Jerome Gambit: For Progressive Players

 

It seems it is hard to avoid running into the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) wherever I go.

I bumped into Chess Openings for Progressive Players by M. Graham Brash (Methuen & Co Ltd, London, 1949) online the other day.

From the Introduction

Once the rudiments of the game have been mastered, the most important study is that of the openings. The average moderate player, who perhaps meets the same two or three chess players fairly regularly, is apt to rely on one or two favourite openings, and may be overtaken by disaster on playing against a stranger who springs an unknown opening on him...

This blog is devoted to just that kind of "unknown opening" and any "stranger" who plays it.

The book's advice ushers the reader toward us

The young player, however, should not try to absorb too many openings at an early stage, for this is bound to result in some confusion, Let him start with the Giuoco PIANO, the old Italian opening which is still found to conform most faithfully to the ideas of orderly development.

Well, we focus on a particular line in the Giuoco no-so-Piano.

Even in the middle of his take on a different opening, Brash can not resist the temptation

Instead of the Evans Gambit, White can offer the Jerome Gambit, a very risky proceeding, but requiring an accurate defence; thus: 4. BxP ch, KxB, 5. KtxPch, KtxKt. 6. Q-R5ch, K-B1 (safest ) 7. QxKt, Q-K2. 8. Q-B5 ch, K—K1

In algebraic notation, that is 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf5+ Ke8; interesting, as I have pointed out in the post "I Need to Keep Learning About the Jerome Gambit"

Here we have the Jerome Defense to the Jerome Gambit, dating back to a couple of correspondence games, Daniel Jaeger - Alonzo Wheeler Jerome, 1880 (Black won both).

Indeed. Referring to the Jerome by quoting Jerome's own defense to Jerome's own gambit. How brash.

(By the way, the book is not referring to progressive chess, which, according to Wikipedia, is 

a chess variant in which players, rather than just making one move per turn, play progressively longer series of moves. The game starts with White making one move, then Black makes two consecutive moves, White replies with three, Black makes four and so on.

Just so you know.)