[Event "Capablanca: Marshall - Capablanca, NY Match 1909, Game 6"] [Result "*"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "D33"] [Opening "Tarrasch Defense: Rubinstein System"] [StudyName "Capablanca"] [ChapterName "Marshall - Capablanca, NY Match 1909, Game 6"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/WYsco4KN/37hDO11q"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/elpollitofeliz"] [UTCDate "2025.08.31"] [UTCTime "17:42:15"] [Orientation "black"] 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. g3 Be6 7. Bg2 Be7 8. O-O Nf6 9. Bg5 { 9.Bg5 made me nervous, but apparently it is not a good move. I see that it threatens (for instance after 9...O-O the move 10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.Bxf6, where we would have to choose between Qxf6 (hanging the d5 pawn) or gxf6, with a weaker structure. However, it is important to see (I did not) that after 11...Qxf6 12.Nxd5 Black still has Qxb2. Visualizing that position I see: (1) White's knight on d5 poses no immediate threat. (2) Material is equal. (3) The center has desintegrated, and I'm in an open position with the bishop pair. (4) Rb1 fails to Qxa2 with tempo on the d5 knight (so Rxb7 cannot occur). (5) Probably White's move is Nf4 pressuring my bishop on d7, after which Rfd8 etc. } 9... Ne4! { Instructive way to resolve the tension. As commented, castling was not bad. } (9... a6 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. Nxd5 Bxd5 13. Qxd5) (9... O-O 10. dxc5 (10. Bxf6) 10... Bxc5 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. Nxd5 Qxb2 13. Rb1 (13. Nf4 Rfd8 (13... Rae8 14. Rc1 Bb6)) 13... Qxa2 14. Nf4 Bb6) 10. Bxe7 Qxe7 11. Ne5 (11. dxc5 Nxc3 12. bxc3 O-O) 11... Nxd4 12. Nxe4 dxe4 13. e3 (13. Bxe4? Bh3) 13... Nf3+ (13... Nc6 14. Nxc6 bxc6 15. Bxe4) 14. Nxf3? (14. Bxf3 exf3 15. Qa4+ Bd7 16. Nxd7 Qxd7 17. Qe4+ Qe7 18. Qxf3) 14... exf3 15. Qxf3 O-O! 16. Rfc1? (16. Qxb7 Qxb7 17. Bxb7 Rab8 18. Bg2 Rxb2) 16... Rab8 17. Qe4 Qc7 18. Rc3 b5 (18... c4 19. a4) 19. a3 (19. a4 a6 (19... b4 20. Rcc1 c4)) 19... c4 20. Bf3 { Here I did not ask: "What is my opponent's plan?". Hence I suggested the natural looking a5. But what's White's idea with Bf3? He realizes that if Black's bishop on e6 disappears, the defense of the c4 pawn would weaken, difficulting the desired avance a5-b4. So he wants to play Bg4, where the trade is force because Black does not have Bd5. That is why the correct move is Rd8! Then if Bg4 Black is Bd5. } (20. b3 Qa5! 21. b4 Qc7) 20... Rfd8! (20... a5 21. Bg4) 21. Rd1 Rxd1+ 22. Bxd1 Rd8 23. Bf3 g6! { Never in my life would have this move occurred to me. I was again looking at a5. Why do I rush in winning positions? (1) g6 threatens Bd5, winning a piece, since Qg4 is met with f5. (2) Gives breathing room to the king. (3) Prepares Bf5, activating the bishop greatly. } 24. Qc6 Qe5! (24... Qd6 { does not work because after } 25. Qxb5 (25. Qxd6 Rxd6 26. Rc2 { and it is uncelar how to make progress. } 26... Bh3 (26... a5 27. Kf1 b4 28. axb4 axb4 29. Be2) 27. e4) 25... Bh3 { White defends with } (25... Rb8 26. Qa4 Rxb2) 26. Rc1 (26. Qa4?? Qd2) 26... Qd2) (24... Re8) 25. Qe4 Qxe4 26. Bxe4 Rd1+ 27. Kg2 a5 { only now does Capablanca play what I've been rushing. } 28. Rc2 b4 29. axb4 axb4 30. Bf3 Rb1 { keeping the king off the center. } 31. Be2 b3 32. Rd2 (32. Rc3 Rxb2 33. Bxc4 Rc2) 32... Rc1 { Threateening Rc2. } (32... Rxb2 { Does NOT work. One has to consider in to the obvious variation that, since Black gave up a rook, White can give up his rook as well. So after 33.Rxb2 c3 34.Rb1 b2, Black does not have to move his rook (which leads to unavoidable queening), but can play 35.Bd3! Then the only sensible move is 35...bxb1Q 36.Bxb1. In the final position, rooks have disappeared, Black has a pawn on b3 and White's bishop sits on b1. Material is equal, but Black will never queen the b3-pawn. A draw. } 33. Rxb2 c3 34. Rb1 (34. Rxb3 Bxb3 35. Bd3 c2 36. Bxc2 Bxc2) 34... c2 35. Rc1 (35. Bd3 b2 (35... cxb1=Q 36. Bxb1)) 35... b2 36. Rxc2 b1=Q) 33. Bd1 c3 34. bxc3 b2 35. Rxb2 Rxd1 36. Rc2 { Black did not resign for some reason. Of course Capablanca won. What did I learn from this game? } *