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Aron Nimzowitsch vs Frank Marshall
San Sebastian (1912), San Sebastian ESP, rd 3, Feb-22
Four Knights Game: Nimzowitsch (Paulsen) (C49)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

FEN COPIED

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jan-12-06  AgentRgent: Here Marshall is duly punished for his overaggressive play.
Jul-11-06  RookFile: The swindler had a notion of leaving white with King and 2 knights, but Nimzo was having none of that.
Feb-08-09  Hugh the Drover: Here, Nimzovich does his best Bobotsov impersonation (good anticipation) and wants to be prepared to mate with two Knights. Marshall's hope, despite material deficit, is to capture N's lone pawn, perhaps possible (what with the two Knight's limited ability to control space). But it's not to be, and N emerges with Knights and a free, passed pawn (perhaps heaving a sigh of relief over how sharp his Troitzky Line knowledge was), and with it the win.
Feb-08-09  whiteshark:


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What is the idea behind <25...Rhf4>? It doesn't look like a forced move.

Feb-08-09  DarthStapler: It's an exchange sac, probably to try to get some play with the kingside pawn mass. Didn't really work, though.
Feb-08-09  erimiro1: The rook at h4 is lost anyway and white's about to catch it by 26.Nh3 etc.
Nov-19-19  zydeco: Interesting clash of styles. In the opening, Marshall is determined to sacrifice a piece and Nimzowitsch is determined to bait Marshall into it. 9.Kh1 (freeing g1 for the rook) is the kind of move that only Nimzowitsch would make.
Nov-19-19  JimNorCal: 35. ... Ra5 looks odd because Black's only hope is to get the remaining white pawn off the board, trade rooks then draw because the two knights can't mate
Nov-20-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: ***

Hi Jim,

A harmless nit-pick coming up but it has an instructive point.

Thought I'd better post before a fan of Alexey Troitsky https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexe... passes by and I did derive quite a bit of pleasure from working out the win which I knew must be there.

<"... Black's only hope is to get the remaining white pawn off the board, trade rooks then draw because the two knights can't mate">

There is a nice Two Knight Mate.

In the position before White last move. (48.Kb4)


click for larger view

If we recall: '... Black's only hope is to get the remaining white pawn off the board...' and duly remove the White a2 pawn...


click for larger view

...and play 48.Kc6 White forces mate in 7 moves.

48. Kc6 Ka5 (48...Ka7 is mate in 6) 49. Nc4+ Ka6 50. Nb4+ Ka7 51. Nd6 a3 52. Kc7 a2 53. Nc8+ Ka8 54. Nc6 a1=Q 55. Nb6 mate.


click for larger view

With the White pawn back on a2 the mate takes longer.

---

This site really should include chess study composers and a selection of their work.

Some of Alexey Troitsky's studies (and other composers) are genuine works of art. Also instructive and inspiring. I would never had even bothered looking for a two Knight mate here (and enjoying it) without some Troitsky knowledge and familiarity.

***

Nov-05-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  NM JRousselle: With 15... f6 instead of f5, Marshall would have had the edge.

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