Annotated chess game: Capa Il Capo

ANNOTATED GAME

Capa Il Capo
J. R. Capablanca vs. Rafael Blanco
Annotated by: last_archimedean

(1564)
Chess opening: French (C10), Rubinstein, Capablanca line

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Capablanca demonstrates the power of good positional play. (Annotations by J. R. Capablanca)

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. Ne5	The object of this move is to prevent Black from fianchettoing his Q B, which is its usual development in this variation.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2337) on 16-Sep-25: There was a time at which after 1.e4.e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 Black would be condemned for 'surrendering the centre'. These days commentators aren't so forthright. The line is quite playable (though I have never played it myself).


7... Bd6 8. Qf3	8 B - K Kt 5 was better. This move presents a tactical chance to Black.



8... c6	Black misses it. 8... P - B 4 would have led to complications through which White would have to find his way.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2337) on 16-Sep-25: After 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 0-0 10.Bd3, ...c5! was still a strong possibility. But simply ...0-0 seems fine.


9. c3 O-O 10. Bg5 Be7	Black loses a tempo here, showing that his plan of development was faulty.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2337) on 16-Sep-25: The c8-bishop is becoming something of a problem child. White's game looks very promising.


11. Bd3 Ne8	The alternative was ... Kt - Q 4.



12. Qh3 f5	White's attack has been stopped, but Black has been forced to create a serious weakness (the K P). White's plan for the remainder of the game will be to focus on this weakness.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2337) on 16-Sep-25: 12.Qh3 looks a rather crude method (12.h4!? being an attractive alternative). But the things about easily parried short-ranged threats, are (a) they demand an effective response, and (b) by so doing, they serve a means to an end. The immediate effect is to induce a weakening in Black's K-side, and to create targets for attack.


13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. O-O Rf6 15. Rfe1 Nd6 16. Re2 Bd7	Merely to make room for the Rook.



17. Rae1 Re8 18. c4 Nf7	A clever move, preventing White's P - B 5 and tempting White to play Kt x B followed by B x P, which would be bad.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2337) on 16-Sep-25: If now 19.Nxd7 Qxd7 20.Bxf5, then 20...Ng5 21.Qg4 Rxf5 22.h4 Nf3+ with equality. But it is not clear that the move prevents 19.c5 (19...Nxe5 20.Rxe5; 19...Rh6 20.Qg3 Nxe5 21.Qxe5...


19. d5 Nxe5	The best way to meet White's numerous threats.



20. Re2xe5 g6 21. Qh4 Kg7 22. Qd4 c5	Forced (White threatened both P x K P and Q x Q R P.)



23. Qc3 b6	23... Q - Q 3 was better.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2337) on 16-Sep-25: Not a swag of a lot in it really, methinks. Black's game is under a whole heap of pressure however he plays.


24. dxe6 Bc8 25. Be2	The decisive and timely maneuver. All the Black pieces are useless after this Bishop reaches Q 5.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2337) on 16-Sep-25: This might not have been the best way to achieve White's immediate aim. THe momentary severing of communications between rooks might have allowed 25...Qd6 26.Bf3 Bxe6. This would have been stymied by 26.Rd1 Qf8 27.Bf3 etc. But instead 25.Bc2 would have placed Black in something of a zugzwang. What can he play? 25...Qd6 26.e7! Otherwise White threatens Bc2-a4-c6-d5, and there seems to be nothing Black can do about it.


25... Bxe6 26. Bf3 Kf7 27. Bd5	White now seeks the quickest way to force the issue.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2337) on 16-Sep-25: That pin-and-a-half-pin is crushing, even though the pinned piece has four defenders.


27... Qd6 28. Qe3 Re7 29. Qh6	White now needs to break the cordon of Pawns protecting Black's King.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2337) on 16-Sep-25: 28...f4 might have slowed White down a bit.


29... Kg8 30. h4 a6 31. h5	Forcing the attack through.



31... f4 32. hxg6 hxg6 33. Re5xe6	Black resigns. Dr. Emanuel Lasker, observing this game, said that if White's play were analyzed there would be no way to improve on it.
	1 comment archduke_piccolo (2337) on 16-Sep-25: White wins a piece, and then the one-sided end game. In this game, Black looked like the proverbial rabbit in the headlights.