The Gunsberg-Steinitz Match,
World Championship 1890-91
Researched by Nick Pope
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THE EIGHTH GAME A DRAW.
CONTINUATION OF THE CHESS MATCH.
GUNSBERG PLAYED THE GIUOCO PIANO OPENING
-STEINITZ STILL LEADS BY ONE GAME.
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After a few days rest, which ought to have
had
a salutary effect upon both players, Messrs. Steinitz and Gunsberg
resumed
their match for the chess championship yesterday at the rooms of the
Manhattan
Chess Club in this city. In opening the eighth game of the contest
Gunsberg, who had the move, played for the second time a Giuoco Piano,
which, however, was this time varied on the fifth move by his playing
P-Q
B 3, the move generally recognized and adopted as the best, instead of
castling, as he did on the former occasion. |
As the game proceeded it failed to awaken the
interest
of the spectators, who would idly glance over the game now and again,
but
who in the main found more interest in playing games among themselves,
in studying problems, or in analyzing positions. On the whole, the
conclusion of yesterdays game points to a fair degree of equality
in the
masters play, for at no point did either appear to possess a
distinct
advantage over his antagonist; and yet this very fact was perhaps what
divested the game of those brilliancies which are best seen when one
player
gets very much the better of the other. |
However that may be, yesterdays game, from
the
spectators point of view, was the least interesting of the eight
which
have been played in this match. |
At the best there is little of an adventurous
character
about a Giuoco Piano opening, and usually the issue is a draw.
Gunsbergs
fifth move, already alluded to, may be said to have been a little more
advantageous to him than his move in the former game as this
point.
Steinitz was compelled to change his tactics two moves later, for it
would
not have been wise for him to pursue his former policy by playing Kt-Q
R 4, inasmuch as Whites B had a convenient point of retreating at
Q B
2, and Blacks Kt would at the same time have been put in
danger. |
A new line of play was instituted by Steinitz at
his eighth turn, when he drew back his Kt-Q sq. with the idea of
defending
with his Q Kt an almost certain attack on the K side. As was
anticipated,
Gunsberg instituted this attack. Steinitz missed an opportunity at
this point and his opponent was enabled to undouble his pawns, while the
Black King was compelled to seek shelter on the Q side without being
allowed
a chance to castle. There are really no other points deserving of
particular mention, except that Gunsberg offered a draw on the
thirty-first
move, which Steinitz declined. On the thirty-sixth move, however,
the great theorist himself appeared to think this was the
only expedient,
so he proposed a draw which was accepted. The position of affairs
now stands at three wins for Steinitz, two for Gunsberg and three drawn
games. |
New-York Daily Tribune,
1890.12.28
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CHESS CHAMPIONS ENGAGED.
THE EIGHTH GAME OF THE MATCH ENDS IN A DRAW.
Gunsberg Again Opened a Giuoco Piano, but the
Veteran Plays a Sterling Defence-The Game was Fought
Evenly Throughout-No Fireworks in It.
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Christmas Day, with its festivities is past, and
the reaction which as a rule follows upon a season of merriment was
apparent
on every hand yesterday at the Manhattan Chess Club just before the time
for the resumption of play in the match between Steinitz and
Gunsberg.
The two masters appeared to be equally under the influence of
retrospective
reflections upon joys that were no more, while one of the most constant
followers of the play in this match, a well-known amateur player, was in
such a quiet, grave mood that one could hardly get rid of the notion
that
he was still ruminating over his Christmas turkey and plum pudding. |
After play had been going on for a while, members
and visitors began to increase in number in the club room, but there was
a sort of languid indifference in the manner of most of them as the
entered
- an appearance which seemed to tell of a surfeit of good things, the
mere
recollection of which was sufficient for the time to deprive even the
great
chess encounter of the interest and attractiveness which is has hitherto
possessed for them. |
There was nothing in the opening if the eighth
game
to banish the general languor. Gunsberg, whose turn it was to move
first, played a sort of Sponziani [sic] variation of the Giuoco
Piano opening. A similar opening was played by Tschigorin in his
first game against Gunsberg in Havana a year ago, and on that occasion
the Russian vanquished his opponent. Yesterday when the Hungarian
played 6. B-K 3, Steinitz, as he did in a former game in the present
match,
replied by clearing off the bishop, a move which is in opposition to the
long-established and adopted principles of most of the leading
masters. |
It is a noteworthy fact that after nineteen moves
had been made not a single pawn had been taken. Another thing
which
is charged with some interest is made apparent when one looks back upon
the game already played. Gunsberg, in almost every instance, has
effected a considerable saving of time in the opening, but just as
consistently
has Steinitz given him something to think about in the middle game, and
here the younger player has spent so much time in thought that he has
more
than once hampered his end play by being compelled to move rapidly under
heavy time pressure. |
The first twenty moves in yesterdays game
were
made very quickly by both players, who had each nearly an hour in which
to make the last three moves prior to the adjournment of the afternoon
sitting. |
In regard to the character of the game, it was
one
which was so safely played on both sides that it admitted of no display
of brilliancy whatever. As a matter of fact, it has now come to be
accepted almost as an axiom that any well-played game, in which neither
player makes a grave or material mistake, will naturally conclude in a
draw, although such a game, as a rule, is far less interesting than one
which results in victory or defeat. In the last mentioned category
are to be found the games which have made a stir in the chess
world.
Yesterdays game, belongs, as it does, to the evenly fought class,
was
pronounced by many of the spectators present as a very tame
one.
No single feature in it seemed to arouse anything more than a mere
ordinary
interest. Indeed, if there was any interest at all manifested, it
was rather of the passive that the active order. Gunsberg offered
a draw on his thirty-first move, but Steinitz seemingly thought he could
do something better with his game, for he declined the proposal.
It could not be seen by the onlooker, however, that he had any advantage
which would be likely to prove valuable to him, and after a few more
moves
he evidently changed his mind; he in turn proposed a draw, which
Gunsberg
accepted. It was 4:45 when the game was thus terminated, and at
that
time the position was one in which neither player seemed to have the
slightest
advantage. The score now stands: Steinitz, 3; Gunsberg, 2; drawn,
3. |
The Sun, New York,
1890.12.28
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THE THIRD DRAWN GAME.
Steinitz and Gunsberg Renew Their
Chess Battle.
Steinitz Has Won Three and the Londoner Two
of the Contest-A Stubborn Fight in the Rooms of the
Manhattan Chess Club-The Next Game Will Be Played
To-morrow.
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The recess since Monday last in the play of the
chess match has increased the curiosity of chess-players to know which
of the two combatants now wrestling for the worlds championship
will gain
a decided lead over his opponent. It was generally felt yesterday
that the time has now arrived for the match to take a turn. Mr.
Steinitz,
starting with a game ahead, was expected to make an effort to secure
another
victory, which would have given him sufficient advantage to make sure of
not losing the match, while his opponent would have been correspondingly
depressed. |
Under these circumstances it was not to be
wondered
at that a good many chess enthusiasts flocked to the rooms of the
Manhattan
Chess Club to witness what they expected to be a game having a critical
influence on the result of the match. At the call of time when
Messrs.
Steinitz and Gunsberg faced each other, they seemed to be in a most
happy
mood. The game itself fully reflects the state of affairs.
Mr. Gunsberg, having the first move, felt too seriously the importance
of that game to risk any other opening than his trusted friend, the
Giuoco
piano. |
After the opening moves, varied from the fourth
game by Gunsberg playing 5 P-Q B 3, Black did not castle, and gave White
an opportunity to develop his forces with considerable vigor and rush
into
a seemingly promising attack by 16 Q-R 4, which subsequently compelled
Black to move his king. White showed a very keen scent for the
attack,
and in pursuing it perhaps too hotly by playing his R-K Kt 3 he lost
somewhat
of the advantage which his superior development might have given
him.
As usual in such cases, Black then had a chance of assuming offensive
tactics. |
Mr. Steinitz did not, however, seem inclined to
follow the example of his opponent by instituting an attack, but
confined
himself to making matters secure through the advance of P-K Kt 4, which
gave White liberty to devote his attention to the queens side, as
he had
nothing to fear on the kings wing. Again Black apparently
thought
of his own safety only, and as soon as White prepared to mass his forces
on the queens side Black did the same, the result being an
exchange of
pieces, which brought about a position wherein neither player saw a
chance
to win. On the thirty-seventh move the game was abandoned as
drawn. |
Although a draw is only a negative result it was
generally conceded that the outcome of this game proves that there is
not
much difference in strength between these renowned players, and the
members
of the Manhattan Chess Club recognize that whichever player wins the
match
will have to do so by hard fighting and good chess. The score:
Steinitz,
3; Gunsberg, 2; drawn, 3. The next game will be played on
Monday. |
The World, New York,
1890.12.28
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Gunsberg,IA Steinitz,W
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(8)
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C54/07 |
Giuoco Piano: Pianissimo
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1890.12.27 |
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.c3
** |
Gunsberg: A deviation from
his line of play in the fourth game. |
5...d6 [0:02:30-0:02:30] 6.Be3
Bxe3
** |
Gunsberg: Steinitz considers
the double pawn on the e-file resulting from this exchange a
disadvantage
for the first player. The usual move is 6...Bb6 instead.
Steinitz: Chopped in a similar way as
in game four. The fact that White has played 5.c3 makes no
difference
in the situation. |
7.fxe3 Qe7 8.0-0 Nd8
** |
Gunsberg: This knight is
made
extensive use of.
Steinitz: Quite new and its object will
soon be seen. |
9.Nbd2 Ne6
** |
Steinitz: This knight is now
in communication with both wings and White cannot afford to exchange it
for the bishop without strengthening Blacks
position. |
10.d4 Ng4
[0:06-0:10]
** |
Steinitz: Not so much with
the object of attacking Whites
e-pawn, but
in order to make room for the advance of the f-pawn. |
11.Qe1 f6 12.Nh4 Nh6
** |
Gunsberg: 12...g6 instead of
the last move would have prevented White from dissolving his double
pawns.
Steinitz: Probably 12...g6 would have
been better, because it would not have allowed White to undouble his
pawns.
Still there was some object in it as Whites
e3-pawn formed a marked attack. |
13.Nf5 Nxf5 14.exf5 Nf8 15.e4 Nd7
[0:15-0:25] 16.Qh4 Nb6 17.Qh5+ Kd8 18.Bb3 Bd7 19.Rae1 c6 20.Re3 Kc7
[0:17-0:43]
21.Rg3
** |
Gunsberg: It would have been
better to double rooks at once on the d-file.
Steinitz: White has conducted the
attack
with great spirit, but, though Blacks
king
is now in safety, his kingside is somewhat weak. |
21...Raf8
** |
Gunsberg: To prevent White
from 22.Qf7.
Steinitz: In order to prevent 22.Qf7,
which would have gained a pawn for White. |
22.dxe5 dxe5 23.Qe2
** |
Gunsberg: A well timed
retreat.
He changes his attack to the queenside, as he has no prospects of
accomplishing
anything on the kingside, while on the other hand Black might gain
ground
23...Be8. |
23...g5
** |
Gunsberg: Black could have
assumed the attack against the adverse king by playing this pawn only
one
square. The move actually made renders White safe, as he could calmly
await
an advance of Blacks g-pawn or h-pawn
and
then block the kingside by moving the g-pawn in reply to ...h3 or the
h-pawn
if Black pushes the g-pawn to g3.
Steinitz: Gunsberg expressed the
opinion
that 23...g6 was better. It is a difficult question to decide for the
object
of that move could only be to exchange the f-pawn, and then
Whites
knight obtains a favorable square at e4. |
24.Rd3
** |
Steinitz: If 24.fxg6 hxg6,
and obviously White there will not take the g-pawn with the rook on
account
of the rejoinder 25...Qh7. |
24...Bc8
** |
Gunsberg: 24...Be8 instead,
with a view of posting it after due preparation at h5, seems to be more
promising. |
25.Rd1 Rd8 [0:53-1:10]
26.Nf1
** |
Steinitz: An excellent
move. |
26...Nd7 27.Bc2 Nc5 28.Rxd8 Rxd8
29.Rxd8 Kxd8 30.b4 Nd7 [1:00-1:20]
** |
Gunsberg: This knight has
now
moved eight times in thirty moves. |
31.Bb3
** |
Steinitz: At this point
Gunsberg
offered a draw, but Black decided to go on. |
31...a5
** |
Steinitz: Of course, if
32.bxa5
Qc5+ and recovers the pawn with advantage. |
32.a3 axb4 33.axb4 Qd6 34.Ne3 b5
35.Kf2 Kc7 [1:04-2:08]
** |
Steinitz: Black at first
contemplated
35...c5, but, as Gunsberg pointed out, he would have answered just the
same 36.Qd1, and there was hardly anything more in it than a
draw. |
36.Qd1 [1:05-2:08]
½-½.
** |
Gunsberg: After the exchange of
queens
the slight superiority of the position of Whites
pawn is sufficiently counterbalanced by the presence of
Blacks
king on the queenside. The game was here abandoned as
drawn. |
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The Sun, New York,
1890.12.28
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The World, New York,
1890.12.28
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New-York Daily Tribune,
1890.12.28
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