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This is an apparent simple game, where quite maneuvering precedes violent action. It is one of the most beautiful games I have ever seen, the great Capablanca playing chess with unmatched virtuosity. Every move he makes is crystal clear, no time is wasted and when everything is in place, thunder strikes and his opponent yields. |
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1. e4
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Capablanca later settled for 1. d4, but some of his best games are open ones. |
 
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1... e5
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Fancy defenses like the Sicilian, Pirc, Caro-Kahn were far less popular than this traditional move. I wonder how would Capa handle the Sicilians of today? |
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2. Nf3
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Never a KG's lover, I believe he even stated once that it's a losing gambit, Capablanca plays more direct. |
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2... Nc6
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The Petroff was viewed as passive and almost lost for Black. The only grandmaster of the time that had faith in it was Chigorin. |
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3. d4
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It starts like a Scotch, but it ends up a Steinitz defense. |
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3... d6
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Fairly passive, Black is playing with moderation. |
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4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bb5
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This looks like a crossover from the Scotch, Four Knights Game and the Ruy Lopez. |
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5... Bd7
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With this move Black postpones surrendering the center because of the counter-attack on e4, if White decided to exchange on c6 and try to win the e5 pawn. |
1 comment
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6. O-O
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White completes development and instead of using his Queen to defend e4, uses the Rook. |
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6... Be7
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Black hasn't got better plans. He just wants to complete development and hopes he'll be alright. |
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7. Re1
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White has over-defended e4 and now is threatening to capture on e5. The pawn structure that results from this is favorable to White because he has extra space and better control of the center. Black's source of counterplay is attacking the e-pawn. But his cramped position doesn't promise much and in modern times this defense has all but subsided from practice. |
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7... exd4
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Black could have postponed surrendering the center for one more move with 7...0-0, owing to the fact that White's Re1 is overloaded, but after 8. Bxc6 Bxc6 9. Qe2 exd4 10. Nxd4 Bd7 11. Bf4, White is better. |
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8. Nxd4 Nxd4
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Black seizes the opportunity to exchange two minor pieces in hope that his cramped position will be less felt and his coordination won't suffer from lack of maneuvering space. |
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9. Qxd4
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But in turn, the exchanges bring White's Queen into play with tempo. |
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9... Bxb5 10. Nxb5 O-O
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Black has completed development and given the opportunity will now start to create pressure on e4. His position is passive but there are no weakness on the surface and White will have to play very purposefully in order to prove his advantage. |
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11. Qc3
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Which he does. A very simple yet brilliant move. With a quiet Queen shuffle, White has freed d4 for his Knight, he's putting pressure on c7 so as to provoke c6 and a weakening of the d-pawn, his Queen has the whole third rank at her disposal. |
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11... c6
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Not forced but Black isn't the strongest of players. If Capablanca were Black here, I'm sure he would have seen the central strike 11...d5!. But now we are in for a treat since we are about to see one of the most beautiful examples of piece coordination ever played on a chessboard. |
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12. Nd4
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White has a very good position even if he has wasted a few tempos. The Knight is ready to go to f5, the Bishop has two excellent attack targets, d6 and g7, the Queen will come to g3 to attack both of the aforementioned spots and the d-file will be used as well to create maximum pressure on Black's position. |
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12... Nd7
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Black tries to use the position of White's pieces on the long diagonal to develop his Bishop with tempo on f6, supporting g7 and the Knight that is bound for e5. |
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13. Nf5
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White wastes no time in placing his pieces on the best squares. This Knight is an absolute killer on f5, hitting both g7 and d6, besides being ready for other feats of bravery. |
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