The Gunsberg-Steinitz Match,
World Championship 1890-91
Researched by Nick Pope
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CHAMPIONS PLAY CHESS.
STEINITZ SCORES A FINE GAME.
GUNSBERG BEATEN AT ALL POINTS - HIS OPPONENT SHOWS HIM HOW
TO DEFEND A RUY LOPEZ.
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The result of Tuesdays game in the match
between
Steinitz and Gusnberg, which is being played at the rooms of the
Manhattan
Chess Club, gives the contest at once an increased interest for chess
players.
The innovation introduced by Steinitz, coupled with the smart defence
which
Gunsberg set up, were also important factors in augmenting the interest
of the encounter. |
When Gunsberg yesterday, somewhat contrary to
general
anticipation, made a Ruy Lopez opening, curiosity to see the manner in
which he would conduct it was added to the already aroused interest, and
just before the adjournment of the afternoon session the moves were
being
closely followed by a large number of spectators in the club-room where
they were being recorded on the big diagram board. At this time it
was readily seen from the position that Gunsberg had a very bad
game.
Indeed, on all hands it was confidently declared to be a won game for
Steinitz,
and in some quarters surprise was expressed that Gunsberg did not
resign,
instead of allowing the game to be adjourned from 5 till 7
oclock.
Of course this latter was a prejudging of the case, for it was just
possible,
though by no means probable, that Gunsberg saw a way out of his
difficulties. |
As the result showed, however, it would appear as
if he pursued the game in the hope of something good suggesting itself
by which he could bring about a draw. On the resumption of play
most
of the moves were made rapidly, and almost every move of White that was
sent down the bearer was asked if he had yet resigned. |
Dr. F. Mintz, the president of the Tournament and
Match Committee, who has control of the match arrangements, desires The
Tribune to publish the appended statement which he makes on behalf of
the
club: One of the city papers having severly commented upon the
exclusion
of reporters from the room of play, the officials of the Manhattan Chess
Club desire to state that they have arranged for this match for the
benefit
of the members and the subscribers to the match fund and have granted to
the players the sole right of publication of the games. It must be
distinctly understood that neither we nor the members derive any
monetary
benefit whatever from the affair, and that we have arranged for the
contest
and subscribed $1,050 for the sole purpose of giving our members an
interesting
and instructive entertainment. The nature of the game is such that
when played in a comparatively small room we are compelled to exclude
reporters
from the actual room of play, which in this case is a small one.
We have, however, put up in our large club-room a giant diagram board on
which the moves are recorded as they are made, and press representatives
are at liberty to enter the club and watch the progress of the game on
this board and to write whatever they choose for their respective papers
so long as they do not print the scores of the games, which are the
absolute
property of the players. |
To deal more fully with the play. It will
be seen that Steinitz played right away in due observance of the
principles
which he has laid down in his chess works, by defending this opening
(the
Ruy Lopez) by playing P-Q 3 as his third move. Gunsberg now
followed
by taking up one of the leading variations exemplified in
Steinitzs works,
viz., 4 P-Q B 3, and anticipating the probability of Gunsbergs
having
come prepared with something on this particular line of attack, the
great
theorist at once turned his attention to other tactics that have
hitherto
remained without analysis and are comparatively new to the chess
world.
He adopted a plan of development on his fifth move which was originally
introduced in the Sixth American Chess Congress by Martinez.
Gunsbergs
seventh move clearly showed that he was entering into a defence upon the
blocking plan, which is frequently adopted by first-class masters,
because
it sometimes evolves a brilliant game. According to
Steinitzs theories,
however, it compromises the ending. |
The next few moves saw a development of the
Kings
side, on the part of Black, in preparation for castling, while an
attempt
was made by White to work his Kt in at K 3, with the ultimate idea of
occupying
a strong position at K B 5. On the tenth move Black entered on a
counter demonstration, which may be said to resemble in some respects
that
of Gunsberg in the first game, attacking the adverse K P with his Kt.
After
defending here, White took an early opportunity to attack the Kt with
his
Q Kt P, but then Blacks piece gained strong entrance into the
hole at
Q R 5. Later Black effected a long prepared breach in the centre
by advancing his K B P. After his seventeenth move, Black
proceeded
to force the exchange of Qs, and by clever manipulation of the
rooks on
the open files he greatly improved his position, and at the adjournment
threatened to occupy the strong post at Q 7 with one of his rooks.
After a gallant fight to no purpose, on the part of Gunsberg, Steinitz
captured the pawn, and being the exchange ahead, he easily forced a win
after forty moves on each side. Gunsberg deliberated fifteen
minutes
before he decided to resign. |
New-York Daily Tribune,
1890.12.12
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CHESS MASTERS MEET AGAIN.
STEINITZ DRAWS FIRST BLOOD IN AN EXCELLENT
MANNER.
Gunsbergs Attack Was Weak and to No Purpose, While the
Champion
Made a Beautiful Defence in the Spanish Game.
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When play was resumed yesterday in the
championship
chess match at the Manhattan Chess Club there was not so large an
attendance
of members as on the opening day, but as evening drew near the club room
began to assume a more animated appearance, and the game provided a fund
of interesting points for discussion and comment. |
Despite the fact that Steinitz for several
reasons
did not begin the day in a settled frame of mind, it will be seen from
the character of the game that this did not militate against his powers
of play. Before the opening of the game he entered an opposition to the
objection made by Gunsberg, which resulted in the total exclusion of
reporters
from the room, and ultimately, as the result of his efforts, Gunsberg
assented
to the admission of one or two special chess reporters, including the
representative
of THE SUN, on the
understanding
that they should not write out their reports in the room, which he
considers
too small for the purpose. |
By many it was expected that Gunsberg would offer
an Evans gambit to his opponent, who, it may be remembered, stated some
time ago that he would undertake to play the defence in the
Evans
four times with Gunsberg from a certain position which at that time had
been reached in his game with Tschigorin. Several persons
expressed,
with some confidence, the opinion that Gunsberg would take up this
challenge,
if challenge it may be called; but a few moves soon showed the
spectators
that he had selected the Ruy Lopez. It is only fair to say,
however,
that Gunsberg has never been known to play the Evans Gambit in match
games.
It is a pity that he did not offer Steinitz a chance to redeem his
declared
intention, for then we should have had a revival of the old interest
which
was evinced in the Evans cable game when it was adjourned. It
would
really have been like a continuation of the cable fight. As the
game
progressed it took little penetration to see that Gunsberg was making a
weak development of his pieces and the climax of his bad play wa reached
when, on his eighteenth move, he made a blunder which gave his
antagonist
the advantage of the exchange, and before the adjournment it was equally
clear that nothing short of the intervention of a miracle would prevent
Steinitz from winning easily. |
Steinitz played in accordance with the theory
laid
down in his book - defending the Ruy Lopez by 3...P-Q 3 - whereupon
Gunsberg
started one of the leading variations from the same work, viz., 4 P-Q B
3, and Steinitz, not knowing whether his opponent had anything of a
special
nature prepared in that particular line of attack, immediately
adopted
other tactics which have not yet been analyzed. On the fifth move
he adopted a plan of development for the K Kt at K 2, which, in a
similar
position, was first introduced by Martinez of Philadelphia in the sixth
American Congress. On the seventh move Gunsbergs plan of
action
was declared, and his defence of P-Q 5 showed that he was playing for
the
crowding and blocking system, which, according so Steinitzs
theories,
somewhat compromised the ending, but us nevertheless often made use of
by first-class masters, as it sometimes leads to brilliant
games. |
During the next few moves black simply developed
the kings side ready for castling, while white tried to manoeuvre
his
Kt into the centre at K 3 with a view to keeping the strong post at K B
5. Black on the tenth move entered upon a counter demonstartion in
the centre, attacking the adverse K P with his Kt, and white,
after
defending, took the earliest opportunity to attack that Kt with his Q Kt
P, but blacks pieces then gained strong entrance into the
hole at Q
R 5. White proceeded with the advance of pawns on the Q side,
while
black on the fourteenth move effected a long prepared breach in the
centre
with the advance of his K B P. After some moves for the
development
and preparation of an attack by black, who had evidently the pull on
both
wings, the crisis came on his seventeenth move, which threatened a
dangerous
exchange that would have allowed blacks Kt to jump in at the
hole at
whites K B 4. |
In trying to avoid that white lost the
exchange.
After this black proceeded to force the exchange of queens and then to
get strong entrance with his rooks, first on the open K B file and
afterwards
in the Q file. At the time of adjournment, it being whites
twenty-seventh
move, which he sealed, black threatened to occupy the strong post at Q
7 with one of his rooks, which seemed to win a pawn. |
On play being resumed at 7 oclock black
succeeded
in capturing the pawn, and being the exchange ahead, it only became a
matter
of time. Steinitz pressed the pace and Gunsberg resigned at his
forty-first
move after taking fifteen minutes consideration. |
The Sun, New York,
1890.12.12
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STEINITZS FIRST GAME.
THE ENGLISH CHESS-PLAYER RESIGNS AT FORTY-ONE
MOVES.
He Adopted the Ruy Lopez at the Opening of the Second Game
at the Manhattan Chess Club Rooms - Remarkable Judgment
Displayed
by Mr. Steinitz - Many Spectators.
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The undecided result of Tuesdays battle has
apparently
whetted the appetite of chess amateurs, as was plainly shown yesterday
by the rooms of the Manhattan Chess Club being crowded. Gunsberg
was credited with having achieved a moral victory in the last fray, and
so the spectators looked eagerly forward to the events of the day.
The Anglo-Hungarian player, having the move, cautiously adopted a Ruy
Lopez,
to which his antagonist replied with P-Q3 on his third move. Mr.
Steinitz had this move first adopted against Senor Golmayo and other
amateurs
in Havana, and has recommended it, together with the continuation B-Q2,
both in his books and in analytical notes. The first player might
have transformed, now, the game into a well-known variation of the
Philidor
defense by playing his pawn to Q4, which is considered by all the
authorities
as in whites favor. He, however, moved contrary to his usual
agressive
style - P-QB3. Later on he pushed his QP to Q5 and a position ensued
similar
to what is known as the Hungarian game. White temporarily was
compelled
to retire his QKt home but the advanced QP proved subsequently a source
of weakness. In the tenth move Mr. Steinitz displayed his remarkable
judgment
of position by posting his Kt at QB4, which proved to be a thorn in the
opponents side. |
On the other hand Gunsberg, laboring under the
disadvantage
of a cramped position, made a few aimless moves which enabled black, by
a brilliant stroke, to win the exchange. On the twenty-sixth move
the game was adjourned and, after resumption, white continued the
hopless
struggle against numerical force up to the fortieth move, when he
resigned
after nearly four hours play. |
The next game will be played next Saturday at
1:30
P.M. |
An erroneous report has been circulated that Mr.
Gunsberg objects to the presence of reporters during play. The
representatives
of the press are welcome to be at the Manhattan Chess Club all day and
to do their work there. As to their entrance into the players
room,
Mr. Gunsberg is not only not opposed to it, but will be pleased to see
them. |
The World, New York,
1890.12.12
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Gunsberg,IA Steinitz,W
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(2)
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1890.12.11 |
USA New York, NY (Manhattan Chess
Club)
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Annotations by Gunsberg &
Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6
** |
Gunsberg: Steinitz
recommends
this move as the safest defense to the Ruy Lopez.
Steinitz: A defense that has been
little
thought of though occasionally tried by old masters. Recently I
gave
it as the best in my Modern Chess Instructor, but there is
still some
opposition to it. |
4.c3
** |
Gunsberg: Very tame and not
suited to Whites character of
play.
4.d4, as remarked above, would have led into a variation of
Philidors
Knight game, which, with the sole exception of Steinitz, is considered
in favor of the first player.
Steinitz: A sort of Giuoco Piano attack
which holds good in many variations in this opening. |
4...Bd7
** |
Steinitz: 4...f5 is the
answer
given in the Modern Chess Instructor, but I considered the
text move
equally good. |
5.0-0 Nge7
[0:05-0:05]
** |
Steinitz: If 5...Nf6 6.d3,
etc. |
6.d4 Ng6 7.d5
** |
Gunsberg: Although Black
loses
ground temporarily, the white queens
wing
is weakened by this advance.
Steinitz: A question of style, in which
I am opposed to many masters. |
7...Nb8 [0:15-0:15] 8.Bxd7+ Nxd7
9.Na3
** |
Gunsberg: This and the next
move of the knight are pure loss of time.
Steinitz: 9.c4 followed by 10.Nc3, was,
I believe, his best plan. |
9...Be7 [0:19-0:19] 10.Nc2 Nc5
[0:19-0:26]
** |
Gunsberg: Black with
tactical
sagacity posts his knight where it does the most good. Although it
is self-evident that the subsequent entrance of this piece at c3 via a4
could not be foreseen at the present stage the second player shows his
master hand by selecting the best spot available for his avant
garde.
Steinitz: This knight is now strongly
placed, for, as will be seen, it could not be dislodged without further
disadvantage for White. |
11.Qe2 Qd7 12.b4
** |
Gunsberg: This weakens his
queens wing. He had, however,
to guard
against ...Nf4, which would have forced him to give up his bishop for
the
knight, as well as against ...Qg4.
Steinitz: 12.b3 was, I think, much
preferable. |
12...Na4 13.Bd2 0-0 14.c4
** |
Gunsberg: Very weak.
14.g3 ought to have been played here. Whites
play is far below his usual standard. |
14...f5
** |
Gunsberg: Black presses the
attack with his noted vigor and precision.
Steinitz: Having arranged his pieces in
battle order, Black proceeds with his attack against the obvious mark in
the kings center. |
15.exf5 Qxf5 [0:54-0:36] 16.Rac1
Rae8 [0:54-0:58]
** |
Steinitz: I studied twenty
minutes for this move because 16...Nb2 seemed to yield some promise, but
on consideration I concluded to make another strong developing move,
which
was sure to be useful in the end. |
17.Nfe1
** |
Gunsberg: 17.Kh1 was
better. |
17...Bg5
** |
Gunsberg: An excellent
move.
White cannot afford to take this bishop, as the adverse knight will
finally
enter at f4.
Steinitz: There is hardly any escape
from
this that I can see. |
18.g3
** |
Gunsberg: Too late
now.
Steinitz: If White had played 18.Bxg5
then 18...Qxg5, followed by 19...Nf4 or 19...e4, accordingly with an
irresistible
attack. |
18...Nc3
** |
Gunsberg: A brilliant and
suprising
coup, which crushes Whites game
entirely. |
19.Bxc3
19...Bxc1 20.Ng2 Qf3 [1:24-1:29]
21.Qxf3 Rxf3 22.Nge3 Bxe3 23.Nxe3 Ref8 24.Kg2 c6
** |
Steinitz: This is the
decisive
move that breaks the pawns and gains entrance for
Blacks
rooks in the adverse camp. |
25.Bb2 cxd5 [1:34-1:34] 26.Nxd5
Rd3 (Adjourned)
** |
Gunsberg: Threatening to win
a pawn by ...Rc8. |
27.Bc1 (Sealed) 27...b5 28.Ne3
bxc4
29.Nxc4 Rd4 30.Ne3 Rxb4 [2:04-1:34] 31.Rd1 Rb1 32.Ba3 Rxd1 33.Nxd1 Rd8
34.f3 d5 35.Nc3 d4 36.Ne4 Rb8 37.h4 h5 38.Kf2 Rb1 39.Bd6 Rb2+ 40.Ke1
Rxa2
[2:12-1:41] 0-1.
The Sun, New York,
1890.12.12
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The World, New York,
1890.12.12
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New-York Daily Tribune,
1890.12.12
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