[Event "New York"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1924.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Lasker,Em"]
[Black "Bogoljubow,E"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Lopez "Battle Royale""]
[ECO "B40"]
[PlyCount "121"]

1. e4 c5 { The Sicilian Defense. Black stakes a claim in the center by preventing d2-d4 (if White dares to advance the d-pawn, Black trades a flan pawn for a more valuable center pawn). About 25% of 1.e4 games at master level use this opening. } 2. Nf3 { White's idea is to go ahead and play d2-d4 and establish a Knight in the center after ...cxd4. } 2... e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 { Attacking the e4-pawn. } 5. Bd3 { Highly unusual. The common move is Nc3. } 5... Nc6 6. Nxc6 bxc6 { If Black can prevent the threat of Bf4, he can use the half-open b-file for his Rook. } 7. O-O Be7 8. e5 Nd5 9. Qg4 { White develops with a threat (Qxg7). } 9... g6 { Black saves the pawn, but is forced to weaken his Kingside. } 10. Nd2 f5 11. Qf3 Nb4 12. Nc4 Ba6 13. Bd2 Nxc2 14. Rad1 ( 14. Bxc2 Bxc4 ) 14... O-O 15. Nd6 { This is what Dr. Lasker was intending with his tenth move. } 15... Nd4 16. Qe3 Bxd3 17. Qxd3 Bxd6 { Bogoljubow is hideously weak on the dark squares. He's now trading away his main defender of those squares. While it's true that he's ahead materially, he has some serious weaknesses that White can exploit. } 18. exd6 e5 19. Rfe1 Qf6 { The Black Queen (the only piece that can defend the weakened dark squares) is now stuck protecting a pawn). } 20. Bc3 Rae8 21. f4 Qh4 22. Qc4+ Ne6 23. Bxe5 { Lasker has just evened the material. Note that the capture of the pawn took place on a dark square. } 23... Kf7 24. Re3 Qd8 25. Rb3 { It's Lasker, not Bogo, who gets a Rook to the b-file first. } 25... Qa5 26. Rb7 Qc5+ 27. Rd4 ( 27. Qxc5 Nxc5 28. Rc7 { This was also playable, but not as good for White as what was actually played. } ) 27... Rd8 28. b4 { Lasker forces the Queen swap on a square of his choosing. } 28... Qxc4 29. Rxc4 { Lasker pretty much has the game in the bag at this point. He enjoys a tremendous space advantage and his pieces are more actively placed. But it was Dr. Lasker himself who once said that the hardest thing to do in chess is to win a "won game"... } 29... g5 { Preparing ...Nxf4. } 30. Rxa7 Nxf4 31. Bxf4 gxf4 32. Rxc6 { Possible due to the pin on the d7-pawn. The doubled f-pawns are a lasting weakness. These pawns can be dealt with later. } 32... Rg8 { Intending ...f3. } 33. Kf2 Rg6 34. b5 Ke6 35. Rc2 Rgg8 ( 35... Kxd6 36. Ra6+ ( 36. a4 { This is better for White than trying for a Rook swap with Ra6+. The Queenside pawns are stronger when they operate as a team. } ) 36... Ke5 37. Rxg6 hxg6 { This is actually a little better for Black; all of the pawns are now supported. } ) 36. Kf3 Ra8 37. Re2+ { Lasker begins a combination that ultimately hastens Black's demise by clearing a lot of wood off of the board. } ( 37. Rxa8 Rxa8 38. b6 Ra3+ { This check gains the initiative for Black. } 39. Kxf4 Ra4+ 40. Kg5 Rb4 ) 37... Kxd6 38. Rd2+ Kc5 39. Rdxd7 Kxb5 40. Rxa8 Rxa8 41. Rxh7 Ra3+ 42. Kxf4 Rxa2 43. Rg7 Rf2+ 44. Ke5 f4 { It's going to be very hard for Bogo to promote this pawn. It's not a passed pawn (there's a White pawn on the d-file) and the Black Rook blocks the pawn's progress to the eighth rank. } 45. Ke4 Kc5 46. h4 Kd6 47. h5 Rf1 48. Rg4 Rh1 49. Rg5 Rh4 50. Kf5 Ke7 51. Kg6 Kf8 52. Ra5 Rh2 53. Ra2 f3 54. Ra8+ { Lasker obviously can't trade pawns, so he gets his Rook out of danger by checking Black. Remember the "priority of check": when you check your opponent, you force his next move. } ( 54. gxf3 Rxa2 ) 54... Ke7 55. gxf3 Rg2+ 56. Kf5 Rh2 57. Ra7+ Ke8 58. Kg6 Rg2+ 59. Kf6 Rf2 60. Ra8+ Kd7 61. Ra3 { Bogo sees that he's not going to be able to stop both White pawns (especially since White is able to grab the initiative at will by checking his King), so he finally tips his own King to end his agony. } 1-0