Harold Morton vs Arthur Dake (1936)

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Harold Morton vs Arthur Dake
United States Championship (1936), New York, NY USA, rd 2, Apr-26
Trompowsky Attack: General (A45) · 0-1

White to move.

ANALYSIS [x]

0-1

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Jan-08-22		KEG: A fairly easy--but nice-- win for Dake against the weak play of Morton. 1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5 Trompowsky before Trompowsky. Morton, like Janowski and Bogoljubow after him, often played this move (as--of course--did Trompowsky). 2... d5 At least as good as the more usual 2...Ne4. 3. Nd2 click for larger view This move which was employed later here by Bogoljubow was also a Morton favorite. It is certainly playable, but I find it ugly and awkward. 3... Nbd7 Another entirely playable move that ain't my style. 3...c5 looks more logical, but Dake and others would disagree. 4. e3 Apparently a novelty at the time. It is hardly bad, but I much prefer 4. Ngf3. 4... e5! Logical, sound, and strong play by Dake, but which only gives Black a tiny edge: click for larger view 5. dxe5 Nxe5 6. Ngf3 Bd6 6...NxN+ and 6...h6 are probably somewhat stronger. click for larger view 7. a3 Another playable but clearly inferior effort from Morton. 7. c4 seems to stand out a mile, and was Morton's last chance to equalize. Why would Morton as White select this opening variation--especially in one of his favorite openings? 7... h6 8. Bh4 0-0 9. c4 Better late than never. 9... Ng6 10. BxN QxB click for larger view 11. Qb3 Continuing his adoption of inferior but playable choices. Here, 11. cxd5 was best for White. 11... dxc4 12. Bxc4 Ne5 click for larger view 13. NxN This exchange did little to advance the White cause. 13. 0-0 was best and leaves White in a slightly inferior position but with no terribly serious problems. After the text, Morton--though far from lost--began a rapid descent towards a strategically lost game. 13... BxN click for larger view As I will discuss in my next post on this game, with his next few moves Morton ruined his as yet salvageable position until he was dead lost.

Jan-08-22		KEG: Post II 14. 0-0-0?! What was he thinking? This puts his King in jeopardy with little to show for it. If he wanted to castle, 14. 0-0 was reasonable. But best for White here was 14. Ne4 with every chance to emerge unscathed. 14... b5 "!"--(Dake) "This move begins the winning process. I was particularly glad to find such a combination in this game." (Dake) The move is indeed excellent, but it is certainly premature to speak of Black yet having a won game (for that we need to wait for Morton's next awful move, the position now being: click for larger view 15. f4? Now Morton's position is indeed beyond saving. He had to try 15. Ne4. Of course, not 15. Bxb5?? Be6! would be a catastrophe for White (e.g., 16. Qc2 Rab8) 15... bxB Even stronger was the desperato move 15...Bxf4. 16. fxB Qxe5 17. Nc4 click for larger view 17... Qc5? Giving Morton a chance. Much stronger and probably winning were 17...Qg5 or 17...Qh5. 18. Qc3? Now White was definitely lost. His best chance lay in 18. Rd4. 18... Be6 19. Rd4 Rad8 This left: click for larger view 20. Rhd1 Morton's last chance to offer serious resistance was 20. Nd2. What followed from here was a massacre. 20... RxR 21. RxR click for larger view 21... Qh5! Turning the screw. White is busted. 22. h3? This only made matters worse for White. The best tries were 22. b3 pr 22. Rd2 or maybe 22. e4 . But now Dake had a quick and brutal path to victory: 22... Qe2! click for larger view I will cover the mop-up operation from here in my next and final post on this game.

Jan-09-22		KEG: Post III 23. Nd2 23. Ne5 or 25. e4 or 25. b3 were arguably better, but the game was gone anyway. 24... Qxg2 click for larger view Morton could have safely resigned here, but he chose to suffer for a bit longer. 25. h4 25. Qxc7 runs into 25...Qg1+ (not 25...Rc8? with the idea of skewering the Queen since White would then have 26. Rd8+ RxR 27. QxR+ with some chances of survival). 25... c5 26. Ra4? This should have allowed Dake to end the game instantly. If Morton wanted to play on for a while, he had--objectively--to play 26. Rd3. The position after 26. Ra4? was: click for larger view 25... Rd8 This wins, of course, but the immediate killer was 25...Qh1+ 26. Kc2 Bf5+ 27. e4 (27. Kb3 runs into 27...Qd1+) Bg4. 26. Rf4 Qe2 click for larger view 27. Rf1 The fastest way to lose, but in fairness 27. Qc2 Bg4 or 27. Kc2 g5 were no picnic for White either. 27... RxN Winning a piece and the game. And 27...Rd3 would have been even more brutal. 28. Rg1 As hopeless as anything: click for larger view Morton's King had been in the line of fire since 14. 0-0-0. Now, it's exposed position allowed Dake to conclude the game with: 28... Rc2+ 0-1 If 29. QxR (the only way to avoid immediate mate) Qxe3+ 30. Qd2 QxR+. All in all, a fine game by Dake.

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