Wilhelm Steinitz vs Johannes Zukertort (1886)

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Wilhelm Steinitz vs Johannes Zukertort
Steinitz - Zukertort World Championship Match (1886), St. Louis, MO USA, rd 8, Feb-08
Spanish Game: Berlin Defense. Rio Gambit Accepted (C67) · 1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

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Jun-18-04		Chessical: Game 8 of the 1886 World Championship match is a quiet Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence; perhaps this was little wonder. All the games of the match up to here had been decisive. In a rollercoaster of a competition, Zukertort lost the first game, then won four in a row, and had just lost game 7. Zukertort may have first shown signs of fatigue in this game. With <14...Ng5> he could have exploited the lack of squares for Steinitz's Q, as he has the threat of <f4>. <14...Ng5!?> 15.Qf4 (15.Qe3 Ne6 16.Qf3 Nd4 17.Qf4 Bf6) 15...Ne6 16.Qg3 Instead Zukertort plays safe.

Feb-27-08		Knight13: If Zukertort played on he might've won; I like Black better in the final position.

Aug-20-08		just a kid: <knight13>Me too.

Apr-04-10		jessicafischerqueen: This game was delayed half way through because Zukertort's Clock broke. There being no spare, they had to wait for it to be sent to a jeweler's for repair! During the delay, Zukertort explained to a reporter why he preferred Whist as "a pastime": "You see, for a pastime poor chess is just as effective as good chess, and I can't afford to play poor chess." --Landsberger, p. 161

Aug-08-10		soothsayer8: A premature draw, but this game definitely could have ended that way, though I think black has a slight advantage, a stronger pawn position, generally more active pieces, etc.

Feb-23-11		GrahamClayton: A report on Steinitz's pre-game relaxation from the "St. Louis Post-Dispatch", Monday, February 8, 1886, Page 2 "THE EIGHTH CHESS GAME Steinitz and Zukertort Renew Their Battle at Harmonie Club Today The beautiful character of the third day of the chess match between Messrs. Zukertort and Steinitz had an enthusing effect upon the players, as was evidenced by Steinitz leaving his quarters across the street at 1:30 and taking his place at the open window of the Harmonie club at Eighteenth and Olive Streets and letting the warm southern wind blow through his whiskers for the half-hour preceding the game. Zukertort was not so prompt in getting on the field. Promptly at 2 o'clock Steinitz led off with the white, playing his pawn to the king's fourth and then four moves were rapidly made and the game was just growing intricate enough to hush the murmur in the room when Zukertort observed that his clock was not running, and after the white had played the fifth move, a recess of twenty minutes was taken, whilst the committee skirmished around for another clock. When a clock was secured the game ran on."

Dec-23-14		Smite: Zuke needed to play on here. Not sure why peace was made.

Apr-30-17		chessrookstwo: Black was in a better position at the end very interesting indeed. I believe.

Apr-30-17		chessrookstwo: Thanks graham nice article.

Oct-03-23		idk101: Wait am I the only one who noticed this is possibly the first recorded game in which the perfect computer line of the Ruy Lopez is played?

Nov-02-23		DouglasGomes: 13... Ng5 essentially wins material, doesn't it?

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