Chess Explained: The Nimzo-lndian Reinaldo Vera Translated by Phil Adams [e]A[i!j]B0l1 First published in the UK by Gambit Publications Ltd 2008 Copyright © Reinaldo Vera 2008 English-language translation© Phil Adams 2008 The right of Reinaldo Vera to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accor­ dance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out or otherwise circulated in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser. ISBN-13: 978-1-904600-72-5 ISBN-10: 1-904600-72-7 DISTRIBUTION: Worldwide (except USA): Central Books Ltd, 99 Wallis Rd, London E9 5LN, England. Tel +44 (0)20 8986 4854 Fax +44 (0)20 8533 5821. E-mail: [email protected] Gambit Publications Ltd, 99 Wallis Rd, London E9 5LN, England. E-mail: [email protected] Website (regularly updated): www.gambitbooks.com Edited by Graham Burgess Typeset by Petra N unn Cover image by WolffMorrow Printed in Great Britain by The Cromwell Press, Trowbridge, Wilts. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Gambit Publications Ltd Managing Director: Murray Chandler GM Chess Director: Dr John Nunn GM Editorial Director: Graham Burgess FM Gennan Editor: Petra Nunn WFM We bmaster: Dr Helen Milligan WFM Contents Symbols 4 Introduction 5 1 Samisch Variation: 4 a3 or 4 f3 7 2 Capablanca Variation: 4 'iYc2 d5!? 20 3 Capablanca Variation: 4 'iYc2 0-0 31 4 Rubinstein System: 4 e3 0-0: Variations with etJe2 51 5 Rubinstein System: 4 e3 0-0 with �d3 and CLJf3 71 6 Fianchetto Variation: 4 g3 or 4 etJf3 c5 5 g3 86 7 Leningrad Variation ( 4 i.g5) and Other Lines 97 List of Games 109 Index of Variations 110 Symbols + check ++ double check # checkmate !! brilliant move good move !? interesting move ?! dubious move ? bad move ?? blunder Ch championship corr. correspondence game 1-0 the game ends in a win for White 11z_11z the game ends in a draw 0- 1 the game ends in a win for Black (D) see next diagram Introduction 1 d4 ttJf6 2 c4 e6 3 tt'lc3 .ib4(D) w The Nimzo-Indian has arguably the best reputation of all defences against I d4. Most of the Wo rld Champions have relied upon the Nimzo at some point in their careers. What is the reason for this? Basically it is due to the logic and simplicity of this defensive forma­ tion, since with his first three moves Black obeys the most important opening principles: develop­ ment, control of the centre and preparation for castling, to ensure the safety of the king. Moreover, he does so while retaining great flexibility regarding his eventual set-up and structure. When Black uses the Nimzo-Indian it is very rare for him to fall behind in development, so that he is almost never overwhelmed by a lightning attack in the opening. The main and in fact only problem for Black is that he has to be willing to give up his dark-squared bishop, which means that his kingside is weakened slightly and White gains the famous advantage of the bishop-pair. How­ ever, Black always obtains something in return forthis strategic concession, whether it be better pawn-structure (doubled white pawns on the c-file, isolated or hanging pawns in the enemy camp, etc.) a pawn-majority in the centre, or a considerable advantage in development which enables him, with energetic play, to maintain the balance. Black's best-known and most common playing methods of play and strategies in this defence are : • blockade of the position (to restrict the scope of the enemy bishops, with pawns on c5, d6 and eS); • attack on the doubled pawn on the c-file ( ... b6, ....ia6, ... tt'la5); • creation, blockade and siege of an isolated queen's pawn, or pressure against hanging pawns. Nevertheless, we shall also see many other modem ideas where the only way to exploit White's lag in development is to play actively, even opening the position, with the aim of inflicting perma­ nent weaknesses on White or obtaining some other compensation for the bishop-pair. White has tried virtually everything to gain some advantage against this solid defence and at var­ ious times it has looked as if he had finally achieved this goal with one line or another, but each time the defenders ofthe Nimzo-Indian have come up with a way to neutralize the possible advantage. 6 CHESS EXPLAINED: THE NIMZO-INDIAN Chapter 1 is devoted to the Samisch Variation (4 a3 or 4 f3), owing to its importance for under­ standing the basic ideas in the struggle which takes place between the bishop-pair and the superior pawn-structure or the better development. There is no doubt that the most reputable lines for White are the Classical or Capablanca line 4 �c2 and the Rubinstein System 4 e3. To each of these systems we have therefore devoted two chapters, each presenting different methods of handling the position for Black. In Chapter 2 we shall see the most energetic way to play against the Capablanca Variation (4 �c2 d5 !?), immediately breaking in the centre and by forceful play creating a whole series of com­ plications. Black's main objective here is to punish White for the luxury he has allowed himself of losing several tempi in order to gain the bishop-pair without spoiling his structure. In Chapter 3 (4 'ifc2 0-0) Black employs a more restrained method of play, giving priority to completing his queenside development before starting action in the centre. We shall study the Rubinstein System (4 e3) in Chapters 4 and 5. From among the many ways of meeting it we have chosen to focus on the most popular and the hotly debated at the present time, concentrating on the move-order 4 ...0-0 followed by ...d5. The five games in Chapter 4 show how to play when White employs development systems based on moving his king's knight to e2, whereas in Chapter 5 we shall see games in which White opts for the more natural set-up with lt'Jf3 and ..id3. The dangerous variation with 4 g3 (or 4 lt'Jf3 and g3) is the theme of Chapter 6. There we shall observe the differences created by the deployment of White's king's bishop on the long diagonal and we shall study two ways for Black to deal with this troublesome variation. Chapter 7 is devoted to the Leningrad Vari ation (4 ..ig5) and other minor lines against the Nimzo-Indian Defence, among which the move 4 'i¥b3 standsout. In respect of the Leningrad Vari­ ation, we shall study the gambit with ... c5 and ...b5, which has become popular again at the present time, as well as more traditional methods, but with an emphasis on putting pressure on the ad­ vanced white pawn on d5. The aim of this book is to offerthe greatest possible coverage of the different systems that both sides can employ in the vast Nimzo-Indian complex. I have tried to include as many important vari­ ations as possible with different strategic themes, but obviously we would need several volumes to cover the long history of this popular opening. After studying this book, a player should have enough information to put this opening into prac­ tice in tournaments. Furthermore, the reader will have enriched his arsenal of strategic knowledge, since this is one of the defences richest in positional ideas. If this is achieved, the author's objective will have been fulfilled. GM Reinaldo Ve ra 1 Samisch Variation: 4 a3 or 4 f3 Introduction The first chapter of this book is dedicated to the systems with 4 a3 or 4 f3. Why? For two funda­ mental reasons. First, these variations present us with the most basic and characteristic struggle of the Nimzo-lndian Defence, where White obtains the bishop-pair or gains control of the centre and Black seeks counterplay against the doubled pawns or contests the aforementioned central occupa­ tion. The second reason is that these are the most ambitious lines for White and the most dangerous for Black. White's idea in both cases is obvious: in the case of 4 f3 the immediate occupation of the centre, and with 4 a3 the gain of the bishop-pair and the subsequent occupation of the centre with f3 and e4. They often transpose, which is why they are being studied in the same chapter. These variations have always had the support of great players: Botvinnik and Spassky in the past, Shirov later on and at the present time a whole generation of GMs headed by Milov, Yakovich, Vo lkov and Moskalenko, to mention just a few of those who have investigated this variation, creat­ ing many ideas on the white side. Getting down to details, in the case of the direct 4 a3 we shall look at the system in which Black, after doubling the pawns on the c-file with 4 ... .ixc3+, goes immediatelyafter the c4-pawn (5 ...b6, ... i.a6and ...tt:'lc6!?), which does not leave White with a great deal of choice. He must either attack on the kingside, in many cases sacrificing the c-pawn, or else the defend the pawn, tying down some of his pieces. Black has sufficientdefensive resources in both cases, and there ensues a fight to the death in which the plans are quite clear for both sides.