Familiar Territory

If you play the Jerome Gambit often, as HauntedKnight does, some lines become as familiar as one's own neighborhood.

HauntedKnight - galpone 
blitz, FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bd6 

When I was playing over this game, I saw Black's move and chuckled. HauntedKnight practially owns this line.

7.dxe5 Bxe5 

7...Bc5 8.Qd5+ Kf8 9.Qxc5+ d6 10.exd6 cxd6 11.Qd4 Nf6 12.Bg5 Qe7 13.0-0 Kf7 14.Nc3 Qe6 15.Rfe1 Nd7 16.b3 Ne5 17.Re3 Re8 18.Bf4 Ng4 19.Rg3 Nf6 20.Qxd6 Qxd6 21.Bxd6 Kg8 22.e5 Nh5 23.Rg5 Nf4 24.e6 Nxe6 25.Re5 Bd7 26.Rae1 Kf7 27.g3 Rec8 28.h4 Rxc3 29.R1e2 Bb5 30.Rd2 Rd8 31.Rxb5 b6 32.Bf4 Rxd2 33.Bxd2 Rxc2 34.Be3 Rxa2 35.Rf5+ Kg6 36.Re5 Kf6 37.Rd5 Rb2 38.Rd7 a5 39.Rd6 Rxb3 40.Bxb6 Ke7 41.Rc6 Kd7 42.Rc1 Rxb6 43.Ra1 Ra6 44.f4 a4 45.f5 Nc5 46.g4 a3 47.g5 a2 48.h5 Nb3 49.Rd1+ Ke7 50.Re1+ Kf7 51.g6+ hxg6 52.hxg6+ Kf6 53.Re6+ Rxe6 54.fxe6 Kxe6 55.Kf2 a1Q 56.Ke3 Qd4+ 57.Kf3 Nd2+ 58.Ke2 Ke5 59.Kd1 Nb3+ 60.Ke2 Ke4 61.Ke1 Kf3 White forfeited, HauntedKnight - krausepeter, FICS, 2011. 

8.Qh5+ 

Or 8.Qd5+.

8...g6 

8...Ke6 9.Qf5+ (9.Bg5 Bf6 10.Qg4+ Kf7 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Nc3 d6 13.Qe2 Ne7 14.Qc4+ Be6 15.Qxc7 Rab8 16.Qxd6 Rhd8 17.Qg3 Qg6 18.Qf3+ Kg8 19.0-0 Qg4 20.Qe3 Ng6 21.g3 b6 22.f3 Qh5 23.Rf2 Rf8 24.Rd1 Rbc8 25.Rd6 Bh3 26.f4 Rcd8 27.e5 Rfe8 28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.Rd2 Rxd2 30.Qxd2 Qf3 31.Qd8+ Nf8 32.Qd5+ Qxd5 33.Nxd5 Be6 34.Nc3 Nd7 35.a3 Bf5 36.Nb5 a6 37.Nd4 Be4 38.c3 Nc5 39.h4 Na4 40.b4 Nxc3 41.Kf2 Nb1 42.a4 Nc3 43.a5 bxa5 44.bxa5 Nd5 45.e6 Kf8 46.g4 Ke7 47.f5 Nf6 48.Kg3 Bd3 49.Nc6+ Ke8 50.g5 Nh5+ 51.Kg4 Be2+ 52.Kh3 Nf4+ 53.Kg3 Nh5+ 54.Kf2 Bd3 55.Kf3 Bxf5 56.e7 Bd7 57.Ne5 Kxe7 58.g6 hxg6 59.Nxg6+ Kf6 60.Nf8 Ke7 61.Nh7 Nf6 62.Ng5 Nd5 63.Ke4 Nc3+ 64.Kd4 Black forfeited on time, HauntedKnight - evgehy, FICS, 2011) 9...Kd6 10.Nc3 a)10.Bf4 Qe7 11.Nc3 Nf6 12.0-0-0+ Kc6 13.Bxe5 Qe6 14.Bxf6 Qxf5 15.exf5 gxf6 16.g4 b6 17.Rhe1 Ba6 18.a4 Rhe8 19.Rxe8 Rxe8 20.h4 Re5 21.b4 Bc4 22.f4 Re3 23.Kb2 d6 24.g5 fxg5 25.fxg5 Rh3 26.Rd4 d5 27.f6 Rf3 28.b5+ Kd6 29.Rd2 c5 30.Rh2 Ke5 31.Rg2 d4 32.Nd1 Kf5 33.h5 Rh3 34.h6 Kg6 35.Nf2 Re3 36.Ng4 Re2 37.Rg3 d3 38.Ne3 Rxc2+ 39.Nxc2 dxc2 40.Kxc2 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - Verner, FICS, 2014; b)10.c4 Qf6 11.Qg4 (b)11.Qxf6+ Nxf6 12.Nd2 Re8 13.0-0 c5 14.Rb1 Bd4 15.Re1 Ng4 16.Re2 Rf8 17.Nf3 Kc6 18.h3 Ne5 19.Nxe5+ Bxe5 20.b4 b6 21.bxc5 Kxc5 22.Ba3+ Kxc4 23.Bxf8 Ba6 24.Rc2+ Kd4 25.Rb4+ Kd3 26.Rc1 Rxf8 27.f3 Kd2 28.Rcb1 Rc8 29.Kf2 Bd4+ 30.Kg3 Bc5 31.R4b2+ Kc3 32.Rb3+ Kd4 33.Rd1+ Ke5 34.Rxd7 Kf6 35.Rxa7 b5 36.Rxa6+ Kf7 37.Rxb5 Be7 38.Ra7 Re8 39.Rf5+ Kg6 40.Ra6+ Bf6 41.h4 h5 42.Kf4 Kf7 43.e5 Rxe5 44.Rxe5 Bxe5+ 45.Kxe5 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - COHGNH, FICS, 2013; b)11.c5+ Kxc5 12.Be3+ Kd6 13.Qg4 Nh6 14.Qd1+ Ke7 15.Nd2 Rf8 16.0-0 d6 17.Rb1 Be6 18.Nf3 Rad8 19.Bg5 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - oldway, FICS, 2011) 11...Nh6 12.Qd1+ Ke7 13.h4 d6 14.Bg5 Bxb2 15.Bxf6+ Bxf6 16.Nd2 Bxa1 17.Qxa1 Kf8 18.0-0 Be6 19.a4 Rg8 20.a5 Ke7 21.a6 b6 22.f4 Raf8 23.f5 Bf7 24.Re1 Ng4 25.Nf3 Bxc4 26.Qc3 b5 27.e5 dxe5 28.Rxe5+ Nxe5 29.Qxe5+ Kd7 30.Nd4 Re8 31.Qc5 Re1+ 32.Kh2 Ra1 33.Qc6+ Kc8 34.Qb7+ Kd7 35.Qxa7 Ra4 36.Qb7 Rc8 37.a7 g6 38.Nxb5 Bxb5 39.Qxb5+ Kd8 40.Qxa4 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - sonofdukenukem, FICS, 2014; c)10.0-0 Qf6 11.Rd1+ Ke7 12.Bg5 d6 13.Bxf6+ Nxf6 14.Qf3 Bg4 15.Qd3 Bxd1 16.Qxd1 Nxe4 17.c3 Raf8 18.f3 Nf6 19.Nd2 Nd7 20.Nc4 Bf6 21.Qb3 b6 22.Ne3 Nc5 23.Nf5+ Kd8 24.Qd5 Kd7 25.Rd1 Re8 26.g4 Re5 27.Qf7+ Kc6 28.Qc4 Kb7 29.a4 Rhe8 30.b4 Nxa4 31.Rxd6 Re1+ 32.Kf2 R8e2+ 33.Kg3 Be5+ 34.f4 Bxd6 35.Nxd6+ cxd6 36.b5 Nc5 37.Qd5+ Kb8 38.Qxd6+ Kc8 39.Qc6+ Kd8 40.Qa8+ Ke7 41.Qxa7+ Nd7 42.Qc7 Rg1+ 43.Kf3 Ree1 44.g5 Rgf1+ 45.Kg4 Black forfeited on time, HauntedKnight - Amazon, FICS, 2014; d)10.Bg5 Nf6 11.Nc3 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 Qe7 13.Rd1+ Kc6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Qd5+ Kb6 16.Rb1+ Ka6 17.Qb5 checkmate, HauntedKnight - xtforce, FICS, 2014; e)10.Be3 Qf6 11.Nc3 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 Qxc3+ 13.Bd2 Qxa1+ 14.Ke2 Qe5 15.Bf4 Nf6 16.Bxe5+ Ke7 17.Bxf6+ gxf6 18.Re1 d6 19.Qb5 Rg8 20.Kf1 Bh3 21.gxh3 Rab8 22.e5 fxe5 23.a4 Rg6 24.Qc4 Rc8 25.Qh4+ Ke6 26.Qxh7 Rcg8 27.Qxc7 R8g7 28.Qc4+ Kd7 29.Qb5+ Kc7 30.Re4 d5 31.Qxd5 Rd6 32.Rc4+ Kb8 33.Qxd6+ Ka8 34.Rc8 checkmate,  HauntedKnight - javlacalle, FICS, 2013; f)10.Bd2 Qf6 11.Qh3 (f)11.Bb4+ Kc6 12.Qh3 Bxb2 13.c3 Bxa1 14.0-0 b6 15.Rd1 d6 16.Qd3 Ne7 17.Na3 Bb2 18.Nc2 a5 19.Nd4+ Kb7 20.Bxd6 Qxd6 21.Rb1 Ba3 22.Qb5 Qc5 23.Qb3 a4 24.Qc2 Nc6 25.Nf3 Bg4 26.Nd2 Ne5 27.h3 Be6 28.Kf1 Bc4+ 29.Kg1 Bd3 30.Rxb6+ cxb6 31.Qd1 Qxc3 32.Nf3 Nxf3+ 33.Qxf3 Qe1+ 34.Kh2 Qxe4 35.Qf7+ Ka6 36.f3 Bd6+ 37.g3 Qe2+ 38.Kg1 Bc5+ 39.Kh1 Qf1+ 40.Kh2 Qf2+ 41.Kh1 Qg1 checkmate, HauntedKnight - AXTbIPKA, FICS, 2011) 11...Ke7 12.Qg4 d6 13.Qe2 h5 14.h4 Bg4 15.f3 Be6 16.Bg5 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - Beg, FICS, 2012; 10...Bxc3+ (10...a6 11.Bf4 Qf6 12.Bxe5+ Qxe5 13.0-0-0+ Black resigned, HauntedKnight - bozidaranas, FICS, 2013) 11.bxc3 Qf6 12.Qd5+ Ke7 13.Bg5 c6 14.Bxf6+ Nxf6 15.Qe5+ Kf7 16.0-0 d5 17.exd5 Re8 18.Qc7+ Re7 19.Qf4 cxd5 20.h3 Kg8 21.c4 dxc4 22.Qxc4+ Be6 23.Qc5 Nd5 24.c4 Rc7 25.Qd6 Rc6 26.Qb4 Nxb4 27.Rab1 Nxa2 28.Rxb7 Bxc4 29.Re1 Bd5 30.Rd7 Rc5 31.Ree7 Bc6 32.Rxg7+ Kf8 33.Rdf7+ Ke8 34.Rxh7 Re5 35.Rc7 Re1+ 36.Kh2 Black forfeited on time, HauntedKnight - Dpouchy, FICS,2014; 
8...Kf8 9.Qxe5 Nf6 (9...d6 10.Qf4+ Nf6 11.0-0 b6 12.Nc3 c6 13.Be3 Rg8 14.Rad1 d5 15.exd5 cxd5 16.Nxd5 Bb7 17.Nxf6 Qxf6 18.Qc7 Qg6 19.Qxb7 Re8 20.Qf3+ Ke7 21.Rfe1 Rgf8, Black resigned, HauntedKnight - PAMpamPAM, FICS, 2013; 9...Qe7 10.Qf4+ Nf6 11.0-0 Qxe4 12.Qxc7 Nd5 13.Qd8+ Kf7 14.Qxh8 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - Puckster, FICS, 2012) 10.Bg5 d6 11.Qb5 c6 12.Qb4 a5 13.Qd4 c5 14.Qd3 b6 15.Nc3 Be6 16.0-0-0 Kf7 17.Qxd6 h6 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Qf4 Qb8 20.Qh4 b5 21.Qh5+ Kf8 22.Qxc5+ Kf7 23.g3 b4 24.Nb5 Rc8 25.Nd6+ Kg6 26.Nxc8 Bxc8 27.f4 a4 28.f5+ Kf7 29.Qd5+ Kg7 30.g4 b3 31.Kb1 bxa2+ 32.Kxa2 a3 33.b3 Ra7 34.Qc5 Qe5 35.Qd4 Qa5 36.c3 Rd7 37.Qxd7+ Bxd7 38.Rxd7+ Kf8 39.Rhd1 Qxc3 40.Kxa3 Qa5+ 41.Kb2 Qe5+ 42.Kc2 Qxe4+ 43.Kd2 Qxg4 44.Ke3 Qxf5 45.Rd8+ Kg7 46.Rg1+ Kh7 White forfeited on time, HauntedKnight - Thalidomide, FICS, 2014. 

9.Qxe5 d6 

9...Nf6 10.Bg5 Re8 11.Qf4 (11.Qa5 Rxe4+ 12.Kd1 Qe7 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Qd5+ Re6 15.f3 Kg7 16.Nc3 Rd6 17.Qxd6 Qxd6+ 18.Ke2 Qe5+ 19.Kf2 d5 20.Rhe1 Qd4+ 21.Kf1 Bf5 22.Re7+ Kh6 23.Rxc7 Re8 24.Rxb7 Bxc2 25.Nb5 Bd3 checkmate, HauntedKnight - deri, FICS, 2011) 11...d6 12.0-0 Bd7 13.Nc3 Bc6 14.Rfe1 Kg7 15.Rad1 Qe7 16.b4 Qe5 17.Qh4 Qxc3 18.Qh6+ Kg8 19.Re3 Ng4 20.Rxc3 Nxh6 21.Bxh6 Rxe4 22.b5 Rae8 23.Be3 Bxb5 24.Rxc7 Bc6 25.Rxd6 Rg4 26.g3 Ra4 27.Rf6 Rxa2 28.h4 Ra1+ White resigned, HauntedKnight - knightt, FICS, 2014; 

9...Qe7 10.Qxh8 Black resigned, HauntedKnight - Waltlarr, FICS, 2014.

10.Qxh8 Be6 11.Qxh7+ Kf8 12.Qxg6 Bf7 13.Bh6+ Nxh6 14.Qxh6+ Ke7 

15.Nc3 c5 16.Qg5+ Kd7 17.Qxd8+ Rxd8 18.0-0-0 Black resigned

Shortcut

This column was inspired by several recent Jerome Gambit games where White won, although he could have made use of a shortcut to win even faster. With a dicey opening like the Jerome, you grab what you can, when you can! 

Because of lessons learned last year, as we will see, this post could also be titled "What jfhumprey learned".

Teterow  - Neca
lightning, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4

6...Bd6

Black does better with 6...Bxd4 and best with 6...Qh5.

7.dxe5 Bxe5

Despite my previous championing of 8.Qh5+, I think that 8.Qd5+ is simplest and strongest, winning back the piece and leaving White a pawn up, with a safer King.

The current game continued 8.0-0 and White won in 30 moves. A similar game between the same players, the same day, also continued 8.0-0 and White won in 35 moves.

By comparison, HauntedKnight - oldway, blitz, FICS, 2011 continued 8.Qh5+ (1-0, 19), as did HauntedKnight - evgehy, blitz game FICS, 2011 (1-0, 64) and HauntedKnight - sarahdaniel, blitz, FICS, 2011, (1-0, 9; hard to beat that). Again, all games were wins, but 8.Qd5+ might have led to a quicker conclusion in 67% of them.

In light of the above, it is educational to play over jfhumphrey - Cibola, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 28) and jfhumphrey - biryuk, blitz, FICS, 2010 (0-1, 65) – again, each having reached the third diagram, above – if only to appreciate the later jfhumphrey - stefanomnn, blitz, FICS, 2010 where White discovered 8.Qd5+ and was rewarded with 8...Resigns.