Another Distant Relative?

As promised, I have done more research on an opening variation that I previously looked at (see "A Bridge To... Somewhere" and "Abridged") as a possible inspiration to Alonzo Wheeler Jerome in his creation of the Jerome Gambit.

A variation of the Scotch Gambit - called either the Sarratt Attack or the Vitzthum Attack - has similar sacrifical fireworks on f7: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Ng5!? with the possible followup of 5...Nh6 6.Nxf7+ Nxf7 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxc5.

The earliest example I have seen is 

Sarratt,J - NN
casual game, 1818
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d4 exd4 5.Ng5 Ne5 6.Nxf7 Nxf7 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxc5 Black resigned

Two other relevant examples are

Conrad Waldemar Vitzthum von Eckstaedt - Baron Tassilo von Heydebrand under Laso
Leipzig, 1853
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Ng5 Nh6 6.Qh5 Qe7 7.f4 d6 8.0-0 Na5 9.Bd3 Ng4 10.h3 Nf6 11.Qf3 h6 12.Bd2 Nc6 13.b4 Bb6 14.b5 Nd8 15.e5 dxe5 16.fxe5 Nd7 17.Nxf7 Nxf7 18.e6 Qxe6 19.Bf4 Nf6 20.Nd2 0-0 21.Bc4 Qf5 22.Qb3 Qh5 23.Rae1 Kh8 24.Ne4 Nxe4 25.Rxe4 Nd6 26.Re5 d3+ 27.Kh2 Qh4 28.Bg3 Bg1+ 29.Kh1 Rxf1 30.Bxh4 Bd4+ 31.Kh2 Bxe5+ 32.Bg3 Bxg3+ 33.Kxg3 d2 White resigned


Conrad Waldemar Vitzthum von Eckstaedt - Adolf Anderssen
Leipzig, 1855
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Ng5 Nh6 6.Qh5 Qe7 7.f4 d6 8.h3 Na5 9.Bd3 Nf5 10.Nxf7 g6 11.Qe2 Ng3 12.Qf3 Nxh1 13.Nxh8 Qh4+ 14.Kd1 Nf2+ 15.Ke2 Nxd3 16.Qxd3 Be6 17.Qb5+ Nc6 18.Qxb7 d3+ 19.cxd3 Nd4+ 20.Kd1 Bg4+ 21.hxg4 Qh1+ White resigned


I have also found several more Blackburne games

Charles H. Stanley - Joseph Henry Blackburne 
Manchester, 1862
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Ng5 Nh6 6.Nxf7 Nxf7 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qd5+ Kg7 10.Qxc5 d5 11.b4 dxe4 12.Bb2 Re8 13.b5 Re5 14.Qc4 Be6 15.Qa4 e3 16.0-0 Rg5 17.f4 e2 18.fxg5 exf1Q+ 19.Kxf1 Qd5 20.Nd2 Rf8+ 21.Kg1 Bh3 22.Nf3 Rxf3 23.gxf3 Qxg5+ 24.Kf2 Black announced mate in 6 moves


Joseph Henry Blackburne - Alexander Steinkuehler
Manchester, 1872
1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Ng5 Nh6 6.Qh5 0-0 7.0-0 d6 8.h3 Qe7 9.f4 Be6 10.Bd3 f5 11.Nd2 Kh8 12.Ndf3 fxe4 13.Bxe4 Bf5 14.Re1 Bxe4 15.Rxe4 Qd7 16.Bd2 d3+ 17.Kh2 dxc2 18.Rae1 a5 19.Bc3 Kg8 20.Nxh7 Bf2 21.Qg6 Bxe1 22.Nhg5 Rf6 23.Qh7+ Kf8 24.Qh8+ Ng8 25.Nh7+ Kf7 26.Nfg5+ Kg6 27.Nf8+ Raxf8 28.Qh7 checkmate


Joseph Henry Blackburne - William R. Ballard
blindfold simul 1 of 5 London, 1872
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Ng5 Nh6 6.Qh5 Qe7 7.0-0 Ne5 8.Bb3 d6 9.h3 Ng8 10.f4 d3+ 11.Kh2 Nf6 12.Qd1 Neg4+ 13.hxg4 Nxg4+ 14.Kg3 h5 15.f5 Be3 16.Bxf7+ Kf8 17.Qxg4 hxg4 18.Bxe3 Qe5+ 19.Bf4 Qxb2 20.Nd2 dxc2 21.Nc4 Qc3+ 22.Ne3 Bd7 23.Kxg4 Ba4 24.Nd5 Qd3 25.Bg6 Rh6 26.Ne6+ Kg8 27.Ne7+ Kh8 28.Rh1 Qd1+ 29.Raxd1 cxd1Q+ 30.Rxd1 Bxd1+ 31.Kg3 Rh1 32.Bd2 Bh5 33.Bc3 Rg8 34.f6 Bxg6 35.Nxg6+ Kh7 36.f7 Black resigned


Joseph Henry Blackburne - Henry William Birkm Gifford
The Hague, 1874
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.Ng5 Nh6 6.Qh5 Qe7 7.f4 0-0 8.0-0 d6 9.f5 d3+ 10.Kh1 dxc2 11.Nc3 Ne5 12.Nd5 Qd8 13.f6 Ng6 14.fxg7 Kxg7 15.Qxh6+ Kxh6 16.Ne6+ Kh5 17.Be2+ Kh4 18.Rf4+ Nxf4 19.g3+ Kh3 20.Nexf4 checkmate


Joseph Henry Blackburne - Arthur Davy
blindfold simul 1 of 10 Sheffield, 1874
1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bc5 5.Ng5 Nh6 6.Qh5 Qe7 7.0-0 d6 8.h3 Ne5 9.Bb3 Bd7 10.f4 Qf6 11.Nd2 Qg6 12.Qh4 f6 13.Ne6 Bxe6 14.Bxe6 Nef7 15.Nf3 Qxe4 16.Re1 d3+ 17.Kh1 Qb4 18.c3 Qb6 19.Bxf7+ Kxf7 20.Qh5+ Kf8 21.f5 Nf7 22.Re6 Bf2 23.Bd2 Qxb2 24.Rf1 Bg3 25.Qg4 Be5 26.Qc4 c5 27.Qxd3 Qxa2 28.Nxe5 fxe5 29.Rxd6 e4 30.Qg3 Qc4 31.Rd1 Nxd6 32.Qxd6+ Kf7 33.Qd7+ Kf6 34.Bf4 Black resigned

RHP JG Tourney Round 3: Unexpected End

The ongoing Jerome Gambit thematic tournament at RedHotPawn.com came to a sudden end in the third round, when the two-game match between SeinfeldFan91 and Swiss Toni, the two top-rated players, was decided by two early resignations.

SeinfeldFan91 - Swiss Toni
Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2015
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Bxf7+ Black resigned

Swiss Toni - SeinfeldFan91
Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2015
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Bxf7+ Kxf7 White resigned

The Knight or the Bishop?

We sometimes see discussions along the line of "Which is stronger, the Knight or the Bishop?" (Of course, it depends upon the position.) In the following game, Black has to decide which of the two pieces to retreat, and, unfortunately for him he chooses the wrong one; and trouble follows apace.

stiperuzic - webbsterhh
FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 

The Semi-Italian opening.

4.O-O Bc5 5.Bxf7+ 

The Semi-Italian Jerome Gambit.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.Qh5+ Ng6 

A suggestion of Houdini after 7...Ke6  is the untried 8.b4!?

8.Qxc5 N8e7 

A new move, according to The Database. Black no doubt wants to reinforce his Knight on g6, and as long as he allows his King's Knight to support a strike in the center, the text is fine.

9.f4 d6 

Possibly one more step for the pawn was better.

10.Qc4+ Be6 

Ditto.

11.Qc3 

Which piece should Black retreat to avoid the pawn fork?

11...Nf8 

Alas, 11...Bc8 was the correct move, as becomes quickly apparent..

12. f5 Bd7

Best from a defensive point of view, but leading to a solid White advantage, was 12... Kg8 13. fxe6 Nxe6.

13.f6 gxf6 14. Qxf6+ Kg8 15.Qf7 checkmate

RHP JG Tourney Round 2 Games (1)

In the ongoing RedHotPawn.com Jerome Gambit thematic tournament, there have been some more completed games, from the second round.

SeinfeldFan91 defeated Red House two games to none, to advance to the next round.

SeinfeldFan91 - Red House

Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5 Ke6 7.f4 Nf6 (returning the two sacrificed pieces) 8.Qxe5+ Kf7 9.Qxc5 d6 10.Qb5 (TN according to The Database) Re8 11.d3 Kg8 12.O-O a6 13.Qb3 Kh8 14.Nc3 Rab8 15.f5 h6 16.Be3 Ng4 17.Ba7 Ra8 18.Bd4 Qh4 (a short-lived counter-attack) 19.h3 Ne5 20.Nd5 Qd8 21.f6 gxf6 22.Rxf6 Re6 23.Raf1 Rxf6 24.Rxf6 Kh7 25.Bxe5 dxe5 26.Rf7 Kh8 27.Nf6 Black resigned

Red House - SeinfeldFan91

Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.O-O (A "modern" Jerome Gambit variation; in this game White's attack never quite gets going.) Nf6 6.Nc3 d6 7.d3 Rf8 8.h3 Kg8 9.Bg5 Be6 10.Nce2 Qe8 11.c3 Qg6 12.Ng3 Kh8 13.b4 Bb6 14.a4 a6 15.b5 Na5 16.Rb1 axb5 17.axb5 Nd7 18.Bd2 Qxg3 19.d4 Qg6 20.Qe2 Bc4 White Resigned


Swiss Toni defeated Marko Krale two games to none, to advance to the next round.

Marko Krale - Swiss Toni

Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.O-O (Another "modern" Jerome) Nf6 6.c3 Nxe4 7.Qe2 d5 8.d3 Nf6 9.Bg5 Bd6 10.Nbd2 h6 11.Bh4 Re8 12.Re1 g5 13.Bg3 Kg8 14.Nb3 Kh7 15.h3 Nh5 16.Bh2 g4 17.hxg4 Bxg4 18.Qe3 Ng7 19.Bg3 Nf5 White Resigned

Swiss Toni - Marko Krale

Giuoco Piano Jerome Gambit, RedHotPawn.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Qh5 Ng6 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.d4 Qe7 11.O-O Bd7 (Charlick - Mann, corres, 1881, [1-0, 72] continued 11...Ng4) 12.Nc3 Bc6 13.Bd2 Kf7 14.f4 Nxe4 15.f5 Nf8 16.d5 Bd7 17.Nxe4 h6 18.f6 gxf6 19.Bc3 f5 20.Bxh8 Black resigned


Although Swiss Toni - jecidi and jecidi - Marko Krale from the second round have yet to be completed, round three's match between SeinfeldFan91 and Swiss Toni has begun. 

More Errors in Thinking 2.0

In response to "More Errors in Thinking" I received an email from Bill Wall, one of the top modern day Jerome Gambiteers, with notes about my recent game against Hywel2. I will reprise the column, adding Bill's thoughts in red. Thank you, Bill!

One of my interests in exploring the Jerome Gambit comes from observing - and occasionally provoking - "errors in thinking". Essentially, the only way White can win is if Black errs - sometime in the most fascinating of ways.

The following game is my most recent Jerome Gambit from the Chess.com Italian Game tournament (see "Yet Once Again Into The Fray"). For a while it looked like it was going to be one of my best Jeromes ever, thanks to some fun tactics - but I fell victim to my own "error in thinking", and it was all for naught...

perrypawnpusher - Hywel2
Chess.com, Italian Game tourney, 2015

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.O-O Kf7 11.f4 Re8 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4

I have also tried 13.Nc3 in perrypawnpusher - DysonLin, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 23); perrypawnpusher - darqknight, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 63); perrypawnpusher - CorH, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 24); and perrypawnpusher - yasserr, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 32).

13...Nc6

Oddly, this natural move is a TN according to The Database. Instead, 13...Neg4 was seen in Vazquez,A - Carrington,W, Mexico, 2nd match 1876 (1-0, 34); Wall,B - Vijay,V, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 22) and perrypawnpusher - whitepandora, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0. 64).

14.Nc3 Kg8 15.Qd3 Kh8 16.Bg5 Qd7

After 16...Qd7, I would have played 17.Bxf6 right away. After 17...gxf6 18.Nd5 Qg7 19.c3, then 20.Rf3 looks a little bit more solid.

17.Rae1 b6

I am always impressed when the masters of the Jerome Gambit are able to "make something out of nothing" in their games. It is not so easy for me.

18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Nd5 Qg7 20.Rf3 a5 

After 20...a5, I like 21.Qc3 instead of 21.c3, attacking the knight. After 21...Bb7 22.Nf4 and 23.Rh3 looks OK for white.

21.c3 Ba6 22.Qd2 Bc4 

After 22...Bc4, instead of 23.Rg3, forcing the queen to move, perhaps to a better square, I would try 23.Nf4 Bxa2 24.Rh3, threatening 25.Ng6+ and perhaps 26.Rg3 after that.

23.Rg3 Qf7 24.Nf4 Bxa2 25.Ree3

I am not sure what my opponent made of this move. Perhaps he thought I was still shuffling pieces.

Instead of 25.Ree3, I might have played 25.Rh3, threatening 26.Ng6+, but it may fizzle to a draw after 26...Rg8 26.Ng6+ Rxg6 27.fxg6 Qxg6 28.Qf4 and 29.Rh6.

25...Rg8 26.Ng6+!?

White has only a pawn for his sacrificed piece, but this new sac changes everything.

26...hxg6 27.Rh3+ Kg7 28.Rh7+

The main idea: if now 28...Kxh7, then 29.Rh3+ Kg7 30.Qh6 mate. Black, instead, gives up his Queen.

28...Kf8 29.Rxf7+ Kxf7

Houdini gives a deep look, and evaluates the position as being equal. A couple of lines to share what it sees: 30.Qd3 (looking at the light squares on the Queenside and Black's two loose minor pieces) Ne7 31.Qb5 gxf5 32.exf5 Rae8 33.g3 c6 34.Qxb6 Nxf5 35.Qc7+ Re7 36.Rxe7+ Nxe7 37.Qxd6 a4 38.Qf4 Be6 39.d5 Bxd5 40.Qxa4; or 30.Qc2 (to trap the Bishop) a4 31.e5 Ne7 32.fxg6+ Rxg6 33.exd6 Nd5 34.Rg3 Rxg3 35.hxg3 Bb3 36.Qd3 cxd6 37.c4 Ne7 38.Qh7+ Kf8 39.Qh6+ Kf7 40.Qh7+ draw

I wanted to take advantage of Black's loose pieces, too, before his R + B + N got coordinated and out-played my Queen.

30.fxg6+

Instead of 30.fxg6, I would try to keep it complicated with 30.Qc2 and with the threat of 31.Qa4, winning a piece (threatening bishop and knight), or 31.b3, trapping the bishop.

30...Rxg6 31.Rh3 Rag8 32.Rh7+ R8g7 33.Rxg7+ Rxg7 34.Qd1 Be6

Now is the time for White to continue his escape with 35.Qh5+ Rg6 36.Qh7+ Rg7 37.Qh5+ draw, as any other line by Black would drop a minor piece to a Queen check and fork.

But - what is this?? My opponent, having played strongly the whole game, has suddenly fallen for a simple pawn fork?? What good fortune!

What an error in thinking! On my part, that is.

35.d5?

Allowing Black to quickly pull his game together.

Instead of 35.d5? which allows 35...Bg4!, I would have played 35.Qh5+ Rg6 36.Qh7+ Rg7 37.Qh5+ Rf6, take the draw and call it a day.

35... Bg4

I had looked at 35...Bh3, but had totally overlooked the text.

After some discouraged piece-shifting, I gave up the ghost.

36.Qe1 Ne5 37.Qe3

I looked at your last game and you thought there might be a way I could prevail. Not after 37.Qe3. After 36...Ne5 was played (you threatened dxc6), you played 37.Qe3? But after 35...Ne5, Black's threat is 36...Bf3 or 36...Bh3 as the rook pins the king and you can't take the bishop. So you have to play either 37.Kf1 or 37.Kh1. I think 37.Kf1 is slightly better to get out in the middle of the board in the endgame. Maybe there is something with Qh4 later or just h3. So after 37.Qe3, White' game looks lost. 

37...Bf3 38. g3 Bh5 39. h3 Nc4 40. Qf2 Bg6 41. Qe2 Ne5 42. g4 Ke7 43. Kf2 Kf8 44. Qa6 Re7 White resigned

Black's pieces are cooperating, and it is only a matter of time before they begin chopping away at White's position (starting with Pe4).

I am sure that Jerome Gambit stalwarts like blackburne, Bill Wall and Philidor1792 would find a way to prevail, even in this position, but I felt "lost" after my 35th move, and couldn't see my way out - perhaps the final "thinking error".

(In the two other second round games with White in this tournament, I am playing an Italian Four Knights game [with the help of chessfriend Yury Bukayev's opening analysis] and facing a Hungarian Defense [I did not follow Yury's suggestion, and may come to regret it. {Wow! I was just offered a draw, which I took quickly}] - Rick)

In the Balance

In the following game Philidor1792 takes on a higher-rated player, side-steps some historical pitfalls, and shows that an advanced "Jerome pawn" is the match for Black's extra piece.

Philidor1792 - Dayana2006
Russia Central Federal District vs Flyi, Chess.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 

This defense is as old as Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's analysis in the March 1875 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal, and appeared in a game as early as Jaeger - Jerome, correspondence, 1880, (0-1, 40).

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qg3 Nf6 9.d3 Nh5 10.Qf3+ Qf6 11.Nd2 

Practice shows the error of 11.Qxh5?: chessmanjeff - Gardenz, FICS, 2012 (0-1, 18) and ZahariSokolov - Jiracek, FICS, 2014 (0-1, 45).

Also not recommended is 11.Be3?! Qxf3 12.gxf3 as in obviously - belgje, GameKnot.com, 2004 (0-1, 19).

White has done better with 11.Qxf6+, e.g. destinyx - belgje, GameKnot.com, 2004 (1-0, 80) and  raes - belgje, GameKnot.com, 2004 (0-1, 49).

11...g6

Black should not temporize with 11...Be6?, as then the capture of the Knight 12.Qxh5 is playable, i.e. 12...Qxf2+ 13.Kd1 Qxg2 14.Qf3+ Qxf3+ 15.Nxf3 as in lamacuk - tomwhufc, GameKnot.com, 2007 (1-0, 29).

12.0-0 Kg7 13.Qxf6+ Nxf6

Philidor1792 has been comfortable taking the two extra pawns vs Black's extra piece in blitz games, where strategy is sometimes no deeper than "push the 'Jerome pawns' ". Here he works just as effectively at a slower time limit.

14.c3 Bg4 15.d4 Bb6 16.f3 Bd7 17.Nc4 h6 18.Re1 Rhe8 19.Kf2 d5 20.Nxb6 axb6 21.e5 Nh7 

22.Be3 Nf8 23.g4 Ne6 24.Kg3 g5 25.h4 Rf8 26.Rh1 Bb5 27.Rh2 Rf7 28.Rah1 Raf8 

29.Rf2 Bd3 30.hxg5 Nxg5 31.Bxg5 hxg5 32.Re1 Re8 33.Rh2 Bg6 34.a3 Rf4 35.e6 Re7 

36.Re5 Kf6 37.Rhe2 c6 38.a4 Re8 39.Re1 Rh8 40.e7 Re8 41.b4 Bc2 42.a5 bxa5 43.bxa5 Bd3 44.Rd1 Bc2 45.Rc1 Ba4 46.Rce1 Bb5 47.Re6+ Kf7 48.R6e5 Kf6 Drawn

In light of the coming repetition of position, the players agreed to split the point.

More Errors in Thinking

One of my interests in exploring the Jerome Gambit comes from observing - and occasionally provoking - "errors in thinking". Essentially, the only way White can win is if Black errs - sometime in the most fascinating of ways.

The following game is my  most recent Jerome Gambit from the Chess.com Italian Game tournament (see "Yet Once Again Into The Fray"). For a while it looked like it was going to be one of my best Jeromes ever, thanks to some fun tactics - but I fell victim to my own "error in thinking", and it was all for naught...

perrypawnpusher - Hywel2
Chess.com, Italian Game tourney, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6 

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6 10.O-O Kf7 11.f4 Re8 12.f5 Ne5 13.d4 

I have also tried 13.Nc3 in perrypawnpusher - DysonLin, blitz, FICS, 2009 (1-0, 23); perrypawnpusher - darqknight, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 63); perrypawnpusher - CorH, 3 12 blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 24);  and perrypawnpusher - yasserr, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 32).

13...Nc6

Oddly, this natural move is a TN according to The Database. Instead, 13...Neg4 was seen in Vazquez,A - Carrington,W, Mexico, 2nd match 1876 (1-0, 34); Wall,B - Vijay,V, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 22) and perrypawnpusher - whitepandora, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0. 64). 

14.Nc3 Kg8 15.Qd3 Kh8 16.Bg5 Qd7 17.Rae1 b6 

I am always impressed when the masters of the Jerome Gambit are able to "make something out of nothing" in their games. It is not so easy for me.

18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Nd5 Qg7 20.Rf3 a5 21.c3 Ba6 22.Qd2 Bc4 23.Rg3 Qf7 24.Nf4 Bxa2 25.Ree3 

I am not sure what my opponent made of this move. Perhaps he thought I was still shuffling pieces.

25...Rg8 26.Ng6+!?

White has only a pawn for his sacrificed piece, but this new sac changes everything.

26...hxg6 27.Rh3+ Kg7 28.Rh7+ 

The main idea: if now 28...Kxh7, then 29.Rh3+ Kg7 30.Qh6 mate. Black, instead, gives up his Queen.

28...Kf8 29.Rxf7+ Kxf7 

Houdini gives a deep look, and evaluates the position as being equal. A couple of lines to share what it sees: 30.Qd3 (looking at the light squares on the Queenside and Black's two loose minor pieces) Ne7 31.Qb5 gxf5 32.exf5 Rae8 33.g3 c6 34.Qxb6 Nxf5 35.Qc7+ Re7 36.Rxe7+ Nxe7 37.Qxd6 a4 38.Qf4 Be6 39.d5 Bxd5 40.Qxa4; or 30.Qc2  (to trap the Bishop) a4 31.e5 Ne7 32.fxg6+ Rxg6 33.exd6 Nd5 34.Rg3 Rxg3 35.hxg3 Bb3 36.Qd3 cxd6 37.c4 Ne7 38.Qh7+ Kf8 39.Qh6+ Kf7 40.Qh7+ draw 

I wanted to take advantage of Black's loose pieces, too, before his R + B + N got coordinated and out-played my Queen.

30.fxg6+ Rxg6 31.Rh3 Rag8 32.Rh7+ R8g7 33.Rxg7+ Rxg7 34.Qd1 Be6 

 Now is the time for White to continue his escape with 35.Qh5+ Rg6 36.Qh7+ Rg7 37.Qh5+ draw, as any other line by Black would drop a minor piece to a Queen check and fork.

But - what is this?? My opponent, having played strongly the whole game, has suddenly fallen for a simple pawn fork?? What good fortune!

What an error in thinking! On my part, that is.

35.d5?

Allowing Black to quickly pull his game together.

35... Bg4 

I had looked at 35...Bh3, but had totally overlooked the text.

After some discouraged piece-shifting, I gave up the ghost.

36.Qe1 Ne5 37.Qe3 Bf3 38. g3 Bh5 39. h3 Nc4 40. Qf2 Bg6 41. Qe2 Ne5 42. g4 Ke7 43. Kf2 Kf8 44. Qa6 Re7 White resigned

Black's pieces are cooperating, and it is only a matter of time before they begin chopping away at White's position (starting with Pe4).

I am sure that Jerome Gambit stalwarts like blackburne, Bill Wall and Philidor1792 would find a way to prevail, even in this position, but I felt "lost" after my 35th move, and couldn't see my way out - perhaps the final "thinking error".