WORLD CHAMPION BIOGRAPHY
THE GAME LASKER
CHECKMATE
MJAE
STRATEGY
FEDERATION CHESS AND MATHS
COMPUTER
EINSTEIN
"the failures are not two conflicting
intelligences but two wills" Emanuel Lasker
grew up in a poor family. But his father, even if it occupied a subordinate use to the local synagogue, has always sought to ensure a good education to his two son, Berthold, the eldest, and Emanuel.
Thus, Berthold had he the chance to leave very early in Berlin to continue his studies. There does not have resources sufficient, he earned his living doing (in parallel) activity "sparringpartner", praising its services in a cafe, to those who wanted to play cards or chess.
In turn, Emanuel became fascinated with the noble game after learning the rules, with Berthold at the age of 11. The youngest of the Lasker proved very quickly, too, a predisposition exceptional, both for Chess, for Mathematics.
In March 1888, then aged 19, he joined his elder brother in Berlin. Following the path traced by this brother "exemplary", he enrolled at the same university. In addition to coffee, he began to attend or even to replace his brother, in order to teach chess.
But his father refuses to see his younger brother to follow this bad example. He insisted that Berthold Emanuel place at another school in order to remove the coffee. Luckily, the director of this new school was a good chess player. He urged Emanuel to engage fully in the game and in the studies, especially recognizing his immense talent for mathematics, since the young E. Lasker was able to solve exercises in 2 hours, when his comrades needed 5 hours, however, Emanuel continues to frequent the cafe, because money was missing.
But the practice pays off, and he plays better and better, gaining most of its parts, despite the handicap made a pawn, a knight or a tower.
In 1889, after securing his return to the Faculty of Mathematics, he began playing competitively, and boast the title of Master at the Tournament of Breslau. The playing career at the top level irresistibly attracts, especially since it is aware of his strength, having already won the Masters recognized as K. von Bardeleben, J. Mieses, especially H. Bird in 1890 in London.
But his main interests are many, and this omniscient thinker wants to do everything! He is interested in philosophy, cards, game theory, as in drama. Therefore, his life is like a part simultaneously.
order to move faster, E. Lasker stays in England, where he beat the best local players. It offers a match to S. Tarrasch, renowned for being one of the best players in the world, but it refuses, saying that his challenger has yet to prove his strength!
E. Lasker decided to embark for the United States, where it crosses Route 1 World Champion, W. Steinitz. He travels, he played and won tournaments and games. It provides simultaneous. And most importantly, it prepares to face W. Steinitz, world title at stake in New York. The match ends
May 26, 1894, a victory E. Lasker (+10 -5 = 4), which is sacred and the second official World Champion. The new No. 1 in the world is young (25 years), his style is dazzling.
With a fierce determination and an incomparable foresight, it will retain its crown for 27 years, representing an absolute record! After 8
defenses victorious, E. Lasker finally lost his title in 1921 at the age of 52 years, defeated by the Cuban genius JR Capablanca. But the fallen champion showed exceptional longevity.
He won again some of the biggest tournaments, such as New York in 1924. E. Lasker felt a deep respect for W. Steinitz and his knowledge of the game but it will go much further. While
W. Steinitz had enacted the precepts of modern positional play, systematizing principles, E. Lasker will not only deepen and revitalize this legacy, but handle enrich the theory of new tactical and psychological aspects.
It was the first to explain the true nature and importance of the combination. He also understood first the importance of psychological factors, availing itself of a particular method, based on the destabilization of his psychic adversaire.Ainsi, voluntarily conceding material or positional advantage, or even playing unusual shots and sometimes illogical, he led his rivals to return to chaotic positions, depriving them of all analytical benchmarks. In
register positional play, E. Lasker applied three basic precepts: 1. Playing with a plan, this first principle is valid, he said, both chess and in life (cf. "Lasker's Manual of Chess, 1927). 2. Create weaknesses. 3. Avoid weaknesses. Otherwise, he understood better than W. Steinitz dynamic nature of pawn structure. He completed
culture dogma of limiting the activity of the opponent's pieces, and the idea of "blockade" (long before Nimzovitch A.!). He was less successful in the openings, although some systems are named after him. Also, he often sought to avoid forced variations, compensating for its shortcomings by a deep understanding of middle game and finals. As such, it has never really applied the principle of "rapid development" in the opening, which was yet to figure axiom since the advent of P. Morphy. In contrast, he introduced the concept of sustainable equilibrium position.
Alongside his playing, E. Lasker was a brilliant thinker. He was awarded the title of Doctor in Mathematics and Philosophy, writing many books on Philosophy and Chess, as the famous "Common Sense in Chess" or "Common sense in Chess", published in 1896, which became a bestseller.
He studied game theory, analyzed from a mathematical point of view and philosophy in his book "The Fight". He also wrote an essay on futuristic human relations, entitled 'The Community de l'Avenir "in 1940, a year before his death. But it was his master work "The Philosophy of the Infinite," which marked some of the brightest minds of his time, as the physicist Albert Einstein. Inevitably, these two brains out of joint became friends, to the point A. Einstein pointed E. Lasker as one of the most interesting people he met during his life. Both had a profound sensitivity to the metaphysical doubt, and A. Einstein was impressed by the personality of rare E. Lasker, regretting even as it has not devoted his entire life to science. Physicist admired the independence of mind Champion, going so far as to conclude that the game was for him a comfortable way to earn a living rather than a passion. But A. Einstein did not know the "magic world" of the 64 squares! Also, it is possible to conclude that he had (for once) slightly wrong ...
A party, which took place in 1895, had a particular challenge. It was raced at the famous tournament in St. Petersburg in 1895. E. Lasker to confronted the American champion H.-N. Pillsbury, which, through its exceptional level of play, seemed like a contender for the supreme title. Despite some approximations, this game became famous as one of the most fascinating parts of the story. At the height of the intensity of combat, E. Lasker demonstrates qualities of strategic, tactical and psychological accuracy outsized.
Excerpts from the article Europe-Echecs, March 2003, Darko Anic
