Author: Leopold Hoffer (1842-1913)
Year: 1911
Publisher: E A Michell and Frank Hollings
Place: London
Description:
1 sheet+34 pages+[8 ad] pages with diagrams and tables. Small octavo (7 1/2 x 5") bound with old front cover tipped on. The Series of First Class Games Number 3. (Linde - N. 5053. Betts 27 - 29) First edition.
The edition contains the 10 games of the match and 7 previous games of the two players with annotations.
On January 7, 1910 the world championship match began in the Vienna Chess Club with many celebrities present. Georg Marco was the match director, and the seconds were Hugo Faehndrich, Siegmund Pollak and Eduard Stiaßny. Usually, the games began at 5 pm and lasted until 8 pm. After a break of 1 ½ hours, play was resumed until 11 pm and then adjourned if necessary.[10] The time control was 15 moves per hour. On January 8, Lasker took a rest day. After the third game, play was relocated to the Café Marienbrücke for games 4 and 5, with Faehndrich becoming the match director and Pollak and Nikolaus Doery von Jobahaza serving as seconds. Game 4 was played in public with a fee of two Kronen for a day ticket and 10 Kronen for booked seats. According to Lasker, this innovative event was a great success and drew many spectators. The 1st leg of the match ended after the 5th game, which the challenger won after four draws.
After four rest days, the 2nd leg began on January 29 in the Hotel de Rome in Berlin. Lasker was held to draws in games 6 and 7. He reported that about 400 spectators were present during the resumption of game 7, crowded around the masters' board or analyzing on their own boards. Additionally, Semion Alapin commented on the game in a separate room. Lasker was also held to draws in games 8 and 9, and had only one chance left to defend his title, having the white pieces in game 10. The game lasted 3 days and more than 11 hours. Although a draw would have sufficed for a match victory, Schlechter played actively and got a promising position. But while playing for a win instead of a draw, he drifted into a worse position and Lasker finally converted his advantage after an arduous struggle. Lasker called the win in game 5 fortunate and said that Schlechter had wanted to add a second win in the final games of the match. Schlechter remarked that he hadn't wanted to "play for a draw" in the last game. Tournament director Alfred Ehrhardt Post declared the match drawn (+1 -1 =8), and rapturous applause ensued. Both contestants shook hands. Lasker retained his title, but Schlechter hadn't been beaten. (Chessgames dot com)
Condition:
Endpapers renewed. toned inside with some stains else very good.