A Vengeful Nimzo

The following is the all important fifth round match-up between Sales and Bjelobrk at the recent ANU Open in Canberra. Just a week earlier, these two crossed swords in Fairfield where Bjelobrk proved victorious. So in this game, the Pinoy player basically had two incentives: dollars for the missus and revenge!

My thanks to Jesse for being kind enough to give a few quick annotations.

Annotations by FM Jesse Sales
2005 ANU Canberra Open
Bjelobrk, Igor
Sales, Jesse Noel
ECO E20

1. c4 Nf6 2. d4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 Never in my entire chess career have I used the Nimzo-Indian Defence. Just trying to play aggresively in the opening stage. 4. f3 c5 5. d5 exd5 6. cxd5 O-O 7. e4 d6 Taking the pawn on e4 is a mistake because after 7...Nxe4 8.fxe4 Qh4 9.Kd2 Qxe4 10.Qf3 stops the pressure. 8. Nge2 a6 9. Ng3 Re8 preventing the f4 push and undermining the center 10. Be2 Nbd7 11. Be3 If 11. Nf5 Ne5 12. g4 Nexg4 13. fxg4 Bxc3+ 14. bxc3 Nxe4 and a strong attack will follow. 11... b5 12. Qd2 c4 13. O-O Bc5 14. Bxc5 Nxc5 15. Rfb1 Bd7 16. b4 cxb3 17. axb3 b4 18. Nd1 a5 19. Ne3 This is the move I waited for before executing h7-h5 . The knight on g3 buys time to undermine f5 and the white queen will penetrate the kingside via g5 19...h5 20. Nc4 h4 21. Nf1 Qc7 22. Qf4 This is where white is unquestionably in the defensive mode.

After 22. Qf4

22...Nxd5 23. exd5 If 23.Qxd6 Qxd6 24.Nxd6 Nc3 25.Nxe8 Nxe2+ 26.Kf2 Nc3 wins 23...Rxe2 24. Qxh4 Bb5 25. Ng3 Bxc4 26. bxc4 26. Qxc4 Re3 27. Nf5 Ree8 28. Qg4 g6 29. Qg3 Nxb3 26... Qe7 27. Qxe7 Rxe7 28. Nf5 Re2 29. Rxb4 axb4 30. Rxa8+ Kh7 31. Rb8 b3 32. Kf1

After 32. Kf1

32. h4 b2 33. Kh2 Nd3 34. Nxd6 Re1 35. Nxf7 b1=Q 32... Rd2 33. Nxd6 b2 34. Ne4 Nxe4 35.fxe4 Rd1+ 36. Ke2 b1=Q 37. Rxb1 Rxb1 38. d6 Kg8 Resigns If 39.d7 Rb8 40.c5 Kf8 41.c6 Ke7 42.c7 Rb2+ 43.Kd3 Kxd7 wins 0-1