[Event "London 1922"]
[Site "https://lichess.org/study/bnboDhFM/ICsyfxMP"]
[Date "August 14, 1922"]
[Round "11"]
[White "Henry Atkins"]
[Black "Jose Raul Capablanca"]
[Result "0-1"]
[Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/NoseKnowsAll"]
[ECO "?"]
[FEN "2r5/3k2pp/1pn1p3/p7/P1pP4/4B2P/RP1K1PP1/8 b - - 0 1"]
[Opening "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[UTCDate "2021.10.10"]
[UTCTime "22:16:38"]
[Variant "From Position"]

{ As always, we interrupt our theoretical endgame knowledge to consider some practical endgames. Here, we join Capablanca in an endgame where the knight is better than the bishop, and black has a queenside majority while white does not have a kingside majority. } 1... Kd6 { As always, it's necessary to maximize the king activity before taking decisive action. } 2. Kc3 Kd5 3. Ra1 g6 { Capablanca moves this one pawn off of a dark square so that there will never be a target in his position for the bishop. } 4. f3 Rb8 $1 5. Ra3 b5 $1 { Push your majority! The pawn must be taken, as b4+ is devastating. } 6. axb5 Rxb5 { The rook is now actively placed on an open file targeting b2. The threat of Rb3+ also ensures that white's rook must remain on a3. Capablanca has pushed his queenside majority and is one step closer to creating a passed pawn. } 7. Bf2 Nb4 8. b3 { White desperately tries to offload the backwards b pawn while he has the chance, a good idea. However, this leaves Capablanca with a passed a pawn, and a plan: push it. } 8... cxb3 9. Kxb3 ( 9. Rxb3 $2 Na2+ 10. Kc2 Rxb3 11. Kxb3 Nc1+ $19 { A classic good knight vs bad bishop endgame. [%cal Gc1e2] } ) 9... Nc6+ $2 { A rare Capablanca endgame inaccuracy! } ( 9... Nd3+ $1 { Attacking the f2 bishop means white's next move is forced. } 10. Ka4 Rb2 $1 11. Rxd3 Rxf2 12. g4 Ra2+ 13. Kb5 g5 $17 { Capablanca probably avoided this rook and pawn endgame out of fear that pawns would liquidate and this would end in a draw. In reality, black is much better. } ) 10. Kc3 Rb1 { Capablanca retains his good knight, active rook, passed a pawn, and winning chances, but the win is not easy. } 11. Ra4 $6 Rc1+ 12. Kd2 $2 ( 12. Kd3 $1 { Stopping Rc4 is necessary to keep the a5 pawn under control. } 12... Nb4+ 13. Ke3 Nc2+ 14. Kd3 Ra1 15. Rxa1 Nxa1 16. Kc3 a4 17. Kb4 Nb3 18. Kxa4 Kc4 $17 { With best play, Atkins could have reached this good knight vs bad bishop endgame where his king is completely out of play. It is unclear whether or not black has enough to win. } ) 12... Rc4 $1 { a4 is now under Capablanca's control, and the passed a pawn is ready to be pushed. [%cal Bc4a4] } 13. Ra1 a4 14. Ra3 Na7 $1 ( 14... Nxd4 15. Bxd4 Kxd4 $19 { Also winning, but why trade black's best piece for white's worst piece? } ) 15. Ra1 Nb5 { Capablanca now takes control over a3 in order to escort the passed pawn further up the board. [%cal Bb5a3] } 16. Rb1 Kc6 17. Kd3 Rc3+ 18. Kd2 Rb3 19. Rc1+ ( 19. Rxb3 $6 axb3 $19 { The pawn controls the light squares, and the knight controls the dark squares. Black is easily winning after getting his king to a3. } ) 19... Kb7 ( 19... Kb6 $4 20. d5+ $16 { Staying on the color opposite your opponent's bishop is good practice. } ) 20. Rc2 a3 21. Bg3 $6 { Atkins keeps giving away the d pawn, recognizing that his bishop will never be in play if it must passively defend the d pawn. } ( 21. Be3 Ka6 22. Bf2 Ka5 $19 { Even here, black's plan is simple: control a2 and then push the pawn. } ) 21... Nxd4 22. Rc7+ Kb6 23. Rc4 { In exchange for the d pawn, Atkins activated his pieces for the first time this game. } 23... Kb5 $1 24. Rc8 { Well, Atkins probably thought that he had activated his pieces. But both are poorly placed to control the a pawn. } ( 24. Rxd4 $4 a2 $19 { a1=Q is unstoppable next. [%cal Ga2a1] } ) 24... Nc6 $1 { After Nb4, a2 is securely defended. [%cal Gc6b4,Bb4a2] } 25. Ra8 Rb2+ 26. Ke3 Rxg2 27. Bf2 Nb4 $1 $19 { White resigned rather than allow a2 or Rxa3?? Nc2+. This passed pawn is completely out of control. [%cal Bb4a2] } 28. Rxa3 $2 ( 28. Ke2 a2 $19 ) 28... Nc2+ 29. Ke2 Nxa3 $19 0-1