Chess is a foolish expedient for making idle people believe they are doing something very clever when they are only wasting their time.
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[Event "Breslau"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1912.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Levitsky"]
[Black "Marshall, Frank"]
[Result "0-1"]
[BlackElo "0"]
[ECO "C10"]
[TimeControl "0"]
[WhiteElo "0"]
{ This game is usually considered to be the best game of Frank Marshall
because it contains what many believe to be the best move ever played on a
chess board.|Lasker or Capablanca were better players, but they had nothing
on Frank Marshall when it came to aggressive attitude, combinational skill,
and pure imagination.|It is said that the spectators showered the board with
gold coins after the incredible conclusion of this game.|Is the game worth
gold?|Does it contain the best move ever played? See for yourself. } 1. d4 e6 2. e4 d5 3. Nc3 c5 { Marshall plays a weak move that will ultimately allow
white to shred black's center. Perhaps black was hoping for tactical chances
in the resulting complex position. } 4. Nf3 Nc6 5. exd5 exd5 6. Be2 Nf6 7. O-O Be7 8. Bg5 O-O 9. dxc5 { Black's d-pawn becomes a juicy target; isolated, and
alone. } 9... Be6 { Black cannot afford the loss of his entire center. He wastes no
time bolstering the weakling. } 10. Nd4 Bxc5 11. Nxe6 { A bad idea by white.
Black reconnects a strong central pair of pawns, opens up the f- file for his
Rooks. White cannot generate counter play against the central pawns in
time. } 11... fxe6 12. Bg4 Qd6 13. Bh3 Rae8 14. Qd2 { White should have played a3 to
control the important b4 square. } 14... Bb4 { Black immediately pins the poor
Knight. } 15. Bxf6 { White deals with black's threat of Nf6-e4. } 15... Rxf6 16. Rad1 { Now white deals with the threat of d5-d4. } 16... Qc5 17. Qe2 { White sets up what
he hopes will be a simple exchange of pawns, but Marshall sees more deeply. } 17... Bxc3 18. bxc3 Qxc3 19. Rxd5 { Of course not 19... exd5 because 20. Qxe8 leads
to mate. } 19... Nd4 { Black activates his Knight while gaining time on White's
Queen.|How should white respond? } 20. Qh5 Ref8 { With the decisive threat
Rxf2. } 21. Re5 Rh6 22. Qg5 Rxh3 23. Rc5 Qg3 { There you have a move to admire.
The Queen is en prise three ways. All of which lose. } 24. Qxg3 ( { White can
try: } 24. hxg3 Ne2# ) ( { White can also try: } 24. fxg3 Ne2+ 25. Kh1 Rxf1# ) 24... Ne2+ 25. Kh1 Nxg3+ 26. Kg1 Ne2+ 27. Kh1 Rc3 { Black wins with a large material
advantage. } 0-1