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

THE EIGHTH GAME A DRAW.
CONTINUATION OF THE CHESS MATCH.
GUNSBERG PLAYED THE GIUOCO PIANO OPENING 
-STEINITZ STILL LEADS BY ONE GAME.
:
    After a few days’ rest, which ought to have had a salutary effect upon both players, Messrs. Steinitz and Gunsberg resumed their match for the chess championship yesterday at the rooms of the Manhattan Chess Club in this city.  In opening the eighth game of the contest Gunsberg, who had the move, played for the second time a Giuoco Piano, which, however, was this time varied on the fifth move by his playing P-Q B 3, the move generally recognized and adopted as the best, instead of castling, as he did on the former occasion.
    As the game proceeded it failed to awaken the interest of the spectators, who would idly glance over the game now and again, but who in the main found more interest in playing games among themselves, in studying problems, or in analyzing positions.  On the whole, the conclusion of yesterday’s game points to a fair degree of equality in the masters’ play, for at no point did either appear to possess a distinct advantage over his antagonist; and yet this very fact was perhaps what divested the game of those brilliancies which are best seen when one player gets very much the better of the other.
    However that may be, yesterday’s game, from the spectators’ point of view, was the least interesting of the eight which have been played in this match.
    At the best there is little of an adventurous character about a Giuoco Piano opening, and usually the issue is a draw.  Gunsberg’s fifth move, already alluded to, may be said to have been a little more advantageous to him than his move in the former game as this point.  Steinitz was compelled to change his tactics two moves later, for it would not have been wise for him to pursue his former policy by playing Kt-Q R 4, inasmuch as White’s B had a convenient point of retreating at Q B 2, and Black’s Kt would at the same time have been put in danger.
    A new line of play was instituted by Steinitz at his eighth turn, when he drew back his Kt-Q sq. with the idea of defending with his Q Kt an almost certain attack on the K side.  As was anticipated, Gunsberg instituted this attack.  Steinitz missed an opportunity at this point and his opponent was enabled to undouble his pawns, while the Black King was compelled to seek shelter on the Q side without being allowed a chance to castle.  There are really no other points deserving of particular mention, except that Gunsberg offered a draw on the thirty-first move, which Steinitz declined.  On the thirty-sixth move, however, the “great theorist” himself appeared to think this was the only expedient, so he proposed a draw which was accepted.  The position of affairs now stands at three wins for Steinitz, two for Gunsberg and three drawn games.
New-York Daily Tribune, 1890.12.28

CHESS CHAMPIONS ENGAGED.
THE EIGHTH GAME OF THE MATCH ENDS IN A DRAW.
Gunsberg Again Opened a Giuoco Piano, but the 
Veteran Plays a Sterling Defence-The Game was Fought 
Evenly Throughout-No “Fireworks” in It.
:
    Christmas Day, with its festivities is past, and the reaction which as a rule follows upon a season of merriment was apparent on every hand yesterday at the Manhattan Chess Club just before the time for the resumption of play in the match between Steinitz and Gunsberg.  The two masters appeared to be equally under the influence of retrospective reflections upon joys that were no more, while one of the most constant followers of the play in this match, a well-known amateur player, was in such a quiet, grave mood that one could hardly get rid of the notion that he was still ruminating over his Christmas turkey and plum pudding.
    After play had been going on for a while, members and visitors began to increase in number in the club room, but there was a sort of languid indifference in the manner of most of them as the entered - an appearance which seemed to tell of a surfeit of good things, the mere recollection of which was sufficient for the time to deprive even the great chess encounter of the interest and attractiveness which is has hitherto possessed for them.
    There was nothing in the opening if the eighth game to banish the general languor.  Gunsberg, whose turn it was to move first, played a sort of Sponziani [sic] variation of the Giuoco Piano opening.  A similar opening was played by Tschigorin in his first game against Gunsberg in Havana a year ago, and on that occasion the Russian vanquished his opponent.  Yesterday when the Hungarian played 6. B-K 3, Steinitz, as he did in a former game in the present match, replied by clearing off the bishop, a move which is in opposition to the long-established and adopted principles of most of the leading masters.
    It is a noteworthy fact that after nineteen moves had been made not a single pawn had been taken.  Another thing which is charged with some interest is made apparent when one looks back upon the game already played.  Gunsberg, in almost every instance, has effected a considerable saving of time in the opening, but just as consistently has Steinitz given him something to think about in the middle game, and here the younger player has spent so much time in thought that he has more than once hampered his end play by being compelled to move rapidly under heavy time pressure.
    The first twenty moves in yesterday’s game were made very quickly by both players, who had each nearly an hour in which to make the last three moves prior to the adjournment of the afternoon sitting.
    In regard to the character of the game, it was one which was so safely played on both sides that it admitted of no display of brilliancy whatever.  As a matter of fact, it has now come to be accepted almost as an axiom that any well-played game, in which neither player makes a grave or material mistake, will naturally conclude in a draw, although such a game, as a rule, is far less interesting than one which results in victory or defeat.  In the last mentioned category are to be found the games which have made a stir in the chess world.  Yesterday’s game, belongs, as it does, to the evenly fought class, was pronounced by many of the spectators present as a very “tame” one.  No single feature in it seemed to arouse anything more than a mere ordinary interest.  Indeed, if there was any interest at all manifested, it was rather of the passive that the active order.  Gunsberg offered a draw on his thirty-first move, but Steinitz seemingly thought he could do something better with his game, for he declined the proposal.  It could not be seen by the onlooker, however, that he had any advantage which would be likely to prove valuable to him, and after a few more moves he evidently changed his mind; he in turn proposed a draw, which Gunsberg accepted.  It was 4:45 when the game was thus terminated, and at that time the position was one in which neither player seemed to have the slightest advantage.  The score now stands: Steinitz, 3; Gunsberg, 2; drawn, 3.
The Sun, New York, 1890.12.28

THE THIRD DRAWN GAME.
Steinitz and Gunsberg Renew Their
Chess Battle.
Steinitz Has Won Three and the Londoner Two 
of the Contest-A Stubborn Fight in the Rooms of the 
Manhattan Chess Club-The Next Game Will Be Played To-morrow.
:
    The recess since Monday last in the play of the chess match has increased the curiosity of chess-players to know which of the two combatants now wrestling for the world’s championship will gain a decided lead over his opponent.  It was generally felt yesterday that the time has now arrived for the match to take a turn.  Mr. Steinitz, starting with a game ahead, was expected to make an effort to secure another victory, which would have given him sufficient advantage to make sure of not losing the match, while his opponent would have been correspondingly depressed.
    Under these circumstances it was not to be wondered at that a good many chess enthusiasts flocked to the rooms of the Manhattan Chess Club to witness what they expected to be a game having a critical influence on the result of the match.  At the call of time when Messrs. Steinitz and Gunsberg faced each other, they seemed to be in a most happy mood.  The game itself fully reflects the state of affairs.  Mr. Gunsberg, having the first move, felt too seriously the importance of that game to risk any other opening than his trusted friend, the Giuoco piano.
    After the opening moves, varied from the fourth game by Gunsberg playing 5 P-Q B 3, Black did not castle, and gave White an opportunity to develop his forces with considerable vigor and rush into a seemingly promising attack by 16 Q-R 4, which subsequently compelled Black to move his king.  White showed a very keen scent for the attack, and in pursuing it perhaps too hotly by playing his R-K Kt 3 he lost somewhat of the advantage which his superior development might have given him.  As usual in such cases, Black then had a chance of assuming offensive tactics.
    Mr. Steinitz did not, however, seem inclined to follow the example of his opponent by instituting an attack, but confined himself to making matters secure through the advance of P-K Kt 4, which gave White liberty to devote his attention to the queen’s side, as he had nothing to fear on the king’s wing.  Again Black apparently thought of his own safety only, and as soon as White prepared to mass his forces on the queen’s side Black did the same, the result being an exchange of pieces, which brought about a position wherein neither player saw a chance to win.  On the thirty-seventh move the game was abandoned as drawn.
    Although a draw is only a negative result it was generally conceded that the outcome of this game proves that there is not much difference in strength between these renowned players, and the members of the Manhattan Chess Club recognize that whichever player wins the match will have to do so by hard fighting and good chess.  The score: Steinitz, 3; Gunsberg, 2; drawn, 3.  The next game will be played on Monday.
The World, New York, 1890.12.28

Gunsberg,IA — Steinitz,W
(8)
C54/07
Giuoco Piano: Pianissimo
1890.12.27
USA New York, NY (Manhattan Chess Club)
Annotations by Gunsberg & Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3
** Gunsberg: A deviation from his line of play in the fourth game.
5...d6 [0:02:30-0:02:30] 6.Be3 Bxe3
** Gunsberg: Steinitz considers the double pawn on the e-file resulting from this exchange a disadvantage for the first player.  The usual move is 6...Bb6 instead.
Steinitz: Chopped in a similar way as in game four.  The fact that White has played 5.c3 makes no difference in the situation.
7.fxe3 Qe7 8.0-0 Nd8
** Gunsberg: This knight is made extensive use of.
Steinitz: Quite new and its object will soon be seen.
9.Nbd2 Ne6
** Steinitz: This knight is now in communication with both wings and White cannot afford to exchange it for the bishop without strengthening Blacks position.
10.d4 Ng4 [0:06-0:10]
** Steinitz: Not so much with the object of attacking Whites e-pawn, but in order to make room for the advance of the f-pawn.
11.Qe1 f6 12.Nh4 Nh6
** Gunsberg: 12...g6 instead of the last move would have prevented White from dissolving his double pawns.
Steinitz: Probably 12...g6 would have been better, because it would not have allowed White to undouble his pawns. Still there was some object in it as Whites e3-pawn formed a marked attack.
13.Nf5 Nxf5 14.exf5 Nf8 15.e4 Nd7 [0:15-0:25] 16.Qh4 Nb6 17.Qh5+ Kd8 18.Bb3 Bd7 19.Rae1 c6 20.Re3 Kc7 [0:17-0:43] 21.Rg3
** Gunsberg: It would have been better to double rooks at once on the d-file.
Steinitz: White has conducted the attack with great spirit, but, though Blacks king is now in safety, his kingside is somewhat weak.
21...Raf8
** Gunsberg: To prevent White from 22.Qf7.
Steinitz: In order to prevent 22.Qf7, which would have gained a pawn for White.
22.dxe5 dxe5 23.Qe2
** Gunsberg: A well timed retreat. He changes his attack to the queenside, as he has no prospects of accomplishing anything on the kingside, while on the other hand Black might gain ground 23...Be8.
23...g5
** Gunsberg: Black could have assumed the attack against the adverse king by playing this pawn only one square. The move actually made renders White safe, as he could calmly await an advance of Blacks g-pawn or h-pawn and then block the kingside by moving the g-pawn in reply to ...h3 or the h-pawn if Black pushes the g-pawn to g3.
Steinitz: Gunsberg expressed the opinion that 23...g6 was better. It is a difficult question to decide for the object of that move could only be to exchange the f-pawn, and then Whites knight obtains a favorable square at e4.
24.Rd3
** Steinitz: If 24.fxg6 hxg6, and obviously White there will not take the g-pawn with the rook on account of the rejoinder 25...Qh7.
24...Bc8
** Gunsberg: 24...Be8 instead, with a view of posting it after due preparation at h5, seems to be more promising.
25.Rd1 Rd8 [0:53-1:10] 26.Nf1
** Steinitz: An excellent move.
26...Nd7 27.Bc2 Nc5 28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.Rxd8 Kxd8 30.b4 Nd7 [1:00-1:20]
** Gunsberg: This knight has now moved eight times in thirty moves.
31.Bb3
** Steinitz: At this point Gunsberg offered a draw, but Black decided to go on.
31...a5
** Steinitz: Of course, if 32.bxa5 Qc5+ and recovers the pawn with advantage.
32.a3 axb4 33.axb4 Qd6 34.Ne3 b5 35.Kf2 Kc7 [1:04-2:08]
** Steinitz: Black at first contemplated 35...c5, but, as Gunsberg pointed out, he would have answered just the same 36.Qd1, and there was hardly anything more in it than a draw.
36.Qd1 [1:05-2:08] ½-½.
** Gunsberg: After the exchange of queens the slight superiority of the position of Whites pawn is sufficiently counterbalanced by the presence of Blacks king on the queenside.  The game was here abandoned as drawn.
The Sun, New York, 1890.12.28
The World, New York, 1890.12.28
New-York Daily Tribune, 1890.12.28

Return to Match Index

[Excavations] [Library] [Museum] [Journal] [Market] [Openings]
© 1999 Jacques N. Pope. All Rights Reserved.