Carl Schlechter vs Joseph Blackburne (1901)

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Carl Schlechter vs Joseph Blackburne
Monte Carlo (1901), Monte Carlo MNC, rd 7, Feb-14
Sicilian Defense: Four Knights Variation (B45) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Jan-27-20		KEG: A fine example of Schlechter's cool and accuracy when under fire. Blackburne tried to launch an unsound attack and got mercilessly outplayed and wiped out by Schlechter. Playing over this game, Schlechter appears to be a class or so above Blackburne. Yet their lifetime record showed Blackburne ahead, 3 wins to 2 with 6 draws. This record is a bit misleading, since Blackburne was ahead 2-0-4 before London 1899 (i.e., before Schlechter became the brilliant player that enabled him to draw matches against Lasker, Tarrasch, and Pillsbury and to destroy Janowski in their match). This game brought Schlechter even with Blackburne in their lifetime encounters. Blackburne did, however, have the last laugh and won his final game against Schlechter in Ostedn 1905. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 The Tournament Book gives a slightly different move order (i.e., 4...e6 5. Nc3 Nf6) 5. Nc3 e6 6. Ndb5 The most radical choice. Other recognized and reasonable options were 6. g3, 6. NxN, 6. a3, and 6. Be2 6... Bb4 click for larger view 6...d6 (transposing to the Pelican Variation) is more usual and solid, but the text--which is quite playable--is exactly what we would expect from the hyper-aggressive Blackburne. 7. Bf4 "!"--(Tournament Book) "The variation 7. Nd6+ [after which could follow 7...Ke7 8. NxB+ RxN 9. Bd3 d5--with about equal chances--KEG] is not good for White, so he seeks to restore the attack by an inversion of moves. It is also possible that this move is the result of preparation, the Sicilian being in vogue." (Schlechter/Sittenfeld). The text, however is flaws (see below) and the usual and best move for White today is 7. a3. 7... e5 "This move is inferior to 7...0-0." (Schlechter/Sittenfeld). But after 7...0-0, White gets some advantage with 8. Bc7. Simples and best is the "normal" 7...Nxe4. Rightly or wrongly, however, Blackburne may not have liked the looks of such wild lines as 7...Nxe4 8. Nc7+ Kf8 9. Qf3 Nxc3 10. bxN Qf6 11. bxB QxR+ 12. Qd1 QxQ+ 13. KxQ e5 14. Bxe5 NxB 15. NxR (which in fact looks about even). 8. Bg5 White has lost a tempo with his Bishop, but Black has lost a tempo with his e-pawn. All in all, White is slightly better: click for larger view 8... 0-0 9. a3 click for larger view 9... BxN+ "If 9...Be7 10. Nd6 threatens Nf5 with an excellent game." (Schlechter/Sittenfeld) In fact, 9...Ba5 keeping his Bishops and leaving White the task of organizing his Knights was better. 10. NxB h6 11. Bh4 d6 12. Qd3 "!"--(Tournament Book) "The only correct way to continue the attack." (Schlechter/Sittenfeld) click for larger view Blackburne's play had indeed by this point given Schlechter attacking chances, but Black's position was not all that bad. But from here, as will be seen, Blackburne erred and Schlechter ground him to dust.

Jan-27-20		KEG: Post II 12... Be6 12...Nd4 would have perhaps been simpler (and would avoid the loss of the d-pawn if White chose to pause and gain material in this way), but the text was also OK. 13. 0-0-0 Schlechter meant business and was ready to pounce. Blackburne should have taken heed. click for larger view 13... g5?! There was no reason to weaken the King-side this way. 13...Nd4 was best (among other things, it avoids the loss of a pawn). Schlechter/Sittenfeld criticized 13...Nd4 as leading to trouble for Black after 14. Be2. But this is simply wrong, since Black would then have the better chances with (and be able to get away with) 14...g5. Black could also play 14...Rc8 first and then 15. g5. Had Blackburne played 13...Nd4, Schlechter's only way to retain his better chances would have been with 14. f3. 14. Bg3 click for larger view 14... Rc8? Ignoring the danger. He should have kept his eye on defense with 14...Kg7 or perhaps 14...Nh5. 15. h4 "!"--(Tournament Book) "Much better than [accepting the sacrifice with ] 15. Qxd6 after which Black would have replied with 15...Qa5 with a counter-attack." (Schlechter/Sittenfeld) It is certainly true that the text was better than snatching the d-pawn, but 15. f3 was simplest and best. After 15. h4, the position was: click for larger view 15... g4?! Continuing to pursue his suicidal plan. Blackburne's best chance of surviving lay in 15...Nh5. 16. f4 "!"--(Tournament Book) click for larger view Now Schlechter was able to open lines to the Black King. Against his accurate play, Blackburne was never given a chance. 16... gxf3 e.p. "16...Kh7 was better." (Schlechter/Sittenfeld) Nope. After 16... Kh7 17. f5! Bd7 18. Qxd6 Black gets killed. The text, nasty as it appears, was the best left for Blackburne. 17. gxf3 click for larger view 17... Nd4? After this, the game became a massacre. Blackburne's only hope was to try 17...Nh5. 18. Bf2 "!"--(Tournament Book) "The decisive move." (Schlechter/Sittenfeld) click for larger view As Bobby Fischer would say, Black is busted.

Jan-27-20		KEG: Post III 18... Bc4? This only helps Schlechter by driving the White Queen to a better square. The game is probably beyond repair, but Blackburne should have tried 18...Nc6, giving up the d-pawn but giving him chances at least to prolong the struggle. 19. Qd2 click for larger view 19... Ne6? Playing like a deer in the headlights. If he wanted to play on, he should at least have tried to slow the Schlechter steamroller with 19. ..Kh7. 20. Qxh6 Schlechter had a number of winning choices here. In addition to the text, he could have played 20. Bh3; 20. Rg1+; or just 20. BxB RxB 21. Qxh6. 20... Nh7 21. Bh3! Schlechter again had numerous ways to win, e.g., 21. Rg1+; 21. BxB; 21. Nd5. After 21. Bh3 the position was: click for larger view 21... Qf6 "Forced by the threat of Bf5." (Schlechter/Sittnfeld) 22. QxQ 22. Qe3 was crushing, but the text was simplest and deprived Blackburne of any chance of counterplay. 22... NxQ 23. Rxd6 click for larger view In addition to his overwhelming attack, Schlechter was now two pawns ahead. 23... b5 This only hastened the end, but the game was beyond saving anyway. 24. Nd5 "24. Bg3 was also very strong." (Schlechter/Sittenfeld). True enough. 24. Rg1+ or even the materialistic 24. Bxa7 were also winners. 24... NxN 25. exN click for larger view With the loss of his Rook on c8, Blackburne should surely have resigned. By playing on, however, he allowed Schlechter to treat us to a humorous finale. 25... Nf4 Now Black's forces get wiped out immediately, but there was nothing to do anyway. 26. Rg1+ "!"--(Tournament Book) Fastest. 26... Ng6 27. BxR RxB 28. h5 Ouch! click for larger view Blackburne now had one final stroke: 28... Bd3 29. Rc6! click for larger view Zooks! Talk about a won game! 1-0

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