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 fourth game of the match, played on Monday, May 10.  Rosenthal opened with the attack in the Ruy Lopez, adopted in the first game of the last Steinitz-Blackburne match; but Zukertort, in lieu of Blackburne’s 6th move for the defence B to K 2, followed our recommendation in the notes to that game, and turned into the K Fianchetto by P to K Kt 3, and B to K Kt 2.  In developing the Q Kt, Rosenthal pursued the course taken in the above-mentioned game, namely, to bring it out via Q 2 and K B sq before developing the Q B; but he made the alteration of fixing K Kt 3 as the final destination of this Kt, instead of K 3.  In accordance with the principles of this attack, the movements of White’s pieces were well concealed behind the pawns, until, on the 15th move, Rosenthal opened hot action by the brilliant sacrifice of the K Kt for the adverse K P.  The French champion was bound to recover his piece, but unless we err much in our detailed analysis given below, he ought not to have come out actually with the superior game by best play on the other side.  As it was, Rosenthal brought all his confined pieces into full play with a few effective strokes then forced the exchange of queens, and obtained a free and easy attacking position with the open file for his R on the extreme Queen’s wing.  Zukertort defended himself with great ingenuity, but could not altogether release himself from difficulties.  On the 32nd move - singularly enough, just the time of the adjournment, as in the second game of the match - the most critical moment arose, and Rosenthal gave his move in a sealed envelope, which was put into the care of Dr Ballard.  This move enabled his opponent to equalise the game in a few moves after the adjournment.  At that point, however, Rosenthal could have won the game, owing to an incautious movement of the K on the part of his adversary.  From the discussion which ensued after the finish of the game, we gathered that Rosenthal had hit on the right idea, and in his calculation had demonstrated a win for himself against the very defence which Zukertort had intended to employ; but the former game up his plan, on the assumption that another defence by P takes P would turn out unfavourable to his projected attack.  Zukertort, however, immediately proved that in that case White would also have won.  It should be stated that Zukertort’s variation was by far the finer of the two, and, in fact, so subtle and ingenious that even Rosenthal’s best friends may excuse his not discovering the same in his forecast.  We give a diagram of the position below, and have only to add that at the time when Zukertort consented to a draw we thought he had a slight superiority of position, but we are not prepared to say that it was sufficient to win by force.
The Field, London, 1880.05.15
Rosenthal,S — Zukertort,JH
(4)
C77/08
Spanish: Morphy (Anderssen)
1880.05.10
GBR London
Annotations by Wilhelm Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.c3 a6 6.Ba4 g6 7.Nbd2 Bg7 8.Nf1 O-O 9.Ng3 b5 10.Bc2 d5 11.O-O h6
** In order to prevent White releasing himself by Ng5, when the bishop is brought out to e3.  Black could now exchange queens by 11...dxe4, but the opponent would have remained in first possession of the open file.
12.Bd2 Be6 13.a4
** We have given frequent illustrations of the importance of this move when the opponents b-pawn is fixed at b5.  It prepares the eventual opening of the a-file at a convenient moment, and in the present game this process greatly augmented Whites position at a later stage.
13...Qd6 14.Qc1 Kh7 15.Nxe5
** An ingenious surprise, so far has he had calculated upon recovering the piece, but we doubt whether he ought to have had the best of the final position, after equalising the forces.
15...Nxe5
** Of course he could not take with the queen, which would have been lost, in that case, by the reply 16.Bf4.
16.d4 dxe4
** Retreating the e-knight anywhere would have been unfavorable; for White, after advancing 17.e5 and capturing the f-knight, had in most cases, a prospective source of a strong attack by Nh5; yet, by the move in the text, he allows all Whites pieces to obtain powerful positions for the ending game; and, on the other hand, we believe he might have retained the superiority by taking the e-pawn with the knight, this at once unmasking his confined g-bishop.  The game might then have proceeded thus: 16...Nxe4 17.dxe5 (17.Nxe4 dxe4 18.dxe5 Qxe5 19.Bf4 Qd5 20.Bxc7 Rac8 21.Ba5 {if 21.Bf5, the game might proceed thus: 21.Bf5 b4 22.cxb4 Qc4 23.Bd1 Qxb4 winning another pawn, with a fine game.} 21...f5, and we prefer Blacks position, which at any rate, is much superior to the one he actually obtained.) 17...Nxg3 18.hxg3 (if he take the queen, Black checks with the knight at e2, and, after capturing the queen, he advances the c-pawn to c6 or c5, and the opponents far-advanced d-pawn ought to fall soon by ...Rfd8 and ...Bf8.) 18...Qxe5 19.Bf4 Qe2 20.Bxc7 d4, with an excellent game, for White dare not capture the pawn on account of rook to c8, as the attack of the queen by Bd1 will be of no use, since Black may answer ...Qc4, winning at last the exchange.
17.dxe5 Qxe5 18.Bf4 Qc5 19.Nxe4 Nxe4 20.Bxe4 Rad8 [?:??-1:00] 21.axb5
** See our note to Whites 13th move.  The opening of the a-file becomes now most effective; and recognising his advantage for the ending with keen judgment, the French champion forces the exchange of queens next move.
21...axb5 22.Qe3 Qxe3
** The exchange could not be avoided, or else White would have increased his attack by Ra7.
23.Bxe3 f5 24.Bc6 f4 25.Bc5 Rf5
** Zukertort develops powerful defensive resource, and makes the most of his extremely difficult game.
26.Bb4 Rd2 27.Rfe1 [1:00-?:??]
** 27.Ra7 at once strikes us as much stronger.  Blacks best reply was apparently 27...Be5, for he could not allow the c-pawn to be taken with the rook, as by best play White ought afterwards to succeed in doubling the rooks on the seventh rank after opening a square for the king by the advance of the h-pawn, or else in winning also the b-pawn.  The following was then a probable continuation: 27.Ra7 Be5 (if 27...Rf7, the answer is 28.Ba8) 28.Re1 Rxb2 29.h4, and should Black defend the b-pawn by 29...Bc4, he would lose through 30.Be4, followed accordingly by h5; or in case the rook moves to h5, the bishop attack again at f3, and ultimately at g4, with a winning game.
27...Bd7 28.Bxd7 Rxd7 29.Ra7 Rfd5 30.h3 Be5 31.Rb7 [2:00-?:??] 31...Kg7
** An error which might have cost the game.  He should have brought the king round, via g8, although it would have taken him one move longer to reach the center.
32.b3
** We give a diagram of this most interesting position, already alluded to in our introductory remark.  The winning move would have been 32.c4.  Rosenthal assumed Black would reply 32...bxc4, and though he saw that the rook might be sacrificed, he did not perceive the full effect of the beautiful line of play pointed out by Zukertort, and which goes on as follows: 32.c4 bc4 33.Rxe5 Rxe5 34.Bc3 Kf6 35.Rb5 Rde7 36.g4.  The combination of this ingenious move with Whites previous attack had been overlooked by Rosenthal.  Black dare not take en passant, on account of the winning answer 37.f4.  Whites next move is Rc5, and then he brings up his king to f3, and while Black, after exhausting his pawn moves, can only play one rook backwards and forwards.  White will await the most favorable moment for recovering the exchange, and will also gain both isolated pawns on the c-file, remaining with a strong passed pawn, which ought ultimately to win.  Rosenthal, on the other hand, pointed out that the defense which Zukertort admitted he had relied upon in lieu of 32...bxc4, viz., 32...Rd1, would have proven unsatisfactory, owing to the following simple process: 32.c4 Rd1 33.cxb5 Rxe1+ (if 33...Bxb2 at once then White takes the rook, and after moving king to h2, wins also by b6 and Ba5.) 34.Bxe1 Rd1 35.Kf1 Bxb2 36.Ke2, followed by b6, and Ba5, winning.
32...Kf6 33.Kf1 Kf5 34.c4 bxc4 ½-½.
**
We think now that if the game had gone on Whites far-advanced c-pawn (after 35.bxc4), which was not capable of much support, might have proved a source of trouble.  Black could have now first exchanged one rook by ...Rd1, followed by ...Rd4 and ...Ke4.
The Field, London, 1880.05.15

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