[Event "New York"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1924.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Lasker,Ed"]
[Black "Yates,F"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "Lopez "Battle Royale""]
[ECO "A48"]
[PlyCount "100"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. c3 { It's hard to understand what Lasker was thinking here.The usual move is 3.c4, transposing into the King's Indian Defense, controlling both e5 and d5. As it stands now, Black can easily occupy the important center square d5. } 3... Bg7 { The Bishop will now control the long diagonal once the center is opened. } 4. Qc2 O-O 5. e4 d6 6. Bd3 { Why not 6.Bc4, since the c-pawn doesn't occupy that square? (See the note to move 3) } ( 6. Bc4 ) 6... Nc6 { In the King's Indian Defense, Black breaks up White's center by playing either ...e5 or ...c5. After this Knight move, ...e5 is the only option Black has for achieving the break. } 7. Nbd2 { Lasker's play is fast becoming a catalog of opening mistakes. His Knight now blocks in his c1-Bishop. This pretty much telegraphs his intention to play either 8.Nc4 or 8.Nb3. } 7... Nd7 { Yates prepares to play the central break ...e5. } 8. Nc4 e5 9. Bg5 Qe8 { While it's true that the Queen was chased here, it gives added support to the e5-pawn from its new post. } 10. d5 Ne7 11. O-O-O Nc5 { The move b2-b4 seems unlikely (since White has castled Queenside) so this should be a safe square for the Knight. } 12. h4 { Lasker starts the natural Kingside attack. } 12... f5 13. exf5 Nxd3+ { This in-between move allows Yates to take the initiative, as we'll no doubt soon see. } 14. Qxd3 Bxf5 { Now we see the point of Black's last (in-between) move. Yates attacks the White Queen and siezes the initiative. } 15. Qe2 a5 { Yates now launches his Queenside attack. } 16. Ne3 Bd7 17. h5 Nf5 18. hxg6 Qxg6 19. Nxf5 Bxf5 { The Queen and Bishop form a battery pointing straight at the heart of the castled King's position. } 20. Qd2 Qf7 { Why did Yates abandon the diagonal? Because White threatened Nh4, forking the Black Queen and light-squared Bishop. } 21. Bh6 Bg6 22. Bxg7 Qf5 { The threat is ...Qb1#. } 23. Qd3 Kxg7 24. Qxf5 Rxf5 { Let's take a moment to check the position. Black has a space advantage, a Rook on the open f-file, a Bishop on the open b1-a7 diagonal, and will easily be able to threaten the awkward advanced d5-pawn (as c2-c4 can be undermined by ...b7-b5). White has a Rook on the open h-file. Black's position is decidedly much better. } 25. Rd2 Raf8 { Building a battery on the open file. } 26. Rh4 h6 27. Rc4 R8f7 28. b4 axb4 29. cxb4 { Now the d5-pawn is completely isolated. } 29... Rf4 30. Rxf4 Rxf4 31. a3 Kf6 32. Kb2 h5 33. Ne1 { Lasker wants to play g2-g3, but doesn't want to leave the Knight undefended. The solution: just move the Knight! } 33... Rd4 34. Rxd4 exd4 { The d5-pawn is as good as dead. } 35. g3 Ke5 36. Kb3 Kxd5 37. f3 Bf7 { Black has a definite advantage: Bishops are better than Knights in endgames when there are pawns on both sides of the board. } 38. Ng2 c5 39. b5 Ke5+ 40. Kc2 Bd5 41. Ne1 c4 42. b6 Bc6 43. Kd2 Kd5 44. Nc2 c3+ 45. Kc1 Kc4 46. f4 d3 47. Ne3+ Kb3 48. Nf1 Be4 49. Nd2+ cxd2+ 50. Kxd2 Kxa3 { Lasker gives it up. If he tries Ke3 to attack the Bishop, Black will just retreat it back along the b1-h7 diagonal and the d3-pawn remains protected. Meanwhile, Black can just run his King back to capture the b6-pawn and then advance the b-pawn toward promotion. The White King will be unable to stop both pawns. } 0-1