CHESS

THE BEST way to undermine a player's confidence is to concentrate on his bishops. When a man loses faith in his bishops, his entire game may collapse, as the following game shows.

White: A Nimzowitsch

Black: A Olsson

Copenhagen 1924

1.f4 c5 2.e4

A far superior move order to 1.e4 c5 2.f4. While the latter is seen as a cowardly way to avoid main lines of the Sicilian, the move order adopted by Nimzowitsch is a gallant transposition from a feeble Bird's Opening into a more dynamic system.

2...Nc6 3.d3 g6 4.c4!

An outstanding sign of contempt for the enemy bishop. As soon as Black announces his plan to put the bishop on g7, White deliberately weakens the d4 square to show how little respect he holds for the clergy.

4...Bg7 5.Nc3 b6 6.Nf3 Bb7 7.g4!!

Superbly played on two counts: first, the advance of the g-pawn shows that White has no fear of the power of the bishop on b7; second, placing the pawn on g4 makes Black feel the bishop might have better remained on c8.

7...e6 8.Bg2 Nge7 9.Nb5!

Giving the bishop on g7 an even better view of empty spaces.

9...d6 10.0-0 a6 11.Na3 0-0 12.Qe2 Qd7 13.Be3 Nb4 14.Nc2! Bxb2 15.Rab1

Now the bishop has the entire long diagonal for its diocese.

15...Bc3 16.Nxb4 Bxb4 17.Bc1!

Tempted by a pawn, Black's bishop has erred and strayed from its way like a lost sheep. Now White prepares to seize its episcopate.

17...f6 18.Bb2 e5 19.g5!

White's seventh move finally shows its steel. The diagonal will be prised open.

19...Nc6

19...fxg5 20.Nxg5 Nc6 would have been better.

20.gxf6 Qg4 21.fxe5 dxe5 22.Qe3 Qh5 23.Ng5 Bc8

A sign of total ecclesiastical disillusion, but 24.f7+ Kg7 25.Ne6+ had to be stopped.

24.f7+ Kg7 25.Qf4! Kh6 (See diagram.)

Black threats both exf4 and Qxg5.

26.Ne6+! exf4 27.Bg7 mate.

The white bishop has the final word.