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Dr Emanuel Lasker in Scotland
1899 and 1902
1899 - Glasgow, Stirling and Edinburgh
The World Champion was engaged by Glasgow Chess Club for two days in January 1899. On Thursday, 5 January he played 25 boards simultaneously, winning 23 games in about three hours. The remaining two games were unfinished, but Lasker agreed to draws in both of them.
The Scotsman of 6 January 1899, p3, elaborated on this point. The first of these games was against W.N. Paton, who had to leave, so Lasker agreed to the draw (but Black had a decisive advantage).
The second game was more involved. Peter B.M. Roberts was two pawns ahead, but was anxious about avoiding a formidable attack. He therefore exchanged queens, overlooking the loss of the exchange. However, the two pawns offered sufficient compensation and Lasker offered the draw, which was accepted.
The following game appeared in the Falkirk Herald chess column of 18 January 1899 (p8), which referred to Lasker's 'amateur' opponent having to leave for the train.
Dr Em. Lasker - W.N. Paton
Glasgow, 5 January 1899 (simultaneous)
Petroff Defence
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Nxe4 4. Bd3 d5 5. Nxe5 Bd6 6. O-O O-O 7. f3 Bxe5 8.
dxe5 Nc5 9. Nc3 c6 10. Ne2 Nbd7 11. f4 Re8 12. Ng3 Nf8 13. b3 Qh4 14. Bb2 Bg4
15. Qd2 Re6 16. Bf5 Rh6 17. Bxg4 Qxh2+ 18. Kf2 Qxg3+ 19. Kxg3 Ne4+ 20. Kf3
Nxd2+ 21. Ke3 Nxf1+ 22. Rxf1 c5 23. Bf3 Rd8 24. Kf2 b5 25. Rd1 d4 26. b4 cxb4
27. Rxd4 Rxd4 28. Bxd4 Ra6 29. Bd5 Ng6 30. Kf3 Ne7 31. Bb3 Nc6 32. Bc5 Ra3 33. Ke4 a5 34. Bd5 Rc3 35. Bd6 a4 36. f5 Rc4+ 37. Bxc4 bxc4 38. g3 b3 39. axb3 axb3 40. cxb3 cxb3 41. Kd3 at this point, Black had to to leave for his train home. Lasker agreed to a draw, though Black has a winning advantage. 1/2-1/2The following day, Friday 6 January, Lasker visited the Scottish Draughts [checkers] championship at Glasgow City Halls, where he took particular interest in the game between Searight and Bonar. (He later invented 'Laska' a variant of Draughts.)
In the evening, he gave another simultaneous display at Glasgow Chess Club, in the Athenauem Gymnasium, this time on 27 boards. Despite many of the strongest players in the city being present, Lasker won all 27 games in just over three hours.
On Saturday, 7 January 1899, he played against 23 opponents at the Station Hotel in Stirling. He won 22 games and lost one to Mr J.R. Henderson of Perth. Afterwards, Lasker and the Stirling Chess Club committee and friends were entertained by Mr J.B. Richardson, President of the Scottish Chess Association.
On Sunday, 8 January 1899, Lasker was a guest of A.B. Law of Helensburgh, President of Glasgow Chess Club.
The following game features a nice win by Sheriff Spens.
Sheriff W.C. Spens - Dr Em. Lasker
Glasgow, 1899 (casual game)
Evans Gambit
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Bc5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O d6 8. cxd4 Bb6 9. Bb2 Na5 10. Nc3 Nxc4 11. Qa4+ c6 12. Qxc4 Nf6 13. e5 Be6 14. Qe2dxe5 15. dxe5 Nd5 16. Rad1 O-O 17. Ne4 Kh8 18. Nfg5 h6 19. Qh5 Bf5? 20. e6! f6
21. Ng3 Bc2 22. Rd2 Nf4 23. Rxd8 Nxh5 24. Rxa8 Rxa8 25. Nf7+ Kh7 26. Nxh5
Bg6 27. Nf4 Bxf7 28. exf7 Rf8 29. Re1 Rxf7 30. Re8 Rd7 31. g3 Rd2 32. Re2 Rxe2 33. Nxe2 Kg6 34. Kg2 Kf5 35. h3 g6 36. f3 c5 37. h4 Bc7 38. g4+ Ke6 39. f4 a6 40. Kf3 b5 41. Ng3 f5 42. h5 fxg4+ 43. Kxg4 gxh5+ 44. Nxh5 a5 45. Ng7+ Kd5
46. f5 Be5 47. Bxe5 Kxe5 48. Ne6 c4 49. Nd8 c3 50. Nc6+ Kf6 51. Nxa5 c2 52. Nb3 b4 53. Kh5! Black resigned.
If Kxf5 54. Nd4+ Ke4 55. Nxc2 Kd3 56. Nxb4+ Kc3 57. Nc2 etc.On Monday 9 January Lasker was a guest of the Edinburgh Chess Club. He played 27 opponents simultaneously at the Clarendon Hotel, winning 24, losing to J. Greeves (Northampton) and D.Y. Mills, and drawing one with C. Meikle.
1902 - Stirling and Glasgow
Lasker spent two days in Scotland prior to sailing to the USA on Saturday 4 for an extended tour.
On Thursday 2 October 1902 he visited Stirling for the second time, giving a lecure on endgames and playing 15 games simultaneously. He scored +14, =1 (George Dickie).
On Friday 3 October he gave his endgame lecture at Glasgow Chess Club, followed by a consultation game against Longwill, Neilson, Crum and Murray, which he won.
Sources
Linlithgowshire Gazette and Lothians Chronicle, 31 December 1898, p. 8
The Scotsman, 7 January 1899, pp. 7 and 9; 9 January 1899, p. 4; 10 January 1899, p. 9.
Evening Telegraph, 10 January 1899, p. 2
Falkirk Herald and Midland Counties Journal, 11 January 1899, p. 8; 4 October 1902, p. 6; 8 October 1902, p. 8;
Alan McGowan
Archivist/Historian, Chess ScotlandUpdated 19/5/2020