New York 1927

[Wayne Komer]

New York 1927

May 13, 2020

Cycle Four

Round Nineteen

Round 19, March 20
Vidmar, Milan – Marshall, Frank J.
E10 Doery Defence

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 Ne4 4.Qc2 d5 5.Nc3 f5 6.Bf4 Bd6 7.e3 c6 8.Be2 O-O 9.O-O Qe7 10.c5 Bxf4 11.exf4 Nd7 12.b4 Qf6 13.Bd3 Qh6 14.Ne2 Ndf6 15.Qc1 Nh5 16.a4 a6 17.Ra3 Nef6 18.Bb1 Ng4 19.h3 Ngf6 20.Ne5 Nd7 21.Nd3 Nhf6 22.Qe3 Kh8 23.Re1 Rg8 24.Ne5 Nxe5 25.dxe5 Ne8 26.Qd4 Bd7 27.g4 g6 28.g5 Qf8 29.a5 Nc7 30.Rg3 Nb5 31.Qb2 h5 32.gxh6 Qxh6 33.Kh2 Rg7 34.Reg1 Kg8 35.Bd3 Kf7 36.Bxb5 cxb5 37.Qd2 Bc6 38.Nd4 Rh8 39.Qe3 Ke7 40.Rg5 Kf7 41.R1g3 Rgg8 42.Kg1 Qf8 43.Qf3 Rh6 44.Qg2 Qg7 45.Kf1 Qh7 46.Ke1 Rh8 47.h4 Rg8 48.h5 Rxh5 49.Rxh5 gxh5 50.Rxg8 Qxg8 51.Qxg8+ Kxg8 52.Nxe6 Kf7 53.Nd4 Kg6 54.Nf3 Kf7 55.Ke2 Bd7 56.Ke3 Bc6 57.Nd4 Kg6 58.Kf3 Be8 59.Kg3 Bc6 60.Nf3 Bd7 61.Kh3 Bc6 62.Kg3 Bd7 63.Nh4+ Kf7 64.Kf3 Ke6 65.Ke3 Be8 66.Nf3 Ke7 67.Nd4 Bd7 68.Kf3 Kf7 69.Kg3 Kg6 70.Kg2 Kf7 71.Kh2 Kg6 72.Kg1 Kf7 73.Kh1 Kg6 74.Kh2 Kf7 75.Kh3 Kg6 76.Kh4 Bc6 77.Ne2 Bd7 78.Kh3 Bc6 79.Kh2 Bd7 80.Kg3 Bc6 81.Kh4 Bd7 82.Kg3 Bc6 83.Nd4 Bd7 84.Kf3 Kf7 85.Ke2 Kg6 86.Nf3 Kf7 87.Ke3 Bc6 88.Kd4 Ke6 89.Ng5+ Ke7 90.f3 Kf8 91.e6 Kg7 92.Ke5 d4 93.Kxd4 Kf6 1/2-1/2

Position after White’s 92.Ke5



I can’t recall seeing a row clogged with pieces like this after ninety moves!

- I would think that in this closed position, the knight would be a natural advantage and that white should have been able to win.

Round 19, March 20
Capablanca, Jose Raul – Nimzowitsch, Aron
E15 Queen’s Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Bxd2+ 7.Qxd2 O-O 8.Nc3 Ne4 9.Nxe4 Bxe4 10.O-O d6 11.Ne1 Bxg2 12.Nxg2 Nd7 13.e4 e5 14.Ne3 Nf6 15.f3 c5 16.dxe5 dxe5 17.Rad1 Qxd2 18.Rxd2 Rfd8 19.Rfd1 Rxd2 20.Rxd2 g6 21.Kf2 Kf8 22.Nd5 Rd8 23.Ke3 Nxd5+ 1/2-1/2

- Capablanca clinched first place with three rounds to go. He announced that he preferred to draw the three remaining games in order to not influence the second prize. When Nimzo began to falter, Capa asked the TD to tell Nimzo the next couple of moves after which a draw could be agreed. The TD later confirmed the story in print.

Capablanca wrote in the NY Times:

"... we had a chance to win, of which we did not avail ourselves."

A strange, but true episode in chess history.

- even in the final position, white is still better. You know that Fischer would have played this one out against somebody like Taimanov.

- Chess Review (August 1949, page 225) Tournament Director Norbert Lederer commented:

"In fairness to Capa, it should be noted that he had already secured first prize since he had a three and a half point lead with only three games to play; these were against Alekhine, Nimzowitsch and Vidmar. Capa announced that, in order not to appear favoring one of the three, who were all in the running for second or third prize, he would play for a draw against each of them, and he so informed me as tournament director. Needless to say, I did not relish this attitude, but there was little I could do about it. During his game with Capablanca, Nimzowitsch indulged in some fancy play and found himself with a practically lost position. Capa then not only asked me to warn his opponent, but actually had to dictate the next four or five moves which Nimzowitsch played with great reluctance as he suspected a double-cross. However, he did follow instructions and a draw was reached four moves later."

No disparaging remarks reported by Lederer.

I don't condone Capablanca's behavior. It’s not proper etiquette to suggest moves to an opponent. Still, the incident more weird than anything else. After all, he was giving away a half point. Capablanca somehow became so determined to draw the last three games, he flipped everything on its head. In this alternate reality, a win was bad and draw was better than a win.

- When you consider the adulation that was heaped on Capablanca after the New York 1927 tournament (one chronicler wrote, I believe: "The World Champion's name for the next ten years is Capablanca" - it is easy to grasp how he became overconfident.

Round 19, March 20
Alekhine, Alexander – Spielmann, Rudolph
C13 French, Classical

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Bxe7 Qxe7 7.Qd2 Qb4 8.Nxd5 Qxd2+ 9.Kxd2 exd5 10.Re1+ Be6 11.Nh3 Nc6 12.Bb5 Kd7 13.Nf4 Rae8 14.c4 Kd6 15.c5+ Kd7 16.Re5 f6 17.Rxe6 Rxe6 18.Nxe6 Kxe6 19.Bxc6 bxc6 20.Re1+ Kd7 21.Kc3 Rb8 22.Re3 Rf8 23.Rg3 Rf7 24.Kb4 Re7 25.Kc3 Rf7 26.Rh3 h6 27.Kd2 Re7 28.Ra3 Re4 29.Ra4 Kc8 30.f3 Rh4 31.h3 Kb7 32.Ke3 f5 33.Rb4+ Kc8 34.a4 g5 35.a5 g4 36.hxg4 fxg4 37.a6 gxf3 38.gxf3 Rh1 39.Rb7 Re1+ 40.Kf4 Rd1 41.Ke5 Re1+ 42.Kf5 Rd1 43.Rxa7 Rxd4 44.Ra8+ Kd7 45.f4 Ra4 46.a7 h5 47.b3 Ra1 48.Ke5 Re1+ 49.Kf6 Ra1 50.Ke5 Re1+ 51.Kd4 Rd1+ 52.Kc3 Ra1 53.f5 Ke7 54.Kd4 h4 55.Ke5 Re1+ 56.Kf4 Ra1 57.Kg5 Rg1+ 58.Kxh4 Ra1 59.Kg5 Rg1+ 60.Kf4 Ra1 61.Ke5 Re1+ 62.Kd4 Ra1 63.Kc3 Ra3 64.Kb2 Ra6 65.b4 Kf7 66.Kb3 Ra1 67.f6 Ra6 68.b5 cxb5 69.Kb4 1-0

Position after White’s 35.a5



- A fascinating rook endgame.

Can Black improve with 35...a6 to prevent or delay White's maneuver in the game with a6, Rb7, Rxa7 capturing the a-pawn?

- It is hard to say what Black should do after 35...a6, but it is easy to say what he should not do.
35...a6 36 Ra4 h5? 37 Ra1 g4 38 Rh1! gxf3
39 gxf3 is lost for Black even if he flicks in 38...f4+ because if White just ignores the pawn and heads for h2, the rook is entombed. ...f4+ is very dangerous in a lot of lines for that reason.

So maybe Black must immediately play 35...a6 36 Ra4 g4

- I think the answer to 35...a6 is 36. Kf2! immediately exploiting the awkward position of Black's rook.
After 35...a6 36. Kf2 g4 37. Kg3 gxh3 38. gxh3! (not Kxh4 as the h-pawn would queen) 38...Rh5 39. f4, the rook is buried.

Black might try 35...a6 36. Kf2 h5 37. Kg3 f4+ 38. Kh2 g4 39. Ra4, but Black's rook is still buried.

After burying Black's rook, White can maraud via the e-file and the c6-pawn eventually falls. White plays Ra4-a1-e1, uses zugzwang to wait for the chance to play Re6, and again uses zugzwang to wait for the chance to play Rxc6, etc.

- Found a note that Spielmann indicated that he miscalculated. He played 35...g4 because he saw 36.hxg4 fxg4 37.a6 gxf3 38.gxf3 Rh1 39.Rb7 and intended 39...Ra1 but at this point saw 40.Rxa7 Kb8 41.Rb7+ Kc8 42.Rb3! Rxa6 43.Ra3+ loses. Must have been a real upsetting discovery as time control approached.

- <The game already could not be saved by 35...a6, after which White would play 36.Kf2! with subsequent Kf2-g3-h2 with the threat of g2-g3. That forces his opponent to answer f5-f4, and then, after the Black rook would have been completely excluded from play, White would transfer his rook to the e-file with a decisive penetration into Black's encampment.> Kotov: "Alekhine's Chess Legacy," Vol II

Final Round
Round Twenty

Round 20, March 23
Marshall, Frank J. – Spielmann, Rudolph
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 h6 12.Bxf6 Qxf6 13.Qxf6 gxf6 14.Ne2 Rb8 15.a3 Ba5 16.b4 Bb6 17.c3 c5 18.Nf4 c4 19.Be2 Be6 20.Rad1 Rbd8 21.Rfe1 Bc7 22.g3 Be5 23.Bf3 Bxc3 24.Nxe6 fxe6 25.Rxe6 d4 26.Rc6 d3 27.Rxc4 Bb2 28.Rd2 Bxa3 29.Kg2 Rf7 30.Ra2 d2 31.Rxa3 d1=Q 32.Bxd1 Rxd1 33.Rg4+ Kh7 34.Ra6 Rd5 35.h4 h5 36.Rf4 Kg6 37.Rc6 a5 38.bxa5 Rxa5 39.Rc8 Rb7 40.Rg8+ Rg7 41.Rh8 Raa7 42.Rb4 Rab7 43.Rxb7 Rxb7 44.f3 Rb2+ 45.Kf1 Rb1+ 46.Ke2 Rb2+ 47.Ke3 Rb3+ 48.Ke4 Rb4+ 49.Kd5 Rb5+ 50.Kd4 Rb3 51.Ke4 Rb4+ 52.Kd5 Rb3 53.f4 Kg7 54.Rc8 Rxg3 55.Ke6 Re3+ 56.Kf5 Re7 57.Rc6 Ra7 58.Ke6 Ra5 59.Rd6 Kg6 60.Rb6 Rf5 61.Rb4 Ra5 62.Rb6 Rf5 1/2-1/2

Position after White’s 28.Rd2?



Alekhine: 28.Rd2? – It’s really a shame from the standpoint of the art of chess that Marshall, after playing so well up until now, suddenly begins to see a ghost. The doubled – and unfounded – fear of (1) the opposite bishops, and (2) the passed pawn on d2, causes him to totally underestimate his chances on the queenside and to play for further simplification.

Correct, however, was the simple 28.a4! with the threat simply to advance the a- and b-pawns.

(to be continued)

[Wayne Komer]

New York 1927

May 13, 2020

Round Twenty (continued)

Round 20, March 23
Capablanca, Jose Raul – Alekhine, Alexander
C11 French, Burn variation

1.d4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e4 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Nxf6+ Bxf6 7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.Nf3 O-O 9.c3 Nd7 10.Be2 e5 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Qxe5 13.O-O Be6 14.Bf3 c6 15.Qa4 Rfe8 16.Rad1 Qc5 17.Rfe1 Qc4 18.Qxc4 Bxc4 19.Rxe8+ Rxe8 20.h4 Kf8 21.b3 Be2 22.Bxe2 Rxe2 23.Rd7 Re7 24.Rd8+ Re8 25.Rd7 Re7 26.Rd8+ Re8 1/2-1/2

- After quick simplification both sides had almost the same position, so a draw is fair end.

- For two great players famous for their opposing styles, individual masterpieces, and fierce personal rivalry with each other - a combination that would seemingly lead to brilliant games full of attack lines; counter-combinations; and, late game surprise tactical forays that a spectator would anticipate but still be shocked to behold - Alekhine and Capablanca, disappointingly, played very few exciting games against each other. Important games, but not classic or innovative ones.

Round 20, March 23
Nimzowitsch, Aron – Vidar, Milan
B22 Sicilian-Alekhine-Alapin

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 Be7 7.Nc3 Nxc3 8.bxc3 d5 9.exd6 Qxd6 10.Be2 O-O 11.O-O Nd7 12.a4 Qc7 13.Qb3 b6 14.c4 Bb7 15.a5 Bf6 16.axb6 axb6 17.Be3 h6 18.h3 Rfc8 19.Rfc1 Rcb8 20.Rxa8 Rxa8 21.Nd2 Be7 22.Bf3 Ra3 23.Qb2 Bxf3 24.Nxf3 Ra5 25.Qd2 Ba3 26.Rc2 Bd6 27.Rc1 Ba3 28.Rc2 Bd6 29.Rc1 Qa7 30.Qd3 Ra3 31.Qe4 Nf6 32.Qc6 Rxe3 33.Qxd6 1/2-1/2


1.e4 { Notes by Nimzowitsch } 1...c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c3 { A draw was sufficient for White, whilst Black had to play for a win. } 3...Nf6 4.e5 Nd5 5.d4 cxd4 6.cxd4 Be7 { Here 6...b6 would please us more. } 7.Nc3 Nxc3 8.bxc3 d5 { Here also we should have preferred ...b6. } 9.exd6 { A possible continuation was 9 Bd3 O-O 10 Qc2 g6 11 h4. } 9...Qxd6 10.Be2 { With hanging pawns the bishop must be played to Be2 and not to d3. } 10...O-O 11.O-O Nd7 12.a4 { The "limited" initiative directed against the pawn, which will presently be posted at b6. } 12...Qc7 13.Qb3 b6 14.c4 Bb7 15.a5 Bf6 { On 15...bxa5 the sequel would have been, 16 Bf4 Qb6 17 Qa4 with a double attack on a5 and d7. } 16.axb6 axb6 17.Be3 h6 18.h3 Rfc8 19.Rfc1 { This move, in effect, gains a whole tempo. Black cannot accept the pawn sacrifice which this move involves without foregoing all his chances, e.g. : 19...Rxa1 20 Rxa1 Bxf3 21 Bxf3 Qxc4 22 Qxc4 Rxc4 23 Ra8+ Nf8 24 d5 and White has full command of the game. } 19...Rcb8 20.Rxa8 Rxa8 { The two moves by the rook (...Rcb8 and ...Rxa1) gave white the tempo mentioned above. } 21.Nd2 Be7 22.Bf3 Ra3 23.Qb2 Bxf3 24.Nxf3 Ra5 25.Qd2 Ba3 26.Rc2 Bd6 27.Rc1 Ba3 28.Rc2 Bd6 29.Rc1 Qa7 30.Qd3 Ra3 31.Qe4 { The central hegemony established herewith is in full logical agreement with the course of the game. It will not have escaped the thoughtful reader that the wing attack initiated by White (a4, a5, axb6) has only resulted in Black assuming the offensive himself in that quarter. The attack thus passing over to the enemy could be explained only by mistakes on the part of White, or else by the fact that White's attack had no justification. But in reality neither is the case and White played the attack correctly and had good reasons for attacking. Only in this way could the stability of the White hanging pawns be preserved. Therefore Black -'sit venia verbo' - must have usurped the attack on the extreme wing, which would only be done by giving up other important territory, namely, the center. On this basis, White's hegemony in the center can be understood. The conclusion is logically convincing. } 31...Nf6 32.Qc6 Rxe3 33.Qxd6 { Black's operation on the Q wing were conducted with the outmost energy but were parried by cool-headed play in the center : wing operations and central maneuvers kept the balance. Concerning the acceptance of the sacrifice, the following variation is informative : 33fxe3 Qa3 34 Re1 Bg3 35 Rf1 Qxe3+ 36 Kh1 Ne4 with the main threat of ...Bf4. A game very soundly played by both sides. } 1/2-1/2

Final Standings

Capablanca 14
Alekhine 11.5
Nimzowitsch 10.5
Vidmar 10
Spielmann 8
Marshall 6

Capablanca registered one of the greatest triumphs of his career, taking first place without the loss of a game.

Allocation of Prizes:

1st $2000
2nd $1500
3rd $1000

Brilliancy Prizes:

First brilliancy prize of $125 to Capablanca for his 13th round win against Spielmann (Capablanca vs Spielmann, 1927).

Second brilliancy prize of $100 to Alekhine for his win over Marshall in the 18th round (Alekhine vs Marshall, 1927).

Third brilliancy prize of $75 to Nimzowitsch for his win over Marshall in the 17th round (Nimzowitsch vs Marshall, 1927).

Fourth brilliancy prize of $50 to Vidmar for his win against Nimzowitsch in the 14th round (Vidmar vs Nimzowitsch, 1927).

Capablanca also won a special prize for his win against Nimzowitsch in the 15th round (Nimzowitsch vs Capablanca, 1927). Non-prizewinners received $50 for each point scored.

__________

1927 was a particularly interesting year. In 2013 Bill Bryson published One Summer: America, 1927. It focuses on various key events in American life.

The events covered include the nonstop transatlantic flight of Charles Lindbergh; the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927; the unusual season played by Babe Ruth and the rest of the 1927 New York Yankees; the transition from the Ford Model T to the new Model A; the execution of Sacco and Vanzetti; the presidency of Calvin Coolidge; and the advent of the talking-picture era with the release of The Jazz Singer.

On September 30, 1927, Babe Ruth hit his 60^th home run of the 1927 season for a record that would stand for 34 years.

In chess we had the great New York tournament in March. The 1st Chess Olympiad, organized by the FIDE and comprising an open and women's tournament, as well as several events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between 18 and 30 July 1927 in London, United Kingdom. Alekhine won the tournament in Kecskemet, Hungary in June and July. And in September, the World Championship between Capablanca and Alekhine.

From chessgames.com:

Capablanca vs Alekhine World Championship Match 1927

The match began in Buenos Aires on September 9, 1927. Conditions followed the London Rules: games to be played at 2½ hours per 40 moves, with the match awarded to the first to win 6 games, draws not counting. Capablanca would receive $2,000 of the purse as a fee, with the remainder split $4,800 to the victor and $3,200 to the loser. The Argentine Chess Club provided the venue, except for two games played in the Jockey Club. Dr. Carlos A. Querencio served as referee, and Daniel Deletang was Alekhine's second.

Alekhine won the first game on the black side of a French Defence. Every subsequent game would be contested with a Queen's pawn opening. After ten games Capablanca led 2-1, but he dropped two in a row and a long series of draws followed. According to Garry Kasparov, Capablanca let slip "an enormous positional advantage" in Game 17. After Alekhine notched his fourth win in Game 21, Capablanca opined that "there can hardly be a stronger player in the world than the Slav master."

Capablanca did well to save the draw in Game 22, and Kasparov maintains that the Cuban now played the match with increasing power until he missed the win in the "completely won" 27th game. After winning Game 29, Capablanca trailed the match by just a point, and optimistically remarked that "the match takes on fresh interest..." Kasparov believes that Capablanca missed a win in Game 31, and then, later in the game, settled for a draw when he was a pawn up, and could well have played on. A win would have tied the match. Alekhine characterized his win in Game 32 as "well-contested" and "full of ideas" from both players. Now Alekhine needed just one more win to take the title.

With adjournments, the 34th and final game took four days to complete, ending on November 29 when Capablanca did not show up to resume play. Instead, he sent a congratulatory resignation note. Nor did the ex-champion show up for the closing ceremony on December 8. Alexander Alekhine, the fourth world chess champion, did attend. He thanked the Argentine Chess Club for its work and declared he was against any changes to the world title match rules, the London Rules.

The final score: Alekhine 6, Capablanca 3 (25 draws)

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?tid=54140