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Jackson Showalter vs Emanuel Lasker
Lasker - Showalter (1893), Kokomo, IN USA, rd 8, Apr-25
Spanish Game: Closed Variations. Center Attack (C84)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Dec-14-05
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: Quite lucky win for Lasker. Showalter outplayed him here but in a won position he failed to find any correct way to finish the game and finally lost it. One of missed possibilities was 20.Qh4! (threatening 21.Qg5 which will follow for example after 20...Qxd5) 20...Qg4 (what else?) 21.Ne7+ Kh8 22.fxg7+ Qxg7 (22...Kxg7 23.Qf6#) 23.Bh6 and the game is over.
Dec-16-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp:


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White now played
20.Rf3.
As <Honza Cervenka> says, 20.Qh4! is much better.


click for larger view

The threat is that old mating pattern: Qg5, ....g6, Qh6. We all learnt that on day two of the course.

For example if
20...Qxd5 then


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21.Qg5 g6 22.Qh6 and Black cannot sensibly stop the mate.

However, Showalter may have seen this continuation: 20. Qh4 Re8
21. Qg5 Qg4!


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Suddenly White's attack is over, and he is still the exchange down.

The thing that is easily missed is this, just before
21...Qg4.


click for larger view

The <only> winning move is
21.h3!+-.
THAT is a very easy move to miss during a game.
*****
In fact Showalter could have played that enigmatic pawn push at move 21, instead of 21.Rh3.
21.h3


click for larger view

Now there's the Qh4-g5-h6 threat as well as the Nc7 fork. It looks very good for White.

Dec-16-18  Boomie: <offramp>

Minor quibble. After 21. h3, the white queen should be on h4 not g5.

Dec-17-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: <Boomie>, well spotted. In the fifth diagram down. It's a pity cg.com allows no post-posting editing.

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