Games annotated by capablanca's

[Event "Wch10-GER/OST (Wien)"]
[Site "Wch10-GER/OST (Wien)"]
[Date "1910.01.04"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "03"]
[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 "1910.01.03"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "02"]
[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 "1910.01.02"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "01"]
[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 (Berlin)"]
[Site "Wch10-GER/OST (Berlin)"]
[Date "1910.01.11"]
[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 (Berlin)"]
[Site "Wch10-GER/OST (Berlin)"]
[Date "1910.01.09"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "08"]
[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 "1910.01.08"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "07"]
[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 "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[Date "1921.01.06"]
[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 "1921.01.02"]
[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 "1921.01.15"]
[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 "Habana, WCH"]
[Site "Habana, WCH"]
[Date "1921.01.13"]
[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