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Play Against Capablanca

% Complete: N/A
Avg. Score: N/A

Author: IM Igor Khmelnitsky
Category: Games
Avg. Rating: 1622

Dear chess friend,

In this course we will continue discussion about the critical positions. Just to refresh your memory, I'd like to re-emphasize the following critical steps of your decision making that are necessary to succeed in chess:

1. Recognizing the critical position (i.e. your opponent has created a threat or the one when you have an opportunity to create or execute a threat). 2. Spend time and assess such situation properly and come up with quality move-candidates. 3. Come up with the best move applying your general knowledge combined with an accurate calculation.

Experienced players go through this process naturally. For improving player, I recommend to break it down in the steps mentioned above. When you start doing it methodically like this, you will be able to make better decisions and get etter results, no matter who you are playing against. Even the world champion can be drawn or even beaten if you maintain your focus and your composure.

In the past, I already showed you examples from Fischer's games as well as from Lasker's games. Here I have collected 25 examples from the games of another chess legend - 3rd World Champion Jose Raul Capablanca. While he was the World champion for only 6 years, Capablanca has been always considered as an extremely remarkable player. Capablanca lost only 35 serious games (as an adult), and went undefeated in 63 games during 8 year stretch which included some strong tournaments as well as his title match for the World Championship against Emanuel Lasker in 1921. Even Alekhine, who wrestled the World Championship from Capablanca had utmost respect for the latter: "How did it happen that he lost to me? I must confess that even now I cannot answer that question with certainty, since in 1927 I did not believe that I was superior to him."

Capablanca had great feel for the game, excellent judgement of position and loved playing simple positions and endgames. He could play tactically when necessary.

In each of the 25 examples, you will 'partner' with Capablanca's opponent and be given an opportunity to examine Capablanca's last move, identify Capablanca's objectives, come up with your move-candidates and execute the best move (and often a series of moves). This is your chance to 'virtually' compete against one of the best chess players ever. He will put serious pressure on you - create threats and be evasive, attack you and fiercely defend. The positions will range from Middlegame to Endgame, Tactics to Strategy, Easy to Complex....

If you take your time and maintain your focus, you can do well in this task. And if you can do well against Capablanca, then you can play well against anyone. Just keep working on improving your calculational skills and increasing your knowledge base.

Good luck!

-IM Igor Khmelnitsky

Lessons:

#LessonCategoryRatingMy Score
PAC001 Saemisch - Capablanca, Karlsbad 1929 Tactics 1400 -
PAC002 Capablanca - Hoffman, 1922 Strategy 1400 -
PAC003 Alekhine - Capablanca, 1927 Endgames 1600 -
PAC004 Capablanca - Bain, 1933 Tactics 1400 -
PAC005 Euwe - Capablanca, 1938 Endgames 1600 -
PAC006 Capablanca - Alekhine, 1927 Strategy 1600 -
PAC007 Alekhine - Capablanca, 1927 Tactics 1600 -
PAC008 Eliskases - Capablanca, 1937 Endgames 1400 -
PAC009 Capablanca - Thomas, 1919 Tactics 1600 -
PAC010 Winter - Capablanca, 1936 Strategy 1400 -
PAC011 Capablanca - Adams, 1915 Strategy 1600 -
PAC012 Marshall - Capablanca, 1909 Tactics 1600 -
PAC013 Capablanca - Molina, 1914 Tactics 1800 -
PAC014 Janowski - Capablanca, 1913 Endgames 1400 -
PAC015 Capablanca - Dake, 1931 Endgames 1600 -
PAC016 Nimzowitsch - Capablanca, 1927 Strategy 1600 -
PAC017 Lilienthal - Capablanca, 1935 Tactics 1800 -
PAC018 Capablanca - Fonaroff, 1918 Tactics 1800 -
PAC019 Alekhine - Capablanca, 1927 Strategy 1800 -
PAC020 Alekhine - Capablanca, 1927 Endgames 1600 -
PAC021 Capablanca - Alekhine, 1927 Tactics 1800 -
PAC022 Tarrasch - Capablanca, 1914 Tactics 1800 -
PAC023 Bernstein - Capablanca, 1914 Strategy 1600 -
PAC024 Capablanca - Marshall, 1914 Tactics 1800 -
PAC025 Botvinnik - Capablanca, 1938 Endgames 2000 -
PAC026 Capablanca - Alekhine, 1927 Strategy 1400 -
PAC027 Capablanca - Janowski, 1916 Endgames 1800 -