Capablanca had a gift for chess that may never be seen again. He was able to play beautiful positional games, spiced with deadly tactics, and all at breathtaking speed, at least in his early years. He could see at a glance what other masters struggled with.
I have included a couple of his elegant combinations, and two smooth endgames in the style for which he was best known. Both endgames have a crisp tactic, but the tactics are there to win positional goals, not material.
Click [...] to see list of games
[Event "removing the guard deflection"]
[Site "removing the guard deflection"]
[Date "1914.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Bernstein, O."]
[Black "Capablanca, Jose Raul"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "D63"]
[PlyCount "58"]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Be7 5. Bg5 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Rc1 b6 8. cxd5
exd5 9. Qa4 Bb7 10. Ba6 Bxa6 11. Qxa6 c5 12. Bxf6 Nxf6 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. O-O
Qb6 15. Qe2 c4 16. Rfd1 Rfd8 17. Nd4 Bb4 18. b3 Rac8 19. bxc4 dxc4 20. Rc2 Bxc3
21. Rxc3 Nd5 22. Rc2 c3 23. Rdc1 Rc5 24. Nb3 Rc6 25. Nd4 Rc7 26. Nb5 Rc5 {[#]
( now white jumps at the chance to rid himself of the bold pawn at c3, but
there is a sting in the tail... )} 27. Nxc3 Nxc3 28. Rxc3 Rxc3 29. Rxc3 {(
there is now a very pretty unveiling )} Qb2 {[#]} (29... Qb2 30. Qc4 (30. Rd3
Qc1+ 31. Qf1 Qxf1+ 32. Kxf1 Rxd3) (30. Rc2 Qb1+ 31. Qf1 Qxc2) (30. Qc2 Qa1+ 31.
Qc1 Rd1+ 32. Qxd1 Qxd1#) 30... Rd1+ 31. Qf1) 0-1
[Event "Lessons from Capablanca (2): attacking"]
[Site "New York"]
[Date "1918.06.17"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Capablanca, Jose Raul"]
[Black "Funaroff, Marc"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C66"]
[Annotator "Regis,Dave"]
[PlyCount "45"]
{Capablanca : Master of the Attack Peter Lane, 23 March 1998 "...go back
a quarter of a century and look for the culmination of the art of the attack
on the king in the play of Alekhine and Capablanca" -- V.Vukovic The Art of
Attack in Chess (1965). Alekhine's attacking prowess is well known, but
what about Capablanca's? Here, to redress the balance, are some examples from
Capablanca. The first two games show a surprise knock-out from what may look a
fairly balanced position, and a shock sacrifice leading to an overwhelming
positional bind. The last two games show sustained attacking play, with
sacrifices to open up the king, relying on relative piece mobility to force
the checkmate. All the games are taken from The Unknown Capablanca, Hooper
and Brandreth (H&B) -- notes are based on their comments.} 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6
3. d4 d6 {The Scotch opening aims for open play, and black's attempt to keep
the game closed can only be a temporary measure.} (3... exd4 4. Nxd4 Bc5) 4.
Nc3 Nf6 5. Bb5 Bd7 6. O-O Be7 7. Re1 exd4 {This move is now forced -- after
white's defense of his e-pawn he is threatening Bxc6 Bxc6: dxe5. The pressure
on e5 is a recurring theme in e-pawn openings.} (7... O-O 8. Bxc6 Bxc6 9. dxe5
dxe5 10. Qxd8 Raxd8 (10... Rfxd8 11. Nxe5 Nxe4 (11... Bxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 13.
Bf4 (13. Nd3 f5 14. f3 Bc5+ 15. Kf1 Rf8 16. Ke2) 13... Nd6) 12. Nxe4 Bxe4 13.
Bf4 Bxc2 14. Rac1) 11. Nxe5 Bxe4 12. Nxe4 Nxe4 13. Nd3 f5 14. f3 Bc5+ 15. Nxc5
Nxc5 16. Bg5 Rd5 17. Be7 Re8 18. c4 {1-0 (18) Tarrasch,S-Marco,G Dresden 1892})
8. Nxd4 Nxd4 {Trying to simplify, but encouraging white's better
centralisation. Best is 8... O-O.} 9. Qxd4 Bxb5 10. Nxb5 O-O 11. Qc3 {"Instead
of applying the old principle of developing his pieces as quickly as possible"
RETI -- Capablanca puts each piece to optimum effect. Thinking about the
position we might be attracted by a 'mate on g7: the N is bound for f5, and
the Q for g3. Subtle ...} c6 {This move weakens d6 and encourages the Nb5 to
move as planned. Maybe ...Ne8 with ...Bf6, but white maintains a space
advantage.} 12. Nd4 Nd7 13. Nf5 Bf6 14. Qg3 Ne5 15. Bf4 (15. Nh6+ Kh8) (15. Bh6
Ng6) 15... Qc7 16. Rad1 Rad8 {[#] "Playing on the basis of a spatial advantage
is in a sense a question of blind faith." STEAN White's pieces exert maximum
impact, but it is hard to see how this could be increased. Indeed, black's
only weakness is at d6 -- put the c-pawn back to c7 and all is perfect -- but
who would dream of a decisive combination in this position? The key is the
inter-relation of g3, f5 and e5 with d6 and g7. Even when you know, the next
move is stunning.} 17. Rxd6 {"As usual, tactics flow from a positionally
superior game." FISCHER} Rxd6 18. Bxe5 {The bishop strikes through to c7 and
g7 -- note now white has taken over black's e5 strong-point.} Rd1 {A spirited
counterblow. 18...Bxe5 19. Qxe5 with 'mate on g7 or an extra piece after Qxd6.
18...Qa5 was best, when 19. f4 Bxe5 20.fxe5 Rg6 21.Ne7+ leaves white an extra
pawn, but many problems in converting it.} (18... Bxe5 19. Qxe5 Rd1 20. Qxg7#)
(18... Rfd8 19. Bxf6) (18... Qa5 19. f4 (19. Bc3 Bxc3 20. bxc3 Rg6 21. Ne7+ Kh8
22. Nxg6+ hxg6) 19... Bxe5 20. fxe5 Rg6 21. Ne7+ Kh8 22. Nxg6+ hxg6) 19. Rxd1
Bxe5 {And now white moves his queen, and either h2 or b2 falls, with equality..
. Not likely!} 20. Nh6+ Kh8 21. Qxe5 Qxe5 22. Nxf7+ {A beautifully clear theme:
back-rank 'mate.} Rxf7 (22... Kg8 23. Nxe5) 23. Rd8+ 1-0
[Event "a Capablanca ending"]
[Site "a Capablanca ending"]
[Date "1927.??.??"]
[Round "12"]
[White "Capablanca, Jose Raul"]
[Black "Vidmar, Milan Sr"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C98"]
[PlyCount "73"]
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3
Na5 9. Bc2 c5 10. d4 Qc7 11. Nbd2 O-O 12. h3 {[#] These days played before
d2-d4, otherwise a fairly typical Lopez position.} Nc6 13. d5 Nd8 14. a4 {a
typical undermining thrust in the Ruy Lopez; Black's Pawns offer a target for
White and counterplay for Black!} b4 15. Nc4 a5 {[#]} 16. Nfxe5 $1 Ba6 17. Bb3
dxe5 18. d6 Bxd6 19. Qxd6 Qxd6 20. Nxd6 Nb7 21. Nxb7 Bxb7 {[#] White has the
two Bishops and pressure against Black's advanced but rather immobile
Queen's-side Pawns. "Whether this advantage is decisive or not does not
interest Capablanca. He simply wins the ending! That's why he is Capablanca!"
-- EUWE} 22. cxb4 cxb4 23. f3 Rfd8 24. Be3 h6 25. Red1 Bc6 26. Rac1 Be8 27. Kf2
{KUFTE - "King Up For The Ending"!} Rxd1 28. Rxd1 Rc8 {[#] Poor Black's Rook
has no entry point, as the unmoved White Pawn on b2 secures the c3 square.
This is a concrete example of Tarrasch's statement that every Pawn move
loosens the position.} 29. g4 Bd7 30. Bb6 {Decisive. Now there are a couple of
exchanges, which leave only White's best piece (Bb6) and Black's worst piece
(Nf6) on the board!} Be6 (30... Ra8 31. Bc7 {snookering the Rook} (31. Rc1 {&
Rc5})) 31. Bxe6 fxe6 32. Rd8+ Rxd8 33. Bxd8 Nd7 34. Bxa5 Nc5 {[#]} 35. b3 Nxb3
36. Bxb4 Nd4 37. a5 1-0
[Event "Logical Chess, Move by Move #30"]
[Site "Buenos Aires ARG"]
[Date "1914.??.??"]
[Round "30"]
[White "Capablanca"]
[Black "Villegas"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D04"]
[PlyCount "67"]
[EventDate "1914.??.??"]
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e3 c6 4. Bd3 Bg4 5. c4 e6 6. Nbd2 Nbd7 7. O-O Be7 8. Qc2
Bh5 9. b3 Bg6 10. Bb2 Bxd3 11. Qxd3 O-O 12. Rae1 Qc7 13. e4 dxe4 14. Nxe4 Nxe4
15. Rxe4 Bf6 16. Qe3 c5 17. Ne5 cxd4 {[#]} 18. Nxd7 Qxd7 (18... dxe3 19. Nxf6+
gxf6 (19... Kh8 20. Rh4 h6 21. Rxh6+ gxh6 22. Nd5+ Kh7 23. Nxc7 e2 24. Re1 Rad8
25. f3 Rd1 26. Kf2 $18) 20. Rg4+ Kh8 21. Bxf6#) 19. Bxd4 Bxd4 20. Rxd4 Qc7 21.
Rfd1 {[#]} Rfd8 22. b4 Rxd4 23. Qxd4 b6 24. g3 Rc8 25. Rc1 Rd8 26. Qe3 Kf8 27.
c5 bxc5 28. Qe4 Rd5 29. bxc5 g6 (29... Rxc5 30. Qb4) 30. c6 Kg7 31. a4 Rd6 32.
Qe5+ f6 33. Qxd6 Qxd6 34. c7 1-0