| KEG: A sparkling finish by Janowski, but contrary to what is suggested in the Tournament Book, Janowski did not have the game in hand (despite some earlier questionable play by Gunsberg) until Black's blunder on move 18. 1. e4 e6
2. d4 d5
3. Nc3 dxe4
This later came to be known as the Rubinstein Variation. It is cramping but sound, 4. Nxe4 Nd7
5. Nf3 Be7
5...Ngf6. The text, which can transpose into the 5...Ngf6 lines, is also reasonable. It was later a favorite of Seirawan. Gunsberg played this twice at Monte Carlo 1902 and got crushed in 20 moves both times, first here by Janowski in the opening round and later in his round 14 replay against Wolf. 6. Bd3 Ngf6
Thus transposing back to the more usual 5...Ngf6 lines. 7. 0-0 NxN
8. BxN Nf6
9. Bd3
click for larger viewWhite is a little freer, but thus far there was not all that much wrong with Gunsberg's position. 9... c6
"A surprising suicide for the Bishop on c8. 9...0-0 followed by b6 was better." (Tournament Book) 9...0-0 was indeed better (as was 9...c5). But the Tournament Book's description of the text as "suicide" for the Black c8 Bishop was over the top. While I don't much fancy Black's position after 9...c6, Gunsberg was nowhere near lost at this point, his position now being: 
click for larger view10. Qe2 0-0
11. Bf4 b6
Beginning an awkward process of freeing his c8 Bishop. 11...Nd5 or 11...a5 or 11...b5 were all somewhat more dynamic. But, yet again, though cramped, Gunsberg's position remained difficult but tenable. 12. c3
Too slow to pose much of a threat to Black. White had to get his Rooks on e1 and d1 to make progress. 12... Bb7
13. Rad1
click for larger view13... Qd5
The Queen needed a safer post, so 13...Qc8 was best. 14. Be5
Pointless. Having played 13. Rad1, Janowski should now have continued with 14. Rfe1. 
click for larger view14... Rae8?
Very weak. With 14...c5, Gunsberg would have solved most of the problems that had plagued him since his 9th move. Now, though probably not lost, Gunsberg faced serious difficulties--until Janowski's response. 15. Bb1
Mmore dithering by Janowski that let Gunsberg back into the game. Janowski would have had much the better game after 15. Ng5 or 15. c4. 15... c5
"The Bishop is now free, but by c7-c6-c5 Black has lost two moves." (Tournament Book). Actually, he had lost one move. And after the text, Gunsberg's position was not all that terrible: 
click for larger viewFrom here, however, Gunsberg collapsed, and was forced to resign after Janowski's 20th move. How this occurred will be the subject of my next post on this game. | 
Kibitzing
