The Modern Chess Instructor: 21st Century Edition

The Modern Chess Instructor: Parts I & II

by Wilhelm Steinitz (Author), Andy Soltis (Foreword)

  About the Author

Wilhelm Steinitz was the first world chess champion. His writings influenced virtually every great player.

• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches
• Language: English

• ISBN-10: 194127059X
• ISBN-13: 978-1941270592

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Russell Enterprises, Inc.; Reprint edition (May 23, 2017)

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The Brilliant Originality of Steinitz More than 125 years ago, one of the first great chess books appeared. 

TheModern Chess Instructor, Part I, written by then world champion Wilhelm Steinitz, was released in 1889.       It was his magnum opus, setting forth for the first time the principles of modern chess. It is no exaggeration to say that Steinitz’s writings have influenced every great player since.

As American grandmaster Andy Soltis notes in his foreword to this classic: 

The bulk of The Modern Chess Instructor is devoted to opening analysis and annotated games that illustrate the analysis. But it is filled with original Steinitz ideas. This may be why Bobby Fischer was his greatest 20th century fan. Fischer was always looking for forgotten opening moves. In MCI and Steinitz’s International Chess Magazine he found some that he later revived in tournaments, such as 9.Nh3 in the main line of the Two Knights Defense and 5.Qe2 in the Petroff (after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.d4 exd4 4.e5 Ne4).

Of course, the opening analysis of MCI is dated and the openings are out of fashion. But unpopular openings are not necessarily bad openings. Ask Magnus Carlsen. When he played 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0against Sergey Karjakin in the 2016 title match, it was the first time these moves had appeared in more than a century of world championship games. 

This 21st century edition has converted the archaic English descriptive notation to algebraic and reformatted the text so that it conforms to the expectations of the 21st century chessplayer. The Modern Chess Instructor’s rare second part, published in 1895, has also been added. 
The result is a genuine treasure trove of original ideas coupled with exposition of the foundation of modern chess theory. Every chessplayer will find The Modern Chess Instructor enjoyable and instructive, a journey back to the theoretical roots of modern chess.

Modern Chess Instructor (Steinitz)

'The Modern Chess Instructor: Parts I and II' by Wilhelm Steinitz. 21st Century Edition. Edited by Peter Kurzdorfer. Game 1 C Golmayo vs Steinitz, 1888 (C62) Ruy Lopez, Old Steinitz Defense, 27 moves, 0-1 Game 2 Ponce vs Steinitz, 1888 (C62) Ruy Lopez, Old Steinitz Defense, 26 moves, 0-1 Game 3 Anderssen vs B Suhle, 1859 (C62) Ruy Lopez, Old Steinitz Defense, 27 moves, 1-0 Game 4 Steinitz vs Zukertort, 1886 (C65) Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, 40 moves, 1-0 Game 5 Gunsberg vs E Schallopp, 1886 (C65) Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, 23 moves, 0-1 Game 6 Steinitz vs S Rosenthal, 1883 (C65) Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, 37 moves, 0-1 Game 7 Sellman vs Steinitz, 1885 (C70) Ruy Lopez, 36 moves, 0-1 Game 8 Chigorin vs Zukertort, 1883 (C67) Ruy Lopez, 29 moves, 0-1 Game 9 Anderssen vs Steinitz, 1873 (C77) Ruy Lopez, 45 moves, 0-1 Game 10 Anderssen vs Paulsen, 1862 (C65) Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, 29 moves, 1-0 Game 11 Anderssen vs Paulsen, 1877 (C70) Ruy Lopez, 31 moves, 1-0 Game 12 Blackburne vs Steinitz, 1882 (C70) Ruy Lopez, 27 moves, 1-0 Game 13 Blackburne vs Zukertort, 1878 (C77) Ruy Lopez, 31 moves, 0-1 Game 15 Mackenzie vs Winawer, 1878 (C77) Ruy Lopez, 38 moves, 1-0 Game 16 Winawer vs Zukertort, 1878 (C67) Ruy Lopez, 73 moves, 1/2-1/2 Game 18 Loewenthal vs Brien / Wormald, 1854 (C80) Ruy Lopez, Open, 23 moves, 1-0 Game 19 G Neumann vs Anderssen, 1864 (C65) Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, 18 moves, 0-1 Game 20 Steinitz vs Blackburne, 1876 (C77) Ruy Lopez, 34 moves, 1-0 Game 21 Winawer vs Zukertort, 1878 (C49) Four Knights, 45 moves, 1-0 Game 22 Zukertort vs Steinitz, 1886 (C49) Four Knights, 42 moves, 0-1 Game 23 M Judd vs Steinitz, 1888 (C49) Four Knights, 32 moves, 0-1 Game 24 Paulsen vs Morphy, 1857  (C48) Four Knights, 28 moves, 0-1 Game 25 Englisch vs S Rosenthal, 1883 (C49) Four Knights, 23 moves, 1-0 Game 26 S Rosenthal vs Steinitz, 1873 (C46) Three Knights, 38 moves, 0-1 Game 27 Blackburne vs Steinitz, 1883 (C46) Three Knights, 27 moves, 1-0 Game 28 Chigorin vs Schiffers, 1880 (C45) Scotch Game, 28 moves, 1-0 Game 29 Paulsen vs Anderssen, 1877 (C45) Scotch Game, 27 moves, 1-0 Game 31 Zukertort vs E Schallopp, 1877 (C45) Scotch Game, 34 moves, 1-0 Game 32 J Minchin vs W Wayte, 1866 (C45) Scotch Game, 17 moves, 0-1 Game 33 Mephisto vs NN, 1770 (C45) Scotch Game, 28 moves, 1-0 Game 34 P Bilguer vs Von Der Lasa, 1839 (C44) King's Pawn Game, 24 moves, 1-0 Game 35 Kolisch vs Harrwitz, 1860 (C45) Scotch Game, 39 moves, 1-0 Game 36 Paulsen vs Zukertort, 1882 (C47) Four Knights, 61 moves, 0-1 Game 37 Steinitz vs Zukertort, 1886 (C47) Four Knights, 46 moves, 0-1 Game 38 Staunton vs NN, 1841 (C44) King's Pawn Game, 34 moves, 1-0 Game 39 Allies vs Steinitz / Potter, 1873 (C45) Scotch Game, 49 moves, 1/2-1/2 Game 40 Anderssen vs NN, 1862 (C59) Two Knights, 28 moves, 1-0 Game 41 Dufresne vs Von Der Lasa, 1850 (C58) Two Knights, 20 moves, 1-0 Game 43 Hirschfeld vs Kolisch, 1864 (C59) Two Knights, 43 moves, 1-0 Game 44 Bird vs Chigorin, 1882 (C59) Two Knights, 33 moves, 0-1 Game 46 Morphy vs de Riviere, 1863 (C55) Two Knights Defense, 26 moves, 1-0 Game 48 W Potter vs J Mason, 1879 (C42) Petrov Defense, 24 moves, 1-0 Game 49 Mackenzie vs G Hammond, 1857 (C42) Petrov Defense, 22 moves, 1-0 Game 51 Morphy vs T Lichtenhein, 1857 (C42) Petrov Defense, 29 moves, 1-0 Game 53 Anderssen vs Kolisch, 1860 (C42) Petrov Defense, 46 moves, 1-0 Game 54 Morphy vs W Potier, 1858  (C42) Petrov Defense, 25 moves, 1-0 Game 55 NN vs Kieseritzky, 1846 (C42) Petrov Defense, 25 moves, 0-1 Game 56 Winawer vs Blackburne, 1882 (C42) Petrov Defense, 52 moves, 0-1 Game 57 Steinitz vs Rainer, 1885 (C41) Philidor Defense, 14 moves, 1-0 Game 58 L Goldsmith vs F K Esling, 1880 (C41) Philidor Defense, 17 moves, 1-0 Game 59 T W Barnes vs Morphy, 1858 (C41) Philidor Defense, 22 moves, 0-1 Game 60 Bird vs Morphy, 1858 (C41) Philidor Defense, 29 moves, 0-1 Game 61 Morphy vs Duke Karl / Count Isouard, 1858  (C41) Philidor Defense, 17 moves, 1-0 Game 62 Morphy vs Harrwitz, 1858 (C41) Philidor Defense, 35 moves, 1-0 Game 63 Morphy vs H Baucher, 1858  (C41) Philidor Defense, 29 moves, 1-0 Game 64 Chigorin vs Steinitz, 1889 (C52) Evans Gambit, 58 moves, 1-0 Game 65 Steinitz vs Chigorin, 1889 (D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 38 moves, 1-0 Game 66 Chigorin vs Steinitz, 1889 (C62) Ruy Lopez, Old Steinitz Defense, 83 moves, 1-0 Game 67 Steinitz vs Chigorin, 1889 (D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 22 moves, 1-0 Game 68 Chigorin vs Steinitz, 1889 (C52) Evans Gambit, 26 moves, 0-1 Game 69 Steinitz vs Chigorin, 1889 (D02) Queen's Pawn Game, 37 moves, 0-1 Game 70 Chigorin vs Steinitz, 1889 (C52) Evans Gambit, 34 moves, 1-0 Game 71 Steinitz vs Chigorin, 1889 (D46) Queen's Gambit Declined Semi-Slav, 38 moves, 1-0 Game 72 Chigorin vs Steinitz, 1889 (C52) Evans Gambit, 56 moves, 0-1 Game 73 Steinitz vs Chigorin, 1889 (D07) Queen's Gambit Declined, Chigorin Defense, 27 moves, 1-0 Game 74 Chigorin vs Steinitz, 1889 (C52) Evans Gambit, 31 moves, 1-0 Game 75 Steinitz vs Chigorin, 1889 (D07) Queen's Gambit Declined, Chigorin Defense, 61 moves, 1-0 Game 76 Chigorin vs Steinitz, 1889 (C52) Evans Gambit, 64 moves, 1-0 Game 77 Steinitz vs Chigorin, 1889 (D07) Queen's Gambit Declined, Chigorin Defense, 35 moves, 1-0 Game 78 Chigorin vs Steinitz, 1889 (C52) Evans Gambit, 36 moves, 0-1 Game 79 Steinitz vs Chigorin, 1889 (A04) Reti Opening, 52 moves, 1-0 Game 80 Chigorin vs Steinitz, 1889 (C52) Evans Gambit, 70 moves, 1/2-1/2 Game 81 Chigorin vs Steinitz, 1889 (C52) Evans Gambit, 26 moves, 1-0 Game 84 Harrwitz vs Anderssen, 1848 (C44) King's Pawn Game, 32 moves, 1-0 Game 85 Chigorin vs Bird, 1889 (C44) King's Pawn Game, 45 moves, 1-0 Game 86 G B Fraser vs Steinitz, 1867 (C60) Ruy Lopez, 25 moves, 0-1 Game 87 Chigorin vs Gunsberg, 1890 (C44) King's Pawn Game, 31 moves, 1-0 Game 88 Winawer vs Von Bardeleben, 1892 (C44) King's Pawn Game, 31 moves, 0-1 Game 89 Blackburne vs J Robey, 1862 (C44) King's Pawn Game, 36 moves, 0-1 Game 90 S Rosenthal vs Anderssen, 1870 (C44) King's Pawn Game, 33 moves, 0-1 Game 91 J Mason vs Gunsberg, 1889 (C50) Giuoco Piano, 29 moves, 0-1 Game 92 J Mason vs Winawer, 1882 (C50) Giuoco Piano, 56 moves, 1-0 Game 93 Lasker vs Steinitz, 1894 (C50) Giuoco Piano, 51 moves, 0-1 Game 94 Schiffers vs Harmonist, 1887 (C54) Giuoco Piano, 28 moves, 1-0 Game 95 Zukertort vs Anderssen, 1862 (C54) Giuoco Piano, 36 moves, 0-1 Game 96 Steinitz vs Liverpool, 1893 (C55) Two Knights Defense, 40 moves, 1/2-1/2 Game 98 F A Hoffmann vs A Petrov, 1844 (C53) Giuoco Piano, 20 moves, 0-1