Chess - The Scotsman 18/05/2012

How does Black win?

AT his peak, Cuban world champion (1921-1927) José Raúl Capablanca was close to being invincible. He is credited with bringing positional chess to a higher level with his play seemingly effortlessly smooth and his deft handling of endings legendary in their execution.

The aura of invincibility surrounding him continued to grow as he dominated the chess scene from the end of the First World War until 1927, when, due to complacency, he lost the world title to his main rival, Alexander Alekhine. To this day, though, Capa is still idolised in his homeland.

In 1962, 20 years after his death, on the suggestion of iconic revolutionary and chess addict Che Guevara, the Cuban government initiated a fitting tribute to better remember their fallen hero by staging the first Capablanca Memorial Tournament in Havana – now an annual event that is easily the strongest in Latin America, and arguably the strongest in all of the Americas.

And like a fine Cuban cigar, world number 10 Vassily Ivanchuk just keeps rolling along by dominating every Capablanca Memorial Tournament he plays in. The Ukrainian ace admits this is his favourite tournament, with the locals also having taken him to their hearts. And the popular five-time winner (2005-7, 2010-11) and defending champion returned to add a sixth title to the roll of honour by easily winning the latest edition of the tournament with an unbeaten score of 6.5/10, a point ahead of his closest rivals, Ian Nepomniachtchi, of Russia, and local hero.

V Laznicka - V Ivanchuk

47th Capablanca Memorial, (5)

Nimzo-Indian Def, Hübner variation

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e3 c5 5 Nf3 Nc6 6 Bd3 Bxc3+ 7 bxc3 d6 8 0–0 e5 9 Nd2 0–0 10 Rb1 b6 11 d5 Ne7 12 Qc2 g6 13 f4 exf4 14 h3 Nf5 15 Bxf5 Bxf5 16 e4 Bd7 17 Rxf4 Qe7 18 Bb2 Nh5 19 Rf2 f5 20 Re1 Rae8 21 Bc1 f4 22 Qd1 Qg7 23 Nf1 Re5 24 Nh2 Qe7 25 Qd3 Rg5 26 g4 fxg3 27 Rxf8+ Qxf8 28 Nf3 Re5! 29 Kg2 Re7 30 e5 dxe5 31 d6 Re6 32 Qd5 Nf6 0–1