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Emanuel Lasker vs Wilhelm Steinitz
Lasker - Steinitz World Championship Rematch (1896), Moscow RUE, rd 8, Dec-07
Spanish Game: Steinitz Defense (C62)  ·  1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Feb-15-04  ughaibu: Calli: Is this a great escape?
Feb-15-04  PinkPanther: 56.Rb7??? Am I missing something or doesn't that just drop the rook?
Feb-15-04  ughaibu: You're missing something.
Feb-15-04  PinkPanther: Whoopsy daisy, a perpetual check :-) Thanks for pointing that out to me, ughaibu
Aug-03-05  dac1990: Another highly picteresque position after 32.Qh3.
Aug-04-05  iron maiden: More like a logjam. Steinitz could play a mighty fine closed game, all right.
Aug-04-05  Pawn Ambush: <iron maiden> He felt comfortable in closed games and cramp positions. Image him trying the nimzo or even better the kings indian!
May-17-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: After 32.Qh3


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as mentioned by <dac1990>. After 40...N7c5, black has a massive position and he is a pawn up.


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But in this position


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he should have played 55...Rc1.

Jun-08-06
Premium Chessgames Member
  Pawn and Two: A tragic game for Steinitz. After having a winning position for many moves, he errs at the end of the game and only gets a draw.

Mar-01-08  Knight13: Black went "Beowulf" on this...
Jul-19-12  King.Arthur.Brazil: In this 2 games LASKER was bad, mainly in the latter,where black has clear advantage. Seemed that STEINITZ was not much patient at his old-days, so he tried sometimes to win by force, while his simple technique would be sufficient. Like he was trying to proove that he was still the best but he needn't.I would play 52... Rab8 .53.Ra3 Rb7 (now .54.Bg6 Kg8 .55.Bh5 Qg7) 54.Ta6 Rd7 White has no sucrifice for perpectual check and black would improove his position till win.
Oct-24-13
Premium Chessgames Member
  Chessical: Morning Post - Friday 11 December 1896

THE LASKER-STEINITZ CHESS MATCH. — "Reuter's Telegram.] MOSCOW, Dec. 10.

...In the eighth game of the Championship Match Steinitz reverted to his old defence to the Ruy Lopez, <d6>, and played excellently to the end. when, after having gained a substantial advantage, he gave Lasker an opportunity of forcing a draw in ingenious fashion. Steinitz was decidedly unlucky in thus missing an opportunity of gaining his first victory. It is, however, gratifying to observe that the game shows a marked improvement in his play. The score is now— Lasker, 5 ; Steinitz, 0 ; drawn, 3

<3...d6> Steinitz has had little success with this move in the past, and, seeing how completely it failed in his last match with Lasker it is somewhat surprising that he should revive it now.

<6.Bg5> Perhaps this is not so good as the methods adopted by Lasker on other occasions. <Bc4> has been shown by him to be an effective move in similar positions.

<17..Ne6> Black's play is rather curious, his efforts being directed towards inducing White lo weaken his centre by advancing his Pawns.

<22.Nh4> Having in view <23.Bh5> and if then Qe7 24. Ng6+ hxg6 25. Bxg6 threatening to mate by Qh5.

<28.Qf3> Steinitz's persevering attack on the Queen's side is thus rewarded by the capture of a Pawn, while White is at present unable to find an opening on the King's side. It is not to be doubted, however, that Lasker purposely submitted to this loss, intending to concentrate against the King while Black was occupied in another part of the field.

<32...Na4> Doubtless Lasker reckoned that this Knight would not have time to come into play again; but notwithstanding the massing of the White pieces they have not scope to operate, and the Black King remaining insecure.

<38...bxc3> To obtain a passed Pawn, which, with the White pieces on the other side of the board, ought to be very strong.

<46...Nxc3> Obviously it was necessary to give up the piece, but perhaps Lasker had calculated to get it back. If so, he did not see so far into the position as his opponent.

<56.Rb7> The manner in which Lasker gets out of his difficulty and forces a draw is highly ingenious. If <56...Qxb7> now Qxf6+, followed by 57.Qxd8+...but the draw is forced after <57.Qxf6+> by <57...Qg7>.

Feb-12-16  zanzibar: This game is given on p382 of the <Literary Digest, v14 (Jan 23, 1897)>, which quotes from <The Field, London>. The article concludes with an except from a letter written by Steinitz:

<Steinitz, in a letter dated December 17, admits that he is beaten. He says:

“Why am i so badly beaten? In the first place, because Lasker is the greatest player I ever met, perhaps the greatest who ever lived. To say so positively would be like making excuses for myself and disparaging other rivals at a time when I am incapable to compete in the first rank.

<‘A Chess-master has no more right to be ill than a general on the battlefield’>

or words to that effect, I once wrote; and I adhere to that. I may state that my fearful breakdown is chiefly due,as usual, to sleeplessness and nervous exhaustion.

<<>>>

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