Marshall's Chess "Swindles" Comprising Over One Hundred and Twenty-five of his Best Tournament and Match Games at Chess

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Marshall's Chess "Swindles" Comprising Over One Hundred and Twenty-five of his Best Tournament and Match Games at Chess

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Author: Frank James Marshall (1877-1944) inscribed by the author

Year: 1914

Publisher: American Chess Bulletin

Place: New York

Description:

[vii]+130+[vi index] pages with frontispiece, diagrams, errata an index. Royal octavo (9 1/4" x 6") bound in original publisher's burgundy cloth with gilt lettering to cover. Inscribed by the author. (Betts: 29-71) First edition.

Contains an introduction, opening analysis and 127 games with indexes of openings and players.

Frank James Marshall was the U.S. Chess Champion from 1909 to 1936, and one of the world's strongest chess players in the early part of the 20th century. He began playing chess at the age of 10, and by 1890 (aged 13) was one of the leading players in Montreal.

He won the 1904 Cambridge Springs International Chess Congress (scoring 13/15, ahead of World Champion Emanuel Lasker) and the U.S. Congress in 1904, but did not get the national title because the U.S. champion at that time, Harry Nelson Pillsbury, did not compete. In 1906 Pillsbury died and Marshall again refused the championship title until he won it in competition in 1909.

In 1907 he played a match against World Champion Emanuel Lasker for the title and lost eight games, winning none and drawing seven. They played their match in New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Chicago, and Memphis from January 26 to April 8, 1907. In 1909 he agreed to play a match with then young Cuban chess player José Capablanca and, to most people's surprise, lost eight games, drew fourteen, and won only one. After this defeat, Marshall did not resent Capablanca; instead, he realized the young man had immense talent and deserved recognition. The American champion worked hard to ensure Capablanca had the chance to play at the highest levels of competition. Marshall insisted that Capablanca be permitted to enter the San Sebastián tournament in 1911, an exclusive championship promising to be one of the strongest yet in history. Despite much protest at his inclusion, Capablanca won the tournament.

Condition:

Inscribed and dated "1917" on the front end paper. Spine ends rubbed through, corners bumped and rubbed through, soiled, edge wear