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. Rosenthals 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. Georges 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
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Zukertort,JH Rosenthal,S
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(5)
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C67/02 |
Spanish: Open Berlin (Rosenthal)
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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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