New York 1924, Round 6: Lasker and Lasker play remarkable draw

by Johannes Fischer
5/10/2020 – Round 6 of the New York Tournament saw the clash of the two Laskers: Emanuel vs Edward Lasker. It was a remarkable fight that lasted for 103 moves and gave Emanuel Lasker an opportunity to demonstrate his amazing defensive skills. World Champion José Raúl Capablanca played an endgame brilliancy against Savielly Tartakower and showed why it is worth remembering to look for sacrifices and mating attacks in the endgame. Alexander Alekhine smashed Dawid Janowsky. Geza Maroczy defeated Frank Marshall, and Richard Reti won in hypermodern style against Frederick Yates. | Photo: Emanuel Lasker (right) and Edward Lasker (left, with Black)
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New York 1924, Round 6

Emanuel Lasker and Edward Lasker are distant relatives and they are also friends. During the tournament they often chat and analyse with each other. But that did not stop them from fighting with all they had when they met in round 6.

This fighting spirit led to a remarkable game that lasted for 103 moves, was adjourned twice and had a lot to offer: a new concept in the opening, a prolonged tactical skirmish in the middlegame and a fascinating endgame that Emanuel Lasker saved with a miraculous defense.

Edward Lasker, who continues to work on his book project Chess Secrets I learned from the Masters, kindly shared some of his thoughts about this game.

"The sixth round was to be the greatest chess event in my life. My opponent was – at last – Emanuel Lasker; a dream I had had for years had finally become reality!

He had the white pieces, and it was more than likely that he would play a Ruy Lopez. The night before the game I went into a huddle with Maroczy. Perhaps he could suggest a variation I might play which Lasker might not have seen. Maroczy knew indeed of an interesting innovation in the Tchigorin Defense which had not as yet been tried in tournament play.

We parted with a smile which, on Maroczy's face, seemed to me to express the same thought that I felt my own did not hide very successfully: 'This discussion was very pleasant. But what was the use? The old man would find a way to win no matter what I played!"

 
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1.e41,170,31954%2421---
1.d4949,86755%2434---
1.Nf3282,62856%2440---
1.c4182,73156%2442---
1.g319,74556%2427---
1.b314,34754%2427---
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1.d395550%2378---
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1.c343551%2426---
1.h328356%2419---
1.a411460%2465---
1.f39346%2435---
1.Nh39066%2505---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d6 9.h3 Na5 10.Bc2 c5 11.d4 Qc7 12.Nbd2 cxd4 13.cxd4 Bd7 14.Nf1 Rfc8 At first everything went according to schedule. But here Lasker did not continue with 15.Bd3, as Maroczy and I had anticipated the night before, but he made the strange looking move 15.Re2 This led me to consider Nh5 although that meant sacrificing a Pawn: 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.Nxe5 Bxh3 18.Nxf7 Be6 19.Ng5 Bc4 20.Bd3 Rd8 21.Rc2 Nf4 22.Bxf4 Qxf4 23.Nh3 Qe5 24.Bxc4+ Nxc4 25.Qe2 Rd4 26.f3 Rad8 27.Rac1 Bc5 28.Kh1 Bb4 After truly hair-rising eleven moves we arrived at this position which Alekhine considered to be lost for Black. He remarked: "White is a substantial Pawn to the good, and the control of the black squares is not sufficient compensation. It is merely necessary to drive the Black Knight from its commanding post. The contemplated invasion of d2 by this Knight is an act of desperation which should not alter the fate of the game." Had Alekhine not judged the position "a posteriori", he would probably have considered the possession of the Queen's file and the control of the black squares more than enough to compensate Black for the Pawn sacrificed. But I had to make two more moves in as many seconds and after 29.b3 Nd2 30.Ne3 Ba3 I had no more time left to figure through 30...Nxe4 31.fxe4 Rxe4 32.Rc8 Re8‼ which would have won a solid Pawn and the game. 31.Rd1 Bb4 32.a3 Ba5 33.b4 Bc7 34.f4 Nxe4 After I had made this surprise move, I got up from the table and walked around to calm my nerves a bit. Capablanca happened to pass my board, and when he saw the move I had made he joined me and said, with his infectious little laugh: "What, are you making combinations with the Doctor, ha, ha, ha?" However, the laugh was on us, I am sorry to say. When I got back to the board, Lasker floored me with a move I had not considered at all. He played 35.Kh2‼ and even my reply Rxd1‼ did not ruffle him. He simply took back the Rook, and I had no satisfactory continuation: 36.Nxd1 Qe7 37.Rxc7 Here the equalizing injustice of chess came to my rescue. Lasker could have won a piece with with 37.Ndf2 but he was probably just as fatigued as I was from the wild struggle and he did not see that I could not defend myself with Rd4 , because of 38.Qe3 Bb6 39.Nxe4 Rxe4 40.Qxe4‼ Qxe4 41.Rc8+ Kf7 42.Ng5+ 37...Qxc7 38.Qxe4 Qc4 39.Qe7 Qc8 40.Ndf2 h6 41.Qa7 Qe6 42.Qb7 Qd5 43.Qb6 Rd6 44.Qe3 Re6 45.Qc3 Qc4 46.Qf3 Qc6 47.Qd3 Rd6 48.Qb3+ Qd5 49.Qb1 Re6 50.Ng4 Re2 51.Nxh6+ gxh6 52.Qg6+ Kf8 53.Qxh6+ Ke8 54.Qg6+ Kd8 55.Qg3 Re8 56.Qf2 Rg8 57.Qb2 Qd6 58.Qc3 Kd7 59.Qf3 Kc7 60.Qe4 Rg7 61.Qf5 Re7 62.Ng5 Re3 63.Ne4 Qe7 64.Nf6 Kb8 65.g3 Rxa3 66.Kh3 Ra1 67.Nd5 Rh1+ 68.Kg2 Qh7 69.Qxh7 Rxh7 70.Kf3 Kb7 71.g4 Kc6 72.Ke4 Rh8 It was very amusing to observe the effect of my move 72... Rh8 on Alekhine, Capablanca and Reti who were following the progress of the game on a demonstration board about twenty feet away from our table. All three were, of course, anxious for Lasker, their most dangerous rival, to lose. I noticed that after Alekhine had seen my move and transmitted it to the others, they were all first silent for a few seconds. Then I saw Alekhine gesticulate excitedly and, though he was merely whispering so as not be heard, he whispered loud enough for me to discern these words uttered in his inimitable heavy Russian accent: "Nein, Nein! Dies mag vielleicht zerr fein sein!" - meaning: "This may perhaps be very subtle!" Well, if it was, Lasker "outsubtled" me. 73.Ne3 Re8+ 74.Kd4 Rd8+ 75.Ke4 a5 76.bxa5 b4 77.a6 Kc5 78.a7 b3 79.Nd1 Ra8 80.g5 Rxa7 81.g6 Rd7 82.Nb2 Rd2 83.Kf3 Rd8 84.Ke4 Rd2 85.Kf3 Rd8 86.Ke4 Kd6 87.Kd4 Rc8 88.g7 Ke6 89.g8Q+ Rxg8 90.Kc4 Rg3 91.Na4 Kf5 92.Kb4 Kxf4 I was still thinking that my game was won - encouraged by the congratulations extended by Bogoljubov, Reti, and Alekhine, when my dream was shattered by Lasker's continuation 93.Nb2 Lasker kept on moving the Knight from b2 to a4 and after another ten moves - the game was in its fourteenth hour - I had to concede a draw. I I don't think that in my whole chess career, I have played another game in which I worked with comparable intensity. Although I did not win it, I treasure it as one of those games which make one glad to know chess. Ke4 94.Na4 Kd4 95.Nb2 Rf3 96.Na4 Re3 97.Nb2 Ke4 98.Na4 Kf3 99.Ka3 Ke4 100.Kb4 Kd4 101.Nb2 Rh3 102.Na4 Kd3 103.Kxb3 Kd4+ ½–½
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Lasker,E-Lasker,E-½–½1924C99New York International Masters-016

Edward Lasker

Capablanca also played an endgame brilliancy: in a difficult rook ending against Tartakower he sacrificed two pawns to give his king an opportunity to walk into the enemy position, demonstrating that the activity of the pieces is often more important than material.

 
J.R. Capablanca - S. Tartakower, New York 1924, Round 6
Position after 33...Nf5

Here White played 34.Bxf5! gxf5 35.Kg3! and after 35...Rxc3+ 36.Kh4 Rf3 37.g6 Rxf4+ 38.Kg5 Re4 39.Kf6 he was two pawns down but winning. The game continued 39...Kg8 40.Rg7+ Kh8 41.Rxc7 Re8 42.Kxf5 Re4 43.Kf6 Rf4+ 44.Ke5 Rg4 45.g7+ Kg8 46.Rxa7 Rg1 47.Kxd5 Rc1 48.Kd6 Rc2 49.d5 Rc1 50.Rc7 Ra1 51.Kc6 Rxa4 52.d6 and Black resigned. 1–0 An endgame that is worth to remember.

José Raúl Capablanca

These were two exciting and instructive games but round six had to offer even more. Alexander Alekhine, who was playing against Dawid Janowsky, once again showed his attacking skills and convincingly outplayed his opponent.

 
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MoveNResultEloPlayers
1.e41,170,31954%2421---
1.d4949,86755%2434---
1.Nf3282,62856%2440---
1.c4182,73156%2442---
1.g319,74556%2427---
1.b314,34754%2427---
1.f45,91748%2377---
1.Nc33,81651%2384---
1.b41,75948%2379---
1.a31,22254%2404---
1.e31,07349%2409---
1.d395550%2378---
1.g466646%2361---
1.h444953%2374---
1.c343551%2426---
1.h328356%2419---
1.a411460%2465---
1.f39346%2435---
1.Nh39066%2505---
1.Na34262%2482---
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Bf5 4.g3 c6 5.Bg2 Nbd7 6.e4 Bg6 7.Nge2 e5 8.h3 Qb6 9.0-0 0-0-0 10.d5 Nc5 11.Be3 cxd5 12.cxd5 Qa6 13.f3 Kb8 14.b4 Ncd7 15.a4 Qc4 16.Qd2 Qxb4 17.Bxa7+ Ka8 18.Rfb1 Qa5 19.Be3 Nc5 20.Rb5 Qc7 21.a5 Nfd7 22.Nc1 Rc8 23.Nb3 Na6 24.Na4 Be7 25.Nb6+ Kb8 26.Rc1 Ndc5 27.Nxc5 dxc5 28.Nxc8 Rxc8 29.Bf1 Qd7 30.Rb6 c4 31.Rxc4 Rxc4 32.Bxc4 Qxh3 33.Qg2 Qxg2+ 34.Kxg2 Bd8 35.Rb2 Kc8 36.Bxa6 bxa6 37.Bb6 Bg5 38.Rc2+ Kb7 39.d6 f5 40.d7 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Alekhine,A-Janowski,D-1–01924A53New York International Masters-016

Alexander Alekhine

And Richard Réti once again demonstrated the virtues of hypermodern play:

 
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1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Bd6 5.b3 0-0 6.0-0 Re8 7.Bb2 Nbd7 8.d3 c6 9.Nbd2 e5 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.Rc1 Nf8 12.Rc2 Bd7 13.Qa1 Ng6 14.Rfc1 Bc6 15.Nf1 Qd7 16.Ne3 h6 17.d4 e4 18.Ne5 Bxe5 19.dxe5 Nh7 20.f4 exf3 21.exf3 Ng5 22.f4 Nh3+ 23.Kh1 d4 24.Bxd4 Rad8 25.Rxc6 bxc6 26.Bxc6 Nf2+ 27.Kg2 Qxd4 28.Qxd4 Rxd4 29.Bxe8 Ne4 30.e6 Rd2+ 31.Kf3 1–0
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Reti,R-Yates,F-1–01924A13New York International Masters-016

Richard Réti

After six rounds Em. Lasker, Alekhine, Tartakower and Bogoljubow all have 3½ points and share the lead though Tartakower needed six games to reach this score while the others have only played five games so far.

Results of round 6

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

Bye: Efim Bogoljubow

Standings after round 6

Rk. Name 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Pts.
1 Savielly Tartakower     ½ 1 0   ½ 1     ½ 3.5
2 Alexander Alekhine     0   ½   1 1   1   3.5
3 Emanuel Lasker ½ 1     ½       ½ 1   3.5
4 Efim Bogoljubow 0         1 1   ½   1 3.5
5 Jose Raul Capablanca 1 ½ ½     0     ½ ½   3.0
6 Richard Reti       0 1   ½ 1     ½ 3.0
7 Geza Maroczy ½ 0   0   ½     ½   1 2.5
8 Frederick Dewhurst Yates 0 0       0     1 ½ ½ 2.0
9 Edward Lasker     ½ ½ ½   ½ 0   0   2.0
10 Dawid Markelowicz Janowski   0 0   ½     ½ 1     2.0
11 Frank James Marshall ½     0   ½ 0 ½       1.5

Games

 
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1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 Bd6 5.b3 0-0 6.0-0 Re8 7.Bb2 Nbd7 8.d3 c6 9.Nbd2 e5 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.Rc1 Nf8 12.Rc2 Bd7 13.Qa1 Ng6 14.Rfc1 Bc6 15.Nf1 Qd7 16.Ne3 h6 17.d4 e4 18.Ne5 Bxe5 19.dxe5 Nh7 20.f4 exf3 21.exf3 Ng5 22.f4 Nh3+ 23.Kh1 d4 24.Bxd4 Rad8 25.Rxc6 bxc6 26.Bxc6 Nf2+ 27.Kg2 Qxd4 28.Qxd4 Rxd4 29.Bxe8 Ne4 30.e6 Rd2+ 31.Kf3 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Reti,R-Yates,F-1–01924A13New York International Masters-016
Maroczy,G-Marshall,F-1–01924C42New York International Masters-016
Lasker,E-Lasker,E-½–½1924C99New York International Masters-016
Capablanca,J-Tartakower,S-1–01924A85New York International Masters-016
Alekhine,A-Janowski,D-1–01924A53New York International Masters-016
Reti,R-Capablanca,J-1–01924A15New York International Masters-015
Marshall,F-Yates,F-½–½1924B07New York International Masters-015
Maroczy,G-Bogoljubow,E-0–11924D05New York International Masters-015
Lasker,E-Tartakower,S-½–½1924B43New York International Masters-015
Lasker,E-Janowski,D-0–11924A50New York International Masters-015
Yates,F-Lasker,E-1–01924C91New York International Masters-014
Tartakower,S-Maroczy,G-½–½1924A00New York International Masters-014
Janowski,D-Lasker,E-0–11924B83New York International Masters-014
Capablanca,J-Alekhine,A-½–½1924C12New York International Masters-014
Bogoljubow,E-Reti,R-1–01924C12New York International Masters-014
Tartakower,S-Yates,F-1–01924C33New York International Masters-013
Reti,R-Maroczy,G-½–½1924A37New York International Masters-013
Capablanca,J-Lasker,E-½–½1924D52New York International Masters-013
Bogoljubow,E-Marshall,F-1–01924D02New York International Masters-013
Alekhine,A-Lasker,E-0–11924D35New York International Masters-013
Yates,F-Janowski,D-½–½1924C79New York International Masters-012
Marshall,F-Tartakower,S-½–½1924A85New York International Masters-012
Maroczy,G-Alekhine,A-0–11924B02New York International Masters-012
Lasker,E-Capablanca,J-½–½1924C66New York International Masters-012
Lasker,E-Bogoljubow,E-½–½1924C41New York International Masters-012
Yates,F-Alekhine,A-0–11924C76New York International Masters-011
Tartakower,S-Bogoljubow,E-1–01924C33New York International Masters-011
Marshall,F-Reti,R-½–½1924E90New York International Masters-011
Lasker,E-Maroczy,G-½–½1924B08New York International Masters-011
Janowski,D-Capablanca,J-½–½1924D67New York International Masters-011

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Johannes Fischer was born in 1963 in Hamburg and studied English and German literature in Frankfurt. He now lives as a writer and translator in Nürnberg. He is a FIDE-Master and regularly writes for KARL, a German chess magazine focusing on the links between culture and chess. On his own blog he regularly publishes notes on "Film, Literature and Chess".

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