Jerome Gambit: Valuable Time (Part 4)

                                       

[continued from previous post]

perrypawnpusher - JAMARTINO

Not only the Italians play the Italian, Chess.com, 2025

12...Nb4 

Harassing the Queen is often too tempting.

Tucking away the King with 12...Kg8 is more frequent in my games

perrypawnpusher - anomis, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 59);

perrypawnpusher - mjmonday, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 32);

perrypawnpusher - Angstrem, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 35); 

perrypawnpusher - Padalino, blitz, FICS 2010 (1-0, 20);

perrypawnpusher - amirelattar, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 50);

perrypawnpusher - yuriko, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 31);

perrypawnpusher - kholthaus, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 45); 

perrypawnpusher - DeDaapse, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 24); 

perrypawnpusher - JohnBr, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 31);

perrypawnpusher - tharadili, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 30); 

perrypawnpusher - kholthaus, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 17); 

perrypawnpusher - yuriko, blitz. FICS, 2011 (1/2 - 1/2, 37)

Also 12...Qe7 as in perrypawnpusher - alsuarezdi, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2 - 1/2, 88) 

13.Qc4+ d5 

With more time to think, my opponent finds the right response to the check: not 13...Kf8 as in perrypawnpusher - yuriko, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 34) or 13...Be6 as in  perrypawnpusher - grunf, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2 - 1/2, 69). 

14.Qxb4 dxe4 

Material is now even. It is not yet clear if the passed pawn on e4 is a strength or a weakness. White's King is safer.

15.Be3 

Blockade.

15...Nd5 

After the game, Stockfish 17.1 recommended this line of play: 15...a5 16.Qb5 Qe7 17.h3 c6 18.Qb6 Ra6 19.Qd4 b5 20.Rfe1 Ra8 21.a3 Kg8 22.Qb6 Ra6 23.Qc5 Qxc5 24.Bxc5 e3 25.Rxe3 Rxe3 26.Bxe3 Bf5 27.Rc1 h5 28.Bd4 Ra8 29.Nd1 Rd8 30.Bb6 Rd2 31.Bxa5 with an edge to White.

Wow. All those Queen moves for White, all those pawn moves for Black... It is clear that I am not a computer

16.Nxd5 Qxd5 17.Rfd1 Qf5 

Compared to the previous diagram, the Knights are gone.

Might as well continue to pressure the advanced e-pawn.

18.Rd4 Kg8 19.Rad1 c5 20.Qb5 

Both Kings are safe. White has the better development. Black has the passed pawn. 

Exchanging Rooks looks like a short-term plan.

[to be continued]