1.
d4
d5
2.
c4
e6
3.
Nc3
Nf6
4.
Bg5
Be7
5.
e3
Ne4
6.
Bxe7
Qxe7
7.
Bd3
Nxc3
8.
bxc3
Nd7
9.
Nf3
O-O
10.
cxd5
exd5
11.
Qb3
Nf6
12.
a4
c5
13.
Qa3
b6
14.
a5
Bb7
15.
O-O
Qc7
16.
Rfb1
Nd7
17.
Bf5
Rfc8
18.
Bxd7
Qxd7
19.
a6
Bc6
20.
dxc5
bxc5
21.
Qxc5
Rab8
22.
Rxb8
Rxb8
23.
Ne5
Qf5
24.
f4
Rb6
25.
Qxb6
1-0
Opening Explorer
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Site
New York
Date
1909.05.01
Round
7
White
Black
Result
1-0
Marshall–Capablanca, from their 1909 match in the United States. The young Capablanca — who would go on to win the match overwhelmingly — here loses with the Queen's Gambit Declined and annotates his own defeat with characteristic candour. His original notes from Chess Fundamentals (1921), now in the public domain, are reproduced below.
- 5…Ne4 I had played this defence twice before in the match with good results, and although I lost this game I still played it until the very last game, when I changed my tactics. The reason was my total lack of knowledge of the different variations in this opening, coupled with the fact that I knew that Dr. E. Lasker had been successful with it against Marshall himself in 1907. The object is to exchange a couple of pieces and at the same time to bring about a position full of possibilities and with promising chances of success once the end-game stage is reached. On general principles it should be wrong, because the same Knight is moved three times in the opening, although it involves the exchange of two pieces.
- 7.Bd3 P x P is preferable for reasons that we shall soon see.
- 8…Nd7 Now P x P would be a better way to develop the game. The idea is that after 8...P x P; 9 B x B P, P - Q Kt 3, followed by B - Kt 2, would give Black's Bishop a powerful range.
- 9…O-O No longer would 9...P x P; 10 B x P, P - Q Kt 3 be good, because 11 B - Kt 5 would prevent B - Kt 2 on account of Kt - K 5.
- 12…c5 Played with the intention of obtaining the majority of Pawns on the Queen's side. Yet it is doubtful whether this move is good, since it leaves Black's Queen's-side Pawns disrupted in a way. The safer course would have been to play P - B 3.
- 13…b6 This exposes Black to further attack by P - R 5 without any compensation for it. If I had to play this position nowadays I would simply play 13...R - K 1. Then after 14 Q x P, Q x Q would follow, and I believe that Black would regain the Pawn. If, instead, White played 14 P x P then B - Kt 5 would give Black an excellent game.
- 16…Nd7 Black's position was bad and perhaps lost in any case, but the text move makes matters worse. As a matter of fact I never saw White's reply B - B 5. It never even passed through my mind that this was threatened. Black's best move would have been 16...K R - Kt 1.
- 17…Rfc8 From bad to worse. Kt - B 3 offered the only hope.
- 21…Rab8 The game was lost. One move was as good as another.
- 25.Qxb6 Of course, if 25 Kt x B, R - Kt 8 ch would have drawn. The text move is pretty and finishes quickly. A well-played game on Marshall's part.
[Event "Match Capablanca-Marshall +8-1=14"] [Site "New York"] [Date "1909.05.01"] [Round "7"] [White "Marshall, Frank James"] [Black "Capablanca, Jose Raul"] [Result "1-0"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e3 Ne4 6. Bxe7 Qxe7 7. Bd3 Nxc3 8. bxc3 Nd7 9. Nf3 O-O 10. cxd5 exd5 11. Qb3 Nf6 12. a4 c5 13. Qa3 b6 14. a5 Bb7 15. O-O Qc7 16. Rfb1 Nd7 17. Bf5 Rfc8 18. Bxd7 Qxd7 19. a6 Bc6 20. dxc5 bxc5 21. Qxc5 Rab8 22. Rxb8 Rxb8 23. Ne5 Qf5 24. f4 Rb6 25. Qxb6 1-0