The Gunsberg-Steinitz Match,
World Championship 1890-91
Researched by Nick Pope
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THE FOURTH DRAWN GAME.
A GREAT CONTEST OVER THE CHESS BOARD.
STEINITZ AND GUNSBERG EXCITED OVER A
GAME WHICH NEITHER COULD WIN.
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The match for the chess championship was
resumed
at 1:30 p.m. yesterday in the rooms of the Manhattan Chess Club, and the
game was far more interesting than that of Saturday. Steinitz,
having
the move, played a Kt to K B 3 opening, which was a favorite with his
old
antagonist, the late Dr. Zukertort. Steinitz is apparently
satisfied
with the Queens gambit after his decisive victory of a week
ago.
The game developed rapidly and after ten moves the position seemed to be
pretty even. |
Both players castled respectively on the eighth
and ninth moves on the K side, and at this stage neither of them had a
majority of pawns on either wing, while the attitude of both armies gave
the board a very symmetrical appearance. The play was very slow
for
some six or seven moves, both masters evidently playing for position
only.
At length Steinitz began aggressive operations on the Queens side,
but
on his twentieth move he gave up a pawn which was declared to be a
blunder
on his part. After this he proceeded with an attack on the
enemys
Q Kt pawn. The immediately succeeding moves made it evident that
the sacrifice of the pawn was a mistake. Gunsberg assumed a
superiority
of position, and securing the whip he prosecuted his advantage with
vigor
and ability. First of all he carefully protected his Q Kt P, and then
took
up the aggressive by playing his Queen on the enemys Q R file, and
at
the same time threatening to gain another pawn with an additional
improvement
of position. |
When Gunsberg sealed his twenty-ninth move at the
adjournment he had by far the best of the direction of playing for a
draw.
This he proceeded to do when play was resumed. Gunsberg was
obliged
to give up the exchange he had just won, and thereupon followed a
further
exchange of pieces, the Hungarian coming out of the general slaughter
still
a pawn to the good. This advantage, however, did not suffice to win the
game. Play was continued up to the eightieth move, which shows
that
the veteran made a tremendous fight before he could effect a draw. |
Some rapid moves were made toward the close, and
both players were in a state of great excitement, which in a smaller
measure
was shared by the crowd of spectators assembled in the room. The
game was declared a draw just upon the time for adjourning the evening
sitting. The score now stands: Steinitz 3, Gunsberg 2, drawn
4. |
New-York Daily Tribune,
1890.12.30
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CHESS GIANTS AT PLAY.
THE NINTH GAME ENDS IN A DRAWN
BATTLE AFTER EIGHTY MOVES.
Steinitz Blundered and Gunzberg [sic] Ought to
Have Won at Once - Still the Veteran
Struggled Hard and Got on Even Terms
After the Toughest Fight of the Series.
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The ninth game in the championship chess contest
between Steinitz and Gunsberg, which has now been going on for about
three
weeks in this city, was opened yesterday afternoon, and it was not long
before the members and visitors at the Manhattan Chess Club were
provided
with something entertaining as well as instructive. It will be
remembered
that Steinitz, on each of four the previous occasions when he has had
the
opening move, has offered a Queens Gambit. The first two
were drawn,
the third was cleverly won by Gunsberg, and the fourth counted as a
brilliant
victory for Steinitz. |
At an early stage in the match Steinitz had said
he would play the same opening until he won it. This he succeeded
in doing. In yesterdays game he gave a welcome variety,
Nothing
so common as a Queens Gambit, said an interested onlooker
when the great
theorist started out with an opening which the late Dr. Zukertort
repeatedly
played, and which commenced with Kt-K B 3. Pawns were exchanged on
the fifth move and the game was very quickly developed. |
In the early part of the game the play was
apparently
conducted by both masters with a view of securing a good position, but
ultimately Steinitz initiated an aggressive movement on the queens
side.
After making what subsequently proved to be a blunder by sacrificing a
pawn on his twentieth turn, he proceeded with an attack on the opposing
pawn on the Q Kts file. This pawn the Hungarian first put beyond
the reach
of danger, and then quickly assumed a distinct superiority of position,
threatening at the same time to capture another pawn. After
twenty-six
moves had been recorded on both sides the spectators all agreed that
Gunsberg
had by far the best of it, and some ventured the opinion that he had a
won game. |
For the sixth time Gunsberg was the player to
seal
his move on the adjournment of the afternoon sitting [...] |
On the resumption of play at 7 oclock it
soon became
manifest that Steinitz was playing hard for a draw, and his efforts in
this direction were pronounced, after four or five moves, to be tending
with some little chance of success. At the same time it was
declared
that if he were to succeed in bringing about a draw he would be a
good
one. He fought on and on, though his efforts were generally
thought
to be useless. Ultimately, however, affairs took a favorable turn for
the
great theorist. |
Meantime the number of spectators in the club
room
had increased until the scene was one of great animation, while a
profound
interest was evinced in the progress of the play. Finally it was
seen that Steinitz was gradually but surely extricating himself from the
difficulties which surrounded him, and a few minutes after 10:30
oclock,
the time for adjourning for the day, the announcement came down that a
draw had been agreed upon. It will be seen that Steinitz consumed
nearly double the time occupied by Gunsberg. |
The Sun, New York,
1890.12.30
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A LONG, DRAWN BATTLE.
MR. STEINITZ SURPRISES HIS LONDON
OPPONENT AT CHESS.
Over Six Hours at the Board and at
the Adjournment Mr. Gunsberg Had
the Advantage, but Mr. Steinitz
Finally Fought the Contest to a
Draw - Notes of the Sporting World.
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The ninth game, the longest and most stubbornly
contested in the chess match, caused by its changes and vicissitudes no
end of excitement. The well-conducted game was only marred by an
oversight or miscalculation on the part of the first player in the
twentieth
move. The numerous and illustrious crowd which thronged the
Manhattan
Chess Club-rooms, among them such expert players as Mr. Phil Richardson
and Mr. E. Delmar, discounted blacks win befor [sic] the
adjournment.
Then to the general surprise, Mr. Steinitz prolonged the struggle, and
by 10 oclock seemed to have achieved a drawing position. |
Mr. Steinitz, who had the move, slightly altered
his previous course by beginning with (1) Kt to K B 3, which, however,
results but in a modification of the Queens gambit. The
reader will
find sufficient comment on this move, which the Austro-American champion
invariably adopted in his match with Tschigorin in the notes to the
appended
game. Mr. Gunsberg emerged out of this opening with a slight superiority
of position, as he could first take possession of the open Q R file with
his rook. On the twentieth move the veteran left a pawn en prise
under the impression to win afterwards the Q Kt P with his rook, which
would have given him a decided advantage. His scheme was, however,
frustrated by Blacks correct defense. Just before the
adjournment
Mr. Steinitz brought a highly ingenious sacrifice at the exchange which
he recovered on the 33d move. But he was still a pawn behind, and
had to submit to the exchange of queens. The remainder of the game
was fought by Mr. Steinitz with his persistent tenacity, wherein he was
somewhat aided by Blacks line of play, which did not make the most
of
the position, enabling White to obtain chances for a draw. |
On the sixty-third move Black, who saw a
well-deserved
and valuable victory slip from his grasp, made a bold and determined
effort
to carry the day by abandoning his K P, thus giving his opponent a
formidable
passed pawn on the K file. Mr. Steinitz with great glee captured
the pawn and smilingly asked his opponent whether it was worth while to
carry on the battle, to which Gunsberg responded with a grim and
determined,
I think so. Steinitz, after a series of checks,
had to give
up his R for the adverse passed R P, but his own pawn became so strong
that Gunsberg had to submit to a draw. |
The game lasted nearly six hours, of which four
hours and twenty minutes were consumed by the first player. |
The World, New York,
1890.12.30
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Steinitz,W Gunsberg,IA
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(9)
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D30/13 |
Queens Gambit Declined
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1890.12.29 |
USA New York, NY (Manhattan Chess
Club)
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Annotations by Gunsberg &
Steinitz
1.Nf3
** |
Gunsberg: This move has been
introduced and frequently played by the late Dr. Zukertort, after whom
it is sometimes called Zukertort opening. In the correspondence
match
between the British Chess Club of London and the Chess Club of St.
Petersburg
the English players adopted it in the game wherein they had the
move.
Steinitz, in his match against Chigorin, in Havana, 1889, limited
himself
solely to that opening, although he had declared it on previous
occasions
to be an indifferent move which leads to a variation of the
Queens
gambit declined by mere transposition of moves. The course of the
present game seems to corroborate that statement, for, as will be seen,
after the fifth, eighth, ninth and tenth move, the game presents the
exact
position which arises from that variation of the Queens
gambit declined, wherein the best recognized moves are made on both
sides. |
1...Nf6
** |
Gunsberg: This or 1...d5 is
the best move for Black. |
2.d4 e6 3.e3 c5
** |
Steinitz: New, but is does
not make much difference in the development of the game. |
4.c4 d5 5.dxc5
** |
Steinitz: White obtains a
slight
advantage after this, as he threatens with his next move to isolate the
d-pawn, which gains time in the development. |
5...Bxc5 [0:10-0:04] 6.Nc3
Bb4
** |
Gunsberg: In order to avoid
the isolating of his pawn at d5.
Steinitz: This move is now forced, as
he cannot well capture the pawn and allow the exchange of
queens. |
7.Bd2
** |
Steinitz: Here, and later on
at the tenth move, 7.Qb3 was probably better. |
7...dxc4 8.Bxc4 0-0 9.0-0 Nc6 10.Qe2
** |
Steinitz: Initiating a
kingside
attack, whereas his strength was on the other wing, as indicated
above. |
10...Qe7 [0:19-0:14] 11.e4
Bxc3 12.Bxc3 e5
** |
Gunsberg: A very good move,
which frees his game considerable and prevents the advance of
Whites
pawn to e5, which would have confined his position. |
13.Qe3
** |
Steinitz: Any attempt to
pursue
the kingside attack would probably have been a failure, if, for instance
13.Bb3 Bg4 14.Qe3 Rad8 with a very good game. |
13...Be6 14.Be2
** |
Gunsberg: 14.Bxe6 Qxe6
15.Ng5
would only lead to an even game. A very tempting continuation,
instead
of the move in the text, would have been 14.Bb5 Bd7 15.Bxc6 Bxc6, and
White
could not take the e-pawn without losing his own e-pawn.
Steinitz: A concentration on the
kingside,
with a view afterward of attacking on the other wing. |
14...Ng4 15.Qc1 Rac8
[0:52-0:42]
** |
Gunsberg:
Blacks
game is now well developed. |
16.h3 Nh6 17.Qe3 f6
** |
Gunsberg: An excellent move,
which not only gives additional support to his e-pawn, but also opens an
important square for his knight, which enables him afterwards to use it
in time for the defense of his b-pawn. |
18.a3
** |
Steinitz: For defensive
purposes,
as Black threatened ...Nb4, and also with the object of supporting the
advance of the b-pawn. |
18...Nf7 19.b4 a6 20.a4
** |
Gunsberg: This move was made
probably under the impression that he could afterwards recover the
b-pawn
with his rook, which would have given him the advantage of
position.
Steinitz: Simply an
oversight. |
20...Nxb4 [1:07-0:51]
21.Bxb4
Qxb4 22.Rfb1 Qe7 23.Rb6 Rc7 24.Rab1 Rfc8
** |
Gunsberg: Of course not
24...Rb8,
because of 25.Rxa6. |
25.Ne1 Nd8
[1:15-1:05]26.Nd3
Qa3
** |
Gunsberg: Again correctly
played. |
27.Kh2
** |
Gunsberg: In order to avoid
an eventual check.
Steinitz: This was necessary in order
to enable him to remove the knight without being subjected to exchanges
by ...Rc1+. |
27...Rd7
** |
Steinitz: Threatening
...Rc3,
but 27...Bc4 was stronger. |
28.Rxe6
** |
Gunsberg: An ingenious
combination,
which, however, is parried by Blacks
correct
defense.
Steinitz: The only way to release
himself
and giving White good attacking chances. |
28...Nxe6 29.Bg4 (Adjourned)
[2:06-1:27]
29...Re8 (Sealed)
** |
Gunsberg: This move was
sealed
by Gunsberg. It is worthy of note that so far Steinitz has not
sealed
a move. |
30.Bxe6+ Rxe6 [2:10-1:21]
31.Nc5
** |
Gunsberg: This regains the
exchange, but White is still a pawn behind. |
31...Qxe3 32.fxe3 Ree7 33.Nxd7
Rxd7
34.Kg3 Kf7 35.a5 Kg6 [2:17-1:46] 36.Kf3 Rc7 37.Rb2 Rc5 38.Ra2 Rb5
39.Ke2 Kf7 40.Kf3 Ke6 [2:28-1:33] 41.h4 h5 42.Ra1 g6 43.g4 hxg4+
44.Kxg4 Rb4 45.Kf3 f5 [3:01-1:35] 46.exf5+ Kxf5 47.Rh1 Rb5 48.e4+
Kf6 49.Rd1 Rxa5 50.Rd6+ Kg7 [3:23-1:37] 51.Rd7+ Kh6 52.Rxb7 Ra3+
53.Kf2 Ra5 54.Rb6 Kh5 55.Rf6
** |
55.Rc6 is the move found in my
database, but contemporary sources clearly state
55.R-KB6.-[Pope] |
55...Ra4 [3:38-1:46]
56.Kf3
Ra3+ 57.Kf2 Kh6 58.Re6 Ra5 59.Kg3 Kg7 60.Kg4 Kf7 [4:02-1:55]
61.Rb6
Ra1 62.Rb7+ Kf6 63.Rb6+ Kg7 64.Re6 a5 65.Rxe5 a4 [4:10-2:14]
66.Ra5
a3 67.Kg5 a2 68.Ra7+ Kf8 69.Ra8+ Kf7 70.Ra7+ Ke6 71.Ra6+ Ke5
72.Ra5+
Kxe4 73.Ra4+ Kf3 74.Ra3+ Kf2 75.Kxg6 Rg1+ 76.Kf7 a1Q 77.Rxa1 Rxa1
78.h5
Rh1 79.Kg6 Rg1+ 80.Kf6 [4:24-2:34] ½-½.
The Sun, New York,
1890.12.30
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The World, New York,
1890.12.30
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New-York Daily Tribune,
1890.12.30
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