The following game is from the final section of the London Chess Club Handicap Tournament. The only "odds" involved are that Zukertort had to play Black, but that was enough for De Vere to take down his famous opponent. Note the excellent concluding combination!
The Field
February 1874
White: Cecil De Vere
Black: Johannes Zukertort
Handicap Tournament (f) London, 1874
Annotated by Wilhelm Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.Qe2 b5 6.Bb3
6...Bb7
Preferable to 6...Bc5 at once, for in that case White would advantageously reply with 7.a4 and force open a file for the Queen's Rook, as Black would have nothing better than to protect the b-pawn by 7...Rb8, e.g. 7...b4 (instead of 7...Rb8)8.Bxf7+ Kxf7 9.Qc4+ recovering the piece with much the superior game.
7.d3 Bc5 8.Nc3 0-0 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4 Nd4
So far the play on both sides is identical with the opening moves adopted by Blackburne and Steinitz in the first game of the match for the final tie at the Vienna Tournament, in which Steinitz played 10...Be7 at this point. Herr Zukertort's deviation from this line of play certainly deserves consideration, although we do not approve of the way in which he continued it, as shown below.
11.Nxd4 exd4 12.Nb1 Be7
We believe that Black might have gained the advantage in position by playing 12...d5 at once, e.g. 13.e5 Qc8 14.Bxf6 gxf6
15.Qh5 (or 15.f4 Qf5 16.Rf1 Rae8 17.g4 Qg6 18.Nd2 fxe5 19.fxe5 Qg7 20.Nf3 Bd6 and Black wins a pawn with a fine game) 15...fxe5 16.Qxh6 Qf5 with much the better game.
13.0-0 d5 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.e5 Be7 16.f4 c5 17.a3
17...Qd7
Why not 17...c4 at once?
18.Nd2 Rae8 19.Qh5 f6 20.Nf3 fxe5
An error of judgment. There seems to have been no necessity for this exchange of pawns, which allows the hostile Knight to occupy a commanding position.
21.Nxe5 Qd6 22.Rae1 c4 23.dxc4 dxc4
24.Nxc4
This is one of those instances where not so much blame attaches to the loser as praise to the winner. The conception of this sacrifice is so beautiful the Herr Zukertort may be pardoned for not having seen it, while it reflects the highest credit upon Mr. De Vere's ingenuity.
24...bxc4 25.Bxc4+ Kh7 26.Re6 Qc5
27.Rxh6+, 1-0
Splendid. Black must take the Rook with the pawn 27...gxh6 and then White, by checking with the Bishop at d3 either forces the mate in two more moves or wins both Rooks.
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