Bird in the selection of variations and examples from his own
practice, irrespective of his victory or defeat. But his chess
historical references are unreliable, and he often wrongly ascribes
the adoption of certain variations to different players in a manner
which could have been easily rectified by taking a little more
trouble. This is not unimportant, for the reputed strength of a
player is evidence of the strength of an opening he favours in
matches and tournaments. We can only adduce a few instances which
are more within the writer's personal knowledge.
The statement about 5. Q to K2, in the Buy Lopez, on page 16,
is much confused. The move was adopted by Mr. Blackburne in
the final tie match of the Vienna tournament, but it never occurred
in the first game of the Steinitz-Blackburne match, as Mr. Bird can
convince himself from his own book, where the latter game is
published in full on page 171. Steinitz is also erroneously credited
with strongly favouring the attack in the Scotch Gambit, for we do
not remember a single game on record in which he ever adopted that
form of opening as first player. On the other hand, a variation in
the Evans Gambit is ascribed to Zukertort, which actually occurred
first in a game between Steinitz and Blackburne, played in the
London Grand Tournament of 1872.
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