Edward Lasker - Frank James Marshall [C42]
Lake Hopatcong/Lake Hopatcong, NJ USA (2) 1926
This is a fascinating example of Marshall the technician rather than Marshall the tactician. The opening leads to a seemingly equal position, but Marshall is able to place his pieces better than his opponent, and he uses his better position to limit White's options to the point where it is difficult for him to avoid a mistake.
1. e4 Nf6 Andy Soltis writes that this move is "an indication of how far Marshall had come since being confronted with hypermodern openings two years before at the New York international." Marshall may have taken readily to the Alekhine's Defense in part because it allowed for transpositions to his favorite Petroff, as in the present game.
2. Nc3 "If White has nothing better than this against the so-called 'Alekhine Defense,' that defense is a good one" writes Howell.
2... e5 3. Nf3 Bb4 4. Nxe5 "It is a good chess principle not to delay one's development in the opening by capturing a Pawn unless the Pawn can be kept or the opponent made to suffer in development while he is regaining it" writes Howell.
4... O-O The inferior way for Black to recover the pawn is by 4... Qe7 5. Nd3 Bxc3 6. dxc3 Qxe4+ 7. Be2 (or simply 7. Qe2 O-O 8. Qxe4 Nxe4 9. Be3+/= and the two Bishops are a long-term plus for White.)
7... O-O 8. O-O d6 9. Bf3 Qh4 10. Nf4 Ng4 11. h3 Ne5 12. Be4 Nbc6 13. g3 Qd8 14. Qh5 Ng6 15. Nd5 f5 16. Bg5 Qd7 17. Bg2+/= 1-0 Gikas,B-Batyte,D/Budapest HUN 2004 (50)
5. Be2 White cannot hold the pawn successfully: a) 5. d3 d5 6. a3 (>= 6. Bd2 Qe7 7. Nf3 dxe4 8. Nxe4 Nxe4 9. dxe4 Qxe4+ 10. Be2 Re8 11. O-O Qxe2 12. Bxb4 Nc6 13. Qxe2 Rxe2 14. Rfe1 Rxe1+ 15. Rxe1 Bf5 (15... Bg4!?)
16. Bc3 Bxc2-/+ 1/2-1/2 Brochet,P-Mellado Trivino,J/Escaldes AND 1999 (24))
6... Bxc3+ 7. bxc3 Re8 8. f4 dxe4 9. d4 Nd5 10. c4 Ne7 11. Be2? Nf5-> 12. c3 Qh4+ 13. Kf1 e3 (13... f6!)
14. Qe1 Qxf4+ 15. Kg1 Nxd4 16. cxd4 Qxd4 17. Rb1 Qxe5-+ 0-1 Lupi,F-Alekhine,A/Lisbon 1946 (22)
b) 5. f3?! d5! (5... Bxc3!? 6. dxc3 Nxe4 7. Qd4=)
6. exd5 (6. Nxd5? Nxd5 7. exd5 Re8 8. f4 Rxe5+!)
6... Re8 7. f4 Nxd5 8. Nxd5 Qxd5~/=
5... Re8 6. Nd3 White returns the pawn for the two Bishops.
The other retreat does not gain the two Bishops and is therefore rather equal: 6. Nf3 Nxe4 (as the main line is drawish, Black can consider 6... d5!? 7. exd5 Qe7~/=)
(6... Bxc3!? 7. dxc3 Nxe4=)
7. Nxe4 Rxe4 8. c3 Bf8 9. d4 d5=
6... Bxc3 7. dxc3 Nxe4 8. O-O More common today is 8. Nf4 followed by c4 with the idea of securing d5, thus preventing Black's advance of the d-pawn and allowing White's Bishops more scope. Black must then develop more circumspectly with 8... d6 9. O-O Nd7! (9... Nc6 10. c4 Bf5 11. Re1 Nf6 12. b3 Ne5 13. Bb2 Ne4 14. Nd5 c6 15. Ne3 Bg6 16. f4!+/= Qh4 17. g3 Qh6 18. Qd4 ( better 18. Bxe5! dxe5 19. Ng4 Qh3 20. Bf1! Qh5 21. Rxe4!! (21. Nxe5+/=)
21... f5 22. Rxe5+/-)
18... c5?! (18... f5!~~)
19. Qd1 Nc6 20. Bf3! f6? 21. Ng4! Qh3 22. Bg2 Qh5 23. Rxe4! 1-0 Peters,J-Jones,S/Los Angeles USA 2000 (23))
10. c4 Nf8 11. f3 Nc5 12. b3 Nfe6!? 13. Nh5 g6 14. Ng3 Qf6 15. Rb1 Qd4+ 16. Kh1 Qxd1 17. Bxd1 a5= 18. Kg1 b6 19. Re1 Bb7 20. a4 f6 21. Kf2 Kf7 22. Ne2 Ng7 23. Nd4 Rxe1 24. Kxe1 Re8+ 25. Kf2 Nge6 26. Nb5 Bc6 27. Be3 f5 28. Bd2 Re7 29. h4 Bxb5 30. axb5 Re8 31. Ra1 Re7 32. Kf1 Re8 33. c3 Nd3 34. b4 Ne5 35. Be2 axb4 36. cxb4 Nd4 37. Ra7 Re7? (37... Nxe2 38. Rxc7+ Re7 39. Rxe7+ Kxe7 40. Kxe2 Nxc4=/+)
38. Bg5! Rd7 39. c5! dxc5 40. bxc5 Ne6? (40... Nxe2! 41. Kxe2 bxc5 42. Bf4 Ke6 43. Bxe5 Kxe5 44. b6 Rd6! 45. bxc7 Rc6=)
41. f4!+- 1-0 Conquest,S-Piket,J/Ohrid MKD 2001 (41)
8... d5 9. Nf4 c6 10. Be3 Soltis writes: "With the two bishops, the d4 outpost, and the prospect of opening the center with 11.c4, White apears to be developing a promising middlegame. Marshall liquidates the situation effectively."
White should get in 10. c4! d4 11. Bd3=
10... Nd6 Preventing 11.c4.
11. Bd3 11. Re1!?
11... Bf5 12. Qf3 12. Bxf5?! Nxf5=/+
12... Be4! 13. Qh3 Qd7! A strong move, not least because it asserts Black's superiority in the ending.
14. Bc5 14. Qh5 Qf5! (14... Nf5?! Soltis 15. Rae1=)
15. Qxf5 Nxf5=/+
14... Qxh3 15. Nxh3 Nc4!? Though Black hereby exchanges off White's best piece, this is a risky choice by Marshall, since the resulting Bishops of opposite color ending offers White some drawing prospects.
Perhaps best is 15... Nf5 16. Rfe1 Nd7=/+
16. Bxc4 On 16. b3 there might follow 16... Nd7! 17. Bd4 Na3 18. Rac1 Bxd3 (18... c5!?)
19. cxd3 Re2=/+
16... dxc4 17. Rac1 Nd7 18. Bd4 h6 This is a useful move, creating a retreat square for the Bishop along the h7-b1 diagonal, making luft for the King, and controlling more dark squares. It also puts the question to White: what can you do that is useful?
19. Rfd1 White's alternatives include: a) 19. Nf4 g5 20. Nh5 Bg6 21. Nf6+ Nxf6 22. Bxf6 "with some drawing hopes due to the opposite colored Bishops" writes Howell.
b) 19. f3 Bf5 20. g4 Bh7!=/+
19... Bf5 20. Nf4 g5 21. Nh5 Bg4 22. Be3? This is White's critical error, turning a difficult game into a lost one.
Black has a much more difficult time gaining an edge following instead 22. Ng7! Re7! (better than 22... Bxd1?! 23. Nxe8 Bxc2 (23... Rxe8 24. Rxd1=)
24. Nd6 (or 24. Nf6+ Nxf6 25. Bxf6 Bd3 26. Re1~/=)
24... Bd3 25. Re1 Kf8 26. Nxb7 Rb8 27. Nc5 Nxc5 28. Bxc5+ Kg7 29. Bxa7= and the Bishops of opposite color practically assure a draw with such reduced numbers of pawns.)
23. f3 f6 24. Re1 (24. fxg4 Kxg7 25. Re1 Ne5=/+)
24... Rxe1+ 25. Rxe1 Kxg7 26. fxg4 Kf7=/+ and Black has a difficult fight ahead to prove an edge.
22... Re7 Suddenly White must lose at least the exchange.
Black might also defend the Knight by 22... Red8 23. Rxd7 Bxd7-/+
But not 22... Bxd1? 23. Rxd1 Rad8? (23... Rxe3!=)
24. Rxd7! Rxd7 25. Nf6++/-
23. Rxd7 Bxd7 24. h4 gxh4 25. Bxh6 Bf5 26. Rd1? "The same error in the same place," setting up the fork that follows, notes Howell.
26... Re6! Not immediately 26... Bg4?? 27. Nf6++/-
27. Bg5 27. Ng7 Bxc2!
27... Bg4 forking Rook and Knight a second time. And if 28.Nf6+ Rxf6! wins. White used 1 hour and 56 minutes while Black used 2 hours and 13 minutes.
0-1
[M. J. Goeller]
James West (2200) - Stoyko (2310) [C01]
Viking Quads/Mount Arlington, NJ USA (2) 2005
Steve Stoyko (2310) - Sandy Hatama (2238) [A30]
Viking Quads/Mount Arlington, NJ USA (3) 2005
Greg Tomkovich - Mike Goeller [E61]
Kenilworth CC Summer Tournament/Kenilworth, NJ USA 2005
Frank James Marshall - Jose Raul Capablanca [C21]
Lake Hopatcong/Lake Hopatcong, NJ USA (9) 1926
1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. c3 In 1910, Marshall played Capablanca a theme match with the Max Lange Attack, with all games commencing 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. Bc4 Bc5 5. O-O Nf6 6. e5
3... d5!? The best way to avoid the wilder complications that White's opening choice makes possible, and therefore typical of Capablanca's style. In their excellent book on the Danish Gambit titled "Danish Dynamite" (2003), Karsten Muller and Martin Voigt consider this the stem game of what they call "The Capablanca Defense"--though the line had been around for many years before Capablanca took it up. C.S. Howell, in his contemporary notes to the game, writes: "A safe way to avoid the Danish Gambit, which there is no particular reason to avoid. Black can safely play
3... dxc3 4. Bc4 cxb2 5. Bxb2 d5 (Schlechter's proposal) 6. Bxd5 Nf6 " and Howell offers the line 7. Nc3 Nbd7. But, according to Edward Winter, Marshall himself had noted that 7. Bxf7+ Kxf7 8. Qxd8 Bb4+ 9. Qd2 Bxd2+ 10. Nxd2 Re8 "would make things rather interesting" (American Chess Bulletin, November 1913) . Muller and Voigt suggest that this famous "equalizing" line against the Danish (which that great Danish proponent Marshall himself invented and not Schlechter) leads, at best, to positions with lots of play for both sides--as Marshall himself obviously felt. In any event, Howell's note attributing Marshall's idea to Schlechter may have been among the first to muddle the waters of history that Winter tries to clarify.
4. exd5 Qxd5 According to Howell, contemporary opening books preferred 4... Nf6!? when perhaps might follow 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Bc4 b5!?~~
5. cxd4 Nc6 Marshall had great success from this position, including the following two games: a) 5... c5? 6. Nc3! Qxd4 7. Bb5+ Bd7 8. Qe2+ Be7 9. Nf3 Qg4 10. Nd5! Kd8 11. Bf4 Bxb5 12. Qxb5 Qe6+ 13. Be5! Qc6 14. Qxc6 bxc6 15. Nc7+- Marshall-Schroeder, New York 1915
b) 5... Nf6 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Be2 Bf5!? 8. Nc3 Bb4 9. O-O Bxc3 10. bxc3 O-O 11. c4 Qd7 12. d5 Ne7 13. Bb2+/= Bg6 14. Ne5 Qd8 15. Bf3 Nf5 16. Qb3+/- Nh4 17. Rfe1 Re8 18. Rac1 Nxf3+ 19. Qxf3 Nd7 20. Nxg6 hxg6 21. h3 Qh4 22. d6 cxd6 23. Qxb7 Nc5 (23... Nb6!=)
24. Qd5 Qf4 25. Re3 Qf5 26. Rce1 Qd7? 27. Ba3! Ne6 28. c5!? (28. Bxd6+/-)
28... Qb5 29. Qxd6 Red8 30. Qe5 Nd4 31. Re4 f6 32. Qg3 g5 33. Qc3 Nf5 34. Rb4 Qd3? 35. Re8+ Kf7 36. Qxd3 Rxd3 37. Rxa8 Rxa3 38. Rb7+ Kg6 39. Raxa7 Rc3 40. g4 1-0 Marshall,F-Daly/Bath 1909 (40)
6. Nf3 Bb4+ This move order gives White the fewest options.
The tactically sharp 6... Bg4 seems to play to Marshall's strengths after 7. Nc3!? (or 7. Be2 Nf6 (7... Bb4+ 8. Nc3 Bxf3 9. Bxf3 Qc4 transposes to the game)
8. h3 Bb4+ 9. Nc3 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 Qc4 11. Bxc6+ bxc6 12. Qe2+ Qxe2+ 13. Kxe2 O-O 14. Be3 Rfe8 15. Rac1 c5 16. dxc5 Bxc5 17. Nb5 Bxe3 18. fxe3 Rab8 19. Nxc7 Rxb2+ 20. Kf3 Re5 21. Nd5 Rf5+ 22. Kg3 Rg5+ 23. Kf4 h6 24. Rc8+ Kh7 25. Nxf6+ gxf6 26. g4 Rxa2 27. Rd1 Ra4+ 28. Rd4 Raa5 29. Rdd8 Rg7 30. h4 h5 31. Rh8+ 1-0 Marshall,F-Kupchik,A/Havana 1913 (31))
7... Bxf3 (7... Qa5 8. Be2 Nf6 9. O-O O-O-O 10. Be3 Be7 11. a3+/=)
8. Nxd5 Bxd1 9. Nxc7+ Kd7 10. Nxa8 Bh5~~ to which Muller and Voigt devote four pages of analysis without reaching a definitive conclusion. A game of Marshall'scontinued 11. d5 Nd4 12. Bd3 Bb4+? (Muller and Voigt offer 12... Bg6 13. Bxg6 hxg6 14. Kd1! Nh6 15. Be3 Nhf5 16. Rf1! Nxe3+ 17. fxe3 Nf5 18. Rf3+/= and Black has a number of choices here.)
13. Bd2? ( Muller and Voigt give instead 13. Kf1!+/- Ne7 14. Be3 Ndf5 15. Bb5+ Kd6 16. Bf4+ Kxd5 17. Nc7++/-)
13... Bxd2+ 14. Kxd2 Ne7 15. Rac1 (15. Rhe1? Nxd5! 16. Re5 Nf6=/+)
15... Rxa8 16. Rc4 Nef5 17. Rxd4 Nxd4 18. Ke3 Ne2 19. Bb5+ Kd6 20. f3 Kxd5 21. Kxe2 Bg6 22. Rc1 a6 23. Ba4 b5 24. Bb3+ Kd6 25. Rd1+= 1/2-1/2, Marshall-Leonhardt, Ostende 1905
7. Nc3 Bg4 8. Be2 8. a3 Bxf3! 9. axb4 Qe6+ 10. Be2 Bxe2 11. Nxe2 Nf6 12. O-O O-O 13. b5 Nb4~~ Voigt-Chandler, Germany 2002
8... Bxf3 9. Bxf3 Qc4! 10. Be3?! Muller and Voigt call this move "very risky," which means it's just the thing that Marshall would go for. But Howell is probably right that "There seems no good reason why White should thus forego the castling privelege."
Better is >= 10. Bxc6+ bxc6!? (10... Qxc6 11. O-O Ne7 12. Qb3+/=)
11. Qe2+ Qxe2+ 12. Kxe2 when, according to Muller and Voigt, "By castling long and playing Ne7, Rhe8, Nd5/Nf5 Black finds valuable spots for his pieces, so he can face the near future fearlessly. White searches for a slight advantage by marching to c4 with his king and fixing the center with Be3 and Rd1-d3. Afterwards, he can proceed with b4 and Na4. Yet, in the end it isn't much, we must admit." 12... Ne7 (12... Nf6?! 13. h3?! would transpose to Marshall-Kupchik above)
13. Be3 O-O-O 14. Kd3!? c5 15. Kc4 cxd4 16. Bxd4 Nc6=
Also possible is 10. Qb3!?~~
10... Bxc3+ If Black does not play actively, White has surprising chances of developing an initiative thanks in part to his two strong Bishops.
a) 10... O-O-O 11. Qb3 (11. Bxc6?! Bxc3+! 12. bxc3 Qxc3+ 13. Kf1 Qxc6 14. Rc1 Qa6+-/+)
11... Qxb3 12. axb3 Nxd4!? 13. Bxd4 Rxd4 14. Rxa7~~
b) 10... Nge7 11. Rc1 (11. Be2 Bxc3+ 12. Kf1 Qb4 13. bxc3 Qxc3 14. Rb1!?~/=)
11... Rd8 (11... O-O 12. a3 Bxc3+ 13. Rxc3 Qb5 14. b4!?+/=)
(11... Qxa2 12. O-O Qxb2 13. Nb5~/=)
12. a3 Bxc3+ 13. Rxc3 Qe6 14. O-O O-O 15. Re1 Qd6 16. Bg5 f6 17. Be3 Kh8 18. Qb3 Rfe8 19. Qxb7 Nxd4 20. Bxd4 Qxd4 21. Rce3 Qc5 22. b4 Qd6 23. Qxa7 Qd7 24. g3 Ng6 25. Rxe8+ Rxe8 26. Rxe8+ Qxe8 27. Qxc7 Ne5 28. Be4 g6 29. Kg2 Qe6 30. h4 Ng4 31. Qc6 1-0 Kovacs,L-Travnicek,P/Reggio Emilia 1971 (31)
c) 10... Rd8 11. Be2 Bxc3+ 12. Kf1 Qb4 13. bxc3 Qxc3 14. Rc1 Qa3 15. d5 Nge7 16. Bc5 Qa5 17. Bf3 Ne5?! 18. Qe2 N5g6 19. h4 h5 20. Be4 Kd7 21. Qb2 Kc8 22. d6 Nc6 23. Rh3 Qa6+ 24. Bd3 Qa4 25. Bf5+ Kb8 26. Ra3 Qxh4 27. Bxa7+ Nxa7 28. dxc7+ Ka8 29. cxd8=Q+ Rxd8 30. Kg1 Kb8 31. Qb6 Nc6 32. Rb3 Qe7 33. Qxc6 1-0 Smolenskiy,Y-Berul/Ukraine 1979 (33)
d) 10... Nf6 11. Qb3!? (11. Qe2! Qxe2+ 12. Kxe2 O-O-O 13. a3+/=)
11... Qxb3 12. axb3 a5 13. O-O O-O-O 14. Rfd1 h6 15. Na2 Nd5 16. Nxb4 Ndxb4 17. d5 Ne5 18. Rxa5 Nxf3+ 19. gxf3 b6 20. Ra4 c5 21. Ra7 g5 22. d6 Rh7 23. f4 Rd7 24. Ra8+ Kb7 25. Rf8 Nc2 26. fxg5 Nxe3 27. fxe3 hxg5 28. Rg8 f6 29. Rf8 Rh6 30. e4 Kc6 31. Rc8+ Kb7 32. Re8 Rh4 33. Re6 Kc6 34. Rd3 Rf4 35. Kg2 f5 36. e5 Rd4 37. Rf3 f4 38. Rg6 Rd5 39. Re6 Rd2+ 40. Rf2 Rd3 41. Rg6 Rd5 42. Re2 Rd3 43. Rf2 Rd5 44. Re6 Rf7 45. Re8 Kd7 46. Rb8 Rxe5 47. Rxb6 Rd5 48. h4 Rf6 49. hxg5 Rxg5+ 50. Kf3 Rg3+ Belamaric,G-Potocnik,P/Skofja Loka 1998 (50)
11. bxc3 Qxc3+ 12. Kf1 Marshall was never afraid to move his King to f1. The alternative is
12. Bd2 Qd3! (12... Qxd4?! 13. O-O Nge7 14. Bxc6+! bxc6 (14... Nxc6 15. Re1+ Kf8 16. Qb3~/=)
15. Re1 Rd8 16. Qe2 O-O 17. Bg5 f6 18. Rad1 Qc5 19. Qe6+ Kh8 20. Be3~/=)
13. Bxc6+ bxc6 14. Bb4!? Qxd1+ (14... Qc4 15. Bc5 Nf6 16. Rc1 Qe6+ 17. Kf1~/=)
(14... Qe4+ 15. Kf1~/=)
15. Kxd1! O-O-O 16. Bc5~/= and White's compensation for the pawn does not promise more than a draw.
12... Qc4+ 12... Nge7 13. Rc1 Qa5 (13... Qb4!? 14. Qd3 O-O 15. Rb1 Qd6 16. Qe4?! (16. Rxb7=)
16... f5 17. Qf4 Rab8?! 18. Qxd6 cxd6 1/2-1/2 Pietrusiak,B-Lundberg,O/Sweden 1992 (42) 19. g3!~/=)
14. d5? (14. Qb3!~~)
14... O-O-O! 15. Rc5 Qa6+ 16. Qe2 Nb4-/+ 0-1 Sluka,R-Sosna,J/CZE 2001 (39)
13. Kg1 If White is content with a draw, then possible is 13. Be2 Qd5 (13... Qb4!? 14. Rb1 Qd6 15. Rxb7~~)
14. Bf3= Qb5+!? 15. Be2 Qf5 16. Rb1|^
13... Nge7 14. Rc1 Qxa2 14... Qb4 15. Rb1 Qd6 16. Rxb7 O-O 17. g3 Nd5 0-1 Kappes,D-Bierwisch,B (41) 18. Kg2= Muller and Voigt
15. Ra1 15. d5? Ne5 (15... Rd8!?)
16. Be4 f5 17. Rc2 Qb3 18. d6 Rd8 19. Qh5+ g6 20. dxe7 gxh5 21. exd8=Q+ Kxd8 22. Rd2+ Kc8 23. Bxf5+ Kb8 24. Bc2 Qb5 25. h3 Rg8 26. Kh2 Nc4 27. Re2 Qe5+ 28. f4 Qg7 29. Bc1 Qg3+ 30. Kg1 h6 (30... a5 31. Bxh7 Rd8 32. Bc2 h4 33. Re4 Nd2 34. Re7 Qc3 35. Bxd2 Qxd2 0-1 Herzog,A-Flear,G/Graz 1984 (35))
31. Bh7 Rd8 32. Bc2 h4 33. Re4 Nd2 34. Re7 Qc3 35. Bxd2 Qxd2 0-1 Herzog,A-Flear,G (35)
15... Qc4 16. Rc1 Qa2 17. Ra1 Qc4 18. Rc1 1/2-1/2 Several commentators note that Black does not have to accept the draw, though Capablanca's safe lead in the tournament hardly encouraged him to try for more. And, of course, Marshall would be satisfied with a draw. As he had famously said, "Against Capablanca, the most you can hope for is a draw." Howell notes: "Black has two passed pawns plus, so White is content, and Black can get is Queen away from the attack of the rook only by giving back material or allowing White a strong attack." However, whether to accept a draw or play for a win is at Black's option in the position. At least one game has continued forward from here:
18... Qb4! 19. Rb1 Qd6 20. Rxb7 O-O=/+ Muller and Voigt
21. g3 Nd5 22. Kg2 Rab8 23. Rxb8 Nxe3+ 24. fxe3 Rxb8 25. Qa1 g6 Fritz suggests 25... Rb3
26. Rc1! Ne7 27. Qxa7 Rb2+ 28. Kg1? >= 28. Kh1=
28... Qb4!=/+ 29. Rd1 Qc3 30. Qa8+ Kg7 31. Qe4 Nf5 32. Qd3 Qb4 33. Bd5 h5 34. e4 Nh6 35. Qf3 c6 36. Bxc6 Qc4 37. Bd7 Qc2 38. h3 Qh2+ 39. Kf1 f5 40. exf5 Qxh3+ 41. Ke1 gxf5 42. Rd2 Rb1+ 43. Rd1 Rxd1+ 44. Kxd1 h4 45. Bxf5 Nxf5 46. Qb7+ Kf6 47. Qb6+ Kg5 48. gxh4+ Kf4 49. Qf6 Qd3+ 50. Kc1 Ke4 51. Qe6+ Kf3 52. Qc6+ Ke3 53. Qc2 Qa3+ 54. Qb2 Qa5 55. Qb3+ Kf4 56. Qb8+ Kg4 57. Qc8 Kxh4 58. d5 Qa1+ 58... Qxd5-/+ saves time
59. Kc2 Qa4+ 60. Kb2 Qb4+ 61. Kc2 Qe4+ 62. Kb2 Ne3 63. Qh8+ Kg4 64. d6 Qb4+ 65. Kc1 Qxd6 This position must be proven in the Nalimov tablebase.
66. Qg7+ Kf3 67. Qc3 Ke4? 68. Qb4+!= Bryson-Flear, British Ch Edinburgh 1985
1/2-1/2
[Goeller]
Mark Kernighan (2216) - Michael Goeller (2020) [B00]
KCC Summer Tournament/New Brunswick, NJ 2005
1. d4 Nc6 2. Nf3 d6 3. e4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bg4 5. Be2 e6 6. O-O Be7 7. Bf4N Nd7?! Moving the same piece twice.
a) Steve Stoyko thought that Black can get easy equality by 7... Bxf3 8. Bxf3 e5 9. dxe5 (9. Be3 exd4 10. Bxd4 Nxd4 11. Qxd4 O-O 12. e5 dxe5 13. Qxe5 Bd6 14. Qb5 Rb8 15. Bxb7 c5 16. Qc6 Qc7 17. Qxc7 Bxc7 18. Bf3 Rxb2)
9... dxe5 (9... Nxe5 10. Be2)
10. Be3 Nd4=
b) The only game I could find in general databases continued 7... O-O 8. d5 exd5 9. exd5 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 Ne5 11. Re1 Nfd7 12. Be4 Bg5 13. Bg3?! (13. Qh5! h6=)
13... f5!<=> 14. f4 Bxf4 15. Bxf4 fxe4 16. Bg3 Nf6?! (16... Rf5|^ with the super-strongpoint at e5 and prospects of initiative with Qe8-g6 and Raf8.)
17. Nxe4 Nxe4 18. Rxe4 Qf6 19. Qe2 Ng6 20. c3 Qf7 21. c4 Rae8 22. Re1 Rxe4 23. Qxe4 Ne5 24. Qe2 Qf5 25. Bxe5 dxe5 26. Rf1 Qg5 27. b3 Rxf1+ 28. Kxf1 Qf5+= 29. Ke1 Kf7 30. Qf2 g6 31. g4 Qf4 32. Qxf4+ exf4?! 33. g5! Ke7? 34. c5! b6?? 35. b4+- bxc5 36. bxc5 Kd7 1-0 O'Chee,K-Morris,M/Sydney 2005 (36)
8. Be3?! This seems a waste of time.
Several people suggested the stronger 8. d5! exd5 (8... Nce5 9. Nxe5!+/-)
9. exd5 (9. Nxd5!?+/=)
9... Bxf3 10. Bxf3 Nce5 11. Be4+/= though Black can likely equalize with 11... O-O with play similar to the database game above.(11... Ng6 12. Be3 Bf6+/=)
Mark says he considered 8. e5 but after 8... d5= Black has a good French.
8... Nb6 And now moving that Knight a third time.... In retrospect, I don't know what I was thinking.
8... O-O 9. d5! Bxf3 10. Bxf3 Nce5 11. Be2 Nb6
9. Nd2?! Still best is 9. d5!+/=
9... Bxe2 10. Qxe2 O-O Black needs to seize the opportunity to play 10... d5!
11. Rad1 11. f4?! d5 12. e5 Qd7 13. g4 f6=/+
11. d5! exd5 12. Nxd5 Re8+/=
11... d5 12. Rfe1 Bb4!=/+ This gains an edge for Black.
Possible was 12... dxe4 13. Ndxe4! (13. Ncxe4?! Nxd4!=/+ (during the game I also looked at 13... f5? 14. Nc5 f4 15. Nxe6 fxe3 16. Nxd8 exf2+ 17. Qxf2! Rxf2 18. Nxc6!+/-)
)
13... Nd5 and it is not immediately clear how White can gain an edge, despite Black's many knight moves: 14. Nxd5 Qxd5 15. Nc3 Qf5 16. d5 Nb4!=
13. Qh5!? 13. Qg4 Bxc3 14. bxc3 dxe4 15. Qxe4 (15. Nxe4 f5)
15... Qd5=/+
13... Bxc3 14. bxc3 Na4?! a) Most interesting is 14... f5! 15. exf5 Rxf5! (15... exf5 16. Bf4 Qd7 17. Re3!)
16. Qe2 Qf6 17. c4 (17. Nf3)
17... dxc4 18. Nxc4 Nd5
b) 14... dxe4?! 15. Nxe4 Qd5 16. Qh4 Qxa2 17. Bh6 f6 18. Qg3 Rf7 19. Nc5 (19. Nxf6+ Kh8)
c) 14... Qf6!? 15. Bg5 (15. Nb3 dxe4 16. Nc5)
15... Qg6 16. Qxg6 (16. Qh4)
16... hxg6= and Black has better long-term prospects.
15. e5!? Kernighan felt that if he did not do something desperate, he was eventually going to get squeezed on the queenside.
Stoyko thought White should actually sacrifice the exchange by 15. c4!? Nc3 16. cxd5 Nxd1 17. Rxd1 exd5 18. exd5 Ne7 19. c4 a6=/+ (19... Qd7)
15... Nxc3 16. Bg5!? f6 I had completely dismissed White's attacking prospects and did not calculate accurately here.
Fritz suggests 16... Qe8? but White actually gets dangerous attacking prospects with 17. Re3!! (17. Bf6!? Nxd4 18. Re3 Qc6 19. Bxg7 (19. Rh3 Nce2+ 20. Kh1 Qxc2)
19... Nce2+-+)
17... Nxd1 18. Rh3 h6 19. Bf6!! (19. Bxh6? f6!-+)
19... Ne7[] 20. Bxg7 f6 21. Qxh6 Qg6 22. Bxf8 Qxh6 23. Bxh6+/-
17. exf6 gxf6? Now White's attack is completely justified. But I was still underestimating it. Black has at least two stronger plans that likely win:
a) 17... Qe8!! 18. Qg4 Nxd1-/+ is the best defense.(18... h5!? 19. Qh4 Nxd1-/+)
19. Bh6!? (19. Rxd1 h5 20. Qh4 Qg6-/+)
19... Qg6! 20. Qxe6+ Rf7-+
Going into the main line, I had looked at 17... Nxd1? before noticing that White plays 18. f7+!+- , of course, and not(18. fxg7? Rf5!-+)
b) Also better was 17... Rxf6! 18. Bxf6 Qxf6~/= and Black has a strong initiative.
18. Bh6 Qd7? Fritz finds a drawing defense in 18... Qe8! 19. Qg4+ Qg6 20. Qxe6+ Rf7 21. Qe8+! Rf8! (I had only examined 21... Rxe8?? 22. Rxe8+ Rf8 23. Rxf8#)
22. Qe6+ Rf7= with perpetual.
19. Ra1?! White can afford to take his time with Black's King so permanently exposed, but this move loses a lot of momentum.
Faster, however, is 19. Qg4+! Kh8 20. Bxf8 Nxd1 21. Bh6 Nb2
19... Rf7 20. Re3 Nb5 21. Nb3 b6 22. Rae1 e5? ...just when I was pulling it together! This is the most fatal error.
Black has a saving resource in 22... Re8! 23. Qg4+ ( White must have something slower, but we could find nothing clear after 23. c3~/= Nd6 24. Qg4+ Kh8 and now what is better than 25. Rxe6 Rxe6 26. Qxe6 Qxe6 27. Rxe6 Re7=/+ with the same thing?)
23... Kh8 24. Rxe6 Rxe6 25. Qxe6 Qxe6 26. Rxe6 Re7=/+ and Black may even have the edge here since he will win the pawn at d4.
23. dxe5 fxe5 24. Rg3+ Kh8 25. Rxe5! Re8? White to play and mate in four:
Black can soldier on a bit with 25... Nbd4 or
25... Nd6
26. Bg7+! Kg8 26... Rxg7 27. Qxe8+ Qxe8 28. Rxe8+ Rg8 29. Rexg8#
27. Qxh7+! the prettiest, but also winning was
27. Bf6+ Kf8 28. Rxe8+ Qxe8 (28... Kxe8 29. Rg8#)
29. Qh6+ Rg7 30. Qxg7#
or 27. Rxe8+ Qxe8 28. Bf6+ Kf8 29. Qh6+ Rg7 30. Qxg7#
27... Kxh7 28. Rh5+ Kg8 29. Rh8# 1-0
[Michael Goeller]
Frank James Marshall - Horace Ransom Bigelow [D63]
9th American Chess Congress/Lake Hopatcong, NJ USA (10) 1923
Morris Schapiro - Frank James Marshall [D39]
9th American Chess Congress/Lake Hopatcong, NJ USA (11) 1923
Frank James Marshall - Vladimir Sournin [D15]
Masters Tournament/Lake Hopatcong (12) 1923
David Janowski - Frank James Marshall [D03]
9th American Chess Congress/Lake Hopatcong, NJ USA (9) 1923
Albert Beauregard Hodges - Frank James Marshall [C49]
9th American Chess Congress/Lake Hopatcong, NJ USA (13) 1923