Emanuel Lasker, The International Chess Congress, St. Petersburg, 1909 (1910)
Game 90 of 175
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Site
St Petersburg
Date
1909.02.28
Round
10
White
Burn, Amos
Black
Result
1/2-1/2
- 3.d4 White is wrong in not defending, for a time, the advantage he holds momentarily. He should compel Black to take some trouble over winning the Pawn back; meanwhile he would obtain other compensation; e. g.: 3) P - Q B 4, P - B 3; 4) P x P, Kt x P; 5) P - Q 3, P - K 4; 6) Kt - Q B 3, B - Q B 4 (A); 7) B - K 3, B - K B; 8) P x B, Q - Kt 3; 9) Q - Q 2, B - K 3; 10) P - K 4, R - Q sq; 11) Kt - Q 5; or (A) 6) .... B - K B 4; 7) Kt - B 3, Q - Q 2; 8) B - K 2, R - Q sq (or O - O - O); 9) O - O, B x P; 10) B x B, Q x B; 11) Q - R 4.
- 11.Bf4 B - Kt 5 was more to the purpose. Black could not then have played 11) .... Q Kt - Q 2, as 12) Kt x Kt followed by B x Kt would have broken up his King's side.
- 17.Bg3 Now that the Queen's side is exposed, and White has completed his development, he should have played P - Q R 3, P - Q Kt 4 and, according to circumstances, P - Kt 5 or P - B 5. The weak point at Q 3 might easily prove fatal for Black.
- 18…Nb6 Black is playing without any set plan. He ought to make room for his pieces; therefore 18) .... P - B 4. Then if 19) P - Q 5, P x P the King's file will be opened, with the likely continuation 20) P x P, B - Q 3; or 20) Kt x P, Kt x Kt; 21) R x Kt, Kt - B 3.
- 20…Kh7 Black has far less pieces available on King's side than White; there is no motive for attacking there.
- 30.g5 White, being in a very strong position, could not be compelled to rush the attack. Therefore he had ample time to make some preparations such as B - B sq, Kt - R 4, R - K B sq, R (Q 3) - K B 3. Black could not tear the net that White threatened to throw over his head.
- 35…c5 An elegant move, which is, moreover, founded on the logical requirements of the position. The Kt at K 4 is occupied in guarding K Kt 5; the Pawn at Q 4 defends the square K 5, the gate of the centre, through which the stream of Black pieces would like to flow for the counter attack.
- 36…Rf5 Finely played. Black takes advantage of the weakness of White's K Kt P in fine style.
- 37.Nxf5 He need not have taken yet; but he could not improve the position of any piece materially. Perhaps 37) Q - Kt 2 would have been a little stronger.
- 38.Nf6 If 38) Kt - Q 6, Black's answer would be 38) .... R - K 7.
- 44.Rd7 White has a very difficult game. The Black Pawns threaten to advance quickly (P - K Kt 4, Q - B 2, P - B 5), while White's Pawns are still far away from their goal. White is right in wresting the attack from his opponent by the sacrifice of the exchange.