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Steinitz,W — Lasker,Em
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(10)
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| D35/01 |
Queen’s Gambit Declined
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| 1894.04.19 |
USA Philadelphia, PA (Franklin
Chess
Club)
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Annotations by Lasker & Jackson
Showalter
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3
| ** |
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, 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; or, if 6.Qxd4 in reply to 5...cxd4, the
gaining of important developing time by 6...Nc6 attacking the queen;
either
contingency being unfavorable to White. |
5.dxc5 Bxc5 6.cxd5 Nxd5 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 (if 9.e4,
9...dxe4
etc.) at once, as Black threatens by pawn to d4, to permanently block
the
white pawn’s advance. Black then
proceeds
by 9...0-0 and ...Re8, or ...Nc6, with decidely 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 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8 9.bxc3 Nc6
| ** |
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 preceding note. The outcome of the opening thus far is in
itself
sufficient commentary on 4.f3. |
10.Nh3 Kc7 11.Nf4 Rd8 12.Nd3 Bd6 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 14.Nf2 Bc5 15.Be2 Bb7
[0:45-0:32]
16.Nd3 Bf8 17.f5
| ** |
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.
Showalter: If 17.e5 Ne7 18.0-0 Ba6
19.Rd1
Rd7 20.Ba3 (20.Bb2 Rad8 21.Nc1 Bxe2 22.Rxd7+ Rxd7 23.Nxe2 Rd2 and wins)
20...Nd5 21.Bxf8 Rxf8 22.g3 Ne3 23.Rd2 Rfd8 24.Kf2 Ng4+ 25.Bxg4 (best)
25...Rxd3 26.Rxd3 Rxd3 and should win. |
17...e5 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 19.Be3 Rac8
| ** |
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. |
20.0-0-0
| ** |
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 21.Nf2
| ** |
Lasker: If, for instance:
21.Kb2
Na5 22.Nf2 either 22...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 23.Bd3 dxc3 24.g4 Ba3+ 25.Kc2
| ** |
Showalter: Forced; as, if
25.Kb1
Rxd3 and wins. |
25...Bc6 26.Kb3 Bc5 27.Nh3
| ** |
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 28.Bc2 Bd2 29.Nf2
| ** |
Showalter: Floundering back
to d3! But there is now nothing else. The game is hopeless. |
29...Rd4 30.Ka3 Be8
| ** |
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 32.Nb4 Rd4
| ** |
Showalter: A beautiful
finish! |
33.Bb3 a5 34.Nc2 b5 0-1.
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The Sun, New York,
1894.04.20
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New-York Daily Tribune, 1894.04.20
& 21
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New York Recorder,
1894.07.08
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