Lesson
White to move. Main line: 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. d4 exd4 6. Qxd4 Qxd4 7. Nxd4 Bd6 8. Nc3 Ne7 9. O-O O-O 10. f4 Re8 11. Nb3 f6 12. f5 b6 13. Bf4 Bb7 14. Bxd6 cxd6 15. Nd4 Rad8 16. Ne6 Rd7 17. Rad1 Nc8 18. Rf2 b5 19. Rfd2 Rde7 20. b4 Kf7 21. a3 Ba8 22. Kf2 Ra7 23. g4 h6 24. Rd3 a5 25. h4 axb4 26. axb4 Rae7 27. Kf3 Rg8 28. Kf4 g6 29. Rg3 g5+ 30. Kf3 Nb6 31. hxg5 hxg5 32. Rh3 Rd7 33. Kg3 Ke8 34. Rdh1 Bb7 35. e5 dxe5 36. Ne4 Nd5 37. N6c5 Bc8 38. Nxd7 Bxd7 39. Rh7 Rf8 40. Ra1 Kd8 41. Ra8+ Bc8 42. Nc5
The opening choice trades bishops early and gives White a kingside pawn majority. Lasker’s 10.f4, 12.f5 and 16.Ne6 claim space, while Capablanca’s pieces are pushed into passive defensive squares despite the queenless position.
White doubles rooks on the d-file, advances the queenside only when useful and walks the king toward the center. The later g4 and h4 expansion fixes more weaknesses. Capablanca is given no tactical target that would release his position.
The game remains a model for must-win chess: create imbalance without abandoning soundness. The Exchange Variation looks drawish in a diagram, yet Lasker turns its pawn structure into a clear plan and maintains pressure until Black’s position breaks.