Instead of a current game, we are going to look at a game from 1925 between US champion Frank Marshall and Russian Boris Verlinsky. Marshall was the United States’ best player for many years, until the 1930s, when age and the prodigy Sammy Reshevsky caught up to him. Never among the world’s very top players, he was always a dangerous opponent given his great tactical abilities. The Marshall Gambit in the Ruy Lopez is named after him, and he even started the Marshall Chess Club in his New York City home in 1915.
The 1925 Moscow International was meant to be a Russian version of New York’s major 1924 event. It has been given much credit with popularizing chess in Russia and was highlighted in the 1925 Russian short movie, “Chess Fever.’’ It was a grueling 21-player, single round-robin event, won by Russian Efim Bogoljubov with 15.5/20. Marshall finished a very respectful fourth, 12.5/20.
1925 Moscow International, Moscow, Russia
Frank James Marshall — Boris Verlinsky
1.e4 c5 2.b4 The Wing Gambit, yet another sacrifice in hopes of gaining a lead in development and the big center. Today it’s considered dubious, but in 1925 it was still considered a reliable approach 2...cxb4 3.a3 e5 3...d5 is the main line. When after 4.exd5 Qxd5 5.Nf3 (5.axb4 Qe5+ is an ancient trap.) 5...e5 6.axb4 Bxb4 7.c3 Be7 8.Na3 Nc6 9.Nb5 Qd8 10.Bc4 e4 11.Nfd4 Nf6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Nd4 Bd7 14.Ra6 Qc7 when a small advantage 4.axb4 Bxb4 5.c3 Bc5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Bc4 d6 8.d4 exd4 8...Bb6 could leads to something like 9.Qb3 Qe7 10.Be3 exd4 11.Nxd4 Ne5 12.Bb5+ Bd7 13.Nf5 Qd8 14.Bxd7+ Nxd7 15.Nxd6+ Ke7 16.Qxf7+ Kxd6 17.Bf4+ with a winning attack 9.cxd4 Behold White’s big center. 9…Bb6 or 9...Bb4+ 10.Nbd2 Bg4 11.0–0 Bxd2 12.Bxd2 Nxd4 13.Qa4+ Bd7 14.Bxf7+ Kxf7 15.Qxd4 10.0–0 Bg4?! 10...Nf6 is better 11.Ba3 0–0 12.e5 Ne4 13.Nbd2 Nxd2 14.Qxd2 Bg4 and its equal 11.Qb3 Bxf3 11...Bh5 12.d5 Nd4 13.Nxd4 Bxd4 14.Ra4 Bc5 15.Ba3 Bxa3 16.Qxa3 Bg4 17.Rxa7 12.Bxf7+ Kf8 13.Bxg8 Rxg8 13...Bh5 14.Bd5 Nxd4 15.Qh3 Bf7 16.Bxf7 Kxf7 17.Be3 Re8 18.Qh5+ Kf8 19.Nc3 Qf6 20.Qxh7 Kf7 21.Qh5+ Kg8 22.Nd5 Qe5 23.Qg4 Rf8 (23...Qxe4 24.Nf6+) 24.Nxb6 axb6 25.Bxd4 Qxd4 26.Qe6+ Kh7 27.Rad1 Qf6 28.Qxd6 Qxd6 29.Rxd6 Rf6 30.Rxf6 gxf6 31.Rb1 Kg6 32.f3 Ra6 33.Rb5 Kf7 with a winning rook and pawn endgame 14.Qxf3+ Qf6 15.Qh5 Nxd4 15...Qxd4 16.Ra3 Ne5 17.Qf5+ Ke7 (17...Nf7 18.Rf3 Qc4 19.Na3 Qa2 20.Rd1 with a winning attack)18.Bg5+ Ke8 19.Qe6+ Kf8 20.Qe7# 16.Ba3 Re8 16...Ne2+ fails to 17.Qxe2 Qxa1 18.Bxd6+ Kf719.Qc4+ Kf6 20.Nc3 Qa6 21.Qd5 Qa5 22.Nb5 Kg6 23.Qe6+ Kh5 24.g4+ Kh4 25.Bg3+ Kh3 (25...Kg5 26.h4#) 26.g5# 17.Nc3 Heading to that wonderful square d5. 17...Re5 17...Nb3 18.Nd5 Re5 19.Qd1 Rxd5 20.Qxd5 Nxa1 21.e5 18.Qh3 Qe6 19.Qd3 g5? Far too weakening. 19...Kf7 is better with the idea of 19...Kf7 20.Rab1 Rc8 21.Rxb6 axb6 22.Qxd4 Qc4 23.Qxd6 Qxc3 24.Qd7+ Kg6 with chances for survival 20.Rab1 Bc5 21.Bxc5 dxc5 22.f4?! Better was 22.Rxb7 not allowing Black’s king to get to h8 and then f4 is that much stronger. 22…gxf4 23.Rxf4+ Kg7 24.Rxb7+ Kh8 25.Rff7 Rh5 26.e5 Nf5 Not 26...Qg6 27.Qxg6 Rxg6 28.Nd5 Rxe5 as 29.Nf6 forces 29…Re1+ 30.Kf2 Rxf6 31.Rxf6 27.Qe4 A little careless. Better was 27.Qe2 when after 27…Qh6 28.Rxh7+ Qxh7 29.Rxh7+ Rxh7 30.Qf2 White is much better 27...a5; Much better was 27...Ng7 when Black can hold after 28.Rbe7 28...Qh6 29.Qf4 QxQf4 30.Rxf4 Nf5 28.Nd5 Rd8 28...Rxh2 29.g4 (29.Kxh2 Qh6+ with a perp) 29.Rf6 Qc8 and Black resigned before 30.Rc7; 1–0
Chris Chase can be reached at BostonGlobeChessNotes @gmail.com.
