Lasker’s forgotten games from Montreal 1892

Emanuel Lasker visited Montreal in November 1892, gave two simultaneous exhibitions and played a number of single games against the best local players. Ken Whyld (‘The Collected Games of Emanuel Lasker’) gives 8 games, most of them from Joseph Ney Babson’s chess column in The Montreal Daily Herald.

John Henderson’s column in The Montreal Gazette has a further 7 games.

Here are all the games:

November 21, simultaneous exhibition

(Not November 22, as Whyld claims.) Lasker played 24 opponents, won 21 games, drew 2, and lost 1.

Emanuel Lasker – D. C. Robertson
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 4. O-O Be7 5. d4 exd4 6. e5 Ne4 7. Bd5 Nc5 8. Re1 O-O 9. Nxd4 Nxd4 10. Qxd4 Ne6 11. Qg4 d6 12. Bh6 Bg5 13. Bxg5 Nxg5 14. Qg3 dxe5 15. Nc3 Ne6 16. Rxe5 c6 17. Bb3 Nd4 18. Rd1 b6 19. Nd5 Ne6 20. Ne3 Qf6 21. Nf5 Kh8 22. f4 Rd8 23. Rxd8+ Qxd8 24. Bxe6 g6 25. Bxf7 Qd1+ 26. Re1 resigns
The Montreal Gazette, November 22, 1892
The Montreal Daily Herald, November 22, 1892
Whyld, game 166

Emanuel Lasker – H. Bertrand
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Bc4 Qh4+ 4. Kf1 g5 5. Nf3 Qh5 6. h4 g4 7. Ng5 Nh6 8. Nc3 f6 9. Nd5 Qg6 10. d3 Bd6 11. Bxf4 Bxf4 12. Nxf4 Qg7 13. Nf3 gxf3 14. Qxf3 Rf8
Whyld gives no further moves and says, “Lasker resigned on [the] 31st move”
15. Nd5 d6 16. Ke1 Bg4 17. Qe3 c6 18. Nf4 Qe7 19. b4 d5 20. Bxd5 Nf5 21. Qd2 cxd5 22. Nxd5 Qe5 23. c3 Nc6 24. Kf2 Nce7 25. Nf4 Nd6 26. Rhe1 O-O-O 27. g3 Nxe4+ 28. Rxe4 Qxe4 29. Kg1 Qf3 30. Kh2 Nf5 31. resigns
The Montreal Gazette, December 3, 1892
Whyld, game 168

Emanuel Lasker – Putnam
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. d4 exd4 5. Nxd4 Bd7 6. Nc3 Nge7 7. Bg5 Nxd4 8. Qxd4 Bxb5 9. Nxb5 a6 10. Nc3 c5 11. Qd3 h6 12. Bh4 f6 13. O-O-O Ng6 14. Bg3 Ne5 15. Bxe5 fxe5 16. Qh3 Qd7 17. Qg3 O-O-O 18. Nd5 Qf7 19. a4 g5 20. a5 Rg8 21. Nb6+ Kb8 22. Qxe5 dxe5 23. Rxd8+ Kc7 24. Rc8+ Kd6 25. Rd1+ Ke6 26. Rdd8 Qf4+ 27. Kb1 Qxf2 28. Re8+ Kf7 29. Nd7 Qe1+ 30. Ka2 Qxa5+ 31. Kb1 Qe1+ 32. Ka2 1/2-1/2
The Montreal Gazette, November 23, 1892

Emanuel Lasker – J. Pelletier
1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Bxd7+ Nbxd7 7. d3 Bb4 8. Nge2 Nxd5 9. dxe4 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Bc5 11. Qd3 O-O 12. Be3 Qe7 13. O-O Rad8 14. Bd4 Bxd4+ 15. Nxd4 Nc5 16. Qh3 Qxe4 17. Rae1 Qd5 18. f5 Rfe8 19. f6 Rxe1 20. Rxe1 Ne4 21. fxg7 Nxc3 22. Nf5 Qc5+ 23. Kh1 Ne4 24. Nh6+ Kxg7 25. Qg4+ Kxh6 26. Rxe4 Qh5 27. Qf4+ Qg5 28. Qf1 Qd2 29. Qf6+ resigns
The Montreal Gazette, November 24, 1892

Emanuel Lasker – Palmerston Barry
Notes by John Henderson
1. e4 e5 2. f4 Bc5 3. Nf3 d6 4. d4
Seldom played.
4… exd4 5. Bd3
If White now plays 5. Nxd4, Black can play with advantage Nf6
5… Nc6 6. a3 a6 7. b4 Ba7 8. O-O Nge7 9. Kh1 O-O 10. f5 f6 11. Bc4+ Kh8 12. Nh4 Qe8 13. Nd2 Ne5 14. Bb3 c6 15. Bb2 d5 16. exd5 Nxd5 17. Bxd5 cxd5 18. Ndf3 d3
With the object of winning the exchange.
19. cxd3 Ng4 20. Qd2 Qe3 21. Rae1 Qxd2 22. Nxd2 Nf2+ 23. Rxf2 Bxf2 24. Re7 Bxh4 25. Nf3 Bf2 26. g4 d4 27. Nxd4 Bxd4 28. Bxd4 h6 29. h3 Kg8 30. Kg2 Rf7
We should prefer 30… b5 so as to liberate the pieces on the Queen’s side.
31. Re8+ Kh7 32. Bb6 Rd7 33. d4 Rd6 34. Bc5 b6 35. Rxc8! Rxc8 36. Bxd6 Kg8 1/2-1/2
Mr. Lasker offered a draw which was accepted. We believe Black should win by correct play, but the least slip against such an antagonist would be fatal.
The Montreal Gazette, December 10, 1892

Emanuel Lasker – Liddell
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Be7 6. d4 d6 7. Qb3 Na5 8. Bxf7+ Kf8 9. Qa4 Kxf7 10. Qxa5 c6 11. Qa4 b5 12. Qc2 Bf6 13. Ba3 Nh6 14. Nbd2 a5 15. O-O Re8 16. Rad1 exd4 17. cxd4 b4 18. Bb2 Bd7 19. e5 Be7 20. exd6 Bxd6 21. Ne5+ Bxe5 22. dxe5 Kg8 23. Ne4 Qc7 24. Qd2 Be6 25. Nf6+ gxf6 26. Qxh6 Qg7 27. Qxg7+ Kxg7 28. exf6+ Kg8 29. Rfe1 Bd5 30. f4 Rxe1+ 31. Rxe1 Bxa2 32. Re7 Bf7 33. g4 c5 34. g5 Re8 35. Rc7 c4 36. Bd4 c3 37. f5 Re4 38. g6 hxg6 39. fxg6 Rg4+ 40. Kf2 Rxg6 41. Rc8+ Kh7 42. Rf8 Bg8 43. f7 c2 44. Rc8 Bxf7 45. Rh8#
The Montreal Gazette, December 24, 1892

November 22, single games

Emanuel Lasker – Joseph Peter Cooke
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Bc5 4. c3 d6 5. d4 exd4 6. cxd4 Bb4+ 7. Kf1 a6 8. Bxc6+ bxc6 9. Qa4 a5 10. a3 Ba6+ 11. Kg1 Bb5 12. Qc2 c5 13. axb4 cxb4 14. h3 Ne7 15. Be3 O-O 16. Nbd2 Qd7 17. Kh2 f5 18. exf5 Nxf5 19. Rhe1 h6 20. Rac1 c6 21. Ne4 Rae8 22. Ng3 Ne7 23. Nh4 Rf6 24. Nh5 Rf7 25. Ng6 Nd5 26. Nhf4 Nc7 27. Bd2 Rxe1 28. Rxe1 Qf5 29. Ne7+ resigns
The Montreal Gazette, November 23, 1892
The Montreal Daily Herald, November 23, 1892
Whyld, game 167

Joseph Ney Babson – Emanuel Lasker
Notes by Joseph Ney Babson
1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. Nf3 Bg4 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. h3 Be6 6. f5 Bc8 7. d3 h6 8. Nxe5 Bd6 9. Bf4 O-O 10. Qf3 Re8 11. Ng4 dxe4 12. Nxf6+ Qxf6 13. dxe4 Bxf4 14. Qxf4 Qxf5 15. Qxc7 Qg5 16. Kf2
At this stage of the game Mr. Babson varied from the line of play he was contemplating and of course got into immediate difficulties, but at the close of the game Herr Lasker remarked that had White played 16. Bc4 the utmost that black could have hoped for would have been a draw. White considered this move for some time and would probably have made it against a less celebrated player than Herr Lasker, but the threatened check at h4 coupled with the sacrifice of the exchange and driving the white king out into the open field was quite enough to cause the cold chills to creep down his back and he didn’t make it.
16… Nc6 17. Bd3 Ne5 18. Raf1 Be6 19. Be2 Qf4+ 20. resigns
The Montreal Daily Herald, December 3, 1892
Whyld, game 169

Robert Short – Emanuel Lasker
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 b5 5. Bb3 Nf6 6. Ng5 d5 7. exd5 Nd4 8. d6 Nxb3 9. dxc7 Qxc7 10. axb3 h6 11. Nf3 e4 12. Nd4 Bc5 13. Ne2 Ng4 14. d4 exd3 15. Qxd3 Nxf2 16. Qf3 Bb7 17. Bf4 Bxf3 18. Bxc7 Bxe2 19. Kxe2 Nxh1 20. b4 Bxb4 21. Nc3 Bxc3 22. bxc3 Kd7 23. Bb6 Rhe8+ 24. Kf3 Kc6 25. Bd4 f6 26. Rxh1 a5 27. Ra1 Kd5 28. Bb6 a4 29. Rd1+ Kc4 30. Rd7 a3 31. Rd1 a2 32. Ra1 Kxc3 33. resigns
The Montreal Gazette, November 23, 1892

Emanuel Lasker – D. C. Robertson
1. e4 e5 2. f4 d5 3. exd5 e4 4. Bb5+ c6 5. dxc6 bxc6 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. d4 exd3 8. Qxd3 Qc7 9. Nf3 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. Nc3 Nbd7 12. h3 Nc5 13. Qe2 Bd6 14. Ne5 Be6 15. Bxe6 Nxe6 16. Nd3 Rfe8 17. Qf2 Rad8 18. Be3 Rd7 19. Rae1 Rde7 20. Bc1 Nc5 21. Rxe7 Qxe7 22. Re1 Nxd3 23. Rxe7 Nxf2 24. Rxe8+ Nxe8 25. Kxf2 Nf6 26. Kf3 Kf8 27. Ne4 Ne8 28. Be3 Ke7 29. Bxa7 Kd7 30. Bc5 Bxc5 31. Nxc5+ Kc7 32. a4 Nd6 33. a5 Nc4 34. b4 Na3 35. c3 Nb5 36. Na4 “After a few more moves Mr. Robertson lost the game.”
The Montreal Gazette, November 23, 1892

November 23, consultation game

Emanuel Lasker/Marler/Liddel – Joseph Ney Babson/John Henderson/Richard F. Flemming
Notes by Emanuel Lasker and Joseph Ney Babson
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. d4
Lasker: This is the strongest available move for white in this variation of the Ruy Lopez.
4… exd4 5. Nxd4 Bd7 6. Nc3 g6 7. Be3 Bg7 8. Be2
Lasker: To support an eventual attack with g4, but also otherwise a good move.
8… Nf6 9. Qd2 h6 10. f3 a6
Lasker: Waiting for white to castle.
Babson: At this point the Black Allies were somewhat in doubt as to what white intended to do next and thought they would wait and see.
11. Rb1
Lasker: Forcing black to activity.
Babson: They found out.
11… Qe7 12. b4 Nxd4 13. Bxd4 O-O 14. O-O Rfe8 15. Rbd1 Bc6 16. Bc4
Lasker: White has now a superior game.
Babson: The gentlemen in the little side room anticipated this superior move, and dreaded it, but there didn’t seem to be any good way to prevent it.
16… Nh7 17. Be3
Lasker: Another good movement of the white allies.
Babson: A good move, threatening to win a pawn, and Black’s reply doesn’t help matter in the least, for White’s next move makes assurance doubly sure.
17… Qe5 18. Nd5
Lasker: Winning at least a pawn.
18… Bxd5 19. Bxd5 c6 20. Bb3
Babson: As snug as a bug in a rug.
20… Qh5
Lasker: If 20… d5 instead, white answers with 21. Bf4 with a winning attack.
Babson: At this point the Black Allies called for coffee and didn’t duly consider this move, or they would probably have seen some of its dire effects, but they had tumbled to the racket before White sent in the crushing rejoinder. Alas! it was too late then.
21. g4 Qh3 22. Qxd6 Be5 23. Qxg6+ Kh8 24. Qxh6 Bxh2+ 25. Kh1 Qxh6 26. Bxh6 Be5 27. Rd7 Red8 28. Rfd1 resigns
The Montreal Gazette, November 24, 1892 & November 29, 1892
The Montreal Daily Herald, November 24, 1892 & December 3, 1892
Whyld, game 170

November 24, simultaneous exhibition

Lasker played 26 opponents, won 24 games, drew 1, and lost 1.

Emanuel Lasker – Joseph Ney Babson
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Ba5 6. O-O d6 7. d4 exd4 8. cxd4 Bg4 9. Bb2 Bb6 10. Bb5 Bd7 11. d5 Ne5 12. Bxd7+ Qxd7 13. Bxe5 dxe5 14. Nxe5 Qb5 15. Nc3 Qb4 16. Qg4 Qe7 17. Qxg7 Qf6 18. Qxf6 Nxf6 19. Nf3 Ba5 20. Rac1 O-O 21. Nd2 Rfe8 22. h3 Nd7 23. Nc4 Bb4 24. Nb5 Rec8 25. g3 a6 26. Nc3 Bc5 27. Kg2 b5 28. Na5 Bb6 29. Nc6 Kf8 30. Ne2 f6 31. Nf4 Kf7 32. Ne6 Ne5 33. Nxe5+ fxe5 34. f4 Kf6 35. Rce1 c5 36. fxe5+ Kxe5 37. Rf5+ Kd6 38. Rd1 c4 39. e5+ Ke7 40. Rdf1 Bc5 41. Rf7+ Ke8 42. d6 resigns
The Montreal Gazette, November 25, 1892
The Montreal Daily Herald, November 25, 1892
Whyld, game 171

Emanuel Lasker – J. D. Cameron
1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 Be7 4. Bc4 Bh4+ 5. Kf1 d6 6. d4 Nc6 7. Bxf4 Bf6 8. Nc3 Nh6 9. e5 Be7 10. Bxh6 gxh6 11. Bxf7+ Kxf7 12. d5 Nxe5 13. Nxe5+ dxe5 14. Qh5+ Kg7 15. Ke2 Bd6 16. Raf1 Rf8 17. Rxf8 Qxf8 18. Rf1 Qe7 19. Ne4 Bd7 20. Rf6 Rf8 21. Qxh6+ Kh8 22. c4 Qg7 23. Nxd6 Qxf6 24. Qxf6+ Rxf6 25. Nxb7 Rb6 26. Nc5 Bg4+ 27. Ke3 Rxb2 28. h3 Bc8 29. Ke4 Re2+ 30. Kf3 Rxa2 31. g4 Rc2 32. Ke4 Rxc4+ 33. resigns
The Montreal Gazette, November 25, 1892
The Montreal Daily Herald, November 25, 1892
Whyld, game 172

Emanuel Lasker – Robert Short
Notes by John Henderson
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6
This style of defence is often adopted since it’s introduction, at Frankfurt, by L. Paulsen.
5. Be3 Bg7 6. Nc3 Nf6 7. Be2 d6 8. Qd2 Bd7 9. h4 Ne5 10. h5 Neg4 11. Bg5 Nxh5 12. Ndb5 Nhf6 13. Bxg4 Bxg4 14. Bxf6 Bxf6 15. Nd5 Kf8 16. Nxf6 exf6
After the exchanges White remains with the superior game.
17. f3 Be6 18. O-O-O a6 19. Nxd6 Qe7 20. g4 g5 21. Qb4 Rd8
Immediately fatal.
22. Nf5
Beautiful finish! Of course if Black takes the Queen he is mated on the move, and he must lose his Queen by any other line of play at his disposal.
22… Rxd1+ 23. Rxd1 resigns
The Montreal Gazette, December 10, 1892
Whyld, game 173

Emanuel Lasker – D. C. Robertson
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 Ne4 6. O-O a6 7. Ba4 Nc5 8. Bxc6 dxc6 9. Qxd4 Qxd4 10. Nxd4 Be7 11. Nc3 O-O 12. Be3 Bd7 13. Rad1 Rad8 14. Rd2 Bc8 15. Rfd1 h6 16. Nxc6 bxc6 17. Rxd8 Rxd8 18. Rxd8+ Bxd8 19. Bxc5 Bf5 20. Ne2 Bxc2 21. Nd4 Be4 22. f3 Bd5 23. b3 Bg5 24. Nf5 Bf4 25. Bd4 g6 26. Ng3 Kf8 27. Ne2 Bd2 28. Kf2 Ke8 29. Be3 Bb4 30. Bxh6 c5 31. Ke3 c4 32. bxc4 Bxc4 33. Nc1 Ba3 34. Kd4 Bxc1 35. Bxc1 Bxa2 36. Kc5 Kd7 37. Bb2 1/2-1/2
The Montreal Gazette, December 25, 1892