THE great contest between
the
two masters commenced on Monday last at two oclock at the rooms of
the
St. Georges. Both players seemed to be in excellent
condition, and,
as far as good health is a requirement in match play, the friends of
either
player have apparently no need to fear any break-downs. The toss
for the first move fell in favour of Mr Zukertort, who opened with P to
K 4. His opponent adopted a peculiar form of the Sicilian defence
which has never before occurred in any match or tournament, though Mr
Blackburne
has previously practised it in several toughly contested games against
Mr Steel. The result of the opening manuvres was an early
exchange
of queens, and the position of the seven pawns was unbroken on
Blacks
side from the K R file to the Q B file, with a vacancy on the Q Kt file,
and an isolated Q R P, while Whites battle order was divided in
two wings,
the pawns standing respectively to the number of four on the K side, and
three on the other, and the open Q file being occupied by doubled
rooks.
White had evidently the best of the development, and Black was labouring
under great difficulties to make his retained Q P available. We
believe
that Mr Zukertort on the 17th move could have, by occupying K B 2 at
once
with his B, obtained sufficient increase of advantage to keep the
pressure
of attack in his favour. Also on the following he would have improved
his
position by B to K sq. as afterwards proposed by Mr Blackburne; but,
having
adopted some tardy manuvres instead, his opponent, after cautious
preparations,
was at last enabled to advance his Q P under sufficient cover, and thus
to release his blocked-up Q R and Q B. After a little more
fencing,
which resulted in exchanges of one R and a minor piece, the game assumed
a drawn aspect, and by mutual consent it was given up as such on the
28th
move, neither side having any advantage. This is the first draw
which
occurred between the same two players, though they have altogether, on
various previous occasions, contested eight games, of which each party
won four. |
The Field, London,
1881.07.02
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Zukertort,JH Blackburne,JH
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(1)
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1881.06.27 |
GBR London (St. Georges Chess
Club)
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Annotations by Wilhelm
Steinitz
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4
6.Nxc6
** |
The usual continuation is 6.Ndb5, which leads to the
American
variation, in which Black replies 6...Nf6, and then moves 7...Ke7, in
answer
to 7.Nd6+. |
6...bxc6 7.Qd4 Bf8
** |
It would be disadvantageous to capture the knight, for
White
would afterwards obtain a strong post for his bishop at a3. |
8.Bf4
** |
8.e5 would at last subject him to an isolation of the
e-pawn,
if he wished to support it with the f-pawn in case Black replied
8...f6. |
8...f6
** |
A very good rejoinder, which gains important time. |
9.Bg3
** |
If 9.e5 now, Black would first oppose 9...Qb6 before
exchanging
pawns. |
9...Qb6 10.0-0-0 Nh6 11.Be2 Qxd4
** |
11...Bc5 was of course of no use, for Black could not
take
the f-pawn, on account of the ultimate Bh5+. |
12.Rxd4 e5
** |
Premature. 12...Nf7 was much better. He could
well reserve the move in the text, with the additional option of
waiting
for a favorable opportunity to play ...d5. |
13.Rd2 Nf7 14.Rhd1 Bb4
** |
As he can never venture to exchange the bishop for the
knight,
the pinning was useless. We should have preferred 14...d6.
Anderssen did not mind in this opening to keep the center pawns abreast,
even while queens were on the board on both sides. White seemed to
have no means of egress against such a plan in the present
position. |
15.Bc4 Ng5 16.f3 Ke7 [?:??-1:00] 17.Rd3
** |
Feeble. 17.Bf2 instead would have effectually
stopped
the release of Blacks pieces, excepting at the cost of an
important pawn
e.g.: 17.Bf2 Rd8 (if 17...d6, White attacks the bishop with
18.a3, and
then either advances up to b5, weakening the adverse queens
center, or
forces a continuation similar to the following) 18.a3 Bxc3 19.Bc5+ d6
20.Rxd6,
etc. |
17...Rd8 18.Na4
** |
Blackburne justly observed that he was more afraid of
18.Be1,
which would have enabled White to advance the pawns on the left wing for
an attack, or must have resulted in White keeping the two bishops, with
a good game. |
18...d6 19.Rb3 [1:00-?:??] 19...Ba5 20.Bf2 Ne6
21.g3
** |
A doubtful sort of waiting move, for it weakens the pawns
on the kingside. |
21...Bc7 22.Nc3
** |
With the object of attacking the a-pawn at a3, and
compelling
its advance. |
22...a5 23.Na4
** |
The knight is now strongly placed, in view of b6 being
assailable. |
23...Ba6 24.Bxa6 Rxa6 25.Rb7
** |
25.Rdd3 instead would have gained an important move, and
was perhaps sufficient to deter Black from opposing rooks at b8, for
White,
after exchanging, would then gain time by Rb3; while his king was also
near enough to protect the kingside within two moves. |
25...Rb8 26.Rxb8 Bxb8 27.Nb6 Bc7 28.Nc4
½-½.
** |
A fair draw. White has some attack against the
a-pawn,
but he is not likely to succeed, on account of Black being enabled to
effect
a diversion by the advance of the d-pawn. |
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The Field, London,
1881.07.02
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