Jerome Gambit: In the End, the "Jerome Pawns" (Part 2)

                                                 

[continued from the prevous post]

perrypawnpusher - benjicappy

Chess.com, 2025

20.g4 

As H. L. Mencken is sometimes misquoted as saying

for every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, obvious, and wrong

Here, my plan was to kick the Knight - and then? Not quite sure.

(Don't try this at home, as they used to say on TV.)

20...g6 

Challenging White's advance is a good idea, but an even better idea might be to stifle it, with 20...g5, as capturing the pawn en passant with 21.fxg6 would allow opening the dangerous h-file with 21...hxg6.

Now, for a moment, the center takes priority, if only to inject a bit of chaos for both sides. Muddle, muddle

21.Nd5 Bxd5 22.exd5 Qd8 23.Re6 

I know that the advanced Rook is annoying, but there was still time for the defender to find ...g6-g7.

23...Rxe6 24.dxe6 

Now, Black has one more chance to advance his g-pawn, 24...g5. In turn, White should not exchange pieces with 25.exf7 gxh5, but, rather, retreat the Bishop with 25.Bf2, with an edge.

24...Nh6 

The Knight had to go somewhere - if it were going anywhere at all.

25.g5 

Now, White is clearly better.

 25...Nxf5 26.gxf6 Kb8 27.Re1 Nxd4 

At this point I realized that my board at home was set up wrong. Fortunately, I caught it in time.

Now, advancing either advanced pawn leads to a win. 

28.f7 Qf8 29.Bf6  Black resigned

The "Jerome pawns" rescued my game.