Capablanca-Alekhine, 1924

Capablanca-Alekhine
New York, 3/21/1924, Round 4
French Defense (C12)

1. PQ4 PK3 2. PK4 PQ4 3. NQB3 NKB3 4. BN5 BN5 [Obviously, Alekhine had developed as a player in 10 years.] 5. PxP [5. PK5 – Pachman] QxP?! [But apparently not all that much; there is some difference of opinion here, but it appears that correct is 5. … PxP.] 6. BxN [6. NB3 NK5! – Pachman] BxN+ [The general consensus seems to be that better is 6. … PxB.] 7. PxB PxB 8. QQ2! [This was a theoretical novelty at the time; 8. NB3 was usually played here.] NQ2 [8. … PQN3 – Pachman; 8. … PQB4 – Alekhine] 9. PQB4 QK5+ 10. NK2 NN3 [10. … PQN3 is probably better.] 11. PKB3 QB3 12. PB5 NQ4 [12. … NB5? 13. QB3 PN4 14. PQR4 – Alekhine] 13. PQB4 NK2 14. NQB3 PKB4 15. BK2 [±, ECO] RKN1 16. O-O BQ2 [16. … PN3? 17. BQ1! – Alekhine] 17. QK3 PN3 18. KRQ1 PxP 19. PQ5 QQ3 [The only move; 19. … PxP 20. NxP QQ3 21. QRN1 decides matters very quickly. – Alekhine] 20. PxP QxP 21. QxP QQN3 22. QB2 PB5!? [Desperate continuation – Alekhine] 23. QB2 [Not 23. RQ4 QN7 24. QK1 BR6 – Alekhine] QxQ+ 24. KxQ BB3 25. RQ4 [Missing 25. NN5! – Alekhine] NN3 26. BQ3 NR5 27. BB1 NN3 28. NK2 KK2 29. RK1 KRQN1 30. NxP+ KB1 31. NxN+ RPxN 32. BQ3? [White overvalues his chances in the subsequent rook play; he should have striven not to exchange the bishops. – Alekhine] RN7+ 33. RK2 QRN1 34. BK4 RxR+ 35. KxR BxB 36. PxB KK2 37. RQ2 KK3 38. KK3 PQB3 39. PKR4? [The critical point in the game as Capablanca misses his best winning chance here. The position is discussed in great detail in Technique for the Tournament Player. Alekhine gives 39. PKR3! RKR1 40. PB5. If instead 39. ... PKB4, Dvoretsky gives 40. RQ5 RN7 41. PKN4 with "excellent winning chances."] RKR1! 40. PN3 RR4! 41. RR2 RR4! 42. KB4 PB3 43. RQB2 RK4 44. PB5 RR4 45. RB3 PR4 46. RB2 RK4 47. RB3 KK2 48. KB3 KK2 49. KN4 KB2 50. RB4 KN2 51. RQ4 RxP 52. RQ7+ KB1 53. KB4 KN1 54. RQR7 KB1 55. PQR4 KN1 56. PN4 [Not the most accurate, but Black no longer seems in any real danger of losing after White's 32nd and 39th move inaccuracies. Alekhine suggests 56. KK3.] PN4+ 57. PxP RxP 58. RR6 RQB4 59. KK3 KB2 60. KQ4 RKN4 61. RxBP RxP 62. RB5 RN4 Draw agreed [63. RxR KxR 64. KK5 KN3 65. KQ6 KB2 =]