Ed Lasker - G.A. Thomas
London, 1912.
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Chernev writes:
"An explosive Queen sacrifice, a forced march by the King, and then a checkmate from away over in left field -- that's winning it in the grand manner!"
One of the prettiest short games in all of the whole realm of chess.
1. d4
f5; 2.
e4,
This is the so-called Staunton Gambit.
[Two book lines are:
2.g3
Nf6;
3.Bg2
g6;
4.Nf3
Bg7;
5.0-0
0-0;
6.c4
d6;
7.Nc3
Qe8;
8.d5
Na6; 9.Rb1+/=;
Or White can play:
2.c4
e6;
3.g3
Nf6;
4.Bg2
Be7;
5.Nf3
0-0;
6.0-0
d6;
7.Nc3
Qe8;
8.b3
a5; 9.Bb2
Na6;
10.e3+/=]
2...fxe4; 3.
Nc3
Nf6; 4.
Bg5,
A good move, but not the only one White can play here.
[White can also play:
4.f3
d5
;
(4...exf3
5.Nxf3, [comp]) 5.fxe4
dxe4; 6.Bg5
Nc6;
7.Bb5
Qd6;
8.Qd2
a6; 9.Bxc6+
Qxc6;
10.Nge2
Bg4; 11.h3
Bh5;
12.d5
Qd6;
13.Nf4
Bf7;
14.0-0-0, and White has some
compensation for the material he invested.]
4...e6; 5.
Nxe4
Be7; 6.
Bxf6!,
White gives up his Bishop,
rather than lose time.
[Or 6.Nxf6+
Bxf6;
7.Be3
0-0=
]
6...Bxf6;
7. Nf3
b6
;
I am not sure about this ... but Black seeks to develop his QB somehow.
8. Ne5
0-0; 9.
Bd3!?,
Interesting, but it may allow a counterstroke by Black.
[The best for White may be:
9.Nxf6+
Qxf6
10.Qf3
Qxf3
;
11.Nxf3=
]
9...Bb7!?;
Calmly continuing with his development, with no idea with what
is in store for him.
[
Black's best move may be:
9...Bxe5!
]
10. Qh5
Qe7!?; ('?!')
A seemingly logical move, counting on a lateral protection of his h-Pawn
by the Queen.
[The best for Black was:
10...Bxe5!;
11.Qxe5, (11.dxe5
Rf5; "/+")
11...Nc6; 12.Qh5
Rf5;
13.Qg4
Nxd4;
14.0-0-0, {comp. for White} ]
Now comes one of the prettiest (and most shocking) Queen sacrifices in all of chess.
Then it was followed by one of the nicest King pursuits in all of chess literature.
11. Qxh7+!!
Kxh7; 12.
Nxf6+
Kh6;
This appears forced.
[12...Kh8?
13.Ng6#
] .
13. Neg4+!?,
This is very logical,
cutting off the h5-square.
[White actually missed a quicker mate with:
13.Nfg4+!
Kh5;
(13...Kg5?!;
14.h4+
Kf4;
or 14...Kh5;
15.Bg6#
15.g3#)
14.Bg6+
Kg5; 15.h4+
Kf4;
16.g3#
] .
13...Kg5; 14.
h4+
Kf4;
15. g3+
Kf3; 16.
Be2+
Kg2;
17. Rh2+
Kg1; 18.
Kd2#, 1-0
A beautiful mate, accomplished by driving the King all the way to the other side of the board.
Perhaps this game does not stand up to modern analysis, but few games do. It is still one of the prettiest games in the whole of chess praxis.
Chernev writes: "Beginning with the Queen sacrifice, every one of White's seven pieces assisted in the mate."
I saw this mate when I was just a lad, (somewhere in between 10-13); and it made a tremendous impression on me
... and I never forgot it.
- Life Master A.J. Goldsby I.
[Just as artistic would have been:
18.0-0-0#
]
Make sure you visit my web page on the "Best
Short Games Ever Played," and read
the comments
I wrote about this wonderful game.
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*******
Click HERE to see this game re-annotated in 2005 ... on a different website.
***
Page created in 1997. This page was last updated on: 07/18/2006 .
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby I
Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby, 1996 - 2005.
Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
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