The Norton - Hallock Game (Part 1)

Responding to the Jerome - Norton games (see "The Jerome - Norton Games" Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 and Part 4), the editor of the American Chess Journal, William Hallock, conducted a game in which he defended against the Gambit, allowing D.P. Norton the white pieces.

The game was discussed in consecutive issues of the American Chess Journal. Today's post will present what appeared in the February 1877 issue (with notes by Hallock), and tomorrow's post (with comments by Jerome) will cover what appeared in the March 1877 issue.

Third and fourth posts will be necessary to reconcile the two, as will be seen.

Norton,D.P. - Hallock,W.S.
correspondence, 1877

Having in a former number (see Journal for November) expressed a doubt as to the soundness of Jerome's Gambit, the following correspondence game was played "by special request" for the purpose of proving that there was more in the Jerome Gambit than we had been willing to admit.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Kf8

The usual continuation is 5...Nxe5 but this seems equally good.

6.Nxc6

The continuation adopted by Jerome, 6.Qh5 looks promising.

6...dxc6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.e5 Bg4

An excellent move cramping White's game and enabling Black to optimally deploy his forces.

9.Qe1 Kf7

Very good again. Brings the KR into the field. Obviously the capture of the Knight would lose the Queen.

10.h3

A mere waste of time. Should have played Kh1 or c3

10...Re8

Sound and brilliant.

11.Kh2

If White answer 11.hxg4 Nxg4! 12.g3 (12.Qe4 Qh4! 13.Qf3+ Kg8 14.Qh3 Bxf2+ 15.Kh1 Rxe5 wins easily) 12...Rxe5 13.Qd1 Nxf2 etc If 14.Rxf2+ (if 14.c3 Qg5) 14...Qf6

11...Rxe5! 12.Qxe5 Bd6 13.f4 Bxe5 14.fxe5 Be2

15.Rf2 Qd4 16.Rxe2 Re8 17.d3 Rxe5 18.c3 Qd5 White resigns