Svidler’s Marshall Attack
The seventh London Chess Classic, the year’s last major event and the final leg of the Grand Chess Tour, is slated Dec. 4-13 at the Kensington Olympia playing hall in downtown London.
Magnus Carlsen, the Norwegian world champion, led the elite field that included former world champions Viswanathan Anand of India and Vaselin Topalov of Bulgaria, and Candidates qualifiers Fabiano Caruana (USA), Hikaru Nakamura (USA), Anish Giri (Netherlands) and Armenian Levon Aronian.
In the following game, Svidler, 39, bested Ivanchuk, 45, in a bookish match-up of veteran players. Watch the sparks fly in this 31-move sizzler.
2015 European Team Ch. W) V. Ivanchuk (Ukraine) B) P. Svidler (Russia) Ruy Lopez 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. 0-0 Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb 0-0 8. c3 d5
The Marshall Attack was first introduced into practical play by its pioneer Frank James Marshall, US champion from 1909 to 1936. The gambit was inaugurated in the famous Capablanca-Marshall game of New York 1918. The system became a hit, resisting all attempts at refutation, and is still today one of the important systems of attack at Black’s disposal against the Spanish Opening.
9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6
The standard line to fight for initiative. Other attempts lead to well-analyzed unsatisfactory game for Black.
12. d3!? ...
Normal here is 12. d4, but the text, which has become popular lately, seems to be an effective shield against Black’s thematic Kingside attack.
12... Bd6 13. Re1 Bf5 14. Qf3 ...
14. g3 and 14. Nd2 are the alternatives leading to a balance middle game.
14... Re8 15. Rxe8ch Qxe8 16. Nd2 ...
The safety-minded would prefer 16. Bd2 and after 16...Qe6 17. g3 Bg4 18. Qe4 Qxe4 19. dxe4 Nf6 20. Be3 Nxe4, the position is about even.
16... Qe1ch 17. Nf1 Bg6 18. g3 ...
After 18. h4, the engine offers these possibilities: 18...Nf6 19. Qxc6 Bxd3 20. Qxa8ch Bf8 21. Kh2 Qxf1 22. f3 Qe1 23. Qd8 Qxh4ch 24. Kg1 Qe1ch 25. Kh2 Qh4ch and the game is drawn.
18... b4!?
18...Re8 19. Bd1 Qe6 20. Bd2 Bc5 21. a4 h6 22. d4 Be4 23. Qe2 Bd6 24. f3 Bg6 25. Qxe6 Rxe6 26. axb5 axb5 27. Kf2 seems to favor White.
19. h4?! ...
19. Bxd5 is the computer’s suggestion. E.g. 19...cxd5 20. Qxd5 Rd8 21. Bg5 Qxa1 22. Bxd8 and White has the edge. Or 19. c4 Nf6 20. d4 Rd8 21. c5 Bf8 22. Qe3 Re8 23. Qxe1 Rxe1 24. Bc4, White is slightly better.
19.. h5 20. c4 Nf6 21. Bd1 ...
21. d4, as the engine recommends, sets chances in the endgame as fairly even after 21... Re8 22. c5 Bc7 23. Qd1 Qe4 24. Bg5 Rd8 25. f3 Qf5 26. Kg2 Qd7 27. Ne3 Qxd4 28. Qxd4 Rxd4.
21... Re8 22. Bd2 Qe5 23. Rc1 Bc5 24. a3 a5 25. axb4 axb4 26. Rc2?! ...
The Rook seems badly placed here. But it is already difficult to find a good plan for White. 26. Qxc6 is met by 26...Bxd3, and after 26. b3, 26...Ng4 is not easy to meet.
26... Ng4!
A powerful move which confronts White with three problems: a) how to defend his vulnerable d3 and f2, b) how to keep his Queen and Rook in rapport, and c) how to save his King
27. Ne3 Qd6!
Simple and elegant. A silent move is sometimes more impressive than a display of fireworks. After the text, White has no good reply.
28. Nxg4 ...
There’s no satisfactory continuation anymore. If 28. Rc1 Qxd3 29. Qxc6 Qxd2 30. Qxe8ch Kh7 31. Nxg4 hxg4 and Black wins material. 28... hxg4 29. Qxg4? ...
This loses at once, but there’s no adequate defense to Black’s threats anyhow. For instance 29. Qf4 Qxf4 30. gxf4 Bxd3 31. Rc1 g3 32. Bf3 gxf2ch 33. Kg2 Rd8! and White will lose more material after ...f1Qch.
29... Bh5!!
The crusher. Apart from the threat on the Queen, there is another on the King. 30. Qxh5 Qxg3ch 31. Kh1 Qxf2 0:1
If 32. Qg5, Qf1ch 33. Kh2 Bd6ch arrives to a quick finish. Solution to last week’s puzle: Black to move and draw White=Kg1, Qg7, Bf1, Bf6, Pa5, Pb3, Pd5, Pe2 Black=Kh5, Qd1, Ng5, Pd6, Pf5, Pf4 1... N f3ch! 2. Kg2 ... I f 2. Kh1? Qxf1ch and mates. Or 2. Kf2 Qe1ch 3. Kg2 (3. Kxf3? Qxf1 mate) leads to the main line.
2... Qxe2ch!! 3. Bxe2 Stalemate
I f 3. Kh1/Kh3 Qh2 mate