Chess Opening Essentials: 1.d4-d5 1.d4-various Queen's Gambits, Vol. 2

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7...0-0?l 8.4e5! Axe5 9.dxe5 D,d7 I 0.9f4 f5 1 1.h4 has given White many brilliant victories. 7 ...Wc7 is Petrosian's idea for stopping czle5,

With complex play that offers

some-

B) 3.

d7-d5

but the closure of the long

light-square diagonal robs Black's posi-

tion of flexibility. In addition, Black must remember that with 4.c4 White can transpose 88

0-0

8.Wa4 is

Black prevents e2-e4 in the most natural

way,

8.

in essence a trap that has ensnared manv victims: 8...0-0 9.4e5

thing to both players.

to a normal

Queen's

Axe5?? 1o.dxeS 6,d7 11.9h4, picking up a prece.

Ac8-b7

8.

9.

6f3-e5

In the absence of a better plan, even the curious move 9.Wb1, which prepares bz-b+, is sometimes played.

Torre Attsck 9.

10. 11.

d4xe5

Ag5xe7

t2-t4

Ad7xe5!

Karpov himself has been one of its most

at6-d7

illustrious victims.

0-0-0 with a strategically complex position that offers both players a chance to win. 12.

C) 3. 4.

5. d4-d5!

Wd8xe7

e6xd5

The alternatives also leave White clear plus.

with

a

6. Abl-c3!

EffiAffi€# ffi *rc ffir$#rlffir

c7-cs

l+

e2-e3

4.c3!? is an interesting alternative that usually transposes to the main line. However. it can also lead to some dis-

-u";,_=t#*;l;_ ,"H sJ

tinct lines such as 4...9b6 5.Abd2l Wxb2 6.6c4! Wxc3*!? (or otherwise 6...gbs) 7 .g.dzgxc4 8.e4.

i;-:-:

:;.:fA:F"':*{: /:\,i *.

rn*{.r

1AV

g -"* /\n ,H. t\ /\."4r*

tr *

It is true that Black parts with his queen,

:q;:

:.i

7tr,7\:*ll;

-*l 1i1-

g -q. /\ ffl

Wgg: -.oo- ;-L

o

=-;

;:

tr -

but after 8...Wxf1+ 9.€xf1 Axe4. he will have two minor pieces and three pawns in compensation, and White may not find it so easy to demonstrate

Ac8-b7 Af8-e7 not 7...4xd5?l 8.Axf6 Wxf6 9.Wxd5 €lc6 10.0-0-0. with an almost decisive

that he has the advantage.

positional advantage.

Eff Ag ffi a* ix* --a a** rgre I

6.

7. 6c3xd5

8. Ag5xf6 9. c2-c3

60a

wr I ffi € # H

@

ffi

ffi

ffi

*w

*

Affi 'ei. n 'lgju

\

flg

ffi*- pr )< ;:

ffis

ffi

dl :-: -,f+' n

i5a

(!] 9*; ::e 5- i"i-::

:l*i

in the

Torre

with a clear plus for White thanks to his control of the important d5-square.

cD

in which Black has many

ways to proceed. Note that 4...d5 is not listed here as it enters into Variation II.

c1)

4. b7-b6?! Needless to say, it is rare to include a

Af8-e7

4.

Before playing b6, Black takes preventive measures against the thrust d4-d5.

5. ab1-d2 6. gfl-d3 7. c2-c3

EJ

The position in the diagram is a key one

Ae7xf6

b7-b6 Ac8-b7

and we are in Variation B.

c3)

h7-h6 b7-bo This is now possible, given that 4.

5. Ag5-ha

would simply lose

a

6.d5?

pawn after 6...95.

possibly doubtful move in a list of principal variations; however, this move is

6. ab1-d2 7. c2-c3 8. gf1-d3

both natural and common! The great

9.

0-0

Ac8-b7 Af8-e7 0-0 6b8-c6 89

Chess Opening Essentiols

-

Vo|ume

2

With analogous positions to those fould in Variation B with the unimnortant dif: ference that Black has played ...he

c4) 4.

.

gd8-b6 -ea;

EffiEffi# E re €i 60ar

ffirffir *#*gsr&re I ffiffi ffi*I lfaffi

ffi *lK

iE

3i# K#ffi:JE ilgg ffiw affi

:,-e*s

-14

Aff$Affi ffin #K

ffiaffiw, Affi

Every self-respecting openilg has its poisoned paum variationl This queen placement is logical, inasmuch as it highlights the queenside weakness created by the bishop's absence. However, development is neglected while the queen gobbles up the b2 parvn. As you may imagine, these are some of the most complex and forcing lines in the whole

of opening literature: general

concepts take a back seat to concrete variations.

5. 6b1-d2l 5.Wc1 is playable but passive: afrer 5...4c6 6.c3 d5 7.abdz Aaz e.Aa:

Ec8, Black does not have any problems.

5.

6. gfl-d3

Wb6xb2

EIffiA *geffi ffi

ffirffi r##r'ffir ffirffi ffiffi *ffiffiw ffiffi$# AffiAffi ffi## AgA

ffi sffiffiAffi ffie

90

White simply continues to develop; he is in no hurry to double the pawn on f6 and plans to play hc4 after he has castled. 6.

d7-d5

Threatening 7...c5-c4. There is also another option that seems playable: 6...4c6 7.0-0 gb6, producing an unclear situation.

7. Ag5xf6

g7xf6 Wb2-c3! 6b8-c6 As is so often the case in these critical lines, it is not easy to say if the initiative compensates for the lost material. Game statistics slightly favour Black, but this may be misleading as Black's average

8. c2-c4 9. Ad3-e2

Elo rating was higher; we

will therefore

restrict ourselves to the non-committal assessment of unclear p osition.

However, there is one commenr we can

make

with certainty: the draw rate is

very low.

London System This opening system is named after the English capital because it was there in

the tournament of 1922 that the sequence 1.d+, 2.6ft and 3.4f4 was played several time against various black set-uos.

EffiEffi WA 6{a

rtr ffir ffi:rffi I

s re ffi*# ffi ##ffi

i,'x:*

"A '4i

r\ \ #& *# ffi tdi, AffiAffi A 4:", an i*]F

ffiaws

14 "*:-*u aa;:.

A .-"-*' EF*

London System

with the Colle, it is necessary to distinguish between the London when it is played against the Indian systems with As

1...6f6 and when it is against the classical response

1. d2-d4 2. 6g1-f3

D2.

employed 1

...d5

7.

in the

event

of

...

trf8-e8 equal

s7-s6 Af8-97

af1-d3

The move 5.4c3!? (sometimes played on the third move so as to make Black play ...d5) has been a very popular choice recently: after 5...0-0 6.AeZ c5 7

.Q)eS,we see double-edged play.

5.

:';

l\

a

strength or

a

weakness.

d7-d6 0-0

6.9il?! runs the risk of a fork

after

...e7-e5-e4.

6. 7. 0-0 8. c2-c4 9. gt4-h2

ab8-d7 Wd8-e8! e7-e5

And it is not clear how best to oroceed.

In Griirrfeldfashion.

5.

#i# -SW

5. h2-h3 6. Afl-e2

d7-d5

4.

EffiE{K ffi effi

King's Indian style.

chances.

81)

Ad7xe5

ffirffi ffi*r ffir &ffiaffi rs# ffi ffirffi ryffi*#ffi ffi ffi ffiK #Ka AffiAiM ffi )< .,}{; .F+

The modern approach.

Objectively the best

-

and also the move

with the best performance. White interferes with the activation of Black's queen without fear of the c4 pawn being taken. 100

5. c4xd5 6. gdl-b3 7. e2-e4 8. e4xf5

Af6xd5 e7-e6

Ad5xc3 Ac3-d5

Black's position is not as bad as it looks.

Albin Counter-Gombit

D3)

7. Aflxc4 8. Wd1-c2 9. tra1-d1

d5xc4

3.

4. 6g1-f3 After 4.d5 he5, perhaps White has an edge, but in Black's favour White has to negotiate his way through a complex

White has

game.

pieces

An interesting alternative is: 4.e3 e5 5.d5 AceT 6.Axc4 a6!?, with a weird

weaKnesses.

position that is difficult to

assess.

+...9g+? 5.d5 Axf3 6.exf3 6es 7.Afa A96 8.Axc4!!, which threatens AUS+, and White has an obvious plus. 5. e2-e4 The other possibility is 5.d5 6a5! 6.Wa4+ c6 7.b4 bS 8.Wxa5 Wxa5 9.bxa5 b4, and it is not obvious now how either side should best proceed. 5. Ac8-g4

And we are

in the following

at.'

tr

in play and his position has no

1. d2-d4 2. c2-c4

d7-d5 e7-e5

aaw€aa

tr

end of the 19th century by

l l l

::

IAA A '..;lra AAgg€g AAA fi

tage is purely academic: Black has all his

This defence was made popular at the

EBwAE :. .:.:.:..::

but this advan-

dia-

grammed position, which can also be reached via the Queen's Gambit Accepted:

l l.*

0-0

Albin Counter-Gambit

Ag8-f6!

4.

a nice centre,

Af8'b4

i'l:

tr

the Austro-Romanian Adolf Albin. It has always been feared at an amateur level,

but at the same time it was always viewed with great suspicion by top masters. However, good performance is always a convincing argument, and sceptics took notice in the early years of

this century when Morozevich brilliantly employed the Albin to beat play-

6.

Ac1-e3 Played more often than 6.d5, which nonetheless has given White good results after 6...4e5 t.Af+ 496 8.4e3 e5 9.Axc4.

ers of even the highest calibre. This has Ied - at least in part - to a re-evaluation

6. e7-eG The exchange on f3 is playable, but this move would appear to be more natural.

aspects as well.

of this counter-gambit, which not only offers dynamic possibilities to Black, but also has certain positive positional However, you cannot escape the fact that 'a parnm is a pawn', and therefore 101

Chess Opening Essentiols

-

Volume

2

some uncertainty about the counter-gambit's soundness still remains. Presuming that an Albin player does not wish to play a normal Queen's Gambit, he must have an answer to 2.4f3; indeed this move is often played so as to avoid this gambit, which though perhaps not entirely sound, is more than

of giving White a headache. In this event Black can choose 2...6c6 or

capable

2...4f5, which, after the likely pawn push c2-c4, transpose to variations of the Chigorin or Baltic Defences, but with White enjoying fewer options as he has already played Af3.

3. d4xe5

d3 so as to challenge the e4 pawn, but here the pawn move is punished tactically:

4. 5. Acl-d2 6. 9d2xb4?

Af8-b4+! d4xe3

Also 6.Wa4+ Ac6 7.Axb4 exfz+ 8.€xf2 Wtr++

gives Black a clear advantage, therefore the lesser of all evils is the

submissive 6.fxe3, which leaves Black

with

an edge after e ...Wh++ 7.g3 We4.

6. 7. E

egxf2+

€e1-e2

ffiEffie##a

*ili

.@tr

ffi rflK ffiffirffi I

d5-d4

ffiffi#s

ffi Effi effia ffi I ffi ffirffi **# ffi ffi# :4# E

*&

ffiffi Affi ffi w I Iffiffi A AffiA

ffi

ffiffiffiffi ffiAffi ffi

ffiffi ffiffiffiffiffi A Affi A ffi€$rea ffi ffie affisffieffi ffi

A

c{sg

t

A 3't&

es

i6

If

Black now promotes to a queen, White will exchange on d8 and recapture on g1 with equality, while after

ffiAffi

And here we have the idea of the counter-gambit: Black's pawn on d4 restricts

White's development by taking awaY the c3-square from the b1 knight, and at least for the moment e-pawn from going to e3.

by stopping

the white

-

The idea is reminiscent of the Falkbeer Coulter-Gambit in response to the

King's Gambit, and indeed here we dealing with a mirror image of the position on the queenside. are

7

. .

.

Ag4+?

?

,

obaiously

8

.Q-:f3 saaes the day

7.

.

t2xg16+

With check!

8.

€e2-e1

If White takes on

g

1

,

he receives a lethal

check on 94.

L

9. €el-d2

gd8-h4+ Ab8-c6

and Black has a decisive advantage.

B) 4.

a2'a3

it is only corrunon sense that White will make swe that he has conffol of the Given his fate in the previous variation,

A) 4.

e2'e3?

A verv common error. It is true that in the Falkbeer White immediately plays 102

b4-square before he plays his pawn to e3.

Albin Counter-Gombit

4.

5. e2-e3 5. Wdlxd8+ 7. Ac1xe3

Ab8-c6 d4xe3

€e8xd8 Ac6xe5

C) 4. e2'e4 Spassky's ambitious move. 4.e3 is an er-

ror, but 4.e4 is playable because of the en passant rule. Now after the check on b4, taking on e3 is no longer possiblel 4. Ab8-c6

t2-t4

E

*r1 *r r ^

tf:$lit

g -: €.

r

l*;r

xi €

:'lil

nAtA€#i

*: l*Afi A Ag cbl

,

*n.

AA

€,

ll

AIAA l

AA a'al agg€aa tr

.

In this way White maintains the extra pa\.Tr, but at the cost of being somewhat behind in development.

t7-t6! 5...6xe5? 6.fxe5 Wh++ 7.€d2 does not sufficiently compensate Black, while 5...g5!? - which undermines White's centre - is interesting; even if after 5.f5! Axe5 7.4f3 Axf3+ 8.Wxf3. 5.

White

g,;.'t:

=€==

-€.B'EE a E

aAA-zt

a3xb4

rectly defended by the threat of the knight fork on 92. 14. Wf3-e2 6c6xb4

With equality.

5.

11. ... Ag4xf3! 12. We2xf3 0-0! 13. trf8xf4 Now the idea is clear: the rook is indi-

scores well.

6. e5xf6

7. gf1-d3 8. Ab1-d2

9. a2-a3

10. Wd1-e2 11. 691-f3

Ag8xf6 Af8-b4+ Af6-g4 494-e3 Ac8-g4

It is difficult to

say

who stands better,

and not only for us: the various chess engines give very different evaluations for this position.

D) 4. 6g1-f3

ENAg€

tir.....

A€: i,iiirirXr

a:: :*

:

=.='.,:.,,'; *r,*&*: i,ili.lA

t.iiil

,.,:16,*2

A g A:$A& .Ar Ag'tr

Easily the preferred response today.

4.

%b8-c6

The old move played by Tartakower,

If now the bishop retreats, White con-

4...c5, appears to be too slow: after 5.e3 6c6 6.exd4 cxd4 7.4d3 AgeT 8.0-0

solidates his grip on the extra pawn, but

4g6 9.h3 Ae7 10.Ee1,

Black has the

brilliant:

Black will

struggle to win back hls pa\ m. 103

Chess Opening Essentials

-

Volume

2

At this point, White has a choice between three principal variations, but these three moves can be played in different order and thus they often transpose.

D1) 5. a2-a3 Here we are dealing with variations without g2-g3 and without abd2. 5. Ac8-e6 There are also two other playable lines: 5...a5 6.e3 Ac5l or 5...6ge7, with the idea of ...6g6xe5. 6. e2-e3 d4xe3! 7. Wd1xd8+ Ea8xd8 8. Aclxe3 Ag8-e7

9. 6b1-c3 10. Ac3-b5 11. f2xe3

Q-:e7-f5l?

6f5xe3 Ed8-d7 and Black has established a balanced

6. a2-ag a7-a5t The other option of 5...496 7.ab3 6gxe5 8.Axe5 Axe5 g.Axd4leads to a position in which Black's compensation for the lost pawn is doubtful, given that he can no longer take on c4 for fear of the check on a4.

7. ad2-b3

and

should best proceed.

D3) 5. s2-s3 The number one choice: considering the problems associated with playing e2-e3, it seems more natural to develop the bishop on this diagonal. Black has tried various lines when faced with this position, given in the diagram below.

E.-.:AsggA ;.',1*:l a

8ame.

*-lt

D2\ 5. Ab1-d2 Here we deal with lines that include a2-a3 without the move g2-g3. 5. 6g8-e7!?

.i",.

..t,.

*

.:;.

AI AA AAAAA =

litllri af* tliia tti,

tr AW€A tr

A very fashionable move in the Albin Counter-Gambit, but the traditional conrinuation is still playable: 5...Aga 6.a3 We7 7.h3 AhS 8.Wa4 0-0-0. with equal chances. 10+

AT

:=

1€

..r.a

AA g AA A :A*:tr lA

rilllrtr ffrXr .,,,:.

::

,

i:.:lll. *

Eii..tA €A ..',rA*t:

6e7-f5

it is not obvious how either side

r' D31)

5.

Prepares

Ac8-f5

to

castle queenside and in

some variations there

is a

possible

...6,:b+.

6. Afl-g2 6.abd2? 6b+, and Black wins. gd8-d7 6.

7. 0-0 8. Wdl-a4

Or 8.9b3

I

? as

8. 9.

0-0-0

in Variation D3

3

.

gfs-h3 e5-e6!

Albin Counter-Gombit

i::g€

"€E

.AE $*Aa:g:,t.l.l,l, ls

,Ea€'l

;r:tg:iiiritl

i* l*,,Bll,ri f *if

A.:l::: *:: :,;:r." " 'i .''.;..l. Ntr E :,:,: g '1 ,,.. t:: XA.:.::.:'

::: :':

::4.:

A g

.1J.:

*

a

-:,,'A'A'A ,,,'E

s

A typical tactical idea aimed at gaining time and a possible initiative. 9.

10.

,,,'l '= ....'6 B = A:* fiA,A,A$ A AAAAA

W$A}

A\AA

i:i=

Af3-g5

Ah3xe6 698-e7

and White's position inspires more confidence.

1..,..;

:l:rrtr€

And White's queenside initiative appears to have more potential than Black's one on the kingside.

D33)

1't. b2-b4

i,iil

s.

Ac8-g4

The usual plan, but here Black hopes to be able to apply more pressure on White's centre.

6. Af1-92 7. 0-0 8. gdl-b3!

D32) 5. Ac8-e6 in the previous variation, Black, in

As

anti-Dragon fashion, prepares ...Waz,

Wd8-d7 0-0-0

trdl with an eye on

...0-0-0, ...4h3, and ...h7-h5-h4. Beginning with this move has the advantage of earning a tempo by attacking

Getting ready for

the c4 pawn.

After 8...4h3? we see the intent behind

6.

ab1-d2 It is also possible to give back the pawn by playing 5.Ag2l? Axc4 7.abd2, with an active game, but usually White prefers to hang on to the extra pawn. 6.

gd8-d7

7. 9j1-g2 0-0-0 h7-h5 8. 0-0 The variation 8...A"h3?l 9.e61 Axe6 10.495 has proved itself to be favourable for White. 9.

b7

as

well.

698-e7

8.

8.9b3: 9.e61 Axe6 1o.Ae5 gd6

1 1.Axc6 bxc6 12.Wa4. cisive advantage.

9.

with a near de-

Ef1-d1

Threatening 10.Axd4 due to the checkmate on b7. 9.

gd7-f5!?

Parries White's threat and supplies an escape square for the king without exchanging on f3, which would be positional capitulation. However, after

10.6b1-a3! 6e7-96

An unforced but quite promising sacri-

11.6a3-c2 White maintains strong pressure and

fice.

has better prospects.

b2-b4l?

9. 10. Wd1-a4

9f8xb4 D34)

5.

698-e7 105

Chess Opening Essentials

-

Volume

2

A new; less direct approach on the part

of Black, who simply

seeks

to

Baltic Defence

restore

1. d2-d4 2. c2-c4

the material balance while keeping the strong pawn on d4.

6. Af1-g2 7. Ac1-95!

6e7-96

Effi ffieffiA!ffi rffre ffirffir ffitrffi#ffiffi ffi wrffiaffi

Fighting against Black's plan. After 7.0-0 Agxe5, Black has no problems.

gd8-d7!

7.

E

ffiag$ ffi ffi ffiffiffiffi Affi ffiAffiA#

ffiffiaffieffi ffi

rffisffirffi I ffiAffiffi ffia ffiffiffiffi ffiAffi ffi ffi

AffigffiAffitr

ffiffi

ffi ffiffiaffi A ffi ffiAffiA re A

affiffiwffi ffi

a;s

A move that Morozevich reassessed as having merit; he is a player who has never been afraid to play moves that look ugly. It seems unnatural to block the c8 bishop. On the other hand, after 7...9:e7 8.Axe7, Black has problems to attack the e5 pawn without losing the

d4pawn.

8.

0-0

The move 8.e6!? used to be played, but following 8...fxe6 9.0-0 e5, it is difficult to decide if Black's centre has been reinforced or weakened.

L

d7-d5

Ac8-f5

In the Queen's Gambit Black's principal problem is usually how he should develop the c8 bishop... and here Black brings it into play on the second move! This is a move that would have horrified an opening expert of the old

schooll And indeed, we are dealing with a relatively recent opening - the product of the pragmatism that so strongly characterises the contemporary game.

a

3.

gd1-b3

To attack b7 and d5 is logical. To do so before Black has played ...e7-e6 has the extra advantage of avoiding the typical manoeuvre ...dc6-b+. However. the

move

h7-h6t

e7-e5!

3.

A true novelty: taking immediately on

Opening the diagonal for the f8 bishop

e5 gives White an edge.

with tempo and endeavouring to

9. Ag5-f4 Trying to keep the parnm, but perhaps the more conservative

9. 10.

g3xf4

9.Acl is better Ag6xf4 97-95!

and Black has optimum counterplay. 106

ex-

ploit the premature development of the queen.

4.

c4xd5

4.Wxb7 is playable: after +...D,d7 5.dxeS d4, a position ensues that is difficult to judge.

Boltic

4.

5. 6g1-f3 6. 6f3xd4

EffiffiffiE

e5xd4 Af8-c5

rerffi ffirffi ffiAffi ffi

White is a pawn up, but at a price: 6.

7. wb3-a4+ 8. d5xc6 9. Ba4-b3!

ffiffirffiEffi

ffiffiffi ffi ffiaw ffiaffi

9c5xd4 6b8-c6! b7-b5!

9.9xb5 6e7 10.e3 trb8 ll.9e2

would give Black too

0-01

10.

e2-e3

698-e7 gd4-f6

Black has adequate compensation, though to precisely what extent is hard to

say.

B) 3. bb1-c3

e7-e6l

With 3...c6?! you transpose to a notoriously inferior Slav variation that we will look at Iater on.

gd1-b3 move +.bf3 takes us into Variation

4.

The C.

6b8-c6!

4.

5.

c4xd5!

5.Wxb7? Axd4 and Black is clearly winning; 5.4f3 ab4t 6.e4 dxe4 7.c5 a5 !,

and Black stands well. 5. e6xd5

gf8-b4 6...4b4 7.e4 dxe4 8.4e5 Ae6 9.4c4 Axc4 10.8/xc4 We7 11.0-0, and

6. 6g1-f3

White has good compensation.

7.

a2-a3

The most direct.

7. Ab4xc3+ 8. Wb3xc3 Ag8-f6 9. Ac1-g5 0-0 h7-ho 10. e2-e3 11. Ag5xf6 9d8xf6 12.9t1-e2

ffi ffiAffiA tr

much

counterplay.

9.

Defence

White has a slight

advantage which, though largely academic, must at least give him marginally better chances. A frequent problem with these minor

defences is the black c-pawrr, whose path is obstructed by the c6 knight; this pawn

often represents a weakness. [n addition, the d5 pa\^'n can find itself without the support of its natural ally - the very same c5 pawn - and as a result, it becomes weal< too. It is true that Black can play ...trfc8, ...6e7 and ...c6, but in that case White can initiate an unpleasant minority attack spearheaded by b2-b4-b5, with its sights on the vuherable c6 pawn.

C) 3. Ag1-f3

e7-e6

Also here it is a mistake to transpose to the Slav with 3...c6?! as there is 4.cxd5

followedbyWb3.

4.

gdl-b3t?

4.68 is the normal

move. However. after 4...c6!. we are in a Slav without

...af6, which, after 5.8b3 Wbe e.cs Vc7 7.Af+ Bc8. has shown itself to be surprisingly resilient.

4. 5.

6b8-c6 c4-c5

An unnatural move, but strong: it stops ...4b+ and restricts Black's play. The

following is also played: 5.9d2 trb8 6.e3, with a small plus for White. 107

Chess Opening Essentiols

-

Volume

2

E

tssEaE *ifrt.tt.:f,tf

al

Yet the fact that Black can now still achieve acceptable positions - admittedly with some difficulty - is further

.g.ag

ning moves is far greater than what was thought possible before the advent of the Internet and chess engines. This is clearly a good thing as we thus continue to plumb the seemingly llmitless depths

,,,,t'' '6 1.,r,::,.1[ ...:: A rxlfr ,\ Hq) AA AAAA. .lcJ AIIAT\

€4"':,.E

evidence that the range of playable ope-

of the game. 5. The best way to defend b7.

6. Ac1-f4 7. h2-h3 8. e2-e3 9. Ab1-c3

6g8-f6 Af8-e7 a7-a6

It is not easy for White to gain any tangible benefit from his slight space advantage.

4.

Wd1-a4+ A nice finesse, defending a2 and preventing 6c6, before recapturing the piece. The normal 4.Exb1 is also playable: 4...Wxd5 5.a3 ac6 6.af3 0-0-0 7.Wc}l? (freeing himself of the pressure on the d4 pawn by giving it up!) 7...6xd4 8.Axd4 Wxd4 9.g3, with good compensation. 4.

D) 3.

c4xd5 The conceptually critical move; Black has not adequately defended the d5 pawn, and White takes it, seeking to make the most of the exposed black

9.f3.

5.

queen.

3. E

:*

Af5xbl

a 9e,€A E I I, l'l l.l

c7-c6!

Black would hardly be enthusiastic about the prospect of playing the endgame after 4...gd7 5.Wxd7+ AxdZ 6.trxb1 dgf6 7.9.d2 Axds s.e+ Asfe tra1xbl

5.dxc6 0xc6 6.Exbl would iust make Black's task easier after either the conservative 6...Wxd4, or the more aggres, sive 6...e5!?.

5. 6.

Wd8xd5

f2-t3 The most ambitious; however, most players opt for the soljd 6.4ft 6'd7 (with the idea ...4b6 and ...Wxa2) 7.a3 6gf6 A.e3 WfSl 9.Ea1 e5, with a satisfactory position. 6.

Naturally, Black

will not allow 6c3. It

seems reckless to move a bishop twice only to exchange if for an undeveloped

knight. 108

e7-e5

6...4f6 7.e4 Axe4?! 8.Ac4 WfS 9.fxe4! Wxe4+ 10.4e2 Wxbl 11.9b3, with a decisive advanrage for White.

Chigorin,

7. d4xe5 8. e2-e4 9. Q.g1-e2 10. Wa4-d4

ab8-d7 Wd5xe5 Q:d7-c5 We5-e6

11. 6e2-c3

White's good centre and possession of the bishop pair must in theory give him a small advantage. However, in practice the position is complex, which means that Black is not without resources.

Bouton,Christophe Raetsky,Ale*ar.de" Cappelle Ia Grande I 995 (3)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.e4 6lc6

5t4 t6 6.exf6 Axf6 7.4d3 Ab4+

8.9f1 0-0 9.6f3 9s4 10.h3 gxf3 11.gxf3 AeS 12.Wd1 ahs 13.€g1

6:xt4 14.gxl4 trxf4 15.a3 gh4 16.Ae2 Ael 17.6d2 gt2+ 18.gfl Ae3+ 19.af3gf2x o-1

Rogozenlo,Dorian Morozevich,Alexander Istanbul olympiad 2000 (10)

1.d4 d5 Z.eA 8-:c6 3.cxd5 BxdS 4.e3 e5 5.6c3 Ab4 6.4d2 9xc3 7.Axc3 exd4 8.4e2 Af6 9.6xd4 0-010.4b5 Bg5 11.h4 gh6 12*Ae2 trd8 13.8c2 Ads 14.trd1 Ae6 15.a3 Ed7 16.4d4 6xc3 17.Bxc3 6xd4 18.trxd4 trad8 19.trxd7 trxd7 20.4f3 b6 21.93 gf6 22.gxf6 gxf6 23.h5 h6 24.Hh4 c5 25.4e2 Ab3 26.trf4 *g7 27.94 EdG 28.tre4 €f8 29.8f4 a5 30.tre4 trdg 31.trf4 se7 32.tre4+ €d6 33.4d1 ae6 34.4e2 f5 35.gxf5 gxf5 35.trf4 €e5 37.trf3 b5 38.e4 Ae6 39.trc3 c4 40.f3 €f4 41.trc2 gd4 42s:d1 b4 43.axb4 axM 44Ae2 *e3 45.trc1 trd2 46.Axc4 trh247.gt1Eh1 48.8c29h3 0-1

/lbin,

Boltic

Rcshevskpsamuel Godena,Michele Lugano 1988

1.d4 d5 2.c4 6,cG 3.e3 e5 4.cxd5 Wxds 5.4c3 Ab4 6.9d2 Axc3 7.bxc3 exd4 8.cxd4 AfG 9.4f3 4e4 10.9e2 9g4 11.0-0 0-0-0 12.9e1 trhe8 13.6d2 Axe2 14.Wxe2 Ed6 15.f3 4xd4 16.8c4 6xd2 0-1 Sarkar,Justin Deric Pinto,Eric New Delhi 2009 (2)

1.d4 d5 2.o4

a6

3cxd5 Wxd5 4.e3 e5 5.6c3 gb4 6Ad2 Axc3 7.bxc3 e4 8.c4 gd6 9.6e2 6f6 10.4c3 0-0 114e2 Ee8 12.94 h6 13.h4 a6 14.95 hxgS 15.hxg5 4h716.c5 Wg6 17.ads EdB 18.Axc7 trb8 19.gbg €/xgS 20.0-0-0 trd7 21.8h5 Be6 22.Edh1 trxc7 23.trxh7 WxhT 24.trxh7 €xh7

25.d56te726.9b0

1-o

593ltd"$l Miladinovic,Igor Murska Sobota tt 2008 (9)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 6cG

3.6f3 trg4 4.6c3 Ad6 7.AxdG

eG 5.cxd5 exdS 6.Af4

Bxd6 8.e3 6f6 9.Ae2 a6 10.a3 0-0 11.trcl trfe8 12.0-0 9xf3 13.gxf3 AdB 14.8c2 cG 15.Efd1 6e6 16.9f5 gd8 17.h4 s6 18.Wh3 h5 19.8s3 6g7 20.Wf4 6e6 21.Ws3 €tS7 22.6a4 6-te4 23.9f4 6,eG 24.9h2 o'g125.6:c5 6xc5 26.Exc5 6t5 27.93 WfG 28.4e2 tre6 29.W92

trae8 30.Ec3 €g7 31.b4

tre4 32.9f3 Exh4 33.trdc1 tr94 34.Axg4

hxg4 35.a4 Ad6 36.83c2 6.e4 37.9f1 Ag5 38.b5 axb5 39.axb5 Af3 4o.bxc6 bxc6 41.trxc5 gfs 42.tr6c3We443.8d1Eh8 0-1 r09

Chess Opening Essenticls

-

Volume

2

i*['Jn',ffi,

'*tI#;?J#",

*,,:,#,":*l ;.g',4:; 7.e4 af6 8.f3 9e7 9.9e3 0:0 eG 1O^Ad3 bG 11.0-0

Ab7

12.Wc2

€hg 13.Eac1 EcB 14.4b5 c5 15.6xa7 tra8 16.4b5 cxd4 17.Axd4 .Exa2 18.trfdl ad7 19.4c3 tra7 20.4b5 Aa6 21.8a1

Wc8 22.Exa6 Exa6 23.Axd7 Wc7 24.gb5 traS 25.Wf2 trd8 26.Axb6 trxd1+ 27.2lxd19c1 28.4e2 Eal 29.8g3 h6 30.4d4 f6 31.Wel AcS

32.Axc5 Bxc5+ 33.9f1 gd4 34.b4 EIbl 35.b5 €gB 36.g3 sf7

37.€g2 g5 38.h3 e5 39.Wc3 *gG 40.Wc2 Eal 41.Wb3 €g7 42.bG

Ea8 49.b7 Eb8 44.6e3 gd7 45.4f5+ €g6 46,AaG Wd2+ 47.&t'l Wcl+ 48.€e2 Wc5 49.h4 gxh4 50.gxh4 h5 51.We3 Wc2+ 52.9d2 WcS 53.€f1 gf8 s4.gd6 €f7 55.4c4+ €g6 56.wxf8 trxf8

57.Qle7+

1-o

!n] ,.0*"u d4 A.^rs 6cG 5.a3 a5 6.h3 9c5 7.&g5 {lge7 Labd2 hG 9.9h4 AeG 10.8c1 a4 11.94 Wd7 12.Ag26g6 13.Ag3 h5 14.gxh5 Exh5 15.h4 4gxe5 16.Axe5 6xe5 17.6e4 AbG 18.Axe5 trxeS 19.c5 9a5+ 20.€f1

'.i['H;:#

eb3 21.9d3 Ea6 22.6g5 ads

23.Axd5 Wxd5 24.Ehg treT 25.trc4

trd7 26.4f3 Ec6 27.Hxd4 BeG

28.4g5 Exd4 29.Wxd4 gd7 30.tre3+ 32.Wxd7+

Sargissian"Gabriel Slobodian,Roman

,;"1?;.'J

Albin,Adolf NewYork 1893 (12)

1.d4 d5 2.4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.4ltg 6cG 5.a3 Ag4 6.h3 Axf3 7.gxf3 6xe5 8.f4 6c6 9.492 Wd710.b4 a6 11.4b2 Ed8 12.4d2 kge713.Ab3

AfS 14.9d3 Ae7 15.9e4

AdG

!T)..a*.u d4 4.^ts

8.b5 6cxe5 9.Axd4 Axc410.e3 AeG

11.Wc2 ad6 12.4d3 Ah4 13.Axh4 t9xh4 14.0-0 Ae7 15.4d2 0-0 16.f4 EadS 17.a4 Ae8 18.4f3 gh6 19.Ead1

Lasker,Emanuel

€dB 31.Axf7+ *cg €xd733.6e5+ 1-o

Af6 20.Wxc7 Ads

21.Wc1

Ag4 22.4e4 We6 23.gb1 g6 24.h3 exf:t 25.trxf3 6xe3 26.trxe3 trxd4 27.Exd4 Ac5 28.Wd1 gb6 29.gh2 gxd4 30.trd3 trdB 31.Axb7 gd6 32.€h1 Wxf4 33.93 WeS 34€g2 trd6 35.Af3 Acs 36.h4 trfG 37.9d2 AdG 38.Wg5 gb2+ 39.Wd2 WeS 40wg5 wUe+ 41.wd2 wes 42.wg5

16.AcS Wc8 17.4f3 0-O 18.trg1 Ae8 19.6b3 gd7 20.0-0-0 gd6

21.&b1 Wxf4 22.trq4 gh6 23.AxcG bxc6 24.Hxd4 eOe 25.c5 Ee6 26.Wxa6 Bxh3 27.tr4dg Wg2 28.ad4 Ef6 29.8e3 AdB 30.4c2 1-O Exf2,31.trxd8 110

th-1h

Gordon,stephen Berg,Emanuel

,.#'H"r1}-',"';

f]o*,

d4 4.^ts

Oc6 5.a3 6ge7 6.b4 6g6

7.b5

Chigorin, Albin, Bcltic

6cxe5 8.Axd4 AcS 9.4b2 Wh4 10.e3 Ag4 11.Wc2 0-G0 12.Ae2 Axe2 13.Wxe2 9xd4 14.Axd4

i,'#'*.H511L*

Sokolotlvan

, Jro"J;Til ?ll , e6 4.613 6c6 5.cxd5 exd5 6.4f4 ^",af6 7.9b3 6a5 8.Wa4+ c6 9.e3 b5 10.Axb5 cxbS 11.6xb5 Ad7 12.4c7 gc8

Morozevich,Alexander

13.Bxa5

Exd4 15.exd4

Bxd4

o-1

Wijk aan Zee 2005 (9)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.6lt9 Ac6 5.6bd2 6ge7 6.4b3 oltl 7.a3 Ae7 8.g3 a5 9.9d3 a4 10.4M2 hS 11.9h3 g6 12.4e4 h4 13.4f4 hxg3

14.hxg3 6g7 15.4g2 Exhl+ 16.Axh1 Af5 17.6fs5 4a5 18.9f3 Ae6 19.4h7 Axe4 20.Wxe4 cG 21.e3 6b3 22.Hd1 WaS+ 23.Se2 Aec5 24.W92 Wa6 25.gfl Wxc4+ 26.€gl Wc2 27.9f3 d3 28.495 6e4 29.Axe7 6xt230.gxf2 Wxdl+ 31.€g2 Wc2 32€dO O-O-o 33.€g1 Wxf2+ 34.€xf2 EhB

gb7

14.6d6+ Axd6 15.Axd6 Ae4 16.4a3 Ec8 17.0-O f6 18.Efc1 gf7 19.9b4 Abs 20.4d2 Wd7 21.Axe4 dxe4 22.Wd6 gb7 23.d5 S96 24.trxc8 trxc8 25.We6 Ee8 26.Wg4+ Ul 27.trc1 Ad7 28.9d1 Ec8 29.trxc8 BxcB 30.h3 gc4 31.b3 €9c3 32.dG €eG 33.8g4+ f5 34.9h4 €d5 35.9d8 gcg 36.9e7 €cG 37.Wxg7 WaG 38.Wc3+ €d5 39.Wc5+ ge6 40.94 fxg4 41.hxg4 gbs 42.Wxb5 AxbS 43.€g2 €fG 4a.€s3 €g5 45Sc5 a6 46.9b6

0-1

Ehlvest"Jaan Postny,Evgeny

AbbasorrFarid Bad Wiessee 2007 (9)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.4ts 6c6 5.g3 hseT 6.9g2 6g6 7.Ag5

gd7 8.0-0 h6 9.4c1

Agxe5 10.6xe5 6xe5 11.b3 AcS 12.6d2

0-0 13.4b2 hc6 14.afg EeB 15.9d2 gd6 16.trad1 Afs 17.6xd4 6xd4 18.Axd4 Axd4 19.Wxd4 Erxd4 20.trxd4 Exe2 21.Axb7trbB 22.4d5 trxa2 23.tre1 etB 24.94 AgG 25.c5 EaS 26.b4 Ea3 27.4c4 Ec3 28.b5 Ea3 29. Rfl trc8 30.8d7 h5 31.h3 hxg4 32.hxg4 Ea4 33.f3 Ef4 34.€92 EfG 35.Ea1 c6 36.b6 axbS 37.cxb6 Ee6 38.b7 1-O

Rausis,Igors Rigazt 1995 (4)

1.d4 d5 2.4 A:t5 3.cxd5 Axbl 4.Wa4+ c6 S.dxc6 6xc6 6.trxbl Bxd4 7.Sxd4 6xd4 8.e3 Ac6 9.b4 eG 10.a3 gd6 11.4f3 af6 12€b2 €e7 13.93 HacS 14.A92 ghd8 15.ee2 gO 16.Ebc1 ad517.Ehd1 f6 18.trd2 aG 19.trdc2 f5 20.h3 4a7 21.695 h6 22.4t3 trxc2+ 23.trxc2 Ec8 24.trxc8 6xc8 25.6e5 Axe5 26.9xe5 AdG 27.€dg h5 28.h4 €d7

29.Axd5 exdS 3O.AxdG €xd6 31.sd4 bG 32.a4 ee6 33.f3 &dG 34.€c3 eeS 35.€d3 €eG 36.€c3 €e5 37.9d3 &eG 38.9d4 gdo 39.a5 bxaS 40.bxa5 sc6 41.€e5 sbS 42.€xd5 €xa5 43.sc5 1-o i11

Chess Opening Essentiols

-

Volume

2

It is important to note that 2...c6 is often played with the aim of initiating the Meran Yariation (see the section on the Semi-Slav) rather than the SIav in the strict sense of the word, which is defined by the moves 3...4f6 and 4...dxc4.

EffiEffi effi rh =Iti i€G raffi ffi I ffi

wrffi

tr

ffiffir *-ffi ffiAffi$ ffiffi g*F

]-r' =:#l

:*:*

ffi AgH AA ':+{t{:(: :?

ffiaffis tr5A

' However, the modern innovation . 4...a61? is considered to be a Slav varia-. tion. On the other hand, 4...e6 - the de' fining move of the Semi-Slav - used to -. be classified in old opening manuals as '. a simple variation of the Slav. Today it is .. considered a defence in its own right, := due to its great popularity and distinct .,.; tactical and strategic characteristics. Before examining the most frequent

Black uses his second move to support the d5 pawn with its companion on c6; as a result, the light-squared diagonal is now ready for the c8 bishop, which in

the Queen's Gambit Declined with 2...e6 is difficult to develop. Another plus is that in some variations there is

ations with a premature ...Afs, here the

placement

of the pawn on e3 limits

the possibility to take the pawn on c4 to achieve an improved version of the

White's options.

Queen's Gambit Accepted, given the additional opportunity to defend the

Variation 3. Ac3

black pawn on c4 with

..

.b 7 -b5

.

The first example of the Slav with 4...dxc4 was as far back as a game played by Steinitz in 1853 (!), but it was only in the 1930's that it became popular after a famous victory

in

1926 by the Slav player Vidmar over Alekhine (and hence the name of the defence). It

remained a frequent choice thereafter, and by the beginning of the new milIennium it was perhaps the number one choice against 1.d4. 112

of

the various options available to White, it is worth noting that if White defends the c4 pawn with the passive 3.e2-e3, then Black can immediately develop his bishop to f5 without any particular problems: compared to analogous vari-

1. d2-d4 2. c2-c4 3. Ab1-c3

d7-d5 c7-c6

This is a move that in the past was rela-

tively uncommon. At the beginning of this century it has become almost as popular as developing the king's knight. Generally it does not make much difference as there is often a simple move

transposition after 3...4f6 +.of3. will look at some individual variations. In respect to 3.Af:

However. here we

Slov Defence

this move, as always, has its own characteristic strengths and weaknesses.

=E AAg€A A E :l lt.'.i I'.l * I

':Ll't1..' a

:::l

11..,'

a,:,:ral::'

7,1,

..A A.

solve Black's problems.

t\ \

t/1

n a\

AAA A

This does not mean everything is rosy for White. as he needs to consider that Black can now play one of the following two continuations. These lines usually lead to complex positions that can be tricky to play for White. Nonetheless, White often plays 3.6c3 as many believe these two lines do not completely

::a),t:.a'.

'::.;:aa.

AA AA

A

A)

A

AW€.A

e7-e5

3,

The insidious Winawer CounterGambit was played with success as

The main benefit is that against 3...e6,

earlyas 1901!

which can introduce the difficult-to-

4. d4xe5! The prudent 4.e3 leads to a reversed French after 4...e4, while 4.cxd5 cxd5 (a position that can be reached by

handle Noteboom Yariation 4...dxc4, White can continue with the highly tactical and complex Marshall-Alekhine Gambit 4.e41?. For rhese two lines. readers should consult the section on

means

of the Exchange Variation)

5.dxeS d4 would appear to favour Biack

the Semi-SIav.

in comparison to the main line, due to

Another presumed advantage is that af-

the absence of the pawns on c4 and c6. 4. d5-d4

ter 3...6f5, if White does nor go into the main line with +.4f3, he can play an improved version of the Exchange Variation with 4.cxd5. If we presume that delaying the development of the knight to f3 is in fact an advantage, it is still not enough to give White anything

5.

hc3-e4

Wd8-a5+

concrete. Several openirig experts recommend that

after 3...4f6, it is best to play a.Ags. However, after 4...dxc4l 5.a4 Wa5 6.4d2 e5, White cannor hope to gain any advantage. The move 4.e3!? is interesting as it allows Black to transpose to either the Semi-Slav with 4...e6, or the Schlechter Yariation of the Grthfeld

With this

after 4...96. However, the Classical SIav is now a bad idea given that +...4f5 at

ular than the traditional o.AdZ, which proved to be ineffective after 6...4h61?

AA a tf. 11.

check

Slack wins back the

pawn.

6.

Ac1-d2!?

This ambitious move is now more pop-

this point is dubious due to the ex-

7.dft afs (wirh the idea ...he3), with

change on d5 foilowed by 6.Wb3.

a

position reminiscent of the Albin. 113

Chess Opening Essentiols

-

Volume

2

B) 3. d5xc4 Wa5xe5 at- This is probably the critical line. 4. e2-e4 Even the sober 4.e3!? b5 5.a4 b4 7. 6e4'93 6g8'f6 6.Q)e4t?isplayable. 8. Ag1-f3 We5-d6 4. b7-b5 9. Wdl-c2 White prepares to castle queenside. The very old 4...e5 can lead to the historic sacri{ice made by Alekhine: 5.6f3 9. Af8-e7 0-0 exd4 6.Axc4!? (6.Wxda!) 6...dxc3 10. 0-0'0 6.

Black gains an important tempo by tacking the knight.

11. e2-e3 To get

7

rid of the d-pawn, which is

.Axf7 + €ez S.Wb3

an

ENIAg

obstacle to White's development.

11.

...

:t1," l, i.

d4xe3

12.l2xe3l?

I

:.::. :,;::'' r.r :'.,

*W,l' AA: /\ /\

g

HA HE with

an unclear

position.

5. a2-a4 6. oc3-a2 6...e5 Kasparov's novelty, which has given the variation new life. 12.9xe3 is more natural from a positional point of view, but the reality is that it offers no more than equality. With the text move, White compromises his pawn structure, relying on dynamic chances on the semi-open f-file, and above all on the

nicely-placed bishop on c3.

12....

Wd6-c7

13. Ad2-c3 Results for games played from this posi-

tion have been good for White, even if it is perhaps not possible to speak of an objective advantage; suffice it to say that the principal chess engines have divergent opinions on who stands best. 11+

7

b5'b4 hg8-f6

.Af3l.

7. e4-e5 8. Aflxc4 9. 6g1-f3 10. O-0 11. Ac1'd2 12.6a2'c1 13. Ac1

e7-e6

Af8-e7 ab8-d7 a7'a5 Ac8-b7

'b3

EBsE 'AEf

=:;Ar, ....'I

af6-d5

r

l=

*f

iE ...- Ar& X ":

A :i*:EiAr TAA

;:X

al*tigit$a$ $ fss 'li:Wl tr€

.,... aiai

Sloy Defence

White has greater space with more harmonious piece coordination, but Black has a strong knight on d5, and after the appropriate preparation for a ...c6-c5 advance, he should be able to achieve a balanced position.

posing to the Winawer CounterGambit.

5. Sc1-fa

6b8-c6 Now we will discuss two lines for White: one with Af3 and one without.

A) 6. e2-e3 Exchange Variation

1. d2-d4 2. c2-c4 3. c4xd5

7. gd1-b3 L Afl-b5+ 9. Wb3-a4

d7-d5 c7-c6

c6xd5

tr

ffi#* c€!*

t\. z):

sffia

E

I

n E;:! sl&

A ts

li;

but by swapping pawns now there

play Black

can

achieve equality also here.

4. Ab1-c3

6g8-f6

Black can seek to make the most of the

of the knight on Af3 wirh the interesting 4...e5!? 5.dxe5 d4, transabsence

I ffiffi r:A,I

t Jli

t/{

;T6 r.**;

H

5t*5i

${S

s ffi

ffi*ffi

ffiffi

10.691-f3 11.

a7-a6

Ab5xd7+ 6f6xd7

12.0-0 And White

!&+

will

b7-b5

work cut out for him trying to make his advantage have his

meaningful.

B) 6.

Agl-f3

is

the plus that you can delay the development of the g1 knight and immediately play Ac3, Af4 and e3 with the possibility of the 91 knight going to e2. How-

accurate

.t^{t 'cJ

iw

excessive risks. This approach gives Black few problems in achieving equality; predictably the draw rare is very high. White can also posrpone the exchange for another move if he wants,

with

ss ;H:

ffip

!:-:{

After 3.cxd5 cxdS we have a symmetrical position where White will try to exploit his extra rempo without taking

ever,

e7-e6

***3

ffi t:tt'l

**Ags A

hc6-a5 Afs-d7

lj&} "El sw E# t&ffi A s - rri #*rffi I rffi ffi a ;':*

:ri.

ffi A #€g€ A ,E I ffi I s** ffi*# ffi rsg ffi w -? s.l

Ac8-f5

The normal move, but also the more prudent 6...a6 ? 7.4d3 Ag4 is playable.

E#ffiEffi ere

-i-:

"rE ;Er

gr*rffi I ffiAffi# ffi $**g ffiffir ffiffiffi ffiffi tr ffi ffiffi ##affi Affi ffiffi AffiA]ffi

ffir

##

ffi

ffiAffi

I 15_

Chess Opening Essentials

-

Vo|ume

2

E ABwA:= lr lll

The normal move that leads to the kev

position of the Exchange Variation. Black has many playable moves to choose from. We will examine the four most common lines in ascending order

al la fi6

AE a aa AA AAA

ofpopularity:

81)

6.

Af6-e4t?

As we have noted

in similar

81. ,ii.W€A..,:jtr

cases, the

fact that these weird moves have been proved to be playable make you appreci_ ate the great unexplored depths ofchess.

7. e2-e3 8. b2xc3

6e4xc3 97-96 Reminiscent of the Griinfeld-Indian. 9. Afl-bS Af8-s7 10.6f3-e5

EAtsgE ll rrEr al a ra A

AA AA

AAA

trw€tr

10. ... Ag7xe5! Black is not concerned about what dogma would tell us is a weakness on

Other, more passive alternatives leave White ahead due to Black's difficuhv in developing the c8 bishop.

8. 9.

A

afa-ss

gd8-b6

a2-a3

characteristic tactical idea: the b2

pawn is poisoned because of 6,a4. 9.

As5-h4 Ah4-93 h2xg3

10. 11. 12. 13. af1-d3 and White has an edge.

83)

6.

h7-h6 g7-s5 Ah5xg3 AfB-97

a7-a6l?

The fashionable move. This position is often a transposition from the Modern 4...a6 Yariation. Black has played a use_ ful move, reserving the option of developing the bishop to 94.

7. Ea1-cl!

the dark squares.

Af4xe5 0-O Ae5-g3 Ac8-f5 13.0-0 6c6-a5 11. 12.

with a dynamically balanced position: the bishop pair compensates for the

E AgsA E I lllr l:-,dh,.* fi :, :*:r it. I :,;

iL,i'

weak c4-square.

BD

6. e7-eG Very conservative, perhaps too much so.

7.

116

e2-e3

af6-h5!?

::A

.? {

U

A i'-. H E;-'H

3*g

r

-

EgE

- ffiAffi rgr 6**; t,

-":" - r

*€g

rffi

:f,n::

.

' I :"'j

a$rffi _7i'ffi -- t H ]*r:l::ir * trg ss qrr\'::-n /\a 2(;:;} ffiA ZJ- A'.F i €]1S

->c ,IJ

'

]H

ix-;

u

--t'-.

)(

-]F l

ffiffi H\#

After a series of exchanges on e5, White The pragmatic product of the contem- will have an edge. porary approach to the game; it may

not look pretqa but it works! It is worth E3) 5. ab8-d7 noting that 6...Wc8 is also playable. The most frequent move, with the aim

7. Ac1-f4

ab8-d7

8. h2-h3 h7-h6 9. e2-e3 97-95 10.

af4-h2 af8-g7

of preparing to push the pawn to e5.

6. Ac1-f4

af6-h5!

Before White has the chance h2-h3.

to

play

125

Chess Opening Essentiols

E31)

7. Ir

-

I

-

Volume

2

and both players have opportunities, even if White's space advantage would appear to be more significant than the

e2-e3

EEE I .,'A tr I r A {IIi &Fi 1"";t1":

weak d5-square.

.4.:. : :-;;ta::',., l

E32)

.Al

a

i r...i

rl.l

A/\

7.

gt4-d2 At the time of writing, this move is the

,8,'l a';1l :,''',4\ Al

most popular.

7.

ah5-f6

Controlling e4, but perhaps 7...961? which allows White to play e2-e4 - is Control of the e5-square fully compen- the best option. sates for the bishop pair. 8. Wd1-c2 7. Stopping ...4)e4. S.Af4 AhSI is a repe97-96 The following is also playable: 7...Q:xf+ tition. g7-S6 8.exf4 b6! 9.cxb6 Wxb6 10.9d2 e6 L 11.Ec1 c5!?, with a position that is 9. S2-g3 Af8-g7 hard to evaluate. 10. 0-0 8. Af1-dg Af8-g7 trf8-e8 9. 0-0 0-0 In order to free his game with ...e7-e5. After 9...f6 10.h3 e5 11.4h2! e4, the 12. tral-d1! fork is illusory because of 12.94 exd3 In anticipation of the opening of the 13.gxh5, andWhite has the upper hand. d-file. 10. Af4-g5 Changing your mind is sometimes the E lt.::r:Eg E ., .',@t::. ,,::t) best policy: White would now like to .r.,,..:A keep his bishop, given that 10.h3 6xf4 FT

af1-s2 11.0-0

I i''l A:l I :.::'.l'.l f::l:t: I

,ail:al:l

1

1.exf4 b6 gives Black

10.... 11. e3-e4 12. Ac3xe4

some

):l::1.,..::'

r,ra:ia:l

counterplay.

trf8-e8 d5xe4

A

O

.,:l:,:1.

:::':rll.

'A 1,,,,,:.

A

,

'.,..

a aa i&ggaaa& Fl E

12.... 13. d4xe5

,..:.,

Fl .9') EE

e7-e5 Q:d7xe5

After 13...Ag+ 14.e4! Axc5 15.4f4, . :il

AA

176

White is clearly better. 14. Af3xe5 tre8xeS 15. e2-e4! and White applies unpleasant pressure along the d-fiIe.

Slcv Defence

Classical

Va

riation 4...dxc4

1. d2-d4 2. c2-c4 3. 6g1-f3 4. 6b1-c3

EfiEgEA I

d7-d5 c7-c6

llll

:

ag8-f6 d5xc4

gsE

ll ll

-,

e

A

White knows that

it is impossible for

Black to play a6 and thus forces him to advance his pawn to b4, in the process weakening the c4 pawn.

6.

7.

b5-b4

6c3-a2

Attacking both pawns. The following is

7.6b1 Aa6 8.Ae2l c5l 9.abd2 c3 10.4c4!?, with an unclear

This is the starting position of the CIassical Variation of the Slav: by taking on

also popular:

c4, Black concedes the centre, but at the same time, he threatens to support the

oosition.

pawn with ...b7-b5, thus'forcing' White to play a2-a4, which will weaken

Aflxc4 Now White will move his a2 knight to b3 via cl, and Black must try to rid himself of the backward c6 nawn be-

the b4-square.

Black can now prevent the immediate

e2-e4 push by playing ...AfS and ...4U+. It is true that after suitable prep-

fore it is blockaded. 8.

in advancing his pawrr to e4, but in the meantime, Black can establish counterplay with pawn advances to

9.

aration, White often succeeds

10.

in the dia-

5. a2-a4 which we will deal with soon; but first let's take a glance a couple of interesting

in which White

Black to support the b5 pawn.

A) 5. e2-e3 6.

a2-a4

Ac1-d2

12. 13. 14.

Ac1-b3 gd1-e2 Ef1-d1

ab8-d7 9f8-e7 a7-as 0-0 Wd8-bG

Ac8-b7

c6-c5 balanced position that offers both Black and White possibilities.

with a

gram position is

alternatives

0-0

11.6,a2-c1

either c5 or e5.

The most common move

e7-e6

7.

8.

allows

B) 5. e2-e4 This becomes a true pawn sacrifice after Black's obvious resDonse

b7-b5 Known as the Geller Gambit. thi.s move 5.

b7-b5

has always been a favourite

with aggresl27

Chess Opening Essentiols

-

Volume

sive players (Kasparov played

2

it in his

tion is,

as

always, debatable. The foilow-

younger days). White puts his faith ln his strong centre and in the dynamic potential on offer without concern for

ing appears dubious: 7...AfS 8.axb5 Ab+ 9.Axc+t 8)c2+ 10.€e2 Axal

the fate of the c4 pa\ m.

White.

1

1.Wa4, with complications that favour

8.

EffiAgEffi

ffi ffirrer #*rffi ffi ffi rs* ffi. i*s a

::::::::::

&4'ii

other, more reliable options. The first is the Catalan-like 8.g3!?, which could be

followed by the sequence 8...4b7 9.AgZ a6 10.0-0 Ae7 11.4e4 h6

.': lzlilf

,'---':r-'ts*o.",.:l

.4. :-"-1. ,\ ,''.a U Y :. .t.:U \ ::-:; 'H .':.t. A /\A ;A:2{ .1"'; .xrr t{ 2\

a4xb5

Still the main line. However. at this point it may be worth considering

12.ah4l?, with uncertain compensa* e

This approach has lead to some scintillating victories - however, not always.

The problem is that a well-prepared

black player can often neutralise White's initiative, and the presence of the extra pawn on the queenside will then start to hurt. Well, that is what happens in the main line anFway, but as is the case with so many openings, a future re-evaluation of an unexplored secondary line may make us have to think again.

tion. The second alternative is 8.695!?,

which was relatively popular in the 1990's. After 8...4e7 9.ln4 h6 10.6ge4 (now there is the threat to take on b5) 10...b4 I LAbl Aa6, it is difficult to

say who stands better. 8. Ad5xc3 The black knight has to give up its central position in order to not lose the b5

pa\ m.

9. b2xc3

c6xb5

10. Af3-g5!

*ffi rffir ffiw

6.

e4-e5 The other option of 6.Wc2, although played occasionally, seems to be too slow to justify the gambit, while 6.a4? does not work because of 6...b4 and /...|L)xe+.

6.

A

af6-d5

-J :j*

o{ r

flffirffi

:-"{ w

g* A g$e t}{;i

U

#

s1{

sffig

and now it is not clear how best to proceed.

D) 9. d4xc5 Immediately creating an isolated d5 pawn, while denying Black the possibility of a ...c5-c4 advance. 9. Ae7xc5 Almost no one plays the old gambit line 9...d+, which is strange when you consider that it scores better and there is no known refutation. After 10.Aaa Af5 11.AfaAea!

18.6d2xe41? 18.Axe4 dxe4 1 9.6xc4 trad8 20.Wc2 Ad+ gives Black good opportunities to fight back. 18. ... d5xe4

*F

. L--"'

-l:-l _v11

11. ... b7-b6 11...b5? is a curiously frequent error:

12.6xc5 Axc5 (picking up a piece?) 13.trc1!, and White wins one of the two knights with a clear advantage. 12. tra1-c1 Ac8-a6

€i9*

i& "r'

White.

...

Wb2-e5

#t E *#e

:'lr:li

11. 6c3-a4!

19.

and

Ae7-f6

How to defend d4?

13.

22.Exc4

trxd5 23.Wc2l o,d+ 24.Wxe4

E

*s&H e rffi ffir ffi I ffiAffi ffi J-4

ffiw z) ffiffi F'

*ffi

ffiEffi

H ffi ffi&a A ffi ffiAffi

ffi# A

i?s 1i .&-

ffi ffiw#ffitr ffi

Tarrosch Defence

gd5

14.b4 Ead8,

Heading for c4, or sometimes for b3,

Black's has adequate compensation; an opinion shared by the various chess en-

whereas the other knight usually arrives on d3 via f4. The move 1 3.Ael !? is a rare alternative, yet it has achieved good results. The

12.trc1 Ee8 13.a3

gines.

10. Acl-g5 The only move that will give Black any

worries. After the alternative l0.Aa4 Ae7 1 1.4e3 Aga, the game is bal-

best response would appear to be 13...a6! 14.4d3 Aa7, with a balanced game.

anced.

10....

d5-d4

After I 0...4e6 (a position

13...a5

often

of 9.495) 1l.Axf6 Wxf6 12.6xd5 Wxb2 13.4c7 EadS 14.Wc1 Wxcl 15.Elaxcl b6 16.Axe6 fxe5, Black has to face an endgame which, though playable, offers few reached by means

prospects:

11. Ag5xf6! 11

itself to be innocuous. 11. ... 12. Ac3-d5!

E

ffie

Wd8xf6

ffieffi

ffi rffir ffiffia ffi ffiffiffi ffii affiffi ffi ffi ffiffiffi ffi' ffi affi n *fi& ffin A a.$ #;;q u ffisffi wffi trffi

ffi

rffi

13.... Ef8-e8 so as to allow the bishop to re-

treat to a7- is uncommon but playable.

It is often followed by l4.trcl

Aa7 15.af4 Ag4!. On the other hand the

'brilliant' 13...4h3 14.Axh3 15.9b3 only weakens the light unnecessarily.

14. Ha1-c1 Ac5-b6 If the bishop leaves this diagonal, the d4 pawn will suffer after Ab3. 15.6d2-c4 Ac8-94 16. trfl-e1 Ab6-a5!? Forcing White to part with his beautifully posted knight. 17.6c4xa5 Wd8xa5 18. b2-b4l? 6c6xb4! 19. Wd1xd4! The move 19.9d2 is useless: 19...6c6 20.Bxa5 Axa5 21.6c7 d3l. with equality 19. 20.

cramps the white pieces.

12.... 13.

af3-d2

gf6-d8

...

Wd4xg4

6b4xd5 tra8-d8

ffi rffiffiEffieffi ffirffir

This is a move played by Timman in the 1970's, and it has now replaced the old 12.Ae4, which gives White nothing af-

ter 12...We7 13.Axc5 Wxc5 14.Ecl Wbe; the d4 pawn deep in the adversary's position may be isolated, but it

Wxd5

squares

ffiWWffi ffiAffiffi ffi

ffi ffi{ ffisffi ffiWffi A ffi ffiAffiAffi

ffi

ffiffiffi

179

Chess Opening Essenticls

-

Volume

7

Things are about equal: the inferiority of the knight to the bishop is compensated for by the queenside pawn majority, which could produce a dangerous

The most popular; the idea is to create a weakness on c6 before playing b3. The more ambitious 1 1.f4 (with the *reat to

continue to f5) allows I 1...hga! 12.Axg4!Axg4 13.Axd5 Axg5 1a.fxgS

passed pawn.

E) 9. Ac1-s5 It comes

as

increase

the pressure on d5. At this

no surprise that this is the most played move: it is very logical to stage, Black can choose between two

continuations, (ignoring 9...4e6, which after 10.dxc5 Axc5 takes us into the 9.dxc5 variation:

Wxg5 I S.Ef+, with unclear piay 1 1. ... b7xc6 12. b2-b3 Wd8-a5 13. Ac3-a4 3.Wc2 trfdS 14.e3 c5l?. and it is hard to predict what will follow 1

13.... trf8-d8 After 13...cxb3 14.axb3, the weakness of c6/ c5 appears to be more significant than that of b3.

E1)

E Ag Eg I l Ar I r

a'l

aA

I

rA+\ +a las AA Aggg

g

H

downside, Black's game is less smooth and White can focus his strategy on centre play with Ae5, and breaking up Black's pawns with b2-b3 or e2-e4. 10. Af3-e5 To immediately play 10.b3 seems hasty in view of l0...cxb3! 11.axb3 h6, with

c6-c5! g7xf5

Forced. However, the doubled pawns are not such a grave problem.

16. d4xc5

with a diffi-

16.bxc4 cxd4 17.exd4. cult-to-ludge position. 16. 17.

AE

Positionally demanding, but playable. The d5 pawn ls less weak in this variation, and the queenside pawn majority could become a trump card. On the

I

...

Wd1-h5 EET

Ae7xc5 tra8-c8

,:,,..,,,,€

A A

ll I

$tr €

-=-

q) n A

I A.'

A

n

U

fl6A

O&D

At first sight White appears to have an obvious advantage; in fact Black's actively placed pieces and potential passed

c-pawn give him his fair share of

equality.

10.... d5 needs to be defended.

11. Oe5xc6 180

e2'e3 15. Ag5xf6 14.

9.

9c8-e6

chances. It must be admitted that White does have an edge, but with correct play

Black should not lose.

qrnf

I 0rrdscn uerence

ED 9.

E2D 12.9d1-b3

c5xd4

The number one choice: before playing

...h6, Black takes on d4 so as not to leave the c5 pavm undefended.

h7-h6! 10. Af3xd4 Indirectly protecting d5, given that after the exchange on f6, the knight on d4 would be under attack. 11. 9g5-e3!

The best square for the bishop

Forcing Black to play 12...6a5; however, it should not be presumed that on a5 the knight is less well placed than on c6.

12.... 14.

...

trf8-e8

17.

After Now

I

7

testimony to the fact that no convincing plan for White has yet been found.

E21) 12. a2-a3

18.6f5xd4

This has the strong recommendation being Kasparov's choice.

13.6d4xe6 14. Wd1-a4 15. tra1-c1 wi.th

a

balanced position.

fTxe6 Ea8-c8

€g8-h8

d5-d4! piece.

a

tre2xl2

yes.

Wd1-a4

€g1xg2

€g2-g1

trf2xg2+! Wd8-d5+ Aa5-c4

assess if Black has sufficient compensation for the exchange.

It is not easy to

E23) Ac8-e6

...

...trxf7?, t 8.AxfOt wins

19. 20. 21.

More flexible than 11...Aga, in that it grants the option of ...4e6 or ...4d7 in response to Wa4. At this stage White has many ways to proceed. None of them much better than others. which is

Ae7-b4 9b4xc3 Ee8xe2

17. Wc2-d1!? Threatening 18.h3.

equate compensation for the pawn.

11.

ad{-ti

15.9e3-d4 16. Ad4xc3

as

11...694 would allow the d5 pawn to fall. 1 1.Af+ does not give White much after 11...Aga 12.h3 Afrsl 13.af5 A96 14.Axe7+ WxeT! 15.Axd5 Axd5 16.Wxd5 Ead8 17.Wc4 Ad+,wtthad-

6c6-a5

13. Wb3-c2 Ac8-94 The most active move.

12.

Wdl-a4

Ac8-d7

trfl-d1!? Otherwise 13.Eadl Ab+ t+.Wbg aSI 15.a4 (you cannot take on d5 as after the exchange, the move ...4h3 followed by ...4U+ wins the exchange) 15...trc8 16.trd2! with a oosition that 13.

of

is hard to evaluate. 181

Chess Opening Essentiols

13.

*

Volume

2

9e7-c5!

...

E gE s t. t,'rl:ii:A*; f lr a al 1:1. A

l;;'',.,

18. 19.

Ag4-f5

Taking on a2 now would lose the exchange after 20.8a1 Wc4 21.Wxc4 and

22.4xc6. 19.

wa,6, .A: *:i :'.:[ [A& AA gtr€ ,t

h2-h3

gdl-d4!

Ea8-b8!

...

,

e.. =

'.

,' E l:iai€

,,l l

fil

G:

14. 15. 16. 17.

l ''','rAr,',r,: g

Ad4-e6 f7xe6 Ae3xc5 b7-b6 Ac5-e3 Ac6-a5

'.ii": AA

AA

A.g E:. A

Wa4-c2 Ea8-c8 Black's active piece play offsets the weaknesses on the dark squares.

E24J 12. tra1-c1 The most natural and the most played.

12.... Ae7-f8 Or 12...4g4 13.h3 Ae6 (now after the exchange on e6, the annoying Ah: is no longer possible) 14.9h2 gdi 1 5.Axc6 bxc6 I 6.Aa+ AfS I 7.Ac5 AdS! 18.4d4 Ae4, and neither side is on top.

13.6d4xc6 Setting in motion a typical manoeuvre, first played by Rubinstein. If White immediately plays 13.ha4, the move I

3...4e5

I

?

... 14.6c3-a4

b7xc6

Ac8-d7

15. Ae3-c5

It is strategically correct to exchange dark-squared bishops so as to be sure to havecontrol ofcS/d4. 15. ... Af8xc5

16.6a4xc5 17. Efl-el

182

'

and we have a classic Tarrasch Defence position. White has undoubted strategic advantages, Black's pieces are nice and active. Depending on the commen-

tator, this type of position is usually judged as being either equal or slightly better for White. It is worth noting that

in the contemporary chess scene greater weight is given to dynamic fac-

tors than previously, and as a result more and more experts would see the position

as

equal.

Golod,Yitali

is interesting.

13.

i'.'1

Ad7-ga Wd8-a5

Manca,Federico Lido Estensi open 2003 (7)

1.c4 eG 2.d4 dS 3.6c3 c5 4.cxd5 cxd4 5.Wa4+ gd7 6.Wxd4 exds 7.Bxd5 6cG 8.4f3 Af6 9.8d1 Acs 10.e3 We7 11.a3 0-0-0 12.b4 Ag4 13.9d2 gd4 14.9c2 AxfS 15.sxf3 €b8 16.Ae2 Axc3 17.Axc3 Ad5 18.b5 Ec8 'l9.Axg7 6xe3 20.8e4

Tqrrasch Delence

Wxe4 21.fxe4 [lc2+ 22.€f1 trhg8

Ab4

23-bxc6 ExgT Z4.cxb7 €xb7 25.8b1+ €a8 26.e5 Ec3 27.H91 Exgl+ 28.*xg1 6xa3 29.8b4 a5

14.94

ad6

12.Wa4 Axc3 13.bxc3 AfS ah7 159f4 Ee8 16.trad1 a6 17.Ag3 b5 18.Wa3 WbG 19.Wc1 Ae4 20.Axe4 Axe4 21.4d7 gd8 22.Q:c5 A96 23.Wd2 a5 24.t3 b4 25.e4 b3 26.axb3 cxb3 27.6xb3 dxe4 28.fxe4 Axe4 29.c4 gbo 30.6c5 EadB 31.9f2 6xd4 32.6xe4 Exe4 33.Wxf7+ €h7 34.€h2 WcG 35.trf2 Ed7 36.WfB

50.€g4 he4 51.f4+ €e6

Wxc4 37.Edf1 Ee2 38.Exe2 Wxe2+ 39.Ff2 Be4 40.8f4 We2+ 41.Htz We6 42.Wag gds 43.9f8 a4 44.h4

30.8a4 €b7 31.trxas gb6 32.8a6+

gc5 33.tra7 €d4 34.trxf7 €xe5 35.trxh7 ac2 36.8e7+ &f4 37.trd7 Ea3 38.trd1 SeS 39.*92 tra2 40.€f1 6d4 41.9g4 Abs 42.8d3

43.Ee3+ gf4 44.h3 ae4 45.4e2 trc2 46.trf3+ €e5 47.trf8 Ec1+ 48.€g2 trc7 49.€f3 6g5+ 1'o

LarsenrBent

f##,"#f,Til,,-, 1.4f3 Af6 2.e.4 c5 3.4c3 e6 4.93 d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.d4 6c6 7€g2 Ae7 8.0-O O-O 9.Ae3 c4 10.4e5 ho 11.8a4 a6 12.6xc6 bxc6 13.b3 trbB 14.bxc4 trb4 15.9d1 trxc4 16.6a4

gfs

17.ab2 trc3 18.trc1 Excl 19.Wxc1 Wa5 20.Wxc6 Wxa2 21.4d3 Ae4 22.Atg a5 23.4c5 9xf3 24.exf3 EeB 25.ad7 trdg 26.6xf6+ A)do 27.gb6 a4 28.AxhG a3 29.4c1 trc8 30.h4 Ec3 31.4e3 Wc2 32.Wa5 a2 33.h5 Ae7 34.wa8+ Af8 35.h6 tra3 36.wxd5 alB 37.hxg7 AxgT 38.8d8+ Af8

39.Bxa1 Exal* 40.€92 Wh7 wss+ Bg6 42 wh4 trdl otf-f

trb7 45.Wa3 We4 46.€h3 trb3 47.gf8 a3 48.95 Bht + 49.Ss4 h5+

";.#;

01

Ivkov,Borislav

J"H'

{"'"'o"J, 3.4c3 c5 4.cxd5 , exd5 5.6f3 AcG 6.93 6fG 7.4g2 9e7 8.0-0 0-0 9.dxc5 9xc5 10.495 d4 11.gxf6 gxf6 12.4d5 gd8 13.4d2 Ee8 14.Ec1 gd6 15.4b3 AeS 16.4c5 EbB 17.Wa4 Ad6 18.trfe1 Axc5 19.Exc5 Wd6 20.b4 gd7 21.6+4 a6 22.trd5 We7 23.a3 tred8 24.Wc2 Ae8 25.9d2 Exds 26.6xd5 SeS 27.e4 dxe3 28.Exe3 gd4 29.We1 Ad7 30.af4 gf6 31.9d2 Ae8 32.We1 gfg 33.4e5+ €g8 34.4c5 €f8 35.trxe8+ 1-o

fj

wang

Hao

iix r? +."*as

i..;T,,ffi'?:"#:r* #"ff'"fr}*:{#T,1g 183

Chess Opening Essentials

-

Volume

2

13.gxf6 gxf6 14.6xc6 bxc6 1S.trfc1 EacB 16.bxc4 dxc4 17.a3 Axc3 18.Bxc3 Sxc3 19.trxc3 EfdS 20.e3 c5 21.d5 Axd5 22.€;d5 trxd5 23.Exc4 trb8 24.Eacl trb5 25,&92 €g7 26.h4 €f8 27.tr1c2 tra5 28.a4 gd6 29.trf4 €e7 30.€f3 €eG 31.tre4+ €d7 32.tr94 €e7 33.trcc4

gb6 34.trgf4 tre6 35.Hc2 trcG

36.€g4 *fB 37.trcc4 hG 38.gfg gb6 3g.trfs Eba6 40.trd5 trc6 41.trd8+ €e7 42.trd5 gfg 43.trh5 €97 44.tr94+ €f8 45.€e2 traa6 46.Exh6 c4 47.8h8+ €e7 48.tre4+ €d6 49.trd4+ €c5 50.h5 f5 51.9f8

Exa4 52.trxt7 Ha2+ 53.trd2

Ea1

54.trd1 Ea2+ 55.trd2 tra1 56.trxf5+

€b4 57.8b2+ €c3 58.trbb5 tra2+ 59.€f3 Eb2 6O.Ebc5 trbb6 61.g4 €d362.95c363.h6 c264,h7 1-0 Gelfand,Boris Grischuk,Alexander Sochi tt 2004 (i) 1.d4 d5 2.c4 eG 3.4rc3 c5 4.cxd5 exdS 5.6f3 6cG 6.93 6,tG 7.9g2 Ae7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Ag5 c4 10.6e5 Ae6 'l1.bg Ba5 12.9d2 trad8 13.bxc4 Ab414.Axc6 bxc6 15.trfc1 dxc4 l6.Axf6 gxf6 17.e3 c5 18.d5 Axc3 19.trxc3 AxdS 20.Axd5 trxdS 21.Wc2 EcB 22,trxc4 Bd2 23.trc1 Wxc2 24.Hlxc2 trcG 25.€92 tra6 26.a4 hG 27.g/t} ef8 28.se2 EaS 29.Hb2 trd6 30.trb8+ €e7 31.trh4 trbG 32.trc8 sd7 33.Ehg Eb4 34.tr4xh6 trb6 35.g6h7 trxa4

36.Exf7+

Sc6

37.trxf6+ sbs

38.Exb6+ axb6 39.h4 tra2+ 40.€f3 c4 41.h5 tra7 42.trc8 Ef7+ 43.€e2 &b4 44.54trh7 45.t4 1-o 184

Bacrot,Etienne Halkias,stelios Istanbul Ech 2003 (10)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 eE 3.4f3 c5 4.cxd5 exdS 5.g3 Af6 6.A92 Ae7 7.4c3 6c6 8.0-0 0-O 9.495 c4 10.4e5 Ae6 11.t4 2lg4 12.6xg4 Axg4 13.Axd5 Axg5 14.fxg5 Bxg5 15.trf4 Ae6 16.A92 EadB 17.d5 4e718.e4 6s6 19.8f2 gd7 20.9d4 Ae5 21.Wxa7 4'd3 22.8e2 We5 23.gb6 As4 24.Ed2 trd6 25.8e3 f5 25.trf1 trdf6 27.d6 trxd6 28.h3

Ahs 29.8s5 Ag6 30.exf5 hG

31.9h4 Sc5+ 32.€h1 Axf5 33.8e7 Ef7 34.Wxf7+ &xt7 35.6e4 We3

36.hxd6+

€e6

37.dxc4 €xg3 38.tre2+ €f6 39.4e3 96 40.6xf5 gxfS 41.trf3 Wg5 42.Exd3 Wcl+ 43.*h2 gf4+ 44.€91 wc't + 45.4f1 wg5+ 46.8g2 Wf4 47.trt2 Wg5+ 48.€h1 gh4 49.trdf3 €e7 50.trxf5 We4+ 51.€91 We3 52.trf7+ €d6 53.trxb7 WgS+ 54.492 Bc1+

55.€h2

1-o

Stefansson,Hannes Akobian,Yaruzhan Lubbock 2008 (6)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.6c3 c5 4.cxd5 exdS 5.4f3 6c6 6.93 2lti 7.Ag2 Ae7 8.0-0 0-0 9.495 c4 10.6e5 Ae6 11.6xc6 bxc6 12.e3 6d7 13.Axe7 BxeT 14.6a4 trab8 15.€c2 trb416.b3 trfb8 17.trfd1 gG 18.Wc1 gd6 19.Ed2 gfs 20.6c3 cxb3 21.axb3 trxb3 22.trda2 Vb4 23.tra3 trb2 24.tra4 Wb3 25.tr4a3 trc2 26.we1 gb4 27.9f3 Eb7 28.94

Ae6 29.tia4 We7 3O.Ae2 31.Adg gh4

h5

32.Axc2 Wxg4+

Torrcsch

Def.ence

185

Chess Opening Essenticls

-

Volume

2

Queen's Pawn Game and

We have already examined 3...c7-c5, and we will soon look at 3...4g8-f6. At this point, we will discuss some interesting third move alternatives, remembering that 3...c7-c6 will be examined in the section on the Semi-Slav. and the dubious 3 ..f7 -f5 has already been considered when we studied the Dutch. .

D3.

d5xc4

EffiAffiE ffin

ffirffi ffi rffi I

ffiffir ffiffiffi

sffi

a2-a3l?

5. b2xc3

F7

is a type of Queen's Gambit Accepted that is generally thought to be doubtful. However, here too it is diflicult to find a line for White that yields a clear plus. 4. e2-e4 a7-a6l? 5. Aflxc4 b7-b5

6. Ac4-b3

9c8-b7 with an unexplored position in which White enjoys his customary small advantage.

gf8-b4

The Marshall Yariation is a hybrid that

combines features from the classical 186

4.

- along the lines of the Simisch Yariation of the Nimzo-Indian - has a certain logic: with the black pawn already on d5, the pawn on c3 is only temporary doubled, and White maintains good possibilities of dynamic play after:

4.

i! r;

B) 3.

having conceded his dark-squared one. In this respect the move

5=

ffirffi wtr$ffi Affi ffig ffis

the

Nimzo-Indian. In contrast with the latter, Black has not yet developed his g8 knight and may perhaps play it to e7. However, this is probably of little significance. More important is the less flexible nature of slack's pawn structure. Black no longer has available to him those typical Nimzo-Indian lines based on the pushes ...d7-d6 and possibly ...e6-e5 or ...c7-c5 which aim to conserve his light-squared bishop after

9b4xc3+ 698-e7l?

The advantage is that here the knight is not subject to a pin, whereas on f5 it becomes pinned after Ag5. 6. e2-e3 0-0

7. gf1-d3

8.

c7-c5

6g1-e2

and White has an edge. White also has the option of playing the

more solid 4.e3 or 4.Wa4+ Ac6 5.e3, which gives Black the opportunity to

transpose with ...4f6 to

the

Nimzo-Indian or the Ragozin.

c)

3. a7-aG This move by Ianowski put a few noses out of joint when it first appeared (in

1899!). In reality

it is less bad than it

Iooks, and it appeals to the modern taste for an early ...a7-a6. Black holds back

Minor Voriarions ofrer 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.6c3 on taking on c4 until he feels the time is right. In reply to the natural4.e4, Black responds effectively in the centre with 4...dxe4 5.Axe4 AU++ 6.4c3 (6.4d2? Wxd4, and compared to the analogous

Semi-Slav variation there

is no

weak

Closing the bishop's diagonal.

5. 6.

Black's light squares.

e6xd5

Creating a tfpe of Exchange Yariation

in which ...a7-a6

does not

seem adequate, especially after the reply

5. E

I ffi

Ac1'f4!

r=q cfla a i*t ffi e6 tfif

.Ei: .;T:

I :IK I

I ffi

x3*{

-

t\l

##

ffis

,q -fil

**

:gg.

w **

n ;;,1 A .a- A

5. 6. e2-e3 7. Af4-s3 8. 6g1-f3 9. gd1-b3

u\

:ha

?s -r{: MI

:l

sg

11:

;].a1

',=1-;:

ffi

i:!l-'

:ff: 2\ n ."x; "t$ ?1: A '.'; H

7.

:i?f-i

1=+

Forced!

Z\ I

af8-d6 rf 7...6d7 S.Abs Afo l.Ags,

Black is in big trouble.

gf8-d6 6g8-e7 Ac8-f5

gd8-d4

White is clearlv better.

D)

of

the 'true' Tartakower Yariation 7...b6. which we will examine later) is borderline in terms of playability.

Ac8-b7

€e8-f8 Ad6xe5

with the idea of a check on c8. and

position is perfectly playable. 3. b7-b6 Tartakower's move (the little brother

8. Wd1-g4 9. Af1-c4 10. d4xe5 11. Ac4-d5!

c7-c6

White is a little better off, which is only right and proper. Nonetheless, Black's

4. Ag1-f3

:& ffi

$tr €

-lll:

the d5 pawn hanging, so Black plays:

c4xd5

re0a

/\:/ril

Now 5...4d6?, which would be good from a positional point of view, leaves

5.

Effi s ffiArg* Affi *t9: rffir ffi ffi -.ix{i ;;

a3**

:tx:,

ffi r\":P€

7.

ffi ,1:--

;w* :wa

VJ

A

a

d5xe4

6.

6f3-e5! Threatening 8.4c4.

best idea is probably

position

e2-e4l

Tactically taking advantage of his superior development and the weakness of

d6-square) 6...c5. Therefore White's

4. c4xd5

e6xd5

E) 3. Af8-e7 The Alatortsev Yariation; this is the most popular of these minor variations. In the past, it was a favourite of Geller and Petrosian, and -oi" r"."ntly Kar-

pov and Kasparov. Impressive patronage indeed! In effect, we are looking at a

high-class waiting move: Black stops Ag5 and waits for White to play +.af3

transposing to normal lines of the Queen's Gambit with 4...4f6. In this way Black avoids one of White's most r87

Chess Opening Essenticls

-

Volume

2

insidious lines, namely the Exchange Yariation with 0ge2 (which we will

White's hope is that the space advantage that this energetic move grants will be

look at later). However, when you prevent one varia-

worth the resulting weaknesses on the kingside. The more solid 7.6ge2 ad7 S.Ag3 A96 9.4e2 Agf6 10.h4 h5 creates a position that cannot be easily

tion you make possible another,

and

here White can play

4. c4xd5 5. Ac1-f4!

e6xd5

assessed.

7.

Af5-e6!

If Black had instead played :...Afe , he could now respond with 5...4d6 or

Better than 7...496 8.h41 h5! 9.95 Ad6

5...9b4, with

White once the knight arrives on f4.

easy equality.

5. The idea is to play

8. h2-h4

c7-co

...9f5, which would be an error if it were played now as ir would be immediately punished by Wb:. fhe following is also possible: 5...4f6 6.e3 o-o i.Ad3 c5 8.Age2 Ac6 9.dxc5 Axc5 10.0-0, with the typical academic advantage for White granted by the isolated llueen's pawn.

6.

10.6ge2, with a small advantage for

e2-e3

The move 6.WcZ, so as to stop ...Af5, is

At this point in the game, Botvinnik after the open aggression of 7.g4 used to follow up with the restrained 8.h3, and

after 8...4f6 9.4d3 c5 l0.Af3 Ac6 1 1.*f1! 0-0 12.&g2, neirher side stands better.

L ab8-d7 Taking the pawn is dangerous: 8...4xh4 9.Wb3! b6 1o.af3 AeZ I I .Ae

interesting: 6...g61 7.e3 Af5 8.WdZ af6 9.f3 hs!? 1o.Ad3 Axd3 il.Wxd3 6a6, and we have a balanced game. 6. Ac8-f5 Now 7.Wb3 would be useless because of 7...Wbe

5,

with good compensation. h4-h5

9.

ll

.

I

AEI I ..a

A

l '','t

A

A. gA

At this

stage, White usually continues with Botvin n ik's surprising move

7.

g@'.''..'a E

I

92-94

AA AA

9. 10,

a ,, 'i{

.

,,,1..,

w€aa

Eal-b1

tr

gd8-b6 6g8-f6

1't. t2-f3 It is difficult ro judge whether the advanced pawns are a strength or a weakNCSS.

We

will

be conservative and settle for

the safe annotation'ecual chances'. 188

Minor Vqriations ofter 1.d4 dS 2.c4 e6 3.6c3

llffi:ff:i*,,, nu'fa.f,iitrt[;tfti

57.tra1

1-0

189

Chess Opening Essentials

-

Volume

2

native,

it

should be sufficient reassurit was played four times

ance to say that

by

a

certain Bobby Fischerl 4. e6xd5

EffiA, erc .€ trtl:,: it**irffir ffi €

'e #rffi ffi *ils€# *Ai&ffi ,*t #,{i

f*AffiAffi Sgg]Affitr

IIiE u$

I

rt

sniil a::!r4,4

s,ii=

it.iii*

i=.

*iill

=:iE A

!$rl

,

AI:

al L!.

i,*

t\ V)

60a ::;;;,:1

i;*

g.

r I -i

I ffi

?!f;;

:iii i:i

A iri:

#

:&

3t& tltt

r*

ia**

:& A'\ g ffa EYJ

gjl A

F?

A characteristic pawn structure is created, which is sometimes referred to as the Karlsbad Structure. White has a central pawn mafority, and Black has one on the queenside, even though he will have an uphill battle to create a passed

pawn. Indeed, this queenside maiority will be the subject of an unpleasant pawn assault: the aforementioned mi-

nority attack (when Black The Exchange Yariation is a very inter-

esting option. This exchange can be played as early as the third move, but it is not rare to see it played later. Beyond its interest as an opening variation, this variation also represents an op-

porrunity to study the important strategic theme of the minority attack, which is most often seen in this very line.

Before we go any further, it is important to stress that the reply 4...exdS is by no means certain. If Black does not like to play the typical positions that the Exchange Variation creates he can play

a...Axd5!?, with a likely transposirion to the Semi-Tarrasch. For those of you who may doubt the merits of this alter190

plays ...c7-c6. White with b2-b4-b5xc6 will create an isolated pawn on c6, and then attack it on the semi-open c-file). As an

alternative plan, White can try for a central initiative, calmly preparing to advance his pawns to f3 and e4.

So White has nothing but advantages? Naturally, the answer is no. Fortunately for the game of chess, every opening has its good and bad points. If this were not the case, there would not be thousands of openings, but just one perfect one. In most of the variations without cxdS the c8 bishop is a problem; here it has free rein. In addition, in the lines with a minority attack White directs his forces to the queenside, and in doing so, he runs

Queen's Gcmbit Declined Exchonge Voriqtion

appeal to a player who chooses the Queen's Pawn Game.

it stops 6...9f5. The very natural move 6.e3 is a frequent choice, and usually transposes, unless Black decides to play 6...4f51?. In the past, this move was considered dubious because of z.Wf3t. which would create a doubled oawn on f6. In reality, after 7...A96 e.A*fe Wxfot 9.Wxf6 gxf6, Black's compromised pawn structure has proved itself remarkably difficult to exploit, and White can claim no more than a slight

Nowwe will look

advantage.

the risk of being ill-prepared for a sudden attack by Black on the kingside: a not uncommon occurrence.

The variations involving f2-f3

and

e2-e4 remain the most promising (and as we said before they are the reason

why Black frequently plays 3...4e7). However, the resulting positions are very unbalanced and tactical, which is not the sort of game that will necessariiy

at

5. Ac1-95 We will examine the variations with Af+ in the next section: it is a good idea to remember that Afi4 is premature if 3eZ has not been already played. This is because with ...4d6 or ...4b+ Black obtains reasonable counterplay. The move 5.4f3 normally transposes to main lines wlth Af3, but it gives Black

the option of playing the Ragozin or Westphaliawith the move 4...4b4. c7-co

5.

The move 5...4e7 is obviously playable and transposes.

The text move has the advantage that

The most precise, as

Af8-e7 5...96 7.e3t (7.6xds?! Wxd5 s.Axf6 Ab++ 9.€d1 0-0 gives Black too much counterplay) 7...4f5 8.9b3, and Black is in difficulty as he cannot play ...9b6. 7. e2-e3 0-0 7...abd7 8.4d3 Ahsl? gers an occasional outing. The following is then possible: 9.Axe7 WxeT 10.6ge2 96 1 1.0-0-0 6b6, and we have a complex position that offers a little more to White than to Black. 6.

8. afl-d3 Threatening 9.9xf6 and 10.Axh7+

L

abS-d7

Biack now 'rhreatens' 6...9f5. which if played now would be an error because

of e .Wb:.

6.

Wd1-c2

Ar:

;

r-f.-'

We now stand at an important crossroads: White can develop his king's knight to e2 or to f3. 191

Chess Opening Essentiols

9.

D

-

Volume

2

6s1-e2

Better to consolidate the centre before

Leaving the f3-square free for the pavr'n,

while the knight looks forward to brighter future on 93 or f4.

9.

trf8-e8

Yacating f8 for the knight

10.0-0!

AgtEffiE*;

$r la rtr g :*lg'*

**q) z5ax . .'

t\

12....

.A A -...

A W A**a$ E ii$A*:tr

13.9s5-h4! seems best, as the bishop is ready to retreat to f2 so as to support the centre.

With these positions, any result is possible; however, White's prospects are

B) 9. As1-f3 The classical continuation.

Ef8-e8 10.0-0 This positional approach seems to be more in the spirit of the variation than the aiternative 10.0-0-0. which creates positions that are difficult to evaluate. 10.... ad7-f8 9.

ExE, :Efie

tr*la Er*r

*t **r* g

than the traditional minority attack with I 1.trab 1 and b4-b5; even though

x

this attack is still quite commonly seen in the variations with 0f3.

...

A

T1 E

9c8-e6

Supports d5 and prepares a ...c6-c5 advance. The move 1 1...4h5 is playable: it forces the parn'n advance e3-e4. After

a

little bit better.

Nowadays this plan is more popular, and most important of all scores better,

11.

Ea8-c8

And now the immediate push 13.e4 dxe4 14.fxe4 6:g+ 15.Axe7 WxeT 16.9d2 c5 17.d5 Ad7 gives Black adequate counterplay. For this reason

Given that the modern plan is to push the centre pawns, the king is safer on the kingside. The old plan of a flank attack with opposite-side castling is now less common: 10.0-0-0 hfS t t.h3 a5 12.g4 b5 13.*b1 a4 14.4\93 Wa5 15.Ace2l AaZ, and anything could happen. 10. ... ad7-t8 11. f2-f3!

E

the e3-e4 push.

a

A U

ffiaffa Ag * A -::- ,,, A --

:-:.

A.

Fl .q^t -',-- EE

Now White can choose from a

vast

range ofalternatives:

81)

12.Axe7 WxeT 13.e4 dxe4 14.fxe4 Ae6! (which prepares ...c6-c5 without having to worry about 6xd5), White's

Preparing the so-called Pillsbury Formation (Ae5 followed by f2-fa), which

presuming that in fact there

in the Queens's Pawn Game has helped

advantage is one

-

-

is minimal.

12. tra1-dl 192

11.

6f3-e5

White achieve manv brilliant victories. 11.

...

6f6-g4!

Queen's Gambit Declined, Exchange Voriation

EffiffiEffiEffiE

ffirffi ffirffir ffiffirffiffi

ffi

ffiffirffiffi

ffiffiffiffia ffiAffi ffi affiw$ ffia ffi

Taking off the pressure and preventing

Black prepares to play ...c6-c5 in response to the thematic b4-b5: usually this is a dubious plan as it creates both an isolated d5 pawn and a d4 outpost for White. However, in this particular case Black gains sufficient dynamic compensation because of his control of the dark squares.

14. Eal-b1 Ae7-d6 15. gd3-f5 Ag4-h5 And things are pretty eYen.

fT-f+. 12. Ag5xe7 Wd8xe7 13. 6e5xg4

13.4f3!?. 13. ... Ac8xg4 14. Ea1-e1 So as to push the f-pawn.

14.... 15. t2-t4

Ag4-h5 t7-t6

and the position is balanced.

BD

11. Ag5xf6

So as to be able to push bz-b+ without the necessity of preparatory moves.

11. ... 12. b2-b4

AeTxfO

E

$#** "S^ ffiEffiEffiM E*gss

ffi

ffiffi

ffi

rffi

ffirffi

ffirffi*

r:ffir

ffiw

ffi$ffiffi ffi ffi A

ffi

q$il

about.

13....

18. 19.

Ir

ffiffie

12..a6 I 3.a4 is still subject to debate. 13.

Af3-d2

Ee1xe4

A A

h7-ho

Efl-el ffi*

ffiE ffiffie w

I ffiffiffi]W ffi rffia ffi ffi ffi

12....

Ac8-s4 Which player benefits most from

d5xe4

14.6t3-d2 I7-t5 15. f2-f3 e4xf3 16. Ad2xf3 Ac8-e6 17. e3-e4 f5xe4

ffi

ffiAffiA rlffi ffisffiffi ffi aas

ffi

83) 11. Ea1-el Not so much to aid the e3-e4 advance. but more to defend e3 and to prepare for an improved version of Variation B1 (Ae5 andf4). 11. ... 6f6-e4! 12. Ag5xe7 12.Af+ Afst, wittr equality. 12.... Wd8xe7 13. Ad3xe4! Positionally risky but it is the only way to give Black something to worry

ffiffi s&H

ffi

w

ffiffiffi affi

ffiffi

ffiffis

Af6-e7! 193

Chess Opening Essentiols

-

Volume

2

It is not easy now to say who is on top: the d4 pawn is weak and with lots of open diagonals Black's bishop is a very powerful piece. However, in practice White has optimum chances because of his good centre control and the pressure exerted along the e-file.

With a characteristic position: White has his strategic trumps, above all the weak backward c6 pawn. However, the sight of so many black pieces hovering

around his king is sure to unsettle White. In short: both sides are well equipped to cause trouble. May the best player

84)

winl

11. Ea1-bl

Preparing bz-b+, launching the the-

85)

matic minority attack. 11. ...

11. h2-h3!

E ABEAg

a7-a5 The most played. However, there are some who do not make the advance as they would rather retaln the possible future option of playing the pawn to a6. 12. a2-a3 6f8-96 Now that White is focusing his atten-

*t la r*r

tion on creating trouble on

H

the queenside, it seems logical for Black to activate the knight on the kingside. 13. b2-b4 a5xb4

14.

a3xb4

Ae7-d6!?

14...6e4 15.Axe7 WxeT is another typical plan that offers both players possibilities.

15. 16. 17. 18. 19.

b4-b5

Ag5xf6 b5xc6 Eb1-b6 Af3-d2

h7-h6 Wd8xf6 b7xc6

Ac8-94 6g6-h4

1.,

l'., A

;{

el ,,1,1.

A

A AA A,",,, A AA

AW

H&

This refined waiting move is now the favourite. Experience has shown us that

it is useful to deny Black the resource of either ...4g4 or ...694, and the slight weakness created (there is the possibility of a future ...Axh3) seems an acceptable price to pay. Often, when there is a wide range of options available, it is best to adopt a wait-and-see strategy.

851)

11. 12.

...

Ag5xf6!

Af8-s6 Ae7xf6

13.b2-b4 White is ready to push b4-b5, whereas the 96 knight has nowhere to go to, excluding a return to f8. 13. ... Af6-e7!? Looking for a better future on another diagonal.

14. b4-b5

15. b5xc6 19+

Ae7-d6 b7xc6

Quee

16. 6c3-b1!?

ffi3. ru8ffi€

E

e

ffir$ffir ffi ffi^*#

tr ]#l

ffi-

**

ffi

A

A

rffiffi ffiffiffi AffiAffiA

ffis ffi

iaffi

ffiAffiffi

n's Gcmbit Decline d Exchonge Variotion

Effi ffiEffi ffiffi ffirWr ffirffi wrffi ffirffiAffi ffiffiffiffi i ffisffiaffia ffiffiffiAffi trffiffiffiffi

B53) 11. ... 12.

Attacking c6 with an eye on c5 via d2-b3. 16.

Ac8-dz

...

17. ab1-d2

tra8-cB

852)

11.

#

tlcffi

!:P-@

-

&ffi gSX#

has an edge.

gK a

...

So as to play

Effi*Affi Effi g Frerffi ffi ffiwI ffi ffirffi T ffi ffiffir agffi ffiffi

18. Ea1-c1

andWhite

Af6-e4 t7-t5

Ag5-f4!

s7-s6 ...6e5 without losing the

Wffie

ffi

wi A ffi

XJ-O

ffi

AflSWffi #H'ffi{e A aa

ffie

h7 pawn.

12. tra1-bl Af8-e6 13. Ag5-h4 In case of 13.Axf5 Axf6 14.b4 a6 15.a4 gd6 l6.Efc1 Aaz t7.b5 axb5 18.axb5 c5! 19.dxc5 Axc5. Black has active play.

13....

6e5-97

With the idea of ...4f5.

b2-b4 a7-a6 a2-a4 gc8-f5 16. b4-b5 a6xb5 17. a4xb5 gfSxd3 18. Wc2xd3 Ag7-f5 19. Ah4xf6 Ae7xf6 20. b5xc6 b7xc6

The move 12...695 seems to be too slow. It would probably be followed by 13.Axg5 Axg5 1+.Ah2. 13.6f3-e5 Af8-g6 14. Ae5xg6 h7xg6 15. f2-f3 andWhite has a slight advantage.

14.

15.

21. trf1-c1 Black's counterplay on the kingside has

barely got

off the ground, whereas

854) 11. ... Ac8-e6 The most solid, overprotecting d5 so that if White pushes his pawn to b5 Black can respond with .. .c5-c5 12. tral-bl a7-a5 13. a2-a3 af6-d7l? .

14. Ag5-f4! 6f8-g6 15. af4-h2 ad7-b6!? Aiming to relocate the knight to c4 and

it with ...b7-b5 if white

White s minority attack is already likely

then support

to produce a concrete gain.

does not exchange it off, 195

Chess Opening Essenticls

16.

af3-d2

'17.

Ah2xd6

-

Volume

2

Ae7-d6 Wd8xd6

18. b2-b4

Transposing to the diagrammed position in Variation 83, with the difference that both players have made two extra moves along the way!

E :::la

t

r

f tt

filrT :a::r

i :e $fia twfi iai

Van Wely,Loek

Short,Nigel

A

wijk

:,li:

'i::larir:r

:::a::1i

7\l

tr a€

and White has a small plus.

B55) 11.

af6-h5

...

*Agtefi*i:: riti: rtr :* f lt: ;t: i:: at r tt: A t: $ til:l tt .t' nA$A:r::A g:tt &A* E

*:

:at:r::

,ui:,t:i3i

&

FI

*

.::trg

To trade off the bishop without granting it the option of retreating to f4. 12. Ag5xe7 Wd8xe7 13. trf1-el!

aan Zee 2005 (13)

1.d4 6:lt6 2.c4 eG 3.6c3 d5 4.cxd5 exdS 5.Ag5 cG 6.e3 AfS 7.9f3 AS6 8.Axf6 Bxf6 9.Wxf6 gf6 lo.Afg ad7 11.4h4 Ae7 12.g3 Ab6 13.f3 a5 14.€f2 a4 15.trc1 6c8 16.4e2 AdG 17.trhd1 O-o 18.gd3 EfeB 19.g4 Af8 2O.Q:e2 Ah6 21.f4 Axd3 22.trxd3 Af8 23.4g3 traS 24.trc2

Eb5 25.ahf5 fac4 26.b3

axb3 27.trxb3 trxb3 28.axb3 AaS 29.4h5 tre6 30.8a2 b6 31.tra4 t-o

Kasparov,Garry Ivanchuk,Vasily Wijk aan Zee 1999 ( 1)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 eG 3.6c3

hf6

4,cxd5

exdS 5.495 c6 6.Wc2 AaG Ze3 Ab4 e.gd2 AfS 9.trc1 a5 10.a3 AaG 11,kge2 hG 12.4f4 Ad7 13.693 AeG 14.e4 Ab6 15.exd5 hxd5 16.6xd5 Bxd5 17.9c4 Bxg2 18.8e3 O-O-0 19.Axe6+ *ee 20.Wxe6+ Hd7 21.We8+ trdg 22.We6+

Vz-1/z

The idea is e3-e4.

13.... 14. tra1-b1

ah5-f6 dt6-e4l?

15. Ad3xe4 16. af3-d2 17. t2-f3

d5xe4

18.6d2xf3 19. e3-e4 20. tre1xe4 21. trb1-e1 196

t7+5 e4xf3 Ac8-eG f5xe4 h7-h6

Heberla,Bartlomiei ZeberskiJakub btomysl2009 (8)

6f6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.495 Ae7 6.e3 c6 7.4d3 abdT 8.Wc2 O-0 9.Age2 Ee8 1.d4 d5 2.c4 eG 3.6c3

10.0-0-0 AfB 11.h9 Ae6 12.€b1 6:e4 13.Axe7 6xc3+ 14.6xc3 WxeT 15.f4

f6 16.g4 Afl l?.trdel

Queen's Gombit Declined Exchange Vqriotion

HacS 18.84'd2 b6 19.h4 c5 20.g5 c4

21.Ac2 gd6 22.h5 a6 23.9G hxg6

24.hxg6 Axg6 25.f5 Ah7 26.Wg2 EcdS 27.8h3 tre7 28.tr91 b5 29.a3 a5 30.8g3 EddT 31.Axb5 1E/b6 32.4c3 Wb7 33.€a1 €hg 34.trh1 €g8 35.trgh3 EdB 36.9h2 EbB 37.4la4 *f7 S8.trxh7 4lxhl39.Wxh7

Exe3 40.trg1 trgB 41.4c5 Wb8 42.ale6 Eg3 43.19'h5+ ge7 44.Ee1

@d645.4c5

1'o

Alexandrov,Alexander Atlas,Eduard St Petersburg

200S (2)

exdS 8.Ad3 c6 9.Wc2 Ee8 10.0-0 Af8 11.6e5 694 12.9:xe7 WxeT 13.6xg4 Axg4 14.trae1 gf6 15.a4 tre7 16.b4 EaeS 17.b5 Wg5 18.f4 gf6 19.Wd2 gfs 20.a5 Wg6 21.exf5 Bxf5 22.a6 cxb5 23.Axb5 gd7 24.axb7 a6 25.6c3 WxbT 26.trb1 Wc6 27.trfc1 gd6 28.4d1 6g6 29.g3 h5 3o.We2 h4 31.9h5 hxg3 32.hxg3 Afg 33.trc5 trdg 34.Ebc1 g6 35.8f3 6e6 36.trc8 €g7 37.ExdB 6xd8 38.8c5 6e5 39.wxd5 wb6 40.trc1 gb4 41.4t2 Bd2 42.8e5+ fG 43.Bxf6+ €xf6 44.ae4+ sf5 45.axd2 g5 46.d5

1.d4 d5 2.c4 eG 3.6c3 6fG 4.cxd5 exdS 5.&g5 :ie7 6.e3 0-0 7.8d3 c6

gxf4 47.gxil 4lrt4 48.exf4 *xf4

LWc2 abdT 9.49e2 Ee8 10.0'0 Afg 11.f9 Ahs 12.exe7 ExeT 13.e4 6f6 14.e5 6e8 15.f4 Ec7 16.Ead1 Ag4 17.h3 Axe2 18.Wxe2 gh4 19.*h2 Ae6 20.g3 Bh6 21.4c2 g6 22.f5 Af8 23.8f4 6g7 2a.trha Wg5 25.Eg4 gds 26.fG Ase6 27.We3 WeB 28.gh6 trdB 29.trd2 a6 30.6e2 EddT 31.4s1 c5 32.4f3 cxd4 33.9b3 Wc8 34.Edxd4 Ecl

52.8c7Ed853.d7€d554.Ec8

35.gxd5 Exd5 36.Exd5 37.EdB

Bc5 38.Ee8

=dl

Wc6

39.Exf8+ 1'0

Pillsbury,Harry ShorralterJackson New York ch-USA m 1898 (5) 1.d4 d5 2.eA eG 3.4c3 AfG 4.9g5 9e7 5.e3 abdT 6.4f3 0'0 7cxd5

49.trc5

H-d7

50.4c4 €e4 51.d6 Sd4 1-o

Gelfand,Boris Ivanchuk,Vasily

'r.ifffi';.'J"". ,.^,.

ds 4.aco {;bd7 5.cxd5 exdS 6..995 Ee7 7.e3 O-O 8.Ads Ee8 9.Wc2 AfB 10.0-0 cG 11.h3 96 12.Habl AeG 13.4h6 Q-:g7 14.b4 aG 15.a4 Af5 16.4e5 EcB 17.Axg7 Axd3 18.6xd3 €xg7 19.trb3 sd6 20.b5 cxbS 21.axbS a5 22.9b2 b6 23.6a4 Ec4 24.tra1 4le4 25.tg 6g3 26.4e5 Axe5 27.dxe5 Wc7 28.€h2 6t5 29.t4 Hc2 30.Ec3 Sxc3 31.Bxc3 trxc3 32.6xc3 6xe3 33.ha4 d4 34.tra3 4c4 35.trd3 Ed8 36.€93 trds 0-1 37.&t2g5 38.g3 €g6

197

Chess Opening Essentials

-

Volume

2

The alternative 6...b6 is a little too pas-

sive: after 7.cxd5 exds 8.4d3 Ab7 9.0-0 c5 10.4e5 Ac6 11.Bf3l cxd+ 12.6xc6 Axc6 l3.exd4, White has a nice kingside initiative. 6...4bd7 might well be playable, but White is left with a significant space advanrage after 7.c5 c6 8.4d3 b6 9.b4 a5 10.a3.

7.

d4xc5!

The only way to extract a plus from the

E ffi 3.ffi €

ffi

I

$re

I:**

ffi ffi rc r$re I

opening; after 7.cxd5 4ixd5! 8.Axd5 Wxd5, Black does not have any problems.

7.

ffi ffi I ffi ffi ffi iffi ffir ffi ffi ffi ffi Affi ffi ffi affi tr* ffi ffi A A A A ffi ffi ffis re

ffi Effi ffiE

I ffi ffirffi I w ffirffi w ffi*ffi ffi W KW# €

Affi

As

e

ffi

we noted before, after

1. d2-d4 2. c2-c4 3. Abl-c3

6g8-f6

before playing

5.

Ac1-f4

ffi ffiaffi rffi ffis ffi ffiWffiAffi F?

d7-d5 e7-e6

if White wishes to play the bishop to f4, it is a wise idea to first play 4. 6g1-f3 and then wait for 4. Af8-e7

Ae7xc5

At this

stage

White can choose from

three principal variations

:

A) 8. c4xd5 The simplest, and recently the most popular.

A1) 8.

0-0 c7-c5 This is the most thematic, as the white bishop does not exert central pressure

e6xd5 Af1-e2 Maintaining conrrol of d+; g.Ad3 does not seem so good with the black knight still protecting the kingside, preventing the threat of AxhT+, which is present

from,f4: indeed, this freeing

in Variation A2.

Now there is 5.

6. e2-e3

pawn push is doubtful in the variations with

Ags. 198

9.

9.

10. 0-0

6b8-c6 9c8-e6

Queen's Gambit

Ea8-c8

11. Ea1-c1

12. a2-a3

Wg ffi ffie

rffi I

rffi

ffiffia ffiE ffi

ffi ffirffi

ffiffi

ffi Bt3

4€ a-s D\ffi

*s

ffi ffiA ffia trffi 2.6xd5 ? is a tactical blunder: 12...Wxd5 l3.9xd5 6xd5 l4.Exc5 6xf+ tS.exf4 Ad+1, winning the exchange: l6.Ee5 Axe2+ 17.Exe2 Ac4. 12.... h7-h6

11. gfl-d3 Threatening AxhT+. 11.

... 12.0-0

with 9c1-f4

Ac5-b6 Ac8-94

12...d+l? is the most thematic move,

but after 13.e4!, White has

scored

slightly better.

h2-h3 14. b2-b4 15. Ea1-c1 13.

Ag4-h5

a7-a6 Ef8-e8 15...d4 16.9+ A96 17.e4 Ee8 is the most combative. 16. Ad3xa6!

1

13.9f4-93 Threatening l4.Axd5.

13....

Ac5-b6

14. Af3-e5

E 4*9fi

***$

g,\

Sffii e

Effi

rw#

HA ffie ffiH

#a rffi ;n.

;

A&Y ge !]w-

IiFBS

advantage.

w ffin trffi

A curious tactic:

16.

,..

Ea8xa6

16...bxa6? L7.Exc6 and Black has no compensationfor the pawn.

AD 8.

6f6xd5

The most played, even if theory states that when you have an isolated pawn you should maintain your attacking forces by avoiding exchanges.

9. 6c3xd5

e6xd5

10. a2-a3

And now we see why Black took back with the knight: White has to lose a tempo to prevent 10...g'b4+

10....

If Black wants to

ffi # #ft A ffi

A A affi {": ffi .*!*a #ct

Now the ...d5-d4 push does not completely solve Black's problems, and after 14. ... 6c6-e7 White maintains a small but unpleasant

rwtr I

ffi

6b8-c6 stay

in the game he has

to play actively, with the pawn move ...d5-d4 uppermost in his mind.

17. 18. 19.

b4-b5 b5xc6

Ea6xa3 b7xc6 Ec1xc6 Ea3-a7! Experience has shown that sacrificing

a

pawn is best.

trc6-d6!

20. Ha7-d7 21. WdlxdS trd7xd6l 22. Wd5xd6 gd8xd6 23. Af4xd6

With correct play the game is now a draw. However, Black is not going to have any fun knowing that he has to play the rest of the game a pawn down with no winning chances. 1,99

Chess Opening Essentiols

-

Volume

2

B) 8.

9.

a2-a3 It is always useful to keep control of the

H6

b4-square.

8. 9. Af1-e2

H&

e&

l.,1... ','l i I A IA illlr''' l'. ', .:. g

Ab8-c6

'.'r

9.Wc2 fiansposes to the next variation.

9.

Wd8-a5

,:6 iiE

eii

d5xc4!

ri. A A'\

t\

U

,.. .,Aa''., lA A U €.4'i|

.::

\

Au&

A'':

UE

Unafraid of b2-b4 as the a3 pawn is pinned. Now Black has the positional threat of ...d5-d4. The akernative line A l^ 9...s.d7

It might

seem a good idea

to

the

ease

r ^ s r. 10.trd

I trc8 is nor often s

played. This is strange as it has obtained good results.

tension by exchanging off queens, but

in doing so, you remove almost all chances of complicating the game, therefore of

winning.

and

Cl)

10. Af3-d2

Threatening

to pick up a piece with

ab3.

Taking the pawn is obviously more ef10. ... Ac5-e7 fective after White has played Ae2. Or the ambitious 10...4b4 I l.cxd5 10. Ae2xc4 af6-h5! exdS t2.Ad3 d4 13.0-01 (this move of 11. Wdlxd8 trf8xd8 Kortchnoi's was responsible for this 12. Af4-c7 trd8-d7 line's re-evaluation) 13...Axc3 14.6c4 13. Ac7-e5 Ac6xe5 WtrS t5.bxc3 - at the time of writing, 14. Af3xe5 Ed7-d8 recenr resuks would suggesr that this is 15. 0-0 ah5-f6 unsarisfacrory for Black. 16. trf1-d1 Ac8-d7: 11. Af4-93!?

C) 8. Wdl-c2 Preparing Edi, and you do not run the risk of

a

queen exchange after ...dxc4.

8. 9.

Ab8-c6 a2-a3

S.Edt Wa5 10.AeZ allows rhe inreresring 10...4e+l? 11.cxd5 exd5 12.Exd5 Axc3 13.bxc3 Ab+ (13...6e7t? is safer) r4.cxb4 Axb4+ 15.Ed2 Ag4, with an unclear game. 200

E',:.4-1,

,l'l 9

,.''.'

$@,..',,

,Ef &f

a .:ila ,,,i,';

l

A

i.'

,a a,a a AgA A A:;gA ;s''

..:. @Q

Queen's Gombit with

Stopping the typical ...e5 followed by

...d4. 11.Ed1 and 11.0-0-0 transpose to C2 and C3 respectively.

... Af1-e2 13.0-0 11.

12.

Ac8-d7 trf8-c8 Wa5-d8!?

14. ... Taking back with the pawn is also playable: 14...exd4 15.4e2 Ag4! (sacrific-

ing a pawn for the initiative) l6.Axe7 WxeT 1 7 .Q)xd4 (l 7.4d5 would appear more pruden| 17...Wh4 1S.g3 gh3, with good compensation. 15. Ab3xd4 e5xd4

10. tra1-dl

: *3 :* I E

16.6c3-b5

Now after the

i&i= al{]i:

14. e3xd4

14.9e2 is a comparable alternative: 14...a51 15.4a4! (preventing ...a4) I 5...961, and neither side has a plus.

with balanced play.

C2\

16.9.e2?, there is on top.

*:

gg lg:i:i

Not This position was the subject of theoretical debate in the 1970's and '80's. White's usual plan is to activate the knight with ad2-b3 in order to chase away the queen that was pinning the knight. Black, on the other hand, seeks central counterplay with ...e5 /...d4.

AcS-e7 Although the fork is not yet a threat, Black usually retreats the bishop immediately. Karpov's 10...Ee8 was shown to be too ambitious: 11.4d2 e5 12.495 10.

...

ad4t? r3.gb1!

Acl-f4

Afs

14.4d3

is

normal-looking

16...WaS, and Black

16. ... Ac8-g4!? 17. Ed1xd4 Ef8-e8 18. Ag5-e3 l8.Exd8?? because of tS...Ab+

checkmatel

18....

gd8-b6

gfl-d3 The queen is still 19.

safe from capture: 19.Exg4? Q)xg4 20.Axb6 Ab4+ 21.&d1

EeTmate.

19.... 20.0-0

Ae7-c5 Ac5xd4

21. Ae3xd4

e4

15.4c2, with an advantage for White. 11. e6-e5

af3-d2

12.€:t4-g5

d5-d4 13. Ad2-b3 Wa5-d8 After 13...9b6 the d4 pawn is not pinned. However, after 14.Axf6! Axf6 l s.ads Was 16.9d3 96 17 .exd4 Axd4 18.Axd4 exd4 19.Axf6+ Wxf6 20.0-0. White is a little better off,

White has lost the exchange, but he is a pawn up, and the h7 pawn is about to

z0r

Chess Opening Essentiols

- Volwe 2

be taken: in addition. Black will have uglyJooking doubled pawns on rhe f-file (taking back on f6 with the queen allows Ac7). The position is complicated, but probably White has berter chances.

c3)

riod in which it had the advantage of surprise, it has had an optimum 60% performance in a sample of hundreds and hundreds of games. This clearly shows that its virtues outweigh its defects. Let's have a look at what exactlv those advantages are:

I

10.0-0-0t

EffiEFffi ffiEg ffirffiifr ffirffir

ffi^ffirffi gffirffi*

:$€

*gA*j* g€ € gF ff ffiA*

ffisffi H

a

;..:, rA ..:. w H A ".',Jgr'- 'E

r$+

the most obvious one is that with g2-ga-g5, White launches a danger-

ous attack on the kingside. 2 the pin on the c3 knight is less annoy-

ing compared to lines with Edl as White does not have to lose time

with the knight manoeuvre Af3-d2-b3 that is necessary with kingside castling. pressure applied by White to the centre makes the devel-

3 the immediate

of the c8 bishop problematic, a typical considerarion in the opment

How theory changes! This move was not even mentioned in opening manuals before its debut in 1988; now it is the most played, and also considered to - for now anl.way!

be the best

It is not surprising really that it took so long to come up with the move: before the advent of Kasparov in the 1980's, the approach to the game was less dynamic than today, with more weight given to static, positional considerations (with the exception of the whirlwind Tal in the 1960's). Therefore, a move of this sort would have been instinctively dismissed in the past; nobody in their right mind would have considered the idea of uansferring the king to the very part of the board where Black has amassed so many pieces with a probable opening of the c-file. However, the performance data we have today shows that this continuation is in fact excellent. Ignoring the initial pe202

Queen's Gambit Declined. 4 as we have seen, Black's counterplay with ...e5 and ...d4 is very dangerous when the king is in the centre, and therefore the white monarch is orobably safer on c I than on e I AII this does not mean that you should .

come to the exaggerated conclusion that Black's situation is hopeless! It is true that there are many difficulties to be overcome before Black has a playable

position, but they are by no means insurmountable. Let's look at the specific moves: 10. ... Ac5-e7 A natural move that liberates the c-fiIe. allows the queen to defend d5, and supports the f6 knight against Afa-g5xf6. The alternative move 10...4d2 is playable. The idea is that after ...trfc8, glack can establish an interesting defensive set-up: the bishops on f8 and e8 and a

Acl-f4

Queen's Gombit with

knight on e7. After I 1.ga trfcS 12.€bl Afs t:.gs Ahs t+.Ag3 2,e7 15.4e5 Ae8 l6.Ae2 f6 17 .gxf6 gxf6

12.... d5xc4! It is wise to simplify; after 12...a6 13.4b3! WUe 14.c5 Waz

15.Ac7

White is on top.

13.6d2xc4 Wc2xd1

14. 15.

Black

E .:H

#g

Ed8xdl+ WaS-d8

Wd1xd8+ Ac6xd8 will require a couple of moves to

complete development, but his position is solid. With the queens off the board and the absence of threats to the black king, White will find it difficult ro gain anything concrete from his small advantage.

it is truly

a challenge to decide who is

attacking and who is defending.

11. h2-h4

This is the most recent approach. The classical I 1.g4 (so to speak! The enrire

10.0-0-0 variation has only just reached adulthood) allows 11...dxc4 12.Axc4 e5!? 13.g5 exf4 14.gxf6 Axf6 r 5.4d5 6)e7 | 16.8)xf6+ gxf6 l7.Ehg1+ €h8, and Black's position has proved itself to be sustainable, notrvithstanding the tripled f-pau,ns. 11. ... Ef8-d8 This move has now overtaken in popu-

larity the previous favourites ll...a6 and I 1...dxc4.

12. at3-d2

steinie;wilhelm

I.:,,,

Schallopp,hnil Nuremberg 1896 (1)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.4c3 Af6 4.4f3 €.e7 5*&f4 0-0 6.e3 b6 7.cxd5 exdS 8.trc1 aGl 9.4e2 gb7 10.0-0 Ahs 11.4e5 €ld7 12.6,e1 AhfO 13.493 EcB 14.6d3 Ae4 15.6xe4 dxe4 $.AA c5 17.394 95 18.6h5 f5 19.Wb3+ €h8 20.dxc5 txg4 21.gfd1 Af6 22.We6 6xc5 23.Exd8 6xe6 24.Edxc8 ExcS 25.trxc8+ AxcB 26.Axf6 Ac5 27.AeS Sg7 28.Q)xe4+ €96 29.6d6 Ae6 30.a3 ads 3t..gd4 ae4 32.Ac8 ,Ab7 33.6xb6 h5 34.4c4 Ad5 35.6e5+ sfs 36.f9 gxf3 37.gxf g 6d238.e4+ Axe4 39.fxe4+ Axe4 40.€f2 €f4 41.6t7 94 42.9e3+ €f5 43.ad6+ €e5 44.6xe4 t&xe4 45.495 SfS 46.4d8 &t447.b4 1-0 Leko,Peter

Kramnik,Vladimir Brissago Wch-match 2004 (S)

1.d4

af6 2.c4

eG

3.4f3 d5 4.6c3

-ie7 5.9f4 0-0 6.e3 c5

7.dxc5 203

Chess Opening Essentiols

-

Volume

2

AxcS 8.cxd5 6xd5 9.6xd5 exdS 10.a3 hc6 11.4d3 Ab6 12.0-0 4g413.h3 ahs 14.b4 tre8 15.8c1 a6 16.ExaG Exa6 17.b5 Exa3

18.bxc6 bxcS 19.trxc6 H,a7 20.trd0 trd7 21.Bxd5 Exd6

22.WxdG Wxd6 23.Axd6 AxfS 24.gxf3 gd8 25.trb1 Af6 26.€g2 gG 27.t4 €97 28.trb7 Ee6 29.EdT tre8 30.Ea7 tre6 31.9c5 Ec6 32.tra5 Ac3 33.8b5 Ea6 34.trb9 Af6 35.Ebg h5 36.8b5 Ac3 37.gbg Af6 38.e4 Ea5 39.4e3 tra4 40,e5 Ae7 41.9b7 €fB 42.trb8+ €9743.€f3 Ec4 44.&e2 tra4 45.€d3 Ah4 46.4d4 Ea3+ 47.&c2 tra2+ 48.9d3 Ea3+ 49.€c4 Ea4+ 50.€d5 traS+ 51.sc6 Ea4 52.€c5 9e7+

53.€d5 EaS+ 54.€e4 Ea4 55.Hc8 th4 56.e6+ gf6 57.e7 Exd4+ 58.€e3 AxeT 59.€xd4 ah4 60.f3 f5 61.8c7+ €f6 62.9d5 Ag3 53.trc6+ €s7 64.€e5 h4 65.8c7+ €h6 66.trc4 €97 67.*e6 ah2 68.8c7+ €?h6 69.€f7 1-0

Kofichnoi,Yiktor Karpov,Anatoly Baguio Ciry Wch-match 1978 (21)

1.c4 6fG 2.6c3 e6 3.6f3 d5 4.d4 9e7 5.9f4 0-0 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Axc5 8.Wc2 Ac6 9.trd1 Wa5 10,a3 Ee8 11.6d2 e5 12.495 Ad4 13.9b1

gfs

14.9d3 e4 15.4c2 6xc2+ 16.Wxc2 rEVa6 17.Axf6 Wxf6

18.Abg AdG 19.Exd5 EeS 21.ad4 Ec8 21.Exe5 tsxeS 22.6xf5 Wxf5 23.0-0 Exc4 24.Hd1 We5 25.93 aG

26.9b3 b5 27.a4 Eb4 28.9d5 WxdS 29.Exd5 Af8 30.axb5 a5 31.trd8 Exb2 32.tra8 f5 33.trxa5 Ab4 34.8a8+ €f7 35.6a4 Ebl+ 36.€g2 Ad6 37.Ea7+ €f6 38.b6 Abg 39.tra8 Ae5 40.ac5 gd6 41.b7 &e7 42.tr98 AeS 43.f4 exfS+ 44.€xf3 Sf7 45.8c8 €e7 46.h3 h5

&t7 48.Eds g5 49.s4 hxg4+ 50.hxg4 €e7 51.8g8 fxg4+ 52.€xg4 €f7 53.trc9 gd6 54.e4

47.trg8

Egl+ 55.sf5 94 56.e5 trfl+ 57.€e4 Ee1+ 58.gd5 Edl+ 59.4d3 Exd3+

60.€c4

Tig"*

Kortchnoi,Yiktor

Petrosian,

Beliavsky,Alexander

Filip,Miroslav

Amsterdam OHRA 1990 (10)

Curacao

1.c4 e6 2.4...ilc3 Af6 3.4f3 d5 4.d4 9e7 5.9f4 0-O 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Axc5 8.Wc2 6c6 9.a3 WaS 10.4d2 gb4 11.cxd5 exdS 12.4d3 d4 13.0-0 Axc3 14.6c4 ghs 15.bxc3 dxe3 16.6xe3 AeG 17.Eabl ads 18.trb5

Efdg 19.c4 6,d4 20.9b2 6xb5 21.cxd5 Axd5 22.9xb5 Ae4 23.Ac7

Edcs 24.trc1 BgG 25.9:d7

trfB 26.h4 €hg 27.9f4 trad8 28.Ec7 fG

29.9b49f730.h5 z0+

1-0

1-0

Yartanovich

ct 1962 (14)

1.c4 eG 2.6:c3 d5 3.d4 Ae7 4.4f3 Af6 5,4f4 0-o 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Axcs 8.a3 6c6 9.Sc2 Ae7 10.trd1 Wa5 11.4d2 e5 12.Ag5 d4 13.4b3 gd8 14.4e2 Ag4 15.Axe7 WxeT

16.exd4 Wh4 17.93 gh3 18.d5 6d4 19.Axd4 exd4 20.trxd4 Wg2 21.We4 Wxf2+ 22.&d2 6f6 23.We3 Wg2,24.WgI ghg 25.trh4 gdz 26.9d4 EeB 27.gdg 96 28.trf1

1-0

Queen's Gombit with

Valleio Pons,Francisco Short,Nigel Wijk aan Zee2009 (2)

1.4f3 d5 2.d4 616 3.c4 e6 4.6c3 9e7 5.9f4 0-0 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 9xc5 8.Wc2 6cG 9.a3 Ae7 10.trd1 WaS 11.4e2 dxc4 12.Axc4 Ah5 13.4d3 g6 14.4h6 trd815.0-o Ad716.Ae2 aG 17.Qsd2 AfG 18.9f4 e5 19.4g5 AeG 20.hg EacS 21.Axf6 Axf6

22.Ag4 Axs4 23.hxg4 ad{ 24.Wa4 o,e2+ 25.9h2 Wxa4

26.frxa4 Ae7 27.AbG Ec2 28.6dc4 e4 29.€h3 €g7 30.b4 Af6 31.f9 exf3 32.gxf3 4c3 33.Ed7 ExdT

34.6xd7

Abs 35.6xf6 €xf6

36.4b6 6xa3 37.8d1

Ec5 38.4d7+ €e7 39.6c5 Ec7 40.95 6c2 41.trb1 a5 42.dd3 Ec3 43.8c1 Exd3 44.trxc2 axb4 45.9c7+ gfg

46.Exb7 trxe3 47.Sg3 gb3 48.trb8+ €s7 49.€s2 trbl 50.€g3 h6 51.f4 bs 52.€f2 b2 53.*92 h5 54.*h2 Ef1 SS.ExbZ trxt4 56.€h3 Eg4 57.9b5 f5 58.gxf6+ €xf6 59.8a5 Ee4 60.trb5 95 61.€93 Ee3+ $2.&tz

Acl-f4

Speelman,Jonathan Short,Nigel London match 1988 (3)

1.d4 af6 2.eA eG 3.4f3 d5 4.6c3 9e7 5.9f4 0-0 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Axc5 8.Wc2 6cG 9.a3 €9a5 10.0-0-0 Ae7 11.g4 trd8 12.h3 a613.4d2 e514.95 6e8 15.6b3 gb6 16.6xd5 trxds 17.cxd5 exf4 18.dxc6 fxe3 19.fxe3

Axg5 20.€bl bxc6 21.Ac4 Ha7 22.trhf1 AfG 23.We4 €f8 24.9xh7 g6 25.e4 c5 26.e5 Ag7

27.eG

1-o

Carlsen,Magnus Ivanchuk,Yasily Bilbao 2008 (7)

1.d4 af6 2.c4 eG 3.4f3 d5 4.olc3 Ae7 5.4f4 0-0 6.e3 c5 7.dxc5 Axcs 8.Wc2 6c6 9.a3 BaS 10.0-0-0 Ae7 11.h4 trdg 12.6d2 a6 13.4e2 b5 14.cxd5 exdS 15.94 &e6 16.6b3 gb6 17.g5 Ae4 18.6xe4 dxe4 19.Exd8+ 6xd8 20.9b1 Ec8 21.gdl 6c6 22.h5 a5 23.96 a4 24.ad2 b4 25.grt7+ AxfT 26.Ad Wb7 27.Wxa4 bxa3 28.6xa3 AxaS 29.Bxa3 Ab4 30.b3 Ad3 3r.Axd3 exd3 32.trc1 d2 0-1

205

Chess Opening Essentials

-

Volume

2

The concept is to develop aggressively

with Ag5 and Edi or 0-0-0, with

a

probable future e2-e4 advance.

5.

6. Acl-95

0-0

This move discourages ...c7-cS due to the resulting pressure on the d5 pawn.

It is wise for Black to play acrively, which explains the eccentric move:

6b8-a6!?

6.

6...dxc4 7.e4 8],c6 8.8d1 b5!? is playable but risky.

7. a2-ag 8. d4xc5

c7-cs 6a6xc5

Now after

9.

Ea1-d1

or the aggressive 9.0-0-0!?, the position is too complex for a simple evaluation.

Roiz,Michael Abramovic,Bosko Before we go any further, we should take a glance at an interesting alternative reply to 5.Af+ (and to 5.4g5) that is starting to get people's attention:

5.

Wd1-c2

EAAgs!? E tf f :$l i,l .,,:::l'

.......::lh :::

I AA

** A. ;;f A.A'g'i- A'A A tr' A €A r,E ,,,,..

.

Zlatibor 2008 (6)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Afg hf6 4.4c3 9e7 5.Wc2 0-0 6.A95 c5 7.dxc5 dxc4 8.e4 hG 9.9f4 Axc5 l0.Axc4 AcG 1'1.0-0 ahs 12.Ead1 9a5 13.9d2 Bc7 14.Wc1 AeS 15.6xe5 Bxe5 16.Ae2 Ab6 17.9h1 AfG 18.4f4 BaS 19.4d6 Hd8 20.e5 trxd6 21.exd6 Ad7 22.9f3 trb8 23.9d2 €f8 2a.€,g1 Wg5 25.6le4 6xe4 26.Axe4 Wxd2 27.trxd2 A:ci 28.Hc2 b6 29.b4 Axb4 30.Ec7 trdg 31.trxa74e8 32.trd1 Hxd6 33.ExdG Axd6 34.a4 h5 35.h4 96 36.gfl AcS 37.€e2 @97 3e.f3 €fG 39.Adg €e5 4O.93 f5 41.4c4 Ag1 42.tre7 1-0

706

lowing variations, depending on whether Black plays ...h6 or ...4bd7. However. there is the considerable advantage that White avoids having to face the Vienna Yariation and that Black no longer has the option of ...dxc4 in the Ragozin Defence. For example, in the variation 5...exdS 6..995 h6 White can play z.Ah+t

E

re

ffi AffiEffi

ffi I ffi

ffirffi

ffiffi ffirffi ffi re ffiffi ffi ffiaffi

ffiAffi @ffiffi

rflffi ffi ffiwffirffir ffi#r ffiffi r*re

ffinffin ffi 2\ tPS 2\ F$

ffiF*

ffiAffi ffiffi ffi ffiaffi A ffiffi AffiAffi ffiAffitr

ffiffisffiaffi without having to worry

anymore about the c4 pawn. After 7...g5 S.Ag3

o,e4 9.ad2l hxc3 l0.bxc3 Axc3 Whenever

White plays 6f3 in

the

1

1.Ecl, the ensuing

complications

to favour White. Therefore Black

Queen's Gambit, Black has the interest-

seem

ing option of playing ...4b+, which is particularly logical as White can no longer play dge}, and thus control the e4-square with f3. We are dealing with a hybrid NimzoIndian that has the virtue of creating more strategically complex positions than those which usually arise in the Queen's Gambit Declined. White's most natural move is to counterbalance Black's pressure on the centre with 5. Ac1-95 We should stress that at this point it is also very common to play 5.cxd5. Usurlly there is a transposition (after 5...exdS 6.495) to one of the two fol-

would be wise not to take the pawn and insteadplay 9...4xg3 10.hxg3 c6.

EffEEffi@ffi

rerffi ffirffi

ffirffiffiffi ffirffi ffi ffirffi ffi ffiffiffiffi ffiffiwffi A# ffiAffiAffi

ffi ffigffiAffitr With

a playable position, not'\ rithstanding the weakness on h6. After the bishop move, Black can take his pick from three principal variations,

207

Chess Opening Essentiols

-

Volume

2

stra- Consistent: White attacks d5 and b4. tegic characteristics are seen as distinct After 8.8a4+ 6c6 9.e3 0-0 10.4e2 and separate Ae6 1 1.0-0 a6 12.Eac1 Ad6, the posi-

which by virtue of their individual

tion is equal.

Ragozin Variation

5...h6

8'

c7-c5! e2-e3 9.a3 Axc3+ 10.Wxc3 Ad7 does not

9.

Some people call the system with ...4b+ the Ragozin Defence. However, create problems for Black. it is more precise to use Ragozln for the 9. 0-0 position arising after 10. d4xc5! 5. h7-h6

irABs s.l$ :r.:l'

E

E

fiA.€ €€*,

* l

E

* t,,;,tt,L.';*'fn |.1 :,,:; g

:.' I i$ g t ,,-'.t'',=

.la. * l;,,:,: ,,n E ,:t ':,;. ''.:,:.

:*,ge, AAAAA

;$'4:::.a .:; A& AA AAA Ai ts? .&A

e This is the most solid of Black's

tives. 6. Ag5xf6

alterna-

)95-

F? E

It would appear dubious to open up the game when your opponent has the two bishops, but the d5 pawn is en prise

and now the b4 bishop is being at-

After 6.Aha dxc4l?, Black is in a favour- tacked. able version of the Vienna Yariation. 10. ... Ab4xc3+ This is because White cannot play e2-e4 Otherwise the d5 pawn falls. as Black can reply with ...g5. 11. b2xc3 6. WdSxfG After 11.Wxc3 Wxc3+ 12.bxc3 Ae6 Black has the two bishops, but White 13.4d4 Ec8 14.Eb1 Od7, things are

has more harmonious development.

Now:

even.

11.

12.

A) 7. c4xd5

... at3-d4

Ac8-eG

ab8-d7

13. Wb3-a3

Stopping the option of ...dxc4, but at 13.Wxb7 Axc5 gives Black good the cost of opening the c8-h3 diagonal counterplay. for Black's light-squared bishop. You 13. ... trf8-c8 often see 7.9b3 c5 8.cxdS exd5, which and the game is balanced. simply transposes to the main line.

7. e6xd5 L Wdl-b3 208

B) 7. e2-e3 8. tra1-c1

0-0 d5xc4!?

Queen's Gombit

This is now considered to be more reliable than 8...c5, which is solid but passive.

9. Af1xc4

c7-c5

!

in the spirit of the Queen's Gambit Accepted Black has ceded the centre in exchange for counterplay with ...c7-c5, and in the hope of making the most of his two bishops.

10.0-0

c5xd4

11. 6f3xd4!

e

- ffi-E

W I ffi ** ffir ffi

ffi rffi ffi w w

ffi

ffi #€ w W w* ffi ffie wte ffi

ffi #atr

w.

A ffi

ffi

fls

w4

&H&

ffi A F?

Black's chief worry is his backward development on the queenside. 11. ... Ac8-d7l 12. 6b8-c6t

gdl-b3

13.6d4xc6 14.9b3xc3

Ab4xc3 Ad7xc6

14...Wxc3?? 15.4e7+

15.

Wc3xf6

g7xf6

and White's advantage (the doubled f-pawns) is purely academic.

Westphalia Variation (a.k.a. Manhattan Variation)

s...abd7

1. d2-d4 2. c2-c4 3. 6b1-c3 4. Ag1-f3 5. Ac1-g5

with ...€f8-b4

On the long slow boat journey from Westphalia to Manhattan many players who were on there way to the famous New York rournament

of

1927 lnad

plenty of time to deeply analyse this defence: hence the alternate narnes.

Effisffieffi

ffirigrcaffir#rer

ffi ffirffi

ffiffirffiffi reAffi ffi wffiffiaffi Affi$

ffiAffiA,

ffi ffisffiaffitr

Black supports the other knight before initiating typical queenside counterplay

with...c5 and...BaS. 6. c4xd5 White almost always plays this exchange either now or on the following move. 6.e3 is playable, but after 6...c5 7.4d3 9a5 8.0-0 dxc4 9.Axc4 Axc3 I 0.bxc3 b5 ! Black has active play.

6.

e6xd5

A) 7. Wd1-c2 For a while this was considered to be the best, but with time Black players started to find adequate countermeasures. White immediately defends c3, prepares a3, and keeps open the option of retreating the bishop to d2.

7.

0-01

7...c5, although playable, has given d7-d5 e7-e6 Ag8-f6

gf8-b4 ab8-d7

White good results after 8.dxc5! or 8.a3.

8.

a2-a3 The critical move, but the more solid 8.e3 c5 9.9d3 Wa5 10.0-0 (along the lines of Variation B) is safer.

209

Chess Opening Essentiols

8.

-

Volume

2

Ab4xc3+

9. Wc2xc3 h7-h6 10.

Ag5-h4 c7-c5!

E::.:lAg E &:::l::, rr:r':'A l.

I

l,I.

al

9.

c5-c4 A positionally risky move rhar aims for control of e4. 10. 0-0

gd3-f5 11. 0-0

a

pawn push to e4.

12.... E

This dark-square strategy seems suicidal, but Black is counting on the advantage of his piece activity

11. d4xc5

trf8-e8

Continuing the struggle for e4. 12. afs-d2l It is vital to stop ...Q)e4, and to prepare 97-96

EAEB I 1,,r..''A, I g

;r:'-:l

,,,.t1

al ' Ag

Ala a, ,a A AgA A A A H H.$.

1.4d2 is probably best. 97-95 E EH 616-e4 6d7xc5 Ac8-d7!? Black has and a promising game: after 81) 13. Af5xd7 Af6xd7 the greedy 15.Wxd5?l Aa4! 16.Wxd8 14.t2-l3l? Eaxd8, White has big problems de- Theodd 1+.h+!? isthelatestnovelty: it

The curious

1

11.... 12. ah4-93 13. Wc3-d4 14. tra1-d1

fending his back rank.

defends the 95 bishop so as to be able to play e3-e4.

B) 7. e2-e3

14....

7. 8. gf1-d3

c7-c5

have any problems.

Wd8-a5

The validity of the recent idea 8...c4 still needs to be established: 9.4f5 6Aett.

9.

Wd1-c2

HA

ea

8.Absl? is insidious, but if Black plays correctly after 8...Wa5, he should not

8.

ad7-b6

15. tra1-el

The normal continuation.

I l',:

a ury. ET A.

cl_\

AAg .

,

r.:'i::

'.'i:'':

After 9.0-0, Black usually does not take the pawn on offer, but continues with The immediate 15.e4 does not give 9...0-0 and after 10.Wc2 c+ 11.4f5, White much after l5...Axc3 16.Wxc3 transposes to the main line. Wxc3 17.bxc3 AdZ. 210

Queen's Gcmbit

15....

Ac8-d7

rJ

ffieffi ffiir ffir

:g

16. h2-h4 To prorec the bishop on the 5rh rank in preparation for ...dxe4l

16.... 17. b2xc3 18. Eel-cl

w. ffi Fffiffi

ffi ffiaffi AWWffi ffiA, gp

difficulr-to_assess position.

aD 13. Af5-h3 Ab4xc3! With the recenr 13...€gZl? Black sim_ ply defends the f6 knighl w.irh rhe king in order to free the other knight. Thii positionally less demanding rnove is a good choice if you wish to riraintain the

tension.

14. Wc2xc3 l4.bxc3 does nor give White anythins concrete after I +...o,e+ l5.Axe+ dxe4] 16.4h6 Af6l t7.Axc8 Eaxc8 1s.f3 14. 15.

...

b2xc3

16.6d2xe4 As is typical

in

Wa5xc3 6f6_e4 dSxe4t

ffiAffi

17. Ah3-s4! In order to reposition the bishop to e2 so as to attack the c4 pawn. It is logical to get rid of the knight with t7.e{xd7.

However, this deadens the position and it is:vrg:nr.rhat the game is heading for a probable draw The new q l7.trfb| does nor achieye

more rhan equaliry either after 1 Z.. .Ab6. 17. ... ad7-b6

18.

Ag4-e2 AcB-e6 6xfi 20.Hac1 b5

Ls.-ad7? 19.Axc4

21 .Axf7+, with an adaantage for White that isprobably decisiae.

19. tra1-b1!

This pressure on bZ des down Black,s game a little. 19. ... Ea8-c8 20. Efl-cl Defending c3 prevents ...AdS.

20.... 21.

t2-t3

Ec8-c7 Ae6-d5t

"ffi_ ffiE@effi

Erffis

these variations, the un_

natural capture of the pawn closes the semi-open file, but conced.es the dS-square to the knighr. We should not torget that control of this square is Black s principai defensive resource in

the Westphalia.

ri

ffi .jkry6€

ffieffi

effi_

a

ffi ffi

Ab6-a4 Eeg-e6

Kffiryffi#ff# affirffi ffi

With

ffirw l

Ab,4xc3

*ffi3ffirffir

with .. .Afg_A+

ffirwr

'ffiryffiryffi*ffi A

wff.ffi-effi.i 211

Chess Opening Essentials

-

Volume

2

EAAB

As always, Black is blockading on the squares. White has a slight initiative, but with correct play Black should not have any problems holding his posi-

1, 1,,

light

Ew

l I I it '',,., 'l 1...r. g t,,tt

AA

tion.

t,t a &h. AA g€A' AAA : E, tr

Pseudo-Westphalia

5. Acl-95

0-0 A)

E n-€.g ,ll{

8. Af1-d3

c5-c4

E6'ggt::'lll €€

il'

a

'''.a, :l. 1.;,,,.; AAANAA ALl

AIIAA

EW€4tr

Strangely, until a few years ago this highly natural move was considered to

'

A

ATA '.t., 6A A6 AA AAA E ':' Wr€ '" tr

And now the reason for the term be doubtful. It was thought that after 'pseudo' becomes clear: in the analoBlack's ...c7-c5 advance, the weak d5 gous position in the Westphalia proper pavrn (which results from cxd5 and (with ...Abd7 instead of ...0-0) White dxcS) was a significant factor. However, plays 9.4f5!. Here f5 is controlled by tournament play over recent years has the c8 bishop. demonstrated that the active piece play 9. Ad3-c2 Ab8-d7 that Black acquires is enough to balance 10. 0-0 Ab4xc3 things out. 11. b2xc3 Wd8-a5 There are some who prefer an immedi- Black has a satisfactory position. ate 5...c5, but given that rhis is almost always followed quickly by castling, B) 8. d4xc5! there is usually a transposition. Creating a position characterised by Also here it is important to remember contrasting static and dynamic features, that White often exchanges on d5 be- namely an isolated d-pawn and greater fore playing Ag5. In this case, after piece activity; ir is this interplay of op5.cxd5 exdS 6.495 0-0 (or 6...c5) you posing elements that makes chess so uanspose to the main

6. e2-e3 7. c4xd5 212

line.

c7-c5 e6xd5

enthralling.

L 9.

abS-d7 Ea1-c1

Queen's Gqmbit

with

..

.Af8-b4

superiority and extra parnm more than justify the exchange sacrifice.

E A

Es

*1...,.'..{\.,,:.rf*f ':'

*i :: ffi E

.Brrtt :::t:t:.:.:

$ A 81) 9. The safest bet, but of interest.

10. 11. 12. 13.

it

gdl-d4 Ab4xc3+ Wd4xc3 Ac5-e4 Ag5xf6 Wd8xf6 Wc3xf6 Ae4xf6

lrf

lr..'.t,ff

;1':.

an ac5

-. i!$,i

* n -, f

ui,:''.

:...1,.

'.

.,*

3t 'a..!: : Aiff

€4tr

Black's disadvantage

is not significant

enough for him to lose. However, he has zero chance of winning.

82) 9.

Wde-as

10. a2-a3!

After 10.9d2. the move 10...b61 is

:X AAA

Li-.1i:

.&a*.::

€ €W€A*iE

robs the position

E;:::::-€.:*, :,H,€a*

,..:

A

6d7xc5

*:.

It is no easy task to evaluate this position. Until now White's results have been great, but as is always the case, before long

a

remedy

will

be discovered.

Vienna Variation 5...dxc4

1. d2-d4

2. 3. 4. 5.

c2-c4 Ab1-c3 As1-f3 Ac1-95

d7-ds e7-e6

6g8-f6 gf8-b4

d5xc4 The most aggressive and most ambitious of the 5th move alternatives.

En-e.H&.r:: g

:l*. .,,:l*l i'l '.ii:,':;,l ffi li;: ,,r';.

Era '.-''.': a ,i'.6::: :li:j]:

::'','.';"

''A$A *, :,:a$a*

good: 11.c6 (11.cxb6? d4! with a disli.'.,'W€A*.E covered attack on the 95 bishop) I 1...d4! with unclear play. On the other hand, after 10...4xc3+ 5. d5xc4 l1.Exc3 Ae4 the rook is pinned, but Black concedes the centre, with the inthere is now 12.b4! Axc3 13.9a1! tention of attacking it with a ...c7-c5 Wa4 14.Wxc3 - White's dark-square push. 213

-

Chess Opening Essentiols

It

Volume

2

no surprise that in the 0's the Viennese master Ernst

comes as

19 3

The most recent idea: it 1

1.9h7.

employs

a

It is lmportant to

ab8-d7

and in a chaotic position such as this,

similar strategy.

Black wishes

gd8-f6

10.... 11. d4xc5

Gninfeld admired this line: he was the creator of the eponymous defence that

threatens

remember that

if

anything could happen.

to avoid 5.cxd5, which

will force him to adopt other defences, he must take the c4 pavm one move earlier. Indeed, after 4...dxc4 White has nothing better than 5.e4 Ab4 6.495, returning to the Vienna. 6. e2-e4 Naturally, White does not waste a second.

6.

c7-c5

B) 7. Aflxc4 This modern variation remains the number one choice.

7. L hf3xd4

c5xd4 Ab4xc3+

The most ambitious and the most played: Black is prepared to suffer on the dark squares in order to compromise White's pawn structure, and thus gain good endgame prospects.

A) 7. e4-e5 The old classical variation is now be-

8...WaS was the surprise choice of Anand in his 2008 match with

comin g fashionable again.

Kramnik, and thus we can safely assume

h7-h6 Simpler than the very old continuation 7...cxd4l? which, after 8.Wa4+ 6c6

it is better than previously thought.

7.

EdhA & :,.:l::

9.0-0-0 AaZ 10.4e4 Ae7 I 1.exf6 gxf6 1 2.9,h4 Ec8 1 3.€b

1

'|'rl

6a5, creates

an unclear position.

8.

0-0, with equality.

':::":'l.,:

h6xg5

10. Wd1-c2!?

2t+

g.

A.

cird HE

la

AAA A-,

..:..

r.'li:.'

Now White can choose from three variations to parry the threats on 95, c3 and e4:

iilf ,,I: ::j:l: I'. ETA .lii fi. :iiA,i::lll A.A F? .ts.

E

I l'l'l

A AAA El '.'ltg'€ ",:. E

trh8-g8

E;hABs E * I i:tr ll,1 I

i:r:

{EA

e5xf6 Or 8.4d2 Axc3 9.bxc3 6e4 10.Axc4

8. 9. f6xg7

gd8-a5

9. b2xc3

81)

A A. F? E.

10. ad4-b5 Karpov's move: it seems only natural to focus on the weak dark squares, but White's artificial piece placement allows Black to maintain the balance:

Queen's Gambit

10.

Without

6f6xe4!

...

fear.

10...0-0? is not advisable: I 1.Axf6 gxf6 12.Wga+ and the king's defences have been permanently compromised.

11. Ag5-fa

EAA s

E

r,,l *,r i* f

84:;,,

l.$

I

t

;:,

with

..

.€.f8-b+

ening 13.Ecl) 12...0-0 13.Wg4, and White appears to have a winning attack. 12. Eal-cl Wc3-a5 13. Ac4-b5+ The move 13.h4 is interesting. The idea is to develop the rook to d3 via h3. On the other hand l3.Axe6?, with the

intention of giving check on c8, is not playable because of 13...4xe6 14.6xe6 Wa6+. and Black wins. 13. ...

&e8-e7

*A:.tlAA '/1

n.:A

/\

AA Fil E

Str.fr EE

11.9d4 0-0! 12.Wxea a6 (winning back the piece because if the knight budges, we have 13...Wxc3+) 13.4e7! (th. *reat to the rook is less serious than the tlueat of 14.4b4) 13...axbS l+.A'b+ Wc7 15.Axf8 €xfS 16.4b3 Wxc3+ 17 .&eZ WUZ+ 18.€e3 Wc3+, with perperual check: a curiously frequent outcome in hlper-aggressive lines. 11. ... 0-0 12. 0-0 9c8-d7! '13. a2-a4

13.6c7?l e5 14.Axa8 exf4 15.9d5 Ac5 | gives Black

a

plus.

13.... 14.

gd1-s4

!d7-c6

and a certain degree of compensation on the dark squares is evident. Whether it is suffi.cient or not is another cuestion.

82)

10. 11.

Ag5xf6 €el-fl

Wa5xc3+ g7xf6

with check is dubious: 1 1...Wxc4+? 1 2.€g1 (threat-

Strangely, taking a piece

If 13...9d7?: 14.Ec8+: while 13...4d7? 14.Exc8+!* Exc8

Forced.

l5.Axd7+ €xd7? 16.4b3+ picks up the queen.

14. e4-e5! Brilliant-looking, but it leads to only a draw; while after other replies there is doubtful compensation for the pawn. f6xe5 14.... 15. wd1-h5 ab8-d7! 15...exd4? 16.Wg5+ f6 17.Wc5+ €f/ 18.4e8+ ExeS 19.Wxa5. 16.

Wh5-95+ €e7-f8

16...*d6 17.4e2! is too 16...*e8 I 7.Wxe5

riskv:

is even worse.

17. trc1xc8+ tra8xc8 18. Ab5xd7 Wa5-d8! A forced defence against the threat

of 19.Axe6+. 20.9f6+ and 21.4e6

checkmate. 215

-

Chess Opening Essenticls

Volume

2

19. Ad4xe6+! f7xe6 20. Wg5-h6+ €f8-f7 21. Wh6xe6+

EgE

T:lijr,'i1f$€::e.l ;€ *,W3,i, t,,i .,, * ff i:.

*ri,

€ *

x

:i::: ::a;,' "ii ,r:..:; :*

:g:,aff

iit€

tr

come an outpost for the black knight. However, the doubled f-pawas compromise king safety regardless of whether the king castles or seeks refuge on e7. A possible continuation would be:

r rith perpetual check.

83)

10. Ac4-b5+

The most frequent choice.

10....

Ac8-d7

It is strange that almost no

one plays 10...4bd7, as there is no refutation that

we know of, After 11.Axf6 Wxc3+l 12.€f1 gxf6 13.h4! (again with the idea of activating the rook via h3) 13...a6 t+.Eh3 Wa5 15.4e2, White certainly has obtained good compensation, but few would consider White to have an objective advantage. g7xf6 11. Ag5xf6 Now 11...Wxc3+? loses because of gc I -cd+.

12.9d1-b3

a7-a6

12...0-0!? is playable but risky as after 0-0 and c3-c4 the white queen is ready to transfer to 93 and h4.

The same goes for l2...Axb5!?: after 13.6xb5 0-0 14.0-0 Ac6 15.c4 Ead8 16.Wg3+ €h8 17.9h4 €g7, white can force a draw with l8.Wg3+ or continue to attack with f2-f4. 13. Ab5-e2 6b8-c6 14.0-0 Ba5-c7 216

Defending bZ andpreparing ...4a5. The position is interesting; the c3 pawn is weak and the c4-square could be-

15.

Ea1-d1

Ea8-c8

1s...0-0 !? 16.8d3 Ae5 17.Eg3+ Ag5 could be an improvement. 16. Wb3-a3 6c6-a5 17. Wa3-c1

t.. E..,:.€,.,:;

,ili:t.l

gA *

ti::+

I ll fi "* ::'':1 €,,

,1,:;

t

,.,,1

l*:

A€

,& lr,.

,E:

7,.,,,',

A*.] ?:...A$Aff :x wtrgtr

with the idea of Wh6. and White seems to have a dangerous initiative.

DautovrRustem'

'

Khalifualr"Alexander Berlin cup 2003 (2)

1.d4 eG 2.4 4lti 3.4f3 d5 4.4c3 Ab4 5.495 hG 6.AxfG gxf6 7.e3

Queen's Gombit

O-0 8.8c1 dxc4 9€xc4 c5 10.0-0 cxd4 11.6xd4 gd7 12.a3 Axc3 13.trxc3 6c6 14.6f3 trfd8 15.Wc2 EacS 16.Ec1 Ae5 17.4xe5 Wxe5 18.4d3 trxc3 19.Bxc3 Wxc3 20.trxc3

EcB

Vzt/z

Capablanca,Jose

Spielmann,Rudolf New York 1927 (13\

1d4 d5 2.6f3 eG g.c4 adT 4.6:c3 AgfS 5.4g5 Ab4 6.cxd5 exdS 7.Wa4 Axc3+ 8.bxc3 O-0 9,e3 c5 10.9d3 c4 11.4c2 Be7 l2.O-0 aG 13.Efe1 We6 14.4d2 b5 15.Wa5 Q.:e4 16.Axe4 dxe4 17,a4 gds 18.axb5 Wxg5 19.9xe4 gb8 20.bxa6 EbS 21.8c7 SsbG 22.a7 Ah3 23.Eeb1 trxb1+ 24.trxb1 f5

25.Arcil26.ext4

1-o

Moiseenko,Alerander fobava,Baadur Gothenburg Ech-a 2005 (7)

d5 2.c4 e6 3.4c3 gb4 4.4f3

1.d4 6fG 5.cxd5 exdS 6.4g5 O-0 7.e3 c5 8.9d3 c4 9.4b1 Axc3+ l0.bxc3 AbdT 11.Wc2 WaS 12.6d2 4le4 13,Axe4 dxe4 14.4h4 AbG 15.0-0 Ee8 16.4g3 ads 17.trc1 Wa3 18.9d2 gfs 19.f3 f6 2o.af2 b5 21.txe4 Axe4 22.9.xe4 trxe4 23.trab1 a5 24.Wb2 Bxb2 25.trxb2 Ab6 26.€f1 gf7 27.&e2 €eG 28.9f3 €d5 29.9a EaeS 30.tra1 €c6 31.a4 6xa4 32.trxa4 bxa4 33.9b4 a5 34.trxc4+ gbs 35.8c5+ €bG 36.trc4 tr4e6 37.trxa4 €b5 38.tra3 tra6 39.d5 a4 40.e4 €c4 41.Ag3 gd3 42.dG trdB 43.s5 €c2 44.c4 sb2 45.tre3 a3 46.gxf6 gxf6 47.e5 a2 48.exf6 trdxd6 49.4e5+

with .. .Af8-b4

€c2 50.tre2+ sbg 51.trb2+ €xc4 52.trxa2 trds+ 53.€e4 Exa2 5417

trt2

0-1

Grischuk,Alexander Morozevich,Alexander Mexico City 200i (5) 1.d4 AfG 2.c4 e6 3.af3 d5 4.6c3 Ab4 5.cxd5 exd5 5.495 6bd7 7.e3 c5 8.4d3 BaS 9.Wc2 c410.Af5 0-0 11.0-0 tre8 12.6d2 g6 13.4h3 €g7 14.Eae1 Qle4 15.hdxe4 dxe4 16.4f4 f5 17.f3 Af6 18.a3 Axc3 19.bxc3 hs 2$.gf2 Ad7 21.W93 WxcS 22.Ae5 Wxa3 23.fxe4 HxeS 24.ext1 Exf5 25.Axf5 Axf5 26.trxf5 EeB 27.tre5 gd6 28.trxe8 4xe8 29.9f3 b5 30.9b7+ o,c7 31.Wxa7 b4 32.e4 cS 33.e5 We7 34.Wb7 gh6 3s.trf1 c2 36.trc1 Sg5 37.trxc2 We3+ 38.trf2 4e6 39.Wxb4 Wcl+

40.trf18e3+41.€hl

1-0

Karpov,Anatoly Aronian,Levon Hoogeveen 2003 (3)

af6 2.c4 eG 3.afg d5 4.6c3 dxc4 5.e4 Ab4 6.995 c5 7.Axc4 cxd4 8.6xd4 Axc3+ 9.bxc3 SaS 10.4b5 6xe4 11.4f4 0-O 12.0-0 Ad7 13.a4 Ac6 14.4c7 bG 15.gd6 AxdG 16.Bxd6 a6 17.4c7 Wg5 18.W93 Bxg3 19.fxg3 Ea7 20.6xe6 1.d4

trc8 21.695 Ae8 22.trael hG 23.Exe8+ ExeS 24.trxt7 trxf7 25.Axf7+

€fg

26.Axe8 €xe8

27.2,e5 et7 28.6lc7 aS 29.&t2 6dl 30.€e3 6c5 31.&d4 6xa4 32.4d5 b5 33.6c7 b434.cxb4 axb4 35.€c4 6c3 36€xb4 Qse4 37.4b5 ad2 38.4d4 Afi 39.afg *f6 40.€c4

€f541.€ff€ga

Vz-1h

zt7

Chess Opening Essentials

-

Volume

2

This defence is usually known as the Semi-Tarrasch. However, in some opening manuals it is called the Improved Tarrasch (3...c5!? players would not agree!), or in others, more correcdy, the Tarrasch Defence Deferred.

Postponing ...c7-c5 by a move completely changes the strategic nature of

E{hAtssA

E

ffirffi ffirffir ffiffi ffirffi ffi ffi $rerffi ffi ffiAffiffiffi ffi ffi ffiffiaffiffi Affi" ffiA ffiAgS ffi ffigffiAffitr

..-

t.

d7-d5 e7-eG

6b1-c3

6s8-f6

EffiAffi effi

ffirffi

ffirerffi

ffiffi rffiffi ffiffir ffiffi ffiffiAffi * ffiffi ffiffi AffiS AffiA: ffi

ffiAffi

Here White often continues

with

4. 6g1-f3 instead

and this gives Black the opportunity to play

c7-c5

and enter the Tarrasch Defence with the knights already developed on f3 and f6. 218

will

it is dubious

after 4.495, as we

see later.

$ 5. e2-e3 White contents himself with having an extra tempo in a symmetrical position. 6b8-c6

5.

The move 5...a6!? is worthv of consideration. The idea is ...dxc4 followed bv ...b5 and ...s,b7, and to take on d5 with the parnm if White plays 6.cxd5.

6.

a2-a3l

Affi effi Effi -;1€r' ffirffi ffirre I Affiffi rffi ffi# hr ffiffiffi m aa ]ltF a-$ ffi jtre gxaffi #&T tdl *€^ rt ?s ffi *sa c*#F

of the immediate 4.495,

4.

Tarrasch the draw rate is much higher. Remember that the advance ...c7-c5 is possible in the diagram position; however,

1. d2-d4 2. c2-c4 3.

the game. This is because after cxdS, Black can take back with the knight and therefore avoid the isolated d5 pawn that characterises the Tarrasch proper. The game takes on a much more strategic nature and both colours run fewer risks: it is not surprising that the overall performance of the two sister defences are the same, however, in the Semi-

tr$**

+€F H2

ffis ffiAffi FI

Semi - Torras

Experience has taught us that this apparently unassuming move is the most insidious. The aim is to expand on the

queenside with dxc5, b+ and AbZ. 6.cxd5 transposes to Variation B after 6...4xd5, or to the Tarrasch proper after 5...exdS. a7-a6 6. The natural 5...9d6 loses a tempo, unlike in the main line. 6...cxd4 is the

principal alternative, after which White can play a promising Thrrasch with reversed colours by playing 7.exd4: after 7 ...4e7 , the move that offers the most

is 8.c5, which seeks to exploit the queenside pawn majority.

it is worth noting that this position is often reached via the Panov Attack against the

Caro-Karl!

7. d4xc5

L b2-b4

9f8xc5 Ac5-d6

ch Defence

EffiAggffi

ruf ffi .l,-:Ff tf {[tf gl]$rffi $t $A,:ii* 1:r'l fi*; i& * #

W ffi AA

ir*ai*$i A A.A

#s

aiilittr

5...exdS transposes to the Tarrasch, while 5...cxd4 (very reminiscent of the Schara-Hennig) is probably better than its reputation: 6.9a4*l AdZ Z.Wxd+ exdS 8.Axd5 Wa5+ 9.4c3 Ac6, with compensation which may not oblectively be sufficient, but in practice Black has scored well with this line.

81) 6. s2-s3

This is more natural than the playable

Giving a 'Cataian' quality to the game. The resulting positions are often

6...9a/.

reached through the English Opening.

9. Ac1-b2

0-0

10. 11.

Ac8-d7 Ea8-cB Ac6-e5!

Wdl-c2

Ea1-d'1

12.9j1-e2

6. 7. Af1-g2

6b8-c6 Af8-e7 After 7...4db4!?. the best would

seem

to be 8.e3 !.

8. 0-0 9. e2-e4

0-0

9.Axd5 exd5 takes us into a type of Tarrasch without knights on c3lf6: it is not so clear who stands better, but performance results favour Black. After l0.dxc5 Axc5 11.4g5, theory states that Black maintains equality with the strange move

1

1...9d71.

ad5-b6 most however, both The combative; 9...4db4!? and 9...4xc3 are possible. 10. d4-d5 l0.dxc5 has some venom, yet it is not the perfect choice if you play for a win. 9.

with a complex position with

chances

for both sides.

B)

5.

c4xd5

Af6xd5

219

-

Chess Opening Essenticls

10. 11.

... e4xd5

Volume

2

e6xd5

6c6-b4

Eia,.Eg E &i::', .*l ,,.i:,,tgf *f ,,:,'::,: fi ::* ,l *tl t* .

n

A ::,':..

,\ L/)

..

AA

tr ag

.

/\ . q)

:,':,,

9. Ac1-d2 10. Wdlxd2

A as

AAA

tr€

Ab4xd2+ 0-0

11. Afl-c4! Supporting a possible d4-d5. 11. ... 6b8-c6

After 11...ad7 12.0-0 b6

6d5xc3

has

an edge; Black is applying less pressure on White's centre compared to the

Griinfeld, and the possibility of d4-d5 and the creation of a dangerous passed pawn is always on the cards.

12.0-0 13. tra1-d1 14. trf1-e1

b2xc3

13.Ead1

AUz t+.Efel Ec8 15.Ab3, white

e2-e4

The most ambitious. 6. 7.

ous, but Black's resources should not be underestimated.

',.:..'

12. 6f3-e1! Ae7-f6 13. Acl-e3 Af6xc3 14. b2xc3 6b4xd5 15. Ae3xc5 Ef8-e8 16. gdl-d4 and White is slightly better off

BD 6.

9.9.c4 b5!? 10.Ae2 (the pawn cannor be taken because of the check on b5) 10...4b4+ l1.Ad2 Wa5 12.d5! exd5 13.exdS 6eZ 14.0-0 Axd2 15.6xd2 0-0, the d-pawn appears to be danger-

b7-b6

9c8-b7 Ac6-a5

Trying to prevent the pawn advancing to d5.

15. Ac4-d3 tra8-c8 16. d4-d5! e6xd5 17. e4-e5!

I A 7.

c5xd4

The b4-square needs to be vacated; after 7...Q)c6? 8.d5t. whire has a clear advantage.

8. c3xd4

9f8-b4+

The most common. Also 8...6c6 should be considered, lf for no other reason than Fischer olayed it! After zz0

17. 18.

...

6a5-c4

gd2-f4 With the idea of AxhT+ and Ag5+ White

has a dangerous attack.

Semi - Tarros

83) 6. e2-e3 The most solid.

;r{#,i{lri

E Egie

H rsi$i $*rrur

*

^t*rg*

.---: h.. ;,1-- ,1)

-A-t\ ,t*'t4)

A .A

A.5

€

fill

"

$ffa $ffe a#$ J\ ":ll: "." (4.

ffi€il;*

r$r ra

ffi

ffi* ffiia*

Ab8-c6

6.

ch Delence

,

"i

.....

;*

r

:--:.1

.:i

*:i; :.*ta '*r!l ii:it A,.. t4)

** :; &A

$

12. wd1-d3

.-r\.. A 'f\

tJAAl

12.4e5 Ac6!?. 12....

€W€A=.:rtr

g7-gG

The move 12...h6 is also playable.

7. gf1-d3

13.

After Botvinnik's 7.4c4, Black usually replies with 7...cxd4 8.exd4 Ae7, or otherwise with S...4b4, which produces positions that can be reached by

rvay of the Panov Attack and the Nimzo-Indian. 7. c5xd4 -\lso here, Black prefers to create a typical isolated queen's pawn position.

8. e3xd4

Af8-e7

The alternative 8...4b+ transposes to the PanovAttack in the Caro-Kann. 9. 0-0 0-0 '10.

10.a3

trfl-el

is also played a lot: 10...9f6

11.4e4 Waer r2.gd3

h6

t3.Ed1

Ad7, wlth a balanced posirion. 10.... Ae7-f6 The most natural: besides controlling e5, it vacates e7 for the knight. 11. Ad3-e4 ...

6c6-e7

Reinforces d5 and supplies further pro-

tection to the kingside. l2.Ags! Axg5 13.Axg5 White is slightly better.

Af6-g7

14. 15.

wd3-d2!? ad5-f6! tra1-d1!? Af6xe4

16.6c3xe4

E Eg E€ #rli' ffirHr

I* *ra

-t..i,i A ',.* & *lrtg#at*n, AA AAA =

a

:ii':trE

and White keeps a small but unpleasant advantage.

Rotlewi,Georg Rubinstein Akiba

Preparing Wd3.

11.

Ac1-h6

Black is cramped, and therefore it is appropriate to seek to exchange off the bishops.

If

11...9d6 t+.asl,

6fo

Lodz 1907

1.d4 d5 2.6ltge6 3.c4 c5 4.e3 6lc6 5.6c3 Af6 6.dxc5 AxcS 7.a3 a6 8.b4 gd6 9.9b2 (}-0 10.9d2 We7

11.9d3 dxc4 12.Axc4 b5 139d3 221

Chess Opening Essentiols

-

Volume

2

Edg 14.We2 gb7 15.0-0 Ae5 16.6xe5 Axe5 17.t4 A:c7 18.e4 EacS 19.e5 Ab6+ 20.sh1 4lg4 21.Ae4 Wh4 22.93 ExcS 23.gxh4 trd2 24.Wxd2 Axe4+ 25.992 Eh3 0'1

9xg6 36.€e5 €f7 37.€d6 b5 38.b4 €f6 39.g5+ hxg5 40.fxg5+ gxgS 41.€xe6 €f4 42.€d5 €e3 43.€c5 1-0

Spassky,Boris

Fischer,Robert

Zukertort,Johannes

Steinitz,wilhelm St Louis

Wch-match 1886 (7)

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.4c3 Af6 4.e3 c5

5.4f3 Ac6 6.a3 dxc4 7.Axc4 cxd4 8.exd4 Ae7 9.0-0 O-0 10.Ae3 Ad7 11.Wd3 Ec8 'l2.Eac1 Sa5 13.4a2 trfdg 14.trfe1 Ae8 15.4b1 g6 16.We2 Af8 l7.Eedl Ag7 18.Aa2 oie7 19.9d2 Wa6 20.As5 Afs 21.94 6xd4 22.Qsxd4 e5 23.6d5 Excl 24.Wxc1 exd4 25.trxd4 6xd5 26.trxd5 Exd5 27.Axd5 €e2 28.h3 30.We3 Wd1+ 31.€h2 Ac6 32.4e7 AeS+ 33.f4

Reykjavik Wch-match lg72 (g)

1.d4 af6 2.4 e6 3.4f3 d5 4.4c3 c5 5.cxd5 Q:xdl 6.e4 €rxc3 7.bxc3 cxd4 8.cxd4 AcG 9.4c4 b5 10.Adg ab4+ 11.ed2 axd2+ 12.wxd2 a6 13.a4 0-0 14.8c3 Ab7 15.axb5

axbS 16.0-0 gb6 17.trabl b4 18.9d2 6xd4 19.4xd4 Bxd4 20.trxb4 Wd7 21.9e3 trfd8 22.Htb1

9xd3 23.Wxd3 trxd3 24.trxb7 gE 25.trb8+ trxb8 26.trxb8+ €g7 27.f3 E'd228.h4 h6 29.hxg5 hxgS Vztlz

h6 29.4c4 gfg

axf4+ 34.Bxf4 Bh1+ 35.*g3 Wgl+ Goloschapov,Alexander

Golod,Vitali Germany Bundesiiga 2006/07 (8)

1.d4 Af6 2.c4 eG 3.4f3 d5 4.4c3 c5 5.cxd5 6xd5 6.93 cxd4 7.Axd5 Bxd5 8.Wxd4 gbs 9.e4 Wb4+ 10..Ad2 6cG 11.Wxb4 Axb4 12.8c1 axd2+ 13.€xd2 €e7 14.ab5 gd7 15.trc5 a6 16.AxcG AxcG 17.€e3 trhc8 l8.trhcl Ad7 19.trc7 €dg 20.Exc8+ trxc8 21.trxc8+ AxcS 22.&d4 t6 23.4d2 bG 24.6c4 &cl 25.e5 ad7 25.s4 ac6 27.6d6 €d7 28.f4 Ads 29.a3 hG 30.6e4 €e7 31.h4 fxe5+ 32.€xe5 Axe4 33.€xe4 €f6 34.h5 g5 35.hxg6 222

Krasenkow,Michal Lopez Martinez,Josep Manuel Spain

tt 2007 (s)

1.4f3 af6 2-c,4 eG 3.d4 d5 4.4c3 c5 5.cxd5 hxdS 6.e4 6xc3 7.bxc3 cxd4 8.cxd4 gb4+ 9.4d2 Axd2+ 10.Bxd2 0-O 11.4c4 bG 12.d5 6a6 13.dxe6 fxe6 14.€xd8 trxd8 15.€e2 19.9h4 trac8 20.trf4+ €g8 2t.Ae5 22.trc1 €xc4 23.trxc4 gd1 24.trd4 Eal 25.trd2 tre1+ 26.He2 trdl 27.t9 trcd8 28.trc2 tre1+ 29.He2 tredl 30.94 6d3 31.6xd3 tr8xd3+ 32.&t2 tr1d2 33.e5 Exe2+ 34.€xe2 tra3 35.Hc4 Exa2* 36.€e3 EaS 37.8c8+ 9h738.f4 trcS 39.tre8 Ec6 40.f5 exfS 41.gxfS b5 42.e6 trcl 43.€d4 Ee1 44.tra8 b4 45.Hxa7 Ed1+ 46.gc,4 Efl 47.e7 Ec1* 48.€b3trc849.fG 1-0

9a6

Semi - Torrqs

I,:hTftTH:1i 1.d4 d5 2.eA eG s.Afg

6f6 4.6c3 c5

ch Delence

9e7 8.0-0 0-0 9.a3 cxd4 10.exd4 9f6 11.tre1 Ad712.Ee4 trc8 13.h4 6ce7 14.4d2 gb6 15.trb1 afs 16.4e5 Axe5 17.dxe5 AcG

5.cxd5

18.Axd5 Axd5 19.9b4

8.exd4 Ae7 9.0-0 0-0 10.tre1 6f6 11.a3 a6 12.4g5 b5 13.9a2 Ab7 14.Wd3 b4 15.6a4 WaS 15.9xf6 Axf6 17.4c5 Wc7 18.tracl bxa3 19.bxa3 trfd8 20.4xe6 fxe6 21.Exe6 €hB 22.9b1 1-o

20.We2 trfe8 21.tre1 AcG 22.tr9a

Mamedyarov,shakhriyar PinterJozsef

,.oi%il T.iL'Z'"s.ars d5 4.6c3 c5 5.cxd5 4xd5 6.e3 6c6 7.9d3

gd7

23.Ac3 gG 24.h5

Wc7 EcdB

25.trc2 697 26.hxg6 fxg6 27.trd1

gf7

2s.Ad2 trds 29.Ag5 gbs

30.8e3 Wc7 31.9b3 Exe5

32.Wxa7 tre2 33.AfG Efg 34.sd4 6f5 35.Ac3 4lg7 36.9d4 Eexf2 37.Axe6+ ghg 38.gd6 BxdG 39.Exd6 trfl+ 40.€h2 9e8 41.g,b4 bS 42.a4 h5 43.axb5 €h7 44.b6 gf7 45.gxg7 *xg7 46.8d7 Hf6 47.trxt7+ EGxf748.Axf7 1-o

223

Chess Opening Essenticls

-

Volume

2

game that may not be to the taste of a conservative positional player. Even after 5.e3 the continuations can be tactically complex as we will see when we examine the Meran Variation; all of which explains the increasing popular-

ity of the

EAgEsA E f l '; r',: I fl

means

Semi-Slav as an effective for Black to play for the full

point.

Kasparor-'s patronage

Before we go further, we should examine the variarions in which Black delays the development of the king's knight.

3.

d7-d5 e7-e6

6b1-c3

For 3 .Af3 please consult page 3.

AEggAA ll ltl I I

After 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Lc3 Lfe +.LfZ c6 you have the starting position of the Semi-Slav. Naturally this is only one of

E

several move sequences that arrive at this position. The pawn moves ...e7-e6

224

17

0.

E

&

and...c7-c6 can be played in reverse or-

there the move ...dxc4 has the sole aim of developing the c8 bishop to f5. However, in the Semi-Slav if White does nor immediately play 5.e3, he runs the risk of not being able to take the c4 pawn, and he will have to play a double-edged

the

importance.

1. d2-d4 2. c2-c4

der either after or before . ..af 6. The Semi-Slav is characterised by the pawn triangle c6-d5-e6: like a Colle with reversed colours. However, here the aim is not to push the pawn to e5, which in general leaves Black with an inferior position; instead Black seeks to create queenside counterplay with ...dxc4. This also occurs in the Slav, but

of

defence has been of significant

q)

/\ANAAAA /\

tr

/\ /\ /\

21

gwgaatr

Black already 'threatens' to take on c4 and to then support the extra pawn with ...b5; this is not the case with the Slav. Here there is a pawn already on e6, and therefore Black has the resource of

...4U+. A solid White player, when with the diagram position, will be

faced

tempted to play 4.e2-e3.If Black replies

a...Og8 f6 we will probably see the Meran. However, Black has the extra option of +...f1-fStZ, producing a varia-

Semi-Slqv Defence

4. 5. 6c3xe4 6. Acl-d2

tion of the Dutch which is favourable because the

cl

bishop's path is blocked

by the e3 pawn. Needless to say, White can avoid risky play by simply exchanging pawns with 4.c4xd5 which, after 4...e6xd5, transposes to the Exchange Yariation of the Queen's Gambit Declined; however,

d5xe4

Af8-b4+

according to theory 6.Q\c3 c5 should give Black easy equality.

this may not be part of the white

6. 7. Ad2xb4

Wd8xd4

EaA w

AE

:Iif

player's normal repertoire.

Besides +.of3, which we will look at next, there is an increasingly popular alternative: the aggressive 4.e2-e4l?.

t,,,.

Wd4xe4+

::a::: l:l:,:,f

ll

:;.

',1t.,

t;l]::,,:

,,.,.l,,.'

rl f

AA g

&,€4.E,

,.,,,,:.:,,

rt. *

rrB :*llW€lAA.g

'.1,,1,.

AA

I .t I

It is scary to , '.:

tt:t, A .tr

'r ZIAA.

€.4fitr

Marshall-Alekhine Gambit

1. d2-d4 2. c2-c4 3. Ab1-c3 4. e2-e4

d7-d5 e7-e6 c7-c6

This move was frequently played by the

American champion Frank lv{arshall at the beginning of the 20th century, and then later by the Franco-Russian World Champion Alexander Alekhine. At first, it would appear to be the most natural of moves, but in reality we are dealing with a pawn sacrifice. The thing that is

surprising is that after a century of study we have not yet fully examined the many extreme consequences that arise as a result of this move.

AAA

create these dark-square

weaknesses, but a pawn is a pawn.

8.

Af1-e2 The consequences of 8.4e2 are still not fully understood: 8...6a6 (the most played) 9.Af8l? Ae7 (the bishop is immune from caDture due to checkmate

on dS) 10.4xg7, and now chess

after

or

10...hb41?, not even the engines agree on who is better.

10...trgS

L

Ab8-a6 The move 8...c5 is also occasionally played so as to tactically exploit the bishop's presence on c5 after 9.Axc5 Wxg2 10.4f3 Wgs 11.4d6 or 11.4a3, with an unclear game. Black's other alternatives, though not demonstrated to be unsound, are not played anymore.

9. gb4-d6 This is currently considered to be the critical line. 9.4c3 is a playable alternative, while after 9.4a5 b6 10.Wd6 gd7 I l.Ac3 f6, Black defends successfully.

9.

We4xg2 225

-

Chess Opening Essentiols

Volume

2

Ciearly risky but this appears to be good. The solid 9...e5 will see White

with the 11

advantage

after l0.Af3 Ag+

,0-0 0-0-0 12.b4!. 10. gd1-d2!

Preparing to castle queenside.

6g8-f6!

10....

The greedy 10...Wxh1? loses as there is

I I .0-0-0

(threatening

11...We4 12.4e7!1. 11. Ae2-f3

12.0-0-0

I Z.Af3 )

Wg2-g6 e6-e5!

If White takes on e5, Black will have given up a pawn in order to castle kingside. However, White can choose to maintain the tension and play:

13.691-e2

Ac8-e6

Noteboom Variation

4.

d5xc4

tempt to transpose into

gives Wh ite suffi ci ent compensation. Another possibility is to play in Catalan

6g1-f3

Here Black can reply with the normal

+...4f6. which we will discuss Otherwise. there is also

d5xc4!?

soon.

style with 5.g3, but also here after s...bs 5.492 gb7 7.0-o ad7, white still has to prove he has received enough compensation for the pawn.

gf8-b4

5.

AE

lr

fiAg&.,.,.A E l'''11:t.. 'i:.,4I I I E

ll

iltl:::.:,!

'f' A df

726

the

Anti-Meran line if Black plays 5...4f6. However, after 5...f6 followed by ...b5, it is not clear if the weakening of e6

d7-d5 e7-e6 c7-c6

Now we will examine

4.

solid 4.Wc2.

White usually stops ...b7-b5 with 5. a2-a4 The move 5.4g5!? is an interesting at-

could happen.

4.

satisfactory, which explains the popularity of the previously discussed Marshall Gambit +.e+. Another popular way of avoiding the Noteboom is 3.4f3 (instead of 3.2c3) followed by the

Let's return to

followed by ...0-0-0, and now anything

1. d2-d4 2. c2-c4 3. 6b1-c3

usually known as the Noteboom, but in some books it is called the Abrahams Yariation. Black tries to hang on to his extra pawn, or at least to create - as in the main line - two dangerous passed pawns on the a- and b-files. This is a risky strategy: the price is to concede the centre and compromise king safety. However, Black's results are more than

:.,, A A

a lt.

AATA :' a.l.'fl..-'i'

A, A.A.A A E AW€A.., E

Semi

The defining move of this variation: it prepares the defence of the c4 pawn

with the advance ...b5. 6. e2-e3 6.e4 appears to be natural, but the e-pawn may become weak. After 6...b5 7.Aez Afe s.Wcz Abz. white's results have been disappointing.

b7-b5

6.

7.

9c1-d2

Attacking b5.

a7-asl The old move 7...We7 is now a rarity; nevertheless. after 8.axb5 Axc3 9.Axc3 cxbs (threatening ...b4) 10.d5! af6! 11.d6! wUZ t2.B abdz 13.bxc4 b4 14.9d4 a5, Black's position seems 7.

12. b3xc4 b5-b4 13. Ac3xf6 Otherwise the d5 pawn will fall.

Wd8xf6 Not 13...gxf6?l 14.6d4 exd5 15.c5!, and White is ahead. 14. wdl-a4+ ab8-d7 15. af3-d4 e6-e5 The courageous 15...€e7 16.d6+ €xd6 17.trd1 is perhaps playable, but few players would feel comfortable with their king so exposed to attack. 16. ad4-b3 €e8-e7! With the knight no longer pinned Black can finish development. 17. 9j1-e2 Eh8-c8 18.0-0 13....

promising.

8. a4xb5 9. Ad2xc3

-Slov Defence

g;* ;iti rl;* A$lriiiA r$r :i:. l;il} 'iti }C A.* t A it; *.':: ;i *3i Alilfir :ffi 1iit.,.1 i:itA A

Ab4xc3 c6xb5

Ir i;::

E

10. b2-b3 Winning back the pawn

as Black cannot play I 0...b4 without losing it. 10. ... Ac8-b7

..';.

,.,,,.

NE

;driil

.:

tr

Defending the a8 rook, and preparing the ...b5-b4 push: the central theme of the Noteboom.

A)

11.

d4-d5!?

6s8-f6

If ll...f6? l2.bxc4 b4 l3.Axb4!.

the

check on a4 wins back the piece now that c6 is nrotected.

As you can see, the position is very complex: the white pawn duo in the centre are a threat and the uncastled black king is out in the open and subject to attack, in particular after the push f2-f4. However, if Black survives the storm in the middlegame, his two passed queenside pawns - for the time being well blockaded by White - could prove to be a decisive factor; as supported by Black's satisfactory performance. Needless to say, with such a position there is a below-average draw rate. LL/

Chess Opening Essentiols

B)

-

Volume

2

3. 6b1-c3 4. 691-f3

11. b3xc4

fi B&'' 4'E' '. I l.l A',,. ,.:.. ,,1 ,' .:, .

IA/nAr\ A E

:: ..

t\

. .:.. :

Meran) or 5.4c1-g5 (Anti-Meran).

t4)

,-.'.:p$p

c7-c6

and we now have the diagram position at the beginning of this section. As we said, Black is planning ...dxc4, and nine times out of ten White continues with 5.e2-e3 (usually leading to the

:

i'1.,

Ag8-f6

'.':

However, before discussing those, we should take a glance at some minor lines worthy of mention.

g

Ac3-b2 gf1-d3 0-0

$

5.

12. Ag8-f6 13. ab8-d7 14. 0-0 15. Ef1-e1 Preparing the advance e3-e4 is the most

Usually played out of fear: White does not want a theoretically complex duel and simplifies

natural. After 15.4d2 (with the idea 1 6.f4), Black equalises with 1 5...e5 !.

With the c8 bishop's path blocked, it does not seem such a hot idea to play

15.

...

Af6-e4!

This scores very well (though the discovery of a remedy may be just around the corner). 1 5...Ee8, preparing the advance ...e6-e5, has few supporters now. 15...Wc7 16.e4 e5 17.c51 exd4 18.Ec1

Ae5 19.c6 gives White a promising initiative. 16.

Bd1-c2

f7-f5!

This move is definitely the product of

the contemporary approach to

the

game. Black remains unconcerned about the weak e6 pawn and puts his faith in his piece activity. For example, after 17.c5 Ac6 18.4c4 We7 19.9b3 €h8!, capturing on e6 is weak as there is 1 9...6cxe5!, and White has a plus.

Let's now return to the normal Semi-Slav wlth...hf6.

1. d2-d4

2. c2-c4 zz8

d7-d5 e7-eo

c4xd5

e6xd5!

5.

5...cxd5, and transpose to the SIav Exchange Yariation. After the e-pawn has

been taken we are in the Exchange Yariation of the Queen's Gambit Declined in which White can no longer play the line with Age2.

B) 5. gd1-b3

E|lAEsA I 1",' :,' |t

l I ra

.'

Wh

5.

1

AA2\ 2{

AA F? A

.H.5-

E

a.:,.,

6.,:..,

AAAA .firi g&

eF?

d5xc4

Black chooses to play actlvely, counting on taking advantage of the exposed

white queen.

Semi-Slov Def.ence

6. Wb3xc4 7. Wc4-d3

b7-b5

ter Oleg Romanishin.

The latest fashion. It is now often played

of the standard 7.9b3, which has allowed Black to score well after instead

7...abd7 8.495 c5!.

7. 8. e2-e4 9. 6c3-a4 10. b2-b3

Ab8-d7 b5-b4 Wd8-a5

9c8-b7

5.

*€1

b7-b6!?

ffi-€. gsffi

H

*ffir#r

hl;l -g* **rffii ** ! )A{ ::--€ '-1,

rffi

*g

re€#ffi

,\: K v\ s*#a* A 21, wag:*agsi ,S 0

6. 7.

e2-e4 b2-b3

,...' H

Ac8-a6 b6-b5!

Here Black should be fairly pleased.

D) 5.

g2-g3

EffiA#tsffi iffi rffi ffir#r ffirffi#rffi ffi

ffirffi ffi ffi#Affi ffi ffi ffi ffiaiffi ir -9{: l:"r- 11 :fi.

A -fJ

i;n

6. Afl-g2

Ab8-d7

Stopping Ae5.

b7-b5

Acl-g5!?

Instead of the usual 8.e4.

This defence of c4 is somewhat unnatural, but the idea is also to support e4.

K

on c4; however, here we are looking at a true gambit.

8.

c) s. gd1-d3

*r

5. d5xc4 In the Open Catalan (the line with an early ...dxc4) the knight is still on bl, and thus it is easy to win back the pawn

7. 0-0

and both sides have chances.

I E f&

A speciality of the Ukranian grandmas-

A -A-"

..rk

11

ffisffia# tr

8. 9. a2-a4

9c8-b7 Wd8-b6

After 9...b+ l0.he4!, the point of 8.4g5 becomes clear. 10. Af3-e5

Effi ffi@g* €:

a'*ffia#* r;ilF r ffirffira( sff r*sffiw affirffi *;*g$ffi

ffi $a* ffi ffiAffiAffi essffitrffi

Black is not only under pressure, but also behind in development. However, the extra pawn on the queenside gives

him excellent endgame prospects. As is so often the case with gambits, it is difficult, if not impossible, to objectively assess the amount of compensation that has been obtained; usually assertive claims - either for or against - are the result of a prejudiced evaluation. When we use inconclusive annotations such as unclear position, we are aware that we run the risk of frustrating readers who are looking for a more certain opinion. 229

Chess Opening Essentiols

-

Volume

2

However, often these non-committal diagram position was seen for decades, evaluations are the only appropriate but everybody played the natural comment, and they correspond nor 5...4b8-dZ or 5...4f8-eZ. only to the complexity of the position The connibution of the great Soviet in question, but also to rhe highly championwastoappreciatethepowerof complex nature of chess in general. 5. d5xc4!

Anti-Meran 5.4g5

1. d2-d4 2. c2-c4 3. 6b1-c3 4. 691-f3 5. €c1-95

d7-d5 e7-e6

698-f6 c7-co

In fact, this move had been played before by Stahlberg, Grunfeld and Euwe. However, it was only Botvinnik, in several games played in the 1940's and '50's, who made clear the continuation's potential for Black.

A mountain of theory has been created with the study of this move in recenr years. It is played with great frequency at all levels, and it produces positions that are among the most interesting

and

6. e2-e4

7. e4-e5 8. Ag5-h4 9. Af3xg5! 10. Ah4xg5 11. e5xf6

b7-b5 h7-ho g7-g5 h6xg5!

ab8-d7 Acg-b7

complicated in all opening theory. In particular with 5...dxc4 the scale and depth of analysis is such that we can do no more than make an introductory examination here. At this point, we musr make a brief digression to discuss the variation's no-

menclature. Recently it has become widespread to use the term Botvinnik System for all the positions that arise after 5.4g5. This is historically unjusti- If we now do a pawn counr, it is White fied. The Botvinnik System is a gambit who is a pawn up; rherefore... 5.Ag5 that is played by Black - not White! The does not sacrifice a pawn - it wins one! 230

Semi

The move 5.e2-e3, which usually leads

ro rhe Meran after 5...4bd7 6.4d3 dxc4, has always been the most popular

choice, and therefore

it is logical that

the move 5.4c1-g5 was usually labelled the Anti-Meran: the name which seems to be the most accurate. After 5.4c1-g5 Black can choose from two independent variations; ignoring 5...abdi, which after 6.e3 WaS transposes to the Cambridge Springs Defence, which we will look at later; and 5...4e7, which leads to a line of the

Orthodox Defence in which Black has prematurely played ...c7 -c6. Now White can achieve a good position with 6.e3 0-0 7 .Wc7t abdT 8.Edl. We will now discuss the two independent lines available to Black: 5...h7-h6 and 5...d5xc4.

D

6. Ag5xf6

-Slqv

Def ence

Wd8xf6

EAA EA

E

:tirr;*r ,,..ti.l*

l$

*li,tir,, Xf t; *

'1::,;:t'

AA

*: fi. ;141,r:l AA AAAA ili.i:ig

Al':iir:ltr

Black has the two bishops. In compensation, White has a slight space advantage and a small lead in development.

7.

e2-e3

The most natural. An interesting substi-

tute is to play 7.g3 in Catalan fashion, but Black equalises with 7...6d7 8.Agz dxc4 9.0-0 e5.

It may be worth considering 7.9b3, Moscow Variation 5...h6

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

d2-d4 c2-c4 6b1-c3 6g1-f3 Ac1-g5

d7-d5 e7-e6

698-f6 c7-c6 h7-ho

with the idea of advancing e2-e4 without having to worry about ...4b4+. 7. ab8-d7 gf1-d3 8. d5xc4 It is also possible to play 8...96 or 8...9d8. However. with rhe rwo bishops it is probably wiser to open up the position.

9. Ad3xc4

And now we have the critical question of what to do with the bishop: retreat it to h4 and sacrifice a pawn, or take on f6 and be left

with only one bishop?

g7-go

Better than 9...9d6, when the bishop would be subject to e4-e5. 231

Chess Opening Essentiols

10.0-0

-

Volume

2

n .:.'.€ E. la l

Af8-97

E

11. Wd1-c2 1

1.e4 e5 gives Black

a

satisfactory

I

game.

11. ... 0-0 Is White better or has Black equalised? The answer probably lies somewhere

.r:ti

n A a-lfl

between the two!

B)

lll

Igf A.i::w& A

/t\ UZ)

tr€A tr

With uncertain compensation for

EaAEsA E I l' I la I ll

IAA 6AA AA AAAA

is soon in the public eye. The associated each

trggE

new top-level tournament, in which the line almost inevitably appears. The the-

ory for 6.4h4 is still evolving and it will be well some time before it is fullv

9.

9...b+

examined. 6.

7. e2-e4

d5xc4! 97-95

the

pawn.

Mexico City. Any line played at this level

theory continues to grow with

E

i1 5A

6. Ag5-h4

Until a few years ago this was considered to be a gambit of dubious merit; nowadays, it is increasingly popular and well respected. Comment enough is that it was played a good 5 times (4 draws and I black victory) in the 2007 World Championship tournament in

.A

1

1

.Ae5

is too risky: !

Afe

Ac8-b7 10.Q)a4 6xe4

t Z.AcS ! is too risky.

10. 0-0!

7...b5 8.e5 transposes to the Botvinnik Variation. 8. b7-b5

At the time of writing, this move has clearly overtaken the old main line

Here we see a real parnm sacrifice: White puts his faith in his nice centre

but the line 10...g4 11.4e5 h5 12.0-0 abdT 13.Wc2 Axe5 14.Axe5 Ag7 1 5.Ead 1 is yet to be fully explored. 10.... ab8-d7 11. 6f3-e5! Clearing the way for the f2 parnm and increasing control of the ga- and

Aha-93

and the effectiveness of oavm breaks on d5 and h4.

L Afl-e2 The number one choice. However, the immediate 9.6e5 is a very interesting second choice: 9...9'b7 (9...h5!? 10.h4 94 1 1.4e2 AUZ transposes to the 10.h4line in the following note) 10.h4 94 rl.Axg4! Axg4 12.Wxg4 Wxd4

l5.gcll. 237

10.h4, which has lost a lot of its appeal,

h5-squares.

1. ... Af8-g7 The ambitious 11...h5 is also a popular 1

choice: after 12.6xd7 WxdT 13.4e5 Ehe t+.Wct, we have a critical position;

Semi

it is not easy to say which of Black's possible replies is best: 1a...trg6, 1+...69+, 1+...4}.7 or 14...c5.

12.6e5xd7

14. trf1-e1!

In anticipation of the e-file opening. It is difficult to say to what extent White's initiative compensates for the pawn.

E *s. ;a#affir

E"

Botvinnik System 5...dxc4

ffirffirffi rwg*t t

1. d2-d4 2. c2-c4 3. 6b1-c3 4. 691-f3 5. Acl-95

KTffiAffi ffi a::"9 A.A' j'AAA*

d7-d5 e7-e6

698-f6 c7-c6

d5xc4

Black shows his intention of supporting the pawn with ...b5. Now White's most logical move is

ffisffitrf$

From a positional point of view, the most appropriate move. However, recently some top players have experimented with the extraordinary 12.Q)xf7 l?: after 1 2...&xf7 1 3 .e5 Ad5 14.8)e4 €e7 1s.ad6 WUo t6.A94, at {irst glance it would seem that White has not obtained enough compensation for the piece, but in fact he has. 12.... 6f6xd7 If the queen recaptures, White continues with e5 and Ae4, with a good ini-

6.

e2-e4

which attacks c4 and threatens e4-e5.

ETiAffi€' s.

I t,,"- r*, ;:

r- -Xr ;' --.$'l.'" ra' .-'-" ... illt

"'

,.,_""1.4.

Kffi# Affiffi

ffi

13. As3-d6 Stopping Black from castling. 13.... a7-aG In preparation for a future ...c6-c5

E# ge ffi€ ffiEffiAffi r# rffir# r ffi$rn

$6rw ffi $ **rffia ffiffi !is* **ffis* Affi #sA ffiAffi HH1 g.$a

.

:

,u.uit*

A *!i*

q..-'.

ffi'a

ffisffi "e- :-::

6. 7. e4-e5

tiative.

ffi$wffi

-Slov Defence

b7-b5

7 .a4l? is an interesting alternative that has litde theory attached to it. After 7...9b6 or 7...Abl rhe positions are

too complex to be evaluated easily. 7.

L Ag5-h4 9.

h7-h6 s7-s5

hf3xg5

This pseudo-piece sacrifice is the strongest move. Now and then the gambit

9.exf6 pops up: 9...gxh4 10.4e5 (threatening | 1.6xf7) 1 0...Wxf6 1.a4 (1 1.g31?) 1 1...c5! 12.6)94!? We7 I 3.dxc5 AbZ, with an unclear game. 1

233

Chess Opening Essentiols

9.

-

Volume

2

h6xg5

The exchange sacrifice g...6dS is intriguing, but probably unsound. However, with lines as complex as this one improvements are always possible. After

1o.Q)xf7t Wxh4! 11.Axh8 gb4

1

2.Ec

I c5

I 3 .dxc5l

ad7

1...b4 is brilliant-looking but dubious: 12.Q\e4 6xe4! (now we see the idea) 13.Axd8 €xd8 (three pieces for the queen is not bad, but here they are badly coordinated) 1+.9.92 f5 15.f3! Ag5 16.Wcl, with a clear advantage for White. 12. h2-h4l l2.Axf6 does not create any great problems for Black, whereas the paraioxical move 1 Z.9]h+l? is worth a look. Eg8xg5! 12.... 1

I

a.Ae2

Axes 15.0-o AAI 16.4h5+

&e7

17.We2!, the threat of 18.Bxe5 and fork on 96 gives White a clear Plus.

a

10. Ah4xg5

White wins back the Piece. 10.... 10...4e7 is probably better than its reputation would suggest: 11.exf6 Axf6

2.Axf6 Wxf6 13.g3 gb7 la.Ag2 Q)a6 15.Ae4l (15.4xb5 0-0-0 gives I

Black sufficient counterplay) 1 5...We7 16.0-0 0-0-0 17.a4, and Black's king

The idea behind the previous move.

13.

h4xg5

seems to be the one that is more exposed; nonetheless, over the board anything could happen.

A)

11. g2-g3 i

with

B)

Lilienthal's move: White is in no hurry to wln back the piece, and instead immediately prepares to put the bishop on the best diagonal. Usually the game transposes to Variation B, but there are also a couple of possible alternative moves' 1

234

1.

...

trh8-98!

af6'd5

Black has two minor Pieces for the rook, but White still has the initiative' f7xg6 14. g5-g6! 15. gd1-s4 wd8-e7! 16. Af1'g2! €e8-d8!?

ir-

an unclear game.

11. e5xf6

Semi-Slav Defence

Ac8-b7 The variations with ...Wa5 (played either here or on the following move) rvere popular in the 1980's. Now they are out of fashion as it is open to debate if White enjoys an advantage after 11...WaS 12.g3t Aa6!? l3.gf3! b4 11.

...

-a

14.8)e4.

12. g2-g3l -{s always, the best option is to develop the bishop to 92.

12....

c6-c5

12...9b6 l3.agZ 0-o-o l4.o-o gh6!? (1a...6e5 15.dxe5! has proved to be good for White; 14...c5 15.d5 leads into the main line) l5.Axh6 Exh6 16.b3! appears to be promising for

According to recent analysis, the provocative 13...4xf6 seems to be play-

able: la.Ag2 Ae7 15.0-0 6xd5 A -Agxe/ t. '.I b.HXe/

White. 13. d4-d5

With a position that is difficult to assess.

14.9t1-g2 0-0

0-0-0 b5-b4 Having finished development, Black tries to win the d5 pawn. 16.6c3-a4 Uhlmann's curious move 16.8b1!? is also often played. After 16...Wa6! (taking on c3 is suicide) 17.dxe6! Axg2 18.e7, we have a position that has been played many times. Yet no clear verdict on who stands better has been reached. White has scored quite well; however, the feeling is that Black should be able to hold his own with correct play. 16. ... wb6-b5! On 16...Wa6 the queen encourages the opening of the a-file after 17.a3!; also, 15.

gd8-b5 13.... The most natural: it defends b5 and e6 as well as preparing to castle queenside. Among the alternatives, 13...b4? is no good: 14.dxe6! AxhT 15.Axc4 615 16.exf7+ axJT L7.A,bs+; after 13...ab6, Polugaevsky's important idea 1 4.dxe6! gives White a plus.

The popular 13...4h6 14.Axh6 Exh6

15.9d2 Wxf6 t6.0-0-0 €fsl (anticipating Aea-d6+) produces unclear play.

235

Chess Opening Essenticls

-

Volume

2

16...9d6 17.dxe6l Wxe6 18.Ee1 Ae5 produces a complex position that detailed analysis has shown to clearly favourWhite. 17. a2-a3

with the determined idea of maintaining control of the d4-square at all costs: 19.Axb7+ €xb7 20.hca (20.4f41?) dxc3 2l.Wd5+ €be zz.Af+ (and now

how do you handle the threat of 23.Eas?) 22...Eh5!! 23.Wxh5 cxb2, and the experts are still unsure as to who stands better!

19.995-e3 With the simple threat of 20.4xa7. 19. ... 2,d7-c5 20. Wd1-94+ trd8-d7 20...€b8? does not work because of

2l.gd4l; the other king 20

It seems logical to open the a-file, even at the cost of losing the d5 pawn.

If

Axg2 18.€xg2 Wc6+ 19.f3 Wxe6, and the more exposed king of 17.dxe6

the two is White's.

17.

e6xd5

...

The following two variations are no Ionger played very often: 17...6e5 18.axb4 cxb4 19.Wd4 Ac6 20.dxc6l and 17...6b8 18.axb4 cxb4 19.9d4 Ac6 20.dxc6l. Both lines lead to the

..

.&c7

l? is

move, not such a hot idea either.

ln

1996 Ivanchuk stunned the chess world with the extraordinary queen sacrifice 2 1 .Bg7ll? AxgT 22.fxg7 Eg8 23.6xc5. In exchange for the queen White gets two pieces and a lasting initiative. However, later came the discovery 23...Exg7! (at first this was thought to be bad) 24.6xd7 WxdT 25.Exa7.

same favourable position for White.

18. a3xb4 c5xb4 In a game as inexhaustibly rich as chess, new resources are always there waiting to be discovered: recently we have seen 18...d4!?

gg 'E

I.lg "'.t6 ;::],,

..,gl

l:

:]:1r:,.

e':,,.:a ll

it

,:,,,,

.E,.

E 236

This leads to a balanced position, and the initial enthusiasm for the queen sacrifice quickly began to wane. Therefore

tt.t",,

'.W

is probably best for White to try and build on his small advantage - presuming there is one - with: 21.6a4xc5 Af8xc5 22. Ae3xc5 Wb5xc5

Semi-Slcv Delence

path of the cl bishop. White is counting on the fact that Black's passive pawn structure will allow him calmly to pre-

23. trf1-e1

iH ffieg t,r** E#E*S - g*!

*sgr# #*

!-+

ffirs*l :i** :*

iil

$

pare to advance the parnrn to e4.

The most flexible: 5...a6 is another in-

teresting move, sometimes knovr.n

.": Uff,,,-: e,;,

'--"#-'''32

the Godena Variation. to which

e;

most thematic reply is 6.c5

ffiA#s ffiffi I H; -:.: 11-

-H-:

.+'r

.H

It is not a simple task to weigh up this position. White has an initiative and a menacing passed pawn on the h-file. But also Black's d-pawn could become threat.

E#ffiAA*e

:I,; RI

'i#

ffi ffirffi

c7-c6

E

w ffirffiffi*g *#a#5

ee' ffi a$affi a ''A- .,-. -){2\ -n. q

-d, )q

ffigffiAffitr

Indirectly defending the c4 pawn, but with the drawback of obstructing the

9c2

Wd1-c2

Ag8-f6

tr# #rtr #r#riffi tr

The Anti-Meran Variation

ffirffii*affi rffi I

EffrABsA

'Y.t---

another attempt to avoid the Meran:

d7-d5 e7-e6

Remember that both Ac3lhf3 and ...e6/...c6 can be played in reverse order. Now the move 5. e2-e3

2