Notes in italics are algebraicised from 500 Games Of Master Chess by Tartakower and du Mont.
Underlined notes are from My Fifty Years Of Chess (republished by Dover as Frank J. Marshall's Best Games of Chess).
Dawid Janowski - Frank Marshall
Match 1912
Petrov's Defence
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nxe5 d6 4.Nf3
The U.S. chess champion was famed for his sacrificial, attacking play, but even he drew the line at 4.Nxf7!?, a favourite move of the Scottish player John Cochrane. The knight sac has subsequently been played by Ivanchuk, Topalov, Short and Carlsen, so is certainly something a Petrov player needs to prepare for.
4...Nxe4 5.d4 d5 6.Bd3 Bd6
An ancient idea, which the American champion took up with the addition of several bold innovations.
7.c4
More impatient than, first, 7.0-0 0-0 8.c4 Bg4 with complications.
A premature move, evidently played to avoid the variation [7.0-0 Bg4].
7...Bb4+
So that if 8.Nbd2 0-0 9.0-0 Bxd2! 10.Bxd2 Bg4 with a fine game for Black.
8.Kf1
But this has even less to recommend it.
8...0-0 9.cxd5
The move-order given in 500 Master Games Of Chess and by ChessBase is 7...0-0 8.cxd5 Bb4+ 9.Kf1, but Marshall presumably knew better, and it is clear from the notes in 500 Master Games of Chess that Tartakower/du Mont did not use Marshall's book as a source.
9...Qxd5 10.Qc2 Re8 11.Nc3
 |
| Black to play and win |
*****
*****
*****
*****
[Janowski] appears to expect only 11...Bxc3 12.bxc3, when his centre would be rounded off nicely, and compensate him for the loss of castling.
This harmless-looking move proves fatal. But also after 11.Bxe4 Rxe4 12.Nxc3 Bxc3, followed by ...Bg4, Black has the initiative.
Stockfish10 and Komodo10 give 11.Be3 or 11.a3, in each case with a tiny edge for Black.
11...Nxc3! 12.bxc3
He rejoices in view of the threats 13.bxc3 and 13.Bxh7+, but the position holds some magnificent resources.
12...Qxf3!
A bolt from the blue. This queen's sacrifice had to be calculated far beyond its main variation, 13.gxf3 Bh3+ 14.Kg1 Re1+ 15.Bf1 Rxf1#, for the position holds many and varied possibilities for White.
Before my opponent answered this surprise move, I heard him whisper, "Swindle!"
13.cxb4
Hoping to win a pawn after all, although it would have been better for him yt lose one by 13.h3, threatening 13...Qd5 14.cxb4 Qxd4 [the annotation reads 14...QxP, but the d4 pawn must be meant] 15.Bb2 Qxb4 16.Bxh7+ Kh8 17.Bd3 with even chances.
After 13.h3, the game Aleksa Strikovic (2490) - Jesus Baron Rodriguez (2384), Mancha Real (Spain) 2000, continued 13...Qh5 14.cxb4 Nc6 15.Be3 Nxb4 16.Qa4 Nc6, when Black has a pawn and the better coordination, but White has the bishop-pair (0-1, 41 moves).
13...Nc6
A splendid continuation, which, so to speak, changes his original idea (a disorganising sacrifice) to a new plan (an irruptive sacrifice).
14.Bb2?
Here again, 14.h3 is better, or at least 14.Bd2.
There is nothing better: 14.Be3 Bh3 15.Rg1 Rxe3 and wins.
Naturally, gxf3?? still loses: 14...Bh3+ 15.Kg1 Re1+ 16.Bf1 Rxf1#
14...Nxb4
Cards on the table! Of no value, evidently, would be 14...Qh5 15.a3 etc.
And now a second combination, which leads to some interesting play.
The text is given an exclamation mark by an anonymous annotator in ChessBase's 2020 Mega database (perhaps following Marshall's lead), but even stronger seems to be the engines' 14...Bh3!? 15.Rg1 Nxb4, eg 16.Bxh7+ Kh8 17.Qd1 Qxd1+ 18.Rxd1 Bd7, threatening 19...Bb5+.
15.Bxh7+ Kh8 16.gxf3
The engines point out White gets mated after 16.Qc4 Bh3 17.Rg1 Nd5, eg 18.Qd3 Ne3+ 19.Ke1 Nc4+ etc.
16...Bh3+ 17.Kg1 Nxc2 18.Bxc2 Re2
After this irruption, the attack is in full swing.
19.Rc1 Rae8
Threatening ...Re1+ and also ...Rxc2. White isn't given a moment's rest.
Also winning is an immediate ...Rxc2!? 20.Rxc2 Re8 21.Rc1 Re6 and mates next move.
20.Bc3 R8e3
Another inspired move, but the simpler 20...Rxc2! 21.Rxc2 Re6 finishes off the game at once.
21.Bb4
If 21.Be4, 21...Rxc3, and if 21.fxe3, 21...Rg2+ 22.Kf1 Rxc2+ followed by ...Rxc1+ and ...Rxh1.
21...Rxf3 22.Bd1 Rf6 0-1
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