Jerome Gambit: Mis-Match

In a tournament with 250 players, there are bound to be rating mis-matches, especially in the early rounds.

That is pretty much the story of the following game. I like to think, though, that the Jerome Gambit helped add some confusion to my opponent's task.

perrypawnpusher - m2mkiss

"Giuoco Fun" tournament, Chess.com, 2023

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

6.Qh5+ 

Not the strongest move, but I was hoping for complications.

Instead, 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Qxc5 as in perrypawnpusher - rodrigojalpa, blitz, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 25). 

6...g6 

Long ago:

6...Kf8 7.Qf7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - platel, blitz, FICS, 2011;

6...Ke7 7.Qf7+! Kd6 8.Qd5+ Ke7 9.Nxc6+ Kf6 10.Qf5 checkmate, Kennedy - WeakDelphi, blitz 2 12, 2008 .

7.Nxg6 Qf6 

Stockfish 16 likes 7...Bxf2+, a move that is as old as Hultgren,R - Harrow, Campbell, CA 1960. 

8.Nxh8+ Ke7 

Or 8...Kd8 9.Qxc5 Qxh8 10.Qf8 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - schachix, 5 3 blitz, FICS, 2013.

9.Qxc5+ d6 10.Qc3 

At this point I was happy to exchange Queens. 

10...Ne5 11.Qxc7+ Bd7 12.Nc3 Qxh8 

White is up the exchange and 4 pawns. It is time to finish off the enemy King.

13.f4 Nc6 14.Nd5+ Ke8 15.Qxd6 Qg7 

Another day, another time, going after White's Rook at h1 might be a good idea. Right now, there is not enough time.

16.Nc7+ Kd8 17.Ne6+ Kc8 18.Qc7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Update -> Unplayed

Some recommended moves in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+), despite their playability, don't find their way to the chessboard. 

There is one in particular, mentioned on this blog 13 1/2 years ago, which has yet to make it into play, remaining a "secret".

v-trash - P-H-Pearse

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

As I mentioned about 2 1/2 years ago, in "Jerome Gambit: Disease 1, Cure 0"

The major problem with this move is that it leads to a position that Black is not prepared to deal with. He may have planned to "take White out of his book" by refusing to play the "normal" 5...Nxe5, but this is one of the cases where the "cure" is worse than the "disease".

6.Nxc6 

The Database has 60 games with this move, with White scoring 65%. Bill Wall has 9 wins against 0 losses.

By comparison, The Database has 87 games with the more aggressive (if "objectively" not quite as strong) 6.Qh5+, which leads to messy positions (dangerous for Black) where White scores 75%.

Personally, I am 1 - 0 - 1 with 6.Nxc6 (perrypawnpusher - rodrigojalpa, blitz 2 12, FICS 2008 [1-0, 25] and perrypawnpusher - zsilber, 2 12 blitz, FICS, 2010 [1/2 - 1/2, 43]) and 2 - 0 with 6.Qh5+ (perrypawnpusher - platel, 10 3 blitz, FICS, 2011 [1-0, 7] and perrypawnpusher - schachix, 5 3 blitz, FICS, 2013 [1-0, 10).

6...bxc6  

This is a reasonable response.

Recently there has been 6...Bxf2+, getting a pawn for the Bishop that is going to be lost, anyhow: mwafakalhaswa - Ashkan -estemmm, 10 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020 : 7.Kxf2 Qf6+ 8.Qf3 Qxf3+ 9.gxf3 dxc6 10.Nc3 Be6 11.Rg1 g6 12.d4 Ne7 13.Bg5 Rf8 14.Bxe7 Kxe7 15.Rad1 Rad8 16.d5 cxd5 17.Nxd5+ Bxd5 18.Rxd5 c6 19.Rxd8 Rxd8 20.Ke2 Ke6 21.Rd1 Rxd1 22.Kxd1 Ke5 23.Ke2 Kf4 24.c4 b6 25.b4 a6 26.a4 b5 27.axb5 axb5 28.cxb5 cxb5 29.Kf2 h5 30.h4 g5 31.hxg5 Kxg5 32.Kg3 h4+ 33.Kh3 Kh5 34.f4 Black resigned.

Likewise, we have seen 6...Qf6, as in chessmaster512 - jonjons, ultrabullet, lichess.org, 2020: 7.Ne5 Qxe5 8.d4 Qf6 9.O-O Bxd4 10.Qxd4 Qxd4 11. Be3 Qf6 12.Nc3 Ne7 13.Rad1 Ng6 14.Bd4 Qe7 15.Bxg7 Rg8 16.Nd5 Qxg7 17.Nxc7+ Kd8 18.Nxa8 Qf6 19.e5 Qc6 20.e6 b6 21.exd7 Bxd7 22.Rxd7+ Kxd7 23.Nxb6+ Kc7 24.Rd1 Qxb6 25.c4 Kc6 26.Rf1 Kc5 27.Kh1 Kxc4 28.Kg1 Kb4 29.Kh1 Qxf2 30.Rxf2 Ne5 31.Re2 Ng4 32.Re4+ Kc5 33.Rxg4 Rf8 34.h3 Rf1+ 35.Kh2 Rd1 36.Kg3 Rc1 37.Kh2 Rc2 38.Kh1 Rxb2 39.Kh2 Rxa2 40.Kh1 Ra1+ 41.Kh2 Rb1 Black won on time

The strongest reply, however - one first mentioned in "You, too, can add to Jerome Gambit theory", later "Jerome Gambit Secret #3" - is 6...Qh4. The game might continue 7.d4 Qxe4+ 8.Be3 (8.Qe2 is also possible) when things would remain quite complicated, but a bit in White's favor.

7.Qh5+ Black resigned

White will win the Bishop at c5 and be 2 pawns up. 

The Database: The Long And The Short Of It (Part 3)

 

After looking at long and short Jerome Gambit games - see the previous posts, Part 1 and Part 2 - I got to wondering about how my own games from The Database fit in.

After all, I am supposed to be somewhat knowledgeable about the Jerome, right?

It turns out that my longest game was

perrypawnpusher - alsuarezdi

9 3 blitz, FICS, 2010

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 h6 4.O-O Nf6 5.Nc3 Bc5 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.d4 Bxd4 9.Qxd4 d6 10.f4 Nc6 11.Qd3 Re8 12.Bd2 Qe7 13.Rae1 Kg8 14.Nd5 Qd8 15.Bc3 Nxd5 16.exd5 Rxe1 17.Rxe1 Bd7 18.dxc6 Bxc6 19.Qg6 Qf8 20.Re3 Be8 21.Qg4 c5 22.Rg3 Bb5 23.Qxg7+ Qxg7 24.Rxg7+ Kf8 25.Rxb7 a6 26.Bg7+ Kg8 27.Bxh6 Re8 28.f5 Re1+ 29.Kf2 Re2+ 30.Kg3 Rxc2 31.f6 Be8 32.Rg7+ Kh8 33.Rb7 Kg8 34.Rb8 Kf7 35.Bg7 Re2 36.h4 Bc6 37.Rf8+ Kg6 38.h5+ Kxh5 39.Rh8+ Kg6 40.Rh2 Rxb2 41.Kh4 Rxg2 42.Rxg2+ Bxg2 43.Bf8 d5 44.Bxc5 Kxf6 45.Kg4 a5 46.Kf4 a4 47.a3 Ke6 48.Ke3 Ke5 49.Bd4+ Kd6 50.Kd2 Kc6 51.Kc3 Kb5 52.Be5 Bf1 53.Bd4 Bc4 54.Be3 Bb3 55.Bd4 Kc6 56.Kb4 Kd6 57.Kc3 Ke6 58.Kb4 Kf5 59.Kc3 Ke4 60.Bc5 Kf3 61.Bd4 Ke2 62.Bc5 Kd1 63.Bd4 Kc1 64.Bc5 Kb1 65.Bd4 Ka1 66.Bc5 Ka2 67.Bb4 Bc4 68.Bc5 Kb1 69.Bb4 Ka2 70.Bc5 Kb1 71.Bb4 Ka2 72.Kd4 Kb3 73.Bc5 Kb2 74.Bb4 Kb3 75.Bd6 Kb2 76.Bb4 Kb3 77.Be7 Kb2 78.Bb4 Kb3 79.Ke3 Kb2 80.Kd4 Kb3 81.Ke3 Kb2 82.Kd4 Kb3 83.Bf8 Kb2 84.Bb4 Kb3 85.Bf8 Kb2 86.Bb4 Kb3 87.Bf8 Kb2 88.Bb4 Kb3 draw

My shortest game was, of course

perrypawnpusher - Roland_Bollinger

3d/move, "Piano Piano" tournament, Chess.com, 2020

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Black lost on time

My quickest checkmate was

perrypawnpusher - platel

10 3 blitz, FICS, 2011

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qf7 checkmate

Jerome Gambit: Chess Is An Easy Game, After All

In the previous post, it was enjoyable to examine a line in the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) through the games of a particular player.

So, let's do it again.

Intercrosse - PrashantKakade

3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8 

As I wrote years ago

As early as his first Jerome Gambit article (Dubuque Chess Journal April, 1874), Alonzo Jerome considered the possibility that Black might refuse to capture the second piece with 5...Nxe5, and instead play for King safety instead with 5...Kf8.
In a letter to the American Chess Journal, March 1877, Jerome wrote

5...Kf8 leaves White's pawns intact while Black has lost two strong pawns and doubled another. This defense was adopted by G.J. Dougherty of Mineola, NY, a strong amateur, against whom I first played the opening, and I think he will agree that 5...Kf8 is not a good defense. He generally played 6.bc and that was the play of Mr. J. C. Young of Danville, KY, who subsequently abandoned the game. Why, I do not know, as it was not necessarily lost to either of us. It is a question with which Pawn it is best to take.

The earliest game example that I have of this line is Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, USA, 1875 (1/2-1/2, 29) 

For some games and history, see "Jerome Gambit: A Trip Down Memory Lane (Part 1)".

6.Qh5  

And, again

White also has the option of playing 6.Qh5, the Banks Variation, as in Banks - Rees, Halesowen, 2003, when Black can transpose with 6…Nxe5  as recommended by the American Chess Journal, (3/1877) - "The continuation adopted by Jerome, Qh5 looks promising."

Pete Banks ("blackburne" online), a stalwart member of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde ...brought international attention to Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's invention by writing to International Master Gary Lane, who commented at length on the opening, and on a couple of Banks' games, in his March ("The Good Old Days") and April ("Chess Made Easy") 2008 "Opening Lanes" columns at ChessCafe.com. IM Lane also mentioned one of Banks' games in his The Greatest Ever chess tricks and traps (2008), which reprised some of the earlier material.

It is humorous to note that in his "Opening Lanes" column Lane wrote, after 5.Nxe5+, "I think anyone with good manners playing Black would now kindly ask their opponent if they wanted to take their move back" while in his book he changed this to "I think anyone with good manners playing Black would now go to another room to carry on laughing."

Apropos the Banks Variation itself (i.e. playing 6.Qh5 in response to 5...Kf8), IM Lane noted in "The Good Old Days" that "6...Qe7 is a good alternative [to 6...Qf6 of Banks - Rees], because it stops the checkmate and protects the bishop on c5."

How should Black respond?

There is 6...Qf6 7.O-O ( More to the point is 7.Nxd7+ Bxd7 8.Qxc5+) 7...Nxe5 8.c3 d6 9.d4 Bxd4 (9...Bg4 10.Qg5 Qxg5 11.Bxg5 Nf7 12.dxc5 Nxg5 13.cxd6 cxd6) 10.cxd4 Nc6 11.e5 dxe5 12.dxe5 Qxe5 13.Nc3 Qxh5 White resigned, Intercrosse - Piropiro2, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 

Black could transposte to the main line with 6...Nxe5 7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qf4+ Nf6 9.d4 Bxd4 10.O-O Be5 11.Qf3 Bg4 12.Qb3 Rb8 13.Bg5 h6 14.Bh4 g5 15.Bg3 Kg7 16.Nc3 Bxc3 17.Qxc3 Qe7 18.Rae1 Rbe8 19.f3 Be6 20.f4 gxf4 21.Bh4 Rhf8 22.Rxf4 Kg6 23.Re3 Qg7 24.Rg3+ Ng4 25.Rfxg4+ Bxg4 26.Rxg4+ Kf7 27.Qxg7+ Ke6 28.Rg6+ Rf6 29.Qxf6+ Kd7 30.Rg7+ Re7 31.Qxe7+ Kc6 32.Qxc7+ Kb5 33.b4 Kxb4 34.Qxb7+ Kc3 35.Rc7+ Kd2 36.Qd5+ Ke3 37.g4 Kf4 38.e5 Kxg4 39.exd6 Kxh4 40.Rg7 Kh3 41.Qh5 checkmate, Intercrosse - Drunkpad, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 

Black could be creative and return material with 6...Bxf2+?! 7.Kxf2 Qf6+ 8.Ke1 (hoping to pin the enemy Queen to its King with Rf1, but it never happens; better the simple 8.Nf3) Qxe5 9.Rf1+ Nf6 10.d4? Qxe4+ White resigned, Intercrosse - shyqrish, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 

There was also 6...g6 7.Nxg6+ hxg6 8.Qxh8 Qf6 9.Qh6+? (9.Qxf6+ Nxf6 10.Qxf6 Nxf6 11.d3 would leave White with 3 pawns and a Rook vs Knight and Bishop) 9...Kf7? White resigned in an equal position, Intercrosse - TickleAttack, 3 0 blitz, lichess.org, 2020; 

Surprisingly, after 6...Qe8 White resigned in Intercrosse - ehne_mehn_muhh, 3 0, blitz, lichess.org, 2020. Again, after the tactic 7.Nxe7+ Qxd7 8.Qxc5+, Black would have a small edge. 

Finally, 6...Qe7!? suggested by IM Lane (see above) was tested in splott - mika76, GameKnot.com, 2008: 7.Ng6+ hxg6 8.Qxh8 Qxe4+ 9.Kf1 Qd4 10.Ke1 Qxf2+ 11.Kd1 d6 12.h3 Qxg2 13.Re1 Qf3+ 14.Re2 Bf2 15.d3 Nd4 16.Nc3 Qh1+ 17.Kd2 Nf3 checkmate. 

So, how did Black respond in the game?

6...Nf6 7.Qf7 checkmate

Chess is an easy game, after all.

By the way, this is the only game in The Database with this final position. There are 3 similar games that proceeded 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 (not 5...Kf8, as in our main game) 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qf7 checkmate: Esistes - ClosetDoor, blitz, FICS, 2009; perrypawnpusher - platel, blitz, FICS, 2011, and BahatiTheGrandmaster - Mammaen-din, 10 5 blitz, lichess.org, 2021.

A Second Chance to Decline

Here is a recent game played by Philidor 1792, from a cache of games he sent not long ago. His opponent declines the offer of a second piece with an inaccuracy that is worth knowing - and punishing. 

Philidor 1792 - Guest834593
3 0 blitz, PlayChess.com, 02.11.2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8

While declining the second piece is as old as Jerome - Brownson, Iowa, 1875 (1/2-1/2, 29), the safest place for Black's King to retreat to is f8, not e8.

6.Qh5+

It's possible that 6.Nxc6 is stronger, but who can resist checking the King?

On the other hand, White's Knight capture is tricky, as 6...bxc6? is not the correct response - see perrypawnpusher - rodrigojalpa, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 25); perrypawnpusher - zsilber, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1/2-1/2, 42); Wall,B - Qwerty, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 9); and Wall,B - LFTN, FICS, 2012 (1-0, 20).

Neither is 6...dxc6? the right move - see Wall,B - Gebba, Chess.com 2010 (1-0, 11).

Although I have suggested the untried 6...Bf2+ in "Don't Drive Like My Brother", the best response for Black, still untried as far as The Database is concerned is 6...Qh4!?, as after 7.d4 Qxe4+ 8.Qe2 Qxe2+ 9.Kxe2 Bb6 10.Nb4 Bxd4 11.Nd5 Kd8 Black has an equal game. (Of course, he turned down a second piece to get there.)

6...g6

Silly alternatives: 6...Kf8 7.Qf7 checkmate,  perrypawnpusher - platel, blitz, FICS, 2011  and 6...Ke7 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Qd5+ Ke7 9.Nxc6+ Kf6 10.Qf5 checkmate, Kennedy - WeakDelphi, 2 12 blitz, 2008.

7.Nxg6 Bxf2+

Instead, 7...Qf6 was no solution in perrypawnpusher - schachix, blitz, FICS, 2013 (1-0, 10).

8.Kxf2 Qf6+

Black goes astray: 8...Nf6  was the way to keep an edge.

9.Nf4+ Kd8 10.d3 Nge7

Or 10...d6 11.Rf1 Qd4+ 12.Be3 Qf6 13.c3 Black resigned, Hultgren,R - Harrow, Campbell, CA 1960. 

11.Nc3 d6 12.Rf1 Ng6 13.Kg1

Usually it is Black who has to castle-by-hand. White is two pawns ahead, with a safer King.

13...Qd4+ 14.Kh1 Nge5 15.Nfd5 Be6 16.Be3 Black resigned

Black's Queen is trapped in the middle of the board!

Do As I Say...

Readers are encouraged to enjoy the following quickie game, while recalling the charge: Do as I say, not as I do...

perrypawnpusher - schachix
blitz, FICS, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8 

When declining the Knight, usually Black's King retires to f8.

6.Qh5+

The Queen check was irresistible, but not best. I had been trying to get a Jerome Gambit all week, and this was my first opportunity.

The proper way to play this, as I should have remembered, is 6.Nxc6 when after 6...Qh4 (no examples in The Database) 7.d4 Qxe4+ 8.Qe2 Qxe2+ 9.Kxe2 Bb6 10.Nb4 Bxd4 11.Nd5 Kd8 the game would be equal.

For the record, 6.Nxc6 bxc6 was seen in Wall,B - Qwerty, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 9) and Wall,B - LFTN, FICS 2012 (1-0, 20) while 6...dxc6 was dispatched in Wall,B - Gebba, Chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 11).

6...g6

I had already pulled off 6...Ke7 7.Qf7+ Kd6 8.Qd5+ Ke7 9.Nxc6+ Kf6 10.Qf5 checkmate, Kennedy - WeakDelphi, blitz 2 12, 2008 and 6...Kf8 7.Qf7 checkmate, perrypawnpusher - platel, blitz, FICS, 2011 (which probably influenced my choice of 6.Qh5+). 

7.Nxg6 

7...Qf6 

Here is where my opponent lost his chance. Houdini recommends 7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Nf6 9.Qh4 Rg8 10.Rf1 Rxg6 11.Kg1 Qe7 with advantage to Black.

Only 5 games in The Database have Black's counter-sacrifice of the Bishop, and 4 of them are wins for White, for example 7...Bxf2+ 8.Kxf2 Qf6+ (8...Nf6 was correct) 9.Nf4+ Kd8 10.d3 d6 11.Rf1 Qd4+ 12.Be3 Qf6 13.c3 Black resigned, Hultgren,R - Harrow, Campbell, CA 1960.

8.Nxh8+ Kd8 9.Qxc5 Qxh8 10.Qf8 checkmate

Don't drive like my brother

Tom and Ray Magliozzi host the "Car Talk" program at NPR radio. They dole out auto advice in a humorous style, and they close each time with the exchange

"Don't drive like my brother."
"Don't drive like my brother."

That about sums up my opinion of the following funny game, as platel and I can each say

"Don't play like my opponent."
"Don't play like my opponent."

perrypawnpusher - platel
blitz, FICS, 2011

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke8

Declining the second piece is an acceptable strategy, but going back to e8 (where a follow-up Queen check by White is possible) has not been recommended.

6.Qh5+

At the time that I played this move, I knew that the "right" choice was 6.Nxc6, since either 6...dxc6 or 6...bxc6 would allow White to play 7.Qh5+ followed by capturing the Bishop; for example, as in perrypawnpusher - rodrigojalpa, blitz, FICS, 2008 (1-0, 25) and Wall,B - Qwerty, chess.com, 2010 (1-0, 9).

Looking at 6.Nxc6 now, I still think that it is best for White, but I wanted to point out two untested responses that might surprise the first player.

a) 6...Bxf2+ (as long as Black is going to lose this piece, he decides to get a pawn for it) 7.Kxf2 Qf6+ 8.Qf3 Qxc6 (avoiding doubled c-pawns) when White is a bit better. He has to be careful because of the loose pawn on c2 and the King and Queen being on the same file (vulnerable to ...Ne7 and ...Rf8).

analysis diagram








Black also has the untried counter-attacking

b) 6...Qh4, (which I mentioned about 3 years ago in this blog) may be better than the capture of the Knight at c6, as well. White's best response is 7.d4, and after 7...Qxe4+ 8.Qe2 Qxe2+ 9.Kxe2 Bb6 material is even, i.e. 10.Nb4 Bxd4.

analysis diagram









I think that White may have a tiny edge after 11.Nd5, and he may have better chances with his Kingside pawn majority as opposed to Black's Queenside pawn majority; but, in reality, Black's two Bishops probably balance all that out.

6...Kf8

In light of my two 6th move recommendations for Black, I have to say that this was the move that got Black into hot water, not 5...Ke8.

After the recommended 6...g6, White has the thematic 7.Nxg6, but, again, things are far from rosy for him – unless he is faced with 7...hxg6, when White plays 8.Qxh8 with advantage, as in Petasluk - Trasimene, FICS, 2007 (1-0, 18).

Black takes a step forward by interjecting 7...Nf6, so that after 6...g6 7.Nxg6 Nf6 8.Qxc5 he can then grab the Knight at g6 with 8...hxg6. White has three pawns for his sacrificed piece, but Fritz 8 is pretty stubborn about giving Black a slight edge.

The biggest challenge to White's 7th move Knight sac at g6, however, is 7...Bxf2+ – followed, in due course, by ...Nf6 and then the capture of the White Knight, e.g. 8.Kxf2 Nf6 (much better than the 8...Qf6+ of  Hultgren,R - Harrow, Campbell, CA 1960 and Blackstone - Dommeyer, skittles game, California, USA 1960 [1-0, 13] ) 9.Qh4 Rg8. White's Knight cannot retreat and will be lost (10.Nf4 Nxe4+).

It may be that White should refrain from sacrificing his Knight, and meet 6...g6 with 7.Nxc6 (anyhow), although after 7...gxh5 8.Nxd8 Kxd8 he has to hope that he can gather in one (or both) of the h-pawns in order to reach equality.

Which is a long way of saying that while 6.Nxc6 leads to "only" an even game, that's still  a better outcome than can be expected after 6.Qh5+.


By the way, the silly 6...Ke7 (in response to 6.Qh5+) got a workout in my games against a weak computer several years ago – see "One (or both) of us needs help" Part I and Part II.

7.Qf7 checkmate

I won the game, but I thought it would be fair to let my opponent "win" the analysis.