Doing without h3

One of the sins we commit as chess players is taking advice as 'read'. For as long as I can remember 9.d4 is the main line of the Ruy Lopez was not recommended, 'because Black plays 9 ... Bg4'. Instead 9.h3 followed by 10.d4 is considered best.
However, handled the correct way, playing d4 before h3 is probably as good as the main line. I tried it in my final round game of the Olympiad, and had quite a good position, until I fell apart after move 30. And going back 100 years, Capablanca showed and instructive way of handling the position, albeit in a slightly different line.
Allowing the bishop to go to g4, before hitting it with h3, gives Black the choice of returning along the diagonal, or moving back to h4. This was the choice of Capablanca's opponent, whereupon Capa played g4 (not worrying about king safety) and shifted play to the queenside, with Black effectively a piece down.


Capablanca,Jose Raul - Black,Roy Turnbull [C87]
New York Rice prel New York,NY (1), 1916

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 d6 7. c3 O-O 8. d4 b5 9. Bc2 Bg4 10. d5 Nb8 11. h3 Bh5 12. Nbd2 Nbd7 13. Nf1 Re8 14. g4 Bg6 15. Ng3 h6 16. a4 Nh7 17. Qe2 Rb8 18. axb5 axb5 19. b4 Qc8 20. Bd3 c6 21. dxc6 Qxc6 22. Ra5 Qxc3 23. Bxb5 Qc7 24. Be3 Red8 25. Rc1 Qb7 26. Bc6 Qxb4 27. Ra4 Qb3 28. Ra7 Nhf8 29. Nd2 Qb2 30. Qd1 Bg5 31. Rc2 Bxe3 32. Rxb2 Bxa7 33. Rxb8 Nxb8 34. Bd5 Ne6 35. Ne2 Nd7 36. Qa4 Bb8 37. Qa2 Ndc5 38. f3 Kf8 39. Nc4 Ke7 40. Na5 Kf6 41. Nc6 Rc8 42. h4 Bc7 43. f4 Bxe4 44. g5+ hxg5 45. hxg5+ Nxg5 46. fxg5+ Kxg5 47. Bxe4 Nxe4 48. Qxf7 Bb6+ 49. Kg2 Rxc6 50. Qxg7+ Kh5 51. Qh7+ Kg5 52. Qxe4 Rc7 53. Ng3 Kf6 54. Qd5 Bc5 55. Ne4+ Ke7 56. Kf3 Kd7 57. Kg4 Rc6 58. Qf7+ Kc8 59. Nf6 Rc7 60. Qe8+ Kb7 61. Nd5 Rc8 62. Qb5+ Ka7 63. Ne7 1-0