|
|||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
Chessville
Advertise to Single insert:
|
Annotated Games
Steinitz v.
Lasker [Click here to view the "Annotated_Games" PGN file in Chess Tutor, an interactive chess board.] [Or download the PGN file to use in your own chess program.] 1. d4 d5
Lasker: As far as I know, Steinitz first introduced his fourth move, 4.f3, in his match against Gunsberg, in similar positions. The object of the move is to establish a strong center by means of afterward playing pawn to e4. Of course Black's rejoinder, 4...c5, seems therefore practically forced. Showalter: Steinitz first tested this experiment in his match against Gunsberg, if our memory is not at fault, and with better results than in the present instance. But, critically considered, this move seems by no means favorable to White giving him an awkward form of development and practically throwing away at once the advantage of the move. 4. ..... c5 Showalter: No doubt the correct and best reply was 4... c5, and one that to our way of thinking speedily exposes the weakness of White's fourth move. White is practically forced to exchange the pawns now as 5. e3 is an unfavorable alternative and results in the isolation of the d-pawn with a weakened pawn position on the kingside - 5... cxd4 6. exd4 (or if 6. Qxd4 the gaining of important developing time by 6... Nc6 attacking the queen) 6... dxc4, either contingency being unfavorable to White. 5. dxc5 Bxc5
7. e4 Lasker: Some of the spectators expected that Steinitz would take the knight on his seventh turn, but like myself he probably thought that the pawn, although isolated, was not at all weak; to the contrary, it might have been very troublesome to White Showalter: 7. Nxd5 Qxd5 8. Qxd5 exd5 isolates a pawn on the d-file for Black, but at the same time leaves White with the inferior game as his e-pawn is weak and he is behind in development. It will be seen that in this case White must play 9. e3 at once, as Black threatens by d4 to permanently block the white pawn's advance. Black then proceeds by 9...0-0 and ...Re8, or ...Nc6, with decidedly the better game. However, even the text move (7.e4) is not free from disadvantages, in that it seriously weakens White's queenside pawns, but it is obviously the best under the circumstances. 7. ..... Nxc3
Showalter: Black has two pieces in the field and an intact pawn position on either side, while the white pieces are unmoved as yet. This, in addition to the disadvantages mentioned in the preceding note. The outcome of the opening thus far is in itself sufficient commentary on 4.f3. 10. Nh3 Kc7
13. f4 Lasker: Nothing need be said about the following five moves, but White's thirteenth move, 13.f4 was hardly to be recommended. His object ought to have been to bring about a quick development of his pieces, as for instance, 13.Be2 and 0-0, rather than go in for a useless attack, which seriously compromised his e-pawn. 13. ..... b6
Showalter: If 17. e5 Ne7 18. O-O Ba6 19. Rd1 Rd7 20. Ba3 (20. Bb2 Rad8 21. Nc1 Bxe2 22. Rxd7+ Rxd7 23. Nxe2 Rd2 and wins) Nd5 21. Bxf8 Rxf8 22. g3 Ne3 23. Rd2 Rfd8 24. Kf2 Ng4+ 25. Bxg4 (best) Rxd3 26. Rxd3 Rxd3 and should win. 17. ..... e5 Lasker: The champion's seventeenth move was a well laid trap, for had I played 17... exf5 I would have removed White's weakness from e4, and would have given him a free game for attacking purposes. I therefore selected 17...e5 as my reply, which kept my pawns well joined and in a good position. 18. Bg5 Showalter: Why this strengthening of the e-pawn instead of} 18. Be3 {at once is not clear, except upon presumption of pressure of time limit. Perhaps, however, White had visions of posting a bishop at e6. The knight could not readily reach that square. 18. ..... f6
Lasker: My nineteenth move, 19...Rac8, was preparing ...Na5, to be followed by ...Nc4; if then the knight would have been taken, I should have retaken with my rook and would certainly have received my adversary's e-pawn. That this line of play could not have been prevented will best be seen on White's twenty-first move. 20. O-O-O Showalter: Bad indeed. The weakened queenside menaced by hostile rooks on open files affords very uncertain security for the white king. He had much better have castled kingside, afterward playing 21.Rfc1 and advancing the c-pawn and a-pawn with some prospect of attack. 20. ..... Kb8
Lasker: If, for instance 21. Kb2 Na5 22. Nf2 Rxd1 followed by 23...Ba3+ etc., as pointed out by Steinitz after the game, or simply 22... Bd6 followed by 23...Nc4+, would have decided the game in favor of Black. Showalter: If 21. Kb2 the following was a likely continuation: 21... Na5 22. Nf2 Ba3+ 23. Kc2 Bc6 etc., but, though Black has a fine attack, he does not necessarily win the pawn. 21. ..... Nd4 Lasker: My twenty-first move, 21...Nd4, was the simplest way of forcing the win, as obviously White was bound to lose at least one pawn, while Black still kept his superiority in position. 22. Bxd4 exd4
25. Kc2 Showalter: Forced. as if 25. Kb1 Rxd3 and wins. 25. .....
Bc6 Showalter: This unfortunate knight, which has been rolling porpoise-like to and fro between h3 and d3 (via f2 and f4) at intervals all through the game, has this time sufficient grounds for a return to the old love at h3. If 27. Rhf1 Bxf2 28. Rxf2 Bxe4 winning easily. 27. .....
Be3
Showalter: Floundering back to d3! But there is now nothing else. The game is hopeless. 29. .....
Rd4 Showalter: Black pushes his attack with consummate skill. Every move tells. He now forces White to give up the e-pawn by the threat of ...b5 and ...b4, followed by ...Bf7+ etc. 31. Nd3 Rxe4
Showalter: A beautiful finish! 33. Bb3 a5
|
The
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
