The Instructor Classical Immersion In the interview he gave to mark the release of Volume One of his new book, Garry Kasparov on My Great Predecessors, Kasparov named several classic games that he rated especially highly. Understandably, Kasparov would have given these games special scrutiny. We now submit one of these games for your consideration. Of course, this game has already been subjected to rather detailed commentary The Instructor - by J. Neishtadt, in his book, First World Champion. Many years ago, I too studied this game, and used the material I had prepared to give lessons to my Mark Dvoretsky students; however, this material has never before been published. Of course, after Kasparov's book came out, I compared conclusions, and established that his analyses needed correction or extension in several instances (as, of course, The Chess Cafe did mine). I would hope that my readers will find the revised version of my E-mail Newsletter commentaries interesting. Each week, as a service to thousands of our readers, we send Lasker – Steinitz New York 1894 - Match Game 7 out an e-mail newsletter, This Week at The Chess Cafe. To receive this free weekly update, This enormously tense game had a decisive influence on the type in your email address and click Subscribe. That's all there is outcome of this match for the World Championship. Before to it! And, we do not make this list this game, the score was even. Having achieved a winning available to anyone else. position, Steinitz nevertheless managed to lose; and he was so upset by this, that he managed to lose four more games in E- Mail: a row. 1. e2-e4 e7-e5 2. Ng1-f3 Nb8-c6 3. Bf1-b5 d7-d6 4. d2-d4 Bc8-d7 5. Nb1-c3 Ng8-e7 6. Bc1-e3 In his three previous games with White in this match, Lasker had tried 6. Bc4 - which puts me in mind of an episode from Ilf and Petrov's comic novel, The Twelve Chairs. The chesslovers of the city of Vasiuky, bewitched by Ostap Bender's oratory, dream in exquisite detail of the coming file:///C|/cafe/dvoretsky/dvoretsky.htm (1 of 19) [08/09/2003 7:48:56 AM] The Instructor chess renaissance that would take place in their hometown. Among other things, they picture the meeting between Emmanuel Lasker and Jose-Raul Capablanca there, in Vasiuky: The monocled one took Lasker by his waistcoat, brought him to the Champion, and said: Order School of Chess Excellence, - Let us reconcile! I beseech you, in the name of the great Volume 2: masses of Vasiuky! Let us reconcile! Tactical Play by Mark Dvoretsky And Jose-Raul heaved a great sigh, and shaking the old veteran's hand, replied: - I have always had the highest respect for your idea of moving the Ruy Lopez bishop from b5 to c4. - Hurrah! - exclaimed the monocled one - Simple and convincing, in the true style of a champion! 6...Ne7-g6 7. Qd1-d2 Bf8-e7 8. 0-0-0 ECO recommends 8. 0-0 0-0 9. Rad1, but then 9...Bg4! is uncomfortable for White. 8...a7-a6 9. Bb5-e2 e5xd4! 9...0-0?! would be inaccurate, in view of 10. de, and if 10...Ngxe5 11. Nxe5 Nxe5, then 12. f4, with advantage. 10. Nf3xd4 Nc6xd4 11. Qd2xd4 Lasker avoids the simplification that would follow 11. Bxd4 Bg5!? (V. Zak) - although, in Kasparov's opinion, White's position would be preferable after 12. Be3 Bxe3 13. Qxe3. 11...Be7-f6 12. Qd4-d2 Bd7-c6 12...0-0 13. f3 Re8 14. Nd5, with a slight advantage (Kasparov). file:///C|/cafe/dvoretsky/dvoretsky.htm (2 of 19) [08/09/2003 7:48:56 AM] The Instructor 13. Nc3-d5 0-0 White has a good position. For example, 14. g3 (with the idea of h2-h4-h5) is possible, and if 14...Re8, then 15. f3 (just not Neishtadt's recommendation 15. Bf3?, in view of 15...Bxd5! 16. Qxd5 Bxb2+! 17. Kxb2 Qf6+). Lasker preferred the immediate 14. f3, while Kasparov prefers 14. Nxf6+ Qxf6 15. f3 Bb5 16. c4 Ba4 17. Rde1 - in all cases, White has a small positional advantage. 14. g2-g4? This plan is a mistake. With the center open, a flank attack has no real chance of success. Steinitz refutes it the way one is supposed to in such cases - by active operations in the center. 14...Rf8-e8 15. g4-g5 15. f3 Bxd5 16. Qxd5 Be5 would have handed Black control of the important f4 square (Neishtadt). And after 15. Nxf6+ Qxf6 16. f3 Qe6, Neishtadt examines 17. c4 b5 and 17. Kb1 d5, although in both lines 17...Bxe4! 18. fe Qxe4 is stronger. 15...Bc6xd5 16. Qd2xd5?! Now Black will come out of the tactical complications with the advantage. On the other hand, the alternatives didn't promise White much either. Kasparov examines 16. gf Bxe4 17. f3 Bf5 18. Bd4 c5 19. Bc3 d5 (19...b5!?) 20. Qxd5 Nf4 21. Qxf5 Nxe2+ 22. Kb1 Nxc3+ 23. bc Qb6+ 24. Ka1, and continues 24...Qxf6 25. Qxf6 gf 26. Rd5 Re3. But, in the final position of his line, White has every right to expect to draw: 27. Rg1+ Kh8 28. file:///C|/cafe/dvoretsky/dvoretsky.htm (3 of 19) [08/09/2003 7:48:56 AM] The Instructor Rxc5 Rxf3 29. Rc7 is only slightly better for Black. And some of these moves are not forced (26...Re5!?; 26. Rd7!?). Black also has no reason to seek the exchange of queens - 24...g6!? 25. Qf4 Re6 looks stronger, and gives him more of an advantage. Steinitz would most likely have answered 16. ed with the exchange sacrifice 16...Rxe3! 17. fe (17. gf Re5 18. fg Qf6 - Kasparov) 17...Bxg5, with Qe7 to follow (Neishtadt). 16...Re8-e5 17. Qd5-d2 "17. Qxb7! Bxg5 [17...Rb8 18. Qxb8!? Qxb8 19. gf Rxe4 20. fg is unclear - Dvoretsky) 18. Bxg5 Rxg5 19. Rhg1 was far better, even though 19...Rc5! then gives Black an easy game: a6-a5, Rb8, followed either by an attack on the kingside pawns with Qh4, or an attack on the king down the b- and c- files (Kasparov). Besides 19...Rc5, Black had another very strong continuation: 19...Rxg1! 20. Rxg1 Rb8 21. Qa7 (21. Qxa6? Qf6 wins) 21...Rb6 (planning Qf6), when White's position is bad, in view of his dark-square weaknesses and his queen being out of play. So the move 17. Qxb7 hardly deserves an exclamation mark. 17...Bf6xg5! Lasker evidently overlooked this resource, expecting only 17...Rxg5? 18. f4 Rg2, when White continues ether 19. Qe1 (according to Neishtadt) or 19. Qd3!?, with excellent compensation for the pawn, thanks to the misplaced Black rook (Bf3 is threatened). 18. f2-f4! 18. Kb1 Bxe3 19. Qxe3 Qg5!? or 18. h4 Bxe3 19. Qxe3 Qf6 would grant Black an easy game and a healthy extra pawn. 18...Re5xe4! 19. f4xg5 Qd8-e7 20. Rd1-f1?! Lasker chooses to continue the struggle in a position where file:///C|/cafe/dvoretsky/dvoretsky.htm (4 of 19) [08/09/2003 7:48:56 AM] The Instructor he will be two pawns down. In Kasparov's opinion, he should nevertheless have won back one of them by 20. Bf3 Rxe3 21. Bxb7. The grandmaster gives the following variations: 21...Re2 22. Rhe1 Rxd2 23. Rxe7 Rxd1+ 24. Kxd1 Nxe7 25. Bxa8 a5 with an unclear endgame, despite White's being a pawn down; and 21...Rb8 22. Rhe1 Rxe1 (22...Re5 23. Bxa6 Qxg5 24. Qxg5 Rxg5 25. Bc4 Ne5 26. Bd5, with only a small edge for Black) 23. Rxe1 Qd7 24. Bd5 (24. Bxa6?! Qa4) 24...Ne5 "with only a small advantage for Black." 20...Re4xe3 21. Be2-c4 21...Ng6-h8!? "A move in accordance with the Steinitzian principle of economy of force. While defending the f7- square, the knight will also not be subject to the pawn assault with h2-h4-h5; the queen's rook, in the meantime, goes to the open file. Nevertheless, the knight is too passively placed at h8" (Neishtadt). "Typical Steinitz! The commentators have gone into raptures over this outlandish move, even though it appears not to have been strongest" (Kasparov). Neishtadt's suggested move, 21...Qxg5, leads to completely unnecessary complications. White has a choice between 22. Rxf7 and 22. Rhg1 (22. Rf3? Re5 would be a mistake). 22. Rhg1 Qh6 (Neishtadt) 23. Bxf7+ Kh8 24. Bxg6 hg 25. Rxg6 Qxg6 26. Qxe3 Re8, with an edge to Black (Kasparov). 22. Rxf7 Kh8 23. Rxc7 Rae8 (Neishtadt) 24. Rd1 (24. Kb1 is only slightly better for Black - Dvoretsky) 24...Ne5 25. h4 file:///C|/cafe/dvoretsky/dvoretsky.htm (5 of 19) [08/09/2003 7:48:56 AM] The Instructor Qf4 26. Bd5 b5 with a slight edge to Black (Kasparov). How about 21...Rf8! 22. h4 Re4 23. h5? A) 23...Rxc4 24. hg hg. Now White loses after 25. Qh2? Qxg5+ 26. Kb1 f5. Zak examined 25. Re1?! Qd8? 26. Reg1, with the terrible threat of 27. Qh2. However, instead of retreating his queen, Black must continue 25...Re4! 26. Rxe4 Qxe4 27. Qh2 f5, with a great advantage (Neishtadt). "There is no joy for Black either in 25. Kb1 Re4" (Kasparov). Let's continue: 26. Qh2 f5 (forced) 27. gf Rxf6 28. Qh8+ Kf7 29. Qc8 - this is not so clear: White still has counterplay. B) Neishtadt's alternative, 23...Ne5!, is stronger, for instance: 24. Bd5 Rg4 25. g6 hg 26.