Bird and Gunsberg were both two of the best players of their times. Dobell and Locock were both strong amateur players, with Locock having won the British Amateur Championship.

I can not find any possible explenation as to how these 4 players could miss the obvious mate after 6. Nd4 and how Bird and Dobell could miss the threat of 5...g4. Even if they were all completely drunk, and playing team blitz I could not envision this game occurring.

Firstly the white queen seems restricted. I thought about trapping it via some pawn pushes i.e. 9…..Pa6 and 10….Pb5. But these are problematic if 10. Nxc6.

I then thought about attacking the H1 white rook and coronating that advanced pawn. E.g. 9…….Qxh2, but then the threat of 10. Nxc6 was ever looming and present, making that dangerous.

Then I thought about playing Bd7. This gets rid of the discovered check problem should white play Nxc6 in the future. And if that was played then Bxc6 by black could help put pressure on that g2 pawn. It also gives black room later on to castle queenside, in relative safety. It also gives black the opportunity to later on threaten white’s queen with a few pawn pushes.

Black’s kingside knight would also be very dangerous if sitting on the e4 square. Also, Rg8 would also pressure that g2 pawn

I think 9….Bd7 as well as 10….Nf6 and 11…..Pxh2 and Qf2 followed by Bg3 are in order for black.

Missed Tuesday because I wanted to do Rxf3.

9 ... Qxh2

Now what can white do? Kc2, Rxh2, Nxc6, what else?

The point is that white is not only threatening to win Rh1 for a pawn, but also that Bf1 cannot be defended! So white is losing 2 pieces for Nc6 and Pg3.

1)
10 Kc2 Qxh1 (white loses a tempo for no benefit)
11 Nxc6 Bd7
12 Qe4+ Kf8
13 Ne4 Qxf1 winning

2)
10 Rxh2 gxh2
11 Nxc6 h1=Q (11 ... bxc6 12 Qxc6+ Ke7 Qxa8)
12 Ne5+ Ke7 winning as either Ne5 or Bf1 is lost
12 Nd4 Kf8 winning as Bf1 cannot be protected
12 Nxa7 Kf8 winning as Bf1 cannot be protected
12 Ke1 Bg3+ winning

3)
10 Nxc6 Qxh1
11 Ne5+ Ke7 winning as either Ne5 or Bf1 is lost
11 Nxa7 Kf8 winning as Bf1 cannot be protected
11 Nd4 Kf8 12 Ke1 Bh3 winning
11 Qe4+ Kf8 winning as either Nc6 or Bf1 is lost

<9....?>

Target: 2:10;000
Taken: 3:06;825

Material: White up, ♙

Candidates: <[Qxh2]>

-ML-
One of the more beautiful tactical options in chess, saccing a more worthy piece to get either a material advantage or a pawn to promotion. In this case, however, I was worried about a Whiye response, but it seems it leads to at least an exchange up for Black.

<9....Qxh2! 10.Rxh2> not taking the Queen is an option too, but in the end it will win a Rook for Black, and now it'll cost a pawn, the pawn that promotes.

<10....gxh2 11.Nxc6> okay, suddenly, Black should be careful. At this point they are a Queen and piece for Rook down, and HAVE to secure the promotion of pawn h2. This because White is threatening 12.Qh4 :

Maybe some people are missing that if White decides not to take out pawn g3, Ke1 is a valuable resource:

A) 10.Rxh2 gxh2 11.Nxc6 h1=Q 12.Qe4+ Ne7 13.Nxe7 (or 13.Qf3 Nxc6) Qxf1+ 14.Kc2 Bxe7 - + [R+2B vs B+N+P].

B) 10.Nxc6 Qxh1

B.1) 11.Qe4+ (11.Ne5+ Kf8 12.Ke1 Bxe5 - +) Ne7 is similar to A.

9...Qxh2 picks up a Rook and White has not enough counterplay: e.g. 10 Rxh2 gxh2 11 Nxc6 h1=Q and Black wins a further piece in the complications e.g. 12 Ne5+ Kf8 13 Qf4 Bxe5 14 Qxe5 Qxf1+ 15 Kc2 Qf6 and Black is a R ahead. Relatively best seems 10 Nxc6 Qxh1 11 Ke1 Kf8 12 Qd4 f6 13 Nb4 and Black is a solid exchange ahead. Alternative 12th moves for White seem weaker: 12 Nd4? Qg1!; 12 Nb4 Bf5 threatening 13 ...Qg1. Time to check how the game in fact finished.
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9...Qxh2 10 Resigns ?? Now that is a surprise. Playing out my 'relatively best' line gives, with Black to play,

click for larger view

and Black is indeed a solid exchange ahead, but there is plenty of play left in the position.