I noticed that the "Improving Chess Player" blog, in its not-too-long-ago "Feeling Ornery - Play the Traxler" presented the game Reinisch v. Traxler (1890) - 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 Bc5 5.Nxf7 Bxf2+ 6.Ke2 Nd4+ 7.Kd3 b5 8.Bb3 Nxe4 9.Nxd8 Nc5+ 10.Kc3 Ne2+ 11.Qxe2 Bd4+ 12.Kb4 a5+ 13.Kxb5 Ba6+ 14.Kxa5 Bd3+ 15.Kb4 Na6+ 16.Ka4 Nb4+ 17.Kxb4 c5 checkmate - and gave Traxler's notes which indicate that the line "somewhat resembles the Blackmar-Jerome gambit".
As I've puzzled before, what is the link, if any, between Armand Blackmar (of 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.f3) and Alonzo Wheeler Jerome (of 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+)?
I left a mesage at the website to see if blogger Glenn Mitchell could enlighten me. However, I got a quick email in response - no, he does not know the history of the "Blackmar-Jerome gambit".
My current hypothesis - complete speculation at this point - is that Traxler, writing in the October 11, 1892, chess column of Golden Prague, recalled the infamous Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885 Jerome Gambit game and wanted to credit the successful master; but, in drawing up his note for Reinisch - Traxler, he erroniously attached "Blackmar" - instead of "Blackburne" - to "Jerome Gambit".
That would solve another "naming" problem, the first one being Blackburne referring to the Jerome Gambit as the "Kentucky Opening" - see "The Kentucky Opening Parts 1, 2, 3 and 4".
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