Alexander McDonnell vs Louis-Charles Mahé de La Bourdonnais, 1834: Masterpiece from the Maestro
In the history of superb attacking chess, before Paul Morphy, before Adolf Anderssen, there was La Bourdonnais, a French chess master.
La Bourdonnais played in a time before a World Chess Championship was established, but was considered to be perhaps the strongest player in the world from 1821 until his death in 1840, when he died penniless in London at the age of only 45.
As a boy, the great Romantic era master of attack Adolf Anderssen learned chess strategy from analyzing the games in the book Fifty Games between Labourdonnais and McDonnell. We will look at this memorable game from that collection.
(image credit: chess.com and wikimedia)
La Bourdonnais sets up a powerful mobile pawn center very much in the spirit of his predecessor François-André Danican Philidor, who once remarked that pawns were "the soul of chess."
As Jerry from the YouTube channel the ChessNetwork said, this is a chess game that would leave a lasting impression on chess enthusiasts world-wide. It's a game many would, without doubt, consider one of the world's greatest chess games ever.
It's an exceptional example of quality of material over quantity. As I discussed in my book, Learning Chess Middle-Game Attacking with the Classic Masters: Volume 1, Garry Kasparov, a big fan of this classic game, would trade material to gain time for an attack on the king or to gain valuable squares.
Or he would improve the quality of his position by making his pieces and pawns more effective, even if they were of lower material value than his opponent's higher value ineffective pieces, in a certain area of the board to win games.
Kasparov observed that this remarkable game remains forever the "French master's visiting card." The most-read blogger on chess.com, Sam Copeland, calls this game "the first chess masterpiece."
The finale of this game between McDonnell and La Bourdonnais played in London in 1834 may be likely be permanently etched in the memory of the chess viewer for its absolutely fantastic aesthetic appeal.
Here is the game for you to play through, followed by my analysis, annotations, and commentary.
- e4 c5
- Nf3 Nc6
- d4 cxd4
This opening is the Open Sicilian Defense. This game was one of the earliest in master chess to use the Sicilian, helping to establish its popularity.
- Nxd4 e5
- Nxc6 bxc6
Move 5, while seeming to be an OK move for white, establishes the theme for the rest of the game.
McDonnell swaps away his developed piece, rather than taking the time to retreat his knight to f3 or to move it to b5. This allows La Bourdonnais to regain control of the d5 square when Black retakes the knight with a pawn.
Nevertheless, Kasparov reminds us that in those days, chess masters aimed for rapid development and an attack, without paying too much attention to positional nuances such as a weak d5 square.
La Bourdonnais recaptures towards the center. After these exchanges, he has more center pawns to control the center squares of the chess board, following classic chess strategy (Philidor’s, as we discussed above).
La Bourdonnais does not play dxc6 because he would be giving up a center pawn, as well as leaving himself open to an exchange of queens that would prevent him from castling.
6. Bc4 Nf6
White develops his light-squared bishop, hitting the f7 square. Black threatens the white pawn at e4, with his knight at f6, so white pins the knight on his next move with his dark-squared bishop.
7. Bg5 Be7
White plans to exchange his dark-squared bishop for the black knight at f6. I think that if you want to be a good attacking player, you don’t want to give up your bishop pair unless you have to.
La Bourdonnais develops his dark-squared bishop, preparing to castle, as well as unpinning his knight on f6. He ensures that after the exchange on f6, white's bishop can be retaken with the black bishop on e7, and not with the black pawn on g7, which would weaken black's defensive kingside pawn structure for castling.
8. Qe2 d5
McDonnell defends his pawn at e4. A better move to defend this pawn would have been the natural development Nc3. Qe2 allows La Bourdonnais to advance to d5, a considerable strategic and positional goal for black in this position.
The d5 square is now only attacked twice by white, whereas it is defended three times by black.
La Bourdonnais aggressively thrusts at the center to seize the initiative.
9. Bxf6 Bxf6
Black dominates the center and has the bishop pair.
- Bb3 O-O
- O-O a5
La Bourdonnais threatens a4, trapping the white light-squared bishop. Also, he threatens Ba6, pinning the white queen at e2 against the white rook on f1 for a skewer for a potential exchange material advantage.
McDonnell responds by making further concessions in the center with the following pawn exchange to make room for his light-squared bishop to move. He’s already in a rather tough position.
- exd5 cxd5
- Rd1 d4
McDonnell puts pressure on the black d pawn with his rook at d1 on the semi-open file and the light-squared bishop at b3. La Bourdonnais pushes the d pawn to defend it.
- c4 Qb6
White prepares to move Bc2, to try to stop the black center pawns, and hit the square h7 in front of the black king.
He has a passed pawn now, which blocks the black light-squared bishop’s diagonal if it goes to h6, but his pieces appear hemmed in, not activated ─ the white light-squared bishop is blocked, as well. And the black d pawn turns into a protected passed pawn.
- Bc2 Bb7
White tries to set a trap. If black captures the white b pawn with his queen, then white wins that queen with the discovered attack Bxh7+.
Rather, La Bourdonnais points at the white king with his queen and the light-squared bishop, which is on a powerful diagonal, while connecting his rooks.
- Nd2 Rae8
White prepares for Ne4, while continuing to try to be tricky.
If black captures the b pawn with his queen at this point, then white can play Qd3, defending his light-squared bishop on c2 and forming a battery of bishop and queen to threaten Qxh7 checkmate. And then following up with Rb1, skewering the black queen to win the black light-squared bishop at b7.
As old McDonnell (whom I don’t think had a farm) attempts his tactical exercises, La Bourdonnais demonstrates his strategic creativity by supporting his d pawn with his rook from a8. His rooks will back up the black center pawns. The black rook at f8 will support the planned advancement of the black f pawn and defend the black back rank and the black king.
McDonnell was a master tactician, but so was La Bourdonnais. And La Bourdonnais’ strategic thinking, his planning ahead and positional strategy, was on a higher level.
- Ne4 Bd8
McDonnell scrambles to put his knight on a good square in the center, attacking the black dark-squared bishop.
La Bourdonnais retreats to preserve the bishop pair, and also prepares f5.
- c5 Qc6
White advances his passed pawn to attack the black queen. Black still can't grab the white pawn with Qxb2 as this loses the black queen to 19. Nf6+ gxf6 20. Bxh7+, again the discovered attack with check on the black queen. White would win the queen and a pawn for a knight and a bishop.
Rather, black’s queen move to set up his own battery of bishop and queen threatens f5, followed by Qxg2#, if the white knight on e4 moves off the diagonal.
- f3 Be7
McDonnell blocks the diagonal of La Bourdonnais’ bishop and queen battery. He plans Nd6, forking the black bishop and rook, and defending the e5 square.
But La Bourdonnais’ dark-squared bishop move discourages Nd6 and attacks the white pawn at c5.
- Rac1 f5
Black does not want to play Bxc5 to win the white c pawn because white can go 21. Nxc5 Qxc5 22. Bxh7 check ─ again, the discovered attack tactical motif with on the black queen, this time by the white rook at c1.
Instead, La Bourdonnais continues his plan of advancing his pawns in the center, allowing McDonnell to skewer the black queen and rook at e8 with the white light-squared bishop.
- Qc4+ Kh8
The white queen checks, seizing a good diagonal, and setting up white’s next move, the skewer, by being on a square that can defend the white light-squared bishop when it goes to a4.
- Ba4 Qh6
McDonnell gets his skewer, but the black queen scoots across to a good square, now having the option of going Qe3+.
- Bxe8 fxe4
La Bourdonnais does not automatically recapture the white light-squared bishop at e8 with his rook at f1. We begin to see his plan unfolding as he boldly takes the white knight at e4 to keep his center pawns strong and increase his attacking possibilities on the white king.
Perhaps McDonnell was planning to play Nd6 after La Bourdonnais recaptured the white light-squared bishop at e8 with the black rook at f1.
McDonnell wins the exchange of rook for a minor piece (bishop or knight). La Bourdonnais makes this material exchange sacrifice to improve the quality of his position.
This is in keeping with Kasparov’s concept of improving the quality of his position by making his pieces and pawns more effective, even if they were of lower material value than his opponent's higher value ineffective pieces, in a certain area of the board, as we mentioned above.
La Bourdonnais’ dynamic play in executing this concept is truly extraordinary. He unleashes a pawn tsunami that will sweep everything away before it, including at the end, the black king, had this turbulent pawn storm not been halted by the resigning of McDonnell, after possibly his tears swirled in the wind.
What makes this game all the more interesting is McDonnell seems to have winning opportunities in this game with his tactics, and even chances to defend himself from La Bourdonnais’ attack. So from this point on in the game, La Bourdonnais has to walk a tightrope, playing as accurately and precisely as possible, to pull this whole thing off.
To dive even deeper, let’s say McDonnell, in an effort to enhance his position, makes the in-between move of Nd6 before he accepts the exchange sacrifice with Bxe8.
GM Daniel King, Mr. Power Play Chess, provides the following very nice variation, with a killer attack for black, for which I added a conclusion, featuring the sacrifices of both a rook and a bishop: 23. Nd6 Bxd6 24. Bxe8 Bc7 25. c6 Bc8 26. Bd7 e4 27. g3 Bxg3 28. hxg3 Qe3+ 29. Kf1 Qxf3+ 30. Ke1 Qxg3+ 31. Ke2 Qe3+ 32. Kf1 Rf6 33. Qe2 Qh6 34. Bxc8 Qh1+ 35. Kf2 e3+ 36. Kg3 Rg6+ 37. Qg4 Rxg4#.
As it is, the actual game progressed:
- c6 exf3
White does not save his light-squared bishop at e8 by retreating it. Instead, he pushes his passed c pawn, which is defended three times. The white c pawn attacks the black light-squared bishop at b7, while blocking the bishop’s defense of the black pawn at f3 on the diagonal towards the white king.
What if white decides to save his light-squared bishop at e8 with Ba4? Black can start an attack on the king with Qe3+. The sequence could play out like this: 24. Ba4 Qe3+ 25. Kh1 exf3 26. gxf3 Bxf3#. Wow.
But of course, in the actual game, white continues with c6. In response, black does not save his bishop at b7 or capture the white bishop at e8, but in a sharp, remarkable attacking move, takes the white f pawn to open things up in front of the white king.
- Rc2 Qe3+
McDonnell defends his g pawn. If he takes the black pawn at f3, La Bourdonnais could swiftly finish the game as follows: 25. gxf3 Qe3+ 26. Kh1 Qxf3+ 27. Kg1 Rf5 28. cxb7 Rg5#.
If McDonnell decides to take the black bishop at b7 at move 25, he could be checkmated in six moves (25. cxb7 Qe3+ 26. Kh1 fxg2+ 27. Kxg2 Rf2+ 28. Kg1 Rxb2+ 29. Kh1 Qf3+ 30. Kg1 Qg2#).
Or another sequence where McDonnell takes the black bishop at b7 could go like so: 25. cxb7 Qe3+ 26. Kh1 fxg2+ 27. Kxg2 Rf2+ 28. Kh1 Qf3+ 29. Kg1 Qg2#.
As it was, the game continued:
- Kh1 Bc8
Kasparov points out here that the white king retreats into the corner, but is now powerless in the face of either of the pawn advances to d3 or f2.
Crucially, McDonnell does not follow up his Rc2 defensive move with Rf2 to block the check by the black queen, which is understandable, because he does not want to have his rook moved to RF2 to be pinned by the black queen.
La Bourdonnais finally takes the time to move his light-squared bishop out of harm’s way, switching the diagonal of this bishop to go to either Bf5 or Bg4 to join in the attack on the white king.
- Bd7 f2
White saves his light-squared bishop from being taken by the black rook and attacks the black light-squared bishop, blocking its diagonal again.
Black pushes one of his three passed pawns to only one rank away from promotion, threatening Qe1+.
If white next plays 28. c7 for example, ignoring the threat, black could conclude the game like this: 28. c7 Qe1+ 29. Rxe1 fxe1=Q+ 30. Qf1 Qxf1#.
If white interposes the queen instead, with 29. Qf1 in this variation, then the game could finish like so: 28. c7 Qe1+ 29. Qf1 Qxd1 30. Qxd1 f1=Q+ 31. Qxf1 Rxf1#.
Or similarly, suppose white plays 28. Bxc8, then the black could end the game like this: 28. Bxc8 Qe1+ 29. Qf1 Qxd1 30. Qxd1 f1=Q+ 31. Qxf1 Rxe1#.
The actual game proceeded:
- Rf1 d3
McDonnell blocks the black f pawn, while defending against Qe1+. But the black pawns roll on, as the black d pawn attacks the white rook and cuts off the defense of the white rook at f1 by the white queen.
- Rc3 Bxd7
White attacks the black d pawn with his rook a second time, along with the white queen, and pins the black pawn from moving without exposing the black queen to attack from the white rook at c3. Black ignores the threat and exchanges light-squared bishops.
- cxd7 e4
Black defends his d pawn. As we can see, black has triple passed pawns.
- Qc8 Bd8
After the exchange of the light-squared bishops, white dreams of making a comeback with his own passed pawn at d7 and supporting white queen and rook. If black captures the white queen with Rxc8, he can recapture and promote the white pawn for checkmate (31. Qc8 Rxc8 32. dxc8=Q+ Bf8 33. Qxf8#).
However, the black dark-squared bishop adequately defends black’s back rank, blocking white’s passed d pawn and preventing white from playing Qxf8+, followed by d8=Q.
- Qc4 Qe1
The perhaps frustrated white queen appears useless.
La Bourdonnais is ready to launch the decisive attack. The black queen cannot be taken by the white rook at f1 without the recapture by the black f pawn, promoting for checkmate (33. Rxe1 fxe1Q#).
As it is, the game resumed:
- Rc1 d2
McDonnell desperately tries to cover his back rank, moving his rook to c1 to defend his other rook at f1 to prevent it from being captured by the black queen (Qxf1 checkmate). Now both white rooks attack the black queen.
Undaunted, La Bourdonnais pushes his d passer to threaten the white rook at c1 and to defend his queen a second time, which cannot be taken by either of the two white rooks without recapture by one of the black pawns promoting to achieve a winning position for black.
Here is one possible sequence: 34. Rcxe1 fxe1=Q 35. h3 Rxf1+ 36. Qxf1 Qxf1+ 37. Kh2 Bc7+ 38. g3 Qe2+ 39. Kg1 d1=Q#.
But the game continued as follows:
- Qc5 Rg8
White threatens checkmate in one, but the threat can easily be defended by the black rook stepping to the side off the white queen’s diagonal.
The white queen is also attacking the black passed pawn on f2, but that doesn’t do him any good. (35. Qxf2 Qxf2 36. Rxf2 dxc1=Q+ 37. Rf1 Qxf1#).
The black bishop and rook can just hang back for defense ─ the three advanced black pawns and the black queen are enough to win the game for black. In this position, the black queen and three pawns are more powerful than the white queen, the white rooks and the white passed d pawn.
The game goes on:
- Rd1 e3
The white rook at d1 attacks the black d passed pawn, and the rooks are blockading the d and f passed black pawns.
So the black e pawn steps up to guard the d pawn and the black f pawn.
McDonnell may be experiencing a feeling of helplessness at this point. Maybe he wants to stand up, walk out the door and go to bed, so he can try again on another day.
Let’s say that he had attempted to still take the black queen with one of his white rooks. Here is another variation: 35. Rfxe1 fxe1=Q+ 36. Rxe1 dxe1=Q+ 37. Qg1 Qxg1+ 38. Kxg1 Rf8 39. h4 e3 40. Kh2 e2 41. Kh3 e1=Q 42. g3 Qf1+ 43. Kg4 Qf5#.
36. Qc3 Qxd1
McDonnell appears to try to hit the e1 square with his queen in order to capture the black queen with one of his rooks.
La Bourdonnais cannot take the white rook at f1 for check with his black queen without being recaptured by the other white rook at d1, so he takes that rook, sacrificing queen for rook, to set up an amazing conclusion, a most aesthetic finish.
- Rxd1 e2
Attacking the white rook at d1. Three black passed pawns on the second rank! McDonnell resigns. Surely he cannot take this onslaught of unstoppable pawns any longer. I am clapping my hands together right now. How can you not do the same? Here is the final position:
How could La Bourdonnais take this position all the way to checkmate? It shouldn’t take too long. This is one way: 38. h4 exd1=Q+ 39. Kh2 f1=Q 40. Kh3 Qh1+ 41. Kg3 Qxh4#.
As Damenlaeuferbauer kibitzed on chessgames.com: The first immortal game in the history of chess. The modern dynamic of black's play is astonishing.
La Bourdonnais’ rolling pawns coming down the chess board were smooth like butter, discuss among yourselves.
The above is an excerpt from my upcoming second chess book Learning Chess Middle-Game Attacking Chess with the Classic Masters, Volume 2.
