Chess is a scientific game and its literature ought to be placed on the basis of the strictest truthfulness, which is the foundation of all scientific research. W._Steinitz

The Gunsberg-Steinitz Match,
World Championship 1890-91
Researched by Nick Pope

STEINITZ WINS AGAIN.
HE LEADS BY TWO GAMES IN THE GREAT
CHESS MATCH.
THE TENTH CONTEST AN INTERESTING ONE, BUT 
GUNSBERG WAS COMPELLED TO RESIGN.
:
    There was a good attendance at the rooms of the Manhattan Chess Club yesterday when the tenth game was fought between Steinitz and Gunsberg in their contest for the championship of the world.  As will bee seen from the score of the game, Gunsberg, who had the move, selected the safe Giuoco Piano, which opening he has frequently played, and which he now adopted for the third time in the match.  While the Giuoco Piano is in many respects highly interesting, it is an opening which gives Black an opportunity of developing his pieces at the same that White is doing so.
    In this case Steinitz took full advantage of the opportunity thus afforded him.  He castled after seven moves, and Gunsberg seemingly made several moves to very little purpose, with the result that he was prevented from castling, having finally to bring his king into safe quarters b a sort of artifical castling, which left the monarch on K R 2.  Steinitz meanwhile had not been idle.  He succeeded in doubling his Rooks on the open Q file, and advancing his K R P to the sixth square with a check.  After twenty-seven moves had been recorded he appeared to be threatening in all directions, and a few moves later the afternoon sitting was adjourned, Steinitz this time, being the player to seal his move.
    The development of the game after the adjournment proved highly interesting, Gunsberg withstanding in a clever manner for some time the attacks of his opponent on the King’s side.  Ultimately, however, he was compelled to succumb.  He resigned on his forty-fourth move, which now makes the score:  Steinitz, 4; Gunsberg, 2; drawn 4.  This game, and in particular the conclusion, was pronounced to be a fine one.
New-York Daily Tribune, 1891.01.03

BATTLING CHESS MASTERS.
STEINITZ NOW LEADS GUNSBERG BY
TWO GAMES.
The Anglo-Hungarian Opened an Italian 
Game, but He Soon Had to Defend the 
Repeated Attacks of His Opponent--The 
Veteran Thought at First that He 
Could Not Win the Game, but He 
Finally Scored in Grand Style.
:
    The tenth game in the contest for the chess championship between Steinitz and Gunsberg was played yesterday at the Manhattan Chess Club in West Twenty-seventh street.  Gunsberg again opened a Giuoco Piano - which, along with most masters, he considers to be a very safe and sound opening, and for which he appears to have more than an ordinary fondness.
    As in every other case, during the match Steinitz consumed much more time than his opponent in the opening.  In fact, as early as the sixth move he began to fall behind.  While Steinitz castled on the eighth move, Gunsberg went in for a series of moves, the evident intention of which was to further the development of his pieces, but ultimately his position became such as to make it dangerous for him to castle, and furthermore he hesitated in putting his king into safety.  After apparently wasting several moves he decided upon bringing his king via B sq. to K R 2.
    Meantime Steinitz got a stron attack on his opponent’s K P, eventually doubled his rooks on the king’s file, having previously made an aggressive movement with his K R P, and after 28 moves had been recorded Gunsberg was considered to have a little the worse position of the two.
    For the first time Steinitz was the player to seal his move when an adjournment was made [...]
    At this point Steinitz expressed the belief that, at the best, the game would only end in a draw, while, on the other hand, many strong amateur players who were present were of opinion that he had a distinctly winning position.
    After the resumption of play at 7 o’clock, the game developed some interesting complications.  Steinitz tried hard to break through the defence on the king’s side, but Gunsberg showed himself equal to each successive emergency, defending the position in a remarkably skilful manner.
    Some fine play followed, but ultimately Gunsberg, seeing that his efforts were going to be of no avail, saved time by gracefully resigning before he was positively compelled to do so.  The score now stands:  Steinitz 4, Gunsberg 2, drawn 4.
The Sun, New York, 1891.01.03

STEINITZ’S ADVANTAGE.
HE WINS THE TENTH CHESS GAME
FROM THE LONDONER.
The Score Now Stands: Steinitz, 4; 
Gunsberg, 2; Draws, 4 - Dame Fortune 
Appeared to Be Against the 
Englishman - Interested Spectators at the 
Manhattan Chess Club Rooms.
:
    When the chess players assembled on Wednesday last to play the tenth game of the match, they found a number wo workmen busy at the Manhattan Chess Club, carpeting the stairs leading to the second floor, where the playing room is situated.  The noise caused by the incessant hammering rendered it impossible to for the champions to go on with their game, and as there was no chance that the work would be finished before 4 o’clock P.M. the game was postponed until yesterday.
    With the tenth game the first half of the contest is concluded, for, as the readers of THE WORLD will remember, the stipulations of the match contain the clause that if none of the players have scored the necessary ten “wins” the match shall be terminated after twenty games played, and the winner of the majority shall be declared the victor.  An eager assembly of chess connoisseurs crowded the rooms of the Club and watched the run of the game with unabated excitement.
    The London expert conducted the white men, and he stuck to his K Kt opening, followed by B-B 4.  On the fourth move he hesitated a little, but soon turned the game into a Giuoco Piano.  On the sixth move he altered his line of play which he had adopted twice before, namely, opposing his Q B at K 3 by bringing his Q Kt to Q 2.  The earlier part of the game was not well conducted by White, who, by some aimless moves, lost time and soon had the inferior position.  Afterwards he improved his play and succeeded in ameliorating his position, when Mr. Steinitz, for the first time in the match, had to seal his move.
    After resumption of play, Dame Fortune seemed to turn against the Englishman, for, laboring under pressure of time limit, he had not sufficient time to examine 31 Kt to K3, which would have got rid of Black’s troublesome rook.  Mr. Gunsberg stated, after conclusion of the game, that he feared the consequences of Black’s sacrificing the Kt after the exchange of rooks.  But, as will be seen by the comments to the appended game, Black could achieve nothing more than a draw.  From this point the remainder of the moves were all forced.  Black played with his usual precision, and on the 43d move he was bound to win a pawns.  White preferred a quick surrender to the continuation of a hopeless struggle, thus giving the veteran for the first time a lead of two games.  The score is now: Steinitz, 4; Gunsberg, 2; drawn, 4.  This gives to the Austro-American champion an immense advantage, as he has only to make even games in the second half of the match.  The eleventh game will be played to-day at the usual place and hour.
The World, New York, 1891.01.03

Gunsberg,IA — Steinitz,W
(10)
C54/07
Giuoco Piano: Pianissimo
1891.01.02
USA New York, NY (Manhattan Chess Club)
Annotations by Gunsberg & Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 d6 6.Nbd2
** Gunsberg: White again varies his line of play, as on former occasions.  The present maneuver of bringing the b-knight over to the kingside via d2 and f1 was first introduced by Paul Morphy, who, however, had previously developed his light-square bishop.  Although the present line of play has been repeatedly adopted with success (among others by Steinitz vs. Blackburne and Gunsberg vs. Blackburne), it is still an open question whether that maneuvre should not be deferred until the light-square bishop has been developed.
Steinitz: The idea to bring this knight out to d2 and then to f1, was first brought out by myself, against Blackburne, in a Ruy Lopez, and it has since been adopted in various openings.
6...Ne7 7.Nf1 c6
** Steinitz: A counter-demonstration of the same sort as that of the opponent.
8.Qe2
** Steinitz: 8.Ne3 or 8.Be3 was preferable.
8...O-O 9.h3
** Gunsberg: With a view of instituting a kingside attack, but White loses valuable time in making his preparations.
Steinitz: This weakens the kingside somewhat.
9...d5 10.Bb3 Ng6 11.g3
** Steinitz: Necessary but not auspicious for his game.
11...dxe4
** Gunsberg: There was no necessity for this exchange 11...d4, as played by Chigorin, seems to be superior.
Steinitz: Premature; 11...Re8 instead was stronger.
12.dxe4 Be6
** Steinitz: Black can well afford the double pawn which White can create condsidering the open f-file which he would gain and that White would find it difficult to castle on either side.
13.Ng5
** Gunsberg: Should White exchanges bishops here the open f-file would be more than an equivalent for Blacks doubled e-pawns.
13...Bxb3 14.axb3 Qd7 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.Qxe3 b6
** Steinitz: Probably better than either 16...a6 or 16...Rad8, as the pawns will have to be protected sooner or later.
17.Nd2
** Gunsberg: He would have done much better by playing 17.Rd1 instead.
17...c5 18.Ngf3 Rad8 19.Nc4
** Gunsberg: Not good, as he only loses time thereby.
Steinitz: This move was wasted, and only helped Black to consolidate his forces.
19...Rfe8
** Gunsberg: Perhaps it would have been better to leave that rook on its place in order to push, after due preparation, ...f5, which would have been very dangerous for White.
20.Ncd2
** Gunsberg: This retreat is now necessary, as Black threatened ...Nf4, which White could not take with impunity.
20...Re7 21.Kf1
** Gunsberg: Castling on the queenside instead would have submitted him to a vehement attack.
21... h5
** Gunsberg: 21...Nh5, with a view of sacrificing one of the knights on f4, was to be considered here.
22.Kg2 h4 23.Kh2
** Gunsberg: White defends himself very carefully.  This move makes the h-rook available for his defense.
23...Qb5
** Gunsberg: Finely played.  The object is to reduce the activity of the adverse knight, as White is compelled to occupy the square at c4 with his pawn.
24.c4 Qc6 25.Rac1
** Gunsberg: White now brings this rook into active and useful service.
Steinitz: His best defense undoubtedly, as Black threatened a terrible ...R7d3, after doubling the rooks.
25...Red7 [1:01-1:23] 26.Rc3 Nh5 27.Rg1 Qf6 28.Nf1 Rd1
** Gunsberg: White has considerably improved his position.  The position is very interesting and complicated.  It would require a very close examination to determine whether Blacks last move was really the best at his disposal.
29.Qe2
** Gunsberg: A very good move, which threatens N3d2.
Steinitz: An excellent move, as it threatens to bring out his knight to e3, and into the center at d5.
29...hxg3+ 30.fxg3 (Adjourned) 30...Ra1 (Sealed)
** Gunsberg: This move was sealed by Steinitz.
Steinitz: Of all the continuations at Blacks disposal this was probably the best.
31.N3d2
** Gunsberg: 31.Ne3 would be much better as it would compel Black to exchange rooks and allow White to play subsequently Nd5.  The tempting sacrifice of the knight on the part of Black would lead to a draw; at least, it is difficult to see how Black could improve on the following line of play: 31.Ne3 Rxg1 32.Nxg1 Nxg3 33.Kxg3 Qf4+ 34.Kg2 Nh4+ 35.Kh1 Qxe4+, etc. Also, 33...Qh4+ or 33...Nf4 would not give him a winning attack.
Steinitz: Much better was 31.Ne3, whereupon the game would probably have proceeded 31...Ngf4 32. Qf2 best, (if 32.gxf4 Qxf4+ 33.Kg2 best, 33...Qg3+ followed by 34...Qxh3+, winning in a few moves) 32...Rxg1 33.Nxg1 Nd3 and though Black will win a pawn, White can make an excellent fight of it by exchanging queens and playing Nd5.
31...Qg5 32.Rf3
** Gunsberg: 32.Rd3 at once were better.
32...Nf6 33.Rd3
** Gunsberg: If 33.Rf5 Qh6, but it still seems preferable to the move actually made.
33...Rxd3 34.Qxd3 Nf8
** Gunsberg: A very good move.  He intends to post his knight on d4, which means practically a won game.
Steinitz: As will be seen this was done with a view of occupying a strong position in the center spot at d4.
35.Qe3
** Gunsberg: If 35.Nf3 Black replies by 35...Qc1.
35...Qg6 [1:50-2:22] 36.Rg2 Ne6 37.Re2
** Gunsberg: This is forced, as Black threatened ...Ng5, followed by ...Qh5.
Steinitz: Forced; because Black threatened to take the e-pawn and ultimately the other knight with the rook.
37...Nd4
** Steinitz: Black has achieved his object of forming a powerful attack in the centre, which places the adverse isolated pawns at his mercy.
38.Rf2 Ra2 39.Nf3
** Gunsberg: White has no good reply.  If 39.Qc3 then the e-pawn falls.
39...Nxf3+ 40.Qxf3 Qxe4 [2:12-2:41] 41.Qxe4 Nxe4 42.Re2 Ng5
** Steinitz: Indirectly protecting the e-pawn, as Black threatens check at f3.
43.Kg2 Ne6 [2:15-2:43] 0-1.
** Gunsberg: His position is hopeless.  If he takes the e-pawn he loses both his b-pawns, and if 44.Ne3 Black replies with 44...Nd4, winning a second pawn.
Steinitz: It is only a question of time.  His pawns on the queenside must fall and he can hardly steer his king, while Black has free hands.
The Sun, New York, 1891.01.03
The World, New York, 1891.01.03
New-York Daily Tribune, 1891.01.03

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