[Event "FIDE (05)"] [Site "Philadelphia wch-m"] [Date "1894.??.??"] [Round "1"] [White "Lasker, E"] [Black "Steinitz, Wilhelm"] [Result "1-0"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "C62"] [Opening "Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense"] [StudyName "Lasker, E"] [ChapterName "Lasker, E - Steinitz, Wilhelm (Ninth Game)"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/GebiOfkU/4mILZNRq"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/Malis59"] [Orientation "white"] { When Lasker evaluated the world champion he could see that each of Steinitz’s assets hid a liability. Steinitz was a great abstract thinker but also the most impractical of champions. He was a tireless innovator but also became stubbornly attached to bad variations. He was a profound middlegame strategist but also someone who could be beaten in the endgame. Soltis, Andrew. Why Lasker Matters (Batsford Chess) (Kindle Locations 1916-1919). Pavilion Books. Kindle Edition. } 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 { Steinitz Variation } 4. Nc3 a6 5. Bc4 Be6 6. Bxe6 fxe6 { It was Lasker's plan to make it The Great Endgame Match. } 7. d4 exd4 8. Nxd4 Nxd4 9. Qxd4 Ne7 10. Bg5 Nc6 11. Bxd8 Nxd4 12. O-O-O Nb5 13. Nxb5 axb5 14. Bxc7 Rxa2 15. Bb6 Be7 (15... b4 16. Kb1 Ra6 17. Be3 Kd7 18. Rd4 Be7 19. Rxb4?? (19. Rhd1 Rha8 20. Kc1) 19... Rha8 { [%csl Ga1] } 20. Rd1) 16. c3 Kf7 { Steinitz valued static weaknesses over piece play. But here he seemed to assume that active play, such as control of the only open file, will compensate for his bad pawns. } (16... Kd7 { [%cal Gd7c6] } 17. Bc5 Kc6 18. Ba3 Ra1+ 19. Kc2 Rxd1 $10) 17. Kc2 Rha8 18. Kb3 R2a4 19. f3 R8a6 20. Bd4 g6 21. Rd3 { Black still owns the only open file but lacks a target or point of penetration. A trade of bishops would endanger his d-pawn. Once the active ideas are exhausted, the targets at b5, b7 and d6 are all that count. } { [%csl Rb7,Rb5,Rd6][%cal Ra8a1,Gd4f2,Gf2g3,Gg3d6] } 21... Ke8 22. Rhd1 e5 23. Be3 Kd7 24. Bc5! Ra1 25. R1d2 Ke6 26. Ba3 g5 { Black has no targets. } 27. Rd5 Rb6 28. Kb4 g4! { “The endgame isn’t simple. It demands distributive attention on a high level,” wrote Boris Vainshtein, a Soviet NKVD officer and devoted Lasker fan. White has to evaluate the situation on both wings simultaneously. Soltis, Andrew. Why Lasker Matters (Batsford Chess) (Kindle Locations 2115-2121). Pavilion Books. Kindle Edition. } 29. Ka5 Ra6+ 30. Kxb5 h5? 31. Rd1 Rxd1 32. Rxd1 gxf3 33. gxf3 Ra8 34. Kb6 Rg8 35. Kxb7 Rg2 36. h4 Rh2 37. Kc6 Bxh4 38. Rxd6+ Kf7 39. Kd5 Bf6 40. Rd7+ Kg6 41. Ke6 h4 42. Rd1 h3 43. Rg1+ Rg2 44. Rxg2+ hxg2 45. Bc5 Bd8 46. b4 Kg5 47. Kd7 Bf6 48. b5 Kf4 49. b6 { 1-0 Black resigns. } 1-0