Chess Strategy — Edward Lasker
You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org . If you are not located in the United States, you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this eBook. Title : Chess Strategy Author : Edward Lasker Translator : J. Du Mont Release date : May 1, 2004 [eBook #5614] Most recently updated: April 6, 2021 Language : English Other information and formats : www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/5614 Credits : John Mamoun, Charles Franks, and the Online Distributed Proofreaders *** START OF du Mont CONTENTS TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE AUTHOR’S PREFACE PART I Chapter I. INTRODUCTORY I. Rules of the Game II. Notation Chapter II. HINTS FOR BEGINNERS Elementary Combinations Simple Calculation Complications Chapter III. GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CHESS STRATEGY Introductory Balance of Attack and Defence Mobility Chapter IV. THE OPENING Development of the Pieces On Losing Moves Examples of Practical Play Pawn Play Pawn Skeleton The Centre A. King’s Pawn Games B. Queen’s Pawn Games C. Irregular Openings Chapter V. THE END-GAME End-games with Pieces Pawn Endings Mixed Endings END-GAMES FROM MASTER-PLAY Teichmann-Blackburne (Berlin, 1897) Ed. Lasker-Rotlewi (Hamburg, 1910) Blackburne-Schlechter (Vienna, 1898) Bird-Janowski (Hastings, 1895) Steiner-Forgacz (Szekesfehervar, 1907) Charousek-Heinrichsen (Cologne, 1898) Chapter VI. THE MIDDLE GAME General Remarks Evolution of the Pawn Skeleton Objects of Attack “Backward” Pawns On Fixing a Weakness Weaknesses in a Pawn Position Breaking up the King’s Side Doubled Pawns Illustrations— v. Scheve-Teichmann (Berlin, 1907) Marshall-Burn (Ostend, 1907) Manoeuvres of the Pieces Open Files and Diagonals Example— Fred. Lazard-Ed. Lasker (Paris, 1914) PART II ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES FROM MASTER TOURNAMENTS 1. Tartakower-Burn (Carlsbad, 1911) 2. Leonhardt-Marshall (San Sebastian, 1911) 3. Spielmann-Prokes (Prag, 1908) 4. Tarrasch-Capablanca (San Sebastian, 1911) 4a. Howell-Michell (Cable Match, 1907) 4b. X. v. Y 5. Griffith-Gunston (London, 1902) 6. Mason-Gunsberg (New York, 1889) 7. Marshall-Tarrasch (Hamburg, 1910) 8. Blackburne-Em. Lasker (Petrograd, 1914) 9. Salwe-Marshall (Vienna, 1908) 10. Teichmann-Amateurs (Glasgow, 1902) 11. Schlechter-Janowski (Paris, 1900) 12. Teichmann-Rubinstein (Carlsbad, 1911) 13. Teichmann-Schlechter (Carlsbad, 1911) 14. Spielmann-Tarrasch (San Sebastian, 1912) 15. Aljechin-Niemzowitsch (Petrograd, 1914) 16. Yates-Gunsberg (Chester, 1914) 17. Berlin-Riga (1908-1909) 17a. Maroczy-Berger (Vienna, 1908) 18. Em. Lasker-Capablanca (Petrograd, 1914) 19. Ed. Lasker-Janowski (Scheveningen, 1913) 20. Ed. Lasker-Englund (Scheveningen, 1913) 21. Ed. Lasker-Aljechin (Scheveningen, 1913) 22. Forgacz-Tartakower (Petrograd, 1909) 23. Yates-Esser (Anglo-Dutch Match, 1914) 24. Atkins-Barry (Cable Match, 1910) 25. Em. Lasker-Tarrasch (Munich, 1908) 26. Capablanca-Blanco (Havanna, 1913) 27. Niemzowitsch-Tarrasch (San Sebastian, 1912) 28. Alapin-Rubinstein (Wilna, 1912) 29. Teichmann-Spielmann (Leipzig, 1914) 30. Tarrasch-Spielmann (Mannheim, 1914) 31. John-Janowski (Mannheim, 1914) 32. Ed. Laskcr-Mieses (Scheveningen, 1913) 33. Barasz-Mieses (Breslau, 1012) 34. Em. Lasker-Niemzowitsch (Petrograd, 1914) 35. Reti-Tartakower (Vienna, 1910) 36. Forgacz-E. Cohn (Petrograd, 1909) 37. Marshall-Capablanca (New York, 1909) 38. Rotlewi-Teichmann (Carlsbad, 1911) 38a. Rubinstein-Teichmann (Vienna, 1908) 39. Rotlewi-Rubinstein (Lodz, 1907) 40. Rubinstein-Capablanca (San Sebastian, 1911) 41. Niemzowitsch-Tarrasch (Petrograd, 1914) 41a. Em. Lasker-Bauer (Amsterdam, 1889) 42. Capablanca-Aljechin (Petrograd, 1913) 43. Capablanca-Bernstein (Petrograd, 1914) 44. Dus Chotimirski-Vidmar (Carlsbad, 1911) 45. Rubinstein-Spielmann (Pistyan, 1912) 46. Thomas-Ed. Lasker (London, 1912) 47. Tartakower-Asztalos (Budapest, 1913) 47a. Tartakower-Spielmann (Vienna, 1913) 47b. X v. Y 48. Blackburne-Niemzowitsch (Petrograd, 1914) TABLE OF OPENINGS A. King’s Pawn Games B. Queen’s Pawn Games C. Irregular Openings I had the privilege of co-operating with him to a slight degree on that second edition, and was in consequence able to appreciate the tremendous amount of work he voluntarily took upon himself to do; I say voluntarily, because his publishers, anxious to supply the strong demand for the book, wished to reprint it as it stood. A little later I undertook to translate this second edition into English for Messrs. Bell & Sons. Only a few months had elapsed, the tournaments at Petrograd, Chester, and Mannheim had taken place, several new discoveries had been made, and it is the greatest testimony to Edward Lasker’s indefatigable devotion to the Art of Chess that I am able to say that this is not a translation of the second edition, but of what is practically a new book. It contains a new preface, a chapter for beginners, a new introduction, new variations. Furthermore, a large number of new games have taken the place of old ones. I have no doubt that any chess player who will take the trouble to study Chess Strategy will spend many a pleasurable hour. Incidentally new vistas will be opened to him, and his playing strength increased to a surprising degree. The author says in his preface that he appeals to the intelligence and not the memory of his readers. In my opinion, too, the student should above all try to improve his judgment of position. Than the playing over of games contested by experts I can hardly imagine a greater or purer form of enjoyment. Yet I must at the outset sound a note of warning against its being done superficially, and with a feverish expectation of something happening. Every move or combination of moves should be carefully weighed, and the student should draw his own conclusions and compare them with what actually happens in the game under examination. This applies particularly to some of the critical positions set out in diagrams in the course of the exposition