Throwdown at the Metropol
“It is astonishing how much hot water a master can wade into within the first dozen moves, despite a century of opening exploration.”
I have written before of the 1925 chess tournament at the Hotel Metropol in Moscow. It was a sensation in the young USSR. The Russian film ‘Chess Fever’ included scenes from it, and even a cameo at the beginning from the placid, brilliant champion, Capablanca, along with great live shots of some of the other masters of the time:
As every schoolchild know, this was the tournament where Efim Bogoljubov staked his claim to chess immortality, finishing first ahead of World Champion Capablanca, his predecessor Emmanuel Lasker, and American Champion Frank Marshall.
It was an eventful tournament for Capablanca. He lost a game when Ilyin-Genevsky, the father of Soviet Chess, sacrificed his queen to gain a winning advantage (see ‘Soldiers of the Great Struggle, linked below), admitting later that he had “played like a madman.”
It would not be the last time.
Capablanca was known for quiet, positionally correct chess. So perhaps, when Bogoljubov sat down to face him in the 19th round, he expected something sedate. But, Capablanca later noted, “in the present case White had to play for a win in order to come third…”.
Nevertheless everything went fine for Bogoljubov. At first.
The game, Bogoljubov on the left, (Photo Source: chesshistory.com)
Here are the first few moves of the game. I include a few comments from great masters, sourced from Edward Winter’s essay ‘Analytical Disaccord’ (linked below) as well as a few annotations from Stockfish, the grandmaster-level chess program I keep in the dock next to the Calculator.
Capablanca, playing White, essayed the Queen’s Gambit, which was basically a spinal reflex for him, Bogoljubov made as if to play the Orthodox Defense, but then took the offered pawn on the third move.
d4 d5
c4 e6
Nf6 d5xc4
According to reports, this is the last time anyone tried this for about 90 years.
Alekhine: “It is better to accept the gambit on the second move or the fourth.”
4. e4
Bogoljubov: “The books recommend 4 e3, but Black then has far fewer difficulties.”
4. …. c5
5. Bxc4 cxd4
6. Nxd4 Nf6
7. Nc3 Bc5
Stockfish: “This all looks ok.”
Bogoljubov: “This move has been censured by many critics, but unfortunately Black had nothing better.”
8. Be3 Nd7
Stockfish: “Should have castled.”
Lasker: “This continuation is too risky. With 8...O-O Black’s game would still be defendable.”
Alekhine: “A serious mistake. The only move was 8...O-O, after which Black would still have been able to put up a fight against White’s superior position, since White would have no direct threats.”
9. Bxe6
This is sort of like throwing an ax into a man’s chest from 30 feet. Everyone is surprised, but him especially.
Stockfish: “Yeah, that’s ok.”
Bogoljubov: “In this game, Capablanca felt morally obliged to play for a win and he therefore made this move immediately. Whether this sacrifice should have led to a win is extremely difficult to determine.”
Alekhine: “Absolutely correct, since for the piece he obtains at least two pawns, as well as a very violent attack.”
With a material advantage and facing no immediate mating threat, Bogolojubov played on, not resigning until move 32. But according to Stockfish he was dead man walking from move 10.
Alekhine took a deep interest in the game, and two years later won the championship crown from Capablanca. For me, and for Cubans of a certain generation, this had existential implications. This passage from Mea Cuba, the political autobiography of Cuban intellectual Guillermo Infante gives you the spirit of the thing:
