Bogo Spits the Hook Against Capa

     In 1929 the big tournament of the year was held Carlsbad, Czechoslovakia and it was won by Aron Nimzovich who had the best result of his career. Nimzovich used this victory to support his campaign for a match with Alekhine for the world championship, but subsequent losses to Alekhine at San Remo (1930) and Bled (1931) convinced him to drop the idea. 

     World champion Alexander Alekhine wrote six reports for the New York Times and you can read them at Edward Winter's site HERE. 

      The following modern looking game between Capablanca and Bogoljubow was played in the fourth round and a draw result was a success for Bogoljubow because Capablanca had previously beaten him five straight times and this game should have made it six in a row. 

     Capablanca's decision on move 9 has been questioned, and C.J.S. Purdy used the position after black's 8th move to illustrate his advice that you should always check to see what would happen if you imagined that an opponent's threat could not possibly be executed. Then what would your best move be? 

     Purdy explained: you should visualize the position after your best move and then work out whether your opponent would gain anything by executing his "threat." 

     His contention was that had Capablanca done that before making his 9th move he would have realized that the threat to his e-Pawn was no threat at all. Examining the position with Komodo 12 and Stockfish showed that Purdy was correct, but the question arises, did Capablanca simply choose not to waste time so early in the game by evaluating black's potential for counterplay after sacrificing a N for two Ps? Or, did he simply elect to play a developing move that could not possibly be bad? 

     In any case, Capablanca came out of the opening with a nice advantage, but let Bogoljubow equalize with with his 21st. Then, thanks to the latter's imprecise play, the advantage swung back to Capablanca. Finally on move 27 Capablanca missed a tactical shot and let Bogoljubow off the hook.

Jose Capablanca - Efim Bogoljubov

Result: 1/2-1/2

Site: Carlsbad

Date: 1929

King's Indian

[...] 1.d4 ♘f6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 At a time when the K-Indian was a new fangled defense and white tried many different ways of meeting it Capablanca plays the Fianchetto Variation which today is one of the most popular lines at the GM level. Korchnoi once was its most notable practitioner. The Fianchetto Variation is completely different than other K-Indian lines in that black's normal plan of attack on the K-side is unlikely to succeed because white's K-side is more solidly defended than in most variations. 3...♗g7 4.♗g2 O-O 5.e4 Nowadays 5.Nf3 is greatly preferred while 5. Nc3 is seen less frequently. 5...d6 6.♘e2 ♘bd7 7.O-O e5 8.d5

8.♘bc3 Is white's other main option. 8...c6 9.h3 exd4 10.♘xd4

8...♘c5 This move which apparently threatens to capture the e-Pawn has been criticized because it should have resulted in a clear loss of time...something black especially cannot afford. Purdy explained that Capablanca should have asked what would happen if black couldn't for some reason carry out his threat to take the e-Pawn? Instead Capablanca just reacted by defending the Pawn. 9.♘bc3 Purdy spent some time examining this move and was critical of Capablanca for not playing 9.b4. But, I wonder...did Capa play this natural developing move without thinking or did he examine black's threat more closely and decide that the position resulting after 9.b4 was too murky?

9.b4 This gains space on the Q-side and gains time by forcing the N to retreat...or does it?! 9...♘cxe4 Carrying out the threat. 10.f3 The N is trapped so black's next move is forced. 10...♘xg3 11.hxg3 Black has two Ps for the N and he can whip up an attack, but how dangerous would it be? 11...e4 12.♗b2 exf3 13.♗xf3 h5 and it's doubtful; that black has enough compensation. Still, did Capablanca look at something like this and conclude it wasn't advisable to waste time calculating the possible results of allowing black to sacrifice on g3? Since this line has been met a few times since Capablanca played it, it's obvious that nobody has wanted to risk letting black make the sacrifice.

9...a5 10.h3 b6

10...c6 is an interesting alternative. 11.♗e3 cxd5 12.cxd5 ♗d7 13.♖b1 b5 14.b4 axb4 15.♖xb4 ♕a5 16.♕b1 ♖fb8 17.♗d2 ♘e8 18.♖b2 b4 with plenty of play for black. Boensch,U (2540)-Kalinitschew,S (2533)/Germany 2004

(10...♘e8 11.♗e3) 11.♗e3 ♕e7 12.a3 ♘h5

12...a4 in an attempt to stop white's b4 is interesting, but after 13.♗xc5 dxc5 14.♘xa4 white has won a P, but black can maneuver his N to d6 and then play ...f5 which seems to offer him adequate counterplay.

13.b4 axb4 14.axb4 ♖xa1 15.♕xa1 ♘a6 This is not an ideal place for the N, but there's not much choice. (15...♘d7 16.♕a7 ♘df6 17.♗xb6) 16.b5 Driving the N right back to c5 does not seem logical. 16.Qa3 seems to make more sense, but Capablanca has an idea in mind. 16...♘c5 17.♕a7 His idea is based on the fact that black's Q is undefended. 17...f5 Bogoljubow doesn't suspect a thing.

17...♘b7 keeps things equal. 18.♗f3 ♕d8 (18...♘f6 is an offer to repeat moves. 19.♗g2 ♘h5 etc.) 19.♗g4 ♘a5 20.c5 with equal chances.

18.♗xc5 dxc5

18...bxc5 19.exf5 (19.b6 f4) 19...e4 20.fxg6 hxg6 21.b6 with an excellent position.

19.d6 Nice! Capablanca sacrifices a P to get his R into play on the d-file. Coupled with his Q on the 7th rank he has a very active position. 19...♕xd6 20.♖d1 ♕e6 21.exf5 White loses the upper hand

21.♕xc7 would have left him with a huge advantage after 21...f4 (21...♕f7 22.♕xf7+ ♔xf7 23.♘a4) 22.g4 ♘f6 23.♖d8 ♖xd8 24.♕xd8+ ♗f8 25.♘d5

21...♕xf5 22.♘e4 (22.♕xc7 ♕xf2+ 23.♔h2 ♗e6 24.♕xb6 ♗xc4 is also equal.) 22...♘f6 (22...♕f7 was better. 23.♘2c3 ♗f5 with equal chances.) 23.g4 ♕e6 24.♕xc7 ♘xe4 25.♗xe4 White has now established a slight positional advantage. 25...♕f6 26.f3 h5 After this white once again has the upper hand.

26...♗e6 27.♕xb6 ♗xc4 28.♕xf6 ♗xf6 with an equal ending although white's chances a a little better.

27.♖d6 This looks very strong, but the surprising 27.Kf1 keeps excellent winning chances.

27.♔f1 ♕g5

27...♕h4 This does not now work. 28.♔g2 hxg4 29.♗d5+ ♔h7 30.hxg4 and the threat of Rh1 forces 30...♖xf3 31.♖h1 ♕xh1+ 32.♔xh1 ♗xg4 33.♗xf3 ♗xf3+ 34.♔g1 ♗xe2 with an easy win for white.

28.♖d6 attacking the P on g6. 28...♗f6 29.♕xb6 hxg4 30.hxg4 ♗xg4 31.♕xc5 ♗f5 32.♗xf5 ♕xf5 33.♕d5+ wins easily.

27...♕h4 The threat is to draw by perpetual check with ...Qe1+. If white had played 27.Kf1 that would not be possible. 28.♔g2 (28.♖xg6 ♕e1+ 29.♔h2 ♕f2+ draws.) 28...hxg4 29.hxg4 ♗xg4 30.♖xg6 (30.fxg4 ♖f2+ 31.♔g1 ♕h2#) 30...♗h3+ 31.♔g1 ♕e1+ 32.♔h2 ♕xe2+ 33.♔xh3 ♖xf3+ 34.♗xf3 ♕xf3+ 35.♖g3 ♕h1+ 36.♔g4 ♕e4+ 37.♔h3 ♕h1+

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