Julius Perlis vs Amos Burn — St Petersburg 1909, Round 15

-- Stockfish 19

-- Engine disabled.

1. e4 e5

2. Nf3 Nc6

3. Bb5 a6

4. Ba4 Nf6

5. O-O b5

6. Bb3 Be7

7. Re1 d6

8. c3 Na5

9. Bc2 c5

10. d4 Qc7

11. h3 h6

12. Nbd2 g5

13. Nf1 g4

14. hxg4 Bxg4

15. Ne3 Bh5

16. Nf5 Bf8

17. a4 b4

18. Bd3 c4

19. cxb4 Nb3

20. Ra3 Nxd4

21. N5xd4 exd4

22. Bf1 d3

23. Rc3 Nd7

24. Bxd3 Bxf3

25. Qxf3 Ne5

26. Qg3 Rb8

27. Bxc4 Nxc4

28. b3 Rxb4

29. Ba3 Rb8

30. Rxc4 Qa5

31. Rec1 Qg5

32. Rc8+ Rxc8

33. Rxc8+ Kd7

34. Qc3 Rg8

35. Qc6+ Ke6

36. Re8+ Kf6

37. Bb2+ Kg6

38. Rxf8

1-0

11…h6 As a defensive measure, this move is of little value, for although it is of some use in preventing B—Kt5, White can, later on, exert a pressure on Black’s position by such moves as P—KKt4 and Kt—B5. But if the move was intended in an aggressive sense, this much is to be said against it, that, the centre being opened, any attack on the wings can be broken by lively play in the centre.
15.Ne3 If 15) .... B×Kt; 16) Q×B, KP×P; 17) P×P, P×P, White would play 18) P—K5. 15) .... O—O—O would be met by 16) P—QKt4, followed soon by P—QR4. The manoeuvre P—QKt4 and P—QR4 would be strong in various variations; for instance, against 15) .... R—KKtsq.
17.a4 17) P—QKt4 would have been stronger; for instance: 17) .... P×KtP; 18) BP×KtP, Kt—B3; 19) P—Q5, Kt×KtP; 20) B—Kt3 threatening P—R3; if 20) .... P—R4, then 21) P—R4. The White pieces would come powerfully into play. He ought to have fixed the QKtP before attacking it, in order to make sure of its exchange.
18…c4 Far better would be 18) .... P—Kt6, in order to prevent mobility on the Queen’s side as far as possible.
19.cxb4 By this move he wins a Pawn, and, in consequence of his good development, also the game. The combination has three variations: 19) .... P×B; 20) P×Kt; secondly, 19) .... Kt—Kt6; 20) R—R3, Kt×B; 21) Q×Kt, and lastly, that of the actual game.

[Event "St Petersburg Chigorin Memorial"]
[Site "St Petersburg"]
[Date "1909.03.07"]
[Round "15"]
[White "Perlis, Julius"]
[Black "Burn, Amos"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O b5 6. Bb3 Be7 7. Re1 d6 8. c3 Na5 9. Bc2 c5 10. d4 Qc7 11. h3 h6 12. Nbd2 g5 13. Nf1 g4 14. hxg4 Bxg4 15. Ne3 Bh5 16. Nf5 Bf8 17. a4 b4 18. Bd3 c4 19. cxb4 Nb3 20. Ra3 Nxd4 21. N5xd4 exd4 22. Bf1 d3 23. Rc3 Nd7 24. Bxd3 Bxf3 25. Qxf3 Ne5 26. Qg3 Rb8 27. Bxc4 Nxc4 28. b3 Rxb4 29. Ba3 Rb8 30. Rxc4 Qa5 31. Rec1 Qg5 32. Rc8+ Rxc8 33. Rxc8+ Kd7 34. Qc3 Rg8 35. Qc6+ Ke6 36. Re8+ Kf6 37. Bb2+ Kg6 38. Rxf8 1-0