Capablanca's Best Games 0713480645

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Capablanca's Best Games Harry Golombek With a Memoir by J. du Mont

Algebraic Classics Series Series Editor: Dr John Nunn GM

B. T. Batsford Ltd, London

©Harry Golombek 1947 First published by G. Bell and Sons 1 947 First algebraic edition©B. T. Batsford 1996 Additional material©John Nunn 1 996 ISBN 0 7 1 34 8064 5 British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, by any means, without prior permission of the publisher.

Typeset by John Nunn and printed in Great Britain by Redwood Books, Trowbridge, Wilts for the publishers, B. T. Batsford Ltd,

583 Fulham Road, London SW6 5BY

A BATSFORD CHESS BOOK

Editorial Panel: Mark Dvoretsky, Jon Speelman General Adviser: Raymond Keene OBE Specialist Adviser: Dr John Nunn Commissioning Editor: Graham Burgess

Contents

List of Garnes Introduction by John Nunn Preface by Harry Golombek Memoir by J. du Mont Capablanca's Results

I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Early Years - The Match with Marshall Rapid Development - The Visit to Europe On the way to the World Championship World Champion Victory and Disaster Attempts at Rehabilitation

1929

-

A Rich Year

Prelude to Retirement Triumphant Return The Final Phase

Index of Openings Index of Opponents

4 7 9 11 25 27 43 69 98 127 161 187 222 240 270 287 288

List of Games

I 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Corzo - Capablanca, match (8) Havana 1901

Capablanca - Corzo, match (I I ) Havana 190 I

Fox - Capablanca, New York 1906 Capablanca - Marshall, match (6) Morristown 1909 Capablanca - Marshall, match (8) Wilkes-Barre 1 909 Marshall -Capablanca, match (23) New York 1909 Capablanca-Jaffe, New York 1910 Capablanca - Bernstein, San Sebastian 1 9 1 1 Capablanca-Burn, San Sebastian 191 1 Capablanca -Molina, Buenos Aires 191 1

II

Corzo - Capablanca, Havana 1 913

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34

Capablanca-Alekhine, St Petersburg 1913 Capablanca - Duz-Khotimirsky, St Petersburg 1913 Bernstein - Capablanca, Moscow 1 914 Alekhine -Capablanca, St Petersburg 1 9 14 Capablanca - Bernstein, St Petersburg 1 9 14 Capablanca - Blackburne, St Petersburg 1914 Capablanca- Chajes, New York 1915 Capablanca-Kupchik, New York 1915 Capablanca- Schroeder, New York 1916 Janowski - Capablanca, New York 1916 Capablanca - Marshall, New York 1 9 18 Capablanca-Janowski, New York 1918 Capablanca - Kostic, match

(I) Havana 1919

Capablanca - Scott, Hastings 1919 Em. Lasker - Capablanca, Wch (10) Havana 1921 Capablanca- Em. Lasker, Wch

( I I) Havana 1921

Capablanca - Bogoljubow, London 1 922 Capablanca - Vidmar, London 1922 Capablanca - Tartakower, New York 1924 Capablanca - Yates, New York 1924 Bogoljubow - Capablanca, New York 1924 Maroczy - Capablanca, New York 1924 Capablanca - Em. Lasker, New York 1924

27 29 32 33 36 38 41 43 47 49 51 54 56 58 61 64 67 69 72 74 77 79 83 84 88 90 95 98 102 104 107 111 113 1 17

List of Games 5 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64

65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74

Capablanca- Janowski, New York 1924 Tartakower - Capablanca, New York 1924 Capablanca -Marshall, Moscow 1 925 Capablanca - Zubarev, Moscow 1925 Capablanca - Bogoljubow, Moscow 1925 Gothilf - Capablanca, Moscow 1925 Ed. Lasker -Capablanca, Lake Hopatcong 1926 Nimzowitsch-Capablanca, New York 1927 Alekhine - Capablanca, New York 1927 Capablanca - Vidmar, New York 1927 Capablanca - Spielmann, New York 1 927 Nimzowitsch - Capablanca, New York 1 927 Capablanca- Alekhine,Wch (3) Buenos Aires 1 927 Capablanca-Alekhine, Wch (7) Buenos Aires 1927 Capablanca - Alekhine, Wch (29) Buenos Aires 1927 Capablanca - Tartakower, Bad Kissingen 1928 Capablanca - Mieses, Bad Kissingen 1928 Capablanca-Yates, Bad Kissingen 1928 Bogoljubow -Capablanca, Bad Kissingen 1928 Capablanca -Havasi, Budapest 1928 Merenyi - Capablanca, Budapest 1928 Capablanca -H. Steiner, Budapest 1928 Capablanca - Von Balla, Budapest 1928 Capablanca - Rubinstein, Berlin 1928 Rubinstein - Capablanca, Berlin 1928 Winter - Capablanca, Rarnsgate 1929 Capablanca - Becker, Karlsbad 1 929 Capablanca -Treybal, Karlsbad 1929 Capablanca - Mattison, Karlsbad 1 929 Capablanca - Marshall, Karlsbad 1929 Colle - Capablanca, Karlsbad 1929 Capablanca -Maroczy, Karlsbad 1929 Capablanca - Brinckmann, Budapest 1929 Havasi -Capablanca, Budapest 1 929 Capablanca -Colle, Barcelona 1929 Monticelli - Capablanca, Barcelona 1929 Ribera -Capablanca, Barcelona 1 929 Capablanca - Torres, Barcelona 1929 Capablanca-Yates, Barcelona 1929 Capablanca - Tylor, Hastings 1930/1

122 124 128 131 133 136 138 140 143 145 147 150 153 155 158 161 164 166 168 172 174 177 179 181 184 187 191 192 195 197 200 203 205 208 210 212 215 217 219 222

6 List of Games

75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

Miss Menchik -Capablanca, Hastings 1 930/1 Kevitz - Capablanca, New York 1931 Marshall -Capablanca, New York 1931 Euwe - Capablanca, Amsterdam 1931 Capablanca -Euwe, Amsterdam 1931 Capablanca -H. Steiner, Los Angeles 1933 Alatortsev -Capablanca, Moscow 1935 Capablanca-Ragozin, Moscow 1935 Capablanca - Kan, Moscow 1935 Capablanca -Miss Menchik, Moscow 1935 Capablanca - Levenfish, Moscow 1935 Capablanca -Mieses, Margate 1935 Capablanca - Sir G . Thomas, Margate 1935 Capablanca - Milner-Barry, Margate 1936 Capablanca - Lilienthal, Moscow 1936 Capablanca -Eliskases, Moscow 1936 Allies - Capablanca, Leningrad 1936 Capablanca -Alexander, Nottingham 1936 Ragozin -Capablanca, Semmering-Baden 1937 Capablanca -Rossolimo, Paris 1938 Capablanca - Znosko-Borovsky, Paris 1938 Capablanca - Flohr, AV RO 1938 Capablanca - Golombek, Margate 1939 Capablanca - Mikenas, Buenos Aires 1939 Capablanca -Vassaux, Buenos Aires 1939 Capablanca - Czerniak, Buenos Aires 1939

224 227 229 232 236 238 240 243 245 248 250 252 254 256 258 261 265 267 270 273 274 276 278 280 282 284

Introd uction by John Nunn

The original edition of this book was

to learn chess strategy. His natural

one of the first chess books I ever

talent created games of deceptive

read, and was certainly the first game

simplicity. Under the surface he may

collection I ever studied. It was pure

well have been calculating hard to

coincidence that Golombek's book

work out exactly how to restrain his

came to my attention so early. When

opponent's potential counterplay,

I was about seven years old, my fa­

but this is not obvious when playing

ther worked for what was then the

over the games - instead one has the

London County Council. Their head­

impression of strategic plans effort­

quarters, at County Hall on the South

lessly consummated. This strong sty­

Bank of the Thames, included a size­

listic feature makes Capablanca a

able staff library. One day my father

particularly good subject for Golom­

took me to the library and I looked

bek 's style of annotation, which es­

through the chess books to find one I

chews detailed analysis. Intricate

would like to borrow. There were

variations would only obscure the

quite a few chess books in the li­

overriding principles, and while it is

brary, but I was attracted by the idea

hard to emulate Capablanca's style

of playing over the games of a World

without the gift of immense natural

Champion. After the first few games

talent, there is a lot to be learnt from

I was captivated and during the fol­

his games.

lowing weeks I played over all 100

While I was working on this book,

games and carefully studied Golom­

I was struck more and more force­

bek's notes.

fully by the parallel between Capa­

I was perhaps rather fortunate in

blanca's style and that of Karpov.

my choice. Had I chosen Alekhine's

The list of strengths is remarkably

collection instead, I would have been

similar: the rare ability to beat very

daunted by the complexity of the

strong opponents from equal, sim­

games and Alekhine's notes. How­

plified positions, excellent end­

ever, Golombek did not go into great

game technique and mastery of the

analytical detail, but concentrated on

art of constructive liquidation. Per­

the general principles governing the

haps the main difference between

play. This was my first encounter

them is that Karpov's style contains

with chess strategy and the concept

an underlying aggression which was

of forming a long-term plan.

lacking in Capablanca. The Cuban

There was certainly no better

was often accused of being lazy;

player than Capablanca from whom

having now played over a large

8 Introduction by John Nunn

number of his games in order to gain

and the strategic overview. The dis­

some perspect ive for my work on . this book, I have concluded that

cerning reader will recognise that at times he over-simplifies but, as I dis­

there is a modest element of truth in

covered myself, a book such as this

this accusation. Against relatively

can often serve its educational pur­

weak players Capablanca would

pose better if the intricate details are

sometimes play tactically, perhaps

hidden from view. Perhaps Golom­

confident that he could win in any

bek's main flaw is his extreme dog­

case; against strong players not at

matism on the subject of openings,

the very top he would rely on his

but fortunately this only affects a few

astonishing positional intuition and

games.

excellent technique. But to succeed

While I was working on this book

at the very top, it is necessary to de­

I discovered a number of analytical

feat players of almost one's own cal­

flaws, some of which had already

ibre, and this is where Capablanca

been spotted by earlier analysts. If

was lacking. Skill in simplified posi­

the flaw was minor, then I simply

tions is all very well, but against

corrected the analysis without com­

first-rank opposition the strategy of

ment. However, major flaws and

simply waiting for a mistake will not

omissions are indicated by the pres­

work. Mistakes have to be induced

ence of footnotes. The fact that there

by stimulating complications or stra­

are quite a few of these should not

tegically unbalanced situations. Ca­

be interpreted as an implicit criti­

pablanca rarely attempted this, and

cism of Golombek. Annotating other

he was not helped b y a limited and

players' games is one of the hardest

predictable opening repertoire.

tasks in chess, especially if the sub­

Having said this, Capablanca was World Champion for six years and

ject is a stronger player than the an­ notator.

an extremely successful tournament

I hope readers will enjoy this new

player. Nobody has ever excelled

algebraic, corrected edition of a clas­

his handling of the endgame. There

sic book and learn as much as I did

is no question that he was one of the

myself all those years ago.

greats of chess history, and time

Finally, I would like to thank Ed­

spent studying his games will not be

ward Winter, who corrected many

wasted.

historical errors in the original book,

As regards Golombek's annota­

and two diligent proof-readers: Gra­

tions, his great strength was in the

ham Burgess, the Batsford chess edi­

general descriptions of the games

tor, and my wife Petra.

Preface by Harry Golombek

The games of Capablanca are per­

games. Possibly this was because he

vaded by a general feeling quite dif­

assumed immediate comprehension

ferent from those of other great

on the part of the reader of moves

players. They breathe a serenity, a lu­

that really demanded considerable

cid crystal clarity, a type of model

explanation.

perfection present in no other master.

Then, too, he has suffered a great

splendidior vitro quality of Ca­

deal at the hands of his rivals. Too

pablanca's style has led some critics

many of these (Tartakower being a

to assume falsely that he erred on the

notable and happy exception) have

side of over-safety and that in his

allowed jealous prejudice to blind

preference for the simple line rather

them to the greatness of his games

than the richly complicated he was

and have consequently joined in cre­

inclined to concede too many draws.

ating a myth concerning the aridity

Nothing could be further from the

and dullness of his style. Those who

truth. This simplicity of perfection

read the German edition of the New

was the product of supreme art. Play­

York tournament book of 1927 will

ing through a Capablanca game and

find it an excellent illustration of the

fully understanding it after close

systematic depreciation employed

study constitutes a liberal education

by one of the world's greatest anno­

in the art of chess.

tators. To explain away the hard fact

This

For this reason I have found it

that Capablanca won the tournament

necessary to annotate the games as

several points ahead of all the lead­

exhaustively as was within my pow­

ing players in the world every oppor­

ers. With Capablanca every move is

tunity is taken. and some occasions

significant and his games will re­

that did not previously exist are cre­

ward the closest study thanks to the

ated, to show how weakly and with

freshness and clear beauty of the

what strange regularity all Capa­

conceptions they contain. I believe

blanca's opponents played below

their essential greatness has been

their true form against him. Only

somewhat obscured in popular esti­

grudging admissions are given, and

mation from several causes. Firstly,

these rarely, of Capablanca's great

and though it may seem something

play. This injustice was never re­

lese-majeste to say it, yet this is

paired since Capablanca never trou­

like

my sincere belief and I must out with

bled to reply.

it, Capablanca was strangely poor at

Well, here are the games and the

explaining and annotating his own

reader can judge for himself. But

JO Preface by Harry Golombek

when the reader has played through

antipathy at the Buenos Aires Olym­

the games I would ask him to con­

piad of 1939. I was standing in one

sider this question: has any other

of the corridors of the Teatro Poli­

player the chess world has yet seen

teama, where the congress was held,

produced such a mass of games im­

when Alekhine came in, and I

pregnated by that inner logical har­

walked down the corridor with him,

mony that to my mind constitutes the

discussing a game he had played the

essential quality of a great game of

previous day. Suddenly Capablanca

chess? Rubinstein, alone, I believe,

emerged from a side door in the thea­

would have rivalled Capablanca, had

tre and came up towards us in the

it not been for a regrettable tendency

somewhat narrow corridor which

to lapse into grotesque blunders,

would only just take three abreast. It

thereby marring the perfection of

was extraordinary and indeed comic

many a wonderful game.

to observe how they passed each

It is this harmonious perfection that makes him such a model for

other by with a supreme oblivious­ ness as to each other's presence.

the young and aspiring player. The

Now that they are both dead one

stormy and attractive genius of Alek­

can only regret the petty nature of the

hine, on the other hand, is full of pit­

quarrel that prevented a return match

falls for its imitators. The mention of

for the championship and so prob­

Alekhine's name brings me to one of

ably deprived the world of some

the great controversies of the chess

great games.

world of the present century. Every­

Into the details of Capablanca's

body is fully aware of the quarrel and

life it is unnecessary for me to enter,

even enmity that existed between

since this has already been done so

these two great masters and it is by

capably by Mr du Mont in his biog­

now generally realised that faults ex­ isted on both sides, though at one

raphy, which follows.

time the chess world was sharply di­

my deep indebtedness to my friend

vided into supporters of either camp.

F. W. Allen, who not only submitted

I became acquainted with both

himself to the tedium of checking

champions towards the end of their

through the proofs but also proffered

careers and found them equally

several valuable suggestions and

charming, friendly and most agree­

corrections to the notes, and my

able and sparkling conversational­

grateful thanks are also due to W.

ists. But if you once mentioned the

Ritson Morry who was so kind as to

name of their hated rival (it was not

furnish me with the sources of some

done more than once) then a con­

games I had been unable to trace.

I would like to acknowledge here

strained and freezing atmosphere was immediately noticeable. T here

H. Golombek

was an amusing illustration of this

December 1946

Memoir of Capablanca By J. du Mont

A man's importance in the scheme of

to his readers in the presentation of

things is entirely relative. People go

the man. You may as well disparage

through life both cheerfully and suc­

Beethoven's immortal works be­

cessfully without giving astronomy

cause his landladies complained of

a thought. To them the most famous

his being untidy.

astronomer is but a name should they

Capablanca has frequently been

happen to have heard of him. To his

compared with Morphy, and with

fellow astronomers he is of para­

good reason. Both were of Latin de­

mount interest and importance.

scent, they learned to play good

Capablanca, a star of the first

chess as small children, and became

magnitude in the chess firmament,

masters at the age of twelve. They

was, however, more than a name to

beat every contemporary American

the general public. It is not easy to

player at the age of twenty, following

adduce a tangible reason for this re­

this up immediately by a visit to

markable fact; perhaps it is the un­

Europe, where they beat the fore­

erring instinct of the people, which

most European masters with con­

seldom fails to single out the man

summate ease.

who makes history.

Here the parallel ends; Morphy

Be that as it may, Capablanca has

retired, unbeaten, at the age of just

done more than anyone to spread the

twenty-two, but Capablanca who,

gospel of chess by the glamour of his

had he likewise retired, would also

personality and the brilliance of his

have perpetuated the nimbus of in­

achievement, and he has the great

vincibility, went on from success to

merit of having raised the status of

success, winning the World Champi­

the chess player by the dignity and

onship, until he met Alekhine, to

graciousness of his dealings with his

whom he lost a long-drawn-out

fellow men.

match by 6 losses, 3 wins and 25

He may have had his faults, but

draws. He was then thirty-nine.

they were at the worst some of the

This unexpected reverse played

minor weaknesses from which gen­

havoc with Capablanca's self-con­

ius is hardly ever free. However, they

fidence, and there is no doubt that

had nothing to do with his art, and

his failure to secure a return match

the biographer who gives these more

preyed on his mind and affected his

than a passing note does a disservice

playing strength. At any rate, he was

12

Memoir of Capablanca

no longer the odds-on candidate for

November 1 9th, 1888. He was in his

first prize when playing in a strong

fourth year when he first showed

tournament. Nevertheless, with one

signs of his exceptional talent for

exception, he invariably came out

chess, and the following incident is

high up in the lists of the tourna­

perfectly authentic. One day the child

ments in which he took part and

happened to watch his father play a

twice scored a success comparable

game of chess with a friend. The

with his first appearance at San Se­

pieces attracted him, and he watched

bastian, in 1 9 1 1 , namely the great

the players again on the next day. On

tournaments of Moscow and Not­

the third day he noticed that his fa­

tingham in 1 936. His only com­

ther moved a knight from a white

parative failure was in the 1938

square to another white square. At

AV RO Grandmasters' Tournament.

the end of the game the child laughed

He was then exactly fifty years old

at his father and said he had won by

and suffering from high blood pres­

cheating. His father remonstrated

sure, which may have contributed to

with him, saying that he did not even

his fatal stroke a few years later.

know the moves, whereupon Jose

The comparative strength of the

Raul said he could beat his father

great chess players is practically im­

and forthwith vindicated his asser­

possible to assess, for their powers

tion by beating him twice. Thus,

are no static entity. It seldom hap­

without ever having been shown the

pens that both the players taking part

moves, the boy genius won his first

in a match are on the ascendant. The

two games of chess. During the next

reigning champion in particular is

few years, on medical advice, the

not over-anxious to play a really

child was allowed to play chess on

dangerous rival until forced to do

rare occasions only.

so by circumstances; a human fail­

After his eighth birthday young

ing, deplorable perhaps, but not re­

Raul was taken to the Havana Chess

stricted to chess. Who knows what

Club and thus was launched on his

would have happened had Lasker

chess career.

played Tarrasch in 1898, if Lasker

The Havana Chess Club has long

had played Capablanca in 1914 or

enjoyed the reputation of being one

Capablanca had met Alekhine in

of the most enthusiastic and enter­

1925?

prising clubs in the world. In its fine

The true criterion of a chess mas­

and spacious premises, many impor­

ter, as it is also in other walks of life,

tant matches have taken place, such

is whether his work will endure through generations. There is little

as, for instance, Steinitz-Chigorin and Chigorin-Gunsberg. Many lead­

doubt that Capablanca will prove

ing players have been the guests of

one of the immortals.

the Club-Morphy: Captain Macken­

Jose Raul Capablanca y Graupera

zie, Blackburne, Pillsbury and many

was born in the city of Havana on

others. The membership has always

Memoir of Capablanca

13

marks in scientific subjects and as

been numerous, with a high percent­ age of strong players.

much as 99 per cent in algebra. After

The youthful genius thrived in

two years devoted to his studies at

this atmosphere, and three months

the university and, incidentally, a

after joining the club he was pro­

great deal of sport, he left the univer­

moted to the first class and held his

sity and gave most of his time to

own easily with the strongest players

chess.

in the club, with the exception of

In that year, 1909, he went on a

Vazquez and Corzo. His progress was so rapid and his success so sus­

tour of the United States for the first time and broke all records both by

tained that it was decided to arrange

the results and the speed of his si­

a match for the championship of the

multaneous play. He played 184

club between the boy, now aged

games in ten consecutive seances,

twelve, and the holder, Juan Corzo.

conceding only two draws, before

Corzo won the first two games, and it

losing one game out of twenty-two at

seemed as if the youngster was being

Minneapolis. As to speed, he could

tried too high. But young Raul, with

at that time always be relied upon to

a steadiness worthy of an experi­

complete thirty games in under two

enced master, was not to be denied

hours. Altogether his score during

and ran out the winner by 7-6.

this his first tour was 5 7 1 wins, 18

After this remarkable success, the

draws and only 13 losses.

boy was kept away from chess as

Then came his first real test, his

much as possible so that he could

match with Frank Marshall, the un­

devote himself to his studies, with

disputed leader of American chess

special attention to the English lan­

since the death of Pillsbury. With a

guage, in preparation for his forth­

long list of European successes to his

coming entrance examination to the

credit and his sensational triumph at

University of Columbia.

Cambridge Springs in 1904, no one

In this connection he visited the

thought that Marshall had anything

Manhattan Chess Club for the first

to fear from his youthful and inexpe­

time in 1904, and in subsequent vis­

rienced opponent. As Capablanca

its he showed such good form that, a

said himself, he had never studied a

year later, he was considered second

book on the openings, and the result

to none in this famous club. He was

of the match - a win for Capablanca

easily the best at lightning chess, and

by 8-1 and 14 draws - was amazing

in 1906, during a visit by Dr Lasker,

and none was more surprised than

he won a rapid transit tournament,

Marshall himself.

beating the World Champion in their individual game.

Shortly after the match Capa­ blanca returned home to Cuba after

In the same year he entered the

an absence of five years, during

University of Columbia. In the en­

which he had almost forgotten his

trance examination he gained high

mother tongue.

14

Memoir of Capablanca

On his return to the USA, Capa­

every contestant had to show that

blanca undertook his second tour.

he had won at least two third prizes

This was of a very exacting nature,

in very strong master tournaments.

as a result of which he found that his

This resulted in an exceptionally

physical condition made it impera­

strong entry, the participants being

tive to postpone his first visit to

Rubinstein, Vidmar, Marshall, Bern­

Europe, where he had accepted an

stein, Maroczy, Schlechter, Tarrasch,

invitation to take part in the interna­

Spielmann, Teichmann, Janowski,

tional tournament at Hamburg in

Nimzowitsch, Burn, Leonhardt and

1910. This gave rise to many acid

Duras - the most powerful contin­

comments. some European experts

gent of masters ever known in one

suggesting that fear of the strong op­

contest up to that time. In view of his

position was the real reason for the

sensational victory over Marshall, an

defection.

exception was made for young Ca­

The following year he undertook

pablanca, who had not yet played in

yet another very exacting tour of the

any masters' tournament, let alone

USA. This was followed by his par­

won two third prizes. There was

ticipation in a tournament in New

much shaking of heads, especially in

York which he thought would be

view of his partial failure in a sec­

good practice for the forthcoming

ond-rate tournament shortly before,

tournament at San Sebastian. The

and several of the masters taking part

only opponent of real calibre was

in the San Sebastian fixture objected

Marshall, but, evidently as a conse­

strongly to the newcomer's entry be­

quence of his strenuous exertions

ing accepted. The most vocal were

when on tour, Capablanca started the

Bernstein and Nimzowitsch, and it

tournament very badly and at the

was poetic justice that Capablanca

half-way stage he stood fifth in the

should beat Bernstein in the first

list. He then found his form and, by

round in a sensational 'brilliancy'

winning six consecutive games, he

and that he should also account for

finished second to Marshall.

Nimzowitsch in decisive fashion. In

Shortly afterwards he was on the

the end he lost only one game,

high seas, making for Europe, hop­

against Rubinstein, won six and

ing to emulate the feat of his great

drew seven. The scores of the leaders

predecessors, Morphy and Pillsbury,

were: Capablanca 9112, Rubinstein

by holding his own, at the first time

and Vidmar 9, Marshall 8112.

of asking, with the best that Europe could muster.

No-one expected the novice to win this tournament, in which, with

The San Sebastian Tournament

the sole exception of Dr Lasker, all

of 19 1 1 was the first contest which

the leading players of the world took

could be rightly called a grandmas­

part, and it is safe to say that there

ters' tournament as we know it today.

has never been a greater sensation in

A novel condition of entry was that

the history of the game. As a result

Memoir of Capablanca

15

there was a tremendous demand for Capablanca's services from clubs

second place, half a point behind the

throughout Europe, but, as he had

his next tournament, in New York,

accepted a two months' engagement

Capablanca won all thirteen games

in the Argentine, he took only a short

and although, of the participants,

trip through Germany on this occa­

only Duras could be said to be of his

sion. His visit to the Argentine was

own class, it was nevertheless an un­

very successful; playing only the

usual feat.

winner, was accounted a failure. In

very best opponents single-handed,

During this year, 1 9 1 3 , Capa­

or in consultation, he won every

blanca entered the Cuban Foreign

game but one, a consultation game

Office. This carried a substantial sal­

(versus Illa and Gelly), which was

ary and involved a good deal of trav­

drawn.

elling, which enabled him to meet

Taking in a number of South

the strongest players of most coun­

American cities on his way back, he

tries. This appointment is generally

returned to Europe, where a trium­

thought to have been a sinecure. This

phant tour took him through Hol­ land, Denmark, Germany, France

was not so, and, although the Cuban Government were fully aware of

Austria-Hungary and England. Ca­

the magnificent advertisement they

pablanca made excellent results in

were given by the sensational activi­

his simultaneous play, even though

ties of their compatriot in the chess

every club he visited took a pride in

world, he took his duties, such as

putting up their strongest possible

they were, seriously and certainly in

team. Quite unusual too were the

correct diplomatic style never dis­

fees demanded and which clubs paid

cussed them with anyone.

willingly for such an outstanding ex­

His first mission took him to St

perience as a visit from Capablanca.

Petersburg. On his way he gave si­

There is no doubt that professional

multaneous exhibitions in London,

chess benefited from this.

Paris, Berlin, Frankfurt, Warsaw and

After he left Europe in November

Lodz. During a short stay in the last­

1 9 1 1 , nothing of any great import­

named city, four exhibition games

ance occurred for some time; during

were arranged, two against Mieses

1912 his activity was limited to some

and two against Teichmann. He won

tours in Cuba and the USA.

all four games. Soon after his arrival

In a double-round tournament in

in St Petersburg a similar series of

Havana in 1 9 1 3 , Capablanca lost

six games was arranged, two each

two games, to Janowski and Mar­

against Alekhine, Znosko-Borovsky

shall, in consequence of which he

and Duz-Khotimirsky. One of these

finished second, half a point behind

he lost to Znosko-Borovsky, the five

Marshall. Such was the exaggerated

others he won.

view the chess public took of the

The following year again brought

popular hero that for him to take the

much travelling and visits to Vienna

16

Memoir of Capablanca

and Paris. In addition to simultane­

and that Capablanca was the only re­

ous play, there were many serious

alistic challenger for the world title.

games against masters such as Dr

There were indeed several attempts

Bernstein and Tartakower.

to bring these two great players to­

Capablanca's next great test was

gether, but the war of 1914 inter­

the tournament at St Petersburg in

vened and it was not until Jong

1914, where for the first time he met

afterwards that the match actually

the holder of the World Champion­

took place.

ship, Dr Lasker, in a tournament. In

Shortly before the start of war,

point of strength, the entries to this

Capablanca left St Petersburg for

great tournament were on a par with

Buenos Aires, where he had an en­

San Sebastian, 1911, but an unusual

gagement. His visit was longer than

arrangement was that the first five

anticipated. All the steamers carried

players were to decide the destina­

the British flag and many suffered

tion of the prizes in a final double­

heavy damage from German raiders.

round group. Even more unusual

Here his diplomatic status again

was the fact that the scores in the pre­

helped him, as he was allowed to

liminary tournament were taken over

board one of the Argentine trans­

into the second. Capablanca won

ports sailing for Philadelphia, where

through his first stage, scoring 8

he landed at the beginning of 1915.

points without loss, a point and a half

The war years very naturally made

ahead of his great rivals, Dr Lasker

major chess fixtures impossible, and

and Dr Tarrasch. Next came Alek­

all there is to report during that time

hine and Marshall with six points

is the winning of two minor tourna­

each. It seemed a foregone conclu­

ments, a visit to Havana, and the in­

sion that Capablanca, with this sub­

evitable tour for simultaneous play.

stantial start, should come out first,

In the autumn of 1918 a double­

but Dr Lasker, in one of those bursts

round tournament at New York

of superhuman energy for which he

brought a number of masters to­

was famous, actually managed to

gether, the result being Capablanca

score two more points than his rival

101'2, Kostic 9, Marshall 7, Chajes 6,

and in the end was first with 131'2 to

Janowski 4, Black 31/>, Morrison 2.

Capablanca's 13. After an interval

Both the leaders won through the

of 3 points came Alekhine, the first

tournament without Joss, Kostic draw­

great achievement of the future

ing both his games against Capa­

world champion. Dr Tarrasch scored

blanca. Thereupon Kostic issued a

81'2 and Marshall 8. If the result of

challenge to Capablanca which was

this tournament gave no real indica­

accepted, and a match duly took

tion of the relative strength of Dr

place in the fine surroundings of the

Lasker and Capablanca at that time,

Union Club of Havana. Kostic re­

it at least made it very clear that the

signed the match after losing five

two were in a class by themselves

games off the reel.

Memoir of Capablanca

17

plains the feeling of hopelessness

The long-awaited match with Dr Lasker for the world championship

which befell the loser and justified

finally took place in 192 1 . The venue

his resignation. He played well ac­

was Havana, and Capablanca proved

cording to principles recognised at

the winner by four wins, ten draws

the time, and this match perhaps

and no losses. Much has been said

more than any previous achievement

and written about this result. Dr

of Capablanca's revealed the fact

Lasker certainly did not appear as

that his genius had found something

the Titan of former days; on the other

deeper and quite individual which

hand, he could have met his younger

formed the basis of his play. These

opponent at an earlier date, when

games were at the time quite beyond

possibly the result might have been

the understanding of the average stu­

different or at any rate the contest

dent of the game and left him with a

more even. Anno Domini is a hard

sense of wonderment.

taskmaster, and possibly the four

A study of these five games ex­

Capablanca's style of play never

war years, in which Dr Lasker practi­

formed the basis of a method, nor

cally lost his all, reacted on his stam­

were the principles underlying it

ina and playing strength.

ever analysed and proclaimed as

Capablanca had now reached the

something new. But there is no doubt

pinnacle of fame, and the first tour­

that it gave the younger masters food

nament in which he took part after

for thought and initiated a general

winning the championship, the Lon­

overhaul of the guiding ideas in

don tournament of 1922, was won

chess. I feel certain that from this

by him with consummate ease. He

sprang the whole idea of modern

scored thirteen out of fifteen, allow­

play which was later rather blatantly

ing his competitors only four draws.

styled 'hypermodern'.

Alekhine was second with 11112. He

At the end of the First World War

also went through the tournament

the famous Hastings Club arranged

without loss, but scored seven draws.

a tournament in celebration of the

Yet it was noticeable in the new

Allied victory. The twelve partici­

champion's play that something was

pants were of uneven strength and it

lacking. One missed his indomitable

is no wonder that Capablanca scored

I 0112, winning all his games except a

will to win. He won by sheer skill and not by the exercise of his normal

draw with Kostic, who was second

combativeness.

with 9112 points. The third and fourth

This was accentuated in the next

prizes were shared by Sir George

two big tournaments in which he

Thomas and Yates with 7 points.

took part, New York 1924, and Mos­

This overwhelming victory, coming

cow 1925. In New York he made a re­

after the hiatus of the war years, re­

ally bad start with four draws of a

awakened public interest in chess

lackadaisical nature and one bad loss

and in Capablanca in particular.

against Reti before he pulled himself

18

Memoir of Capablanca

together and played more like a Champion. He went through this ar­ duous double-round event without further loss and but five more draws. However, in the meantime Dr Lasker had forged ahead in the style of his best days, and although Capablanca scored one win and one draw against Lasker in their individual encoun­ ters, he could not atone for his bad start and the tournament resulted in a win for the grand old man with 16 points, l'h points ahead of Capa­ blanca. Next came Alekhine with 12 and Marshall with 1 1 . In Moscow he fared even worse at the start, losing two games to com­ paratively unknown players, Ilyin­ Zhenevsky and Verlinsky, who came out equal ninth and equal twelfth re­ spectively. In the end the tournament was won by Bogoljubow, who thus scored in his homeland the greatest triumph of his career. His score was 151/z, Lasker was second with 14, followed closely by Capablanca with 1 31/z. Capablanca beat the win­ ner and drew with the runner-up, but again could not make good his fail­ ure in the early rounds. At Lake Hopatcong, in 1926, Ca­ pablanca took part in a double-round tournament in which Maroczy and Marshall took part as well as Edward Lasker and Kupchik. He won easily with four wins, four draws and no loss. Kupchik surprisingly won the second prize with 5 points, losing only one game against the winner. At this time a number of chal­ lenges were put forward for a world championship match, especially by

Nimzowitsch and Alekhine, who both had scored important successes since the end of the First World War. A tournament was arranged in New York, the participants being Capa­ blanca, Alekhine, Nimzowitsch, Vid­ mar, Spielmann and Marshall. This was a quadruple-round affair, and in this tremendous trial of strength, Ca­ pablanca once more deployed the whole of his amazing powers and won with 14 points and not a single loss (eight wins and twelve draws) 21/z points ahead of Alekhine who scored 1 11/z (five wins, thirteen draws and two losses). This victory probably marked the pinnacle of the Cuban's career, and may in some measure be responsible for the result of the match with Alekhine which took place the same year in Buenos Aires. There is no doubt that, after this overwhelming triumph, Capablanca did not take the challenge seriously and started the match totally unpre­ pared. In the first game he played White in a French Defence and lost after missing a chance of a draw. He never recovered from the shock. The new champion, however, did not score a runaway victory, for he won by six games to three with the un­ precedented number of 25 draws. For the rest of his life Capablanca tried hard to get a return match and he was more than justified in doing so. In all the tournaments in which both these players took part Alek­ hine beat Capablanca just once. The total results between them read:

Memoir of Capablanca

Wins

Draws

Losses

Tournaments

4

8

I

Exhibition Games

2

-

-

Championship Match

3

25

6

Total

9

33

7

Omitting the exhibition games, Capablanca's score reads: 7 wins, 3 3 draws, 7 losses. There is no shadow of doubt that Capablanca was in truth fully enti­ tled to a return match. The chess world is the poorer for the fact that it never took place. There would be lit­ tle to be gained at this stage by ap­ portioning the blame, but it would have been a keen encounter, for Ca­ pablanca would have prepared him­ self for the ordeal in a very different way from the almost casual manner in which he usually regarded these things. Of course, nobody could tell what the result would have been. During the next ten years Capa­ blanca played in many tournaments, trying to establish his claim to a re­ turn match. On the whole he was successful, although at times he won a negative success by securing the third or even the fourth prize. In 1928 he played in three impor­ tant tournaments. At Bad Kissingen he was second, one point behind Bogoljubow, who scored 8. In Buda­ pest he was first, I point ahead of Marshall and in Berlin he was first with 81h points, I 'h points ahead of

19

Nimzowitsch. In I 929 at Karlsbad he shared second prize with Spielmann, scoring 141'2 to Nimzowitsch's 15. He was first in three tournaments in that year, at Ramsgate, Budapest and Barcelona. This period ends with his victory at Hastings 1929/30, a point ahead of Vidmar. During the next five years he seems to have lost heart, taking part in only two minor tournaments, se­ curing the second prize at Hastings, 1930/1, and the first in New York 1931.

Lack of practice told when he re­ sumed activities at the end of 1934; he finished only fourth in Hastings and fourth again in Moscow 1935, his worst placing so far. He recov­ ered much of his strength in 1936. After two second prizes in less important fixtures at Margate in 1935 and 1936, he scored a notable triumph in the Moscow 1936 double­ round tournament with 13 points, a point ahead of Botvinnik and no less than 31h points ahead of the third prize-winner, Flohr! In the same year he scored another outstanding success in one of the strongest tournaments ever held, that

20

Memoir of Capablanca

at Nottingham, where, with the cur­

without loss. In the same year he

rent champion and three former

played in the team tournament at

champions competing, he shared

Buenos Aires, which witnessed the

first prize with Botvinnik, the new

advent of the Second World War.

star from Russia.

This, his last appearance, was an ex­

This seems to have been his swan

cellent one. He played top board for

song, although his third equal with

Cuba, and of the sixteen games he

Reshevsky in the Semmering-Baden

played he won seven and drew nine.

tournament of 1937, closely behind

The World War now put an end

Keres and Fine, must be accounted a

for a time to representative interna­

good performance judged by normal

tional chess.

standards. He won a weak tourna­

On March 8th, 1942, Capablanca

ment in Paris in 1938, but did badly

died of a cerebral haemorrhage. He

in the AVRO double-round tourna­

was taken ill at the Manhattan Chess

ment held in 1938, his only failure

Club, from where he was taken to the

throughout his career. At that time

Mount Sinai Hospital, New York.

he was already suffering from an­

His great rival, Dr Lasker, had pre­

gina pectoris. He was then fifty and

ceded him to the same hospital just

the conditions of the tournament, in

over one year before.

which each round was played in a different town, entailed much un­

The veteran Frank Marshall ex­ pressed himself as follows:

comfortable travelling. Moreover,

"Comparatively little has been

besides the champion, his six rivals -

written about Capablanca's style of

Keres, Fine, Botvinnik, Reshevsky,

play, and much of what has ap­

Euwe and Flohr - were all grand­

peared in the press was contradic­

masters, fully fledged contenders

tory. Many called his play dull and

for the title and all considerably

himself a mathematical precision

younger than himself. Alekhine him­

machine. Yet in his very first game in

self, at forty-six, found the condi­

international chess,

tions too onerous, and did almost

Bernstein in San Sebastian, 1911,

equally badly, scoring but one point

Capablanca deservedly won a first

more than Capablanca. Even so, Ca­

brilliancy prize and the game re­

pablanca finished only 2112 points be­

mains a classic among brilliancies.

hind the joint winners, Keres and Fine, scoring two wins, eight draws

In tournament after tournament Ca­ pablanca gained brilliancy prizes, as

and four losses.

many as three in Budapest, 1929. In­

that against

After the AVRO tournament, Ca­

deed, the prizes he won for brillian­

pablanca took part in only two more

cies in major tournaments almost

events. At Margate 1939, he shared

equalled the number of such events

the second prize with 6112 points be­

in which he took part.

hind Keres, who scored 7112. He and

"The truth is that, a true artist, he

Keres went through the tournament

felt that the simplest way to win was

Memoir of Capablanca

21

also the most artistic. He never went

which he played with a precision sel­

in for a brilliancy for the sake of be­

dom equalled and never excelled. In

ing brilliant. Only when the sacrifice,

the middlegame his extraordinarily

the combination were the shortest

quick grasp of the position gave him

way to a win did Capablanca exhibit

a tactical advantage over most of his

his outstanding talent in that direc­

opponents, so that he seldom needed

tion."

to go in for deep strategy.

In a lengthy article in the book of

His openings were correct and

the San Sebastian tournament of

ably planned, but here his aversion

1911, Mieses, that eminent critic and

to the extensive study of 'the book'

author, wrote as follows:

put him rather at a disadvantage,

"Concerning his type of play, let it

be said that it has not, contrary to what

which became more marked after he lost the championship, when a great

one might expect, anything youthful

number of eager young players, all

and lacking in development; it is en­

of world championship class, made

tirely mature. One must not forget

their presence felt, to name but a few

that Capablanca as a man is young,

besides Alekhine, Botvinnik, Keres,

but as a player he is quite aged; from

Reshevsky, Fine, Euwe, Flohr, all of

the fourth to the twenty-second year

them possible world champions and

of his life he gave practically all his

versed in the intricacies of modern

time to his favourite pursuit, and at

opening strategy.

this period of life eighteen years

Nikolai Grekov, in his personal

count double or treble... Many an ex­

reminiscences, gives an interesting

pert says that there is a certain affin­

account of Capablanca's reception

ity between his style and that of the

in Russia. It goes farther than most

world master, Lasker. There may be

published accounts in giving side­

some truth in it. Lasker's style is

lights on the character of the man:

clear water, but with a drop of poison

"In 1914, on the eve of the First

which is clouding it. Capablanca's

World War, Jose Raul Capablanca

style is perhaps still clearer, but it

took part in a big tournament at St

lacks that drop of poison."

Petersburg. An unlucky defeat by

In 1911 Znosko-Borovsky gave a

Tarrasch deprived him of the first

lecture on the Cuban master before the St Petersburg Chess Club and

prize. Capablanca came second to Lasker, but received a special prize

clearly showed that it was Capa­

for the tournament's most beautiful

blanca's play that gave the Russian

game.

author the first idea of his theory of

"After the October Revolution I

time and space, which he later on de­

met Capablanca in Moscow in 1925,

veloped in his remarkable book, The

1935 and 1936 during the three big

Middle Game in Chess.

international tournaments. In 1925

Like all world champions, Capa­ blanca excelled in the endgame,

he arrived there with the title of World Champion added to his other

22 Memoir of Capablanca

laurels. In the Moscow tournament

dramatic encounter with Emanuel

of 1925 he lost two games, one to

Lasker. Capablanca found himself

Boris Verlinsky and the other to Al­

in a difficult position. His opponent

exander Ilyin-Zhenevsky, who was

was nervous because he was afraid

killed by a German bomb near Len­

of victory slipping through his fin­

ingrad during September 1941. Ca­

gers. But still more excited was Las­

pablanca started badly in the 1925

ker's wife. After he made his move,

contest and as a result was placed

Capablanca would calmly pace the

third, but nobody can forget his bril­

hall and beg Mrs Lasker not to

liant finish: in the last ten games he scored 8112 points, defeated the win­

worry, because in his opinion her husband had the better position.

ner of the tournament and again got

"Capablanca's last appearance in

the prize for the most beautiful

a Soviet chess competition was an

game.

impressive one. In the two-round

"As Editor of the Soviet chess

1936 tournament he won the first

magazine, I received an article from

prize without a single loss. Taking

Capablanca in which he charac­

into account the fact that a number of

terised his attitude towards chess.

outstanding players (Botvinnik, Las­

'Let us depart from science,' he

ker, Flohr, etc.) took part, the result

wrote. 'Chess can never reach its

cannot be called anything but bril­

height by following in the path of sci­

liant. Again, as in the two previous

ence.... Let us, therefore, make a new

ones, he received the prize for the

effort and with the help of our imagi­

most beautiful game.

nation turn the struggle of technique into a battle of ideas.'

"The following curious episode took place during the 1936 Moscow

"The last words were particularly

tournament. During the interval a

characteristic of Capablanca, as his

thirteen-year-old schoolboy, Pavel

success came from his natural gifts

Pomoshnikov,

and qualities as a tournament player

blanca and in fluent French chal­

rather than his knowledge of chess

lenged the ex-Champion to a game.

theory.

Not wanting to distress the boy,

approached Capa­

"What Soviet players admired

Capablanca consented. Having lost

most in the late ex-Champion was

three games in succession, Pavel Po­

his tremendous self-possession. In

moshnikov demanded a handicap of

1935, after an interval of almost

three years 1, Capablanca was placed

a queen. Capablanca replied that a

fourth in the international tourna­

solemnly declared that in ten years

ment held in Moscow. I recall his

he would play against Capablanca as

queen was too much. The boy then

It is not clear whal Grekov means here. Shortly before Moscow 1935, Capablanca had played a tournament at Hastings.

Memoir of Capablanca 23

an equal and with better success. The

in public, and showed an ability to

Cuban champion advised the young

gauge the positions with an insight

champion to prepare well for the coming match and presented him

that is possessed only by players of gemus.

with an autographed copy of his

"In 1925 Capablanca took part in

book on chess.

a film produced in Moscow and de­

"Capablanca's literary works en­

voted to the international tourna­

joy widespread popularity in the So­

ment held there at the time. The film

Chess

was entitled Chess Fever and made a

viet Union. Six editions of his

Fundamentals have been published

great hit throughout the country.

to date. The book has become almost

"While in Soviet Russia, Capa­

a handbook for a whole generation

blanca showed a lively interest in the

of Soviet players, and particularly

Soviet system. He liked to go sight­

for Mikhail Botvinnik, the present

seeing in Moscow and frequently

Champion of the USSR. It is inter­

visited sports grounds to play vari­

esting to note that Capablanca was

ous games, especially tennis, which

the first to predict a brilliant future

he liked very much. He was also an

for Botvinnik. When during a simul­

enthusiastic theatre-goer and ex­

taneous chess match in Leningrad in

pressed his particular admiration for

1925 Botvinnik won a game from

the Russian ballet.

the master, Capablanca said: 'This

"Those who had the privilege of

boy will go far.' The prophecy came true. Ten years later, in the interna­

knowing Capablanca will always re­

tional tournament in Moscow, Bot­

a player of genius.''

vinnik shared the first prize with Salo Flohr

and

outstripped his

member him as a charming man and Capablanca most important books

teacher. In the big I936 Nottingham

My Chess Career, Chess Fun­ damentals and a Primer of Chess, all

tournament Botvinnik shared the

three valuable additions to chess lit­

first prize with Capablanca. In the

erature which were translated into

1936 Moscow tournament Botvin­

many languages.

were

nik lost to the former champion of

I had the privilege of collaborat­

the world, but had his revenge in

ing with the author in the production

Rotterdam (AVRO) in 1938. The full

of the first two of these and had the

score of Botvinnik's tournament

opportunity of getting an unusual

games with Capablanca is + I , -1, =5.

insight into the character of this

"Capablanca last visited the So­

great player. His chief characteristics

viet Union in 1936. Whenever he

seemed to me to be simplicity, charm

came to Russia, Capablanca not only

and sincerity. After the publication

competed in tournaments, but played

of his

numerous

matches

criticised, especially by English crit­

with amateurs. He was always will­

ics, for what they thought to be his

ing to study and analyse his game

overweening conceit. I can vouch for

simultaneous

Chess Career he was severely

24 Memoir of Capablanca

it that there was no trace of this in his

Games, to name only two, contain

make-up. These critics did not allow

none of their losses.

or had no understanding for the dif­

Capablanca was very sensitive to

ference between a Southern tem­

criticism - too much so - and in his

perament and our own, between the

later book

views of a towering genius and those

gave six of his ten lost games up to

of the merely gifted. A Britisher,

that time.

Chess Fundamentals he

having achieved something great,

His personality was both genial

would say with characteristic un­

and magnetic, and when he walked

derstatement, "It was nothing" or, at

unobtrusively, unheralded, into a

most, "Not too bad." Capablanca

room full of people, not necessarily

would not hesitate to say, "I played

chess players, his presence would

this ending as well as it could be

never pass unnoticed. He would im­

played," and why should exception

mediately become the centre of in­

be taken to this if indeed it was the

terest.

case. It is a mere statement of fact,

There are and have been many

made without any trace of vainglori­

great chess players and there have

ous boasting.

been great figures in chess, among

Another criticism levelled against

the latter Philidor, Morphy, Steinitz,

Chess Career he

Lasker, Capablanca and Alekhine.

gave none of his lost games. Why

Who shall say now who was the

should Capablanca have been criti­

greatest?

him was that in his

cised for taking advantage o f the

One thing is certain. Capablanca

accepted privilege of selecting his

has written pages of indelible glam­

own best games, which are naturally

our in the history of chess and his

those which he won - his losses were

games will bring joy and happiness

readily recorded by his adversaries?

to many as long as chess is played.

Alekhine's two volumes of some

As Marshall said "His games will be

220 annotated games, Keres'

Best

his everlasting memorial."

Capablanca 's Results

Tournaments Rank

Won

Lost

Drawn

New York State, 1910

I

6

0

I

New York, 1911

2

8

I

3

Total 61h 91;,

San Sebastian, 1911

I

6

I

7

91;,

New York, 1913

I

10

I

2

11

Havana, 1913

2

8

2

4

New York, 1913

I

JO

13

0

13

St Petersburg, 1914

2

2

6

13

New York, 1915

I

JO

0

12

0

13

New York, 1916

12

4

New York, 1918

I I

I

2

JO

0

3

Hastings, 1919

I

9

0

I

14 101;, 101;,

11

4

London, 1922

I

New York, 1924

2

JO

0 I

9

13 14112

Moscow, 1925

3

9

2

9

13112

Lake Hopatcong, 1926

I

4

0

4

6

New York, 1927

I

8

0

12

Bad Kissingen, 1928

2

4

I

6

14 7

Budapest, 1928

I

5

0

4

Berlin, 1928

5

0

7

Rarnsgate, 1929

I I

7 31;,

4

3

51;,

Karlsbad, 1929

2-3 I

JO

0 2

9

0

5

Barcelona, 1929

I

8

14112 10112

0

I

Hastings, 1929/30

I

13 4

0

5

Hastings, 1930/1

2

5

I

3

New York, 1931

I

9

0

2

Hastings, 1934/5

4

4

2

3

Moscow, 1935

4

7

2

Margate, 1935

2

JO

JO 5 11z

6

I

2

12 7

Margate, 1936

2

5

0

4

7

8

0

10

13

Budapest, 1929

13112 61h 61/z

Moscow, 1936

I

Nottingham, 1936

1-2

7

I

6

Semmering-Baden, 1937

3-4

2

I

11

10 711z

Paris, 1938

I

6

0

4

8

AVRO, 1938

7

2

4

8

Margate, 1939

2-3

4

0

5

6 61/z

Buenos Aires Olympiad, 1939

7

0

9

I l 'h

Total

271

26

188

25

26 Capablanca 's Results

Matches Won

Lost

Drawn

Corzo, 1901

4

3

6

Marshall, 1909

8

1

14

Jaffe, 1 9 1 2

2

0

1

0

0

Chajes, 1912

I

Teichmann, 1913

2

0

0

Mieses, 1913

2

0

0

I

Znosko-Borovsky, 1913

I

Alekhine, 1913

2

0

0

Duz-Khotimirsky, 1913

2

0

0

Bernstein, 1914

I

Tartakower, 1914

0

0

I

1

0

1

Aurbach, 1914

2

0

0

Kostic, 1919

5

0

0

Em. Lasker, 1921

4

0

10

Alekhine, 1927

3

6

25

Euwe, 1932

2

0

8

Total

42

11

66

1 Early years - the match with Marshall

The amazing precocity of genius evi­

brilliant ingenuity but occasionally,

denced in the early games of Capa­

alas, he would embark on a dashing

blanca has no real parallel in the

combination without first testing it

history of chess. The nearest exam­

thoroughly for flaws. Capablanca's

ple that springs to mind, that of

calm, clear, far-seeing play, per­

Reshevsky, cannot compete with the

vaded by 'organised simplicity', ap­

sureness of touch and maturity of

peared a natural antidote to the elan

technique that are to be found in, for

of his opponent's style.

instance, the ending of the second game given here against Corzo. Still

Game l

more striking is his astonishing vic­

J. Corzo - Capablanca

tory over Marshall in 1909, against

Havana match (8) 190/

a player who then ranked high

Vienna Gambit

amongst the world's best chess mas­ ters and who only a few years pre­ viously had won the Cambridge Springs tournament above the most outstanding players in the world. The games themselves are, as one would expect, somewhat crude and

1 e4

2 li:lc3 3 f4 4 lllf3 5 h4 6 lllgS

eS li:lc6 exf4 gS g4

lacking in subtlety in the opening.

This is the Hampe-Allgaier Gam­

The middlegames, however, are char­ acterised by a fine, rich combinative

bit, which sacrifices a piece for rapid development. It is not sound, but

vein full of fresh ideas, and the end­

White was relying upon his oppo­

games, as always with Capablanca,

nent's complete lack of book knowl­

are impeccable. His games against

edge and hoping he would go astray

Marshall are especially interesting

in the complications that arise. In a

for the marked contrast in personal­

sense he was right, since Capablanca

ity reflected by the opposing styles

does diverge from the book of the

employed. The same difference will

time - but only to find a better con­

be constantly observed in Capa­

tinuation for Black !

blanca's contests against the Ameri­

6

can master throughout his career.

7 li:lxf7

Marshall's play was full of fire and

8 d4

h6 lt>xf7 dS

28 Havana match (8) 1901 Better than 8 ...d6 9 i.xf4 i.g7 10 i.c4+ with a strong attack. 9 exdS 9 i.xf4 i.b4 is good for Black. 9 •e7+ 10 �f2 g3+ 1 1 �gl (D)

The white king is only apparently in safety; Black now returns the piece in order to open up the diago­ nal g l -a7, after which, owing to the presence of the black pawn on g3, White is continually harassed by mating threats. 11 liJxd4! 12 'iVxd4 White must accept the return of the piece for if 12 .ixf4, then Black replies 12 ... 1i'f6!. 12 'ifcS 13 lLle2 ..,,6! An original and pleasing touch and much stronger than the humdrum 13 ...'iVxd4+ 14 lDxd4 i.c5 15 c3. Now Black's threat of ....ic5 forces White to exchange queens, thereby

allowing Black to bring the a8-rook into the game at once1 . axb6 14 •xb6 15 tLJd4 i.cS 16 c3 :Ia4 This wins a pawn because White has to meet the threat of ... .:txd4 followed by mate. 17 .ie2 i.xd4+ 18 cxd4 .:txd4 19 b3 (D) White has been relying upon this manoeuvre to tum the game in his fa­ vour by exploiting the risky position ofBlack's d4-rook. It soon becomes apparent that Black has seen further into the position than White.

B

..•

•.•

19 lLlf6 .:td2 20 .ib2 And not 20....:txd5 21 i.c4. 21 .ihS+ Hoping for 2 1 . .. �g? 22 i.c3 .:tc2 23 i.e5 when White has distinct counter-chances, but Black now fin­ ishes off the game in the best style. 21 ... liJxhS!

The key point is that 14 .i.e3 !? fxe3 1 5 •xh8 fails to 1 5 ....i.g7 16 'W°h7 •r6 1 7 lbxg3 Wf2+ 1 8 �h2 lbf6.

Capablanca f3

22 .ixh8 23 gxf3

- J. Corzo

29

Bogoljubow-Capablanca from New York 1924 (or perhaps it should be

White must exchange pawns, due to 23 .ic3 f2+ 24 �f l .if5 25 .i xd2

put the other way round) for quite a

.id3#.

compare Capablanca's masterly han­

liJf4 (D)

23 ...

way, and if the reader would like to dling of the defence with the anti-po­ sitional methods adopted by Corzo,

m.tm - � w � .\ - --� � � - � •

w�

A 0� � � �� 0 -

he should consult Game 32.

1 2 3 4

��

&v � •

w·

· fi: ef..,)

of youth; since the queen's bishop is shut in by the e3-pawn, it must be de­ veloped in some other way - hence the text.

4 5 .ib2 6 ltJbd.2

24 .ieS Mate follows after 24 l:.e l l:.g2+ 25 �f l l:.f2+ 26 �g l .i h3, etc.

24 2s �n 26 'itte 1

d5 c5 ltJc6

Played with the elementary logic

A � �;; ��� 0 A &� 0 A; � W , w � � A 0 � ,;,e�� .. � - - 'it> l!t

�

d4 ltJf3 e3 b3

e6 ltJf6 cxd4?

l:tg2+

This is inferior objectively to both 6....id6 and 6... .ie7; the text is also

:ri+

bad from a psychological point of

ltJd3+

view, since it simplifies the opening

0-1 This, and the following game,

problems for his inexperienced op­ are

ponent.

7 exd4 8 .id3 9 0-0

indeed astounding for a thirteen­ year-old player. Game 2

-

Capablanca J. Corzo Havana match ( 11) 1901 Queen's Pawn

.id6 0-0 liJhS

The commencement of a time­ wasting manoeuvre from which only White profits. Correct was 9 ... b6 fol­ lowed by ... .i b7. As played, Black's queen's bishop is left with little fu-

When playing with White against Corzo, Capablanca almost invari­ ably opened 1 d4, since at that time it was comparatively uncharted ground and the young player's complete

ture.

10 11 12 13

g3 ltJeS f4 fxe5

fS ltJf6 .ixeS ltJg4

lack of book knowledge would not

Black hopes to extract more than a

matter so much. Curiously enough,

draw out of the position; otherwise

the opening follows the encounter

he would have striven for equality by

30 Havana match ( 11) 1901 13...llJe4. Needless to say, the text is

Casting a clear light on the wealc­

much inferior and Black loses time

ness of Black's last move. If now

in order to find the knight a peaceful

20... fxg4, then 2 1 hxg4 followed by 22 l1h l gives White a strong king­

haven.

14 'ii'e2 15 tl)f3

•b6 i.d7 (D)

Black is still obsessed with the idea of avoiding a draw. He is rudely

side attack, and if 20... f4, in an at­ tempt to block the position, then White can eventually break it open by h4.

20 21 'ii'e3 22 :ael

disillusioned by the later middle­ game play. His best move now was to play for bishops of opposite col­ ours by 15... tlJb4.

tlJe7 %lg8

All this is in excellent positional style, worthy of a mature master.

22 23 gxfS 24 �h2

w

lDg6 tl)f4+ tlJxd3

If 24... exf5, then 25 tlJxg5 !. 25 'ii'xd3 exf5 26 c4! Very strong; White now com­ pletely brealcs open the position.

26 ...

The alternative was 26.. .'ii' h6 27 cxd5 g4 28 tlJg l lDg5 29 e6 llJf3+ 30 l1xf3 ! gxf3 31 'fkxf3 and White

16 a3 Now White has prevented this and contemplates an eventual advance of his c- and b-pawns.

16 ...

'ii'e6

wms.

27 cxdS 28 e6! (D)

'ii'xdS

�h8

Black reorganises his pieces in or­ der to obtain some counterplay on the kingside.

17 h3 18 'ii'f2 19 �g2

tlJh6 tl)f7 gS

He does not wish to remain pas­ sive whilst White advances on the queenside with c4, b4, c5, b5, etc., but now a weakness has been created on the long diagonal of which W hite talces subtle advantage.

20 g4!

This fine winning combination foreshadows the grandmaster.

Capablanca 28

i.b5 (D) i. For if 28 ... xe6, then 29 :xe6. •.•

29 •xb5

in his stride, as though already world champion.

pablanca had in mind when playing 28 e6. It is true that 29 'ifd2 also wins

36 f0e7! Neatly cutting the king off from the centre.

36 37 38 39 40 41 42

in somewhat simpler and quicker fashion but this hardly detracts from the merits of the combination. •.•

J. Corzo 31

precision, and Capablanca takes it all

A very pretty sacrifice which Ca­

29 30 d5+ 31 exf7

-

'ii'xbS

:g7

h6 (D)

31 ...:f8 would have put up better resistance though White should still win by 32 C0d4 'ifxd5 33 :e8 'ifxf7

�g2 d6 hxg4 i.e5 d7 C0g8+

:rs h5 g4 hxg4 �h6 :ld8 l:.xg8

Or 42 . . .� g6 43 C0f6 � f7 44 i.c7 and wins.

34 :xf8+ 'ifxf8 35 tl:>xf5, according to Capablanca.

•••

43 i.f6

�g6

Black plays on in the hope of achieving a draw with bishop and wrong rook's pawn, and might have achieved it against a less wary oppo-

w

nent.

32 C0d4

'ii'xfl

There is nothing better; if Black plays 32 . . .'ifd7 Capablanca gives 33 tl:>xf5 'ffxf7 34 i. xg7+ �h7 35 :e7 winning the queen since 35...'ifxd5

leads to mate after 36 i.e5+ �g6 37 :g1+ �h5 38 tog3+ � h4 39 :f4+ gxf4 40 :g4#.

33 :xn 34 :xr5 35 C0xf5+

:xn :xr5 �h7

The rest is a matter of technique, but one demanding considerable

44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53

d8'ii' i.xd8 �f2 �e3 �d3 �c3 i.h4 i.f2 b4 i.b6

:xd8 b5 �f5 �e5 �d5 g3 g2 aS �e4

And not 53 bxa5 which would give a draw, as the queening square is the opposite colour to the bishop.

53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60

�d3 i.gl i.h2 �d4 �e5 �d5 �c5!

�d5 �c6 �d5 �c6 a4 �b6 �a6 1-0

32 New York 1906

Since White has not fallen into the trap with 60 �c6 g l 'ii 61 � xg l

germ of Capablanca's later famous

stalemate, Black resigns.

the Orthodox Defence to the Queen's

method of freedom by exchange in Gambit; the principle is very similar.

A.

Game 3

Fox - Capablanca New York 1906

Ruy Lopez, Steinitz Defence

1 1 j_xd7 12 f4

'ilxd7

This move does not suit the nature of the position. It would have been quite in order if W hite's rooks were

1 2 3 4 5

e4 ltJf3 �b5 0-0 l:el

e5 lLlc6 lLlf6 �e7 d6

By transposition via the Berlin Defence we have now arrived at the

placed on e l and f l , but as it is, it merely loosens W hite's control of the centre. 1 2 b3 is still best, fol­ lowed by j_b2 and lbd5.

12 ... 13 lbr5

lbg6 j_rs

Threatening ...lbxe4.

has the merit of solidity. In addition,

l:tad8 lb But now 14 . . . xe4 15 l:txe4 'ii'xf5 16 l:txe8 'ii'xd3 17 l:txf8+ would lose

there is always the possibility that

a piece.

Steinitz Defence, which demands great patience on Black's part but

White will overreach himself - as he does in the present game.

6 7 8 9

d4 lLlxd4 lbc3 lbde2

exd4 �d7 0-0

14 1i'd3

15 j_d2 (D) A miserable square for the bishop, but there is now no time for 15 b3, when 15 ...d5 would be even more ef­ fective than in the actual game. He might, however, have prevented the

Since Black has a somewhat con­

ensuing combination by 15 h3.

stricted position White does well to avoid exchanges. For example, 9 � xc6 bxc6 1 0 � g5 h6 1 1 �h4 l:te8 1 2 1!fd3 lbh7 13 j_xe7 .:txe7 14 l:e3 'ii b8 with equality (Capablanca­ Lasker, Havana W eh (3) 1921 ). However, a better way of main­ taining the initiative is 9 j_fl fol­ lowed by b3 and j_b2. After the text the exchange of W hite's valuable light-squared bishop is inevitable. l:e8 9 ...

10 lbg3

lbe5

15

d5!

It is not perhaps too fanciful to

White's opening strategy is con­

discern in this freeing manoeuvre the

demned by this strong move, which

Capablanca at once shows up the weakness on the f-file and the hanging nature of White's knight on f5.

16 eS Forced, since 1 6 exd5 :xe 1 + 17 :xel ltJxd5 will lose at least a pawn, as would also 16 ltJg3 dxe4, etc.

16 17 �hl •..

.i.cS+

.•.

:xn lLJh6+ .d4 •xa7?

e4 gxh6

.g7

White's game is clearly lost, but this accelerates the end. He should have played 25 .i.c3 'ii'xd4 26 .i. xd4 b6 27 f5 ltJe5 28 b4 ltJc4 when the ably longer.

l2Jg4 f6!

Black is playing with great en­ ergy; now White's pawns disappear from the centre with alarming rapid­ ity.

19 h3 If White had played 19 exf6 then Capablanca would have won by con­ tinuing 19 ...ltJxf4 20 ltJe7 + (or 20 :.xe8+ :xe8 21 'ii'c3 'ii'xf5 22 'ii'xc5 ltJe2) 20 ...:xe7 2 1 fxe7 ltJxd3 22

exd8'ii'+ 'ii'xd8 23 cxd3 'ii'h4 24 h3 'ii'g3 - a fine combination.

19 20 ltJxf2 21 :e2 (D)

F. Marshall 33

game would have lasted consider­

Not 17 i.e3 ltJxf4.

17 18 ltJdl

22 23 24 25

-

l2Jf2+

i.xf2

25 26 :et

•xb2 d4!

•••

Cutting off the queen from the centre and winning more material.

27 28 29 30

fS l:[fe2 i.cl •a4

e3 ltJf4 'ii'b6

Not liking to resign when there are prospects of obtaining a check.

30 31 32 33 34 35

•.•

•c4+ J:txe2 •d3 cxd3 g4 0-1

ltJxe2 �h8 •a6 •xd3 cS c4

Grune 4

Capablanca F. Marshall Morristown match (6) 1909 -

Ruy Lopez, Steinitz Defence

1 2 3 4

e4 t[)f3 i.bS c3

eS lLJc6 d6

This restrained move is not so strong as the normal 4 d4 but at this

21

fxeS!

early stage in his development Ca­

A temporary sacrifice of the piece

pablanca knew practically nothing

in order to gain control of the centre.

about the openings. Nevertheless, as

34 Morristown match (6) 1909 soon as the preliminaries of the open­ ing are passed, he intuitively adopts a system of kingside attack strongly reminiscent of some of the games of Steinitz. i.g4 4 This pin is a waste of time, as it will only facilitate White's kingside attack by encouraging him to play h3 and g4. Not good, however, is the alterna­ tive recommended by Capablanca and others, 4 ...f5, since White can treat it on similar lines to the so­ called Siesta Defence (but with still greater effect) and play 5 exf5 .i.xf5 (not 5 ...e4 6 lLJ J:l:ab8 31 g2

32 J:l:ab 1

f6

Black prepares to bring the bishop back into play via g8 and in addition White's e-pawn is now permanently backward; the one disadvantage to this move - a great one, however - is that it permits White to establish a piece on e6. Tartakower recommends instead 32 ... J:l:b2 33 J:l:xb2 11'xb2 since 34 J:l:b l 'ii'c2 35 -t> f3 lbb3 36 ILJgfl f6 gives Black the better game. How­ ever, White can play 34 J:l:e2 with variations similar to the actual game. 33 li)f3 J:l:b2+

34 J:l:xb2 1

'ti'xb2+

-

E. Bogoljubow 101

35 J:l:e2 36 llld4

'Wib3 'Wixe3

Black cannot afford even the one tempo necessary to capture the c­ pawn, for after 36 ... 11'xc4 37 lbe6! J:l:b8 (37 ...ILJxe6 38 dxe6 leaves Black hopelessly placed) 38 lbxc5 dxc5 39 J:l:d2 J:l:b3 40 'ii'f2 a3 4 1 d6 White has a clearly won game.

37 J:l:xe3 38 J:l:c3

J:l:b8

39 w 40 ILJge2 41 ILJe6!

J:l:b2 i.g8

-t>f7 Better than 38 ...J:l:b2+ 39 � lbb3 40 ILJge2 followed by ILJe6 and Black has merely pushed White along the path he wants to go.

Very neatly timed; Black is obvi­ ously lost after 4 J . .. lbxe6 42 fxe6+ -t>e7 43 llld4 i.h7 44 c5, etc., nor can Black play 4 1 . .. lbxe4 42 -t>xe4 J:l:xe2+ 43 -t>d4 and White will fol­ low up with c5, creating a winning passed d-pawn. lbb3 41

42 cS! 43 ILJxcS 44 -t>f2

dxcS llld2+ -t>e7 Black loses quickly after this natural-looking move; stouter re­ sistance would have been put up by 44... lbb l 45 ILJxa4 ILJxc3 46 ILJxb2 lbxe4+ 47 -t>e3 llld6 even though Black would still lose eventually

27 f4 just loses material after 27 ... c3. In fact Black is least equal after 26... bxc4, so the criticism of Black's earlier moves is out of place. It is hard to see why Black preferred to take the a-pawn, giving himselfdoubled and isolated pawns, when he could have removed the far more important c-pawn, at the same time creating pos­ sible knight outposts on b3 and d3 and preparing to undermine e4 with ...c3.

102 London 1922 after 48 �d4 �e7 49 lllf4 followed by llle6. lllbl 45 �el a3 46 l:[d3 �d8 (D) 47 d6+

48 tlld4! Forcing the black rook to retreat because of the threat of lllc6+.

48

..•

49 tllde6+ 50 fxe6 51 e7+

52 lllxa6

l:[b6

i.xe6

l:[b8

�e8

1-0

For if 52 ... a2, 53 lllxb8 a l 1i' 54 d7+ and Black is soon mated. Game 29 Capablanca - M. Vidmar

London 1922 Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence

1 d4 2 tllf3 3 c4 4 lbc3 S i.gS 6 e3

7 :et

8 'ifc2

dS

lllf6 e6 i.e7 lllbd7

0-0 c6

After this Black should have no difficulty in securing equality; best is the normal move 8 .i.d3. 8 ... dxc4 This manoeuvre should be ade­ quate if correctly followed up. Also satisfactory for Black is 8 .. .liJe4 9 i.xe7 'ikxe7 I 0 lllxe4 dxe4 1 1 'ikxe4 Wb4+ 1 2 llld2 'ikxb2 with a level game. 9 i.xc4 10 i.xe7 Not 10 llle4 'ii'a5+ 1 1 �e2 f6 1 2 i.h4 lll7b6, which is favourable for Black. 'ii'xe7 10 ... 11 0-0 b6? A disastrous mistiming, as a result of which White gains complete con­ trol of the c-file. Correct was first 1 1. ..lllxc3 and then ...b6. cxdS 12 lllxdS This is the point; Black cannot re­ capture by 1 2 ... exd5 because of 1 3 i.d3 and White wins a pawn. Now the white queen will occupy the weak square on c7. h6 13 i.d3 1 3 . . .lllf6 would likewise be met by 14 'iic7 after which Black cannot free himself. 14 'ii'c7 'ifb4 (D) This move is a desperate freeing attempt which fails against White's fine combination. He hopes to in­ duce White to play b3, whereupon ...lllf6, ... 'ika3 and ...i.a6 would give him complete emancipation, but the logic of positions of this nature is such that the more forceful the en­ deavour to break loose, the greater the collapse.

Capablanca It must be observed that quieter moves would also prove unavailing, e.g. 1 4 .. Jle8 15 i.b5 or 1 4 ...l:ld8 1 5 llJe5.

-

20 lllxd7 Hastily played; White overlooks Black's next move by which he es­ capes with the loss of the exchange for a pawn. Instead, 20 l:lb l Wa2 2 1 i.b3 would have won a clear piece. This is an unfortunate blemish on White's otherwise impeccable play; nevertheless, the technique involved in winning the final part of the game is instructive and not at all straight­ forward.

20 21 ..,,, •.•

15 a3!

•a4

After 15 ...'ii'xb2 Capablanca gives the following line: 1 6 l:lbl Wxa3 1 7 i.b5 'ii'e7 (or 1 7 . . .lllf6 1 8 l:tal Wb4 1 9 l:tfbl and the queen is lost) 1 8 i.c6 l:lb8 19 llJe5 Wd8 20 Wxa7 lllxe5 21 dxe5 winning a piece.

16 h3 17 llle5

lllf6 i.d7

Any attempt to develop the queen­ side results in loss of material. If 17 ... i.a6, 18 b3 •a5 l 9 lllc6 Wxa3 20 l:ta l and the bishop is lost. ..,,5 18 i.c2

19 a4

M. Vidmar 103

l:tac8

Owing to the pin that eventually arises on the bishop and rook, White cannot win a piece by 2 1 lllxf6+ gxf6 22 Wg3+ �h8, etc.

21 22 23 24 25

i.h7+ l:txc8 •xc8 l:tcl

26 27 28 29

•c2+ ..c6 •as+ l:tc7 (D)

•.•

tt.Jxd7 e4 foilowed by lDd4 and lDf5+. �r7 61 gS+ 62 lbeS+ �e7 Or 62 ... g7 63 d6 i.b6 64 d7 i.c7 65 �e4 i.d8 66 lDf3 �f7 67 �d5 �e7 68 �c6. 63 lDxg6+ �d6 i.g3 64 �e4 65 lDf4 �e7 66 �e5 i.el 67 d6+ �d7 68 g6 i.b4 69 �dS �e8 1-0 70 d7+ A very strenuous game with an ending worthy of an endgame study.

6 Attempts at Rehabilitation

The next few years see Capablanca engaging in tournament after tour­ nament in an endeavour to prove to the world his right to a return match against Alekhine for the World Cham­ pionship. He played in more tourna­ ments during this period than in any before or after, and since he was in extremely fine form, a large number of great games resulted. A return match was denied him, however, and whose fault this was it is difficult, if not impossible, to say; nevertheless, the dispassionate observer can only remark what a pity it was that the chess world lost the prospect of the many fine games that another match between two such great players might have well produced. The Bad Kissingen Tournament of 1928 shows Capablanca in scien­ tific mood, laying clear the posi­ tional defects of his opponents with remorseless accuracy, as for example in his games against Tartakower, Mieses and Yates. His best game in the tournament is that against Bogol­ jubow, where the ending is managed with consummate artistry. Next, there is the Budapest Siesta Tournament with Capablanca at the top of his form. The game against Havasi contains the typical Capa combination, but here with even more stunning effect, owing to Black 's waste of a move. The other three

games are fine illustrations of the lucid perfection of Capablanca's style. Finally, from the important Berlin Tournament, which Capablanca won with some ease, we have selected a remarkable pair of games against the great Polish master, Rubinstein. Ca­ pablanca, who had a great respect for the genius of this player, was justly proud of his victory over him here, and the draw is one of the most origi­ nal games ever played. Game 50 Capablanca S. Tartakower Bad Kissingen 1928 Budapest Defence -

1 d4 lbr6 e5 2 c4 Tartakower is a great exponent of the Budapest, but this is one of the defences least likely to succeed against a player of Capablanca's style. Its slightly dubious reckless­ ness plays into the hands of one pos­ sessed of such sure positional flair. 3 dxe5 liJg4 3 ...liJe4, the Fajarowicz variation, met with convincing disproof in the game Alekhine-Tartakower, Lon­ don 1932, as follows: 3 . .liJe4 4 liJd2 liJc5 5 liJgf3 liJc6 6 g3 i!/e7 7 �g2 g6 8 liJbI liJxe5 9 0-0 liJxf3+ I 0 exf3 �g7 1 1 l:el liJe6 1 2 liJc3 0-0 1 3 .

162 Bad Kissingen 1928 tLJd5 'iid8 14 f4 c6 15 lbc3 and Black had a very bad game. 4 e4 d6 Played in gambit style. Better is the more usual 4 ...CtJxe5 5 f4 CCiec6 6 .ie3 .ib4+ 7 lbc3 though White still has rather the better game. The early way of playing this defence was 4... h5 5 lLlc3 lLlc6 6 lLlh3 lLlgxe5 7 .ie2 d6 8 lLlf4 g6 9 0-0 and White again has the advantage (Samisch­ Spielmann, Copenhagen 1923). S exd6 .ixd6 6 .ie2! White must play carefully here { for if 6 h3, then 6 ...'iih4 7 'iid4 .i.e5 etc., whilst 6 ftJf3 .ib4+ 7 .id2 .ic5 leads to a clear win for Black. fS 6 An interesting idea suggested by the Rumanian master Balogh. It en­ deavours to obtain further attacking chances by opening up the f-file and also avoids losing time by support­ ing the threatened knight. 6... h5 7 lLlf3 lbc6 8 lLlc3 'iie7 9 .ig5 ! leaves White, not only a pawn up, but with the better position. 7 exf'S 'fle7 8 tLlfJ Here White can win a piece by 8 c5 .ixc5 9 'ii'a4+ lbc6 10 'ilxg4 but when this game was played, and for a considerable time thereafter, it was thought that Black obtained too much compensation after 10... llJg2 aS 26 h5 Threatening h6, i.g8 and h7, etc. 26 i.g7 27 f4 i.h6 In order to prevent g4. l:.a4 28 l:.e 1 29 i.g8 l:.d4 30 l:.e7+ l:.d7 If 30 ...lli>d8, then 3 1 l:.e6 wins easily; Black is now in a hopeless situation. 31 l:.xd7+ lli>xd7 cS 32 lli>f3 c4 33 g4 34 g5 i.18 Or 34...i.g7 35 h6 i.h8 36 g6. 35 h6 a4 36 f5 lli>c6 If 36 ...c3, then 37 lli>e2. 37 h7 i.g7 38 f6 c3 In the vain hope that White will carelessly play 39 fxg7 c2 40 h8'i!I' c I 'iii' 4 1 'i!l'h6+ lli>c5 with drawing chances. 39 lli>e2 i.h8 40 f7 1-0 A very efficiently played game by Capablanca. .•.

Game 5 1 Capablanca J. Mieses Bad Kissingen 1928 Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence -

1 2 3 4 5

d4 c4 tl\c3 i.g5 e3

tl\f6 e6 d5 i.e7 tLlbd7

6 tl\f3 0-0 7 l:.cl a6 A move of doubtful validity, in­ dicative of a policy little likely to succeed against Capablanca. Its in­ tention is to play an eventual ...dxc4, . .. b5, ...i.b7 and ... c5, but Black can be prevented from doing this quite simply and the normal move 7 ...c6 is to be preferred. 8 cxd5 Simplest and best, as it gives Black little chance of counterplay and opens up the prospect of obtain­ ing pressure on the queenside. Not so good is 8 c5 c6 9 i.d3 e5 I 0 dxe5 tl\g4 and Black regains his pawn with an excellent game. 8 exd5 9 'ifb3 A new and strong move by Capa­ blanca which brings more pressure to bear on the queenside pawns. The normal method of play is 9 i.d3 c6 10 'i!l'c2 J:te8 1 1 0-0 tl\f8 and White will proceed with operations on the queenside by a3, b4, tl\a4 and tl\c5 whilst Black will endeavour to counter on the kingside. c6 9 ... tl\h5? 10 i.d3 This manoeuvre is always suspect in the Orthodox Defence to the Queen's Gambit. In order to ex­ change pieces it wastes two moves (for the knight cannot remain on h5), and Black cannot well afford this loss of time. Instead, Black should continue along the lines described in the note to the 9th move and play 10... l:.e8 followed by 1 1 . ..tl\f8. 'lli'xe7 1 1 i.xe7 ••.

Capablanca - J. Mieses 165 12 0-0

lLJhf6

More logical is 1 2 ... g6 followed by ...lLJg7 and ... llle6 with control of the important square c5.

13 lLJa4 Attacking the weaknesses on b6 and c5; this move was frequent! y employed by Capablanca in analo­ gous positions in the World Champi­ onship match against Alekhine. 13 lLJe4? This knight is overworked, having been moved three times in the last four moves. White benefits from these tempi in the acceleration of his queenside attack, and Black can now hardly recover from his great waste of time. 14 .ixe4 •xe4 (D) It may be that Black originally in­ tended 14 ... dxe4 - if so, he now real­ ises that after 15 tiJd2 lLJf6 1 6 llJc5 l:te8 17 lDc4 the white knights will prove altogether too menacing on the queenside.

king's bishop, which he has been at such great pains to exchange.

15 ...

...g6

Played with fatalistic resigna­ tion; a better defence was 1 5 ... f6 al­ though White would still retain his winning advantage by l 6 lLJd2 1We6 17 tiJb3 l:te8 18 tiJbc5 tlJxc5 l 9 lLJxc5 'iie7 20 l:tc3, followed by :b3.

16 17 1s 19 20

•••

'ike7 :c3 'ikd6 :rcl 'ikxf8+

f6 'ike8 :n 'ikf8 �xf8 (D)

If 20...lLJxf8, then 21 lLJb6 :bs 22 lLJxd5, etc., whilst taking with the rook would simply mean removing this piece from its correct rank.

w

w 21 llJel!

15 'ii'b4! A very strong move which domi­ nates the weakened dark squares in his opponent's position. Black now suffers badly from the lack of the

The transference of this knight to the queenside (either c5 or b4, according to circumstances) repre­ sents the final devastating blow in White's strategy; owing to his weak­ ness on the dark squares, Mieses cannot adequately parry this.

21 ...

�e8

The tempting 2 l ... b5 fails against 22 :xc6 .ib7 23 :c7, etc.

22 �3

:bs

166 Bad Kissingen 1928 23 f3

24 �

l:te7 ll:Jf8 (D)

White now wins two clear pawns, when Black can resign with a clear conscience; Capablanca's play has been characterised by its usual crys­ tal clarity. 29 lbxb7 l:tbxb7 30 l:txc6 a5 31 l:txb6 axb4 32 l:txb7 l:txb7 33 l:txb4 1-0 Game 52 Capablanca F. Yates Bad Kissingen 1928 Sicilian Defence -

25 l:tb3 Forcing the return of the knight to d7 because of the threat of ll:Jac5 fol­ lowed by lllxa6. ll:Jd7 25 b5 26 g4 After this Black's position col­ lapses like a house of cards. In the long run, however, Black must suc­ cumb to the many weaknesses in his position. Should he mark time by ...�d8, then White will prepare a breakthrough on the kingside by h4h5, etc. 27 ll:Jac5 lllb6 Or 27 ... ll:Jxc5 28 l:txc5 i.b7 29 l:ta3 l:ta8 30 l:ta5 l:tc7 3 1 lllb4 �d7 32 l:tc3 followed by l:tca3, etc. 1 28 ll:Jb4 i.b7 .••

2

c5 1 e4 2 llle2 A novelty, but one which often merely transposes into a normal variation. d6 2 Now White can transpose into the Dragon variation. 2 ...e5 is another possibility, which leads to a com­ pletely different type of game. cxd4 3 d4 g6? 4 lbxd4 Allowing White to obtain the Ma­ roczy bind; necessary is 4 ...ll:Jf6 in order to force White to shut in his c­ pawn by 5 lllc32 . S c4! •••

Curiously enough, this doesn't finish Black off because after 32...�d6 33 :ca3 .i.c8 White cannot play 34 lbxa6 due to 34...lka7 35 fiJc7 :xa5 36 fiJxa8 :xa3 37 bxa3 .i.b7 38 fiJb6 �c7 and the knight is trapped. White would therefore have to open up a second front, either on the kingside or in the centre. At the time the Maroczy Bind formation (i.e. white pawns on c4 and e4 against a Sicilian pawn structure) was thought to be clearly favourable to White, hence Golombek' s rather extreme comments on the opening. These days it is considered no better for White than other opening systems.

Capablanca This strong move gives White control of the centre and Black must grovel about to find a counterattack. i.g7 s lDf6 6 llJc3 0-0 7 i.e2 8 0-0 llJbd7 Played with the idea of going to c5 and so attacking the e-pawn, but this attack is very easily met and simply loses time. The usual 8 ...llJc6 was better. llJcS 9 i.e3 i.d7 10 fJ 1 1 .d2 White is proceeding systemati­ cally; he first concentrates his major pieces in the centre and then, when all his forces are ready, proceeds to advance his pawns. l:tc8 11 12 l:tfdl a6 This move results in a weakness on b6, but Black must try to prepare some counter on the queenside, and he also may have had in mind the idea of playing ...'ilc7 without being open to attack by the knights from b5. llJe6 13 l:tacl Intending ...llJh5 and ...llJf4. 14 b3 (D) White's pawn structure is very impressive; Black is hard put to it to discover a reasonably good con­ tinuation. llJhS 14 Consistent, but bad. He should have sought relief in exchanges by 14 ...llJxd4 15 i.xd4 .i.c6. Even then his position is unenviable, as White can play 16 'ile3 threatening 17 c5 ••.

.•.

-

F. Yates 167

d5 18 exd5 llJxd5 1 9 lDxdS i.xd5 20 i.xg7 �xg7 2 1 'ild4+, thereby win. nmg a piece. 15 lLJxe6 .i.xe6 16 lLJa4 Causing Black to bitterly regret his 12th move. White now threatens 17 i.b6 and 1 8 c5. l:tc6 16 Directly countering the above threat, but now White cunningly tackles the problem from the other side. 17 f4 lbf6 18 i.fJ Threatening to win the exchange by e5. llJg4 18 If 1 8 ...i.g4, then 19 e5 i.xf3 20 exf6 .i.xd 1 2 1 fxg7 winning two pieces for the rook and pawn. 19 eS! llJxe3 20 •xe3 l:tc7 21 cS Winning the d-pawn; the com­ bined pressure of White's centralised pieces is too powerful for Black to resist. ...,8 21 exd6 22 exd6 l:te8 23 :Xd6 .

•••

•.•

·

•••

168 Bad Kissingen 1928 b5 (D)

w

to an endgame with the exchange and a pawn less, and, of course, is ut­ terly lost, despite his few last re­ maining kicks.

30 :xa6 31 •c3+

•e7 �g8

Not 3 l .. .f6 32 'tli'e3 forcing the exchange of queens. 32 •eS

33 .ie4 34 h3 35 .idS! 25 t2Jb6 , Avoiding Black s traps of 25 t2J b2 .ixb2 26 'ili'xb2 :xc5 27 :xc5 •xd6 regaining the pawn, and 25 cxb6 :xc l + 26 'ilixc l 'ilixd6 winning the rook. .if8 25 26 t2Jd5! The only move - but sufficient. 26 :c6 :xc6 27 .ixc6 .i xc5+ ! 28 :xc5 'ili'xb6 would be bad, as Black has regained his lost pawn. ...

26

•..

:xc5

An ingenious move which is still more ingeniously met. If Black plays 26 ... .ixd6, then 27 tbf6+ �f8 28 'ili'xd6+ :ee7 29 tlJxh7+ �g7 30 tbf6 �f8 3 1 'ilid4 and wins. Alternatively, after 26... .ixd5 27 :xd5 Black has obtained a position with bishops of opposite colour, but there is no possible chance of a draw, White's passed pawn and strong central posi­ tion being too much of an advantage. 27 tbf6+ �h8 :xcl + 28 tbxe8

29 •xcl

•xe8

29 . . . .ixd6 loses at once after 30 'ilic3+. Black must therefore descend

Acceptance of the bishop would give Black a perpetual check by 35 gxh3 •d l + 36 �f2 'ilid2+ 37 �f3 'ilid 1 + and the king must return to f2 since 38 �g3 would mean loss of the rook and 38 �e3 would actually lose the queen after 38 ... .ic5+.

35 36 •r6 •••

..-it4

Again 36 gxh3 would lead to per­ petual check after 36....ic5+ 37 �h2 'ilif2+ 38 .ig2 Wg l + 39 �g3 'ilif2+, etc.

36 37 �h2 •..

.ic5+ 1-0

Game 53

E. Bogoljubow - Capablanca Bad Kissingen 1928 , Queen s Indian Defence

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9

d4 c4

tbf3

lLJc3 .igS e3 .ixe7 llJxe4 lLJd2

tbf6

e6 b6 .ib7 .ie7 t2Je4 'ilxe7 .ixe4

E. Bogoljubow - Capablanca 169 For remarks about the opening, the reader is directed to Game 7 1 , Ribera-Capablanca. This game is mainly included for its remarkable ending and later middlegame play. At this stage in the tournament Bo­ goljubow was l '12 points ahead and would have been well content with a draw, which explains his policy of exchanges. However, 9 .ie2 is best here.

9 10 .ie2 •..

.ib7 'ii'g5

An instructive move; Capablanca refuses to weaken his position by de­ liberately avoiding exchanges. Such a false policy would lead to anti-po­ sitional play. It is true that as a result of the text White is able to exchange queens, but there is no reason to avoid this if one's position is conse­ quently improved. 10 .. . .ixg2? 1 1 l:tg l .ib7 1 2 .if3 followed by l:txg7 would be bad for Black. .ixf3 1 1 .if3

12 'ilt'xf3

Played with a view to exchanging queens. If 1 2 li:lxf3 then Black does not play 1 2...'l!fxg2 1 3 l:tg l followed by l:txg7 and the open g-file is in White's favour, but (after 1 2 li:lxf3) 1 2 ... 'l!ff6, where the queen is very well placed. li:lc6 12 Apart from the necessity of de­ fending the a8-rook, this move has latent threats of an eventual ... li:lb4 or ...e5. ...

13 'ii'g3 A policy dictated by the tourna­ ment score; Bogoljubow hopes to

obtain an easy draw once the queens are exchanged. Curiously enough, better prospects of an easy draw are offered by White avoiding the ex­ change of queens, e.g. 1 3 0-0 0-0 14 li:le4 'i!fg6 15 l:tfd l f5 16 li:lc3 a6 (to prevent li:lb5) 1 7 a3 and the position is absolutely equal.

13 14 hxg3 •••

'ii'xg3 �e7

Naturally, White should still have no difficulty in reaching a draw, but his next few moves evince a startling Jack of understanding of the posi­ tion, whilst Black's every move is subtly to the point.

15 g4 With some vague idea of com­ mencing a belated kingside attack. He should pay his opponent the com­ pliment of imitation and develop his king by 15 �e2.

15 ...

h6!

Putting an end to any aggression by White on this flank.

16 a3 A passive defensive move which merely creates a hole in White's pawn structure; again 16 �e2 was best.

16 ...

a6!

This move, on the other hand, foreshadows a breakthrough by ...b5.

17 �e2

l:thb8! (DJ

Now, at least, White should have realised his dangerous position and safeguarded himself accordingly; Black's concentration of strength on the extreme queenside is alarmingly obvious.

18 li:le4? This knight move only worsens the position. 18 l:thbl b5 19 �d3 was

170 Bad Kissingen 1928 20

cxd6 (D)

.•.

w w

[j 'i:J

�

safest, for example after l 9 ... bxc4+ 20 ltJxc4 :b3+ 2 1 �c2 :ab8 22 llxi2 :3b5 23 b4 White is out of dan­ ger. 1 8 a4 is not so good, since after 1 8 ... b5 Black will open up the b-file with an attack on White's b2-pawn, and 1 8 b4 b5 19 c5 a5 20 f4 axb4 2 1 axb4 :a4 would be very bad strate­ gically, leading to a won position for Black.

18 19 cS

bS

19 20 cxd6+

dS!

..•

Or 1 9 cxb5 :xb5 20 :hbl J:.ab8 and Black has very strong pressure on the queenside ...

That this exchange is now inevita­ ble is another evil consequence of White's faulty 1 8th move. For if now 20 ltJc3, then 20 ... b4 again breaking through on the b-file; whilst after 20 llxl2 e5 2 1 �d3 �f6 Black will now have threats on both wings.

8 �

� � 8 � zV:� - WA'. .: Two fresh dangers now arise for White, control of the c-file and the weak square c4, the latter providing the black knight with a fine outpost.

21 f4? White is still deluded by the lure of a counter-demonstration on the kingside, but it soon becomes evi­ dent that he can achieve nothing on this wing; instead he should bend all his efforts to countering Black's threats on the queenside and play 2 1 :he 1 . Even then analysis by Tartak­ ower shows that Black retains the advantage: 21 .. .�d7 22 :c2 :a7 23 :ac 1 ltJa5 24 lLJd2 b4 ! 1•

21 ... 22 fS?

:ea

Keeping blindly to his kingside attack idea, but giving Black far too much scope on the opposite wing. Another unfortunate result of the text move is that Black's king is given

The comments in this game are far too pessimistic for White. It is only after his next move that White really runs into trouble. For example, at the end of Tartak­ ower' s line 25 axb4 %txb4 26 l:tal lDb3 27 lDxb3 l:txb3 28 %ta5 is a safe draw, as the a6-pawn is just as weak as the one on b2.

E. Bogoljubow - Capablanca 171 opportunities of eventually penetrat­ ing on the kingside via the holes on f4 and g5. It was imperative to oppose rooks 1 on the c-file by playing 22 :hcl .

22 23 �d3 24 :abl •••

lLJaS lLJc4

..

.•.

:c6 fxe6

This pawn sacrifice is intended to prevent ...�f6-g5 and also has vague hopes of exploiting the open h-file. There is now, however, no sufficient means of dealing with Black's threats 1

•••

hxg5

�6

:ac8

Threatening to win two pawns by 30...lilxb2+.

aS!

Not only shutting out the white knight, but foreshadowing an even­ tual ... b4. �g6 31 :a+

32 g4

lLJd6! ( D)

Black has envisaged a mating net by bringing the knight to e4 and his rook to the 7th rank.

d5!

Capablanca's play here and to the end of the game is perfect in its eco­ nomic and beautiful exploitation of a strategically won position. 25 lLJc3 After 25 lLJc5 Black can either play with effect 25 . . .e5 or continue neatly with 25 ...lLJe5+ 26 dxe5 :xc5 27 :be 1 :ac8 28 :xc5 :xc5 threat­ ening both ...:c4 and .. .f6.

25 26 fxe6 27 g5

27 2s :h5 29 :h3 30 lLJa2

Of the three passive moves at his disposal, White, his optimism now suddenly transmuted into pessimism, chooses the most passive. However, 24 : a2 would be met by 24 ... :c6 25 b3 lLJas 26 :c2 :ac8, etc., and af­ ter 24 b3 lLJa5 25 liJd2 :c7 26 :ac l :ac8 27 : xc7+ :xc7 28 e4 �f6 Black cannot be prevented from con­ tinuing ...�g5, since 29 :h5 would be met by 29...:c t .

24 .

�

of penetrating with his king and also of doubling rooks on the c-file.

33 lLJc3 34 axb4 35 lLJdl

b4 axb4

Or 35 lLJa2 lLJe4 36 lilxb4 :c4 37 lLJa2 :c2 38 :dt :xb2, etc.

35 36 :a •••

:cl

b3!

A beautifully harmonious and the­ matic move; the finish is extremely pleasing.

Indeed, it is still hard to see how White could lose after 22 l:lhcl �a5 23 liXl2, fol­ lowed by b3.

172 Budapest Siesta Tourney 1928 37 :at 38 :e2 39 :bt

lLJe4 :8c6

White is limited to moving this rook, since playing any of the other pieces results in immediate mate. If 39 lbc3, then 39 . . .:6xc3+ 40 bxc3 : xc3#; or alternatively 39 l:txc2 :xc2 and 40...lld2# follows.

39

eS!

•••

The final touch; mate now looms up in quite another direction.

40 llat 4t llaS (D)

ll6c4

S .ixc4 6 lbxd4 7 lbc3

cxd4 lbf6 a6?

Up to this point the game has been identical with that won by Capa­ blanca against Bogoljubow at Mos­ cow 1925 (Game 39). Bogoljubow's 7 ... .ic5 did not prove sufficient, but the text is even worse, since it repre­ sents the pure waste of a tempo. 7 ...lbbd7 is best here.

8 0-0

.icS

Havasi is obviously ignorant of the game mentioned above and heads straight into a similar disaster. Whatever he does, he must now get the inferior game. If, for example, 8 .. e5, then 9 lbf3 Wxdl 10 :xdl liJc6 1 1 liJd5 with a winning posi­ tion. Comparatively best is 8 ... .ie7, though White can then maintain the pressure by 9 e5. 9 .ie3 (D) .

4t

lbcS+! 0-t

White is mated by 42 ...e4. The finish, as in so many ofCapablanca's best games, presents a handsome geometric picture. Game 54

Capablanca K. Havasi Budapest Siesta Tourney 1928 -

Queen's Gambit Accepted

t 2 3 4

d4 c4

lbf3

e4

dS e6 dxc4 cS

liJbd7 9 9 . . 0-0 was absolutely necessary; •••

.

White could then continue with 1 0 e5 liJfd7 1 1 liJe4 Wc7 12 :c l ! and if now 12 ... Wxe5, 1 3 liJxc5 lbxc5 14 liJf3 Wh5 15 .i xc5 Wxc5 16 .ixe6 and wins. Consequently, Black has

Capablanca - K. Havasi 173 to reply l l . .. i.e7 when 12 f4 leaves him badly placed but still alive 1 • 10 i.xe6! The same combination as in the Bogoljubow game, but here even more devastating, as White has had time to castle. 10 fxe6 •aS 11 liJxe6 Now l l . ..'ifb6 loses at once be­ cause of 1 2 liJxc5 liJxc5 13 liJa4. 12 liJxg7+ q;n 13 liJfS Threatening 14 •b3+ q;g6 15 liJe2 and liJf4+. 13 liJeS 14 .,,3+ �g6 (D) ...

w

The attack proceeds with great energy; if now 16 ...liJxe4, 17 :xc8 :xc8 18 •e6+, etc. 16 h5 11 :rd1! This quiet positional move is much more conclusive than 17 i.b6 •b5 1 8 liJf4+ q;h7 19 :c7+ i.d7. 11 :gs 18 t;)f4+ q;h7 19 i.b6 .,,s q;h8 (D) 20 :c7+ If 20 ...i.d7, then 2 1 liJd5 liJxd5 22 :xd5 •xb3 23 axb3 winning a piece, and if 20... i.g7, 2 1 •xg8+ q;xg8 22 :xg7+ q;f8 23 :d8+ liJe8 24 :xc8, etc. •••

w

�'it'

� ��,

�

� ,..m

IS :act! Threatening 16 i.xc5 •xc5 1 7 lLJe2 with a mating attack. IS .i.f8 15....i.xe3 16 fxe3 would only open up fresh lines of attack for White's pieces. 16 liJe2! •••

21 'ilixb5! This far from obvious move initi­ ates the final winning combination. axbS 21 22 :ds :xa2 Black has no saving move; if 22... i.xf5, then 23 :xa8 i.xe4 24 :cc8 liJfd7 25 i.d4. •••

I don't see any reason why Black should not play l 1 ...llJxe5 in this line, with gen­ eral liquidation and a likely draw after 1 2 .i.xe6 .i.xd4 1 3 .i.xd4 .i.xe6 14 .i.xe5 llJc6.

174 Budapest Siesta Tourney 1928 23 l:tdxc8 lLic4 By utilising the threat of mate on the back rank, Black seems to have regained his lost material, but the next few moves cruelly undeceive him. 24 h3 lLixb6 25 l:txf8! lLlfd7 l:txb2 26 :n 1-0 27 lLldS A piece is lost, e.g. 27 . . . l:tdS 28 lLixb6 and Black cannot recapture because of mate in three. Game 55 L. Mereny - Capablanca Budapest Siesta Tourney 1928 Sicilian Defence

1 e4 c5 Capablanca very rarely used this defence, preferring either the Caro­ Kann or l . .. e5. He uses it here as an aggressive variation against an op­ ponent who is obviously playing for a draw. g6 2 lLif3 This move is the first and only in­ accuracy that Capablanca commits in the whole game. Either 2 ...lLic6 or 2 ...d6 should be played here; after the text, White can transpose into a very favourable variation - the Ma­ roczy - by 3 c4 if.. g7 4 d4 with a strong bind on the position. 3 c3 This slow move allows Black to take the initiative in the centre. dS! 3 ... I

By taking advantage of White's inability to attack the queen by lLic3, Black obtains a fine game 1 . if..d7 4 if..b5+ 5 if..xd7+ Or 5 "iii'e2 dxe4 6 if.. xd7+ "iii'xd7 7 "iii'xe4 lLlf6 8 "iii'e2 lLic6 and Black is considerably ahead in development. 'ii'xd7 5 ... 6 exdS Having in mind a further simpli­ fication involving the exchange of queens, after which he hopes the draw will become apparent because of the reduction of material on the board. Capablanca, however, is not content with the half point and ex­ tracts all that is possible from the po­ sition to secure a win. Had White less pacific intentions, he would have played 6 e5 followed by 7 d4. It is true that Black would have still enjoyed an excellent game, but at least this way of playing would provide him with counter-chances and a plan of action other than the purely defensive. 'ii'xdS 6 ... cxd4 7 d4 'ii'xd4 8 'ii'xd4 eS! (D) 9 lLixd4 10 lLlbS? A plausible move which would be effective enough if Black were forced to reply IO ...lLia6. Since this is not the case, White should have contented himself with the more modest 10 lLic2 lLic6 1 1 if..e3 0-0-0 and though Black has the superior

The opening comments are very odd, even for the lime Golombek wrote them.

L. Mereny - Capablanca 175

w

game, his advantage is less marked than after the text-move. 10 �d7! With this and the following move Black's king becomes a fighting unit in its own right - an extraordinary and rare occurrence for the second player as early as the lOth move. 11 �e2 �c6! There is a good deal of impish hu­ mour behind this move 12 a4 liJd7 13 .ie3 If at once 1 3 .:ld 1 Black does best to play 1 3 ...a6 since 1 3 ... tbgf6 al­ lows White to embark on a mating combination by means of 14 .ih6 .ixh6? ( 1 4 ... .ie7 is necessary) 1 5 l:.d6+ �c5 16 tbla3 a5 17 l:.bl. 13 a6 tbgf6 14 l:.dl 15 tbd2 Temporarily, at any rate, White is able to develop his pieces, but they will be rapidly driven back and dis­ organised. White's play is typified by move-to-move tactical progress rather than far-sighted positional planning. 15 c4 is better than the text, thereby depriving Black's knight of the square d5 and providing his own ..•

knight with a good post for develop­ ment on c3. 15 16 lLJa3 17 tbdc4 An important move with a double purpose; firstly, it prevents White's threatened tba5+; secondly, it fore­ shadows the positional idea of block­ ading White's queenside pawns by an eventual ... a5. 18 .:td2 .ixa3 White's pieces are further disor­ ganised by this unexpected exchange of bishop for knight. 19 .:lxa3 If 1 9 tbxa3, then 19 ... tbxe3 fol­ lowed by 20... tbc5 preserves Black's advantage. 19 .:the8 20 tbd6 White'shand-to-mouthexistence continues with a faulty combination which permits Black to obtain a ter­ rifyingly overwhelming position in the centre. 20 l:.al was better. 20 l:.e7! (D) Not 20 ... �xd6 2 1 c4 with advan­ tage to White. •••

•••

••.

21 c4

176 Budapest Siesta Tourney 1928 If 2 1 lbb7 lbxc3+ followed by 22 . .�xb7 winning a pawn 1 . 21 ... lbxe3 22 fxe3 With vague hopes of a counter on the f-file. White is in any event posi­ tionally lost, but 22 �xe3 was to be preferred. lbcS 22 23 lbe4 Ingeniously escaping from mate­ rial loss, but Capablanca's next se­ ries of powerful moves shows up the positional insufficiency of White's plan in glaring fashion. 23 :xd2+ aS! 24 lbxd2 This fixes the queenside for good. Black's two pawns adequately hold White's three on this wing whilst he proceeds to the final attack on the other side. The rest of the game is a model of clear-cut, incisive exploita­ tion of thematic advantages worthy of the most careful study. 25 lbbl White realises that Black intends .. .e4 followed by ...lbd3, and as com­ pensation manoeuvres his knight so as to be able to play to d5 or d4 ac­ cording to the sequence of Black's moves. :d7 25 26 lbd2 e4 27 lbb3 lbd3 .

28 lbd4+ �cS 29 b3 f5 30 :at (D) Hoping for time to play 3 1 :n, but now Black crowns his fine play with a decisive positional sacrifice.

•••

.••

1 2

30 ... l:txd4! Black gives up the exchange as the dominating position of his king and knight will prevent White from stemming the advance of his king­ side pawns. 31 exd4+ �xd4 32 g3 If 32 h4, then 32... f4 followed by ... h6 and ...g5 with an ending similar to that in the actual game. 32 g5 33 b4 In the vain hope that Black will be tempted away from his thematic pur­ pose to play 33 ...lbxb4, when White will even win by 34 :n 2. •.•

In fact this line loses the exchange after 22 J%xc3+ �xb7 23 i.g5, but the simple 2 1 ...iDf4+ wins a piece immediately. White is hardly winning after 34 :n; indeed, Black is still much better if he re­ plies 34...�e5. However, Golombek's point is basically correct - Black can win without being deflected by White's queenside play.

Capablanca 33

f4! f3+ e3 bxcS �xe3 c4

...

34 c5 35 �n 36 J:lel

37 J:lxe3 38 bxaS 0-1

Game 56 Capablanca H. Steiner Budapest Siesta Tourney 1928 Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defence -

1 d4 li:Jf6 2 c4 e6 d5 3 li:Jc3 4 J.g5 li:Jbd7 5 e3 J.e7 6 li:Jf3 0-0 c6 7 J:l.c l 8 J.d3 For 8 'i!fc2 see Game 66. dxc4 8 li:JdS 9 J.xc4 10 J.xe7 fkxe7 1 1 0-0 li:Jxc3 b6 12 J:lxc3 This is too slow and allows White to gain command of the c-file, as Ca­ pablanca demonstrates with a total mastery of the necessary technique. The normal 1 2 ...e5 is adequate and is the only correct move in this position. 13 fl'c2! An attempt to exploit the pre­ sumed weakness on the queenside by 1 3 'i!fe2 J.b7 14 J.a6 J.xa6 1 5 'i!fxa6 leads to nothing after 15 ...c5 16 'i!i'b7 J:lfb8. c5 13 •••

•..

-

H. Steiner 177

Black must play this at once as otherwise he cannot free himself. If 1 3 ... J.b7, then 14 J.d3 and to avoid the loss of a pawn Black must further weaken his position by 14 ... f5, as both 14 ...g6 15 J.e4 and 14 ...li:Jf6 15 li:le5 are bad. 14 dxc5! This apparently simple continu­ ation contains, as is customary with Capablanca, a wealth of hidden posi­ tional meaning. Nothing is to be achieved by obvious tactical means, e.g. 14 J.b5 cxd4 15 J:lc7 'i!fd8 16 exd4 (or 16 li:lxd4 li:Jc5) 16 ...li:Jf6 and now 1 7 'i!fc6 li:Jd5 1 8 J:l.xf7? would be bad for White: 1 8 ...J:lxf7 19 'i!fxa8 li:lc7 20 'i!fc6 J.d7, etc. li:lxcS 14 Now, however, 14 ... bxc5 would lose a pawn after 15 J.b5. 15 b4 li:Ja6 The knight is reduced to this im­ potent position, since 1 5 ... li:ld7 16 J.d3 g6 17 J:lc7 'i!fd8 18 J.e4 loses very quickly for Black. 16 a3 J.b7 17 J.d3 g6 18 J:lcl! (D) Very strong, since Black loses ma­ terial after 1 8 ...J:lacS 19 J:lxc8 J:lxc8 20 'i!fxc8 J.xc8 2 1 J:lxc8+ �g7 22 J.xa6. 18 J:lad8 Preparing to bring the knight back into play via b8. 19 li:Je5 Threatening 20 J.xa6 and 2 1 li:Jc6. 'ikd6 19 ... li:Jb8 20 f4 With this move Black contem­ plates the eventual sacrifice of a pawn •••

..•

178 Budapest Siesta Tourney 1928

in order to gain freedom; but White's fine play nullifies this and maintains his grasp on the position. If instead 20. . .f6, then 2 1 l'Dxg6 hxg6 22 .i.xa6 i.xa6 23 •xg6+ �h8 24 b5 i.b7 25 e4 and wins. 21 :c7 i.a8 22 :xa7 l'LJc6 Hoping for 23 t'Dxc6 i.xc6 24 'ili'xc6 'ili'xd3 25 •xb6, when he can force a draw by 25 ... 'ili'e2 26 h3 :d2 27 1i'b7 'ti'xe3+ 28 �h 1 :d7 29 'ili'xd7 'ii'x cl+, etc. 23 :xa8! l'DxeS 24 :xd8 :xd8 (D)

However Black plays, his knight will run into trouble. If 25 ... lDd7, 26 :d1 'ili'e7 (or 26 ... 'ili'b8 27 •d2) 27 'ili'c7 �f8 28 i.b5. 26 'ii'xd.2! The exchange of queens is more decisive than the immediate win of a piece by 26 fxe5 'ti'xe3+ 27 �h i :d2 28 Wes+ �g7 29 i.f3 'ii'xa3, when White's pawns will prove diffi­ cult to defend. 26 :xd.2 27 :cS+ ci>g7 2s �n This quiet move is the point of White's combination; the knight is compelled to go to a square on which it will be pinned by White's rook. 28 llxl7 29 :ds �r6 30 i.bS :d5 (D) ••.

w

31 a4! And not 3 1 i.xd7 �e7 32 :b8 :xd7 33 :xb6 :a7 with drawing chances. 31 :xbS Desperation, but Black is utterly lost. The pawn ending after 3 1 . .. �e7 32 :xd7+ :xd7 33 i.xd7 �xd7 34 �e2 is equally hopeless. ...

25 i.e2! In this open position, the bishop is far superior to the knight. 25 'ii'd.2 .••

Capablanca - Z. Von Balla 179 cj/e7 32 axb5 e5 33 :cs 34 :c6 e4 f5 35 cj/e2 36 cj/d2 cj;f7 37 cj/c3 1-0 White's king cannot be prevented from reaching d6; a game of the ut­ most neatness and precision. Game 57 Capablanca - Z. Von Balla Budapest Siesta Tourney 1928 Nimzo-Indian Defence

1 d4 liJf6 2 c4 e6 3 ltJc3 i.b4 4 'ir'c2 c5 4 ...d5 has more adherents nowa­ days; the Zurich (or Milner-Barry) variation, 4 ...tl)c6, is also popular. 5 dxcS i.xc5 For 5 ...tl)c6 see Game 63. 6 a3 In a previous round of the same tourney, against Marshall, Capa­ blanca played here 6 liJf3 ltJc6 7 a3 liJd4 8 ltJxd4 i.xd4 9 e3 i.xc3+ 1 0 'ilkxc3 0-0 1 1 b4 d5 with a level game. The text introduces a more vigorous plan. 6 ltJc6 7 b4 i.e7 'flc7? 8 ltJrJ This premature development of the queen costs Black time that he can ill afford. 8 ...b6 at once would have been better. 9 g3! An economical plan typical of Capablanca's style; he develops his

king's bishop on its most effective diagonal and also prepares to attack the queen with his other bishop. The same process is commonly em­ ployed by White in some lines of the Slav Defence (cf. Game 67 v. Brinck­ mann). 9 b6 And now 9 . . . a6 would be better in order to prevent White's eventual liJb5. �b7 10 i.g2 1 1 �f4 d6 1 1 . .. e5 1 2 �g5 followed by 1 3 liJd5 would be very bad for Black. 12 liJbS 'ft8 (D) If 12 ...Wd8, then White replies 1 3 :dt. ••.

13 c5! White opens up the position in or­ der to profit from the greater mobil­ ity of his pieces. e5 13 14 cxd6 �xd6 Best; if 14 . . . exf4, then 1 5 ltJc7+ cj/d8 16 dxe7+ cj/xc7 1 7 l2Je5 We8 1 8 :et wins. 15 :dl This strong move is the only way to maintain the attack, since Black .••

180 Budapest Siesta Tourney 1928 wins after 15 tt.Jxd6+ 'ii'xd6 16 ltlxe5 t0xb4 t . 15 0-0 If 1 5 . . . exf4, then 1 6 tt.Jxd6+ �f8 17 lLlxb7 'ii'xb7 18 tt.Jh4 %k8 19 %kl winning a piece, or 15...i.e7 16 tt.Jxe5 ltlxb4 ( 16 ...ltlxe5 17 i.xe5) 17 axb4 i.xg2 18 lDc7+ �f8 19 'i'c4 i.d5 20 ltlxd5, etc. exf4 (D) 16 tt.Jxd6 .••

17 ltlh4! Decisive; now Black cannot avoid the loss of a piece. 17 tt.Jd8 18 tt.Jxb7 ltlxb7 19 'ifc6 This enhancement of the strength of the fianchettoed bishop is striking both from aesthetic and thematic points of view. 19 fxg3 20 hxg3 It is unnecessary to take the piece at once and allow Black counter­ chances by 20...gxf2+. •e5 20 .••

•..

21 •xb7 •cJ+ The rest of the game is clearly a matter of technique, but it is still in­ teresting to observe the clear-cut and elegant methods employed by Capa­ blanca to efficiently despatch his op­ ponent. 22 �n :ad8 23 :et Naturally, not 23 :xd8 •c l + fol­ lowed by mate. 23 ... •xa3 24 tt.Jf5 White could have saved the pawn by 24 b5 but prefers to end the game by a kingside attack. 24 :d7 •xb4 25 •o 26 :h4 ...,2 :rd8 21 'ii'r4 :d2 28 i.c6 29 •g5 g6 If 29... lbe8, then 30 i.xe8 :xe8 3 1 tt.Jxg7 !. 30 tt.Je3 •cJ 31 :c4 ...,2 32 :r4 tt.Jh5 If 32 ...l:t8d6, then 33 lDc4 wins at once. 33 ltJc4 f6 34 .g4 ..al 35 '6'e6+ �h8 l:tdl 36 :e4 l:txdl+ 37 :xdl 1-0 38 �g2 White threatens both 39 i.d5 and 39 g4; Black is unable to parry both threats.

At the end of this line White can force instant resignation by 17 'ii'a4+, so Black should play 1 6 l0d4! with a clear advantage. ...

Capablanca - A. Rubinstein 181 Gaine 58 Capablanca - A. Rubinstein Berlin 1928 Queen's Pawn 1 d4

2 li:lf3

dS cS

3 dxcS Capablanca forms a scheme for isolating Black's d-pawn, but this should not prove a serious handicap to the second player, who is able to complete his development quite eas­ ily. The move likely to give Black the most trouble is 3 c4 and if 3 ...cxd4, then 4 'ii'xd4, e.g. 4 ...li:lf6 5 cxd5 li:lxd5 6 e4 or 4 ...e6 5 cxd5 followed by 6 .ig5. 3 ...e6 and 3 ... dxc4 4 e3 lead respectively to the Tarrasch De­ fence and the Queen's Gainbit Ac­ cepted. e6 3 ... Should Black wish to avoid the isolated pawn he can quite well play 3...'ii'a5+ followed by ...'ii'xc5.

4 e4 .ixcS 4 ... dxe4 5 'ii'xd8+ �xd8 6 li:lg5 gives White a pawn and the better gaine. S exdS exdS

6 .ibS+ A move of dubious value, as the bishop is not very effectively placed on b5. Better is 6 .ie2. 6 liJc6 7 0-0 li:le7 8 li:lbd2 This knight is to be developed on b3 in order to control d4 and so pre­ vent the further advance of Black's d-pawn. 0-0 8 9 li:lb3 t .ib6 9 .. ..id6 also caine into considera­ tion, leading to quite a different type of gaine, with Black's counter-attack consisting of pressure on the h2rather than the f2-pawn. 10 :C.el Preparing for .ie3, but this ma­ noeuvre cannot be carried out for some time, and meanwhile Black can get a good gaine by concentrat­ ing on the weak square f2. I 0 .if4 would be better, to be followed by 1 1 c3. 10 . .ig4 Threatening ... .ixf2+ followed by ... 'ii'b6+. •.•

..

1 1 .id3

Curiously, we have transposed into a line of the Tarrasch French with White hav­ ing a tempo less. After I e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 11ld2 c5 4 exd5 exd5 5 11lgf3 11lc6 6 i.b5 i.d6 7 dxc5 i.xc5 8 0-011le7 9 11lb3 we have the same position as in this game, but with Black not having castled. Another oddity is that ECO gives the following line (first five moves as before) "6 dxc5 i.xc5 7 i.b5 11le7 8 0-0 0-0 9 11lb3 i.b6 10 J:l.e 1 = Capablanca-Rubinstein, London 1922". Presumably they are referring to the present game, as Rubinstein was White in their (totally different) game from London 1922. Moreover, by altering the move-order the ECO author, Matanovic, introduced the possibility of 7... �xf2+!, winning a pawn. Since the Tarrasch French line is today considered more or less equal, and given that Black has an ex­ tra tempo, Rubinstein had no problems from the opening.

182 Berlin 1928 This unhappy bishop is still incor­ rectly placed; on d3 it is open to even­ tual attack and exchange by Black's knight. 1 1 h3 i.h5 1 2 c3 would have been better. 11 lbg6 i.xf3 12 h3 13 •x0 lbce5 14 •r5 lbxd3 15 •xd3 (D) •••

d4? 15 ... This strategic blunder converts the d-pawn into a real liability and deprives Black of any counter-at­ tack. Black must maintain pressure on the kingside by 1 5 ... •f6, after which White has nothing better than 1 6 :n ( 16 i.e3 •xb2 is rather to Black's advantage) 16 ...:ad8 17 c3 lbe5 1 8 •d l (not 1 8 We2 l:tfe8) 1 8 ... lLJc4 and Black has an excellent game. 16 i.