A new book, Opening Repertoire: The Nimzo-Indian and Bogo-Indian by Christof Seilecki (Everyman Chess), focuses on the ever popular Nimzo-Indian and Bogo-Indian Defences. The former arises after 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 while the latter commences 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 Bb4+. The possibilities for transposition are legion.
The Nimzo-Indian is named after the subtle chessboard strategist and author of My System Aron Nimzowitsch, victor of the great international tournaments at Dresden 1926, London 1927 and Carlsbad 1929. Its close relative is named after Efim Bogolyubov who won the equally impressive tournaments at Moscow 1925 and Bad Kissingen 1928 and also challenged, unsuccessfully, for the World Championship in 1929 and 1934.
Opening Repertoire explains a dark square strategy for Black based on the pawn structure with … d6 and … e5.
Sergey Kasparov-Bologan: Minsk 2000; Nimzo-Indian Defence
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 Nc6 3 Nf3 e6 4 Nc3 Bb4 5 Bd2 0-0 6 e3 d6 7 Bd3 e5 8 d5 Ne7 9 a3 Bxc3 10 Bxc3 b5 Black may also play slow moves like 10 … c6, instead of Bologan’s straightforward approach. 11 b3 bxc4 12 bxc4 Nd7 (see diagram 1) It is now not so easy for White to make any progress on the queenside, whereas Black will build up on the kingside with … f5. While the position should be about equal, Black’s position seems the easier to play. In fact, Bologan quickly gains the initiative. 13 0-0 f5 14 Be2 Ng6 15 Nd2 e4 An interesting choice and Black had a wide range of plans. Bologan’s move gains the e5-square, but improves White’s bishop and allows a possible Nb3-d4. Instead, there were alternatives like 15 … a5 with the intention to continue with … Nc5. 16 g3 Nge5 17 Bd4 Qg5 17 … Qe7 was probably better to keep an eye on c5, intending … Nc5/ … a5 plans.
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