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Jose Raul Capablanca vs Emanuel Lasker
Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match (1921), Havana CUB, rd 1, Mar-15
Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense. Capablanca Variation (D63)  ·  1/2-1/2

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

Annotations by Jose Raul Capablanca.      [26 more games annotated by Capablanca]

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Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 3 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>
May-24-11  madlydeeply: AH c'mon now! No more of this "Capa was a natural player"! He clearly analyzed this opening at home, no? I say all his comments up to move sixteen were a result of opening prep. I think he would say he "didn't prepare" as a way to psych out his opponents. His Capa cult of personality.
Oct-24-12  sillybilly47: I know how it ends but not a bad start for the good doctor.
Oct-31-12  Conrad93: Lasker had a chance for a better game with either 19...c4! or 19...d4!
Dec-19-12  Conrad93: Capablanca's comments are so biased.
Dec-19-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  beatgiant: <Conrad93>
<19...c4!>
What's the follow-up after 19...c4 20. Qc3? Looks to me like this helps White more than Black.

<19...d4!>
This actually does look pretty interesting. Capa claims it would have failed, but 19...d4 20. Qa3 Ng4 21. Ng3 Rbc8 looks fine for Black.

Dec-19-12  Conrad93: BeatGiant, the analysis was done by Rybka.

The advantage goes to black after 19...c4.

After 20.Qc3 white's position is cramped.

Dec-19-12  Conrad93:


click for larger view

19...c4! 20.Qc3 Ne4 21.Qa5!Rdc8 22.Nc3 f5
23.Nf3 Rc5 24.Qa3 Qc7 25.Na4 Ra5!


click for larger view

Dec-19-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  beatgiant: <Conrad93>
Thanks, but I wasn't convinced by a few of White's moves in Rybka's line. Why not simply 19...c4 20. Qc3 Ne4 <21. Qd4>, for example?
Dec-19-12  Conrad93:


click for larger view

21.Qd4 Bc6! 22.b3 Rb4 23.Qb2 Rb8 24.Qc1 Qf6! 25.Nf3 g5!?


click for larger view

I think black is much better off.

Dec-19-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  beatgiant: <Conrad93>
I remain unconvinced. On 19...c4 20. Qc3 Ne4 21. Qd4 Bc6, simply <22. Rb1> appears to parry all threats.
Dec-20-12  Conrad93: Apparently not. 22.Rb1 is countered by 22...a5 or 22...Ba4 when black is doing much better. It's a very passive move.
Dec-20-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  beatgiant: <Conrad93>
I don't see why <black is doing much better> in the line you posted. True, Black has the momentary appearance of some piece activity, but I don't see any major follw-up. Meanwhile, the c-pawn and d-pawn are a frozen weakness.
Dec-20-12  Conrad93: Giant, the c and d pawn are very strong.
You are looking at the game like a patzer.
Dec-21-12
Premium Chessgames Member
  beatgiant: <Conrad93>
<c and d pawn are very strong> Could you post something informative about your reasons? Do you say that just because <Rybka> gave Black a plus there?

I'll post a sample line illustrating my belief about the position:

19...c4 20. Qc3 Ne4 21. Qd4 Bc6 22. Rb1 a5 <23. Nc3> Nxc3 24. Qxc3 Bd7 25. Rd2 Bf5 26. Rbd1

White has visible pressure on the c and d pawns (<27. Qxc4> is a threat).

Dec-21-12  Conrad93: Your line is faulty.

I'll analyze later. Too tired for now.

Mar-10-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: Capablanca: "<19...Ne4. All the attacks beginning either with Ng4 or d4 would have failed.>" He could be right! It's a pity he didn't give a few moves of analysis.
Mar-10-15  Marmot PFL: <Capablanca writes, "Kc5 was too risky. The way to win was not at all clear and I even thought that with that move Black might win.">

The younger Capablanca would take risks to win and make a name for himself, but by the 1920s he was already becoming risk averse.

Jan-18-17  edmundo51: Why not simply 19...c4 20. Qc3 Ne4 <21. Qd4 Bc6 and fine 22.f3 if 22...Ba4 23.fe4 B:c2 24. N:c2 and white must win.
Dec-06-17  nacional100: I created a lichess study with my own analysis of the game. I'm just an amateur trying to improve, and haven't used CPU analysis. Please be welcome to take a look and provide comments or feedback.

https://lichess.org/study/VuYaPHUL

Dec-06-17
Premium Chessgames Member
  maxi: <Conrad93> Really you shouldn't use "biased" in relation to Capa's comments. You can say that he had a very high opinion of his own ability, you can say that sometimes he made analytic mistakes, but you shouldn't use that word. Capa was as objective as he could be as far as chess positions and moves are concerned. In general I learn a lot from this comments, but, for a player of his strength, he made too many mistakes in his notes.
Dec-06-17  RookFile: Lasker played a nice game here. His chess had a dynamic quality to it. I'm sure the computer finds improvements for both sides. It always does.

Capa presented numerous losses of his in Chess Fundamentals. That's more objective than most people get.

Mar-23-19  Oldturtle: If 26. dxg5, the best for black is 26...BxR 27. cxQ RXR 28. Qxa6.
Mar-23-19  Oldturtle: If 26. dxc5, the best for black is 26...BxR 27. cxQ RXR 28. Qxa6.
Jul-19-22  Ninas Husband: The commentator might have been a bit biased. Just sayin!! :)
May-07-23  Mathematicar: In this game I first learned about "crazy rook" tactic. Sweet childhood, teen years.

Agadmator explained that if 51.a4 f5 52.Ra7 Kh6 53.a5 fxg4 54.fg4 and Black gives up a rook for stalemate!

(Game Collection: Crazy Rooks)

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