It had been months since I had played the Jerome Gambit at blitz speed, and I worried that I might have forgotten too much. The following game, however, shows that the opening was as reliable as ever for me.
perrypawnpusher - grosshirn
2 19 blitz, FICS, 2016
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ng6
Somewhat inexact. See the note (below) to White's 11th move.
9.Qd5+ Ke7 10. Qxc5+ d6
Better than 10...Ke8 as seen in perrypawnpusher - parlance, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 22).
11.Qe3
After 11 moves we have reached a position in which White has an extra move (f2-f4) in comparison to the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke7 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3. So, if Black wants to give up his King's Bishop and post his Knight at g6, 6...Ng6 might have been a better choice.
Interestingly, Stockfish 7 recommends the alternate retreat 11.Qc3 (no example in The Database), suggesting that Black meet that with 11...Kf8 (11...Nxf4?12.Qxg7+ Ke8 13.O-O Qf6 14.Qxf6 Ne2+ 15.Kf2 Nxf6 16.Kxe2 Nxe4 with advantage to White) 12.O-O Nf6 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Nc6 15.e5 dxe5 16.dxe5 Qd4+ 17.Qxd4 Nxd4 18.Na3 Ne8) with an equal game.
11...Nf6
The text is about equal to 11...Kf8 (perrypawnpusher - Valseg, blitz, FICS, 2011 [1-0, 39]), better than 11...Bd7 (perrypawnpusher - GabrielChime, blitz, FICS, 2009 [1-0, 29]), and much better than 11...Be6 (perrypawnpusher - MrNatewood, blitz, FICS, 2010 [1-0, 12]).
12.O-O
Or 12.d4 as in perrypawnpusher - thinan, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 31).
12...Rf8
This seems reasonable at first glance, as Black is considering castling-by-hand. However, 12...Re8 was probably better, as in perrypawnpusher - spydersweb, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 24) and perrypawnpusher - tjaksi, blitz, FICS, 2014 (1-0, 18).
13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Nc4 15.Qd3 Nb6 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bh4 Nbd7
Black has covered up with his pieces, and still has his piece-for-two-pawns material advantage, but White's "Jerome pawns" and freer development give him the advantage.
18.Nc3 c6 19.Rae1 Qb6 20.Kh1 Ke8
Breaking the pin on his Knight, but White is ready to crash through, anyhow.
21.e5 dxe5 22.dxe5 Ng8 23.f6
Even better, according to Stockfish 7 after the game, was 23.Ne4 Ne7 24.Qd6 Rf7 25.e6 with a forced checkmate.
23...gxf6 24.exf6+ Kd8 Black resigned
Checkmate will be coming soon after 25.f7+.
I think my opponent was disappointed with his last move. I don't blame him. He had been playing a good game, and had every reason to hope for success. I don't know which is worse, losing to the Jerome Gambit (and the fish who plays it) or failing to punish someone (the fish) who plays the Jerome gambit.
perrypawnpusher - tjaksi
blitz, FICS, 2014
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
More enterprising than in our first game, when my opponent played 6...Ng6, perrypawnpusher - tjaksi, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0,16)
7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ng6 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+ d6
11.Qe3
Curiously, after 11 moves we have reached a position in which White has an extra move (f2-f4) in comparison to the 6...Ng6 line: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke7 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3. (We didn't reach this position in our earlier game, as Black's King had gone to f6 on move 7.) See "Chances".
11...Nf6 12.0-0
White could also play 12.d4 as in perrypawnpusher - thinan, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0,31), but the text might be a little bit better.
After the game Houdini suggested 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 Nc6 14.0-0 Re8 15.e5 Kf8 16.e6, and although White's "Jerome pawns" have advanced, Black still would have the advantage.
12...Re8 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Neg4
The Knight probably should retire with 14...Nc6, as 15.e5 can be met by 15...Kf8. But who can resist the opportunity to harass the Queen?
15.Qg5
Looking to create mischief on the Kingside, but better was 15.Qd3 as in perrypawnpusher - spydersweb, blitz, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 24).
15...Kf7 16.Nc3 c6
This does not look, at first glance, like a complicated position, but, after the game, I asked Houdini what White should do, setting the search level to 20 ply. It started out boldly with predictions for advantage for White after 17.h3 Nh6 18.Rf3 but 18...Qb6!? seemed to change things and the recommended 19.Rg3 (or the secondary 19.Kh2) didn't come up with much after 19...Rg8 20.Bf4 Qxd4+ 21.Kh2 d5. I wonder if White should try 17.h3 Nh6 18.Qf4!? with the idea of 19.g4 and an advance on the Kingside.
17.Qh4
My plan was to make room for 18.Bg5, putting pressure on the Knight at f6, and, indirectly, the Knight at g4. The problem with this, as alluded to in the previous note, is that Black can now reply 17...Qb3!? and begin to demolish White's center, e.g. 18.Rd1 c5 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 Nf6 and if 21.Bg5 then Black's Rook infiltrates with 21...Re4.
17...Nxe4
An unfortunate oversight in a promising position, hanging a piece.
18.Qxg4
Here, Black forfeited by disconnection. I can understand his frustration; still, after 18...d5 he would be down only a pawn, and his King is properly placed to defend against it.
What "chances" White has in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) come from a myriad of sources, not the least of which is opponent loss of focus or intensity. Too many games have ended up "1-0" because the defender did not see the necessity of putting all of his skill to use against a foolish, refuted opening.
perrypawnpusher - spydersweb
blitz, FICS, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Ng6
Since one of the time-proven strategies to defuse the Jerome Gambit has been returning a piece, this defense can not technically be considered "bad".
Yet, after 11 moves (see diagram below) the players reach a position in which White has an extra move (f2-f4) in comparison to the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke7 8.Qxc5+ d6 9.Qe3. So, if Black wants to give up his King's Bishop and post his Knight at g6, the alternative might be a better choice.
9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qxc5+ d6
10...Ke8 is an alternative, as in perrypawnpusher - parlance, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 22).
11.Qe3
Notable is 11.Qf2 Nf6 12.d3 Rf8 13.0-0 Kf7 14.Nc3 Kg8 15.f5 Ne5 16.Bg5 Nf7 17.Bh4 c6 18.Ne2 Ne5 19.h3 Bd7 20.g4 h6 21.Nf4 a6 22.Rae1 Qe7 23.d4 Nf7 24.Ng6 Qd8 25.Nxf8 Qxf8 26.Bxf6 gxf6 27.h4 Kg7 28.Kh2 Qe7 29.Qf4 Re8 30.Rg1 Kh7 31.c3 Rg8 32.Re3 Rg7 33.Reg3 Bc8 34.g5 fxg5 35.hxg5 Nxg5 36.f6 Qf7 37.Qh4 Qxf6 38.Qh5 Qf4 39.e5 dxe5 40.dxe5 Qxe5 41.Kh1 Be6 42.Qd1 Bd5+ 43.Kh2 Nf3+ 44.Kh3 Nxg1+ 45.Rxg1 Qe3+ 46.Kh2 Qf2+ 47.Kh3 Rxg1 White reigned, guest725 - guest114, Internet Chess Club, 2002.
11...Nf6
Alternatives:
11...Kf8, perrypawnpusher - Valseg, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 39);
11...Be6 12.f5 Black resigned, perrypawnpusher - MrNatewood, blitz, FICS, 2010;
11...Bd7 perrypawnpusher - GabrielChime, blitz, FICS,2009 (1-0, 29).
12.0-0
It is probably better to tuck away the King first than create a broad center with 12.d4, as in perrypawnpusher - thinan, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 31).
Also seen was 12.Nc3 as in mrjoker - PhlebasP, Internet Chess Club, 2008 (0-1, 34).
12...Re8 13.f5 Ne5 14.d4 Neg4
It's always fun to harass the Queen, but 14...Nc6 was the right idea, as White then does not get much with 15.e5 Kf8 16.e6. Instead, I had planned on 15.Qd3 Kf8 16.Bg5.
15.Qd3 Kf8 16.Bg5
A bit better might have been the thematic 16.h3 Nh6 17.Bxh6 gxh6 18.Nd2
16...h6 17.Bxf6
This capture is not actually necessary as 17.Bh4 g5 18.fxg6 leads to an advantage for White. Best for Black after 17.Bh4 would be 17...h5, giving Black's advanced Knight a retreat square. Still, the second player's Kingside looks weakened, and White would probably not be worse.
17...Qxf6
The Queen is poorly placed only because the Knight is poorly placed. Better was 17...Nxf6 18.Nc3 with an edge to Black.
18.h3 Ne5
Played perhaps a bit too automatically. Play looks relatively equal after 18...d5 19.hxg4 Rxe4 20.c3 Rxg4 21.Nd2 c6 22.Rae1 Bd7.
19.dxe5 Qxe5 20.Nc3
How many times has White's advantage in the Jerome come down to better development, while Black's Queen Bishop sits at home, cutting off his Queen's Bishop?
20...c6 21.Rad1 d5
A miscalculation.
22.exd5 c5
Better, but not saving, was 22...Qe3+ 23.Qxe3 Rxe3 24.dxc6 bxc6.
23.f6 g5 24.Qg6 Black resigned
