Beniamino Vergani vs Joseph Henry Blackburne (1895)

Beniamino Vergani vs Joseph Henry Blackburne
Hastings (1895) · Scandinavian Defense: Blackburne Gambit (B01) · 0-1

[Event "Hastings"]
[Site "Hastings, England"]
[Date "1895.08.23"]
[EventDate "1895.08.05"]
[Round "14"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Beniamino Vergani"]
[Black "Joseph Henry Blackburne"]
[ECO "B01"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "96"]

1.e4 {Notes by H. N. Pillsbury} d5 2.exd5 c6 {Black sacrifices
a Pawn for the purpose of obtaining a quick development,
expecting to bewilder his less experienced opponent. He
obtains no sufficient compensation, however, during the
opening.} 3.dxc6 Nxc6 4.Nf3 e5 5.d3 f5 6.Nc3 Nf6 7.Bg5 Be7
8.g3 h6 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Qd2 Be6 11.Bg2 O-O {In view of the
style of dashing tactics which Black has adopted. one would
expect here Qd7, and if 12 O-O, then O-O-O, followed by g5. It
seems equally as good as the text.} 12.O-O Qe7 13.Nd1 Rfd8
14.Qc1 Rac8 15.Ne1 Nd4 16.Qb1 {White’s tactics seem forced,
and in the next few moves he drives back the enemy and brings
out his Pieces again.} Qf7 17.c3 Nc6 18.f4 Be7 {exf4, and if
19 Rxf4, g5 seems preferable.} 19.fxe5 {White could have won a
second Pawn by Bxc6 and fxe5 without serious danger.} Nxe5
20.d4 {And there was no objection to Bxb7.} Nc4 21.Qd3 Bf6
22.Nf3 g6 23.Nd2 {White has held his one pawn thus far, and
brought out the imprisoned Queen, but here he fails to foresee
the combination which his opponent is preparing. 23 b3 Nd6 24
Nf2 was straightforward and correct, and the Pawns on the
Queen's side could then be speedily advanced.} Qd7 24.b3 Nb2
{The initiatory move of a clever plan by which Black regains
his Pawn.} 25.Qe2 {If 25 Nxb2 Rxc3 26 Qe2(best) Bxd4+ 27 Kh1
Rc2 regaining the Piece with a Pawn ahead.} Nxd1 26.Raxd1 Rxc3
27.Nf3 Rdc8 28.Rd2 Kh7 29.Rfd1 Bg8 30.Ne5 Qc7 31.Qb5 Bg5
32.Rd3 Rxd3 33.Qxd3 Bf6 34.Nf3 Rd8 35.Qe3 Bd5 36.Kf1 Qd6
37.Qe2 Rd7 38.Ng1 Re7 39.Qd3 Bxg2+ 40.Kxg2 Qd5+ 41.Kf2 {White
has well stood his ground te this point, but here goes wrong
41 Nf3 was perfectly safe and correct. If in answer Black
should attempt to force matters by Bg5, then 42 Qc4 and if
Qxc4 43 Nxg5+ hxg5 44 bxc4 and White should win.} f4 42.gxf4
Re4 43.Ne2 Bh4+ 44.Kg1 Qe6 45.Rd2 {The losing move. 45 Ng3,
would have still given White a fair game, if in answer Re3,
then 46 Qc4. After this error there is no saving White's
game.} Re3 46.Qc4 Qg4+ 47.Kh1 Qf3+ 48.Kg1 Bf2+ 0-1

To move:

Last move:

Annotations by Harry Nelson Pillsbury. [17 more games annotated by Pillsbury]

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Nov-16-04		InspiredByMorphy: 24. ...Nb2! if 25.Nxb2 Rxc3 26. Qxc3 Bxd4+ Or if 25. Qf3 Bd5 or 25.Qe3 Bg5 . Great play by Blackburne!

Nov-16-04		An Englishman: Good Evening: Wasn't the game played not in Italy, but at Hastings? Vergani was the tail-ender at the tournament, and this game is a good example of why: much too passive play versus an unsound gambit. 3.c4!,cxd5; 4.d4! transposes into the Panov-Botvinnik and maintains the initiative.

Nov-17-04		Shams: if the gambit is unsound, white should be able to offer more proof than transposing into a normal line-- one which is defensible for black. yes?

Nov-25-04		An Englishman: Good Evening: Shams, that's a good question. There are two reasons to transpose into the P-B. First, any sound, aggressive line is a great choice to use against a player like Blackburne. Second, I always believed that you should never play your opponent's game, you should make the opponent play yours. Objectively, White can take the pawn and hang on to win, but a guy like Blackburne is more likely to blunder on defense.

Dec-16-06		Rubenus: Stupid game. Lots of mistakes from both sides, see Pillsbury's notes. I know better games of Blackburne!

Nov-23-09		wwall: 47.Kh1?? should be the losing move. White could have played 47.Ng3 and if 47...Bxg3, then 48.Qf7+ draws with perpetual check.

Apr-23-12		Ulhumbrus: Pillsbury says that Black obtains no sufficient compensation for the pawn during the opening. Black appears to obtain however at least sufficient positional compensation for the pawn in the form of the bishop pair, greater space, and central superiority.

Apr-23-12		LoveThatJoker: <Ulhumbrus> You are correct in saying that after playing 7. Bg5 Black does get compensation with the Bishop pair. This wasn't as a direct result of the gambit though: 7. Be2 would have been much more prudent and better! LTJ PS. I see that Pillsbury "says during the opening" and not "as a result of the gambit." In that case, you are right in bringing up that in the opening Black does get compensation. Still, with the benefit of over a century's worth of accumulated knowledge, 7. Be2 was preferable!

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