Lasker's Problem

[Batgirl]

This cover is from the 1947 edition. The book was originally published in 1900 with a plain cover. I couldn't determine if the photo was one of Lasker's choosing (Lasker had died in 1941) - I was informed that the photo appears in the New York 1924 tournament book - or if it was one of the publisher's choosing. But either way it's a photograph of Lasker pondering what appears to be a composed problem. I tried searching both problem databases and game databases for the position but with no luck.

Lasker, with the White pieces is down considerable material, but has a forced mate-in-5.

Here is the position with White on the bottom.
Does anyone happen to know the source, if there his one?

[Siegfried Hornecker]

The database of Harold van der Heijden gives only "source unknown", so it seems not to be known (or at least not to him, and he goes through a lot of magazines, newspapers, etc.). [hhdbiv#103]

[Batgirl]

Thanks. Is it possible, do you suppose, since the problem is interesting but not really difficult, that Lasker composed it on the spot just for the photograph?

[Siegfried Hornecker]

That might be possible, who knows. If a photograph was the original source, the remark "source unknown" would indeed apply.

[garykevinware]

From Chess Explorations: A Pot-Pourri from the Journal Chess Notes by Edward Winter:
"Michael McDowell writes that in the book of the 1924 New York tournament, Emanuel Lasker is pictured pondering the position below."



Winter does not give the mate in 5, but instead gives it as a White to play and win. 1 Rg8 Rxg8 2 Rh8 Rxh8 3 g7 Rg8 (or 3...Rf8) 4 h7 and wins.