The weather was very hot in Hastings, England, on Saturday, August 17, 1895, when Steinitz created his masterpiece against von Bardeleben. It won the five pounds sterling top brilliancy prize. The committee noted that " the whole of the play was extremely artistic and beautiful, as well as brilliant." Steinitz considered it his best game overall. During the last 115 years several commentators tried to decipher the game. This is a new take.
1.e4
e5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.Bc4
Bc5
4.c3
Nf6
5.d4
exd4
6.cxd4
Bb4+
7.Nc3?!
Steinitz loved this old gambit line, published already in 1620 by Greco. [The solid 7.Bd2
Bxd2+
8.Nbxd2
d5
9.exd5
Nxd5
10.Qb3
leads nowhere after 10...Na5
]
7...d5?
[A wrong reaction. Correct is 7...Nxe4!
8.0-0
Bxc3
9.bxc3
(The Moller Attack 9.d5
was not known at that time, but it is harmless after 9...Ne5!?
(9...Bf6
10.Re1
Ne7
11.Rxe4
d6
is more complicated.) 10.Qe2
(10.bxc3
Nxc4
11.Qd4
0-0
12.Qxe4
b5=/+
) 10...0-0
11.bxc3
Nxc4
12.Qxc4
Nd6
13.Qd3
Qf6
14.Re1
b6
15.Bg5
Qf5
16.Qxf5
Nxf5
17.g4
f6
18.Bf4
Nd6
19.Bxd6
cxd6
20.Nd4
Bb7
21.Nf5
g6
22.Ne7+
Kf7
23.Re3
Ba6
24.Rae1
Rae8
25.h4
Bc4
26.a3
Rh8
27.Kh2
b5
28.Kg3
a5
29.h5
Bb3
30.f4
Bc2
31.f5
g5
32.h6
Bb3
33.Kf2
Rhf8
34.Re4
Bc2
35.R4e3
Bb3
36.Re4
Bc2
37.R4e3
1/2-1/2 Gashimov,V (2740)-Dominguez Perez,L (2713)/Nice 2010) 9...d5
10.Ba3
Be6
Steinitz-Schlechter, Hastings1895. But in the 1896 world championship match, Lasker simply played 10...dxc4 and beat Steinitz twice.]
8.exd5
Nxd5
9.0-0
Be6
[After 9...Nxc3
10.bxc3
Bxc3
11.Qb3!
Bxa1
12.Bxf7+
Kf8
13.Ba3+
Ne7
14.Rxa1
a5
15.Re1
wins, for example 15...a4
16.Qc4
b5
17.Rxe7
bxc4
18.Rxc7+
Qe7
19.Rxe7+-
; Also after 9...Bxc3
10.bxc3
Nxc3
11.Qe1+
wins a piece.]
10.Bg5!?
[The most popular move, but the computers showed another way: 10.Nxd5
Bxd5
11.Qb3!?
Bxc4
12.Qxc4
Be7
13.d5
Nb4
14.Rd1
0-0
(14...c6?
15.d6
Bxd6
16.Bg5
f6
17.Qe6+
Qe7
18.Qxd6
Qxd6
19.Rxd6
fxg5
20.Re1+
Kf8
21.Rd7+-
) 15.Be3+/-
with White's advantage.]
10...Be7
[10...Qd7
11.Bxd5
Bxd5
12.Re1+
Kf8!?
The only move. Other moves lose: (12...Be6
13.d5+-
; 12...Be7
13.Ne5!
(Kasparov only gives the less forcing 13.Nxd5
) 13...Nxe5
14.Rxe5
Be6
15.Bxe7
Qxe7
16.d5
0-0-0
17.Qe2
winning a piece.) 13.Qd3!?
Bxc3
14.bxc3
f6
15.Bf4+/-
; After 10...Qd7
Zaitsev suggested 11.Nxd5
Bxd5
12.Qb3
Bxf3
13.Qxf3
0-0
14.Rad1
h6
(14...Nxd4?!
15.Qxb7
) 15.Be3+/=
]
11.Bxd5!
Bxd5
12.Nxd5
[After 12.Bxe7
Nxe7
13.Re1
0-0
14.Rxe7
Bxf3!
(14...Qxe7?
15.Nxd5
) 15.Qe1
Bg4
Black survives.]
12...Qxd5
13.Bxe7
Nxe7
[After 13...Kxe7
14.Rc1!
Rhe8
(14...Kd7
15.Rc5
Qd6
16.Qb3
Kc8
(16...Nxd4
17.Qa4++-
) 17.Rfc1
with a winning attack.) 15.Rc5
Qd6
16.Qc2!?
Rad8
17.d5!
wins.]
14.Re1
f6
[In 1896, Emil Schallopp recommended to free the knight from the pin with 14...Kf8
and make it ready for action.]
15.Qe2?!
[In 1973, Igor Zaitsev took a closer look at this game and found an improvement: 15.Qa4+!
Kf7
(15...Qd7
16.Qb4
Kf7
17.Qxb7
Rhb8
18.Qe4+-
; 15...c6?
16.Qb4
(16.Qa3
) 16...Qd7
17.Rxe7+
Qxe7
18.Re1+-
; 15...Kd8
16.Qb4
Ng6
17.Rac1+-
; 15...Kf8
16.Qb4
Re8
17.Rac1+-
) and the knight sacrifice 16.Ne5+!
fxe5
(16...Kf8
17.Nd3
Ng6
(17...Qd6
18.Nc5+-
) 18.Rac1
Qd6
19.Nc5+-
) 17.Rxe5
gives white a winning attack, for example: 17...Qd6
(17...b5
18.Qa3
b4
19.Qe3
Qd6
20.Qb3+
Ke8
21.Rae1+-
) 18.Qb3+!?
(Slightly stronger than 18.Qc4+
analyzed by Yefim Geller on a long train journey across Russia from Moscow to Murmansk in 1983. ) 18...Kf8
19.Rae1
Rd8
(19...Ng8
20.Rd5
Qc6
21.Qa3+
Kf7
22.Rf5+
Nf6
(22...Kg6
23.Qg3+
) 23.Re7+
Kg8
(23...Kg6
24.Qg3+
Kxf5
25.Re5#
) 24.Rc5
Qb6
(24...Qd6
25.Qb3+
Nd5
26.Rxd5
Qxe7
27.Rd8#
) 25.Rcxc7
Ne8
26.Qg3
Qxc7
27.Qb3++-
; 19...h5
20.Re6
Qd5
(20...Qd7
21.Qf3+
Ke8
22.Qe4+-
) 21.Qa3+-
; 19...Re8
20.R1e4
Qf6
21.Qe3+-
) 20.Re6
Qd5
21.Qa3+-
Kg8
22.Rxe7
h6
23.Qd3
Rf8
24.Rxc7+-
]
15...Qd7
[15...Qd6?
16.Nd2!
Qd7
17.Ne4
b6
18.Qh5+
Kf8
19.Ng5!
fxg5
20.Qf3++-
lk]
16.Rac1?!
[Several players tried to improve White's play. 16.Rad1!
(Zaitsev) 16...Kf8!
(16...Kf7?
17.Qc4+
Nd5
(17...Kf8
18.d5
) 18.Ne5+!
fxe5
19.dxe5+-
wins) 17.d5
Nxd5
18.Ng5
Re8!=
(18...fxg5?!
19.Qf3+
Qf7
20.Qxd5
Qxd5
21.Rxd5
Kf7
22.Rd7+
Kf6
23.Rxc7
Rhe8
24.Kf1
Rxe1+
25.Kxe1
Rb8
26.Kd2+/=
) ; Petr Romanovsky suggested 16.d5
but Black may try to survive after 16...Kf7
17.Rad1
Rad8!
(but not 17...Nxd5
18.Ng5+
wins.) ; The idea of Paul Keres 16.Qe4
can be met by 16...c6
17.Re2
Kf7
18.Rae1
Nd5
19.Qh4
h5
20.Nd2
g5
and Black is turning the game around; After 16.Nd2
Kf7
(16...c6
17.Rac1
Kf7
18.Ne4
b6
19.Qc4+
Kg6
20.Ng3+/-
) 17.Qh5+
g6
18.Qf3
b6
19.Ne4
Nd5
the chances are equal.]
16...c6?
[The only good defense was 16...Kf7!
but Black was perhaps afraid of the exchange sacrifice 17.Qxe7+?
Other moves have been suggested: (17.Qc4+
Nd5
is an ideal blockade for Black.; 17.Ng5+
Igor Bondarevsky in 1962 17...fxg5
18.Qf3+
Ke8
(18...Kg8
19.Qxb7
Qd5
(19...Rf8
20.Rxc7
) ; 18...Kg6
19.Rxc7!
Qxc7
20.Re6#
; 18...Qf5
19.Rxe7++-
; 18...Nf5!?
the best defense according to Bondarevsky, for example 19.g4
Rhe8
with chances to survive.) 19.Rc5!
Kd8
(19...Rf8
20.Qxb7
Rc8
21.Rd5+-
; 19...c6
20.Rce5+/-
) 20.Rxg5
(20.Rce5
Nc8
21.Qxb7
Nb6
22.Qe4+/=
) 20...g6
(20...Nc8
21.Qxb7
Nb6
22.a4
c6
23.Rxg7
Qxb7
24.Rxb7
Nd7=
) 21.Rge5
Re8
22.Qxb7
Rc8
23.Qxa7+-
; Another Bondarevsky's idea was 17.Ne5+
but he believed Black can defend with 17...fxe5
18.dxe5
Qe6
for example 19.Qf3+!?
(19.Rxc7
Rhd8!=/+
) 19...Kg6
(19...Qf5
20.e6+
Kg6
21.Qg3+
Qg5
22.Qd3+
Nf5
(22...Qf5
23.Re4
; 22...Kh6
23.Re3+-
) 23.e7
(23.Rc5
Rad8
24.Qf3
Rd4
25.e7+-
) 23...Kh6
24.Re6+
g6
25.Rc5+-
) 20.Rxc7
Rab8
(20...b6
21.Qe4+
Kf7
22.Qf4+
Kg8
23.Qf3
Rd8
(23...Nd5
24.Re7
) 24.Rxa7
h5=
) 21.Qe4+
(21.Rxb7
Rxb7
22.Qxb7
Rd8
23.Qxa7
Qxe5=/+
) 21...Kf7
22.Qf3+
Kg6=
; 17.Nh4
g6
) 17...Qxe7
18.Rxe7+
Kxe7
19.Rxc7+
Kd6
20.Rxb7
(After 20.Rxg7
Black can use a rook maneuver pointed out by Richard Reti in the 1920s: 20...Rac8
21.g3
Rc7
) 20...Rhb8!
21.Rxg7
(21.Rxb8
Rxb8
22.b3
Kd5=/+
) 21...Rxb2
22.h3
Rxa2©
; 16...Kf8
17.Nd2
b6
18.Qf3
c6
19.Re4+/-
; 16...Kd8
17.Nd2
Nd5
18.Ne4
b6
19.Nc3+-
; 16...Rf8
17.d5
Rf7
18.Nd4
Rc8
(18...0-0-0
19.d6
Nd5
20.dxc7
Nxc7
21.Nb5+-
) 19.Ne6
c6
20.Qg4
g6
21.d6
Qxd6
22.Ng5
Rc7
23.Rcd1
Qc5
24.Ne6
1-0 Steinitz,W-Chizh/Moscow 1896]
17.d5!
Attacking at Black's strongest point. It opens the c-file and vacates the square d4 for the knight, using it as a trampoline to jump to e6. But at the same time, the winning pawn sacrifice is forced. It is an act of desperation since Black threatens to fix his position with Ke8-f7 and block the pawn on d4 with Ne7-d5.
17...cxd5
[Forced. Other moves allow White to open the position: 17...Kf7
18.dxc6
Nxc6
(18...bxc6
19.Qc4+
Nd5
20.Nd4+-
) 19.Rcd1
Qg4
(19...Qc8
20.Qc4+
Kf8
21.Qc5+
Kf7
22.Qd5+
Kf8
23.Rd3
Qc7
24.Ng5
fxg5
25.Rf3+
wins.) 20.Rd4
Nxd4
21.Ne5+
wins.; 17...Kf8
18.dxc6
Nxc6
19.Rcd1
Qf7
20.Qc2
Kg8
(20...Qxa2
21.Rd7
) 21.Nd4
Nxd4
22.Rxd4
h5
23.Rc4
Rh6
24.Rc7
Qxa2
25.h3
Qd5
26.Ree7
and White wins.]
18.Nd4
Kf7
19.Ne6
Threatening 20.Rc7. In general, one of the winning strategies in chess is to anchor a white knight along the sixth rank and you are half there.
19...Rhc8
[White wins either after 19...Rac8
20.Qg4!
; or after 19...Nc6
20.Nc5
Qc8
21.Qh5+
g6
22.Qxd5+
Kg7
23.Ne6+
Kh6
24.Re3
threatening 25.Rh3 mate.]
20.Qg4!
g6
[The only way to defend g7 since after 20...Ng6
21.Ng5+
wins outright.]
21.Ng5+
(Attacking the black queen.)
21...Ke8
[21...fxg5??
22.Qxd7
wins. Steinitz now begins an amazing 14-move combination.]
22.Rxe7+!
[The rook is running amok along the seventh rank. The variation 22.Nxh7
Qxg4
23.Nxf6+
Kf7
24.Nxg4
wins a pawn, but according to Schallopp, it is only for mortals. Steinitz is creating his immortal game.]
22...Kf8!
What a sight! Incredibly, all four white pieces are hanging. [Black could not take the rook: 22...Qxe7
23.Rxc8+
Rxc8
24.Qxc8+
wins; or 22...Kxe7
23.Re1+
Kd6
24.Qb4+
Rc5
(24...Kc6
25.Rc1#
; 24...Kc7
25.Ne6+
Kb8
26.Qf4++-
) 25.Re6+
wins.]
23.Rf7+!
[23.Qxd7??
Rxc1+-+
; White can also win after 23.Nxh7+?!
Kxe7
24.Re1+
Kd8
25.Qb4
Qxh7
26.Qd6++-
Qd7
27.Qxf6+
Kc7
28.Re7+-
but it is clumsy.]
23...Kg8!
[After 23...Qxf7
24.Rxc8+
Rxc8
25.Qxc8+
Qe8
26.Nxh7+
wins.]
24.Rg7+!
Kh8!
[After 24...Kf8
25.Nxh7+
Kxg7
26.Qxd7+
wins.]
25.Rxh7+!
Black disappeared from the tournament hall without resigning. After his time ran out, Steinitz demonstrated the win: [25.Rxh7+!
Kg8
26.Rg7+
Kh8
27.Qh4+
Kxg7
28.Qh7+
Kf8
29.Qh8+
Ke7
30.Qg7+
Ke8
31.Qg8+
Ke7
32.Qf7+
Kd8
33.Qf8+
Qe8
34.Nf7+
Kd7
35.Qd6#
] 1-0