visayanbraindoctor: This is the first time I have seen this game. It comes from the later Capablanca, the over-the-hill genius now prone to superficial calculations and blunders. One year later he would suffer a stroke. Five years later, Capa would be dead from a hypertensive cerebral hemorrhage. Yet even here he shows his class, and the game is quite instructive. Typical of Capa, he plays a mediocre opening, and gets into this position after 13...Qe8  click for larger viewJust how is White suppose to drum up winning chances? Most players would probably implement a plan that involves castling and then going for a thematic e4 push. Ragozin, one of the strongest Soviet chess masters of the time (and probably almost any one else), must have never expected it, but Capa began a plan that involved a pawn storm on the Kingside while developing his king into the center. It's nearly looks crazy at this point. First White gets his Bishop out of the way and into a better square at e5. 14. Bf4 Ne4 15. Ne5 Nxe5 16. Bxe5
 click for larger viewRagozin happily develops his Queen into an attacking square. 16..Qg6 17. Nf4 Qh6
 click for larger viewBut then comes 18. Bxe4 fxe4
 click for larger viewand then 19. Ke2?!
 click for larger viewWhat?! Ragozin mulls.. Capa just developed his King into the center! It turns out that Capa was planning to pawnstorm Black and sac his g and h pawns in order to open up lines into the Black King's fortress. 19.. g6 20. g4 Bxh4 21. g5 Qxg5 Rcg1
 click for larger viewAnd White has a strong attack, apparently conjured out of nothing at all! The fact that the over-the-hill Capablanca later spoiled the game with a simple blunder does not take away its instructive value. |