New York 1924, Round 21: Lasker wins the tournament!

Dr. Lasker's defensive skills help him to win the tournament

Emanuel Lasker is famous for his defensive skills, and at the tournament in New York he more than once saved a half or even a full point from positions that seemed to be almost hopeless. In his game against Savielly Tartakower in round 21, Lasker's position was never hopeless, but he still had to defend.

With the doubled-edged 14.f4!? Tartakower had initiated a fierce attack but at the decisive moment he lacked the courage to sacrifice material to continue his attack. This allowed Lasker to seize the initiative and to win the game and the tournament with a powerful counterattack.

As Tartakower reported he congratulated Lasker after the game in his own fashion:

As soon as I said "I resign," an enthusiastic audience started to applaud the winner of the New York tournament. The newspapers also reported that I had been the first to congratulate Dr. Lasker on his tournament victory. However, this is not so. Although I very much granted him – the most proficient of all participants – his success and although I am also a great fan of sporting behavior, it would have meant to congratulate my opponent on the fact that a third player (Capablanca) was disadvantaged by my own weak play.

Only on the following day I told him during our common lunch meal: "I've read just read in the papers that you have secured first prize. My hearty congratulations, Herr Doktor!" Upon which he replied, smilingly, "well, you could have deduced it already yesterday from the spectators' applause!" (Source: R. Forster, M. Negele, R. Tischbierek, Emanuel Lasker, Volume II: Choices and Chances: Chess and Other Games of the Mind, p. 329)

Before the final round Lasker is now one and a half points ahead of Capablanca, who won an equal endgame against Reti with apparent ease.

In contrast to that quiet game, Efim Bogoljubow and Geza Maroczy fought a fierce battle in which both sides repeatedly sacrificed material to attack or to repel the enemy's attack.

The fourth win of the round - and the third win for Black - was scored by Frank Marshall, who won a fine game against Frederick Yates.

But the most unusual game of the round was perhaps the encounter between Dawid Janowsky and Edward Lasker. Janowsky crowned his unorthodox opening play with an inspired queen sacrifice, which objectively, however, gave Black the better game. But Edward Lasker did not find the right way in the unusual situation and allowed White to get an advantage. But Janowsky did not know how to use his advantage either and this bizarre game finally ended in a draw.

Results of round 21

S. Tartakower 0-1 Em. Lasker
J.R. Capablanca 1- 0 R. Reti
F. Yates 0-1 F. Marshall
E. Bogoljubow 0-1 G. Maroczy
D. Janowsky ½-½ Ed. Lasker

Bye: Alexander Alekhine

Standings after 21 rounds

Games

Links

• World class tournament in New York about to start
• Round 1: Alekhine starts with win against Yates
• Round 2: Alekhine wins with the Alekhine
• Round 3: Lasker beats Alekhine!
• Round 4: Emanuel Lasker wins again
• Round 5: Capablanca loses against Reti
• Round 6: Lasker and Lasker play remarkable draw
• Round 7: Strong bishops, strong knights and a modern game
• Round 8: Lasker keeps the tempo high
• Round 9: Capablanca convinces, Lasker is lucky
• Round 10: Lasker crushes Reti
• Round 11: Dr. Lasker leads at halftime
• Round 12: Lasker wins after stubborn defense
• Round 13: Five wins, no draws
• Round 14: Capablanca wins against Dr. Lasker!
• Round 15: Five games – five wins
• Round 16: Dr. Lasker beats Reti!
• Round 17: Lasker extends lead
• Round 18: Capablanca defends, Marshall attacks
• Round 19: Dr. Lasker defends his lead
• Round 20: Fortune favours the brave