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

STEINITZ HIMSELF AGAIN.
HE WINS THE EIGHTEENTH GAME IN THE
CHESS CONTEST.
GUNSBERG OPENS AGAIN WITH THE EVANS’ 
GAMBIT-AN EXCITING STRUGGLE.
:
    The eighteenth game in the championship chess match between Steinitz and Gunsberg, which was played yesterday at the Manhattan Chess Club, proved attractive for many reasons, first of all on account of its inevitable influence on the ultimate outcome of the contest, and, in the second place because of Gunsberg again opening an Evans’ Gambit, the game upon which is centred an unusually keen and widespread interest.
    Up to White’s seventh move the game proceeded on the well-known lines, and then Steinitz introduced a new form of defence by moving 7....K Kt-K 7 in place of the move which he made in the fourteenth and sixteenth games of this contest, P-K R 3.  Gunsberg devoted twenty-three minutes of his time in deciding upon the reply, 8. Q-R 4.  Steinitz, however, emerged from the opening with his pieces intact.  He castles on his sixteenth move, and then proceeded with an advance of his pawns on the Queen’s wing, driving his opponent’s pieces back and giving him considerable security on this part of the board.
    On his thirtieth move, however, the veteran seemed to overlook a possible combination on the part of his opponent.  By playing 30....P-K Kt 3, he lost the pawn, and also allowed the Hungarian to disconnect the three strong pawns on the Queen’s side.  Six moves later the afternoon’s sitting was adjourned with the position again slightly in favor of Steinitz.
    On the resumption of play at 7 o’clock the veteran improved the advantage which he previously possessed.  Gunsberg made a gallant fight, but to very little purpose, for Steinitz’s play, with one or two unimportant exceptions, was of the most masterly character.  He pursued the counter-attack which he had set up with all the vigor of a young player combined with the skill of an experienced campaigner.  The Hungarian’s valiant resistance was much admired by the spectators, but long before he gave up it was declared that his fight would prove unavailing.  Gunsberg resigned on his fifty-fifth move, making the score-Steinitz, 6; Gunsberg, 4; drawn, 8.  Only two games remain to be played, the first of which will be contested to-day and the other on Saturday.
New-York Daily Tribune, 1891.01.22

EVANS GAMBIT AGAIN.
GUNSBERG PLAYED THIS OPENING AT
YESTERDAY’S CHESS MATCH.
Brilliant Tactics Shown by the Veteran, 
Who Kept the Game Well in Hand Right 
Through-Gunsberg Made a Gallant 
Fight, but had at Last to Surrender.
:
    Excitement and interest in the chess encounter between Steinitz and Gunsberg has been growing apace in the interval between the seventeenth game, which was played last Saturday, and the eighteenth game, which was contested yesterday.  It being Gunsberg’s turn to open, there was much speculation as to whether he would again offer an Evans Gambit or turn his attention to one of his two favorites-the Giuoco Piano of Ruy Lopez.
    What gave yesterday’s game a deeper interest was the bearing which its result would have upon the final issue of the match.  Should Steinitz win it, it was considered that the match would be decided in his favor, for it would require that Gunsberg should win both the remaining games to even draw the match.  Should the eighteenth game be drawn there would remain a chance for Gunsberg to draw, if not actually win the match, while if he should win this game his chances to make the match a draw would be little short of a certainty and his hopes of winning it would be raised considerably.  It will thus be seen that the interest was enhanced to an almost incalculable extent by these various considerations, and that the members and visitors at the Manhattan Chess Club yesterday afternoon were fully en rapport with the prevailing spirit of the fight.
    When play was adjourned at 5 o’clock the game [...] as will be seen, had again turned somewhat in favor of Steinitz.
The Sun, New York, 1891.01.22

Gunsberg,IA — Steinitz,W
(18)
C52/01
Evans Gambit: Steinitz
1891.01.21
USA New York, NY (Manhattan Chess Club)
Annotations by Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 [0:01-0:01] 6.0-0 Qf6 7.d4 Nge7
** In the early games played between Chigorin and Steinitz at Havana this move was always adopted by the defense: 7...Nh6, as in the cable match, was an afterthought that came up in one of the consultation games at the end of the match.
8.Qa4 Bb6 9.Bg5
** Chigorin generally played here 8.d5 first, followed by 9.Qa4.
9...Qd6 10.Na3 exd4 [0:25-0:05]
** Whites establishing a center is now much neutralized by having his knight at a3 and his being able to maneuver it to c3, his strongest post.
11.Nb5 Qg6 12.cxd4 a6
** Threatening ...axb5 followed by ...bxc4.
13.d5 Ne5 14.Nxe5 Qxg5 15.Nf3 Qh6[0:25-0:32] 16.Bb3 0-0 17.Rac1 c6 18.Nbd4 c5 19.Ne2 d6 20.Ng3 Bd8[0:45-0:45]
** A weak move; 20...Bc7 was much superior.
21.e5 b5 22.Qa3 c4 23.exd6 Nxd5 24.Bc2 b4
** Somewhat doubtful. It was perhaps more advisable to keep the pawns on the queenside together.
25.Qa4 Qxd6 [0:58-1:05] 26.Be4 Nb6 27.Qc2 Rb8 28.Bxh7+ Kh8 29.Rcd1 Qh6 30.Bf5 g6
** A grave error; 30...c3 was the correct play and he had then much less to fear from the knight coming in at f5 after exchanging bishops.
31.Bxc8 Rxc8 32.Qb2+ Qg7 33.Qxb4 Bc7 34.Rd4 Rfd8 35.Rh4+
** Serious loss of time that greatly compromises his prospects of drawing.
35...Kg8 [1:10-1:50] 36.Ng5 Rd7 37.Re4 c3 38.Rfe1
** 38.Rc1 at once was here much better.
38...Rdd8 39.Ne2 Nd5 40.Qa4 Qf6
** This move releases the king and greatly strengthens Blacks attack.
41.Nf3 Bb6 42.Rc1 c2
** Quite decisive.
43.h3
** Perhaps 43.Kf1 was a better defense.
43...Qb2 44.Qb3 Qxb3 45.axb3 a5[3:05-2:55] 46.Rc4 Rxc4 47.bxc4 Nb4 48.g3 Bxf2+
** Quite good enough.
49.Kxf2 Nd3+ 50.Ke3 Nxc1 [3:30-2:56] 51.Nxc1 Rd1 52.Ne2 a4
** Not to let the adverse king pass at once and also gaining important time for finishing quickly.
53.Nfd4 c1Q+ 54.Nxc1 Rxc1 [3:32-2:58] 0-1.
The Sun, New York, 1891.01.22
New-York Daily Tribune, 1891.01.22

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