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Emanuel Lasker
Champion for 27 years: Lasker beats Steinitz in 1895, and Capablanca forty years later.
The idea
Champion for 27 years, he beat Steinitz and, at 66, Capablanca.
- The knight on e4 jumps to f6, close to Black’s king.
- From f6 it attacks the queen on d7.
- It also hits h7, where the knight on g5 aims as well.
In a game: A knight next to the enemy king that also hits the queen often decides the game.
How the lesson begins
Emanuel Lasker was born in Prussia in 1868. In 1894 he beat Wilhelm Steinitz for the world title, and he kept it for 27 years, longer than anyone else. He was also a mathematician, with a doctorate, and he wrote about philosophy.
Lasker was a great fighter. He chose the plan that was hardest for his opponent to meet, and he kept playing well into old age. Here are two of his wins: one against Steinitz, the other against Capablanca forty years later.
St Petersburg, 1895. Lasker has White against Steinitz, whom he had beaten for the title. White gains space, and then gives his queen for a rook.
- 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 d6 5. d4 Bd7 6. c3 Nf6 7. Nbd2 Be7 8. O-O O-O 9. Re1 Re8 10. Nf1 Bf8 11. Ng3 g6 12. h3 Bg7 13. Bc2 Bc8 14. d5 White gains space with d5.
- 14... Ne7 15. Be3 Rf8 16. Qd2 Ne8 17. Bh6 Kh8 18. Rad1 Ng8 19. Bxg7+ White trades the dark-squared bishops.
- 19... Nxg7 20. c4 f5 21. Qc3 fxe4 22. Bxe4 Nf6 23. Qe3 Nxe4 24. Nxe4 Rf4 Black’s rook goes to f4, where the e5 pawn guards it.
- 25. c5 Bf5 26. Nfg5 Qd7 Black’s queen comes to d7.
- 27. Qxf4 Lasker gives his queen for the rook.
- 27... exf4 Black takes the queen.
Find the move
Black has a queen for a rook. Find the knight move that hits the queen and the h7 pawn.
A hint
The knight on e4 has a strong square close to Black’s king.
Show the answer
28. Nf6
Nf6! attacks the queen on d7 and the pawn on h7, where the other knight on g5 also aims. Steinitz had to give his queen back for a knight.