Game 35. Johner—Nimzowitsch, Dresden, 1926. Illustrates a position held under complete restraint, and may serve as a pendant to my game (No. 8) against Sämisch. The final printed analysis proposes 42.K-Q1 after 41.K-Kt1 and ...Kt-B6 ch, although the king cannot move from g1 to d1. The source wording is retained.

1. 4…O-O Black intends to bring into existence the double complex only under conditions favourable to himself. Cf. No. 34.
2. 8…d6 The prognosis for the complex PQB2, PQB3, etc., is in a measure (but not pronouncedly) in favour of Black. Yet after e.g., 9. P-K4, P-K4; 10. P-Q5, Kt-QR4; Black would not have bought the barricade which he has achieved altogether cheaply, for his QBP would then have been much better placed if it were still at QB2. (See the remarks on the double complex in II. ii, § 2 my game against Janowski; Diagram CXXXIII, p. 167.)
3. 9.Nd2 A fine idea. In reply to 9. ... P-K4; 10. P-Q5, Kt-QR4, the intention is by 11. Kt-Kt3 to bring the aggressive Black Kt at R4 to reason.
4. 10.Nb3 There was time enough for this. P-KB4 should first have been played. If then 10. ... P-K4, there would follow 11. P x P, QP x P; 12. P-Q5, Kt-QR4; 13. Kt-Kt3, Kt-Kt2; 14. P-K4, Kt-K1, and the weak point QB4, which is now attackable also from Black's Q3, will be protected by Q-K2, while White for his part can use the KB file together with P-QR4-R5 as a base of operations. The game would then stand about even.
5. 11.f4 For the reply to 11. P-Q5 would now be P-K5! Thus: 11. P-Q5, P-K5; 12. B-K2, Kt-K4!; or 12. P x Kt, P x B; with advantage to Black.
6. 11…e4 11. ... Q-K2 was also possible, for if say 12. BP x P, QP x P; 13. P-Q5, then 13. ... Kt-Q1; 14. P-K4, Kt-K1; and Black by Kt-Q3 and P-KB3 gets a strong defensive position. (Cf. the note to move 10.)
7. 12…Qd7 Black sees in White's K side pawns (KB, KKt and KR) a qualitative majority. The text move involves a complicated system of restraint. A simpler one could have been brought about by 12. ... Kt-K1. For example: 12. ... Kt-K1; 13. P-KKt4 (or 13. P-KB5, Q-Kt4), 13. ... P-KB4; 14. QP x P! (observe the 'dead' B at QB1 and consider further how ineffectively posted the White pieces are for an attack to be launched in the KKt file). 14. ... QP x P; 15. Q-Q5 ch, Q x Q; 16. P x Q, Kt-K2; 17. R-Q1, Kt-Q3; and Black has rather the better game.
8. 14.Qe1 If 14. B-Q2, Black would still get the advantage. For instance: 14. B-Q2 (to threaten B-K1-R4) 14. ... Kt-B4; 15. Q-K1 (best; Black threatened Kt-Kt6 and to exchange the B, when White's QB4 would become very weak), 15. ... P-KKt3; and if now 16. P-KKt4, Kt-Kt2; 17. Q-R4, then Kt(B)-K1, and the pawn movement is strangled at birth; for now would follow at the next move the powerful P-KB4. So we get always the same picture. The awkwardness of White's pieces as a result of the doubled pawns renders more difficult by far the carrying out of any action on the K side however this is planned.
9. 15.Bd2 Q-R4 will not do because of 15. ... Kt-B4; 16. Q-Kt5, Kt-R2; 17. Q x RP, Kt-Kt6.
10. 15…Qf5 The Q is bound for-KR2! Where she will be excellently placed, for then the crippling of White's K side by P-R5 will at once be threatened. It must be conceded that the restraint manœuvre Q-Q2-B4-R2 represents a remarkable conception.
11. 17…Nf5 Threatening Kt-Kt5 ch; P x Kt, P x P ch; K-Kt1, P-Kt6; etc.
12. 18…a5 In this position the backwardness of the QKtP is easy to put up with.
13. 21…Rac8 Black wishes to force P-Q5 in order then to operate undisturbed on the K side.
14. 22.d5 Otherwise B-K3 would follow and P-Q5 would be forced after all.
15. 23…Rg8 And now comes the attack. So was Q-Q2-B4-R2 actually an attacking manœuvre? Yes and no. No, since its whole idea was to restrain White's K side pawns. Yes, since every restraining action is the logical prelude to an attack, and since every immobile complex tends to be a weakness and therefore must sooner or later become an object of attack.
16. 27.Bh1 White has very skilfully brought up all his defensive forces.
17. 28…gxf4 Opens the KKt file for himself, but the K file for his opponent. This move, therefore, demanded deep deliberation.
18. 31.Re2 Seizes his chance. Black's KP now needs to be defended. If he had limited himself to purely defensive measures, as say 31. B-Q2, a pretty combination would have resulted; namely, 31. B-Q2, R-Kt3!; 32. B-K1, Kt-Kt5 ch; 33. P x Kt, P x P ch; 34. K-Kt2, B x P!; 35. Q x B, and now follows the quiet move 35. ... P-K6; and Q-R6 mate can only be parried by Kt x P, which move, however, would cost White his Q.
19. 32.Re3 Here I had naturally expected Kt-Q2 for Black's obligation to defend the important KP furnished White's only counter chance, as has already been observed. But a result of that move would have been a delightful Q sacrifice, namely: 32. Kt-Q2, B-B1; 33. Kt x P, Q-B4; 34. Kt-B2, Q x RP ch; 35. Kt x Q, Kt-Kt5 mate. The point, moreover, lies in the fact that the moves B-B1 and Q-B4 cannot be transposed. E.g., 32. Kt-Q2, Q-B4? (instead of B-B1); 33. Q-Q1!, B-B1; 34. Q-KB1, and everything is protected; whereas if 32. ... B-B1, 33. Q-Q1, the move B x RP! would wipe out the corner stone of White's building. (34. K x B, Q-B4 ch; etc.)
20. 34.Bxe4 34. K x B, Q-B4 ch; 35. K-R2 would have led to mate in three.
21. 34…Bf5 Best, for P-KR5 can no longer be withstood. After the fall of White's KRP the defence is hopeless.
22. 40…Re8 A precise finish, for now there is threatened 41. ... Kt x R; 42. R x Kt, Q-R8 ch; 43. K-K2, Q-R ch!; and against this threat White is defenceless. If 41. K-Kt1, then, 41. ... Kt-B6 ch; 42. K-B1 or Q1, Q-R8 ch would lead to mate. One of the best blockading games that I have ever played.