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 Rosenthal-Zukertort Match,
London 1880
Researched by Nick Pope

    THE eighteenth game, played on Monday, the 21st inst., was a fine and interesting contest from the beginning almost to the very end. Though analysts will seriously complain about the uniformity of the openings adopted in this match, yet lovers of theoretical novelties may be satisfied with the new varieties introduced in the course of this contest within the limits of the openings chosen. Rosenthal experimented this time on another form of the Ruy Lopes, hitherto unknown. He introduced 5. Kt to Q B 3 in the Anderssen form of this opening, in lieu of P to Q B 3, which constitutes the Steinitz variation. Zukertort’s reply, P to Q R 3, was waste to time; and Rosenthal, with keen perception, exchanged the B for the Kt, thus creating one of Anderssen’s favourite positions with a move ahead, as clearly shown by comparing the game after Black’s 6th move with the first game between Anderssen and Blackburne in the Vienna Congress. Rosenthal again had the best of the development, and kept up the attack towards the middle, of which we believe he ought to have made more. But it came to no more than an exchange of pieces, with bishops of opposite colours and even forces and positions, when on the 17th move Zukertort left a P apparently as a bait, as its capture seemed very dangerous. Rosenthal’s replies on the next two moves proved abundantly that he had looked beyond the opponent’s scheme, for he accepted the proffered P, and defended himself against all consequent menaces in a manner which threw on the opponent the onus of exchanging queens, and afterwards of fighting for a draw. For White had two compact passed pawns on the extreme Q wing, which looked very formidable, though bishops were of opposite colours. The way in which Zukertort defended himself in this difficulty was a fine piece of strategy. He actually created mating positions on the opponent’s K wing, by the advance of his K R P, and by fixing his B at K B 6, threatening to sacrifice one of his rooks in support of his attack. Rosenthal was on his guard, and perhaps would have succeeded in getting safe and asserting his superiority if he had not lost time on the 25th move. As it was, Zukertort, by some masterly movements with his pawns, rook, and bishop, brought the adverse pawns to a standstill, exchanged one of the hostile rooks, and obtained such an attack against the exposed opposite K as to force his adversary to declare himself satisfied with a draw, after about three hours’ fight.
The Field, London, 1880.06.26
Rosenthal,S — Zukertort,JH
(18)
C48/01
Four Knights: Spanish (Rosenthal)
1880.06.21
GBR London
Annotations by Wilhelm Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.Nc3
** A very good move at this stage, to all appearance. It rests on the new idea of gaining time for Anderssens line of play, who generally took 5.Bxc6, creating a doubled pawn, and then aimed as straight as possible at exchanging pieces, and bringing about and endgame.
5...a6
** He does not perceive that he remains a clear move behind. In the game between Anderssen and Blackburne above referred to, the latter had adopted 3...a6, and Anderssen had, as usual, withdrawn 4.Ba4.
6.Bxc6+ bxc6 7.d4 exd4 8.Qxd4 c5 9.Qd3 Bb7 10.0-0 Be7 11.e5 Nd7 12.exd6 cxd6 13.Nd5
** Bringing out a fresh piece was more in accordance with the usual rules of the attack, and was also more effective in the present instance. He ought to have proceeded with 13.Bf4, and the game might have gone on thus: 13.Bf4 Nf6 (This seems best, for the knight will probably be wanted on the kingside, and he is therefore better placed here than at b6) 14.Rfe1 (threatening 15.Rxe7+, followed by 16.Bxd6 in case the opponent castles) 14...d5 15.Rad1 d4 (if 15...Ne4, 16.Nxe4, followed by 17...Qc3) 16.Qe2 0-0 17.Qxe7 Qxe7 18.Rxe7 Bxf3 19.gxf3 dxc3 20.b3, with the superior game; for Blacks pawns on the queenside are hardly supportable in the ending.
13...0-0 14.Nxe7+
** Even now 14.Bf4 was stronger, and might have led to the following continuation: 14.Bf4 Bxd5 15.Qxd5 Nf6 (if 15...Nb6, 16.Qc6, followed by 17.Qb7, in case the rook attacks her) 16.Qc6 d5 17.Rad1 , and then 18.Rfe1, with the better game.
14...Qxe7 15.Re1 Ne5 16.Nxe5 dxe5 17.Be3 Qe6
** This trap was not laid deep enough.
18.Bxc5
** White accepts the bait, and escapes with it scot-free, as will be seen.
18...Qc6 19.Qf3
** This fine rejoinder must have been overlooked by Black in his forecast on the 17th move.
19...Qxf3
** He had nothing better, and only risked worse if he took the bishop, e.g.: 19...Qxc5 20.Qxb7 Rab8 21.Qxa6 Rxb2 22.Qd3, and Whites a-pawn becomes formidable.
20.gxf3 Rfc8 21.b4 Bxf3 22.Rxe5 a5 23.c3 axb4
** Black is fighting under great difficulties now, and extricates himself in a masterly manner. He designedly relieves the adverse passed pawns from all control of the only pawn he possess on this side, and in this exceptional case he proves right, for he supports a fine scheme thereby.
24.cxb4 Rd8 25.h3 [1:00-?:??]
** That Black threatened 25...Rxa2, which could not be retaken on account of the impending mate, was obvious; but had he seen at once the purport of Blacks next fine rejoinder, he would have advanced 25.h4 at once, thus gaining the required time for pushing 26.a4 which probably would have won.
25...h5
** We give a diagram of this position.
** The main object of this beautiful move is to stop the immediate advance of the adverse a-pawn.
26.h4
** Whereby he acknowledges a previous error. He could not now advance the a-pawn, for the opponent might have taken it; e.g.: 26.a4 Rxa4 27.Rxa4 Rd1+ 28.Kh2 h4 29.Ra8+ Kh7 30.Rh5+ Bxh5. Black thus recovers his pawn, with a very good game. White has nothing better to save himself than 31.Kg2; and then Black stops the advance of the b-pawn by ...Rb8, or ...Be2; and afterwards his king comes up to g6 and f5, followed by ...g5, with a strong attack on the kingside. Yet we believe that he would have accomplished his object better by 26.Kh2 at this point. If, then, 26...h4, 27.Re3, followed by 28.Rc3, in case 27...Bc6. This gave him more chance of making use of his combined two passed pawns, for he might even aim at sacrificing his e3-rook for the adverse bishop when opportunity offered itself, and his pawns would then more than cover the loss of the exchange if they could cross the white squares.
26...f6 27.Re3 Bc6 28.a3 Rd2 [?:??-1:00] 29.Re6 Rd7 30.Rd6 Rxd6 31.Bxd6 Bb5 32.Kh2 Kf7 33.Bc5 Ke6 34.Re1+ Kf5 35.Re3 Re8 36.Rf3+ Kg6 37.Rg3+
** His h-pawn remained now too weak to allow him to speculate on bringing his king round to the queenside after exchanging rooks; besides, Black was also near enough with his king, and had thus the option of playing for attack or defense.
37...Kf7 38.Rc3 Re4
** This forces equality. It would be loss of time, for neither side can now play to win.
39.Re3 ½-½.
**
The Field, London, 1880.06.26

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