Customer Reviews

The Marshall Attack: Incorporating the Anti-Marshall Lines

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The Marshall Attack is a pretty common opening, especially at GM level. It has become highly theoretical and heavily analzyed. Naturally, we would expect that a treatise on the Marshall would take one of two approaches. The first (the novice-oriented way) would include showing basic plans for both sides, a few pages of text and diagrams of typical positions, and then some games explained "move-by-move". The second would have the author gives reams of rote analysis which becomes incomprehensible to anyone below the titled level. Where does Lalic's work stand? Far below the first option.

Let's run over the variations he talks about. The first, the "Old main line" which occurs after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.c3 d5 (initiating the Marshall) 9.ed Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d4 Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3 15.Be3... That is a lot of theory, but most of the moves are forced or "regular" Ruy moves. However, as the chapter begins, Lalic shows these moves, gives the resultant position, and then jumps right into a game. Why did I play 15.Be3? I dunno. What is my plan as white? Good question. What kinds of moves am I going to use as black to attack the white king? Even better question. Perhaps an oversight from the author. However, there is more missing. In many games, for example Kamsky-Anand, there are 10 moves given in a row which have no separate explanation. We're talking deep moves, not forced, "only moves", which definitely require us to be led by the author. It's disheartening to get led through by that and then have the author say "and now Anand has prepared a forcing continuation to give perpetual check", when we have no clue why the previous moves were played.

Moving on to some other variations. The Steiner line, which I took a particular liking to, is supposed to be "much" better for white (it has fallen into disuse recently). The author shows a myriad of games played where white doesn't play 11.d4! (the best move), which black wins handily. Alright, the author could probably have shown us half the games and just listed the other game notations under variations. But maybe that's a preference thing. The problem is that he only shows ONE game where white plays the preferential line. Black plays somewhat unnatural, unforced moves and the game ends up a draw after all. One game in the very best line? Yeah right.

The anti-Marshall is pretty popular, and the author spends a lot of time on it. I still don't know why white plays 8.h3, 9.d3, or 10.a3 yet, as these ideas are never elucidated in the text. I'm not sure what white should do after 8.h3 d5, which gets played a lot at the amateur level. If you're going to show the ANTI-MARSHALL, you should probably explain why it is an anti-Marshall, not just that you play a line of moves. There is also no good suggestion for black to play against this either, as most of the games in the anti-Marshall are big wins for white, or white playing weaker lines. When it gets to the critical lines, black always loses. That's not a great help.

The whole work feels really rushed. I don't want to give it three stars even though I still really like the Marshall. The book simply is not good at explaining the ideas behind the opening and leaves too much puzzlement in ANY reader (as an expert, I find it hard to believe that any lower-rated player could survive this book). The games are fun to play through, but as a study tool? No thanks.

It sure is fun to play the Marshall attack with Black! You get plenty of shots against the White King. There are clear chances to win against a strong opponent with Black, since all it takes is one mistake by White.

But I play this for White, not for Black. One reason is that White does not have to let you play the Marshall. Even after 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 a6, White can simply play the Exchange Variation. And if White does play 4 Ba4 Nf6 5 0-0 Be7 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 0-0 you'll still be as likely as not to wind up in some sort of anti-Marshall.

This fine book tells us all where the Marshall stands as of early 2003.

First, there is the "old main line" with 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. Black is trying to get in 16...f5 and then ...f4. That does not work on move 16! So the line goes 16...Rae8 17 Nd2 Re6 18 a4 bxa4 (Lalic does not say so explicitly, but 18...f5 19 axb5 looks like it wins for White) 19 Rxa4 f5 20 Qf1 Qh5. Black has good chances to survive here.

Next is the line I play, 15 Re4 g5 16 Qf3, which gives both sides chances, although a draw is a typical result.

Chapter three gives a similar idea for White: 12 d3 Bd6 13 Re1 Qh4 14 g3 Qh3 15 Re4. Now the White rook is defended, so Black can't try 15...g5 any more. So we get lines like 15...Qf5 16 Nd2 Qg6 17 Re1 f5, after which Black has good chances to live.

The next chapter discusses 12 g3 and other options on White's 12th and 13th moves. Black is okay with proper play. After that, we examine an important issue: alternatives to 11...c6. 11...Nb4, 11...Nb6, and 11...Nf6 (the original Marshall) do not work. But 11... Bb7 offers some chances for Black, although I think White is doing rather well after 12 Qf3 Bd6 13 Bxd5.

Chapter 6 deals with the unsound Steiner Variation, namely 9...e4. White is much better after 10 dxc6 exf3 11 d4 fxg2 12 Bg5. This is a tricky line, and if White wants to allow the Marshall, she has to be prepared for it.

Now we get into a variety of anti-Marshalls. The first is 8 h3, where an interesting possiblity for Black is 8...Bb7 9 d3 d6 10 a3 Na7. Lalic gives one of his games where he played this for Black. Next is 8 a4, where Lalic recommends 8...Bb7 9 d3 Re8. After that, we see 8 d4 Nxd4 9 Nxd4 exd4 10 e5 Ne8 with the idea ...Bb7. And we see that Black can survive 8 d3 d6 9 c3 Na5 10 Bc2 c5, with the idea of transferring the Kinght from f6 to the Queenside.

The final variation is a little surprise from White: 8 c3 d5 9 d4. Black can get enough counterplay with 9...exd4 10 e5 Ne4.

I recommend this book for those interested in playing either side of this exciting defence.

Be warned that this book has a bad reputation in chess circles. I will not repeat the criticisms of another reviewer, even though those criticisms are valid. My main concern with this book is that the analysis and assessments are faulty. Running these lines through a modern chess program like Rybka3 finds countless serious mistakes. Now I know that chess programs in 2003 were not as good as they are today, but some of Lalic's errors are very basic, to the point where you can spot them yourself. Obviously many lines were not computer checked or analysed thoroughly.
Unfortunately each chapter uses the poor method of simply providing several illustrative games. So the entire Main Line is represented by a mere 6 games, complete with several inaccuracies on both sides. The net value of this is next to useless.
This book looks like a rushed job. I recommend you avoid it.
By the way, I play the marshall and like it, but prospective players should be aware of a couple of things. Firstly, many players avoid the gambit and play "anti-Marshalls". Secondly, its long-standing reputation as a drawing weapon has not changed. Best play in many lines often leads to a forced draw. This is the real reason why Kasparov never allowed the Marshall to be played against him. It wasn't that he was scared of it - he didn't want the draw.