JANUARY 31, 2012 11:20AM

Chess: Curious Queen in Nimzoindian Mainline w/ e3 & Nf3

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The game Zhonghan Ma vs Wang Hao, Chinese League 2011, besides being illustrative of one of the most important lines of the Nimzoindian (E58) defense to the Queen's Pawn opening, happens to contain a curiously amusing Queen maneuver in the late midgame.

1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. e3 O-O 6. Bd3 c5 7. O-O Nc6 is that main line of the Nimzoindian Defense variation wherein White plays e3 and Nf3.

After 7 ... Nc6 

With 8. a3 White puts the question to the bishop.

8 ... Bxc3 9. bxc3 Qc7 10. a4 Rd8 11. cxd5 exd5 and Black has doubled and White has subsequently undoubled White's broad pawn center, the mobility of which, in conjunction with two bishops and two rooks, could roll over an unwary Black. (Black could alternatively have played 8 ... cxd4 9. exd4 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Be7.)

Now 12. h3 and Black needs a plan.

After 12. h3 

12 ... Na5 13. Ba3 c4 14. Bc2 Ne4 15. Bxe4 dxe4 16. Nd2 Bf5 17. Qc2 Qc6 and Black spoils his own pawn structure slightly to restrain White.

After 17 ... Qc6 

 White challenges that restraint with 18. f3.

 18 ... Re8 19. Bb4 Nb3 20. Nxb3 cxb3 21. Qxb3 exf3 22. Rxf3 Be6 23. Qb2 Bd5 and Black has lost a pawn but gained compensating pressure on the a8-h1 diagonal, the c file and the e file which continue to restrain White's center pawns even after the blockading pawns have left the board.

  After 23 ... Bd5

 24. Rg3 to save the Exchange while maintaining the protection of the pawn on g2 is followed by 25 ... Qc7 attacking the rook. Then suddenly White's Queen gets busy!

 25. Qf2 a5 26. Bc5 b6 27. c4 Be4 28. Ba3 Qxc4 29. Qf6 Bg6 30. Qxb6 Qc3 31. Qb2 Qc7 32. Qf2

  After 32. Qf2

After her square tour cleaning up the position, the queen is back on f2 where she will exert sufficient direct pressure on f7 in conjunction with Raf1 and the threat of Rg3xg6 and on g7 in conjunction with White's queen bishop for White to remain slightly better while navigating to the queen trade and to the subsequent draw.

32 ... Ra6 33. Rf1 Qc4 34. Bb2 Rb8 35. d5 Qxd5 36. Ba1 Rab6 37. e4 Qxe4 38. Rg4 Qe6 39. Qd4 f6 40. Bc3 Rd6 41. Qc4 Qxc4 42. Rxc4 Rd5 43. Rc7 h5 44. Re1 Rg5 45. Bd2 Re5 46. Rxe5 fxe5 47. Bxa5 Ra8 48. Bc3 Rxa4 49. Bxe5 Bf7 50. Rc8+ Kh7 1/2-1/2

After 50 ... Kh7
  

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