James Mason vs Carl Schlechter (1901)

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James Mason vs Carl Schlechter
Monte Carlo (1901), Monte Carlo MNC, rd 10, Feb-19
Spanish Game: Closed. Martinez Variation (C78) · 0-1

White to move.

ANALYSIS [x]

0-1

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1

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Apr-16-20		KEG: In this 10th round game, Schlechter continued his charge. After losing his opening round game and standing at only 2-2, Schlechter had gone on a charge, and with this win over Mason moved into second place after winning five and drawing one in his last six games. Indeed, with his victory in this game, Schlechter had won four games in a row. His drive for first place was halted when he lost to Janowski in Round 12, so Schlechter had to be content with second prize. One notable feature in this game is Schlechter's extremely aggressive play as Black in the early stages. He obviously was playing for a win from the outset. He completely outplayed Mason and soon achieved a strategically won game. Schlechter then dissipated his advantage with a few sloppy moves, but then crushed Mason after the latter's poor play beginning on move 24. From move 24 to the end, Schlechter's winning play was a model of efficiency, giving Mason no chance to recover. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 I am a big fan of the Ruy Lopez. But it took courage to try this opening against Schlecter, who knew it so well (as Lasker, who drew all four games as White with the Ruy Lopez in his World Championship match against Schlechter, would have been the first to attest). 3... a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. d3 Less usual than 6. Re1 here, but also a reasonable line that has been played by--amongst others--Magnus Carlsen. 6... d6 7. Nc3 7. c3 is more usual. But there is of course nothing wrong with the text. 7... 0-0 8. h3 click for larger view "White is playing very tamely with the result that Black acquires an overwhelming position and attack." (Tournament Book) I see nothing all that tame about Mason's play here. His idea was to play Nh2 and then f4. One can debate whether that is the best plan, but I would hardly call it "tame." The main alternative to 8. h3 was 8. BxN. Mason's move does not seem all that inferior. In fact, h3 is often a useful move for White in the Ruy Lopez to prevent Black from playing Bg4. Mason's problems were not so much with 8. h3, but from his subsequent play. 8... b5 9. Bb3 Na5 10. Nh2 click for larger view "Not a good plan as White can get little from the open f-file. Better was 10. Ne2." (Tournament Book). I am not a big fan of Mason's f4 plan here, but it was hardly a major mistake. Perhaps 10. Bd2 was best. If 10. Ne2 (the Tournament Book's suggestion), Black gets at least equality with 10...c5. 10... c6 11. f4 All according to plan. 11... exf4 12. Bxf4 click for larger view It was in this roughly equal position that Schlechter began his ultra-aggressive play in this game: 12... d5 Schlechter had a number of less complicated options, e.g., 12...NxB; 12...h6; and 12...Qb6+. The text is Black's most enterprising effort. 13. exd5 "On 13. e5 Ne8, Black has various plans to pursue." (Tournament Book) 13. e5 looks best to me, but the text is also OK. 13... NxB 14. axN click for larger view Beginning here, as I will discuss in my next post on this game, Schlechter commenced his major effort to go for the jugular. Mason quickly lost his way against this assault.

Apr-16-20		KEG: Post II 14... b4?! "!"--(Tournament Book) Looking to take no prisoners. The more solid line, and probably simplest and best, was 14...Nxd5. 14...cxd5 and 14...Qb6+ were also reasonable choices. Any of these moves would have given Black the better chances. But Schlechter was looking for the sharpest--not the safest or soundest--line. The position was now: click for larger view 15. Ne4? Missing his chance. With 15. d6! (15...Bxd6 16. BxB QxB 17. Na4) was much stronger and would have given Mason approximately even chances. 15... Nxd5 click for larger view 16. Bd2? With this passive retreat, Mason pretty much yielded the field to Schlechter, who was quick to take advantage. "Relatively better was 16. d4." (Tournament Book). 16. d4 was indeed considerably better than the text, but after 16...Bf5 Schlechter would have had much the better game. Best for Mason here would have been 16. Qf3 with an entirely playable position. 16... f5! Schlechter already (as Black!) had a grip on the position: click for larger view 17. Nf2 Continuing to retreat into a shell. Somewhat better was 17. Ng3, although Mason would still suffer from the consequences of his earlier doubtful play. 17... Bf6 18. Rb1 Ra7 Even stronger would have been 18...Bb7 or 18...c5 or perhaps even 18...Qd6. 19. Nf3 c5! "Preventing d4" (Tournament Book). 20. Qc1 Yet another tentative effort by Mason. 20. Re1 was better. click for larger view Though material was still equal, Schlechter had achieved by this point what looks like a strategically won game. But with his next three moves, he squandered virtually all of his advantage. 20... h6? "Stopping Bg5 as the exchange would free the White position. Black gives his opponent little chance." (Tournament Book) Schlechter should have played 20...Re7. After the text, and contrary to the claim by the Tournament Book, Mason suddenly had a chance. 21. c4 click for larger view 21... Nc7? Hard to believe from Schlechter. 21...bxc3 e.p. 22. d4! "Otherwise Ne6 would follow." (Tournament Book) The position was now: click for larger view

Apr-16-20		KEG: Post III 22... cxd4? Contrary to what was stated in the Tournament Book, 22...Nxd4 (which the Tournament Book called "not very strong") was the best way to retain some edge for Black. After 22...Nxd4 23. NxB QxN 24. Be3 Qd6 25. Qd1 (the Tournament Book's proposed line), Black would have a major--if not winning--advantage with 25...Qg3! Even with the better 25. Rd1, Black would have the edge. Now, however, it appeared that Mason was past the worst: 23. Bxb4 Re8 click for larger view With 24. Qc2, Mason would have been fine. But beginning here, whether because of time trouble [there was a move 30 time control at Monte Carlo 1901] or otherwise, Mason completely fell apart. This time, Schlechter made no mistake and destroyed the White position with a few deft moves. 24. Rd1? Bb7 "!"--(Tournament Book) click for larger view 25. Bc5? 25. Qf4 or 25. Re1 (effectively conceding that his last move was a mistake) would have given Mason a fighting chance. After this lemon, Schlechter--with his customary precision--ripped Mason to shreds. 25... BxN! A lesser player might have backed down with 25...Ra8. But not Schlechter. The position was now: click for larger view 26. gxB? Mason was already probably lost, but this abandoned his final slim hope, which lay in 26. BxR after which 26...Be4 27. NxB (as touted in the Tournament Book) would forfeit the entirely of Black's advantage. But, in fairness to Mason, in the Tournament Book's suggested line Black would still probably win with 26...BxR 27. QxB Ne6. But Mason's 26. gxB? was far worse for White. 26... Rb7 Schlechter's meticulous accuracy from this point is a pleasure to behold. 27. b4 Ne6 click for larger view White must now lose material and the game. Mason, however, hastened his doom with: 28. Nd3? 28. Re1 or 28. f4 were the way to prolong the game. After the text, Mason's position got annihilated, the position now being: click for larger view 28... NxB 28...Ng5 and 28...Qc7 also would have won. But the text most surely did the job as well. 29. bxN 29. NxN Rxb4 was no better. 29... Re3 White is busted: click for larger view

Apr-16-20		KEG: Post IV 30. Kg2? Hopeless play by Mason. But his chances after the "better" 30. Rd2 would have been close to nil following 30...Rxf3. 30... Qe8! click for larger view Lovely...and murderous! 31. Nf2? Awful. But I have no great ideas for White here. 31... Qc6 31...Rbb3 was faster, but the text definitely got the job done: 6k1/1r4p1/p1q2b1p/2P2P2/4rP1P/1P3NK1/1RQR4 32. b4 This allows a quick mate. But extending the game with 32. Rd2 or 32. Kg1 would not have been much fun either. 32... Qxf3+ Mate can now not be avoided. 33. Kf1 Re2! click for larger view 0-1

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