New York 1927

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  • New York 1927

    New York 1927

    May 4, 2020

    Almost every chess player probably has at one time owned a copy of the Dover edition of the New York 1924 chess tournament. The competitors were Capablanca, Emanuel Lasker, Alekhine, Bogoljubow, Maroczy, Reti, Tartakower, Yates, Marshall, Janowski and Edward Lasker.

    Emanuel Lasker won at 55-years of age, Capablanca suffered his first loss in eight years and Alekhine produced the tournament book with masterful annotations and comments.

    Three years after this event, New York 1927 was organized.

    From Dejan Bojkov at chess.com

    This time only six players competed in a quadruple round robin tournament from February to March. Naturally, the favourite was the reigning champion Capablanca, but two other remarkable players had an important fight of their own.

    Both Alexander Alekhine and Aaron Nimzowitsch challenged the champion at the beginning of that year, but the Cuban had not yet answered those challenges definitively. Alekhine stated that “Nimzowitsch’s challenge was purely platonic” (i.e. he did not have the money to raise the prize fund in accordance with the recently established London rules for the World Championship). Nevertheless, in private correspondence, Capablanca strongly advised Alekhine that participation in the event was necessary in order for him to define his challenger. Thus, the tournament had the unofficial status of qualification for a World Championship match.

    A curious fact is that one of the strongest players of the time Efim Bogoljubow refused to take part in this “mediocre tournament” and offered instead a direct match between himself and the champion. He was then replaced by Rudolph Spielman. The field was rounded out with the American Champion Frank Marshall and Milan Vidmar.

    The event became an absolute triumph for Jose Raul Capablanca, who claimed the title undefeated, scoring 14/20. He also won the best game prize.

    https://www.chess.com/article/view/new-york-1927

    Alekhine annotated and studied the games and concluded that Capablanca was not unbeatable. But the tournament book only appeared in German, by De Gruyter in 1928. Both Tartakower and Grekov produced subsequent Russian editions.

    I first heard of the tournament as a teenager when reading Botvinnik’s 100 Selected Games.

    Botvinnik says that Alekhine set himself the task of surpassing both Capablanca and Lasker. If he was to excel the Cuban player he must assimilate all the new elements that Lasker and Capablanca had introduced into chess Technique. Lasker had brought the art of playing in simple positions to great perfection. Capablanca was fond of playing more complicated games, he was a master of the middle-game; but in the later period of his career he too was attracted by simple positions.

    If Alekhine had not succeeded in assimilating their art and technique especially in simple positions, he could not have beaten Capablanca.

    During these same years Alekhine also mastered the technique of preparing contests. Botvinnik wrote that he made no bones of the fact that when his turn came to prepare for the world championship contest, his first step was to make close and detailed acquaintance with Alekhine’s introductory article to his collection of games of the New York 1927 Match-Tournament. In this article he related how he had prepared for the match against Capablanca, subjected Capablanca’s creative art to thorough analysis, and revealed his own thoughts and his own plans.
    _______

    I was able to get a copy Das New Yorker Schachturnier 1927, published by Walter de Gruyter in 1963 and dogged my German teacher in the ‘80s in helping me translate that introduction. Chess Digest had come out with a 78-page pamphlet about the tournament in 1972 but made no attempt at an extensive translation.

    Finally, in 2011, Russell Enterprises came out with an English translation, with a foreword by Andy Soltis.
    ________

    I thought that in this time of the covid-19 pandemic, when there are so few tournaments for enthusiasts to follow, that giving the round-by-round games of New York 1927 would be diverting. I shall often use contemporary comments.

    For those who may wonder why the tournament book wasn’t published in English in the 20s and what comments Alekhine made about Capablanca’s play – the purchase of the recent translation is de rigueur.

    Cycle I

    Round 1

    New York 1927
    Round 1, Feb. 19, 1927
    Alekhine, Alexander – Vidmar, Milan
    D30 Queen’s Gambit Declined

    1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nd7 4.Nc3 Ngf6 5.Bg5 Bb4 6.cxd5 exd5 7.e3 O-O 8.Bd3 c5 9.O-O Bxc3 10.bxc3 c4 11.Bc2 Qa5 12.Ne5 Qxc3 13.Nxd7 Nxd7 14.Qb1 Re8 15.Bxh7+ Kh8 16.Bc2 Nf8 17.Ba4 Re6 18.Qb5 Rg6 19.Qxd5 Qb4 20.Bc2 Be6 21.Qe4 f5 22.Qf4 Nh7 23.h4 Nxg5 24.hxg5 Qe7 25.Qh4+ Rh6 26.Qg3 Rh5 27.f4 Qa3 28.Qf3 g6 29.e4 Qb2 30.exf5 Qxd4+ 31.Qf2 Qxf2+ 32.Kxf2 Bxf5 33.Bxf5 gxf5 34.Rfd1 Rh7 35.Rd5 Rc8 36.Rxf5 Rd7 37.Re5 c3 38.Rc1 c2 39.Re2 Rdc7 40.Kf3 b5 41.f5 Kg7 42.Re6 Rd7 43.Re2 Rdc7 44.Re6 Rd7 45.Re2 1/2-1/2

    After 7.e3 the game has transposed into the Manhattan variation of the QGD, appropriate given the location of the tournament.

    Also, the combination beginning with 12.Ne5 and culminating in 15.Bxh7+ is a thing of beauty and a testament to the genius of Alekhine.

    - 7..0-0 was a new move but seems less thematic than the much more popular 7..c5. Alekhine suggested 12..Re8 13 Nxd7..Nxd7 14 Qd2..b5 15 a4 though White would still have had an advantage. 32 Kxf2? was an error after which Black was able to draw; winning would have been 32 Rxf2..Bxf5 33 g4..Bxg4 34 Bxg6..Rh3 35 Be4..Rb8 36 f5. Better chances would have been offered by 35 g4..fxg 36 Kg3.

    - Stockfish suggests 32.Rxf2 Bf5 33.g4 Bxg4 34.Bxg6 Rh4.....

    New York 1927
    Round 1, Feb. 19, 1927
    Capablanca, Jose Raul – Spielmann, Rudolf
    D35 QGD, Exchange variation

    1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nd7 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nc3 Ngf6 6.Bg5 Bb4 7.Qb3 c5 8.a3 Bxc3+ 9.Qxc3 c4 10.Qe3+ Qe7 11.Qxe7+ Kxe7 12.Nd2 h6 13.Bh4 b5 14.e4 g5 15.Bg3 Nxe4 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.a4 Ba6 18.axb5 Bxb5 19.b3 Rhc8 20.h4 a6 21.bxc4 Bxc4 22.hxg5 hxg5 23.Rh6 Nf6 24.Ra5 Bb5 25.Bxb5 axb5 26.Rxb5 Ra1+ 27.Kd2 Ra2+ 28.Kd1 Ra1+ 1/2-1/2

    - Good play by Spielmann. I preferred his position throughout this game.

    - Capablanca's opening with 7 Qb3, 9 Qxc3 and 12 Nd2 (12 e4..dxe 13 Ne5 was stronger) was imprecise and led to Black taking the initiative. Black would have had good winning chances had he played 17..f5, instead after 17..Ba6 White was able to draw with the help of some clever tactics.

    New York 1927
    Round 1, Feb. 19, 1927
    Marshall, Frank James – Nimzowitsch, Aron
    C01 French, Exchange

    1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.exd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Ne7 6.Bd3 Nbc6 7.h3 Be6 8.O-O Qd7 9.Bf4 Bxc3 10.bxc3 f6 11.Rb1 g5 12.Bg3 O-O-O 13.Qe2 Rde8 14.Rfe1 Nf5 15.Bxf5 Bxf5 16.Qb5 Nd8 17.Qc5 b6 18.Qa3 Kb7 19.Qb3 Nc6 20.Nd2 Na5 21.Qb2 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 Re8 23.Rxe8 Qxe8 24.Qb1 Kc8 25.Qd1 Qe6 26.Nb3 Nc4 27.Nd2 Na3 28.Nf1 Nxc2 29.Qh5 Bd3 30.Qd1 Qe4 31.Nd2 Qe2 32.Qxe2 Bxe2 33.f4 Na3 34.fxg5 fxg5 35.Kf2 Bh5 36.Be5 g4 37.hxg4 Bxg4 38.Ke3 Bf5 39.Bg7 Be6 40.Bf8 Nb5 41.Nb1 a5 42.Kd2 Bf5 43.Na3 Nxa3 44.Bxa3 Bb1 45.Bf8 Bxa2 46.Bg7 Bb1 47.Ke3 Kb7 48.Bf6 Ka6 49.Kd2 Be4 50.g3 Kb5 51.Kc1 Kc4 52.Kb2 c5 53.Be5 cxd4 54.Bxd4 b5 55.Bb6 a4 56.Ba5 d4 57.cxd4 b4 58.Bb6 a3+ 59.Ka2 Kb5 60.Bc5 Ka4 0-1

    1.e4 { Notes by Nimzowitsch } 1...e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.exd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Ne7 6.Bd3 Nbc6 7.h3 Be6 8.O-O Qd7 9.Bf4 Bxc3 10.bxc3 f6 { In order to safeguard the B against a possible Ng5 - the prophylactic meaning of 7...Be6 is thus clear. White now tried an attack on the open b-file, but it is not surprising that it failed, on account of the dynamic weakness of the double complex. } 11.Rb1 g5 12.Bg3 O-O-O { Looks risky, but is part of the plan initiated on the 9th move. } 13.Qe2 Rde8 { Not ...Rdg8 because a flank attack is best undermined by a concentration in the center and not by a counter-attack on the wing. } 14.Rfe1 Nf5 15.Bxf5 { The move 15 Ba6 proves insufficient after ...bxa6. } 15...Bxf5 16.Qb5 Nd8 17.Qc5 b6 18.Qa3 Kb7 19.Qb3 Nc6 { Already a blockader makes for c4 where it will demonstrate the weakness of the doubled pawn. } 20.Nd2 Na5 21.Qb2 Rxe1+ 22.Rxe1 Re8 23.Rxe8 Qxe8 24.Qb1 Kc8 { Here ...Qe2 was also good. } 25.Qd1 Qe6 26.Nb3 Nc4 27.Nd2 Na3 28.Nf1 Nxc2 { Now Black has an ending with a pawn plus but bishops of opposite colors, and many of the onlookers prognosticated a draw. } 29.Qh5 Bd3 30.Qd1 { Not ...Qe2 at once because of Qxe2 and Ne3. } 30...Qe4 31.Nd2 { If 31 f3 then ...Qe2 is sound. } 31...Qe2 32.Qxe2 Bxe2 33.f4 Na3 34.fxg5 fxg5 35.Kf2 Bh5 36.Be5 g4 37.hxg4 Bxg4 38.Ke3 Bf5 39.Bg7 Be6 40.Bf8 Nb5 41.Nb1 a5 { Here 41...Bf5 was also playable: 42 a4 Bxb1 43 axb5 Ba2 44 Kf4 Bc4 45 Ke5 Kd7 46 Bb4 c6 47 bxc6+ Kxc6 and the king migrates to b3. } 42.Kd2 { A winning line, not unlike that shown in the preceding note would be : 42 Kf4 Bf7 43 a4 Bg6 44 axb5 Bxb1 45 Kxe5 Ba2 46 Ke6 Bc4 with ...Kg7 and ...c6, etc. } 42...Bf5 43.Na3 Nxa3 44.Bxa3 Bb1 45.Bf8 Bxa2 46.Bg7 Bb1 47.Ke3 Kb7 48.Bf6 Ka6 49.Kd2 { If 49 Bd8 Black has a win the K penetrating to b3, e.g. : 49 Bd8 Kb5 50 Bxc7 Kc4 51 Bxb6 a4 with ...Kb3 and wins as the a-pawn cannot be stopped. This variation shows the enduring weakness of the dead and gone double complex. For in the passed a-pawn is mirrored the weakness of the defunct White a-pawn, and in the blocked long diagonal a1-f6 is manifested , in memoriam, the obstructive effect of the pawn formation c3 and d4. White might have resigned here. } 49...Be4 50.g3 Kb5 51.Kc1 Kc4 52.Kb2 c5 53.Be5 cxd4 54.Bxd4 b5 55.Bb6 a4 56.Ba5 d4 57.cxd4 b4 58.Bb6 a3+ 59.Ka2 Kb5 60.Bc5 Ka4 0-1



  • #2
    New York 1927

    May 4, 2020

    The ages of the players February 1927

    Alexander Alekhine 34 years
    Jose Raul Capablanca 38 years
    Aron Nimzowitsch 40 years
    Milan Vidmar 41 years
    Frank Marshall 49 years
    Rudolf Spielmann 43 years

    For an average age of 41 years. By contrast, the last Candidates (2020) had nine competitors with an average age of 29 years.

    Cycle One

    Round Two

    Cycle 1, Round 2, Feb. 20
    Marshall, Frank J. – Vidmar, Milan
    C49 Four Knights, symmetrical, Metger unpin

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Bb4 5.O-O O-O 6.d3 Bxc3 7.bxc3 d6 8.Bg5 Qe7 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Rb1 h6 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Qe2 Qe6 13.Nh4 Qf6 14.Nf3 Qe6 15.Nh4 Qf6 16.Nf3 Qe6 1/2-1/2

    Round 2, Feb. 20
    Nimzowitsch, Aron – Capablanca, Jose Raul
    E10 Queen’s Pawn game

    1.c4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 d5 4.e3 Be7 5.Nbd2 O-O 6.Bd3 c5 7.dxc5 Na6 8.O-O Nxc5 9.Be2 b6 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.Nb3 Bb7 12.Nxc5 Bxc5 13.Qa4 Qf6 14.Ba6 Bxa6 15.Qxa6 Nb4 16.Qe2 Rfd8 17.a3 Nd3 18.Ne1 Nxe1 19.Rxe1 Rac8 20.Rb1 Qe5 21.g3 Qd5 22.b4 Bf8 23.Bb2 Qa2 24.Ra1 Qb3 25.Bd4 Rc2 26.Qa6 e5 27.Bxe5 Rdd2 28.Qb7 Rxf2 29.g4 Qe6 30.Bg3 Rxh2 31.Qf3 Rhg2+ 32.Qxg2 Rxg2+ 33.Kxg2 Qxg4 34.Rad1 h5 35.Rd4 Qg5 36.Kh2 a5 37.Re2 axb4 38.axb4 Be7 39.Re4 Bf6 40.Rf2 Qd5 41.Re8+ Kh7 0-1

    - Capablanca's Qe5-Qd5-Qa2 maneuver is one I always admired. Still, maybe Nimzo could have stopped it with 21.e4, had he realized what was going on.

    - Although two rooks are slightly better than a queen, when they are not co-ordinated they are weaker. They are subject to forks and pins by the queen. A good win by Capa

    - Why not 31. BxR? Because, the black pieces answer with a furious attack in 31... Qxg4+ 32. Kh1, Qh3 33. Kg1, QxB+ 34. Kf1, Qf2#. I love Capablanca! He's amazing!

    - Interesting that on move 18 Capa takes the Knight not the Bishop. Is it because 18..... NxB 19. RxN would have developed White's Rook "free for nothing" i.e. gained a tempo whereas 18..... NxN 19. RxN leaves White's Rook on a1 undeveloped? Or is there something else here?

    - This game looks so simple, yet if a new prodigy were to suddenly rise and play such games regularly, I would gladly bet the content of one of my savings account that he would soon be knocking at the World Championship door.

    - The new prodigy who plays such games regularly is called Magnus Carlsen, Kasparov said so 6 months ago

    Round 2, Feb. 20
    Spielmann, Rudolf – Alekhine, Alexander
    B40 Sicilian, Anderssen variation

    1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nxc6 dxc6 7.Nd2 e5 8.Nc4 Bc5 9.Be3 Bxe3 10.Nxe3 Be6 11.O-O O-O 12.Qe2 Qb6 13.c3 Rad8 14.Rfd1 Qc5 15.Rac1 a5 16.Bb1 g6 17.Rd2 a4 18.Rcd1 Qb6 19.g3 Rxd2 20.Qxd2 Ng4 21.Nf5 Bxf5 22.exf5 Nf6 23.Qd6 Kg7 24.Rd2 Re8 25.fxg6 hxg6 26.Qb4 Qxb4 27.cxb4 a3 28.bxa3 Ra8 29.Rd3 e4 30.Re3 Nd5 31.Rxe4 Nc3 32.Re1 Rxa3 33.Kf1 Kf6 34.h4 Nxb1 35.Rxb1 Rxa2 36.Re1 Ra4 37.Re4 c5 38.Rf4+ Ke6 39.Re4+ Kf6 40.Rf4+ Ke7 41.Re4+ Kd7 42.g4 cxb4 43.h5 b5 44.h6 b3 45.Re3 b2 46.Rb3 Kc6 47.Rxb2 Rxg4 48.Rc2+ Kb6 49.Rc8 Rh4 50.Rh8 b4 51.Ke2 Kc7 52.Kd3 Rh3+ 53.Kc2 b3+ 54.Kc1 Rh1+ 55.Kb2 Kd6 56.Kxb3 Ke5 57.Kc4 Rh3 58.Re8+ Kf5 59.Kd4 Rxh6 60.Ke3 Kg4 61.Re4+ Kh3 62.Rf4 f5 63.Rf3+ Kh2 64.Rf4 Rh3+ 0-1

    Position after White’s 40.Rf4+

    

    - When Fischer played Spassky in '72 he consciously borrowed an idea of Anderssen's for the Black side of the Sicilian. I believe that was pointed out in Gligoric's book of the match although it might have been Alexander's book. An aside: Fischer was studying Spassky & Anderssen in the leadup to the match (the Weltgeschichte des Schachs books, I think).

    - Can White save it with 58. Rf8 f5 59. h7 Rxh7 60. Kd3, gaining time to get his king to the kingside before Black's does?

    - Alekhine says 62.Rf4? is the error and that 62.Ke2 draws.

    - Did Alekhine comment on 42...Rxb4? The pawn ending after 42...Rxb4 43. Rxb4 cxb4, with two outside passed pawns for Black, certainly looks won to me.

    - First, AA claims he erred with 40...Ke7? and that Ke6 was winning. He gives no lines. He doesn't like 42...Rxb4, but says it would draw:

    "After 42...Rxb4 43. Rxb4 cxb4 44.Ke2, Black would even had some difficulties. Correct for him would be the following:44...Ke6 45.Kd3 Kf6! 46.Kc4 Kg7 47.Kxb4 Kh6 48.Kb5 f5! 49.f3 fxg4 50.fxg4 Kg7 51.Kb6 Kf6 52.Kxb7 Ke5 53.Kc6 Kf4 54.h5 gxh5 55.gxh5 Kg5 --draw" (Alekhine]

    Round Three

    Round 3, Feb. 22
    Vidmar, Milan – Spielmann, Rudolf
    A46 Queen’s Pawn (also Colle, Benoni, Benko Gambit)

    1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.e3 b6 4.c4 cxd4 5.exd4 e6 6.Bd3 Bb7 7.O-O Be7 8.Nc3 O-O 9.d5 d6 10.dxe6 fxe6 11.Nd4 Qc8 12.Qe2 e5 13.Bf5 Nbd7 14.Be6+ Kh8 15.Nf5 Qe8 16.Ng3 Nc5 17.Bh3 Qc6 18.Be3 Rae8 19.Bxc5 Qxc5 20.Rac1 Ba6 21.Nce4 Nxe4 22.Nxe4 Qc6 23.Qe3 Bxc4 24.Nd2 d5 25.Nxc4 dxc4 26.Qxe5 Bc5 27.Qh5 Qf6 28.Kh1 Bxf2 29.g3 Qc6+ 30.Bg2 Qc5 31.Qxc5 Bxc5 32.Rxc4 Rxf1+ 33.Bxf1 Bf8 1/2-1/2

    Round 3, Feb. 22
    Capablanca, Jose Raul – Marshall, Frank J
    E11 Bogo-Indian Defence

    1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Bxd2+ 5.Nbxd2 d5 6.g3 O-O 7.Bg2 Nbd7 8.O-O Qe7 9.Qc2 b6 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.e4 Nb4 12.Qc3 c5 13.a3 Na6 14.dxc5 bxc5 15.Nc4 Bb7 16.Nfe5 Nxe5 17.Qxe5 Rad8 18.Rfd1 f6 19.Qc3 Rxd1+ 20.Rxd1 Rd8 21.Rd3 Nb8 22.Rxd8+ Qxd8 23.Qb3 Ba6 24.Bh3 Nc6 25.Bxe6+ Kh8 26.Bd5 Nd4 27.Qa4 Bxc4 28.Qxc4 Qc8 29.Kg2 Qg4 30.e5 fxe5 31.Qxc5 h5 32.Qf8+ Kh7 33.Bg8+ Kh6 34.Qd6+ g6 35.Qf8+ 1-0

    - No endgame today, just a nice mate in five culminating with 36. h4#.

    - Just to be difficult, 36. h4+ is not mate. :-) Say, wasn't it Capablanca who said that queen and knight are better than queen and bishop? But Capablanca is better than Marshall...

    - Capa probably had already seen the resource 30. e5 six moves before that, as early as 24. Bh3. Without this resource, Black has pretty strong threats, Qf3+ and h5, h4, h3. It's not that 'simple', especially figuring out a win when six moves ahead you get into a position where your own King is direly threatened.

    The reason why Marshall did not move 24...Kf7 was he was purposely sacking his pawn, hoping to activate his Knight and Queen for an attack. Take a look at the position well without an engine please. Black has isolated a and c pawns. Marshall knew very well that Capa was bound to grind him down; and made a calculated risk to attack. Against a lesser player, it could even have succeeded.

    - I will put it this way: You are in a tournament with one of the best attacking GMs in the world. He moves 23..Ba6, apparently inviting you to play the obvious 24. Bh3, offering his e6 pawn as a bait. You notice of course that 24. Bh3 leave a hole in your f3 square. Furthermore, once you have taken the e6 pawn, you have shuttled your bishop away from your King's defense. After some preliminary calculations you begin suspecting that your attacking opponent is planning to plant a Knight on d4 and a queen on g4 in order to exploit your f3 hole and your lured-away bishop; and probably is also planning to charge his h pawn down your side into your King.

    Now if you are an ordinary master or expert, what do you do? Naturally, you would have no choice but to calculate all the possible subsequent bushes of variations over the board. Why? Because you know that your tactically strong opponent is trying to cook up a dangerous attack.

    Capablanca at move 24, before even moving Bh3, must have done the this. He would have to. He also probably saw both Qd3 and e5 6 moves later, and naturally picked the stronger e5 when the moment did arrive. But there are lots of variations up to this point, and afterwards. In brief, if you are capable of doing so, you will have to calculate all the pertinent variations within a 5 to 10 move radius from move 24, in order to make sure you do not fall under a fatal attack.

    Round 3, Feb. 22
    Alekhine, Alexander – Nimzowitsch, Aron
    A30 English, symmetrical, hedgehog system

    1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 c5 6.O-O Be7 7.b3 d5 8.Ne5 Nbd7 9.f4 Bd6 10.cxd5 exd5 11.Nc4 Qb8 12.Nxd6+ Qxd6 13.d3 O-O 14.e4 dxe4 15.dxe4 Qd4+ 16.Qxd4 cxd4 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.exd5 Nf6 19.Bb2 Bxd5 20.Bxd4 Bxg2 21.Kxg2 1/2-1/2

    11...Qb8 concedes the bishop pair. 11...Be7 keeps it, and on 12 Ne3 Nf8 discovers a third defence upon the pinned d5 pawn.

    Standings after Round Three

    Capablanca 2.5
    Alekhine 2
    Nimzowitsch, Vidmar 1.5
    Spielmann 1
    Marshall 0.5

    Comment


    • #3
      New York 1927

      May 6, 2020

      From the American Chess Bulletin, March 1927:

      The select company of six invited masters started the New York International grand masters’ tournament at the Hotel Manhattan Square, New York City, on the afternoon of February 19 on schedule time. Throughout five consecutive weeks these famous players fought on day after day with scarcely an intermission. The latter portion of the competition, however, was made a bit easier for them than had been planned in the original program.

      It had been intended to complete five full rounds, or a quarter of the contest each week. This was found to be too much of a strain on the nerves of the contestants and a slight change in the schedule was necessitated.

      The six players, roped off, occupied the center of the splendid Jade Ball Room of the Hotel, and ample seating capacity was provided on the outside of the enclosure. This room belonged strictly to the masters and to those visitors who were content to watch quietly from their points of vantage and follow the moves were made more or less slowly, on the boards immediately in front of the opponents.

      Here silence was supposed to reign supreme and Geza Maroczy, the tournament director, was on hand every day to enforce the rule and subdue all unnecessary noises which might and at times did to a slight extent, interfere with the comfort of those who were striving with might and main to win the very generous prizes provided by the committee.

      There were two additional ante rooms provided for the accommodation of the overflow crowd and for those who wished not only to keep up with the moves of the three games as fast as they were made, but to discuss the ever-changing positions with their neighbors and to argue with them pro and con as to their respective merits.

      The familiar wall boards, in this instance mounted on a huge easel, were again in evidence and were always well patronized. In addition, there were, in one of these rooms, two tables with boards and chess pieces where intensive analysis with accompanying argument, more or less heated, was indulged in. Not infrequently, the noise of these discussions would penetrate into the inner sanctum, Whereupon the majesty of the law, personified by Director Maroczy, had to be invoked.

      From the time the opening moves were made until the final adjourned game was played off on March 24, with the banquet formally closing the congress on the evening of the following day, not a hitch of any sort occurred to mar the even tenor of the program as mapped out by the committee for the full accommodation of its six invited guests.

      Cycle One

      Rounds Four and Five

      Round 4, Feb. 23
      Capablanca, Jose Raul – Vidmar, Milan
      E15 Queen’s Indian

      1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 c5 6.O-O cxd4 7.Nxd4 Bxg2 8.Kxg2 Be7 9.Nc3 O-O 10.e4 Qc8 11.b3 Qb7 12.f3 Nc6 13.Bb2 Rfd8 14.Re1 Nxd4 15.Qxd4 Bc5 16.Qd3 Be7 17.Rad1 d6 18.Re2 Rd7 19.Red2 Rad8 20.Ne2 Qa8 21.Qe3 h6 22.h4 Qb7 23.a4 Ne8 24.Nf4 Bf6 25.Bxf6 Nxf6 26.g4 Nh7 27.Qc3 Nf8 28.g5 hxg5 29.hxg5 Ng6 30.Nxg6 fxg6 31.Qd4 Qc6 32.Kg3 Qc5 33.f4 Kf7 34.Kg4 a5 35.Rh2 Qxd4 36.Rxd4 Re7 37.Rhd2 Red7 38.f5 gxf5+ 39.exf5 exf5+ 40.Kxf5 g6+ 41.Kg4 Kf8 42.Rf2+ Rf7 43.Rf6 Rxf6 44.gxf6 Kf7 45.Kg5 Re8 46.Rxd6 Re5+ 47.Kf4 Re6 48.Rd5 Kxf6 49.Rb5 Ke7 50.Kg5 Rc6 51.Kh6 Kf8 52.Rg5 Kf7 53.Rg3 Re6 54.Rd3 Re5 55.Rd7+ Kf6 56.Rd6+ Kf7 1/2-1/2

      - Well fought on both sides to no avail. Capa, the endgame master is stuck with a perpetual because of Vidmar's innocuous-looking mating net.

      - 42.Rd5 looks very unpleasant for black.

      Round 4, Feb. 23
      Nimzowitsch, Aron – Spielmann, Rudolf
      A06 Reti, Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

      1.Nf3 d5 2.b3 c5 3.Bb2 Nc6 4.e3 Nf6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.O-O e6 7.d3 Be7 8.Nbd2 O-O 9.Bxc6 Bxc6 10.Ne5 Rc8 11.f4 Nd7 12.Qg4 Nxe5 13.Bxe5 Bf6 14.Rf3 Bxe5 15.fxe5 Qc7 16.Qh5 h6 17.Raf1 g6 18.Qxh6 Qxe5 19.Rf6 Qh5 20.Qxh5 gxh5 21.Nf3 Rc7 22.Rh6 f6 23.Nh4 Be8 24.Rhxf6 Rxf6 25.Rxf6 Re7 26.Kf2 Kg7 27.Rf4 Bd7 28.Ke2 e5 29.Rf5 Re8 30.Rf2 e4 31.Rf4 Re5 32.Kd2 b5 33.g3 Bh3 34.d4 cxd4 35.exd4 Rg5 36.c3 a5 37.Rf2 a4 38.Ke3 a3 39.Rc2 Bf1 40.Rc1 Bd3 41.Ng2 Rf5 42.Nf4 Kf7 43.Rd1 Ke7 44.Nxd3 exd3 45.b4 Kd6 46.Kxd3 Rf2 47.Rd2 Rf3+ 48.Kc2 Ke6 49.Re2+ Kd6 50.Kb3 Rd3 51.Re5 h4 52.gxh4 Rh3 53.Rh5 Kc6 54.Rh6+ Kb7 55.h5 1-0

      - Nimzo loved the opening named after him so much that he apparently thought it would be great to play it as white too.

      - Concerning the position after 10.Ne5, Nimzowitsch adopted this formation five times in major tournaments and scored 100% - the above and:

      Nimzowitsch vs Samisch, 1929
      Nimzowitsch vs Rubinstein, 1926
      Nimzowitsch vs S Rosselli del Turco, 1926
      Nimzowitsch vs H Wolf, 1923

      - nice endgame play by nimzowitsch

      - another game demonstrating how dangerous for Black - and convenient for White - this opening set-up might be is Fischer vs Mecking, 1970, which actually follows this game (by transposition) up to Black's 14th move, where Mecking deviates by Qe7.

      - hmmm several people have questioned blacks whole opening system...however, after 7...Bd6!? (fighting whites idea of controlling the e5 square) isn't black fully equal??

      This possibility was addressed by Alekhine, who wrote: "7. ... Bd6 is answered by 8. e4! (8. ... dxe4 9. dxe4 Nxe4 10. Re1 ) and would hardly be pleasant."

      Round 4, Feb. 23
      Marshall, Frank J. – Alekhine, Alexander
      A47 Queen’s Indian Defence

      1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 b6 3.Bg5 Bb7 4.Nbd2 e6 5.e4 h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.Bd3 d6 8.Qe2 Qd8 9.O-O Be7 10.Rad1 Nd7 11.c3 c5 12.dxc5 bxc5 13.Bb5 a6 14.Ba4 O-O 15.Bc2 Qc7 16.Nc4 Rfd8 17.Rd2 Nf8 18.Rfd1 a5 19.Bd3 Rab8 20.Na3 Ng6 21.Nb5 Qc6 22.Qe3 c4 23.Nbd4 Qc5 24.Bb1 Ne5 25.Nxe5 dxe5 26.Nf5 Rxd2 27.Nxe7+ Qxe7 28.Rxd2 Bc6 29.h3 Qb7 30.Qe2 Qb5 31.Qd1 Kh7 32.Qf3 Be8 33.Qe3 Bc6 34.a3 Qb7 35.Qe2 Bb5 36.Qe3 Bc6 37.f3 Qe7 38.Ba2 Bb5 39.Kh2 Ba6 40.Qe2 Qc5 41.Rd7 Bb5 42.Rd2 Rb7 43.Bb1 Ba4 44.Ba2 Bb5 45.Bb1 Ba4 46.Kh1 Rb6 47.f4 Bb3 48.fxe5 Qxe5 49.Qe3 Rc6 50.Rd5 Qc7 51.e5+ Kg8 52.Rd4 Kf8 53.Qf4 Ke7 54.Bh7 Qb8 55.Qg3 Rc5 56.Re4 Kf8 57.Bg6 f5 58.Rd4 Qxe5 59.Qh4 Qf6 60.Qg3 Qe5 61.Qh4 Qf6 62.Qg3 Qe5 1/2-1/2

      - According to Fritz, after his dubious opening, Alekhine (in whose favor the position began to shift after Marshall's weak <13. Bb5?>) could have obtained a probably winning advantage with <22. ... Ne5!> (instead of <22. ... c4>). This possibility is not mentioned in Alekhine's notes in "New York 1927", Alekhine, Russell Enterprises, Inc. (c)2011, at page 52.

      -... and Marshall could have played the attack he later obtained more strongly with <53. Qf3> (in lieu of 53. Qf4). Play might then have continued <53. ... Qc8 54. Qe4> (54. Bg6 Rc7 55. Rf4 Qb7=) <54... Rc5 55. Qh7 Qc7 56. Qh8+ Ke7 57. Be4> (57. Qxg7 Qxe5=) <57... Rxe5 58. Qxg7 Rg5> (so that if 59. Qxh6 then 59. ... Qg3=) <59. Qh8> (threatening 60. Bc6) <59. ... Ba4> (only move, after which Black seems to be holding, but barely).

      Comment


      • #4
        New York 1927

        May 6, 2020

        Cycle One

        Round Five (continued)

        Round 5, Feb. 24
        Alekhine, Alexander – Capablanca, Jose Raul
        E15 Queen’s Indian, Rubinstein variation

        1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 c5 6.d5 exd5 7.Nh4 g6 8.Nc3 Bg7 9.O-O O-O 10.Bf4 d6 11.cxd5 Nh5 12.Bd2 Nd7 13.f4 a6 14.Bf3 Nhf6 15.a4 c4 16.Be3 Qc7 17.g4 Nc5 18.g5 Nfd7 19.f5 Rfe8 20.Bf4 Be5 21.Bg4 Nb3 22.fxg6 hxg6 23.Rb1 Bxc3 24.bxc3 Qc5+ 25.e3 Ne5 26.Bf3 Nd3 27.Kh1 Bxd5 28.Rxb3 Nxf4 29.Rb1 Rxe3 30.Ng2 Rxf3 31.Rxf3 Nxg2 32.Kxg2 Re8 33.Kf1 Bxf3 34.Qxf3 Qxg5 35.Re1 Rxe1+ 36.Kxe1 Qg1+ 37.Kd2 Qxh2+ 38.Kc1 Qe5 39.Kb2 Kg7 40.Qf2 b5 41.Qb6 bxa4 42.Qxa6 Qe2+ 0-1

        - Alekhine was not a fool. Only a fool would use anything he had prepared on the sly for Capablanca in a tournament game with a world championship match a few months away. You are wrong on your history of the tournament. Alekhine won the first game, then suffered a period of two losses and several draws during which time he had a serious and painful mouth ailment. He had six teeth extracted during the match and still won going away. That shows total superiority.

        - It is difficult to say who was the greatest of these two players. But I don't think many people will say that one of them is "by far" better than the other. If we look at their careers, I think Capablanca's is the most impressive. He reached his top level much earlier, they were about the same age I believe. He was also more consistent over a long period. But Aljechin at his best reached an awesome level, he was the only player who could beat Capablanca in a match in 1927. (He DID win remember). He was probably also a stronger competitor than Capablanca. Too bad Capa was denied a rematch though.

        - I feel much more liking for Capablanca than for Alekhine. But the awkward fact is that Alekhine got dramatically better unusually late in his life - he was already 35 in 1927, I think. Arguments based on Alekhine's results before then don't prove very much. After that date, Capablanca registered only a limited number of victories against the greatest players, although he remained very hard to beat and usually won against weaker ones. He wrote before the 1927 match that he was less forceful than he had been when younger. There's no point where they were simultaneously at their peak.

        - Alekhine's play in this game has always struck me as bizarre, though someone has posted a link elsewhere that suggests Capablanca had prepared quite carefully against this specific opening and took it seriously. The pawn formation is that of a modern Benoni, which Marshall was pioneering for Black at New York. But why Alekhine hands Capablanca the e5 square on a plate is beyond me. Nerves ?

        - You may find interesting Capablanca's own comment on this game from his notes of the tournament:

        "We had a very difficult defense to handle against Alekhine. Evidently trying to catch up, he chose a complicated form of development which he knows thoroughly. Aware of the difficulties of the opening as well as of the faculties of our opponent, we played with great care until we established what we considered a solid position.

        At that point Alekhine must have thought that he could successfully launch a direct attack against the king. The spectators were having a great thrill, as we allowed the attack to proceed while we were building what to us (though perhaps not to the spectators) seemed an impregnable position.

        At the same time we were getting ready, by gaining a few tempi, to launch a violent counterattack which we felt certain would paralyze White's onslaught. Our judgment proved sound, with the result that very soon Alekhine's game completely collapsed and he had to resign."

        - I love the Black position after 26 ... Nd3!

        <Black's position is now overwhelming. White's scattered pawns disappear with startling rapidity> -- Golombek in Capablanca's 100 Best Games

        Round 5, Feb. 24
        Spielmann, Rudolf – Marshall, Frank J.
        C29 Vienna Gambit

        1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5 4.fxe5 Nxe4 5.Nf3 Bc5 6.d4 Bb4 7.Qd3 c5 8.dxc5 Nxc5 9.Qe3 Nc6 10.Bb5 Ne6 11.a3 Ba5 12.b4 Bb6 13.Qd3 O-O 14.Qxd5 Ned4 15.Qxd8 Rxd8 16.Nxd4 Bxd4 17.Bb2 Nxe5 18.O-O-O Bg4 19.Be2 Bxe2 20.Nxe2 Bxb2+ 21.Kxb2 Nc4+ 22.Kb3 Nd2+ 23.Kb2 Nc4+ 24.Kb3 Ne3 25.Rxd8+ Rxd8 26.Nf4 g5 27.Nd3 Rc8 28.Rc1 f5 29.g3 Kf7 30.c4 Rd8 31.Kc3 Ng4 32.Rf1 Kf6 33.Re1 Kf7 34.Rf1 Kf6 35.Re1 Kf7 36.Rf1 Kf6 1/2-1/2

        - Marshall gets a draw with 5. ..Bc5 in the Vienna, instead of playing 5. ..Be7 -- which is today's standard reply. The move 5. ..Bc5 may be worth a try today, as black seems to have the better of the draw here.

        - 7 Qd3 certainly doesn't give White anything; the more popular 7 Bd2 doesn't look promising either. Alekhine thought that 14..Bd7 would have given Black strong attacking chances.

        Round 5, Feb. 24
        Vidmar, Milan – Nimzowitsch, Aron
        E11 Bogo-Indian Defence, Nimzowitsch variation

        1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Qe7 5.Nc3 O-O 6.e3 d6 7.Be2 b6 8.O-O Bb7 9.Qc2 Nbd7 10.Rad1 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Ne4 12.Be1 f5 13.Qb3 c5 14.Nd2 Nxd2 15.Rxd2 e5 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.f3 g5 18.Bf2 Nf6 19.Rfd1 Rae8 20.Qa4 Ba8 21.Rd6 Qg7 22.Bf1 e4 23.Be1 exf3 24.Bc3 Qe7 25.R6d3 fxg2 26.Bxg2 Bxg2 27.Bxf6 Qe4 28.R1d2 Bh3 29.Bc3 Qg4+ 0-1

        1.d4 { Notes by Nimzowitsch } 1...Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Qe7 { This innovation, introduced by the author, does not in any way indicate an early commitment to a particular line of opening: the queen is well placed at e7 in any case- Indian or Dutch. } 5.Nc3 { Slightly better would be 5 g3 } 5...O-O 6.e3 d6 { Black is still at the crossroads between Dutch (b6 and Bb7) and Indian (c5 or e5 with Nc6) the decision is taken on the next move. } 7.Be2 { He foregoes 7 Bd3 which must come as a success for Black's alternating policy. If 7 Bd3 e5. } 7...b6 8.O-O Bb7 9.Qc2 Nbd7 10.Rad1 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Ne4 12.Be1 f5 { He turns completely Dutch. } 13.Qb3 { The idea of this slightly puzzling move is to keep his e-pawn covered, e.g., after Nd2, ...Nxd2, Rxd2, ...Qg5, f3 and the e-pawn is covered. } 13...c5 { With this move the dutch formation is completed : point e4, and the pawn at c5 for attack or defence, (stopping White's c5.) } 14.Nd2 Nxd2 15.Rxd2 e5 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.f3 g5 { Black's task is now to manage his wing attack in such a way that his opponent cannot in the meantime break through on the d-file. } 18.Bf2 Nf6 19.Rfd1 Rae8 20.Qa4 Ba8 21.Rd6 { Insufficient would be the sacrifice of the exchange by 21 Rd7 Nxd7 22 Rxd7 because of ...Qf6 23 Qxa7 and now simply ...h6. } 21...Qg7 22.Bf1 { A better defence is available by 22 Be1, e.g. : 22...e4 23 Bc3 or if 22...g4 23 fxg4 Nxg4 24 Rd7 Qg5 25 Bxg4 Qxg4 26 Qc2. } 22...e4 23.Be1 exf3 24.Bc3 { Now this digression comes too late as the pretty play demonstrates. } 24...Qe7 { Now 25. Bxf6 would lead to mate; 25...Qxe3+ 26 Kh1 fxg2+ with ...Qe1+. } 25.R6d3 fxg2 26.Bxg2 Bxg2 27.Bxf6 { If 27 Kxg2 Qe4+ with a short and decisive attack. } 27...Qe4 28.R1d2 Bh3 29.Bc3 Qg4+ { And mate in two. } 0-1

        - In his books, Nimzowitsch strongly advocated that players not commit too soon to one plan, and to leave opponents guessing. So when he says he's at the "crossroads," he means that Vidmar still does not know what Black will do. In fact, Nimzowitsch manages to play the Nimzo, Bogo, and Queen's Indian Defenses, all in this one game!

        Regarding the formations he describes, remember that he's referring to contemporary theory, i.e., 1927. The Dutch was commonly played in conjunction with ...b6, which we now know is too risky, thanks to the possible d4-d5 advance. You could argue that Nimzo played a fourth defense in this game, the Dutch! The Indian to which he refers could be either the Samisch Variation, where Black sometimes tries ...c5, ...Nc6, ...d6 and ...e5, or the Milner-Barry (or Zurich) Variation, 4.Qc2,Nc6, followed eventually by ...d6 and ...e5. Note that a lot of these variations are now obsolete.

        The Dutch Stonewall is not c5/e5/Nc6, it's c6/d5/e6/f5, while the Old Dutch is d6/e6/f5, and the Leningrad is d6/e7/f5/g6. However, you are correct that the ...e6 Indian systems today do resort to b6/Bb7. Nimzowitsch's note gives us a good idea of how theory has changed.

        Standings after Round Five

        Capablanca 4
        Nimzowitsch 3.5
        Alekhine 2.5
        Vidmar, Spielmann 2
        Marshall 1.5

        Comment


        • #5
          New York 1927

          May 7, 2020

          The following thumb-nail sketches of the masters and their careers are taken from the official program.

          Jose Raul Capablanca – Born in Havana, Cuba, November 19, 1888. Won Cuban championship at the age of 12, and the world championship in the match with Dr. Lasker at Havana in 1921. Tournament successes: First at San Sebastian, 1911; New York, 1913; New York 1915; New York, 1916; Hastings, 1919;London, 1922, and Lake Hopatcong, 1926. Second at New York, 1911; Havana, 1913; St. Petersburg, 1914; and New York, 1924. Third at Moscow, 1925.

          Frank James Marshall – Born in New York, August 21, 1877. Won United States championship by defeating J. W. Showalter at Lexington, Ky., in 1909.. Tournament successes: First at London, 1899; Cambridge Springs, 1904; St. Louis, 1904; Scheveningen, 1905; Nuremberg, 1906; Duesseldorf, 1908; New York, 1911; Budapest,1912; Havana, 1913; Atlantic city, 1920;Lake Hopatcong, 1923; and Chicago, 1926. In all Marshall has participated in upward of forty important tournaments, capturing many prizes also in most of those which he did not win outright.

          Dr. Alexander Alekhine – Born in Moscow, October 19, 1892. Acquired the title of master at the age of 16 by winning the national tournament at St. Petersburg in 1909. Tournament successes: First at Stockholm, 1912; Scheveningen, 1913; St. Petersburg (national), 1914; Mannheim, 1914; Triberg, 1921; Budapest, 1921; The Hague, 1921; Hastings, 1922; Carlsbad, 1923; Portsmouth, 1923; Baden-Baden, 1925; Hastings, 1926, and Scarborough, 1926. Second at London, 1922; Pistyan, 1922, Margate, 1923; Dresden, 1926, and Semmering, 1926.

          Dr. Milan Vidmar – Born in Ljubljana, Jugoslavia, June 22, 1885. Professor of Electrical Sciences in the University of Ljubljana and the author of books on those subjects. As a chess player he is an amateur, having made his debut as a master in the International Tournament of Nuremberg in 1906. First at Goteborg, 1909; Vienna 1917; Vienna, 1918; and Hastings, 1926. Second at San Sebastian, 1911; Mannheim, 1914; Vienna, !915; and Kaschau, 1918. Third at Vienna, 1907; Prague, 1908; London, 1922; and Semmering, 1926.

          Aron Nimzowitsch – Born in Riga, Latvia, November 7, 1886. Made his international debut at Ostend in 1907, dividing the third and fourth prizes. The author of two books on chess: “Die Blockade” and “Mein System.” First at St. Petersburg (all Russian), 1914; Copenhagen, 1923; Marienbad, 1925; Dresden 1926; and Hanover, 1926. Second at San Sebastian, 1912; Stockholm 1920; and Breslau, 1925.

          Rudolph Spielmann – Born in Vienna, May 5, 1884. Active in international chess for the past 12 years, and an officer in the Austrian Army during the World War. His finest achievement was to win the great tournament at Semmering last year, finishing ahead of Dr. Alekhine, Dr. Vidmar and Nimzowitsch. First at Stockholm, 1909; Abbazia, 1911; Baden (near Vienna), 1914; Berlin, 1914; Stockholm, 1919; Goteborg, 1920; Innsbruck, 1922; Teplitz-Schoenau, 1922, and Semmering, 1926. Second at San Sebastian, 1911; Pistyan, 1912; Vienna, 1914; Stockholm 1919; Triberg, 1921; and Pistyan, 1922.

          (Note: WK – There are the names of some wonderful old tournaments in the above. I once saw Stockholm 1912 up for auction and wondered why anyone would want that – until I saw the note at the bottom: Alekhine’s first international tournament win.)

          Cycle Two

          Round Six

          Round 6, Feb. 26
          Marshall, Frank J. – Capablanca, Jose Raul
          A46 Queen’s Pawn, Torre Attack

          1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 c5 4.c3 Qb6 5.Qc2 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Nc6 7.e3 d5 8.Nd2 Bd7 9.N2f3 Ne4 10.Bf4 f6 11.Bd3 e5 12.Bxe4 dxe4 13.Qxe4 O-O-O 14.Bg3 exd4 15.O-O dxe3 16.a4 Re8 17.Qd3 exf2+ 18.Kh1 Qe3 19.Qd1 Bg4 20.Rxf2 h5 21.Qf1 Bxf3 22.Rxf3 Qe2 23.Qg1 h4 24.Re1 hxg3 25.Rxe2 Rxe2 26.Rxg3 Bd6 27.Qf1 Rhe8 28.Qf5+ Kb8 29.Rf3 R8e5 30.Qd3 Re1+ 31.Rf1 Rd5 32.Qf3 Ne5 33.Qf2 Rxf1+ 34.Qxf1 Ng4 0-1

          - Why didn't Marshall play 18.Bxf2?

          - Probably because white is a whole piece down and doesn't want to trade any more material... after 18. Bxf2 18. Bc5 and pieces will be traded. Marshall's bishop is pinned.

          - This was a rout! Wonder whether Marshall just blundered the piece early on?

          - Capablanca was a whole piece up, but still chose a complicated finish by sacrificing his Q. He knew this would be the most efficient win. In the final position, White can't satisfactorily prevent 35... Rd1! 36. Qxd1 Nf2+, ending up two pieces ahead.

          Round 6, Feb. 26
          Nimzowitsch, Aron – Alekhine, Alexander
          A05 Reti, Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

          1.Nf3 Nf6 2.b3 d6 3.g3 e5 4.c4 e4 5.Nh4 d5 6.cxd5 Qxd5 7.Nc3 Qc6 8.e3 a6 9.Bb2 Bg4 10.Be2 Bxe2 11.Nxe2 Nbd7 12.Rc1 Qb6 13.O-O Bd6 14.f3 Be5 15.Bxe5 Nxe5 16.fxe4 Nd3 17.Rc3 O-O-O 18.Qb1 Nxe4 19.Rxd3 Nxd2 20.Rxd8+ Rxd8 21.Qf5+ Kb8 22.Re1 Qxe3+ 23.Qf2 Qd3 24.Nf4 Qc3 25.Re3 Qc1+ 26.Kg2 Qc6+ 27.Nf3 g5 28.Nd3 Nxf3 29.Qxf3 Qc2+ 30.Nf2 f5 31.Re2 Qc5 32.Nd3 Qd4 33.Ne5 f4 34.Nc4 fxg3 35.Rd2 Qh8 36.Rxd8+ Qxd8 37.hxg3 Qd4 38.Qf8+ Ka7 39.Qf2 Qxf2+ 40.Kxf2 h5 41.Ke3 c5 42.a4 b5 43.axb5 axb5 44.Nd2 Kb6 45.Ne4 h4 46.g4 h3 47.Kf3 b4 48.Nxg5 c4 49.Ne4 cxb3 50.g5 b2 51.Nd2 Kc5 52.g6 h2 53.Kg2 Kd4 54.g7 Kd3 55.g8=Q Kxd2 56.Qa2 Kc2 57.Qc4+ 1-0

          Final Position

          

          - Alekhine, in seeking middle game counterplay, must have overlooked White's 21. Qf5+, which secured White lasting advantage. Cool play throughout by Nimzowitsch. Someone posted elsewhere that Alekhine, when later champion, ducked a match with Nimzo.

          - While Alekhine didn't exactly "duck" Nimzowitsch, he insisted on a very large prize fund that the challenger was required to provide. Nimzowitsch, was quite poor and unable to find a sponsor.

          - Given that Alekhine's record against Nimzowitsch was only 5-3-9 at the time of Aron's incredible +10 =10 -1 result at Carlsbad 1929, I'd say he was justifiably "concerned". However, it appears that this was to be Nimzowitsch's zenith. He played only 82 games afterward, including losing his next four games against Alekhine.

          - Well, Nimzo died in 1935, probably of cancer. Alekhine-seeded rumors were that "...the cancer was syphilitic in origin". (Source is Kmoch) Either way, it seems that Nimzo passed of a debilitating disease, latent to the outside world, but inhibiting nonetheless. (There are hints in Nimzo's writings that he has been seeking medical help for years.) I am beginning to discard the last five or so years of a player's life as not competitively very indicative of true strength. In those years good, lucid days are often intermixed with times where just to show up for play must have been an act of personal bravery.

          Do not misunderstand me: I am grateful for those last games of Steinitz, Chigorin, Pillsbury, Capablanca, Nimzo, Tarrasch, Petrosian ..., but I am grateful for their creative aspects, not competitive ones. Perhaps we should not only consider how old was player when a particular game was played, but also how many years of life they still had left? The same way as we may competitively disregard player's learning, teenage years, we may disregard his fading times.

          - the greatest rope-a-dope game in the history of chess ?

          Round 6, Feb. 26
          Spielmann, Rudolph – Vidmar, Milan
          C47 Four Knights Scotch variation

          1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd5 cxd5 9.O-O O-O 10.Bg5 c6 11.Qf3 Be7 12.Rae1 Be6 13.Ne2 h6 14.Bc1 Bg4 15.Qg3 Bxe2 16.Rxe2 Bd6 17.Qf3 Re8 18.Rfe1 Qa5 19.Rxe8+ Rxe8 20.Rxe8+ Nxe8 21.Qe2 Nf6 22.a3 Qc7 23.g3 1/2-1/2

          Comment


          • #6
            New York 1927

            May 7, 2020

            Cycle Two
            Round Seven

            Round 7, Feb. 27
            Spielmann, Rudolph – Capablanca, Jose Raul
            B15 Caro-Kann, Old Defence

            1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Ng3 Bg4 6.Qd3 Nbd7 7.h3 Bh5 8.Nxh5 Nxh5 9.Nf3 e6 10.g3 Bd6 11.Bg2 O-O 12.O-O Qc7 13.b3 Nhf6 14.Bb2 e5 15.dxe5 Nxe5 16.Qf5 Rfe8 17.Rfe1 Nxf3+ 18.Bxf3 Rxe1+ 19.Rxe1 Re8 20.Rxe8+ Nxe8 21.Bg4 Qe7 22.Kf1 Bb4 23.c3 Nd6 24.Qd3 Ba5 25.Ba3 Bc7 26.c4 Qe5 27.Qe2 Qxe2+ 28.Kxe2 b6 1/2-1/2

            - It seems to be a little bit premature decision from white's side to agree with draw here. With Bishop pair he could try to play for win without any significant risk. Spielmann's awe before Capablanca's legendary invincible technique probably spared Capa from defending of an uneasy endgame.

            - I agree with you. Spielmann with the bishop pair probably had winning chances (though he would have had to play VERY accurately) had he'd gone on. I suspect Capablanca's reputation as an endgame specialist weighed heavily on Spielmann's mind. He probably thought " If I keep playing, Capa's not going to quit, he will come at me tooth and nail and it will take all my skills and powers to MAYBE defeat him. I think I'll bail out now with the draw than deal with what will probably be an exhausting endgame". I admit Capa probably welcomed the draw offer because he needed all the energy he could muster to deal with Alekhine. Remember, the year was 1927.

            Round 7, Feb. 27
            Nimzowitsch, Aron – Marshall, Frank J.
            A06 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

            1.Nf3 Nf6 2.e3 d5 3.b3 Bg4 4.Bb2 Nbd7 5.h3 Bh5 6.d3 h6 7.Nbd2 e6 8.Qe2 Bb4 9.g4 Bg6 10.Ne5 Nxe5 11.Bxe5 Bd6 12.Nf3 Qe7 13.Bg2 O-O-O 14.O-O-O Bxe5 15.Nxe5 Bh7 16.c4 Nd7 17.Nxd7 Rxd7 18.cxd5 exd5 19.Qb2 f5 20.Rd2 Rf8 21.gxf5 Bxf5 22.Rhd1 Qg5 23.f4 Qg3 24.Qe5 Bxh3 25.Bxd5 Qg6 26.Be4 Qf6 27.Qxf6 Rxf6 28.Rg1 Bf5 29.Rdg2 Bxe4 30.dxe4 Rd3 31.Rxg7 Rxe3 32.Rg8+ Kd7 33.R1g7+ Kc6 34.Rg6 Rd6 35.e5 Re1+ 36.Kb2 Re2+ 37.Ka3 Rxg6 38.Rxg6+ Kd5 39.Rxh6 a5 40.Rh7 Rc2 41.Re7 b5 42.b4 a4 43.f5 c5 44.f6 Rc3+ 45.Kb2 cxb4 1/2-1/2

            - Marshall played a nice, neat, careful game and got off with a draw. The ending was a bit sharp but he hung in there.

            - Already 3..Bg4 was a new move. 5 h3 was of questionable value making kingside castling difficult. Black was doing well in the opening; 11..Qe7 would have been more ambitious. Again, 14..Ba3+ would have been more logical (15 Bb2..e5). Not 42 f5?..c6! and White will have to give up his rook to avoid mate (43 b4..Kc4 mates). 42..a4? was a blunder; better was necessary was 42..axb+ 43 Kxb4..Rc4+ 44 Kxb5..c6+ followed by ..Rxf4 with good drawing chances. Nimzovitsch missed the winning 44 e6!..Rc3+ 45 Kb2..cxb 46 Rd7+; in the game Rd7+ was not available and the game was agreed drawn.

            Position after Black’s 43…c5

            

            Round 7, Feb. 27
            Vidmar, Milan – Alekhine, Alexander
            E11 Bogo-Indian Defence, Nimzowitsch variation

            1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Qe7 5.g3 O-O 6.Bg2 Bxd2+ 7.Nbxd2 d6 8.O-O e5 9.Qc2 Nc6 10.e3 Bd7 11.a3 Rae8 12.d5 Nd8 13.b4 e4 14.Nd4 c6 15.dxc6 Nxc6 16.Rfe1 Qe5 17.Ne2 Bf5 18.Nc3 Re7 19.h3 h5 20.Rad1 Rc8 21.Qb3 Nd8 22.f4 exf3 23.Nxf3 Qxg3 24.Ne2 Qg6 25.Nf4 Qg3 26.Ne2 Qg6 27.Nf4 Qh7 28.Rxd6 Ne6 29.Nxe6 Bxe6 30.Ng5 Qf5 31.Nxe6 Rxe6 32.Rd4 Rce8 33.Qd3 Ne4 34.Rf1 Qg6 35.Rd8 Rxd8 36.Qxd8+ Kh7 37.Qd5 Ng3 38.Rf3 h4 39.Kh2 Rd6 40.Qxf7 Rd2 41.Qxg6+ Kxg6 42.c5 Ra2 43.e4 Nxe4 44.Rf4 Ng5 45.a4 Ne6 46.Rxh4 Kf5 47.Rg4 g5 48.Kg3 Nf4 49.Bxb7 Ra3+ 50.Bf3 Ra2 1/2-1/2

            - Alekhine in the tournament book says of 43.e4: With this conciliatory counter-sacrifice, White hopes to bring the knight to side paths, which would allow him to assert his queenside superiority. The results of the other winning attempt, 43.Rf4, would have been very interesting.

            - Wishful thinking by AA that he somehow had an advantage in this endgame. I would like to see some analysis of 43.Rf8. Black can gobble pawns at a3 and e3 while White takes on b7. Looks difficult to hold, but there are many lines.

            Standings after Round Seven

            Capablanca 5.5
            Nimzowitsch 5
            Alekhine, Vidmar 3
            Spielmann 2.5
            Marshall 2

            Comment


            • #7
              New York 1927

              May 8, 2020

              Cycle Two
              Round Eight

              Round 8, March 1
              Alekhine, Alexander – Spielmann, Rudolph
              D02 Queen’s Bishop game

              1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 e6 3.Bf4 c5 4.e3 Qb6 5.Qc1 Nc6 6.c3 Bd7 7.Be2 Nf6 8.h3 cxd4 9.exd4 Be7 10.O-O O-O 11.Nbd2 Rac8 12.Qb1 Na5 13.Re1 Rfd8 14.Ne5 Be8 15.Bd3 g6 16.Bg5 Kg7 17.Qc1 Ng8 18.Bxe7 Nxe7 19.Ndf3 f6 20.Ng4 Ng8 21.Re2 Bf7 22.Qd2 Nc4 23.Qc2 Qd6 24.Bxc4 Rxc4 25.Ne1 Rc7 26.Nd3 Ne7 27.Qd2 Nf5 28.Rae1 Re8 29.Qf4 Qxf4 30.Nxf4 Rce7 31.Ne3 Nxe3 32.Rxe3 e5 33.dxe5 fxe5 34.Nd3 Kf6 35.Rf3+ Kg7 36.Rfe3 Kf6 37.Rf3+ 1/2-1/2

              Alekhine says of 16.Bg5 – “A stereotypical thought that cheats White out of the fruits of his rational opening approach. After Black had unavoidably weakened his kingside, White was able, and had first and foremost, to free his boxed-in queen on b1 (and thus also the queen’s rook) with b4!, (immediately or after Be3, for example). He must accept the weakness c3 which would be quite easy to defend.

              After 16.b4 Nc6, he could have continued promisingly with 17..a4.. After the text move, on the other hand, Black succeeds without effort in consolidating.

              Round 8, March 1
              Capablanca, Jose Raul – Nimzowitsch, Aron
              A46 Queen’s Pawn, Torre Attack

              1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 h6 4.Bh4 b6 5.Nbd2 Bb7 6.e3 Be7 7.Bd3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 c5 10.O-O Nc6 11.Qe2 Nh5 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Ba6 Nf6 14.Rfd1 Rfd8 15.e4 Bxa6 16.Qxa6 Qc7 17.Rac1 Rd7 18.b4 Rad8 19.Qe2 Ne7 20.Re1 Ng6 21.g3 Rc8 22.bxc5 dxc5 23.Nb3 cxd4 24.cxd4 Qb7 25.Rxc8+ Qxc8 26.Rc1 Rc7 27.Rxc7 Qxc7 28.Nfd2 Qc3 29.Qa6 Qc7 30.Qe2 Qc3 31.Qa6 Qc7 1/2-1/2

              1.d4 { Notes by Nimzowitsch. A game illustrating the small (restricted) center . } 1...Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 h6 { Of questionable value : on balance the increase in possible resources resulting from this move is less than the danger of the loosening it occasions. Generally speaking, of the restricted center should be avoided. A wide and active center could more easily absorb some weakness on the wings. The restricted center is too passive in this respect. } 4.Bh4 b6 5.Nbd2 Bb7 6.e3 Be7 7.Bd3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.h3 { In order to be able to play Bg3, without being exposed to an exchange by ...Na5; but 9 Qe2 and O-O-O with a K side attack looks much more natural. The following opening is instructive on this point : Black, Dr. Vidmar. 1 e3 d5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 b3 Bg4 4 Bb2 Nbd7 5 h3 (the present game, with colours reversed, has now come about) 5...Bh5 6 Be2 e6 7 Ne5 Bxe2 8 Qxe2 Bd6 9 Nxd7 Qxd7 10 c4 c6 11 O-O O-O-O 12 Nc3 Bc7 13 d4 h5 14 c5 g5 15 b4 h4 16 b5 Rdg8 and Vidmar won by a direct K side attack. } 9...c5 10.O-O Nc6 11.Qe2 Nh5 12.Bxe7 Qxe7 13.Ba6 Nf6 14.Rfd1 Rfd8 15.e4 Bxa6 { Because he has at his disposal a maneuver which is to prove the weakness of the White squares to be illusory. Much weaker would be 15...e5, because of 16 d5 with possibilities on either flank. } 16.Qxa6 Qc7 17.Rac1 Rd7 18.b4 Rad8 19.Qe2 { The queen retires voluntarily. } 19...Ne7 20.Re1 Ng6 21.g3 Rc8 22.bxc5 dxc5 23.Nb3 cxd4 24.cxd4 Qb7 { White has achieved nothing at all. } 25.Rxc8+ Qxc8 26.Rc1 Rc7 27.Rxc7 Qxc7 28.Nfd2 Qc3 29.Qa6 Qc7 30.Qe2 Qc3 31.Qa6 Qc7 { Typical of the restricted center were the slow evolutions of the major pieces on inner lines (moves 16, 17, 18, 21 and 26 by Black. } 1/2-1/2

              - Regarding the 1927 New York Tournament, according to Nathan Divinsky, "The Encyclopedia of Chess," p. 143: "Capablanca was an easy victor. With 3 rounds to go he was already assured of 1st prize. He declared that he would draw his last 3 games (against Alekhine, Vidmar, and Nimzowitsch) in order not to affect the struggle for 2nd place. It seems that Nimzowitsch played some bizarre moves and got into a bad position. Capablanca complained to the tournament director that unless Nimzowitsch played better, he (Capablanca) would be forced to win the game! Finally Capablanca actually dictated the last 4 or 5 moves, which Nimzowitsch played rather apprehensively, and the game was drawn."

              - This is one of two draws between Nimzowitsch and Capablanca in the 1927 New York Tournament. I will hazard a guess and say that this one (and not the other) is the game to which Divinsky alludes.

              - This is the round 8 game as it says on the Chessgames scorecard. The draw you refer to was in Rd 19 Capablanca vs Nimzowitsch, 1927

              - I’ll say Divinsky was talking about the other game Capa looks better in the other game he’s got a passed pawn in the end. Nimzo writes about this game in chess praxis and after move 24 says, white has achieved nothing at all and seems to feel good about the game, if Capa was dictating moves to him in the end, it wouldn’t be the case.

              - I'd prefer one thousand time to lose a game instead of allowing someone, even Capablanca, dictate my last moves. This story seems pretty strange.

              Round 8, March 1
              Vidmar, Milan – Marshall, Frank J
              E11 Bogo-Indian Defence

              1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Bb4+ 4.Bd2 Bxd2+ 5.Nbxd2 d5 6.e3 O-O 7.Qc2 Nbd7 8.Bd3 h6 9.O-O c5 10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.dxc5 Nb4 12.Bh7+ Kh8 13.Qc4 Na6 14.Bc2 Ndxc5 15.b4 Nd7 16.Rfd1 Nb6 17.Qb3 Qd5 18.Qb2 Bd7 19.Ne4 Qb5 20.a3 Bc6 21.Nd4 Qe5 22.f4 Qc7 23.Nxc6 bxc6 24.Bd3 Nb8 25.Rac1 Nd5 26.Qf2 a5 27.b5 Qb6 28.bxc6 Nxc6 29.Nc5 Rad8 30.g4 Nde7 31.h4 Rd5 32.e4 Rd4 33.f5 exf5 34.gxf5 Ne5 35.Be2 Rxd1+ 36.Rxd1 Rd8 37.Rxd8+ Qxd8 38.f6 N7c6 39.fxg7+ Kxg7 40.Kg2 Ng6 41.Kh3 Qd6 42.Kg2 Nd4 43.Nb7 Qe5 44.Kf1 Nf4 45.Qg3+ Kh7 46.Bd3 Nde6 47.Ba6 Qa1+ 48.Qe1 Qb2 49.Qe3 Qg2+ 50.Ke1 Qc2 51.Qf3 Ng2+ 52.Kf1 Nef4 53.Kg1 Nxh4 54.Qf1 Qxe4 55.Nc5 Qe3+ 56.Kh1 Qxc5 57.Bd3+ f5 0-1

              - Marshall's only win out of 20 games in this tournament.

              He has a very poor position out of the opening, but stays in the game w/ accurate play and turns the tables around move 30 or so. 33. f5? feels like a mistake and Marshall pounces on it, soon converting it into a near-decisive advantage. Nice use of the knight pair in a well-played end-game for black.

              - Black's plan of 8..h6 and 9..c5 left him with a clearly inferior position with his development lagging. White's advantage started to diminish after 21 Nd4?; with either 21 Ne5 or 21 Bd3 White would have maintained a large advantage. The weakening 22 f4? was a second error; 22 Qb1 was a more efficient way of breaking the pin. 30 g4? further weakened White's kingside; 30 Rd2 would have been more solid. After 33 f5?! Black clearly had the advantage; Nunn offered 33 Nd7..Qd8 34 Nxf8..Rxd3 35 Rxd3..Qxd3 36 g5..hxg 37 fxg..Ne5 38 g6..Kg8 39 Nh7..Nf3+ 40 Kh1..Nxg6 41 Ng5..Nxg5 42 hxg..Qxe4+ 43 Qg2 with a likely draw.

              Nunn after 39..Kxg7:

              "The only visible remnant of White's kingside pawn advance is the exposed h4-pawn. Since in addition White's bishop is inferior to the e5-knight, it is clear that White is now fighting for a draw."

              - 43 Nd3..Nxe2 44 Qxe2..Qxd3! would have cost White a piece.

              Round Nine

              Round 9, March 2
              Spielmann, Rudolph – Nimzowitsch, Aron
              B00 KP, Nimzowitsch Defence

              1.e4 Nc6 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 d5 4.e5 b6 5.c3 Nce7 6.Bd3 a5 7.Qe2 Nf5 8.h4 h5 9.Ng5 g6 10.Nd2 Nge7 11.Nf1 c5 12.f3 c4 13.Bc2 b5 14.g4 Ng7 15.Ng3 Nc6 16.Qg2 Be7 17.gxh5 gxh5 18.Rg1 Ra7 19.Nxf7 Kxf7 20.Nxh5 Bxh4+ 21.Ke2 Nxh5 22.Bg6+ Ke7 23.Bxh5 Kd7 24.Qg7+ Be7 25.Bf7 Rh2+ 26.Kd1 Kc7 27.Bf4 Rxb2 28.Qh7 Kb6 29.Rg8 Qc7 30.Qh8 Nd8 31.Bg6 Rg2 32.Qh1 Rxg6 33.Rxg6 b4 34.Rg7 Qc6 35.Qh8 Qa4+ 36.Ke1 Nc6 37.Qxc8 Bh4+ 38.Bg3 Rxg7 39.Bxh4 Qc2 40.Bd8+ Nxd8 41.Qb8+ Nb7 0-1

              - What a crazy game...

              - This game is given by Hooper and Whylde as an example of Nimzowitsch's play in 1st ed. O.C.C.

              I have to question 12...c4 - isn't that sort of move, removing the central tension and allowing white a free hand on the k-side, usually bad?

              Spielmann really seemed to have gotten a winning k-side attack, but threw it away with inaccurate play.

              Nimzowitsch did a nice job consolidating though, and it's striking how he transferred his king to safety over on the q-side only to advanced his b-pawn for a breakthrough there.

              - Sometimes if you give your opponent enough rope he will hang himself! lol

              -....Spielmann really seemed to have gotten a winning k-side attack, but threw it away with inaccurate play.

              Believe this was also Euwe's conclusion in his books on the middlegame--seems to me that he believed the first piece sacrifice was sound, but not the second.

              - A bad afternoon for Spielmann.

              (to be continued)

              Comment


              • #8
                New York 1927

                May 8, 2020

                Cycle Two
                Round Nine (continued)

                Round 9, March 2
                Vidmar, Milan – Capablanca, Jose Raul
                E10 Queen’s Pawn game

                1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5 4.e3 Nbd7 5.Bd3 dxc4 6.Bxc4 c5 7.O-O Nb6 8.Bd3 Bd7 9.Nc3 Rc8 10.Qe2 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Bb4 12.e4 e5 13.Nc2 Bxc3 14.bxc3 O-O 15.Ne3 Na4 16.c4 Nc5 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.cxd5 Qa5 19.Rd1 Nxd3 20.Qxd3 Qc3 21.Be3 Qxd3 22.Rxd3 a5 23.a4 Rc4 24.f3 1/2-1/2

                Round 9, March 2
                Alekhine, Alexander – Marshall, Frank J.
                D30 QGD, Capablanca-Duras variation

                1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 d5 4.Bg5 h6 5.Bxf6 Qxf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Qb3 c5 8.cxd5 cxd4 9.Qxb4 dxc3 10.dxe6 Bxe6 11.Qxc3 Nc6 12.e3 Qxc3+ 13.bxc3 Rc8 14.Bd3 O-O 15.Nd4 Bd5 16.f3 Ne5 17.Kd2 Rc5 18.e4 Bc4 19.Bxc4 Nxc4+ 20.Ke2 Na3 21.Rac1 Rfc8 22.Nf5 R8c7 23.Rhd1 Nb5 24.c4 Na3 25.Ne3 Kh7 26.Rd5 R5c6 27.Kd3 b5 28.c5 b4 29.Nf5 Rg6 30.Nd4 Rxg2 31.c6 Rxa2 32.Rd7 Rc8 33.Rxa7 b3 34.Nxb3 Nc2 35.Rxa2 Nb4+ 36.Kd4 Nxa2 37.Rc4 Kg6 38.Kc5 Kf6 39.Rd4 Nc3 40.Rc4 Ne2 41.Kb6 Rb8+ 42.Ka7 Rxb3 43.c7 Ra3+ 44.Kb7 Rb3+ 45.Kc6 1-0

                - Alekhine showed good endgame and proved that he can come back after being outplayed by Marshall for a little while..

                - Why don't pawn weaknesses ever concern Alekhine?

                - The pawns are weak but he has an active king, but I think that Marshall was better most of the game

                - <but I think that Marshall was better most of the game>

                Alekhine was a Pawn up from the opening. Maybe Marshall had for a while some compensation for that but I don't see any advantage for him anywhere during this game.

                - 7..cxd would have been the standard response leading to a small White edge; instead Black innovated with a pawn sacrifice 8..cxd!?. 10..cxb would have been the more consistent follow-up continuing to play for complications. 21..g6 would have been stronger preventing Nf5. Perhaps Black overlooked that 25..Nxc4? 26 Nd5! would have cost him an exchange.

                Standings after Round Nine

                Capablanca, Nimzowitsch 6.5
                Alekhine 4.5
                Vidmar 3.5
                Spielmann, Marshall 3
                _________

                There was coverage of the tournament by The New York Times and Capablanca contributed articles as well. This is a column after Round Eight:

                It required thirty moves to play the second game between Jose R. Capablanca of Havana and Aron Nimzowitsch of Copenhagen in the eighth round of the international chess master tournament at the Hotel Manhattan Square yesterday. After four hours they agreed to a draw.

                The first encounter between them had been won by Capablanca in noteworthy fashion. Yesterday, although conducting the white side, Capablanca could make no impression upon the solid defense set up by the representative of Denmark. The latter did not, as in the first game, allow the Cuban to get control of any of the files.

                With the help of the additional half a point, the world champion maintained his lead by the same narrow margin, inasmuch as Nimzowitsch agreed with Frank J. Marshall to draw their adjourned game from the seventh round without resuming play. Consequently, the slates of both Capablanca and Nimzowitsch are cleaned up in readiness for today’s ninth round in which they play the black pieces against Vidmar and Spielmann, respectively.

                __________

                After Round Nine: The tie for first place in the international chessmasters tournament, which hardly seemed probable, actually came about as a result of play in the ninth round yesterday. When play stopped for the day, Jose R. Capablanca and Aron Nimzowitsch were on even terms, each with totals of 6.5-2.5

                Capablanca was the first to finish his game with Milan Vidmar of Yugoslavia. This, notwithstanding some interesting situations, was uneventful and lasted only 24 moves. Meanwhile Nimzowitsch was engaged in a battle royal with Rudolf Spielmann of Vienna. The latter, with the white pieces, made excellent headway against the original play of the Russo-Dane.

                Seemingly satisfied that he had the better of the position, Spielmann launched forth and sacrificed a knight for two pawns. The combination was later shown to be sound, but the Austrian went astray in following up the sacrifice. The consequence was that Nimzowitsch’s king escaped. One the black monarch was in a place of safety, Nimzowitsch experienced no difficulty in turning the tables upon his adversary. The game last 41 moves.

                Three Adjourned Games Next

                The second quarter of the tournament lacks one round of completion, but this will not be done until Saturday. In the meantime, three pending adjourned games will be played today and tomorrow. Capablanca must next face Alekhine, while Nimzowitsch will have Vidmar for an opponent.

                The adjourned games are the following: Seventh round, Vidmar vs Alekhine; eighth round, Vidmar vs Marshall; ninth round, Alekhine vs Marshall. The tenth round has been scheduled for Saturday (March 5) afternoon.

                ___________

                It is interesting to look at the front page of The New York Times for Thursday, March 3, 1927. Some of the stories:

                American Marines to March Saturday Through Shanghai

                Babe Ruth Gets $210,000 for 3 Years as Yank

                President and Mrs. Coolidge moved from the White House to the Patterson mansion on du Pont Circle tonight, arriving in time for dinner at the home they will occupy several months while the Executive Mansion is undergoing repairs and getting a new roof.

                Two Break Sing Sing – Wide Search is On

                The prison siren notified Westchester County shortly after 6 o’clock tonight of an escape from Sing Sing, and set in motion a thrilling man-hunt inside and outside the prison walls. The two convicts were missing from their cells at the regular after-supper count of prisoners.

                The missing convicts are Joseph Pioli, 28 years old, and George Walmale, 48, goth of New York City. Pioli is a notorious gunman and thief, known as “Babe” in the underworld because he is short, slight and delicate looking.

                “Babe” has at least three killings on his record. He was serving twenty years for manslaughter. He shot and killed “Big Bill” Brennan, a prize fighter who stayed twelve rounds with Dempsey when the latter was champion.

                Mayor Jimmy Walker at Albany Asks $300,000,000 for Subways. Sticks to five-cent fare.

                Bucharest, Rumania – Stefan Sandu, one of Rumania’s most notorious burglars, is a millionaire in Rumanian money. He received news of his good fortune while on his way to serve a twenty-year prison term.

                He fell heir to 1,500,000 lei through the death of a relative, but prison regulations prevent him buying any prison comforts.

                The million and a half lei represent only $7,500 in American money, but by the time Sandu’s term has been served, compound interest will greatly increase the sum.

                Comment


                • #9
                  New York 1927

                  May 9, 2020

                  Cycle Two
                  Round Ten

                  Round 10, March 5
                  Capablanca, Jose Raul – Alekhine, Alexander
                  D47 QGD, Semi-Slav, Meran variation

                  1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 c6 4.e3 e6 5.Nc3 Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Be2 a6 9.O-O Bb7 10.a3 c5 11.dxc5 Nxc5 12.b4 Qxd1 13.Rxd1 Nce4 14.Bb2 Nxc3 15.Bxc3 Be7 16.Rac1 O-O 17.Ne5 Rfd8 18.Rxd8+ Rxd8 19.Bd4 Bd6 20.Bf3 Nd5 21.Nd3 Kf8 22.Nc5 Bxc5 23.Bxc5+ Ke8 24.Kf1 Rc8 25.Ke1 Rc7 26.Bxd5 Bxd5 27.f3 Bc4 28.Rd1 Rd7 1/2-1/2

                  Position after 11.dxc5

                  

                  Alekhine gives his 11.Nxc5 a question mark, saying “fearful fumbling for a draw as a result of inferior shape and unfavorable tournament standing! Full-value was only to be had in 11…Bxc5 12.b4 Be7 13.Bb2 O-O – and Black, who would have more chances than White to make the most of c4 with the corresponding c5-square, would stand with more promise. The position would, by the way, have similarities to the 21st match game in Buenos Aires, where the pressure on the c-file soon provided the Black with a superior position.”

                  - Fantastic equal match between two great masters. From the start till finish a perfectly draw.
                  - I agree, people in those days were concerned that chess would die out due to all these draws. Isn’t this the case whenever two great players are in peak form, like Spassky/Petrosian? That match was filled w/ draws too.

                  Round 10, March 5
                  Nimzowitsch, Aron – Vidmar, Milan
                  A06 Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack

                  1.e3 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.b3 Bg4 4.Bb2 Nbd7 5.h3 Bh5 6.Be2 e6 7.Ne5 Bxe2 8.Qxe2 Bd6 9.Nxd7 Qxd7 10.c4 c6 11.O-O O-O-O 12.Nc3 Bc7 13.d4 h5 14.c5 g5 15.b4 h4 16.b5 Rdg8 17.bxc6 bxc6 18.f3 Nh5 19.e4 f5 $3 20.exd5 exd5 21.Rae1 g4 $1 22.hxg4 fxg4 23.fxg4 Rxg4 24.Nxd5 h3 $1 25.Ne7+ Kb7 26.Rf3 Rxg2+ 27.Qxg2 hxg2 28.d5 Qg4 $1 29.Rb3+ Ka8 30.Bxh8 Qh4 31.d6 Qxe1+ 32.Kxg2 Bd8 33.Bd4 Bxe7 $1 34.dxe7 Qxe7 35.Bf2 Qe4+ 0-1

                  - Vidmar castles queenside, and not even the slightest pressure is put on his king.

                  - Three rounds earlier in round 7 Nimzovich had played 6 d3 against Marshall and the game had ended in a draw. 7 Ne5 doesn't seem to pose any problems for Black; in fact, after 11...0-0-0 Black is ahead in development. Alekhine recommended the pawn sacrifice 14 c4..dxc 15 Rfd1 with better piece activity than in the game.

                  Early on in my amateur "career" I learned the dangers of playing h3 (or ..h6) followed by kingside castling when my opponent had not yet committed his king.

                  Round 10, March 5
                  Marshall, Frank J. – Spielmann, Rudolph
                  B80 Sicilian, Scheveningen variation

                  1.d4 e6 2.Nf3 c5 3.e4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Bd3 Be7 7.O-O O-O 8.Be3 Nbd7 9.Qe2 a6 10.f4 Qc7 11.Qf3 b5 12.Rae1 Bb7 13.Qg3 b4 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bxd5 16.f5 Nf6 17.Bh6 Nh5 18.Qg4 Bf6 19.Nf3 Kh8 20.Qxh5 gxh6 21.Qxh6 Qe7 22.Be4 Bxe4 23.Rxe4 a5 24.Rfe1 e5 25.c4 bxc3 26.bxc3 d5 27.R4e3 Rg8 28.Nxe5 Bg5 29.Qxg5 Rxg5 30.Ng6+ hxg6 31.Rxe7 Rxf5 32.Re8+ Rxe8 33.Rxe8+ Kg7 34.Ra8 d4 35.cxd4 Rd5 36.Kf2 Rxd4 37.Rxa5 Rd2+ 38.Kf3 f5 39.h4 Kh6 40.Ra8 Rc2 41.a4 Rc3+ 42.Kf4 Rc4+ 43.Kg3 Rc3+ 44.Kh2 Ra3 45.a5 Kh5 46.Rh8+ Kg4 47.h5 gxh5 48.Ra8 h4 49.a6 Kf4 50.a7 Ra1 1/2-1/2

                  - What a beautiful game!

                  - Yes indeed, a very beautiful game!

                  - Tartakower gives 27...Rg8 a ? and suggests that 27...e4 28.c4 Qd8 29.Ne5 Bg5 [29...Bxe5? 30.Rh3] 30.Qh5 Bxe3+ 31.Rxe3 Qb6 wins for Black; in this line Fritz prefers 28.Rd1 Rfd8 which it evaluates as better for Black

                  I suppose this may be one of the earliest games with the stock Nd5 sacrifice against the Sicilian. I wonder if anybody knows the very first instance!

                  - But taking with the pawn wouldn't win a piece, so it's more of a pseudo-sacrifice, I'd say.

                  Cycle Three
                  Round Eleven

                  Round 11, March 6
                  Alekhine, Alexander – Nimzowitsch, Aron
                  E32 Nimzo-Indian, Classical variation

                  1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 d6 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.e3 b6 7.Bd3 Bb7 8.f3 Bxc3+ 9.Qxc3 c5 10.Nh3 h6 11.Bf4 Qe7 12.Bg3 e5 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.O-O-O g6 15.Bc2 O-O-O 16.Ba4 Rhe8 17.Nf2 Qe6 18.Nd3 Re7 19.Rd2 Rde8 20.Rhd1 Bc6 21.Bc2 Nh5 22.Nxc5 Nxc5 23.Rd6 Nxg3 24.hxg3 Qxd6 25.Rxd6 Rc7 26.b4 Nb7 27.Rxc6 Rxc6 28.Ba4 Ree6 29.Bxc6 Rxc6 30.Qxe5 Rxc4+ 31.Kd2 h5 32.a3 Rc7 33.Qe8+ Nd8 34.e4 Rd7+ 35.Ke3 Rc7 36.Kf4 Rc3 37.a4 Rc2 38.Qe7 Rc7 39.Qf6 Rc2 40.Qe7 Rc7 41.Qd6 Ne6+ 42.Ke5 Nd8 43.Qd5 Rc6 44.Kf4 Ne6+ 45.Ke3 Rc3+ 46.Ke2 Rc7 47.f4 Nd8 48.Ke3 Rc3+ 49.Kd4 Rc7 50.Ke5 a5 51.Qa8+ Kd7 52.b5 Ke7 53.f5 f6+ 54.Kd4 Rd7+ 55.Ke3 gxf5 56.exf5 Nf7 57.Qf3 Ne5 58.Qxh5 Rd3+ 59.Kf2 Rd2+ 60.Kf1 Rd4 61.Qh7+ Kd6 62.Qb7 Nd7 63.Qc6+ Ke7 64.Qe6+ Kd8 65.Qb3 Rb4 66.Qd1 Ke7 67.Qe2+ Kd8 68.Qa2 Ke7 69.Ke2 Re4+ 70.Kf3 Rb4 71.Ke3 Nc5 72.Qg8 Nd7 73.g4 Rxa4 74.g5 fxg5 75.Qxg5+ Kd6 76.Qg6+ Kc7 77.Qc6+ Kd8 78.f6 Ra1 79.g4 Rf1 80.g5 Rf5 81.Qa8+ Kc7 82.Qc6+ Kd8 83.g6 1-0

                  Position after White’s 22.Nxc5!

                  

                  Of this move, Alekhine writes: With this, the fight is actually decided, because White wins the queen and a pawn for a rook and knight. Why the game still lasts so long is explained by the act that this type of endgame usually requires very many moves – and especially if, as here, the stronger party possesses no passed pawns, and the opponent initially has no assailable squares.

                  - A good game with an impressive finish.

                  - Good play by Alekhine. Still, credit should be given to Nimzowitsch for having defended in a difficult position. I believe there are some improvements for him in the endgame.

                  - Credit should also be given to Alekhine for having a better understanding of the 'Nimzo-Indian' than Nimzo did..... certainly Alekhine's results with this opening are more impressive than Nimzo's were...

                  - Capablanca wrote of this game:

                  "The Alekhine-Nimzowitsch game was a great battle. The latter once more resorted to his system only to find that Alekhine was ready with a new form of attack" and "Alekhine got the upper hand and at adjournment had obtained a winning advantage."

                  - Prior to this game Alekhine held a plus score of 4-3 against Nimzowitsch: But in their next six games Alekhine powered ahead by winning five out of their last six games, conceding only a solitary draw !! This left Alekhine with a 9-3 plus score against Nimzo:

                  These last six games were played during the years 1927 to 1934, when Alekhine was at the height of his powers, this was the year when he defeated Capablanca to become World Champion and was still champion when Nimzowitsch died in 1935, we all know that Nimzo was a great player, but does anyone seriously believe that he could have beaten Alekhine in a match for the World title? I don't think so, but no doubt fans of Nimzowitsch will disagree and hold a different view:

                  - According to Alekhine’s account in the tournament book, the move <81. Qa8+> was sealed " since [White] saw a forced repetition of moves and didn't feel like further contemplation after the strenuous, five-hour game.) He further writes that on resumption Nimzowitsch resigned the game immediately".

                  (to be continued)

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    New York 1927

                    May 9, 2020

                    Cycle Three
                    Round Eleven (continued)

                    Round 11, March 6
                    Capablanca, Jose Raul – Marshall, Frank J.
                    A62 Benoni, Fianchetto variation

                    1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 c5 3.d5 e6 4.c4 d6 5.Nc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6 7.g3 Bg7 8.Bg2 O-O 9.O-O Re8 10.Nd2 Nbd7 11.h3 Nb6 12.a4 Bd7 13.a5 Nc8 14.Nc4 Qc7 15.e4 b5 16.axb6 Nxb6 17.Na3 a6 18.Re1 Rab8 19.Kh2 Nc8 20.Bf1 Qb7 21.Qd3 Ra8 22.Qf3 h6 23.Nc4 Bb5 24.Na5 Qd7 25.Bxh6 Bxh6 26.Qxf6 Bg7 27.Qf3 Nb6 28.Kg2 Na4 29.Nxa4 Bxa4 30.Nc4 Rab8 31.Nxd6 Qxd6 32.Rxa4 Rxb2 33.Rxa6 Qe5 34.Re2 Rxe2 35.Qxe2 Qxe4+ 36.Qxe4 Rxe4 37.Ra8+ Bf8 38.Kf3 Rd4 39.Rd8 Kg7 40.Ke3 f5 41.Bd3 Be7 42.Rd7 Kf8 43.f4 Ke8 44.Bb5 Kf8 45.h4 Re4+ 46.Kf3 Rd4 47.Ke3 Re4+ 48.Kd3 Rd4+ 49.Kc2 Rb4 50.d6 Bxh4 51.gxh4 Rxb5 52.Re7 Rb4 53.h5 gxh5 54.Re5 Rd4 55.Rxf5+ Kg7 56.Rxh5 Rxd6 57.Rxc5 Rd4 58.Rf5 Kg6 59.Rf8 Kg7 60.Kc3 Ra4 1/2-1/2

                    - This is the game where the Knight maneuver Nd2 followed by Nc4 is introduced, by none other than the founder of the Modern Benoni himself, Capablanca.

                    - Did Capa play the Modern Benoni with black? Marshall certainly did.>

                    Probably not on purpose from the first move. Certainly Capablanca steered this game from round 5 Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 into a Modern Benoni by transposition when he had the opportunity. This particular game itself (Capablanca vs Marshall, 1927) occurred in Round 11. Marshall thought to use Capa's own weapon against him. However, it's possible that Marshall already got interested in the Modern Benoni in the New York 1924 tournament when Capa employed it for the first time in chess history with colors reversed in this game Capablanca vs Janowski, 1924.

                    Because of Capa's role in the Modern Benoni's founding, I believe it should properly be named as the Capablanca Benoni (or the Capablanca System or the Capablanca Opening or the Capablanca Game).

                    Even after the thrashing Nimzo gave him in a later round (Round 17) in this game Nimzowitsch vs Marshall, 1927 Marshall did not give up.

                    He once again employed it against Capablanca (of all people!) this time in this game Capablanca vs Marshall, 1928.

                    - Capablanca who had an uncanny sense of danger must have suspected that Marshall had prepared a novelty against the Knight maneuver to c4 (Nf3 - Nd2 - Nc4), which Capa himself employed for the first time in chess history in this particular game itself (Capablanca vs Marshall, 1927) and which Nimzowitsch later also used (Nimzowitsch vs Marshall, 1927 - click on the link above). So he sidestepped any Marshall prep by employing an entirely different strategy. This time he developed his KB to d3, his KN to e2, buttressed his c4 square with b3, opened up the center and the d-file by dxe6, retreated his KB on d3 to c2 thereby allowing the use of the d-file, and then transferred his major pieces to the d-file as rapidly as possible. Marshall got caught off-guard and quickly lost a pawn, and eventually the game. After the thrashing that Nimzo and Capa gave him, Marshall seemed to have given up on the Modern Benoni.

                    Ironically, it was Capablanca himself who probably ruined his creation's reputation.

                    - This is the game where the Knight maneuver Nd2 followed by Nc4 is introduced, by none other than the founder of the Modern Benoni himself, Capablanca.>

                    Then why does the chessgames database have games dating back to 1899 where the Modern Benoni was played?

                    - ...Certainly Capablanca steered this game from round 5 Alekhine vs Capablanca, 1927 into a Modern Benoni by transposition when he had the opportunity.>

                    The game you mention isn't a Modern Benoni, it's a line of the Queen's Indian that was unpopular for Black although Capablanca managed to win this game anyway. In the 1980s then in the 2000s the variation was revived but Black has scored poorly in it.

                    - Why on earth did Capa drop a pawn and didn't play either 34.Bd3 or d6 both of which are probably winning?

                    - Then why does the chessgames database have games dating back to 1899 where the Modern Benoni was played>

                    Most of these games were Czech/ Hromadka Benoni. It was only in the 1920s that the Modern Benoni was played regularly and treated in the modern manner, beginning with Capablanca vs Janowski, 1924. (Note that this was a reverse modern Benoni, but one can just imagine that White is Black and Black is White.)

                    - The game you mention isn't a Modern Benoni, it's a line of the Queen's Indian that was unpopular for Black although Capablanca managed to win this game anyway. In the 1980s then in the 2000s the variation was revived but Black has scored poorly in it.>

                    You are right in that it begins as a QID. Chess sources would thus classify it as such. My belief is that Capablanca deliberately steered it into a Benoni type set-up a bit later, hoping to steer away from Alekhine's prep and into an opening terrain in which he was more at home.

                    - This game abounds in 'petit combinations', which were a hallmark of Capablanca's play, namely 25.Bxh6, 31.Nxd6, 50.d6, 53.h5! (after which, Black's remaining pawns are all lined-up on the 5th. rank, ready to be captured one after the other), and 60.Kc3. Marshall just manages to escape, most players would have succumbed.

                    Round 11, March 6
                    Vidmar, Milan – Spielmann, Rudolph
                    D02 Queen’s Pawn game

                    1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nd7 4.e3 Ngf6 5.Bd3 c6 6.Nbd2 Bd6 7.O-O O-O 8.e4 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Nxe4 10.Bxe4 Qc7 11.Bc2 h6 12.b3 b6 13.Bb2 Bb7 14.Qd3 f5 15.Rfe1 Rae8 16.Ne5 c5 17.Rad1 Nf6 18.Qe2 cxd4 19.Bxd4 Ne4 20.f4 Rd8 21.Kh1 Kh7 22.Rd3 Qe7 23.Rf1 Rf6 24.Nf3 Rff8 25.Ne5 Rf6 26.Nf3 Rff8 1/2-1/2

                    Standings after Round 11

                    Capablanca 7.5
                    Nimzowitsch 6.5
                    Alekhine 6
                    Vidmar 5
                    Spielmann, Marshall 4
                    ___________

                    A story from the NYT of March 7, 1927

                    For the exact parallel to last Friday’s diamond rush in the Transvaal we must not look to California in ’40 or to the Klondike, but to the process attending the distribution of free agricultural lands of which Oklahoma a generation ago witnessed the last large-scale operations. The rush to the gold fields was only metaphorical. It was a migration lasting months. Last Friday’s race in South Africa, like the race for choice homesteads in our own former Indian reservations and Government lands, was an actual sprint. The distance from the starting line to the coveted diamond territory on Grasfontein Farm was only three miles. Automobile drivers were handicapper half an hour, and it is difficult to see what advantage the motor car gave them. With a possible Golconda at the other end it would be a very poor pedestrian that could not manage to cover three miles in thirty minutes.

                    Even in so primitive an event as a free-for-all race modern efficiency methods have asserted themselves. It has been a long standing habit in the South African mineral “rushes” for syndicates to hire professional runners. Paavo Nurmi in the Transvaal might almost command is weight in gold if not in diamonds.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      New York 1927

                      May 10, 2020

                      Cycle Three

                      Round Twelve

                      Round 12, March 8
                      Marshall, Frank J.- Alekhine, Alexander
                      C01 French, Exchange

                      1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.exd5 exd5 5.Bd3 Ne7 6.Ne2 Nbc6 7.O-O Bg4 8.a3 Ba5 9.h3 Be6 10.Na4 Bb6 11.c3 Qd7 12.Re1 O-O 13.Nf4 Bf5 14.b4 Rfe8 15.Ra2 Ng6 16.Rae2 Rxe2 17.Bxe2 Re8 18.Nh5 Qd8 19.Bf3 Rxe1+ 20.Qxe1 Be6 21.Qe2 Nce7 22.Bg5 h6 23.Bxe7 Qxe7 24.Qe3 Qg5 25.Qxg5 hxg5 26.g4 Ne7 27.Be2 Kf8 28.Nxb6 axb6 29.Bd3 Nc8 30.Ng3 Nd6 31.Ne2 Ke7 32.f4 gxf4 33.Nxf4 g5 34.Nxe6 Kxe6 35.Kf2 b5 36.Kf3 c6 37.Ke3 Kf6 38.Kf3 Nc8 39.Ke2 Nb6 40.Kd2 Ke7 41.Ke2 1/2-1/2

                      - I like Marshall's rook lift in this game. Obviously Alekhine was hoping to win but Marshall's play was too solid in this game for that to happen.

                      Round 12, March 8
                      Nimzowitsch, Aron – Spielmann, Rudolph
                      C48 Four Knights, Rubinstein Counter-Gambit, Exchange variation

                      1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Nxd4 exd4 6.e5 dxc3 7.exf6 Qxf6 8.dxc3 Be7 9.O-O O-O 10.Bd3 d6 11.Qe2 Re8 12.Qe4 g6 13.Be3 Qe6 14.Qf3 Qg4 15.Qxg4 Bxg4 16.h3 Be6 17.c4 d5 18.c5 Bf6 19.c3 Rad8 20.Rfd1 c6 21.Bd4 Kg7 22.f3 Bxd4+ 23.cxd4 Bf5 24.Bf1 h5 25.h4 f6 26.Re1 g5 27.hxg5 fxg5 28.b4 Kf7 29.Kf2 h4 30.b5 Bd7 31.a4 Rxe1 32.Rxe1 Re8 33.Rxe8 Kxe8 34.bxc6 bxc6 35.g3 Ke7 36.gxh4 gxh4 37.Ke3 a5 38.Kf4 Kf6 39.Ba6 Bf5 40.Bb7 Bd7 41.Ba6 Bf5 42.Bb7 1/2-1/2

                      Round 12, March 8
                      Capablanca, Joe Raul – Vidmar, Milan
                      C98 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin

                      1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 Na5 9.Bc2 c5 10.d4 Qc7 11.Nbd2 O-O 12.h3 Nc6 13.d5 Nd8 14.a4 b4 15.Nc4 a5 16.Nfxe5 Ba6 17.Bb3 dxe5 18.d6 Bxd6 19.Qxd6 Qxd6 20.Nxd6 Nb7 21.Nxb7 Bxb7 22.cxb4 cxb4 23.f3 Rfd8 24.Be3 h6 25.Red1 Bc6 26.Rac1 Be8 27.Kf2 Rxd1 28.Rxd1 Rc8 29.g4 Bd7 30.Bb6 Be6 31.Bxe6 fxe6 32.Rd8+ Rxd8 33.Bxd8 Nd7 34.Bxa5 Nc5 35.b3 Nxb3 36.Bxb4 Nd4 37.a5 1-0

                      Position after White’s 35.b3!

                      

                      - 35. b3! is a beautiful move. But is it the only move?
                      Look: 35. Ke3 Nax4 36. Bxb4 Nxb2 37. Bc3 Nc4+ 38. Kd3 and capturing on e5 is inevitable.

                      At that point we'd have a bishop and 4 pawns vs. a knight and 3 pawns, with all the pawns being on the same side of the board.

                      I don't know enough about endings to tell you if that's good enough to win. Anybody?

                      - It doesn't look good enough to win... after 38. Kd3 Nd6 39. Bxe5 Nf7 I think black could play for a draw. The black King is back there ready to stop the advance of the white pawns and he could sacrifice his horse if he absolutely had to.

                      - You're probably right, especially considering that after 39...Nf7 the next move is rather difficult. (40. Kd4? Ng5 wins a pawn; 40. f4 Nxe5 looks like one of those 'doubled pawns not enough to win' type pawn endings.)

                      In any case there's no need to bust one's brain over that when such an easy win can be had with 35. b3!

                      Viva Capablanca!

                      - I read something funny in Capablanca's best Chess Endings about 35. b3

                      "In a clearly winning position, Capablanca always plays the most precise moves. Naturally, there was also a win by 35. Bxb4 Nxa4 36.b3 Nd7 37. Bd6 Nd7 38. Ke3, and this was easy enough." - Alekhine

                      It's funny since if you haven't noticed it yet. If 35. Bxb4?? then 35...Nd3+ Wins the bishop! Goof by Alekhine, great game by Capablanca.

                      Cycle Three

                      Round Thirteen

                      Round 13, March 9
                      Capablanca, Jose Raul – Spielmann, Rudolph
                      D02 Queen’s Pawn game

                      1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nd7 4.Nc3 Ngf6 5.Bg5 Bb4 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Qa4 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 O-O 9.e3 c5 10.Bd3 c4 11.Bc2 Qe7 12.O-O a6 13.Rfe1 Qe6 14.Nd2 b5 15.Qa5 Ne4 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.a4 Qd5 18.axb5 Qxg5 19.Bxe4 Rb8 20.bxa6 Rb5 21.Qc7 Nb6 22.a7 Bh3 23.Reb1 Rxb1+ 24.Rxb1 f5 25.Bf3 f4 26.exf4 1-0

                      Position after Black’s 17…Qd5

                      

                      - Check out this brilliant game. Note if at 19...Ra7 20.b6! Qxa5 21.bxa7!!

                      - When Capablanca won this game, The New York Times had a headine; "Capablanca wins game at chess in 25 moves". Even though Alekhine, in the Tournament book, damns Capa’s play with faint praise,(and commits some bizarre mistakes in analysis doing so),this is an excellent game against a player who was usually pretty solid against Capablanca. Interestingly, Spielmann and Vidmar had analyzed this particular variation of the QGD(with Bb4)on the luxury liner Westphalia coming over to New York, so the Bb4 setup is often called the Westphalia variation.

                      This is a positional masterpiece. At the end of 17 moves, it looks as though a protracted battle is looming. After a three-move combination, moves 18 through 20, three pawns are won for the bishop - an even material exchange - but the landscape is completely changed. Black is a piece up, but none of his pieces have any scope for counterplay - it is all over!

                      18.axb5!!, Qxg5; 19.Bxe4! and you can give all the rest of White's moves AT LEAST one exclam.

                      This might be the greatest game of Capa's career. It came at the height of his powers

                      - This game is one of those 'other worldly' games, where the world champion just plays in a whole other dimension, head and shoulders above a very strong opponent.

                      What makes this game special is that Capablanca sacrifices a whole piece (bishop) just to keep the (a) pawn alive! In the final analysis the knight can't move because it's protecting the queening square but it must move because it faces capture by the queen or rook. In the meantime if that happens the black rook will have to give up its life if the pawn takes one more step in which if that happens white's advantage over the board will be just too great. The reason this game is special is because it is not pieces, but rather 1 lone pawn on the a file that is responsible for black's downfall.

                      Round 13, March 9
                      Marshall, Frank J. – Nimzowitsch, Aron
                      C01 French, Exchange

                      1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.exd5 exd5 5.Bd3 Ne7 6.Ne2 Bf5 7.O-O O-O 8.Ng3 Bg6 9.Nce2 Bd6 10.Bf4 Nbc6 11.Qd2 Qd7 12.Rae1 Rae8 13.c3 Nc8 14.Be3 N6e7 15.Nf4 Bxf4 16.Bxf4 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 Ng6 18.Qf3 f5 19.Bd2 Rxe1 20.Rxe1 f4 21.Ne2 Qf5 22.c4 Nb6 23.cxd5 Nxd5 24.Nc3 Nxc3 25.Bxc3 c6 26.Bb4 Rd8 27.Qe4 Qf7 28.a3 h6 29.g3 Qf6 30.Bc3 Rd5 31.Qe8+ Kh7 32.Qe4 Qf5 33.Kg2 Qg4 34.f3 Qg5 35.Bd2 Qf6 36.Bxf4 Rxd4 37.Qc2 Rd5 38.Bd2 Qd8 39.Bc3 Rd3 40.Re4 Qd5 41.Qe2 Qd7 42.h4 h5 43.Re8 Rd1 44.Ra8 a6 45.Rb8 Rh1 46.Kxh1 Qh3+ 47.Qh2 Qf1+ 48.Qg1 Qh3+ 1/2-1/2

                      Alekhine writes of Black’s 45…Rh1! “A nice final effect, which surprised Marshall in such a way that he thought an hour before it became clear to him that the game was now an unavoidable draw.

                      A game with small jokes, small mistakes, small commotions. Indeed, the boring opening variation gives very little room for unfettered flights of imagination.”

                      (to be continued)

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        New York 1927

                        May 10, 2020

                        Cycle Three

                        Round Thirteen (continued)

                        Round 13, March 9
                        Alekhine, Alexander – Vidmar, Milan
                        D35 QGD Exchange, Samisch variation

                        1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Nd7 4.Nc3 Ngf6 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4 c6 7.e3 Be7 8.Bd3 O-O 9.h3 Re8 10.O-O Nf8 11.Ne5 Bd6 12.Bh2 N6d7 13.f4 f6 14.Ng4 h5 15.Ne5 fxe5 16.fxe5 Bxe5 17.dxe5 Nxe5 18.Rxf8+ Kxf8 19.Qxh5 Nxd3 20.Rf1+ Kg8 21.Qf7+ Kh8 22.Qh5+ Kg8 23.Qf7+ Kh8 1/2-1/2

                        Position after Black’s 19…Nxd3

                        

                        - According to Vidmar, Alekhine fell into long calculations in his 20th move. Apparently, because he did not see the mentioned line 20. Qh8+ Kf7. 21. Rf1+ Kg6 before. Capablanca told Vidmar around the 19th move that he, Vidmar, was completely lost. Vidmar denied it, Capablanca insisted, Vidmar denied again, and then Capablanca had a deeper look. When Capablanca found the refutation of Qh8+, he shouted "Mon dieu".

                        In the tournament book however, Alekhine claimed to have seen it coming since ten moves and that the combination was supposed to end in a perpetual check. This is very unlikely, given Vidmar's story. Vidmar stresses that he himself struggled from move to move and was really happy when this tactical resource showed up.

                        - I agree with you that Alekhine must have realized only belatedly that his "attack" was only sufficient for perpetual.

                        Round Fourteen

                        Round 14, March 12
                        Spielmann, Rudolph – Marshall, Frank J
                        C47 Four Knights, Scotch variation

                        1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 O-O 8.O-O Re8 9.Qf3 h6 10.Bf4 d6 11.h3 Bb7 12.Ne2 c5 13.Ng3 c4 14.Bxc4 Bxe4 15.Qb3 d5 16.Bb5 Bd6 17.Bxd6 Rb8 18.Qa4 Rxb5 19.Qxb5 Qxd6 20.Nxe4 Rxe4 21.Qb8+ Kh7 22.Qxa7 Qe5 23.Qa5 Qxb2 24.Qxc7 Rc4 25.Qxf7 Rxc2 26.Rab1 Qe5 27.Rb7 Qg5 28.h4 Qg4 29.Qxf6 1-0

                        Position after White’s 13.Ng3

                        

                        Alekhine writes: 13…c4? Apparently Marshall overlooks the second move of his opponent’s response. As a result, Black loses the exchange without any compensation. He was still able even here, in spite of the inferiority of his position, to defend himself tenaciously and indeed, most simple, with 13..Nd7.

                        Round 14, March 12
                        Vidmar, Milan – Nimzowitsch, Aron
                        A46 Queen’s Pawn, Fianchetto

                        1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 Nbd7 5.O-O Bd6 6.b3 c6 7.Nbd2 O-O 8.Bb2 Qe7 9.c4 b5 10.Ne5 Bxe5 11.dxe5 Ng4 12.e4 Ngxe5 13.exd5 exd5 14.cxd5 cxd5 15.Bxd5 Rb8 16.Re1 Qd6 17.Nf3 Nxf3+ 18.Qxf3 Kh8 19.Rac1 Rb6 20.Rxc8 Rxc8 21.Qxf7 Qg6 22.Qxd7 1-0

                        - It’s worth noting that this is yet another example (see also Nimzowitsch-Tarrasch, St.Petersburg 1914) of Nimzo falling prey to the bishop pair in an open position. Vidmar won the fourth brilliancy prize

                        - Gee Nimzo. doesn't look so hot in this one.

                        - Now, the real mistake is <10...Bxe5 ?>, as you can see in the game.
                        However, the only playable move in this position is <10...Bb7>

                        - I just have read Vidmar's annotation in his book <Goldene Schachzeiten>, p. 256 et seq..
                        --> 10...Bb7 11. e4 with a strong attack.

                        19...Nf6 maybe more competitive?

                        - The position is too wide open for Nimzowitsch to defend against the "enemy Bishops". Black's ninth move lead to his troubles.

                        Round 14, March 12
                        Alekhine, Alexander – Capablanca, Jose Raul
                        B15 Caro-Kann, Old Defence

                        1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Ng3 e5 6.Nf3 exd4 7.Qxd4 Qxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Ndf5 O-O 10.Be3 Bxe3 11.Nxe3 Be6 12.O-O-O Nbd7 13.Bc4 Nc5 14.Bxe6 Nxe6 15.Ngf5 Ne4 16.Rhf1 g6 17.Nd6 Nxd6 18.Rxd6 Rfd8 19.Rfd1 Rxd6 20.Rxd6 Rd8 21.Rxd8+ Nxd8 22.Kd2 Kf8 23.Kd3 Ke7 24.Kd4 Ne6+ 25.Ke4 f6 26.f4 Nc5+ 27.Kd4 Ne6+ 28.Ke4 Nc5+ 1/2-1/2

                        - Nice battle, but after exchanging the queens so early it looks just a draw and finally ended drawn, so no surprises actually.

                        - I think Capablanca played this carefully. It looks like it's going to be an easy draw, but so often he was on the white side, and exploited just the smallest inaccuracy in a position like this to win.

                        - According to Alekhine, White can press for the win with 17. f3.

                        Standings after Round Fourteen

                        Capablanca 10
                        Alekhine, Nimzowitsch 7.5
                        Vidmar 6.5
                        Spielmann 5.5
                        Marshall 5
                        ___________

                        From the New York Times, March 10, 1927

                        King Takes Secret Trip

                        Belgrade, March 9 – It is learned from a good source that the King and Queen of Yugoslavia left tonight for Rumania in strictest secrecy.

                        From Bucharest it is said that King Alexander will go incognito to France. His object is not ascertainable. It is thought to be in connection with the diplomatic situation in the Balkans rather than with the health of the King of Rumania, who is the father of Queen Marie of Yugoslavia.

                        It is considered doubtful that the King of Yugoslavia, which is so alarmed over Italian policy in the Balkans, would choose to go to Bucharest at the very moment. It is celebrating the friendship with Italy shown by Rome’s belated recognition of the annexation of Bessarabia. If the reported visit proves true, however, it will be of the greatest significance, meaning probably that Yugoslavia and Rumania are coming to a show-down, possibly ending their alliance.
                        Last edited by Wayne Komer; Saturday, 9th May, 2020, 11:29 PM.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          New York 1927

                          May 11, 2020

                          Cycle Three

                          Round Fifteen

                          Round 15, March 13
                          Nimzowitsch, Aron – Capablanca, Jose Raul
                          B12 Caro-Kann, Advance variation

                          1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Bd3 Bxd3 5.Qxd3 e6 6.Nc3 Qb6 7.Nge2 c5 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.O-O Ne7 10.Na4 Qc6 11.Nxc5 Qxc5 12.Be3 Qc7 13.f4 Nf5 14.c3 Nc6 15.Rad1 g6 16.g4 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 h5 18.g5 O-O 19.Nd4 Qb6 20.Rf2 Rfc8 21.a3 Rc7 22.Rd3 Na5 23.Re2 Re8 24.Kg2 Nc6 25.Red2 Rec8 26.Re2 Ne7 27.Red2 Rc4 28.Qh3 Kg7 29.Rf2 a5 30.Re2 Nf5 31.Nxf5+ gxf5 32.Qf3 Kg6 33.Red2 Re4 34.Rd4 Rc4 35.Qf2 Qb5 36.Kg3 Rcxd4 37.cxd4 Qc4 38.Kg2 b5 39.Kg1 b4 40.axb4 axb4 41.Kg2 Qc1 42.Kg3 Qh1 43.Rd3 Re1 44.Rf3 Rd1 45.b3 Rc1 46.Re3 Rf1 0-1

                          - This game is just the most beautiful positional squeeze. Special Prize for the Best Played Game indeed. I also love Capa's crushing of Alekhine with the 2 knight outposts on b3/d3 and his First Brilliancy Prize Game miniature victory over Spielmann from the same New York 1927 Tournament.
                          Still can't believe he lost 6-3 to Alekhine just a few months later.

                          - I think Nimzowitsch "learned" his respect for Capablanca early:

                          <During the course of the tournament many incidents of more or less interest took place. Niemzowitch, who considered himself very superior to me and others in the tournament, became very arrogant during the course of one of his lightning games against Bernstein, saying, because of a remark that I made, that I should not interfere in their game, as they were reputed masters and I had yet to become one. The outcome of his discourteous remark was a series of quick games for a side bet, which I won with ridiculous ease, and ended by his retracting the statement he had previously made.>

                          from: My Chess Career by Capablanca

                          1.e4 { Notes by Raymond Keene. } 1...c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Bd3 Bxd3 5.Qxd3 e6 6.Nc3 Qb6 7.Nge2 c5 { A possibility favoured by Nimzowitsch as Black in such positions, e.g. his game versus Duras from San Sebastian 1912, was 7...Qa6. Capablanca had borrowed that idea to beat Atkins at London 1922. } 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.O-O Ne7 10.Na4 Qc6 11.Nxc5 Qxc5 12.Be3 Qc7 13.f4 Nf5 { It is rather amusing to compare this with the Vajda-Nimzowitsch game. } 14.c3 Nc6 15.Rad1 g6 16.g4 { ? Creating a permanent weakness. Better is 16 Bf2. } 16...Nxe3 17.Qxe3 h5 18.g5 O-O 19.Nd4 Qb6 20.Rf2 Rfc8 21.a3 Rc7 22.Rd3 Na5 23.Re2 Re8 24.Kg2 Nc6 25.Red2 Rec8 26.Re2 Ne7 27.Red2 Rc4 { ! } 28.Qh3 Kg7 29.Rf2 a5 30.Re2 Nf5 { ! } 31.Nxf5+ gxf5 32.Qf3 Kg6 33.Red2 Re4 34.Rd4 Rc4 35.Qf2 Qb5 36.Kg3 Rcxd4 37.cxd4 Qc4 38.Kg2 b5 39.Kg1 b4 40.axb4 axb4 41.Kg2 Qc1 42.Kg3 Qh1 43.Rd3 Re1 44.Rf3 Rd1 45.b3 Rc1 { ! Zugzwang. } 46.Re3 Rf1 { One might suppose from this game that Capablanca had carefully read My System and then used all the theories contained therein against their inventor! } 0-1

                          Round 15, March 13
                          Marshall, Frank J. – Vidmar, Milan
                          D13 QGD Slav, Exchange variation

                          1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 c6 4.cxd5 cxd5 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Bf4 e6 7.e3 Bd6 8.Bxd6 Qxd6 9.Bd3 O-O 10.O-O e5 11.Nb5 Qe7 12.dxe5 Nxe5 13.Rc1 Bg4 14.Rc7 Qd8 15.Rxb7 Nxf3+ 16.gxf3 Bh3 17.Re1 Ne4 18.f4 Qh4 19.Bxe4 dxe4 20.Nd4 Rac8 21.Rb5 Rc1 22.Rg5 Rxd1 23.Rxd1 Bg4 24.Rc1 h6 0-1

                          - Oops! Marshall's 21. Rb5? loses instantly to 21...Rc1!!

                          - Think white is lost after 17.Re1 Ne4! He should settle for being down the exchange... though 21.Qe2 may be a try. After 21.Qe2 Bg4 22.Qf1 <22.f3 exf4 23.Qf2 might work too> white's game is not immediately lost.

                          - 11. Nb5 looks like a club move. I would have been tempted to play 11. dxe5 ♘xe5 12. h3 and worked against the isolated pawn.

                          - Marshall starts to go astray with the materialistic 14. Rc7? He should have tried the simple 14. Be2, and he then could have worked against the isolated pawn.

                          By the way, the moves in this game up to and including 18.f4 were also seen in Allan Nilsson - Spielmann in a match game played in December 1924. The light squares around White's King were also a deciding factor in that encounter: 18.f4 Nc5 19.Bxh7+ Kxh7 20.Qc2+ Kg8 21.Qxc5 Qh4 22.Qxd5 Qg4+ 23.Kh1 Rad8 24.Rg1 Qxg1+ 25.Kxg1 Rxd5 0-1.

                          Round 15, March 13
                          Spielmann, Rudolph – Alekhine, Alexander
                          C07 French, Tarrasch, open variation

                          1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.dxc5 Bxc5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.exd5 exd5 7.Nb3 Bb6 8.Nf3 Nge7 9.O-O O-O 10.c3 Qd6 11.Re1 Ng6 12.Be3 Bxe3 13.Rxe3 Bg4 14.Bxg6 fxg6 15.h3 Bf5 16.Nbd4 Rad8 17.Nxf5 Rxf5 18.Qe2 Rdf8 19.Re1 Qc5 20.Re8 h6 21.Qe6+ Kh7 22.Qc8 d4 23.cxd4 Qd6 24.Rxf8 Rxf8 25.Qe6 Qb4 26.Qb3 Qxb3 27.axb3 Rd8 28.Re4 Rd5 29.Kf1 Rb5 30.Re3 a5 31.Rd3 Kg8 32.Ke2 Kf7 33.Kd2 Ke6 34.Kc3 Ne7 35.Re3+ Kd6 36.Kc2 Nd5 37.Re4 Nb4+ 38.Kd2 Nd5 39.Kc2 Nb4+ 40.Kd2 Nd5 41.Kc2 1/2-1/2

                          Position after Black’s 22…d4!

                          

                          Alekhine writes of this move: By this surprising double sacrifice (pawn plus tempo) Black obtains excellent chances at a draw. The point of the pawn move lies in the fact that it enables the queen move to d6, which at this point would be insufficient because of simple 23.Qxb7, threatening Re6.

                          Cycle Four

                          Round Sixteen

                          Round 16, March 15
                          Marshall, Frank J. – Capablanca, Jose Raul
                          B18 Caro-Kann, Classical, Maroczy Attack

                          1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.f4 e6 7.Nf3 Bd6 8.Bd3 Ne7 9.O-O Nd7 10.Kh1 Qc7 11.Ne5 Rd8 12.Qe2 Bxd3 13.Nxd3 O-O 14.Bd2 c5 15.Ne4 Nf5 16.dxc5 Nxc5 17.Ndxc5 Bxc5 18.Bc3 Bd4 19.Rad1 Bxc3 20.Nxc3 Rxd1 21.Nxd1 Rd8 22.Nc3 Qb6 23.Rd1 Rxd1+ 24.Nxd1 Qb4 25.Qf2 h5 26.a3 Qd6 27.Nc3 Qd4 28.Qxd4 Nxd4 29.Ne4 Nxc2 30.Nd6 Ne3 31.a4 Nd5 32.Nxb7 Nxf4 33.b4 Nd5 34.b5 Nc3 35.Na5 Nxa4 36.Nc6 Kf8 37.Nxa7 Ke7 38.Nc6+ Kd6 39.Kg1 f6 40.Kf2 e5 41.Nd8 Kd7 42.Nb7 Kc7 43.Na5 Nc3 44.Kf3 Nxb5 45.Ke4 Nd6+ 46.Kd5 Kd7 47.Nc6 Nc8 48.Nb8+ Ke7 49.Nc6+ Kf7 50.Nd8+ Ke8 0-1

                          - does Black's position look that much better when he offers the queen trade on move 27? yet Capablanca's smooth handling of the resulting knight ending makes Marshall look like a patzer

                          - Black's position is, in fact, much better after the Q exchange. White's c pawn is under attack and the f pawn is loose. His king is worse than Black's also. It is only one square, but that can be critical in the ending. Therefore, Marshall should refuse the offer and play 28.Kg1 which will improve the K if Black exchanges. Marshall may have been afraid of 28...Ne3 threatening Nxc2. He would have to play 29.Kh1 and offer a draw. Capa might continue the attack with h5, but this is better than the lost ending that Marshall got.

                          - Why on earth would you trade queens with capablanca? you can’t expect to win the endgame.

                          - see Lasker vs Capablanca, 1914

                          - Well I guess Lasker could win against him, but Marshall definitely won’t win.

                          - You sure about that? See Capablanca vs Marshall, 1913

                          (to be continued)

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            New York 1927

                            May 11, 2020

                            Cycle Four

                            Round Sixteen (continued)

                            Round 16, March 15
                            Spielmann, Rudolph – Vidmar, Milan
                            C65 Ruy Lopez, Berlin Defence

                            1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 Ne4 6.O-O Be7 7.Nxd4 O-O 8.Nf5 d5 9.Nxe7+ Nxe7 10.Bd3 Nc5 11.Be2 c6 12.c3 Qc7 13.b4 Ne4 14.Bd3 Qxe5 15.Re1 Qf6 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.Rxe4 Bf5 18.Rd4 Nd5 19.Bb2 Rad8 20.Nd2 Nb6 21.Nb3 Nc4 22.Qe2 b5 23.Re1 1/2-1/2

                            Alekhine: Discontinued as a draw at Black’s suggestion. Actually, in the last couple of moves, Black spoiled his prospects to such an extent that one can regard the game as balanced.

                            Round 16, March 15
                            Nimzowitsch, Aron – Alekhine, Alexander
                            B02 Alekhine’s Defence, Maroczy variation

                            1.e4 Nf6 2.d3 e5 3.f4 Nc6 4.fxe5 Nxe5 5.Nf3 Nxf3+ 6.Qxf3 d5 7.e5 Qe7 8.d4 Ne4 9.Bd3 Qh4+ 10.g3 Qg4 11.Nd2 Qxf3 12.Nxf3 Be7 13.Be3 Bh3 14.Bxe4 dxe4 15.Nd2 O-O-O 16.O-O-O f6 17.exf6 Bxf6 18.c3 Rhe8 19.Rde1 Re6 20.Re2 h5 21.Rhe1 Rde8 22.Bf4 Bf5 23.d5 R6e7 24.h4 b5 25.d6 cxd6 26.Bxd6 Re6 27.Bc5 a6 28.Nf1 Bg4 29.Rd2 g5 30.hxg5 Bxg5 31.Be3 Be7 32.Bf4 Bc5 33.Ne3 Bxe3 34.Bxe3 1/2-1/2

                            - Solid defense by Nimzowitsch.

                            Instead of 13. Be3 better is O-O.

                            A few additional notes on this game, in some cases based on Alekhine's comments :

                            <Nimzowitsch vs. Alekhine> (New York 1927, Round #16): <1.e4 Nf6 2.d3 e5 3.f4 Nc6 4.fxe5 Nxe5 5.Nf3> (or 5.d4 Ng6 6.e5 Ne4 and Black stands well) <5...Nxf3+> (5...Ng6 6.Be2 d5 7.e5 Nd7 8.d4 f6 9.0ñ0 fxe5 10.Ng5 Nf6 11.Bh5 would not be good for Black) <6.Qxf3 d5 7.e5 Qe7 8.d4> (8.Bf4 Qb4+ 9.Nd2 Bg4 10.Qg3 Nh5 11.Qxg4 Nxf4 is seemingly somewhat better for Black than Alekhine's assessment of "comfortable equality".) <8...Ne4 9.Bd3 Qh4+ 10.g3 Qg4 11.Nd2> (11.Qg2?! Ng5 12.Qxd5 c6! (but not 12...Qxd4? 13.Bb5+! and ) and now, to avoid disadvantage, White must find the following sharp line: 13.Be2 Qxe2+ 14.Kxe2 Bg4+ 15.Ke1 cxd5 16. Bxg5 with approximate equality) <11...Qxf3 12.Nxf3 Be7 13.Be3 Bh3 14.Bxe4 dxe4 15.Nd2 0ñ0ñ0 16.0ñ0ñ0 f6 17.exf6 Bxf6 18.c3 Rhe8 19.Rde1 Re6 20.Re2 h5 21.Rhe1 Rde8 22.Bf4 Bf5 23.d5 R6e7> (The Black Rook must leave the 6th rank, for example: 23...Ra6? 24.Nxe4 Bxe4 25.Rxe4 Rxe4 26.Rxe4 Rxa2 27.Rc4 Bd8 28.Bxc7! ) <24.h4> (24.d6 Re6 25.dxc7 g5 would have been fine for Black.) <24...b5 25.d6?!> (if 25.a4 a6; or 25.c4 Rd8 [but not 25...bxc4 26.d6 cxd6 (better here is 26...Rd7 27.Nxc4 c5) 27.Nxc4 Rc7 28.Rc2!±] 26.Nxe4 bxc4 27.Nd6+ [or 27.Nxf6 Rxe2] 27...cxd6 28.Rxe7 Bxe7 29.Rxe7 Rd7=) <25...cxd6 26.Bxd6 Re6 27.Bc5> (or 27.Bf4 b4 28.c4 Rc6 ) <27...a6> (Alekhine analyzes 27...a5 28.Nb3 (28.Nf1 Rc6 29.Bf2 b4 ) 28...Bg4 29.Re3 g5 30.Nd4 gxh4 31.Nxe6 Rxe6 32.gxh4 [if 32.Rxe4? Bg5+] 32...Bxh4 ) <28.Nf1 Bg4> (A last try for a win [with better prospects than recognized in Alekhine's notes] would have been 28...Rc6 29.Bb4 Be5 (29...Bd8 30.Ne3 a5 31.Bxa5!) 30.Ne3 Be6 31.Nf1 (or 31.Kc2 Bc7) 31...Bxa2 32.Rxe4 Rce6 33.R4e3 Bb3 34.Kd2) <29.Rd2 g5 30.hxg5 Bxg5 (30...e3?! 31.Rd5=) 31.Be3 Be7 32.Bf4 Bc5 33.Ne3 Bxe3 34.Bxe3> and 1/2 - ½

                            Standings after Round Sixteen

                            Capablanca 12
                            Alekhine 8.5
                            Nimzowitsch, Vidmar 8
                            Spielmann 6.5
                            Marshall 5
                            ___________

                            From the New York Times of March 4, 1927:

                            Dr. Lasker Scoffs at Chess Charges

                            He Insists His Half of Clock was Educated to Canter and Rival’s to Walk

                            Scores Critics Roundly

                            Former Champion Denies Assaults on Their Morale by Smoking and Other “Clumsy Tactics”.

                            That clock was tampered with, according to a letter received yesterday by The New York Times from Dr. Emanuel Lasker, the German chess master and former world’s champion.

                            Writing from Trondhjem, Norway, on Feb. 18, Dr. Lasker denied he had disturbed the morale of opponents by smoking black cheroots during games and repeated his charge that he had been wronged on his last appearance in New York City by the introduction of a chess cock which dealt out short minutes to him and long ones to his rival, Capablanca.

                            The chess clock is a specially constructed device. It really consists of two interconnected clocks. While one clock is counting the seconds for the player who has the next move, the other clock is stopped. When the player finally moves, he stops his clock and that starts the other. Dr. Lasker alleged that the works of his half of the double-headed chess clock has been educated to canter, while Capablanca’s half had been slowed down to a walk. Dr. Lasker’s charge that the clock had been trained to tick slowly for one man and fast for another at the last tournament here met with a general denial, but the German ex-champion stoutly maintains it.

                            He Denies All Charges

                            Dealing with the countercharge of Mr. Lederer that Dr. Lasker had attacked the nervous system of his opponents with the smoke of cheap black cigars, the German master denied he had subjected rivals to this serious experience.

                            “Why” wrote Dr. Lasker, “did none of my colleagues immediately protest when subjected to such nuisance? They would not hesitate for a moment to tell a man who blew smoke into their face to stop at once.

                            “Secondly, why did no one of the committee observant of such tactics, wrathfully interfere and put this matter straight? Such would have been their manifest duty. These unanswerable questions show how weak Mr. Lederer’s charge is.

                            “Furthermore, there is evidence of the games themselves. My games are published in a thousand papers all over the globe and a million chess friends play them over and enjoy the chessic struggle. These chess friends know the style of play of every master; to them a printed game reads like a story. It is for thee far distant intelligent onlookers that I and my colleagues play. This public has a delight in the logic and the drama of the struggle. Does Mr. Lederer believe that this effect which is brought about by two intelligences and temperaments antagonizing each other, according to chessic rules, might also be brought about by smoke? Would not clumsy interference immediately destroy the subtle, inimitable fabric of logics and style? And my New York games were praised by a great many intelligent critics – also the book of the tourney gives evidence of this appreciation – does Mr. Lederer think all these critics were mistaken because they did not observe the curve of the smoke of my cigars?

                            Only Mental Factors Count

                            “Mr. Lederer’s charge that I called the attendant who bustled my opponent in order to open a window and, on leaving, left my opponent’s game all broken up is of the same type. If such a disturbance occurs, the clock is stopped and the position remains until play is resumed. Even an earthquake, though it shattered all the pieces, could not break up or in any way influence a game; that exists in a record which is written by the players and afterward printed. In chess, only a mental disturbance will count, but that, too, will be made manifest by the record of the game: the strategy of the player will then become illogical and inconsistent and the game will be deprived of all value.

                            “Mr. Lederer charges me with producing such mental disturbances willfully and he recounts the details. Now, after three years have elapsed, I cannot remember to what certainly slight extent the observations on which these charges are grounded are accurate. Of course, I did not “shout” or jump to my feet to “harangue the crowd”, nor did I disturb my opponent while it was his move without immediately stopping his clock and apologizing for the disturbance. But the main point is that neither the public nor the critics considered any one of my games as marred by inexplicable inconsistencies. The mistakes Janowski and Maroczy committed against me were such as they committed often. These mistakes belong to their style, Janowski was wearied by hard and unforeseen resistance and Maroczy, who outwardly controls his temper better than Janowski did, is likewise on that shoots his arrows many months after the event. Bad losers usually imagine themselves wronged and provoked, though the evidence be wholly insufficient.

                            “Mr. Lederer describes me as a man of exceedingly bad manners who “shouts” for the attendant and “orders” him to do this or that. I may be pardoned for mentioning that I have servants, to wit, a cook and some farm-hands, who have been perfectly content to stay with me for a long time. And, therefore, it may be inferred that presumably I treat them and others with consideration.

                            “As to other remarks of Mr. Lederer, they are wide of the mark. A comparison between what I wrote and what he talks about will readily show that I have no cause to withdraw or modify any of my statements. In conclusion, I beg to say that Mr. Lederer is by nature a partisan, hero worshipper, emotional, praiseworthy to that extent, but without sufficient impediments, irrational incapable of constructive policy and as an organizer and an impartial judge, an utter failure.”

                            ___________

                            WK – Lovely stuff – still fighting about New York 1924.


                            Comment


                            • #15
                              New York 1927

                              May 12, 2020

                              Cycle Four

                              Round Seventeen

                              Round 17, March 17
                              Spielmann, Rudolph – Capablanca, Jose Raul
                              B18 Caro-Kann, Classical variation

                              1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5 5.Ng3 Bg6 6.Nf3 Nd7 7.h4 h6 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Ngf6 10.Bd2 e6 11.O-O-O Bd6 12.Ne4 Nxe4 13.Qxe4 Qc7 14.Rhe1 Nf6 15.Qe2 Bf4 16.Ne5 Bxd2+ 17.Rxd2 O-O-O 18.Qf3 Rhf8 19.Qg3 g6 20.Qa3 Kb8 21.Re3 g5 22.hxg5 hxg5 23.Rf3 Ne4 24.Re2 Nd6 25.c3 Rh8 26.Re1 Rh2 27.Rg3 Nf5 28.Rg4 Nd6 29.Rg3 Nf5 1/2-1/2

                              Position after White’s 20.Qa3

                              

                              Alekhine: If Spielmann had been a little less hypnotized by the idea of Capablanca’s invincibility, then he probably would have decided on the obvious 20.Qf4!. If then 20…Nh5 21.Qxh6 Qa5, then simply 22.Kb1, with the follow-up Qe3 etc. After the inconsistent text move, White’s advantage rightfully evaporates completely, and Black ultimately even comes to a counter-attack.

                              Round 17, March 17
                              Nimzowitsch, Aron – Marshall, Frank J.
                              A61 Benoni, Nimzowitsch (Knight’s tour) variation

                              1.c4 Nf6 2.d4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.Nc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6 7.Nd2 Nbd7 8.Nc4 Nb6 9.e4 Bg7 10.Ne3 O-O 11.Bd3 Nh5 12.O-O Be5 13.a4 Nf4 14.a5 Nd7 15.Nc4 Nxd3 16.Qxd3 f5 17.exf5 Rxf5 18.f4 Bd4+ 19.Be3 Bxc3 20.Qxc3 Nf6 21.Qb3 Rxd5 22.f5 gxf5 23.Bg5 Rd4 24.Nb6+ c4 25.Qc3 axb6 26.Qxd4 Kg7 27.Rae1 bxa5 28.Re8 Qxe8 29.Qxf6+ Kg8 30.Bh6 1-0

                              - Well, this is a famous game, Marshall had some ideas, but Nimzo outplayed him nicely.

                              - Nimzo seems to play quite dynamically himself in this game.

                              - Is this the first ever Modern Benoni? In any case, their don't seem to be many more Modern Benonis until the 1950's. Were people put off by this game?

                              - You're spot on, they were put off by the success of the knight's tour in this game. I recall reading it from some 1970s Benoni book.

                              - Ok, thanks. Seems strange to modern eyes that this game could frighten people off the whole variation.

                              - This was not the first ever modern Benoni. Marshall had already played it in the previous round against Capablanca see Capablanca vs Marshall, 1927.

                              - Marshall missed the drawing resource 23...Kg7! Even if Nimzovitch continued 24.Qg3 (setting up the potential for a discovered check), Marshall could play 24...Be6! 25.Rae1 Qd7

                              1.c4 { Notes by Nimzowitsch } 1...Nf6 2.d4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 d6 5.Nc3 exd5 6.cxd5 g6 7.Nd2 { To establish at c4. } 7...Nbd7 8.Nc4 Nb6 9.e4 Bg7 10.Ne3 { Planning a4-a5 and to post the knight anew at c4. Black would have done better to exchange knights on his ninth move. White now gets the advantage. } 10...O-O 11.Bd3 Nh5 12.O-O Be5 13.a4 Nf4 14.a5 Nd7 15.Nc4 Nxd3 16.Qxd3 f5 17.exf5 Rxf5 18.f4 { The prelude to a complicated attacking operation which was the more unexpected since Ne4 gave a good game without any effort. But for once I wanted to go in for a combination. } 18...Bd4+ 19.Be3 Bxc3 20.Qxc3 Nf6 21.Qb3 { ! White gets compensation for the d-pawn. Note, 'inter alia' that Black's queen-side is difficult to develop. } 21...Rxd5 { The answer to ...Nxd5 would have been Rae1!! for ...Be6 would have been prevented because of Bxc5. Black would then have been quite helpless, and White could have won by, e.g., Bd2 followed by the doubling of the rooks on the e-file. } 22.f5 { ! } 22...gxf5 23.Bg5 { There is a peculiar point to this move. If that is to say, 23...Be6, and it is with this parry that White has above all things to reckon, then 24 Qxb7 (threatening Bxf6 and the win of a piece) Rc8 25 Rae1! and the bishop must give up the defence of either of the rooks on which Bxf6 would lead to the win of whichever is left defenceless. } 23...Rd4 24.Nb6+ c4 25.Qc3 axb6 26.Qxd4 Kg7 27.Rae1 { The quickest road to the win. } 27...bxa5 28.Re8 { ! Violent but intelligible. } 28...Qxe8 29.Qxf6+ Kg8 30.Bh6 1-0

                              Round 17, March 17
                              Vidmar, Milan – Alekhine, Alexander
                              E16 Queen’s Indian, Petrosian variation

                              1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 O-O 8.O-O d6 9.Nc3 Ne4 10.Qc2 Nxc3 11.Qxc3 Nd7 12.Rad1 Qe7 13.Rfe1 f5 14.Nh4 Bxg2 15.Nxg2 Nf6 16.f3 Rae8 17.Qc2 g6 1/2-1/2

                              Alekhine: Here the game was given a draw at White’s suggestion. That the players in the approximately balanced position at the end of the strenuous tournament were peacefully disposed is not inconceivable. But it was much more astonishing that the tournament management (or more correctly, a reputable member of the tournament committee, Mr. Walter Shipley, to whom Dr. Vidmar appealed on this occasion against the decision by master Maroczy) – although according to plan, they had the complete right to force a master to play until the 40th move – permitted a premature conclusion in this way with a crowded board..

                              Round Eighteen

                              Round 18, March 19
                              Vidmar, Milan – Capablanca, Jose Raul
                              C48 Four Knights, Rubinstein Counter-Gambit, Exchange variation

                              1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Nxd4 exd4 6.e5 dxc3 7.exf6 Qxf6 8.dxc3 Qe5+ 9.Qe2 Qxe2+ 10.Bxe2 d5 11.O-O Bf5 12.Bb5+ c6 13.Re1+ Kd7 14.Bd3 Bxd3 15.cxd3 Bd6 16.d4 Rhe8 17.Bd2 f5 18.g3 g6 19.Kg2 Re4 20.f3 Rxe1 21.Rxe1 b5 1/2-1/2

                              - Vidmar was no dummy. He could see that Capa was in unbelievable form in this tournament, so he steers the game towards a draw. A wise practical decision.

                              Round 18, March 19
                              Spielmann, Rudolph – Nimzowitsch, Aron
                              C07 French, Tarrasch, open variation

                              1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5 4.dxc5 Bxc5 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.e5 Nfd7 7.Ngf3 Nc6 8.Qe2 Nb4 9.O-O Nxd3 10.Qxd3 O-O 11.Nb3 Be7 12.Re1 Nb6 13.Nbd4 Bd7 14.b3 Rc8 15.Bd2 Na8 16.a3 Nc7 17.Bb4 Na6 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.b4 Nc7 20.a4 Be8 21.c3 f6 22.exf6 Qxf6 23.Qe3 Qf4 24.Ne5 Qxe3 25.Rxe3 Rf6 26.g3 g5 27.b5 Kf8 28.Rb1 b6 29.Rbe1 a6 30.bxa6 Ra8 31.Nb5 Nxa6 32.Ng4 Rg6 33.Ne5 Rf6 34.Ng4 Rg6 1/2-1/2

                              Position after White’s 13.Nbd4

                              

                              Alekhine: In the good old, pre-war times (San Sebastian 1911 to St. Petersburg 1914) where many of his opponents didn’t yet grasp well that this – ceteris paribus – already meant half the victory, Nimzowitsch himself had invested enough games with such a central position for the knight and won most of them. No wonder that, here as a defender, he doesn’t feel comfortable and gets more and more into a jam. In contrast, Spielmann’s following positional play appears very aesthetic.

                              - 30.bxa6? With that, in my opinion, Spielmann misses out on a win. Correct was 30.a5!

                              Round 18, March 19
                              Alekhine, Alexander – Marshall, Frank, J
                              E10 Doery Defence

                              1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Ne4 4.Nfd2 Bb4 5.Qc2 d5 6.Nc3 f5 7.Ndxe4 fxe4 8.Bf4 O-O 9.e3 c6 10.Be2 Nd7 11.a3 Be7 12.O-O Bg5 13.f3 Bxf4 14.exf4 Rxf4 15.fxe4 Rxf1+ 16.Rxf1 e5 17.Qd2 c5 18.dxe5 d4 19.Qf4 dxc3 20.Qf7+ Kh8 21.bxc3 Qg8 22.Qe7 h6 23.Bh5 a5 24.e6 g6 25.exd7 Bxd7 26.Rf7 1-0

                              - The Doery Defense is not seen too often. This game helps me understand some possible reasons for this. Even without the benefit of this example, however, that business of Black's making a second move with the Knight at his third turn without any real provocation doesn't leave the best impression.

                              - A pretty position after 17. ...c5
                              - Pretty indeed, but correct? Even without sacrificing the knight, white can settle the position with 19.Nd5 and totally controls the centre.
                              -Why not 21...b6? (followed by 22...Bb7 and 23...Nxe5)

                              - <Why not 21...b6?>
                              White had the powerful threat of 22. e6. Do you see a defense to it?

                              - You're totally right, I overlooked it. I am just trying to find improvements for Black's defense, but it seems I can't find any.

                              In general, Black has too much material stuck on the queenside, leaving the king vulnerably exposed and also resulting in no prospects for counterplay. This game is quite hopeless for Black!

                              Perhaps it's better to look for improvements for Black then around move 16 or 17?

                              - 17...c5. Marshall, with only one piece in play - the knight at d7 - compared with his opponent's 4 pieces, decides to completely and utterly open the game up.

                              A very original chess thinker.

                              Standings After Round Eighteen

                              Capablanca 13
                              Alekhine 10
                              Nimzowitsch 9.5
                              Vidmar 9
                              Spielmann 7.5
                              Marshall 5
                              __________

                              In the last installment of this tournament we quoted a letter from Emanuel Lasker criticizing Norbert Lederer’s conduct at New York 1924 (and the remarkable clock!) . It is not intended to add to this but the reader who wants to get more information is invited to consult Emanuel Lasker: A Reader, edited by Taylor Kingston and Andy Soltis, Russell Enterprises (2019), 400 pages.

                              This section in that book will be helpful: New York 1927 and the Lasker-Lederer-Capablanca Dispute

                              See also: Lasker Speaks Out (1926) by Richard Forster

                              https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...velations.html
                              Last edited by Wayne Komer; Tuesday, 12th May, 2020, 12:33 AM.

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