British Chess Magazine Octubre 2013

The British Chess Magazine Varna 1962; Donner, Anglo Dutch Match, 1965; Mecking at Hastings 1966–67; Larsen at Dundee 1967; while at Palma 1969 he defeated Bobotsov, Mecking and Panno. 547 (Also see BCM 05/11, p. 260)  Passed Pawns in the Middlegame: Part 3 David LeMoir Archive © 03/81 Our last example (BCM 07/13, p. 385) was crude but typical. On the other hand Nimzowitsch was noted for the subtlety of his ideas, and in the next example creates a position in which his passed pawn nicely complements his attack. White, Stahlberg, has just played 26 g1 intending to have some central control after 27 f3 and 28 e5. Black’s reply seems intended simply to meet this, but things are rarely that simple with Nimzowitsch! G AG Stahlberg O A Nimzowitsch Gothenburg, 1934 [LeMoir] XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+r+k+0 9+-+-+-zp-0 9-zpp+-tr-zp0 9wq-+p+p+-0 9-sn-zP-+-+0 9zpP+-zP-+-0 9P+-wQ-zPPzP0 9+-tRR+-sNK0 xiiiiiiiiy 26…f4! 27 e×f4 e4 28 g3 b5! Now the knight cannot move since 29…e2 would follow, while 29 e1 allows 29…d3. 29 c3 c5! The other side of the plan started by 26…f4 becomes clear. White’s possibilities of active play have been restricted, so Black increases central control, using the fact that White no longer has a pawn at e3 to support d4. Almost incidentally Black creates a passed pawn. 30 d×c5 b×c5 31 dc1 c6 32 e3 ce6 33 ×e4 ×e4 34 f3 e8 35 e1 ×e1 36 ×e1 d7 37 c1 d4! The pawn marches on. Note in what follows how easy Black finds it to attack the enemy king and advance his passed pawn. White’s meagre force cannot cope with both at once. 38 e2 b5 39 e1 d3 40 c1 ×f3+ 41 g1 f7! 42 f2 e4 43 f1 d3 44 d1 e3+ 45 g2 d2 After 45…d2 46 e2 d3 there is no defence to 47…b2. 0–1 (Also see BCM 05/34, p. 219.) It sometimes pays to remember the power of the passed pawn when you are defending. 

British Chess Magazine Octubre 2013 | Page 43