[Event "004.Tallin (E.V.)"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1930.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Mikenas, Vladas"]
[Black "Bogoljubov, Efim"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator "Pezzi/Carosi"]
[ECO "D17"]
[EventDate "1930.??.??"]
[PlyCount "83"]

{ In 1930 Mikenas, born in Tallin, capital of Estonia, was just 20 years old,
and was little known. Bogoljubov was around 50 years old and was one of the
strongest and most known grandmasters around in that period } 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 { Bogoljubov was considered a very good expert of
the Slave Defense. He had proved that the year before (1929) during his match
against Alekhine. But Mikenas did not care about that. He had studied openings
very carefully, and the strategic ideas and right in the Slave he had a
novelty. Was not this a good opportunity to test it? } 5... Bf5 { In the first
game of his match against Alekhine Bogo tried to have an edge with 5... e6 6.
e4 Bb4 7. e5 Nd5 8. Bd2 Bxc3 9. bxc3 b5 but the World Champion reacted very
actively: 10.Ng5 f6 11. exf6 Nxf6 12. Be2 obtaining a position with many
possibilities of attack. } 6. Ne5 e6 7. Bg5 Bb4 8. f3 c5 9. dxc5 Qa5 { trying to 
enter a lesser known variation.  The theoretical 9... Qd5 10. Qxd5 exd5 (10...
Nxd5 11. Bd2) 11. e4 dxe4 12. Nxc4 O-O 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14.Nd6 Bg6 15. Nxb7 exf3
16. O-O-O would have given more chances to White. } 10. Qd4 { Perhaps the
strongest reply against Black's choice. Now 11.Nxc4 is threatened, and if 10...
Bxc5 11.Qxc4 the threat is 12.e4. } 10... Nc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. e4 Bxc5 13. Qxc4 Bg6 14. Bd2 { Now, if 14.0-0 15.Nd1! Qb6 16.a5 White wins a piece. Black has no choice. } 14... Qb6 15. a5 Bf2+ 16. Ke2 Qc5 17. Qxc5 Bxc5 18. Be3 Nd7 { The strategical
battle in the opening has been clearly won by Mikenas, so that Bogoljubov is
induced to offer a draw. Mikenas: "I declined the offer. I saw surprise on my
opponent's face. Was I wrong? In my opinion, my will to continue the fight has
solid basis." } 19. Rd1 Bb4 { Played with a little bit of presumption  Right was
19... Bxe3 20. Kxe3 Rb8 21.Rd2 Ke7 keeping very good chances of defense. } 20. a6 f5 { This move seriously weakens the e6 Pawn, and this will strenghten the
pressure of White. } 21. exf5 Bxf5 22. Kf2 Nb6 23. Na2 { Now the attack against
the c6 Pawn begins. Mikenas: "I remember that I felt amazed by the fact that
right me, a chessplayer with tactical style and sometimes a bit messy,
succeeded to play such a convincing game against such an expert grandmaster.
After the game Bogoljubov congratulated with me for this move." } 23... Be7 24. Rc1 Kd7 25. b4 Nd5 26. b5 { Now Black's position collapses. Bogoljubov thought
for a long time and used almost all his time but could not find any practical
solution. } 26... c5 { Sacrifices a Pawn just to confuse things for White. What
else to do?  26... cxb5 27. Bxb5+ Kd8 28. Bc6 Rb8 29. Bb7  26... Nxe3 27. Kxe3
c5 28. Bd3 and after the light squares Bishop trade, the endgame is favourable
for White. The continuation 28...Bg5+ 29. f4 Bxf4+ 30. Kxf4 Bxd3 31. Rhd1 does
not help. } 27. Bxc5 Bg5 28. Rc4 Rhc8 29. Bd4 Bf6 { A better choice would be 29..
. Rxc4 30. Bxc4 Rc8 31. Bb3 the position is still hopeless for Black, but now
has more chances to resist. } 30. Bxf6 gxf6 31. Be2 Nb6 32. Rd1+ Ke7 33. Rxc8 Rxc8 34. Nb4 { At this point Black could have resigned. He went on playing few
more moves ... just for inertia. } 34... Rc7 35. Nc6+ Kf7 36. g4 Bg6 37. Rd8 Bc2 38. Rb8 Bb3 39. Rb7 Rd7 40. Nxa7 Bd5 41. Rxb6 Rxa7 42. Rb8 { Black resigns. } 1-0