chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Wilhelm Steinitz vs Emanuel Lasker
St. Petersburg Quadrangular (1895/96), St. Petersburg RUE, rd 4, Dec-19
Queen's Gambit Declined: Harrwitz Attack (D35)  ·  0-1

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
Notes by Stockfish 9 v010218 (minimum 6s/ply)6...Nbd7 was played in M Vachier-Lagrave vs Caruana, 2014 (0-1)better is 11...Re8+ 12.Ne2 Bb4+ 13.Bd2 Bg4 14.O-O Bxd2 15.Qxd2 Qd6 = -0.45 (23 ply)better is 12.Ne5 Bf5 13.Bxf5 Nxf5 14.O-O Rc8 15.Bg5 Re8 16.Bxf6 = +0.09 (25 ply)= -0.41 (23 ply)better is 15.Bg3 a6 16.Nc7 Nxc7 17.Rxc5 Ne6 18.Rc3 Qa5 19.Bc4 Rad8 = -0.20 (23 ply) ⩱ -0.76 (25 ply)better is 17...Nef4 18.Nc3 Nxd3 19.Qxd3 Bxf2 20.Bc7 Bb6 21.Ne4 Qf5 ⩱ -1.32 (23 ply) ⩱ -0.67 (24 ply)better is 18...g6 19.Nc7 Nef4 20.Bxg6 fxg6 21.Qxc5 Qxc5 22.Rxc5 ⩱ -0.94 (23 ply)= -0.21 (23 ply)better is 19...b6 20.Be4 a5 21.Nc3 g6 22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Rd1 Rxd1+ ⩱ -0.60 (20 ply)better is 20.Nc3 b6 21.Be4 Rcd8 22.Nd5 f5 23.Bxf5 Nd4 24.Rxd4 Bxd4 = 0.00 (23 ply) ⩱ -0.60 (24 ply) after 20...Rc6 21.Bf5 a6 22.Bxe6 Rxe6 23.Nc3 b5 24.Ne4 Bb6 better is 21...b5 22.Bf5 Nd4 23.Rxd4 Bxd4 24.Bxc8 Rxc8 25.Rd1 ⩱ -0.72 (25 ply)= 0.00 (27 ply) 29.f5 Rc8 30.Qd3 Qc7 31.Rc1 Qe5 32.Bg2 Re8 33.Rf4 Rd8 = 0.00 (28 ply)-+ -4.97 (32 ply)40.Qc2 Ra8 41.Re5 Nxg3 42.Nxg3 Bxf4 43.Qg2 Bxg3+ 44.Qxg3 -+ -49.75 (22 ply)0-1

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

Click Here to play Guess-the-Move
Given 27 times; par: 46 [what's this?]

Annotations by Stockfish (Computer).      [35437 more games annotated by Stockfish]

explore this opening
find similar games 45 more Steinitz/Lasker games
sac: 32...Rxg2 PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: You should register a free account to activate some of Chessgames.com's coolest and most powerful features.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

THIS IS A COMPUTER ANNOTATED SCORE.   [CLICK HERE] FOR ORIGINAL.

Kibitzer's Corner
Oct-28-05  ahmadov: It is amazing that nobody has kibitz in this very interesting encounter between Steinitz and Lasker. Moreover, the game is cleverly annotated.
Nov-28-07  Ulhumbrus: 31...Be3 attacks by obstructing the defence.
May-20-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: <Moreover, the game is cleverly annotated.>

Cleverly but unsoundly. :-) Black seems to get the advantage fairly early, so why is 21....Nd4, sacrificing a pawn for an attack "good enough for a draw" considered praiseworthy?

Jan-14-09  kingmundi: "nor could White save himself by Qd8+." -quote
The sequence after would be something like the following (as the black dark square bishop covers the b6 square)

41. ... Kg6
42. Rb6+ Bxb6
43. Qxb6+ f6
44. Qf2 fxg5
45. Qb6+ Kh7
46. Qc5 Qxg3+
47. Kh1

Apr-28-09  YoungEd: I'm with <keypusher>; if White's play has been questionable so far, then a move by Black that assures no better than a draw can't be quite right, can it?
Jul-03-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: Calli> supplies a very interesting newspaper article, http://picasaweb.google.com/Caissa1... , that says Lasker made a move on the board that he should have sealed, and that Steinitz, "after pointing at the clock with a sarcastic smile" at first refused to play further, presumably with the idea that he would be able to analyze the position until the evening resumption. After remonstrations from the organizers he made a move and then Lasker sealed. Lasker went on to win the game, but spectators who had bet on Steinitz refused to pay up "and the incident is still unsettled, to the great annoyance of the club."

I think this is the game in question. Assuming that the game was adjourned after four hours, I would guess that 31....Be3 was the move Lasker failed to seal. If so, then this little incident may have shortened the game, since Steinitz's 32nd move is a blunder (though he was lost anyway). 32....Rxg2 must have been a very unpleasant sight for Steinitz when the envelope was opened at the resumption.

Jul-04-09  Calli: Steinitz was right, the directors should not have made him move again and let Lasker seal. Would not have made any difference in this game, as you point out.

A similar incident happened in Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1936

Apr-08-11  madlydeeply: These aren't Reinfeld's notes...they are Reuben Fine's! He also gives fourteen (!) variations showing why 19. Rfd1 can't be played. Which makes 17...Rad8 a extremely complicated positional trap... that Steinitz also saw completely through as well. Fine's last comment was "rarely does one game contain so many combinations". This is from a book coauthored by Fine and Reinfeld called "Lasker's Greatest Chess Games" and released under another title "Dr. Lasker's Chess Career". I just bought it used for three dollars and fifty cents. Whatta bargain!
Apr-08-11  madlydeeply: Also Fine shows a variation after 27...Qd6 "stopping Ne2 once and for all": 28. Ne2 Rd8 29. Nf4 Nf5 threatens Ng6 mate as well as QxR. Whee!
Apr-08-11  madlydeeply: Looks like 28 ...Rd8 in that variation threatens 29...Nxe2 followed by Ng6 mate if queen is taken.
Apr-08-11  fab4: 10.. d4 just equalized

And 12.0-0 was bizarre..

Impressed with Lasker's play in this game. He's justifiably one of the greatest in chess history..

Steinitz ofcourse is too.. but by this time he was way past his sell by date.

Jul-01-16  zanzibar: Notes by Fred (or should that be Rueben?)...

I wonder if his published version had 38.Rb5 rather than 38.Rb4 (in descriptive notation), and if <CG> corrected it without notice.

Sep-06-19  Ulhumbrus: As Black is able to answer 12 0-0 advantageously with 12...Bg4 either smashing White's king side or gaining the bishop pair this suggests first 12 Nxd4 and then 13 0-0.

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

<This page contains Editor Notes. Click here to read them.>

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC