Aron Nimzowitsch vs Milan Vidmar (1927)

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Aron Nimzowitsch vs Milan Vidmar
New York (1927), New York, NY USA, rd 20, Mar-23
Sicilian Defense: Delayed Alapin Variation (B40) · 1/2-1/2

8

7

6

5

4

3

2

a

1

b

c

d

e

f

g

h

White to move.

ANALYSIS [x]

Notes by NimzowitschA draw was sufficient for White, whilst Black had to play for a win.Here 6...b6 would please us more.Here also we should have preferred ...b6.A possible continuation was 9 Bd3 O-O 10 Qc2 g6 11 h4.With hanging pawns the bishop must be played to Be2 and not to d3.The "limited" initiative directed against the pawn, which will presently be posted at b6.On 15...bxa5 the sequel would have been, 16 Bf4 Qb6 17 Qa4 with a double attack on a5 and d7.This move, in effect, gains a whole tempo. Black cannot accept the pawn sacrifice which this move involves without foregoing all his chances, e.g. : 19...Rxa1 20 Rxa1 Bxf3 21 Bxf3 Qxc4 22 Qxc4 Rxc4 23 Ra8+ Nf8 24 d5 and White has full command of the game.The two moves by the rook (...Rcb8 and ...Rxa1) gave white the tempo mentioned above.The central hegemony established herewith is in full logical agreement with the course of the game. It will not have escaped the thoughtful reader that the wing attack initiated by White (a4, a5, axb6) has only resulted in Black assuming the offensive himself in that quarter. The attack thus passing over to the enemy could be explained only by mistakes on the part of White, or else by the fact that White’s attack had no justification. But in reality neither is the case and White played the attack correctly and had good reasons for attacking. Only in this way could the stability of the White hanging pawns be preserved. Therefore Black -’sit venia verbo’ - must have usurped the attack on the extreme wing, which would only be done by giving up other important territory, namely, the center. On this basis, White’s hegemony in the center can be understood. The conclusion is logically convincing.Black’s operation on the Q wing were conducted with the outmost energy but were parried by cool-headed play in the center : wing operations and central manouvers kept the balance. Concerning the acceptance of the sacrifice, the following variation is informative : 33fxe3 Qa3 34 Re1 Bg3 35 Rf1 Qxe3+ 36 Kh1 Ne4 with the main threat of ...Bf4. A game very soundly played by both sides.1/2-1/2

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1

FEN COPIED

Annotations by Aron Nimzowitsch. [48 more games annotated by A Nimzowitsch]

explore this opening	find similar games	13 more A Nimzowitsch/Vidmar games
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Jan-01-10		Cushion: I find it slightly amusing that Nimzowitsch assumes that the best anti sicilian is only good enough to play for a draw with.

May-21-21		plang: One of the early c3 Sicilian games. A little surprised that this game was included in Chess Praxis as Nimzovich didn't show much ambition in the game.

May-21-21		Granny O Doul: Here is something I'd never heard--"With hanging pawns the bishop must be played to B(sic)e2 and not to d3." I wonder why?

May-21-21		SChesshevsky: <Granny O Doul> Think Nimzo's talking about these hanging pawns in particular and in general positional terms. Positionally, hanging pawns on the same rank are preferred and most mobility behind them is probably also best. Seems Bd3, by just being in the way, weakens d4 which could hinder the advance c4.

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