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The International Chess Congress
St. Petersburg, 1909
Round 1
Commentary by World Chess Champion Emanuel Lasker

The International Chess Congress at St. Petersburg was the premier event of 1909, by far the strongest chess competition held that year. Even today, St. Petersburg 1909 ranks high on any list of top tournaments, a trial of skill which produced more than a few "anthology" games. The presence of world champion Emanuel Lasker acted as a magnet to Europe's chess elite, attracting a powerful field of now-legendary Masters. Click here to learn more
 











Dus-Chotimirsky,F - Mieses,J
 [A53]
Queen's Pawn Opening

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Nbd7 4.e3 [After 4.e4 the continuation might be 4...e5 5.Nf3 g6 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 Bg7 8.Bg3] 4...e5 5.Bd3 g6 6.f4 Qe7 7.Nge2 e4 [A premature attempt at attack. Instead 7...Bg7 followed by 8.-- 0-0 and using the King's Rook on the e-file, was indicated.] 8.Bb1 c6 9.Qc2 Nb6 10.b3 Bf5 11.a4 [11.Ng3 would have been simply met by 11...0-0-0] 11...Rc8 12.a5 Na8 13.Ba3 Qe6 14.Qd2 d5 15.Bxf8 Kxf8 16.cxd5 [This exchange was unnecessary. White ought to have continued at once with 16.Na4 and if 16...dxc4 then 17.Nc5 would follow with an excellent game.] 16...cxd5 17.Na4 Kg7 18.0-0 Nc7 19.Nc5 Qc6 20.Rc1 Qb5 21.Nc3 Qc6 22.Ne2 [White might very well have continued 22.b4 threatening to bring the King's Bishop into action via c2-a4; a plausible continuation would have been 22...b6 23.axb6 axb6 24.N5a4 Nb5 25.Ne2 Qd6 26.h3 and White has a slight advantage.] 22...Qb5 23.Nc3 Qc6 24.Ne2 Qb5 25.Nc3 Qc6 26.Na2 Qb5 27.Nc3 Qc6 28.Ne2 Qb5 [1h. 15 - 1h. 15] 1/2-1/2

 











Cohn,E - Burn,A
[C26] Vienna Opening

1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Bc5 3.g3 Nf6 4.Bg2 d6 [4...Nc6 appears to be preferable, with a view to saving the important King's Bishop from being exchanged, by ...a6.] 5.Na4 Nc6 6.Ne2 Be6 7.d3 Qe7 8.0-0 d5 9.Nxc5 Qxc5 10.Be3 Qd6 11.exd5 Bxd5 12.Nc3 Bxg2 13.Kxg2 Nd5 14.Qd2 [14.Qf3 taking possession of the diagonal, which the King's Bishop commanded before, seems more natural.] 14...0-0 [Black ought to castle Queenside with 14...0-0-0 in order to attack on the King's wing.] 15.Ne4 Nxe3+ [15...Qg6 16.f4 f5 17.Nc3 ( or 17.Nc5 Nxe3+ 18.Qxe3 Nd4 ) 17...Rad8 would have created interesting complications, which would probably have turned out in Black's favor.] 16.Qxe3 Qd4 17.c3 Qxe3 18.fxe3 [1h. 10 - 0h. 40] 1/2-1/2

 











Nenarokov,V - Perlis,J
[D37] Queen's Gambit Declined

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Be7 5.Bf4 0-0 6.e3 c5 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.0-0 Be6 11.Rc1 Rc8 [Better 11...a6 12.Bb1 d4 13.Na4 Ba7 as the Black King's Bishop should exert a pressure on d4.] 12.Bb1 Na5 [There the Knight is out of play. Instead 12...Qe7 13.Bg5 Rfd8 14.Qd3 h6 was a feasible line of play. The checks would have done Black no harm.] 13.Bg5 Be7 14.Nd4 g6 15.Qe2 [White might have played 15.f4 followed by f4-f5, e.g. 15...Bg4 16.Qe1 Nc4 17.f5 Nxb2 18.h3 and White would have an irresistible attack.] 15...Nc6 16.Nf3 Qb6 17.h3 Rfd8 18.Rfd1 Kg7 19.Nd4 Nxd4 20.exd4 Rc4 21.Be3 Rdc8 22.Bd3 Rb4 23.b3 Qd8 24.Na4 Rxc1 25.Rxc1 Bd7 26.Nc5 Rb6 27.Bf4 Bxc5 28.dxc5 Re6 29.Qb2 Qe7 30.Bd6 Qe8 31.Qd2 Bc6 32.Bf4 Ng8 33.Qc3+ f6 34.Kh2 Kf7 35.Qd2 a6 36.Bd6 Kg7 37.Bf4 Qe7 [Adjourned.] 38.Bd6 Qe8 39.Bf4 Qe7 40.b4 Qe8 41.a3 Kf7 42.Rb1 f5 43.Rb2 Nf6 44.Bb1 Qe7 45.f3 Nh5 46.Bd6 Qh4 [Black here lays a trap.] 47.g3 [ If 47.Qh6 Black would have answered 47...Rxd6 Both parties have taken care not to alter the position to any considerable extent.] 47...Qd8 48.Ba2 Nf6 49.Kg2 Qe8 50.Kf2 Kg7 51.Bf4 Bb5 [An altogether faulty maneuver; the attack thus initiated is easily parried, whilst the d-pawn is left without support.] 52.Bh6+ Kh8 53.Qd1 Ng8 [ Somewhat better would have been 53...Bc6] 54.Qd4+ Nf6 55.h4 [This move was calculated to a nicety.] 55...Re2+ 56.Kg1 Re1+ 57.Kh2 Re2+ 58.Kh3 Qe6 59.Bg5 f4+ 60.g4 Re5 [Black here lost the game by exceeding the time limit. The game might have gone on as follows: 60...Re5 61.Qxf4 Bf1+ 62.Kh2 Nd7 63.Qd4 to White's advantage.] 1-0

 











Teichmann,R - Vidmar,M
[C66] Ruy Lopez

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Re1 exd4 8.Nxd4 0-0 9.Nde2 [9.Bg5 looks the natural move.] 9...Re8 10.Ng3 Bf8 11.b3 g6 12.Bb2 Bg7 13.Nd5 a6 14.Bxc6 [To 14.Bf1 Black would have replied 14...Ne5 and if 15.f4? he would have played 15...Nxd5 followed by 16...Nf3+ or 16...Nf4 according to circumstances, with a good game.] 14...Bxc6 15.Nxf6+ Bxf6 16.Bxf6 Qxf6 17.Qd3 Re6 18.f3 Rae8 19.c4 Qe7 [1h. 07 - 1h. 00. 19...Qe7 threatens 20...f5; White would probably reply 20.Red1 After that it appears for both players an almost hopeless undertaking, to drive the opponent from his position.] 1/2-1/2

 











Schlechter,C - Lasker,E
[C66] Ruy Lopez

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Re1 exd4 8.Nxd4 0-0 9.Nde2 a6 10.Ba4 [The retreat 10.Bd3 appears stronger. It is true that Black can then change the White King's Bishop for a Knight, by playing, say 10...Ne5 but in that case White would retake with the c-pawn and would have two strong pawns in the center as compensation for Black's two Bishops.] 10...Re8 11.f3 h6 [If Black played 11...Bf8 at once White's reply would be 12.Bg5 threatening 13.Ne5. After this Black would have nothing better than 12...h6 13.Bh4 Be7] 12.Be3 Bf8 13.Qd2 Ne5 [By this move Black frees his game.] 14.Bb3 [It was not good to retire the Bishop. White ought to have exchanged 14.Bxd7 and developed his game further by Ra1-d1.] 14...c5 15.Bd5 Rb8 16.Nf4 b5 17.a3 Nxd5 18.Ncxd5 f5 [The point of Black's strategy. After the exchange of the e-pawn the weakness of his d-pawn does not signify.] 19.exf5 Bxf5 20.Bf2 Qd7 21.Ne3 Bh7 22.Nfd5 Qf7 23.Rad1 Nc6 24.Bg3 Rbd8 25.Bh4 Rd7 26.Ng4 Rxe1+ 27.Rxe1 Nd4 [Decisive.] 28.Nge3 [White dare not reply 28.Nde3 as 28...g5 29.Bg3 h5 would get him into difficulties.] 28...Bxc2 29.Nxc2 Nxc2 30.Nf6+ gxf6 31.Qxc2 [Intending to take up a strong position by Qf5.] 31...f5 32.f4 Bg7 [32...d5 33.Re5 d4 and, whether Queen or Rook take the f-pawn 34.-- d3 would have decided the game at once. The text is therefore loss of time.] 33.h3 c4 34.g4 [A desperate attempt to obtain an attack.] 34...d5 [Simply 34...fxg4 35.hxg4 followed either by 35...Qxf4 or 35...d6 was indicated.] 35.gxf5 d4 36.Qe4 d3 37.f6 Bf8 [If 37...Bxf6 38.Bxf6 Qxf6 39.Qe8+] 38.Kh2 d2 [Adjourned.] [Better 38...Kh8 39.Rg1 a5 in order to play ...b5-b4 and ...c4-c3, which was feasible in spite of White's f4-f5 and Qe6.] 39.Rd1 Qh5 [39...Kh8 was still the right move. If White plays 40.Qe2 then 40...Bd6 41.Kg3 (after 41.Qxd2 Bxf4+ 42.Qxf4 Rxd1 43.Qxh6+ Kg8 44.Qg5+ Kh7 White's checks would cease and Black should win.) 41...Qg6+ 42.Qg4 Bxf4+ and wins.] 40.Qe6+ Kh8 41.f7 [This clever move threatens 42.Bf6+.] 41...Qxf7 42.Bf6+ [Far better than at once 42.Qxf7 as White's b-pawn is saved from attack by the exchange of the Bishops.] 42...Bg7 [To 42...Kh7 the reply would not have been 43.Qf5+ (but 43.Qxf7+ Rxf7 44.Bc3 and White would have taken up a strong defensive position.) 43...Kg8 44.Rg1+ as after 44...Bg7 45.Rxg7+ Qxg7 46.Bxg7 d1Q 47.Kg3 Black would get out of the checks and win.] 43.Qxf7 Rxf7 44.Bxg7+ Kxg7 45.Rxd2 Rxf4 [Black certainly remains with a pawn to the good, but White threatens to break up the pawns by a3-a4. After an endgame, which is played by White in a sensible manner, and which needs no comment, the game now ends in a draw.] 46.Kg3 Re4 47.Kf3 Re1 48.Rd7+ Kf6 49.Rd6+ Ke5 50.Rxa6 Rb1 51.Rxh6 Rxb2 52.Ke3 Rb3+ 53.Kd2 Kd4 54.Rd6+ Kc5 55.Ra6 Rxh3 56.Ra8 Rh2+ 57.Kc3 Ra2 58.Rc8+ Kb6 59.Rb8+ Kc6 60.Ra8 Kc5 61.Rc8+ Kb6 62.Rb8+ Kc6 63.Ra8 Kb7 64.Ra5 Kb6 65.Ra8 Kc6 66.Kd4 Kb7 67.Ra5 Rd2+ 68.Kc3 Rd5 69.Kb4 Kb6 70.a4 c3 71.axb5 [4h. 12 - 4h. 24. After 71.axb5 if 71...c2 then follows 72.Ra6+ Kb7 73.Rc6] 1/2-1/2

 











Forgacs,L - Speijer,A
[C65] Ruy Lopez

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 Be7 5.Nc3 d6 6.d4 exd4 7.Bxc6+ bxc6 8.Nxd4 Bd7 9.b3 [This development is a little too slow, as Mr. Speijer proves.] 9...0-0 10.Bb2 Re8 11.Qf3 [Not a good conception.] 11...Bf8 12.h3 g6 [Thus the White Queen's Bishop is counterbalanced by the Black King's Bishop, while, at the same time, the g-pawn prevents the entry of the Knight at f5.] 13.Nde2 Bg7 14.Ng3 [Black was threatening 14...Nxe4.] 14...h5 [Fine and energetic play.] 15.Rfe1 Nh7 16.Na4 Ng5 17.Qd3 Bxb2 18.Nxb2 Qf6 19.c3 Rad8 [Black could here give the game a turn in his favor by 19...Bxh3 20.gxh3 Nxh3+ 21.Kh2 Qh4 22.Qf1 (22.Qe3 Nf4+ 23.Kg1 Qg4) 22...Nxf2+ 23.Kg2 Ng4 24.Qh1 Qg5 with the double threat of 25...Qd2+ and 25...h4.] 20.Nc4 h4 [20...Bxh3 would still have been strong, for Black would rather easily get four pawns for the piece with a good position.] 21.Nf1 Qf4 22.Qd2 Qxd2 23.Ncxd2 Ne6 24.Nf3 g5 25.Ne3 f6 26.Ng4 Kg7 27.Nd4 Kg6 28.f3 Ng7 29.Ne3 f5 30.exf5+ Kf7 31.b4 c5 32.bxc5 dxc5 33.Nb3 Nxf5 34.Ng4 [After 34.Nxf5 Bxf5 35.Nxc5 Rxe1+ 36.Rxe1 Rd2 37.a4 Rc2 38.Re3 Kf6 White cannot win, as his King cannot come into play.] 34...c4 35.Nc5 Bc8 36.Ne5+ Kf6 37.Nxc4 Nd6 38.Rxe8 Nxe8 39.Kf2 Ng7 40.Rb1 Bf5 41.Rb7 Ne6 42.Nxe6 [It would have given better chances to keep the minor pieces by 42.Nb3 Rd3 43.Ne3 to White's advantage.] 42...Bxe6 43.Rxc7 Bxc4 44.Rxc4 Rd2+ 45.Ke3 Rxa2 46.Rg4 a5 47.f4 gxf4+ 48.Kf3 [48.Kxf4 would have led to nothing, e.g. 48...Ra4+ 49.Ke3 Rxg4 50.hxg4 Kg5 51.c4 Kxg4] 48...Rc2 49.Rxf4+ Kg5 50.Rg4+ Kh5 51.Rc4 a4 52.Rxa4 Rxc3+ 53.Kf4 Rg3 54.Ra8 Kh6 1/2-1/2

 











 Rubinstein,A - Znosko-Borovsky,E
[D61] Queen's Gambit Declined

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Nf3 0-0 7.Qc2 b6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bd3 Bb7 10.0-0-0 Ne4 11.h4 f5 12.Kb1 c5 [12...Rc8 should have been played instead. Then 13.Qb3 would be met simply by 13...Nxc3+ and ...c7-c5.] 13.dxc5 bxc5 [After 13...Ndxc5 White continues 14.Nxd5 Bxd5 (if 14...Bxg5 and White would win by 15.Bc4) 15.Bc4 In this variation Black must not be able to take the Bishop at d3 with a check, hence White's 12th move.] 14.Nxe4 fxe4 15.Bxe4 dxe4 16.Qb3+ Kh8 17.Qxb7 exf3 18.Rxd7 Qe8 19.Rxe7 Qg6+ 20.Ka1 Rab8 21.Qe4 [White calculates every possibility with the utmost accuracy.] 21...Qxe4 22.Rxe4 fxg2 23.Rg1 Rxf2 24.Rf4 Rc2 [If 24...Rbxb2 White wins by 25.Rf8+] 25.b3 h6 26.Be7 Re8 27.Kb1 Re2 28.Bxc5 Rd8 29.Bd4 Rc8 30.Rg4 [1h. 47 - 2h. 00] 1-0

 











Freymann,S - Tartakower,S
[D40] Queen's Pawn Opening

1.d4 c5 [After this White does not seem to have anything better than to turn into the Sicilian Defense by 2.e4.] 2.e3 [After 2.e4 cxd4 3.Nf3 e5? 4.c3 White gets sufficient compensation for the pawn sacrificed; 2.d5 also deserves consideration, as the pawn is here in a secure position, and White succeeds in hampering Black's game a little, without having lost time.] 2...d5 3.c4 e6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.cxd5 Nxd5 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.0-0 cxd4 9.exd4 Be7 10.Re1 0-0 11.Be3 b5 [A venturesome move.] 12.Rc1 [Black has risked 12.Qc2 Ncb4 13.Bxh7+ Kh8 14.Qb1 g6 15.Bxg6 fxg6 16.Qxg6 whereupon White would have already three pawns for the piece with good attack.] 12...Bb7 13.Ne4 Nxe3 14.fxe3 Nb4 15.Nc5 [After 15.Nc3 White would have quite a good position.] 15...Bxf3 16.gxf3 Nxa2 17.Ra1 Nb4 18.Be4 Ra7 19.f4 Qb6 [The logical winning continuation was 19...Bxc5 20.dxc5 Qxd1 21.Raxd1 f5 White's c-pawn could not be held, whilst Black would defend his e-pawn comfortably with King.] 20.Nd3 Nd5 21.Bxd5 exd5 22.Re2 Re8 23.Rg2 Qe6 24.Ne5 f6 [This move required exact calculation. It was necessary to dislodge the Knight, or else White would have played Qf3 and f4-f5.] 25.Qh5 Bf8 26.f5 Qe7 27.Ng4 Rc8 28.Rg3 [If 28.Rxa6 Rc1+ (and not, by any means 28...Rxa6 on account of 29.Nh6+ and 30.Nf7+ giving perpetual check.) 29.Kf2 Rc2+ 30.Kf1 Rxg2 31.Rxa7 (necessary to cover the mate) 31...Qxa7] 28...Kh8 29.Nf2 Rac7 30.Rxa6 Rc2 31.Re6 Qb4 32.Rf3 Rxb2 33.Kg2 Rbc2 34.Rh3 h6 35.Rg3 Qe1 36.Rf3 b4 37.Rb6 b3 [A pretty combination, which decides the game at once.] 38.Rxb3 Qd1 39.Rb6 Rxf2+ 40.Kxf2 Rc2+ 41.Kg3 Qg1+ 42.Kf4 Rxh2 43.Qg4 Qh1 44.Rb8 Kg8 45.e4 Rh4 46.e5 h5 [2h. 50 - 1h. 50] 0-1











Spielmann,R - Salwe,G
[C66] Ruy Lopez

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Re1 exd4 8.Nxd4 0-0 9.Bxc6 [This exchange leads to nothing, except, perhaps, that it prevents Black from exchanging both Knight and Bishop. This, however, need not be feared.] 9...bxc6 10.b3 Re8 11.Bb2 Bf8 12.Qd3 g6 13.Nde2 [This strategically maneuver is altogether wrong. White might, at this juncture, play 13.Rad1 and answer 13...Bg7 with 14.f4 Though the e-pawn and f-pawn are then exposed to attacks, yet they are not weak, and assist in maintaining the balance of position.] 13...Bg7 14.Ng3 [Since Black already has moved the pawn to g6, the Knight is not favorably posted on this square.] 14...h5 [A splendid strategically idea. From this insignificant beginning Black obtains a strong pressure on the Kingside.] 15.Rad1 h4 16.Nf1 Nh5 17.Bc1 Be5 18.Ne2 g5 19.g3 Qf6 20.Qe3 g4 21.Nd2 d5 [If Black had played 21...Be6 here, White would have been at a loss what to do. If, perchance, 22.Rf1 (if 22.Qd3 then 22...d5 23.Qa6 Bc8) to prepare f2-f4, Black replies 22...Kh8 and the advance of the f-pawn would then only open the lines for Black's Rooks and Bishops. In any case, White would have been in a precarious position.] 22.Nc4 [By exchanging one of the two Bishops, White frees his game, and now forces the draw, with correct judgment of the situation.] 22...hxg3 23.fxg3 Qg6 24.Nxe5 Rxe5 25.Nf4 Nxf4 26.Qxf4 Rae8 27.Bb2 Rxe4 28.Rxe4 Qxe4 29.Qg5+ Qg6 30.Qh4 Qh7 31.Qg5+ [1h. 37 - 1h. 10] 1/2-1/2

 











Duras,O - Bernstein,O
 [C65] Ruy Lopez

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 d6 5.c4 [A similar line of play to this was adopted by Anderssen against Steinitz, but refuted by the latter. It is clear, that the point d4 becomes weak.] 5...g6 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Nc3 Bg7 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 0-0 12.0-0 Re8 13.Re1 Rb8 14.Rb1 c5 15.Nb3 [A surprisingly weak move. The Knight is here out of play. On f3 he would have been of better use, as e4-e5 was first of all threatened. At all events 15.Nf3 would have prevented Black's 15...Bc6 for after 16.e5 Bxf3? 17.Qxf3 dxe5 18.Rbd1 Black would be lost, e.g. 18...Qe7 19.Nd5] 15...Bc6 16.Qd3 [Black's 15th has prevented 16.Nd5 because of 16...g5 gaining the e-pawn.] 16...Qc8 [The commencement of an attack conducted equally well from a strategical and tactical point of view.] 17.Nd2 Nd7 18.b3 Qa6 19.Qc2 Qa5 20.Ne2 [If 20.Nd5 Bxd5 21.cxd5 Qc3 22.Rbc1 Qxc2 23.Rxc2 g5 24.Bg3 f5 25.f3 f4 26.Bf2 Ne5 and Black's game would, at least, not have been inferior. After the text, however, White appears to be irretrievably lost.] 20...Nf8 21.f3 Ne6 22.Bf2 Bd7 [Intending to play 23...Nd4. But first he renders the c7-pawn mobile.] 23.Nf1 Nd4 24.Qd3 Nc6 25.Nc1 Qa3 [Brilliant play. The a-pawn is thus fixed in its weak position.] 26.Ne3 Nb4 27.Qd2 a5 28.Nd5 Nxd5 29.exd5 [This loses forthwith. If he had retaken 29.cxd5 Black would have continued 29...c4 threatening to establish a most dangerous passed pawn at c3. Then 30.Bd4 would have been a mistake, as after 30...Qb4 31.Rd1 (31.Qxb4? Bxd4+) 31...c3 Black would have won at once. Black's play in this game is of the highest order.] 29...Rxe1+ 30.Bxe1 Bf5 31.Nd3 Bxd3 32.Qxd3 Qxa2 33.h3 a4 34.b4 cxb4 35.Rxb4 Rxb4 36.Bxb4 Qb3 37.Qd2 a3 38.Bxa3 Qxa3 [2h. 04 - 1h. 19] 0-1

 

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