1.e4
c5
2.Nf3
Nc6
3.d4
cxd4
4.Nxd4
e6
A very flexible move order. Black can play kan-like formations with a6 and Qc7, but Timman has something else in mind.
5.Nc3
a6
6.g3
Nge7
Unusual. Over-protecting the Nc6 in order to play d6 and Bd7
7.Nb3
d6
8.Bg2
Bd7
Very solid, with many options for further development... g6 and Bg7; Qc7 and Rc8;
9.0-0
Nc8
Unusual and most interesting. Overprotecting the d6-pawn, and making way for b5 and Nb6; or Be7, 0-0 and Na5
10.a4
Inhibiting b7 and Nb6
10...Be7
11.Qe2
0-0
12.Be3
In 1984, Timman faced this system with white against Romanishin
12...Na5
[12...Qc7
13.f4
Bf6
(13...Nb4
14.Qf2
Rb8
15.Nd4
Nc6
16.f5
Bf6
17.g4
Nxd4
18.Bxd4
Bxd4
19.Qxd4
b5
20.axb5
axb5
21.Rf2
b4
22.Nd1
e5
23.Qd2
f6
24.g5
Bc6
25.gxf6
gxf6
26.Qh6
Ne7
27.Bf3
Kh8
28.Ne3
Ng8
29.Qh4
Qb6
30.Re1
Rb7
31.Kh1
Rg7
32.b3
Qc5
33.Rg2
1/2-1/2 Tiviakov,S-Romanishin,O/Istanbul 2003/CBM 96 (33)) 14.Rfd1
Rb8
15.a5
Rd8
16.Na4
N6e7
17.c3
e5
18.f5
b5
19.Nb6
h6
20.h4
b4
21.c4
Be8
22.Qf2
h5
23.Qf3
Nxb6
24.Bxb6
Rxb6
25.axb6
Qxb6+
26.Qf2
Qc7
27.c5
Bb5
28.Rac1
Nc6
29.cxd6
Rxd6
30.Rd5
Qd8
31.Qd2
Nd4
32.Nxd4
Rxd5
33.exd5
exd4
34.Qxb4
d3
35.Bf3
Be5
36.Kg2
Qf6
37.Bxh5
Qxf5
38.Qg4
Qf6
39.Rf1
Qh6
40.Bxf7+
1-0 Timman,J-Romanishin,O/Sarajevo 1984/MCD (40)]
13.Nxa5
Qxa5
14.Qd2
[14.Bd4
Bc6
15.Qg4
g6
16.Rad1
b5
17.axb5
axb5
18.Rfe1
b4
19.Nb1
e5
20.Be3
Qc7
21.Bh6
Re8
22.c4
Nb6
23.Nd2
Na4
24.Rb1
Nc5
25.Nf1
Qb7
26.Qe2
b3
27.f3
Ra4
28.Ne3
Ne6
29.Qd3
Nd4
30.Rec1
Qa6
31.Kh1
Bd8
32.Qd2
Bd7
33.f4
Qa5
34.Qd3
Be6
35.Nd5
Bxd5
36.cxd5
Bf6
37.Qf1
exf4
38.Qxf4
Be5
39.Qg4
Nc2
40.Rf1
Qa7
41.Qf3
Qb7
42.Bh3
Nd4
43.Qd3
Bg7
44.Bxg7
Kxg7
45.Rf2
Re7
46.Rbf1
Qb4
47.Bg2
Raa7
48.Rd1
Nc2
49.Rff1
Kg8
50.Rc1
Rab7
51.Rfd1
Re5
52.Qf3
Ree7
53.Qf6
h6
54.Rd3
Ra7
55.h4
h5
56.Kh2
Re8
57.Rc3
Rb7
58.Rf1
Qd4
59.Qf3
Qe5
60.Qf2
Ree7
61.Rd1
Rbc7
62.Rxc7
Rxc7
63.Qb6
Qxb2
64.Qxc7
Ne3
65.Rg1
1/2-1/2 Subasic,I-Zapata,A/Zenica 1986/EXT 97 (65); 14.Rfd1
Bf6
15.Rd3
Bc6
16.f4
g6
17.Qf2
Bg7
18.g4
f5
19.exf5
gxf5
20.g5
Qc7
21.Rad1
Bxg2
22.Qxg2
d5
23.Ne2
Qxc2
24.Nd4
Qxg2+
25.Kxg2
Re8
26.Rc1
Nd6
27.Rc7
Nc4
28.Bg1
Rab8
29.b3
Nd6
30.Rdc3
Rbd8
31.Rc2
e5
32.fxe5
Rxe5
33.Nf3
Re4
34.Rd2
Rg4+
35.Kf1
Ne4
36.Rd3
Nxg5
37.Nxg5
Rxg5
38.Rxb7
d4
39.b4
Rg6
40.b5
axb5
41.Rxb5
f4
42.Rf5
Rg4
43.Bf2
Rc8
44.Rd1
Rc4
45.a5
Ra4
46.h3
Rg6
1/2-1/2 Kindermann,S-Pekarek,A/Prague 1988/CBM 08 (46)]
14...Qc7
No advantage here at all for white.
15.Ne2
Bf6
One of the advantages of the Nc8 is activity for Black's dark-squared bishop which no longer needs to defend the d6-pawn
16.c3
Rd8
17.f4
Rb8
18.g4
b5
19.g5
Be7
20.a5
d5
21.f5
[21.e5
b4
22.Nd4
bxc3
23.Qxc3
Qb7=
]
21...dxe4
22.f6
Bc5
23.Kh1
Bc6
Black's position has come alive. All of his pieces are active, except the mysterious Nc8 which set the stage.
24.Qc1
Diagram
24...Bxe3
25.Qxe3
Rd3
A beautiful entry square
26.Qg1
Nd6
And now the Nc8 re-enters the game with a bang.
27.Nf4
Rf3!?
[27...Rd2
]
28.Rad1!?
White needed to go for Bxf3 [28.Bxf3
exf3
29.Qf2
e5
30.Nh3
Qc8-+
]
28...Nc4
29.Qc5
Nxa5
[29...Rxf4!
30.Rxf4
Qxf4
31.Qxc6
Nxb2-+
(31...Qxg5-+
) ]
30.Nh5
[30.Bxf3
exf3
31.Qe7
Qxe7
32.fxe7
Nb7-/+
]
30...Nb7
31.Qa7
g6
32.Ng3
Rxf1+
33.Nxf1
a5
34.Ng3
Rd8
[34...Qe5
]
35.Rxd8+
Qxd8
36.Bxe4
Bxe4+
37.Nxe4
Qd5
38.Kg1
h6
39.Qa8+
Nd8
40.Qxd5
[40.Qxa5
hxg5
41.Nf2=
]
40...exd5
41.Nd6
hxg5
42.Nxb5
Nc6
43.Kf2
Ne5
44.Kg3
a4
45.Nc7
Nc4
46.Nxd5
Nxb2
47.Nb4
Kh7
48.Kf3
Kh6
49.Ke4
g4
50.Kd5
a3
51.Kd6
g5
[51...g5
52.Na2
Kg6
53.Ke7
Nc4
54.Nc1
Nd2-+
] 0-1