Max Lange attack

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Max Lange attack: basic position after 6. e4 – e5

The Max-Lange attack is a gambit opening of the game of chess, which can emerge from various open games by changing moves . The variant was first described by Max Lange in the Deutsche Schachzeitung in 1854 and was very popular until the beginning of the 20th century. The position is subsequently assigned to the two-knight game and bears the ECO code C55 . Black can avoid it by using the Anti-Lange variant ( C56 ).

Emergence

After the moves 1. e2 – e4 e7 – e5 2. Ng1 – f3 Nb8 – c6 the position can result from

• 3. Bf1 – c4 Ng8 – f6 , followed by the double knight game. 4. d2 – d4 The move 4. Nf3 – g5 leads to the Prussian game . 4.… e5xd4 5. 0–0 Bf8 – c5 The main alternative 5 ..…. Nf6xe4 is the Anti-Lange variant . 6. e4 – e5 .
• 3. Bf1 – c4 Bf8 – c5 , the Italian game . 4. d2 – d4 e5xd4 Black has the alternative 4.… Bc5xd4. 5. 0–0 Ng8 – f6 6. e4 – e5 .
• 3. d2 – d4 e5xd4 4. Bf1 – c4 , the Scottish Gambit . 4.… Bf8 – c5 5. 0–0 Ng8 – f6 6. e4 – e5 .

Main variants

With the advance e4 – e5 White attacks the Nf6 and wants to open the e-file for his rook. Black, on the other hand, can insist on the current extra pawn, and thus an overweight in the center.

a) 6.… Nf6 – g4 is the Steinitz variant , according to which the game is played with 7. Bc1 – f4 d7 – d6 8. e5xd6 Bc5xd6 9. Rf1 – e1 + Ke8 – f8 10. Bf4xd6 Qd8xd6 11. c2 – c3 and easy white Advantage can be continued.

b) 6.… d7 – d5! 7. e5xf6 d5xc4

ba) 8. Rf1 – e1 + Bc8 – e6 According to Lev Gutman , 8.… Ke8 – f8 is better, whereupon White can keep the position balanced with 9. Nf3 – g5. 9. Nf3 – g5 Qd8 – d5 10. Nb1 – c3 Qd5 – f5 11. Nc3 – e4 This move is named after Frank James Marshall , who won with it in 1910 in Hamburg against Siegbert Tarrasch . But it was played in Berlin in 1897 by Michail Iwanowitsch Tschigorin against Adolf Albin . 11.… 0–0–0 The possibility of 11.… Bc5 – f8 is called the Rubinstein variant. 12. g2 – g4 Qf5 – e5 13. Ng5xe6 f7xe6 14. f6xg7 Rh8 – g8 15. Bc1 – h6 d4 – d3 16. c2 – c3 is scored as even .

bb) 8. f6xg7 Rh8-g8

bba) 9. Bc1 – g5 Bc5 – e7 In 1854, Lange considered this move to be the best. Most games were played like this, but there is also the possibility of 9.… f7 – f6 10. Rf1 – e1 + Ke8 – f7. 10. Bg5xe7 Ke8xe7 and now 11. b2 – b4 as in the game János Balogh - László Szabó , Hungary 1946, which ended in move 49

or 11. Rf1 – e1 + Bc8 – e6 with transition to bbb).

bbb) 9. Rf1 – e1 + Bc8 – e6 10. Bc1 – g5 Bc5 – e7 11. Bg5xe7 + Ke8xe7 is the most exact move, and now 12. Nb1 – d2 Qd8 – d5 13. b2 – b3 with which Jacques Mieses against Richard Teichmann 1909 in Saint Petersburg lost after an inaccurate game in 25 moves, or 12. Re1 – e4 , a move with White in the game Hans Fahrni - Savielly Tartakower , Baden-Baden 1914 lost on move 41, but that since Carl Schlechter's editing of the manual of the chess game from 1916 is the main variant.

Anti-Lange variant

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Anti-Lange variant: Position after 5.… Nf6xe4

In the above variant of the double knight game, Black defeats another pawn with 5.… Nf6xe4, accepting the opening of the line against his own king. 6. Rf1-e1 d7-d5

a) 7. Nb1 – c3 The Canal variant is considered equal after 7.… d5xc4 8. Re1xe4 + Bf8 – e7 or 8.… Bc8 – e6 9. Nf3xd4 Nc6xd4 10. Re4xd4 as in the game Esteban Canal against Paul Johner , Trieste 1923.

b) The position after 7. Bc4xd5 Qd8xd5 8. Nb1 – c3 Qd5 – a5 or 8.… Qd5 – h5 9. Nc3xe4 Bc8 – e6 10. Ne4 – g5 is considered the same, the overly sharp Jurdanski variant 10. Bc1 – g5 h7 – h6 11. Bg5 – h4 g7 – g5 12. Ne4 – f6 + Ke8 – e7 13. b2 – b4 , however, is rarely played.

literature

• Lev Gutman : An Old Robber Tale , in: Kaissiber 22, 2006.
• Lew Gutman: The Canal Variation , in: Kaissiber 34, July – September 2009.

Web links

• Michael Goeller: The Modern Horowitz Variation of the Max Lange Attack , Kenilworth Chess Club
• Stefan Bücker : The Magic of Move Orders ( Memento from August 6, 2011 in the Internet Archive ), Over the Horizon 14 , October 2006 on chesscafe.com (9 pages pdf, English)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} S. Bücker: Magic of Move Orders (2006)