Wilhelm Steinitz never faced the Jerome Gambit, as far as we know, but he did encounter Meitner's counter gambit – see "Godfather of the Jerome Gambit? (Part I)" – in an exhibition game during the same year that Alonzo Wheeler Jerome's analysis first saw print. Steinitz's play is a good example of how to combat such a wild-eyed attack.
Steinitz,W - Steinkuehler,G
simultaneous exhibition, Great Britain, 1874
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Bc5 3.Na4 Bxf2+
4.Kxf2 Qh4+ 5.Ke3 Qf4+ 6.Kd3 d5 7.Kc3 Qxe4 8.Kb3 Nc6
Hamppe - Meitner, Vienna 1872 continued instead with 8...Na6, with the Knight intending to go to c5.
White's King is still uncomfortable, and he needs to take pains to keep it safe.
White's King is still uncomfortable, and he needs to take pains to keep it safe.
9.c3 b5
Perhaps underestimating the strength of White's forced reply.
More promising seems to be 9...d4 10.Qf3 Be6+ 11.Ka3 Qh4 with the idea of 12...Qe7+. Of course, the b-pawn is off-limits (10.Bxb5 Rb8).
More promising seems to be 9...d4 10.Qf3 Be6+ 11.Ka3 Qh4 with the idea of 12...Qe7+. Of course, the b-pawn is off-limits (10.Bxb5 Rb8).
10.Nc5 Na5+ 11.Ka3 Nc4+ 12.Bxc4 Qxc4 13.d4 a5
It seems important to mention that the future World Champion is handling the White pieces, although his next move effectively ends the "King hunt" part of the game.
14.Qe2 Qxe2 15.Nxe2 e4
Black now has a protected passed pawn, as well as a 4-to-2 Kingside pawn majority. However, White has an extra piece and better development.
16.b3 Ne7 17.Bf4 c6 18.Kb2 f6 19.a4
Steinitz begins to take command.
19...Kf7 20.axb5 cxb5 21.Bc7 Nc6 22.Nf4 Ne7 23.Rhf1 Re8 24.Bxa5 g5
Putting the pawns into motion, but it looks like the last "Hurrah!"
25.Ne2 f5 26.g3 Kg6 27.Bc7 Rxa1 28.Rxa1 Nc6 29.b4 Rf8 30.Ra8 Kg7 31.Bd6 Re8 32.Kc2
Steinkuehler's pinned "bad Bishop" is of very little help. When Steinitz's King reaches the battlefield, the struggle will truly be over.
32...Rd8 33.Be5+ Nxe5
The resulting passed pawn is an annoyance, rather than a target.
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