Emanuel Lasker

Emanuel Lasker (December 24, 1868 – January 11, 1941) was a German chess player and mathematician, born at Berlinchen in Brandenburg (now Barlinek in Poland).

Chess champion

In 1894 he became the second World Chess Champion by defeating Steinitz with 10 wins, 4 draws and 5 losses. He maintained this title for 27 years, the longest unbroken tenure of any officially recognized World Champion of chess. His great tournament wins include London (1899), St Petersburg (1896 and 1914), New York (1924).

Related Topics:
1894 - World Chess Champion - Steinitz - London - 1899 - St Petersburg - 1896 - 1914 - New York - 1924

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1921, he lost the title to Capablanca. He had already offered to resign to him a year before, but Capablanca wanted to beat Lasker in a match.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1933, the Jewish Lasker and his wife Martha Kohn had to leave Germany because of the Nazis. They went to England, and, after a subsequent short stay in the USSR, they settled in New York.

Related Topics:
Jew - Nazi - England - USSR - New York

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lasker is noted for his "psychological" method of play, sometimes choosing a theoretically inferior move if he knew it would make his opponent uncomfortable. In one famous game against Capablanca (St. Petersburg 1914) he needed to win at all costs, and so chose a drawish opening which induced his opponent to drop his guard. Lasker won the game.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

One of Lasker's most famous games is Lasker - Bauer, Amsterdam, 1889, in which he sacrificed both bishops in a maneuver later repeated in a number of games. Some opening variations are named after him, for example Lasker's Defense (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 O-O 6.Nf3 h6 7.Bh4 Ne4) to the Queen's Gambit. In 1895, he introduced a line that effectively ended the popular Evans Gambit in tournament play (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4 Bxb4 5.c3 Ba5 6.d4 d6 7.0-0 Bb6 8.dxe5 dxe5 9.Qxd8+ Nxd8 10.Nxe5 Be6). Lasker's line curbs White's aggressive intentions, and according to Reuben Fine, the resulting simplified position "is psychologically depressing for the gambit player."

Related Topics:
Lasker - Bauer, Amsterdam, 1889 - Opening - Queen's Gambit - Evans Gambit - Reuben Fine

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~