Lasker's king hunt

Edward Lasker vs George Alan Thomas

London, casual game · 1912 · 1-0

Preparing your chess set…

Click or drag to move · Arrow keys + Enter to play

0 / 35 half-moves

Playback speed

Continuous playback · extra time at key moments

Following the game

The story behind the moves

A masterpiece, move by move

One of the most famous king hunts. A queen sacrifice on h7 drags Black's king from g8 all the way to g1, where a quiet king move delivers mate.

Scroll through every key moment at your own pace. Turn on Follow game to return to the current lesson as playback continues.

Themes to watch

king huntqueen sacrificedutch defence

Coming up

11. Qxh7+

Drag the king out of shelter

The idea

Qxh7+ removes the pawn in front of Black’s king and offers the queen on h7. White’s knights and bishop are ready to keep checking once the king leaves g8.

Follow the continuation

After ...Kxh7, 12. Nxf6+ captures the bishop on f6 and uncovers the bishop on d3. The resulting double check begins the king’s journey down the board.

Remember

A queen sacrifice needs more than an exposed king. Make sure your other pieces can deliver forcing checks after it is accepted.

Coming up

12. Nxf6+

Double check begins the hunt

The idea

Nxf6+ moves the knight from e4 to f6, checking h7 and opening the diagonal from the bishop on d3. Black must move the king because both pieces are giving check.

Follow the continuation

The game continues ...Kh6 13. Neg4+ Kg5. White’s second knight joins in, and the black king is driven away from its own defenders.

Remember

Coordinate attacks so that each checking move prepares the next one. Double checks are especially useful for forcing the king into the open.

Coming up

13. Neg4+

Use the second knight

The idea

Neg4+ brings the e5 knight to g4 with check against h6. White is surrounding the king with active pieces instead of trying to recover the sacrificed queen.

Follow the continuation

After ...Kg5, 14. h4+ Kf4 15. g3+ Kf3 continues the hunt. The h- and g-pawns become attacking pieces, taking away squares as they advance.

Remember

A king hunt often needs pawns as well as pieces. Track the squares each pawn controls after its advance.

Coming up

17... Kg1

The king reaches the first rank

The idea

After ...Kg1, Black’s king stands on White’s first rank. The rook on h2 controls the h-file, the bishop on e2 controls f1, and the knight on g4 controls f2 and h2.

Follow the continuation

White plays 18. Kd2#. Moving the king away from e1 opens the first rank for the rook on a1, which now checks the king on g1.

Remember

A discovered attack can come from moving your king. Before the final move, identify the piece currently blocking your rook’s line.

Coming up

18. Kd2#

The king steps aside for the rook

The idea

Kd2# uncovers the rook on a1 along the first rank. The move is a discovered check: White’s king does not attack g1, but its departure opens the rook’s path.

Follow the continuation

The bishop on e2 covers f1, the knight on g4 covers f2 and h2, and the rook on h2 covers g2 and h1. The rook’s check leaves Black no legal escape or interposition.

Remember

The final checking piece may be far from the action. Always inspect the files, ranks and diagonals that a move uncovers.

← Famous games

Lasker's king hunt

Edward Lasker vs George Alan Thomas

London, casual game · 1912 · 1-0

Preparing your chess set…

Click or drag to move · Arrow keys + Enter to play

0 / 35 half-moves

Playback speed

Continuous playback · extra time at key moments

Following the game

The story behind the moves

A masterpiece, move by move

One of the most famous king hunts. A queen sacrifice on h7 drags Black's king from g8 all the way to g1, where a quiet king move delivers mate.

Scroll through every key moment at your own pace. Turn on Follow game to return to the current lesson as playback continues.

Themes to watch

king huntqueen sacrificedutch defence

Coming up

11. Qxh7+

Drag the king out of shelter

The idea

Qxh7+ removes the pawn in front of Black’s king and offers the queen on h7. White’s knights and bishop are ready to keep checking once the king leaves g8.

Follow the continuation

After ...Kxh7, 12. Nxf6+ captures the bishop on f6 and uncovers the bishop on d3. The resulting double check begins the king’s journey down the board.

Remember

A queen sacrifice needs more than an exposed king. Make sure your other pieces can deliver forcing checks after it is accepted.

Coming up

12. Nxf6+

Double check begins the hunt

The idea

Nxf6+ moves the knight from e4 to f6, checking h7 and opening the diagonal from the bishop on d3. Black must move the king because both pieces are giving check.

Follow the continuation

The game continues ...Kh6 13. Neg4+ Kg5. White’s second knight joins in, and the black king is driven away from its own defenders.

Remember

Coordinate attacks so that each checking move prepares the next one. Double checks are especially useful for forcing the king into the open.

Coming up

13. Neg4+

Use the second knight

The idea

Neg4+ brings the e5 knight to g4 with check against h6. White is surrounding the king with active pieces instead of trying to recover the sacrificed queen.

Follow the continuation

After ...Kg5, 14. h4+ Kf4 15. g3+ Kf3 continues the hunt. The h- and g-pawns become attacking pieces, taking away squares as they advance.

Remember

A king hunt often needs pawns as well as pieces. Track the squares each pawn controls after its advance.

Coming up

17... Kg1

The king reaches the first rank

The idea

After ...Kg1, Black’s king stands on White’s first rank. The rook on h2 controls the h-file, the bishop on e2 controls f1, and the knight on g4 controls f2 and h2.

Follow the continuation

White plays 18. Kd2#. Moving the king away from e1 opens the first rank for the rook on a1, which now checks the king on g1.

Remember

A discovered attack can come from moving your king. Before the final move, identify the piece currently blocking your rook’s line.

Coming up

18. Kd2#

The king steps aside for the rook

The idea

Kd2# uncovers the rook on a1 along the first rank. The move is a discovered check: White’s king does not attack g1, but its departure opens the rook’s path.

Follow the continuation

The bishop on e2 covers f1, the knight on g4 covers f2 and h2, and the rook on h2 covers g2 and h1. The rook’s check leaves Black no legal escape or interposition.

Remember

The final checking piece may be far from the action. Always inspect the files, ranks and diagonals that a move uncovers.