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(45) Capablanca – Bogoljubow Ruy Lopez [C91] London 1922 This great fighting game reveals the true stature of a world champion. Capablanca’s victory not only disposed of a formidable rival in the tournament, it also took on genuine historical importance. This magnificent struggle, so taxing in all its phases, was Capablanca’s first encounter with an outstanding hypermodern master. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 It is more customary to continue with 8...Na5 9.Bc2 c5 as for example in game 40. However Black has a new continuation in mind. 9.d4 As Black is now able to secure a good game, it subsequently became customary to preface the advance of the d-pawn with h3, preventing the annoying ...Bg4. 9...exd4 More exact is 9...Bg4 10.Be3 exd4 11.cxd4 Na5 leading into the text continuation. 10.cxd4 Bg4 The inexactitude of Black’s opening play could now be demonstrated by 11.Nc3! (the early exchange of pawns has made this effective development possible) as played by Lasker against the same opponent a year later at Maehrisch- 11.Be3 Na5 12.Bc2 Nc4 13.Bc1 c5 14.b3 Na5 [Diagram] White’s losses of time have been more apparent than real, as Black’s a5-knight has also lost time. But it cannot be denied that Black has obtained a satisfactory position. 15.Bb2 Nc6 16.d5 Nb4 17.Nbd2 Nxc2 It is indicative of the tense character of the coming struggle that this exchange is advantageous for both (!) players: It rids Black of the useless knight, while it removes White’s c2-bishop, which could have little value while hemmed in by White pawns. Furthermore, Black’s queenside majority of pawns is compensated by White’s preponderance in the center. Finally, Black has two bishops, but his best course is to exchange one or both of them! 18.Qxc2 Re8 19.Qd3 In order to play Nf1, but Capablanca now considers that 19.a4 at once would have been more exact (see Black’s 24th move). Black likewise would have continued more effectively by playing ...Nd7 immediately. 19...h6 20.Nf1 Nd7 21.h3 Bh5?!
