Jerome Gambit: Reputation Unchanged

I have not played a Jerome Gambit game at blitz speed since last year, so when I recently had the opportunity, I looked quite rusty. In the endgame in time trouble, I repeated the position, suggesting a draw - but my opponent, who might have been miffed at facing such a disreputable opening, declined, with a losing continuation.

It is not so much a game to be "proud" of as one to have survived. I provide it for historical reasons.

perrypawnpusher - Compani
5 5 blitz, FICS, 2017

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Bb6 

Fascinating. There are only two other games with this line in my 55,000+ game Database.

8.d4

An immediate slip by me. Much better was 8.d3 as played in perrypawnpusher - Urumpel, blitz, FICS, 2011, (1-0, 23) 

8...d6 9.Qf4+ Qf6 10.c3 

I was not happy to see the Queens go off the board.

10...Qxf4 11.Bxf4 Kf7

White has two pawns for his sacrificed piece, but he will have to work hard to get something going in this Queenless middlegame.

12.Nd2 Nf6 13.O-O-O Rf8 14.Bg5 

Thematic, but to be considered was 14.f3, with the idea of challenging Black to make something out of his advantage, by attacking White's solid center.

14...Ng4 15.Bh4 Kg8

Black has castled-by-hand and is better.

16.Rdf1 c5 17.h3 Nf6 18.d5 a5 19.f4 

Putting  my faith  in the  "Jerome  pawns" after all. 

19...Bc7 20.g4 b5 21.Bg3 Re8 22.Re1 b4 23.c4 a4 

Black doesn't seem to mind that my Queenside pawns keep slipping by his. It is time for my center pawns to get moving in response.

24.e5 dxe5 25.fxe5 Nd7 26.d6 Ba5 27.e6 Nf6 28.d7 Bxd7 29.exd7 Rxe1+ 30.Rxe1 Nxd7 

31.Re7

The "Jerome pawns" have won back the sacrificed piece, and White may even be a bit better here. As will become clear, however, both I and my opponent were getting low on time.

31...Nb6 32.b3 axb3 33.axb3 Rd8 34.Bc7 Ra8 35.Re6 

Here 35.Be5 was the right move. 

35...Nd7 

Better was 35...Nxc4

36.Bxa5 Rxa5 37.Kb2 Ra8 38.Ne4 Rf8

The position is even. It is always possible to misplay an ending, however.

39.Rd6 Rf4 40.Rxd7 Rxe4 41.Rd3 Kf7 42.Kc2 Ke6 43.Kd2 g5 44.Rd8 Kf7 

Better than this retreat was 44...Rf4 keeping things even. 

45.Rd7+

45.Rd5!?

45...Kg6 46.Rd6+ Kf7 47.Rd7+ 

47.Rd5!?

47...Kg6 48.Rd6+ Kf7 49.Rd7+ Kg8 

My opponent does not want to settle for a draw through repetition of position, but this retreat further puts his King out of play and gives me a winning advantage, as a pawn will fall.

Remember, we were moving quite quickly at this point.

50.Rd5 h6 51.Rxc5 Rf4 52.Re5 Rf2+ 53.Re2 Rf3 54.Re3 Rf4 55.Kd3 Kf7 56.c5 Rf6 57.Kc4 Rc6 58.Kxb4 Re6 59.Rxe6 Kxe6 60.Kb5 Black resigned

Sudden Despair

The following game is over in an eyeblink.

For much of the game Black is doing well, and when he slips, it is only to "fall" to an even game.

Then he loses heart...

perrypawnpusher  - Urumpel
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8

Given by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in his published analysis in the July 1874 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal; and played successfully by him in two correspondence games against Daniel Jaeger in 1880.

7.Qxe5 Bb6

Strangely enough, The Database, with 23,645 Jerome Gambit and related games, does not have this reasonable move.

8.d3 Qf6 9.Qg3 d6 10.Nc3 Nh6

Planning to target White's f2 square. 

11.0-0 Ng4 12.Be3

Encouraging Black to follow through with his plan, i.e. 12.h3 Bxf2+ 13.Rxf2 Qxf2+ 14.Qxf2+ Nxf2 15.Kxf2, while "objectively" a little bit better than the text, would have left White with a pawn for the exchange, when Black would have an edge.

My move makes Urumpel nervous about his King and Queen being on the same file as my Rook.

12...Kg8 13.Bxb6 axb6 14.f4

14...Ra5 15.h3 Qd4+ 16.Kh1 Ne3

This invasion looks dangerous, but only leads to an even game. Black should have considered developing his other Rook with the Fishing Pole-style 16...h5!?

17.Rfc1 h5

Not nearly as powerful a move now.

18.Ne2 Nxg2

Yielding too quickly to despair. 

Black sees his Knight going, and uses it as a desperado, forgetting that his Queen is en prise. He could have used the same idea to find 18...Nf5, when 19.exf5 Qxb2 20.Qe3 Kf7 21.Ng3 Re8 22.Qf3 Bxf5 23.Qxh5+ g6 24.Qf3 Be6 would have left White only slightly better, according to Rybka 3.

19.Nxd4 Nxf4 20.Qxf4 g5 21.Qf6 h4 22.Rf1 g4 23.Qf7 checkmate