Chess Opening: Nimzo-Indian Defense Theory to Practice

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Like we did in Chess Opening: Queen’s Gambit Theory to Practice to expound with examples on how QGD opening theory in Chess Opening: Control of Center – Part 3 can turn out in practice, here we show practical examples on Nimzo-Indian Defense theory discussed in Chess Opening: Control of Center – Part 2.

To show both sides of the defense, we picked up two games, one going in favor of White and the other in favor of Black. What should be interesting is that in both these games of approximately equal length, Garry Kasparov was on the Black side and both were played around the same period. It gives a better opportunity to understand what Kasparov (or his opponents) did right or wrong to produce different results! Both games use the chess opening of Nimzo-Indian Defense Normal Variation (ECO code: E53).

Vladimir Kramnik-Garry Kasparov London, 2000				Evgeny Vladimirov-Garry Kasparov Batumi, 2001
1.	d4	Nf6		1.	d4	Nf6
2.	c4	e6		2.	c4	e6
3.	Nc3	Bb4		3.	Nc3	Bb4
4.	e3	0-0		4.	e3	0-0
5.	Bd3	d5		5.	Bd3	d5
6.	Nf3	c5		6.	Nf3	c5
7.	0-0	cxd4		7.	0-0	cxd4
8.	exd4	dxc4		8.	exd4	dxc4
9.	Bxc4	b6		9.	Bxc4	b6

Identical position has been reached as the same moves have been played in both games.
10.	Bg5	Bb7		10.	Qe2	Bb7
11.	Re1	Nbd7		11.	Rd1	Bxc3
12.	Rc1	Rc8		12.	bxc3	Qc7
13.	Qb3	Be7		13.	Bb2	Bxf3
				Position after 13 moves

14.	Bxf6	Nxf6?	Black’s move creates all the subsequent problems. 14. … Bxf6 would be better. But there are records of other games where the same moves were played and the games ended in a draw but in those games, Black did not accept the offer of Bishop sacrifice by White at move 15.	14.	Qxf3	Qxc4!	With the offer of this exchange sacrifice, Black laid a nice trap for White’s Queen!
Position after 14 moves

15.	Bxe6!	fxe6	As pointed out earlier, Black could possibly do better to play 15. … Rc7	15.	Qxa8	Nc6
16.	Qxe6+	Kh8		16.	Qb7	Nd5
17.	Qxe7	Bxf3		17.	Re1	Rb8
18.	gxf3	Qxd4		18.	Qd7	Rd8
19.	Nb5	Qxb2		19.	Qb7	h5
20.	Rxc8	Rxc8		20.	Bc1	Na5	The White Queen is pathetically trapped! When Black offered the exchange sacrifice at move 14, he must have envisaged this situation.
Position after 20 moves				Position after 20 moves

21.	Nd6	Rb8		21.	Qxa7	Qc6
22.	Nf7+	Kg8	22. Ne8 would fail against 22. … Ng8	22.	Qa6	Nc4
23.	Qe6	Rf8	White’s move created Philidor’s position, which possibly made Black to bring his Rook to f8 but the Rook became vulnerable as shown by White at move 25. 23. … h5 could provide stiffer resistance.	23.	Rb1	Nc7	White resigned as he has to lose his Rook to save his Queen
				The final position

24.	Nd8+	Kh8
25.	Qe7		Black resigned as 25. … Rg8 26. Nf7# or 25. … Re8 26. Qxe8+ Nxe8 27. Rxe8#. The only line that could offer a longer resistance is 25. … Rxd8 26. Qxd8+ Ng8 27. Qd5 and White would need to play carefully to translate his advantage into a win with Black trying to avoid a Queen exchange.
The final position