[Event "New York"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1924.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Lasker,Em"]
[Black "Marshall,F"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Lopez "Battle Royale""]
[ECO "C68"]
[PlyCount "87"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 { The Ruy Lopez Exchange Variation. White's idea is to undermine the e5-pawn's support and compromise Black's Queenside pawn structure. } 4... dxc6 { Black now has doubled c-pawns. It's not really a big weakness yet, but it can be if the contest goes down to an endgame } 5. d4 { Dr. Lasker's preferred move. He'd like to see an exchange of Queens (in order to bring on the endgame quickly). } 5... Bg4 { Marshall surprises by pinning the Knight. } ( 5... exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 { This is what Dr. Lasker anticipated. } ) 6. dxe5 Qxd1+ 7. Kxd1 O-O-O+ 8. Ke1 { Although White hasn't had time for development, his position isn't bad. He's a pawn up (even though it's doubled, it's not a problem -- gaining and using a Kingside pawn majority is one of White's goals in the Ruy Exchange, and the e5-pawn is controlling space and discouraging the f7-pawn's advance and the g8-Knight's development) and his Knight is no longer pinned. } 8... Bc5 9. h3 Bh5 10. Bf4 { Lasker overprotects the pawn (which is doing a nice job of cramping Black's game -- the Kingside Knight can't get to its preferred development square, f6). } 10... f5 11. Nbd2 { To be able to reply to ...Bxf3 with Nxf3. } ( 11. exf6 Nxf6 { And the Knight has been released. } ) 11... Ne7 12. Bg5 Bxf3 { An in-between move that dictates White's response. } 13. gxf3 Rhe8 14. Rd1 fxe4 15. fxe4 h6 16. Bh4 { Retreating, but maintaining the pin. } 16... Bd4 17. Nc4 g5 18. c3 { Offering to trade Bishops. This trade would not be to Black's advantage. } 18... Ng6 ( 18... gxh4 19. cxd4 { Black has doubled isolated pawns on the h-file, while White has strengthened his center and controls a lot of space on Black's half of the board. Not good for Black at all. } ) 19. cxd4 Nxh4 { White still has the central grip we saw in the last variation, but Black has avoided the doubled isolated pawns. } 20. Ke2 { This move is played to prepare f2-f3 (to support the center). } 20... Rd7 21. f3 { Had White not prepared for this move by playing Ke2, the f3-pawn would have fallen to the Black Knight. } 21... Ng6 22. Ne3 c5 { Knocking the support out from under the e5-pawn. } 23. dxc5 Nf4+ 24. Kf2 Rxd1 25. Rxd1 { The Rook commands the d-file, but this can easily be disputed by Black should he choose to do so. } 25... Rxe5 26. Nd5 Nxh3+ 27. Kg3 g4 28. Nf6 ( 28. fxg4 Ng5 { The e-pawn gets piled on and White has no good reply. } 29. Kf4 Rxe4+ ) 28... h5 29. f4 Rxc5 { Black is a pawn up, but can he hold this material advantage? } 30. Re1 { Lasker plans to advance the e-pawn toward promotion and supports it with the Rook. } 30... Rb5 31. e5 Kd8 ( 31... Rxb2 32. e6 { Black can stop the pawn, but it'll hurt. } 32... Rg2+ 33. Kxg2 Nxf4+ 34. Kg3 Nxe6 ( 34... Ng6 { This winds up in almost the same place but by a different path. } 35. e7 Nxe7 36. Rxe7 ) 35. Rxe6 ) 32. Nxh5 Ke7 33. f5 { It's going to be hard to stop these connected passed pawns. } 33... Ng5 34. Kxg4 Nh7 35. Nf4 Rxb2 36. Nd5+ Kd7 37. e6+ Kd6 38. e7 Kxd5 39. Re6 { Taking f6 away from the Knight (to avoid the fork -- see the previous variation). } ( 39. e8=Q { White can't promote the pawn yet: } 39... Nf6+ ) 39... Rg2+ 40. Kf4 Rg8 41. e8=Q { Sacrificing the new Queen but ensuring a material advantage. } 41... Rxe8 42. Rxe8 c5 43. Rd8+ Kc6 44. Rh8 { And Marshall resigns. The move ...Nf6 is forced, but also loses. } ( 44. Rh8 Nf6 45. Rh6 ) 1-0