1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.O-O Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.Bg5 <This natural move is somewhat premature and risky in this position. It can provoke a quick drive of Kingside Pawns with an attack as Black did not castle Kingside yet. More common is 6.c3.> 6...h6 7.Bh4 Bg4 <Also immediate 7...g5!? 8.Bg3 h5! is possible as Wilhelm Steinitz had shown in the match against Serafino Dubois played one year later. Then 9.Nxg5 leads to a well-known trap based on Dubois vs Steinitz, 1862 and also 9.h4 (see Dubois vs Steinitz, 1862 or Moun Moun Latt vs Nay Oo Kyaw Tun, 1999 for example) makes white's life quite hard.> 8.h3 Bh5 9.c3 g5 10.Bg3 Qd7 11.b4 Bb6 12.Nbd2 g4 13.hxg4 Bxg4 <As it will be clear a little bit later, 13...Qxg4 (threatening Qxg3) 14.Kh1 Rg8 would have been better. Now White takes up the initiative.> 14.a4 a5 15.Bb5 <This is en extremely unpleasant pin which could and should have been avoided by 13...Qxg4.> 15...axb4 <This exchange looses white a-Pawn and opens c-file. Maybe it would have been better not to do it.> 16.cxb4 Nh7?! <The Knight is going to g5 but it is too slow plan.> 17.Qc2 Ng5? <Black continues rigorously in planned manoeuvre of Knight but it was necessary to insert an exchange on f3. Now White could have won the game immediately exploiting the pin on a4-e8 line: 18.a5! Nxf3+ 19.Nxf3 Bd4 20.Nxd4 exd4 21.a6! After better 17...Bxf3 18.Nxf3 Ng5 the same trick doesn't work: 19.a5?! Nxf3+ 20.gxf3 Bd4 21.a6?? Qh3 . Of course, then instead of bad 19.a5 white could have played 19.Nxg5 with significant advantage. Nevertheless, White misses the opportunity to play decisive 18.a5! as well and this little inaccuracy a little bit spoils the impression from his resourceful and powerful play in this game.>

18.Nh4 Ne6 19.Nb3 Ke7?! <Black prepares a combination which would eliminate the pin on a4-e8 line but the King will be placed badly in the centre. 19...Ned4 20.Nxd4 Bxd4 21.Rac1 0-0 could have been better, although white's advantage is hardly disputable there too.> 20.a5 Bd4 21.Rac1 Nxb4 <In this way Paulsen finally eliminates the pin but following tactical complications are also in favour of White.> 22.Qc4 c6 23.Qxb4 cxb5 24.Nf5+! <This excellent shot forces decisive opening of lines.> 24...Bxf5 25.exf5 Nc5 26.Nxd4 Nxd3 27.Qd2! <White sacrifices an exchange for an unstopable attack vie the open lines. The alternative was 27.Qa3! Nxc1 28.Bxe5 b4!? 29.Qe3! (but not 29.Qxb4 Nd3) 29...Rhe8 (after 29...dxe5 30.Qxe5+ black loses the Queen or both Rooks) 30.Bg3+ and 31.Qxc1 > 27...Nxc1 28.Rxc1 exd4 29.Qxd4 <White threatens 30.Re1+ and after retreat of King 31.QxR+.> 29...Rhg8 <It loses immediately but white has a decisive attack after better defenses too, for example 29...Rh7 30.Bxd6+!! Qxd6 31.f6+ Kd7 32.Qg4+ Qe6 33.Rd1+ Kc6 34.Qf3+ Kc5 [or 34...Kc7 35.Qc3+ Qc6 36.Qg3+ Kc8 37.Qg8+ Kc7 38.Qxa8 Qxf6 39.a6! bxa6 (39...Qxa6 40.Qd8+ with mate.) 40.Qa7+ Kc8 41.Qc5+ Kb8 42.Rd7 ] 35.Rc1+ Kd6 36.Qd3+ Qd5 37.Qe3! (threatens 38.Qe7#) 37...Qe5 38.Qb6+ Kd7 39.Qxb7+ Ke6 40.Qe7+ Kf5 41.Rc5 Qxc5 42.Qxc5+ (one of black Rook is doomed) 42...Kxf6 (42...Kg6 43.Qc2+ and 44.Qxh7 ) 43.Qxc6+ and 44.Qxa8 . Also 29...f6 30.Re1 Kf7 31.Re6 leaves no doubt about white's win.> 30.Re1+ Kd8 31.Qf6+ Kc8 32.Rc1+ Kb8 33.Bxd6+ Ka7 34.Qd4+ <Mate in next move is unavoidable. Despite of some inaccuracies this was an excellent game.> 1-0

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