William Pollock Max Judd 6th American Congress New York, NY, 1889 Evans Gambit: Declined (Lange), C51

Notes by Wilhelm Steinitz

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bb6 5.b5 Na5 6.Nxe5 Nh6 7.d4 d6 8.Bxh6 dxe5 9.Bxg7 Qxd4

A new idea, and, as far as can be judged from the present game, a very good one, for it clearly and quickly equalizes forces and position, which, we believe, is not the case in most forms of this opening.

10.Qxd4 Bxd4 11.Bxh8 Bxa1 12.Bd3

Black likewise regains the pawn after 12.Bb3 Ke7 13.Bg7! Bd7 14.Bh6! Bxb5 etc.

12...Ke7 13.Bg7 Be6 14.Bh6 Bxa2 15.0 0 Bd4 16.Bd2 Nc4 17.Bb4+ Nd6 18.c3 Bb6 19.c4 Bxb1

19...Bd4 at once was decidedly better.

20.Rxb1 Bd4 21.c5 Ne8 22.Ba3 Kf6 23.Bc4 Ng7 24.Rb3 Ne6 25.Rf3+ Kg6 26.Rg3+ Kf6 27.Rf3+ Kg6

White is not satisfied with a draw, and the result does not justify his conclusion.

28.h4 h5 29.Rf5 Re8 30.Be2 Rh8 31.g3

Black to Move

31...c6

An excellent move which transfers the attack to Black.

32.bxc6 bxc6 33.Bc4 Rb8 34.Kg2 Rb1 35.Be2 Ng7 36.Rf3

If 36.Rg5+? Kh6 followed by 37...f6 and wins.

36...a5 37.Bd3 Rb3

We would have preferred 37...Ra1 38.Bc4 Ne6 39.Kh3 (or 39.Bxe6 fxe6 followed by 40...a4 then 41...Rb1 and 42...Rb3, winning.) 39...Nd8 followed by 40...f6 and 41...Nb7.

38.Bc4 Rxf3 39.Kxf3 Kf6 40.Ke2 Ne6 41.f3 Nxc5 42.Bxc5 Bxc5 43.g4 hxg4 44.fxg4 Be7 45.Bb3 Kg7 46.h5

46.Ba4 at once, followed immediately by 47.Kd3, would have drawn without difficulty.

46...f6 47.Ba4 c5 48.Kd3 Kh6 49.Kc4 Kg5 50.Bd7

The true cause of his disaster, whereas 50.Kd5 Kxg4 51.Ke6 Bf8 52.Kxf6 would have drawn with ease.

50...Bf8

The manner in which Black now wins, though bishops are of opposite colors and his own bishop is blocked, makes this ending one of the finest of that description.

51.Kb5 Kf4 52.Bf5 Ke3 53.h6 Kd4 54.h7 Bg7 55.Be6 Kxe4 56.Kxc5 Kf3 57.Bf5 e4 58.Kd5 e3 59.Ke6 e2 60.Kf7 Bh8 61.Kg8 e1Q 62.Kxh8 a4 63.Bg6 Qe7 64.Kg8 a3 65.Bf7 Kxg4 66.Kg7 f5 67.Kg8 Qe5 0–1