[Event "Match"]
[Site "GBR London (West-End Chess Club)"]
[Date "1876.02.17"]
[Round "01"]
[White "Steinitz,W."]
[Black "Blackburne,J.H."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C77"]
[LongECO "C77/07 (3rd ed.)"]
[Opening "Spanish: Morphy (Anderssen)"]
[Annotator "Blackburne & Steinitz"]
[Source "The Field, London, 1876.02.19"]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 
{Anderssen first adopted this move in his match against
 Morphy, which at the time caused a great deal of
 animadversion amongst theorists, who were inclined towards
 advocating a more energetic attack than the nature of the
 opening apparently can bear. But we believe that the great
 German master showed a true appreciation of the spirit of
 this opening, which requires a treatment similar to that of
 the close game, namely, a steadfast gradual development,
 content with the small advantage of the first move.}
5...d6
{Morphy played here invariably 5...b5, followed by 6...Bc5;
 the move in the text was first brought into practice by
 Paulsen, and was afterwards accepted as the standard
 defense, which in the majority of games hitherto played has
 proven successful.}
6.c3 
{Anderssen prefers here 6.Bxc6+, and then directs his
 attention to retaining both his knights, and preventing the
 adversary from dissolving his doubled pawn. White persues
 here a different, and in the present position novel,
 policy, and makes preparation for retaining his
 light-square bishop, and resting his game upon confining
 the opponent's dark-square bishop. Whether this plan is an
 amelioration of Anderssen's line of attack can only be
 proved by repeated practical trials.}
6...Be7 
{Against Anderssen's form of attack in this début it is more
 usual to open an outlet for the bishop by 6...g6. Black
 prefers to get his king into safety as soon as possible,
 and therefore at once makes room to enable him to castle.}
7.h3 
{Not so much for defensive purposes as with the view of
 subsequently fortifying an attack by pawn to g4 against the
 opponent's kingside, after the latter has castled.}
7...0-0 8.Qe2 Ne8 9.g4 b5 10.Bc2 Bb7 11.Nbd2 Qd7 12.Nf1 
{This peculiar way of bringing the knight over to the
 kingside was much favored by Morphy in similar situations,
 and was also adopted by Blackburne in the tie match against
 Steintiz in the Vienna tournament.  But both those players
 had elected that course after having previously brought out
 thier c1-bishop, while here White seemed to have time for
 this maneuver, even at the cost of remporarily blocking out
 his dark-square bishop.}
12...Nd8 13.Ne3 Ne6 14.Nf5 g6 
{For pure defensive purposes it would have been feasible to
 retreat the bishop to d8; but Blackburne thinks that after
 the exchange, and since his adversary was compelled to
 castle on the queenside, the chances of an attack were at
 least equally balanced for both sides.}
15.Nxe7+ Qxe7 16.Be3 N8g7 17.0-0-0 c5 18.d4 exd4 19.cxd4 c4
{Blackburne poined out that 19...d5 would have been much
 stronger at this juncture, and there can be no doubt that
 this move would have much improved his game. White's best
 answer then would have been 20.e5 (for if 20.exd5 instead,
 Black would rejoin 20...Nf4, with an excellent game). Most
 likely the game would have proceeded thus: 19...d5 20.e5 c4
 21.h4 and now, whether Black advanced 21...f5 or 21...h5,
 White retained still some considerable attack; in the
 former by 22.exf5, followed by 23.Ne5, and in the latter
 case by the answer of 23.Ng5, followed soon by pawn to f4.
 But, nevertheless, Black had a better chance then of
 repelling the onslaught, and certainly if he once got out
 of the attack, even at the expense of sacrificing a piece
 eventually, his fine array of well-supported pawns on the
 queen's wing would have been most formidable.}
20.d5 Nc7 21.Qd2 
{A move necessary for defensive purposes, but also
 threatening.  Before moving the queen, White could not
 utilize his dark-square bishop without subjecting his
 d-pawn to capture. Now White menaces a break in with the
 queen, either at a5 or h6, after removing the bishop, as
 actually occurred.}
21...a5 22.Bd4 f6 23.Qh6 b4 24.g5 f5
{Perhaps 24...Nge8, with the intention of offering the
 exchange of queens at g7, would have augmented Black's
 prospects of prolonging the fight; but, even if he
 succeeded in effecting the exchange, White's pawns and
 pieces were better situated for the endgame.}
25.Bf6 Qf7 
{The sacrifice of the rook for the bishop would not have
 mended matters, on account of the impending 27.Ng5, after
 capturing the rook. Nor would 25...Qd7 have been any
 better, e.g.: 25...Qd7 26.exf5 Nxf5 (if 26...gxf5 instead,
 White would proceed with 27.g6 at once) 27.Bxf5 gxf5 28.g6
 Rxf6 29.gxh7+, and wins; for if 29...Kf7 30.Ng5+ would be a
 destructive rejoinder.}
26.exf5 gxf5 27.g6 
{Decisive (for, if 27...hxg6, White replies 28.Ng5), though
 rather plain in comparision with the fine variation which
 might have arisen in answer to 27.Nh4, which would probably
 have led to a still more elegant conclusion, e.g.: 27.Nh4
 Nxd5 28.Rxd5 Bxd5 29.Nxf5 Nxf5 (best) 30.Bxf5, threatening
 pawn to g6, and must win, for Black dare not take the rook
 on account of the answer 31.Be6.}
27...Qxg6 28.Bxg7 Qxh6+ 29.Bxh6 Rf6 
{There was little to be done; but certainly, if Black wished
 to proceed further, 29...Rf7 presented greater chances of
 prolonging resistance; but, as our readers may observe,
 both players were just at this stage on the point of
 completing the fixed time limit, and their movements bear
 the appearance of being hurried.}
30.Rhg1+ Rg6 31.Bxf5 Kf7 32.Bxg6+ hxg6 33.Ng5+ Kg8 34.Rge1
{White threatens, accordingly to circumstances, either
 35.Re6 or 35.Re7, after which the defense must soon
 collapse.}
1-0

[Event "Match"]
[Site "GBR London (West-End Chess Club)"]
[Date "1876.02.19"]
[Round "02"]
[White "Blackburne,J.H."]
[Black "Steinitz,W."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C45"]
[LongECO "C45/04 (3rd ed.)"]
[Opening "Scotch: Pulling (Horwitz)"]
[Annotator "Blackburne & Steinitz"]
[Source "The Field, London, 1876.02.26"]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qh4 5.Nb5 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 
Qxe4+ 7.Be2 Kd8 8.0-0 Bxd2 9.Qxd2
{In the match between London and Vienna, the latter retook
 the bishop with the knight.  The course here adopted does
 not seem to afford greater facilities for the defense, and
 has, perhaps, the advantage for match play that it has not
 received such an exhaustive analysis as the line of play
 pursued in the above mentioned game.}
9...Nf6 
{In the altered position this appears better than the mode
 of development for this knight advocated by Messrs Potter
 and Steinitz in their analysis of the above quoted game,
 namely 9...Nh6 (see The Field, April 18, 1874). The chief
 reason given by those two examiners was the weakness of
 Black's f-pawn, which might more specially compromise the
 defense, since the first player had, in a great many
 variations, fine opportunities of attacking that weak point
 with one of his knights; but in the present position, after
 the queen in place of the knight has retaken the bishop,
 such a contingency was too remote to be taken into serious
 consideration, and it was probably the best course to
 defend at once the point at d5 against any future
 occupation from either of the adversary's knights.}
10.N1c3 Qe5 11.Rfe1 a6 12.Na3 Qd4 
{12...b5, blocking out the opponent's a-knight, was
 tempting, but would have been thoroughly unsound, e.g.,
 12...b5 13.Bf3 Qc5 (best) 14.b4 Qb6 (best) 15.Qg5 Rg8
 16.Nd5 and wins.}
13.Qg5 Rg8 {[?:??-1:00]} 14.Rad1 h6
{An important move, not alone to prevent the hostile queen
 from establishing herself at any of the strong posts on the
 kingside, but also to enable Black to bring his own queen
 into greater security by constantly offering the exchange
 of queens.}
15.Qg3 Qe5 16.Qh4 Qg5 17.Qc4 {[1:00-?:??]} 17...Ne5 18.Qb4
{White would have gained nothing by attacking the knight and
 the queen, by 14.f4, though the knight might have been
 temporarily put out of play.  For instance, 18.f4 Nxc4
 19.fxg5 Nxa3 20.gxf6 Nxc2 21.Bd3 Nxe1 22.Bh7 Re8 23.fxg7
 Nd3 and Black is out of danger; for if the bishop takes the
 knight, he replies 24...Rg8, which recovers the most
 dangerous pawn.}
18...Nc6
{Black's last two moves were made under the pressure of time
 limit, and under the impression that he could advance the
 pawn to b5 if the opponent retreated the queen to b3; but
 it appears that after White's next answer this expedient
 could not be adopted, e.g., 19.Qb3 b5 20.Bf3 Bb7 21.Qxf7
 Ne5 22.Rxe5 Qxe5 23.Bxb7 Rb8 24.Bc6, etc.}
19.Qb3 Rf8 20.Nc4 b5
{This move is weak, and gives the opponent an excellent
 opportunity for displaying his power of brilliant resource.
 20...Qc5 was the correct play.}
21.Bf3 Bb7
{Had Black captured the knight, the adversary would have
 recovered the piece at once by 22.Qa3, attacking the rook,
 followed by 23.Bxc6.}
22.Nd5 Rb8
{Probably 22...Kc8 would have been the much safer line of
 play. The move in the text subjects Black to a most
 vehement attack, from which he ought hardly to have
 escaped.}
23.Qa3 Rg8 24.Ne5
{At this extremely critical juncture, Blackburne, who had
 conducted the attack in an excellent manner, was
 unfortunately very hard pressed for time so much that he
 had ultimately, on the 29th move, to take advantage of the
 five minutes' grace accorded by the conditions, and he was
 unable to work out in all its details the very fine
 combination he afterwards pointed out, and which, though
 apparently hazardous, was, so far as our examination goes,
 quite sound in all variations.  He ought to have played
 here 24.Re5, and the game might have gone on thus: 24.Re5
 Nxe5 (or 24...Qh4 25.Nxf6 Qxf6 [or 25...gxf6 26.Re4 Qh3
 (best) 27.Bg4, and wins] 26.Red5 bxc4 27.Rxd7+ Ke8 [if
 27...Kc8 28.Bg4 follows] 28.Rxc7, and ought to win) 25.Qe7+
 Kc8 26.Ndb6+ cxb6 27.Nxb6+ Kc7 28.Qd6+ Kd8 29.Qxb8+ Bc8
 30.Bb7 (better than 30.Qxc8+, which would only draw the
 game), and wins.}
24...Nxe5 25.Qe7+ Kc8 26.Rxe5 Nxd5 27.Qxf7 Qd8 28.Bxd5 Bxd5 
29.Rexd5 
{[2:00-?:??];
 No doubt is would have much improved White's position if he
 had here retaken with the other rook, and reserved the
 e-rook to occupy e7.}
29...d6 30.R5d3 Qe8
{At this stage the game was adjourned, and was resumed after
 an hour's interval.}
31.Qd5 Rf8 {[?:??-2:00]} 32.Qd4 Rf6
{Here Steinitz proposed a draw, and Blackburne admits that
 the offer was a fair one, as the position and forces were
 quite even; but Blackburne in refusing the offer, relied
 chiefly upon the circumstances that his opponent had
 exhausted about seventeen minutes of his third hour over
 the last two moves, and he trusted the chance of inveigling
 Black into such complications as would necessitate his
 consuming more time than the limit would allow, or cause
 him to make some ill-considered move of which advantage
 could be taken.}
33.Re3 Qc6 34.Rde1
{34.Qa7 would have been of no use, for Black would have
 replied 34...Qb6, and, if White checked with the rook, the
 Black king would move to d7, and White could not then take
 the rook with the queen, on account of the impending mate,
 commencing with 36...Qxf2+, followed by the sacrifice of
 the queen at f1.}
34...Kb7 35.Rc3 Qd7
{Black might also with safety here have played 35...Re8, but
 the move in the text gave him more aggressive chances.}
36.Rce3 Rbf8 37.f3 R8f7 38.Re8 Qc6 39.c3 Rf5 40.R8e7 Rd5 41.Qh4
{[3:00-?:??]; 
 White could not well sacrifice the queen for two rooks by
 playing 41.Rxf7 for Black would win at least two pawns on
 the queenside by 42...Qd5, after capturing the queen and
 the opponent's retaking the rook with the pawn.
 Nevertheless 41.Qf2 was better than the move in the text.}
41...Qc5+ 42.Kf1 g5 43.Qe4
{Again 43.Qf2 was preferable, but Blackburne had here to
 fight against the difficulty of making all his moves up to
 the 45th within the five minutes grace allowed to him, he
 having already exhausted his limit on the 41st move.}
43...Rxe7 44.Qxe7 Rd2 45.Re2 Rd1+ 46.Re1 Qc4+ 47.Qe2 Rxe1+ 
48.Kxe1 Qxa2 49.Qe4+ d5 50.Qc2 Qc4 51.Qd2
{In answer to 51.b4, Black would have advanced 51...a5, and
 upon the opponent taking it, he had time to recover it by
 52...Ka6.}
51...a5 52.g3 b4 53.f4 gxf4 54.gxf4 bxc3 55.bxc3 a4 56.Kd1 
a3 57.Kc1 Kc6 58.Kb1
{He had nothing else; had he advanced 58.f5, Black would
 have replied 58...Qf1+, followed accordingly either by the
 exchange of queens, or the immediate advance of the
 a-pawn.}
58...Qb3+
{Now White's king and queen are altogether confined, and
 Black can bring his king round so as to exchange queens,
 and to capture the f-pawn at the proper moment, as was
 actually done.}
59.Ka1 Kd6 60.Qc1 Ke7 61.Qd2 Kf7 62.Qc1 c5 63.Qd2 Kf6 64.Qc1 
Kf5 65.Qd2 Qb2+ 66.Qxb2 axb2+ 67.Kxb2 Kxf4 0-1

[Event "Match"]
[Site "GBR London (West-End Chess Club)"]
[Date "1876.02.22"]
[Round "03"]
[White "Steinitz,W."]
[Black "Blackburne,J.H."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C39"]
[LongECO "C39/03 (3rd ed.)"]
[Opening "King's Gambit Accepted: Kieseritzky (Berlin)"]
[Annotator "Blackburne & Steinitz"]
[Source "The Field, London, 1876.02.26"]
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5 Nf6 6.Bc4 d5 7.exd5
Bg7 8.d4 0-0 9.Bxf4 Nxd5 10.Bxd5 Qxd5 11.0-0 c5 12.Nc3
{Obvious as this move seems, it has not received any
 analytical attention, and we believe that this is the first
 occasion of it having been introduced into practice in an
 important match game.  White must recover the pawn he now
 offers, and the position afterwards is about even; but
 Blackburne and Zukertort are of the opinion that the
 retention of the two bishops gives the second player the
 superior game, though his pawns on the queenside are
 separated.}
12...Qxd4+ 13.Qxd4 cxd4 14.Nd5 Nc6 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Ne7+ Kh8
17.Nxc6 Bb7 18.Ne5 Rac8 19.Rf2 Be4 {[?:??-1:00]} 20.Rd1
{[1:00-?:??]} 20...f5 21.Nd3
{White could not well venture upon taking the d-pawn, for it
 would have involved the loss of the exchange, e.g.: 21.Rxd4
 Rce8 22.Ra4 Bxe5 23.Rxe4 fxe4 24.Bxe5+ Kg8, and ought to
 win.}
21...Rfe8 22.Re2 Kg8 23.Ne1 Kf7 24.Bg3 Re6
{The initiation of a finely conceived scheme, altogether
 overlooked by the adversary.}
25.Bf2 Bxc2
{White ought on the previous move to have played 25.Kf1,
 which would have frustrated this neat design.  As it
 stands, if White take the bishop with the rook, Black would
 answer 26...Rxe1+, etc.}
26.Rxe6 Bxd1 27.Rd6 Ke7
{Fortunately for Steinitz, his opponent was at this point
 short of time, or else the latter could not have failed to
 see that he could win the exchange by 27...Be5, threatening
 28...g3.  White had then no better reply than 28.Rxd4, and
 he would have had very hard work afterwards to draw the
 game, even if he found time to strengthen his position by
 pawn to g3.}
28.Ra6 Rc7 29.Kf1 Rd7 {[?:??-2:00]} 30.Ra3 {[2:00-?:??]}
30...Ke6 31.Nd3 Bf8 32.Ra5 
{Preventing the adversary's king from crossing, and better
 than checking at a6, which would only have had the effect
 of drawing the king up to the support of his passed d-pawn;
 for Black could have safely answered 32...Kd5, followed by
 33...Ke4 if the knight checked at f4, and White would then
 have found it of no avail to protect the knight by 34.Bg3,
 threatening mate with the rook, since Black could provide
 an escape by 34...d3, which also cleared the road to his
 own victory.}
32...Bc2 33.Ke2 Kf6
{Black played this with the anticipation that White would
 answer 34.Kd2, whereupon he would capture the knight,
 followed by 35...Kg6, which would have given him a good
 game.}
34.Ra6+
{White failed here to take the promptest advantage of the
 opponent's error.  He might have taken the a-pawn with the
 rook at once, but still the move adopted, drove the king
 back, forced the gain of a pawn, and secured at least a
 draw.}
34...Kg7 
{A grave error, for it loses two pawns at once.  He ought to
 have 34...Ke7; but even in that case his game was not
 comfortable, and he must have lost the a-pawn by the answer
 of 35.Nc5, without being able to make any impression with
 his passed d-pawn, which could easily be stopped.}
35.Rxa7 Rxa7 36.Bxd4+ Kf7 37.Bxa7 Bd6 38.Be3 Ke6 39.Kd2 Bxd3
40.Kxd3 Kd5 41.a4 f4 42.Bf2 g3 43.Bg1 Bb4 44.Ke2 Ba5 45.Kf3
Kc4 46.Kxf4 Bc7+ 47.Kg5 Bd8+ 48.Kg4 Bc7 49.Be3 Be5 50.a5 Kb5
51.b4 Bd6 52.Bc5 Be5 53.Kf5 Bc3 54.h5 Ka6 {[?:??-3:00]}
55.Ke6
{And after some more moves Black resigned. Duration 7 hours.
 (...)}
1-0

[Event "Match"]
[Site "GBR London (West-End Chess Club)"]
[Date "1876.02.24"]
[Round "04"]
[White "Blackburne,J.H."]
[Black "Steinitz,W."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C45"]
[LongECO "C45/04 (3rd ed.)"]
[Opening "Scotch: Pulling (Horwitz)"]
[Annotator "Blackburne & Steinitz"]
[Source "The Field, London, 1876.02.26"]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qh4 5.Nb5 Bb4+ 6.Bd2
Qxe4+ 7.Be2 Kd8 8.0-0 Bxd2 9.Qxd2 a6
{This is superior to 9...Nf6, adopted by Steinitz at this
 point in the second game of the match.  It has the effect
 of blocking the king's knight for some time.}
10.N5c3 Qe5 11.Na3 b5
{Best at once, but not so much with the view of attacking
 the two pieces as with the object of paralysing the action
 of one of the knights.}
12.Bf3 Nge7 13.Rad1 Qf5 
{It may be observed, that on this and the previous moves
 Black had to avoid the temptation of forking the two
 knights by ...b4, as on each occasion White could have
 obtained a winning attack by the reply of Nd5.}
14.Rfe1 Rb8 {[?:??-1:00]} 15.Qe2
{This was a loss of time; he ought to have played 15.Qe3 at
 once.}
15...d6 16.Ne4 {[1:00-?:??]} 16...Bd7 17.Qe3 f6 18.g4 Qg6
19.Nxd6
{In match games regulated by time limit the expedient is
 often adopted, to try to confuse the opponent when he is
 short of time, by raising complications even at great
 hazard.  The present incorrect, strictly speaking,
 sacrifice belongs to that category.  The defense was
 extremely ticklish, and, as Steinitz had nearly exhausted
 his second hour, the chances were in favor of his not
 hitting always upon the right move in the course of the
 vehement attack to which the sacrifice gave rise.}
19...cxd6 20.Rxd6 Kc7 21.Bxc6 
{This exchange gave the most chances of continuing the
 pressure of a violent onslaught.  Had he played the 21.Qf4,
 Black might have replied 21...Ne5; for if 22.Rxe5, the pawn
 would retake, attacking the queen.  Blackburne informs us
 that at the time he sacrificed the knight he contemplated
 at this point to move 21.Qc5, and, upon the opponent
 answering 21...Qg5, to leave the queen en prise, and take
 the e-knight with the rook, e.g: 21.Qc5 Qg5 22.Rxe7 Qxc5
 23.Rexd7+ Kb6 24.Rxc6+ Qxc6 25.Bxc6 Kxc6 26.Rxg7; but he
 overlooked that at this stage Black could force the
 exchange of rooks, with a winning position, by playing
 either rook to g8.}
21...Nxc6 22.Qg3 Kc8 
{He could not capture the g-pawn with the queen, on account
 of the reply 23.Rxd7+, winning the queen.}
23.Red1 Rb7 24.Qg2 Nb8 
{Better than 24...Ne5, which would have been of little use
 for aggressive purposes, while now the knight affords
 additional protection to Black's much-exposed right wing.}
25.R1d4 h5 26.Qd5 Qg5 27.Qxg5 fxg5 28.Rg6 Bxg4 29.Rxg5 Re8
30.Kg2 {[2:00-?:??]} 30...Rf7 31.h3 Bd7 {[?:??-2:00]} 32.Kg3
Re2 33.Rxh5 Rexf2 34.Rc5+ Nc6 35.Rd3 Kc7 36.Nb1 Kb6 37.Rcd5
Nb8 38.Nd2
{White might have here won the exchange, but it would have
 simplified the position too much, e.g.: 38.Rxd7 Nxd7
 39.Rxd7 Rxd7 40.Kxf2 Rd1 41.Nc3 Rd2+, winning easily.}
38...Bc6 39.Ne4 
{Best.  Had he moved the rook at once, the answer of
 39...Rg2+, would have been deadly.}
39...Re2 40.Nc3 Rxc2 41.Rd2 Rxc3+ 42.bxc3 Bxd5 43.Rxd5 Rc7
44.Rd3 Nc6 45.Kf4 Rf7+ 46.Ke4 {[3:00-?:??]} 46...Rf2 47.a3
Ra2 48.c4 bxc4 49.Rg3 Rd2 50.Rxg7 Rd4+ 51.Kf5 c3
{There is no means of stopping the pawn now, excepting at
 the cost of a clear rook. If 52.Rg2, the answer is
 52...Rd2; and if 53.Rg1 or 53.Rg3, with the intention of
 afterwards stopping the pawn accordingly, either by 54.Rc1
 or 54.Rc3, Black may still advance the pawn to c2, followed
 by 54...Rd1, for the rook will be lost after taking the
 pawn by 55...Nd4+.}
0-1

[Event "Match"]
[Site "GBR London (West-End Chess Club)"]
[Date "1876.02.26"]
[Round "05"]
[White "Steinitz,W."]
[Black "Blackburne,J.H."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C29"]
[LongECO "C29/01 (3rd ed.)"]
[Opening "Vienna Gambit: Steinitz (Blackburne)"]
[Annotator "Blackburne & Steinitz"]
[Source "The Field, London, 1876.03.04"]
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.d3 Bb4 
{This rarely adopted variation transfers to the second
 player the attack, which is, however, a short-lived one if
 properly defended.}
5.fxe5 Nxe4 
{This sacrifice of the knight is a novel introduction.
 5...d4 is generally preferred at this point, and is usually
 continued thus: 5...d4 6.exf6 dxc3 7.b3 Qxf6 8.Nf3 Bg4
 9.Be2 Nc6 etc., and most practitioners pronounce the game
 even.}
6.dxe4 Qh4+ 7.Ke2 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Bg4+ 9.Nf3 dxe4 10.Qd4 
{The saving clause which redeems White's game, and leaves
 the opponent no option but to lose a move with the only
 piece he has got in play besides his queen.}
10...Bh5 
{Black would have lost a piece if he had taken the knight
 with the pawn checking, for White would have simply retaken
 with the pawn, and Black would have been compelled to
 sacrifice the pinned bishop for the adverse f-pawn, and
 then White's king would have easily reached a safe goal
 after a few checks from the opponent.}
11.Ke3 
{A number of ingenious traps were laid for White by Black's
 last move.  Had he now moved 11.Kd2, the reply would have
 been 11...Qg4; and if White attacked the queen by 12.h3,
 Black would have checked with the queen at f4, followed by
 13...Qg3+, if 13.Ke1 or, in the other alternative, if
 13.Kd1, he would have won, by 13...exf3, followed by
 14...fxg2+, in answer to 14.Bxf4 etc.  Again, if White now
 moved 11.Kd1 at once, Black might have sacrificed the queen
 by 11...exf3; for, if 12.Qxh4 in reply, he could also
 proceed to leave the bishop en prise by 12...fxg2+, winning
 the rook and making a new queen.}
11...Bxf3 12.Bb5+ 
{The only move to prevent an immediate draw, which Black
 would have obtained by checking backwards and forwards with
 the queen at e1 and h4, if White had captured the bishop at
 once with the pawn.  White wished to avoid that
 contingency, relying upon his king getting into the middle
 of the board, ready to support the pawns of both wings, if
 he succeeded in exchanging queens, which would be more
 favorable to him in the endgame.}
12...c6 13.gxf3 cxb5 14.Qxe4 Qh6+ 
{Much superior to exchanging queens at once, whereupon White
 would have retaken with the king.  White's king is now
 driven more to the rear and the exchange can be afforded
 more conveniently on the next move.  If White in reply move
 15.f4, Black would obtain a good game by 15...Nc6.}
15.Kf2 {[1:00-?:??]} 15...Qc6 16.Qd4 Na6 
{Black chose this mode of development for the knight with
 the object of getting rid of the hostile bishop as early as
 possible.  16...Nd7 would have led to various complications
 of a character which must have made Black's game
 exceedingly difficult, for White would have replied 17.Rg1
 attacking the g-pawn, which could not be defended by
 17...g6 or 17...0-0, on account of the rejoinder 18.e6.}
17.Ba3 b4 {[?:??-1:00]}
{Black could not afford to allow the bishop to be planted at
 d6, and the sacrifice of the pawn was quite judicious under
 the circumstances that White's material advantage consisted
 afterwards in a doubled pawn.}
18.Bxb4 Nxb4 19.Qxb4 Rc8 20.Rab1 b6 
{Taking the c-pawn would have led to an exchange
 disadvantageous to Black, e.g.: 20...Qxc3 21.Qxc3 Rxc3
 22.Rxb7 Rxc2+ 23.Ke3, and wins the a-pawn.}
21.Rb3 Rd8 22.Re1 Rd5 23.Re4 Qh6 
{The counter attack looked promising at first sight; but
 23...Rc5, with the object of castling, was in reality safer
 play.  White's best reply was then to challenge the
 exchange of queens by 24.Qa4, and he would have still
 retained the best of the game, but his chances of winning
 must have been considerably diminished in that case.}
24.h4 g5 
{"A desperate sortie, which involves the exposure of the K
 to a strong attack by White's forcible reply.  Q to B 8
 offered better chances of recovering ground, though White
 would even then have kept the attack in hand by Q to R 4,
 ch. followed either by Q takes R P, or by R to Kt 4,
 according to Black's reply."}
25.e6 fxe6 
{Black had nothing better, for White threatened an extremely
 harassing check at a4.}
26.Qa4+ Ke7 
{Again the only move.  Had he interposed the rook, White
 would have won as follows, supposing-26...Rd7 27.Rd4 Qg7
 28.Rxb6 axb6 29.Qa8+ Ke7 30.Rxd7+ Kf6 (best; for if
 30...Kxd7, White wins the queen by 31.Qa7+) 31.hxg5+, and
 wins; for if 31...Kf5, White would reply 32.Qe4+.}
27.Qxa7+ Rd7 28.Qxb6 Rc8 {[?:??-2:00]} 29.Qe3 Kf7 30.Rb5
Rcd8 31.Rxg5 Rd2+ 32.Kg3 R2d6 33.Rf4+
{[2:00-?:??];
 The following note leads me to suspect that Black's 32nd
 move is actually 32...Rd1 (R-Q8 vs R-Q3 in descriptive).
 If this is the case then the note dealing with the exchange
 of two rooks for queen begins to make sense (R to B 4, ch.
 being Rf5+ so the pawn can capture on f5!-[Pope];
 "Here White missed the shortest way of winning the game
 right off.  He ought to have doubled the rooks by moving
 the same rook to K Kt 4, threatening Q to B 4, ch. followed
 by R to Kt 7, ch.  He might have also won here two rooks
 for the Q by R to B 4, ch.  Black had then nothing better
 than to capture the R with the P, for if he attempted to
 support the Q by K to Kt 3, R to B 6, ch. followed.  But
 the latter mode of play left, however, the chances of long
 protracted and perhaps complicated fight open, and the line
 of play in the text had therefore the preference of greater
 simplicity, though it was not as prompt and decisive as our
 first suggestion."}
33...Ke7 34.Qe5 
{There was only one answer to this, and that was the one
 actually made.}
34...Rd5 35.Rg7+ Ke8 36.Qf6 
{36.Qc7 would have been of no use, for Black would have
 replied with 36...R8d7.  The move in text forces the
 exchange, and leaves Black no game to fight with.}
36...Qxf6 37.Rxf6 R8d6 38.Rxh7 Rc5 39.Rg6 Kf8 40.h5 Rdd5
41.Rxe6 Rxh5 42.Rxh5 Rxh5 43.a4 Rc5 44.Re3 Rc4 45.Kf2 Kf7
46.Ke2 Kf6 47.Kd3 Rxa4 48.c4 Ra1 49.c5 Ra4 50.Re4 Ra1 51.Kc4
Ra4+ 52.Kd5 Ra3 53.c6 1-0

[Event "Match"]
[Site "GBR London (West-End Chess Club)"]
[Date "1876.02.29"]
[Round "06"]
[White "Blackburne,J.H."]
[Black "Steinitz,W."]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "C45"]
[LongECO "C45/04 (3rd ed.)"]
[Opening "Scotch: Pulling (Horwitz)"]
[Annotator "Blackburne & Steinitz"]
[Source "The Field, London, 1876.03.04 & 11"]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Qh4 5.Nb5 Bb4+ 6.Bd2
Qxe4+ 7.Be2 Kd8 8.0-0 Bxd2 9.Qxd2 a6 10.N5a3 
{At first sight this seems a feasible attempt to prevent the
 maneuver successfully adopted by Steinitz in the fourth
 game of the match, namely to shut out the king's knight by
 10...b5.  This object is certainly now attained; for in
 answer to 10...b5, White would obtain a strong attack by
 11.Bf3 followed by 12.c4 upon the adverse queen retreating
 to g6, e.g.: 10...b5 11.Bf3 Qg6 (best) 12.c4 b4 13.Nc2 a5
 14.a3, with an excellent game.  Blackburne assures us,
 however, that his retreating the knight at once was a
 simple slip.  He contemplated playing the same attack as in
 the fourth game, placing reliance upon a slow attack, to be
 fortified later on by bringing the a-knight to the succour,
 which, as he thinks, would be extricated by pawn to c4, or
 pawn to c3, after removing the b-knight.  Black's following
 answer is plain, and it is made chiefly with the purpose of
 getting the queen on the a1-h8 diagonal, where she is
 better placed for defensive purposes, and out of the reach
 of the hostile rooks and minor pieces.}
10...Qd4 11.Qg5+ 
{The immediate retreat of the queen to c1, though rather
 humble in an attacking game if this sort, would have been
 sounder play, for it might have afforded the f-rook an
 opportunity of occupying the d-file without loss of time,
 if Black in answer developed his g-knight.  In that case it
 would not have been advantageous for Black to advance pawn
 to b5 so long as the c-pawn was available for an attack by
 pawn to c4.}
11...Qf6 12.Qd2 
{In our opinion White places here more faith in the chances
 of an error on the part of the adversary than in the
 requirements of the position for relinquishing the attack
 and adopting a temporary patient defense.  Blackburne
 maintains, however, that the sacrifice of the second pawn
 was quite legitimate, since it enabled him to gain the
 point at a3 with his queen, for the purpose of delaying the
 advance of the hostile d-pawn.}
12...Qxb2 13.Nc4 Qd4 
{Black would have gained two rooks for the queen even if he
 had taken the rook, and the opponent had shut out the queen
 by 14.Nc3; but his position would then have become
 extremely difficult to defend, and, besides, he could in
 the present situation be well satisfied with the surplus of
 two pawns.}
14.Qc1 Nge7 
{Had Black now taken the rook, the opponent would have
 replied 15.Qa3, threatening mate, and must have afterwards
 won the queen by 16.Nc3.}
15.Nbd2 d6 16.Rd1 Be6 17.Qa3 Nd5 18.Nb3 Qc3 {[1:00-?:??]}
19.Bf1
{19.Kh1 was preferable.  Black's d-knight could not then
 attack by 19...Nf4, on account of the winning reply,
 20.Nxd6; and if Black proceeded in the same way as the
 text, namely by 19...Ndb4, it must have saved at least a
 move for White that his king would have been already in the
 corner.  See Black's 24th move.}
19...Ndb4 20.Ne3 Re8 {[?:??-1:00]} 21.Rd2 
{In this kind of position the attack must be proceeded with
 any hazard, and, though Black had well protected his most
 vulnerable point, the d-pawn, the assualt could only be
 directed against that spot.  With two pawns behind already,
 White could only hope to confuse the opponent, who was
 pressed for time, and had a difficult game to defend.}
21...Bxb3 22.Rad1 Rxe3 
{The sacrifice makes matters more smooth and clear for the
 defense, and forces the opponent to give up a piece and two
 pawns, or to submit to a ruinous exchange of queens, which
 would have left Black with an extremely easy position in
 the ending game, and with the overwhelming superiority of
 four pawns and a knight against the rook.  Had he taken the
 c-pawn at once with the knight, he would have obviously
 lost a piece without releasing his position, for White
 would have simply retaken 23.Nxc2.}
23.fxe3 Nxc2 24.Qc1 Qxe3+ 25.Kh1 Ba4 26.Bc4 N2d4 
{By a singular infatuation, Steinitz greedily plays here,
 and subsequently, for preserving the piece, totally
 contrary to his own principle, which usually aims at a
 simplification of the game.  He ought to have moved
 26...Kd7, liberating the rook, and winning must have become
 an easy matter; for White could not gain the piece without
 exchanging queens, and then there was nothing left to
 counteract the march of Black's pawns.}
27.Re1 Qf4 28.Rf1 Qh6 29.Qb2 {[2:00-?:??]} 29...Qe3 30.Bxf7 
{Better than taking with the rook; for Black would have
 answered 30...Ne5, since he could safely move the king to
 e7 if White then proceeded with 31.Rf8+.}
30...Bb5 31.Rfd1 {(Adjourned)} 31...Nf5
{(Sealed) [?:??-2:00]} 32.a4 
{We explained in our last number how Black's error on the
 previous move, when the game was adjourned, arose.  The
 latter ought to have played the king to d7 or to e7, and
 there would have been no more complication to give White a
 chance of a mistake.  But it is only due to Blackburne to
 state that, with inferior forces, he had skillfully managed
 to perplex the opponent with the most puzzling moves, while
 the latter was pressed for time; and White's clever
 maneuver at this juncture was also one which could not be
 easily foreseen.}
32...Ne5 
{Black could not capture the a-pawn without resigning his
 best chance of winning and being content with a probable
 draw. For instance: 32...Bxa4 33.Re2 Qh6 34.Re6 Qh4 35.Qxb7
 Rb8 36.Re8+ Kd7 37.Rxb8 Nxb8 38.Qxb8, and Black cannot take
 the other rook, and he can only check with the knight at g3
 and e2; for White would certainly avoid coming out to f1 on
 account of the reply ...Qf4+, etc. Giving up a clear piece
 by 32...Ncd4 might have been, however, even better than the
 move in the text; for if 33.axb5, Black, by 32...axb5,
 opening the a-file, would have had more than enough for the
 exchange he lost.  Black's knight would then have been
 quite safe at d4, though White had three pieces on it, for
 the latter dared not capture it on account of the mate
 threatened either with the queen at e1, or with the rook at
 a1 after exchanging queens.  Nor could White get rid of the
 other knight by 34.g4, on account of the reply 34...Qf3+.}
33.axb5 Nxf7 34.Re2 Qh6 35.Qb3 axb5 36.g4 Nd4 
{One piece was lost and this way of giving it up was no
 doubt better than going in for winning another pawn by
 36...Qf6.  Black would have had no time to take that pawn,
 since White threatened to win by doubling the rooks on the
 e-file.}
37.Rxd4 Ra1+ 38.Kg2 Qf6 39.Rde4 
{39.Qxb5, though it threatened a mate, would have been
 disastrous, for Black would have answered 39...Qf1+,
 followed by 40...Ra3+.  If White then interposed 41.Rd3,
 Black would capture 41...Qxe2, the other rook remaining
 pinned.}
39...Ne5 40.Rf2 Qg6 41.Ref4 c6 42.Qe3 
{This fine move cuts off the retreat of Black's king, and
 keeps the latter's queen also fixed.  It will be seen that
 later on Black's queen could neither move to e6, or to e8,
 or b1, on account of White's check with the rook at f7.}
42...Kc7 43.h3 h5 44.Rf5 hxg4 45.Rg5 {[3:00-?:??]}
45...gxh3+ 46.Kh2 Ra3
{Had he checked with the knight at g4, White would have
 taken off the knight with the rook, and then at least have
 drawn the game by checking backwards and forwards with the
 other rook at f7 and f8.  White's ingenious reply enables
 him to come out with a rook ahead, but the best experts
 declare that Black's pawns must win by force afterwards.}
47.Qxe5 dxe5 48.Rxg6 b4 {[?:??-3:00]} 49.Rb2 
{Had he played 49.Re2, Black would have protected the e-pawn
 by 49...Ra5, followed, according to circumstances, either
 by rook to b5 or d5, which would have enabled Black to lead
 his combined pawns to victory, supported by the king.}
49...c5 50.Rf2 Rd3 
{Necessary to keep up communication between Black's king and
 his passed pawns.  White threatened to check with the rook
 at f7, followed by the other rook taking the g-pawn,
 attacking the b-pawn doubly.}
51.Rc2 b6 52.Re6 b3 53.Rb2 c4 54.Rxe5 Kc6 55.Rg5 Rd5 56.Rxg7
Kc5 57.Kxh3 Kb4 58.Rb1 b5 59.Rg4 {[4:00-?:??]} 59...Rd2
{White's king being cut off, and Black's king having crossed
 the front to support his pawns, the cautious advance of the
 latter must win easily and surely.}
60.Rg5 b2 61.Kg3 c3 62.Kf3 Kc4 63.Rgg1 Kb3 64.Ke3 Rd8
65.Rgf1 c2 66.Ke2 Ka2 0-1

[Event "Match"]
[Site "GBR London (West-End Chess Club)"]
[Date "1876.03.02"]
[Round "07"]
[White "Steinitz,W."]
[Black "Blackburne,J.H."]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C30"]
[LongECO "C30/06 (3rd ed.)"]
[Opening "King's Gambit Declined: Classical"]
[Annotator "Blackburne & Steinitz"]
[Source "The Field, London, 1876.03.04"]
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 White's 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 Black's 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 White's reply
 leaves no escape.}
36.Re8+ Kg7 37.Rxa8 1-0
