Lasker, Edward VS Englund, Fritz 1913.08.06

Annotations

1. 5.Nxe5 Black can now get White's K P by playing Q-K 2, and moreover exchange White's valuable Bishop. Instead of the move in the text it is advisable to retire the Bishop to R 4 or B 4, or else to play 5 Kt×Kt, P×Kt; 6 P-K 5, P×Kt; 7 P×Kt. Black would then play Q×P and not P×Q P ch, as the latter move allows White to develop quickly, and Black has no time to castle—e.g. 8 B×P, Q×P; 9 Castles, B-K 2; 10 B-B 3, followed by R-K 1.
2. 6…Nxe4 Here Kt×B was essential, followed by Q×P, freeing the Bishop. After 7 Kt×Kt, Q×P ch; 8 Q-K 2, Q×Q ch; 9 K×Q, Kt-Q 4 (10 P-B 4, P-Q R 3), Black completes his development a little later (10 R-K 1, P-K B 3; 11 K-B 1 ch, K-B 2), but after the exchange of Queens there is not much to fear from an immediate attack, and the value of the two Bishops soon asserts itself. In a match game Ed. Lasker–Cole (London, 1913) the continuation was 12 P-Q 4, P-Q R 3; 13 Kt-B 3, Kt×Kt; 14 P×Kt, P-Q 4. Here the doubled pawn is a disadvantage, in that the pawn at B 2 is immobile, and constantly liable to be attacked by B-B 4. P-Q 3 was the better move.
3. 7…Nxc3 Now Kt×B was no longer possible. After Kt×Q Kt there would be threats of Kt×B P as well as of R-K 1 and P-Q 3. The game is almost lost for Black at this stage, as the King cannot escape the impending attack on the K file by castling.
4. 11.Bd3 prevents castling, as Q-K 4 would win a piece.
5. 12.Be3 White has the development of the B gratis, as Black must lose time with the Queen.
6. 14.Qxd5 Black being behind with his development is already threatened by sacrificial combinations. If he takes the Bishop he loses by 15 B-Kt 5 ch, K-B 1; 16 Q-Q 8 ch!, B×Q; 17 R-K 8 mate, or 15...P-B 3; 16 B×P ch, and so on.
7. 16…Bc5 Here Black might have castled on the Queen's side, but R-Q 1 would have had much the same sequel as in the actual game.
8. 18…Bf8 A sorry retreat. But after Q-Q 7, which may have been Black's original intention, White plays R-K B 1, threatening B-K B 4.
9. 19.Rd1 This move completes White's development, and only seems to give Black a chance of castling. However, Black has no satisfactory continuation.

Edward Lasker, Chess Strategy (1921) · Public domain · source