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Jovan Petronic:
Lasker E. : Thomas G. A.
London 1912
The King Checkmates
Year 2012 will mark the 100th anniversary
of one of the most well-known master
games played in the history of chess.
Coincidentally, this game also features the
main theme of this survey.
Edward Lasker was born in 1885 and was
reportedly a leading German & American
chess player. He won 5 US Championships
in the period 1916–1921.
In 1973, as a 9-year-old, I had the honour
of meeting and playing Edward Lasker,
while at a visit to his apartment in New
York City. My mom reminded me he said
I was good ... Afterwards he had
recommended me to join the Manhattan
Chess Club, the 2nd oldest chess club in
the USA, which I did.
Sir George Alan Thomas was born in 1881
and was twice (1923 & 1934) British chess
champion, a 21–time All-England
Badminton champion, and a semifinalist of
the men's tennis doubles at Wimbledon in
1911.
1.d4 e6 2.Sf3 f5 3.Sc3?! Sf6
3...d5! would have made the c3-Knight feel
awkward.
4.Lg5 Le7 5.Lf6? Lf6 6.e4
A concept pretty difficult to understand if
not looking far enough. White gives away
their Bishops pair, and immediately
follows up with opening the centre, an
opening which should sooner or later
generally favour the Bishops.
6...fe4 7.Se4
What motivated Edward Lasker for his
previous two moves? The powerful central
position of the e4-Knight "guarantees"
White is ok. To chase the Knight away,
with for example p-d5, would result in a
vulnerable backward e6-pawn and a
potentially strong e5-square for White. To
eliminate the Knight, Black would either
have to give up their Bishops pair, too, or
manouever the b8-Knight to for example
f6-square, which in turn would mean
displacing
The game of chess revolves around the two
Kings, with the main objective of each
player to deliver checkmate. A common
misconception of the King being open to
capture or exchange is still widespread.
Being the most important piece in the
game, the King is by definition also the
most vulnerable piece, and especially in
the opening and middlegame phases of the
game. In these phases, the King rarely
plays an active role.
The purpose of this survey is to study a
collection of games and game fragments
(source: ChessBase Mega Database 2011),
which addresses an additional less known
power of the King - to personally deliver
checkmate by move. As is with all
checkmates, a single piece is unable to
checkmate the opponent's King, if not
assisted by at least one other piece, either
own or opponent's, emphasizing the
importance of teamwork among chess
pieces of both colours.
Historical notes excerpts (source:
Piceclopedia):
- Except for some differences in special
moves, the King has remained the same
from its earliest days to modern-day Chess.
- The King has always moved one space in
any direction.
- In Chaturanga, which is widely regarded
as the earliest form of Chess, the King was
called a Rajah, which is Sanskrit for King.
- The Persians called it by the own word
for King, which was Shah.
- "Checkmate" comes from the Persian
expression "Shah Mat", which literally
means that "the King is ambushed".
- Reports that checkmate means "the King
is dead" are mistaken.
the
e7-Bishop
to
a
worse
position.
FIDE SURVEYS – JOVAN PETRONIC
1
 7...b6!? 8.Se5?
White violates yet another opening
principle, whereby one should not play
twice with the same piece in the opening
phase of a game. Se5 falls into the category
of what sometimes I like to refer to as
"smart chess moves", ones with a threat.
8...0–0
8...Lb7?? is refuted by 9.Dh5 g6 10.Sg6
Le4
12...Kh6
Edward Lasker: "The King cannot go to h8
on account of Sg6 mate. White now
continually checks Black's King in such a
manner that he has only one square to go to
until he is finally driven to the first rank,
all White pieces participating in the chase."
12...Kh8?? 13.Sg6#. Edward Lasker: "In
answer to Sg4 Black would play Kh5, Lg6,
Kh4, g3, Kh3 and there is no mate."
13.Seg4!
The only path to a win (by forced
checkmate). 13.Sfg4? Kh5! (13...Kg5??
14.h4 Kf4 (14...Kh5 15.Lg6#) 15.g3#)
14.Lg6 Kh4 (14...Kg5?? 15.h4 Kf4 16.g3#)
15.g3 Kh3 (15...Kg5?? 16.h4#) 16.0–0!
would be an interesting position for further
analysis.
13...Kg5 14.h4!
14.f4! also mates in four moves, with best
play by both sides. 14...Kh4 (14...Kf4
15.g3 Kf3 (15...Kg5 16.h4#) 16.0–0#! The
King (move) checkmates!
14...Kf4 15.g3! Kf3 16.Le2
Edward Lasker: "White could have forced
the mate in seven instead of eight moves
by playing Kf1, or 0–0, for there was no
protection against Sh2." 16.0–0!+- …gf6
(16...Tf6
(10...hg6
11.Dg6
Kf8
12.Sf6+-)
11.Sh8
Ke7
(11...Lg6
12.Sg6
hg6
13.Dg6+-) 12.Sf7 De8 13.De2!+-;
8...Le5 9.de5 (9.Dh5 g6 10.De5 0–0) 9...0–
0 10.Dg4.
9.Ld3? Lb7?
9...Le5. One of the advantages of having
the Bishops pair is that the advantage of
the long-range pieces can be often
relatively easily transformed into another
one, in this case - material. 10.de5 Sc6
wins the e5-pawn: 11.Dh5 Tf5.
10.Dh5 De7?
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Edward Lasker commented: "Black has
just played De7 in order to protect the mate
which was threatened by Sf6, followed by
Dh7. If in the position of the diagram
White played Sf6, Black would retake with
the Pawn, thereby protecting the pawn h7
with his Queen. However, White can force
the mate with a neat Queen's sacrifice
which drives Black's King right into the
arms of the remaining White pieces."
10...Le5! 11.Sd2! (11.De5 Sc6; 11.de5?
Tf5) 11...g6 12.De5 was ok for Black;
10...g6
17.Se5#
(17.Sh2#))
17.Sh2#;
16.Kf1!+- …gf6 (16...Tf6
17.Se5#
(17.Sh2#) ) 17.Sh2#.
16...Kg2 17.Th2
17.0–0–0+- …gf6 18.Th2# (18.Tdg1#).
17...Kg1 18.Kd2#.
The King checkmates! Reportedly, after
Lasker checkmated, Thomas said, "This
was very nice." Lasker, who had yet to
learn English, was touched by Thomas's
sportsmanship after a spectator translated
Thomas's remark into German for him. In
his "Chess & Checkers - The Way to
Mastership" Edward Lasker wrote:
"Sacrifices made with the view of a direct
mating attack are, as a rule, the easiest to
figure out, as there is no guesswork
connected with them. In those cases the
player does not face the question as to
whether the position attained after the
sacrifice will be strong enough to insure a
gain of material at least equivalent to the
11.Sg6!
hg6
12.Dg6
Lg7
(12...Kh8?
13.Sf6+-) 13.h4‚ …De8??
14.Sf6!+-.
11.Dh7!!+-
11.Sf6? gf6.
11...Kh7 12.Sf6
12.Sg5? Kh6–+.
FIDE SURVEYS – JOVAN PETRONIC
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 amount of material sacrificed, a question
which to answer correctly sometimes
requires a good deal of instinct trained by
experience; all that is necessary if to
ascertain whether the opponent can be
mated in a definite number of moves or
not. If the mate cannot be clearly foreseen,
the sacrifice must not be made. The
possibility of a sacrifice with consequent
forced mate is always indicated if a greatly
superior force is available for attack at the
part of the board where the opposing King
is located." 18.0–0–0# The King (move)
checkmates!
1:0.
43...Tc8?
43...Lb5! …44.Tg8 Kg8 45.Dg5 Kf7
46.Df6 Ke8 47.De6 Kd8–+.
44.Dh6!+-
44.Dh4+- …Tf8 45.Dh6 Tf7 46.Dg5+-.
44...De5 45.Dh7!! Kh7 46.Kg2#
The King checkmates!
1:0.
Seuss O. – Hurme H.
Dresden 1969
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Sf6 3.Sc3 g6 4.f4 Lg7 5.Sf3
0–0 6.e5!?
A variation which has brought White many
quick and beatiful wins. After extensive
research made, it is now considered not of
high theoretical value as one where White
may benefit at high-level events.
6...Sfd7! 7.h4!? c5! 8.h5! cd4 9.Dd4
9.hg6? dc3!
9...de5 10.Df2!
10.fe5? Se5!; 10.Dg1!?
10...Te8?
10...e4! 11.Se4 Sf6 12.Sf6 ef6! 13.hg6
Te8.
11.hg6! hg6 12.Dh4
12.fe5!±.
12...Sf8?
12...e4 13.Se4 (13.Dh7 Kf8â„¢ 14.Se4 Db6!
and Black is ok).
13.fe5 Sc6?
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13...Dd7±.
14.Lh6+- f6 15.Lg7 Kg7 16.Dh8 Kf7
17.Lc4
17.Sg5 fg5 18.Lc4+-.
17...Le6
17...e6 18.Sg5 fg5 (18...Ke7 19.Dg7#)
19.Tf1+-; 17...Se6? 18.Th7#.
18.Sg5!
18.Th7 Sh7 19.Dh7 Kf8 20.Le6+-.
18...fg5 19.0–0# 1:0-
Pillsbury H. N. : Maroczy G.
London 1900
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34...Tg4!? 35.Sg5?
Too early, as both the game and analysis
attempt to prove. 35.Kh3!? …Tfg8 36.Sg5!
Tf4 37.Sf7! Df7 38.Tg8 Kg8 39.Df4 Dh5
40.Dh4! Df3 41.Dg3 Dg3 42.Kg3±.
35...Tf4! 36.Sf7 Df7
36...Tf7? 37.Df4+-.
37.Df4 Dh5 38.Kg3 De2!
In a materially equal position, with both
Kings open to attack, Black's chances are
as good as White's.
39.Kh4?!
39.Kh3.
39...Tc8! 40.Tae1?
40.b3!? …Tc3 41.Tg8!? Kg8 42.Dg5=.
40...Db2! 41.Kh3
41.Kg5 Tc4.
41...Tc3 42.Tg3
42.Te3 Te3 43.De3 Db4 44.Dg5 Df8
45.Df6 Df6 46.ef6 Le8 47.Tg7 Lg6 48.Tb7
Kg8 49.Te7 e5 50.Te5 Kf7 51.Td5 Kf6=.
42...Tc2 43.Th1?
43.Tg8 Kg8 44.Dg5=.
FIDE SURVEYS – JOVAN PETRONIC
3
 Fries N. : Hoi C.
Esbjerg 1981
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64...f3!–+ 65.Te5
65.Te4 Dd3–+ 66.c8D De4–+.
65...De5
65...Kf6!?–+ …66.Th5 (66.Te4 Dd5!
67.Kg1 Dh5–+) 66...Se3–+ 67.c8D g2
68.Kh2 Sf1! 69.Tf1 (69.Kh3 g1S#!)
69...Df4! 70.Kg1 (70.Kh3 gf1D#
(70...gf1L#) ) 70...De3! 71.Tf2 (71.Kh2
gf1S! 72.Kh3 f2 73.Kg2 Dg3! 74.Kf1 Dg1
75.Ke2 f1D–+) 71...De1! 72.Kh2 Dh1
73.Kg3 g1D 74.Kf4 Dh5–+.
66.c8D Sf4! 67.Dd8 Kg4! 68.Dd7 Df5!
69.Dg7
69.Df5 Kf5 70.d4 f2–+.
69...Dg5 70.Dd7 Df5
70...Kh4!–+.
71.Dg7 Dg5 72.Dd7 Kh4! 73.Dh7 Dh5!
74.Dg7 f2! 75.Dg3!?
Offering the Queen forces a King
checkmate.
75...Kg3#
The King checkmates!
0:1.
34.Dc5!
34.Sc4? Db5.
34...Kg7?
34...Le6 35.Ta8 Kg7 36.Df8 Kf6 37.Dh8
Kg5! 38.De5 Kh6 39.Ta6±.
35.De5! Kh6
35...f6 36.De7+-.
36.Sd5! Db5 37.Df4 Kg7
37...Kh5? 38.Sf6#;
37...g5? 38.Df6 Kh5 39.Df7 Kh6 40.Df8!
Kh5 41.Dg7+-.
38.Kh2?
38.Df6!+-
Kh6
(38...Kg8
39.Ta8
Le8
40.De5+-) 39.Df7+-.
38...Lc6?
38...Td5! 39.ed5 Dd5 offered best practical
chances for Black to survive.
39.Df6! Kh6
39...Kg8 40.Se7+-; 39...Kf8? 40.Dh8#.
40.Th1!
With a double King checkmating threat.
40.Kg3! Db8 41.Sf4+-.
40...Dc5
Preventing
one,
but
not
the
other.
41.Kg3#!
The King checkmates!
1:0.
Bezold M. : Veingold A.
Budapest 1989
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50.Sg4! Kg4 51.Kf2= Kf4 52.Ke2 Ke4
53.Kd2 Kd4 54.Kc2 Kc4 55.Kb1 Kc3
56.Ka1 Lf4 57.Kb1 Le5!
Black's last practical resource wins the
jackpot.
58.Ka1??
58.Kc1=.
58...Kc2# 0:1.
The King checkmates!
Vedder H. : Berkhout S.
Netherlands 1989
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In a materially equal position, weak e5 and
c4-pawns and weaknesses of the black
squares around the Black King make the
defence very difficult.
FIDE SURVEYS – JOVAN PETRONIC
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 Zielinska J. : Rajlich I.
Warsaw 1995
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The endgame resulted with an artistic King
checkmate.
65.g5 Ld2
65...Lg7 66.f6 Lf8 67.g6 Kg8 68.Le2 Lb4
69.g7 Lc5 70.Lc4 Kh7 71.Kf5+-.
66.g6 Kg8 67.f6 Lh6 68.Kf5
68.Le2! Kf8 69.Lc4+-.
68...Lf8 69.Ld1 Lh6 70.Lb3 Kh8 71.Ke6!
Lg7 72.fg7 Kg8
72...Kg7 73.Lc2+-.
73.Kf6# 1:0.
The King checkmates!
Lindenthal A. : Pfefferle G.
Donaueschingen 1985
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29.Lc4! Ka1 30.0–0# 1:0.
The King (move) checkmate!
30.Kd2# The King checkmates was option
2; 30.Ke2# The King checkmates was
option #3; 30.Kf2# The King checkmates
was option #4.
Litzka M. : Stoll F.
Germany 1990
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62...Tg3! 63.Kf2
63.Kh2 Th5#; 63.Kh1 Th5#.
63...Kg4#! 0:1
The King checkmates!
Vlassov N. : Wirig A.
playchess.com 2003
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Internet chess can be a world of fun, and is
also a world of chess mistakes, some of
which we can hope to learn from. Facing
with losing the a5-pawn, Black goes for
the e5 one, which turns out to be
poisonous.
17...Kc6?
17...Kc7±.
18.Sa5! Kd5? 19.Lf4! g5??
19...Ta5 20.ba5+- was the only way to
continue the game. 19...e3 20.f3+- keeps
the King in the cage.
20.0–0–0#! 1:0.
The King (move) checkmate! 20.Rd1#
would have been with less style.
FIDE SURVEYS – JOVAN PETRONIC
5
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