Ignatz von Popiel vs James Mason (1902)

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Ignatz von Popiel vs James Mason
Monte Carlo (1902), Monte Carlo MNC, rd 12, Feb-21
Russian Game: Modern Attack. Center Variation (C43) · 0-1

ANALYSIS [x]

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Nov-19-15		juan31: ¿ No comments to this game ? to me ( just a fan ) is a piece of chess art. The black pieces play at the edge of the win or lose.

Nov-11-22		KEG: An up and down game decided by a one-move blunder (29. RxR??) walking into a forced mate. 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. d4 Trickier than the more usual 3. Nxe5 3... Nxe4 4. Bd4 The simpler 4. Nxd5 looks best, but the text is most usual here. 4... d5 5. Nxe5 Be7 Unduly passive. The more usual 5...Nd7 is probably best. 6. 0-0 0-0 7. c4! White now has the better game: click for larger view 7... c6 Super-cautious and sound. Perhaps 7...Be6 or 7...Nf6 are better. 8. Nc3 Nf6 Potentially playing with fire. 8...NxN was simplest and probably best. 9. Re1 The Tournament Book said that 9.Be3 folloed by Qb3 was stronger, but ater 9...dxc4 10. Bxc4 Nbd7 Black is in better shape than in the game. The text appears to be best. 9... Be6 Mason seemed flummoxed in this opening. 9...Nbd7 was a bette development scheme, though White would still be better. 10. b3 Best was 10. cxd5 followed by 11. Qb3. 10... Bb4 10...Nbd7 is soundest, but the text did create pressure that seems to have led von Popiel astry for a few moves. click for larger view 11. Bb2 Rather than planning for a3, breaking the pin by 11. Bd2 looks best. 11... Nbd7 12. a3 BxN This trade only helped White. 12...Ba5 was much better. 13. BxB click for larger view 13... Re8 14. h3 Nf8 15. f4?! In his zeal to attack, von Popiel created holes in his own King-side that would come back to haunt him. While not a serious mistake, it did allow Mason a chance to spring a tricky tactical resort: click for larger view 15... Qc8 Missing the pawn sacrifice 15...Ne4! 16. BxN dxB 17. Rxe4 Bf5 18. Re1 f6 19. g4 Be6 20. Nf3 Qc7 21. Qd2 Bf7 with attacking potential providing come compensation for the sacrificed pawn. 16. Qc2 g6? Again missing 16...Ne4 Mason now seemed to be courting trouble: click for larger view

Nov-12-22		KEG: Post II 17. Rf1? Missing the very strong 17. g4. Remarkably enough, von Popiel seems to have had this idea, but he waited on move too late to attempt this strike at the Black King-side. 17... Bf5 18, g4 Now, as opposed to move 17, g4 is not so strong since Black can now simply trade Bishops. For that reason, 18. Rac1 or 18. Bb2 or maybe even 18. Rae1 were better than the now weakening text. 18... BxB Of course. 19. QxB Ne4 Now it is Black, if anyone, who is better. click for larger view 20. Bb2 Giving Black attacking chances. 21. g5 to thwart a possible 20...h5 (see move 21) was best. 20... f6 Mason correctly played this prophylactic move before undertaking any serious attack. 21. Nf3 von Popiel might also have tried 21. Rac1, since 21...fxN allows 22. cxd5 and then if 22...Nf6 23. dxc6 bxc6 24. dxe5 and now, though up a piece for two pawns, Black would face a difficult defense to hold the game. The text, however, though less interesting, was probably soundest. 21... Qd7 Missing 21...h5. 22. Rae1 White could have anticipated 22...h5 with 22. Nh5. Now, once again, Mason had chances. 22... Re7 And, once again, Mason missed 22...h5. 23. a4 And, in turn, von Popiel again overlooked the threat. 23... Rae8 But Mason again missed a chance to play h5. 24. Ba3 Rf7 24...Re6 was probably better. 25. Nd2 f5! Nicely played. Black still had some initiative despite having missed a number of chances: click for larger view 26. Nf3 "?"--(Tournament Book) The Tournament Book, despite its decision to assign a "?" to the text, gave no better move for White here. I can't find anything better, and Stockfish and Fritz also give the text as best. 26... fxg4 26...Qd8 or 26...Rg7 were probably better. 27. Ne5 "?"--(Tournament Book) "An entirely erroneous combination. White overlooked his opponent's exchange sacrifice." (Tournament Book) I have no idea whether von Popiel saw Mason's reply, but the text is not only best but is nearly forced. The characterization of this move as bad seems plainly wrong. The position was now: click for larger view 27... RxN! Nicely played by Mason, since anything else would have put him in dire straits. While strong, the text was not remotely close to winning, and if anything White is now for choice. 28. fxQ gxh3 click for larger view The game was getting exciting (after much superficial play), and there was no reason to expect the contest would end after the next move.

Nov-12-22		KEG: Post III 29. RxR?? "??"--(Tournament Book) von Popiel would have been fine after 29. Kh2. A one move losing blunder. The text leads to immediate mate, the position now--shockingly--being: click for larger view 29... Qg4+ click for larger view 0-1 With 30... Qg2 checkmate threatened, White can only prolong the game by one move by giving up his Queen (30. Qg3 QxQ+ 31.Kh1 Qg2 checkmate). OUCH!

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