1.
d4
d5
2.
c4
e6
3.
Nc3
c6
4.
e3
Nd7
5.
Nf3
Bd6
6.
e4
dxe4
7.
Nxe4
Bb4+
8.
Nc3
Ndf6
9.
Bd3
Qa5
10.
Bd2
Ne7
11.
O-O
O-O
12.
a3
Bxc3
13.
Bxc3
Qc7
14.
Ne5
Rd8
15.
Qe2
b6
16.
b4
Bb7
17.
f4
Nf5
18.
Qf2
c5
19.
dxc5
bxc5
20.
Qxc5
Qxc5+
21.
bxc5
Be4
22.
Rfd1
Rdc8
23.
c6
Bxd3
24.
Rxd3
Ne4
25.
Bb4
a5
26.
Rad1
axb4
27.
c7
g5
28.
Rd8+
Kg7
29.
axb4
Ne3
30.
Rxc8
Rxc8
31.
Rd4
f5
32.
Rd7+
Kh6
33.
fxg5+
Kxg5
34.
h4+
Kf6
35.
Nc6
Rg8
0-1
Opening Explorer
Explorer is loading.
Site
Hastings
Date
1895.??.??
Round
8
White
Black
Result
0-1
Score
Notes by Dr. Tarrasch.
- 3…c6 This defence of the Queen's Gambit is not worse than the usual one, but gives White for a long time the freer game.
- 4.e3 The Queen's Bishop's Pawn must now be protected at once; P to K 4 would be stronger.
- 6.e4 By this move White gets the freer game. To prevent the advance of this Pawn Black might play at the 4th move P to K B 4 (Stonewall for Black) as I played in this Tournament against Gunsberg and Burn.
- 7…Bb4+ The more natural move is B to B 2.
- 8.Nc3 I should have played B to Q 2, for Black could here (or in the following move) have doubled White's Pawns in a very disagreeable manner by exchanging the Bishop for Knight, and have prevented an advance by P to Q B 4 (besides playing eventually Q to Q R 4). Later on, Black after all does exchange, but under far less favourable circumstances.
- 9…Qa5 This move is not now good, for Black is forced to exchange his Bishop for the Knight in a few moves, and to retreat the Queen also.
- 13…Qc7 Now White has the better position.
- 17.f4 With this quite simple move White gives up his advantage, for the Knight at B 3 threatens to establish itself on K 5, and Black makes admirable use of his opponent's mistake.
- 18.Qf2 B x Kt is disadvantageous for White, on account of P x B and Kt to K 5.
- 18…c5 Exceedingly well played. With this fine Pawn sacrifice Black not only frees his game but obtains the better one. White ought not to have accepted the gift, but should have advanced the Queen's Pawn.
- 20.Qxc5 Also after 20. P x P, B to K 5, or if 20. P to Kt 5, still B to K 5, or even Kt to Q 5, and Black's position is a very good one.
- 23.c6 In order to make a trebled Pawn after B x P by 24. Kt x B; 25. Q B x Kt; and 26. K B x Kt.
- 24…Ne4 Black's Knights are now very menacing, besides which Black threatens to drive away the Knight by P to K B 3, and then to take, first, the Pawn at B 6, after which the second Pawn becomes weakened. Steinitz decides therefore to sacrifice a Piece, in order to utilise his Pawns. This truly beautiful plan of the old master is only wrecked by the circumstance that Black gets in the end game (thanks to the favourable position of his Knights) an attack which could not be foreseen.
- 29…Ne3 The decisive move; with it Black locks up White's King completely and forces the exchange of a Rook.
- 31.Rd4 After 31. R to Q 2, R to Q R sq wins at once.
- 34.h4+ If White plays 34. Kt to Q B 6 in order to block the Rook file with 35. Kt to R 5, after R to R sq we get the following surprisingly beautiful termination: 34. Kt to B 6, K to B 3; 35. Kt to R 7, R to K Kt sq; 36. P to Kt 3, P to B 5; 37. B P queens, R x Q; 38. Kt x R, P to B 6, and wins.
- 35…Rg8 A true, genuine, master game, well played on both sides.
[Event "Hastings International Masters"] [Site "Hastings"] [Date "1895.??.??"] [Round "8"] [White "Steinitz, William"] [Black "Bird, Henry Edward"] [Result "0-1"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 Nd7 5. Nf3 Bd6 6. e4 dxe4 7. Nxe4 Bb4+ 8. Nc3 Ndf6 9. Bd3 Qa5 10. Bd2 Ne7 11. O-O O-O 12. a3 Bxc3 13. Bxc3 Qc7 14. Ne5 Rd8 15. Qe2 b6 16. b4 Bb7 17. f4 Nf5 18. Qf2 c5 19. dxc5 bxc5 20. Qxc5 Qxc5+ 21. bxc5 Be4 22. Rfd1 Rdc8 23. c6 Bxd3 24. Rxd3 Ne4 25. Bb4 a5 26. Rad1 axb4 27. c7 g5 28. Rd8+ Kg7 29. axb4 Ne3 30. Rxc8 Rxc8 31. Rd4 f5 32. Rd7+ Kh6 33. fxg5+ Kxg5 34. h4+ Kf6 35. Nc6 Rg8 0-1