Hastings, 17 August 1895 (Giuoco Piano). Steinitz's celebrated “gem of the first water,” afterwards awarded the tournament's prize for sound brilliancy. Von Bardeleben left the hall rather than resign, and Steinitz demonstrated the forced mate to the spectators. Notes by Dr. Tarrasch.
7.Nc3This move is mentioned by Greco, and Steinitz has again recommended it in his ‘Modern Chess Instructor’; this variation was also played by him against Schlechter in this Tournament.
7…d5Schlechter here played Kt x K P, which is the correct move, following it up 8. Castles, B x Kt; 9. P x B, P to Q 4; 10. B to R 3 (Steinitz's new move, on which the whole variation depends), B to K 3; 11. B to Kt 5, Kt to Q 3, with an equal game.
9…Be6If Kt (or B) x Kt; 10. P x Kt, B x P, White gets a dangerous attack by 11. B x P, ch, K x B; 12. Q to Kt 3, ch, &c.
14.Re1The point of all the exchanges, as by this move White obtains command of the board, prevents Black from Castling, and initiates a most powerful attack on the King.
16…c6It would have been preferable to play the K to B 2, as White had then nothing better than a line leading, through the exchange of Queens, to an ending in which Black has still a prospect of a draw.
17.d5A nice sacrifice of a Pawn, making way for the Knight to powerfully strengthen the attack.
22.Rxe7+Here begins a grand combination.
22…Kf8The position is most interesting, all the White Pieces being en prise. If K x R, then follows 23. R to K sq, ch, K to Q 3; 24. Q to Q Kt 4, ch, K to B 2; 25. Kt to K 6, ch, K to Kt sq; 26. Q to K B 4, ch, and wins.
25.Rxh7+The checks by the Rook are delightful, as Black cannot take with the King or he loses his Queen with a check, nor can he take with the Queen or he is mated. For now if K to Kt sq, Mr. Steinitz (at the time) demonstrated the following brilliant and remarkable mate in ten moves:— 26. R to Kt 7, ch, K to R sq (or if 26 … K to B sq; 27. Kt to R 7, ch, &c.); 27. Q to R 4, ch, K x R; 28. Q to R 7, ch, K to B sq; 29. Q to R 8, ch, K to K 2; 30. Q to Kt 7, ch, K to K sq; 31. Q to Kt 8, ch, K to K 2; 32. Q to B 7, ch, K to Q sq; 33. Q to B 8, ch, Q to K sq; 34. Kt to B 7, ch, K to Q 2; 35. Q to Q 6, mate.
Horace F. Cheshire, The Hastings Chess Tournament 1895 (1896) · Public domain · source