Tansel Turgut (2269)
Moshe Glazman (2282)
EM/MN/051 ICCF Master Norm Tournament 2002
Nimzo-Indian: Classical E32

Notes by Tansel Turgut

This game was played in ICCF IM Norm tournament in 2002. It took almost a year to finish. I took first place with 7.5/10 (5 wins, 5 draws) and Mr. Glazman took second place with 7/10. He was Israel correspondence chess champion at that time. It is a very interesting and original game. It was very hard to evaluate the positions. First, I thought that I came out of the opening with a very favorable position, but Black obtained compensation. I then prepared a very nice exchange sacrifice, which the computer programs gave as totally lost for me! They were all wrong! Black played a different move, and I couldn't play the sacrifice. I then sacrificed a pawn to complicate the game and received good compensation. Later, I was able to trap his rook in the middle of the board, and I thought that I had a won position. Then I realized that I had a significant weakness on the light squares, and the position was equal after all. Black then made a mistake and I was able to exchange the queens, which led to a won game. During the game, the computer programs didn't understand the pawn sacrifice, or the comic position of the Black rook. It was an interesting game to show the uselessness of computer programs in some positions. Due to space limitations, I had to cut 95% of the analysis. (Editor’s Note: Go to the MCA Website, www.michess.org, and click on the Games page to view or download all of Tansel’s games with full analysis.) There are two main points to this game: 1) The opening is very sharp and unorthodox. Black chooses the line analyzed in New in Chess Yearbook 62 (Adam's Anti-Nimzo approach), the line with Ne4 and f5 is very interesting. I don't think that it is very positional, but it is hard to refute it. 2) The computer programs were not able to understand this game (look at the positions with the trapped rook). Most of the analysis is from my original notes written during the game.

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0–0

4...d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 (7.Bxf6 Qxf6 8.a3 Bxc3+ (8...Ba5 9.b4 Bb6 10.e3 Be6 11.Nf3 Nd7 12.Be2 c6 13.0–0 0–0 14.Na4 Rac8 15.Qb3) 9.Qxc3 0–0 10.e3 c6 11.Nf3 Bf5 12.Be2 Nd7 13.0–0 Bg4 14.Rfc1 Rac8 15.h3) 7...c5 8.dxc5 g5 9.Bg3 Ne4 10.e3 Qa5 11.Nge2 Bf5 12.Be5 0–0 13.Nd4 Nxc3 14.Qxf5 (14.Nxf5 Ne4+ 15.Kd1 Nc6) 14...Ne4+ 15.Kd1 Nc6 16.Nxc6 Qa4+ 17.b3 Qxc6

5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.Qxc3 Ne4

This is the move analyzed in New in Chess Year book 62, which was published right before this game was played.

7.Qc2 f5 8.e3

This is the setup I liked the most. The other alternatives are: 8.Nh3, 8.b4, 8.Bf4, and 8.g3. 8.g3 is the most frequently played move.

8...b6

8...c5 or 8...d6 are alternatives.

9.Ne2

Here, 9.Bd3 or 9.Nh3 are playable also.

9...Bb7 10.f3 Nd6 11.c5!N

This move is a theoretical novelty.

11...bxc5!?

How can this move be correct? White will get a tremendous bishop on b2 now. 11...Nf7 12.b4 Nf4 is also interesting. (12.Nf4)

12.dxc5 Nf7 13.b4 Nc6 14.Bb2 Ba6 15.f4!?

This move has several points: 1) It prevents 15...Ne5 and the activation of Black's knights. But the white squares are weakened in return. Can white afford to lose another tempo with a pawn move? 2) g3, Bg2, 0-0 are planned. 3) Can I play Rg1 and g4?? 4) Rd1 is also a strong alternative (my initial intention). But I can still castle to the queenside after the text.

15...Nh6

I planned an original exchange sacrifice here. The computer programs repeatedly think that Black is winning. I don't even get a single pawn for the exchange. But is it really possible that I am worse? My positional understanding tells me that I have at least compensation, maybe more. And I also like my position, which is extremely important.

16.Qc3 Rf7

16...Qe7 is playable also.

17.h3!

Preparing a very interesting exchange sacrifice.

17...Ne7

White can't play the exchange sacrifice now. This main line of the sacrifice: 17...Qh4+ 18.g3 Qh5 19.Kf2 Ng4+ 20.hxg4. I like this sacrifice. It creates excellent diagonals for White's bishops. White doesn't even have a single pawn for the exchange though. 20...Qxh1 21.Bg2 Qh6 22.Rh1 (22.gxf5) 22...Qg6 (22...Qf6) 23.gxf5 (23.g5; 23.a4; 23.Nd4) 23...Qxf5 (23...exf5 24.Bd5 Re8 25.Qb3; 23...Rxf5 24.Be4) 24.g4 (24.Nd4; 24.a4) 24...Qxg4 25.Bf3 Qf5 26.Ng3 Qd3 27.Be4 Qxc3 28.Bxh7+ Kf8 29.Bxc3 Ke7 30.Bg6± Rff8 (30...Rf6 31.Bxf6+ Kxf6 32.Be4) 31.Bxg7 Rg8 32.Rh7

18.g3

18.0-0-0, 18.g4, and 18.Qd2 are the alternatives.

18...Nd5

18...Bb7 19.Rg1

19.Qd4 Nf6

19...Bb7 20.Rg1

20.Bg2 Rb8 21.c6!?=

This is an interesting pawn sacrifice. Especially in correspondence chess, when one's opponent has all the time and the computer programs to analyze, the sacrifices need to be correct. The game remains equal and White receives good compensation. The game is complicated and is still within the boundaries of a draw. Here 21.Rg1, 21.Nc3, 21.a4 and 21.Rd1 are the alternatives.

21...Rb6

21...Nh5 22.Nc3!

22.Nc3

22.Bf3

22...d5 23.Rc1 Qe8!

This may be the best move, giving Black equal chances.

24.Na4 Rxc6 25.Rxc6 Qxc6 26.Nc5 Ne4 27.Bxe4 fxe4 28.g4

There is full compensation for the pawn.

28...Bc4 29.Qe5 Rf6 30.g5 Nf7 31.Qc3 Rg6 32.h4 h5

Black's rook is trapped and almost all endings are won for White. White's problem is the weakness of his white squares. Any queen penetration by Black gives at least a draw for Black. Queen exchanges (if necessary a pawn or a piece down) give excellent winning chances to White. Interestingly, the game is still within boundaries of a draw here.

33.Qd2 a5 34.Be5 Qa8 35.Rh2 Qf8!!

An excellent move.

36.Nd7

I thought approximately 3 weeks here. To my surprise, I understood that White has only a draw here. Unfortunately, I have to play this move and force a draw (other moves are better for Black) If Black doesn't accept the repetition, White gets a superior position despite his pawn deficit.

36...Qe8 37.Nc5 Nh6?!

Practically refusing the draw offer (Qf8, Nd7, etc.). However, I believe that this is wrong and Black should have played 37...Qf8 to take the draw.

38.Qc3 Ng4

This move is better than axb4. 38...axb4 39.Qxb4!± Ng4.

39.Rb2 Qc6 40.Bd4 Kh7 41.b5 Qe8 42.Be5

42.Bxa5, 42.Qf8, 42.Qe7, and 42.a4 all lead to better positions for White.

42...Qf7 43.b6

43.a4 is the main alternative to b6.

43...cxb6 44.Rxb6 Qa7? 45.Rc6 a4 46.Rc7 Qb6 47.Qb4+-

The game is won for White after the queen exchange.

47...Qxb4+ 48.axb4 a3 49.Kd2 a2 50.Ra7 Nh2 51.Kc3 Nf3 52.Nxe4 52...Nxh4 53.Nf6+ Rxf6 54.gxf6 a1Q+ 55.Rxa1 gxf6 56.Bxf6 Nf3 57.Rh1 Kg6 58.Bh8 Kh6 59.Rh3 1–0

Black resigned here: 59...Ng1 60.Bg7+ Kxg7 61.Rg3+ Kh6 62.Rxg1 h4 63.Kd4 Kh5 64.e4 h3 65.f5 dxe4 66.Kxc4 exf5 67.Kd4 Kh4 68.b5