Black's tactical oversight on move 12 is like a visit from an old friend. (As the Beatles sang, "I get by with a little help from my friends.") It is an interesting variation on the old "optical illusion" which has garnered me a few points.
perrypawnpusher - johnEjohnE
blitz, FICS, 2015
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 a6
Okay, no Jerome Gambit - yet. Patience.
4.O-O
Here Bill Wall jumped the gun with 4.Bxf7+ and earned a quick victory in Wall,B - GuestDLNJ, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 11).
A Scotch variation was seen with 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bc5 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Qh5+ Black resigned, Melenos - Rocangus, FICS, 2010.
4... Nf6
Stubborn. After 4... Bc5 I played 5. Bxf7+ in perrypawnpusher - Tlslevens, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28).
5. Nc3
I could have played 5.Ng5, as in the Two Knights Defense, 5...d5 6.exd5 Na5 7.d3 etc., but I was still angling for a Jerome Gambit.
5... Bc5 6. Bxf7+
At last. A Delayed Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Nf3+
A bright idea, similar to the move by AirmanLeonidas, when he had advanced h7-h7 instead of this game's a7-a6.
The equally interesting 8... Qe7 was seen in Wall,B - Pawndering, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 16).
9. gxf3
Writing about my game against AirmanLeonidas, I commented about the pawn capture vs the Queen capture
Going with the "Jerome pawns," but not the best. After the game Rybka suggested: 9.Qxf3, since if 9...Bxd4 White can regain the pawn with 10.Nb5 Be5 11.Qb3+ d5 12.f4 Bd6 13.Nxd6+ Qxd6 14.e5 Qb6+ 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.exf6 gxf6 when Black may have a small edge if he can use his open lines.
However, in the current game, the helpful 10.Nb5 is not playable, due to Black's pawn on a6.
Still, a long-time Jerome Gambiteer once went with the Queen capture: 9.Qxf3 Bxd4 10.Nd5 c6 11.Nxf6 Qxf6 12.Qb3+ Qe6 13.c4 Re8 14.Be3 Qxe4 15.c5+ Re6 16.Rae1 Ke7 17.Bxd4 Qxd4 18.Rxe6+ dxe6 19.Qc2 g6 20.b4 Black forfeited on time, jfhumphrey - spince, FICS, 2013.
9...Bb4 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 d6 12.Qd3
Black misunderstands the reason for this move, and overlooks my response. It's blitz. It happens.
12...Rf8 13.Qc4+ Be6 14.Qxb4 Bh3
Black's pressure on White's King does not compensate for being behind two pawns, with the smaller center. He appears to have been shaken by falling for the cheap tactic.
15.Rfe1 Kg8 16.e5 dxe5 17.dxe5 Qe8 18.exf6 Qf7
Here Black forfeited by disconnection.
After 19.fxg7 Qxg7+ 20.Bg3 White would clearly be better.
With the time control being a speedy 5 5, the following "Delayed Jerome Gambit" game was more of a brawl than anything like serious chess. I'm glad that I got the last clout in.
perrypawnpusher - Tlslevens
blitz 5 5, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 a6
Okay, this is not a "proper" Jerome Gambit, but there is always the possibility of a "Delayed Jerome Gambit," should my opponent choose.
4.0-0 Bc5
Other delayed Jerome Gambits arrived after 4...Bb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.Bxf7+ (perrypawnpusher - dabbling, blitz, FICS, 2009); and
4...h6 5.Nc3 Nf6 (5...Bc5 6.Bxf7+ perrypawnpusher - angelosgoulianos, blitz, FICS, 2007) 6.d3 Bc5 7.Bxf7+, perrypawnpusher - tschup, blitz, FICS, 2010.
5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke6
I've looked at this move in the regular Jerome Gambit, after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6, in "A Strange, But Intriguing, Path (Part 1)", "(Part 2)" and "(Part 3)".
It's funny that in two subsequent games (perrypawnpusher - johnde, blitz, FICS, 2010 and perrypawnpusher - crayongod, blitz, FICS, 2010) I forgot my recommended continuation, 6.Qg4+!?.
It should come as no surprise that I forgot it in the current game in the Delayed Jerome Gambit, too...
7.Qh5
White gets the advantage with 7.Qg4+ Kxe5 8.d4+, whereas the text allows Black to keep his advantage – and transpose back into more "normal" Jerome Gambit lines.
7...Nxe5 8.Qf5+ Kd6 9.d4
The position is similar to one from the Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit, where Black has played 3...h6 instead of the 3...a6 in this game. Because the Black Bishop is still alive at c5, White has to make the less effective d-pawn move, instead of being able to play f2-f4.
9...Bxd4 10.Rd1 c5 11.c3 Nh6
Who invited him to the fight? Black chooses an "aggressive" move, when he should have stayed with the more purposeful 11...Kc7.
12.Qh3
White would have an edge after the complex 12.Bxh6 Rf8 13.Bg5 g6 14.cxd4 gxf5 15.dxe5+ Kxe5 16.Bxd8 Rxd8 instead.
12...Kc6 13.cxd4 cxd4 14.Rxd4 d6
White has a pawn for his sacrificed piece, but Black's vulnerable King makes the game close to even.
15.Qc3+ Kd7 16.Bf4 Nhg4
This Knight can provide its support more effectively from f7.
17.h3 Nxf2
A wild sacrifice – but this kind of thing can be successful in fast games, where attacking is everything.
After the game Fritz8 recommended 17...Qf6 18.Bg3 Nh6 19.Bxe5 Qxe5 20.Nd2 Qe7 when White is better.
18.Kxf2
Sloppy. Best was 18.Bxe5, as the Knight on f2 has nowhere safe to go. After 18...Qh4 19.Bg3 Nxh3+ 20.gxh3 White is up a piece and clearly better.
18...Qh4+
Swinging wildly. The proper way to counter-attack was 18...Qf6 leading to a balanced game.
19.g3
Better 19.Bg3.
19...Qxh3 20.Bxe5 Rf8+ 21.Ke2
As smart as poking myself in the eye. Instead, 21.Bf4 kept White's advantage, while now Black has a forced checkmate.
21...Qg2+
Now Black is landing the punches, but he missed 21...Qf1+ 22.Ke3 Rf3+ 23.Kd2 Rf2+ 24.Ke3 Qe2 checkmate. We were moving quickly.
22.Kd3 Rf3+ 23.Kc4 Rxc3+ 24.Nxc3
White has only a Knight and a Rook for his Queen, and his King is in more danger than Black's.
24...Qxb2 25.Rxd6+ Ke7
A blitz slip.
26.Nd5+ Kf7 27.Bxb2
Whew! Now I'm winning again.
27...Be6 28.Rf1+ Black resigned
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