Superior Mobility

In chess sometimes sacrifices have to be made in order to gain rapid development and attain an attacking position.  In the posted game, an attack ostensibly aimed at Black's queenside suddenly turns into an attack on the other wing.  The explanation:  superior mobility.

E. LASKER vs. WINKELMAN
New York, 1926

Queen's Gambit Declined

1. Nf3, Nf6
2. d4, d5
3. c4, e6
4. Bg5, Nbd7
5. e3, Be7
6. Nc3, 0-0
7. Bd3, a6

Stronger is 7....c5, allowing Black to equalize.

8. Ne5!, dxc4
9. Nxc4, b5??

This move drives White's Knight to a5 where it will make inroads to Black's position.

10. Na5!, c5
11. Nc6, Qe8
12. Qf3!! ....

Now, White threatens to win a Rook with 13. Nxe7 and 14. Qxa8.

12. .... Nb6

Protecting the Rook. If 12....Bb7, White still wins a piece by 13. Nxe7.

13. Ne4! ....

Black cannot take the c6 Knight because of 14. Nxf6 winning the Queen.

An interesting situation develops after 13....Bb7, 14. Nxe7+ Qxe7, 15. Nxf6+ gxf6, 16. Qh5 with Black losing its Queen as 16. ...f5 is the only way to avoid mate.

13. .... Nfd5

Black's position deteriorates. But 13....Nxe4, 14. Nxe7+ Kh8, 15. Bxe4 would leave White in tremendous material advantage.  At this point, saving the Rook is not a solution. For if 15....Ra7, 16. Bxh7 Rxe7 (not 16....Kxh7, 17. Qh5 mate), 17. Qh5...., White wins with a mating attack.

14. Nxe7+, Nxe7
15. Nf6+, Resigns

An elegant finish.  The subsequent moves would have been 15....gxf6, 16. Bxh7+ Kxh7 (If 16....Kg7, then 17. Qxf6+), 17. Qh5+ Kg7, 18. Qh6+ Kg8, 19. Bxf6 Ng6, 20. Qg7 mate.

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.

The Romantic Era of Chess

Most scholars believe that the Romantic Era began in 1798 and ended with the coronation of Queen Victoria in 1837, and the beginning of the Victorian Period.  The Romantic movement which was so influential, also left its mark on chess.  The games of this period are full of forceful attacks and slashing sacrifices.  The following game is one of the masterpieces of the period.

ANDERSSEN vs. LANGE
Breslau, 1859
Ruy Lopez Opening

1. e4, e5
2. Nf3, Nc6
3. Bb5, Nd4
4. Nxd4, exd4
5. Bc4? .....

Waste of time.  Simply 5. 0-0 Nf6, 6. e5 was in order.

5. ..... Nf6
6. e5, d5!

A formidable counter. On 7. exf6 dxc4 Black has a fine game.

7. Bb3 .....

Now the Bishop is buried alive, whereas the Black Knight performs great deeds.

7. ..... Bg4!
8. f3, Ne4!
9. 0-0 .....

On 9. fxg4 Qh4+, 10. Ke2 Qf2+, 11. Kd3 Nc5 mate or 10. g3 Nxg3, 11. hxg3 Qxh1 with a winning attack for Black.

9. ..... d3!
10. fxg4, Bc5+
11. Kh1, Ng3+
12. hxg3, Qg5

Black threatens Qh6 mate.

13. Rf5, h5!

On 14. Rxg5 hxg4, 15. Rh5 Rxh5 mate.

14. gxh5, Qxf5

With the piquant threat 15......Qf1, 16. Qxf1 Rxh5 mate.

15. g4, Rxh5+
16. gxh5, Qe4

Threatens ...Qh4 mate.

17. Qf3, Qh4+!
18. Qh3, Qe1+
White resigns.

Black has a forced mate: 19 Kh2 Bg1+!, 20. Kh1 Bf2+, 21. Kh2 Qg1 mate.

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