| KEG: A thrilling game. While the play was not always perfect, most of what are listed as "errors" in the Tournament Book were at least reasonable moves if not best play. The criticism noted by micartouse does not appear well-founded. Steinitz' minority attack (with 13. b4 and 14. a4) is a standard plan on the White side of the Queen's Gambit Declined. While it certainly was not the only plan available, it was definitely playable, and indeed most of the excitement in the game derives from this effort by Steinitz to blunt the power of Black's Queen-side pawn majority. The Tournament Book suggests that Lee should have played 14...b6 to counter Steinitz' plan. That would not have been wise. Against 14...b6 Steinitz doubtless had 15. b5 [the move the Tournament Book erroneously says would then not have been playable), and after 15...d5 16. cxd5 Steinitz would have had a clear edge. Indeed, Lee's actual move (14...be7) was much better than 14...b6. Lee's best chance would have been 14...Ne6, but this would have left plenty of fight in the game for both sides. It appears that Steinitz was up for such a fight in this game. Lee's real errors were 17...f5 (17...Ne6 was best, rather than the Tournament Book's poor suggestion of moving the c8 Bishop) and--more seriously 19...Nb6 (he should have played 19...Qc7). After 19...Nb6 20. NxN QxN, the position was as follows: 
click for larger viewIn his heyday, Steinitz would almost certainly gone for the kill with 21. g4. While Lee might have survived the onslaught with something like 21...Bd7, he would have had an uphill struggle to survive (21...fxg4 loses to 22. Bxg6!!). But Steinitz, whether because of age or fatigue, played the limpid 21. Nc3 and after Lee's 21...Bd7 followed with the 22. Qa7 instead of the powerful (though not winning according to Fritz) 22. Na4. Lee gave Steinitz one more chance with his poor 23...Bd7 (23...Bf8 leads to equality), but after Steinitz' careless 25. b6 (25. Nc5 is best), Lee fought his way out of trouble. The key to Lee's successful defense was his wonderful 26...f4 in the following position: 
click for larger viewNow, all of a sudden, Steinitz had to play very well to survive, and was up to the challenge. Had Steinitz played the "tempting" (to quote the Tournament Book) 27. Ba6?, Lee would have crushed him with 27...fxe3. But Steinitz, who must have been shocked at the turn of events, kept his head and played the accurate 27. Nc5. The climax of the game came after Lee played 28...exf2+ leaving Steinitz to move in this position: 
click for larger viewHad Steinitz played 29. Kxf2?, Lee would have won easily with 29...Bf3. But the old fox saw through this rouse, and played the necessary 29. Kf1. The game then terminated brilliantly, Lee sacrificing a Bishop with 29...Bf5 30. Bxb QxB 31. NxB and then forcing a draw with 31...Qd3+. These kinds of thrust and parry games are much more fun for the fans (or at least amateurs like me) than a "correct" positional Grandmaster draw in which neither side takes any chances. | 
Kibitzing
