The rhetorical question, "If a tree falls in the forest, and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound?" came to mind the other day, as I was looking at the May 1874 issue of the Maryland Chess Review (Vol 1, No. 5).
Jerome Gambit aficionados know that the April 1874 issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal contained the article "A New Chess Opening" wherein Alonzo Wheeler Jerome presented his first analysis of his gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+.
How did the chess world react to this momentous event?
As the Maryland Chess Review noted
The Dubuque Chess Journal for April is a considerable improvement on the March number. The cover contains a cut of friend Brownson and his wife, engaged in a game of chess. Its contents are, a photograph and biography of F. H. Curtiss, a number of his games and problems; victory and defeat, an article by Chas. Jacobus; regular games, regular problems, etc. Vol. VII commences with the May number, which would be a good time to subscribe.
I suppose that the Jerome Gambit material was included in the Review's "etc." reference. Sigh.
