Jerome Gambit: A Pleasant Variation of the Giuoco Piano (Part 2)

 

[continued from the previous post]

perrypawnpusher - rffuse

Chess.com, 2026                          

13...Ke8 14.d4 Bb6 15.Rf3 

With a pawn center, and preparing to double Rooks on the f-file, I could feel my game improving - although rffuse's two Bishops look ominous, and are part of why the computer still favors the second player.

15...Rf8 

To challenge along the f-file, but 15...Be6 or 15...c6 are probably better.

16.Raf1 Rxf3 17.Qxf3 Qf6 

I wanted to pursue an attack here (my opponent has the classic undeveloped-Bishop-blocking-the-undeveloped-Rook), and so chose not to grab a pawn with 18.Qxf6 gxf6 19.Rxf6.

After the game, Stockfish 17.1 recommended the followup 19...c6 20.Rh6 Kf7 21.Rxh7+ Kg8, assessing things as equal. I don't get it: White has 4 pawns (2 of them connected and passed) for a piece; I don't see why he isn't better. (Maybe because the computer's rating is twice mine.)

Anyhow, the alternatives 18.Qe2 and 18.Qd1 are passive, but there is an alternative.

18.Qh5+ Qg6 19.Qd5 c6 

This move protects the b-pawn and kicks the White Queen away. It turns out that the Queen has only one good square to go to - but that is enough.

It is worth looking at, in passing, the messy alternative, a direct threat of mate by Black with 19...Bh3. In that case, 20.Rf2 would be an insufficient response, as 20...Ke7 21.e5 (21.Qxb7 Rf8) Rd8 22.Qxb7 (what else?) Rf8 and the heat transfers to White's King. 

Instead, after 19...Bh3, White's 20.Qg8+ Kd7 21.Rf7+ Ke6 22.Rf8+ Kd7 23.Qf7+ Qxf7 24.Rxf7+ Ke8 25.Rxg7 Kf8 26.Rxh7 Be6 gives White just an edge.

20.Qg8+ 

This move works against 19...Bh3, as well.

20...Ke7 21.Qf8+ Ke6 22.d5+ cxd5 23.exd5+ Kd7 

24.Rf7+ Qxf7 25.Qxf7+ Kd8 Black resigned

White has a Queen and two pawns for a Bishop and a Rook, but, more importantly, he has the safer King.