Frank Marshall

Defeated in the 1907 World Championship Match

Chessmetrics Ranking: Highest position as world number two for one month, in August 1913

Tournament Career: Winner of eight super-tournaments:

2x winner of the American Chess Congress

Cambridge Springs 1904

Nuremberg 1906

New York 1911

and three others…

Chess Olympiads: Four team and one individual gold medal on the second board

What He Deserved It For:

American chess player Frank Marshall was an idol for all lovers of chess tactics and sharp positions in his time. He held the title of U.S. Champion for an incredible twenty-seven years, was ranked as high as world number two, and won numerous strong super-tournaments.

With the USA team, he achieved golden successes at the first Chess Olympiads. Marshall was never afraid to sacrifice material for an attack, a legacy that is carried on by the variation named after him in the Spanish Opening.

The highlight of his career was undoubtedly the World Championship match against Lasker, which he played in 1907.

The game you can replay below is one of the famous games in chess history. Legend has it that when Marshall made the final move and his opponent resigned, the spectators threw gold coins onto the chessboard.

Why He’s Not Higher:

Marshall was a great, but his match with Lasker is the most one-sided match in the history of world championship battles. Marshall lost eight games, drew seven, and did not win a single one. He was a phenomenal tactician and creative player, almost certainly better than Lasker. But against a comprehensive and universal chess genius like Lasker undoubtedly was, he had no chance with such a narrow focus.

Best Game:

Stepan Levitsky vs Frank Marshall

Breslau 1912

1.d4 e6 2.e4 d5 3.Nc3 c5 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.exd5 exd5 6.Be2 Nf6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Bg5 0-0 9.dxc5 Be6 10.Nd4 Bxc5 11.Nxe6 fxe6 12.Bg4 Qd6 13.Bh3 Rae8 14.Qd2 Bb4 15.Bxf6 Rxf6 16.Rad1 Qc5 17.Qe2 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Qxc3 19.Rxd5 Nd4 20.Qh5 Ref8 21.Re5 Rh6 22.Qg5 Rxh3 23.Rc5 Qg3 0-1