The Gunsberg-Steinitz Match,
World Championship 1890-91
Researched by Nick Pope
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ONE MORE DRAWN GAME.
FEATURELESS DAY IN THE CHESS MATCH.
STEINITZ OPENS THE PLAY FOR THE EIGHTH
TIME WITH THE QUEENS GAMBIT.
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In the chess match for the championship of the
world,
now in progress under the auspices of the Manhattan Chess Club in this
city, Mr. Steinitz yesterday for the eighth time opened the Queens
Gambit
or what comes practically to the same thing, the Zukertort opening--Kt-K
B 3. This game having already been played seven times in this
contest,
it was only natural that the first few moves should be made rapidly on
both sides. |
Gunsberg adopted again the Fianchetto do Donna
style
of defence, which is scarcely approved by Steinitz. However, the
Hungarian succeeded in getting a much better development of his pieces
in this game than in the thirteenth of the series, in which he adopted
a similar defence. In the latter part of the opening Steinitz
essayed
threatening tactics on the Q side with his Queen, which were well
neutralized
by the defence. |
An exchange of Rooks followed, and it finally
seemed
as if Gunsberg would win a Pawn. In this he succeeded on his
twenty-sixth
turn. A further exchange of Rooks followed, and when, a few moves
later, the game was adjourned for the usual two hours recess, the
position
seemed a dead draw because of the likelihood which existed of Bishops on
oppositely colored squares being left on the board. |
On the resumption of play at 7 oclock this
anticipation
was fulfilled, for Steinitz exchanged one of his Bishops for a
Knight.
Although Gunsberg was still a Pawn to the good there was nothing left to
fight for, neither player having any prospect of a win.
Accordingly
the game was agreed upon as a draw after thirty-nine moves, making the
score now : Steinitz 5, Gunsberg 3, drawn 7. |
New-York Daily Tribune,
1891.01.13
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ANOTHER DRAWN GAME.
The Champions Discussed a Zukertort
Opening.
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In their match for the chess championship
yesterday
Steinitz and Gunsberg again discussed a Zukertort opening on the
initiative
of the older player, whose persistency in this direction is becoming
somewhat
tiresome to many of the frequenters of the Manhattan Chess Club.
Virtually Steinitz has now made the same opening eight times. Of
course, he has varied the opening move by playing at one time P-Q 4, at
another Kt-K B 3, but the result after a few moves has been that,
practically
speaking, the position arrived at has been the same. |
Gunsberg managed on this occasion to get his
pieces
more readily into play than in the thirteenth game, in which his
queens
side, it will be remembered, was very much hampered. Eventually
Steinitz
made an excursion with his queen into her own territories, and commenced
a mode of attack which could hardly be reckoned as satisfactory for his
own game. The result was that ultimately he lost a pawn after a
fight
which was pretty evenly conducted on both sides. |
Gunsberg captured the pawn on his twenty-sixth
move,
and an exchange of rooks followed. When the game was adjourned,
after
28 moves had been recorded, the position [...] indicated that
bishops
on differently colored squares would be left on the board, and that the
most likely issue then would be a draw. |
This ultimately proved to be the case when
Steinitz
exchanged his Q B for the opposing Kt, and a draw was announced after
whites
thirty-ninth move. |
The Sun, New York,
1891.01.13
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ANOTHER DRAWN BATTLE.
MAKING SEVEN THAT NEITHER
CHESS-MASTER COULD WIN.
The Game, Which Was Again Opened
Irregularly by Mr. Steinitz, Was One
of the Finest of the Series-Gunsberg
Gets Out of a Hole by a Good
Combination-Next Game To-morrow.
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The Fifteenth game of the match, one of the
finest
battles over the chess-board, was again opened irregularly by Mr.
Steinitz.
Like in previous games Gunsberg changed his defensive tactics by after
whites B P x Q P not retaking with the P but with the Kt.
Mr. Steinitz
prepared his usual battle plan, namely, to mass forces on the Qs
side
and as pointed out in the notes to the game below, the position assumed
a rather dangerous look for black. White, besides, incidentally
threatening
to win a piece, was, to all appearance, at liberty, after advancing his
centre pawns, to throw his forces on the K side or to continue the
pressure
against the Qs wing. Black seemed to have only a choice of
evils.
But black, by a deep and far-reaching combination, not only averted all
danger, but emerged with the better position, winning a pawn in the
twenty-sixth
move. One move later, after the exchange of rooks, Mr. Steinitz
proposed
a draw, but Mr. Gunsberg preferred to go on with the game. White,
who was a pawn behind, managed to remain with Q and a B of different
color
than his opponents B. But notwithstanding Gunsberg could
have probably
won the game as shown in the appended notes. The game lasted five
hours, of which both consumed an equal amount. The score now
stands:
Steinitz, 5; Gunsberg, 3; drawn, 7. |
The next game will be played
to-morrow. |
The World, New York,
1891.01.13
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Steinitz,W Gunsberg,IA
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(15)
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D35/01 |
Queens Indian: Spassky
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1891.01.12 |
USA New York, NY (Manhattan Chess
Club)
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Annotations by Gunsberg &
Steinitz
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.d4 e6 3.e3 b6
** |
Steinitz: It does not make
much difference at which point the fianchetto is adopted early in the
opening
by the second player, but usually this is deferred. |
4.c4 Bb7 5.Nc3 d5
[0:05-0:06]
6.cxd5 Nxd5
** |
Gunsberg: In a somewhat
similar
position in the thirteenth game, Black retook here with the pawn.
The text move is better. |
7.Bb5+
** |
Steinitz: It is generally a
good plan to compel the adversary to close the diagonal of his bishop in
the manner done in the text. |
7...c6 8.Bd3 Be7 9.e4 Nxc3
** |
Steinitz: This strengthens
the adverse center, and 9...Nf6 was preferable. |
10.bxc3 O-O [0:12-0:12] 11.O-O
** |
Steinitz: 11.Be3 was
probably
superior. |
11...c5 12.Be3 cxd4 13.cxd4 Nc6 14.Rc1
** |
Steinitz: With a view of
playing
Bb1, followed by Qd3 with a strong attack. |
14...Ba3
** |
Gunsberg: With a view of
preventing
White from carrying out his plan of campaign, namely, to retire his
bishop
to b1 and to play his queen to c2 or d3, either before or after pushing
the pawn to e5, according to circumstances. |
15.Rc3 Bb4
[0:26-0:21]
** |
Gunsberg: If 15...Bb2
instead
White wins a piece by 16.Rxc6 and 17.Qc2.
Steinitz: 15...Bb2 was probably
Blacks
original intention, but he finds now that he would lose two minor pieces
for the rook by the reply 16.Rxc6, followed by Qc2, winning one of the
bishops. |
16.Rc4
** |
Gunsberg: A very strong move
which threatens to win a piece by pawn to d5 and also to bring the rook
over to the kingside. |
16...Be7
** |
Gunsberg: If 16...b5
instead,
White would obtain a good attack against Blacks
loosened queens wing after retiring
the rook. |
17.Qa4
** |
Gunsberg: Had he now played
17.d5, Black would have obtained a good game by 17...exd5 18.exd5
Nb4. |
17...Na5
** |
Gunsberg: A good move which,
however, required the minutest forecalculation. Blacks
game was menaced in the extreme, and it was very difficult to steer
clear
of all cliffs. Had he, for instance, played 17...Rc8 instead of the text
move, White would have obtained an overwhelming position by doubling
rooks,
followed by pawn to d5. Besides, Black had to guard against pawn
to e5 and Be4, or Bb5, after retiring the rook. The move actually
made was the fruit of a deep combination which enabled Black to prevent
his opponent from playing subsequently Bd2, which would otherwise lose
a pawn. |
18.Rc2 Rc8 19.Rfc1
** |
Gunsberg: If 19.Rxc8, then
Black retakes with the bishop threatening ...Bd7. |
19...Rxc2 20.Rxc2
** |
Gunsberg: Steinitz remarked
that 20.Qxc2 would have been superior.
Steinitz: 20.Qxc2 was much
superior. |
20...Qa8
[0:44-0:59]
** |
Gunsberg: This is the move
upon which Black had relied in forming his defense. It not only releases
his queens wing from the pressure of
Whites
attack, but also gives him the initiative.
Steinitz: A very fine move, which wins
a pawn by force, at least temporarily. |
21.Nd2 Bc6 22.Bb5 Bxe4 23.Nxe4 Qxe4 24.Rc7
Bf6
** |
Gunsberg: Better, perhaps,
were 24...Bd6, with the following combination: 25.Rxa7 Qb1+ 26.Bf1 Bxh2+
27.Kxh2 Qxf1.
Steinitz: Black could have maintained
the pawn by 24...Bd6 25.Rxa7 Qb1+ 26.Bf1 Bxh2+ 27.Kxh2 Qxf1, but his
b-pawn
would have remained weak. |
25.Rxa7 Nc6 [1:15-1:19]
26.Ra8
** |
Gunsberg: If 26.Rd7, Black
continues with 26...Ne7 and ...Nd5. It is obvious that White
cannot
play 26.Bxc6.
Steinitz: If 26.Rd7, Black would answer
26...Ne7, followed by ...Nd5. |
26...Nxd4 27.Rxf8+ Kxf8 28.Qa3+ Kg8
** |
Gunsberg: If 28...Be7, White
would have likewise remained with bishops of different
colors. |
29.Qa6 (Sealed) 29...g5
30.Bxd4[2:11-2:10]
** |
Gunsberg: Of course not
30.Qxb6
because of 30...Qb1+, winning the queen. |
30...Bxd4 [2:11-2:18]
31.Bf1
Bc5 32.Qe2 Qd4 33.g4 Kg7 34.Qf3 Qa4 35.Qc3+ f6 [2:20-2:20] 36.Qc4
Qc6 37.Qe2 Qd6 38.Qf3 Qd4 39.Bd3 ½-½.
** |
Gunsberg: Here Black ought
to have checked at a1 and captured the pawn, with good chances to
win.
But he seemed to have overlooked the force of that move, for he accepted
here the renewed proposal of a draw.
Steinitz: Steinitz afterward pointed
out
that Black could have here proceeded with 39...Qa1+ 40.Kg2 Qxa2 41.Qb7+
Kf8 42.Qb8+ Kf7 43.Qc7+ Be7, and White dare not take the b-pawn on
account
of the rejoinder ...Qd5+, winning the bishop. However, if White
then
took the h-pawn he had fair prospects of making his defense good, and
though
the adverse b-pawn would have been troublesome for some time the game
was
hardly strong enough to win, especially if White did not exchange
queens. |
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The Sun, New York,
1891.01.13
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The World, New York,
1891.01.13
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New-York Daily Tribune,
1891.01.13
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