My chess researches recently took me to The Maitland Weekly Mercury, ofNew 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.
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.
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.
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.
