Beauty Conquers Injustice

Nathan Birnboim – Jon Ludvig Nilssen Hammer
17th European Individual Chess Championship; Gjakova, May 12, 2016
French Defence C03

As maybe you know, the very gifted Grandmaster Jon Ludvig Nilssen Hammer was excluded from the 4th Altibox Norway Chess for “reason of state”, viz. the sponsor had to pay homage to Marco Polo’s Milione – not a best-seller anymore, I guess. Therefore, since justice requires equality, he hopes to win here in Kosovo. 1. d4 e6 2. e4 d5 3. Nd2 a6!? Apparently Hammer has prepared something special for Birnboim’s favoured 3. Nd2. 4. Bd3 c5 5. Ngf3. Here 5. dxc5 Nf6 6. Qe2 Bxc5 7. Ngf3 Nc6 is the critical alternative. 5. ... c4 6. Be2 b5! 7. exd5 exd5 8. Nf1. For 8. 0-0 Bd6 9. c3 Ne7 see Meszároš – Hlas, Slovenská Extraliga 2009/2010, Žilina 2009. 8. ... Bd6 9. Bg5 f6 10. Bh4 Ne7 11. Bg3 0-0 12. c3 Nbc6 13. Bxd6 Qxd6 14. Ne3 f5! Of course Black’s light-square Bishop does not risk to become “bad” in any way! 15. 0-0 f4 16. Nc2 Bf5 17. Qd2 Be4. Black stands much better, having gained an advantage on both wings – in the best Tarrasch style.

18. Nce1 Rab8 19. b4 a5 20. bxa5. It can’t be good. 20. a3 was mandatory, so to induce Black to close the a-file by 20. ... a4 – but I doubt Hammer would have played it so soonly. 20. ... Ra8 21. Qb2 Rxa5 22. a3 Rfa8 23. Nd2 Bf5 24. Nef3 Rxa3 25. Rxa3 Qxa3 26. Qxb5 Qxc3. And so the Black c-Pawn has fallen as the first pear. Since also the d4-Pawn is doomed, Birnboim – who is a clever tactician – decides to sacrifice his Knight hoping in a future for the d-Pawn. 27. Nxc4 dxc4 28. d5 Qb4. Stockfish’s first choice 28. ... Ra5! 29. Qxc4 Nxd5 is even more merciless. 29. Qxc4 Qxc4 30. Bxc4 Nb4 31. d6+ Ned5 32. Nd4. 32. Rd1 Kf8 appears to be more stubborn, but it is mere illusion. Black must win, and Hammer does not lack the technique necessary for doing it. 32. ... Bd7 33. Rb1 Kf8 34. g3 Rc8 35. Bb3 Nc3 36. Ne6+ Bxe6 37. Bxe6 Nxb1 38. Bxc8 fxg3 39. hxg3 Nc3 40. Kg2 Nb5 41. Bf5 h6 42. d7 Ke7 43. Kf3 Nd5 44. Kg4 Nf6+ 45. Kh3 Nd4 46. Bd3 Nxd7 47. Kg2 Kf6 48. Bc4 Ne5 49. Ba2 Nd3 50. Bd5 Ke5 51. Bb7 Ne6 52. Bc6 Kd4 53. Bb7 Nec5 54. Bc6 Ne4 55. f3 Ne1+ 0 : 1.

Jon Ludvig Nilssen Hammer
Photo: Yerazik Khachatourian/Matt & Patt