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Alexander McDonnell vs Louis Charles Mahe de La Bourdonnais
La Bourdonnais - McDonnell 2nd Casual Match (1834), London, rd 30
Bishop's Opening: Ponziani Gambit (C24)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer).      [35435 more games annotated by Stockfish]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Sep-04-04  Marius: why not 22. ...Ne3,
what's wrong with this fork?
Sep-04-04  sneaky pete: <Marius> Probably because the move order given here is wrong. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Chess Games has 22.Qe1 h4 23.f4 Rfg8 24.Rf3 .. etc (gamescore taken from La Strategie, 1875).
Sep-04-04  Marius: <sneaky pete> thank you
Sep-09-04  clocked: 38...Qh5! 39.Be3 axb5
Sep-10-04  sneaky pete: <clocked> What do you mean? After 38... Qh5 39.Qf1 .. white still has 2 connected passed pawns and his King is safe.
Sep-10-04  clocked: <sneaky pete> 38...Qh5! 39.Qf1 Rg8 with the threat of Rh8. How safe is the king?
Sep-10-04  sneaky pete: <clocked> Not safe at all, white is lost! I overlooked the attack by retreat, should have looked at the actual game before making that comment. Apparently 38... Qh3? wastes a vital tempo.

When I answered your first post, I shrugged 39.Be3 .. off because it invites 39... Rxe3?! On closer examination however, 40.Qxe3 Qd1+ 41.Kh2 Qxc2 42.bxa6 bxa6 43.f6 Qd1 44.Qf3 .. looks good for white. 39... axb5! is very unpleasant: 40.f6 Ng5 or 40.Qe2 Qxf5 and white can at best hope to draw. The immediate 39... Ng5 also looks strong.

How discombobulating that not only La Bourdonnais, but also commentators Staunton, Morphy and Anderssen, the collected chess genius of that period, overlooked the strength of 38... Qh5!

Next time I kibitz I'll just write <good game>.

Jan-04-06  Boomie: 38...Qh5 leads to a draw by repetition.

38...Qh5 39. Be3 Ng5 40. Qa3 Nh3+ 41. Kh2 Ng5+ 42. Kxg3 Ne4+ 43. Kf4 Qg5+ 44. Kf3 Qg3+ 45. Ke2 Qxg2+ 46. Ke1 Qh1+

Apr-11-06  AlexanderMorphy: i like morphys annonations, when exactly did he add the notes to these games?
Aug-22-07  Boomie: I just noticed Morphy's swipe at Staunton with his comment on move 3 that Boden was the strongest English player. Very amusing.
Feb-26-08  wolfmaster: <Boomie> Hadn't Staunton "retired" by the time Morphy was active?
Feb-02-12  Knight13: <5...Ng8: Compulsory. Had Black now played 5...d5, he would have evidently have lost a piece, as White would have captured knight with pawn, and on Black's exchanging queens, (his best move), would have retaken with the bishop.> Actually, 5...d5 6. exf6 Qxe2+ 7. Nxe2 dxc4 and black regains the piece. However, after 8. Nxd4 gxf6 Black's Kingside pawn structure is damaged.
May-30-13  Isilimela: <4. e5 Qe7 A bad move, resulting in loss of time and position. 4...d4, Black's accepted play, would have given him the better opening.> 4 ... d4 is not possible - methinks 4 ... d5?
May-30-13  thomastonk: <Isilimela> Morphy indeed recommended "4.P. to Q. fourth", which means 4.. d5 (New York Ledger, March 31, 1860).
Sep-22-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  fredthebear: Stockfish notes do not like 12....0-0-0?

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