Capablanca’s first major tournament after his World Championship match against Lasker. He won the London 1922 in clear first place, and he played several memorable games. This was the most beautiful one.
Max Euwe vs Jose Raul Capablanca, Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defense, Closed Wolf Variation (C66)
London 1922, Round 1
Capablanca was the strongest player during the biggest part of the 20-es, and this tournament is one of the biggest confirmations of that. London ’22 was a very strong invitational which offered large monetary prizes and many of the world’s strongest participated. Capablanca managed to win in a very convincing fashion (with 13/15!), but that was largely expected now that he was the official world champion.
Final standings:
Jose Raul Capablanca 13/15
Alexander Alekhine 11.5/15
Milan Vidmar 11/15
Akiba Rubinstein 10.5/15
Efim Bogoljubov 9/15
Richard Reti 8.5/15
Savielly Tartakower 8.5/15
Geza Maroczy 8/15
Fred Dewhirst Yates 8/15
Henry Ernest Atkins 6/15
Max Euwe 5.5/15
Eugene Aleksandrovich Znosko-Borovsky 5/15
Victor Leonard Wahltuch 5/15
John Stuart Morrison 4.5/15
Charles Gilbert Marriott Watson 4.5/15
Davide Marotti 1.5/15
This was his round one encounter against Max Euwe. Euwe was yet to become strong, as he was still in college and nowhere near his peak strength. Capablanca chose a very passive line in the Berlin Defense which gave Euwe an opening advantage. That soon changed, however. Euwe made several positional mistakes and Capablanca was unforgiving. His bishop pair, and the way he employed it against Euwe’s naked king is what makes this game remarkable.
Game moves:
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6 4. O-O d6 5. d4 Bd7 6. Nc3 exd4
7. Nxd4 Be7 8. Re1 O-O 9. Bf1 Re8 10. f3 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 Be6
12. Qf2 c6 13. Bd2 Qb6 14. Na4 Qxf2+ 15. Kxf2 d5 16. e5 Nd7
17. g3 Bf5 18. Rac1 b5 19. Nc3 Bc5+ 20. Kg2 Nxe5 21. g4 Bg6
22. Kg3 h5 23. Bf4 f6 24. Bxe5 fxe5 25. Bd3 Bf7 26. g5 g6
27. Re2 Bd6 28. Kg2 Kg7 29. Rce1 Re7 30. Nd1 Rf8 31. Nf2 Be8
32. b3 Ref7 33. c4 Rxf3 34. cxd5 cxd5 35. Bb1 Bc6 36. Rd1 R3f4
37. Be4 Bc5 38. Nd3 dxe4 0-1