MacConnell vs Zukertort — Annotated

-- Stockfish 19

-- Engine disabled.

1. e4 e5

2. Nf3 Nc6

3. Bc4 Nf6

4. Nc3 Bb4

5. a3 Bxc3

6. dxc3 Nxe4

7. Bxf7+ Kxf7

8. Qd5+ Ke8

9. Qxe4 d5

10. Qa4 Rf8

11. O-O Rxf3

12. gxf3 Bh3

13. Re1 Qf6

14. Qf4 Kd7

15. Qg3 Bf5

16. Bg5 Qg6

17. Rad1 Qf7

18. Rd2 h6

19. Be3 Rd8

20. b4 Kc8

21. Bc5 b6

22. b5 Na5

23. Bb4 Nc4

24. Rde2 a5

25. bxa6 c5

26. Bxc5 bxc5

27. Rb1 Rd7

28. Rxe5 Rd6

29. a7 Qxa7

30. Rxf5

1-0

4…Bb4 The same position may arise in the four Knights' game, the Petroff, in the Giuoco Piano, and King's Bishop's opening. A game between Seymour and Steinitz proceeded from this point thus: 4....KtxP; 5 KtxKt, 5 P—Q4; 6 B—Kt5, 6 PxKt; 7 KtxP, 7 Q—Q4; 8 BxKt ch., 8 PxB; 9 Kt—Kt4, 9 B—R3; 10 Kt—K3, 10 Q—Q5; 11 P—KB3, 11 B—B4; 12 PxP, 12 O—O; 13 P—Q3, 13 P—KB4; 14 Q—B3, 14 QR—K sq. For continuation see game terminations.
5.a3 Superior to Kt—Q5, or O—O.
9…d5 Much inferior to 9....P—Q3, which establishes Black's centre. If then 10 B—Kt5, 10 Q—Q2, followed by Q—B4, gives Black a splendid game for the ending.
11.O-O In another game between the same players occurred 11 KtxP,? 11 Q—K2; 12 P—KB4, 12 B—Q2!; 13 O—O!, 13 KtxKt, and wins.
11…Rxf3 An unsound sacrifice, but Black's position is already inferior. Another game between the same players proceeded; 11....Q—Q3, 12 R—K sq., 12 K—B2; 13 KtxP ch.!, 13 KtxKt; 14 B—B4, 14 Kt—B6 ch.; 15 PxKt, 15 Q—Kt3 ch.; 16 K—R sq.+
16…Qg6 Weak. Q—B2 at once was obviously far better.
18.Rd2 Much stronger was 18 P—QB4, 18 P—Q5; 19 RxKP; 19 KtxR; 20 QxKt, 20 P—QKt3 (or 20....R—K sq.; 21 QxQP ch., 21 K—B3; 22 QxRP, 22 QxP; 23 P—Kt3, 23 Q—Kt4; 24 Q—Q4++); 21 Q—Kt5 ch., with an irresistible attack.
21.Bc5 Necessary in order to prevent R—Q3. If, for instance, 21 K—R sq., 21 R—Q3; 22 R—KKt sq., 22 R—Kt3; 23 Q—R4, 23 B—K5; 24 R—Kt3, 24 QxP ch., and mates next move.
24…a5 Black's latter play with the exchange behind is exceedingly fine. He has now managed to obtain the winning position, and forces the gain of a piece by a very clever manœuvre.
27…Rd7 An extraordinary fault of omission which costs a won game. After 27....R—Q3 at once, White could hardly hold out long; for if 28 R—Kt7, 28 Q—Kt3; or Q—B3 kept Black's game well defended, and White's RP was bound to fall immediately, whilst as regards the other Pawns on the Queen's side it was only a question of time.
28.Rxe5 White takes advantage of the error in an ingenious manner, which, in turn, gives him a forced won game.
28…Rd6 This is now too late, but nothing else was of any avail. If 28....KtxR; 29 QxKt, 29 R—B2; 30 P—R7, 30 RxP; 31 Q—Kt8 ch. and wins. Or if 28....Kt—Q3; 29 R—Kt6 (threatening P—R7, etc.), 29....Q—B3; 30 R—K8 ch., 30 K—B2; 31 RxKt, 31 R, or QxR; 32 P—R7, and wins.
29.a7 Promptly and cleverly deciding the game.

[Event "The Modern Chess Instructor"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "?"]
[Round "?"]
[White "MacConnell"]
[Black "Zukertort"]
[Result "1-0"]
[AnnotationSlug "steinitz-mci-two-knights-8"]
[PlyCount "59"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. a3 Bxc3 6. dxc3 Nxe4 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Qd5+ Ke8 9. Qxe4 d5 10. Qa4 Rf8 11. O-O Rxf3 12. gxf3 Bh3 13. Re1 Qf6 14. Qf4 Kd7 15. Qg3 Bf5 16. Bg5 Qg6 17. Rad1 Qf7 18. Rd2 h6 19. Be3 Rd8 20. b4 Kc8 21. Bc5 b6 22. b5 Na5 23. Bb4 Nc4 24. Rde2 a5 25. bxa6 c5 26. Bxc5 bxc5 27. Rb1 Rd7 28. Rxe5 Rd6 29. a7 Qxa7 30. Rxf5 1-0