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Johannes Esser vs Frank Marshall
"Elbow Room" (game of the day Mar-11-2007)
Amsterdam (1911), Amsterdam NED, rd 1, Apr-17
French Defense: Winawer Variation (C15)  ·  0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Mar-03-04  capanegra: There is a legend about this game, but I have my doubts if it did happen. It is said that after 37.Kd1, while lighting his cigar, Marshall pushed his Rook off the board with his elbow. Some onlookers dived under the table to recover the piece, and Marshall said: ‘Never mind, I shan’t need the Rook!’
Mar-03-04  capanegra: Well, black’s pawns avalanche is certainly interesting to watch. 9…♕a5 was a good move.
May-25-05  EmperorAtahualpa: <capanegra> Where did you find out about that story?
Aug-15-05  whiskeyrebel: This story is told in the Soltis biography of Marshall.
Mar-11-07  Tactic101: Just crushing. No way could I see the exchange sac of Qa5.
Mar-11-07  syracrophy: What a massive attack with the central pawns! For a similar theme, check this game Bogoljubov vs Reti, 1923. Just scary the power of those pawns!
Mar-11-07  dbquintillion: What a terrifying army of pawns. This will cause me nightmares all week.
Mar-11-07  erimiro1: A fine demonstration of Philidor's principle! The black pawns crushed the enemy army with a minor help of the bishops and rooks. Amazing game!
Mar-11-07  Themofro: Waht an incredible pawn attack by Marshall, brilliant!
Mar-11-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  playground player: Are you still allowed to smoke a cigar while playing chess? Meanwhile--wow! What a tremendous pawn host in the center of the board! Somewhere the shade of Philidor is smiling.
Mar-11-07  HannibalSchlecter: One of the few endgames where I couldn't wait to see what happens next.
Mar-11-07  Happypuppet: <playground player> I don't know, but I'm sure if it were allowed at least one quack would put a mic inside of one.
Mar-11-07  Judah: Yes, shades of Philidor.
Mar-11-07
Premium Chessgames Member
  kevin86: The stampede of pawns ends this one badly for white.He didn't even need that stinking rook!
Jul-26-10
Premium Chessgames Member
  GrahamClayton: This games was played in a 4 player tournament held in Amsterdam between the 15th and 17th of April, featuring Frank Marshall, Arnold E Van Foreest, Adolf Georg Olland and Johannes Esser.
Feb-27-11  Edoneill: Black sacrifices the exchange and a pawn for some amazing play with the pawns. Just unstoppable. A really dangerous attack by black, if I tried that in a game I'd be beaten black and blue and left for dead by white. Well done Marshall!
Feb-09-17
Premium Chessgames Member
  hesyrett: Nowadays we might refer to Marshall's exchange sac as "Petrosian-style", but he played this before old Tigran was born. I seem to recall Petrosian crushing Spassky in one of their match games with a similar pawn avalanche, that one on the K-side rather than in the center. Anyhow, this game illustrates exactly what Black is aiming for in the French: (1) get White overextended; (2) liquidate his center; (3) establish a big center of one's own.
Feb-10-17  JimNorCal: Is 8. Nf3 a good move?

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