Øst-Hansen, Jacob - Nunn, John [C27]
World Students Olympiad, Teeside
15th January 1974
Dr John Nunn was one of the young stars of English chess who emerged in the 1970s. He reached his peak in 1989 when he was ranked in the top ten in the world; his play has always been stylish and entertaining. Nunn hardly plays over the board chess these days although he does compete in problem solving events and researching computer chess. The following game ably demonstrates his tactical prowess.
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4
This position in the Vienna Game can also be reached via the less popular Bishop's Opening.
3...Nxe4!? 4.Qh5
[The most interesting continuation 4.Bxf7+ Theory suggests this is better for Black as it cedes not just the bishop pair but a central pawn.; 4.Nxe4 d5 is also good for Black]
4...Nd6
Although this gums up Black's development it is forced as both mate in one and Qxe5+ were threatened.
5.Bb3
[5.Qxe5+ Qe7 6.Qxe7+ Bxe7 7.Be2 is recommended for anyone of a nervous disposition.]
5...Nc6
Black protects the e-pawn. [5...Be7 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Nxe5 g6 8.Qe2 Nd4 9.Qd3 Nxb3 10.axb3 Nf5 11.0–0 d6 12.Nf3 Anand-Ivanchuk 1992]
6.Nb5!
Threatening Nxd6+ followed by Qxf7 mate [6.d4 is the Weaver Adams' Gambit]
6...g6
Gaining some space before the inevitable loss of the queen's rook.
7.Qf3 f5 8.Qd5 Qe7
The only way to prevent the mate.
9.Nxc7+ Kd8 10.Nxa8
We have now reached the bloodthirsty Frankenstein-Dracula variation so called after Tim Harding mused that two such fellows would play in such a fashion.
10...b6
Preparing Bb7 to win the knight and reduce the material deficit. The bishop will also threaten white's queen thereby gaining a tempo.
11.d3
[White has a number of alternatives but Black has ample compensation in these lines. Instead of opening the centre, White should aim to complete his development. 11.Nxb6 gains an extra pawn but saves black a tempo to capture the knight.; 11.Qf3; 11.Nf3; 11.d4 Bb7 12.Nf3]
11...Bb7 12.h4
threatening Bg5 winning the queen
12...f4 13.Qf3 Bh6 !
[This was Nunn's major contribution to the theory of this variation. 13...Nd4 14.Qg4 Bh6 to prevent the exchange of queens. (14...Bg7 15.Bd2 is now under the theoretical microscope) 15.Bd2 e4 16.0–0–0 e3 17.fxe3 Nxb3+ 18.axb3 fxe3 19.Be1 e2+ 20.Rd2 Bxa8 21.Nxe2 is OK for white]
14.Qg4
[14.Bd2 and getting the king to safety is now the accepted response to Nunn's improvement.]
14...e4
Opening the centre to exploit the position of the white king.
15.Bxf4 exd3+ 16.Kf1 Bxf4 17.Qxf4 Rf8 18.Qg3 Ne4 19.Qc7+ Ke8 20.Nh3
[20.Qxb7 Ng3#; 20.Nf3 Qc5 21.Kg1 Qxf2+ 22.Kh2 Rxf3]
20...Nxf2 21.Nxf2 Qe2+ 22.Kg1
The king is evicted from his castle.
22...Qxf2+ 23.Kh2 Qxh4+ 24.Kg1 Qd4+ 25.Kh2 Ne5 26.Rhf1
[26.Qb8+ Ke7 27.Qxf8+ Kxf8 28.Rhf1+ Kg7 29.Nc7 Qh4+ 30.Kg1 Ng4]
26...Ng4+ 27.Kh3
[27.Kg3 Qe3+ 28.Kh4 (28.Kxg4 h5+ 29.Kh4 Qe4+ 30.Rf4 g5+ 31.Kxg5 Qxg2+ 32.Kh4 Qh2+ 33.Kg5 Qg3+ 34.Rg4 Qxg4+ 35.Kh6 Rh8#) 28...Qh6+ 29.Kg3 Qh2+ 30.Kxg4 Qh5+ 31.Kg3 Qg5+ 32.Kh3 Qxg2+ 33.Kh4 g5+ 34.Kh5 Qh3+ 35.Kxg5 h6+ 36.Kg6 Be4+ 37.Kg7 Qg4+ 38.Kxh6 Rh8#]
27...Qe3+?
[With both players in time-trouble Nunn slips up, 27...Bxg2+ 28.Kxg2 Ne3+ 29.Kh2 Qh4+ 30.Kg1 Qg4+ 31.Kh2 Qg2#]
28.Kxg4?
[Now white misses his chance. 28.Qg3 Nf2+ 29.Rxf2 Qh6+ 30.Qh4 Qxh4+ 31.Kxh4 Rxf2 32.Nc7+ Kd8 33.Nb5 d2 is even]
28...h5+ 29.Kh4 g5+ 30.Kxh5 Rh8+ 31.Kg6 Be4+ 32.Rf5 Bxf5+ 33.Kxf5 Rf8+ 34.Kg6 Qe4+ 35.Kg7 Qe7+ 36.Kg6 Qf6+ 37.Kh5 Qh8+ 38.Kg4 Qh4#
0–1
The novelty that Nunn inroduced at move 13 effectively put this variation out of business at Master level for nearly twenty years . In the 1990s a number of correspondence players revisited the line and having advanced the theory it is now considered playable.
