C89 Closed Spanish Game: Marshall Attack (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d4 Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3 15.Qf3 Bf5 16.Bxd5 cxd5)

This game shows probably one of the longest theoretical lines I have managed to play in my games. It also means that my opponent was able to play it as well and it was actually me that went out of previously played lines first. I had a good game up to move 24 but then on move 25 I messed up my position a bit and gave my opponent some chances for an equal position. He gave the advantage back to me on his 26th move and after that I was able to maintain my advantage to the end. The game below was played in the first round of the 2014 October Split II tournament at Red Hot Pawn. I have five games left to finish from the 22 games that started with this tournament. I am in fourth place but I have some chances of getting the first place in the group and advancing to the second round. I have added two mate in twos, two mate in threes and one mate in six today. Until next time, my fellow chess enthusiasts!

[Event "Split"] [Site "http://www.redhotpawn.com"] [Date "2014.10.24"] [Round "1"] [White "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Black "Blanca"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "C89"] [WhiteElo "1914"] [BlackElo "1576"] [Annotator "Tactical Analysis 2.10 (5s), TV"] [PlyCount "61"] [EventDate "2014.??.??"] 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. d4 (12. Bxd5 cxd5 13. d4 Bd6 14. Re1 Qh4 15. g3 Qh3 16. Qf3 {1/2-1/2 (25) Schaefer,F (1517)-Rondio,T (1837) Koblenz 1998}) 12... Bd6 13. Re1 Qh4 14. g3 Qh3 {C89 Spanish Game: Marshall Attack. Modern Main Line} 15. Qf3 (15. Bxd5) 15... Bf5 16. Bxd5 cxd5 {C89 Closed Spanish Game: Marshall Attack} 17. Qxd5 Rae8 $1 {[#]} 18. Re3 $2 { -2.82/24} (18. Rxe8 $2 Rxe8 19. Be3 Be4 $19) (18. Bd2 $1 $14 {0.32/21 was the only good move.} Bd3 19. Na3 Bxa3 20. bxa3 Bc4 21. Qf3 Qd7 22. Rxe8 Rxe8 23. Re1 h6 24. Rxe8+ Qxe8 25. h3 Bxa2 26. Kh2 Qe6 27. Qe3 Qc6 28. g4 Be6 29. Kg3 Qc4 30. f3 Qa2 31. Bc1 Qc2 32. Qd2 Qb3 33. h4 {Chandler,M (2595)-Nikolic,P (2600) Leningrad 1987 1/2-1/2 (54)}) 18... Rxe3 $4 {2.06/21} (18... Qh5 $19 { -2.82/24 avoids the disaster. And now ...Qd1+ would win.} 19. Qf3 (19. Qxd6 $2 Qd1+ 20. Kg2 Rxe3 $19) (19. Qb3 Bh3 20. Nd2 Rxe3 21. fxe3 Qe2 22. Qd5 Qe1+ 23. Nf1 Qxf1# {0-1 (23) Wyszomirski,K (1747)-Sawicki,W (1797) Warsaw 2013}) 19... Qxf3 20. Rxf3 Re1+ 21. Kg2 Be4) 19. Bxe3 $18 {White is clearly better.} Re8 { White must now prevent ...Be4.} 20. Qg2 $146 {1.15/25} (20. Qxd6 {gets mated.} Be4 21. Qf8+ Rxf8 22. f3 Bxf3 23. Kf2 Qg2+ 24. Ke1 Qe2#) (20. Nd2 $18 {1.84/20} Bf8 (20... Rd8 21. Bf4 Be6 22. Qg2 Bxf4 23. Qxh3 Bxh3 24. gxf4 Rd6 25. Re1 Rg6+ {1/2-1/2 (25) Schaefer,F (1517)-Rondio,T (1837) Koblenz 1998}) 21. a4) 20... Qh5 {1.65/23} (20... Qg4 $16 {1.15/25 was necessary.}) 21. Nd2 Re6 {2.56/19} ( 21... Bf8 $142 {1.61/25} 22. Qc6 Re6) 22. b3 {1.52/22} (22. Qa8+ $18 {2.56/19} Bf8 23. d5 Rxe3 24. fxe3) 22... Qg6 $2 {3.16/22} (22... h6 $16 {1.52/22} 23. a4 bxa4) 23. Qa8+ Bf8 24. c4 h5 25. h4 $2 {-0.72/25} (25. c5 $18 {3.00/21}) 25... Rxe3 $1 $17 26. fxe3 {[#] aiming for Kf2.} Bd3 $2 {4.75/21} (26... Qxg3+ $11 { -0.17/24} 27. Qg2 Qxe3+ 28. Qf2 Qh3) 27. Kg2 bxc4 28. bxc4 f6 {7.42/22} (28... Bxc4 $142 {4.16/22} 29. Nxc4 Qc2+ 30. Kg1 Qxc4) 29. Rc1 {White is clearly winning.} Kh7 30. Qxf8 Be4+ 31. Kh2 {Accuracy: White = 20%, Black = 24%.} 1-0