Jerome Gambit: You Checkmate Your Way, I'll Checkmate Mine

In the following Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bxf7+) game, White reaches a point where he has an overwhelming advantage. He figures out a win by checkmate, and pursues it, bypassing faster mates - in a blitz game, this is not unusual, and a win is what is necessary, not necessarily the fastest win.

otipicni - Yusiflimunire
3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bxf7+ 

4... Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 

This move is at least as old as Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875 (1/2 - 1/2, 29). Some history.

6.Nxc6 

The most straight-forward continuation, although it is also possible for White to simply castle - a move that usually occurs in main line Jerome Gambit play - and look for transpositions.

Recent examples:

6.O-O Nxe5 (6...d6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.d4 Bb6 9.f4 Ne7 10.f5 Ng8 11.Nc3 Qf6 12.Be3 Ne7 13.Qd3 h5 14.e5 dxe5 15.dxe5 Qxe5 16.Bxb6 axb6 17.Qd8+ Kf7 18.Qxh8 c5 19.Qxh5+ Kg8 20.Qe8+ Kh7 21.Rf3 Qd4+ 22.Kh1 Nxf5 23.Rh3+ Nh6 24.Rxh6+ Kxh6 25.Qc6+ Qd6 26.Qxa8 Bf5 27.Qh8+ Kg6 28.Qe8+ Kh7 29.Rf1 Bxc2 30.Rf8 Kh6 31.Rh8+ Bh7 32.Qe4 g6 33.Qh4+ Kg7 34.Rxh7+ Kg8 35.Rh8+ Kf7 36.Qh7+ Kf6 37.Ne4+ Ke5 38.Nxd6 cxd6 39.Re8+ Kd4 40.Qxg6 d5 41.Qg4+ Kd3 42.Qf3+ Kc2 43.Qc3+ Kb1 44.Re1+ Kxa2 45.Qa3, checkmate, CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 6...Bb6 7.d4 Nxd4 8.Nc4 Nc6 9.Qf3+ Qf6 10.Qa3+ Qe7 11.Nxb6 Qxa3 12.Nxd7+ Bxd7 13.Nxa3 Nf6 14.Re1 Re8 15.f3 Nd4 16.c3 Ne6 17.Nc4 h5 18.Be3 a6 19.Rad1 Bc6 20.Ne5 Ke7 21.Ng6+ Kf7 22.Nxh8+ Rxh8 23.Bd4 Rh6 24.h3 h4 25.e5 Nh5 26.Be3 Rg6 27.Bd4 Bxf3 28.Rd2 Nhf4 29.Rf2 Nxh3+ White resigned, CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10, blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 6...Qf6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.c3 Bb6 9.d4 Ba6 10.Re1 d6 11.f4 Re8 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Rxe5 14.a4 Rxe1+ 15.Qxe1 c5 16.a5 cxd4 17.axb6 dxc3 18.Rxa6 cxb2 19.Bxb2 Qxb2 20.bxa7 Nf6 21.a8=Q+ Kf7 22.Qxh8 Qb6+ 23.Rxb6 cxb6 Black resigned, CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 7.d4 Bxd4 (7...Bb6 8.dxe5 Qe7 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.Nc3 c6 11.Bf4 Nh6 12.Qg3 Bd4 13.Rad1 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 Nf7 15.Bg3 b6 16.f4 Ba6 17.Rf2 c5 18.f5 Bb7 19.f6 gxf6 20.exf6 Qe6 21.b4 Rc8 22.Rfd2 cxb4 23.Qxb4 Bc6 24.Rd6 Qg4 25.Rxd7 Qxd1+ 26.Rxd1 Rc7 27.Bxc7 Nd6 28.Qxd6 Kf7 29.Qe7 Kg6 30.Qg7+ Kh5 31.Bf4 h6 32.g4+ Kh4 33.Bg3+ Kh3 34.Rd3 Bxe4 35.Bf4+ Kh4 36.Rh3+ Kxh3 37.Be3 Bf3 38.Qc7 Kxg4 39.Qg3+ Kf5 40.h3 Ke6 41.Qxf3 Rg8+ 42.Kf1 Rg6 43.Ke1 Rxf6 44.Kd2 Kf7 45.Qe4 Re6 46.Bf4 Rxe4 47.Kd3 Rxf4 48.c4 Rh4 Black won on time, CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 7...Nc6 8.dxc5 d6 9.cxd6 Qxd6 10.Qe2 Be6 11.Rd1 Qe7 12.Nc3 Rd8 13.Be3 Rxd1+ 14.Rxd1 Nf6 15.Qb5 Kf7 16.Qxb7 Ne5 17.f4 Neg4 18.Bxa7 Rd8 19.Rf1 Bc4 20.Ra1 c5 21.Qxe7+ Kxe7 22.h3 Nh6 23.Bxc5+ Kf7 24.g4 Nd7 25.Rd1 Ke8 26.Bd4 g6 27.Nd5 Bxd5 28.exd5 Nf7 29.Re1+ Kf8 30.c4 Nd6 31.c5 Nb5 32.Bf2 Nf6 33.a4 Na7 34.Bh4 Kf7 35.d6 Nd5 36.Bxd8 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest626645, PlayChess.com, 2020) 8. Qxd4 Qf6 9.Qc5+ Qd6 10.Qxd6+ cxd6 11.f4 Nf7 12.b3 Nb6 13.Ba3 Kf7 14.Bxd6 Nf6 15.Nc3 Re8 16.Rae1 a5 17.e5 Nfd5 18.Ne4 h6 19.f5 a4 20.Bc5 axb3 21.Nd6+ Kf8 22.Nxc8+ Kg8 23.Nxb6 Nxb6 24.Bxb6  Rxa2 25.cxb3 Rb2 26.Re3 d6 27.Bd4 Rd2 28.Bc3 Rc2 29.e6 d5 30.Rd1 b5 31.Rxd5 Rc1+ 32.Kf2 Ra8 33.e7 Kf7 34.Rd8 Ra2+ 35.Kg3 Rg1 36.Rf8 checkmate, CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10, lichess.org,  2020) 12.b3 Ke8 13.Bb2 Nf6 14.Nd2 Rg8 15.Rae1 Kd8 16.Nc4 d5 17.e5 Ne4 18.Ne3 b6 19.Nxd5 Bb7 20.c4 Nc5 21.f5 Nd3 22.e6 dxe6 23.fxe6 Nd6 24.Ba3 Nxe1 25.Bxd6 Nd3 26.Nc7 Rc8 27.Rf7 Nc5 28.Rd7+ Nxd7 29.e7 checkmate, CasualGames4ever - Alanvarela10, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020.

6...dxc6 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.d3 Bg4 9.f3 Be6 

Here we have the classic Jerome Gambit imbalance: Black has an extra piece, White has 2 extra pawns. 

Black's capture 6...dxc6 was designed to slow down White's possible d2-d4, but, as the game develops, the move becomes possible. Also, the capture turns White's e-pawn into a protected passer, which may be telling, much later in the game.  

10.Ne2 Kf7 11.d4 Bb4+ 12.c3 Ba5 13.b4 Bb6 

It is still a battle of pieces vs pawns, and Black's 2 Bishops look valuable, but the defender is lacking the usual counter-stroke, ...d7-d5.

14.O-O Bc4 15.Rf2 h5 16.e5 Ne4 

A strange oversight - in a 3 0 blitz game, however.

17.fxe4+ Ke6 18.Nf4+ Kd7 19.Ng6 Qe8 

Choosing to give up the exchange, rather than play the stultified 19...Rh7.

20.Nxh8 Qxh8 

Hoping to build a Kingside attack, anyhow.

21.Bg5 Rf8 22.Rxf8 Qxf8 23.Qxh5 Bd3 

Things are getting a litte sloppy, perhaps an indication of the impact of the clock, this being a 3 0 game.

24.Qg6 

Strong enough, although sharp-eyed Readers may have spotted 24.Qg4+ leading to 24...Qf5 (ouch) 25.Qxf5+ Ke8 26.e6 Bxd4+ (what else?) 27.cxd4 Bc4 28.Qf7 checkmate.

24...a5 25.b5 

Okay, but there was also the march of the terrible "Jerome pawn": 25.e6+ Kc8 26.e7. 

25...cxb5 26.Rd1 Bc2 27.Rd2 Ba4 28.Rf2 c5 

A slip, but he was already facing a forced checkmate, so trying to clear the a7-g1 diagonal for his Bishop was as good as anything.

29.Rxf8 cxd4 30.Qxg7+ 

White has figured out his winning line, and that is enough. Readers, without the clock ticking, may want to find some alternatives.

30...Kc6 31.Rf6+ Kc5 32.Qxb7 dxc3 33.Qxb6+ Kb4 34.Qd4+ Ka3 35.Rf3 Kxa2 36.Qxc3 b4 37.Qd2+ Kb1 38.Rf1+ Bd1 39.Rxd1 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Danger on the f-File

White's Bishop sacrifice in the Jerome Gambit brings the enemy King to the f-file. Often, Black's defense brings his Queen there. After White castles - the f-file can become a dangerous place, as the following game shows.

Wall, Bill - Guest744598
PlayChess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 

7.Qxe5 Qe7 

Whistler's Defense, named for Lt. G. N. Whistler, secretary of the Lexington, Kentucky Chess Club, who played a correspondence match using the line against Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, in 1876.

8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.Qg3 Bd6 10.f4

A small improvement over 10.Qc3, seen in Wall,B - Guest3289310, PlayChess.com, 2012:  10...Qxc3 11.Nxc3 Be5 12.O-O Bxc3 13.bxc3 d6 14.d4 Ne7 15.f4 Rf8 16.d5 Kg8 17.Re1 Bd7 18.c4 Rae8 19.Rb1 b6 20.e5 dxe5 21.fxe5 Nc8 22.e6 Ba4 23.Re2 Nd6 24.Rb4 b5 25.c5 Nc4 26.g4 a5 27.Rb3 Bxb3 28.cxb3 Rf3 29.bxc4 bxc4 30.d6 cxd6 31.cxd6 Rd3 32.d7 Ra8 33.Rd2 Kf8 34.Rxd3 cxd3 35.Ba3+ Kg8 36.e7 Kf7 37.d8=Q Rxd8 38.exd8=Q Black resigned.

10...Bxf4

This  pawn grab is not as good as Bill's suggestion, 10...Bc5. 

11.Qb3+ Qe6 

Better, 11...d5. 

12.O-O 

12...Qxb3 13.Rxf4+ Kg7 14.axb3 d6 

15.d4 Ne7 16.Nc3 Bd7 17.Be3 a6  

Black safeguards his a-pawn before moving his Rook. However, this gives up a vital tempo that turns over the f-file to White.

18.Raf1 Rhe8 

Normally, Black could challenge the file, say, with 18...Rhf8, but here it would be met by 19.Rxf8 Rxf8 20.Bh6+ followed by 21.Rxf8.

19.Rf7+ Kh8 20.Bg5 Nc6 21.Bf6+ Kg8 22.Rxd7 

Black resigned

If he challenges along the f-file, he is liable to run into the notorious chess "windmill", giving up material - 22...Rf8 23.Rg7+ Kh8 24.Rxc7+ Kg8 25.Rg7+ Kh8 26.Rxb7+ Kg8 27.Rg7+ Kh8 28.Rc7+ Rxf6 29.Rxf6 Nb4 30.Rff7, when checkmate is coming.


[Dear Readers: For the record, this is blog post #3,000. If you were to read them all, taking a minute per post, it would take you 50 hours. You could also follow the links in each post that interest you, or use the "Search This Blog" function to find something or someone specifically. Thanks for visiting. -Rick]

Jerome Gambit: Initiative

The following game shows White grabbing the initiative and pressing for advantage. This forces Black's pieces back, and then the defender is unable to deal with what follows. 

Wall, Bill - anonymous
lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb6 

A reasonable response.

7.dxe5 Qh4 

This might look surprising, but Bill was 7-0 against it before this game.

8.Qf3+ Ke8 9.Nc3 c6

Bill has also seen

9...Ne7 10.O-O (10.g3 Qh3 11.Be3 d6 12.Bxb6 cxb6 13.exd6 Ng6 14.Nd5 Qd7 15.Nc7+ Kd8 16.Nxa8 Qxd6 17.Rd1 Ne5 18.Rxd6+ Ke7 19.Qc3 Kxd6 20.Qd4+ Ke6 21.Nc7+ Kf7 22.Qxe5 Rd8 23.Nb5 Bg4 24.Qf4+ Kg8 25.Qxg4 a6 26.Qe6+ Kh8 27.Nd6 Rb8 28.Nf7+ Kg8 29.Nh6+ Kh8 30.Qg8+ Rxg8 31.Nf7 checkmate, Wall,B - Itboss, lichess.org, 2016) 10...Rf8 11.Qe2 Ng6 12.Be3 Nf4 13.Qd1 Qg5 14.g3 Nh3+ 15.Kg2 Nf4+ 16.Bxf4 Rxf4 17.Qd2 Rg4 18.Qd5 c6 19.Qg8+ Ke7 20.f4 Qh6 21.f5 Qd2+ 22.Kh1 Qxc2 23.Rad1 Rxe4 24.f6+ gxf6 25.exf6 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest5595814, PlayChess.com, 2018; and 

9...Bxf2+ 10.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 11.Kxf2 Nh6 12.Nd5 Ng4+ 13.Kg3 Kd8 14.Bg5+ Nf6 15.exf6 h6 16.fxg7+ Ke8 17.gxh8=Q+ Kf7 18.Rhf1+ Kg6 19.Qxh6 checkmate, Wall,B - Shillam, lichess.org 2016 

10.Bf4 Ne7 11.Bg3 Qh6 12.O-O Rf8 13.Qd3 Ng6 

14.Rad1 Nf4 15.Qd2 Ne6 16.Qd3 Qg6 17.b4 Kf7 18.Na4 Kg8 19.Nxb6 axb6 

Black has castled-by-hand.

White starts his pawns forward to grab the initiative.

20.f4 Nc7 21.f5 Qf7 

The Queen would be safer at h5. 

22.e6 dxe6 23.fxe6 Qxf1+ 

A tactical oversight.

24.Rxf1 Rxf1+ 25.Kxf1 Bxe6 

After 25...Nxe6, Black would have a Rook and a Knight for a Queen and a pawn.

26.Bxc7 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: The Pawns! The Pawns!

The following game illustrates the classic battle between the "Jerome pawns" and the extra piece that the defender has. Clearly, the pawns have the upper hand throughout most of the game.

Wall, Bill - Anonymous
lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Nc6 

This is a reasonable response to 6.d4, although it allows White to follow up with another thematic Jerome Gambit move.

7.Qh5+ Kf8 

Bill has also seen 7...g6, in Wall,B - Lamjung, lichess.org, 2017 (1-0, 21). 

8.Qxc5+ Qe7 

Equally good is 8...d6, as in Wall,B - Guest649850, PlayChess.com 2017 (1-0, 26) 

9.Qxe7+ Ncxe7 10.c4 Nf6 11.Nc3 d6 12.f4 Be6 

A pretty dramatic contrast, White's pawns vs Black's extra piece.

13.d5 Bd7 14.e5 dxe5 

This is a tough choice.  Retreating the Knight with 14...Nfg8 might have been a little better. 

15.fxe5 Ng4 16.e6 Be8 17.O-O+ Kg8 

White's pawns are annoying - and they aren't finished.

18.Bf4 Rc8 19.c5 Nf6 20.d6 cxd6 21.cxd6 

21...h5

This does not solve Black's problems.

Bill recommends 21...Nc6 22.Bg5 when it will be difficult for the defender to avoid returning material. 

22.Bg5 Kh7 23.Rxf6 gxf6 24.Bxf6 Rg8 25.Bxe7 

25...Bc6 26.g3 h4 27.Bxh4 Black resigned

Jerome Gambit: Easy Does It

The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) is largely known for its wild "Bashi-Bazouk" style of attack. However, in the following game, Bill Wall, with over 950 games in The Database, shows he can play the Jerome slow and easy, as well.


Wall, Bill - Guest190971
PlayChess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nc3 

This is one of the "modern" Jerome Gambit variations. The "classical" lines continue with 5.Nxe5.

5...d6 

Bill has also seen:

5...Nf6 6.Qe2 d6 (6...Rf8 7.Qc4+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc4 Qe7 10.d4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Nxe4 12.Nxc6 Qh4 13.O-O Rxf2 14.Nxe4 Rxg2+ 15.Kxg2 Bh3+ 16.Kh1 Qg4 17.Qf7 Wall,B - Roberts,C, Chess.com, 2010) 7. Na4 Nb4 8. Qc4+ Ke8 9.a3 b6 10.axb4 Bxb4 11.Qxb4 Bg4 12.Nc3 c6 13.d4 d5 14.Nxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest153817, PlayChess.com, 2018; and

5...h6 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6 8.Qd5+ Ke8 (8...Kf8 9.Qxc5+ N8e7 10.f4 d6 11.Qf2 Nc6 12.d4 Qh4 13.g3 Qh3 14.f5 Nge7 15.f6 Nf5 16.exf5 Bxf5 17.fxg7+ Kxg7 18.Nd5 Rhf8 19.Nf4 Rae8+ 20.Be3 Qg4 21.h3 Qg5 22.O-O-O Nb4 23.Qd2 Qxg3 24.Nh5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Jllib976, Chess.com 2010) 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qa3 N8e7 11.O-O Nh4 12.d4 Neg6 13.f4 Rf8 14.Be3 Bg4 15.Qb3 Rb8 16.f5 Ne7 17.Bf2 Nexf5 18.exf5 Nxf5 19.Rae1+ Kd7 20.Qe6+ Kc6 21.d5 checkmate, Wall,B - Mbgmx, Chess.com 2010 

6.d3 

Or 6.O-O Bg4 7.d3 Nd4 8.Nxe5+ dxe5 9.Qxg4 Nf6 10.Qd1 c6 11.Na4 Bd6 12.Be3 Ne6 13.Qd2 Qc7 14.Nc3 Rad8 15.Ne2 Rhf8 16.Qc3 Kg8 17.Qb3 Rde8 18.Bxa7 Kh8 19.Be3 Ng4 20.Bb6 Qb8 21.h3 Nf6 22.Ng3 Nd4 23.Qc4 Nd7 24.Bxd4 exd4 25.Qxd4 c5 26.Qa4 Rd8 27.Nf5 Nb6 28.Qb5 Qc7 29.Ne3 Qc6 30.Qxc6 bxc6 31.a4 Ra8 32.a5 Nd7 33.Nc4 Be7 34.e5 Rfb8 35.b3 h6 36.f4 Bd8 37.a6 Nb6 38.Na5 Rxa6 39.Nxc6 Rxa1 40.Rxa1 Rc8 41.Nxd8 Rxd8 42.Ra5 Ra8 43.Rxc5 Ra2 44.c4 Rd2 45.e6 Rxd3 46.e7 Re3 47.Re5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Rahman,N, Chess.com  2010 

6...h6 7.Na4 Bb4+ 8.c3 Ba5 9.O-O Nf6 

10.h3 b5 

Black believes he has trapped White's offside Knight. He is mistaken. In his attempt to hold things together, he surrenders his advantage. 

11.Qb3+ d5 

Bill suggests 11...Kg6 12.Qxb5 Qe8 and White has grabbed the pawn, but he still has work to do.

12.Qxb5 Qd6 

This move doesn't work. Why not?

13.exd5 Qxd5 14.Qxc6 Qxc6 15.Nxe5+ Ke6 16.Nxc6 Bb6

White is now ahead 3 pawns, and Black's Bishop pair and slightly better development are not adequate compensation.

17.Bf4 Nd5 18.Rfe1+ Kf5 19.Re5+ 

This looks like a simple attempt to exchange his Bishop for the Knight, but it is more than that.

19...Kxf4 20.g3+ Kf3 21.Nxb6 axb6 22.Nd4 checkmate

Very nice.


graphic by Jeff Bucchino, "The Wizard of Draws"

Jerome Gambit: Ghosts of Moves Unplayed

Playing a 3-minute game often requires both players to put aside any thoughts of what moves they could have played, or should have mande, but didn't. With more time to reflect, such musings might help in forming future plans, but in blitz, they can haunt ongoing play.

BoomBoomTNT-YT - tyronev1
3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 

Now, Black can choose Blackburne's Defense, 7...d6, or Whistler's Defense, 7...Qe7 - both are complicated and dangerous - or amongst a handful of lesser lines, e.g. 7...Bd6.

7...Qe7 

8.Qd5+

We have recently taken a look at this infrequently- played move. See "Jerome Gambit: Largely Overlooked by History".

Recent alternatives:

8.Qxe7+ Kxe7 9.b3 a6 10.Bb2 Nf6 11.O-O Kf7 12.Nc3 Bd4 13.Rae1 Bxc3 14.Bxc3 d6 15.e5 dxe5 16.Bxe5 Rg8 17.Bxc7 Bg4 18.f3 Bh5 19.Bd6 Rad8 20.Bb4 g5 21.Re7+ Kg6 22.Rxb7 Rg7 23.Rb6 Rd4 24.Bc3 Rd8 25.Rxf6 checkmate, Ghigi,N - NN, 5 1 blitz, 2020;

8.Qxh8 Ke6 (8...Qxe4+ 9.Kd1 Qxg2 10.Qxh7+ Kf8 11.c3 Qxh1+ 12.Kc2 Qe4+ 13.d3 Qa4+ 14.b3 Qg4 15.Bh6+ Nxh6 16.Qxh6+ Kf7 17.Qh7+ Kf6 18.Nd2 Bxf2 19.Ne4+ Kf5 20.Qf7+ Ke5 21.Qf6+ Kd5 22.c4 checkmate, tomkoolen1996 - ThomasBovenkerk, 10 5 blitz, lichess.org, .com, 2020; or 8...Nf6 9.d3 b6 10.Bg5 Bd4 11.c3 Bb7 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 13.Qxh7+ Kf8 14.Qxe7+ Black resigned, Anonymous -Anonymous, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020) 9.Qxg8+ Kd6 10.Qd5 checkmate, decidueyemainbtw -MarcosEngenheiro, Chess.com 2020; and

8.Qf4+ Qf6 9.Qg3 Bd6 10.f4 Bxf4 11.Qb3+ Qe6 12.O-O Qxb3 13.Rxf4+ Kg7 14.axb3 d6 15.d4 Ne7 16.Nc3 Bd7 17.Be3 a6 18.Raf1 Rhe8 19.Rf7+ Kh8 20.Bg5 Nc6 21.Bf6+ Kg8 22.Rxd7 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest744598, PlayChess.com, 2020.

8...Kg7

The text move looks a little bit better than 8...Kf8, which might place the King in the way of a Rook that wants to be developed, e.g. eronald - ayushsankar1006, 5 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020 (0-1, 23). 

9.d4 Bb4+

Not quite as strong as 9...Bb6, levigun - obviously, 5d + 2d GameKnot.com, 2004, (0-1, 11) 

10.c3 Nf6 11.Qe5 

White has to be careful, with only one piece developed vs three, even with his strong pawn center. Fortunately, Black helps him out.

11...Qxe5 

Exchanging Queens in the Jerome Gambit if often a help to the defender. In this case - a 3-minute blitz game - Black has not looked deeply enough, however.

12.dxe5 Nxe4 13.cxb4 Re8 

14.Nc3 

A bit stronger was 14.0-0 Rxe5 15.Bf4 Re6 16.Bxc7. This possibility seems to haunt both player's thoughts during the next few moves, perhaps unconsciously.

14...Rxe5 15.O-O 

Of course, White can not now play 15.Bf4 Re6 16.Bxc7 because of 16...Nxc3+.

15...d5 16.Be3 

This is a solid move, although, again, 16.Bf4 was on.

16...c6

Black suddenly realizes that the 16.Bf4 skewer could win a pawn, so he moves that pawn to safety. But he overlooks something.

17.Bd4 

Black resigned

The Rook is a goner.