Annotated chess game: Steinitz vs Rock (1863)

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ANNOTATED GAME

Steinitz vs Rock (1863)
Steinitz, Wlihelm (2735) vs. Rock, J. (2000)
Annotated by: darknite13 (1200)
Chess opening: Evans gambit (C52), Richardson attack

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Originally annotated by Hicks in 2003. Adding additional notes to show just how beautiful this game really was. It should be pointed out in the original game, Steinitz gave his opponent his rook at the beginning of the game, so the board for white had only 1 rook.

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4	Personally, I prefer 3. Bb5 for more of a Ruy Lopez approach, but this is a good alternative and accomplishes the same goal: develops the piece and prepares for castle. As Hicks points out and as I tell my over-the-board students: the best opening moves accomplish multiple goals!



3... Bc5	The Giuoco Piano, in which the goals are for white: to take control of the center with a d4 push. White must choose if he does it right now--4. d4 to get a lead in development (despite the loss of the pawn)--or if he prepares it with moves like 4. c3 or 4. b4. White may also forget about the d4-push, and play a quieter line, by supporting the center with 4. d3. But these are too conventional for white's tastes...



4. b4	!? - Instead, white elects to go for an Evans Gambit, in which the goal is to trade a pawn for better center position.



4... Bxb4	Black takes, as most people who see this line do. After all, even the original annotator says the best way to refute a gambit is to accept the offer.



5. c3 Ba5	Played to keep pressure on c3. After d4(?) c3 is pinned
	1 comment ed_norton (1613) on 29-Apr-14: I understand the concept of the pin after d4, but Black can't stop White from castling on the next move. So the pin appears ineffective to me. Perhaps 5....Be7 is better. My reasoning being the pin is weak and the a5 square is an outside file. The bishop doesn't have many options from that square except another move retreating to b6. lost tempo. Perhaps 5....Be7 6. 0-0 or Qb3 Nh6 at least puts protection on f5 and allows castling for Black. Not great, but maybe better than what's coming. In any case, I can see that White is achieving goals of development, center control and pressure on f5.


6. O-O	3rd goal of the chess opening? Protect the king! This standard move fixes the pin problem and makes d4 a playable move again.



6... Nf6	!? - A good move since the pawn on c3 makes e4 difficult to defend, and ideally would allow black to castle as well...
	1 comment ed_norton (1613) on 29-Apr-14: Is this really a good move? It seems apparent that White has quite natural moves coming that build an attack force from the queen side. Ba3 and Qb3. Either of Blacks knights can fill e7 to gain time for castling. Regardless, I'm trying to keep in mind the gist of this lesson and the difficulties arising from not defending the center and e7.


7. Ba3	However, as many people will tell you, offense is the best defense. Ignoring the attack on e4, white invites black to take it, knowing that this opens the e-file for the white rook, giving him a positional edge! This move also prevents black from castling, which will become a problem later in the game.



7... Bb6	Attacks d4, as black looks to prepare for an attack on the center.



8. d4 exd4 9. Qb3	Develops the queen and attacks f7!



9... d5	?! - a dubious move as black's king hasn't castled yet and is stuck in the middle. On the flip side, there is not much else he can do to defend f7. Bad positions force bad moves.



10. exd5	Opens the e-file for the rook to attack the king! Time to make black pay for not castling.



10... Na5	Black's plan? Trade and simplify. It's really his only hope.



11. Re1+ Be6	Quiz for you spectators: Why isn't Kd7 an option here? (Hint: The move made is the only good move for black!)
	1 comment ed_norton (1613) on 30-Apr-14: I'll take a stab at this. 11....Kd7 12. Ne5+ Ke8 13. Qb5+ Bd7 14. Nc6+ Qe7 15. Rxe7+ Kf8 16. Rxd7+ Ke8 Winning the queen and a bishop. I took the hint and looked for a mating sequence for sometime, I expect there is one, but I'm not seeing it. _____________________________________________ Returning the next day with more vigor. Patience pays off. There are a couple mating sequences if 11..... Kd7 then 12. Qb5+ Nc6 13. dxc6+ bxc6 14. Be6+ Ke8 !5. Qxc6+ Nd7 16. Bxd7# ( 5 moves) And there is 12. Qb5+ c6 13. dxc6+ Kc7 14. Qe5+ Qd6 15. Qxd6# (4 moves) And then finally 12. Qb5+ c6 13. dxc6+ Kc7 14. Qe5+ Kxc6 15. Bb5# (4 moves)


12. dxe6	!! - a beautiful queen sacrifice.



12... Nxb3 13. exf7+ Kd7 14. Be6+ Kc6	An exposed king = no es bueno for anyone.



15. Ne5+	Time for white to make the most of the queen sacrifice. One bad move, and black can sneak back into the game.



15... Kb5 16. Bc4+ Ka5 17. Bb4+ Ka4 18. axb3#	A beautiful finish! Lesson of this game: Castle! And if your opponent doesn't, look for and capitalize on the weak square f7 (and/or f2).