Jerome Gambit: In Pawns We Trust

In the Jerome Gambit White gives up a piece or two for a couple of pawns. Often he must rely on those pawns for active play against his opponent. In the following game the play first seems less-than-active, but that eventually changes, much to Black's misfortune.

IgorSolonicin -prokaznik
4 5 blitz, lichess.org, 2016

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.f3

Steinitz said that the player with the advantage must attack, or risk losing that advantage. White prepares to face that attack, relying on solid "Jerome pawns" instead of planning an attack of his own with f2-f4.

10...Kf7 11.O-O

Equally good is 11.d4 as in Wall,B - Guest3544144, PlayChess.com, 2013  (1-0, 35)

11...Rf8

Or 11...Re8 12.h3 Kg8 13.d4 Be6 14.d5 Bd7 15.Nc3 a6 16.Qg5 Bb5 17.Re1 Bd7 18.Qg3 Ne5 19.Qf2 Ng6 20.Bg5 Rf8 21.e5 dxe5 22.Rxe5 h6 23.Ne4 hxg5 24.Rxg5 Nxe4 25.Rxg6 Qg5 26.Rxg5 Nxf2 27.Kxf2 Bf5 28.Re1 g6 29.Re7 Rf7 30.Rxc7 Kg7 31.d6 Rxc7 32.dxc7 Rc8 33.g4 Rxc7 34.gxf5 Rxc2+ 35.Kg3 Kf6 36.Rxg6+ Kxf5 37.Rg7 Ke5 38.Rxb7 Kd4 39.Rb3 Rc3 40.Rxc3 Black forfeited on time, Alekarpo - ImKindOfAlright, lichess.org, 2016.

Also, 11...Be6 was seen in Wall,B - Guest1105387, PlayChess.com, 2014 (1-0, 30).

12.Qb3+ d5 13.d4 Kg8 14.e5

Or 14.Nc3!?

14...Nh5 15.g3 b6 16.Qe3 Ba6 17.Re1 Qe8 18.f4 Ne7

Black misses his chance. He should try 18...Nhxf4 19.gxf4 Nxf4 20.Qg3 Ne2+ 21.Rxe2 Bxe2.

19.Qf3 g6 20.Nc3 Ng7 21.Nxd5 Qd8 22.Nxe7+

Or 22.Nf6+!? Kh8 23.d5.

22...Qxe7 23.c3 c5 24.d5 

24...c4 25.Be3 Bb7 26.Kf2 Nf5 27.Rad1 Rad8 28.d6 Bxf3 29.dxe7 Nxe7

Missing the important 29...Bxd1 30.exf8=Q+ Kxf8 and giving up his advantage.

30.Kxf3 Nf5 31.Bd4 Rd5 32.g4 Nxd4+ 33.Rxd4 Rfd8 34.Red1
Rxd4 35.Rxd4 Rxd4 36.cxd4 

36...Kf7 37.d5 b5 38.Ke3 a5 39.Kd4 h6 40.h4 Ke7 41.Kc5 Black resigned