Sunday, December 22

Capablanca defeats Dus-Chotimirsky with masterful attack, wins match 2-0

Cuban chess star José Capablanca recovered from his recent loss at the hands of Eugene Znosko-Borovsky to defeat Fyodor Dus-Chotimirsky in the second game of their exhibition match at St. Petersburg, thereby deciding the contest in his favor by a 2-0 score.  Capablanca, playing White in a Ruy Lopez, unleashed a sudden and unexpected attack with the pawn advance 25.e5!, the first of a series of hammer-blows - 26.e6, 28.Nf5!, 30.Qc6! - whose cumulative effect shattered the Black defenses.  Dus-Chotimirsky soon found himself in a hopeless endgame an exchange to the bad, and despite a prolonged, even spiteful resistance, was at last compelled to resign after the capture of his last piece at the 47th move, by which point Capablanca possessed an extra Queen and Rook. Lovers of fine chess will find much to admire in Capablanca's conduct of the game, and of its decisive attack in particular.  

With this latest victory Capablanca has now won four of the five games he has contested against the Russian Masters ranged against him, with only his return game against Alexander Alekhine remaining to be played. That encounter is slated for the 23rd of December, and when it comes to hand we will share it with our readers forthwith.




  

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