Annotated Games

Steinitz,W - Lasker,E    World Championship Match (18)
[D67]   Queen's Gambit Declined, Capablanca System
Montreal, Canada, 22.05.1894; Notes by Jackson Showalter

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.e3 Nbd7 7.Rc1 c6 8.Bd3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 Nd5 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.e4 Nf4

12.g3

12.0-0 followed by 13.Ne2 looks like a satisfactory continuation.

12...Ng6 13.0-0

Here we prefer 13.h4 with flattering prospects of a kingside attack later.

13...Rd8 14.Qe2 b5 15.Bb3 Bb7 16.Qe3 a6 17.Ne2 Rac8

For the obvious purpose of advancing and exchanging the rather weak c-pawn thus opening the diagonal for the bishop at the same time.

18.Rfd1 Re8 19.Ne1 c5 20.dxc5 Nxc5 21.Bc2 Rc7 22.f3 Rec8 23.Bb1

23.Nd3 permits of many exchanges and soon reduces to a probable draw. Black has thus early overcome the slight disadvantage of the move against him and the struggle for "points" for the ending has already begun.

23...Ne5 24.b3

Necessary to prevent the threatened loss of a pawn by 24...Nc4, and at the same time keeping a hostile knight from a point of vantage at a4.

24...f6 25.Rc2 f5 26.exf5 exf5

27.Qf2

Black threatens to win a pawn by 27...Nxf3+ etc.

27...g6 28.Nf4 Ncd7 29.Nd5 Qd6 30.Rcd2 Rc1 31.Ne3 Rxd1 32.Nxd1 Qe6 33.Kf1 Rc5 34.Qe3

Threatening Rxd7 as well as pawn to f4.

34...Rd5 35.Rxd5 Qxd5 36.Nc3 Qc6 37.Kf2 Kg7 38.Ne2 Qd6 39.Nd4

Again White was threatened with the loss of the f-pawn.

39...Qf6

But now if 39...Bxf3 40.Bxf5 with the better game.  Neither knight can retake on account of 40.Nexf3 Ng4+; 40.Ndxf3 Ng4+.

40.Ng2 Nc6

Why not 40...Bxf3 now is not clear. Both players seem to overlook points hereabouts, perhaps under pressure of time limit.

41.Ne6+ Kg8 42.Bc2 Qe5 43.Ngf4 Qxe3+ 44.Kxe3

After this a draw is the rational and almost necessary outcome of the position.

44...Nb4 45.Bb1 Ne5 46.Nd4 Kf7 47.a3 Nd5+ 48.Nxd5 Bxd5 49.Bd3 Ke7 50.Be2 Kd6 51.f4 Nd7 52.g4 fxg4 53.Bxg4 (Adjourned)

53...Nb6 (Sealed)

Forcing another exchange of pieces with a drawing certainty.

54.h4 Bb7 55.Be6 Nd5+ 56.Bxd5 Kxd5 57.Nf3 Bc8 58.Ng5 h5 59.Ne4 Bf5 60.Nc3+ Kc5 61.Ne4+ Kd5 ½-½