Lasker versus Bauer, Amsterdam, 1889
Lasker sacrifices both bishops to win material and the game.
The chess game between Emanuel Lasker and Johann Bauer, played in Amsterdam in 1889, is famous for Lasker's sacrifice of both bishops to remove the pawn cover around his opponent's king. This sacrificial pattern was later echoed in games such as Nimzowitsch–Tarrasch, St Petersburg 1914; Miles–Browne, Lucerne 1982; and Polgar–Karpov, Seventh Essent 2003. A similar but incorrect sacrifice by John Owen in Burn–Owen, 1884 may have inspired Lasker.
Quick Facts
- White
- Emanuel Lasker
- Black
- Johann Bauer
- Event
- Amsterdam tournament, 1889
- Opening
- Bird's Opening (ECO A03)
- Lasker's final score
- 6/8
- Lasker's finish
- second
- Bauer's final score
- 3½/8
Facts from the source article.
The game
The game began with Bird's Opening. After 13...a6, a fatal error, Lasker executed a double-bishop sacrifice. 15. Bxh7+ Kxh7 16. Qxh5+ Kg8 17. Bxg7 Kxg7. Refusing the second bishop does not save Black. 18. Qg4+ Kh7 19. Rf3 forced Black to give up his queen to avoid mate. 19... e5 20. Rh3+ Qh6 21. Rxh6+ Kxh6 22. Qd7 forked the two bishops, giving Lasker a decisive material advantage. He converted this into the win, and Black resigned after 38. Qxd3.
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