Semi-Slav Meran Variation

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JuicyJ72

If there's any history buffs out there I have a couple of questions about the Meran.  First, the name is said to come from the tournament held in Meran in 1924.  While it was used there it wasn't the first or even first notable occurrence.  But Rubinstein beat Gruenfeld and then Gruenfeld turned around to beat Spielman.  So perhaps the name stuck because it was used at the tournament so effectively and not because it was used there first.

Secondly, in his book Modern Chess Strategy Ed Lasker talks about the 9. e4 variation having first been played at that Meran tournament by Rubinstein.  But I don't see that game in any database.  Was old Ed right?  Does anyone have that game?

JuicyJ72

Let me add the two 1924 games from Meran

JuicyJ72

ChristanSoldier007, Bxd4+ would win back the queen, plus the d4 pawn, and a better structure for black

JuicyJ72

Finally finsihed going through and annotating an early Meran game here http://blog.chess.com/jlueke/ed-lasker-defeats-tartakowers-meran-new-york-1924

JuicyJ72

Estragon,

Right there are no 9.e4 games until 1925.  Ed Lasker was referring to the Rubinstein and Grienfeld game at Meran as being the first to play the dxc4 Bxc4 b5 Bd3 line.  Though there were a couple of scattered games earlier they weren't as succesful.  I initially thought Lasker was talking about the 9.e4 variation but now that I reread it I get that he meant the Meran in general.  What confused me was that he talks about the first occurrence of the variation while he is talking about 9.e4; the fact that he was wrong about the first occurrence and the location of the note confused me!