Botvinnik versus Capablanca, AVRO 1938

Botvinnik versus Capablanca is a game of chess that was played at the AVRO 1938 tournament between future World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik (as White) and past World Champion José Raúl Capablanca (as Black), won by Botvinnik.Garry Kasparov wrote:

[...] Botvinnik played what was altogether the "game of his life" against Capablanca. It was not just that it was judged the most brilliant in the tournament and to be worth two first prizes, but it was even suggested that, by analogy with the "immortal" and "evergreen" games, it should be called "peerless" or "classical"!

White: Mikhail Botvinnik   Black: José Capablanca   Tournament: AVRO, Netherlands 1938   Opening: Nimzo-Indian Defense (ECO E49)

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e3 d5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3

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

15. Qc2 Nb8 16. Rae1 Nc6 17. Ng3 Na5 18. f3

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)

30. Ba3!

30... Qxa3

31. Nh5+!

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 1–0

Bibliography

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Wikipedia