1.
Nf3
d5
2.
d4
Bg4
3.
Ne5
Bh5
4.
Qd3
Qc8
5.
c4
f6
6.
Nf3
e6
7.
Nc3
Bg6
8.
Qd1
c6
9.
e3
Bd6
10.
Bd2
Ne7
11.
Rc1
Nd7
12.
Nh4
f5
13.
g4
Nf6
14.
h3
Ne4
15.
Bd3
fxg4
16.
Nxg6
Nxg6
17.
Bxe4
dxe4
18.
Nxe4
Be7
19.
hxg4
e5
20.
d5
Qd7
21.
Bc3
Rd8
22.
Rh5
cxd5
23.
cxd5
O-O
24.
d6
Qe6
25.
Qb3
Qxb3
26.
axb3
Bxd6
27.
Nxd6
Rxd6
28.
Bb4
Rb6
29.
Bxf8
Kxf8
30.
Rc8+
Kf7
31.
Rc7+
Kf6
32.
Rf5+
Ke6
33.
Rff7
Rb4
34.
Rxb7
Rxg4
35.
Rxg7
h5
36.
Rxa7
Kf5
37.
f3
Rg2
38.
Ra6
1-0
Opening Explorer
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Site
Havana
Date
1889.01.22
Round
2
White
Result
1-0
- 4.Qd3 In the correspondence match between London and St. Petersburg, the former party played here P—KKt4, which is inferior to the move in the text.
- 4…Qc8 Best. If 4...P—QB3; 5 Q—KR3, 5 KKt—B3; 6 P—KB4, 6 P—KR3 (or 6...QKt—Q2; 7 P—KKt4, 7 Kt×Kt; 8 BP×Kt, 8 B×P; 9 Q—KKt3 and wins); 7 P—KKt4 with the superior game.
- 8.Qd1 White is still ahead in the development with one minor piece, albeit his retreats of Kt and Q.
- 13.g4 White has now we believe some advantage in position.
- 15…fxg4 A grave error. Black evidently speculated on White's replying RP×P, whereupon the reply Kt×BP would win.
- 16…Nxg6 If 16...QKt×QKt; the reply 17 Kt×Kt wins a piece, for after 17...Kt×Q; 18 Kt×Q, Black's B remains attacked.
- 19.hxg4 Simply Q×P was much stronger. He now becomes exposed to a strong attack in turn.
- 21.Bc3 Perhaps good enough, but probably 21 Kt—B3, 21 B—Kt5; 22 P—K4, 22 B×Kt; 23 R×B, would have won with less difficulty.
- 22.Rh5 Black may now win the QP, but will lose another with the much inferior game.
- 23…O-O Disastrous. But he could not hold out for long by adopting the other alternative 23...Q×P; 24 Q×Q, 24 R×Q; 25 P—KB4, for if 25...B—B3; 26 P×P, and Black dare not take either with the Kt or the B, as White after exchanging would ultimately gain a piece by R—B8 ch.
- 24.d6 Decisive. See Diagram, page 168.
- 24…Qe6 Some bystanders afterward thought that 24...Kt—R5; threatening Kt—Kt 7 ch., would have turned the game in Black's favor, and no doubt it gives the defence a strong counter-attack in all variations, excepting against the ingenious reply 25 K—B sq., pointed out by Senor Lopez with the probable continuation: 25...Kt—B6; 26 P×B, 26 Q×Q ch. (or 26...Q×KtP; 27 P×KR ch., 27 R×R; 28 Q—Q5 ch., 28 K—R sq.; 29 R—R sq., etc.); 27 R×Q, 27 R×R ch.; 28 K—K2, and wins.
- 28.Bb4 White wins without much effort.
[Event "World-ch02 Steinitz-Chigorin +10-6=1"] [Site "Havana"] [Date "1889.01.22"] [Round "2"] [White "Steinitz, William"] [Black "Chigorin, Mikhail Ivanovich"] [Result "1-0"] 1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Bg4 3. Ne5 Bh5 4. Qd3 Qc8 5. c4 f6 6. Nf3 e6 7. Nc3 Bg6 8. Qd1 c6 9. e3 Bd6 10. Bd2 Ne7 11. Rc1 Nd7 12. Nh4 f5 13. g4 Nf6 14. h3 Ne4 15. Bd3 fxg4 16. Nxg6 Nxg6 17. Bxe4 dxe4 18. Nxe4 Be7 19. hxg4 e5 20. d5 Qd7 21. Bc3 Rd8 22. Rh5 cxd5 23. cxd5 O-O 24. d6 Qe6 25. Qb3 Qxb3 26. axb3 Bxd6 27. Nxd6 Rxd6 28. Bb4 Rb6 29. Bxf8 Kxf8 30. Rc8+ Kf7 31. Rc7+ Kf6 32. Rf5+ Ke6 33. Rff7 Rb4 34. Rxb7 Rxg4 35. Rxg7 h5 36. Rxa7 Kf5 37. f3 Rg2 38. Ra6 1-0