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la Bourdonnais - MacDonnell (# 2.)
This
is a simple, plain-old text-score page ... so if you want to follow
this game - you will definitely need a chess set.
(First posted, August; 2002.)
Louis
Charles de LaBourdonnais (2700) - Alexander MacDonnell (2650)
[C20]
Match, ENG. vs FRA;
Westminster C.C./London
(1st Match, Game # 15), 1834
[A.J.G.]
In my opinion, one of the best games that these two ever played. The great Frenchman attacks in a manner that would do credit to Paul Morphy or Mikhail Tal! A superb contest.
1.d4,
('!')
Unlike most of the players of his era, La Bourdonnais seemed to favor opening
with the Queen's Pawn.
[ Most players of that period seemed to greatly prefer to play:
1.e4,
{Diagram?} to begin a chess game. ].
1...d5;
As this was the "Classical Period," this was virtually the only
defence
to the QP. (The one that all the Masters of that era used.)
[ Many 'hyper-modern' openings begin with the move: 1...Nf6!?;
{D?}
but these variants were over 100
years away from being completely
mapped out ... or understood! ].
2.c4!,
The most energetic, a "Queen's Gambit"
is offered.
Black must either accept or decline.
[ White could also play: 2.Nf3,
{Diagram?}
leading to the Colle System.
(Or many
other openings.) ].
2...dxc4;
Black accepts.
But
it has been known for almost 200 years that Black cannot afford
to try and hold this pawn.
We
now have: "The
Queen's Gambit Accepted,"
or the Q.G.A.
[ The modern line of the Q.G.D. - ("The Queen's Gambit
Declined.")
runs something like: 2...e6;
3.Nc3 Nf6; 4.Bg5 Nbd7; 5.Nf3 c6;
6.e3 Be7;
7.Rc1, "+/=" {Diagram?} with a probably a small
advantage for White. ].
3.e3!?,
This is the older method of playing this line ... but while less sharp,
there is certainly nothing wrong with it.
[ The modern way of playing this line
is: 3.Nf3 Nf6; 4.e3 e6;
5.Bxc4
c5; 6.0-0, "+/=" {Diagram?}
again, with a small - but
secure - advantage for the first
player here.
***
White could also play: 3.e4!?, {Diagram?}
(Played in several
other of these match games
between these same two players.)
Strangely enough, this move was (later) condemned.
{By nearly everyone!}
("A beginner's move,"
wrote the Irishman, James Mason!)
But by the latter half of the 20th Century - - - this line was the
height of GM fashion/praxis.
And in a key game, White managed to generate a tremendous ...
(overwhelming) position in the
very modern game:
GM Etienne
Bacrot - GM Joel Lautier;
National Championship,
FRANCE; (rapid play-off); 2002.
White won a nice game in only
27 moves. (Click HERE!)
].
3...e5!; (nice)
Black vigorously attacks the center.
4.Bxc4,
White regains his Pawn.
[ Bad for White is: 4.dxe5?! Qxd1+;
5.Kxd1
Nc6; "=/+" {Diag?}
when Black is already a little
better. ].
4...exd4;
Black - since his KP is hanging anyway - decides to liquidate
in the center ...
and saddle White with an isolated Pawn.
[ 4...Nc6!? ].
For
the next few moves, both sides develop.
5.exd4 Nf6; 6.Nc3 Be7; 7.Nf3 0-0; 8.h3!,
White avoids the pin. As his d-pawn is weak (isolated); this is a very good
idea.
[ By allowing the moves: 8.0-0!? Bg4;
"=" {Diagram?}
Black has already (nearly) equalized.
].
8...c6!?;
Black feels compels to prevent White from playing the Pawn
advance,
d4-d5.
[ 8...Nc6!? ].
9.Be3
Bf5!?; (Maybe dubious?)
A developing move, but a very random one.
The
openings were not really worked out in those days, but if a modern
GM played such a move, we would have to label it a very inferior move!
('?!' or even '?')
[ Black's best try - in this position
- would seem to be:
9...b5!;
"~" (unclear) {Diagram?} with good play for Black.
Black could also play the line: 9...Qd6!?; 10.Ne5
Nbd7; "="
{Diagram?}
with the idea of 11.f4, Nb6;
followed by
...Nbd5;
equalizing completely. ].
10.g4!,
(Maybe - '!!')
A very powerful and energetic move by the great French player.
With
this sortie - and the play that follows it - White will have to forego
King-side castling.
[ 10.Ne5 ].
10...Bg6!?;
A logical looking move that is the first choice of many strong computer
programs.
It
was condemned by several pundits, yet after ...Bc8; I cannot help
but feel White has won a moral victory.
(The
computer - even today - sees almost no difference between
the move ...Bg6; and
...Bc8.)
[ After the continuation: 10...Bc8!?;
11.a4, "+/=" {Diagram?}
White is clearly a little
better.
(I won a nice training game
against Fritz 6.0 ... at a very
slow
time limit ... from this
position.) ].
Now
White grabs his outpost.
11.Ne5!,
The most aggressive move for White. (Fritz got this one right.)
One might normally expect White to try to castle as quickly as possible.
[ The continuation: 11.g5!? Ne4;
12.h4 Qa5; 13.Qb3 Nxc3;
14.bxc3
Be4; "~" {Diagram?}
is unclear ... or even
slightly favors Black. ("=/+") ].
11...Nbd7;
Black tries to get rid of the very annoying Knight on e5 - and no one
can blame him here!
[ Black could also try: 11...b5!?; "~" {Diagram?} with unclear play. ].
12.Nxg6!,
White dumps the light-squared Bishop ... and this is definitely the
most accurate move here.
(But
several annotators later condemned this exchange for swapping
an active Knight for a somewhat poorly placed Bishop.)
But
the whole point of this exchange is to change the Pawn structure,
... to allow White levers to open the position for an attack!
[ I might have expected: 12.f4!?,
"~" {Diagram?}
with interesting play.
Or even the move: 12.Qb3!?, "~"
{Diagram?}
hitting f7 and b7 and preparing
0-0-0.
Some players even suggest the move: 12.0-0!?,
"~" {Diagram?}
at this point. ( I would think about
Kf1 to g2.) ].
12...hxg6;
(completely forced)
Note that this is the ONLY way that Black can recapture here.
***
White
to move ... 13.h4!!,
{Diagram below.}
What!?!???
This
looks amateurish.
Has White forgotten he has to castle during the opening phase?
(White - very obviously - intends to attack!)
***
|
|
***
[ When the very strong program - Fritz 6.0
- first came out, I did
extensive testing vs. several famous
games of chess. That
particular program wanted to play the
continuation:
13.g5!? Nh7;
14.h4 Nb6; "~" {Diagram?}
when Black had very good play.
(Maybe "=/+")
(This was after nearly 45 minutes of
analysis time!) ].
The
next few moves are probably all best - for both sides.
13...Nb6; 14.Bb3 Nfd5; 15.h5!, (Maybe -
'!!')
White continues to seek open lines. The only problem is that now
is that White could be required to sacrifice several pawns.
[ The continuation: 15.g5!? Bb4;
16.Qd3 a5!; "=/+" {Diagram?}
probably favors Black. (By a
hair.) ].
The
next few moves are all forced.
15...Nxe3; 16.fxe3 Bh4+; 17.Kd2, ('!')
All part of the plan.
[ 17.Ke2?! gxh5; "=/+" ].
17...gxh5!?;
Black opens lines ... that lead to his ultimate defeat.
(The
computer also likes this move.)
[ Maybe Black should try to close lines by
playing:
>/= 17...g5!?;
'[]' ('!')
18.Qf3! c5!; "~" {Diagram?}
with an unclear
position.
(Black has good play here, and maybe close to
equality.
This appears to be a VERY large
improvement over the game!) ].
18.Qf3!,
White continues to play the most energetic moves.
(And the
first player is also completely disregarding the
material balance.)
[ The
computer chooses: 18.gxh5 c5; "=/+" {Diagram?}
which probably slightly favors
Black. ].
18...Bg5;
{Diagram below.}
Black appears to have defended well, and now threatens to capture
yet another pawn - and with a gain of time as well.
A
casual glance at this position is deceiving. Black is way ahead
in development, and White's King appears to be caught in the center
and in terrible trouble.
***
|
|
***
White to move. How do you play
here - in this position?
19.Raf1!!, (Maybe - '!!!')
This is brilliant.
White continues to ignore the pawn on h5. Not only
this, he drops another button
on d4 - WITH CHECK! And to top it
off, Black can probably swap Queens now.
So just what the HECK(!) was White thinking???
(White does threaten Bxf7+ now.
This is a powerful move for him,
if he can get it in.)
[ Fritz chooses: 19.Rxh5!?, "~"
{Diagram?}
which
appears to slightly favor Black ... but White does
have some attacking chances
down the open h-file.
("Compensation.")
].
19...Qxd4+;
{Box?}
While this move was categorized as bad by some pundits -
I think it is
virtually forced!
Certainly the alternatives are demonstrably worse!
[ The
continuation: 19...Qd7!?; ('?!')
20.Rxh5; {Diagram?}
gives White some attacking
chances down the h-file.
("Compensation"
for the slight material deficit.)
Just plain bad is: 19...a5?; 20.Bxf7+,
("+/-") {Diagram?}
which wins for White. ].
20.Kc2,
This
is forced ...
but White is quite happy - having castled by hand!
[ The
continuation: 20.Kc1? Qxe3+; 21.Kb1 Qxf3;
22.Rxf3
hxg4; "/+" {Diagram?} greatly
favors Black.
(Possibly "-/+") ].
20...Qf6;
Now down two
pawns, it seems White must avoid the exchange
of Queens.
White to move ...
what move would YOU make here, if you
were playing this position?
21.Rxh5!, (Probably - '!!') {Diagram.}
White does not seem to notice ... or care.
(That
Black might be able to exchange Queens ...
and kill the attack.)
[ With the
move: 21.Qe4!?;
{"comp"} (Maybe - '!') {Diag?}
White also retains some definite attacking
chances. ].
21...Qg6+?!;
(Maybe - '?')
According to the written accounts of this game, Black thought for
a very
long time here.
(This game was played BEFORE chess clocks were
widely used!!)
Black
thought that an exchange of Queen's would lead to an immediate
loss for him. (He might be right!).
If
Alexander MacDonnell had a weakness that I could see, it was his
desire to make complications and keep the Queens on at all costs.
(His level of defensive play was quite good for the era that he
played in!)
(Today
we would be forced to give MacDonnell's move one ...
or even two question marks!!)
[ Live or die - good or bad - Black had to play:
21...Qxf3[]; {D?}
This is virtually forced for
Black! 22.Rxf3 Be7!; {Diagram?}
The best move for
Black.
(Mac Donnell thought the move 22...Bh6?; was forced.
But then - of
course! - the move 23.g5, "+/-" {Diagram?}
wins very easily for White.)
23.Rhf5!, {Diagram?}
This triple-attack on f7, is actually much better than doubling on
the file! (I think everyone at that time was under the
{false}
impression that
White would mate by simply attacking down
the h-file.)
(Interesting was: 23.Rfh3!?, "+/=")
23...Kh7; (box) {Diagram?}
Sadly, this looks to be forced.
***
(The other moves here for Black are grossly inferior.)
a). 23...Bf6?;
24.g5 Bxc3; 25.bxc3 g6; {Box.} {Diag?}
Black cannot allow
White to play g6. 26.Bxf7+ Kh7;
27.Bxg6+!, "+/" {Diagram?}
just about wins for White.
b). 23...a5?;
24.Bxf7+ Rxf7[]; This is forced here.
(24...Kh7??; 25.Rh5#) 25.Rxf7 Bf6;
26.Rxb7, "+/-" {D?}
and White wins with no problems.
***
(We now return to the main analysis line that began with
the move,
21...Qxf3.)
24.Rxf7 Rxf7;
25.Rxf7 Re8; 26.Be6, "+/=" (Maybe "+/")
{D?}
and
White will probably win.
(But it is a much tougher defense than the actual
game!) ].
22.e4,
This is the simplest way to win, but Kc1!?
probably also works.
[ 22.Kc1!? ].
22...Nd5;
Now Black
realizes ... to his great horror ... that White threatens to
simply double, (or
even triple!); on the h-file ---> and mate will follow.
So Black begins to
play "give-away," in order to stop the impending
mate. (He must do
this or resign; or be mated.)
[ 22...Bh6?!; 23.g5, "+/-" ].
Now all White has to do ... is win a
won game.
23.Rfh1! Bh6; 24.g5! f5; 25.Nxd5,
White wishes to open the diagonal as quickly as possible.
[ Also winning for
White was: 25.exd5!? Kh7; 26.gxh6,
"+/-"
{Diagram?}
and White has won TWO pieces.
(This might
have been considered a breach of chivalry
in those days.
---> A crude material win.) ].
25...cxd5;
26.Bxd5+ Kh7;
According to the computer, this is Black's only move. (forced)
[ 26...Rf7?!; 27.gxh6, "+/-" ].
27.Rxh6+!
Qxh6;
MacDonnell thought this was forced.
[ If Black should play: 27...gxh6;
28.Rxh6+ Qxh6; 29.gxh6,
29...Rac8+; 30.Kb1
f4; 31.Be6!, "+/-" White has an easy time of it.
].
28.gxh6, ("+/-") Black Resigns.
[ White could also win with: 28.exf5!?
Rac8+; 29.Kb1 Rf6;
30.gxf6
gxf6; 31.Rxh6+ Kxh6; 32.Qg4, "+/-" {Diag}
etc. ].
White has a win on material ... AND his attack continues!!!
A
VERY BRILLIANT!!! game of the very highest level ...
a modern GM - with a computer! -
........
would be hard pressed to improve upon White's
play!!
A
game of the highest caliber ... which highlights la Bourdonnais's
skill
in this area. A display which shows great mastery, and yes! ...
Even chess artistry!
1 - 0
This is not the original copy of this game I had in my database - that document would have been too lengthy and cumbersome to publish as a web page. Instead, this is a special edition of that game I developed specifically for my web site. It actually turned out to be a little more lengthy than I originally intended, but surely these games deserve a second look.
***
Instead
of a bibliography, I will simply tell you I had many sources for annotating this game.
(Books, magazines, database, analysis.)
Click here to go
to (or go back to) back to the page,
"Annotated Games, #2."
Click here to
go to (or return to) my page on ...
"The Best Chess Matches of All Time."
Click here to go to my "Site Map."
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***
(Page last updated: Friday; October 4th, 2002.)
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby I
Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby, 1995 -
2008.
Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby, 2009. All rights reserved.
