Walbrodt, Carl August VS Steinitz, William 1895.??.??

Annotations

Hastings, 2 September 1895. Steinitz meets Walbrodt's Ruy Lopez with the close defence P to Q 3, then springs a vigorous counter-attack on the King's Bishop's Pawn that forces a rapid collapse. Notes by I. Gunsberg.

1. 4…d6 In the game Lasker v. Steinitz, we have given our opinion about this defence, and the fact that Black is successful in this instance does not induce us to alter our views. His success may be attributed to a vigorous effort at a counter-attack, such as we think the second player in the Ruy Lopez is bound to make whenever he resorts to the close defence of P to Q 3 or P to K Kt 3.
2. 5…Nf6 This move is, we think, preferable to the move of Kt to K 2, played by Steinitz against Lasker, as Black can Castle one move earlier.
3. 6…Bd7 If Black had taken the King's Pawn, White need not necessarily have played for its recovery at once by B × Kt, ch, followed by Q to R 4. He could have played with greater advantage 7. P to Q 4.
4. 10…exd4 Elsewhere, in expressing our disbelief in the efficacy of the manœuvre of the Queen's Knight, we expressed our opinion that at the time when this Knight plays to B sq, then Black should adopt a vigorous policy beginning with P × P, and not wait till White has completed his tardy developing moves. The success achieved by Black in this instance fully bears out our views.
5. 13…d5 Black is fortunate in having obtained the opportunity, which he seizes at the right moment, to free his Bishop, always so inconveniently blocked in as a result of the P to Q 3 defence.
6. 20…Ne4 With this excellent move Black succeeds in counteracting the effect produced by White's vigorous handling of his Rooks.
7. 23…Qf6 Black cleverly utilises the awkward position of White's Queen's Bishop, in order to get up an attack on White's King's Bishop's Pawn.
8. 25.Rd8 The only other way to prevent Kt × B P, which was threatened, was by Kt to Kt 4, but that hardly forms a lasting remedy, as the Knight would be subject to attack by Black's Pawns.
9. 26…Qe6 This move keeps up the attack, Kt × B P being again threatened.
10. 27…f5 More vigorous play, and again threatening Kt × B P, followed by P to B 5.
11. 28.b3 Black's intention to play P to B 5 was so obvious that it is surprising White did not play B to B 7 to prevent that.
12. 28…f4 Though Black might have played Kt × K B P at once, yet this move is better still, as it forces the game.
13. 31…Bxf2 And mate soon follows. The way Black obtained the mastery over White is very instructive, and there is a pretty neatness about the last few moves which, combined with Black's virile handling of the opening after White's move of Kt to B sq, makes this game a most refreshing and at the same time eloquent contrast to the game produced by the strategy of concentrating towards the rear, employed by Steinitz in his game against Lasker played with the same opening.

Horace F. Cheshire, The Hastings Chess Tournament 1895 (1896) · Public domain · source