The final game, played on Thursday,
was opened by Steinitz again with the Vienna debut. Blackburne
defended
in Anderssens favorite way, whereupon Steinitz at once blocked out
the
Q B by P to K B 5. The novelty proved a success, since White was
able to support the whole battle line of pawns on both wings, with the
choice to himself to break in on either side. Blackburne pushed
hard,
unable to castle, and, having most of his pieces knotted together
uselessly
on the Q side, forced an opening on the K side in order to relieve
himself
by exchanging queens. But the position proved unfavourable to him
in the ending. Steinitz, having one important open file for the K
R, and being able to force another opening for the Q R, soon compelled
the opponent to sacrifice two pawns, and then managed to force the game
in a pretty finish.
The Field, London,
1876.03.04
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Steinitz,W Blackburne,JH
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(7)
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C30/06 |
Kings Gambit Declined: Classical
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1876.03.02 |
GBR London (West-End Chess
Club)
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Annotations by Blackburne &
Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Bc5 3.f4 d6 4.Nf3 Nf6
** |
Safe enough. If White now
takes
the e-pawn, the game might go on thus: 5.fxe5 dxe5 6.Nxe5 Qd4 7.Nd3 Bb6,
etc. |
5.Bc4 Nc6 6.d3 a6
** |
This move was played by Anderssen
against Blackburne in the Vienna tourney, whereupon the latter also
replied
7.a3. |
7.f5
** |
Stronger than 7.a3, and it seems,
from the progress of the present game, that the array of
Whites
pawns on the kingside cannot be broken through. |
7...h6
** |
The answer to either 7...g6 or
7...Na5
would have been 8.a3; for in the former case, if Black proceeded by
8...gxf5,
White would reply 9.Bg5, threatening knight to d5, and in the latter
case
Black could only follow up by taking the bishop, and on the pawn
retaking
he would have had little prospect of liberating his game on either
side. |
8.h3
** |
In order to fortify the attack
immediately
by pawn to g4, in case Black attempted to castle on the kingside, or to
open the game by pawn to g6, as afterwards done. |
8...Qe7 9.a3
** |
White, being safe on both wings,
makes
an opening for his bishop to prevent the opponent exchanging it by
knight
to a5. He has now also prepared for an attack with his pawns, on
either side, wherever the adversary might attempt to castle, while his
own king is in perfect security. |
9...b5 10.Nd5 Nxd5 11.Bxd5 Bb7
12.b4
Bb6 13.a4 Rb8 [?:??-1:00]14.c3 Nd8 15.Bb3 g6 16.g4 h5 17.Rf1 hxg4
18.hxg4
gxf5 19.gxf5 f6 20.Qe2 [1:00-?:??] 20...Qg7 21.Be3
** |
White threatens now to take
possession
of the open g-file with both rooks by rook to g1, followed by rook to
a2. |
21...Bxe3 22.Qxe3 Qh6
** |
22...Rh3 would not have improved
Blacks
position, for the opponent would have first answered 23.Ke2 before
attacking
the queen. |
23.Qxh6 Rxh6 24.Rg1 d5
** |
24...Rh7 was the only other means
to prevent the hostile rook cutting off the king by rook to g7, and then
the game might have proceeded thus: 24...Rh7 25.Rg8+ Ke7 26.axb5
axb5 27.Ra7 Nc6 28.Rxb8, winning a piece. |
25.exd5 Ke7 26.Kf2
** |
Better now than checking with the
rook, whereupon Black might have attacked the rook by 26...Kf8, and
White
could not then capture the c-pawn on account of the impending rook to
h1,
check. |
26...Nf7 27.Rg7 Rf8
[?:??-2:00]
** |
White threatened pawn to d6, check,
winning a piece. Neither pawn takes pawn nor rook to h5 would have
been a better resource, for in the former case White could have replied
28.Bc4 without altering the position materially, and in the latter
contingency
he could move out of all danger by 28.Ke3, followed in answer to
28...Rxf5,
by 29.Nh4, threatening check at g6, and winning at least the
exchange. |
28.axb5 Kd6
** |
The pawn could not be retaken, on
account of 29.Ra7, winning easily. |
29.bxa6 Ba8 30.a7 Bb7 31.Rxf7 Rxf7 32.Ra6+
Kd7
** |
Had he played 32...Ke7, White would
have pushed 33.d6+, followed by 34.Bxf7, etc. |
33.Ba4+ Ke7 34.Re6+ Kf8 35.Bc6 Ba8
** |
A last desperate attempt to prolong
the game by 36...c6, in case White takes off the bishop at once; but
Whites
reply leaves no escape. |
36.Re8+ Kg7 37.Rxa8 1-0.
The Field, London,
1876.03.04
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