The Jerome Gambit

Saturday, January 26, 2019

Jerome Gambit: Puzzles and Mysteries (Part 4)

The May, 1877 volume of the Nordisk Skaktidende (pp. 97-102) has an article on the Jerome Gambit by S. A. Sorensen. In it, the author refers to Jerome's article in the Dubuque Chess Journal, 1874. Interestingly, Sorensen was still playing the Jerome Gambit over a decadelater, when a game of his appeared in the November 1889 Deutsches Wochenschach (pp. 423-424) (provided by Ken Whyld).

Sorensen's article was translated into English and appeared in the Chess Player's Chronicle, 1877 (pp 169-174). Thanks, again, to Mr. Whyld for a copy of this.

In 1879, G.H.D. Gossip's Theory of the Chess Openings appeared. I am interested in seeing the Jerome Gambit analysis it contains, if only because the April 1879 Chess Player's Chronicle (p. 86) complained in its review of Theory, that "Game V., the last of the Giuoco Piano, is an analysis of the Jerome Gambit, substantially the same with that which appeared in the Chess Player's Chronicle, 1877..."

Does anyone have access to the 1879 edition of Gossip's Theory of the Chess Openings? I am aware that the second, 1891 edition of Theory does not have any Jerome Gambit analysis.

Rick Kennedy, 11.10.02

My (belated) thanks to Mr. Owin Hindle, who provided a copy of Gossip's 1879 Theory of the Chess Openings which showed its Jerome Gambit information to be clearly based on Sorensen's 1877 article, or the Chess Player's Chronicle's 1877 translation of Sorensen.

Thus, first we have the publishing of some of Alonzo Jerome's writings and games, starting in 1874.

Next, Sorensen's article (published in Copenhagen) in 1877, which produced two English sources - in magazine form, in the Chess Player's Chronicle, and in book form, in Gossip's Theory.

Then, back in the U.S., we have another thread from S. A. Charles, who started writing analyses of openings for his local Cincinnati Commercial Gazette, in 1880, but who switched over to the Pittsburgh Telegraph in 1881 where his writings on the Jerome Gambit (based on correspondence games with Jerome) appear. Charles' writings are gathered together in the October 1881 Brentano's Chess Monthly, and then are edited to appear in the Telegraph again.

Cook's English Synopsis of the Chess Openings, third edition, in 1882 for the first time has analysis of the Jerome Gambit, likely from the Sorensen/Chess Player's Chronicle/Gossip line.

The third edition of Synopsis is reprinted in the States in 1884, with the American Supplement, written by S. A. Charles, uniting both the American and Danish/English lines. The English Chess Openings Ancient and Modern 1889 thereafter continue the interest.

Cook produced a 4th edition of "Synopsis" with the Jerome lines unchanged, but thereafter he did not update the book. His Evolution of Chess Openings in the early 1900s left the Jerome Gambit behind. Chess Openings Ancient and Modern was updated, but when one of its authors died, it was reprinted; and with its last edition, that source of Jerome Gambit support died out, too.

I suspect the publication of Blackburne's book of games - including his 1880 defeat of a Jerome Gambit - hastened the end of the JG as well. The game, for example, is all that shows up in Builger's Hanbuch, when the Jerome shows up at all.

However - just the other day, perusing the Cincinnati Commercial Gazette for 1881, I saw there was a reference to a Jerome Gambit game annotated by MacKenzie in his chess column in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. It seems White won with the Jerome - in a correspondence game in Australia...

I received the following game from Mr. Ken Fraser, chess historian in Australia. Mr. Fraser discovered it in Charlick's chess column in the 12 May 1877 issue of the Adelaide Observer, with the following introduction:

Chess in Adelaide

The following long and stubbornly-contested game was fought April 4, 1877, on the occasion of the visit to Adelaide, during the Easter holidays, of Mr. A. Holloway, of Williamstown, formerly of the Bristol Chess Club. The other game, between the same pair of players, won, at the Kt odds, by Mr. Holloway, was published a few weeks ago. The present partie was played on equal terms.

Charlick referred to the opening as the "Evans-Jerome Double Gambit."

H. Charlick - A. Holloway, Australia 1877

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Bc5 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Nxe5 8.Qh5+ Ng6 9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.Qxc5+ d6 11.Qe3 Nf6 12.d4 Kf7 13.0-0 Re8 14.Nd2 c6 15.f4 Kg8 16.Re1 Kh8 17.Ba3 Nd5 18.Qg3 Ndxf4 19.Nc4 c5 20.e5 Qh4 21.Nxd6 Be6 22.Nxe8 Rxe8 23.Bxc5 b6 24.Bd6 Bc4 25.Qxh4 Nxh4 26.Rad1 Nhxg2 27.Re4 Bd5 28.Rde1 Re6 29.c4 Nxe1 30.cxd5 Rg6+ 31.Kf1 Ned3 32.e6 Nxd5 33.e7 Nxe7 34.Rxe7 h6 35.Bg3 a5 36.d5 Nc5 37.d6 Rf6+ 38.Kg1 Kh7 39.Be5 Rg6+ 40.Kf1 Rg5 41.d7 Nxd7 42.Bc7 Rd5 43.Re6 Rf5+ 44.Kg1 Rf6 45.Re7 Nc5 46.Be5 Rg6+ 47.Kf1 Nd3 48.Bc3 a4 49.a3 b5 50.Rb7 Rg5 51.h4 Rg4 52.Ke2 Rg3 53.Rxb5 Nc1+ 54.Kd2 Nb3+ 55.Kc2 Rg2+ 56.Kd1 Rg3 57.Be5 Rg4 58.Rb4 Rxb4 59.axb4 Kg6 60.Kc2 Kf7 61.Bc3 g5 62.hxg5 hxg5 63.Kb2 Ke6 64.Ka3 Kd5 65.Kxa4 Kc4 66.Be5 g4 67.b5 Nc5+ 68.Ka5 Nd7 69.Bg3 Kd5 70.Bf2 Nc5 71.Kb6 Nd7+ 72.Kc7 Ne5 73.b6 Nc6 74.b7 Nb4 75.Bg3 Ke6 76.Bd6 1-0

Rick Kennedy, 01.04.03

H. Charlick had at least one additional trial with the Jerome Gambit.

As I indicated earlier, there was a reference in an 1881 Cincinnati Commercial Gazette to a Jerome Gambit game played by correspondence - reported in Mackenzie's chess column in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.

It turns out that Mackenzie copied the game - and its notes - from Charlick's column in the Adelaide (Australia) Observer. They are presented here, with the note: it looks like the game first appeared in Andrew Burns' chess column in theMelbourne Leader... Over 100 years ago, it was still a "small" chess world!

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.]

White, Mr. H. Charlick. Black, Mr. J. Mann, J.P.
Jerome Gambit

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.

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5

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

6.Qh5+ Ng6

6...Ke6 is preferable.

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

The authorities give 9.Qc3, but White prefers the text.

9...Nf6 10.d4 Qe7

10...Kf7 is surely stronger, bringing his R into immediate action, and threatening ...Nxe4.

11.0-0 Ng4

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

12.Qe2 Qh4 13.h3 Nf6 14.f4

White has now a most formidable attack.

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

Again we should have preferred ...b6.

19.g4 Nf6 20.Nc3 d5 21.e5

White's Pawns now look quite irresistible.

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.

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

Black's game is so cramped that defeat is inevitable.

28.Nc5

White might also have obtained a fine game by 28.h4.

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.

35...a3

Had he taken 35...Nxb4, White would have gained a winning position by 36.Bf4.

36.Bd2 Nab6 37.Be1 Na4 38.Bg3 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 offhand by 43.f6!)

43.Rxd5

Well played, obtaining a winning position, though it still requires great care to bring about that result.

43...cxd5 44.f6 gxf6 45.Nxf6+ Kd8 46.e7+ Kc8 47.Nxg8 Bc6 48.Nf6 Rxb4 49.e8Q+ Bxe8 50.Nxe8 Rb1+ 51.Kf2 Rb2+ 52.Kf3 Rxa2 53.Nc7 b4 54.Nxd5 b3 55.c6 Rc2 (Must) 56.Bxa3 Ra2 57.Bd6 Rc2 58.Be5 b2 59.Nb6+ Kd8 60.c7+ Rxc7 61.Bxb2 Rc5 62.Bd4 Rb5 63.Nc4 Ke7 64.h4 Ke6 65.Ke4 Rb1 66.Ne3 Kf7 67.h5 Kg8 68.Nf5 Kh7 69.Be3 Re1 70.Nxh6 Rxe3+ 71.Kxe3 Kxh6 72.Kf4 and Black resigns.

The whole of the end game has been played by White with the greatest precision."

Rick Kennedy, 30.04.03

Thursday, January 24, 2019

Jerome Gambit: Puzzles and Mysteries (Part 3)

It appears that the Jerome Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+) made its debut in the April 1874 edition of the Dubuque Chess Journal (p.358), in an article titled "New Chess Opening," beginning "We have received from A.W. Jerome, of Paxton, Ford county, Illinois, some analyses of a new move in the Giuoco Piano, first played by him, which we offer our readers as: Jerome's Double Opening..."

Analysis was continued in the July 1874 issue of the DCJ (p.358), under the title "Jerome's Double Opening." There is the comment "Note: It should be understood that Mr. Jerome claims in this New Opening 'only a pleasant variation of the GiuocoPiano, which may win or lose according to the skill of the players, but which is capable of affording many new positions and opportunities for heavy blows unexpectedly.' "

Fittingly, the July 1874 DCJ issue also contained the game Jerome - Shinkman, which lasted 21 moves, and "Mr. Shinkman announced loss of the Queen or mate in six moves."

A. W. Jerome - W. Shinkman, 1874.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.Qf5+ Kd6 8.f4 Qf6 9.fxe5+ Qxe5 10.Qf3 Nf6 11.d3 Ke7 12.Nc3 g5 13.Rf1 c6 14.g3 d5 15.Bd2 Bg4 16.Qg2 Rhf8 17.h3 Nxe4 18.Bf4 gxf4 19.gxf4 Rxf4 20.Nxe4 Rxf1+ 21.Kxf1 and Mr. Shinkman announced loss of the Queen or mate in six moves.

[Dubuque Chess Journal, July 1874, p. 484]

The January 1875 issue (p.38) of the Dubuque Chess Journal contained analysis by A.W. Jerome of his gambit, presented in tabular form, landscape layout, oddly titled "Queen's Gambit in Jerome's Double Opening," no doubt referring to White's 6th move (4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5 Nxe5 6.Qh5+). It may well have been this analysis that caught the eye of Cincinnati Chess Club President S.A. Charles, as he quotes from this analysis in his 1881 articles in the Pittsburgh Telegraph and Brentano's Chess Monthly articles.

The March 1875 issue (p.135) of the DCJ presented the game Jerome - Brownson, a draw in 25 moves. (Note, the Dubuque Chess Journal also was known as "Brownson's Chess Journal." Yes, that Brownson.)

There are likely other Jerome games in the DCJ - for example in March 1876 (p.103) there is Jerome - Shinkman, a draw in 42 - but the next big step in the history of the Jerome Gambit lies with the published analyses of S.A. Charles.

William Cook's Synopsis of the Chess Openings, for example, has no mention of the Jerome in it's first (1874) and second (1876) editions; but the third edition (1882) has analysis, with the note "this move [4.Bxf7+] constitutes the Jerome Gambit, which, although unsound, affords some highly instructive analysis." S.A. Charles' work is not mentioned, but Cook's analysis clearly relies on it. (Interestingly, Mr. Freeborough and Rev. C.E. Ranken are given thanks for "material assistance in the compilation of the tables, original variations in the openings, and help in the examination of proof.")

The same lines show up in the 1884 Synopsis of Chess Openings A Tabular Analysis by William Cook with American Inventions in the Openings and fresh analysis since 1882 (often referred to as the American Supplement) by J. W. Miller. [My original notion, that the Jerome Gambit made it into Cook's only as an American Invention for the American Supplement was in error.]

The first edition of Freeborough and Ranken's Chess Openings Ancient and Modern Revised and Corrected up to the present time from the best Authorities, 1889, had analysis of the Jerome Gambit, as did the second (1893), third (1896) and fourth (1910).

The Jerome Gambit had arrived. As Freeborough and Ranken noted in their Giuoco Piano section, "Away from the main track [of the Giuoco Piano] there are numerous traps for the unwary and inexperienced player, but, as a rule, any attempt to hurry the action will recoil on the attempter. Numerous attempts of this character have been made at various times. The most interesting of these are now classified as regular openings, notably the Evans Gambit, the Two Knight's Defence, and Max Lange's Attack. The Jerome Gambit is a modern instance."

Of the Jerome, they noted "The Jerome Gambit is an American invention, and a very risky attack. It is described in the American Supplement to Cook's Synopsis as unsound but not to be trifled with. The first player sacrifices two pieces for two pawns, with the chances arising from the adversary's King being displaced, and drawn into the centre of the board. 'The defense requires study, and is sometimes difficult.' It may be added that it is equally difficult for the first player to maintain the attack."

They were not taken in, however. "It is very rarely practised, but as a similar sacrifice of a minor piece for two pawns to stop Black from castling may often occur in the King's Knight's opening [Petroff], we give the Jerome Gambit as a representative form of this kind of attack on its merits, showing its strength and weakness apart from accidental circumstances, which in actual play may materially affect the result."

It is within those pages, too, that S.A. Charles is given credit as chief analyst, and A.W. Jerome goes unmentioned.

Rick Kennedy, 25.07.02

One more Jerome Gambit tid-bit: I stumbled across "William's Cincinnati Directory" for June 1873, and found the notation "Charles S. A. ast. sec'y Covington & Cincinnati Bridge Co. resCovington." That likely means that the President of the Cincinnati Chess Club, the chief analyst of the Jerome Gambit (other than Jerome himself), lived in Covington, Kentucky, across the river from Cincinnati. Hats off to Blackburne, who called the line the Kentucky Opening.

Although Alonzo Wheeler Jerome (1834 - 1904) was the "inventor," of the Jerome Gambit, it was extensively analyzed and popularized by S. A. Charles. There are scant clues today as to who Mr. Charles was. Jeremy Gaige's classic book on chess players, for example, lists the name "S. A. Charles," but not a date of birth or death; and Gaige's entry indicates only that Mr. Charles seemed to have been on the chess scene from 1890 to 1910.

My own digging has added a little to this. Mr. Charles is identified in a January, 1881 chess column in the Pittsburgh Telegraph as being the President of the Cincinnati Chess Club. A September, 1881 chess column in the New Oreleans Times-Democrat refers to Mr. Charles as "formerly of this city." The 1884 American Supplement to Cook's Synopsis of the Chess Openings refers to "S. A. Charles, of Cincinnati"; and this is repeated in the Chess Player's Chronicle of March, 1885.

The most useful reference, William's Cincinnati Directory for June 1873, lists S. A. Charles as the assistant secretary of the Covington and Cincinnati Bridge Company, residing in Covington.

Can anyone help add to this picture of S. A. Charles - even his first and middle names remain a mystery to me. Information on the early years of the Cincinnati Chess Club would be useful, as well.

Rick Kennedy, 04.09.02

I believe Ken Whyld has solved the Jerome Gambit mystery I had posed on 08.01.02, that is - to what was W. John Lutes, in the 11/28/61 issue of the Ohio State University student chess club newsletter, "Phalanx," referring to when he mentioned "Mortimer's analysis from MOCO"?

Mr. Whyld has sent me analysis from James Mortimer's 1888 The Chess Player's Pocket-book and Manual of the Openings which includes a unique line of analysis (that is to say, I have not found it in any of the relevant 150 games and/or sources I have uncovered or reviewed to date) which extends to 18 moves and is exactly the line which Lutes presents. I believe the Phalanx article mis-abbreviates the title of Manual of the Openings as MOCO, i.e. Manual of the Chess Openings.

It might be interesting to readers that Mortimer, in his 1901 edition of his New Century Chess-book wrote "The New Century Chess Book is the up-to-date complement of my previous manual, The Chess Player's Pocket-Book, first published in 1888, and now in its thirteenth edition. Of the latter work, upwards of twenty-five thousand copies have been sold." Not bad for a chess book!

I received an e-mail the other day from Michael Kramer, the internet newsgroup poster referred to in my first Jerome Gambit query - he who had mentioned the source book "All or Nothing! The Jerome Gambit" by Chiam Schmendrik.

As many chesshistory readers may have known, and chuckled up their sleeves as I took the bait, "schmendrik" is Yiddish for "jerk." The book was a humorous reference, and neither it nor the purported author exist.

To all those readers who looked in vain - as I did - for the tome, my thanks and apologies for having been taken in.

Rick Kennedy, 23.09.02

Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Jerome Gambit: Puzzles and Mysteries (Part 2)

Before I began this blog, much of my investigation into the Jerome Gambit appeared online in the "Puzzles and Mysteries" section of Edward Winter's The Chess History Information and Research Center. Although it highlighted my mis-steps almost as often as my true discoveries, it provided valuable exposure to my quest, and put me in touch with a number of helpful sources, for which I remain expecially thankful to Mr. Winter.

With the help of the online Wayback Machine, I was able to bring much of this information forward. It adds to my earlier series of posts containing my longer Jerome Gambit article.

The October 1881 Brentano's Chess Monthly contains a letter from S. A.Charles on the gambit, as well as analysis taken from correspondence games played between Charles and Jerome. Charles also mentions he had published analysis on the gambit in the Pittsburg Telegraph.

Neil Brennen, 19.12.01

A Jerome Gambit Chronology

The March 1876 (No. 71, p.103) issue of the Dubuque Chess Journal (also known at different times as the American Chess Journal and Brownson's Chess Journal) contained a game between Alonzo Jerome and William Shinkman, called "Jerome's Double Opening":

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6 8.0-0 Nf6 9.f4 c5 10.Qc3 Neg4 11.Nd2 b5 12.h3 h5 13.e5 b4 14.Qf3 Ba6 15.exf6 Bxf1 16.Qb7+ Kxf6 17.Ne4+ Kg6 18.f5+ Kxf5 19.hxg4+ Kg6 20.Qd5 Qd7 21.Qg5+ Kf7 22.gxh5 Bc4 23.b3 Be6 24.Bb2 Rag8 25.Rd1 d5 26.Be5 Rf8 27.Rf1+ Kg8 28.Nf6+ Rxf6 29.Bxf6 Rh6 30.Rf4 a5 31.Be5 c4 32.bxc4 dxc4 33.Bd4 a4 34.Re4 b3 35.cxb3 cxb3 36.a3 Qf7 37.g4 Qc7 38.Be5 b2 39.Bxb2 Qg3+ 40.Kf1 Qf3+ 41.Kg1 Qg3+ 42.Kf1 ½-½.

Around 1890, Blackburne won his famous game against an Amateur, at Simpson's Divan in London. It does not seem to have influenced written sources; perhaps it only appeared in print in Mr. Blackburne's Games at Chess, in 1899:

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

The Games section of Brentano's Chess Monthly, October 1881, contained 6 not-completed correspondence games between Jerome and S.A. Charles, with analysis. In an accompanying letter to the editor, Charles said he had "published in the Pittsburg Telegraph a compilation of such analyses of the Jerome Gambit as I could find, with some additions from published games." This is no doubt how Charles got identified in the American Supplement to Cooks' Synopsis as the opening's chief analyst.

Published in 1884, Cook's Synopsis of Chess Openings A Tabular Analysis by William Cook, With American Inventions in the Openings and Fresh Analysis since 1882, by J. W. Miller; had some analysis of the gambit, including the note "This move [4.Bxf7+] constitutes the Jerome Gambit, which, although unsound, affords some highly instructive analysis."

The first edition of Chess Openings Ancient and Modern, 1889, gives the Jerome Gambit its own chapter, calling it "a very risky attack." The second edition of Chess Openings Ancient and Modern, 1893, expands its analysis, but notes "it is very rarely practicised, but as a similar sacrifice of a minor piece for two pawns to stop Black from castling may often occur in the King's Knight's opening, we give the Jerome Gambit as a representative form of this kind of attack on its merits, showing its strengths and weaknesses apart from accidental circumstances, which in actual play may materially affect the result."

By 1906, Cook published The Evolution of the Chess Openings, with no mention of the Jerome Gambit.

Rick Kennedy, 01.01.02

Gathering information on the Jerome Gambit, (or "Jerome's Double Opening" asit was referred to in the Dubuque Chess Journal of March 1876), I have run across an article by W. John Lutes, in the 11/28/61 issue of the Ohio State University student chess club newsletter, "Phalanx". Lutes analyzes the opening, and refers to "Mortimer's analysis from MOCO." This appears to be a reference to James Mortimer, editor of The New Century Chess-Book, and Companion to the Chess Player's Pocket-Book; but neither title fits the intials referred to. (For what it's worth, the edition of MCO - Modern Chess Openings - available to Lutes was MCO9, and it has nothing on the Jerome.)

Can anyone supply the name of the reference? Thank you.

Rick Kennedy, 08.01.02

A couple of days in the Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh, viewing microfilm of the Pittsburg Telegraph, yields the following pieces to the Jerome Gambit puzzle (placed in temporal perspective around the previously noted article in the October 1881 issue of Brentano's Chess Monthly):

Pittsburgh Telegraph, January 19, 1881: "The following careful and complete analysis of the Jerome Gambit, one of the newest attacks in chess, and to be found in but few books, was compiled and condensed for THE TELEGRAPH by Mr. S. A. Charles, President of the Cincinnati Chess Club, and victor in its recent tournay.... [analysis given]"

Pittsburgh Telegraph, February 2, 1881: "The following game played betwen the author of the 'Jerome Gambit' and another amateur." Jerome,A - Amateur 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ This move constitutes the gambit, and although unsound, as shown by Mr. Charles' analysis in this column, yet leads to some intersting and critical positions. 4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ke6 7.f4 d6 8.f5+ Ke7 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.Qh4 c6 11.d3 Qe8 12.Bg5 b5 13.0-0-0 h5 14.d4 Bxd4 15.Rxd4 c5 16.Bxf6+ gxf6 17.Nd5+ Kf7 18.Qxf6+ Kg8 19.Ne7+ Kh7 20.Rxd6 Ng4 21.Qg5 1-0"

Pittsburgh Telegraph, April 27, 1881: "To the Chess Editor of the Telegraph, A few weeks ago I sent you a compilation of such analysis as I could find of the 'Jerome Gambit,' not claiming to present anything new, but only to furnish in a compact form some information which was not probably accessible to most of your readers.

"Since its publication I have received some letters from Mr. Jerome, the inventor of the gambit, claiming that his gambit was sound and that the attack could be improved upon in some fo the variations given. Mr. Jerome's claims as to the corrections, at last, seem to be well founded, and I give below, as an appendix to my former article, a short tabular statement covering the principal changes and correstions suggested by him.

"It is much to be hoped that Mr. Jerome may himself give to the public at an early date his own analysis of this, the only opening of any note of American Invention. Very respectfully, I. [sic] A. Charles... [analysis given]"

Pittsburgh Telegraph, June 8, 1881: "A letter received from Mr. A. W. Jerome calls attention to the fact that he does not claim the Jerome Gambit to be analytically sound, but only that over the board it is sound enough to afford a vast amount of amusement. Mr. J. Refers to the so-called 'Meadow Hay' opening as being an American invention. Well, if that is so, the less said about it the better for American chess reputation."

Brentano's Chess Monthly, October 1881: "Some time since I published in the Pittsburg Telegraph a compilation of such analyses of the Jerome Gambit as I could find, with some additions from published games. Mr. Jerome justly criticized some of the moves as not being the best for either party, and we commenced as series of correspondence games more as a test of the opening than of individual skill.

"Unfortunately Mr. Jerome's business engagements have prevented him from playing out the full number of games originally started; yet the situation even in the unfinished games seems to me at least to prove the gambit unsound, and that while White may win against weak, he cannot do against strong play.

"I should add, perhaps, that Mr. Jerome does consider the defenses here given to 6.d4 to be the best but he does not suggest any others. Very respectfully S.A. Charles... [analysis given]"

Pittsburgh Telegraph, November 2, 1881: "To the Chess Editor of the Telegraph. The following analysis is a compilation, but is primarily based on games played by me with Mr. Jerome. A part of it has appeared in Bretano's Chess Monthly for October, but as the notation there adopted is not as good, in my opininon, as the tabular form, and as it also comtains some misprints and errors, owing, perhaps to my chirography, I have thought best to rewrite and add to the article and forward to you if you have space for it. Very respectfully,S.A.Charles... [analysis given]"

Pittsburgh Telegraph, November 16, 1881: To and From Correspondents.Mr. Charles writes calling attention to small errors in his analysis of the Jerome Gambit.."

Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph, February 27, 1884: "In Cincinnati we met a number of players in the Mercantile Library, the chess room of which... We also had the pleasure of contesting several games with Mr. Jerome, of Paxton, Ill. He is well known as the author of the so-called Jerome Gambit, in which white sacrifices the Bishop by taking KBP on the fourth move of the Giuoco Piano game. Neither the gambit nor its author proved strong in the contest."

Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph, May 21, 1884: "One feature of the first American Edition of "Cook's Synopsis of the Openings," which will soon be published by Robert Clarke and Co. of Cincinnati, will be a supplement containing the fresh analysis that has come into notice during the last two or three years. It is especially desired to give all American openings, or important American variations in the old openings. The Text of "Cook's Synopsis" will be presented exactly as it stands in the third and last edition, now out of print, but greatly in demand as it deserves to be. It is hoped that the additions will give the book a new value for America."

Please note the last item from the Chronicle Dispatch: both "fresh analysis that has come into notice during the last two or three years" and "it is especially desired to give all American openings" point towards the Jerome Gambit, regardless of its over-the-board merit. Note, too, that publisher Robert Clarke and Co. and the indefatigable S.A. Charles are both of Cincinnati.

Finally, readers who have flown in and out of Cincinnati may recall that its airport, actually, is across the river in Kentucky. Perhaps Joseph Blackburne's labelling of the Jerome Gambit (Mr. Blackburne's Games of Chess) as "the Kentucky Opening" is merely a slight error of geography.

Rick Kennedy, 18.07.02

Of course, Dr. Tim Harding clarified the date of the Jerome Gambit game Amateur - Blackburne, London, as 1884, some time back.

Despite my fanciful "geography lesson" above, the origin of "the Kentucky Opening" has ben pretty well established: see the blog posts "The Kentucky Opening" Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

It is likely that James Mortimer's "MOCO", referenced by Lutes, refers to his Manual of Chess Openings.

Sunday, January 20, 2019

Jerome Gambit: Puzzles and Mysteries (Part 1)

I am researching the atavistic Jerome Gambit: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ?? (Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.) The best known example of it is Amateur - Blackburne, London, 1880: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ 4.Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ g6 7.Qxe5 8.Qxh8 Qh4 9.0-0 Nf6 10.c3 Ng4 11.h3 Bxf2+ 12.Kh1 Bf5 13.Qxa8 Qxh3+ 14.gxh3 Bxe4 mate.

In Mr. Blackburne's Games at Chess, 1899, republished as Blackburne's Chess Games, 1979, the winner notes "I used to call this the Kentucky opening. For a while after its introduction it was greatly favored by certain players, but they soon grew tired of it."

In Unorthodox Chess Openings, Eric Schiller makes a leap and names the above Amateur as Jerome -- unlikely, in light of a 8/30/97 rec.games.chess.misc posting by Ozgur Karabiyik (found in a deja search) which noted "It appeared first in American Chess Journal, 1876 recommended by Alonzo Wheeler Jerome (1834-1902) of Paxton, Illinois." [the source of this statement is apparently The Oxford Companion to Chess by K. Whyld and D. Hooper]

The Kentucky allusion is puzzling, although it may relate to the fact that there is apparently analysis of the Jerome Gambit in Freeborough and Rankin's Chess Openings Ancient and Modern, one edition of which (1893), the Cleveland Public Library's catalog notes, was published both in London and Kentucky. Was Blackburne aware when he penned his book...?

I have seen a re-bound copy of Chess Openings, by Freeborough, from the Oberlin College Library, which maddeningly does not have a publication date, and whose title page is typed by a typewriter, as if replacing the original. The publisher, J.E. Wheatley and Co., New-Street, Huddersfield, does not match any listed in the Cleveland Library for the apparently later Chess Openings, Ancient and Modern, by Freeborough and Rankin, with various editions (1889, 1893, 1896,1903, 1905, 1910).

Chess Openings give the opening its own section and opines "The Jerome Gambit is an American invention, and a very risky attack. It is described in the American Supplement [1885] to Cook's Synopsis [1882] as unsound but not to be trifled with... Mr. S. A. Charles of Cincinnati, Ohio is named in the American Supplement as the chief analyst of this opening."

Mr. Jerome, Amateur, Mr.Charles; Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio.

All of which is background to the stunning plea, by Michael Kramer, on rec.games.chess.misc, 9/30/97 (again, found with deja)

"Where can I get a copy of All or Nothing! The Jerome Gambit by Chaim Schmendrik?"

Never mind Keene's brief comments in his Gambits, or those of Batsford Chess Openings, Is there really such a thing as All or Nothing! ???

Rick Kennedy, 24.11.01

The "mystery" of Blackburne's reference to the Jerome Gambit as the "Kentucky Opening" was solved a decade ago - see the blog posts "The Kentucky Opening" Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3.

Likewise, there was never a book on the Jerome Gambit titled All or Nothing, as I pointed out, to my embarassment, years ago.

Friday, January 18, 2019

Jerome Gambit; Back Again

Chessfriend angelcamina is back with another Jerome Gambit game played online at "bullet" speed - one minute, with no increment.

I tend to rephrase the question "Is the Jerome Gambit playable?" into something like "Under what conditions is the Jerome Gambit playable?" Bullet games like the following tend to expand my understanding as to what the answer is.

angelcamina - Danielpia
1 0 bullet game, lichess.org, 2019

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.Qh5+ Ng6

7.Qd5+ Ke8 8.Qxc5 d6 9.Qe3 Nf6

10.O-O Kf7 11.f4 Re8 12.d3 d5

13.e5 Ng4 14.Qg3 h5 15.h3 Nh6 16.d4 Qh4

17.Qf3 Nf5 18.Qxd5+ Be6 19.Qc5 c6 20.Nc3 Nxf4

A tactical slip, but, at the speed this game was unfolding, I wouldn't be surprised if the defender had yelled out "Three no trump!" instead.

Now, White takes command.

21.Rxf4 Qg3 22.Rf3 Qg6 23.Ne4 b6 24.Nd6+ Ke7

Checkmate is coming.

25.Nxf5+ Kd7 26.Qd6+ Kc8 27.Qxc6+ Kd8 28.Nd6 Black lost on time.

Wednesday, January 16, 2019

Jerome Gambit: Opposite of Expected

The following Jerome Gambit game must have annoyed Black to no end. After playing White even for most of the game (okay - it was a slip for the defender to allow the game to become "even"), he reached a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame, only to be tripped up by the presence of an additional Rook on each side. The extra material gave the position middlegame features, specifically that the side on the attack is helped by the opposite-colored Bishops.

Wall, Bill - Guest539588
PlayChess.com, 2018

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

4...Kxf7 5.Nxe5+ Nxe5 6.d4 Bxd4 7.Qxd4 d6

8.O-O Qf6

Just checking to see if White is paying attention...

9.Be3

He is. The threat was 9...Nf6+, winning White's Queen.

9...Ne7 10.Nc3 Rf8 11.Nb5

Black was making progress, moving toward castling-by-hand. It was time for White to shake things up a bit. Black's Queen usually is closer to home, and can deal with threats to c7, but that is not the case, here.

11...N7c6 12.Qd2 Qe7 13.Bg5 Qd7 14.f4 Ng6

White has gotten to play two of his usueful moves, Bg5 and f2-f4, and had to be happy to see one of the typical "germs" of trouble for Black: the Queen blocks the Bishop which blocks the Rook.

Black is still probably better, but White has the more comfortable position to play.

15.Qd5+ Ke8 16.e5 dxe5 17.Qxd7+

This exchange of Queens may have come as a surprise, but now the King blocks the Bishop that blocks the Rook...

17...Kxd7 18.f5 Nge7

19.Rad1+ Nd4 20.Nxd4 exd4 21.Rxd4+ Ke8 22.Re1 Rf7 23.Rde4 Bxf5 24.Rxe7+ Rxe7 25.Rxe7+ Kf8 26.Rxc7 Be4

Take the Rooks off of the board, and the extra pawn for White is virtually meaningless. Sure, White can still outplay his opponent, but that's a different story.

27.Be7+ Kg8 28. Bb4 Bc6 29.Bc3 g6 30.Rg7+ Kf8 31.Rxh7 b6 32.Rc7 Bb5 33.h4 Black resigned

In club play, especially with the clock ticking, it is sometimes possible to draw a Bishops-of-opposite-colors endgame two pawns down. Here, however, White's Rook ties down Black's Rook (it will cost a pawn to be freed), while confining Black's King to the back rank, limiting its ability to assist in a defensive blockade.