The Gunsberg-Steinitz Match,
World Championship 1890-91
Researched by Nick Pope
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STEINITZ LEADS AGAIN.
A DECISIVE VICTORY OVER GUNSBERG.
THE GAME MARKED BY SOME OF THE FINEST
PLAY OF THE MATCH
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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 Queens 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 Kings 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 Steinitzs
views,
lost him the game. Then, again, Gunsbergs 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 queens and
kings 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
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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.
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A few days ago, after he had lost his second
game,
Steinitz declared his intention of playing the same opening - the
Queens
Gambit - until he succeeded in winning it. Yesterday it was his
turn
to open, and when he offered a Queens 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. |
Yesterdays game was quickly developed after
the
first few moves. It presented a very solid appearance when both
players
had castled on the kings 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. Gunsbergs 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 Steinitzs 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 Queens
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
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STEINITZ LEADS AGAIN.
OPENING WITH THE QUEENS 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.
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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 Queens Gambit and scored
for the
first time as leading player. Indeed, the Queens 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
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Steinitz,W Gunsberg,IA
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(7)
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D26/01 |
Queens Gambit Accepted: Classical
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1890.12.22 |
USA New York, NY (Manhattan Chess
Club)
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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. |
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The Sun, New York,
1890.12.23
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The World, New York,
1890.12.23
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New-York Daily Tribune,
1890.12.23
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