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Richard Reti vs Jose Raul Capablanca
"Y'all Reti for This?" (game of the day Apr-08-2014)
Berlin (1928), Berlin GER, rd 14, Oct-29
Spanish Game: Morphy Defense. Modern Steinitz Defense Siesta Variation (C74)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 4 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Jan-09-15  Gregor Samsa Mendel: A rare Friday puzzle that I could actually solve, but only because I already knew the game.
Jan-09-15  stst: yeah difficult!! looks like Black has nothing amid White's tight cramping everything

See if this is very hidden crack with heavy sacrifices would work (so the great Capa actually got this?) OR that I seriously missing out something simple? Or just pushing out some trash?

15...... Nd8 (uncorking and protecting the B --> Q) 16.Qh5+ (immediately show some color!) Nf7
17.Bxh8 (looks of course for White?) 0-0-0
18.Qxf7 (another sac) Qg4 (taking the counter)
19. g3 (looks very safe then) Qf3 (mate next)
20.Qe6+ (last cry) Kh8
21.Qh3 (late and off position) Qh1#

see what.how the great master and "machine" actually execute?!

Jan-09-15  sorokahdeen: @Conrad

<Why is this thrash GOTD?>

Because it's an incredible classic that everyone knows and admires because of it's elegance and speed of attack?

Just a suggestion...

Jan-09-15  agb2002: Not a puzzle but chess culture. A brilliant miniature with the Siesta Gambit (not to fall asleep). It appears in many books, for example, Tartakower & Du Mont's "500 Master Games of Chess".
Jan-09-15  Counterpoint: How about 15... Qg4? (threatening 16... Nd8). Crafty?
Jan-09-15  patzer2: For today's Friday puzzle, the initial 15...0-0-0! is not surprising as long as you realize Black hasn't yet castled.

However, the follow-up for the next three moves to put White into a mating net is absolutely precise and stunning:

16...Ne5! ignores recapturing the Bishop, and proves Lasker's maxim to look for the better move is sometimes worth the effort. In this case, Black ignores recapturing material to force mate.

17...Bf3! is again the strongest follow-up among many winning moves, leading to a quick mate or loss of White's Queen.

18...Qh3! is the only winning move and forces mate-in-nine per Fritz.

P.S.: For improvement in the opening, I like the more frequently played 6. exf5! as in White's nice win in Areshchenko vs Yusupov, 2009.

The clear losing move appears to be 10. Qxd4?? Instead, 10. Bxf6 Bxf6 11. Qh5+ g6 complicates and puts up much more resistance.

Jan-09-15  diagonalley: only got the first move... and OTB would have been content simply to consolidate - but hero capa's follow-up was sensational
Jan-09-15  mmousez: How does one know if the King has or has not moved, and hence castling is disallowed or allowed, in these puzzles?
Jan-09-15  stacase: Because it was a puzzle, 15 ... 0-0-0 but I wouldn't go so far as to say it played itself from there on. But I did see some of it.
Jan-09-15  morfishine: Castling long never occurred to me so I went with <15...Rf8>
Jan-09-15  Oxspawn: Usually I make the wrong move with the right colour, but today a development. I spent ten minutes wondering what was wrong with 15. Qh5+ following by 16. bxh8 and thinking this should be an easy win for white. Then a new understanding dawned. Not…White’s…Turn. Roll on Monday.
Jan-09-15  gofer: Black is a whole bishop up, so trying to protect that lead would seem sensible, but more importantly, tying up the black queen on a5/d1 and unleashing an attack on Pg2 from Bb7 and Rg8 and Qh3 is rather nice!

<15 ... O-O-O>

The king is now completely safe and black can attack with impunity. But will black go for the cheap thrill of Bxh8? I suppose they must and that is where things get interesting!

<16 Bxh8 Ne5!>

Suddenly the white queen must find a decent escape square and only d1 and a5 are on offer and a5 is admitting defeat

17 Qa5? Bxg2!

17 Qd4/Qd2 Nf3+!
18 gxf3 Rg8+ mating

<17 Qd1 ...>

At this point black can play Rxh8 and be simply winning, but I think we are supposed to find the more beautiful

<17 ... Bf3!>

With which move black gains control of the white squares around the king.

Both taking the bishop and ignoring it lose the game

18 gxf3 Qh3
19 Qd5 Nxf3+
20 Qxf3 Qxf3
21 Re1 Rxh8


click for larger view

18 Qd4 Rg8
19 Rc1/Rd1/Re1 Rxg2+ (g3 Qh3 mating)
20 Kf1 Rg1+!
21 Kxg1 Qh3 mating


click for larger view

~~~

Yep.

Jan-09-15  KingsPawns: Oh, the simplicity of the geniuses: 15.... O-O-O 16. Bxh8 Ne5 and ready to attack. Let's remember it's not second level chess... it's Reti and Capablanca we are talking about.
Jan-09-15  Nick46: Rette Dich! BTW: got the first move too.
Jan-09-15  kyg16: May I ask what about 15... Qg4
Jan-09-15  morfishine: <kyg16> I like <15...Qg4>: 15...Qg4 16.Bxh8 Nd8 17.f3 Qg6 18.Qa5 Ne6 19.Qxa4+ Kf7 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Qg4 Qc2 22.Na3 Qxb2 23.Nc4 Qe2 24.Na5 Rg8 25.Qxg8+ Kxg8 26.Nxb7 Bxc3 27.Rab1 Bd4+ 28.Kh1 Nf4

*****

Jan-09-15  Chess Dad: I got the first two moves, but then tried Bxg2 instead of Bg3.
Jan-09-15  wooden nickel: "Y'all Reti for This?" ... more rough than ready!?
15. ... Qg4 would have been another interesting variation, but then the world would have been deprived of the played line 15. ... O-O-O 16. Bxh8 (German idiom: "He who says A must also say B") Ne5 17. Qd1 Bf3!
If 18. Qd4 Qh3! 19. gxh3 Rg8!


click for larger view

Special thanks for the already posted links:
http://www.lifemasteraj.com/old_af-... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkw...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dZ...

Jan-09-15  reticulate: What a little gem by Señor Capablanca. It's interesting that the two pawns on the f-file, including one of white's own, prevent any successful counter-play before the axe falls. I wonder how far ahead the winner saw that. Could it have been at 8....Nf6?
Jan-09-15  dfcx: I would have played 15...Qg4.

It's my first time seeing this game. What a great move with 15...O-O-O!!

With 15...Qg4 16. Bxh8 Na5 17. Qxb7 Nxb7

With 15...O-O-O 16. Bxh8 Ne5 17. Qxb7+ Kxb7 we have similar results in material, but black has much better position in the second line.

Jan-09-15  Cheapo by the Dozen: I missed the ... Bf3 shot. So all I had was:

---

Perhaps I'm overlooking something sharper and superior, but I'm not finding anything better than 15 ... O-O-O. It seems to give Black a nice advantage (2 bishops, lousy pawn structure, and lines that will could eventually open up vs. a rook). Play might continue

15 ... O-O-O
16 Bxh8 Qg4
17 f3 Qg6
18 Nd2 Rxh8

with the point of White's 17th and 18th being to defend against threats such as ... Nb4/Nc2.

Jan-09-15  Cheapo by the Dozen: Anybody proposing a line with ... Qg4 should consider defenses that include f3 and a willingness to exchange queens. That's what I had trouble getting past.
Jan-09-15  varishnakov: took me some steps:

first looked at 15...N-R4 with the idea of forcing the queen to vacate control of black's KN1, but white has the check 16.Q-R5+

then I tried 15...Q-N5 16.BxR N-R4 but I found white has 17.P-KB3

then I tried 15...O-O-O 16.BxR N-K4 17.Q-Q1 Q-R6 and if 18.PxQ R-N1+ but I noticed white has 19.Q-N4+ so I stepped back some

so finally I got 15...O-O-O 16.BxR N-K4 17.Q-Q1 N-B6+ and if 18.PxN Q-R6 with mate to follow

Jan-09-15  Edeltalent: 15...? Black to move

The position is sharp and unbalanced. To get here, White has probably attacked and sacrificed a piece in the process, but now is lacking reinforcements, as his queenside is still undeveloped. He has trapped the rook on h8 though and is threatening to go up in material. Black has an ugly pawn structure, but his queen, knight, whitesquared bishop and potentially also a rook on the halfopen g-file seem poised to create a dangerous counterattack.

Several motives can be envisioned: Sooner or later the knight will move, to either go on to harrass the white king or to sacrifice himself to free the bishop. The queen could join the attack through g4 (pressuring g2) or maybe sacrifice herself on h3 so Black can deliver mate along the g-file or with the knight, once the long diagonal is under control. Precisely piercing these pieces together with the correct move order will be important.

Candidate moves: 0-0-0, Qg4, Ne5, Na5.

15...Qg4 16.Bxh8 Nd4 17.Qxd4 Qxg2#, but 17.Qxb7 Ne2+ 18.Kh1 leads nowhere. Also 16...Na5 17.f3 and White holds.

15...Ne5 16.Qxb7 and there's nothing.

15...Na5 16.Qxa5 Qg4 17.f3 Qxg7 leaves Black a piece up, but 18.Qxc7 doesn't seem totally clear. Even worse, 16.Qh5+ Kd8 17.Bxh8 keeps Black's pieces under control.

No, we can't just overrun White by throwing away all pieces, there's just not enough attacking material left in these variations. Let's look at the slightly slower, but more solid 0-0-0, bringing the king to safety, protecting the bishop and moving the rook to a square where he is no longer in the range of the white queen and also can quickly reach g8.

15...0-0-0 16.Bxh8 Rxh8, albeit looking very fine for Black, isn't completely decisive and also not necessary - the bishop isn't doing anything anyway. After 16...Ne5 instead, all black pieces forcefully spring to life and he crashes through. For example 17.Qd4 Nf3+ 18.gxf3 Rg8+ and mate, or 17.Qd1 Bf3 18.Qd4 (18.gxf3 Qh3 19.Kh1 Nxf3 and mate) Qh3 19.gxh3 Rg8+ 20.Qg4 Nxg4 21.Re1 Ne3+ and mate or 17.Qa5 Bxg2 and White is defenseless (18.Qxa6+ Bb7 is not a problem).

Jan-09-15  Bycotron: Move 15, black to move.

This position makes a pretty impression on me. White has sacrificed a piece and may boast that his Bishop attacks black's Rook, his Queen holds a threatening post and black's King is still in the center.

However, black's minor pieces are all developed while white's Knight sits at home blocking in his a1 Rook!

One attractive idea for black is to play Na5, uncovering at attack on the Qd5 and, after she moves, the pawn on g2. This is especially attractive because the g file is open so if black can use another piece to attack g2, then play the discovery Na5, he will have a strong attack!

The immediate 15...Rg8 fails simply to Qxg8+ so let's play the only other move that accomplishes our aim. 15...Qg4 and black threatens Qxg7 and Na5. It looks like white can immediately resign.

16.f3/g3 Qxg7 0-1

16.Bxh8 Na5 17.f3! Oops! That didn't work after all.

Well back to the drawing board. There is one other 15th move for black that is thematic with attacking g2 and that is 15...0-0-0, this has the dual purpose of defending the Bb7 (now Ne5 is possible when Nf3 mating ideas will become a factor) and giving the Queen's Rook access to g8.

I always solve these at work where I can't set up a board or move any pieces on the chessgames.com board so I just have to visualize it. It's rather complex after 0-0-0 so I surely can't see everything, but I will give a sample line.

15...0-0-0
16.Bxh8 is forced, else white is down a piece and way behind in development and can immediately resign. 16...Ne5 (improvement over Na5 in previous line)
17.Qd1 and Nf3+! immediately looks like a winner.

18.Qxf3 Bxf3 loses too much material.

18.gxf3 Rg8+ 19.Kh1 Qh3 20.Rg1 Rxg1+ 21.Qxg1 Bxf3+ 0-1

18.Kh1 is giving me the hardest time...
18...Rxh8 is surely not best, but in a game I could put that in my pocket and play until my 18th move then have another think and try to find an improvement. :) In any case, I believe 15...0-0-0 is black's best.

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