Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Lasker-Bauer, Amsterdam 1889


An early example of the double Bishop sacrifice, the “chess mill” theme, and the skill of the then-young Emanuel Lasker, who only five years later would challenge Steinitz for the World Championship.


Em. Lasker - J. Bauer
Amsterdam 1889
BIRD’S OPENING

1. f4 d5 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 Nf6 4. b3 Be7 5. Bb2 b6

The flank development of his Queen Bishop fits in well with White’s central formation, but Black’s play is rather obliging — he ought to have tried either for an early ... e6-e5, or ... c7-c5 followed by ... d5-d4.

6. Bd3 Bb7 7. Nc3 0-0 8. 0-0 Nbd7 9. Ne2 c5 10. Ng3 Qc7 11. Ne5 Nxe5 12. Bxe5 Qc6 13. Qe2 a6 14. Nh5 Nxh5 15. Bxh7+!

A bolt from a stormy sky. The key factors of the combination are a) the possibility of quickly bringing a Rook into the attack (19. Rf3) and b) the presence of undefended Black pieces, giving the White Queen the chance for a double attack (22. Qd7).

15. ... Kxh7 16. Qxh5+ Kg8 17. Bxg7!

(Diagram)

17. … Kxg7 18. Qg4+ Kh7 19. Rf3 e5 20. Rh3+ Qh6 21. Rxh6+ Kxh6 22. Qd7

If it were not for this sting at the end of the combination, Black would have more than enough for his Queen. Now White has a decisive material and positional advantage.

22. ... Bf6 23. Qxb7 Kg7 24. Rf1 Rab8 25. Qd7 Rfd8 26. Qg4+ Kf8 27. fxe5 Bg7

Not 27. ... Bxe5 28. Qe6.

28. e6 Rb7 29. Qg6 f6 30. Rxf6+ Bxf6 31. Qxf6+ Ke8 32. Qh8+ Ke7 33. Qg7+ 1-0

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