| Jun-30-13 | | paladin at large: I love Maróczy's finish here, cold as ice - Albin can queen a pawn, but nothing can stop 59...d3 and 60...d2# |
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| Jan-28-19 | | zydeco: 25....h5! is an interesting plan to break open the game. |
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Mar-30-24
 | | KEG: Maroczy and Albin played nine (9) games against each other, all between 1896 and 1907. Maroczy won every one of those encounters. Under these circumstances, to fault Maroczy's tactics against Albin seems absurd. He proved time and again (and indeed EVERY time) that he knew how to defeat Albin. But I still find the instant game inexplicable. It is well known that Maroczy was a cautious played. But here, he pushed this trait to and beyond its plausible limits. Maroczy outplayed Albin from the start, and had a won game by move 21. But on at least four occasions after that, Maroczy backed off, seemingly unwilling to take even the slightest chance of losing through some sort of miscalculation. Even when he sprang a clearly winning combination on move 28, Maroczy backed off and allowed Albin to equalize. I lost track of how many times Maroczy squandered what should have been a winning game. One gets the sense that Maroczy was confident he could ultimately thrash this regular customer who would surely sooner or later throw away the game. And indeed that is exactly what happened. Maroczy obviously knew plenty about Albin. But those of us playing over the game are left with...I don't know what! Incidentally, Maroczy had been leading the field for most of the tournament until he shockingly lost to Gunsberg (one of only two Maroczy losses at Monte Carlo 1902) which allowed Pillsbury to take over the lead after 17 rounds by a half-point. Maroczy regained the lead when Pillsbury drew with Tchigorin in this round (worth only 1/4th of a point under the weird scoring system use in this tournament). When the game was replayed three days later (after Pillsbury was held to another draw by Marco), Tchigorin defeated the American, and Maroczy ended up winning the tournament by a mere 1/4th of a point. Thus, Maroczy needed to win this game to win the tournament. One could hardly guess the stakes for Maroczy here when playing out the bizarre moves in this game. 1. e4 c5
Maroczy was known as a positional player, but when he needed a win as Black, he often reverted to the Sicilian Defense. This was a fine choice here, since Albin liked to play c3 as White and quickly got an inferior game. 2. Nf3 e6
3. c3
click for larger viewThe deferred form of the Alapin Variation against the Sicilian (1. e5 c5 2. c3 being the classic version of the Alapin). As quickly becomes clear, Albin (not to be confused with Alapin) did not appear to understand how to play this normally very solid line. 3... d5
This and 3...Nf6 are the most frequently played lines against the Deferred Alapin. 4. e5?!
Playing for complications. White has a good game after the more usual 4. exd5 exd5 5. Bb5_ Nc6 6. c4. The text, however, cannot be deemed to be a true "mistake." We will have plenty of those coming up shortly. 4... Nc6
click for larger view5. Bb5
White is still not so bad with the almost universally played 5. d4 here. But Albin perhaps thought there was no harm in inverting the normal 5th and 6th moves. But... 5... Bd7
click for larger viewNow, as Albin suddenly noticed, 6. d4 would run into trouble after 6...Nxe5 since the Knight on e5 defends the d7 Bishop and 7. NxN allows 7...BxB. In sum, 6. d4 loses a pawn for scant compensation. Thus, after only five moves, Black has achieved a small edge. As I will discuss in my next post on this game, matters soon became much worse for Albin. |
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Mar-31-24
| | KEG: Post II
6. BxN
Probably as good as anything given that 6. d4 is not in the cards. White could also play 6. Na3, but that is likewise no great cause for celebration for White. 6... BxB
7. 0-0
But now d4 was in order, especially since it would have prevented Maroczy's next move: 7... d4
One of several decent choices for Black (e.g., 7...Ne7; 7...b6). but Maroczy's actual move presents the most immediate problems for White: 
click for larger view8. d3
8. cxd4 certainly looks better, but Albin--who was nearly mathematically out of the running for a high finish of any kind--seems to have played much of the game in a fog. 8... Qd7
8...dxc3 was plainly better. But Maroczy seems to have been pleased to enjoy even a small plus, rightly believing that Albin would eventually find a way to lose the game. 9. c4?
Fixing his d3 pawn as a permanent backward weakness. Had Maroczy been more vigorous in seeking to exploit this, the game would likely have been far shorter. 9. cxd4 was obviously better. The text left the position as: 
click for larger view9... Ne7
10. Bf4?
Allowed Maroczy to develop his Knight with gain of tempo. 10. Nbd2 was better. If White fancies trying to attack, 10. h4 was superior to the text, as was 10. Re1 10... Ng6
11. Bg3
click for larger view11... Be7
A calm developing move. Most other top players would likely jump at the chance to assume the initiative with 11...f5. But, as was to be the case throughout this game, Maroczy played here with an unhurried calm. 12. Nbd2 0-0
Again disdaining playing for an immediate edge with the more aggressive 12...h5 or 12...f6 or 12...f5. 13. Re1 f5
Finally taking the bull by the horns, but only after allowing Albin a couple of moves to prepare for any possible onslaught. 14. exf6 e.p. gxf6
15. Nh4 e5
click for larger viewBoth sides have staked out their respective positional claims. But Black still has a tiny edge, so Maroczy was probably happy/ 16. Qh5 NxN
17. BxN Rf7
18. Ne4 Raf8
19. f3 Rg7
click for larger viewThe last several moves were all reasonable, and Maroczy still had a small advantage while Albin certainly had a defensible albeit difficult position. But now, as I will discuss beginning in my next post on this game, the craziness began, featuring repeated weak efforts by Albin combined with Maroczy's bizarre reluctance to play f5 despite the edge it would have created for Black. |
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Apr-01-24
| | KEG: Post III
20. Kh1
Albin could and should have avoided 20...f5 by playing 20. Ng3. But: 20... Qd8?
Maroczy's exercised restraint here to such an extent that he declined to play the obvious 20...f5. But no problem, since instead of solving most of his problems with 21. Ng3 or 21. Re2, Albin gave Maroczy another chance with the awful: 21. Qh6?
click for larger view21... Rg6?
Again--mysteriously--declining to play 21...f5, which here seems to give Black clear winning chances. 22. Qd2 Kh8?
Yet again failing to play f5.
23. Bg3 Kg8
Yet another weak choice. Now, Albin could have pretty much equalized with 24. Nf2 or 24. Bh4. But, yet again, he paved the way for Maroczy to wipe him off the board by playing: 24. Re2?
click for larger viewNow surely, at long last, Maroczy would tighten the noose with the still very strong 24...f5! Right? Nope!
24... Rf7?
Albin now had several ways to hold the game (i.e., 25. Qd1; 25. Qe1; 25. Bh4 and probably some other moves as well. Instead, he here created a new potentially fatal weakness (i.e., his f-pawn) with: 25. Nf2?
click for larger viewHere, finally, Maroczy seems to have woken up and launced a powerful attack that should have won the game: 25... h5!
"...an interesting plan to break open the game." (<zydeco>) Yes indeed, and for the next several moves Maroczy played like the potential tournament-winner he truly was. 26. Nh3
I see nothing better for Albin here.
26... h4!
A lovely combination worthy of a Pillsbury or an Alekhine. Too bad Maroczy faltered just before his combo reached its logical conclusion: 
click for larger view27. Bxh4 Rh7!
The key---getting his Rook on the now-open h-file should have been crushing: 28. Bg3 RxN!
Quite lovely!
29. gxR Bxf3+
30. Kg1
30. Rg2 Qd7 would have been even worse.
After the text, the position was:
click for larger viewBlack to move and win.
But now, and perhaps with the move-30 time control spelling trouble, Maroczy missed his chance, and the game dragged on for another 28 moves, and resulted in an eventual win for Maroczy only because of further dreadful play by Albin. How much more satisfying it would have been had Maroczy crowned his fine positional combination with the logical finale. I would bet that Pillsbury or Alekhine would have blown Albin off the board from here, whether in time trouble or not. But maybe Maroczy was reluctant to take the tiniest chance against a player he no doubt still expected to defeat. |
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Apr-02-24
| | KEG: Post IV
30... BxR?
Wimping out. The winning line, which Janowski who loved his Bishops would have jumped at, begins with 30...Bf8! This allows the Black-square Bishop to enter the battle. If now 31. Rf1 (probably best for White) then 31...Bh6. The game might then continue 32. Qe1 Bc6 33. Rf5 Qd7 34. Rh5 Bf4 35. Qf2 Qg7 36. Kf1 BxB 37. hxB Rxg3 38. Rh4 Bf3 39. Rf2 Qg5 40. Rg4 (pretty much forced) BxR 41. QxR QxR 42. QxB+ Kh7 and Black should win with his extra pawn. If instead 31. Ree1 then White gets crushed quickly beginning with 31...Qd7! Bottom line, in this position, the Bishops are more valuable than the Rooks. On the other hand, Maroczy's caution allowed Albin to achieve a likely drawn game: 31. QxB
click for larger viewTrue, Albin's doubled h-pawns are an eyesore. But an outside passed pawn (or two!) always has value, and now--with best play--there is no reason Albin should lose. But Maroczy knew his victim, and sure enough he soon outplayed Albin and yet again achieved a theoretically winning position. In fairness, I should point out that--while Maroczy won all nine of his tournament games against Albin--this was only their fourth meeting. Anyway:
31... Qb6
32. Qe4 Kg7
33. b3
33. Rb1 was probably better.
33... Qc6
click for larger viewOffering a trade of Queens. This trade would have given Maroczy a slightly superior endgame. Another reasonable option for Albin was 34. Qf5. But instead he played: 34. Qe3?
And now Maroczy was off to the races:
34... Qe6!
35. h4?
Albin still had chances to hold (perhaps 35. Kf2 or 35. Re1). But after the thoughtless text, Maroczy pounced: 35... f5!
click for larger view36. h5!
The only chance for potentially saving complications: 36... Rg4
37. Rf1
Now Maroczy faced a tough decision:
click for larger view37... e4?!
Overeager. Maroczy could have retained his bind with 37...Bg5 or perhaps even with 37...Kh6. 38. Rf4!
Forced!
38... e3
38...RxR followed by 39.. Bd6 looks simpler. Suddenly, the game no longer looked like a clear win for Black. 39. Kf1!
Again forced, and leaving:
click for larger viewNow Maroczy reached the point of another key decision. |
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Apr-03-24
| | KEG: Post V
39... Bg5?
Missing the essential 39...Kh8!
Now, surely Albin would survive. But stay tuned: 40. RxR
Forced.
40... fxR
41. Qg2
Forced.
41... Qf7+
42. Ke2
Again, forced.
42... Kh6
click for larger viewNow, Albin would be fine with 43. Qd5! Instead, he committed chess suicide with: 43. h4?
Now Maroczy was back on top, and there he remained for the balance of the game: 43... gxh3 e.p.
44. Qxh3 Bf4
click for larger viewAlbin was now probably lost. But here he managed to make things even worse: 45. Be1?
The only slim chance lay in 45. Be1. But now, Maroczy could have crushed Albin with 45...Qxh5+ 46. QxQ+ KxQ 47. b4 (best) Bd6 48. bxc5 Bxc5. 45...Bc7 would likely also do the trip. But Maroczy, while no blowing the win, played the weaker: 45... Bd6
To be fair to Maroczy, there was a move-45 time control (the first after the move-30 time control) in effect at Monte Carlo 1902. So perhaps Maroczy was in time trouble. But now, having reached move 46, there should have been no further time control problems. Right? Nope.
The position was now:
click for larger view46. a3?
46. Bh4 or perhaps 46. Qg4, Albin might have had a prayer. But the text should have allowed Maroczy to close out the game, the position now being: 
click for larger viewNow the win looks simple. All Maroczy had to do was play 46...Qxh5+ since--with the Queens off the board--Black would have an easy win. But, though under no time pressure at all, Maroczy played: 46... b6?
This left:
click for larger viewOnce again, in fairness to Maroczy, this is still probably a win for Black. But this might have been a bit of a chore had Albin not now blundered away his remaining chance to try to resist and gotten wiped out (at long last) by Maroczy, as I will discuss in my next post on this game. |
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Apr-03-24
| | KEG: Post VI
47. Qf3?
If Albin wanted to play on, he had to try 47. Bh4 or 47/ Qg4. After the text, Maroczy could simply have played 47...QxQ+ 48. KxQ Kxh5 with an easy win. What Maroczy played was almost as immediately crushing: 47... Kxh5
48. QxQ+ KxQ
click for larger view49. Kf3 a5
50. Bg3
Allowing Maroczy to reduce to an easily won King and Pawn ending. There was, however, nothing much better. 50... BxB
51. KxB
click for larger viewThe rest was child's play for Maroczy.
51... Kg5
52. Kf3 Kh4
53. Ke2 Kg3
54. Kf1 Kf3
55. Ke1 e2
56. b4
click for larger viewA final desperate attempt by Albin. But Maroczy had everything calculated to the end. 56... Ke3
Locking in the White King.
57. bxa5
A dramatic but quick way to lose.
57... Kxd3
58. axb6
click for larger viewA quick way to get mated.
58... Ke3
click for larger viewNow it's mate in two. White gets a Queen, but then instantly gets mated. So... 0-1 |
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Kibitzing
sac: 28...Rxh3
