hahaha. I've heard that one. Wonder if it is true, and if so, how the rest of the game went (or if Maroczy binded up and passed out right there).
Lasker Anecdote
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Jun 30, 2016
0
#7
Here is a second anecdote from the same excellent book:
A Sorcerer? No, Just a Genius!
Having won his game against Savielly Tartakower in the St. Petersburg International Tournament of 1909, Lasker sat down with his opponent to analyze it.
"Here, my position was better," noted Tartakower.
Lasker, without saying a word, demonstrated several variations to show that Tartakower was wrong.
"Yes, it appears you're right," his opponent had to agree.
Silently, Lasker turned the board around. Now playing Tartakower's pieces, he showed that, with a few moves, the latter could indeed have gained the advantage.
"What is this — Sorcery? exclaimed Tartakower.
"All you need is the head on your shoulders," muttered Lasker.
Turning to the spectators, Tartakower observed, "All you need is HIS head on your shoulders."
Jun 30, 2016
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#8
Nothing like downing a whole bottle of liquor before dinner... lol
Jun 30, 2016
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#9
Jun 30, 2016
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#11
I know the story with 3. Qxf7!! black resigns :-)
(not to have to drink that whole bottle of Cognac - and btw, not sure that THAT was the actual type of drink in the version I heard, or read, certainly over 20 years ago...)
(maybe from Lasker himself?)
Jun 30, 2016
0
#12
The second story is magistral!
Lasker's dry wit, coupled with Tartakover's winning humor and usual self-depracation.
The version I heard was with vodka, and the person who posted it in their own group was booted from this site for some reason (allegedly). I'm curious how a GM would play after downing a bottle of hard liquor. I guess a drinking chess genius like Tal would play better, but with more Queen sacs...
Is there any place(web site) I can buy this kind of chess set?
Better not trying that against Blackburne.
Jul 1, 2016
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#16
Love it... was it Kholmov that was drunk one game and blundered because he thought he was playing the gruenfeld defense, but it was an e4 opening... he said "that's weird I've been playing the gruenfeld my whole life and never had such a bad position after 5 moves"
Jul 1, 2016
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#17
Batgirl, thank you! Very enjoyable, and comments from all your fans especially so. You make my day...
Jul 1, 2016
0
#18
Women may not be the best players in the world (according to Short) but they are the only people on this website that post anything that isn't spam. So thanks for that.
PlayChessPoorly wrote:
Women may not be the best players in the world (according to Short) but they are the only people on this website that post anything that isn't spam. So thanks for that.
You have forgotten about Concita Wurst
A third gender...
In his book "Emanuel Lasker: Second World Champion" Isaak Linder offers several anecdotes. One of them is:
Millionaire's Whim: Once an American millionaire invited two famous chess masters, Emanuel Lasker and Geza Maroczy, as his guests. Before dinner he invited them to play an offhand game for a wager. A surprise move awaited them: all of the pieces were shaped from small glass bottles, each filled with diffferent sorts of alcoholic spirits. The amount in each bottle was determined by the value of each piece— for example, the queen was a sizble bottle of cognac.
Smiling, the merchant said, "I have but one condition: you must drink each piece that you capture!"
Playing White, Lasker introduced an "original novelty" : 1. e4 25 2. Qh5! Nc6 3.Qxf7!!
The queen sacrifce proved to be "correct"— the increasingly tipsy Maroczy was unable to off his usual resistance.