Jerome Gambit: Just Play It!

A recent game illustrates why people play the Jerome Gambit - it just moves along, with various tactical ideas and traps that are often hidden to the defender, until it's too late...

Wall, Bill - Guest5463336
PlayChess.com, 2018

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb6 

This move seems perfectly reasonable, although 6...Bxd4 is considered the strongest response.

7.dxe5 Ne7

This is a position familiar to those who play the Jerome Gambit, in
particular (according to The Database) jfhumphrey, frizerkaHR, ndrwgn, HauntedKnight, chessmanjeff - and, of course, Bill Wall.

8.Qf3+ Ke8 

Bill has also faced 8...Kg8, e.g. 9.Qb3+ Kf8 10.O-O d5 11.Nc3 Be6 12.Bg5 c6 13.Rad1 Qd7 14.Bxe7+ Qxe7 15.exd5 cxd5 16.Nxd5 Qf7 17.Qa3+ Black resigned Wall, B-Guest6791785, PlayChess.com, 2018.

In the game position, Black is still doing fine. However, as White is still making moves, he has to come up with some kind of plan.

9.O-O Ng6 

Very good: go after the pawn at e5. Also tried: 9...Rf8 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qxh7 g5 12.Qh5+ Rf7 13.Bxg5 c6 14.Nd2 Qc7 15.Nc4 a5 16.Nd6+ Black resigned, Wall,B -WGMS, FICS, 2017. 

10.Nc3 Rf8 11.Qe2 Nxe5 

Mission accomplished. The biggest danger for Black at this point is "relaxing" too early, as the e8-h5 diagonal often brings destruction.

12.Qh5+ Rf7 

Oh, no. Suddenly worried about his Kingside, Black chooses a defense that will at least protect the g-pawn. This leaves his Knight on e5 hanging, but that is not his greatest worry.

13.Bg5 Black resigned

Never mind the Knight; White goes after the Queen.

The Delayed Pie-in-the-Face

The difference between a very strong counter in the Jerome Gambit at move 6 and an ineffective defensive line (the same move one tempo later) shows the problem with delaying an active riposte. 

Wall, Bill - Guest6766281
PlayChess.com, 2017

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bb6

Black can decide which piece to save, the Bishop or the Knight. The text is a reasonable line.

Of course, Black's strongest response is to ignore both of the pieces and play 6...Qh4!?, what I have referred to as a pie-in-the-face variation.

7.dxe5 Qh4

A delayed pie-in-the-face? Tossing pies is very much a part of slapstick humor - and timing is always critical in comedy.

This line has been faced by Jerome Gambiteers chessmanjeff, frizerkaHR, GOH, HauntedKnight, jfhumphrey, ndrwgn, stretto, Wall and yorgos. As a group, they have not been impressed.

8.Qf3+ Ke7

A slightly better retreat is 8...Ke8, e.g. 9.Nc3 (9.O-O Ne7 10.Nc3 Rf8 11.Qe2 g5 12.Be3 Ng6 13.Nd5 Kd8 14.Qd2 h6 15.Bxb6 axb6 16.Nxc7 Kxc7 17.Qd6+ Kd8 18.Qxg6 Re8 19.Qxb6+ Ke7 20.Qf6 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest2616286, PlayChess.com, 2017) 9...Ne7 (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.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.

9.Nc3

Or 9.O-O Nh6 10.Nc3 Rf8 11.Nd5+ Kd8 12.Qxf8 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest2293428, PlayChess.com, 2017.

9...Nh6 10.Nd5+ Kd8

Once again, e8 is the better square for the King.

11.O-O

White also has the sneaky 11.h3!? threatening g2-g3, winning the Queen. Black could escape by returning a piece for two pawns, i.e. 11...Bxf2+ 12. Qxf2 Qxe4+ but White would be better.

For the record, 11.g3?! directly could be answered by 11...Qg4 and White does not gain much by exchanging Queens, while he would lose time if he movee his Queen to avoid the swap.

11...Bd4

Looking to grab the pawn at e5, but he is overlooking a few things. He could have maintained an even game with 11...c6 12.Nxb6 axb6.

12.g3 Qh3

Why was e8 the better square for Black's King to retreat to (as suggested in the note to move 10)?

Why was the Black Bishop's trip to d4 problematic (as mentioned in the note to move 11)?

Why couldn't Black retreat his Queen to g4 (as in the note to move 11), instead of h3?

13.Bg5+ Ke8 14.Nxc7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Find Something New

The following game shows the benefit of going further off the beaten path in an already unusual opening. Bill Wall varies from previous experience, and continues to find success. The notes suggest that Black could have found chances by varying his play, too. The game ends with a bit of psychological mind-reading.

Wall, Bill - NN
lichess.org, 2016

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bd6

This strategy is not unusual and seems reasonable, although it does have a tactical flaw. The Database shows that it has been faced by Jerome Gambit regulars such as chessmanjeff, HauntedKnight, frizerkaHR, jfhumphrey, stretto, Teterow and yorgos.

Oh, and of course, Bill Wall.

7.dxe5 Bxe5

Better is 7...Bb4+ (no game examples in The Database), 7...Bf8 (no game examples in The Database) or 7...Be7 (20 game examples in The Database, White scores 45%); each moving the Bishop out of danger of a Queen check/fork.

8.Qh5+ 

Bill tries something new, deviating from his previous 8.Qd5+:
Ke8 (8...Kf6 9.f4 c6 [9...Bd6 10.Qg5+ Kf7 11.Qxd8 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016] 10.Qxe5+ Kf7 11.O-O Qe7 12.Nc3 d6 13.Qh5+ g6 14.Qe2 Nf6 15.e5 Nd5 16.Nxd5 cxd5 17.Qb5 dxe5 18.fxe5+ Kg7 19.Qxd5 Re8 20.c3 Qxe5 21.Qf7+ Kh8 22.Bg5 Qxg5 23.Qxe8+ Kg7 24.Qf8 checkmate, Wall,B - Neilson,C, Melbourne, FL 2016; or 8...Kf8 9.Qxe5 d6 [9...Qe7 10.Qf4+ Nf6 11.Nc3 d6 12.O-O Qe5 13.Qxe5 dxe5 14.f4 exf4 15.Bxf4 Ne8 16.Bd6+ Kg8 17.Rf8 checkmate, Wall,B - Guest539122, PlayChess.com, 2015] 10.Qd4 [10.Qb5 Nf6 11.Nc3 c6 12.Qd3 Be6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bh4 g5 15.Bg3 Ke7 16.O-O-O Ne8 17.f4 g4 18.Bh4+ Nf6 19.e5 dxe5 20.Qg6 Qf8 21.fxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016] 10...Nf6 11.O-O c5 12.Qd3 Bd7 13.Bf4 a6 14.Bxd6+ Kf7 15.e5 Bb5 16.c4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest5856753, PlayChess.com, 2016) 9.Qxe5+ Qe7 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qe2 Nf6 12.Nc3 d5 13.Bg5 Qe5 14.f4 Qd4 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.O-O-O Qxf4+ 17.Kb1 dxe4 18.Nxe4 Bf5 19.Ng5+ Kf8 20.Ne6+ Kf7 21.Nxf4 Black resigned, Wall,B - NN, lichess.org, 2016 

8...g6 

An interesting alternative is 8...Ke6 9.Qf5+ Kd6 10.Na3!?, which may have seemed riskier to Black, but which would put White more on his own resources. There are two examples of the line in The Database:  10...Qf6 (10... Bf6 11.Nc4+ Ke7 12.Bf4 d6 13.Qb5 Qe8 14.O-O-O Qxb5 15.b3 Be6 16.Ne3 Qb4 17.g4 Qa3+ 18.Kd2 g5 19.Bg3 h5 20.h4 gxh4 21.Bxh4 hxg4 22.Bxf6+ Nxf6 23.Rxh8 Rxh8 24.f4 gxf3 25.Rf1 Nxe4+ 26.Kd3 Ng5 27.c4 Qxa2 28.Re1 Qxb3+ 29.Kd2 Ne4+ 30.Kc1 Qc3+ 31.Nc2 Nf2 32.Kb1 Kf6 33.Rf1 Rh1 34.Rxh1 Nxh1 White resigned, HauntedKnight - VSRajput, FICS, 2015) 11.Nc4+ Ke7 12.Qxe5+ Qxe5 13.Nxe5 d6 14.Bg5+ Ke6 15.Nc4 b5 16.Ne3 h6 17.Bh4 g5 18.Bg3 Nf6 19.f3 b4 20.b3 Ba6 21.O-O-O Bb5 22.h4 Nh5 23.Be1 Nf4 24.hxg5 hxg5 25.Rxh8 Rxh8 26.Bxb4 Rh2 27.Rg1 Ne2+ 28.Kd2 Nxg1 29.Bc3 Nxf3+ 30.Kc1 Rh1+ 31.Kb2 Nh4 32.g3 Ng6 33.Nd5 c6 34.Ne3 Rh3 35.Nf5 Ne5 36.a4 Be2 37.Nd4+ Kd7 38.Nxe2 Rh2 39.Nd4 c5 40.Nf5 Nd3+ 41.Ka3 Nb4 42.Bxb4 cxb4+ 43.Kxb4 Rxc2 44.Nd4 Rg2 45.e5 dxe5 46.Nf3 Rxg3 47.Nxe5+ Ke6 48.Nc4 Rg4 White forfeited on time, noatun - Papaflesas, blitz, FICS, 2008


9.Qxe5 Nf6 10.Bg5 

Putting pressure on the Knight at f6, a regular strategy for White in the Jerome Gambit.

10...Re8 11.Qf4

White could have played the prosaic exchanging 11.Bxf6+ Qxf6 12.Qxf6+ Kxf6 13.Nc3 with a pawn advantage. I think he realized that his opponent saw the White e-pawn as pinned by the Black Rook to the White King, and played for the win of a piece.

11...b6 12.e5 Black resigned

The threat by White's advanced pawn is real. One possibility: 12...d6 13.Bxf6 dxe5 14.Bxe5+. It is worth taking time to explore other lines, too.

Lots of Practice, Some Theory

Today's blog is full of games relevant to our main one. There is a little bit of "theory" tossed in, too. Enjoy the efforts of steveod and PEITONER.

PEITONER - steveod
blitz, FICS, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit. Black may be hoping for 4.Nxe5?!, and he may be expecting 4.Nxd4, 4.c3, 4.d3 or 4.0-0; but now he has something new to think about.

In this case, over the last decade plus, steveod has played quite a few BSGs at FICS, faced quite a few BSJGs, and even played a few himself. I thought it would be interesting to share his experiences as they appear in The Database, positive and negative. His games provide a pretty good overview of the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

Let me start by presenting a Jerome Gambit / Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit hybrid game: 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke6 7.Qg4+ Kxe5 8.f4+ Kd6 9.e5+ Kc6 10.b4 d5 11.Qg3 Nxc2+ 12.Kd1 Nxa1 13.b5+ Kb6 14.Qd3 c6 15.Na4+ Kc7 16.Nxc5 b6 17.Na6+ Bxa6 18.bxa6 Ne7 19.Ba3 Ng6 20.Bd6+ Kc8 21.Qf5+ Qd7 22.Qg5 Re8 23.Rf1 Ne7 24.Qxg7 Nf5 25.g4 Nxg7 White resigned, crystalleaf - steveod, FICS, 2013. 

4...Kxf7

I have not promoted declining the gambit, in fact I have referred to it as intending some kind of "Jedi mind trick", but I note that steveod has played several games with 4...Ke7:

5.Nxe5 d6 6.Nc3 (6.Bxg8 dxe5 7.d3 Rxg8 8.Bg5+ Black resigned, frizerkaHR - steveod, FICS, 2012) dxe5 7.Qh5 Nc6 8.Nd5+ Kd6 9.f4 Nf6 10.Qg5 h6 11.fxe5+ Nxe5 12.Qe3 Nxf7 13.e5+ Nxe5 14.d4 Nxd5 15.Qxe5+ Kc6 16.c4 Bd6 17.cxd5+ Kb6 18.Qxg7 Qe7+ 19.Qxe7 Bxe7 20.Rf1 Rf8 21.Be3 Rxf1+ 22.Kxf1 Bd7 23.d6 Bb5+ 24.Kg1 Bxd6 25.Rc1 c6 26.b3 a5 27.a4 Bd3 28.d5+ Kc7 29.Rc3 Be4 30.dxc6 Bxc6 White forfeited on time, AndrejRussia - steveod, FICS, 2014;

5.Nxd4 Kxf7 (5...exd4 6.Bxg8 Rxg8 7.d3 Ke8 8.c3 dxc3 9.Nxc3 c6 10.Qh5+ g6 11.Qxh7 Rg7 12.Qh6 Qf6 13.Bg5 Qd4 14.0-0 d6 15.Be3 Qb4 16.Rab1 Be6 17.d4 Kd7 18.e5 dxe5 19.dxe5 Kc7 20.Bg5 Bf5 21.Bf6 Rf7 22.Rbc1 Bxh6 23.Nd5+ Kb8 24.Nxb4 Bxc1 25.Rxc1 Rd7 26.h3 a5 27.Nc2 Bxc2 28.Rxc2 b5 29.Rxc6 Kb7 30.Rc5 Kb6 31.Rc3 b4 32.Rg3 Rg8 33.e6 Rd6 34.f4 Rxe6 35.Be5 g5 36.Bd4+ Kb5 37.f5 Re4 38.Bf6 Rf4 39.h4 Rxf5 40.hxg5 Rxf6 41.gxf6 Rxg3 42.f7 Rd3 43.f8Q Rd1+ 44.Kh2 Rd5 45.Qb8+ Kc4 46.b3+ Kd4 47.Qf4+ Kc5 48.Qc4+ Kd6 49.g3 Rd2+ 50.Kh3 Rxa2 51.g4 a4 52.Qxb4+ Kd5 53.bxa4 Re2 54.Qb5+ Kd6 55.Qxe2 Black resigned, roosmanla - steveod, FICS, 2008) 6.Nf3 d6 7.c3 h6 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 Be6 10.d5 Bd7 11.Nc3 g5 12.Qd4 Bg7 13.Qd3 a6 14.Be3 Qe7 15.Bd4 Bxd4 16.Qxd4 Nf6 17.0-0 Rae8 18.Rfe1 g4 19.Nd2 Nh5 20.Re2 Rhg8 21.g3 Qf6 22.Qxf6+ Nxf6 23.Rae1 Rg5 24.f4 gxf3 25.Nxf3 Rg4 26.e5 Nxd5 27.Nxd5 c6 28.Nf4 Be6 29.Nxe6 Rxe6 30.exd6 Rxd6 31.Re7+ Kf6 32.Rxb7 Rd3 33.Kg2 Rb4 34.Rxb4 Black resigned, bushytail - steveod, FICS, 2010; and

5.Bxg8 Rxg8 6.d3 h6 7.Nxe5 d6 8.Nf3 Bg4 9.Nbd2 Kd7 10.b3 Qg5 11.Bb2 Bxf3 12.Nxf3 Qxg2 13.Rf1 Nxf3+ 14.Ke2 Nxh2 15.Re1 Qf3+ 16.Kd2 Qxf2+ 17.Re2 Qf4+ 18.Re3 Nf1+ 19.Qxf1 Qxf1 20.Rxf1 Be7 21.Kc1 Bg5 22.Rfe1 Raf8 23.Kb1 Bxe3 24.Rxe3 Rf1+ 25.Bc1 g5 26.e5 h5 27.e6+ Ke7 28.d4 c6 29.Kb2 g4 30.b4 h4 31.Re4 h3 32.Be3 h2 33.Bf4 h1Q White resigned, EstonianBear - steveod, FICS, 2002.

5.Nxe5+ Ke6

Black has also tried:

5...Ke7 6.Qh5 (6.d3 h6 7.c3 Ne6 8.Qf3 Kd6 9.d4 Qf6 10.Qxf6 gxf6 11.Nf7+ Ke7 12.Nxh8 Ng5 13.Ng6+ Kf7 14.Nxf8 Kxf8 15.Bxg5 hxg5 16.Nd2 d6 17.0-0-0 a5 18.a4 Bd7 19.f3 Bxa4 20.b3 Bb5 21.c4 Bd7 22.h4 g4 23.f4 a4 24.f5 a3 25.Kc2 b5 26.h5 Nh6 27.Nf1 bxc4 28.bxc4 Ba4+ 29.Kc3 Bxd1 30.Ne3 Be2 31.Ra1 Ra4 32.Kd2 Bxc4 33.Nxc4 Rxc4 34.Rxa3 Rxd4+ 35.Ke3 Rc4 36.Ra8+ Ke7 37.Rh8 Nf7 38.Rh7 Kf8 39.g3 Kg8 40.Rxf7 Kxf7 41.Kf4 c5 42.h6 d5 43.h7 Kg7 White forfeited on time, Tetragon - steveod, FICS, 2006; 6.c3 Ne6 7.d4 h6 8.d5 d6 9.dxe6 dxe5 10.Qxd8+ Kxd8 11.0-0 Ke7 12.Be3 b6 13.Nd2 Bxe6 14.Nc4 Bxc4 15.Rfd1 Rd8 16.Rd5 Bxd5 17.exd5 Rxd5 18.Re1 Nf6 White resigned, jwilled - steveod, FICS, 2004) 6...Qe8 7.Qg5+ Nf6 8.Na3 d6 9.Nec4 h6 10.Qa5 Nc6 11.Qc3 Qg6 12.0-0 Be6 13.d4 Nxe4 14.Qe1 Bxc4 15.Nxc4 d5 16.Ne5 Nxe5 17.dxe5 Kd7 18.Be3 Bc5 19.Bxc5 Nxc5 20.Rd1 c6 21.c4 Qe6 22.cxd5 cxd5 23.Qe2 a6 White forfeited on time, MyGameUMove - steveod, FICS, 2012; and

5...Ke8 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6 (7...Nxc2+ 8.Kd1 Nxa1 [8...Bg7 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.Qxg7 Nxa1 12.Nf7+ Black resigned, steveod - Smeet, FICS, 2002] 9.Nxh8+ Ke7 10.Qf7+ Kd6 11.e5+ Kc6 12.Nc3 Ne7 13.Qc4+ Kb6 14.Qb5 checkmate, suchatzi - steveod, FICS, 2005; 7...Qf6 8.Nxh8+ Ke7 9.Qxh7+ Qg7 10.Ng6+ Kf7 11.Nxf8 Nxc2+ 12.Kd1 Nxa1 13.Qf5+ Nf6 14.e5 Qxf8 15.Qxf6+ Kg8 16.Qxf8+ Kxf8 17.b3 d6 18.exd6 cxd6 19.Bb2 Bf5 20.Na3 Nxb3 21.axb3 Rc8 22.Bc3 b5 23.b4 a6 24.Re1 d5 25.Nc2 Rc4 26.Ne3 Re4 27.Nxf5 Rf4 28.Nd6 Rxf2 29.Re5 Rxg2 30.Rxd5 Rxh2 31.Ne4 Rh1+ 32.Kc2 Ra1 33.Bxa1 Kf7 34.Rd6 Ke7 35.Rxa6 Kd7 36.Rb6 Kc7 37.Rxb5 Kc6 38.Rc5+ Kb6 39.d4 Kb7 40.d5 Kb6 41.d6 Kb7 42.d7 Kb6 43.d8Q+ Kb7 44.Nd6+ Ka6 45.Qa5 checkmate, steveod-Smeet, FICS, 2002) 8.Qe5+ Kf7 (8...Qe7 9.Nxe7 Black resigned, MikP - steveod, FICS, 2002; 8...Ne6 9.Nxh8 Bg7 10.Nf7 Kxf7 11.d4 Ng4 12.Qf5+ Nf6 13.e5 Nxd4 14.Qf4 Nxc2+ 15.Kf1 Nxa1 16.exf6 Bxf6 17.Nd2 d5 18.Nf3 Qd6 19.Qh6 Ke8 20.Qxh7 Qa6+ 21.Kg1 Qc4 22.Bh6 Be7 23.Qg8+ Kd7 24.Ne5+ Kd6 25.Nxc4+ dxc4 26.g3 b6 27.Kg2 Bb7+ 28.Kg1 Rxg8 29.Bf4+ Ke6 30.h4 Rd8 31.Kh2 Nc2 32.Rc1 Nd4 33.Re1+ Kf6 34.Bg5+ Black forfeited on time, Dipsy - steveod, FICS, 2001) 9.Nxh8+ Kg8 10.Qxd4 Kxh8 11.e5 Ng8 12.0-0 Qg5 13.Nc3 c6 14.d3 Qh5 15.Ne4 Bg7 16.Nf6 Qf5 17.Ng4 d6 18.Qxd6 Qxg4 19.f4 Bf5 20.Bd2 h5 21.Rf3 h4 22.Raf1 Qh5 23.h3 Nh6 24.Bc3 Rg8 25.e6 Bxc3 26.bxc3 Qg6 27.Qd4+ Kh7 28.Qd7+ Rg7 29.Qxg7+ Qxg7 White forfeited on time, rexsolus - steveod, FICS, 2006.

6.c3 

Also:

6.f4 h5 (6...d6 7.Qg4+ Ke7 8.Qg5+ Nf6 9.Nf3 [9.Ng4 Nxc2+ 10.Kf1 h6 11.Qh4 Bxg4 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 Qd3+ 14.Kg1 Qd4+ 15.Qf2 Qxf2+ 16.Kxf2 Nxa1 17.exf6+ gxf6 18.Na3 Kd7 19.Nc4 Be6 20.b3 Bxc4 21.bxc4 Nc2 22.Bb2 Be7 23.a3 c5 24.Rc1 Nd4 25.Bxd4 cxd4 26.d3 Bxa3 27.Rb1 Bc5 28.Rb5 b6 29.Kf3 Kc6 30.h3 a6 31.Rb1 a5 32.Re1 Rhd8 33.Re6+ Rd6 34.Re1 a4 35.Ra1 a3 36.Ra2 Ra4 37.g4 Rb4 38.Ke4 Rb2 39.Ra1 Rh2 40.Kf5 Rxh3 41.Kg6 Rxd3 42.Kxh6 f5+ 43.Kg5 fxg4 44.Kxg4 Rc3 45.Kf4 Rxc4 46.Ke4 Re6+ 47.Kf5 Re3 48.Kf4 d3+ White resigned, KnightBiker - steveod, FICS, 2004] 9...Nxc2+ 10.Kd1 Nxa1 11.e5 dxe5 12.fxe5 h6 13.exf6+ gxf6 14.Re1+ Kf7 15.Qh5+ Kg7 16.Nh4 Rg8 17.Qg6+ Kh8 18.Qf7 Bg4+ 19.Re2 Bxe2+ 20.Kxe2 Qe7+ 21.Qxe7 Bxe7 22.Kd1 Rae8 23.b3 Rg4 24.Bb2 Nxb3 25.Nf5 Nc5 26.Nxe7 Nd7 27.Nd5 Rxg2 28.Nxf6 Nxf6 29.Bxf6+ Kh7 30.Nc3 c6 31.Na4 Ree2 32.Bc3 Rxh2 33.Nc5 b6 34.Nd3 b5 35.Nf4 Ref2 36.Ne6 Rf7 37.Nd8 Rc7 38.Be5 Rc8 39.Nxc6 Rh1+ 40.Ke2 Rxc6 White resigned, latinicon-steveod, FICS, 2004; 6...Qh4+ 7.g3 Qh6 8.Qg4+ Ke7 9.b3 d6 10.Nc3 Bxg4 11.Nd5+ Kd8 12.Nf7+ Kd7 13.Nxh6 Nxc2+ 14.Kf2 Nxa1 15.Nxg4 Nc2 16.Bb2 Re8 17.d3 Be7 18.Rc1 c6 19.Nxe7 Rxe7 20.Rxc2 Nf6 21.Nxf6+ gxf6 22.Bxf6 Re6 23.Bxh8 h5 24.f5 Re5 25.Bxe5 dxe5 26.h3 b5 27.g4 h4 28.g5 Kd6 29.g6 c5 30.g7 Black resigned, steveod - Smeet, FICS, 2002); 7.c3 (7.0-0 d6 8.Nf3 Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 Ne7 10.f5+ Kd7 11.d4 c6 12.Qa3 Kc7 13.Bg5 b6 14.d5 c5 15.f6 gxf6 16.Bxf6 Rh6 17.Bh4 Rg6 18.Nc3 Qd7 19.Ne2 Qg4 20.Bg3 h4 21.Nf4 Rg8 22.Be1 Bh6 23.Ne6+ Bxe6 24.Rf2 Bd7 25.Bd2 Bxd2 26.Rxd2 h3 27.g3 Qxe4 28.Rf1 Nxd5 29.Qf3 Qxf3 30.Rxf3 Nb4 31.c3 Nc6 32.Rf7 Ne5 33.Rh7 Nf3+ 34.Kf2 Nxd2 35.Rxh3 Nc4 36.Ke2 Nxb2 37.Rh7 Na4 38.Kd2 Rae8 39.Kc2 Re2+ 40.Kb3 b5 41.c4 a6 42.cxb5 axb5 White forfeited on time, wardcleophus - steveod, FICS, 2014) 7...Nc6 8.Ng6 (8.Qb3+ d5 9.exd5+ Qxd5 10.Qxd5+ Kxd5 11.Nf7 Rh7 12.0-0 Nh6 13.Ng5 Rh8 14.Na3 Bc5+ 15.Kh1 Bxa3 16.bxa3 a6 17.a4 Bf5 18.Ba3 Rae8 19.Rfe1 Na5 20.Bb4 Nc4 21.Rxe8 Rxe8 22.Rf1 Nxd2 23.h3 Nxf1 24.g4 Be4+ 25.Kg1 Nd2 26.Kf2 Nc4 27.Kg3 Nxg4 28.Nf7 Nge3 29.Kh4 g5+ 30.Kxh5 Bg6+ 31.Kxg6 Re6+ 32.Kg7 gxf4 33.Ng5 f3 34.Kf8 f2 35.Nxe6 Black forfeited on time, nonself - steveod, FICS, 2007) 8...Rh6 9.f5+ Kf6 10.d4 Rxg6 11.fxg6 Kxg6 12.0-0 d6 13.Qf3 Nf6 14.Bf4 Bg4 15.Qg3 Nxe4 16.Qd3 Bf5 17.Bg3 h4 18.Rxf5 Kxf5 19.Nd2 hxg3 20.Qxe4+ Kg5 21.hxg3 Qe7 22.Nf3+ Kh6 23.Qf4+ g5 24.Qg4 Qe3+ 25.Kh2 Be7 26.Re1 Qf2 27.Re6+ Kg7 28.Nxg5 Rh8+ 29.Nh3+ Kf8 30.Re4 Qf7 31.Rf4 Bf6 32.Qc8+ Kg7 33.Qxb7 Ne7 34.Qxc7 Ng6 35.Qxf7+ Kxf7 36.g4 Nxf4 37.Kg3 Nd3 White resigned, malesposo - steveod, FICS, 2015; 

6.Nf3 Qf6 (6...Nxf3+ 7.Qxf3 Qf6 8.Qb3+ [8.Qg4+ Kf7 9.d3 d6 10.Qf4 Qxf4 11.Bxf4 h6 12.Nc3 c6 13.0-0-0 g5 14.Be3 Be6 15.Rdf1 Bg7 16.Ne2 Ke7 17.f4 gxf4 18.Nxf4 Kd7 19.Ng6 Rh7 20.Rf2 Ne7 21.Nf4 a5 22.Rhf1 Bg8 23.Ne2 Be5 24.g3 b5 25.Kb1 c5 26.c3 b4 27.c4 a4 28.Nf4 Rf7 29.Nh5 Rxf2 30.Rxf2 Bd4 31.Bxd4 cxd4 32.Rf6 Nc6 33.Rxh6 Rf8 34.Rf6 Rf7 35.Rxf7+ Bxf7 36.Nf6+ Ke6 37.Nd5 b3 38.a3 Ne5 39.Nf4+ Kf6 40.Kc1 Nf3 41.h3 Be6 42.g4 Bf7 43.Kd1 Kg5 44.Ke2 Kxf4 White resigned, wayuat - steveod, FICS, 2010] 8...Ke7 9.0-0 Kd8 10.d4 d6 11.Be3 Ne7 12.f4 Qe6 13.Qd3 Qd7 14.c4 c6 15.b4 a6 16.a4 g6 17.e5 d5 18.c5 Qf5 19.Qe2 Be6 20.Nc3 h5 21.b5 a5 22.bxc6 Nxc6 23.Rfb1 Rb8 24.Rb6 Kc7 25.Nb5+ Kc8 26.Rb1 Qf7 27.Nd6+ Bxd6 28.cxd6 Bd7 29.Qd1 Nb4 30.Bd2 Rf8 31.g3 g5 32.Bxb4 axb4 33.R1xb4 gxf4 34.Rxb7 Rxb7 35.Qc2+ Kb8 36.Rxb7+ Kxb7 37.Qc7+ Ka8 38.a5 fxg3 39.Qc1 Qf2+ 40.Kh1 Qxh2 checkmate, Miguara - steveod, FICS, 2014) 7.Nxd4+ Qxd4 8.0-0 Ke7 9.c3 Qf6 10.d4 Qf7 11.Bg5+ Ke8 12.e5 h6 13.Bh4 g5 14.Bg3 Be7 15.f4 Qg6 16.f5 Qf7 17.f6 Bf8 18.Nd2 d6 19.Nf3 Be6 20.b3 c6 21.c4 d5 22.Rc1 Ba3 23.Rc2 Rc8 24.cxd5 Bxd5 25.Re2 Rd8 26.h4 g4 27.Nh2 h5 28.Rfe1 Be6 29.Nf1 Bb4 30.Nd2 Nh6 31.Bf2 Nf5 32.Rf1 g3 33.Be3 Nxh4 34.Bg5 Nf5 35.Ne4 Rxd4 36.Qc2 h4 37.Rxf5 Bxf5 38.Nd6+ Bxd6 39.Qxf5 Rd1+ 40.Qf1 Rxf1+ 41.Kxf1 Bb4 42.e6 Qg6 43.f7+ Kf8 44.e7+ Bxe7 45.Bxe7+ Kxf7 46.Bc5 Qb1+ 47.Re1 Qxa2 48.b4 b6 49.Re7+ Kf6 50.Rb7 bxc5 51.bxc5 Qa1+ 52.Ke2 Re8+ 53.Kf3 Qc3+ 54.Kg4 Re4+ 55.Kh3 Qe1 White forfeited on time, Zuriko - steveod, FICS, 2015; 

6.Nd3 Qg5 7.0-0 Ke7 (7...Bd6 8.c3 Nc6 9.f4 Qe7 10.Qg4+ Kf7 11.Ne5+ Ke8 12.d4 Bxe5 13.dxe5 d6 14.f5 Nxe5 15.Qh5+ Kd8 16.Nd2 Nf6 17.Qe2 h6 18.Rf4 b6 19.Nf1 Bb7 20.Ng3 Kd7 21.Be3 Rae8 22.Bd4 g5 23.fxg6 Rhg8 24.Nf5 Qe6 25.Nxh6 Rxg6 26.Nf5 Bxe4 27.Bxe5 dxe5 28.Rd1+ Kc8 29.Qa6+ Kb8 30.Ne3 exf4 31.Nc4 Rxg2+ 32.Kf1 Qh3 White resigned, stemplarv - steveod, FICS, 2006) 8.Nc3 c6 9.Ne1 d6 10.Nf3 Nxf3+ 11.Qxf3 Qf6 12.Qe2 Kd7 13.d3 Kc7 14.d4 Qe6 15.d5 cxd5 16.Nxd5+ Kb8 17.Be3 Ne7 18.Rad1 Nxd5 19.Rxd5 Qe7 20.Bf4 Qf6 21.Bxd6+ Bxd6 22.Rfd1 Rd8 23.e5 Qe7 24.Rxd6 Rxd6 25.Rxd6 a6 26.f4 g6 27.Qd2 Ra7 28.Qd1 b5 29.a3 Rd7 White forfeited on time, Pmoura - steveod, FICS, 2012; 

6.Qh5 Nxc2+ 7.Kd1 Nxa1 8.Qf5+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc6 11.Qd5 checkmate, yorgos - steveod, FICS, 2010; 

6.Nc4 Qg5 7.0-0 b5 (7...d6 8.Nc3 c6 9.d3 Qg6 10.Qg4+ White resigned, HauntedKnight - steveod, FICS, 2006) 8.d3 Qh4 9.Ne3 Bd6 10.g3 Qf6 11.f4 Bc5 12.c3 Nc6 13.Qb3+ Ke7 14.e5 Qg6 15.d4 Bb6 16.d5 Na5 17.Qb4+ Ke8 18.f5 Qh6 19.Rf3 Bb7 20.Qxb5 a6 21.Qe2 Bxd5 22.Rf4 Bc4 23.Qf2 Bxe3 24.Bxe3 Qc6 25.Na3 Bb5 26.Nxb5 axb5 27.e6 d6 28.f6 Nxf6 29.Bd4 Rf8 White forfeited on time, stemplarv - steveod, FICS, 2006. 

6...Kxe5 

Best, but:

6...Qg5 7.Nf3 Qxg2 8.Nxd4+ Ke7 9.Qf3 Qxf3 10.Nxf3 Nf6 11.e5 Nd5 12.d4 h6 13.Na3 b6 14.c4 Nb4 15.Bd2 Nd3+ 16.Ke2 Nxb2 17.Rhg1 Ba6 18.Rac1 d5 19.Bb4+ Kd7 20.Ke3 Bxb4 21.Nb5 Nxc4+ White resigned, marcoseneca - steveod, FICS, 2013; 

6...Nc6 7.d4 Nxe5 8.Qb3+ Ke7 9.dxe5 Ke8 10.0-0 Qe7 11.f4 b6 12.Bd2 Bb7 13.f5 Bxe4 14.f6 Qc5+ 15.Kh1 gxf6 16.Re1 f5 17.e6 d5 18.c4 Qxc4 19.Qh3 Nf6 20.Bg5 Qd4 21.Nc3 Rg8 22.Nxe4 Nxe4 23.Rxe4 dxe4 24.Qxf5 Qg7 25.Qb5+ c6 26.Qxc6+ Qd7 27.Qxd7 checkmate, pigsfeet - steveod, FICS, 2012. 

7.cxd4+ Kxd4 

The King retreat is safer, but not without its perils, as White has shown: 7...Ke6 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.e5 Nd5 10.Qg4+ Kf7 11.Nxd5 d6 12.Qf4+ Kg8 13.0-0 dxe5 14.Qxe5 Bd6 15.Qe4 h6 16.d3 Bd7 17.Re1 Bc6 18.Ne7+ Bxe7 19.Qxe7 Qxd4 20.Qe6+ Kh7 21.Qf5+ Kg8 22.Be3 Qh4 23.d4 Rf8 24.Qe6+ Kh7 25.d5 Bb5 26.Rac1 c6 27.d6 Rhg8 28.Rcd1 Kh8 29.d7 Qb4 30.Bd4 Bc4 31.Qxh6 checkmate, PEITONER - aresa, FICS, 2015

8.d3 Bb4+ 9.Nc3

A natural response.  In "The Threat Is Greater..." I mentioned the two alternatives, 9.Ke2!? and 9.Kf1!?, which threaten to win a piece after 9...Ke5 10.Qb3 followed by 11.Qxb4. The Database shows that these suggestions have yet to be followed.

9...Ke5 

Or 9...Bxc3+ 10.bxc3+ Ke5 (10...Kxc3 11.0-0 Qf6 12.Be3 Kb4 13.Rb1+ Ka5 14.Qb3 c6 15.Qa3 checkmate, Edisce - nkm, FICS, 2005) 11.f4+ (11.Qh5+ was the correct move, as in perrypawnpusher - AdamRou, blitz, FICS, 2010 [1-0, 28]) 11...Kf6 Black forfeited by disconnection, kocanda - ETERHERE, standard, FICS, 2014

10.0-0

White could also whip up an attack with 10.d4+ Kf6 11.Qf3+.

10...Nf6 11.d4+ Ke6 12.Qb3+ 

The Queen goes to b3 and then captures the Bishop, after all. (See the note to White's 9th move.)

12...d5 13.Qxb4 Kf7 

White's center pawns help him take command.

14.e5 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.f3 a5 17.fxe4+ Ke8 18.Qc4 Rf8 19.Rxf8+ Kxf8 20.Be3 c6 21.Rf1+ Ke7 22.Qf7 checkmate

A Tale of Two Knights

The following game has a Knight sortie for Black, and one for White. One is effective, one is not. The "Jerome pawns" join in the fun for White.

Wall, Bill -Guest293396
PlayChess.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.O-O Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

We have seen this position recently in another of Bill Wall's games, vs Mydrik.

5....Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.f4 Bd4+ 

Possibly a slip on Black's part, although the move has been seen before, so perhaps he was looking for a simple way to return the sacrificed piece. Still, 9...Bd6 10.e5 Bc5+ looked like a better choice, leading to an even game. 

10.Qxd4 Re8

Others:

10...d6 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qxd8 Rxd8 13.fxe5 Bg4 14.exf6 gxf6 15.Nc3 Rd7 16.Ne4 f5 17.Bg5 Kg6 18.Nc5 Rd5 19.Ne6 Re8 20.Nxc7 Black resigned, Fietsenzo - oritelgavi, FICS, 2014;

10...c6 11.e5 Nd5 12.c4 Qb6 13.c5 Qb4 14.Qf2 Rf8 15.Bd2 Qxb2 16.Bc3 Qxf2+ 17.Rxf2 b6 18.Bd4 Kg8 19.Nc3 Nxc3 20.Bxc3 bxc5 21.Rb2 Rxf4 22.Rf1 Rxf1+ 23.Kxf1 Ba6+ 24.Kf2 Rf8+ 25.Ke3 Bb5 26.Ba5 Rf5 27.Bc7 Rf7 28.Rd2 h6 29.h4 Re7 30.Bd6 Re8 31.Ke4 c4 32.Bc5 a6 33.Rxd7 c3 34.Rd1 c2 35.Rc1 Ba4 36.Kf5 Rd8 37.Be3 Rd1 38.Ke6 Rd3 39.Bf4 Bb5 40.Rxc2 Rd4 41.g3 Bd3 42.Rd2 Bc4+ 43.Kf5 Rxd2 44.Bxd2 Bxa2 45.Bb4 Kf7 46.g4 Be6+ 47.Kf4 Bd5 48.g5 hxg5+ 49.hxg5 Ke6 50.g6 Bc4 51.Bd6 a5 52.Ke4 a4 53.Kd4 Bb5 54.Kc3 Be2 55.Kb4 Bh5 56.Kxa4 Bxg6 57.Kb4 Bf5 58.Kc5 Be4 White forfeited on time, ndrwgn - lobisonte, FICS, 2013;

10...Qe7 11.e5 Nh5 12.f5 Re8 13.Qd5+ Kf8 14.Bf4 Nxf4 15.Rxf4 Qxe5 16.Qxe5 Rxe5 17.f6 gxf6 18.Rxf6+ Kg7 19.Rf1 b6 20.Nc3 Ba6 21.Rfd1 Rae8 22.Rxd7+ Kg8 23.Rxc7 Rf8 24.h3 Ref5 25.Kh2 Rf2 26.Ne4 Rxc2 27.b4 Rxc7 28.a4 Rc4 29.b5 Rxe4 30.bxa6 Rf2 31.Rc1 Rxa4 32.Rc8+ Kg7 33.Rc7+ Rf7 34.Rb7 Rxa6 35.Rb8 Ra2 36.Re8 b5 37.Re3 b4 38.Rb3 a5 39.h4 Ra3 40.Rb2 b3 41.h5 a4 42.h6+ Kg6 43.g4 Ra2 White resigned, HauntedKnight - JustaHobby, FICS, 2010. 

11.e5 Ng4

This "attack" is brushed off, but the retreat 11...Ng8 also has its difficulties, e.g. 12.Qd5+ Kf8 13.Nc3 d6 14.Qe4 Qh4 15.g3 Qh5 16.Qb4 c5 17.Qe4 h6 18.Nb5 Qf7 19.Nxd6 Qe6 20.Nxe8 Kxe8 21.f5 Qe7 22.Be3 Rb8 23.Rae1 b6 24.Bf4 Bb7 25.Qa4+ Kf8 26.f6 Qe6 27.fxg7+ Kxg7 28.Qxa7 Qd5 29.Qxb7+ Rxb7 30.e6 Qxa2 31.Be5+ Kg6, White forfeited on time, frizerkaHR - cebop, FICS, 2013. 

12.h3 Nh6 13.f5 

The "Jerome pawns" are in their glory.

13...Ng8 14.Nc3 c6 15.Ne4 Qb6 16.Ng5+ 

This Knight will win material, and usher in the pawns.

16...Kf8 17.Nxh7+ Ke7 18.f6+ gxf6 19.exf6+ Nxf6 20.Qxb6 axb6 21.Nxf6 Black resigned

White is up a piece and a pawn, as well as having the safer King.

It's Complicated

Bill Wall scores over 95% with the Jerome Gambit, which is fantastic given that the opening has several "refutations." He keeps trying different ideas, and continues to be successful with them, although I don't always know how. 

It's complicated.

Here's an example, with sidelines - many games starring members of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde.

Wall,B - Guest6399506 
PlayChess.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 6.d4

Bill skips the "normal" 6.Nxc6, deciding to sac another pawn. If I were to guess, it would be that he wanted another open line against the nervous Black King...

6...Nxd4 

Already a small payoff, as 6...Bxd4 was best: 7.Nxc6 dxc6 (7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qf6+ 9.Kg1 Qxc6 10.Qf3+ Qf6 11.Qe3 d6 12.Nc3 Ne7 13.Bd2 c6 14.Rf1 Bf5 15.exf5 Ke8 16.Ne4 Qxb2 17.Nxd6+ Kd7 18.Qe6+ Kd8 19.Nf7+ Ke8 Black resigned, soulman - ChessOpenings, FICS, 2010; or 7...bxc6 8.Qxd4 d6 9.0-0 Qf6 10.Qa4 Bd7 11.Nc3 Ne7 12.Be3 Kf7 13.f4 Rhf8 14.e5 Qf5 15.exd6 cxd6 16.Rae1 Kg8 17.Bd4 c5 18.Qb3+ Be6 19.Rxe6 Black resigned, Petasluk - macabi, FICS, 2009) 8.Be3 (8.Qf3+ Bf6 9.e5 Qe7 10.0-0 Qxe5 11.Bf4 Qf5 12.Nc3 Be6 13.Rae1 Ne7 14.Ne4 Kf7 15.Nxf6 Qxf6 16.Rxe6 Qxe6 17.Bxc7+ Qf5 18.Qb3+ Qe6 19.Qxb7 Rhe8 20.f4 Kg8 21.Be5 Ng6 22.Qxg7 checkmate, stretto - Frankee, FICS, 2007) 8...c5 9.c3 Bf6 10.Bxc5+ Kf7;

Not as good is 6...Nxe5: 7.dxe5 Qh4 8.0-0 Qxe4 9.Nc3 Qxe5 10.Be3 (10.Re1 Qd4 11.Qf3+ Qf6 12.Qe2 Qe6 13.Ne4 d6 14.Bg5 h6 15.Qf3+ Qf7 16.Bf4 Nf6 17.Nxc5 dxc5 18.Rad1 Bg4 19.Qxb7 Re8 20.Rxe8+ Nxe8 21.Re1 Qxf4 22.Qxa7 Kf7 23.Qxc5 Qd6 24.Qc4+ Be6 25.Qe4 Nf6 26.Qf3 Re8 27.h3 Bd5 28.Qf5 Rxe1 checkmate, Petasluk - robertj, FICS, 2005) 10...Bxe3 11.fxe3+ Nf6 12.Qe2 d6 13.Rad1 Kg8 14.Qc4+ d5 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.Rxd5 Qxe3+ 17.Kh1 Be6 18.h3 Rf8 19.Rxf8+ Kxf8 20.Qb4+ Ke8 21.Rd2 Rf8 22.Qd4 Rf1+ 23.Kh2 Qf4+ 24.Qxf4 Rxf4 25.Kg3 Rf6 26.Re2 Kd7 27.Rd2+ Kc8 28.Kh2 Bxa2 29.b3 Bb1 30.Kg3 Rc6 31.c4 Be4 32.Re2 Rg6+ 33.Kh2 Bd3 34.Rf2 Kd7 35.g4 a5 36.Rd2 Rd6 37.c5 Rd5 38.Kg3 Kc6 39.Kf4 Kxc5 40.Ke3 Bg6 41.Rxd5+ Kxd5 42.Kd2 Kc5 43.Kc3 b5 44.Kb2 a4 45.h4 axb3 46.Kxb3 b4 47.h5 Be4 48.Kb2 Kb5 49.g5 c5 50.h6 gxh6 51.gxh6 c4 52.Kc1 c3 53.Kd1 b3 54.Ke2 Kc4 55.Ke3 b2 56.Kxe4 b1Q+ 57.Ke5 Qe1+ 58.Kf6 Kd5 59.Kg7 Ke6 60.Kxh7 Qg1 61.Kh8 Kf6 62.Kh7 Qg6+ 63.Kh8 Qxh6+ 64.Kg8 Qg7 checkmate, frizerkaHR - CavallFort, FICS, 2012;

Or 6...Bb4+ 7.c3 Nxe5 8.dxe5 Bc5 9.0-0 Qh4 10.Be3 d6 11.Bxc5 dxc5 12.Qd5 Qe7 13.f4 Be6 14.Qxb7 Rd8 15.Qa6 Ke8 16.f5 Bxf5 17.exf5 Qxe5 18.Na3 Qe3+ 19.Kh1 Kf8 20.Rae1 Qd3 21.Qxa7 Nf6 22.Qxc7 Qd6 23.Qa5 h5 24.Nc4 Qd5 25.Ne5 Kg8 26.Ng6 Rh6 27.Ne7+ Kf7 28.Nxd5 Rxd5 29.Qc7+ Kg8 30.Re7 Ng4 31.Rxg7+ Kh8 32.Rxg4 hxg4 33.f6 Rxf6 34.Re1 Rdf5 35.h3 g3 36.Qxg3 Black resigned, jfhumphrey - mateushfa, FICS, 2011;

Or 6...Bd6 7.Nxc6 dxc6 8.e5 Be7 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.Nc3 Bb4 11.Bd2 Be6 12.Ne4 Bxd2+ 13.Nxd2 Qxd4 14.0-0-0 Bxa2 15.Ne4 Bd5 16.Rxd4 a5 17.Rxd5 cxd5 18.Nc5 a4 19.Nxb7 Ra7 20.Qxd5 Ne7 21.Qd8+ Kf7 22.Qxh8 Rxb7 23.Qxh7 a3 24.bxa3 Ra7 25.Re1 Rxa3 26.e6+ Kf6 27.Qh4+ Kg6 28.Qg4+ Kh7 29.Qh4+ Kg6 30.Qxe7 Ra1+ 31.Kd2 Ra6 32.Qxc7 Kh7 33.e7 Ra8 34.Qd7 Black forfeited on time, stretto - eclipze, FICS, 2008. 

7.Be3

Or 7.0-0 d6 (7...Qf6 8.Nd3 Bb6 9.e5 Qg6 10.Nc3 Nh6 11.Nf4 Qc6 12.Qh5 Ndf5 13.g4 g6 14.Qg5 Nf7 15.Qf6 Qxf6 16.exf6 Ng5 17.gxf5 gxf5 18.Nh5 Rg8 19.Bxg5 Rxg5+ 20.Ng3 f4 21.Nce4 Rg8 22.Rae1 fxg3 23.hxg3 d5 24.Nc3 Bh3 25.Re7 Bxf1 26.Kxf1 h5 27.Ne2 h4 28.Kg2 hxg3 29.fxg3 c5 30.c3 Re8 31.Rxe8+ Kxe8 32.Nf4 d4 33.cxd4 cxd4 34.Nd3 Bd8 35.Kf3 Bxf6 36.g4 b5 37.Kf4 Rf8 38.Ke4 Bg5 39.Ne5 Rf4+ 40.Kd3 Bh6 41.Nc6 a6 42.Nxd4 Rxg4 43.Nb3 Rg3+ 44.Kc2 Rg2+ 45.Kc3 Bg7+ 46.Kb4 Rxb2 47.a3 a5+ 48.Kxb5 Rxb3+ 49.Kxa5 Rxa3+ 50.Kb4 Ra1 51.Kb5 Kd7 52.Kb4 Kc6 53.Kb3 Bd4 54.Kb4 Ra6 55.Kc4 Be5 56.Kb4 Bd6+ 57.Kc4 Ra4+ 58.Kd3 Kd5 59.Ke3 Bc5+ 60.Kd3 Rd4+ 61.Kc3 Rh4 62.Kd3 Bb4 63.Ke3 Kc4 64.Kf3 Kd3 65.Kg3 Be7 66.Kf3 Kd4 67.Kg3 Ke4 68.Kf2 Rh3 69.Kg2 Rf3 70.Kh2 Ke3 71.Kg2 Bd6 72.Kg1 Ke2 73.Kg2 Rg3+ 74.Kh2 Rf3+ 75.Kg2 Rg3+ 76.Kh2 Kf3 77.Kh1 Rh3+ 78.Kg1 Bc5+ White resigned, Petasluk - lefthookrightcross, FICS, 2006) 8.Nd3 Bb6 9.Be3 Ne6 10.Bxb6 axb6 11.Nc3 Ne7 12.Nd5 Nxd5 13.exd5 Nc5 14.Nf4 Qf6 15.Qd2 Kf7 16.Rae1 Rf8 17.Nh5 Qg6 18.Nf4 Qg5 19.Qe2 Qxf4 20.Qe7+ Kg8 21.g3 Qf7 22.Qh4 Qf6 23.Qb4 Bh3 24.Re6 Bxe6 25.dxe6 Qxe6 26.Re1 Qf6 27.Qc4+ Kh8 28.Qd5 Qxf2+ White resigned, stretto - psychotic, FICS, 2008;

Or 7.Qh5 Qf6 8.0-0 Ne7 9.Ng4 Qg6 10.Qxg6 Nxg6 11.e5 Ne2+ 12.Kh1 Nxc1 13.Rxc1 d6 14.h3 Nxe5 15.Nxe5 dxe5 16.Re1 Bd4 17.c3 Bxf2 18.Rxe5 h6 19.Re4 Kg8 20.Nd2 Bf5 21.Rf4 Be3 22.Rxf5 Bxd2 23.Rd1 Bg5 White resigned, stretto - Cochonouchka, FICS, 2007. 

7...Nxc2+ 

Going in for complications, but he would have done better to try 7...Ne6! 8.Qh5!? a)8.Qf3+ Qf6 (a)8...Nf6 9.Bxc5+ Nxc5 10.Ng4 Ncxe4 11.0-0 d5 12.Nxf6 Qxf6 13.Qa3+ Kf7 14.f3 Nd6 15.Nc3 c6 16.Rae1 Bd7 17.Re2 Rhe8 18.Rfe1 Rxe2 19.Rxe2 Nc4 20.Qb4 b6 21.Na4 Qd4+ 22.Kf1 Qd1+ 23.Re1 Qxc2 24.Qe7+ Kg6 25.Nc3 Re8 White forfeited on time, nyny - ferdyclemens, FICS, 2011) 9.Bxc5+ Nxc5 10.Qxf6+ Nxf6 11.f3 d6 12.Nd3 Ne6 13.0-0 Bd7 14.Nb4 Re8 15.Nc3 c6 16.Rad1 Ke7 17.e5 dxe5 18.Rfe1 a5 19.Nd3 Nd4 20.Rxe5+ Kf7 21.Rxa5 Nxc2 22.Ne5+ Kf8 23.Nxd7+ Nxd7 24.Rxd7 Ne3 25.Ne4 Nd1 26.Ra7 Re7 27.Ra8+ Kf7 28.Rxe7+ Kxe7 29.Rxh8 Nxb2 30.Rxh7 Kf7 31.Rh8 Nd3 32.Rb8 Black resigned, lebro - scain, FICS, 2014; b)8.Bxc5+ Nxc5 9.Qd5 (b)9.b4 Qf6 10.f4 Ne6 11.Ng4 Qxa1 12.0-0 Qd4+ 13.Kh1 Qxd1 14.Rxd1 Nxf4 15.Rf1 g5 16.h4 d6 17.hxg5 Bxg4 18.Rxf4+ Ke7 19.Rxg4 h5 20.gxh6 Rxh6+ 21.Kg1 Nf6 22.Rg7+ Ke6 23.Rxc7 Nxe4 24.Rxb7 Rah8 25.Kf1 Rh1+ 26.Ke2 Rxb1 27.Kd3 Ke5 28.Rxa7 Rh2 29.Re7+ Kd5 30.Rxe4 Rxg2 31.c4+ Kc6 32.b5+ Kc5 33.a4 Rb3 checkmate, drumme - VegasKnight, FICS, 2010) 9...Qe7 (b)9...Ne6 10.Nc3 Nf6 11.Qb3 d6 12.Nf3 Ke7 13.e5 dxe5 14.0-0 Re8 15.Nxe5 Kf8 16.Rad1 Qe7 17.Rde1 Nd4 18.Qc4 Ne6 19.Qb3 Kg8 20.Nf3 Qf7 21.Ng5 Nxg5 22.Rxe8+ Nxe8 23.Nd5 Be6 24.Qxb7 Bxd5 25.Qb4 Nd6 26.Qh4 Qg6 27.f3 Nxf3+ 28.Rxf3 Bxf3 29.Qg3 Qxg3 30.hxg3 Bc6 31.Kf2 Rb8 32.Ke3 Rxb2 33.Kd4 Rxc2 34.a4 Black forfeited on time, drumme - Hortonheat, FICS, 2012) 10.0-0 d6 11.Nc4 Qxe4 12.Qg5 Qxc4 13.Qd8+ Kf7 14.Qxc7+ Ne7 15.Nd2 Qxc2 16.Nf3 h6 17.Qxd6 Re8 18.Rac1 Qxb2 19.Qxc5 Be6 20.Ne5+ Kg8 21.Qd6 Qxa2 22.Ra1 Qd5 23.Qc7 Rac8 24.Qc3 Rxc3 25.Rad1 Qxe5 White resigned, drumme - Bicchi, FICS, 2013; c)8.0-0 Nf6 9.Ng4 Nxe4 10.Qd5 Nf6 11.Nxf6 Qxf6 12.Bxc5+ d6 13.Bxd6+ cxd6 14.Qxd6+ Kg8 15.Nc3 b6 16.Qc6 Rb8 17.Qd6 Rb7 18.Nd5 Qf8 19.Qc6 Rf7 20.Rae1 Nd4 21.Qa4 Ba6 22.Re8 Bxf1 23.Rxf8+ Rxf8 24.Kxf1 g6 25.Ne7+ Kg7 26.Qxd4+ Black forfeited on time, DragonTail - framontb, FICS, 2007; 8...Qe7 a)8...Qf6 9.Nxd7+ (a)9.Bxc5+ d6 (a)9...Nxc5 10.Nc3 Ne6 11.Nd5 Nf4 12.Qf3 Qxe5 13.Nxf4 Qxb2 14.Ne6+ Ke7 15.Qf8+ Kxe6 16.0-0 Qf6 17.Qe8+ Qe7 18.Qh5 Nf6 19.Qf5+ Kf7 20.e5 Rf8 21.exf6 Qxf6 22.Qxh7 d6 23.Rae1 Bf5 24.Qh5+ g6 25.Qh7+ Qg7 26.Qh4 Qf6 27.Qc4+ Kg7 28.Qxc7+ Rf7 29.Qc4 Rh8 30.Re3 b6 31.Rg3 Be6 32.Qe2 Re7 33.Qd3 Bf5 34.Qb3 Rc8 35.Rc3 Rxc3 White forfeited on time, sTpny - Straineryou, FICS, 2008) 10.Ba3 g6 11.Qf3 Qxf3 12.Nxf3 Kg7 13.Nc3 Nf6 14.0-0-0 Ng4 15.Rd2 Nf4 16.h3 Nf6 17.e5 dxe5 18.Nxe5 Be6 19.Be7 Rhe8 20.Bxf6+ Kxf6 21.Re1 Nxg2 22.Re3 Nxe3 23.fxe3 Kxe5 24.h4 Rad8 25.Rg2 Rf8 26.Rg5+ Rf5 27.b3 Rxg5 28.hxg5 Kf5 29.Nb5 c6 30.Nc7 Bf7 White resigned, Etto - ydkor, FICS, 2008; 9...Bxd7 10.Bxc5+ Ne7 11.Nc3 Nxc5 12.Qxc5 Qb6;
b)8...g6? 9.Nxg6+; 9.Nc3 c6 10.Ng6+ hxg6 11.Qxh8 Bxe3 12.fxe3 Ng5 13.Rf1+ Nf7 14.h4 Qe5 15.0-0-0 Qh5?! 16.Rxf7+ Kxf7 17.Rf1+ Nf6 18.Qxh5 gxh5 19.e5 d5 20.exf6 gxf6 21.e4 d4 22.Ne2 c5 23.e5 f5 24.Nf4 Be6 25.Nxh5 Rh8 26.g4 Kg6 27.Nf4+ Kf7 28.gxf5 Bxf5 29.h5 Re8 30.Nd3 Ke6 31.Nxc5+ Kd5 32.Rxf5 Kxc5 33.Rf7 Rxe5 34.h6 Rh5 35.h7 Kc6 36.Kd2 Rh3 37.Ke2 a5 38.Kf2 b5 39.Kg2 Rh5 40.Kg3 b4 41.Kg4 Rh2 42.Kg5 Black resigned, Wall, B. - Guest757851, PlayChess.com, 2014;
7...d6 8.Nd3 (8.Bxd4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 Qg5 (9...Be6 10.Nf3 Qf6 11.Qb4 b6 12.Nc3 c5 13.Qa4 Ne7 14.Rd1 Bg4 15.e5 Qe6 16.Rxd6 Qf5 17.Rd3 g5 18.0-0 Kg7 19.h3 Bxh3 20.gxh3 Rhd8 21.Rxd8 Rxd8 22.Qxa7 Rd7 23.Qa4 Qxf3 24.Qxd7 Black resigns. 1-0 papernoose-RESULTS/Internet Chess Server: freech 2004 (24)) 10.Nf3 Qc1+ 11.Qd1 Qxd1+ 12.Kxd1 Nf6 13.Nc3 Bg4 14.Ke2 Re8 15.Kd3 Kf7 16.Ng5+ Kg6 17.f4 h6 18.Nf3 Re7 19.e5 dxe5 20.Nxe5+ Kh7 21.Nxg4 Nxg4 22.Nd5 Nf2+ 23.Kc3 Re2 24.Rhe1 Rhe8 25.Rxe2 Rxe2 26.Nxc7 Ne4+ 27.Kd3 Rxg2 28.Kxe4 Rxc2 29.Nb5 a6 30.Nc3 Rxb2 31.Rb1 Rxh2 32.Rxb7 Kg6 33.f5+ Kf6 34.Nd5+ Kg5 35.Rxg7+ Kh4 36.f6 Re2+ 37.Kf5 Re8 38.f7 Rf8 39.Nf4 a5 40.Rg4 checkmate, papernoose - ornito, FICS, 2004; 8...Qf6 9.Bxd4 Bxd4 10.c3 Bc5 11.Nxc5 dxc5 12.0-0 Qg5 13.Qf3+ Nf6 14.h4 Qxh4 15.e5 Bg4 16.Qf4 Ke7 17.exf6+ gxf6 18.Qxc7+ Bd7 19.Re1+ Kf8 20.Qxd7 f5 21.Qxf5+ Kg7 22.Re7+ Qxe7 23.Nd2 Raf8 24.Qg4+ Kf6 25.Ne4+ Ke5 26.Re1 Kd5 27.c4+ Kc6 28.b4 Rhg8 29.b5+ Kb6 30.Qd1 Qg7 31.Qd6+ Ka5 32.Qd2+ Kb6 33.Ng3 a6 34.Re6+ Ka7 35.Qd5 Qa1+ 36.Kh2 axb5 37.Qxc5+ Kb8 38.Qxb5 Qxa2 39.Re7 Kc8 40.Qxb7+ Kd8 41.Qd7 checkmate, bartab - umbeebmu, FICS, 2011;

Or 7...Qf6 8.Bxd4 Bxd4 Black resigned, SCARNEY - LordByron, FICS, 2005.

Does Bill have all of those games in his copy of The Database? Of course he does. How many do you think he has played over?

8.Qxc2 Bxe3 9.fxe3 

Not 9.Qe2?, although White eventually got the point: 9...Bd4 10.Qf3+ Nf6 11.Qa3+ c5 12.Nc3 Bxe5 13.Qxc5+ d6 14.Qe3 Qa5 15.0-0 Be6 16.Rad1 Rd8 17.Qf3 Kf7 18.Nd5 Bxd5 19.exd5 Rhe8 20.g4 Kg8 21.g5 Nxd5 22.Rxd5 Rf8 23.Qe4 Qxa2 24.g6 h6 25.Rb5 b6 26.Qd5+ Kh8 27.Qxa2 Rf6 28.Rd1 Rxg6+ 29.Kf1 Bxh2 30.Ke2 Re8+ 31.Kd2 Rc8 32.Rf5 a5 33.Qb1 Rd8 34.Rf8+ Rxf8 35.Qxg6 Bf4+ 36.Kc2 Be5 37.Kb3 Rf3+ 38.Ka4 Rxf2 39.Qe8+ Kh7 40.Rb1 Bxb2 41.Qe4+ Kh8 42.Qa8+ Kh7 43.Re1 Be5 44.Rxe5 dxe5 45.Qe4+ Kg8 46.Qxe5 Ra2+ 47.Kb5 Rb2+ 48.Ka6 Rb3 49.Qe6+ Kh7 50.Qxb3 h5 51.Qh3 Kh6 52.Kxb6 g5 53.Qe6+ Kg7 54.Qe5+ Kh6 55.Qf6+ Kh7 56.Qxg5 a4 57.Qxh5+ Kg7 58.Qa5 a3 59.Qxa3 Kg6 60.Kc6 Kg5 61.Kd6 Kf5 62.Qc5+ Ke4 63.Qe5+ Kd3 64.Kd5 Kd2 65.Kd4 Kc2 66.Qe2+ Kb3 67.Qc4+ Ka3 Black resigned,  Athenee - dorigprg, FICS, 2006. 

9...Nf6

Bill mentioned Black could have tried 9...Qh4+ 10.g3 Qe7. 

10.0-0 d6 11.Nd3 g6

White's development, and Black's iffy King, are more important than White's doubled and isolated pawns. Now Black allows a small combination.

12.Nc3 Kg7 13.Nb5 c6 14.Nxd6 Qxd6 15.e5 Qd7 16.exf6+ Kh6

 Bill notes: 16...Kf7? 17.Ne5+; or 16...Kf8 17.Qc5+; or 16...Kg8 17.f7+ Kf8 18.Qc3. 

17.Ne5 Qd5 18.Qc3 Re8 19.f7 Rf8 20.Rf4 Qd8 

Or, per Bill, 20...Kh5 21.g4+ Bxg4 22.e4 Qd8 23.Rxg4 Kh6 24.Nf3 Rxf7 25.Rh4+.

21.Nf3 Be6 22.g4 g5 23.Rf6+ Kg7 24.Rxe6+

Black resigned