Jose Raul Capablanca vs Frank James Marshall, English Opening, Agincourt Defense, Tarrasch Defense (A14)
Moscow 1925, Round 13
The Moscow tournament was organized as an attempt to popularize chess in the Soviet Union. They wanted to overshadow the New York 1924 tournament which was one of the biggest in and most important in the early 20th century. They invited many strong players from abroad, as well as the strongest Soviet masters. Lasker, the former world champion and Capablanca, the current one, both played. They were expected to win as well. Capablanca was probably a slight favorite, though. Among other strong names, Bogoljubov was playing, Marshall, Gruenfeld, Tartakower and many others. Neither Capablanca nor Lasker won, though! Efim Bogoljubov finished in clear first in front of them and shook up the Soviet chess nation! There is even footage from the venue showing the public interest for the event. People are said to had waited to hear the results after each game, which means that the plan to popularize chess was successful!
Here are the final standings:
Efim Bogoljubov 15.5/20
Emanuel Lasker 14/20
Jose Raul Capablanca 13.5/20
Frank James Marshall 12.5/20
Savielly Tartakower 12/20
Carlos Torre Repetto 12/20
Richard Reti 11.5/20
Peter Arsenievich Romanovsky 11.5/20
Ernst Gruenfeld 10.5/20
Alexander Ilyin-Zhenevsky 10.5/20
Fedor Parfenovich Bohatirchuk 10/20
Boris Verlinsky 9.5/20
Rudolf Spielmann 9.5/20
Akiba Rubinstein 9.5/20
Grigory Levenfish 9/20
Ilya Leontievich Rabinovich 8.5/20
Fred Dewhirst Yates 7/20
Friedrich Saemisch 6.5/20
Solomon Borisovich Gotthilf 6.5/20
Fyodor Ivanovich Dus Chotimirsky 6/20
Nikolay Zubarev 4.5/20
In this game Capablanca faced Frank Marshall (his well-known adversary). They played a somewhat theoretical Agincourt English in which Capablanca chose a strategically risky opening plan and almost paid for it. He allowed Marshall to close down his dsb with a central blockade, but he failed to do so and justified Capablanca’s move choice. The bluff worked and white had an easily wining position.
Game moves:
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 d5 4.b3 c5 5.Bg2 Nc6 6.O-O Be7 7.d3 O-O
8.Bb2 d4 9.e4 dxe3 10.fxe3 Ng4 11.Qe2 Bf6 12.Nc3 Qa5 13.Rac1
Rd8 14.h3 Nge5 15.Ne4 Qxa2 16.Nxf6+ gxf6 17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.Be4
Bd7 19.Ra1 Qxb3 20.Rfb1 Qb4 21.Bxe5 fxe5 22.Rxb4 cxb4 23.Bxb7
Rab8 24.Rxa7 b3 25.Qb2 Ba4 26.Qxe5 Bc6 27.Qg5+ Kf8 28.Bxc6 b2
29.Qe7+ 1-0