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 Gunsberg-Steinitz Match,
World Championship 1890-91
Researched by Nick Pope

GUNSBERG WINS A GAME.
STEINITZ FALLS INTO A TRAP
THE CHAMPION STILL ONE POINT AHEAD IN THE CHESS MATCH.
:
    Gunsberg yesterday opened for the third time, in the match for the world’s chess championship in this city, an Evans Gambit against Steinitz, and as the latter did not feel well his defence was not up to his usual high standard.  However, he made a capital fight in the new variation which Gunsberg introduced on his eighth move.  After some give-and-take play on both sides the veteran forged ahead with a somewhat premature attack on the King’s side, which Gunsberg defended with considerable skill, and to that end had to bring some of his pieces from the Queen’s wing over to the King’s side.
    Just when the game was about to become highly interesting Gunsberg made a move which was intended not only to drive the opponent’s Queen out of play, but also in the other event to lead Steinitz into a trap by which he would lose his Queen.  Steinitz, without much hesitation, took the proffered pawn which was left en prise, fell into the trap cleverly laid by his opponent, and had to resign on his twenty-first move.  The score now stands: Steinitz, 5; Gunsberg, 4; drawn, 7; and four games to be played.
New-York Daily Tribune, 1891.01.16

THE GREAT CHESS MATCH.
STEINITZ IS TRAPPED BY GUNSBERG
ON HIS TWENTIETH MOVE.
Gunsberg Opened Another Evans Gambit 
and Won a Fine Game-Steinitz’s Defence 
was Somewhat Weak-He was About to 
Lose His Queen When He Resigned.
:
    After two and a half hours’ play the sixteenth game in the Steinitz-Gunsberg chess encounter was decided yesterday in a most unexpected manner.  It was an Evans Gambit, which was again started by Gunsberg, and the spectators who were assembled in the large room at the Manhattan Chess Club found in a short time a new variation of the famous opening, which not only proved particularly interesting, but in which Steinitz took up a line of defence superior to that which he played last Saturday.  At any rate, after nineteen moves had been made on either side there seemed to be no particular danger threatening him.
    Naturally, the early moves were made very rapid.  The first deviation from the fourteenth game was made by Gunsberg on his eighth move.  With this exception Gunsberg’s attack in the opening was similar to that which he played in the previous Evans Gambit.  Steinitz deliberated twenty minutes on his thirteenth move, and after another move on either side had been recorded [... it] was generally expected that Gunsberg would now proceed with B x Kt and Q-Kt 4, threatening mate, but this expectation was not realized, for he moved Q Kt-Q 2.  The attack and the defence were now conducted on fairly even terms.  Steinitz succeeded in neutralizing the attack of his opponent and entered upon a counter attack, for which, however, he had not made full preparation.
    Although at the time when the middle game was entered upon Steinitz had not been able to castle, his king seemed to be in safe quarters, protected by pawns and minor pieces, while his queen was engaged in an attack upon the opposing king.
    On his twentieth turn Gunsberg made a move which was destined to at once change the whole aspect of affairs.  At first sight the object of this move, Kt-R 4, was simply to drive back the adverse queen, at the risk of losing the pawn, which was thus left en prise.  But in reality is was a cleverly conceived trap which had for its object the capturing of the queen, the B P being the bait.  It is sufficient to say that Steinitz did not see the trap until he had made the fatal move, and when his opponent’s reply came, he at once gave up.
The Sun, New York, 1891.01.16

MR. STEINITZ’S MISTAKE.
HIS OPPONENT MOVED IN A WAY
THAT WAS NOT EXPECTED.
The Contest Finely Conducted and Full 
of Interesting Postions-Gunsberg 
Is Now Only One Game Behind the 
Famous Chess Master and Seems to 
Enjoy the Evans Gambit.
:
    Yesterday’s game of the contest brought about another Evans Gambit, which the English player pluckily offered.  Mr. Steinitz still clung to his new defense, which he, like in the fourteenth game, improved by P-K R 3 on the seventh move.  As will be seen by the notes to the appended games, both the attack and the defense were finely conducted, and the middle game was full of intricacies and interesting positions.  It is therefore to be regretted that the play, which promised to be a specimen of chess of the highest order, was marred by a mistake on the part of Mr. Steinitz, who, by capturing a pawn on the twentieth move, allowed his opponent to imprison his Queen.  Mr. Steinitz, who had only considered the eventuality of white’s playing his Kt to K B 3 on the twenty-first move, resigned immediately after Gunsberg’s move, Kt to K 4.  The game lasted 2h. 48m., of which Gunsberg consumed 1h. 28m.
     The victorious result of yesterday’s game leaves the London player only one point behind his famous opponent-one point in sixteen game. Mr. Gunsberg has so far achieved the est results of all the experts who have ever antagonized the grand-master of chess over the board.  The score is now: Steinitz, 5; Gunsberg, 4; drawn, 7.  The seventeenth game will be played to-morrow.
The World, New York, 1891.01.16

Gunsberg,IA — Steinitz,W
(16)
C52/01
Evans Gambit: Steinitz
1891.01.15
USA New York, NY (Manhattan Chess Club)
Annotations by Gunsberg & Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 [0:01-0:01] 6.O-O Qf6 7.d4 h6 8.Qa4
** Gunsberg: In the fourteenth game White played Bb5 first. But as he had to play his queen afterwards to a4 it occurred to him that the present continuation would be better. It may be remarked here that had White now played 8.Qb3 Black could have played 8...Nge7, and if 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 Qxe5 11.Bxf7+ Kd8 with a good position for the ending.
Steinitz: An alteration from game 14, which seems to strengthen Whites attack.
8...Bb6 9.Bb5
** Gunsberg: Here 9.d5 or 9.Be3 deserves to be considered. But it is doubtful whether in either case White would obtain a better game than by the line of play which he adopted. After 9.d5 in some variations White may bring about an exchange of dark-squared bishops and may compel Black to retake with the c-pawn, but that may hardly be deemed sufficient compensation for the pawn he has sacrificed.
9...Nge7 10.Ba3 exd4 [0:17-0:16]
** Gunsberg: If 10...O-O, then of course 11.Bxc6 dxc6 12.Nxe5 would recover the pawn; if 10...d6, then 11.d5 would win a piece. Black might have tried the odd move of 10...Rb8 with a view of playing ...a6 to displace the bishop. White would not do well to exchange both bishops for the sake of regaining the pawn, as he would remain with two knights against two bishops. But there really is no seeming objections against 10...Ng6.
Steinitz: This seems now Blacks best plan. If 10...Ng8 (or 10...O-O 11.Bxc6, followed by 12.Nxe5) 11.Nbd2, followed soon after by Nc4 with an excellent game.
11.e5
** Gunsberg: The only way to continue the attack.
11...Qg6
** Gunsberg: White is here of the opinion that Black ought to have taken his chances by 11...Nxe5. Steinitz does not believe that he could have done that. But in practical play it would have been very difficult to find the right way to take advantage of Blacks move. The best seems to be after 11...Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Qxe5 13.Nd2 c6 14.Rfe1 Qxb5 15.Rxe7+ Kd8 and its now an open question whether the best continuation for White would be 16.Qxb5 or 16.Qd1. In either case the burden of proving the attack successfully is thrown upon White.
Steinitz: Evidently if 11...Nxe5 12.Re1 Nxf3+ 13.gxf3, and Black cant save the piece.
12.cxd4 Nd5 13.Re1
** Gunsberg: Best, for it still keeps Blacks game confined and provides for playing Bf1 in certain contingencies.
13...Nf4
** Gunsberg: In the next few moves Black worked desperately hard to obtain a counter-attack. However, 13...Nce7 seemed a good defensive move in this position.
Steinitz: This was probably premature, and 13...Nce7 appears to be the better play.
14.g3 Qg4 15.Nbd2
** Gunsberg: It was extremely difficult to decide on the right move here, as Black threatened ...Nxd4. White ultimately found out that he could reply upon the following variation: 15...Nxd4 16.Re4 Nxf3+ 17.Nxf3 Qxf3 18.Rxf4 Bxf2+ 19.Kf1 Qh1+ 20.Kxf2 Qxa1 21.Qc4 and wins.
15...Nh3+ [0:47-1:01] 16.Kg2 Ng5
** Gunsberg: If 16...Nf4+, with a view of drawing, then White plays 17.Kh1, and if then 17...Nh3 again, Steinitz points out the following fine variation, showing that White can defend by 18.Re2, as Black dare not continue with 18...Nxd4 on account of the powerful reply of 19.e6 fxe6 20.Ne5 and wins.
Steinitz: This was Blacks best play. If 16...Nf4+ 17.Kh1 Nh3 18.Re2, and should Black then play 18...Nxd4, then would follow  19.e6 fxe6 20.Ne5 with a winning attack.
17.Bb2
** Gunsberg: Though relinquishing the line of attack, it is probably his best. There is nothing much to be gotten out of 17.d5.
17...Ne7 18.Be2
** Gunsberg: In conformity with his last moves, White changes his tactics and brings his pieces back to repel Blacks counter-attack, in order to be able to continue afterwards the attack with better prospects.
18...Ne6
** Steinitz: Not a good move. Much better was 18...Qe6.
19.Kh1 Qf5 20.Nh4
** Gunsberg: “White has now attained the object for which he temporarily withdrew his bishops. The only available square for Blacks queen is on R 2, where she would be badly placed, and white could continue with 21 B-B 3, and his superior development ought to tell soon.”
Steinitz: A good move under any circumstances but also involving a trap into which the opponent falls.  It should be stated that at this point Gunsberg touched the square at h4 with his knight, and then retracted the move, and after taking some time to consider and shaking his head as if he had made a mistake, finally adopted the move.  Thereupon I took the pawn, and on seeing my opponents reply, 21.Ne4, resigned.  Then I taxed my opponent on the manner in which he had made his twentieth move, which was calculated to mislead, and I reminded him that in his match with Chigorin he had in a similar case brought a charge against the Russian master.  Gunsberg apologized, and gave his word of honor that he had not done it wilfully.
20...Qxf2 [1:17-1:20]
** Gunsberg: An error which loses the queen.
21.Ne4 [1:17-1:20] 1-0.
** Gunsberg: If 21...Qe3, then 22.Bc4, and the queen has no more moves.
Steinitz: Of course the queen can only go to e3, and then follows 22.Bf1 and the queen has no move.
The Sun, New York, 1891.01.16
The World, New York, 1891.01.16
New-York Daily Tribune, 1891.01.16

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