Chess Strategy

by
Edward Lasker

Translated by J. du Mont

CONTENTS

[TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE]
[AUTHOR’S PREFACE]
[PART I]
[Chapter I. INTRODUCTORY]
[ I. Rules of the Game]
[ II. Notation]
[Chapter II. HINTS FOR BEGINNERS]
Elementary Combinations
Simple Calculation
Complications
[Chapter III. GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF CHESS STRATEGY]
Introductory
Balance of Attack and Defence
Mobility
[Chapter IV. THE OPENING]
Development of the Pieces
On Losing Moves
Examples of Practical Play
Pawn Play
Pawn Skeleton
The Centre
A. King’s Pawn Games
B. Queen’s Pawn Games
C. Irregular Openings
[Chapter V. THE END-GAME]
End-games with Pieces
Pawn Endings
Mixed Endings
[END-GAMES FROM MASTER-PLAY]
Teichmann-Blackburne (Berlin, 1897)
Ed. Lasker-Rotlewi (Hamburg, 1910)
Blackburne-Schlechter (Vienna, 1898)
Bird-Janowski (Hastings, 1895)
Steiner-Forgacz (Szekesfehervar, 1907)
Charousek-Heinrichsen (Cologne, 1898)
[Chapter VI. THE MIDDLE GAME]
General Remarks
Evolution of the Pawn Skeleton
Objects of Attack
“Backward” Pawns
On Fixing a Weakness
Weaknesses in a Pawn Position
Breaking up the King’s Side
Doubled Pawns
Illustrations—
v. Scheve-Teichmann (Berlin, 1907)
Marshall-Burn (Ostend, 1907)
Manoeuvres of the Pieces Open Files and Diagonals
Example—
Fred. Lazard-Ed. Lasker (Paris, 1914)
[PART II
ILLUSTRATIVE GAMES FROM MASTER TOURNAMENTS]
[1. Tartakower-Burn (Carlsbad, 1911)]
[2. Leonhardt-Marshall (San Sebastian, 1911)]
[3. Spielmann-Prokes (Prag, 1908)]
[4. Tarrasch-Capablanca (San Sebastian, 1911)]
4a. Howell-Michell (Cable Match, 1907)
4b. X. v. Y
[5. Griffith-Gunston (London, 1902)]
[6. Mason-Gunsberg (New York, 1889)]
[7. Marshall-Tarrasch (Hamburg, 1910)]
[8. Blackburne-Em. Lasker (Petrograd, 1914)]
[9. Salwe-Marshall (Vienna, 1908)]
[10. Teichmann-Amateurs (Glasgow, 1902)]
[11. Schlechter-Janowski (Paris, 1900)]
[12. Teichmann-Rubinstein (Carlsbad, 1911)]
[13. Teichmann-Schlechter (Carlsbad, 1911)]
[14. Spielmann-Tarrasch (San Sebastian, 1912)]
[15. Aljechin-Niemzowitsch (Petrograd, 1914)]
[16. Yates-Gunsberg (Chester, 1914)]
[17. Berlin-Riga (1908-1909)]
17a. Maroczy-Berger (Vienna, 1908)
[18. Em. Lasker-Capablanca (Petrograd, 1914)]
[19. Ed. Lasker-Janowski (Scheveningen, 1913)]
[20. Ed. Lasker-Englund (Scheveningen, 1913)]
[21. Ed. Lasker-Aljechin (Scheveningen, 1913)]
[22. Forgacz-Tartakower (Petrograd, 1909)]
[23. Yates-Esser (Anglo-Dutch Match, 1914)]
[24. Atkins-Barry (Cable Match, 1910)]
[25. Em. Lasker-Tarrasch (Munich, 1908)]
[26. Capablanca-Blanco (Havanna, 1913)]
[27. Niemzowitsch-Tarrasch (San Sebastian, 1912)]
[28. Alapin-Rubinstein (Wilna, 1912)]
[29. Teichmann-Spielmann (Leipzig, 1914)]
[30. Tarrasch-Spielmann (Mannheim, 1914)]
[31. John-Janowski (Mannheim, 1914)]
[32. Ed. Laskcr-Mieses (Scheveningen, 1913)]
[33. Barasz-Mieses (Breslau, 1012)]
[34. Em. Lasker-Niemzowitsch (Petrograd, 1914)]
[35. Reti-Tartakower (Vienna, 1910)]
[36. Forgacz-E. Cohn (Petrograd, 1909)]
[37. Marshall-Capablanca (New York, 1909)]
[38. Rotlewi-Teichmann (Carlsbad, 1911)]
38a. Rubinstein-Teichmann (Vienna, 1908)
[39. Rotlewi-Rubinstein (Lodz, 1907)]
[40. Rubinstein-Capablanca (San Sebastian, 1911)]
[41. Niemzowitsch-Tarrasch (Petrograd, 1914)]
41a. Em. Lasker-Bauer (Amsterdam, 1889)
[42. Capablanca-Aljechin (Petrograd, 1913)]
[43. Capablanca-Bernstein (Petrograd, 1914)]
[44. Dus Chotimirski-Vidmar (Carlsbad, 1911)]
[45. Rubinstein-Spielmann (Pistyan, 1912)]
[46. Thomas-Ed. Lasker (London, 1912)]
[47. Tartakower-Asztalos (Budapest, 1913)]
47a. Tartakower-Spielmann (Vienna, 1913)
47b. X v. Y
[48. Blackburne-Niemzowitsch (Petrograd, 1914)]
[TABLE OF OPENINGS]
A. King’s Pawn Games
B. Queen’s Pawn Games
C. Irregular Openings

TRANSLATOR’S PREFACE

As the first edition of Edward Lasker’s Chess Strategy was exhausted within a comparatively short time of its appearance, the author set himself the task of altering and improving the work to such an extent that it became to all intents and purposes a new book. I had the privilege of co-operating with him to a slight degree on that second edition, and was in consequence able to appreciate the tremendous amount of work he voluntarily took upon himself to do; I say voluntarily, because his publishers, anxious to supply the strong demand for the book, wished to reprint it as it stood.

A little later I undertook to translate this second edition into English for Messrs. Bell & Sons. Only a few months had elapsed, the tournaments at Petrograd, Chester, and Mannheim had taken place, several new discoveries had been made, and it is the greatest testimony to Edward Lasker’s indefatigable devotion to the Art of Chess that I am able to say that this is not a translation of the second edition, but of what is practically a new book. It contains a new preface, a chapter for beginners, a new introduction, new variations. Furthermore, a large number of new games have taken the place of old ones.

I have no doubt that any chess player who will take the trouble to study Chess Strategy will spend many a pleasurable hour. Incidentally new vistas will be opened to him, and his playing strength increased to a surprising degree.