White: Mikhail Botvinnik Black: José Capablanca Tournament: AVRO, Netherlands 1938
Opening:
Nimzo-Indian Defense, Normal Line (
ECO E40)
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 :White gets
doubled pawns but they quickly get undoubled.
6... c5 7. cxd5 exd5 8. Bd3 0-0 9. Ne2 b6 10. 0-0 Ba6 11. Bxa6 Nxa6 12. Bb2 Qd7 13. a4 Rfe8 14. Qd3 c4 :After the game, Botvinnik suggested 14...Qb7 as an alternative here.
15. Qc2 Nb8 16. Rae1 Nc6 17. Ng3 Na5 18. f3 :White prepares to make use of his central in order to gain , and, later on, to attack Black's king. Black's knight moves to an outpost on the b3-square, but it proves unable to defend against White's advances.
18... Nb3 19. e4 Qxa4 20. e5 Nd7 21. Qf2 g6 22. f4 f5 23. exf6 e.p. Nxf6 24. f5 Rxe1 25. Rxe1 Re8? 26. Re6 Rxe6 27. fxe6 Kg7 28. Qf4 Qe8 29. Qe5? Qe7? (see diagram) :According to
Graham Burgess, Black's best try was 29...h6 30.h4! (30.Ne2 might
draw) 30...Na5! 31.Bc1! Qe7 32.Bg5! with winning chances for White; however, the move played leads to a tactical
combination that wins instantly.
30. Ba3 :White draws Black's queen away from blockading the
passed pawn.
30... Qxa3 :Black has no choice because otherwise White's passed pawn advances (31.e7).
31. Nh5+! :This
sacrifice of the knight must be accepted because of the
fork of Black's knight and king. Black's knight cannot take White's, however, due to the
pin on it by White's queen. White regains the knight by a queen fork next move.
31... gxh5 32. Qg5+ Kf8 33. Qxf6+ Kg8 34. e7 Qc1+ 35. Kf2 Qc2+ 36. Kg3 Qd3+ 37. Kh4 Qe4+ 38. Kxh5 Qe2+ 39. Kh4 Qe4+ 40. g4 Qe1+ 41. Kh5 :Black is out of useful
checks and is faced with the threat of
mate with Qf8. If 41...h6, then White
promotes the pawn after 42.Qg6+ Kh8 43.e8=Q+, mating after 43...Qxe8 44.Qxe8+ Kg7 45.Qe7+ followed by 46.Kxh6 and 47.Qg7#. '''''' :Black
resigned. == See also ==