1.
e4
e5
2.
Nf3
Nc6
3.
c3
d5
4.
Qa4
f6
5.
d3
Bc5
6.
b4
dxe4
7.
dxe4
Bd6
8.
Bc4
Qe7
9.
Qb3
Qf8
10.
a4
Bd7
11.
Na3
Nge7
12.
a5
a6
13.
Nc2
Nd8
14.
Bd2
Nc8
15.
h3
Qe7
16.
Ne3
Be6
17.
O-O
Bxc4
18.
Qxc4
Qf7
19.
Rfd1
Qxc4
20.
Nxc4
Kf7
21.
Be3
Ke6
22.
Ra2
Nf7
23.
Rad2
Ne7
24.
Ne1
Rhd8
25.
Nd3
Ng6
26.
Bc5
Rac8
27.
Nxd6
cxd6
28.
Bb6
Re8
29.
Rc1
Nf4
30.
f3
Nxd3
31.
Rxd3
Rc4
32.
Kf2
Rec8
33.
Be3
g6
34.
Ke2
f5
35.
exf5+
gxf5
36.
g3
h5
37.
h4
f4
38.
gxf4
exf4
39.
Bd2
Ne5
40.
Rd4
Rxd4
41.
cxd4
Rxc1
42.
Bxc1
Ng6
43.
Bd2
Kd5
44.
Kd3
Nxh4
45.
Bxf4
Nxf3
0-1
Opening Explorer
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Site
New York
Date
1889.??.??
Round
12
White
Baird, David Graham
Result
0-1
Score
Printed Game No. 3, pp. 4–5 (PDF pp. 56–57). The source identifies the first round and dates the game April 6, 1889.
- 5.d3 White blocks his KB without need. B—QKt5, as usually played here, is preferable.
- 7.dxe4 A little speculation at the expense of a Pawn would, we think, have been justifiable here, and White might have proceeded with 7 PxB, 7 PxKt; 8 PxP, 8 Q—Q4; 9 Q—K4, 9 QxBP; 10 QB—QR3, 10 Q—R4; 11 R—Kt sq., with a strong attack.
- 15.h3 Useless as usual, and toward the end it weakens his position on this wing.
- 21…Ke6 Black is making good use of his King, and his not having Castled before exchanging Queens is a little advantage to him.
- 24…Rhd8 Black has brought his blocked-up pieces into play in an admirable manner.
- 26.Bc5 White has also played excellently thus far, and the move in the text gives him the advantage in position.
- 30.f3 But he does not pursue it properly. P—QB4, which kept the adverse QP still more weakened, would have hardly left more prospect for Black than a draw, which, moreover, he could only secure by very cautious play.
- 31…Rc4 Black seizes his opportunity quickly and occupies the weak point formed by White's omission on the 30th move.
- 34.Ke2 The King was more needed where he stood for the protection of the K side.
- 36.g3 Not good, as it enables the opponent to break through in the centre with a troublesome attack
- 37.h4 Still more compromising his K side.
- 39.Bd2 This injudicious retreat seals his fate. The proper play was 39 B—Q4, whereupon might have followed 39...Kt—K4; 40 R—KKt sq., 40 KtxB; 41 KxKt, and we think that, owing to the bad position of Black's Pawns on both wings, White ought to secure a draw at least, and in fact he has so much the better chance of winning that we believe Black would have avoided that line of play.
- 39…Ne5 Securing the exchange of the heavy pieces, after which the Knight plays havoc among the scattered and weak adverse Pawns on the K side and the centre.
[Event "USA-06 Congress Grand Tournament"] [Site "New York"] [Date "1889.??.??"] [Round "12"] [White "Baird, David Graham"] [Black "Chigorin, Mikhail Ivanovich"] [Result "0-1"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c3 d5 4. Qa4 f6 5. d3 Bc5 6. b4 dxe4 7. dxe4 Bd6 8. Bc4 Qe7 9. Qb3 Qf8 10. a4 Bd7 11. Na3 Nge7 12. a5 a6 13. Nc2 Nd8 14. Bd2 Nc8 15. h3 Qe7 16. Ne3 Be6 17. O-O Bxc4 18. Qxc4 Qf7 19. Rfd1 Qxc4 20. Nxc4 Kf7 21. Be3 Ke6 22. Ra2 Nf7 23. Rad2 Ne7 24. Ne1 Rhd8 25. Nd3 Ng6 26. Bc5 Rac8 27. Nxd6 cxd6 28. Bb6 Re8 29. Rc1 Nf4 30. f3 Nxd3 31. Rxd3 Rc4 32. Kf2 Rec8 33. Be3 g6 34. Ke2 f5 35. exf5+ gxf5 36. g3 h5 37. h4 f4 38. gxf4 exf4 39. Bd2 Ne5 40. Rd4 Rxd4 41. cxd4 Rxc1 42. Bxc1 Ng6 43. Bd2 Kd5 44. Kd3 Nxh4 45. Bxf4 Nxf3 0-1