optimal play: The tenth game in a match to five wins.
Going into this game, Goldsmith led Fisher by 4 wins to 3 (with 2 draws) and thus only needed one more win for the match.
5...Ne4 French defence: classical, Tartakower variation
6.Bxe7 Novelty in 1875
11.Rb4? <<This combination, having for its object the winning of the P, results in a bad position for White.> -Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW) issue Saturday 13 March 1875>
Instead compare 11.Nf3 played 100 years later...
Spassky vs R Byrne, 1975
15...Nxc5 <<Black has snared the R very ingeniously.> -Australian Town and Country Journal (NSW) issue Saturday 13 March 1875>
17...Bxa2 is not as good as 17...Bxf3 followed by 18.gxf3 Rc8 19.Rg1 Rxc5 20.Bxb4 Rxe5+ and black has a very strong position.
22...a5!
23.Rxa5? instead 23.Nb5 is better.
38...Rf3+ It should be an easy win for Fisher from this point.
39...Rxf2??? The winning line is of course 39...Rb3! 40.Bc5 Rc3 wins!
ok ... he missed that winning line, but it's still a straight-forward win from here...
43...Kf2??? The winning line from here is 43...Kh2! 44.Kf4 Kh3 45.Kg5 Kg3 46.Kf6 Kf4 47.Kxf7 Kf5 48.Kg7 g5 49.hxg5 Kxg5 50.Kf7 Kf5 51.Ke7 Kxe5 etc
Charlie Fisher must have been kicking himself after having played a splendid game, he completely mucked up the finish :(
After the first seven games all being decisive, this was now the third draw in a row.
Match score at the end of game 10 :-
0-0-1-1-0-0-1-½-½-½ (4½/10) [+3 =3 -4] Fisher
1-1-0-0-1-1-0-½-½-½ (5½/10) [+4 =3 -3] Goldsmith
And Goldsmith still only needs one more win to take the match.