[Event "St.Petersburg"] [Site "?"] [Round "0"] [White "Lasker"] [Black "Capablanca"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C68"] [Opening "Spanish: Exchange, 4...dxc6"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d4 exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 Bd6 {In the Exchange Variation the bishop pair can be very useful to Black, but White has a pawn majority on the kingside.} 8. Nc3 Ne7 {This is a very natural position for the knight, which can move to g6 or c6 as required. At the same time, it is less of a target for White's pieces when it is on e7, compared to the more exposed position on f6.} 9. O-O O-O 10. f4 { This creates a weakness on the a7-g1 diagonal.} 10... Re8 {11.e5 Bc5 12.Be3 Bxd4 13.Bxd4 Nd5 White has a passed pawn, but a blockade can be set up on the e6-square.} 11. Nb3 {11.h3 Bc5 12.Be3 Nd5 There are two pins in this position, on the knight at d4 and the bishop at e3.} 11... f6 {This is a mistake, creating a weakness. White's threat of advancing the pawn to e5 was not so dangerous.} 12. f5 {An important move, and a strong one. White concedes control of e5, but takes the e6-square.} 12... b6 {An attempt to bring the bishop to a useful diagonal. But that piece would have functioned better as a defender at d7. 12...Bd7 Black could now bring the rook from a8 to d8, and then retreat the bishop to c8 if necessary.} 13. Bf4 Bb7 { Black should just have captured at f4.} 14. Bxd6 cxd6 { The Black pawns on the queenside are weak.} 15. Nd4 { Capablanca had just overlooked this move.} 15... Rad8 16. Ne6 { This infiltration of the outpost at e6 puts Black in real trouble.} 16... Rd7 17. Rad1 Nc8 {17...c5 A strong move. 18.Nd5 Bxd5 19.exd5 b5 Black will transfer the knight via c8-b6-d7-e5 and will then have a good position, as noted by Capablanca.} 18. Rf2 b5 19. Rfd2 Rde7 20. b4 Kf7 21. a3 Ba8 { 21...Rxe6 This was the best move available, since the knight at e6 was so powerful. 22.fxe6+ Rxe6 Can White win this position? It won't be easy.} 22. Kf2 Ra7 23. g4 h6 24. Rd3 a5 25. h4 axb4 26. axb4 Rae7 {A mistake. 26...Ra3 Black seizes the open lines and will bring the knight into the game via b6.} 27. Kf3 Rg8 28. Kf4 {A serious error. The correct move was 28.Rg3.} 28... g6 { Now it is Black's turn to go astray. 28...g5+ was correct.} 29. Rg3 g5+ 30. Kf3 Nb6 31. hxg5 hxg5 32. Rh3 Rd7 33. Kg3 Ke8 34. Rdh1 Bb7 35. e5 dxe5 36. Ne4 Nd5 37. N6c5 Bc8 38. Nxd7 Bxd7 39. Rh7 Rf8 40. Ra1 Kd8 41. Ra8+ Bc8 42. Nc5 1-0