The Jerome - Norton Games (Part 3)

The third Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) correspondence game between Alonzo Wheeler Jerome and D. P. Norton was published in the November 1876 issue of the American Chess Journal. Comments are by the ACJ editor, William Hallock.

Jerome,A - Norton,D.P.
1876

Unfinished game by correspondence between A.W. Jerome and D. P. Norton

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 Qf6

8.Qd1 Ne7 9.0-0 Rf8 10.f4 N5c6 11.c3 Kg8 12.Be3 d6

13.Nd2 b6 14.f5 d5 15.Qc2 dxe4 16.Nxe4 Qf7 17.f6

and here the author of the Double Opening asks "Now what is Black's best move?" From a cursory glance at the situation it seems to us that Ba6 would be a satisfactory reply for Black.

We are not at all disposed to turn up the nose at Mr. Jerome's pet, as he seems to infer; on the contrary we regard it with favor, and therefore have frequently given games at this opening an airing in the Journal, thus introducing it to the chess public, and subjecting it to that criticism and analysis which will speedily determine its claim to a place in chess literature. We consider it stronger than the Harvey-Evans and not much inferior to the Cochrane attack, but like most openings where a piece is sacrificed to obtain a violent attack, the first player will generally find himself the loser when met by a careful and steady defence. For this reason it will never find favor among match players or the professional representatives of the game. But among the lighter lances - those who cultivate chess an an amusement and not as a means of obtaining bread and butter - it will, no doubt, become quite popular, as it affords a sparkling variation to the tiresome Piano game.

It seems unfair to let William Hallock have the "last word", as his suggestion 17...Ba6 loses a piece and the exchange to 18.Ng5, for example: 18...Qg7 19.Qb3+ Kf8 20.fxe7 Nxe7 21.Nf7+ Rxf7 22.Rxf7.

On the other hand, Alonzo Jerome should not get off easily, either, as 17...Nf5 18.fxg7 Qxg7 would maintain Black's advantage after, say, 19.Bf4 Ba6.

Jerome Gambit Tournament: Chapter I

Thanks to the efforts of my good chessfriend, Pete Banks ("blackburne"), and the kind understanding of ChessWorld's Powers That Be, I was invited to participate in their latest thematic Jerome Gambit tournament.

Something about mentioning the opportunity to include "the World's greatest authority" on the subject, or some such silliness.

It is a 10-player, double round robin tournament, with up to 5 days available per move. (Players often move faster, and sometimes find themselves on the site at the same time, in which case a slice of the game is played move-upon-move.)

My games are completed, others have a handful left to finish up.

I must admit that the challenge of the tournament was irresistible. I've researched the Jerome for years and played it mostly successfully in a dozen or so offhand Internet blitz games, but this opportunity was serious.

The field is a mixture of those familiar with the Jerome Gambit (the third thematic for both blackburne and drewbear, for example) and those new to the opening.

Balanced against my foolishly inflated rating (based on three games at the site – some of my opponents have played thousands) that puts me at the top of the heap, is the tiny little dilemma of standing up for an opening that has a handful of refutations. Gulp!

The whole world's watching!

As if.

Win the tournament, though? I was actually hoping mostly not to embarrass myself. Even that would take everything that I had learned from Alonzo Wheeler Jerome – plus a whole lot of luck.

My first goal for the tournament was therefore, out of necessity, a dark one: I would need to polish up those refutations and go 9-0 with the Black pieces, against Jerome's Double Opening!

(Thanks to Ryan North of Toronto, Canada for his use of his Dinosaur Comic. Cerebral stuff. Funny.)