Lasker's Chess Magazine - 8 volumes

Volume 1, 1904-1905 Lasker's Chess Magazine, November 1904 to April 1905
The First of nine half-yearly volumes of Emanuel Lasker's monthly magazine, which ran from November 1904 to January 1909, is the lates in the series of highly collectable fascimile reprints from Moravian Chess. Besides being World Champion, the multifaceted Lasker was also engaged om his noted mathematical and philosophical researches, and editing his own magazine allowed him to keep in touch with the chess world without having to stray too far from his study. He had obviously taken heed of Steinity's mixed experiences more than a decade previously as editor of his own International Chess Magazine and ensured both that the content was highly accessible (each issue carried his beginner's guide, A Course of Instruction in Ye Ancient Game of Chesse), and that the magazine was adequately financed (Professor Rice had a hand in this). Hannak, in his Lasker biography, commented, It didn't just contain the usual collection of games and problems, coupled with a few news items, it went much deeper, revealing more of the meaning and background of chess than any previous chess editor had attepmpted. Indeed, in an early editorial Lasker rails zealously against the contemporary chess periodicals. marriages and deaths style of reporting, complaining that not even a ray of wit or of humour penetrates the sombre pages. Celebrated problemist Sam Loyd contributed a monthly column, and Lasker's own Game Department annotations were penetrating, not just in their analysis of moves played, but also the style and characteristics of different masters. perhaps with a backward glance at his own impecunious youth and struggle for formal education, there is a piece on the 16-year old Capablanca (at this time a precocious New Jersey schoolboy) which ends: The principal of Woodyclif School has advised the youthful player to ferogo chess until his studies are concluded. Of all the recently reprinted vintage magazines, Lasker's is without doubt difficult to match - both in its fresh approach and in terms of quality of the writing. 292pp

Volume 2, 1905 Lasker's Chess Magazine, May 1905 - October 1905
For a World Champion to produce a monthly magazine would today be considered incredible, yet for Lasker it was possible, since for many years at a time he was not involved in tournaments. LCM was quite different to even other contemporary magazines, in that it often devoted much space to chess-related prose as well as the normal output of games (many annotated by Lasker) and problems. Amongst the many news items concerning American clubs and tournaments is a snippet about the famous Hastings and St. Leonards chess club and its tour of seven European cities. 292pp.

Volume 3, 1905-1906 Lasker's Chess Magazine, November 1905 - April 1906
Like Steinitz Lasker conducts his own Game Department, but the style otherwise is very different. Lasker's editorials are far gentler, being far more generous and diplomatic about his opponents. However, he can't resist describing Tarrasch as someone who must always be correct. The Lasker - Tarrasch negotiations we excpect, like Banquo's line, to reach out to the crack of doom. As well as the usual reports, lengthy prose pieces were a regular feature. Two pieces entitled the elephant game explain the rules and strategy of Chinese Chess, whilst an article on women players criticises separate ladies' clubs as perpetuating mediocrity and advocates integrated tournaments between the sexes. 292pp.

Volume 4, 1906 Lasker's Chess Magazine, May 1906 to October 1906
For a World Champion to produce a monthly magazine would today be considered incredible, yet for Lasker it was possible, since for many years at a time he was not involved in tournaments. LCM was quite different to even other contemporary magazines, in that it often devoted much space to chess-related prose as well as the normal output of games (many annotated by Lasker) and problems. Amongst the many news items concerning American clubs and tournaments is a snippet about the famous Hastings and St. Leonards chess club and its tour of seven European cities. 292pp.

Volume 5, 1906-1907 Laker's Chess Magazine, November 1906- April 1907
"The latest stoutly-bound reprint of Lasker's journal contains the usual entertaining pot-pourri of annotated games, chess-related fiction, and reports from around the world. Thus, while Lasker defeats Frank Marshall in a title match, and rails against some organizers who hoard game scores and charge for their publication, at the Shanghai Chess Club the colonial players pride themselves on their enlightened approach: ""We are a very democratic assembly. No race or class distinctions are permitted - hence the ladies hold aloof. Moreover they can't play, so it doesn't matter much."" Another sign of the times is shown in the penchant for invention in this case the less-than-serious illustrated plans for ""The Chess See-Saw"" from January 1907. Moving on from the reasonable theorem that ""Chess clocks are pivoted. Why not pivot the players also? A series of platforms and ropes elevate the players high above the board after each move, thus ensuring that ""the player engaged ion his move is not hindered by the smoking, fidgeting coughing chuckling, snoring or whistling of his opponent."" No doubt FIDE are currently considering a digital version for the new millenium. (Reviewed by BCM)" 

Volume 6, 1907 Lasker's Chess Magazine, May 1907 to October 1907
"Amongst the items of interest are Lasker's in-depth review of his match with Marshall, and an incredible fable of an obsessed German ""chess town"" named Strobeck (pages 6-7), where ""no native of the town is allowed to marry a girl from any of the surrounding villages if she is not a first-class chess player, under penalty of a heavy fine."" (Reviewed by BCM)"

Volume 7, 1907-1908 Lasker's Chess Magazine, November 1907 to April 1908
"Lasker's journal especially shone in its attention devoted to chess-related prose, such as the tale of General Rahl (p.267), the unfortunate English general in the American was of independence who (engrossed in a chess game) ignored the fateful note telling him of George Washington's approach. Elsewhere, we learn of a chess analogy with American football (p.87) and of King Oscar II of Sweden's ""second solution"" to a chess problem on top of his anniversary cake (p.192). He cut it with his cake knife, ""cleaving the black king in twain."". (Reviewed by BCM)"

Volume 8-9, 1908-1909 Lasker's Chess Magazine, May 1908 to January 1909
"Quaintly sub-titled ""a monthly record of chess science and chess doings"", this magazine was a lively and chatty chronicle of chess in the early part of this century. There is in/depth coverage of the great Prague 1908 tournament (won by Duras and Schlechter), with performance assessments of all the competitors. Lasker's peregrination through Europe then moves on to Duesseldorf and his long-awaited showdown with Tarrasch (which, from the fifth game onward, moved to Munich). The magazine does not eschew giving results of the humblest regional and club competitions, making it a tremendous source for the historian.

• Marca Moravian Chess
• Codice 4099
• Pagine 8 books, hardcover