Capablanca-Spielmann, 1927

The following game was awarded the prize for the best played game of the New York 1927 Tournament.

Capablanca – Spielmann
New York, 3/9/1927, Round 13
QGD Manhattan Defense [D38]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 Nd7 4. Nc3 Ngf6 5. Bg5 Bb4 6. cxd5 [6. e3 - ECO] exd5 7. Qa4! [In the first round, Capablanca had played 7. Qb3, which led to equality; Alekhine-Vidmar in the same tournament continued 7. e3.] Bxc3+? [7. ... Qe2 or 7. ... c5 - Golombek] 8. bxc3 O-O 9. e3 c5 [9. ... Qe8 10. Qc2! (10. Bd3?) c6 11. Bd3!] 10. Bd3 c4 11. Bc2 Qe7 [11. ... Re8 - Alekhine] 12. O-O [±, Pachman] a6 13. Rfe1 Qe6 [13. ... b5? - Golombek] 14. Nd2 b5 15. Qa5! Ne4 [15. ... Bb7 - Golombek] 16. Nxe4 dxe4 17. a4! Qd5 18. axb5! Qxg5 [18. ... Bb7 loses just as quickly. - Golombek] 19. Bxe4 Rb8 20. bxa6! Rb5 21. Qc7 Nb6 22. a7 Bh3 23. Reb1! Rxb1+ 24. Rxb1 f5 25. Bf3 f4 26. exf4! 1-0

The final scores at New York 1927 were Capablanca 14 (undefeated), Alekhine 11.5, Nimzowitsch 10.5, Vidmar 10, Spielmann 8 and Marshall 6.

Spielmann got his revenge for this game by defeating Capa at Bad Kissingen 1928 and in the penultimate round at Carlsbad 1929 (costing him first place on this occasion). The latter game is discussed in chapter 20 of Pachman's Decisive Games in Chess History.