19.  B-Q4 P-R3 20.  B-B6ch K-B2 21.  BxR RxB 22.  R-Q1

in order to play 23.  B-Q7 in answer to P-B4.  This explains White’s check at move 20.

22. ...           PxPch
23.  K-Kt2        K-B3!

If now 24.  Kt-Q5ch, Black would assail the White King with K-K4; 25.  KtxP, B-B5-K7-B6.  The Black phalanx of pawns becomes menacing.

24.  B-Kt3       BxB
25.  RPxB        K-K3
26.  P-Kt4       R-R2

Black need no longer fear to exchange Rooks, for he would then threaten the Queen’s side pawns with his King whilst the passed pawns kept the White forces occupied.

27.  Kt-K2          R-Q2
28.  Kt-Q4ch        K-B3
29.  P-QB3          P-B3

The aim of this move is not clear.  Black should adopt a forward policy with P-Kt5, P-B5, R-R2, etc.

          30.  R-KR1 P-Kt5
          31.  R-R8

Now none of the pawns can advance:  P-B5 would be answered by 32.  R-K8, R-K2; 33.  RxR, KxR; 34.  Kt-Kt3 and one of the pawns is lost.

31. ...  R-K2 32.  Kt-K2 R-Q2 33.  Kt-Q4 R-K2 34.  R-B8ch K-Kt2 35.  R-Q8 P-B5 36.  R-Q6 K-B2 37.  Kt-B2 R-K3 38.  R-Q7ch R-K2 39.  R-Q6 R-K3 40.  R-Q1

White tries to win at all costs—­and loses.  By a forcible advance on the Queen’s side, he creates new chances, but also new weaknesses.

40. ...  K-B3 41.  P-B4 R-K2 42.  R-Q4 K-Kt4 43.  R-Q6 P-K6! 44.  P-B3

PxP fails on account of P-B6ch and R-R2.

          44. ...  P-K7
          45.  Kt-K1 P-Kt6
          46.  P-Kt5

Too late.

46. ...  R-R2
47.  PxBP PxP
48.  R-K6 R-R7ch
49.  K-Kt1 R-B7
50.  Kt-B2 RxP
51.  RxKP R-Q6
52.  Kt-K1 R-Kt6
53.  R-Q2 P-B6
54.  Kt-Q3 P-R4

        Resigns

The RP cannot be prevented from pushing on to R6, after which a mate is threatened by the BlacKRon the eighth rank.  R-Q1 would then be compulsory.  But that lets the Black Rook in on the seventh (KR-R7, followed by P-B7ch).

Game No. 18.

Emanuel Lasker.  Capablanca.

Ruy Lopez (see p. 37)

1.  P-K4 P-K4 2.  Kt-KB3 Kt-QB3 3.  B-Kt5 P-QR3 4.  BxKtQ PxB 5.  P-Q4 PxP

Worthy of consideration is:  5. ...  B-KKt5; 6PxP, QxQch; 7.  KxQ, Castles ch; 8.  K-K2, R-K1; 9.  P-KR3, BxKtch; 10.  KxB, P-B3; with a good game.  In this opening Black is justified in assuming the initiative, as the exchange, which has opened a diagonal for his QB, has furthered his development.  If he does not do so, and confines himself to defending tamely, the chances are that he will lose on account of White’s majority of pawns on the King’s side.