“Choose your lady wisely. She represents you.”Moosa Rahat Emanuel Lasker may have had a reputation for being a perfect gentleman, but in the following game he was anything but!
First he carelessly lost his own Queen right in the opening. Then how Lasker proceeded (inspite of the material loss) to ruthlessly butcher his genteel opponent – Miss Annie Mabel Gooding – can almost be described as indecent. (Tongue in cheek!)
It was the evening of Wednesday February 19, 1908. Cheltenham (England). The 39 year-old World Champion was giving a simul to some 25 amateurs. Lasker was moving a bit quickly, probably wanting to finish early. But moving quicky in a simul carries some dangers…
Dr.Emanuel Lasker – Miss A.M.Gooding
The 1st International Ladies’ Chess Congress was held in London in June/July 1897. You can read all about it HERE.
Post Script
I came across this particular game for the first time in 2017 and instantly fell in love with it! Even though I have always considered myself a life-long student of Lasker, and have played over all of his games, many of them dozens and dozens of times each, I had never paid any attention to his games from simuls (for obvious reasons).
Call it good fortune! I hope you have found the above game as entertaining as I have!
PS: This article was first written in July 2017, but has been updated and I have decided to reproduce it on my blog. A good story is always worth telling again and again…
When Miss Gooding died in 1925, she left her entire estate to charity (approximately 14,000 pounds – a considerable quantity in those days). Her family contested the will in court, but the judge decided in favour of the will. It is remarkable that today, in 2020, the Miss Gooding Fund still operates and helps needy. Cheltenham residents. LINK
