Zukertort seemed to have the best of the struggle, though he clearly lost some moves with his Kt, and his opponent was reduced to the expedient of creating a block on the K side.

Blackburne soon afterwards castled, instead of opening his centre at once. White had then the opportunity of shutting in the adverse K B for ever by P to Q 5, which we believe was the strongest course ; but Zukertort pursued another plan, and came out with the better game, though we are not sure he must have secured the victory thereby.

He had to lose a lot of time before he could bring his two bishops into favourable position. His manœuvres to that effect were, however, conceived in a masterly manner, and Black’s defence at last became difficult.

On the 37th move Blackburne, by a miscalculation, neglected to support once more the weak K B P, and allowed the opponent to effect an elegant sacrifice of the exchange, followed by a fine move of the R to R 6, after which White was enabled to accumulate all his forces without hindrance against the adverse weakened K side, and Blackburne’s game finally broke down after the loss of his Q had been forced.