In today`s portrait I will briefly present the librarian Mr. Steffen Hoffmann
from the chess club Fortuna Leipzig. Hoffmann is an active player who
also enjoys to study opening literature.He is a passionate 1.c4-
player who finds the Botvinnik-system particularly interesting. Most of
us has been inspirated by the late World Champion but also big players
like GM Normunds Miezis and GM Mihail Marin from Rumania- with a
book on the system- has been a big inspiration. Hoffmann is a pleasant
person whom I have met a couple of times
the last months during my stays in Leipzig.
Today I will show Hoffmann`s win from last
weekends team match against Alexander
Bohne from Schachgesellschaft Leipzig 6.
Hoffmann is white in this short game.
Hoffmann-Bohne: 1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 g6 3.Bg2
Bg7 4.Nc3 c5 5.e3 Nc6 6.Nge2 d6 7.d4
Grabs some space in the center. Never
a bad idea.0-0 8.0-0 Both players are
slowly developing their pieces.
The position in the game Hoffmann-Bohne after 8.0-0:
a6 8.-Qa5 was an alternative. 9.b3 White
develops quietly and prepares to develop
his bishop in the a1-h8 diagonal. Qb6?!
Perhaps 9.-Rb8 with the plan b7-b5 was
a better try? 10.Bb2 Bg4?! Houdini prefers
10.-Bf5 11.h3 Tryes to move the bishop
away. Bxe2 12.Nxe2 Nd7 13.dxc5 Qxc5?!
13.-Nxc5 might be a little better. 14.Bxg7?!
14. Nd4! Kxg7 15.Nf4 Eyeing the central
spot d5 Nf6 15.-Rac8 was a serious alternative.
The position is in any case still in balance.
16.Qe2 Freeing the d1 square for a rook.
Rfc8 17.Rfd1 Ra7?! 17.-Rc7 seems more
natural. 18.Rac1 Nb4? Played with no real
plan. Gives white two tempos. 18.-Qa3!
was a much better alternative. 19.a3 Nc6
20.b4 Qb6? Black had to try 20.-Qe5 although
white has the upper hand after 21.c5
21.Nd5! A nice centralizing move.Qd8
The position in Hoffmann-Boehne after 21.-Qd8:
It is beginning to become critical for
black.22.Nxf6! Off course. Kxf6?! 22.-exf6
was slightly better, but white picks up
the black d-pawn after 23.c5.23.Qb2+
Steffen is eyeing the finish now. Black is
in serious trouble here. e5 23.c5! and black
decided to call it a day.1-0.
Final position in the game Hoffmann-Boehne:
A nice game from Steffen Hoffmann, the
University librarian and chessplayer who
also takes a big interest in the great poet
Johann Wolfgang Goethe. We will hear more
from Hoffmann.You might take a look at
the homepage of Fortuna Leipzig. Steffen
writes the fascinating column Hoffmanns Erzählungen.
http://www.sk-fortuna-leipzig.de/
