A Few More Books

Continuing from yesterday's post, a few more books that touch on the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) include

Master Chess Play (1951), Percy Wenman

An Invitation to Chess A Picture Guide to the Royal Game (1945), Irving Chernev and Kevin Harkness

200 Miniature Games of Chess (1942), Julius du Mont


It is fun to present Wenman's take on the classic game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885. Why such begrudging praise for Blackburne's checkmating combination? Would it have been appropriate to mention that 10.Qd8 actually would save White?

"Jerome Opening"

Amateur - J.H. Blackburne

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

One of the most unsound of all openings.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6

A sporting reply, but 6...Kf8 7.Qxe5 d6 is all that is required to give Black a won game.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4

Now it is Black who gets all the fun.

9.0-0 Nf6 10.c3

White plays weakly. The only move that was of any use is 10.Qd8.

10...Ng4 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5

A pretty mating combination which has, of course, in varous ways occurred many times.

13.Qxa8 Qxh3+ 14.gxh3 Bxe4 checkmate