Yury V. Bukayev pointed out to me in an email that a recent search of the internet turned up a link to the online YouTube video "Do You Know the Jerome Gambit? SpeedRuimS05E15" by Armenian-Brazilian Grandmaster Krikor Mekhitarian (GMKrikor) rated 2543.
Yury could not reach the site, but passed the link on to me.
Although Grandmaster Mekhitarian spoke in Portugese, I was able to play over an auto-dubbed version of the video in English.
I have to say that I am always impressed when someone can play strong chess while simultaneously commenting on the opening, the moves, the threats, the counters, etc. (I can barely walk and chew gum at the same time.)
Someone had suggested to Grandmaster Mekhitarian that he play the Jerome Gambit. As he started the game, he admitted "I don't know what this is..."
The online 3-minute game had not gone far when the grandmaster's words proved true.
SpeedBemRuim - dmc65
3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2026
1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5
"Ah, let's do Jerome" said the grandmaster.
4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7
"This gambit is a big piece of ... I don't know what the idea is, c3 maybe?"
5.c3
The Database is incomplete concerning this move. Still, it contains 3,077 games with this position. White scores 50%.
Additionally, the lichess.org database has 91,000 games with this position. White scores 53%.
(By comparison, The Database has 44,043 games with 5.Nxe5+, Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's gambit, with White scoring 56%.)
5...d6
At this point we can rule out the game being a Jerome - there will not be a Nxe5+ by White - supporting the grandmaster in that he was accurate when saying he didn't know the opening.
In the video, Grandmaster Krikor Mekhitarian continued his 3 0 game and won in 32 moves: 6.d4 (immediately putting 5.c3 to use) exd4 7.cxd4 Bb4+ 8.Nc3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Nf6 10.O-O Re8 11.Qb3+ Kf8 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bh4 Rxe4 14.Rfe1 Rxe1+ 15.Rxe1 Bg4 16.Qxb7 Bxf3 17.gxf3 Ne7 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Qe4 Qe8 20.Kh1 Qf7? 21.Qxa8+ Kg7 22.Rg1+ Kh7 23.Qe4+ f5 24.Qh4 Ng6 25.Qg3 f4 26.Qg4 Ne7 27.a4 Nd5 28.c4 Nc3 29.a5 Ne2 30.Rd1 h5 31.Qg5 Nc3 32.Re1 Black resigned
Interesting game, yes.
Entertaining game, yes.
Educational game, yes.
Jerome Gambit, not really.
