The Gunsberg-Steinitz Match,
World Championship 1890-91
Researched by Nick Pope
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A DEFEAT FOR STEINITZ.
GUNSBERG COMPELS HIM TO RESIGN.
THE FOURTH GAME IN THE GREAT CHESS MATCH - THE
WINNER PLAYS A GIUOCO GAME.
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The fourth game in the chess match now in
progress
between Steinitz, of New-York, and Gunsberg, of London, was begun
punctually
at 1:30 p.m. yesterday. As in the previous days of play, there was
a small attendance at the beginning, but by and by the numbers
increased,
and those who were present during the latter part of the afternoon were
well repaid for their visit by seeing an exceedingly interesting game in
one of its most interesting phases. |
Gunsberg had the move, and when he had played the
first three familiar moves and Steinitz had replied, it was on all sides
expected that now he was going to gratify a desire strongly felt in
chess
circles that he would offer Steinitz an Evans Gambit; but no, it was not
to be. The fourth move declared his intention, which was to
play a Giuoco Piano. The disappointment which was at first felt at
his adoption of this course, however, soon gave place to a new interest
which was kindled as the game went on. Steinitz, not satisfied
with
introducing a distinct novelty in each of last weeks games, now
brings
one forward which is perhaps even more interesting than any of those
which
went before. He acts in direct opposition, on his fifth move, to
the universal recommendation of book writers, by taking off the
bishop
from K 3, instead of retreating his own bishop to Kt 3. |
The game assumed an entirely different aspect
upon
the introduction of this novel variation, and was now watched with close
interest. On his tenth move Gunsberg was threatening to capture
one
of his opponents pieces, and here Steinitz pondered long and
deeply before
he made his move, and then it was one which was pronounced by some to
give
Gunsberg the chance of putting into operation the move which would
threaten
to capture a piece. Gunsberg, however, did not pursue that
course.
He soon afterward massed his forces in an attack on the Kings
side, and
matters soon became more and more exciting, when Steinitz made a sortie
on the opposite side of the board with his Queen, leaving his King well
protected by several strong pieces. |
The effect of this movement on the part of Black
on the Queens side was to call away the attention of White from
his meditated
attack on the Kings side. At the time of adjournment it was
unanimously
agreed that the postion was a very interesting one. It was still
in the middle game stage, and from its nature seemed to promise for the
first time an evenings entertainment. It is peculiar
coincidence
that for the fourth time Gunsberg was the player who had to seal his
move
when the time for adjourning arrived. |
The expectation of a longer evening session than
usual was realized, but after about and hours play it was agreed
that
Steinitz was getting the worst of it, and as further moves were made the
opinion became unanimous among the spectators that Steinitz had a lost
game. At an early stage of the evening session Steinitz
greatly
handicapped himself for his subsequent play by consuming twenty-five
minutes
upon his twenty-ninth move. This obliged him to play hurriedly at
a later stage. Just about as the clock struck 9 Steinitz resigned
on the fifty-seventh move, and the Hungarian player drew up alongside of
his veteran opponent. |
New-York Daily Tribune,
1890.12.16
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ACROSS THE CHESS BOARD.
GUNSBERG DEFEATS STEINITZ IN GRAND STYLE.
The Veteran Took the Youngster Out of the Book
- The Latter Did Not Mind it -
He Pressed On Early in the Game and Scored Beautifully
After 57 Moves.
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For the first time since the beginning of the
Steinitz-Gunsberg
match in this city peace marked the opening of the proceedings yesterday
afternoon at the rooms of the Manhattan Chess Club, where the two
masters
are playing. On each of the three prededing days of play there has
occured some sort of unpleasantness. Yesterday, however, such
occurrences
were conspicuous by their absence. |
It was Gunsbergs turn to open, and when the
first
three moves on either side had been recorded on the big show board in
the
club room, the few spectators who were assembled there were at once
filled
with the anticipation that at last Gunsberg was going to give them an
opportunity
of seeing a highly interesting continuation or variation of one of the
cable games, by opening an Evans Gambit. Such an opening at this
juncture, as has already been pointed out, would for many reasons
prove
eminently interesting to chess players all over the world. But the
fourth move of white brought disappointment in its train, and showed the
spectators that instead of an Evans Gambit they were going to be treated
by the Hungarian to a Giuoco Piano. |
Steinitz proceeded to play against all the
usually
adopted methods of defence in this opening; instead of playing on his
fifth
move B-Kt 3, which is recommended as the best by the German Handbook, by
Staunton, and in fact, by all other works on theory, he chopped down the
B in K 3, thereby giving over the open bishops file to
whites rook.
Of course this move altered the whole prospect of the
continuation.
After a few more moves some surprise was felt at the length of time
taken
by Steinitz to consider his tenth move, and when the amateurs set up the
position and began to examine and analyze it they found an explanation
in the fact that Gunsberg was threatening to win a piece. |
Steinitz, of course, saw the difficulties of the
position, and it took him twenty-one minutes deliberation before
he was
sufficiently satisfied in what way to try and obviate them.
Finally
he made a move which seemingly did not prevent the loss of the
piece.
What could not be elucidated at the moment by the majority of spectators
was, however, pointed out by Major Hanham, who showed how white could
not
capture the piece. Next came Gunsbergs time for thinking,
and at
the fifteenth move the time consumed by each player had been equalized,
and stood at 45 minutes. |
After whites thirteenth move there was some
talk
about the difficulties, if not weaknesses, of Steinitzs
position.
A believer in Steinitz declared his willingness to bet $10 that no
member
of the club could beat Steinitz in that position. If no other
characters
are to be found in chess circles, there are always some players who have
any amount of confidence in themselves and their powers, and at this
moment
a champion came forward and declared that he could beat the
great theorist
in that position. The bet was registered. |
As the game progressed it grew very
interesting.
White gathered his pieces in readiness of an attack on the kings
side,
and it is deserving of mention that black never castled, being content
to allow his king to remain surrounded by a number of trusty officers,
while the queen was sent out on an exploring expidition. This
introduced
a welcome variety into the contest, for blacks trip with the queen
necessitated
whites advancing with his queens pawn, and also forced him
to abandon
for the time his attack on the kings side and turn his
attention
to the other side of the board, where a little side fight was going on
independent of the main issue. When each player had made
twenty-five
moves there was a difference of ten minutes in favor of the younger
player. |
It is a noteworthy fact that on every occasion so
far Gunsberg has been the one to seal his move on the adjournment of the
afternoon sitting. This was the case yesterday. |
When the game was resumed at 7 oclock there
was
every prospect of an evening of interesting play. The previous
games
had all been finished soon after the commencement of the evening
session,
but yesterdays was an exception. Steinitz too 25
minutes consideration
on his twenty-ninth move, and then a number of rapid moves on both sides
followed. It now became evident that Gunsberg was quickly getting
the advantage. This superiority the Anglo-Hungarian maintained,
until
at length the spectators began to declare that Steinitzs game was
a lost
one. Still he fought on to the Fifty-seventh move, when he struck
his colors as the clock struck 9. |
The Sun, New York,
1890.12.16
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GUNSBERG WINS A GAME.
STEINITZ FORCED TO RESIGN ON THE FIFTY-SEVENTH
MOVE.
The English Expert Chooses a Giuoco Piano, with Which He Has
Won
Many Battles Against the Masters - The Record is Now One
Victory
for Either Player; Two Games Drawn.
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The second week of the chess match found both
players
in excellent health and spirits. It was Gunsbergs move
yesterday
and he selected a Giuoco piano, a pet opening of his, with which he
achieved
some of his greatest triumphs over such formidable opponents as
Blackburne,
Mackenzie and Zukertort. Steinitz, in accordance with his
theories,
doubled whites pawns on the king side by exchanging B, and
threatened
to create another double pawn by taking the adverse K B, which he
attacked
by Kt-Q R 4. White, however, counteracted his intentions.
Black
brought his queen early into play, which subjected him to a
well-directed
attack. On the twenty-ninth move he had to lose a pawn and on the
thirty-third move Gunsberg won a piece. Steinitz fought gallantly
against odds, but resigned after fifty-seven moves. The score is
now: Steinitz, 1; Gunsberg, 1; drawn, 2. |
After the conclusion of the game Gunsberg was
congratulated
all around. By this victory the match is now more
interesting. |
The World, New York,
1890.12.16
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Gunsberg,IA Steinitz,W
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(4)
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C50/03 |
Italian: Pianissimo
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1890.12.15 |
USA New York, NY (Manhattan Chess
Club)
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Annotations by Gunsberg &
Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3
Nf6 5.Be3 Bxe3 [0:02-0:03]
** |
Steinitz: The Giuoco Piano
has not yet come within the province of an analysis in my work, but it
is generally known to first-class masters that I hold different views as
regards the treatment for the defense to those which have been long
established,
and it may be assumed that Gunsberg either really discovered a flaw in
my demonstrations, or merely thought so. One if the main points of
my divergence from the accepted notions occurred as early as the fifth
move, where my line of play in capturing the bishop and opening the
adverse
f-file for the opponents rook has
generally
been condemned hitherto. This variation I played first against
Mason
in Vienna in 1882. |
6.fxe3 d6 7.0-0 Na5 8.Bb5+
** |
Steinitz: Another feature of
my defense in this opening came out on my seventh move, and then my
opponent
entered on a line of attack that is already known to experts in similar
positions, viz., to check with the bishop at b5, with a view of drawing
on the adverse pawns on the queenside and thereby weakening
them. |
8...c6
** |
Gunsberg: Black intends to
take the bishop, after which White would remain with doubled pawns on
b-file
and e-file. Whites mode of
playing
this opening always been to develop his pieces rapidly and to castle
either
on the queenside, or when the f-file is open, as in the present game, on
the kingside. |
9.Ba4 Qb6
** |
Gunsberg: Had Black played
9...b5 10.Bb3 Nxb3 the command of the open a-file and the weakness of
Blacks
a-pawn would fully compensate White for the inferior position of his
pawns.
Blacks move in the text is not
favorable.
It is contrary to established principles to bring out the queen so early
in the game. |
10.Qd2
** |
Gunsberg: An important
developing
move.
Steinitz: My counter attack against the
b-pawn on the ninth move was apparently hazardous, for my opponent, in
his answer, threatened to confine and ultimately win my queen in case I
took the b-pawn, and otherwise he threatened to win a piece. |
10...Ng4
[0:09-0:32]
** |
Gunsberg: If 10...Qxb2
11.Qxa5
Qxa1 12.Nbd2 Qb2 13.Rb1 would win the queen, as Black can neither take
the a-pawn nor play 13...Qa3, because of 14.Bxc6+. |
11.Re1
** |
Gunsberg: He might here have
won two minor pieces for the rook by 11.b4 Nxe3 12.bxa5 Nxf1+ 13.axb6 or
13.Kxf1. But Black would remain with an unbroken phalanx of eight
pawns and White should ultimately lose his far advanced pawn.
Steinitz: On my tenth move it was
evident
that I intended to sacrifice two minor pieces for the rook and at least
one pawn (in some variations I would have got two) with a strong game
for
the ending, the exchange of queens being forced. But Gunsberg
avoided
that contingency, and I think very wisely, and then I had to direct my
attention to the release of my confined a-knight, which was fully
accomplished
on my thirteenth move. |
11...Qa6 [0:29-0:33] 12.c3 f6
13.Bc2
** |
Gunsberg: White has
succeeded
in preserving his bishop. Had he played 13.b4, Black would have
replied
with 13...b5. |
13...c5
** |
Steinitz: At this point I
believe
I would have done better by playing 13...b6 and then retreating ...Nb7
and ...Nd8, which would have made both wings inaccessible to the adverse
pieces. The move actually left a hole at d5, which,
however, was
much compensated for by the adverse double pawn in the center. My
opponent then turned his attention to that hole at d5 which
he tried
to occupy with one of his minor pieces, and a lively struggle followed
pro and contra. As it was, White had the opportunity of
instituting
an attack in the center, and on the kingside alternately, and though by
best play it should not have amounted to much, yet it caused heavy work
which might have been avoided. |
14.b4 cxb4
** |
Steinitz: Inferior to
14...Nc6
at once, which would have made it very difficult for the adverse
b-knight
to get into good play. |
15.cxb4 Nc6 [0:45-0:45]
16.Bb3
** |
Gunsberg: Better than
16.a4. |
16...Qb6 17.a3 Bd7
** |
Gunsberg: If 17...a5, then
18.Nc3. |
18.Nc3 Ne7 19.h3 Nh6 20.d4 Rd8
[1:00-1:13]
** |
Gunsberg: Perhaps 20...Rc8
at once would have been better. |
21.Rf1 Rf8
** |
Gunsberg: A very useful
move;
if Black now plays 21...Nf7, with the object of castling, then 22.Bxf7+,
followed by 23.dxe5, winning a pawn through the presence of the rook on
f1. |
22.Qf2
** |
Gunsberg: Threatening dxe5
and Nxe5 and also Ng5. |
22...Rc8 23.Rac1 Qa6 24.a4 Qb6
25.b5
Qa5 [1:27-1:37] 26.Qb2 Nf7 (Adjourned) [1:41-1:39] 27.Nd2
(Sealed)
** |
Gunsberg: White now changes
his plans, as he wants to attack the weak d-pawn by Nc4.
Steinitz: At the adjournment White made
a very fine move, the sealed one, which threatened Bxf7+, followed by
Nc4.
Matters became here very difficult for Black, who, as usual in such
cases,
consumed much of his time, and then had to play very hurriedly when the
crisis came. |
27...exd4
[1:53-2:00]
** |
Gunsberg: He has to guard
against
the loss of a pawn by Nc4. |
28.exd4 Qb6 29.Ne2 d5
[1:54-2:25]
** |
Gunsberg: Making a strong
effort
to gain room for his knight and reckoning upon recovering the pawn later
on. |
30.exd5 Nd6 31.Qa3
31...Kd8
** |
Gunsberg: A mistake which
loses
a piece. 31...Nef5 was the proper move.
Steinitz: Black first of all sacrificed
the d-pawn in order to free his knight on the twenty-ninth move, and
this
was seemingly good enough, but in reply to a cleverly laid trap, Black
played hastily his king, and committed one of those blunders which
perhaps
more often in proportion occur in heavy match games among masters in
consequence
of the great mental strain to which contestants are subjected than
in light skittles among inferior players. Such captious critics are apt
to deride the players when such a thing occurs, and I can only point out
in anticipation of any such remarks that a donkey will always go his
trot
without stumbling while a race-horse may break neck or limbs in a run of
a few seconds. After that I might have perhaps improved my defense
and made a harder fight of it, but naturally I got
demoralized. |
32.a5 Nxb5
** |
Gunsberg: His only
alternative
would have been 32...Qxb5 33.Qxd6 Qxe2 34.Rxc8+ Kxc8 35.Rc1+ Kd8 36.Ba4,
and wins. |
33.Qxe7+ Kxe7 34.axb6 axb6 35.Nc4
Ra8 [2:12-2:38] 36.Ra1 Nd6 37.Nxb6 Rxa1 38.Rxa1 Bb5 39.Nf4 Kf7 40.Ne6
Re8
[2:15-2:45]
** |
Steinitz: Up to my
forty-first
move, and having very little time at my disposal by the stop-clock, I
merely
went on in order to pass that point and then to resign if I thought my
game absolutely hopeless. There seemed to me some little chance
for
a draw in case my opponent made some weak moves, and it was legitimate
for me to speculate upon that considering that I myself had committed a
regular blunder. Some players will in such a position try to weary out
their antagonist, not alone by the number of moves, but also by taking
a long time for consideration. The former is more justifiable than
the latter, but it is altogether a matter of discretion, and I think I
may state that though I had plenty of time on my hands, I made my moves
rapidly . My opponent as an experienced master did not hurry
himself
and played steadily and carefully. He avoided the exchange of
rooks
I was playing for, as then I hade some chance to enter with my king in
the center and stop the doubled pawn or perhaps gain one or both of
them,
whereupon my passed b-pawn and the extra pawn on the kingside could have
made an excellent fight for a draw. It came finally to a mating
position
from which there was no escape. |
41.Ba4 Bxa4 42.Rxa4 g6 43.Nc4 Nf5 44.Rb4
** |
Gunsberg: Safer than
44.g4. |
44...Re7 45.g4 Ng3 46.Nd6+ Kg8 47.Nxb7 Rd7 48.Nbc5 Rxd5
49.Kf2
49...Nf5 50.gxf5 Rxf5+ 51.Kg3 h5
52.Rb7 g5 53.Ne4 Kh8 [2:27-3:00] 54.Rg7 h4+ 55.Kg2 Ra5 56.Nxf6 Ra2+
57.Kf1
[2:27-3:08] 1-0.
The Sun, New York,
1890.12.16
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The World, New York,
1890.12.16
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New-York Daily Tribune, 1890.12.16
& 17
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