The story behind the game
The fifth game of the 1921 championship starts with a queen excursion into Black’s position. Lasker responds with active pieces and threats against White’s uncastled king. Follow how Capablanca wins material, brings his rook into the game and eventually coordinates queen and rook while continuing to respect Black’s checking chances.
Take these ideas to your next game
- Check a queen raid against the opponent’s development.
- A bishop can attack a rook from a distant diagonal.
- An active rook can defend and attack in the same move.
- Keep the enemy queen’s checks in view while converting.
Read the complete annotated game
Full game transcript, including the result and the answers. Original explanations by chessgames.info; game score from the sources below.
Nxd5 captures in the centre before the knight takes on e7. Black’s bishop move to b7 attacks White’s queen, but White has the capture on e7 with check. This is a useful reminder to compare forcing moves before retreating an attacked queen. Recount the material after the check and queen recapture.
Ba6 attacks the bishop on b7 in front of the rook on c8. Black captures the knight on f3 with that bishop before White takes the rook on c8. Removing the bishop from b7 clears White’s diagonal to the rook. Count the full sequence and the damage to White’s pawn shelter before assessing the material gain.
Rc4 attacks the pawn in front of Black’s rook on e4. Black captures on e3 with the d4 pawn, clearing the fourth rank. White can then take the rook on e4, and Black’s knight recaptures there. The operation is about the line behind the pawn: calculate how moving the blocker changes the rook’s targets.
Qf4 challenges Black’s active queen. Black keeps checking chances with Qd1+, so White must maintain coordination rather than assume the queen attack ends the game. Compare how the white king and rook support the queen when Black changes the direction of the checks.
Result: 1-0. The recorded score ends here; it does not imply checkmate.
Think through the turning points
Move 11: Take the central pawn
Which knight capture removes Black’s pawn on d5? In the game: Nxd5. Nxd5 captures in the centre before the knight takes on e7. Black’s bishop move to b7 attacks White’s queen, but White has the capture on e7 with check. This is a useful reminder to compare forcing moves before retreating an attacked queen. Recount the material after the check and queen recapture.
Engine-supported alternatives
Bf4 Bb7 · -0.17 · depth 19
Nxd5 Nxd5 Qxd5 Bb7 Bxe7 Qxe7 Qg5 Qxg5 Nxg5 cxd4 Bb5 Rfd8 · -0.25 · depth 18
Be2 Bb7 Qa4 c4 Qc2 a6 a4 Bc6 Bf4 Rb7 Ne5 Nxe5 · -0.30 · depth 18
Move 16: Attack the bishop in front of the rook
Which bishop move attacks the bishop on b7? In the game: Ba6. Ba6 attacks the bishop on b7 in front of the rook on c8. Black captures the knight on f3 with that bishop before White takes the rook on c8. Removing the bishop from b7 clears White’s diagonal to the rook. Count the full sequence and the damage to White’s pawn shelter before assessing the material gain.
Engine-supported alternatives
Ba6 Bxf3 Bxc8 Rxc8 gxf3 Qxf3 Rg1 g6 Qd3 Re8 Rg3 Qh1+ · +0.80 · depth 19
Qxa7 Bxf3 Qxd7 Be4 Be2 Bxg2 Rg1 Rcd8 Qg4 Bd5 Qg5 Qxg5 · +0.06 · depth 19
d5 Bxd5 · -0.27 · depth 19
Move 25: Activate the rook with a threat
Which rook move attacks Black’s pawn on d4? In the game: Rc4. Rc4 attacks the pawn in front of Black’s rook on e4. Black captures on e3 with the d4 pawn, clearing the fourth rank. White can then take the rook on e4, and Black’s knight recaptures there. The operation is about the line behind the pawn: calculate how moving the blocker changes the rook’s targets.
Engine-supported alternatives
Rc4 Qf5 Rxd4 Rxd4 exd4 h5 h3 h4 d5 Qxh3 Qd4 Qf5 · +1.45 · depth 18
Rg3 Qh4 · +0.14 · depth 18
f3 Rxe3 Qxd4 Rxf3 Rf1 Rxf1+ Kxf1 Nd7 Qe4 Nf8 Ke1 h5 · +0.08 · depth 17
Move 40: Improve the queen’s central control
Which queen move from g5 attacks the queen on d6? In the game: Qf4. Qf4 challenges Black’s active queen. Black keeps checking chances with Qd1+, so White must maintain coordination rather than assume the queen attack ends the game. Compare how the white king and rook support the queen when Black changes the direction of the checks.
Engine-supported alternatives
Qf4 Qd1+ Qf1 Qd7 Qf3 Nxe3 Re5 Ng4 Qa8+ Kg7 Rg5+ Kf6 · +0.92 · depth 22
Qh4 Qd1+ Rf1 Qd2 Qxh5 Qxe3+ Kg2 Qe2+ Kg1 · +0.00 · depth 22
Kg2 Qd1 Kh3 Qh1+ Kg3 Qh2+ Kf3 Qf2+ Ke4 Qe2 Qd8+ Kg7 · +0.00 · depth 22
Every piece has a part to play.
The fifth game of the 1921 championship starts with a queen excursion into Black’s position. Lasker responds with active pieces and threats against White’s uncastled king. Follow how Capablanca wins material, brings his rook into the game and eventually coordinates queen and rook while continuing to respect Black’s checking chances.
Look a little deeper
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Accessible evaluation values & provenance
Stockfish 17.1 · 75,000 nodes per position; 1,000,000 at key moments. Actual depth 12–71. Positive centipawns favour White; mate scores remain separate. Selective search is evidence, not proof.
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