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Classic game replay

Jose Raul Capablanca vs Vladas Mikenas, 1939

This replay preserves the complete 51-ply score of Capablanca playing White across 26 numbered moves. The board can be advanced one ply at a time; the notes stick to observable board changes rather than guessing at the players’ intentions.

On this page
  1. Practice positions
  2. Replay with move-by-move board facts
  3. PGN
  4. Sources and checking
  5. Continue with another game
White
Jose Raul Capablanca
Black
Vladas Mikenas
Event
Buenos Aires ol f-A
Year
1939
Result
1-0
Opening
E33 Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Zurich Variation

Opening reference: Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Zurich Variation (E33).

In this game, 20 half-moves are labelled opening, 31 middlegame and 0 endgame. The score contains 14 captures and 2 checks or mates; before a recorded move, the position offered a median of 33 legal choices. The source score ends after 26.Rf3 with the recorded result 1-0. Its termination tag was not retained, so this record does not infer whether the game ended by resignation, time or another cause.

Practice positions

The daily trainer uses a short set of positions from this complete score. Each link goes to the exact half-move rather than only the numbered move.

  1. 10.Bxf6 — Exchange on f610.Bxf6 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  2. 14.b4 — Advance the b-pawn14.b4 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  3. 19.f5 — Change the pawn structure19.f5 was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.
  4. 22.exf7+ — Capture with check on f722.exf7+ was a leading choice in the fixed engine check.

Replay with move-by-move board facts

The board, fact panel and transcript use the same legal score. “Fixed engine check” means Stockfish 17.1, one thread, a fixed 25,000-node search and 3 candidate lines. It compares moves under one reproducible setting; it does not claim to reconstruct a player’s thoughts.

♜♞♝♛♚♝♞♜♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♟♜♞♝♛♚♝♞♜
Jose Raul Capablanca vs Vladas Mikenas, 1939

Start position

Use Previous and Next on the board, or select a move in the transcript. The board fact and fixed engine check remain visible until you choose another move.

Opening · 1.d4 to 10...Qxf6

  1. 1.d4 Claim central space

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from d2 to d4; from there it controls e5 and c5.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · d4 Nf6 Nf3 e6.

  2. 1...Nf6 Develop the knight

    Board fact: Black develops the knight from g8 to f6; from there it controls d5 and e4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf6 c4 e6 Nf3.

  3. 2.c4 Advance the c-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from c2 to c4; from there it controls d5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · c4 e6.

  4. 2...e6 Advance the e-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from e7 to e6; from there it controls d5 and f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · e6 Nc3.

  5. 3.Nc3 Develop the knight

    Board fact: White develops the knight from b1 to c3; from there it controls d5 and e4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nc3 Bb4 Bd2 Bxc3.

  6. 3...Bb4 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from f8 to b4; from b4 it attacks White's knight on c3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bb4 Nf3 d5 Bd2.

  7. 4.Qc2 Create pressure on h7

    Board fact: White moves the queen from d1 to c2; from c2 it attacks Black's pawn on h7.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qc2 d5 e3 O-O.

  8. 4...Nc6 Develop the knight

    Board fact: Black develops the knight from b8 to c6; from c6 it attacks White's pawn on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nc6 Nf3 Bxc3+ Qxc3.

  9. 5.Nf3 Develop the knight

    Board fact: White develops the knight from g1 to f3; from there it controls d4 and e5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nf3 Bxc3+ Qxc3 d6.

  10. 5...d5 Change the pawn structure

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from d7 to d5; the move changes the central pawn contact; from d5 it attacks White's pawn on c4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · d5 e3 Bxc3+ Qxc3.

  11. 6.a3 Create pressure on b4

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from a2 to a3; from a3 it attacks Black's bishop on b4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · a3 Bxc3+ Qxc3 a5.

  12. 6...Bxc3+ Capture with check on c3

    Board fact: Black's bishop takes the knight on c3; the move checks White's king; from c3 it attacks White's pawn on b2 and White's pawn on d4; black is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxc3+.

  13. 7.Qxc3 Recapture on c3

    Board fact: White's queen recaptures the bishop on c3; from c3 it reinforces the bishop on c1; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qxc3 O-O.

  14. 7...a5 Advance the a-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from a7 to a5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · a5 Bf4.

  15. 8.b3 Advance the b-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from b2 to b3; from there it controls c4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · b3.

  16. 8...O-O Kingside castling

    Board fact: Black castles kingside, moving the king to g8 and the rook to f8. The move changes king safety and develops the rook in one turn.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · O-O e3 b6 Qc2.

  17. 9.Bg5 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: White develops the bishop from c1 to g5; from g5 it attacks Black's knight on f6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bg5 h6 Bxf6 Qxf6.

  18. 9...h6 Create pressure on g5

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from h7 to h6; from h6 it attacks White's bishop on g5.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Ne4 ranked higher · h6 Bxf6 Qxf6 e3.

  19. 10.Bxf6 Exchange on f6

    Board fact: White's bishop takes the knight on f6; from f6 it attacks Black's queen on d8 and Black's pawn on g7; white is ahead by 3 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxf6 Qxf6 e3 Ne7.

  20. 10...Qxf6 Recapture on f6

    Board fact: Black's queen recaptures the bishop on f6; from f6 it attacks White's knight on f3 and White's pawn on d4; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Qxf6 e3 Re8 Rd1.

Middlegame · 11.e3 to 26.Rf3

  1. 11.e3 Advance the e-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from e2 to e3; from there it controls d4 and f4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · e3.

  2. 11...Bd7 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: Black develops the bishop from c8 to d7; from there it controls c6 and e6.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Bd7.

  3. 12.Bd3 Develop the bishop

    Board fact: White develops the bishop from f1 to d3; from there it controls e4, c4 and f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bd3 Rfe8.

  4. 12...Rfc8 Improve the rook

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from f8 to c8; from c8 it reinforces the rook on a8.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rfc8 h3 Be8 Bc2.

  5. 13.O-O Kingside castling

    Board fact: White castles kingside, moving the king to g1 and the rook to f1. The move changes king safety and develops the rook in one turn.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · O-O Be8 c5 b6.

  6. 13...a4 Create pressure on b3

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from a5 to a4; from a4 it attacks White's pawn on b3.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Be8 ranked higher · a4 b4.

  7. 14.b4 Advance the b-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from b3 to b4; from there it controls c5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · b4 Be8.

  8. 14...dxc4 Exchange on c4

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the pawn on c4; the pawn is now passed; the move changes the central pawn contact; Black accepts doubled pawns on the c-file; from c4 it attacks White's bishop on d3; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · dxc4 Qxc4 e5 Qd5.

  9. 15.Bxc4 Recapture on c4

    Board fact: White's bishop recaptures the pawn on c4; from c4 it attacks Black's pawn on e6; material is level after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxc4 Ne7 Ne5 Be8.

  10. 15...Na7 Reroute the knight

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from c6 to a7; from there it controls c6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Na7 Qd3.

  11. 16.Ne5 Create pressure on d7

    Board fact: White moves the knight from f3 to e5; from e5 it attacks Black's bishop on d7 and Black's pawn on f7.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Qd3 ranked higher · Ne5 Bb5 Rac1 Bxc4.

  12. 16...Be8 Reposition the bishop

    Board fact: Black moves the bishop from d7 to e8; from there it controls c6.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; Bb5 ranked higher · Be8 Qd3 Nc6 f4.

  13. 17.f4 Advance the f-pawn

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from f2 to f4; from there it controls e5.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · f4 Bb5.

  14. 17...b6 Advance the b-pawn

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from b7 to b6; from there it controls c5.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Bb5 ranked higher · b6.

  15. 18.Qd3 Reposition the queen

    Board fact: White moves the queen from c3 to d3; from there it controls d4, e4 and c3.

    Fixed engine check: Playable; f5 ranked higher · Qd3 Nc6 Ba6 Rcb8.

  16. 18...Rd8 Rook on the semi-open d-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from c8 to d8; the rook now works on a semi-open d-file; from d8 it attacks White's pawn on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · Rd8 f5 b5 fxe6.

  17. 19.f5 Change the pawn structure

    Board fact: White moves the pawn from f4 to f5; the move changes the central pawn contact; from f5 it attacks Black's pawn on e6.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · f5 b5 Ba2 Qxe5.

  18. 19...b5 Create pressure on c4

    Board fact: Black moves the pawn from b6 to b5; from b5 it attacks White's bishop on c4.

    Fixed engine check: Near the leading choice · b5 Ba2.

  19. 20.fxe6 Exchange on e6

    Board fact: White's pawn takes the pawn on e6; the move changes the central pawn contact; White accepts doubled pawns on the e-file; from e6 it attacks Black's pawn on f7; white is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Ba2 ranked higher · fxe6 bxc4 Rxf6 cxd3.

  20. 20...bxc4 Exchange on c4

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the bishop on c4; the pawn is now passed; the move changes the central pawn contact; Black accepts doubled pawns on the c-file; from c4 it attacks White's queen on d3; black is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · bxc4 Rxf6 cxd3 exf7+.

  21. 21.Rxf6 Exchange on f6

    Board fact: White's rook takes the queen on f6; the rook now works on a semi-open f-file; from f6 it attacks Black's pawn on f7 and Black's pawn on h6; white is ahead by 7 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rxf6 cxd3 exf7+ Bxf7.

  22. 21...cxd3 Exchange on d3

    Board fact: Black's pawn takes the queen on d3; the pawn is now passed; the move changes the central pawn contact; black is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · cxd3 exf7+.

  23. 22.exf7+ Capture with check on f7

    Board fact: White's pawn takes the pawn on f7; the move checks Black's king; the pawn is now passed; the move changes the central pawn contact; from f7 it attacks Black's bishop on e8; black is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · exf7+.

  24. 22...Bxf7 Recapture on f7

    Board fact: Black's bishop recaptures the pawn on f7; from f7 it reinforces the king on g8; black is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Bxf7 Rxf7 Nb5 Rf2.

  25. 23.Rxf7 Recapture on f7

    Board fact: White's rook recaptures the bishop on f7; the rook now occupies the open f-file; from f7 it attacks Black's pawn on c7 and Black's pawn on g7; white is ahead by 1 conventional material point after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rxf7 Nb5 Rf2 Re8.

  26. 23...Nb5 Create pressure on a3

    Board fact: Black moves the knight from a7 to b5; from b5 it attacks White's pawn on a3 and White's pawn on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nb5 Rf2 Re8 Rd2.

  27. 24.Rf2 Rook on the open f-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from f7 to f2; the rook now occupies the open f-file; from there it controls f3, f4 and f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rf2 Re8 Rd2 Rad8.

  28. 24...Rd5 Create pressure on e5

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from d8 to d5; from d5 it attacks White's knight on e5 and White's pawn on d4.

    Fixed engine check: Recorded move; Re8 ranked higher · Rd5 Nxd3 Re8 Ne5.

  29. 25.Nxd3 Exchange on d3

    Board fact: White's knight takes the pawn on d3; from d3 it reinforces the rook on f2; white is ahead by 2 conventional material points after the capture.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Nxd3 Rg5 Ne5 h5.

  30. 25...Re8 Rook on the semi-open e-file

    Board fact: Black moves the rook from a8 to e8; the rook now works on a semi-open e-file; from e8 it attacks White's pawn on e3.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Re8 Ne5 Rb8 g3.

  31. 26.Rf3 Rook on the open f-file

    Board fact: White moves the rook from f2 to f3; the rook now occupies the open f-file; from there it controls e3, f4 and f5.

    Fixed engine check: Ranked first · Rf3 Rd6 Nc5 Nc3.

PGN

[Event "Buenos Aires ol f-A"] [Site "?"] [Date "1939.??.??"] [White "Capablanca, Jose Raul"] [Black "Mikenas, Vladas"] [Result "1-0"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 Nc6 5. Nf3 d5 6. a3 Bxc3+ 7. Qxc3 a5 8. b3 O-O 9. Bg5 h6 10. Bxf6 Qxf6 11. e3 Bd7 12. Bd3 Rfc8 13. O-O a4 14. b4 dxc4 15. Bxc4 Na7 16. Ne5 Be8 17. f4 b6 18. Qd3 Rd8 19. f5 b5 20. fxe6 bxc4 21. Rxf6 cxd3 22. exf7+ Bxf7 23. Rxf7 Nb5 24. Rf2 Rd5 25. Nxd3 Re8 26. Rf3 1-0

Sources and checking

Score source: Chess Database, version 1 by Ana Schaigorodsky (2016), licensed under CC BY 4.0. LibreChess selected the exact score identified by sha256:3bbe00021ede2286b00b706bd0357a5370bcb6263a64f48fcbeacceff331c30f and pins it in the selection manifest.
Exact Figshare tags:
White="Capablanca, Jose Raul"; Black="Mikenas, Vladas"; Event="Buenos Aires ol (Men) fin-A"; Date="1939.09.08"; Result="1-0".
Reviewed display mapping: event Buenos Aires ol (Men) fin-A → Buenos Aires ol f-A. LibreChess parsed the main line with chess.js and stores normalised SAN. Source comments, side variations and termination detail were not retained.

LibreChess checks every SAN move with chess.js and compares the result and move sequence with a stored reference. The engine comparison was calculated offline from the fixed settings above; it is not a source for historical claims. No termination is inferred where the imported score does not preserve one.

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