Jerome Gambit: Iconic 9-move Checkmate

There has been a flurry, recently, of Jerome Gambit treatments of the Two Knights Defense. By now, the iconic 9-move checkmate from the following game has become well known.

Rawnessman - chepea2019
1 0 bullet, Chess.com 

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 

The Two Knights Defense. One way to avoid the Jerome Gambit.

4.Bxf7+


Or, not.

I have been calling this the "impatient Jerome Gambit" because White does not wait for ...Bc5 before sacrificing his Bishop.

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

There are 2 games in The Database with 6.Qh5+? which look like White was in too much of a hurry to play Jerome Gambit moves. Impatient, indeed.

A couple of recent games:

6.O-O Bc5 7.d4 Bd6 8.dxe5 Bxe5 9.Bg5 d5 10.exd5 Qxd5 11.Bxf6 Qxd1 12.Rxd1 gxf6 13.Nc3 Rg8 14.Rd3 Bh3 15.Rxh3 Bxc3 16.Rxc3 Rg5 17.Rxc7+ Kg6 18.Rxb7 Kh6 19.h4 Rag8 20.g3 Rg4 21.Rd1 Rxh4 22.Rdd7 Rc4 23.Rxh7+ Kg5 24.Rxa7 Rxc2 25.b4 Rc1+ 26.Kg2 f5 27.a4 f4 28.a5 fxg3 29.Kxg3 Rc2 30.Kf3 Rf8+ 31.Rhf7 Rc3+ 32.Kg2 Rxf7 33.Rxf7 Rb3 34.Rf3 Rxb4 35.Rg3+ Kf4 36.Rf3+ Ke4 37.Rg3 Ra4 38.Rg4+ Kf5 39.Rxa4 Ke5 40.a6 Kd6 41.Ra1 Kc7 42.a7 Kb7 43.a8=Q+ Kb6 44.Qa2 Kc5 45.Qb2 Kd6 46.Ra3 Ke6 47.Qa2+ Ke5 48.Rb3 Kd5 49.Qa4 Ke5 50.Rb5+ Kd6 51.Qa6+ Kc7 52.Rb7+ Black resigned, Uarekomodo9 - khalilmansour123, 1 0 bullet, Chess.com, 2020; and

6.f4 Nc6 7.e5 Nd5 8.e6+ dxe6 9.f5 exf5 10.O-O Qf6 11.d3 Bc5+ 12.Kh1 Bd4 13.Nc3 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qxc3 15.Rxf5+ Ke6 16.Bd2 Qc5 17.Qe2+ Kxf5 18.Rf1+ Kg6 19.Qe4+ Kh5 20.g4+ Kh4 21.h3 Qe7 22.Qe1+ Qxe1 23.Rxe1 Bd7 24.Rf1 Rhf8 25.Re1 Rae8 26.Rb1 Nd4 27.c4 Ne2 28.Rxb7 Ndf4 29.Rxc7 Be6 30.Rc5 Rc8 31.Re5 Bd7 32.Bxf4 Nxf4 33.d4 Nd3 34.Ra5 Rxc4 35.Kh2 Rxd4 36.Rh5 checkmate, MrBizkit - reza6666666666, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020.

6...Ng6 

Or:

6...Bd6 7.dxe5 Bxe5 8.f4 Re8 9.fxe5 Rxe5 10.O-O Rxe4 11.Nc3 Re6 12.Bg5 Qe8 13.Nd5 Qd8 14.Qh5+ Kg8 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Nxf6+ Rxf6 17.Qg5+ Kf7 18.Rxf6+ Qxf6 19.Rf1 Qxf1+ 20.Kxf1 d6 Black resigned, KNVB - boringhard, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020; 

6...Nc6 7.e5 Nd5 (7...Ng4 8.Qxg4 Bb4+ 9.c3 Be7 10.Qf3+ Ke8 11.O-O Rf8 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qxh7 Bh4 14.Qxg6+ Ke7 15.Bh6 Bxf2+ 16.Rxf2 Rf3 17.Rxf3 Black resigned, Littleones21 - PonyoTWm, 5 3 blitz, lichess.org,  2020; 7...Qe7 8.O-O Nd5 9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qf3+ Ke8 11.Qxd5 d6 12.Qb5 dxe5 13.d5 a6 14.Qa4 b5 15.Qb3 Nd4 16.Qc3 Qb4 17.Qc6+ Nxc6 18.dxc6 Qd6 19.Be3 Qxc6 20.Na3 Bxa3 21.bxa3 Qxc2 22.Rac1 Qxa2 23.Rxc7 Qxa3 24.Bc5 Qa4 25.Re7+ Kf8 26.Ra7+ Kg8 27.Rxa8 Qg4 28.f3 Qf5 29.Rd1 Kg7 30.Ra7+ Kh6 31.Be3+ g5 32.g4 Qf6 33.h4 Qxf3 34.Bxg5+ Kg6 35.Rd6+ Qf6 36.Rxf6 checkmate, lautrec404 - pollen24, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020) 8.Qf3+ Kg8 9.Qxd5 checkmate, ChessBrah - kevvvvvvv, 5 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020; and

6...Nc4 7.e5 Nd5 8.Qf3+ Ke8 9.Qxd5 Nb6 10.Qf3 d6 11.Qe4 dxe5 12.O-O Nc4 13.b3 Nd6 14.Qxe5+ Kf7 15.Bg5 Qd7 16.Re1 Nf5 17.Nc3 Qxd4 18.Qxf5+ Kg8 19.Qd5+ Qxd5 20.Nxd5 Bb4 21.Re8+ Kf7 22.Rxh8 Bc3 23.Rd1 Bg4 24.Rd3 Be5 Black resigned, mdc995 - Lukeskyrocket, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

7.e5 Nd5 

Black has also recently tried:

7...Qe8 8.O-O Bb4 (8...Nd5 9.Qf3+ Kg8 10.Qxd5+ Qf7 11.Nc3 Qxd5 12.Nxd5 c6 13.Nc7 Rb8 14.f4 d6 15.f5 Bxf5 16.Rxf5 Rc8 17.Ne6 dxe5 18.Be3 Ne7 19.Rf2 exd4 20.Bxd4 b6 21.Raf1 Ng6 22.Rf7 a5 23.Nxf8 Rxf8 24.Rxg7 checkmate, Anonymous - Anonymous, Chess.com, 2020) 9.f4  d6 10.c3 Ba5 11.f5 dxe5 12.fxg6+ Kxg6 13.d5 Bb6+ 14.Kh1 Bg4 15.Qd3+ Kf7 16.Bg5 Rd8 17.Qc4 Qd7 18.Nd2 h5 19.Nf3 Qxd5 20.Nxe5+ Ke8 21.Qa4+ c6 22.Rae1 Bh3 23.Nf3+ Kf7 24.gxh3 Rhe8 25.Rd1 Qe4 26.Bxf6 Qxa4 27.Bxd8 Rxd8 28.Ng5+ Kg8 29.Rxd8+ Bxd8 30.Re1 Bxg5 31.Re8+ White resigned, TheCuriousGreg - nik11131719, 15 10 blitz, Chess.com 2020; and

7...Ne8 8.Qf3+ Kg8 9.Qd5 checkmate,  aniketbhave - LaReinaLoca, 10 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020; but not everybody caught the checkmate right away: 9.O-O h6 10.Nc3 Kh7 11.Qh5 d6 12.f4 Rg8 13.f5 Bxf5 14.Rxf5 dxe5 15.dxe5 Qd4+ 16.Kh1 Bc5 17.Rf1 Qh4 18.Qf3 Nxe5 19.Qf5+ Ng6 20.Qxc5 b6 21.Qf5 Nf6 22.Bf4 Rgf8 23.Bg3 Qg4 24.Qd3 Nh5 25.Rxf8 Rxf8 26.Ne2 Kg8 27.h3 Qg5 28.Bxc7 Ne7 29.Bd6 Nf5 30.Qd5+ Kh8 31.Bxf8 Nfg3+ 32.Nxg3 Nxg3+ 33.Kh2 Qxd5 34.Kxg3 Black resigned, Hipernight - salissi, 5 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020; and 9.Qb3+ d5 10.exd6+ Be6 11.Qxe6 checkmate, gerodes - crappycovers4charity, 3 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2020. 

8.Qf3+ 

8.c4 Nb6 9.Qf3+ Kg8 10.c5 Bxc5 11.dxc5 Qf8 12.Qb3+ Qf7 13.Qxf7+ Kxf7 14.cxb6 axb6 15.O-O Nxe5 16.f4 Ng4 17.Nc3 d6 18.Bd2 Be6 19.Rae1 Rhg8 20.h3 Nf6 21.g4 Bd7 22.f5 Bc6 23.g5 Nh5 24.g6+ hxg6 25.fxg6+ Kxg6 26.Re6+ Kh7 27.Ne2 White won on time, justaddblu - Czechgrinder, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020 

8...Kg8 

Ending things quickly. Instead:

8...Ke8 9.Qxd5 Nf4 10.Qe4 Qg5 11.Bxf4 Bb4+ 12.c3 Qe7 13.cxb4 Qxb4+ 14.Bd2 Qe7 15.O-O d6 16.Nc3 c6 17.d5 Bd7 18.dxc6 bxc6 19.exd6 Qxe4 20.Nxe4 Bf5 21.Nc5 Rd8 22.Rfe1+ Kf7 23.d7 h6 24.Rad1 Bxd7 25.Ba5 Rde8 26.Rxd7+ Re7 27.Rexe7+ Kf6 28.Rxg7 Re8 29.Bc3+ Kf5 30.h3 Re2 31.g4+ Kf4 32.Ne6+ Kf3 33.Rd3+ Ke4 34.Rd4+ Kf3 35.Rf7 checkmate, campani - rahulkonapur, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020; or

8...Ngf4 9.Bxf4 Nxf4 10.Qxf4+ Kg8 11.d5 d6 12.e6 c6 13.Qf7 checkmate, Anonymous - Anonymous, Chess.com,  2020; and

8... Ke6 9.c4 Nb4 10.d5+ Kxe5 11.O-O Bc5 12.Re1+ Kd6 13.Bf4+ Nxf4 14.Qxf4 checkmate, ashwin2305 - GlobalWarmingOP, 3 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020

9.Qxd5 checkmate

This was also how the game 19Kuq-Zi85 - Tibob73, 5 0 blitz, Chess.com, 2020 went.

Jerome Gambit: pwned

There are a lot of games in the notes to the following game. Follow as many or as few as you would like. It only seemed fair to share the efforts of the explorer of the line.

mbokhari - KhaledSalahH

7 2 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 h6 4.Bxf7+ 

If anyone can be said to "own" a variation, it can be said about mbokhari and this line. He has scored 23 - 16 - 3 with it - and he is the only player in The Database to even play it.

In all fairness, White can get an advantage without sacrifice instead by playing 4.Nxe5, but the text allows another look at exploitation of weak light squares.

4...Kxf7 

Declining the piece with 4...Ke7 was seen in mbokhari - alymani33, lichess.org, 2021 (1-0, 21)

5.Nxe5+ Ke7 

Stronger is 5...Kg8, played in a lot of mbokhari's games. It can be met by

6.c3 Qe7 (6...d6 7.Ng6 Rh7 (7...Be6 8.Nxh8 Kxh8 9.d3 Qe7 10.O-O Nc6 11.Be3 d5 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Re1 Qf6 14.Qd2 Bd6 15.Na3 Rf8 16.Nc4 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 Bxc4 18.dxc4 b6 19.Rad1 Bc5 20.Qf3 Bxf2+ 21.Kxf2 Qh4+ 22.Kg1 Rxf3 23.gxf3 Qxc4 24.a3 Qb3 25.Rd2 Qf7 26.Kg2 Qg6+ 27.Kh1 Qf5 28.Kg2 Qg5+ Black resigned, mbokhari - mahmuod1997, lichess.org, 2021) 8.d4 Qe8 9.Nxf8 Qxe4+ 10.Be3 Kxf8 11.Nd2 Qxg2 12.Rf1 Qxh2 13.Qc2 Qh3 14.f3 Bf5 15.Nb3 Bxc2 White resigned, mbokhari - Khalid_azazy1, lichess.org, 2021); 6...Nxe4 7.Qb3+ (7.O-O d6 8.Ng6 Rh7 9.Qf3 Nf6 10.d3 Kf7 11.Nxf8 Kxf8 12.Nd2 Kg8 13.Nc4 Nc6 14.d4 d5 15.Ne5 Nxe5 16.dxe5 Ne4 17.Bf4 Be6 18.Rad1 Qh4 19.h3 Rf8 20.Bg3 Rxf3 21.Bxh4 Rf4 22.Be7 g5 23.Ba3 h5 24.f3 Ng3 25.Rfe1 g4 26.Kf2 h4 27.c4 dxc4 28.Rd8+ Kg7 29.Bf8+ Kg6 30.Be7 gxh3 31.Bxh4 Rhxh4 32.Kxg3 h2 33.Rh1 Kg5 34.Re8 Bf7 35.Re7 Bg6 36.e6 Rd4 37.Rxc7 Rd2 38.Rg7 Rxb2 39.e7 Rb1 40.Rxg6+ Kxg6 41.e8=Q+ Kg5 42.Qe5+ Kg6 43.Qd6+ Kh5 44.Qd5+ Kh6 45.Qe6+ Kh5 46.Qf5+ Kh6 47.Qxb1 Rd4 48.Qxb7 Black resigned,  mbokhari - AVUKAT123, lichess.org, 2022) 7...Kh7 8.O-O d5 9.Nf7 Qf6 10.Nxh8 Kxh8 11.d3 Nc5 12.Be3 Nxb3 13.axb3 a6 14.Bd4 Qf5 15.Rd1 c5 16.Be3 Nc6 17.d4 cxd4 18.cxd4 Bd6 19.Nc3 Be6 20.Nb5 Bf4 21.Bxf4 Qxf4 22.Nc7 Qxc7 White resigned,  mbokhari - AskarAlzhanov, lichess.org, 2021); 6...Bc5 7.d4 Bb6 8.O-O d6 9.Ng6 Rh7 10.Nd2 Bg4 11.Qc2 Nh5 12.e5 Bh3 13.Nf3 Bxg2 14.Kxg2 dxe5 15.Qb3+ Qd5 16.Qxd5 checkmate, mbokhari - ZoOmQ, lichess.org, 2021) (6...Nc6 7.Ng6 Kh7 8.Nxh8 Kxh8 9.d3 Bc5 10.O-O d5 11.d4 Nxd4 12.cxd4 Bd6 13.e5 Black resigned, mbokhari - little_grade, lichess.org, 2022) 7.f4 (7.d4 d6 (7...Nxe4 8.O-O Kh7 9.Qd3 d5 10.f3 Bf5 11.fxe4 Bxe4 12.Qg3 Qf6 13.Rxf6 Black resigned, mbokhari - valk55577, lichess.org, 2021) 8.Qb3+ Kh7 9.Nf3 Nxe4 10.O-O Bg4 11.Nfd2 Nxd2 12.Bxd2 b6 13.h3 Bf5 14.Qd5 Be4 15.Qb3 Nd7 16.Re1 Re8 17.f3 Qh4 18.Rxe4 Rxe4 19.fxe4 Qxe4 20.Na3 d5 21.Re1 Qf5 22.g4 Qf7 23.Qc2+ g6 24.Nb5 a6 25.Nxc7 Bd6 26.Ne6 Qf3 27.Re3 Qf4 28.Nxf4 Bxf4 29.Re6 Nf8 30.Re7+ Kg8 31.Bxf4 Black resigned, mbokhari - mah22_ood, lichess.org, 2021) 7...d6 8.Ng6 Qxe4+ 9.Qe2 Qxg6 10.O-O Kh7 11.d4 Bf5 12.Re1 Nbd7 13.Nd2 d5 14.Nf3 Bd6 15.Bd2 Ne4 16.Be3 Rhe8 17.Nh4 Qg4 18.Qxg4 Bxg4 19.Nf3 Bxf3 20.gxf3 Nef6 21.Kf2 Rf8 22.f5 Nh5 23.Rg1 Rxf5 24.Rg5 White resigned, mbokhari - bojawad, lichess.org, 2020;

6.d3 Qe7 (6...d6 7.Ng6 Rh7 (7...Bg4 8.f3 Bh5 9.Nxh8 Kxh8 10.Be3 (10.Nc3 Nbd7 11.O-O Be7 12.Be3 Qf8 13.a3 b6 14.Nb5 c6 15.Nd4 Rc8 16.Qd2 Bf7 17.c4 c5 18.Nf5 Ne5 19.h3 Bg6 20.Nxe7 Qxe7 21.b3 a5 22.a4 Qf8 23.f4 Nc6 24.f5 Bh7 25.Rf3 Ne5 26.Rg3 Nh5 27.Bf4 Nxg3 28.Bxg3 Qf6 29.Rf1 Rf8 30.d4 Nc6 31.dxc5 dxc5 32.Bc7 Qd4+ 33.Qxd4 Nxd4 34.Bxb6 Nxb3 35.Rb1 Nd2 36.Re1 Nxc4 37.Bxc5 Re8 38.Kf2 Nb2 39.Re3 Nd1+ 40.Ke2 Nxe3 41.Bxe3 Bg8 42.Kf3 Bb3 43.Bb6 Bxa4 44.Bxa5 Bc6 45.g4 Bxe4+ 46.Kf4 Bg2 47.h4 Re4+ 48.Kg3 Bf1 49.Bd8 Be2 50.g5 hxg5 51.hxg5 Kg8 52.f6 g6 53.Ba5 Kf7 54.Bd2 Rd4 55.Be3 Rd5 56.Kf2 Bh5 57.Kg3 Rf5 58.Bf4 Ke6 59.Bd2 Rf3+ 60.Kg2 Kd5 61.Bc1 Ke4 62.Bb2 Rf5 63.Bc1 Kd3 64.Kg3 Ke2 65.Bf4 Bg4 66.Kxg4 Kf2 67.Bc1 Kg2 68.Bf4 Kf2 69.Bg3+ Kg2 70.Bf4 Kf2 draw, mbokhari - victorolosaurus, lichess.org, 2022) 10...Nc6 11.Nc3 Ne5 12.O-O d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 14.Bd4 Nc6 15.Bf2 Nf4 16.Ne4 Ne5 17.Bg3 Nxg2 18.Bxe5 Ne3 19.Qd2 Nxf1 20.Qxh6+ Kg8 21.Rxf1 gxh6 White resigned, mbokhari - abouali9, lichess.org, 2022) 8.c3 (8.Nxf8 Qxf8 9.b3 Ng4 10.O-O h5 White resigned, mbokhari - Saudalosaimi, lichess.org, 2021) 8...Bg4 (8...Nbd7 9.Qb3+ d5 10.exd5 Qe8+ 11.Be3 Qxg6 12.d6+ Qf7 13.dxc7 Qxb3 14.axb3 Nd5 15.c4 Nxe3 16.fxe3 Bd6 17.O-O Bxc7 18.Nc3 Be5 19.Nd5 Bd6 20.d4 b6 21.b4 Bb7 22.b5 Bxd5 23.cxd5 Nf6 24.Rf5 Ng4 White resigned,  mbokhari - Ranamb, lichess.org, 2022) 9.f3 Bh5 10.Qb3+ d5 11.Nxf8 Qxf8 12.Qxb7 Nbd7 13.Qxc7 g5 14.O-O Re7 15.Be3 Ne5 16.Qa5 Rae8 17.Bc5 Nxd3 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.b4 dxe4 20.fxe4 Ng4 21.Qd5+ Bf7 22.Qxd3 Qe5 23.g3 Qc7 24.Qf3 Ne5 25.Qf2 Ng4 26.Qd4 Rd8 27.Qc5 Qb8 28.Rxf7 Kxf7 29.Qf5+ Kg8 30.Qxg4 Qb6+ 31.Kh1 Qf2 32.Na3 Rd2 33.Qe6+ Kg7 34.Qe7+ Kg8 35.Qe6+ Kg7 36.Qh3 Qf3+ 37.Kg1 Qf2+ 38.Kh1 Qf3+ 39.Kg1 Qf2+ 40.Kh1 draw, mbokhari - RJose3126, lichess.org, 2021) 7.Ng6 Qb4+ 8.c3 Qc5 (8...Qd6 9.Bf4 Qe6 10.Nxh8 Kxh8 11.O-O d6 12.h3 Nbd7 13.Nd2 Ne5 14.Nb3 Ng6 15.Be3 b6 16.f4 d5 17.f5 Qe5 18.Bd4 Qg3 19.fxg6 Bxh3 20.Rf3 White resigned, mbokhari - kareemmahmoud123, lichess.org, 2022) 9.Be3 Qb510.Nxh8 Qxb2 11.Qb3+ Qxb3 12.axb3 Kxh8 13.Nd2 d6 14.h3 Nc6 15.O-O Be6 16.d4 Ne7 17.d5 Bf7 18.f4 Ng6 19.c4 Re8 20.Rxa7 Nxe4 21.Nxe4 Rxe4 22.Bc1 Re2 23.Rxb7 Nh4 24.g3 Nf5 25.Rxc7 Nxg3 26.Rxf7 Nxf1 27.Rxf8+ Kh7 28.Kxf1 Rh2 29.Rf7 Rh1+ 30.Ke2 Rxc1 31.Rd7 Rc3 32.Rxd6 Rxb3 33.h4 Kg8 34.c5 Kf7 35.c6 Ke7 36.Rd7+ Ke8 37.Rxg7 Rc3 38.c7 Kf8 39.Rh7 Kg8 40.Rd7 Rc2+ 41.Kd3 Rc5 42.Kd4 Rc1 43.Rd8+ Kf7 44.c8=Q Rxc8 45.Rxc8 Kf6 46.Rc6+ Black resigned, mbokhari - bahyt80, lichess.org, 2021; 

6.Ng6 Rh7 7.Nxf8 Qxf8 8.d3 Qb4+ 9.Bd2 Qc5 10.O-O Qd4 11.Bc3 Qd6 12.Nd2 h5 13.e5 Qe6 14.exf6 Qxf6 15.Ne4 Qg5 16.Nxg5 Black resigned, mbokhari - Raghad_Jaradat, lichess.org, 2021;

6.d4 Nxe4 7.O-O d6 8.Ng6 Rh7 9.Qd3 Bf5 10.Nxf8 Qxf8 11.Qb3+ Kh8 12.Qxb7 Nd7 13.Qxc7 Nb6 14.b3 Qf6 15.Bb2 g6 16.f3 Rxc7 17.c4 d5 18.c5 Nd7 19.fxe4 dxe4 20.Bc3 Kh7 21.g4 Qg5 22.h3 Rf8 23.b4 Nb8 24.Kh2 Qh4 25.gxf5 Rxf5 26.Rxf5 gxf5 27.Na3 Qf4+ 28.Kh1 Qf3+ 29.Kh2 Qxc3 30.Nb5 Qxa1 31.Nxc7 Qxa2+ 32.Kg3 Qb3+ 33.Kf4 Qf3+ 34.Ke5 e3 35.Ne6 Nd7+ 36.Kd6 e2 37.Kxd7 e1=Q 38.Nf8+ Kg7 39.Ne6+ Kf6 40.Nf8 Qe7+ White resigned, mbokhari -Raghad_Jaradat, lichess.org, 2021

Also played: 5...Ke6 6.Ng6 (6.d4 d6 7.f4 dxe5 8.fxe5 Nxe4 9.Nc3 Qh4+ 10.g3 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Qe4+ 12.Kf2 Qf5+ 13.Qf3 Qxc2+ 14.Kg1 Qf5 15.d5+ Kxe5 16.Bf4+ Kf6 17.g4 Qxg4+ 18.Qxg4 Bxg4 19.Bxc7 Bc5+ 20.Kg2 Re8 21.Raf1+ Bf5 22.Bg3 g6 23.Re1 Be4+ 24.Kh3 Bf5+ 25.Kh4 g5+ 26.Kh5 Rxe1 27.Rxe1 Bf8 28.Be5+ Kf7 29.d6 Nd7 30.Bg3 Nf6 checkmate, mbokhari - EmirQ, lichess.org, 2020) 6...d5 7.Nxh8 Bc5 8.exd5+ Qxd5 9.O-O Ne4 10.Qg4+ Kd6 11.Qg6+ Ke5 12.Qxg7+ Kd6 13.Qxh6+ Be6 14.d3 Bxf2+ 15.Rxf2 Nxf2 16.Kxf2 Qf5+ 17.Qf4+ Qxf4+ 18.Bxf4+ Kd5 19.Nc3+ Kd4 20.Ng6 Nc6 21.Be3 checkmate, mbokhari - nghriwati, lichess.org, 2020. 

And: 5...Ke8 6.d4 (6.Ng6 Rg8 7.e5 (7.Nxf8 Rxf8 8.e5 Nh7 9.O-O Ng5 10.d4 Rf7 11.f4 Ne6 12.Nc3 Kf8 13.d5 Nc5 14.Qd4 b6 15.f5 Bb7 16.b3 Nba6 17.a3 d6 18.f6 dxe5 19.fxg7+ Kxg7 20.Qxe5+ Kg8 21.Rxf7 Kxf7 22.Bxh6 Nd7 23.Rf1+ Nf6 24.Qh5+ Kg8 25.Qg6+ Black resigned, mbokhari - Petit_Papillon, lichess.org, 2021) 7...Nh7 8.d4 d6 9.O-O Bf5 10.Nxf8 Rxf8 11.Nc3 dxe5 12.Qe2 a6 13.Qxe5+ Qe7 14.Qc5 Qxc5 15.dxc5 Bxc2 16.Nd5 Kd7 17.Be3 Be4 18.Nc3 Nc6 19.Nxe4 Rae8 20.Ng3 g5 21.a3 Ne5 22.Bd4 Nc4 23.Rac1 Na5 24.Rfd1 Kc8 25.b4 Nb3 26.Rb1 Nxd4 27.Rxd4 c6 28.Ne4 Kc7 29.Rbd1 Re7 30.h3 Nf6 31.Nd6 Nd5 32.g4 Re2 33.Nf5 h5 34.a4 Rf7 35.b5 axb5 36.axb5 cxb5 37.Rxd5 Kc6 38.Rd8 Kxc5 39.Rc8+ Kb6 40.Rd6+ Ka7 41.Kf1 Rb2 42.Rg6 hxg4 43.hxg4 Rb1+ 44.Kg2 Rh7 45.Rxg5 Rhh1 46.Ne3 Rbg1+ 47.Kf3 Rh3+ 48.Ke2 Rhh1 49.Rxb5 Ka6 50.Rb4 Re1+ 51.Kf3 Rh3+ 52.Kg2 Rh6 53.Ra8 checkmate, mbokhari - raluka, lichess.org, 2020) (6.d3 Qe7 (6...Bd6 7.Ng6 Rg8 8.e5 Bxe5 (8...Bc5 9.exf6 Qxf6 10.Qe2+ Kd8 11.Nf4 Re8 12.Be3 g5 13.Nd5 Qxb2 14.O-O Qxa1 15.Nbc3 Bxe3 16.Rxa1 Bxf2+ 17.Qxf2 Black resigned, mbokhari - hai_wenzheng, lichess.org, 2022) 9.Nxe5 Qe7 10.O-O g5 11.Nc3 d6 12.Nf3 Ng4 13.Re1 Be6 14.Nd5 Qf7 15.Rxe6+ Qxe6 16.Nxc7+ Kd8 17.Nxe6+ Kc8 18.Nfd4 Re8 19.Qxg4 Nc6 20.Nc5+ Kb8 21.Nxc6+ bxc6 22.Nd7+ Kc7 23.Nf6 Re1 checkmate, mbokhari - abo3amr83, lichess.org, 2021) (6...d6 7.Ng6 Rh7 (7...Rg8 8.Nxf8 Rxf8 9.h3 Qe7 10.O-O Be6 11.b3 Qd7 12.Nc3 Bxh3 13.Nd5 Bg4 14.f3 Bh3 15.Nxf6+ Rxf6 16.Bb2 Rg6 17.Rf2 c5 18.Kh2 Be6 19.d4 cxd4 20.Bxd4 d5 21.exd5 Qxd5 22.c4 Qh5+ 23.Kg1 Nc6 24.Bc3 Rd8 25.Qe2 Nd4 26.Bxd4 Rxd4 27.Re1 Rh4 28.Rff1 Rh1+ 29.Kf2 Qc5+ 30.Qe3 Qxe3+ 31.Rxe3 Rxf1+ 32. Kxf1 Kd7 33.Kf2 Bf5 34.g4 Bb1 35.Re2 Ra6 36.a4 Rb6 37.Rb2 Bd3 38.c5 Rc6 39.Ke3 Bf1 40.Kf2 Bd3 41.Rd2 Rxc5 42.Rxd3+ Ke6 43.Kg3 h5 44.f4 hxg4 45.Kxg4 b5 46.b4 Rf5 47.a5 a6 48.Rc3 Rd5 49.Rc6+ Rd6 50.f5+ Kd7 51.Rxd6+ Kxd6 52.Kg5 Ke5 53.Kg6 Kf4 54.f6 gxf6 55.Kxf6 Ke4 56.Ke6 Kd4 57.Kd6 Kc4 58.Kc6 Kxb4 59.Kb6 Ka4 60.Kxa6 b4 61.Kb6 b3 62.a6 b2 63.a7 b1=Q+ 64.Kc7 Qc1+ 65.Kb8 Qb1+ 66.Kc7 Qh7+ 67.Kb8 Qh8+ 68.Kb7 Qh7+ 69.Kb8 Qg8+ 70.Kb7 Qf7+ 71.Kb8 Qe8+ 72.Kb7 Qd7+ 73.Kb8 Qd8+ 74.Kb7 Qd7+ 75.Kb8 Qd8+ 76.Kb7 Qd7+ draw, mbokhari - Yakupbey00, lichess.org, 2022) 8.h3 Kf7 9.Nxf8 Qxf8 10.Nc3 Qe7 11.O-O h5 12.Be3 Ng4 13.Qf3+ Kg8 14.hxg4 hxg4 15.Qxg4 Bxg4 16.g3 Qf6 17.Bf4 Qg6 18.Nd5 Qh5 19.Ne7+ Kf7 White resigned, mbokhari - blallalabdala, lichess.org, 2022) (6...Bc5 7.O-O Ke7 8.Ng6+ Kf7 9.Nxh8+ Qxh8 10.Nc3 Bd6 11.Be3 Qe8 12.h3 Qe5 13.f4 Qe7 14.e5 Bxe5 15.fxe5 Qxe5 16.Qf3 Nc6 17.Rae1 Qa5 18.a3 Qa6 19.Nd5 Ne5 20.Qf2 Kg8 21.Nxc7 Black resigned, mbokhari - Avi_Xav_2021, lichess.org, 2022) 7.Ng6 Qe5 8.Nxe5 Nc6 9.f4 d6 10.Ng6 Rg8 11.Nc3 Bd7 12.O-O Be6 13.f5 Bf7 14.Nxf8 Rxf8 15.Be3 Kd7 16.d4 Rae8 17.e5 Nd5 18.e6+ Bxe6 19.fxe6+ Kxe6 20.Qg4+ Ke7 21.Nxd5+ Kd8 22.Rxf8 Rxf8 23.Qxg7 Black resigned, mbokhari - mahmuod1997, lichess.org, 2021) (6.Qh5+ Nxh5 White resigned, mbokhari - suntzuchess, lichess.org, 2021) (6.Nc3 Bd6 7.f4 Bxe5 8.fxe5 Nxe4 9.Nxe4 Qe7 10.Ng3 Qxe5+ 11.Qe2 Qxe2+ 12.Nxe2 Kf7 13.d3 Re8 14.Kd2 d6 15.Rf1+ Kg8 16.Nf4 Rf8 17.Rf2 g5 18.Nh3 Rxf2+ 19.Nxf2 Nc6 20.c3 Bf5 21.h3 Re8 22.g4 Bg6 23.Kc2 Re3 24.Bxe3 Ne5 25.Ne4 Bxe4 26.dxe4 Black resigned, mbokhari - spider2200, lichess.org, 2021) (6.O-O Qe7 7.Ng6 Qxe4 8.Nxh8 d5 9.Re1 Qxe1+ 10.Qxe1+ Be7 11.Ng6 Nc6 12.d3 Bf5 13.Nxe7 Nxe7 14.Nc3 d4 15.Nb5 Kd8 16.Nxd4 Black resigned, mbokhari - Marianna_Sha, lichess.org, 2021) 6...Nxe4 (6...d6 7.Nd3 Be7 8.e5 Nd5 9.Qh5+ Kf8 10.c4 Nb6 11.Nf4 Bg5 12.Ng6+ Kg8 13.Bxg5 Qe8 14.O-O Nxc4 15.Nc3 Nxb2 16.exd6 cxd6 17.Rae1 Qf7 18.Re7 Qf8 19.Nxf8 Kxf8 20.Qe8 checkmate, mbokhari - Yela, lichess.org, 2020) 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxg6+ Ke7 9.Qxe4 Rg8 10.Nc6+ Black resigned, mbokhari - Srishanth_35, lichess.org, 2020. 

6.Ng6+ Ke8 7.Nxh8 Nxe4 

Greedy, but he was down the exchange.

8.Qh5+ Ke7 

This speeds up the checkmate. A longer route was 8...g6 9.Qxg6+ Ke7 10.Qxe4+ Kd6 11.Nf7+ Kc5 12.Qe3+ Kb5 13.Nc3+ Ka5 14.Qe5+ d5 15.Nxd8 Na6 16.Qxd5+ c5 17.a3 Nc7 18.Nxb7+ Bxb7 19.Qxb7 Re8+ 20.Kd1 Re1+ 21.Rxe1 c4 22.Qxc7+ Ka6 23.Qc6+ Ka5 24.Qb5# 

9.Qe5 checkmate

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

Jerome Gambit Doctor

Periodically in this new year we will be looking at different lines in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) and be providing ideas (and study material) which may deliver "first aid" or heavier "fixes" in situations where White's play has been injured.

Here is a game by HauntedKnight, a regular player of things Jerome. He has 144 games in The Database, scoring an over-all 49%, which is the over-all average for White in those 27,400 games. With the Jerome Gambit proper he scores 42%, which is comparable to the 43% of all Jerome Gambit games in The Database.

HauntedKnight - Josue
standard game, FICS, 2012

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Be7 

Josue, the higher-rated player, chooses a very reasonable, if unpopular line. The Database has only 12 games with this move, but White has scored only 38% against it.

7.dxe5

White avoids the ostentatious 7.f4 which brings a lot of visual excitement, but more "flash" than "bang": 7...Nc6 8.d5 Nb4 9.a3 Na6 10.0-0 Nf6 11.e5 Ne8 12.Qh5+ g6 13.Qh6 Bf8 14.Qh3 d6 15.e6+ Kg7 16.b3 Be7 17.f5 Nf6 18.Bb2 c6 19.c4 cxd5 20.Nd2 dxc4 21.Ne4 Nc5 22.Nxf6 Bxf6 23.Bxf6+ Qxf6 24.bxc4 b6 25.Qg3 Bb7 26.Qxd6 Rad8 27.Qf4 Rd4 28.Qe3 Re4 29.Qd2 Rd8 30.Qf2 g5 31.Rad1 Red4 32.Qf4 Rxf4 White resigned, wirerabbit - SimpleOne, FICS, 2007

7...d6

Alternatives include:

7...g6 8.Qd5+ Kg7 9.b3 h5 10.Bb2 Kh7 11.Nd2 c6 12.Qd3 d6 13.exd6 Bf6 14.e5 Bg7 15.0-0-0 Bf5 16.Qe2 Be6 17.h3 b5 18.g4 h4 19.f4 Bd5 20.Ne4 Bxe4 21.Qxe4 Qa5 22.Kb1 Rd8 23.g5 Nh6 24.gxh6 Bxh6 25.f5 Rhg8 26.Rhg1 g5 27.f6+ Rg6 28.e6 Qb6 29.e7 Rxd6 30.e8Q Rxd1+ 31.Rxd1, Black resigned, gollydali - Letranite, FICS, 2011;

the sturdy 7...Nh6 8.Qd5+ (8.Qh5) 8...Kf8 9.Bxh6 gxh6 10.Nc3 c6 11.Qd3 d6 12.Qf3+ Kg8 13.0-0-0 Bg4 14.Qxg4+ Kf8 15.Qf4+ Ke8 16.e6 Bg5 17.Qxg5 Qxg5+ 18.Kb1 Qxg2 19.Rhg1 Qxe4 20.Nxe4 Ke7 21.Rxd6 Rhg8 22.Rxg8 Rxg8 23.c4 Rg4 24.Rd7+ Kxe6 25.Nc5+ Kf6 26.Rxb7 Rxc4 27.Nd3 Rd4 28.Kc2 Rh4 29.Rxh7 Rxh2 30.Kc3 Kf5 31.b4 a6 32.a4 Ke4 33.Re7+ Kd5 34.Re5+ Kd6 35.f4 h5 36.Rg5 h4 37.Kc4 Rc2+ 38.Kd4 h3 39.Rh5 h2 40.Rh6+ Kd7 41.Nc5+ Kc7 42.Rh7+ Kb6 43.Rb7 checkmate, exatapalov - MeTaLoV, FICS, 2011;

the solid 7...Ke8 8.0-0 h6 9.Qg4 Bf8 10.Qg6+ Ke7 11.Nc3 c6 12.Be3 Qe8 13.Qd6+ Kd8 14.Qd4 Kc7 15.Bf4 Qe6 16.Rad1 a6 17.Na4 b5 18.Qb6 checkmate, CoachCrupp - tuffnut, FICS, 2008;

and the overly-casual 7...Nf6 8.exf6 Bxf6 returning the piece 9.0-0 Re8 10.e5 (10.Qd5+) Rxe5 11.Bf4 Re7 12.Qh5+ Kg8 13.Bg5 Bxg5 14.Qxg5 d6 15.Qh5 Re5 16.Qf3 Qe7 17.Nd2 Bd7 18.Nc4 Rf8 19.Qb3 Be6 20.Rfe1 Rxe1+ 21.Rxe1 Qf6 22.Ne3 Qxf2+ 23.Kh1 Qxe1+ 24.Nf1 Qxf1 checkmate, Howtocastle - svadali, FICS, 2003. 

8.Qf3+ 

Probably best, although after 8.exd6 White had interesting play 8...Qxd6 9.Qe2 (9.Qf3+ Nf6 10.0-0 Bg4 11.Qb3+ Be6 12.Qxb7 Rhb8 13.Qa6 Qxa6 14.Nc3 Qxf1+ 15.Kxf1 a6 16.Be3 Ng8 17.Rd1 Rxb2 18.Bd4 Rxc2 19.Ne2 Bc4 20.Kg1 Bxe2 21.Re1 Bb5 22.f4 Rd8 23.Bf2 Rdd2 24.Bg3 Rxg2+ 25.Kh1 Rgd2 26.e5 Bc6+ 27.Kg1 Bc5+ 28.Kf1 Bg2 checkmate, Idealist - fake, FICS, 2000) 9...Be6 10.Nc3 Nf6 11.0-0 Rhf8 12.e5 Qc6 13.exf6 Bxf6 14.Qh5+ Kg8 15.Be3 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Qxc3 17.Qh4 b6 18.Bd4 Qc4 19.c3 c5 20.Rac1 cxd4 21.cxd4 Qxa2 22.Qg5 Rf7 23.f4 Raf8 24.Rcd1 Qd5 25.Kh1 Qxg5 26.fxg5 White resigned, stretto - ifufocop, FICS, 2007 (26); 

Aggressive was 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qf3+ Ke8 10.Nc3 c6 11.0-0 (11.Bf4) dxe5 12.Rd1 Qc7 13.Qg3 Nf6 14.Be3 Be6 15.Bh6 Rd8 16.Qf3 Rxd1+ 17.Rxd1 Kf7 18.Bg5 Rd8 19.Rxd8 Qxd8 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.h4 h5 22.Qe2 b5 23.Nd1 a5 24.Qe1 a4 25.Ne3 Bxh4 26.b3 Bg5 27.f4 Bxf4 28.Nf1 Kg7 29.g3 Bg5 30.c4 bxc4 31.bxc4 Bxc4 32.Qb4 Bxf1 33.Kxf1 Qd3+ 34.Kg2 Qd2+ 35.Kh3 Qxb4 36.a3 Qxa3 White forfeited on time, Stockholm - MorphyLives, FICS, 2007. 

8...Ke8 

9.Be3 

Alternatives:

9.Qh5+ g6 10.Qf3 dxe5 11.Nc3 Be6 12.0-0 c6 13.Be3 Nf6 14.Rad1 Qc7 15.Bh6 Bg4 16.Qd3 Bxd1 17.Rxd1 Rd8 18.Qc4 Rxd1+ 19.Nxd1 Qd6 20.Nc3 Qb4 21.Qe6 Qxb2 22.Bg7 Qc1+ White resigned, quixote - RRustyy1, Chess.com, 2012; 

9.exd6 Qxd6 10.Bf4 Qb4+ 11.Nd2 Qxb2 12.0-0 Nf6 13.Bxc7 Bg4 14.Qd3 Rc8 15.Nc4 Qb5 16.Nd6+ Bxd6 17.Qxd6 Nxe4 18.Rfe1 Be2 19.Qe6+ Kf8 20.Qxe4 Rxc7 21.Rxe2 Kf7 22.Qf4+ Kg6 23.Re5 Qb2 24.Qg5+ Kf7 25.Rae1 Qb6 26.Qf4+ Qf6 27.Rf5 g5 28.Qxc7+ Black resigned, jfhumphrey - JeversonM, FICS, 2012; 

9.e6 Bxe6 10.Nc3 Nf6 11.0-0 Rf8 12.Qg3 Nh5 13.Qd3 Nf4 14.Bxf4 Rxf4 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Rh4 17.Rae1 Qd7 18.Re6 Kf8 19.Qf3+ Kg8 20.Rfe1 Re8 21.Qe3 Rh6 22.Rxh6 gxh6 23.Qxh6 Bf8 24.Qg5+ Bg7 25.Rf1 Qe7 26.Qg3 Qe2 27.f3 Qxc2 28.Qg4 Qg6 29.Qd7 Re2 30.Qc8+ Bf8 31.Qh3 Rxb2 32.f4 Rxa2 33.f5 Qg5 34.f6 Qxd5 35.f7+ Kh8 36.Qg3 Qd4+ 37.Kh1 Qg7 38.Qf3 c5 39.h4 c4 40.Qxb7 c3 41.Qf3 c2 42.h5 Rb2 43.Kh2 c1Q 44.Rxc1 Qe5+ 45.Kh3 Qe6+ 46.Kh2 Rb4 47.Qc3+ Qe5+ 48.Qxe5+ dxe5 49.Kh3 Kg7 50.Rf1 h6 51.g4 a5 52.Rf5 Rb3+ 53.Kh4 Be7+ 54.g5 Bxg5+ 55.Kg4 Rb4+ 56.Kf3 e4+ 57.Ke2 Rb2+ 58.Kd1 Kf8 59.Rxa5 Kxf7 60.Rf5+ Ke6 61.Rf8 Ke5 62.Re8+ Kd4 63.Rd8+ Ke3 White resigned, jfhumphrey - fischbroetchen, FICS, 2011; 

Probably best is 9.Bf4 dxe5 10.Bxe5 Nf6 11.0-0 Bd6 12.Bd4 c5 13.e5 cxd4 14.exd6 Qxd6 15.Re1+ Kf8 16.Na3 Kg8 17.Nc4 Qc6 18.Qb3 Be6 19.Rxe6 Qxe6 20.Qxb7 Rf8 21.b3 h5 22.Qxa7 Qg4 23.h3 Qf4 24.Re1 Rh7 25.Re7 g5 26.Rxh7 Nxh7 27.a4 Qxf2+ 28.Kh2 Rf7 29.Qa8+ Kg7 30.Qd5 g4 31.hxg4 hxg4 32.Qd6 g3+ 33.Qxg3+ Qxg3+ 34.Kxg3 Ng5 35.Kh2 Ne4 36.g3 Rf2+ 37.Kh3 Rxc2 38.Kg4 Rc3 39.Kf4 Rxb3 40.Ne5 Rb4 41.Ng6 Rxa4 42.Ne7 Kf7 43.Nf5 Nxg3 44.Nd6+ Ke7 45.Nf5+ Ke6 46.Nd6 Kd5 47.Kg4 Kxd6 48.Kg5 drawn, soonFM - vessoj, FICS, 2005.

9...Nh6

Black is planning something wicked, a threat that shows up in several of the above games. Probably his best move was 9...dxe5.

10.Nc3 

It is prudent to note here that White can take the draw with 10.Bxh6 gxh6 11.Qh5+ Kf8 12.Qf3+ Kg7 13.Qg3+ Kf7 14.Qf3+ Kg8 15.Qb3+ Kg7 16.Qg3+ Kf7, etc.

If White wants to play on, it would seem that 10.Qh5+ Nf7 11.exd6 followed by 12.Nc3 would be best.

10...Bg4 

The unhappy point: White will lose his Queen.

11.Qg3 Bh4 12.Qf4 Rf8 13.Qxf8+ Kxf8 

White continued the fight, but it was too much. 

14.g3 Bg5 15.f4 Be7 16.Kf2 Qe8 17.h3 Bd7 18.Ke2 dxe5 19.fxe5 Qh5+ 20.Kd2 Bg5 21.Rae1 Bxe3+ 22.Rxe3 Qxe5 23.Kc1 Kg8 24.Rd1 Bxh3 25.Rd5 Qf6 26.b3 Rd8 27.Rc5 Qf2 28.Nd5 Rxd5 29.Rec3 Rxc5 White resigned

You Can Observe A Lot By Just Watching

The title of this post is from a quote by the American baseball player Yogi Berra, who packed a lot of insight into his verbal quips. Makes me wonder if he ever played the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). Probably not. Too bad.

Playing through the following game, however, and paying attention to the notes, will teach you a lot about a particular line in the Jerome Gambit.

Wall, Bill - Guest3625961
PlayChess.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6

The Semi-Italian opening.

 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.O-O Bc5

The Semi-Italian Four Knights.

6. Bxf7+

The Semi-Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

The Database has 125 examples, with White scoring 67%. However, Bill is 15-0, including this game.

6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+

For a change, in this line and others, Bill has tried 7.Qe2, which led to some interesting play, too: 7...d6 8.d3 Rf8 (8...a6 9.h3 Ba7 10.Be3 Be6 11.a4 Rf8 12.a5 Kg8 13.Bxa7 Rxa7 14.Rfe1 b5 15.axb6 cxb6 16.Qd2 Ra8 17.d4 exd4 18.Nxd4 Nxd4 19.Qxd4 Qc7 20.Red1 Rfd8 21.Rd2 b5 22.f3 Bc4 23.b3 Bf7 24.Qe3 Re8 25.Qd4 Nh5 26.Nd5 Bxd5 27.Qxd5+ Qf7 28.Qxd6 Red8 29.Qxd8+ Rxd8 30.Rxd8+ Kh7 31.Rxa6 Qc7 32.Rd5 Nf4 33.Rd2 Qe7 34.c4 bxc4 35.bxc4 Qg5 36.Kh2 Nxh3 $2 37.Rd5 Qf4+ 38.Kxh3 Qc7 39.Ra4 Qc8+ 40.Kg3 Qc6 41.Ra7 Black resigned, Wall,B - Doris, PlayChess.com, 2012) 9.Be3 Bxe3 10.fxe3 Kg8 11.h3 Qe8 12.Nb5 Qd7 13.c4 a6 14.Nc3 Qe8 15.Nd5 Nxd5 16.cxd5 Ne7 17.Rae1 Qh5 18.Qc2 c6 19.dxc6 bxc6 20.Qb3+ Kh8 21.Nh2 Bd7 22.Qb7 Rad8 $2 23.Rxf8+ Rxf8 24.Qxd7 Rf7 25.Qxd6 Qg5 26.Ng4 h5 27.Nxe5 Rf6 28.Qxe7 Rf1+ 29.Rxf1 Qxe7 30.Ng6+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Suave, PlayChess.com, 2013.

There is also the calm 7.d3:  7...Re8 8.Be3 Nd4 9.Na4 Nxf3+ 10.Qxf3 Be7 11.c4 Kg8 12.Nc3 c6 13.Qf5 Bb4 14.Qg6 d5 15.Bxh6 Qc7 16.f4 Bxc3 17.bxc3 dxc4 18.fxe5 Rxe5 19.Rxf6 Re7 20.Raf1 Bd7 21.Rf7 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest907068, PlayChess.com 2012. 

7...Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4

The text is probably best, but Bill has faced alternatives which are worth playing out:

8...Re8 9.dxc5 Kg8 $6 10.f4 Nc4 11.e5 Nh7 12.Qd5+ Kh8 13.Qxc4 b6 14.Nd5 bxc5 15.Qxc5 c6 16.Nb4 a5 17.Nd3 Nf8 18.f5 Ba6 19.c4 Rb8 20.b3 d5 21.exd6 Nd7 22.Qxc6 Bb7 23.Qc7 Qf6 24.Qxd7 Qxa1 25.Bb2 Qxf1+ 26.Kxf1 Rg8 27.Qe6 Rbe8 28.Qxh6 checkmate, Wall,B - Santiago,D, FICS, 2010); 

8...Bd6 9.dxe5 (9.f4 Rf8 10.fxe5 Kg8 11.exf6 Rxf6 12.Rxf6 Qxf6 13.e5 Qg6 14.exd6 Black resigned, Wall,B - Dato, Chess.com, 2010) 9...Bxe5 10.Nd5 Nxd5 (10...h5 11.f4 Bd4+ 12.Qxd4 c5 13.Qxc5 d6 14.Qb5 Nxe4 15.Qc4 Nf6 16.Nxf6+ Kxf6 17.Be3 d5 18.Bd4+ Kf7 19.Qd3 Re8 20.Qh7 Rg8 21.Qxh5+ Kf8 22.Bc5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Mol,E, Chess.com, 2010; or 10...c6 11.f4 Bb8 12.Nxf6 Qxf6 13.e5 Qe6 14.Be3 d5 15.Qh5+ g6 16.Qh4 Bc7 17.Rae1 Bd8 18.Qg3 Qg4 19.e6+ Bxe6 20.f5 Bxf5 21.Qxg4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Maas,D, Chess.com, 2011) 11.Qxd5+ Kf6 $2 12.f4 Kg6 13.fxe5 Kh7 14.Rf7 Qh4 15.Be3 Re8 16.e6 dxe6 17.Qe5 Rg8 18.Bd4 Qg4 19.Rxc7 b6 20.Rf1 Ba6 21.Rff7 Qd1+ 22.Kf2 Qd2+ 23.Kf3 Be2+ 24.Kg3 Qg5+ 25.Kf2 Qxe5 26.Bxe5 Black resigned, Wall,B - Guest215111, PlayChess.com, 2012);

8...Qe7 9.dxc5 Qxc5 10.Be3 Qc6 11.Bd4 Nc4 12.e5 Nd5 13.Qf3+ Kg8 $2 14.Nxd5 Nd2 15.Ne7+ Kh7 16.Qf5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Rami, FICS. 2012;

8...d6 9.dxc5 dxc5 10.Qe2 Re8 (10...b6 11.Bf4 Ng6 12.Bg3 a5 13.Rfd1 Qe7 14.e5 Ng4 15.Qf3+ Kg8 16.Qxa8 Kh7 17.f4 Bf5 18.Qf3 c6 19.h3 N6xe5 20.fxe5 Nxe5 21.Qxf5+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Gual,T, Chess.com, 2010; or 10...Bg4 11.f3 Bh5 12.g4 Bg6 13.f4 Nc6 14.e5 Nd5 15.Qc4 Re8 16.Nxd5 b5 17.Qxc5 Nxe5 18.fxe5+ Kg8 19.Bxh6 Rxe5 20.Rad1 Bf7 21.Qc3 Qd6 22.Nf6+ Black resigned, Wall,B - Snoopy, Chess.com 2010) 11.f4 Neg4 12.Rd1 Bd7 13.h3 Nf2 14.Kxf2 Nh5 15.Qxh5+ Kg8 16.Qd5+ Kh8 17.Qxd7 Qh4+ 18.g3 Qh5 19.Be3 Black resigned, Wall,B - Defensive, Chess.com, 2010;

and 8...Ng6 9.dxc5 Re8 10.Qd4 Qe7 11.f3 Kg8 12.Nb5 c6 13.Nc7 Rb8 14.Nxe8 Qxe8 15.Qd6 Ra8 16.Bxh6 gxh6 17.Qxf6 d5 18.exd5 cxd5 19.Rad1 Nf4 20.Qxf4 Black resigned, Wall,B - Jazza, Chess.com, 2010. 

9.Qxd4 d6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3

11...Be6

Avoiding an "Optical Illusion" variation with 11...Nb4?.

There was also: 11...Re8 12.b4 Be6 13.a3 Nd7 14.f5 Kg8 15.fxe6 Rxe6 16.Qc4 Qe7 17.Nd5 Qh4 18.Nxc7 Qxe4 19.Qxe6+ Qxe6 20.Nxe6 Re8 21.Nc7 Black resigned, Wall,B - Neelesh, PlayChess.com, 2014).

12.f5 Nb4

Ah, but the temptation is still there...

13.fxe6+ Ke7 14.Qc4 Nc6 15.Nd5+ Ke8 16.Qc3 Ne5

Huh?

17.Nxc7+ Ke7 18.Nxa8 Qxa8 19.Bf4 Rc8 20.Qg3 Nh5 21.Qh4+ g5 22.Qxh5 gxf4 23.Rxf4 Black resigned

Checkmate is inescapable.