Moritz
Porges (2450) - Emanuel Lasker
(2785)
[C67]
All-Master Tournament
(Nuremburg, Germany)
(Round # 1); July 20th, 1896
[A.J.G.]
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From the
NUREMBURG tournament,
of 1896.
Lasker's celebrated win from the first
round of this tournament.
Lasker won
clear first in this event.
This game is in dozens of books. My
favorite is:
"The Most Instructive Games
Of Chess Ever Played,"
by the one-and-only Irving Chernev.
(Chernev entitles this game ...)
***
To check the ratings for these
players see Elo's book,
or the
web site of Jeff Sonas.
******************************************************************************************
1.e4 e5; 2.Nf3 Nc6;
3.Bb5 Nf6;
The Berlin Defense, for many
years a defense that was considered
bad.
Then players like Kramnik
began using it, and now it is
being actively
played again.
[ The main line is the
Morphy
Defense that begins with 3...a6;
(and is considered
best by most masters); for example:
3...a6; 4.Ba4 Nf6; 5.0-0 Be7;
6.Re1 b5; 7.Bb3 d6;
8.c3,
"+/=" {Diagram?}
White has a slight edge.
See MCO-14; or any good
book on the Ruy Lopez. ]
The next few moves are all
the main line, book, and were
being played
quite a bit at that
period in chess history.
4.0-0 Nxe4;
5.d4 Be7; 6.Qe2 Nd6; 7.Bxc6 bxc6;
8.dxe5, ("+/=") 8...Nb7;
Black's last move was thought to
be forced.
(The theory of that time
said White was vastly superior in
this position!!)
Black has a cramped position, but
as Steinitz proved - a position of
this
type is not totally devoid of chances.
[ 8...Nf5!?
]
9.b3!?,
White seeks to exploit various
weaknesses Black has on the
dark
squares. Ba3!? is also an
idea in this position.
The move, b3 has been condemned
as inferior, but has been used
by
many modern day GM's.
(I.e., Lev Psakhis.)
[ Better is: >/=
9.Nc3,
"+/=" ]
9...0-0;
10.Bb2 d5!;
Black breaks in the center without
any further delay.
Chernev gives this an exclam. ('!' - Irving Chernev.)
[ 10...a5!?
]
11.exd6,
This gets rid of the e-pawn and
unfetters White's QB.
But it also
opens the e-file.
[ 11.c4!?
]
11...cxd6;
12.Nbd2 Re8!;
Black makes use of the open
lines that White has given him.
Chernev also gives this move an
exclam as well.
('!' - Chernev.)
[ 12...d5!?
]
13.Rfe1,
This is probably OK for White.
[ 13.Qd3?!
Nc5; "=/+" ]
13...Bd7;
A simple developing move ...
that also guards key squares
for Black.
[ 13...Nc5;
14.Nd4, "+/=" ]
14.Ne4?!,
(Maybe - '?') {Diagram?}
An attempt to be aggressive by
White ... that back-fires on him.
(Chernev calls this, "a waste of time,"
and instead recommends Qf1.)
[ >/=
14.Rad1!?; or RR
14.Qf1!? ]
14...d5; ('!')
It is often a good idea to advance
in the center ... especially when
you
can do so with a gain of time!
[ 14...Bf8;
15.Qd3, "=" ]
15.Ned2,
The poor Knight is forced back
to the square that it just came
from!
[ >/=
15.Nc3?! Ba3; "/+" ]
15...Ba3!;
An obvious but nice discovery.
[ The automatic and rather
routine:
15...Bf6;
16.Bxf6 Qxf6; 17.Qd3, "=" {D?}
gives Black no advantage at
all. ]
16.Be5!?,
{Diagram?}
Chernev says this is forced.
(Another author wrote White had
to give up his Queen here!)
[ After the moves: 16.Qxe8+ Bxe8;
17.Bxa3,
17...c5;
"/+" {Diagram?}
White could call it a day. ]
White saw this much. He even
predicted he would regain his
piece after Qa6. But watch what
happens.
16...f6; 17.Qa6 fxe5; 18.Qxa3,
This is forced. (Sad, but true.)
[ Chernev points out that:
18.Qxb7? e4;
19.Qa6, {Diag?}
Sad, but maybe forced.
(19.Nd4 Bb2; "-/+")
19...Bb2; 20.Rab1 Bc3;
"-/+" {Dm?}
and Black wins material.
]
18...e4; 19.Nd4 Qf6!;
An aggressive move ... that
puts the Queen on an excellent
square,
hitting multiple targets.
'!' - Chernev.
[ 19...c5!?;
"=/+" ]
20.c3 Rf8;
(!) {Diagram?}
Notice how Black has already
doubled on the half-open file ...
and has a big threat against f2.
[ 20...c5!?;
"/+" ]
21.f3!?,
Chernev says (indicates) that this is forced, and Fritz agrees with him.
[ </=
21.Rf1?! Qg5; 22.Qc1 Bh3;
"-/+" ]
21...Qg5!;
<< "One attacking move after
another! Lasker plays this
very
strongly," says Tarrasch, who
was usually rather
chary of
praise. >> - Irving Chernev.
'!' - Chernev.
[ 21...a5!?;
"=/+" ]
22.Qc1,
Chernev hints that this is forced
for White.
[ Some of the alternatives
were clearly worse:
>/= 22.Nf1? exf3;
23.Nxf3 Rxf3; "-/+" {D?}
Or >/= 22.Qa6!? Nc5; 23.Qe2 Nd3;
"/+" ]
22...Nc5!,
(FORK??!?)
The formerly sorry steed at N2
leaps into action, spying
the
sensitive square at d3.
'!' - Chernev.
[ 22...c5!?, "=/+" ]
23.Nf1 Qg6; 24.Re3 Nd3;
25.Qd1, {Diagram?}
White is trying ... to hang in
there - but barely.
Now what does Black play?
[ 25.Qa3!?
Rf7; "/+" ]
Black's next move is a rather
surprising change of direction.
25...Nf4!;
"Threatens mate in one ...
and the Queen in two,"
says Chernev here.
[ 25...Rab8!?;
or 25...c5!?; "/="
]
26.Ng3,
Chernev says this is forced. (I agree.)
[ </=
26.Qd2?! Bh3; "/+"
(Probably "-/+") ]
26...h5!,
Black threatens to simply kick
the Knight and then deliver a
mate on g2.
The other thing is
that the advance of this pawn
wreck's White's King-side.
'!' - Chernev.
[ 26...Qg5!?;
27.Qc1 c5; "/+" ]
27.Nde2,
This looks to be forced.
[ 27.fxe4?
h4; "-/+" ]
27...Nxg2!!;
{Diagram?}
This unexpected shot completely
wrecks Black's position.
'!' - Chernev.
[ Black could have tried: 27...h4!?;
28.Nxf4[], {Diag?}
Gains a tempo, as it hits
Black's Queen.
(28.Nf1?? Qxg2#)
28...Rxf4; 29.Nxe4 Bh3!;
30.Ng3 hxg3;
31.gxh3
Rh4; "=/+" {Diagram?}
when Black has both the advantage
AND a strong initiative.
***
Interesting was: 27...Nh3+!?
]
28.Kxg2 exf3+!;
Another unexpected move
(zwischenzug) by Lasker here.
[ 28...h4!?;
29.fxe4, "~" ]
29.Rxf3 Bh3+!;
(Maybe - '!!') {Diagram?}
Its just one hammer blow after
another.
This sneaky move
dooms White's defensive attempts.
'!' - Chernev.
[ 29...Rxf3!?;
30.Kxf3 h4; "=/+" (Maybe - "/+")
]
30.Kxh3,
This is pretty much forced.
[ An inferior line
is:
30.Kf2?! Rxf3+!;
{Diag?}
The simplest and the best.
( Chernev gives the line: 30...Bg4!?; 31.Rxf8+ Rxf8+;
32.Ke3 h4; {Diagram?}
The Knight on g3 is doomed.
33.Nf1? Qe4+?! ; {Diagram?}
Not the best move.
(Here Chernev misses a long mating
sequence that
begins with the
move, ...Qh6!+.)
34.Kd2 Rf2; ("-/+") {Diagram?}
... "and White is lost." - I.
Chernev. )
31.Kxf3 h4;
"-/+" {Dm?}
Black has a won game.
]
30...Qg4+; 31.Kg2 Qxf3+;
32.Kg1?!, (Maybe - '?') {Diag?}
This loses ... and very quickly
too. White's only hope was to
simply play Kh3 ... and pray.
(In Black's defense, h3 looks
like a horrible square for your
King here.)
[
Like it or not, White had to play:
>/= 32.Kh3 h4!!;
{Diagram?}
The best move.
(Chernev only gives: 32...Qg4+!?; in this line.
Black is clearly
better here, ("/+") but a forced win
is not right around the corner.)
33.Nd4, {Diag?}
The only playable move.
(33.Kxh4? Rf6!; 34.Qd2 Kf7; "-/+")
33...Qxc3; 34.Rc1
Qe3; 35.Nxc6 d4; "/+" {D?}
& Black has a large edge here.
(Its very close to a
win for Black here.) ]
With two Knights for a Rook and
a Pawn, White does not
stand
badly ... at least from a material
point of view ...
32...h4;
This little Pawn move is
White's undoing.
[ 32...Qe3+!?
]
33.Nh1?,
(Maybe - '??') {Diagram?}
White commits hara-kiri.
[ 33.Nf1? h3;
{Diagram?}
How does White stop mate?
34.Nf4[] Rxf4; 35.Qxf3 Rxf3;
"-/+" {D?}
and Black is clearly winning.
***
Maybe 33.Nd4 was forced?
(But White is still dead lost.)
]
33...Qe3+;
{Diagram?}
White Resigns.
( 0 - 1 )
(Nf2, QxN/f2+; etc. Even more embarrassing is Kg2??, h3#!!)
A crushing game by Lasker,
and
a good example to study to
sharpen
one's tactics!
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Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby I. Copyright (c) A.J.G; 2003.
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