Steven Dowd has noted, at ChessGames and via personal communication, that the one game that online database has by William A. Shinkman is a Jerome Gambit game – Jerome had White – and that no mention is made that Shinkman was one of the US's top problemists.
It seems time to address this short-coming. First off, Shinkman actually defended against Alonzo Wheeler Jerome and his gambit twice.
Dubuque Chess JournalJuly, 1874, p.484
(notes by O.A. Brownson, converted to algebraic notation)
Jerome,A - Shinkman,W
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.d3 Ke7 12.Nc3 g5 13.Rf1 c6 14.g3 d5 15.Bd2 Bg4 16.Qg2 Rhf8 17.h3 Nxe4 18.Bf4
If 18.Nxe4 Rxf1+ 19.Kxf1 (best) 19...Rf8+ 20.Ke1 ( If 20.Bf4 gxf4 21.gxf4 Rxf4+ 22.K moves Rf2 wins) 20...Bf2+ 21.Kf1 Bxg3+ 22.Kg1 Qd4+ 23.Kh1 Bf3 wins Queen
18...gxf4 19.gxf4 Rxf4 20.Nxe4 Rxf1+ 21.Kxf1
and Mr. Shinkman announced loss of the Queen or mate in six moves.
A year and a half later, the following game was published
Dubuque Chess Journal
(notes by O.A. Brownson, converted to algebraic notation)
"Jerome's Double Opening"
Jerome,A - Shinkman,W
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.0-0 Nf6 9.f4 c5
We do not approve of this system of defence; it appears to us, that moving forward the QB and Q's Pawns only weakens Black's Queen's wing. Black having a piece more can well afford to remain on the defensive and await White's attack.
We therefore believe 9...Nc6 to be the proper move followed by 10...d5 if Q checks, or else by 10...Re8
10.Qc3 Neg4 11.Nd2 b5 12.h3 h5 13.e5
The attack is spirited from this point.
13...b4 14.Qf3 Ba6 15.exf6 Bxf1 16.Qb7+
Would not the capture of the S [sic; S =Springer = Knight] immediately have been better? Suppose 16.hxg4 Ba6 17.Qd5+ Kxf6 18.Ne4+ Ke7 19.f5 and White appears to have a manifest advantage.
16...Kxf6 17.Ne4+ Kg6 18.f5+ Kxf5 19.hxg4+ Kg6
The only move, for any other moves loses the Q or leads to mate. 19...Kxg4 20.Nxd6 and if 20...Qxd6 mate in 2, or 20...Bxg2 or 20...Qf8 White mates in a very few moves; 19...Ke6 20.Ng5+ Kf6 mates in 3; 19...hxg4 20.Qd5+ Kg6 21.Qe6+ Kh7 22.Ng5+ wins; 19...Ke5 20.Bf4+ Kxf4 21.Rxf1+ and forces mate soon.
20.Qd5
20.Bg5 seems decisive but Black has a satisfactory defense in 20...Qb6; We are inclined to think that 20.Ng5 would have maintained the attack 20.Ng5 White now threatens mate in a few moves, both at f7 and e4.; therefore 20...Qe8 21.Bd2 threatening Re1 21...Rf8 22.gxh5+ Kxh5 23.Qxg7 threatening mate by Qh7ch and Qh3 23...Bxg2 24.Qh7+ Kg4 25.Re1 wins
20...Qd7
Again, the only move 21.Qg5+
21...Kf7 22.gxh5 Bc4 23.b3 Be6 24.Bb2 Rag8 25.Rd1 d5
26.Be5 Rf8 27.Rf1+ Kg8 28.Nf6+ Rxf6 29.Bxf6
29.Rxf6 is promising, but Black can insure a draw by 29...Rxh5
29...Rh6 30.Rf4 a5 31.Be5 c4 32.bxc4 dxc4 33.Bd4 a4 34.Re4 b3 35.cxb3 cxb3 36.a3 Qf7 37.g4 Qc7 38.Be5 b2 39.Bxb2 Qg3+ 40.Kf1 Qf3+ 41.Kg1 Qg3+ 42.Kf1 Draw
The game is extremely interesting throughout and abounds in critical and instructive positions
