The Lasker Sacrifice

(1) Polgar,J (2722) - Karpov,A (2693) [C42] Essent Hoogeveen NED (1), 12.10.2003 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3 Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Be7 7.0-0 Nc6 8.c4 Nb4 9.Be2 0-0 10.a3 Nc6 11.cxd5 Qxd5 12.Nc3 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Qd6 14.Rb1 b6 15.Re1 Be6 16.Bd3 Rae8 17.Rb5 Na5 18.Rbe5 Nc6 19.R5e2 Bd7 20.d5 Na5 21.Ne5 Bf6 22.Bf4 Bxe5 23.Bxe5 Qxa3 24.Re3 Qc5 25.Bxh7+ Kxh7 26.Qh5+ [ 26.Qh5+ Kg8 27.Bxg7 f6 ( 27...Kxg7 28.Rg3+ Bg4 29.Rxg4+ Kf6 30.Qg5# ) 28.Bxf6 Rxf6 29.Rg3+ Bg4 ( 29...Kf8 30.Qh8+ Kf7 31.Qg7# ) 30.Rxg4+ Rg6 31.Qxg6+ Kh8 32.Rh4# ] 1-0

(2) Lasker,E - Bauer,J [A03] Amsterdam Amsterdam (1), 26.08.1889 [Kasparov] This game contains one of the beautiful combinations of the young Lasker which created a blueprint for future similar double bishop sacrifices that destroyed the lives of dozens of his opponents' kings. 1.f4 d5 2.e3 Nf6 3.b3 e6 4.Bb2 Be7 5.Bd3 b6 6.Nf3 Bb7 7.Nc3 Nbd7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Ne2 c5 10.Ng3 Qc7 11.Ne5 Nxe5 12.Bxe5 Qc6 13.Qe2 a6 After very passive Black play in the opening White's army is ready for action, and Lasker begins the final storm 14.Nh5 Nxh5 [ 14...d4 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Qg4 Kh8 ( 16...e5 17.Be4! ) 17.Rf3 Rg8 18.Bxh7! ] 15.Bxh7+! [ 15.Qxh5 f5 achieves nothing.] 15...Kxh7 16.Qxh5+ Kg8 17.Bxg7!! Today Lasker might have tried to copyright this idea. 17...Kxg7 18.Qg4+ Kh7 19.Rf3 e5 20.Rh3+ Qh6 21.Rxh6+ Kxh6 Black has narrowly escaped mate, but 22.Qd7! wins a piece and the game. 22...Bf6 23.Qxb7 Kg7 24.Rf1 Rab8 25.Qd7 Rfd8 26.Qg4+ Kf8 27.fxe5 Bg7 28.e6 Rb7 29.Qg6 f6 30.Rxf6+ Bxf6 31.Qxf6+ Ke8 32.Qh8+ Ke7 33.Qg7+ Kxe6 34.Qxb7 Rd6 35.Qxa6 d4 36.exd4 cxd4 37.h4 d3 38.Qxd3 1-0

(3) Sokolov,I (2695) - Aronian,L (2649) [D39] Essent Hoogeveen NED (1), 12.10.2003 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.e4 Bb4 6.Bg5 c5 7.e5 h6 8.Bd2 Bxc3 9.bxc3 Ne4 10.Bxc4 Bd7 11.d5 0-0 12.0-0 exd5 13.Bxd5 Bc6 14.Bxe4 Bxe4 15.Be3 Nc6 16.Nd2 Bd3 17.Re1 Nxe5 18.Bxc5 Re8 19.Nf3 Qd5 20.Rxe5 Rxe5 1/2-1/2