By Georgi Orlov

In this lecture we will look at a game where one side has a relatively clear choice of a plan thanks to a common pawn structure that features a standard set of ideas. Players must know as many standard plans as possible, since such knowledge helps during the game immensely. It’s not necessary to come up with some special plan for every position, in many cases, well known paths are very effective.

Stolberg - Nogovitsin

USSR 1938

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4

The Nimzo-Indian remains the most popular way to meet 1.d4 and 2.c4. Black has great counterplay in all variations.

 4.f3 d5

5.Qa4+!? Nc6 6.a3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 Bd7 8.cxd5 exd5 9.Qc2 0-0 10.e3

White played the Saemisch Variation against the Nimzo-Indian Defense. This treatment, 5.Qa4+, is no longer popular, since it’s not considered the best way for White.

The situation on the board is very standard for this line. White has a strong pawn center, which is supported by a pair of Bishops, and his perspectives are clearly on the kingside.

The plan for White here is relatively simple: he has to play Bf1-d3, Ng1-e2, castle kingside, and advance in the center by e3-e4-e5, gaining space on the kingside and opening his dark-square Bishop at the same time. Then he should push f3-f4, threatening f4-f5-f6 with a strong kingside attack. 

From Black’s point of view, things are a bit more complex. It is not clear to a less experienced player what should be done here. Black has one good thing going in his favor – all of his pieces are deployed. He must create some pressure against White’s center before White has a chance to finish his development. A good way to do it here is 10...Ne7! 11.Bd3 c5!? Here 12.Ne2? loses a piece to 12...c4. White can play 12.dxc5 Rc8 13.Ne2 Rxc5 14.Nd4, but Black obviously would have his chances there. Also deserving serious attention is 10...Na5, with similar ideas. Instead, Black played...

10...Qe7?! 11.Bd3 Nd8?

If Black’s 10^th move was a waste of time, this one misplaces the Knight and breaks ties between Black’s pieces. Again, 11...Na5 was necessary.

12.Ne2 c5 13.0-0 c4?!

This is a dubious idea. Black hopes to later play …b7-b5, …a7-a5 and …b5-b4, but it would take a lot of time and gives White a free hand in the center. Instead 13...Rc8, bringing the Rook to a semi-open file and threatening ...cxd4, was clearly better. In that case the pressure against d4 and possible counterplay along the c-file would make e3-e4 harder to achieve.

14.Bf5 Bc6!?

Black makes an interesting decision. It looked like Black had a good reason to exchange Bishops, but it’s not that simple. In case of 14...Bxf5 15.Qxf5 Black would have two ways of forcing White’s Queen out:

1)      15...g6 (Black wants to force the Queen away from the kingside, as well as to have an option of…h7-h5, anticipating White’s Knight coming to g3) 16.Qc2 Re8 17.Ng3 h5, but here after 18.e4! dxe4 19.Bg5! White would be on top.

2)      15...Qe6 16.Qc2 Re8 17.Ng3 Nc6 18.Bd2, with 19.Rae1 and 20.e3-e4 to follow, which would also give White the upper hand.

After 14…Bc6, Black threatens …g7-g6 kicking White’s light-squared Bishop off of the b1-h7 diagonal.

15.Qb1!

White finds a great move, giving his light Bishop some room in case of… g7-g6, since going back to h3 would not be as good.

15...b5 16.Ng3

White follows his plan, continuing preparations for e3-e4. Of course, poor was 16.a4 here in a view of 16…bxa4 17.Ba3?? Qxe3+, and Black wins.

16...Re8 17.Bc2

Also possible was e3-e4, but White decided to make the f5-square available for his Knight.

17...a5 18.e4!? g6?

Up to this point Black defended reasonably well, but the text move is a suicide, as it weakens the kingside and the dark squares. Black should play 18...dxe4 19.Re1! (another way, 19.fxe4 Nxe4 20.Re1 f5! 21.Nxf5 Qb7 would be fine for Black) 19...e3 20.Rxe3 Ne6 with a defensible position. Now White totally dominates the center and the kingside.

19.e5 Nd7 20.f4 f5

This is the only move. If Black allowed 21.f4-f5, he could have just as well resign on the spot. Here, Mark Stolberg faced a choice of two options: 1) Sacrifice his Bishop with 21.Bxf5!?, which was very tempting, and 2) The text move. The first one was probably good enough but less practical.

21.Ne2 Rf8

22.g4! fxg4 23.Ng3!

White brings his Knight closer to opponent’s King. Now, White’s victory is just a matter of time.

23...Ne6 24.Bxg6!

This is a nice finish by White. He could also play 24.f5, with a smashing attack, but the text wins by force.

24...hxg6 25.Qxg6+ Kh8 26.Qh6+ Kg8 27.f5 Nd8

28.Rf4!

This moves wins instantly.

28...Qg7 29.Qh5 Qh7 30.Rxg4+ Kh8 31.Bh6

It’s not a surprise that Black can’t handle this raging attack.

31…Rg8

In case of 31...Rf7 32.e6 Nf6 33.exf7! White wins as well.

32.Rxg8+ Qxg8

No better is 32…Kxg8 33.Qe8+ with mate to follow.