A Steinitz Brilliancy

    In the summer of 1862, the U.S. Congress abolished slavery in the District of Columbia and the federal territories authorized the confiscation of slaves owned by Confederates, formally freed all slaves who escaped to the United States Army, prohibited the Army from returning fugitive slaves, authorized the enlistment of black soldiers. 

    At the same tine in England they were primarily focused on hosting the International Exhibition of 1862 in South Kensington, a major World's Fair showcasing industry. Simultaneously, the nation was heavily impacted by the American Civil War, experiencing a "cotton famine" due to the blockade, while debating potential diplomatic intervention and supplying arms to the Confederacy.

    There was also a major chess tournament held in London. It was the first international round robin. Unlike previous knockout-style events every player faced every other participant. It was also the first major tournament to use time controls in the form sand glasses to limit thinking time (24 moves per 2 hours). Drawn games did not count and had to be replayed until a winner emerged. 

 

 

    Future World Champion, a young Wilhelm Steinitz, made his international debut in this event. He finished 6th and won the brilliancy prize for his victory over Augustus Mongredien. Steinitz is best remembered for forming rules of positional play, but in his youth he was known to be a great attacking player. 

    <6 .bd3=""><6 .ne5=""><8 .be3=""><6 .ne4="">Here is Steinitz’ win over Augustus Mongredien (1807-1888), a noted English amateur. He was President of both the London and Liverpool Chess Clubs and did a lot to promote chess in both cities.

[Event "B.C.A. Grand Tournament, London"] [Site ""] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Wilhelm Steinitz"] [Black "Augustus Mongredien"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B01"] [Annotator "Stockfish 17.1"] [PlyCount "57"] [EventDate "1862.??.??"] {B01: Scandinavian Defence} 1. e4 d5 {Once upon a time, when I started playing chess, this was known as the Center Counter Defense.} 2. exd5 Qxd5 {The Mieses–Kotrs Variation: Lesser often seen is 2...Nf6} 3. Nc3 Qd8 {This move is sometimes referred to a "the banker.” Black loses a tempo, but in return hopes that the exchange of center Ps has prevented white from building a strong center. Its success rate is about the same as the main alternative 3... Qa5 and 3...Qd6. mome of whicj are very good. In his book, The Scandinavian, John Emms wrote, "3. ... Qd8 looks a little passive, but it does have some positive ideas, including a King side fianchetto and the development of the King's Knight to f5 via h6.} 4. d4 e6 {Black gemerally plays 4...Nf6, or on occasion 4...g6 (Stockfish's top choice). My opening book indicates that 4... e6 is seldom played and gives it a question mark. In practice, ot does not see, to matter much because black scores poorly in all variations.} (4... g6 5. Bf4 Bg7 6. Nf3 Nf6 7. Qd2 {White, who has the more active position, is slightly better.}) 5. Nf3 Nf6 6. Bd3 Be7 7. O-O {A good alternative is 7.Bg5} O-O 8. Be3 (8. Qe2 b6 9. Bf4 a6 10. Rad1 Bb7 11. Rfe1 Re8 12. Ne5 {Wgite stands well. Orekhov,V (2263)-Atangulov,R (2146) Kazan 2008}) 8... b6 9. Ne5 (9. Qd2 Bb7 10. Be2 Nbd7 11. a3 Qc8 12. Rad1 {is equal. Dissertori,M-Nizhegorodova,M (2085) Berlin 1995}) 9... Bb7 10. f4 {At this point there is really nothing wrong with this move, but if it is not fp;;pwed u[ correctly white woll find his K's position weakened. 19.Qe2 was solid.} Nbd7 11. Qe2 Nd5 12. Nxd5 exd5 {This blocks the B, so the correct move was 12...Bxd5. After the text white has a distinct advantage/} 13. Rf3 {This R lift as a means of getting the R in position to take part in an attack on black's K is a good maneuver to keep in mind.} f5 14. Rh3 {Hoping for Qh5.} g6 {Preventing Qg5.} (14... c5 {Ti show what happens if white is allowed to get the Q to h5.} 15. Qh5 h6 16. Rg3 { Black has no satisfactory defense.} Bh4 17. Nxd7 Bxg3 18. Nxf8 Qxf8 19. hxg3 { White has win a piece.}) 15. g4 {[%mdl 128] Steinitz is going for the K with an all out attack..} fxg4 {[%mdl 8192] This results in a fatal opening up of his K's position. Eliminating the dagerous N would have goven him a fighting chance.} (15... Nxe5 16. fxe5 f4 17. Bd2 c5 {and black has fended off the worst of the attack and has allowed white no forced win.}) 16. Rxh7 {[%mdl 512] White could have won by capturing the P on g4 with either his Q or N, but this is by far the most elegant way.} Nxe5 (16... Kxh7 17. Qxg4 Nxe5 18. fxe5 Qe8 19. Qh5+ Kg7 20. Qh6+ Kg8 21. Bxg6 Rf7 22. Kh1 Bf8 23. Qh3 {ad white is clearly winning.}) 17. fxe5 Kxh7 {Eliminating the N on e5 has not helped at all.} 18. Qxg4 Rg8 19. Qh5+ Kg7 20. Qh6+ {Now the K hunt begins and there is no place it can hide.} Kf7 21. Qh7+ Ke6 22. Qh3+ Kf7 23. Rf1+ Ke8 24. Qe6 Rg7 25. Bg5 Qd7 {Allows a mate in 4, but he was quite lost anyway.} 26. Bxg6+ Rxg6 27. Qxg6+ Kd8 28. Rf8+ Qe8 29. Qxe8# 1-0