Jerome Gambit: Until He Isn't

                                                    

Like the post a couple of days earlier ("Jerome Gambit: Watch Your Step"), today's post has another game where Black is doing very well against the Jerome Gambit - until he isn't.

Schauspielerr - IronWinchester

2 1 bullet, lichess.org, 2024

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bxf7+ 

This line is a specialty of yorgos and PedrosF1, among others. The Database has 149 games, with White scoring 50%. 

(Alternately, 5.O-O Bc5 6.Bxf7+ is the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. The Database has 226 games, with White scoring 66%) 

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Ng6 

The alternate retreat 7...Nc6 is about the same strength, 8.e5 Nh7 (8...Ng8 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.Qh5+ Ke7 11.Nd5+ Ke6 12.Nf4+ Ke7 13.Ng6+ Ke6 14.Nxh8 Qe7 15.O-O [15.Qg4+ mates] 15...Nxd4 16.f4 Nf5 17.c4 Qf7? 18. Qxf7 checkmate, Schauspielerr - Deepesh00, 2 1 bullet, lichess.org, 2024; 8...Ne8 9.Qf3+ Kg8 10.Qd5+ Kh7 11.Ne4 Qe7 12.O-O Nb4 13.Qb3 Nxc2 14.Qxc2 Kg8 15.Bxh6?! [15.f4] 15...gxh6 16.Qd3 Rh7 17.Qg3+ Rg7 18.Nf6+ Kh8 19.Qf4 Nxf6?! 20.exf6 Rf7? [20...Rxg2+] 21.Qxh6+? [21.fxe7 Rxf4] 21...Rh7? 22.Qg6? [22.fxe7] 22...Qf7 23.Qxf7 Rxf7 24.Rfe1 Rxf6 25.Re8 Kg7 26.Rae1 d6 27.d5 Rf7 28.h4 Kf6 29. g4 Re7?! 30.g5+? Kf7 31.g6+ Kxg6 32.R8xe7 Bxe7 33.Rxe7 Kf5 34.Rf7+ Ke5? 35.Kh2 [35.Rf8] 35...Kxd5 36.Kg3 Be6 37.Rf8 Rxf8 38.h5 Rg8+ White resigned, Schauspielerr - Chessman19790303, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021) 9.Qf3+ Kg8? (9...Nf6) 10.Qd5 checkmate, Schauspielerr - Brezgunov, 2 1 bullet, lichess.org, 2025 

There is also 7...Nc4 8.e5 Ne8 9.Qf3+ Kg8 10.Qd5+ Kh7 11.Qxc4 d5 12.Nxd5 c6 13.Nf4 Nc7 14.Qd3+ Kg8 15.Ng6 Rh7 16.O-O b6?! (16...c5) 17.f4 (17.c4) 17...Ba6 (17...c5) 18.c4 c5 (18...b5) 19.d5 Ne6 20.b3 Nd4 21.Bb2 b5 22.Bxd4 cxd4 23.Qxd4 bxc4 24.bxc4 Rc8 25.Rac1? (25.d6) 25...Bc5 26.Qxc5 Rxc5 27.e6 Rxc4 28.e7 Qb6+ 29.Kh1 Qxg6 30.d6 Rxc1 31.Rxc1 Bb7 32.Rc2 Qe8 33.Rd2 Bc6 34.Kg1 g6 35.g4 Rxe7 36.dxe7 Qxe7 37.Kf2 Qh4+ 38.Ke3 Qxg4 39.Rd8+ Kf7 40.Rd6 Qf3+ 41.Kd4 Qe4+ 42.Kc5 Ba8 43.Rd7+ Kf6 44.Rd6+ Kf5 45.Rd8 Qc6+ 46.Kd4 Qb6+ White resigned, Schauspielerr - Alexey-Evdokimov, 3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2024 

8.e5 Nh7 9.Qf3+ Kg8 10.Qd5 checkmate