Annotated chess game: The 1st World Champion doesn't need his queen!

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ANNOTATED GAME

The 1st World Champion doesn't need his queen!
Serafino Dubois vs. Wilhelm Steinitz
Annotated by: tag1153

(1700)
Chess opening: Two knights defence (Modern bishop's opening) (C55)

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Wilhelm Steinitz was the the first officially recognized World Champion. In this game, he conducts a brilliant queen sacrifice which leads to victory. It is the one of the best I have ever seen. While the concept of a queen sacrifice is not entirely foreign to most players, doing it in the manner that follows is simply beyond me. White's position looks so strong and inpenetrable, but Steinitz finds the correct way to pick it apart. Enjoy:)

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. d3 Bc5	The Italian Game (sometimes called the "quiet game"). In this opening, both sides opt for rapid, conservative development.



5. O-O	Nc3, Bg5, or even Qe2 were playable as well.



5... d6 6. Bg5	Develops and pins the black knight against the black queen.



6... h6	0-0 or Bg4 were more conservative options, as this move starts to weaken a presumed castled position. However, the slow pace of this opening was obviously not up to Steinitz's tastes.
	1 comment crabtreechess (1200) on 04-May-12: h6 is a wasted move


7. Bh4	Maintaining the pin against the black queen.



7... g5	Black makes the first truly aggressive move of the game. It is apparent that he aims for an assault on the kingside.
	1 comment crabtreechess (1200) on 04-May-12: he loses a tempo by attacking the bishop its better to just let it go instead of blowing up your king side but then again hes moved his bishop three times in a row.


8. Bg3 h5	! I give this move an exclamation point simply because I am jealous of the calculating ability of Steinitz. By making it, black is willing to sacrifice his g pawn in exchange for the chance to further harrass white's dark squared bishop.



9. Nxg5	White takes him up on his offer, and now has EXTREME pressure on f7.



9... h4	! Another exclamation! Steinitz has dedicated himself to assaulting the enemy camp. The question is - can he stave off the effects of white's next move?



10. Nxf7	?! Bxf7 was better. White gets too cute trying to show off with this fork against black's queen and Rh8. Surely Steinitz will play Qe7 (or possibly Qd7) to save his queen...................right?



10... hxg3	Wrong! Steinitz sacrifices his queen! What in the world could he possibly be planning?????
	1 comment lame_duck (2380) on 05-Jan-13: I used Rybka to analyze this game, and it shows that the sacrifice of the queen here is correct! It is almost unbelievable that such brilliant combination could ever be possible in the "quiet Italian game"


11. Nxd8 Bg4	Develops his light squared bishop with an attack on the white queen.



12. Qd2	?! Perhaps Qc1 or Qe1 was better.
	1 comment eduard352 (1664) on 22-Apr-13: Note that 12.Qxg4?! doesnt help either 12...,Nxg4; 13.Nxc6; gxf2+!; 14.Rxf2,Bxf2; 15.Kf1, bxc6 and black has gained a rook.


12... Nd4	Keeping his attack going full throttle, black gets more firepower closer to the prize. Notice the latent danger posed by black's dark squared bishop.



13. Nc3	White completes development.
	1 comment lame_duck (2380) on 06-Jan-13: It is not reasonable to think about development being under the pressure of mortal attack. In fact this move is a crucial mistake (according to Rybka), after it black wins by force. The only move which saves the game here is 13. h3. For example: 13... Ne2+ 14. Qxe2 Bxe2 15. Ne6 Bb6 16. Nc3 Bxf1 17. Kxf1 gxf2 18. Na4 and 19. Nxb6 bxa6 20. Kxf2 - chances are approximately equal.


13... Nf3+	! A Royal Fork sacrifice!



14. gxf3	Forced, if white wants to maintain his queen. However........



14... Bxf3	White is now out of options...................the fat lady is singing.



15. hxg3	Any move that doesn't remove the pawn on g3 will lead to it going to g2, and a rapid mate delivered after black gets his knight to g4.
	2 comments black_cat_hamlet (1531) on 16-Oct-10: Ng4, then Rxh2, then Rh1#... A queen and a bishop up, White is given three turns to defend against the mating threat... yet he can't! That's just crazy! eduard352 (1664) on 22-Apr-13: Actually there is a far simpler checkmate available: gxh2#


15... Rh1#	A brilliant gem of sacrificial chess. I've never seen so much accomplished with so little against such a strong enemy position. I hope you enjoyed it:) - Thomas
	4 comments ferdyrojo (1200) on 22-Feb-09: Sure! I did enjoy it! rookie879 (1200) on 04-Jun-10: Haha,I pretty much followed this game to the 15th move on here once. I wasn't aware of this game until I saw it. black_cat_hamlet (1531) on 16-Oct-10: This comment is really late in coming but... my god, did Steinitz have guts! What gets me is that there seems to be no immediate gain from the queen sac, and then just like that, another sacrifice brings down the house! lame_duck (2380) on 06-Jan-13: It is one of the greatest attacks I've ever seen!