Richard Reti vs Jose Raul Capablanca · New York International Tournament, 1924 · Reti Opening · 1-0
Jose Raul Capablanca, the Cuban genius and reigning World Champion, had not lost a game in eight years when Czech grandmaster Richard Reti defeated him in this game at the 1924 New York tournament. The game is remarkable because Reti used his own opening system — the hypermodern Reti Opening — to outplay the man widely considered the world's most technically perfect player. Reti builds up pressure on the queenside and in the centre, never allowing Capablanca to use his famous technique. The position slowly transforms into one where Reti's pieces coordinate beautifully while Capablanca's are passive and reactive. When Capablanca finally resigns, there has been no single dramatic moment — just the steady accumulation of Reti's positional pressure. This result shocked the chess world and remains one of the greatest upsets in competitive chess history.