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 LEADS AGAIN.
A DECISIVE VICTORY OVER GUNSBERG.
THE GAME MARKED BY SOME OF THE FINEST 
PLAY OF THE MATCH
:
    The seventh game in the chess match which is being played in this city between Messrs. Steinitz, of New-York, and Gunsberg, of London, was contested yesterday, and ended in a decisive victory for Steinitz.  Reference to the score will show the reader that this game contains some finer plays than have yet been witnessed in the course of the match.
    Steinitz fulfilled his openly declared intention of again playing a Queen’s Gambit, which Gunsberg accepted.  The first player, however, introduced at his third move a variation which he did not adopt in the fifth game, and by this move he prevented Gunsberg from pursuing the tactics in which he was so successful on the former occasion.  Both masters castled on the King’s side on the sixth and seventh moves respectively, and at that time the game presented a compact appearance.
    With his fifth move Steinitz began a fine combination, and was materially assisted in the execution of his strategical project by the mediocre play of his adversary.  First the Hungarian exchanged his bishop for a knight, whereby Steinitz succeeded in getting an entrance for his Q B on R 3.  Then Black compromised his position still further by offering the exchange of bishops, which, according to Steinitz’s views, lost him the game.  Then, again, Gunsberg’s fourteenth move was an unsound one, and all these circumstances combined ultimately enabled the veteran player to give some brilliant specimens of chess, which, at the same time, were entirely sound.
    On his seventeenth move, P x P, the eminent theorist left a knight “en prise”; on his twenty-second turn, by playing R x Kt, he sacrificed the exchange, and then he showed the finest bit of play in the entire contest by sacrificing the queen afterward regaining it, and finally establishing two passed pawns on the queen’s and king’s seventh squares.  After a series of brilliant finishing moves on the part of Steinitz, Gunsberg was finally compelled to resign on his twenty-eighth move.  The play occupied only about three hours.  On account of the approaching holidays, no further game will be played until Saturday.
    The score now stands:  Steinitz, 3; Gunsberg, 2; drawn, 2.
New-York Daily Tribune, 1890.12.23

THE CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP.
STEINITZ AGAIN LEADS HIS OPPONENT
IN THE GREAT MATCH.
The Veteran Played in His Old Form - He Gave A Most 
Beautiful Specimen of Brilliant and Sound Play - Gunsberg 
Was Outplayed at Every Stage of the Game - A Masterpiece of the 
Royal Sport.
:
    A few days ago, after he had lost his second game, Steinitz declared his intention of playing the same opening - the Queen’s Gambit - until he succeeded in winning it.  Yesterday it was his turn to open, and when he offered a Queen’s Gambit the almost universal feeling of the chess players who were watching the encounter was expressed by a spectator, who said: “Well, Steinitz tires me by this.”  Notwithstanding, the game soon opened up some interesting features for the delectation of the spectators, of whom a goodly number had assembled in the rooms of the Manhattan Chess Club, where the match is being fought.
    Gunsberg accepted the proffered gambit, and then on his third turn Steinitz played Kt-K B 3, and thereby prevented his adversary from pursuing similar tactics to those which he adopted in the fifth game by replying 3...P-K 4, and which on the former occasion brought about the exchange of queens at a very early stage, and almost secured for the Hungarian a winning position.
    Yesterday’s game was quickly developed after the first few moves.  It presented a very solid appearance when both players had castled on the king’s side.  Evidently the movements of Steinitz brought considerable difficulty to his opponent, who had to think very long and very deeply.  On his fifteenth move he consumed thirty minutes and at this time the older player had the advantage of thirty-two minutes saved, with the superior position.  Gunsberg’s thirteenth move was described by a strong amateur as a “stunner,” but another controverted this statement by saying that Kt to R 3 was far better for purposes of development, and a little later the first man was bound to admit that the Hungarian had been entirely outmanoeuvred by the veteran player.
    As the game progressed Steinitz gradually assumed a distinct superiority of position, and ultimately brought about a brilliant combination by the sacrifice of a knight on his seventeenth move, and later on the exchange, which was declared to give him a certain win.  With the excellent combination he had achieved he pressed forward his attack in a manner which Gunsberg found it impossible to resist, although at times he made some good defensive moves, and on the whole fought well.  The brilliant consummation of Steinitz’s scheme, however, was as irresistible as it was pretty, and this game may claim to rank first among the seven which have been played in this encounter as affording really fine specimens of chess play.  On his twenty-eighth move Gunsberg bowed to the inevitable and resigned.
    The score now stands:  Steinitz, 3; Gunsberg, 2; drawn, 2.
    In regard to his having offered the Queen’s Gambit so many times in succession Steinitz says he knows there are some people who object to this repetition of the same opening.  “My answer is,” he says, “that Morphy always played a Ruy Lopez in a match.  It was only in skittle games that he varied his openings.  Zukertort almost invariably played P-Q 4 as first player.  In former days I used to play a variety of openings but latterly I have taken to playing one with which I am familiar.”
    “My memory,” he proceeded to explain, “is not so good as it was, and I cannot always, in a complicated position, rely on book knowledge.  Nevertheless, I always try to introduce something original or new, even in the openings, as I play them.  I have done so in the match with Tschigorin, and I also think I introduced some fair novelties in my match with Zukertort.”
The Sun, New York, 1890.12.23

STEINITZ LEADS AGAIN.
OPENING WITH THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT HE WINS EASILY.
Constant and Merciless Attack Mark 
His Play in the Seventh Game of the Series-Gunsberg, 
Apparently in Poor Form, an Easy Prey for the 
Onslaught-A Short Game as to Moves.
 :
    One third of the games in the chess contest have been played and Mr. Steinitz leads by one game.  His opponent, who was evidently not himself on Saturday, failed sadly to recover his form.  Mr. Steinitz tenaciously adhered to his Queen’s Gambit and scored for the first time as leading player.  Indeed, the Queen’s Pawn opening needed a rehabilitation.
    Mr. Gunsberg committed an error of judgment early in the opening by pinning the adverse Kt with his K B.  In the course of events he had to exchange it, and he labored from this point under serious disadvantage.  His fourteenth move compromised his position still more, while his sixteenth move rendered his game untenable.
    Mr. Steinitz, whose play recalled the winner of the Vienna tournament, 1873, pressed the attack with merciless precision, and finished off by a crushing sacrifice of the exchange.  For six more moves Gunsberg struggled bravely, then he surrendered, after not quite three hours’ play.
    The score now stands:  Steinitz, 3; Gunsberg, 2; drawn, 2.
    A recess will be taken during the holidays.  The next game, the eighth, will be played at the usual place and hour on Saturday.
The World, New York, 1890.12.23

Steinitz,W — Gunsberg,IA
(7)
D26/01
Queen’s Gambit Accepted: Classical
1890.12.22
USA New York, NY (Manhattan Chess Club)
Annotations by Gunsberg & Steinitz
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3
** Gunsberg: Better than 3.e3 as played in the fifth game, as it prevents the strong rejoinder 3...e5.
Steinitz: Certainly a very strong move; introduced by Blackburne in the Vienna tournament of 1873.
3...Nf6
** Steinitz: If 3...b5 4.a4 c6 5.axb5 cxb5 6.b3 recovering the pawn with a superior game.
4.e3 e6
** Gunsberg: An attempt to defend the gambit pawn by 4...b5 would be bad, as White would continue by 5.a4, followed eventually by pawn to b3, etc.  Blacks later trouble may be ascribed to this move, as afterwards he will be compelled to give up the bishop for the adverse b-knight which is disadvantageous to him, as White gets control of an important diagonal by Ba3.  Blacks reply should have been 5...Be7.
5.Bxc4 Bb4+ [0:04-0:06]
** Steinitz: Not to be approved of, though twice before in this contest Gunsberg adopted it in a similar position, and the games were finally drawn.
6.Nc3 0-0 7.0-0 b6
** Gunsberg: Here 7...Nbd7 seems preferable.
Steinitz: This move makes it a sort of Fianchetto di Donna.
8.Ne5
** Steinitz: Chiefly with a view of playing pawn to f3, thus counteracting the bearing of the adverse light-square bishop on the long diagonal against the queenside.
8...Bb7 9.Qb3 Bxc3
** Steinitz: Although White threatened Bxe6 and then to come out with a rook and two strong center pawns against two minor pieces, it would have been somewhat better to face that combination, as the white pawns could not be made available for some time, than to strengthen Whites center with the text move.
10.bxc3 Bd5 [0:11-0:25]
** Gunsberg: A necessary precaution, as White threatened to win a rook and two pawns for two minor pieces by either Nxf7 or Bxe6, which would have been all the more dangerous if he had been given time to play Ba3 and pawn to f4 first.
Steinitz: A weak move, though no doubt made with the intention of effecting exchanges and simplifying matters.  The drawback was that the bishop protected the “hole” at c6.
11.Bxd5 exd5 12.Ba3 Re8 13.c4 c5
** Gunsberg: This seems the right move, as White threatened pawn to c5.
Steinitz: A very fine defensive move.
14.Rac1
** Steinitz: As the sequel shows, the rook was very well placed here.
14...Ne4
** Gunsberg: A move which virtually loses the game, as it enables White to gain important time for bringing his f-rook into a commanding position on d1.  The correct play was 14...dxc4, followed by ...Qd5, but even then the utmost caution was necessary.
Steinitz: Blacks game was extremely difficult, but he facilitates matters here for the opponent.  Still the manner in which White afterward took advantage of this move was not easily to be foreseen, and it seemed to be a feasible to try to drive off the adverse knight.
15.Rfd1 cxd4 [0:29-1:01] 16.exd4 f6
** Gunsberg: Which compromises his game even more.  16...Nf6 was his best defense.
17.cxd5
** Gunsberg: White seizes the opportunity and presses the attack in brilliant and vigorous style.
Steinitz: The beginning of a series of sacrificing tactics.
17...fxe5 18.d6+ Kh8 19.Qd5 Nxf2
** Steinitz: Black makes an excellent defense, which  renders it very difficult for the opponent to maintain his advantage of position.  If 19...exd4 20.Rxd4 (not 20.Qxa8, on account of 20...Nc3, followed by ...Ne2+, which would give Black drawing chances).
20.Rd2
** Gunsberg: With his usual precision White chooses the strongest continuation.
20...Nd7 [1:00-1:21]
** Gunsberg: Hopeless as his game is there were still more chances in 20...Nh3+ instead of the move in the text, for if then 21.gxh3 Qg5+ 22.Rg2 Qe3+ 23.Kh1 Qxa3 with much better chances.
Steinitz: The position is now extremely interesting, and at first sight it might look as if Black would have done better by proceeding with 20...Nh3+; but then might have followed 21.gxh3 Qg5+ 22.Rg2 Qe3+ 23.Kh1 Qxa3 24.Rcg1, with a winning game.
21.Rxf2 Nf6 22.Rxf6
** Gunsberg: Finishing off in high style.
Steinitz: A decisive combination of rare interest.
22...gxf6
** Gunsberg: No better would have been 22...Qxf6, as White would continue with 23.d7 Rf8 (best) 24.Bxf8 Rxf8 25.Qf3, and whether Black exchanges queens or not, Whites passed d-pawn will ultimately win the game.
Steinitz: No better was 22...Qxf6 23.d7 Rf8 (or 23...Red8 24.dxe5, followed mostly by Qxa1) 24.Bxf8 Rxf8 25.Qf3, and wherever the queen may move to White takes the rook with a “check,” followed by Rc8 and wins.
23.d7 Rg8 24.dxe5 Rg5
** Gunsberg: He has nothing else, as the advance of the e-pawn would decide the game in a few strokes.
Steinitz: He had no good defense.  If 24...fxe5 25.Bb2, and wins in a few moves.
25.Qxa8
** Steinitz: Quite a little surprise.
25...Qxa8 [1:05-1:35] 26.Rc8+ Rg8 27.Rxa8 Rxa8 28.e6[1:05-1:36] 1-0.
** Steinitz: Of course one of the two pawns must “queen” with facility.
The Sun, New York, 1890.12.23
The World, New York, 1890.12.23
New-York Daily Tribune, 1890.12.23

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