Jerome Gambit: Dodgy Defense

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game illustrates an interesting defense.

It also provides a warning to players to be careful not to lose their focus as they play, lest unfortunate events ensue.

joker0909 - GioPika70

3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Qh4 

As I wrote in "Jerome Gambit: Not So Fast"

In this position, Black usually sacrifices his Rook with either 7...d6, Blackburne's defense, or 7...Qe7, Whistler's defense.

Here, however, Black offers a finesse: after 8.Qxh8, then 8...Qxe4+ would transpose to the strong attack that comes out of  Whistler's defense, without having offered or allowed the exchange of Queens that could happen in the ordinary Whistler, i.e. 8.Qxe7+.

I am tempted to call this the "DodgyGong defense", based on the early game perrypawnpusher - DodgyGong, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 34).

8.Qxc5 Qxe4+ 9.Kd1 

White's King steps aside, planning to bring his Rook to the e-file.

Stockfish 17.1 prefers 9.Kf1, protecting the g-pawn. 

It is a small sample, but The Database shows in previous games that 9.Kd1 scored 2 - 2,  While 9.Kf1 scored 4 - 1. YMMV.

9...d6 

Missing an opportunity to play 9...Qg4+ 10.f3 Qxg2, or 9...Qxg2, directly, both times keeping the game even, because of drawing chances.

10.Qxc7+ Ne7 

White now has the opportunity to stymie Black's threats along the a8-h1 file and the d1-h5 file, with 11.f3. Further play would allow the first player to keep an edge: 11...Bg4 12.Rf1 (reinforcing the pawn at f3) Rhc8 13.Nc3 Qxc2+ (a small combination that wins a pawn) 14.Kxc2 Bf5+ 15.d3 Rxc7 and White is better.

In a 3-minute blitz game, that can be missed. 

11.Re1 Qxg2 

Instead, 11...Bg4+ 12.f3 Bxf3+ 13.gxf3 Qxf3+ 14.Re2 Qf1+ 15.Re1 Qf3+ etc, draws by repetition.

12.Qxe7+ 

Does it matter which piece captures at e7?

If you are a computer, it does: 12.Rxe7+ Kf6 13.Rf7+ Kg5 14.d3+ Kg4 15.f3+ Qxf3+ 16.Rxf3 h6 17.Rg3+ Kh5 18.Qf7 Bg4+ 19.Rxg4 Kxg4 20.Qf4+ Kh5 21.Qf3+ Kh4 22.Qg3+ Kh5 23.Qh3 checkmate

Egads.

Of course, after the text move, White is better. 

12...Kg8 13.Qe8+ Kg7 14.Re7+ Kh6 

15.Qf7 

Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.

Adding a piece to the attack was the way: 15.d3+ g5 16.Re6+ Bxe6 (16...Kg7 17.Qe7+ Kg8 18.Qd8+ Kg7 19.Qf6+ Kg8 20.Re8#) 17.Qxe6+ Kh5 18.Be3 Rae8 19.Qf7+ Kh6 20.h4, when Black's checks will be ineffective.

15...Bg4+ 16.Ke1 Qg1 checkmate