Marshall-J.R.Capablanca 23rd matchgame, New York 1909

Tarrasch Defence

1 d4

If I were Marshall’s chess coach, I would annotate this with a “?!” mark.

Question: Why?

Answer: The strategic byways of 1 d4 don’t suit Marshall, a pure tactician. His best bet against Capablanca would be to open with 1 e4! and keep pieces on the board. If you are destined to take a beating, then take a beating with your boots on and go down fighting!

1 ... d5 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 c5

For his entire life, Capa was unafraid to take on an isolani, just as long as he retained piece activity.

4 cxd5 exd5 5 Nf3 Nc6 6 g3 Be6!? 7 Bg2 Be7 8 0-0 Nf6

9 Bg5

Inaccurate, since it allows Black a freeing manoeuvre next move. Instead:

a) 9 dxc5 Bxc5 10 Bg5 d4 11 Bxf6 Qxf6 12 Ne4 Qe7 13 Nxc5 Qxc5, F.Marshall-Em.Lasker, 4th matchgame, USA 1923, and White stands better after 14 b4! Qxb4 15 Rb1.

b) 9 b3 also looks okay for White since it isn’t clear that Black’s bishop really belongs on e6 just yet.

9 ... Ne4! 10 Bxe7 Qxe7 11 Ne5

White gets nothing from 11 dxc5 Nxc3 12 bxc3 Qxc5 13 Rb1 b6 either.

11 ... Nxd4 12 Nxe4 dxe4 13 e3!

The hasty 13 Bxe4? is met by the tricky line 13 ... Rd8! 14 Qa4+ Bd7 15 Nxd7 b5! 16 Qa3 Qxe4 (threatening mate in one) 17 f3 Qe7 18 Nxc5 Nc2.

13 ... Nf3+ 14 Nxf3 exf3 15 Qxf3

Question: Isn’t Marshall playing a bit timidly this game?

Answer: Normally, Marshall’s mind was a fertile breeding ground for psychotically aggressive notions, but not this time. This was the 23rd game of the match and Capa had beaten the stuffing out of him, and all of Marshall’s aggressive instincts along with it.

15 ... 0-0!

16 Rfc1?!

Wrong rook, wrong file. If White plays only to stop Black’s majority, he risks losing.

Question: What do you suggest?

Answer: Euwe correctly suggests the plan e3-e4, followed by Qe3 and f2-f4 to activate his own majority.

Question: Why did White avoid taking the b7-pawn?

Answer: Black immediately regains it with a rook on the seventh rank and a passed c-pawn to boot: 16 Qxb7?! Qxb7 17 Bxb7 Rab8 18 Be4 Rb4 19 Bc6 Rxb2 with advantage to Black.

16 ... Rab8

Houdini says the position is dead equal but is fooled.

Question: Why? It looks like neither side has anything.

Answer: Despite the material parity, Marshall has little reason for elation. One key imbalance favours Black. Both sides have pawn majorities on their respective wings. Black’s is mobile and ready to roll forward, while White’s lies dormant.

Question: Surely such a minor factor won’t lead to anything, will it?

Answer: If your pawn majority moves forward while the other side’s sleeps, it is as if you are a pawn up. This game is probably the finest example of how to handle opposite wing majorities in chess history. I remember playing it over when I was around nine years old, in awe at the ease with which Capa won. I am 51 as I write this, and the sense of wonder remains at Capa’s seamless victory.

17 Qe4?!

Piece play is incorrect in this position. Once again, White should activate his majority with 17 e4

followed by Qe3 and f2-f4, when he still stands worse.

17 ... Qc7

Dodging Bh3 ideas.

Question: In front of White’s rook?

Answer: Don’t fear ghosts. White can do nothing to exploit the queen/rook position.

18 Rc3 b5 19 a3 19 b3 looks better.

19 ... c4

Question: Doesn’t this violate principle? Black places his pawns on the same colour as his remaining bishop.

Answer: For now. The pawns soon roll forward, changing colours, so it isn’t a violation of the principle unless the pawns get stuck on that colour for the remainder of the game.

20 Bf3?!

An awkward attempt to halt Black’s majority. He should play 20 Rd1.

20 ... Rfd8 21 Rd1 Rxd1+ 22 Bxd1 Rd8 23 Bf3 g6!

Before you complain about pawns on the wrong colour, this is the correct luft since Black may want ...

Bf5 possibilities later on to assist his pawns forward.

24 Qc6?!

He shouldn’t be begging for swaps.

24 ... Qe5!

Black’s queen, eyebrows raised in distaste, decides she doesn’t care for the company of her needy sister and leaves. Capa swaps but on his terms.

25 Qe4 Qxe4 26 Bxe4 Rd1+ 27 Kg2 a5 28 Rc2 b4 A wild wind pushes the wave forward.

29 axb4 axb4 30 Bf3 Rb1

Principle: Place your rook behind passed pawns, yours or the opponent’s.

31 Be2 b3

Everything is secure.

32 Rd2!

Question: Can’t White draw by entering a rook and pawn ending with 32 Rc3?

Answer: What rook and pawn ending? Black wins with the trick 32 ... Rxb2 33 Bxc4 Rc2!, picking off a piece.

32 ... Rc1!

Threat: ... Rc2.

Question: Can Black win with a rook sac on b2 to push his pawns through?

Answer: A line of great bravado, but unfortunately you walked into Marshall’s cunning trap! 32 ...

Rxb2? 33 Rxb2 c3 34 Rb1 c2 35 Bd3! should hold the draw.

33 Bd1

Exercise (combination alert): White’s rook and bishop stand sentinel to protect the frightened flock. But now Marshall faces that universal punisher of past bad decisions: Painful consequences.

Black to play and win a piece.

Answer: 33 ... c3! 34 bxc3 b2!

Overload. The pawn sinks into bliss on b2.

35 Rxb2 Rxd1 36 Rc2

Principle: Rooks belong behind passed pawns.

36 ... Bf5!

Oh, no you don’t! The bishop puts a giant exclamation mark behind the rook’s discomfort.

37 Rb2 Rc1

White’s rook, with a look of injured accusation, is obliged into awkward, lateral defence.

38 Rb3 Be4+! 39 Kh3 39 f3? Rc2+ picks off f3.

39 ... Rc2 40 f4

Exercise (planning): Black can win White’s h-pawn by force. How?

Answer: 40 ... h5!

Threatening ... Bf5+.

41 g4 hxg4+ 42 Kxg4 Rxh2 43 Rb4 f5+! 44 Kg3 44 Kg5?? is a helpmate after 44 ... Kg7.

44 ... Re2

This nasty rook leaves a trail of pain in its wake. Now the e-pawn drops.

45 Rc4 Rxe3+ 46 Kh4

Sigh. Nobody ever resigned in those days!

46 ... Kg7 47 Rc7+ Kf6 48 Rd7

Exercise (combination alert): Suddenly, White’s king is thrust into a war zone, when all he ever wanted was to live out his life in peace. Black to play and force mate.

Answer: Seize control over h3.

48 ... Bg2! 49 Rd6+ Kg7 0-1

The white king’s dream of unrestricted travel ends on a sour note. It’s a forced mate in five moves,

despite the temporary vacancy on g5.

It is a rare thing indeed to watch a player like Marshall, who normally fed on violence, so effortlessly subdued. Why fight when no battle is necessary for victory?

Game 24

H.Kline-J.R.Capablanca