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A19 English (Mikenas, Sicilian)

English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense. Flohr-Mikenas-Carls Variation (Notes by Nimzowitsch)

Efim Bogoljubov vs Aron Nimzowitsch, 1927

0-1, 30 moves

[Event "London"]
[Site "7"]
[Date "1927.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "0-1"]
[White "Efim Bogoljubov"]
[Black "Aron Nimzowitsch"]
[ECO "A19"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "60"]
1.c4 {Notes by Nimzowitsch} e6 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.e4 c5 {Since e5 did not seem to be dangerous.} 4.g3 {There was also to be considered 4 Nf3 Nc6 5 d4 csd4 6 Nxd4 Bb4 7 Qd3 {Bogolyubov's suggestion).} d5 5.e5 d4 6.exf6 dxc3 7.dxc3 {An interesting idea. He, so to speak, sacrifices a pawn, in that he makes his pawn majority on the queen side of no value; but he hopes, by occupying certain central points, to be able to bring counter-pressure to bear. Cf. the next note.} Qxf6 8.Nf3 h6 9.Bg2 Bd7 {!} 10.Nd2 {White's command of the diagonal g2 to b7 coupled with that of the point e4 is no small embarrasment to Black. If now 10...Qe5+? then 11 Ne4 and 12 Bf4.} Bc6 11.Ne4 Qg6 12.Qe2 Be7 {Not 12...f5 because of the reply 13 Bf3 followed by Nd2 and Black's e5 will remain a weak point.} 13.O-O O-O 14.h4 {An ingenious move, which, however, brings about a disturbance of the equilibrium which up to now may be said to have existed. Better was 14 f4! Nd7 15 Bd2 Kh8! 16 Rae1 Nf6 17 Bc1. After the text move the balance weoghs in Black's favor.} f5 15.Nd2 Bxg2 {Not 15...Bxh4 because of 16 Nf3!} 16.Kxg2 Nc6 17.Nf3 f4 {Otherwise Bf4 and the balance is readjusted.} 18.Re1 Rf6 19.Qe4 {the game is already lost for White, for the occupation of the point e4 which seems to consolidate the position proves to be deceptive. White's g3 is in fact sick unto death.} fxg3 20.fxg3 Bd6 21.g4 Qxe4 22.Rxe4 Raf8 23.Re3 Rf4 24.g5 {24 Rxe6 Rxg4+ 25 Kf2 Ne5 would lead to a debacle.} Rg4+ 25.Kh1 {Or 25 Kf2 Ne5 26 Ke2 Rg2+ 27 Kf1 Rg3 winning a piece.} hxg5 26.hxg5 Kf7 27.Ng1 {If 27 g6+ Kf6 (not ...Ke7 because of 28 Nh2 Rh8 29 Re2 Rgh4?? 30 Bg5+.} Rh8+ 28.Nh3 Ke7 29.b3 Bf4 30.Rf3 Ne5 0-1

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