U.O.N. #24

The May – Aug 2009 edition of the Unorthodox Openings Newsletter, Issue #24, edited by Gary Gifford, is now available. The UON is a must read for those who play unorthodox openings, including the Jerome Gambit, as I have mentioned before.

UON Issues #1 - #14 can be found in the "files" section of the Yahoo Group "Unorthodox Chess Openings". Issues #15 - #24 can be found in the "files" section of the Yahoo Group "Chess Unorthodox UON".

Contents of Issue #24
Intro and Chess Cartoon
Sometimes even strong players play 1. a4 – Davide Rozzoni
The White Hippo – Ben Spink
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit Revisited – Gifford
Myers vs. Lamarche
Mike Surtees/Revolutionary Opening Theory (R.O.T.) – Davide Rozzoni
Basman’s Chess Inheritance – Davide Rozzoni
Tayler Opening [C44] – Peter Bieker & G. Gifford

A reminder: Gary Gifford is a co-author of the recent Winning with the Krazy Kat and Old Hippo (see "Hip' Kat").

Blackburne Shilling Gambit: The Trapper Trapped?? (Part 1)

Pete Banks ("blackburne") of the Jerome Gambit Gemeinde, sends us the following game - not arising from 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf6+, but quickly showing some Jerome-ish characteristics. Who winds up trapping who??

Draper - Banks
Wolverhampton Summer League
Halesowen v Lucas B
June 2004 (notes by Banks)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4
Let's go for the Blackburne Shilling Trap. He's only a kid, he may not know it.

3...Nd4

Let's leave Pete's game for a moment.

Those readers unfamiliar with the Blackburne Schilling Gambit can get a quick update from the entry at Wikipedia. See also "Blackburne Shilling Jerome Gambit" on this blog.

I did some research on the BSG a few years ago, especially after learning that International Master Michael Basman (of the St. George Defense, Macho Grob, and Creeply Crawly Opening, among many unorthodox lines) might have a connection. Here is our exchange of emails.

Dear Mr. Basman,

I am trying to track down how the line 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nd4!? came to be known as Blackburne's Shilling Gambit.
Supposedly the story is that he used the line to score quick wins against amateurs and pocket stakes of a shilling a game. However, I've not been able to turn up a BSG game with Blackburne on either side of the Gambit. Contemporary sources, at least as far as I've been able to see, might cover the line; but I've found nobody attributing it to "The Black Death."
The earliest game I've found with the BSG is from 1911; the earliest reference I've found linking Blackburne and the line has been The Complete Chess Addict by James and Fox (1987).
Mr. James indicated to me that in the 1980s or 1990s you had written a small booklet on the "Oh My God" opening. I was wondering if you had found any Blackburne game or connection with the opening. (I also wonder if you ever played it yourself?) Thank you for whatever help you can provide.
Sincerely,
Rick Kennedy

Quickly came the reply.

Dear Rick,

No I never played the opening (Oh my god!) but I did fall for it once.

I introduced it to some of my pupils. As I was explaining it to them I realised that their opponents would not get the point without a little prompting. So I explained that when they played Nd4 they should clap their hands to their foreheads and say "Oh my gosh, I've lost a pawn!" pointing to the e5 square if necessary. Then, after Nxe5 Qg5, they should have an apoplectic fit and say "Oh no, now I've lost a rook".

This should be enough to guide their opponents on the right path. After Nxf7 Qxg2 there would be no more need for acting and they could just deliver the checkmate.

I knew my plan had worked because one of my pupil's opponents rushed out of the room in tears shortly after the commencement of the round.

The opening soon became all the rage in Surrey without the children understanding much about it.
One of my pupils, who knew the line well, fell into it herself and was promptly checkmated. When I pointed this out to her, that she had fallen into the "Oh my god trap", she explained to me that this was not the case. I asked her why not - she said "because he did not say 'Oh my god!' "

Best of luck with your researches,

Mike Basman