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Wilhelm Steinitz vs John Baker
Blindfold simul, 6b (1868) (blindfold), London ENG, Dec-04
St. George Defense: Polish Variation (B00)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

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Given 35 times; par: 63 [what's this?]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Sep-20-05  Akari Takai: This was White's game until 27. Rd2??

Better was 27. Kh1! or 27. Kh2!

Sep-20-05  Akari Takai: White's down a minor at the end, and that will hurt a lot...but I don't exactly think it was an automatically lost position...

After 34. Qh8, Black has to start setting up his attacks on the pawns, and in the meanwhile White may even win material back (if Black blunders), or keep the material even until the endgame getting a stalemate.

This wasn't forced at all...

Oct-08-05  schnarre: The first World Champion to fall to 1...a6.
Oct-10-06  johnnyfroaction: <Akari takai> white seems absolutely lost to me after 34. Qh8 Rd2 35. Rxd2 Qxe1+ 36. Kh2 Kf7 37. Qh5+ Ke6 where whites rook can't leave the 2nd rank because of Qg3+ and Qxg2++ and there are no more checks to give. 0-1
Oct-10-06  karnak64: How odd is this game for 1868? Is J. Baker a previous incarnation of Duncan Suttles?
Oct-10-06  johnnyfroaction: wait wait improvement on the line i gave- 36. Kh2 Qg3+ 37. Kg1 d5 38. exd5 Bxd5 and blah blah blah this is all pretty decisive if you ask me.
Mar-26-08  MichAdams: <In 1868 Wilhelm Steinitz and Joseph Henry Blackburne arranged a joint exhibition in which they competed against one another. Each played five games blindfolded against amateurs and a sixth against one another. They drew their individual game and Blackburne finished better than Steinitz against the amateurs, with three wins, one loss and one draw.

But the star of the day was an obscure figure named John Baker who beat both of the masters - and with the opening moves 1...a6 and 2...b5(!).> -- Soltis, Chess Lists.

Blackburne's loss isn't (yet?) in the DB.

Mar-26-08  mistreaver: <This was White's game until 27. Rd2??> I wouldn't agree black has healthy position, no weakness and counterplay
Mar-26-08  Knight13: <schnarre: The first World Champion to fall to 1...a6.> He wasn't world champ in 1868. But he was in 1886. Unless you wanna argue that he was already the best in 1868 anyway.
Mar-26-08  MichAdams: Steinitz is the first and only world champion born in Prague. And also the first with a red beard. Fischer, of course, being the second.
Feb-22-09  WhiteRook48: he got Baked!
Feb-20-10  wordfunph: Wilhelm Steinitz - J Baker


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Analysis by Fritz 9:

1. (1.77): 27.Kh1
2. (1.67): 27.Kh2
3. ± (1.21): 27.Bd5

1st world champ made a blunder with 27.Rd2...and the rest was a mop up job by Baker..

Apr-24-15  parisattack: Black comes out of the opening with a very nice Kan Sicilian - such as we know it today. Not uncommon in the Polish Defense and related lines.

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