Black's offer of a Rook in Whistler's defense to the Jerome Gambit is like an offer to step into quicksand - things might not turn out well for White.
I have tried to be clear about this, as in "Jerome Gambit: Taking the Rook Now is Fatal" - and in the following game.
Games played at bullet speed, 1 minute, no increment, though, make the outcome difficult to predict. Courting danger is ultra risky.
It is only fair to point out that, even so, the first player had a chance to escape his dilemma - which he discovered a bit too late.
Arman-Avdalyan - Nguoihatrong
1 0 bullet, 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
Whistler's defense, possibly Black's strongest choice, from a computer's perspective.
The Database, however, illustrates the complications of the position: there are 687 games with 7...Qe7, with White scoring 50%. Now, 8.Qxh8 has been played in 492 games, with White scoring 51%. Stockfish 16.1 scoffs.
Recommended, instead, is to leae the Rook alone and play 8.Qh4+, which appears in 73 games in The Database, with White scoring 57%.
8.Qxh8
What follows is difficult to watch. White voluntarily walks into the quicksand.
8...Qxe4+ 9.Kd1 Qg4+ 10.f3 Qxg2 11.Qxh7+
White strikes back, but his King still remains in mortal danger.
11...Kf8 12.Re1 Qxf3+ 13.Re2 Qf1+ 14.Re1 Qf3+ 15.Re2 d6
Preparing to add one more piece to the attack.
16.d4
White could use more development, himself.
16...Bg4
I am impressed at Black's defense, especially in a game with limited thinking time. He seems to be familiar with the Jerome Gambit, although I can find only one other game of his in The Database.
That said, with this move he gets ahead of himself. The line suggested by Stockfish 16.1 treats White's King cruelly, and leads to great advantage: 16...Qf1+ 17.Kd2 Bg4 18.Nc3 Bb4 19.Re1 Qf2+ 20.Kd3 Bf5+ 21.Kc4 Bxc3 22.bxc3 Qxc2 23.Qxc7 Qa4+ 24.Kd5 Nf6+ 25.Kxd6 Qa6+ 26.Kc5 Rc8 when the first player's material deficit is apparent, and the danger to his King, unabated.
17.Nc3
Protecting the Rook and coming to the aid of the King.
Alas, continuing the counter-attack (counter-counter-attack?) was necessary, instead, i.e. 17.Bh6+ Nxh6 18.Qxh6+ Kf7 (or 18...Kg8 19.Qxg6+, etc.) 19.Qh7+ Kf8 20.Qe7+ and White will check his way to a draw by repetition. Whew!
17...Bxd4 18.Bh6+
19...Nxh6 19.Qxh6+ Bg7
The Bishop falls back on defense.
20.Qe3
A slip, but nothing helps.
20...Qxe3 White resigned
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