| KEG: As user Lawrence pointed out over 15 years ago on this site, Bardeleben resigned because of illness. There was an irony in this result. Back in 1895 at the great Hastings Tournament, Bardeleben, who had toppled the mighty Lasker and drawn with Tarrasch, forfeited his 17th round game against Pillsbury because of illness. This free point allowed Pillsbury to finish one-half point above Tchigorin and a full point above Lasker. Now here at Munich 1900, Bardeleben's resignation because of illness against Schlechter gave him what was essentially a free point that helped him tied for first with Pillsbury. Of course, Pillsbury and Schlechter might have won their games against Bardeleben anyway (and given that Bardeleben was 1-5 going into this encounter while Schlechter was 5-1, the latter was an obvious favorite). But nonetheless there was a bit of "what goes around comes around" for Pillsbury in this quickie resignation by Bardeleben here. As others here have noted, there was absolutely no reason for Bardeleben to resign on move 9 here. Indeed (and contrary to LIFE Master AJ who suggests that Bardeleben had an inferior position at the time he resigned), if anything Bardeleben had the better chances at the time he threw in the towel. Incidentally, this was the second game at Munich 1900 in which Bardeleben resigned in a position that was not lost (see his second round game against Showalter). The game, short as it was, nevertheless had a few interesting points before its premature conclusion: 1. d4 d5
2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 c6
This Slav-like set-up was not in fashion at the time, but was certainly fine. 4. e3 Bd6
5. Bd3 f5
Opting for a Stonewall formation. 5...Nf6 and 5...dxc4 were the alternatives. The position at this stage was:
click for larger viewThere are a gaggle of good options for White here (e.g., 6. Nf3; 6. c5; 6. h3; 6. b3; 6. Bd2, etc.). I would never have predicted Schlechter's actual move, which was hardly in keeping with his usual positional style of play: 6. g4?!
Hard to believe, from Schlechter of all people. Bardeleben's response must also have been a surprise. 6... Nh6
Although Stockfish doesn't like this move and prefers the natural 6...Nf6, I like Nh6 (Fritz thinks it was only marginally inferior to Nf6) since it allows the Knight to recapture on f5. It certainly makes for an unbalanced position, and an exciting struggle must have appeared to be in the offing. 7. gxf5
7. h3 was much better. Schlechter seems to have been out of his element in his 6. g4?! line. 7... 0-0?!
Another exciting choice in this game. But the simple 7...Nxf5 looks best. Perhaps Bardeleben, because of his illness, wanted to create an early crisis to allow a quick finish. 8. Bd2
Hardly best. Schlechter could simply have played 8. fxe6, or perhaps better still have played 8. c5 and then 9. fxe6. 8... Nxf5
9. Qc2
9. Qe2 was better.
The position at this stage was:
click for larger viewWith 9...Na6 or 9...dxc4 of even 9...Qh4, Black looks to be for choice. [Fritz rates the game (-0.25) and Stockfish (-0.97). This obviously is not a resignable position, and Bardeleben must have been sick indeed to have given up at this stage. | 
Kibitzing
