Hastings, Round XXI, 2 September 1895 (Ruy Lopez). Chigorin adopts the close defence with the retreating Knight, a scheme first shown by Steinitz, and, from an apparently barren position, infuses life and spirit into a King's-side attack, outplaying Schlechter in a fine and instructive ending. Notes by W. Steinitz.
6…Nd7The idea of blocking the Bishop with the Knight by development on the part of the first player, and by retreat (as here) for the second player, was first brought out by Steinitz, and, singularly enough, each time in a game against Blackburne. The development occurred in a match in 1876, and the retreat in a 'Three Knights' Game' in the London Tournament of 1883. In this opening the main object of the retreat is to avoid the necessity of exchanging centre Pawns, and thus to keep White King's Knight inactive. The judgment about the efficacy of this scheme involves the question whether the Black King's Knight should be brought out previously at B 3 or at K 2.
8.Ne2It is always worth while to obtain two Bishops against Knight and Bishop early. Kt to Q 5, with the view of exchanging, followed by R to K sq, was therefore stronger.
11.Bb3B to B 2 is generally preferable in such positions, as it gives more freedom to the Queen's Knight's Pawn, which it may be useful to advance in some contingencies.
14.dxe5More lively and promising was 14. Kt to Kt 5, Kt to K 3; 15. Kt x Kt, B x Kt; 16. B x B, R x B; 17. P to B 3, &c. Dry dulness reigns in this game for a long time after the exchanges, which are the natural outcome of this, were effected.
18.Ne2Neumann and Winawer have first shown that the Knight is more often stronger than the Bishop when a Pawn is doubled in the camp of the latter. It was, therefore, all the more objectionable to allow his Pawns to be doubled here, as the adversary had still both Knights on the board. B to B 2, retaining the two Bishops, was best.
26…g5Life and spirit has been infused by Mr. Tchigorin into an apparently barren position, which did not seem capable of such interesting attacking development.
Horace F. Cheshire, The Hastings Chess Tournament 1895 (1896) · Public domain · source