The McConnell Family Notebooks, Part
I
Researched by John Paul Phillips
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Item #2: |
Game played between James McConnell Sr. and Wilhelm Steinitz. |
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Gamescore
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Game played at New Orleans in 1886
between Messrs McConnell and Steinitz
White James McConnell
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Black W. Steinitz
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1
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P-K4 |
2
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P-K5 (b) |
3
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P-Q4 |
4
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QP x P |
5
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QKt-B3 |
6
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QB-KB4 (d) |
7
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Q-Q2 (e) |
8
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Q x B |
9
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K-Q2 (f) |
10
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Kt-Kt5 (g) |
11
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Kt-Q6 ch |
12
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B x Kt |
13
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Q-B5 |
14
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P x P (h) |
15
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B-R6 ch |
16
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P-KR4 (j) |
17
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Q x Q |
18
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P-Kt4 (l) |
19
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Kt-R3 (n) |
20
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R-KBsq |
21
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R-B7 |
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1
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P-K3 (a) |
2
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P-KB3 |
3
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P-QB4 |
4
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B x P |
5
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Q-B2 (c) |
6
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Q-Kt3 |
7
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B x P ch |
8
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Q x P |
9
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Q x R |
10
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QKt-R3 |
11
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K-B sq |
12
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P x B |
13
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Kt-K2 |
14
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P x P (i) |
15
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K-Kt sq |
16
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Q-K4 (k) |
17
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P x Q |
18
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R-Kt sq (m) |
19
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B-Kt2 |
20
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B-Kt7 (o) |
21
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Kt-Kt3 |
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White announced mate in 6 moves (p)
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Page 1
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(1)
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(a)
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As is well known Mr Steinitz never adopted
this
defence excepting in the present game where it had been agreed that the
line of play which occurred in the first tie game of the Vienna
tournament
of 1882 between Steinitz (White) and Winawer (Black) should be followed
by the two parties up to Whites 14th move from which point Mr McConnell
claimed that the game could be won by White in a manner that had escaped
the attention of all analysts who had commented on that game including
the writer. |
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(b)
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This line of play was introduced by Steinitz in the above
named tournament and was his favorite attack in this opening at that
time. |
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* |
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Page 2
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(2)
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(c)
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The attack here initiated gains material but too much at
the expense of time and position. 5...Kt-B3 was superior. |
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(d)
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Obviously the loss of forces could be avoided by P x P but White
prefers
giving up virtually at this point the exchange of his Pawns for an
attack
which ought to have succeeded by proper play. |
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(e)
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Only consistent with the previous play. 7 KKt-R3, 7 Q x P; 8
Kt-Kt5, 8 B-Kt5 ch; 9 K-K2, 9 QKt-R3; 10 QR-Kt sq, 10 Q x R P; 11 R x B,
11 Kt x R; 12 Kt-B7 ch was not as good although White wins a piece
temporarily
for his Kt becomes immediately subject to loss by P-QKt3 which also
opens
measures against Whites King. |
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(f)
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Natural enough as any attempt to save the R would have left Black
with
two Pawns ahead and a comparatively very easy game. |
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(g)
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To all appearances the most direct route to a succesful
[sic] |
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* |
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Page 3
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(3)
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but the bad position of Blacks Q and his exposed K side
might have been also utilised in other ways for instance by 10 Q-Kt3
with
the following interesting possibilities: 10...Q x B (or 10...P-KKt4; 11
P x P, 11 Kt x P best; if 11...P x B; 12 Q-Kt4
threatening
P-B7 ch 12 B x Kt, 12 Q x Kt ch; 13 Q x Q, 13 Kt-K5 ch; 14 K-K
sq, 14
Kt x Q; 15 B-K5 and wins) 11 KKt-K2, 11Q x R; 12 Q x P, 12 Kt-B3; 13
Kt-Kt5,
13 Kt x P; (if 13...P x P; 14 B-Kt5 and wins) 14 Kt-Q6 ch, 14 K-Q sq; 15
Q-K8 ch [sic], 15 K-B2; 16 Kt-K 8 ch and wins in a few
moves. |
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(h)
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In the game above referred to White here played 14 Kt-K2 and after
14...Q x R; 15 P x P, 15 P x P; 16 B-R6 ch, 16 K-Kt sq; 17 Q-Q4.
This last move was a fatal error as Blacks answer Q x R P showed.
However Mr McConnells ingenious plan disguised this point. The
late
Mr Zukertort who saw this game played had strongly expressed the
opinion |
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* |
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Page 4
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(4)
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that Black had a winning position at this juncture and
for my part I am inclined to think that Black ought not lose at any
rate.
The result of this game and the examination of the variations arising
therefrom
convinced me however that Mr McConnells idea was as sound as it was deep
and clever. |
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(i)
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If 14...Q x P (B3); 15 B-Kt5, 15 Q-B8; (or 15...Q-Kt3; 16 KKt-K2, 16
P-KR3; 17 R-B sq ch, 17 K-Kt sq; 18 B x Kt, 18 K-R2; there seems nothing
better 19 Kt-B4, 19 Q-Kt5; 20 P-KR3, 20 Q-Kt6; 21 R-B 3 with a winning
game. This variation was pointed out to me by Mr McConnell.) 16 Kt-K4,
Q x P ch; 17 Kt-K2, 17 P-KR3; 18 Q x Kt ch, 18 K-Kt sq; 19 Q-K8
ch,
19 K-R2; 20 Kt-B6 ch, 20 PxKt; 21 Q-B7 mate. |
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(j)
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A remarkably fine move which forms the root of a variety of
combinations
demonstrating the winning superiority of Whites position although |
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* |
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Page 5
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(5)
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Black is the exchange and two Pawns ahead and can force
the exchange of Queens. |
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(k)
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The Black K is so dangerously surrounded the exchange of Queens
seems
the only relief. Other feasible moves provided however no better result
for instance 16...P-B4; 17 R-R3, 17 Q-B3; 18 B-Kt5, 18 Q-Kt2; 19 R-Kt3
&c. Or 16...Kt-Kt3; 17 R-R3, 17 Q-K4; 18 Q x Q, 18 P x Q; 19
P-R5 and wins. |
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(l)
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This precaution is most important in order not to allow the Black Kt
to
enter at KB4 which would break Whites attack. This had to be
provided for in the forecast of the combinations which formed
Whites
plan and is therefore all the more murderous. |
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(m)
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No better was 18...Kt-Q4; 19 Kt-R3, 19 Kt-B5; (or 19...Kt-B3; 20 R-B
sq, 20 Kt x P; 21 R-KKt sq and wins.) 20 R-KB sq, 20 Kt x Kt; 21 R-B7
and
the mating position which appears at the end of this game is now
produced although White is a clear R behind. |
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(n)
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The details of Whites plan are carried out with great foresight, it
is necessary to select this plan |
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* |
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Page 6
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(6)
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for the development of the Kt in order to prevent Black
from blocking the KB-file subsequently by Kt-B5. |
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(o)
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20...B-Q4 might have prolonged the fight a little but the game could
not be saved. White would then equally play R-B7 followed by
Kt-KKt5
and then with a series of checks his R would reach Q-B7 [sic] in
which situation the battle would be decided by Kt-B8 preventing R x Kt
as well as to reach K8 with the R after a series of checks. |
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(p)
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A pretty so called seesaw of checks finishes the game thus 22 R-Kt7
ch, 22 K moves; 23 R x QP ch, 23 K moves; 24 R-Kt7 ch, 24 K moves; 25
R-QKt7
disch,
25 K moves; 26 R x R ch and mates next moves. |
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* |
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Index
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