optimal play: This is the eleventh game in the match between Robert Smith and Charles Marshall Fisher played 1873 in Sydney.1...d5 looks to have been a novelty in this opening by Charles Marshall Fisher back in 1873
Although 1.b3 appears to have first been played in 1851 M van 't Kruijs vs K de Heer, 1851 the response was uniformly 1...e5 until this game!
2...c5
<This we believe to be the best method of opening his game>*
6...Bc5
<We prefer Black's position>*
11.f4
<A weak move; he should have Castled>*
14.Ng5
<A premature attack, which ends disastrously>*
15...Ne4
<Well played>*
If 15...hxg5 ? then 16.hxg5 and Black is toast!
Even better than Ne4 according to Houdini is e5!
16.Nxe4 ?
<Losing a piece. After this his opponent makes short work of him>*
Instead 16.Qh5 might have made for an interesting game!
After eleven games, with the race to seven wins, Fisher has again pulled ahead and requires only one more win for the match victory.
The progressive score was as follows:-
0-1-2-2-3-4-4-4-5-5-6 (6/11) Charles Marshall Fisher
1-1-1-2-2-2-3-4-4-5-5 (5/11) Robert Smith
No drawn games.
*The Australasian (Melbourne, Vic.) issue Saturday 8 November 1873 page 13