11/19/2018 – Today, November 19th, José Raúl Capablanca, would have celebrated his 130th birthday. After World War I the Cuban was the world's best player and World Champion from 1921 to 1927. During his career, he played more than 500 tournament games but lost only 36 of them. | Photo: Screenshot from the movie "Chess Fever"
He was a child prodigy and he is surrounded by legends. In his best times he was considered to be unbeatable and by many he was reckoned to be the greatest chess talent of all time: Jose Raul Capablanca, born 1888 in Havana.
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November 19, 1888 to March 8, 1942
130 years ago, November 19, 1888, José Raúl Capablanca was born in Havana, Cuba, as the second son of a Spanish army officer. Capablanca is said to have learned chess when he was just four years old, allegedly by watching his father play with friends. At the age of twelve Capablanca won a match Juan Corzo, the Cuban Champion at that time.
After finishing school Capablanca went to New York to study at Columbia University with a grant. He enrolled in sports and chemical science but after the first semester, his grant was withdrawn because he studied chess much more ardently than chemistry or sports.
Capablanca was a regular guest at the Manhattan Chess Club where he met World Champion Emanuel Lasker in 1906 — the first time they met. The current and the future World Champion both took part in a rapid tournament and the 18-year old Cuban beat Lasker in the final.
Three years later, 1909, the Manhattan Chess Club was also the venue of a match between Capablanca and Frank Marshall which Capablanca won 8-1, and 14 draws.
1.e4e52.Nf3Nc6"My first surprise," wrote Capablanca, as Marshall allows
the Ruy Lopez for the first time in nearly a decade.3.Bb5a64.Ba4Nf65.0-0Be76.Re1b57.Bb30-0Marshall thought, incorrectly, that this was a
novelty. Capablanca commented, "Castling has been supposed to be undesirable
at this point, on account of 8 Bd5", which rather begs the question: Why
didn't Capablanca play 8 Bd5, if he thought it was so good? Capablanca himself
answers: "I now felt that Marshall had prepared something for me, expecting me
to play B-Q5 (Bd5), therefore without hesitation I played my next move."8.c3White prepares d2-d4. This move is still the most commonly played;
although some other moves, such as8.a4, are popular too.8...d5
Marshall plays his gambit. Capablanca commented, "The sacrifice, if accepted,
yields Black a powerful attack, although of a doubtful nature, and I am
inclined to think that White should come out with advantage." For a long time
the chess world agreed with this analysis. Growing up in the 1960s and 1970s I
remember reading an article in 'CHESS' about a refutation of this gambit. Yet
today many players, not least Levon Aronian, consider the Marshall sound and
play it regularly.9.exd5Nxd5Deviating from his earlier9...e410.dxc6exf311.d4fxg212.Bf4?Bg413.Qd3Nh514.Bxc7?Qxc715.Qe4Nf4!16.Qxe7Qxe717.Rxe7Bf3and 0-1 in Frere-Marshall, New York (simul) 1917.10.Nxe5Capablanca collects his pawn. "I thought for a little while before
playing this, knowing I would be subjected there-after to a terrific attack,
all the lines of which would be of necessity be familiar to my adversary. The
lust of battle, however, had been aroused within me. I felt that my judgement
and skill were being challenged by a player who had reason to fear both (as
shown by the records of our previous encounters); but who wanted to take
advantage of the element of surprise and of the fact of my being unfamiliar
with a thing to which he had devoted many a night of toil and hard work. ---
"I considered the position then and decided I was in honour bound, so to speak,
to take the pawn and accept the challenge [....] as my knowledge and judgement
told me that my position should then be defensible" (Capablanca in his great
book, 'My Chess Career').Nxe511.Rxe5Nf6Repositioning this important
minor piece. This was Marshall's original idea, but is considered passé by
most opening books today.The 'Modern' variation of the Marshall Attack is11...c6, which is now the usual move at this point. Marshall himself found
this improvement.12.Re1"White's move order is slightly unusual, but it
transposes into the more natural sequence12.d4Bd613.Re1today13.Re2is considered equally strong13...Ng414.h3Qh415.Qf3" - John Nunn in
the excellent book 'The World's Greatest Chess Games'.12...Bd613.h3"If
13.d4, then will followNg4" - Capablanca.13...Ng4Black plays it
anyway. "The onslaught begins," commented Capablanca, while Nunn noted that
"Black's attack gathers momentum." He goes on to note further that White has
no minor pieces defending his king, and that White's entire queenside is still
at home. Indeed, Black's attack looks extremely dangerous and maybe the only
reason White survives is because of perfect defence - and the fact that
White's queen and light-squared bishop prove to be a very effective defensive
combination.14.Qf3This move is both offensive and defensive, as it
threatens the rook on a8 and also protects the white kingside."The knight
can't be taken,14.hxg4?Qh415.Qf3Bh2+16.Kf1Bxg417.Qe4Bf418.g3Qh2and White will lose his queen under unfavourable conditions" - Nunn.14...Qh415.d4"Intuitive, and absolutely correct", according to Reuben
Fine."The tempting move of15.Re8is met byBb716.Rxf8+Rxf817.Qxg4Re818.Kf1Qe719.Be6Bd5, and Black has the best of it" - Capablanca.15...Nxf2"The trapper, trapped," observed Capablanca, who added, "Very
likely a mistake and overlooking the reply."15...h5was perhaps the
best way to keep up the pressure." Interestingly, in the opening databases I
use I can't find any other moves being successfully used by Black in this
position and Fritz seems to think it is the best move.16.Re2"A strong
move, but decades of analysis have shown that the most convincing refutation
of Black's play is16.Bd2!" - Nunn. 16 Bd2 is, indeed, the most popular
move on my opening databases, whereas 16 Re2 has been the third most popular
behind 16 Qxf2, although that move loses, as explained above. Nunn further
observes, "One can hardly criticise Capablanca's move since after it White
retains a clear advantage no matter how Black plays.""Again White cannot
take the knight.16.Qxf2?Bh2+but not16...Bg3??17.Qxf7+17.Kf1Bg318.Qe2now18.Qxf7+Rxf7+is check18...Bxh319.gxh3Rae820.Be3Bxe121.Qxe1Qxh3+22.Kf2Qh2+23.Kf1Qxb2and wins" - Nunn.16...Bg4
Black keeps attacking, giving white a choice of taking bishop or knight.
Of course there are other moves available, but16...Nxh3+17.gxh3Bxh318.Re4is given as "hopeless" by Nunn, and in my opening database I can see
White scoring 66% after this.17.hxg4Bh2+18.Kf1Bg3Protecting the
knight and threatening mate in one."The alternative was18...Nh1
, leading to a complicated game, but always White is apparently able to find a
valid defence" - Capablanca.19.Rxf2"19.Ke1was also feasible,Nh3+as it is not possible for Black to play19...Rae8on account of20.Qxf7+" - Capablanca.20.Kd1Ng121.Qe4Nxe222.Qxe2Rae823.Qf3Qh1+24.Kc2Qe125.Bd2Re2, however, gives Black more counterplay than in the game,
according to Nunn.19...Qh1+Black throws in another check and then
regains some of the sacrificed material.20.Ke2Bxf221.Bd2White saves
his threatened bishop.21.Kxf2Qxc122.Qe2Rae823.Qd2Qh1has been
tried in some Internet games, but Black still has an attack here, whereas
after 21 Bd2 White should gradually consolidate.21...Bh4The only way to
save the bishop.22.Qh3Of course White would love to exchange queens and
consolidate his extra material.Rae8+"As it is important for Black to avoid
exchanging queens he is now compelled to drive the king to c2 and presently
also his rooks are on the wrong side of the board" - Capablanca.23.Kd3Qf1+The only way to prevent the queen exchange and not lose the bishop on h4.24.Kc2Forced, but now the white king at last finds some sanctuary.Bf225.Qf3An interesting pin on the bishop...Qg1...which Marshall immediately
breaks.26.Bd5"This move is one of those inconspicuous but important moves
which make the difference between a smooth technical victory and allowing the
opponent messy counterplay."After26.a4?Be3!27.Bxe3Rxe328.Nd2!?Qxa129.Qxe3bxa430.Bd5a3we have a mess, whereas after the text-move,
which threatens 27 Qd1, Black's compensation is far more limited" - Nunn.26...c527.dxc5Bxc528.b4Bd6Dropping back."If, instead,28...Be329.Bxe3Rxe330.Nd2!" - Capablanca.29.a4The best, according to
several players. "Incredibly ingenious, the rook enters the game via the
Queen's Rook file," wrote Fine.a5Black continues to try and confuse the
issue, hoping to throw the queenside open.30.axb5axb431.Ra6The rook
gets into action, attacking the black bishop.bxc3Marshall, typically,
ignores it and goes on with his own attack.32.Nxc3Bb4"White's king has
been stripped of its defensive pawn-cover, but Black's pieces are in no
position to make use of this. Indeed, there is little he can do to stop the
b-pawn" - Nunn.33.b6Bxc334.Bxc3h635.b7Re3One last attack.36.Bxf7+Mate is inevitable, as shown by36.Bxf7+Rxf737.b8Q+Kh738.Rxh6+!Kxh639.Qh8+Kg540.Qh5#.1–0
The Marshall Attack is one of the most dynamic replies Black has at his disposal against 1.e4. At the cost of a pawn, Black takes over the initiative from the get - go and goes after the white king. Wrongly considered to be mainly a drawing weapon by some, this DVD offers many new ideas for Black, showing how to keep the queens on the board and to play for a win in almost all cases.
When Jacques Mieses in 1911 organised a tournament in the Spanish town San Sebastian he invited the world's best players of that time but also Capablanca who was unknown in European chess circles. Lasker did not play but Capablanca surprised the European masters and won the tournament. The tournament in San Sebastian was a kind of unoffical candidates tournament and after winning it on October 26th, 1911, Capablanca sent World Champion Emanuel Lasker a challenge for the title. However, the two players could not agree on the conditions and another ten years would pass before the match finally came about.
In 1913 Capablanca was given a diplomatic post by his home country Cuba and with this post came the liberty to take time off to play in all the tournaments he wanted to play in. At the great tournament in St. Petersburg 1914 Capablanca again talked with Lasker about a possible World Champion match. Now the two came close to an agreement and after the tournament they even played a blitz match in Berlin which Capablanca won 6½-3½. But this time the outbreak of World War I which put an end to all chess activities in Europe and also made a World Championship match between Capablanca and Lasker impossible.
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Aaron Nimzowitsch (1886-1935) was one of the founders of the "new school"
that dramatically changed our views of chess in the twenties. His
revolutionary positional ideas made our understanding of the game much deeper.
The Nimzo-Indian Defence, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4!, which at first was not
taken seriously by his contemporaries, is one of the most solid and reliable
openings for Black nowadays. Nimzowitch's original and long-term plans were
deadly against his weaker opponents, but he couldn't make them work against
world champions. It was possibly due to his shaky spirit which simply couldn't
stand the overwhelming mental power. His games with Capablanca were especially
tough for Nimzowitsch. The natural talent of the Cuban genius was not affected
by the desperate attempts to cloud the clear picture.1.e4e52.Nf3Nc63.Nc3Nf64.Bb5d6Modern players don't think highly of the Steinitz Defence.
Black usually remains under constant pressure without substantial chances of
active counterplay. But this solid opening was the young Capablanca's
favourite choice and enabled him to avoid any unpleasant surprises in the
early parts of the game. Capablanca was confident that once he had reached the
middlegame he would always be able to neutralise his opponent's initiative and
even turn the tables.5.d4Bd76.Bxc6Bxc67.Qd3By exchanging his
bishops White has forced Black to give up his outpost in the centre.exd48.Nxd4g6?!inviting White to win a pawn. Black gets excellent compensation
for it, but still it was a very risky decision. If White simply continues his
development with 9.Bg5... (see variation below). But Nimzowitsch couldn't
resist the temptation.9.Nxc6?!If White simply advances his development
with9.Bg5Bg710.0-0-0Black would feel very uncomfortable:h610...0-0?loses instantly:11.Nxc6bxc612.e5!dxe513.Qxd813.Qf3FritzQe714.Ne4winning faster13...Raxd814.Rxd8Rxd815.Ne4!11.Bh40-012.f4Re813.Rhe1with growing pressure.and here the computer
immediately shows the winning line:13.Nxc6Fritzbxc614.e5dxe515.Qxd8Rexd816.Rxd8+Rxd817.fxe5winning9...bxc610.Qa6Qd7Of course not10...c5?11.Qc6+Nd712.Bg5!winning, (RR) e.g. mit Gewinn für WeißBe713.Bxe7Kxe714.Nd5+Kf815.Nxc7Rc816.Qxd6+Kg717.Nd511.Qb7Rc812.Qxa7Bg713.0-00-0
A healthy extra pawn and no obvious threats -
what else could White wish? We can hardly criticise Nimzowitsch for not
catching on to Capablanca's very profound concept, which was truly amazing for
the beginning of the 20th century. But today any strong player will know that
the combined pressure on the a- and b-files, as well as on the e4 pawn,
supported by the super-powerful bishop on g7, at least guarantees Black full
compensation.14.Qa6Rfe815.Qd3Qe6!16.f3Nd7Now Black reveals his
hand. With the knight marching to c4 White's queenside will become defenceless.
17.Bd2?Nimzowitsch doesn't sense the growing danger. This was the right
time to start working on safety by exchanging pieces Nimzowitsch verkennt die
drohende Gefahr. Es war der richtige Moment, durch Abtausch etwas für die
Sicherheit zu tun:17.Bf4Ne518.Bxe5Bxe519.Rab117...Ne518.Qe2Nc419.Rab1Ra820.a4?20.b3didn't change much:Nxd221.Qxd2Ra3!
and after 22...Qe5 Black will get back the pawn while keeping his strong
bishop alive.21...Qe5?22.Na420.Be1was much better, however,
saving his own bishop, although afterd5!21.b3Nd622.a4f5Black has a
very comfortable and active game.20...Nxd221.Qxd2Qc4!22.Rfd122.Ne2Rxa423.b3Qc5+24.Kh1Ra225.Rbc1would also lead to a gloomy
position in which White is forced into a long and painful defence.22...Reb8!Black naturally ignores the opportunity to win back the pawn by
"sacrificing" the bishop, which is the pride of his position. Now ...Rxb2 is
threatening.23.Qe3?Capablanca's dominant play has completely paralysed
his opponent. Only23.Qd3Qc5+24.Kh1Rb425.Ne2would maintain chances
of resistance.23...Rb4!24.Qg5now24.Qd3is too late:Qc5+25.Kh1Rab8etc.24...Bd4+25.Kh1Rab8
The triumph of Black's superb
strategy! White's queenside has collapsed and big material losses are
inevitable.26.Rxd4Qxd4The rook was the right price for such a fearsome
bishop! The rest of the game doesn't really require the great Capablanca
technique.27.Rd1Qc428.h4Rxb229.Qd2Qc530.Re1?Qh5!31.Ra1
At the end a little joke:31.Qf2Rxc2!31...Qxh4+32.Kg1Qh533.a5Ra834.a6Qc5+35.Kh1Qc436.a7Qc537.e5Qxe538.Ra4Qh5+39.Kg1Qc5+40.Kh2d5!A good player is always cautious, even in the enemy's agony.
Perhaps Capablanca was worried about the fact that40...Rxa7leads to
unnecessary complications after41.Ne4though it doesn't affect the result
of the game:Rxc2!41...Qe5+wins immediately (Fritz)42.f4Qe7
White must then give up his rook to avoid mate.43.Rxa7Qh4+44.Kg1Rb1+45.Qd1Rxd1#42.Qh642.Nxc5Rxd243.Rxa7dxc544.Rxc7Rd642...Qe5+43.f4Rxa4!44.fxe5Rxe4etc.41.Rh4Rxa742.Nd1and White resigned -
enough is enough! This game is the best illustration of the ability of a great
mind to be well ahead of the conventional wisdom of his time.0–1
Like a fine wine, the Four Knights only improves with age, establishing itself as an extremely effective way of meeting 1...e5. On the outside this opening seems deceptively quiet, yet apparently natural moves can often lead to some devastating attacks.
After the war, Capablanca again entered negotiations with Lasker to play a World Championship match, and in 1921 they finally played for the title in Cuba. The total prize fund was USD $20,000 of which Lasker was guaranteed to receive $11,000, no matter how the match would end. But in 1921 Lasker was already more than 50 years old and way past his prime. After four losses and ten draws Lasker gave up the match and Capablanca became new World Champion.
Garry Kasparov took to the Queen’s Gambit at a relatively late stage of his chess career, but then had the best training anyone could imagine: in his first match for the world championship against Anatoly Karpov, this opening appeared on the board no less than 19 times. Now he shares his knowledge with you.
In 1925, during the International Tournament in Moscow, Capablanca had a guest appearance in the Russian movie "Chess Fever".
After World War I until the middle of the 1920s Capablanca was the world's clear number one. But soon Alekhine grew into a serious rival. Back in 1921, Alekhine had already challenged Capablanca to play a match for the title but Capablanca was uncompromising and demanded a purse of at least USD $10,000 (about $260,000 in today's money) which angered Alekhine. But, in 1927, Alekhine managed to procure the money played Capablanca in Buenos Aires. In this match Capablanca was the clear favourite, not least because he had never before lost a single game to Alekhine, but Capablanca lost the match 3-6 (25 games were drawn).
For the remainder of his life Capablanca tried to play a rematch for the title against Alekhine but Alekhine insisted on the same high financial demands that Capablanca had insisted upon and tried to avoid a rematch. Towards other challengers, however, Alekhine was much more forthcoming. Capablanca and Alekhine once had been on very good terms and in St. Petersburg 1914 they often analysed together but after their match in 1927 their friendship turned into enmity. If possible, they avoided to play in the same tournaments, and if they had to they still tried never to be in the same room at the same time.
Alekhine and und Capablanca, 1914
Capablanca's chess was marked by great ease. Where others had to work hard for a win Capablanca seemed to win without effort. The Cuban only rarely lost a game. From 1916 to 1924 he played 63 games in a row without a loss and won 40 of these games. Capablanca played 578 official tournament games in his career and lost only 36 of them.
Off the board, Capablanca also had a winning personality. His charm won the heart of many a woman and he liked female company.
Capablanca with the actress Mae Clarke
In 1937 he divorced his first wife Gloria Simioni y Betancourt and married Olga Chagodaef, whom he had met in 1934 on a party.
In 1938 Capablanca suffered a minor stroke during the AVRO tournament but still finished the event. On March 7, 1942, he suffered a second stroke while kibitzing at the Manhattan Chess Club. He died in the morning of the next day, on March 8, 1942, at Mount Sinai Hospital.
He was a child prodigy and he is surrounded by legends. In his best times he was considered to be unbeatable and by many he was reckoned to be the greatest chess talent of all time: Jose Raul Capablanca, born 1888 in Havana.
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Videos by Nico Zwirs: Nimzo-Indian with 4.e3 b6 and Robert Ris: French Advance Variation with 6.Na3. Alexander Donchenko analyses his winning game against Fabiano Caruana from the Saint Louis Masters 2024. “Lucky bag" with another 43 analyses by Edouard,
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