Arturo Reggio vs Georg Marco (1902)

Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players ·

Kibitzing

Arturo Reggio vs Georg Marco
Monte Carlo (1902), Monte Carlo MNC, rd 9, Feb-17
Philidor Defense: Hanham Variation (C41) · 0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

explore this opening	find similar games	3 more A Reggio/G Marco games
	PGN: download \| view \| print	Help: general \| java-troubleshooting

TIP: You can learn a lot about this site (and chess in general) by reading the Chessgames Help Page. If you need help with premium features, please see the Premium Membership Help Page.

For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.

PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

Jun-16-22		KEG: Not a very good game by either player. The game leaves little doubt why Reggio ended up in next to last play, and confirms that--his win in this contest notwithstanding--this was not a good tournament for Marco. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 Nd7 A passive but playable line for Black in the Philidor's so long as Black is satisfied with a solid but clearly inferior position, at least for a while. 4. Nc3 Be7 5. Bd3 A novel but reasonable move. 5... Ngf6 6. Be3 6. 0-0 or 6. a4 look better, but the text is solid and the beginning of a doubtful King-side attack that Reggio was intending. 6... 0-0 7. h3 Not bad in itself, but part of a doubtful attacking plan. 7... c6 8. Qd2 Qc7 Reasonable, but I prefer the simple 8...exd4 or 8...b5. After the text, the position was: click for larger view 9. g4 "?"--(Tournament Book) "White ruins his position trying to create an attack. 9. 0-0 gives a comfortable game." (Tournament Book) The Tournament Book grossly exaggerated the demerits of the text. 9. a4 or 9. 0-0 was doubtless superior. But given Marco's passive play to this point, White is at least equal even after this questionable move. 9... a6 9...exd4 or 9...b5 were plainly better, though the text was hardly fatal. At this point, White was still better placed. But not for long, the position no being: click for larger view 10. Ne2? Awkward and slow. 10. 0-0 and 10. g5 were both decent options. 10... d5 "!"--(Tournament Book) The text is reasonable, but why not just 10...exd4. 11. Ng3 dxe4 click for larger view Reggio's game was still entirely salvageable. But from here he proceeded to ruin his chances and would have been quickly beaten if not for repeated second-best moves by Marco: 12. Nxd4? Reggio should have played 12. Bxe4. The text allowed Marco for take control: 12... NxN 13. BxN Nf6 click for larger view Reggio may or may not have already been theoretically lost (his e4 Bishop was here a pathetic spectacle since Bd3 was obviously not possible); in any case Reggio's execrable play from here allowed Marco all sorts of winning chances which he eventually exploited after some up and down play. The ten or so moves are painful to play over. I will nonetheless try to unravel what happened in the upcoming play in my next post on this game.

Jun-16-22		KEG: Post II 14. Qd3? 14. Bf5 BxB 15. gxB e4 was hardly attractive. It was, however, much better than the text, which left: click for larger view 14... exd4? Needlessly helping Reggio untangle his forces. Instead, Marco should have played 14...NxB 15. QxN Be6 with a marked and probably winning strategic advantage. After 14...exd4, the position was: click for larger view 15. Bxd4 15. Nxd4? would get crushed after 15..c5 16. Nf5 Rd8 15... NxB 16. QxN f5 click for larger view "White's position is untenable." (Tournament Book) Nonsense. Black is no doubt better, but White's position is far from lost or hopeless. Remarkably enough, this is the final comment on this game in the Tournament Book, which overlooked the many atrocities to come. 17. gxf5? Awful. After this error, White's game was in fact probably "untenable," not that Marco capitalized on this circumstance. Better was 17. Qe2 (if then 17...fxg4 18. hxg4 Bxg4?? then White wins the exchange with 19. Qc4+ Rf7 [not 19...Kh8? which would run into the following brilliancy: 20. Bxg7+! KxB 21. QxB+ Kh8 22. Rxh7!+ KxR 23. Ke2! and White wins!] 20. Ne5). 17. Qd3 was also much better than the text. 17... Bxf5 18. Qe2 click for larger view 18... Rae8? This was probably sufficient, but the real killer was 18... Bb4! with Rae8 and (after White plays Be3)... Be4 by Black to follow. 19. Qc4+ click for larger view 19... Kh8? Hard to believe. 19...Rf7 was much better. Now, suddenly, Reggio had a chance. 20. 0-0-0 Qf4+ 21. Nd2 Bg6 click for larger view The Tournament Book notwithstanding, Reggio, was still far from lost. But after some further errors by both sides, Reggio soon dug a hole for himself from which he was unable to extricate himself.

Jun-17-22		KEG: Post III 22. h4? 22. Qc3 was the only legitimate chance. After the text, Marco almost certainly had a win, and promptly missed his chance" 22... c5? 22...Rd8 was the move. But no worries for Marco, since Reggio responded with another clunker: 23. Bc3? 23. h5 (23...Bxc2 24. Bxg7+ KxB 25. h6+ Kh8 26. QxQ RxQ 27. KxB) would have left and ending Reggio should have been able to draw. But after the text, Reggio was done for, and this time Marco did not let him off the hook, the position now being: click for larger view 23... Qf5 23...QxQ followed by 24. Rxf2 wins a pawn and should win the game. The text was another--and about equally strong--way to win. 24. Qd3 24. Qb3 b5! would have been even worse for White. 24... QxQ 24...Qxf2 also wins. But Marco's move--over-the-board--is simplest. 25. cxQ Bxd3 Once again, Black could have snatched the White f-pawn. The text, however, was at least as good, and left the following: click for larger view 26. Nb3? The ending is almost certainly lost for White, who was a pawn down. The only glimmer of hope for White was to try to use the g1 file by moving one of his Rooks to g1. (Maybe 26. f3 is another practical chance). After the text, Marco gave Reggio no opportunity to get back in the game. 26... c4! click for larger view 27. Rhg1 Too late! 27... Rf7 28. h5 The game was no beyond salvaging for Reggio. 28... h6 Declining to give Reggio a ghost of a chance. 29. Nd4 Letting himself in for catastrophe, but his game was hopeless anyway. After 29. Nd4, the position was: click for larger view 29... Rxf2 With the move-30 time control approaching, Marco played this simple winning move, instead of calculating the effect of the even more devastating 29...Bg5+ 30. Ne6? Reggio might have been able to prolong the game with 30. Rde1. The text, by contrast led to an immediate massacre of the White forces, the position now being: click for larger view

Jun-17-22		KEG: Post IV The end was near: 30... Rc2+ Reggio might have spared himself the rest, but chose to allow Marco to maul him for a few moves. 31. Kb1 RxB+ click for larger view Ouch! 32. Ka1 32. RxB RxR would also not have been much fun for White. 32... Bf6 Just in case Reggio had some notion of going after g7. 33. Nc7 Pointless. 33... Re2 click for larger view Reggio could now choose how he wanted to be checkmated. 34. Nd5 Opting to end the game without further ado. 34... Rc1+ 0-1 With mate coming up on the next move (35. RxR Bxb2 mate), Reggio finally decided to surrender before his monarch bit the dust.

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
Nothing in violation of United States law.
No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
No trolling.
The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.

NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.