What will it take?

Playing over Bill Wall's latest Jerome Gambit, I broke out in song...*

I mean, it's tough to beat Mr. Wall. 

Okay, sometimes he gives an opponent a chance by giving "Jerome Gambit odds". 

And what if, on top of that, he had a terrible mouse slip?

And then - he wins the game, anyhow?

I mean, what does it take?

Wall,B - Guest2208830
PlayChess.com, 2013

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Kf8 7.Qf5+? 

The mouse slip, although it is not a "TN", as The Database contains Bogsnes - exactemente, blitz, FICS, 2011 (0-1, 7) . Of course, the correct move is 7.Qxe5

7...Qf6 8.Nc3 Qxf5 9.exf5 Nf6 10.d3 d5 11.Bg5 c6 12.O-O-O Bxf5

Black captures the wrong pawn (he should have played 12...Bxf2) but his position still looks great. It simply isn't the right time to revert to choosing "second (or third, or fourth) best" moves.

13.d4 Bxd4 14.Rxd4 Nf7 15.Be3 a6 16.Rb4 b5 17.Rf4 Be6 18.Re1 

Threatening 19.Bc5+ and 20.Rxe6 

18...Re8 19.Rf3 Ke7 20.Bd4 Ng5 21.Rg3 Nge4  

22.Rxg7+ Kd6 23.f3 Nxc3 24.Be5+ Kc5 25.Bxf6 Nxa2+ 26.Kb1 Nb4 27.Re7 Rxe7 28. Bxe7+ Kc4 

It will not take much more... for White to score the point.

 29.Rxe6 c5 30.Bf6

Threatening 31.b3 mate

30...d4 31. Bxh8 Black resigned

*Mister Bill

(based on "Mister Blue", words and music by Tom Paxton deranged by Rick Kennedy)

Good morning Mister Bill, we've gathered quite a fill.
The evidence is clear, that you've been scheming.
You like to steal a point and terrorize the joint.
You like to brutalize our chessic dreaming.
What will it take, to whip you into line?
An offered piece?
A fumbled Knight?
It can be arranged.
It can be arranged.

Step softly Mister Bill, we know that danger is a thrill.
We know just where your mad attack will take you.
You've got a loss to fill, and fulfill it, yes, you will.
You'll learn to turn your King, or we'll soon make you.
Oh, what will it take, to whip you into line?
A bad mouse-slip?
A case of shaken nerves?
It can be arranged.
It can be arranged.

Be careful Mister Bill this phase that you're in, still,
Can lead you nowhere else, but to disaster.
Excuse us while we grin, you've worn our patience thin.
It's time to show you just who is your master.
What will it take, to whip you into -- What?
You threaten mate?
Please take my Rook?
It can be arranged.
It can be arranged.

Don't worry Mister Bill, you're in for one more thrill.
Just think of it as lightning and thunder.
But can we think again, oh, did we think again,
Or have we just performed a foolish blunder?
What did it take, to trip and take a fall?
A grevious pride?
A swelled-up head?
It seems it was arranged.
It seems it was arranged.

Les échecs modernes; histoire, théorie complète

My thanks to Edward Winter, of Chess Notes, for sending me a copy of the Jerome Gambit analysis from Henri Delaire's Les échecs modernes; histoire, théorie complète, 1914


"Jerome Gambit"

Imagined in 1871 by an American player, A.-W. Jerome, of Paxton, this gambit can surprise by the brusqueness of its attack; but an attentive defense is rightly without great difficulties. Also it is seldom tried.

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

The essential blow

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5

5...Kf8! this second defense is also good and less dangerous 6.Nxc6 dxc6 7.0-0 Nf6 8.Qf3 (8.d4 Bg4 9.Qe1 Qxd4 etc) 8...Qd4 9.d3 Bg4 10.Qg3 Bd6 11.Bf4 g5 12.Bxd6+ cxd6 13.h3 Be6 14.Qxg5 Rg8 better 

6.Qh5+

6.d4 is less agressive 6...Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 (7...Qf6 8.Qd1 d6 9.0-0 g6 10.f4 Nc6 better) 8.0-0 Nf6 9.f4 Nc6 (9...c5 10.Qc3 Neg4 11.Nd2 b5 12.h3 h5! etc) 10.Qd3 Re8 11.Nc3 Be6 better]

6...Ke6

6...Kf8! 7.Qxe5 Qe7 8.Qf4+ Ke8 9.Nc3 d6 10.Qg3 Qf7 better; 6...Ng6? undergoing an awkward attack 7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qc3 Nf6 10.d3 c6 11.0-0 Kd7 12.f4 Qb6+ 13.Kh1 Kc7 14.Qe1 Re8 even;
6...g6? a vain attempt to block the white Queen 7.Qxe5 d6! 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Nf6 10.Qd8 Bb6 11.e5 dxe5 12.Qd3 better

7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.d4

8.f4 does not lead to a better offensive result 8...Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.d3 Kc6 12.Nc3 d6 better

8...Bxd4 9.Na3 c6

9...Ne7? incorrect defense 10.Qh3 Qf8 11.Nb5+ Kc5 12.Nxd4 Kxd4 13.Bg5 better;
9...Qf6? worse 10.Nb5+ Kc5 11.Nxd4 Qxf5 12.Nxf5 g6 13.Be3+ Kc6 14.Nd4+ Kd6 15.0-0-0 Ke7 16.Nb5 and wins

10.c3 Qf6 11.cxd4 Qxf5 12.exf5 Nf7 13.Bf4+ Ke7

Black, free from danger, has the advantage of a piece for a pawn.

The Man, The Myth, The Legend...

Alonzo Wheeler Jerome was born on March 8, 1834 at Four Mile Point, New York.

Oddly, he is not mentioned at any of the relevant web sites, or even the official one for the nearby town of Coxsackie.

The Coxsackie Historic Preservation Commision and the Green County Historical Society have not heard of him, nor has the librarian at the Vedder Memorial Library.

Go figure.

Jerome moved to Paxton, Illinois in 1868, and it was from there that he launched his assault upon the chess world with his analysis of the bodacious Jerome Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+

A hometown hero?

Not if you check the Paxton home page. Nary a whisper.

I have submitted the following "classified ad" to the paper:

Looking for information on or relatives of Alonzo Wheeler Jerome. Born March 8, 1834 at Four Mile Point, New York; moved to Paxton, Illinois in 1868; March 6, 1873, married Jane "Jennie" A. Ostrom. Known for "The Jerome Gambit" published in the Dubuque Chess Journal, American Chess Journal, and elsewhere; died from the complications of a gastric ulcer March 22, 1902 in Springfield, Illinois. richardfkennedy@hotmail.com

We will see what, if anything, happens.

Jerome died in Springfield, Illinois. Historical information about him has been crowded out by that political upstart, Abraham Lincoln.

However, his obituary was available from The Journal:

March 23, 1902
Mortuary Record
Jerome - Died, at 9 o'clock Saturday night, March 22, 1902, at his home, 812 South Third Street, Capt. A. W. Jerome, aged 67 years. The death of Captain Jerome was not unexpected, as he had been bedfast for two months. He came to Springfield at the beginning of the Tanner administration and since then had held the position of guide at the state house. During is stay in this city Captain Jerome became well known. He was a native of New York and was a veteran of the civil war. A widow is the only survivor. The remains will be sent Monday to Paxton for burial.