This should be your thoughts after watching a game by Capablanca. 🙂
I've never really studied his games, but I did just go over one by him. His moves are all very standard and to the point, there's no amazing amount of intrigue, just completely solid and very accurate moves. Incredible stuff. Here's the game I'm talking about, Game 10 from the Lasker-Capablanca World Championship Match, 1921.
http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1241504&kpage=1
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[Event "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[Date "1921.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "10"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Lasker Em"]
[Black "J 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.Nc3 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
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The first thing that struck me was the simplicity of the opening. It bored me to hell, but everything was basic and accurate. He takes on few weaknesses, but doesn't play anything that shocks you. (Watch somebody post the refutation to this line and make me look bad. 😛)
I am still confused by one bit though, after a series of moves Capablance notes that "All these moves have a meaning. The student should carefully study them." I'm not sure I really understand what's going on there - in fact, I'm almost positive I don't. Anybody want to help here? 🙂
I plan on going over some GM games over the next 10 days, since I'm on break. So expect to see me get a little too excited about Alekhine, Fischer, Tal, and Spassky games. 🙂
Originally posted by cmsMasterperhaps, then Petrossian would be impossible for you !
I don't have time for that. 😛
And...Karpov plays boring chess. 😛
i do love the style of Tal, Fischer, Kasparov ... but Capablanca was almost perfect !
I guess we must learn different styles and try to play the way we love more ... and dont forget the psychological aspects of this game ! ( unless you are playing against computers )
Originally posted by zintierivI hate playing against computers.
perhaps, then Petrossian would be impossible for you !
i do love the style of Tal, Fischer, Kasparov ... but Capablanca was almost perfect !
I guess we must learn different styles and try to play the way we love more ... and dont forget the psychological aspects of this game ! ( unless you are playing against computers )
- Joined
- 21 Apr 06
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Originally posted by zintierivPertrosian started off as a very aggressive player.
perhaps, then Petrossian would be impossible for you !
i do love the style of Tal, Fischer, Kasparov ... but Capablanca was almost perfect !
I guess we must learn different styles and try to play the way we love more ... and dont forget the psychological aspects of this game ! ( unless you are playing against computers )
Originally posted by BedlamI understand that he lost the ability and or nerve to play that way and adopted a defensive positional style. Keres also changed his style from a attacker to a positional player. Alekhine studied Capablanca's games and realized that his attacking style would not beat Capablanca so he ajdusted his game to that of a positional game and beat Capablanca at his own game.
Aye, maybe he thought he couldnt win the WC title with that style 🙂
Originally posted by gambit3Well, Tal took that wild style of play and reached the top. 🙂
I understand that he lost the ability and or nerve to play that way and adopted a defensive positional style. Keres also changed his style from a attacker to a positional player. Alekhine studied Capablanca's games and realized that his attacking style would not beat Capablanca so he ajdusted his game to that of a positional game and beat Capablanca at his own game.
Originally posted by cmsMasterMy impression is that 48..g5 cripples white's two kingside pawns, mostly the a3 pawn. It also constricts f4 and aids a trap scheme by Capa which Lasker kept avoiding by playing 51.Kf1. If Lasker had played 51.Kf3 (or even Ke3), then ..Rb2 to threaten Rf2 mate, 52.Ne2 Nd2ch 53.Kf2 Nb3! (threatens ...Nc1 winning the white knight and if white plays Rd3 then exchange all pieces) 54.Ke3 Rxe2 55.Kxe2 Nc1ch. The exchange of pieces leads to a winning pawn endgame with f5 or setting up f6 and e5.
I am still confused by one bit though, after a series of moves Capablance notes that "All these moves have a meaning. The student should carefully study them." I'm not sure I really understand what's going on there - in fact, I'm almost positive I don't. Anybody want to help here? 🙂
Hence Lasker relegated his king to the back rank and the knight on g1.
