[Event "New York"]
[Site "New York"]
[Date "1924.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Lasker"]
[Black "Janowsky"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "31: Emanuel Lasker as Defender"]
[ECO "C72"]
[PlyCount "163"]
[Source "Hays Publishing"]
[SourceDate "1964.01.01"]

{ A laborious defence } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O d6 6. Re1 Bg4 7. c3 Be7 8. h3 Bh5 9. d3 Qd7 10. Bxc6 Qxc6 11. Bg5 Bg6 12. Nbd2 h6 13. Bxf6 Bxf6 14. Nf1 O-O 15. Ne3 Rae8 { Black has an excellent position . He
has the Bishop pair, while White's Knights can find no support points. Apart
from the state of affairs on the board, however, there are other factors to be
weighed in a game between two chessmasters. In the present case Lasker is very
well aware of the fact that Janowsky was a great advocate of the two Bishops.
In addition Janowsky's natural optimism was notorious. If he stood a little
better he thought he had a won game, if he had some considerable advantage he
confidently expected his oponent to strike his colours. All of Lasker's
fighting instincts have been aroused by his somewhat unfavourable opening. He
has volutarily conceded the two Bishops to his opponent, prevented any
immediate assault by ... Pg5-g4, and so forced Janowsky into positional
warfare } 16. Qb3 { As Lasker cannot undertake much himself he concentrates
for the moment on thwarting Black's plans. This move prevents on the one hand .
.. Qd7 followed by ... Pc6 and ... Pd5; and on the other hand an eventual ...
Pf5 } 16... Bd8 { Alekhine condemned White's next move, which permits Black to play ... Pf5 } 17. Qd5 $6 ( 17. a4 Kh8 18. a5 -- 19. Ra4 ) 17... Qxd5 18. Nxd5 f5 19. Nd2 Bf7 $1 ( 19... fxe4 20. Nxe4 ) 20. Ne3 f4 21. Nec4 Bf6 22. a4 Rd8 23. Na5 Rb8 24. Nf3 g5 25. Nh2 h5 26. Nc4 Be6 27. f3 { White must prevent ... Pg4, but
in doing so he has to assume a passive structure on the Kingside } 27... Rfd8 { Correct. The breakthrough ... Pd5 is now the indicated method of increasing
his advantage } 28. Re2 Kf7 29. a5 Rg8 { Black is in no hurry. This move
makes room for the other Rook on d8 so as to have not only ... Pd5 but also ...
Pg4 as possibilities } 30. Ra4 Rbd8 31. Rb4 { Putting pressure on Black's one and only weakness } 31... Bc8 32. b3 Rh8 { Janowsky is reluctant to give up the idea of direct attack on teh White King.
now it seems that he means to double Rooks on the h-file and then play for the
decisive trump ... Pg4 } 33. Nb2 { Help for the threatened Kingside. The
Knight heads for f2 via d1 in order to prevent ... Pg4 } 33... d5 $1 { This is serious! } 34. exd5 Rxd5 35. Rc4 c6 36. b4 $1 { Typical Lasker. He
shuts in his own Rook in order to induce his opponent to attack it } 36... Bf5 37. Rd2 Rhd8 38. Kf2 Rb5 $2 { Black is wandering from the correct path } ( 38... Bxd3 39. Nxd3 Rxd3 40. Rxd3 Rxd3 41. Ke2 e4 42. Rxe4 Rxc3 $17 { Black has a sound extra pawn } ) 39. Ke2 Rbd5 ( 39... Be6 40. -- Bxc4 41. dxc4 { Black's Rook is lost, leaving Black a piece down } ) 40. Kd1 Ke6 $2 ( 40... Bxd3 41. Nxd3 Rxd3 42. Rxd3 Rxd3+ 43. Kc2 e4 44. Nf1 exf3 45. Kxd3 fxg2 $19 ) 41. Kc2 Be7 { There is no direct decision in sight, but Black still has a won game } 42. Nf1 c5 ( 42... g4 43. hxg4 hxg4 44. fxg4 Bxg4 45. Ng3 ) 43. bxc5 ( 43. -- cxb4 44. cxb4 Rb5 45. Kb3 Rd4 ) 43... Bxc5 44. Ra4 R8d7 45. Rd1 Ba7 46. Ra3 g4 47. hxg4 hxg4 48. c4 { Mindful of the Steinitz principles Lasker makes
concessions only when he must. This move is necessary to let the Rook on a3
defend teh d-pawn, and so allow the Nb2 to get into the game at last } 48... R5d6 49. Nd2 Be3 $2 { White's unexpectedly tenacious resistance is sapping Janowsky's patience } ( 49... Bd4 50. Ne4 Bxb2 51. Kxb2 Bxe4 52. fxe4 Rh7 { Alekhine } ) 50. Rh1 gxf3 51. gxf3 Rg7 52. Rh2 Bg1 ( 52... Rg3 53. Rb3 Rd7 54. Na4 $1 $132 ) 53. Re2 Rg3 ( 53... Rd8 54. -- Rdg8 ) 54. Nd1 $1 Rd7 55. Rb3 Rdg7 56. Nc3 $1 { From this point it may be said that equilibriium has been restored. The
correctness of this move depends on the pretty indirect defence of the White's
f-pawn } 56... Be3 ( 56... Rg2 57. Rxb7 $1 ) 57. Nd5 Rg2 ( 57... Bxd2 58. Kxd2 Rxf3 59. Rb6+ Kf7 60. Rf6+ ) 58. Rxe3 $1 fxe3 59. Rb6+ Kd7 ( 59... Kf7 60. Nxe3 Re2 61. Nxf5 Rgg2 62. Nd6+ ) 60. Nxe3 Kc7 $2 ( 60... Re2 61. Nxf5 ( 61. Rxb7+ Kc6 62. Rxg7 Rxe3 63. Ne4 Rxf3 { It is not clear how White can make anything out of his extra pawn } ) 61... Rgg2 62. Rxb7+ Kc6 $18 ) 61. Nxf5 Rh7 62. Nd6 Rhh2 63. Ne4 { Now with two Knights and a pawn against a Rook, White has an easy task } 63... Rh1 64. Kc3 Rc1+ 65. Kb4 Rd1 66. Nb3 Rxd3 67. Rxb7+ Kc8 68. Rf7 Rb2 69. Nc5 Rd6 70. Rf5 Re2 71. Ne4 Rd3 72. Rxe5 Rb2 73. Nc5 Rxf3 74. Re8+ Kc7 75. Re6 Rc2 76. Nxa6+ Kb7 77. Nac5+ Ka7 78. Re7+ Ka8 79. Na4 Rh2 80. Nbc5 Kb8 81. Rb7+ Kc8 82. a6 1-0