White to Play

Pete Tamburro on Sep 1, 2025

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A startling brilliancy by Joseph Blackburne of England against Simon Lipschutz in the great New York tournament of 1889. Blackburne said that even world champ Steinitz’s reaction was priceless: “Steintiz bent his head over the board and would scarcely believe that a mating position had been created.

1.g6 h6 2.Rxg7+ Kxg7 2...Kh8 3.Qh4 Kxg7 4.Qe7+ R5f7 5.Nh5+ Kh8 6.g7+ Kh7 (6...Kg8 7.gxf8Q+ Kh7 8.Qexf7#) 7.Nf6+ Rxf6 8.g8Q# 3.Nh5+ Rxh5 4.Qc7+ Kf6 5.Qd6+ Kg7 6.Qe7+ Rf7 7.Qxf7+ Kh8 8.Qh7#

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