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ANNOTATED GAME
Manhattan CC Masters Tournament, New York
Jose Raul Capablanca (?) vs. Frank J. Marshall (?)
Annotated by: ethansiegel
(1986)
Chess opening: Ruy Lopez (C89), Marshall counter-attack, 11...c6
Jose Raul Capablanca (?) vs. Frank J. Marshall (?)
Annotated by: ethansiegel
(1986)
Chess opening: Ruy Lopez (C89), Marshall counter-attack, 11...c6
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This is NOT one of my chess games -- this is the famous "Marshall Gambit" game, where Frank Marshall prepared a little surprise for Jose Raul Capablanca. Marshall comes up with an opening novelty where, for a sacrificed pawn, he gets a ferocious attack. But, despite this being the first appearance of the gambit, Capablanca takes him down with accurate, spectacular defense, followed by an irresistable counterattack. | ||||||
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1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 |
Capa played the Ruy Lopez as white often, with tremendous success. (1 loss in 44 games, and this is not that loss!) | |||||
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3... a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 |
The closed variation, as opposed to the immediate opening of the game with 5. ... Nxe4. | |||||
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6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O |
Usual here is 7. ... d6, protecting the e5 point. | |||||
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8. c3 |
This is a "normal" move, preparing d4, denying the Nc6 the squares b4 and d4, but it invites the opening of the center... | |||||
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8... d5 |
Marshall's innovation. After 8. ... d6, white can choose between 9. d4, allowing the pin Bg4, or 9. h3, where black has many good variations, including Na5 (Chigorin), Nb8 (Breyer's), Bb7 (Zaitsev), Nd7 (Smyslov), and Re8 (a flexible idea). This move invites white to take a pawn for attacking chances. | |||||
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9. exd5 |
As this was the first appearance of this gambit, it's worth noting that Capa could've declined it with 9. d4. Instead, he chose to accept it and walked right into Marshall's little surprise, almost daring him to spring the trap... | |||||
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9... Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 |
The key point -- black has sacrificed one of his center pawns, but both bishops, the queen, and the knight are poised for an assault on white's kingside, as he is way ahead in development. | |||||
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11... Nf6 |
This is an excellent move -- preparing to transfer the knight to the kingside where it can join in the attack! Look at the white pieces -- the rook is about to get attacked, and the white queenside is asleep and blocked in! Black these days plays either 11. ... Bb7 or 11. ... c6! more commonly, but Nf6 is also a very strong (and my preferred) move. | |||||
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12. Re1 |
Anticipating black's 12. ... Bd6. 12. d4 and 12. Re2 are also worth considering as defensive options, but 12. Re2 would block the queen's defensive route to the kingside. | |||||
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12... Bd6 13. h3 |
Trying to keep black's pieces out of g4, where they will menace the white king. | |||||
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13... Ng4 |
Anyway! Marshall calculates that on 14. hxg4 Qh4 is deadly! | |||||
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14. Qf3 |
! A great defensive move, allowing the queen to help defend. Note the counterattack threat in this move -- that if the black Bd6 and Qd8 leave the Rf8 undefended, then Qxf7 Rxf7 Re8 is checkmate for white. | |||||
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14... Qh4 |
I wonder if white is sweating yet? Again, 15. hxg4 is impossible, as Bxg4 wins after 16. Q-moves, Qh2 17. Kf1 Qh1#. | |||||
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15. d4 |
Allowing the bishop and knight out of the queenside. White has met black's audacious threats very accurately so far. | |||||
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15... Nxf2 |
! How to continue this attack? I think this is the best way, as the knight is immune. (16. Qxf2 is met by Bh2 17. Kf1 [17. Kxh2? Qxf2] Bg3, winning the exchange.) It is remarkable how deep black is into white's kingside. Note also that black has won back the gambit pawn. | |||||
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16. Re2 |
Threatening to win the knight. It is possible that Re2 would have been better back on the 12th move, saving white a tempo, but getting in the way of 14. Qf3. As an aside, some say that 16. Bd2 is an even better move for white. My analysis is that in that case, Ng4! for black looks excellent. 16. Bd2 Ng4 17. g3 Qxh3 18. Qxa8 Bxg3, and black has sacrificed a rook for a tremendous kingside assault. | |||||
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16... Bg4 |
A difficult move in a difficult position. I honestly don't know what move I'd make here, as 16. ... Bxh3 and 16. ... Nxh3 don't look too inviting either, and 16. ... Bg3? is checkmate (16. ... Bg3 17. Qxf7 ! Rxf7 18. Re8#) | |||||
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17. hxg4 |
Forced, as 17. Qxf2 Bg3 18. Qf1 Bxe2 19. Qxe2 Rae8 gives black the advantage. | |||||
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17... Bh2+ |
Connecting the rooks and continuing the attack, at the cost of a knight. | |||||
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18. Kf1 Bg3 |
Now the threat is Qh1#. White must give the exchage back to survive. Possibly 18. ... Nh8 is good, too. | |||||
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