It is interesting to know that Lasker Emanuel, a German mathematician and philosopher, has been the world chess champion for 26 years and has become widely known thanks to his greatest skill in the game. In addition, he successfully worked in the field of commutative algebra, and his mathematical analysis of card games is still known.
Let's find out more about this interesting person.
early years
The chess player Emanuel Lasker was born in Berlin (Prussia) on December 24, 1868. He was the son of a Jewish cantor. When he was 11 years old, he was sent to Berlin to study mathematics. In between studies, to spend his free time, he often played chess with his older brother.
The brothers were poor, and Lasker decided that he could make some money by participating in tournaments organized at local chess clubs. Kaiserhof cafe was his favorite place, where he soon began to win championships.
In 1889, in Breslau, he took first place in one of the units of the tournament. In the same year he went to Amsterdam, where he won second place. In 1892, he traveled to London to show his skills to the British. And then Lasker emigrated to the United States.
World champion
In 1894, Lasker won the World Chess Championship, defeating the famous player Wilhelm Steinitz. This event shocked the world, since Emmanuel was only 25 years old.
Incredulous observers, not wanting to admit the fact that the young man defeated the greatest player in the world, nevertheless rationally approached their decision. They explained this by the fact that Steinitz was already quite an old man, and in the game he could not show his abilities.
Wilhelm said that before the last round he was tormented by insomnia, and that is why he lost. He demanded revenge from Lasker. But Emmanuel was not going to risk his title so quickly. And only two years later they again met at the chessboard.
In this rematch that took place in 1896, Lasker won again. After some time, he agreed with some observers that the age of his opponent was the main factor in this outcome of the game.
Business and Chess
In 1895, despite the fact that Emanuel Lasker was treated for typhoid, he finished third in the Hastings tournament. Many rivals noted that he is a modest and intelligent gentleman and, unlike many experts, has first-class business qualities.
Lasker really had a concept about business. Since he was the best player in the world, he demanded $ 2,000 from the tournament sponsors for his performances. However, his other business endeavors were unsuccessful. Work in agriculture and breeding pigeons ended in failure.
Due to his demands to receive money for participating in chess tournaments, other players also began to follow his example. Lasker said he did not want to die for the poor, like Steinitz. He even wanted to get copyright for all his games (he did not succeed in doing this, but in the 1960s Bobby Fisher managed to achieve this). The German chess player made a real revolution. Modern players could thank Emanuel for the fact that today they can receive money for their competitions.
Achievements in science and study
Participating in chess tournaments, Lasker Emanuel did not forget about studying. He received a certificate of completion of high school in Landsberg an der Wors (at that time the city was considered part of Prussia). In Göttingen and Heidelberg, he studied mathematics and philosophy.
Lasker served as a lecturer at the University of Tulane, in New Orleans (1893), and at the University of Victoria, in Manchester (1901). In 1902, he received his doctorate from the University of Erlangen for his study of abstract algebraic systems.
Title defense
Lasker Emanuel remained a world chess champion for 26 years. This annoyed other players who claimed that he constantly discouraged participation in rematch games so as not to lose his title. He defended the championship only 6 times.
William Napier once remarked that it is very difficult for a German chess player to persuade him to determine the exact place and time for a game. In 1907, they finally met, and Lasker defeated him.
In 1908, he played with another famous player - Zigbert Tarrash, and, of course, beat him. After the end of the tournament, his opponent stated that he had lost the game, since they were close to the ocean, which had a negative effect on him. Soon, the press mocked Tarrasch and his fabrications.
In 1909, Lasker defeated the Polish chess player David Yanovsky, and in 1910 he defeated Karl Schlechter with a slight margin in points. In 1914, Emperor of Russia Nicholas II organized a chess tournament, with a prize fund of 1000 rubles. Lasker took part in it and spoke out against brilliant players: Jose Capablanca from Cuba, Akib Rubinstein from Poland, Frank Marshall from the USA, Siegbert Tarrash from Germany and Alexander Alekhine from Russia. In the final, Emanuel defeated Capablanca half point and became the champion. Soon at the dinner party, the Russian tsar called Lasker and four other players “grandmasters”. This term was first applied.
Game changes
During Lasker’s life, the game of chess has changed a lot. Players began to think strategically, more books and thematic publications appeared in newspapers and magazines, the number of tricky moves and tricks was constantly increasing. Even the famous Schoenberg noted that when he was young, the player needed to be just talented and sane. And twentieth-century chess players need to remember thousands of variations. One mistake - and you are in a lost position.
Chess is a mathematical game that requires clarity of thought and prudence. World Champion Lasker noted in his book The Art of Chess that one cannot lie and pretend on a chessboard. You need to think creatively and build amazing combinations.
Personal life
In Lasker’s personal life, everything was clear and precise, as in chess. In the early 1900s, his first wife died. And in 1911 he married a second time to Martha Koch, who was 1 year older than him. The woman was rich. In 1931, he announced his retirement from chess and decided to move to Berlin. His retirement was rudely interrupted by the Nazis' rise to power. Since the couple were Jews, during the "anti-Semitic rage" they were forced to leave Germany and live in England for some time. German authorities seized all the property of the family, and the spouses were left without funds.
Then they went to the USSR, where Lasker adopted Soviet citizenship. He taught for a long time at the Moscow Institute of Mathematics. Soon with his wife he went to the USA. Surprisingly, he earned a living from victories in the card game “Bridge”. He even became a true professional. And on January 11, 1941, he died in New York from a kidney infection at Mount Senai Hospital.
Known publications
In 1895, Lasker Emanuel published two of his mathematical articles. After he entered the doctoral program (1900 - 1902), he wrote a dissertation, which was published by the Royal Society. The magazine he founded in 1904 was soon renamed the Lasker Chess Journal.
In 1905, he published an article that is still considered vital for algebra and algebraic geometry. In 1906, he published the book “Fight” about chess competition. His other works were related to philosophy. In 1926, he published his famous edition of the Chess Game Textbook (Lehrbuch des Schachspiels).
We can say that Emanuel Lasker was not only a brilliant chess player who defended the title of champion for 26 years, but also a great mathematician and philosopher, whose work is still very popular. In addition, he was able to introduce some changes to the chess game: for participating in the championships, the winners were able to receive a monetary reward, he was the first to express an opinion on obtaining copyright for his games, and he also came up with a lot of combinations that many chess players still use. Therefore, his name and great works are immortal.