The Golden Move
By International Master Bryan SmithHi again!
Today, instead of seeing a whole game, we are going to see just one move. Disappointed? Well you shouldn't be. This move was considered the best move ever played. That's a matter of opinion, of course; but the fact is that spectators tossed gold coins on the board after it was played!
Why did they do that? I guess they wanted to show how impressed they were by the amazing move. I haven't heard of any spectators doing that recently. At least, nobody has thrown gold coins on my board! I am still waiting for that to happen...
This move was played by the American chess player Frank Marshall. Marshall was the champion of the United States from 1909 to 1936 - twenty seven years! That's the longest anyone has been U.S. Champion.
His famous move was played in a game as black against Stephan Levitsky in Breslau, 1912.
Marshall is up a knight, but he has a problem. His queen is under attack and if it moves White might play Rc7, threatening checkmate. Also, in some cases White might be able to take the black rook on h3. Marshall found a brilliant move which caused his opponent to resign immediately, and also caused spectators to shower the board with gold coins!
Now you yourself get a chance to find the moves Marshall planned if Levitsky had played 24.Qxg3:
Marshall himself said that 23...Qg3!! was "The most elegant move I have ever played." That's a great thing about chess - when you sit down at the board to start a game, you never know what might happen.
