Jerome Gambit: Do You Feel Lucky?

Five-minute chess games have their share of luck as well as skill.

The following game ends quickly - likely the defender was not feeling lucky at the time.

RichardThomas - ldiem

5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Bxf7+ 

The Abrahams Jerome Gambit.

3...Kxf7 4.Qh5+ Ke6 5.Nf3 

If Black now plays 5...Nc6, the position would look similar to the Jerome Gambit, although White's Queen, in this case, will have "ghosted" through his Knight on f3!

5...d6 6.Ng5+ 

This move brings to mind the posts "Jerome Gambit: Whatever Happened To...? (Part 1)" and "Repeated Face Palm".

Will Black be "lucky" and find the safe response in time? There are 89 games in The Database with White's check.

6...Ke7 

Ouch. But he is not alone - 19 players tumbled to this move.

7.Qf7 checkmate