As we know it from the iceberg, the visible part of a chess game is only small compared to the invisible one that is located in the head of the players. This big part under the surface is full of secrets and sometimes harbors mysterious beings. In this game, I had a mighty ally which normally only exists in fantasy chess. But suddenly he appeared from the realm of fantasy and with deadly efficiency, the powerful Janus, being bishop and knight in one person, was paving my way to victory. You think that is impossible? Then see for yourself…
[Event "Geneva"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "1995.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Kelecevic"]
[Black "Wahls"]
[Result "0-1"]
[ECO "E39"]
[WhiteElo "2450"]
[BlackElo "2555"]
[PlyCount "110"]
[SourceDate "2002.05.06"]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 c5 5. dxc5 O-O 6. Nf3 {
More popular is 6.a3, which forces the bishop to recapture on c5.} Na6 {
[#] Now, the knight will do the job, setting his sight on the important square
e4.} 7. Bd2 {Not very ambitious. Preferable are 7.g3 or the relatively young
move 7.c6.} Nxc5 8. e3 b6 9. Be2 {Everyone interested in this variation of the Nimzoindian should
be acquainted with the following model game:} (9. a3 Bxc3 10. Bxc3 Bb7 11. Be2
d6 12. b3 e5 $1 {[#] Note how Black's pawns harmonize with the minor pieces and
how they dominate White's knight and queen's bishop!} 13. O-O Rc8 14. Rfc1 Qe7
15. b4 Nce4 16. Be1 Rc7 17. Qb2 Qe6 18. a4 Ba6 $1 {Provocation! The bishop
helps to conquer the square c5.} 19. b5 Bb7 20. a5 h6 21. Rd1 Rfc8 22. h3 Nd7
23. Nd2 Nec5 24. axb6 axb6 25. f3 e4 26. fxe4 Nxe4 27. Nxe4 Bxe4 28. Bg3 Qg6
29. Kh2 d5 30. Rac1 Nf6 31. Bf1 Rc5 32. cxd5 Nxd5 33. Rxc5 Rxc5 $17 {[%csl Ye3,
Yg2] Hertneck-Karpov,BL 1994 0-1 (61)}) 9... Bb7 10. O-O {[#]} d6 ({Rather
than heading for direct equality with} 10... Qe7 11. a3 Bxc3 12. Bxc3 Nce4 13.
Rfd1 Rfc8 14. Rac1 Nxc3 15. Qxc3 d5 {I wanted to follow in Karpov's foot steps,
going for an asymmetric position and thus preserving the winning potential.
But as we will see, there is a slight problem getting there.}) 11. Rfd1 Qe7 $6
(11... Rc8 12. Nd4 (12. a3 Bxc3 13. Qxc3 d5 $36) 12... d5 $11) 12. a3 $6 ({
Now, White could have played} 12. Nd4 {, so that 12..e5 can be met by 13.Nf5.}
Bxc3 13. Bxc3 Nfe4 14. Be1 e5 15. Nb5 a6 16. Nc3 Nxc3 17. Qxc3 a5 18. f3 f5 $13
{for instance} 19. b3 g5 20. a3 g4 21. b4 (21. fxg4 $2 fxg4 22. Bxg4 $2 Qg5 23.
Bh3 Rf3 $19) 21... gxf3 22. Bxf3 axb4 23. axb4 Bxf3 24. gxf3 Rxa1 25. Rxa1 Ne6
$13) 12... Bxc3 {[#]} 13. bxc3 $4 {An incredible move which can only be
explained by the invisible Janus fighting at my side. White's mistake is
based on the erroneous assumption, that the loss of the exchange is
unavoidable after 13.Qc3 Nfe4 14.Qc1 Nb3. Of course, instead of 14.Qc1 there
is 14.Qc2 at hand. However, by previously calculating the line 13.Bc3? Be4 14.
Qc1 Nb3, the knight on e4 reshaped into a bishop in the mind of my opponent,
depriving the queen of the square c2. That's a good example for an overlap of
logical-visual images, also known as residue image phenomenon. It is one of
the most common sources of mistakes when doing calculations.} (13. Qxc3 Nce4
14. Qd3 Rfd8 $11) (13. Bxc3 $2 Be4 14. Bxf6 Qxf6 15. Qc3 Qxc3 16. bxc3 Rfd8 $17
) 13... Rac8 $17 14. Be1 e5 $1 {[#] Karpov's spirit of restriction is still
part of the game.} 15. a4 Be4 16. Qb2 Bc6 17. a5 Ba4 18. Rdb1 bxa5 19. Nd2 $2 {
This gives me the opportunity to hang on to my doubled a-pawn.} (19. Ra3 a6 20.
Qa2 Bd7 21. Rxa5 Bg4 $17) 19... Qc7 20. f3 Rb8 21. Qa3 Rxb1 22. Rxb1 Bc6 23. e4
a4 {[%csl Ya4,Ya7,Yc3,Yc4] [#] Funnily enough, all four doubled pawns will
play an important part in the finish of this game!} 24. Nf1 {The knight
would like to travel to d5, but his defensive tasks will tie him down.} Rb8 25.
Rb4 a5 26. Rxb8+ Qxb8 {[%cal Gb8b1]} 27. Qa1 Qb3 28. Nd2 Qb6 $6 {Here I could
have played more actively. On the other hand, there is absolutely no need to
rush in this kind of position.} (28... Qc2 29. Kf1 Nfd7 30. Bd1 Qd3+ 31. Be2
Qe3) 29. Bf2 Nfd7 30. Qa3 g6 {[#] Since White's forces are occupied with the
defense of the queenside, it is time to open up a second front.} 31. g4 {
The frustration of 31..f5 is bought with further weaknesses, which I don't
hesitate to exploit.} Nf8 32. g5 Nfe6 33. h4 Kg7 34. Bf1 h6 {White has to
abandon his stronghold on g5, which leaves his h-pawn isolated and my f-pawn
free to run.} 35. gxh6+ Kxh6 36. Kh2 Nf4 37. Qc1 Kh7 38. Qa3 Kg7 39. Kg1 Qd8
40. Kh2 Ncd3 41. Bxd3 Nxd3 42. Bg3 f5 (42... g5 $1) 43. Kg2 fxe4 44. fxe4 Qb6
$5 {[#] This artistic move is quite funny, but was not really necessary in the
face of prosaic solutions such as 44..g5 or 44..Nc5. Now, White has to take
the bait due to the threats of 45..Qe3 or 45..Qb2.} 45. Qxd6 Bxe4+ $1 46. Nxe4
Qxd6 47. Nxd6 a3 {[#] The time of the doubled pawns has come!} 48. c5 $1 a2 (
48... Nxc5 $4 49. Bxe5+ Kf8 50. c4) 49. c6 a1=Q 50. c7 {Since the birth of
White's new queen cannot be prevented, she is murdered right in her cradle.}
Qxc3 $1 51. c8=Q Qxc8 52. Nxc8 a4 {[#] Three of the four doubled pawns already
left the board in this final showdown. The last one, however, will decide the
battle.} 53. Nb6 (53. Nd6 a3 54. Nb7 a2 55. Nc5 Ne1+ $1 $19) 53... a3 54. Nc4
a2 55. Nxe5 Nb2 $1 {[#] Shielding the promotion square against a potential
check on e5.} 0-1
