Jerome Gambit: I Can Only Do So Much

 

I was wandering through The Database this morning, when I ran across a recent Jerome Gambit - a Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit - which arrived at the following position, from the game MUNJA666 - TimCross, 10 0 rapid game, lichess.org, 2026: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.0–0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxe5 (1-0, 15)

The Database (close to 130,000 games) has 47 games with this position, with White scoring 74%.

 

In fact, it indicated that I was 10 - 0 with White.

There were games where Black continued 8...Nf6, 8...Be7, 8...Bd6, 8...Qf6, 8...d6, or 8...Qe7 

But, all of this is wrong.

Back in 2008, looking at my game perrypawnpusher - islanderchess, 10 0 blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 46), I had suggested in the notes that

[t]he right move was the retrograde 8...Bf8, since then 9.Qxh8 Bg7 would lead to the win of the White Queen.

In fact, the computer - back then, Rybka - evaluated Black as about 1 1/2 pawns better. That may not be a winning advantage in club play, but it certainly is an advantage.

Since then, in games inThe Database, there have been 46 games with the position in the diagram. In those games, Black played 8...Bf8 only 8 times.

On top of that, Black scored only 5 - 3 in those games after 8...Bf8.

I can help out the Jerome Gambit defender, but I can only do so much.