Lundin (Kevitz-Mikenas)

/ Nimzowitsch defence A40

Peake GM Kev-Blitz Match

Game 17

White Black

Kev-Blitz - GMP

0:1 (ICC 3 18 u) 16/ 8/2003

1. d4 Nc6 2. c4 Avoiding the temptation of d5, and thus any weaknesses in his PAWN STRUCTURE.

[2. d5 Nb8 unclear. 3. c4 d6 4. Nc3 e5 5. e4 It is interesting to compare this position with the position after the fifth move in this game. The difference is that in the game Black's Knight is on e7, instead of b8. This is to Black's advantage as the Knight supports f5, and is able to swing to g6 to f4 to join the K-side attack. Also the Knight makes f5 possible in lines where White plays exf5,gf Qh5check, as Black can interpose the Knight at g6. So in conclusion 2. d5 line stronger than the delayed d5 line.]

2... d6

[2... e5 immediately is quite good for Black - played 367 times ! However I prefer to build a strong pawn centre based on the e5 pawn.]

3. Nc3 e5

4. d5

[4. Nf3 Bg4 5. d5 Nce7 6. e4 g6

I have had scores of times e.g. 7. Be2 Bg7 8. Bg5 f6 9. Be3 Bd7 10. Qd2 f5 11. Bg5 h6 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. h4 Nf6 14. Bd3 f4 15. Ng1 a6 16. f3 Nh5 17. Nge2 Bf6 18. O-O-O Bxh4 19. Rh2 Bf2 20. Kb1 Be3 21. Qe1 Qg5 22. g4 fg 23. Rg2 Bf4 24. Qg1 Bh3 White resigns 0-1, Etwas - GMP, Internet Chess Club 28/ 2/2003 ICC 25 0 u ;

4. de de 5. Qxd8 Kxd8 is the boring way to play - but only scored 1 out of 4 for White.]

4... Nce7

5. e4 g6

6. Be3 Bg7 And so we have a King's Indian where White has played an early d5.

7. Bd3 f5 The trouble with this for White is that this f5 break on the base of the pawn chain is stronger than White's c5 break. I always found this type of position difficult to play as White and therefore avoided this pawn structure if I could. It is also quite unnerving that if White castles K-side Black's K-side attack is more to the point than White's Q-side play.

8. f3 Nf6

9. Nge2

Black has not really lost time on a King's Indian as in the

King's Indian Black has to move his Knight from f6 to d7

or e8 or h5 before he moves his pawn to f5, then his

Knight back to f6. In the KI Black would have castled

after 8 moves, but his pawn would be on f7, which is not

as good as this position. 9... fe

My computer likes this move, but I am unconvinced that

it is the best. I normally play f4 and attack on the King's

side. However White has not yet castled. White should

probably play Bxe4 and play to entrench a Knight on e4.

This will be ideally placed and even support a c5 push.

[9... O-O is better - and has actually occurred 91 times on the hugebase and scored 64 % for Black !!]

10. fe ? This is a mistake and puts White in difficulties. This position has occurred 8 times but no-one has recaptured with the pawn.

[10. Bxe4 Nf5 11. Qd3 Nxe3 12. Qxe3 O-O 13. O-O b6 14. b4 a5 15. b5 Nh5 16. Rad1 Qh4 17. Rde1 Rf7 18. Nd1 Bd7 19. g3 Qe7 20. Kh1 Raf8 21. Rf2 Bf6 22. Ng1 Bg5 23. Qd3 Qf6 24. Ref1 Qg7 25. Kg2 Qh6 26. Re2 Bf4 27. Nf2 Bxg3 28. hg Qg5 29. Ng4 Bxg4 30. fg Rxf1 31. gh Qxh5 32. Bf3 Rxg1 33. Kxg1 Qxf3 34. Rd2 Qg4 35. Rf2 Rxf2 36. Kxf2 Qf5 37. Qf3 Kf7 38. Kg2 Qxf3 39. Kxf3 Kf6 40. Ke4 Kg5 41. Kf3

0-1, Cerar Aloz 2019 - Djurkovic Maks 2145 , Bled 1998 It (open) (b) ]

10... Ng4 This move is quite strong now.

11. Qd2 White's loss of his Q-bishop is a serious set-back.

[11. Bg1!? Bh6 12. Ng3 O-O 13. h3 Bf4;

11. Bd2 O-O threatening Nf2 is embarrassing.]

11... Nxe3

12. Qxe3 O-O

How should we assess this position ? Black has a solid position and his King is safe. His centre is solid and he can think about expanding on the Q-side with c6 and b5 which will undermine White's pawns and open up lines against White's King if he castles Q-side. Black (as usual with Peake) has strong Black square control. White has lost his Black squared bishop, his White squared bishop has no lines, his knights have no outposts as yet. He cannot castle K-side and castling Q-side will run into c6 and b5 by Black. White's apparent space advantage is of little consequence, and he is unprepared to undertake operations anywhere on the chess board. Black, therefore has the advantage. White should probably play Ng1 to f3 and castle K-side. Another possibility is Rf1 1

3. h3? Contrast White's two moves of h3 and g4 - which are totally pointless and useless from positional, tactical indeed any viewpoint, and Black's c6 and b5 which are exactly what is required in this position.

[13. Ng1!? c6 14. h3 b5 15. Nf3 ]

13... c6!

14. g4? Pointless and a waste of time. White even has allowed Qh4 check in many variations. He should be trying to find a haven for his King

[14. Ng1!? b5 15. Nf3 b4 16. Nd1 ]

14... b5! A fine attacking move. Black needs to open up lines. White's King in the centre will be in for a troubled life, and Q-side castling now looks dubious.

15. cb

[15. dc b4 was better for White than the move played but ... 16. Nb5 Nxc6 17. O-O-O? a6]

15... cd! The point of Black's play.

16. Nxd5

[16. ed!? Bb7 17. Be4 Qa5 Black has good pressure for the temporary pawn sack.]

16... Nxd5

17. ed

[17. Bc4!? Be6 18. Bxd5 Bxd5 19. ed Qa5 20. Nc3 e4 21. Rf1 Bxc3 22. Qxc3 Rxf1 23. Kxf1 Qxb5 Black is better.]

17... e4 ! An obvious positional / tactical move as this opens up the K-bishop diagonal to attack b2 and opens the central e-file where the White King sits uneasily. Black has a positional superiority. When this happens tactics will flow and the inferior side will have greater problems covering the threats , even if he has material superiority - here a mere pawn. As Capablanca always said "Position before material". Another point is that the position nearly always needs to become open for the side with positional superiority to realise his advantage.

18. Bc2 White tries to keep the e-file closed.

[18. Bxe4!? Bxb2 19. Rd1 Bd7 20. a4 Qa5 21. Rd2 Rae8 is lost for White (-2.80 computer evaluation).;

18. Qxe4 Bxb2 19. Rb1 (19. Rd1 Bb7 It's extremely difficult to find a move for White e.g. 20. Rf1 Qa5 21. Rd2 Rxf1) 19... Qa5 20. Kd1 Qxa2]

18... Bxb2

19. Rd1?

-2.26 Tiger 15.0

[19. Rb1 was better e.g. Be5 20. Bxe4 Bd7 21. a4 Qa5 22. Qd2 Qxa4 23. Qb4 White escapes the middlegame threats but goes into a lost ending. Qxb4 24. Rxb4 Rab8 25. Nd4 a5 26. Ra4 Bxd4 27. Rxd4 Bxb5]

19... Bd7 simple and strong.

20. a4?!

-2.76 Tiger 15.0

[20. Bxe4!? Bxb5 21. Rb1 Qf6 22. Kd2

-2.01 Tiger 15.0 Rac8 23. Rhf1 Bc3°]

20... Qa5?!

-2.26 Tiger 15.0

[20... Qh4 was also strong. I missed that after - 21. Qg3 Bc3!]

21. Rd2?!

-3.01 Tiger 15.0

[21. Qd2!? Qb6 22. Qb4 Be5 23. Kd2

-2.26 Tiger 15.0 (23. Rf1 Qe3°) 23... e3 24. Kc1 a6°]

21... Rac8! Now it's quite lost. There's nothing for White. -3.25

22. Qxe4

[22. Bd1 Bc3 23. Nxc3 Rxc3 24. Qe2 e3]

22... Rfe8

23. Qf3

[23. Qd3 Rc3]

23... Rxc2 -156.50

White resigns [...]

[24. Qf4 Rxd2 25. Qxd2 Bc3]

[0:1]

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