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Wilhelm Steinitz vs Johannes Zukertort
"Zuke Retort" (game of the day Oct-14-2008)
Steinitz - Zukertort World Championship Match (1886), New York, NY USA, rd 2, Jan-13
Scotch Game: Schmidt Variation (C45)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

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Given 43 times; par: 62 [what's this?]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 2 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Apr-29-06  PolishPentium: What about before move 41? Your humble correspondent does not see why White feels obligated to interpose the Q after the B Queen check 39...Qc5+. How about the Wh. K moving away safely with 40 Kh2? (i.e., one move earlier?) By so doing, Black cannot safely check with the R on move 40; at least, i see no reason for him to lose the exchange (R for N). Once again, is the less than brilliant Polish Pentium missing something? Heaven forbid that..^^
Apr-29-06  Calli: <PolishPentium> 40.Kh2? Re2+ 41.Nxe2 Qf2+ wins
Apr-29-06  Calli: <An Englishman> 41.Kg2 Re3 42.Ne6 Bxf3+ 43.Qxf3 is okay. Probably what Herr Steinitz missed.
Apr-29-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Pawn and Two: <An Englishman> In Steinitz's notes to this game he recommended 41.Kg2 Re3 42.Ne6 Bxf3+ 43.Qxf3 Rxe6 44.bxc4 and stated that White then has at least an equal game.

However, Chigorin found an improvement for Black. Chigorin recommended the line 41.Kg2 Re3 42. Ne6 Qe5! 43.Nd4 Bd5 in order to provide a defense for the d Pawn, and free his Queen to threaten the h Pawn.

After 41.Kg2 Re3 42.Ne6 Qe5! 43.Nd4, Fritz 9 rates the position in favor of Black (-1.19) (20 ply) and provides the following line: 43...Bd5 44.bxc4 Bxc4 45.Qd2 Qe7 46.Qf2 Qg5. Black certainly has the advantage, but more work is needed to determine if Black can win after 41.Kg2 Re3 42.Ne6 Qe5!.

Feb-26-08  Knight13: Beginning of the four consecutive wins Zukertort had against Steinitz before losing his head in this well played game by Black.
Aug-02-08  RookFile: Very enjoyable game. It has a real modern feel to it, with thrust and counter thrust.
Oct-14-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  An Englishman: Good Evening: I'm wondering if Black had the edge after 17...Ba6 and promptly blew it with 18...f5, allowing Re6. Anyone else have any ideas about this?
Oct-14-08  kevin86: Whether white takes the pawn or not,he is lost. If he defends the knight,black will capture and then queen the pawn.
Oct-14-08  tivrfoa: why not 24- NF5 ?
Aug-30-10  william willson: to <An Englishman>: 18...f5 is perhaps guarding against 19bxg7 (if 19...Kxg7 20Nf5+) - the alternative 18...g6 seems rather passive allowing a weakening of black's dark Kside squares after 19Bd2.
Dec-21-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  GrahamClayton: The first part of fabulous description of the game from the "Richmond Despatch", dated January 15, 1866, page 4:

"ZUKERTORT WINS A GAME.
The second game in tbe chess match
between Steinitz and Zukertort for the
championship of tbe world was set
down to take place Wednesday, and a
little after 2 o'clock in the afternoon
both the champions appeared at Cartier
Hall, in Fifth Avenue, where a
fair number of chess experts and amateurs were already waiting for them. Steinitz looked somewhat careworn,
while Zukertort seemed fresher and
more confident. After exchanging remark with their friends, the contestants sat down to the chess-table.
It being Steinitz's first move, he
opened with the Scotch gambit, e4.
It was replied to in regular manner,
and then the white king's knight leaped
into the arena to attack the advanced
skirmisher. A black knight rushed to
meet the enemy, and then Steinitz
sent out another skirmisher to d4. An
exchange of pawns followed, and then
the champions brought out the remainder of their cavalry. Several of the spectators were somewhat surprised to see Steinitz begin the game with the Scotch gambit, remarking that
such an opening almost always resulted in a draw.
A few thought that the reason was because Steinitz did not feel himself, and preferred drawing to losing a game, while others were of the opinion that he did not want to discourage Zukertort by two defeats in succession in the early part of the match. Steinitz began maneuvring with his
horse, whereupon Zukertort invoked
the influence of the Church by leading
down a mitred ecclesiastic, who impelled a white knight to stand guard over his king. The cavalry onslaught,
however, was not checked, for the
white queen's knight pierced through a
black horseman, but in turn suffered a
humiliating death at the hand of a
colored private. This last move, however, doubled the black pawns and gave Steinitz an opportunity to bring out a bishop to d3, but Zukertort pushed forward a pawn, and then there was another exchange of riflemen. Neither of the champions had an enviable position, and they immediately took the precaution of castling. “It is anybody's game now," was
the remark made by several experts at
this stage of the game, so evenly were
the contestants matched. Steinitz returned to the attack with his bishop to g5, threatening the remaining black knight and with apparently sinister designs upon the Ethiopian queen.

Dec-21-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  GrahamClayton: The second part of the fabulous description of the game from the "Richmond Despatch", dated January 15, 1866, page 4:

"Zukertort simply moved forward a pawn to c6. His opponent then seemed to change his tactics to an attack upon
the black king's wing, as he made his
charger wheel around to e2, and then
to g3, while Zukertort advanced
upon the white bishop.
Here a long pause ensued. The fight
began to be serious. Some predicted
that Steinitz would take the black
knight and let his bishop go, while
others felt sure that he would withdraw
his prelate, as he still had a use for
him. The latter prophets guessed right,
for Steinitz withdrew him to d2. Zukertort was developing a strong attack. Ho ordered his knight forward to g4,
and with heavy artillery in the rear
threatened mate. The large hall was
gradually filling up with visitors, and
a sea of upturned faces eagerly scanned the large recording chess-board against the wall. In their minds they
figured out all the combinations that
would be formed in the next three or
four moves. Steinitz evidently regarded the situation as serious, for he indulged in one of his prolonged meditations, gently stroked his beard several times, and finally planked his bishop on e2. Many did not understand the move,
especially when the Ethiopian queen
swooped down to h4, whereupon Steinitz
killed the remaining black knight, sacrificing a bishop. Then be fortified the position of his second bishop by placing him under cover of a piece of royal artillery. Down came the black bishop brandishing his crook at the rook, but when the latter was placed in his rear and promised to send him to kingdom-come be did not turn to look back, but made a bee-line for a6. Then Steinitz again thought his situation was still critical. He moved Bc3. This was his eighteenth move,
and ended his first hour, while Dr.
Zukertort had only spent forty minutes
in making his moves. But now the
little Doctor's time for thinking had
come, as it would not do to be too impetuous in the attack against such a skilful enemy, who was already embarrassing him. He moved f5, and thus protected a dangerous point
with a rook. Thus the contest kept
on becoming hotter and hotter, now
Zukertort hemming in Steinitz, and
then the latter, by ingenious and unexpected maneuvring, extricating himself in a miraculous manner. On the thirty, first move a recess was taken for supper, and soon after 8 o'clock the fight was renewed. Gradually, but steadily, Zukertort deployed his pawns, supporting them with artillery, and Steinitz, in spite of his skill, was compelled to resign after tbe forty-sixth move."

Dec-25-10  lionel15: <GrahamClayton> A great description. They dont write em like that nowadays
Jun-01-11  hudgreen: <GrahamClayton> Where did you get the description? I'd like to know.
Sep-02-11  rjsolcruz: This was played in 1886 and in 2010, the same position appeared on the board after 7 Bd3 - Jesca Docena vs Rhal Sol Cruz in PACE Kiddies at Quezon City where the latter continued with 7... Bxc3 with the goal of damaging White's pawn structure.
Aug-06-12  LoveThatJoker: Guess-the-Move Final Score:

Steinitz vs Zukertort, 1886.
YOU ARE PLAYING THE ROLE OF ZUKERTORT.
Your score: 67 (par = 64)

LTJ

Nov-10-13  Ulhumbrus: Instead of 12 Ng3, 12 Bf4 obstructs and opposes Black's KB on the h2-b8 diagonal with White's QB
Apr-19-15  chesshag: GrahamClayton thanks for posting the article! My husband and I had fun reading it (:
May-10-15  A.T PhoneHome: Despite the fact that today we play more accurate chess than in 1886, I still am fond of the sheer practicality and implementation of natural instinct in the games of 19th century.

For greenies like me, grasping the point behind moves is rewarding and I'd like to think I manage that far more often in the 19th century master games.

May-10-15  Howard: And now you're looking at 19th century games, it appears.

By the way, have you looked at Korchnoi-Spassky, 7th game, 1977 ? Just looked at an article about it a few minutes ago.

Check out 30.h3 !!

May-10-15  A.T PhoneHome: Sometimes I wonder if you have a radio transmitter with which you can trace the signal of the microchip I have on me. :P

And that 30.h3 is pretty indeed. After Korchnoi captured that pawn, Spassky couldn't capture with Queen and was forced to capture with Rook. That left the queenside Rook without a guard which Korchnoi targeted, prompting Spassky to come back with the former Rook, allowing Korchnoi to promote with check. That's what I gathered anyways.

Jun-06-16  Christoforus Polacco: <40.Kh2? Re2+ 41.Nxe2 Qf2+ wins> Sorry but I've found only perpetual ....
Jun-06-16
Premium Chessgames Member
  beatgiant: <Christoforus Polacco> <40. Kh2 Re2+ 41. Nxe2 Qf2+ 42. Kh3 Qf1+ 43. Kh2 <Qxf3> with mate in a few moves.
Nov-23-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  Richard Taylor: I play this line as White. White has to be very careful to keep control of such K-side initiatives.

I like the 'after adjourning for supper'...that's the way. Go and have supper and forget about the game come what may and then play on!

Jul-17-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  Messiah: What a terrible pun.
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