Author: Edward Lasker
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RxKtch! KxR

20. R-K1ch K-B1

21. BxPch K-Kt1

22. R-K8ch B-B1

23. RxBch K-Kt2

24. Q-B3ch Resigns.

GAME No. 32

White: Ed. Lasker. Black: Mieses.

Centre Counter Defence.

1. P-K4 P-Q4

2. PxP Kt-KB3

This is to tempt White to play P-QB4, a weak move (see p. 35). By playing P-QB3 Black would obtain by far the better game in exchange for the pawn.

3. P-Q4 QxP

KtxP can also be played. In either case White wins a move by driving off the Black piece by Kt-QB3 or P-QB4. Furthermore, White has a pawn in the centre. Black’s plan in retaking with the Queen might be to castle early on the Queen’s side and attack White’s centre pawn by P-K4, and White must be on the alert against this plan, though it will not be easy for Black to put the same into execution, because of the exposed position of his Queen. After 4. Kt-QB3, Q-QR4 is the only move which brings the Queen into momentary security, and even then Black must provide for a retreat, as after White’s B-Q2 there would be a threat of an advantageous “discovery” by the Kt. P-QB3 provides such a retreat, but it bars the QKt from its natural development at B3, where the Kt could exert further pressure on White’s Q4. The QB, too, is difficult to get into play and easily becomes an object of attack, as in the present game.

4. Kt-QB3 Q-QR4

5. Kt-B3 B-B4

B-Kt5 would only help White’s intentions to attack on the King’s side in the absence of Black’s Queen, e.g. 6. P-KR3, B-R4; 7. P-KKt4, B-Kt3; 8. Kt-K5 (threatening Kt-B4), P-B3; 9. P-KR4, Q Kt-Q2; 10. Kt-B4, Q-B2; 11. P-R5, B-K5; 12. KtxB, KtxKt; 13. Q-B3 and B-B4 with the superior game.

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8 | #R | #Kt| | | #K | #B | | #R |

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7 | #P | #P | #P | | #P | #P | #P | #P |

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6 | | | | | | #Kt| | |

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5 | #Q | | | | | #B | | |

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4 | | | | ^P | | | | |

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3 | | | ^Kt| | | ^Kt| | |

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2 | ^P | ^P | ^P | | | ^P | ^P | ^P |

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1 | ^R | | ^B | ^Q | ^K | ^B | | ^R |

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A B C D E F G H

Diag. 145

6. Kt-K5! Kt-K5

P-B3 was urgent here, to provide against Kt-B4 and Q-B3. Now the game is as good as lost. White obtains a violent attack with superior forces, and brings it home before Black has time to complete his development.

7. Q-B3 Kt-Q3

If KtxKt, B-Q2.

8. B-Q2 P-K3

9. P-KKt4 B-Kt3

Black had to guard his KB2 because of Kt-Kt5, KtxKt, QxPch.

10. P-KR4 Q-Kt3

11. Castles P-KB3

Compulsory. Kt-B3 is refuted by 12. KtxKt, QxKt; 13. QxQ, PxQ; 14. B-Kt2 and P-R5. On the other hand, the answer to 11. … QxP would be 12. B-KB4, Q-B4; 13. P-R5, P-B3; 14. PxB, PxKt; 15. B-KKt5 followed by RxKt and R-Q8 or Q-B7 mate.

12. KtxB PxKt

13. B-Q3 QxP

K-B2 or P-KB4 were also unavailing in consequence of Black’s poor development.

14. BxPch K-Q2

15. B-K3 Q-Kt5

16. P-R3 Q-B5

17. QxKtP Q-B3

18. B-K4 Resigns.

GAME No. 33

White: Barasz. Black: Mieses.

Centre Counter Defence.

1. P-K4 P-Q 4

2. PxP QxP

3. Kt-QB3 Q-QR4

4. Kt-B3

It is better to advance the QP at once and so threaten B-Q2, after which Black is almost under compulsion to provide a retreat for his Q by P-QB3, thus blocking his QKt.

4. … Kt-QB3

5. B-K2 B-B4

6. P-Q3

Already now the mistake of having allowed Black to develop his Queen’s side unmolested is apparent. P-Q4 is now impossible, for Black would castle on the Queen’s side and keep the initiative by exerting a permanent pressure on White’s QP by P-K4. White must yield up the centre to Black.

6. … P-K4

7. B-Q2 Castles

8. P-QR3 Q-B4

The Queen must escape from White’s threat of P-QKt4.

9. Castles Kt-B3

10. P-QKt4 Q-K2

11. P-Kt5

This advance is somewhat purposeless, as the White pieces are not ready for an attack on Black’s King. It is difficult, though, to find a sensible plan, as the White pieces have so little mobility. It would perhaps be best to play R-K1, B-B1, and Kt-K4.

11. … Kt-Q5

12. R-K1 Q-B4

13. B-KB1 B-Q3

14. Q-Kt1?

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8 | | | #K | #R | | | | #R |

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7 | #P | #P | #P | | | #P | #P | #P |

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6 | | | | #B | | #Kt| | |

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5 | | ^P | #Q | | #P | #B | | |

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4 | | | | #Kt| | | | |

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3 | ^P | | ^Kt| ^P | | ^Kt| | |

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2 | | | ^P | ^B | | ^P | ^P | ^P |

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1 | ^R | ^Q | | | ^R | ^B | ^K | |

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A B C D E F G H

Diag. 146

The purpose of this move is not clear. The advance of the KtP could only be condoned by a desire to obtain an open file, and it seems illogical to protect it now. If White wanted to escape the pinning of his KKt he need not have moved the Queen. KtxKt would have effected this and prevented the King’s side from being laid bare.

White’s game would still have been bad, particularly as the exchange at Q4 opens the diagonal for the Black KB, but the move in the text has even a worse effect. Mieses concludes the game with an elegant sacrifice.

14. … KtxKtch

15. PxKt P-K5!

16. QPxP BxPch

17. KxB QxPch

18. B-Kt2 RxB

19. R-K2 RxR

20. KtxR QxKt

21. PxB Q-K4ch

22. K-R1 R-K1

Black has wrought fearful havoc in the White ranks, and the defenceless King cannot withstand the onslaught of the three White pieces for long.

23. P-QB4 Kt-R4

24. K-Kt1 Q-Q5ch

25. K-R2 R-K7

threatening Q-R5ch, Q-B7ch, and mate at Kt7 or R7.

26. Q-R1 Q-K4ch

27. P-B4 QxPch

28. K-Kt1 Q-Q5ch

Resigns.

GAME NO. 34

White: Em. Lasker. Black: Niemzowitsch.

Caro-Kann Defence (compare p. 50).

1. P-K4 P-QB3

2. P-Q4 P-Q4

3. Kt-QB3 PxP

4. KtxP Kt-B3

5. KtxKt KtPxKt

6. B-K2 B-B4

7. B-B3 Q-R4ch

8. P-B3 P-KR4!

A deep conception. If White accepts the proffered sacrifice of a pawn, he loses time, as he must retire his B before bringing out his Kt, and, moreover, the KR file being open, he can only castle on the Q side. But there the Black Queen is ready for the attack. If he refuses the sacrifice, the text move is still of value, as even then it is hardly advisable for White to castle on the K side, whilst Black can play B-R3 as soon as it might be desirable to exchange White’s QB.

9. BxP Kt-Q2

10. B-Kt4 BxB

11. QxB Castles

12. Kt-K2 P-K3

13. B-B4 Q-QKt4!

Black is the first to complete his development, and he assumes the offensive.

14. Castles QR!

This is much stronger than the alternative P-QKt3, which would fatally disturb the pawn skeleton, particularly as castling is only possible on the Q side. Although Black can now gain two pawns, White obtains an attack and Black only just manages to escape with a draw.

14. … Kt-Kt3

15. Kt-Kt3

intending Q-K2 in answer to Kt-B5. Again P-QKt3 is not to be thought of, and R-Q2 also fails because of Kt-B5; 16. R-B2, KtxP.

15. … Q-Q4

16. K-Kt1 QxKtP

17. QR-Kt1 QxBP

18. Kt-K4 Q-R5

19. Q-B3 Kt-B5!

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8 | | | #K | #R | | #B | | #R |

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7 | #P | #P | | | | #P | | |

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6 | | | #P | | #P | #P | | |

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5 | | | | | | | | |

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4 | | | #Kt| ^P | ^Kt| ^B | | #Q |

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3 | | | ^P | | | ^Q | | |

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2 | ^P | ^P | | | | | | ^P |

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1 | | ^K | | | | | ^R | ^R |

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A B C D E F G H

Diag. 147

Whilst Black was busy capturing two pawns by moving the Queen four times, White was concentrating the whole of his forces, and now threatens to win back the pawn with R-Kt4. The move in the text anticipates the threat, for now the answer to 20. R-Kt4 would be Q-R4; 21. KtxP?, Q-B4ch; 22. Kt-K4?? Kt-Q7ch, winning the Q.

20. K-R1 P-KB4

21. Kt-Kt5 B-Q3

22. B-B1 R-Q2

23. R-Kt2 B-B2

intending to get rid of the awkward White Knight by Kt-Q3-K5.

24. KR-Kt Kt-Q3

25. Q-K2 Kt-K5

26. Kt-B3 Q-R6

27. P-R3

White appears to be in “time” difficulties, or else he remains passive, in order to give Black an opportunity for making the risky attempt to hold the extra pawn by P-B3 and P-K4.

27. … P-R3

28. B-K3 KR-Q1

29. K-R2 R-R1

If Black wants to play for a win, he must play P-B3. In view of the favourable position of the White pieces, he prefers to risk nothing and to avoid the weakening of position which follows upon practically every pawn move.

30. K-R1 KR-Q1

31. K-R2 R-K1

32. R-Kt8 RxR

33. RxRch R-Q1

34. R-Kt7 R-Q2

35. R-Kt8ch

As long as Black plays steadily, White cannot hope for more than a draw.

35. … R-Q1

36. R-Kt7 R-B1

37. P-B4 Kt-B3

In order to drive off the Rook; White now enforces the draw by a fine combination.

38. B-Kt5! Kt-R4

39. RxP! RxR

40. QxPch R-Q2

Not K-Kt1 on account of 41. Q-K8ch, K-R2; 42. QxR, QxKt; 43. QxB, threatening B-K7.

41. Kt-K5! Draw.

For after BxKt there follows 42. Q-K8ch, K-B2; 43. QxBch, with perpetual check.

Both players have shown a deep positional insight, and the game shows in an interesting manner how a preponderance of material can be counterbalanced by the greater mobility of the pieces.

GAME NO. 35

White: Reti. Black: Tartakower.

Caro-Kann Defence.

1. P-K4 P-QB3

2. P-Q4 P-Q4

3. Kt-QB3 PxP

4. KtxP Kt-KB3

5. Q-Q3

White wishes to castle as soon as possible on the Queen’s side, in order to operate on the Queen’s file with the help of the Rook.

5. … P-K4

Here Black loses two moves in bringing White’s centre pawn away. The manoeuvre therefore is not sound. QKt-Q2, KtxKt, and Kt-B3, or any other developing moves would be preferable.

6. PxP Q-R4ch

7. B-Q2 QxP

8. Castles!

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8 | #R | #Kt| #B | | #K | #B | | #R |

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7 | #P | #P | | | | #P | #P | #P |

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6 | | | #P | | | #Kt| | |

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5 | | | | | #Q | | | |

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