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(42) Wagner,S (1691) - Burba,M (1915) [B00]
GWCC Holiday Happiness Open GWCC, Shrewsbury, MA (1), 06.12.2001
[Fritz 6 (120s)]
1.e4
Nc6
The Nimzovich Defense, a slightly offbeat opening sometimes used by US GM Joel Benjamin and by UK GM Tony Miles (and by local hero FM John Curdo). This is the first time I have tried Nimzovich's Defense in a rated game, though I use it quite often in unrated internet games at ICC. I decided to use this opening against Stefan because I had lost my two previous games as Black against him using the defense that I usually play, though I'm not convinced my opening play was faulty. Offbeat defenses sometimes work well by surprising an opponent. They cannot usually be relied on as a 'main defense', because they usually are theoretically suspicious - they're offbeat for good reason. As a practical matter I suggest that if you want to learn an offbeat defense, that you learn one that you might face as White, thus getting added benefit from your study time. For instance, if you play 1.d4 as White, then you could study the Budapest Defense (1.d4, Nf6; 2.c4, e5) as Black and sooner or later you'll see it from the White side. Or, if you play 1.e4 as White, then you could study the Center Counter Defense (1.e4, d5) and, again, you'll eventually see it with the White pieces. MB 2.d4+/=
[ 2.Nf3
e5
Transpoing to well-charted double king pawn opening territory. It's important to be aware of transpositional possibilities. MB; 2.Nf3
d6
An attempt to keep away from the beaten paths and stay within Nimzovich's Defense. MB] 2...e5
Striking back at the center! One idea in this variation is to displace White's pawn at d4 and thus gain some play on the dark squares, as happens in this game. MB [ 2...d5
This is a major alternative to the game move. It's very useful in opening play to vary the variation that you play withing a particular opening. One reason for this is that typically you need to know a lot of sidelines, minor variations, when you play any opening. You may not see them often, but you need to be ready. When you add a variation on an opening that you play, usually you've already done all the side work on those minor variations. So it's a way to increase your opening repertoire with less work than by learning an entire new opening. By the way, FM John Curdo uses this strategy with the Nimzovich Defense: he plays both 2..., e5 and 2..., d5. MB] 3.c3
Controls b4 Not a usual response. It can lead to clumsy placement of the White pieces. MB [ 3.d5
Nce7+/=
Black has the choice of two major plans from this position: 1) Reposition the knight by Ng6 and then actively post the king's bishop by Bc5 or Bb4. Sometimes Black plays Bb4 to entice White into playing c3, which takes the best square away from the queen's knight, and then plays Bc5. 2) Use a King's Indian Defense setup (g6, d6, Bg7) and play an early f5. This is an interesting opening trick because it can lead a White e-pawn player into a structure that more resembles a d-pawn opening. MB; 3.Nf3
Leaving Nimzovich's Defense and transposing to the Scotch Game. MB] 3...Nf6
[ 3...exd4
4.cxd4
Bb4+
5.Nc3=
] 4.dxe5
Black has succeeded in displacing the White d-pawn. However, now the Black knights can become targets for the White pawns.MB [ 4.d5
Ne7=
A Nimzovich player would relish this position:
Black can enter a King's Indian setup when White must waste a tempo with c4. Or Black can try to play Bc5 (if White doesn't play Be3!) and see what White does with his queen knight. MB] 4...Nxe5=
5.f4
Nc6
[ 5...Ng6
This alternative deserves attention. From g6 the knight watches the pawn on f4 and prevents White's queen knight from developing. MB] 6.e5
White gets more space [ 6.Bd3
Bc5
And Black's dark bishop temporarily rules an important diagonal. MB] 6...Qe7
[ 6...Ne4
The knight seems destined for e4. The question is: does the insertion of ..., Qe7; Be2 in the game variaion help White or Black? MB] 7.Be2
Ne4
8.Nf3
[ 8.Bf3
f5+/=
9.Bxe4
fxe4
10.Qd5
d6
11.exd6
Qxd6
12.Qxe4+
Be7
13.Nf3
0-0
14.0-0
Bf5
15.Qa4
Qc5+
16.Kh1
Bd3
17.Re1
Bd6
18.Na3
Rae8
19.Rxe8
Rxe8
20.Qb3+
Kh8
21.Bd2
Qf2
22.Rg1
Bc5
23.Qf7
Rf8
24.Qd5
Rd8
25.Qe6
Bf1
26.Qe4
Qe2
27.Qxe2
Bxe2
28.Re1
Bxf3
29.gxf3
Bxa3
30.bxa3
Kg8
] 8...Qc5
White cannot castle king side. The mate threat is Qf2 9.Nd4
[ 9.Rf1
Qe7=
] 9...Nxd4
10.Qxd4
d5
11.Be3
Qxd4
12.cxd4
Bb4+
13.Nd2
Bf5
[ 13...c5
14.dxc5
d4
15.0-0-0
Nxd2
16.Bxd2
Bxc5
17.Bf3+/=
] 14.g4+/=
Nxd2
15.Bxd2
Be4
The bishop dominates 16.Rf1
Be7
17.Rc1
Kd7
18.Ba5
c6
Secures b5 19.f5
White wins space 19...g6
[ 19...Rhe8!?=
] 20.f6+/=
Bd8
[ 20...Bf8
21.h4+/=
] 21.Bxd8+/-
Rhxd8
22.Bf3
Bxf3
23.Rxf3
Rh8
24.h4
h5
25.g5
a5
26.Kd2
Rhe8
27.Rfc3
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