Jerome Gambit: Unresolved

Sometimes I run into a line in the Jerome Gambit that I don't (yet) know what to do with. A good (bad) example is in the following game. I have alluded to Black's 7th move in several posts (see here and here for examples). Here are the games from The Database where the move appears. Maybe readers have some ideas.

chessmanjeff - sergbond
blitz, FICS, 2013

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Nf3 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb4+ 7.c3 Qh4

Black's counter-attack appears manic, but is quite strong. He does not bother saving either his Knight or his Bishop, but develops another piece.

8.Qb3+

Also seen are:

8.O-O Nc6 9.cxb4 (9.Qf3+ Qf6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qd5+ Qe6 12.Qxe6+ dxe6 13.cxb4 Nxd4 14.Na3 Ne2+ 15.Kh1 Nf6 16.Re1 Nxc1 17.Raxc1 c6 18.Nc4 Rd8 19.e5 Nd5 20.Nd6+ Ke7 21.Re4 a5 22.b5 cxb5 23.Rh4 h5 24.Nxb5 Nb4 25.Nd6 Bd7 26.Nxb7 Rdc8 27.Rxc8 Rxc8 28.h3 Rc2 29.Nxa5 Rxb2 30.a3 Nd3 31.f4 Ne1 32.Nc4 Rxg2 33.Nb6 Rc2 34.Nd5+ exd5 35.f5 Nf3 White resigned, Gamin - JumpNMustangII, FICS, 2001) 9...Qxe4 10.Be3 Nf6 11.Nc3 Qf5 12.b5 (12.Qb3+ d5 13.Nb5 Ne8 14.Nc3 Be6 15.b5 Ne7 16.Rae1 Nd6 17.Qb4 Rhc8 18.Re2 Ng6 19.Rfe1 Nh4 20.f3 Kg8 21.Bf2 Nxg2 22.Kxg2 Rf8 23.Bg3 Qxf3+ 24.Kg1 Nf5 25.Rxe6 Nxg3 26.hxg3 Qxg3+ 27.Kh1 Qh4+ 28.Kg1 h6 29.R6e2 Qg3+ 30.Rg2 Qxe1+ 31.Kh2 Rf1 32.Rxg7+ Kh8 33.Rh7+ Kxh7 34.Qe7+ Qxe7 35.Kg2 Qf7 36.Kh2 Qf3 37.Nxd5 Rh1 checkmate, Deep Sjeng 1.5 - Hiarcs 9, The Jeroen Experience 2003) 12...Nb4 13.Rc1 c6 14.a3 Nbd5 15.Qb3 Re8 16.Rce1 b6 17.h3 Bb7 18.g4 Qf3 19.g5 Ne4 20.Nxd5 cxd5 21.Qd3 Nxg5 White resigned, RevvedUp - Crafty 19.19, blitz, 2006; 

8.Qe2 Bxc3+ 9.Nxc3 Nc6 10.g3 Qe7 11.Qc4+ d5 12.Qxd5+ Be6 13.Qh5+ g6 14.Qf3+ Kg7 15.d5 Ne5 16.Qd1 Bg4 17.Qd4 Nf6 18.Bg5 Nf3+ White resigned, Maza - aqeel, FICS, 2003;

8.dxe5 Qxe4+ 9.Be3 (9.Kf1 Bc5 10.h4 Qxe5 11.Rh3 Nf6 12.Bg5 Re8 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Rf3 d5 15.Nd2 Bg4 16.Rxf6+ Kxf6 17.Nf3 Qe4 18.Ng5 Qc4+ 19.Kg1 Bxd1 20.Rxd1 Re2 21.Nxh7+ Kg7 22.Ng5 Rxf2 23.Kh1 Rf1+ 24.Rxf1 Qxf1+ 25.Kh2 Bd6+ 26.g3 Qf2+ 27.Kh1 Bxg3 28.Ne6+ Kh6 29.Nxc7 Qh2 checkmate, HauntedKnight - hellg, FICS, 2010) 9...Bc5 (9...Qxg2 10.Rf1 Be7 11.Qh5+ g6 12.Qe2 Ke8 13.Nd2 Qxh2 14.O-O-O Qxe5 15.Rfe1 Kd8 16.Qc4 Qg7 17.Bd4 Nf6 18.Ne4 h6 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 20.Nxf6 Qxf6 21.f4 d6 22.Re4 Bf5 23.Red4 Qe6 24.Qb4 Qxa2 25.Qxb7 Qb1+ 26.Kd2 Qc2+ 27.Ke3 Re8+ 28.Kf3 Qe2+ 29.Kg3 Re3+ 30.Kh4 Qf2 checkmate, HauntedKnight - Makaroni, FICS, 2011) 10.O-O Bxe3 11.fxe3+ Ke8 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qg5 h6 14.Qg3 Ne7 15.Nd2 Qd3 16.Rad1 Qd5 17.b3 d6 18.e4 Qxe5 19.Qf3 Be6 20.Nc4 Qc5+ 21.Kh1 Kd7 22.Rfe1 h5 23.e5 Bg4 24.e6+ Bxe6 25.Qxb7 Bd5 26.Rxd5 Nxd5 27.a4 Rab8 28.Qa6 Qf2 29.Ne5+ dxe5 30.Rf1 Rb6 31.Qd3 Qc5 32.c4 Qd4 33.Qh3+ Ke7 34.cxd5 Qg4 35.Qc3 Qd4 36.Qxc7+ Ke8 37.Qf7+ Kd8 38.Rc1 e4 39.Qc7+ Ke8 40.h3 Qxd5 41.Qc8+ Qd8 42.Qc2 Re6 43.Re1 Rf8 44.Rxe4 Rf1+ 45.Kh2 Qd6+ 46.g3 Rf2+ 47.Qxf2 Rxe4 48.h4 Qd3 49.Kh3 Re2 50.Qf6 Qd7+ White resigned, HauntedKnight - dwws, FICS, 2012;

8.cxb4 Qxe4+ 9.Qe2 (9.Be3 Qxg2 10.Rf1 Nf3+ 11.Ke2 d5 12.Nc3 Bg4 13.Qb3 Nxd4+ White resigned, jfhumphrey - hvutrong, FICS, 2010) 9...Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2 Nc6 11.Rd1 Nxb4 12.Na3 Nf6 13.Re1 Re8+ 14.Kf1 Rxe1+ 15.Kxe1 d5 16.Be3 Bf5 17.Nb5 c6 18.Nc3 Nc2+ 19.Ke2 Nxa1 White resigned, Teterow - geneve, FICS, 2011.

8...Ke8 9.O-O Ng4 10.h3 Be7 11.hxg4 h5 12.g3

White kicks the enemy Queen. For better or for worse he had to try 12.g5.

12...Qh3 13.g5 h4 14.g4 Qxg4+15.Kh2 h3 16.Rg1 Qxe4 17.Na3

It is hard to find a good move here. This one leads to checkmate.

17...Qf3 18.Be3 Bd6+ 19.Rg3 Qg2 checkmate

Wowzer.

Jerome Gambit: Pathfinding

Sometimes a player will find a path through the forest that is the Jerome Gambit. Later, others will clarify the way. In the following game, Bill Wall makes the way a bit clearer.

Wall, Bill - Nikelin
lichess.org, 2017

1.e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bd6 

7.dxe5 Bxe5 

The best response was 7...Bb4+.

8.Qh5+ Ke6 9.Qf5+ Kd6 10.Na3 

This is right, the Knight should go to a3, not c3, as we shall see.

10...Qf6

In HauntedKnight - VSRajput, FCIS, 2015, White had the right idea in responsing to 10...Bf6, but then lost his way: 11.Nc4+ Ke7 12.Bf4 d6 13.Qb5 Qe8 14.O-O-O Qxb5 15.b3 Be6 16.Ne3 Qb4 17.g4 Qa3+ 18.Kd2 g5 19.Bg3 h5 20.h4 gxh4 21.Bxh4 hxg4 22.Bxf6+ Nxf6 23.Rxh8 Rxh8 24.f4 gxf3 25.Rf1 Nxe4+ 26.Kd3 Ng5 27.c4 Qxa2 28.Re1 Qxb3+ 29.Kd2 Ne4+ 30.Kc1 Qc3+ 31.Nc2 Nf2 32.Kb1 Kf6 33.Rf1 Rh1 34.Rxh1 Nxh1 White resigned

11.Nc4+ Ke7 12.Bg5

White missed his chance after 12.Qxe5+ Qxe5 13.Nxe5 d6 14.Bg5+ Ke6 15.Nc4 b5 16.Ne3 h6 17.Bh4 g5 18.Bg3 Nf6 19.f3 b4 20.b3 Ba6 21.O-O-O Bb5 22.h4 Nh5 23.Be1 Nf4 24.hxg5 hxg5 25.Rxh8 Rxh8 26.Bxb4 Rh2 27.Rg1 Ne2+ 28.Kd2 Nxg1 29.Bc3 Nxf3+ 30.Kc1 Rh1+ 31.Kb2 Nh4 32.g3 Ng6 33.Nd5 c6 34.Ne3 Rh3 35.Nf5 Ne5 36.a4 Be2 37.Nd4+ Kd7 38.Nxe2 Rh2 39.Nd4 c5 40.Nf5 Nd3+ 41.Ka3 Nb4 42.Bxb4 cxb4+ 43.Kxb4 Rxc2 44.Nd4 Rg2 45.e5 dxe5 46.Nf3 Rxg3 47.Nxe5+ Ke6 48.Nc4 Rg4 when White forfeited on time, noatun - Papaflesas, FICS, 2008.

12...d6 13.Bxf6+ gxf6 14.Qf3 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: The Nightmare Before Christmas

I borrowed part of the title of this blog post from Tim Burton's animated film, but it seemed to be about right in describing the following game.

Those who play the Jerome Gambit need to constantly remind themselves that it is, technically, a refuted opening, and that there are a number of winning defenses that Black can play.

True, there are many circumstances which lead to the defender not making use of his advantages, and White wins - sometimes quite impressively. Learning to take advantage of any slip or error is critical.

However, sometimes there are games like the following. SeinfeldFan91 won the RedHotPawn.com Jerome Gambit tournament by succeeding in all of his games - and that means wins with Black, as well as wins with White.

kristjan - SeinfeldFan91
Jerome Gambit Tournament, RedHotPawn.com, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4

At first Alonzo Wheeler Jerome favored this move over 6.Qh5+, and it has much going for it - including winning back one of White's two sacrificed pieces.

A quick look at The Database (which is a good measure of club player success, not necessarily "theoretical" or computer success) shows 1,499 games with 6.d4, with White scoring 52%. This can be compared with 3,793 games with 6.Qh5+, with White scoring 55%.

6...Qh4 

This is the strongest theoretical response to 6.d4, and it appears in 230 games in The Database. However, as a measure of how chaotic the game becomes in this double-edged variation - White scores 67%!

This is another indication that familiarity and understanding of the Jerome Gambit is very important: Play what you know, and know what you play.

7.dxc5

Here the Database statistics line up with the recommendations of the computers. The text move appears in 67 games with White scoring 28% - not bad when considering that the line is "lost" for the attacker, but not best. There are 154 Database games with the also "lost" (but better) move 7.0-0, and White scores 87% - it is always good to understand your practical chances in a wild line! 

7...Qxe4+ 8.Kf1 Nf6 9.Nc3 Qb4 

Some alternatives:

9...Qh4 10.Be3 b6 11.Ne2 bxc5 12.Ng3 d6 13.c3 Ba6+ 14.Kg1 Rhe8 15.Qb3+ c4 16.Qd1 g6 17.Kf1 Neg4 18.Bd4 Nxh2+ 19.Kg1 Nfg4 20.Qd2 Bb7 21.Qf4+ Kg8 22.Rxh2 Qxh2+ White resigned, HauntedKnight - blocbloc, FICS, 2016;

9...Qc4+ 10.Kg1 Qxc5 11.Be3 Qe7 12.g3 d6 13.Kg2 Bg4 14.Qd2 Bf3+ 15.Kg1 Bc6 16.f4 Nf3+ White resigned, HauntedKnight - truuf, FICS, 2014; and

9...Qc6 10.Bg5 Re8 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Nd5 Qf5 13.Nxc7 Ng4 14.Qd5+ Qxd5 15.Nxd5 Re5 16.c4 b6 17.cxb6 Ba6 18.b3 axb6 19.Nxb6 d5 20.Nxa8 dxc4 21.Nc7 Rf5 22.Nxa6 Nxf2 23.Kg1 c3 24.Rc1 Ne4 25.Nb4 Rf2 26.Rxc3 Rb2 27.Rf3+ Ke6 28.h3 g5 29.Kh2 h5 30.Re1 Ke5 31.Nd3+ Black resigned, PasChat - plamb, FICS, 2014

10.g3

At this point something like 10.Be3 to focuse on development was probably better. Still, the situation is grim.

10...d5 11.Kg2 Bg4 12.Qe1 Rhe8 White resigned

Playing on a piece down, with the loss of more material imminent, was not appealing.

Jerome Gambit: Find Something New

The following game shows the benefit of going further off the beaten path in an already unusual opening. Bill Wall varies from previous experience, and continues to find success. The notes suggest that Black could have found chances by varying his play, too. The game ends with a bit of psychological mind-reading.

Wall, Bill - NN
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bd6

This strategy is not unusual and seems reasonable, although it does have a tactical flaw. The Database shows that it has been faced by Jerome Gambit regulars such as chessmanjeff, HauntedKnight, frizerkaHR, jfhumphrey, stretto, Teterow and yorgos.

Oh, and of course, Bill Wall.

7.dxe5 Bxe5

Better is 7...Bb4+ (no game examples in The Database), 7...Bf8 (no game examples in The Database) or 7...Be7 (20 game examples in The Database, White scores 45%); each moving the Bishop out of danger of a Queen check/fork.

8.Qh5+ 

Bill tries something new, deviating from his previous 8.Qd5+:
Ke8 (8...Kf6 9.f4 c6 [9...Bd6 10.Qg5+ Kf7 11.Qxd8 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016] 10.Qxe5+ Kf7 11.O-O Qe7 12.Nc3 d6 13.Qh5+ g6 14.Qe2 Nf6 15.e5 Nd5 16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.Qb5 dxe5 18.fxe5+ Kg7 19.Qxd5 Re8 20.c3 Qxe5 21.Qf7+ Kh8 22.Bg5 Qxg5 23.Qxe8+ Kg7 24.Qf8 checkmate, Wall,B - Neilson,C, Melbourne, FL 2016; or 8...Kf8 9.Qxe5 d6 [9...Qe7 10.Qf4+ Nf6 11.Nc3 d6 12.O-O Qe5 13.Qxe5 dxe5 14.f4 exf4 15.Bxf4 Ne8 16.Bd6+ Kg8 17.Rf8 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest539122, PlayChess.com, 2015] 10.Qd4 [10.Qb5 Nf6 11.Nc3 c6 12.Qd3 Be6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bh4 g5 15.Bg3 Ke7 16.O-O-O Ne8 17.f4 g4 18.Bh4+ Nf6 19.e5 dxe5 20.Qg6 Qf8 21.fxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016] 10...Nf6 11.O-O c5 12.Qd3 Bd7 13.Bf4 a6 14.Bxd6+ Kf7 15.e5 Bb5 16.c4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest5856753, PlayChess.com, 2016) 9.Qxe5+ Qe7 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qe2 Nf6 12.Nc3 d5 13.Bg5 Qe5 14.f4 Qd4 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.O-O-O Qxf4+ 17.Kb1 dxe4 18.Nxe4 Bf5 19.Ng5+ Kf8 20.Ne6+ Kf7 21.Nxf4 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016 

8...g6 

An interesting alternative is 8...Ke6 9.Qf5+ Kd6 10.Na3!?, which may have seemed riskier to Black, but which would put White more on his own resources. There are two examples of the line in The Database:  10...Qf6 (10... Bf6 11.Nc4+ Ke7 12.Bf4 d6 13.Qb5 Qe8 14.O-O-O Qxb5 15.b3 Be6 16.Ne3 Qb4 17.g4 Qa3+ 18.Kd2 g5 19.Bg3 h5 20.h4 gxh4 21.Bxh4 hxg4 22.Bxf6+ Nxf6 23.Rxh8 Rxh8 24.f4 gxf3 25.Rf1 Nxe4+ 26.Kd3 Ng5 27.c4 Qxa2 28.Re1 Qxb3+ 29.Kd2 Ne4+ 30.Kc1 Qc3+ 31.Nc2 Nf2 32.Kb1 Kf6 33.Rf1 Rh1 34.Rxh1 Nxh1 White resigned, HauntedKnight - VSRajput, FICS, 2015) 11.Nc4+ Ke7 12.Qxe5+ Qxe5 13.Nxe5 d6 14.Bg5+ Ke6 15.Nc4 b5 16.Ne3 h6 17.Bh4 g5 18.Bg3 Nf6 19.f3 b4 20.b3 Ba6 21.O-O-O Bb5 22.h4 Nh5 23.Be1 Nf4 24.hxg5 hxg5 25.Rxh8 Rxh8 26.Bxb4 Rh2 27.Rg1 Ne2+ 28.Kd2 Nxg1 29.Bc3 Nxf3+ 30.Kc1 Rh1+ 31.Kb2 Nh4 32.g3 Ng6 33.Nd5 c6 34.Ne3 Rh3 35.Nf5 Ne5 36.a4 Be2 37.Nd4+ Kd7 38.Nxe2 Rh2 39.Nd4 c5 40.Nf5 Nd3+ 41.Ka3 Nb4 42.Bxb4 cxb4+ 43.Kxb4 Rxc2 44.Nd4 Rg2 45.e5 dxe5 46.Nf3 Rxg3 47.Nxe5+ Ke6 48.Nc4 Rg4 White forfeited on time, noatun - Papaflesas, blitz, FICS, 2008


9.Qxe5 Nf6 10.Bg5 

Putting pressure on the Knight at f6, a regular strategy for White in the Jerome Gambit.

10...Re8 11.Qf4

White could have played the prosaic exchanging 11.Bxf6+ Qxf6 12.Qxf6+ Kxf6 13.Nc3 with a pawn advantage. I think he realized that his opponent saw the White e-pawn as pinned by the Black Rook to the White King, and played for the win of a piece.

11...b6 12.e5 Black resigned

The threat by White's advanced pawn is real. One possibility: 12...d6 13.Bxf6 dxe5 14.Bxe5+. It is worth taking time to explore other lines, too.

Jerome Gambit: Sending Pieces to the Wilderness

In the following game, Bill Wall sends one piece, then another, far from the action - or so it seems. Each returns, only to be traded off - yet they are active in helping win the game. The final position is very interesting.

Wall, Bill - NN
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qf6 

An unusual defense, but, according to The Database, one faced by other Jerome Gambiteers such as blackburne, chessmanjeff, drumme, HauntedKnight, jfhumphrey, stretto, Teterow, and yorgos. Black, having to lose a piece, decides not to move either, but develops a piece instead.

7. dxc5 Ne7 

Further development. Black also had 7...d6, e.g. 8.O-O dxc5 (8...Be6 9.cxd6 cxd6 10.f4 Ng4 11.f5 Qd4+ 12.Qxd4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Anonymous, lichess.com, 2016) 9.Qd5+ Be6 10.Qxb7 Ne7 11.Qxc7 Rac8 12.Qxa7 Qg6 13.f4 Bh3 14.fxe5+ Ke8 15.Qa4+ Rc6 16.Rf2 Rf8 17.Qa8+ Rc8 18.Qa3 Rxf2 19.Qxh3 Rxc2 20.Na3 Re2 21.Nb5 Kf8 22.Qf3+ Ke8 23.Qxe2 h5 24.Nd6+ Kd7 25.Nxc8 Nxc8 26.Qb5+ Kd8 27.Bg5+ Qxg5 28.Rd1+ Ke7 29.Qd7+ Kf8 30.e6 Qe3+ 31.Kh1 Ne7 32.Qd8 checkmate, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016 

8.O-O Rf8 9.Nc3 Kg8 

Black has castled-by-hand and has seen to his piece development. What will White do? A hint can be found in an earlier Bill Wall game, with a different defense: 9...c6 10.f4 N5g6 11.Be3 d5 12.cxd6 Ng8 13.d7 Rd8 14.dxc8=Q Raxc8 15.Qh5 Kf8 16.e5 Qf7 17.f5 Nxe5 18.Bc5+ Ne7 19.Qxh7 Qf6 20.Ne4 Qh6 21.Qxh6 gxh6 22.f6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest4060198, PlayChess.com, 2013. 

10.f4 N5c6 11.Nb5 a6 12.Nxc7 Rb8 13.c3 Qg6 

It looks like White has sent his one developed piece off on a risky pawn-hunt, but the Knight still has influence on the center, and the first player still has things under control - thanks, in part, to the "Jerome pawns". 

14.f5 Qf6 15.Bf4 Ne5 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.Qxd5+ Nf7 18.Bxb8 Re8 

White has retrieved (and traded off) his far-flung Knight, and now has a Bishop off in the wilderness (admittedly, it captured a Rook). An interesting comparison can be made between the two Bishops left on the board, as one is actively involved, while the other is a passive observer.

19.Rae1 Kh8 20.e5 Qe7  21.Bd6 Nxd6 

The Bishop, too, is exchanged, but by now White has a powerful, checkmating attack.

 22.f6 gxf6 23.cxd6 Qe6 24.exf6 Black resigned

What a position!

Black can simply take White's Queen with 24...Qxd5, but it will be checkmate in a few moves after 25.Rxe8+ Qg8 26.f7! 

Black's best option is to win two Rooks for his Queen with 24...Qxe1 25.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 26.Kf2 but it is clear that he has no way of dealing with White's advanced pawn, for example 26...Re6 27.Qg5 or 26...Re8 27.f7.

Jerome Gambit: Sometimes I Don't Understand, I Just Enjoy

Sometimes I visit the GameKnot.com chess site and pick up a Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game or two. (I would collect more, using their Games Database feature, but I am not a regular member.) The following one is a few years old, but it has the typical Jerome je ne sais quoi that sets it apart from other contests.

surfingscotty - arif__khan
GameKnot,com, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Ne7 

Black's idea is familiar, even if it shows up in only a few games in The Database: If he has to give back a piece, don't waste time deciding on which on, just develop another.

7.Qh5+

A bit better is probably 7.dxc5 as seen in a couple of games: 7...Re8 (7...Rf8 8.Qh5+ N5g6 9.Qxh7 Rh8 10.Qxh8 Qxh8 11.O-O d6
12.cxd6 cxd6 13.Bg5 Be6 14.f4 Bc4 15.Rd1 Rd8 16.b3 Qh5 17.Nd2 Be2 18.Re1 Rh8 19.h3 Ba6 20.c4 Nc6 21.Nf3 b5 22.h4 bxc4 23.b4 Nxb4 White resigned, paoloumali - regnarkragh, FICS, 2011) 8.Qh5+ N7g6 9.Qf5+ Qf6 10.Qh3 Kg8 11.Qb3+ Kh8 12.Nc3 Ng4 13.Be3 Nxe3 14.fxe3 Qg5 15.O-O-O Qxe3+ 16.Kb1 b6 17.Rhe1 Qxc5 18.Nd5 c6 19.Ne3 Ne5 20.Nf5 Re6 21.Rf1 Ba6 22.Rf4 Bc4 23.Qg3 Rg6 24.Qh3 Rd8 25.Rh4 Bg8 26.Rf1 Nf7 27.Rg4 Ng5 28.Qd3 Bc4 29.Qd2 Bxf1 30.b3 d5 31.Rxg5 Rxg5 32.Qxg5 Qf8 33.Nxg7 Qxg7 34.Qxd8+ Qg8 35.Qf6+ Qg7 36.Qxf1 h6 37.exd5 cxd5 38.a4 Kh7 39.Qd3+ Kh8 40.Qxd5 Qg8 41.Qe5+ Qg7 42.Qb8+ Kh7 43.g3 h5 44.h4 Qxg3 45.Qxg3 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - dukifanto. FICS, 2012.

Also seen was 7.dxe5 Rf8 8.Nc3 Kg8 9.O-O Ng6 10.Qd5+ Kh8 11.Qxc5 d6 12.exd6 cxd6 13.Qe3 Qf6 14.Nd5 Qe7 15.Nxe7 Nxe7 16.f4 h6 17.e5 dxe5 18.Qxe5 Nc6 19.Qd6 Bg4 20.Qg6 Bf5 21.Qg3 Nd4 22.Qf2 Nxc2 White forfeited on time, stretto - svadali, FICS, 2008.

7...N7g6 8.dxc5 d6 9.f4 

A standard "tool" from White's "toolbox", although Stockfish 7 suggests development with 9.h3 Re8 10.O-O Kg8 11.Nc3 b6 12.Bg5 Qd7 13.cxd6 Ba6 14.Rfd1 cxd6  first, then 15.f4.

In the game, Black is able to force an exchange of Queens when White does not have enough dynamic pawn play in the middle game to balance the sacrificed piece. The attacker will develop, castle, and begin to pressure his opponent, but he will need some help to prevail - and, oddly, he receives it.

9...Bg4 10.Qg5 Qxg5 11.fxg5 dxc5 12.Nc3 c6 13.O-O+ Ke7 14.h3 Be6 15.Be3 b6 16.Ne2 Nc4 

Here Black resigned after playing his move. I don't know why. Most likely the real world intervened, and he needed to return there.

Jerome Gambit Declined

I know that I have adopted a "Take the money and run" approach to the Jerome Gambit declined - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Ke7/f8 - believing, somewhat cowardly, if pragmatically, that if the defender prefers not to enter an "objectively" won game, but to settle for one where he has a small disadvantage, that White should retreat his attempted-to-sacrifice Bishop. (See "To Jerome or Not Jerome", "It Still Happens - But It Doesn't Have To" and "This Is Your Last Chance" for recent discussions.)

My latest Jerome Gambit game shows that it can be a challenge to squeeze something out of that advantage, however. Especially with the clock ticking loudly in a blitz game, and my nerves failing me (happens to the attacker, too, not just the defender) - until my opponent joined me in mistakes.

perrypawnpusher - Spirochete
2 12 blitz, FICS, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Ke7 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, declined: If you want me to take the Bishop, then I won't.

6.Bb3 Re8

I was surprised to find only one other IFKJG declined with 6.Bb3 in The Database: 6...Nd4 7.Nxd4 Bxd4 8.Nd5+ Nxd5 9.exd5 d6 10.c3 Bb6 11.d3 Qf8 12.Bg5+ Kd7 13.Qg4+ Ke8 14.Qg3 h6 15.Be3 g5 16.O-O-O Bxe3+ 17.Qxe3 Qf4 18.Rhe1 Rf8 19.f3 Qxh2 20.Rd2 Qg3 21.Red1 h5 22.Qe4 Rf4 23.Qg6+ Rf7 24.Qxh5 Bf5 25.Ba4+ Ke7 26.Qh1 Qf4 27.Kb1 Qxa4 28.a3 Raf8 29.g4 Bh7 30.Ka2 Kd8 31.Qh5 Qe8 32.Qxg5+ Kc8 33.Qe3 Kb8 34.Qh6 Bg8 35.g5 Rxf3 36.c4 Bf7 37.Qh4 Bg6 38.Ka1 Qf7 39.Ka2 Qf5 40.Ka1 Rf4 41.Qg3 Rg4 42.Qe3 Qxg5 43.Qe1 Bh5 44.Rc1 Rg1 45.Qxg1 Qxd2 46.Rf1 Rxf1+ 47.Qxf1 Qd1+ 48.Qxd1 Bxd1 White resigned, HauntedKnight - Bernano, FICS, 2013.

7.O-O Kf8 8.d3 d6 9.Bg5 Nd4 10.Nd5 Nxb3 11.axb3 Re6 12.Nxf6 gxf6 13.Bh6+ Ke7 14.Nh4 

White has an edge, based on the awkward placement of Black's King (the extra pawn on b3 isn't worth much), but there is still a lot of work to be done.

14...f5

This drops a pawn. Better to make me grind it out, with 14...Qg8 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.Nf5+ Kd8 17.Nxe3 Qg5.

15.Nxf5+

Beginning a whole series of poor moves. Nerves!?

Much better was 15.Bg5+ Rf6 16.Qh5 Kd7 17.Nxf5 adding the exchange to my material edge.

15...Kd7 16.Qh5 Qg8 

Black should not be allowed to develop a counter attack, but, to his credit, he does.

17.Qg5

Not the wisest. Thematic was 17.Be3 Bxe3 18.Nxe3 c6 19.f4.

It is not that White is worse - he is better - but that I seem to have misplaced my head. (Blame it on time trouble.)

17...Rg6 18.Qe7+

Useless. White should bite the bullet with 18.Qh4 Rxg2+ 19.Kh1 Qg4 20.Qxg4 Rxg4 21.Rg1 and be happy with his edge. (It's there, somewhere.)

18...Kc6 19.g3 

The Queen should have retreated 19.Qh4.

Black should now win a piece after 19...Bxf5.

19...Be6

Both my opponent and I now missed Knight checks at e7 that could have settled things a bit. (Blame it on time trouble.)

20.Qh4 Qf7 21.Be3

Better 21.Ne7+ 

21...Bb6 22.Bxb6

Better 22.Ne7+

22...cxb6 23.Kh1

Uh, 23.Ne7+.

23...Rag8

Better to grab the pawn with 23...Bxf5 24.exf5 Qxf5

24.Rxa7

Headless pawn-grabbing. It was still time to use the e7 square, this time with 24.Qe7 Qxe7 25.Nxe7+.

24...Rg4 25.Qh3 h5 26.Qg2 

It turns out, despite appearances, that White is defending well enough to begin a counter attack.

26...Bxf5 27.exf5+ d5 28.c4 

28.Qf8 

A slip on Black's part. (Blame it on time trouble.)

29.Qxd5+ Black resigned

Whew!