Wesley’s Marshall Attack
The Russian Championship is invariably the strongest national championship anywhere. Next is probably the ongoing US men’s national championship in St. Louis (MO), which had 12 GMs, two of whom, Hikaru Nakamura ( 2798) and Wesley So (2788) are ranked third and eighth in the April world chess rankings.
As of this writing, Nakamura had 6.5 points in nine rounds to remain in the lead and on course for a second straight title entering the final two rounds. Ray Robson, USA’s hottest prospect at 20, scored an impressive 6.0/9.0 in the all-play-all event, to put himself in a position for the biggest title of his young career. The two leaders face off in the deciding penultimate round.
**** So plays a fine game here. Launching a remarkable idea in the opening, he obtains the edge and eventually wins material. The upshot is the Marshall Attack against the Ruy Lopez, which slightly favors White. 2015 US Championship W) W. So B) A. Onischuk Ruy Lopez 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 0-0 8. c3 ...
The text invites Black to enter the Marshall Gambit. Anti-Marshall moves are 8. a4 and 8. h3.
8... d5
The Marshall Gambit was first introduced into practical play by American master Frank Marshall, in the famous Capablanca-Marshall game in the great tournament of New York in 1918. 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. Re1 Bd6 13. d3 ...
This is the latest preference against the Marshall. 13. d4 is the standard continuation. 13... Bf5 14. Qf3 Qh4 15. g3 Qh3 16. Be3! ...
For some time, the normal play was 16. Nd2, but it was discovered that the position of White’s rook on e1 has drawback. E.g. 16. Nd2 Rae8 17. Ne4 Bg4 18. Qg2 Qxg2ch 19. Kxg2 f5 and Black has obtained equality. The text returned the pawn in exchange for rapid development.
16... Bxd3 17. Nd2 Bf5 18. Bd4 Rfe8 19. c4 Bg4 20. Qg2 Qxg2ch 21. Kxg2 Nb4 21...Nc7 seems safer.
22. Ne4 Bf5 23. cxb5 cxb5?! The engine suggested 23...Be6 and after 24. Bxe6 Rxe6 25. Nc3 Rxe1 26. Rxe1 axb5 27. Rd1 Nc2 28. a3 Rd8 with equal chances. After the text, White enjoys maximum prospects.
24. Ng5 Bh5 25. g4 Bg6 26. f4 Nc2
The engine’s 26...h6 also leads to an inferior ending after 27. f5.
27. Rxe8 Rxe8 28. Rd1 Nxd4 29. Rxd4 Be7 30. Nf3 Bb1?
This loses right off. 30...h5 perhaps could offer a longer resistance.
31. Nd2! ...
This move ends the story, as Black cannot avoid losing material.
31... Bf6 32. Rd7 Be4ch 33. Nxe4 Rxe4 34. Rxf7 Re2ch 35. Kf3 Rxb2 36. Be6 1:0 Solution to last week’s puzzle: White to play and win. White=Kg2, Qf3, Rg8, Pa2, Pf2, Pg3 Black=Kh6, Qe7, Rc4, Pd6, Pf7, Ph7, Ph5 1. Re8! Qg5 1...Qxe8 2. Qf6 mate. 2. Qxf7 1:0 3. Re6ch follows.