My chess researches recently took me to The Maitland Weekly Mercury, of New South Wales, Australia, for Saturday, November 18, 1899 (page 6)
The following brief and dashing game is interesting, as an example of the attack which this very unsound opening gives when the defence is rather weakly played. D. Y. M. is, no doubt, Mr. D. Y. Mills, the Scotch champion.
D.Y.M. - Anonymous, 1899
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6
7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.b4 Bxb4 9.c3 Ba5 10.Ba3+ c5
11.Bxc5+ Kxc5 12.Qxe5+ Kb6 13.Qd6+ Kb5 14.a4+ Kc4 15.Qd5 checkmate.
This gem is obviously the game "Played recently at a Garden Party given to the Edinburgh Chess players" according to The Newcastle Courant, Saturday, September 9, 1899 p.2 - see "Research: British Newspaper Archive (2)". The
At the end of last month I posted the famous Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4Bxf7+) game Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1885, which had been published in The Newcastle Courant of Saturday, December 3, 1898, with the admonition that Students would do well to commit it to memory, as strong players have a peculiarity of springing the opening upon the unwary.
"Students" who have not chosen to "commit it to memory" but who have, instead, relied on retaining a general idea of Blackburne's plan, have repeatedly learned, however, that often "half a defense is worse than no defense at all."
The newest example is from the ongoing "Play The Jerome Gambit Quad" at Chess.com.
ubluk (1864) - bfcace (1572)
Play The Jerome Gambit Quad
Chess.com, 2012
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 d6
Black's "generous" counter-offer of material.
8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Qxe4
A key move in Blackburne's Defense is 9...Nf6, working on trapping White's Queen. If she escapes, as in this game, Black will regret his counter-sacrifice of a Rook.
10.Qxh7+
Or 10.d3 Qe5 11.Qxh7+ as in AlgozBR - khuizen, FICS, 2009 (1-0,17)
10...Kf8 11.d3
A bit better than 11.Nc3 as in perrypawnpusher - LtPoultry, blitz, FICS, 2010 (1-0, 12) and DREWBEAR 63 - blackburne, Jerome Gambit Thematic, ChessWorld, 2009 (1-0, 16).
11...Qe6
Previously seen was 11...Qf5 in obviously - dmyze, GameKnot.com, 2004 (1-0, 20).
12.Qxc7 Bb6 13.Qc3 Nf6
Black is down three pawns and the exchange (plus an unsafe King). This should tell as soon as White completes his development.
14.Bh6+ Kf7 15.Nd2 Bd7 16.Rae1 Qf5 17.Ne4 Rh8 18.Nxd6+
A final slip. Black resigned
Here is delightful find from my time researching in the British Newspaper Archive, from the chess column in The Newcastle Courant, Saturday, September 9, 1899 (I have added diagrams).
Played recently at a Garden Party given to the Edinburgh Chess players.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.b4
8...Bxb4 9.c3 Ba5 10.Ba3+ c5 11.Bxc5+
11...Kxc5 12.Qxe5+ Kb6 13.Qd6+ Kb5 14.a4+ Kc4 15.Qd5 checkmate
I have done a bit of research (and spent a few pounds) at The British Newspaper Archive website, looking for references to the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7). Without a date or a paper to focus on, work can be tedious, with only a few "finds".
As a public service, I present an item from The Newcastle Courant, Saturday, December 3, 1898 (I have added diagrams):
The following little brilliancy illustrates the unsoundness of the Jerome Gambit. Students would do well to commit it to memory, as strong players have a peculiarity of springing the opening upon the unwary.
Amateur - Blackburne
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+
4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6
7.Qxe5 d6 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Nf6
10.c3 Ng4 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5 13.Qxa8 Qxh3+ 14.gxh3 Bxe4#
