William Steinitz, The Modern Chess Instructor (1889)
Game 34 of 83
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Event
New York Consultation
Site
New York
Date
1880.01.05
White
Judd,M/Sellmann/Ware,
Black
Delmar/Congdon/Grundy,
Result
1-0
- 6…Nf6 Not a good move for they obtain a position quite identical with one arising in the French defence excepting that they are a move behind.
- 8.c4 The routine play in this opening, but inadvisable in the present situation, Kt—K5 was far superior.
- 10.Nc3 We prefer QKt—Q2 followed by Kt—Kt3 and P—QB3 with the ultimate object of fixing one of their pieces at Q4.
- 12…h6 Quite useless. They had nought to fear from the adverse B and could have played 12....B—Q3; whereupon if 13 QB—KKt5, 13 BxKt; 14 BxB, 14 KtxP and obviously White dare not retake on pain of losing the Q by BxP ch., and if 15 BxP, 15 R—Kt sq., still remaining with a P ahead.
- 13.Rc1 Also loss of time as White could not well play Kt—QKt5 without subjecting himself to the fixture of the adverse Kt in the centre at Q4.
- 13…a6 All contrary to our principles as explained in our introduction.
- 16…Bf5 Rather a bold advance which makes the KtP a mark of attack from the hostile KBP.
- 20.f4 Waste of time all the more as 20....P—KB4 was clearly much stronger, in which case if 21 P—Kt5, 21 PxP; 22 PxP, 22 P—B5+, for if 23 BxP, 23 RxB; 24 RxR, 24 QxP ch., and unless White played 21 P—Kt5 Black was bound to obtain some advantage by opening the KB file or by Q—R5 to follow.
- 24…Bd5 Clearly if Kt—Kt6 Black answers Q—B3 and White dare not capture the R.
- 26…g5 An illjudged counter attack which ends in their own discomfiture. Better was 26....P—KKt3; for White could not well advance 27 P—Kt5 in reply, on account of Black exchanging Pawns followed by Q—R sq. ch. or Q—B6 accordingly.
- 31…Bf3 An excellent resource which not alone releases White's game from the pressure of hostile pieces but transfers the attack completely into their own hands.
- 35…Qe6 At last the B which has been threatened to be taken off by R or Q for the last two moves is safely fixed and Black's King is accordingly imprisoned.
- 36…Qd6+ This helps the opponents but there was no help for themselves. If 36....Q—K7 ch.; 37 R—Kt2, 37 QxQ; 38 RxQ, 38 Kt—Q4; 39 R—R3, 39 KtxB; 40 PxKt dis. ch. and mates next move.
- 38…Kxh7 A very pretty termination.