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C02 French Advance

French Defense: Advance Variation. Nimzowitsch Gambit

Aron Nimzowitsch vs Arthur Hakansson, 1922

1-0, 29 moves ("Women's Prison")

[Event "Kristianstad"]
[Site "Kristianstad"]
[Date "1922.??.??"]
[EventDate "?"]
[Round "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Aron Nimzowitsch"]
[Black "Arthur Hakansson"]
[ECO "C02"]
[WhiteElo "?"]
[BlackElo "?"]
[PlyCount "55"]
1. e4 {Notes by Nimzowitsch. From a match; the first game in which appears my idea of a pawn sacrifice in the opening, not to obtain an attack, but merely, with gain of a tempo, to overprotect a strategical point with a view to cramping the enemy forces.} e6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. Qg4 {My innovation.} cxd4 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. Bd3 f5 7. Qg3 Nge7 8. O-O Ng6 9. h4 Qc7 10. Re1 {White's plan is now clear. He has given up a pawn, careless when, if ever, he recovers it provided his pawn at e5 is maintained as an instrument to cramp Black's game. There is no idea of attack in 9 h4, its object is solely to pave the way to the removal of some of the pressure on the p at e5. The pawn sacrifice comes with the category of sacrifice for the sake of blockade.} Bd7 {...Bc5 was essaential here so as to leave the f8 square free for the knight to retreat after h5.} 11. a3 O-O-O 12. b4 {White could, of course, have won the exchange here by 12 h5 Ne7 13 Ng5 Re8 14 Nf7 Rg8 15 Nd6+; but with his undeveloped queenside and his unprotected p at h5 he would have had some difficulties to contend with. The text move is the logical continuation.} a6 {Rather better was 12...Kb8 13 c3! dxc3 14 Nxc3 Nxb4 15 axb4 Qxc3 16 Be3 Qxd3 17 Bxa7+ Kc8 18 Re1c1+ Bc6 19 b5 Qxb5 20 Nd4 with complications, which, of course, White, had he been so minded, could have avoided by simply playing 13 Bb2.} 13. h5 Nge7 14. Bd2 h6 15. a4 g5 16. b5 f4 17. Qg4 {The queen is well placed here.} Nb8 18. c3 Re8 {His only move. It will be noted that the over-protector, the rook at e1, now has the c-file opened for him without any trouble to himself. In order to avoid loss of material Black has to submit to curious regrouping of his forces.} 19. cxd4 Kd8 20. Rc1 Qb6 21. a5 Qa7 22. b6 Qa8 {The queen finds herself in a position to which, as a rule, she would only be consigned in a problem.} 23. Rc7 Nf5 24. Nc3 Be7 25. Nxd5 Nxd4 26. Nxd4 exd5 27. Qxd7+ Nxd7 28. Ne6# 1-0

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