chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing

Chessgames premium membership fee will increase to $39 per year effective June 15, 2023. Enroll Now!

Henry Bird vs James Mason
4th American Chess Congress, Philadelphia (1876), Philadelphia, PA USA, rd 1, Aug-16
Bird Opening: General (A02)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

explore this opening
find similar games 44 more Bird/J Mason games
PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: To flip the board (so black is on the bottom) press the "I" key on your keyboard.

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]

Kibitzer's Corner
Oct-11-04  Knight13: 1. f4 f5 is like black dosen't know how to play the opening. Why not 67. Qxd7+ ? In the end game, Bird made a mistake. That's the queen check among the Black king and it made the Black King to a better position. Now this game is very long.
Mar-17-05  Gowe: <Knight13> I doesn't see how 1.f5 is bad for black, if you can present the forces move that show that this opening is bad and how f5 is a lose of tempo then, Come on i am interest in see that. And if 66.Qxd7 (not 67.Qxd7 because it's impossible) then Qe7+ and after the exchange of queens the black king can't stop the A pawn.
Jun-08-05  prinsallan: Why should 1. f4 f5 be bad?
Its like the English symmetrical in reverse isnt it? Sneaky, I need you on this one.
Jun-09-05  jahhaj: 1 f4 f5 isn't bad, just boring.
Jun-09-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sneaky: I agree with jahhaj. It's not horrible, it's just sort of dull. I personally don't play either the Dutch Defense nor Bird's Opening but I have great respect for those systems. The strongest player I played on Gameknot (a correspondence site) played that way and his games were incredible and filled with strategy. Post-game analysis with my computer was almost useless because he played such clever anti-computer lines.
Jun-09-05  prinsallan: Ahh, so that was what <Knight13> meant. That it shuts everything?
Doesn´t have to be that way though.

Thers still ways to pawnstorm and stirr things up, isnt it?

Just that Bird plays overly defensive, and to my opinion that costs him the game in this case.

Jun-09-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sneaky: There are always ways to pawnstorm! White might wait for Black to castle then play moves like O-O-O, Rdg1 or Rhg1, h3, and g4.
Jun-09-05  black knight c6: Why not 30 ♕f3? with the same idea as before, but without the extra castle? gets the queen in (after 30 ... ♕h4 31 g3) and probably wins a pawn. Can anyone see any refutation?
Jun-09-05  black knight c6: And <Gowe>, although your line is right, its impossible to play it on move 66, but possible to play it on 67!?

Bird was probably going for perpetual checks around this stage of the game and Mason would have been looking to trade off queens, which is why ♕xd7 is bad with the fork to come.

I wonder if Mason calculated out the checks before he moved 79 ... h2? Can anyone find a perpetual after that which bird missed? crafty?

Jun-09-05  prinsallan: <black knight c6> You are correct. Chessmaster 10 replies with 30... Rg8
31. Qb7 Qg4
32. g3 Ne8
33. Bc1 Rg7
34. Qxa7 Qd8
35. Qd7 d6
36. Qf3 Kg8 and White is up a pawn, safe and sound behind the pawns.

Now its just a matter of techinque on the Q-side and white will surely win.

Nice job black knight, c6.

Dec-11-18  Nietzowitsch: I am a cage in search of a Bird.
F Kafka
Dec-11-18  Hodor: Help, I'm a bug!

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.

Featured in the Following Game Collections[what is this?]
4:4
from 48a_ QUEEN endgames - all the single Ladies by whiteshark
Philadelphia 1876
by suenteus po 147
0ZeR0's Favorite Games Volume 27
by 0ZeR0

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 2001-2023, Chessgames Services LLC