Friday, February 13, 2009

Wildest!


Here's a Wild Muzio, presented in Edward Winter's 1996 Chess Explorations (source British Chess Magazine, September 1903, page 392):

Blackburne, J.H. - Amateur
simultaneous exhibition
Canterbury, 1903
(notes by Blackburne)

1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4

On this occasion, to follow the fashion, I offered the King's Gambit wherever I had the chance; and to my utter astonishment, nearly allwere accepted. 'That's the way to learn chess', said I.

3.Nf3 g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.Bxf7+

An almost obsolete variation. Some 40 years ago or more, I frequently played it, but came to the conclusion that it did not lead to such a lasting attack as the ordinary Muzio.

When I sacrificed the bishop, one of the lookers-on asked what Gambit I called that, pointing to the next board. 'That', I said, 'is the Bishop's Gambit, and this is the Archbishop's'. The Archbishop was present at the time.

5...Kxf7 6.Ne5+ Ke8

The only move. Any other loses immediately.

7.Qxg4 Qf6

The correct reply is 7...Nf6

8.d4 Bh6 9.0-0 Qg7 10.Qh5+ Ke7 11.Bxf4 Bxf4 12.Rxf4 Nf6 13.Qh4 d6 14.Nc3 c6 15.Raf1 Rf8 16.Nf7

16.Nxc6+ would equally have won, but I could not resist this; it is the sort of move sure to intimidate the ordinary amateur. Anyway it somewhat non-plussed my opponent, for he immediately exclaimed, 'What have you taken?'

16...Rxf7 17.e5 dxe5 18.dxe5 Nbd7 19.exf6+ Nxf6 20.Ne4 Be6 21.Nxf6 Kf8 22.Nxh7+ Kg8 23.Rxf7 Bxf7 24.Nf6+ Kf8 25.Qb4+

How's that, umpire?

graphic by Jeff Bucchino, Wizard of Draws

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