1.
e4
e5
2.
Nf3
Nc6
3.
Bb5
Nf6
4.
O-O
d6
5.
d4
Bd7
6.
Nc3
Be7
7.
Re1
exd4
8.
Nxd4
O-O
9.
Nde2
a6
10.
Ba4
Re8
11.
f3
h6
12.
Be3
Bf8
13.
Qd2
Ne5
14.
Bb3
c5
15.
Bd5
Rb8
16.
Nf4
b5
17.
a3
Nxd5
18.
Ncxd5
f5
19.
exf5
Bxf5
20.
Bf2
Qd7
21.
Ne3
Bh7
22.
Nfd5
Qf7
23.
Rad1
Nc6
24.
Bg3
Rbd8
25.
Bh4
Rd7
26.
Ng4
Rxe1+
27.
Rxe1
Nd4
28.
Nge3
Bxc2
29.
Nxc2
Nxc2
30.
Nf6+
gxf6
31.
Qxc2
f5
32.
f4
Bg7
33.
h3
c4
34.
g4
d5
35.
gxf5
d4
36.
Qe4
d3
37.
f6
Bf8
38.
Kh2
d2
39.
Rd1
Qh5
40.
Qe6+
Kh8
41.
f7
Qxf7
42.
Bf6+
Bg7
43.
Qxf7
Rxf7
44.
Bxg7+
Kxg7
45.
Rxd2
Rxf4
46.
Kg3
Re4
47.
Kf3
Re1
48.
Rd7+
Kf6
49.
Rd6+
Ke5
50.
Rxa6
Rb1
51.
Rxh6
Rxb2
52.
Ke3
Rb3+
53.
Kd2
Kd4
54.
Rd6+
Kc5
55.
Ra6
Rxh3
56.
Ra8
Rh2+
57.
Kc3
Ra2
58.
Rc8+
Kb6
59.
Rb8+
Kc6
60.
Ra8
Kc5
61.
Rc8+
Kb6
62.
Rb8+
Kc6
63.
Ra8
Kb7
64.
Ra5
Kb6
65.
Ra8
Kc6
66.
Kd4
Kb7
67.
Ra5
Rd2+
68.
Kc3
Rd5
69.
Kb4
Kb6
70.
a4
c3
71.
axb5
1/2-1/2
Opening Explorer
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Site
St Petersburg
Date
1909.02.15
Round
1
White
Black
Result
1/2-1/2
- 10.Ba4 The retreat to Q 3 appears stronger. It is true that Black can then change White's K B for a Knight, by playing, say Kt - K 4; but in that case White would retake with the B P and would have two strong Pawns in the centre as compensation for Black's two Bishops.
- 11…h6 If Black played B - K B sq at once, White's reply would be 12) B - K Kt 5 threatening Kt - Q 5. After this Black would have nothing better than 12) .... P - R 3; 13) B - R 4, B - K 2.
- 13…Ne5 By this move Black frees his game.
- 14.Bb3 It was not good to retire the Bishop. White ought to have exchanged, and developed his game further by Q R - Q sq.
- 18…f5 The point of Black's strategy. After the exchange of the King's Pawn the weakness of the Queen's Pawn does not signify.
- 27…Nd4 Decisive. White dare not reply Kt (Q 5) - K 3, as 28) .... P - Kt 4; 29) B - Kt 3, P - K R 4 would get him into difficulties.
- 31.Qxc2 Intending to take up a strong position by Q - B 5.
- 32…Bg7 32) .... P - Q 4; 33) R - K 5, P - Q 5 and, whether Q or R take B P, P - Q 6 would have decided the game at once. The text is therefore loss of time.
- 34.g4 A desperate attempt to obtain an attack.
- 34…d5 Simply P x P, P x P followed either by Q x P or P - Q 4 was indicated.
- 37.f6 If 37) .... B x P; 38) B x B, Q x B; 39) Q - K 8 ch.
- 38…d2 Better 38) .... K - R sq; 39) R - K Kt sq, P - Q R 4, in order to play P - Kt 5 and P - B 6, which was feasible in spite of P - B 5 and Q - K 6.
- 39…Qh5 K - R sq was still the right move. If White play 40) Q - K 2, then B - Q 3; 41) K - Kt 3, Q - Kt 3 ch; 42) Q - Kt 4, B x P ch and wins; likewise after 39) .... K - R sq; 40) Q - K 2, B - Q 3; 41) Q x P, B x P ch; 42) Q x B, R x R; 43) Q x P ch, K - Kt sq; 44) Q - Kt 4 ch, K - R 2, White's checks would cease and Black should win.
- 41.f7 This clever move threatens B - B 6 ch.
- 42.Bf6+ Far better than at once Q x Q, as White's Q Kt P is saved from attack by the exchange of the Bishops.
- 42…Bg7 To 42) .... K - R 2, the reply would not have been 43) Q - B 5 ch, K - Kt sq; 44) R - Kt sq ch, as after 44) .... B - Kt 2; 45) R x B ch, Q x Q; 46) B x Q, P - Q 8 Q Black would get out of the checks and win; but after 42) .... K - R 2; 43) Q x Q ch, R x Q; 44) B - B 3 White would have taken up a strong defensive position.
- 45…Rxf4 Black certainly remains with a Pawn to the good, but White threatens to break up the Pawns by P - Q R 4. After an end game, which is played by White in a sensible manner, and which needs no comment, the game now ends in a draw.
- 71.axb5 If 71) .... P - B 7 then follows 72) R - R 6 ch and 73) R - B 6.
[Event "St Petersburg Chigorin Memorial"] [Site "St Petersburg"] [Date "1909.02.15"] [Round "1"] [White "Schlechter, Carl"] [Black "Lasker, Emanuel"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6 5. d4 Bd7 6. Nc3 Be7 7. Re1 exd4 8. Nxd4 O-O 9. Nde2 a6 10. Ba4 Re8 11. f3 h6 12. Be3 Bf8 13. Qd2 Ne5 14. Bb3 c5 15. Bd5 Rb8 16. Nf4 b5 17. a3 Nxd5 18. Ncxd5 f5 19. exf5 Bxf5 20. Bf2 Qd7 21. Ne3 Bh7 22. Nfd5 Qf7 23. Rad1 Nc6 24. Bg3 Rbd8 25. Bh4 Rd7 26. Ng4 Rxe1+ 27. Rxe1 Nd4 28. Nge3 Bxc2 29. Nxc2 Nxc2 30. Nf6+ gxf6 31. Qxc2 f5 32. f4 Bg7 33. h3 c4 34. g4 d5 35. gxf5 d4 36. Qe4 d3 37. f6 Bf8 38. Kh2 d2 39. Rd1 Qh5 40. Qe6+ Kh8 41. f7 Qxf7 42. Bf6+ Bg7 43. Qxf7 Rxf7 44. Bxg7+ Kxg7 45. Rxd2 Rxf4 46. Kg3 Re4 47. Kf3 Re1 48. Rd7+ Kf6 49. Rd6+ Ke5 50. Rxa6 Rb1 51. Rxh6 Rxb2 52. Ke3 Rb3+ 53. Kd2 Kd4 54. Rd6+ Kc5 55. Ra6 Rxh3 56. Ra8 Rh2+ 57. Kc3 Ra2 58. Rc8+ Kb6 59. Rb8+ Kc6 60. Ra8 Kc5 61. Rc8+ Kb6 62. Rb8+ Kc6 63. Ra8 Kb7 64. Ra5 Kb6 65. Ra8 Kc6 66. Kd4 Kb7 67. Ra5 Rd2+ 68. Kc3 Rd5 69. Kb4 Kb6 70. a4 c3 71. axb5 1/2-1/2