Hastings Warm-Up

TO get in the right mood for Hastings, here is a cracker of a game, full of the fighting spirit we can hope for from this year's Masters with its 18 GMs.
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

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[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

Attack v Defence

ASSESS this middlegame.

White has just played 15.Qd1-g4 in Tarrasch - Janowski, Ostend 1907

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"Although the black king's defences appear to be adequate, the frontal attack, initiated by (15.Qg4), wins all along the line," writes Tartakower in 500 Master Games Of Chess. "What follows is a masterpiece of clarity and conciseness in chess."
Nevertheless, the engines Stockfish10 and Komodo9 reckon the position is dead equal.
15...Qe8?
"Or 15...Kf7 16.fxe5 dxe5 17.Rf3, and the black king's position remains precarious. After the text move, White's f pawn becomes a battering-ram."
The engines reckon the line given by Tartakower favours Black, if anyone, with Stockfish10 being particularly gung-ho at first after 17...Be7. Eventually both engines come to give Black a slight edge after 17...Be7, with Stockfish10 equally liking 17...Rh8. I presume their assessments are based on Black's king being safe behind its wall of pawns, especially now White has no kingside pawn breaks (h4-h5 is not feasible). Meanwhile, Black has the half-open h file to work down, and the better minor piece. After the text, White is able to use the pin on the g file to further his attack.
It should be noted that on general principles, 17...Kf7 was the more natural move in that a) it breaks a pin, and b) kings are usually safer when in touch with their defensive pawn-wall.
I think it also illustrates what is fairly well-known, ie that attack is easier than defence. One mistake by a defender can be fatal, while a mistake by the attacker often only leads to equality or at worse a slightly inferior position.
16.f5 exf5 17.exf5 Bxc3?
The bishop was hanging, and at first glance it seems a good idea to give it up for a knight that could help White's attack. But the engines much prefer 17...Bc5+ 18.Kh1 d5, denying the knight the e4 square while keeping the bishop for defence. However, they still like White's position, and it does look easier to play.
18.bxc3 Kg7 19.Rf3 Rh8
"If 19...g5, 20.h4, which the move in the text is to prevent."
20.fxg6 Qe7
"As 20...Qxg6 is not feasible, on account of 21.Qd7+, Black's position, with a powerful wedge driven into his game, gradually becomes hopeless."
21.h4 d5 22.Raf1 Raf8 23.h5 Rh6 24.R1f2 Rhh8 25.Qf5
"Vacating the g file for the triumphant entrance of the "third Musketeer."
25...Qd6 26.g4 Qe7
"Hoping to control the critical square g5."
27.g5!
"A decisive advance."
27...fxg5 28.Qxf8+ Rxf8 29.Rxf8 Qxf8
"There is nothing left. If 29...Qc5, 30.d4 exd4 31.R2f7+ Kh6 32.Rh7(or Rh8)#"
30.h6+
According to ChessBase's 2019 Mega database, the game ended here, but 500 Games continues:
30...Kxh6 31.Rxf8 Kxg6 32.Kg2 e4 33.dxe4 dxe4 34.Kg3 1-0