Last Game (#14): WCM 1921 Capablanca vs. Lasker

White:  Lasker

Black: Capablanca

1921 Apr-20 Havana, Cub

Round 14

This is the final game of the series, in which I will analyse all the games of the World Championship Match year 1921. First, I will play the game with guess a move -method. Then, I will prepare an analysis of the game, including some candidate lines in all positions. I will also compare my notes to Capa's own notes. All this will be done without the help of a computer. I try to do an abstract of Capa's playing style, and find some important things to learn from every game. Finally, I will check the lines with computer.

The style of Capablanca: The 14th game is again a Ruy Lopez. This time Lasker plays the move 7. Bxc6, trying to surprise Capablanca. The game is rather equal, but then Lasker aims at playing f2-f4 initiating a K-side attack. He does the right thing, imo, and tries to create chances because he is behind in the WCM points. The position gets very intense, until Lasker makes a tactical blunder in time trouble and Capablanca wins the exchange. The rest of the game, Capablanca converts the advantage with precision, until the very elegant end. In this game, I learned a number of important lessons.

THE LESSONS learned by me:

1. (14.1)  PLEASE REMEMBER TO PUT YOUR PAWNS ON THE SAME COLOURED SQUARES AS THE COLOUR OF YOUR OPPONENTS BISHOP. Move 15. c4. Lasker.

2. (14.2) MASTERS WANT ACTIVITY AND LIKE TO HIT SOFT TARGETS WITHOUT DELAY. Verbal variation 18.-Re7. Capablanca.

3. (14.3) DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THREATS AGAINST THE KING. Move 24.-Qh5. Capablanca.

4. (14.4) A TRUE MASTER CAN ADMIT A MISTAKE AND MOVE THE PIECE BACK. Move 27.-Qh5. Capablanca.

5. (14.5) BEWARE PUSHES HITTING A VALUABLE PIECE AND A PAWN SIMULTANEOUSLY. Variation 28. b4 c5. Stockfish.

6. (14.6) WHEN IN A (MATERIALLY) WORSE POSITION, KEEP YOUR FIGHTING SPIRIT AND TRY TO EXCHANGE AS MANY PAWNS (BUT NOT PIECES) AS POSSIBLE. Move 38. b4. Lasker.

7. (14.7) YOU SHOULD AVOID CAPTURING A PIECE SO THAT OPPONENTS PIECE OCCUPIES A GOOD POSITION AFTER RECAPTURING. FURTHERMORE, PLEASE KINDLY TRY TO REMEMBER THAT A ROOK BELONGS TO THE OPEN FILE. Move 40.-Ra8. Capablanca.

8. (14.8) MASTERS WANT ACTIVE AND MULTIPURPOSE MOVES. Move 41.-Qe5. Capablanca.