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Simon Winawer vs Mikhail Chigorin
Vienna (1882), Vienna AUH, rd 7, May-17
Center Game: Accepted (C21)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
May-21-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  tamar: Why not 21...Qxa2?
May-21-08  mistreaver: This is a freaking strange opening? why didn't black play 3 ... Nc6 and 4 ... Nf6 what is to his advantage
May-21-08  sneaky pete: <tamar> Winawer in the tournament book: 21... Qxa2 22.Nc3 Qa1+ (22... Qe6 23.Bc4 ..) 23.Kd2 Qxb2 24.Rb1 Qa3 25.Nb5 Qxg3 (25... Qa2 26.Ra1 ..; 25...Qe7 26.Nxc7 ..) 26.Ne2 Qg6 27. Rg1 .. wins the queen.

The line after 22... Qa1+ is convincing enough. After 22... Qe6 23.Bc4 Qg4 25.Nd5 .. looks strong and if here 24... Qb6


click for larger view

again 25.Nd5 seems promising.

May-21-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  Pawn and Two: <tamar> 21...Qxa2 is an interesting suggestion, and is much superior to Chigorin's 21...Rb8?.

However, after 21...Qxa2 21.Nc3 Qa1+ 23.Kd2 Qxb2 24.Rb1 Qa3, Fritz indicates White is better: (1.17) (21 ply) 25.Nd5 c6 26.Nc7 c5 27.Qd5 Ng4 28.Bd3 Ba6, or (1.11) (21 ply) 25.Rxh6 gxh6 26.Nd5 Ng6 27.Nf6+.

<sneaky pete & tamar> If 25.Nb5 Qa2 26.Ra1, Fritz indicates Black's best is 26..c5 27.Rxa2 cxd4, and White's advantage is less than in the above lines: (.48) (20 ply) 28.Nd6 Ng4 29.Be2 f5.

White has considerable advantage after 21...Qxa2, but additional analysis would be needed to determine if he is winning.

At move 18, Winawer should have strengthened his position, with advantage by: 18.Kb1 Bb7 19.Bg2.

Chigorin's (.70) (18 ply) 19...Nxh6? was an error; much better was (-.58) (18 ply) 19...Qxe4 20 Rh2 Qe3+ 21.Qxe3 Nxe3.

May-22-08
Premium Chessgames Member
  tamar: <mistreaver> 3...Nc6 and 4...Nf6 are much better, but more analysed even then.

Winawer won with a form of the early Queen development (4...Qf6) the next year W Paulsen vs Winawer, 1883 so Chigorin again was a pioneer.

Just looks hard to hold for Black, especially in this game with the knights on h6 and h8 more a hindrance to King safety than a boon.

Shredder confirms <Pawn and Two>'s analysis of 21...Qxa2, improving upon Winawer's line.

thanks <sneakypete> for the tournament book access.

Oct-21-10  Naugh: This is freaking horrible. In the center game, Black should refrain from any queen sorties of his own as they are bound to end in a disaster. 2. ... ♕f6?? is in my opinion a positional blunder and just destroys all hopes of black to ever get a proper position in the game. You may well believe I'm overreacting, but making White suffer the development lag is crucial for black to come up with adequate defensive resources. If gets White a strong center presence and development, then he will have your head as Black. I know because I employ the center game alot.
Aug-30-19
Premium Chessgames Member
  Honza Cervenka: Winawer's line after 21...Qxa2, i.e. 22.Nc3 Qa1+ 23.Kd2 Qxb2 24.Rb1 Qa3 can continue also with 25.Nd5 (instead of 25.Nb5) 25...c6 26.Rb3 Qd6 27.Rxh6! (of course, the Rook cannot be taken neither by the Queen, nor by the Pawn) 27...Ng6 28.Rb6 Qa3 29.Nc7 Ra7 30.Rb3 c5 31.Rxa3 cxd4 32.Nb5 etc. with extra piece for white.

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