KEG: A wild and often sloppy game that came to a sudden end when Showalter overlooked a forced checkmate.Blackburne played the doubtful 3...f5 line in a Philidor's Defense. Had Showalter played 5. Ng5, Blackburne might not have survived. But Showalter played 5. Nd4 which, though giving him a very good game, gave Blackburne chances.
Blackburne quickly got in trouble again with 6...c6 (instead of 6...Bc5) and 7...Bb4 (instead of 7...Bc5).
Showalter had an overwhelming position at this point, but spoiled it with the incomprehensible 10. f4, needlessly giving Blackburne a powerful passed e-pawn.
Showalter still had the better game, since he had a dangerous passed e-pawn of his own. But not for long. For reasons I once again can not fathom, Showalter played 11. BxN, instead of keeping his White square Bishop with 11. Be2.
But Blackburne was looking for trouble in this game, and quickly found it with his wild and useless 12...Qh4 (instead of sensible redeployment of his Bishop with 12...Be7).
At this point, Showalter could have seized a strong initiative with 13. c4, especially with Blackburne's Queen out of play on h4. But instead, Showalter played 13. Be3, missing his chance.
After some more weak moves (16. Qb3 from Showalter and 16...Qe7 by Blackburne), Blackburne could have played 17...Bg4. Instead, his 17...Be6 allowed Showlater to take charge with 18. a5.
After 18. a5 BxN 19. NxB, Blackburne decided upon a dubious pawn sacrifice with 19...Rac8.
The Tournament Book faults Showalter for accepting the proffered a-pawn with 20. Bxa7, but this looks like a win for White had not Showalter botched the position with at least four blunders.
Blackburne put his faith in his 21...g5, and the Tournament Book says that this move gave Blackburne the advantage. But in fact Showalter could have refuted this line with the most obvious move of all: 22. fxg5.
But Showalter had other ideas. He played 22. Rae1, apparently believing that the pin on Blackburne's d-pawn would be decisive. Showalter doubled down on this idea with his next big mistake: 23. Bb6 (instead of 23. Be3). Now Blackburne "fell" for Showalter's trap playing 23...gxf4 24. BxN RxB and allowing Showalter's "surprise" move 25. Rxe4. Blackburne obviously could not capture Showlater's Rook, so Showalter had "won" a pawn.
But now Blackburne's went on the attack with 25...Rcf7.
Overlooking the danger, Showalter blundered with 26. Re2? Now Blackburne began what should have been a decisive attack with 26...f3! After 27. gxf3 Rxf3 28. Rfe1 Qh3 29. Qg1 (maybe 29. Rg2 was slightly better), Blackburne had a win with 29...R8f4!
But now it was Blackburne's turn to blunder, this time with 29...Qh4.
Suddenly, Showalter could have been back in the game with 30. Qg6 (as noted by Hoffer in the Tournament Book).