The First Game.-Played on Monday, the 3rd
inst.
The two players arrived before two oclock-the time appointed for
commencing
the game-in order to discuss some further details. We have all along
commended
M. Rosenthals chivalry in the conduct of the negotiations, and we
are
glad to put on record an instance of reciprocation of this spirit of
courtesy
on the part of his antagonist. M. Rosenthal proposed that both parties
should dispense with the assistance of bystanders in taking down the
game
or regulating the stop watches which mark the time limit, and Herr
Zukertort
at once agreed. This was a very courteous concession, for the winner of
the Paris tournament would have found plenty of enthusiasts willing to
relieve him of the troublesome duty of scoring the game, while M.
Rosenthal,
who employs the French notation, would have been very much limited in
the
choice of his assistants. In the absence of Mr Lindsay, M.
Rosenthals
umpire, the Rev. W. Wayte, Herr Zukertorts representative, drew
for the
first move with Mr Salter, and this considerable advantage fell in
favour
of Herr Zukertort. Amidst breathless silence the first few moves were
made
by both players at a moderately quick rate of time, and the game assumed
the aspect of the well-known Double Ruy Lopez, which often occured in
the
Paris tournament, M. Rosenthal having, however, designedly omitted the
usual advance of P to Q R 3, in order to drive back the B to Q R 4, the
tug of war began on the 7th move, when Zukertort instituted a new form
of attack by P to Q 4, of which Mr Blackburne is the inventor. Rosenthal
took a long time to consider his reply, and at last entered on a line of
defence which appeared the simplest. On the 9th move it was
Zukertorts
turn to deliberate for a long while on an important line of action, and
he at last decided on a course of general exchanges, which, at least in
his own opinion, led to a clear drawn game ; for when, after making his
12th move, Rosenthal proposed a draw, Zukertort impetuously knocked down
his king in agreement with the offer, play having lasted altogether
about
fifty minutes. This clearly breaking up of the game caused some natural
disappointment, and the general impression was that the French champion
had slightly the best of the result, and that the spell of
Zukertorts
two successive victories against his present opponent in the Paris
tournament
was somewhat shaken. We believe that Zukertort had slightly the superior
position ; at any rate, he could run no risk, and the prospective moral
effect of a third continuous victory would have made it worth while to
go on longer. But both combatants pleaded indisposition for a continued
hard struggle, which of course is a valid excuse ; and Herr Zukertort,
like some other great masters, does not easily work himself into form at
the beginning of a great contest, for it will be remembered that his
score
in the first two rounds of the Paris Congress was the worst of the
ultimate
winners. The game, though it is very valuable for analysis and students
of the opening, is the shortest match game on record, in point of number
of moves, with the exception of one between Blackburne and Fleissig in
the tenth match of the Vienna Congress, which was resigned by the latter
on the eighth move under the misapprehension that he was bound to lose
a clear rook, while it was afterwards proved that he could have relieved
himself from difficulty with the lose of the exchange for a P only, with
a fair game. |
This first encounter resembles a reconnoitring
fight
before a great battle, or a feeler between two wrestlers who wish to
ascertain
each others strength. We publish it below with our comments ; and
in reference
to the notes we intend to give throughout the match, we may be allowed
to remark that we shall endeavour, to the utmost of our power, to do
full
justice to the two players and to the nature of the positions arising in
the games; but we are much restricted in our examinations by
considerations
of space and by the time fixed for our going to press. We must therefore
confine ourselves to the points which appear to us the most striking,
and
must leave the more detailed analysis to the periodicals exclusively
devoted
to chess. We have no doubt, however, that Herr Zukertorts splendid
analytical
powers will fully satisfy the technical requirements of the match in the
pages of the Chess Monthly, of which journal the winner of the
Paris
tournament is the chief editor. |
The Field, London,
1880.05.08
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Zukertort,JH Rosenthal,S
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(1)
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C49/01 |
Four Knights: Brentano
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Annotations by Wilhelm
Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6
** |
Rosenthal, as well as some other
first-class
practitioners, deliberately reject Morphys
favorite defense of 3...a6 at this point, probably on account of the
dulness
of the positions which arise therefrom ; for we do not think that any
palpable
inferiority can be demonstrated for the second player adopting that line
of play. The turn which the present game takes shows, however, not the
least improvement on the score of vivacity over most other variation of
the Ruy Lopez, which seem to assume an early aspect of a
draw. |
4.Nc3 Bb4 5.0-0 0-0 6.Nd5 Bc5
** |
Black might also without
disadvantage
take the knight followed by 7...Nd4. In reference to this line of play
the novel idea has struck us that White might give up a piece
temporarily
with the certainty of recovering it and some possibility of obtaining
the
advantage of position, and we, therefore, think it right to call special
attention to the following variations: 6...Nxd5 7.exd5 Nd4, (or 7...Ne7
8.Nxe5 Nxd5 9.c3 with slightly the better game, as the bishop must
retreat
to e7, where he will be obstructed by his d-pawn which must drive away
the adverse knight from being utilized on the queenside, and on the
kingside
he will be of little use. The bishop cannot well retreat to c5, or else
he will be shut out from action by the adverse d-pawn.); 8.Nxe5 Nxb5
9.a4
Nd4 (This is best. If 9...Qe7, White answers 10.Re1 with advantage ; if
9...Qf6, White defends by 10.d4, and will afterwards recover the piece
by the process indicated below ; and if 9...Bd6, White retreats the
knight
to f3, and Blacks knight is lost
immediately.
Again, if 9...Nd6, White pursues the bishop by 10.c3, and then
accordingly
by 11.d4 or 11.b4, and ultimately by pawn to a5, regaining the piece
with
the better game.); 10.c3 d6 11.Nf3 Nxf3+ 12.Qxf3 Bc5 13.d4 Bxd4 14.cxd4,
and the position is even on account of the bishops of opposite
colors. |
7.d4
** |
Zukertort adopts here a line of
attack
which first was first played against himself by Blackburne in the Paris
Congress. On the occasion. However, Black (Zukertort) had already pushed
the pawn to a6, and the white bishop had retreated to a4. This slight
difference
in the position enabled Black to defend in the following manner:
8...Nxd4
9.Nxd4 Nxd5, with the better game, for White will gain nothing by
10.Nb3,
attacking the bishop, as Black would reply 10...Nb6, followed by 11...d6
in reply to 11.Nxc5. |
7...Nxd5
** |
The slight difference in the
position
makes all the difference, and the above-mentioned defense is no more
practicable,
for, in answer to 7...Nxd4, followed by 8...Nxd5, White would first
takes
the knight (d4), followed by 9.Nb3, Black having then no means of
retaliation
by attacking another piece. The point of the present attack lies in the
danger threatened to Black by bishop to g5, for which reason neither
knight
nor bishop can take the d-pawn; e.g., in the first place: 7...Nxd4
8.Nxd4
Bxd4 9.Bg5 c6 10.Nxf6+ gxf6 11.Bh6, and wins the exchange; for Black has
no time to take the bishop (b5), on account of the impending mate in two
moves, commencing with 12.Qg4+. Secondly, 7...Bxd4 8.Nxd4 Nxd4
9.Bg5
Nxb5 10.f4 d6 11.fxe5 dxe5 12.Rxf6 c6 (This seems best; for, if
12...gxf6,
the bishop retakes, followed by 14.Qh5, winning easily.); 13.Rg6 hxg6
(The
queen cannot escape; for, if 13...Qa5, White would answer 14.Nf6+,
followed
by 15.Qh5; and if 13...f6, White takes the pawn with the bishop, and the
rook dare not retake, on account of 15.Nxf6+, also winning the queen.);
14.Bxd8, and wins; for the rook dare not take the bishop, on account of
15.Ne7+; and, if 14...cxd4, the reply is 15.Qxd4, attacking the
knight.
Nevertheless, we do not feel sure of the soundness of the present
attack,
and we believe the following defense would be successful: 7...exd4 8.Bg5
Re8 (The object of this move is not alone to attack the e-pawn, but also
to make room for the bishop at f8 in certain emergencies when the
adverse
bishop posts itself at h6. It should be observed that Black must be
careful
not to block his bishop by ...d6, until all danger is passed.) 9.Bxf6
(or
9.Nh4 Rxe4 10.f4 Be7 11.Bd3 Re6 12.f5 Re5, with two pawns ahead and a
fine
game.) 9...gxf6 10.Qd2 Rxe4 11.Qh6 Re6 12.Rae1 Ne5, threatening 13...c6
with an excellent game. Should White now answer 13.Qh4, for the purpose
of taking the knight with the knight next move. Black might reply
13...Ng6,
followed first by 14...Bd6, in case White answers 14.Qg3. |
8.dxc5 Nf6
** |
Zukertort thinks that this was
Blacks
best move, and that White would have obtained some ultimate advantage
with
his combined two bishops had Black here retreated the knight to
e7. |
9.Bxc6
** |
Had the winner of the Paris
tournament
been better disposed, he would probably have elected to keep up the
position,
and to maintain his two bishops by 9.Qd3. The probable continuation was
then as follows: 9.Qd3 Qe7 10.Be3 d6 11.Nd2, and Black will find it
difficult
to develop himself properly, for if 11...dxc5, White would first capture
the knight, followed by 13.Nb3, recovering the pawn with the better
game. |
9...dxc6 10.Qxd8 Rxd8 11.Bg5 Re8 12.Bxf6 gxf6
½-½.
** |
We believe that White had a small
advantage in position. The knight is generally very strong when the
opponent
has a doubled pawn which cannot easily be dissolved, and we think White
might have harassed the opponent considerably by knight to h4, followed
at the earliest opportunity by pawn to f3 and pawn to g4. Of course he
was bound in the meanwhile to guard against any danger from the opponent
occupying the open d-file with his rook; but ultimately the knight might
have been brought into play via g2 and e3, and White had then the better
chance of winning. |
** |
The Field, London,
1880.05.08
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