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What is your favourite master game of all time?

Standard memberMarinkatomb
Only Chess 21 Feb '18 16:29
  1. Standard memberMarinkatomb
    wotagr8game
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    21 Feb '18 16:29
    Mine is definitely Kramnik v Carlsen corus 2008. This was just before Magnus became World number one. I believe this is his first classical win against Kramnik. I just love the way black provokes white into over stretching and then unleashes the kingside pawns! The whole game has a really nice flow. 🙂

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    What is your favourite game and why?
  2. Subscribervenda
    Dave
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    21 Feb '18 19:31
    Don't know if it was a master game or not, but years ago there was a game in a book called "The chess players bedside book".It involved a queen sacrifice followed by a series of bishop checks resulting in the King walking across the board to the eventual mate(by a rook I think).
    Unfortunately I've misplaced the book.i know it's available on Amazon but the day I decide to buy it the original is bound to turn up!!
  3. Standard memberMarinkatomb
    wotagr8game
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    22 Feb '18 09:38
    Originally posted by @venda
    Don't know if it was a master game or not, but years ago there was a game in a book called "The chess players bedside book".It involved a queen sacrifice followed by a series of bishop checks resulting in the King walking across the board to the eventual mate(by a rook I think).
    Unfortunately I've misplaced the book.i know it's available on Amazon but the day I decide to buy it the original is bound to turn up!!
    That's a shame, do you remember one of the players? If it is a brilliancy then it would probably appear in their "best games" section on chessgames.com.
  4. Subscribermoonbusonline
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    22 Feb '18 12:167 edits
    Reti vs Lasker, 1923.

    Reti, the darling of Hypermodernism, meets the old guard. Both sides hammer away, no quarter !


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  5. Subscribergreenpawn34
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    22 Feb '18 14:311 edit
    Hi Venda,

    The game you probably mean is:

    Eugen Sobernheim vs Salomon A Langleben, Montreal (1895)
    It is on page 36 of 'The Chess Player's Bedside Book'.

    There seems to be a historical debate about the who, when and where of this game.
    The names are often swapped and sometimes the game is placed in New York.

    More here...it is Chess Note 7989. Royal Walkabout.

    http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/winter104.html

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  6. Standard memberMarinkatomb
    wotagr8game
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    22 Feb '18 15:36
    That's a nice combination!! Reminds me a bit of Fischers game of the century. 🙂
  7. s
    Standard membersundown316
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    22 Feb '18 16:24
    Lasker-Capablanca, St. Petersburg 1914. The ultimate chess psych-out. Lasker needed a win to catch Capa, but instead of going into some wild attacking line, he plays one of the most drawish variations in chess, throws Capa completely off his game, and wins a magnificent game.
  8. Subscribervenda
    Dave
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    22 Feb '18 19:25
    Excellent Geoff and thanks.
    I knew I could rely on you to find it.Do you think he saw all those moves after the queen sac in advance or was it instinctive?
  9. Subscribermoonbusonline
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    22 Feb '18 21:40
    Originally posted by @sundown316
    Lasker-Capablanca, St. Petersburg 1914. The ultimate chess psych-out. Lasker needed a win to catch Capa, but instead of going into some wild attacking line, he plays one of the most drawish variations in chess, throws Capa completely off his game, and wins a magnificent game.
    Oh yes. There is more to the story, however.

    In Round 6, Alekhine had played the same opening variation (Spanish Exchange) against Lasker and lost. Then in Round 7, Lasker, with the White pieces, played it against Capablanca. That Lasker would risk playing the opposite color in a game he had just won must have thrown everyone for a loop. Pure chutzpah.

    Here is the Alehkine - Lasker game, St. Petersburg 1914, 89 moves (an extraordinarily difficult endgame):


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    And now, the next round, Lasker - Capablanca, in which Capa goes down in a mere 42 moves:

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    The stuff of legend.
  10. Subscribergreenpawn34
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    23 Feb '18 01:56
    Even more to the story and little do with psychology which was Reti's take on things.

    Tarrasch asked Lasker why play the Exchange Variation.

    Lasker replied he did not know how to continue in another variation that Tarrasch
    had suggested for Black in the Lopez so played the exchange.

    Capa had played the Black side of an exchange Lopez just before the
    tournament, it was a draw, the game would have been known to Lasker
    and it is very possible Lasker noted Capa's uncertain play.
    (This is David Hooper's take on the matter)

    Capa took, for him, an uncharacteristic dip in form. He noted up this game
    in Chess Fundamentals mentioning nothing about being surprised by Bxc6
    but rather surprised by his own play (and how bad it was). The next round
    v Tarrasch he lost a piece in 15 moves then snapped out of it and fought
    like a cornered rat nearly drawing the game. Tarrasch won in 83 moves.
    If he had drawn this game he would tied for first place with Lasker.

    So it was good old fashioned opening prep v an opponent whose form was on the dip.
  11. s
    Standard membersundown316
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    23 Feb '18 13:56
    It would be interesting to speculate on what Lasker would have played, had he not chosen the Exchange Lopez.
  12. p
    Standard memberpzn2pawn
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    23 Feb '18 15:58
    One of my all-time favorites is Euwe-Lasker, Zurich 1934. I've always marveled at how Lasker at age 66 is able to prevail after such an innocuous-looking opening. The way he is able to take over the d-file with his rooks is a thing of beauty. If I remember right, each player offers a queen sac. After Lasker gives up his queen for minor pieces the resulting unbalanced position required genius at the highest level to foresee and evaluate correctly.
  13. s
    Standard membersundown316
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    23 Feb '18 21:45
    Moscow 1935. All those young hot-shot Russian Masters thought they had an easy point when they played the "old man". What most of them got was a free lesson on how you play this game from the "old man".
  14. Subscribermoonbusonline
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    24 Feb '18 09:232 edits
    Euwe - Lasker, Zurich 1934

    The Dutchman, Euwe, would take the world's championship from Alehkine the following year, in 1935, but he is outplayed here by the 'old fox' in a thrilling game in which both queens are hanging:

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    Euwe once commented: "We learn nothing from Lasker's games; we can only marvel at them."
  15. Subscribermoonbusonline
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    24 Feb '18 10:121 edit
    Kan - Lasker, Round 1, Moscow, 1935.


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    Final standings: Botvinnik & Flohr 13, Lasker 12-1/2, Capablanca 12, Spielmann 11, Kan and Lowenfish 10-1/2. Lasker defeated his old rival Capablanca and drew Botvinnik.

    PS A bit of historical background to Lasker and the Moscow tournament: The Laskers were Jewish and their property had been seized by the Nazi government. They had no home and no bank account. Lasker desperately needed the prize money; you could say some people perform better under pressure!
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