Jerome Gambit: Standards

The faster the time control, the more likely a player is to occasionally rely on standard moves that are often played in the opening.

Sometimes that works, sometimes it does not.

NukNoName - fpmr1375

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ 

The "nudge". Relatively standard.

7...Kf8 8.Qxc5+ Qe7 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.d3 d5 

A standard riposte.

11.Nc3 dxe4 12.dxe4 Kf7 13.f4 

A standard use of the "Jerome pawns". Stockfish 16.1 is not supportive, but NukNoName makes it work.

13...Re8 14.e5 Ng4 

Black could also safeguard his King, first: 14...Kg8 15.O-O Ng4 16.Qf3 Rb8 17.h3 Qc5+ 18.Kh1 N4xe5 19.fxe5 Nxe5 20.Qd5+ Qxd5 21.Nxd5 c6 22.Bf4 cxd5 23.Rae1 Bd7 24.Rxe5 Rxe5 25.Bxe5 Rc8 26.c3 Bc6 27.Bd4 Re8 28.Kg1 Re2 29.Rf2 Re1+ 30.Kh2 Rb1 31.Kg3 a6 32.a3 Rd1 33.b4 Rd3+ 34.Rf3 Rd1 35.Rf2 h6 36.Rf3 Rd3 37.Kf4 Rxf3+ 38.Kxf3 Black resigned, Anti-Duhring - balavb06, blitz, lichess.org, 2022. 

15.Qf3 

15...N6xe5 

A standard tactic by Black, returning a piece for a couple of pawns.

Here, though, it doesn't work. Quite possibly, the time control affected the decision making.

16.fxe5+ 

The check makes the difference

16...Kg8 

The second player's King is now safe. Perhaps this emboldens him.

17.O-O Qxe5 

And then Black realized his error.

Black resigned