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Editor: Dr Tim Harding |
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Editor: Dr Tim Harding |
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© Dr Tim Harding
Last modified:
1 November 2026
Round 19 at Hastings was played on the 30th of August 1895 following a rest day.
It saw a new twist as Dr. Tarrasch scored his fourth win in succession, defeating the world champion Lasker who had been leading with three rounds to go. Chigorin, Pillsbury and Steinitz all won, and lower down the field Teichmann also won his fourth game in a row to put him in the running for a decent prize. Von Bardeleben, recovered from his illness, scored his first win since round 9.
This was a bad day for the English contingent as Bird, Blackburne, Burn, Gunsberg, Pollock and Tinsley were all defeated; only Mason won in this round.
Only one game in this round has a slight problem, but it is easily solved.
The score of this game in ChessBase Mega Database 2025 is as follows: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 7.Qg4 0–0 8.f4 f5 9.Qh3 a6 10.Nf3 c5 11.0–0–0 Nc6 12.Kb1 b5 13.dxc5 Nxc5 14.Nd4 Nxd4 15.Rxd4 b4 16.Nd1 Ne4 17.Qe3 Bd7 18.Bd3 Nc5 19.h3 Bb5 20.Bxb5 axb5 21.Rxb4 Rfb8 22.c3 Na6 23.Rd4 b4 24.Re1 Qc7 25.Re2 Qa5 26.b3 bxc3 27.Qxc3 Qb5 28.Qd3 Qa5 29.Qd2 Nb4 30.g4 Qc5 31.Qc3 Qb5 32.Rb2 Ra3 33.gxf5 Nxa2 34.Qd3 Rc8 35.Rc2 Rxb3+ 36.Nb2 Nc3+ 37.Kc1 Rxb2 38.Rxb2 Ne2+ 39.Kb1 Rc1+ 40.Ka2 Qa5+ 41.Qa3 Ra1+ 42.Kxa1 Qxa3+ 43.Kb1 Nxd4 0–1
The diagram shows the position after Black’s 31st move.
Here the official Cheshire tournament book (pages 290-291, with notes by Teichmann) had ambiguous “32 R to Kt2” which could mean either Rb2 or Rg2. The latter would not make much sense as Britbase points out. If you continue the game sequence as 32 Rg2 instead, then after 32…Ra3 33 gxf5 Nxa2 34 Qd3 Black’s 34…Rc8 would not threaten mate on c1 and White could simply win the queen by Qxb5.
Black's combination in this game was unsound. Instead of the losing 34 Qd3?? White could have taken the knight and won by 34 Rxa2 Rxb3+ 35 Qxb3! Qxb3+ 36 Rb2.
Conclusion: The move played must have been 32 Rb2 as Schallopp says; a diagram on page 392 in his book shows the rook on that square.
This series will continue soon with Round 20 and onwards...
Back to the index (introduction) page for the series.