from Tschigorin's column in Novoe Vremya June 20 (July 3), 1902

Prince Dadian of Mingrelia - F. Duz-Chotimirsky

In the journal La Strategie there is found a game played recently in Kiev that is not without interest, but the commentary on it is rather weak. Believing that our annotations to the opening moves may prove themselves useful to many, especially fledgling amateurs, we do not consider it superfluous to acquaint them with this game.

1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 g5 4. Bc4 g4 5. O-O gxf3 6. Qxf3 Qf6 7. Nc3

In our opinion White sacrifices the Bishop c4 utterly to no purpose. With two superfluous pieces the defense for Black is simple and easy. Greater difficulties for the defense would come about with the move 7. b3 inviting Black to take the Rook. White then threatens 8. Bb2 Qxb2 9. Nc3. In this case Black's Queen would be locked in for a long time.

Qd4+ 8. Kh1 Qxc4 9. d3

According to the journal Prince Dadian of Mingrelia attributes this move to Boden and MacDonnell. Cordel in his Fuhrer durch die Schachtheorie recommends this attack, which the Prince has often employed with success. It is possible to achieve success in practice only when the opponents conduct the defense very weakly.

Qe6 10. Bxf4 Na6

The natural move is 10. ...d6. Black manages to defend the pawn at c7 with the Knight at a6, while White will attack it with the Knight on d5 or b5.

11. d4 Bg7

Also now 11. ...d6 would repel White's attack. There also would have appeared the possibility of exchanging Queens by playing ...Qg4.

12. d5 Qg6 13. d6 Bxc3

Black, by exchanging the Bishop for the Knight, commits a "crime"... It was possible to take the Pawn and on 14. Bxd6 reply 14. ...Ne7.

14. Qxc3 f6 15. e5 b6 16. exf6 Bb7 17. f7+

"After this move", observes the journal, "White wins in all of the variations". Quite true. But not with the reply of White which was given, probably due to a misprint, in La Strategie. Playing 17. Rae1+ followed by Bg3 threatening f7 or Re7+ (depending on where Black retreats the King). White would also have won the game.

Kxf7 18. Bg5+

La Strategie printed, certainly by mistake, 18. Bg3.

Ke8 19. Rae1+ Be4 20. Qxh8

In this position it was possible to play also 20.Qf3 threatening mate or 21. Qe5 Qe6 22. Qxe4 Rc8 23. Qf5. Black cannot defend himself from mate, threatened in 2-3 moves.

black resigns.

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