Romantik chess

nice games

The first two games were fun. the theme I noticed was that black was forced to swap off his queen in the face of a check mate. Although the first one was my favourite because the force was so subtle that I would almost certainly have missed it in an actual game.

Wiliam Ewert Napier annotated this game in the Literary Digest, 12-5-1903.  He actually gave 11...Bg5 a "?"

Isidor Gunsberg, one of the strongest players in the world in his day,  also commented on Dadian's move 9. Nc3.

These things can be read HERE.

Perhaps 11..Bf5 was a gesture of sportsmanship (to allow Dadian to save face after Schiffers quit?). It doesn't seem to have any logic behind it without a natural follow-up like ..Bg6. And of course Re1+ was coming.

Your story on the Dadian-Schiffers game is very interesting.  I have to say, though, the 9. Nc3 piece sac does look awfully dubious.  Instead of 11...Bf5, getting the king to safety with 11...O-O seems more prudent.  From here, White can attempt to regain one of the sacrificed pieces with 12. Bg5, but I'm thinking one answer to that is to let him take it: 12...Bg4 13. Bxf6 (13. Qf4 Nbd7) Bxf3 14. Bxd8 Bxd4+ 15. Kh1 Bxg2+ 16. Kxg2 Rxd8.  The trades have wiped out White's initiative, and Black is still up a piece for a pawn.