Inspired by the Jerome Gambit: A True Story

I found the following game on the ChessKnot.com website, annotated by the winner. I've added a few notes, but mostly I'll let the game and the player of the White pieces speak for themselves.

csxrook  - bru39
Annotated by: csxrook
Chess opening: King's pawn game (C50)
GameKnot

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

I saved this game because it was an experimental game that worked, 5.b4 was the first time I ever implemented a successful gambit on the spur of the moment and linked it together to win this blitz game in under 60 seconds.

This move seemed a bit peculiar to me as it was preempting my dark-squared bishop from sitting at g5 w/o even knowing if I had planned to fianchetto it to b2. Plus it neglected development of the pieces.

4.Nc3 Nge7

Poor move, IMO, as it blocks in the bishop & queen, prolonging development & castling.

5.b4

Noticing a familiar setup and lack of developed pieces, I offer the pawn to draw the knight away from protecting e5, with a certain surprise awaiting.

5....Nxb4

He takes!

6.Bxf7+

Combined with a sacrifice I learned from the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+), except now there's no pesky knight covering the e5 pawn!

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Ke8

7...Kg8 would have held out longer 

[After 7...Kg8 Black has the usual beginning Jerome Gambit advantage, whereas after the text, he is busted. - Rick]

8.Qh5+

[I hate to interrupt the Jerome Gambit flow here, but the quickest kill was 8.Qf3 first then: 8...Nf5 9.Qh5+ Ke7 10.Nd5+ Kd6 and Black loses his Queen to 11.Nf7+ - Rick]


8...g6 9.Nxg6 Nxc2+

[Tempting, but Black should instead reinforce g6 with 9...Rg8 so that after 10.Nh4+ he can block with 10...Ng6, for example: 11.Nxg6 Qg5 12.Qxg5 hxg5 - Rick]


10.Kf1

I moved away from the knight in hopes of sacrificing the inactive rook for another critical tempo.

10...Nxg6

mate in 2...

11.Qxg6+ Ke7

stalemated king

12.Nd5

Mate