Fritz12 Printout, Robert Newshutz, 9/30/2011 1

A85
Capablanca,Jose Raul
Tartakower,Saviely
New York (6) 1924
[Newshutz,Robert]
1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 f5
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The main feature of the Dutch defense is

pressure on the kingside and hopes of a
kingside attack. I do not think
telegraphing this to Capablanca was
wise. Tartakover would want a tactical
game against Capablanca, but does not
really achieve it here.
A modern tactical player might choose
the King's Indian Defense when facing
such a strong positional player, but this
was before much had been developed
on the KID. Even "hypermodern" play
was new. My System was published in
1925. Alekhine and Reti chose the
French defense against Capablanca.
Though Reti did play the KID several
times, and the Alekhine defense was
played once by Em. Lasker!
All the various Indian defenses are
categorized together in the tournament
book opening index.
3.c4 Nf6 4.Bg5
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Be7 Alekhine is scathing in his criticism

of this move. He complains that is
hinders the development of the b-Knight
without further damaging Black's pawn
structure. Alekhine is not a fan of the
Dutch defense.
[A more modern move is 4...Bb4+ ]
5.Nc3 0-0 6.e3 b6 7.Bd3 Bb7 8.0-0
Qe8 Alekhine likes this move better than
...Ne4 which Tartakower used against
Marshall. Black is now threatening ...
Qh5 and ...Ng4
9.Qe2
But Capablanca meets the kingside
attack threat by threatening to open the
center with e4. An attack on the wing is
usually best met by a counter attack in
the center.
Ne4 10.Bxe7 Nxc3 11.bxc3 Qxe7
Fritz12 Printout, Robert Newshutz, 9/30/2011 2
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This first set of exchanges does nothing

to help Tartakover develop a kingside
attack, nor lessen Capablanca's control
of the center. It even weakens blacks
hold on the e4 square.
12.a4 Bxf3 13.Qxf3
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Another exchange that is bad for black. It

further weakens Black's control of e4,
and leaves Black further behind in
development, but White was beginning
to attack on the queenside, The Bb7
could become a liability with a rook
pinning the b-pawn on the half open file.
Nc6 14.Rfb1 Rae8 Alekhine thinks this
move is not necessary. He likes ...Ra5
and ...g5. 15.Qh3 Rf6 Alekhine likes ...
g5, but Fritz does not. Alekhine was an
agressive player, that would rely on his
creativity and ability to calculate. He
might be considered the first modern
player. He was always sensitive to what
is now called activity.
16.f4 takes sure control of e5 Na5
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Black's knight has no good squares. It is

a long way from the only hole in white's
position (e4) and it would not last long on
that square anyway. White's bishop is
very nicely placed.
17.Qf3 d6 18.Re1 Qd7 19.e4 fxe4
20.Qxe4 g6 21.g3 Kf8 22.Kg2 Rf7
Fritz12 Printout, Robert Newshutz, 9/30/2011 3
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23.h4 Capablanca gains space on the

kingside. This is not really the start of a
kingsied attack but rather improving the
pawn position for a coming endgame. It
does threaten a kingside attack, which is
met by Tartakower opening the center
and exchanging.
d5 24.cxd5 exd5 25.Qxe8+ Qxe8
26.Rxe8+ Kxe8
(Diagram)
Tartakover's freeing 23...d5 has resulted
in exchanges leading to an endgame
slightly favorable for white. Exactly the
wrong kind of position to be in against
Capablanca.
27.h5 There is no need for Capablanca
to fight over control of the e-file. He can
control the e-file entry points in his own
position with Kf2 if needed. Instead he
opens his own file.
Rf6 28.hxg6 hxg6 29.Rh1 Kf8
30.Rh7
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From Chernev's heading for this game

"Rook on the Seventh Rank", we see
several important features of a rook on
the seventh in the rest of this game.
1. Puts pressure on pawns remaining on
the rank.
2. Constrains the opponents king, which
cannot enter the game. In the endgame
the king is often an important fighting
piece.
3. Mating threats arise.
Fritz12 Printout, Robert Newshutz, 9/30/2011 4
4.Sheparding of passed pawns.
A key feature of 7th rank rooks that does
not show in this game is that the rook is
one move from being behind any
dangerous passed pawns.
Rc6 31.g4 Nc4 Tartakower's Rook is
tied to c6. It is protecting pawns on c7
and g6. The g6 pawn is vital to prevent
White from having connected passed
pawns.
32.g5 Ne3+ 33.Kf3 Nf5 34.Bxf5 gxf5
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Releases Black's Rook from guarding

the pawn on g6, but White's passed g-
pawn will prove sufficient.
Alehkine properly notes here that
Capablanca has sacrificed a pawn here,
and he will soon sacrifice another
temporarily, but in the end his passed g
will allow him to regain it all and more.
35.Kg3 Rxc3+ 36.Kh4 Rf3 37.g6
Rxf4+ 38.Kg5 Re4
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39.Kf6 Capablanca shelter's his king

with Black's pawn on f5. Sometimes it is
best not to capture material.
Kg8 40.Rg7+ Kh8 41.Rxc7
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Driving the Black King to h8 before

capturing on c7 was nice technique, g7
will now come with check.
Re8 42.Kxf5 Re4 43.Kf6 Rf4+
44.Ke5 Rg4 45.g7+
Fritz12 Printout, Robert Newshutz, 9/30/2011 5
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Kg8 Black cannot take on g7, because

the King and Pawn ending is won for
white.
46.Rxa7 Rg1 47.Kxd5
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Nothing can stop the d-pawn from

queening. White has a won game.
Rc1 48.Kd6 Rc2 49.d5 Rc1 50.Rc7
Ra1 51.Kc6 Rxa4 52.d6
1-0