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 thirteenth game, played on Thursday, the 3rd inst. The opening was the same as in the seventh game of the match up to White’s eighth move, when Zukertort adopted the attack by Kt to B 5 which we had recommended in our not (b) to that game. Rosenthal also pursued the defence given in our comments; but his adversary had evidently examined this variation beyond the limit of our notes; for, almost without any hesitation, he made a succession of moves instituting a perplexing attack whereby he left a P to be gained by the opponent, which, however, he would have recovered at least, with the better game, if Rosenthal accepted the offer. At the same time it would have been difficult for the French master always to make the right reply. Rosenthal exhausted a great deal of time and apparently useless calculation before he entered on the process of simplification, which gave him an even game in a few moves. The struggle for development was then transferred to the Q side, and White had somewhat the best of it up to the 26th move, when Zukertort left himself open to the loss of a clear P on the Q side. Rosenthal, who was short of time at that stage, did not see it, and, on the contrary, adopted a manœuvre whereby he lost a clear P himself. The French master played better after the 30th move, when the pressure of time limit had ceased, yet he missed his opportunity on the 33rd move of much improving his game. Zukertort was rather lax in his attention for some moves after he had gained the P, but his play from the 35th move was of a very high order. Rosenthal left a piece to be taken, evidently in result of a miscalculation, but it looked feasible enough at the time, and the sacrifice could only be defeated by the exact calculation which his opponent had evidently prepared. Every move of Zukertort combined attack and defence, and, though his K was apparently driven up to the dangerous hostile quarter, it soon became clear that the winner of the Paris tournament had in his forecast provided his final escape with an overwhelming superiority of forces. When Rosenthal resigned he was bound to lost a clear R, being at the time already four pawns behind. Duration, six hours and a half.
    The score at the time of our going to press stands, therefore: Rosenthal, 1; Zukertort, 4; drawn, 8.
The Field, London, 1880.06.05
Zukertort,JH — Rosenthal,S
(13)
C65/01
Spanish: Berlin (Nyholm)
1880.06.03
GBR London
Annotations by Wilhelm Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.0-0 Be7 6.e5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 0-0 8.Nf5
** It will be remembered that in the seventh game of the match Zukertort adopted the much inferior move 8.Re1 at this point.
8...d5 9.Nxe7+ Nxe7 10.f3 c6 11.fxe4 Qb6+ 12.Kh1 Qxb5 13.Nc3 Qc5 [?:??-1:00] 14.Bg5
** White rests his attack on the principle of rapid development, and his position is apparently worth the pawn he offers to give up.
14...Ng6
** Best. Had he played to gain the pawn, the game might have progressed thus: 14...dxe4 15.Nxe4 Qxe5 16.Nf6+ gxf6 (best; if 16...Kh8, then follows 17.Nxh7, 18.Qh5+ and 19.Rae1 as pointed out by Zukertort.) 17.Bxf6 Qd5 (best; any attempt to save the piece would be disastrous, on account of the reply 18.Qh5, or 18.Qd2, or 18.Qc1, always threatening either 19.Qg5+, or 19.Qh6, with a winning game.) 18.Qc1 Qh5 19.Bxe7, with the superior game. We may state that we thought at first that the capture of the e-pawn would be fraught with much greater danger, on account of the reply 16.Re1; but, on examination, we come the conclusion that Black might in that case retreat the queen to c7; and if the hostile knight sacrificed itself at f6, he might take, followed by 18...Nd5, and mostly afterwards by ...Qf4.
15.exd5 Nxe5 16.dxc6 Qxc6 17.Qe1
** If 17.Nd5, the only answer was 17...Ng6.
17...f6 18.Bf4 Ng6 19.Rd1 Re8 20.Qf2 Be6 21.Rd6 Qc4 22.Rd4 Qc6 23.Rfd1 Qb6 24.Na4 Qa5 25.b3 Rac8 26.c4
** Apparently an oversight. He endangers an important pawn thereby.
26...b5
** Black also overlooks that he could safely capture the c-pawn with the bishop, for the adverse knight was bound to lose ultimate support if White retook; and, in reply to 27.Bd2, the queen could keep its hold on the knight by 27...Qa6.
27.Bd2 Qc7
** 27...Qa6 looks awkward, but we feel sure that the legitimate result would not have justified the prejudice which appearances raise against it. It was certain to turn out better than to give up a clear pawn on the queenside, where he was already in a minority.
28.cxb5 Red8 29.Bc3 [1:00-?:??]
** We should have preferred 29.Be3, which would have kept greater pressure on the root of Blacks position, his a-pawn, without ultimately necessitating the desertion of Whites queen from his kingside, which afterwards might have caused some trouble.
29...Rxd4 30.Qxd4 Nf8 [?:??-2:00] 31.h3 Qb7
** Whites last move was weak. Black takes prompt advantage, for he also threatens now 32...Bxh3.
32.Kg1 Qxb5 33.Qxa7
** Which now exposes him. See note to Whites 29th move.
33...Bd7
** Dr. Ballard subsequently pointed out that Black might have here obtained a very good game by the following line of play: 33...Qe2 34.Re1 (This seems best; if 34.Ra1, Black may capture the bishop, followed by 35...Qb2) 34...Qxa2 35.Rxe6 Rxc3 (not 35...Nxe6, or else he would lose by the answer 36.Qd7) 36.Re7 Rg3, etc.
34.Qd4 Qg5 35.Nb6
** A beautiful move, which completely answers the opponents intended attack.
35...Bc6
** Had he taken the h-pawn, White would have checked with the queen at d5, and retaken with the knight, threatening 38.Ne7+.
36.Rd2 Re8 37.Qc4+ Kh8
** Under a misapprehension. He exaggerates the attack he obtained by the sacrifice. Of course, the proper move would have been 37...Re6.
38.Qxc6 Re1+
** Which required great courage, but he had clearly seen through all complications arising therefrom, as the sequel shows.
39.Kh2 Qe3
** Nothing was to be gained by 39...Qf4+, followed afterwards either by 40...Qf1 or 40...Qe3, for the ultimate respective answers of 41.Rg2 or 41.Qg2 made Whites game secure.
40.Nd5
** Better than 40.Rd3, which would have made his defense troublesome, e.g.: 40.Rd3 Qg1+ 41.Kg3 Re3+ 42.Rxe3 Qxe3+ 43.Kh2 Qf4+, and if the pawn interposes, the queen checks again at f2, winning the knight if queen interposes, otherwise White will be much harassed before he can escape all hostile checks.
40...Qg1+ 41.Kg3 [2:00-?:??] 41...h5 42.Qb6
** All this is very fine play. He apparently gives up a piece, but he would recover the same speedily with advantage.
42...h4+
** Had he exchanged queens, the game would have proceeded thus: 42...Qxb6 43.Nxb6 Re3+ 44.Kh2 Rxc3 45.Rd8, followed by 46.Nd7, if the king defends the knight, winning.
43.Kxh4 Qh2 44.Bxf6 Re4+ 45.Kh5 Qg3
** The last chance. He still threatens mate by 46...Rh4+, and 47...g6+, etc.
46.Bxg7+
** Whites play furnishes a fine example of modern style. He has worked his king up fearlessly, and now finishes off with a few energetic strokes. We give a diagram of the position.
46...Kxg7 47.Qf6+ Kh7 48.Qf7+ 1-0.
**
The Field, London, 1880.06.05

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