Botvinnik's Famous Shot Swings
Botvinniks famous shot. · Botvinnik–Capablanca, Netherlands 1938 · move 30 · sung from White's side
No. 10 in the Radio ChessBase charts
Verse 1
Capablanca across the board from me
My pawn on e6 dreams of the eighth
His queen on e7 holds the gate
My queen on e5 pins his f6 knight
Tell me, daddy-o, what's the move tonight?
Chorus
Bishop to a3, hey, don't you see 30.Ba3 Qxa3
His queen leaves e7, my e-pawn's free
Knight to h5, pawn takes, follow me 31.Nh5+ gxh5
Queen to g5, queen takes on f6 32.Qg5+ Kf8 33.Qxf6+ Kg8
Pawn to e7, that's the fix 34.e7
Verse 2
If he won't take, queen to e8 30...Qe8
Queen to c7 check seals his fate 31.Qc7+ Kg8
But if he runs, king to h6 31...Kh6
Knight takes on f6, mate's in the mix 32.Nxf6
Or, my queen on f6, king to e8 33...Ke8
Queen to f7, queen d7 mate 34.Qf7+ Kd8 35.Qd7#
Chorus
Bishop to a3, hey, don't you see 30.Ba3 Qxa3
His queen leaves e7, my e-pawn's free
Knight to h5, pawn takes, follow me 31.Nh5+ gxh5
Queen to g5, queen takes on f6 32.Qg5+ Kf8 33.Qxf6+ Kg8
Pawn to e7, that's the fix 34.e7
Bridge
He checks, king to f2, king to g3 34...Qc1+ 35.Kf2 Qc2+ 36.Kg3
King to h4, king takes h5, I'm free 36...Qd3+ 37.Kh4 Qe4+ 38.Kxh5
King back to h4, pawn to g4 38...Qe2+ 39.Kh4 Qe4+ 40.g4
King to h5, his checks are no more 40...Qe1+ 41.Kh5
Chorus
Bishop to a3, hey, don't you see 30.Ba3 Qxa3
His queen leaves e7, my e-pawn's free
Knight to h5, pawn takes, follow me 31.Nh5+ gxh5
Queen to g5, queen takes on f6 32.Qg5+ Kf8 33.Qxf6+ Kg8
Pawn to e7, that's the fix 34.e7
Outro
Capablanca's checks run dry, he resigns
Botvinnik's shot, bishop to a3, still shines 30.Ba3