Marshall Attack
You play Black · 5 variations
Mixed practice
The machine picks a different variation every time.
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10 positions: find the next theory move in each. No take-backs, no hints.
Main variations · 3
- Marshall Attack, Main Line, Spassky VariationC891. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 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 Rae8 17. Nd2 Re6 18. a4 Qh518 moves
- Marshall Attack, Re3 VariationC891. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 c6 12. Bxd5 cxd5 13. d4 Bd6 14. Re314 moves
- Marshall Attack, Original Marshall AttackC891. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 O-O 8. c3 d5 9. exd5 Nxd5 10. Nxe5 Nxe5 11. Rxe5 Nf611 moves
Other variations · 2
What is the Marshall Attack?
The Marshall Attack is a pawn sacrifice by Black in the Closed Ruy Lopez: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.c3 d5. Instead of the slow ...d6, you strike in the centre; after White takes on d5 and e5 you are a pawn down but ahead in development, with a direct attack on the white king. It is named after Frank Marshall and is one of the most respected gambits in chess: at top level it is considered sound, which is why many White players avoid it.
Main ideas and plans
In the main line, the Modern Variation, you answer the rook's capture on e5 with ...c6, supporting the d5 knight and preparing ...Bd6. The key position is the Modern Main Line, 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 O-O 8.c3 d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d4 Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3 Qh3: your queen sits on h3, the light squares around White's king are weak and White's queenside is undeveloped. Typical follow-ups are ...Bg4 to gain time on the queen, ...Rae8 with a rook lift via e6, and ...f5 to open more lines. In the Spassky Variation White defends with Be3, Qd3 and Nd2, and you continue with ...Bg4, ...Rae8 and ...Re6.
In the Re3 Variation White first takes on d5 with the bishop and later uses a rook on e3 to guard the kingside, while the Steiner Variation is your own deviation, pushing ...e4 instead of recapturing on d5. Marshall's original ...Nf6, instead of ...c6, is rarely played today because it eases White's defence. White's defensive tools are returning the pawn at the right moment, trading your knight with Bxd5, a4 to open the a-file and Bd2 or Be3 to finish development. Your compensation is time and activity, so every tempo counts: if White consolidates, you are simply a pawn down.
Who is it for?
The Marshall suits players who already play ...e5 and the Closed Spanish and value the initiative over material. It is one of the most theory-heavy openings in chess and needs regular review. White can sidestep it with anti-Marshall moves such as a4 or h3 on move eight, or d4, so you need a plan there too, and a failed attack leaves a long, worse endgame. Learn the main line up to ...Qh3 first, and remember that your seventh move ...O-O, played instead of ...d6, is what allows both the Marshall and the anti-Marshall lines.