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Wilhelm Steinitz:
The Unknown Legacy

By Prof. Nagesh Havanur

The recent series of Kasparov’s books My Great Predecessors has revived interest in the rich legacy of the past world champions. Wilhelm Steinitz in particular has been the subject of two CDs and a fine new edition of a Russian book (aptly titled Steinitz, The Seeker Of Truth) by Neishtadt.**

Steinitz was a seminal thinker and laid the foundations of positional play with his games and prolific writings. But in his younger days he was known for his romantic style and nicknamed "The Austrian Morphy". Objectively speaking, his games with White from the early years do not always make a striking impression. Feeble play of his opponents takes the joy out of many of them. The following position is an exception:

Steinitz - N. N. Off-hand Vienna, 1861

1.Rd1! Nf6 2.Rxf6! Qc8

Not 2…gxf6 3. Qe6+ Kf8 4.Qxf6+Kg8 5.Rd7+-

3.Rd8+! Qxd8 4.Qe6+ Kh7 5.Rxh6+! gxh6 6.Qf7# 1-0

Such informal games are often ignored by chess enthusiasts and anthologists alike. However, some of them are masterpieces in their own right, and it is a revelation to see Steinitz subduing stronger opposition with original play.

Steinitz –NN 1878 Odds Of The Queen's Knight
(Notes based on the comments of Steinitz)

1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Bc5 3.b4

A favorite opening with Steinitz when giving the odds of the Queen's Knight.

3...Bxb4 4.f4 d6

In his notes Steiniz points out that 4...d5 would be still more dangerous to the odds giver.

5.Nf3 Nf6 6.fxe5 Ng4?!

Black, an experienced Knight-odds player, has given up a pawn to threaten 7...Ne3. For example, 7.c3 Ne3 8.dxe3 (8.Qa4+? Bd7 9.Qxb4?? Nc2+) Bxc3+, emerging with the exchange & a pawn ahead, and an excellent game.

7.0-0

The position is full of pitfalls for both sides. If 7...Nxe5? 8.Nxe5 dxe5 9.Bxf7+. But 7...dxe5 is tricky. Now 8.Bxf7+? Kxf79.Nxe5+ Ke810.Nxg4 is refuted by 10...Qd4+.

So White should opt for 8.c3 Bc5+ 9.d4.exd4 10.cxd4 Be7 (A necessity, for otherwise White would obtain a strong attack, either by 11.Ba3 or 11.Bxf7+.)

7… Bc5+ 8.Kh1!

A novel trap, offering Black a strong temptation to emerge a rook up.

8…Nf2+ 9.Rxf2 Bxf2 10.Qf1!

The point. The opening of the f- file should help White.

10… Bb6?

10…0-0 is necessary. Black should give up the temptation to retain the bishop.

11.Bxf7+ Ke7

11...Kxf7? 12.Ng5+ Kg6 13.Qf7+ Kxg5 ( 13...Kh6? 14.d4 threatening 15.Ne6++- ) 14.d4+ Kh4 (14...Kg4 15.Qxg7+ Kh4 16.Qh6+ Kg4 17.Qh3#) 15.g3+ Kg4 16.Kg2 and mates next move with 17.Qf3 or 17.h3.

12.d4 h6 13.Nh4 Kd7

Other alternatives also fail.

13...dxe5? 14.Ng6+ Kd7 15.Qf5+ Kc6 16.Bd5+ +-.

Or 13...Bxd4? 14.Ng6+ Kd7 15.Be6+ Kc6 (15...Kxe6 ?? 16.Qf5#) 16.Bd5+ +-.

14.e6+ Kc6 15.Rb1! 1-0

If 15...d5 16.Qb5+ Kd6 17.Qxd5+ Ke7 18.Ng6+ Kf6 19.Qe5# or 19.Qf5 #.

Young Steinitz played with greater verve when he had the Black pieces. In the following game Black voluntarily foregoes castling and breaks up his king’s side for a mating attack.

Reiner-Steinitz, Off-hand game, Vienna 1860
Scotch Gambit C44

(Commentary based on analysis by Neishtadt.)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.0-0 d6

5...Nf6 is a reasonable alternative.

6.c3 Bg4

6...dxc3 7.Nxc3 Nf6 8.Bg5 Be6 is usual.

7.Qb3 Bxf3

Sharper than 7...Na5 saving the pawn.

8.Bxf7+

Not 8.Qxb7? Na5 9.Qb5+ c6 and Black saves the Bishop on f3.

8...Kf8 9.Bxg8?

9.gxf3 is the right move. If 9…g5 White responds with 10.Bh5. So Black should play 9…Bb6 or 9...Nf6.

9...Rxg8 10.gxf3 g5! 11.Qe6

Again not 11.Qxb7? Ne5.

11...Ne5

11...Rg6 12.Qf5+ Kg7 is also good.

12.Qf5+ Kg7 13.Kh1 Kh8 14.Rg1

14.f4 gxf4 15.Bxf4 Qe7 and Black has a menacing position.

14...g4

14...Nd3 is not bad either.

15.f4

Not 15.fxg4? Qh4 or the immediate 15...Rf8.

15...Nf3 16.Rxg4 Qh4!

17.Rg2 Qxh2+! 18.Rxh2 Rg1# 0-1

The following game is a similar effort, with the opponent coming up with an ingenious defence that all but succeeds in the end.

N. N. - Steinitz Off-hand London, 1864
Giuoco Piano C54

(Commentary based on analysis by Neishtadt.)

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.e5

6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 is the main line of this opening.

6...d5 7.Bb5 Ne4 8.Nxd4?

8.cxd4 is preferable.

8...0-0 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.0-0 Ba6 11.Re1 f6 12.e6

12.exf6 is met by 12…Qxf6. Now if 13.f3 Qh4! (with the threat of …Bd6) 14.fxe4 Qf2+ 15.Kh1Bf1! -+

12…Qd6 13.Be3 f5 14.Qa4

14.f3 f4 15.fxe4 fxe3 16.Rxe3 Qe5! Black has the initiative. For example,17.Kh1 Bxd4 18.cxd4 Qxd4! 19.Qxd4?? Rf1#

14...f4 15.e7?

15.Qxa6 fxe3 16.fxe3 Bb6 is the lesser evil.

15...Qxe7 16.Qxa6

Not 16.Nxc6 Qd6 17.Bxc5 Qxc5-+

16...fxe3 17.fxe3

If 17.f3 Qh4 18.Re2 Bd6. Or17.Rxe3 Rxf2 18.Rxe4 Qxe4 19.Kxf2 Rf8+ -+

17...Rf2 18.Qxc6 Raf8 19.Qxd5+ Kh8 20.Nf3

Not 20.Na3 Nd2 21.e4 Nf3+ 22.gxf3 (22.Kxf2 Nxd4+ or 22.Nxf3 R2xf3+-+) 22...Qh4 23.Qe5 Bd6 -+

20...Qh4!!

20...Rxb2 is easy. But Steinitz wants glory.

21.Nxh4

If 21.Qxc5 Rxg2+ 22.Kh1 Rxh2+ -+

21...Bxe3

Now there are some spectacular variations:

22.Qxe4 Rf1#;

22.h3 Rf1+ 23.Kh2 Bg1+ 24.Kh1 Ng3#;

22.g3 Re2+ 23.Kh1 Rxe1+ 24.Kg2 Rg1+ 25.Kh3 Nf2#

White hopes for an escape by improving on this last variation.

22.Ng6+ !

A desperate resource. The monarch needs h4 square, so the knight sacrifices itself.

22...hxg6 23.g3 Re2+ 24.Kh1 Rxe1+ 25.Kg2 Rg1+ 26.Kh3 Nf2+ 27.Kh4 Rf4+!

28.gxf4

Or 28.Kg5 Rg4#

28...Rg4# 0-1

This is what White had overlooked. The Black pawn on g6 denies entry to the monarch.

* * * * * * * *
1) William Steinitz , The First World Champion (CD) By Thorsten Heedt ChessBase 2003
2) The Collected Works of Wilhelm Steinitz (CD) By Sid Pickard,Pickard & Son 2004
3) Steinitz, The Seeker Of Truth, By Yakov Neishtadt Ripol Classic 2004

Read Mike Rosensaft's review of these two Steinitz titles:

The Collected Works of Wilhelm Steinitz

and

The Steinitz Papers

A plaque in honor of the first world chess champion Wilhelm Steinitz was dedicated by the president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus on June 30, 2004. The plaque was placed on the building of the Faculty of Philosophy (Charles University) in Prague, on the border between the Jewish Ghetto and Old Town where the Steinitz house used to stand. Read more!