Art of Attack in Chess C1 Steinitz vs Von Bardeleben

Diagram 3




Question 2 Diagram




Question One Diagram



One of the Chapter one games which illustrates the attack on the e file is the Battle of Hastings : Steinitz vs Van Bardeleben from the Hasting Tournament in 1895 . This is perhaps Steinitz most famous game and is analysed in Masters of the Chessboard, The World's Greatest Chess Games and other books. This was Tal's favorite Game. I can picture him as a young man analysing this game and enjoying it.

There is a lot too this game and it is remarkable one is the depth and the precision of the threats and combinations . A large portion of this game is played on the edge; Steinitz is one move away from being checkmated but can ignore it due to the strength of his attack. Playing on the edge makes this a very dramatic game.

It would be a good advanced tactical exercise if you were able to come up with the refutation of all blacks defenses to moves 22 on and determine the mating net after Von B walked out after move 25.

Here are some self study exercizes .



Question 1: in this Position Black on Move ;Von B played 7...d5 what is considered to be the modern move for black? See position above .

Answer

http://blog.chess.com/view/7--modern-continuation-on-the-battle-of-hasting

Whites moves 11-14 are a textbook case of making a series of trades to hamper your opponent with a weakness in the center. The weakness is the Knight on e7 and blacks inability to castle without losing the knight .This also seals in the King side rook keeping it out of action.

see link below

http://blog.chess.com/view/locking-the-knight-in-place

Question 2: See Diagram above White to move played the strong Qe2 there is another strong alternative. Answer not provided. The lines are spelled out in World's Greatest Games.

Diagram 3: WTM what is played ? see move 19 and the follow up move 20!

I will be back later to update this post



Game in PGN format

(1875) Steinitz,William - Von Bardeleben,Curt [C54]
Hastings Hastings (10), 1895
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.cxd4 Bb4+ 7.Nc3 d5 8.exd5 Nxd5 9.0–0 Be6 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Bxd5 Bxd5 12.Nxd5 Qxd5 13.Bxe7 Nxe7 14.Re1 f6 15.Qe2 Qd7 16.Rac1 c6 17.d5 cxd5 18.Nd4 Kf7 19.Ne6 Rhc8 20.Qg4 g6 21.Ng5+ Ke8 22.Rxe7+ Kf8 23.Rf7+ Kg8 24.Rg7+ Kh8 25.Rxh7+ 1–0

Game is nicely annotated here

http://www.lifemasteraj.com/old_af-dl/gcg_stein-vonbard1_rpg0.html