1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4
6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3
Steinitz has chosen a sharp, gambit line of the Giuoco
Piano.
7...d5
This looks like a good move at first sight, but Black
soon has problems getting his king to safety. Black should take
the offered pawn with 7...Nxe4 8.0-0 Bxc3 and now the extremely tricky
9.d5!?, known as the Moeller Attack, represents White's sharpest try
for advantage. This variation has been very heavily analyzed
over the years and the current assessment indicates that Black can
walk through a minefield of traps and come through with an edge.
8.exd5 Nxd5 9.0-0 Be6 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Bxd5 Bxd5
12.Nxd5 Qxd5 13.Bxe7 Nxe7 14.Re1 f6
Black hopes to "castle by hand" by soon playing ...Kf7
followed by ...Rfe8 and ...Kg8. Black has also prevented Ne5.
15.Qe2 Qd7 16.Rac1
A more effective continuation was the centralizing
move 16.Rad1! with one nice point illustrated after 16...Kf7 17.Qc4+
Nd5 18.Ne5+! fxe5 19.dxe5 and Black cannot meet the two threats of
Rxd5 and e6+.
16...c6
The losing move. Black could have come away unscathed
with 16...Kf7! When White has no apparent way to attack the
temporarily exposed Black king.
17.d5
This is a beautiful clearance move that does three
important things. First, it pries open the c-file for White's
exclusive use. Secondly, the d4 square is vacated to make room
for White's knight. The square D4 will become a launch point for a
further violation of Black's territory by the knight. Finally, Black
will no longer have the d5 square available for his own knight.
17...cxd5 18.Nd4 Kf7 19.Ne6
The white knight is incredibly strong here - Black
must keep watch now over various weak points in his position.
First, he must guard against Rc7.
19...Rhc8 20.Qg4
The queen not only attacks g7, but it also lines up on
the h3-c8 diagonal messing Black's queen on d7.
20...g6
With 20. ... g6 Von Bardeleben finds a very cunning
defense. White has a seemingly simple combination now, but there
is a small problem of his back rank.
21.Ng5+ Ke8
Black must play this or lose his queen.
22.Rxe7+ Kf8
What happens if he takes the rook? Well if
22...Qxe7 23.Rxc8+ wins a piece. If 22...Kxe7 White wins with
23.Qb4+! Kd8 24.Ne6+ either winning a queen or mating. Now, if
White carelessly grabs the queen, disaster strikes in the form of
back-rank mate.
23.Rf7+ Kg8 24.Rg7+
The rook is immune from capture - 24...Qxg7 25.Rxc8+
wins easily and 24...Kxg7 25.Qxd7 is check.
24...Kh8 25.Rxh7+
Steinitz has driven the black king across the back
rank and now this key move forces it back again. The newly opened
h-file is the key to finally clinching the game. [Editor: Here
Von Bardeleben left the tournament hall, without resigning the game.
A probably reason was this continuation: 25.Rxh7+! Kg8 26.Rg7+ Kh8
27.Qh4+ Kxg7 28.Qh7+ Kf8 29.Qh8+ Ke7 30.Qg7+ Ke8 31.Qg8+ Ke7 32.Qf7+
Kd8 33.Qf8+ Qe8 34.Nf7+ Kd7 35.Qd6 mate.]
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