Capablanca - Alekhine World Championship Match (1927)

DRAFT EDIT:

Alexander Alekhine was born in Moscow, Russia in 1892.<1> He began to take chess seriously at the age of 12. During school classes he would analyze games in his head without looking at the chessboard.<2> At age 16, a victory in the Moscow Autumn Tournament 1908 led to his appearance in the strong All Russian Amateur (1909) tournament. He won, earning the Russian national master title.<3> A shared first with Aron Nimzowitsch at the <All Russian Masters St Petersburg 1914>-<insert tournament link here: http://www.edochess.ca/tournaments/...><4> qualified him for the great St. Petersburg (1914) tournament, featuring most of the best players in the world. Alekhine finished third, behind world champion Emanuel Lasker and Jose Raul Capablanca, ahead of Siegbert Tarrasch, Frank Marshall, and Akiba Rubinstein. <5>

Alekhine now conceived a long term plan to become world champion. His strategy was to finish first in every tournament he entered and so earn the right to challenge Capablanca, whom he predicted would soon be champion.<6> Capablanca indeed <won the world title>-<insert match link here Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match (1921)> on April 20, 1921. His first challenge came from Akiba Rubinstein on September 7, 1921. Alekhine challenged two months later, after he won both Budapest (1921) and The Hague (1921).<7> After The Hague (1921), Dutch chess officials proposed a "Candidates Match" between Alekhine and Rubinstein, to be held in the Netherlands on or after March 1922. Both masters agreed to the idea.<8> In December 1921 the "American Chess Bulletin" reported that Capablanca would honor Rubinstein's challenge first, unless the proposed Dutch candidates match should produce a "decisive victory for one or the other."<7> When Alekhine arrived in the Netherlands in January 1922, he stated that a candidates match was no longer possible because Rubinstein had been admitted to a sanitarium after he played <Triberg (1921)>-<insert tournament link here> http://www.365chess.com/tournaments..., due to a mental disturbance. Shortly afterwards the Dutch press demonstrated that Alekhine's claim was false, but the match still didn't take place.<8>

After London (1922), where Alekhine placed second to the champion, the top eight finishers signed "the London Rules," Capablanca's proposal for all future title match conditions. The rules stipulated that the world champion "need not defend" his title "for a lower purse than $10,000 U.S. dollars."<9> Capablanca now gave Rubinstein until December 31, 1923 to meet the new financial demands, but Rubinstein couldn't meet the deadline.<8> Alekhine continued steady negotiations for a title match, but he was unable to raise the $10,000 purse.<10> A title challenge from Frank Marshall in 1923 also came to nothing.<10> In 1926 Nimzowitsch challenged for the title, followed by a renewed challenge from Alekhine in the same year.<11> Alekhine had secured a "firm commitment" from the Argentine Chess Federation to finance the match.<12> William Hartston suggests that the federation did so because "they simply felt it was time to give Capablanca, hero of Latin America, a chance to demonstrate his superiority again somewhere close to home soil."<13> Capablanca accepted Alekhine's challenge, but also told him that he had given Nimzowitsch until January 1, 1927 to meet the purse requirement.<11> Nimzowitsch failed to meet his deadline and Capablanca finally agreed to face Alekhine in a world championship match.<14>

Prior to the match, Capablanca dominated New York (1927), finishing 2½ points in front of Alekhine, who took second. Alekhine had never won a single game from Capablanca, so it was perhaps understandable that some doubted he could win six match games against him.<15> Geza Maroczy predicted victory was bound to go to Capablanca,<16> and Rudolf Spielmann said he would be surprised if Alekhine "were to win even a single game."<17> Richard Reti, on the other hand, concluded "that there are no fundamental reasons for affirming with such certainty that the Cuban grandmaster must necessarily defeat the talented Slav player."<16>

The match began in Buenos Aires on September 9, 1927. Conditions followed the London Rules: games to be played at 2 1/2 hours per 40 moves, with the match awarded to the first to win 6 games, draws not counting. Capablanca would receive $2,000 of the purse as a fee, with the remainder split $4,800 to the victor and $3,200 to the loser.<18> The Argentine Chess Club provided the venue, except for two games played in the Jockey Club.<19> Dr. Carlos A. Querencio served as referee, and Daniel Deletang was Alekhine's second.<20>

Alekhine won the <first game>-<insert game link here> Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 on the black side of a French Defence. Every subsequent game would be contested with a Queen's pawn opening. After ten games Capablanca led 2-1, but he dropped two in a row and a long series of draws followed. According to Garry Kasparov, Capablanca let slip "an enormous positional advantage" in <game 17>-<insert game link here> Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927. <21> After Alekhine notched his fourth win in <game 21>-<insert game link here> Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927, Capablanca opined that "there can hardly be a stronger player in the world than the Slav master."<22> Capablanca did well to save the draw in game 22, and Kasparov maintains that the Cuban now played the match with increasing power until he missed the win in the "completely won" <27th game>-<insert game link here> Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927. <23> After winning <game 29>-<insert game link here> Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927, Capablanca trailed the match by just a point, and optimistically remarked that "the match takes on fresh interest..."<24> Kasparov believes that Capablanca missed a win in <game 31>-<insert game link here> Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927, and then, later in the game, settled for a draw when he was a pawn up, and could well have played on.<25> A win would have tied the match. Alekhine characterized his win in <game 32>-<insert game link here> Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 as "well-contested" and "full of ideas" from both players.<26> Now Alekhine needed just one more win to take the title.

With adjournments, the 34th and <final game>-<insert game link here> Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 took four days to complete, ending on November 29 when Capablanca did not show up to resume play. Instead, he sent a congratulatory resignation note.<27> Nor did the ex-champion show up for the closing ceremony on December 8. Alexander Alekhine, the fourth world chess champion, did attend. He thanked the Argentine Chess Club for its work and declared he was against any changes to the world title match rules- the London Rules.<27>

1 Jan Kalendovsky and Vlastimil Fiala, "Complete Games of Alekhine Vol 1, 1892-1921" (Olomouc 1992), pp.6-7

2 Kalendovsky and Fiala, pp.24-25

3 Leonard Skinner and Robert Verhoeven, "Alexander Alekhine's Chess Games 1902-1946" (McFarland 1998), p.738; Kalendovsky and Fiala, "Complete Games of Alekhine Vol 1, 1892-1921" p.48

4 Rod Edwards, <All-Russian Championship, St.Petersburg 1914> http://www.edochess.ca/tournaments/...

5 Skinner and Verhoeven, p.89

6 "Shakhmaty v SSSR" No.3 (March 1956), pp.87-89. In Sarah Beth Cohen, <"Encounters with Alekhine"> http://www.chess.com/blog/batgirl/e...

7 Edward Winter, "Capablanca: a compendium of games, notes, articles, correspondence, illustrations and other rare materials on the Cuban chess genius José Raúl Capablanca, 1888-1942" (McFarland 1989), pp.186-187

8 Toni Preziuso, "AMERIKA! AMERIKA!" In "KARL" no.3 2013, pp.34-39

9 "American Chess Bulletin" Sept-Oct 1922, p.150. In Winter, "Capablanca" p.188

10 Edward Winter, "Capablanca" pp.191-197

11 Edward Winter, "Capablanca" pp.193-194

12 Alexander Alekhine, "On the Road to the World Championship 1923-1927" G. Feather transl., (Pergamon 1984), p.117

13 William Hartston, "The Guinness Book Of Chess Grandmasters" (Guinness World Records Limited 1996), p.82

14 Alekhine, p.131

15 Skinner and Verhoeven, pp.294-296

16 "La Nación" (14 Sept. 1927), p.12. In Edward Winter, <Chess Note 5665> http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

17 "Sonntagsbeilage der Augsburger Postzeitung" (25 June 1927), p.104. In Edward Winter, <Chess Note 5338> http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

18 Edward Winter, <"The London Rules" (2008)> http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/... "La Prensa" 14 Sept 1927. In Edward Winter, <"Capablanca v Alekhine, 1927"> (2003) http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

19 Yuri Shaburov, "Alexander Alekhine- The Undefeated Champion" (The Voice 1992), p.161

20 Edward Winter, "Capablanca" p.198

21 Garry Kasparov, "On My Great Predecessors Part I" (Everyman Chess 2003), p.316

22 Edward Winter, "Capablanca" p.200

23 Kasparov, pp.316-318

24 Edward Winter, "Capablanca" p.201

25 Kasparov, pp.323-328

26 Alekhine, p.209

27 "Magazine Actual" (May 1997), p. 25. In Edward Winter, <Chess Note 3428> http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

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1st game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <0-1>

Alekhine on 10.Nd1:

"Capablanca spent 40 minutes considering this move."

-<Alexander Alekhine, "On the Road to the World Championship 1923-1927" (Pergamon 1984), p.151>

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2d game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1/2>

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3d game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <1-0>

Alekhine:

"Apart from the 34th game, towards the end of which I was understandably excited, this is the only game of the match in which I was not completely in control of my nerves...

13...Bc5?? (which loses a piece)"

-<Alexander Alekhine, "On the Road to the World Championship 1923-1927" (Pergamon 1984), p.155>

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4th game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1/2>

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5th game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <1/2>

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6th game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1/2>

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7th game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <1-0>

Alekhine:

"In my view the concluding attack is among his best tactical achievements."

-<Alexander Alekhine, "On the Road to the World Championship 1923-1927" (Pergamon 1984), p.162>

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8th game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1/2>

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9th game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <1/2>

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10th game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1/2>

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11th game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <0-1>

47...Qc5 gets a ! from Kasparov

<<CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP. Check to Capablanca>. When the eleventh game in the match at Buenos Aires between Capablanca and Alekhine for the world's chess championship was adjourned on Friday evening Capablanca remained in the hall for two hours studying the board.

He then decided make use his right to postpone the play for one day. The game will therefore resumed, tonight, so far it is considered one the most notable ever played.

What appeared at first to Capablanca triumph was turned into a fairly even game through Alekhine's masterly style. Capablanca opened with the Queen's Pawn, while Alekhine used the Cambridge Springs variation. Both later disregarded accepted forms and engaged in very unusual combinations. —Press Association Foreign Special.

-<Western Daily Press - Monday 10 October 1927, page 8>

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12th game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1-0>

overlook 35. Nc5

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13th game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <1/2>

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14th game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1/2>

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15th game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <1/2>

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16th game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1/2>

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17th game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <1/2>

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18th game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1/2>

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19th game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <1/2>

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20th game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1/2>

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21st game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <0-1>

Alekhine:

"I consider this game, along with the thirty-fourth, to be the most meritorious in the match."

-<Alexander Alekhine, "On the Road to the World Championship 1923-1927" (Pergamon 1984), p.188>

<After Alekhine notched his 4th win in <game 21>, Capablanca opined that "there can hardly be a stronger player in the world than the Slav master."<Edward Winter, "Capablanca" p.200>>

-<22. Nc3?>

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22d game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1/2>

But Capa saves the 22nd game. According to Kasparov (p. 316 of OMPG I), Capa played now with increasing power until he missed the win in the "completely won" 27th game (game 105, pp. 316-318).

Alekhine gives Capa exclamation points for <42...Nc7!> and <45...Nxf4!> -<Alexander Alekhine, "On the Road to the World Championship 1923-1927" (Pergamon 1984), p.191>

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23d game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <1/2>

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24th game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1/2>

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25th game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <1/2>

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26th game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1/2>

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27th game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <1/2>

<<But Capa saves the 22nd game. According to Kasparov (p. 316 of OMPG I), Capa played now with increasing power until he missed the win in the "completely won" 27th game (game 105, pp. 316-318).>

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28th game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1/2>

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29th game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <1-0>

<In game 29, Alekhine put up great resistance and Capa "from a practically winning position he had reached one that was drawn" (p. 322 of OMPG I) and won after a blunder.>

Capablanca: "....when it seemed that the game would be drawn, Dr. Alekhine committed an error... by playing 44...Kg5 instead of 55...Bd6. We immediately took advantage of the opportunity to obtain a decisive advantage by means of 56.Ne5."

"I believe that with the result of this game, the match takes on fresh interest..." <Winter, "Capablnaca" p.201>

Alekhine:

"When I played the blunder 55...Kg5??" -<Alexander Alekhine, "On the Road to the World Championship 1923-1927" (Pergamon 1984), p.201>.

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30th game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1/2>

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31st game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <1/2>

-<(Capablanca) missed a win in game 31 and agreed to a draw, although he could have played on (game 107, pp. 323-328). >

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32nd game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1-0>

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33rd game

Capablanca vs Alekhine, 1927 <1/2>

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34th game

Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 <1-0>

Alekhine on game 21:

"I consider this game, along with the thirty-fourth, to be the most meritorious in the match."

-<Alexander Alekhine, "On the Road to the World Championship 1923-1927" (Pergamon 1984), p.188>

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Alexander Alekhine 31 Oct 1892

Early Record

-<Moscow Chess Club Spring Tournament 1908> 1st over Kade, Parfenov, Rubtsov, and Shaposhinikov. (Shakmatnoe Obozrenie 1909, n79/82, p.66. in Leonard Skinner and Robert Verhoeven, "Alexander Alekhine's Chess Games 1902-1946," McFarland 1998, p.738)

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-<Düsseldorf 1908> 6th Congress of the German Chess Federation, Haupturnier A (3-16 Aug) Shared 4th with Busch, behind Kohnlein, Wiarda and Gajdos, with +8 -3 =2. (Deutsches Wochenschach 1908, p.305. In Skinner and Verhoeven, p.738)

Alekhine's first international tournament.

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-<Moscow Chess Club Autumn Tournament> (Oct 1908 - Jan 1909) 1st over Lyubimov, Katalimov, Rozanov and Pavlov. (Shakhmatnoe Obozrenie 1909, n79/82, p.69. In Skinner and Verhoeven, p.738)

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All Russian Amateur (1909) (15 Feb - 12 March) 1st over Rotlewi, Gregory and Daniuszewski, with +12 -2 =2. (Mezhdunarodny Shakhmantny Kongress v Pamyat M.I. Chigorina St. Petersburg 1909, p.36. In Skinner and Verhoeven, p.738)

Alekhine earned the Russian national master title for this victory. He also won a "cut glass vase valued at 650 roubles." (Skinner and Verhoeven, p.34)

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17th DSB Congress, Hamburg (1910) (18 July -6 Aug) Shared 7th with Dus Chotimirsky, behind Schlechter, Duras, Nimzowitsch, Spielmann, Teichmann and Marshall, with +5 -4 =7. (XVII. Kongress des Deutschen Schachbundes, e.V. Hamburg 1910, p.21. In Skinner and Verhoeven, p.740)

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Karlsbad (1911) (20 Aug - 24 Sept) Shared 8th with Leonhardt, Tartakower and Duras, behind Teichmann, Rubinstein, Schlechter, Rotlewi, Marshall, Nimzowitsch and Vidmar, with +11 -9 =5. (Deutsches Wochenschach 1911, p.361. In Skinner and Verhoeven, p.741)

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-<Moscow-St. Petersburg Match> (13 April) Alekhine played 1st board for Moscow and drew against E. Znosko-Borovsky. St. Petersburg won the event. (Niva-Shakhmaty 1912, p.150. In Skinner and Verhoeven, p.741)

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Nordic Congress, Stockholm (1912) (25 June-7 July) 1st over Cohn, Marco, Olland and Spielmann, with +8 -1 =1. (Tidskrift för Schack, 1912, p.127. In Skinner and Verhoeven, p.742)

Alekhine's first victory in an international tournament.

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Vilnius All-Russian Masters (1912) (19 Aug - 17 Sept) Shared 6th with Levenfish, behind Rubinstein, Bernstein, Levitsky, Nimzowitsch and Flamberg, with +7 -8 =3 (Niva-Shakhmaty 1912, p.309-10. In Skinner and Verhoeven, p.742)

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St. Petersburg Quadrangular (1913) (17-22 April) Shared 1st with Levenfish, over Duras and Znosko-Borovsky, with +2 -1 =0. (Shakhmatny Vestnik 1913, p.137. In Skinner and Verhoeven, p.742)

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Game Collection: Scheveningen 1913 40th Anniversary of the NSB, Commemorative Tournament (28 July - 8 Aug) 1st over Janowski, Olland and Yates. (Tijdschrift van den Nederlandschen Schaakbond 1913, p.194. In Skinner and Verhoeven, p.742)

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Game Collection: All Russian Masters St Petersburg 1914 (4-31 Jan) Shared 1st with Nimzowitsch, over Flamberg, Lowcki, Levenfish, and Znosko-Borovsky, with +13 -3 =1 (Novoe Vremya, 22 January (4 February) 1914, p.7. In Skinner and Verhoeven, p.743)

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St. Petersburg (1914) (21 April - 22 May) 3rd behind Emanuel Lasker and Capablanca, ahead of Tarrasch, Marshall, Bernstein, Rubinstein, Nimzowitsch, Blackburne, Janowski and Gunsberg. (Das Grossmeisterturnier zu St. Petersburg im Jahre 1914, p.XXIV. In Skinner and Verhoeven, p.743)

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19th DSB Congress, Mannheim (1914) (July-Aug 1914) 1st over Vidmar, Spielmann, Breyer, Marshall, Reti, Janowski and Bogoljubov. Tournament unfinished. (Deutsche Schachblatter 1914, p.10. In Skinner and Verhoeven, p.744)

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