Tête à Tête

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Notes by Howard Staunton

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CHESS IN BELGIUM

The following game was played in Belgium a short time ago between M. de Rives, one of the best of the present school of French Chess, and Signor Tassinari, an Italian player of a considerable degree of skill.

Gerolamo Tassinari – de Rives
Brussels, 1853
Spanish C62

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. d4 exd4 5. Qxd4 Bd7 6. Bxc6 Bxc6 7. Bg5 f6 8. Bh4 Ne7. We may observe that this variation in the attack and defence of the Knight’s game of Ruy Lopez has the tendency to produce the same position as that which has arisen in games played at the defence of Philidor to the Knight’s Opening. In one of these the moves have run:– 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 exd4 4. Qxd4 Nc6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. Bxc6 Bxc6 7. Bg5 f6 8. Bh4 Ne7 &c. The position is the same as that in the game before us. Ed. Note: Another try is 8. ... Nh6 9. Nc3 Qd7 10. 0-0 Be7 11. Rad1 0-0 12. Qc4+ Rf7 13. Nd4 Ng4 14. h3 Ne5 15. Qe2 with an edge, P. C. Morphy – Harrwitz, Paris 1858, match game 4. 9. Nc3 Ng6 10. Bg3 Be7 11. Nd5. Castling on the King’s side is perhaps preferable. 11. ... 0-0 12. Nh4. In these cramped games, the first player should avoid impairing his position by the exchange of pieces. Had he castled at his previous move, he would, unless we are mistaken, have preserved his advantage with underring certainty. 12. ... Nxh4 13. Bxh4 Kh8 14. 0-0-0 Bxd5 15. Qxd5 c6 16. Qe6 Re8 17. f4 Bf8 18. Qf5 Qb6. Obviously threatening to check at e3. 19. Rhe1 Rad8 20. e5. This looks somewhat premature. Ed. Note: Worth considering was 20. g4 intending both g4-g5 and Rd1-d3-h3. 20. ... Qa5. The danger of a castled position on the Queen’s side is well shown here. This move gains time at a most important crisis. 21. Kb1 dxe5 22. Bg3. We imagine 22. Rxd8 to be a better move, and one likely to produce a drawn game. A leading variation arising therefrom is:– 22. Rxd8 Rxd8 23. fxe5 Bb4 24. c3 Bxc3 25. bxc3 Qxc3 and Black, we believe, will at least draw the game. Ed. Note: Staunton raves: 22. Rxd8 Rxd8 23. fxe5?? is simply refuted by 23. ... Qxe1+! 24. Bxe1 Rd1 mate. 22. ... Bb4 23. c3 Rxd1+ 24. Rxd1 exf4 25. Qd7. To exchange Queens, and then take the Pawn with his Bishop, would be simpler and better. 25. Qxf4 would also be much sounder. 25. ... Qh5 26. cxb4. 26. Bxf4 seems to be more free from objection. 26. ... fxg3 27. hxg3 h6 28. g4 Qg6+ 29. Ka1 Re2 30. Qxb7. After this move White’s game is indefensible.

30. ... Qc2 31. Qc8+. Ed. Note: Useless, but also after 31. Rb1 Rxg2 White is doomed. 31. ... Kh7 32. Qf5+ Qxf5 33. gxf5 Rxg2 34. Rf1 h5 35. a3 Kh6 36. Ka2 h4 37. a4 h3 38. b5 cxb5 39. axb5 h2 40. Rh1 Kg5 41. Kb3 Kxf5 42. Kc3 g5 43. b4 g4. And White surrendered. 0 : 1. (Notes by Howard Staunton, The Chess Player’s Chronicle, Vol. iii, 1855, pages 14-15).