Emanuel Lasker vs Jose Raul Capablanca (1914)

-- Stockfish 19

-- Engine disabled.

1. e4 e5

2. Nf3 Nc6

3. Bb5 a6

4. Bxc6 dxc6

5. d4 exd4

6. Qxd4 Qxd4

7. Nxd4 Bd6

8. Nc3 Ne7

9. O-O O-O

10. f4 Re8

11. Nb3 f6

12. f5 b6

13. Bf4 Bb7

14. Bxd6 cxd6

15. Nd4 Rad8

16. Ne6 Rd7

17. Rad1 Nc8

18. Rf2 b5

19. Rfd2 Rde7

20. b4 Kf7

21. a3 Ba8

22. Kf2 Ra7

23. g4 h6

24. Rd3 a5

25. h4 axb4

26. axb4 Rae7

27. Kf3 Rg8

28. Kf4 g6

29. Rg3 g5+

30. Kf3 Nb6

31. hxg5 hxg5

32. Rh3 Rd7

33. Kg3 Ke8

34. Rdh1 Bb7

35. e5 dxe5

36. Ne4 Nd5

37. N6c5 Bc8

38. Nxd7 Bxd7

39. Rh7 Rf8

40. Ra1 Kd8

41. Ra8+ Bc8

42. Nc5

1-0

5…exd4 Worthy of consideration is: 5 ..., B - K Kt 5; 6 P x P, Q x Q ch; 7 K x Q, Castles ch; 8 K - K 2, R - K 1; 9 P - K R 3, B x Kt ch; 10 K x B, P - B 3; with a good game. In this opening Black is justified in assuming the initiative, as the exchange, which has opened a diagonal for his Q B, has furthered his development. If he does not do so, and confines himself to defending tamely, the chances are that he will lose on account of White's majority of pawns on the King's side.
6.Qxd4 Compulsory. If B - K 3 instead, 7 B - B 4 attacks Q B 7. B - Q 3 in reply to that would be inferior. By exchanging Bishops White would render the Black Q P 'backward,' and on the open file its capture would be inevitable.
8…Ne7 Black prepares to castle on the King's side. It is more usual, and probably stronger, to castle on the Queen's side, as the King then protects the Q B P, which in the present case would be weak if Black's K B were to be exchanged.
10…Re8 Black allows his opponent too much latitude on the King's wing. He should prevent White's P - B 5, which obstructs his Q B, by P - K B 4. After P - K 5 the game would be equalised by B - B 4, B x Kt, and B - K 3. A draw would then be practically certain, with the Bishops of opposite colours. Black probably thought White would not risk weakening his K P by P - B 5. But with unfailing judgment Lasker foresees that, in consequence of the greater mobility of his pieces, his attack will be successful before a counter attack on the weak K P can be instituted.
11…f6 Even now P - K B 4 was imperative, though it would keep the Bishop from that square. The continuation could have been 12 P - K 5, B - Kt 5; 13 Kt - K 2 (or R 4), Kt - Q 4, and the Bishop is safe.
12.f5 This move has a twofold aim. It shuts in the Bishop, and allows B - B 4, exchanging the Black Q B.
12…b6 The diagonal Q R 1 - K R 8 is the only one in which the Bishop has any prospects of action. However, as soon as he relinquishes his present diagonal, a White Knight settles at K 6 and the Black Rooks are very much hampered.
13…Bb7 Black should have exchanged the Bishops. Now he gets a weak pawn at Q 3. Before playing B - Kt 2, P - B 4 should be played to prevent the Knight getting from Kt 3 - Q 4 - K 6.
19.Rfd2 This holds Black's Kt at B 1. White's next move prevents the Bishop getting into action by P - B 4. After depriving all the Black pieces of their mobility, White turns his attention to a determined assault on the Black King.
26…Rae7 There are no prospects on the Rook's file, and Black is restricted to keeping his pieces mutually protected. He cannot prevent White from penetrating the King's side.
30.Kf3 If Black captures the pawn, he would lose it again forthwith through White's R - R 3, and the pawn at R 3 would also be captured.
33.Kg3 The White King leaves the diagonal because Black's P - B 4 would interfere with the combination by which White intends to annihilate Black's game in a few moves.
35.e5 A beautiful final stroke.
36.Ne4 Threatening mate by R - R 7 ch and Kt x P.
37…Bc8 White dares not move the Rook on account of Kt x B and Kt - Q 6 ch.
42.Nc5 Mate in two is threatened. Black's only move is Kt - K 2.

[Event "St Petersburg International Final"]
[Site "St Petersburg"]
[Date "1914.05.18"]
[Round "7"]
[White "Lasker, Emanuel"]
[Black "Capablanca, Jose Raul"]
[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d4 exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 Bd6 8. Nc3 Ne7
9. O-O O-O 10. f4 Re8 11. Nb3 f6 12. f5 b6 13. Bf4 Bb7 14. Bxd6 cxd6 15. Nd4 Rad8 16. Ne6
Rd7 17. Rad1 Nc8 18. Rf2 b5 19. Rfd2 Rde7 20. b4 Kf7 21. a3 Ba8 22. Kf2 Ra7 23. g4 h6 24.
Rd3 a5 25. h4 axb4 26. axb4 Rae7 27. Kf3 Rg8 28. Kf4 g6 29. Rg3 g5+ 30. Kf3 Nb6 31. hxg5
hxg5 32. Rh3 Rd7 33. Kg3 Ke8 34. Rdh1 Bb7 35. e5 dxe5 36. Ne4 Nd5 37. N6c5 Bc8 38. Nxd7
Bxd7 39. Rh7 Rf8 40. Ra1 Kd8 41. Ra8+ Bc8 42. Nc5 1-0