Upside Down

Alessio Valsecchi – Felix Blohberger
11th Dolomiti International Chess Open; Forni di Sopra, September 29, 2020
Nimzo-Indian Defence E21

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nf3 0-0 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 c5 7. Rc1 cxd4 8. Nxd4 a6. The dernier cri is 8. ... d5 9. cxd5 g5 10. Bg3 Qxd5 11. e3 Qxa2 12. Qc2 Bxc3+ 13 Qxc3 Ne4 14 Qc2 Qa5+ 15 Ke2 Nxg3+ 16 hxg3 Kg7 17. f4 Nc6 18. Nxc6 bxc6 19. Kf2 Rd8 20. Rd1 Rxd1 21. Qxd1 Qf5 22. Qd6 Qd5 23. Qa3 a5 24. Qc3+ e5 25. Bc4 Qd6 26. fxe5 Qb4 27. Qd4 Be6 28. Bxe6 Qxd4 29. exd4 fxe6 30. Rc1 Ra6 31. g4 Rb6 32. b3 Rxb3 33. Rxc6 Rd3 34. Rxe6 Rxd4 35. Re7+ Kg6 36. Re6+ Kg7 37. Re7+ Kg6 38. Re6+ Kg7 ½ : ½ Nepomniachtchi – Lékó, Magnus Carlsen Chess Tour, 4th stage, Legends of Chess, chess24.com, July 27, 2020, match game 2 (time control: 15+10). 9. e3 Nc6 10. Be2 Be7 11. 0-0 d6 12. Bg3 Bd7 13. Nb3 e5 14. Qd2 Be6 15. Rfd1 Qb6 16. f3 Rfd8! Probably best — otherwise Black gets crushed. 17. Bf2

17. ... d5 18. Nxd5 Nxd5 19. e4 Nd4?? A blunder, losing material and the game. Correct and consistent was 19. ... Ne3! 20. Qxe3 Rxd1+ 21. Rxd1 Qb4 22. Qc3 Qa4 just with a hope to get some compensation for the Pawn. 20. exd5+− Bg5 21. f4! Bxf4 22. Bxd4! 1 : 0.