@ Fischer Chess Academy _Mandar Shiraskar, 17/06/2024 1

Jose Raul Capablanca available finesse in such positions not to

Savielly Tartakower capture hostile pawns, but to pass them
by in order to be protected in the rear
1.d4 Notes by Alekhine and Reti. 1...e6 against checks by the rook. -- Reti
2.Nf3 f5 3.c4 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.Nc3 39...Kg8 40.Rg7+ Kh8 41.Rxc7 Re8
0-0 6.e3 b6 7.Bd3 Bb7 8.0-0 Qe8 42.Kxf5 Again the simplest. Kf7 would
9.Qe2 Ne4 10.Bxe7 Nxc3 11.bxc3 not yet have been disastrous because of
Qxe7 12.a4 Bxf3 13.Qxf3 Nc6 14.Rfb1 Rd8, etc. -- Alekhine 42...Re4 43.Kf6
Rae8 15.Qh3 Rf6 16.f4 Na5 17.Qf3 Rf4+ 44.Ke5 Rg4 45.g7+ Kg8
d6 18.Re1 Qd7 19.e4 fxe4 20.Qxe4 After exchanging rooks, White would win
g6 21.g3 Kf8 22.Kg2 Rf7 23.h4 d5 still more easily. -- Alekhine 46.Rxa7
24.cxd5 exd5 25.Qxe8+ Qxe8 Rg1 47.Kxd5 Rc1 48.Kd6 Rc2 49.d5
26.Rxe8+ Kxe8 27.h5 ! This is the Rc1 50.Rc7 Ra1 51.Kc6 Rxa4 52.d6
calamity--the Rook now enters the Capablanca's management of the
hostile camp. -- Alekhine 27...Rf6 endgame gives the impression of being
28.hxg6 hxg6 29.Rh1 White plays so natural that one easily forgets the
logically to utilize his advantage on the difficulty of such precise play. The
K-side and very properly does not difficulty is chiefly psychological. In
concern himself with the weakness of the chess, as in life, one is so accustomed
Q-side. Black, on the other hand, makes to place value on the material factors
a defensive move which he could that it is not easy to conceive the idea of
perhaps have omitted. -- Reti 29...Kf8 indulging in pawn sacrifices when there
30.Rh7 Rc6 31.g4 Anxious nature is so little available material. --Reti
might have moved the King towards the 1-0
queenside, but Capablanca adheres to
the principle of aggression that governs
rook endings. -- Reti 31...Nc4 32.g5
He gives his opponent the opportunity of
winning a pawn. But Capablanca has
confidence in the passed pawn which he
obtains. -- Reti 32...Ne3+ 33.Kf3 Nf5
34.Bxf5 Simple and compelling. --
Alekhine 34...gxf5 35.Kg3 Decisive!
White sacrifices material in order to
obtain the classical position with King on
f6, pawn on g6, and Rook on h7,
whereupon the black pawns tumble like
ripe apples. -- Alekhine 35...Rxc3+
It is extremely instructive to see how
Capablanca is no longer in the least
concerned about material equality, but
thinks only of supporting his passed
pawn. -- Reti 36.Kh4 Rf3 37.g6 Rxf4+
38.Kg5 Re4 39.Kf6 It is a frequently