GAME 33

Lasker - Freymann

St Petersburg 1909


Queen's Gambit Declined

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Bf4

Not a commendable continuation, as Black cleverly demonstrates.

5...cxd4 6.Nxd4 Bb4 7.e3

White: Lasker; ''Black:'  Freymann

The complications after 7.Ndb5 d4 8.a3 Ba5 9.b4 dxc3 10.bxa5 e5 would result in Black's favour, as White has not time to mobilize his King's Bishop and King's Rook.

7...Nge7

 Excellent. The play 7...Nf6 would be far weaker, as the Nc6 would remain unguarded and the f7-pawn obstructed.

8.Be2 O-O 9.O-O dxc4 10.Bxc4 Bxc3 11.bxc3 e5 12.Nxc6 Nxc6 13.Bg3 Qe7 14.Bd5 Bd7 15.Rb1 b6 16.c4

White: Lasker  Black:  Freymann

Here White ought to have played for attack "a tout prix". By 16.f4 he would have definitely ruined the pawn's positions, it is true, but he would have opened lines for Bishop and Rook, thus perhaps recovering the lost ground. The White position does not stand finessing, as Black has obviously the superior position, as long as White's Queen's Bishop is shut out at g3.

16...Rac8 17.Qh5

 With 17.Qh5 the intention is, after 17...Rfe8 to continue with 18.c5 bxc5 19.Rb7  But Black finds a far better reply.

17...Be6 18.Rfd1

But now was the time to liberate the Queen's Bishop by 18.Bxc6 Rxc6 19.Qxe5  This omission is taken advantage of by Black in masterly style.

18...f6 19.Qe2 Na5 20.Rbc1 Rc5

Far better than 20...Rc7

21.Rc2

If White now plays 21.f4 Black can reply 21...Rfc8 threatening to win a piece by 22...Bxd5.

21...Rfc8 22.Rdc1 Qf7 23.e4 Nc6

White is now badly in need of the displaced Bishop. If the f2-pawn was already at f3, White could play Bf2, and Black's attack would not have succeeded.

24.Rc3 Nd4 25.Qd2 b5

This move was tempting but not so strong as 25...Bxd5 White would have to reply 26.exd5 with the likely continuation 26...b5 27.f4 bxc4 28.fxe5 Qxd5 29.Rd1 Rd8 and Black wins yet another pawn because of the threat 30...Nf3+

26.f4 b4

If26...Bxd5 27.fxe5 Rxc4(27...fxe5 28.Bxe5 b4? 29.Rg3)28.Qxd4

27.Rd3 Bxd5 28.fxe5 fxe5 29.exd5

29.Bxe5 would be defeated by 29...Rxc4 30.Rf1(30.Rxc4 Bxc4)30...Rc1

29...Rxc4 30.Re1 Rc1

 If 30...Rc2 31.Qg5 Qxd5? 32.Bxe5!

31.d6

Of course not 31.Bxe5 on account o f31...Rxe1 32.Qxe1 Rc1

31...R8c2

White threatened 32.e7 Qxe7 33.Rxc1.

32.Rxc1 Rxc1 33.Be1 Qd7

White: Lasker; ''Black"  Freymann

No t33...Rc2 34.Qxc2 Nxc2 35.d7

 But he ought to have played 33...Rc6 34.Bf2 Rxd6 35.Bxd4 Rxd4 36.Rxd4 exd4 37.Qxd4 Qxa2 38.Qxb4 and Black might perhaps still have won with the pawn plus.

34.Rxd4 Rxe1 35.Qxe1 exd4 36.Qxb4 Kf7 37.Qxd4 Ke6 38.Qe4 Kxd6 39.Qxh7 Kc5 40.Qc2 Kb6 41.Qb3 Kc7 42.Qc4

Adjourned.

42...Kd8 43.h4 Ke7 44.Kf2 Kf6 45.Kg3 Qe7 46.Kf3 Kg6 47.Qc6

If White force the exchange of Queens by 47.Qe4 Qxe4 48.Kxe4 Black would win the h-pawn by 48...Kh5 and draw.

47...Kf7 48.Qd5 Kf8 49.g3 g6 50.Kf4 Qf6 51.Ke4 Qf2

This loses immediately. Far better was 51...Qe7 White dare not interpose the Queen 52.Qe5 as he would lose the a2-pawn after( he would, therefore, have to play52.Kf4) 52...Qb4 whilst the g6-pawn could not be captured on account of the threat of the hostile passed pawn.

52.Qd6 Kg7 53.Qd4 Qxd4 54.Kxd4 g5 55.Kc5

1 - 0

h. 49 - 3h. 41

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