Jerome Gambit: I Admire Blitz Players

I admire blitz players.

I am astonished by bullet players.

The game gets in my face too fast, events get too messy... I disagree with the Rolling Stones: Time is not on my side.

The following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) blitz game - not mine - has some fascinating twists and turns.

deusmach - Philas01

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kf8 

According to The Database, White scores 62% in this declined variation. That compares favorably with 53% for White in the main line 4...Kxf7. 

5.Nxe5 

From Jerome Gambit for Dummies 2.0 (Part 3)

Although 98% of the time (according to The Database) Black captures the Bishop [after 4.Bxf7+], the move is not forced. It is simply a choice for the second player between having an "objectively" winning game with 4...Kxf7 and having the worse position after 4...Kf8 or 4...Ke7...

Some players seeking greater complications have left the Bishop in place and tried 5.Nxe5, apparently hoping to continue along orthodox Jerome Gambit lines, gaining a tempo when Black finally plays ...Kxf7. 

5...Nxe5 6.d4 Qf6 

Sure, who needs to capture the Bishop?

7.Bxg8 Ng4

Wait a minute...

8.O-O

Why not 8.Qxg4 ? Things are messy after 8...Bxd4 9.Bb3 Qxf2+ 10.Kd1 d5 but White hangs onto his advantage with 11.Qe2.

Blitz. I blame it on the time control. On the clock.

8...Bxd4 9.Be3 

Ignoring the Knight, again, and going for the knockout.

9...Bxe3 

To quote the sentient computer in 2001 A Space Odyssey

HAL: Well, I don't think there is any question about it. It can only be attributable to human error. This sort of thing has cropped up before, and it has always been due to human error.

Uh, 9...Bxb2  10.Bb3 h5 and Black is better.

10.fxe3 Black resigned