Not Such A Good Idea

In the October 1881 issue of Brentano's Chess Monthly, a letter to the editors ( H.C. Allen & J.N. Babson), was printed in the "Games" section. Here is an excerpt

...Some time since, I published in the Pittsburg Telegraph a compilation of such analyses of the Jerome Gambit as I could find, with some additions from published games. Mr. Jerome justly criticized some of the moves as not being the best for either party, and we commenced as series of correspondence games more as a test of the opening than of individual skill. Unfortunately Mr. Jerome's business engagements have prevented him from playing out the full number of games originally started; yet the situation even in the unfinished games seems to me at least to prove the gambit unsound, and that while White may win against weak, he cannot do against strong play. I should add, perhaps, that Mr. Jerome does consider the defenses here given to 6.d4 to be the best but he does not suggest any others...

Very respectfully
S.A. Charles

Charles presented the incomplete games, and in one of them made mention of a Jerome suggestion

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 White now has 3 lines of attack [7.Qf5+, 7.f4, 7.0-0 ]. Mr Jerome also suggests for analysis b2-b4.

It is not clear what White achieves if Black takes the pawn with 7...Bxb4 – something to be expected in play between amateurs in the 1880s – but there is even less to recommend White's game after the reasonable 7...Bd4. If the first player intended 8.c3 as a response, it is short-circuited by 8...Nd3+. Coping with this threat can lead to something like 7...Bd4 8.Qh3+ Kf7 9.c3 Bb6 10.d4 (presumably White's idea).

White has a wonderful center, but he is down two pieces for two pawns and his only developed piece – the Queen – will have to move again after 10...d6.

Possibly Alonzo Wheeler Jerome did not think very long before making his suggestion, because it is not such a good idea after all.