Szen, Josef VS Anderssen, Adolf 1851.??.??

Annotations

Game IV. Fourth game between Messrs. Anderssen and Szen (Second Series), won by Anderssen with the Black pieces. Sicilian Opening.

1. 11.Nb1 Unless to afford Mr. Anderssen time to consolidate his attack, I am quite at a loss to understand the object of this retreat. If, by taking the Kt. home, he could afterwards be brought into freer action, the lost time might be justified, but here, nothing whatever can be gained by withdrawing him. Why not rather have played P. to Q's 4th?
2. 15…Raf8 It is one great merit in Mr. Anderssen's game, that he aims always at bringing his forces into play as early as possible. In the present instance, every superior Piece on his side is doing active duty, while his opponents are, comparatively, out of the field.
3. 18.Re1 Badly played. It is difficult, at this stage, however, to find a satisfactory move on the board.
4. 19…Rg5 Black has now got the game in his hands, and he certainly finishes it off in the style of a master.
5. 21…Qh2 Prettily played. If White take the Queen, mate follows in three moves. Black, however, had a still shorter road to victory, by a forced mate, which I leave the reader to discover with the aid of the accompanying diagram of the field before Black played his Q. to K. R's 7th.

Howard Staunton, The Chess Tournament (1852) · Public domain · source