Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attack and Theodore Tylor

[John Upham]

Whilst researching the life of Abe Yanofsky I read that a new line (in 1953) of the Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attack was introduced by Theodore Tylor.

I looked up all of TTs C89 games in Megabase 2023 and found zero with that Rabar Index / ECO code.

Anyone know what line it was that TT introduced?

(I'm confident Leonard will know!)

Thanks!

[John Upham]

Having examined the image of DAY analysing with Edward Lasker at Hastings 1952/3

img_0928_smaller.jpg

I have speculated that the position being examined is

Pos5.gif

Any Marshall Attack experts out there?

[Pete Morriss]

I am no expert on the Marshall, but the position in the picture looks to be that after 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. Be3 Bg4 16. Qd3 f5 17. Qf1 Qh5 18. f4 Kh8 19. Nd2 g5. I have an old (1966) monograph on the Marshall (in Swedish, which I do not read) which gives the game Aitken-Tylor (London, 1951) as continuing 20 Bxd5 cd, 21 a4 Rae8, 22 ab ab, 23 Ra6? gf! It says that Yanofsky analysed this in Chess, December 1952.

[Roger de Coverly]

I have an old (1966) monograph on the Marshall (in Swedish, which I do not read) which gives the game Aitken-Tylor (London, 1951) as continuing 20 Bxd5 cd, 21 a4 Rae8, 22 ab ab, 23 Ra6? gf! It says that Yanofsky analysed this in Chess, December 1952.

Around 30 years ago, any number of old tournament bulletins were unearthed and their contents added to databases. What didn't happen is that games from magazines particularly those in theoretical articles or otherwise influencial were given the same treatment. Aitken-Tylor being a case in point. Presumably it was a county match, London League or maybe a British Championship qualifier.

Another place to look would be Leonard Barden's Pergamon book of 1963 about the Ruy Lopez.

[John Upham]

I am grateful to Pete Morris who put me on the correct track.

In the December 1952 issue of British Chess Magazine I found game # 11,190 from board two of the 1952 National Club Championship final between Lud Eagle and Oxford University.

A tremendously exciting Marshall Attack with notes by Dr. James Macrae Aitken:

The correct position in the Yanofsky / Lasker photograph is after 19...Kh8 so my guess wasn't too terrible AND the game was not in MegaBase 2023 at the time.

OK, so here is the game in question:


[Event "National Club Championship Final"] [Site "National Chess Centre, London"] [Date "1951.11.08"] [Round "Final"] [White "Aitken, James Macrae"] [Black "Tylor, Theodore Henry"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C89"] [Annotator "Harry Golombek,British Chess News"] [PlyCount "80"] [SourceTitle "BCM, December 1952, page 350"] [WhiteTeam "Lud Eagle"] [BlackTeam "Oxford University"] {[%evp 0,9,19,38,25,7,30,29,28,3,-1,-1]} 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 (13. Re2 Qh4 14. g3 Qh5 (14... Qh3) 15. Bxd5 cxd5 16. Qd3 $146 Bf5 17. Qd2 Bh3 18. f4 Rae8 19. Rf2 Re3 $1 20. Na3 Rfe8 21. Nc2 {RMW Butler (Scotland) vs NP Littlewood (England), BCM, 1951, page 234, game # 10,864 from Glorney Cup, 1951.} Re2 $1 {and White resigned} 22. Rxe2 (22. Qd3 Re1+) (22. Qd1 Rxf2) 22... Rxe2 23. Qd3 Rg2+ 24. Kh1 Rxh2+ 25. Kxh2 Bf5+) 13... Qh4 14. g3 Qh3 15. Be3 Bg4 16. Qd3 f5 {[#]} (16... Bf5 17. Qd2) 17. Qf1 $146 ({Relevant:} 17. f4 {In a recent issue of Chess Archives, Euwe, after giving the moves up to this point as the best line for White, continues 17 f4 only playing Qf1 later if necessary. But I do not think this can make much difference to the evaluation of the position and the line suggested could easily transpose into the game.} Kh8 18. Bxd5 cxd5 19. Nd2 Rg8 20. Qf1 Qh5 21. a4 Qe8 22. axb5 Qxb5 23. Qxb5 axb5 24. Kf2 Bh5 25. Nf3 Rgb8 26. Bd2 Bf7 27. h3 Kg8 28. g4 fxg4 29. hxg4 Be8 30. f5 h5 31. Ne5 hxg4 32. Kg3 g6 33. Kxg4 gxf5+ 34. Kxf5 Rxa1 35. Rxa1 b4 36. Rg1+ Kh7 37. Rh1+ Kg8 38. cxb4 Bxb4 39. Bg5 Rb7 40. Bf6 Rh7 41. Ra1 Rb7 42. Rg1+ {1-0 Euwe,M-Donner,J NED-ch15 Amsterdam 1950 (11)}) 17... Qh5 18. f4 g5 (18... Kh8 19. Nd2 g5 20. Bxd5 cxd5 21. a4 Rae8 22. axb5 axb5 23. Ra6 gxf4 24. Bxf4) 19. Nd2 (19. fxg5 f4 20. Bxf4 (20. gxf4 Rf5) 20... Rf5 {Black regains at least one pawn and his attack increases in violence.}) 19... Kh8 {This position appears in the photograph of Yanofsky and Edward Lasker from Hastings 1952/53.} 20. Bxd5 cxd5 21. a4 (21. fxg5 {is met as before but even more effectively. I believed a Queen-side diversion was now essential.}) 21... Rae8 22. axb5 axb5 $16 23. Ra6 $2 {This was a mistake} ({The consolidating} 23. Qf2 {should have been tried}) ({or} 23. fxg5 $1) 23... Bh3 {Black here fails to take advantage of White's error.} ({The idea of Ra6 was, if for example} 23... Bb8 {to play} 24. Ra8 Rg8 25. Rxb8 $1 Rxb8 26. fxg5 Rge8 27. Bf4) (23... gxf4 {appears to win quickly with the variations:} 24. Rxd6 (24. gxf4 Bh3 {and wins!}) (24. Bxf4 Bh3 ({better than} 24... Bxf4 25. Rxe8 Rxe8 26. Qxf4) 25. Rxe8 (25. Qf2 Bxf4 {wins}) 25... Rxe8 {which is more incisive than} (25... Bxf1 26. Rxf8+ Bxf8 27. Be5+ Kg8 28. Nxf1 {with a good equivalent for the Queen.}) 26. Qf3 Re1+ 27. Kf2 Bg4 28. Qd3 Re2+ 29. Qxe2 Qxh2+ {and wins}) 24... fxe3 25. Nb3 f4 26. gxf4 Rg8 {and wins}) ({Stockfish suggests} 23... Rf6 24. Qf2 Rfe6 $17 25. Raa1 gxf4 26. Bxf4 Re2 $17) 24. Qf3 {This is forced but is actually quite strong as the transition to the ending suits White, who should now be out of danger.} ({If} 24. Qf2 {then} gxf4 {wins at once.}) 24... Qxf3 25. Nxf3 gxf4 26. Rxd6 ({Also playable are} 26. Bxf4) ({or better} 26. gxf4 Rg8+ 27. Ng5 {when all the forcing lines are good for White. e.g. if} Bxf4 28. Bxf4 Rxe1+ 29. Kf2 $16 {but I believed the text stronger and I believe correctly so.}) 26... Rxe3 {[#]} ({here} 26... fxe3 27. Ng5 Bg4 28. Re6 {is in White's favour}) 27. Rxe3 $2 $15 {Possibly the losing move - at any rate after this White is always struggling} ({The simple} 27. Kf2 $18 {wins for White as Black cannot defend his many weak pawns}) 27... fxe3 28. Ng5 {Overlooking the pretty reply but in any case it is difficult for White.} (28. Rh6 $1 Bg4 29. Ne1 (29. Ng5 $2 Ra8 $1 $19) (29. Kg2 e2 30. Re6 f4 31. Rxe2 fxg3 32. Re3 Bxf3+ {wins the pawn ending}) 29... f4 30. gxf4 Kg7 31. Rd6 $11) (28. Re6 f4 $19) 28... Ra8 $1 29. Rd8+ ({As the knight vs bishop ending is a forced loss a better practical chance would have been given by} 29. Nxh3 Ra1+ 30. Kg2 e2 31. Re6 e1=Q 32. Rxe1 Rxe1 33. Nf4 Rc1 34. Nxd5 Rc2+ 35. Kf3 Rxb2 {and the Black pawns are so weak that he will have to struggle to make the material plus tell.}) 29... Rxd8 30. Nf7+ Kg7 31. Nxd8 Kf6 32. Nc6 f4 33. Nb4 Ke6 34. Nd3 {[#]} fxg3 $1 {This turn forces the issue} 35. hxg3 ({If now} 35. Nf4+ Kf5 36. Nxd5 e2 37. Ne3+ Kf4 38. Nc2 Bf5 39. Ne1 Be4 {and White is helpless.}) 35... Kf5 36. Nf4 Kg4 37. Nxd5 Kf3 38. Nb4 e2 39. Nd3 Bf5 40. Ne1+ Kxg3 {and White resigned for the rooks pawn runs through to force a mate. This games suggests that the Marshall Attack has still more venom than is conceded by modern opening theory.} 0-1

Enjoy!

I was able to add this game to my BCN article on Tylor.

[LawrenceCooper]

I am grateful to Pete Morris who put me on the correct track.

In the December 1952 issue of British Chess Magazine I found game # 11,190 from board two of the 1952 National Club Championship final between Lud Eagle and Oxford University.

A tremendously exciting Marshall Attack with notes by Dr. James Macrae Aitken:

The correct position in the Yanofsky / Lasker photograph is after 19...Kh8 so my guess wasn't too terrible AND the game was not in MegaBase 2023 at the time.

OK, so here is the game in question:


[Event "National Club Championship Final"] [Site "National Chess Centre, London"] [Date "1951.11.08"] [Round "Final"] [White "Aitken, James Macrae"] [Black "Tylor, Theodore Henry"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C89"] [Annotator "Harry Golombek,British Chess News"] [PlyCount "80"] [SourceTitle "BCM, December 1952, page 350"] [WhiteTeam "Lud Eagle"] [BlackTeam "Oxford University"] {[%evp 0,9,19,38,25,7,30,29,28,3,-1,-1]} 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 (13. Re2 Qh4 14. g3 Qh5 (14... Qh3) 15. Bxd5 cxd5 16. Qd3 $146 Bf5 17. Qd2 Bh3 18. f4 Rae8 19. Rf2 Re3 $1 20. Na3 Rfe8 21. Nc2 {RMW Butler (Scotland) vs NP Littlewood (England), BCM, 1951, page 234, game # 10,864 from Glorney Cup, 1951.} Re2 $1 {and White resigned} 22. Rxe2 (22. Qd3 Re1+) (22. Qd1 Rxf2) 22... Rxe2 23. Qd3 Rg2+ 24. Kh1 Rxh2+ 25. Kxh2 Bf5+) 13... Qh4 14. g3 Qh3 15. Be3 Bg4 16. Qd3 f5 {[#]} (16... Bf5 17. Qd2) 17. Qf1 $146 ({Relevant:} 17. f4 {In a recent issue of Chess Archives, Euwe, after giving the moves up to this point as the best line for White, continues 17 f4 only playing Qf1 later if necessary. But I do not think this can make much difference to the evaluation of the position and the line suggested could easily transpose into the game.} Kh8 18. Bxd5 cxd5 19. Nd2 Rg8 20. Qf1 Qh5 21. a4 Qe8 22. axb5 Qxb5 23. Qxb5 axb5 24. Kf2 Bh5 25. Nf3 Rgb8 26. Bd2 Bf7 27. h3 Kg8 28. g4 fxg4 29. hxg4 Be8 30. f5 h5 31. Ne5 hxg4 32. Kg3 g6 33. Kxg4 gxf5+ 34. Kxf5 Rxa1 35. Rxa1 b4 36. Rg1+ Kh7 37. Rh1+ Kg8 38. cxb4 Bxb4 39. Bg5 Rb7 40. Bf6 Rh7 41. Ra1 Rb7 42. Rg1+ {1-0 Euwe,M-Donner,J NED-ch15 Amsterdam 1950 (11)}) 17... Qh5 18. f4 g5 (18... Kh8 19. Nd2 g5 20. Bxd5 cxd5 21. a4 Rae8 22. axb5 axb5 23. Ra6 gxf4 24. Bxf4) 19. Nd2 (19. fxg5 f4 20. Bxf4 (20. gxf4 Rf5) 20... Rf5 {Black regains at least one pawn and his attack increases in violence.}) 19... Kh8 {This position appears in the photograph of Yanofsky and Edward Lasker from Hastings 1952/53.} 20. Bxd5 cxd5 21. a4 (21. fxg5 {is met as before but even more effectively. I believed a Queen-side diversion was now essential.}) 21... Rae8 22. axb5 axb5 $16 23. Ra6 $2 {This was a mistake} ({The consolidating} 23. Qf2 {should have been tried}) ({or} 23. fxg5 $1) 23... Bh3 {Black here fails to take advantage of White's error.} ({The idea of Ra6 was, if for example} 23... Bb8 {to play} 24. Ra8 Rg8 25. Rxb8 $1 Rxb8 26. fxg5 Rge8 27. Bf4) (23... gxf4 {appears to win quickly with the variations:} 24. Rxd6 (24. gxf4 Bh3 {and wins!}) (24. Bxf4 Bh3 ({better than} 24... Bxf4 25. Rxe8 Rxe8 26. Qxf4) 25. Rxe8 (25. Qf2 Bxf4 {wins}) 25... Rxe8 {which is more incisive than} (25... Bxf1 26. Rxf8+ Bxf8 27. Be5+ Kg8 28. Nxf1 {with a good equivalent for the Queen.}) 26. Qf3 Re1+ 27. Kf2 Bg4 28. Qd3 Re2+ 29. Qxe2 Qxh2+ {and wins}) 24... fxe3 25. Nb3 f4 26. gxf4 Rg8 {and wins}) ({Stockfish suggests} 23... Rf6 24. Qf2 Rfe6 $17 25. Raa1 gxf4 26. Bxf4 Re2 $17) 24. Qf3 {This is forced but is actually quite strong as the transition to the ending suits White, who should now be out of danger.} ({If} 24. Qf2 {then} gxf4 {wins at once.}) 24... Qxf3 25. Nxf3 gxf4 26. Rxd6 ({Also playable are} 26. Bxf4) ({or better} 26. gxf4 Rg8+ 27. Ng5 {when all the forcing lines are good for White. e.g. if} Bxf4 28. Bxf4 Rxe1+ 29. Kf2 $16 {but I believed the text stronger and I believe correctly so.}) 26... Rxe3 {[#]} ({here} 26... fxe3 27. Ng5 Bg4 28. Re6 {is in White's favour}) 27. Rxe3 $2 $15 {Possibly the losing move - at any rate after this White is always struggling} ({The simple} 27. Kf2 $18 {wins for White as Black cannot defend his many weak pawns}) 27... fxe3 28. Ng5 {Overlooking the pretty reply but in any case it is difficult for White.} (28. Rh6 $1 Bg4 29. Ne1 (29. Ng5 $2 Ra8 $1 $19) (29. Kg2 e2 30. Re6 f4 31. Rxe2 fxg3 32. Re3 Bxf3+ {wins the pawn ending}) 29... f4 30. gxf4 Kg7 31. Rd6 $11) (28. Re6 f4 $19) 28... Ra8 $1 29. Rd8+ ({As the knight vs bishop ending is a forced loss a better practical chance would have been given by} 29. Nxh3 Ra1+ 30. Kg2 e2 31. Re6 e1=Q 32. Rxe1 Rxe1 33. Nf4 Rc1 34. Nxd5 Rc2+ 35. Kf3 Rxb2 {and the Black pawns are so weak that he will have to struggle to make the material plus tell.}) 29... Rxd8 30. Nf7+ Kg7 31. Nxd8 Kf6 32. Nc6 f4 33. Nb4 Ke6 34. Nd3 {[#]} fxg3 $1 {This turn forces the issue} 35. hxg3 ({If now} 35. Nf4+ Kf5 36. Nxd5 e2 37. Ne3+ Kf4 38. Nc2 Bf5 39. Ne1 Be4 {and White is helpless.}) 35... Kf5 36. Nf4 Kg4 37. Nxd5 Kf3 38. Nb4 e2 39. Nd3 Bf5 40. Ne1+ Kxg3 {and White resigned for the rooks pawn runs through to force a mate. This games suggests that the Marshall Attack has still more venom than is conceded by modern opening theory.} 0-1

Enjoy!

I was able to add this game to my BCN article on Tylor.

I thought this line looked familiar, I had it as black against John Nunn in 1987 and John Emms in 1989. Both played 23 Qf2.