Lasker, Emanuel VS Znosko Borovsky, Eugene 1909.02.25

Annotations

1. 6.Nf3 White seems to have nothing better than 6) B x Kt, P x B; 7) Kt - B 3.
2. 15.Rad1 White should here have forced the exchange of the Bishops: 15) B - K 4, B x B; 16) Q x B, Q R - B sq; 17) Q R - B sq. White can obtain no more than a draw against good play on the part of his opponent.
3. 17…a6 This gives White a chance, as this move weakens the Q Kt P and prevents, besides, the Bishop from going to Q R 3 whence he would attack the weak spot in White's position, viz., the P at Q B 4. Far stronger was 17) .... B x Kt; 18) Q x B, P - K 4.
4. 20…Rfd8 The Q Kt P is very weak. Black sacrifices it and seeks compensation in the open files.
5. 28.Rcd7 Threatens P - Q B 4.
6. 31.c7 Useless would be 31) R - Kt 7, R (Kt sq) - B sq.
7. 34.Rb1 R - Kt 5 would, in any case, have won the Q R P.
8. 37…Nd2 This hastens the loss of the game.
9. 39…e5 Desperation, in order to extricate the surrounded Knight. If 39) .... Kt x P, White would have won by R - R 4.

Emanuel Lasker, The International Chess Congress, St. Petersburg, 1909 (1910) · Public domain · source