Dadian of Mingrelia, Prince    --    Solovtsov, Alexander V

Saint Petersburg, Russia 1885

(Notes by Wilhelm Steinitz)

 The following instructive game was recently played, at St. Petersburg, between Prince Dadian of Mingrelia
and Mr. Solovtzov (Alexander Vladimirovich Solovtsov), two of the strongest Russian amateurs.

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.O-O Bb6

The Prince of Mingrelia informs us that in reply to the usual defense recommended here, viz., 6...Nf6 , he intended the following new continuation: 7.d4 O-O 8.dxe5 Nxe4 9.Qd5 Nxc3 10.Qd3 Our correspondent does not proceed further with this variation which we have never seen analyzed. We must confess that we fail to understand how White will make the attack pay for the two pawns lost, if Black simply plays 10...Nxb1 11.Ng5 If, however, 11.Rxb1 d6 12.Ba3 Re8 and White (sic Black) ought to keep at least one pawn ahead. 11...g6 12.Qh3 h5

 

 

7.d4 exd4 8.cxd4 d6 9.Nc3 Na5 10.Bg5 f6 11.Bf4 Nxc4 12.Qa4+ Qd7 13. Qxc4 Qf7 14.Nd5 Be6 15.Qa4+ Bd7

If 15...Qd7 there may follow: 16.Nxb6 cxb6 17.Qxd7+ Kxd7 18.d5 Bg4 19.Nd4 and if Black now play 19...a6 in order to prevent the entrance of the knight at Kt5 threatening Kt x P, then White will nevertheless recover his Pawn with a good game by 20.f3 followed by Nf5 or even Ne6

 

 

 

 

16.Qc2

 So far the game has followed the track of one played between Tschigorin and Steinitz in the London tournament of 1883. The former, however, played 16.Qa3 at this point. 

16...Bc6 17.Nxb6 axb6 18.a4 Qd7

This hampers Black's game for a long time. 18...Rc8 was the proper move.  If, however, 18...Ra5 19.d5  Rc5 20.dxc6 Rxc2 21.cxb7 and wins

 

 

 

 

 

19.Rfc1

An excellent rejoinder which gives White a powerful attack.

19...Kd8

Black has an uncomfortable game, but under the circumstances his best defense was as follows:

19...Ne7 20.d5 Bxa4 21.Qxc7 Kf7 , etc

20.a5

Well played. It was worth a Pawn to black the adverse Rook or to get rid of it by exchanging

20...Rxa5

If 20...bxa5 : the game might have continued thus: 21.d5 Bb5 22.Nd4 Rc8 23.Rxa5 Ba6 24.Ne6+ Ke8 25.Qxc7 Rxc7 26.Rxc7 , with even pawns and an excellent game.

21.Rxa5 bxa5 22.d5 Ba4 23.Qc3 Ne7 24.Nd4 Ng6

With two pawns ahead, Black has very little choice of defensive measures. Had he advanced the QBP, the game might have have gone on thus:

24...c5 25.Ne6+ Ke8 26.Nxg7+ Kf7 27.Nh5 Ng8 28.Qxa5 , etc

 

 

 

 

25.Bg3

White plays a sound and steady game. His position keeps and he wisely reserves the check with the Knight, leaving himself the option to break in on either side.

25...Nf8

If 25...b6 26.Qxc7+ Qxc7 27.Ne6+ Ke7 28.Rxc7+ Bd7 29.Nxg7 Rc8 30.Nf5+ Kd8 31.Rxc8+ Bxc8 32.Nxd6 , with a pawn ahead.

26.Qxa5 b6 27.Qa8+ Ke7 28.Qb8

With this aggressive move White's attack, which has been prepared for a long time in a solid manner, is bought to a successful crisis. See diagram.

 

 

 

 

 

28...Ng6 29.Qxc7 Qxc7 30.Rxc7+ Bd7 31.Nc6+ Ke8 32.Bxd6

 

 

 

 

 

 

And after a few more moves, Black resigned.

 

 

 

     1-0

 

Source: International Chess Magazine August, 1885; Vol. 1, page 249

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