Jerome Gambit: Exciting

It is always fun to see someone excited about the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+). The following article introduced the classic game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1884. (The authors apparently use the date from Mr. Blackburne's Games at Chess, "about 1880". This has been corrected by Dr. Timothy Harding - see "Jerome Gambit: Dr. Harding Checks In") The moves have been changed from descriptive to algebraic notation.

Philadelphia Inquirer, February 19, 1978

Chess

by Leroy Dubeck and J. A. Livingston

Did you ever see the Jerome Gambit? If not, prepare to see it now!

It was developed in America in the latter part of the 19th century and can be properly called the sacrifice variation of the Giuoco Piano. For a long time, it was used with some success, until 1880, when Joseph Blackburne, long the British champion, overwhelmed a British amateur with a series of sparkling sacrifices. The game ends with white having a Q, two Rs, a B and N against two Bs and a N, yet being mated.

George Koltanowski and Milton Finklestein present the game in their stimulating, and refreshing book "Checkmate!" (370 pages). The book deals systematically with mating attacks - how they develop from characteristic positions. The publisher is Doubleday and the price is $9.95...

Amateur   Blackburne

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

This characterizes this gambit.

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

Blackburne's innovation; prior to this, black resorted to 6...Ke6 to protect his KN.

7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 

And now white is far ahead in material with a R and 2 Ps for a B.

8...Qh4 9.O-O Nf6 

Bottling the white Q.

10.c3 

Intending to play d4, but Blackburne doesn't grant him the time.

10...Ng4 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 

Not 12.Rxf2 Qxf2+ 13.Kh1 Qf1 mate

12...Bf5 13.Qxa8 

Where else could the Q go?

13...Qxh3+!! 14.gxh3 Bxe4 mate

Blackburne's game is stunning, and is likely the best known Jerome Gambit among chess players, but it is a bit of an exaggeration to call 6...g6 "Blackburne's innovation". The move appeared earlier in Jerome - Norton, correspondence, 1876 (1/2 - 1/2, 20); Vazquez - Carrington, 2nd match, Mexico, 1876 (1-0, 39); Jerome - Whistler, correspondence, 1876 (0-1, 15); and Jerome - Jaeger, correspondence, 1879 (0-1, 45).