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Going through my archives, I've come across a few games from my experimental youth in unusual openings. The 4.Nh3 Nimzo is one of them, and I actually played quite a number of games with it, with decent success. I got drummed using it a few years ago by NM Chris Pace in a Kingston Chess Club event, and hadn't thought about it since, until now! But I think the game I present here has some merit! Not many examples from other players!
Frank Dixon -- Dr. John Ursell
Kingston 1976, played October 24
Casual game, G/45'
Nimzo-Indian, 4.Nh3, E20
Clock times in brackets
Notes by Frank Dixon
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nh3!?
[While searching for rare debuts that are playable, I came up with this while in high school, and tried it out several times in quick games. My opponent, Dr. John Ursell (1938-2009), was a professor of Mathematics at Queen's University, where I was a student at the time this game was played. Professor Ursell, known to everyone as John, was a friendly and somewhat eccentric fellow, who sometimes rehearsed his forthcoming course lectures in empty classrooms in the Math building during quiet evenings, when I was sometimes studying nearby, and we connected. The department kept several chess sets and a few clocks in the library, and we probably played about 30 games in the years I was at Queen's, with honors about even. John had earned his PhD from Oxford in 1963, but did not play chess for Oxford in the annual Varsity match against Cambridge, which dates back into the 1800s. His father was also a mathematics professor in the U.K. John was a member of a chess-playing family, going back several generations, and had played club chess in England, prior to taking his professorship at Queen's. He donated a number of chess books to Queen's, and to the City of Kingston library. Eventually, as we became friends, he sought my feedback on his lecture presentations. I never actually had him as a professor in any of my courses; he was very well liked by his students!]
4...b6
[I have also seen 4...O-O; 4...c5; 4...d5; 4...h6; and 4...d6 here.]
5.Bg5
[This idea is from the Leningrad variation, one move later; the line was popularized by a young Boris Spassky.]
5...Ba6
[This extended fianchetto was used frequently by GM David Bronstein in the Nimzo, in his 1951 drawn world title match with champion GM Mikhail Botvinnik. I am certain we have left recorded praxis at this stage! It's shaping up to be an interesting, unbalanced contest!]
6.Qb3 c5 7.e3 O-O 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.a3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 d5 (9,9)
[John is showing strong command of thematic Nimzo ideas; this was his main defense against 1.d4, I came to learn. I can't capture on d5, and I face danger with a coming ...Na5!, with Black's potential advantage.]
11.Qc2 dxc4
[Perhaps 11...h6 first is better, as my bishop becomes strong after capturing h7.]
12.Bxh7+ Kh8 13.O-O
[I have also tried both long castling, and leaving my King in the center, in the variation.]
13...Rc8 14.dxc5 Ne5!? (17,14)
[Potentially heading for a strong post on d3.]
15.cxb6 axb6 16.Nf4!
[Protecting d3, and preparing a transfer to h5, where I aim to increase pressure on Black's Kingside.]
16...b5
[A little slow, but by no means a bad move.]
17.Rad1 Qe7 18.Nh5!
[White has an advantage, but Black still has many resources.]
18...Rc7 19.Rd4!
[Looking to double rooks on the d-file, and possibly transfer this rook to h4!]
19...Ned7 (23,28)
[Electing to reinforce his King's defense.]
20.Rfd1 Bc8 21.Rh4 Qxa3! (25,31)
[With f6 now better protected, Black regains his pawn, and can create some potentially dangerous counterplay with this move! White, looking for combinations, must watch his back rank carefully.]
22.Ng3
[Withdrawing this knight from an attacking role, but fortifying the back rank.]
22...Qb3!
[Very resourceful play from Black. With a queen exchange on c2, White would give discovered check on the h-file, with his bishop recapture, gaining a tempo.]
23.Rxd7! Rxd7! 24.Bxf6! Rd1+! 25.Nf1! gxf6
[Not sure if Black, now down a piece until this recapture, can still save the position here.]
26.Bg8+! , 1-0. (34,40)
[This discovered check was what he had overlooked. White will give mate with his queen on h7! Certainly a lively encounter, illustrating the potential of the lesser-known variation!]
Frank Dixon -- Dr. John Ursell
Kingston 1976, played October 24
Casual game, G/45'
Nimzo-Indian, 4.Nh3, E20
Clock times in brackets
Notes by Frank Dixon
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Nh3!?
[While searching for rare debuts that are playable, I came up with this while in high school, and tried it out several times in quick games. My opponent, Dr. John Ursell (1938-2009), was a professor of Mathematics at Queen's University, where I was a student at the time this game was played. Professor Ursell, known to everyone as John, was a friendly and somewhat eccentric fellow, who sometimes rehearsed his forthcoming course lectures in empty classrooms in the Math building during quiet evenings, when I was sometimes studying nearby, and we connected. The department kept several chess sets and a few clocks in the library, and we probably played about 30 games in the years I was at Queen's, with honors about even. John had earned his PhD from Oxford in 1963, but did not play chess for Oxford in the annual Varsity match against Cambridge, which dates back into the 1800s. His father was also a mathematics professor in the U.K. John was a member of a chess-playing family, going back several generations, and had played club chess in England, prior to taking his professorship at Queen's. He donated a number of chess books to Queen's, and to the City of Kingston library. Eventually, as we became friends, he sought my feedback on his lecture presentations. I never actually had him as a professor in any of my courses; he was very well liked by his students!]
4...b6
[I have also seen 4...O-O; 4...c5; 4...d5; 4...h6; and 4...d6 here.]
5.Bg5
[This idea is from the Leningrad variation, one move later; the line was popularized by a young Boris Spassky.]
5...Ba6
[This extended fianchetto was used frequently by GM David Bronstein in the Nimzo, in his 1951 drawn world title match with champion GM Mikhail Botvinnik. I am certain we have left recorded praxis at this stage! It's shaping up to be an interesting, unbalanced contest!]
6.Qb3 c5 7.e3 O-O 8.Bd3 Nc6 9.a3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 d5 (9,9)
[John is showing strong command of thematic Nimzo ideas; this was his main defense against 1.d4, I came to learn. I can't capture on d5, and I face danger with a coming ...Na5!, with Black's potential advantage.]
11.Qc2 dxc4
[Perhaps 11...h6 first is better, as my bishop becomes strong after capturing h7.]
12.Bxh7+ Kh8 13.O-O
[I have also tried both long castling, and leaving my King in the center, in the variation.]
13...Rc8 14.dxc5 Ne5!? (17,14)
[Potentially heading for a strong post on d3.]
15.cxb6 axb6 16.Nf4!
[Protecting d3, and preparing a transfer to h5, where I aim to increase pressure on Black's Kingside.]
16...b5
[A little slow, but by no means a bad move.]
17.Rad1 Qe7 18.Nh5!
[White has an advantage, but Black still has many resources.]
18...Rc7 19.Rd4!
[Looking to double rooks on the d-file, and possibly transfer this rook to h4!]
19...Ned7 (23,28)
[Electing to reinforce his King's defense.]
20.Rfd1 Bc8 21.Rh4 Qxa3! (25,31)
[With f6 now better protected, Black regains his pawn, and can create some potentially dangerous counterplay with this move! White, looking for combinations, must watch his back rank carefully.]
22.Ng3
[Withdrawing this knight from an attacking role, but fortifying the back rank.]
22...Qb3!
[Very resourceful play from Black. With a queen exchange on c2, White would give discovered check on the h-file, with his bishop recapture, gaining a tempo.]
23.Rxd7! Rxd7! 24.Bxf6! Rd1+! 25.Nf1! gxf6
[Not sure if Black, now down a piece until this recapture, can still save the position here.]
26.Bg8+! , 1-0. (34,40)
[This discovered check was what he had overlooked. White will give mate with his queen on h7! Certainly a lively encounter, illustrating the potential of the lesser-known variation!]
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