In the final game, played on Thursday, March 2nd, was opened by Steinitz again with the Vienna début. Blackburne defended in Anderssen’s favourite way, whereupon Steinitz at once blocked out the Q B by P to K B 5. The novelty proved a success, since White was able to support the whole battle line of pawns on both wings, with the choice to himself to break in on either side. Blackburne hard pushed, unable to castle, and, having most of his pieces knotted together uselessly on the Q side, forced an opening on the K side in order to relieve himself by exchanging queens. But the position proved unfavourable to him in the ending. Steinitz, having one important open file for the K R, and being able to force another opening for the Q B, soon compelled the opponent to sacrifice two pawns, and then managed to force the game in a pretty finish. (Vienna Opening.)

1. 4…Nf6 (a) Safe enough. If White now take the K P, the game might go on thus: 5. P takes P; 5... P takes P 6. Kt takes P; 6... Q to Q 5 7. Kt to Q 3; 7... B to Kt 3, &c.,
2. 6…a6 (b) This move was played by Anderssen against Blackburne in the Vienna tourney, whereupon the latter also replied P to Q R 3, ignoring the better answer adopted by White in the present instance. Anderssen, though he ultimately lost the game by a blunder, came out of the opening, with the much superior position, and Mr. Blackburne cannot therefore be blamed for following Anderssen’s precepts.
3. 7.f5 (c) Stronger that P to Q R 3, and it seems, from the progress of the present game, that the array of White’s pawns on the K side cannot be broken through. The objection generally raised against this early advance was, that Black might either exchange one of White’s two bishops by Q Kt to R 4, or else force an opening by P to K Kt 3, but, from our next note it would appear that neither course would relieve Black’s position, and consequently the latter has already the inferior game.
4. 7…h6 (d) The answer to either P to K Kt 3 or Kt to Q R 4 would have been P to Q R 3; for in the former case, if Black proceeded by P takes P, White would reply B to K Kt 5, threatening Kt to Q 5; e.g.: 7... P to K Kt 3 8. P to Q R 3, necessary to prevent the exchange of the Q Kt by B to Kt 5, and we believe better than K Kt to Kt 5, which only exposes the Kt to ultimate attack by P to K R 3, after Black’s protecting the K B P by K R to B sq. 8... P takes P 9. Q B to K Kt 5; 9... B to K 3 10. P takes P; 10... B takes B 11. P takes B, and wins. In the latter case, namely, if Black had played 7 Q Kt to R 4, White would also reply P to Q R 3, with the object of not allowing his Q Kt to be pinned, and threatening in his turn to pin the opponent’s K Kt. The only consistent continuation for Black would then have been to capture the K B with the Kt, and we do not see how he would then be better off for finding a convenient post for his Q B, and liberating his pieces.
5. 8.h3 (e) In order to fortify the attack immediately by P to K Kt 4, in case Black attempted to castle on the K side, or to open the game by P to K Kt 3 as afterwards done.
6. 9.a3 (f) White, being safe on both wings, makes an opening for his B to prevent the opponent exchanging it by Kt to R 4. He has now also prepared for an attack with his pawns on either side, wherever the adversary might attempt to castle, while his own king is in perfect security.
7. 13…Rb8 [1st hour]
8. 15…g6 (g) This sally seems to have given rise to much critical comment, and it has been remarked that the loss of the game could be attributed to Black’s trying to force an opening on his weakest wing. But it seems to us in the first place that Black had reasonable cause for trying this way of making an opening for his constrained position, since it either forced a break through the phalanx of hostile pawns, or else the first possession of the open file for the K R, and it was not easily to be foreseen that White on the 17th move could allow the latter advantage to the opponent without in the least releasing his hold upon him. In the next place, we cannot see that there was any point in White’s position presenting any greater facilities to the hostile forces for a sortie, and the fault of the helplessness of Black’s pieces must therefore more be laid to the inefficiency of a long recognised defence met in a novel way than to Mr. Blackburne’s conduct of the same. We give a diagram of the position on the opposite page. Position of the game after Black’s 15th move, viz. P to K Kt 3.
9. 20.Qe2 [1st hour]
10. 21.Be3 (h) White threatens now to take possession of the open K Kt file with both rooks, by K R to Kt sq, followed by Q R to R 2.
11. 22…Qh6 (i) R to R 6 would not have improved Black’s position, for the opponent would have first answered K to K 2 before attacking the Q.
12. 24…d5 (j) R to R 2 was the only other means to prevent the hostile rook cutting off the K by R to Kt 7, and then the game might have proceeded thus: 24... R to R 2 25. R to Kt 3, ch; 25... K to K 2 26. P takes P; 26... P takes P 27. Q R to Q R 7, and Black’s pieces remain shut up, for if he attempt to play Kt to Q B 3, White would reply R takes R, winning a piece.
13. 26.Kf2 (k) Better now than checking with the R, whereupon Black might have attacked the R by K to B sq, and White could not then capture the Q B P on account of the impending R to R 8, ch.
14. 27…Rf8 (l) White threatened P to Q 6, ch, winning a piece. Neither P takes P nor R to R 4 would have been a satisfactory resource, for in the former case White could have replied R to B 4 without altering the position materially, and in the latter contingency he could move out of all danger by K to K 3, followed, in answer to R takes P, by Kt to R 4, threatening ch at Kt 6, and winning at least the exchange. [2nd hour]
15. 28…Kd6 (m) The P could not be retaken, on account of Q R to R 7, winning easily.
16. 32…Kd7 (n) Had he played the K to K 2, White would have pushed the P to Q 6, ch, followed by B takes R, &c. We append a diagram of the position: Position after White’s 32nd move.
17. 35…Ba8 (o) A last desperate attempt to prolong the game by P to Q B 3, in case White takes off the B at once; but White’s reply leaves no escape.
18. 37.Rxa8 Resigns. [Duration, three hours and a half.]