Games annotated by lasker

Game 1 [Event "Nottingham"]
[Site "Nottingham"]
[Date "1936.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Milan Vidmar"]
[Black "Emanuel Lasker"]
[ECO "D66"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "66"]

1. d4 {Notes by Lasker} d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7
5. e3 Nbd7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Rc1 c6 8. Bd3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 b5 {If
Black wants to adopt this particular defence (instead of
...Nd5) it is better to play first 8...h6 and after 9 Bh4
dxc4, etc. The difference will soon be apparent.} 10. Bd3 a6
11. a4 {This move-which would be the best, had Black already
played h6-leads here to practically nothing. 10 e4, on the
other hand, which would be bad after ...h6 Bh4 because of the
answer Nxe4! (see Euwe-Alekhine 28th match game) would here
secure an appreciable advantage in space.} bxa4 12. Nxa4 Qa5+
13. Nc3 {Here is the difference. White cannot play 13 Nd2, his
queen bishop being lose.} c5 {This weakness being eliminated,
Black will have no difficulty in equalising the game.} 14. Ra1
Qb4 15. O-O Bb7 {15...Qxb4 was inadvisable as after 16 Nb5
White would threaten not only 17 Nc7 but also Rb1-a1-b1 with a
secure draw.} 16. Qe2 {Sugessting a series of exchanges, after
which the remaini9ng pawn material makes a peaceful result
almost inevitable.} cxd4 17. exd4 Bxf3 18. Qxf3 Qxd4 19. Bxa6
Qb6 20. Bb5 Rxa1 21. Rxa1 Ne5 22. Qe2 Ng6 23. Be3 {The two
bishops are of little value here, since they have no weak
points to attack; and the advance of the b-pawn can easily be
prevented. Dr. Lasker's defence has been, as usual, very
accurate.} Qb8 24. g3 Rc8 25. Ba7 Qc7 26. Ra6 Qb7 27. Bc4
{This attempt to advance the b-pawn merely leads to further
simplification.} Ne5 28. Qxe5 Rxc4 29. Qb8+ Qxb8 30. Bxb8 Rc8
31. Bd6 Bxd6 32. Rxd6 Rb8 33. Rd2 Kf8 1/2-1/2

game 2
[Event "St. Petersburg (Russia)"]
[Site "It"]
[Date "1909.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "9"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Rudolf Spielmann"]
[Black "Jacques Mieses"]
[ECO "B01"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "21"]

1.e4 {Notes by Lasker.} d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.Bc4 Nf6
5.d4 Nc6 6.Bd2 Nxd4 {Black need not have accepted the
sacrifice. 7...Qb4 8.b3 Qb6 9.Be3 e5 10.d5 Qa5 11.dxc6 Bb4,
and Black is not in an unfavorable position.} 7.Nb5 Qb6 8.Be3
Qa5+ 9.Bd2 Qb6 10.Be3 Qa5+ 11.Bd2 1/2-1/2

Game 3
[Event "RUS"]
[Site "It St Petersburg (12)"]
[Date "1909.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Richard Teichmann"]
[Black "Akiba Rubinstein"]
[ECO "C01"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "34"]

1.e4 {Notes by Lasker.} e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3
Bd6 6.O-O O-O 7.Bg5 Bg4 8.Nbd2 Nbd7 9.c3 c6 10.Qc2 Qc7 11.Rfe1
Rfe8 12.h3 Bxf3 13.Nxf3 h6 14.Bxf6 Nxf6 15.Rxe8+ Rxe8 16.Re1
Rxe1+ 17.Nxe1 {The game is explained by the desire of both
players to throw the onus of attack on the opponent. Compare
the note to the 8th move of the preceding game.} 1/2-1/2

game 4
[Event "St. Petersburg (Russia)"]
[Site "St. Petersburg (Russia)"]
[Date "1909.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Dus Chotimirsky"]
[Black "Jacques Mieses"]
[ECO "A54"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "56"]

1.d4 {Notes by Lasker.} Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.e3 {After
4.e4 the continuation might be 4...e5 5.Nf3 g6 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4
Bg7 8.Bg3} e5 5.Bd3 g6 6.f4 Qe7 7.Nge2 {A premature attempt at
attack. Bg7 followed by O-O and using the KR on the e-file,
was indicated.} e4 8.Bb1 c6 9.Qc2 Nb6 10.b3 Bf5 11.a4 {Ng3
would have been simply met by O-O-O.} Rc8 12.a5 Na8 13.Ba3 Qe6
14.Qd2 d5 15.Bxf8 Kxf8 16.cxd5 {This exchange was unnecessary;
White ought to have continued at once with Na4; if then dxc4,
Nc5 would follow with an excellent game.} cxd5 17.Na4 Kg7
18.O-O Nc7 19.Nc5 Qc6 20.Rc1 Qb5 21.Nc3 Qc6 22.Ne2 {White
might well have continued 22.b4; threatening to bring the KB
into action via c2 and a4; a plausible continuation would have
been 22...b6 23.axb6 axb6 24.Nca4 Nb5 25.Ne2 Qd6 26.h3 and
White has a slight advantage.} Qb5 23.Nc3 Qc6 24.Ne2 Qb5
25.Nc3 Qc6 26.Na2 Qb5 27.Nc3 Qc6 28.Ne2 Qb5 1/2-1/2

game 5
[Event "St. Petersburg (Russia)"]
[Site "It"]
[Date "1909.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Jacques Mieses"]
[Black "Emanuel Lasker"]
[ECO "C45"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "130"]

1.e4 {Notes by Emanuel Lasker} e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4
Bc5 5.Be3 Bb6 6.Nc3 d6 7.Nd5 {What with White having to
forfeit a tempo so as to get rid of the Bishop. Black has
quickly managed to equalise.} Nf6 8.Nxb6 axb6 9.Nxc6 {This
exchange is quite unnecessary and merely strengthens Black's
centre, giving him the initiative.} bxc6 10.Bd3 Qe7 11.O-O Qe5
12.Qc1 O-O 13.Re1 Re8 14.f3 Nd7 15.c3 Nf8 16.Qd2 Qh5 17.Bf4 f6
{ White must not be allowed to open up diagonals for his
Bishops by e5.} 18.a3 Be6 19.Bg3 Nd7 20.Re3 Qf7 21.Rae1 Bc4
22.Bc2 Ra5 23.Qc1 Kh8 24.Qd1 Re7 25.Qd2 Bb3 26.Bxb3 {This
exchange is forced for if he retreated Bb1 Black would get an
overwhelming position by advancing his c-pawn and later
playing his Knight to d3 via c5.} Qxb3 27.Rc1 Qf7 28.Rd1
{Better would be c4.} Kg8 29.Qc2 Ra8 30.Ree1 b5 31.Ra1 Nc5
{Parrying the counter-thrust of the a-pawn just in time.}
32.Bf2 Nb3 33.Rad1 Ree8 34.Be3 Qc4 35.Qe2 Re7 36.Qc2 {If he
swapped Queens, the b-pawn would prove untenable in the long
run.} Rae8 37.Bf2 Re6 {Black is about to move his King over to
the Queen-Wing and there is little that White can do about
it.} 38.Qb1 h5 {To forestall an attack on the pawn by e5, once
the Black King has moved.} 39.h3 Kf7 40.g4 {White must weaken
his own position in the attempt to disturb Black's plan by an
attack.} hxg4 41.hxg4 d5 42.exd5 Rxe1+ 43.Bxe1 {Rxe1 is ruled
out by ...Nd2, etc.} Qe2 44.dxc6 Qxf3 45.Rd7+ Kg8 46.Qd1 Re2
47.Qd5+ Qxd5 48.Rxd5 Rxe1+ 49.Kf2 Re6 50.Rxb5 Nd2 51.a4 Ne4+
52.Kg2 Rxc6 53.a5 Kf7 54.b4 Nd6 55.Rb8 Rxc3 56.a6 Ra3 57.Ra8
Kg6 58.Ra7 Nb5 59.Rb7 c6 60.Rb6 Nd4 61.Kf2 Kg5 62.Ke1 Kxg4
63.Kd2 f5 64.Kc1 f4 65.Kb2 f3 0-1

game 6
[Event "St. Petersburg (Russia)"]
[Site "St. Petersburg (Russia)"]
[Date "1909.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Oldrich Duras"]
[ECO "D25"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "107"]

1.d4 {Notes by Lasker.} d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 dxc4 4.e3 c5 5.Bxc4
e6 6.Nc3 a6 7.O-O b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.Qe2 Nbd7 10.Rd1 Qb6 11.Bc2
Rc8 12.a3 {Both players follow approved lines of development.}
Be7 13.e4 cxd4 14.Nxd4 Ne5 15.Bg5 O-O 16.Nf3 Qc5 17.Be3 Qc4 {A
forcible move. If Qxc4 Nxc4; Black threatens Nxb2 or Nxe4 or
Nxa3.} 18.Nxe5 Qxe2 19.Nxe2 Rxc2 20.Nd4 Rc5 {20...Rxb2 would
be a gross blunder because of 21.Nd3.} 21.Nd3 Rc4 22.f3 Rd8
23.Nb3 {Black's c5 and a5 are weak.} Rc2 24.Bc5 Kf8 25.Bxe7+
Kxe7 26.Na5 Rc7 27.Nb4 Rxd1+ 28.Rxd1 Ba8 29.Kf2 Ne8 30.Ke3 Nd6
31.Rd2 f5 32.exf5 Nxf5+ 33.Kf2 Bd5 {Black is in a difficulty,
and therefore decides on a desperate sacrifice of a pawn, in
order to render the Bishop mobile.} 34.Nxa6 {34.Rxd5 was also
feasible. But after the exchanges Black's King would then have
a very favorable position in the center, both for attack on
the Queen's side and defense of the King's side. 34.Nxa6 is
stronger as 34...Ra7 will not do because of 35.Rxd5.} Rc1
35.Nb4 Kd6 36.Nb3 Rh1 37.h3 Rb1 38.g4 Ne7 39.Nd4 Kc5 40.Ne2 {A
mistake. White ought to have clinched matters. 40.Nxd5 exd5
41.Ne6+ Kc4 42.Nxg7 and in answer to 42...d4 (or 42...Kb3
43.Nf5; the game might then have developed ...Nc6 44.Nd6)
43.Nf5 Nc6 44.Nd6+ Kb3 45.Nxb5 Rxb2 46.Ke2! and whilst the
d-pawn would now be paralyzed, White's Pawns would become very
dangerous.} Rh1 41.Kg2 Ra1 42.Rc2+ Bc4 43.Nc3 Nd5 44.Ne4+ Kd4
{He ought to have gone to b6. White would, in this case, have
had no alternative but to try for a doubtful win by 45.Nxd5
exd5 46.Nd2 g5; he would probably have had to sacrifice his
h-pawn.} 45.Rxc4+ Kxc4 46.Nd2+ Kd4 47.Nb3+ Ke3 48.Nxd5+ exd5
49.Nxa1 Kd2 50.Nb3+ Ke3 51.h4 g6 52.Kg3 Kd3 53.Kf4 Kc4 54.Nc1
1-0

game 7
[Event "St.Petersburg"]
[Site "St.Petersburg"]
[Date "1909.??.??"]
[EventDate "1909.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Savielly Tartakower"]
[Black "Carl Schlechter"]
[ECO "C30"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "65"]

1. e4 {Notes by Lasker.} e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. fxe5 dxe5
5. c3 Nf6 {The sacrifice of the e-pawn is quite justified.}
6. Nxe5 O-O 7. d4 Bd6 8. Nf3 {Should White defend the Pawn by
8.Nd2, Black would play Bxe5, and the resulting doubled Pawn
would be defenceless.} Nxe4 9. Bd3 Re8 10. O-O h6 {White's
threat of Bxe4 followed by Ng5 and Qh5, was only apparent,
hence the defensive move of h6 was not necessary. The right
play was 10...Nd7, followed by Ndf6 in reply to any developing
moves of White. If then, however, 11.Bxe4 Rxe4 12.Ng5 Re7
13.Qh5 h6 14.Nxf7? Qe8, winning a piece for three pawns, with
a good position for attack.} 11. Nbd2 Nf6 12. Nc4 c5 13. Nfe5
cxd4 {He could not play 13...Be6 as 14.Nxd6 Qxd6 15.Bxh6 would
have broken up his King's wing.} 14. Nxf7 {A pretty and
accurately calculated sacrifice, which, with one stroke, lays
bare the damage done by Black's tenth move.} Kxf7 15. Qh5+ Kg8
16. Rxf6 Re1+ 17. Rf1 Rxf1+ 18. Bxf1 Bf8 19. Bxh6 Qf6 {If
19...gxf6 20.Qg6+ Bg7 21.Re1 Bd7 22.Nd6 b5 23.Bd3, threatening
Rf1; if now 23...Qg5, White mates in four, commencing Re8+.}
20. Bg5 Qf5 21. Nd6 Bxd6 22. Bc4+ Be6 23. Rf1 Qxf1+ 24. Bxf1
Nd7 25. Bd3 Nf8 26. cxd4 Bf7 27. Qf3 Ne6 28. Be3 Rb8 29. g4 g5
30. Qf6 Bf8 31. Bh7+ Kxh7 32. Qxf7+ Ng7 33. Bxg5 1-0

Game 8
[Event "St Petersburg Russi"]
[Site "St Petersburg Russi"]
[Date "1909.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Milan Vidmar"]
[Black "Akiba Rubinstein"]
[ECO "D31"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "156"]

1.d4 {Notes by Lasker} d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 dxc4 4.e3 Nf6 5.Bxc4
a6 6.Nf3 c5 7.O-O Nc6 8.dxc5 {Here White can prevent the
advance of Black's b-pawn by a4, and by d5 turn into an open
game; in this case the Black c-pawn would remain a little
weak. After the text the positions are equalized.} Bxc5
9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 10.a3 Ke7 11.b4 Bd6 12.b5 {The idea of this
advance is that after 12...axb5 13.Nxb5, the Knight would be
in a commanding position. But, of course, Black does not
change pawns and White gets into difficulties.} Na5 13.Ba2 Bd7
14.a4 Rhc8 15.Bb2 Nc4 16.Bxc4 Rxc4 17.Nd2 Rc7 {White's Queen's
side Pawns are weak and one of them will have to be
lost. Black threatens already Bb4; Ba3, Bxa3; Rxa3,axb5.}
18.Nce4 Bb4 19.Rab1 Nxe4 20.Nxe4 Rc4 21.Bd4 a5 22.f3 {Here
White might have saved the game: 22.Rxb4 axb4 (Rxb4 23.Bc5+
Kd8 24.Bxb4 axb4 25.Nc5 etc;) 23.Bc5+ Kd8 24.Bb6+ Ke7 25.Bc5+
Rxc5 26.Nxc5 b6 (Bc8; Rb1 ) 27.Na6 Bc8 28.Rb1.} f6 23.Rfd1
{Rxb4 was still feasible.} Rac8 24.Rb3 e5 25.Bb6 Rc1 26.Rd3
Rxd1+ 27.Rxd1 Be6 28.h4 Bb3 29.Ra1 Rc2 30.g4 g6 31.g5 f5
32.Nf6 h5 33.Rb1 Bc4 34.Rd1 Bd2 35.e4 f4 36.Nd5+ Bxd5 37.exd5
Kd6 38.Kf1 Be3 {With infinite cleverness Black avoids giving
the slightest chance to his opponent.} 39.Bxa5 Bd4 40.Rd2 Rc1+
41.Ke2 b6 42.Bb4+ Kxd5 43.a5 bxa5 44.b6 Rb1 45.Bxa5 Rb5 46.Ra2
e4 47.fxe4+ Kxe4 48.Ra4 f3+ 49.Kf1 Rb1+ 50.Be1 f2 51.Rxd4+
Kxd4 52.Kxf2 Rxb6 53.Kf3 Rb5 54.Bg3 Rf5+ 55.Bf4 Kd3 56.Kg3 Ke4
57.Bb8 Rf3+ 58.Kg2 Rb3 59.Bg3 Kf5 60.Kh3 Rd3 61.Kg2 Kg4 62.Be1
Rd1 63.Bf2 Rd2 64.Kg1 Kf3 65.Bb6 Rg2+ 66.Kh1 Rg4 67.Bg1 Rxh4+
68.Bh2 Rg4 69.Bb8 Rxg5 70.Kh2 Rg2+ 71.Kh3 g5 72.Bc7 Rg1 73.Kh2
Rd1 74.Bb8 g4 75.Bg3 Rd2+ 76.Kg1 Kxg3 77.Kf1 Kf3 78.Ke1 Rd8
{Which he might have done much sooner.} 0-1

Game 9
[Event "St Petersburg"]
[Site "St Petersburg"]
[Date "1909.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Leo Fleischmann Forgacs"]
[Black "Akiba Rubinstein"]
[ECO "C01"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "104"]

1.e4 {Notes by Lasker.} e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bd3
Bd6 6.O-O O-O 7.Bg5 Bg4 8.Nbd2 Nbd7 9.c3 c6 10.Qc2 Qc7 11.Rfe1
Rfe8 12.h3 Bh5 13.Rxe8+ Rxe8 14.Re1 Rxe1+ 15.Nxe1 Bg6 16.Bxg6
hxg6 17.Nef3 Nf8 18.Bxf6 gxf6 19.Qa4 {Black has subtly brought
his Pawns into the center. White should not underestimate the
danger of their advance, and with moves as those in the text
he should not lose time. He could very well have met the
menace of placing the Knight on f4 by the manouver Nb3-c1-d3.}
a6 20.Nf1 Ne6 21.g3 {Noe the problem of defence has become
complicated. The Pawn at g3 is a mark.} f5 22.Kg2 f4 23.g4 c5
{Black initiates an attack which, in comparison to the slight
force put in action, has extraordinary vigor.} 24.Qe8+ Kg7
25.g5 {White does not heed the peril. The Queen on e8 is
misplaced. After dxc5, Bxc5, the White f-pawn is very weak. If
Black takes on d5, that Pawn remains isolated and weak in the
endgame. Quickly Qa4, in order to retake with Knight or Queen
was prudent. To make yet another weakness, as he has done,
filled the measure to overflowing.} cxd4 26.cxd4 Qe7 27.Qc8
{After 27.Qxe7 Bxe7 28.h4 f6, White either loses the g-pawn or
the d-pawn.} Nxg5 28.N1d2 Bb4 29.h4 Ne4 30.Nf1 Nd6 31.Qg4 Qe4
32.h5 Nf5 33.hxg6 fxg6 34.a3 Bd6 35.Nd2 Qe2 36.Qg5 Ne3+ 37.Kg1
Qd1+ 38.Kh2 Nf1+ 39.Nxf1 Qxf3 40.Kg1 Qh3 41.Qg2 {Black menaced
to push f3 and, after the Pawn moves of White are exhausted,
to win by Zugzwang.} Qxg2+ 42.Kxg2 Bc7 43.Nd2 Bb6 44.Nb3 Kf6
45.f3 g5 46.Kf2 Kf5 47.Kf1 g4 48.fxg4+ Kxg4 49.Nc5 Bxc5
50.dxc5 d4 51.b4 d3 52.a4 f3 0-1

Game 10
[Event "St. Petersburg (Russia)"]
[Site "St. Petersburg (Russia)"]
[Date "1909.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Oldrich Duras"]
[Black "Akiba Rubinstein"]
[ECO "C77"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "130"]

1.e4 {Notes by Dr. Emanuel Lasker.} e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6
4.Ba4 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.c4 g6 7.d4 exd4 8.Nxd4 Bd7 9.Nxc6 Bxc6
10.O-O Bg7 11.Nc3 O-O 12.f3 {A waste of time, which is
possible to be avoided with 12.Bxc6. In this case, after
12...bxc6 13.Bg5 h6 14.Be3 White wins an important tempo for
Qd2 or Bd4.} Nd7 13.Be3 Ne5 14.Bb3 {14.c5 will be refuted by
14....Nc4 15.Qe2 Nxe3 16.Qxe3 Bxa4 17.Nxa4 dxc5 and
...Bd4. Also unsatisfactory is 14.Qe2 because of 14....Bxa4
15.Nxa4 Nxc4 16.Qxc4 b5.} b6 15.f4 {?!} Nd7 16.Bd4 Nc5 17.Bxg7
Kxg7 18.Bc2 a5 19.Qg4 {Much better was 19.Qd4+, and if
19...Qf6 20.Qxf6+ Kxf6 21.Rae1, and White can hope for a
draw. If Black tries to avoid the exchange of the queens, then
White's queen will have a dominant position.} Nxe4 {!} 20.Nxe4
f5 21.Qf3 fxe4 22.Bxe4 Bxe4 23.Qxe4 Qf6 {!} 24.Rf2 {?!} Rae8
25.Qd5 Qf5 26.Rd1 Re4 27.g3 Rfe8 28.Kg2 h5 {Excellent! This
threatens to eventually play ...h4 and ...Re3.} 29.b3 Re3
30.Rd4 Kf6 {!} 31.h3 {? This mistake makes Black's task
easier, but White already was lost. For example, 31.Rdd2 h4
32.Qxf5+ gxf5 33.Rf3 hxg3 34.hxg3 Re2+ 35.Rf2 Rxd2 36.Rxd2
Re3, to be followed by ...a4-a3 and final posting of the rook
at b2.} h4 {!} 32.Qxf5+ gxf5 33.gxh4 Rg8+ 34.Kf1 Rxh3 35.Ke2
Re8+ 36.Kd2 Rxh4 37.Rg2 Reh8 38.Kc3 Rh3+ 39.Rd3 Rxd3+ 40.Kxd3
Rh3+ 41.Kd4 Rf3 42.Kd5 Rxf4 43.Kc6 Rg4 44.Rf2 Rg7 45.Kd5 Re7
46.Rf1 Kg5 47.Rg1+ Kf4 48.a3 Kf3 49.Rf1+ Kg4 50.Rg1+ Kh3
51.Rf1 Re5+ 52.Kc6 Kg2 53.Rf4 Kg3 54.Rf1 Rc5+ 55.Kb7 f4 56.Rc1
d5 57.Rg1+ Kf2 58.Rb1 d4 59.Rc1 d3 60.b4 axb4 61.axb4 d2
62.Rc2 Ke3 63.bxc5 d1=Q 64.Rc3+ Kd4 65.cxb6 Kxc3 0-1