It is time to pause and make an important addition – not from an opening tome, but from a chess magazine.
There was one singular event after Jerome's Dubuque Chess Journal articles were published that gave the gambit incredible exposure, and carried its analysis to those who would later include the attack in their opening books.
The editor of the Dubuque Chess Journal was in the habit of exchanging issues with different chess magazines around the world, and this led to the publication, in the May 1877 issue of Nordisk Skaktidende, a Danish chess magazine, of Lt. Sorensen's column "Skaktheori for Segyndere" ("Chess Theory for Beginners") covering the Jerome Gambit.
The article was translated into (at least) English, Spanish, French and Italian and appeared in chess magazines around the world.
Here is the article, from the English translation in The Chess Player's Chronicle of August 1, 1877 (I have substituted algebraic notation for descriptive.)
Chess Theory for Beginners
by Lieut. Sorensen
(translated from the Nordick Tidende for May.)
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5
With this answering move of the Bishop we have the fundamental position for that good old game which the Italians, hundreds of years ago, when they were masters of the Chess board, called "Giuoco Piano," even game, but the later age, for generality of explanation, the "Italian game." On this basis the usual continuation is 4.c3, whereby the d-pawn at the next move threatens to advance, and the White middle Pawns to occupy the centre.
In the next articles we will make mention of that regular fight for the maintenance or destruction of the centre, which is the essential point of the Italian game; in this, on the contrary, we will occupy ourselves with a Bashi-Bazouk attack, over which the learned Italians would have crossed themselves had they known it came under the idea of piano, but which is in reality of very recent date – 1874, and takes it origin from an American, A.W. Jerome.
It consists in the sacrifice of a piece by 4.Bxf7+.
Naturally we immediately remark that it is unsound, and that Black must obtain the advantage; but the attack is pretty sharp, and Black must take exact care, if he does not wish to go quickly to the dogs. A little analysis of it will, therefore, be highly instructive, not to say necessary, for less practised players, and will be in its right place in our Theory, especially since it is not found in any handbook.
The Americans call the game "Jerome's double opening," an allusion, probably, to the fresh sacrifice of a piece which follows at the next move, but we shall prefer to use the short and sufficiently clear designation, Jerome Gambit.
4.Bxf7+ Kxf7
That the King must take is evident, otherwise the Bishop without any hindrance can retire with his booty.
5.Nxe5+
Once must confess that this is a forcible invention, and difficulties begin now already for Black. There is clearly a choice between two things; between taking, and so maintaining further the preponderance of two pieces, or going with the King, for example, to f8, and being content with the one piece, which, however, has cost two pawns. We will treat these contingencies separately under First and Second Defence.
First Defence
5...Nxe5
White's best move is now 6.d4 or 6.Qh5+. By the first move he wins back one piece quite easily, but when there follows 6...Bxd4, he only receives the scanty recompense of one pawn for the other; by the second move exposes himself to the evil of gaining no piece back, inasmuch as Black can protect himself by 6...Ke6.
According to our conviction, the check with the Queen gives the best chances, and we therefore carry out this, while we point out the result of 6.d4 in the Specimen Game No. 1.
6.Qh5+ Ke6
Black now essays to keep both the pieces, and this must, after the defence adopted, 5...Nxe5, be regarded as consequently the most correct. For if he prefers to interpose the Kt at g6, White plays 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5, and one of the pieces falls under far more unfavorable conditions than if the King had immediatley retreated on the 5th move (Second Defence).
In Specimen Game No. 2 we shall see unfolded some of the inconveniences which the move treated of, 6...Ng6, brings with it.
7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.d4
It is impossible to decide whether this attacking move is stronger than a multitude of others which offer themselves in this interesting position, and of which we expecially 8.f4 and 8.Na3, but it seems clear every case into what abysses Black is plunging.
8...Bxd4 9.Na3 c6
With this move Black escapes; under (a) and (b) are seen less favourable modes of play. (a) 9...Qf6 10.Nb5+ Kc5 11.Nxd4 Qxf5 12.Nxf5 g6 13.Be3+ Kc6 14.Nd4+ Kd6 15.0-0-0 Ke7 16.Nb5 and White has the best position; (b) 9...Ne7 10.Qh3 Qf8 11.Nb5+ Kc5 12.Nxd4 Kxd4 13.Bg5 and White must win.
10.c3 Qf6 11.cxd4 Qxf5 12.exf5 Nf7 13.Bf4+ Ke7
Black must now, though not completely out of danger, be able to make his superiority of a piece and a pawn prevail.
Second Defence
5...Kf8 (best)
Althought the first defence was not thus to be abandoned, we shall still recommend this as more solid, and easier to manage.
6.Nxc6 dxc6 (best)
If 6...bxc6 7.d4 follows, and the Bishop becomes shut out from the game. It is also here of importance to have the open Queen's file.
7.0-0 Nf6 8.Qf3
Upon 8.d4 follows 8...Bg4 9.Qe1 Kf7 and Black is completely extricated, and has the advantage.
8...Qd4 9.d3 Bg4 10.Qg3 Bd6 11.Bf4 g5
This move, which costs a pawn, is not absolutely necessary, but it promotes and energetic liberation of Black's game, which is important in such positions to have in view.
12.Bxd6+ cxd6 13.h3 Be6 14.Qxg5 Rg8 15.Qh6+ Ke7 16.Nc3
The best move to preserve the b-pawn, which is necessary.
16...Rg6 and Black's attack becomes irresistable.
Specimen Game No. 1
6.d4
See the remark upon this under First Defence
6...Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.0-0 Nf6 9.f4 c5
This move, and the development of the Queen's wing standing in connection with it, we cannot regard as right, at any rate not until all was in order on the King's side. 9...Nc6 eventually followed by ...Re8, would have been the proper continuation, and must have left few favourable chances remaining for White.
10.Qc3 Neg4 11.Nd2 b5 12.h3 h5
Black must now prepare to sacrifice a little, because he did not protect himself in time.
13.e5 (best).
To have taken immediately would not have been near so good; the situation now requires thoroughly attentive play.
13...b4 14.Qf3 Ba6 15.exf6 Bxf1 16.Qb7+
Here 16.hxg4 would also have been good; White, however, plays to drive Black into a mating position.
16...Kxf6 17.Ne4+ Kg6 18.f5+ Kxf5 19.hxg4+ Kg6
With any other move Black is mated in a few moves, or loses the Queen.
20.Ng5
To the sufficiently threatening move 20.Bg5 Black has a good reply in 20...Qb6.
20...Qe8 21.Bd2 (best) Rf8 22.gxh5+ Kxh5 23.Qxg7 Bxg2
In order to avoid the mate threatened in two moves by Qh7 and Qh3.
24.Qh7+ Kg4 25.Re1 and White wins.
Specimen Game No. 2
6...Ng6
See the note to Black's 6th move in First Defense. The reader is now requested to observe for himself the difficulties which we mentioned that this mode of play entails, as we can spare with the subjoined game no space for further notes.
7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc3 Nf6 10.d3 c6 11.0-0 Kd7 12.f4 Qb6+ 13.Kh1 Kc7 14.Qe1 Re8 15.b3 Nd5 16.Qg3 Nb4 17.Na3 Bd7 18.c3 Nxa2 19.f5 Ne5 20.d4 Qxb3 21.dxe5 dxe5 22.Rb1 Qxc3 23.Rf3 Qa5 24.Rfb3 b5 25.Rxb5 cxb5 26.Nxb5+ Kc8 27.Nd6+ Kc7 28.Rb7+ Kxd6 29.Qd3+ and White wins
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