STEINITZ STILL CHAMPION.
GUNSBERG LOSES THE CHESS MATCH.
THE NINETEENTH GAME DRAWN-CONGRATULATIONS
FOR THE VETERAN.
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The match between Steinitz and Gunsberg for the
chess championship of the world, which has been going on at the
Manhattan
Chess Club, in West Twenty-seventh-st., since December 9, was definitely
decided in favor of the veteran player by the nineteenth game, which was
contested yesterday. The result of Wednesdays play still left it
possible
for Gunsberg to draw the match, but in order to do this he had got to
win
consecutively the only two games which might still be played before the
maximum limit of twenty was reached. Yesterdays game being
drawn,
the score was brought to this state: Steinitz 6, Gunsberg 4, drawn 9,
which
rendered it impossible any longer for Gunsberg to divide championship
honors
with the veteran player, who has remained unconquerable in match play
for
a quarter of a century. |
This being the condition of affairs last night,
it was decided not to contest the twentieth game, which, no matter how
it had resulted, would not have altered Steinitzs position as
winner of
the match and possessor of the title of champion of the world. |
There did not appear to be any particular effort
on the part of Gunsberg to win the game, nor on the part of Steinitz
either,
except at one stage in the end play, when the veteran worked his King
out
as far as the fifth square of the Q B file with some effect. An
earlier
effort on the part of Gunsberg to utilize his King in the same way, for
purposes of attack on the Q side, proved of no value, and, indeed, it
only
compromised his position and resulted in his being compelled eventually
to retreat, not only the King itself but the Bishop as well, right back
to the first row. |
Fianally [sic] a draw was agreed upon at
the forty-second move, at which time Steinitz was of opinion that he had
the superior position, but considered it wise to compound for a draw
rather
than risk the possibility of a mistake which might have cost him the
game
and given Gunsberg still a chance to draw the match. The two
masters
afterward played out the game for a small stake between themselves, and
after about the twelfth move Gunsberg resigned. |
In the evening Steinitz received the
congratulations
of his various friends and supporters in the Manhattan Chess Club on his
ultimate success in retaining the title of champion of the
world. |
New-York Daily Tribune,
1891.01.23
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STEINITZ BEATS GUNSBERG.
AMERICAS CHAMPION REMAINS THE
CHAMPION OF THE WORLD.
The Man who has Beaten All Comers for
Twenty-five Years Disposes of the Anglo-
Hungarian -- Beaten but Not Disgraced --
Gunsberg Made a Gallant Fight Through-
out and Played Fine Chess.
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Steinitz was greeted on Wednesday night after he
had won the eighteenth game in his match with Gunsberg, as possessor of
half the championship, and received the congratulations of
his friends
and supporters on having at the very least insured a draw by the
brilliant
victory which he had achieved. Yesterday, by drawing the
nineteenth
game in the contest, he became once more his old self, the chess
champion
of the world, which proud title he had held undisputed for a quarter of
a century. |
To the spectators at the Manhattan Club the
interest
in yesterdays game was reduced to the question of whether Steinitz
would
succeed in either winning or drawing it, and thereby secure the final
victory,
or whether Gunsberg would manage to win and thus give the twentieth and
concluding game of the match preeminence over all the others in point of
supplying chess players with matter which would excite in them a lively
interest and enthusiasm. |
Having the turn to open, the veteran chose as his
subject the Queens Pawns opening, which ultimately was
resolved into
a regular Queens Gambit Declined. The play was conducted
very rapidly
on both sides. Queens were exchanged on the tenth move and some active
manoeuvring followed. |
Gunsberg did not seem to make any great effort to
win, and from the nature of the play it seemed as though Steinitz too,
would be satisfied with a draw, although when the game reached the end
stage the spectators were of the opinion that he was making an effort to
win. He marched out with his fighting monarch as far
as Q B 5,
where he surrounded him with the few remaining officers, while Gunsberg
confined himself almost entirely to defence, making very few aggressive
moves in the end game. A drawn position was finally arrived at,
and
this conclusion was agreed upon after forty-one moves. The total time
occupied
in play was considerably short of three hours. The remaining game
will not be played, as it could not possibly affect the position of
either
player, and the final score of the match, therefore, is: Steinitz, 6;
Gunsberg,
4; drawn, 9. |
Here is what Steinitz had to say yesterday: |
Naturally, as there has been some comment
upon
the frequent repetition of the same opening on my part, the public ought
to be reminded that in some of the best matches this has also been the
case. In the match between Staunton and St. Amant each of the
players,
throughout the contest of over twenty games, played the Queens
Gambit;
Morphy mostly played the Ruy Lopez, Kolisch the Giuoco Piano; Buckle,
the
great historian, as first player, adopted the Giuoco Piano, and as
second
player the French Defence. Numerous other instances might be
cited.
Now, I have never in my life played the French Defence, which is the
dullest
of all openings, and only once, as far as I can remember, the Sicilian,
as second player. I always play an open game when I am on the
defence,
and accept any gambits that are offered, but, as first player, I have
latterly
adopted a safe and sound opening like the Ruy Lopez against Zukertort,
and the Queens Gambit against Tschigorin and Gunsberg, and I made
up my
mind not to alter the openings until I was a good number games
ahead.
As all those matches were pretty close I had little opportunity of
varying,
though in former days, when I had a clearer memory, I ventured into a
variety
of attacks. |
As the score stood in the present match it would
have been simple folly in this game to have hazarded a new line of play,
and the opening proceeded in the usual manner. There was no
deviation
of importance. On the fourteenth move black made an attempt of a
counter attack, which, however, was quickly repelled, and as the game
progressed
it seemed almost as if black was playing for a draw himself, for he
offered
opportunities for effecting various exchanges, including both
rooks.
The result was that only two minor pieces were left on each side-bishop
and knight-with even pawns. |
At that stage I offered a draw, but Gunsberg said
he would rather go on, and he made some attempt at getting his king into
play on the queens side, which, however, greatly compromised his
position,
as his king and bishop were driven right back by the adverse pawns, and
white ultimately obtained the command of that wing, while blacks
centre
was blocked. The game proceeded to the forty-second move, when
black
offered a draw which white accepted. |
After this Gunsberg proposed to Steinitz that
they
should finish the game, and the latter assented to this proposal and
suggested
a small stake, at the same time giving his opponent the odds of a
draw.
On this understanding they continued the game just for pleasure, and
after
about a dozen moves Gunsbergs position became untenable, and he
resigned.
Steintiz contends that nobody will blame him for having agreed to a draw
when he did, because, had he played on in the proper contest he might
have
made a mistake, as he did on the previous day, and this might have cost
him the game. |
The Sun, New York,
1892.01.23
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Steinitz,W Gunsberg,IA
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(19)
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D40/01 |
Queens Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch
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1891.01.22 |
USA New York, NY (Manhattan Chess
Club)
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Annotations by Steinitz
1.d4 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3
Be7
5.Nf3 O-O [0:02-0:03] 6.Be2
** |
In the early part of the match
Steinitz
usually played 6.Bd3, but he has come to the conclusion that it is of no
use directing the bishop against the kingside, and that this piece could
be better employed in most variations at f3, after removing the
knight. |
6...dxc4 7.Bxc4 c5 8.O-O Nc6
9.dxc5
Bxc5 10.Qxd8 Rxd8 [0:05-0:05] 11.Bd2 a6
** |
Hardly a good move. It could
have had no other sensible object than to advance ...b5, and, as will be
seen, this would have greatly weakened his queenside. |
12.Rac1 Ba7
** |
Obviously, if 12...b5 13.Nxb5 axb5
14.Bxb5, and recovers the piece with at least one pawn ahead, even if
Black
gets the a-pawn. |
13.Rfd1 Bd7 14.Be1 Ng4 15.e4
** |
Black threatened either ...Bxe3 or
...Nxe3, which would have given him a rook and two pawns for two minor
pieces, which is rather more than an equivalent in the majority of
cases. |
15...Nce5 [0:24-0:20]
16.Nxe5
Nxe5 17.Be2 Bc6 18.Kf1 Bd4 19.f3 Rd7 20.Bf2 Rad8
[0:43-0:26]
** |
If 20...Bxc3 21.Rxc3 Rxd1+ 22.Bxd1
Rd8 23.Be2 (best) 23...Rd2 24.Bg3, followed either by exchanging the
knight
or, if the knight moves, by 25.Bxa6. |
21.Bxd4 Rxd4 22.Rxd4 Rxd4 23.Rd1 Rxd1+ 24.Nxd1 Kf8
25.Ke1
Ng6 [0:45-0:30] 26.Ne3 Ke7 27.Kd2 Kd6
28.Kc3
Kc5 29.g3
** |
29.Nc4, though it looks strong,
would
have been answered by 29...Bb5, and White could not get any advantage
out
if the position. |
29...Bb5 30.b4+ Kb6
[0:54-0:40]
31.Bd1 Kc7 32.a4 Bd7 33.f4 Bc6 34.Kd4 Ne7 35.Bb3 Be8 [1:15-0:45]
36.Nc4 Nc6+ 37.Kc5 Nd8
** |
Threatening ...b6+, followed by
...Nb7+
in case White takes the pawn. |
38.Nb6
** |
Stopping that maneuver and
exercising
a very commanding position on Blacks
crowded
pieces. |
38...f6 39.b5 axb5 40.axb5
Bg6[1:35-0:55]
41.Bc2 Bh5 [1:36-0:56]½-½.
** |
The game in my database says
41...h5,
but the two sources I used clearly state
41...Bh5.-[Pope] |
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The Sun, New York,
1891.01.23
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New-York Daily Tribune,
1891.01.23
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