Bayern Munich ended their Gelsenkirchen curse with a 1-0 win at Schalke 04 yesterday, while Werder Bremen kept up the chase with a 2-0 victory at home to Borussia Dortmund.
Miroslav Klose struck in the 14th minute to give Bayern their first Bundesliga win away to Schalke since October 1998 and their first victory at the Arena AufSchalke, the club's home since 2001.
With 22 games played, Bayern lead with 47 points followed by Werder on 43 after two goals from Markus Rosenberg saw them home against Dortmund.
Bayer Leverkusen and Hamburg SV, in third and fourth place with 38 points apiece, are both in action today. Hamburg host Eintracht Frankfurt, while Leverkusen visit VfL Bochum.
Schalke drop to sixth place in the standings with 35 points and little realistic chance of getting back in the title race.
The match between Energie Cottbus and VfB Stuttgart, set for yesterday, was postponed after storm winds of 130 km/h were forecast.
Bayern were outstanding for the first hour against Schalke, regularly carving through the home defence and hardly giving their opponents so much as a sight of goal.
That will be worrying for Schalke coach Mirko Slomka with an eye on Wednesday's Champions League return leg against Porto, when they will defend a 1-0 lead at the Estadio do Dragao, with a place at the quarter-finals at stake.
The goal began with a great piece of work from Bastian Schwein-steiger, who found Franck Ribery running into the penalty area with a clever pass inside.
The French playmaker took the ball on and crossed to the near post, where Klose, arriving late, surprised the Schalke defence to score with what looked to be his hip.
Klose headed against the Schalke bar in the 38th minute and early in the second half Ribery again strolled through the defence only to land a chip over the keeper which went just wide.
Luca Toni brought a sharp save with a header in the 60th minute and, following up, Daniel van Buyten managed to head against the bar from two metres.
Bayern almost had cause to regret their generosity as Schalke missed two good chances to equalise when Marcelo Bordon headed over from a perfect position and Rafinha shot straight at Oliver Kahn from close range.