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

A DEFEAT FOR STEINITZ.
GUNSBERG COMPELS HIM TO RESIGN.
THE FOURTH GAME IN THE GREAT CHESS MATCH - THE 
WINNER PLAYS A GIUOCO GAME.
:
    The fourth game in the chess match now in progress between Steinitz, of New-York, and Gunsberg, of London, was begun punctually at 1:30 p.m. yesterday.  As in the previous days of play, there was a small attendance at the beginning, but by and by the numbers increased, and those who were present during the latter part of the afternoon were well repaid for their visit by seeing an exceedingly interesting game in one of its most interesting phases. 
    Gunsberg had the move, and when he had played the first three familiar moves and Steinitz had replied, it was on all sides expected that now he was going to gratify a desire strongly felt in chess circles that he would offer Steinitz an Evans Gambit; but no, it was not to be.  The fourth move  declared his intention, which was to play a Giuoco Piano.  The disappointment which was at first felt at his adoption of this course, however, soon gave place to a new interest which was kindled as the game went on.  Steinitz, not satisfied with introducing a distinct novelty in each of last week’s games, now brings one forward which is perhaps even more interesting than any of those which went before.  He acts in direct opposition, on his fifth move, to the universal recommendation of book  writers, by taking off the bishop from K 3, instead of retreating his own bishop to Kt 3.
    The game assumed an entirely different aspect upon the introduction of this novel variation, and was now watched with close interest.  On his tenth move Gunsberg was threatening to capture one of his opponent’s pieces, and here Steinitz pondered long and deeply before he made his move, and then it was one which was pronounced by some to give Gunsberg the chance of putting into operation the move which would threaten to capture a piece.  Gunsberg, however, did not pursue that course.  He soon afterward massed his forces in an attack on the King’s side, and matters soon became more and more exciting, when Steinitz made a sortie on the opposite side of the board with his Queen, leaving his King well protected by several strong pieces.
    The effect of this movement on the part of Black on the Queen’s side was to call away the attention of White from his meditated attack on the King’s side.  At the time of adjournment it was unanimously agreed that the postion was a very interesting one.  It was still in the middle game stage, and from its nature seemed to promise for the first time an evening’s entertainment.  It is peculiar coincidence that for the fourth time Gunsberg was the player who had to seal his move when the time for adjourning arrived.
    The expectation of a longer evening session than usual was realized, but after about and hour’s play it was agreed that Steinitz was getting the worst of it, and as further moves were made the opinion became unanimous among the spectators that Steinitz had a lost game.  At an early stage of  the evening session Steinitz greatly handicapped himself for his subsequent play by consuming twenty-five minutes upon his twenty-ninth move.  This obliged him to play hurriedly at a later stage.  Just about as the clock struck 9 Steinitz resigned on the fifty-seventh move, and the Hungarian player drew up alongside of his veteran opponent.
New-York Daily Tribune, 1890.12.16

ACROSS THE CHESS BOARD.
GUNSBERG DEFEATS STEINITZ IN GRAND STYLE.
The Veteran Took the Youngster “Out of the Book”
- The Latter Did Not Mind it - 
He Pressed On Early in the Game and Scored Beautifully 
After 57 Moves.
:
    For the first time since the beginning of the Steinitz-Gunsberg match in this city peace marked the opening of the proceedings yesterday afternoon at the rooms of the Manhattan Chess Club, where the two masters are playing.  On each of the three prededing days of play there has occured some sort of unpleasantness.  Yesterday, however, such occurrences were conspicuous by their absence.
    It was Gunsberg’s turn to open, and when the first three moves on either side had been recorded on the big show board in the club room, the few spectators who were assembled there were at once filled with the anticipation that at last Gunsberg was going to give them an opportunity of seeing a highly interesting continuation or variation of one of the cable games, by opening an Evans Gambit.  Such an opening at this juncture, as has already been pointed out, would for many reasons prove  eminently interesting to chess players all over the world.  But the fourth move of white brought disappointment in its train, and showed the spectators that instead of an Evans Gambit they were going to be treated by the Hungarian to a Giuoco Piano.
    Steinitz proceeded to play against all the usually adopted methods of defence in this opening; instead of playing on his fifth move B-Kt 3, which is recommended as the best by the German Handbook, by Staunton, and in fact, by all other works on theory, he chopped down the B in K 3,  thereby giving over the open bishop’s file to white’s rook.  Of course this move altered the whole prospect of the continuation.  After a few more moves some surprise was felt at the length of time taken by Steinitz to consider his tenth move, and when the amateurs set up the position and began to examine and analyze it they found an explanation in the fact that Gunsberg was threatening to win a piece.
    Steinitz, of course, saw the difficulties of the position, and it took him twenty-one minutes’ deliberation before he was sufficiently satisfied in what way to try and obviate them.  Finally he made a move which seemingly did not prevent the loss of the piece.  What could not be elucidated at the moment by the majority of spectators was, however, pointed out by Major Hanham, who showed how white could not capture the piece.  Next came Gunsberg’s time for thinking, and at the fifteenth move the time consumed by each player had been equalized, and stood at 45 minutes.
    After white’s thirteenth move there was some talk about the difficulties, if not weaknesses, of Steinitz’s position.  A believer in Steinitz declared his willingness to bet $10 that no member of the club could beat Steinitz in that position.  If no other characters are to be found in chess circles, there are always some players who have any amount of confidence in themselves and their powers, and at this moment a “champion” came forward and declared that he could beat the great theorist in that  position.  The bet was registered.
    As the game progressed it grew very interesting.  White gathered his pieces in readiness of an attack on the king’s side, and it is deserving of mention that black never castled, being content to allow his king to remain surrounded by a number of trusty officers, while the queen was sent out on an exploring expidition.  This introduced a welcome variety into the contest, for black’s trip with the queen necessitated white’s advancing with his queen’s pawn, and also forced him to abandon for the  time his attack on the king’s side and turn his attention to the other side of the board, where a little side fight was going on independent of the main issue.  When each player had made twenty-five moves there was a difference of ten minutes in favor of the younger player.
    It is a noteworthy fact that on every occasion so far Gunsberg has been the one to seal his move on the adjournment of the afternoon sitting.  This was the case yesterday.
    When the game was resumed at 7 o’clock there was every prospect of an evening of interesting play.  The previous games had all been finished soon after the commencement of the evening session, but yesterday’s was an exception.  Steinitz too 25 minutes’ consideration on his twenty-ninth move, and then a number of rapid moves on both sides followed.  It now became evident that Gunsberg was quickly getting the advantage.  This superiority the Anglo-Hungarian maintained, until at length the spectators began to declare that Steinitz’s game was a lost one.  Still he fought on to the Fifty-seventh move, when he struck his colors as the clock struck 9.
The Sun, New York, 1890.12.16

GUNSBERG WINS A GAME.
STEINITZ FORCED TO RESIGN ON THE FIFTY-SEVENTH MOVE.
The English Expert Chooses a Giuoco Piano, with Which He Has Won 
Many Battles Against the Masters - The Record is Now One Victory 
for Either Player; Two Games Drawn.
:
    The second week of the chess match found both players in excellent health and spirits.  It was Gunsberg’s move yesterday and he selected a Giuoco piano, a pet opening of his, with which he achieved some of his greatest triumphs over such formidable opponents as Blackburne, Mackenzie and Zukertort.  Steinitz, in accordance with his theories, doubled white’s pawns on the king side by exchanging B, and threatened to create another double pawn by taking the adverse K B, which he attacked by Kt-Q R 4.  White, however, counteracted his intentions.  Black brought his queen early into play, which subjected him to a well-directed attack.  On the twenty-ninth move he had to lose a pawn and on the thirty-third move Gunsberg won a piece.  Steinitz fought gallantly against odds, but resigned after fifty-seven moves.  The score is now: Steinitz, 1; Gunsberg, 1; drawn, 2.
    After the conclusion of the game Gunsberg was congratulated all around.  By this victory the match is now more interesting.
The World, New York, 1890.12.16

Gunsberg,IA — Steinitz,W
(4)
C50/03
Italian: Pianissimo
1890.12.15
USA New York, NY (Manhattan Chess Club)
Annotations by Gunsberg & Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.Be3 Bxe3 [0:02-0:03]
** Steinitz: The Giuoco Piano has not yet come within the province of an analysis in my work, but it is generally known to first-class masters that I hold different views as regards the treatment for the defense to those which have been long established, and it may be assumed that Gunsberg either really discovered a flaw in my demonstrations, or merely thought so.  One if the main points of my divergence from the accepted notions occurred as early as the fifth move, where my line of play in capturing the bishop and opening the adverse f-file for the opponents rook has generally been condemned hitherto.  This variation I played first against Mason in Vienna in 1882.
6.fxe3 d6 7.0-0 Na5 8.Bb5+
** Steinitz: Another feature of my defense in this opening came out on my seventh move, and then my opponent entered on a line of attack that is already known to experts in similar positions, viz., to check with the bishop at b5, with a view of drawing on the adverse pawns on the queenside and thereby weakening them.
8...c6
** Gunsberg: Black intends to take the bishop, after which White would remain with doubled pawns on b-file and e-file.  Whites mode of playing this opening always been to develop his pieces rapidly and to castle either on the queenside, or when the f-file is open, as in the present game, on the kingside.
9.Ba4 Qb6
** Gunsberg: Had Black played 9...b5 10.Bb3 Nxb3 the command of the open a-file and the weakness of Blacks a-pawn would fully compensate White for the inferior position of his pawns.  Blacks move in the text is not favorable.  It is contrary to established principles to bring out the queen so early in the game.
10.Qd2
** Gunsberg: An important developing move.
Steinitz: My counter attack against the b-pawn on the ninth move was apparently hazardous, for my opponent, in his answer, threatened to confine and ultimately win my queen in case I took the b-pawn, and otherwise he threatened to win a piece.
10...Ng4 [0:09-0:32]
** Gunsberg: If 10...Qxb2 11.Qxa5 Qxa1 12.Nbd2 Qb2 13.Rb1 would win the queen, as Black can neither take the a-pawn nor play 13...Qa3, because of 14.Bxc6+.
11.Re1
** Gunsberg: He might here have won two minor pieces for the rook by 11.b4 Nxe3 12.bxa5 Nxf1+ 13.axb6 or 13.Kxf1.  But Black would remain with an unbroken phalanx of eight pawns and White should ultimately lose his far advanced pawn.
Steinitz: On my tenth move it was evident that I intended to sacrifice two minor pieces for the rook and at least one pawn (in some variations I would have got two) with a strong game for the ending, the exchange of queens being forced.  But Gunsberg avoided that contingency, and I think very wisely, and then I had to direct my attention to the release of my confined a-knight, which was fully accomplished on my thirteenth move.
11...Qa6 [0:29-0:33] 12.c3 f6 13.Bc2
** Gunsberg: White has succeeded in preserving his bishop.  Had he played 13.b4, Black would have replied with 13...b5.
13...c5
** Steinitz: At this point I believe I would have done better by playing 13...b6 and then retreating ...Nb7 and ...Nd8, which would have made both wings inaccessible to the adverse pieces.  The move actually left a “hole” at d5, which, however, was much compensated for by the adverse double pawn in the center.  My opponent then turned his attention to that “hole” at d5 which he tried to occupy with one of his minor pieces, and a lively struggle followed pro and contra.  As it was, White had the opportunity of instituting an attack in the center, and on the kingside alternately, and though by best play it should not have amounted to much, yet it caused heavy work which might have been avoided.
14.b4 cxb4
** Steinitz: Inferior to 14...Nc6 at once, which would have made it very difficult for the adverse b-knight to get into good play.
15.cxb4 Nc6 [0:45-0:45] 16.Bb3
** Gunsberg: Better than 16.a4.
16...Qb6 17.a3 Bd7
** Gunsberg: If 17...a5, then 18.Nc3.
18.Nc3 Ne7 19.h3 Nh6 20.d4 Rd8 [1:00-1:13]
** Gunsberg: Perhaps 20...Rc8 at once would have been better.
21.Rf1 Rf8
** Gunsberg: A very useful move; if Black now plays 21...Nf7, with the object of castling, then 22.Bxf7+, followed by 23.dxe5, winning a pawn through the presence of the rook on f1.
22.Qf2
** Gunsberg: Threatening dxe5 and Nxe5 and also Ng5.
22...Rc8 23.Rac1 Qa6 24.a4 Qb6 25.b5 Qa5 [1:27-1:37] 26.Qb2 Nf7 (Adjourned) [1:41-1:39] 27.Nd2 (Sealed)
** Gunsberg: White now changes his plans, as he wants to attack the weak d-pawn by Nc4.
Steinitz: At the adjournment White made a very fine move, the sealed one, which threatened Bxf7+, followed by Nc4.  Matters became here very difficult for Black, who, as usual in such cases, consumed much of his time, and then had to play very hurriedly when the crisis came.
27...exd4 [1:53-2:00]
** Gunsberg: He has to guard against the loss of a pawn by Nc4.
28.exd4 Qb6 29.Ne2 d5 [1:54-2:25]
** Gunsberg: Making a strong effort to gain room for his knight and reckoning upon recovering the pawn later on.
30.exd5 Nd6 31.Qa3
** Gunsberg: Best.
31...Kd8
** Gunsberg: A mistake which loses a piece. 31...Nef5 was the proper move.
Steinitz: Black first of all sacrificed the d-pawn in order to free his knight on the twenty-ninth move, and this was seemingly good enough, but in reply to a cleverly laid trap, Black played hastily his king, and committed one of those blunders which perhaps more often in proportion occur in heavy match games among masters in consequence of the great mental  strain to which contestants are subjected than in light skittles among inferior players. Such captious critics are apt to deride the players when such a thing occurs, and I can only point out in anticipation of any such remarks that a donkey will always go his trot without stumbling while a race-horse may break neck or limbs in a run of a few seconds.  After that I might have perhaps improved my defense and made a harder fight of it, but naturally I got demoralized.
32.a5 Nxb5
** Gunsberg: His only alternative would have been 32...Qxb5 33.Qxd6 Qxe2 34.Rxc8+ Kxc8 35.Rc1+ Kd8 36.Ba4, and wins.
33.Qxe7+ Kxe7 34.axb6 axb6 35.Nc4 Ra8 [2:12-2:38] 36.Ra1 Nd6 37.Nxb6 Rxa1 38.Rxa1 Bb5 39.Nf4 Kf7 40.Ne6 Re8 [2:15-2:45]
** Steinitz: Up to my forty-first move, and having very little time at my disposal by the stop-clock, I merely went on in order to pass that point and then to resign if I thought my game absolutely hopeless.  There seemed to me some little chance for a draw in case my opponent made some weak moves, and it was legitimate for me to speculate upon that considering that I myself had committed a regular blunder. Some players will in such a position try to weary out their antagonist, not alone by the number of moves, but also by taking a long time for consideration.  The former is more justifiable than the latter, but it is altogether a matter of discretion, and I think I may state that though I had plenty of time on my hands, I made my moves rapidly .  My opponent as an experienced master did not hurry himself and played steadily and carefully.  He avoided the exchange of rooks I was playing for, as then I hade some chance to enter with my king in the center and stop the doubled pawn or perhaps gain one or both of them, whereupon my passed b-pawn and the extra pawn on the kingside could have made an excellent fight for a draw.  It came finally to a mating position from which there was no escape.
41.Ba4 Bxa4 42.Rxa4 g6 43.Nc4 Nf5 44.Rb4
** Gunsberg: Safer than 44.g4.
44...Re7 45.g4 Ng3 46.Nd6+ Kg8 47.Nxb7 Rd7 48.Nbc5 Rxd5 49.Kf2
** Gunsberg: Caught him.
49...Nf5 50.gxf5 Rxf5+ 51.Kg3 h5 52.Rb7 g5 53.Ne4 Kh8 [2:27-3:00] 54.Rg7 h4+ 55.Kg2 Ra5 56.Nxf6 Ra2+ 57.Kf1 [2:27-3:08] 1-0.
The Sun, New York, 1890.12.16
The World, New York, 1890.12.16
New-York Daily Tribune, 1890.12.16 & 17

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