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 CHESS MATCH BEGINS.
STEINITZ AND GUNSBERG PLAY.
THEIR FIRST GAME A DRAW - MOVES MADE BY THEM.
:
    The chess match between W. Steinitz, of New-York, and I. Gunsberg, of London, for the championship of the world, was begun yesterday afternoon, in New-York, under the auspices of the Manhattan Chess Club.  The proceedings were opened by Colonel G. F. Betts, who first of all welcomed the competing masters to the club.  After a few further appropriate remarks he introduced the players to the members of the club present in these words:  “I have the pleasure, gentlemen, to introduce to you Mr. Gunsberg and Mr. Steinitz, and may the best man win.”
    The two players, with the umpires, a few subscribers, and others, ascended to the floor above, where, in a private room, it had been arranged that play should be conducted.  At the time when the first game began, at about 2 p.m., there was a moderate attendance of members and visitors in the club, and such of them as did not posses the privilege of witnessing the actual play watched the moves as they were almost simultaneously recorded on a huge diagram board which occupied a prominent position on the walls of the principal clubroom.
    From time to time, as the play advanced, comment and criticism on the moves prevailed in this lower room, while in the room above where the players were engaged the stillness was indicative of the importance of the contest. 
    Both players appeared to be in good health when they came to the club in the morning, a thing which cannot be wondered at in the case of Gunsberg, who has enjoyed the benefits of a sea voyage, followed by a week of rest. With Steinitz there is more cause for surprise when it is remembered, not only that he has been exceedingly busy for some months, but is also a 
frequent sufferer from insomnia.
    Just before the beginning of play, Mr. Gunsberg lodged an objection to the admission of press representatives to the room of play.  This he had power to do under the regulations, and the objection was sustained.
    Steinitz, being drawn to make the opening move, proffered his opponent a Queen’s Gambit, which Gunsberg declined.  On the fourth move Steinitz introduced quite a novelty in P-K B 3, which, no doubt, very few chess players would anticipate.  Then he brought out his K Kt to K R 3, which will probably be considered an odd move, following that up with Kt-B 2. Gunsberg’s defence, 4 Q Kt-B 3, was based on the idea of breaking through the centre, and he offered battle by advancing his K P on the ninth move. This forced the exchange of the Q centre pawn, but still he could not rid himself of White’s K P.
    On the eleventh move a good chance of improving his position was missed by Steinitz, in playing Kt-Q 3, with the result that one of his pawns became isolated, and, by clever manoeuvring, Gunsberg made a counter demonstration on the Q side against the weak pawn which greatly delayed White’s attack on the other wing.  About this time the game was adjourned till 7 o’clock [...]
    Upon play being resumed at 7 o’clock, the same kind of struggle continued for two moves by each player.  Gunsberg had slightly the best of the game if it were pursued to an ending, but the prospects of the middle fight were still somewhat in favor of his opponent, and under these circumstances Gunsberg readily accepted the draw, which was now offered by Steinitz.  This close of the game was arrived at at [sic] a few minutes before 7:30.  At an earlier stage of the game, some half-dozen moves back, Steinitz declined a draw, which was offered to him by Gunsberg.
New-York Daily Tribune, 1890.12.10

THE MASTERS AT CHESS.
BEGINNING OF THE SERIES BETWEEN STEINITZ AND GUNSBERG.
They Sart With the Queen’s Gambit, and on the Fourth Move the 
American Makes Things Interesting - The Result Is a Draw
:
    The fight for the chess championship of the world began in this city yesterday.  Gunsberg, the English player, has been recuperating during the past week, and starts, in apparently good health, a contest which is looked upon in English chess circles as a foregone conclusion in favor of Steinitz, while players in this country look forward with equally settled anticipation to the defeat of the English representative and the retention by Steinitz of the foremost position as a chess master which he has held so long and so worthily. 
    There is no avoiding the fact that enthusiasm over this match has not been raised to the customary high pitch which is manifested in a fight of such importance; and this is readily accounted for by the disappointment which has been created by the interruption of the cable match - a contest which, as every chess player knows, not only involved certain important principles entirely new to the chess world, but had unquestionably reached the most interesting stage during its progress.  No doubt as the present match between Steinitz and Gunsberg proceeds, that disappointment will gradually give way to the interest which must necessarily centre round any prominent event which may be in progress.
    Fully an hour before the time appointed for the beginning of the match the members of the Manhattan Chess Club began to assemble in their rooms, where Steinitz had already arrived, with a sense of country freshness about his appearance which he had evidently brought with him from Upper Montclair.  In the midst of the general conversation rallied upon general topics, upon his games with Tschigorin, and upon the contest in which he was about to engage. 
    Meantime Gunsberg had arrived.  He was in a very quiet mood, out of which he could not even be aroused by the same process which had proved so effective in the case of his veteran opponent.  He had very little to say to any one, and when asked what he would do if Steinitz fired off an Evans  gambit at him, he replied with what may almost be described as his characteristic quiet meekness, “I don’t know.”
    Steinitz was drawn to make the first move, and play was just about to commence when Gunsberg entered an objection to the presence of reporters. This objection, it was seen, was empowered by the conditions, and the umpire accordingly sustained it.  Steinitz raised no opposition to the admission of the press.  Gunsberg’s action, it is believed, is almost, if not entirely, without precedent. 
    In the large club room on the floor below that in which the play was going on, a giant chess board was fixed against the wall, and as each move was made in actual play it was sent down by a messenger and recorded on the board for the edification of those assembled in the club room.  Here, throughout the progress of the game, each move was commented upon either briefly or at length, according to its importance or insignificance. Meanwhile, the spectators who had gathered engaged with each other in play, or lounged about discussing the position as it developed.  Just before the first adjournment quite a crowd had gathered round the diagram board and more interest was felt in the game than had been the case at any other period during the afternoon.
THE PLAY.
    Steinitz offered a queen’s gambit, which his opponent promptly declined, and when, a few moves later, the game took a novel turning, things began to be pretty exciting.  The introduction of some sort of a novelty has ever been one of the features of Steinitz’s play.  His idea seems to be to throw himself and his opponent, whenever practicable, on new ground, which it is always his delight to explore.  Connoisseurs, however, would hardly anticipate that a novelty could be brought out so early in the usually dull queen’s gambit as the fourth move.  There it was that Steinitz introduced, after the customary three moves, a sort of Giuoco Piano on the king’s side by 4 P-K B 3 in conjunction with the other opening.  Moreover he brought his king’s knight out to K R 3, one of his many oddities and then the Kt to B 2.
    Gunsberg’s defence by moving 4...Q Kt-B 3, which blocked his Q B P, was based on the idea of breaking the centre, and he then offered battle by the advance of the king’s pawn on the ninth move, which forced the exchange of the queen’s centre pawn, but, on the other hand, he could not get rid of white’s K P, which formed the head of a strong line of pawns directed against black’s king’s side. 
    On the eleventh move Steinitz missed an opportunity of much improving his position by moving Kt-Q 3.  The result was that his Q B P became isolated, and black, by very clever manoeuvring, made a counter demonstration on the queen’s side against that weak pawn, which for a long time delayed white’s attack on the other wing.  This was practically the state of the game on Gunsberg’s twenty-sixth move, which he sealed at the adjournment of the afternoon’s sitting - white was threatening the king’s side, while black menaced the other wing. 
    Prior to the adjournment, Gunsberg, after the eighteenth move, offered his opponent a draw, which the latter declined.  On the recommencement of play at 7 o’clock the same sort of struggle as had been going on before continued for two moves on each side, queens and bishops being shifted  from one side to the other for purposes of attack.  Gunsberg had then the best of the game if it came to an ending, but the chances of the middle fight were still somewhat in favor of white.  Under the circumstances the draw, which was this time offered by Steinitz, was readily accepted by Gunsberg. 
    When within half an hour after the resumption of play it was announced to the spectators that a draw had been offered and accepted there was for the moment some little surprise manifested.  This surprise, however, disappeared when the position was put up to the finish and examined.  It was declared with confidence by some of those in the room that Steinitz could not possibly have won the game if it had proceeded. 
    Prof. I. L. Rice, the President of the Manhattan Chess Club, acts as referee in the match, and the umpires are Prof. Holladay for Steinitz, and Mr. Vorrath for Gunsberg.  Dr. Fred Mintz had the entire control of the arrangements, which were pronounced very satisfactory by everybody present.  It may be added, further, that the hours of play have been finally settled as follows:  Afternoon session, 1:30 o’clock to 5 o’clock; evening session, 7 o’clock to 10:30 o’clock.
    The next game will take place at 1:30 o’clock to-morrow. 
The Sun, New York, 1890.12.10

STEINITZ VS. GUNSBERG.
THE FIRST GAME OF THE CHESS MATCH A DRAW.
Twenty-six Moves at the Manhattan Chess Club - The London Man 
Attacks Vigorously and Obtains an Early Pull - The Plays Reproduced 
on a Bulletin Board.
:
     A visitor to the splendidly appointed rooms of the Manhattan Chess Club at 1 o’clock yesterday afternoon would have been impressed with the fact that some event of great importance was in preparation, for the room was crowded and there was a scent of solemnity in the air.  There were not many strong players in New York who did not put in an appearance to support Col. Betts, the Vice-President of the prosperous chess club, in inaugurating the great contest between Steinitz and Gunsberg.  Proceedings commenced with the formal signing of the agreement and articles of play by  the players and by Dr. Murtz [sic] on behalf of the Manhattan Chess Club. The Vice-President then addressed a few kindly words of encouragement to both players, dwelling on the great merit and well-known prowess of Mr. Steinitz, whom they had known for years past as an American citizen.  The Colonels polite allusion to Mr. Gunsberg as an always welcome visitor from a distant shore, was approvingly received by his hearers.  The fight for the chess championship of the world was began at 2 o’clock by Mr. Steinitz, who had won the toss for the move, opening his game with 1 P-Q 4. 
    The match was played in a private room, where the players were at their ease.  The members of the Manhattan Chess Club enjoyed all the excitement of the contest and were enabled to watch the game, move for move, on a giant chess-board 6 feet square, placed on chairs against the wall.  A  special messenger was detailed whose duty it was to convey each move as it was played by the players in their room to the club-room below, where the moves were shown on the big board.  Besides this every spare board was occupied by eager analysts following the moves and discussing the probabilities.  When Gunsberg played 9 P-K 4 it was very amusing to listen to the various opinions expressed thereon at different boards. 
    Meantime the game proceeded steadily upstairs.  White had evidently preconceived a plan of action by which he intended to form a strong centre, but his active opponent gave him little chance to build up his game in accordance with his theoretical plan.  A vigorous advance resulted in white’s Queen’s pawn being isolated and black having a little more freedom to move his pieces.  The game was adjourned at 5, although play began half an hour later than usual. 
    At 7 o’clock the game was resumed.  Black seemed to play with a good deal of confidence.  He knew that if it came to an end game he would have the best chance.  There were possibilities of attack for white, but as the latter seemed disinclined to venture on an advance, as indicated in Mr.  Gunsberg’s notes to the game, a draw was agreed on shortly after the resumption of play on the twenty-sixth move of white.  The game is appended.  The second game will be played on Thursday next.  The hours of play are from 1:30 to 5 and from 7 to 10:30 P.M.  The umpires are Mr. A.  Vorrath for Gunsberg and Mr. Waller Halliday [sic] for Steinitz, as well as Mr. Ford, who acted in Mr. Halliday’s [sic] absence. 
The World, New York, 1890.12.10

Steinitz,W — Gunsberg,IA
(1)
D35/01
Queen’s Gambit Declined
1890.12.09
USA New York, NY (Manhattan Chess Club)
Annotations by Gunsberg & Steinitz
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3
** Gunsberg: Quite new at this stage of the game.  Steinitz favors this move, whether as first or second player, to defend his center if the adverse dark square bishop is shut out from c5.  As will be seen the text move also enables him to utilize his knight to fortify his center by bringing it to f2 via h3.
Steinitz: Perfectly new in this opening, adopted with a view to forming a center and taking advantage of the confined position of the adverse light square bishop.
4...Nc6
** Gunsberg: Steinitz advises in close openings not to develop this knight to c6 before the c-pawn has been moved.  I selected this move, however, in order to force White to play his pawn to e3, or else he would lose a pawn by 5...dxc4.
Steinitz: Probably the best way to stop the advance in the center.
5.e3
** Steinitz: If 5.e4 dxe4 6.d5 exd5 7.cxd5 Ne5, with a good game.
5...Be7 6.Nh3
** Steinitz: A better outlet for the knight than at e2 later on, for the latter plan would have necessitated Whites moving his light square bishop to d3, where Black would have had an opportunity of attacking it by ...Nb4.
6...0-0 7.Nf2 Re8 [0:08-0:08] 8.Be2 Bb4 9.Bd2 e5 [0:24-0:31]
** Gunsberg: By this properly prepared move Black assumes the initiative, preventing his opponent from establishing a strong center, and finally breaking up his queens wing.
10.dxe5 Rxe5 [0:38-0:37] 11.cxd5
** Steinitz: 11.Nd3 Bxc3 (best) 12.bxc3 Re8 13.cxd5 Qxd5 (or 13...Nxd5) 14.e4 would have given White a more superior game still.
11...Nxd5 12.e4
** Gunsberg: 12.Nd3 instead would have been met by 12...Bxc3.
12...Nxc3 13.bxc3 Ba5
** Gunsberg: Black has now the better position for the endgame.
14.Qc2 Re8
** Gunsberg: The rook is here safer, and more useful.
15.0-0 Bb6 [0:55-0:55] 16.Kh1 Qe7 17.Nd3 Ne5
** Gunsberg: 17...f5 looked very tempting, but would have been met with 18.Nf4.  If then Black 18...fxe4, White retakes and obtains a very open game, for if 19...Qxe4 20.Bd3.  There were also other moves, as Bc4+, by which White would obtain a formidable attack.
Steinitz: If 17...f5 instead, White would answer 18.Nf4, and if then 18...fxe4 19.fxe4, and evidently Black dare not again capture on account of the reply 20.Bd3, and anyhow White gets a powerful attack.
18.Nxe5 Qxe5 19.Bd3
** Steinitz: White might, perhaps, have pressed the attack with more prospects of success by 19.f4 Qxe4 20.Bd3, followed by 21.Bxh7+.
19...Rd8
** Gunsberg: In anticipation of 20.f4, which now could be parried by 20...Qd6.
20.Rad1
** Steinitz: If 20.f4 Qd6 21.Rad1, and now Black dare not take the bishop on account of the reply 22.Bc1, but he wins, nevertheless, by 21...Bg4.
20...Be6 [1:11-1:11] 21.Bc1 Qa5 22.c4 Bd4
** Gunsberg: The bishop is here well posted, as it also prevents the adverse bishop from going to b2.
23.Bd2 (Adjourned) 23...Qh5 (Sealed) [1:24:30-1:37]
** Gunsberg: At this stage the game was adjourned for dinner at 5pm.
24.Bf4
** Gunsberg: White might have proceeded here more attackingly with 24.f4.
24...c6
** Gunsberg: Of course not 24...Be5, because of 25.g4, winning a piece.
Steinitz: A very good move.  It helps Black to obtain the drawn result, and is much stronger than 24...c5.
25.Be2
** Gunsberg: Here again 25.e5 would have been played by an attacking player.
25...Qc5 [1:34-1:50] ½-½.
** Steinitz: Black threatens now ...b5, and the game is now well balanced that a draw is a fair result.
The Sun, New York, 1890.12.10
The World, New York, 1890.12.10
New-York Daily Tribune, 1890.12.10

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