[Event "New York"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1924.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Lasker,Ed"]
[Black "Lasker,Em"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Lopez "Battle Royale""]
[ECO "D52"]
[PlyCount "102"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 { The Queen's Gambit. The d5-square is the focus of both players' attentions. } 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. Bg5 { The Bishop pins one of the d5-pawn's defenders. } 5... c6 6. e3 { This move props up the d4-pawn and opens a line of advancement for the f1-Bishop. } 6... Qa5 { A pin on one of the d5-pawn's attackers. } 7. Nd2 { Releases the pin. } 7... Bb4 { A multi-pupose move. The Bishop is developed, clearing the way for Kingside castling, while Black threatens to win a pawn through exchanging on c3. } 8. Qc2 Ne4 { A nice double-attack by the Knight -- the threats are the loss of the g5-Bishop or the loss of a pawn on c3. } 9. Ndxe4 { The only way to meet both threats. The c3-Knight is pinned once again. } 9... dxe4 { The e4-pawn is safe for the moment, since the c3-Knight is pinned. } 10. Bf4 O-O 11. Be2 { Now White has the option to castle in either direction. } 11... e5 12. dxe5 Nxe5 { The Queen defends the Knight laterally. Now the d-file is open -- who will be first to control it? } 13. O-O Bxc3 14. Qxc3 Qxc3 15. bxc3 { Black has given up a Knight for a Bishop (giving his opponent the advantage of the Bishop pair) but has compensation in that he's created a weakness in his opponent's position: the doubled c-pawns. } 15... Re8 16. c5 { Both of White's c-pawns are now on dark squares, making them harder for Black to attack (as he has no longer has a dark-squared Bishop). An additional bonus is that the e2-Bishop is no longer tied to the defense of a pawn. } 16... Nd7 17. Bd6 b6 18. cxb6 { White has no choice; he has no way to defend the pawn a second time. } 18... axb6 { Black now has a hanging pawn pair. They can advance up the board as a team, each one defending the other. } 19. Rfd1 Ba6 20. Bxa6 Rxa6 { Black is prepared to head for an endgame, since the c3-pawn is isolated and remains a terrible weakness. Dr. Lasker's idea is to clear some wood off the board and then target the isolated pawn. } 21. a4 { Preventing Black from playing ...Ra3 and attacking the weak pawn. } 21... Rea8 { Black goes after a different pawn now. } 22. Kf1 { White wants to prevent any surprise mates on the back rank as well as centralize his King for the endgame. } 22... f5 { Propping up the e-pawn, plus giving the King a route off of the back rank via f7. } 23. Rab1 R8a7 24. g4 { The way to attack a pawn chain is at its base. } 24... fxg4 { Now Black has his own isolated pawn to worry about, but it's easily defended (as we'll soon see). } 25. Rb4 Nf6 { The Knight defends both pawns. This is actually a better post for the Knight anyway, as it's supported by a pawn instead of defended by a Rook. } 26. Bb8 Ra8 27. Rd8+ Kf7 28. Bc7 { A tactical nightmare. } 28... Rxa4 29. Rxa8 Rxa8 30. Rxb6 Nd5 { A nice Knight fork, but it's not a powerful as it appears at first glance. } 31. Rb7 Ke6 ( 31... Nxc3 32. Be5+ { This is why the pawn was actually off-limits to Black. } 32... Ke6 33. Bxc3 { And White should win. } ) ( 31... Nxc7 32. Rxc7+ { And White has a fork of his own, winning a pawn and gaining an even position. } 32... Kf8 33. Rxc6 ) 32. c4 { The pawns drives off the Knight and eliminates the fork threat. } 32... Ne7 ( 32... Nxc7 33. Rxc7 Ra6 34. Rxg7 { The Rook will gobble up the g-pawn and White gets an even game. } ) 33. Rb4 Ra1+ 34. Ke2 Ra2+ 35. Ke1 Nf5 36. Rb6 { The idea is to gain the initiative by capturing the pawn with check. } 36... Kd7 37. Be5 Ra4 38. c5 Ke6 39. Bd6 ( 39. Bd4 { Look at the big pointy-headed pawn! This is why d6 is a better square for the Bishop. } ) 39... Kd5 ( 39... Nxd6 40. Rxc6 { Pinning the Knight. } ( 40. cxd6 Kxd6 ) 40... Kd5 41. Rxd6+ Kxc5 42. Rd7 { Though Black still has a slight edge it's not as great as in the actual game. } ) 40. Rb7 h5 41. Bf8 g6 42. Rd7+ Kc4 43. Rd1 Ra3 44. Rd8 Nh4 45. Bg7 Nf3+ 46. Ke2 Ra2+ 47. Kf1 Rd2 48. Rxd2 Nxd2+ { The c5-pawn is hanging, but White has no time to defend it due to the check on his King. } 49. Kg2 Kxc5 { Black has a 2-pawn advantage and should have little trouble finishing from here. } 50. h3 gxh3+ 51. Kxh3 g5 { White's problem here is that his King can't be in several places at once. It can't simultaneously fight the advance of the g- and h-pawns and help the Bishop stop the c-pawn too. Young Lasker resigns. } 0-1