New York 1924, Round 22: Success for Dr. Lasker!

New York 1924: Lasker amazes

Emanuel Lasker defeated Frank Marshall with one of his favourite line: the Exchange Variation in the Spanish. Marshall countered with an early pawn sacrifice, which, however, failed to bring success.

With this win Lasker ends the tournament with 16.0/20, (+13, =6, -1), an impressive result. It was particularly impressive how the 55-year-old former World Champion played in the last rounds of the long and grueling tournament. After his defeat against Capablanca in round 14 Lasker had a bye in round 15, but he then scored 6½ points from his last 7 games.

Capablanca misplayed the opening against Bogoljubow and was in trouble but with careful defense he managed to hold and could even win the endgame.

As luck would have it Richard Reti had to play most of his games with White in the first half of the tournament, and he scored well. But in the second half of the tournament, when he had to play with Black in most of his games, he suffered a number of losses. However, in the last round Reti had another chance to try "his" opening 1.Nf3 with White – and he came to a quick, easy and clear win against Dawid Janowsky.

Geza Maroczy won with a strong counterattack against Frederick Yates after Yates had taken too many liberties with Black in a Spanish.

Alekhine and Tartakower played an unspectacular game in which Alekhine had the pair of bishops and a slight advantage but after 32 moves agreed to a draw – the only draw of the round.

Results of round 22

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

Bye: Edward Lasker

Final standings after 22 rounds

The brilliancy prizes

The first brilliancy prize, a silver cup donated by W. M. Vance from Princeton, and 75$ offered by Albert H. Loeb from Chicago, went to Richard Reti for his game against Bogoljubow.

The second brilliancy prize (50$, donated by Abb Landis from Nashville, Tennessee) was awarded to Frank Marshall for his win against Bogoljubow.

And the third brilliancy prize ($25, donated by Edward L. Torsch from Baltimore in Maryland) was given to Capablanca for his win against Dr. Lasker.

Lasker celebrates comeback, Capablanca is unhappy

The tournament in New York was one of the strongest - if not the strongest - tournaments in the history of chess. With the exception of Akiba Rubinstein and Aron Nimzowitsch, the world's best players took part. The convincing win of Dr. Emanuel Lasker, whom many had already written off after his crushing defeat in the world championship match against Capablanca in Havana in 1921, is a sensation. Much more more so if you keep in mind that the 55-year-old Lasker was the second-oldest participant in New York.

Lasker was World Champion for 27 years and has achieved a lot of successes during his chess career, but the victory in New York is certainly one of the greatest triumphs of his life.

Lasker lost only one game in New York, against Capablanca in round 14. But in the end Lasker was one and a half points ahead of the reigning World Champion, who scored 14½/22 and had to content himself with second place. However, in his review of the tournament Capablanca devalued Lasker's success and explained it with the weak play of the other participants. Capablanca also claimed that nobody could seriously doubt that he, Capablanca, was still the best chess player in the world even though he finished only second.

I question whether Dr. Lasker himself entertains any doubt as to my superiority over him. In fact, outside of a certain number of partisans, who fanatically cling to their opinions, nobody can have any doubt after the Havana affair and the last tournament. [In New York] I was in such poor shape that I am wondering yet how it came to pass that I landed in second place. Yet, when he was supposed to be doing wonders (I do not agree with that view), I beat him in our individual encounter. Frankly, I feel certain that in another match Dr. Lasker would not fare any better than at Havana.

In fact, my honest opinion is that he played better at Havana than he did in the New York Ttournament and that his winning first prize was largely due to the failure of the younger masters to play up to their reputed strength. I do not by this mean to detract from his performance, which, considering it was accomplished after more than thirty years of international tournament play, was really extraordinary. What I am trying to do is to put things in their proper light. His play was good, but not of the world-beating variety. His determination, however, was much more to be admired. I have been at it only half as long as he, yet I could not put such energy into a mere tournament nor, do I think, in a match, unless my championship were in danger. (Source: R. Forster, M. Negele, R. Tischbierek, Emanuel Lasker, Volume II: Choices and Chances: Chess and Other Games of the Mind, p. 330)

Lasker reacted immediately:

I think the champion in some respects to be superior to me. In other respects, I discern a weak spot in his chess armor and fancy myself to be superior to him. As sum total – pardon my vanity – I rather doubt his superiority. (Source: R. Forster, M. Negele, R. Tischbierek, Emanuel Lasker, Volume II: Choices and Chances: Chess and Other Games of the Mind, p. 330)

The chess rivalry between Lasker and Capablanca made the tournament in New York exciting and fascinating. But the verbal exchange of blows between Lasker and Capablanca after the tournament and the dispute over the allegedly defective clock, which Lasker blamed for his defeat against Capablanca in round 14, poison the memory of a great tournament that the chess world will still remember in decades.

All 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
• Round 21: Lasker wins the tournament