The Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) continues to show up in the oddest places. The other day I was reading an interesting post by John Torrie, at chesstalk.com. It started out with a reference to Bobby Fischer, but quickly moved on to an interesting game that featured what is sometimes called the Nachmanson Gambit (see a reference in my post "Kaissiber!"). In the middle of the game - Torrie reflected upon the Jerome Gambit, because of a tactical similarity. (It seems likely that Mr. Torrie is familiar with this blog.)
I have posted the earliest example of the Nachmanson Gambit that I have been able to find, at the end of this discussion; although I have found no information on Nachmanson, himself. I also dug up an earlier game with a different opening line, but with a similar tactical theme, which you will also find at the end.
John Torrie
Wednesday, 21st November, 2018, 11:20 AM
Apparently the Fischer vs Allan encounter is not the only memorable game from Montreal, Feb. 1964. Dan Elman says that he also squared off with Mr. Allan at the Montreal Chess Club. The first game, with Mr. Allan venturing his Two Knight's Defence, went like this: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.O-O Nxe4 6.Nc3 (Dan picked up this peculiarity in the early '60s while he was 'resident chess player' at a Belgium cafe. The owners of the cafe had a deal with Dan, if he played chess with the patrons for wagers of liquor, he could have free lodgings with light fare. Usually the patrons drank beer, while Dan drank ginger ale disguised as 'whisky'. Dan drank a lot of ginger ale while making a lot of whisky sales for the cafe.) 6...dxc3 7.Bxf7+ (Hey Jerome! Jerome! Will the real Jerome please stand up: The 150 year old Jerome Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 with attacking chances for white, was the brainchild of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome who also had the distinction of proposing - not without merit - that a pawn be allowed to promote to a king when it reached the 8th rank.) 7...Kxf7 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Re1 Be7 10.Rxe4 d6 11.Bg5 cxb3 12.Rae1 h6 13.Bxe7 Nxe7 14.Qh5+ Kf8 15.Ng5 g6 16.Qf3+ Nf5 (Dan points out that if the bishop blocks, Ne6+ forks the queen.) 17.Qc3 Rg8 18.Re8+ Qxe8 19.Qf6+ resigns. (After 19...Qf7, 20.Nh7 makes a model mate.)...
Trajkovic, Mihajlo - Trifunovic, Petar
Belgrade, 19521.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.O-O Nxe4 6.Nc3 Nxc3 7.bxc3 d5 8.Bb5 Be7 9.Nxd4 Bd7 10.Bd3 Ne5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.Bxf5 Nc4 13.Rb1 O-O 14.Bd3 Nb6 15.Qg4 Re8 16.a4 a5 17.Be3 Bf6 18.Bxb6 cxb6 19.c4 d4 20.Rfe1 Qd6 21.g3 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 g6 23.Qf3 Rb8 24.Qf4 Qxf4 25.gxf4 Kf8 26.Kg2 Re8 27.Rxe8+ Kxe8 28.Be4 Ke7 29.Bxb7 Kd6 30.Kf3 Kc5 31.Ke2 Kxc4 32.f5 g5 33.h3 Kc3 34.Ba6 Kxc2 35.Bd3+ Kc3 36.Bb5 Be5 37.Bd3 h5 38.f3 Bg3 39.Bb5 f6 40.Ba6 Bh2 41.Bb5 Bg1 42.Ba6 Kb4 43.Bb5 Kc5 44.Be8 h4 45.Bb5 Kd5 46.f4 gxf4 47.Kf3 Bh2 48.Bd3 Kc5 49.Ke4 Kb4 50.Bb5 Kc3 51.Be2 f3 52.Bxf3 b5 53.axb5 a4 54.Bh5 d3 55.b6 a3 White resigned
New Orleans, 1884
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.a3 Bxc3 6.dxc3 Nxe4 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qd5+ Ke8 9.Qxe4 d5 10.Qa4 Rf8 11.Nxe5 Qe7 12.f4 Bd7 13.O-O Nxe5 14.Qd4 Nc6 15.Qxd5 Be6 16.Qb5 a6 17.Qxb7 Qc5+ 18.Be3 Qxe3+ 19.Kh1 Qb6 20.Qxb6 cxb6 21.Rae1 Kd7 White resigned
