The Steinitz-Lasker Match.

Otago Witness, Issue 2106, 5 July 1894, Page 38

The Steinitz-Lasker Match.

The eighth game: French Defbnce. White. Black. White. Black. (Steinitz.) (Laskor.) (Steinitz) (Lasker) IP-K4 P-K3 35 Kt-K4 Bxß 2 P-Q 4 P-Q 4 36 Q x B R-Q 5 3 Kt-Q B 3 P x P-a 37 P x V-t Px P 4Kt x P Kt-Q 2-b 3S P-Kt 3-w Kt-Q 6 5 Kt-B 3 X Kt-B 3 39 B x Xt Rxß 6 Xt-Xt 3-c P-Q B 4 40 P-B 5 R-Q 5 7 BK2d PxP 41Q-Ktl PxP BKt x P BB 4 42 Xt x Y-v R-B 5 9 Xt-Xt 3-« B-K 2 43 Kt-Q 7-w Q-Kt 2 10 0-0 0-0 44 Q R-Q 1 B-K 3 11 B-Q2-/' QB2 45KtxKP Px Xt 12 P-Q B 4-0 Kt-K 4 46 R x P B-R 6 13 Q-B 2-/ i Xt-Xt 3 47 R(KS)QSR-B8 14 X R-K 1-i B-Q 2 48 Q-Q 3 P-R 3-x 15 Q R-B 1 X R-B 1-j 49 P-Kt 4 Bx P 16 B-K B 1 B-R5 50 P-B 3 Kxßch 17 B-B 3 Xt-Xt 5-ife 51 Qx R B-K 3 18 Q-K 2 Kt-B 3 52 R-Q 6 Q-K 2 19 Kt-Q 4 B-Q 2 53 P-Kt 6 R-B 8 20 P- Xt 4-J R-Q 1 54 Qx It Qx It 21 Q-Kt 2 Q K-B 1 55 Q-K 3 B-Q 4 22 Xt-Xt 3-m Q-B 5 56 K-Kt 2 Q-Kt 3 eh 23 B Q 2 Q-Kt 1 57 K-B 2 Q-B 7 eh 24P-Kts-?i P-Kt 3 58 K-Kt? Q-Kt 3ch 25 B-B 3 Kt-K I 59 K-B 2 Q-B7ch 26 Kt-K R5-o P-B 3 60 K-Kt 3 Q-Kt 3 eh 27 P-Q R 4 P-K 4 61 K-B 2 B-Kt2 28 P-R 5 B-K Xt 5 62 Q-Kt 3 cli Q-B 2 29 Xt-Xt 3 B-K 3-p 63 Q-Q 3 QQ 4 30 Kt-Q 2 q Kt.-B 5 61C-K3 Q-Q 3 31 Q-Kt 1 B-B 2 65 K-Kt 2 K-B 2 „ 32 Kt-B 5-r B-B 1 66 P-R 4 Q-K 3 338-Kt4 Kt-Q 3 67 Q-B 4 K-Kt 3 31 Xt x Kt-s B x Xt 68 Q-Kt 3 eh K-B 2 The game was continued for nine more moves, when White resigned-!/. Notes. (a) Hatheets considered questionable. Lasker says it is probably not so strong as 3 kt-k b 3. (6) A new departure (c) Steinitz seems to like manoeuvring with his knights. An ordinary mortal would probably have played 6 B-Q 3—a developing move—or possibly Xt x Kt. (d) Lasker says: "The B cannot well be played to Q 3, as it would constantly be harassed on that square by the black knights." This may be so, but it is not obvious, and although in this opening the X B is considered particularly valuable, it can hardly bo worth while to take up a disadvantageous position or lose time to keep him, commanding the queen's side with tho B's. (<) Vecessary. Black would play 9 q-kt 3, and would win at least a pawn.

(/) The Daily N«ws recommends 11 P-QB 4, so as to be able to follow with B-K 3, when both B's would conoinand the queen's side. (17) Las-ker's note to this is : "Partly to keep tho black pieces from Q 4, partly a preparation for a Q side attack. The text move gives White a little pull." (h) Ant'cipating 13 r-q 1 : but the Daily News considois R-B 1 preferable. (I) R-Q 1 is probably stronger, as it commands an open file. (?) This r goes to q 1 at the 20th move, and might as well have goae there at once. Ik) La&ker says : " LayiDg a trap. If White advances 18 P-K R3, b x kt ; 19 Px B, b-b 4 ; 20 P x Xt, q x kt ; 21 P-Kt 4, kt-b 5 ; 22 P x B, kt-r 6ch ; 23 K-R 1, kt x p eh ; 24 K-Kt 1, kt xkt p, and should win." Steinitz, however, was not caught in it, and apparently it was a lost move, as such traps usually are. ' (0 Does not look a strong move, but is there any better ? (w) The Daily News characterises this as " Wasting time over vague designs on the X Xt P."

(71) The Daily News recommends 24 R-Kt 1, followed by X R-B 1. This certainly looks as if it would have (strengthened White's attack on the O side. Laskcr, however, says : " This move gets White into difficulties ; 24 B-B 3 would have been preferable. White's object ought to have been to maintain a pressure on the adversary's X side, while the Q B P ought to have been pushed first. (0) SteiDitz recommends instead Kt-K 4 with the view of playing P-B 5. Why did he not do it? 00 Attacking a weak point (q) Lasker says of this : " Hardly a move to my liking, inasmuch as it crowds White's pieces too much. Whynotß-Q2?" (r) To enable him to drive away the Xt, and also, if permitted, to exchange Xt for B. (.') There seems little to choose between this and B x Kt.

(0 Lasker thinks O, R-Q 1 preferable, with the view of exchanging the rooks and continuing his attack by Q-K 7. (m) Lacker considers this an error of judgment, which allows Black to exchange Xt for B, thus losirjg the advantage of having two Bs against Xt and B 'J lie Standard says it is difficult to suggest anything better. The Daily News suggests XtXt 3 as holding out some hopes of diskdging the R. As will be seen later on, opening the long diagonal turns out very bad for White. 40 r-kt 6, according to Lasker, might lead to a draw thus— 41 Q-R 4, p x p ; 42 Xt x P, r x kb p ; 43 Kt-Q 7, r x r ; 44 R x IX, q-kt 2 ; 45 Kt-B 5, &c. (») 42 R x P was Daily News. (w) LaMter says that giving up the Xt for two pawns would have been best for the consequences of \Vhite'< 38th move. Atiy other combination loses tho Xt P.

' (x) lfrxr; J9 Qx R, r-b 8 ; 50 R-Q 8 eh, k-b 2 j 51 R-Q 7 eb, (i x r ; 52 Q x R, and matters for J)lark would hive been nvide more difficult. Although White makes a gallant light he could nol po-bibly prevent the ultimate loss. — Lasker. (//; Tlit! notes to this game have been taken from several tfiffeient sources. They sometimes Hiistrati: tVe saying that " doctors differ." They alio t-)jo\v how much better some of the critics coul J ploy th in either Steiuitz or Lasker 1 A few of tho "ott: are original. Tho Standard stigrua-t's>«-.M the g<sme as the v orst of the New York s>e.i s. The leader points out that Lasker blundered at hi-, 48th movf, and could have won by r x r cb; 41) Q x 1 1, rbß ;50 R-Q 8 cb, k-b 2; 51 R-Q 7 eh, fl xr ; 52 yy x t>, q-q 4 ; 53 Q-B 7 eh, k-kt 3 ; 54 Q- )> 2 eh, k-r 3; 55 Q-lil eh, p-kt 4, and wins. The best move for Black's 47th i.s r at b 5.b 4, which at once forces the game thus— 4B R-Q 8 eh, rx r ; 49 11 x R eh. k-b 2 ; 50 P-B 3, q-kt 3, and wins. If 48 Q-R 2 or Xt 3, r x r ; 49 R x R, r-b 8 eh ; 50 RQ 1 dis eh, k-r 1 and wins. If 50 Q-R 2 eh, k-k 2 wins.