Jose Raul Capablanca vs. Ossip Bernstein (1911, Ruy Lopez Opening)

[Event "San Sebastian"]

[Site "San Sebastian"]

[Date "1911.2.20"]

[Round "1"]

[White "Jose Raul Capablanca"]

[Black "Ossip Bernstein"]

[Result "1-0"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 {This is a beautiful game featuring the Ruy Lopez

opening.} 3... Nf6 4. O-O Be7 5. Nc3 d6 6. Bxc6+ {This variation, where white

exchanges the bishop with the knight on c6, is rare these days. Taking the

bishop on c6 while creating a doubled pawn on the c-file to my mind is not

the strongest move compared with other variations.} 6... bxc6 7. d4 exd4 8.

Nxd4 Bd7 9. Bg5 O-O 10. Re1 h6 11. Bh4 Nh7 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. Qd3 Rab8 {Black

takes advantage of the open b-file. } 14. b3 Ng5 15. Rad1 Qe5 16. Qe3 Ne6 17.

Capablanca vs. Bernstein (after 28. Nfxg7)

Nce2 Qa5 {Black decides to attack on the queenside. Capablanca on the other hand opted to attack on the other side of the board.} 18. Nf5 Nc5 19. Ned4

Kh7 20. g4 {Capablanca presses on with his attack using the king's pawn.} 20... Rbe8 21. f3 Ne6 22. Ne2 Qxa2 {Capablanca ignores black's attack on the

queenside.} 23. Neg3 Qxc2 24. Rc1 Qb2 25. Nh5 Rh8 26. Re2 {Capablanca attacks Black's queen to remove it from protecting the g7 pawn.} 26... Qe5 27. f4 Qb5 28. Nfxg7 {After black's queen was forced to abandon the defense of the g7 pawn, Capablanca gobbles it up with the knight.} 28... Nc5 {After the exchange of knights, while can play Nf6+ with option to take the bishop on d7. White's attack at this point is already strong.} 29. Nxe8 Bxe8 30. Qc3 f6 {Other move also loses.} 31. Nxf6+ Kg6 32. Nh5 Rg8 33. f5+ {Instead of this move, Qf6+ is also winning.} 33... Kg5 34. Qe3+ 1-0