1.
e4
e5
2.
Nf3
Nc6
3.
d4
exd4
4.
Nxd4
Bc5
5.
Be3
Qf6
6.
c3
Nge7
7.
Nc2
b6
8.
Nd2
Qg6
9.
Bxc5
bxc5
10.
Ne3
Rb8
11.
b3
O-O
12.
Bc4
d6
13.
f4
Qf6
14.
O-O
Qxc3
15.
Rf3
Qd4
16.
Kh1
Be6
17.
Rc1
Bxc4
18.
Rxc4
Qb2
19.
Rc2
Qf6
20.
Ng4
Qg6
21.
Rg3
f5
22.
Ne5
Qe6
23.
Nxc6
Nxc6
24.
e5
Nb4
25.
Rc4
dxe5
26.
Qa1
Qd7
27.
Nf3
exf4
28.
Ne5
Qe7
29.
Rxf4
Rbe8
30.
Nc4
Qe1+
31.
Rf1
Qxa1
32.
Rxa1
Nxa2
33.
h3
f4
34.
Rd3
Nb4
35.
Rd7
f3
36.
gxf3
Rxf3
37.
Rxa7
Nd3
38.
Ra1
Ne1
39.
Nd2
Rxh3+
40.
Kg1
Rg3+
41.
Kh2
Rd3
42.
Rxe1
Rxd2+
43.
Rxd2
Rxe1
44.
Rd7
Re3
45.
Rxc7
Rxb3
46.
Rxc5
h6
47.
Rc6
Kh7
48.
Kg2
h5
49.
Ra6
g6
50.
Ra4
Kh6
51.
Rc4
Rb5
52.
Kg3
Kg5
53.
Rc3
h4+
54.
Kh3
Kh5
55.
Rc4
Rb3+
56.
Kh2
g5
57.
Ra4
Rb2+
58.
Kh1
h3
59.
Rc4
g4
60.
Kg1
g3
61.
Rc5+
Kg6
62.
Rc1
Kf5
63.
Ra1
Rd2
64.
Re1
Kf4
65.
Ra1
Ke3
66.
Ra3+
Rd3
67.
Ra1
Ke2
0-1
Opening Explorer
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Site
St Petersburg
Date
1914.04.21
Round
1
White
Black
Result
0-1
- 5…Qf6 The threat Kt x Kt and B x B must be met in some way. P—Q 3 is not satisfactory, for Black remains with a trebled pawn after the double exchange. An alternative to the text move is B—Kt 3. Q—B 3, however, has the advantage of developing a piece, and although it is the Queen, White has no early opportunity of driving the same off, such as he often obtains when the Queen comes out so soon in the game.
- 7.Nc2 In order to develop the Q Kt.
- 7…b6 Out of three possible moves, Lasker selects the one which contributes most to development. B—Kt 3 does nothing in that direction, and B x B would bring the Black Knight further into play. The text move prepares the development of the B at Kt 2 with the option of Castles Q R. If White exchanges Bishops he gives up the command of his Q 4. Black's P—Q 3 might have had the same result, but then the exchange would have given White a majority of pawns on the K side, whilst White's three Q side pawns would have held the black Q side pawns, one of the latter being doubled.
- 8…Qg6 The exchange of Bishops allows White to play Kt—K 3, thus avoiding the weakening move P—K Kt 3. 9 B—K B 4 is answered by P—Q 4 !.
- 12.Bc4 To prevent Black's P—B 4. At first sight it seems as if the Q B P ought to move to B 4, as the advance of the Q Kt P has weakened it. But White dares not allow a Black Knight to settle at Q 5.
- 13.f4 Black threatens to play K—R 1 in order to play P—B 4. White's position would then be very bad, and therefore he rightly decides to anticipate the move, even at the cost of a pawn. In order to gain the Q B P Black must waste a number of moves with the Q, and White gains time for a King's side attack. The pawn sacrifice is very promising indeed.
- 15.Rf3 There seem to be many threats here, and the position is a difficult one to fathom. After disentangling his Queen, Black tries very hard to force his P—B 4. As soon as he succeeds in this he has a won game, for the open file is available both for defence and counter-attack.
- 18…Qb2 Q—B 3 is impossible apart from the fact that it would block the K B P, e.g. 18...Q—B 3; 19 P—K 5, P x P; 20 Kt—K 4, etc.
- 19.Rc2 Now the attack shown in the last note could be answered with Q—R 5.
- 20.Ng4 Here P—K Kt 4 could be answered by Kt—Q 5, e.g. 21 P—Kt 5, Q—Kt 3; 22 R—Kt 3, P—B 4.
- 24…Nb4 This prevents the Rook from occupying the Q file which is about to be opened.
- 26…Qd7 If now Q x P, Black plays R—B 2 with unanswerable threats of R—K 1 or Q 1.
- 37…Nd3 Threatens mate in six.
- 38…Ne1 Mate is again threatened.
- 47.Rc6 A few more moves “ for fun.”
[Event "St Petersburg International Preliminary"] [Site "St Petersburg"] [Date "1914.04.21"] [Round "1"] [White "Blackburne, Joseph Henry"] [Black "Lasker, Emanuel"] [Result "0-1"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5 5. Be3 Qf6 6. c3 Nge7 7. Nc2 b6 8. Nd2 Qg6 9. Bxc5 bxc5 10. Ne3 Rb8 11. b3 O-O 12. Bc4 d6 13. f4 Qf6 14. O-O Qxc3 15. Rf3 Qd4 16. Kh1 Be6 17. Rc1 Bxc4 18. Rxc4 Qb2 19. Rc2 Qf6 20. Ng4 Qg6 21. Rg3 f5 22. Ne5 Qe6 23. Nxc6 Nxc6 24. e5 Nb4 25. Rc4 dxe5 26. Qa1 Qd7 27. Nf3 exf4 28. Ne5 Qe7 29. Rxf4 Rbe8 30. Nc4 Qe1+ 31. Rf1 Qxa1 32. Rxa1 Nxa2 33. h3 f4 34. Rd3 Nb4 35. Rd7 f3 36. gxf3 Rxf3 37. Rxa7 Nd3 38. Ra1 Ne1 39. Nd2 Rxh3+ 40. Kg1 Rg3+ 41. Kh2 Rd3 42. Rxe1 Rxd2+ 43. Rxd2 Rxe1 44. Rd7 Re3 45. Rxc7 Rxb3 46. Rxc5 h6 47. Rc6 Kh7 48. Kg2 h5 49. Ra6 g6 50. Ra4 Kh6 51. Rc4 Rb5 52. Kg3 Kg5 53. Rc3 h4+ 54. Kh3 Kh5 55. Rc4 Rb3+ 56. Kh2 g5 57. Ra4 Rb2+ 58. Kh1 h3 59. Rc4 g4 60. Kg1 g3 61. Rc5+ Kg6 62. Rc1 Kf5 63. Ra1 Rd2 64. Re1 Kf4 65. Ra1 Ke3 66. Ra3+ Rd3 67. Ra1 Ke2 0-1