English Chess Forum

The details in the report below differ from Tim Harding's more reliable biography of Blackburne which has the simul on Friday 15th August 1919 and only 23 games played. (The Scotsman 16-08-1919)

Blackburne had a less flashy win with 3. Nxf7 and 4. Qb8+

I wanted 3. Ne5-g6+ and Qh4# - but that's covered by a Bishop on e1.

So another great finish from The Black Death...

... but was it?



[Event "Simul (23)"] [Site "Hastings"] [Date "1919.08.15"] [Round "?"] [White "Blackburne, Joseph Henry"] [Black "N. N."] [Result "1-0"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "5rk1/1p1p1ppp/p7/qn2N3/1b1P1Q2/2N4P/PPP3P1/4R1K1 w - - 0 1"] 1. Nd5 Bxe1 2. Ne7+ Kh8 3. Qxf7 Qd8 4. Qg8+ Rxg8 5. Nf7# {Stratford Express - Saturday 30 August 1919 p.7} 1-0

I see what you mean. 3. .. Bf2+ looks like a win for Black. The idea being that the Black queen will eventually be able to take the knight on e5 with check and then Rxf7 leaves Black a rook up.

Yes, Bf2+ Kh2 Bg3+ Kxg3 Qe1+ and as Jon says White cannot avoid Qxe5+. Even Bf2+ Kxf2 Qd2+ Kf1 fails to Qf4+ Qxf4 Rxf4+. White can try Bf2+ Kxf2 Qd2+ Kf3 Nxd4+ Kg4 Qe2+ Kh4 when g5+ is the quickest Black win. Would have been funny if Blackburne's opponent had found Bf2+, especially given the less flashy and sounder win Gerard pointed out.

I like this line
3... Bf2+ 4. Kxf2 Qd2+ 5. Kf1 Qd1+ 6. Kf2 Qxd4+ 7. Kf1 Qc4+