The Classics II (a first look)

As mentioned in the last post, I have suggested that those who play, and those who face, the Jerome Gambit, would benefit from becoming familiar with "the classics" of that line.

That got me thinking: What would those classics be?

Here are the additional games from a preliminary sketch.

6. Charlick - Mann, correspondence, Australia, 1881

The Australian player Charlick, who had already played an "Evans-Jerome Gambit" against Holloway in 1877, won a long correspondence game with the Jerome Gambit against John Mann in 1881. Again, an interesting game, and another example of the Gambit's spread around the world.

7. Jerome - S.A. Charles, correspondence, 1881

As I noted in "The Jerome Gambit Gemeinde (early)"

S. A. Charles, a member of the Cincinnati (Ohio, USA) Chess Club, wrote opening analyses, first for the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette, then later for the Pittsburgh Telegraph. It is in the latter paper that in 1881 he presented his examination of the Jerome Gambit. That year he also played an incomplete Jerome Gambit correspondence match with Alonzo Jerome.

None of the games were completed before Jerome withdrew, because of "business engagements". This match has been given scant coverage in the blog. The situation will be rectified later this year.

8. Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885

The best-known Jerome Gambit game (even if Blackburne got the year wrong in his book), a crushing win by Black. Later analysis showed how White could get the advantage. Even later analysis showed how the game could have ended in a tense draw.

9. Sorensen, S.A. -X, Denmark, 1888

This game, the first that I have been able to find with the "pie in the face" defense, also celebrates Lt. Sorensen, who, in the May 1877 issue of Nordisk Skaktidende, wrote a very influential article on the Jerome Gambit, which was translated and republished widely.

10. Tonetti - Ruggieri, Rome, 1863

The King-hunt in this game makes the Jerome Gambit almost look like a legitimate opening. Almost.