Lesson
White to move. Main line: 1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 g6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Bg7 6. Be3 d6 7. h3 Nf6 8. g4 O-O 9. g5 Ne8 10. h4 Nc7 11. f4 e5 12. Nde2 d5 13. exd5 Nd4 14. Nxd4 Nxd5 15. Nf5 Nxc3 16. Qxd8 Rxd8 17. Ne7+ Kh8 18. h5 Re8 19. Bc5 gxh5 20. Bc4 exf4 21. Bxf7 Ne4 22. Bxe8 Bxb2 23. Rb1 Bc3+ 24. Kf1 Bg4 25. Bxh5 Bxh5 26. Rxh5 Ng3+ 27. Kg2 Nxh5 28. Rxb7 a5 29. Rb3 Bg7 30. Rh3 Ng3 31. Kf3 Ra6 32. Kxf4 Ne2+ 33. Kf5 Nc3 34. a3 Na4 35. Be3
The opening becomes sharp after White expands with g4, g5 and h4. Lasker accepts structural risks to gain space, while Napier answers in the center with ...e5 and ...d5. By move 16, queens are exchanged but the position is anything but quiet.
The sequence around 20.Bc4, 21.Bxf7 and 22.Bxe8 leaves an unusual balance of pieces. Napier’s knight checks drive the white king, yet Lasker’s rook reaches b7 and then the kingside while his king steps forward to attack the remaining knight.
This is useful calculation training because evaluation cannot be reduced to a single sacrifice. At each phase, ask which pieces have targets and which king is safer. Lasker’s advantage comes from activity and coordination after the tactics settle.