The Jerome Gambit: Globe-Democrat

Showing posts with label Globe-Democrat. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Another Example of the Vitzthum Attack

Earlier on this blog, I have looked at the Sarratt or Vitzthum Attack as a possible fore-runner to the Jerome Gambit. (See "A Bridge To... Somewhere?", "Another Distant Relative?", "The Sarratt Attack" and "Another look at the Sarratt Attack").

Recently I discovered a game published in the "Chess" column of the April 23, 1876 issue of the St. Louis Globe - Democrat. I have changed the notation from descriptive to algebraic and added some diagrams. The comments remain those of the newpaper's chess editor.

Chess in St. Louis
A Rapid Skirmish, Recently Played At St. Louis Chess Club

Mr. H - Mr. M
St. Louis Chess Club, 1876

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4

This was long the accepted move at this point, but now 4.Nxd4 is now more common.

4...Bc5 5.Ng5 Nh6 6.Nxf7 Nxf7 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qxc5

All "book" so far.

9...Rf8

9...d5 is the only correct move here, giving black the better game.

10.Bh6 Re8 11.Nd2 Kg8 12.Qd5+ Kh8 13.Qf7

White now wins by force, let black play as he will.

13...Rg8 14.Nf3 Qe8 15.Ng5 and wins

Monday, December 31, 2012

Turn About is Fair Play

I was doing some online research at the Chess Archaeology website when I ran into an interesting game (a cross between the Italian Game and the Petroff Defense) in the "Chess" column of the St. Louis Globe-Democrat for June 24, 1877

Amateur - Jos. N. B.

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nxe5 Bxf2+ 5.Kxf2 Nxe4+ 6.Kf3 d5 7.Bd3

At this point Black announced mate in two

Of course, I like the Bishop sacrifice theme (it is interesting to think of the game coming out of a Petroff, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 Bc5!? 4.Bc4; or even a Busch-Gass Gambit 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Bc5!? 3.Nxe5 Nf6 ), even if it is performed this time by Black.

Has this line appeared in a post in this blog before? I looked up 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Bc5 and ran across it in "Not Quite the Jerome Gambit". Figures.

(By the way, Black does better to 4...0-0, and White should choose the safer 6.Kg1.)

Friday, May 1, 2009

Jerome - A/Z

It's always fun to find a new Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) game, especially one played by its originator, Alonozo Wheeler Jerome.

The other day I thought I had made a discovery, but it turned out that Jerome's game vs Mr. Z was already in my database, as a game vs Mr. A(mateur).

Jerome - Zimmerman, correspondence, 1880
St. Louis Daily Globe-Democrat, April 18, 1880: We are indebted to Mr. A. W. Jerome for the subjoined game, played by letter with Mr. J. K. Zimmerman.

Pittsburgh Telegraph, February 2, 1881: The following game played betwen the author of the "Jerome Gambit" and another amateur.

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

Pittsburgh Telegraph: This move constitutes the gambit, and although unsound, as shown by Mr. Charles's analysis in this column, yet leads to some interesting and critical positions.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6

This is a line popular with computers, and is the refutation International Master Gary Lane suggests in his The Greatest Ever Chess Tricks and Traps.

It figured in six of Jerome's games against S. A. Charles in their unfinished 1881 correspondence match.

It was first seen in D'Aumiller - A.P., 1878

8.f5+

Rejecting the offer of a piece. 8...Qh3+ was seen in one of the Jerome - Charles, correspondence 1881 games.
8...Ke7

The alternative 8...Kd7 was seen in one of the Jerome - Charles games.

9.Nc3 Nf6 10.Qh4 c6 11.d3 Qe8 12.Bg5 b5
St. Louis Daily Globe-Democrat: Black could now get his King into safe quarters by going to Q2, QB2, etc., but as Mr. Jerome justly remarks "While playing part of this game Mr. Zimmerman was chasing Utes and trying to keep warm with the mercury at 20 degrees below zero on the 'tented field' in Colorado; some allowances must therefore be made for failure to make the best moves." - Turf
13.0-0-0 h5

This move is hard to fathom. Either here or on the next move ...b4 seems best.

14.d4 Bxd4 15.Rxd4 c5 16.Bxf6+ gxf6 17.Nd5+

White is developing a bit of initiative, which Black should blunt with either 17...Nf7 or 17...Qf7, when it is unclear how White can reach an advantage.
17...Kf7 18.Qxf6+ Kg8 19.Ne7+ Kh7 20.Rxd6 Ng4 21.Qg5 Black resigns

Sunday, April 26, 2009

The Game is Afoot!

More information generously provided by a poster at rec.games.chess.misc on "A Small Clue to Follow..."

I am guessing that this is the St Louis chess player AF Reed, whose name appears often in the St Louis Globe-Democrat chess column. He was a regular solver of the problems in the column, is noted as losing to such players as Max Judd and Zukertort. More specifically, he was one of the leading members of the South St Louis Chess Club; not in the sense of chess strength, but as a regular attendee. If you are in St Louis, he was part of a photo group of S St Louis players donated to the St Louis Chess Club; the picture may still exist somewhere.

The most interesting thing I know about AF Reed is his uniqe money- raising idea. He bought a silver pitcher, and you would play Reed games; if you won, you got a raffle ticket for the pitcher, and if you lost you paid 50 cents. The pitcher was won by AH Robbins.

Can't tell you much more about him, I'm afraid. The Globe-Democrat columns end in 1888. I had computer access to some St Louis Republican columns from later, but I didn't realize that I would lose access to them and thus did not make copies.

If you are near a university with access to the Readex database of 19th century newspapers, this has the St Louis Republican, and you can try a word search for
Reed.

Jerry Spinrad

Many, many thanks Jerry!

Friday, August 22, 2008

Long ago, and far away...

St. Louis Daily Globe-Democrat
Sunday, September 11, 1881
Mackenzie's chess column

[diagrams added, notation changed to algebraic]

...The Australian game which we print to-day is somewhat lengthy, but it is full of interesting points, and is well worth playing over, were it only from the fact that it is the only partie on record, we believe, in which the Jerome gambit is adopted in a correspondence game...

Chess in Australia
We are indebted to the Adelaide Observer for the subjoined interesting game. It was played recently by correspondence between Messrs. Charlick and Mann, two of the leading amateurs in Australia.

The Adelaide Observer
Saturday, May 28, 1881

CHESS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA
(From the Melbourne Leader.)

The following fine game is one of those in the closely contested match by correspondence to which we lately referred, between Messrs. Charlick and Mann. The time occupied in playing it was six months. It abounds in interesting and difficult positions. Another game has since been finished ending in a draw, making the score - Charlick 4, Mann 3, drawn 6.

[Since, Mr. Mann has won a game, making the score perfectly even. - Mackenzie]

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

This ingenious sacrifice was invented by Mr. Jerome, an American player, in 1874, and, unless correctly answered, yields a strong attack. It seems rather rash to venture on it in a correspondence game - Mackenzie

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5

5...Kf8 is, we think, better - Mackenzie

6.Qh5+ Ng6

6...Ke6 is preferable - Mackenzie

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3

The authorities give 9.Qc3 but White prefers the text move - Mackenzie

9...Nf6 10.d4 Qe7

10...Kf7 is surely stronger, bringing his R in to immediate action, and threatening to take KP with Kt - Mackenzie

11.0-0 Ng4

This only assists White in developing his game by driving back the Kt presently; 11...b6 seems the best method of getting his forces into action - Mackenzie

12.Qe2 Qh4 13.h3 Nf6 14.f4

White has now a most formidable attack - Mackenzie

14...Nh5 15.Qf2 Qxf2+ 16.Rxf2 Rf8 17.f5 Ne7 18.c4 c6

Again we should have preferred 18...b6 - Mackenzie

19.g4 Nf6 20.Nc3 d5 21.e5

White's pawns now look quite irresistable - Mackenzie

21...Nd7 22.cxd5 Nxd5 23.Ne4 N7b6 24.b3 a5 25.e6

This, we believe, is premature. 25.Bg5 is a very strong move - Mackenzie

25...h6 26.Bb2 Ke7 27.Re1 Ra7

Black's game is so cramped that defeat is inevitable - Mackenzie

28.Nc5

White might also have obtained a fine game by advancing the KRP here - Mackenzie

28...Na8 29.Nd3 b5 30.Ne5 Kd6 31.Rc1 Ra6 32.Rc5 Bb7 33.Rfc2 Rc8 34.Bc1 a4 35.b4

Very well played - Mackenzie

35...a3

Had he taken P with Kt, White would have gained a winning position by 35...Nxb4 36.Bf4 - Mackenzie

36.Bd2 Nab6 37.Be1 Na4

Mackenzie passes over this move without comment, but Rybka suggests that it is a serious error, suggesting that instead 37...Nc4 38.Nxc4+ bxc4 39.R2xc4 Raa8 40.Rc1 g6 41.Bh4 Ra4 42.Rb1 Rg8 43.Bg3+ led to an even game.

38.Bg3

Likewise, Rybka suggests that this gives Black a slight edge, preferring 38.Ng6 Nf4 39.Bg3 Kc7 40.Rxb5 Kb8 41.Bxf4+ Ka7 42.Ra5 Nb2 43.Ne7 Re8 44.Nxc6+ and White is winning.

38...Ke7 39.Nd7 Nxc5 40.dxc5 Rg8 41.Bd6+ Ke8 42.Rd2 Ra4

This, we believe, is his best play; had he moved 42...Nf6 White could have replied with 43.Be5 forcing the game in a few moves.; If 42...Nxb4 White wins off-hand by 43.f6 - Mackenzie

43.Rxd5

Well played, obtaining a winning position, through it still requires great care to bring about that result - Mackenzie

43...cxd5 44.f6 gxf6 45.Nxf6+ Kd8 46.e7+

Rybka prefers capturing the Rook.

46...Kc8 47.Nxg8 Bc6 48.Nf6

Rybka sees this as a serious error, leading to an advantage for Black, preferring 48.Nxh6 Rxb4 49.g5 Rb1+ 50.Kf2 Rb2+ 51.Kg3 Be8 52.c6 Rxa2 53.Nf5 Bxc6 54.g6 d4 with a roughly equal game.

48...Rxb4 49.e8Q+ Bxe8 50.Nxe8 Rb1+ 51.Kf2 Rb2+ 52.Kf3 Rxa2 53.Nc7