Blackburne - Fish

by Srinivas Reddy
(Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh, India)

Joseph Henry Blackburne

This game is a masterpiece chess game played by Joseph Henry Blackburne and J Fish in year 1879, in London.

White-Joseph Henry Blackburne
Black-J Fish
Year-1879
Venue-London

The game is as follows:

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. exd5 exd5

This is a classic opening. The two sides move their pawns in a similar fashion. And Henry with White is first to attack.

5.Nf3 Bd6 6.Bd3 O-O 7.O-O Nc6 8.Bg5 Bg4 9.Kh1 Be7

White advances his minor pieces and seems to be with a good understanding of whats happening. Black also moves some of his pieces to answer White strongly. Black castles and secures his king. White also castles, seems like Blackburne had some plan in mind. After castling, the positions of the pieces of both sides are
changing rapidly. Both try to attack the other's Knight. Black tries to defend his Knight with Bishop.

10.Ne2 Bxf3 11.gxf3 Nb4 12.Ng3 Nxd3 13.Qxd3 g6

Some interesting things are going to happen now.
Black advances his pieces towards White attacking White's Knight and Bishop one after the other. White has no option but to keep changing his Knight's position and also advancing his Queen towards front this time.

14.Rg1 Kh8 15.Rae1 Rg8 16.Rxe7 Qxe7 17.Qe3 Qd6

(If 17...Qxe3? then 18.Bxf6+ and White wins a rook with 18...Rg7 19.Bxg7+ Kxg7 20.fxe3)

It seems White is first in securing his King towards a corner. Although, Black does the same. It can be said without a doubt White is a step ahead and also sacrifices his rook for some unhatched plan. Black looks like has had taken the bait.

18.Bf4 Qc6 19.Be5 Rae8 20.Qf4 Re6

White looks so determined to attack the King, after he finds Black's most vulnerable position which would make him perish. Black is looking to desperately protect his King, which would prove in vain afterwards.

21.c4

This wins the exchange back at least.

Rd8 22.cxd5 Rxd5 23.Rc1 Qb6

Blackburne's White side is slowly heading towards a win. White is slowly advancing his pawns and also Rook to win a strategicly dominant position.
Black Queen looks like it has nothing to do.

24.Ne4 Kg7 25.Rxc7 Rexe5 26.dxe5 Nxe4

Black King has nothing to do. Black King is trying to squeeze himself to the little space left behind. But White's pieces are fast approaching. Black has nothing to do, but to delay his defeat by assaulting White's pieces. But it had little impact on Blackburne.

27.Qxf7+ Kh6 28.Qf8+ Kg5 29.h4+

White lays his final blow on Fish's king and Black had nothing to do, but to accept the defeat. Play through the moves of this astonishing win by Blackburne against Fish.