Showalter - Pillsbury, New York 1897

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 {This 'Berlin Knight' is very enterprising.} 5. d4 {This advance is more energetic than 5 Re1 or 5 Qe2.} 5... Nd6 {There is too much risk attached to 5...exd4 (because of 6 Re1), whilst 5...a6 means loss of time (6 Bxc6 dxc6 7 Re1 etc.). The most solid continuation is 5....Be7.} 6. Ba4 {An original retreat, The classical continuation is Bxc6, whilst the modern line is 6.dxe5 Nxb5 7.a4 and White recovers his piece. (the Magdeburg Attack).} 6... exd4 {Intent on gain. The more solid line is 6....e4 7 Re1 Be7 8 Ne5 0-0 with equality.} 7. c3 {In 'gambit style'.} 7... dxc3 {Even after the more prudent 7....Be7 8 cxd4 etc, White's pressure more than makes up for the missing pawn.} 8. Nxc3 Be7 9. Nd5 O-O 10. Re1 Bf6 11. Bf4 {A direct threat 12 Nxc7 Qxc7 and Bxd6.} 11... Ne8 {A crucial moment. If left alone, Black will consolidate his position (12..d6), but the attacker will not remain idle.} 12. Rxe8 {An eliminating sacrifice.} 12... Qxe8 {Or 12....Rxe8 13 Bxc7, trying to 'mate the Queen. But White now regains with heavy interest the material engaged in this encounter.} 13. Nxc7 Qe4 14. Bd6 {All goes well with White: now both adverse Rooks are attacked and the Black QP remains blockaded.} 14... Rb8 15. Bc2 Qg4 16. Bxf8 Kxf8 17. Qd6+ {The final assault.} 17... Be7 18. Re1 {An episode of great beauty (18...Bxd6 19 Re1 mate).} 18... g6 {A necessary if undesirable measure.} 19. Qd2 Qh5 20. Nd5 Bd8 {If, trying to evade the threat 21 Nxe7 Nxe7 22 Qd6. Black plays 20...Bd6, the same reply by 21 Qc3 settles matters.} 21. Qc3 f6 22. Nxf6 Ba5 23. Nxd7+ {Black resigned. The finish is....} 23... Bxd7 24. Qf6+ Kg8 25. Bb3+ {mate in a few.}

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Ba4 e4 7. Re1 Be7 8. Ne5 O-O 9. Nc3 Bf6 10. Bf4 Nf5 11. Rxe4 {A blunder? I'm not sure, did Showalter miss...} 11... Nfxd4 {And White cannot get two developed Knights for the Rook with 12.Rxd4 Nxd4 13.Qxd4 because of 13... d6!. But after...} 12. Ng4 Ne6 13. Nxf6+ Qxf6 14. Nd5 Qd8 {I would have gone here as White and felt very good about it.} 15. Qh5 d6 16. Bd2 Ne5 17. Rh4 {White's fine here. } 17... h6 {And White now sacs with 18.Bxh6. Black cannot take it (yet). Black has a whole set of only moves to find. Not beyond Pillsbury but how times a week do I play anyone in Pillsbury's class.} 18. f4 {The chance has gone. Of course White looked at 18.Bxh6 but this too looks OK.} 18... Ng6 19. Rg4 Nd4 20. f5 Nxf5 21. Rf1 {Again a me move. That is every bit in play. I would not believe OTB that White could not crash through here. I'll pick him off when he drops in his slack move.} 21... c6 22. Nc3 {That would have been played through gritted teeth.} 22... Qb6+ {A fine move with an instructive defensive idea.} 23. Kh1 Qc5 {Tricky Harry. The threat is Ng3+ winning the White Queen and 0-1.} 24. Qh3 {Another backward move. The White army is in retreat (and the annotator of this game has swapped sides.)} 24... Nfe7 {Exposing the pin on the g4 Rook.} 25. Ne4 {A fighting attempt to made it murky.} 25... Bxg4 26. Qxg4 f5 27. Bb3+ Kh8 28. Qxg6 fxe4 {End of murkiness. The White King and Queen both hang. 0-1.}