Some information for Defenders:
A look at The Database, for a comparison between the Blackburne defense - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5+ 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6 - and the Whistler defense - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5+ 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 Qe7 - when White then captures the Rook on h8 with 8.Qxh8, shows that White scores 77% with the former line, but only 51% for the latter.
Books that only show Blackburne's violent crush of the Jerome Gambit do readers a disfavor, leading defenders to a weaker line of play, desplite The Black Death's success.
The much-less-known Whistler defense should be the unbiased choice. (It is the choice of Stockfish 17.1, by a wide margin.)
Still: play what you know, what you are comfortable with, what you have had success with.
And feel free to send me your games, while you are at it.
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