"New" Old Analysis - But Not Quite

I recently stumbled over Part 10 of the "Index To The Chess Openings" on page 100 of the June 27, 1891 issue of the Chess Player's Chronicle. 

"New" old analysis of the Jerome Gambit, I thought!

It turns out that the CPC was simply reprinting the analysis of the 1884 American Supplement to Cook's Synopsis of Chess Openings, the Supplement "containing American Inventions In the Chess Openings Together With Fresh Analysis in the Openings Since 1882; also a list of Chess Clubs in the United States and Canada",
edited by J.W. Miller. The author of the analysis was S. A. Charles of Cincinnati, Ohio, USA.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5! [5...Kf8? 6.Nxc6 dxc6 (6...bxc6 7.d4) 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Qf3 (8.d4 Bg4 9.Qe1 Kf7) 8...Qd4 9.d3 Bg4 10.Qg3 Bd6 11.c3 +] 6.Qh5+ [6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6! (7...Qf6 8.Qd1 d6 9.0-0 g6 10.f4 Nc6) 8.Nc3 (8.0-0 Nf6 9.f4 Nc6) 8...Nf6 9.Bg5 h6! 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.0-0-0 Be6 12.Kb1 Nc4 13.Qd3 b5 14.f4 Nxb2 15.Kxb2 b4!] 6...Ke6! [6...Ng6? 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc3 Nf6 10.d3] 7.Qf5+ [7.f4 d6 8.Qh3+ (8.f5+ Kd7 9.d3 Nf6 10.Qd1 Nxe4 +) 8...Ke7 9.f5 Bxf5 10.exf5 Qd7 11.d4 Bxd4 12.Qh4+ Nf6 13.Qxd4 Qxf5 +; 7.0-0 d6! (7...g6 8.Qh3+ K moves 9.Qc3) 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.Qd1 Nd3 (9...Kf7 10.d4 Bg4 11.f3 {11.Qd2 Bb6 12.dxe5 dxe5!} 11...Nxf3+ 12.gxf3 Bh3 +) 10.cxd3 Kf7 11.Ne2 Bb6 12.Kh1 Ng4 13.d4 Nxh2 14.Kxh2 Qh4+ 15.Kg1 Qxe4 16.d3 Qg4 17.Be3 d5 18.f3 Qe6 19.Bf2 c6 +] 7...Kd6 8.f4 [8.d4 Bxd4 9.Na3 Nc6] 8...Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.d3 Kc6 12.Nc3 d6 [12...d5 also looks good] 13.h3 Qh5 14.Qg3 Be6 15.Ne2 Raf8 16.Nf4 Nxe4 17.dxe4 Qe5 18.Qd3 Bf5 +

The Threat Is Greater...

Here we have another Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit game, giving an opportunity to share some speculation, and to once again ponder the aphorism that "the threat is greater than its execution".

kocanda - ETERHERE
standard, FICS, 2014

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke6 6.c3 Kxe5 7.cxd4+ Kxd4 8.d3 Bb4+ 

9.Nc3 

Both 9.Ke2!? and 9.Kf1!? are mentioned in the notes to perrypawnpusher - AdamRou, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 28) and pigsfeet - jantonacci, blitz, FICS, 2011 (1-0, 14), but do not yet appear in any games in The Database.

The ideas: 9.Ke2 Ke5 10.Qb3 and White's mate threats allow him to grab the Black Bishop on the next move; or 9.Ke2 d5 10.Bf4 and White's Queen again will soon arrive at b3.

Similar attacking plans work for White after 9.Kf1.


9... Bxc3+ 10. bxc3+ Ke5 11. f4+ 

The "Jerome pawns" look scary, but the best move for White, instead, was 11.Qh5+ as in perrypawnpusher - AdamRou, blitz, FICS, 2010. 

11...Kf6  Here Black forfeited by disconnection.

White may have a dangerous attack coming (although Houdini 3, at 25 ply, rated the position 0.00) but Black can continue to retreat his King, and declare "Show me!"

Perhaps other things were more pressing in Black's life away from the board.

Attack!

The latest game I have received from Philidor 1792 is a classic attack led by White's pawns and backed up by his pieces. There are a number of ways to respond to Black's plucky gambit, but this game again puts forth the argument for 4.Bxf7+!?

Philidor 1792  - g-chessman1518
GameKnot.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4 

The Blackburne Shilling Gambit.

4.Bxf7+ 

The Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Ke7 6.c3 Ne6 7.d4 d6 8.Nd3 Nf6

Black's move looks natural, but it allows White a sharp blow. 

9.Qe2

This looks like a TN according to The Database.

Instead, 9.d5!? Nc5 10.Nxc5 dxc5 11.e5 was seen in the earlier EdoTK-Jorma, FICS, 2006 (1-0, 22). Black stops the White d-pawn advance with his next move, as he should have with his previous.

9...d5 10.e5 Ng8 11.0-0 c6 12.f4 Kd7 

Black's King runs for safety.

Houdini suggests the game would be equal after 12...g6 13.g4 Bh6 14.f5 Bxc1 15.Nxc1 Nf8. 

13.f5 Ng5 14.Bf4 Ke8 15.g4 

Philidor 1792 mentioned 15.Qh5+ as stronger.

 15...Ne4

Instead, 15...h5!? in this odd position, according to Houdini, gives Black an edge.

Now White pushes the attack and ends the game.

16.Nd2 Nxd2 17.Bxd2 Nh6 18.e6 Be7 19.g5 Bxg5 20.Qh5+ g6 21.fxg6 hxg6 22.Qxg6+ 

Black resigned

The Silicon Defense

The Dubuque Chess Journal of July 1874 contained the following:

Note: It should be understood that Mr. Jerome claims in this New Opening "only a pleasant variation of the Giuoco Piano, which may win or lose according to the skill of the players, but which is capable of affording many new positions and opportunities for heavy blows unexpectedly."

The following game from Bill Wall, with a King hunt and (with best resistance) a checkmate in 10 moves, seems to fit the bill.

Wall,B - Guest2258681 
PlayChess.com, 2015

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 

Although not given a specific title, I have begun to call this the "Annoying Defense", although I suppose, since it is the choice of several computer chess programs, I could also call it the "Silicon Defense" - but it would still be annoying.

8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Rf1 Nf6 10.Qg5 

According to The Database, this is a TN. Bill has played a half-dozen games with 10.Qh3+.

10...h6?! 

Bill suggests instead either 10...Rf8 or 10...Qd4. 

11.Qxg7 Nxe4 

Black's Plan: Open the d8-h4 diagonal for the Queen to fly to h4 and deliver check to White's King - But Bill gets his Queen to Black's King first. Better was 11...Be7. 

12.Qf7+ 

Bill points out the alternative, which seems equally effective: 12.Qg4+ Kd5 13.Qf3 (13.c4+!? Kd6 14.Qxe4) 13...Bd4. 

12...Kd6 13.Nc3

The position is about equal. Remember the old Jerome Gambit aphorism, however: when White equalizes, the first player is better.

13...Qh4+? 

Continuing with the aforementioned plan, which leads to danger. Not 13...Nxc3? 14.Rf6+; but 13...Bf2+ would give Black chances, as Bill points out: 14.Rxf2 (14.Ke2? Bg4+; 14.Kd1? Nxc3+ 15.bxc3 Bg4+) 14...Nxf2 15.b3 (15.Kxf2? Rf8)  equal game. 

14.g3

Not 14.Kd1? Bg4+. 

14...Bf2+ 

It is all difficult now, as Bill notes - as long as White continues to find the right moves: 14...Qxh2 15.Nxe4+ Kc6 16.c4; or 14...Nxc3 15.gxh4; or 14...Qg4 15.Qd5+ Ke7 16.Nxe4

15.Rxf2

Not the time to waver: 15.Kd1? Nxc3+ 16.dxc3 Bg4+; or
15.Ke2? Bg4+. 

15...Nxg3

Black throws in the "kitchen sink" as well, but calmer alternatives don't help, either: 15...Qg4 16.Nb5+ Kc5 17.Qxc7+ Kxb5 18.a4+ Kb4 19.d3; or 15...Nxc3 16.gxh4. 

White now checkmates his opponent's King. Can you weave the mating net?

16.Nb5+ Kc5 17.Qxc7+ Kxb5 18.a4+ Ka6 

Or 18...Kb4 19.Qc3#. 

19.Qd6+ b6 

Giving in faster is: 19...Ka5 20.Qc5+ Ka6 21.Qb5# 

20.Qd3+ Kb7 21.Qd5+ Kb8 

Or 21...Ka6 22.Qb5+ Kb7 23.Rf7+ etc. 

22.Qxe5+ Kb7 23.Rf7+ Black resigned