Botvinnik vs Capablanca, 1938

Botvinnik’s 30.Ba3 pulls Capablanca’s queen off the e-file so 31.Nh5+ and the e-pawn can run. The combination is calculated past a long check sequence.

White: Mikhail Botvinnik
Black: José Raúl Capablanca
Event: AVRO, Rotterdam
Year: 1938
Result: 1-0

Critical position

After 29... Qe7. White to move.

Take over as White vs Maia

Step through

29... Qe7

Annotated score

1. d4 (best) Nf6 (best)
2. c4 (best) e6 (best)
3. Nc3 (excellent) Bb4 (excellent)
4. e3 (best) d5 (excellent)
5. a3 (good) Bxc3+ (best)
6. bxc3 (best) c5 (good)
7. cxd5 (excellent) exd5 (best)
8. Bd3 (best) O-O (best)
9. Ne2 (best) b6 (best)
10. O-O (best) Ba6 (best)
11. Bxa6 (excellent) Nxa6 (best)
12. Bb2 (good) Qd7 (excellent)
13. a4 (excellent) Rfe8 (excellent)
14. Qd3 (excellent) c4 (best)
15. Qc2 (best) Nb8 (best)
16. Rae1 (best) Nc6 (best)
17. Ng3 (best) Na5 (good)
18. f3 (best) Nb3 (inaccuracy)
19. e4 (best) Qxa4 (inaccuracy)
e4: 19.e4 starts the central pawn roll that the whole game is about.
20. e5 (mistake) Nd7 (inaccuracy)
21. Qf2 (good) g6 (best)
22. f4 (excellent) f5 (best)
23. exf6 (excellent) Nxf6 (best)
24. f5 (good) Rxe1 (best)
25. Rxe1 (best) Re8 (best)
26. Re6 (best) Rxe6 (best)
27. fxe6 (best) Kg7 (inaccuracy)
28. Qf4 (good) Qe8 (best)
29. Qe5 (inaccuracy) Qe7 (inaccuracy)
30. Ba3 (best) Qxa3 (best)
Ba3: 30.Ba3. The queen must leave e7 or the pawn queens.
31. Nh5+ (best) gxh5 (blunder)
Nh5+: 31.Nh5+ must be taken. The knight on f6 is pinned.
32. Qg5+ (blunder) Kf8 (excellent)
33. Qxf6+ (inaccuracy) Kg8 (inaccuracy)
34. e7 (mistake) Qc1+ (inaccuracy)
e7: 34.e7 and the pawn is one square from a queen. The rest is checks.
35. Kf2 (good) Qc2+ (best)
36. Kg3 (best) Qd3+ (inaccuracy)
37. Kh4 (best) Qe4+ (best)
38. Kxh5 (best) Qe2+ (best)
39. Kh4 (best) Qe4+ (best)
40. g4 (best) Qe1+ (blunder)
41. Kh5 (blunder)