Giofreda – (1607) NN – (1525) This is an online Game 30. I am using the Nimzo-Indian as black here, to improve my play from the white side. I fell in love with this gambit and will play it every chance I get. Oddly enough, twenty-six of the first twenty-eight moves played were book moves according to my database. If  something makes sense to you that should increase its appeal.

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 {This is the start of Capablanca’s system
against the Nimzo-Indian Defense. In the main line black races ahead in
development but lacks the two bishops.}

The starting position after 6…b5

4…0-0 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b5 7. cxb5 {Black gets a good game in all lines, but 7. c5 is quite nice: (7. c5 {Gives up the light squares} Nd5 8. Qc2 f5 {Black has few problems}) 7… c6 8. bxc6 (8. Qd3 {This anticipates 8…Ne4} cxb5 9. Bg5

9…h6 {De Jong, Jan Willem – Docx, Stefan continued 9…h6 10. Bh4 Nc6 11. Nf3 Qa5+ 12. Nd2 Nd5 13. Bg3 Ndb4 14. Qc3 Nxd4 15. Rc1 Nbc2+ 16. Rxc2 Nxc2+ 17. Qxc2 Bb7 18. e3 Rfc8 19. Qd1 b4 20. axb4 Qxb4 21. Be5 d6 22. Bc3 Rxc3 23. bxc3 Qxc3 24. Be2 Bxg2 25. Rg1 Bd5 26. e4 Bxe4 27. Rg3 Qa5 28. Kf1 Bd5 29. Qc1 Rb8 30. Nf3Kh8 31. Qf4 Qa1+ 32. Kg2 e5 33. Qf5 Be6 34. Qe4 Qc1 35. Bd3 f5 36. Qh4 Qc7 37. Qh5 Rf8 38. Rg6 Bc8 39. Ng5 d5 40. Bb5 Qe7 41. Be8 Rf6 42. Nf7+ Kh7 43. Nxh6 1-0}) 8… Nxc6 9. g3 {?! Not the best spot for the bishop. There’ll be few things on the light squares.} Ne4 10. Qd3 Qa5+ 11. Bd2 Nxd2 12. Qxd2 Qxd2+ 13. Kxd2 Nxd4 14. Bg2 Rb8 (14… Nb3+ {Black is better} 15. Kc3 Rb8 16. Rd1 Ba6 17. Kc2 (17. Rxd7 Rfc8+ 18. Rc7 Rxc7+ 19. Bc6 Rxc6#) 17… Rfc8+ 18. Kb1 d5) 15.

…Rb1 Bb7 {Not best, although black gets some nice initiative. It’s better to
sit the knight on b3 and prevent b4. You can pile up on it and restrain
white’s pieces.}

16. Bxb7 Rxb7 17. e3 (17. b4 Nb5 18. a4 Na3 19. Rb3 Nc4+ 20.
Kd3 Ne5+ 21. Kd2 Rc8 22. Nf3 Nxf3+ 23. exf3 Rbc7 24. a5 Rc2+ 25. Ke3 Ra2 {This
is an improvement over the text.})

17… Nb3+ 18. Ke2 Rfb8 19. Nf3 a5 {I’m trying to fix white’s backward pawn. Also neat is Kf7 here. I’d like to keep the d-pawn so I maintain flexibility, since a knight sorties would be black’s only counterplay.} 20. Rhd1 Nc5 21. Rd2 Na4 {! Three attackers on the pawn and
it is fixed through c3’s weakness.} 22. b3 {??} Nc3+ {0-1} *