1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5 a6
4. Ba4 Nf6
5. 0-0 Be7
6. Nc3

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This move, which was played by Pillsbury and Schlechter in or around 1901, was later for many years generally abandoned in favor of 6. Re1. The text, however, is certainly OK and can yield a small plus to White if properly followed up.

6... b5
7. Bb3 d6
8. d3

8. a4 and 8. Nd5 are reasonable alternatives.

8... Na5

Tarrasch played this against Pillsbury at Monte Carlo 1902. Sergeant-Watts in their book on Pillsbury, condemn the move as loss of time if [as in the case of Tarrasch] Black does not capture the Bishop on b3. Jaowski played the same move against Pillsbury at Hanover 1902 but did played 10...NxB (and ultimately prevailed). So far as I can see, both Tarrasch's approach and Janowski's have their points and 8...Na5 looks playable on either plan.

9. Ne2

This looks cumbersome, though it was played by Pillsbury against Janowski. 9. Bd2 seems best. The point of the text is to allow c3 and then Bc2. Black can of course frustrate this plan by playing NxB on move 9 or on move 10 [as did Janowski].

9... c5

There is no rush to play NxB yet.

10. c3

Black, as noted above, can not play 10...NxB preventing 11. Bc2. For this reason, the text is generally futile, and White should play 10. Bd2 or 10. Ng3 or 10. Re1. Of course, if Black (as here) does not play 10...NxB, the text is fine.

10... 0-0

Missing his last chance to play NxB. Given Tchigorin's oft-stated preference for Knights over Bishops, his decision not to exchange was perhaps predictable.

11. Bc2

White now has a more usual Ruy Lopez formation:

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11... Qc7
12. d4

Since trade of center pawns give Black an easy game here, 12. Ng3 or 12. Re1 (or perhaps 12. Bd2) look more logical.

12... Bg4

Tchigorin, who always marched to his own beat in opening play, opted not to trade pawns. As play went, the text gave Tchigorin chances in light of Marco's next move.

13. h3

This gave Tchigorin a chance to play 13...BxN and mess up White's King-side and thereby get much the better game. For this reason, 13 h3 or 13. dxe5 look better than the text.

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13... Bh5

Tchigorin of all people [given his preference for Knights over Bishops] would have been expected to jump at the prospect of playing 13...BxN. After the text, Marco was able to complete is set-up and obtain the somewhat better game.

14. dxe5

14. d5 was also good for White here.

14... dxe5
15. Ng3 Bg6

15...Rfd8 followed by 16...BxN looks better. After the text (15...Bg6) Marco seems to have obtained the Lopez position he wanted:

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16. Qe2

16. Nh4 immediately may be even stronger.

16... Rfe8

16...h6; 16...c4; and an immediate 16...Nb7 were other possibilities.

17. Nh4 Nb7
18. NxB

Marco seems to be paying for a draw against his famous opponent. Otherwise, he might have tried 18. Ngf5 (or perhaps 18. Nhf5).

18... hxN

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19. Be3

After this, any edge Marco had enjoyed was gone. He might have tried 19. b3 (to stop c4) or else tried to attack on the other wing with 19. h4.

19... c4!

Locking down the Queen-side.

20. Rfd1 Nd8

Heading for f4. Although the position looks balanced, Tchigoring was playing for a win.

21. Rd2

21. a4 was nore ambitious than the safe text move.

21... Ne6
22. Rad1 Rec8

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23. a3 a5

From this point, passive and doubtful play by Marco coupled with imaginative and aggressive maneuvering by Tchigorin leads to what probably should have been a win for Black.

24. Kh2

Marco was seemingly just marking time.

24... b4

But not Tchigorin!

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25. Ba4?

25. axb4 was the only way to hold the balance.

25... Nf4?

Tchigorin did not play the simply 25...bxc3 [or 25...bxa3] 26. bxc3 Bxa3 winning a pawn. His plan of posting a Knight on d3 (which should probably have won the game for him in light of Marco's upcoming weak play) apparently trumped immediate material gain. Since Marco could have put up better resistance after the check, Tchigorin should probably have just pocketed the pawn. But that would not be the Tchigorin whose games thrill us!

26. Qf3?

The seemingly obvious 26. BxN would have stalled Tchigorin's attack and led to some exciting play: 26. BxN exB 27. e5 fxN+ 28. fxg3 Rd8 (not 28...Ne8 29. Rd7) 29. RxR+ RxR 30. RxR+ BxR 31. exN bxa3 32. bxa3 gxf6 with a likely draw because of Bishops of opposite colors.

The text left the position as follows:

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26... Nd3!

"?"--(Tournament Book)

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The Tournament Book notwithstanding, Tchigorin's move sure looks good to me. The main alternative was 26...bxc3 [or 26...bxa3] 27. bxc3 Bxa3 28. NxB exB 29. Ne2 eventually winning back the pawn. Granted, Black still has much the better chances in this line. But Tchigorin's move paralyzes White's forces. This Knight move (which reminded me of some of Karparov's Knight sortie's in his matches against Karpov) was the culmination of the plan initiated by Tchigorin's 20...Nd8. The position now may not be a win for Black, but Black here has something at least close to a strategically won game.

27. axb4?

This should have lost outright. 27. Ra1 was probably the best at Marco's disposal at this point, with a difficult defense ahead. Now, Black's road to victory seems clear:

27... axb4
28. Bb5

Forced, but an unhappy choice nonetheless.

28... bxc3
29. bxc3

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29... Rd8?

Inexplicable! Tchigorin had an easy win with 29...Rcb8 30. Bxc4 [30. Rb1 Qa5 31. Bxc4 RxR 32. BxN Ra1] Nb2 31. Bd5 NxR 32. RxN Ra3

After the text, Tchigorin's clever scheme was undone, and Marco was able to draw with ease:

30. Qe2

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Now followed a series of exchanges:

30... Ra3
31. Bxc4 QxB

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32. RxN

I played around with 32. Bb6 (32...Rd6 33. RxN RxR (of course not 33...RxB?? 34. Rd8+) 34. QxR Rxc3 ) but got nowhere.

32... RxR
33. QxR Rxc3
34. QxQ

I bet Magnus Carlsen would try to torture Black for a while here beginning with something like 34. Qb1, but the game looks drawn in any case.

34... RxQ

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This site, and the original Tournament Book, has the game ending in a draw here. In the supplement I have mentioned in earlier posts concerning Monte Carlo 1901, it is reported that Marco first played 35. Rc1 and only then was a draw agreed.

In any case: