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ANNOTATED GAME
How to play the Marshall as black!
silhouet2003 (1675) vs. ethansiegel (1755)
Annotated by: ethansiegel
(1986)
Chess opening: Ruy Lopez (C89), Marshall counter-attack, 11...c6
silhouet2003 (1675) vs. ethansiegel (1755)
Annotated by: ethansiegel
(1986)
Chess opening: Ruy Lopez (C89), Marshall counter-attack, 11...c6
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As those of you who've seen the original Marshall gambit game (Capablanca-Marshall, 1918) know, the Marshall gambit gives black a tremendous counterattack against the closed Ruy Lopez. Capablanca managed to defeat Marshall in the first appearance of that gambit, but I fell in love with Marshall's brave play in that game. Here's my first game at gameknot where I had the opportunity to play the Marshall as black! | |||||
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1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 |
The Ruy Lopez opening, which has been heavily analyzed for over 100 years. | ||||
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3... a6 |
The morphy defense, as black does not fear 4. Bxc6 dxc6 5. Nxe5, because of 5. ... Qd4!, winning back the pawn with advantage. | ||||
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4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 |
The closed variation, as opposed to opening the game with Nxe4. | ||||
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6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O |
Ducking the king away, giving black the option of playing d6 or d5 on his next move if white obliges with 8. c3 | ||||
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8. c3 |
<smile> | ||||
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8... d5 |
! The defining move of the marshall, getting a strong attack for a pawn. | ||||
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9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 |
There goes the pawn... | ||||
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10... Nxe5 11. Rxe5 Nf6 |
!? And here comes the attack! Usual is 11. ... c6!, stronger for top level masters, but for me, I'm happy to play Nf6 with the threats that arise from that! | ||||
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12. d4 Bd6 |
Where you gonna run to, Rook? | ||||
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13. Re1 Ng4 |
Threatening, among other things, ... Qh4 and Qxh2 or Qxf2. | ||||
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14. h3 |
So far, this is all standard. After 14. ... Qh4 15. Qf3!, we arrive at the position of the Capablanca-Marshall game. But, since Marshall lost that game, I decided to try a little innovation... | ||||
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14... Nxf2 |
!? Sacrificing the knight to bring the king into the open! Is this sound? Probably not, but it makes for interesting chess! | ||||
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15. Kxf2 |
The only way to prove a gambit is unsound is to accept it. White could've transposed back into the main line with 15. Qf3 Qh4, but this forces black to go for it. | ||||
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15... Qh4+ 16. Kg1 |
Maybe the best chance for defending, although Kf1 might give some chances, too. | ||||
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16... Bxh3 |
?! Good lord! Black is down a whole knight and what am I doing, throwing in a bishop?! I calculate that after gxf3 Qg3 , white should be in trouble... | ||||
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17. gxh3 Qg3+ |
Now, you can see that Kf1 on the 16th move would have led to Qxh3 instead of Qg3 , a difference of one move from the game. | ||||
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18. Kf1 Qxh3+ |
White can move back to g1 now, and Black may need to force a perpetual check, as I don't see a forced mate. | ||||
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19. Ke2 |
! Going for it. White calculates that he can defend and win with his material edge. | ||||
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19... Rae8+ |
The best chance, as Rf-e8 allows white to play Bxf7 strongly in some variations. | ||||
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20. Kd2 |
Forced. | ||||
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