| KEG: With this spotty win, Delmar recovered after losing to Pillsbury in Round 1 and drawing with tailender Karpinski in Round 2. Thanks in part to this win, Delmar managed to share 2nd place with Napier in the final standings. Had Howell won this game--and he had the better chances for much of the contest, he (all others things being equal) would have shared third place with Delmar. For much of the game, Delmar was struggling to hold an inferior position. Ultimately, however, his decision to focus on Howell's weak e6 pawn was justified (though mainly thanks to somebad mistakes by Howell). 1. d4 d5
2. Nf3 c5
As played by Marshall in the same round in his game against Pillsbury. However, after Black 2nd move, the two games diverged wildly. 3. c3
click for larger viewAt the time of this game, this move was a staple of the opening play as White by von Scheve. The move was later adopted by Janowski, Rubinstein and Vidmar, one was once played by Capablanca. In 2019, Magnus Carslon played this move in a Rapid/Blitz tournament. Pillsbury played 3. e3 against Marshall on the day this game was played, ans obtained a good game only because Marshall played an unsound variaiton. Normal and best here is 3. c4.
3... e6
4. e3
Sufficient for equality. 4. Bf4 was more enterprising. 4... Nc6
5. Bd3 f5?!
click for larger viewHowell's 5...f5?! creates a hole at e5 and saddled him with a backward and potentially weak e-pawn. For much of the game, this presented no problem for Howell, and indeed Delmar got into trouble by trying to target e6. However, Howell later underestimated the significance of his weak e6 pawn, and this was to cost him the game. 6. Nbd2
Sound but ponderous. 6. c4 (the loss of time notwithstanding) or 6. 0-0 or maybe 6. Ne5 seem indicated. 6... Nf6
7. b3
Another sound but unambitious effort by Delmar. 7. 0-0 or 7. c4 (or, again, Ne5) were for choice. 7... Be7
Making little effort to exploit White's lethargic play with 7...cxd4 or 7...Ne4. Neither of these moves, however, would have given Black any significant edge. 8. Bb2 a6
9. h3
click for larger view9... b5?!
Beginning here, Howell played aggressively (even if not always soundly) and obtained a superior position thanks to Delmar's wooden play. 10. a4
10. dxc5 was the best chance to try to seize an advantage as a result of Howell's hazardous play. 10... b4?!
Howell would have enjoyed at least equality with the simple 10...bxa4. But Howell wanted more, and was prepared to take risks. 11. c4 Ne4
Still going all in. 11...cxd4 or 11...0-0 would have been sound and theoretically best play. 12. Rc1 0-0
13. Bb1?!
Strange play by Delmar. He would have had the superior game with 13. 0-0 or 13. cxd5. After the text, the position was:
click for larger viewThe diagram tells the tale. Delmar's play as White in this opening hardly a model to be emulated. The hole at e5 and Black's weak e6 pawn do not compensate for what ails White here. It already appears that White will have to fight to obtain a draw (as occurred in the game before Howell blundered and handed Delmar the point). | 
Kibitzing
