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Henry Bird vs George MacDonnell
London (1882), London ENG
Sicilian Defense: Wing Gambit. Carlsbad Variation (B20)  ·  1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jul-19-04  rochade18: I thought that the wing gambit is a modern idea now this game is from 1882! I guess this is perpetual check after 33...Qf1.
Jul-20-04  suenteus po 147: <rochade18> It is indeed! MacDonnell has nothing better since 34.Bf6#, and 33...Qxe5, as the only way to stop it, sacrifices the queen to buy what only amounts to a few extra moves. These are the times when forced perpetuals are a cunning tool of the game.
Jul-20-04  Keshishian: Why not 32. Bf6#?
Jul-20-04  suenteus po 147: I'm guessing that after six checks Bird was simply still in the frame of mind that he had to move his king to safety and missed the win. It does happen, as much as we like to think any big name is infallible. Maybe I should put this in my Game Collection: Never Resign! instead....
Aug-12-04  rochade18: Unbelievable! You should at least take a short look for a mate in a position like this. And both players are so strong!
Nov-17-04  Knight13: Very Furious Game. Bird drew Macdonnell. Blackburne beat Macdonnell. Anderssen also beat Macdonnell.
Mar-17-06  Isolated Pawn: Is it possible that the board reads wrong and it's actually 31...Qxc4 ?
Mar-17-11  Guguni: I think it is 31...Q:c4. Because if the move in the text is correct then 32 Bf6#
Mar-17-11  sneaky pete: Gunsberg points out 24.Be7 ...


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winning. A possible continuation is 24... Qe3+ 25.Kc3 Be1+ 26.Kb2 Rf8 27.Bxf8 Rh7 28.Qf6+ Kg8 29.Qd8 ..


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Ploeger in his ornithological study "Moed en originaliteit op het schaakbord" (1983) gives the ending 31... Dxc4+ 32.Kd2 Dxf4+ 33.Kd1 .. draw. D(ame) is Dutch (and German) for Q(ueen).

Mar-17-11  shalgo: The Chess Player's Chronicle of April 12, 1882, gives 31..."Q takes B ch," i.e. Qxc4+, so the game score here is indeed incorrect.

You can see it at page 170 here: http://books.google.com/books?id=Ai....

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