Four Knights' Game: Spanish - Symmetrical Variation

JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA vs. HERMAN STEINER
1933

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Nc3, Nf6
4. Bb5, Bb4
5. 0-0, 0-0

If 5....Bxc3, 6. bxc3 Nxe4, then 7. Re1 will be good for White.

6. d3, d6
7. Bg5, Bxc3
8. bxc3, Ne7
9. Nh4, c6
10. Bc4, Be6
11. Bxf6, gxf6
12. Bxe6, fxe6
13. Qg4+, Kf7

Black protects the e6-pawn, but inadvertently places himself to a center attack.

14. f4!, Rg8
15. Qh5+, Kg7
16. fxe5, dxe5
17. Rxf6!!, Kxf6
18. Rf1+ ....

The point of White's 17th move.  Capablanca seeks an open file.  Now, if 18....Kg7, then 19. Rf7+ Kh8, 20. Qxe5 and wins.

18. .... Nf5
19. Nxf5 ....

White could have captured with the pawn, but intends to keep the pressure.

19. .... exf5
20. Rxf5, Ke7
21. Qf7+, Kd6
22. Rf6+, Kc6
23. Qxb7, Qb6

24. Rxf6!!, Qxf6?

Black could have prolonged the game with 24....Kb5, 25. Rxb6 axb6 but might not be able to control White's central pawns.

25. Qb4 mate

A picture-perfect mate!  A dashing brilliancy, indeed.

Two Knights Defense: Polerio Defense Goering Variation

CHRISTOPHER SCHROEDER vs. JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA
Blitz 1916
Italian Game: Two Knights Defense, Polerio Defense Goering Variation

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bc4, Nf6
4. Ng5, d5
5. exd5, Na5
6. Bb5, c6
7. dxc6, bxc6
8. Be2, h6
9. Nf3, e4
10. Ne5, Qc7

The Polerio Defense Goering Variation.

11. f4, exf3
12. Nxf3, Bd6
13. d4, 0-0
14. c4, Ng4
15. Qd3, Re8
16. Nc3, Bg3+!!

 17. hxg3, Qxg3+
18. Kd2, Nf2
19. Rh3, Bxh3

White resigns. He will lose material irregardless of the error of his last move. The game demonstrated Capablanca's ability to penetrate the opponent's defense in extraordinary circumstances.

Spanish Game Morphy Defense, MacKenzie Variation

JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA vs. LEONARD MEYER

New York, 1908

1.  e4, e5

2.  Nf3, Nc6

3.  Bb5, a6

Black’s third move is Morphy Defense, popularized by the legendary chess master, Paul Morphy.

4.  Ba4, Nf6

5.  d4 ….

The Mackenzie Variation, which provides great play in the center.

5. …. Nxe4

6.  d5!!, Ne7

7.  Nxe5, b5

8.  Bb3, Bb7?

Black should have played 8….Nd6 in order to avoid the upcoming disaster.

9. d6!!! ….

 9….. Nxd6

Black thought that he avoided mate. 

10.  Qxd6, Resigns

One of the shortest in chess miniature games.  Superb play by Capablanca.

Spanish Game, Berlin Defense

JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA vs. MARC FONAROFF
New York, 1918

Spanish Game: Berlin Defense

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. d4, d6
4. Nc3, Nf6
5. Bb5, Bd7
6. 0-0, Be7
7. Re1, exd4
8. Nxd4, Nxd4
9. Qxd4, Bxb5
10. Nxb5, 0-0
11. Qc3, ....

Threatening 12. Qxc7...

11. .... c6
12. Nd4, Nd7

Black's Knight gives way to his Bishop.

13. Nf5, Bf6
14. Qg3, Ne5
15. Bf4, Qc7
16. Rad1, Rad8
17. Rxd6!! ....

The bombshell!  This move came very unexpectedly.

17. .... Rxd6
18. Bxe5, Rd1

If 18.....Bxe5, then 19. Qxe5 and White wins the Queen or the Rook because of a mating threat at g7.

19. Rxd1, Bxe5
20. Nh6+, Kh8
21. Qxe5!! ....

A magnificent move.  But Black has no choice but to capture.  If 21....Qc8, then 22. Nf5 f6, 23. Qe7 Rg8, 24. Nd6 and White wins the Queen or mates at f7.

22. .... Qxe5
23. Nxf7, Resigns

White comes ahead in material after winning the Queen.  If  23....Rxf7, then 24. Rd8+ and wins.

This game is one of Capablanca's best. A superb performance!

Capablanca's Blindfold Immortal

JOSE RAUL CAPABLANCA vs. JAIME BACA ARUS
Havana Blindfold Exhibition, 1922

Queen's Pawn Game

1. d4, d5
2. e3, e6
3. Bd3, c6
4. Nf3, Bd6
5. Nbd2, f5
6. c4, Qf6
7. b3 ....

This move has a dual purpose.  It supports the c4 pawn and at the same time giving a way for the c1 Bishop.

7. ... Nh6
8. Bb2, 0-0
9. Qc2, Nd7
10. h3, g6
11. 0-0-0, e5?

This opens the long diagonal, in which White has a better control.

12. dxe5, Nxe5
13. cxd5 ....

Better than 13. Nxe5 Bxe5, 14. Bxe5 Qxe5.  The latter gives Black the opportunity to neutralize the a1-h8 diagonal.

13. .... cxd5

Better than 13....Nxd3, 14. Qxd3 Qe7.

14. Nc4 ....

Remember that Capablanca played this game blindfolded.  Could any other player visualize this move blindfolded?

White's aim is to open the d file, and he has to sacrifice a piece to do that.

14. .... dxc4
15. Bxc4+, N6f7

If 15....Kg7 or Kh8, then 16. Rxd6 Qxd6, 17. Nxe5 with a strong attack.

16. Rxd6!!, Qxd6
17. Nxe5, Be6
18. Rd1, Qe7
19. Rd7!!, Bxd7
20. Nxd7, Rfc8

If 20....Qxd7 then 21. Qc3 and mate next move.  Black thought that his last move (Rfc8) would pin White's Queen.

21. Qc3, Rxc4
22. bxc4,  Resigns
(1:0)

There is no more hope.  After 22....Ng5, then 23. Qh8+ Kf7, 24. Ne5+ Ke6, 25. Qxa8 and White has a tremendous positional and material advantage.

A gem of a game. One of Capa's finest.

The Smothered Mate

The Smothered Mate is the jewel of chess tactics.  In chess, a smothered mate is a checkmate delivered by a knight in which the mated king is unable to move because he is surrounded (or smothered) by his own pieces.  It is usually necessary to sacrifice material to compel pieces to smother the king.  In the following game, Capablanca, playing White, takes advantage of his opponent's poor development to brew a subtle but amazing attack.

CAPABLANCA vs. MATTISON
Carlsbad, Spain, 1929
Queen's Pawn Opening

1. d4, Nf6
2. c4, e6
3. Nc3, Bb4
4. Qc2, c5

Normal move in this type of opening; attempts to undermine White's strong center.

5. dxc5 .....

The move opens the d file to White's benefit.

5. ..... Nc6
6. Nf3, Bxc5
7. Bf4 .....

Developing the Bishop to a strong square where it attacks key central squares.

7. ..... d5?!

8. e3 .....

White protects the d4 square and provides support for the c-pawn.

8. ..... Qa5
9. Be2, Bb4
10. 0-0, Bxc3
11. bxc3, 0-0
12. Rab1 .....

This is an elegant move. Develops the rook to a file where it PINS the black bishop to holding onto b7. Later, black will have to waste a move to protect this pawn so that he can develop his c8 bishop.

12. .....  Qa3
13. Rfd1, b6

Necessary for Black in order to develop his c8 Bishop.

14. cxd5, Nxd5
15. Ng5! .....

With the Knight no longer protecting h7, White moves his Knight into an attacking position.

15. ..... f5
16. Bf3, Qc5
17. c4, Ndb4
18. Qb3, e5
19. a3 .....

Now,  Black loses two pieces if he plays 19. ..... exf4, 20. axb4 Qe7, 21. Bxc6.

19. ..... Na6
20. Bxc6, Qxc6
21. c5+!!, Kh8
22. Nf7+, Kg8
23. Nh6+, Kh8
24. Qg8+ !!!, Rxg8
25. Nf7 mate.

The smothered mate.

Attacking a Castled King

Capablanca, known for his elegant and brilliant style, transforms a lead in development into a brutal attack on a castled king. Capablanca manages to crush Reti, one of the strongest grandmasters of the day, in just 18 moves.

RETI vs. CAPABLANCA
Berlin Tageblatt, 1950
Ruy Lopez Opening

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bb5, d6
4. c3 .....

This creates a pawn lever as preparation to d4.

4. ..... a6
5. Ba4, f5

An aggressive move.  Black must be careful now since his King is opened a bit.

6. d4 .....

Reti grabs the center, but leaves the e-pawn hanging.

6. ..... fxe4
7. Ng5, exd4
8. Nxe4, Nf6

Black continues to develop and pressures the center.

9. Bg5, Be7
10. Qxd4 ?! .....

A fancy move that takes advantage of the pinned knight. This move is still extremely dangerous.

10. ..... b5!

Black breaks the pin and attacks the White Queen.

11. Nxf6+, gxf6
12. Qd5!, bxa4
13. Bh6 .....

White could have captured the Knight, but thought it best to prevent Black from castling.

13. ..... Qd7

Since he cannot castle on the king-side, Black prepares to castle on the other side.

14. 0-0, Bb7
15. Bg7! .....

Black's rook is trapped!

15. ..... 0-0-0
16. Bxh8, Ne5

A discovered attack on the Queen.

17. Qd1, Bf3!!

An unstoppable attack.  Now the White Queen can no longer protect the queen side.

18. gxf3, Qh3!
19. Resigns

White cannot stop Nxf3 threatening mate, and Rg8 with mate in a few moves.

To view the game in PGN format, you may visit Reti vs. Capablanca.

Jose Raul Capablanca

José Raúl Capablanca was a Cuban chess player who was world chess champion from 1921 to 1927. One of the greatest chess players of the twentieth century, he was renowned for his exceptional end game skill and speed of play. Due to his achievements in the chess world, mastery over the board and his relatively simple style of play he was nicknamed the "Human Chess Machine".

Capablanca learned chess at the age of four by watching his father play and in 1901, at the age of 12, he beat Juan Corzo, the Cuban champion. Capablanca was regarded as the most naturally talented chess player anyone had ever seen. He was educated in America, studied engineering at Columbia University and spent much of his free time playing masters at the Manhattan Chess Club in New York City, where he achieved a sensational win in a match against US Champion Frank Marshall crushing him by 8 wins to 1 with 14 draws in 1909 when he was 20 years old. Frank Marshall had unsuccessfully played Lasker in a World Championship match only two years earlier.

Here is one of Capablanca's games:

CAPABLANCA vs. JAFFE
New York State Championship, 1910
Queen's Gambit Declined

1. d4, d5
2. Nf3, Nf6
3. e3, c6
4. c4, e6

Black should have assured his forces more freedom of action by playing 4. .....Bf5.

5. Nc3, N8d7
6. Bd3, Bd6
7. 0-0, 0-0
8. e4, dxe4
9. Nxe4, Nxe4
10. Bxe4, Nf6
11. Bc2 .....

With a view to 12. Qd3 and 13. Bg5, threatening 14. Bxf6 and 15. Qxh7 mate.

11. ..... h6
12. b3, b6
13. Bb2, Bb7
14. Qd3 .....

A new threat: 15. d5 preparatory to 16. Bxf6 and 17. Qh7 mate.

14. ..... g6

Stopping the threat but weakens the castled position.

15. Rae1 .....

Now the threat of Rxe6! is in the air.

15. .....Nh5
16. Bc1, Kg7

But not 16. ....Nf4, 17. Bxf4 Bxf4, 18. Rxe6!.  The weakening of Black's King-side is beginning to tell.

17. Rxe6!, Nf6
18. Ne5, c5

After 18...... fxe6, 19. Qxg6+ Kh8, 20. Qxh6+ Kg8, 21. Qg6+ Kh8, 22. Re1 White wins easily by bringing his remaining Rook to the third rank.

Now, if 18. .....Bxe5, 19. Qh3!  fxe6, 20. Qxh6+ and wins.

19. Bxh6+!, Kxh6
20. Nxf7+!

Black resigns, for after 20. ..... Rxf7 White has 21. Qxg6 mate.  Note that White removed all of Black's King-side pawns by sacrifices.