the game would finish with a draw.
Georg Mohr:
1...Ke5 2.Kd3
There is no solution left. After 2.Lc5 Le7
Capablanca and the endgames 3.Lg1 Ke4 4.Lf2 Ld6 5.a4 Lb8 the game
would finish with, for this kind of endgames,
There is a general belief that the third world typical zug zwang.
champion, grandmaster Jose Raoul 2...Kf4 3.Ld6 Le5 4.Lc5 Kg3 5.Ke4 Lf4
Capablanca was a genius in the endgames. 6.d6 f2 0:1.
His play in the final part of the game was
thought to be perfect and practically It is interesting that Capablanca s opponents
infallible  if you wanted to defeat the in most cases played badly in the endgames;
Cuban, you needed to outplay him earlier. they played worse than they knew. They
Aleksander Alehin was aware of that and he played like that probably out of fear. The
was closely studying the endgames before Cuban managed to save more lost and equal
their match (Buenos Aires 1927). It is positions that anyone before.
interesting that Aljehin, after a couple of
months preparing, did not mention the Blanco J. : Capablanca J.R.
endgames anymore. He obviously came to a Havana 1901
conclusion that his knowledge of endgames
XIIIIIIIIY
was no weaker than Capablanca s.
9-+-+-+-sn0
Analysis after decades, when a legend about
9+-+-+-+P0
Capablanca was fading, put things in place.
9p+-+-mK-+0
Capablanca was, without a doubt, a master
of endgames, but in spite of all that, there
9+p+k+-+-0
were mistakes present in his games.
9-zP-+-+-+0
Something is true for certain: a general
9zP-+-+-+-0
playing level in the endgames was very low
9-+-+-+-+0
at that time.
9+-+-+-+-0
Capablanca J.R. : Marshall F.
xiiiiiiiiy
Havana 1913
1.Kg7??
XIIIIIIIIY
White would draw after simple 1.Ke7! Ke5
9-+-+-vL-+0
2.Kd7.
1...Ke6! 2.Kf8 Kf6 3.Ke8
9+-+-+-+-0
3.Kg8 Kg6! 4.Kh8 Kf7 and after 5.a4 ba4
9p+-+kvl-zp0
Black will mate from a1.
9+-+-+-zp-0
3...Kg7 4.Kd7 Sg6 5.Kc6 Se5 6.Kb6 Sc4
9-+KzP-+P+0
7.Ka6 Sa3
The knight cannot be attacked, Black s king
9+-+-+p+P0
will first deal with the h pawn and later
9P+-+-+-+0
move to the queenside.
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
1.d5?
Where are you going? After 1.Kd3 Ld4
2.Lh6 Kf6 3.Lf8 the bishop returns to g3 and
FIDE Surveys  Georg Mohr 1
Marquez Sterling M. : Capablanca J.R. champion, after he won against Corzo.
Havana 1901 Completely undeservedly: at that time Corzo
was still a much better player than
XIIIIIIIIY
Capablanca in every aspect of the game
9-+-+-+-+0
except the endgames &
9+P+-+-+-0
9-+k+-sNp+0
Capablanca J.R. : Corzo y Prinzipe J.
Havana 1901
9+-+-vl-+p0
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-+0
9-+-+r+k+0
9+-+K+-+P0
9+R+-+-zpp0
9-+-+-+P+0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9vL-zPp+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
9-+-zP-sn-+0
50.g4
After 50.Ke4 Lg3 51.Kf3 (Khalifman
9+-+-+K+-0
analyzed 51.Sd5? g5 52.Sf6 g4!, Draw)
9-+-+-+-+0
51...Ld6 52.h4!! Kb7 53.Sd5 Kc6 54.Sf4
9+-+-+-+-0
Le7 55.Sg6 Kd6 56.g3, then Sf4 and the
xiiiiiiiiy
final result would be clear.
50...Kb7 ½. 42...Se6 ?
After 42...Se2 a pawn would be lost d4 and
Capablanca J.R. : Echevarria C. White could just resign.
Havana 1901 43.Lc3 Tc8
Black waited without a reason - after 43& h5
XIIIIIIIIY
his position would probably still be winning.
9-+-+-+-+0
44.Td7 Td8 45.Te7 Sg5 46.Kg4 Kf8
9zp-+-+-+-0
47.Tb7 Se4 48.Lb4 Tc8 49.c6 ½.
9-+-tr-+-zp0
Corzo y Prinzipe J. : Capablanca J.R.
9+-zP-mk-zp-0
Havana 1901
9P+-tRp+P+0
XIIIIIIIIY
9+-+-zP-+-0
9-+-+-+-+0
9-+-+-mK-+0
9zPR+-+-+-0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-+-+-zpk+0
xiiiiiiiiy
9+-+p+-+-0
Now let us see what is possible in chess!
9-+-zP-mK-+0
Capablanca s opponent played brilliantly for
40 moves and instead of drawing, after
9+P+-+P+-0
44& Tc6 45.Tc4 Kd5, he began to play
9r+-+-+lzP0
completely without a sense for direction.
9+-+-+-+-0
44...Td4?? 45.ed4 Kd5 46.Ke3 a5
xiiiiiiiiy
And now a small triangle.
47.Kf2 Kc6 48.Ke2! Kd5 49.Ke3 1:0. After
40.Tb8?
In 1901 Capablanca was crowned as Cuban The games quickly ended with a draw. After
FIDE Surveys  Georg Mohr 2
simple 40.h4! Ta3 41.h5! Kh5 42.Kf5 Kh6 Capablanca did not find a winning plan:
43.Kf6 Lf3 44.b4 Le2 45.b5 White would 51.Kc6! (with the idea Lb6)
have a chance for winning. 51...Tc2 52.Kb5 Tb2 53.Ka6, with a win for
40...Ta7, White.
And the opponents agreed on a draw. ½. In the game was played:
51.Kc8? Ke8
Capablanca J.R. : Corzo y Prinzipe J. At this point Black drew. After 51...f4!
Havana 1901 52.b8D Tb8 53.Kb8 f3 54.Lb6 h5 55.Lf2 g5!
56.hg5 Kg6 the final result would be the
XIIIIIIIIY
same.
9-+-+-+-mk0
52.Lc7 h6 53.b8D Tb8 54.Lb8 g5 55.hg5
9+-mK-+-+-0
hg5 56.Lc7 f4 57.Ld8 g4 58.Lg5 f3 59.Lh4
9-+-zP-+-zp0
Kf7 60.Kd7 1:0. .
9+-sN-+-zp-0
Marshall F. : Capablanca J.R.
9-+P+-+-+0
New York 1909
9zp-+-+-+-0
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+-zP0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+r+-+-0
9+-+-+p+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
9-+-+-mK-+0
This was a third games of the match. Corzo
9zp-+kzP-+-0
was leading with 2:0. If he would win this
9P+-+-tR-+0
game too, Capablanca certainly would not be
able to put himself together anymore. Who
9+-+-+-trP0
knows, what the history books would say in
9-+-+-+-+0
that case? The question is simple: with
9+-+-+-+-0
which pawn we should proceed?
xiiiiiiiiy
53...a2?
After 53...g4! the knight on c5 would block White is winning simply: 46.h4 Tc3 47.Tf5
the way of his own passed pawn. Ke4 48.h5 Tc6 49.Kg5 Tc1 50.Tf7 etc.
54.Sb3 g4 55.d7 h5 56.d8D Td8 57.Kd8 h4 Marshal wanted to win the game faster.
58.c5 g3 59.hg3 hg3 60.c6 g2 61.c7 ½. 46.Tf5? Ke4 47.Th5?
The move 47.Tf1 would still be better.
Capablanca J. : Ward W.
47...Tf3 48.Ke7 Tf4 49.Tg5 Kd4 50.Th5
New York 1906
Kc3 51.Th7 Tf5 52.Kd6 Kb3 53.Th4 Tf3
XIIIIIIIIY
54.Ke7 Te3 55.Kf7 Te5 56.Tg4
9-+-vL-+-+0
Even better would be 56.Tf4!?
9+P+K+k+p0 56...Tc5 57.Tf4 Tc7 58.Kg6 Tb7! 59.h4
Tb4 60.Kg5 Ka4! 61.h5 Ka3! 62.h6 Tb8
9-+-+p+p+0
63.h7 a4 64.Th4 Th8 ½.
9+-+-zPp+-0
9-+-+-+-zP0
9+-+-+-+-0
9-tr-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
FIDE Surveys  Georg Mohr 3
Burgess E. : Capablanca J.R. 63.f6 Kd6 64.f7 Ke7 65.Kd2 and he would
New York 1906 keep some advantage.
62...Sb4 63.Ld5 Sd5 64.ed5 Kd5 65.f5 b4
XIIIIIIIIY
½.
9-+R+-tr-mk0
9+-+-+-zp-0
Capablanca J.R. : Reti R.
9R+-+L+-zp0
Vienna 1914
9+-+P+-+-0 XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+psn-+0 9-+-+-+k+0
9+-+-+-+P0 9+-+-+pzpp0
9-+-+r+PmK0 9p+-zpr+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+-zp-+l+-0
xiiiiiiiiy 9-+-+-+-+0
Capablanca played:
9+-zP-vL-+-0
38...Se6
9PzP-+-zPPzP0
His opponent unexpectedly resigned! After
9+-+R+-mK-0
39.Taa8 the game would end in draw!
xiiiiiiiiy
We have to mention that Capablanca had a
winning position a move earlier: 38...Tg2 For a defeat in this kind of endgame, soviet
39.Kh1 Tc8 40.Lc8 e3 41.Te6 Se6 42.Kg2 trainers took away the categories from their
Sf4 43.Kf3 Sd5 44.La6 g5! pupils &
0:1. 25.b4 cb4 26.cb4 h6
It was possible also 26...Lc2 27.Tc1 La4
Chajes O. : Capablanca J. 28.Tc8 Te8 etc.
New York 1911 27.a4 Lc2 28.Ta1 Te4 29.b5!
An attempt of penetration.
XIIIIIIIIY
29& Ta4 30.Tc1 Le4 31.b6 Kf8?
9-+-+-+-+0
Who knows why? After the preventive
9+-+-+-+-0
31...Tb4 White would not win the game.
9p+k+-+-zp0
32.f3 Ld5 33.Tc8 Ke7 34.b7 Lb7 35.Tc7
Black is left without a piece and after a
9+p+p+L+-0
couple of moves he resigned.
9-zP-zP-zP-+0
9+-sn-zP-+P0
There is a famous statement in the boxing
9-+-+-+-+0
world: In boxing there are no invincible
boxers, there are only those who fall rarely«.
9+-+-mK-+-0
Capablanca could relate to this statement.
xiiiiiiiiy
Even the endgames in which the Cuban
In the game followed:
 fell are instructive &
61.Le6?
White would keep his winning chances after
61.Lc8! Sa2 (61...Kb6 62.Kd2! Sa2 63.f5
and White is winning)
62.La6 Sb4 63.Lc8.
61...Sa2 62.e4?
White had a better possibility: 62.f5!? Sb4
FIDE Surveys  Georg Mohr 4
Rubinstein A. : Capablanca J.R. Capablanca J.R. : Reti R.
San Sebastian 1911 New York 1924
XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+L+0 9r+-+-+k+0
9+-+-+-+-0 9zpp+-+-zpp0
9-mkn+-+-+0 9-+n+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+R0 9+-+-+-+-0
9pzp-+-+-zP0 9-+-zp-zP-+0
9+-+P+-zP-0 9+-+P+N+-0
9Ptr-+-zPK+0 9PzP-+-+-zP0
9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+-tR-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy
White has a huge advantage and Capablanca It is hard to believe that Black lost in this
is left with only one attempt of counter play. position after around ten moves. He has
He sacrificed all the pawns on the kingside some trouble with the d pawn, but the right
and created threats on the queenside. solution is simple: 24...Td8 25.Te4 h6!, then
If Rubinstein would recognize the danger, he Kf7, Td5 and Black certainly does not have
would play a preventive 38.Lc4!, This would to lose.
end the battle immediately. But the great Let us see how did Reti continue.
Akiba obviously thought that all moves were 24...Kf8 25.Te4 Te8 26.Kf2 h6?
winning: This move is unnecessary. After 26...Te4
38.Ld5? 27.de4 Sb4 28.Sd4 Sa2 29.Sc2 Sc1 the
Incredibly, Capablanca did not recognize his knight would successfully return to the play.
opportunity. 27.Se5! Se5
38...b3? Black already has troubles, which are not
Instead of 38...Ta2!! 39.Th6! (the only easy to get rid of. From the first sight the
move, which can guarantee a winning point. transposition to the rook endgame seemed
After 39.La2 b3 Black would be the one like the best idea.
celebrating; after 39.Lc4 Tc2 40.Tb5 Kc7 28.fe5 Kf7 29.Kf3 Td8 30.Tg4 g5 31.h4!
41.Lg8 a3 42.h5 a2 43.La2 Ta2 44.h6 Ta6! The creation of weaknesses!
The game ends with draw!) 39...Tc2 40.h5 31& Kg6
b3 41.Te6 b2 42.La2 Tc1 43.h6 Ta1 44.h7 Even 31...Ke6 cannot help Black, for
Ta2 45.h8D b1D 46.Db8. example 32.hg5 h5 33.Th4 Ke5 34.Th5 Kf5
39.ab3 a3 40.Lc6 Tb3 41.Ld5 a2 42.Th6 35.Th7.
1:0. 32.hg5 hg5 33.Ke4 Kh5 34.Tg1 Kh4 35.e6
The counter play with pawns is too late. g4 36.e7! 1:0.
FIDE Surveys  Georg Mohr 5
Capablanca J.R. : Fine R. couple of moves.
AVRO 1938 1:0.
XIIIIIIIIY
Eliskases E. : Capablanca J.R.
9-+-+-+R+0
Semmering 1937
9+-+-+p+-0
XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+pmk-zp0
9-+-+-+-+0
9+-+-+-+-0
9+k+-+-+-0
9-+-+p+PzP0
9-zP-+-+-zp0
9+-+-zP-mK-0
9mK-+-+-+-0
9-tr-+-zP-+0
9-+-+-+-zP0
9+-+-+-+-0
9+-+L+-+-0
xiiiiiiiiy
9-+-+-+l+0
Sledilo je:
9+-+-+-+-0
39.g5 hg5 40.Tg5
xiiiiiiiiy
Capablanca did not see (or he miscalculated)
the known maneuver: 40.h5! Tb1 41.Kg2! In this simple position Capablanca s
g4 42.h6 Tb5 43.h7 and Black can stop the reaction was wrong:
pawn only with giving up his rook. 61.La6 Kc6?
40...Tb8 41.Kh3 e5 42.Tg1 ½. Black would draw after 61...Kb8! 62.Kb4
Lb7! 63.Le2 (the pawn ending after 63.Lb7
Capablanca J.R. : Alekhine A. Kb7 64.Kc5 h5 ends with a draw) 63...Lg2
Buenos Aires 1927 64.Kc5 Kb7 65.Kd6 Kb6 66.Ke6 Kc6
67.Kf6 Kd6 68.Kg6 Ke7 69.Kh6 Kf8, with a
XIIIIIIIIY
transposition to a theoretically drawn
9-+-+-+-+0
position.
9+-+-+p+-0
62.Lc8! Lf1 63.Lg4 Ld3 64.Lf3 Kd6
9-+N+-mkp+0
65.Lb7 Le2 66.La6 Lf3 67.Lf1 Lb7
68.Lh3! Ke7
9+-vlP+-+-0
Ali 68...Kc5 69.Lg4 Kc4 70.Le2 Kc5 71.La6
9-+-+-+P+0
Lf3 72.Lc8+-, Averbah.
9+-+-+K+-0
69.Kb5 Kd6 70.Lg4! Ke7 71.Kc5 Lg2
9-+-+-zP-+0
72.Lc8 Kd8 73.La6
Ali 73.Le6 in 74.Ld5.
9+-+-+-+-0
73...Lf3 1:0.
xiiiiiiiiy
Aljehin could choose 55...Ld6! And Black s
A conclusion: Capablanca was a master of
defense cannot be broke down. But he chose:
queen and combined endgames. In the
55...Kg5? 56.Se5!!+- Ld4?
endgames with light pieces he played
Or 56...La3 57.d6 Kf6 58.d7 Ke7 59.Sf7
weaker.His weak points were the rook
Kd7 60.Se5+-.
endgames, which were for a long period of
57.Sf7 Kf6 58.Sd8 Lb6
time believed to be his strong points.
58...Ke5? 59.Sc6+-.
59.Sc6 Lc5 60.Kf4!+- Lf2 61.g5 Kf7 62.Se5
Ke7 63.Sg6 Kd6 64.Ke4
Black lost another pawn and resigned after a
FIDE Surveys  Georg Mohr 6