What's New (May 2003 update)
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Hi Everyone! This month we take a look at games in the Nimzo, Nimzo/Queen's Indian, Bogo Indian and Schmid Benoni. |
Remember, if you have any opinions, ideas or questions, please either make yourself heard at the Forum (the link above on the right) or email me at JohnEmms@ChessPublishing.com.
To download the May '03 Nimzo and Benoni games directly in PGN form, click here: 
Nimzo Indian Classical Variation (4 Qc2)
We begin this month with the game Schenk - Huss, Pula 2003 which starts 1 d4 e6 2 c4 Nf6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 d5 5 cxd5 exd5 6 Bg5
            
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With the pawns on d4 and d5, this position looks more like a QGD rather than a Nimzo, but White's early Qc2 gives Black the chance to sharpen the position with a swift attack against the d4-pawn with 6...h6 7 Bh4 c5. This line is extremely sharp and Black gains a lot of early pressure. However, he has to play accurately because if his initiative fizzles out he is left with some glaring weaknesses. In this game it's safe to say that things go horribly wrong for Black!
Arlandi - Cvitan, Pula 2003 is not particularly theoretical, but it is a particularly smooth positional effort from Cvitan, one of Croatia's top GMs. The game begins 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 c5 5 dxc5 Qc7
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A new move to this site. We've already seen the more common 5...Bxc5 and 5...0-0, plus the tricky and tactical 5...Na6. Actually 5...Qc7 doesn't have much independent value. After White's logical 6 Nf3 Black virtually always follows up with ...Bxc5 in any case.
Nimzo Indian Rubinstein Variation (4 e3)
Narciso Dublan-Illescas Cordoba, Lanzarote 2003 reaches (via a Caro-Kann move order) the position after 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e3 0-0 5 Nf3 d5 6 Bd3 c5 7 0-0 cxd4 8 exd4 dxc4 9 Bxc4
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We've already seen quite a few games from this position and it is still very popular. Here Black continued with Karpov's 9...b6 and successfully managed to neutralise White's initiative before swapping off into a winning king and pawn ending. Nice work if you can get it!
Nimzo Indian 4 f3
Volkov - Vekshenkov, Togliatti 2003 begins 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 f3. By attempting to gain early control over the vital e4-square, White is confronting the Nimzo-Indian head on. If Black fails to react positively then White will simply build up an imposing centre. Now Black continued with the very normal-looking 4...0-0
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We've seen both 4...c5 and 4...d5 before on this website, but we've never come across this move. What could be more natural than castling? It's very rarely played but Black's success in this game could spark some interest.
Nimzo Indian/Queen's Indian Hybrid
N.Pert-Hinks Edwards, British League 2003 saw another outing for the line that can be reached via both the Nimzo and the Queen's Indian: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Nf3 b6 5 Bg5 Bb7. Pert now ventured with 6 Nd2
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This move is becoming more and more fashionable and has virtually overtaken 6 e3 as the main line. White prevents an early ...Ne4 and leaves the option open of playing e2-e4 in one go (rather than e2-e3-e4!). In this game Black offers an early exchange sacrifice that looks correct but falters later on.
Bogo-Indian 4 Nbd2
Krasenkow - Macieja, Warsaw 2003 begins 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 Bb4+ 4 Nbd2
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This is the alternative to the normal 4 Bd2. In a similar way to the Classical Nimzo-Indian, White wishes to force Black to exchange bishop for knight. This battle features some very smooth positional play by Krasenkow, culminating in an instructive pawn ending.
Schmid Benoni
Finally we have the game Reinaldo Castineira-De la Rocha, Lanzarote 2003 which basically is a good old-fashioned hack attack from White. Via an unusual move order the players reach the position after 1 d4 c5 2 d5 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 4 e4 d6 5 f4 Bg7 6 Nf3 0-0
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White can obtain good attacking chances on the kingside in this line and Black has to play accurately to secure counterplay. In this game Black goes wrong early on and is punished quite severely.
Till next time,
John Emms