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 sixth game, played at Simpson’s on Tuesday, the 6th inst.—The same opening as in the fourth game with the improvement suggested in our comments on the latter, namely, that the white Q was developed at K 2.  Black (Zukertort) also made an alteration in his plan by opposing his B at K 3, which must have been a lost move, as it turned out ; for he had afterwards, as in the 4th game, to capture with that B the adverse Kt, which came in at B 5.  It was all manœuvring up to the 24th move, when Black exchanged the first pawn—rather too soon, we believe ; and we do not think there was any difference in the respective positions.  Zukertort, with another precipitate advance of the Q P, brought his Kt at Q B 4 into a loose position, which caused him some trouble.  On the 30th and 31st move he proceeded with a similar incautious line of attack with the pawns on the right wing, where he had castled ; and, to speak in the parlance of Dr Meitner—who first introduced the joke in criticising some of the games played by Herr Steinitz in the Vienna tournament—“White came out with half a pawn ahead ;” and after that the exchange of queens, which soon followed, Blackburne’s advantage grew in natural course to the extent of a tangible P.  As usual in hard endings, analysis finds that the ultimate winner might have despatched the game quicker ; but there was some fine play nevertheless on both sides.  The game was adjourned about a quarter to eleven at night, and finished next day at the St. George’s, when Blackburne seized the right moment for exchanging rooks, and forced victory with B and a passed Q R P against Kt in excellent style.  Duration, seven and a half hours.  Both players seemed to suffer severely from the excessive heat of the weather which prevailed last week ; and as they had already played on three successive days, it was agreed that the match should be continued to-day at Simpson’s.
    The score stands now : Blackburne, 1 ; Zukertort, 3 ; drawn, 2.
The Field, London, 1881.07.09
Blackburne,JH — Zukertort,JH
(6)
C54/07
Giuoco Piano: Pianissimo
1881.07.06
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.h3 h6 10.Qe2
** The queen is better placed here than at c2; but the question is, whether she should be brought out at all at this stage, and whether with a move in advance he ought not to try Black’s plan by advancing 10.g4 and entering with his knight at f5 viá g3.
10...Be6
** This seems to entail loss of time; and, though both parties can apparently afford delays in maneuvering, yet we think it might make some ultimate difference if the bishop were kept at home in order to proceed at once with 10...g5, 11...Ng6, etc.
11.Bb3 g5 12.0-0-0 Ng6 13.Ng3 Qe7 14.Nf5 Bxf5 15.exf5 Nf4 16.Qf1 0-0-0 17.Bxb6 axb6 18.g3 N4d5 19.c4
** Which drives him where he wants to go.  19.Qe2 followed by 20.Rhe1 in order to advance the d-pawn appears to us the better plan.
19...Nc7 20.Qe1 Nd7 21.Qc3 Qf6
** Useless.  The queen stood better where she was, and 21...f6 was preferable.
22.g4 [1:00-?:??] 22...b5 23.Nd2 Nc5 24.Bc2
** Best, as Black threatened 24...b4.
24...bxc4
** This premature exchange liberates White’s bishop and d-rook, and rids the adversary of a weak pawn.  Up to this we were inclined to take Black’s game for choice, though the difference did not amount to much.  The game is now about even.
25.dxc4 d5
** Also too early.  He should have prepared with 25...Qe7 in order to be enabled to retake with the knight.
26.cxd5 Rxd5 [?:??-1:00] 27.Nc4 Nd7 28.Qb4 c5 29.Qb3 Rd4 30.Rhe1 b5
** 30...Qa6 was the right play.  Unless White then exchanged rooks, in which case the c-pawn could retake, he had no better defense than Na3 or Bb3, and then Black could enter either at b5 or d5 with his knight, and afterwards, accordingly, gain for the knight the post at d4 by exchanging rooks or the strong point at f4.
31.Nd2 c4
** An error in judgment which compromises his position for the ending.
32.Qb4 [2:00-?:??]
** Well played.  If 32.Ne4 at once, the reply was 32...Qe7.
32...Qd6
** 32...Qa6 was of no use now, as White could afford to give up the a-pawn, and attack with the knight at e4.  Also, if 32...Qc6, the knight would come in at e4, and, if then, Black’s knight would attack at d5 White would capture the b-pawn with the queen, and afterwards recover the queen by 35.Nd6+.
33.Qxd6 Rxd6 34.Ne4 Rxd1+ 35.Rxd1 Ne8
** If 35...Rf8, White would check at d6, followed by 37.a4.
36.Rd5 Kc7 37.Rxb5 Nd6 38.Nxd6 Kxd6 39.Be4 Rb8 [?:??-2:00] 40.Rd5+ Ke7 41.f3 f6 42.Kc2 Nb6 43.Rb5 Kd6 44.a4
** He could have won here much quicker by 44.Bd5.  The c-pawn could not be saved then, for, in reply to 44...Kc7, White would still capture, followed by 46.Rc5+.
44...Nd7
** Black defends himself very ingeniously.
45.Rd5+
** As afterwards pointed out by Zukertort, there was no more than a draw now if he exchanged rooks, e.g.: 45.Rxb8 Nxb8 46.Kc3 Kc5 47.a5 Na6 48.Bb7 Nc7, followed by 49...Nb5+, etc.
45...Kc7 46.Ra5 Kd6 47.Ra6+ [3:00-?:??] 47...Rb6 48.Ra8 Rb8 49.a5
** He has gained an important move, and chosed the right position for allowing the exchange.  The latter part of the ending is excellently played by Blackburne.
49...Rxa8 50.Bxa8 Kc5 [?:??-3:00]
** 50...Nc5 would no more save the game, for he can no more reach c7 with the knight, e.g.: 50...Nc5 51.Bb7 Kc7 (best; if 51...Nxb7 the a-pawn goes straight to queen) 52.a6 Kb6 53.Kc3, and, after taking the c-pawn, the king walks over to the kingside.
51.Bb7 Kb5 52.a6 Kb6 53.Kc3 e4 54.fxe4 Ne5 55.Kd4 Ka7 56.Kc5 Kb8 57.Bd5 1-0.
** If the knight checks at d3, the answer is 58.Kb6.
The Field, London, 1881.07.09

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