Jerome Gambit: Keep Your Head

While I have no reason to believe that writer Rudyard Kipling ever played the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bxf7+), I am reminded of his advice to his son, referencing "If you can keep your head when All around you are losing theirs and blaming it on you..."

In the following game, SurgeonOfDeath27 keeps his head amidst swirling tactics, and is rewarded with a win.

SurgeonOfDeath27 - ajirin
15 10 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 

9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf8+ 

A line looked at by Michael Dunagan, although SurgeonOfDeath27 played this game before my blog posted "Jerome Gambit Refuted by A 1140 Player".

10...Kc6 11.Qf3 d6 

Black has a piece for a pawn, but his King is a bit awkwardly placed. 

12.c3 Bb6 13.d4 Qe7 14.O-O 

14...Nf6 

Overlooking the discovered check, or believing that he has prepared for it.

15.e5+ Nd5 16.Re1

Protecting the e-pawn, because the d-pawn is pinned by Black's Bishop. If White takes advantage of his pin with 16.c4, then 16...Qxe5 17.cxd5+ Qxd5 and Black has an edge, with an extra pawn and a not-quite-at-risk King. White can duck out of the pin with 16.Kh1, but complications ensue: 16...Be6 17.c4 Rhf8 18.Bf4 dxe5 19.Nc3 Rxf4 20.cxd5+ Kd7 21.dxe6+ Qxe6 22.Qxb7 Qc6 23.Qxc6+ Kxc6 24.dxe5 Rxf1+ 25.Rxf1 Re8 devolving into an even game. (Thank you, Komodo 10)

The position is messy, and both players get part of the above analysis - White gets the larger.

16...h5 

17.Kh1 Bg4 18.Qe4 dxe5 19.c4 Rad8 20.cxd5+ Rxd5 

Rushing into another pin.

21.Nc3 Bxd4 22.Qxd5+ Black resigned

It is checkmate the next move.

Jerome Gambit: Beautiful!

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) was created for the attack on the enemy King. Along the way, there may be unusual postions on the board, but when the final one is a checkmate - beautiful!

BoomBoomTNT-YT - 123456789010chess
3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 

Analysis of this position first published

Dubuque Chess Journal  

April 1874, Vol. VI, No. 50, p. 358-9

"New Chess Opening"We have received from A.W. Jerome of Paxton, Ford county, Illinois, some analyses of a new move in the Giuoco Piano, first played by him, which we offer our readers as: Jerome's Double Opening...

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 

9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qxe5+ 

A recent example of avoiding the exchange of Queens: 10.Qf8+ Kc6 11.Qf3 d6 12.c3 Bb6 13.d4 Qe7 14.O-O Nf6 15.e5+ Nd5 16.Re1 h5 17.Kh1 Bg4 18.Qe4 dxe5 19.c4 Rad8 20.cxd5+ Rxd5 21.Nc3 Bxd4 22. Qxd5+ Black resigned, SurgeonOfDeath27 - ajirin, 15 10 blitz, Chess.com 2020) 

10...Kxe5 11.b4 Bf8  

According to The Database, this is a new position.

Here is a look at alternatives.

In the meantime, such a position should get a Jerome Gambit player's heart beating rapidly. Komodo 10 says everything is okay for Black - but this is a human vs human 3-minute game.

12.O-O Nf6 13.d4+ Kxe4 

This is playable, but it is the first step on a slippery slope.

14.Nc3+ Kxd4 

15.Nb5+ Kc4 16.Nxc7 Rb8

Saving the Rook. What could be more natural?

However, White now has a forced checkmate! 

17.Rf4+ Kc3 18.Nb5+ Kxc2 19.Rc4+ Kd3 20.Rd4+ Ke2 21.Bd2 

Black resigned

It is checkmate the next move. Bravo!