Jose Raul Capablanca vs Savielly Tartakower - Casual Game 1938.??.??

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Jose Raul Capablanca vs Savielly Tartakower
Casual Game Hotel Regina, Paris FRA 1938.??.??
Indian Defense: Medusa Gambit 1-0

[Event "Casual Game"]
[Site "Hotel Regina, Paris FRA"]
[Date "1938.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[Black "Savielly Tartakower"]
[ECO "A50"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "99"]

1. d4 { Dear Chess Friends: Among the multitude of games
played by my late husband, Jose Raul Capablanca, there is one
that has never been published nor even seen by anyone except
the three of us: Capablanca, Tartakower and myself. In the
years that I had known Capa he had never played in private, he
had never practised, nor even had a chess set at home. Ever so
different from the chess masters all over the world! This was,
however, a very special occasion. It happened in Paris. I
believe the year was 1938. We stayed in the Hotel Regina,
Place Jeanne D'Arc, quite near the Louvre Museum. I had one of
my frequent bad colds and stayed in bed to recuperate, when
Savielly Tartakower, one of our good friends, came over for a
visit. He stayed quite a while. Then suddenly he said to Capa:
"I have a chess set with me. Why not play a game?" Much to my
astonishment, Capa smiled. "Why not? We are in good company."
He grabbed some of the hotel stationery, a small table was
moved close to my bed and the two masters sat down to
play. How long the game lasted I couldn't quite tell, as here
and there I slept a little. I remember Capa woke me up by
gently touching my shoulder, to give me a few folded sheets of
Regina stationery, on which he had written the score of Capa v
Tartakower. Of course he won. "Here is a present for you,
cherie." Gingerly I took the folded stationery. "But you know
I don't understand a thing about chess." Both he and
Tartakower laughed good naturedly. "Take it and hide it
well. Some day in years to come it will buy you a beautiful
bijou", Capa said. "Ever since I was a child everything I did
was written down. And this is the only chess game that is only
yours." Anyone wishing to buy the Capablanca jewel, as he
referred to it, should write as soon as possible to Mr Edward
Winter [...]. 30 September would be the appropriate time
limit, as I have authorized him to receive the bids on my
behalf. In view of the exceptional nature of the game and
surrounding circumstances, no offer under $US 10,000 will be
accepted. With sincerest good wishes to all chess players in
all lands. Olga Capablanca Clark, 28 April 1987 } Nf6 2. c4 b6
3. Nc3 Bb7 4. f3 d5 5. cxd5 Nxd5 6. e4 Nxc3 7. bxc3 e6 8. Be3
Nd7 9. Bc4 Bd6 10. Ne2 O-O 11. O-O c5 12. e5 cxd4 13. cxd4 Be7
14. f4 g6 15. Ng3 Kh8 16. Qd3 Rg8 17. Rfd1 Rc8 18. Rac1 Nb8
19. d5 Bxd5 20. Bxd5 Qxd5 21. Qxd5 exd5 22. Rxc8 Rxc8 23. Rxd5
Rd8 24. Rxd8+ Bxd8 25. Kf2 Nc6 26. Kf3 f5 27. Ne2 Kg7 28. g4
fxg4+ 29. Kxg4 Kf7 30. Kf3 Ke6 31. Ke4 b5 32. Nc3 a6 33. Bc5
Be7 34. Bb6 Kd7 35. Nd5 a5 36. Nc3 b4 37. Na4 Bd8 38. Bxd8
Kxd8 39. Kd5 Na7 40. Kc5 Kd7 41. Kb6 Nc8+ 42. Kxa5 Ke6 43. Nb6
Ne7 44. Kxb4 g5 45. fxg5 Kxe5 46. Kc5 Nf5 47. a4 Nd4 48. Nd7+
Ke4 49. Nf6+ Ke5 50. Nxh7 1-0

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Updated: 13 December, 2021
Created: 13 December, 2021