Sometimes, while playing the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), we can take a cue from our opponent as to which move to make or which plan to follow. See the following game.
SuperChinese - Zakir292
5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020
1. e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.O-O Be6
Cue #1: With a Knight on g6, this Bishop move should prompt a standard response from White.
11.f4 Bc4 12.d3 Qe7
Black's idea reminds me of the Calvin and Hobbes book, Scientific Progress Goes "Boink" - Black follows the "scientific" idea of returning sacrificed material in order to break White's attack. However, he overlooks cue #2: his King and Queen will soon be on an opened file.
13.dxc4 Nxe4
He could have tried 13...Kf7, to limit the damage.
14.Re1 Nc5
This might have been the move that Black had been counting on. In a 5-minute game, sometimes analysis does not go deep enough.
15.Qf2 Ne4 16.Qf3
16...Ne5 17.Qxe4 Rf8 18.fxe5 Qf7 19.exd6+
White is a couple of pieces and a couple of pawns ahead. All he has to do is make sure he doesn't get checkmated, and he has the win.
19...Kd8 20.Qe7+
The simplest. Now 20...Qxe7 21.dxe7+ Kd7 22.exf8/Q+ Rxf8 would be quite enough. Instead, Black allows checkmate directly.
20...Kc8 21.d7+ Kb8 22.Qxf8+ Qxf8 23.Re8+ Black resigned
Black takes his cue. The finish would be 23...Qxe8 24.dxe8 checkmate. Ouch!
While it is nice to surprise an opponent with the Jerome Gambit, more and more often defenders are showing that they have an idea about how to defend - if not outright refute - the opening. What's an attacker to do?
Well, play on, of course!
Wall,B - Guest1839713
PlayChess.com, 2013
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.fxe5 dxe5
The so-called "annoying defense" (see "Philidor1792 vs the Annoying Defense" Parts 1, 2 and 3; "Further Exploration" and "Theory from the Thematic Tournament" Parts 3 and 4), the refutation choice of most computers, which has even given Bill trouble from time to time.
It is interesting to put this in perspective, however, in light of the previous post on "refutation".
The Database has over 10,000 games starting with the Jerome Gambit sequence 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+, with White scoring 45%. Interestingly enough, against the "annoying defense" White has scored 58%.
Bill has scored 70% against the "annoying defense" which looks good until you realize that his over-all Jerome Gambit score is 96%.
It is as if a sage has warned players: After the refutation, the gods have placed the rest of the game...
9.Qh3+ Kf7 10.Qh5+ Kf8 11.Qxe5
11...Bd6
This certainly looks aggressive enough, but Bill recommends, instead,11...Qh4+ 12.g3 Qe7.
12.0-0+
Wise. As Bill points out, there is more danger in 12.Qd5? Qh4+ 13.Ke2 Qg4+ 14.Ke1 Qxg2 15.Rf1+ Nf6.
12...Nf6 13.Qg5 Kg8
Instead, 13...h6 14.Qh4 g5 was seen in Colossus - Spike1.2, Jerome Forced Computer Chess Match, 2006 (0-1, 43); while 13...Be6 was seen in several games in the legendary Fisher-Kirshner,M - Knight Stalker, Mission San Jose, Fremont, CA, 1993 match.
14.e5
White needs to push on, as Bill demonstrates. Not 14.Nc3? Bxh2+ 15.Kxh2 Ng4+
14...Bc5+ 15.Kh1 Be7 16.exf6 Bxf6
What can I say?
Bill Watterson said it best when he titled one of his Calvin and Hobbes books:
To wit, Black has "scientifically" returned the sacrificed material to calm the storm. True, he is a pawn down, but he hopes that the "two Bishops" will compensate in an open position.
17.Qc5 h6 18.Nc3 c6 19.Ne4 Bd4 20.Qc4+ Kh7
Black has castled by hand.
21.c3 Be5?
Instead, Bill recommends 21...Re8 22.cxd4 Rxe4 with about an equal game, although 22.Ng3!? might be a way for White to maintain an edge.
22.d4 Bc7 23.Qd3
This is a strong move, but Bill points out 23.Nf6+! gxf6 (23...Kg6 24.Qd3+ Kf7 25.Ne8+ kills) 24.Qf7#
23...Rf8 24.Nf6+
Better late than never: a nice discovered double check.
24...Kh8 25.Qh7 checkmate
Clever!
