Wenman was not a highly regarded author, but he authored or edited some 21 chess books including a number of them on chess problems. A problem composer himself, he was accused of plagiarism in his problem books.
In the book’s introduction Wenman wrote that the book contained games by most of the leading players of the world, but it was unlikely that the average player would have seen most of them.
He added, “Many very brilliant games and endings from both ancient and modern records are presented to the reader, and it is hoped they will satisfy the desire of even the most ardent admirer of gambits and enterprising play.”
Not al of the games were by famous players and the “Unknowns” are well represented. For example, today’s game was played in Leipzig in 1906 in am unspecified event. Also, the players na,es are give only as Lepge ans Saalbad. No matter. The game ends in checkmate and it’s an enjoyable one to play over.
[Event "Leipzif"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1906.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Lepge"]
[Black "Saalbad"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C33"]
[Annotator "Stockfish 16"]
[PlyCount "43"]
[EventDate "2023.??.??"]
{C33: King's Gambit Accepted} 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 Qh4+ 4. Kf1 g5 5. Nc3
Bg7 6. d4 Ne7 7. Nf3 {Not bad, but even when this game was played it was known
that 7.g3 was the best move.} (7. g3 fxg3 8. Kg2 d6 9. hxg3 Qg4 10. Qxg4 Bxg4
11. Bxg5 Nbc6 12. Nb5 O-O-O 13. Rf1 {The game was soon drawn. Capablanca,
J-Allies Philadelphia 1910}) 7... Qh5 8. h4 {White is playing aggressively.} h6
{[%mdl 32]} 9. Kg1 (9. Be2 {is interesting,} Qg6 10. Ne5 Bxe5 11. dxe5 Qg7 12.
Nd5 Nxd5 13. exd5 d6 (13... Qxe5 {must not be played because after} 14. Bd2
Qxd5 15. Qe1 {white gas a decisive attack.}) 14. exd6 cxd6 15. Bb5+ {The
position is equal.}) 9... Qg6 (9... g4 {This aggressive move would give black
the initiative. For example...} 10. Nh2 f3 11. Be3 (11. gxf3 {This is not a
good idea.} gxf3 12. Qxf3 (12. Nxf3 d6 13. Kf2 Bg4 {favors black.}) 12... Bxd4+
{Black is better.}) 11... f5) 10. hxg5 hxg5 11. Rxh8+ Bxh8 12. e5 Nbc6 13. Nb5
Kd8 $17 14. Bxf7 Qxf7 15. Nxg5 {Where to retreat the Q is a critical decision..
.the difference between winning and losing!} Qf5 {[%mdl 8192] This advance is
the worst possible retreat.} (15... Qf8 {Falls way short.} 16. Qh5 d6 17. exd6
cxd6 18. Nf7+ Kd7 19. Qg4+ Nf5 (19... Ke8 20. Nbxd6#) 20. Qxf5+ Ke7 21. Qxf4
Nxd4 22. Nxd4 Qxf7 {White has a won ending.}) (15... Qg6 {and black has a
decisive advantage.} 16. Qg4 a6 17. Qxf4 Nf5 (17... axb5 18. Qf8+ Qe8 19. Nf7#)
18. Nc3 d6 19. g4 dxe5 (19... Nfxd4 20. Nf7+ Ke8 21. Nxh8 Qxg4+ {favors black,
but only slightly.}) 20. dxe5 Bxe5 21. gxf5 Bxf5 22. Qf3 Kd7 {The R coming
into play decides the game.}) 16. Qh5 {The King hunt begins.} Ng6 {Black seems
to have guarded everything and materially he has a B vs. P. Even so, if white
plays a routine developing move like 17.Bd2 he would have the advantage
because of his lead in development and piece activity coupled with the
insecure position of black's K. But, white has an even better move than 17.Bd2}
17. Bxf4 {[%mdl 512] Adding another piece to the attack and more importantly
the R has access to the open file.} a6 {The B is immune.} (17... Qxf4 18. Rf1
Bxe5 (18... Qh4 19. Qxg6 {Rf8# can't be stopped.}) 19. Rxf4 Nxf4 20. Qf7 Ne6
21. dxe5 {White is winning.}) (17... Nxf4 18. Nf7+ Ke7 19. Qxf5 {wins}) 18. Rf1
{Black has no defense against Nf7+} axb5 (18... d6 19. Nf7+ Qxf7 20. Bg5+ Bf6
21. Rxf6 {is winning for white.}) 19. Nf7+ {Technically either 19,Be3 ot 19.
Bg3 would have been a little stronger, but it's not necessary to nitpick.} Qxf7
20. Bg5+ Qe7 {This allows mate in 2 but he was lost anyway.} (20... Ke8 {
is hopeless.} 21. Rxf7 Kxf7 22. Qh7+ Bg7 23. Bf6 Nce7 24. Qxg7+ Ke6 25. Bxe7
Nxe7 26. Qf6+ Kd5 27. Qxe7) 21. Qxh8+ {[%mdl 512]} (21. Bxe7+ {would also mate.
} Ncxe7 22. Qxh8+ Ng8 23. Qxg8+ Ke7 24. Rf7+ Ke6 25. Rf8+ Ke7 26. Re8#) 21...
Nxh8 22. Rf8# 1-0
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