Torre vs Lasker, 1925

Carlos Torre’s 25.Bf6 starts the windmill. The rook checks on g7, f7, b7, and g7 again, and Lasker’s queen on h5 is collected at the end of the sequence.

White: Carlos Torre
Black: Emanuel Lasker
Event: Moscow
Year: 1925
Result: 1-0

Critical position

After 25... Qxh5. White to move.

Take over as White vs Maia

Step through

25... Qxh5

Annotated score

1. d4 (best) Nf6 (best)
2. Nf3 (excellent) e6 (best)
3. Bg5 (excellent) c5 (excellent)
4. e3 (excellent) cxd4 (excellent)
5. exd4 (best) Be7 (excellent)
6. Nbd2 (excellent) d6 (excellent)
7. c3 (excellent) Nbd7 (excellent)
8. Bd3 (best) b6 (best)
9. Nc4 (excellent) Bb7 (best)
10. Qe2 (best) Qc7 (excellent)
11. O-O (good) O-O (excellent)
12. Rfe1 (best) Rfe8 (best)
13. Rad1 (best) Nf8 (excellent)
14. Bc1 (good) Nd5 (excellent)
15. Ng5 (excellent) b5 (best)
16. Na3 (best) b4 (good)
17. cxb4 (good) Nxb4 (best)
18. Qh5 (good) Bxg5 (good)
19. Bxg5 (excellent) Nxd3 (best)
20. Rxd3 (inaccuracy) Qa5 (inaccuracy)
21. b4 (best) Qf5 (good)
b4: 21.b4 shuts the queen out of a5 before the combination.
22. Rg3 (best) h6 (mistake)
23. Nc4 (inaccuracy) Qd5 (good)
24. Ne3 (inaccuracy) Qb5 (mistake)
25. Bf6 (inaccuracy) Qxh5 (best)
Bf6: 25.Bf6. The bishop cannot be taken, and the queen on h5 is now loose.
26. Rxg7+ (best) Kh8 (blunder)
Kh8: The first check of the windmill. Each discovered check picks something up.
27. Rxf7+ (mistake) Kg8 (mistake)
28. Rg7+ (blunder) Kh8 (blunder)
29. Rxb7+ (inaccuracy) Kg8 (best)
30. Rg7+ (best) Kh8 (good)
31. Rg5+ (good) Kh7 (good)
32. Rxh5 (good) Kg6 (best)
Rxh5: 32.Rxh5 is the payoff. White is a piece up.
33. Rh3 (best) Kxf6 (best)
34. Rxh6+ (best) Kg5 (good)
35. Rh3 (best) Rec8 (best)
36. Rg3+ (good) Kf6 (excellent)
37. Rf3+ (excellent) Kg6 (inaccuracy)
38. a3 (mistake) a5 (good)
39. bxa5 (inaccuracy) Rxa5 (best)
40. Nc4 (inaccuracy) Rd5 (blunder)
41. Rf4 (blunder) Nd7 (blunder)
42. Rxe6+ (mistake) Kg5 (best)
43. g3 (mistake)