Emanuel Lasker | Three autograph notebooks, including for the St. Petersburg 1914 tournament, 1914 and later

Emanuel Lasker

Three autograph manuscripts

(i) Autograph manuscript relating to the St. Petersburg 1914 chess tournament, entitled "Schachtaktik" ("Chess tactics")

Notebook containing analyses of openings and endgames (“Angriff im Ruy… Endspiel der Riga Variante… Damengambit-Pillsbury… Ruy… Rubinstein Petersburg 1914”) (6 pages) and also notes on general tactical rules (“Allgemeine taktische Regeln…Das Prinzip der Teilung”) (12 pages), with autograph title page (“Schachtaktik / Emanuel Lasker / Aschaffenburgerstr. 6a / Berlin-Wilmersdorf. / Angefangen Petersburg / 25. Apr. 1914”); also containing 38 pages of mathematical studies, including notes on differential forms, reciprocal curves, and other topics, 56 pages in all, plus blanks, 4to (211 x 169 mm), with a loose reproduction of a signed and inscribed photograph of Lasker from June 1940, wrappers, red edges, St Petersburg, 1914 (and later?), first two leaves loose, cracked at hinge, some leaves torn out, browning

(ii) Autograph manuscript of draft notes apparently for lectures on chess in Russia

Notebook containing analyses and commentaries on openings, various positions and problems, with many hand-drawn diagrams illustrating positions, including those in matches played by Wagner, Alekhine, Berger, Capablanca, Grigoriev, Bogoljubov, Spielmann, Verlinsky, Rabinovich, Zubarev, Ballodit, Kmoch, Maroczy, Grau, Fairhurst, Vidmar and others (some diagrams annotated “1927”), 43 pages, plus blanks, 4to (212 x 171 mm), some later pencil notes, including to lower pastedown (“Em. Lasker / Notes for lectures on chess in Russia”), stiff decorated wrappers, gilt lettering to upper cover (“Obshchaya tetrad [Exercise Book]”), no place or date [Russia, 1930s?], browning, cracking at hinge

(iii) Autograph manuscript of notes apparently for lectures on chess in Russia

Notebook containing remarks on and analyses of openings and endgames (“Eröffnungen… Zur Methodik der Analyse von Endspielen… Endspiele… Über die Methode der Analyse vorgehender Stellungen…”), including 158 numbered positional diagrams, 160 pages, 4to (202 x 156mm), later pencil note to lower pastedown (“…MS. for Lectures on Chess in Soviet Russia (?) ca. 1936”), blue card wrappers, no place or date [c. 1936?], vertical crease to upper cover, light wear to covers, small ink stain affecting upper cover and lower edge of first seventeen leaves

A remarkable collection of autograph notebooks, including one dating from the time of the 1914 St Petersburg chess tournament (21 April to 22 May), regarded in some quarters as the greatest single tournament ever staged. Featuring a formidable cast of chess stars, it transfixed Europe, and seemed to offer temporary respite from the headlong rush to world war. It was the wily Lasker who sensationally prevailed, winning by just half a point over the brilliant Cuban José Raúl Capablanca, twenty years his junior.