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

Out of Time

Carlo Micheli – Nathan Birnboim
25th World Senior Chess Championship 65+; Acqui Terme, November 12, 2015
Sicilian Defence B33

1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e5 6. Ndb5 d6 7. Nd5 Nxd5 8. exd5 Nb8 9. c4 Be7 10. Be2 0-0 11. 0-0 Nd7 12. Be3 a6 13. Nc3 f5 14. f3 Bg5 15. Bf2 b6. Departing from 15. ... Bf4 16. b4 b6 17. Na4 Rb8 18. g3 Bg5 19. Qc2 f4 20. Bd3 fxg3 21. Bxh7+ Kh8 22. hxg3 Rxf3 23. Kg2 Rf8 24. Bf5 g6 25. Bxg6 Kg7 26. Bh5 Rf6 27. Bg1 Nf8 28. Rxf6 Bxf6 29. Rf1 Bd7 30. Nc3 Qc8 31. Kh2 Bh3 32. Rxf6 Kxf6 33. g4 Bxg4 34. Qf2+ Bf5 35. Ne4+ Ke7 36. Qh4+ Kd7 37. Qf6 Qxc4 38. Qxd6+ Kc8 39. Qxf8+ Kc7 40. Qf7+ Kd8 41. Qe8+ Kc7 42. Qxe5+ 1 : 0 A. Rombaldoni – Birnboim, 16th European Individual Chess Championship, Jerusalem 2015. 16. b4 Rb8 17. Bd3

17. ... e4!? Since Black is in serious danger of being overwhelmed by White’s preponderance in the centre, Birnboim thematically seeks counterplay on the Kingside by a positional Pawn sacrifice. 18. fxe4 f4 19. Ne2 f3 20. gxf3 Rxf3. Here 20. ... Ne5 21. Nd4 Bf4 was also an interesting modus vivendi. 21. Bd4! Micheli thought for a long time before playing his move. On 21. Nd4 Rxf2! 22. Kxf2 Qf6+ 23. Nf3 Bf4! leaves Black with good compensation for the Exchange. 21. ... Rxf1+ 22. Qxf1 Qe7 23. Ng3 g6 24. Be2 Bf6 25. Bxf6 Nxf6 26. Qf4 Nd7 27. Rf1 Kg7 28. h4 Qf6 29. Qg5? Micheli starts losing the thread. Here 29. Qg4! (threatening both Rf1xf6 and Ng3-h5+) 29. ... Qe5 30. Nf5+ Kh8 31. Qg5! would have put Black into an irremediable situation. 29. ... Qxg5 30. hxg5 Ne5 31. Rf6 Nf7 32. e5 dxe5 33. Rc6 Nxg5 34. Rc7+ Kf6 35. c5 bxc5 36. bxc5 Bf5 37. Rc6+ Ke7 38. Rxa6 Nh3+? Both players are in time trouble. Correct was 38. ... Rb1+ 39. Kf2 Rc1 bringing Black closer to a draw. 39. Kg2? Perhaps White overlooked that – after the text move – Black’s reply ... Nh3-f4 it’s check! 39. Kh2 would have ensured him an almost certain win. 39. ... Nf4+ 40. Kf3 Nxd5 41. Ra7+ Kf6 42. Rxh7 Rc8 43. Bc4? Another error by White. 43. ... Rxc5 44. Bb3 Rc3+ 45. Kf2 Nf4 0 : 1. The resignation might appear to be a bit premature. Maybe Micheli — who knows? — overstepped the time limit.