Chigorin, Mikhail Ivanovich VS Zukertort, Johannes Hermann 1883.04.26

Annotations

1. 7.Bxc6 In the Book of the London International Tournament of 1883 Zukertort remarks on this move: “New, but no improvement on the usual continuations 7 P×Kt or 7 B—K2.”
2. 8…f6 An excellent move which supports the centre until the Pawns are ready for attack.
3. 9.cxb7 If 9 Q—Q5, 9 P×P; 10 Q×P ch., 10 B—Q2; 11 Q—Q5, 11 R—QKt sq.; 12 Kt—B3, 12 P—B3, etc. (Zukertort).
4. 11…Nf7 Fine play. The centre Pawns are now well prepared for action.
5. 15.Nfd4 KKt—Q2 was better (Zukertort.) We believe that with 15 B×B, 15 P×Kt; 16 P×P, 16 R—K sq.; 17 B×Q (there seems nothing better) 17....R×Q; 18 B×P, 18 Kt—Kt4; 19 Kt—Q4, 19 R—Q7; 20 P—KR4 White had a good prospect of equalizing the game.
6. 16.Qb5 16 Q—K3 or B4 would be a little better, while 16 P×P leads to immediate loss with 16....B×B; 17 Kt—K6, 17 Q—B3; 18 Kt×B, 18 Q—Kt3 ch.; 19 K—R sq., 19 P×P and wins. (Zukertort.)
7. 18…Ng5 A beautiful move. Zukertort points out that it threatens mates in 4 moves, commencing with Kt—R6 ch., or Q—Kt5 accordingly, and that 18....Q—Kt5 would have been bad. White would reply Kt×BP.
8. 20…fxg2 If 21 B×B, 21 Kt—R6 ch.; 22 K×P, 22 Q—Kt2 ch.; 23 K×Kt, or —Kt3, 23 Q—B6 ch., followed by R—B5 ch. and wins. (Zukertort.)
9. 24…Bb7+ 24....B—Q6 ch. was, we believe, stronger still, and might have led to the following continuation: 25 K—Q4 best, 25 QR—Q sq. ch.; 26 K—B3, 26 B—Kt4 dis.ch.; 27 R—K3, 27 Kt—Q4 ch.; 28 K—Q2, 28 R×P ch. and mates in a few moves.
10. 26.Kc4 Obviously if R×Kt Black also answered R—B5 ch. and mates next move.
11. 28.Kxc5 If R—K8 ch., Black replies best K—B2. (Zukertort.)
12. 29…Rxd4+ Black wins the Q with a check of the Q on the 5th row.

William Steinitz, The Modern Chess Instructor (1889) · Public domain · source