Marshall, Frank James VS Capablanca, Jose Raul 1909.05.11

Annotations

1. 5…Ne4 Lasker has played this move successfully in his match against Marshall; but it has not come into general use. White should get the better game by 6 B x B, Q x B; 7 Q—B 2, Kt x Kt; 8 Q x Kt or 7 P x P, Kt x Kt; 8 P x Kt, P x P; 9 Q—Kt 3, in the first case because the Black Q B is out of play, in the second case because of the open Kt file. 7 Kt x Kt is bad, because P x P prevents the natural development of the K Kt at B 3, and Black can obtain an attack after castling by P—K B 4-5.
2. 7.Bd3 This also is a good move, as it furthers development.
3. 8.bxc3 Giving up the centre pawn in this case is not against the spirit of the opening, as it opens the only diagonal on which the Black Q B can operate.
4. 13.a4 This move can only be good if White intends to operate on the Queen's side, possibly by K R—Kt 1 and P—R 5. But the position of the White Queen makes the adoption of a different plan compulsory. For one thing, it is rational to concentrate forces where the Queen can take her share, therefore, in this case, on the King's side. On the other hand, the manœuvre referred to could not be put into execution here because Black can prevent P—R 5 by P—Q B 4 and Kt—B 3. A fairly obvious course was to play P—K 4, taking possession of the centre. P—Q B 4 would then be answered by P—Q 5, after which the White Rooks would be very effective at Q 1 and K 1. In this game White does initiate a King's side attack subsequently, and thus 13...P—Q R 4 is clearly a lost move.
5. 15.Nf4 The tempting move of P—K 4 cannot be played because of 16 Kt—Q 5, Q—Q 1; 17 P x B P, Kt—R 4; 18 K R—Q 1. The move in the text threatens P x P, Kt x P and R x B.
6. 17…Na5 This threatens B—B 3 attacking the R P. White decides to yield the same at once, thinking quite rightly that a direct attack must have good chances, as Black gets two pieces out of play in capturing the pawn.
7. 19.Qg4 Black cannot take the pawn yet, because of Kt x P and B x P ch.
8. 20.d5 There is no need to play for violent complications. The logical course was to open the way to the King's side for the Rooks by P—K 4. The continuation could have been: 20 P—K 4, B x R P; 21 Kt—R 5, P—Kt 3; 22 P—K 5, B x R; 23 R x B followed by Kt—B 6, with a strong attack; also after 21...P—B 3, 22 R—Q 2, White's attacking chances are good. After the move in the text, Black could get an advantage by simply exchanging: 20...P x P; 21 Kt x P, B x Kt; 22 R x B, R x R; 23 Q x R ch, R—Q 1; 24 Q—K B 5, P—Kt 3; 25 Q—B 2, Q—R 6. In taking the R P, however, Black incurs grave risks.
9. 25.Nf6 Black finds the weaknesses at his K B 3 and K R 3 very troublesome. R x P would lose at once, because of 25 R x R, Q x R; 26 Q—R 6 !
10. 27.Bb1 Q—R 4 would have been answered by K—Kt 2.
11. 27…Nc6 Black must try to bring back his minor pieces for the defence. If he succeeds in doing that in time, the end-game is easily won on the Queen's side.
12. 28.Bf5 Not P x B because of Q—R 6.
13. 29.h4 White's attacking resources seem inexhaustible. By exchanging Queens he could have got his pawn back in this way: 29 B—Q 7, Q—B 1 (R x B ?, 30 Q—R 6); 30 B x Kt, B x B; 31 Q x Q P, Q—Q 3; 32 Kt—Q 7, Q x Q; 33 Kt x Q, B—K 1; 34 Kt x Q B P. But even then Black would maintain a superiority in the end-game owing to the freedom of his passed pawn, and because he can post his Rook at the seventh after P—Q Kt 4. This explains why Marshall prefers not to win back his pawn, but to enter upon a violent attack with a doubtful issue. However, Capablanca finds the right move in all the ensuing complications, and finally wins the game.
14. 32.Be6 This is now compulsory. If White loses time in withdrawing the B, Black consolidates his position by: Kt—Q 4 and Q—K 2.
15. 32…fxe6 R—B 1 is refuted by 33 Kt—Kt 5 !, P x B; 34 Q x R, etc.
16. 33.Qxe6+ Better than Kt—Kt 5, for after Kt—Q 4, 34 Q x P ch, the Black King finds a safe retreat at Kt 2.
17. 35.f4 In order to open the file for the Rook.
18. 39.h6+ Kt x P fails on account of Q—B 6 ch.
19. 40.Qd6 White takes all possible advantage from the position, but cannot bring home his attack, as Black has concentrated his forces for the defence. Black must still be careful to avoid a mate, e.g. Q x Q ?; 41 P x Q, R x P; 42 R—B 7 or 41...R—Q 2; 42 R—B 8.
20. 41.Qd4 Here White could have tried Q x Q and R—B 8. There was then a permanent threat of R x B, e.g. 41 Q x Q, P x Q; 42 R—B 8, R x P; 43 Kt—B 3, R—K 2; 44 Kt—Kt 5, etc. It seems as if Black would have to give up the piece again by 43...R—R 5 in order to win. White, however, would then have drawing chances, which would have been a fitting conclusion to this wonderful game.

Edward Lasker, Chess Strategy (1921) · Public domain · source