These basic elements play a large part in the opening. Time, that is piece development and the gain or loss of a tempo, and the struggle for the center and the attempt to gain space to maneuver the pieces are, or should be, familiar.
The other element, material, can be hard to assess because the amount is important, but sometimes other factors must be considered. e.g. in some positions a Knight might be more valuable than a Rook. And, another example is in the opening when material may be sacrificed to gain time or space.
Today’s game is a good illustration of the elements. The game was played in the Hastings tournament in 1895. This tournament was the strongest ever held up to that time.
Steinitz’ opponent was Curt von Bardeleben (1861-1924) of Germany. According to Chess metrics in 1895 he was one of the top ten best players in the world. On January 31, 1924, at the age of 62, after plunging from an apartment window in Berlin. Some sources say it was suicide, others an accident.
The suicide theory suggest it was triggered by financial troubles he experienced. He was supposedly living in povery at the time having lost his fortune during World War I.
Jacques Mieses and Bernhard Kagan, two of his contemporaries, believed it was accidental. In an obituary, Kagan suggested that Bardeleben suffered from severe arteriosclerosis and might have had a dizzy spell while leaning out an open window and lost his balance. Kagan’s theory is possible. Feeling dizzy, losing coordination have a difficult time walking and unexpectedly fall down are some of the symptoms of arteriosclerosis.
In this game von Bardeleben avoids a lot of pitfalls by not taking a second gambit Pawn when it was offered at move 7. However, he was under some pressure after having taken the first gambit Pawn because Steinitz had more space and piece activity. von Bardeleben’s real mistake came when he played 16...c6 which made it impossible to complete his development even though the material was greatly reduced. Had he played 16...Kf7! it would have connected his Rooks and resulted in complete equality. This brings to mind the statement by one of the game's really great teachers, C.J.S. Purdy, who reminded his students that development is not really complete until the Rooks are connected.
[Event "Hastings"]
[Site ""]
[Date "1895.08.17"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Wilhelm Steinitz"]
[Black "Curt von Bardeleben"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C54"]
[Annotator "Stockfish 17.1"]
[PlyCount "49"]
[EventDate "1895.08.05"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 {
Today the quiet 7 Bd2 is considered the best, but in 1895 this move was
extremely popular. The idea being to answer 7...Nxe4 with 8.0-0 sacrificing
another P hoping to launching an attack against black's K.} d5 {This is a
sound alternative to grabbing material. Black declines the P and liquidates
white's center.} (7... Nxe4 8. O-O {Now black can play 8...Bxc3 and 9...d5
with an active position.} Nxc3 {This move is playable as long as he follows it
up witj 9...d5} 9. bxc3 Bxc3 {Black has won another P, but the price is too
high. The space and mobility white has outweigh black's extra material.} 10.
Ba3 d5 11. Bb5 {Black can grab a R and see what happens or he can castle
hoping to play it safe. Neither plan works out very well!} Bxa1 12. Re1+ Be6
13. Qa4 Qd7 14. Ne5 {Now black's best bet is to give up the Q} Nxe5 (14... Qc8
15. Bxc6+ bxc6 16. Qxc6+ {with a mate in 5} Qd7 17. Nxd7 Kd8 18. Rxe6 fxe6 19.
Ne5 Bxd4 20. Qxa8#) 15. Bxd7+ Nxd7 16. Rxa1 {and nobody would want to be
playing black/}) 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. O-O Be6 10. Bg5 Be7 11. Bxd5 Bxd5 12. Nxd5
Qxd5 13. Bxe7 Nxe7 14. Re1 {All the exchanges have resulted in a simplified
position, but that does not mean there is no play left. First, notice that
white has an isolated d-Pawn...it could become a liability in the ending.
Howver, at the moment black has the immediate problem of countering white's
pressure on the e-file. Because he cannot castle von Bardeleben makes room for
his R to reach e8 by simply playing ...f6 and ...Kf7.} f6 15. Qe2 Qd7 16. Rac1
c6 {This is a fatal mistake, because now black cannot complete his development.
He should have stuck with his plan to play ...Kf7 giving his Rs access to e8
and countering white's pressure on the file. He would have then had a fully
equal game.} (16... Kf7 17. Rc3 Rhe8 18. Re3 Nd5 19. Qc4 (19. Rxe8 Rxe8 20.
Qxe8+ Qxe8 21. Rxe8 Kxe8 {Black has a favorable ending.}) 19... a5 (19... Rxe3
20. fxe3 {is good for white.}) 20. a3 b5 {with equal chances.}) 17. d5 {
A brilliant P sacrifice. What is the point? It vacayes d4 for the N. It;s
difficult to see now, but the N on d4 will lead to a brilliant finish.} cxd5 (
17... Kf7 {This was still his best chance, but after} 18. dxc6 bxc6 19. Qc4+
Qd5 20. Qxd5+ Nxd5 21. Rxc6 {white is better.}) 18. Nd4 {The obvious threat is
19.Nf5} Kf7 {Black is finally out of the pin, but by now he is completely lost.
} 19. Ne6 {A briulliant followup and the only move that wins. Black us
threatened with 20.Rc7} Rhc8 {Of course had to defend against Rc7 but now
white wins by force.} (19... Rac8 {was no better.} 20. Qg4 Rhg8 21. Ng5+ {
wins the Q because if} Ke8 22. Rxc8+ Qd8 (22... Qxc8 23. Qxc8#) 23. Qe6 {
and mate next move.}) 20. Qg4 {Threatening Qxg7, so...} g6 21. Ng5+ Ke8 22.
Rxe7+ Kf8 (22... Qxe7 23. Rxc8+ Rxc8 24. Qxc8+ Qd8 25. Qxd8+ Kxd8 26. Nxh7 {
The ending is won for whote. A samle line...} Ke7 27. Kf1 Kf7 28. Ke2 Kg7 29.
Nxf6 Kxf6 30. Kd3 Ke5 31. h4 {with a routine win.}) (22... Kxe7 23. Re1+ Kd6
24. Qb4+ Rc5 25. Re6+ {wins}) 23. Rf7+ Kg8 {Note that white could be mated if
black is allowed to play ...Rxc1, so he can't capture the Q. What's white's
puzzle-like solution?} 24. Rg7+ Kh8 {White is not done with the R offers.} (
24... Qxg7 25. Rxc8+ Rxc8 26. Qxc8+ Qf8 {Now comes a routine mop up.yone
should be familiar.} 27. Qe6+ Kh8 28. Nf7+ Kg8 29. Nd6+ Kh8 30. Qxd5) 25. Rxh7+
{Black resigned. Immediately after the game Steinitz demonstrated a mate in 19
moves. In his book Pachman gave Steinitz' analysis, but evidently didn't check
it. It's clear that black's position is resign worthy, but there is no forced
mate. None of that reallt matters because it was a brilliant and instructive
game by Steinitz.} ({Steinitz' solution runs rus:} 25. Rxh7+ Kg8 26. Rg7+ Kh8 (
26... Qxg7 {holds out longer...it's nate in 23 moves says Stockfish.} 27. Rxc8+
Rxc8 28. Qxc8+ Qf8 29. Qe6+ Kg7 30. Qd7+ Kh6 31. Ne6 {etc. The extra pice wins.
}) 27. Qh4+ Kxg7 28. Qh7+ Kf8 29. Qh8+ Ke7 30. Qg7+ Ke8 31. Qg8+ Ke7 32. Qf7+
Kd8 33. Qf8+ Qe8 34. Nf7+ Kd7 35. Qd6#) (25. Rxh7+ Qxh7 {Avoids the immediate
mate, but white is clearly winning.} 26. Rxc8+ Rxc8 27. Qxc8+ Qg8 28. Qh3+ Kg7
29. Qd7+ Kh6 30. Ne6 {Again, the extra piece assures the win, but there is no
forced mate.}) 1-0
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