[Event "New York"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1924.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Marshall,F"]
[Black "Lasker,Em"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Annotator "Lopez "Battle Royale""]
[ECO "D10"]
[PlyCount "124"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 { This opening is known as the Slav Defense. Some players consider it to be more advantageous for Black than the standard Queen's Gambit (1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6) because Black's light-squared Bishop is not blocked in by a pawn. } 3. cxd5 { Marshall chooses the Exchange Variation of the Slav, in which a pair of pawns is traded off early. } 3... cxd5 { The position is completely symmetrical. The c-file is completely open and will be a fine post for a Rook. } 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Qb3 { This seems to violate a principle we all learn as beginners: "never bring your Queen out early". But Marshall has a reason for this move. His Queen attacks the b7-pawn, preventing Black from developing his light-squared Bishop (which is now tied to the pawn's defense). } 5... e6 6. Bf4 { Although Bg5 was possible, Marshall thinks this placement of the Bishop is better. From f4 it controls the e5-square, discouraging the pawn break ...e6-e5. Marshall is also thinking about planting a Knight on e5 later on. } 6... Nc6 { Disputing White's control of e5. You'll often see openings which center around control of a key square. } 7. Nf3 { Marshall continues the struggle for e5. } 7... Be7 8. e3 { Opening lines for the light-squared Bishop. } 8... Nh5 9. Bg3 O-O 10. Bd3 f5 { Lasker is gunning for the sequence ...Nhh-f6-e4 and wants to add some influence over the e4-square. Unfortunately, nothing in chess is free -- he's left a gaping hole on e5 which can be exploited by White. } 11. Be5 Nf6 12. Bxf6 { Preventing ...Ne4. } 12... Rxf6 13. Rc1 { Marshall grabs the open file. } 13... Bd6 14. Na4 { Heading for c5. } 14... Qa5+ 15. Nc3 { Black's check has stymied the White Knight's advance. } 15... Rb8 { The Rook defends the b7-pawn, enabling the light-squared Bishop to finally move off the first rank. } 16. O-O a6 { Lasker prevents the move Nb5. } 17. Na4 Bd7 18. Nc5 Qc7 19. Ne5 { White's Knights are sitting pretty, controlling many squares in Black's half of the board. } 19... Be8 { The threat was Nxd7. } ( 19... Nxe5 20. dxe5 Bxe5 21. f4 Bd6 22. Nxe6 Qa5 23. Nd4 { Black's d-pawn is isolated and weak. } ) 20. f4 ( 20. Nxe6 Rxe6 21. Qxd5 Bf7 22. Nxf7 Qxf7 23. Bc4 Nd8 { And White maintains a slight advantage. } ) 20... Qe7 ( 20... Nxe5 21. fxe5 Bxe5 22. dxe5 Qxe5 23. Be2 { An interesting material imbalance, but White has the edge. } ) 21. a3 { Marshall's idea is to remove his Queen from b3. By pushing the a-pawn first, he prevents ...Nb4. } 21... Rh6 { "An attack in the center should be countered by one on the wing". Lasker starts operations on the Kingside. However, the White Knights severely impair communications between his pieces. How will he get more firepower over to the Kingside? } 22. Rf2 g5 23. g3 Kh8 ( 23... gxf4 $5 { Black might have tried turning the tables with this move. } 24. exf4 ( 24. gxf4 Nxe5 25. fxe5 Rg6+ 26. Kh1 Bxc5 27. dxc5 { White's pawn structure offers several inviting targets. } ) 24... Nxd4 ) 24. Qd1 { The Queen becomes a bit more flexible here, looking over both sides of the board. Marshall might now consider playing b2-b4. } 24... gxf4 25. Nxc6 { Heading Black off at the pass by keeping him from playing ...Nxe5 (see the variation for an example). } ( 25. gxf4 Nxe5 26. fxe5 Bh5 { Black has the initiative. } ) 25... bxc6 26. exf4 Qg7 { Lasker pursues his Kingside attack, but most of his army is still too far out of touch. } 27. Bxa6 Bh5 28. Qd2 Rg8 { Lasker now has his entire army on the Kingside, but at the cost of a pawn. } 29. Be2 { Marshall threatens to pick off another pawn. } ( 29. Qe3 { This was another way to achieve a similar threat. } ) 29... Be8 ( 29... Bxe2 30. Qxe2 Qxd4 31. Nxe6 Qf6 32. Nc5 ) 30. Qe3 { The White Queen must cover g3 because of the threat of mayhem after ...Rxh2. } 30... Rf6 { His Kingside ambitions stalled, Lasker plans to reposition the Rook to the Queenside. } 31. Bf1 Qe7 { Preventing Nxe6. } 32. a4 { Notice how much more quickly White can switch the action from one side of the board to the other than can Black. } 32... h5 { Lasker starts another assault on the Kingside. } 33. Rg2 { Marshall is a bit unnerved by the h-pawn's advance. He moves the Rook to cover the g-file, which he feels will soon be opened. } ( 33. a5 { White should have continued with his plan, as Black poses no real threat on the other side of the board. } ) 33... h4 34. Nd3 Qa7 35. b3 Rg7 { The Rook advances to the open second rank. } 36. Ne5 hxg3 37. hxg3 Qb6 ( 37... Bxe5 38. Qxe5 Rh6 39. Rh2 Rxh2 40. Kxh2 { And White has stamped the fire out. } ) 38. a5 { Marshall decides to give back the extra material. With the g7-Rook now able to easily switch to the Queenside, there is not much hope of a White pawn promoting. Now the a-file will be open and may perhaps give Marshall chances of attacking along it. } 38... Qxa5 39. Nxc6 Qb6 40. Ne5 { The Knight took a long path to get to e5, but note now how easily it can lash out to snag a pawn and then snap back into place like a frog's tongue darting out to catch a fly. } 40... Rc7 41. Rxc7 Qxc7 42. g4 { Back to the Kingside goes Marshall. } 42... fxg4 $2 ( 42... Rh6 { Black might have tried making an end run with his Rook. } 43. g5 Rh4 { White is still better but Black gets a tiny bit of counterplay. } ) 43. Nxg4 ( 43. Rxg4 { On the surface, this move looks good... } 43... Bf8 { ...but it allows Black to reposition his Bishop so that both Bishops control squares on two sides of the board. } ) 43... Rxf4 ( 43... Rg6 44. f5 Rxg4 45. Qh3+ Qh7 46. Qxg4 exf5 47. Qg5 { White is winning, but the game is far from over. Black's Bishop pair is strong. } ) 44. Qxe6 { Marshall goes pawn-grabbing, but in doing so allows Black to grab the initiative. 44.Bd3 was the winning move. } ( 44. Bd3 Bh5 45. Nh6 Rf8 46. Qg5 ) 44... Rxf1+ { Lasker will takes the initiative and will hold it by making threat after threat. } 45. Kxf1 Bb5+ 46. Re2 ( 46. Kf2 Qc2+ 47. Kf3 Qd1+ 48. Re2 Bxe2+ 49. Qxe2 Qxb3+ { And Black has clawed his way back into the game. } ) 46... Bxe2+ 47. Qxe2 ( 47. Kxe2 Qc2+ 48. Kf3 Qxb3+ 49. Ne3 Bf8 { Black is still behind but has chances for counterplay. } ) 47... Qf7+ 48. Qf2 Kg7 ( 48... Qxf2+ 49. Kxf2 { Black would have no way to save his d-pawn. } ) 49. Ne3 { Looking for Qxf7 and Nxd5. } 49... Bf4 { The wrong move. } ( 49... Ba3 50. Qxf7+ Kxf7 51. Nxd5 Bb2 { Black could have forced a draw with this variation. He would have captured the d-pawn next move, then sacrificed his Bishop for the pawn on the promotion square b8. This would have left White with a Knight and King, insufficient material to force a mate. (Variation by Edward Lasker) } ) 50. Ke2 { Getting the King off of the same file as Black's Queen. This frees the White Queen to attack. } 50... Qc7 51. Qg2+ Kf8 52. Nxd5 { A nice fork, but there was nothing wrong with Qxd5. } 52... Qc2+ 53. Kf3 Bd2 ( 53... Qxg2+ 54. Kxg2 { Black's previous plan for a draw no longer works, as the White Knight controls the dark squares from which the Bishop could attack the d4-pawn. } ) 54. Qf1 Qxb3+ 55. Ke2+ Ke8 56. Qf5 { Closing in on the Black King. } 56... Qc4+ { Black needs to keep the initiative through repeated checks. } 57. Kxd2 Qxd4+ 58. Ke2 Qc4+ 59. Kf2 Qc5+ 60. Kg2 Qd6 { Even though Black has failed to check the White King, the Black Queen has worked its way back to a point from which it can guard the approach squares to the Black King. } 61. Kf3 Kd8 62. Ke4 { With a single move, Marshall throws away the win. } ( 62. Qf7 { This would have thrown Black back into a purely defensive mode. } ) 62... Qe6+ { And Lasker forces the draw. White has no choice but to exhange Queens. If he plays 63.Qxe6, Black has no legal moves -- stalemate! If White moves his King (63.Kf4), Black just plays 63...Qxf5 and White is left with just a King and Knight -- insufficient mating material. } 1/2