Chapter 32

The ‘Lasker Combination’

A combination that involves the destruction of the enemy king’s pawn cover by the sacrifice of two bishops has become known as the Lasker Combination. In his time, the second World Champion was the first to demonstrate this beautiful tactical device. In modern chess, any mere pressure on the pawns defending the king arouses serious concern. Therefore, such a combination is a considerable rarity in our day as the defending side will usually prevent it from happening.

180 *

Emanuel Lasker

Johann Bauer

Amsterdam 1889 (1)

This was the game that gave the combination the name of ‘Lasker Combination’. White sacrifices both bishops to eliminate the enemy king’s pawn cover.

15.♗xh7+! ♔xh7 16.♕xh5+ ♔g8 17.♗xg7!! ♔xg7 18.♕g4+ ♔h7 19.♖f3

To avoid immediate mate, Black has to give back too many pieces.

19…e5 20.♖h3+ ♕h6 21.♖xh6+ ♔xh6 22.♕d7! ♗f6 23.♕xb7 ♔g7 24.♖f1 ♖ab8 25.♕d7 ♖fd8 26.♕g4+ ♔f8 27.fxe5 ♗g7 28.e6 ♖b7 29.♕g6 f6 30.♖xf6+ ♗xf6 31.♕xf6+ ♔e8 32.♕h8+ ♔e7 33.♕g7+ ♔xe6 34.♕xb7 ♖d6 35.♕xa6 d4 36.exd4 cxd4 37.h4 d3 38.♕xd3

Black resigned.

181 *

Aron Nimzowitsch

Siegbert Tarrasch

St Petersburg 1914

First, Black opens the long diagonal for his bishop:

18…d4! 19.exd4?

It was essential to play 19.♖fe1, after which Black builds the pressure by continuing 19…♖fe8.

But now, there follows the combination:

19…♗xh2+! 20.♔xh2 ♕h4+ 21.♔g1 ♗xg2! 22.f3

On 22.♔xg2, Black wins by 22…♕g4+ 23.♔h2 ♖d5 24.♕xc5 ♖h5+ 25.♕xh5 ♕xh5+ 26.♔g2 ♕g5+, and 27…♕xd2.

22…♖fe8 23.♘e4

23.♖fe1 ♖xe1+ 24.♖xe1 ♕xe1+ 25.♔xg2 ♕e2+ 26.♔g3 ♖d5–+.

23…♕h1+ 24.♔f2 ♗xf1 25.d5 f5 26.♕c3 ♕g2+ 27.♔e3 ♖xe4+ 28.fxe4 f4+ 29.♔xf4 ♖f8+ 30.♔e5 ♕h2+ 31.♔e6 ♖e8+ 32.♔d7 ♗b5#

182 **

Marakh Tataev

Vadim Milov

Novi Sad 1989 (7)

18.c5! bxc5 19.dxc5 ♘xc5

Other moves also lose:

A) 19…♗xf4 20.c6+–;

B) 19…♗xc5 20.♗xh7+ ♔xh7 21.♕h5+ ♔g8 22.♗xg7 f6 23.♕g6 ♖f7 24.♗h6++–.

20.♖xc5

White also wins by 20.♗xh7+ ♔xh7 21.♕h5+ ♔g8 22.♗xg7+–.

20…♗xc5 21.♗xh7+ ♔xh7 22.♕h5+ ♔g8 23.♗xg7 f6

23…♔xg7 24.♕g5+ ♔h7 25.♖f3, and Black is mated.

24.♕g6! ♖f7 25.♗h6+ ♔h8 26.♕xf7 ♖g8 27.♖f3

Black resigned.

183 ***

Emir Dizdarevic

2425

Anthony Miles

2570

Biel 1985

The bishops look threateningly at the white king. Everything is ready for the combination:

13…♗xh2+

13…♗f3 14.♘xd6 ♗xd1 15.♕c4.

14.♔xh2 ♕h4+ 15.♔g1

15…♗f3!

The key move and an important subtlety! Black forces White to close the second rank, and only then makes the second bishop sacrifice on g2.

After the standard ‘Lasker Combination’ 15…♗xg2, which is probably what White had been counting on, Black does not win: 16.f3 (of course, not the cooperative 16.♔xg2? ♕g4+ 17.♔h2 ♖f6, mating) 16…♗xf1 17.♔xf1 ♕h1+ 18.♔f2 ♕h2+ 19.♔f1 ♕h1+=, with a draw.

16.♘d2

Everything else loses:

A) 16.♗e2 ♗xg2 17.♔xg2 ♕g5+ 18.♔h2 ♖f6–+.;

B) 16.e4 ♖f6–+.;

C) 16.d5 ♕g5 17.g3 ♕h5–+.

16…♗xg2! 17.f3

17.f4 ♕g3–+.

17…♖f6 18.♘c4

A) 18.♖f2 ♕h1#;

B) 18.♗xf5 ♖xf5 19.♕e4 ♕xe4 20.fxe4 ♖g5–+.

18…♗h3

White resigned.

184 ***

Garry Kasparov

2690

Lajos Portisch

2600

Niksic 1983 (4)

The white pieces are posted in the centre, and pointing at the kingside, so the blow…

17.d5!,

opening up the dark-squared bishop as well, is very strong.

17…exd5

Even in such a tense and dangerous situation as Black is facing, the best chance is to bring the inactive pieces into the game, although after 17…♘xc4 18.♕e4 g6 19.♗xc4 ♕xc4 20.♕e5 f6 21.♕xe6+ ♖f7 22.♖c1 ♕a6 23.d6 b5! 24.♖fd1 ♗f8 25.♗e5!!, White is supporting his passed pawn, and retains the advantage.

18.cxd5 ♗xd5 19.♗xh7+! ♔xh7 20.♖xd5

The black king has lost one of his defenders (the h7-pawn!), and the white pieces are still aimed for an attack. The rook is a particular danger, ready to transfer over to the kingside.

20…♔g8

Now, if the white knight jumps to somewhere such as e5, it blocks the ♗b2. Therefore, White destroys the pawn protection around the black king:

21.♗xg7!!

This move is not only remarkably effective, but also later allows the white pieces to dominate the centre. We have reached the type of position where there is always ‘something’.

Objectively, 21.♖h5 also wins, with the completely inhuman variation 21…♕c2 22.♕xe7 ♕xb2 23.♘e5 ♖c1 24.g4!! ♖xf1+ 25.♔xf1 ♕b1+ 26.♔g2 ♕e4+ 27.♔h3 ♕b1 28.♖f5!.

White also keeps a strong initiative after 21.♘d2, keeping the bishop’s line open, and clearing a line to the kingside for the queen.

21…♔xg7 22.♘e5! ♖fd8 23.♕g4+ ♔f8

24.♕f5!

As a zwischenzug, it is useful to draw the black pawn onto the colour square of Black’s remaining bishop.

White, of course, does not go for the soulless 24.♘d7+ ♖xd7 25.♖xd7 ♕c4, when the worst is behind Black.

24…f6 25.♘d7+ ♖xd7 26.♖xd7 ♕c5

More tenacious was 26…♕e5, although White would retain a strong attack after 27.♕h3.

27.♕h7 ♖c7 28.♕h8+

Attention is always necessary: 28.♖d3? ♕xf2+! 29.♔xf2 ♗c5+ 30.♔g3 ♖xh7 31.♖xf6+ ♔e7, and the roles change – only Black can think of victory!

28…♔f7 29.♖d3 ♘c4 30.♖fd1!

Bringing up the last reserves completes a brilliantly conducted attack.

30…♘e5

30…♗d6 31.♖f3+–.

31.♕h7+ ♔e6 32.♕g8+ ♔f5 33.g4+ ♔f4 34.♖d4+ ♔f3 35.♕b3+

Black resigned.

Additional material

Alekhine-Drewitt, Portsmouth 1923