April 02, 1911 Philadelphia Inquirer Chess and Checkers

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Chess and Checkers 02 Apr 1911, Sun The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) Newspapers.com

The following exceptionally fine game was played in the present Championship Tournament of the Franklin Chess Club, as well as for the George W. Childs Cup and Championship of Philadelphia. S. T. Sharp is the present City Champion, while S. Mlotkowski on February 22 captured the Championship of the State of Pennsylvania.

Sidney Thomas Sharp (white) vs. Stasch Mlotkowski (black)
Ruy Lopez: Berlin Defense, l'Hermet Variation, Berlin Wall Defense
Submitted to chessgames.com on 04/11/2025

Descriptive 1. P-K4 P-K4 2. N-KB3 N-QB3 3. B-N5 N-B3 4. O-O NxP 5. P-Q4 N-Q3 6. BxN QPxB 7. PxP N-B4 8. QxQch KxQ 9. R-Qch K-K 10. N-B3 P-KR3 11. P-QN3 B-K3 12. B-N2 R-KN 13. N-K2 P-KN4 14. KN-Q4 NxN 15. NxN R-N3 16. R-Q3 B-N2 17. QR-Q P-QR3 18. N-K2 B-N5 19. P-B3 B-B4 20. R-Q2 B-KB 21. P-KN4 B-K3 22. N-N3 B-K2 23. N-B5 R-Q 24. B-Q4 R-Q2 25. P-QB4 B-B 26. K-N2 R-N 27. N-N3 K-Q 28. N-K4 B-K2 29. B-B5 R-K 30. BxBch KxB 31. RxRch BxR 32. N-B6 R-Q 33. K-N3 B-K3 34. RxR KxR 35. P-B4 PxPch 36. KxP P-QN4 37. P-B5 P-QR4 38. K-K4 P-N5 39. P-KR3 P-R5 40. PxP BxP 41. K-Q4 B-K3 42. N-N8 P-B4 43. N-B6 P-B5 44. N-K4 K-B 45. N-B2 B-Q4 46. P-KR4 P-N6 47. K-B3 K-Q2 48. P-R5 K-K3 49. P-R5 B-B5 50. P-N5 PxP 51. P-KR6 K-B2 52. P-QR6 BxP 53. P-K6ch KxP 54. P-R7 K-Q4 55. P-R8(Q) KxP mates in two moves.

Algebraic 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5. d4 Nd6 6. Bxc6 dxc6 7. dxe5 Nf5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. Rd1+ Ke8 10. Nc3 h6 11. b3 Be6 12. Bb2 Rg8 13. Ne2 g5 14. Nd4 Nxd4 15. Nxd4 Rg6 16. Rd3 Bg7 17. Rd1 a6 18. Ne2 Bg4 19. f3 Bf5 20. Rd2 Bf8 21. g4 Be6 22. Ng3 Be7 23. Nf5 Rd8 24. Bd4 Rd7 25. c4 Bf8 26. Kg2 Rg8 27. Ng3 Kd8 28. Ne4 Be7 29. Bc5 Re8 30. Bxe7+ Kxe7 31. Rxd7+ Bxd7 32. Nf6 Rd8 33. Kg3 Be6 34. Rxd8 Kxd8 35. f4 gxf4+ 36. Kxf4 b5 37. c5 a5 38. Ke4 b4 39. h3 a4 40. bxa4 Bxa2 41. Kd4 Be6 42. Ng8 f5 43. Nf6 f4 44. Ne4 Kc8 45. Nf2 Bd5 46. h4 b3 47. Kc3 Kd7 48. h5 Ke6 49. a5 Bc4 50. g5 hxg5 51. h6 Kf7 52. a6 Bxa6 53. e6+ Kxe6 54. h7 Kd5 55. h8=Q Kxc5 56. Qd4+ Kb5 57. Qb4#

Notes by S. T. Sharp.
(a) 17. BxP; 18. NxBP BxPch; 19. KxB PxN; 20. B-K5 would lead to a draw from Bishops of opposite colors, though White would have the freer game to play.
(b) By 32. RxBch, followed by 33. N-B6ch, forcing the exchange of all the pieces White can easily force a win, as his four King side Pawns will break-through Black's three, while the other three hold Black's four on the Queen side. A position that Dr. Lasker has often demonstrated in the Ruy Lopez. The text move, however, holds the position.
(c) A mistake which enables Black to get two passed Pawns, the Knight having to return at once to B6.
(d) The only way to win by forcing the Rook's Pawn passed, as otherwise the Bishop would take care of both the passed King's and Knight's Pawns, while the King would stop the Queen Rook's Pawn. Black takes advantage of every opportunity in the ending to stave off defeat.