Michael Marshall (1843) - Spanton (1919)
New London
1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 e6 3.e3 Bd6 4.Bg3 Nf6 5.Nd2 b6!? 6.Bb5+
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| The well-known point of Bb5+ in such positions is that ...Bd7 can be met by Bd3, and ...Nbd7 by Bc6 |
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6...c6
Also worth considering is 6...Nfd7!?, but perhaps not for long.
7.Bd3 Ba6 8.Bxa6 Nxa6 9.Ngf3 0-0 10.Ne5 Bxe5!?
Stockfish17.1 and Dragon1 suggest 10...Qc7, 10...c5 or 10...Rc8
11.Bxe5 c5 12.c3 Nb8!? 13.0-0
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| Now both sides have castled, how would you assess the position? |
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Two sets of minor pieces have been swopped off, neither side has a significant weakness, development is more-or-less level (bearing in mind it is Black to move), and all 16 pawns are still on the board, so perhaps it is not surprising Dragon1 calls the game completely equal, and Stockfish17.1 gives Black a minute edge, ie about a 10th of a pawn.
13...Nc6 14.Bg3 Ne7 15.h3 Nf5 16.Be5 Nh4 17.Qe2 Ng6 18.Bh2 Re8 19.Rad1 cxd4 20.exd4 Qd7 21.Rfe1 h6!? 22.Qd3 Qa4 23.Rc1 Rac8
Not 23...Qxa2?? 24 Ra1 Qxb2 25.Reb1, after which the black queen is lost.
24.a3 Rc6 25.Ra1 Rec8 26.Rac1 b5 27.Ra1!? Nd7 28.Bg3!? Nb6 29.h4 Qa5?
Not 29...Nc4?? 30.b3, but the text is also flawed.
30.Nb3 Qa4 31.Nc5 Qc4 32.Qc2 Na4?
Black should give up the exchange, but after 32...Rxc5!? 33.dxc5 Qxc5 34.Qe2 White has a slight edge, according to the engines.
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| White to play and gain a winning advantage |
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33.Nxa4
Winning is 33.Nxe6!, when best play, according to the engines, runs 33...Nxb2 34.Nxg7 Kxg7 35.Qxb2 Qxc3 36.Qxc3 Rxc3 37.h5 Nf8 38.Re7, after which material is level, but Black's five isolated pawns should prove fatal.
33...bxa4 34.h5 Ne7 35.Qd2 Rb6 36.Qe2!? Qxe2 37.Rxe2 Rcc6!? 38.Bf4 Rb3 39.Rc1 Rcb6 40.R1c2 Nc6 41.Bc1 Na5 42.Kf1
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| MM offered a draw, not long after pressing the clock - how would you assess this late-middlegame? |
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Black has huge pressure against b2, but the weakness is defendable, which is presumably why the engines reckon the position is completely equal (Stockfish17.1) or just a tad better for Black (Dragon1). However, at least as far as humans are concerned, it is easier for Black to play.
Black has huge pressure against b2, but the weakness is defendable, which is presumably why the engines reckon the position is completely equal (Stockfish17.1) or just a tad better for Black (Dragon1). However, at least as far as humans are concerned, it is easier for Black to play.
42...R3b5 43.Ke1 Kf8 44.g4 Nc4 45.f3 f6 46.Kf2 Kf7 47.Ke1 Rb3 48.Rh2 e5
Just about the only sensible way to make progress. White's reply is forced.
49.dxe5 Nxe5
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| Can White hold? |
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50.Kd1?
Even worse is 50.Rhf2?? Nd3+, but 50.Rh3 Nd3+ 51.Kd2 Nxb2 52.Bxb2 Rxb2 53.f4!? is better than the text as White gets rid of the bad bishop and swops off into a rook-and-pawn ending. However, the star move is the engines' 50.Kf2!, when they reckon 50...Nd3+ 51.Kg3 Nxc1 52.Rxc1 Rxb2 53.Rxb2 Rxb2 54.c4! is completely equal, eg 54...d4 55.Rd1 Rb3 56.Rxd4 Rxa3 57.Rd7+ Kg8 58.Rxa7.
50...Nxf3 51.Rhf2 Ne5 52.Rg2?!
Almost certainly better is 52.Rf4.
52...Nc4 53.Rh2 a6!?
Getting a pawn off the same colour-complex as the bishop. There is no need to hurry - White is without counterplay.
54.Ke1 Re6+ 55.Rhe2 Rbb6 56.Kf2 Ne5 57.Kg3 Nc4 58.Kf3 Rxe2 59.Rxe2 Re6 60.Rc2!? Re4 61.Bf4 Ke6 62.Rg2 Re1 63.Rc2 Rb1 64.Bc1
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| Despite first appearances, the black rook is not trapped |
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64...Ne5+ 65.Kg3 Kd7 66.Bf4?!
Almost certainly better is 66.Be3, covering g1, one point being 66...Nd3? runs into 67.Rd2, so Black should probably prefer 66...Nc4 67.Bc1 Kd6.
66...Rg1+ 67.Kh3 Nc4
There is nothing wrong with 67...Nxg4 as the counterplay White gets after 68.Rd2 does not amount to much, but there is plenty wrong with 67...Rxg4?? 68.Bxe5.
68.Rc1?!
This is briefly Stockfish17.1's top choice, but it makes Black's task easier as the minor-piece ending is hopeless for White.
68...Rxc1 69.Bxc1 Ke6 70.Kg3 f5 71.gxf5+ Kxf5 72.Kh3 Ne5 73.Kh4 Ke6 74.Be3 Nd3 75.Bd4 Kf7 76.c4!?
The engines agree this is best, but that does not mean it is any good.
76...dxc4 77.Bc3 g5+ 78.hxg6+ Kxg6 79.Bd4 Ne1 80.Bc3 Nd3 81.Bd4 h5 82.Bc3 Nf2 83.Bd4 Ne4 84.Kh3 Nd6 85.Bc3 Nf5 86.Bd2 Kf6 87.Bc3+ Ke6 88.Bh8 Kd5 89.Bc3 Ke4 90.Bb4 Kd3 91.Bc3 Kc2 92.Kg2 Ne3+ 93.Kf3 Nd1 0-1
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| Frosty morning |
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