Winawer vs Blackburne (1882) — Annotated

-- Stockfish 19

-- Engine disabled.

1. e4 e5

2. Nf3 d6

3. Nc3 Nf6

4. d4 exd4

5. Qxd4 Be7

6. Bg5 O-O

7. O-O-O Nc6

8. Qd2 Be6

9. a3 a6

10. h3 b5

11. Bxf6 Bxf6

12. Nd5 Bxd5

13. exd5 Ne7

14. g3 Ng6

15. h4 Re8

16. h5 Ne5

17. Nd4 b4

18. Qxb4 Rb8

19. Qa4 Nf3

20. Nb3 Qe7

21. Bd3 Rb6

22. c3 Reb8

23. Bc2 Qe2

24. Rhf1 Bg5+

25. Kb1 Nd2+

26. Rxd2 Bxd2

27. Rd1 Rxb3

28. Bxb3 Bxc3

29. Bc2 Rxb2+

30. Kc1 Rb1+

31. Kxb1 Qb5+

32. Qb4 Bxb4

33. axb4 Qxb4+

34. Kc1 a5

35. Rd2 a4

36. Bb1 a3

37. Ba2 f5

38. Kd1 Qg4+

39. Ke1 Qxh5

40. Rc2 Qh1+

41. Kd2 Qf3

42. Ke1 Qe4+

43. Kd1 f4

44. gxf4 Qxf4

45. Ke1 Qe4+

46. Kd1 h5

47. Rc4 Qh1+

48. Ke2 Qa1

49. Rc2 h4

50. f4 h3

51. Ke3 Qg1+

0-1

3.Nc3 A defence recommended by Jänish, but no more satisfactory than others in this opening, especially if White reply as in the text.
5.Qxd4 We prefer here KtxP which by transposition of moves leads to a position given in Col. 19.
6.Bg5 We do not think this as good as 6 B—K3.
6…O-O 6....P—KR3 was a good move now, as it attacked a hostile piece which had either to retreat at cost of time or else to be exchanged at disadvantage in value.
9.a3 Useless; and as will be seen, it gets him into difficulty later on.
12.Nd5 In allowing the opponent to fix his P at Q5 Black's QBP becomes weak. We would have preferred R—QKt sq.
17…b4 This gives Black a spirited attack, but we very much doubt whether that was worth a P by best play on the other side.
18.Qxb4 PxP was vastly superior. If Black replied P—QR4 with the intention of playing P—QB4 should White capture that P all difficulties could be avoided by the reply P—Kt5 with the superior game.
19…Nf3 A beautiful move that gives Black a strong attack at least for a time.
20.Nb3 Best. If, for instance, 20 KtxKt, 20 BxP ch.; 21 K—Q2!, 21 Q—B3; 22 Q—B4, 22 QxKt; 23 B—K2, 23 RxB ch.; 24 QxR, 24 Q—B6 mate.
21…Rb6 This weak move greatly compromises his game which we believe might have turned in his favor still by patient play. 22 K—Kt sq. was evidently better, for Black could not then double his Rooks, as White would answer Q—K4.
27…Rxb3 Black pursues the attack in excellent style.
29…Rxb2+ Of course if PxB Black would answer QxR ch.
31.Kxb1 Overlooking the adversary's most ingenious coup, but he had no good move. If 31 R—Q3, 31 Q—K8 ch.; 32 B—Q sq., 32 QxP; 33 B—B2, 33 Q—K8 ch.; coup, 34 B—Q sq., 34 B—KB3 threatening B—Kt4 ch., with a winning attack.
31…Qb5+ A beautiful and elegant stroke. See Diagram.
32.Qb4 Clearly if BxR Black mates by Q—Kt7. But even as it is White has little left to fight with, and Black's Queen wins easily against the two pieces.

[Event "The Modern Chess Instructor"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1882"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Winawer"]
[Black "Blackburne"]
[Result "0-1"]
[AnnotationSlug "steinitz-mci-philidor-1"]
[PlyCount "102"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. Qxd4 Be7 6. Bg5 O-O 7. O-O-O Nc6 8. Qd2 Be6 9. a3 a6 10. h3 b5 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. Nd5 Bxd5 13. exd5 Ne7 14. g3 Ng6 15. h4 Re8 16. h5 Ne5 17. Nd4 b4 18. Qxb4 Rb8 19. Qa4 Nf3 20. Nb3 Qe7 21. Bd3 Rb6 22. c3 Reb8 23. Bc2 Qe2 24. Rhf1 Bg5+ 25. Kb1 Nd2+ 26. Rxd2 Bxd2 27. Rd1 Rxb3 28. Bxb3 Bxc3 29. Bc2 Rxb2+ 30. Kc1 Rb1+ 31. Kxb1 Qb5+ 32. Qb4 Bxb4 33. axb4 Qxb4+ 34. Kc1 a5 35. Rd2 a4 36. Bb1 a3 37. Ba2 f5 38. Kd1 Qg4+ 39. Ke1 Qxh5 40. Rc2 Qh1+ 41. Kd2 Qf3 42. Ke1 Qe4+ 43. Kd1 f4 44. gxf4 Qxf4 45. Ke1 Qe4+ 46. Kd1 h5 47. Rc4 Qh1+ 48. Ke2 Qa1 49. Rc2 h4 50. f4 h3 51. Ke3 Qg1+ 0-1