[Event "Import"] [Site "https://lichess.org/f1DNWLY8"] [Date "2017.02.02"] [White "Akiba Rubinstein (?)"] [Black "Aron Nimzowitsch (?)"] [Result "1-0"] [TimeControl "-"] [Termination "Normal"] [Variant "Standard"] [ECO "E32"] [Opening "Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation"] [StudyName "Akiba Rubinstein vs Aron Nimzowitsch, Berlin (1928)"] [ChapterName "Akiba Rubinstein (?) - Aron Nimzowitsch (?)"] [ChapterURL "https://lichess.org/study/9kND28Fa/pXSP07hP"] [Annotator "https://lichess.org/@/achja"] [Orientation "white"] 1. d4 { Mar-19-08 keypusher: Part I This game features Rubinstein's notes, as reprinted in <Akiba Rubinstein> by Yuri Razuvaev and V. I. Murakhveri (?), published in Moscow in 1980. I don't know where Rubinstein's notes were originally published (it would be funny if they were originally written in German...). Rubinstein's comments are in plain text; comments by Razuvaev or me are in brackets. My translation from the Russian is almost certainly worse than my translations from Tarrasch's German in the Lasker-Tarrasch match games, mostly because I can't make use of online translation services, but also because Russian has much less in common with English than German does. But I figure even a poor translation is better than nothing, since most of us have never seen Rubinstein's notes to his own games before. https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1102434 } 1... Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 d6?! { The currently popular, similar variation with the fianchetto of the bishop to b7 is inappropriate here because White can occupy the center by e2-e4, gaining a clear advantage. Black therefore [prishlos] declines the advantageous development of the bishop to b7, which represents the principal idea of the West Indian variation <such was the exotic name of the Nimzowitsch Defense in the 1920s (Razuvaev)>. Insofar as black queen bishop (which, occupying the b7 square, forces White to develop passively) is compelled to occupy a more modest and less active post, the system Black has selected to play weakens/loses its sharpness. <The move 4...d6 by Black sometimes is encountered in contemporary praxis, but, theory recommends that Black continue with 4...c5 or 4...d5, striving to develop active piece play in the center. (Razuvaev)> } 5. e3 { <5. e4 does not score very well according to the database> } 5... c5 { <Nimzowitsch developed this system and successfully employed it against a white knight on f3 (here it is impossible not to recall the brilliant game P F Johner vs Nimzowitsch, 1926). Interestingly, this variation sometimes in current publications bears the name of R. Huebner(!). With the knight on e2 this system of development loses effectiveness. The present game, notwithstanding that Rubinstein was exploring this variation for the first time, appears as a classic model of play for White against the Nimzowitsch Defense. (Razuvaev)> } 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. Ne2 e5 { This closing of the center, which in similar positions frequently is striven for, here seems strategically mistaken, since the black position turns out to be very constrained for his pieces and -- as a consequence of the shortage of space for maneuvering -- immobilized. On the kingside Black is condemned to almost total inactivity, and his chances on the queenside [are] minimal. } 8. d5 Bxc3+ 9. Qxc3 { <After 9. Nxc3 Nb4 Black can advantageously simplify the position. (Razuvaev) The only other game in the database from this position is Doroshkievich vs Romanishin, 1975. St. Drukenknight forbid that I should say that Black is already lost here, but his position is quite bad.> } 9... Ne7 10. Qc2 { <presumably to prevent ...Nf5 or ...Bf5> } 10... O-O 11. O-O Ng6 { After the move d4-d5 closing the center, the main counterchance of Black now seems to be counterattack by ...f7-f5, and thus here Black should have selected the move ...Ne8, so as to play ...f7-f5 later. In the present case White can successfully fight against this plan with the linked moves f2-f4 and e3-e4. } 12. Ng3 Re8 13. f3 { f2-f4 immediately would be premature, because after 13....exf4 14. exf4 Ng4 (with the threat ...Nxh2) the black pieces succeed in obtaining freedom. } (13. f4 exf4 14. exf4 Ng4 { [%csl Gh2][%cal Gg4h2] }) 13... Bd7 14. Bd2 a6 15. h3 b5 16. b3 Qb6 17. Kh2 a5 18. Rab1 b4 { Now Black [chooses] to attack on a very narrow path -- the a-file, and this promises little. It is difficult, however, to suggest <ukazat> something better for Black. <After ...b5-b4, Black was exposed to severe criticism by several commentators. By closing the queenside, Black made White's attack on the kingside easier. It was better to open the b-file, which would give Black greater chances of counterplay than the move played in the game. (Razuvaev)> } 19. f4 exf4 20. exf4 Nf8 21. Bc1 Qd8 22. Qf2 { A gross blunder would be at once 22. Bb2, since Black would respond with 22...Ng4+!. } (22. Bb2?? Ng4+! { [%csl Gh2][%cal Gg4h2] } 23. hxg4 (23. Kg1 Ne3 { [%csl Gf1,Gc2][%cal Ge3c2,Ge3f1] }) 23... Qh4+ 24. Kg1 Qxg3) 22... a4 23. Bb2 Ng6 24. Rbd1 axb3 25. axb3 Ra7 26. Rde1 Rxe1 27. Rxe1 Nf8 28. Bxf6! { White correctly exchanges his well-placed bishop in order to drive the queen to a bad square to defend the pawn at d6. The point of White's play will be seen at the 30th move. } 28... Qxf6 29. Ne4 Qh6 30. f5 Ra3 31. Rb1 Ra6 32. g4 { The badly positioned black queen takes its toll: White already threatened to win it by the moves g4-g5 and Be2. } 32... f6 { <Chess players of a systematizing bent will recognize this ominous antecedent: Tarrasch vs G Marco, 1898. (Position after 20...Nh7).> 33. Kg3 Bc8 Making way for the knight so that it may be moved via d7 to e5. } 33. Kg3 Bc8 34. Re1! { Preparing a counterplan: after 34...Nd7 would follow 35. Nxd6! } 34... Bb7 35. Qe2! { A strong move, which pursues two goals: White prepares the sortie of the knight and threatens to win the queen via the moves h3-h4 and g4-g5. } 35... Nd7 { Black, [evidently], underestimates the significance of the foregoing [prophylactic] move, however, on the whole it is hard to recommend an active defense for him. Now the following pretty combination decides. } 36. Nxd6 Rxd6 37. Qe8+ Nf8 38. Re7 g6 39. Qf7+ Kh8 40. Re8 Rd8 41. Qxf6+ { A blunder would be 41. Rxd8 in view of 41....Qe3+ and perpetual check. } (41. Rxd8?? Qe3+ { [%csl Gg3][%cal Ge3g3] }) 41... Kg8 42. Qe6+ Kg7 43. f6+ { 1-0 Black resigns. } 1-0