This game wanders a bit from the usual Jerome Gambit move order, but I was very interested in playing Bxf7+, even if the move had to be delayed a bit.
perrypawnpusher - cinamon
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
A delay similar to the game: 3...a6 4.0-0 h6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.Qh5+ Ke6 9.Qf5+ Kd6 10.d4 Bxd4 11.Rd1 c5 12.Ne2 Kc7 13.Nxd4 d6 14.Ne6+ Bxe6 15.Qxe6 Nf6 16.Bf4 Re8 17.Qb3 Nxe4 18.Bxe5 Rxe5 19.Qf7+ Qd7 20.Qf3 Qf5 21.Qxf5 Rxf5 22.f3 Ng5 23.Re1 Kd7 24.Rad1 Re8 25.Rxe8 Kxe8 26.Rxd6 Re5 27.Kf2 Ke7 28.Rb6 Rf5 29.Rxb7+ Kf6 30.Rb6+ Kf7 31.Rxa6 Ne4+ 32.Ke3 Nd6 33.Rxd6 Ke7 34.Rd3 Rh5 35.h3 Re5+ 36.Kf2 g5 37.Re3 Rxe3 38.Kxe3 Kd6 39.Ke4 c4 40.Kd4 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - angelosgoulianos, blitz, FICS, 2007.
4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.a3
I'm sure that 6.d4 is a better move, but I was still angling for a Jerome-ish game.
I've also tried 6.d3 Bc5 7.Be3 (7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Nxe5+ Nxe5 9.d4 d6 10.dxc5 Bg4 11.f3 Bh5 12.g4 Nexg4 13.fxg4 Bg6 14.g5 hxg5 15.Bxg5 dxc5 16.Qf3 Qd4+ 17.Kh1 Qe5 18.Bxf6 Qxh2 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - tschup, blitz, FICS, 2010) 7...Qe7 8.Nd5 Nxd5 9.Bxd5 Nb4 10.Bb3 Bxe3 11.fxe3 Qc5 12.Bxf7+ Kxf7 13.Nxe5+ Ke7 14.Ng6+ Kd6 15.d4 Qg5 16.e5+ Kd5 17.Qf3+ Kc4 18.b3+ Kb5 19.c4+ Kb6 20.Nxh8 d6 21.exd6 c6 22.Nf7 Qg6 23.e4 Bd7 24.Ne5 h5 25.Nxg6 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - EAB, blitz, FICS, 2010.
6...Bc5 7.Bxf7+
Finally.
7...Kxf7 8.Nxe5+ Nxe5 9.d4 Qe7 10.dxc5 Qxc5 11.Be3 Qc4
12.f4 Neg4 13.Bd4 Re8
A bit better was 13...d6, which kept Black's edge.
14.h3 Ne3 15.Bxe3 Nxe4 16.Qd5+ Qxd5 17.Nxd5 Rf8
Black has returned the sacrificed piece and material is even, for the moment. I am able to grab a pawn, but over the next few moves miss chances to gain more.
18.Nxc7 Rb8 19.Nd5
Much better was 19.Ba7 (or 21.Ba7).
19...Ng3 20.Rfe1 d6 21.Rad1 Be6
22.Nc3 Rbd8 23.Kh2 Nf5 24.Bb6 Rc8
25.g4 Ne7 26.Rxd6 Kg8
White has been making steady progress, but this error accelerates it.
27.Rdxe6 Nc6 28.f5 Black resigned
Even when I'm supposed to be taking a break from the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) – see "I am pond scum" – I keep wandering into the opening. Even when I can't – the Jerome Gambit haunts my games...
perrypawnpusher - EAB
blitz 10 0, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 a6
Maybe he'll play ...Bc5 next move...
4.0-0 h6
Come on, this is teasing...(I'm pretty sure that Bill Wall would sac his Bishop now, anyway.)
5.Nc3 Nf6
Rats.
6.d3 Bc5
Too late?
Actually, my database has 4 games that match the position after 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 Discouragingly, White won 1 of the games and lost 3.
I resigned myself to an ordinary game.
7.Be3 Qe7 8.Nd5 Nxd5 9.Bxd5
Ach, says the Analyst, Ziss is merely a reaction-formation around zee unconscious wish to play Bxf7!
9...Nb4
Instead, 9...0-0 keeps the game even.
10.Bb3
Vatt? Not 10.Nxe5? Interesting...
10...Bxe3 11.fxe3 Qc5
Black should have castled and kept the game in balance.
12.Bxf7+
That's all I can stands, I can't stands no more... (Okay, Popeye the Sailor Man used to say that.)
12...Kxf7
13.Nxe5+ Ke7
Or 13...Kg8 14.Qh5 for the full Jerome effect.
14.Ng6+ Kd6 15.d4 Qg5
Those almost look like "Jerome pawns" out there.
16.e5+
Virtually irresistible, but 16.Qd2 was even stronger.
16...Kd5
After the game, Rybka suggested instead 16...Kc6 17.Qe2 d5 18.Nxh8 Kb6 19.Qd2 when Black's King has found some refuge, but White is ahead the exchange and two pawns.
17.Qf3+ Kc4
The tactically skilled Reader is urged to "find the checkmate" in this position.
18.b3+
Find the mate? It was 18.Qe2+ Kd5 19.e4+ Kxd4 20.c3+ Kc5 21.cxb4+ Kxb4 22.a3+ Ka5 23.b4+ Kb6 24.Qf2+ Qe3 25.Qxe3+ Kb5 26.a4+ Kxb4 27.Qd4+ Kb3 28.Rab1+ Kc2 29.Rfc1.
At least that's what Rybka told me after the game.
analysis diagram
18...Kb5 19.c4+ Kb6 20.Nxh8
Okay, I missed the checkmate, but I have two pawns for the exchange and my position is easier to play.
20...d6 21.exd6 c6
Black's last two moves have not helped him. White does not have to go after the King any more; he has other threats.
22.Nf7 Qg6 23.e4 Bd7
24.Ne5 h5
Mercifully ending the game.
25.Nxg6 Black resigned
