Raymond Keene

Witsch craft

issue 26 July 2014

The ever reliable Steve Giddins has just published a new book on that great strategist Aron Nimzowitsch. This is the third tome on Nimzo in the last few years, and in many ways it is the best. Giddins has overturned conventional thinking about Nimzowitsch’s celebrated games in the light of the latest computer analysis and investigations. In some cases the differences are quite astonishing, as in the following game from an elite event which earned Nimzowitsch a brilliancy prize. Notes based on those from Nimzowitsch: Move by Move (Everyman Chess).
 
Nimzowitsch-Marshall: New York 1927; Modern Benoni
 
1 c4 Nf6 2 d4 e6 3 Nf3 c5 4 d5 d6 5 Nc3 exd5 6 cxd5 g6 7 Nd2 Nbd7 8 Nc4 Nb6 9 e4 Bg7 10 Ne3 0-0 11 Bd3 Nh5 12 0-0 Be5 13 a4 Nf4 14 a5 Nd7 (see diagram 1) 15 Nc4 This position shows where the computer really can change assessments.



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