KEG: Showalter got the better of Steinitz in the opening, but then Steinitz defended carefully to achieve a draw.Steinitz tried the Advance Variation (3. e5) against Showalter's French Defense. Steinitz decided to play the 6. e2 line (which Gligoric calls "dubious"). Showalter could have gotten the better game with 6...cxd4, but instead played the harmless 6...Bd7.
However, instead of seizing the initiative with 8. dxc5, Steinitz played the far weaker 8. b3. Steinitz had approximately equal chances after 8. b3, but any hope of an advantage was gone.
The Tournament Book criticizes Showalter's 9...Nge7, but this seems best to me, and certainly better than the Tournament Book's suggested 9...f6.
Steinitz's bizarre 10. Na3 left him with a difficult game, and Showalter was better for the rest of the contest.
Steinitz' 20. BxB was an error (20. a4 was much better), but after Steinitz' passive 22. Qb1, Showalter gave him a reprieve by swapping Queens with 22...QxQ instead of fighting to hold onto his advantage with 22...Qe4.
After the trade of Queens, Steinitz defended accurately, and easily drew the ensuing endgame.
All in all, not a very interesting game.