The Naegeli Syndrome and Chess

    Dr. Oskar Naegeli (January 25, 1885 - November 16, 1959), was a Swiss player and dermatologist. 

    In the field of dermatology, the Naegeli–Franceschetti–Jadassohn syndrome is named after him. It is a rare condition characterized by reticular skin pigmentation (distinct brown or pink-red areas or raised bumps that form a net-like pattern), diminished function of the sweat glands, the absence of teeth and thickening of the skin of the palms and soles of the feet. One of the most striking features is the absence of fingerprints. It’s caused by mutations of a gene. Treatment is based on an individual's symptoms. 

    Naegeli was the son of the physician Otto Naegeli (1843-1922) and the brother of the \Otto Naegeli (1871-1938) who were prominent hematologists (specialists in diagnosing, treating and managing diseases that affect the blood). 

    He studied at Geneva, Zurich, Munich, and Heidelberg, obtaining his medical doctorate at Zurich in 1909. He worked in Freiburg at the pathological institute. Later he worked at the university dermatological clinic at Bern. His work concerns immunity research in dermatology and the diagnosis and treatment of syphilis.

    Chesswise, he represented Switzerland at the Chess Olympiads in 1927, 1928, 1931 and 1935 as well as at the unofficial Olympiad in 1936 at Munich.

    Naegeli won Swiss Chess Championship in 1910 and 1936. He lost a match to Dr. Ossip Bernstein by a score of 1-3 in 1932 and to Salo Flohr (by a score of 2-4) in 1933. He participated in the strong international tournaments at Berne 1932 and Zurich 1934, both won by Alekhine. 

    In the following game he pulls off a ni8ce win against Lacido Soler (1903-1964) who was one of the strongest players in Spain in the 1920s and 1930s. He won the Catalan Championship in 1924 and1931. He finished second in the Catalan Championship (1926).1 

    In 1926, he won the silver medal in the Catalan team Championships. In 1921, he was co-founder and first chairman of the Barcelona Chess Club. He was also a chess journalist and was the founder of the chess journal Els Escacs a Catalunya. 

 

[Event "Chess Olympiad Final, London"] [Site "London ENG"] [Date "1927.??.??"] [Round "9"] [White "Placido Soler"] [Black "Oskar Naegeli"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "B83"] [Annotator "Stockfish 16"] [PlyCount "68"] [EventDate "1927.07.18"] {B83: Sicilian Scheveningen} 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 e6 {This seemingly modest d6–e6 P-center gives black a solid defensive setup, controls the critical d5 and e5 squares and has the flexibility to break in the center with either ...e5 or ...d5.} 7. O-O Be7 8. b3 {A rare sideline that is not particularly effective. Ususal is 8.Be3} O-O 9. Bb2 a6 {Just one of deveral reasonable moves.} (9... Qb6 10. Nxc6 bxc6 11. Re1 Bb7 {is equal. Apicella,M (2515)-Stefansson,H (2569) Cappelle la Grande FRA 1999}) (9... e5 10. Nf3 h6 11. Nd2 Nd4 12. Bc4 Bg4 {with complete equality. Dzierzenga,S (2178)-Novak,P (2349) Jenbach AUT 2013}) 10. Kh1 {White wants to play f2-f4 and so removes his K from the a7-g1 diagonal.} Qc7 11. Bf3 {This is hard to explain. First he placed one B in a rather passive position and now he does the same with the other one.} (11. f4 {is the thematic move.} Bd7 12. Nf3 b5 13. a3 Ng4 14. Qd2 Qb6 15. h3 Nf6 16. e5 {with an active position. Arnaudov, P (2129)-Peev,P (2320) Plovdiv 2003}) 11... Ne5 12. Be2 b5 13. a3 Bb7 14. f4 Ned7 15. Bf3 Rac8 16. Rc1 {Passive. 16.Qe1 and 17.Rd1 is a plausible plan.} Rfd8 17. Qe2 Nb6 18. Rfd1 Nbd7 (18... g6 {This is a more active move. It prevents f5 after black play ...e5} 19. Qf2 e5 20. Nde2 Bf8 {Repositioning the B to a more active square.} 21. Nd5 Bxd5 22. exd5 Bg7 {with just a very slightly better position because his pieces a better positioned.}) 19. Re1 Nc5 20. b4 Ncd7 21. Nb3 Nb6 22. Nd2 Rd7 {For the last few moves both sides have been jockeying for position without accomplisging much. White should continue that strategy with, say, 23.Qf2. Insteaf he embarks on the aggressive idea of advancing his e-Oawn in a position where his pieces do not support such an advance.} 23. e5 dxe5 24. Bxb7 Qxb7 25. fxe5 Nfd5 26. Nce4 {Clearly black is better, but it's hard to see that white's position is very close to collapsing. } Nf4 {This N is going to play a major role.} 27. Qg4 {Better was 27.Qe3 and 28.Bd4} Ng6 28. Nb3 Nc4 {[%mdl 32] This move could not have been prevented.} 29. Nec5 {A tactical miscalulation.} (29. Bd4 {was called for, but white would still be in serious difficulties after...} Qc6 30. Nec5 Bxc5 31. Nxc5 h5 32. Qd1 (32. Qxh5 Rxd4) 32... Rd5 33. c3 Ngxe5) 29... Bxc5 30. Nxc5 {This fork was probably what white was counting on because if black moves the threatened Q...} Rxc5 {[%mdl 512] ...and wins!} (30... Qc7 31. Nxd7 Qxd7 32. Qd4 Qxd4 33. Bxd4 Nxa3 34. c3 {an unclear position has been reached.}) 31. bxc5 Nxb2 32. Qb4 Nc4 33. Rcd1 {White is lost, but thus move falls into a mate in 10!} Nf4 {A major player steps up.} 34. c6 Qxc6 {White resigned as mate cannot be avoided.} ( 34... Qxc6 35. Rd5 (35. Rg1 Rxd1 {mates in 2}) 35... Qxd5 36. Rg1 Nxg2 37. Qc5 (37. Rxg2 Qd1+ 38. Rg1 Qf3+ 39. Rg2 Rd1+ 40. Qe1 Rxe1#) 37... Qxc5 38. h4 Nge3 39. a4 Qxe5 40. Rf1 Qe4+ 41. Rf3 Qxf3+ 42. Kg1 Qg2#) 0-1