The Gunsberg-Steinitz Match,
World Championship 1890-91
Researched by Nick Pope
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THE CHESS MATCH BEGINS.
STEINITZ AND GUNSBERG PLAY.
THEIR FIRST GAME A DRAW - MOVES MADE BY THEM.
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The chess match between W. Steinitz, of New-York,
and I. Gunsberg, of London, for the championship of the world, was begun
yesterday afternoon, in New-York, under the auspices of the Manhattan
Chess
Club. The proceedings were opened by Colonel G. F. Betts, who
first
of all welcomed the competing masters to the club. After a few
further
appropriate remarks he introduced the players to the members of the club
present in these words: I have the pleasure, gentlemen, to
introduce
to you Mr. Gunsberg and Mr. Steinitz, and may the best man
win. |
The two players, with the umpires, a few
subscribers,
and others, ascended to the floor above, where, in a private room, it
had
been arranged that play should be conducted. At the time when the
first game began, at about 2 p.m., there was a moderate attendance of
members
and visitors in the club, and such of them as did not posses the
privilege
of witnessing the actual play watched the moves as they were almost
simultaneously
recorded on a huge diagram board which occupied a prominent position on
the walls of the principal clubroom. |
From time to time, as the play advanced, comment
and criticism on the moves prevailed in this lower room, while in the
room
above where the players were engaged the stillness was indicative of the
importance of the contest. |
Both players appeared to be in good health when
they came to the club in the morning, a thing which cannot be wondered
at in the case of Gunsberg, who has enjoyed the benefits of a sea
voyage,
followed by a week of rest. With Steinitz there is more cause for
surprise
when it is remembered, not only that he has been exceedingly busy for
some
months, but is also a
frequent sufferer from insomnia. |
Just before the beginning of play, Mr. Gunsberg
lodged an objection to the admission of press representatives to the
room
of play. This he had power to do under the regulations, and the
objection
was sustained. |
Steinitz, being drawn to make the opening move,
proffered his opponent a Queens Gambit, which Gunsberg
declined.
On the fourth move Steinitz introduced quite a novelty in P-K B 3,
which,
no doubt, very few chess players would anticipate. Then he brought
out his K Kt to K R 3, which will probably be considered an odd move,
following
that up with Kt-B 2. Gunsbergs defence, 4 Q Kt-B 3, was based on
the idea
of breaking through the centre, and he offered battle by advancing his
K P on the ninth move. This forced the exchange of the Q centre pawn,
but
still he could not rid himself of Whites K P. |
On the eleventh move a good chance of improving
his position was missed by Steinitz, in playing Kt-Q 3, with the result
that one of his pawns became isolated, and, by clever manoeuvring,
Gunsberg
made a counter demonstration on the Q side against the weak pawn which
greatly delayed Whites attack on the other wing. About this
time
the game was adjourned till 7 oclock [...] |
Upon play being resumed at 7 oclock, the
same kind
of struggle continued for two moves by each player. Gunsberg had
slightly the best of the game if it were pursued to an ending, but the
prospects of the middle fight were still somewhat in favor of his
opponent,
and under these circumstances Gunsberg readily accepted the draw, which
was now offered by Steinitz. This close of the game was arrived at
at [sic] a few minutes before 7:30. At an earlier stage of
the game, some half-dozen moves back, Steinitz declined a draw, which
was
offered to him by Gunsberg. |
New-York Daily Tribune,
1890.12.10
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THE MASTERS AT CHESS.
BEGINNING OF THE SERIES BETWEEN STEINITZ AND
GUNSBERG.
They Sart With the Queens Gambit, and on the Fourth Move
the
American Makes Things Interesting - The Result Is a Draw
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The fight for the chess championship of the world
began in this city yesterday. Gunsberg, the English player, has
been
recuperating during the past week, and starts, in apparently good
health,
a contest which is looked upon in English chess circles as a foregone
conclusion
in favor of Steinitz, while players in this country look forward with
equally
settled anticipation to the defeat of the English representative and the
retention by Steinitz of the foremost position as a chess master which
he has held so long and so worthily. |
There is no avoiding the fact that enthusiasm
over
this match has not been raised to the customary high pitch which is
manifested
in a fight of such importance; and this is readily accounted for by the
disappointment which has been created by the interruption of the cable
match - a contest which, as every chess player knows, not only involved
certain important principles entirely new to the chess world, but had
unquestionably
reached the most interesting stage during its progress. No doubt
as the present match between Steinitz and Gunsberg proceeds, that
disappointment
will gradually give way to the interest which must necessarily centre
round
any prominent event which may be in progress. |
Fully an hour before the time appointed for the
beginning of the match the members of the Manhattan Chess Club began to
assemble in their rooms, where Steinitz had already arrived, with a
sense
of country freshness about his appearance which he had evidently brought
with him from Upper Montclair. In the midst of the general
conversation
rallied upon general topics, upon his games with Tschigorin, and upon
the
contest in which he was about to engage. |
Meantime Gunsberg had arrived. He was in a
very quiet mood, out of which he could not even be aroused by the same
process which had proved so effective in the case of his veteran
opponent.
He had very little to say to any one, and when asked what he would do if
Steinitz fired off an Evans gambit at him, he replied with what
may
almost be described as his characteristic quiet meekness, I
dont know. |
Steinitz was drawn to make the first move, and
play
was just about to commence when Gunsberg entered an objection to the
presence
of reporters. This objection, it was seen, was empowered by the
conditions,
and the umpire accordingly sustained it. Steinitz raised no
opposition
to the admission of the press. Gunsbergs action, it is
believed,
is almost, if not entirely, without precedent. |
In the large club room on the floor below that in
which the play was going on, a giant chess board was fixed against the
wall, and as each move was made in actual play it was sent down by a
messenger
and recorded on the board for the edification of those assembled in the
club room. Here, throughout the progress of the game, each move
was
commented upon either briefly or at length, according to its importance
or insignificance. Meanwhile, the spectators who had gathered engaged
with
each other in play, or lounged about discussing the position as it
developed.
Just before the first adjournment quite a crowd had gathered round the
diagram board and more interest was felt in the game than had been the
case at any other period during the afternoon. |
THE PLAY.
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Steinitz offered a queens gambit, which his
opponent
promptly declined, and when, a few moves later, the game took a novel
turning,
things began to be pretty exciting. The introduction of some sort
of a novelty has ever been one of the features of Steinitzs
play.
His idea seems to be to throw himself and his opponent, whenever
practicable,
on new ground, which it is always his delight to explore.
Connoisseurs,
however, would hardly anticipate that a novelty could be brought out so
early in the usually dull queens gambit as the fourth move.
There
it was that Steinitz introduced, after the customary three moves, a sort
of Giuoco Piano on the kings side by 4 P-K B 3 in conjunction with
the
other opening. Moreover he brought his kings knight out to K
R 3,
one of his many oddities and then the Kt to B 2. |
Gunsbergs defence by moving 4...Q Kt-B 3,
which
blocked his Q B P, was based on the idea of breaking the centre, and he
then offered battle by the advance of the kings pawn on the ninth
move,
which forced the exchange of the queens centre pawn, but, on the
other
hand, he could not get rid of whites K P, which formed the head of
a strong
line of pawns directed against blacks kings side. |
On the eleventh move Steinitz missed an
opportunity
of much improving his position by moving Kt-Q 3. The result was
that
his Q B P became isolated, and black, by very clever manoeuvring, made
a counter demonstration on the queens side against that weak pawn,
which
for a long time delayed whites attack on the other wing.
This was
practically the state of the game on Gunsbergs twenty-sixth move,
which
he sealed at the adjournment of the afternoons sitting - white was
threatening
the kings side, while black menaced the other wing. |
Prior to the adjournment, Gunsberg, after the
eighteenth
move, offered his opponent a draw, which the latter declined. On
the recommencement of play at 7 oclock the same sort of struggle
as had
been going on before continued for two moves on each side, queens and
bishops
being shifted from one side to the other for purposes of
attack.
Gunsberg had then the best of the game if it came to an ending, but the
chances of the middle fight were still somewhat in favor of white.
Under the circumstances the draw, which was this time offered by
Steinitz,
was readily accepted by Gunsberg. |
When within half an hour after the resumption of
play it was announced to the spectators that a draw had been offered and
accepted there was for the moment some little surprise manifested.
This surprise, however, disappeared when the position was put up to the
finish and examined. It was declared with confidence by some of
those
in the room that Steinitz could not possibly have won the game if it had
proceeded. |
Prof. I. L. Rice, the President of the Manhattan
Chess Club, acts as referee in the match, and the umpires are Prof.
Holladay
for Steinitz, and Mr. Vorrath for Gunsberg. Dr. Fred Mintz had the
entire control of the arrangements, which were pronounced very
satisfactory
by everybody present. It may be added, further, that the hours of
play have been finally settled as follows: Afternoon session, 1:30
oclock to 5 oclock; evening session, 7 oclock to 10:30
oclock. |
The next game will take place at 1:30
oclock to-morrow. |
The Sun, New York,
1890.12.10
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STEINITZ VS. GUNSBERG.
THE FIRST GAME OF THE CHESS MATCH A DRAW.
Twenty-six Moves at the Manhattan Chess Club - The London Man
Attacks Vigorously and Obtains an Early Pull - The Plays
Reproduced
on a Bulletin Board.
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A visitor to the splendidly appointed rooms
of the Manhattan Chess Club at 1 oclock yesterday afternoon would
have
been impressed with the fact that some event of great importance was in
preparation, for the room was crowded and there was a scent of solemnity
in the air. There were not many strong players in New York who did
not put in an appearance to support Col. Betts, the Vice-President of
the
prosperous chess club, in inaugurating the great contest between
Steinitz
and Gunsberg. Proceedings commenced with the formal signing of the
agreement and articles of play by the players and by Dr. Murtz
[sic]
on behalf of the Manhattan Chess Club. The Vice-President then addressed
a few kindly words of encouragement to both players, dwelling on the
great
merit and well-known prowess of Mr. Steinitz, whom they had known for
years
past as an American citizen. The Colonels polite allusion to Mr.
Gunsberg as an always welcome visitor from a distant shore, was
approvingly
received by his hearers. The fight for the chess championship of
the world was began at 2 oclock by Mr. Steinitz, who had won the
toss
for the move, opening his game with 1 P-Q 4. |
The match was played in a private room, where the
players were at their ease. The members of the Manhattan Chess
Club
enjoyed all the excitement of the contest and were enabled to watch the
game, move for move, on a giant chess-board 6 feet square, placed on
chairs
against the wall. A special messenger was detailed whose
duty
it was to convey each move as it was played by the players in their room
to the club-room below, where the moves were shown on the big
board.
Besides this every spare board was occupied by eager analysts following
the moves and discussing the probabilities. When Gunsberg played
9 P-K 4 it was very amusing to listen to the various opinions expressed
thereon at different boards. |
Meantime the game proceeded steadily
upstairs.
White had evidently preconceived a plan of action by which he intended
to form a strong centre, but his active opponent gave him little chance
to build up his game in accordance with his theoretical plan. A
vigorous
advance resulted in whites Queens pawn being isolated and
black having
a little more freedom to move his pieces. The game was adjourned
at 5, although play began half an hour later than usual. |
At 7 oclock the game was resumed.
Black seemed
to play with a good deal of confidence. He knew that if it came to
an end game he would have the best chance. There were
possibilities
of attack for white, but as the latter seemed disinclined to venture on
an advance, as indicated in Mr. Gunsbergs notes to the game,
a draw
was agreed on shortly after the resumption of play on the twenty-sixth
move of white. The game is appended. The second game will be
played on Thursday next. The hours of play are from 1:30 to 5 and
from 7 to 10:30 P.M. The umpires are Mr. A. Vorrath for
Gunsberg
and Mr. Waller Halliday [sic] for Steinitz, as well as Mr. Ford,
who acted in Mr. Hallidays [sic] absence. |
The World, New York,
1890.12.10
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Steinitz,W Gunsberg,IA
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(1)
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D35/01 |
Queens Gambit Declined
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1890.12.09 |
USA New York, NY (Manhattan Chess
Club)
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Annotations by Gunsberg &
Steinitz
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3
** |
Gunsberg: Quite new at this
stage of the game. Steinitz favors this move, whether as first or
second player, to defend his center if the adverse dark square bishop is
shut out from c5. As will be seen the text move also enables him
to utilize his knight to fortify his center by bringing it to f2 via
h3.
Steinitz: Perfectly new in this
opening,
adopted with a view to forming a center and taking advantage of the
confined
position of the adverse light square bishop. |
4...Nc6
** |
Gunsberg: Steinitz advises
in close openings not to develop this knight to c6 before the c-pawn has
been moved. I selected this move, however, in order to force White
to play his pawn to e3, or else he would lose a pawn by 5...dxc4.
Steinitz: Probably the best way to stop
the advance in the center. |
5.e3
** |
Steinitz: If 5.e4 dxe4 6.d5
exd5 7.cxd5 Ne5, with a good game. |
5...Be7 6.Nh3
** |
Steinitz: A better outlet
for
the knight than at e2 later on, for the latter plan would have
necessitated
Whites moving his light square bishop
to
d3, where Black would have had an opportunity of attacking it by
...Nb4. |
6...0-0 7.Nf2 Re8 [0:08-0:08]
8.Be2
Bb4 9.Bd2 e5 [0:24-0:31]
** |
Gunsberg: By this properly
prepared move Black assumes the initiative, preventing his opponent from
establishing a strong center, and finally breaking up his
queens
wing. |
10.dxe5 Rxe5 [0:38-0:37]
11.cxd5
** |
Steinitz: 11.Nd3 Bxc3 (best)
12.bxc3 Re8 13.cxd5 Qxd5 (or 13...Nxd5) 14.e4 would have given White a
more superior game still. |
11...Nxd5 12.e4
** |
Gunsberg: 12.Nd3 instead
would
have been met by 12...Bxc3. |
12...Nxc3 13.bxc3 Ba5
** |
Gunsberg: Black has now the
better position for the endgame. |
14.Qc2 Re8
** |
Gunsberg: The rook is here
safer, and more useful. |
15.0-0 Bb6 [0:55-0:55] 16.Kh1 Qe7
17.Nd3 Ne5
** |
Gunsberg: 17...f5 looked
very
tempting, but would have been met with 18.Nf4. If then Black
18...fxe4,
White retakes and obtains a very open game, for if 19...Qxe4
20.Bd3.
There were also other moves, as Bc4+, by which White would obtain a
formidable
attack.
Steinitz: If 17...f5 instead, White
would
answer 18.Nf4, and if then 18...fxe4 19.fxe4, and evidently Black dare
not again capture on account of the reply 20.Bd3, and anyhow White gets
a powerful attack. |
18.Nxe5 Qxe5 19.Bd3
** |
Steinitz: White might,
perhaps,
have pressed the attack with more prospects of success by 19.f4 Qxe4
20.Bd3,
followed by 21.Bxh7+. |
19...Rd8
** |
Gunsberg: In anticipation of
20.f4, which now could be parried by 20...Qd6. |
20.Rad1
** |
Steinitz: If 20.f4 Qd6
21.Rad1,
and now Black dare not take the bishop on account of the reply 22.Bc1,
but he wins, nevertheless, by 21...Bg4. |
20...Be6 [1:11-1:11] 21.Bc1 Qa5
22.c4 Bd4
** |
Gunsberg: The bishop is here
well posted, as it also prevents the adverse bishop from going to
b2. |
23.Bd2 (Adjourned) 23...Qh5
(Sealed)
[1:24:30-1:37]
** |
Gunsberg: At this stage the
game was adjourned for dinner at 5pm. |
24.Bf4
** |
Gunsberg: White might have
proceeded here more attackingly with 24.f4. |
24...c6
** |
Gunsberg: Of course not
24...Be5,
because of 25.g4, winning a piece.
Steinitz: A very good move. It
helps
Black to obtain the drawn result, and is much stronger than
24...c5. |
25.Be2
** |
Gunsberg: Here again 25.e5
would have been played by an attacking player. |
25...Qc5 [1:34-1:50]
½-½.
** |
Steinitz: Black threatens
now
...b5, and the game is now well balanced that a draw is a fair
result. |
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The Sun, New York,
1890.12.10
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The World, New York,
1890.12.10
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New-York Daily Tribune,
1890.12.10
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