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Blasting the Blackmar -Diemer with the Euwe Defence (I).
By Junior Tay
I'm weaned on chess books written by the English grandmasters. They have an irreverent style of writing, serious analysis messin' about with irrelevant but humourous chess banter. I especially like books written by GM Joe Gallagher, John Nunn, Jonathan Speelman and Julian Hodgson - nothing to do with the similarity in the first letter of our names though). I think Blackmar-Diemer pundits are not quite impressed by the Euwe Defence as it gives White a free hand on the Kingside which is what the attacker wants. However, it was given the seal of approval by GM Joe Gallagher in his "Beating the Anti King's Indian". The positions resulting from his analysis resemble French Rubinstein and Smyslov Caro Kann structure with White minus one or two pawns and Black minus one or two tempi. Sufficient reason for me to try it out!
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e4!?
I was pleasantly surprised by this move as I had won another BDG against Professor Wolfgang Schmidt about two months earlier in the ICCF Email Team Open Finals (Board 3).
3...dxe4 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 e6
The solid Euwe defence, recommended by GM "Smokin'" Joe Gallagher in his excellent "Beating the Anti King's Indian" (Batsford).
6.Bg5 Be7 7.Bd3 c5 8.dxc5 Qa5 9.Bb5+!?N
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Interesting idea by my opponent, designed to cross Black's plan of Qxc5.
9...Bd7 10.Nd4 Qb4
In for a penny...This sure looks risky but the alternative 10...Ne4 is not too appealing. [10...Ne4 11.Bd2 Nxd2 12.Qxd2 Bxc5 13.Nb3 Qc7 14.Nxc5 (14.Qg5!? Bf8 15.0-0-0 with compensation for pawn) 14...Qxc5 15.0-0-0 with compensation for pawns. I'm sure many BDG devotees will give more than a pawn to get a position like this.; With hindsight, maybe 10...Qc7 11.Qf3 Qe5+ 12.Qe3 Qxe3+ 13.Bxe3 is more prudent.]
11.Be3 Qxc5
in for a pound... [11...Qxb2 looks a tad too audacious. Even in the Bg5 Sicilian Najdorf Poisoned Pawn, White only wastes two tempi to snatch the b2 pawn instead of three here. 12.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 13.Ndb5 Ne4 14.Nc7+ Kd8 15.Nxe4 Kxc7?? (15...Qb4+ 16.Nd2 Kxc7 17.Rb1©) 16.Rb1 Qe5 17.Rxb7+ Kxb7 18.Qxd7+ Qc7 19.c6+ Kb8 20.Bf4 and mate follows shortly.]
12.Qf3 Qc7 13.0-0 a6 14.Bd3 Nc6
OK! Now I've got my ideal structure with no weaknesses...now what?
15.a4!?
anticipating Queenside castling by Black. One thing for sure, with all those pieces amassed on the kingside, 0-0 is a definite no-no!
15...Bd6! 16.Ne4!
[16.g3 Ne5 17.Qg2 Nxd3 18.cxd3 Ng4 (18...Be5-+) 19.Qf3 f5-+ Now it's White with the vulnerable Kingside!]
16...Bxh2+ 17.Kh1 Be5 18.c3 0-0-0
Finally, providing White with a target. I felt that I have enough activity and material to ward off the attack.
19.Nb5!
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The whole point of a4.
19...axb5 20.axb5 Nxe4!
Time to return some material for a winning ending. [20...Nb8 21.b6 Qc6 22.Ra5 Be8 (22...Bd6 23.Ra4!+-) 23.Rxe5 Rxd3 24.Rc5 Na6 25.Ra1 Nxe4 26.Rxc6+ Bxc6 27.Qxf7 Rd7 28.Qxe6÷ is such a mess!]
21.Bxe4 f5 22.bxc6 Bxc6 23.Ra8+
[23.Bxc6 Qxc6 24.Qxc6+ bxc6 25.Ra6 Rd5 -+ should tell for Black in the long run.]
23...Kd7 24.Bxc6+ Qxc6 25.Rd1+ Ke7 26.Bg5+ Bf6 27.Bxf6+ gxf6 28.Qxc6 Rxd1+ 29.Kh2 bxc6 30.Rxh8 Rd2 31.Rxh7+ Kd6 32.b4 Rc2 33.Rh3 e5 34.Rf3 Ke6 35.Kg1 e4 36.Re3 Ke5 37.g3 f4 38.gxf4+ Kxf4 39.Rh3 e3 40.Kf1 Ke4 41.Rh6 Kd3 42.Rxf6 Rf2+ 43.Rxf2 exf2 0-1
