Jerome Gambit: Doesn't Quite Work Out

The following game shows a series of sacrifices, acceptances or declinations - hurried by the one-minute time control.

Black's defense doesn't quite work out.

angelcamina - Aybars_Carlsen

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2026

1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke7 

This non-acceptance of sacrificed material shows up in only 2 games (2 angelcamina games) in The Database - a win and a loss.

7.d4 

Or 7.Nxc6+ bxc6 8.O-O Re8 9.d4 as in angelcamina - hpmck, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019 (0-1, 49)

There was also 7.O-O, hoping to transpose to main  lines after  7...Nxe5 8.d4 

7...Nxe5 

Things have changed, and the routine capture should be put off a few moves, i.e. 7...Bxd4 8.Nd5+ Nxd5 9.Nxc6+ dxc6 10.Qxd4 Nf6 and Black is still better.

8.dxe5 Bxf2+ 

Tossing another piece, perhaps hoping to prevail in the chaos.

9.Kxf2 Rf8 10.exf6+ Rxf6+ 11.Ke1 

Things are not going as Black had hoped.

11...Qf8 12.Bg5 d6 13.Nd5+ Ke6 Black resigned

One possible continuation is 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Rf1.