When I play chess online (usually FICS) people all over the world get a chance to take a swing at the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and similar openings.
Sometimes, "technical difficulties" have to be overcome, along with the expected chess resistance.
perrypawnpusher - BHAseagull
blitz FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening is more popular with club players than with the chess elite, but Grandmaster Pavel Blatny has shown it to be much more playable than generally believed.
4.0-0 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
I am not aware of GM Blatny ever facing the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, however.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6
I've faced this set-up 8 times before and surrendered 1/2 a point. Still, an objective look at the position shows that Black is better.
8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxc5 b6
This move is new to me here. It was played, without 0-0 and ...h6, in gobo - HPotter, ChessWorld Jerome Gambit Tournament, 2005 (1-0, 45).
It is no longer a surprise when I see the Jerome Gambit – a "hyper-classical" opening if there ever was one – be met with a hypermodern style defense.
10.Qe3 Bb7 11.Nc3 Nf6
Now, if only Black could castle, he wouldn't have a care in the world.
12.f4 Qe7 13.d3 d6 14.f5 Nf8
A bit defensive, but Black has serious plans about protecting his King.
15.Bd2 Kd7 16.Rae1 Re8 17.Qd4 Kc8
Yes, Black plans to castle-by-hand on the Queenside. His position is solid enough that he can afford the time involved.
18.Qa4 Kb8 19.Nb5 Ba6
Inexplicable. My opponent made a comment (after the piece disappeared) indicating that he knew he had goofed.
Black defends and keeps his advantage, instead, with ...a7-a6.
Now White is winning, if he can avoid blunders.
20.Qxa6 Qd8 21.Qxa7+ Kc8 22.Qa8+ Kd7 23.Qxd8+ Kxd8
I was comfortable being three pawns up in an uncomplicated position. The only "exciting" moment left in the game comes about ten moves later.
24.Bc3 N8d7 25.Nd4 c5 26.Ne6+ Ke7
27.Nxg7 Reg8 28.Bxf6+ Kxf6 29.Ne6 Re8
30.Re3 b5 31.Rg3 b4
Adding to Black's technical difficulties over-the-board was the quickly disappearing time on his clock.
32.Rg6+
At this point my opponent disconnected.
In the past, this kind of thing (with a different opponent, I hasten to add) has been a source of fustration.
However, this time my opponent was amenable to resuming the game a couple of days later.
BHAseagull signed on, joined the game – and then let the last 35 seconds on his clock run out, losing on time.
I have a habit of giving the "Jerome Gambit treatment" to related openings, if I think I can get away with it (see "Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit" and "Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit 2").
Take the "semi-Italian" opening, as referred to by Euwe, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6, and played at times by GM Pavel Blatny (and many nervous club players who fear Nf3-g5).
perrypawnpusher - bergeruw
blitz game FICS, 2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
4.0-0
One early morning on FICS I was in such a hurry to Jerome-ize this opening that I fired off 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Ke7 8.Qxe5+ Kf7 only to realize (of course) that there was no enemy Bishop on c5 to pick up! So I had to weasel my way out: 9.Qd5+ Ke8 10.0-0 c6 11.Qd4 c5 12.Qc3 d6 13.f4 Be7 14.d4 b5 15.dxc5 dxc5 16.Qxg7 Bf6 17.Qg6+ Ke7 18.Nc3 Bb7 19.e5 Qd4+ 20.Kh1 Bh4 21.Qg7+ Ke8 22.Qxh8 Kf7 23.Qh7+ Kf8 24.Qf5+ Bf6 25.exf6 Nxf6 26.Nxb5 Be4 27.Nxd4 Black resigns, perrypawnpusher - marapr, FICS, 2007
4...Bc5 5.Bxf7+
I think that adding 0-0 to the regular Jerome Gambit line is more helpful to White than adding ...h6 is to Black. In any case, the game is no longer the quiet affair hoped for by the second player.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Kf6
Black moved his King, instead, to e6 in a humorous gamelet of mine, where both sides were plagued by nerves from the onset, and I foolishly forced a draw in a won position: 7...Ke6 8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.d4 Qf6 10.dxe5+ Qxe5 11.Rd1+ Bd4 12.Qf8+ Ke6 13.Qe8+ Kf6 14.Qf8+ Ke6 15.Qe8+ Kf6 Game drawn by mutual agreement.. perrypawnpusher - Joyus, blitz game, FICS, 2007
Black can, as an alternative, block the check: 7...Ng6 8.Qd5+ ( 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4+ Be6 10.Qe2 Nf6 11.f4 Re8 12.f5 Bxf5 13.Rxf5 d5 14.e5 Qd7 15.Qh5 c6 16.Nc3 Qc7 17.d4 c5 18.Nxd5 Qd8 19.exf6 gxf6 20.Rxf6+ Qxf6 21.Nxf6 Black lost on time in a busted position, abhailey - cumelen, net-chess.com 2008) 8...Kf8 9.Qxc5+ d6 10.Qe3 N8e7 11.d4 Kg8 12.Nc3 Kh7 13.f4 Rf8 14.f5 Nh8 15.g4 Kg8 16.g5 hxg5 17.Qxg5 Nf7 18.Qg3 Nc6 19.f6 g5 20.Bxg5 Nxg5 21.Qxg5+ Kf7 22.Qg7+ Ke6 23.d5+ Ke5 24.Qg3+ Kd4 25.Qd3+ Ke5 26.Qg3+ Kd4 27.Qd3+ Ke5 28.Qg3+ Kd4 29.Qd3+ Ke5 30.Qg3+ Kd4 31.Qd3+ Ke5 32.Qg3+ Kd4 in time trouble, with a winning position, I forced the draw, perrypawnpusher - pascalwilliams, blitz game, FICS 2007
8.Qf5+ Ke7 9.Qxe5+ Kf7 10.Qd5+ Kf6
11.e5+ Kg6 12.Qxc5 d6 13.exd6 Qxd6 14.Qxd6+ cxd6
Black is simply two pawns down, and his King's increased activity is not sufficient compensation.
15.Nc3 Bf5 16.d3 Rc8 17.Be3 a6 18.Bd4 Nf6 19.Rae1 Rhe8 20.f3 Kh7 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Rxe8 Rxe8 23.Kf2 Kg6 24.Re1 Rc8
A further ten moves has not improved Black's lot.25.Re7 Rb8 26.Ne4 Bxe4 27.fxe4 b5 28.Rd7 Rb6 29.c3 b4 30.c4 b3 31.a3 f5 Black resigns
