The Gunsberg-Steinitz Match,
World Championship 1890-91
Researched by Nick Pope
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STEINITZ WINS AGAIN.
HE LEADS BY TWO GAMES IN THE GREAT
CHESS MATCH.
THE TENTH CONTEST AN INTERESTING ONE, BUT
GUNSBERG WAS COMPELLED TO RESIGN.
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There was a good attendance at the rooms of the
Manhattan Chess Club yesterday when the tenth game was fought between
Steinitz
and Gunsberg in their contest for the championship of the world.
As will bee seen from the score of the game, Gunsberg, who had the move,
selected the safe Giuoco Piano, which opening he has frequently played,
and which he now adopted for the third time in the match. While
the
Giuoco Piano is in many respects highly interesting, it is an opening
which
gives Black an opportunity of developing his pieces at the same that
White
is doing so. |
In this case Steinitz took full advantage of the
opportunity thus afforded him. He castled after seven moves, and
Gunsberg seemingly made several moves to very little purpose, with the
result that he was prevented from castling, having finally to bring his
king into safe quarters b a sort of artifical castling, which left the
monarch on K R 2. Steinitz meanwhile had not been idle. He
succeeded in doubling his Rooks on the open Q file, and advancing his K
R P to the sixth square with a check. After twenty-seven moves had
been recorded he appeared to be threatening in all directions, and a few
moves later the afternoon sitting was adjourned, Steinitz this time,
being
the player to seal his move. |
The development of the game after the adjournment
proved highly interesting, Gunsberg withstanding in a clever manner for
some time the attacks of his opponent on the Kings side.
Ultimately,
however, he was compelled to succumb. He resigned on his
forty-fourth
move, which now makes the score: Steinitz, 4; Gunsberg, 2; drawn
4. This game, and in particular the conclusion, was pronounced to
be a fine one. |
New-York Daily Tribune,
1891.01.03
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BATTLING CHESS MASTERS.
STEINITZ NOW LEADS GUNSBERG BY
TWO GAMES.
The Anglo-Hungarian Opened an Italian
Game, but He Soon Had to Defend the
Repeated Attacks of His Opponent--The
Veteran Thought at First that He
Could Not Win the Game, but He
Finally Scored in Grand Style.
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The tenth game in the contest for the chess
championship
between Steinitz and Gunsberg was played yesterday at the Manhattan
Chess
Club in West Twenty-seventh street. Gunsberg again opened a Giuoco
Piano - which, along with most masters, he considers to be a very safe
and sound opening, and for which he appears to have more than an
ordinary
fondness. |
As in every other case, during the match Steinitz
consumed much more time than his opponent in the opening. In fact,
as early as the sixth move he began to fall behind. While Steinitz
castled on the eighth move, Gunsberg went in for a series of moves, the
evident intention of which was to further the development of his pieces,
but ultimately his position became such as to make it dangerous for him
to castle, and furthermore he hesitated in putting his king into
safety.
After apparently wasting several moves he decided upon bringing his king
via B sq. to K R 2. |
Meantime Steinitz got a stron attack on his
opponents
K P, eventually doubled his rooks on the kings file, having
previously
made an aggressive movement with his K R P, and after 28 moves had been
recorded Gunsberg was considered to have a little the worse position of
the two. |
For the first time Steinitz was the player to
seal
his move when an adjournment was made [...] |
At this point Steinitz expressed the belief that,
at the best, the game would only end in a draw, while, on the other
hand,
many strong amateur players who were present were of opinion that he had
a distinctly winning position. |
After the resumption of play at 7 oclock,
the game
developed some interesting complications. Steinitz tried hard to
break through the defence on the kings side, but Gunsberg showed
himself
equal to each successive emergency, defending the position in a
remarkably
skilful manner. |
Some fine play followed, but ultimately Gunsberg,
seeing that his efforts were going to be of no avail, saved time by
gracefully
resigning before he was positively compelled to do so. The score
now stands: Steinitz 4, Gunsberg 2, drawn 4. |
The Sun, New York,
1891.01.03
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STEINITZS ADVANTAGE.
HE WINS THE TENTH CHESS GAME
FROM THE LONDONER.
The Score Now Stands: Steinitz, 4;
Gunsberg, 2; Draws, 4 - Dame Fortune
Appeared to Be Against the
Englishman - Interested Spectators at the
Manhattan Chess Club Rooms.
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When the chess players assembled on Wednesday
last
to play the tenth game of the match, they found a number wo workmen busy
at the Manhattan Chess Club, carpeting the stairs leading to the second
floor, where the playing room is situated. The noise caused by the
incessant hammering rendered it impossible to for the champions to go on
with their game, and as there was no chance that the work would be
finished
before 4 oclock P.M. the game was postponed until yesterday. |
With the tenth game the first half of the contest
is concluded, for, as the readers of THE WORLD
will remember, the stipulations of the match contain the clause that if
none of the players have scored the necessary ten wins the
match shall
be terminated after twenty games played, and the winner of the majority
shall be declared the victor. An eager assembly of chess
connoisseurs
crowded the rooms of the Club and watched the run of the game with
unabated
excitement. |
The London expert conducted the white men, and he
stuck to his K Kt opening, followed by B-B 4. On the fourth move
he hesitated a little, but soon turned the game into a Giuoco
Piano.
On the sixth move he altered his line of play which he had adopted twice
before, namely, opposing his Q B at K 3 by bringing his Q Kt to Q
2.
The earlier part of the game was not well conducted by White, who, by
some
aimless moves, lost time and soon had the inferior position.
Afterwards
he improved his play and succeeded in ameliorating his position, when
Mr.
Steinitz, for the first time in the match, had to seal his move. |
After resumption of play, Dame Fortune seemed to
turn against the Englishman, for, laboring under pressure of time limit,
he had not sufficient time to examine 31 Kt to K3, which would have got
rid of Blacks troublesome rook. Mr. Gunsberg stated, after
conclusion
of the game, that he feared the consequences of Blacks sacrificing
the
Kt after the exchange of rooks. But, as will be seen by the
comments
to the appended game, Black could achieve nothing more than a
draw.
From this point the remainder of the moves were all forced. Black
played with his usual precision, and on the 43d move he was bound to win
a pawns. White preferred a quick surrender to the continuation of
a hopeless struggle, thus giving the veteran for the first time a lead
of two games. The score is now: Steinitz, 4; Gunsberg, 2; drawn,
4. This gives to the Austro-American champion an immense
advantage,
as he has only to make even games in the second half of the match.
The eleventh game will be played to-day at the usual place and
hour. |
The World, New York,
1891.01.03
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Gunsberg,IA Steinitz,W
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(10)
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C54/07 |
Giuoco Piano: Pianissimo
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1891.01.02 |
USA New York, NY (Manhattan Chess
Club)
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Annotations by Gunsberg &
Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.c3 d6
6.Nbd2
** |
Gunsberg: White again varies
his line of play, as on former occasions. The present maneuver of
bringing the b-knight over to the kingside via d2 and f1 was first
introduced
by Paul Morphy, who, however, had previously developed his light-square
bishop. Although the present line of play has been repeatedly
adopted
with success (among others by Steinitz vs. Blackburne and Gunsberg vs.
Blackburne), it is still an open question whether that maneuvre should
not be deferred until the light-square bishop has been developed.
Steinitz: The idea to bring this knight
out to d2 and then to f1, was first brought out by myself, against
Blackburne,
in a Ruy Lopez, and it has since been adopted in various
openings. |
6...Ne7 7.Nf1 c6
** |
Steinitz: A
counter-demonstration
of the same sort as that of the opponent. |
8.Qe2
** |
Steinitz: 8.Ne3 or 8.Be3 was
preferable. |
8...O-O 9.h3
** |
Gunsberg: With a view of
instituting
a kingside attack, but White loses valuable time in making his
preparations.
Steinitz: This weakens the kingside
somewhat. |
9...d5 10.Bb3 Ng6 11.g3
** |
Steinitz: Necessary but not
auspicious for his game. |
11...dxe4
** |
Gunsberg: There was no
necessity
for this exchange 11...d4, as played by Chigorin, seems to be
superior.
Steinitz: Premature; 11...Re8 instead
was stronger. |
12.dxe4 Be6
** |
Steinitz: Black can well
afford
the double pawn which White can create condsidering the open f-file
which
he would gain and that White would find it difficult to castle on either
side. |
13.Ng5
** |
Gunsberg: Should White
exchanges
bishops here the open f-file would be more than an equivalent for
Blacks
doubled e-pawns. |
13...Bxb3 14.axb3 Qd7 15.Be3 Bxe3 16.Qxe3 b6
** |
Steinitz: Probably better
than
either 16...a6 or 16...Rad8, as the pawns will have to be protected
sooner
or later. |
17.Nd2
** |
Gunsberg: He would have done
much better by playing 17.Rd1 instead. |
17...c5 18.Ngf3 Rad8 19.Nc4
** |
Gunsberg: Not good, as he
only
loses time thereby.
Steinitz: This move was wasted, and
only
helped Black to consolidate his forces. |
19...Rfe8
** |
Gunsberg: Perhaps it would
have been better to leave that rook on its place in order to push, after
due preparation, ...f5, which would have been very dangerous for
White. |
20.Ncd2
** |
Gunsberg: This retreat is
now
necessary, as Black threatened ...Nf4, which White could not take with
impunity. |
20...Re7 21.Kf1
** |
Gunsberg: Castling on the
queenside
instead would have submitted him to a vehement attack. |
21... h5
** |
Gunsberg: 21...Nh5, with a
view of sacrificing one of the knights on f4, was to be considered
here. |
22.Kg2 h4 23.Kh2
** |
Gunsberg: White defends
himself
very carefully. This move makes the h-rook available for his
defense. |
23...Qb5
** |
Gunsberg: Finely
played.
The object is to reduce the activity of the adverse knight, as White is
compelled to occupy the square at c4 with his pawn. |
24.c4 Qc6 25.Rac1
** |
Gunsberg: White now brings
this rook into active and useful service.
Steinitz: His best defense undoubtedly,
as Black threatened a terrible ...R7d3, after doubling the
rooks. |
25...Red7 [1:01-1:23] 26.Rc3 Nh5
27.Rg1 Qf6 28.Nf1 Rd1
** |
Gunsberg: White has
considerably
improved his position. The position is very interesting and
complicated.
It would require a very close examination to determine whether
Blacks
last move was really the best at his disposal. |
29.Qe2
** |
Gunsberg: A very good move,
which threatens N3d2.
Steinitz: An excellent move, as it
threatens
to bring out his knight to e3, and into the center at d5. |
29...hxg3+ 30.fxg3 (Adjourned)
30...Ra1
(Sealed)
** |
Gunsberg: This move was
sealed
by Steinitz.
Steinitz: Of all the continuations at
Blacks disposal this was probably the
best. |
31.N3d2
** |
Gunsberg: 31.Ne3 would be
much
better as it would compel Black to exchange rooks and allow White to
play
subsequently Nd5. The tempting sacrifice of the knight on the part
of Black would lead to a draw; at least, it is difficult to see how
Black
could improve on the following line of play: 31.Ne3 Rxg1 32.Nxg1 Nxg3
33.Kxg3
Qf4+ 34.Kg2 Nh4+ 35.Kh1 Qxe4+, etc. Also, 33...Qh4+ or 33...Nf4 would
not
give him a winning attack.
Steinitz: Much better was 31.Ne3,
whereupon
the game would probably have proceeded 31...Ngf4 32. Qf2 best, (if
32.gxf4
Qxf4+ 33.Kg2 best, 33...Qg3+ followed by 34...Qxh3+, winning in a few
moves)
32...Rxg1 33.Nxg1 Nd3 and though Black will win a pawn, White can make
an excellent fight of it by exchanging queens and playing
Nd5. |
31...Qg5 32.Rf3
** |
Gunsberg: 32.Rd3 at once
were
better. |
32...Nf6 33.Rd3
** |
Gunsberg: If 33.Rf5 Qh6, but
it still seems preferable to the move actually made. |
33...Rxd3 34.Qxd3 Nf8
** |
Gunsberg: A very good
move.
He intends to post his knight on d4, which means practically a won
game.
Steinitz: As will be seen this was done
with a view of occupying a strong position in the center spot at
d4. |
35.Qe3
** |
Gunsberg: If 35.Nf3 Black
replies
by 35...Qc1. |
35...Qg6 [1:50-2:22] 36.Rg2 Ne6
37.Re2
** |
Gunsberg: This is forced, as
Black threatened ...Ng5, followed by ...Qh5.
Steinitz: Forced; because Black
threatened
to take the e-pawn and ultimately the other knight with the
rook. |
37...Nd4
** |
Steinitz: Black has achieved
his object of forming a powerful attack in the centre, which places the
adverse isolated pawns at his mercy. |
38.Rf2 Ra2 39.Nf3
** |
Gunsberg: White has no good
reply. If 39.Qc3 then the e-pawn falls. |
39...Nxf3+ 40.Qxf3 Qxe4
[2:12-2:41]
41.Qxe4 Nxe4 42.Re2 Ng5
** |
Steinitz: Indirectly
protecting
the e-pawn, as Black threatens check at f3. |
43.Kg2 Ne6 [2:15-2:43]
0-1.
** |
Gunsberg: His position is
hopeless.
If he takes the e-pawn he loses both his b-pawns, and if 44.Ne3 Black
replies
with 44...Nd4, winning a second pawn.
Steinitz: It is only a question of
time.
His pawns on the queenside must fall and he can hardly steer his king,
while Black has free hands. |
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The Sun, New York,
1891.01.03
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The World, New York,
1891.01.03
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New-York Daily Tribune,
1891.01.03
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