The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) can lead to adventurous games - not, necessarily, successful ones, but adventurous.
The following game shows a chessfriend who is familiar with the Jerome, handing me a well-deserved defeat: there are moments in the opening where White has to act decisively, or lose the thread of the game.
perrypawnpusher - rffuse
Chess.com, 2026
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4
The one time I tried 6.d4, the game was a swindle of a draw: perrypawnpusher - 4xel, Jerome Gambit Fun tournament, Chess.com, 2017 (1/2-1/2, 29).
I am 5 - 0 against 6.d4, however.
6...Bxd4
The alternative 6...Qh4 (the so-called Pie-in-the-Face Variation, played as early as Sorensen - Anonymous, Denmark 1888) was seen in my game against 4xel.
7.Qxd4 d6 8.O-O Qf6
The position of both Queens should remind Readers of the threat covered in "Jerome Gambit: Beware Threat Position". White must protect his Queen - or move it.
9.Be3 Ne7 10.Nc3 Bd7 11.f4 N5c6
Black is well-prepared for any action in the center.
12.Qd2 Rhe8 13.e5
Probably premature. 13.Rae1 comes to mind.
13...Qe6 14.Nb5
14...Nd5
Black plays solidly in this game, and this move is a slip - although, it turns out, it does not cost him.
Better is 14...Rac8 with a clear advantage.
15.c4
Returning the favor. 15.Rae1 Kf8 16.f5 (or 16. Bf2) was more in the spirit of the opening.
15...Nxe3 16.Qxe3 Rac8 17.Qd3
17...Nb4
Attacking the Queen, and offering the h-pawn. Of course, if now 18.Qxh7, then 18...Rh8 and the Rook has an attacking file against the White King.
18.Qc3 Bxb5 19.cxb5 Nd5 20.Qd3
White's Queen runs around like John, at Fort Zinderneuf, in P. C. Wren's novel Beau Geste.
[to be continued]
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