Jul-20-17
 | | offramp: 
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4.Qe3.
This is not a bad move, but White's following moves make it look bad.
4...Nf6
5.e5 Ng4 6.Qe2.
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6...d5!
No messing about!
7.f3.
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7...Bf5!
Offering up a piece. I think that if White now played 8. fxg4 Black would have replied 8...Nd4. But I'm not exactly sure what Marshall had in mind.
8.c3 Ngxe5 9.f4 Bd3 10.Qe3 d4 11.cxd4 Qxd4 12.fxe5.
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We are up to move 12 and White has only managed to develop his queen. That cannot be good.
12...Bb4+
13.Kf2 Bxf1.
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14.Kxf1.
A better chance was 14. Qxd4 first.
14...Qd1+ 15.Kf2 Qc2+ 16.Kg3 Ne7 17.Kh3. <17. Na3 was also playable>.
17...Qf5+
18.Kg3 Qc2
19.Kh3 g5!
20.Ne2 g4+
21.Kxg4 Qf5+
22.Kh4 Rg8
23.h3 Ng6+
24.Kg3 Nh4+
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The final position, 0-1. |
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Mar-23-24
 | | KEG: A typical Marshall win at this stage of his career (i.e., after his surprising third-prize at Paris 1900 and his great triumph against a first-rate field at Cambridge Springs 1904. In between these two excellent results, Marshall endured what some have called a "sophomore slump," with one mediocre result after another. During this period, Marshall had not found his top form, and engaged in wild unsound tactical adventures that worked splendidly against weak opposition (such as Reggio) but led to repeated losses to top players. Here at Monte Carlo 1902, Marshall had gotten off to a fabulous start with, among other things, a lucky win over Tarrasch in Round 2 which Marshall won a lost piece-down ending thanks to a blunder by an out-of-form Tarrasch. After 16 rounds, Marshall was in third-place just a point behind second-place Pillsbury. Had Marshall won the rest of his games, he would have taken first prize. But Marshall's high standing after Round 16 was a bit of an illusion, since he still had three top finishers to confront in Rounds 19-21. Marshall got off to a poor closing run by losing to Marco in Round 17, but now in Round 18 he faced the hapless Reggio, who stood in 19th place (out of twenty). Against feeble resistance by Reggio, Marshall won this game, but then fell to Wolf (who tied for 5th prize); Janowski (who finished 3rd); and then Pillsbury (who took 2nd) in the final three rounds, and thus ended up out of the money in 9th place (out of twenty). Reggio had lost his last four games going into this encounter with Marshall, and then--after getting walloped here--lost his final three games, thus ending the tournament with eight (8) consecutive losses. With Mortimer losing 18 of his 19 games, however, Reggio was able to avoid the cellar. The game definitely had its moments (as recounted on this site by <offramp>), but Reggio played like the walking dead. He never developed his Queen-side at all, and only brought out his King's side Knight at the very end when its long-overdue development was an awful blunder. Marshall did indeed have a chance to shine here with a dramatic piece sacrifice, but it is hard to cheer a victory against such pathetic resistance. 1. e4 e5
2. d4
The Center Game. Reggio had lost with this opening two rounds earlier against Janowski. One wonders in playing over this game if Reggio had given up on this tournament. 2... exd4
3. Qxd4 Nc6
4. Qe3
As <offramp> aptly put it, "...not a bad move, but White's following moves made it look bad." Indeed, the text is standard in this opening. The balance of the game, however, was its own sickly creation by Reggio. 4... Nf6
click for larger view5. e5?!
Rarely played, and it is not hard to see why. Normal here is the prosaic 5. Nc3. 5. Bd2 is also a reasonable choice. But, as what follows suggests, Reggio had decided not to move any of his Queen-side pieces for the balance of the game, and they remained on their original squares to the bitter end. 5... Ng4
Now Black is clearly better.
6. Qe2
This looks wretched, but it is hard to suggest anything better for White, who at least can feel comforted by the fact that he was not lost---yet. The position was now:
click for larger view6... d5?!
"No messing about!" (<offramp>). The text does lead to the sort of tactical shoot-out Marshall so loved, but it pretty much lets White off the hook. With the simple 6...d6, Black would have a solid advantage, especially since 7. exd6+ Be6 leaves Black light-years ahead in development (of course, 8. dxc7 Qxc7 would make matters even worse for White). After 6...d5?!, the position was:
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Mar-23-24
| | KEG: Post II
7. f3?
Never played before or since, and it is not hard to see why. As Gunsberg correctly pointed out in the Tournament Book, 7. h3 was much better. Marshall might then have tried a minor piece sacrifice analogous to what soon occurred in the game (e.g., 7. h3 Ngxe5 8. f4 Bd6 9. fxN Nxe5 10. Nf3) but White's position would have been less compromised as compared with what occurred in the game and would not have been all that bad. But now Marshall played the sort of move he was so wont to play at this point of his career: 7... Bf5?!
"!"--(<offramp>) "One of those ingenious devices that Marshall always handles in an admirable manner. Very interesting play, as the result shows." (Gunsberg) As a fan, it is hard not to share the enthusiasm of Gunsberg and <offramp>), since the piece sacrifice is the spice that creates the thrills to come in this game. But, speaking objectively, it is equally difficult to argue with: "Not sound." (Hoffer)
Marshall could, of course, just played 7...Nh6 with a clear advantage in development. Alternatively, if he was hell-bent on tactical fireworks, he could have played the stronger: 7...Ngxe5 8. f4 Bg4 9. Nf3 Bc5 10. fxN? (10. Kd1, though not wonderful, is probably best) runs into 10...Nd4. But, as will be seen, Marshall's move led to a quick win thanks to zombie play by Reggio, the position after 7...Bf5 being: 
click for larger view8. c3?
This lemon should have led to a quick loss.
The key line here, as noted by <offramp>, was 8. fxN Nd4 leading to the sort of tactical slugfest in which Marshall excelled. Hoffer noted this line as well, and then, after 9. gxB NxQ 10. BxN White has three minor pieces for the Queen, though Black still has some edge after 10...Qh4+. The text, by contrast, still allows White to nab a piece but at a high cost. 8... Nxe5
Marshall would have been for choice with 8...Nh6, but it is impossible to imagine Marshall playing that here. 9. f4
click for larger viewSo now Reggio wins a piece, but Marshall gets a vicious attack. Except...here he faltered: 9... Bd3?!
"A very ingenious continuation of the attack follows now, showing Marshall's resources in difficult positions." (Hoffer). Actually, the text--while leading to extreme complications of the sort Marshall relished--gave Reggio a lifeline. He would have had a clear edge despite the loss of a piece with 9...Bd6! 10. fxN Nxe5 11. Qf2 Qd7 12. Bf4 0-9 13. Be2 Rfe8. 10. Qe3 d4!
11. cxd4
click for larger view11... Qxd4
11...Bb4+ first likely transposes to the game.
12. fxN
"We are now up to move 12 and White has only manages to develop his Queen [KEG--and has thus far only moved pawns and his Queen]. That cannot be good." How true!
12,,, Bb4+
13. Kf2 BxB
click for larger viewIt is remarkable that Reggio, who has yet to move any of his minor pieces, was still very much in the game at this point. He now only needed to play 14. QxQ NxQ 15. KxB and then, after shedding his Rook (15...Nc2 16. a3 NxR 17. axB) he would emerge with two minor pieces for a Rook and a likely holdable--albeit difficult--game. But from here, Reggio played like a fish and--had Marshall got given him yet further chances with his second-best 14th and 17th moves--been wiped out even faster than what happened in the actual game. |
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| Mar-23-24 | | jffun1958: This one is mate in 3:
25. Kxh4 Be7+ 26. Qg5 Rxg5 27. (any) Rh5# |
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Mar-24-24
| | KEG: Post III
14. KxB?
As both <offramp> and Gunsberg before him have correctly pointed out, and as noted in my previous post, Reggio would have had a defensible position after 14. QxQ. Given his undeveloped forces, Reggio clearly should have gotten the Queens off the board. After the text, he was--or should have been--lost: 
click for larger view14... Qq1+?
Not the way to continue the attack. White is plainly busted after 14...Qc4+ 15. Ne2 (forced) 0-0-0 after which Black's assault on the remains of the White position is unstoppable. But after the text, Reggio again had a fighting chance: 15. Kf2 Qc2+
16. Kg3
Forced.
16... Ne7!
click for larger viewWith his forces (other than his Queen and King) still snoozing, Reggio was obviously still in serious trouble. But he WAS up a piece, so it was time to start using some of his heretofore inert minor pieces. The one and only legitimate hope here lay in 17. Na3. But, for reasons I find hard t fathom, Reggio elected to play: 17. Kh3?
click for larger viewMarshall now had a crushing winning line beginning with 17...g5! But instead, he played: 17... Qf5+?
This may still be sufficient to win. But it was--at least for now--based on a wrong idea: 18. Kg3
Obviously forced, and leaving:
click for larger view18... Qc2?
Marshall here had a likely win with 18...Qf1! But, perhaps assuming Reggio will commit the same blunder as on move 17, Marshall allowed a repetition of the previous position. The position was now identical with that after 16...Ne7. The last time this position was reached, Reggio erred with 17. Kh3? instead of the possibly saving 17. Na3. But--perhaps still allergic to using any of his minor pieces, Reggio made the same mistake as before and played: 19. Kh3?
And now, instead of playing Qf5+ as he did on move 17, Marshall here found the killer: 19... g5!
"Conveying an ingenious threat which White failed to fathom." (Gunsberg) 
click for larger viewAlthough, as will soon be clear, Reggio had no inkling of what was in store for him, the game was now in the bag for Marshall (who most definitely was now in his element). The end would now be quick and brutal, as I will cover in my final post on this game. |
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Mar-24-24
| | KEG: Post IV
20. Ne2?
Hallelujah! Reggio finally deigned to move one of his minor pieces. Amazingly, this was the one and only move in this game by Reggio by anything other than his King, his Queen, or one of his pawns. I cannot recall another game lasting 19 or more moves in which this occurred. Sadly for Reggio, his one effort to develop a piece was a blunder that greatly hastened his demise. He might have extended the game with 20. Qxg5 or 20. Qe2. But, in fairness, neither of these alternatives would have had the slightest chance of saving the game for Reggio. Marshall now finished in style:
20... g4+!
The move Reggio obviously overlooked.
click for larger view21. Kxg4
The quickest way to get mated. But 21. Kg3 Nf5+ would lose the Queen straightaway. The best move here for Reggio was to resign, since the text left his King trapped in a mating net. 21... Qf5+
22. Kh4 Rg8
With the Black Rook now prowling on the g-file, even a beginner would see what was coming: 
click for larger view23. h3
Everything now is hopeless for White.
23... Ng6+
23...Rxg2 was an even faster mate.
24. Kg3 Nh4+
click for larger view0-1
As <jffun1958> has pointed out, it is now mate in three after 25. KxN. White can only prolong the game by giving up his Queen with 25. Qg5, but even then he would get mated very soon. And, of course, if 25. Kh2 Marshall would have mated on the spot with 25. Rxg2+. A fun finale to a n awful performance by Reggio. Marshall, however, no doubt enjoyed this flawed game, which left him still in contention for a top prize. Indeed, if frpm here Marshall had won his last three games (including his final round game against 2nd place Pillsbury) instead of losing all three of these games, he would have finished in 2nd place just behind Maroczy. |
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Kibitzing
sac: 11...Qxd4