<INTRODUCTION>

Schlechter vs Lasker, 1910 is the <third game of the 2008 title match>.

Quantitative mapping of this game between these players is below. Figures in brackets immediately after each move are the corrected engine evaluations generated on the return slide. The reverse slide smoothed out many, but not all fluctuation in the engine’s evaluations. The complexity of some variations was very likely too great to enable a fuller reconciliation from the forward slide, especially in the opening. <General methods used are described in the bio.>

The evaluation values in the opening come at the end of a full forward slide to the last move of the game and a full return slide back to the starting position. The engine’s first preferences (where they differ from players’) have not been included in this game as it went into a static equilibrium in the opening. Differences between the engine’s preferred moves and the players’ were frequently no greater than a couple of centipawns.

<Summary>

The only “grandmaster draw” in the match. A conservative Berlin Defense (Improved Steinitz) by Lasker is met by an even more conservative “wait and see” strategy by Schlechter playing the White pieces. The game loses its heartbeat by move 11, never straying from absolute equality by more than a dozen centipawns, and dragging on for another twenty moves before the players called it a day.

<THE GAME>

<1. e4> ( 0.27) <1…e5> ( 0.37)

<2. Nf3> ( 0.37) <2…Nc6> ( 0.37)

<3. Bb5> ( 0.39) <3…Nf6> ( 0.44)

<4. 0-0> ( 0.31) <4…d6> ( 0.44)

<5. Re1> ( 0.35) <5…Be7> ( 0.40)

<6. d4> ( 0.40) <6…exd4> ( 0.40)

<7. Nxd4> ( 0.37) <7…Bd7> ( 0.41)

<8. Nc3> ( 0.37) <8…0-0> ( 0.35)

<9. Bxc6> ( 0.30) <9…bxc6> ( 0.30)

<10. Bg5> (=0.19) <10…Re8> (=0.19)

<11. Qd3> (=0.00) <11…Ng4> (=0.07)

<12. Bxe7> (=0.06) <12…Qxe7> (=0.03)

This marks the end of theory in respect of this opening as shown in the chessgames.com database. The other game in the database to reach this point was Bronstein vs P Romanovsky, 1945 which continued with <13. h3>, with White winning in a reasonably brisk (for this opening) 41 moves.

<13. Nf3> (=-0.01) <13…Rab8> (=0.00)

<14. b3> (=0.00) <14…Ne5> (=0.00)

<15. Nxe5> (=0.00) <15…Qxe5> (=0.00)

<16. Qe3> (=-0.10) <16…Qa5> (=-0.10)

<17. Qd3> (=-0.12) <17…Re7> (=-0.12 )

<18. Re3> (=-0.12) <18…Rbe8> (=-0.12)

<19. Rae1> (=-0.12) <19…f6> (=-0.10)

<20. h3> (=-0.11) <20…Be6> (=-0.02)

<21. Na4> (=-0.02) <21…Bf7> (=-0.02)

<22. c4> (=-0.02) <22…h6> (=0.03)

<23. Nc3> (=-0.03) <23…Kh8> (=0.00)

<24. Qd2> (=0.03) <24…Bg6> (=0.00)

<25. R1e2> (=-0.08) <25…Bf7> (=0.00)

<26. Qd4> (=-0.08) <26…Qb6> (=-0.08)

<27. Qd2> (=-0.11) <27…Qa5> (=-0.00)

<28. Qd4> (=-0.08) <28…Qb6> (=-0.08)

<29. Qd2> (=-0.11) <29…Qa5> (=0.00)

<30. Qd4> (=-0.00) <30…Qb6> (=0.00)

<31. Qd2> (=0.00) <31…Qa5> (=0.00)

<ANALYSIS>

<Note> The fluctuations generated in the relatively low (16 minimum) ply forward slide were smoothed out in the equivalent return slide. The corrected evaluations extracted from the return slide are used in this analysis, as they are considered more reliable than the raw evaluations generated on the initial forward slide. All moves have been evaluated on forward and return slide for completeness.

<Evaluation range>:

Between (=-0.12) applying to the move group <17. Qd3 Re7 18. Re3 Rbe8>> - representing equality - and ( 0.44) in respect of the moves <3…Nf6> and <4….d6>> representing a small advantage for White.

<The largest evaluation shifts>:

There were no significant evaluation shifts during this game that compared to the initial advantage conferred to White with his first move.

<Computer statistics>:

Omitted as meaningless in this game. Outside the opening, there were only extremely small evaluation differences to distinguish between preferred moves in a game that was extremely drawish past move 11. <The engine evaluation of the final position>:

was =0.00 in a position agreed drawn.

<CONCLUSION>

On the other hand, Capa's only real note matches the computer analysis of no real deviations off of equality, so there was not much to say.

Even Capablanca himself would not play some of the recommendations in his own notes.

Cassius giving advice to Brutus in "Julius Caesar"

(For the first time in my life have I been confronted with such a problem.)

Source: 'Pester Lloyd', 1910.01.16, p. 8