Of his twentieth round encounter with Chigorin at Monte Carlo, Napier wrote in "Amenities" that "at Monte Carlo in 1902 my opponent on the last day was Chigorin. I decided to celebrate with a gambit, and so gave him to understand the night before. In the morning I steered into the Evans, confident that he would not expect an opening that had scarcely been out of the stable since its crippling in the St. Petersburg event of 1896. He used the old defense. After the game he asked what new play I had in mind for Lasker's Defense, and when I replied 'None,' he said good-naturedly that I had a talent--for poker! After that agreeable little memento it was a bit comforting to receive the brilliancy prize for the game."

One possible line given by Rybka is 24... Bxg1 25. Rxg1 Qb6 26. Nd4 Re8 27. Qg4 Rfe7 28. Qg3 Qc5 29. Bf5 Nf8 30. Ne6 Nxe6 31. Bxe6+ Kh8 32. Bxf6

After 26...Re8? 27.Qh5 Qc5, Fritz indicated the game is equal.

After 26...Re8? 27.Qg4?, Fritz showed that Black again has some advantage with: 27...Qc5 28.Qg3 b5 29.Be6 b4 30.Bxf7+ Kxf7 31.Ne3 Rxe6 32.dxe6+ Kf8.

Finally, Fritz indicated the game is equal, in your line after: 29...Qa3 30.Nb5 Qc5. The move 29...Nf8?? leads to a quick loss for Black.

L. Hoffer in "The Field" stated regarding 24...Ne5: <The attack remaining the same, rook or no rook, Black should have taken the rook.>

Pillsbury stated: <If 24...Bxg1 25.Rxg1 Ne5 26.Nd4, and White will regain at least the Exchange. It will be noticed that the Black Knight at a5 is the cause of his difficultly. If for Black 25...b5 26.Rxg6 hxg6 27.Qxg6 Re8 28.Nf4 with a winning attack.>

Black's move 27...g5?, considerably shortened Black's resistence.

L. Hoffer commented regarding 27...g5: <A desperate remedy, hardly improving matters.>

Pillsbury stated: <27...Kh8 is probably better, but White's attack is tremendous.>

Fritz agrees that 27...Kh8 was a better move, and also agrees that White's attack was tremendous. Even if Black had played 27...Kh8, Fritz indicated White's position was winning.

After 27...Kh8 28.Rag1 b5 29.Bf5, Fritz found White to be winning after: 29...g5 30.Qg3 Nb7 31.f4 gxf4 32.Qxf4 Nc5 33.Be6, or 29...Nb7 30.Qh4 g5 31.Qh5 b4 32.Bxb4 Qb6 33.f4 Qxb4 34.Qh6, or 29...Nb7 30.Qh4 g5 31.Qh5 Nc5 32.f4 b4 33.Bd4 Ncd3 34.fxe5 Nf4 35.Qh6 fxe5 36.Rxg5.

Improvements may be found for Black, but I believe by move 27, White's attack is decisive.

Pillsbury stated after 10...Ne7: <Probably preferable was 10...Nxc4 11.Qa4+ c6 12.Qxc4 Ne7. As played, it will be seen that the knight is left completely out of it later on.>

L. Hoffer in "The Field" noted that the game through 14...Bg4, followed a known book line. After 14...Bg4, Hoffer stated: <All book so far, and also the text move, but the latter bad book, as Chigorin ought to know, the correct move being 14...Rb8, followed by the advance of the b-pawn. If Black can make no diversion on the queen's side - his strength - the attack on his king's position must become too powerful.>

Fritz agrees with Pillsbury that 10...Nxc4 11.Qa4+ c6 12.Qxc4 Ne7 is a preferable line for Black. Fritz indicates Black has a small advantage in this line, while after 10...Ne7 11.Bd3 0-0 12.h3, Fritz rates the position as equal.

Fritz does not agree with Hoffer's evaluation of 14...Rb8 as opposed to 14...Bg4. Fritz finds both moves playable, but indicated 14...Bg4 is Black's best move, with more advantage for Black than after 14...Rb8.