chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Wilhelm Cohn vs Carl Schlechter
London (1899), London ENG, rd 1, May-30
Ponziani Opening: Jaenisch Counterattack (C44)  ·  1-0

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
Notes by Stockfish 8 v270317 (minimum 15s/ply)6...Nf6 was played in Showalter vs M Judd, 1891 (0-1)7...Be7 was played in E J H Schmidt vs Chigorin, 1879 (0-1)8...d6 was played in Winawer vs Von Bardeleben, 1892 (0-1)better is 14.Bd2 Nb6 15.Nxb6 axb6 16.a3 Ra4 17.Nf4 Be5 18.Ne6 Bxe6 = +0.11 (29 ply) ⩱ -0.55 (31 ply) 15...f4 16.h4 h6 17.g3 fxg3 18.Qxg3 Rf7 19.Nf4 Ne5 = -0.46 (27 ply)= +0.40 (30 ply) 16...Nb6 17.h4 g4 18.Qd1 Bxh4 19.Nc6 Qd7 20.Bh6 Re8 = 0.00 (31 ply) ⩲ +0.89 (28 ply)better is 18.Qd3 Qd7 19.Rad1 e4 20.Qc2 Qf7 21.c4 bxc4 22.Qxc4 Rb8 ⩲ +0.90 (27 ply)= +0.33 (31 ply) 19...Qd6 20.Qxd6 cxd6 21.a4 bxa4 22.Rxa4 a6 23.Rea1 Bb7 ⩲ +0.51 (29 ply) ⩲ +1.27 (29 ply)better is 22...h5 23.Rad1 Be6 24.Qe3 a5 25.Nc2 Bxa2 26.Nd4 Qd5 ⩲ +0.84 (27 ply) ± +1.52 (27 ply) 23...Qg4 24.Qe3 Bb7 25.Rad1 Rf7 26.Bg3 Rd7 27.h3 Qe6 ⩲ +1.27 (26 ply)better is 24.Ne3 Qg6 25.Rad1 Be6 26.Rd6 Re8 27.Bxa5 h5 28.Rb6 Rd7 ± +2.04 (29 ply) ⩲ +1.30 (26 ply) after 24...Qd5 25.Rad1 Bb7 26.Bb6 Be7 27.Nb3 Qf5 28.Be3 b4 26...h6 27.Rc5 Qg4 28.Qxg4 Bxg4 29.Rxe4 Bf5 30.Re1 Bd7 ± +1.85 (28 ply)+- +2.97 (28 ply) 30...Qg4 31.Qxg4 hxg4 32.hxg5 g3 33.fxg3 e3 34.Bf6 Rdd7 +- +3.55 (29 ply)+- +6.74 (27 ply) after 31.Rxb5 a4 32.Rb6 Rdf8 33.Rc5 Qxf2+ 34.Qxf2 Rxf2 35.Rxd5 32...Be6 33.Rxb5 g3 34.fxg3 Qg4 35.Bf6 Rxf6 36.Rg5+ Rg6 +- +7.02 (29 ply)1-0

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer).      [35434 more games annotated by Stockfish]

explore this opening
find similar games 3 more W Cohn/Schlechter games
PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: To access more information about the players (more games, favorite openings, statistics, sometimes a biography and photograph), click their highlighted names at the top of this page.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

THIS IS A COMPUTER ANNOTATED SCORE.   [CLICK HERE] FOR ORIGINAL.

Kibitzer's Corner
Mar-01-07  beenthere240: What did Schlecter see that I'm missing. If it's the loss of the a and b pawns, I thought these guys were much bigger swashbucklers.
Nov-24-09  TechnoGuyRob: The a and b pawns won't fall because of 32 .. Bd3. However...

33. Bc7 (attacks rook and queen)
.. Qd7
34. Bxd8
.. Qxd8

And White is clearly winning.

Nov-14-16
Premium Chessgames Member
  KEG: Schlechter must have underestimated his opponent, for he played--uncharacteristically--recklessly. His 19...f4 was inexplicable, and Cohn romped to victory after that. In the final position, 32...Bd3 does indeed lose to 33.Bc7, but 33. Bg3 would have been even more crushing. Resignation was appropriate!
Nov-15-16  ughaibu: <Schlechter must have underestimated his opponent>

I think that's unlikely, they had played before: W Cohn vs Schlechter, 1897

Nov-15-16
Premium Chessgames Member
  KEG: They had indeed played two years earlier in Berlin to a draw, but Schlechter had finished well above Cohn in that tournament. In any case, I am struggling to explain Schlechter's strange play in this game. Had he played this way against Lasker in their 1910 match, he would have gotten wiped out.
Nov-15-16
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: <KEG: They had indeed played two years earlier in Berlin to a draw, but Schlechter had finished well above Cohn in that tournament. In any case, I am struggling to explain Schlechter's strange play in this game. Had he played this way against Lasker in their 1910 match, he would have gotten wiped out.>

Funny you should say that. From this same tournament:

Schlechter vs Lasker, 1899

Schlechter was already a strong master in 1899, but not as strong or as solid as he later became.

Nov-15-16
Premium Chessgames Member
  KEG: Agreed. But Schlechter had just won 5th prize in the very strong Vienna 1898 tournament and was already knocking on the door of the world's elite. Indeed, in London 1899 he took 5th place just one point behind Pillsbury, Maroczy, and Janowski. He won games from Tchigorin, Blackburne, Showalter, and Mason, and beat Steinitz twice. This first-round loss to Cohn is the only game he lost in London 1899 to a non-prize winner. So while you are right that Schlechter was not yet the player he was in 1910 back in 1899, he was hardly chopped liver.
Jan-25-17  sledgehammer: 15...b5? and 19...f4? are like moves played by somebody else but not Schlechter!

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC