E20 Nimzo-Indian: 4.g3 and 4.f3 (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Bd2 b6)

This game was played in a team match called TMCL 2016 Div C R4 OCD v World Friendship. It was played on 57 boards and I played on board 22 for Obsessive Chess Disorder. I helped the team to win the match by winning both of my games against Susi. The final score of the match was 79.5 - 34.5 in favor of Obsessive Chess Disorder. The first time that a clear mistake was seen during this game was when Susi played 18.Qc2. It was bad because of the continuation 18...dxc4 19.bxc4 Bxf3 20.gxf3 cxd4 21.exd4 (this same line is seen in the game notation). In that line after 21.exd4, White is left with doubled isolated pawns on the f-file, isolated pawns on the a-file and on the h-file and total of five pawn islands against Black's two. Due to the pawn weaknesses Black should be clearly better.

Alas, I did not go for the move 18...dxc4, but instead simply protected my h-pawn by pushing it to h6. After this passive move the position should be about even. The second clear mistake was seen when Susi played 21.Bb4. With that move Susi allowed me to win a pawn, had I moved my queen to c6, so that Susi could not have taken on d4 with the knight due to the mate on g2. For some reason I moved the queen to c7, which was much less effective square for the queen. I should have been somewhat better even after 21...Qc7, but it allowed Susi to take on d4 with the knight and get the pawn back safely.

Luckily for me, Susi played 22.exd4 instead and his position started to completely fell apart. I then took the knight on f3 with my bishop, because it removed the defender of the pawn on d4, so that when Susi replied with 23.Bxf3, I could finally be up a pawn because I was able to take the undefended d-pawn with my remaining bishop. The rest of the game was quite easy for me to play and while I did some inaccurate moves, I always remained at least in a clearly favorable position and eventually after my 39th move Qd3+, my opponent resigned.

[Event "TMCL 2016 Div C R4 OCD v World Friendshi"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2016.04.15"] [Round "?"] [White "Susi"] [Black "Vierjoki, Timo"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "1714"] [BlackElo "1832"] [Annotator "Stockfish 8 64 POPCNT (30s)"] [PlyCount "78"] [EventDate "2016.??.??"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 b6 {E20 Nimzo-Indian: 4.g3 and 4.f3} 5. a3 Be7 6. Nf3 (6. e4 O-O 7. Bd3 Bb7 8. Qc2 Nc6 9. Nf3 h6 10. h3 d6 11. Be3 Nd7 12. O-O Bf6 13. b4 Ne7 14. Rab1 Ng6 15. Ne2 Qc8 16. Ng3 Nh4 17. Nh2 c5 18. bxc5 bxc5 19. d5 Bd4 20. Bd2 Qc7 {Kljako,D (2263)-Jovanic,O (2432) Zadar 2002 1/2-1/ 2 (40)}) 6... Bb7 7. e3 (7. Qc2 c5 8. O-O-O cxd4 9. Nxd4 Nc6 10. Nb3 Rc8 11. Na1 Na5 12. b4 Nxc4 13. Qa4 Nxd2 14. Kxd2 Qc7 15. Qb3 Qf4+ 16. Ke1 O-O 17. e3 Qc7 18. Nb5 Qb8 19. f3 a6 20. Nd4 Nd5 21. Rd3 Rc1+ {Plata,Y (1766)-Rincon Rincon,J (1633) Santander 2013 0-1}) 7... O-O 8. Be2 $146 (8. Bd3 d5 9. O-O Nbd7 10. Rb1 c5 11. b4 cxd4 12. exd4 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Rc8 14. Be2 Qc7 15. Rc1 Qb8 16. h3 h6 17. Qb3 Nd5 18. Nxd5 Bxd5 19. Bc4 Rxc4 20. Rxc4 b5 21. Re1 bxc4 22. Qe3 {0-1 (22) Pelic,S (2036)-Jovanic,O (2477) Umag 2005}) 8... d5 9. O-O c5 10. b3 Nbd7 (10... cxd4 11. Nxd4 dxc4 12. Bxc4 $15) 11. Re1 Ne4 12. Bf1 (12. cxd5 exd5 13. Nxe4 dxe4 $11) 12... Nxc3 (12... cxd4 $5 13. exd4 Ndf6 $15) 13. Bxc3 $11 Bf6 14. Rb1 (14. cxd5 Bxd5 15. b4 Rc8 $11) 14... Re8 (14... dxc4 15. bxc4 Qc7 16. Rc1 $11) 15. Be2 (15. cxd5 exd5 16. Qd2 Rc8 $11) 15... Qc7 16. Rc1 Rac8 17. Bd3 (17. cxd5 exd5 18. Bb2 Nf8 $11) 17... Qd6 18. Qc2 (18. dxc5 Nxc5 (18... Rxc5 $143 19. Bb4 $16) 19. Bxf6 Nxd3 20. Qxd3 gxf6 $11) 18... h6 (18... dxc4 19. bxc4 Bxf3 20. gxf3 cxd4 21. exd4 $17) 19. Be2 (19. dxc5 $142 $5 {is worthy of consideration} Qxc5 20. Bxf6 Nxf6 21. b4 $11) 19... dxc4 $17 20. bxc4 cxd4 ( 20... Bxf3 21. Bxf3 cxd4 22. Bxd4 Bxd4 23. exd4 Qxa3 $17) 21. Bb4 $2 (21. Nxd4 Be5 22. h3 Qe7 $15) 21... Qc7 (21... Qc6 22. exd4 Bxd4 23. Bf1 $17) 22. exd4 ( 22. Nxd4 $142 $5 {should be investigated more closely} Nc5 23. Nb5 $17) 22... Bxf3 $17 23. Bxf3 Bxd4 24. Red1 Bc5 25. Be2 Nf6 26. Rf1 (26. g3 h5 $17) 26... Red8 $19 27. Rcd1 Qe7 28. h3 $2 (28. Qb1 $142 $17) 28... Bxb4 $19 29. axb4 Qxb4 30. Rb1 (30. Rd3 Nd5 $1 {Deflection: c4} 31. Rb3 Qc5 $19) 30... Qc5 31. Ra1 ( 31. Rfc1 {doesn't get the bull off the ice} Rd4 $19) 31... a5 (31... b5 $5 { makes it even easier for Black} 32. Rfc1 b4 33. Bf3 $19) 32. Rfb1 Rd6 33. Rb5 ( 33. Rb2 $19) 33... Qxb5 $1 {Deflection: c4} 34. Rb1 (34. cxb5 Rxc2 {Clearance Deflection Pinning}) 34... Qc5 35. Kf1 b5 $1 {Deflection: c4} 36. Rc1 (36. Rxb5 Qxb5 37. cxb5 Rxc2 {Clearance Deflection Pinning}) (36. cxb5 Qb6 {Discovered attack} (36... Qxc2 {Deflection Pinning})) 36... bxc4 37. Bf3 Qb4 38. Rb1 Qd2 39. Qa4 Qd3+ (39... Qd3+ 40. Kg1 Qxb1+ 41. Kh2 c3 42. g3 c2 43. Qf4 c1=Q 44. Qxc1 Rxc1 45. g4 Rd2 46. h4 Rxf2+ 47. Kg3 Rg1+ 48. Kh3 Rxf3+ 49. Kh2 Nxg4#) 0-1

Six of the latest games from my reference games that reached the position after 4...b6 can be seen below.

[Event "Khanty-Mansiysk Governor Cup 8th"] [Site "Khanty Mansiysk"] [Date "2012.11.16"] [Round "2"] [White "Aleksandrov, Aleksej"] [Black "Savchenko, Boris"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2607"] [BlackElo "2556"] [PlyCount "67"] [EventDate "2012.11.15"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "RUS"] [SourceTitle "CBM 151 Extra"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2012.12.18"] 1. d4 e6 2. c4 b6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 Nf6 5. f3 c5 6. d5 exd5 7. cxd5 Bb7 8. e4 Qe7 9. Bc4 a6 10. a3 Ba5 11. a4 O-O 12. Nge2 d6 13. O-O Nbd7 14. Ng3 Rfe8 15. Nf5 Qf8 16. Kh1 Ne5 17. Be2 Rac8 18. Qe1 c4 19. Qg3 Kh8 20. Be3 Nfd7 21. f4 Ng6 22. Bd4 Nf6 23. Bf3 Rc7 24. Qg5 h6 25. Nxh6 Nh7 26. Qg3 Bc8 27. Rae1 b5 28. axb5 axb5 29. Bh5 b4 30. Nb5 Rd7 31. Nxf7+ Qxf7 32. Bxg6 Qg8 33. Bxe8 Qxe8 34. Nxd6 1-0 [Event "Bundesliga 1314"] [Site "Germany"] [Date "2013.10.12"] [Round "1.2"] [White "Stern, Rene"] [Black "Tazbir, Marcin"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2513"] [BlackElo "2544"] [PlyCount "106"] [EventDate "2013.10.12"] [EventType "team-tourn"] [EventRounds "15"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "CBM 157"] [Source "ChessBase"] [SourceDate "2013.11.12"] [WhiteTeam "Koenig Tegel"] [BlackTeam "Griesheim"] [WhiteTeamCountry "GER"] [BlackTeamCountry "GER"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 b6 5. f3 O-O 6. e4 d6 7. Nge2 e5 8. a3 Bxc3 9. Bxc3 Qe7 10. Ng3 g6 11. Be2 Nbd7 12. O-O Ne8 13. b4 Bb7 14. d5 Ng7 15. Qd2 g5 16. Bd3 h6 17. Rac1 c6 18. dxc6 Bxc6 19. Rfd1 Rad8 20. Nf1 Rfe8 21. Ne3 Nf8 22. Nd5 Bxd5 23. cxd5 Rc8 24. Ba6 Rc7 25. Bb2 Ng6 26. Rc6 Qd8 27. g3 Ree7 28. Bf1 Ne8 29. Bh3 b5 30. Rdc1 Rxc6 31. dxc6 Qb6+ 32. Qf2 Qxf2+ 33. Kxf2 Nf8 34. Bf1 a6 35. a4 Nc7 36. axb5 axb5 37. Rd1 f6 38. Rxd6 Re6 39. Rxe6 Nfxe6 40. Bh3 Kf7 41. f4 gxf4 42. Bxe6+ Nxe6 43. gxf4 exf4 44. e5 f5 45. Bd4 Ke8 46. Bb6 h5 47. Kg2 Ng5 48. Bf2 Ne6 49. Kh3 Ng5+ 50. Kh4 Nf3+ 51. Kxh5 Nxe5 52. Kg5 Nxc6 53. Kxf4 Nxb4 1/2-1/2 [Event "Bundesliga 1314"] [Site "Germany"] [Date "2013.12.14"] [Round "5.2"] [White "Stern, Rene"] [Black "Smeets, Jan"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2513"] [BlackElo "2620"] [PlyCount "117"] [EventDate "2013.10.12"] [EventType "team-tourn"] [EventRounds "15"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "Mega2014 Update 01"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2014.01.06"] [WhiteTeam "Koenig Tegel"] [BlackTeam "Solingen"] [WhiteTeamCountry "GER"] [BlackTeamCountry "GER"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 b6 5. f3 Bxc3 6. Bxc3 d5 7. Qa4+ Bd7 8. Qa3 Nc6 9. e3 Ne7 10. Bd3 O-O 11. Ne2 Nf5 12. Kf2 dxc4 13. Bxc4 Nd6 14. Bd3 Nd5 15. Bd2 f5 16. Rac1 Ne4+ 17. Ke1 Nxd2 18. Kxd2 Qg5 19. Bc4 Qxg2 20. Rhg1 Qxh2 21. Rh1 Qd6 22. Qxd6 cxd6 23. Bxd5 exd5 24. Nf4 Rac8 25. Nxd5 Rf7 26. f4 g6 27. Rxc8+ Bxc8 28. Rc1 Bb7 29. Nc7 Rd7 30. b4 a6 31. Na8 b5 32. Nb6 Re7 33. Nc8 Rd7 34. Nb6 Re7 35. Nc8 Re6 36. Rc7 Bf3 37. Rd7 d5 38. Rd8+ Kg7 39. Rd7+ Kg8 40. Rd8+ Kg7 41. Rd7+ Kf6 42. Rxh7 Rc6 43. Ne7 Rc4 44. Ng8+ Ke6 45. Re7+ Kd6 46. Rg7 Rxb4 47. Rxg6+ Kc7 48. Rxa6 Rb1 49. Ne7 Be4 50. Ra7+ Kd6 51. Nc8+ Kc6 52. Ne7+ Kd6 53. Nc8+ Ke6 54. Ra6+ Kd7 55. Nd6 b4 56. Nxe4 dxe4 57. Kc2 Re1 58. Kd2 Rb1 59. Kc2 1/2-1/2 [Event "Bundesliga 1314"] [Site "Germany"] [Date "2014.04.05"] [Round "14.2"] [White "Stern, Rene"] [Black "Kryvoruchko, Yuriy"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2513"] [BlackElo "2696"] [PlyCount "118"] [EventDate "2013.10.12"] [EventType "team-tourn"] [EventRounds "15"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "Mega2014 Update 15"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2014.04.10"] [WhiteTeam "Koenig Tegel"] [BlackTeam "Katernberg"] [WhiteTeamCountry "GER"] [BlackTeamCountry "GER"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 b6 5. f3 O-O 6. e4 c5 7. d5 exd5 8. cxd5 d6 9. a3 Ba5 10. Nge2 a6 11. Ng3 b5 12. Be2 Nbd7 13. O-O c4 14. b4 cxb3 15. Qxb3 Nc5 16. Qa2 Bd7 17. Kh1 Rc8 18. Rab1 Re8 19. Rfc1 h6 20. Bf4 Qe7 21. Nd1 Na4 22. Qa1 Bb6 23. Ne3 Bxe3 24. Bxe3 Nxd5 25. Bd4 Nf6 26. Bxf6 Qxf6 27. Qxf6 gxf6 28. Nh5 Re6 29. Rxc8+ Bxc8 30. Rc1 Nc5 31. Nf4 Re8 32. Nh5 Re6 33. Nf4 Re8 34. Nh5 Kf8 35. Nxf6 Re6 36. Nd5 Re5 37. Kg1 Be6 38. Nf4 Ke7 39. Kf2 Kd7 40. h4 Bb3 41. g4 Re8 42. Nh5 Rb8 43. Ng3 a5 44. e5 Be6 45. exd6 Kxd6 46. Rd1+ Ke7 47. Rc1 Nd7 48. Bd3 Ne5 49. Nf5+ Kf8 50. Be4 Nc4 51. Nd4 Nxa3 52. Nxe6+ fxe6 53. Rc7 b4 54. g5 hxg5 55. h5 Nb5 56. Rd7 Nc3 57. Bg6 b3 58. h6 Kg8 59. Rg7+ Kh8 1/2-1/2 [Event "Wch Rapid"] [Site "Berlin"] [Date "2015.10.11"] [Round "6"] [White "Stern, Rene"] [Black "Gajewski, Grzegorz"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "E20"] [WhiteElo "2538"] [BlackElo "2654"] [PlyCount "63"] [EventDate "2015.10.10"] [EventType "swiss (rapid)"] [EventRounds "15"] [EventCountry "GER"] [SourceTitle "Mega2015 Update 47"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2015.10.16"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 b6 5. e4 c5 6. e5 cxd4 7. Nb5 Bxd2+ 8. Qxd2 Ng8 9. Qxd4 Nh6 10. Nd6+ Kf8 11. Nf3 Nc6 12. Qf4 f6 13. Bd3 Nf7 14. Nxf7 Kxf7 15. O-O Bb7 16. Rad1 Qe7 17. exf6 gxf6 18. Be4 Ke8 19. Rfe1 Rc8 20. Bxc6 Bxc6 21. Nd4 Rg8 22. Nxc6 Rxc6 23. Qb8+ Qd8 24. Qxa7 Ke7 25. Qa3+ Kf7 26. Qd3 Rc7 27. Qxh7+ Rg7 28. Qh5+ Ke7 29. Rxe6+ Kf8 30. Qh8+ Rg8 31. Rxf6+ Ke7 32. Re1# 1-0 [Event "Iberoamerican-ch 6th"] [Site "Bilbao"] [Date "2015.11.02"] [Round "8"] [White "Bruzon Batista, Lazaro"] [Black "Del Rio de Angelis, Salvador Gabriel"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "A40"] [WhiteElo "2659"] [BlackElo "2512"] [PlyCount "78"] [EventDate "2015.10.26"] [EventType "swiss"] [EventRounds "9"] [EventCountry "ESP"] [SourceTitle "Mega2015 Update 50"] [Source "Chessbase"] [SourceDate "2015.11.05"] 1. c4 b6 2. d4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Bd2 Nf6 5. Nf3 Bb7 6. g3 Bxc3 7. Bxc3 Ne4 8. Rc1 O-O 9. Bg2 d6 10. O-O Nxc3 11. Rxc3 Nd7 12. d5 e5 13. e4 Qe7 14. Qc2 g6 15. b4 a5 16. a3 axb4 17. axb4 f5 18. exf5 gxf5 19. Nd2 Kh8 20. Rb1 Nf6 21. Re1 Qg7 22. Qb3 e4 23. f3 b5 24. Rc2 Rae8 25. fxe4 fxe4 26. Nf1 bxc4 27. Qxc4 Nxd5 28. b5 Nb6 29. Qxc7 Qd4+ 30. Kh1 Ba8 31. Rd2 Rxf1+ 32. Rxf1 Qxd2 33. Qf7 Rc8 34. Qf6+ Kg8 35. Bh3 Bd5 36. Be6+ Bxe6 37. Qxe6+ Kh8 38. Qf6+ Kg8 39. Qe6+ Kh8 1/2-1/2