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Wilhelm Steinitz vs Johannes Zukertort
Steinitz-Zukertort World Championship Match (1886)  ·  Spanish Game: Berlin Defense. Rio Gambit Accepted (C67)  ·  0-1
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Kibitzer's Corner
Jun-18-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  Chessical: Steinitz who has had a better position throughout the game, blunders with a flawed N move combination on <37.Nxc4?> 37.Rd2 is simple and necessary.

It appears he forgot that if he took Zukertort's Q on move 38, that would lead him to being immediately mated by 38...Rd1.

Jul-18-05  OJC: You're right Chessical. From Horowitz in < The World Chess Championship: A History >

"Steinitz' play, apart from the results, appeared very shaky: not only did he throw away a strategically won position in the third game, but in the fourth he committed a horrible tactical blunder. Steinitz played 37 NxQBP, thinking the queen's pawn pinned. Only after 37 ... PxN did he realize that 38 QxQ allows mate on the back rank; play continued 38 RxR, NxR; 39 Q-K2, N-K3; Resigns."

Interestingly, there is no mention of time pressure so apparently it was just a "pure" horrible blunder.

Feb-26-08  Knight13: <37. Nxc4??> is more like an oversight.
Jul-22-08  Lutwidge: Seems more likely to me that what Steinitz missed, after 37. Nxc4??, was PxN, RxR, NxR!, defending the Q on b7.
Jun-01-11  hudgreen: bad play =(

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