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Aron Nimzowitsch vs Jose Raul Capablanca
"The Other Immortal Zugzwang" (game of the day Feb-01-09)
New York 1927  ·  Caro-Kann Defense: Advance Variation (B12)  ·  0-1


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Given 33 times; par: 88 [what's this?]

Annotations by Raymond Keene.      [402 more games annotated by Keene]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 6 OF 6 ·  Later Kibitzing >
Feb-01-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  blacksburg: Reshevsky vs Capablanca, 1935
Feb-01-09   Lupara: How could I forget:

Lasker vs Capablanca, 1914

Feb-01-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  blacksburg: lasker was pretty godly himself.
Feb-01-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: How about this one?

Alekhine vs Nimzowitsch, 1930

Feb-01-09   Kwesi: The < i > Better < /i > Immortal Zugzwang
Feb-01-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  Geronimo: Okay, before we all get carried away and post links to every single Capa game where he lost (quite few, really), lets just give <AnalyzeThis> a collective pass on his hyperbole....

Love Keene's final comment. Does anyone know what Capa's opinion about "My System" was really?

Feb-01-09   AnalyzeThis: Well, I'm duly impressed by the 2 or 3 examples given of Capablanca being outmaneuvered. How many hundreds of examples do you think there are where Capa was victor?
Feb-01-09   WhiteRook48: why does CG recycle game of the days?
Feb-01-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  whiteshark: <AT> is for sure the most balanced, especially if Capablanca or Nimzowitsch are involved. <And now, in this game you have both!! <Display the fireworks!!

< ♫♪ <♫♪ > ♫♪ > ♫♪ > ♫♪ > (:D

Feb-01-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  Calli: 45...Rc1! is declared as Zugzwang by many, but is it? Turns out that there is a beautiful problem-like win if Black is granted a pass for his 46th move. Namely Black can play Rc2!!


click for larger view

The main point is 46.-- Rc2!! 47.Qxc2 h4+ 48.Kxh4 Qxf3 and Black has to give up the Queen to prevent mate.

Feb-01-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  paulalbert: <Calli> I agree with your precise, technical definition of Zugzwang, i.e., it's only because you have to move that you lose, and your opponent could make no further progress if you could say "pass". Many so-called Zugzwang positions, even Nimzowitsch's "Immortal Zugzwang Game" against Saemisch, are not true Zugzwangs by this definition, and your Rc2 appears to demonstrate that the end here is not accurately called Zugzwang either.I think it's important to be precise when one uses the term, especially in teaching for example certain endings where Zugzwang really means what I described. Paul Albert
Feb-01-09   AnalyzeThis: <whiteshark: Display the fireworks >

Are there any on Nimzo's side though? All he ever did was get slapped around by Capablanca.

Feb-01-09   Ziggurat: <AnalyzeThis> Isn't it nice to always root for the strongest guy? "Capa was the best! Fischer was the best! Morphy was the best! They slapped everyone else around!" Of course they did! But does that mean no one else counts?
Feb-01-09   AnalyzeThis: Reshevsky counts. Rubinstein too, and Chigorin.
Feb-02-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  kevin86: Hoisted! Here,Nimzo is trapped in his own trap.

Three cheers for the Machine!!

Feb-03-09   JediKush: Someone tell me what black can do after

46. Kh4

cause i sure cant see it :D

Feb-03-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: <JediKush> Couldn't black play 46....Rc2 47. Qxc2 Qxf3 threatening ...Qg4#, as in Calli's line?
Feb-03-09   JediKush: or kh3 now that i look at it more.
Feb-03-09   paladin at large: <JediKush> How about 46. Kh3 Rc3 and if 47. Rxc3 bxc3 and the white queen cannot stop the pawn, else Black's queen will mate via f3, or if 47. Kg3 h4+ leads to the loss of the white rook.
Feb-03-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: <paladinatlarge> <Jedi> I checked with Shredder. Strongest after 46. Kh3 is 46....Rc2 47. Qg3 h4. But 46....Rc3 47. Rg3 h4 (there it is again) is quite good enough.
Feb-03-09   mgm329: 46. Kh3 Rc2 47. Qg3 h4
Feb-04-09   paladin at large: <keypusher> Thanks! It really is hard to defend in your own kitchen.
Feb-04-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  Peligroso Patzer: The original immortal zugzwang:

Samisch vs Nimzowitsch, 1923

Feb-23-09   WhiteRook48: two fascinating Zugzwangs
Sep-15-09   Wayne Proudlove: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SWNs...
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