Notes to page 234.

1 P-Q3, followed on Kt retreating to Q3 by P x KtPch, is considered best.

2 An unwarranted sacrifice, though leading to some lively play.

3 Continued: 23 P-Q6 23 P-K B4, 24 Q × QBP 24 QR-Q1, 25 R-K3 25 P-R5, 26 Kt-K2 26 Kt x QP, 27 R-K7 27 Kt x Kt, 28 B x Kt 28 P-Kt6, 29 B-B3 29 R-KKt1, 30 Px P 30 P x P, 31 K-Kt2! 31 B-R3, 32 B-K5ch, and Black resigns.

4 This game was contested between Bird, Blackburne, and Winawer (White), and L. Paulsen, W. Paulsen, and Zukertort (Black).

5 Avoiding the lock-up of the Q following Q-R6ch.

6 Mr. Steinitz pronounces this move both premature and hazardous.

7 Mr. Reichhelm says this move loses the game, as it allows the exchange of the B for Kt. Black won on the 47th move.

8 The object of this deviation from the usual book move B-Q3, is to imprison the Black Q, but the result condemns the strategy.

9

A lost move, as White does not check and capture R.

10 Continued: 23 K-B3 23 Kt x Q, 24 K x Kt 24 P-KR4, 25 Kt-(K3)-Q5 25 Kt R3? (the losing move; B-Q3 was the proper move), 26 QR-K1ch 26 K-B2, 27 R-K5 +.

11 The Cochrane variation, which Steinitz played successfully against Anderssen and Zukertort.

12 P-Q3 is better play.

13 Mr. Steinitz says this can be played in lieu of Paulsen's B-Kt2, the moves being merely transposed.

14 This attempt to break through with the P, Mr. Steinitz says, is not new, but in this game Mr. Zukertort has hit upon the exact point to apply it.

15 An excellent move, giving Black the advantage in all variations.

16 If Kt x KtP the reply Kt-Kt3 wins a piece.

17 Continued: 23 P x B 23 Q-Kt8ch, 24 K-Q2 24 Q x Pch, 25 K-K3 25 R-K1ch, 26 K-Q4 26 Q-K5ch, 27 K-B5, 27 Q-K2ch, 28 P-Q6 28 Q-K4ch, 29 K x P 29 Q-K5ch, 30 K-Kt3 30 R-Ktich, 31 Q-Kt4 31 R x Qch, 32 Px R 32 Q-Q6ch, 33 K-Kt2 33 Q-Q5ch, and White resigned.

18 Continued: 23 R-B2 23 R-KB1, 24 R-Q3 24 R-K3?, 25 R x P! 25 R x R, 26 Q x R 26 R-B8ch, 27 B-K1 27 Q-Kt3, 28 Q x Q-28 RP x Q, 29 K-Q2 29 K-Kt1, 30 R-Q8ch 30 B-B1, 31 R-Q7? (giving Black a chance to draw: White's correct move was 31 K-K2) 31 B-Q3!, 32 K-K2 32 R-Kt8!, 33 K-B2 33 R-R8, 34 K-K2 34 R-Kt8, and the game was drawn.

1 Mr. Zukertort says White may enter here into the Muzio with 6 0-0 or 6 B x P, or proceed with Kt-K5. The text move is new, but perfectly safe.

2 Continued: 21 Kt-Kt4 21 Kt-B3?, 22 Q x Kt: 22 Kt x B (if P x Q, White's reply is Rx Rch+) 23 Q × Kt+.

3 Mr. Minchin says it is singular that such a master of the openings as M. Rosenthal should have selected this old fashioned form of defense, when that springing from Kt-K B3 and B-Kt2 gives so decided an advantage that the attack is now rarely ventured on.

4 Through errors White lost this game at move 53.

5 An old move-the Polerio Gambit.

6 As at the similar stage of the Steinitz Gambit, Black may here play 5 Q-K2ch, giving White the choice between a very inferior game and a draw by perpetual check. As Black is playing to win in this game, Mr. W. M. Gattie would prefer the following continuation for Black: 5 B-KKt5ch, 6 Kt-B3 6 Kt-Q2, 7 P-B4 7 0-0-0, 8 K-Q2 8 Kt-B3, with a good game.

7 Q-R5 would have been a difficult move for Black to meet.

8 An error. White should have played Kt x B, afterward regaining the P by QR-K1 and B-Q4.

9 Further errors enabled Black to win on the 46th move.

10 Mr. Max Judd says this is Black's best reply. In his opinion, the capture of the P, whatever it may be theoretically, more often leads to defeat than success in practice and even in match play. Taking the P gives the first player many ways of instituting a strong attack. Odds givers are very partial to the Gambit accepted. By declining the Gambit with 2 B-B4 the game remains even.

11 Mr. Judd says this is the best move at this stage, and leads in many cases to decided advantage for Black. It prevents the establishment of White's center Pawns. In this line of play Black must not exchange his QB for the White KKt. The books advise it, but Mr. Judd says it is not the best play.

12 Preventing Black from exchanging QKt for B, and having other obvious intentions.

13 White might also play R-B1.

14 An invention by Mr. Barbour.

15 Showing the purpose of his 11th move.

16 Continued: 21 Q-B3 21 R x B, and Mr. Steinitz resigned, seeing that if he took the R he would lose his Q by B-R6ch, forcing the K to abandon the defense of the Q.

IRREGULAR OPENINGS.

The popularity of the irregular openings in the recent Chess Congresses has already been referred to. Specimens of these efforts to avoid book play are very frequent in the Book of the London Chess Congress, 1883, and indeed the volume might serve as a modern treatise on the subject. In the 242 games the first player opened 182 times with P-K4, and otherwise 60 times. The second player replied to 1 P-K4 with the same move 110 times, and otherwise 72 times. White played 1 P-KB4 eight times; 1 Kt-QB3 once; 1 P-Q4 twenty-four times; 1 Kt-KB3 nine times; 1 P-K3 twice; and 1 P-QB4 sixteen times. Ten of the thirty-two games contested at that meeting by Mr. Zukertort had irregular openings. We present one page from the London games as examples of prevailing ideas in declining to offer any of the standard debuts.

Mr. E. Freeborough says the opening 1 P-KB4, advocated by Mr. Bird, does not stop the reply from Black 1 P-K4, if the latter wishes to play From's Gambit.