Monday, May 10

Spielmann-Mieses match

Spielmann and Mieses are presently engaged in an 8-game match in Regensburg, having begun play on the 6th inst. The clash between two players of such lively style promises to produce games of more than usual interest. Reports available to us indicate that the first encounter, a Scotch Game with Mieses having the move, was drawn. In the second game, played on May 7th, Mieses scored the full point in fine style as follows:

Spielmann-Mieses, Match (2), Regensburg 1910 Sicilian Defense
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 e6 3. g3 d5 4. exd5 exd5 5. d4 cxd4 6. Qxd4 Nf6 7. Bg5 Be7 8. Bg2 Nc6 9. Qa4 O-O 10. Nge2 d4 11. O-O-O Bd7 (Apparently leaving the d-pawn to be taken. But Mieses, as ever, is full of invention.) 12. Nxd4 Na5 (diagram)
(Remarkably, this move seems to win the exchange. The White Queen has no safe square, and on 13.Ndb5, White must reckon with the consequences of 13...a6.) 13. Nf5 Bxa4 14. Rxd8 Bxd8 15. Nxa4 Ng4 16. Bd2 (16.Bf4 may have been better) 16...Nc4 17. Bb4 Nxf2 18. Rf1 (If 18.Bxf8 Bg5+ 19.Kb1 Nxh1 20.Bc5 - to prevent the Knight's escape - 20...Re8 wins) 18...Bg5+ 19. Kb1 Rfd8 20. b3 Nd2+ 21. Bxd2 Rxd2 22. Bxb7 Re8 23. Nc3 Re5 24. Nd4 Rxd4 25. Rxf2 Re1+ White resigns. 0-1. The dance of the pieces over the last dozen moves is exactly what one would expect from two masters of tactics. We look forward with interest to the remaining games.

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