Below is another interesting game where I played the Jerome Gambit against my student, Iddo Zohar. The Jerome Gambit is an unsound specialty of mine which I like to categorize as “useful junk.” Iddo Zohar is a very talented junior chess player who you will definitely here more about in future posts.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. Bxf7+ {This is the Jerome Gambit.}
4…Kxf7
5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 {White is two pieces down but can get one back for sure.} 6.
Qh5+ Ng6 7. Qd5+ {Its better to delay the capture of the bishop for one
move.} Kf8 8. Qxc5+ d6 9. Qe3 Nf6 10. Nc3 Kf7 {Black wants to get his rook
on e8.} 11. d4 Re8 12. O-O {White is down material but controls the center
and has better king safety.} d5 13. f3 {This maintains a pawn grip on the
center and hurts the influence of the knight on f6.} c6 14. e5 Nd7
15. Ne4!? {15. f4 would have given white plenty of compensation for his
material disadvantage.} dxe4 16. Qb3+ Kf8 17. fxe4+ Nf6 {This was black’s
best move but it allows white to regain a piece when he chooses.} 18. Be3
Be6 19. Qxb7 Rb8 20. Qxc6 Rxb2 {I definately prefer white here. However,
the position is roughly even.} 21. exf6 gxf6? {Black needed to play Qc8.}
22. d5! {White’s superior pawn center provides the winning advantage.}
22…Bd7 23. Rxf6+ {It’s all about tactics now.} Kg7 24. Rxg6+! hxg6 25. Qc3+ Kh7
26. Qxb2 Rxe4 27. Bf2 Bf5 28. Qb3 Qh8 29. Rd1 Rg4 30. Qh3+ {White has a
winning endgame so it is time to end black’s attack and trade.} Kg8 31.
Qxh8+ Kxh8 32. d6 Rb4 33. Bxa7 Rb2? 34. Bd4+ {After this fork, black
resigns.} 1-0
To learn more on the Jerome Gambit you should visit my friend’s Jerome Gambit blog.