THE eighteenth game, played
on Monday, the 21st inst., was a fine and interesting contest from the
beginning almost to the very end. Though analysts will seriously
complain
about the uniformity of the openings adopted in this match, yet lovers
of theoretical novelties may be satisfied with the new varieties
introduced
in the course of this contest within the limits of the openings chosen.
Rosenthal experimented this time on another form of the Ruy Lopes,
hitherto
unknown. He introduced 5. Kt to Q B 3 in the Anderssen form of this
opening,
in lieu of P to Q B 3, which constitutes the Steinitz variation.
Zukertorts
reply, P to Q R 3, was waste to time; and Rosenthal, with keen
perception,
exchanged the B for the Kt, thus creating one of Anderssens
favourite
positions with a move ahead, as clearly shown by comparing the game
after
Blacks 6th move with the first game between Anderssen and
Blackburne in
the Vienna Congress. Rosenthal again had the best of the development,
and
kept up the attack towards the middle, of which we believe he ought to
have made more. But it came to no more than an exchange of pieces, with
bishops of opposite colours and even forces and positions, when on the
17th move Zukertort left a P apparently as a bait, as its capture seemed
very dangerous. Rosenthals replies on the next two moves proved
abundantly
that he had looked beyond the opponents scheme, for he accepted
the proffered
P, and defended himself against all consequent menaces in a manner which
threw on the opponent the onus of exchanging queens, and afterwards of
fighting for a draw. For White had two compact passed pawns on the
extreme
Q wing, which looked very formidable, though bishops were of opposite
colours.
The way in which Zukertort defended himself in this difficulty was a
fine
piece of strategy. He actually created mating positions on the
opponents
K wing, by the advance of his K R P, and by fixing his B at K B 6,
threatening
to sacrifice one of his rooks in support of his attack. Rosenthal was on
his guard, and perhaps would have succeeded in getting safe and
asserting
his superiority if he had not lost time on the 25th move. As it was,
Zukertort,
by some masterly movements with his pawns, rook, and bishop, brought the
adverse pawns to a standstill, exchanged one of the hostile rooks, and
obtained such an attack against the exposed opposite K as to force his
adversary to declare himself satisfied with a draw, after about three
hours
fight. |
The Field, London,
1880.06.26
|
|
|
Rosenthal,S Zukertort,JH
|
(18)
|
C48/01 |
Four Knights: Spanish (Rosenthal)
|
|
|
Annotations by Wilhelm
Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3
d6 5.Nc3
** |
A very good move at this stage, to
all appearance. It rests on the new idea of gaining time for
Anderssens
line of play, who generally took 5.Bxc6, creating a doubled pawn, and
then
aimed as straight as possible at exchanging pieces, and bringing about
and endgame. |
5...a6
** |
He does not perceive that he
remains
a clear move behind. In the game between Anderssen and Blackburne above
referred to, the latter had adopted 3...a6, and Anderssen had, as usual,
withdrawn 4.Ba4. |
6.Bxc6+ bxc6 7.d4 exd4 8.Qxd4 c5
9.Qd3 Bb7 10.0-0 Be7 11.e5 Nd7 12.exd6 cxd6 13.Nd5
** |
Bringing out a fresh piece was more
in accordance with the usual rules of the attack, and was also more
effective
in the present instance. He ought to have proceeded with 13.Bf4, and the
game might have gone on thus: 13.Bf4 Nf6 (This seems best, for the
knight
will probably be wanted on the kingside, and he is therefore better
placed
here than at b6) 14.Rfe1 (threatening 15.Rxe7+, followed by 16.Bxd6 in
case the opponent castles) 14...d5 15.Rad1 d4 (if 15...Ne4, 16.Nxe4,
followed
by 17...Qc3) 16.Qe2 0-0 17.Qxe7 Qxe7 18.Rxe7 Bxf3 19.gxf3 dxc3 20.b3,
with
the superior game; for Blacks pawns
on the
queenside are hardly supportable in the ending. |
13...0-0
14.Nxe7+
** |
Even now 14.Bf4 was stronger, and
might have led to the following continuation: 14.Bf4 Bxd5 15.Qxd5 Nf6
(if
15...Nb6, 16.Qc6, followed by 17.Qb7, in case the rook attacks her)
16.Qc6
d5 17.Rad1 , and then 18.Rfe1, with the better game. |
14...Qxe7 15.Re1 Ne5 16.Nxe5 dxe5
17.Be3 Qe6
** |
This trap was not laid deep
enough. |
18.Bxc5
** |
White accepts the bait, and escapes
with it scot-free, as will be seen. |
18...Qc6 19.Qf3
** |
This fine rejoinder must have been
overlooked by Black in his forecast on the 17th move. |
19...Qxf3
** |
He had nothing better, and only
risked
worse if he took the bishop, e.g.: 19...Qxc5 20.Qxb7 Rab8 21.Qxa6 Rxb2
22.Qd3, and Whites a-pawn becomes
formidable. |
20.gxf3 Rfc8 21.b4 Bxf3 22.Rxe5
a5 23.c3 axb4
** |
Black is fighting under great
difficulties
now, and extricates himself in a masterly manner. He designedly relieves
the adverse passed pawns from all control of the only pawn he possess on
this side, and in this exceptional case he proves right, for he supports
a fine scheme thereby. |
24.cxb4 Rd8 25.h3
[1:00-?:??]
** |
That Black threatened 25...Rxa2,
which
could not be retaken on account of the impending mate, was obvious; but
had he seen at once the purport of Blacks
next fine rejoinder, he would have advanced 25.h4 at once, thus gaining
the required time for pushing 26.a4 which probably would have
won. |
25...h5
** |
We give a diagram of this
position. |
** |
The main object of this beautiful
move is to stop the immediate advance of the adverse a-pawn. |
26.h4
** |
Whereby he acknowledges a previous
error. He could not now advance the a-pawn, for the opponent might have
taken it; e.g.: 26.a4 Rxa4 27.Rxa4 Rd1+ 28.Kh2 h4 29.Ra8+ Kh7 30.Rh5+
Bxh5.
Black thus recovers his pawn, with a very good game. White has nothing
better to save himself than 31.Kg2; and then Black stops the advance of
the b-pawn by ...Rb8, or ...Be2; and afterwards his king comes up to g6
and f5, followed by ...g5, with a strong attack on the kingside. Yet we
believe that he would have accomplished his object better by 26.Kh2 at
this point. If, then, 26...h4, 27.Re3, followed by 28.Rc3, in case
27...Bc6.
This gave him more chance of making use of his combined two passed
pawns,
for he might even aim at sacrificing his e3-rook for the adverse bishop
when opportunity offered itself, and his pawns would then more than
cover
the loss of the exchange if they could cross the white
squares. |
26...f6 27.Re3 Bc6 28.a3 Rd2
[?:??-1:00]
29.Re6 Rd7 30.Rd6 Rxd6 31.Bxd6 Bb5 32.Kh2 Kf7 33.Bc5 Ke6 34.Re1+ Kf5
35.Re3
Re8 36.Rf3+ Kg6 37.Rg3+
** |
His h-pawn remained now too weak to
allow him to speculate on bringing his king round to the queenside after
exchanging rooks; besides, Black was also near enough with his king, and
had thus the option of playing for attack or defense. |
37...Kf7 38.Rc3
Re4
** |
This forces equality. It would be
loss of time, for neither side can now play to win. |
39.Re3
½-½.
** |
The Field,
London, 1880.06.26
|
|