On the way to the Jerome Gambit, it is possible to notice The OMG Variation, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Ng5?, first mentioned in this blog 15 years ago in "Jerome Gambit Quiz #2" & "Jerome Gambit Quiz #3".
What to say?
Avoiding a sketchy, refuted line of play, in order to play a sketchier, more-refuted line of play?
Yet, if you visit lichess.org, you will see that the database there has 1.8 million games with the line.
What?
In those games, White still scores 35%.
Perhaps that is, in part, due to the fact that not quite 2/3 of the games feature capturing the adventurous White Knight with 4...Qxg5.
One third of the games let the Knight escape.
Why would any defender do that?
Here are a couple of not-surprising example games --
Dpeme - umsar42
3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2026
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Ng5 Qxg5 5.d4 Qxg2 White resigned
Well, at least White got to unleash his uncovered Bishop attack on the Queen - before he turned over his King.
gaho2005 - A-Stranger
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Ng5 Qxg5 White resigned
And, what if White hangs on?
French_Assassin - EV778
1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2026
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Ng5 Qxg5 5.g3 Qf6 6.O-O d6 7.Nc3 Bh3 8.Nd5 Qd8 9.Re1 Nf6 10.c3 Nxd5 11.exd5 Ne7 12.d4 Bb6 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Rxe5 O-O 15.Bg5 Bc5 16.Qh5 Bd7 17.Rae1 Re8 18.d6 Bxd6 19.Qxf7+ Kh8 20.Bf6 Rg8 21.Rh5 Qe8 22.Bxe7 Qxf7 23.Bxf7 Bxe7 24.Rxe7 Rgd8 25.Bg6 h6 26.Rhe5 Bc6 27.h4 Rd1+ 28.Re1 Rxe1+ 29.Rxe1 Rf8 30.Re7 Rf6 31.f4 Rxg6 32.Kf2 Rd6 33.f5 Rd2+ 34.Ke3 Rd6 35.Kf4 Rf6 36.g4 Kh7 37.g5 hxg5+ 38.hxg5 Rd6 39.g6+ Kh6 40.Rf7 Rd8 41.Rf8 Rxf8 42.Ke5 Bd7 43.f6 Re8+ 44.d5 gxf6 45. Kd4 Kg7 46. Kd5 Re6 47. c4 Rd6+ 48. Ke4 Rc6 49.Kf4 Be6 50.Ke4 Rxc4+ 51.Kd3 Rc5 52.Ke3 Rc6 53.Kd3 Rd6+ 54.Ke3 Bf5 55.Kf4 Be4 56.Ke3 Bd5 57.Kf4 Re6 58.Kf5 Re5+ 59.Kf4 Re4+ 60.Kf5 Re3 61.Kf4 Rf3+ Black won on time
The whole thing makes me happy to be playing 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, instead.
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