This game won a special cash prize ($50) for the best game played at the 6th American Chess Congress, held in New York in 1889.  Participants included the likes of Tschigorin, Weiss (=1^st/2^nd, 29/38), Blackburne, Burn, Lipschutz, Showalter, Pollock, Bird, etc.  Gunsberg played this game, ironically, on the very first day of the Congress, perhaps catching his opponent napping?

The game and notes were taken from the free eBook The Book of the Sixth American Chess Congress, Containing the Games of the International Chess Tournament Held at New York in 1889; Edited and Annotated by Wilhelm Steinitz.  Notes are by Wilhelm Steinitz.  Chessville translated the game and comments into algebraic notation; any errors are therefore ours.

Mason - Gunsberg
6th American Chess Congress, New York, USA, 30.03.1889

Notes are by Wilhelm Steinitz.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 d6 5.Be3 Bb6

Here we prefer 5...Bxe3 followed by 6.fxe3 Na5.

6.c3 Nf6 7.Nbd2 Qe7 8.a4

This advance is premature and leaves a hole at b3.  He ought to have castled first with the option of maneuvering on either side.

8...Be6 9.Bb5 Bxe3 10.fxe3 a6

We prefer to gain a move by 10...0-0 , as the a-pawn is generally better posted at a7 than a6, and White, unless he loses a move with his bishop, is bound to exchange.

11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.b4 0-0 13.0-0 Ng4 14.Qe2 f5

15.exf5 Bxf5 16.e4 Bd7 17.Nc4 Nf6 18.Ne3 g6 19.c4

The hole created in the center at d4 involves him in great difficulties.  He ought to have played again 19.Nc4, with the view of entering at a5 and keeping the adverse bishop engaged for the defence of the c-pawn.

19...Nh5 20.g3

Perhaps necessary though inconvenient, as the adverse bishop obtains attacking entrance at h3.

20...Bh3 21.Rf2 Ng7 22.Qb2 Ne6

Black's maneuvering for obtaining command with his knight of the adverse weak centre spot is admirable.

23.Re1

A great error of judgment.  He ought to have filled the gap at g2 with his e3-knight in order to be enabled to play Re1-f1 and keep possession of the f-file.

23...Rf7 24.Ree2 Raf8 25.Ne1 Nd4 26.Rd2 Qg5

Black keeps hold of the attack with an iron grip.

27.N3g2 Bxg2 28.Kxg2 Qe3 29.Kf1 Nb3

Winding up with a master coup of extraordinary depth and beauty.

White resigns.  0-1

For wherever the d2-rook may move, Black answers 30...Rxf2+ and after 31.Rxf2 Nd2+ 32.Qxd2 Qxd2.

Analysis Diagram: position after 32...Qxd2

Or if 30.Rxf7 Rxf7+ 31.Rf2 Nd2+ and wins.  The whole game is a splendid specimen of Mr. Gunsberg's strategical skills in open positions.
 

Lasker - Steinitz 1894 World Championship Index

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