[Event "New York"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1924.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Capablanca,J"]
[Black "Marshall,F"]
[Result "1/2"]
[Annotator "Lopez "Battle Royale""]
[ECO "D38"]
[PlyCount "92"]

1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 Nf6 4. Nc3 Bb4 { This seems to be a pretty nice vriation of the Queen's Gambit for Black. He's developed all of his Kingside pieces (so he can castle quickly) and has pinned the c3-Knight. } 5. Bg5 c5 6. Bxf6 { Modern theory suggests a number of moves here; chief among them is 6.dxc4. } 6... Qxf6 7. cxd5 exd5 { Capa has traded a flank pawn for a center pawn, but there is still some tension in the center between the c- and d-pawns. } 8. e3 { Played to be able to reply to ...cxd4 with exd4. } ( 8. Rc1 { This is another possibility (and a common move in the Queen's Gambit). } ) 8... Nc6 9. Bb5 O-O 10. O-O { The pins on both c-Knights are now relieved. } 10... Bxc3 11. bxc3 Bg4 12. Rb1 { Now we see why Capa waited before moving this Rook. He suspected that a trade on c3 would open the b-file. } 12... Rac8 13. dxc5 { Capa starts a small combination to win a pawn. } 13... Qxc3 14. Qxd5 Rfd8 { Marshall plays the natural move. By kicking the Queen, Black grabs the initiative. } 15. Qe4 Bxf3 16. Qxf3 Qxc5 { Marshall wins back the lost pawn. } 17. Bxc6 bxc6 { Now it's time to take a look at the position. White has a 4-3 Kingside pawn majority. Black has two Queenside pawns to White's one, but both Black pawns are isolated and will be a bit hard to defend. White has the advantage. } 18. Rb7 Rf8 19. Qf4 Qa5 20. a4 c5 21. Qc4 { Each Queen simultaneously attacks and defends a pawn. Note, though, that the c5-pawn is overprotected (by the Queen and Rook). White offsets this by having a better placed Rook on b7. } 21... Rb8 22. Rb5 ( 22. Rxb8 Rxb8 { Black gets the open file and an even game. } ) ( 22. Rfb1 Rxb7 23. Rxb7 Qe1+ 24. Qf1 Qxf1+ 25. Kxf1 a5 { Bad for Black, as White will win the c-pawn by playing Rc7. } 26. Rc7 ) 22... Rxb5 23. axb5 ( 23. Qxb5 Qxb5 24. axb5 Rc8 { The game is even. The c-pawn is passed (backed up by the Rook) and White won't be able to force the b-pawn through. } ) 23... Rb8 24. Rd1 ( 24. Qxc5 a6 { Giving Black a slight edge. } ( 24... Rxb5 25. Qc8+ Qd8 26. Qxd8# ) ) ( 24. Rb1 a6 25. Qxc5 axb5 26. Kf1 { Preventing an ugly back-rank mate. But how will White now deal with the problem of the b-pawn? } ) 24... h6 { Giving the King an escape square to avoid back-rank surprises. } 25. Qxc5 a6 26. Qa7 Rd8 27. Rf1 Qxb5 { Marshall has dealt very well with his Queenside problems. He now has a passed pawn, which gives White something to think about. } 28. g3 { Capa creates an escape hatch for his King. } 28... Qc6 { Marshall grabs the newly-opened diagonal while still keeping an eye on his a-pawn. } 29. Ra1 Rd6 30. h4 { Little by little, Capa advances his Kingside pawns to try to exploit his pawn advantage and create a passed pawn. } 30... Rf6 31. Qb8+ Kh7 32. Qb1+ g6 33. h5 { Trying to take advantage of the advanced state of the Black Kingside pawns. } 33... Qf3 { A nice dual-purpose move -- the Queen attacks both the h5-pawn and the f2-pawn (in conjunction with the Rook). } 34. hxg6+ fxg6 35. Qc2 h5 36. Ra4 Rc6 37. Rc4 Rd6 ( 37... Rxc4 38. Qxc4 Qb7 $10 ) 38. Rd4 Rxd4 39. exd4 { Black's outside passed a-pawn gives him an advantage, but it will be tough to turn it into a win. } 39... a5 40. Kf1 Qd5 ( 40... Qh1+ { This actually helps White by driving the King toward the center. } 41. Ke2 ) 41. Qc7+ Kg8 ( 41... Kh6 42. Qf4+ g5 43. Qf6+ Kh7 $10 ) 42. Qb6 { The players again reach a point at which the Queens simultaneously attack and defend a pawn. } 42... Kf7 43. Qa7+ Kf6 44. Qb8 Qh1+ 45. Ke2 Qe4+ 46. Kf1 Qh1+ ( 46... Kf5 { This might have kept the game going, but Black's advantage (if any) is still pretty minimal. While he might be able to grind out a win here, it would require a long tough fight to do so; chances are good that the game would end up drawn regardless. } ) 1/2