A couple of Lasker Stories

Found these in the "Emmanuel Lasker" section of chessgames.com.... tried posting them before and it didn't work...let's try again...
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From Ed. Lasker's "The Adventure of Chess":

"On the first day of an Atlantic crossing, while walking through the smoking saloon, Lasker saw a man seated alone at a chess table, pondering a position ... the stranger asked him whether he played chess.

'Oh, once in a long while,' Lasker replied truthfully.

'Well, sit down and play a few games ... we can make up for your lack of experience by a handicap. I'll give you Queen odds in the first game. If you win, we'll make it rook odds, and so on ...'

'That's all right with me,' Lasker replied, planning to give the man a little lesson.

He let him win the first game quickly ... then managed to lose a second game ... When it came to the third game, Lasker said:

'There must be some advantage in playing without the Queen. Perhaps because the King has more freedom of movement when the space next to him is not occupied. Let me give you the Queen this time.' ...

The other laughed ...

'That really would be too ridiculous!'

But Lasker was stubborn, and the man had to give in. Naturally, Lasker beat him. Somewhat flustered, his opponent explained:

'Well, I did not really pay very careful attention ... Let's play an even game now.'

No, Lasker insisted on giving him Queen odds again, and again he won. This time his opponent no longer knew what to say.

But he discovered what a fool he made of himself when he found Emanuel Lasker's name on the passenger list."

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Lasker was watching a man play for money, who gave all of his opponents Knight odds, played the Muzio Gambit in every game, and won all the time. So Lasker, concealing his identity, played Black versus the Muzio, took Knight odds--and lost.

Then he challenged his vanquisher at double the normal stakes, but insisted that he (Lasker) play White and give Knight odds. His gullible foe took the bait, and Lasker played the Muzio Gambit and proceeded to reel off a string of wins (and pick up lots of money). Finally, his opponent asked how this could have happened. Lasker told him that the Muzio Gambit is unsound unless White gives odds of the Queen Knight.

In many variations, said Lasker, White must spend a tempo on Nb1-c3 for no other reason than enable the development of the Ra1. That tempo spent is decisive. With Knight odds, there is no Nb1 to get in the way, White saves a vital tempo, and therefore White wins.

As Lasker walked away with his winnings (and still not revealing his identity) a friend who was with him whispered, "Is any of that rubbish true?"

Lasker whispered back, "I have no idea. But if you're hungry, I'm buying lunch."

Good stuff.

Originally posted by TheBloop
Found these in the "Emmanuel Lasker" section of chessgames.com.... tried posting them before and it didn't work...let's try again...
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From Ed. Lasker's "The Adventure of Chess":

"On the first day of an Atlantic crossing, while walking through the smoking saloon, Lasker saw a man seated alo ...[text shortened]... true?"

Lasker whispered back, "I have no idea. But if you're hungry, I'm buying lunch."

Originally posted by Sicilian Smaug
Queen's odds is playing without a queen and knights odds playing without a knight.

Originally posted by Bad wolf
So basically the pieces are never used and are kept in the same position - no matter what.

or are the pieces not on the board at all?