Annotated Games

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nf3 Nbd7 6.e3 0-0 7.c5 Ne4

A new and highly ingenious method of dealing with the blocking idea, which seems a perfect answer to it.

8.Nxe4 dxe4 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 10.Nd2 Nf6

An excellent part of Black's line of development.

11.Nc4

11.Qc2 e5 12.Nxe4 exd4 13.Nxf6+ Qxf6 with the better game.

11...b6 12.b4 Nd5 13.Qb1 f5 14.Ne5 a5 15.Nc6 Qg5 16.h4 Qf6 17.cxb6 f4 18.Qxe4 fxe3 19.f3 Bb7

A very ingenious trap.

20.b5

If 20.Ne5 Nxb4 21.Qxb7 Qf4 22.Qe4 (best) 22...Qxe4 23.fxe4 Nc2+ with a winning game.  And if 20.Nxa5 Rxa5 21.bxa5 Nb4 22.Qxb7 Qxd4 23.Rd1 Nc2+ 24.Ke2 Qc4+ 25.Rd3 Rd8 26.Qe4 Rd4 with a powerful attack.

(Ed. Note: I'm not sure if Steinitz simply misevaluated this position, or (more likely) the original transcriber of his notes made an error, but this position is totally lost for Black after 27.b7.

20...Bxc6 21.bxc6 cxb6 22.Bd3 Qh6 23.g3 Rac8 24.Rc1 Rc7 25.0-0

There were objections in some variations to 25.Ke2 for White could not then advance pawn to f4 without allowing the queen to check at h5; and at a latter stage the rook could not occupy the b-file on account of the knight checking at c3.

25...Rd8 26.f4

The kingside is much weakened by this advance, and 26.Rfe1 was much better.; 26.Rc4 however, is met by 26...e2.

26...Qg6 27.Qxg6 hxg6 28.Bxg6 Ne7 29.Be4 Rxd4 30.Bf3 Nf5 31.Rfe1 Kf7 32.Rb1 Nxg3

33.Rxb6

It was probably White's best plan to get rid of the adverse e-pawn, in which case Black would have no doubt answered 33...Nf5, followed by 34...Ke7.

33...Nf5 34.Rb7 Rxb7 35.cxb7 Rb4 36.Rc1 Nd4 37.Kg2 Rb2+ 38.Kg3 Rxb7 39.Bxb7 Ne2+ 40.Kf3 Nxc1 41.Kxe3 Nxa2

42.Kd4

White here misses his final chance. 42.f5 leads to a clear draw!  Obviously the pawn cannot be taken (on account of 42...exf5 43.Bd5+ winning the knight), and after White exchanges pawns his king crosses to the queenside and draws with ease.

42...Kf6 43.Kc5 Nc3 44.Kc4 Ne2 45.Kb5 Nxf4 46.Kxa5 Ng6 47.h5 Nf4 48.Bf3 Kf5 49.Kb4 e5 50.Kc3 e4 51.Bd1 e3 52.Bf3 Kg5 53.Kc2 Kh4 54.Kd1 Kg3 0-1