emanuel lasker

3/29/2015 Emanuel Lasker - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emanuel_Lasker 1/32

Emanuel Lasker

Full name Emanuel Lasker

Country Germany

Born December 24, 1868

Berlinchen, Prussia (now Barlinek,

Poland)

Died January 11, 1941 (aged 72)

New York City, United States

World

Champion

18941921

Emanuel LaskerFrom Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Emanuel Lasker (December 24, 1868 January 11, 1941)was a German chess player, mathematician, and philosopherwho was World Chess Champion for 27 years (from 1894to 1921). In his prime Lasker was one of the most dominantchampions, and he is still generally regarded as one of thestrongest players ever.

His contemporaries used to say that Lasker used a"psychological" approach to the game, and even that hesometimes deliberately played inferior moves to confuseopponents. Recent analysis, however, indicates that he wasahead of his time and used a more flexible approach than hiscontemporaries, which mystified many of them. Lasker knewcontemporary analyses of openings well but disagreed withmany of them. He published chess magazines and five chessbooks, but later players and commentators found it difficult todraw lessons from his methods.

Lasker made contributions to the development of other

games. He was a first-class contract bridge player[1] andwrote about bridge and other games, including Go and hisown invention, Lasca. His books about games presented aproblem that is still considered notable in the mathematicalanalysis of card games. Lasker was also a researchmathematician who was known for his contributions tocommutative algebra, which included proving the primarydecomposition of the ideals of polynomial rings. On the otherhand, his philosophical works and a drama that he co-authored received little attention.

Contents

1 Life and career

1.1 Early years 186894

1.2 Chess competition 18941918

1.2.1 Match against Steinitz

1.2.2 Tournament successes

1.2.3 Matches against Marshall and

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polynomial_ringhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematicianhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barlinekhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_102-00457,_Emanuel_Lasker.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideal_of_a_ringhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dramahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Prussiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commutative_algebrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chess_Championshiphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Cityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_top_chess_players_throughout_historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lascahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_gamehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contract_bridgehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasker%E2%80%93Noether_theoremhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chess_Championshiphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(game)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Good_articles



Tarrasch

1.2.4 Matches against Janowski

1.2.5 Match against Schlechter

1.2.6 Abandoned challenges

1.3 Academic activities 18941918

1.4 Other activities 18941918

1.5 Match against Capablanca

1.6 1921 to end of life

2 Assessment

2.1 Playing strength and style

2.2 Influence on chess

2.3 Work in other fields

3 Friends and relatives

4 Publications

4.1 Chess

4.2 Other games

4.3 Mathematics

4.4 Philosophy

5 In popular culture

5.1 Fiction

5.2 Quotations

5.2.1 By Lasker

5.2.2 About Lasker

6 Notable games

7 Tournament results

8 Match results

9 See also

10 References

11 Further reading

12 External links

Life and career

Early years 186894



Lasker as a young man

Emanuel Lasker was born on December 24, 1868 at Berlinchen in Neumark (now Barlinek in Poland), the son of aJewish cantor. At the age of eleven he was sent to Berlin to studymathematics, where he lived with his brother Berthold, eight years his senior,who taught him how to play chess. According to the website Chessmetrics,

Berthold was among the world's top ten players in the early 1890s.[2] Tosupplement their income Emanuel Lasker played chess and card games for

small stakes, especially at the Caf Kaiserhof.[3][4]

Lasker shot up through the chess rankings in 1889, when he won the CafKaiserhof's annual Winter tournament 1888/89 and the Hauptturnier A("second division" tournament) at the sixth DSB Congress (German ChessFederation's congress) held in Breslau. Winning the Hauptturnier earnedLasker the title of "master". The candidates were divided into two groups often. The top four in each group competed in a final. Lasker won his section,with 2 points more than his nearest rival. However, scores were reset to 0for the final. With two rounds to go, Lasker trailed the leader, Vienneseamateur von Feierfeil, by 1 points. Lasker won both of his final games,while von Feierfeil lost in the penultimate round (being mated in 121 movesafter the position was reconstructed incorrectly following an adjournment)

and drew in the last round. The two players were now tied. Lasker won a playoff and garnered the master title.

This enabled him to play in master-level tournaments and thus launched his chess career.[5]

Lasker finished second in an international tournament at Amsterdam, ahead of some well-known masters, including

Isidore Gunsberg (assessed as the second strongest player in the world at that time by Chessmetrics).[3][6][7][8][9]

In 1890 he finished third in Graz, then shared first prize with his brother Berthold in a tournament in Berlin.[7][10] In

spring 1892, he won two tournaments in London, the second and stronger of these without losing a game.[11][12] At

New York 1893, he won all thirteen games,[7][13][14] one of the few times in chess history that a player has

achieved a perfect score in a significant tournament.[15][16][17]

His record in matches was equally impressive: at Berlin in 1890 he drew a short play-off match against his brotherBerthold; and won all his other matches from 1889 to 1893, mostly against top-class opponents: Curt von

Bardeleben (1889; ranked 9th best player in the world by Chessmetrics at that time[18]), Jacques Mieses (1889;

ranked 11th[19]), Henry Edward Bird (1890; then 60 years old; ranked 29th[20]), Berthold Englisch (1890; ranked

18th[21]), Joseph Henry Blackburne (1892, without losing a game; Blackburne was aged 51 then, but still 9th in the

world[22]), Jackson Showalter (189293; 22nd[23]) and Celso Golmayo Zpide (1893; 29th[24]).[9][25]

Chessmetrics calculates that Emanuel Lasker became the world's strongest player in mid-1890,[26] and that he was

in the top ten from the very beginning of his recorded career in 1889.[27]

In 1892 Lasker founded the first of his chess magazines, The London Chess Fortnightly, which was publishedfrom August 15, 1892 to July 30, 1893. In the second quarter of 1893 there was a gap of ten weeks between

issues, allegedly because of problems with the printer.[28] Shortly after its last issue Lasker traveled to the USA,

where he spent the next two years.[29]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hazzanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSB_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Mieseshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Henry_Blackburnehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curt_von_Bardelebenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celso_Golmayo_Z%C3%BApidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthold_Englischhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grazhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berlinchenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Showalterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Yorkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lasker.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chessmetricshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthold_Laskerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isidore_Gunsberghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barlinekhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breslauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Edward_Birdhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neumarkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_world_records_in_chess#Perfect_tournament_and_match_scores



The players and tournament officials at the New

York 1893 tournament

Wilhelm Steinitz, whom Lasker

beat in World Championship

matches in 1894 and 1896

Lasker challenged Siegbert Tarrasch, who had won three consecutive strong international tournaments (Breslau1889, Manchester 1890, and Dresden 1892), to a match. Tarrasch haughtily declined, stating that Lasker should

first prove his mettle by attempting to win one or two major international events.[30]

Chess competition 18941918

Match against Steinitz

Rebuffed byTarrasch, Laskerchallenged thereigning WorldChampion WilhelmSteinitz to a match

for the title.[30]

Initially Laskerwanted to play forUS $5,000 a sideand a match was agreed at stakes of $3,000 a side, but Steinitz agreed to aseries of reductions when Lasker found it difficult to raise the money. Thefinal figure was $2,000, which was less than for some of Steinitz' earliermatches (the final combined stake of $4,000 would be worth over

$495,000 at 2006 values[31]). Although this was publicly praised as an act

of sportsmanship on Steinitz' part,[14] Steinitz may have desperately needed

the money.[32] The match was played in 1894, at venues in New York,Philadelphia, and Montreal. Steinitz had previously declared he would win without doubt, so it came as a shockwhen Lasker won the first game. Steinitz responded by winning the second, and maintained the balance through thesixth. However, Lasker won all the games from the seventh to the eleventh, and Steinitz asked for a week's rest.When the match resumed, Steinitz looked in better shape and won the 13th and 14th games. Lasker struck back inthe 15th and 16th, and Steinitz did not compensate for his losses in the middle of the match. Hence Lasker won

convincingly with ten wins, five losses and four draws.[33][34][35] Lasker thus became the second formallyrecognized World Chess Champion, and confirmed his title by beating Steinitz even more convincingly in their re-

match in 189697 (ten wins, five draws, and two losses).[9][36]

Tournament successes

Influential players and journalists belittled the 1894 match both before and after it took place. Lasker's difficulty in

getting backing may have been caused by hostile pre-match comments from Gunsberg and Leopold Hoffer,[14]

who had long been a bitter enemy of Steinitz.[37] One of the complaints was that Lasker had never played the other

two members of the top four, Siegbert Tarrasch and Mikhail Chigorin[14] although Tarrasch had rejected a

challenge from Lasker in 1892, publicly telling him to go and win an international tournament first.[28][38] After thematch some commentators, notably Tarrasch, said Lasker had won mainly because Steinitz was old (58 in

1894).[3][39]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dresdenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Steinitzhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draw_(chess)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchesterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chess_Championship_1894http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breslauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montrealhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegbert_Tarraschhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Steinitzhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leopold_Hofferhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegbert_Tarraschhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:New_York_1893_chess_tournament.gifhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Chigorinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wilhelm_Steinitz2.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chess_Champion



Sketch of Lasker, c. 1894

"Tarrasch vs Lasker, World Ch. 1908" (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1241474).

a b c d e f g h

8 8

7 7

6 6

5 5

4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h

Position after 19.Qxa7

Emanuel Lasker answered these criticisms by creating an even more impressive playing record. Before World WarI broke out his most serious "setbacks" were third place at Hastings 1895 (where he may have been suffering from

the after-effects of typhoid fever[3]), a tie for second at Cambridge Springs 1904, and a tie for first at the Chigorin

Memorial in St Petersburg 1909.[4] He won first prizes at very strong tournaments in St Petersburg (189596,Quadrangular), Nuremberg (1896), London (1899), Paris (1900) and St Petersburg (1914), where he overcamea 1-point deficit to finish ahead of the rising stars, Capablanca and Alexander Alekhine, who later became the

next two World Champions.[7][25][40][41][42] For decades chess writers have reported that Tsar Nicholas II ofRussia conferred the title of "Grandmaster of Chess" upon each of the five finalists at St Petersburg 1914 (Lasker,Capablanca, Alekhine, Tarrasch and Marshall), but chess historianEdward Winter has questioned this, stating that the earliest knownsources supporting this story were published in 1940 and

1942.[43][44][45]

Matches against Marshall and Tarrasch

Lasker's match record was as impressive between his 189697 re-matchwith Steinitz and 1914: he won all but one of his normal matches, andthree of those were convincing defenses of his title. He first facedMarshall in the World Chess Championship 1907, when despite hisaggressive style, Marshall could not win a single game, losing eight and

drawing seven (final score: 113).[46]

He then played Tarrasch in the World Chess Championship 1908, first atDsseldorf then at Munich. Tarrasch firmly believed the game of chess

was governed by a precise set of principles.[46] For him the strength of a chess move was in its logic, not in itsefficiency. Because of his stubborn principles he considered Lasker as a coffeehouse player who won his gamesonly thanks to dubious tricks, while Lasker mocked the arrogance of Tarrasch who, in his opinion, shone more insalons than at the chessboard. At the opening ceremony, Tarrasch refused to talk to Lasker, only saying: "Mr.

Lasker, I have only three words to say to you: check and mate!"[47][48]

Laskergave abrilliantansweron the

chessboard, winning four of the first five games, and playing a type of chess Tarrasch could not understand. For

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%BCsseldorfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsarhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Winter_(chess_historian)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_plt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chess_Championship_1908http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_nlt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_1899_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_plt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_II_of_Russiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_1900_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_pdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Alekhinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandmaster_(chess)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_rdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_plt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_pdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Marshall_(chess_player)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_rlt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_qlt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ELasker.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_qdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salon_(gathering)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_plt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_plt45.svghttp://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1241474http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_plt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhoid_feverhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_pdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Petersburg_1914_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Petersburghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_rlt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pawn_(chess)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chigorin_Memorialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hastings_1895_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_kdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chess_Championship_1907http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_pdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_klt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg_1896_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1904_Cambridge_Springs_International_Chess_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_rdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_pdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munichhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_chess#Coffeehousehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_bdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I



Schlechter would have taken

Lasker's world title if he had won

the last game of their 1910

match.

example, in the second game after 19 moves arose a situation (see diagram at left) in which Lasker was a pawndown, with a bad bishop and doubled pawns. At this point it appeared Tarrasch was winning, but 20 moves later

he was forced to resign.[49] Lasker eventually won by 105 (eight wins, five draws, and three losses). Tarrasch

claimed the wet weather was the cause of his defeat.[49]

Matches against Janowski

In 1909 Lasker drew a short match (two wins, two losses) against Dawid Janowski, an all-out attacking Polishexpatriate. Several months later they played a longer match in Paris, and chess historians still debate whether this

was for the World Chess Championship.[50] Understanding Janowski's style, Lasker chose to defend solidly so thatJanowski unleashed his attacks too soon and left himself vulnerable. Lasker easily won the match 82 (seven wins,

two draws, one loss).[51] This victory was convincing for everyone but Janowski, who asked for a revenge match.Lasker accepted and they played a World Chess Championship match in Berlin in NovemberDecember 1910.

Lasker crushed his opponent, winning 91 (eight wins, three draws, no losses).[52] Janowski did notunderstand Lasker's moves, and after his first three losses he declared to Edward Lasker, "Your homonym plays sostupidly that I cannot even look at the chessboard when he thinks. I am afraid I will not do anything good in this

match."[51]

Match against Schlechter

Between his two matches against Janowski, Lasker arranged another WorldChess Championship in JanuaryFebruary 1910 against Carl Schlechter.Schlechter was a modest gentleman, who was generally unlikely to win themajor chess tournaments by his peaceful inclination, his lack ofaggressiveness and his willingness to accept most draw offers from his

opponents (about 80% of his games finished by a draw).[53] The conditionsof the match against Lasker are still debated among chess historians, but itseems Schlechter accepted to play under very unfavourable conditions,notably that he would need to finish two points ahead of Lasker to bedeclared the winner of the match, and he would need to win a revenge match

to be declared World Champion.[53] The match was originally meant toconsist of 30 games, but when it became obvious that there were insufficientfunds (Lasker demanded a fee of 1,000 marks per game played), the numberof games was reduced to ten, making the margin of two points all the more

difficult.[29]

At the beginning, Lasker tried to attack but Schlechter had no difficultydefending, so that the first four games finished in draws. In the fifth gameLasker had a big advantage, but committed a blunder that cost him the game.Hence at the middle of the match Schlechter was one point ahead. The next four games were drawn, despite fierceplay from both players. In the sixth Schlechter managed to draw a game being a pawn down. In the seventh Laskernearly lost because of a beautiful exchange sacrifice from Schlechter. In the ninth only a blunder from Laskerallowed Schlechter to draw a lost ending. The score before the last game was thus 54 for Schlechter. In the tenth

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Laskerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polish_peoplehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homonymhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resign_(chess)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draw_(chess)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawid_Janowskihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chess_Championship_1910_(Lasker%E2%80%93Schlechter)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Schlechterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_chess#Bad_bishophttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draw_by_agreementhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pawn_(chess)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_chess#Doubled_pawnshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_exchange_(chess)#The_exchange_sacrificehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Carl_Schlechter_(profile).pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Chess_Championship_1910_(Lasker%E2%80%93Janowski)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_endgame



game Schlechter tried to win tactically and took a big advantage, but he missed a clear win at the 35th move,

continued to take increasing risks and finished by losing.[54] Hence the match was a draw and Lasker remainedWorld Champion.

Abandoned challenges

In 1911 Lasker received a challenge for a world title match against the rising star Jos Ral Capablanca. Laskerwas unwilling to play the traditional "first to win ten games" type of match in the semi-tropical conditions of Havana,especially as drawn games were becoming more frequent and the match might last for over six months. Hetherefore made a counter-proposal: if neither player had a lead of at least two games by the end of the match, itshould be considered a draw; the match should be limited to the best of thirty games, counting draws; except that ifeither player won six games and led by at least two games before thirty games were completed, he should bedeclared the winner; the champion should decide the venue and stakes, and should have the exclusive right topublish the games; the challenger should deposit a forfeit of US $2,000 (equivalent to over $194,000 in 2006

values[55]); the time limit should be twelve moves per hour; play should be limited to two sessions of 2 hours eachper day, five days a week. Capablanca objected to the time limit, the short playing times, the thirty-game limit, andespecially the requirement that he must win by two games to claim the title, which he regarded as unfair. Laskertook offence at the terms in which Capablanca criticized the two-game lead condition and broke off negotiations,and until 1914 Lasker and Capablanca were not on speaking terms. However, at the 1914 St. Petersburgtournament, Capablanca proposed a set of rules for the conduct of World Championship matches, which were

accepted by all the leading players, including Lasker.[56]

Late in 1912 Lasker entered into negotiations for a world title match with Akiba Rubinstein, whose tournament

record for the previous few years had been on a par with Lasker's and a little ahead of Capablanca's.[57] The twoplayers agreed to play a match if Rubinstein could raise the funds, but Rubinstein had few rich friends to back himand the match was never played. The start of World War I put an end to hopes that Lasker would play either

Rubinstein or Capablanca for the World Championship in the near future.[58][59] Throughout World War I (191418) Lasker played in only two serious chess events. He convincingly won (5) a non-title match against

Tarrasch in 1916.[60] In SeptemberOctober 1918, shortly before the armistice, he won a quadrangular (four-

player) tournament, half a point ahead of Rubinstein.[61]

Academic activities 18941918

Despite his superb playing results, chess was not Lasker's only interest. His parents recognized his intellectualtalents, especially for mathematics, and sent the adolescent Emanuel to study in Berlin (where he found he also hada talent for chess). Lasker gained his abitur (high school graduation certificate) at Landsberg an der Warthe, now aPolish town named Gorzw Wielkopolski but then part of Prussia. He then studied mathematics and philosophy at

the universities in Berlin, Gttingen and Heidelberg.[62]

In 1895 Lasker published two mathematical articles in Nature.[63] On the advice of David Hilbert he registered for

doctoral studies at Erlangen during 190002.[62] In 1901 he presented his doctoral thesis ber Reihen auf derConvergenzgrenze ("On Series at Convergence Boundaries") at Erlangen and in the same year it was published by

the Royal Society.[64][65] He was awarded a doctorate in mathematics in 1902.[62] His most significantmathematical article, in 1905, published a theorem of which Emmy Noether developed a more generalized form,

which is now regarded as of fundamental importance to modern algebra and algebraic geometry.[66][62]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armistice_with_Germany_(Compi%C3%A8gne)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmy_Noetherhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Ra%C3%BAl_Capablancahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abiturhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algebrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasker%E2%80%93Noether_theoremhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Societyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nature_(journal)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hilberthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6ttingenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Algebraic_geometryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erlangenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landsberg_an_der_Warthehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akiba_Rubinsteinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heidelberg



David Hilbert encouraged Lasker

to obtain a Ph.D in mathematics.

Lasker held short-term positions as a mathematics lecturer at Tulane University in New Orleans (1893) andVictoria University in Manchester (1901; Victoria University was one of the "parents" of the current University of

Manchester).[62] However, he was unable to secure a longer-term position, and pursued his scholarly interests

independently.[67]

In 1906 Lasker published a booklet titled Kampf (Struggle),[68] in which he attempted to create a general theoryof all competitive activities, including chess, business and war. He produced two other books which are generallycategorized as philosophy, Das Begreifen der Welt (Comprehending the World; 1913) and Die Philosophie des

Unvollendbar (sic; The Philosophy of the Unattainable; 1918).[62]

Other activities 18941918

In 189697 Lasker published his book Common Sense in Chess, based on

lectures he had given in London in 1895.[69]

In 1903, Lasker played in Ostend against Mikhail Chigorin, a six-gamematch that was sponsored by the wealthy lawyer and industrialist Isaac Rice

in order to test the Rice Gambit.[70] Lasker narrowly lost the match. Threeyears later Lasker became secretary of the Rice Gambit Association,

founded by Rice in order to promote the Rice Gambit,[29] and in 1907Lasker quoted with approval Rice's views on the convergence of chess and

military strategy.[71]

In November 1904, Lasker founded Lasker's Chess Magazine, which ran

until 1909.[72]

For a short time in 1906 Emanuel Lasker was interested in the strategy gameGo, but soon returned to chess. He was introduced to the game by hisnamesake Edward Lasker, who wrote a successful book Go and Go-Moku

in 1934.[73]

At the age of 42, in July 1911, Lasker married Martha Cohn (ne Bamberger), a rich widow who was a year older

than Lasker and already a grandmother. They lived in Berlin.[29][74][75]

Martha Cohn wrote popular stories under the pseudonym "L. Marco".[67][76]

During World War I, Lasker invested all of his savings in German war bonds. Since Germany lost the war, Laskerlost all his money. During the war, he wrote a book which claimed that civilization would be in danger if Germany

lost the war.[29]

Match against Capablanca

In January 1920 Lasker and Jos Ral Capablanca signed an agreement to play a World Championship match in1921, noting that Capablanca was not free to play in 1920. Because of the delay, Lasker insisted on a final clausethat allowed him to play anyone else for the championship in 1920, that nullified the contract with Capablanca if

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchesterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans,_Louisianahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostendhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulane_Universityhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(board_game)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hilberthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Ricehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Laskerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Chigorinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ph.Dhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_Gambithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Hilbert.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Manchesterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_University_of_Manchesterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Ra%C3%BAl_Capablanca



Rice Gambit

a b c d e f g h

8 8

7 7

6 6

5 5

4 4

3 3

2 2

1 1

a b c d e f g h

White sacrifices the knight on e5 in

order to get his king to safety and

enable a rook to join the attack

against the under-developed black

position.

Lasker lost a title match in 1920, and that stipulated that if Lasker resignedthe title Capablanca should become World Champion. Lasker hadpreviously included in his agreement before World War I to play AkibaRubinstein for the title a similar clause that if he resigned the title, it should

become Rubinstein's.[77]

A report in the American Chess Bulletin (JulyAugust 1920 issue) saidthat Lasker had resigned the world title in favor of Capablanca becausethe conditions of the match were unpopular in the chess world. TheAmerican Chess Bulletin speculated that the conditions were notsufficiently unpopular to warrant resignation of the title, and that Lasker'sreal concern was that there was not enough financial backing to justify his

devoting nine months to the match.[77] When Lasker resigned the title infavor of Capablanca he was unaware that enthusiasts in Havana had justraised $20,000 to fund the match provided it was played there. WhenCapablanca learned of Lasker's resignation he went to the Netherlands,where Lasker was living at the time, to inform him that Havana wouldfinance the match. In August 1920 Lasker agreed to play in Havana, butinsisted that he was the challenger as Capablanca was now the champion.Capablanca signed an agreement that accepted this point, and soonafterwards published a letter confirming this. Lasker also stated that, if hebeat Capablanca, he would resign the title so that younger masters could

compete for it.[77]

The match was played in MarchApril 1921. After four draws, the fifth game saw Lasker blunder with Black in anequal ending. Capablanca's solid style allowed him to easily draw the next four games, without taking any risks. Inthe tenth game, Lasker as White played a position with an isolated queen pawn but failed to create the necessaryactivity and Capablanca reached a superior ending, which he duly won. The eleventh and fourteenth games were

also won by Capablanca, and Lasker resigned the match.[78]

Reuben Fine and Harry Golombek attributed this to Lasker's being in mysteriously poor form.[4][79] On the otherhand Vladimir Kramnik thought that Lasker played quite well and the match was an "even and fascinating fight" untilLasker blundered in the last game, and explained that Capablanca was twenty years younger, a slightly stronger

player, and had more recent competitive practice.[80]

1921 to end of life

By this time Lasker was nearly 53 years old, and he never played another serious match;[60][81] his only othermatch was a short exhibition against Frank James Marshall in 1940, which Lasker lost. After winning the NewYork 1924 chess tournament (1 points ahead of Capablanca) and finishing second at Moscow in 1925 (1

points behind Efim Bogoljubow, point ahead of Capablanca),[82] he effectively retired from serious chess.[4]

During the Moscow 1925 chess tournament, Emanuel Lasker received a telegram informing him that the dramawritten by himself and his brother Berthold, Vom Menschen die Geschichte ("History of Mankind"), had beenaccepted for performance at the Lessing theatre in Berlin. Emanuel Lasker was so distracted by this news that he

lost badly to Carlos Torre the same day.[83] The play, however, was not a success.[67]

Position after 1.e4 e5 2.f4exf4 3.Nf3 g5 4.h4 g4 5.Ne5Nf6 6.Bc4 d5 7.exd5 Bd68.0-0

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_pdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_plt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_nlt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthold_Laskerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuben_Finehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_qdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_blt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_pdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_plt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_rdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akiba_Rubinsteinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Golombekhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_bdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_1925_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Kramnikhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_1924_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_kdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_plt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blunder_(chess)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_bdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_pdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_James_Marshallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efim_Bogoljubowhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrifice_(chess)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_blt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_Gambithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_pdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_endgamehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_qlt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_ndt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isolated_Queen_Pawnhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_plt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_plt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_pdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_pdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_rlt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_klt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_rdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_plt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_ndt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Torrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_nlt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_rlt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_pdt45.svghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Chess_plt45.svg



Emanuel Lasker and his brother

Berthold Lasker in 1907

In 1926 Lasker wrote Lehrbuch des Schachspiels, which he re-wrote in English in 1927 as Lasker's Manual of

Chess.[84] He also wrote books on other games of mental skill: Encyclopedia of Games (1929) and Dasverstndige Kartenspiel (means "Sensible Card Play"; 1929; English translation in the same year), both of which

posed a problem in the mathematical analysis of card games;[85] Brettspiele der Vlker ("Board Games of theNations"; 1931), which includes 30 pages about Go and a section about

a game he had invented in 1911, Lasca.[86]

In 1930, Lasker was a special correspondent for Dutch and German

newspapers[87] reporting on the Culbertson-Buller bridge match during

which he became a registered teacher of the Culbertson system.[87] He

became an expert bridge player,[1] representing Germany at international

events in the early 1930s,[29][34] and wrote Das Bridgespiel ("The Game

of Bridge") in 1931.[88]

In October 1928 Emanuel Lasker's brother Berthold died.[29][89]

In spring 1933 Adolf Hitler started a campaign of discrimination andintimidation against Jews, depriving them of their property and citizenship.Lasker and his wife Martha, who were both Jewish, were forced to leave

Germany in the same year.[90][91] After a short stay in England, in 1935they were invited to live in the USSR by Nikolai Krylenko, the Commissar of Justice who was responsible for the

Moscow show trials and, in his other capacity as Sports Minister, was an enthusiastic supporter of chess.[67] In the

USSR, Lasker renounced his German citizenship and received Soviet citizenship.[92] He took permanent residence

in Moscow, and was given a post at Moscow's Institute for Mathematics[67] and a post of trainer of the USSR

national team.[93] Lasker returned to competitive chess to make some money, finishing fifth in Zrich 1934 and thirdin Moscow 1935 (undefeated, point behind Mikhail Botvinnik and Salo Flohr; ahead of Capablanca, Rudolf

Spielmann and several Soviet masters), sixth in Moscow 1936 and seventh equal in Nottingham 1936.[94] His

performance in Moscow 1935 at age 66 was hailed as "a biological miracle."[95]

Joseph Stalin's Great Purge started at about the same time the Laskers arrived in the USSR. In August 1937,Martha and Emanuel Lasker decided to leave the Soviet Union, and they moved, via the Netherlands, to the United

States (first Chicago, next New York) in October 1937.[96] In the following year Emanuel Lasker's patron,Krylenko, was purged. Lasker tried to support himself by giving chess and bridge lectures and exhibitions, as he

was now too old for serious competition.[29][67] In 1940 he published his last book, The Community of theFuture, in which he proposed solutions for serious political problems, including anti-Semitism and

unemployment.[67] He died of a kidney infection in New York on January 11, 1941, at the age of 72, as a charity

patient at the Mount Sinai Hospital.[29] He was buried in the Beth Olom Cemetery, Queens, New York.[97] He

was survived by his wife Martha and his sister, Mrs. Lotta Hirschberg.[98][99]

Assessment

Playing strength and style

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Hitlerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nottinghamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Purgehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salo_Flohrhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(board_game)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Krylenkohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Semitismhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Botvinnikhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ely_Culbertson#Anglo-American_matcheshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Spielmannhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_1935_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lasker.pnghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lascahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasker%27s_Manual_of_Chesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_gamehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Stalinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Sinai_Hospital,_New_Yorkhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthold_Laskerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kidneyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizenshiphttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Show_trialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthold_Laskerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazi_boycott_of_Jewish_businesseshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z%C3%BCrich_1934_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ely_Culbertsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contract_bridge



Lasker was considered to have a "psychological" method of play in which he considered the subjective qualities ofhis opponent, in addition to the objective requirements of his position on the board. Richard Rti published alengthy analysis of Lasker's play in which he concluded that Lasker deliberately played inferior moves that he knew

would make his opponent uncomfortable.[100] W. H. K. Pollock commented, "It is no easy matter to reply

correctly to Lasker's bad moves."[101]

Lasker himself denied the claim that he deliberately played bad moves, and most modern writers agree. Accordingto Grandmaster Andrew Soltis and International Master John L. Watson, the features that made his play mysteriousto contemporaries now appear regularly in modern play: the g2-g4 "Spike" attack against the Dragon Sicilian;sacrifices to gain positional advantage; playing the "practical" move rather than trying to find the best move;

counterattacking and complicating the game before a disadvantage became serious.[102][103] Former WorldChampion Vladimir Kramnik said, "He realized that different types of advantage could be interchangeable: tacticaledge could be converted into strategic advantage and vice versa", which mystified contemporaries who were just

becoming used to the theories of Steinitz as codified by Siegbert Tarrasch.[80]

Max Euwe opined that the real reason behind Lasker's success was his "exceptional defensive technique" and that"almost all there is to say about defensive chess can be demonstrated by examples from the games of Steinitz and

Lasker", with the former exemplifying passive defence and the latter an active defence.[104]

The famous win against Jos Ral Capablanca at St. Petersburg in 1914, which Lasker needed in order to retainany chance of catching up with Capablanca, is sometimes offered as evidence of his "psychological" approach.Reuben Fine describes Lasker's choice of opening, the Exchange Variation of the Ruy Lopez, as "innocuous but

psychologically potent".[4] However, an analysis of Lasker's use of this variation throughout his career concludesthat he had excellent results with it as White against top-class opponents, and sometimes used it in "must-win"

situations.[105] Ludk Pachman writes that Lasker's choice presented his opponent with a dilemma: with only a point lead, Capablanca would have wanted to play safe; but the Exchange Variation's pawn structure gives

White an endgame advantage, and Black must use his bishop pair aggressively in the middle game to nullify this.[106]

In Kramnik's opinion, Lasker's play in this game demonstrated deep positional understanding, rather than

psychology.[80]

Fine reckoned Lasker paid little attention to the openings,[4] but Capablanca thought Lasker knew the openingsvery well but disagreed with a lot of contemporary opening analysis. In fact before the 1894 world title matchLasker studied the openings thoroughly, especially Steinitz' favorite lines. In Capablanca's opinion, no playersurpassed Lasker in the ability to assess a position quickly and accurately, in terms of who had the better prospects

of winning and what strategy each side should adopt.[107] Capablanca also wrote that Lasker was so adaptable thathe played in no definite style, and that he was both a tenacious defender and a very efficient finisher of his own

attacks.[108]

He did everything at a high level. However, he was the first great endgame player, and instead of using his epictactical skills solely for mating schemes, he used them for attack and, most important, for defense. In a way, he wasthe first universal player, which made him very odd indeed for those times. Like all great players, Lasker could playany type of position; however, the classic course of a Lasker game was to concede some small concession to anopponent, exchange off either one or two minor pieces and then play a game of manoeuvre where he did not

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrifice_(chess)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bishop_pair#Bishop_pairhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegbert_Tarraschhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_L._Watsonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grandmaster_(chess)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lud%C4%9Bk_Pachmanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Pollock_(chess_player)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_endgamehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Ra%C3%BAl_Capablancahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sicilian_Defence,_Dragon_Variationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Petersburg_1914_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruy_Lopez,_Exchange_Variationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuben_Finehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pawn_structurehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dilemmahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Kramnikhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_gamehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Euwehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Soltishttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Masterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_R%C3%A9ti



necessarily stand better but in which he could keep the position balanced. When his opponent could not maintainthe balance, either by over-pressing or by playing too passively, Lasker would have them. Although famed for his

defence, Lasker was equally brutal in his treatment of opponents who overpressed or played passively.[109]

Lasker followed Steinitz principles, and both demonstrated a completely different chess paradigm than theromantic mentality before them. Thanks to Steinitz and Lasker, positional players gradually became common(Tarrasch, Schlechter, and Rubinstein stand out.) But, while Steinitz created a new school of chess thought,

Laskers talents were far harder for the masses to grasp; hence there was no Lasker school.[110]

In addition to his enormous chess skill, Lasker was said to have an excellent competitive temperament: his rival

Siegbert Tarrasch once said, "Lasker occasionally loses a game, but he never loses his head."[4] Lasker enjoyed the

need to adapt to varying styles and to the shifting fortunes of tournaments.[3] Although very strong in matches, hewas even stronger in tournaments. For over twenty years, he always finished ahead of the younger Capablanca: at

St. Petersburg 1914, New York 1924, Moscow 1925, and Moscow 1935.[111] Only in 1936 (15 years after their

match), when Lasker was 67, did Capablanca finish ahead of him.[112]

In 1964, Chessworld magazine published an article in which future World Champion Bobby Fischer listed the ten

greatest players in history.[113] Fischer did not include Lasker in the list, deriding him as a "coffee-house player

[who] knew nothing about openings and didn't understand positional chess".[114] In a poll of the world's leadingplayers taken some time after Fischer's list appeared, Tal, Korchnoi, and Robert Byrne all said that Lasker was the

greatest player ever.[115] Both Pal Benko and Byrne stated that Fischer later reconsidered and said that Lasker

was a great player.[116][117]

Statistical ranking systems place Lasker high among the greatest players of all time. The book Warriors of the

Mind places him sixth, behind Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, Fischer, Mikhail Botvinnik and Capablanca.[118]

In his 1978 book The Rating of Chessplayers, Past and Present, Arpad Elo gave retrospective ratings to playersbased on their performance over the best five-year span of their career. He concluded that Lasker was the joint

second strongest player of those surveyed (tied with Botvinnik and behind Capablanca).[119] The most up-to-datesystem, Chessmetrics, is rather sensitive to the length of the periods being compared, and ranks Lasker between

fifth and second strongest of all time for peak periods ranging in length from one to twenty years.[120] Its author, thestatistician Jeff Sonas, concluded that only Kasparov and Karpov surpassed Lasker's long-term dominance of the

game.[121] By Chessmetrics' reckoning, Lasker was the number 1 player in 292 different monthsa total of over

24 years. His first No. 1 rank was in June 1890, and his last in December 1926a span of 36 years.[122]

Chessmetrics also considers him the strongest 67-year-old in history: in December 1935, at age 67 years and 0months, his rating was 2691 (number 7 in the world), well above second-place Viktor Korchnoi's rating at that age

(2660, number 39 in the world, in March 1998).[123]

Influence on chess

Lasker founded no school of players who played in a similar style.[4] Max Euwe, World Champion 193537 and a

prolific writer of chess manuals, who had a lifetime 03 score against Lasker,[124] said, "It is not possible to learn

much from him. One can only stand and wonder."[125] However, Lasker's pragmatic, combative approach had a

great influence on Soviet players like Mikhail Tal and Viktor Korchnoi.[126]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Euwehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garry_Kasparovhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegbert_Tarraschhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Talhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Byrne_(chess_player)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubinsteinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schlechterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pal_Benkohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arpad_Elohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Korchnoihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Fischerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chessmetricshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Korchnoihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Botvinnikhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegbert_Tarraschhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anatoly_Karpovhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Steinitzhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Sonas



Lasker at home in Berlin, in 1933

There are several "Lasker Variations" in the chess openings, including Lasker's Defense to the Queen's Gambit,Lasker's Defense to the Evans Gambit (which effectively ended the use of this gambit in tournament play until a

revival in the 1990s),[127] and the Lasker Variation in the McCutcheon Variation of the French Defense.[128]

One of Lasker's most famous games is LaskerBauer, Amsterdam 1889, in which he sacrificed both bishops in amaneuver later repeated in a number of games. Similar sacrifices had alreadybeen played by Cecil Valentine De Vere and John Owen, but these were

not in major events and Lasker probably had not seen them.[125]

Lasker was shocked by the poverty in which Wilhelm Steinitz died and did

not intend to die in similar circumstances.[129] He became notorious fordemanding high fees for playing matches and tournaments, and he arguedthat players should own the copyright in their games rather than let publishers

get all the profits.[3][130] These demands initially angered editors and otherplayers, but helped to pave the way for the rise of full-time chessprofessionals who earn most of their living from playing, writing and

teaching.[3] Copyright in chess games had been contentious at least as far

back as the mid-1840s,[131] and Steinitz and Lasker vigorously asserted thatplayers should own the copyright and wrote copyright clauses into their

match contracts.[132] However, Lasker's demands that challengers shouldraise large purses prevented or delayed some eagerly awaited WorldChampionship matchesfor example Frank James Marshall challenged himin 1904 to a match for the World Championship but could not raise the stakes demanded by Lasker until

1907.[58][62] This problem continued throughout the reign of his successor Capablanca.[133][134]

Some of the controversial conditions that Lasker insisted on for championship matches led Capablanca to attempt

twice (1914 and 1922) to publish rules for such matches, to which other top players readily agreed.[56][135]

Work in other fields

Lasker was also a mathematician. In his 1905 article on commutative algebra, Lasker introduced the theory of

primary decomposition of ideals, which has influence in the theory of Noetherian rings.[136] Rings having the

primary decomposition property are called "Laskerian rings" in his honor.[62][137]

His attempt to create a general theory of all competitive activities were followed by more consistent efforts from

von Neumann on game theory,[138] and his later writings about card games presented a significant issue in the

mathematical analysis of card games.[85]

However, his dramatic and philosophical works have never been highly regarded.[67]

Friends and relatives

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ideal_of_a_ringhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_Defensehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_gamehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_102-14194,_Emanuel_Lasker.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queen%27s_Gambithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laskerian_ringhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Game_theoryhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_James_Marshallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noetherian_ringhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evans_Gambithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Steinitzhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Von_Neumannhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasker_-_Bauer,_Amsterdam,_1889http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commutative_algebrahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecil_Valentine_De_Verehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gambithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_openinghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasker%E2%80%93Noether_theoremhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyrighthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Owen_(chess_player)



Lasker was a good friend of Albert Einstein, who wrote the introduction to the posthumous biography Emanuel

Lasker, The Life of a Chess Master from Dr. Jacques Hannak (1952).[139] In this preface Einstein express hissatisfaction at having met Lasker, writing:

Emanuel Lasker was undoubtedly one of the most interesting people I came to know in my lateryears. We must be thankful to those who have penned the story of his life for this and succeedinggenerations. For there are few men who have had a warm interest in all the great human problems andat the same time kept their personality so uniquely independent.

Poetess Else Lasker-Schler was his sister-in-law. Edward Lasker, born in Kempen (Kpno), Greater Poland(then Prussia), the German-American chess master, engineer, and author, claimed that he was distantly related to

Emanuel Lasker.[140][141] They both played in the great New York 1924 chess tournament.[142]

Publications

Chess

The London Chess Fortnightly, 189293[28]

Common Sense in Chess, 1896 (an abstract of 12 lectures delivered to a

London audience in 1895)

Lasker's How to Play Chess: An Elementary Text Book for Beginners,

Which Teaches Chess By a New, Easy and Comprehensive Method, 1900

Lasker's Chess Magazine, OCLC 5002324

(https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/5002324), 190407.[29]

The International Chess Congress, St. Petersburg, 1909, 1910

Lasker's Manual of Chess, 1925, is as famous in chess circles for its

philosophical tone as for its content.[143]

Lehrbuch des Schachspiels, 1926 English version Lasker's Manual of Chess published in 1927.

Lasker's Chess Primer, 1934

Other games

Encyclopedia of Games, 1929.[85]

Das verstndige Kartenspiel (Sensible Card Play), 1929 English translation published in the same

year.[85]

Brettspiele der Vlker (Board Games of the Nations), 1931 includes sections about Go and

Lasca.[144][86]

Das Bridgespiel ("The Game of Bridge"), 1931.[88]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Einsteinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_(board_game)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Masterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contract_bridgehttp://www.worldcat.org/oclc/5002324http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_1924_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Else_Lasker-Sch%C3%BClerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Laskerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lascahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Polandhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasker%27s_Manual_of_Chesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasker%27s_Manual_of_Chesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Lasker%27s_Chess_Magazine_cover.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OCLC



Mathematics

Lasker, Emanuel (August 1895). "Metrical Relations of Plane Spaces of n Manifoldness"

(http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/052340d0). Nature 52 (1345): 340343.

Bibcode:1895Natur..52R.340L (http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1895Natur..52R.340L).

doi:10.1038/052340d0 (https://dx.doi.org/10.1038%2F052340d0). Retrieved 2008-05-31.

Lasker, Emanuel (October 1895). "About a certain Class of Curved Lines in Space of n Manifoldness"

(http://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/052596a0). Nature 52 (1355): 596596.

Bibcode:1895Natur..52..596L (http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1895Natur..52..596L).

doi:10.1038/052596a0 (https://dx.doi.org/10.1038%2F052596a0). Retrieved 2008-05-31.

Lasker, Emanuel (1901). "ber Reihen auf der Convergenzgrenze ( "On Series at Convergence Boundaries"

)". Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A 196 (274286): 431477.

Bibcode:1901RSPTA.196..431L (http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1901RSPTA.196..431L).

doi:10.1098/rsta.1901.0009 (https://dx.doi.org/10.1098%2Frsta.1901.0009). Lasker's Ph.D. thesis.

Lasker, E. (1905). "Zur Theorie der Moduln und Ideale". Math. Ann. 60 (1): 19116.

doi:10.1007/BF01447495 (https://dx.doi.org/10.1007%2FBF01447495).

Philosophy

Kampf (Struggle), 1906.[68]

Das Begreifen der Welt (Comprehending the World), 1913.[62]

Die Philosophie des Unvollendbar (sic; The Philosophy of the Unattainable), 1918.[62]

Vom Menschen die Geschichte ("History of Mankind"), 1925 a play, co-written with his brother

Berthold.[67]

The Community of the Future, 1940.[67]

In popular culture

Fiction

In Michael Chabon's alternate history mystery novel, The Yiddish Policemen's Union, the murdered man, MendelShpilman (born during the 1960's), being a chess enthusiast, uses the name "Emanuel Lasker" as an alias. Thereference is clearly understood by the protagonist, Detective Meyer Landsman, because he has also studied chess.

Quotations

By Lasker

"Lies and hypocrisy do not survive for long on the chessboard. The creative combination lays bare the

http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1901RSPTA.196..431Lhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibcodehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_object_identifierhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1038%2F052596a0http://dx.doi.org/10.1007%2FBF01447495http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternate_historyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_object_identifierhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mystery_fictionhttp://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/052596a0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibcodehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_object_identifierhttp://www.nature.com/doifinder/10.1038/052340d0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Yiddish_Policemen%27s_Unionhttp://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1895Natur..52..596Lhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1038%2F052340d0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthold_Laskerhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1098%2Frsta.1901.0009http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bibcodehttp://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1895Natur..52R.340Lhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_object_identifierhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Chabon



presumption of a lie, while the merciless fact, culminating in a checkmate, contradicts the hypocrite."[145]

"Education in Chess has to be an education in independent thinking and judgement. Chess must not be

memorized, simply because it is not important enough. ... Memory is too valuable to be stocked with

trifles."[146]

"Pit two players against each other who both have perfect technique, who both avoid weaknesses, and what

is left? a sorry caricature of chess."[147]

Although the adage "If you find a good move, look for a better one" is often attributed to Lasker, it actually

dates earlier.[148]

About Lasker

W. H. K. Pollock: "It is no easy matter to reply correctly to Lasker's bad moves."[149]

Viktor Korchnoi: "My chess hero."[150]

Mikhail Tal: "The greatest of the champions was, of course, Emanuel Lasker."[151]

Notable games

"Emanuel Lasker vs Johann Hermann Bauer, Amsterdam 1889"

(http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1026352). ChessGames.com.

Although this was not the earliest known game with a successful two bishops sacrifice, this combination is

now known as a "LaskerBauer combination" or "Lasker sacrifice".[125]

"Harry Nelson Pillsbury vs Emanuel Lasker, St Petersburg 1895"


A brilliant sacrifice in the seventeenth move leads to a victorious attack.[4]

"Wilhelm Steinitz vs Emanuel Lasker, London 1899" (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?

gid=1132758). ChessGames.com.

The old champion and the new one really go for it.[152]

"Frank James Marshall vs Emanuel Lasker, World Championship Match 1907, game 1"


Lasker's attack is insufficient for a quick win, so he trades it in for an endgame in which he quickly ties

Marshall in knots.[153]

"Emanuel Lasker vs Carl Schlechter, match 1910, game 10" (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?

gid=1121156). ChessGames.com.

Not a great game, but the one that saved Emanuel Lasker from losing his world title in 1910.[154]

"Emanuel Lasker vs Jose Raul Capablanca, St Petersburg 1914"


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Pollock_(chess_player)http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1026352http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1132758http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viktor_Korchnoihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacrifice_(chess)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Talhttp://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1121156http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chess_endgamehttp://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1109097http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1258181http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1094674



Lasker, who needed a win here, surprisingly used a quiet opening, allowing Capablanca to simplify the game

early. There has been much debate about whether Lasker's approach represented subtle psychology or deep

positional understanding.[4][80][106]

"Max Euwe vs Emanuel Lasker, Zurich 1934" (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1008008).

ChessGames.com.

66-year-old Lasker beats a future World Champion, sacrificing his Queen to turn defense into attack.[155]

Tournament results

The following table gives Lasker's placings and scores in tournaments.[7][29][40][41][82][94][156] The first "Score"column gives the number of points on the total possible. In the second "Score" column, "+" indicates the number ofwon games, "" the number of losses, and "=" the number of draws.

Date Location Place Score Notes

1888/89Berlin (CafKaiserhof)

1st 20/20 +20 0 =0

1889 Breslau "B" 1st = 12/15 +11 2 =2

Tied with von Feyerfeil and won the play-off.This was Hauptturnier A of the sixth DSBCongress, i.e. the "second-division"

tournament.

1889Amsterdam "A"tournament

2nd 6/8 +5 1 =2

Behind Amos Burn; ahead of James Mason,

Isidor Gunsberg and others. This was thestronger of the two Amsterdam tournamentsheld at that time.

1890 Berlin 12 6/8 +6 1 =1 Tied with his brother Berthold Lasker.

1890 Graz 3rd 4/6 +3 1 =2Behind Gyula Makovetz and Johann HermannBauer.

1892 London 1st 9/11 +8 1 =2 Ahead of Mason and Rudolf Loman.[12]

1892 London 1st 6/8 +5 0 =3Ahead of Joseph Henry Blackburne, Mason,

Gunsberg and Henry Edward Bird.

1893 New York City 1st 13/13 +13 0 =0Ahead of Adolf Albin, Jackson Showalter anda newcomer called Harry Nelson Pillsbury.

1895 Hastings 3rd 15/21 +14 4 =3Behind Pillsbury and Mikhail Chigorin; aheadof Siegbert Tarrasch, Wilhelm Steinitz and the

rest of a strong field.

1895/96 St. Petersburg 1st 11/18 +8 3 =7A Quadrangular tournament; ahead ofSteinitz (by two points), Pillsbury and

Chigorin.

Ahead of Gza Marczy, Pillsbury, Tarrasch,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Edward_Birdhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg_1896_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawid_Janowskihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Chigorinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hastingshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Nelson_Pillsburyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%A9za_Mar%C3%B3czyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSB_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Lomanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grazhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegbert_Tarraschhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breslauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Steinitzhttp://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1008008http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hastings_1895_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Petersburghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Showalterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amos_Burnhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolf_Albinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Hermann_Bauerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Mason_(chess_player)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isidor_Gunsberghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Henry_Blackburnehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyula_Makovetzhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthold_Lasker



1896 Nuremberg 1st 13/18 +12 3 =3 Dawid Janowski, Steinitz and the rest of astrong field.

1899 London 1st 23/28 +20 1 =7Ahead of Janowski, Pillsbury, Marczy, CarlSchlechter, Blackburne, Chigorin and several

other strong players.

1900 Paris 1st 14/16 +14 1 =1Ahead of Pillsbury (by two points), FrankJames Marshall, Marczy, Burn, Chigorin and

several others.

1904 Cambridge Springs 2nd = 11/15 +9 2 =4

Tied with Janowski; two points behind

Marshall; ahead of Georg Marco, Showalter,Schlechter, Chigorin, Jacques Mieses,Pillsbury and others.

1906 Trenton Falls 1st 5/6 +4 0 =2A Quadrangular tournament; ahead of Curt,Albert Fox and Raubitschek.

1909 St. Petersburg 1st = 14/18 +13 2 =3

Tied with Akiba Rubinstein; ahead of Oldich

Duras and Rudolf Spielmann (by 3 points),Ossip Bernstein, Richard Teichmann and

several other strong players.

1914 St. Petersburg 1st 13/18 +10 1 =7

Ahead of Jos Ral Capablanca, AlexanderAlekhine, Tarrasch and Marshall. This

tournament had an unusual structure: there wasa preliminary tournament in which eleven

players played each other player once; the topfive players then played a separate final

tournament in which each player who madethe "cut" played the other finalists twice; buttheir scores from the preliminary tournament

were carried forward. Even the preliminarytournament would now be considered a

"super-tournament". Capablanca "won" thepreliminary tournament by 1 points without

losing a game, but Lasker achieved a plusscore against all his opponents in the finaltournament and finished with a combined

score point ahead of Capablanca's.

1918 Berlin 1st 4/6 +3 0 =3Quadrangular tournament. Ahead of

Rubinstein, Schlechter and Tarrasch.

1923 Moravsk Ostrava 1st 10/13 +8 0 =5Ahead of Richard Rti, Ernst Grnfeld, AlexeySelezniev, Savielly Tartakower, Max Euwe

and other strong players.

1924 New York City 1st 16/20 +13 1 =6Ahead of Capablanca (by 1 points),Alekhine, Marshall, and the rest of a very

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberg_1896_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Mieseshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawid_Janowskihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savielly_Tartakowerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Euwehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Alekhinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paris_1900_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexey_Seleznievhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Akiba_Rubinsteinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Foxhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Gr%C3%BCnfeldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georg_Marcohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_James_Marshallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuremberghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_1899_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_1924_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ostravahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moravsk%C3%A1_Ostrava_1923_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Teichmannhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_R%C3%A9tihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Schlechterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Ra%C3%BAl_Capablancahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chigorin_Memorialhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ossip_Bernsteinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1904_Cambridge_Springs_International_Chess_Congresshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Petersburg_1914_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Spielmannhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old%C5%99ich_Duras



strong field.

1925 Moscow 2nd 14/20 +10 2 =8

Behind Efim Bogoljubow; ahead ofCapablanca, Marshall, Tartakower, Carlos

Torre, other strong non-Soviet players and theleading Soviet players.

1934 Zrich 5th 10/15 +9 4 =2

Behind Alekhine, Euwe, Salo Flohr andBogoljubow; ahead of Bernstein, AronNimzowitsch, Gideon Sthlberg and various

others.

1935 Moscow 3rd 12/19 +6 0 =13

half a point behind Mikhail Botvinnik and

Flohr; ahead of Capablanca, Spielmann, IlyaKan, Grigory Levenfish, Andor Lilienthal,Viacheslav Ragozin and others. Emanuel

Lasker was about 67 years old at the time.

1936 Moscow 6th 8/18 +3 5 =10 Capablanca won.

1936 Nottingham 78th 8/14 +6 3 =5 Capablanca and Botvinnik tied for first place.

Match results

Here are Lasker's results in matches.[9][25][52][60] The first "Score" column gives the number of points on the totalpossible. In the second "Score" column, "+" indicates the number of won games, "" the number of losses, and "="the number of draws.

Date Opponent Result Location Score Notes

1889 E.R. von Feyerfeil Won Breslau 10 +1 0 =0Play-offmatch

1889/90 Curt von Bardeleben Won Berlin2

1+2 1 =1

1889/90 Jacques Mieses Won Leipzig6

1+5 0 =3

1890 Berthold Lasker Drew Berlin +0 0 =1Play-offmatch

1890 Henry Edward Bird Won Liverpool8

3+7 2 =3

1890 N.T. Miniati Won Manchester 41 +3 0 =2

1890 Berthold Englisch Won Vienna3

1+2 0 =3

1891 Francis Joseph Lee Won London1

+1 0 =1

1892 Joseph Henry Blackburne Won London 82 +6 0 =4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nottinghamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andor_Lilienthalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Henry_Blackburnehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlos_Torrehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z%C3%BCrichhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salo_Flohrhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Joseph_Leehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curt_von_Bardelebenhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Mieseshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grigory_Levenfishhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leipzighttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breslauhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_Unionhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viennahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Edward_Birdhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gideon_St%C3%A5hlberghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Efim_Bogoljubowhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilya_Kanhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Botvinnikhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchesterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthold_Laskerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Berthold_Englischhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moscow_1925_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viacheslav_Ragozinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aron_Nimzowitschhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nottingham_1936_chess_tournamenthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liverpool



1892 Bird Won Newcastle upon Tyne 50 +5 0 =0

1892/93 Jackson Showalter WonLogansport and

Kokomo, Indiana73 +6 2 =2

1893 Celso Golmayo Zpide Won Havana2

+2 0 =1

1893 Andrs Clemente Vzquez Won Havana 30 +3 0 =0

1893 A. Ponce Won Havana 20 +2 0 =0

1893 Alfred Ettlinger Won New York City 50 +5 0 =0

1894 Wilhelm Steinitz WonNew York,

Philadelphia, Montreal127 +10 5 =4

WorldChampionship

match

1896/97 Steinitz Won Moscow12

4+10 2 =5

WorldChampionship

match

1901 Dawid Janowski Won Manchester1

+1 0 =1

1903 Mikhail Chigorin Lost Brighton2

3+1 2 =3

Rice Gambitmatch

1907 Frank James Marshall Won

New York,Philadelphia,

Washington, D.C.,

Baltimore, Chicago,Memphis

11

3+8 0 =7

WorldChampionship

match

1908 Siegbert Tarrasch Won Dsseldorf, Munich10

5+8 3 =5

World

Championshipmatch

1908 Abraham Speijer Won Amsterdam2

+2 0 =1

1909 Janowski Drew Paris 22 +2 2 =0Exhibition

match

1909 Janowski Won Paris 82 +7 1 =2

1910 Carl Schlechter Drew ViennaBerlin 55 +1 1 =8World

Championship

match

1910 Janowski Won Berlin9

1+8 0 =3

World

Championshipmatch

1914 Ossip Bernstein Drew Moscow 11 +1 1 =0Exhibition

match

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newcastle_upon_Tynehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicagohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siegbert_Tarraschhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphiahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brightonhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baltimorehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington,_D.C.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logansport,_Indianahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilhelm_Steinitzhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdamhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Havanahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis,_Tennesseehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munichhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Speijerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%C3%BCsseldorfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawid_Janowskihttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikhail_Chigorinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ossip_Bernsteinhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celso_Golmayo_Z%C3%BApidehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Schlechterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson_Showalterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montrealhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokomo,_Indianahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_Gambithttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_James_Marshall



1916 Tarrasch Won Berlin5

+5 0 =1

1921 Jos Ral Capablanca Lost Havana 59 +0 4 =10lost World

Championship

1940 Frank James Marshall Lost New York

1+0 1 =1

exhibition

match

See also

List of mathematicians who studied chess

References

1. A detailed examination of Emanuel Laskers involvement in bridge is provided by the chapter Nicht nur Schach

Emanuel Lasker als Bridgespieler by Robert van de Velde on pages 332-363 of Emanuel Lasker Denker

Weltenbrger Schachweltmeister edited by Richard Forster, Stefan Hansen and Michael Negele (Berlin, 2009).

2. Jeff Sonas. "Chessmetrics Player Profile: Berthold Lasker" (http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?

Params=199510SSSSS3S073074000000111000000000017510100). Chessmetrics. Retrieved 2008-05-30.

3. Tyle, L.B., ed. (2002). UXL Encyclopedia of World Biography

(http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_gx5229/is_2003/ai_n19151908). UXL. ISBN 0-7876-6465-0. Retrieved

2008-05-30.

4. Fine, Reuben (1952). "Emanuel Lasker". The World's Great Chess Games. Andre Deutsch (now as paperback from

Dover). ISBN 0-679-13046-2.

5. "The Start of a Chess Career", from Lasker & His Contemporaries, issue 1, published by Thinkers Press, Inc.

6. Jeff Sonas. "Chessmetrics Player Profile: Isidor Gunsberg" (http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?

Params=199510SSSSS3S048852000000111000000000011010100). Chessmetrics.

7. "I tornei di scacchi dal 1880 al 1899"

(http://xoomer.virgilio.it/cserica/scacchi/storiascacchi/tornei/pagine/itornei1880-99.htm). La grande storia degli

scacchi. Retrieved 2009-09-04.

8. Thulin, A. (August 2007). "SteinitzChigorin, Havana 1899 [sic] - A World Championship Match or Not?"

(http://www.anders.thulin.name/SUBJECTS/CHESS/SteinitzChigorin1889.pdf) (PDF). Retrieved 2008-12-03.

9. "I matches 1880/99" (http://xoomer.virgilio.it/cserica/scacchi/storiascacchi/matches/1880-99.htm). La grande

storia degli scacchi. Retrieved 2009-09-04.

10. Di Felice, Gino (2004). Chess Results, 1747-1900. McFarland & Company. pp. 121123. ISBN 0-7864-2041-3.

11. Di Felice, Gino (2004). Chess Results, 1747-1900. McFarland & Company. pp. 133134. ISBN 0-7864-2041-3.

12. Gillam, A.J. (2008). London March 1892; London March/April 1892; Belfast 1892

(http://www.schachversand.de/e/detail/buecher/9414.html). The Chess Player. ISBN 978-1-901034-59-2.

Retrieved 2008-11-23.

13. Di Felice, Gino (2004). Chess Results, 1747-1900. McFarland & Company. p. 142. ISBN 0-7864-2041-3.

14. "Ready for a big chess match" (http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?

_r=2&res=9400E4DF1630E033A25752C1A9659C94659ED7CF&oref=slogin&oref=slogin) (PDF). New York

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Sonashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Numberhttp://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?Params=199510SSSSS3S073074000000111000000000017510100http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Numberhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_James_Marshallhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Numberhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Numberhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Numberhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7864-2041-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7864-2041-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-679-13046-2http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_gx5229/is_2003/ai_n19151908http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_mathematicians_who_studied_chesshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Sonashttp://www.schachversand.de/e/detail/buecher/9414.htmlhttp://xoomer.virgilio.it/cserica/scacchi/storiascacchi/tornei/pagine/itornei1880-99.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reuben_Finehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7864-2041-3http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jos%C3%A9_Ra%C3%BAl_Capablancahttp://www.anders.thulin.name/SUBJECTS/CHESS/SteinitzChigorin1889.pdfhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Numberhttp://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?Params=199510SSSSS3S048852000000111000000000011010100http://xoomer.virgilio.it/cserica/scacchi/storiascacchi/matches/1880-99.htmhttp://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=2&res=9400E4DF1630E033A25752C1A9659C94659ED7CF&oref=slogin&oref=sloginhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7876-6465-0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-901034-59-2



_r=2&res=9400E4DF1630E033A25752C1A9659C94659ED7CF&oref=slogin&oref=slogin) (PDF). New York

times. 11 March 1894. Retrieved 2008-05-30. Note: this article implies that the combined stake was $4,500, but

Lasker wrote that it was $4,000: "From the Editorial Chair"

(http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Lasker%27s_Chess_Magazine/Volume_1). Lasker's Chess Magazine 1. January

1905. Retrieved 2008-05-31.

15. Hooper, David; Whyld, Kenneth (1992). The Oxford Companion to Chess. Oxford University Press. p. 81. ISBN 0-

19-866164-9.

16. Soltis, Andrew (2002). Chess Lists Second Edition. McFarland & Company. pp. 8183. ISBN 0-7864-1296-8.

17. Sunnucks, Anne (1970). The Encyclopaedia of Chess. St. Martin's Press. p. 76. ISBN 0-7091-1030-8.

18. Jeff Sonas. "Chessmetrics Player Profile: Curt von Bardeleben"

(http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?


19. Jeff Sonas. "Chessmetrics Player Profile: Jacques Mieses" (http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?


20. Jeff Sonas. "Chessmetrics Player Profile: Henry Bird" (http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?


21. Jeff Sonas. "Chessmetrics Player Profile: Berthold Englisch" (http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?


22. Jeff Sonas. "Chessmetrics Player Profile: Joseph Blackburne" (http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?


23. Jeff Sonas. "Chessmetrics Player Profile: Jackson Showalter" (http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?


24. Jeff Sonas. "Chessmetrics Player Profile: Celso Golmayo Zpide"



25. Select the "Career details" option at Jeff Sonas. "Chessmetrics Player Profile: Emanuel Lasker (career details)"


Params=188510SSSSS3S073076189006131000000000017510100). Chessmetrics.com. Retrieved 2008-05-30.

26. Jeff Sonas. "Chessmetrics Monthly Lists: 18851895" (http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/MonthlyLists.asp?


27. Jeff Sonas. "Chessmetrics Summary: 18851895" (http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/Summary.asp?


28. Lasker, Emanuel. The London Chess Fortnightly (http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review302.pdf) (PDF).

Moravian Chess. Retrieved 2008-06-06.

29. Bill Wall. "Dr. Emanuel Lasker (1868-1941)"

(http://web.archive.org/web/20080216035727/http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lab/7378/lasker.htm).

GeoCities.com. Archived from the original

(http://web.archive.org/web/20091028083454/http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lab/7378/lasker.htm) on

2008-02-16. Retrieved 2007-08-03.

30. Hannak, J. (1959). Emanuel Lasker: The Life of a Chess Master. Simon & Schuster. p. 31. ISBN 0-486-26706-7.

31. Using incomes for the adjustment factor, as the outcome depended on a few months' hard work by the players; if

prices are used for the conversion, the result is over $99,000see "Six Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hooper_(chess_player)http://web.archive.org/web/20091028083454/http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lab/7378/lasker.htmhttp://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?Params=188510SSSSS3S012446189006131000000000002610100http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Sonashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Sonashttp://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?Params=188510SSSSS3S139455189006131000000000032510100http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Numberhttp://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/MonthlyLists.asp?Params=188510SSSSS3S073076189006111000000000017510100http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Numberhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Sonashttp://web.archive.org/web/20080216035727/http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lab/7378/lasker.htmhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Numberhttp://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?Params=188510SSSSS3S086047189006131000000000019110100http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/Summary.asp?Params=188510SSSSS3S073076189006131000000000017510100http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Standard_Book_Numberhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7864-1296-8http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Sonashttp://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Lasker%27s_Chess_Magazine/Volume_1http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?Params=188510SSSSS3S045245189006131000000000010610100http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-19-866164-9http://www.chesscafe.com/text/review302.pdfhttp://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?Params=188510SSSSS3S121054189006131000000000027110100http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Sonashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Soltishttp://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?Params=188510SSSSS3S034631189006131000000000007610100http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Sonashttp://www.measuringworth.com/uscompare/http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-7091-1030-8http://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?Params=188510SSSSS3S073076189006131000000000017510100http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Sonashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kenneth_Whyldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Sonashttp://chessmetrics.com/cm/CM2/PlayerProfile.asp?Params=188510SSSSS3S012785189006131000000000002810100http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Sonashttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lasker%27s_Chess_Magazinehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Sonashttp://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?_r=2&res=9400E4DF1630E033A25752C1A9659C94659ED7CF&oref=slogin&oref=sloginhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-486-26706-7



U.S. Dollar Amount, 1774 to Present" (http://www.measuringworth.com/uscompare/). MeasuringWorth. Retrieved

2008-05-30. However, Lasker later published an analysis showing that the winning player got $1,600 and the losing

player $600 out of the $4,000, as the backers who had bet on the winner got the rest: "From the Editorial Chair"

(http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Lasker%27s_Chess_Magazine/Volume_1). Lasker's Chess Magazine 1. January

1905. Retrieved 2008-05-31.

32. "The Steinitz Papers - review" (http://www.chessville.com/reviews/SteinitzPapers.htm). ChessVille. Retrieved

2008-05-30.

33. Kai, B. M. (1974). International Championship Chess: A Complete Record of FIDE Events. Pitman. p. 212.

ISBN 0-273-07078-9.

34. Giffard, Nicolas (1993). Le Guide des checs (in French). ditions Robert Laffont. p. 394.

35. "Lasker v. Steinitz - World Championship Match 1894"

(http://www.chessville.com/instruction/Lasker_v_Steinitz/instr_annogames_laskervsteinitz1894.htm). ChessVille.

Retrieved 2008-05-30.

36. Kai, B. M. (1974). International Championship Chess: A Complete Record of FIDE Events. Pitman. p. 213.

ISBN 0-273-07078-9.

37. Winter, E. "Kasparov, Karpov and the Scotch" (http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/scotch.html).

ChessHistory. Retrieved 2008-05-30.

38. "Emanuel Lasker" (http://www.chess-poster.com/great_players/lasker.htm). Chess-Poster. Retrieved 2008-06-05.

39. "Chess World Champions Emanuel Lasker" (http://www.chesscorner.com/worldchamps/lasker/lasker.htm).

Ches

emanuel lasker

Documents

emanuel lasker wikipedia

lasker 232tarrasch1

prime lasker

free encyclopediahttp

emanuel laskerfull

chess competition

chess magazines

world chess champion