The free time between the two rounds of the 1911 San Sebastian tournament was spent by the participants playing “free” games. One of these games, between Nimzowicz and Dr. Bernstein, was attended by the young José Raúl Capablanca, one of the tournament participants who - apart from winning the match against Marshall - had no notable results. Therefore, some of the participants, including Bernstein himself, declared themselves against his participation in the tournament.
"Cheering up" the aforementioned game, Capablanca remarked to Nimcovic that he could have made a stronger move. Nimcovic replied insolently - how could Capablanca, as an unrecognized player, interfere in their game? The consequences of Nimcovic's remark were immediately apparent - Capablanca took a lot of money from Nimcovic by playing free games with him, which, in his own words, he won "ridiculously easily", and Bernstein became his "regular" customer from then on, whom he often won in brilliant style.
We report one of Capablanca's impressive victories over Bernstein from the 1914 Petersburg tournament. The game also won first prize for beauty.
The lady's gambit
Cape White - Bernstein
Petersburg, 1914.
Comments: VM. B.Ivkov
1. d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Nbd7 5.Bg5 Be7 6.e3 c6 7.Bd3 dc4 8. Bxc4 b5
An idea that was later developed by Rubinstein in the Merano Defense. The usual one is 8…b6 or 8….Nd5
9. Bd3 a6 10.e4 e5
The apparent sacrifice of a pawn to prevent the move e5 only brings Black trouble with the development of his pieces. Capablanca was a true master at breaking down an opponent's unhealthy conception. He first makes the most of his positional advantages, placing his pieces in the best places, and then unexpectedly approaches a combination that destroys Black's position.
11.de5 Sg4 12.Lf4 Lc5 13.0-0 Dc7
Black takes back the pawn, but loses a lot of time and doesn't have time to castling. White uses this to increase the pressure in the center.
14. Rc1 f6 15. Bg3 fe5
It is easy to see that White has a clear advantage. All his pieces are in play, while Black, in addition to his underdevelopment, has countless weaknesses in the king position in the center. Capablanca now begins a combination with a piece sacrifice (which is introduced by a pawn sacrifice) in order to open the game in the center.
16. b4! La7 17. Lxb5!! ab5 18.Sxb5 Dd8 19.Sd6+ Kf8 20.Txc6 Sb6
21.Lh4!!
White could have simply played 21.Nxe5, but with this move in the game he starts a new combination in which he sacrifices quality, in order to force the black king to h5.
21…Dd7 22.Sxc8 Dxc6 23.Dd8+ De8 24.Lxe7+ Kf7 25. Sd6+ Kg6
26.Sh4+ Kh5
Forced, because on 26….Kh6 comes 27. Ndf5+ Kh5 28.Ng3+ Kh6 29.Bg5 Mate!
27.Sxe8 Txd8 28.Sxg7 + Kh6 29.Sgf5+ Kh5 30.h3!!
The point of the combination that started on move 21. Black currently has the rook more, but his king is in checkmate, so he has to return the rook and remain in a hopeless endgame with three pawns less.
30.Sc8 31. hg4+ Kxg4 32. Lxd8 Txd8 33.g3 Td2 34.Kg2 Te2 35. a4 Sb6 36.Se3+ Kh5 37.a5 Sd7 38. Shf5 Sf6 39.b5 Ld4 40.Kf3 Ta2 41. a6 La7 42.Tc1 Tb2 43.g4+ Kg5 44.Tc7 Txf2+ 45.Kxf2 Sxg4+ 46.Kf3
Black surrenders.
Bonus video:
