Jerome,A - Norton,D.P.
1876
Unfinished game by correspondence between A.W. Jerome and D. P. Norton
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6
8.Qd1 Ne7 9.0-0 Rf8 10.f4 N5c6 11.c3 Kg8 12.Be3 d6
13.Nd2 b6 14.f5 d5 15.Qc2 dxe4 16.Nxe4 Qf7 17.f6
and here the author of the Double Opening asks "Now what is Black's best move?" From a cursory glance at the situation it seems to us that Ba6 would be a satisfactory reply for Black.
We are not at all disposed to turn up the nose at Mr. Jerome's pet, as he seems to infer; on the contrary we regard it with favor, and therefore have frequently given games at this opening an airing in the Journal, thus introducing it to the chess public, and subjecting it to that criticism and analysis which will speedily determine its claim to a place in chess literature. We consider it stronger than the Harvey-Evans and not much inferior to the Cochrane attack, but like most openings where a piece is sacrificed to obtain a violent attack, the first player will generally find himself the loser when met by a careful and steady defence. For this reason it will never find favor among match players or the professional representatives of the game. But among the lighter lances - those who cultivate chess an an amusement and not as a means of obtaining bread and butter - it will, no doubt, become quite popular, as it affords a sparkling variation to the tiresome Piano game.It seems unfair to let William Hallock have the "last word", as his suggestion 17...Ba6 loses a piece and the exchange to 18.Ng5, for example: 18...Qg7 19.Qb3+ Kf8 20.fxe7 Nxe7 21.Nf7+ Rxf7 22.Rxf7.
On the other hand, Alonzo Jerome should not get off easily, either, as 17...Nf5 18.fxg7 Qxg7 would maintain Black's advantage after, say, 19.Bf4 Ba6.
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