White to Play

Pete Tamburro on Apr 27, 2026

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Number 17 in our series of instructional games. Steiinitz - Rock Remove White's R on a1 London, 1863 In our last instructional game, number 16 (see archive below), we saw how necessary getting d5 in was. Today, we see how important it was to NOT play d5. It's part of what makes chess interesting. The other lesson today is how the world champion wins with a brilliant attack even though he started out the game without his rook on a1 because his opponent was very weak.1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 exd4 7.0–0 Nf6 8.Ba3 Bb6 (Black would be fine after 8...d6 9.e5 Nxe5 (or even 9...dxe5 10.Qb3 Qd7) 10.Nxe5 0–0)9.Qb3 d5?? (It was so necessary to block that white (bishop diagonal from a3 to f8. 9...d6)10.exd5 Na5 11.Re1+ Also good was 11.Bb5+ c6 12.dxc6 Nxb3 13.cxb7+ Qd7 14.bxa8Q Qxb5 15.Qxc8+ Bd8 16.Re1+ Ne4 17.Rxe4+ Qe5 18.Rxe5#)11...Be6 (SEE DIAGRAM) With the attack on the White queen, Black figures he can do this, then move the queen up to d7 and castle queenside. The world champ has a counterplan. What does he play here?)

12.dxe6 Nxb3 13.exf7+ Kd7 14.Be6+ Kc6 15.Ne5+ Kb5 16.Bc4+ Ka5 17.Bb4+ Ka4 18.axb3 Mate

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.