Great Queen Sac by GM Lasker against George Thomas?

[Chessqueen]

Of course Stockfish found Mate sooner, instead of moving the White Bishop to e2 it castle 0-0 then it mated the Black King with its Knight on h2
[d]rn3rk1/pbppq1pp/4pb2/4N2Q/3PN3/3B4/PPP2PPP/R3K2R w KQ - 0 1

[Chessqueen]

Of course Stockfish found Mate sooner, instead of moving the White Bishop to e2 it castle 0-0 then it mated the Black King with its Knight on h2
[d]rn3rk1/pbppq1pp/4pb2/4N2Q/3PN3/3B4/PPP2PPP/R3K2R w KQ - 0 1

This is what I am referring, on move 6. instead of moving the White Bishop to e2 it it could castle 0-0 then it can mate the Black King with its Knight on h2
[pgn][Event "Computer chess game"]
[Site "MININT-UB2PIMJ"]
[Date "2021.04.18"]
[Round "?"]
[White "stockfish 13"]
[Black "Stockfish 13"]
[Result "1-0"]
[BlackElo "3470"]
[Time "10:43:10"]
[WhiteElo "3470"]
[TimeControl "1800+1"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rn3rk1/pbppq1pp/4pb2/4N2Q/3PN3/3B4/PPP2PPP/R3K2R w KQ - 0 1"]
[Termination "normal"]
[PlyCount "13"]


1. Qxh7+ {(Qxh7+ Kxh7 Nxf6+ Kh6 Neg4+ Kg5 h4+ Kf4 g3+ Kf3 0-0 gxf6 Nh2+)
+M7/82 8} Kxh7 {(Kxh7 Nxf6+ Kh6 Neg4+ Kg5 h4+ Kf4 g3+ Kf3 0-0 gxf6 Nh2+)
-M6/85 0} 2. Nxf6+ {(Nxf6+ Kh6 Neg4+ Kg5 h4+ Kf4 g3+ Kf3 0-0 gxf6 Nh2+)
+M6/117 13} Kh6 {(Kh6 Neg4+ Kg5 h4+ Kf4 g3+ Kf3 0-0 gxf6 Nh2+) -M5/245 12}
3. Neg4+ {(Neg4+ Kg5 h4+ Kf4 g3+ Kf3 0-0 gxf6 Nh2+) +M5/245 1} Kg5 {(Kg5
h4+ Kf4 g3+ Kf3 0-0 gxf6 Nh2+) -M4/136 0} 4. h4+ {(h4+ Kf4 g3+ Kf3 0-0 gxf6
Nh2+) +M4/245 1} Kf4 {(Kf4 g3+ Kf3 0-0 gxf6 Nh2+) -M3/135 0} 5. g3+ {(g3+
Kf3 0-0 gxf6 Nh2+) +M3/245 1} Kf3 {(Kf3 0-0 gxf6 Nh2+) -M2/159 0 Black
resigns} 6. O-O e5 {(e5 Nh2+) -M1/245 1 Black resigns} 7. Nh2# 1-0[/pgn]

[yurikvelo]

[pgn][Event "Casual game"]
[Site "London ENG"]
[Date "1912.10.29"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Edward Lasker"]
[Black "George Alan Thomas"]
[ECO "A40"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "35"]

1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxf6 Bxf6 6. e4
fxe4 7. Nxe4 b6 8. Ne5 O-O 9. Bd3 Bb7 10. Qh5 Qe7 11. Qxh7+
Kxh7 12. Nxf6+ Kh6 13. Neg4+ Kg5 14. h4+ Kf4 15. g3+ Kf3
16. Be2+ Kg2 17. Rh2+ Kg1 18. Kd2# 1-0[/pgn]

=0,00 10. ... Bxe5 11.Nd2 g6 12.Qxe5 Nc6
+0,24 10. ... g6 11.Qe2 Nc6 12.Nxf6+ Rxf6
+4,23 10. ... Bxe4 11.Bxe4 g6 12.Nxg6 Qe8
+6,75 10. ... h6 11.Qg6 Bxe5 12.dxe5 Nc6
+17,55 10. ... Qe8 11.Nxf6+ Rxf6 12.Qxe8+ Rf8
+21,41 10. ... Bh4 11.Ng5 Rxf2 12.Qxh7+ Kf8
+M10 10. ... g5 11.Nxg5 Be4 12.Bxe4 Qe7
+M07 10. ... Qe7 11.Qxh7+ Kxh7 12.Nxf6+ Kh6 <--- Thomas
+M06 10. ... Ba6 11.Qxh7+ Kxh7 12.Nxf6+ Kh6
+M04 10. ... b5 11.Ng5 Be4 12.Bxe4 h6

[lkaufman]

[pgn][Event "Casual game"]
[Site "London ENG"]
[Date "1912.10.29"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Edward Lasker"]
[Black "George Alan Thomas"]
[ECO "A40"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "35"]

1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxf6 Bxf6 6. e4
fxe4 7. Nxe4 b6 8. Ne5 O-O 9. Bd3 Bb7 10. Qh5 Qe7 11. Qxh7+
Kxh7 12. Nxf6+ Kh6 13. Neg4+ Kg5 14. h4+ Kf4 15. g3+ Kf3
16. Be2+ Kg2 17. Rh2+ Kg1 18. Kd2# 1-0[/pgn]

=0,00 10. ... Bxe5 11.Nd2 g6 12.Qxe5 Nc6
+0,24 10. ... g6 11.Qe2 Nc6 12.Nxf6+ Rxf6
+4,23 10. ... Bxe4 11.Bxe4 g6 12.Nxg6 Qe8
+6,75 10. ... h6 11.Qg6 Bxe5 12.dxe5 Nc6
+17,55 10. ... Qe8 11.Nxf6+ Rxf6 12.Qxe8+ Rf8
+21,41 10. ... Bh4 11.Ng5 Rxf2 12.Qxh7+ Kf8
+M10 10. ... g5 11.Nxg5 Be4 12.Bxe4 Qe7
+M07 10. ... Qe7 11.Qxh7+ Kxh7 12.Nxf6+ Kh6 <--- Thomas
+M06 10. ... Ba6 11.Qxh7+ Kxh7 12.Nxf6+ Kh6
+M04 10. ... b5 11.Ng5 Be4 12.Bxe4 h6

Although this game was played 109 years ago, I met and spoke with the winner, Ed Lasker, in the 1970s!

[Kotlov]

Code: Select all

info depth 1 score cp 227 time 1 nodes 118 nps 118000 pv e4f6
info depth 2 score cp 262 time 1 nodes 1525 nps 1525000 pv e4f6 g7f6 h5g4
info depth 3 score cp 247 time 1 nodes 9868 nps 9868000 pv e1g1 f6e5 d4e5
info depth 4 score cp 227 time 17 nodes 34765 nps 2045000 pv e4f6 g7f6 e5f3 e7f7 h5g4
info depth 5 score cp 226 time 33 nodes 86360 nps 2616969 pv e1g1 f6e5 h5e5 d7d5 e4c5
info depth 6 score cp 191 time 95 nodes 229324 nps 2413936 pv e4c5 g7g6 e5g6 h7g6 h5g6 e7g7 c5b7
info depth 7 score cp 198 time 158 nodes 369785 nps 2340411 pv e1g1 f6e5 h5e5 d7d6 e5b5 b7d5 a1d1
info depth 8 score cp 217 time 267 nodes 662218 nps 2480217 pv e1g1 f6e5 e4c5 f8f5 d3f5 e6f5 c5b7
info depth 9 score cp 217 time 329 nodes 850139 nps 2584009 pv e1g1 f6e5 e4c5 f8f5 d3f5 e6f5 c5b7 e5d4 h5f5
info depth 10 score mate 7 time 564 nodes 1423264 nps 2523517 pv h5h7 g8h7 e4f6 h7h6 e5g4 h6g5 f2f4 g5h4 g2g3 h4h3 d3f1 b7g2 g4f2

0.56 sec ))

[xr_a_y]

Somehow this is easy for engines even with the required queen sac. But still a great great position ! very instructive

Minic's output (HCE), depth 22, 0.54s

Code: Select all

info depth 22 score mate 7 time 542 nodes 639557 nps 1179994 seldepth 26 tbhits 0 pv h5h7 g8h7 e4f6 h7h6 e5g4 h6g5 h2h4 g5f4 g2g3 f4f3 e1g1 g7f6 g4h2 

Noisy Notch is a bit faster on this, 0.37s

Code: Select all

info depth 21 score mate 7 time 368 nodes 285833 nps 776720 seldepth 30 tbhits 0 pv h5h7 g8h7 e4f6 h7h6 e5g4 h6g5 f2f4 g5h4 g2g3 h4h3 d3f1 b7g2 g4f2 

[Ajedrecista]

Hello Larry:

[...]

Although this game was played 109 years ago, I met and spoke with the winner, Ed Lasker, in the 1970s!

Amazing! There are different sequences of moves according to this site (via ChessGames).

I did not know about the game until now, but once Qxh7+ is played, I was right in many consecutive moves. My wild guess is that the most difficult move is the queen sac, then it is a standard king hunt which is nice by the way.

Here is the hopefully full tree of shorter checkmates:

11.- Qxh7+, Kxh7.
12.- Nxf6+, Kh6 (A).
13.- Neg4+, Kg5.
14.- h4+ (B), Kf4.
15.- g3+, Kf3.
16.- Kf1 (C), *any*.
17.- Nh2#.

(A) 12.- ..., Kh8; 13.- Ng6#.
(B) 14.- f4+, Kh4 (D); 15.- g3+, Kh3; 16.- Bf1+ (E), Bg2; 17.- Nf2#.
(C) 16.- O-O (G), *any*; Nh2#.
(D) 14.- ..., Kxf4; 15.- g3+, Kf3 (F); 16.- O-O#.
(E) 16.- O-O, *any*; 17.- Nf2#.
(F) 15.- ..., Kg5; 16.- h4#.
(G) The game went 16.- Be2+, Kg2; 17.- Rh2+ (H), Kg1; 18.- Kd2# (I).
(H) Also possible 17.- O-O-O, *any*; 18.- Rh2# (J).
(I) Also 18.- O-O-O#.
(J) Also 18.- Rdg1#.

I hope no typos. It would be clearer to put it in a PGN.

Regards from Spain.

Ajedrecista.

[Metaphysician]

GM Kaufman,
As a child long ago, this was one of my favorite games. I enjoyed Lasker’s “Chess for Fun and Chess for Blood” too. And I remember my wonder at the marvelous endgame against another Lasker at the great NY tournament in 1924.
What were your impressions of Edward Lasker, if I may ask?
Thank you.

[MikeB]

[pgn][Event "Casual game"]
[Site "London ENG"]
[Date "1912.10.29"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Edward Lasker"]
[Black "George Alan Thomas"]
[ECO "A40"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "35"]

1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. Bxf6 Bxf6 6. e4
fxe4 7. Nxe4 b6 8. Ne5 O-O 9. Bd3 Bb7 10. Qh5 Qe7 11. Qxh7+
Kxh7 12. Nxf6+ Kh6 13. Neg4+ Kg5 14. h4+ Kf4 15. g3+ Kf3
16. Be2+ Kg2 17. Rh2+ Kg1 18. Kd2# 1-0[/pgn]

=0,00 10. ... Bxe5 11.Nd2 g6 12.Qxe5 Nc6
+0,24 10. ... g6 11.Qe2 Nc6 12.Nxf6+ Rxf6
+4,23 10. ... Bxe4 11.Bxe4 g6 12.Nxg6 Qe8
+6,75 10. ... h6 11.Qg6 Bxe5 12.dxe5 Nc6
+17,55 10. ... Qe8 11.Nxf6+ Rxf6 12.Qxe8+ Rf8
+21,41 10. ... Bh4 11.Ng5 Rxf2 12.Qxh7+ Kf8
+M10 10. ... g5 11.Nxg5 Be4 12.Bxe4 Qe7
+M07 10. ... Qe7 11.Qxh7+ Kxh7 12.Nxf6+ Kh6 <--- Thomas
+M06 10. ... Ba6 11.Qxh7+ Kxh7 12.Nxf6+ Kh6
+M04 10. ... b5 11.Ng5 Be4 12.Bxe4 h6

Although this game was played 109 years ago, I met and spoke with the winner, Ed Lasker, in the 1970s!

Indeed, and his niece ,a noted Auschwitz holocaust survivor, AnitaLasker Wallfisch is 95 years young. She was able to survive the Holocaust with cello playing talent. She was on the USA News Show "60 minutes" 15 months ago. Her brother was Alphon Lasker. She was sent to Auschwitz as criminal , not as Jew. That turned out to be fortuitous as the criminals sent to Auschwitz were treated better than Jews.
https://sfi.usc.edu/news/2019/12/26371- ... ge-germany

They are all direct descendants of Rabbi Samuel Lasker - great, great grandfather of GM Emanuel Lasker
https://www.geni.com/people/Emanuel-Las ... 328944730r

Anita Lasker-Wallfisch is the 4 great grandaughter ofRabbi Samuel Lasker
https://www.geni.com/people/Anita-Laske ... 4769998936

Edward and Emanuel appear to be third cousins once removed -since Edward's father and Emanuel share the same great great grandfather, Rabbi Samuel Lasker.

[lkaufman]

GM Kaufman,
As a child long ago, this was one of my favorite games. I enjoyed Lasker’s “Chess for Fun and Chess for Blood” too. And I remember my wonder at the marvelous endgame against another Lasker at the great NY tournament in 1924.
What were your impressions of Edward Lasker, if I may ask?
Thank you.

Well, he was very charming, but I don't remember any specifics of our conversation. He was already in his 90s. My first chess teacher, Harold Phillips, was the organizer of the 1924 tournament and a lifelong friend of Emanuel Lasker. Phillips was the Greater New York champion of 1895, and even played against Steinitz twice in simuls in 1894!