Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Signor Bonaventura


Notes by Johann Jacob Löwenthal


Johann Jacob Löwenthal – Gerolamo Tassinari
London
Sicilian Defence B20

Game played at the St. George’s Chess Club, London, between Signor Tassinari and Herr Löwenthal, Secretary to the Club.

1. e4 c5 2. Bc4. Some player prefer 2. d4, because White thereby liberates his pieces quickly; but we are of opinion that 2. Bc4 is an equally good opening; since, if well followed up, it becomes very attacking. See the games in the Tournament of 1851, as played by Anderssen, who certainly conducted this opening with great ingenuity. 2. ... e6 3. Nc3 Nc6 4. d3 Nf6. 4. ... Nge7 is the correct play. 5. Bg5 Be7 6. Nge2 0-0 7. f4 Na5. Considerable time is lost by this move. White has nothing to fear should Black capture the King’s Bishop, and thus double the Pawn. Experience has proved that White’s game is thereby much strenghtened, since it keeps back the Black’s Queen Pawn, which eventually becomes the aim of White’s attack. 8. Bxf6 Bxf6 9. e5 Bh4+ 10. Ng3 d5. Black very wisely declined to capture the Knight, as he would have liberated the adverse King’s Rook, which he must eventually have found disadvantageous. 11. exd6 Qxd6 12. Qg4 Bf6 13. Nce4 Qe7 14. 0-0-0 Nxc4 15. dxc4 Bd4 16. Qf3 Bd7. We should have preferred 16. ... f5. 17. c3 Bf6


18. Nh5. An ingenious variation arises from taking the Queen’s Bishop. Suppose, 18. Rxd7 Qxd7 19. Nh5 Bd8 [Or 19. ... Bh4 20. g3 f5 21. Nxc5 Qe7 (best) 22. Qe3 followed by Qe3xe6+ with a good game, having a Knight and two Pawns for the Rook. 19. ... Be7 (If 19. ... Qe7 Black loses the game immediately, as White moves 20. Qg4) 19. Qg4 and wins] 20. Rd1 Qc7 [Black’s only reply (:) 20. ... Qe7 21. Nef6+ Kh8 22. Rd7 gxf6 23. Rxe7 Bxe7 24. Qxb7 and we prefer White’s game] 21. Rxd8 Raxd8 22. Nef6+ Kh8 (It is clear that by capturing the Knight he is mated in two moves) 23. Qg4 g6 24. Qg5 Qd6 and wins. 18. ... Bc6 19. Nexf6+ Kh8 20. Qg3 g6 21. Qg5, and Black resigns. 1 : 0. (Johann Jacob Löwenthal, “The Chess Player’s Annual for the year 1856”, London, 1856, pages 28-29).

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