WEBVTT 00:00.790 --> 00:01.600 Hi there. 00:01.780 --> 00:07.240 In this lecture, we see Paul Jonah against Aron Nimzowitsch in the 1926 Dresden tournament, round 00:07.240 --> 00:07.960 two. 00:08.440 --> 00:14.290 So we see D4 and Nimzowitsch plays the Nimzowitsch engine, his brainchild, opening. 00:14.290 --> 00:20.960 So he's actually implementing concepts in this opening variation of the E 690 C free. 00:20.980 --> 00:22.980 He's delighted to get the pin. 00:22.990 --> 00:25.390 This is the Nimzowitsch engine, the fence named after him. 00:25.390 --> 00:32.200 Nimzowitsch So e free the Rubinstein variation Black Castles, Bishop de Fray and now C5. 00:32.230 --> 00:33.880 This is a very interesting move. 00:34.030 --> 00:38.710 Black wants the double pawns later and have a blockade on the double pawns. 00:38.800 --> 00:40.750 So we see 9396. 00:40.750 --> 00:47.710 These are concepts we take for granted nowadays, and the Nimzowitsch engine remains hugely popular 00:47.710 --> 00:49.180 at grandmaster level. 00:49.450 --> 00:57.040 So White Castles here Bishop takes C for a doubling white's pawns D six and trying to establish a firm 00:57.040 --> 00:58.780 blockade here. 00:58.810 --> 01:05.980 Now, sometimes it's to try and win C for later, but generally it can also be used just to create a 01:05.980 --> 01:11.950 positional binds and make sure this bishop doesn't have an active career on C one. 01:11.950 --> 01:14.580 It's like locked in its own pawns. 01:14.590 --> 01:21.830 We see 92 and now B six already, according to modern engines, Black's already equalized. 01:21.850 --> 01:23.170 That's a great achievement. 01:23.170 --> 01:24.550 And the Grandmaster game. 01:24.550 --> 01:30.760 If Black could equalize this easily, the celebrating we see might be free in a modern grandmaster game. 01:30.760 --> 01:32.020 So Knight, be free. 01:32.650 --> 01:35.260 This knight doesn't seem to have many prospects on B3. 01:35.260 --> 01:37.930 We have E five, F four. 01:39.160 --> 01:43.990 And this really further kind of destroys the C one bishop. 01:43.990 --> 01:45.160 So E four is played. 01:45.160 --> 01:51.790 There is one strategic danger for black here that black has committed the center and maybe sometimes 01:51.790 --> 01:57.310 G four could be dangerous with this kind of thing trying to get a wing attack. 01:57.610 --> 02:03.550 We see Queen de seven, which immediately kind of prevents g four, in fact. 02:03.550 --> 02:08.710 So this is a very interesting kind of invisible preventative move because it's not the sort of thing 02:08.710 --> 02:13.590 you'd think is is justifiable, usually moving a pawn around your king. 02:13.600 --> 02:17.380 But yeah, here it is, a preventative move in some respects. 02:17.380 --> 02:26.800 For G four we have H three, Knight E seven, and now Queenie one is played if g four in this position, 02:26.980 --> 02:29.440 Black has the energetic H five. 02:30.040 --> 02:32.500 So this battery is still useful here. 02:32.890 --> 02:42.280 And if 92 H tanks H takes black and plane light takes g four and swap g four for e four, this position 02:42.280 --> 02:46.600 turns out to be, as example, slightly better for black. 02:46.780 --> 02:55.180 If we take this a bit further and we simplify, black is better here after rook 893 nine takes C three 02:55.180 --> 02:57.130 black ends up being slightly better. 02:57.130 --> 03:02.140 So that would be an example of mass simplification where black is still Bella. 03:02.920 --> 03:04.930 Yeah, if G4 had been played. 03:07.040 --> 03:10.130 Okay, so G4 wasn't played. 03:10.130 --> 03:14.750 We have Queen E, one and H five firmly preventing G4 now. 03:15.470 --> 03:19.460 And also of course it vacates age seven, which could be useful. 03:20.030 --> 03:23.210 Bishop de D2 Queen at five. 03:23.360 --> 03:26.930 And we have an element also of over protection theme. 03:26.930 --> 03:28.670 This is a central point. 03:28.700 --> 03:32.540 If we can coordinate around this point, our pieces will be naturally centralized. 03:32.810 --> 03:37.070 It's better than say, trying to over protect a non central point. 03:37.190 --> 03:39.560 We're naturally centralizing with this over protection. 03:39.560 --> 03:41.180 We have a bind on the position. 03:41.570 --> 03:48.290 And with this blockade there's also an element of the art of war, putting oneself beyond fate on the 03:48.290 --> 03:48.740 queenside. 03:48.740 --> 03:52.310 The whole wing has been restrained. 03:52.310 --> 03:59.660 So when we go for an attack does it's unlikely to have queenside counterplay, which is too dangerous. 03:59.840 --> 04:06.380 We've minimized the danger level of queenside counterplay in advance of a kingside attack here. 04:07.430 --> 04:12.170 So usually, you know, the saying goes restrain blockade than destroy. 04:12.200 --> 04:16.940 But I put an extra spin on this when I originally annotated this game on YouTube, you know, restrain, 04:16.940 --> 04:23.480 blockade, then attack, because this restraint is like putting oneself beyond the feet on a whole wing 04:23.480 --> 04:24.950 before going on the attack. 04:24.950 --> 04:27.320 So Queen H seven now is played. 04:27.710 --> 04:33.890 So this not only x rays, the king, it keeps the E four point overprotected. 04:33.890 --> 04:36.560 We have a four and L knight have five. 04:36.710 --> 04:43.010 Black could have played the natural looking A5 just to make sure this is not any danger at all. 04:43.040 --> 04:43.370 Okay. 04:43.520 --> 04:45.560 We would have a backward B six pawn. 04:45.560 --> 04:46.250 No. 04:46.250 --> 04:52.790 And however, you know this way of playing it, White's queenside attack is too slow. 04:52.790 --> 04:57.170 Generally we're going to get in g five with a strong attack. 04:57.560 --> 05:00.290 This outweighs losing a pawn over here. 05:00.290 --> 05:02.300 We're just building up a strong attack. 05:02.660 --> 05:17.330 But anyway, we have knights f5g Freeze and White passed up some options here in playing g three if 05:17.330 --> 05:20.210 rugby one we can actually play Knight G for Shaq. 05:20.900 --> 05:26.540 This position is kind of dangerous for g free that form pawn queen H to make threat. 05:26.540 --> 05:30.260 And here Queen H two, Queen H one mating if a five. 05:30.260 --> 05:32.150 Let's run this critical test. 05:32.390 --> 05:34.910 Bishop D seven Is it a big deal? 05:34.910 --> 05:42.260 We want to delay g four here because if 9g4 immediately delayed gratification black has bishop takes 05:42.260 --> 05:44.930 And why would we want to give white the counterplay here? 05:45.770 --> 05:49.550 Yeah it's causing you know, a potential issue. 05:49.550 --> 05:56.990 Why would we want to give why all of this play We can play like this though still with a very good position. 05:58.010 --> 06:02.570 So if if Black's resourceful enough, it's still is dangerous. 06:02.570 --> 06:11.480 If g takes are free hair Queen takes this position is also kind of delightfully strong for black. 06:11.840 --> 06:13.490 The attack is is strong. 06:13.490 --> 06:16.880 We can actually hijack this B file and be winning here. 06:16.880 --> 06:20.570 But in principle, I mean if we take a more principled approach. 06:21.840 --> 06:32.370 Yeah, it looks like there's a delayed gratification in the way nimzowitsch And in that variation we 06:32.370 --> 06:34.950 could use delayed gratification for greater effect. 06:35.070 --> 06:36.060 Basically. 06:38.370 --> 06:40.050 So with Bishop DD seven. 06:40.320 --> 06:42.540 So that 8/10 isn't a problem. 06:43.110 --> 06:47.820 And here, you know, this is going to be a strong position in any case. 06:48.420 --> 06:49.650 More positional. 06:50.610 --> 06:53.680 It's, it's just the winning position of the black already, basically. 06:53.700 --> 06:55.720 So let's have a look at RG3 now. 06:55.740 --> 06:56.730 This is the game. 06:56.730 --> 07:02.490 We have a five now putting this pawn under lock and key with blockade with a pawn. 07:02.820 --> 07:05.490 We have rook g19286. 07:06.600 --> 07:07.980 Bishop F one. 07:08.160 --> 07:09.420 Bishop dd seven. 07:09.420 --> 07:13.860 And it's also kind of ties down the rook if one is caring about the pawn. 07:14.010 --> 07:15.450 Bishop C one. 07:16.260 --> 07:17.580 Rook AC eight. 07:17.610 --> 07:18.300 D five. 07:18.300 --> 07:19.470 King H eight. 07:19.470 --> 07:24.960 So this makes way for potentially increasing the pressure, the positional pressure and the advantage 07:24.960 --> 07:28.440 simultaneously pressure by doubling up the rooks. 07:28.530 --> 07:34.500 We have 92 and now this operation to double up the rooks, which is naturally improving and improving 07:34.530 --> 07:36.360 the pressure and the position. 07:36.510 --> 07:42.030 So once heinously so Rook two we have 95 improving the pressure on G free and G file. 07:42.360 --> 07:46.790 Bishop H one And this build up is very difficult to defend. 07:46.800 --> 07:51.990 Queen D one We have G takes F four, E takes F four if G takes. 07:51.990 --> 07:52.860 We're just taking the rook. 07:52.860 --> 07:53.550 Thanks very much. 07:53.550 --> 08:00.690 So e takes F for the bishop drops back because actually there's another angle of attack in White's position. 08:00.690 --> 08:08.500 This angle that C four is weak and kind of neglected over here by this bishop is looking at e four knight 08:08.550 --> 08:11.130 g four check was worth entertaining. 08:11.130 --> 08:15.330 Actually there's strong tactics in knight H four check. 08:16.600 --> 08:18.990 So here G takes your free checked. 08:19.000 --> 08:20.340 This is a knockout blow. 08:20.350 --> 08:24.010 In fact, that is a very, very strong tactic. 08:24.040 --> 08:27.250 If h takes this a bit murkier with h four, though. 08:28.480 --> 08:33.190 So this position, blacks still has got a phenomenal attack. 08:33.610 --> 08:36.080 But why go to the gambling casino? 08:36.100 --> 08:38.740 Of of complex variations. 08:38.920 --> 08:42.670 This is like going to the gambling casino instead of. 08:43.270 --> 08:48.400 Yeah, sure, we're winning here, but it looks a little bit crazy offering a rook here, you know, 08:48.410 --> 08:49.690 checked when the queen. 08:49.690 --> 08:53.980 Okay, we're winning, but it's like a maze of variations, potentially. 08:55.990 --> 08:57.190 If it takes. 08:59.080 --> 08:59.530 Yeah. 08:59.680 --> 09:00.380 That's amazing. 09:00.400 --> 09:01.150 Bit of a maze. 09:01.150 --> 09:04.330 But Bishop Kate, we have Queen Bee free. 09:04.330 --> 09:10.210 A number six just intensifying the positional pressure, tying the queen down to a measly pawn. 09:10.210 --> 09:11.560 C4 pawn. 09:11.590 --> 09:12.940 We have rookie, too. 09:13.510 --> 09:18.340 If the Queen dared to leave the pawns Protection Bishop takes C for hitting the rook. 09:18.620 --> 09:29.530 Knight G four is really strong here for 94, and this is just a massive improvement on things before 09:29.680 --> 09:33.590 there's no h takes g h times. 09:33.610 --> 09:35.860 We're just simply mating here. 09:37.210 --> 09:40.930 So, yes, that is a disaster because we get in. 09:40.930 --> 09:50.830 Knight takes F two, king takes have to rook takes g once a disaster for white so rookie two 9 to 4. 09:51.970 --> 09:54.940 So it's almost as if Nimzowitsch is not just trying to win. 09:54.940 --> 10:01.000 It's like going out of his way to really embarrass his opponents, not giving them any counterplay whatsoever, 10:01.000 --> 10:06.250 having such miserable positions devoid of any meaningful moves. 10:07.210 --> 10:13.720 And, you know, he's putting concepts into openings which survive the test of time, like the limits 10:13.720 --> 10:18.190 of Indian, you know, other concepts he's put into other variations like the French with Queen G4 for 10:18.250 --> 10:25.930 open protection are not so popular nowadays, but it is still crops up, you know, as a theme over 10:25.930 --> 10:26.650 protection in general. 10:26.650 --> 10:32.740 But yeah, this is just a beautiful example where why it has no play really so rookie free if Queen 10:32.740 --> 10:34.930 takes B6 now not her free. 10:34.930 --> 10:39.850 Check this position Bishop takes he takes rook B to. 10:40.690 --> 10:43.750 We can play F to her. 10:44.560 --> 10:50.890 And the thing is, we're using up a square, which could have been a king's escape route and the G for 10:50.890 --> 10:51.380 track here. 10:51.400 --> 10:55.390 King G to Queen E for check recovery. 10:55.390 --> 10:56.590 Queen E to check. 10:56.590 --> 11:02.230 And this is ending with brutal chap, mate. 11:02.320 --> 11:04.120 So rookie free. 11:04.120 --> 11:05.080 We have Bishop. 11:05.170 --> 11:06.790 He ain't going back now. 11:07.660 --> 11:08.080 Why? 11:08.080 --> 11:09.190 It's tied up in knots. 11:09.190 --> 11:10.720 We have Queen C two. 11:10.720 --> 11:14.020 If queen takes B six here we have Queen F five. 11:14.020 --> 11:17.530 As example, looking at H three of Rock g29. 11:17.530 --> 11:18.490 We have free check. 11:18.700 --> 11:21.220 Rook takes her free, He takes her free. 11:21.220 --> 11:22.930 It's just so crushing. 11:23.110 --> 11:33.120 So so Queen C two we have Bishop takes H free Bishop takes E for and Bishop five We have Bishop takes 11:33.130 --> 11:34.600 her five, Knight takes her five. 11:34.630 --> 11:36.490 The attack is far too strong. 11:36.820 --> 11:39.010 H for Rook. 11:39.010 --> 11:39.490 G two. 11:39.490 --> 11:51.010 g2h takes G free check King G one Queen H 393 and now Knight H for threatening Knight F three in Queen 11:51.010 --> 11:51.760 H one. 11:51.760 --> 11:59.080 Among the things king of one is polite and now rookie A and white actually resigned here so this isn't 11:59.080 --> 12:10.270 move 40 if 91 as example simply you know the rook go back and this position for example 93 there's 9g4 12:11.350 --> 12:15.400 and the idea is to weaken G two here. 12:15.400 --> 12:20.110 If we can weaken G two then Now that's the weakness of the last move. 12:20.260 --> 12:22.180 You know, we're just tactically winning. 12:22.180 --> 12:34.810 Queen H one check wrote one and we can play The Beautiful Queen takes G one check for one chap Checkmate 12:35.320 --> 12:36.400 among other things. 12:37.030 --> 12:41.440 So yeah, a really delightful restraint blockade then attack game. 12:41.440 --> 12:47.050 I was really delighted to present this many years back on YouTube is I really fascinated by Nimzowitsch 12:47.050 --> 12:51.220 as my system and, you know, reevaluating this stuff now. 12:51.700 --> 13:02.320 It's amazing that he was a real conceptual innovator and so he could create brand new variations making 13:02.320 --> 13:06.460 use of the ingredients of his, you know, new concepts. 13:06.460 --> 13:14.770 But the Nimzowitsch engine is one of the finest examples of many of his ideas passing the test of time. 13:14.770 --> 13:19.930 The idea of giving up the dark score to double pawns for restraint, blockade, strategy, whether that's 13:19.930 --> 13:25.630 to win, see, for later or just for an attack like in this game, it's still a bind on the queenside. 13:25.630 --> 13:29.980 It's like putting yourself beyond the feet on the queenside before going on the attack in this particular 13:29.980 --> 13:30.190 game. 13:30.190 --> 13:31.060 Example. 13:31.390 --> 13:32.830 So wonderful stuff. 13:32.830 --> 13:39.580 Really inspirational positional play and Nimzowitsch has argued that the whole of prophylaxis in his 13:39.580 --> 13:46.980 view, is in a way much more beautiful than this kind of systematic accumulation of advantages. 13:46.990 --> 13:52.360 However, if you look at this game with a modern engine graph, it does look as though it is a ruthless 13:52.360 --> 13:57.010 accumulation of advantages as well as being beautiful in terms of prevention. 13:57.010 --> 14:03.010 Prevention is part of the modern toolkit of positional players, so players like Karpov and Michael 14:03.010 --> 14:07.990 Adams are using prevention all the time to accumulate their advantages because otherwise, yes, you 14:07.990 --> 14:13.960 don't want you you want the opponent ideally shut down, you don't want to have counterplay, basically. 14:13.960 --> 14:15.130 And that was the case here. 14:15.130 --> 14:18.580 So I hope you really enjoy this game as much as me has. 14:18.610 --> 14:19.180 Very much.