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 Rosenthal-Zukertort Match,
London 1880
Researched by Nick Pope

    THE fifth game, played on Wednesday, May 12.  Another draw.  Generally, undecided games are of a dull sort; but this will never be said of the second and the last two games of this match, which are full of fine points.  Again Zukertort opened with the Ruy Lopez, and Rosenthal defended in a manner little known hitherto; but the former introduced a new line of attack on the 7th move, whereby he gave up a P, but brought his pieces into rapid action.  On the 11th move he recovered his P with the superior game; but on the 13th move we believe he missed a straightforward way of strengthening his advantage in position by B to K 2, and he entered instead on a complicated line of attack by another sacrifice of a P, followed soon by giving up a piece.  Rosenthal was cool and collected in his defence.  He accepted all sacrifices, but soon returned his gains, and took an opportunity of castling into safety just when he seemed to be at the point of the utmost danger.  In a few moves afterwards the game was abandoned as drawn on the merits of the position; for the opponents had only one R and B each, the bishops were of opposite colours, and the pawns were quite even in number and well placed on both sides.  Rosenthal’s play shows firmness and assurance, and he does not seem in the least discouraged by his first defeat in the match.  His general bearing has gained him many friends, and amongst other marks of favour he received last week notice of his election as honorary member of the St. George’s Chess Club.  The two players have agreed to suspend play on Monday next, on account of the general holiday.
The Field, London, 1880.05.15
Zukertort,JH — Rosenthal,S
(5)
C67/02
Spanish: Open Berlin (Rosenthal)
1880.05.12
GBR London
Annotations by Wilhelm Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Nxe4 5.d4 a6
** This move is rarely adopted at this stage; the usual move here is 5...Be7.
6.Bd3 d5 7.c4
** A new line of attack which appears very effective.  The German Handbuch gives here the following continuation: 7.Nxe5 Nxd4 8.Re1 Be6 9.c3 Nc6 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.Qa4 Qd7 12.Bxe4 dxe4 13.Qxe4, with an even game.
7...Bg4
** 7...Be6 would equalise the game at once; but Black was apparently in hopes of retaining the pawn.
8.cxd5 Qxd5 9.Re1 Nf6
** It would have been dangerous to try to defend the knight by 9...f5, e.g., 9...f5 10.h3 Bh5 (If 10...Bxf3 the pawn retakes, and Black may then get three pawns for the piece, commencing with 11...Nxf2; but as the majority of pawns is not compact but separated on the two wings, it would be dangerous to pursue such a speculation in a match game.) 11.g4 Bg6 12.gxf5 Bxf5 13.Bxe4 Bxe4 14.Nc3 Bxf3 (best) 15.Nxd5 Bxd1 16.Nxc7+, and the knight afterwards escapes at b6.
10.Nc3 Qd7 11.Nxe5 Nxe5
** If 11...Bxd1, White would have maintained the advantage by 12.Nxd7+ (not 12.Nxc6+, on account of the reply 12...Qe6), followed by Bf5+, before taking the bishop.
12.Rxe5+ Be7 13.Qe1
** Here we think that White would have done better to interpose the bishop at e2.  The game might then have proceeded thus: 13.Be2 O-O (If 13...Bxe2, the queen retakes, and Black will never be able to castle.  The bishop cannot well retreat, for, if 13...Bf5, White pursues by 14.g4, 15.g5, and 16.Bg4, and, if 14...Be6, the d-pawn will obviously attack him again.) 14.Bg5 (It would be bad play to take the bishop with bishop, followed by 15.Rxe7, for the queen dare not afterwards capture the knight, a mate being threatened with the queen at e1.) 14...Bf5 15.Bf3 c6 16.d5, with much the superior game; for, if 16...cxd5, the knight takes, and, if Black replies 17...Nxd5, he loses a piece by the answer 18.Rxd5, followed by 19.Bxe7.
13...Be6 14.d5
** The attack which follows after this sacrifice is harassing, but not strong enough to secure victory.
14...Nxd5 15.Nxd5 Bxd5 16.Bf5 Be6 [?:??-1:00] 17.Bg5
** Blacks defense was very clever, and White could not now press the attack by 17.Bxe6, for Black would have taken with the pawn, and then coolly castled on the queenside in answer to 18.Rxe6, for the rook could not take the bishop, as the queen could simply take the rook.  The move in the text is an ingenious but futile attempt at forcing the game by a violent and puzzling attack.
17...Bxg5 18.Rd1 Qe7
** Good, though curious, for he secures now an even game by castling, as White must recover the piece by 19.Bxe6.  But we think it would have been worth trying to remain with a pawn ahead by 18...Qa4; e.g.: 18...Qa4 19.Bxe6 fxe6 20.Rxg5 (If 20.Rxe6+, the king may move to f8; and it does not much matter that the h-rook remains confined for some time, as the latter can relieve himself soon by ...h5 and ...Rh6.) 20...O-O 21.Qxe6+ Kh8, with a pawn ahead, and the superior game; for, if White now play 22.Rd7, the answer would be 22...Qc2; or, if 22.b3, the queen may capture the a-pawn, threatening ...Qxf2+.  We give a diagram of the curious position.
19.Bxe6 O-O 20.Bb3 [1:00-?:??]
** He could have won the queen here, but at too great cost, e.g.: 20.Rd7 Qf6 21.Rxf7 Rxf7 22.Rf5 Qxf5 23.Bxf5 Rxf5 24.Qe6+ Rf7, with three pieces for the queen, and a winning game.
20...Qf6 21.Rd7 Kh8
** He sees it, and all prospects of winning vanishes for White, who had threatened 22.Rxf7, winning the queen; for, if 23...Rxf7, the other rook checks at e8.
22.g3 Qc6 23.Rxf7 Rxf7 24.Bxf7 Qc1 ½-½.
**
The Field, London, 1880.05.15

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