Bird - Steinitz
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[A.J. Goldsby I]
Chernev writes:
"The actual finish is so pretty, (a sort of smothered mate by the Pawn); that
we can forgive Bird for missing a mate in three earlier in the game."
[See the book,
{The} "1000 Best Short Games of Chess,"
by Irving Chernev. Game # 586, pages 295-296.]
Even
though it is not perfectly played, it is a very, very pretty game.
I think it is also unfair to press modern standards upon this game
which was played over 100 years ago.
1. e4 e5; 2. Nf3 Nc6; 3. Bb5, The Ruy Lopez.
3...Nf6;
"The Berlin Defense."
This is OK, and is even currently experiencing a revival.
(See the last World Championship Match [2000] between
Kasparov and Kramnik.)
The normal 'Book' move here is 3...a6. ("The Morphy Defense.")
4.
d4!?, While it is not widely recognized today, Bird was a pioneer
and blazed trails in many opening variations.
This original line still has teeth today, and is NOT an
innocuous as many
books would have you believe.
[The 'book' line is:
4.0-0, White is slightly
better, or the position
is equal. "+/=" or "=".)] .
4...exd4; 5.
e5!?
Ne4; 6.
Nxd4, Not a bad move at all, regaining the pawn.
***
The
'book' line is: 6. 0-0, a6; 7. Bxc6, dxc6; 8. Qe2, Bf5; 9. Rd1, Bc5;
10. Be3, Qe7; 11. Nxd4, Bxd4; ("=")
(NOTE: This line is here for your information,
but is NOT re-playable on the js-board.)
[See
MCO-14; pages 45-46, columns # 7-12, (Mainly col. # 11 here.),
notes # a. through v. (Mainly notes # r, s, & t, here.) ]
***
6...Be7;
7. 0-0
Nxd4; 8.
Qxd4
Nc5; 9.
f4
b6!?; Black
prepares a fianchetto.
A sneaky move, with lots of
tactical threats. But the move
has definite risk
attached to it.
(Black has lost time and opened
a diagonal to his QR.)
[
Best for Black is probably: 9...Ne6!;
when 10 Qf2 is either equal,
or just slightly better for White. ("=" or "+/=".) ].
10. f5!
Nb3;
Interesting.
Chernev writes:
"Isn't he the sly one? If 11.PxN/b3,
then 11...Bc5 wins the Queen."
Black has no
real choice.
(Castling now is walking into a deadly attack.) - LM A.J. Goldsby I
[10...0-0?; 11.f6,
("+/" Maybe "+/-".) ].
11. Qe4!, A precise and accurate move. White Queen now protects c2,
attacks h7, a8, and has an indirect attack against the Black King at e8.
Of course if White plays Pawn takes Knight, (??) he walks into ...Bc5;
winning the White Queen.
[
Definitely not 11.axb3??
Bc5; ("-/+")
] .
11...Nxa1; 12.
f6! A nice move.
Chernev writes:
"Much better than going after a harmless Rook."
I would much rather play this move, (and continue the attack); than the
move of taking the Rook on a8, although the computers seem to prefer
12. QxR/a8, (At least "+/=").
[12.Qxa8!?
Nxc2; 13.f6,
("+/=")
or (Junior 6.0:) 12.Qxa8
0-0!?; (Comp. eval: +
0.69/3) 13.Bd3!,
("+/") ].
12...Bc5+!?; Maybe - '?!/?'
The losing move?
Although Chernev does not point this out, this may be the decisive mistake.
Maybe Black had to play PxP/f6.
[12...gxf6!?~;
{Unclear.} 13.exf6!?
("White has a tremendous initiative." "|/\".)
(Or White could try: 13.Qxa8,
("+/=") ].
13. Kh1
Rb8!?; (Maybe - '?!/?')
This seems a little pointless.
(But maybe Black is lost now, no matter what he plays.)
[Black
maybe had to try: 13...g6!?;
13...gxf6??; 14.exf6+
Be7[];
(Or 14...Kf8??;
15.Bh6+
Kg8; 16.Qg4#)
15.fxe7
Qxe7; 16.Qxa8,
("+/-") ].
14. e6!?, (Maybe - '!')
Chernev gives this move an exclam, but I am not
convinced that this is best. It IS a very pretty and energetic move.
(In fact the game reminds me a little of the way Tal would later play the game!)
[The unexciting, but straight-forward
14.fxg7! Rg8; 15.e6!
f6;
16.exd7+,
wins the game
rather easily for White. ("+/-") ].
14...Rg8!?; (Maybe - '?!/?')
Black seems to be floundering.
[Chernev gives the variation:
" If 14...fxe6; 15.Qxe6+!
Kf8!?;
16.fxg7+
Kxg7; 17.Bh6#
. " Black's only chance may have been:
14...0-0;
15.e7
Qe8; but White still wins with: 16.fxg7!,
("+/-") ] .
15. Qxh7?!, (Maybe
- '?') In my book, this is a mar on
an otherwise
very nice game. [White misses a rather routine mate.]
(Is it possible Bird saw the mate and
avoided it because it was routine?
He was VERY eclectic.)
[Chernev writes:
"Overlooking 15.exd7+
Kf8;
16.Qe8+
Qxe8; 17.dxe8Q#."].
15...Rf8; 16.
exf7+
Rxf7; 17.
Re1+
Be7; 18.
Qg8+
Rf8; 19.
f7#! 1-0
A very pretty mate, worthy of its own diagram.
Bird played a wonderful game against "The Father of Positional Chess."
LIFE-Master A.J. Goldsby I says:
" A very pretty game, but I doubt [I.M.O.H.O.] if it merits inclusion in the hunt
for the 'Ten Best' Short Games of Chess. "
1 - 0
This game is the full
length version of the game as it exists in my database.
(I have not shortened it for publication.)
If you would like a copy of that game to study, please contact
me.
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Copyright,
(©) A.J. Goldsby I. © A.J.
Goldsby, 1985-2013.
Copyright © A.J. Goldsby, 2014. All rights reserved.
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