Of checkered wars I sing, nor wars alone,
Buf self-devotion on the Queenly throne,
What time the Oracles stern reply
Pronounced - "The Host prevails whose Queen shall die."

Ye minstrels, list - nor thou this song disdain,
Whose harp erewhile pealed forth the lofty strain
Of "Waterloo Regained," - for in the fray,
No chief more nobly than La Bourdonnais
A rival's prowess owned - 'twas his delight
To meet an equal champion in the fight;
And ever that fair field he prized the most,
Won from him by M'Donnell's Queenless host.

The fight grows sterner - and the Kingly Powers
Disdain retreat behind the sheltering Towers:
In radiant panoply sublime they stand,
And from their central heights their troops command.
Two noble chieftains from the ranks of France
Boldly within the British lines advance:
First comes the warlike Bishop of Toulouse -
Down the slant files the adverse Queen he views,
Defended well on that side of the field
By the King's Knight, with interposing shield.
But, on the left, more imminent assault
The Knight of Rheims has made with daring vault.
From that commanding post, no human might
Can drive the invader but the regal Knight,
And him the Bishop pins. By all is seen,
The deadly peril of the undaunted Queen,
Who stands unmoved: her faithful guards implore
She would retire, till the fierce brunt were o'er:
Her own good Bishop, kneeling at her feet,
Urges her royal safety in retreat; -
Vain are their prayers and tears - "Hear me," she cries,

"My faithful Vassals, and my brave Allies -
Your Queen must perish, as the fates decree,
But in my death they give you victory!
Sir Reginald, I charge thee by thy troth,
Thy stainless honour, thine unbroken oath,
Leave me with this proud mitred Chief to deal,
And give yon Knightgood measure of thy steel!"

"Alas! my Queen!" was all that he might say,
For, thus abjured, he durst not disobey:
Spurring his gallant steed, with lance at rest,
Fiercely he drove it through the French Knight's breast -

Then on the unguarded Queen the Bishop rushes -
She falls, and o'er the dust her life-bloood gushes.
Dire consternation for a moment falls
On all the host of Albion; and the Gauls
Of easy victory dream - but direr rose,
The cry for vengeance from their Queenless foes.
O'er the doomed Bishop, see the Monarch stand,
Granting brief respite as he gives command:
"On to my sixth, Sir Knight, and from that bound
Charge Bishop, King, and Castle, all around!
Let the Queen's Own to his assistance speed -
Sword in each hand, and spur in every steed!
Show the slow infantry your lightning play -
By cavalry the field is won to-day!"

McDonnell is often dismissed as a light weight, but in this game, his positional sacrifice of the Queen for two minor pieces is one for the ages.

If then 18...Rac8 19. Bb3 or 18...Ba5 19. Rf2. The [b3] pawn move only weakens his position [by giving Black mastery of the c-file, especially c2]. La Bourdonnais had not recognized this clearly. The theory of Steinitz, explaining these points, was not evolved until fifty years later."

Under many circumstances, that might be considered an even trade based on the point values of the pieces. However, in this case, Black has much better pawn structure, control of space and better coordinated pieces to justify his investment.

Initially, Fritz 10 shows the position as near equal or only slightly favoring Black after 13...Nxd5! However, as the position plays out it's extremely difficult to find a saving resource for White and the evaluations begin to slowly increase in Black's favor.

Technically, I suppose 22...Nd4! could be classified as a simple double attack. However, since the most effective discovered attacks are quite often double attacks and the move 22...Nd4! definitely discovers the threat 23. b4 Rd1+ or 23. Rxg7+ Kf6 24. Rg1 Rd1+ on the critical d1 square, I think I'll keep it in my discovered attack collection.