Yet another reconstruction challenge

[Gerard Killoran]

Here's a game played by Richard James' latest chess hero of the past.

How does a white pawn get to c4 on move 16?

Leeds Mercury Saturday, Mar. 27, 1880.png (577.99 KiB) Viewed 1568 times

[IM Jack Rudd]

OK, let's see what we have here. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Nxc6 Qf6 6.Qf3 Qxf3 7.gxf3 bxc6 is easy enough, and then we have to wonder what pieces white is sending to f4 and c4 on the next two moves.

[David McAlister]

Here's a game played by Richard James' latest chess hero of the past.
How does a white pawn get to c4 on move 16?

Here's my suggestion for move 16 and beyond.
[Event "Leeds Mercury Tourney"] [Site "?"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Bays junior, G.H."] [Black "Wallis, Edward"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C45"] [PlyCount "73"] [EventDate "2024.04.04"] [SourceDate "2024.04.04"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Nxc6 Qf6 6. Qf3 Qxf3 7. gxf3 bxc6 8. Bf4 d6 9. Bc4 Be6 10. Nd2 Ne7 11. Be3 Bb6 12. Rg1 Ng6 13. O-O-O O-O 14. Bb3 Bxb3 15. Nxb3 f5 16. c4 Bxe3+ 17. fxe3 Ne5 18. Nd2 f4 19. exf4 Rxf4 20. Rg3 Raf8 21. Rf1 h5 22. Kd1 h4 23. Rh3 d5 24. cxd5 R8f6 25. dxc6 Rg6 26. Ke2 Rxc6 27. Rg1 Nf7 28. Ke3 g5 29. b3 Re6 30. Nc4 Kf8 31. Rg4 Rxg4 32. fxg4 Nh6 33. Rf3+ Ke8 34. h3 Re7 35. Rf6 Rh7 36. Rg6 Nxg4+ 37. Kf3 0-1

[Gerard Killoran]

That's very convincing David, well done and thanks again.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Except that it is 1-0 not 0-1!

[David McAlister]

Except that it is 1-0 not 0-1!

Indeed. I did realise that but typed it in the wrong way round. A little tactic at the end by black but (as the original annotations in the source indicate) white wasn’t falling for it.
(Edit - now fixed)

[Richard James]

Many thanks to Gerard and David.

You can find the complete article on Edward Wallis, a story of chess, confectionery and pacifism, here.