| KEG: Maroczy crushes the hapless Didier (who was 0-8 going into the game). A remarkable feature of this game is how many bad moves Didier makes before he is finally lost (after his blunder on move 24). Maroczy clearly knew his customer, and took no chances, allowing Didier to lose the game at his own chosen pace. 1. e4 e5
2. Nf3 Nc6
3. Bb5 a6
4. Ba4 Nf6
5. 0-0 Nxe4
6. Re1
6. 0-0 is usually played here in the Open Ruy Lopez, but there is nothing wrong with the text. 6... Nc5
Rosenthal in the Tournament Book condemned the text and recommended 6...Nf6, but MCO-13 gives only Maroczy's move, which is better than 6...Nf6 in every respect. 7. Nxd5
7. BxN is normal and best. MCO rightly criticizes the text as giving Black "easy equality." If anything, Black is better after this move. 7... Be7
Very passive. 7...NxN was best (and is recommended by MCO-13). 8. BxN dxB
9. d3
Also unduly passive. 9. d4 is clearly better. The text is fine only if White seeks only near equality. 9... 0-0
10. Nc3 f6
10...Ne6 was somewhat better.
After the above less than inspiring play by both sides, the position was: 
click for larger view11. Ng4
Rightly charaterizeed as "strange" by tpstar on this site. As tpstar notes, the text contributes to the ultimate burying of the Knight on h2. Rosnthal also condemns the move, and suggests 11. Nf3, which is certainly better. The best move, however, was 11. Nc4. Despite his poor 11. Ng4, Didier still has a playable (albeit very passive) game. 11... Bd6
11...Ne6 was surely better.
12. f4
Aptly called "shaky" by tpstar, who rightly notes that the pawn at f4 as hemming in White's own Bishop. Much better was 12. Ne3. But yet again, Didier, despite his lethargic and "shaky" play, remains very much in the context. 12... Ne6
13. Rf1
This very weak move is Didier's worst of the game so far. He is drifting towards a strategically lost position, but is not quite there yet. 13. Qf3 was best. 13... Nd4
Maroczy also seems to be asleep at the switch. 13...f5 immediately was much better. 14. h3
Another weak effort by Didier. With 14. Ne3 his game would be OK, though slightly inferior. 14... f5
Yet again, Maroczy misses the best line (14...c5). The position was now as follows:
click for larger viewAs is obvious, despite his weak play, Didier's position--though inferior-- is not without possibilities. But from here his play went downhill. 15. Nh2?
Why bury the Knight here? 15. Ne5 was clearly better. 15... Bd7
More passive play by Maroczy, who seems to be patiently waiting for Didier to lose the game all by himself. 15...Re8 was much better. 16. Ne2 c5
17. c3 NxN+
17...Ba4! was cuter and better
18. QxN Qf6
19. Be3 Rae8
20. Qd2
Yet another weak move by Didier. 20. Qf2 was the best way to escape the pin and defend the e3 Bishop. 20... Bc6
As tpstar has noted, from here on the c6 Bishop rules the board and points directly at White's king. Another good option for Black here (and perhaps even better) was 20...Qe6. 21. Nf3 Rf7
The position was now as follows:
click for larger viewAs can be seen, Didier is still hanging in there. But in the upcoming moves he transforms his somewhat inferior position to a dead lost one. How this occurred will be the subject of my next post on this game. | 
Kibitzing
