Theodor von Scheve vs James Mason (1902)

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Theodor von Scheve vs James Mason
Monte Carlo (1902), Monte Carlo MNC, rd 2, Feb-04
Formation: Queen Pawn Game: London System (D02) · 1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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May-01-21		KEG: von Scheve had tied for 3rd at Monte Carlo 1901, the finest result of his career. After he and Mason had a bye in Round 1 at Monte Carlo 1902, they squared off in Round 2. With his win here, von Scheve may have harbored illusions of another high finish to match his result the year before. But though the first few rounds at Monte Carlo 1902 may have given von Scheve some hopes, the much stronger field than at Monte Carlo soon caught up to him and he ended up 17th out of 20. The Tournament Book praises von Scheve's play in this game, in fact his early play was at best undistinguished. It was only Mason's blunder on move 22 that von Scheve finally played h6 (on his third chance). After belatedly exploiting that opportunity, von Scheve did indeed finish nicely and crowned an initially clumsy King-side attack with a devastating break-through. 1. d4 von Scheve had excellent results at Monte Carlo 1901 with d4, but this--as here--was more a function weak play by his opponents. 1... d5 2. Bf4 click for larger view This was a von Scheve favorite at Monte Carlo. Interestingly, it was also a big favorite of Mason's for many years preceding this game. 2. Bf4 is a decent alternative to 2. c4 or 2. Nf3 and can be powerful in the hands of a White player well-verses in its niceties. It was later frequently played by Janowski and Rubinstein. In this case, von Scheve--contrary to the claim by the Tournament Book--derived little advantage from this opening. 2... Nf6 3. Nf3 e6 4. e3 Bd6 5. Bg3 b6 click for larger view The game was about even here, and I see no reason to join the Tournament Book in celebrating von Scheve's opening play in this contest. 6. c4 Bb7 7. Nc3 dxc4 8. Bxc4 0-0 9. Qd3 click for larger view As will soon be seen, von Scheve intended an all-out King-side attack, and planned to keep his King in the center (hence no 9. 0-0). The text looks clumsy to me and seems to be more a blocking of his c4 Bishop than any true aid in this attacking plan. 9. Bh4 may have been better, but in either case White does not get anything much beyond equality, and has no serious attacking prospects at this point. 9... a6! Played a la Janowski. 10. Bb3 Nc6 Although all that terrible, this move cramps Black's counter-play by blocking his c-pawn. 10...b5 or 10...c5 or the simple 10...Nbd7 look better. 11. Rd1 von Scheve had a notion perhaps of getting this Rook into a coming King-side attack via d3. But e4 immediately (a move that as will be seen was part of von Scheve's planned attack) could perhaps have been played immediately. 11... Ne7 So this is why Mason played 10...Nc6. Having said "A," he could have continued with 11...Nb4. 12. a3 von Scheve didn't want to face a Black counter on b4. 12. 0-0 looks good, but--as already mentioned--that was not part of von Scheve's plan, which involved keeping his King in the center. 12... Ng6 12...c5 looks indicated here, but even after the text White, despite Black's hyper-passive play, had little if any advantage. click for larger view From this position, von Scheve went for broke on the King-side. His conception would likely not have come even close to succeeding if not for the coming weak play by Mason.

May-01-21		KEG: Post II 13. e4 Still declining to castle and ready to attack. As previously mentioned, and even though it did not occur in the actual game, in some variations White may want to swing his Rook over to the King-side via d3, so the text allows this possibility. It also prepares for an advance in the center and a displacement of Black Knight on f6. 13... f4 "?"--(Tournament Book) 13...Nd5 and 13...BxB were arguably better, but there was nothing seriously wrong with the text, the Tournament Book notwithstanding. As will be seen, the Tournament Book was often out-to-lunch in its analysis of this game. 14. e5 "!"--(Tournament Book) Definitely part of von Scheve's plan. But 14. Nh4 looks better. 14... Nd5 click for larger view Contrary to the Tournament Book, I see nothing all that awful with Black's position here. For what it's worth, Fritz and Stockfish rate the game as about even at this point. 15. Ne2 "!"--(Tournament Book). In the long run, this move worked brilliantly for von Scheve (his final crushing move was 31. Nf4), but the move looks clumsy here. I prefer 15. Bc2 or 15. NxN or 15. h4 or 15. Ne4 to the text. The above being said, White is also OK at this point. 15... Bh6 Mason could also have just played 15...BxB with equality. 16. h4 Burning his bridges and by-passing his last real chance to castle. After 16. h4, the position was: click for larger view 16... Re8? Though not commented on in the Tournament Book, this move was weak and could have spelled trouble for Mason. He would have been fine with 16...Qd7 or 16...Qe8. 17. h5! All of a sudden, von Scheve has a dangerous King-side attack. 17... Nf8 He could alternatively have tried 17...Ngf4. In either case, Black faces a tough defensive effort to keep his head above water. 18. Bh4 Qd7 click for larger view 19. Ng5? An awkward effort. The better way to bring the f3 Knight into the attack was with 19. Nh2! This would also allow for the possibility of changing tack and deciding to castle. But von Scheve was apparently well-past considering such notions. 19... BxN Here, as opposed to his decision on the next move, was the time to consider Ne7. But even after the text, Mason was not so bad---yet. 20. BxB click for larger view Having played 19...BxN, it was now critical for Mason to protect against the advance of the White h-pawn with 20...h6. But, for the next several moves, both sides mysteriously discounted this possibility, until von Scheve finally took the plunge on his 23rd move. 20... Ne7? What was a good defensive move on his 19th turn was now a potentially losing blunder, since von Scheve could now have played 21. h6! However: 21. Rg1? 21. h6, which again leaves open the chance for White to castle and which puts Black in an immediate crisis, was clearly best. 21... Kh8? Black could and should have protected himself with 21...h6 Now, once again, von Scheve could have put Mason in grave danger with 22. h6. But: 22. Qh3? This over-refinement again gave Mason a change to save himself with 22....h6, the position now being: click for larger view This position gave Mason a final chance to save himself (with 22...h6). As will be discussed in my next post on this game, after Mason missed this final possibility, von Scheve ran him off the board.

May-01-21		KEG: Post III 22... Ng8? This was fatal, and Mason no longer had any real chance to save the game. He had squandered three opportunities to play h6, and now he would pay the price. 23. h6 Finally! click for larger view The game was now effectively over/ 23... f6 "Other moves are also of no help." (Tournament Book) Here at last the Tournament Book got it right. It also correctly pointed out that 23...g6 would fall to 24. Qh4. I see nothing better than 23...f6 for Black, and that too was entirely insufficient to save the game. 24. hxg7+ Qxg7 click for larger view 25. Bf4 "!"--(Tournament Book) 25... f5? This only hastened the end. But the "better" 25...Rac8 or 25...Ng6 would not likely have changed the ultimate outcome. 26. g4! click for larger view 26... fxg4? Mason appears to have been short of time, and that may explain this disastrous decision on his part. But 26...Ng6 or 26...Be4 would only have prolonged his suffering and would not have halted the von Scheve juggernaut. 27. Rxg4 Ng4? Inept, but he was lost anyway so his failure to play 27...Qf7 (a move he actually made two turns later) did not really cost him anything. 28. Bc2! Now White's White-square Bishop joins the attacking forces and Mason--had he had enough time on his clock to work out what was happening, might have called it a day, the position now being: click for larger view 28... N8e7 29. Bg5 29. Bh6 was also crushing. 29... Qf7 29...Rf8 might have allowed him to stave off mate a bit longer, but it would have led to massive loss of material and was thus equally hopeless. 30. Bf6+ Kg8 31. Nf4 click for larger view Ouch! 1-0

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