[American Chess Congress]
[New York, 1857?]
[White - Paulsen]
[Black - Morphy]
1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Nc3 Nf6
4. Bb5 Bc5 {A somewhat inferior continuation. Better
is 4...Bb4 or 4...Nd4, the latter move invented by
Rubenstein in the early twentieth century.}
5. 0-0 {Nxe5 is also good. If now 5...d6 then 6. d4,
exd4 7. Nxd4, Bd7 8. Nf5, 0-0 9. Bg5 with the
terrible threat of 10. Nd5}
5... 0-0
6. Nxe5 {This common theme in double king pawn
openings is known as the center fork trick. After
6... Nxe5 7. d4 White wins back the piece. Then
after 7...Bd6 8. dxe5, bxe5 White has some advantage
because of his center pawn on the fourth rank.}
6... Re8 {White also obtains the better game after
this move.}
7. Nxc6 {Also good was 7. Nf3, Nxe4 8. d4 taking the
center.}
7... dxc6 {A general rule is that it is better to
capture towards the center (bxc6), but in this
position there is a more important consideration:
with 7...dxc6, black opens lines for his queen and
bishop and does not allow White to play d4
immediately.}
8. Bc4 [This move sets a trap. If Black tries to win
back his pawn with 8...Nxe4 then 9. Nxe4, Rxe4 10.
Bxf7, Kxf7 11. Qf3+ and 12 Qxe4.}
8... b5 {This driving away of the bishop seems forced,
but it severely weakens Blackís queenside. Many
years after this game it was found that Black has
here the dangerous attacking move 8...Ng4. If then 9.
h6??, Nxf2 10. Rxf2, Bxf2+ 11. Kxf2, Qd4+ and
12...Qxc4.}
9. Be2 Nxe4
10. Nxe4 Rxe4 {Now White has a clear advantage. He
should continue with 11. c3 followed by 12. d4.}
11. Bf3? Re6 {Necessary to protect the pawn on c6.}
12. c3? {Too late! 12.d3 was appropriate here and
White could then still play c3 and d4 if he wished.}
12... Qd3! {The Queen prevents the advance of the d
pawn and stifles Whiteís developement.}
13. b4 Bb6
14. a4 bxa4
15. Qxa4 Bd7 {Completing his developement. Most
annotators do not even mention 15...Bb7 which
prevents White from playing Qa6 but puts the bishop
out of play. However, Soltis and Reinfeld have noted
that this would give black a decisive advantage.}
16. Ra2? {White should play 16. Qa6 at once and after
16...Qf5 the position is equal. The only possible
object of the strange move 16. Ra2 is to make Qc2
possible. But after Blackís next move, this is
impossible anyway.}
16... Rae8 {Doubling rooks on the e file. There is
now the threat of 17...Qxf1+ 18.Kxf1, Re1++.}
17. Qa6 {White finally drives Blackís queen away, but
he will be astonished where it goes! 17. Qd1 was
better but Black would still have a huge advantage.}
17... Qxf3!! {One of the most famous queen sacrifices
ever made.}
18. gxf3 Rg6+
19. Kh1 Bh3 {Threatening 20... Bg2+ 21.Kg1, Bxf3++.
If 20. ` Rg1 then 20..Rxg1+ 21. Kxg1 22. Re1++
Black had to carefully calculate the consequences of
20. Qd3 threatening to give back the queen for the
rook on g6. Black would have played 20... f5 and after
21. Qc4+, Kf8! (preventing 22. Qf7) 22. Qh4
Steinitz described the following winning line for
Black: 22...Bxf1 23. Qxh7, Kf7 24. h4, Re1 25.
Kh2, Bg2 and White can only avert mate with 26. Qxg6+
leaving him a piece down and therefore with a losing
position.}
20. Rd1 Bg2+
21. Kg1 Bxf3+
22. Kf1 Bg2+
23. Kg1 Bh3+
24. Kh1 Bxf2 {Threatening 24...Bg2++. White can only
stop mate by sacrificing back his queen.
25. Qf1 Bxf1
26. Rxf1 Re2 {White will not even survive long enough
to play a losing end game.}
27. Ra1 Rh6
28. d4 Be3 {White resigned, but the continuation to
check mate is given as if it were played.}
29. Bxe3 Rhxh2+
30. Kg1 Reg2++
[U.S. Championship]
[New York - 1964??.??]
[White - Byrne]
[Black - Fischer]
1. d4 {Controlling the center.}
1... Nf6 {Preventing white from playing 2. e4}
2. c4 {Putting pressure on the center square d5}
2... g6 {The Kingís Indian defense.}
3. g3 {More usual is 3. Nc6}
3... c6 {Preparing to play d5 and contest the center.}
4. Bg2 {Now a balanced position develops.}
4... d5
5. cxd5 cxd5
6. Nc3 {A natural developing move.}
6... Bg7 {A developing move.}
7. e3 {White wishes to develop his knight on e2 so as
not to block the bishop on g2.
7... 0-0 {Bringing the King to safety and developing
the rook.}
8. Nge2 Nc6
9. 0-0 b6 {Planning to develope the bishop on a6}
10. b3 {White will develop his bishop on a3.}
10... Ba6
11. Ba3 {Pinning the pawn on e7 to the rook.}
11... Re8 {Breaking the pin.}
12. Qd2 {Better than 12. Qc2 because after 12...Rc8
the queen would be subject to eventual threats by the
rook.}
12... e5! {An extraordinary conception. it looks as
though after 13. dxe5 Blackís pawn on d5 would be
fatally weak, but Fischer correctly realized that the
activity of his pieces would result in more than
sufficient compensation for the pawn weakness.}
13. dxe5 {White certainly cannot be blamed for
underestimating Blackís chances. Objectively better
was 13. Rac1 developing the rook on the open file.}
13... Nxe5 {Now if 14. Nxd5?? then 14...Nxd5 15.
Qxd5, Bxe2. If White tries 15. Bxd5 then 15...Bxe2
16. Qxe2, Qxd5 winning a piece.}
14. Rfd1 {Piling the pressure on Blackís d pawn. This
turns out to be the wrong rook. After the better 14.
Rad1, Qc8! 15. Bb2, Qf4 Black would still have the
initiative.}
14... Nd3! {A powerful outpost, but a very unstable
one. Fischer gives the following winning variation
if White tries to eject Blackís knight by
15. Nf4 15...Ne4 16. Nxe4, dxe4 17. Rab1, Rac8
18. Nxd3, Bc3! 19. Qe2, Bxd3 20. Qg4, f5 21. Qh3,
Bxb1 22. Rxd8, Rexd8 Black would have two rooks
for the queen and an overwhelming position.
15. Qc2 {Threatening 16. Rxd3 winning two pieces for a
rook.}
15... Nxf2!! {The beginning of a wonderful
combination. What Fischer has been able to create
out of the placid-looking position after Whiteís 12th
move is what makes the game truly remarkable.}
16. Kxf2 Ng4+
17. Kg1 Nxe3
18. Qd2 {If now 18...Nxd1 19. Rxd1 Black would have a
rook and two pawns for two pieces, but his weak pawns
and Whiteís active pieces would give White the
advantage. So what has black gained by this line of
play?}
18... Nxg2! {One surprise after another.}
19. Kxg2 d4!
20. Nxd4 Bb7+ {If now 21. Kg1, Bxd4+ 22. Qxd4, Re1+
23. Kf2, Qxd4+ 24. Rxd4, Rxa1 wins.}
21. Kf1 Qd7! {Threatening 22...Qh3+ 23. Kg1, Bxd4+
24. Qxd4, Qg2++}
22. Qf2 Qh3+
23. Kg1 Re1+!!
24. Rxe1 Bxd4
25. Qxd4 Qg2++ (Byrne resigned after move 21 because
he saw this beautiful combination coming. Two
grandmasters analyzing the game for spectators
believed that it was Fischer who should have resigned!}
[Hastings - 1895.??.??]
[White - Pillsbury, N.]
[Black - Gunsberg]
1. d4 d5
2. c4 c6
3. e3 g6 {This combination of the slav defense and a
fianchetto of the Kingís bishop later gained
recognition as a sound opening when Schlecter played
it in his 1910 match with Lasker. It then became
known as the Schlecter defense. Since then, masters
have occasionally used it, but it never became very
popular. Itís advantage is that Blackís queen bishop
never gets shut in, since Black does not have to play
e6 to develop his other bishop. In spite of this,
however, the queen bishop tends not to be very
active.}
4. Nc3 Bg7
5. Nf3 Nf6
6. Bd3 0-0
7. Ne5 dxc4 {Freeing d5 for his pieces, though at the
cost of giving white some superiority in the center.
More solid and safe is 7...Na6 followed by 8...Nc7.}
8. Bxc4 Nd5
9. f4 {So that if his knight is captured, he can
retake with the f pawn and open up the f file.}
9... Be6
10. Qb3 {Putting pressure on d5 and the vulnerable
pawn on b7. However, this move is unambitious since
it allows Black to force the exchange of several
pieces.}
10... b5 {This bishop cannot retreat for then either
11...Nxf4 or 11...Nxe3 and Whiteís queen is attacked
by Blackís bishop.
11. Bxd5 Bxd5
12. Nxd5 Qxd5 {If 13. Qc2?, Bxe5 and Whiteís wretched
pawn position would be a serious disadvantage.}
13. Qxd5 cxd5 {White has just a shade of an advantage
in this ending, but Black should be able to hold.
This slight advantage comes from two factors: 1.
Whiteís king is nearer the center. 2. Black has a
vulnerable spot on c5 as a result of his 10th move.}
14. Nd3 {Putting pressure on the weak c5 square and
threatening to occupy it. }
14... Nd7 {Developing and preventing the threat.}
15. Bd2 Rfc8 {Both sides must place a rook on the open
c file to contest itís control.}
16. Ke2 e6 {so that his queen pawn will not be loose.}
17. Rhc1 Bf8 {This bishop was out of play at g7.}
18. Rxc8 Rxc8
19. Rc1 Rxc1
20. Bxc1 Bd6
21. Bd2 {Developing the bishop and preparing to
contest the dark squares with Bb4.}
21... Kf8 {Bringing his king to the scene of action.}
22. Bb4 Ke7
23. Bc5 {A White piece now occupies this crucial
point.}
23... a6 {Black should play 23...a5 to prevent 24.
b4.}
24. b4 {Now if Black takes the bishop, White will have
a protected passed pawn.}
24... f6 {So that White can never occupy e5.}
25. g4 Bxc5? {Anxious to simplify, and confident of a
draw, Black allows White his protected passed pawn.}
26. bxc5 Nb8 {Black could still have held the position
with 26...a5. What follows now is sheer endgame
magic!}
27. f5 {If 27...gxf5 28. gxf5, exf5 then 29. Nf4
followed by 30. Nxd5 gives White two connected passed
pawns. If 27...Nc6 28. fxe6, Kxe6 29. Nf4+ followed
by 30. Nxd5.}
27... g5
28. Nb4 {Threatening 29. c6.}
28... a5
29. c6! {If 29. axb4 then 30. c7 and the pawn queens.}
29... Kd6
30. fxe6! {Now if axb4 31. e7, Kxe7 32. c7}
30... Nxc6
31. Nxc6 Kxc6
32. e4! {The point of the combination. White gets two
connected passed pawns.}
32... dxe4
33. d5+ {Not 33...Kxd5 34. e7 and 35. e8=Q
33... Kd6
34. Ke3 b4
35. Kxe4 a4
36. Kd4 {White must be careful that his King can stop
Blackís pawn majority in time! 36... Ke7 is now
best, but White could have still won as follows: 37.
Kc4, b3 38. axb3, a3 39. Kc3, f5 40. gxf5, h5
41. b4, a2 42. Kb2, a1=Q+ 43. Kxa1, g4 44. b5,
h4 45. b6, g3 46. hxg3, hxg3 47. d6+, Kxd6 48.
b7, Kc7 49. e7, g2 50. b8=Q+, Kxb8 51. e8=Q+ and
wins.}
36... h5
37. gxh5 a3
38. Kc4 f5
39. h6 f4
40. a7 {Black resigns; Was there ever a more beautiful
knight and pawn ending?}
[Nuremberg - 1896??.??]
[White - Pillsbury]
[Black - Lasker, E.]
1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5
3. Nc3 Nf6
4. e5 {The Steinitz variation of the French Defense.
The other main variation is the classical variation:
4. Bg5, Be7 5. e5, Nfd7 6. Bxe7, Qxe7. Black has a
slightly easier time of it in the Steinitz variation,
for Whiteís dark-squared bishop has limited
mobility.}
4... Nfd7
5. f4 {To maintain the cramping pawn at e5 after Black
eliminates the base of the pawn chain at d4.}
5... c5 {Cramped on his kingside, black must
counterattack by striking at Whiteís center.}
6. dxc5 Nc6 {The reason for this developing move
rather than an immediate recapture of the pawn is to
compel White to reduce his options by committing
himself. If White plays 7. Nf3, Black can play
7...bxc5 and Whiteís Knight of f3 prevents the
annoying Qg4. If 7. Bd3 then 7.... Nxc5 followed by
Nxd3 eliminates Whiteís powerful bishop.}
7. a3 {An interesting alternative. The point is that
after 7...Nxc4, 8. b4 chases the knight back to d7.}
7... Nxc5 {7...Bxc5 was the proper move. Not only
would this save a move (the knight back to d7) but
Blackís bishop would be developed on the a7-g1
diagonal where White is vulnerable.}
8. b4 {Annotating this game 30 years after it was
played, Lasker stated that ìof courseî 8...d4 is the
correct move here and that the move he played
(8...Nd7) is incomprehensible to him. He gives the
following variation: 9. Nce2, d3 10. Neg3, Qd4 and
says that Black has the initiative. Many annotators
have uncritically given this opinion, but as Tim
Harding shows, the simple 11. c3, Qxc3+ 12. Bd2 wins
a piece. Lasker probably saw this at the time the
game was played but had long forgotten it!}
8... Nd7
9. Bd3 {Developing the bishop to where it aims
straight at Blackís kingside.}
9... a5?! {A bold and risky decision. Black gains
control of the important c5 square, but at the cost
of several tempi. Lasker was famous for his ability
to evaluate the wisdom of risks. Cases in which he
did not succeed were very much the exception.}
10. b5Ncb8
11. Nf3 Nc5
12. Be3 Nbd7 {If 12...Bd7? then the knight on b8 has
no square to move to.}
13. 0-0 g6 {So that White cannot break open the
kingside with f5.
This move weakens the dark squares but is a necessary
evil.}
14. Ne2 {The Knight was unguarded on c3. On e2 it
adds to Whiteís control of the center square d4.}
14... Be7
15. Qe1 {To develope the queen actively on f2.}
15... Nb6 {Clearing d7 for the bishop.}
16. Nfd4 {Secure on d4, which White completely
controls, the knight has a powerful effect.}
16... Bd7
17. Qf2 {Threatening 18. Nxe6, fxe6 19. Bxc5}
17... Nba4 {Permanently removing the threat, and
threatening to win a pawn with 18...Nb2.}
18. Rab1 {If 18...Nxd3 19. cxd3, Bxa3?? then 20. Ra1,
Qe7 21. Nc2 winning a piece.}
18... h5 {To prevent White from playing g4 and f5.}
19. b6! {This pawn sacrifice opens up b5 to be used by
Whiteís pieces and takes b6 away from Black. If
19...Nxb6 20. Nxe6, fxe6 21. Bxc5}
19... Nxd3
20. cxd3, Bxa3 {Now that Blackís light-squared bishop
guards the knight on a4, 21. Ra1 does not win a
piece.
21. f5! {The purpose of this second pawn sacrifice is
to free f4 for Whiteís knight and to break up Blackís
kingside pawns. Pillsburyís wonderful judgement of
dynamic possibilities soon proves itself correct. If
now 21...exf5? 22. Nf4, Bc6 23. Nxc6, bxc6 24. b7,
Rb8 25. Ba7 wins.}
21...gxf5
22. Nf4 h4 {To prevent Whiteís queen from joining in
the attack by Qg3 followed by Qg7.}
23. Ra1! {Preparing one of the deepest and most
brilliant combinations ever played. if 23... Qe7 then
24. Nxf5, exf5 25. Nxd5, Qd8 26. Nc7+}
23... Be7
24. Rxa4!! Bxa4
25. Ndxe6 fxe6
26. Nxe6 {If 26...Qc8 then 27. Qxf5 (threatening 28.
Bg5 and Black cannot play 28... Bxg5 because of 29.
Qf7 mate.) 27...Qc6 28. Bg5, Qxb6+ 29. d4, Qb4
(guarding e7) 30. Qf7+, Kd7 31. Bxe7, Qxe7 32.
Nc5+, Kd8 33. Nxb7+, Kd7 34. Nc5+, Kd8 35. Qxd5+,
Kc7 36. Qb7+, Kd8 37. Qxa1+, Kc7 38. Qb7+, Kd8
39. Qb8 Mate.}
26... Bd7 {Black decides that moving the Queen is too
dangerous.}
27. Nxd8 Rxd8
28. Bc5 Rc8
29. Bxe7 Kxe7
30. Qe3 Rc6
31. Qg5+ Kf7
32. Rc1 {If 32...Rxb6 then 33. Rc7 is very strong.}
32... Rxc1+
33. Qxc1Rc8
34. Qe1 {If 34...a4 then 35. Qxh4, a3 36. Qh7+, Ke8
(If 36...Ke6 then 37. Qg7 wins) 37. Qg6+, Ke7 (If
37...Kf8 then 38. Qd6+ and 37. Qxa3) 38. Qf6+, Ke8
39. e6 and White wins.}
34... h3
35. gxh3 Rg8+
36. Kf2 a4
37. Qb4 Rg6
38. Kf3 a3
39. Qxa3 Rxb6
40. Qc5 Re6
41. Qc7 Ke7
42. Kf4 b6
43. h4 Rc6
44. Qb8 Be8
45. Kxf5 Rh6
46. Qc7+ Kf8
47. Qd8 b5
48. e6 Rh7
49. Ke5 b4
50. Qd6+ {White wins after 50...Kg8 51. Qb8, Kf8
52. Qxb4+ }
51... Black resigns