the long lost second capablanca game

What follows is the second game of Capablanca that IM Dembo and I examined, as promised many weeks ago. I apologize for the tardiness of this effort.



We don't see many "Four Knight's Games" at the top levels these days, but it was not an uncommon weapon back in 1913. Black's 4th move is essentially a waste of time, since White intends to capture on c6. More usual replies are 4 ...Nd4 and 4 ...Bb4. With his 8th move, Capablanca not only defends the e4-pawn again, but makes room for redeployment of the Nc3 to e3 via d1. This is the kind of move that I would never consider - simple, but effective (and necessary since both b5 and d5 have been taken away from the queen's knight). Both c4 and f5 are attractive squares for the knight once it gets to e3. Black's 11th move releases the pin on the Nf3, but he wants to hinder the occupation of f5 by a White steed. It's interesting to note how White is already calling the shots in the position by move 13. Capablanca shows some courage by playing 14. f4. His judgement tells him that his initiative on the kingside will prevent Black from exploiting the somewhat airy position of the White king. Black has little choice but to extinguish one of the powerful knights - White was threatening further advance with 15. g4 and the threat of 16. Nxd6 followed by 17. f5.

I am not sure I understand Black's subsequent check on c5 followed by retreating the bishop to f8. White proceeds to carry out his own mini-plan of exchanging the remaining bishops, which brings the White queen closer to the Black king and leaves Black with awkwardly placed pieces and the prospect of having to defend against a pawn storm on the queenside and the doubling of White rooks on the semi-open f-file. I really like how strong the knight is on f5.  Obviously, 22 ...Qxa2 23. Ne7, Rh8 24. Rxf7 is hugely in White's favor. Janowski tries to block the f-file, but weakens squares in the process. It's interesting to me how Capablanca does not fear exhcanges on f5, even of the queens, because he sees that White's advantage continues into the endgame, especially since this is his forte. Both 27. g4 (threatening 28 g5) and 28. b4! (preventing Black from playing 28...c5) show Capablanca's great understanding of the ending. Likewise, 30. a4! prevents Black from trying to gain some space and an open file on the queenside by 30...a5.

 By move 33, White's king is centrally located, the queenside is closed, Black's rooks have no real aggressive possibilities, and White is able to pursue an advance on the kingside more or less undeterred. This game makes a great impression on me as far as the prevention of opponent's counterplay and the subtleties of endgame play are concerned. After the g5 advance is completed, Black seeks counterplay on the h-file. IM Dembo pointed out to me how White's 37. Rg3 is much superior to the "automatic" 37. Rf3. Why not use the less active rook to defend the pawn while retaining full scope of the rook on the open f-file? By move 40, White is on the way to creating an isolated pawn for Black on the kingside and is ready for the central pawn advance that he has delayed until the right time. 42...Kb7 is more or less forced because allowing White to infiltrate on the queenside with 42 ...Kd7 43. Ra8 is suicide. This being said, the Black king plays no real part in the game after this, while White's monarch helps to usher his central pawn majority forward.

White's 43. e5 threatens 44. Rf6 and the Black kingside pawns are in trouble. 44. Ke4 shows Capablancas's patience and attention to detail: 44. Rf6? Rxf6 45. gxf6 Rf7 is less convincing than the game continuation. By move 46, White's plan to weaken the pawns on the kingside results in the win of a pawn, and from this point on the win is easy. Note again how Capablanca uses his rooks more effectively by playing 47. Rgxg5 rather than the alternative 47. Rfxg5, Rh7 and White cannot put an immediate stop to Black's counterplay on the h-file as he does in the game. Janowski must have felt that he'd had the life squeezed out of him during this game.

I hope this game and the comments are of some help to readers seeking to learn, as I am, how to play chess more "deeply." This was a smooth and brilliant positional performance!