Jerome Gambit: Taking the Rook Now is Fatal

One of the biggest challenges to the Jerome Gambit is Whistler's defense - less known than Blackburne's defense, but more powerful.

Advice to those playing White is simple: Do not take the Rook.

alivera1234 - Zazzleface

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Qe7 

The Whistler defense, which Alonzo Wheeler Jerome faced in the games of his correspondence match with Lt. G. N. Whistler, secretary of the Lexington, Kentucky Chess Club, in 1876.

As I said simply in "Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter VIII"

Taking the Rook now is fatal.

8.Qxh8 Qxe4+ 9.Kf1 Nf6 

The strongest move was 9...Qh4, which The Database shows has the record of  12 - 2 - 1 for Black.

10.d3 

So far, following Jerome - D.P. Norton, correspondence, 1876 (1/2 - 1/2, 20).

10...Qh4 11.g3 Qh3+ 12.Ke2 

The King feels the heat.

12...d6 13.Ke1 Qg2 14.Rf1 Bh3 

The Queen, too.

15.Nd2 Rxh8  White resigned