“The openings begin to resemble more those of a master..", My Chess Career, part VI
Hi!
Life stalled my efforts to be a pro newsletter writer with a set schedule, but hey now I have finally made another letter for you!
I finished looking at game 6 from ‘My Chess Career’ and it ends with a real cliffhanger!
After the game, I have written a little about my upcoming tournament!
My Chess Career, part VI
“The openings begin to resemble more those of a master, though generally they were much weaker than they should be, as there is too much of slow moving, elaborate plans which cannot be carried out against strong opponents, instead of the simple, forward, strong, attacking moves which should characterize White’s development.”
GAME No. 6.
J. R. Capablanca vs. Messrs. Davidson and Ferguson., 1-0
Link to Lichess study
Year: 1908
Opening: Ruy Lopez.
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O Be7 5. Re1 d6 6. c3 O-O 7. d3 a6 8. Ba4 b5 9. Bc2 Ne8 10. Nbd2 f5
This move is not as good as it looks, as will soon be evident. 11. Bb3+ Kh8 12. Bd5 Bd7 13. exf5 Rxf5 14. d4
This move is the key to the situation. If now: 14...exd4 15.Bxc6 Bxc6 16.Nxd4 Rc5 17.Ne6, winning the exchange.
If 14...Bf6 15.Be4 Rf4 (if 15...Rh5 16.Nxe5); 16.Nf1 Rg4 17.h3 Black's reply, therefore, seems best.
14... Nf6 15. Bxc6 Bxc6 16. dxe5 Bxf3 17. Nxf3 dxe5 18. Qc2 e4 19. Ng5
19…Qe8
19...Qd5 seems better. Then would have followed:
20.Nxe4 Re5 21.f3 Nxe4 22.fxe4 Bc5+ 23.Kh1 Rae8 24.Bf4 Rxe4 25.Rxe4 Qxe4 26.Qxe4 Rxe4 27.Bxc7 Re2 28.b4 Be7 29.Bb6
20. Nxe4 Bc5 21. Bf4!
The winning move, and the only way to keep the advantage.
21... Nxe4 22. Rxe4 Qf7 23. Be3 Bd6 24. a4 Rh5 25. g3 Qg6 26. axb5 Rxb5 27. Raa4 h6 28. Qc1 Kh7 29. Rh4 h5 30. Qd1 Kg8 31. c4 Rf5 32. Qd3 Threatening c5.
32... c5 33. Ra5 Qf6 34. b4 Qf8 35. bxc5 Be7
If 35... Bxc5 36. Rf4 Rxf4 37. Bxc5 Qe8 38. gxf4 Qe1+ 39. Kg2 Qxa5 40. Qd5+ Kh7 41. Qxh5+ Kg8 42. Qd5+ Kh7 43. Qe4+ Kh6 (if 43... g6 44. Qb7+ Kh6 45. Qxa8 Qxc5 46. Qh8#) 44. f5 Qd8 45. Be7 winning.
36. Rf4 Rxf4 37. Bxf4 Rd8 38. Bd6 Bxd6 39. Qd5+ Qf7 40. cxd6
Resigns
In closing this period and looking back upon my style of play I find a great deal of improvement in every respect. The openings begin to resemble more those of a master, though generally they were much weaker than they should be, as there is too much of slow moving, elaborate plans which cannot be carried out against strong opponents, instead of the simple, forward, strong, attacking moves which should characterize White’s development.
The middle game has advanced enormously, the combinations are surer and more profound, and there begins to loom forward the playing for position. The endings I already played very well, and to my mind had attained the high standard for which they were in the future to be well known.
In the winter of 1908-1909, I decided to make a tour of the States. It lasted about eight weeks. On that occasion I broke all the records for simultaneous chess. After leaving New York, in ten consecutive seances, I made a clean score, winning 168 games before I lost one out of twenty-two in Minneapolis. However, I had the satisfaction on that occasion of beating the strongest players of the State of Minnesota, including Mr. E. F. Elliott, the then champion of the Western Chess Association.
As to rapidity of play, in one instance, in Hoboken, I played twenty-eight games in one hour and forty minutes, losing only one after having refused a draw.
On my return to New York in March, 1909, my great strength being evident, arrangements were made for what was to be the greatest feat of my career.
Road to 2000 #4
There are only 3 days to my first OTB tournament of 2022! I have booked a hotel at the location of the tournament, so everything should be really easy.
During my last weekend tournament in the fall, I traveled back and forth between the tournament and my home. This was not optimal, because one night my kids kept me up and I was really tired the next day with two OTB games on the schedule. Therefore I’m really looking forward to 3 days and 5 games with chess.
The first game will be on April 9th starting at 14.00. Round 3&4. If I have energy I might send out my games after each day. We will see..
/Martin
Hey Martin, a suggestion if I may. As much as the style of the pieces in the diagrams is nice, it’s not recognizable by scanning apps like chessvision to check/try things out while following the blog post.