chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Mikhail Chigorin vs Wilhelm Steinitz
Steinitz - Chigorin World Championship Match (1889), Havana CUB, rd 9, Feb-05
Italian Game: Evans Gambit. Slow Variation (C52)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Click Here to play Guess-the-Move
Given 13 times; par: 86 [what's this?]

explore this opening
find similar games 57 more Chigorin/Steinitz games
PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: If you do not want to read posts by a certain member, put them on your ignore list.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

A COMPUTER ANNOTATED SCORE OF THIS GAME IS AVAILABLE.  [CLICK HERE]

Kibitzer's Corner
Sep-12-06  Runemaster: There's some great rope-a-dope play from Steinitz here. After ten moves, the opening looked terrible for him In the ending, his rook swings back and forth on the sixth rank until Steinitz seems to finally decide to win the game.
Sep-12-06  FHBradley: Has anyone tried out this particular defence against Evans after Steinitz's relatively unsuccessful experiments? Tchigorin, at the end, seems to have found a way of coping with 6... ♕f6, ie. showing that it isn't sound.
Sep-12-06  nescio: <FHBradley: Has anyone tried out this particular defence against Evans>

Yes, but not very succesfully either:
Timman vs Kurajica, 1977

Oct-22-06  Sporka Child: <Runemaster: There's some great rope-a-dope play from Steinitz here. After ten moves, the opening looked terrible for him>

Black is cramped, but White has a backwards pawn on e4. Also, White has committed himself in the center, his pawns have lost their dynamic potential somewhat...

I wouldn't say this is terrible for Black at all. Steinitz plays actively on the Queenside and turns this play into a slight endgame advantage. Once the Queens are swapped off, there is no need to castle and he comes out of the middlegame with the iniative.

<In the ending, his rook swings back and forth on the sixth rank until Steinitz seems to finally decide to win the game.>

Again, try to figure out the threats or why a certain moves were required. The so called swinging rook generates constant threats in the White camp allowing Black to make his incursion. Black takes control of the e2 square and White can resign with good conscious.

The invasion of this type of active rook is ironically one of the main strategic goals outlined in Nimzo's My System which came out some 36 years after this game!

Nov-29-07  PADutchImprover: 14 Nb5 a very nice try.

17 dxc6 (Is 17 Nxe5 worth a try here? 17 . . . c4, 18. Nxc4 !? bxc4, 19. Rxc4, emerging with the bishop pair, the open file, and a pawn up (but a N down))

Feb-28-08  Knight13: What happens if White defends the e-pawn with Nd2 in the RN vs RB ending?
Mar-31-14  Tal1949: Steinitz played very solid here with black. Only the poor 6...Qf6 and 7...Ne7 which he keeps on using and the strange endgame play marred a good effort. Even my Stockfish DD could not keep up with the horrible end play. Where is Capablanca when I need him?
May-02-18  Big Pawn: < Knight13: What happens if White defends the e-pawn with Nd2 in the RN vs RB ending?>

Black attacks the Nd2 with Rd8. If the Rook defends then ...Bxe4! And the back row is weak.

May-02-18  Big Pawn: Chigorin had Steinitz crushed right out of the opening, but when he vacated the c4 square with 12. Bb3, he lost his way. 12. Be2! is more harmonious and threatens Nc4 crushing.

Steinitz won but this was not a victory for his school vs Chigorin’s school.

Dec-21-18  myhilarioususername: Chigorin had a nice Tal move he could have played 14.Rxc3 Some of the variations in that line are absolutely ridiculous since he is already down two pawns but it is an almost winning position if not completely winning because black is so undeveloped and whites pieces are so well cordinated to tear apart whites structure.

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

<This page contains Editor Notes. Click here to read them.>

Featured in the Following Game Collections[what is this?]
the rivals 1
by ughaibu
Steinitz 5 Chiggy 4
from World championship games A-Z by kevin86
Match Steinitz!
by amadeus
Game 11
from 150 Chess Endings by suenteus po 147
Match Chigorin!
by amadeus
Game 9, Steinitz leads 5-4
from 1889 World Chess Championship by Penguincw
Game 72
from Modern Chess Instructor - Part I (Steinitz) by Qindarka
Evans Gambit. Slow Variation
from EVANS GAMBIT ACCEPTED GTM by gambitfan
Evans Gambit. Slow Variation
from ANNOTATED GAMES GTM by gambitfan
Match Steinitz!
by docjan
Game 72
from Modern Chess Instructor - Part I (Steinitz) by Okavango
Evans Gambit. Slow Variation
from ANNOTATED GAMES GTM by rpn4
0ZeR0's Favorite Games Volume 78
by 0ZeR0

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2023, Chessgames Services LLC