chessgames.com

Joseph Henry Blackburne vs George Henry Mackenzie
"By George!" (game of the day Oct-26-06)
London m1 1882  ·  Scotch Game: Meitner Variation (C45)  ·  0-1


Click Here to play Guess-the-Move
Given 15 times; par: 50 [what's this?]

explore this opening
find similar games 12 more Blackburne/Mackenzie games
sac: 29...Qxd5 PGN: download | view Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: You can change the color of the light and dark squares by registering a free account then visiting your preferences page.

Java Viewer:  What is this?
For help with the default chess viewer, please see the Chess Viewer Deluxe Quickstart Guide.

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing >
Nov-25-04   greystar69: <Dudley> Black's King's Rook is involved. Black's next move would've been Ra8# with white unable to do anything to either delay or prevent it. It's a beautiful position and the first puzzle I saw the entire solution of in a few days!
Nov-25-04   TheSlid: Very nice finish. Unfortunately the chess engine that is Slid 1.0 also missed 31...Ra1+.
Nov-25-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  patzer2: Today's puzzle solution primarily employs the "deflection" tactic with 29...Qxd5! and the surprising followup 31...Ra1+! However, it also employs a bit of the "clearance" theme in freeing up the diagonal for the critical bishop check 30...Bf5+.
Nov-25-04   Nickisimo: I missed this one as well. I kept trying to find a knight fork on d2. Ra1+ was a particularly beautiful finish to the combo. "Sure I could take your Queen for my Bishop, but I feel like mating you right now Blackburne, I have things to do today."
Nov-25-04   pkjohn146: OK, if anyone is feeling bad necause they missed this one, I read it as white to move and win... DUH!!!
Nov-25-04   Everett: <erikcu> I also saw 29.Nb6 and stopped there. Not the proper thing to do. I guess we should take more time...
Nov-25-04
Premium Chessgames Member
  kevin86: It takes a day like Thanksgiving to bring up this great puzzle! Mate is unavoidable at a8!

This is the type of finish that Blackburne usually gives an opponent,he might have been secretly smiling at this one.

Maybe that's why <pkjohn146>that you misread this as white's win.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Nov-25-04   flamboyant: I saw the sacrifice but didnt find the continuation after queen on c2, the finish is just awesome!
Nov-25-04   dwojiow: Blackburne's 29.Qf2 was a trappish kind of move I think. He wants to provoke a time-wasting move from Black such as ...c6. White has in mind the maneouver Nf6 (blocking the B Queen's protection of h6) followed by Qh4 and Qh6+. This plan is very dangerous and White will get a big attack. A better way to implement the same plan is with 29.Qh3, preventing the Qxd5 sac (30.Qh6+ Kg8 31.Nf6+ Kh8 32.Qxh7#)
Nov-29-04   Magic Pawn: Here we have a creative mating combination. But what has made it possible?

First, the loser's, White's, mistakes. As pointed out before, it seems that all bagan on move 13. when White created three weaknesses in succession: first, unprotected Bc4, then backwards pawn f3, and, finaly, poorely protected pawn a2. Black moved his Knight immediately on move 14... to set a fork on two of them. Then, on move 18., White could have secured the pawn on a2, but did not. (By the way, to prevent this, Black could have taken this pawn on move 16..., but he did not. Why? Is there something I don't see?)

Now, what was special in the play of the winner, Black, that prepared for the decisive combination? As pointed out before, it seems that it was the active use of all the pieces. When one of them, the Queen Bishop, was blocked, Black simply sacrificed another one to clear the way. I would only add one thing I noticed: high activity of Knights and an interesting way in which they cooperate. Knights stay in the same rank, one square apart. Then, they move together one rank ahead. Do someone know if this technique is known and used?

Overall, Black did play with inspiration. I like it.

Nov-29-04   Marco65: <Black could have taken this pawn on move 16..., but he did not. Why?> White is threatening 17.f4 and then the fork 18.f5
Jan-12-05   PinkPanther: And I thought Mackenzie was a good player....
Jan-12-05   Knezh: Well, he did win, so you were not far off the mark. :)
Jan-12-05   PinkPanther: Whoops, I meant to kibitz this on the page for the tactical puzzle :(
Dec-31-05   syracrophy: A crushing mating combination full of brilliant sacrifices!

I wanna notice some points of this game:

0-0-0? <How ilogical its to castle queenside with the a-file opened. But I think there was no secure place for the king>

20.g5? <Useless. Correct was 20.Kb1>

23.Ne3? <Another mistake. Correct was 23.Rhg1>

23...Na5? <Putting the knight on the edge with no activity. Correct was 23...Qf4>

25.Qg2? <Too slow. 25.f6! was correct>

29.Qf2?? <The decisive mistake. It allows the following crushing combination. Much better was 29.Re1>

29...Qxd5!! <This is a thunderbolt in a sunny sky. If white does not accept the queen, they lose anyways>

<30.exd5 Bf5+ 31.Qc2 (31.Kc1 Ra1++) 31...Ra1+!! 32.Kxa1 Bxc2 and there's no way to avoid 33...Ra8++>

Oct-26-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  kevin86: Blackburne is well known for his deep combinational play. This time,however,he is on the receiving end of a great combination. There is not thing one that he can do to prevent 33...Ra8#
Oct-26-06   Castle In The Sky: This is kind of an Anastasia's mate.
Oct-26-06   cavaleiro: Uau! Great combination! 29... could easily be a tuesday puzzle someday...
Oct-26-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  outplayer: <syracrophy> good work.
Oct-26-06   syracrophy: <outplayer> Thanks! When I saw this puzzle (from move 29) in a book, I loved it and looked for it on this page, and alas, I found it! :-)

Can someone explain the pun?

<"By George!"> Maybe from a famous letter? Or a famous message?

Oct-26-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Phony Benoni: "By George" is an idiom in English, sort of with the meaning of "I surely will!" or "Definitely!" For example, "I'll checkmate him in three moves, by George!"

It's a way of swearing without actually cussing, since you substitute "George" for the name of a deity.

I'm not sure of its origins. Maybe it dates back to somebody named "George" who had a reputation for doing what he said he would. George Washington? George III? Boy George? Or maybe it's just used because "George" sounds funny.

Oct-26-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Thrajin: <Phony Benoni>, I'm willing to bet that it is a bastardization of the phrase "by Jove" (which itself refers to the ancient Roman god Jupiter). "By George" can also mean 'Oh my!' or 'well I'll be damned!', as in "By George, I think he's got it!"

Oct-26-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Phony Benoni: <Thrajin> Good points.
Oct-26-06   extremepleasure: Phony Benoni,

There was a person who posted many many really disgusting messages on a religion message board with this ID (George) until his ID is canceled. I hope this ''by George'' is not the same person.

Dec-30-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  hesyrett: IMO White was ahead up to move 17, when he gave up his better B for no obvious reason.  A modern master would probably play 17 Nb4 and meet 17...Be6 with 18 Kb1.  Black's Ns look pretty but aren't going anywhere; White has an automatic K-side attack just by pushing his h-pawn.  White's pressure on the d-file inhibits ...c6, so White can switch the b4 N to aid in the attack via Nd5 when necessary.  Those 19th-century masters were great tacticians but didn't have the positional technique of even a lowly 21st-century expert like myself!
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing >

Secrets of Opening Surprises
NOTE: You need to pick a username and password to post a reply. Getting your account takes less than a minute, totally anonymous, and 100% free--plus, it entitles you to features otherwise unavailable. Pick your username now and join the chessgames community!
If you already have an account, you should login now.
Please observe our posting guidelines:
  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, or duplicating posts.
  3. No personal attacks against other users.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
Blow the Whistle See something which violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform an administrator.


NOTE: Keep all discussion on the topic of this page. This forum is for this specific game and nothing else. If you want to discuss chess in general, or this site, you might try the Kibitzer's Café.
Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
Spot an error? Please submit a correction slip and help us eliminate database mistakes!
This game is type: CLASSICAL (Disagree? Please submit a correction slip.)

Featured in the Following Game Collections [what is this?]
Queen sack
from chess strategems vii - under construction by gauer
Ernesto7's favorite games
by Ernesto7
Selected 19th century games
by atrifix
29 ... : black to move
from Favourite puzzles by derbyc
something to think about
by tldr3
For studying !
from Chess has something magic .... by arielbekarov
Middlegame Combinations by Peter Romanovsky
by hms123
29...Qxd5!! "Black-burns"
from The story of the 1001 queens... by syracrophy
mating attacks
by themindset
Romantic era
from Queen Sacrifices by cade
classic games
by shortsight
October 26: By George!
from Game of the Day, 2006 by Phony Benoni
Mackenzie bests Blackburne with a brilliant finish!!
from 19 th century classics by kevin86
Tremendous Finish
from Achilles87's favorite games by Achilles87
Clearance & deflection - Queen & rook sac (29?)
from kingofdallas' favorite games by kingofdallas
gl0hot's favorite games
by gl0hot
Stunning finish...(GOTD)
from Collections in Idleness 6 by Trigonometrist
mjk's favorite games
by mjk
Game of the Days
by hidude
wow! spela
from xfer's favorite games 2006 by xfer
plus 7 more collections (not shown)


home | about | login | logout | F.A.Q. | your profile | preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | new kibitzing | chessforums | new games | Player Directory | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Little ChessPartner | privacy notice | contact us
Copyright 2001-2009, Chessgames.com
Web design & database development by 20/20 Technologies