Jerome Gambit: Hurry, Hurry

Bullet chess games pass quickly. Deep analysis is limited, intuition plays its part, and with seconds available for each move, players can move quickly - and, occsionally, erroniously.

Take a brief look at the following game.

Dumbledoorsarmy - kap

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian opening, according to Max Euwe.

4.Bxf7+

An accelerated Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, as mentioned in "Accelerated Instant Victory".

The Database has 3,629 games with this line. White scores 43%/ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7

Declining the piece, to his disadvantage.

6.d4 

Possibly played too quickly, as he had the alternative, the 6.Ng6+ fork.

6...d6 

Bullet chess often requires split-second choices. Here, Black plays a move often helpful in similar positions - but not here. Instead: 6...Nxe5. 

7.Ng6+ 

With a few more seconds to think, White finds the move. 

7...Kf7 8.Qh5

Tricky and trappy, the kind of idea that wins quick games.

Still, since Black finds a good response, better was the mundane 8.Nxh8+ Ke7 9.Ng6+ Kf7 10.Nxf8 Kxf8 with the advantage of the exchange and a couple of pawns.

8...Nf6 

This should hold the game.

9.Nxh8+ 

A discovered double check is tempting, but the Knight needed to go elsewhere, with 9.Ne5+ Kg8 (9...Ke6 10.Qf7#; 9...Ke7 10.Qf7#)10.Qf7+ Kh7 11.Qg6+ Kg8 12.Qf7+ and a draw. 

Yes, a draw can be a disappointment for a Jerome Gambiteer, but this is where the game arrived - almost.

9...Ke6 10.Qf7 checkmate