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Lessons from the Machine

Submitted by benws on Sun, 01/03/2010 at 8:25am.

We can learn so much from the games of Jose Raul Capablanca (November 19, 1888 – March 8, 1942). However, we tend to overlook the fact that he was a great expert in the endgame. After all, it was he who said "In order to improve your game, you must study the endgame before anything else; for whereas the endings can be studied and mastered by themselves, the middlegame and the opening must be studied in relation to the endgame."

Take, for instance, this game he played against Esteban Canal in 1929. Capablanca appears to make a mistake, as he allows Canal to win two pieces for a rook. However, it is possible that he allowed the combination as a way to enter a favorable endgame. You be the judge on that.

The endgame that occurs is an extremely interesting one, with Capablanca's rook dueling Canal's knight and bishop. Both sides strive toward the queening of a passed pawn, and in the end, one pawn will inevitably queen. However, only an eagle eye could spot which pawn this is. Can you spot the correct pawn? I challenge you to do that. Were you close?

» posted in Endgames
 

Comments:

by gambit156 - 23 months ago
mumbai India
Member Since: Jun 2009
Member Points: 702

superb

by ericycsong - 2 years ago
Toronto Canada
Member Since: May 2009
Member Points: 540

good

by leoz08 - 2 years ago
Makati Philippines
Member Since: Oct 2008
Member Points: 57

it is quite difficult to anticipate step-by-step moves and countermoves even with the limited pieces in endgames, much more to analyze the positions that arise. Precision of the likes of Capablanca is rare. But I doubt his statement that the opening must be studied in relation to the endgame. The opening is quite far to the end game. It is middlegame, maybe, that should be studied in relation to the endgame that you want, as in Capablanca's game that is presented.

Anyway, the article is a worthwhile reading for all chess enhusiasts! Thanks.

by mike_0072005 - 2 years ago
cebu city Philippines
Member Since: Jan 2010
Member Points: 17

I really wanna feel something like capablanca but I don't know how to spot endgames. I cannot get an indication no matter how I tried to repeat the game. It is a very complex endgame. Perhaps, I need more experience to be able to see what's ahead in the game. I will just memorize the games for the mean time until a I understand the core plan of capablanca. However, I'd like to thanks the one who shared the game.

by staggerlee - 2 years ago
United States
Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 891

Great!

by leonelcm - 2 years ago
Mexico City Mexico
Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 898

Thanx for this article twice, first for showing one of the best chess masters for all times: Capablanca; second for shawing the best way to play endgames, of course with Capablancas recommendation. Thanx again for sharing...

by tham123 - 2 years ago
Colombo Sri Lanka
Member Since: Oct 2009
Member Points: 136

Am amazed at capablanca's confidence in his moves!

Thanks for the article!

by kinaham - 2 years ago
cebu city Philippines
Member Since: Dec 2009
Member Points: 2

thx:)

by dark_knightB - 2 years ago
florida United States
Member Since: Jul 2008
Member Points: 138

interesting end game

by RC_Woods - 2 years ago
Nijmegen Netherlands
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 1000

Nice article :). I always wonder to what extent players like Capablanca "see" the endgame once they enter it. It seems too much to assume they see it all the way through. I guess they just sort of 'feel' that there will be a lasting advantage..

by chesteroz - 2 years ago
Melbourne Australia
Member Since: Apr 2009
Member Points: 189

Thanks for posting this. A very enjoyable game. I played it over a few times to try and get a little of the feel of Capablanca's endgame play.

 

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