[Event "GotM #26"] [Site "Baden-Baden"] [Date "1870.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Steinitz, William"] [Black "Paulsen, Louis"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C25"] [Annotator "Connaughton, Ken"] [PlyCount "71"] [EventDate "1870.??.??"] [EventCountry "GER"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 {Vienna Game} Nc6 3. f4 {Vienna Gambit} exf4 {Accepted} 4. d4 ( {Some would be tempted to play} 4. Nf3 {to keep the Queen out of h4 but Black could always go with} Be7 5. Bc4 Bh4+ {preventing castling anyway.}) 4... Qh4+ {White is not concerned about losing his castling rights. We're still in book and this is all part of the plan.} 5. Ke2 d6 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Bxf4 O-O-O 8. Ke3 { Returning the light-square Bishop his mobility and defending the dark-square Bishop. The King will play an active part in this game.} ({If} 8. Bg3 {then} Qf6 9. Nd5 Qe6 10. Kf2 Qxe4 11. c4 (11. Nc3 Qf5) (11. Ne3 Re8 12. Nxg4 Nf6 13. Kg1 (13. Nxf6 Qe3#) 13... Qxg4) 11... g6 12. Qd2 Bxf3 13. gxf3 Qxd4+ 14. Qxd4 Nxd4 15. Bh3+ f5 16. Rad1 Bg7 {with a commanding advantage for Black.}) 8... Qh5 9. Be2 Qa5 10. a3 {[%CAl Rb2b4]} Bxf3 11. Kxf3 Qh5+ 12. Ke3 Qh4 13. b4 g5 14. Bg3 Qh6 15. b5 Nce7 16. Rf1 Nf6 17. Kf2 { The King has completed his tasks in the center and will now retreat to safety.} Ng6 18. Kg1 { White will attack on the Queenside and Black will attack on the Kingside.} Qg7 19. Qd2 h6 20. a4 Rg8 21. b6 {White is the first to make contact with the enemy stronghold.} axb6 22. Rxf6 { White plays the exchange sacrifice to eliminate a key defender. Now his pieces can invade.} Qxf6 23. Bg4+ {Pushing the King back towards the corner where he will be the subject of a tremendous attack.} Kb8 24. Nd5 Qg7 25. a5 {Now it will be difficult to keep the pawn shell robust and intact.} f5 { He wants to block the c8-h3 diagonal but now # can be forced.} (25... bxa5 {is still winning for White but he has more work to do.}) 26. axb6 cxb6 (26... fxg4 27. Ra8+ Kxa8 28. Qa5+ Kb8 29. bxc7+ Qxc7 (29... Kc8 30. cxd8=Q#) 30. Qxc7+ Ka7 31. Qa5+ Kb8 32. Qxd8+ Ka7 33. Qb6+ Kb8 34. Qc7+ Ka7 35. Nb4 Ka8 36. d5 Ne5 37. Qd8+ Ka7 38. Bf2+ b6 39. Qxb6+ Ka8 40. Qa7#) 27. Nxb6 Ne7 {Trying desperately to get some defenders around his King} 28. exf5 Qf7 29. f6 Nc6 30. c4 {[%CAl Ra1a8]} Na7 ({If} 30... h5 {allowing} 31. Ra8+ {then} Kc7 32. Nd5+ Qxd5 33. cxd5 Rxa8 34. dxc6 bxc6 35. Bxh5 {with an overwhelming advantage for White. }) 31. Qa2 { begins the final assault:} Nb5 {White is now forcing material losses but he is eyeing a bigger prize.} 32. Nd5 {[%CAl Ra2a8]} Qxd5 33. cxd5 Nxd4 34. Qa7+ Kc7 35. Rc1+ Nc6 36. Rxc6# {} 1-0