An underrated world-class player: Geza Maroczy

by André Schulz
3/4/2020 – Geza Maroczy was one of the world's best players at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, and at times even the best. A planned world championship fight with Lasker did not materialize in 1906. But two of Maroczy students became world champions. Maroczy was always underestimated in his role, and gennerally he had little luck in his long life. March 3rd was his 150th birthday. | Photo: Cuba News

Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

Nearly a challenger

The Hungarian Geza Maroczy was one of the best players in the world at the beginning of the 20th century. Statistician Jeff Sonas, in his retrospectively calculated world rankings even sees Maroczy as number one in the world between 1904 and 1907. Maroczy did indeed have a number of brilliant tournament successes. He shared 3rd place at the tournament in Paris 1900, shared 1st place in Munich 1900, shared 1st place in Monte Carlo in the same year, finished third in Monte Carlo in 1903, winner in Monte Carlo in 1904, won the tournament in Ostend 1905, shared 1st place in Barmen in 1905 and second place in Ostend in 1906.

In addition to Tarrasch, Emanuel Lasker saw Maroczy as a worthy challenger. And in 1906 the two masters then negotiated very concretely about a possible World Championship match.

Manhattan Chess Club 1906

Consultation chess at the Manhattan Chess Club 1906:
(L to R) H.M. Phillips, G.H. Koehler, R.W. Ferguson, P.J.Saulson, Geza Maroczy

Geza Maroczy traveled to the United States in February 1906, went on a simultaneous tour there and met Lasker in New York in April 1906. The general conditions for a competition for the World Championship were soon agreed. On the evening of April 6th, the founding of the Rice Chess Club was celebrated together in Café Boulevard on 2nd Avenue in Manhattan. Frank James Marshall and Jose Raul Capablanca were among the guests at the event. As part of the celebration, Lasker and Maroczy then announced their plans, for which an organizer had to be found. The match should take place in Europe and the USA. A winner-take-all prize fund of of USD $2,000 was agreed. Messrs. Isaac L. Rice, Ponce, Aristides Martinez, Rothschild and von Trebitsch have been appointed to the arbitration panel. Both players were expected to deposit $500 as a "penitence" guarantee in the event of withdrawal. Maroczy wanted to take care of the organization of the competition in Europe, Lasker did the same for the USA half.

Maroczy

Maroczy giving a simultaneous

Maroczy then left the US earlier than planned to still be able to take part in the tournament in Ostend in 1906. While Lasker followed through with his deposit on schedule, Maroczy failed to do so, but announced that it would soon comply. Lasker then received a letter from the Vienna Chess Club at the end of June 1906, declaring its willingness to host the competition, but only for the entire competition. Lasker agreed in principle, but not with some details of the competition conditions. While Lasker was negotiating with the Viennese, Maroczy had disappeared. In September 1906, Maroczy reappeared and told the Vienna Chess Club that he could not play the 1906 competition, but that he would be ready to play the following year. If Lasker insisted, he would forfeit his deposit. Lasker didn't insist.

Shortly after Maroczy's cancellation, on September 12, 1906, Marshall challenged the world champion. The competition between Lasker and Marshall took place in early 1907 and went very badly for Marshall. Lasker won eight of 15 games, Marshall none.

Maroczy later explained his cancellation by saying that Lasker did not agree to the terms offered by the Vienna Chess Club. Lasker suspected, however, that Maroczy could not raise the guaranteed amount.

Geza Maroczy was born on March 3rd, 1870 in Szeged. His tournament career began in 1894, and in 1895 he took part in the main tournament in Hastings. From the same year, a series of matches against the Hungarian master Rudolf Charousek, who died so early, have survived, in which Maroczy prevailed. Geza Maroczy also played correspondence chess.

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Bc5 5.0-0 0-0 6.Nxe5 Re8 7.Nf3 Nxe4 8.d4 Nxc3 9.bxc3 Be7 10.d5 Nb8 11.Bf4 a6 12.Ba4 Bf6 13.d6 c6 14.Bb3 b5 15.Qd2 Bb7 16.Ng5 Rf8 17.Ne4 a5 18.a3 Na6 19.Rae1 c5 20.Bd5 Bxd5 21.Qxd5 b4 22.Re3 Bxc3 23.Rxc3 bxc3 24.Bg5 Nc7 25.Qc4 Qe8 26.dxc7 Qe5 27.Rd1 Rfe8 28.Rxd7 Kh8 29.Qxf7 Qxg5 30.f4 Qg4 31.h3 Qxd7 32.Qxd7 Rxe4 33.c8Q+ 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Maroczy,G-Pillsbury,H-1–01896Nuernberg InternationalesMeisterturnier6
Maroczy,G-Steinitz,W-1–01899London International28

Click or tap the second game in the list to switch

In 1896, Maroczy then took part in the international championship tournament in Nuremberg and already took second place behind Emanuel Lasker and ahead of the rest of the world elite of the time: Tarrasch, Pillsbury, Janowsky, and Steinitz, to name just a few. Maroczy was now part of the regular roster of the top tournaments of the day and performed brilliantly.

In 1908, Maroczy, who was no longer the youngest around and, at 38, retired from tournament chess to take a position as an auditor. In 1911, he still participated in the famous tournament in San Sebastian, but without much success.

After the end of the First World War, there was a communist revolution in Hungary in March 1919. A Hungarian-Soviet republic was proclaimed, but it existed for only 133 days. Maroczy lost his job in the wake of the unrest and inevitably returned to tournament chess. In search of reasonably secure political and economic conditions, Maroczy was temporarily in the Netherlands — one of the few countries that avoided financial ruin during the war — then in the United States and in England.

Marozcy (left) among other illustrious colleagues

In the Netherlands, none other than Max Euwe became Maroczy's student.

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1)De Jong,Peter: Max Euwe. Deel 2A. S.125. 2)Maroczy in Kagans NS 1924. 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 d6 6.Be2 e6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Kh1 0-0 9.f4 Qc7 10.Nb3 a6 11.a4 b6 12.Bf3 Bb7 13.Be3 Nb4 13...Na5 13...Rac8 14.Qe2 d5 15.e5 Ne4 15...Nd7 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.Qf2= b5 18.axb5 axb5 19.Nd4 Bc6 20.Qg3! Rxa1 21.Rxa1 Rb8? 21...Ra8 22.Rxa8+ Bxa8 23.f5 21...Qd7 22.f5 exf5 23.Rf1 f4 24.Rxf4 Nd5= 22.f5+- exf5 22...Bd7 23.fxe6 Bxe6 24.Ncxb5+- 22...Qc8 23.f6 Bf8 24.fxg7 Be7 25.Rf1+- 22...g6 23.fxe6 fxe6 24.Nxe6 Qc8 25.Nd4+- 23.Nxf5 Bf8 24.Bf4 24.Ra7!+- Rb7 24...Bb7 25.Nxb5 Qc4 26.Nbd6+- 25.Ra8 Rb8 26.Nxg7 Bxa8 27.Ne6+ 24...Ra8 25.Rc1± g6? 25...Qc8 26.e6+- Qb7 26...Qc8 27.Nh6+ Bxh6 28.exf7+ Kxf7 29.Bxh6+- 27.e7 Bg7 28.Nxg7 Kxg7 29.Qh4 f6 30.Qh6+ Kg8 31.Bd6 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Maroczy,G-Euwe,M-1–01923B85Scheveningen Dutch-Foreigners 30,5-69,52

Though Maroczy did not succeed in becoming world champion, his student Euwe later accomplished the feat. Maroczy, at least 65 years old, was Euwe's second in his competition against Alekhine in 1935. And another Maroczy student also became world champion; during his time in England, Maroczy also regularly trained with Vera Menchik.

After a seven-year exile, he returned to Hungary. Maroczy had probably passed its zenith after the First World War, but he continued to regularly participate in tournaments after 1920 and played quite well with the following players there at eye level.

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 Bf5 4.c4 c6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.0-0 Bd6 8.b3 Qe7 9.Bb2 h6 10.Re1 0-0 11.Nd2 e5 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.Nb5 Bb4 14.a3 Ba5 15.b4 Bb6 16.dxe5 Nxe5 17.Nf3 Nxf3+ 18.Bxf3 Rfd8 19.Bd4 Bxd4 20.Nxd4 Be4 21.Qb3 Rac8 22.Rac1 Bxf3 23.gxf3 Qd7 24.Kh1 Qh3 25.Rg1 Rc4 26.Rxc4 dxc4 27.Qxc4 Rxd4 28.Qxd4 Qxf3+ 29.Rg2 g5 30.h4 Ne4 31.hxg5 hxg5 32.Kg1 Kh7 33.Qd7 Qf6 34.f4 Kg6 35.Qd4 Qc6 36.b5 Qc1+ 37.Kh2 f5 38.Qe5 g4 39.Rxg4+ fxg4 40.Qxe4+ Kf6 41.Qe5+ Kf7 42.Kg3 Qg1+ 43.Kh4 g3 44.Qf5+ Ke7 45.Qg5+ Kf7 46.Qxg3 Qa1 47.Qf3 Qe1+ 48.Kh5 Kf8 49.a4 Qb1 50.Qxb7 Qd1+ 51.Kg5 Qg1+ 52.Kf6 Qa1+ 53.Ke6 Qa2+ 54.Qd5 Qe2 55.Kf6 Ke8 56.Qd6 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Maroczy,G-Tarrasch,S-1–01920D12Berlin International6

He was also strong enough to represent Hungary at the Chess Olympiads in London in 1927, Hamburg in 1930, Folkstone in 1933 and in Munich in 1936 (not recognized). Maroczy also took part in the Hungarian National Championship of 1932.

Geza Maroczy | Photo: Wikipedia

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 dxc4 5.a4 Bf5 6.Ne5 6.e3 Maroczy 6...Nbd7 7.Nxc4 Qc7 8.Bg5 8.g3 e5 9.dxe5 Nxe5 10.Bf4 Nfd7 Alekhine, A-Euwe,M World Championship 16th 1935 (1) 1-0 8...e5 9.Bh4 9.e3 9...Bb4 10.dxe5? 10.Bg3 Ne4 10.e3 10...Ne4 11.Qb3 a5 12.Rc1 0-0 13.f3 Nec5 13...b5 Alekhine 14.Qd1 Nxe5 15.e4 Be6 16.Bg3 Rad8 17.Qc2 f6 17...Ncd3+ 18.Bxd3 Nxd3+ 19.Qxd3 Qxg3+ 20.hxg3 Rxd3 21.Ne5! Rd4! Fritz 22.Rd1 Bxc3+ 23.bxc3 Rxa4-+ 18.Rd1 b5 19.axb5 cxb5 20.Nd2 20.Nxe5 fxe5 20...Na4 21.Bxb5 Nxb2! 22.Qxb2 22.Rc1 Nbd3+ 23.Bxd3 Nxd3+ 24.Qxd3 Rxd3 25.Bxc7 Bxc3 26.Bf4 g5 27.Ke2 Rfd8 28.Be3 Rxe3+ Maroczy 22...Bxc3 23.Qc2 23.Rc1 Rc8 23...Qc5 24.Be2 Qb4 25.0-0 25.Bf4 Bb3 26.Qc1 Bxd1 27.Qxd1 Rxd2 28.Bxd2 Rd8 25...Rxd2 26.Rxd2 Bxd2 27.Rd1 Be3+ 28.Kh1 Bb3 0-1 (28) Stahlberg,G-Maroczy,G Dresden 1936 Olympiade München 1936 [Richter,Kurt] 0–1
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Stahlberg,G-Maroczy,G-0–11936D17Dresden Olympia Trainingsturnier9

In 1931, at the tournament in Bled, a dispute with Aaron Nimzowitsch almost led to a potentially fatal argument. As a result of the dispute, Maroczy, an otherwise very peaceful person, challenged Nimzowitsch to a gun duel. Such duels were quite common in the Austro-Hungarian monarchy before the First World War as a way to settle disputes. After the war, however, more progressive solutions were adopted.

Nimzowitsch declined the offer, which made Maroczy feel like a moral winner. Hans Kmoch, a witness to the argument, suspected that the peaceful Maroczy would not have known which end of the pistol the bullet came from. The pair's duel on the board was won by Nimzowitsch with a score of 1½:½.

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.Nf3 Nf6 2.b3 d5 3.Bb2 e6 4.e3 Nbd7 5.c4 Bd6 6.Nc3 0-0 7.Qc2 c6 8.Rc1 Qe7 9.Nd4 Ba3 10.Bxa3 Qxa3 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Na4 Ne4 13.f3 Nef6 14.Bd3 Re8 15.0-0 h6 16.Qc3 a5 17.Bf5 Qb4 18.Bxd7 Qxc3 19.Rxc3 Bxd7 20.Rfc1 g6 21.g4 Re7 22.h4 Ne8 23.Kf2 Nd6 24.Nc5 Be8 25.Na4 Bd7 26.Rg1 Kh7 27.Nc5 Be8 28.Rcc1 Rd8 29.Na4 Ra8 30.g5 h5 31.Nb6 Ra6 32.Na4 Ra8 33.d3 Nf5 34.Nxf5 gxf5 35.Nc3 Bd7 36.Ne2 a4 37.Ra1 c5 38.Nf4 Be6 39.Nxh5 b5 40.Nf4 b4 41.h5 Rea7 42.Rac1 axb3 43.axb3 d4 44.Nxe6 fxe6 45.Rxc5 Ra2+ 46.Kg3 dxe3 47.Re1 e2 48.Re5 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Nimzowitsch,A-Maroczy,G-1–01931A11Bled International5

In the 1940s, Geza Maroczy had to witness another world war and a radical change in the political conditions in his home country of Hungary. Maroczy had a difficult time in Budapest. There was famine and people often had to spend days and nights in shelters.

After the Second World War, Maroczy, now over 75, tried to emigrate to the Netherlands or the United States with his wife, but to no avail. After 1947, only two games have survived that Maroczy played at a tournament in Baarn (Netherlands). Maroczy returned to Hungary with his wife. He died in Budapest on May 30, 1951, at 81 years old.

Maroczy's gravestone | Photo: Dr. Varga

After his death, Maroczy made headlines again. Dr. Wolfgang Eisenbeiss, chess enthusiast and president of the Swiss Society for Parapsychology, arranged a long-distance game between Victor Korchnoi and the dead "Geza Maroczy". Korchnoi, who had made himself available for the experiment, had wished for Capablanca, Keres or Maroczy as opponents. Capablanca and Keres were evidently not reachable in the hereafter but Maroczy was available.

The game started on June 15th, 1985 and was written down on paper by the medium. First Korchnoi indicated his move, which was also carried out on a board, then the medium fell into a trance and then wrote down the response from Maroczy and carried it out on the board. The game was not played in one sitting, but after long interruptions it ended in 1991. The notation has been preserved.

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.e4 This is the famous spiritualist game Korchnoi played against "the ghost of Geza Maroczy" through the medium Robert Rollans. Starting in 1985 the game lasted 7 years and 8 months. e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 c5 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Ne7 7.Qg4 cxd4 8.Qxg7 Rg8 9.Qxh7 Qc7 10.Kd1 dxc3 11.Nf3 Nbc6 12.Bb5 Bd7 13.Bxc6 Bxc6 14.Bg5 d4 15.Bxe7 Kxe7 16.Qh4+ Ke8 17.Ke2 Bxf3+ 18.gxf3 Qxe5+ 19.Qe4 Qxe4+ 20.fxe4 f6 21.Rad1 e5 22.Rd3 Kf7 23.Rg3 Rg6 24.Rhg1 Rag8 25.a4 Rxg3 26.fxg3 b6 27.h4 a6 28.g4 b5 29.axb5 axb5 30.Kd3 Kg6 31.Rf1 Rh8 32.Rh1 Rh7 33.Ke2 Ra7 34.Kd3 Ra2 35.Rf1 b4 36.h5+ Kg5 37.Rf5+ Kxg4 38.h6 b3 39.h7 Ra8 40.cxb3 Rh8 41.Rxf6 Rxh7 42.Rg6+ Kf4 43.Rf6+ Kg3 44.Rf1 Rh2 45.Rd1 Kf3 46.Rf1+ Rf2 47.Rxf2+ Kxf2 0–1
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Geza Maroczy / Robert Rollans-Viktor Korchnoi26950–11985C18Spiritualist Exhibition game

Translation from German: Macauley Peterson

Links


André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register

We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.