Kg8 16.Kg1 Rb8 17.Rf1 Qf8 18.Qxf8+ Rxf8 19.Rxf8+ Kxf8 20.Rf1+ Ke7 21.Nf5+ Kf6 22.Nd4+ Ke7 23.Nxc6+ bxc6 24.Kf2 g5 25.Ke3 h5 26.Rf5 a5 27.Rxg5 Kf6 28.Rxh5 Ke6 29.g4 Ke7 30.Rxe5+ Kd6 31.Kf4 Kd7 32.g5 Kd6 33.g6 a4 34.g7 a3 35.bxa3 Kc5 36.g8=Q Kb6 37.Qb8+ Ka6 38.Re6 Ka5 39.Qb4+ Ka6 40.Rxc6+ Ka7 41.Rxc7+ Ka6 42.Qb8 Ka5 43.Ra7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - Anthony bot, Chess.com 2024 

8.Ng1 Bc5 

Or 8...g6 as in perrypawnpusher - RemoveKubab1, Italian Game Battlegrounds tournament, Chess.com, 2019 (1 - 0, 30); or

8...Qf6 as in perrypawnpusher - vityas81, Chess.com, 2023 (0 - 1, 16)

9.N1e2 Rf8 10.O-O Kg8 

Black has castled by hand, has better central control and more active pieces. 

On a brighter note, Stockfish 17.1 sees the opening at least a pawn better for White than my favorite Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+).

11.d4 

At this point in the game, my thinking was Probably best is 11.d3, to be met by 11...exd3, which Black can transpose to if he now captures White's d-pawn in passing, after 11.d4.

Alas, Black now does not have to capture the d-pawn, as he has a much better move to play. It was White's threat to capture on e4, after 11.d3, that encouraged Black's pawn exchange. 

Ah, the things I learn after the game is over.

11...Bd6 12.c4 

Played like I knew what I was doing.

12...Bxg3 

I was okay to play 12...dxc4. White probably can not get the pawn back. 

13.Nxg3 Bf5 

Again, Black passes up the c-pawn.

The game is about even, according to Stockfish 17.1 (34 ply).

14.Be3 Ne7 

See the notes after Black's 12th and 13th moves.

Still, I think that adding to piece development cannot be wrong.

[to be continued]