Jerome Gambit

The Jerome Gambit gives up the c4-bishop on f7 on the fourth move of the Giuoco Piano. Sacrifices on f7 recur throughout the Italian Game, but this one comes far too early to be sound. After 4...Kxf7, by far the most common reply, White continues 5. Nxe5+ Nxe5 6. Qh5+, collecting a second pawn and aiming the queen at the displaced king and at the black pieces on e5 and c5. The main trap arises after 6...g6 7. Qxe5 d6, when 8. Qxh8 wins the rook; 7...Qe7 instead keeps Black on top. Against 6. Qh5+, the simplest defense is 6...Ng6, giving back the bishop and leaving White with two pawns for a knight and only the queen developed. Another option is 6...Ke6 7. Qf5+ Kd6 8. f4 Kc6 9. Qxe5 Nf6, marching the king over to shelter the bishop.

The engine assesses the position as winning for Black, yet online results are close to even, a sign of how often the defense goes wrong in practice. The gambit is named after Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, who used it against William Shinkman in 1874; Blackburne called it the Kentucky opening.