THE fourth game, played at
Simpsons, on the 2nd inst. Blackburne adopted a form of the
giuoco
piano, which the late Professor Anderssen disparagingly called the
giuoco
pianissimo when first brought to his notice. But we entirely
concur
with the opinions expressed by Messrs Blackburne and Zukertort, that
justice
has not been done to its merits ; for, at any rate, it produces more
lively
complications than the close openings or some variations of the Ruy
Lopez
and four knights game. Special attention has been called within
the
last few months to this opening by Mr Steel, who practised it against
the
best metropolitan players during his recent visit to this country, and
a fine specimen of this début is published in the current number
of the Chess Monthly, occurring in a consultation game between Messrs
Blackburne
and Steel against Messrs Hoffer and Zukertort, which was won by the
former
party. |
In the progress of the game White did not choose
the best post for the Q, which we believe to be K 2, and not Q B
2.
Both parties aimed at reaching K Kt 3 with the Q Kt; Blackburne via K B
sq from Q 2, and Zukertort from Q B 3 via K 2, but after having advanced
the K Kt P to the fourth, supported by P at K R 3. The developing
manuvres lasted up to the 24th move, when Blackburnewho had
a manifest
superiority of position, as the opponent could not castle, by a
precipitate
exchange of rooksallowed the adverse K to slip out.
Zukertort then
proceeded with his defence in excellent style ; and, assisted by a
specially
feeble 30th move of Blackburne, apparently adopted under pressure of
time
limit, he had actually obtained the better game at the adjournment,
which
took place at that stage. On the game being resumed, Blackburne
made
preparations for the sacrifice of a piece, which was all the more
unsound
as it might have cost him the game under any circumstances ; for we
believe
that on the 32nd move Black might have obtained a positive advantage by
Q to B 2 threatening Q to R 7 or Kt 6. Blackburne, instead of
adopting
defensive measures, seemed to be bent upon pursuing his attacking plan,
which led to his obtaining two passed but weakly supported pawns for a
piece, Blackburne fought very ingeniously to make the most of his pawns,
and he actually succeeded in recovering his piece, owing to an impetuous
and wrong move of the R on Blacks 43rd move. He had still
much the
worst of the game with a P behind, and his K unable to cross in order to
assist his weak K side, when Zukertort, by a premature advance of the K
P, gave him opportunity for developing one of his ingenious resources,
and, in the face of a dangerous-looking dis ch, to bring the K to the
other
side. However, on the 53rd move, White neglected pinning the Kt
with
the R, which would have given him a positive draw in a few moves.
Zukertort then promptly, by Kt to Q 4, cut off the adverse K from coming
near, at the same time protecting his B P, and White had afterwards no
more chance of retrieving himself. By opposing his R for exchange
Black gained entrance with his K to support his passed K P, and
Whites
K was soon driven into a mating net. White gave a few checks, and
arrived at a curious position, in which he would have had some fair
chance
of drawing if he could have got rid of his own Kt ; for his K was then
stale-mated, and he might have tried to give perpetual ch with the R,
even
if he had to leave it en prise. Blackburne, seeing that nothing
more
was to be done, resigned, after good humouredly remarking that he had
one
piece too many. Duration, 6½ hours. |
The Field, London,
1881.07.09
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Blackburne,JH Zukertort,JH
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(4)
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C54/07 |
Giuoco Piano: Pianissimo
|
|
1881.07.02 |
GBR London (Simpsons
Divan)
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|
Annotations by Wilhelm
Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.Be3 Bb6
7.Nbd2 Ne7 8.Nf1 c6 9.Bb3 Bc7 10.h3 h6 11.Qc2
** |
Not as good as 11.Qe2, which Blackburne adopted in the
6th
game. The present placement of the queen blocks up the
bishop. |
11...g5 12.0-0-0 Ng6 13.d4 Qe7 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Ng3 Nf4
16.Ne1 [1:00-?:??]
** |
If he took the knight followed by 17.Nf5, Black, after
retaking
with the e-pawn and also exchanging the knight, could have safely
castled
on the kingside. |
16...Bd7 17.Nf5 Bxf5 18.exf5 N4d5 19.Qe2 Nxe3 20.fxe3
Ne4 21.Qf3 Nc5 22.e4 a5 [?:??-1:00] 23.Nc2 Rd8 24.Rxd8+
** |
This hasty exchange releases Blacks game, who now
brings
his king into safety. The proper move was 24.Bc4 at once. |
24...Kxd8 25.Bc4 f6 26.b4 b5
** |
Black defends himself with great skill and
foresight.
He could not at once retreat 26...Nd7 on account of the reply 27.Be6,
threatening
Rd1. |
27.Be2
** |
If 27.bxc5, the bishop would be taken, or course, and,
though
White could gain the far-advanced c-pawn with his knight he would
maintain
no advantage, for he had no means of defending his own front c-pawn more
than once with the queen, while Black would also bring his bishop to
bear
upon it at a7 viá b8. |
27...Nd7 28.Rd1 Kc8 29.Qf2 Kb7 30.a3 [2:00-?:??]
30...Nb6
31.Qf1
** |
Whites two previous moves were weak, for he might
have
retained a slight pull by taking the a-pawn, followed by 32.c4
instead.
But the last move actually imperils his game seriously. |
31...axb4 32.cxb4 Na4
** |
32...Qf7 was much stronger ; and we do not see how White
could have mollified its attacking force. |
33.Bxb5
** |
While now he might have guarded himself against the
effect
of...Qf7 by 33.Qf3, followed if necessary by 34.Kb1. Of course,
the
sacrifice was unsound. |
33...cxb5 34.Qxb5+ Nb6 35.a4 Qe8 36.Qxe8 Rxe8 37.a5
Nc8
** |
Superior to the obvious 37...Nc4. With due caution
he provides against the entrance of the adverse rook at d7, to which he
would now reply by opposing the rook at e7. |
38.Ne3 Nd6 39.Nd5 Nxe4 40.a6+ Kb8 41.Re1 Ng3
[?:??-2:00]
42.b5 Rd8 43.Ne7 Rd6
** |
A feeble move, which nearly deprives him of an otherwise
safe victory. 43...Rd7 was the correct play. |
44.Re3 Nh5 45.Rc3 [3:00-?:??]
** |
All this is very fine, considering that he is fighting
against
the odds of a piece. |
45...Nf4 46.a7+ Kxa7 47.Rxc7+ Kb6 48.Rc2 Kxb5 49.Ng8
e4
** |
Premature. He should have first secured the advance
of his h-pawn as far as h4, in order to keep the adverse f-pawn
isolated,
as White could never advance the g-pawn without leaving his h-pawn to be
taken sooner or later at Blacks option. |
50.g3 Nd3+ 51.Kd1
** |
Ingenious. He has now effected the passage for his
king, and should have been quite safe. |
51...h5 52.Ke2 Nb4 53.Rc8
** |
A routine move for the purpose of cutting off the adverse
king, which was inapplicable for the exigencies of the case, and loses
him the game. 53.Rb2 was the move, for it was of more importance
to prevent the knight entering at d5 before Whites king reached
e3, and
it would have secured a draw, e.g.: 53.Rb2 Kc4 (if 53...Rd3, with the
object
of taking off the g-pawn and h-pawn, White would have a chance of
winning
with the f-pawn after capturing the hostile f-pawn and e-pawn) 54.Ke3
Rd3+
55.Kxe4 Nd5 56.Rc2+ Nc3+ 57.Rxc3+, followed by 58.Nxf6 with an easy
draw. |
53...Nd5 54.g4 hxg4 55.hxg4 Rc6 56.Rd8 Kc5 57.Ra8 Kd4
58.Kf2 Rc2+ 59.Kg3 Nf4 60.Ra4+ Kd5 61.Ra5+ Kd6 62.Ra6+ Kc7
0-1.
** |
See introduction. We may remark, that even if
Whites
knight was off the board, there would be no absolute draw by best play
on the other side, e.g. (assuming that White has no knight left):
63.Ra7+
Kd6 best (if 63...Kb6, White checks at b7, and then pursues the king all
along on the same file; for the king dare not cross at once to the
c-file,
or else the rook would check at c7, and either win the rook, or be
stalemated)
64.Rd7+ Ke5 65.Re7+ Kd4 66.Rxe4+ (if 66.Rd7+ the knight interposes)
66...Kd5,
and the stalemate position is dissolved. |
|
The Field, London,
1881.07.09
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