Ed. Lasker-H.G. Cole match: Cole wins 5th game, takes match 3-0

Mr. Harold G. Cole defeated Herr Edward Lasker in the fifth game of their match at London to claim victory in the contest by the surprisingly one-sided score of three wins to none, with two games drawn.  We call the margin of victory surprising not to disparage in the slightest the skill of the winner, one of the strongest players in London, but merely in view of the fact that Herr Lasker has heretofore seemed to us a rising young Master destined for success on the international scene, and thus a man unlikely to be bested in so convincing a manner by an amateur, even one as talented as Mr. Cole.  Still, we have long known that much latent chess strength resides in those whose professional obligations allow them to devote only their leisure hours to the game, and the man who can summon that strength when needed to defeat an opponent widely reckoned his superior deserves our heartiest congratulations, which we hereby extend to the victor.

The fifth game saw Herr Lasker vary his defense from the first and third contests and adopt the Sicilian Defense against Mr. Cole's opening move of the King's pawn.  Whether the recent widely-publicized loss suffered by the German Master against J.R. Capablanca in the Ruy Lopez caused him to abandon that opening, only he can say.  As the game developed, Herr Lasker soon obtained his best position of the match, and by the 28th move Black enjoyed the advantage of an extra pawn, along with a dominating position on the Queen-side. Alas, establishing this superiority had cost the second player nearly all his allotted time, and his 34...Qf8?, made in haste, allowed Mr. Cole to sacrifice a Knight at the 36th move, with White emerging from the complications a sound pawn to the good.  Herr Lasker may well have been able to offer stronger resistance in the ensuing endgame, though if his disappointment at the unfortunate turn of events colored his further play, it is easily comprehensible under the circumstances. Black resigned the game and the match sometime after the 60th move.

We reproduce the game below.