[Event "Exhibition game (1913)"] [Date "2022.04.24"] [Result "0-1"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "?"] [Opening "?"] [StudyName "Opposite Bishops 1_Nimzowitsch v Capablanca"] [ChapterName "Nimzowitsch v Capablanca"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/FJWaQIKN/CEJ2OKsQ"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/KinoKing"] [FEN "r3r3/ppp2k2/2b2p1p/6p1/3B4/2P2P2/P1Pn2PP/3R1RK1 w - - 0 1"] [SetUp "1"] [UTCDate "2022.04.24"] [UTCTime "20:23:51"] [Orientation "white"] 1. Rxd2 { This position is hard to assess. Black should be slightly better, as he has the healthier pawn structure and access to the currently open e-file. Still, it would take some imagination to convert to a win. Capablanca shows the way. } 1... Rad8 (1... f5) 2. g4 { [%csl Gf3,Gg4] } 2... Bb5 { Installing the bishop on a less clogged diagonal for more activity. } 3. Rb1 { [%csl Gb5] } 3... Ba6 4. Rbd1 Re2 { [%csl Ge2,Gd2,Gf3,Gc2] } 5. Rxe2 Bxe2 { [%csl Gf3] } 6. Re1 { [%csl Gf3][%cal Gf1f6] } 6... Bxf3 7. Rf1 { [%csl Gf3] } 7... c5! { [%csl Gc3,Ga2,Gc2] } 8. Bxf6 Rd1 { [%csl Gc2,Gg4] } 9. Be5 Rxf1+ 10. Kxf1 Bxg4 { Capablanca argued this position is winning by force. Perhaps he is correct, though modern engines stipulate that white still has some chances to hold this. History books say that several months after this game was played, when Nimzowitsch had come to St. Petersburg to play in the All-Russian Masters Tournament, he told Capablanca that he had studied the game and thought he found a way to draw the ending. After making a small sporting bet, Capablanca was still able to beat him! } 11. a4 (11. Bb8 a6 12. Ba7 c4 13. a4 a5 14. Bb6 Bd1 15. Bxa5 Bxc2 $10) 11... Ke6 12. Bb8 a5 13. Ke1 Kd5 { [%csl Gd5] } 14. Kd2 Bd7 15. Bc7 { [%cal Gc7a5] } 15... Kc6 { Can't take the a5 pawn due to b6 trapping the bishop. } { [%csl Gc7] } 16. Bd8 (16. Bxa5 b6) 16... b6 { [%cal Gd8a5] } 17. c4 Kb7 { [%cal Gd7a4] } 18. Kc3 Bxa4 19. Kb2 Bd7 { [%csl Ga5] } 20. Kb3 Be6 { [%csl Gc4,Gd8][%cal Ge6c4] } 21. Kc3 a4! { Using the outside passer to drag the white king away from the defense of c4. } { [%csl Ga4] } 22. Kd3 Kc6 23. Kc3 g4 { Looking to make another passer on the kingside to overload the white bishop. } { [%csl Gg3,Ga3,Gb6] } 24. Bh4 h5 25. Bg3 a3 { [%csl Ga3] } 26. Kb3 Bxc4+ { The a3 pawn is more dangerous than the bishop. } { [%cal Ge6c4] } 27. Kxa3 (27. Kxc4 a2 { [%csl Ga2,Ga1] } 28. Be5 h4 { [%cal Gg4g3,Ge5a1,Ge5h2] } 29. Kb3 Kd5 { The bishop is overworked, and can't maintain both diagonals and both of black's passed pawns. } (29... a1=Q 30. Bxa1 g3 31. hxg3 { [%csl Gg3] } 31... hxg3 { [%csl Gd4] } (31... h3 { [%csl Gh3][%cal Gh3h2] } 32. Be5 h2) 32. Be5) 30. Bg7 g3 31. c4+ Ke4 32. Bf6 gxh2 { [%cal Ga2a1,Gh2h1] }) 27... b5 28. c3 Kd5 29. Bf2 { [%cal Gg4g3,Gh5h4] } 29... Be2 30. Kb3 { [%cal Ga4d4,Ga4d1] } 30... Bd1+ 31. Kb2 Kc4 32. Kc1 { [%csl Gc3] } 32... Bf3 33. Kd2 b4 { [%csl Gb4] } 34. cxb4 cxb4 35. Bh4 Be4 36. Bf6 Bg6 { [%csl Gh5] } 37. Bh4 b3 38. Bf6 h4 { [%cal Gh5h4] } 39. Ke3 (39. Bxh4 b2) 39... g3 40. hxg3 h3 { [%cal Gh3h2] } 41. Kf2 { [%csl Gf2,Gh2] } 41... Bf5 { Despite being only a pawn down in an opposite colored bishop ending, black is completely winning because white has to keep his king in the corner and his bishop needs to sacrifice itself for the b-pawn. The resulting h pawn is also the correct color for promotion after all is said and done. } 42. g4 Bxg4 { [%csl Gg4,Gh3,Gh1] } 43. Kg3 Kd3 44. Kh2 Kc2 45. Kg3 b2 { White resigned here. } 46. Bxb2 Kxb2 { White can't take the bishop, in the meantime the black king comes back and helps escort the pawn to promotion. } { [%csl Gh6] } 47. Kh2 { [%csl Gh3,Gh1] } 47... Kc3 48. Kg3 Kd2 49. Kh2 Ke3 50. Kg3 Bf5 51. Kh2 Kf2 52. Kh1 Kg3 53. Kg1 h2+ { White either lets the pawn promote or gets checkmated on h1. } { [%csl Gg1][%cal Gg1h1,Ge4h1] } 0-1