Although I have occasionally been accused of having the demeanor of Mr. Rogers on muscle relaxants, I do have times when I am serious, or even downright gloomy – take the "Update: 8...Qf6" post, for example.
Here is another cautionary tale.
Teterow - geneve
lightning, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4
This move, rather than 6.Qh5+, was originally Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's preference.
6...Bb4+
This is an odd move, but it reflects an inconvenient fact, that Black has many ways of dealing with the Jerome Gambit, including choosing which piece(s) he wants to return – and in what way.
The move deserves a look, if only because it has been played by dismissive humans ("sure, why not?") and calculating computers.
7.c3 Qh4
How's that for a kick in the head? Just when you were saying to yourself, "Well, at least he didn't play 6...Qh4!?"
By the way, as long as I am mentioning 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf6+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Qh4, it is necessary to correct and update some of what I wrote in "A Pie-in-the-Face Variation" about a year and a half ago.
Today The Database contains 167 games with the 6.d4 Qh4 line. That's 26 games less than I thought that I had in November 2009, but perhaps that is a result of subsequently cleaning up my databases.
Also, 50 of the current games – about 30% of the 6.d4 Qh4 line – are now human-vs-human encounters, as opposed to only 8 (4%) in the original post. White's scoring has dropped from 50% to 29% amongst humans, which is in the right direction, but it is the ridiculously high 74% for all of the games in The Database. (Again, that is the impact of computer-vs-computer games largely selected by the source for White wins.)
8.cxb4
The dynamics of the current position are very similar to that of the position without 6...Bb4+ 7.c3. What that means is that White's best move here after 7...Qh4 has to be 8.0-0. Rybka 3, given 5 minutes per move in "blunder check" mode, further suggested 8...Nc6 9.cxb4 Qxe4 10.b5 Nce7 11.Re1 Qf5 12.Re3 Qxb5 13.Nc3 Qb6 14.Qh5+ Qg6 15.Qc5 b6 16.Qxc7 Qc6 17.Qe5 d6 18.Qg5 h6 when Black has an edge (about 3/4 of a pawn).
analysis diagram
I am not convinced that this is the best path for Black to take, however.
If I were playing the defense, after 6...Bb4+ 7.c3 Qh4 8.0-0. I would prefer the as-yet-unplayed 8...Ng4, answering 9.h3 with 9...Be7. Perhaps Rybka downgrades this line a bit because White can exchange Queens with 10.Qxg4.
Anyhow, the text move is very dangerous and Black takes charge.
8...Qxe4+ 9.Qe2
A bit better is 9.Kf1, covering the g2 pawn, but after 9...Qd3+ 10.Qe2 Qxe2+ 11.Kxe2 Nc6 Black is clearly better in an uncomplicated game. As it it, the game transposes into this line.
9...Qxe2+ 10.Kxe2 Nc6
11.Rd1 Nxb4 12.Na3 Nf6 13.Re1 Re8+ 14.Kf1 Rxe1+ 15.Kxe1 d5
16.Be3 Bf5 17.Nb5 c6 18.Nc3
A final slip.
18...Nc2+ 19.Ke2 Nxa1 Black resigned
Looks like there is more work to be done on the 6...Bb4+ variation. With wins in The Database by Jerome Gambit Gemeinde members Darrenshome, HauntedKnight, jfhumphrey, stretto, Teterow, yorgos and, of course, Bill Wall – there is plenty of hope.
It can sometimes be helpful to take an idea from opening and apply it to another. This kind of "transplant" must be done carefully, however, and only upon prior examination. In the following game, both Black and White were unaware that they should have rejected the transplant.
Rijndael - krispykurtis
blitz, FICS, 2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bd6
Black transplants an idea from the "fork trick".
After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+ (the Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit) Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 the idea of 7...Bd6 is playable. In the current game, though, with ...h7-h6 replacing ...Nf8-g6, the idea is trouble.
8.dxe5 Bxe5
This puts the Bishop in danger, as White can follow up with 9.Qh5+ and win it. Black would do best to let the White pawn at e5 go with 8...Bb4.
9.f4
Aha! White also recognizes the transplanted "fork trick" and plays a thematic move for that line of play. The game yorgos - hartingu, FICS, 2009, continued more appropriately, 9.Qh5+ Kf8 10.Qxe5 with advantage to White (1-0, 30).
9...Bxc3+ 10.bxc3
White's compensation for his piece is a pawn, better center control, and open lines against an uneasy enemy King. It is not enough.
Fortunately, Black continues with ordinary moves, in this case preparing to castle-by-hand.
10...Ne7 11.0-0 Re8 12.f5 Kg8
13.f6
This move appears premature at first glance, as White has only one pieced developed (his Rook) to Black's two. However, the opportunity to break open Black's King's haven should not be missed, and the unfortunate arrangement of Black's King and Rook (available to a pawn fork from f7) is encouraging. With luck, White's open lines will help in the attack.
13...gxf6
Collapsing. After the game Rybka 3 suggested 13...Ng6 14.f7+ Kh7 15.fxe8Q Qxe8 with the edge to White. Fritz 8 suggested, instead, 13...Rf8, but this is met roughly by 14.Bxh6 Rf7 (14...gxh6 15.Qg4+ and mate follows) 15.Bxg7 and then, for example, 15...Ng6 16.Qd5 and White's attack will win material.
14.Qg4+ Kh7 15.Rxf6 Rg8 16.Rxh6 checkmate
About a year ago (see "King of the Hill") I took a look into The Database to see which player had the most games in there – Jerome Gambits, Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambits, Semi-Italian Jerome Gambits, etc.
The leader, by far, was DragonTail.
This year, as my total approached 350 games, I see that I am only about 35 games behind Darrenshome. I would need about 200 more games to catch yorgos, though.
kingmaple has not added a lot of games, but I would still need about 270 more games to catch him.
Of course, the past, present, and future King of the Hill, DragonTail, is over 1,000 games ahead of me!
(He would be even further ahead, if the database contained 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Be7 4.Bxf7+ games, too.)
If a chess game is like a puzzle, the following contest shows that my opponent and I could find only pieces of it, never quite putting together the full picture.
perrypawnpusher - richiehill
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5
The Italian Four Knights Game.
5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+
Last year my opponent tried his hand with this opening and scored quickly: 6.Ng5+ Ke7 7.d4 exd4 8.Nd5+ Nxd5 9.exd5 Kd6 10.Nf7+ Black resigned, richiehill - SullenKhan, FICS, 2009.
He also had a successful go with the Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit, richiehill - PlatinumKnight, FICS, 2009.
6...Nxe5 7.d4
7...Nxe4
An interesting defensive idea that I've looked at in "Nothing Much Happened" and "Navigating On One's Own".
Most often seen is 7...Bxd4 and best is 7...Bd6.
My opponent once tried 7...Bb4 8.dxe5 Nxe4 9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.Qxe4 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 d5 12.Qf4+ Kg8 13.0-0 c6 14.Qg3 Bf5 15.Bg5 Qd7 16.f4 Bxc2 17.Qe3 Bf5 18.Rf3 Re8 19.Rg3 g6 20.Bf6 Kf7 21.Bxh8 Rxh8 22.Qd4 Re8 23.Qxa7 Be4 24.Qe3 Kg8 25.Rg5 Rf8 26.Rf1 Ra8 27.c4 Rxa2 28.cxd5 cxd5 29.Qb3 Rc2 30.Re1 h6 31.Rg3 Qc6 32.Rxe4 Rc1+ 33.Kf2 Rc2+ 34.Re2 Qc5+ 35.Rge3 Rxe2+ 36.Kxe2 Black resigned, jfhumphrey - richiehill, FICS, 2009.
8.Nxe4 Bb4+
This is actually better than either 8...Bxd4 (yorgos -josephjorkens, FICS, 2009, [1-0,45]), 8...Be7 (perrypawnpusher - sdockray, blitz, FICS, 2010 [1-0, 28] or 8...Bb6 (perrypawnpusher - BallsOfFire, blitz, FICS, 2010, [aborted by adjudication, 9]).
9.c3 d5
10.Ng5+ Kg6
The King would be safer at g8.
11.dxe5 Bc5
Since Black removes a piece from danger and points it at f2, it is not immediately clear that this move makes his situation worse.
After the game Rybka suggested 11...h6 12.Nh3 Bxh3 13.gxh3 Bc5 14.Rg1+ Kh7 15.Qd3+ Kg8 16.Be3 Bxe3 17.Qxe3 c6 18.0-0-0 Qe7 when White is stll better, but his advantage is less than after the text.
12.h4
I was so happy with the "boldness" of this move that it took me a while to realize that I had actually moved the wrong pawn.
After 12.g4, Black has no time for 12...h6, as 13.Qd3+ Bf5 14.Qxf5 is mate. His best defense, 12...Qf8, still would lose a piece to 13.Qc2+ and after 13...Bf5 White can even throw in the gnarly 14.h4! just to see if Black is paying attention.
analysis diagram
Of course, if Black now takes the Queen it is 15.h5 mate. However, after 14...h5 the King is okay for the moment, and White has to settle with winning the Bishop after all with 15.gxf5+.
12...h5
13.0-0
Rybka prefers 13.Qd3+ but there are still some fireworks left in the position.
13...Bg4
My opponent understandably guards against dicovered checks.
Again, Rybka, which, after the game, understood more than either richiehill or I did, suggested 13...Bf5. After 14.Qf3 Be7 White has the leap 15.Nf7 which either wins the exchange or, after 15...Kxf7 16.Qxf5+ Kg8 allows White to build the pressure with 17.Bg5.
analysis diagram
14.Qd3+ Bf5 15.Qg3 Bg4
Again, the Bishop shields the King. Against what? Rybka gives a peek: if instead 15...Qe7, then 16.Bf4 Rhf8 17.Ne4+ Kh7 18.Bg5 Bxe4 19.Bxe7 Bxe7 and White has won the Queen for two pieces.
16.Be3
Still worrying about that Bishop on c5!
It turns out that there was another Knight leap available to White: 16.Ne6 Qe7 17.Nxc5 Qxc5 18.Be3 Qe7 19.f3 and the shield (Black's Bishop) has become the target!
16...Qe7 17.f4
Hoping to get something going by advancing the "Jerome pawns", but Black's heroic Bishops can again thwart much of that with 17...Bxe3+ 18.Qxe3 Bf5.
17...c6
Taking a breath to shore up his position, Black lets the pawn distract the powerful prelate...
18.f5+ Bxf5
If 18...Kh7 then 19.f6 rips the position open. The text move finally allows a discovered check, winning a piece.
19.Ne4+ Black resigned
"Intuition" has its place in chess, as long as it doesn't totally replace analysis. How many times have we read that a chess master looked briefly at a position on the board and then commented "The Knight obviously must go here"?
For club players, there is a saying to apply to their own intuition: Trust, but verify.
perrypawnpusher - hudders
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5
The Italian Four Knights Game.
5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4
7...Re8
A reasonable alternative to 7...Bd6; both keep Black's advantage.
8.dxc5
The correct capture, although the alternative has been seen: 8.dxe5 Nxe4 (8...Rxe5 9.Bf4 Re7 10.e5 d6 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.Qxd5+ Be6 13.Qf3 Kg8 14.0-0-0 Bxa2 15.b3 Rf7 16.e6 Rf6 17.Rhe1 Qe7 18.Qd5 c6 19.Qc4 b5 20.Qe4 d5 21.Qe5 Re8 22.Qb2 Rxe6 23.Be3 Bxe3+ 24.fxe3 Rxe3 25.Rf1 Qg5 26.Qxa2 Rxb3+ 27.Rd2 Rbe3 28.h4 Black forfeited on time, yorgos - Castled, FICS, 2009) 9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.Nxe4 d6 11.Nxc5 Rxe5+ 12.Qxe5 dxe5 13.Be3 Kg8 14.0-0 b6 15.Rad1 Qe8 16.Ne4 Bf5 17.f3 Qc6 18.Nc3 Bxc2 19.Rc1 Bd3 20.Rfd1 Be2 21.Nxe2 Qa4 22.Nc3 Qb4 23.b3 Qa3 24.Rc2 Qb4 25.Nd5 Qf8 26.Rxc7 Rc8 27.Ne7+ Kh8 28.Rxc8 Qxc8 29.Nxc8 e4 30.Rd8 checkmate, ljar - pyronaut, FICS, 2005.
8...Nc6
Three playable alternatives:
8...Nc4 9.0-0 Nxe4 10.Qd5+ Kf8 11.Nxe4 Ne5 12.Bg5 c6 13.Qd6+ Re7 14.Bxe7+ Qxe7 15.Qxe7+ Kxe7 16.Nd6 b5 17.Rfe1 Ke6 18.f4 Kd5 19.Rxe5+ Kd4 20.Rd1 checkmate, theep - peteplumber, FICS,2000;
8...Qe7 9.0-0 Qxc5 10.Be3 Qe7 11.Nd5 Nxd5 12.Qxd5+ Kf8 13.f4 Ng6 14.f5 c6 15.Qb3 Ne5 16.f6 gxf6 17.Bh6+ Qg7 18.Bxg7+ Kxg7 19.Qg3+ Black resigned, ARUJ - cippolippo,FICS, 2009;
8...Kg8 9.Bf4 d6 10.Nb5 a6 11.Nd4 dxc5 12.Nb3 Qxd1+ 13.Rxd1 Nxe4 14.0-0 Ng6 15.Bxc7 Bf5 16.Rd5 Be6 17.Rd3 c4 18.Re3 cxb3 19.axb3 Rac8 20.Ba5 Rxc2 21.b4 Nd2 22.Rd1 Rxb2 23.b5 axb5 24.Bxd2 Kf7 25.Rf3+ Kg8 26.Rc3 Bg4 27.f3 Bd7 28.Rc7 Ne5 29.Rxb7 Nc4 30.Rxd7 Nxd2 31.R7xd2 Rxd2 32.Rxd2 Re1+ 33.Kf2 Rc1 34.g4 b4 35.Rb2 Rc4 36.Ke2 h6 37.Kd2 g5 38.Kd3 Rf4 39.Ke3 Rf8 40.Rxb4 Kg7 41.Rb5 Re8+ 42.Kd4 Re2 43.Rb3 Rxh2 44.Ke4 Re2+ 45.Re3 Rb2 46.f4 gxf4 47.Kxf4 Rb4+ 48.Kg3 h5 49.g5 Rg4+ 50.Kh3 Kg6 51.Re5 Black resigned, yorgos - foti, FICS, 2009.
9.0-0 Kg8 10.Bg5 Re5
This double attack (pawn at c5, Bishop at g5) is superficially attractive, but it is an example of sending a Rook to do a pawn's job. Better was 10...d6
11.f4 Rxg5
A panic reaction.
Black had to continue as planned with the lesser capture, 11...Rxc5, and realize that after 12.e5 it was time to give the piece back with 12...Nxe5 13.fxe5 Rxe5, preparing to defend the pawn-down game.
White can stir things up, however, after 11...Rxc5 12.e5 Nxe5 by playing 13.Ne4!? instead of capturing at e5. After 13...Neg4 14.Bxf6 Nxf6 15.Nxc5 White has won the exchange.
analysis diagram
The text move, instead, gives up the exchange but leaves the Knight at f6 still in danger.
12.fxg5 Ne8
The only safe place for the Knight, but it leaves Black's King at risk.
13.Qd5+
Black resigned, as mate follows
Question: Someone plays the Jerome Gambit against you. Is it even worth continuing the game? Should you encourage such foolishness?
perrypawnpusher - DavidKevin
blitz, FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit. Probably a surprise to my opponent.
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Ke6
A very interesting idea.
7.Nxc6
Natural, but probably not best. yorgos had the right idea in his 2009 FICS game against masif: 7.Nf3 Ng4 (7...d5 8.d4 Bb4 was simpler) 8.d4 Nxd4 9.Ng5+ Qxg5 10.Bxg5 Ne5 11.0-0 h6 12.Bf4 Nc4 13.Nd5 Nxb2 14.Qb1 Ne2+ 15.Kh1 Bd4 16.Nxc7+ Ke7 17.Nxa8 Nxf4 18.Nc7 Nc4 19.Qb4+ Nd6 20.Qxd4 Rf8 21.e5 Nf5 22.Qxf4 Nd6 23.Nd5+ Kd8 24.Qxf8+, Black resigned, yorgos - masif, FICS, 2009
7...dxc6
Preventing d2-d4, unlike 7...bxc6 8.0-0 Re8 9.d4 Bb4 10.Bg5 Be7 11.e5 Nd5 12.Qg4+ Kf7 13.f4 Bxg5 14.fxg5+ Kg8 15.Nxd5 cxd5 16.g6 h6 17.Qf3 c6 18.c4 (missing 18.Qf7+ Kh8 19.Rf5 with the idea of 20.Rh5) Rf8 19.Qd3 Ba6 20.Rfe1 Bxc4 21.Qc3 a5 22.b3 Ba6 23.Qxa5 Qxa5 White resigned, jfhumphrey - kenom, FICS, 2010
8.d3 Rf8 9.0-0 Kf7 10.Bg5 Kg8
Black's King has parachuted to safety and the second player is better. He has to keep an eye on the "Jerome pawns" but he has open lines and an extra piece.
11.e5 Black resigned
My opponent did not make any comments after the game, so I do not know why he resigned. Typical Jerome Gambit "shock and awe"? Dissatisfaction at losing a piece? Not wanting to waste any more time on a goofy opening?
He should have stayed.
For starters, Black has an extra piece to give back, so things can't be too bad – but that is also completely unnecessary, as he can simply counter-attack with 11...h6.
After 12.exf6 hxg5 13.fxg7 Kxg7 Black has a piece for two pawns and his two Bishops will tame White's "Jerome pawns".
If White answers 11...h6 with 12.Ne4, instead, Black has both the prosaic 12...hxg5 and the shocking 12...Nxe4!?, as 13.Bxd8 Nxf2 14.Rxf2 Bxf2+ 15.Kh1 Rxd8 gives Black a Rook and two Bishops for his Queen. In that second line again Black would have to be watchful of the "Jerome pawns" but should be okay.
"There I was, minding my own business, playing a Jerome Gambit variant, when my opponent goes all 'creative' and gets himself a lost game... Worse yet, he dragged me along with him into the wilderness!"
perrypawnpusher - kfollstad
blitz FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Bxf7+
The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit, a version of the "modern" Jerome Gambit by transposition (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nc3 Nf6).
5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4
7...Nxe4
Okay...
I'm not sure if my opponent borrowed this idea from the "fork trick" that shows up in the Italian Four Knights Game – 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bc4 Nxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 – or if he just decided to throw some material back at me.
Objectively better was 7...Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5.
8.Nxe4
Too Jerome-ish was 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxe5 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bd6 11.Qd5+ Kg7 12.0-0 c6 13.Qc4 b5 14.Qd3 Qf6 15.c4 bxc4 16.Qxc4 a5 17.Bb2 Ba6 18.Qb3 Bxf1 19.Kxf1 Rhe8 20.Qb7 Qe7 21.d5+ Kg8 22.Qb3 c5 23.Qc3 Be5 24.Qa3 Bxb2 25.Qxb2 Qe2+ 26.Kg1 Qe1+ 27.Rxe1 Rxe1 checkmate, yorgos - jkpasanen, FICS, 2009.
8...Qh4
A better move was 8...Bxd4 as in 9.Qxd4 d6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd5+ Be6 12.Ng5+ Qxg5 13.Qxe6+ Kxe6 14.fxg5 Kd7 15.0-0 Rhf8 16.Bf4 Nd4 17.c3 Ne2+ 18.Kh1 Nxf4 19.g3 Nd3 20.Kg2 Nxb2 21.Rab1 Nd3 22.Rxb7 Rxf1 23.Kxf1 Rf8+ 24.Ke2 Nc5 25.Rxa7 h5 26.a4 Rf5 27.h4 Kc8 28.Ra5 Kb7 29.Rb5+ Kc6 30.Rb4 Re5+ 31.Kf3 g6 32.Kf4 Rf5+ 33.Ke3 Na6 34.Rc4+ Rc5 35.Re4 Rxc3+ 36.Kd4 Ra3 37.Re6 Rxa4+ 38.Ke3 Nc5 39.Rxg6 Re4+ 40.Kf2 Rg4 41.Rh6 Ne4+ 42.Kf3 Kd5 43.Rxh5 c6 44.Kxg4 Nf2+ 45.Kf3 Black resigned, yorgos - josephjorkens, FICS, 2009.
9.Nxc5
The other capture of the Bishop led to disaster: 9.dxc5 Qxe4+ 10.Kf1 Qc4+ 11.Kg1 Qxc5 12.Qf3+ White resigned, Alby - asalamon, FICS, 2000.
9...Re8 10.dxe5
A move made with no more thought than "Yippie! I get another piece!"
Simply castling was safer and smarter.
10...Rxe5+ 11.Be3
Guarding the Knight, but leaving the Bishop unguarded. Instead, 11.Kf1 Rxc5 gave White an even game – the best that I could hope for at this point.
11...Rxe3+ 12.Kf1 Re5 13.Nd3 Rf5
Black has the edge now, due to better development and a Bishop vs White's Knight. I guess kfollstad's creativity worked for him, after all.
14.Qe2
I was amused to see after the game that Rybka suggested further castling-by-hand for White: 14.h3 d6 15.Kg1 Be6 16.Kh2.
14...d6 15.Re1 Bd7
16.g3 Qd4
Too cooperative: 16...Qh3+ kept the advantage for Black.
17.Qe7+ Kg6 18.Qxd7
18...Raf8 19.Qe6+ Kh5
20.Nf4+ Rxf4 21.gxf4 Rxf4 22.Qh3+ Kg5 23.Rg1+ Rg4 24.Qxg4+ Black resigned
A career criminal knows that he will be arrested. He sees that as a "business expense" that has to be paid as part of his life as a crook.
Those of us who play the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) will also be subject to periodic ugly games and losses. It's part of the "job".
perrypawnpusher - JohnBr
blitz FICS, 2010
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6
The Semi-Italian Opening.
4.0-0 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Game.
6.Bxf7+
The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.
For some reason I have issues with this particular line (see "...sometimes the bear gets you", "Bloodied but Unbowed" and "What an idea" for examples). Including this game, I have scored only 50% with it – that's about 35% less than my success with the Jerome Gambit and its other variants.
8...Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6 10.f4
This is what White has to work with in the Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit: a pawn for his sacrificed piece, a slight lead in development, two "Jerome pawns" in the center, a Rook on the same file as the enemy King, and the chance to bring a second Rook into play faster than Black.
With any luck, what Black has to work with includes: surprise, inattention, over-confidence, shallow analysis and a well-timed unfortunate blunder...
An alternate plan, 10.Nd5, was tried by Jerome Gambit Gemeinde member yorgos, whose game continued: 10...Nxd5 11.Qxd5+ Be6 12.Qxb7 Re8 13.f4 Ng4 14.f5 Bd7 15.Qd5+ Kf8 16.f6 Nxf6 17.Qc4 Be6 18.Qb4 Kg8 19.Qc3 Nxe4 20.Qe3 Nf6 21.Qg3 g5 22.b3 Kh7 23.Bb2 Ne4 24.Qd3 d5 25.c4 c6 26.Qd4 Re7 27.Ba3 Rf7 28.Rxf7+ Bxf7 29.Bb2 Qg8 30.Rf1 Rf8 31.h4 dxc4 32.Qe5 Ng3 33.Rf6 cxb3 34.a3 Nh5 35.Qe4+ Bg6 36.Qe7+ Rf7 37.Qd6 Nxf6 38.Bxf6 Rxf6 39.Qxf6 Qg7 40.Qxc6 Qa1+ 41.Kh2 gxh4 42.Qb7+ Qg7 43.Qxb3 h3 44.Kxh3 Qe5 45.a4 Bf5+ 46.g4 Bxg4+ 47.Kxg4 Qg7+ 48.Kf3 Qg6 49.Ke3 Black resigned, yorgos - ambaradann, FICS, 2009.
In future games I might try placing my Bishop on the long diagonal with 10.b3 Re8 11.Bb2 Kg8.
10...Nc6 11.Qd3
Fritz8 slightly prefers this over 11.Qc4+ Be6 12.Qa4, but I think that takes the Queen away from a hoped-for attack on the King.
Another idea is the full retreat 11.Qd1, although it did not get a full test in ontocaustic - defjavid, FICS, 2009: 11...Bg4 12.Qd3 Nb4 13.Qc4+ Kf8 14.Qxb4 Qe7 15.e5 Nh5 16.f5 Qe6 17.fxe6+ Black resigned.
11...Re8
Two other of my games continued: 11...Be6 12.Bd2 Nb4 13.Qg3 Nxc2 14.Rac1 Nd4 15.f5 Bd7 16.Qg6+ Kg8 17.Be3 Be8 18.Qg3 Nc6 19.Bf4 Nh5 20.Qe3 Nxf4 21.Rxf4 Qg5 22.Qf2 Ne5 23.h4 Qh5 24.Rd1 a5 25.f6 Ng4 26.Qg3 Qc5+ 27.Kh1 h5 28.Rxg4 hxg4 29.Qxg4 Rh7 30.Rd5 Qf2 31.h5 Qf1+ 32.Kh2 Qxf6 33.Rf5 Qd4 34.Qf3 Bd7 35.Rd5 Qf6 36.Qxf6 gxf6 37.Kg3 Rg7+ 38.Kf3 Bg4+ 39.Kf4 Be6 40.Rd2 Rg5 White resigned, perrypawnpusher - HRoark, blitz FICS, 2010; and
11...Rf8 12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1 Nb4 14.Qc4+ d5 15.Qxb4 Ng4 16.Nxd5 Qh4 17.h3 Nf6 18.Nxf6+ Rxf6 19.e5 Rg6 20.Qb3+ Be6 21.Qf3 Bxh3 22.Rf2 Rg3 23.Qxb7 Rf8 24.e6 Rf6 25.e7 Bd7 26.e8Q+ Bxe8 27.Rxe8+ Kh7 28.Qe4+ Rgg6 29.Qd3 Qg4 30.Ree2 h5 31.f5 Rd6 32.fxg6+ Rxg6 33.Qf5 Qd4 34.Qxh5+ Rh6 35.Bxh6 gxh6 36.Re7+ Kg8 37.Qg6+ Kh8 38.Re8 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - pwr, blitz FICS, 2010.
12.Bd2 Kg8 13.Rae1 Kh8 14.h3
White's last move was to prepare g2-g4.
I gave a look at 14.Nd5, instead, but didn't like my position after 14...Nxd5 15.exd5 Ne7. That is what Rybka recommended after the game, however, with White aiming his Bishop at the Kingside with 16.Bc3 and then patiently advancing his pawns. Even so, Rybka saw Black as better.
14...Nb4 15.Qe2 Bd7
Of course 15...Nxc2 was possible.
16.Bc1 Nfd5 17.Nxd5 Nxd5
18.Qh5 Nf6 19.Qg6 Re6 20.e5 Ng8 21.Qg3 Qe7
22.exd6 cxd6 23.b3 Rxe1 24.Rxe1 Qf7 25.Bb2 Re8 26.Rf1 Nf6 27.Qd3 d5
Still pushing, but Black has resisted at every turn. His King is safe, and the pawn at d5 only appears weak.
28.g4 Ne4 29.f5 Qe7 30.Qxd5
Tempting, but deadly. Now my game collapsed, ending with a blunder.
30...Ng5 31.Kg2 Bc6 White resigned
