MARK RUBERY CHESS
Over century ago the third world champion, Jose Raul Capablanca, faced his first real test when in 1909 at the age of 21 he played a match against America’s top player, Frank Marshall. A close contest was expected but the Cuban maestro to the surprise of everyone destroyed his opponent 8-1 with 14 draws.
Capablanca,Jose Raul - Marshall,Frank James [C62]
USA m New York (8), 1909
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 d6 4.0–0 a6 5.Bxc6+ bxc6 6.d4 exd4 7.Nxd4 Bd7 8.Re1 c5 9.Nf3 (9 Nf5! is more precise, but then Capablanca famously stated that he never studied a book on openings)…Be7 10.Nc3 c6 11.Bf4 Be6 12.Qd3 Nf6 13.Rad1 d5 14.Ng5 d4 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.Na4 Qa5 17.b3 Rd8 18.Nb2 Nh5 (18…Qxa2?
19 Nc4 snares the queen) 19.Be5 0–0 20.Nc4
Qb4 21.Qh3 g6 (Marshall has been completely outplayed and has to resort to desperate tactics. However, his young opponent-this was 1909-is more than up to the task) 22.Qxe6+ Rf7 23.g4 Bh4 24.gxh5 Bxf2+ 25.Kh1 Qc3 (The threat of … Qf3# meets with a sublime response)
26.Re3! (A study like move that snuffs out all Black’s threats)… Qxc2 (26…Bxe3 27 hxg6 hxg6 28 Qxg6+ Kf8 29 Nd6! decides matters) 27.Red3 Qe2 28.Nd6 Rxd6 29.Bxd6 Be1 30.Qe8+ Kg7 31.h6+ 1–0
After the match the following interesting statements appeared:
‘By my victory over Marshall I have taken his position as the strongest representative on this side of the Atlantic. Therefore I consider myself the “champion of America” and stand ready to defend my title within a year against American of the USA for a side best of at least $1000.’ – Capablanca
‘Mr Capablanca seems to have acquired a real sense of humour on his recent chess tour, and he divulges it in the Sunday papers most charmingly. He says he is the undisputed champion of Cuba, and he beat me, and therefore considers himself the champion of America. Probably if he beat Atkins he would consider himself champion of Great Britain, or if he beat Schlecter he would consider himself champion of Austria. So long as no one besides Mr Capablanca views his amusing utterances as more than a joke, no harm is done, and therefore I wish only to ask that no one will take the boy seriously in this matter.’-Marshall
Domenico Lorenzo Ponziani (1719-1796) is mainly remembered today for the opening that bears his name (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 c3). He was a true renaissance man in his era combining his chess studies along with being a law lecturer and a priest.