Game 236, Mason, James–Delmar, Eugene, played April 5, 1889, from Wilhelm Steinitz, The Book of the Sixth American Chess Congress (1891), printed pages 302–303.

1. 7.Be2 This is a feeble move. He would obtain a slight advantage by 7 B—Kt5 ch., for if 7...P—B3, then 8 B—Q3, and Black will be under the necessity later on of advancing P—QB4 in order to free his QB, whereupon White, by exchanging, will loosen the adverse centre. If, however, 7...QKt—Q2; 8 Kt—K5, 8 P—QR3; 9 B—B6, 9 B x B; 10 Kt x B, 10 Q—B sq.; 11 Kt—K5, with the preferable game.
2. 14.f4 He suffers from this injudicious advance and the consequent weakness of his KP all through the game. His proper play was 14 P—KKt3, with the following probable continuation: 14...Q—R6; 15 P—B3, 15 Kt—Kt4 (or 15...Kt x KKt; 16 Q x Kt); 16 P—K4, 16 P x P; 17 KKt x P, with a good game.
3. 17.Ne2 We should have preferred 17 Q—Kt3, 17 K—R sq.; 18 KR—B2, followed by the same R—QB2, which would have kept Black on the defensive for a long time.
4. 18.b3 There seems to be no necessity for this advance, which breaks holes at QR3 and QB3.
5. 18…Rad8 The same R—B sq. was better. He has to lose a move later on in order to rectify the omission. It was pretty clear that his attack would have to be formed by the advance of the QBP, and therefore the Rook ought to have occupied the file at once.
6. 27.Ng3 A grave error of judgment, of which the opponent takes advantage with great precision. He ought to have stopped the advance of the QBP, and either Q—R3 or P—QKt4 were his best play.
7. 28…Ba6 Black manages his attack with great forethought and in excellent style. He forces now the isolation of the adverse QP as well as freedom for a strongly-supported passed centre Pawn which gives him a great advantage for the ending.
8. 34…axb4 This and the following are simple and perhaps good enough; but much stronger and leading to a quicker termination was, we believe, 34...Q—B6; 35 Q—R2, 35 R—B5; 36 K—B2, 36 K—Kt2; 37 P x P, 37 P x P, and now Black threatens Q—Q6, followed by Kt x B or R—B7 ch., and if 38 Q—Kt sq., 38 Kt x B, followed by Q—Q7 ch., and wins. Or if 38 Q—Kt2, 38 Kt x B; 39 Q x Q, 39 Kt—Q8 ch., and wins. Or if 38 Q—Q2, 38 Q x RP, etc.
9. 43…Rb3 This excellent move prevents the adverse King from crossing and threatens to win another Pawn by R—B6 ch.
10. 49…b5 Black has gained a move very cleverly and repeats the same manoeuvre in the next series of moves, with the effect of exchanging his QKtP for the adverse RP and afterward winning easily, with two Pawns to one. The ending is finely played by Mr. Delmar.