The Irish Chess Union

[Event "Evans-McDonnell odds match ca. 1828"] [Site "London ENG"] [Date "1830.??.??"] [Round "1"] [White "McDonnell, Alexander"] [Black "Evans, William Davies"] [Result "0-1"] [Annotator "Harding, Tim"] [FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1"] [ICUid "32766"] { McDonnell gave Evans knight odds in a match of three games, probably played in the late 1820s or early 1830s at Lewis's house. Lewis did not give an exact date when sending them to Staunton in 1841: CPC, I, pages 129-130, 161-3, and 177-8. The games were reproduced in Walker's Chess Studies and so found their way into the Oxford Encyclopaedia of Chess Games, page 57. CPC said McDonnell moved first with the Black pieces in this game, but with the White pieces in the other two. It's unclear whether its comments are by Lewis or Staunton. } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 { A bold measure this of playing the gallant Captain's own game against him, and at such odds too! } 4... Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5 { CPC preferred 5...Ba5 when QN offered, to prevent 6 d4. } 6. O-O d6 7. d4 exd4 8. cxd4 Bb6 9. d5 Ne5 10. Nxe5 dxe5 11. Bb2 Qe7 12. Qd3 f6 13. Ba3 Bc5 14. Bb5+ $1 Kf8 15. Bb2 Bd7 16. Bc4 Nh6 17. Rac1 Nf7 18. Rc3 Bd6 19. Qg3 Ng5 20. Qd3 a6 21. Bc1 Nf7 22. Qb1 b5 23. Be2 g6 24. g3 Bh3 25. Rd1 Kg7 $2 { he should have retired the Q's B whch is now lost. } 26. g4 Ng5 27. Bxg5 fxg5 28. Rxh3 Raf8 29. Rc3 Bc5 30. Rf1 Rf6 31. Qc1 Bb6 32. Kg2 (32. Qxg5 $2 Rxf2 33. Qxe7+ Rf7+) 32... Rhf8 33. f3 h6 34. a4 b4 35. Rc2 a5 36. Qd2 Rd8 37. Rfc1 Qd7 38. Bb5 Qf7 39. Qe2 Rf8 40. Rf1 Bd4 41. Rc6 Rxc6 42. Bxc6 Qf4 43. Qb5 Bb6 { Diagram # } 44. Bd7 (44. d6 $145 $2 Qd2+ { and ...Qxd6 }) 44... Rf7 45. Be8 Re7 46. Rd1 Qf6 (46... Qe3 $145 $1) 47. Bc6 ( 47. d6 $145 $1 { should draw? }) 47... Rf7 48. Rf1 Rf8 49. Qe2 h5 50. gxh5 gxh5 51. Bd7 Qf4 52. Bf5 Qe3 53. Qb5 Rf7 54. Kh1 Qc5 55. Qe8 Qe7 56. Qc6 Rf6 57. Qc1 Rh6 58. Re1 g4 59. f4 exf4 60. Qxf4 Rd6 61. Be6 Rd8 62. Rf1 Rf8 63. Qe5+ Kh6 64. Rf5 Rxf5 65. exf5 Qg7 66. Qe1 Qc3 67. Qf1 Qf3+ $19 68. Qxf3 gxf3 { Diagram # } 69. d6 { To prevent the farther advcance of the Q Kt P. } 69... cxd6 70. f6 h4 71. f7 Kg7 72. h3 Bd8 73. Kg1 Be7 74. Kf2 Kf6 75. Bb3 Ke5 76. Kxf3 Kd4 77. Ke2 Kc3 78. Be6 b3 79. Kd1 Kb2 80. Kd2 Bf8 81. Kd3 Ka3 82. Kd2 Kxa4 83. Kc1 Kb4 84. Kb2 a4 85. Kb1 a3 86. Bd5 a2+ 87. Ka1 Bg7# { In giving such fearful odds as a Knight to Captain Evans, Mr. McDonnell had unquestionably overtasked his powers; but the games, abounding in situations of interest and instruction, are admirably conducted, and though he failed to attain the mastery, his reputation "moults no feather" by the attempt. } 0-1