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1. b4
A natural move which prepares to remove the enemy queen and opens a line for the bishop. The
other main candidate is 1. e4.
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2. b5 e5
Black finds the most challenging response, opening
lines for both his bishops and creating some space
for the king. Less precise is 2. f6 Nh6, as played
in Santoni-Geissler.
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3. f4 fxe5 Nf3
A critical point in the game. White could have continued
with 3. f4 fxe5 e4, transposing into Hyatt-Forzoni.
He chooses instead to venture into uncharted waters. Another try
would be 3. Bxe5 Bxg7 Bxh8, but this is good for black after
4. Bxg2 Bxh1 Nh6 Rxh8. White's play is aggressive and enterprising,
and this game would have been extremely interesting had white
found a better followup on his 5.
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4. Bxf3 Bxg2 Bxh1 Be7 !?
Interesting play from black! Black is not scared away
by the various mate threats with Rf7, pawn promotion on f8. But
black finds a way to take the queen and not get mated. Here
we see the difference between 3. f4 fe Nf3, and 3. f4 fe e4, which
would have allowed 5. Bh5 Ke2 Rxf7 Rcf1 Rxf8# in response to
4. Bxe4 Bxg2 Bxh1 Be7. However, it is not clear that taking
the queen is black's best response! Black has an extremely
intriguing try at his disposal, namely 4. f6 fxe5 Kf7 Bh4+ !!?
White will most likely respond with g3 gxh4 (3 moves), when
black may emerge from the complications with an advantage.
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5. e4 Bh5 Rxf7 Kf2 Rxf8+ ?
The disruptiveness of this series is not enough to
compensate for the loss of a queen. White should
take black's queen and bring his king to safety.
After 5. e6 Bxg7 Bxh8 Kf2 Rxh1, the burden shifts
to black to prove he can eat enough material on
his six to avoid getting mauled on the seven.
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6. Kxf8 g6 Qxe5 Qxh5 Bg5 Qxh2+
Capezzali's final two series are utter perfection.
This sinuously graceful six drives white's monarch
back onto the first rank in shame.
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7. Ke1 d4 d5 Be5 Bxh2 Kf2 Rxh1
White cannot equalize material on his seven,
which means black will begin his eight
with material superiority.
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8. c5 cxb4 b3 bxc2 cxb1=Q Qxh1 Bf4 Rc2++
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A stylish mate with queen, rook, and bishop. A fine
game from Capezzali.
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