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 ninth game, played on Monday, the 24th inst.  At least there was a change of the opening, and Zukertort transferred the analytical battle-ground from Spain into Holland by adopting the Van t’ Kruyz début of 1 P to K 3.  This opening is rarely used and little analysed, nor is there much to be said about it, as it belongs essentially to the close games.  If the opponent answer P to K 4, White will gain the advantage of a move by entering into the Sicilian opening with P to Q B 4.  If, on the other hand, Black answers P to Q 4, as done in the present game, the play on both sides must assume the aspect of the Q gambit declined.  Both parties proceeded in a peculiar way.  Zukertort castled early, and voluntarily withdrew his K Kt to Q 2, blocking out his Q B ; and Rosenthal, on the other hand, deliberately allowed his centre K P to be doubled, relying on a prospective attack on the K side, which the opponent cleverly avoided by withdrawing the K R to K sq, thus making room for the defensive retreat of Kt to B sq before commencing his attack on the Q side.  In pursuing the latter, we believe he lost time with a conventional move, P to Q R 3, and also by retreating his Kt to K B sq unnecessarily.  M. Rosenthal seized the proper moment for dissolving this doubled K P by P to K 4.  The onus of difficulty would, we believe, have rested with White’s game.  As it went, the attack had the best of it, and Zukertort was the first to prepare a breach on the Q side, which, however, he opened too soon on the twentieth move.  A studiously and carefully devised plan of exchanging the heavier pieces was then instituted on both sides, and the game had all the appearance of a blocked position.  Zukertort after the adjournment, still tried on a concealed scheme of entering with his Q B at K 5, v K Kt 5, R 6, and Kt 7, but Rosenthal saw it in time, and prevented the design by a proper move of the K.  By an apparently hazardous exchange, Rosenthal allowed at last his opponent a formidable-looking passed P at Q Kt 6, in combination with two bishops ; but he had well calculated, as it turned out that neither party was able to break through the game, which was soon after given up as drawn.  Duration, five hours and a half.
The Field, London, 1880.05.29
Zukertort,JH — Rosenthal,S
(9)
D06/01
Queen’s Gambit: Grau
1880.05.24
GBR London
Annotations by Wilhelm Steinitz
1.e3 d5 2.d4 Bf5
** Contrary to general practice, Black develops his c8-bishop on the kingside, and thus leaves some weakness on the other wing.  It will be seen that he is later on, at the trouble of maneuvering this bishop back again; and though we doubt whether the retreat was compulsory at the time, at any rate Rosenthals view of such necessity would support the expediency of the policy adopted by most practitioners, who imitate Whites example, and shut the bishop by pawn to e6, reserving its use for the queenside.
3.Nf3 e6 4.Be2 Bd6 5.O-O Nd7 6.c4 c6 7.Nc3 Ngf6 8.Nd2
** Liberties of that sort may be taken with the rules of development in the close game.  Yet 8.Ne1 presents a better appearance on general grounds, and especially it would more effectively meet Blacks counter plan of 8...Ne4.  In that case White might capture the knight, followed by 10.f3, having not even a draw by perpetual check to fear from the reply 10...Qh4, as, after 11.g3, the knight may ultimately interpose at g2 should the adverse bishop be sacrificed.
8...Ne4
** An original and ingenious method of dealing with the close game.  It sets the ordinary notions of pawn placement at defiance; and, at all events the progress of the present game would go to show that he runs not much risk in this deviation from commonly accepted principles.
9.Ncxe4
** Proper.  Now let us understand that for the attack on the queenside, at which he evidently and judiciously aimed, the capture with the d2-knight was apparently more promising.  But the kingside was then bare, and Black threatened to compel the advance of the g-pawn by ...Qh4, and then, after retreating the queen, the march of the h-pawn to h5 and h4 menaced a breach of the peace.  We assume another alternative, and he fares no better, e.g., 9.Ndxe4 dxe4 10.f4 (to make 10...Qh4 useless) 10...g5 11.fxg5 Qxg5 12.Rf2 Qh4 13.g3 Rg8 14.Bf1 Qh6 15.Bg2 Nf6, threatening ...Ng4, with an excellent game.
9...dxe4 10.Re1
** White also shows the master.  The kingside is now perfectly safe, for he will not be under the necessity of touching any of the pawns in that quarter as the retreat of the knight to f1 will cover any danger.
10...O-O 11.a3
** If he intended to advance pawn to b4, and then to leave the latter pawn and also the c-pawn abreast until he could do better, then this was quite right.  But he denies the utility of this preparation only two moves later on, and consequently we may describe this as a loss of time, compared with 11.c5 at once followed by 12.b4.
11...Bg6 12.b4 f5 13.c5 Bc7 14.Bc4 Qe7 15.Qb3 Bf7 16.a4
** Contradictory to move 11.  Had he pursued the above plan, he would have taken time by the forelock.
16...Nf6 17.Nf1
** Query, was it necessary to make room for bishop to d2; or could that bishop be better employed at a3.  In the latter case the retreat of the knight was clear waste.
17...Nd5 18.b5 a6 [?:??-1:00] 19.Bd2 Be8
** We cannot defend this defense.  It was a proper occasion for an attack by 19...e5, not with the object of taking, but of leaving it alone until the advantage was properly nursed.  We take it for granted that White could not capture the center e5-pawn, or else his c-pawn lost, and the other to follow.  If he left all in statu quo, then Black would press still more with ...Qf6 and ...Rfd8.
20.bxa6
** Quite unripe.  Now he had, undoubtedly, the best of the struggle for position by 20.Reb1.  If Black tried to get relief by opening with either the 20...axb5 or 20...cxb5 then first possession of the open file for the rook was insured by retaking with the pawn, and also the adverse b-pawn was isolated for the ending.  All he had to avoid was (assuming that 20...cxb5) the trap of 21.Bxd5, 22.Qxd5+, and 23.Qxb7, on account of the ultimate 23...Bxh2+, winning the queen.  Otherwise, he could always maintain the superiority.
20...bxa6 21.a5 Bd7 22.Reb1 [1:00-?:??] 22...Rfb8 23.Qd1
** Zukertort informs us that he though of afterwards giving up the exchange by fixing his rook at b6, but subsequently found it impracticable.  We believe that the plan was feasible, if he had now moved 23.Qa4.  After the sacrifice (which, of course, could only be followed up by retaking with the a-pawn on b6), he could bring his knight round, removing his d2-bishop first, viá d2 and b3, into the formidable post of a5.  He stood then a fair chance of winning, without incurring any danger at either wing.  The two adverse rooks were then helplessly blocked up, and the play of Whites minor pieces had much more scope for action.
23...Qd8 24.Rxb8 Qxb8 25.Rb1 Qd8 26.Qa4 Qc8 27.Ng3 Rb8 28.Rxb8 Bxb8 29.Qb3 Bc7 30.Ne2 Qa8 31.f4 Bc8 32.Ng3 Qb7 33.Qxb7 Bxb7 34.Nh1 Kf7 35.Nf2 g6 36.Nd1 Bd8 37.Nb2 Bc7 38.Kf2 Bd8 39.Be2 Bc7 40.Nc4 Ke7 41.Bd1 Bb8 [?:??-2:00] 42.Ba4 Bc7 43.Ke2
** The plan of 43.Kg3 could be frustrated by the answer 43...g5.
43...Bb8 44.Be1 Bc7 45.Kd2 Kd7
** The sacrifice of the knight for three pawns, commencing with 45...Nxf4, was unsound, as the bishop would ultimately by shut out by pawn to g3.
46.Bh4 Bb8 47.Bg5
** The dulness of the maneuvering against the adverse barricaded position receives now some interest by presenting the real danger of his entering at g7, viá h6, with the view of gaining the fine post at e5. See diagram.
47...Ke8
** The only move.  He recognises the opponents design, and prepares for ...Kf7, should White attempt Bh6.
48.Bd1 [2:00-?:??] 48...Bc7 49.g4 Kf7 50.Nb6 Bxb6
** Apparently bold, but well calculated.  Whites two bishops cannot act for aggressive purposes.
51.cxb6
** It was of no more use to take with the a-pawn, for Black could always find means of bringing his knight to b8 in case any danger arose for his own a-pawn.
51...Ke8 52.h3 Kd7 53.Bh4 Kd6 54.Bb3 Kd7 55.Bxd5 cxd5 56.Kc3 Kc6 57.Kb4 Bc8 ½-½.
**
The Field, London, 1880.05.29

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