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D34 an inconvenience.
Marshall,Frank James
Capablanca,Jose Raul
USA m New York (23) 1909 e6, it could be better to decide for Bg4.
José Raúl Capablanca was born in Cuba in 1888
and learned to play chess at 4 years old by
watching his father playing. It is said that he
never read chess books or studied openings.
Becoming the World Champion despite this is
an evidence for his extraordinary natural talent.
He was an almost unbeatable player - no other
master lost so few games in his career. He did
not lose a single game from 1916 to 1924, and
the chess world named it a "chess machine".
This game is from his debut, when he was 20
years old, and was considered only a "boy". In
1909 he played a match against a much more
experimented player, Marshall. The final result
of looses and wins was: +8 -1 in Capa's favor
and the games demonstrated a very big
difference of understanding between him and
his opponent, one of the strongest in the World
at that time.
In the end of the match, Capablanca said: "I can
safely say that no player ever performed such a
feat"!
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5
This is Tarrasch Defence. Black agrees to enter
a position with an isolani pawn on d5, in
exchange getting active positions for his pieces.
4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.g3 Be6?!
In this system, Black can develop the bishop on
e6, but also on g4. However, the kingside
pieces have only one good square for
development: the knight on f6 and the bishop on
e7.
An opening principle advises to play first the
moves which make the smallest engagement.
Thus, you can decide later where to place a
piece with 2 or more possible emplacements (in
our case, the light-square bishop). Black should
play Nf6, Be7, 0-0, even Re8, and then, he
could choose later between Be6 or Bg4. This
way, White will have to consider both
developments of the Bc8 which can cause him
However, because Black has the half-open e-
file and a rook on e8 is restricted by a bishop on
7.Bg2 Be7 8.0-0 Nf6 9.Bg5?!
Until now, White developed his pieces in the
normal positions, applying the fianchetto
developing scheme with a good reputation
against the Tarrasch Defense. White's g2
bishop creates pressure against the weak d5-
pawn after the blockading maneuver Nf3-d4 (of
course, after d4xc5). Also, the pawn formation
h2, g3, f2 defends very well the white king
against the typical attacks on kingside of the
player with the isolani pawn.
With the last move, White is completing his
development, but not in the right direction.
Before moving a "normal" developing move,
White should do his "TO DO" list as the game
has just entered the 'middlegame' stage, where
one should NOT move without a plan.
The assessment of the pawn structure (isolani
pawn on d5) tells White what to do:
1. the d5-pawn has to be blocked first by: Nf3-
d4.
2. the blockading square is the strongest square
in the centre for White and, therefore, important
to be well defended: Be3 and at least a major
piece on the d-file.
3. exchange minor pieces if possible, especially
the dark-square bishops.
4. increase pressure on d5 forcing black pieces
to stay in defensive.
After this correct "TO DO LIST" in positions with
an isolani pawn, White has first to assure a
strong blockade of the d5-pawn. We will see all
the strategies when dealing with typical pawn
structures.
[According with the "TO DO" list, the best
continuation for White would be:
9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Na4!
chasing away the black knight from the active
position
Be7 11.Be3
the best position for the c1-bishop: it blocks
the e-file where Black will put pressure on with

Re8, defends the key-square d4 and gets a
position from where the bishop "looks" at both
sides (remember this!)
0-0 12.Nd4 Diagram
XABCDEFGHY
8r+-wq-trk+({
7zpp+-vlpzpp'
6-+n+lsn-+&
5+-+p+-+-%
4N+-sN-+-+$
3+-+-vL-zP-#
2PzP-+PzPLzP"
1tR-+Q+RmK-!
xabcdefghy
and white pieces occupied good positions.
Let's look a bit to the move Nf6-g4 now. Many
players wouldn't like to place the bishop in
such a position where the opponent's knight
can attack easily. This is often correct, but
now we have an instructive example for our
question:
"Is Nf6-g4 a REAL threat?". In our case, the
answer is "NO". Black knight won't do
anything on g4, after the simple reply Be3-f4.
The knight should even come back to protect
the d5-pawn and the centre and so Black is
only loosing 2 tempi.
Moreover, after Ng4 White can play 13.Nxc6
bxc6 14.Bd4 followed by Rc1 with a good
position against the black pawn structure
c6+d5 due to the strong blockade on dark-
squares. ]
9...Ne4
Capablanca knew about the games played
before by another player who used with success
this "liberating" move. It is interesting that in a
position with an isolani pawn, Black is provoking
the exchange of the dark-square bishops. It is
2
well known that Black should keep this bishop
on the board.
10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Ne5?
Provoking complications on the centre without
any reason or strategical justification.
[much better was: 11.Rc1 defending the c3-
knight with a piece, in order to keep
unchanged the position of the pawns. The
game could continue: Nxc3 12.Rxc3 c4
13.Ne5 0-0 with a small advantage for
White. ]
11...Nxd4
[ 11...Nxc3 12.bxc3 Nxe5 13.dxe5
leads to an unclear game. ]
12.Nxe4 dxe4 13.e3
[ 13.Bxe4? Rd8 ( 13...Bh3 is also good )
14.Qe1 Bh3 wins ]
13...Nf3+
Black gives back the pawn on e4 by trading his
knight as he has no good place for it.
14.Nxf3
[After 14.Bxf3 exf3 15.Qa4+ Black has to
move his king: Kf8
( 15...Bd7 is not good if Black is not satisfied
with a draw: 16.Nxd7 Qxd7 17.Qe4+ Qe7
18.Qxf3= )
16.Rfd1 g6 17.Nxf3 Kg7
with a better game for Black due to his bishop
against knight on a position with pawns on
both flanks. Also, Black can create a free
pawn on the queenside. ]
14...exf3 15.Qxf3 0-0! 16.Rfc1
[White cannot take on b7: 16.Qxb7 Qxb7
17.Bxb7 because after Rab8 18.Bg2 Rxb2
the endgame is better for Black because of
the free c-pawn and the active rook on the
second rank.
After: 19.Rfc1 c4 20.Bf1 Rc8 21.Rc3
Black can advance by bringing his king on the
queenside (b4), attack the blockading square
c3 and the white a-pawn, while the b2-rook
prevents white king to come in defense. ]
 3

[ However, White had to concentrate on the d-

However, White could fight for the initiative by: file now and connect his rooks: 20.Rd1 Rfd8
16.e4 with idea Qe3 and f2-f4, using his 21.Rcc1! with more chances to save the game.
pawn-phalanx on e- and f- files. At Rfd8 ]
, White should respond with: 17.Rfd1
and not leave the d-file in Black's control. ] 20...Rfd8 21.Rd1 Rxd1+ 22.Bxd1 Rd8
Diagram
16...Rab8 17.Qe4
Which are White's threats?
XABCDEFGHY
Answer: Bh3, using the undefended position of
the Qe7, and simplify the position with another
8-+-tr-+k+(
exchange. 7zp-wq-+pzpp'
Black's bishop is better because he "sees" both
flanks, has a protected position on e6 and 6-+-+l+-+&
participates to the future plans on the queenside.
White bishop, even if on the long diagonal, will
5+p+-+-+-%
soon remain without any scope. 4-+p+Q+-+$
Qc7 18.Rc3 b5! 3zP-tR-zP-zP-#
The beginning of active actions on the
queenside. Black has pawn majority on the 2-zP-+-zP-zP"
queenside, an advantage considered very
important in old times. Now, modern masters
1+-+L+-mK-![
are much more vigilant and it is proved that a xabcdefghy
careful defense is enough to stop the pawn
phalanx on the queenside.
Now, to the black pawn majority on the
19.a3 queenside, Black added another important
[ 19.b3! was much better. After: c4 20.bxc4 strategic advantage: the control over the d-file. It
bxc4 the black c4-pawn is strongly blocked by is rather rare nowadays to obtain so easy the
White. Now, with the queens on the board, the control over an important file out of nothing. It is
Black's king maneuvre given in a previous important now to learn HOW this advantage can
variation doesn't work. It is hard, or even be used to win the game; and Capablanca will
impossible, to give Black any real plan to show us.
advance. ]
Black's "TO DO" list is simple:
19...c4! 20.Bf3? - h7-h6 or g7-g6 to make a "window" for the king
Surrendering the d-file is a grave and decisive against back rank threats;
mistake. - Rd1 or Rd2 to enter White's camp with the
rook;
[ 20.b3?! doesn't work now. because of: Qa5 - exchange the queens;
(taking advantage from the undefended - advance the pawns on the queenside (a7-a5,
position of the white rook) 21.b4 Qb6 b5-b4).
and, now, the black c4-pawn is also defended
by another pawn, a very important plus 23.Bf3 g6
because the black pieces will be free, while Black chose g6 (instead of h6) for 2 reasons:
White will always have to keep at least one - it is a tempo-move, Black threatening 24..Bd5
piece in defensive. ] 25.Qg4 h5 winning the f3-bishop;
[ - it gains another supported square for the

bishop on f5, and White cannot play now 24.
Rc2 because of Bf5.
24.Qc6 Qe5! with the threat Rd2
[ 24...Qxc6 25.Bxc6 a6 was also possible,
but Black wants to exchange the queens (one
of his "TO DO" list objectives) in a more
favorable moment. ]
25.Qe4 Qxe4 26.Bxe4
Another instructive example for our set of
questions.
Does White threaten something?
The answer is Yes: Bc2 (covering the
d1-square) and, then, Rf1-e1 defending the d2-
square. This threat is very real because White
could end one of the Black's advantages.
Rd1+!
Black's move assures the activity of the rook,
and, now, he only needs to advance the
queenside pawns.
27.Kg2 a5 28.Rc2 b4 29.axb4 axb4 30.Bf3
Black achieved his goals and his position is
technically won. Black has 2 dangerous
advanced pawns with the support of their pieces,
while white pieces are not active and the king is
far from the battle scene.
Rb1 Diagram
(Diagram)
31.Be2
[After 31.Rd2 Black's simpliest way to win
were: b3 with the threat Rc1-c2 32.Bd1
forced, and now, Black will take benefit of the
white rook's overload (defends b2 and Bd1):
Rc1 33.Kf3 c3 34.bxc3 b2 winning the
piece. ]
31...b3!
with the same idea as in the previous variation.
Black advances the b3-pawn with the threat
Rb1-c1-c2.
32.Rd2
[ 32.Rc3 doesn't help because of: Rxb2
4
XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+-+k+(
7+-+-+p+p'
6-+-+l+p+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-zpp+-+-+$
3+-+-zPLzP-#
2-zPR+-zPKzP"
1+r+-+-+-![
xabcdefghy
33.Bxc4 Rc2!-+ ]
32...Rc1 33.Bd1 c3 34.bxc3 b2 35.Rxb2
[ 35.Bc2 Rxc2-+ ]
35...Rxd1-+ 36.Rc2 Bf5 37.Rb2 Rc1 38.Rb3
Be4+ 39.Kh3 Rc2 40.f4 h5 Black sets a
matting net against the opponent king. 41.g4
hxg4+ 42.Kxg4 Rxh2 43.Rb4 f5+ 44.Kg3
[ 44.Kg5 Kg7 ]
44...Re2 45.Rc4 Rxe3+ 46.Kh4 Kg7
47.Rc7+ Kf6 48.Rd7 Bg2 49.Rd6+ Kg7
Conclusion:
Black won by using the advantage of the
queenside pawn majority, but he was greatly
helped by his opponent who conceded the d-file,
a much more important advantage in that
position.
In fact, White didn't defend well against the
promotion of black pawns (see a2-a3 instead of
the correct b2-b3). White also didn't use his
pawn-phalanx on e- and f- files. During the
middlegame stage, the central pawns are
usually more important than the flank majorities.
The importance of the marginal pawns is very
high during the ENDGAME stage (when the
material is few and kings are safe).
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