Wikipedia article: Piers Bohl

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Mathematics biography http://mathshistory.st-andrews.ac.u...

Piers Bohl
Born: 23 October 1865 in Walka, Livonia (now Valka, Latvia) Died: 25 December 1921 in Riga, Latvia

Piers Bohl's father was a merchant and his background was not an academic one. He first studied at Walka, then he went to the German school in Viljandi in Estonia. In 1884 Bohl remained in Estonia, entering the Department of Physics and Mathematics of the University of Dorpat. He graduated in 1887 with a degree in mathematics having won a Gold Medal for an essay he wrote on The Theory of Invariants of Linear Differential Equations in 1886.

In 1893 Bohl was awarded his Master's degree. This was for an investigation of quasi-periodic functions. Although Bohl was the first to study these functions the name is not due to him but is due to Esclangon who studied them later. Esclangon's work was in fact completely independent of Bohl's. The notion of quasi-periodic functions was generalised still further by Harald Bohr when he introduced almost periodic functions.

Bohl taught at Riga Polytechnic Institute from 1895. In 1900 he received his doctorate from the University of Dorpat and, in the same year, he was promoted to professor at Riga Polytechnic Institute. The doctorate was a high qualification being essentially that required for a professorship, the Master's Degree being the passport to a university post. Bohl's doctoral dissertation applied topological methods to systems of differential equations. In this topic he was following earlier work by Henri Poincaré and A Kneser.

Latvia had been under Russian imperial rule since the 18th century so, in 1914, World War I meant that the Institute at Riga was evacuated to Moscow. Bohl went to Moscow with his colleagues. However after the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the end of World War I in 1918, Latvia regained its independence (although this was to be short-lived) and in 1919 Bohl was to return to Riga to fill a chair at the University of Latvia which had just been established. Sadly he was only to hold the chair for two years before his death due to a stroke.

Among Bohl's achievements was, rather remarkably, to prove Brouwer's fixed-point theorem for a continuous mapping of a sphere into itself, see 6. Clearly the world was not ready for this result since it provoked little interest.

Bohl also studied questions regarding whether the fractional parts of certain functions give a uniform distribution. His work in this area was carried forward independently by Weyl and Sierpiński. There are many seemingly simple questions in this area which still seem to be open. For example it is still unknown whether the fractional parts of (3/2)n form a uniform distribution on (0,1) or even if there is some finite subinterval of (0,1) which is avoided by the sequence.

Article by: J J O'Connor and E F Robertson

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Zemitis pp. B-90, B-91

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Gedimins Salmins "Korespondence Sahs Latvija 1877-1944" Liepaja 2005

p.141

P. Bols dzimis 1865. gada 23 Oktobri Valkā (toreiz Vidzemes guberņas pilsēta) lieltirgotāja ģimenē. Skolas gaitas uzsāka Valkā, turpināja Vilandes vācu skolā, pēc kuras beigšanas 1884. gadā iestājās Tērbatas universitātes fizikas - matemātikas fakultātē.

Kopš 19. gadsimta sākuma Tērbata ieņēma vadošo vietu Igaunijas šaha dzīvē, izvirzoties par vienu no spēcīgākajiem šaha centriem visā Baltijā. Šeit savas šahista gaitas uzsāka vai turpināja Baltijas šaha zvaigznes L. Kizerickis, F. Amelungs, A. Asarins, Dr. E. Schmidt, K. Knorre u.c.

1867, gadā P.Bols spīdoši beidza studijas, iegūstot maģistra grādu, vienlaicīgi veidojoties par spēcīgu un kaislīgu šahistu. ' Students P.Bols no Valkas - ģeniālas ievirzes šahists. Viņa spēle gan vēl nav visā pilnībā attīstījusies, jo trūkst spēcīgu pretinieku, ' tā par viņu rakstīja F.Amelungs vienā no Baltische Schachblātter numuriem.

p.142

Deviņdesmito gadu sākumā P.Bols uzturējās Riga un nonāca tolaik spēcīgākā Rigas šahista A.Asarina uzmanības loķa. Savā 1893. gada 19. aprila vēstulē F.Amelungam Asarins rakstīja:

' Arī man bija izdevība iepazīties ar maģ. Bols. Kādu dienu viņš apmeklēja mani, un mēs izspēlējām 4 partijas, no kurām katrs divas uzvarēja. Citreiz mēs izspēlējām vēl divas partijas, katrs pa reizei kļuva uzvarētājs. Viņam ir ķēriens, lai izveidotos par pirmklasīgu meistaru, un šobrīd viņš ir blakus Zeibotam spēcīgākais jaunās paaudzes šahists. '

Te gan jāatzīmē, ka turpmākajos gado Asarins, spēlējot ar priekšā devumu - bandinieku f7 un gālienu, nereti pieveicis Bols.

1893. gada 19. aprīļa - august Asaru kūrvietā notika P.Bols mačs ar H.Zeibotu. Pēdējais bija uzņēmies saistības - uzvarēt ar 5:3 uzvarētām partijam. Kad pēc astotās partijas Zeibots bija vadībā ar 4:0 (četras partijas beidzās neišķirti), viņa partneris maču neturpināja. Interesanti atzīmēt, ka 6. partijā (Zeibots uzvarēja 67. gāļienā) balto (Bols) apdomas laiks bija trīs stundas 20 minūtes, melno - trīs stundas 33 minūtes.

1893. gada augusta Bols uzsāka divas korespondencpartijas ar K.Betins. Katram partnerim izcīnot pa uzvarai (ar baltiem), mačs beidzās 1894. gada martā. Autoram līdz šim nav izdevies atrast citas P. Bola korespondencpartijas, pat ne mazākās norādes, ka viņš spēlējis individuālos turnīros vai atsevišķas partijas. Iespējams, ka visa viņa turpmākā saistība ar korespondencšahu izpaudās ļoti aktīvajā līdzdalībā Rigas Saha biedrības vēsturiskajos mačos. Izcilā matemātika spīdošās analītiskās spējas bija nenovērtējamas, un autors pieņem, ka K. Behting un P. Bols tandēmam bija vadošā un izšķirošā loma Rigas šahistu uzvaru kaldināšanā.

Bet par P.Bola attieksmi spilgti stāsta sekojošā publikācija:

' Pēdējā stunda! (In memorium of Prof. Dr. Bohl)

Varbūt dažs labs šacha klubs apskauž Rigu dēļ viņas pasaules slavas tāļsacīkstēs, bet reti kāds, varbūt, tikai zina, ar kādu labprātību, enerģiju un pienākuma apziņu šī slava tika iegūta. Kā ilustrācija lai ir sekošais gadījums.

Pirmā mača otrā partijā ar Berlini Rigas spēles komiteja vienojās sekošā stāvoklī par sekojošo uzvaras vilcienu 28 e4xd5. Viens no komitejas locekļa K. Behting pienākumiem bija arī depešu nosūtīšana uz Berlini ar vilcienu, un šai atbildei, kā parasti, vajadzēja aiziet nākošās dienas rītā.

p.143

Mūsu labās Rigas pilsoņi gulēja jau dziļā miegā, jo bija jau otrā rīta stunda. Arī K.B. sapņoja saldi par tuvojošos uzvaru partijā ar Berlini.

Te - pēkšņi atskan stiprs, griezīgs zvans... un iekšā ieklūp - Professors P.Bols!

' Miļais Behting kungs, mēs neievērojām dāmas šachu uz e3 - partija paliks neizšķirta! '

Izrādījas, ka profesors Bols, neapmierināts ar komitejas analīzi, mājās pārnācis stāvokli analizēja tālāk un arī patiešām otrā rīta stundā atrada interesanto parādi. Saprotams, vilciens 28.e4xd5? izpalika, un tā tika Rigas gods vēl pēdējā stundā glābts '

Rigas Šaha biedrības klātienes turnīros P.Bols spēlēja labprāt un aizrautīgi, vairākkārt izcīnot pirmo vietu. ' ... viens no visinteresantākiem biedrības spēlētājiem bija prof. Bols. Viņs spēlēja nevien ļoti spēcīgi, bet pār visām lietām tiecās uzvarēt skaistā stilā.

p.144

Par uzvaru pret Elehrt, P.Bols saņēma Rigas mācītāja un aktīva šahista Karl Valentine Emile Hugenberg (1818-1891) nodibināto (faktiski ar testamentu noteikto) Mācītāja Hugenberg speciālgodalgu par labāko partiju ikgadējā t.s. ziemas turnīrā.

P. Bols kā šahistu vispusīgāk raksturoja M.Botvinnik

Mūsu gadsimta sākumā populārā šaha žurnālā Baltische Schachblatter publicētās

P. Bols partijas ļauj spriest par viņa šahistisko dvēseli, kaut gan viņa pretinieki bija visdažādāko spēku šahisti

P.Bols vienmēr tiecās pēc atklātas figūru spēles, centās izraisīt uzbrukumu, azariski meklēja sarežģītu kombināciju iespēlas. Kad vajadzēja aizargāties, Bols to darīja ne labprāt un bez sevišķām semēm.

P.Bohl smalki pārzināja atklātnes - nav šaubu, ka viņš speciāli tās studēja. Protams, tās bija atklātnes, kas raksturīgas tiem laikiem - spāņu atklātnes atklātie varianti, četrzirdziņu atklātne utt.

p.145

Kā vērtēt P. Bohl praktisko spēles limeni? Lietojot mūsdienu terminoloģiju, viņš bija uz robežas starp 1. klasi un meistarkandidātu - ļoti ievērojams līmenis zinātniekam, kas šaham varēja veltīt tikai savu brīvo laiku.

Karl Behting appraises Bohl:

Bols izstrādājis arī ievērojamas teorētiskas analīzes, piem., karaļgambītā un spāniesu atklatne. Starp viņa atradumiem ir arī t.s. Rigas variants, ko ar labām sekmēm lietoja vienā no korespondencsacikstem pret Berlini

Nenoskaidrots paliek jautājums - vai P.Bohl atjaunoja savu līdzdalību Rigas Saha Biedriba, kurā joprojām bija viņa līdzgaitnieki P. Kerovius, A. Leuth u.c.?

1921 gada 25 decembri, pavisam negaidot, beidza pukstēt izcilā zinātieka un nesavtīgā Rigas Saha slavas Kaldinātāja sirds.

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p.141

P. Bols was born on October 23, 1865 in Valka (then the city of Vidzeme province) in the family of a wholesaler. He started school in Valka, continued at the German school in Viljandi (Estonia) after which he graduated in 1884 and entered the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics at the University of Tartu (Estonia).

Since the beginning of the 19th century, Terbata has occupied a leading position in the life of Estonian chess, becoming one of the strongest chess centers in the Baltics. Here the chess players of the Baltic Chess Stars L. Kizericki, Friedrich Amelung, A. Asarin, Dr. E. Schmidt, K. Knorre et al.

In 1867, P. Bolsh was brilliantly graduated with a master's degree, while becoming a powerful and passionate chess player. 'Student P. Bols from Valka - a genius-oriented chess player. His game, though, has not yet fully developed due to a lack of strong opponents, '' says F. Amelung in one of the Baltische Schachblātter issues.

p.142

At the beginning of the nineties P.Bol stayed in Riga and came to the attention of the most powerful Riga chess player A.Asarins. In his letter of 19 April 1893 to F. Amelung Asarin wrote:

  'I also had the opportunity to meet the mag. Bols. One day he visited me and we played 4 games, each of which won. Other times we played two more games, each one winning at times. He has the potential to become a first-rate master and is currently the strongest new generation chess player alongside Seyboth. '

It should be noted, however, that in the following years Asarin, was often beaten by Bols even when he gave him odds of the f7 pawn and move.

April 19 - August 1893 P. Bols match with Hans Seyboth at the Asari resort. The latter had made a commitment to win with 5: 3 wins. When Seyboth led 4-0 after the eighth round (4 draws), his partner did not continue the match. It is interesting to note that in round 6 (Seyboth won in the 6 and 7th round), the white (Bols) finish time was three hours 20 minutes and the black three hours 33 minutes.

In August 1893, Bolshe began two correspondence games with K. Betin. Both winning with white, the match ended in March 1894. The author has so far been unable to find other P.Bol correspondence parties, not even the slightest indication that he has played in individual tournaments or individual games. It is possible that all of his subsequent engagement with the correspondence chess manifested itself in the very active participation in the historical matches of the Rig Sahs Society. The brilliant mathematics of shining analytical skills were invaluable, and the author assumes that the tandem of K. Behting and P. Bols played a leading and decisive role in forging the victories of the Riga chess players.

But the following publication tells about P.Bol's attitude:

'The last hour! (In Memorandum of Prof. Dr. Bohl)

Maybe some good chess club envies Riga for her world famous correspondence chess, but rarely does anyone, perhaps, just know with what kind of willingness, energy and sense of duty that fame was gained. As an illustration consider the following case.

In the second game of the first match with Berlin, the Riga Game Committee agreed that the following continuation 18.exd4 should be winning for white.

click for larger view

One of the responsibilities of the committee member, Mr Behting, was also to send mail to Berlin by train, and this response should normally have gone the following morning.

p.143

The citizens of our good Riga were already asleep, as it was already the second hour of the morning. Also K.B. dreamed sweet of an impending victory with Berlin.

Here - suddenly, a loud, sharp bell ... and inside, Professor P. Bols!

'Dear Mr Behting, we did not see the Queen check on e3 - (meaning they did not see that in the line 28.exd5, 31...Qe3+! saves Black's position) the game will be drawn! '

Position after 28.exd5 Rxe2 29.Qh7+ Kf8 30.Qh8+ Ke7 31.Rxe2+

click for larger view

Black now has the drawing resource 31...Qe3+!

click for larger view

White can not stop Black's d-pawn from Queening and restoring material balance:

example: 32.Rxe3+ dxe3 33.d6+ Kd8 34.Qxg7 e2+! 35.Kg2 e1Q and Black should draw.

click for larger view

It turned out that Professor Bols, dissatisfied with the committee's analysis, went on to analyze the situation when he returned home, and indeed found an interesting liability in the second hour of the morning. Understand the train 28.e4xd5? was missed, and so was Rig's honor saved at the last hour '

P.Bols played enthusiastically and enthusiastically in the face-to-face tournaments of the Riga Chess Society, winning first place several times. '... one of the most interesting players in the association was prof. Bols. Not only did he play very strong, but he strove to win over all things in a beautiful style.

p.144

For his victory over Elehrt, P.Bol received a special (in fact testamentary) Pastor Hugenberg Award (Best of the Year) established by Rigas pastor and active chess player Karl Valentine Emile Hugenberg (1818-1891) winter tournament.

Botvinnik describes Piers Bohl in the Baltische Schachblatter:

Even though his opponents were chess players of all styles,

P.Bol always pursued an open game, tried to attack, eagerly searched for difficult combinations. When it came to protecting himself, Bol did so reluctantly and without much thought.

P.Bohl had a thorough knowledge of variations - no doubt he was studying them specifically. Of course, these were the variations that were typical of those times - open versions of the Ruy Lopez, four-Knights, and so on.

p.145

How do you rate P. Bohl's practical level of play? Using modern terminology, he was on the border between Grade 1 and the Master candidate - a very remarkable level for a scholar who could only devote his free time to chess.

Karl Behting appraises Bohl:

Bols also developed remarkable theoretical analyzes, such as the discovery of the King's Gambit and the Spaniards. Among his findings are also t.s. Riga variant used successfully in one of the correspondence matches against Berlin

AFTER HE COMPLETED HIS EDUCATION AND BEGAN PROFESSIONAL WORK

The question remains as to whether Mr Bohl renewed his involvement in the Rigas Saha Fellowship, which still included his peers P. Kerovius, A. Leuth, etc.?

On December 25, 1921, the brilliant science and the heart of the unselfish Rigac Sachs fame ceased.

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City of Riga Matches

Bohls was a team member for the <Riga v Orel> and <Riga v Berlin 1st match>

Orel Match

In October 1896, a two-party match between the Riga Chess Society and Orl Chess Society began.

The match lasted until January 1896 and ended with a 2-0 victory for the Rigans, forged by Karl Behting, Robert Behting, Paul Kerkovius, Piers Bohl, August Lueth and Ottomar Heinrich von Haken.

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Riga v Berlin 1st match

The fourth match of the Riga Chess Society took place between October 1906 and April 1908 against the Berlin Chess club Schachgesselschaft. And again Riga was triumphant with a score of 2: 0. Fourth match - Fourth victory!

In Berlin - Riga Ruy Lopez t.s. in the open version 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Nxe4 6.d4 Rigas chess players surprised their opponents with the novelty 6 ... exd4. "The theoretical novelty found by Prof. P. Bols, Riga, which at that time created a great deal of excitement in the chess world. Later, there has been much controversy about this variant, but there is no definitive clarity on it." It is interesting to compare reflection time consumption: Berlin 340 days, Riga 124. This continuation of P. Bols has been extensively analyzed in numerous chess periodicals: Lasker's Chess Magazine, Deutsche Schachzeitung (J. Bergers), Tidskrift for Schack (P.Leonhardts and Dr. H.Krauze)- Great attention was paid to it by Grand Master Dr. Tarrasch in Berliner Lokalanzeiger.

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Dorpat (Tartu) 1890 (29 January) Dorpat Chess Club

Baltische Schachblatter no.7, pp.267-268

Event "Dorpat Chess Club"
Site "Dorpat (Tartu) RUE"
Date "1890.01.29"
White "Friedrich Amelung"
Black "Piers Bohl"
Result "1/2-1/2"
Source "Baltische Schachblatter no.7, pp.267-268"

1. f4 e5 2. fxe5 d6 3. exd6 Bxd6 4. g3 Nh6 5. Nf3 Ng4 6. Bg2 h5 7. d4 c6 8. e4 Nxh2 9. Nxh2 Bxg3+ 10. Kf1 h4 11. Nf3 h3 12. Bxh3 Rxh3 13. Kg2 Qd7 14. Ng5 Rxh1 15. Qxh1 Qg4 16. Kf1 Qd1+ 17. Kg2 Qxh1+ 18. Kxh1 Bg4 19. Kg2 Bh4 20. Nc3 Nd7 21. d5 Ne5 22. dxc6 bxc6 23. Bf4 f6 24. Rh1 Ng6 25. Nh3 O-O-O 26. Be3 Ne5 27. Rf1 Nc4 28. Bc1 Nd2 29. Rf4 Bxh3+ 30. Kxh3 Bg5 31. Rg4 Nxe4 32. Nxe4 Bxc1 33. Rxg7 f5 34. Ng3 f4 35. Ne2 Bxb2 36. Rxa7 f3 37. Ra8+ Kc7 38. Rxd8 Kxd8 39. Ng3 Kc7 1/2-1/2

F Amelung vs P Bohl, 1890

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Assern 1893 Casual game, and a game from a Match vs Hans Seyboth

Event "Casual game"
Site "Assern (Riga) RUE"
Date "1893.07.18"
Round "?"
White "Hans Seyboth"
Black "Piers Bohl"
Result "1-0"
Source "Baltische Schachblatter no.7, p.334"

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bc5 6. Nxe5 Bd4 7. Nxc6 dxc6 8. O-O Ng4 9. Qf3 Be5 10. g3 h5 11. d3 h4 12. Bb3 f5 13. exf5 Nxh2 14. Kxh2 hxg3+ 15. Kg1 Qh4 16. Qg2 Bxf5 17. Be3 Bg4 18. fxg3 Bxg3 19. Bf4 O-O-O 20. Bxg3 1-0

H Seyboth vs P Bohl, 1893

Played in the seaside resort of Assern near Riga on July 18, 1893.

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Event "Match"
Site "Assern (Riga) RUE"
Date "1893.08.1"
Round "6"
White "Piers Bohl"
Black "Hans Seyboth"
Result "0-1"
Source "Baltische Schachblatter no.7, pp.334-336"

1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Qxd4 Nc6 4. Qe3 Nf6 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Nc3 d5 7. exd5 Nxd5 8. Nxd5 Qxd5 9. Nf3 O-O 10. c4 Qc5 11. O-O-O Bg4 12. Bc3 Nb4 13. Bxb4 Qxe3+ 14. fxe3 Bxb4 15. Rd4 Bh5 16. Rd5 Bg4 17. Rb5 Bd6 18. Rxb7 Rfe8 19. Rb3 Rxe3 20. Rxe3 Bf4 21. Ne5 Bxe3+ 22. Kc2 Be6 23. Bd3 c5 24. Re1 Bg5 25. Nf3 Bf6 26. Nd2 Rb8 27. b3 h6 28. Ne4 Bd4 29. Nc3 g5 30. Nb5 Bf6 31. Nc7 Bd7 32. Nd5 Bd8 33. Rf1 Kg7 34. Be4 Ba5 35. Nf6 Bc8 36. Nh5+ Kf8 37. Bd5 f5 38. Be4 f4 39. g3 Bh3 40. Rf2 Re8 41. Bd3 Be1 42. Re2 f3 43. Rxe8+ Kxe8 44. Nf6+ Kf7 45. Nd5 Bf2 46. Be4 Bg4 47. Kd2 Bd4 48. Ne3 f2 49. Bg2 Bh5 50. Nf5 Ke6 51. Nxd4+ cxd4 52. h3 Bf3 53. Bf1 Ke5 54. b4 h5 55. a4 h4 56. gxh4 gxh4 57. a5 Kf4 58. b5 Kg3 59. c5 Bg2 60. b6 axb6 61. cxb6 Bxf1 62. b7 Kxh3 63. b8=Q Bg2 64. Qc8+ Kh2 65. Qg4 h3 66. Qf4+ Kg1 67. Qxd4 h2 0-1

P Bohl vs H Seyboth, 1893

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<Riga 1896) (23 February) Riga Chess Club

Event "Riga Chess Club"
Site "Riga RUE"
Date "1896.02.23"
White "Piers Bohl"
Black "Svenson"
Result "1/2-1/2"
Source "Baltische Schachblatter no.8, pp.579-580"

1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. b4 Bb6 5. a4 a6 6. Bc4 Nc6 7. c3 Nf6 8. d3 Be6 9. Na3 O-O 10. f5 Bxc4 11. Nxc4 Ba7 12. Bg5 b5 13. Ne3 Bxe3 14. Bxe3 d5 15. Qc2 d4 16. cxd4 Nxb4 17. Qc3 exd4 18. Bxd4 Nxd3+ 19. Qxd3 c5 20. O-O cxd4 21. axb5 axb5 22. Rxa8 Qxa8 23. e5 Ng4 24. Qxd4 h5 25. h3 Rd8 26. Qf4 Qa7+ 27. Kh1 Qe3 28. Qg3 Qd3 29. Re1 Nh6 30. f6 Qg6 31. Qf4 gxf6 32. exf6 Nf5 33. Nh4 Nxh4 34. Qxh4 Rd2 35. g4 b4 36. Re8+ Kh7 37. Qxh5+ Qxh5 38. gxh5 Rf2 39. Rb8 Rxf6 40. Rxb4 Rf5 1/2-1/2

P Bohl vs V Svensons, 1896

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Tournament of Riga Chess Community- March 1904

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Event "Riga Chess Community t"
Site "Riga RUE"
Date "1904.??.??"
Round "?"
White "I Koehler"
Black "Piers Bohl"
Result "0-1"
Source "rusbase"

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bb6 5. a4 a6 6. c3 d6 7. d3 Nf6 8. O-O Bg4 9. Be3 O-O 10. Nbd2 d5 11. exd5 Nxd5 12. Bxd5 Qxd5 13. Bxb6 cxb6 14. Qc2 Rac8 15. Rab1 Rfd8 16. Nc4 Bxf3 17. Nxb6 Qe6 18. gxf3 Nd4 19. Qd1 Qh3 20. cxd4 Rc6 21. Kh1 Rh6 0-1

I Koehler vs P Bohl, 1904

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