This position was reached in the game recent game between GM Matthias Bluebaum (2651)
and GM Hans Noke Niemann (2699)
played at the III Elllobregat Open played in Sant Boi de Llobregat, Spain, during the sixth round:
GM Matthias Bluebaum (2651) vs GM Hans Moke Niemann (2699)
III Elllobregat Open Chess
E10 Indian Defense: Anti-Nimzo-Indian
- d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O Nbd7 8. Qc2 c6 9. Rd1 b6 10. Bf4 Ba6 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Ne5 Nxe5 13. dxe5 Ng4 14. h3 Rc8 15. Nc3 Nxf2 16. Kxf2 Bc5+ 17. Be3 Bxe3+ 18. Kxe3 b5 19. Qd2 Qb6+ 20. Qd4 Qb8 21. Qb4 Qb6+ 22. Qd4 Qb8 1/2-1/2
The game could, should, and would have continued if Blueballs Bluebaum had played the move considered best by the Stockfish program at lichess.com, 21 b3, or the move preferred by the Stockfish analysis program at lichess.com, 23 Kf2, which can be seen below. Take another look at the position. When one inputs the position into the analysis program at lichess.com the Stockfish program there considers the best move to be 21 Kf2, a move that has been attempted four times according to 365Chess.com. (https://www.365chess.com/opening.php?m=41&n=6443377&ms=d4.Nf6.c4.e6.Nf3.d5.g3.Bb4.Bd2.Be7.Bg2.O-O.O-O.Nbd7.Qc2.c6.Rd1.b6.Bf4.Ba6.cxd5.cxd5.Ne5.Nxe5.dxe5.Ng4.h3.Rc8.Nc3.Nxf2.Kxf2.Bc5.Be3.Bxe3.Kxe3.b5.Qd2.Qb6.Qd4.Qb8&ns=7.14.11.33.21.15.350.399.524.773.741.3884.4834.13665.25112.5108.96517.101597.92280.121215.1465584.1537134.3753891.4022735.4632820.5688926.5487095.5833862.5093340.5161433.5093341.5161434.5258499.5269428.5258500.5269429.6830753.6802484.6471716.6443377)
The same moves as played in the Bluebaum vs. Niemann game had been played in an earlier game:
GM Santosh Gujrathi Vidit vs GM Sergey Karjakin
Event: Tata Steel India Blitz
Site: Kolkata IND Date: 11/13/2018
Round: 4.5
ECO: D02 Queen’s pawn game
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.g3 Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 O-O 7.O-O Nbd7 8.Qc2 c6 9.Rd1 b6 10.Bf4 Ba6 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Ne5 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Rc8 14.Nc3 Ng4 15.h3 Nxf2 16.Kxf2 Bc5+ 17.Be3 Bxe3+ 18.Kxe3 b5 19.Qd3 Qb6+ 20.Qd4 Qb8 21.Qb4 Qb6+ 22.Qd4 Qb8 23.Qb4 Qb6+ 24.Qd4 ½-½
https://www.365chess.com/game.php?back=1&gid=4153624&m=42
I decided to input the game into the analysis program at lichess.com and this is what came out the other end:
- d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. g3 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O Nbd7 8. Qc2 c6 9. Rd1 b6 10. Bf4 Ba6 11. cxd5 cxd5 12. Ne5 Nxe5 13. dxe5 Ng4 14. h3 Rc8 15. Nc3 Nxf2 16. Kxf2 Bc5+ 17. Be3 Bxe3+ 18. Kxe3 b5 19. Qd2 Qb6+ 20. Qd4 Qb8 21. Qb4 Qb6+ 22. Qd4 Qb8 23. Kf2 b4 24. Nxd5 exd5 25. Rac1 Rce8 26. Rc5 Rxe5 27. Bf3 Rfe8 28. Rxd5 Rxe2+ 29. Bxe2 Rxe2+ 30. Kf3 Qb7 31. Qxa7 Re8 32. Qxb7 Bxb7 33. Kf4 Bxd5 34. Rxd5 Ra8 35. Rb5 h5 36. Rxb4 Rxa2 37. Rb5 f6 38. Kf5 Kh7 39. g4 Kh6 40. Ke6 h4 41. Rh5+ Kg6 42. b4 Ra3 43. b5 Rxh3 44. Kd7 Kf7 45. b6 Rb3 46. Kc6 g5 47. b7 Ke6 48. Rh8 Rc3+ 49. Kb5 Rb3+ 50. Kc6 Rxb7 51. Kxb7 Ke5 52. Rf8 Kf4 53. Rxf6+ Kxg4 54. Kc6 h3 55. Kd5 h2 56. Rh6 Kg3 57. Ke5 Kg2 58. Ke4 h1=Q 59. Rxh1 Kxh1 60. Kf3 Kh2 61. Kg4 1/2-1/2
Games like the one “played” between Bluebaum and Niemann are the reason the Royal Game has increasingly become less interesting. Whether or not there was any conclusion prior to the game being “played” cannot be ascertained, but games like this lend credence to what Oscar Al Hamilton believed when saying, “Everything’s rigged!”
This writer has followed Chess for over half a century and has watched as Chess has become less and less interesting because of the plethora of draws. The time has come for those involved with Chess to randomly choose the opening to be played prior to the round so the players will have no time to “book up” on one particular opening.
Armchair Warrior 