1.
e4
e5
2.
c3
Nf6
3.
d4
Nc6
4.
f4
Nxe4
5.
Qf3
d5
6.
fxe5
Be7
7.
Bd3
Ng5
8.
Bxg5
Bxg5
9.
Ne2
Be6
10.
Nd2
Ne7
11.
Nb3
O-O
12.
h4
Bh6
13.
g4
f6
14.
Qg3
fxe5
15.
g5
e4
16.
gxh6
Nf5
17.
Qe5
Rf6
18.
Bc2
Nxh6
19.
Nf4
Bf7
20.
Rg1
Nf5
21.
Nc5
b6
22.
Nce6
Rxe6
23.
Nxe6
Qxh4+
24.
Kd1
Qh5+
25.
Kc1
Qh6+
26.
Nf4
Nh4
27.
Qg5
Qxg5
28.
Rxg5
Nf3
29.
Rg2
c5
30.
dxc5
bxc5
31.
b3
Kf8
32.
Kb2
g5
33.
Nh3
h6
34.
Nf2
Rb8
35.
Ng4
h5
36.
Ne3
g4
37.
Rh1
Ke7
38.
Rd1
Rd8
39.
Nf5+
Kf6
40.
Nh6
Bg6
41.
Nxg4+
hxg4
42.
Rxg4
Ne5
43.
Rf4+
Ke7
44.
c4
e3
45.
cxd5
e2
46.
Re1
Nd3+
47.
Bxd3
Bxd3
48.
Kc3
Rxd5
49.
Rxe2+
Bxe2
50.
Re4+
Kd6
51.
Rxe2
Rh5
52.
Rg2
Rh6
53.
Rg7
a6
54.
Ra7
Kd5
55.
Kb2
Rb6
1/2-1/2
Opening Explorer
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Site
New York
Date
1889.??.??
White
MacLeod, Nicholas
Black
Result
1/2-1/2
Game 151 in Wilhelm Steinitz, The Book of the Sixth American Chess Congress (1891), printed pages 194–195. The source dates the game May 11th, 1889. Original descriptive notation and printed analysis are retained.
- 4.f4 Bold and not to be recommended. KKt—B3 is better.
- 4…Nxe4 4...P x P, and if 5 P—K5, 5 Kt—Q4; 6 Kt—B3, 6 P—Q3; 7 P—QB4, 7 Kt—K6 would have given Black the superior game.
- 12.h4 Black has allowed himself to be caught in an ugly position, and White promptly seizes the attack.
- 15.g5 White impatiently makes too great demands on his game. 15 P x P would have left his attack strong enough, without danger to his game.
- 17…Rf6 We see no need for this sacrifice. 17 . . . P x B; 18 Q x B ch. (or 18 Kt— KB4, 18 B — B sq., etc.), 18. . .K — B sq. left Black with even material and a good game, whereas it is very doubtful now whether his attack is worth the piece given up.
- 20.Rg1 20 Kt—QB5 was by far better, for if 20...R—B4; 21 Kt (B5)—K6, etc.
- 21.Nc5 White endangers his game step by step. His best plan was now 21 P—R5, and if 21...Kt—B5; 22 R x P ch., 22 K x R (or 22...K—R sq.; 23 R—Kt8, etc.; or if 22...K—B sq.; 23 R x B ch., 23 K x R; 24 Q x QP ch., etc.); 23 Q—Kt5 ch., 23 K—B sq.; 24 Q x Kt, etc.
- 21…b6 Whereas now Black might have safely played 21...Kt x RP, and if 22 R x P ch., 22 K x R; 23 Kt—K6 ch. (or 23 Q—Kt5 ch., 23 R—Kt3, etc.), 23...B x Kt; 24 Kt x B ch., 24 K—R sq.; 25 Kt x Q, 25 Kt—B6 ch.; 26 K—K2, 26 Kt x Q; 27 P x Kt, 27 R—B4, and should win.
- 26.Nf4 Better was 26 Kt— Kt5, and if 26. . .Kt— R6; 27 B— Q sq.
- 29.Rg2 29 R x QP would have won without difficulty; for if 29...P—KKt4; 30 B x P, etc. Or if 29 B x R, 29 Kt x B, and Black will soon lose another Pawn.
- 41.Nxg4+ White has allowed the adverse Pawns to push on too far, and he can do no better than to sacrifice a piece for the two most dangerous ones on the K side.
- 44…e3 Black, on seeing that he has no chance to win, decides to play for a draw, and he attains that object in an ingenious manner.
[Event "USA-06 Congress Grand Tournament draws"] [Site "New York"] [Date "1889.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "MacLeod, Nicholas"] [Black "Blackburne, Joseph Henry"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] 1. e4 e5 2. c3 Nf6 3. d4 Nc6 4. f4 Nxe4 5. Qf3 d5 6. fxe5 Be7 7. Bd3 Ng5 8. Bxg5 Bxg5 9. Ne2 Be6 10. Nd2 Ne7 11. Nb3 O-O 12. h4 Bh6 13. g4 f6 14. Qg3 fxe5 15. g5 e4 16. gxh6 Nf5 17. Qe5 Rf6 18. Bc2 Nxh6 19. Nf4 Bf7 20. Rg1 Nf5 21. Nc5 b6 22. Nce6 Rxe6 23. Nxe6 Qxh4+ 24. Kd1 Qh5+ 25. Kc1 Qh6+ 26. Nf4 Nh4 27. Qg5 Qxg5 28. Rxg5 Nf3 29. Rg2 c5 30. dxc5 bxc5 31. b3 Kf8 32. Kb2 g5 33. Nh3 h6 34. Nf2 Rb8 35. Ng4 h5 36. Ne3 g4 37. Rh1 Ke7 38. Rd1 Rd8 39. Nf5+ Kf6 40. Nh6 Bg6 41. Nxg4+ hxg4 42. Rxg4 Ne5 43. Rf4+ Ke7 44. c4 e3 45. cxd5 e2 46. Re1 Nd3+ 47. Bxd3 Bxd3 48. Kc3 Rxd5 49. Rxe2+ Bxe2 50. Re4+ Kd6 51. Rxe2 Rh5 52. Rg2 Rh6 53. Rg7 a6 54. Ra7 Kd5 55. Kb2 Rb6 1/2-1/2