Chess News: Your Daily Update - Scotland out in the cold

IM Malcolm Pein November 18, 2023

A well-played game from the European Team Championships where Scotland are the 38th and the lowest-rated team by a considerable margin.
The Scottish government have yet to follow the UK Government’s lead and come up with any funds for chess.
Sport, and also matters coming under the purview of the Department for Culture Media and Sport are devolved.
The Scottish players had to pay their own expenses to travel to Montenegro for the tournament.
White’s inaccurate 10th move allows Black to weaken his kingside:

A Muir – J Subelj
Scotland vs Slovakia
Nimzo-Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e3 c5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nf3 0–0 7.0–0 Bxc3 8.bxc3 d6 9.e4 e5 10.Re1? (The two main moves here are 10.h3 and 10.d5 preventing what follows)
10...cxd4! (If 10...Bg4 11.d5 Ne7 12.h3 is good for White in view of 12...Bh5 13.g4 Bg6 14.Nh4 with total control. White plays Qd1-f3-g3, Kg1-h2 and Nh4-f5 at leisure)
11.cxd4 Bg4!

12...Nxe5 13.Bf4 (13.Rb1 b6 14.Be2 was still playable as if 14...Nxe4 15.Nxe5 Bxe2 16.Qxe2 Nc3 17.Qd3 Nxb1 18.Ng4 Black’s knight is trapped)
13...Bxf3 14.gxf3 Nh5! 15.Bg3 Qf6 16.Be2 (16.Bxe5 dxe5 is positionally disastrous)
16...Nf4 17.Bxf4 Qxf4 (Black has the far superior minor piece, better structure and good attacking chances)
18.Qb3

18...f5!? (18...Ng6 19.Qe3 Qh4)
19.Qxb7?! (19.c5+ Kh8 20.Qe3 Qh4 21.f4 was playable)
19...Rab8 20.Qd5+ Kh8 21.Rab1 Rbd8 22.exf5? (White obviously overlooked the brilliant finish 22.Qd4 Rf6 23.Qe3 was essential)
22...Rxf5 23.Qe4 Rg5+ 24.Kh1

Black to play and win:

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