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| Marshall
vs. Torre
One of the interesting attractions of the Dimock Theme
Tournament is the insight it gives us into the friendly rivalry
between Frank Marshall and Carlos Torre. Marshall accompanied
Torre on his European tour in 1925 (which took them to Baden-Baden,
Moscow,
and Marienbad)
and acted as something of a mentor to him. And Torre said
of Marshall that he was a "fine person and great friend."
But when they met over the board, it was generally
a fight to the death (see Game
1).
With only one exception (their
meeting at Baden-Baden, where Torre seems to have accepted
a draw by repetition in a slightly advantageous position),
the games between the two were very hard fought. Half of them
had a decisive result, and it is worth noting that Torre held
a clear advantage in their meetings: +3, =4, -1.
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Torre's advantage may have been due to his better opening
preparation and Marshall's rather dubious embrace of development
over material. Torre did especially well whenever he was able
to lure Marshall into playing a positional or hypermodern line,
where Marshall usually tried to play more aggressively than
the position dictated. In the open games, Marshall generally
held his own.
Their
play reflects a clash of styles, between members of the old
and new schools. Marshall clearly represented an older and
more romantic style while Torre represented the emerging hypermodern
approach to the game. The eight games below can be seen as
constituting a match between the two generations of chess
players in the 1920s.
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Black to move after 22.hxg3.
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Carlos
Torre
vs.
Frank James Marshall
Dimock
Theme Tournament, New York 1924
Marshall transposes to the Two Knights Defense
with 3....exd4 4.Nf3 Nc6 and Torre chooses the Perreux
Variation with 5.Ng5. An ending is soon reached where
Black has an isolated pawn on the open e-file but has
managed to damage White's pawn formation as well.
In
the diagram, it is Black to play. Marshall has just
exchanged off the remaining minor pieces with 21....Nxg3+
22.hxg3 leaving an instructive Rook ending. Material
is equal, but Black's pawns are better than White's,
giving him the advantage. Rook endings depend, though,
on piece activity and it appears that White's Rook is
keeping Black's tied to the defense of the pawn at e5.
How should Black proceed?
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Black to move after 9...O-O 10.Bd3?
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Frank
James Marshall
vs.
Carlos Torre
Dimock Theme Tournament,
New York 1924
The second meeting between Marshall and Torre
is a fascinating struggle in the Urusov Gambit. Marshall
misses the best line of play in the opening but continues
to make it difficult for Torre to consolidate his pawn
advantage well into the ending. Eventually, though,
Torre finds the way to win.
In
the diagram, it is Black to play after 9....O-O 10.Bd3?
What should Marshall have played instead of 10.Bc4-d3?
And what defensive plan does Torre discover in this
position?
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Black to move after 6....Bf2+ 7.Kd1.
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Carlos
Torre
vs.
Frank James Marshall
Dimock
Theme Tournament 1925
In
the second Dimock Theme Tournament that Marshall and
Torre participated in, in January and February of 1925,
the theme was the Vienna Gambit, 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4
d5. Marshall denies White the right to castle in the
opening and slowly begins to build an advantage that
includes a passed pawn. But Torre is able to pull out
a draw by repetition late in the game.
In
the diagrammed position, Black has just forced the White
King to move. But now his two minor pieces are in danger.
How does Marshall extricate his Bishop without losing
material?
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Black to move after 4.b3.
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Frank
James Marshall
vs.
Carlos Torre
en route to America from
Baden-Baden
Marshall and Torre likely played a large number
of offhand games. The following game is suggestive of
how tactically interesting these encounters may have
been. It was played on their way together across the
Atlantic by ship (the only way to travel in 1924) on
their way to the Baden-Baden tournament.
Torre's
"Two Knights Tango" has invited Marshall's
pawns to advance with the potential to weaken his dark
squares. How did Torre begin an attack on those squares
to quickly win?
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Black to move after 12....cxd4 13.exd4.
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Frank
James Marshall
vs.
Carlos Torre
Baden-Baden
1925
Marshall
adopts a rather classical stonewall formation against
which Torre's flexible King's Indian formation allows
for more room to maneuver. Torre plays the opening in
a more aggressive style than Marshall and eventually
begins to gain the advantage. But just when he seems
to be gaining the initiative, Torre accepts a draw by
repetition.
In the diagram, it is Black to move. White has
claimed space in the center in classical fashion by
advancing his pawns, while Torre has held back his center
pawns and established control over the center from afar
with his pieces in hypermodern style. Torre to move
tries to show that Marshall's light squares are weak
and his pawns are potential targets. What does he do?
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White to move after 29....Bd5.
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Carlos
Torre
vs.
Frank James Marshall
Marienbad
1925
Marshall plays the opening rather inaccurately,
allowing Torre to gain material. But he then struggles
back to equality and holds a draw through tenacious
maneuvers.
In
the diagram, it's Torre to move as White. How can he
win a pawn and make it difficult for Marshall to draw?
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Black to move and win after 32.Bf2.
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Frank
James Marshall
vs.
Carlos Torre
Moscow
1925
Once
again, Marshall plays the opening rather poorly, allowing
Torre to gain the initiative.
In
the diagram, it is Torre as Black to play after 31....Rb3
32.Bf2? White's last move is a blunder. How can Black
win material and the game? Black to play and win.
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White to move after 11...Qc7.
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Carlos
Torre
vs.
Frank James Marshall
Chicago
1926
Marshall
plays the opening aggressively as Black, with no regard
for material. Though he gains an edge in development,
it really is inadequate compensation for his lost pawn.
In
the diagram, Torre can begin an attack that will either
win material or force Black into major positional concessions.
It all begins with a surprising and seemingly loosening
move. White to play and win.
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The
New York International Tournament>>>
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