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This
is a game that I saw a long time ago, I don't remember where I saw it or who
showed it to me.
(This game might have been in a Reinfeld book.)
I
have been working on many games of Lasker's
... ... ... since about 1995 ... and therein lies several stories.
(Covered elsewhere.)
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One
of Lasker's most brilliant games ... from a tournament where he
dominated one of the strongest fields ever assembled, ...
at least up until that
time.
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Lee
was one of the stronger players of his day.
(Possibly in the world's 'Top 20-25 players? {The ratings
are approximations.})
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The
game starts off as a (regular) Caro-Kann.
{But the opening was still something of a novelty for that period of
time!}
1.e4
c6; 2.d4 d5; 3.Nc3 dxe4; 4.Nxe4 Bf5; 5.Ng3 Bg6;
6.Nf3 Nd7; 7.h4 h6; 8.Bd3!?, {Diagram?}
A very logical move. It is also sharp and very forcing.
This move is sufficient for a small edge ... but 8.h5 is more often played today.
[ Modern theory says that: >/=
8.h5; ('!') {Diagram?}
is a more reliable method of
White getting and
keeping an advantage.
[ See MCO, or any other general reference
book.
Or see any book
specifically on the Caro-Kann.
] ]
8...Bxd3;
9.Qxd3 Ngf6; 10.Bd2 e6; 11.0-0-0 Qc7; {Diagram?}
This opening looks very modern to me.
(Played OVER 100 years ago!!)
White
now continues by centralizing his last Rook.
12.Rhe1!? 0-0-0; 13.Qb3 Bd6; 14.Ne2!?, {Diagram?}
This looks like a very passive retreat, but Lasker understands ...
better than anyone ... that allowing too many trades will only
result in a draw.
(Several writers condemned this as weak.)
[ After the continuation: 14.Ne4!?
Nxe4; 15.Rxe4 Nf6;
16.Re2,
"=" {Diagram?} a
draw is a VERY likely result. ]
14...Ng4!?;
{Diagram?}
Interesting.
[ Maybe better was: 14...Ne4!?;
{Diagram?}
according to J. Mieses. ]
15.Rf1
Ndf6; 16.Qa4 Kb8; 17.c4, {Diagram?}
White has gained some space on the Queenside ...
a seemingly normal idea in this line.
Black
is 100% OK here ...
but now seems to be struck by a paralytic fit of indecision.
[ Playable was: 17.Kb1!?, "~" ]
17...Qe7!?;
18.Nc3 Qc7!?; {Diagram?}
With the idea of playing ...Bf4; next move to exchange some pieces.
The
oscillation of the Black Queen, between the c7 and the e7-square ...
is almost humorous.
[ 18...c5!?; 19.Nb5, "+/=" ]
19.g3!
Qc8; 20.b4! e5!?; {Diagram?}
Black does the seemingly logical thing ... as Reinfeld would say, an
attack
on the wing is best met by a strike in the center.
[ Maybe safer was: >/= 20...Rd7!?;
{Diagram?}
with the idea of centralizing both
Black Rooks. ]
21.dxe5 Nxe5;
{Diagram?}
Notice that White's Knight on f3 is hanging ... AND his Pawn on c4!
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(The position after Black's 21st move.)
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22.Be3!!,
(Maybe - '!!!' or '!!!!') {Diagram?}
A move of unparalleled brilliance.
(Most spectators could not even figure out why Lasker had seemingly
dropped a piece.)
[ Or 22.Nxe5 Bxe5; 23.Rfe1, "=" ]
22...Nxc4!;
{Diagram?}
Seemingly the best defence.
[ Black could not play: 22...Nxf3!?; (?)
23.Bxa7+! Kc7;
24.Bb6+! Kd7;
{Box.}
Sorrowfully, this is forced.
(24...Kxb6??; 25.Qa5#)
25.Bxd8 Rxd8; 26.c5,
"+/-" {Diagram?}
and White has regained much of
his lost material ...
and still has a
vicious attack. ]
23.Bxa7+!;
{Diagram?}
The best move.
[ Interesting was: 23.Qxa7+!? ]
23...Kc7;
{Box.}
Black has no choice.
[ Not 23...Ka8??;
24.Bb6+, {Diagram?}
with a simple mate to follow.
]
24.Rd4!!,
{Diagram?}
It is incredible that Lasker can take
the time out to play this move ...
normally time is very critical ... especially during an attack.
[ 24.Qb3!? ]
24...b5;
{Diagram?}
Again, 'box.'
(Black has few options.)
25.Nxb5+!,
(Maybe - '!!') {Diagram?}
Truly exquisite.
The amazing thing about this
sacrifice is that Lasker would have
had to
calculate - very accurately! -
at least 10 moves ahead from this
position.
Another factor to consider
is that White's own King is exposed
to the
enemy forces. But Lasker has
all the bases covered.
Blackburne later said the general
consensus of the spectators was
that
Lasker's attack would fail.
(I think that many of the Masters
who were
present probably thought
this as well!)
[ 25.Qb3 Qa6; "/+" ]
25...cxb5; 26.Qxb5 Na3;
27.Qa5+! Kb7+; 28.Bc5, ('!') {Diagram?}
Virtually forced, but also very,
very good.
[ 28.Kb2 Nc4+; favors Black. ]
28...Bxc5;
{Diagram?}
It seems logical to pare down
material in an effort to try and
reduce White's attack.
[ Was 28...Qc6!?; playable? ]
29.bxc5 Rxd4; 30.Nxd4 Qd8!?;
{Diagram?}
One newspaper column of the time
applauded Black for his 'gallant'
attempts at defense.
[ Maybe better was: 30...Kb8;
{Diagram?}
but Black is still losing.
]
White continues ... and figures
out how to capture the Knight ...
with check! ...
and thus his attack
continues unabated.
31.c6+! Kc8; 32.Qa8+! Kc7; 33.Qa7+! Kd6; {Diagram?}
This is forced.
(The alternative
was simply too ghastly to even
contemplate.)
[ </= 33...Kc8??; 34.Qb7#. ]
34.Qxa3+ Kd5; 35.Rd1! Qb6;
36.Nf3+ Ke6; {Diagram?}
This looks to be nearly forced.
[ If Black plays: 36...Kxc6;
then White responds with: 37.Rd6+, {Diag?}
winning Black's Queen. ]
37.Qd6+ Kf5; 38.Qd3+ Kg4;
{Diagram?}
Black is trying to be tricky.
[ Black's only move was:
>/= 38...Ne4[]; {Diagram?}
but then White wins simply with:
39.Qd5+ Kg6;
40.Qxe4+,
("+/-") {Diagram?}
winning a piece ... and the game.
]
39.Ne5+,
('!') {Diagram?}
Black RESIGNS ... ... ...
(1-0)
(Its mate in just 2 or 3 moves.)
A game of incredible depth and
complexity!!
The computer found
NO improvements in White's attack!!
This is - without question - simply
... one of the finest games ...
of the whole of Emanuel Lasker's career.
Another interesting note is that I
have deeply studied nearly all of
Lasker's
games from this event ...
and nearly every game he won
was a brilliancy. (!!!)
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Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby I. Copyright (c) A.J.G; 2003.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY:
I
have seen this game in many books and magazines. For instance, I have many
collections
of Lasker's games, including the ones by Barden, Hannak, Reinfeld,
etc. Also - several of
my {former} Internet students did research and sent me
material as concerns this game.
(And the London tournament of 1899.) But the
following sources were my chief sources
of information for annotating this game:
#
1.) "The
{complete} Collected Games of Emanuel Lasker,"
by Ken Whyld.
Copyright
(©) 1998, by the author. ISBN: # 1-901034-02-X
Published by 'The Chess Player.'
#
2.) "Lasker's
Greatest Chess Games, 1889 - 1914."
(Dover reprint.)
By Fred
Reinfeld and Dr./GM Reuben Fine.
Copyright ©
1935, 1963 by the authors. Published by Dover/G.P.C. Canada.
#
3.) "EMANUEL LASKER,
The Life of a Chess Master,"
by Dr. J. Hannak.
Copyright (©) by the author, 1952, & 1959. (1991?)
Published by Dover Books of NY. (Reprint.)
{My
old/last copy of this book fell apart after years of use/overuse.
So in May of 2003, I ordered a new copy on the Internet.}
#
4.) The great book: "500
Master Games Of Chess." (Dover
reprint.)
By GM
(and Dr.) Savielly Tartakower and James Du Mont.
Copyright © 1952,
by the authors. (Repeated in 1975.)
Published by G.P.C.
Ltd; Toronto, Ontario. (Canada)
(Note: I also purchased a CD-ROM of annotated games, this was one of the
games
that
was included in that collection ... but the notes for this game look as if they
were
simply copied
from Hannak's book.)
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This page was first posted: Friday; January 13th, 2003. This page was last updated on 07/18/06 .
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 1975 - 2005.
Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
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