1921 World Chess Championship
Jose Capablanca y Graupera (Cuba) vs. Emanuel Lasker (Germany)
Havana, Cuba
March 15 - April 28, 1921

Conditions:  Best of 24 Games OR 8 wins.  
Champion retains title in the event of a 12-12 tie.







  

    Cuba, 1921
    
    1
    
    2
    
    3
    
    4
    
    5
    
    6
    
    7
    
    8
    
    9
    
    10
    
    11
    
    12
    
    13
    
    14
    
    
    
    Score
    
  




  

    Capablanca
    
    ½
             
    ½
             
    ½
             
    ½
             
    1
             
    ½
             
    ½
             
    ½
             
    ½
             
    1
             
    1
             
    ½
             
    ½
             
    1
             
    
    
    9
    
  




  

    Lasker
    
    ½
             
    ½
             
    ½
             
    ½
             
    0
             
    ½
             
    ½
             
    ½
             
    ½
             
    0
             
    0
             
    ½
             
    ½
             
    0
             
    
    
    5
    
  




Result:  Lasker resigned the match prematurely.

Jose Capablanca retains the World Championship*
* Most sources list this as the final title defense for Emanuel Lasker. In actuality, Lasker resigned the World Title in 1920, in a dispute over match conditions. Convinced to play the match by one of the biggest prize funds in history, he agreed to do so only on condition that his resignation be accepted, and he be regarded as the Challenger in the match. Most people don't take this seriously, which may be just as well, and regard this as the match in which Capablanca became champion.

  • This match was 10 years in the making, thanks to a dispute over match conditions that is worth recounting, as it involves principles still argued about today, such as the value of the Pure Wins match system, the appropriateness of 2-point tie clauses, the procedure for forfeiting a champion, and the right of a champion to bestow his title on anyone he wishes. Read on, MacDuff...

  • Capablanca is, of course, one of the strongest players in the history of the game, who has more legends about him than a politician has no-comments. A man who only lost 25 tournament games in a 30 year career, he had first attracted public notice by beating the champion of Cuba in a match at age 12 in 1900, then annihilating Frank J. Marshall in a match for the US Championship in 1909 that later turned out not to have been for the US Title at all. His first international tournament was at San Sebastian in 1911, a tournament which he won, although his very entry had been sharply criticized by some beforehand (particularly Bernstein and Nimzovich). The tournament had been, what would be called today, a Grandmasters only tournament, one of the strongest ever held, with all participants required to show at least two 3rd prizes in strong master tournaments to be allowed entry. Capablanca had no prizes at all, but was admitted on the basis of his match with Marshall.

  • The buildup to this match begins at this time. After Capablanca's victory at San Sebastian, his supporters immediately began pushing for a championship match with the then-17 year champion, Emanuel Lasker. Lasker was sounded out on the possibility immediately after the tournament, and had this to say in his newspaper column:

    New York Evening Post, March 15, 1911
    Capablanca's compatriots have a desire to see him contest the world's championship. Today (February 28th) I received a letter from Senor Paredes of the Habana Chess Club, asking me to play with Capablanca in the Cuban city a match of ten games up, draws not to count. This proposition is not acceptable. In the present period of draw-making, such a match might last half a year and longer. I am, of course, deliberating upon my reply, but I do not think that I shall care to play in a semi-tropical climate more than a few games.

    (For those following the negotiations to the 1975 Championship Match, it's interesting to see how far back a fear of Pure Wins systems really goes. See Steinitz's notes to the 1889 match for another example.)

  • Several months later, Lasker drew up a list of terms for a possible match with Capablanca. Some of the most important of these were:

  • 6 Wins OR Best of 30
  • Match to be considered drawn in the event of a tie match OR if one player were to lead by one point only.
  • Champion decides the match venue and stakes.
  • Challenger must deposit $2000 forfeit money.
  • Time limit to be 12 moves per hour.
  • The Champion has an exclusive right to publish the games.
  • Play conducted no more than 5 days per week, no more than two 2½ hour sections per day.

  • Capablanca disputed several of Lasker's conditions, including time limit, the stakes, the short playing time, the 30 game limit, and especially the requirement that the Challenger must win by 2 points to win the title. The unfairness of this condition is obvious", said Capablanca, perhaps a bit too undiplomatically. Capablanca wrote the following letter to Lasker:

    December 20, 1911

    Dr. Emanuel Lasker:

    Dear Sir - I am in receipt of your communication of November 21, enclosing conditions for a match with me, and asking whether I maintain my challenge. In reply I will say that I do maintain my challenge, but that I take exception to some of the conditions that you have seen fit to impose.

    Frankly, these conditions came as a great surprise to me. I expected that you might ask for somewhat higher stakes, and I was prepared to meet that demand. I also thought you might stipulate that fewer wins would be required. But I took it for granted that the fundamental conditions of the match would be similar to, if not identical with those that have prevailed in practically all the important matches of the past. I had even hoped that your conditions might be such that I would be able to accept them in every detail without comment or objection, and I very much regret to observe that you have made that impossible.

    In preparing my answer I have endeavored to state my case and make plain my objections without being offensive; nor do I mean to jockey you for minor advantages. All I ask is a square deal and an even chance - that the best many may win.

    Sincerely yours,
    J.R. Capablanca

    Accompanying this letter was a more detailed critique of the match conditions, with this being said about the proposed 2-point clause:

    I cannot agree to your provision that should the match be won by a score of 1 to 0, 2 to 1, 3 to 2, it would be declared drawn, and you retain your title. For, in chess, as in all other sports and contests, a win is always a win, and must be so considered, no matter how slight the margin. And should the match end with one of these scores, it would be looked upon by the chess public as a match won and lost, regardless of what we might agree to call it. Moreover, such a match would not be an even match, but would be more in the nature of a handicap contest, wherein I, as the challenger, would be compelled to give you a handicap of one game. I do not presume to be able to do that, nor do I believe that you will insist on my doing it. And to consider this question from the opposite standpoint, what have I to gain by such an agreement? Should you beat me by a score of 3 to 2, for example, I would be beaten, would consider myself beaten, and would be so considered by all the world. Nor would I, in such a case, gain anything whatever, in money, in title or in reputation by your agreeing to call the match drawn, for the fact that I had been beaten would still remain.

    (See also the controversy over the Lasker-Schlecter Match and the 1975 Match again for other disputes involving a requirement for the challenger to win by 2 or more points in order to win the title. In addition, the Schlecter-Tarrasch match of 1911, had a similar requirement, though no title was at stake in that match.)

    Offended by the tone of Capablanca's reply, and particularly by the claim that one of the conditions was obviously unfair, Lasker turned to... a friend of his. Do you want to take a guess who it was? Give up? Well, who else? It was Walter Penn Shipley again, the man who had played such an instrumental part in the US Championship controversies of 1904 and 1909. (This Shipley guy was really the Judge Wapner of his time, wasn't he?)

    Shipley offered the following 2 cents worth:

    From the published correspondence, I do not see that Capablanca intended to charge you with being unfair, or to strike a blow against your professional honor. In fact, it is my belief that he had no such intention, and while the language used in portions of Capablanca's reply may be somewhat undiplomatic, I think such portions are capable of a reasonable and not unfriendly explanation.

    There are many important points where you and Capablanca naturally differ as to the terms of a match, and I can readily understand it will be extremely difficult to draw up a set of resolutions governing a championship match that will be perfectly fair to you both. It is not necessary for me to go further into this matter at this time.

    I will state, as I have stated before, thta while I am not anxious to assume the position of arbitrator in this matter, nevertheless if it is the desire of you and Capablanca that I should so act, and you are willing to leave the matter in my hands, I will do the best I can to draw up a set of rules and regulations to cover the match. If, therefore, you wish that I should so act, I will prepare an agreement to be signed by you both, setting forth the points at issue, as I understand them, that are to be placed before me for my decision. This agreement will provide that my decision on all points will be accepted by you both, with, however, the privilege that any of the rules and regulations named by me may be changed, amended, altered, by the unanimous consent of both you and Capablanca.

    I have forwarded a copy of this letter to Capablanca.

    Yours sincerely,
    Walter Penn Shipley

    Lasker was not satisfied with Shipley's reply and used the dispute to end the negotiations, writing:

    Capablanca has not protested in the proper manner, and I therefore have the formal right to end these negotiations. Of that right, I make use. Capablanca's way of writing may in general have been merely undiplomatic, but in one point it was more than that. He has charged me with having put an obviously unfair condition. Obviously unfair is the same as deliberately unfair. In future I shall consider Capablanca as one who has challenged me with the purpose of raising a quarrel.

  • Capablanca and Lasker remained at odds for several years, not speaking to each other, until they kissed and made up (metaphorically speaking, of course) at the closing ceremony of the 1914 Saint Petersburg tournament. With this out of the way, it looked like the match would soon happen, after all. After this time, a set of proposed rules for future World Championship matches were drawn up by Capablanca, and approved by the other players at Saint Petersburg, including Lasker, and approved at the Mannheim Congress later that year. These rules included:
  • The champion must defend at yearly intervals.
  • Time limit to be 15 moves per hour.
  • Match should be to either 6 Wins or 8 Wins (champion chooses).
  • The Stake should be not less than a thousand pounds.

  • Unfortunately, as advanced students of history will know (and even some not-so-advanced students), something happened in August 1914, the most important consequence of which was the real damper it put on chess activities for the next 4 years.

  • After this spot of bother was dealt with, the world was able to get back to the more important job of arranging the Capablanca-Lasker match. By January 1920, terms agreeable to both were reached, but the public at large still considered them too favorable to Lasker. Unhappy with being on the short end of things, Lasker resigned the title in Capablanca's favour, writing:

    From various facts I must infer that the chess world does not like the conditions of our agreement. I cannot play the match, knowing that its rules are widely unpopular. I therefore resign the title of the world's champion in your favor. You have earned the title, not by the formality of a challenge, but by your brilliant mastery. In your further career, I wish you much success.

  • This decision didn't sit too well with either Capablanca or the chess world. Capablanca wanted to earn the title by fighting for it, not to take it as a gift, and have to deal with all the fuss Karpov had to deal with in 1975 (though it's doubtful that Capablanca put it to himself in quite those terms). Worse yet, the chess world was not merely unhappy about the situation, but was questioning the whole right of a champion to give the title away, with talk in some quarters of refusing to recognize Capablanca's claim to it. Amos Burn had this to say about the situation in The Field:

    The question now arises as to whether a holder of the world's championship has the right, upon resigning, to transfer it to any nominee at all. The consensus of opinion is undoubtedly in favor of Capablanca's being the ex-champion's greatest rival, but when we divest the Cuban's chess reputation of the glamor which attaches to it and examine his actual record in international tournaments, we find it not only not superior to those of a number of other masters, but in some cases actually inferior, notably so when compared with those of Dr. Tarrasch, Rubinstein and Maroczy. We would therefore suggest that the title of world's champion be for the present left in abeyance, and that it be decided at an early date by a double-round tournament between, say, six of the world's leading masters. most of the best European masters, among them Tarrasch, Rubinstein, Maroczy, Teichmann and Duras, will compete in the international tournament commencing at Gothenburg on August 1; and it might be agreed that the first three prize winners in that contest should be included among the six, one of whom would, of course, be Capablanca, to be selected from the few first-class masters, such as Bernstein, Vidmar and Marshall, the American champion, who have not been able to compete at Gothenburg.

  • With the succession in danger, the credibility of the title was at one of its periodic low points. Capablanca still wanted the match played, probably for both credibility and sporting reasons. He visited The Netherlands in August 1920, with a $20,000 offer from the Havana Club (an enormous sum in those days), and convinced Lasker to play. Lasker agreed, but insisted that his resignation be allowed to stand and that he be considered the Challenger. This was added to the match rules, but virtually no one took it seriously. To the chess world, and to common sense, he was the defending champion in that match. Officially he wasn't. The situation would only have become sticky if the match had ended in a 12-12 tie, with Capablanca "retaining", so take your pick.

  • Capablanca's personal views on whether he regarded himself as champion before the match are unclear. In at least one quote, he did refer to himself that way, saying in the September/October, 1920 issue of the American Chess Bulletin...

    "In case the match with Dr. Lasker is played and I remain [my italics] the champion, I shall insist in all future championship matches that there be only one session of play a day of either five or six hours, preferably six." - Capablanca, August 20, 1920.

  • Why did he say this? Did he believe it? Was he humoring Lasker to get him to play the match? Who knows? But regardless of what the match rules said, the chess world has fastidiously ignored the resignation, both at the time, and afterwards, and even references to it are hard to find.

  • With money he couldn't (and shouldn't) resist on the table, Lasker agreed to give the public what it wanted. But he appears to have approached the match in a really half-a$$ed way (to coin a phrase). Ossip Bernstein, writing in the July 1955 issue of Chess Review, reports this conversation with Lasker, on the eve of his departure.

    "Have you made any preparations for the match?"
    "No."
    "Have you taken time out to rest?"
    "No."
    "At least are you taking along a chessboard in order to study chess on the voyage?"
    "No."
    "Have you reviewed the openings you will play and studied the games of Capablanca."
    "No."
    "That is pure madness," I said. There was no answer.

  • The match began on March 15, 1921, but was somewhat less interesting than the pre-game show. After 4 draws, Lasker sacrificed a Pawn, then the exchange, finally blundering on Move 45 to lose a game that probably still could have been drawn. After 4 more draws, won another strong effort with Black, winning an almost textbook endgame after weakening Lasker's pawns. Then again in Game 11, after a minority attack. Game 12 was a wildly unbalanced game in which Capablanca sacrificed two Rooks and a Pawn for three minor pieces, got a won game, but didn't act quickly enough, and had to settle for a draw. After another draw, Lasker's unsound exchange sacrifice in Game 14 left him 4 down with Capablanca only needing another 3 points out of the next 10 games to retain the title.

  • Rather than showing up for Game 15 on Tuesday, April 26, Lasker sent the following letter to Judge Alberto Ponce (apparently the same A. Ponce who had been Steinitz's tag-team partner in those 3 1889 Exhibition Games, or at least a relative):

    Senor Alberto Ponce
    Havana Chess Club

    Dear Sir - In your capacity as referee of the match I beg to address this letter to you, proposing thereby to resign the match. Please advise me if this determination is acceptable to my adversary, the committee and yourself.

    Sincerely yours,
    Emanuel Lasker
    Havana, Apri 27, 1921

    Ponce replied:

    Esteemed Dr. Lasker:

    Replying to your letter, proposing to resign the match you were engaged in with Mr. Capablanca, I am pleased to inform you that, after informing Mr. Capablanca and the comittee of your intention, and inasmuch as neither the committee nor Mr. Capablanca had any objections thereto, I have no hesitation in also accepting your proposition. I remain, sincerely yours,

    Alberto Ponce

  • The match was declared ended that day, with Capablanca either winning or retaining the title, depending on your point of view. Either way, Lasker did ultimately resign the world's title, the only question is when he did it. Despite not playing out the full schedule, he received his full share of the purse. In fact, for all the fireworks of the negotiations, the match itself was virtually dispute-free.

  • The first game was played at the Union Club of Havana. The remaining games were played at the Casino de la Playa de Marianao at Marianao

  • The purse was $20,000, with Lasker to receive $11,000 and Capablanca $9,000, regardless of the final score. After 5 games had been played, the Commission for the Encouragement of Touring Throughout Cuba added an extra $5,000, of which $3,000 went to the winner, and $2,000 to the loser, putting the final prize distribution at $13,000 for Lasker, $12,000 for Capablanca.

  • The time limit was 15 moves an hour, with play 5 days a week, one 4 hour session per day.

  • Four games down, with at most 10 to play, Lasker resigned the match after Game 14, pleading ill health.

  • Match Breakdown 
     #    White - Black        Locale  Date        ECO  Result
 1    Capablanca - Lasker  Havana  03-15-1921  D63  ½-½
 2    Lasker - Capablanca  Havana  03-17-1921  D37  ½-½
 3    Capablanca - Lasker  Havana  03-19-1921  C66  ½-½
 4    Lasker - Capablanca  Havana  03-23-1921  D60  ½-½
 5    Capablanca - Lasker  Havana  03-29-1921  D63  1-0
 6    Lasker - Capablanca  Havana  03-30-1921  C66  ½-½
 7    Capablanca - Lasker  Havana  04-02-1921  D61  ½-½
 8    Lasker - Capablanca  Havana  04-03-1921  D12  ½-½
 9    Capablanca - Lasker  Havana  04-06-1921  D34  ½-½
10    Lasker - Capablanca  Havana  04-08-1921  D61  0-1
11    Capablanca - Lasker  Havana  04-13-1921  D64  1-0
12    Lasker - Capablanca  Havana  04-16-1921  C66  ½-½
13    Capablanca - Lasker  Havana  04-19-1921  D63  ½-½
14    Lasker - Capablanca  Havana  04-20-1921  C66  0-1
    [Event "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match"] [Site "Havana CUB"] [Date "1921.03.15"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "1"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [White "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [Black "Emanuel Lasker"] [ECO "D63"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "100"] 1.d4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca} d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Nc3 O-O 7.Rc1 b6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Bb5 {A new move which has no merit outside of its novelty. I played it for the first time against Teichmann in Berlin in 1913. The normal move is Bd3, but Qa4 may the best, after all.} Bb7 10.Qa4 a6 { c5 at once is the proper continuation.} 11.Bxd7 Nxd7 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Qb3 { With the idea of preventing c5, but still better would have been to castle.} Qd6 { Black could have played c5. In the many complications arising from this move. I think, Black would have come out all right.} 14.O-O Rfd8 15.Rfd1 Rab8 16.Ne1 { The object was to draw the Knight away from the line of the Bishop, which would soon be open, as it actually occurred in the game.} Nf6 17.Rc2 c5 18.dxc5 bxc5 19.Ne2 Ne4 { All the attacks beginning either with Ng4 or d4 would have failed.} 20.Qa3 Rbc8 21.Ng3 Nxg3 22.hxg3 Qb6 23.Rcd2 { Rdc1 would not have been better, because of the rejoinder d4, etc.} h6 24.Nf3 d4 25.exd4 Bxf3 26.Qxf3 Rxd4 27.Rc2 Rxd1+ 28.Qxd1 Rd8 29.Qe2 Qd6 30.Kh2 Qd5 31.b3 Qf5 32.g4 Qg5 33.g3 Rd6 { Unquestionably the best move; with any other move Black would, perhaps, have found it impossible to draw.} 34.Kg2 g6 35.Qc4 Re6 36.Qxc5 Qxg4 37.f3 Qg5 38.Qxg5 hxg5 39.Kf2 Rd6 40.Ke3 Re6+ 41.Kd4 Rd6+ 42.Ke3 { K-c5 was too risky. The way to win was not at all clear and I even thought that with that move Black might win.} Re6+ 43.Kf2 Rd6 44.g4 Rd1 45.Ke2 { Ke3 was the right move. It was perhaps the only chance White had to win, or at least come near it.} Ra1 46.Kd3 { Had the King been at e3 he could go to d4, which would have gained a very important move.} Kg7 47.b4 Rf1 { Best. Black, however, would have accomplished nothing with this move, had the white King been at d4.} 48.Ke3 { The remainder of the game needs no comments.} Rb1 49.Rc6 Rxb4 50.Rxa6 Rb2 1/2-1/2 [Event "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match"] [Site "Havana CUB"] [Date "1921.03.17"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "2"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [White "Emanuel Lasker"] [Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [ECO "D37"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "81"] 1.d4 {Notes by J.R. Capablanca} d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 Nbd7 5.e3 { On general principles it is better to bring the Queen’s Bishop out first.} Be7 6.Bd3 O-O 7.O-O dxc4 8.Bxc4 c5 9.Qe2 a6 10.Rd1 b5 11.Bd3 Bb7 12.e4 { Played in order to develop the Queen’s Bishop and thereby condemning his whole plan of development, since he could have done that before, as indicated in the previous note, and the only reason he could have had for playing e3 on the fifth move would have been to develop this Bishop via b2.} cxd4 13.Nxd4 Ne5 14.Nb3 { The combination beinning with Bxb5, followed by Nxe6, are wrong, viz., 14 Bxb5 axb5; 15 Nxe6 fxe6; 16 Rxd8 Raxd8; 17 Qxby Nxe4, and Black has a won game.} Nxd3 15.Rxd3 Qc7 16.e5 { White could not play Bg5 because of the rejoinder, Nxe4.} Nd5 17.Rg3 Nxc3 18.Rxc3 Qd7 {It was my impression that, after this move,Black had a very superior game. } 19.Rg3 Rfd8 20.Bh6 g6 21.Be3 Qd5 { This leads to the exchange of one of the two Bishops, but it would be very difficult to find a better move.} 22.Na5 Rac8 23.Nxb7 Qxb7 24.Bh6 Qd5 25.b3 Qd4 { It was probably here where Black failed to make the best move.25…Bb4 was the better move.} 26.Rf1 Rd5 27.Re3 Ba3 {Bf8 was better, as white could not very well afford to take the Bishop; he would be compelled to play first Re4, to be followed later on by Bf4.} 28.g3 Qb2 29.Re1 Rc2 {Qxe2 followed by Bb4 was the proper course to follow.} 30.Qf3 Be7 {This was my thirtieth move; I was very much pressed for time and I could not make the necessary analysis to find out whether Bf8 would have been a winning or losing move.If 30…Bf8 31.Bxf8 Kxf8 32. Qf6 Kg8. 33.h4 and Black would have a very difficult position to defend.} 31.R3e2 Rxe2 {Qxa2 now would lose because of 32.Rxc2 Qxc2 33.Rc1 followed by Rc8+,etc.} 32.Rxe2 Qb1+ 33.Kg2 Bf8 34.Bf4 h6 35.h4 b4 36.Qe4 Qxe4+ 37.Rxe4 Kg7 38.Rc4 Bc5 39.Kf3 g5 40.hxg5 hxg5 41.Bxg5 1/2-1/2 [Event "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match"] [Site "Havana CUB"] [Date "1921.03.19"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "3"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [White "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [Black "Emanuel Lasker"] [ECO "C66"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "125"] 1.e4 {Notes by J.R. Capablanca} e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.O-O Be7 7.Re1 exd4 8.Nxd4 O-O 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 Re8 12.Qd3 Nh7 13.Bxe7 {An old move, generally played by all the masters. I believe, however, that Bg3 is the best continuation.} Rxe7 14.Re3 Qb8 15.b3 {Unnecessary at this point, since Black cannot take the pawn.} Qb6 16.Rae1 Rae8 17.Nf3 Qa5 18.Qd2 Ng5 { A very good move which gives Black the better position.} 19.Nxg5 hxg5 20.h3 Re5 21.Rd1 Bc8 22.Rd3 Qb6 23.Kh2 R8e6 24.Rg3 Rf6 25.Kg1 {f3 would have been answered by Qc5.} Kf8 26.Na4 Qa5 27.Qxa5 Rxa5 28.Rc3 {Played under the impression that Black would then have to defend the pawn by Bd7 when would follow 29.Nc5 Be8 30.e5. Since Black could play the text move, it would have been better for White to have played 28.c4.} Bb7 29.f3 Re6 30.Rcd3 Ba6 31.Rd4 f6 32.Rc1 c5 33.Rd2 Bb5 34.Nc3 Bc6 35.a4 Ra6 36.Kf2 Rb6 37.Nd1 Kf7 {Of course, if c4, Ne3.} 38.Ne3 Rb8 39.Rh1 Ree8 40.Rdd1 Rh8 41.g4 { Of very doubtful value. It would have been better to play Kg3, threatening h4.} Bd7 42.Nd5 Rb7 43.Kg3 Rh4 44.Rd3 Be6 45.c4 Rh8 46.Rc1 Ke8 47.Ne3 Kd7 48.Ng2 Rbb8 49.Re1 Kc6 50.Ne3 Rbe8 51.Rb1 Rh7 52.Rd2 Rb8 53.Rd3 Rbh8 54.Rh1 Kb6 55.Rh2 Kc6 {Black goes back with the king because he sees that it would be impossible for him to go through with it on the queen’s side, since as soon as the king goes to b4 White drives it back by checking with the Knight at c2.} 56.Rh1 Rb8 57.Rh2 Rf8 58.Rh1 Kd7 59.Rh2 Bf7 60.Nf5 Rfh8 61.Ne3 Ke6 62.Nd5 Rc8 63.Ne3 {There is no way for Black to breakthrough.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match"] [Site "Havana CUB"] [Date "1921.03.23"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "4"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [White "Emanuel Lasker"] [Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [ECO "D61"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "59"] 1.d4 {Notes by J.R. Capablanca} d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 O-O 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.Qc2 c6 {c5 is the proper move.} 8.Bd3 {Castles on the Queen's side would have been a much more energetic way of continuing, but probably White did not want to take the risk of exposing himself to a Queen's side attack, having then his King on that side of the board.} dxc4 9.Bxc4 Nd5 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.O-O Nxc3 12.bxc3 b6 13.Bd3 g6 14.a4 Bb7 15.a5 c5 16.Nd2 { This may not have been White's best move. Yet it is extremely difficult to point out anything better.} e5 {Probably the only move to save the game. It was essential to break up White’s center and to create a weakness in White's game that would compensate Black for his own weakness on the Queen's side of the board.} 17.Be4 Bxe4 18.Qxe4 Rae8 19.axb6 axb6 20.Ra7 exd4 21.Qc6 {Qxe7 was slightly better, but Black had, in that case, an adequate defense.} Rd8 22.cxd4 cxd4 23.exd4 {Not 23.Ne4, because of Nb8!} Qf6 24.Qxf6 Nxf6 25.Nf3 Nd5 26.Rb1 f6 27.Kf1 Rf7 28.Rba1 Rdd7 29.Rxd7 Rxd7 30.g3 {There was no reasonable motive to continue such a game, as there was not very much to be done by either player.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match"] [Site "Havana CUB"] [Date "1921.03.29"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "5"] [Result "1-0"] [White "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [Black "Emanuel Lasker"] [ECO "D63"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "91"] 1.d4 {Notes by J.R. Capablanca} d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 Be7 6.Nc3 O-O 7.Rc1 b6 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Qa4 c5 {Considered up to now the best answer for Black, but I believe to have had the pleasure of finding over the board in this game the one way to knock it out.} 10.Qc6 Rb8 11.Nxd5 Bb7 12.Nxe7+ Qxe7 13.Qa4 Rbc8 14.Qa3 {This move might be said to be the key of White's whole plan. The main point was to be able to play Ba6.} Qe6 15.Bxf6 {This exchange had to be made before putting the plan into execution.} Qxf6 16.Ba6 Bxf3 {Dr. Lasker thought for over half an hour before deciding on this continuation. It is not only the best, but it shows at the same time the fine hand of the master. An ordinary player would never have thought of giving up the exchange in order to keep the initiative in this position, which was really the only reasonable way in which he could hope to draw the game.} 17.Bxc8 Rxc8 18.gxf3 Qxf3 19.Rg1 Re8 20.Qd3 g6 21.Kf1 {The play here was extremely difficult. I probably did not find the best system of defense. I can not yet tell which was the best defense here, but it is my believe that with the best play White should win.} Re4 22.Qd1 Qh3+ 23.Rg2 Nf6 24.Kg1 cxd4 25.Rc4 {The move with which I counted upon to check Black’s attack.} dxe3 26.Rxe4 Nxe4 27.Qd8+ Kg7 28.Qd4+ Nf6 29.fxe3 Qe6 30.Rf2 g5 31.h4 gxh4 {This was Lasker's sealed move. It was not the best. His chance to draw was to play Kg6.Any other continuation should lose.} 32.Qxh4 Ng4 33.Qg5+ Kf8 34.Rf5 {Not the best. Rd2 would have won. The text move gives Black a chance to draw the game.} h5 35.Qd8+ Kg7 36.Qg5+ Kf8 37.Qd8+ Kg7 38.Qg5+ Kf8 39.b3 Qd6 40.Qf4 Qd1+ 41.Qf1 Qd7 42.Rxh5 Nxe3 43.Qf3 Qd4 44.Qa8+ {Not the best.Kh1 offered better chances of success.} Ke7 45.Qb7+ Kf8 {A blunder, which loses what would otherwise have been a drawn game. It will be noticed that it was Dr. Lasker's forty-fifth move. He had very little time to think and, furthermore, by his own admission, he entirely misjudged the value of the position, believing that he had chances of winning, when, in fact, all he could hope for was a draw.} 46.Qb8+ 1-0 [Event "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match"] [Site "Havana CUB"] [Date "1921.03.31"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "6"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [White "Emanuel Lasker"] [Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [ECO "C66"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "86"] 1.e4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca} e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Re1 exd4 8.Nxd4 O-O 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Bg5 Re8 11.Qd3 h6 12.Bh4 Nh7 13.Bxe7 Rxe7 14.Qc4 {Up to this point the game was identical with the third. Here Lasker changed the course of the game.} Qe8 15.Re2 {Re3 had also to be considered.} Rb8 16.b3 c5 17.Nf3 Bb5 {Not the best.Ng5 was the right move. The text move leaves Black with an exceedingly difficult ending.} 18.Nxb5 Qxb5 19.Qxb5 Rxb5 20.Kf1 Ng5 21.Nd2 Ne6 {The maneuvers of this knight are ofmuch greaterimportance than it might appear on the surface. It is essential to force White to play c3 in order to weaken somewhat the defensive strength of his queen’s knight’s pawn.} 22.c3 f6 23.Nc4 Nf4 {Again the moves of the knight have a definite meeting. The student would do well to carefully study this ending.} 24.Re3 Ng6 25.Nd2 Rb8 26.g3 a5 27.a4 {It is now seen why Black had to compel White to play c3. With the white pawn at c2 Black’s game would be practically hopeless, since White’s b pawn would not have to be protected by a piece, as is the case now.} Ne5 28.f4 Nd7 29.Ke2 Nb6 30.Kd3 c6 31.Rae1 Kf7 32.Nc4 {e5 would have lead to a much more complicated and difficult ending, but Black seems to have an adequate defense by simply playing fxe5, followed by d5, when White retakes the pawn.} Nxc4 33.Kxc4 Re6 {This is the best move and not Ke6 which would be met by Rd3.} 34.e5 fxe5 35.fxe5 d5 36.Kxc5 Rxb3 37.c4 {Not the best, but at any rate the game would have been a draw. The best move would have been Rf1+.} dxc4 38.Re4 {Probably the only way to obtain a sure draw.} c3 39.Rc4 h5 40.Re3 Rb2 41.Rcxc3 Rxh2 42.Kb6 Rb2+ 43.Kxa5 g5 {There was not any object for either player too attempt to win such a game.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match"] [Site "Havana CUB"] [Date "1921.04.02"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "7"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [White "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [Black "Emanuel Lasker"] [ECO "D63"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "46"] 1.d4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca} d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Nc3 O-O 7.Rc1 c6 8.Qc2 c5 {this move is not to be recommended.} 9.Rd1 {cxd5 would have been proper to continue.} Qa5 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Bxe7 Nxe7 12.Bd3 Nf6 13.O-O cxd4 14.Nxd4 {exd4 was the alternative. It would have left, however, to a very difficult game where,in exchange for the attack, White would remain with an isolated Queen’s Pawn; leading at thi stage of the match by one point, I did not want to take any risks.} Bd7 15.Ne4 Ned5 16.Nb3 Qd8 17.Nxf6+ Nxf6 18.Qc5 Qb6 {With this move Black neutralizes whatever little advantage White might have had. The draw is now insight.} 19.Rc1 Rfc8 20.Qxb6 axb6 21.Rxc8+ Rxc8 22.Rc1 Rxc1+ 23.Nxc1 Kf8 1/2-1/2 [Event "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match"] [Site "Havana CUB"] [Date "1921.04.03"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "8"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [White "Emanuel Lasker"] [Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [ECO "D12"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "60"] 1.d4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca} d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.e3 {This allows Black to bring out the Queen’s Bishop without any difficulty.} Bf5 5.Nc3 e6 6.Bd3 Bxd3 7.Qxd3 Nbd7 8.O-O Bd6 9.e4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Nxe4 11.Qxe4 O-O 12.Bd2 Qf6 13.Rad1 Qg6 14.Qxg6 hxg6 15.Bc3 Rfd8 16.Rfe1 Bc7 17.Kf1 Nf8 18.Bd2 f6 19.h4 Kf7 20.g3 Nd7 21.Be3 Nb6 22.Rc1 Nc8 23.Re2 Ne7 {All these maneuvers with the Knight are extremely difficult to explain fully. The student would do well to carefully analyze them. Black’s position might now be said to be unassailable.} 24.Rc3 a6 25.a4 Rab8 26.b4 b5 {Bd6 was better, as it gave Black some slightly winning chances.} 27.cxb5 axb5 28.a5 Bd6 29.Rb3 Nd5 30.Bd2 Rdc8 {The game was given up for a draw, because having analyzed the game during the twenty-four hour’s interval, we both came to the conclusion that it was impossible to win the game for either side.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match"] [Site "Havana CUB"] [Date "1921.04.06"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "9"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [White "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [Black "Emanuel Lasker"] [ECO "D33"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "48"] 1.d4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca} d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.g3 Nf6 7.Bg2 Be6 8.O-O Be7 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Bg5 d4 {I had never seen this variation before and I therefore thought for a long time in order to make up my mind as to whether I should play Bxf6 or Ne4. I finally decided upon the latter move as the safest course.} 11.Ne4 Be7 12.Nxf6+ Bxf6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 {It is my position that this position is not good for Black, though perhaps there may be no way to force a win.} 14.Qa4 O-O 15.Qb5 {Threatening not only the b Pawn, but also Qg5, exchanging Queens.} Rab8 16.Rfd1 h6 17.Ne1 Rfe8 18.Rd2 {Bxc6 would only lead to a draw. Viz, 18.Bxc6 bxc6 19.Qxc6 Rec8 followed by Rxb2.} Bg4 19.Rc1 Re5 20.Qd3 {If Rc5 Qg5 with a winning game.} Rbe8 21.Bf3 Bxf3 {Black could have tried to keep up the attack by playing h5. The text move simplifies matters and easily leads to a draw.} 22.Nxf3 Re4 23.Rc4 Qe6 24.Nxd4 Nxd4 1/2-1/2 [Event "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match"] [Site "Havana CUB"] [Date "1921.04.08"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "10"] [Result "0-1"] [White "Emanuel Lasker"] [Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [ECO "D61"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "136"] 1.d4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca} d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 O-O 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.Qc2 c5 8.Rd1 Qa5 9.Bd3 h6 10.Bh4 cxd4 11.exd4 dxc4 12.Bxc4 Nb6 13.Bb3 Bd7 14.O-O {The development is now complete. White has a lone d Pawn, but, on the otherhand, Black is somewhat hampered in the manoeuvering of his pieces.} Rac8 15.Ne5 Bb5 {With this move and the following, Black brings about an exchange of pieces, which leaves him with a free game.} 16.Rfe1 Nbd5 17.Bxd5 Nxd5 18.Bxe7 Nxe7 19.Qb3 Bc6 {Not Ba6 because of Nd7, followed by Nc5.} 20.Nxc6 bxc6 21.Re5 Qb6 22.Qc2 Rfd8 23.Ne2 {Probably White's first mistake. He wants to take a good defensive position, but he should instead have counter-attacked with Na4 and Rc5.} Rd5 24.Rxd5 cxd5 {Black has now the open file and his left side Pawn position is very solid, while White has a weak d-Pawn. The apparently weak Black a Pawn is not actually weak because White has no way to attack it.} 25.Qd2 Nf5 26.b3 {In order to free the Queen from the defense of the b-Pawn and also to prevent Rc4 at any stage.} h5 { In order to prevent g4 at a later stage. Also to make a demonstration on the king’s side, prepatory to further operations on the other side.} 27.h3 {Weak, but White wants to be ready to play g4.} h4 {To tie up White's King side. Later on it will be seen that White is compelled to play g4 and thus further weaken his game.} 28.Qd3 Rc6 29.Kf1 g6 30.Qb1 Qb4 31.Kg1 {This was White's sealed move. It was not the best move, but it is doubtful if White has any good system of defense.} a5 32.Qb2 a4 {Now Black exchanges the pawn and leaves White with a weak, isolated b-Pawn, which will fall sooner or later.} 33.Qd2 Qxd2 34.Rxd2 axb3 35.axb3 Rb6 {In order to force Rd3 and thus prevent the White rook from supporting his b-Pawn by Rb2 later on. It means practically tying up the White rook to the defense of his two weak pawns. } 36.Rd3 Ra6 37.g4 hxg3 38.fxg3 Ra2 39.Nc3 Rc2 40.Nd1 {The alternative Na4, was not any better. White’s game is doomed. } Ne7 41.Ne3 Rc1+ 42.Kf2 Nc6 43.Nd1 Rb1 {Not Nb4 because of 44. Rd2 Rb1 45. Nb2 Rxb2 46.Rxb2 Nd3+ 47.Ke2 Nxb2 48.Kd2, and Black could not win. } 44.Ke2 {Not a mistake, but played deliberately. White had no way to protect his b-Pawn.} Rxb3 45.Ke3 Rb4 46.Nc3 Ne7 47.Ne2 Nf5+ 48.Kf2 g5 49.g4 Nd6 50.Ng1 Ne4+ 51.Kf1 Rb1+ 52.Kg2 Rb2+ 53.Kf1 Rf2+ 54.Ke1 Ra2 {All these moves have a meaning. The student should carefully study them.} 55.Kf1 Kg7 56.Re3 Kg6 57.Rd3 f6 58.Re3 Kf7 59.Rd3 Ke7 60.Re3 Kd6 61.Rd3 Rf2+ 62.Ke1 Rg2 63.Kf1 Ra2 64.Re3 e5 {This was my sealed move and unquestionably the best way to win.} 65.Rd3 {If 65.Ne2 Nd2+ 66.Kf2 e4 67.Rc3 Nf3 68.Ke3 Ne1 69.Kf2 Ng2. and White would be helpless. If 65.Nf3 Nd2+ exchanging knights wins.} exd4 66.Rxd4 Kc5 67.Rd1 d4 68.Rc1+ Kd5 {There is nothing left. The Black pawn will advance and White will have to give up his Knight for it. This is the finest win of the match and probably took away from Dr. Lasker his last real hope of winning or drawing the match.} 0-1 [Event "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match"] [Site "Havana CUB"] [Date "1921.04.13"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "11"] [Result "1-0"] [White "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [Black "Emanuel Lasker"] [ECO "D63"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "95"] 1.d4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca} d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nf6 4.Bg5 Nbd7 5.e3 Be7 6.Nc3 O-O 7.Rc1 Re8 8.Qc2 c6 9.Bd3 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Nd5 11.Bxe7 Rxe7 12.O-O Nf8 13.Rfd1 Bd7 {I do not consider the system adopted by Dr. Lasker in this game to be any good.} 14.e4 Nb6 {...Nxc3 would have simplified matters somewhat, but it would have left Black in avery awkward position. The text move, by driving back the bishop, gains time for the defense.} 15.Bf1 Rc8 16.b4 {To prevent c5, either now or a later stage. There is no Black bishop and White’s whole plan is based on that fact. He will attempt, in due time, to place a knight on d6.} Be8 17.Qb3 {White might have played a4 at once, but wanted at first to prevent the Black Queen from coming out via d6 an f4.} Rec7 18.a4 Ng6 19.a5 Nd7 20.e5 b6 21.Ne4 Rb8 22.Qc3 {Qa3 at once was best. The text move gives Black a chance to gain time.} Nf4 23.Nd6 Nd5 {Had the White Queen been at a3 Black could not have gained this very important tempo.} 24.Qa3 f6 25.Nxe8 {This Bishop had to be taken, since it threatened to go to h5, pinning the Knight.} Qxe8 26.exf6 gxf6 {To retake with either Knight would have left the e Pawn extremely weak.} 27.b5 {With this move White gets rid of his Queen's side Pawns.} Rbc8 28.bxc6 Rxc6 29.Rxc6 Rxc6 30.axb6 axb6 31.Re1 {Bb5 was better.} Qc8 32.Nd2 {This was my sealed move and unquestionably the only move to keep the initiative.} Nf8 {...Rc3 would have been met by Qa1.} 33.Ne4 {The White Knight stands now in a very commanding position. Black's game is far more difficult than appears at first glance and I believe that the only good system of defense would have to be based on ...f5, after ...h6, driving back the White Knight.} Qd8 34.h4 Rc7 {This might be said to be the losing move. Black had to play ...h6 in order to be ready to continue with ...f5, forcing the White Knight to withdraw.} 35.Qb3 {White's plan consists in getting rid of Black's powerfully posted Knight at d5, which is the key to Black's defense.} Rg7 36.g3 Ra7 37.Bc4 Ra5 38.Nc3 Nxc3 39.Qxc3 Kf7 40.Qe3 Qd6 41.Qe4 Ra4 {Neither one of us had very much time left at this stage of the game. Black's alternative was ...Ra7, which would have been met by d5, leaving Black with what in my opinion is a lost position.} 42.Qb7+ Kg6 {If 42...Qe7 43.Qc6 wins.} 43.Qc8 Qb4 44.Rc1 Qe7 {Black's game was now hopeless; for instance 44...Qa3 (best) 45.Bd3+! f5 (best) 46.Qe8+ Kh6 47.Re1 Ra8 48.Rxe6+ Nxe6 49.Qxe6+ Kg7 50.Qe5+, etc. In practically all the other variations the check with the Bishop at d3 wins.} 45.Bd3+ Kh6 {..f5 would have prolonged the game a few moves only. 46.Rc7 would always win.} 46.Rc7 Ra1+ 47.Kg2 Qd6 48.Qxf8+ 1-0 [Event "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match"] [Site "Havana CUB"] [Date "1921.04.16"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "12"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [White "Emanuel Lasker"] [Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [ECO "C66"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "61"] 1.e4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca.} e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Re1 exd4 8.Nxd4 O-O 9.Bf1 Re8 10.f3 Bf8 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 g6 13.Nd5 Bg7 {I cannot very highly recommend the system of defense adopted by me in this variation.} 14.Nb5 {The combinations beginning with this move are all wrong. White's proper move was simply to hold the position by playing c3. After the text move, Black should get the better game.} g5 15.Ndxc7 {If 15.Bf2, Nxd5 would give Black the better game. The combination indulged in by White is good only in appearence.} gxh4 16.Nxa8 Qxa8 17.Nc7 Qd8 18.Nxe8 Nxe8 19.Rb1 Be6 20.c3 Bxa2 {A mistake. Black had here a won game by playing Be5. The question of time at this point was not properly appreciated by Black, who went in to recover a Pawn, which was of no impotance whatever. Worse yet, the capture of the Pawn only helped White.} 21.Ra1 Be6 22.Qd2 a6 {h3 was better. After the text move Black has an extremely difficult game to play.} 23.Qf2 h5 {Qg5 would have given Black better chances to win. After the text move there is nothing better than a draw.} 24.f4 Bh6 25.Be2 Nf6 26.Qxh4 Nxe4 27.Qxd8+ Nxd8 28.Bxa6 d5 29.Be2 Bxf4 30.Bxh5 Bc7 31.Rad1 {Having had twenty-four hours to consider the position, we both came to the conclusion that there was nothing in it but a draw.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match"] [Site "Havana CUB"] [Date "1921.04.19"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "13"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [White "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [Black "Emanuel Lasker"] [ECO "D63"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "46"] 1.d4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca} d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.e3 Nbd7 6.Nc3 O-O 7.Rc1 Re8 8.Qc2 h6 9.Bh4 c5 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Bxe7 Nxe7 12.dxc5 Nxc5 13.Bb5 {Not best. b4 was more energetic and perfectly safe.} Bd7 14.O-O Qb6 15.Bxd7 Nxd7 16.Rfd1 Red8 17.h3 {Loss of time. Qa4 at once was the proper move.} Rac8 18.Qa4 Nc6 19.Qb5 a6 20.Qxb6 Nxb6 21.Rxd8+ Nxd8 22.Ne2 Kf8 23.Rxc8 Nxc8 {Not much of a game. With three points to the good I took matters to easy. My opponent, having the Black pieces, could not have been expected to do much.} 1/2-1/2 [Event "Lasker - Capablanca World Championship Match"] [Site "Havana CUB"] [Date "1921.04.20"] [EventDate "?"] [Round "14"] [Result "0-1"] [White "Emanuel Lasker"] [Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"] [ECO "C66"] [WhiteElo "?"] [BlackElo "?"] [PlyCount "112"] 1.e4 {Notes by J.R. Capablanca} e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Bxc6 Bxc6 8.Qd3 exd4 9.Nxd4 Bd7 10.Bg5 O-O 11.Rae1 h6 12.Bh4 Nh7 13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Nd5 Qd8 15.c4 {White has now a powerful position and Black has to play with extreme care in order to avoid drifting into a hopeless position.} Re8 16.f4 c6 {This weakens the queen's pawn, but something had to be done to obtain manouvering space for the White pieces. Besides, with the advance of the f-Pawn, White's king's pawn becomes also weak, which is somewhat of a compensation.} 17.Nc3 Qb6 18.b3 Rad8 {Unnecessary. Re7 was the proper move.} 19.Kh1 Nf6 20.h3 Bc8 21.Rd1 {This is waste of time. In order to obain an advantage, White will have to make an attack on the king's side, since Black's queen's pawn, though weak, cannot be won through a direct attack against it.} Re7 22.Rfe1 Rde8 23.Re2 Qa5 24.Rf1 Qh5 25.Kg1 a6 26.Rff2 Qg6 27.Rf3 {If 27.Nf5 Bxf5 28.exf5 Qh5 29.Rxe7 Rxe7 and Black has a good game.} Qh5 28.f5 {Of doutbful value. While it shuts off the bishop, it weakens furthermore the king's pawn and also creates a hole on e5 for Black's pieces. The position at first glance, looks very much in favor of White, but careful analysis will show that is much more apparent than true.} Qh4 29.Kh2 {A blunder, made under time pressure combined with difficulties attached to the position.} Ng4+ 30.Kh1 Ne5 31.Qd2 Nxf3 32.Nxf3 Qf6 {Qg3 was dangerous and might lead to the loss of some material} 33.a4 {To prevent b5. There are a number of variations where White would regain the quality in exchange for a pawn had he played 33. g4, to be followed by e5 and Ne4,but the resulting ending would be so much in favor of Black that the course pursued by White may be considered the best.} g6 34.fxg6 fxg6 35.Re3 Bf5 36.Qd3 {There were some very interesting variations beginning with 36.Rd3, viz.,36...Bxe4 37.Rxd6 Qg7 38.Nh4 Bf5 39.Nxf5 gxf5 40.Rxh6 Re1+ 41.Kh2 Qe5+ 42.g3 Qxc3, and White is lost.} g5 37.Nd2 Bg6 38.b4 {White's idea is to change as many pawns as possible, hoping to reach an ending where the advantage of the exchange may not be sufficient to win.} Qe6 39.b5 axb5 40.axb5 Ra8 41.Qb1 Qe5 42.Qe1 Kh7 43.bxc6 bxc6 44.Qg3 Qxg3 45.Rxg3 Ra3 46.Kh2 Rb7 47.c5 {Forced, as Rb2, winning a piece, was threatened.} dxc5 48.Nc4 Ra1 49.Ne5 Rc1 {The moves of this rook are worth studying. I believe that Black had no better way to play.} 50.h4 {This brings the game to a climax, for which Black is now ready.} Re7 51.Nxc6 Re6 52.Nd8 gxh4 53.Rd3 Rf6 {The key to Black's defence. The holding of the KB file.} 54.Rd7+ Kh8 55.Nd5 Rff1 56.Kh3 Bxe4 0-1

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