From: hwr@intercal.com (Hanon W. Russell)
Subject: Botvinnik Autobiography, Game 27
Organization: Chessnews list (chessnews-request@tssi.com)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1992 02:46:36 GMT


No. 27  Nimzo-Indian Defense
M. Botvinnik-I. Kan
All-Union Metal Workers Team Match
Leningrad, 1930

1 d2-d4       Ng8-f6
2 c2-c4       e7-e6
3 Nb1-c3      Bf8-b4
4 Qd1-b3      ...

In recent times the Nimzo-Indian has become popular both because of 
Black's willingness to play it and White's unwillingness to avoid it. The 
move 4 Qb3 occupied a significant place in my opening repertoire for a 
long time.

4 ...         c7-c5
5 d4xc5       Bb4xc5

5...Na6 was also played (for example, Gotgilf played it against me in the 
Leningrad Masters Tournament at about that time) but I considered the move 
weak. This opinion is based on the fourth game of the first 
Alekhin-Bogolyubov match (1929) where Alekhin, on 6 a3, continued 
6...Bxc3+ and obtained a difficult game. It was not until playing 
Eliskases (Moscow, 1936) that I found the correct move - 6...Bxc5, after 
which Black has a completely equal game, since then the move 6 a3 has  
lost a tempo.

6 Ng1-f3      Nb8-c6

Now this move has no point: after 0-0, b6 and Bb7, the Queen Knight would 
have a useful square on a6.

7 Bc1-g5      b7-b6

An unwise decision, after which White seizes the initiative. Perhaps 
correct was 7...Qb6, although practice has shown that after the exchange 
of Queens and Bg5xf6, White will have the advantage.  Risky, naturally, is 
7...Na5 8 Qc2 Nxc4 9 e4; 7...Nd4 is a loss of time: 8 Nxd4 Bxd4 9 e3. The 
recommendation of ECO (7...Be7 8 e3 Qa5 9 Be2 Ne4) turns out weak since 
White can continue 9 Bd3, and if 9...Nb4 - 10 Be2, with the better 
prospects.

8 e2-e4       Nc6-d4

The alternative is to wait with this move and play the more reserved 
8...Bb7 9 0-0-0 Be7. On 9...Bxf2 10 e5 h6 11 ef hg 12 fg Rg8 13 Ne4, White 
has a decisive attack.

9 Nf3xd4      Bc5xd4
10 f2-f3      ...

By parrying the threat 10...Bxf2+ 11 Kxf2 Ng4+, White consolidates his 
advantage in the center.

10 ...        h7-h6

This is the only way to avoid the pin on the Knight: on 11 Bh4 there 
follows 11...Bxc3+ and impossible is 12 Qxc3 because of 12...Nxe4 while 
after 12 bc White's pawn structure is deplorable.

11 Bg5-f4     e6-e5
12 Nc3-b5     Nf6-h5

Black would have problems after 12...Bxb2 13 Qxb2 ef 14 Qa3 or 12...ef 13 
Nxd4.

13 Bf4-e3     ...

The point of this, it would seem, is to provoke 13...Qh4+. Then after 14 
g3 Nxg3 15 hg Qxh1 16 Bxd4 ed two continuations are possible. In one line, 
White remains two pawns ahead: 17 Nc7+ Kd8 18 Nxa8 Bb7 19 Nxb6 ab 20 Qxb6+ 
Kc8 21 Kf2. The other line is no less effective: 17 Nd6+ Kf8 18 c5 Qh5 19 
g4 Qg6 20 Qd5 Rb8 21 cb ab 22 Rc1.

13 ...        Bd4xe3
14 Nb5-d6+    Ke8-f8
15 c4-c5!     ...

With the help of two zwischenzugen, White has strengthened his position;  
after 15 Qxe3 Qh4+ 16 Qf2 (16 g3 Nxg3 17 Qf2 Qf6) 16...Qxf2+ 17 Kxf2 Black 
would make it to the endgame.

15 ...        Qd8-e7
16 Qb3xe3     ...

Now the reply 16...Qh4+ does nothing, since the Knight on d6 is defended: 
17 g3 Nxg3 18 Qf2.

16 ...        Nh5-f4
17 Qe3-a3     b6xc5

Otherwise White would play 18 cb. Black has a difficult position; the 
majority of his pieces have little activity and an attack on Black's Queen 
Bishop is inevitable.

18 Qa3xc5     Kf8-g8

The only defense to 19 Rc1, on which there would follow 19...Kh7.

19 g2-g3      Nf4-g6
20 Bf1-c4     Kg8-h7

When one has a number of splendind continuations at one's disposal, it is 
not easy to choose. For example: 21 Bxf7 Rf8 22 Bxg6+ Kxg6 23 0-0 and the 
extra pawn alongwith the Knight on d6 assures White a swift victory. 21 
Qc7 (threatening 22 Bd5), leads to complications after 21...Nf8! 22 Nxc8 
(22 Bd5 Ne6) 22...Qb4+ 23 Kf1 Ne6 24 Bxe6 Rhxc8 25 Bf5+ Kg8 26 Qxd7 Rc2. 
White therefore decides upon the safest continuation.

21 0-0-0      a7-a5

If 21...f6 then 22 f4.

22 Bc4xf7     Bc8-a6

The threat of 23...Rhc8 is based upon the fact that The Queen on c5 is 
hanging. White should have withdrawn the Queen, 23 Qa3, simultaneously 
defending the pawn on f3. The game move allows Black a defense.

23 Kc1-b1     Ba6-e2
24 Rd1-d5     Be2xf3
25 Bf7xg6+    Kh7xg6
26 Rd5xe5     Qe7-f6

Now White had to be mindful of 27...Bxe4+, for example, after 27 Rf5 or 27 
Rf1.

27 Rh1-e1     Rh8-b8
28 Nd6-f5     ...

White manages to exchange Queens, which, in conjunction with the extra 
pawn and positional advantage guarantees the win.

28 ...        Ra8-a6
29 Qc5-e7     Qf6xe7

The zwischenzug 29...Rab6 allowed White to win another pawn: 30 Nh4+ Kh7 
31 Qxf6 Rxf6 32 Rxa5.

30 Re5xe7     ...

The attacking 30...Rab6 31 b3 a4 leads nowhere: 32 Nh4+ Kf6 33 Rxd7 ab 34 
e5+ Ke6 35 Rd6+ and White wins a piece. Even if 31...Bxe4+, then 32 R7xe4 
Kxf5 33 Re5+ and 34 Rxa5. With the game move, Black does keep the pawn on 
a5 defended.

30 ...        Bf3xe4+
31 Re1xe4     Kg6xf5
32 Re4-f4+    Kf5-g6
33 Rf4-g4+    ...

Time-pressure tactics to gain time and take advantage of the impossibility 
of the reply 33...Kf6 due to 34 Rexg7.

33 ...        Kg6-f5
34 Rg4-f4+    Kf5-g6
35 Rf4-g4+    Kg6-f5
36 Rg4xg7     Ra6-b6
37 Rg7-f7+    Kf5-g6

If now 38 Rf2, then 38...Rd6 and Black's active Rook gives him drawing 
chances.

38 Rf7-g7+    Kg6-f5
39 Re7-f7+!   Kf5-e5
40 Rf7-f2     ...

The other point: on 40...Rd6 there follows 41 Re7+ Kd5 42 Rd2+ Kc6 43 
Rxd6+ Kxd6 44 Rh7.

40 ...        d7-d5

Here the game was adjourned, and a match committee (Grigoryev and 
Romanovsky) adjudicated it as a win for White, based on the following 
lines which I submitted: 41 Re7+ Kd6 42 Ra7 Rb5 43 Rh7 or 41...Kd4 42 Rd2+ 
Kc5 43 Rc7+ Kd6 44 Ra7 Rb5 45 Rh7. In the last variation, White could also 
play 43 Rd7 Kc6 44 R7xd5 Rxb2+ 45 Rxb2 Rxb2+ 46 Kxb2 Kxd5, since one pawn 
is enough in the pawn ending.

Copyright 1988, 1992 Hanon W. Russell
All Rights Reserved

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