Why Not?

My second chessbase DVD was recently published. It is about the Sicilian Kalashnikov, and starts with the following masterpiece:
McDonnell,Alexander - De Labourdonnais,Louis Charles Mahe [B32]
London m4 London (16), 1834
[Bojkov,Dejan]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5


One of the first time that this line was played. Black seizes the center immediately. 5.Nxc6?! bxc6 6.Bc4 Nf6 [6...Ba6! 7.Bxa6 Qa5+ 8.Bd2 Qxa6і Harvits-Berd, London 1851.] 7.Bg5 [7.0–0 d5 8.exd5 cxd5 9.Bb5+ Bd7 10.Bxd7+ Qxd7 11.Re1 Bd6 12.Nc3 e4 13.Bg5 Ng4 14.Qxd5 Bxh2+ 15.Kh1 Qxd5 16.Nxd5 Morphy-Levental, London 1858] 7...Be7 8.Qe2 [8.Nc3 which controls the center was suggested by Mikhail Chigorin later.] 8...d5 [Better was 8...0–0 Sveshnikov] 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Bb3 0–0 11.0–0 a5


The outcome of the opening is a huge success for Black. He owes all the gold nuggets-the center, and the bishop pair. 12.exd5 cxd5 13.Rd1 d4 14.c4 [14.Nd2 is more to the point] 14...Qb6 15.Bc2 Bb7 [15...Qxb2?? 16.Bxh7+] 16.Nd2 Rae8 [16...Qxb2!? 17.Qd3 g6 18.Rab1 e4! Sveshnikov.] 17.Ne4 Bd8 18.c5 Qc6 19.f3 Be7 20.Rac1 f5


Black sacrifices material, just to make sure that his gorgeous centre will come into motion! 21.Qc4+ Kh8 22.Ba4 Qh6 23.Bxe8 fxe4 24.c6 exf3 25.Rc2 [25.cxb7 Qe3+ 26.Kh1 fxg2+ 27.Kxg2 Rf2+ 28.Kh1 Qf3+ 29.Kg1 Qg2#; 25.gxf3 Qe3+ 26.Kg2 Qxf3+ 27.Kg1 Rf5 is also a forced mate.] 25...Qe3+ 26.Kh1? [The best defense would have been-26.Rf2 Bc8 27.Bd7] 26...Bc8 27.Bd7 f2 28.Rf1 [28.Qf1 Ba6! 29.Qxa6 Qe1+ (29...d3! Sveshnikov.) 30.Qf1 Qxd1 is simpler.] 28...d3 29.Rc3 Bxd7 30.cxd7 e4 31.Qc8 Bd8 32.Qc4 Qe1 33.Rc1 d2 34.Qc5 Rg8 35.Rd1 e3 36.Qc3 Qxd1 37.Rxd1 e2


The Chess Player's Chronicle 1843, p. 265 0–1
Despite the mistakes, the final position only is good enough to make this game one of the greatest ever played.