The Chess Mind

This week we’ll continue our brief series on the Nimzo-Indian with a look at a different pawn structure than we’ve seen in the two previous games. After a look at 4.Qc2 in week one and 4.a3 last week, we turn our attention to Rubinstein’s move, 4.e3. Our game this week – Taimanov-Averbakh from the famed 1953 Candidates tournament – once again sees White gaining the bishop pair in the opening, but the resulting position differs dramatically from the other games. One big difference is that the center is more open, especially for Black, than it is in the other games; on the other hand, White doesn’t lag in development (as he did in the 4.Qc2 game) and his queenside structure (especially the c4 pawn) isn’t nearly as weak (by comparison to last week’s 4.a3 game). This time around, there’s a whole new set of problems to address!

Happily, we’ll be in very good hands as we learn the game’s lessons. Mark Taimanov, the game’s winner, is one of the legendary figures in the development of this opening from the White side, and he was at this time coming into his peak form. His opponent, Yuri Averbakh, is no slouch either – obviously, as this was placed in a Candidates tournament. Adding to the instructional value, both Taimanov and Bronstein have offered commentary on this game, and of course I’ll had what I can as well. Further, the game isn’t merely of theoretical interest; it’s both a fascinating tactical struggle and a fine illustration of the power of opposite-colored bishops in the middlegame.

It’s well worth watching, and to do so is simple: just look for theTaimanov-Averbakh game at 9 p.m. ET/3 a.m. CET in Playchess.com’s Broadcast room and you’re set – the show is free. (Further, detailed directions for watching can be found in this post.)

While I thanked at least two of these individuals during the relevant ChessBase shows, it's worth taking a moment to further thank them here. So: thanks to Edward Winter for scanning and sending some print analysis of the Krejcik-Krobot game a couple of weeks ago, and for pointing me to another print source for analysis of last night's consultation game. Thanks also to Brian Karen for looking up some analysis of the consultation game - he was unsuccessful, but that was my fault for pointing him on the wrong direction! Finally, thanks to Dave Vigorito for some suggestions in picking a game for last week's show (Gurevich-Zelcic). IM Vigorito, for those unfamiliar with his work, is the author of an excellent book on the 4.Qc2 Nimzo-Indian and - hot off the presses - what looks like an equally fine volume on the Semi-Slav.

Imagine a consultation game today with Anand, Kramnik, Topalov, Gelfand and Leko on one side, and Carlsen, Aronian, Morozevich and Ivanchuk on the other. A game like that would be a real event, something we'd all love to see - especially in a lively opening. As far as I know, the aforementioned players have not made any such arrangements, but in 1952 a game of this sort took place.

The White side starred Yuri Averbakh (a Candidate in 1953), Efim Geller (a many-time Candidate, who enjoyed a career plus score in his games against world champions), Tigran Petrosian (World Champion from 1963-1969), Mark Taimanov (two-time Candidate), and after a while they were joined by Mikhail Botvinnik (the World Champion) and Vassily Smyslov (who drew a title match with Botvinnik in 1954 and beat him in 1957). What a team! The Black team didn't have any world champions, but they too were loaded heavy hitters: Paul Keres (many times a Candidate, and on the short list of the greatest players never to become champion), Alexander Tolush (the "weakie" of the bunch, but a very strong GM), Alexander Kotov (a Candidate in 1953, and the decisive winner of that year's Interzonal), and Isaac Boleslavsky (who had tied for first in the 1950 Candidates).

These greats combined to produce a really fascinating game, one deserving of our attention as we continue our series on the Nimzo-Indian Defense. Last week we scratched the surface of the 4.Qc2 systems, which are often characterized by a battle between White's long-term prospects with the bishop pair and Black's short-term initiative. In this week's game, we take a look at a radically different White approach, the Saemisch Variation with 4.a3. Here the long-term factors are in Black's favor (thanks to White's shattered queenside structure after 4...Bxc3+ 5.bxc3), while White is the one pursuing the initiative. White can build a big pawn center in the hopes of using his extra space to build a kingside attack, but he'd better hurry before his c4 pawn dies and the enemy crashes through the queenside.

That's just the sort of battle we're going to see, and with such impressive intellectual firepower on both side, you can bet the action and the ideas will be top-notch. Join me tonight - Wednesday night - as we review this almost unknown gem from 1952. The show is free and starts at 9 p.m. ET (3 a.m. CET), and if you're new to watching broadcasts on the playchess server you can find full directions here.

One of the most important openings in all of chess is the Nimzo-Indian Defense, and within this opening one of the most important approaches for White starts with 4.Qc2. Its fundamental idea is to grab the bishop pair with a quick a3, and to do so without incurring the doubled pawns that result from an immediate 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3.

Sounds good, you say, but what's the downside? The answer is as simple as the advice we all received as beginners: one should develop as quickly as possible, though generally not the queen. The 4.Qc2 Nimzo violates both halves of that precept, and therein we find Black's compensation. If he can use his speedier development to gain and maintain activity, he'll be fine; if not, White's bishop pair will gradually make its presence felt.

In this week's show (tonight from 9-10 p.m. ET), we'll see the triumph of the bishop pair. The artist handling the White pieces is Mikhail Gurevich, one of those great players long on the cusp of the world's super-elite, nearly making the Candidates in 1991 and succeeding in 2007. Gurevich is a great expert on the 4.Qc2 Nimzo-Indian, and this 2004 game with Croatian GM Robert Zelcic, we see the two bishops recipe carried out almost to perfection. First, White finishes his development while staying out of trouble. Second, he gradually reduces Black's activity, turning things so that the only key difference is the imbalance of minor pieces. Once that occurs, the long-range bishops come into their own, and Black's position becomes increasingly passive. Finally, it's time to win the game, and with a minor hiccup or two along the way, that's just what happens.

The foregoing narrative oversimplifies matters, of course. Zelcic had his chances, off and on, until quite near the end of the game. And it would be an error to think that gaining the bishop pair served as a sort of magic wand enabling its possessor to achieve his every whim on the chessboard. All the same, many games have been won by the skillful use of the bishop pair, that skillful use does often follow the broad pattern limned above, and this pattern is often seen in the 4.Qc2 Nimzo-Indian. So I think and hope many of you will not only find this game entertaining but instructive as well, something you can use in your own play. Tune in and see for yourself! (Directions here.)

Who??

If you haven't heard of these players, that's okay: I hadn't heard of them either until a few days ago. A friend, who saw this discussion on the ChessBase news site, pointed me to the game, and now it's your turn. Our weekly shows often feature great games by the greatest players in chess history, but from time to time it's worthwhile to take a look at the masterpieces of lesser-known players, too, especially as their games are the likeliest to pass by unnoticed.

Our principals are Josef Krejcik (1885-1957), a master known for his brilliant but inconsistent play, and Konrad Krobot...or Krobst - it's apparently unclear. The date isn't completely clear either: was the game played on February 14 or 24, and in 1908 or 1909? The location of this game is also unclear, with the Cafe Veronika and the Cafe Viktoria (in Austria) the competing options.

What is clear is that White's play is brilliant. Although it's lightweight compared to (e.g.) the action in Linares, it's the kind of entertaining game that drew almost all of us into the game and made us the chess fans for life. I therefore hope you'll join me tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET for a very entertaining game on the Playchess server: the show is free, and you can find directions here.