825 Classicial Chess Games Annotated

825 Classical Chess

Games Annotated

◦ Gioachino Greco • Unknown Rome

1619 1-0 Chess notation is a wonderful invention – a time machine that allows us to enjoy chess games of all eras, even those played hundreds of years ago. Here we see one of the first great chess masters, Gioachino Greco, in action. While Greco is credited with developing some gambits, his main contribution to chess was to publish witty collections of games that illustrate his theories. Greco considered the following one of his best games.

1.e4 b6 The Queen’s Fianchetto opening. An early fianchetto by Black shows a willingness to defend against a big pawn center, picking away at it from the wings. In ceding so much territory, Black must be on constant guard against direct attacks on the King, as this game amply illustrates. 2.d4 The nat-ural move. White is happy to build an advantage in space. 2...

B

b7 3.

B

d3 Greco often preferred de-veloping his bishop to d3, rather than c4 or b5. As this game progresses, you will see that this piece is perfectly placed. 3...f5 Black offers a pawn to break up the enemy center. 4.exf5 White ac-cepts the pawn, and the fireworks begin. 4...

B

xg2 5.

Q

h5+ g6 It is interesting that hundreds of years after this game was played, all of the moves so far are still considered "book." If you weren’t aware of the date, you might believe that this game was from the Hypermodern movement of the early 20th century. 6.fxg6

N

f6 Black gets greedy and loses immediately. The typical continuation is 6...Bg7 7.gxh7+ Kf8 8.hxg8=Q+ Kxg8 9.Qg6 (or Qg4) Bxh1 and Black has a reasonable game. 7.gxh7+

N

xh5 Gleefully seizing the enemy queen, but not seeing the danger. 8.

B

g6# Even after four cen-turies, some games can still elicit a smile.

1-0 ◦ Captain Smith • Philidor ? London 1790 0-1 C24 The modern era of chess begins with Philidor’s po-sitional analysis of the openings. Though he died in the 18th century, his was the most widely printed book in chess history. In this historically interest-ing game Philidor actually demonstrates the power of a superior pawn formation, confirming his fa-mous maxim: "Pawns are the soul of chess."

1.e4 e5 2.

B

c4

N

f6 3.d3 c6 4.

B

g5 h6 5.

B

xf6

Q

xf6 6.

N

c3 b5 7.

B

b3 a5 8.a3

B

c5 9.

N

f3 d6 10.

Q

d2

B

e6 11.

B

xe6 fxe6 12.O–O g5 Discour-aged from castling on the Queenside, White finds himself under siege on the Kingside. 13.h3

N

d7 14.

N

h2 h5 15.g3

K

e7 The lines are clearly drawn: Black’s command of space allows him to attack at will. 16.

K

g2 d5 17.f3

N

f8 18.

N

e2

N

g6 19.c3

R

ag8 20.d4

B

b6 21.dxe5

Q

xe5 22.

N

d4

K

d7 23.

R

ae1 h4 24.

Q

f2

B

c7 25.

N

e2 Passive defense seems worse here than the try 25. exd hxg 26. dxe6+ Ke8 27. Nxc6 with chances. 25...hxg3 26.

Q

xg3

Q

xg3+ 27.

N

xg3

N

f4+ 28.

K

h1

R

xh3 29.

R

g1

R

xh2+ 30.

K

xh2

R

h8+ 31.

N

h5

R

xh5+ 32.

K

g3

N

h3+ 33.

K

g4

R

h4# 0-1 ◦ Edinburgh • London Correspondence Match (5) England 1824 1-0 C44 The first half ot the 19th century was the golden age of postal chess because players from differ-ent cities and countries could not easily compete in any other way. This game enabled Edinburgh to beat London (2 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss). Newspapers carried all the moves, thus exposing the public for the first time to master chess. The Scotch Game was new, later became popular, then went out of fashion and was revived by Kasparov in the 1990s. This battle assumed epic proportions after move 32 when rooks on either side penetrated behind enemy lines. Watch for the spectacular march of White’s king at the end.

1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.d4

N

xd4 Better is 3...exd4. Now White dominates the center. 4.

N

xd4 exd4 5.

Q

xd4

N

e7 6.

B

c4

N

c6 7.

Q

d5

Q

f6 8.

N

c3

B

b4 9.

B

d2 d6 10.

B

b5

B

d7 11.

Q

c4 Too many queen moves. The threat of Bxc6 is easily parried. Simply 11. O-O is indicated. 11...

B

c5 12.O–O O–O 13.

Q

d3

N

e5 14.

Q

g3

B

xb5 15.

N

xb5 c6 Driving the knight back but weakening the pawn on d6. 16.

N

c3

N

c4 17.

B

g5

Q

g6 18.b3 f6 19.

B

c1

Q

xg3 20.hxg3

B

d4 21.bxc4

B

xc3 22.

R

b1 b6 23.

R

d1

R

ae8 Disdaining passive resistance by 23...Rad8, the London team seeks active counter-play. Black stands better – White’s pawn struc-ture is a shambles. 24.

R

b3

B

a5 25.f3 f5 26.exf5

R

e2 Also playable is 26...Rxf5. 27.g4

R

xc2 28.

B

f4

R

xc4 29.

B

xd6

R

e8 30.

R

a3 h6 31.

B

c7

R

e2 32.

R

d8+

K

h7 If 32...Kf7 33. Bd6 Re8 34. Rd7 with advantage. 33.

R

c8

R

c1+ Better is 33...Rcc2 34. Kh2 Rxg2 but Black has no inkling 1

of the astonishing sacrifice that White is planning. 34.

K

h2

R

ee1 35.

K

h3

R

h1+ 36.

B

h2

B

c3 Set-ting a trap on 37. Rxc6? Be5! 38. Rxc1 Rxh2 mate. 37.f4

B

d2 38.g3

B

a5 Still playing to win instead of steering for an easy draw by 38...Bxf4 39. gxf4 Rc2 40. Rxa7 R2xh2 41. Kg3 Rh3, etc. 39.

R

e3

R

c2 Winning a piece, but appear-ances are deceptive. 40.g5

R

hxh2+ 41.

K

g4 h5+ 42.

K

f3

R

hf2+ 43.

K

e4 g6 The only way to parry the threat of g6 and Rh8 mate. 44.

R

c7+

K

g8 45.

K

e5 Adhering to the Steinitzian precept: The king is a fighting piece – use it! 45...

R

c5+ Also futile is 45...Bc3 46. Rxc3 Rxc3 47. Kf6 forc-ing mate. 46.

K

f6

R

xf5+ 47.

K

xg6

R

f8 48.

R

g7+

K

h8 49.

K

h6 No more than a draw is gained by 49. Ree7 Bc3. 49...

B

b4 50.

R

e6

R

f5 The only way to stop the threat of mate in two. 51.

R

h7+

K

g8 52.

R

g6+

K

f8 53.

R

xc6

R

c5 An exciting moment. If 53...Kg8 54. g6 h4 55. Rg7 Kh8 56. Rxa7 hxg3 57. g7 Kg8 58. Rc8 Rf8 59. gxf8/Q Bxf8 60. Rg7 Kh8 61. Rxf8 mate. 54.

R

f6+

K

e8 55.g6

R

c3 56.g4

B

f8+ 57.

R

xf8+

K

xf8 58.g7+

K

f7 59.

R

h8

R

c6+ 60.

K

h7 No power on earth can stop White’s pawn from queening. Black re-signs. 1-0 ◦ MacDonnell, A. • La Bourdonnais ? 62nd Match Game 1834 0-1 B32 In a sense, the MacDonnell-La Bourdonnais en-counters marked the beginning of modern chess – a set match of serious games between recognized champions, in which all the games were recorded and published. This was the Frenchman’s most famous win of the match (really a series of six matches, won by La Bourdonnais +45, =13, -27), in which we have the unusual spectacle of a mass of pawns overcoming a Queen.

1.e4 c5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.d4 cxd4 4.

N

xd4 e5 5.

N

xc6 A positional error, strengthening Black’s central pawns, but such niceties were little known in the 1830’s. 5...bxc6 6.

B

c4

N

f6 7.

B

g5

B

e7 8.

Q

e2 d5 9.

B

xf6

B

xf6 10.

B

b3 O–O 11.O–O a5 12. exd5 cxd5 13.

R

d1 d4 14.c4

Q

b6 15.

B

c2

B

b7 16.

N

d2

R

ae8 17.

N

e4

B

d8 18.c5

Q

c6 19.f3

B

e7 20.

R

ac1 f5 Not 20...Bxc5? 21.Nxc5 Qxc5 22.Bxh7+. Instead, Black offers an Ex-change sacrifice to get his central pawns moving. 21.

Q

c4+

K

h8 22.

B

a4

Q

h6 23.

B

xe8 fxe4 24.c6 exf3 25.

R

c2 Not 25.dxc6?, as 25...Qe3+ 26.Kh1 fxg2+ 27.Kxg2 Rf2+ will lead to mate. 25...

Q

e3+

26.

K

h1

B

c8 27.

B

d7 f2 Threatening 28...Qe1+ 29.Qf1 Qxd1 f1Q+. 28.

R

f1 d3 29.

R

c3

B

xd7 30.cxd7 e4 31.

Q

c8 In turn threatening 32.Qxf8+ and 33.d8Q. 31...

B

d8 32.

Q

c4

Q

e1 33.

R

c1 d2 34.

Q

c5

R

g8 35.

R

d1 e3 36.

Q

c3

Q

xd1 37.

R

xd1 e2 White Resigns. 0-1 ◦ La Bourdonnais • MacDonnell, A. ? 21st Match Game 1834 0-1 C23 The MacDonnell-La Bourdonnais encounters were, in a real sense, the beginning of modern chess – a series of formally arranged games, all of which were preserved and published. This is one of many wild attacking games in which both sides play for mate. The final position is quite amusing. 1.e4 e5 2.

B

c4

B

c5 3.

Q

e2

N

f6 4.d3

N

c6 5.c3

N

e7 6.f4 exf4 Ignoring the center; a modern player would surely have answered 6...d6. 7.d4

B

b6 8.

B

xf4 d6 9.

B

d3

N

g6 10.

B

e3 O–O 11.h3

R

e8 12.

N

d2

Q

e7 13.O–O–O c5 Correctly strik-ing back in the center, though in 1834 Black’s plan was probably limited to opening a file near the White King. 14.

K

b1 cxd4 15.cxd4 a5 16.

N

gf3

B

d7 17.g4 h6 18.

R

dg1 More logical seems 18.Rdf1 followed by Rhg1; as the game goes, the Rhg1 never does very much. 18...a4 19.g5 hxg5 20.

B

xg5 a3 21.b3

B

c6 22.

R

g4

B

a5 23.h4

B

xd2 24.

N

xd2

R

a5 25.h5

R

xg5 With this Exchange sacrifice Black takes control of the dark squares and obtains a strong initiative. 26.

R

xg5

N

f4 27.

Q

f3

N

xd3 28.d5 White must lose material, for 28.Qxd3 Nxe4 29.Nxe4? Bxe4 wins the White Queen, and 29.Rgg1 Nf2 is not much better. 28...

N

xd5 29.

R

hg1

N

c3+ 30.

K

a1

B

xe4 31.

R

xg7+

K

h8 32.

Q

g3 Threatening mate with 33.Rh7+, but Black’s attack is still very strong. 32...

B

g6 33.hxg6

Q

e1+ 34.

R

xe1 The final blunder; after 34.Nb1 White retains draw-ing chances 34...

R

xe1+ 35.

Q

xe1

N

xe1 36.

R

h7+

K

g8 37.gxf7+

K

xh7 38.f8=

QN

c2# 0-1 ◦ Ludwig Bledow

• von Der Lasa Match

Berlin

1839 1-0 C53 Bledow was a math professor who founded "The Pleiades," a society that set itself the task of rais-ing the standard of the game in Germany at a time 2

when Paris and London were the chess centers of Europe. Morphy’s great principles – occupying the center with pawns, opening lines for attack, rapid development even at the cost of material – already were in evidence in this early game. A unique twist is the way White exploits the weakness on f7. 1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

B

c4

B

c5 4.c3

Q

e7 One of the earliest defenses to the Giuoco Piano. Nowa-days 4...Nf6 is preferred. 5.d4

B

b6 To hold the center. If 5...exd4 6. O-O dxc3 7. Nxc3 the threat of Nd5 is irksome. 6.O–O d6 7.a4 a5 8.

B

e3

N

f6 9.dxe5 Also feasible is 9. Nbd2 to maintain tension in the center. 9...

N

xe5 10.

N

xe5 dxe5 11.

B

xb6 cxb6 12.

N

d2 O–O 13.

Q

e2

B

d7 13...Be6 would neutralize the pressure on f7. Now White gives up a pawn to speed up his development, a dubi-ous plan that works. 14.

R

ad1

B

xa4 15.b3

B

c6 16.f4 Opening lines is essential but Blacks fortress is hard to crack. 16...

R

ad8 Also good is 16...b5! 17. fxe5 Qxe5 18. Rf5 Qxc3. 17.fxe5

Q

xe5 18.

R

f5

Q

d6 Correct is 18...Qxc3 19. e5 Qd4 20. Kh1 Ne4. 19.e5

Q

c5+ 20.

K

h1

N

e4 Little re-lief is offered by 20...Nd5 21. e6; or 20...Rde8 22. Rdf1. 21.

N

xe4

R

xd1+ 22.

Q

xd1

B

xe4 23.

R

xf7 Black overlooked this trick. 23...

R

xf7 24.

Q

d8+

Q

f8 25.

B

xf7+

K

xf7 26.e6+

K

g8 27.e7 The mo-bility of this passed pawn played a decisive role in the attack. Black Resigns.

1-0 ◦ Pierre de Saint-Amant • Howard Staunton Match (13) Paris 1843 1-0 D40 The unofficial world championship. The leading player after Labourdonnais in France was the col-orful Pierre St. Amant, who served was secre-tary to the governor of French Guiana – until he protested against the slave trade. Later he tried his hand as an actor, then became a successful wine merchant, and was a captain in the National Guard during the 1948 revolution. In 1851 he became the French consul to California eight years after the Englishman Howard Staunton bested him in a se-ries of memorable matches. On a visit to London St. Amant defeated Staunton 3.5 - 2.5 for a stake of one guinea. This led to a demand for a return match just before Christmas in the same year, which was won by Staunton 13-8, marking an end to French chess supremacy. Here, in an almost symmetrical position, White’s sway over the open e-file enables him to launch a combination of unusual beauty. Like so many other losers, however, St. Amant at

least had the satisfaction of winning the most bril-liant game.

1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.e3 Now considered too pas-sive because it hems in the bishop on c1. 3...

N

f6 4.

N

c3 c5 5.

N

f3

N

c6 6.a3 A slight loss of time, but the principles of positional play were still largely unknown in those days. 6...

B

e7 7.

B

d3 O–O 8.O–O b6 9.b3

B

b7 10.cxd5 exd5 Also playable is 10...Nxd5 but Black has no desire to simplify. 11.

B

b2 cxd4 12.exd4

B

d6 More perti-nent is 12...Re8 to develop a fresh piece. 13.

R

e1 a6 14.

R

c1

R

c8 15.

R

c2

R

c7 16.

R

ce2 h6 Black could instead contest the file by 16...Re7 either here or on the next move. 17.h3

Q

c8 18.

Q

d2

N

d8 19.b4

N

e6 Walking into a pin. Preferable is 19...b5. 20.

B

f5

N

e4 Staunton later sug-gested 20...Bf4 but Black’s game is already diffi-cult. 21.

N

xe4 dxe4 22.d5 Of course not 22.Bxe4? Bxe4 23. Rxe4 Rc2 winning a piece. 22...exf3 The last chance is 22...Bf4 23. Qd1 exf3 24. Rxe6 Qd8. 23.

R

xe6

Q

d8 24.

B

f6 Shattering the enemy king-side. 24...gxf6 25.

R

xd6 The spectators broke out into enthusiastic applause. If 25...Qxd6 26. Qxh6 forces mate. 25...

K

g7 Nowadays a master would resign here since he only gets a rook in return for his queen. 26.

R

xd8

R

xd8 27.

B

e4 fxg2 28.

Q

f4

R

c4 29.

Q

g4+

K

f8 30.

Q

h5

K

e7 31.d6+

K

xd6 32.

B

xb7

K

c7 33.

B

xa6

R

c3 34.

Q

b5 White’s material superiority is just too great. Black resigns. 1-0 ◦ Staunton, H. • St. Amant, P. Match (5) Paris 1843 0-1 B21 Howard Staunton was born in 1810. After a brief stint as an actor, he became an eminent Shake-spearean scholar and then England’s top player af-ter defeating St. Amant in a series of memorable matches. Because of his plodding style, Staunton’s games are not very impressive. Today he is remem-bered chiefly for having ducked Paul Morphy who crossed the Atlantic to challenge him to a match. Morphy described him as the author of a chess handbook and some "devilish bad games." 1.e4 c5 2.f4 e6 3.

N

f3

N

c6 4.c3 d5 5.e5

Q

b6 Good alternativess are 5...f6 or d4. 6.

B

d3

B

d7 7.

B

c2

R

c8 8.O–O

N

h6 9.h3

B

e7 10.

K

h2 f5 11.a3 a5 12.a4 Makes little sense except to de-velop the knight at a3. 12. d4 right away is better. 12...

N

f7 13.d4 h6 14.

R

e1 g6 15.

N

a3 cxd4 16.

N

xd4

N

xd4 17.cxd4 g5 18.

N

b5

B

xb5 19.axb5

R

c4 Loss of time. 20.

B

d3

R

c8 Not 3

20...Rxd4? 21. Be3. 21.

B

e2 gxf4 22.

R

f1 Bet-ter is 22. Bxf4 22...

N

g5 23.

B

xf4

N

e4 24.

R

c1

R

xc1 25.

Q

xc1

K

d7 26.

Q

e3

B

g5 27.

B

d3

R

g8 28.

B

xe4 dxe4 29.

B

xg5 hxg5 30.

Q

b3 g4 31.

R

d1 Overly cautious. 31. Rxf5! offers draw-ing chances. 31...gxh3 32.

Q

xh3

Q

d8 "The lat-ter portion of this game is conducted with remark-able skill by both parties," commented Staunton. 33.d5

K

c8 34.

Q

c3+

K

b8 35.d6 f4 36.

Q

c5 e3 37.

Q

c2

Q

h4+ 38.

K

g1

R

c8 39.

Q

e2

R

h8 White Resigns. Clocks were not used in those days; the game lasted 9 1/2 hours; today it would take be-tween four and five hours.

0-1 ◦ F. A. Hoffmann • A. D. Petrov Match Warsaw 1844 0-1 C54 The main feature of this ancient game is the simul-taneous assault by White on f7 and Black on f2, the weakest square on each side. Black’s maneu-vers culminate in a magnificent queen sacrifice and a relentless king hunt.

1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

B

c4

B

c5 4.c3

N

f6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5 Nowadays 6. cxd4 is preferred. 6...

N

e4 More energetic is the counter-thrust 6...d5. 7.

B

d5 Looking for adventure, but violating principle by moving the same piece twice. Simply 7. cxd4 Bb4 8. Bd2 Nxd2 9. Nbxd2 would give White a peace-ful life. 7...

N

xf2 8.

K

xf2 dxc3+ 9.

K

g3 Exposes the king to some danger. Safer is 9. Ke1. But not 9. Be3 Bxe3 10. Kxe3 cxb2. 9...cxb2 10.

B

xb2

N

e7 11.

N

g5 Too eager to attack instead of think-ing about his own safety. It’s time to consolidate with 11. h3 to give the king an escape square on h2. 11...

N

xd5 12.

N

xf7 O–O Giving up an en-tire queen to control the f-file. White didn’t reckon with this sacrifice! 13.

N

xd8 There’s nothing bet-ter. If 13. Nh6 gxh6 14. Qxd5 Rf7 15. Qxc5 Qg5 16. Kh3 d6 wins. Or 13. Qxd5 Rxf7 14. h3 Qg5 15. Kh2 Qf4 16. g3 Qf2 17. Qg2 Qxg2 18. Kxg2 Rf2 followed by Rxb2. 13...

B

f2+ 14.

K

h3 d6+ 15.e6

N

f4+ 16.

K

g4

N

xe6 Threatening mate in two by 17...Rf4 and Rh4. 17.g3

N

xd8+ 18.

K

h4

R

f4+ 19.

K

g5

N

e6+ 20.

K

h5 g6+ 21.

K

h6

R

h4+ 22.gxh4

B

e3# A pretty king hunt.

0-1 ◦ Anderssen, A. • Kieseritsky ? London 1851 1-0 C33 One of Anderssen’s masterpieces, known as the "Immortal Game." Black neglects his develop-ment, and Anderssen offers both Rooks to show that two active pieces are worth a dozen sleeping at home.

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.

B

c4

Q

h4+ 4.

K

f1 b5 5.

B

xb5

N

f6 6.

N

f3

Q

h6 7.d3

N

h5 8.

N

h4

Q

g5 9.

N

f5 c6 10.

R

g1 cxb5 11.g4

N

f6 12.h4

Q

g6 13.h5

Q

g5 14.

Q

f3 Now threatening to trap the Black Queen with 15.Bxf4. 14...

N

g8 15.

B

xf4

Q

f6 16.

N

c3

B

c5 17.

N

d5

Q

xb2 18.

B

d6 A brilliant move, the main point of which is to divert the Black Queen from the a1-h8 diagonal. Now Black cannot play 18...Bxd6? 19.Nxd6+ Kd8 20.Nxf7+ Ke8 21.Nd6+ Kd8 22.Qf8++. 18...

Q

xa1+ 19.

K

e2

B

xg1 And not 19...Qxg1 20.Nxg7+ Kd8 21.Bc7++. 20.e5

N

a6 More resistance could have been offered by 20...Ba6, but White should still win after 21.Nc7+ Kd8 22.Nxa6 Bb6 23.Qxa8. 21.

N

xg7+

K

d8 22.

Q

f6+

N

xf6 23.

B

e7# 1-0 ◦ Anderssen, A. • Dufresne ? Berlin 1853 1-0 C52 White sacrifices a piece to open the central files against the uncastled Black King, and despite his seemingly adequate development and counterat-tacking chances, Black comes out a tempo short in one of the finest combinations on record, justly known as the "Evergreen Game."

1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

B

c4

B

c5 4.b4 The Evans Gambit, in which White sacrifices a flank pawn for rapid development and a powerful center. 4...

B

xb4 5.c3

B

a5 6.d4 exd4 7.O–O d3 8.

Q

b3

Q

f6 9.e5

Q

g6 10.

R

e1

N

ge7 11.

B

a3 b5 Black in turn gives up a pawn to complete his devel-opment, but White’s control of the center makes it difficult for Black to coordinate his forces. 12.

Q

xb5

R

b8 13.

Q

a4

B

b6 14.

N

bd2

B

b7 15.

N

e4

Q

f5 16.

B

xd3

Q

h5 17.

N

f6+ A tempo-rary piece sacrifice to exploit the exposed position of the Black King. But this is not without danger, as Black now obtains an open g-file for counter-play. 17...gxf6 18.exf6

R

g8 19.

R

ad1 Offering a second piece and far stronger than the defensive 19.Be4. 19...

Q

xf3 20.

R

xe7+

N

xe7 Black cannot escape with 20...Kd8, in view of 21.Rxd7+! Kc8 22.Rd8+ Kxd8 [or 22...Rxd8 23.gxf3] 23.Be2+, winning. 21.

Q

xd7+

K

xd7 22.

B

f5+

K

e8 23.

B

d7+

K

d8 24.

B

xe7# 1-0

◦ Paulsen, L. • Morphy, P. ?

New York

1857 0-1 C48 Paul Morphy competed in only one tournament in his short career, the 1st American Chess Congress in 1857. In the final round of this knock-out event, he defeated German master Louis Paulsen by a score of +5, =2, -1. In this game, he demonstrates both his better grasp of positional play – Black’s control of the center files makes a marked contrast to White’s flailing on the flanks – and his combina-tive ability, as he finishes the game with a startling and brilliant Queen sacrifice.

1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

N

c3

N

f6 4.

B

b5

B

c5 5.O–O O–O 6.

N

xe5

R

e8 Rather than permit the "fork trick" 6...Nxe5 7.d4, Black sacrifices a Pawn for rapid development. 7.

N

xc6 dxc6 8.

B

c4 b5 9.

B

e2 The seemingly more logical 9.Bb3 fails to 9...Bg4 10.Qe1 [or 10.Ne2 Rxe4 winning the pinned Knight] 10...b4, and if 11.Na4 Rxe4 traps the White Queen. 9...

N

xe4 10.

N

xe4

R

xe4 11.

B

f3

R

e6 12.c3 If White were able to follow up with d2-d4, this would be a good move, but he can’t. He should reconcile him-self to 12.d3. 12...

Q

d3 13.b4

B

b6 14.a4 bxa4 15.

Q

xa4

B

d7 16.

R

a2

R

ae8 Threatens mate with 17...Qxf1+. White’s reply defends against this sacrifice, but allows another, which Paulsen can hardly be blamed for missing. Relatively best was 17.Qd1 17.

Q

a6

Q

xf3 18.gxf3 Morphy took 12 minutes to decide on 17...Qxf3, an un-usually long time for him. Paulsen, a notori-ously slow player, thought for over an hour be-fore capturing the Queen. 18...

R

g6+ 19.

K

h1

B

h3 20.

R

d1 Black threatened 20...Bg2+ 21.Kg1 Bxf3++, and 20.Rg1 fails to 20...Rxg1+ 21.Kxg1 Re1+. The key line, which Paulsen probably missed at move 17, is 20.Qd3 [hoping to return the Queen with 20...Qxg6] 20...f5!, and White is help-less. 20...

B

g2+ 21.

K

g1

B

xf3+ 22.

K

f1

B

g2+ 23.

K

g1

B

h3+ 24.

K

h1

B

xf2 25.

Q

f1

B

xf1 26.

R

xf1

R

e2 27.

R

a1

R

h6 28.d4

B

e3 White Re-signs. 0-1 ◦ Morphy, P. • Anderssen, A. ?

9th Match Game, Paris

1858 1-0 B44

A school teacher, later professor of mathemat-ics, Adolph Anderssen had to fit this now-historic match into the Christmas holidays. In some cases, two games were played in one day. This game and many others in the series give lie to the myth that Anderssen was interested only in attacks on the King. Here he answers a sharp assault on the Sicilian - repeated by Fischer more than a century later - with equal energy. The result is a violent miniature.

1.e4 c5 2.d4 cxd4 3.

N

f3

N

c6 4.

N

xd4 e6 5.

N

b5 d6 6.

B

f4 e5 7.

B

e3 f5 So far, a modern line. An-derssen’s move is adventurous and not easy to re-fute. 8.

N

1c3 f4 But Nf6 was surely more logi-cal. 9.

N

d5 fxe3 10.

N

bc7+

K

f7 11.

Q

f3+

N

f6 12.

B

c4 A wonderful attacking move, keeping op-tions open and threatening a variety of things. 12...

N

d4 An aggressive try, instead of running with 12...Kg6. 13.

N

xf6+ d5 14.

B

xd5+

K

g6 15.

Q

h5+

K

xf6 16.fxe3 At last! 16...

N

xc2+ 17.

K

e2 The Black King is now bare on the f-file. Black resigns. 1-0 ◦ Morphy, P. • Count Isouard ? Paris 1858 1-0 C41 Waiting for Anderssen to arrive from Breslau, Paul Morphy enjoyed the delights of Paris - including the Opera House. During The Marriage of Figaro he entertains his hosts with this elegant brilliancy, mating on the 17th move with his last two pieces! 1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3 d6 3.d4

B

g4 Not yet in the Phili-dor Defense! After a few forced moves White gets a big jump in development. 4.dxe5

B

xf3 5.

Q

xf3 dxe5 6.

B

c4

N

f6 Seems natural, but Qe7 was necessary, as this game shows. 7.

Q

b3

Q

e7 8.

N

c3 Development, not material! 8...c6 9.

B

g5 b5 Far too optimistic, given the congestion of the black pieces. 10.

N

xb5 cxb5 11.

B

xb5+

N

bd7 12.O–O–O

R

d8 13.

R

xd7 Removing another de-fender. 13...

R

xd7 14.

R

d1

Q

e6 Air at last - but now Morphy shows how simple a mate can be. 15.

B

xd7+

N

xd7 16.

Q

b8+

N

xb8 17.

R

d8# 1-0 ◦ Henry Bird • Paul Morphy London England 1858 0-1 C41 In olden times the object was to win with beautiful 5

strokes, and fans often felt cheated when good de-fense frustrated a brilliancy. Morphy was the father of positional play, and his style was the antithesis of romanticism. Instead of going for the quick kill, he brought out all his pieces as rapidly as possible. But close scrutiny of his 400 recorded games re-veals that many of his combinations were flawed. Here, a pawn ahead with a routine win in sight, he embarks on a celebrated sacrifice that needlessly allowed Bird drawing chances.

1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3 d6 Philidor’s Defense – even though there are no recorded games showing that Philidor ever played it! 3.d4 f5 Philidor’s Counter Attack is rarely seen nowdays because its considered too risky. The strongest reply is 4. Bc4 fxe4 5. Nxe5! 4.

N

c3 fxe4 5.

N

xe4 d5 6.

N

g3 Sharper is 6. Nxe5 dxe4 7. Qh5 g6 8. Nxg6 Nf6 9. Qe5. 6...e4 7.

N

e5

N

f6 Black is out of danger and getting ready to castle. 8.

B

g5

B

d6 9.

N

h5 Too many knight moves. Better is 9. f3. 9...O–O 10.

Q

d2

Q

e8 11.g4 A better fight is 11. Nxf6 gxf6 12. Bxf6! Rxf6 13. Qg5 Rg6 14. Nxg6 hxg6 15. Qxd5. The text simply gives up a pawn without sufficient com-pensation. 11...

N

xg4 12.

N

xg4

Q

xh5 13.

N

e5

N

c6 14.

B

e2

Q

h3 15.

N

xc6 bxc6 16.

B

e3

R

b8 17. O–O–O

R

xf2 A memorable conception – but it should yield only a draw against best defense. 18.

B

xf2

Q

a3 19.c3

Q

xa2 20.b4

Q

a1+ 21.

K

c2

Q

a4+ 22.

K

b2 22. Kc1! would force Black to take a draw by perpetual check since 22... Bxb4? loses to 23. cxb4 Rxb4 24. Qg5! 22...

B

xb4 23.cxb4

R

xb4+ 24.

Q

xb4

Q

xb4+ 25.

K

c2 More suicidal tendencies. Black seems to have noth-ing better than perpetual check against 25. Ka2. 25...e3 26.

B

xe3 Also hopeless is 26. Be1 Bf5 27. Bd3 Qa4 28. Kc1 Qa1 29. Kc2 Bxd3 30. Rxd3 Qa2 31. Kc1 Qg2. 26...

B

f5+ 27.

R

d3 Futile is 27. Bd3 Qc4. 27...

Q

c4+ 28.

K

d2

Q

a2+ 29.

K

d1

Q

b1+ Black now prevails on 30. Kd2 Qxh1 31. Ra3 Qxh2. The art of defense was in such a back-ward state that inferior tactics often succeeded in those days. White resigns.

0-1 ◦ MacDonnell, G. A. • Boden ? London 1861 1-0 C51 Once dubbed the "Koh-i-Noor" of chess, this game is quite typical of the period – a slashing attack ap-pears out of nowhere, for defensive technique was little understood even by the best players. The

win-ner should not be confused with La Bourdonnais’ opponent, Alexander McDonnell.

1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

B

c4

B

c5 4.b4

B

b6 5.O–O d6 6.h3

N

f6 7.d3 O–O 8.

N

c3 h6 9.

B

e3

N

xb4 10.

N

e2

N

c6 11.

N

g3 d5 12.

B

b5 dxe4 13.

B

xc6 bxc6 14.

N

xe5 exd3 15. cxd3

Q

e8 16.

B

xb6 axb6 17.f4

N

d5 18.

Q

h5 f6 19.

N

g6

Q

e3+ 20.

K

h2

R

d8 21.

R

fe1

Q

xd3 22.

R

ad1

Q

c2 The black Queen’s foraging expedition has left Black far behind in development. 23.

N

e7+

K

h8 24.

Q

f7

B

xh3 Black clears the back rank with gain of tempo in order to answer the threat of Ng3-h5 with Rd8-g8. On other moves, say 24...Bb7, White’s point is 25.Rxd5 cxd5 26.Nh5 Rg8 27.Ng6+ Kh7 28.Nxf6++. 25.

R

e2

Q

xd1 26.

N

h5

R

g8 27.

N

xg8

R

xg8 28.

R

e8 Black re-signs. 1-0 ◦ Johannes Zukertort • Adolf Anderssen Match (9) Breslau 1865 1-0 C60 After Zukertort lost two title matches to Steinitz, a critic ascribed these setbacks to the fact that he "was not yet Zukertort in 1872" (the first time) and "was no longer Zukertort in 1886" (the second time). Here he thrashes his teacher Anderssen (of-ten considered the world’s best player when Mor-phy retired) after dropping the first three games. This one proved to be the turning point of the match, and it shows how notions of beauty change. Wild sacrifices that were applauded a century ago usually fail today against ruthlessly precise de-fense; yet Anderssen was caught off guard, suc-cumbed in a mere dozen moves, then lost the next five games.

1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

B

b5

N

ge7 The so-called Cozio Defense to the Ruy Lopez is seldom seen today. 4.c3 d6 5.d4

B

d7 6.O–O

N

g6 The main problem with this setup is that it takes several moves before Black can safely castle. 7.

N

g5 h6 Virtually inviting White to sacrifice on f7. Safer is 7...Be7 8 Qh5 exd4. 8.

N

xf7

K

xf7 9.

B

c4+

K

e7 A much tougher defense is 9...Ke8 10. Qh5 Nce7 (or Qf6). 10.

Q

h5

Q

e8 The same fate awaits Black on 10...Be8 11. Bg5! hxg5 12. Qxg5 Kd7 13. Qf5 Ke7 24. Qe6 mate. The only way to stave off mate is 10...d5 in order to create an escape square for the king at d6. 11.

Q

g5+ hxg5 12.

B

xg5# Thus the student surpassed his teacher. Black resigns. 1-0

◦ Anderssen, A. • Steinitz, W. ?

13th Match Game, London

1866 0-1 C65 In a see-saw match a new force emerges in the per-son of Wilhelm Steinitz. In this decisive game, the younger man launches a "pawn roller" against White’s King, while the man famous for the "Im-mortal" and "Evergreen" games pursues a posi-tional attack on the Queenside. The White King runs, but can’t hide.

1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

B

b5

N

f6 4.d3 d6 5.

B

xc6+ bxc6 6.h3 g6 7.

N

c3

B

g7 8.O–O O–O 9.

B

g5 h6 10.

B

e3 c5 11.

R

b1

N

e8 12.b4 cxb4 13.

R

xb4 c5 14.

R

a4 The Rook seems aggressive but is out of play. 14...

B

d7 15.

R

a3 f5 16.

Q

b1

K

h8 17.

Q

b7 a5 18.

R

b1 a4 19.

Q

d5

Q

c8 20.

R

b6

R

a7 21.

K

h2 f4 22.

B

d2 g5 23.

Q

c4

Q

d8 24.

R

b1

N

f6 25.

K

g1

N

h7 26.

K

f1 h5 27.

N

g1 g4 28.hxg4 hxg4 29.f3

Q

h4 As usual in such positions, everything seems defended but the cramped defender runs out of moves. 30.

N

d1

N

g5 31.

B

e1

Q

h2 32.d4 gxf3 33.gxf3

N

h3 Go-ing after bigger stakes. 34.

B

f2

N

xg1 35.dxc5

Q

h3+ 36.

K

e1 The King would be soon mated af-ter 36. Kxg1 Rg8. 36...

N

xf3+ 37.

R

xf3

Q

xf3 38.

N

c3 White is a full Rook down - but there’s al-ways the h file! 38...dxc5 39.

B

xc5

R

c7 40.

N

d5

R

xc5 Enough! 41.

Q

xc5

Q

xe4+ 42.

K

f2

R

c8 43.

N

c7

Q

e3+ White resigns.

0-1 ◦ Matchego • Falkbeer ? London 1869 0-1 C39 In playing over these games, it is best not to ask too many questions about the defenders’ play – the gap in strength between master and amateur was often enormous. Relax and enjoy the tragicomic plight of the White King, as he is driven across the board and mated with his pieces still at home.

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.

N

f3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.

N

e5

N

f6 6.

N

c3 White’s set up (known as the Kieseritsky Gambit) is acceptable – he can recover either the g5 or f5 pawn – but he should now play 6.d4, to answer 6...d6 with 7.Nd3. 6...d6 7.

N

c4

B

e7 8.d4

N

h5 9.

B

e2

B

xh4+ 10.

K

d2

Q

g5 11.

K

d3

N

c6 12.a3

B

f2 13.

N

d5

B

xd4 14.

N

xc7+

K

d8 15.

N

d5 15.Nxa8 is no worse than the game, but it runs into something like 15...d5 16.exd5 Bf5+ 17. Kd2 f3+ 18.Ke1 f2+ 19.Kf1 Ng3++. 15...f5 16.

N

xd6 fxe4+ 17.

K

c4

Q

xd5+ 18.

K

xd5

N

f6+ 19.

K

c4

B

e6+ 20.

K

b5 a6+ 21.

K

a4 b5+ 22.

N

xb5 axb5+ 23.

K

xb5

R

a5+ 24.

K

xc6

B

d5+ 25.

K

d6

N

e8# 0-1 ◦ Carl Hamppe • Philipp Meitner Vienna Austria 1872 1/2-1/2 C25 There seems to be a deep-rooted prejudice against draws, and complaints are frequently heard about uninspired draws in modern master competition. But if neither side makes a mistake, splitting the point is a logical result. Chess literature abounds in draws far more exciting than many a decisive out-come. Here the sheer logic of the situation forced the spirited combatants to make peace in a mere 18 moves! The Golden Treasury of Chess dubbed it "perhaps the most extraordinary game ever played" – not the least of its virtues is the incredible jour-ney undertaken by White’s king deep into enemy terrain.

1.e4 e5 2.

N

c3

B

c5 3.

N

a4

B

xf2+ To exploit the awkward knight on the rim. More prudent is 3...Be7. 4.

K

xf2

Q

h4+ The point is that on 5. g3 Qxe4 attacks both a4 and h1. 5.

K

e3

Q

f4+ 6.

K

d3 d5 7.

K

c3

Q

xe4 8.

K

b3

N

a6 9.a3 To prevent 9...Qb4 mate. Another possibility is 9. d4. 9...

Q

xa4+ A thunderbolt! 10.

K

xa4

N

c5+ 11.

K

b4 a5+ 12.

K

xc5

N

e7 Threatening 13...b6 14. kb5 Bd7 mate. 13.

B

b5+

K

d8 14.

B

c6 b6+ 15.

K

b5

N

xc6 16.

K

xc6 But not 16. c3? Nd4 17. cxd4 Bd7 mate. 16...

B

b7+ 17.

K

b5 How many pieces can Black give away? This bishop can’t be accepted in view of 17. Kxb7? Kd7 18. Qg4 Kd6 followed by Rhb8 mate. 17...

B

a6+ 18.

K

c6 Again best. If 18. Ka4? Bc4 followed by b5 mate. 18...

B

b7+ Draw by repetition on 19. Kb5 Ba6. A fitting conclusion to one of the most remarkable king hunts in chess history.

1/2-1/2 ◦ Bird, H. • Mason ? New York 1876 1-0 C01 This brilliancy-prize game by Henry Edward Bird, one of England’s premier players for half a century, features a speculative queen sacrifice with the un-usual combination of two rooks and knights against queen, rook and knight. A delight!

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.

N

c3

N

f6 4.exd5 exd5 5.

N

f3

B

d6 6.

B

d3 O–O 7.O–O h6 8.

R

e1

N

c6 9.

N

b5

B

b4 10.c3

B

a5 11.

N

a3

B

g4 12.

N

c2 The con-tinuing fight for good squares for the pieces. 12...

Q

d7 13.b4

B

b6 14.h3

B

h5 15.

N

e3

R

fe8 16.b5

N

e7 17.g4

B

g6 18.

N

e5

Q

c8 19.a4 c6 20.bxc6 bxc6 21.

B

a3

N

e4 Black seeks ex-changes, but in this case White’s position grows stronger. 22.

Q

c2

N

g5 23.

B

xe7

R

xe7 24.

B

xg6 fxg6 25.

Q

xg6

N

xh3+ 26.

K

h2

N

f4 27.

Q

f5

N

e6 The exchange of Queens would have left Black with a poor endgame, but now there’s worse... 28.

N

g2

Q

c7 29.a5

B

xa5 30.

R

xa5

R

f8 If 30...Qxa5 31. Ng6! (not 31. Nxc6 Qc7+). 31.

R

a6 A marvelous conception, espe-cially since 31. Qc2 is safe. 31...

R

xf5 32.gxf5

N

d8 33.

N

f4

Q

c8 34.

N

fg6

R

e8 Prove It! says Black: 35.

N

xc6 And he does. Yet the combination is by no means clear: 35...Nxc6 36. Rxe8+ Qxe8 37. Rxc6 keeps Rook & Knight for the Queen, but White is hardly a winner. 35...

Q

c7+ 36.

N

ce5

Q

xc3 37.

R

e3

Q

d2 38.

K

g2

Q

xd4 39.f6 gxf6 40.

R

xf6

N

e6 41.

R

g3

N

g5 42.

N

g4

K

g7 43.

N

f4

Q

e4+ 44.

K

h2 White has too many forks and pins for Black to handle - otherwise, the end-ing is Black’s. 44...

N

h7 45.

N

h5+

K

h8 46.

R

xh6

Q

c2 47.

N

hf6

R

e7 48.

K

g2 d4 49.

N

e5

Q

c8 50.

N

g6+ A rollicking good game! Black resigns. 1-0 ◦ Blackburne, J. • Schwarz, A. Berlin Germany 1881 1-0 C01 Joseph Henry Blackburne was a chess professional all his life and the greatest player England pro-duced in the 19th century. Here is his most bril-liant game at his finest triumph in Berlin where he finished first ahead of Zukertort and every leading master with the exception of Steinitz, who did not participate.

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.

N

c3

N

f6 4.exd5 Considered too tame today. 4. Bg5 is preferred. 4...exd5 5.

N

f3

B

d6 6.

B

d3 c6 7.O–O O–O 8.

N

e2 White could first take the precaution of 8. h3. 8...

B

g4 9.

N

g3

Q

c7 10.

B

e3

N

bd7 11.

Q

d2

R

fe8 12.

R

ae1

N

e4 13.

Q

c1

B

xf3 14.gxf3

N

xg3 15.hxg3

B

xg3 16.

K

g2 16. fxg3 Qxg3+ leads to a draw by per-petual check. 16...

B

d6 17.

R

h1

N

f8 18.

R

h3 g6 19.

R

eh1

R

ad8 20.

B

g5

R

d7 21.c4 "White’s de-sign from this move in combination with the bril-liant finish belongs to the finest efforts of chess genius in modern play," wrote Steinitz. 21...dxc4

22.

B

xc4 h5 Weakens the kingside. Better is 22...Be7. 23.

R

h4 b5 24.

B

b3

N

e6 25.

B

f6

N

f4+ Loses. The last hope was 25...Be7 26. Bxe6 Bxf6 27. Bxd7 Qxd7. 26.

Q

xf4

B

xf4 27.

R

xh5 gxh5 28.

R

xh5 Black Resigns. Mate can’t be averted on h8. 1-0 ◦ Chigorin, M. • Zukertort, J. London International (1) England 1883 0-1 C67 This event featured the introduction of the double-faced clock now standardized in tournament play. Russia’s Mikhail Chigorin finished fourth in a field of 14 after biting the dust in the first round against Johannes Zukertort, who won with 22-4 – three points ahead of future world champion Wilhelm Steinitz. Here White erred by relinquishing the two bishops too soon and is punished by a sprightly combination.

1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

B

b5

N

f6 4.O–O

N

xe4 5.d4

B

e7 6.d5 Today 6. Re1 is preferred. 6...

N

d6 7.

B

xc6 It’s better to retreat with 7. Ba4 but Chig-orin was known for preferring knights over bish-ops. 7...dxc6 8.dxc6 f6 Preserving the central pawn mass. 9.cxb7

B

xb7 10.

B

e3 O–O 11.

N

bd2

N

f7 12.

Q

e2 f5 13.

N

b3 f4 14.

B

c5 e4 The pawns advance like molten lava. 15.

N

fd4 f3 16.

Q

b5

Q

c8 17.

R

fd1

B

a6 To stop the queen from get-ting back to f1. 18.

Q

a4

N

g5 Tearing White’s kingside apart due to the double threat of Nh3+ or Qg4. Premature would be 18...Qg4? 19. Nxf3! 19.

N

xf3 exf3 20.

R

d7 Equally inadequate is 20. Bxe7 Nh3+. Now a king hunt begins in earest. 20...fxg2 21.

R

xe7

N

h3+ 22.

K

xg2

N

f4+ 23.

K

f3

Q

h3+ 24.

K

e4

B

b7+ 25.

K

d4

N

e6+ 26.

K

c4

R

f4+ 27.

N

d4

N

xc5 28.

K

xc5 Also futile is 28. Re8+ Kf7. 28...

Q

h5+ 29.

K

c4

R

xd4+ White Re-signs. His queen falls after 30. Kxd4 Qg4+. 0-1 ◦ Zukertort • Blackburne ? London 1883 1-0 A13 A striking combination by Zukertort, perhaps the last of the "old school" masters. After his defeat by Steinitz in 1886, it became clear that Steinitz’s positional theories had brought a new aspect to the game.

1.c4 e6 2.e3

N

f6 3.

N

f3 b6 4.

B

e2

B

b7 5.O–O d5 6.d4

B

d6 7.

N

c3 O–O 8.b3

N

bd7 9.

B

b2

Q

e7 10.

N

b5

N

e4 11.

N

xd6 cxd6 12.

N

d2

N

df6 13.f3

N

xd2 14.

Q

xd2 dxc4 15.

B

xc4 d5 16.

B

d3

R

fc8 17.

R

ae1

R

c7 18.e4

R

ac8 19.e5

N

e8 20.f4 g6 21.

R

e3 f5 22.exf6

N

xf6 23.f5

N

e4 24.

B

xe4 dxe4 25.fxg6

R

c2 26.gxh7+

K

h8 27.d5+ e5 Now it seems that White must lose a piece, but the active White Rooks, the exposed position of the Black King, and the strong Bishop on b2 provide the basis for an "overloading" combination. 28.

Q

b4

R

8c5 On 28...Qxb4 29.Bxe5+ Kxh7 30.Rf7+ Black will soon be mated. A typical variation is 30...Kg6 31.Rf6+ Kh5 32.Rh3+ Kg5 33.Rg3+ Kh5 34.Rf5+ Kh6 35.Bf4+ Kh7 36.Rh5++. 29.

R

f8+

K

xh7 30.

Q

xe4+

K

g7 31.

B

xe5+

K

xf8 32.

B

g7+ Black Resigns. 1-0 ◦ Zukertort, J. • Steinitz, W. ?

7th Match Game, New York

1886 0-1 E57 The first match recognized as a World Champi-onship contest began badly for Steinitz. Then he settled down into a positional game that has ever since been his hallmark. The battle here, and in innumerable Queen’s Gambits since, has been over the strength or weakness of the isolated queen pawn, and, later, the "hanging pawns" in the cen-ter.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.

N

c3

N

f6 4.e3 c5 5.

N

f3

N

c6 6.a3 dxc4 7.

B

xc4 cxd4 8.exd4

B

e7 9.O–O O–O 10.

B

e3

B

d7 11.

Q

d3

R

c8 12.

R

ac1

Q

a5 13.

B

a2

R

fd8 14.

R

fe1

B

e8 15.

B

b1 g6 16.

Q

e2

B

f8 17.

R

ed1

B

g7 18.

B

a2

N

e7 White has failed to solve the problem of the isolated queen pawn, defending it passively, and now tries to set up the flimsy combination 20. Nd5: 19.

Q

d2

Q

a6 20.

B

g5

N

f5 21.g4 21. Qe1, recommended by Lasker, would hold the queen pawn because of the threat of Bxe6. The desperate text move pro-vokes a simple combination. 21...

N

xd4 22.

N

xd4 e5 23.

N

d5

R

xc1 24.

Q

xc1 exd4 25.

R

xd4

N

xd5 26.

R

xd5

R

xd5 27.

B

xd5

Q

e2 28.h3 h6 White saves himself after 28 ... Bxb2 29. Qc8 Qd1+ 30 Kh2 Be5+ 31. f4 Qd2+ 32. Kg3. 29.

B

c4 The Queen and two Bishop ending is treacherous, but after 29. Be3 Bxb2 30. Qb1 Kh2 31. Bxb7 it’s still a game. 29...

Q

f3 30.

Q

e3

Q

d1+ 31.

K

h2

B

c6 32.

B

e7

B

e5+ Finally, the rub. If 32. Qxe5 White is mated by 32...Qh1+ and 33...Qg2+, etc. 33.f4

B

xf4+ 34.

Q

xf4

Q

h1+ 35.

K

g3

Q

g1+ White Re-signs. 0-1 ◦ Blackburne, H. • Lipschutz ? New York 1889 1-0 D55 White allows his opponent to obtain two passed pawns on the Queenside in exchange for posting a Rook on the seventh rank. The game was ad-journed at move 31, and not only Lipschutz, but the spectators – including Steinitz – were certain that Black must win. The combination initiated by White’s 32nd move brought a rude awakening. 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.

N

c3

N

f6 4.

N

f3 b6 5.

B

g5

B

e7 6.e3

B

b7 7.

R

c1

N

bd7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.

B

d3 O–O 10.O–O

N

e4 Black has completed his de-velopment without difficulty (White should have tried to exploit the weakened c6 square with some combination of Qa4, Bb5 and Ne5), and he now begins to take the initiative, occupying his out-post on e4. 11.

B

f4 c5 12.

Q

e2 f5 13.

R

fd1 c4 14.

B

xe4 fxe4 15.

N

e5

N

f6 16.g4

Q

e8 17.

Q

f1

B

d6 18.h3

R

d8 19.

Q

g2 b5 Black has a space advantage and chances to create a passed pawn on the Queenside, so White must try to stir some-thing up on the g-file. 20.

N

e2 b4 21.

N

g3

N

d7 22.

N

xd7

R

xd7 23.

N

e2

B

xf4 24.

N

xf4

R

df7 25.g5

R

f5 26.

K

h1 a5 27.

R

g1

B

c8 28.

Q

g3

Q

a4 29.b3 cxb3 30.axb3

Q

xb3 31.

R

c7 a4 32.g6 h6 33.

R

xg7+ Amazingly, White now has a win-ning attack. If 33...Kh8 34.Rh7+ Kg8 35.g7 Rg5 36.gxf8Q+ Kxf8 37.Ne6+ and wins. 33...

K

xg7 34.

N

h5+

R

xh5 35.

Q

c7+

K

f6 36.

Q

d6+ Black Resigns. 1-0 ◦ Chigorin, M. • Pollock ? New York 1889 1-0 C51 Though he demonstrated many ideas well ahead of his time, Chigorin was best known in his own era as a fierce attacker. Here he makes good use of one of his favorite weapons, the Evans Gambit. 1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

B

c4

B

c5 4.b4

B

xb4 5.c3

B

c5 6.O–O d6 7.d4 exd4 8.cxd4

B

b6 9.

N

c3

N

a5 At the time a popular defense in this "Nor-mal Position" of the Evans, but later it was re-alized that, while eliminating the Bc4 was desir-able in principle, Black in his undeveloped state 9

could not afford the time lost. 10.

B

g5 f6 11.

B

f4

N

xc4 12.

Q

a4+

K

f7 13.

Q

xc4+

B

e6 14.d5

B

d7 15.

N

e2

Q

e8 16.a4

N

e7 17.

B

e3

N

g6 18.

B

xb6 cxb6 19.

Q

b4

Q

e7 20.

N

g3

R

ac8 21.

N

d4

R

c5 22.f4

R

hc8 23.

Q

d2

R

c4 24.

N

e6

N

h4 25.

Q

d1

B

xe6 26.dxe6+

K

g8 Black has eliminated the in-trusive Knight at e6, but the pawn that replaces it is at least as annoying. He should have played 23...Nf8. 27.

Q

g4

N

g6 28.

N

f5

Q

c7 29.e7

K

f7 30.

R

ad1

Q

c5+ 31.

K

h1

R

c6 32.e5 With all the Black pieces tied down – the Knight must shield the g7 pawn, and the Queen and Rook are tied to the defense of the d6 pawn – White opens lines to the Black King with this pawn advance. 32...fxe5 No better is 32...dxe5 – 33.Rd8 (threat-ening e8Q+) Nxe7 34.Qxg7+ Ke6 35.Nxe7, and there is no good defense to f4-f5 mate. 33.

N

xd6+

R

xd6 34.fxe5+

R

f6 35.e8=

Q

+

K

xe8 36.

Q

d7+

K

f8 37.exf6 Black Resigns. 1-0 ◦ Lasker, Em. • Bauer ? Amsterdam 1889 1-0 A03 An early example of the double-Bishop sacrifice, the "chess mill" theme, and the skill of the then-young Emanuel Lasker, who only five years later would challenge Steinitz for the World Champi-onship.

1.f4 d5 2.

N

f3 e6 3.e3

N

f6 4.b3

B

e7 5.

B

b2 b6 The flank development of his Queen Bishop fits in well with White’s central formation, but Black’s play is rather obliging – he ought to have tried either for an early e6-e5, or ...c7-c5 fol-lowed by ...d5-d4. 6.

B

d3

B

b7 7.

N

c3 O–O 8.O–O

N

bd7 9.

N

e2 c5 10.

N

g3

Q

c7 11.

N

e5

N

xe5 12.

B

xe5

Q

c6 13.

Q

e2 a6 14.

N

h5

N

xh5 15.

B

xh7+ A bolt from a rather stormy sky. The key factors of the combination are a) the possi-bility of quickly bringing a Rook into the attack (19.Rf3), and b) the presence of undefended Black pieces, giving the White Queen the chance for a double attack (22.Qd7). 15...

K

xh7 16.

Q

xh5+

K

g8 17.

B

xg7

K

xg7 18.

Q

g4+

K

h7 19.

R

f3 e5 20.

R

h3+

Q

h6 21.

R

xh6+

K

xh6 22.

Q

d7 If it were not for this sting at the end of the combi-nation, Black would have quite enough material for his Queen. Now White has a decisive mate-rial and positional advantage. 22...

B

f6 23.

Q

xb7

K

g7 24.

R

f1

R

ab8 25.

Q

d7

R

fd8 26.

Q

g4+

K

f8 27.fxe5

B

g7 Not 27...Bxe5 28.Qe6 28.e6

R

b7 29.

Q

g6 f6 30.

R

xf6+

B

xf6 31.

Q

xf6+

K

e8 32.

Q

h8+

K

e7 33.

Q

g7+

K

xe6 34.

Q

xb7

R

d6 35.

Q

xa6 d4 36.exd4 cxd4 37.h4 d3 38.

Q

xd3 Black Resigns. 1-0 ◦ Steinitz, W. • Chigorin, M. ?

4th Match Game, Havana

1892 1-0 C65 Their first match here in 1889 was the bloodiest in world championship history: a single draw out of 17 games! The second time around, there were still only five draws in 23 games, but the champion retained his title only by slugging it out with the ferocious Russian.

1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

B

b5

N

f6 4.d3 d6 5.c3 g6 6.

N

bd2

B

g7 7.

N

f1 O–O 8.

B

a4

N

d7 9.

N

e3

N

c5 10.

B

c2

N

e6 Typical maneuvering to hold the center, but Steinitz now attacks the King-side. 11.h4

N

e7 12.h5 d5 13.hxg6 fxg6 14.exd5

N

xd5 15.

N

xd5

Q

xd5 16.

B

b3

Q

c6 17.

Q

e2

B

d7 18.

B

e3

K

h8 19.O–O–O

R

ae8 20.

Q

f1 a5 21.d4 Now the long-delayed opening of the center. 21...exd4 22.

N

xd4

B

xd4 White’s 20th move pre-vents 22...Nxd4: 23. Rxh7+ Kxh7 and 24. Qh1+ with mate to follow: 23.

R

xd4

N

xd4 24.

R

xh7+

K

xh7 25.

Q

h1+

K

g7 26.

B

h6+

K

f6 27.

Q

h4+

K

e5 28.

Q

xd4+

K

f5 29.

Q

f4# 1-0 ◦ Siegbert Tarrasch • George Marco Dresden Germany 1892 1-0 C66 For many years Tarrasch was considered Lasker’s strongest contender for the crown. He was the chess teacher to world, and his books have stood the test of time. Here he shows the latent power in the Ruy Lopez and springs one of the deepest traps found in opening theory.

1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

B

b5 d6 4.d4

B

d7 5.O–O The attempt to win a pawn backfires after 5. Bxc6 Bxc6 6. dxe5 dxe5 7. Qxd8 Rxd8 8. Nxe5 Bxe4. Another approach is the Showalter Attack 5. Nc3 Nf6 6. Bxc6 Bxc6 7. Qd3 defend-ing e4 and prepardefend-ing to castle queenside. 5...

N

f6 6.

N

c3

B

e7 7.

R

e1 O–O This careless move costs a pawn. After 6...exd4 7. Nxd4 O-O Black is cramped but solid. 8.

B

xc6

B

xc6 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.

Q

xd8

R

axd8 11.

N

xe5

B

xe4 12.

N

xe4

N

xe4 13.

N

d3 Of course not 13. Rxe4? Rd1 mates. Now the pin on the e-file is fatal. 13...f5 14.f3 10

B

c5+ 15.

N

xc5 But not 15. Kf1 Bb6 16. fxe4 fxe4 (with check!) 17. Nf4 e3 18. g3 g5 regain-ing the piece. 15...

N

xc5 16.

B

g5

R

d5 17.

B

e7

R

e8 18.c4 The final point: White holds the extra piece after 18...Nd3 19. cxd5 Nxe1 20. Rxe1 Kf7 21. Bb4. Anything else also costs Black material. Black Resigns. 1-0 ◦ Chigorin, M. • Tarrasch, S. Match (4) St. Petersburg 1893 0-1 C00 By WWI anybody who read chess books under-stood the principles of chess either directly or in-directly because of Tarrasch’s untiring efforts. His gospel was attack, but this game demonstrates that he was also capable of producing defensive mas-terpieces.

1.e4 e6 2.

Q

e2 c5 3.g3

N

c6 4.

N

f3 White is aim-ing for what is known today as a reverse Kaim-ing’s Indian formation. A good alternative is 4. f4. 4...

B

e7 5.

B

g2 d5 6.d3

N

f6 7.O–O O–O 8.

N

c3 a6 9.

B

g5 h6 10.

B

f4 b5 11.

R

fe1 d4 More logical is 11...Bb7 to keep the center fluid. 12.

N

d1

N

d7 13.

K

h1

R

e8 14.

R

g1 e5 15.

B

d2

N

f8 16.

N

e1

N

e6 17.f4

B

b7 18.f5

N

g5 19.

N

f2 Tarrasch sug-gested 19. h4 Nh7 20. Nf3 striving for g4-5. 19...

R

c8 20.

Q

h5

N

h7 21.

N

f3 c4 22.

B

f1 cxd3 The first capture. Both sides now proceed to attack on opposite wings. 23.cxd3

N

g5 24.

B

xg5

B

xg5 25.

N

g4

K

f8 26.

B

e2

B

f6 27.h4

Q

d6 28.

N

fh2

N

e7 29.

R

af1 Stronger is 29. Nxf6 Qxf6 27. Raf1 (threatening Ng4 which would immediately would be refuted by 27.Ng4? Qxf5! 29...

N

g8 30.

B

d1

R

c7 31.

B

b3

R

ec8 32.

N

f2

B

d8 33.

Q

e2 a5 34.

N

f3 a4 35.

B

d1

B

c6 "The beginning of a fine maneuver which makes it possible for the Rooks to penetrate to the 7th rank" – Tarrasch. 36.g4 f6 37.

N

h3

B

e8 38.

Q

h2

B

f7 39.a3

B

b3 40.

N

f2

B

xd1 41.

N

xd1

R

c2 42.

Q

g3 b4 43.axb4

Q

a6 44.

N

f2

R

xb2 45.g5 hxg5 46.hxg5

R

cc2 47.

N

g4

Q

d6 48.gxf6 The winning maneuver is 48. Qh3! Qc7 49. Qh8! Qf7 50. Ra1! Rxb4 51. gxf6 gxf6 52. Nh4! 48...

B

xf6 49.

Q

h3 a3 The best defense is to ignore the attack! 50.

N

xf6

Q

xf6 51.

R

g6 a2 52.

R

xf6+ The losing move. White has at least a draw with 52. Ng5! Ke7 53. Rxf6 gxf6 54. Qh7+ Kd6 55. Qxg8. 52...gxf6 53.

R

d1

R

b1 54.

Q

f1

R

cb2 55.

N

d2

R

xd1 56.

Q

xd1

R

xd2 57.

Q

c1

R

xd3 58.

K

g2

R

c3 59.

Q

a1

R

c2+ 60.

K

f3 d3 61.

Q

d1 Or 61. Ke3 d2 62. Ke2 Rc1. 61...

R

b2 62.

Q

a4 d2 White Resigns. A titanic tussle.

0-1

◦ Emanuel Lasker • Wilhelm Steinitz

World Championship Match (13) Montreal

1894 0-1 C68 Although Lasker won the title by 12-7, the old lion showed his teeth in this game by demonstrat-ing that the absence of queens does not necessarily diminish the action. With singleness of purpose, Steinitz sacrifices a pawn to break up the hostile pawn mass and dominate the open d-file. Notewor-thy is the superiority of the bishop over a knight in the ensuing endgame.

1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

B

b5 a6 4.

B

xc6 dxc6 5.d4 exd4 6.

Q

xd4

Q

xd4 7.

N

xd4 c5 More ac-curate is 7...Bd7! to meet 8. Bf4 with O-O-O. For 7...Bd6 see Lasker-Capablanca, St. Pe-tersburg 1914. 8.

N

e2

B

d7 9.

N

bc3 Instead of this routine developing move 9. b3! poses Black more problems 9...O–O–O 10.

B

f4

B

c6 11.O–O

N

f6 12.f3

B

e7 13.

N

g3 g6 14.

R

fe1

N

d7 15.

N

d1

N

b6 16.

N

f1 All this regrouping behind the lines demonstrates that White lacks a good plan. 16...

R

d7 17.

B

e3

R

hd8 18.b3 c4 This pawn sacrifice eliminates Black’s only weakness and wrecks White’s queenside pawns. 19.

B

xb6 cxb6 20.bxc4

B

b4 21.c3

B

c5+ 22.

K

h1

R

d3 23.

R

c1 a5 24.

N

de3 f5 25. exf5 Leads to trouble by opening lines for the two bishops. Necessary is 25. Nd5 right away. 25...gxf5 26.h3 Perhaps Lasker intended 26. Nxf5 Rxf3! 27. Ne7 Bxe7 28. gxf3 but saw too late that Bxf3 29. Kg1 Bc5 30. Ne3 Rd2 is crushing. 26...

R

g8 In addition to oblique pressure on the h1-a8 diagonal, Black now exerts vertical pressure on the g-file. Again if 27. Nxf5? Rxf3! 28. gxf3 Bxf3 29. Kh2 Bg1 mate. 27.

N

d5

B

xd5 28.cxd5

R

xd5 29.

R

ed1

R

xd1 30.

R

xd1 f4 This pawn paralyzes the ad-verse knight as well as White’s kingside pawns. If now 30. Nh2 h5; or 30. Nd2 Rd8. 31.

K

h2

R

e8 32.a4

K

c7 33.h4

K

c6 34.c4

B

b4 35.

K

h3

R

e1 36.

R

xe1

B

xe1 Masterly liquidation. Black holds all the trumps with the more active bishop and king. 37.

K

g4

K

c5 38.

K

xf4

K

xc4 39.

K

e4 Also hopeless is 39. h5 b5 40. axb5 a4 and the pawn queens. 39...

B

xh4 40.g3

B

d8 41.

N

e3+

K

b4 42.

K

d3

K

xa4 43.

K

c2

K

b4 44.f4

K

c5 45.f5

K

d6 46.g4 b5 47.

N

d1

K

e5 48.

N

c3 b4 49.

N

a4

K

d4 50.

N

b2 b5 51.

K

b3

B

e7 52.g5 a4+ 53.

N

xa4 bxa4+ 54.

K

xa4

K

e5 55.

K

b3

K

xf5 White Resigns.

0-1 11

◦ Lasker, Em. • Steinitz, W. ?

7th Match Game, New York

1894 1-0 C62 Lasker comes to the New World and seizes the championship. This game, famous for the deadly error on move 34 by Black, began a run of five straight wins by Lasker in his inimitable style of smoke and mirrors.

1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

B

b5 d6 4.d4

B

d7 5.

N

c3

N

ge7 A discredited defense that would lend to fur-ther weaknesses after 6. Bg5, but Lasker prefers simple development. 6.

B

e3

N

g6 7.

Q

d2

B

e7 This commits Black to Kingside Castling, after which White’s attack is obvious. 7...a6 had to be tried at once. 8.O–O–O a6 9.

B

e2 exd4 10.

N

xd4

N

xd4 11.

Q

xd4

B

f6 12.

Q

d2

B

c6 13.

N

d5 O–O 14.g4

R

e8 15.g5

B

xd5 16.

Q

xd5 An unneces-sary sacrifice, when exd5 is positionally crush-ing. 16...

R

e5 17.

Q

d2

B

xg5 18.f4

R

xe4 19.fxg5

Q

e7 20.

R

df1

R

xe3 21.

B

c4

N

h8 22.h4 c6 23.g6 Lasker is now swimming, down two pawns and pitching a third. After 23...hxg6 24. h5 not d5 25. hxg6 dxc4? 26. Rxh8+ and mate in five, but sim-ply 24...gxh5. 23...d5 24.gxh7+

K

xh7 25.

B

d3+

K

g8 26.h5

R

e8 27.h6 g6 28.h7+

K

g7 29.

K

b1

Q

e5 30.a3 c5 31.

Q

f2 c4 32.

Q

h4 f6 33.

B

f5

K

f7 The Bishop can be taken here, because Black is one move ahead of the following line after 34. Qh6+, and 34. Rhg1+ Ng6 is adequate. 34.

R

hg1 gxf5 Now this is fatal. Simply 34...d4 should win, as 35. Qh6 is met by Rg3. 35.

Q

h5+

K

e7 36.

R

g8

K

d6 37.

R

xf5

Q

e6 38.

R

xe8

Q

xe8 39.

R

xf6+

K

c5 40.

Q

h6

R

e7 41.

Q

h2 Cat and mouse. 41...

Q

d7 42.

Q

g1+ d4 43.

Q

g5+

Q

d5 44.

R

f5

Q

xf5 45.

Q

xf5+

K

d6 46.

Q

f6+ Black Re-signs. 1-0 ◦ Pillsbury, H. • Tarrasch, S. ? Hastings 1895 1-0 D55 The story of Harry Nelson Pillsbury is remarkable. In 1895 he traveled to Europe to compete in his first international tournament – and won, ahead of names like Lasker, Tarrasch and Chigorin. Though a frequent and successful tournament player, he never obtained the match for the world champi-onship he sought, and his early death in 1906

de-prived the world of one of its greatest players. Among other things, Pillsbury showed the worth of the Queen’s Gambit in an era when anything other than 1.e4 e5 was often dubbed "Irregular." 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.

N

c3

N

f6 4.

B

g5

B

e7 5.

N

f3

N

bd7 6.

R

c1 O–O 7.e3 b6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.

B

d3

B

b7 10.O–O c5 11.

R

e1 c4 At the time it was thought that Black’s Queenside pawn majority should give him the advantage – given time, he will advance his b and c pawns and cre-ate a passed pawn on the c-file. But Pillsbury shows that White’s active pieces are of greater im-port. 12.

B

b1 a6 13.

N

e5 b5 14.f4

R

e8 15.

Q

f3

N

f8 16.

N

e2

N

e4 17.

B

xe7

R

xe7 18.

B

xe4 dxe4 White does not object to exchanging a few pieces, for the Black Bb7 cannot easily participate in the defense of the Kingside. 19.

Q

g3 f6 20.

N

g4

K

h8 21.f5

Q

d7 22.

R

f1

R

d8 23.

R

f4

Q

d6 White has steadily strengthened his position while Black tem-porized. 24.

Q

h4

R

de8 25.

N

c3

B

d5 26.

N

f2

Q

c6 27.

R

f1 b4 28.

N

e2

Q

a4 It seems that Black’s strategy has succeeded, for he must now obtain a passed pawn on the Queenside. But all the White pieces are poised for an attack on the Black King. 29.

N

g4

N

d7 Not 29...Qxa2? 30.Nxf6! and wins. 30.

R

4f2

K

g8 And now if 30...Qxa2 31.Nf4 Bf7 32.Ng6+ Bxg6 33.fxg6 h6 34.Nxh6 gxh6 35.Qxh6+ Kg8 36.Rf5 wins. 31.

N

c1 c3 32.b3

Q

c6 33.h3 a5 34.

N

h2 a4 35.g4 axb3 36.axb3

R

a8 37.g5

R

a3 38.

N

g4

B

xb3 39.

R

g2

K

h8 40.gxf6 gxf6 41.

N

xb3

R

xb3 42.

N

h6 Threaten-ing Rg8++. 42...

R

g7 43.

R

xg7

K

xg7 44.

Q

g3+

K

xh6 Forced, as 44...Kf8 45.Qg8+ picks off the Rb3. 45.

K

h1 A quiet but deadly move – Black is helpless against the threat to close the mating net with 46.Rg1. 45...

Q

d5 46.

R

g1

Q

xf5 47.

Q

h4+

Q

h5 48.

Q

f4+

Q

g5 49.

R

xg5 fxg5 50.

Q

d6+

K

h5 51.

Q

xd7 c2 52.

Q

xh7# 1-0 ◦ Steinitz, W. • von Bardeleben ? Hastings 1895 1-0 C54 Steinitz was definitely past his best in 1895, but as he himself said, "I may be an old lion, but I can still bite someone’s hand off if he puts it in my mouth." The choleric von Bardeleben left the room after move 25 and permitted his time to ex-pire, whereupon Steinitz demonstrated to the on-lookers a brilliant 10-move mating combination. 1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

B

c4

B

c5 4.c3

N

f6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4

B

b4+ 7.

N

c3 d5 A rare alternative 12

to 7...Nxe4 8.O-O, when Black may choose be-tween 8...Nxc3 9.bxc3 d5 [9...Bxc3 10.Qb3 has been known to be very good for White since the time of Greco] and the speculative Moller Attack, 8...Bxc3 9.d5, now thought to lead to a draw with best play. 8.exd5

N

xd5 9.O–O

B

e6 10.

B

g5

B

e7 11.

B

xd5

B

xd5 12.

N

xd5

Q

xd5 13.

B

xe7

N

xe7 Black still hopes to connect his Rooks by castling, but he will be unable to shake off the pressure on the central files. A slightly better try was 13...Kxe7 14.Re1+ Kf8. 14.

R

e1 f6 15.

Q

e2

Q

d7 16.

R

ac1 c6 Allowing a powerful pawn sacrifice. Better was 16...Kf7, and if 17.Qxe7+ Qxe7 18.Rxe7+ Kxe7 19.Rxc7+, the ending is by no means clear, though White will have enough pawns for the Exchange. 17.d5 A fine move – the d5 square, which Black has been using for his pieces, will be occupied by a Black pawn, the d4 square is made accessible to White, and the c-file will be opened. 17...cxd5 18.

N

d4

K

f7 19.

N

e6

R

hc8 20.

Q

g4 g6 21.

N

g5+

K

e8 22.

R

xe7+ Of course the Rook cannot be captured by the Queen (22...Qxe7 23.Rxc8+) and 22...Kxe7 leads to 23.Re1+ Kd6 24.Qb4+ Kc7 25.Ne6+ Kb8 26.Qf4+. But after Black’s next move, every White piece is en prise, and mate is threatened on c1... 22...

K

f8 23.

R

f7+

K

g8 No better is 24...Kf8 25.Nxh7+ 24.

R

g7+

K

h8 25.

R

xh7+ Black Resigns. 1-0 ◦ Chigorin, M. • Pillsbury, H. Hastings (1) England 1895 1-0 C30 Chigorin’s had an outstanding result with second prize at this landmark event which assembled 22 leading masters of the day for the first time. His first round game against a newcomer from Amer-ica making his European debut was an epic strug-gle where the caliber of both attack and defense is sensational. After this loss, nobody dared to dream that Pillsbury would finish first.

1.e4 e5 2.f4

B

c5 3.

N

f3 d6 4.

B

c4 A well know trap is 4. fxe5 dxe5 5. Nxe5? Qh4+ and wins. 4...

N

c6 5.

N

c3

N

f6 6.d3

B

g4 7.h3

B

xf3 8.

Q

xf3

N

d4 9.

Q

g3 More complex than the tame retreat 9. Qd1. 9...

N

xc2+ Safer and sounder is 9...exf4! 10. Qxg7 Rf8 11. Kd1 Qe7 12. Rf1 Rg8! 10.

K

d1

N

xa1 11.

Q

xg7

K

d7 All standard at the time. Not 11...Rf8? 12. fxe5 dxe5 13. Rf1 Be7 14. Bg5 and wins. 12.fxe5 dxe5 13.

R

f1

B

e7 14.

Q

xf7 Lasker claimed that 14. Bg5 was stronger, an opinion that has been debated for decades. 14...

K

c8 15.

B

g5

R

f8 16.

Q

e6+

K

b8 17.

B

h6

R

e8 18.

Q

xe5

N

d7 19.

Q

h5

N

b6 Lasker recommends instead 19...Bf8 20. Bg5 Be7 which draws as the best course. But both sides are playing to win! 20.

B

d5 a6 Chigorin noted that Black must fight for a draw in the ending 20...Nxd5 21. Qxd5! 21.

K

d2

N

xd5 22.

N

xd5

R

g8 23.g4

B

b4+ Fine recom-mends 23...Bc5 instead. And Lasker pointed out that 23...Bg5+ 24. Bxg5 25. Qxg5 Nb3+ 26. axb3 Rxg5 27. Rf7 is in White’s favor. 24.

N

xb4

Q

d4 25.

N

c2

N

xc2 26.

K

xc2

R

g6 New Russian analysis claims that 26...Ka7 27. Rf3 c5 is even stronger for Black. 27.

B

d2

R

d6 28.

R

f3

Q

a4+ 29.

K

c1

Q

xa2 30.

B

c3

R

c6 31.

Q

xh7 b5 32.

Q

e7

Q

b3 33.

K

d2 a5 34.

R

f5

K

b7 If 34...b4 35. Rb5+ Ka7 36. Bd4+ Ka6 37. Rc5 wins. 35.

R

c5

R

aa6 36.g5

R

xc5 37.

Q

xc5

R

c6 38.

Q

d5

Q

a4 The ending is hopeless for Black after the queen swap, but now White’s passed pawns decide the is-sue anyway. 39.g6 b4 40.g7 bxc3+ 41.bxc3

Q

a3 42.g8=

QQ

xc3+ 43.

K

e2

Q

c2+ 44.

K

f3

Q

d1+ 45.

K

g3

Q

g1+ 46.

K

h4

Q

f2+ 47.

K

h5

Q

f3+ 48.

Q

g4

Q

f6 49.

Q

gf5

Q

h6+ 50.

K

g4 Black Re-signs. 1-0 ◦ Bernhard Fleissig • Carl Schlechter Vienna Austria 1895 0-1 A00 Mild-mannered Schlechter was known as the draw-ing master but was always a feared opponent – and the only one to nearly dethrone Lasker in their 1910 match for the world championship, which ended in a 5-5 tie. This brilliant game influenced the Hastings tournament committee to invite the youngster of 21, who then had no more than lo-cal prominence, to take part in the greatest event of that era. Schlechter finished a respectable ninth in a field of 22.

1.b4 Dubbed the "orangoutang opening" by Tar-takower when it surfaced again at the mighty tour-nament in New York 1924. 1...e6 2.

B

b2

N

f6 3.a3 c5 4.b5 d5 5.d4 Feeble. 5. e3 is indicated. 5...

Q

a5+ Forcing White to subject himself to a dangerous pin in order to guard the pawn on b5. 6.

N

c3

N

e4 7.

Q

d3 cxd4 8.

Q

xd4

B

c5 Begin-ning an immortal combination. 9.

Q

xg7

B

xf2+ 10.

K

d1 d4 Shattering any illusion that White is safe – with the amusing point of 11. Nxe4 Qe1 mate! 11.

Q

xh8+

K

e7 12.

Q

xc8 If 12. Nf3 then ...dxc3. 12...dxc3 13.

B

c1

N

d7 This de-flection sacrifice entombs the White queen far 13

from the action. 14.

Q

xa8 Cooperating by snatch-ing more material but 14. Qc4 was necessary. 14...

Q

xb5 15.

B

f4

Q

d5+ 16.

K

c1

B

e3+ This ex-traordinary move prepares another exex-traordinary sacrifice. 17.

B

xe3

N

f2 For if 18. Bxf2 Qd2 19. Kb1 Qd1 20. Ka2 Qxc2 mate. White Resigns. 0-1 ◦ Pillsbury, H. • Lasker, Em. ? St. Petersburg 1896 0-1 D40 Lasker scores a brilliant combinative victory over arch-rival Pillsbury. The players castle on opposite wings, but White loses time with his prematurely developed Queen – time which Black uses to make a truly profound Rook sacrifice.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.

N

c3

N

f6 4.

N

f3 c5 5.

B

g5 cxd4 6.

Q

xd4

N

c6 7.

Q

h4 Better is 7.Bxf6, which Pills-bury played with success against Lasker at Cam-bridge Springs 1905. 7...

B

e7 8.O–O–O

Q

a5 9.e3

B

d7 10.

K

b1 h6 11.cxd5 exd5 12.

N

d4 O–O 13.

B

xf6

B

xf6 14.

Q

h5 Aiming at a King-side attack with f2-f4 and g2-g4, but the Queen would be better posted for defensive purposes at f4 or g3. 14...

N

xd4 15.exd4

B

e6 16.f4

R

ac8 17.f5

R

xc3 18.fxe6 Better than 18.bxc3 Qxc3 19.fxe6 Qb4+ 20.Kc2 [or 20.Ka1 Rc8 21.Qg4 Rc2] 20...Rc8+ 21.Kd3 Qxd4+ 22.Ke2 Rc2+ 23.Kf3 Rf2+ 24.Kg3 Qe3+ 25.Qf3 Be5+ 26.Kg4 h5+ and wins. 18...

R

a3 19.exf7+ Also insufficient are I) 19.bxa3 Qb6+ 20.Ka1 Bxd4+ 21.Rxd4 Qxd4+ 22.Kb1 fxe6 23.Be2 Qe4+ 24.Ka1 Rf2 25.Re1 Qd4+ 26. Kb1 Qd2 and wins; II) 19.e7 Re8 20.bxa3 Qb6+ 21.Kc2 Rc8+ 22. Kd2 Bxd4 23.e8Q+ Rxe8 24.Bd3 Qa5+ 25.Kc1 Rc8+ 26.Bc2 Rxc2+ 27.Kxc2 Qc3+. 19...

R

xf7 20.bxa3

Q

b6+ 21.

B

b5 Forced, as 21.Kc2 loses to 21...Rc7+ 22.Kd2 Qxd4+ 23.Ke1 Qc3+ 24.Rd2 Re7+ 25.Be2 Bg5. 21...

Q

xb5+ 22.

K

a1

R

c7 23.

R

d2

R

c4 24.

R

hd1

R

c3 25.

Q

f5

Q

c4 26.

K

b2

R

xa3 27.

Q

e6+

K

h7 28.

K

xa3 A bit more tena-cious was 28.Kb1, but Black is still winning after 28...Bxd4 29.Qf5+ g6 30.Qf7+ Bg7 31.Qxb7 Ra4. 28...

Q

c3+ White Resigns. 0-1 ◦ Lasker, Em. • Steinitz, W. ?

2nd Match Game, Moscow

1896 1-0 C64

A preview of Russian hegemony in chess a half-century later: Moscow is the venue for Lasker’s easy "return match" victory. The mating combina-tion in this game is spectacular, as if Lasker felt that winning was not enough.

1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

B

b5

B

c5 4.c3

N

ge7 5.O–O

N

g6 6.d4 exd4 7.cxd4

B

b6 8.

N

c3 O–O 9.a4 a6 10.

B

c4 h6 11.h3 d6 12.

B

e3

N

ce7 13.

R

e1 c6 14.

Q

b3

B

c7 15.

N

d2

R

b8 16.

R

ac1 b5 17.axb5 axb5 18.

B

d3

K

h8 19.

N

e2 f5 20.exf5

B

xf5 21.

B

xf5

R

xf5 22.

N

g3

R

f8 23.

Q

e6

Q

c8 24.

Q

xc8

R

fxc8 25.

N

b3

K

g8 26.

N

e4

K

f7 27.g3

K

e8 28.

R

e2 In an unclear position the e-file proves to be White’s strength. 28...

K

d7 29.

R

ce1

B

b6 30.

B

f4

B

c7 31.h4 h5 If 31... Nxf4 32. Nf6+! followed by 33. Rxe7 (+). 32.

B

g5

B

d8 33.g4 hxg4 34.h5

N

f8 35.

N

ec5+ dxc5 36.

N

xc5+

K

d6 36...Kc7 avoids mate but is a hopeless endgame after 37. Bxe7. 37.

B

f4+

K

d5 38.

R

e5+

K

c4 39.

R

c1+

K

xd4 40.

N

b3+

K

d3 41.

R

e3# 1-0

◦ Wilhelm Steinitz • Emanuel Lasker

World Championship Match (3) Moscow

1896 0-1 C54 Lasker is the great apostle of common sense in chess. Faced with the dilemma of keeping an ex-tra pawn with an edge or keeping an exex-tra piece with an agonizing defense, he unhesitatingly re-nounces the greater material possession. Steinitz relaxes when the smoke clears and throws away a likely draw in an opposite colored bishop ending. Finally he falls prey to a positional paralysis known as Zugzwang.

1.e4 e5 2.

N

f3

N

c6 3.

B

c4

B

c5 4.c3

N

f6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4

B

b4+ 7.

N

c3 Sacrificing a pawn. Tamer and safer is 7. Bd2 Bxd2 8. Nxd2. 7...

N

xe4 8.O–O

B

xc3 9.bxc3 The main line of the Giuoco Piano is 9. d5 to keep Black cramped, but the line has been defanged and is rarely seen in mod-ern master practice. 9...d5 10.

B

a3 This sacrifice is unsound, but what else is there? Black stands well after 10. Bd3 O-O safely retaining the ex-tra pawn. 10...dxc4 11.

R

e1

B

e6 Returning the piece without a fight. Lasker senses danger and quickly rejects 11...f5 12. Nd2 Kf7 13. Nxe4 fxe4 14. Rxe4 with a dangerous attack. Even if Black has a decent defense, Lasker won’t play into a prepared variation. 12.

R

xe4

Q

d5 13.

Q

e2 O–O–O 14.

N

e5

R

he8 15.

N

xc6

Q

xc6 16.

R

e1

R

g8 17.

R

e5 b6 18.

B

c1 g5 Returning the pawn 14