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Lasker,Em — Steinitz,W
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(5)
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| 1894.03.27 |
USA New York, NY (Union Square
Hotel)
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Annotations by Lasker &
Steinitz
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.d4 Bd7 5.Nc3 Nge7 6.Bc4
exd4
7.Nxd4 Nxd4 8.Qxd4 Nc6 9.Qe3 Be6
| ** |
Lasker: This seems better
than
9...Ne5, as played by Steinitz in the first and third games.
Steinitz: The whole variation arising
from White’s sixth move is new. Black,
after
different experiments, came to the conclusion that the text move is
Black’s
best reply. |
10.Nd5 Be7 11.Bd2 0-0 12.0-0
| ** |
Lasker: It is safer to
castle
on the kingside in this position. |
12...Ne5 13.Bb3 Bxd5
| ** |
Lasker: An unpleasent
necessity.
White retains two bishops against bishop and knight, which is considered
an advantage.
Steinitz: Black has gained some moves
by first attacking the bishop before effecting this exchange. It is
pretty
obvious that White will have to retake with the bishop. |
14.Bxd5 c6 15.Bb3 Nd7 [0:24-0:50]
16.Rad1
| ** |
Lasker: Playing against the
weak d-pawn. |
16...a5
| ** |
Lasker: An ingenious
departure
in order to develop inactive pieces.
Steinitz: For defensive purposes to
prevent
Bb4, but for attacking purpose also. |
17.c3 a4 18.Bc2 Re8 19.Qh3 Nf8
| ** |
Lasker: 19...g6 would weaken
the position too much. |
20.Be3
| ** |
Steinitz: White had not much
prospect of an attack; for this reason, 20.Bc1, fortifying the queenside
would have been finer play. |
20...Qa5
| ** |
Lasker: In order to get the
queen to the kingside.
Steinitz: Not as good as
20...Qc7. |
21.a3
| ** |
Steinitz: Uncalled for;
since
in reply to 21...a3, which White seemed to fear, 22.b4 was a
satisfactory
answer. |
21...Qb5
| ** |
Steinitz:
Black’s
counter attack is probably premature. He should have been contented with
having weakened the adverse queenside and retreated 21...Qc7, followed
by 22...b5. |
22.Bc1 Rad8
| ** |
Lasker: This move ought to
lose the game.
Steinitz: An oversight, which costs a
pawn, 22...Ng6 instead would have given him a capital game. Still, Black
has acquired some superiority of position which compensates him for the
loss. |
23.Rd4 d5 24.exd5
| ** |
Lasker: 24.Bxa4 would have
been simpler and better. |
24...Bc5 25.Rf4
| ** |
Lasker: Also here 25.Bxa4
and
if 25...Qe2, 26.Rd2 would easily win; the text move gives all the
advantage
away and Black gets the best of it.
Steinitz: By far superior was 25.Bxa4,
and if 25...Qa6 then 26.Rf4 Ng6 27.Bc2, and the attack would be worth
the
exchange which Black offers. |
25...Ng6 26.c4
| ** |
Steinitz: Although this
blocks
out Black’s queen for a time, it is
very injurious
for the ending. The right play was 26.dxc6 bxc6 (best) 27.Re4. It should
be noted, however, that if Rxa4 on this or his previous move, Black
would
win by Bxf2+ followed by Qe2+, or Re1+ accordingly. |
26...Qa6
| ** |
The following comment goes somewhere between
Black’s
26th move and White’s 30th move. The original source does not
specify which
move (or color).-[Pope]
Steinitz: “This and the next two
moves
were made under pressure of time-limit; but certainly without merit;
P-QKt4
instead looks more feasible.” |
27.Bxg6 fxg6 28.Rh4 h5 29.Bg5 Rd6
30.dxc6 Qxc6 [1:59-1:58]
| ** |
Steinitz: It was thought by
some experts that Black could win here 30...Bxf2+; but White effects a
narrow escape by 31.Kxf2 Qb6+ 32.Kg3 Rd3+ 33.Rf3 and wins. |
31.Qf3
| ** |
Steinitz: He had nothing
better,
as Black threatened 31...Re2. |
31...Qxf3 32.gxf3 Re2 33.Bc1 Rxf2 34.Rxf2 Rd1+ 35.Kg2
Bxf2 36.Kxf2 Rxc1 37.Kg3 b6 38.Rd4 Rc2 39.Rd8+ Kh7 40.Rb8 Rxb2
41.Ra8
| ** |
Steinitz: White is wriggling
out of a difficult game with consumate skill. |
41...g5 42.Rxa4 h4+ 43.Kh3 Rf2
44.Rb4
Rxf3+ 45.Kg4 Rxa3 [2:55-2:40] 46.Rxb6 Ra2 47.Kxg5 Rxh2 48.Rb3
Rh1
| ** |
Steinitz: 48...Rc2 instead
was the simplest way of drawing. |
49.Rc3 h3 50.Kg4 (Adjourned),
½-½
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New-York Daily Tribune,
1894.03.28
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The Brooklyn Daily Eagle,
1894.03.28
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The Sun, New York, 1894.03.28
&
30
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New York Recorder, 1894.03.28
&
29
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