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Jose Raul Capablanca vs Vera Menchik
Moscow (1935), Moscow URS, rd 17, Mar-11
King's Indian Defense: Saemisch. Orthodox Variation (E85)  ·  1-0

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
1-0

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

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Given 27 times; par: 46 [what's this?]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Dec-26-03  Lawrence: Menchik should have played 31.....Be5 but even without her mistake Capa was swarming all over her and Junior 8 was showing an advantage of +4.86.
Oct-08-04  mynameisrandy: Capa did one of his classic crushes that he does so well, cramming his opponent up where they started. Look at Menchik's position after 22. Everything but her bishop is on the back rank.
Oct-06-05  notyetagm: Capablanca plays 29 ♖f1 preparing the upcoming combination. Capablanca then plays 30 f4 exf4 31 ♗xf4, opening the h2-b8 diagonal so that his more active pieces can strike at one of Black's weaknesses, the pawn chain base at d6. Due to Black's lack of maneuvering space Black can defend the d6-pawn only with her king (31 ... ♔d7). But then Capablanca unleashes his combination with 32 ♗xd6!, the point being that 32 ... ♕xd6 33 ♖f7+ wins easily, revealing why he played 29 ♖f1 first.

Capablanca's petite combination is based on the recurring tactical motif that <when there are N attackers and N defenders (<LOOSENESS>) and one of those defenders is the enemy king, you should trade down until the enemy king is the only defender>. Then tactics can be used on the resulting 1 attacker 1 defender (enemy king) position, here 33 ♖f7+! <removing the guard>.

Apr-09-06  whatthefat: 23...f6? was a decisive blunder.
Jan-14-08  notyetagm: <notyetagm: ... But then Capablanca unleashes his combination with 32 Bf4xd6!, the point being that 32 ... Qe7xBd6?? 33 Rf1-f7+ wins easily, revealing why he played 29 Rg1-f1 first.>


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Jan-14-08  RookFile: 8.... Bd7 was a little too slow.
Jan-14-08  notyetagm: <RookFile: 8.... Bd7 was a little too slow.>

Yes.

Feb-22-09  WhiteRook48: 23...f6 might have over-extended the f7 pawn
Jul-31-09  totololo: The real nice move is 26...Nf5 in the preparation of the final blow....
Oct-06-12  Garech: Great game from Capa! Will try and think up a pun now.

Cheers,

-Garech

Jun-06-15  GoodBisop: Grech, how about "man versus chick" or "man and chick" :)
Nov-13-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  OhioChessFan: "Here's Looking At Your KID"
Nov-13-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  MissScarlett: Ahem, Tarrasch vs Euwe, 1923
Nov-13-15
Premium Chessgames Member
  OhioChessFan: GMTA and so do ours. I was going on the Capablanca/Casablanca angle, and the opponent being a female.
Nov-13-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Jonathan Sarfati: Probably the best of Capablanca's 9 wins over Menchick. But it's notable that Stockfish keeps suggesting h5, which is a more normal attacking move in this line.

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