Classic Capablanca

    Moscow 1935 was conceived by Nikolai Krylenko, the head of Soviet Chess, to test the Soviet players against the Western players. Eight foreign masters, including two former World Champions, were invited. The joint winners were Botvinnik and Flohr, but in what was hailed as a "biological miracle" the 66-year-old Emanuel Lasker was undefeated and finished just half a point behind them. The biological niriacle was because in Germany in 1935 life expectancy for men was around 60.68 years. This was to be his last great tournament performance. In the following game from that event Capablanca executes a brilliant attack on both sides of the board. 

 

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Jose Capablanca–Vyacheslav Ragozin1–0E24Moscow22.02.1935Stockfish 17

E32: Nimzo-Indian 1.d4 f6 2.c4 e6 3.c3 b4 4.a3 This is unusual for Capanlanca who usually preferred 4.Qc2. xc3+ 5.bxc3 d6 Ar this point black has a wide array of choices. Capablanca himself played 5...b6 against Lilienthal at Hastings, 1934 and ended up with an inferior game. 6.c2 White usually plays 6.f3. but the text is equally good. 0-0 7.e4 e5 8.d3 c5 Black hioes that white will play 9.d5 after which qhite's c-Pawns will be suject to attack. 9.e2 c6 10.d5 10.0-0 b6 11.f4 exd4 12.cxd4 cxd4 13.h3 e8 14.b2 equals. Miljkovic,M (2266)-Mitrovic,D (2371) Nis 2009 10...e7 This passive defensive move is often played even today, but a better plan might be eyeung white's weak Ps with 10...Na5 followed by ...b6 and ...Ba6 11.f3 d7 Black is getting himself into a cramped position and here the idea of playing ...f5 is not going to work. 12.h4 This launches a strong K-side attack and so Ragozin devises a startling plan...he is going flee with his K to the Q-side! The problem is that the time consumed with this plan gives white way too much control of the board and he ends up with a commanding position. b6 13.g4 f6 There is nothing at all wrong with this move in itsself, buy it is black's idea to move his K all the way over to the other side of the boatd that is faulty. He is successful in doing so, but in the process he hets a very passive game and allows Caoablanca to improve his position unhendered. Black's chances lie on the Q-side and by placing his K there any P advance will leave it exposed to attack 14.g3 f7 14...d7 is a better plan. Play might continue... 15.0-0 b8 16.h5 a4 17.f4 b5 Even here though white's chances must be considered better. 15.g5 g8 16.f4 e8 17.f5 e7 18.g2 d8 19.h5 This N is headed for e6 via g7. On e6 it will be a great hindrance to black. c7 20.gxf6 gxf6 20...xf6 was somewhat better. 21.xg7 If black trades Qs the N still reaches e6, so... f7 22.h6 xh5 23.xh5 d7 24.g5 White has a dominationg position. He can bring the R on a1 into play with Ra2-g2 etc. 21.g7 d7 22.h5 ac8 23.h6 b8 Success. The only problem is that strategically his position is lost. 24.g1 f7 25.b1 f8 26.e2 a8 A good indication that black is bereft of ideas. 27.h5 e7 28.a2 d8 Ragozin hopes that with his K is tucked away pm a8 it will be safe, but white starts an attack on it there, too. 29.d2 a4 30.b3 b6 30...b8 31.e6 xe6 32.dxe6 b6 33.f7 with a dominating position. 31.a4 Beginning another onslaught on black's K. This innediate threat is to win the N with 32.a5 b8 32.a5 c8 33.a2 f8 34.e3 b6 35.a6 Black's position is simply horrible. With the exception of his Q none of his pieces can move and all he can do is await white's coup de grâce. d8 36.d2 f8 37.b2 d8 38.b1 b5 A desperate attempt to gain breathing room. 39.cxb5 b6 40.a2 Preventing ...Nc4 c4 Creating another weakness om d6 and Capablanca wastes no time in taking advantage of it. But passive play pm b;ack's part is also doomed to failure. 41.a3 c7 42.c1 He has not forgotten about the K-side! f8 43.bg2 b8 44.b4 d8 45.g3 f8 46.e6 xe6 47.dxe6 c7 48.xd6 e7 49.d1 Black resigned. He could play on, but loss is inevitable, so why waste time simply shifting his pieces around? 1–0

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