I don't know what it is, but lately I've played a number of short Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and Jerome Gambit-ish games (see "Notes Longer Than the Game" and "A Game Shorter Than the Notes").
I don't think it's a case of my opponents runing from their keyboards shrieking "The horror! The horror!" Maybe the opening is just getting a little respect.
Now that would really be scary.
perrypawnpusher - ronnn
blitz 10 0, FICS, 2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6
It's always fun to stick a pawn in the face of an attacking piece.
7.Qxe5
Followed by "the pause."
Maybe my opponent overlooked the capture of the Knight. Maybe he wanted to give back a piece, but overlooked that now the Rook is en prise. Maybe he was trying to remember that old Blackburne game...
7...Bxf2+
For thoughts on this idea, both kind and not-so, see "Jerome Gambit Strikes in Denmark!"
8.Kxf2 Qf6+
Black forces the Queens off of the board.
9.Qxf6+ Kxf6
Black resigned
Black is a pawn down in a Queenless middle game (or endgame), certainly a playable situation at the club level, especially in blitz. Apparently he had had enough for one game.
