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 Blackburne-Zukertort Match,
London 1881
Researched by Nick Pope

    THE fourth game, played at Simpson’s, 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 manœuvres lasted up to the 24th move, when Blackburne—who had a manifest superiority of position, as the opponent could not castle, by a precipitate exchange of rooks—allowed 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 Black’s 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 White’s 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
Blackburne,JH — Zukertort,JH
(4)
C54/07
Giuoco Piano: Pianissimo
1881.07.02
GBR London (Simpson’s Divan)
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 Black’s 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
** White’s 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 Black’s 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 White’s 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 White’s 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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