Paulsen's Walk In The Park

by Milica Knezevic on January 17, 2022

The Game: L. Paulsen vs, G.H. Mackenzie, London, 1861



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Paulsen vs. Mackenzie
  • Notice the following in the game: Italian Game: Scotch Gambit. Max Lange Attack
  • Carefully walk through the moves, and understand the complexity and absolute beauty of the match.
  • Start by understanding the opening moves, and then work you way through the game.
  • The best way to truly enjoy a match is to try it for yourself, so feel free to think of a strategy that you would use against your potential opponent in a similar scenario.
  • What we ask of you as you analyze the game is ; place yourself on the side of the board that you feel comfortable with, Paulsen's or Mackenzie's and figure out your own play.
  • After you are done with let's say Paulsen try Mackenzie and see the mastery of both by the end.

Who Was Louis Paulsen

  • Louis Paulsen (15 January 1833 in Gut Nassengrund near Blomberg, Principality of Lippe – 18 August 1891) was a German chess player. In the 1860s and 1870s, he was among the top players in the world.
  • Paulsen was one of the first players to challenge the notion that an attack could be constructed out of brilliance. He put forward the idea that any brilliant attack would have failed against correct defense.
  • Paulsen pawns is a term coined by Nimzowitsch for a restricted pawn center with two pawns on squares d6 and e6 for Black or d3 and e3 for White, often coupled with an open c-file. This restricted center makes it difficult for the opponent to whip up a quick attack by advancing his center.
  • Paulsen pawns are the stalwart of the Paulsen Variation of the Sicilian Defense.

  • His ideas were grasped by Wilhelm Steinitz, who declared that attack and defence have equal status, and particularly by Aron Nimzowitsch, who listed Paulsen among his six greatest "purely defensive players".
  • Paul Morphy and Paulsen were early masters of the game and of blindfold chess; they were capable of playing 10 blindfold games at the same time without any major errors.
  • Interesting fact: The move 7.Bb5 in the Scotch Game is associated with Paulsen's name, as the Paulsen Attack: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Bc5 5.Be3 Qf6 6.c3 Nge7 7.Bb5.

Who Was George Henry Mackenzie

  • George Henry Mackenzie (24 March 1837, North Kessock, Scotland – 14 April 1891, New York City) was a Scottish-born American chess master.
  • Mackenzie was educated mainly in Aberdeen, at the Aberdeen Grammar School and the Marischal College, University of Aberdeen; but he studied in Rouen, France, and Stettin, Prussia, from 1853 to 1855.
  • He was commissioned into the 60th Foot as an ensign in 1856 when he was nineteen years old. Soon after, his regiment was sent to the Cape of Good Hope, and from there to India.

  • Mackenzie dominated American chess from the time he immigrated in 1863 until shortly before his death in 1891. During a 15-year period, from 1865 through 1880,
  • Mackenzie amassed a record of thirteen straight first-place finishes in tournaments, while winning six of seven matches, with only one drawn.
  • His successes in the U.S. included first place at Cleveland 1871, Chicago 1874, and New York 1880 (the second, third, and fifth American Chess Congresses, respectively). In 1878 Mackenzie began to receive invitations to play in the top international tournaments in Europe.

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1 comment
by Maxchess on May 24, 2022

Be6 is a blunder. Black should at least queen to queen to lessen the pressure

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