Lesson
White to move. Main line: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Nc3 d5 8. exd5 Nxd5 9. O-O Be6 10. Bg5 Be7 11. Bxd5 Bxd5 12. Nxd5 Qxd5 13. Bxe7 Nxe7 14. Re1 f6 15. Qe2 Qd7 16. Rac1 c6 17. d5 cxd5 18. Nd4 Kf7 19. Ne6 Rhc8 20. Qg4 g6 21. Ng5+ Ke8 22. Rxe7+ Kf8 23. Rf7+ Kg8 24. Rg7+ Kh8 25. Rxh7+
Steinitz builds pressure on the e-file before 22.Rxe7+. The rook cannot simply be taken: moving the queen or rook carelessly exposes Black’s king, and White’s pieces cooperate to keep every reply forcing.
The rook continues with Rf7+, Rg7+ and Rxh7+, chasing the king across the back rank. The published score ends after 25.Rxh7+ when von Bardeleben left the board; the forced continuation was traditionally demonstrated afterward.
The educational point is line control. A piece may appear capturable but be tactically immune because its defender is pinned to the king. Trace the e-file and seventh rank after every rook move to see why material counting alone misleads.