[Event "Wch10-GER/OST (Berlin)"]
[Site "Wch10-GER/OST (Berlin)"]
[Date "1910.01.29"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "6"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Carl Schlechter"]
[ECO "C80"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "94"]

1. e4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6
4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. a4 Rb8 {Lasker
insists on a move that he admits gives him no advantage, and
Schlechter makes this inferior move instead of 8...Nxd4 9.Nxd4
exd4 10.axb5 Bc5 11.c3 O-O.} 9. axb5 axb5 10. dxe5 Be6 11. c3
Bc5 {Better, I believe, than 11...Be7, as he played in the
fourth game.} 12. Nbd2 12... O-O 13. Bc2 Nxd2 14. Qxd2
14... Qd7 15. b4 Be7 16. Re1 f6 17. Qd3 g6 18. Bh6 Rfe8
19. exf6 {19.Ra6 should be considered. If 19...fxe5, then I
believe 20.Rxc6 would win, as after 20...Qxc6 21.Nxe5,
threatening 22.Nxg6, to which Black seems to have no
defence. Also, if 19...Bf5 20.e6!} Bxf6 20. Bb3 20... Bf7
21. Rad1 Ne5 22. Nxe5 Bxe5 23. h3 23... Qd6 {There seems to be
no reason for giving up a pawn here. 23...c6 seems safe
enough.} 24. Bxd5 Bxd5 25. Qxd5+ Qxd5 26. Rxd5 Bxc3 27. Rxe8+
Rxe8 28. Rxb5 Re4 29. Rb8+ Kf7 30. b5 Re1+ 31. Kh2 Be5+ 32. f4
{This move is weak; it blocks the diagonal of the white
bishop. 32.g3 was the right move. If then 32...Re2 33.Kg2 Bd4
34.Rf8+ Ke7 35.Rf4 Rb6 36.Bg5+, with winning chances. After
the text move, Black forces a draw very cleverly.} Bd4 33. Kg3
Re3+ 34. Kg4 Rb3 $1 35. f5 Rb4 $1 36. fxg6+ Kxg6 37. Bf4 Be5
38. g3 c6 39. Rb6 h5+ 40. Kf3 Bxf4 41. gxf4 Kf5 42. Rxc6 Rb3+
43. Kg2 Kxf4 44. Rc4+ Kg5 45. Rc5+ Kh4 46. Re5 Rg3+ 47. Kf2
Rxh3 1/2-1/2

[Event "Wch10-GER/OST (Berlin)"]
[Site "Wch10-GER/OST (Berlin)"]
[Date "1910.01.30"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "7"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Carl Schlechter"]
[Black "Emanuel Lasker"]
[ECO "B57"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "96"]

1. e4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca.} c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4
4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 g6 6. Bc4 d6 7. Nxc6 bxc6 8. e5 Ng4 {Of
course if 8...dxe5 9.Bxf7+.} 9. e6 {The advance of this pawnso
early in the game is at least very risky. Black's game is
perfectly safe, while White hto struggle to protect this
advanced pawn.} f5 10. O-O Bg7 11. Bf4 Qb6 {If 11...d5 12.Nxd5
cxd5 13.Qxd5 winning.} 12. Bb3 Ba6 13. Na4 Qd4 14. Qxd4 Bxd4
15. c4 O-O $1 16. Rad1 Bf6 {16...c5 was the alternative ; in
which case White would probably play 17.Nc3 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Kg7
19.Rfe1, and White's game seems good.} $1 17. Rfe1 $6 g5
18. Bxd6 {Played with very fine judgement. The pawn at e6
which was weak becomes very strong now.} $1 18... exd6
19. Rxd6 Be5 20. c5 {Fine. If 20...Bxd6 21.cxd6 and the two
white pawns would become irresistable. This is one of the
finest games of the match. Black has to play with great
caution to avoid White's many threats.} Rfe8 21. g3 {If 21.h3
Bh2+ 22.Kh1 Bxd6 23.cxd6 Nxf2+ 24.Kh2 Ne4, and if 21.f3 Bxh2+
22.Kh1 Bg3, or perhaps 22.Bxd6 23.cxd6 Nf2+ 24.Kh2 Nd3.} $1
Bf6 22. Rxc6 Bb7 {Black might have played here 22...Bb5 23.Rd6
Rac8, with what appears to be a very good game. If in answer
to 22...Bb5 23.Rc7 then 23...Re7, or if 23.e7+ in answer to
22...Bb5 then 23...Kg7 24.Rc7 Ne5 25.Re3 f4 26.Re4 Nf3+ 27.Kg2
Nd2 and Black's game looks very good.} 23. Rc7 Be4 24. Nc3
Bxc3 25. bxc3 Ne5 26. Rd1 Nf3+ 27. Kf1 Nxh2+ 28. Ke1 Nf3+
29. Ke2 Ne5 30. Rdd7 30... f4 31. Rg7+ Kh8 32. Rxg5 Bd3+
33. Kd1 fxg3 $1 34. fxg3 Ng6 {All this play is very
fine. Unfortunately for Black, he has no pawns left by the
time the attack is over.} 35. Rd5 Be4 36. Rd6 Bf5 37. Bd5 Rab8
38. c6 Nf8 39. Rb7 Rbc8 40. e7 Ng6 41. Bf7 Rxe7 42. Bxg6 Bg4+
43. Kc1 Re1+ 44. Kb2 hxg6 45. Rxg6 Bf5 46. Rf6 Be4 47. Rxa7
Rb1+ 48. Ka3 Bxc6 1/2-1/2

[Event "Wch10-GER/OST (Berlin)"]
[Site "Wch10-GER/OST (Berlin)"]
[Date "1910.02.02"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "8"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Carl Schlechter"]
[ECO "C80"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "86"]

1. e4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6
4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. a4 Nxd4 {The
right answer. The same as played in the second game.} 9. Nxd4
exd4 10. axb5 {Much better than 10.Qxd4 as played in the
second game.} Bc5 11. c3 O-O {Black's game is just as good as
White's.} 12. cxd4 Bb6 $1 13. Nc3 Bb7 14. bxa6 Rxa6 15. Rxa6
Bxa6 16. Re1 Bb7 17. Na4 Qf6 18. Be3 Ba7 19. f3 Ng5 $1 20. Nc5
Bxc5 {By this exchange Black obtains a passed pawn, but White
on the other hand has two bishops.} 21. dxc5 Ne6 $2 22. Qd3
Rd8 23. Bc2 g6 24. b4 d4 25. Bc1 h5 26. Bb3 Bd5 27. Bxd5 Rxd5
28. h3 Re5 29. Rxe5 Qxe5 30. Kf2 Qd5 31. h4 Qa2+ 32. Qe2 Qb1
33. Qb2 Qd3 34. Qe2 Qb3 35. Bd2 Kh7 36. Ke1 {The game was
adjourned here and giveup later on as a draw without resuming
play. There is a slight advantage for Black, but not enough to
win. The whole game is weplayed by both sides and the natural
outcome was a draw.} Qb1+ $2 $17 37. Qd1 Qf5 38. Qe2 Qc2
39. Qd1 Qf5 40. Qe2 Qb1+ 41. Qd1 Qf5 42. Qe2 Qb1+ 43. Qd1 Qf5
1/2-1/2

[Event "Wch10-GER/OST (Berlin)"]
[Site "Wch10-GER/OST (Berlin)"]
[Date "1910.02.08"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "10"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Carl Schlechter"]
[ECO "D11"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "142"]

1. d4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca} d5 2. c4 c6 {2...e6 is the
usual move and I believe better than the text move.} 3. Nf3
Nf6 4. e3 g6 5. Nc3 Bg7 6. Bd3 O-O {A new and original way of
playing the defense to the Queen's Gambit so far as I know.}
7. Qc2 Na6 8. a3 dxc4 {Sclechter here goes into a series of
moves which finally leave him with a weak isolated c pawn,
which cannot possibly be so very good.} 9. Bxc4 b5 10. Bd3 b4
11. Na4 bxa3 12. bxa3 Bb7 13. Rb1 $1 Qc7 14. Ne5 {If Lasker
wanted to play a safe game he should have castled and if he
intended to make a kingside attack he might have started with
14.h4 before playing Ne5.} $2 Nh5 15. g4 {Starting an attack
on the kingside which is justified in view of the score of the
match. Lasker's policy throughout this game is good, but why
Sclechter, who only needed a draw, should play such a wild
game can only be explained by the fact that perhaps he was not
satisfied to win the match by a mere fluke, which proved to be
the case in the fifth game.} Bxe5 16. gxh5 Bg7 17. hxg6 hxg6
18. Qc4 {?} Bc8 {!} 19. Rg1 Qa5+ 20. Bd2 Qd5 21. Rc1 Bb7
22. Qc2 Qh5 23. Bxg6 {23.Qb3, I believe, was the right move
here. The text move did turn out so well.} 23... Qxh2 24. Rf1
fxg6 25. Qb3+ Rf7 26. Qxb7 Raf8 27. Qb3 Kh8 28. f4 g5 29. Qd3
gxf4 30. exf4 Qh4+ 31. Ke2 Qh2+ 32. Rf2 Qh5+ 33. Rf3 Nc7
34. Rxc6 34... Nb5 {34...Nd5 looks a mighty strong move.}
35. Rc4 Rxf4 {A bad sacrifice. 35...e5! looks like the right
move. It seems as though Black could always draw.} 36. Bxf4
Rxf4 37. Rc8+ Bf8 38. Kf2 {?} Qh2+ 39. Ke1 Qh1+ {!} 40. Rf1
Qh4+ 41. Kd2 Rxf1 42. Qxf1 Qxd4+ 43. Qd3 Qf2+ 44. Kd1 Nd6
45. Rc5 Bh6 46. Rd5 Kg8 47. Nc5 {Lasker had fought his battle
and obtained an advantage without moving this knight for
thirty-six moves. From the 37th move, on to the finish, Lasker
plays with remarkable precision and the fact that Sclechter
held on so well shows the sterling qualities of the Austrian
master.} Qg1+ 48. Kc2 Qf2+ 49. Kb3 Bg7 50. Ne6 Qb2+ 51. Ka4
Kf7 52. Nxg7 Qxg7 53. Qb3 Ke8 54. Qb8+ Kf7 55. Qxa7 Qg4+
56. Qd4 Qd7+ 57. Kb3 Qb7+ 58. Ka2 Qc6 59. Qd3 Ke6 60. Rg5 Kd7
61. Re5 Qg2+ 62. Re2 Qg4 63. Rd2 Qa4 64. Qf5+ Kc7 {An
oversight, I suppose. Had not Schlechter not allowed Lasker to
exchange queens, the doctor would have had a merry time in
forcing a win.} 65. Qc2+ Qxc2+ 66. Rxc2+ Kb7 {The game is
over. Schlechter might just as well have resigned here.}
67. Re2 Nc8 68. Kb3 Kc6 69. Rc2+ Kb7 70. Kb4 Na7 71. Kc5 {All
in all, a great game, which will go down in the history of
chess as a remarkable finish to the greatest struggle for the
Chess Championship of the World.} 1-0

[Event "Wch10-GER/OST (Wien)"]
[Site "Wch10-GER/OST (Wien)"]
[Date "1910.01.07"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "1"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Carl Schlechter"]
[Black "Emanuel Lasker"]
[ECO "C66"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "138"]

1. e4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6
4. O-O d6 5. d4 Bd7 6. Re1 exd4 7. Nxd4 Be7 8. Nc3 O-O 9. Bxc6
bxc6 10. Bg5 Re8 11. Qf3 h6 12. Bh4 Nh7 13. Bxe7 Qxe7 14. Rad1
Nf8 15. h3 Ng6 {15...Qg5 at this point might be considered}
16. Qg3 Qg5 17. Qxg5 hxg5 {White's game is very sold. His
position is unassailable, while Black has two doubled pawns,
still the advance is not enough to win and with careful play
Black can easily draw.} 18. f3 f6 19. Kf2 Kf7 20. Nde2 a5 $1
21. b3 Reb8 $5 22. Nc1 Be6 23. Nd3 c5 24. Nb2 Ne5 {24...c4
would be to risky as White would play 25.Nxc4 Bxc4 26.bxc4 Rb4
27.Rd4 Ne5 28.Nd5 Rb2 29.Nxc7, and if instead of 28...Rb2,
28...Rxc4 then 29.Rxc4 Nxc4 30.Nxc7 Rb8 31.Re2 and White would
be a pawn to the good.} 25. Nd5 Rb7 26. Re3 Nc6 27. Rc3 $2 g6
{With this move Black starts an advance of the kingside pawns
which is ill-judged as it finally leaves White with a passed
pawn. He might have tried 27...Nb4 and if 28.a3 Nxd5 29.exd5
Bd7, and it seems as though Black could draw easily.} 28. a4
f5 $16 29. Ne3 Re8 30. Nec4 $16 Ra7 31. Re1 $1 Bxc4 $2
32. Nxc4 $1 Kf6 $1 $10 33. Ne3 Ne5 34. exf5 gxf5 35. g3 $16
35... Rh8 36. f4 gxf4 37. Nd5+ {The way White nurses the
advantage obtained through the advancing of Black's kingside
pawns is very instructive.} 37... Kf7 38. Nxf4 Rb7 {Since
White has a passed pawn on the kingside, Black tries to make a
break on the queenside, but this adventure nearly proved
fatal.} $1 39. Kg2 $15 39... c4 $1 40. bxc4 Rb4 41. c5 Rxa4
42. cxd6 cxd6 43. Rc7+ Kf6 $17 44. Nd5+ Kg5 {If 44...Ke6 45.c4
Re8 46.Ra7 and White would win the exchange.} 45. h4+ Kh6 {If
45...Kg6 46.Ne7+ Kf6 47.Rf1.} 46. Ne7 Rf8 47. Rd1 Rf7 {Black
is forced to give up the pawn. 47...Nc4 would not do, as White
would simply move 48.Kf2, threatening 49.Rd4 winning. Lasker
here gets out of a very tight place, on the face of it, it
looks as if White should win.} $2 48. Rxd6+ Kh7 49. Re6 Ng6 $1
50. Rxg6 Rxe7 51. Rgc6 Rxc7 52. Rxc7+ Kg6 53. Rc6+ Kf7 $18
54. Kf3 {Up to this point White has played the game well nigh
perfectly, but has Schechter really missed a chance here? The
situation is remarkable; Schechter plays the natural move, but
it only draws. I believe the best move 54.c3! and that if
there is a win, it must be through this move at this
point. The ending is worth studying. It is a most instructive
stuy on rook and pawn play.} 54... Re4 {A fine move. Lasker
shows his masterly hand. By sacrificing a second pawn he draws
the game.} 55. Rc5 $2 Kf6 56. Rxa5 Rc4 57. Ra6+ Ke5 58. Ra5+
Kf6 59. Ra6+ Ke5 60. Ra5+ Kf6 61. Ra2 Ke5 62. Rb2 Rc3+ 63. Kg2
Kf6 64. Kh3 Rc6 {To stop 65.Rb6+. 64...f4 would not do, on
account of 65.Rb3!} 65. Rb8 Rxc2 66. Rb6+ Kg7 67. h5 Rc4
68. h6+ Kh7 69. Rf6 Ra4 1/2-1/2

[Event "Wch10-GER/OST (Wien)"]
[Site "Wch10-GER/OST (Wien)"]
[Date "1910.01.13"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "2"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Carl Schlechter"]
[ECO "C80"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "70"]

1. e4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6
4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. a4 {8.dxe5 is the
usual continuation} Nxd4 $1 9. Nxd4 exd4 10. Qxd4 {If 10.axb5
Bc5, with a fine game. 10...Nc5 in answer to 10.axb5, as
suggested by I. Gunsberg, would not do, as White gets the
better game by playing 11.QXd4.} Be6 11. c3 c5 {11...Bc5!
would have led to a most interesting situation. In fact, it
looks as if White would get the worst of it. 11...Bc5 12.Qxg7
Kd7, and I cannot see any good way for White to get away from
the terrific attack. As 13...Qh4 is threatened, White's best
move is probably 13.Qh6, then 13...Rg8 14.Be3 (seems best)
14...Rg6 15.Qh5 and now without going into any further attacks
Black gets the better game by playing 15...Bxe3 16.fxe3 Qg5
17.Qg5 Rxg5.} 12. Qe5 Qb8 $16 13. Qxb8+ Rxb8 14. axb5 axb5
{After all these exchanges, Black comes out a pawn ahead. If
that is the best that White can obtain from a4 on the eight
move, it cannot be recommended. The advance seems premature.}
15. Na3 Be7 {15...b4 seems to be the proper move; and if
16.Ba4+ Bd7. The text move gives White a chance to gain lost
ground.} 16. Bf4 Rb7 17. f3 Nf6 18. Nxb5 O-O {If 18...Rxb5
19.Ba4 Bd7 20.Bxb5 Bxb5 21.Re1 and Black must lose a
piece. Mr. I. Gunsberg's suggestion that if 18...Rxb5 19.Ra8+
is not correct, as Black could then play 19...Kd7, and have
two pieces for a rook.} 19. Ba4 $5 c4 {If 19...Bd7 20.c4 dxc4
21.Nc3.} 20. Ra2 $1 $16 20... Bc5+ 21. Kh1 $1 Bd7 22. Bd6 Bxd6
{Black could also play 22...Rxb5 23.Bxf8 Bxf8 24.Bxb5 Bxb5,
and White would now have two exchanges for a piece. Too bad
Schlechter did not play this way. It would have been a great
ending to play.} 23. Nxd6 Rb6 24. Bxd7 Nxd7 25. Nf5 $13 Re8
26. Ra7 Nf6 27. Ra2 g6 28. Nd4 Reb8 29. Rf2 Nd7 30. h3 Nc5
31. Rd2 Nd3 32. b4 $1 cxb3 33. Nxb3 Rxb3 34. Rxd3 Rc8 35. Rxd5
Rbxc3 1/2-1/2

[Event "Wch10-GER/OST (Wien)"]
[Site "Wch10-GER/OST (Wien)"]
[Date "1910.01.15"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "3"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Carl Schlechter"]
[Black "Emanuel Lasker"]
[ECO "C66"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "62"]

1. e4 {Notes by J.R. Capablanca} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6
4. O-O d6 5. Re1 Be7 6. d4 exd4 7. Nxd4 Bd7 8. Nc3 O-O 9. Bxc6
bxc6 10. Bg5 Re8 11. Qd3 {A deviation from the first game,
wherein Schlechter played 11.Qf3 at this point.} Ng4 12. Bxe7
Qxe7 13. Nf3 Rab8 14. b3 Ne5 15. Nxe5 Qxe5 16. Qe3 Qa5 17. Qd3
Re7 18. Re3 Rbe8 19. Rae1 f6 20. h3 Be6 21. Na4 Bf7 22. c4 h6
23. Nc3 $19 23... Kh8 24. Qd2 {This game is very
tedious. Black certainly could not try anything; it was up to
White, but Schlechter seems to be very satisfied to get a
draw. He stands like a rock and waits for the other fellow to
come at him.} Bg6 25. R1e2 Bf7 26. Qd4 Qb6 27. Qd2 Qa5 28. Qd4
Qb6 29. Qd2 Qa5 30. Qd4 Qb6 31. Qd2 Qa5 1/2-1/2

[Event "Wch10-GER/OST (Wien)"]
[Site "Wch10-GER/OST (Wien)"]
[Date "1910.01.18"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "4"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Carl Schlechter"]
[ECO "C80"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "112"]

1. e4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca.} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6
4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. a4 {Dr. Lasker in
his annotations to the second game says: "This move gives
White no advantage whatever." Why he plays it again can hardly
be understood.} Rb8 {And now Schlechter, who had done very
well in the second game by playing 8...Nxd4, makes another
move.} 9. axb5 axb5 10. dxe5 Be6 11. c3 Be7 12. Nbd2 $16
12... O-O 13. Nd4 Nxd4 14. cxd4 Nxd2 15. Bxd2 c5 16. Bc2 cxd4
17. f4 f5 18. exf6 Rxf6 $1 19. f5 Bf7 20. Bf4 Rc8 21. Bd3 Qd7
22. Be5 Rh6 23. Qg4 $1 23... Bf6 24. Bxf6 Rxf6 {We give the
score of this game as published by the EVENING POST, the said
paper getting the game directly from Lasker. All other
exchanges have the score as follows: 22.Qg4 Bd6 23.Bd6 Rxd6
24.Qxd4 h6, which would give White a chance to play 25.f6 with
great effect. We are inclined to think that the score
published by the EVENING POST is correct, as Lasker would not
have missed the chance to play 25.f6} 25. Qxd4 h6 26. Rfc1
Rfc6 27. Rf1 Qd8 $6 28. Ra7 $1 28... b4 {The situation is so
difficult tyhat it is hard to pick the best move. The pawn
seems to be lost anyway, and if White now plays 29.Qxb4 Qb6+
would draw.} 29. Re1 Rc1 30. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 31. Kf2 Rc7 32. Rxc7
Qxc7 33. Qxb4 $4 Qe5 {If 33...Qxh2 then 34.Qd4 would probably
win for White as the b pawn could march up protected by the
queen and the bishop.} 34. g3 h5 35. Qb6 {35.Qc3 and if
35...d4 then 36.Qe1 seems to me was the proper course; in fact
that is about the only way in which White would have a chance
to win. The white queen must for the moment remain around the
king to protect it from checks.} $18 35... h4 36. b4 hxg3+
37. hxg3 Qb2+ 38. Kf3 Qc3 39. Qd8+ Kh7 40. Qh4+ $1 $18 Kg8
41. Qd8+ Kh7 42. Qh4+ Kg8 43. Ke2 Qb2+ 44. Ke3 Qc1+ 45. Ke2
Qb2+ 46. Ke3 Qc1+ 47. Kf2 Qb2+ 48. Kg1 Qc3 49. Bf1 d4 50. Qd8+
Kh7 51. Qd6 Qe3+ 52. Kh2 Qd2+ 53. Kh3 Qe1 54. Ba6 Qh1+ 55. Kg4
Qd1+ 56. Kg5 Qc1+ 1/2-1/2

[Event "Wch10-GER/OST (Wien)"]
[Site "Wch10-GER/OST (Wien)"]
[Date "1910.01.22"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "5"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Carl Schlechter"]
[Black "Emanuel Lasker"]
[ECO "C66"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "116"]

1.e4 {Notes by Jose Raul Capablanca from "The Chess Weekly",
1910.} e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Be7
7.Bg5 O-O 8.dxe5 Nxe5 {Of course if 8...dxe5 9.Bxc6 would win
a pawn.} 9.Bxd7 Nfxd7 10.Bxe7 Nxf3+ {If 10...Qxe7 probably
11.Nxd4} 11.Qxf3 Qxe7 12.Nd5 Qd8 13.Rad1 Re8 14.Rfe1 Nb6
15.Qc3 Nxd5 16.Rxd5 Re6 17.Rd3 Qe7 18.Rg3 Rg6 19.Ree3 Re8
20.h3 Kf8 21.Rxg6 hxg6 {With every exchange Black's position
becomes better. Whatever positional advantage White had is
fast disappearing.} 22.Qb4 c6 23.Qa3 a6 24.Qb3 Rd8 25.c4 Rd7
26.Qd1 Qe5 27.Qg4 Ke8 28.Qe2 Kd8 29.Qd2 Kc7 {White, apparently
satisfied with his position has allowed the black king to move
over to the queenside, without making any attempt to stop
him. White now starts an advance of the queen side pawns,
which is checked by Black at once.} 30.a3 Re7 31.b4 b5 32.cxb5
axb5 {Black's strategy has been of a very high order. He has
now a very fine game.} 33.g3 g5 34.Kg2 Re8 35.Qd1 f6 36.Qb3
Qe6 37.Qd1 Rh8 38.g4 Qc4 39.a4 {Black's position was becoming
too alarmingly strong. White prefers to give up a pawn and go
for the Black king, rather than be boxed in without a chance
to move anything.} Qxb4 {39...bxa4, and if 40.Qxa4 Rb8, should
be considered. It looks very much as though Black would
win. The position is worth studying. By playing 40...Rb8,
Black threatens to play 41...Rxb4 and then 42...Rb1, with a
murderous check in sight at f1.} 40.axb5 Qxb5 41.Rb3 Qa6
42.Qd4 Re8 {If Black were satisfied with a draw, 42...Rb8
would have accomplished it. The champion's play is better, as
he could have drawn if he wished up to the fifty-fourth move.}
43.Rb1 Re5 44.Qb4 Qb5 45.Qe1 Qd3 46.Rb4 c5 {46...Rb5 gave
Black some chances of winning.} 47.Ra4 c4 48.Qa1 Qxe4+ 49.Kh2
Rb5 50.Qa2 Qe5+ 51.Kg1 Qe1+ 52.Kh2 d5 53.Ra8 Qb4 {He could
have easily drawn the game by perpetual check, as White could
not afford to play 54.Kg2 and 55.f3 because of 55...Qd4.}
54.Kg2 Qc5 {A most rare case of chess blindness on the part of
Dr. Lasker. 54...Rb8 would at least draw.} 55.Qa6 Rb8 {It was
bad now, but he might have tried 55...Qb6 56.Qc8+ Kd6 57.Ra6
Qxa6 58.Qxa6+ Kc5 and fight it out with the two passed pawns
and his rook against the queen.} 56.Ra7+ Kd8 57.Rxg7 Qb6
58.Qa3 Kc8 1-0

[Event "Berlin, WCH"]
[Site "9"]
[Date "1910.02.05"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "9"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Carl Schlechter"]
[Black "Emanuel Lasker"]
[ECO "B33"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "129"]

1.e4 {Notes by J. R. Capablanca.} c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4
4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 {Altogether unusual and I believe not very
good as Black's d pawn remains weak. It is not easy, however,
to discover how to get at it, and for a surprise the move
proved first-class, as Black got the better game.} 6.Nb3
{6.Ndb5, I believe was the right answer. Black would then have
to play 6...d6, not 6...Qa5 because of 7.Bc4 and if then
7...Nxe4 8.Bxf7+ Kxf7 9.Qd5+ with the better game.} Bb4 7.Bd3
d5 8.exd5 Nxd5 9.Bd2 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bd6 {Black has now a
beautiful game, which shows that White's treatment of the
opening was not the best.} 11.Qh5 Qc7 12.O-O Be6 13.Bg5 h6
14.f4 {Sacrificing a pawn for an attack on the center against
the king. He might have played some move like 14.Rad1 and
waited for developments, as Black could not castle on either
side.} exf4 15.Rae1 Kd7 16.Bf5 Raf8 {Here is what Lasker
himself has to say about the situation, and I agree with him:
"Here Black could have played 16...Qb6+ 17.Kh1 g6. White could
not now sacrifice his queen, for after 18.Rxe6 gxh5 19.Re7+
Kd8 20.Rd7+ Ke8 21.Bf6 Be5, and White has no satisfactory
continuation. On the other hand, after 18.Bxe6+ fxe6 19.Qxg6
hxg5 20.Qxe6+ Kc7 21.Qf7+ Kb8 22.Nd4 Black would be confronted
by great difficulties, as White would threaten 23.Rb1,
followed by the sacrifice of the rook. But it has been proven
by analysis that I could have escaped all danger. The move
actually made appeared also very strong, but by a fine
combination Sclechter nearly equalized the game."} 17.Bxf4
Bxf4 18.Nc5+ Kc8 19.Bxe6+ fxe6 20.Nxe6 Bxh2+ {Right. Not
20...Qd6 because of 21.Nxf8 Rxf8 22.g3 Be5 23.Rxf8+ Qxf8
24.Rxe5 Nxe5 25.Qxe5 and White is a pawn ahead. Also, if
20...Qb6+ 21.Kh1 Bd6 22.Nxf8 Rxf8 23.Rxf8+ Bxf8 24.Qf5+ and
White is the exchange ahead. Also 20...Qb6+ 21.Kh1 g5 22.Nxf8
Rxf8 23.g3 Bd6 24.Rxf8+ Bxf8 25.Re8+ Nd8 26.Qh3+ Kc7 27.Rxf8
with the exchange to the good. Also 20...Qb6+ 21.Kh1 Bd6
22.Nxf8 Bxf8 23.Re8+ Nd8 24.Qf5+, followed by 25.Rxf8
winning.} 21.Qxh2 Rxf1+ 22.Rxf1 Qd7 23.Nc5 Qe7 24.Qh3+ Kb8
25.Ne6 Ka8 26.Nd4 Qc7 27.Qf5 Rc8 28.Qc5 Nb8 29.Qxc7 Rxc7 {The
attack is over and Black has the better game.} 30.Rf3 a6
31.Kf2 Nc6 32.Ne6 Re7 33.Re3 Kb8 34.Nd4 Rf7+ 35.Rf3 Rc7 36.Ne6
Re7 37.Re3 Kc8 {Black has skillfully improved his position.}
38.Ke2 Nd8 39.Nd4 Rf7 40.Rf3 Kd7 41.Rd3 Ke7 42.Re3+ Kd6 43.Rd3
Ne6 44.Nf3 Kc5 45.g3 Nc7 46.Nd2 Kc6 47.Nf3 Kb5 48.Rd4 Kc5
49.Nd2 Nb5 50.Nb3+ Kb6 51.Rd3 Rc7 52.Kd2 Rc4 53.Rd7 Rg4 54.c4
Kc6 55.Rd3 Nd6 56.Nd4+ Kc7 {Lasker says, "A regrettable
oversight; 56...Kb6 would have won the game." It is indeed
unfortunate that he did not play 56...Kb6. Lasker had very
skillfully brought his advantage to a point where it would
tell and at the moment he is going to reap the fruit of his
fine play, makes a slip and fails to win the game that was
almost a necessity for him.} 57.Ne6+ Kc6 58.Nd8+ Kc7 59.Ne6+
Kd7 60.Nxg7 Ke7 61.Nh5 Rxc4 62.Re3+ Kf7 63.Rf3+ Kg6 64.Rf6+
Kxh5 65.Rxd6 1/2-1/2

[Event "Riga"]
[Site "Riga"]
[Date "1913.12.30"]
[EventDate "1913.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Aron Nimzowitsch"]
[Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[ECO "C50"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "128"]

1. e4 {Notes by Capablanca.} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bc4
{The normal move, 4. Bb5, is stronger. Nimzowitsch must have
had some new idea in mind when he chose this line in
preference to the other which he generally adopts.} 4...Bc5
{If 4... Bb4 5. Nd5 gives White an excellent game.} 5. d3 d6
6. Bg5 Be6 {With the idea of driving the Queen's Bishop back
at the proper time by ...h6 and ...g5, and thus bringing the
game to a position full of complications and unknown
possibilities where Black hoped to outplay his adversary.}
7. Bb5 h6 8. Bh4 Bb4 {To prepare against d3-d4, after or
before Bxc6 which was the intention indicated by White's
7.Bb5.} 9. d4 Bd7 10. O-O Bxc3 11. bxc3 g5 {There were a dozen
select spectators around our table, one of them Nimzowitsch's
father, a fairly good player, and they looked at one another
when they saw the bold course I was pursuing, reckless on my
part, they thought, and bound to bring disaster, especially
after my next move 12...Nxe4, when I had not castled and my
King was in the center of the board.} 12. Bg3 Nxe4 13. Bxc6
{Not the best way to continue the attack, as by exchanging
pieces the Black King will not be submitted to the strong
attack that would be necessary to compensate for the material
advantage obtained by Black and the disarrangement of White's
Queenside pawns. 13. Qd3 was the best move to keep up the
pressure.} 13...Bxc6 14. dxe5 dxe5 15. Bxe5 {Some people have
suggested 15. Nxe5. It has its good and bad points, but at all
events Black will come out with the better game in any
variation.} 15...Qxd1 16. Raxd1 16... f6 $1 {The key to my
maneuver in this variation. I had counted on it, together with
17...Kf7, when I played 11...g5.} 17. Bd4 {17. Bxc7 would
leave the c-file open for the Black Rooks to act against
White's c-pawns. My opponent must have thought that on account
of the Bishops of opposite colors he had a safe game.}
17... Kf7 {Now the Black King is much more useful than
White's.} 18. Nd2 18... Rhe8 {Notwithstanding the Bishops of
opposite colors I did not hesitate to exchange. Those who wish
to learn should do well in carefully studying this game. It is
one of the finest endings I ever played, and I have had very
often the great pleasure of hearing my opponent pay tribute to
the skill displayed by me in winning it.} 19. f3 Nxd2 20. Rxd2
Rad8 21. g4 Bb5 22. Rb1 Ba6 23. Rbd1 {Not 23. Kf2 because of
23...c5! 24. Be3 Rxd2+ 25. Bxd2 25... Re2+, winning a piece.}
23... Re2 $1 {Still exchanging.} 24. Rxe2 Bxe2 25. Re1 Bxf3
26. Rf1 26. c5 $1 {The move that gives Black the advantage.}
27. Bxf6 {If now 27. Rxf3 cxd4 28. Rd3 Rc8 and for all
practical purposes Black is a pawn ahead. My opponent chose
the other line of play in order to keep Bishops of opposite
colors, which he thought should give him a draw.} 27...Rd1
28. Be5 Rxf1+ 29. Kxf1 29... Bxg4 {The ending is now won by
force. Several months after the game was played, when
Nimzowitsch had come to St. Petersburg to play in the
All-Russian Masters Tournament, he told me that he had studied
the game and thought that he had finally found a way to draw
this ending. Although I had not seen the game since it was
played I offered to make him a small sporting bet, giving him
odds of a draw in any position from now on. The offer was
immediately accepted and we sat down. In a few moves he saw
that his idea was wrong and gave up the game.} 30. a4 Ke6
31. Bb8 {It would seem that had White played 31. Bg7 and then
followed with a4-a5, he could have drawn; but such is not the
case, as 31...h5 32. a5 a6 would also have won, though taking
much longer.} 31...a5 $1 32. Ke1 {White cannot attack the pawn
by 32. Bc7 as 32...b5! wins.} 32...Kd5 33. Kd2 Bd7 34. Bc7 Kc6
35. Bd8 {White cannot take the pawn with 35. Bxa5 because of
35...b6} 35... b6 36. c4 Kb7 37. Kc3 Bxa4 38. Kb2 Bd7 39. Kb3
Be6 40. Kc3 a4 41. Kd3 Kc6 42. Kc3 g4 43. Bh4 h5 44. Bg3 a3
45. Kb3 Bxc4+ $1 {If White now plays 46.Kxc4 then 46... a2
47. Be5 h4 48. Kb3 g3 49. hxg3 49... h3! and wins, as one of
the two Rook's pawns will Queen.} 46. Kxa3 b5 47. c3 Kd5
48. Bf2 Be2 {In order to make room for the King at c4.}
49. Kb3 Bd1+ 50. Kb2 Kc4 51. Kc1 Bf3 52. Kd2 b4 53. cxb4 cxb4
54. Bh4 Be4 55. Bf6 Bg6 56. Bh4 b3 57. Bf6 h4 58. Ke3 g3
59. hxg3 h3 60. Kf2 Bf5 {So as to prevent the advance of
White's single pawn. Now the Black King marches down to the
support of the b-pawn and wins the Bishop, and then comes back
and forces the other pawn to the eighth rank winning.} 61. g4
Bxg4 62. Kg3 Kd3 63. Kh2 Kc2 64. Kg3 b2 {White resigns.} 0-1

[Event "New York Masters"]
[Site "New York, NY USA"]
[Date "1915.04.25"]
[EventDate "1915.04.19"]
[Round "5"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[Black "Oscar Chajes"]
[ECO "C83"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "95"]

1. e4 {Notes by Capablanca} e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6
5. O-O Nxe4 6. d4 b5 7. Bb3 d5 8. dxe5 Be6 9. c3 Be7 10. Nbd2
Nc5 11. Bc2 d4 12. Ne4 dxc3 13. Nxc5 Bxc5 14. Be4 Qd7 15. bxc3
{I had published, some months previously, an analysis of the
variation 11...d4, and I gave the text moves as an example of
a simple way for White to play against it in order to obtain
the better game. I left off at the above position, stating
that White had the better game. Chajes and a few other local
players studied the analysis, and came to the conclusion that
was wrong. They thought that Black had at least as good a game
as White; in fact, better. Therefore Chajes availed himself of
the first opportunity to prove his contention. I was ignorant
of all this at the time, and was consequently very much
surprised at his "falling" (as I thought) into my published
variation, and commented on it to one of the spectators, who
then enlightened me as to the true reason of his play. The
game, I hope, will show that my judgment was better than his,
as at no point of the proceedings was I in danger of obtaining
anything worse than a draw. The advantage of White rests
mainly on the strength of the pawn at e5, which largely
restricts the action of the Black pieces, while it gives
plenty of freedom for the maneuvering of the White forces.}
Rd8 16. Qxd7+ Bxd7 17. Rd1 Ne7 {Black could not castle because
of 18. Be3! Bxe3 19. Rxd7! Rxd7 20. Bxc6 and White will come
out with two minor pieces for a Rook and two pawns.} 18. Nd4
h6 {A bad move, which shows that Black did not properly
understand the position. He wants to prevent the pinning of
the Knight by Bg5 and does not realize that the posting of the
White Bishop at a3 (after Nb3) is much more important. He
should now castle when White's best move would probably be
19.Be3} 19.Nb3 Bb6 20.Ba3 h5 {He now must attempt to bring his
King's Rook into the game in this way.} 21.Rd3 Bg4 22. Rxd8+
Kxd8 23. Nc5 Rh6 {He naturally avoids the alternative
23... Bxc5 which would leave White with two Bishops in an open
position.} 24.h3 Bc8 25. Rd1+ Ke8 26. Kf1 g5 {To prevent
27.f4, which was the intention, revealed by White's last
move.} 27. Nd3 f5 {White threatened to win a pawn by
28.Bc1. Besides, the pawn at e5 completely blocks the free
maneuvering of Black's pieces; therefore in desperation he
advances the f-pawn to get rid of White's e-pawn, and thus
have breathing space.} 28. exf6 Rxf6 29. Re1 Be6 {29... Re6
would be no better, as then White could play either 30. Bg6+!
Rxg6 31. Rxe7+ Kd8 32. Ne5 threatening the Rook, and 33.Nf7
mate.} 30. Bf3 Rh6 {Not good, but there was no way to avoid
the loss of a pawn, which in such positions means the loss of
the game. If 30... h4 31. Bg4 and if 30... g4 31. hxg4 hxg4
32. Bxg4 Bxg4 33. Rxe7+ Kd8 34. Rg7 winning.} 31. Bxh5+ Kd7
32. Bg4 Nc6 33. Rxe6 Rxe6 34. Bc1 Kd6 35. Bxe6 Kxe6 {He might
have resigned, as he will now be two pawns behind, without any
compensation whatever for them.} 36. Bxg5 Ba5 37. Bd2 Kd5
38. h4 Ne5 39. Nxe5 Kxe5 40. h5 c5 41. g4 Kf6 42. Ke2 c4
43. f4 Kf7 44. Kf3 Bd8 45. Ke4 a5 46. Kd5 Be7 47. g5 Kg8
48. f5 1-0

[Event "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[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 "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[Date "1921.03.19"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "3"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[Black "Emanuel Lasker"]
[ECO "C66"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "126"]

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 "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[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 "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[Date "1921.04.02"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "7"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[Black "Emanuel Lasker"]
[ECO "D64"]
[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 "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[Date "1921.04.06"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "9"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[Black "Emanuel Lasker"]
[ECO "D33"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "42"]

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 "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[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 "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[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 "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[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 "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[Date "1921.03.23"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "4"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[ECO "D61"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "60"]

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 "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[Date "1921.03.30"]
[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 "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[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 "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[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.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

[Event "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[Date "1921.04.16"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "12"]
[Result "1/2-1/2"]
[White "Emanuel Lasker"]
[Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[ECO "C66"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "62"]

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 "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[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

[Event "Capablanca - Euwe"]
[Site "Amsterdam, The Hague, Rotterdam and Scheveningen NED"]
[Date "1931.07.03"]
[EventDate "1931.07.01"]
[Round "3"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[Black "Max Euwe"]
[ECO "E35"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "61"]

1. d4 {Notes by Capablanca} Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d5
5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Qd6 {To unpin the Knight. To go back with
6... Be7 would be a regular variation of the Queen's Gambit
with Black a move behind. To play 6... h6 7. Bh4 7...g5 would
be too risky.} 7. e3 Ne4 8. Bf4 Qg6 {The alternatives would be
8... Qe7 or 8...Qc6. The other Queen moves are much less
satisfactory. It should be noticed that in the eight moves
played so far, Black has moved his Queen twice and his King's
Knight twice also. In a closed position such things are often
possible and good, but in a rather open position they can very
seldom be done without getting into trouble.} 9. a3 {Black
threatened 9...Nxc3. The text move forces Black to exchange
the Bishop for the Knight, thereby not only releasing the
pressure against the Queen's Knight and the King, but also
strengthening White's position.} 9...Bxc3+ 10. bxc3 Bf5 {This
involves the loss of a pawn, but Black had very little
choice. The only way to avoid immediate loss would be to play
10...Qc6, another Queen move in ten. 10...c6 was not feasible
because of 11. f3 Nf6 12. Bd3 Qh5 13. h4 and Black cannot stop
14.g4 winning a piece.} 11. Qb3 O-O {Black plays for
attack. He is slightly ahead in development and now offers a
pawn in order to gain more time.} 12. f3 {Should White play
12. Qxb7 12...Nc6 would give Black such an advantage in
development that it would be impossible for White to avoid
serious loss. White, however, could have played 12. Qxd5 and
obtained the better game thus: 12...Nxc3 13. Qb3 Ne4 14. Nf3
Qb6 [best; if 14...Nc6 15. Rc1 Nd6 16. Ne5 Nxe5 17. dxe5 with
a winning position] 15. Qxb6 axb6 16. Bd3 with what should be
a winning position. White could also play 12. Nf3 and obtain a
winning game since Black's best answer would be 12...Qb6 and
then would follow 13. Qxb6 cxb6 14. c4. Instead of adopting
the simple course White went in for complications: a policy
not to be advised when there is a simple continuation in sight
offering a definite advantage.} 12...Nd6 13. g4 Bd3 {Black
insists in playing an attack at all costs: a wrong policy in a
case like this where the number of pieces for the attack is
inferior to the number of pieces for the defense. Black could
succeed only if he were able to throw into the fray the
balance of his pieces before White could bring his to the
defense. Since that is not the case he is bound to suffer the
consequences. He should have played 13...Be6 when White would
probably have played 14.Rd1 in order to start an attack
against Black's King through Bd3. The continuation 14. Bxd6
cxd6 15. Qxb7 15...Nd7 would give White a very doubtful game.}
14. Qxd5 Bxf1 15. Kxf1 Qd3+ 16. Ne2 Nc4 17. Kf2 17...Nxe3 {! A
very clever sacrifice.} 18. Qxb7 { White cannot take 18. Bxe3
because of 18...Re8 which would regain the piece for Black
with a good game. But unfortunately for Black he has not
enough force for the attack. All he is attacking with is a
Queen and a Knight, and the only other piece he can throw
immediately into the battle is the King's Rook. Against that
White has all his pieces ready to go to the defense of his
King. Under such conditions, unless the position is of a very
unusual nature, the attack cannot succeed.} 18...Na6 19. Qb1
19...Qxb1 {Black had to exchange Queens to avoid the loss of
the Knight. As a result White comes out a pawn ahead with a
good game, advantage enough to win with proper play.}
20. Raxb1 Nc4 21. a4 Rab8 22. Rb5 Rb6 23. Rhb1 Re8 24. Ng3 Rf6
25. Rf5 {White wants to keep his Bishop at f4 where it
controls the moves of the two Black Knights. At the same time
he wants to place his Knight at e4 in order to block any
possible entrance of the Rook at e8 into White's position. The
Knight at e4 would be in a very strong central position. It is
true that as a result of this maneuver Black will be able to
reunite his Queenside pawns and also White's pieces will be
crowding one another a little, but as White's ultimate
intention is to advance on the Kingside, the overcrowding of
White's pieces will not become too serious a fault. The
alternatives would be either 25.Nf5 or 25. Bc1 [threatening
26.Ne4]. The first move would prevent the placing of the
Knight at e4. The second move would remove the Bishop from the
one square where he controls most of the moves of both the
Black Knights. The course of the game vindicated White's
judgment in playing the text move.} 25...Rb6 26. Rxb6 axb6
27. Ne4 f6 28. h4 c6 29. h5 Kf7 {Black could not play 29...h6
because of 30. Bxh6.} 30. Bc1 {? A bad move. White should have
gone on with his original plan, which would have won without
much trouble thus: 30. h6 30...Rxe4 31. fxe4 g6 32. Rb5 cxb5
33. axb5 and White would regain the piece with a won
position. White made the text move forgetting that it released
the Knight at a6.} 30...Re6 {A blunder due to time
pressure. The game was being played at the rate of 32 moves in
two hours. Black was short of time and probably tired from the
ordeal. Incidentally it has been assumed by all annotators
that Black could now easily draw by playing 30...Nc7. They
have stated that White could not play 31. a5 because of
31...Nd5, threatening to win the Rook by 32...g6. The
assertion is entirely wrong. Not only can White play 31.a5 but
it is the best move, and the one move that gives White the
best winning chances. The position is so interesting that it
will repay study. Suppose 32. axb6 g6 33. Rf4 Rb8 [ Let us go
back again. If 33...Re7 34. Ng5+ followed by 35.Re4 with
winning chances. Black's best chance for a draw is to play
33...Nxf4 34. Bxf4 Nxb6 35. Nd6+ Ke7 36. Nxe8 Kxe8 37. Ke2 and
while it would be hard to prove a win, White would have
chances for victory. ] 34. Nxf6 Nxf4 35. Bxf4 Rxb6 36. Nxh7
and with three pawns for the Exchange White has an excellent
chance to win.} 31. Ng5+ 1-0

