Jerome Gambit: Homer Shakes His Head Vigorously (Part 2)

                                                         

[continued from the previous post]

perrypawnpusher - henrymehta

Wal2010's 3rd Thematic, Chess.com, 2026

                               

White has a pawn for his sacrificed piece, and has some hope for 

a compensating attack against Black's somewhat exposed King.

9.Qc4+

Or 9.Qd3 as in perrypawnpusher - anandh, blitz, FICS 2011 (0-1, 11); perrypawnpusher - Duir, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 42); and perrypawnpusher - bartab, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 19).

9...Ke8

Or 9...Ke7 as in perrypawnpusher - Avious, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 40)

Or 9...d5, the strongest response, as in perrypawnpusher - GladiadorAguila, Play The Italian Game III, Chess.com. 2023 (0-1, 31)

10.0-0 d6 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 Ne5 

I am usually happy to see the defender's Knight come to e5, as I usually can boot it with a well-timed f2-f4.

13.Qe2 

After the game, Stockfish 16.1 (30 ply) recommended 13.Qb3 giving the line of play 13...c6 14.f4 Ng6 15.Bxf6 gxf6, breaking up Black's Kingside pawns.

The idea was that if the defender captured on f6 with his Queen, then 16.e5 would give White some play.

13...Be6 14.b3 

I worried about my opponent responding to my planned 14.f4 with 14...Bc4. Post-mortem computer analysis focused on giving up the exchange with 15.Qe1 Bxf1 16.fxe5 dxe5 17.Qxf1 which does not look appealing.

14...g5 15.Bg3 h5 

Wow.

It was now time for me to exchange off my threatened Bishop, but I thought that I could hold off for a move.

16.Rad1 Qe7 Nd5 

There is nothing to this, as henrymehta shows.

18.exd5 Bg4 

Looking at this Bishop sortie a few moves earlier, I told myself I can just block it with my pawn, and I didn't give it a second thought.

Of course, when my opponent actually played the move, I looked closer, and gasped.

Sure, it was now possible to give up the exchange with 19.Qb5+ c6 20.Qb4 Bxd1, but after 21.Qxd1 I would be down a Rook for a pawn.

So I moved, expecting the worst.

19.f3 Nxf3+

Excellent.

My opponent had played too strongly for me to try to continue with 20.gxf3 Qe2 21.Rde1 Bxf3 22.Rxf3 Qxe1+ 23.Bxe1 entering the endgame down the exchange and a pawn and hoping for a swindle.

White resigned

Many years ago, a friend of my mother asked, in all sincerity, "If you are so smart, why aren't you...?" She caught herself, embarassed.

"Rich?" asked my mother.

Her friend nodded, and they both had a laugh.

So: If I am so smart when it comes to the Jerome Gambit, why couldn't I last at least 20 moves in this game?

I can only laugh.