Transpo tricks in chess: finesse your chess moves and win

Transpo Tricks in Chess Finesse your Chess Moves and Win

Andrew Soltis

BATSFORD

First published in the United Kingdom in 2007 by Batsford 10 Southcombe Street London Wl4 ORA An imprint of Anova Books Company Ltd Copyright © Batsford 2007 Text copyright © Andrew Soltis The moral right of the author has been asserted. All rights reserved. No part ofthis publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner. ISBN 9780713490510 A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. 15 1413 1211 10 09 08 07 10987654321 Reproduction by Spectrum Colour Ltd, Ipswich Printed and bound by Creative Print & Design, Ebbw Vale, Wales This book can be ordered direct from the publisher at the website www.anovabooks.com. or try your local bookshop. Distributed in the United States and Canada by Sterling Publishing Co., 387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016, USA

Contents

Page

Introduction

5

Chapter One:

Double KP Openings

14

Chapter Two:

Ruy Lopez

34

Chapter Three: Sicilian Defense

54

Chapter Four: Semi-Open Games

94

Chapter Five:

Double QP Openings

120

Chapter Six:

Indians

153

Chapter Seven: Dutch Defense and Flank Openings

191

Index of Opening Variations

213

3

4

Introduction

Openings have become so complex and convoluted that we've forgotten our basic goal in them. The reason we pick, say, 1 e4 over 1 d4 - or 11 h3 rather than 11 .te3, for that matter - is simply to reach a middlegame we want to play. Unfortunately, our opponents are making choices too, in order to reach the middlegame they want to play. It's rarely the same

In 99 of 100 games Black continues 5... ttJd6 or 5... .te7 and life goes on.

middlegame.

But lurking in the warren of footnotes of 'book' is 5... a6!? It's How do you get the one you usually followed by the comment want? Unfair as it may be, you can't 'If 6 .ta4, then 6... b5 7 .tb3 d5 rely on your legendary positional transposes to the Open Defense. ' skill, your better-than-Fritz calculating ability or your iridescent personal charm. What you can use is trickery - the trickery of transposition.

Since it's a footnote we take little notice. After all, 5 ... a6 'just transposes.' That tells us it doesn't really matter because it only leads to some other opening, something irrelevant on that page.

Consider this opening: 1 e4 e5 2 ttJO ttJc6 3 .tb5 ttJf6 4 0-0 ttJxe4 5 d4, the main line of the Ruy Lopez's Berlin Defense.

But 5... a6 has been a valuable weapon for players from Paul Morphy to Vasily Ivanchuk. Its power lies in how it gets Black 5

Introduction

where he wants to go - to the Open Defense - and avoids what he wants to avoid - the Exchange Variation (3 ... a6 4 .txc6).

We don't judge transpositions by the same standard as we do other moves. An original opening idea, a TN as they're called, is evaluated by the new position it creates. But a Finesses like that are rarely transposition by definition reaches appreciated except when they make an old position, as 5 a3! brilliantly new 'book'. That was the case in did. Instead, you should judge it by Botvinnik-Capablanca, A.Y.R.O. its effects, especially: 1938, an instantly famous game that How it degrades your opponent s began 1 d4 ttJf6 2 c4 e6 3 ttJc3 .tb4 choices or improves your own 4 e3 dS. A basic strategy in any opening is to increase the options at your disposal. Take this familiar position.

White's S a3 .txc3+ 6 bxc3 seems obvious today. But in 1938 it was a masterstroke. 'The idea of the move is typically modem - to transpose into a favorable variation which would not be reached in any normal manner,' Reuben Fine wrote.

This is a 'tabia,' that is, a standard starting point in a major opening. In this case it's a tabia that has served as the launching pad for thousands of Dragon Sicilians, which often continue 10 ... ttJe5 and .. J:tc8/ ... ttJc4.

In truth, there is a normal manner, the discredited 4 a3 .txc3+ But in a 1997 game, Anand5 bxc3 d5?!, which allows White to rid himself of a doubled pawn. Ki.Georgiev, Black tried 10... Botvinnik used 5 a3! to trick ttJaS!? White quickly appreciated Capablanca into that favorable the difference: After the natural 11 .tb3 Black could transpose into version of 4 a3. 6

Introduction

more familiar lines with 11..J1c8 slow moves often prove fatal, as in and 12 ...tbc4 13 i.xc4 l:hc4. But this case: 10 ... tba5 gives Black an extra option, ... tbxb3+, that he may employ depending on White's next few moves. In other words, Black gets to choose whether he wants to transpose with ...tbc4 or not. Instead of trying to figure out how dangerous ... tbxb3+ would be White made a practical choice, 11 i.e2!. This is a counter-finesse. It takes away Black's extra option 13 g4! bS 14 h4 e6 1S a3 hS and leaves the knight with nothing 16 i.gS hxg417 hS! gxhS 18l:1xhS better to do than go to c4. l:1cS 19 fxg4 l:1xc3 20 i.xf6 'iixf6 This had a bonus effect because a 21 'ifxc3 tbc4 22 i.xc4 bxc4 move order finesse can also be 23 'ifxc4 and White won. judged by: This shows how transpositions How it unnerves or confuses your play tricks not just with move order opponent but with your opponent's equanimObjectively, 11 i.e2 is no better ity. When he realizes he is being than 11 i.b3. But psychologically dragged into your middle-game, he it was a potent blow - and may lose the nonnal composure that transpositions typically have players enjoy in the opening, when greater psychological power than they confidently rattle off the first 15 moves. Players who lose their objective strength. confidence make mistakes. After 11 .. J1c8 12 ~b1 Black couldn't bring himself to play the Let's go back to 1 e4 eS 2 tbfJ best move, 12 ... tbc4, because it tbc63 i.bS tbf6 4 0-0 tbxe4 S d4 would create the middlegame White a6. Giovanni Vescovi was rated No. wanted to play. Black had more or 60 in the world when he first saw less decided, when he passed up that position from the White side, in 10 ... ~e5, that he didn't want that 2005. He decided not to be tricked middlegame. into the Open Defense. So he chose a very different policy, 12... a6? In the Dragon such

But that meant choosing 6 i.xc6?!, which turned out to be a 7

Introduction

prelude to a worse idea, 6... dxc6 7 'Yi'e2 .ltf5 8 g4? .ltg6 9 h4.

Anand began calculating furiously, trying to find out what was wrong with White's move. But there's nothing wrong with it. It's Black could have refuted that just unfamiliar. After spending two with 9...'Yi'd7! 10 ~xe5 'Yi'xd4, as of his precious five minutes, he Johannes Zukertort played way played 4... d6 5 ~f3 d5 and reached back at London 1883 (!). a book position. Vescovi spent 40 minutes to find This was a case of a move whose that dubious line. That leads to a major benefit was simply to give another criterion of a transposition. the other player something to think It can be measured by: about. Typically, these moves do not reduce his options. Rather they increase them, giving him more to consider.

How it gets your opponent to think The real battle of the opening begins when you can force your opponent out of his book knowledge. Only then does he risk making errors and spending costly minutes.

There really isn't much value, for example, to 1 d4 c6 and then 2 c4 d5 compared with the normal route, 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6. But this order, employed by Anatoly Karpov among others, gets White debating with himself over whether he knows more about the Caro-Kann (2 e4) than the Slav. Or what he would do about 2 c4 b5!? A strange move order can do that.

That was case when Vishy Anand was Black in a speed playoff game at a big-bucks event in 1994. In the Petroff Defense, 1 e4 e5 2 ~f3 ~f6 3 d4 ~xe4, his opponent failed to play 4 .ltd3, the move considered virtually automatic. He played 4 ~xe5!? instead.

A 'something to think about' move can cost your opponent more 8

Introduction

And there's a fourth way of evaluating a crafty transposition, by:

than minutes. It can prompt a bad decision. The most drastic recent example of that befell Vladimir Kramnik in what was then the most important game of his life, the final game of a 1994 Candidates match.

How it preserves your mental health

We all have to deal with an everHis opponent, Boris Gelfand, expanding amount of book analysis. opened with 1 c4 and there Almost as bad as trying to followed 1..• c5 2 liJc3 liJf6 3 g3. memorize all that at home is trying This pOSItIOn had occured to remember it at the board. This gazillions of times before - but can be maddening. never to Kramnik. As routine as We'd love to cut down the 3 g3 was, it confused him. He amount of book we need to know replied 3... d5 4 cxd5 liJxd5 and and still reach the middlegames we then on 5 .i.g2 like. The best ways to save our midnight oil - and our sanity - is through transpositions. Consider the main line of the Winawer French, 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 liJc3 .i.b4 4 e5 .

... he played 5... e6?? 'almost without thinking,' according to his opponent. Kramnik was assuming he would transpose, after 6 liJf3 liJc6, to another tabia that is quite good for Black.

The familiar path is 4 ... c5 and then 5 a3 .i.xc3+ 6 bxc3 liJe7. But But 6 liJxd5! cxd5 7 'ii'b3 won a White has numerous sidelines such pawn (7 ... c4 8 'iib5+), the game and as 5 dxc5, 5 .i.d2, 5 'iVg4 and 5liJf3. the match. The confusing effect of Theory regards these as not quite as 3 g3 set back Kramnik's world good as 5 a3. But in practice they championship aspirations for are dangerous to an ill-prepared Black. several years. 9

Introduction

Rather than spend hours studying them. Black can play 4...liJe7!. This used to be purely a prelude to 5 a3 i.xc3+ 6 bxc3 b6. But Wolfgang Uhlmann showed that 6... c5! was a simple transposition to the 4 ... c5 main line. Black gets the benefits of the normal move order without having to agonize over the 4 ... c5 sidelines. It's the 'mental hygiene' move order. Every transpositional trick has to be judged by a balance sheet: What are the benefits? What are the drawbacks? Which order counts more? Some, like 4 ... liJe7, may have more plusses than minuses. Other's like Kramnik's 5... e6?? are disastrous.

This is another book POSItIon from the Keres Attack - but White has lost a move because he spent two tempi to get his h-pawn to h4. A lost tempo should make a huge difference. But what mattered most was Black's unfamiliarity with Kereslike positions. After 9...liJde5?! 10 i.e3 b5?! she was worse and after 11 liJxc6 liJxc6 12 'ifd2 i.b7 13 f4 ~c7 14 'ifflliJb8 15 a3liJd7 16 f5 liJe5? 17 fxe6 fxe6 18 i.h3 she was lost. White's objectively bad 8 g5? worked brilliantly as a transposition. It was really 8 g5!.

But the vast majority are somewhere in between. The bottom line is not whether they give you a superior position but whether it's a position you want to play. Ideally, it's also one your opponent wants to avoid.

'IT JUST TRANSPOSES'

Consider 1 e4 c5 2 liJf3 liJc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 liJxd4 liJf6 5 liJc3 d6 and now 6 h3 e6 7 g4. This transposes into a conservative version of the Keres Attack, in which White relies on a slow buildup with i.g2, rather than g4-g5.

Some opening positions can come about from two, three or more logical orders. Books - and even experienced players - tend to dismiss an alternative route because 'it just transposes'. But each route is likely to have benefits and liabilities that a shrewd transposer knows to evaluate. Take this

However, Andreikin-Kosteniuk, Tomsk 2006 went 7... a6 8 g5liJd7 9 h4.

10

Introduction

position from the Taimanov Sicilian. It's White's move and when it was analyzed, by Mark Taimanov, in the 1972 edition of ECO he claimed Black wins.

realizes Black isn't going to allow 10 e5. So he'll be aware that Black is planning to transpose, with 9....tc5! to the diagram, and may look instead for alternatives such as 9 h3. The third route, S....te7!?, is the most deceptive. An experienced Sicilian player in White's chair would recognize that the thematic move is 9 f4. He would see that the naturaI9 ... d6 transposes into a book Scheveningen. So he'll play 9 f4 allowing Black to reply 9 ... .tc5 and get where he wanted to go. Of the three, 8... .te7 may be Black's best route to the diagram.

In fact, White has a good reply, 10 .!Df5!. The critical line is 10....!De7!, which forces 11 .!Dxg7+ ~f8 12 .txc5 'i'xc5+ 13 ~h1 ~xg714 e5.

THE LURE OF THE FAMILIAR

Whether this is sound is in There are players, like Uhlmann, dispute and that means both White Lajos Portisch and Mihai Suba, and Black may be interested in who used finesses of move order reaching the diagram. There are solely to reach the middlegame they three quite reasonable routes to it. want. There are others, like Bent One is 1 e4 c5 2 .!Df3 e6 3 d4 Larsen, who also use them as cxd4 4 .!Dxd4 .!Dc6 5 .!Dc3 'i'c7 'confuse-moves' to pose puzzles or 6 .te3 a6 7 .td3 .!Df6 S 0-0 and to get their opponents to think. And now S....tb4 9 f4 .tc5. But if Black then there are tricksters. seeks the diagram this order is The trickster looks for the crafty seriously flawed: White has a way to reach the middlegame he strong alternative in 9 .!Dxc6! and wants. He knows, for example, that 10.!Da4. when opponents are confronted with an unfamiliar move, they are strongly, even irrationally, tempted to look for a way to reach a recognizable position.

The second route is forcing. Black attacks the h-pawn with S....td6. White's instinct is to meet the threat with a threat, 9 f4. But he 11

Introduction

Laszlo Szabo fell victim to that temptation in the 1953 candidates tournament when his game with Paul Keres began 1 d4 d5 2 ttJf3 ttJf6 3 c4 dxc4 and then 4 ttJc3 and 4••• a6.

2 ttJf3. He knows that books recommend 2 d4!. But about half of all 1 e4 ttJc6 games continue 2 ttJf3 because White wants to transpose to the familiar (2 ... e5). Similarly, when a 1 d4 player faces 1...d5 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 c4 e5?!, he is likely to transpose into the Albin Counter Gambit, 4 dxe5?! even though he suspects 4 ttJxe5! is better. The trickster exploits that foible of human nature. The rest of us have to be willing to punish him for taking such liberties. For example, 1 e4 c5 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ttJxd4 ttJf6 5 ttJc3 g6.

That was unfamiliar to him. But he remembered getting a very good game once with 4 'ifa4+ ttJbd7 5 ttJc3 a6. After studying the position for a while he played 5 'ifa4+, seeing that 5... ttJbd7 would transpose. A stunned Keres took 15 minutes to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Then he played 5... b5! and won easily (6 ttJxb5? Jid7). A much more common, and less painful, error occurs when a good player takes the easy way out of an unfamiliar position and transposes to a recognizable one. He may do this even if he suspects - or knows for certain - that he is playing an inferior move.

This order gives Black all the tactical benefits of an Accelerated Modem Dragon without allowing the Maroczy Bind as the Accelerated does. But there is a big minus 6 ttJxc6 sentences Black to either a dubious middlegame (6 ... bxc6 7 e5) or a no-fun endgame (6 ... dxc6 7 'ifxd8+).

You've seen this happen when a 1 e4 player meets 1...ttJc6 with 12

Introduction

Nevertheless the trickster will weigh the risk of being squeezed to death in a Maroczy Bind against the risk of White playing 6 tiJxc6!. The odds are on his side. A database check finds White played 6 tiJxc6! less than a third (327 of 1,000 games) of the time. Even superGMs like Bobby Fischer and Mikhail Tal played the inferior 6 i.e3 to return to a position they knew.

Examples like that should tell you to beware those words 'it just transposes.' There is usually a plus, a minus, an extra option to consider. If you don't, you are allowing your opponent to control the direction of the opening. And the price may be ending up in the middlegame he wants.

13

Chapter One: Double KP Openings Trickery begins with the oldest openings, like the King's Gambit Accepted. Today's theory says the KGA (1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3ltJf3) is no longer dangerous because of 3... d5 and then 4 exd5 ltJf6 with equal chances.

Breyer Gambit, 1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 'fif3 d5 4 exd5. But the Breyer is harmless and Black can even try the sacrificial 4 ... ltJf6 5 J.b5+ c6!?, recommended by Yacov Estrin. This order can upset a Bishop's Gambiteer. There are few 1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 .tc4 players who are comfortable in KGA positions, which they would reach by playing 4 ltJf3 in the diagram.

If that makes Black happy, he should consider the 'something to think about' order of 1 e4 e5 2 f4 d5 3 exd5 exf4!?, as played by Anatoly Karpov and Artur Yusupov.

So they'll look at 4 J.c4 and realize it transposes into an ugly Bishop's Gambit - 1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 J.c4 and then 3... d5 4 exd5 rather than the recommended 4 J.xd5. That's a psychological trap because White doesn't really stand badly after 4 exd5!? ltJf6 5 lLlc3 and then 5... c6 6 d4. He has simply transposed into the main line of the normal Bishop's Gambit, that is 1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 J.c4 ltJf6 4 ltJc3 c6 5 d4 d5 6 exd5. But it takes a lot of clock time to figure that out over the board.

What is there to think about? Well, for starters, White wonders whether he should head into the book line with 4 ltJt3 ltJf6 or try 4 'ift3, which transposes into the

14

Double KP Openings

If Black doesn't like the ... d5 KGA or wants more than equality he can aim for this:

The natural 4... g5 falls into a trap because 5 h4 transposes into a better-than-usual version of Allgaier Gambit (5 ... g4 6 liJg5 h6 It's a tabia that's been studied 7 liJxf7 'l;xf7, rather than 6... f6 since the 1860s and today is 7 liJh3 gxh3 8 'ii'h5+). regarded as excellent for Black In contrast with the normal (8 g3 i.h3! 9 :f2 liJf6! or 9 gxf4 Allgaier, 1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 liJf3 g5 'i'd7! 10 :f2liJf6). 4 h4 g4 5 liJg5?! h6 6 liJxf7 'l;xf7 But Black can't force his way to 7 i.c4+ d5!, White has an extra it from the traditional 1 e4 e5 2 f4 move, liJc3, which is better than exf4 3 liJf3 order. He needs to use Black's extra ... d6?!. misdirection. Viktor Korchnoi claimed that 4... h6! favors Black in the diagram. It may be his best but after 5 d4 g5 6 g3! we've reached a position that often occurs in KGA lines and the evaluation is at best fuzzy.

Bobby Fischer's try was 3... d6 and then 4 i.c4 h6! 5 d4 g5 6 0-0 i.g7 7 c3 liJc6 reaches the tabia.

The problem with 3... d6 is that 4 d4 threatens 5 i.xf4 before Black For example, 6... fxg3 7 hxg3 can put his kings ide house in order i.g7 8 i.c4 and 8... i.g4 9:f1 'i'd7 with both ... g5 and ... h6. His best is 10 'iVd3, Gallagher-Jurgens, Bad 4... g5 5 h4 g4 after which 6 liJg5? Worishofen 1994. Remember the f6! is unsound but 6 liJgl leads to 6 g3 position. We'll see it again. double-edged play. Black can try to improve on the There is no objectively better Fischer defense with the neglected move than 4 d4. But there is a more 3.•. h6, again seeking that good-forconfusing one, 4liJc3!? Black tabia. This can confuse White 15

Double KP Openings

unless he knows that 4 d4 gS and S ttJc3! d6 6 g3! reaches the fuzzy line.

BISHOP'S GAMBIT If your opponent is a Bishop's Gambiteer, you have good reason to fear he's better prepared than you, a lot better. The careful transposer will answer 1 e4 e5 2 f4 exf4 3 .tc4 with the forgotten favorite of Mikhail Tchigorin, 3... ttJc6.

That leaves us with 3•.• g5. The Romantic-era continuation was 4 .tc4 g4 but 4••.ttJc6! clears a path to the tabia.

Black invites S 0-0 .tg7 6 d4 h6 and so on. Once White plays 4 .tc4 he can't insert h2-h4 effectively because S h4? g4! 6 ttJgS boomerangs badly after 6... ttJeS! 7 .tb3 h6 8 d4 hxgS 9 dxeS .tg7.

Black can then meet the natural 4 ttJf3 with 4•.. g5!, reaching that good form of the KGA that we considered in 3 ttJO gS 4 .tc4 ttJc6!. This is a psychological plus because, as noted before, Bishop's Gambiteers are often uneasy in a KGA.

The best answer to 3 ... gS is supposed to be 4 h4, which rules out the tabia after 4 ... g4 S ttJeS. However, the analysis of that position is immense and White may be tempted by the confuse-move 4 d4. Then 4 ... g4 S .txf4!? gxf3 6 'iVxf3 is an unusual Muzio-like line that served Alexander Morozevich well.

The bonus is that White has some natural but bad responses, such as 4 ttJc3? which allows a strong 4 ... 'iVh4+ S ~f1 .tcS. Whether White has an edge after 4 d4 ttJf6 S eS dS! is murky (6 .tb3 ttJe4). VIENNA GAME

The safe response is 4 d4 h6 since S h4 .tg7 6 g3 g4! is promising for Black. But S ttJc3! and S... d6 6 g3 puts us in the fuzzy position again.

There are two types of Vienna players. The first don't want to memorize volumes of Ruy Lopez theory. The second is booked up 16

Double KP Openings

and prepared to inflict volumes of Vienna theory on you, such as with 1 e4 eS 2 lbc3 lbf6 3 ii.c4 lbxe4 4 'iih5.

defend - any- cramped -posi tion reputation but it's based on White expanding with c2-c3 and d2/d4 or

'iib3.

Against either kind of opponent it may pay to be devious as early as 2... d6!?

Expansion like that isn't possible here and it's doubtful he has more than an optical edge after 5 0-0 lbf6 6 d4 ii.g4! or 5 d4 lbf6 6 h3 0-0 7 0-0 lbd7 8 d5 lbcb8 (MovsesianEfimov, Pula 1997).

This looks prohibitively passive. But White has to be careful since 3 f4 exf4 and then 4 lbf3 h6! S d4 g5 is that fuzzy KGA again.

There's much more experience with the other 'beginner's move,' 2 ••.ii.c5, which has been put to good use by Karpov, Bent Larsen and Vasily Smyslov. Books used to claim Black is already worse in view of 3 lbf3 lbc6 4 lbxe5! lbxe5 5 d4.

White's best is probably 4 d4 or 4 ii.c4. But few Vienna players are familiar or comfortable with KGA lines in which Black gets to play ... 'iih4+. Well, what about 3 ii.c4 ? Then 3 ... lbc6 leaves White to decide whether to allow 4 d3 lbaS!? or plunge into another unfamiliar KGA (4 f4 exf4 5 lbf3 h6 or 5 ... g5 6 h4 g4 7lbgS lbeS).

But Black has a good alternative in 3 ..• d6! since 4 d4 exd4 S lbxd4 lbe7 or 5 ... lbc6 heads toward a reasonable version of the Scotch Game after 6 ~e3, 6 lbb3 or 6lbxc6 'tWf6.

Instead, he may assume that simple development, 4 lbf3, will punish 2 ... d6. That transposes into a Hungarian Defense after 4...ii.e7!? The Hungarian has a stodgy, I-can-

For example, 5 ... lbc6 6 ~e3 ii.b6 7 lbdS lbf6 8 lbxb6 axb6 9 f3 0-0 10 ii.c4 d5 !. Or 10 c4 l:te8 lllbc2lbd7 12 'i'd2lbde5 13 ~e2 ~e6 14 b3 f5 with good play for 17

Double KP Openings

Black in Zarnicki-Bianchi, Buenos Aires 1989. White can stay in Vienna mode with 3 f4. Then 3... d6 is a King's Gambit Declined in which White has forsaken c2-c3, his most ambitious plan in the KGD, and books disagree about his chances for advantage. There is also 3 g3, which transposes into a main line of Louis Paulsen's variation. Black's only minus is relinquishing the bookrecommended defense (I e4 e5 2 ttJc3 ttJf6 3 g3 d5!). So 2... iLc5 has no major drawbacks or benefits and is more of a 'something to think about' move. CENTER GAME Most players who meet 1 e4 with 1... e5 know that 2 d4 exd4 3 'ir'xd4 ttJc6 4 "iVe3 is neutralized by 4•..ttJf6 5 ttJc3 ii.b4 6 iLd2 0-0. That's about all that anyone remembers. But White has a confuse-move in 5 iLd2.

This often has the effect of scaring Black into another defense, such as 5 ... iLe7 6 ttJc3 0-070-0-0that is, transposing into the less ambitious 5 ttJc3 iLe7 6 iLd2 0-0. But this is primarily a bluff because if Black meets 5 iLd2 with 5... iLb4! White has nothing better than transposing into the book line with 6 ttJc3!. The other finesses in the Center Game arise if Black is afraid of a line that hardly anyone knows about. This is 5 e5!?, rather than 5 ttJc3 or 5 iLd2. That seems to just lose a pawn but 5... ttJg4 6 'ife4 ttJgxe5? allows 7 f4. To play 4 ... ttJf6 with confidence Black should know a little about crazy lines like 6... d5 7 exd6+ iLe6 and then 8 iLa6 or 8 iLe2! ttJf6 9 dxc7 'ir'xc7. But he can save himself a lot of worry and/or study by picking another fourth move. One is 4 ..•iLb4+, with the idea of reaching the equalizing book line after 5 ttJc3 ttJf6. The drawback is Black may have to face White's extra options, such as 5 c3 iLa5 6 iLc4 or 6 'ifg3. Black's other alternative in 4 •••iLe7.

Then 5 ttJc3 ttJf6 transposes into that 4 ... ttJf6 5 ttJc3 iLe7 line, as Boris Spassky and Alexander Alekhine did.

18

Double KP Openings

This succeeds after 3... c5 4 c3 dxc3? 5 tbxc3 when he's transposed into 1 e4 e5 2 d4 exd4 3 c3 dxc3 4 tbxc3 c5? 5 tbf3, a ludicrous defense to the Goring Gambit. (But 3... c5 4 c3 d5 or 4 ... ife7 in the diagram are virtually untested.) Another version of the Goring arises after 3... i.b4+ and then 4 c3 dxc3 5 tbxc3. This forgotten variation is quite playable after 5...tbc6 6 i.c4 d6 7 tbg5 .Jl.xc3+ 8 bxc3 tbe5 and now 9 ..tb3 h6 10 f4! hxg5 11 fxe5 'iie7 12 ifd5 dxe5 13 ..txg5!.

But there's another wild card for Black to worry about, 5 'iVg3 and then 5...tbf6 6 e5, which Paul Keres said favors White, or 5... iu6 6 tbc3 tbge7 7 .td2 as in ZiemackiFatyga, correspondence 1992 (7 ... d6 8 0-0-0 .te6 9 f4).

The main benefits to 1 e4 e5 2 d4 So Black has to decide whether exd4 3 lbf3 are forcing Black to the drawbacks of 4 ... .tb4+ or 4 ... .te7 outweigh the merit of start thinking at move three and preventing him from playing a avoiding the rare 4 ... tbf6 5 e5!? Petroff, e.g. 3...lbc6 4 lbxd4 or 3... .tc5 4 tbxd4 tbc6. DANISH GAMBIT The Danish is a blood relative of the Goring and Scotch Gambits. The Danish has the poorer reputation of the three but White can try to improve with 1 e4 e5 2 d4 exd4 and now 3 tbf3!?, rather than the Danish 3 c3.

Black's chief alternative is 3 ...lbf6. Then 4 e5 is another Petroff line, I e4 e5 2 tbf3 lbf6 3 d4 exd4 4 e5, that Black has been avoiding for years (by playing 3... tbxe4!). It's not a bad line but few Black players will know the theory and that makes 3 tbf3 a worthy weapon against a Petrofessional. BISHOP'S OPENING Independent lines in the Bishop's Opening are somewhat rare today. Instead, 2 ..tc4 is used primarily as a route to the Vienna or Giuoco

19

Double KP Openings

Piano that allows White to seek or published theory. The primary avoid specific Vienna and Giuoco virtue of using 2 .i.c4 to reach those positions (2 ... 4Jf6 3 d3 4Jc6 44Jf3) positions. is that White avoids the Petroff. He benefits from 2 .i.c4 if he likes 2... 4Jc6 3 4Jc3 4Jf6 4 d3 or PHILIDOR'S DEFENSE 2... 4Jf63 d3 4Jc6 4 4Jc3 but doesn't want to try to get there via the Books used to ridicule the Vienna because of the chaotic 2 Philidor because of White's space 4Jc3 4Jf6 3 .i.c4 4Jxe4!? advantage. But young masters are Note that after 1 e4 e5 2 .i.c4 challenging that view. To them the key issue is how to reach this tabia. 4Jf6 3 d3 and the natural 3....i.c5:

Then 4Jc3 gets White into a Vienna without having to face 2 4Jc3 4Jf6 3 .i.c4 4Jc6 4 d3 .i.b4 or 4... 4Ja5. Black retains those options with the more precise 3•••4Jc6!. There's a reason they say 'Knights before bishops.'

The traditional order, 1 e4 e5 2 4Jf3 d6 3 d4 4Jd7, named after the U.S. Civil War major James Hanham, allows White to win the two bishops, 4 .i.c4 c6 5 0-0 .i.e7 6 dxe5! dxe5 7 4Jg5 .i.xg5 8 'ii'h5.

It has many of the benefits of a

If Black is concerned about

Aron Nimzovich helped popularThe other direction White can go ize another sequence, 1 e4 e5 after 2 .i.c4 is towards the Pseudo- 2 4Jf3 d6 3 d4 4Jf6. This is more Lopez. That is a Ruy Lopez-like likely to get Black to the tabia system that can begin 1 e4 e5 2 4Jf3 (4 4Jc3 4Jbd7 5 .i.c4 .i.e7) because 4Jc63 .i.c4 followed by 4 d3, 5 c3 few opponents are willing to wade and 4Jbd2, 0-0, .i.b3 and eventually into the 4 dxe5 4Jxe4 5 'ifd5 d3-d4. complications. regular Lopez, minus the 30 tons of 4 dxe5 he should consider offering 20

Double KP Openings

an endgame, because even fewer Whites will trade queens after 1 e4 d62 d4 e5!? Emanuel Lasker used this version in a world championship match against David ('I detest endgames') Janowsky. Today's players, like Michael Adams, are more confident on the Black side of 1 e4 d6 2 d4liJf6 3liJc3 e5!?

gives up the center, such as in 1 e4 e5 2 liJf3 d6 3 d4 exd4 and then 4liJxd4 g6 or 4 ... liJf6 5liJc3 iJ.e7. White can try to exploit this with Henry Bird's 4 iJ.c4!?

A key point is that 4 ... liJc6 5 liJxd4 is a fine Scotch Game. And 5 c3 dxc3 6 liJxc3 transposes into a good Scotch Gambit. It's as if Black met 1 e4 e5 2 liJf3 liJc6 3 d4 exd4 4 c3 dxc3 5 liJxc3 with 5 ... d6 6 iLc4.

Now 4 liJf3 liJbd7 transposes to Nimzovich's line and 4 dxe5 dxe5 5 'ii'xd8+ ~xd8 is a slightly worse endgame, e.g. Vaisser-Rontaine, French Championship 2006 went 6 iLc4 i.b4! 7 iJ.d2 ~e7 8 f3 c6.

The test of 4 iJ.c4 is 4...liJf6. In the first ECO Lev Polugayevsky gave 5 liJg5 d5 as favoring White (6 exd5 h6 7 liJf3 iJ.b4+ 8 c3 dxc3 9 'ii'a4+ and wins).

Black was soon equal (9 liJge2 liJbd7 10 liJc 1 b5! 11 iJ.e2 iJ.d6 12 a4 b4 13 liJdl a5), then better (14 liJe3 liJb6 15 liJd3 g6 16 b3 liJfd7 17 c3 bxc3 18 iLxc3 f6 19 liJb2 liJc5) and eventually won.

On the same page he considered 1 e4 e5 2 liJf3 d6 3 d4 liJf6 4 liJg5!? exd4 5 iJ.c4 d5 and called it equal. It's the same position.

Note that the 1...d6 orders have

Better, after 4 iLc4liJf6 5liJg5, is

5...iJ.e6. This dates back to Paul

the added benefit of cutting down White's 1 e4 e5 options, such as 2 f4, 2 iLc4, 2 liJc3 and so on.

Rudolf von Bilguer, who thought 6 liJxe6 fxe6 7 iJ.xe6 'ike7 (8 iLc8! 'ikxe4+ 9 'ike2) was even. To modem eyes this looks like a slight

There's a separate chapter in Philidor theory in which Black 21

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White edge. Therefore 4 iL.c4!? is more than just a confuse-move.

brothers popularized 1 e4 eS 2 ttJf3 ttJf6 3 ttJc3 to reach a Four Knights Game, for example.

Observe that in traditional (1 e4 eS 2 ttJf3 d6) orders, White can try 3 iL.c4 with the idea of 3... ttJd7 4 0-0 iL.e7 S d4. In this way he avoids 3 d4 exd4 and traps Black in the inferior Hanham line.

Their 19th Century colleagues tried 1 e4 eS 2 ttJf3 ttJf6 3 d4 exd4 and 4 iLc4 in an effort to get into a Two Knights (4 ... ttJc6), which is terra incognita to a Petroff player. But the critical line is 4 ... ttJxe4!, the dubious Prince Yurosov Gambit.

Better is 3...iLe7! 4 0-0 ttJf6 which leaves White with a tiny edge after S 1::te I 0-0 6 c3 ttJbd7 7 d4. More ambitious is 3... ttJf6!? 4 ttJgS dS S exdS, which reaches a Two Knights Defense in which Black is a tempo behind.

These days 3 d4 ttJxe4 is more common, and theory says the chances are roughly balanced after 4 iL.d3 dS S ttJxeS. Yaacov Murey's discovery, 4 ... ttJc6, enables Black to avoid this. It's based on S .txe4 dS 6 .td3 e4, which appears to be sound. If White wants to avoid Murey and seek a main line he can do it with 4 ttJxeS!?

But the missing tempo is ... ttJc6, which may benefit Black since the knight is not attacked here. He can create an unclear position with S... h6 6 ttJf3 iL.d6 or 6... e4 7 'i'e2 ..tb4 8 c3?! O-O! (Miguel Najdorf). Then 4... dS S .td3 transposes into the main line as if 4 .td3 dS had been played.

PETROFF DEFENSE The Petroff is so annoyingly solid that a frustrated White will be sorely tempted to transpose into another opening. The Paulsen

This order gives Black an extra option, 4... d6!? S ttJf3 dS. He's transposed into the 'other' Petroff, 22

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the 3 ltJxeS line, which White White reaches a Smyslov after presumably wanted to avoid when 7... 0-0 8 c3 dS 9 i.c2 lite8 10 d4. he chose 3 d4. This skirmishing - It's a more conservative form of it Murey's 4 ... ltJc6, the preemptive because White has given up on the 4 ltJxeS and the counter-finesse useful c2-c4. But it's also a much 4... d6 - has nothing to do with more modest position for Black finding the objectively best move than many Petroff players can but rather seeking the position in tolerate. which your opponent will be most The best challenge to S i.d3 is uncomfortable. 5... d5 and then 6 'iVe2 'ile7. A The 'other' Petroff is the most typical case was Romero Holmespopular today and it runs 3 ltJxe5 Garcia Padron, Las Palmas 1991: d6 4 ltJo ltJxe4 S d4 dS. The 7 0-0 ltJcs 8 lite 1 'ilVxe2 9 i.xe2 Smyslov alternative, S... i.e7 6 i.d3 ltJe6 10 d4 c6 11 c4! i.b4 12 ltJc3 ltJf6, has a stodgy reputation 0-0 13 a3! i.xc3 14 bxc3 b6 because 7 h3 leaves Black's QB IS ltJeS l:d8 16 a4! f6 17 ltJg4 and without a good sqaure. Then 7... 0-0 White won. 8 0-0 dS transposes to a favorable A later Petroff tabia begins with Exchange French in which h2-h3 is 3 ltJxe5 d6 4 ltJo ltJxe4 5 d4 d5 an extra move. 6 i.d3 followed by some Black White can try to trick his mixture of ... i.g4, ... i.e7 and opponent into the Smyslov line via ... ltJc6. But the order is in dispute. an order popularized by Alfonso In the definitive 19th Century Romero Holmes, starting with authority, the Handbuch, Emil 5 .id3!? Then S... ltJcs 6 i.e2 gives Schallop recommended 6 ... i.e7 him 7 d4 with tempo. So 5.•.ltJf6 7 0-0 ltJc6 followed by ... i.g4. But 60-0 .ie7 7 h3! is more common. others argued for 6... ltJc6 7 0-0 i.e7, or even 6... i.g4 7 0-0 ltJc6 and ... i.e7 as Carl Schlecter recommended in his version of the Handbuch. We can dispense with the last order, since 6... i.g4 allows 7 'iVe2! with an edge after 7 ... 'iVe7 8 0-0 ltJc6 9 i.bS! and i.xc6+, or 7... fS 8 h3 i.hS 9 g4!. 23

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Garry Kasparov said 6.•. tbc6 7 0-0 i.e7 8 :tel i.g4 was fine for Black.

chooses between undermining the e4-knight with 8 c4 or attacking it with 8 .:tel. Isaac Kashdan had success in the 1930s with a line that runs 8 c4 tbb4! 9 cxd5 tbxd3 10 'iVxd3 'iVxd5 11 .:tel i.f5. The Kashdan line still holds up well today, and if Black likes it he can try to reach it even after 8 .:tel. He does that with 8...i.f5, rather than the popular 8... i.g4.

On 9 c4 Black has 9 ... tbf6 10 cxd5 i.xf3! with a good game. But he added that White gets an initiative if he undermines the knight a move earlier with 8 c4!. That's why Karpov preferred 6... tbc6 7 0-0 i.g4 in their 1985 match, so Black could meet 8 c4 Then 9 c4 tbb4 10 cxd5 tbxd3 with 8... tbf6!? Then 9 tbc3 is considered best (9 ... tbb4 10 i.g5! transposes to what Black wants or 9... dxc4 10 i.xc4 i.e7 11 d5!) which White probably doesn't as he and the results of 9 ... i.xf3 10 'iVxf3 could have sought it directly with tbxd4 11 'iih3 have been in White's 8 c4. favor lately. PONZIANI OPENING The bottom line is that no order The Ponziani (1 e4 e5 2 tbf3 tbc6 is universally endorsed. Jan 3 c3) gets no respect today. But if Timman and Alexander Belyavsky Black is caught off guard by 3 c3 he like 6...tbc617... i.e7 while Vishy can bail out with 3...tbf6 4 d4 d6. Anand, Vladimir Kramnik and There doesn't seem to be Alexey Shirov preferred 6... i.e7! anything in 5 i.c4 tbxe4!, so 7... tbc6 - and Yusupov plays both. 5 i.b5, transposing to the old Another tabia arises after, say, Steinitz Defense of the Ruy Lopez, 6...tbc6 7 0-0 i.e7. White usually is played most often. 24

Double KP Openings

best order because 4 ... i.h4?! is dubious. In contrast, in the traditional Scotch order, 1 e4 e5 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 d4 exd4 4 ttJxd4 Black can avoid this line via 4 ... i.c5, among others. There are several finesses in the Four Knights line after 5... i.b4 6 ttJxc6 bxc6 7 i.d3. The Steinitz is regarded as a clumsy antique but this is a Steinitz in which White has played conservatively (1 e4 e5 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 i.b5 d6 4 c3?! ttJf6 5 d4 instead of 4 d4!). This order was a favorite Ponziani evasion for GMs like Smyslov and Yefim Geller and it has no major drawbacks, e.g. 5... i.d7 6 0-0 i.e7 7 'iWe2 0-0 8 :dl 'i'e8 (threat of ... ttJxd4!) 9 d5 ttJd8 11 c4 c6 11 i.a4 b5! as in ManikMokry, Olomouc 1998.

Now 7... d5 8 exd5 cxd5 9 0-0 0-0 10 i.g5 is played with almost robotic uniformity and is very slightly in White's favor or even, depending on whom you read. But there are several diversions starting with 8...'iWe7+!?

But if, on the other hand, Black knows his way in a sharp line of the Scotch Gambit (1 e4 e5 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 d4 exd4 4 c3 ttJf6!? 5 e5 ttJe4) he can transpose into it from the Ponziani by means of 3... ttJf64 d4 exd4!.

Theory has gone back and forth about the value of 9 'iVe2. In any case, against an opponent who likes to keep queens on the board, 8... 'iWe7+ has obvious merits.

SCOTCH GAME

But if White is happy in an ending, he can try to force it by meeting 8... cxd5 with 9 ~e2+!? so that 9... 'i'e7 transposes. There are extra benefits when an endgamehating Black plays 9 ... i.e6

White can get into a major Scotch variation via the Four Knights (1 e4 e5 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 ttJc3 ttJf6 4 d4 exd4 5 ttJxd4). If that's a position he wants to play, this is the 25

Double KP Openings

(10 i.b5+! tbd7 11 i.c6 d4 12 'ife4) or 9 ... i.e7 (10 i.g5 0-0 11 O-O-O!? with better-than-usual chances).

These days Black is more concerned about the standard Scotch order, 1 e4 eS 2 tbo tbc6 3 d4 exd4 4 tbxd4 and then 4 ...tbf6 5 tbxc6 or 4 ... i.c5 5 tbxc6. For that reason, he can try to reach the Four Knights version with 4..•i.b4+!?

Black can anticipate this and rule out endgames through another route to the tabia devised by Georg Marco, 7..•0-0 and then 8 0-0 dS 9 exdS cxdS 10 i.gS. This appears to be the most exact - and the most deceptive since White will begin thinking about 8 i.g5 and the threat of 9 e5. Black is worse after 8... d6, so 8... dS:

Now 5 tbc3 tbf6 transposes to it, and considering the current view of theory, that would be a small victory for Black. The obvious objection to 4 ... i.h4+ is S c3. Then S...i.cs 6 i.e3 i.b6 reaches a book position - from 4 ... i.c5 5 i.e3 - but with an extra c2-c3 for White.

Black's point is 9 eS 'ife8! and White is the one surprised, e.g. 10 f4? tbg4 11 'ife2 f6 (12 exf6 gxf6 13 h3 £Xg5 14 bxg4 i.xg4! 15 iLxh7+ <Jiig7 and he resigned in Candela-Korneev, Ponferrada 1997).

Who benefits? White gets added protection of d4. But he loses one of the major assets of the Scotch, the knight hop from c3 to d5. Recent practice indicates Black is OK after 7 tbfS i.xe3 8 tbxe3 tbf6 because White cannot defend the e-pawn with tbc3 (and 9 tbd2 allows the equalizing 9... d5). Or 7 i.c4 d6 8 0-0 tbf6 9 tbd2 tbe5! 10 i.e2 0-0 11 h3 :e8 as in GoloshchapovBrodsky, Hoogoveen 2006.

If White spots that and heads instead towards the tabia, with 9 exdS, Black can use an extra option, 9...'ifxdS!. This hits at g5 and g2 and after 10 i.xf6 "iVe6+ and 11..:iVxf6 he stands well. 26

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And what about the standard order, 4 llJxd4 .tcS S .te3, threatening llJxc6 ? Much midnight oil has been spent on 5.. :iVf6. The mental hygiene alternative is S.••.tb6!.

Now 6 llJc3 d6 and 7... llJf6 or 6... llJf6 transpose to a solid Four Knights/Scotch line. For example, Sveshnikov-Mi. Tseitlin, Budapest 1989 went 6 llJc3 d6 7 g3 llJf6 8 .tg2 0-0 9 llJxc6 bxc6 10 .txb6 axb6 with equality. Another trendy line is 4 ... llJf6 5llJxc6 dxc6 5 e5. Black can avoid that with 4••:i'f6. Then he is trying to reach, not avoid, the 5 .te3 .tc5 position. This order has the added benefit of dodging another difficult line, 4 ....tc5 5 llJb3. The best try at punishing 4 ... 'i'f6 is 5 llJb5 .tc5 6 'i'e2. But the verdict is out on 6....tb6 or 6... 'i'd8 (and ... a6).

the queen move is even playable. Its fate depends on how we evaluate this tabia.

The final word on 7 ... ..txc3+ 8 llJxc3 or 8 bxc3 is still to be written. But equally important is finding White's best way to the diagram. There are four routes. (a) S llJc3 ..tb4 6 llJdbS 'iYxe4+ 7 ..te2 gets there. But Black does much better with 6 .....ta5! and ... a6, e.g. 7 .te2 a6 8 llJd4 ..txc3+ 9 bxc3 llJf6 10 llJxc6 dxc6 11 e5 llJg4 (Renteria-Miktov, Minneapolis 2005). For that reason White should prefer: (b) SllJc3 ..tb4 6 ..te2! and then 6•.:i'xe4 7 llJdbS. If Black varies with 6 ... llJf6 7 0-0 .txc3 then 8 llJf5! is potent, e.g. 8... 'iYxe4 9 .td3 'iVg4 10 f3! ~a4 11 bxc3 0-0 12llJxg7! with a winning attack in Karjakin-Malinin, Sudak 2002. But White may opt for 5 llJb5 because it is more forcing and seeks something better than the diagram. For example:

At one time the fate of the Scotch seemed to hinge on the soundness of 4•..'i'h4. Today there's doubt that 27

Double KP Openings

(c) S tbbS 'fixe4+ 6 .te2 i.b4+ 7 tblc3 gets to the diagram. But White can improve with 7 .td2!, with elaborate lines following 7... .txd2+ 8 'iVxd2 'fie5 9 f4!, for instance.

•.• tbd8-e6/ ..•cS sets up a darksquare blockade. This is Black's best way to play for a win in the Four Knights, since Akiba Rubinstein's 4 ... tbd4 allows a draw-minded White 5 tbxd4 exd4 6 e5.

(d) Black can try to improve with S....tb4+ since 6 tblc3 'iVxe4+ 7 .te2 transposes. But again the bishop interpolation, 6 .td2!, is better and reaches ( c) after 6... 'iVxe4+ 7 i.e2.

There are ways for White to avoid the Metger - and still play to win - and other ways for Black to seek it. White's sidestep is 7 tbe2, which has been revived by Daniel Campora, who showed that White's edge in a !1ymmetrical position (7 ... tbe7) is something he can work with.

The main problem with 5 tbb5 is S.•..tcS and then 6 'iVe2 tbd4, when White doesn't reach the diagram or prove a clear edge. As it stands now, (b) may be the most accurate.

For example, 8 c3 .ta5 9 tbg3 tbg6 10 d4 c6 11 .td3 .l:te8 12 h3 .tb6 13 .l:tel h6 14 .tc2 'fic7 15 i.e3 i.e6 16 'fic 1! ':ad8 17 a4 a5 18 tbf5 d5 19 tbxg7!, Campora-

FOUR KNIGHTS GAME The main Four Knights line for most of the last century was Johannes Metger's 'unpin', after 1 e4 eS 2 tbf3 tbc6 3 tbc3 tbf6 4 .tbS .tb4 S 0-0 0-0 6 d3:

Baron Rodriguez, Lanzarote 2003. Black can avoid this by capturing on c3 earlier. Reuben Fine did it with 6..•'fie7 7 i.gS .txc3 8 bxc3. To avoid the drawish 8... d6 9 i.xc6 he played 8...tbd8!:

Black breaks the pin with 6... d6 7 .tgS i.xc3 8 bxc3 'iVe7 and

28

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Now 9 d4 d6 is the Metger position. If White starts the knight maneuver with 7 lDe2, Black has 7... d5!?, e.g. 8 exd5 lDxd5 9 lDg3 lDf4 10 d4 lDg6 11 c3 .td6, Levenfish-Alatortsev, Moscow 1940. Nevertheless the more popular method is to delay .. .'ike7, as in 6....txc3 7 bxc3 d6 and 8 .tg5 Now 5... exd4 6 e5lands Black in 'iie7). This was a favorite order of the Lange he presumably wanted to avoid. If he still feels that way, Frank Marshall and Smyslov. 5....txd4! and 6 lDxd4lDxd4 7 ..tg5 d6 8 f4 'iie7 or 8... .te6 is the GIUOCO PIANO! antidote. But Yakov Estrin argued TWO KNIGHTS that White had reasonable chances. There's a recognized boundary What's certain is that this is much after 1 e4 e5 2 lDD lDc6 3 .tc4 that better than 4 d4 .txd4 5 lDxd4 separates the Giuoco, 3....tc5, from lDxd4 6 f4? (6 0-0 transposes) d5! the Two Knights, 3...lDf6. But the 7 exd5 'iih4+ 8 g3 'iih3, which border is often blurred by trans- favors Black. position.

Because 3... .tc5 makes no threat White has more freedom than in the Two Knights. He can head towards the Pseudo-Lopez with 4 d3, 4 c3 or 4 0-0 while retaining other options.

With 3... .tc5 Black is avoiding certain lines, such as 3 ... lDf6 4 lDg5, which have good reputations, or even the questionable Max Lange, 3...lDf6 4 d4 exd4 Theory says 4 c3 can be met by 50-0 .tc5 6 e5!? 4 ... lDf6 or 4...'iie7 5 d4 .tb6. But if holding e5 as a strong point is White can try to push Black into Black's intent, it's more precise to the Lange via 1 e4 e5 2 lDo lDc6 play 4....tb6. Then 5 d4 'iie7, as the 3 .tc4 i.c5 and now 4 0-0. Castling Berlin Pleiades played, transposes. was once ridiculed but today it's often seen as an alternate route to the Pseudo-Lopez (4 0-0 lDf6 5 d3). There is also 5 d4!?

The rationale for 4....tb6 is that .. .'ike7 is not as useful as ... ..tb6 in the Pseudo-Lopez. White can change his mind after 4...'iie7 and

29

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switch to S d3 with idea of hitting the vulnerable queen later on with ttJe3-dS or ttJfS. The minus to this order is that after 4 ... ..tb6 S d3 Black will have lost a tempo if he feels ... a6 and ... ..ta7 are necessary later on.

Another move order issue in the Two Knights concerns the periodically revived 4 d4 exd4 S eS dS 6 ..tbS ttJe4 7 ttJxd4.

Note that 3 .te4 ..teS is a route to the Canal Variation (4 ttJe3 ttJf6 S d3 d6 6 ..tgS!?), one of the most promising Giuoco lines. White can't reach it via the Four Knights because of 1 e4 eS 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 ttJc3 ttJf6 4 .tc4? ttJxe4! and he needs Black's cooperation in the Vienna order. However, he can get to it in the Two Knights Defense, 1 e4 eS 2 ttJf3 ttJe6 3 .te4 ttJf6 ifhe avoids 4 ttJc3? ttJxe4! and plays 4 d3! and then 4.....teS S ttJe3.

It was once assumed Black must reply 7.....td7, Paul Morphy's move, after which 8 ..txe6 bxe6 9 0-0 ..teS and 10 ..te3 is fairly balanced. But recent experience suggests 10 f3! gives White the upper hand.

In a standard Two Knights order, 1 e4 eS 2 ttJf3 ttJe6 3 .te4 ttJf6 4 ttJgS, there are two offbeat but related lines, 4... dS S exdS ttJd4 and S... bS. They don't look at all alike. Yet they transpose after S... ttJd4 6 c3 bS! 7 .tfl! and S... bS 6 .tfl! ttJd4 7 c3.

To avoid that, Black can employ Adolf Anderssen's 7.....teS!? Then 8 .te3 .td7 9 ..txc6 bxc6 10 f3 would be met by 10 .. .'ifh4+ 11 g3 ttJxg3 !. Instead, White usually replies 10 0-0. The point is he transposed into the equal 7... ..td7 line in which 10 ..te3 is played and lost the promising 10 f3 option.

Black's choice should depend on which line is likely to provoke a bad response by White, such as S... bS 6 dxc6?! bxc4 7 ~e2 h6 8 'ilxeS+ JLe7 which favors Black. Hans Berliner revived S... bS in his world postal championship run, explaining that S... ttJd4 'is less clear' after 6 ttJc3.

The risk of this finesse is allowing 7 ... .tcS 8 ttJxc6!? and then 8 ... ..txf2+ 9 ~fl or 9 ~e2!? ..tg4+ 10 ~fl. White also gets an extra option after 8 ..te3 JLd7 9 ..txe6 bxe6 when he tries 30

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10 liJd2!, which has been doing well lately, rather than transpose with 10 0-0.

The prime benefit is that 6 'tib3, which is a valid move against 5... i.a5, is poor here since 6 .. :i!le7 threatens 7... liJa5 !. But that benefit is trumped by 6 d4!. Black can't reach the safety of the Lasker Defense, 6... i.b6 (7 0-07 d6), in view of 7 dxe5!.

For example, Sveshnikov-Zaja, Bled 2001 went 10 ... liJxd2 11 'i'xd2 0-0 12 liJb3! i.b6 13 0-0-0 'i'e7 14 l::the1 a5 15 a3 a4 16 ..tg5! 'i'e6 17 liJd4 'i'g6 18 f4 and White eventually won.

Therefore he has to enter one of the main Evans lines, such as 6... exd4 7 O-O! d6 8 cxd4 i.b6, where White's claim to compensation has withstood the test of time a century and a half and counting.

On balance, 7 ... i.d7 appears better than 7... i.c5. And Morphy beats Anderssen once more.

Once Black decides on S...i.aS a key question is whether White EVANS GAMBIT should play the immediate 6 'ib3 or The first question to be asked in insert 6 d4 first. More attention is the Evans (1 e4 eS 2 liJf3 liJc6 paid to 6 d4 d6 7 'iVb3 but 7.. :i!ld7 3 i.c4 ..tcS 4 b4 i.xb4 S c3) is seems to be adequate. where Black should retreat the Compare that with 6 'ib3: bishop. There are two ways for it to reach b6 and set up the solid Lasker Now ... 'i'd7 is impossible. The Defense - 5... i.c5 6 0-0 d6 7 d4 other queen moves, 6 .. :iVf6 or ..tb6 and 5... i.a5 6 0-0 d6 7 d4 6.. :iVe7, seem to transpose into bad ..tb6. The order matters because versions of 6 d4 d6 7 'iVb3. For White has other options at move example, 6 'iVb3 'iff6 7 d4 d6? walks into 8 d5! liJ-moves 9 Vi'a4+. six. Consider S•.. i.cS: 31

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Also on 6 'i!Vb3 'fie7 7 d4 exd4 8 0-0 .tb6 9 cxd4 or 6 ... 'fif6 7 d4 exd4 8 0-0 d6 9 e5! we're in variations that often prove fatal to Black before move 25.

He wants to save c2-c3 for later, such as with 5... d6? 6 d4 exd4 7 c3!?, as suggested by Savielly Tartakower. But Marshall showed that 5 0-0 can be safely answered by 5...tDf6! 6 d4 exd4 7 c3 dxc3 8 e5 d5!.

The real challenge to 6 'ifb3 is 6...'fif6 7 d4 tDxd4!. Then 8 tDxd4 exd4 9 0-0 has been tested a bit in correspondence (9 ... dxc3 10 e5 'fixe5! 11 .txf7+ ~f8) without a conclusion. If White likes the looks of this, 6 'tWb3 would be much better for him than 6 0-0 and perhaps superior to 6 d4, too.

SCOTCWGORING GAMBIT These two gambits are closely related and may reach Giuoco and Two Knights positions. The Scotch order (1 e4 e5 2 tDo tDc6 3 d4 exd4 4 .tc4) gives Black more choice.

Note that early in the Evans, each side can give his opponent a dubious 'something-to-think-about' move. Black's is 4 ... tDxb4?!, rather than 4 ... .txb4. But there's not that much for White to consider and after 5 c3 tDc6 all that's happened is Black transposed to the questionable 4 ....txb4 5 c3 .tc5. White's bid for cleverness worse. It is 5 0-0 after 4 ... .txb4.

The simplest reply is 4...tDf6 which transposes into the Two

1S

32

Double KP Openings

Knights (1 e4 e5 2 tDf3 tDc6 3 ~c4 tDf6 4 d4 exd4). This is a good choice for a Black who likes to face the Max Lange (5 0-0 ~c5) or the anti-Lange (5 0-0 tDxe4). But if Black normally meets 3 ~c4 with 3... ~c5 this is a bad order because he may land in unfamiliar territory, That's why he may prefer 4... ~b4+. His idea is that 5 c3 dxc3 6 tDxc3 transposes into what was long considered his best Goring defense (1 e4 e5 2 tDf3 tDc6 3 d4 exd4 4 c3 dxc3 5 tDxc3 ~b4! 6 ~c4).

His idea is not 6 c3 dxc3?! because that transposes into an unattractive Goring. Better is 6... ~g4 with unclear play. For example, 7 'ii'b3 'ii'd7 8 cxd4 ~xf3 9 dxc5 tDd4 10 'ike3 'ii'g4 11 'iVg5 with a complex endgame in Wist-Rausis, correspondence 1994.

That conclusion is in recent dispute. However White doesn't have to get involved in the debate since in the Scotch order 6 bxc3! favors him (6 ... ~e7? 7 'ii'd5).

One final point is that 4... ~c5 can also transpose, after 5 c3 tDf6 to a Giuoco Piano. That's a safer choice than 5... dxc3?! 6 tDxc3 d6, another unclear Goring line (7 ~g5 tDge7 8 tDd5 f6 9 ~xf6!?).

Well, then, what about the third option in the last diagram, 4...~c5 ? That is a not-so-veiled invitation to the Lange (5 0-0 tDf6 6 e5 d5). Compared with 4... tDf6, Black loses the anti-Lange possibility. But he benefits by not having to face the 5 e5!? line, which Yevgeny Sveshnikov has proven to be dangerous.

So the bottom line of the Scotch Gambit, 4 ~c4, is that 4... ~b4+?! is to be avoided, 4 ... tDf6 is the safe choice and 4 ... ~c5 is the most double-edged. And that's one of the more definitive conclusions we can make about those trap-happy 1 e4 e5 openings.

Another virtue is that after 4.•.~c5 5 0-0 Black has an extra 5... d6 option.

33

Chapter Two: RuyLopez There are far more tricks in the move order of the Ruy Lopez than in any other I e4 e5 opening and they often start as early as move four, as in the Berlin Defense. The bona fide Berliner is content to head into the endgame of 1 e4 eS 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 .i.bS ttJf6 4 0-0 ttJxe4 5 d4 ttJd6 6 ..txc6 dxc6 7 dxe5 ttJf5 8 'iixd8+. He might be upset by 4 'iWe2!?

Black should know the counterfinesse, 4 ... a6!. Then 5 .i.xc6 dxc6 6 ttJxe5 'iWd4 regains the pawn. White's best is 5 .i.a4!, but he has to know the WorralllWormald Variation, (usually reached by 3 ... a6 4 .i.a4 ttJf6 5 'iWe2), into which he's transposed. CLASSICAL DEFENSE In the Classical Defense (1 e4 eS 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 .i.bS .i.cS) there are two early tabias and various ways of reaching them. One tabia, with ... ttJge7, occurs after 4 c3 ttJge7 S 0-0 .i.b6 or 4 0-0 ttJge7 S c3 .i.b6.

He is unlikely to be happy defending the Steinitz-Defense-like 4....i.e75 c3 d6 6 d4. Nor will he be eager to gambit a pawn, 4 .....tcS!? 5 .i.xc6, e.g. 5... dxc6 6 ttJxe5 'iVd4 7 ttJd3!. That's probably not in his DNA.

There's a consensus that White is at least slightly better after 6 d4 and 34

RuyLopez

11 exd6 cxd6 12 l:.d1 as in Matulovic-Ilincic, Sombor 2004.

his main concern is what he wants to avoid: 4 0-0 will sidestep 4 c3 f5!?, for example. But 4 c3 will avoid 4 0-0 ttJd4.

There's psychology behind 4 0-0 and then 4.•.ttJf6 5 ttJc3!?

What would really turn matters in favor of 4 c3 is if someone found a way to get an advantage from White's extra option, 4... ttJge7 5 d4. But 5... exd4 6 cxd4 ..tb4+! has been equalizing for decades. If Black intends ... ttJf6 instead of ... ttJge 7, there are three orders worth considering. The first and most effective is 3.•.ttJf6! and then 4 0-0 ..tc5. This exploits White's preference for 4 0-0 when he expects Black to continue with a normal Berlin. In this way Black avoids an early c2-c3/d2-d4 in view of3 ... ttJf6 4 c3? ttJxe4!.

What's happened is we've landed in a Four Knights Game (1 e4 e5 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 ttJc3 ttJf6 4 ..tb5) in which Black has played a rare sideline, 4 ... ..tc5!? and White replied 5 0-0.

The other two orders start with 3••...tc5 - 4 c3 ttJf6 5 d4 ..tb6 6 0-0 0-0 and 4 0-0 ttJf6 5 c3 0-0 6 d4 ..tb6. Books give much more attention to the first order because it grants White an extra option, 6 'iWe2. But if he intends 6 0-0 anyway, and he doesn't remember the complex 4 c3 f5 theory, the second order is best.

That's fine for Black - if he knows the theory (5 ..• 0-0! 6 ttJxe5 ttJxe5 7 d4 ..td6!).

Alexander Be1yavsky was once surprised by Ljubomir Ljubojevic in this move order and was outplayed after 6.. J~e8?! 7 ttJf3 ttJxe4 8 d4 ttJxc3 9 bxc3 ..tf8 10 ttJg5! h6 11 ttJh3 d6 12 'iif3! ..td7 13 l:.b1 l:.b8 14 'iWg3 ttJe7 It has the added benefit of 15 ..txd7 'iixd7 16 ..txh6!. tempting Black into 4 ... ttJf6 5 c3 ttJxe4? That looks like the 3... ttJf6 FIANCHETTO/COZIO 4 c3? ttJxe4! mentioned above. But DEFENSES this one turns out to be bad after When Black develops his KB on 6 'iWe2!, e.g. 6... f5 7 d3 ttJf6 8 d4 ..te7 9 dxe5 ttJe4 10 ..tc4! d5 g7 he is playing a reversed Vienna, 35

RuyLopez

a mirror image of 1 e4 e5 2 ttJc3 version of the Giuoco Piano in ttJf6 3 g3 Jtb4. But White's extra which Black has an extra ... a6, e.g. tempo in the Lopez version (1 e4 e5 5... d6 6 d4 'ilie7 7 0-0 Jtg7. 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 Jtb5 g6) means he There's a back-door route to a can push his d-pawn faster. Black fianchetto and it avoids the He should do that quickly 3... g6 4 c3 issue as well as the more because after 4 0-0 Black has time troublesome 3 ... g6 4 d4 exd4 for 4... Jtg7 5 c3 ttJge7 6 d4 and 5 Jtg5!. This is the Cozio Defense then 6... exd4 7 cxd4 d5! with a (3 ...ttJge7), which transposes to a double-edged game. 3 ... g6 4 0-0 position after 3... ttJge7 4 0-0 g6 5 c3 Jtg7 6 d4 exd4 7 cxd4 More dangerous is 4 c3: d5. If White replies 4 d4 exd4 5 ttJxd4 we get 5... g6 6 ttJc3 !i..g7 7 Jte3 0-0:

Black is in trouble after 4 •.•d6 5 d4 Jtd7 6 'ifb3! (6 ... Jtg7 7 dxe5 dxe5 8 Jtc4 hits f7 and b7). Vassily Smyslov, the maestro of this variation, said 4... a6! is best. Black is pleased to transpose, after 5 i.a4, to a Modem Steinitz Defense (3 ... a6 4 i.a4 d6 and ... g6).

This becomes an old Steinitz Defense, in fact one of the better versions of the old Steinitz, after 8... d6. But Black may do better with Why would Black prefer 3 ... g6 to ... d5!? For example, 8 'ilid2 d5 the normal Modem Steinitz order? 9 exd5 ttJxd5 10 tLlxc6 bxc6 The answer is he avoids other 11 Jtxc6 ttJxe3! 12 'ilixe3 l:.b8 or Modem Steinitz lines, such as 12 !i..xa8 'iixd2+ l3 Wxd2 ttJc4+ 5 O-O! and 5 i.xc6+!? 14 WeI ttJxb2. White might prefer to meet 4 ... a6 with 5 .tc4. That's a pretty solid

There must be a drawback to the Cozio order or everybody would be 36

RuyLopez

playing it. It is 3...tbge7 4 tbc3! which gets very complex after 4..•g6 S d4 exd4 6 tbdS!. Whether White has an advantage after 6... i.g7 7 i.gS is in dispute. Yet few Lopez players are willing to try it and that makes the Cozio order a good practical weapon.

After S 0-0 the most popular move in recent years is S...i.cS.

BIRD'S DEFENSE Henry Bird's defense (1 e4 eS 2 tbO tbc6 3 i.bS tbd4 4 tbxd4 Now 6 d3 c6 7 i.c4 dS! heads exd4) looks absurd: Black moves his only developed piece a second towards the good S d3 line. More time in order to double his own accurate is 6 i.c4!, breaking the pawns. rule against moving a piece twice in But those are doubled center the opening. Black must deal with pawns and they do a good job of the threat of 7 i.xf7+ ~xf7 8 'iihS+ restricting White after S d3 c6 and doesn't have time for ... dS. 6 i.c4 dS!. For example, 7 exdS cxdS 8 i.bS+ i.d7 9 i.xd7+ 'ii'xd7 100-0 i.cS! 11 l:.e1+ tbe7 is quite nice for Black.

STEINITZIANA

Wilhelm Steinitz's solution to the Lopez problem was maintaining a White's error was committing himself too early (S d3?!). The best solid bridgehead on eS, after 1 e4 eS waiting move in many if not most 2 tbo tbc6 3 i.bS, by means of openings is castling. Here S O-O! 3 ... d6. His disciples tried 3... d6 allows him to decide between 6 d3, 4 d4 i.d7 S tbc3 tbf6 6 0-0 i.e7 or 6 c3, 6 i.c4 or even 6 'ii'hs after he its transpositional kin such as 3••• tbf6 4 0-0 i.e7 S tbc3 d6 6 d4 sees Black's fifth move. i.d7. He has excellent chances following S... c6 6 i.c4 dS 7 exdS A key position arises after White cxdS 8 i.bS+ i.d7 9 l:.e1+ tbe7 protects his e-pawn with 7 and 10 i.xd7+ 'ii'xd7 and now l1"iihS threatens to win Black's. That leads or 11 c4 (rather than transposing to a tabia, 7... exd4 8 tbxd4 0-0 with 11 d3?). 9 i.xc6 bxc6.

ne1

37

RuyLopez

White is better but Black has play along the b-file and from ... c5!/ ... iJ.c6, e.g. 10 iJ.f4 c5 11 ltJD iJ.c6 12 'it'd3 .!tJh5! 13 iJ.e3 l:te8 14 l:Iadl 'ifb8 15 iJ.c1 'iib7, Narciso DublanMizoev, Salou 2006.

And now 5... exd4! 6 ltJxd4 ltJf6 7 0-0 iJ.e7. Then 8 iJ.xc6 or 8 l:Ie 1 0-0 9 iJ.xc6 heads towards the double-edged ... bxc6 tabia that should make Black happy. Unfortunately for him there's a counter-counter-finesse. White can move up the capture on c6, as Jackson Showalter showed more than a century ago, 3... d6 4 d4 .td7 and then 5 iJ.xc6 iJ.xc6 6 .!tJc3. This transposes to the favorable line after 6 ...ltJf6 7 'it'd3 exd4 8.!tJxd4.

Experience shows that White should try to force Black to retake on c6 with the bishop, thereby eliminating ... c5! counterplay. He does that with 3... d6 4 d4 iJ.d7 5 .!tJc3 .!tJf6 6 iJ.xc6! since 6... bxc6? 7 dxe5 drops a pawn.

Of course, Black can accelerate his plan, too, with 4 d4 exd4, as Alexander Onischuk does. But there's a difference because White can retake with his queen, 5 'it'xd4 iJ.d7 6 iJ.xc6, which has been known to favor White since Morphy's day.

Instead 6... iJ.xc6 7 'it'd3 renews the dxe5 threat and favors White following 7 ... .!tJd7 8 iJ.e3 exd4 9 iJ.xd4! or 7... exd4 8 .!tJxd4 iJ.d7 9 iJ.g5 iJ.e7 10 0-0-0 and 8... g6 9 iJ.g5 iJ.g7 10 .!tJxc6 bxc6 11 e5 dxe5 12 'it'D 'it'd6 13 l:tdl (Lupulescu-Pessi, Bucharest 2004).

To resuscitate the Steinitz Black needs a new idea, perhaps the littleexplored 5....!tJge7!? in the last order, or something that confuses White about the timing of iJ.xc6. He might try the Berlin move order 3... .!tJf6 4 0-0 and then 4 ... d6 or

Black's counter-finesse lies in moving up ... exd4 before iJ.xc6 so that he can retake with the b-pawn. He accomplishes this after 3... d6 4 d4 iJ.d7 5 .!tJc3: 38

RuyLopez

4 ... i.e7 5 :tel d6. This has the benefit of denying White his most aggressive plans such as 'iVd3/0-0-0 and avoiding 4 d4. But White should be aware after 3•••lbf6 4 0-0 d6 5 d4 i.d7 that he has 6 i.xe6! i.xe6 7 lbe3.

The liquidation that follows 7••. lbxe4 8 lbxe4 i.xe4 9 :tel favors him (9 ... f5 10 lbg5 or 9 ... i.f5 10 dxe5 d5 11 lbd4). Instead, Black usually transposes with 7... exd4 8 lbxd4 into a ... i.xc6 line, rather than ... bxc6!.

most obvious improvement is that by inserting 3... a6 4 i.a4 before 4 ... d6, Black makes d2-d4 a trifle risky. After 1 e4 e5 2 lbf3 lbe6 3 i.b5 a6 4 i.a4 d6 5 d4 Black can reply 5...b5! 6 i.b3 lbxd4 7 lbxd4 exd4

Now 8 'ifxd4? is the Noah's Ark Trap (8 ... c5 9 'i'd5 i.e6 10 'iVc6+ i.d7 11 'i'd5 c4 and wins). But 8 e3! and then 8... dxc3 9lbxc3lbf6 10 0-0 is a worthwhile gambit.

White's most flexible fifth move is 5 O-O!, which gives him all sorts Bottom line: The Steinitz of finesses. He can, for example, deserves its reputation but only if meet 5... i.d7 with 6 c3. This White times i.xc6 correctly. If usually transposes into the old Black likes the ... bxc61ines he has a Modern Steinitz main line, 5 c3 much better chance of reaching i.d7 but without risking the Siesta them via a delayed Steinitz, such as Variation (5 c3 f5!?). 3... a6 4 i.a4lbf6 5 0-0 i.e7 6 :tel d6 when White's best is 7 i.xc6+ Another virtue concerns Oldrich bxc6 8 d4 exd4 9lbxd4 i.d7. Duras's idea, c2-c4, It's not considered dangerous because 5 e4 MODERN STEINITZ i.g4! exploits the d4-hole. But after DEFENSE 5 0-0 i.d7 White can seek a This is called the 'Improved superior Duras with 6 e4. Then Steinitz Defense' in Russia and the 6... i.g4 would cost Black a tempo 39

RuyLopez

and it's not clear if that or 6... tbf6 7 tbc3 tbd4 equalize.

7 .txc6 and get a favorable old Steinitz position. '

The most common continuation after 5 0-0 .td7 is 6 d4.

He means 7....txc6 8 %:tel exd4 9 tbxd4 because 8... tbxe4? 9 d5 and 8... .txe4 9 tbc3 favor White. As often happens with transpositions, both players may be right. White got the middlegame he wanted and Black avoided the middlegame he sought to avoid. Lajos Portisch added another finesse to the Modem Steinitz when he met 5 0-0 with 5....te7!?

This is an improved gambit in view of 6•.. b5 7 .tb3 tbxd4 8 tbxd4 exd4 9 c3 because ... .td7 is not as useful as ... .tb7. And 6 ... tbge7 7 c4! is an excellent Duras, e.g. 7...tbg6 8 tbc3 .te7 9 .te3 0-0 10 %:tel .tg4 11 .txc6 bxc6 12 h3 as in SmaginBabu, London 1990. This looks like an innocuous route to quiet lines, such as 6 c3 tbf6 7 !:tel 0-08 h3 .td7. But there are differences between 5... .te7 and 5....td7.

Theory prefers 6...tbf6!. Then both players can claim they won the battle of the opening. Black says, 'J tricked you into a Steinitz Defense Doubly Deferred without allowing you a chance to use your best weapon.'

One is that Black is better situated to play 6... .tg4 compared with the somewhat dubious 5 0-0 .tg4.

Translation: This position can be reached via 3... a6 4 .ta4 tbf6 5 0-0 d6 6 d4 .td7 but only if White passes up 6 .txc6+!.

For example, 6 c3 .tg4 7 d4 b5 8 .tb3 tbf6 intending ....txf3. Also 'No,' replies White. 'J got what J 7 d3 tbf6 8 tbbd2 tbd7 9 h3 .th5 wanted because J can now play 10 .tc2 tbf8!? was good for Black 40

RuyLopez

(11 g4 .tg6 12 d4 h5) in BrownePortisch, Milan 1975.

followed by ...ti:Je7. The forgotten 5....te7 deserves to be remembered.

Another difference is Black can try to upgrade the Siesta Variation by meeting 6 c3 with 6... f5!? 7 exf5 .txf5 8 d4 e4.

Black can also mix the Modern Steinitz with the Cozio if he plays 1 e4 e5 2lbf3lbc6 3 .tb5 a6 4 .ta4 and now 4...lbge7.

More of a test of 5... .te7 is 6 d4. Then 6...b5 7 .tb3 lbxd4 8 lbxd4 exd4 9 c3 is another center gambit. After 9 ... lbf6! 10 cxd4 i.b7 11 f3 0o we've transposed into a roughly even line (5 d4 b5 6 i.b3 lbxd4 7lbxd4 exd4 8 c3 .tb7 9 cxd4lbf6 10 f3 i.e7).

Alexey Suetin recommended '5 c3!' and cited one of his games that led to a 5...b5 6 .tb3 d5 7 'ife2! edge.

If there is a refutation of 5... .te7 it is 6 .txc6+ bxc6 7 d4. Then 7 ... f6?, which is thematic in comparable .txc6+ lines of the old Steinitz, makes the kingside pieces stupid. And 7... exd4 8 lbxd4 But Black improves with 5... d6!. Then 6 d4 .td7 transposes to the Modem Steinitz line that runs 5 c3 .td7 6 d4 lbge7. Theory likes White's position more today than it did a generation ago but what may be more important is Black avoided the non-5 c3 options of the Modem Steinitz. Moreover after 4 ... lbge7 5 0-0 Black can safely transpose into the fianchetto line (5 ... g6 6 c3 d6). White may have to challenge But 5... .te7 is playable if Black 4 ...lbge7 with 5 d4 exd4 6 lbxd4, delays ... c5 by means of 8....td7 which so far has remained unclear 9lbc3 lbf6. Or, better yet, 9....tf6! after 6... g6 or 6... b5!? 7 .tb3 lba5.

... allows White to set up a bind after 8... c5 9 lbc6! 'ifd7 10 lba5! (10 ... lbf6?! 11 c4).

41

RuyLopez

EXCHANGE VARIATIONS White can play Jlxc6 at move four, five or six in the main Lopez lines. Exchanging at move five makes sense ifhe wants to avoid the Open Defense and retain the 0-0-0 option. Eduard Gufeld beat Mikhail Tal in a game that went 1 e4 e5 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 Jlb5 a6 4 Jla4 ttJf6 5 Jlxc6 dxc6 6 d3 ttJd7?! 7 ttJbd2 Jle7 8 ttJc4 Jlf6? and then 9 'iVe2 c5 10 Jld2 0-0 11 g4 with a winning attack (ll...bS 12 ttJe3 g6?! 13 h4 ttJb8 14 0-0-0 ttJc6 IS :dgl Jle6? 16 ~bl ttJb4 17 Jlxb4 cxb4 18 gS! and ttJg4).

This can transpose to a Steinitz Defense Doubly Deferred line (7 :el d6) that Akiba Rubinstein liked to playas Black and is similar to the better forms of the old Steinitz after 8 d4 exd4 9 ttJxd4 Jld7. White might improve with 7 ttJxe5 ttJxe4 or 7 d4 ttJxe4 8 dxeS 0-0 (9 :e 1 dS 10 ttJd4 Jld7 11 f3 ttJgS as in I.Sokolov-S.Nikolic, Pancevo 1987) but there's too little experience to tell.

A major benefit of a delayed Jlxc6 is that Black finds it harder to defend his e-pawn. After 3 ... a6 4 Jla4 ttJf6 S Jlxc6 dxc6 he cannot play... f6 as he would after 4 Jlxc6 dxc6. However, 6... Jld6! is a good developing defense and Black stands well after 7 ttJbd2 Jle6.

OPEN DEFENSE Before getting to the main Open line, 1 e4 e5 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 Jlb5 a6 4 Jla4 ttJf6 5 0-0 ttJxe4 6 d4 b5 7 Jlb3 d5, let's consider 7...Jle7!?

The reason the doubly delayed exchange, 5 0-0 Jle7 6 Jlxc6 dxc6, has a better reputation is that 7 ... Jld6 would cost a tempo. Instead, Black obtains a solid game with ... ttJd7. If he wants a unbalanced middle game, with greater winning chances, he should consider the rare 6...bxc6!?: 42

RuyLopez

i..e3, lbbd2) and at Black's ( ... i.e7, ...lbc5, ... lba5) can be mixed in a variety of orders, making transpositions inevitable.

This tries to lure White into 8 :el and then 8... d5 9 dxe5 .te6, a dead even position that could come about after 7 ... d5 8 dxe5 .te6 if White plays the inept 9 l:.el?! .te7.

In the first edition of ECO, Viktor Korchnoi endorsed the conventional wisdom that 9 c3 .te7 10 .te3 and 9 c3 .te7 10 lbbd2 were so favorable that Black should avoid them with 9 ... .tc5!. But Andrei Sokolov showed how White can trick his opponent into a favorable line with 9 .te3!? and then 9 ....te7 10 c3!. This is very effective against booked-up 9 c3 .tc5 opponents.

The best try at punishing 7 ... .te7 is 8 dxe5. Experience with 8...lbc5 9 i.d5 .tb7 (or 9 ...lbe6) has been far from convincing, e.g. 9 ... .tb7 10 lbc3 0-0 11 .tf4 lbe6 12 .tg3 f5!. If Black likes these positions he can get to them even if White adopts a standard way of avoiding the Open Defense, 5 d4. This often favors a better-prepared White after 5... exd4 6 0-0 or 6 e5. But Black has 5.•.b5!? instead:

For instance, 10 ... 0-0 11 lbbd2 'ild7 12 :el :ad8 13 .tc2 lbxd2 14 'ifxd2 .tg4 15 'ifd3 g6 16 .th6 :fe8 17 :adl lba5 18 h3 .txf3 19 'ilxf3 c5 20 'ilg3 lbc4 21 b3 lba3 22 e6! 'ifc6 23 .tf5! and wins, Kamsky-Piket, Dos Hermanas 1995.

Then 6 dxe5! lbxe4! 7.tb3lbc5 8 .td5 i.e7 9 0-0 transposes to the previous line. The tabia of the Open Defense arises after 1 e4 e5 2 lbf3 lbc6 3 .tb5 a6 4 .ta4 lbf6 5 0-0 lbxe4 6 d4 b5 7 .tb3 d5 8 dxe5 i.e6. The moves at White's disposal (c2-c3,

There is no obvious antidote to 9 .te3 but attention has shifted to 9 lbbd2. It allows White to answer 9 ... .tc5 with 10 lbxe4 dxe4 43

RuyLopez

11 it.xe6 with at least a small White edge. That often prompts 9 ... it.e7, after which 10 c3! is another good transposition.

8 ... l:tb8 9 axbS axbS, he can reach a much improved Open Defense, 10 dxeS it.e6 11 c3. But 8 a4? was knocked into a footnote by the Lasker-Schlechter match of 1910 when Black equalized with 8... tiJxd4!'

The downside to 9 tiJbd2 is that White has diminished control of d4, compared with 9 it.e3 and 9 c3. That's significant after 9.•.tiJcS!.

The appeal of the tweaked move order, 8 dxeS it.e6 9 a4, is that 9 ... l:tb8 allows White to reach that ideal version of 8 a4 following 10 axbS axbS 11 c3. For instance, 11...it.e7 12 tiJd4! tiJxeS (12 .. :iVd7 13 it.c2!) 13 f3 tiJcs 14 it.c2 it.d7 IS b4 with advantage, AlekhineRohacek, Munich 1941.

Then White would be happy to see 10 c3 it.e7 11 it.c2 it.g4 because that transposes to yet another good 9 c3 line (9 c3 tiJcs 10 it.c2 it.g4 11 tiJbd2 it.e7). For example, 12 .:tel 'ifd7 13 tiJf1 lId8 14 tiJe3 it.hS IS tiJfS. But Black has been doing better, after 10 c3 with 10•.• d4. That has become a main line, with book analysis stretching past move 20.

So what's wrong with 9 a4 ? Vintage theory says 9•..tiJaS is the answer. But 10 axbS axbS 11 tiJd4! it.cs 12 c3 0-0 13 it.c2 is hardly convincing. More testing is needed (say of 9 •.• b4 10 as, threatening it.a4) before we can properly evaluate 9 a4!?

A trickster will prefer yet another ninth move, 9 a4!?

MOELLERIARKHANGEL DEFENSE

White is trying to slip into a forgotten line that begins 1 e4 eS 2 tiJf3 tiJc6 3 it.bS a6 4 it.a4 tiJf6 S 0-0 tiJxe4 6 d4 bS 7 it.b3 dS and now 8 a4, instead of 8 dxeS. If White gets control of an open a-file, 44

There's no better example of how transpositions can improve a group of related openings than the aggressive systems in which Black mixes ... a6/... tiJf6 with ... i.cs and possibly ... bS/ ... i.b7. Up until fairly recently they seemed like distant cousins unworthy of our attention: The Moeller Attack (1 e4 eS

RuyLopez

2 ~f3 ~c6 3 i..bS a6 4 i..a4 ~f6 S 0-0 i..cS) was considered too flaky because of 6 c3 i..a7 7 d4 or 6 ~xeS ~xeS 7 d4. The Arkhangel, S•.. bS 6 i..b3 i..b7, enjoyed 15 minutes of fame in the 1960s. That expired when White obtained an edge on both wings with 7 .l:tel i..c5 8 c3 d6 9 d4 i..b6 10 i..g5 and a2-a4. But then came the 'New ~ ~ Arkhangel,' S...bS 6 .... b3 .... cS.

commonly come from 5 'iVe2 b5 6 i..b3 i..c5 7 0-0 and lead to roughly equal chances. If White abandons c2-c3/d2-d4 and plays 7 d3 Black can safely revert to the old Arkhangel, 7... 0-0 8 a4 i..b7. That's an 'old' position that occurs after 5 0-0 b5 6 i..b3 i..b7 when White passes up the critical lines such as 7 .:tel. Again Black gets a free ride in the opening. A key test of the New Arkhangel is 7 c3 d6 8 d4 i..b6:

Black's cunning lies in holding back his QB until he knows whether it serves best on g4 or b7. For example, on 7 .l:tel he avoids 7... i..b7 - which transposes to the unfavorable old Arkhangel - and plays 7... ~g4! in the Moeller spirit. That's good for him, e.g. 8 d4? ~xd4 9 ~xd4 'ii'h4! or 8 .l:te2 ~d4 9 ~xd4 i..xd4, threatening 10 ... 'ii'h4.

The difference between new and old is revealed by 9 .:tel. Then 9 ... i..b7? transposes to an inferior 'old' position. But after 9...i..g4! we are 'new.' White can't support his center on the current squares and he has no edge after 10 d5 ~e7 11 h3 i..d7! and ... c6. What about a2-a4, the usual antidote to an early ... b5 ? That shouldn't trouble Black in the last diagram, e.g. 9 a4 i..g4! 10 axbS axbS 11 .l:txa8 'iVxa8 12 h3 i..hS

If White concludes that he should be playing 7 'i'e2 instead, he is merely transposing into one of the Worrall/Wormald tabias that 45

RuyLopez

has perfonned well, e.g. 13 "ifd3 exd4 14 ii.g5 ii.xf3 15 ii.xf6 ii.xg2!, Pavlovic-Carlsen, Reykjavik 2006.

face the more critical 8...l:tb8 and 8... ii.g4 lines. Despite that, the .. .ii.c5 family is respectable today - because so far Black has found more good transpositions than White.

Is there nothing but good news for Black in the New Arkhangel? Not quite. He has to know what to do after 7 ttJxeS. The amount of MARSHALL and theory on 7 ... ttJxe5 8 d4 ii.xd4 ANTI-MARSHALL 9 'ilfxd4 d6 has exploded in recent years and the debris hasn't settled In the 1930s Frank Marshall's yet. gambit was considered refuted. In Moreover, White can set his own the 1960s it was resuscitated by transpo traps. With 7 a4 he forces Boris Spassky - as a drawing Black to meet the threat ofaxb5. weapon. Today it is perhaps the most dangerous Ruy Lopez Then 7...ii.b7 defense. That adds huge significance to Black's seventh move: 1 e4 eS 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 .tbS a6 4 .ta4 ttJf6 S 0-0 .te7 6 l:tel bS 7 ii.b3.

8 d3 is another quiet line, an antiMarshall in which .. .ii.c5 has been played in place of ... ii.e7. That would seem to benefit Black but White can confuse matters with 8 c3, hoping for 8...d6 9 d4 ii.b6 10 ii.gS!, a favorable 'old' position.

With 7 ... d6 Black commits himself to a main-line variation (8 c3 0-0 9 h3 etc.). But 7... 0-0 allows him to threaten to play the Marshall Gambit, 8 c3 d5!?

What happened: We've transposed into 7 c3 d6 8 a4!? ii.b7 9 d4 ii.b6 10 ii.g5. This helped White because he didn't have to

It's just a threat because he can 46

RuyLopez

back out with 8... d6, tranposing into the main line. Yet the threat is so worrisome that today's strongest GMs skirt the issue with modest, if not cowardly anti-Marshall moves like 8 d3 or 8 h3. Why then should anyone play 7... d6 if it enables White to play more aggressively without risk? The only downside to 7... 0-0 is supposed to be that 8 a4 is stronger. It is - but not significantly, after 8 a4.i.b7. That's why top GMs have been hunting for an aggressive way to sidestep the Marshall. One idea is 8 d4.

Alexander Grischuk among others. And what about other antiMarshall lines? The simplest begins with 8 d3. Then 8... d5 is considered unsound since c3 is available for a knight (9 exd5 tiJxd5 10 tiJxe5 tiJxe5 11 :xe5 c6 12 l:te 1 .i.d6 13 tiJc3!). Black typically meets 8 d3 with 8...d6. Following 9 c3 White will eventually play d3-d4. This ensures he can execute the tiJf1 maneuver that is so important to the Lopez. He plans 10 tiJbd2, 11 tiJf1, 12 tiJg3 and eventually d3-d4. He doesn't get to do that in some 8 c3 lines, such as the Zaitsev Variation (8 ... d6 9 h3 .i.b7 10 d4 :e8 11 tiJbd2 .i.f8 12 tiJf1? exd4! and Black wins a pawn).

The downside to 8 d3 d6 9 c3 is White will be a tempo behind traditional 8 c3 d6 9 h3 lines when he eventually advances d3-d4. But that tempo may be a minor concern This works best when Black compared with dealing with the becomes concerned about the looks Marshall. of 8... tiJxd4 9 tiJxd4 exd4 10 e5 Note that one of the few active tiJe8 and bails out with 8... d6. responses Black has is 9 ... .i.e6. Then 9 c3! transposes into 8 c3 Black seems to be doing well when d6 9 d4 .i.g4. Books say that old you compare this with 8 c3 d6 9 h3 line is second-best to 8 c3 d6 9 h3. .i.e6 10 d4!, which theory says But second-best doesn't mean it's favors White after 10 ... .i.xb3 bad and the old line is used by Gata 11 axb3 :e8 12 d5! and 13 c4. Kamsky, Magnus Carlsen, and But is Black equal after 8 d3 d6

47

RuyLopez

9 c3 .te6 and then 10 d4 ?

The test of Geller's order is 9... tbxd4, since 10 .txt7+ l1xt7 He is a tempo ahead of the 11 tbxe511f8! 12 'iixd4 c5 is a good previous line. But all that means is gambit and 10 tbxd4 exd4 11 e5 that h2-h3 is missing. Black best tbe4 12 'iig4 d5 has performed well may be 10... i.g4!, transposing to for Black. Nevertheless, 9 d4 may 8 c3 d6 9 d4 .tg4, that old, be worthwhile because allowing the reasonable system for White. Marshall is worse - and because the Another anti-Marshall finesse is most natural response from Black is 8 h3. Then if Black continues fleeing with 9 ... d6 10 c3 into 8••• d6, as he often does after 8 d3, something more familiar to him. White can shoot back 9 c3!. He has transposed to 8 c3 d6 9 h3 while Because of the forcing nature of dodging the Marshall. the main Marshall lines, there is Books used to dispose of 8 h3 with the comment that 8 ....tb7 keeps the gambit alive. That is, 9 c3 d5! 10 exd5 tbxd5 11 tbxe5 tbxe5 12 l1xe5 tbf4! is a prohibitively strong attack.

little room for transposition following 8 c3 d5 9 exd5 tbxd5 10 tbxe5 tbxe5 11 l1xe5 c6. An exception occurs in Fischer's idea of 12 g3.

Yefim Geller pointed out the virtue of 9 d4!? instead. Then 9..• d6 10 c3! transposes to the Zaitsev Variation. If White prefers the Zaitsev to the Marshalland most Lopez players do - then he's scored a minor victory.

48

RuyLopez

This is designed to bypass the mega-theory of 12 d4 .td6 13 .:tel 'iVh4 14 g3 'iVh3.

Arthur Bisguier once explained in Chess Review why he used 5•.. b5 6 .tb3 d6!?

The simplest way of handling 12 g3 is 12 ....td6 13 .:tel: And now 13 ..:iVd7! and ... 'iWh3 transposes to the line White is trying to avoid. One of the few variables in the Marshall is the timing of .txd5, if that's White's wish. He can do it with 12 d4 .td6 13 .:tel 'iWh4 14 g3 'iVh3 15 i.xd5 exd5 or wait for First, he wanted to avoid his 15 .te3 .tg4 16 'iVd3 .:tae8 and opponent's favorite Delayed then play 17 .txd5. Exchange (5 ... .te7 6 .txc6) Or he can wait further, 17 ttJd2 .:te6 18 'iWfl 'ifh5 19 .txd5. He can

Variation. Second, White 'couldn't be sure I would transpose into the main line and he felt compelled to analyze the complexities of 7 ttJg5. ' Opinions vary about the soundness of7 ... d5 8 exd5 ttJd4.

even reach the same positions with 12 i.xd5 exd5 13 d4 i.d6 14 .:tel 'iVh4 15 g3 'ifh3. Which is best? Perhaps the last order because - aside from the extra 14 .:te3 option - it bypasses another Geller line, 12 d4 i.d6 13 .:te 1 'iVh4 14 g3 'iVh3 15 i.e3 i.g4 16 'iVd3 ttJxe3!? 17 .:txe3 c5.

White eventually selected 7 e3 and Black transposed after 7... i.e7 8 h3 ttJa5 9 i.e2 e5 10 d4. But by then he had gained more than an hour (!) on the clock.

ROAD MAPS TO THE RUYMAIN Black reaches the main Ruy tabia after 1 e4 e5 2 ttJf3 ttJe6 3 i.b5 a6 4 i.a4 ttJf6 5 0-0 i.e7 6 .:tel b5 7 .tb3 0-0 8 e3 d6 9 h3. Other orders give White more options but that also means more to think about. 49

RuyLopez

That's an extreme case of 'giving him something to think about. ' Like other alternative routes to the Ruy tabia, this one comes with a price. White has saved a tempo compared with the usual main lines. He doesn't have to play l:.el, since ~c2 protected the e-pawn. In other routes he can avoid h2-h3 because ... ~g4 is not a concern. Yet This position occurred several as we'll see White may have to play times in the 1950s as a means to a h2-h3 and l:tel after all and give Marshall-like gambit, 8... d5. back the tempi. If he does, Black can derive some short-term gains However, Black also has 8.••d6, through these alternative orders. with the hope of reaching an Another is 1 e4 eS 2 ltJf3 ltJe6 improved, or at least confusing, 3 ~bS a6 4 ~a4 ltJf6 S 0-0 bS version of the Ruy main line after 6 ~b3 and now 6... ~e7. Then 9 d4 ltJaS!? That leaves a pawn hanging but no one who has faced 7ltJg5? O-O! is pointless. this as White seems to trust 10 dxe5 This order has the usual ... b5 dxe5 llltJxe5 ltJxb3. drawback of allowing 7 a4. Then 7... b4 has a poor reputation because Instead 10 .te2 eS has been of 8 'iVe2 0-0 9 a5! and 10 c3. played. When Paul Keres reached Perhaps better is 7... ~b7 and this position he rejected 11 dxe5 8 axb5 axb5 9 l:txa8 and 10 ltJc3 dxe5 12 'i'xd8+ l:.xd8 13 ltJxe5 ~xe4! and played llltJbd2.

but there is little experience to prove it.

Another all-but-forgotten order What's happened is that we've (after 1 e4 e5 2 ltJf3 ltJc6 3 ~b5 a6 reached a main Lopez line but with 4 ~a4 ltJf6 5 0-0) is S•.• ~e7 6 l:.e1 the omission of h2-h3 and ... 0-0. bS 7 .ib3 ~b7. This also comes That should favor White, not Black. about via the Arkhangel if Black But it's hard to prove that if Black puts his KB on e7 rather than c5. continues to delay castling with White has nothing better than 8 e3: 1l ••• exd4 12 exd4 l:.e8.

50

Ruy Lopez

This is not just a trap, 13 dxe5 dxe5 14 liJxe5? 'iie7!. It deserves the serious testing it hasn't gotten.

Instead he usually plays 14 i.b1 and then 14... 0-0 15 liJf1. That transposes to a position that normally comes from 5 0-0 ~e7 6 :el b5 7 ~b3 0-0 8 c3 d6 9 h3 liJa5 10 .tc2 c5 11 d4 'iic7 12 liJbd2 cxd4 13 cxd4.td7 14 liJf1 :ac8 when White passes up 15 liJe3! and 15 .l:!e2! and settles for 15 ~b1.

OLD MAIN LINE The way the main Ruy tabia was reached for much of the 20th century was 5 0-0 ~e7 6 :e1 b5 7 ~b3 d6 S e3 and now S•••liJa5 9 .te2 e5. This was considered a finesse because it avoided 8... 0-0 9 d4, at a time when that line was regarded as potent. The 8... liJa5 order began to disappear in the 1950s but was revived by Bent Larsen and Oleg Romanishin.

In this order White didn't get that choice and the result is a roughly equal position (15 ... l:.fe8 16 liJg3 liJc6).

Why was it revived? One reason is that by delaying castling Black can meet 10 d4 'iie7 11 h3 with a quick ... l:tc8 that threatens the c2-bishop earlier than usual.

Another plus of the Old Main Line is that Black isn't castled after 8... liJa5 9 .tc2 c5 10 d4 'iic7 11 h3 liJe6. That means 12 d5? - which is

For example, 11 ...~d7 12 liJbd2 exd4 13 exd4 :eS. Since White hasn't had time for liJf1, he can't defend the bishop with :e2 or liJe3, as he does in the orthodox main line.

a good move when liJbd2 and ... 0-0 are added - turns out well for Black after 12 ...liJbS 13 liJbd2. Instead of 13 ... 0-0? 14 a4 ...

51

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use the 11.. ..id7 12 ltJbd2 cxd4 13 cxd4 :c8! 14.ib 1 0-0 trick. MAINLINES A modem main line runs 1 e4 e5 2 ltJf3 ltJe6 3 .ib5 a6 4 .ia4 tiJf6 5 0-0 .ie7 6 :e1 b5 7 .ib3 0-0 8 e3 d6 9 h3 and now 9...ltJa5 10 .ie2 e5 11 d4. Black typically defends the attacked e-pawn with ...'fic7, ... ltJd7 or ...ltJc6, with or without a trade of c-pawns.

... he can attack with 13 ... g5! (14 ltJxg5 :g8), with advantage according to Aleksandr Matanovic.

Often he adds ... :e8 so that after ... .if8 he smoothes out his development and puts pressure on e4, e.g. 11...'ifc7 12 ltJbd2 cxd4 13 cxd4 .ib7 14 ltJf1 :ac8 and 15 ...:fe8.

The drawback to the Old Main Line is that White saves a tempo by not playing h2-h3. But that may be temporary. For instance, 11 ltJbd2 0-0 12 ltJf1?, rather than 12 h3!, allows 12 ... cxd4 13 cxd4 .ig4! with excellent play.

More economical is Yaacov Murey's gambit idea, 11 ...:e8!? It's based on 12 dxe5 dxe5 13 ltJxe5 .ib7 with compensation for the sacrificed pawn.

Tal was plainly frustrated with the Old Main Line when Larsen adopted it against him in 1991. Tal knew that the books claimed 10 d4 'ifc7 11 a4 was the refutation. But as he studied the position he concluded 11 ... e4! (instead of the book 11...h4?) was not at all bad. He also noticed that after 11 ltJbd2 Black can reply 11 ....id7 12 d5 0-0 and when White plays ltJf1-e3, Black replies ... ltJg4!, which looked good. So after considerable thought Tal just played 11 h3 and transposed after all.

For example, 14 ltJd2 .id6 or 14 'iff3 .if8 15 .if4 :e6 16 ltJg4 ltJc4 17 ltJxf6+ :xf6 18 tiJd2 tiJe5, Chandler-Hebden, Millfield 2000.

This was the final game between these two great warriors and it ended in a draw after Black got to 52

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But the principal idea of 11 .. J::te8 What made the Zaitsev playable is to save a tempo by omitting was the realization that 9...:e8 ... 'iic7. For example 12 liJbd2.tts 10 liJg5: 13 liJf1 gives Black good counterplay after 13... cxd4 14 cxd4 exd4 15 liJxd4 i.b7. Compare this with 11...'iic7 12 liJbd2 :e8 13 liJfl .tfS when White gets the upper hand from 14 i.g5!. By avoiding ... 'iic7 Black may find a better use for the queen, e.g. Now 10...:ts! is perfectly safe 11...l:te8 12 liJbd2 .tfS 13 b3 liJc6 for Black. White has nothing better 14 i.b2 .td7 15 a3 'iib6! with good than 11 liJf3 !, repeating the play. In contrast, 11 ... 'iic7 12 liJbd2 position. In fact, grandmaster draws :e8 13 b3 i.fS 14 liJfl favors have ended here or after a few more White. repetitions. Igor Zaitsev's contribution to the Ruy occurs when Black meets the tabia's 9 h3 with 9...:e8 10 d4 i.b7. He prevents the liJd2-fl maneuver that is so valuable in the Ruy, as noted earlier.

Zaitsev's original move order is inexact if Black wants to avoid a draw as well as the complications of 9...:e8 10 a4 liJa5 11 .ta2. More precise is 9....tb7! first and then 10 d4 :e8, transposing.

53

Chapter Three: Sicilian Defense Transposition tricks punish routine moves more often in the Sicilian than in any other opening. That might be expected in sharp Sicilian lines but it also applies to the closed variations.

White has a strong sacrifice, 8 fS! gxfS 9 tbh4 fxe4 10 dxe4 followed by tbf5 or 'i'h5, e.g. 10 ... ~e6 11 tbf5 .ltxf5 12 exf5 f6 13 tbc3 0-0 14 tbd5, Korolyev-Varlamov, correspondence 1981.

For example, White can try to save a tempo compared with the traditional closed order, 1 e4 cS 2 tbc3 tbc6 3 g3, with 2 g3. The Russian postal champion Sergey Korolyev showed the benefits of this following 2...tbc6 3 .ltg2 g6 4 d3 .ltg7 S f4 d6 6 tbf3.

If Black chose 6... tbf6 instead, Korolyev was content to transpose to a normal closed with tbc3, since many players think ...tbf6 is one of the less effective closed defenses.

The drawback to 2 g3 is 2... dS!. White doesn't have time for 3 d3 and 4 tbd2 because of 3... dxe4! and Black has been playing auto-pilot he may not like 3 exd5 'iVxd5 4 tbf3 moves but if he continues 6..•eS .ltg4 5 .ltg2 'iVe6+!. 70-0 tbge7?!: Alexander Morozevich refined this order with 2 d3!? That enables White to transpose, after 2... g6 3 g3 .ltg7 4 .ltg2 tbc6 5 f4 d6 6 tbf3 e5 7 0-0 tbge7 8 f5!, to Korolyev's sacrifice. But it also allows him to safely meet a quick ... d5 with tbd2! and obtain a satisfactory King's Indian Reversed.

Thanks to his saved (tbc3) tempo 54

Sicilian Defense

CHAMELEON SICILIAN This elastic system is based on White's ability to delay a decision of whether to open the center with d2-d4. It works because the sophisticated Black moves of an open line, such as ... a6 and ...'iic7, will be out of place in a closed one, as Vladimir Simagin first showed in games like Simagin-Portisch, Plovdiv 1959, 1 e4 c5 2 liJf3 e6 3 liJc3!? a6 4 g3 b5.

liJc6 3 liJge2 e6 4 g3. Black indicates his willingness to play a Taimanov or Scheveningen variation and White is hinting at a closed line. But if Black naively responds 4... g6?, expecting 5 .tg2 .tg7

... he'll be surprised by 5 d4! cxd4 6 liJxd4. This exposes a nasty hole at d6 (6 ... .tg7? 7liJdb5!). Similarly 4... liJge7 5 .tg2 g6? 6 d4!. Black never has this problem in normal Closed Sicilian orders such as 1 e4 c5 2 liJc3 liJc6 3 g3 g6 4 .tg2 .tg7 because he has too much firepower focused on d4.

Black's setup would serve him well after 5 d4 cxd4 but not in the game's continuation, 5 .tg2 .tb7 6 d3! liJc6 7 0-0 d6 8liJg5. Despite his opening expertise in the open And suppose Black abandons Sicilian, Lajos Portisch appeared clueless after 8... h6 9 liJh3 liJf6 ... g6 and goes instead for a quick 10 f4 i.e7 11 f5! e5 12 liJf2 liJd4 ... d5, as in 1 e4 c5 2liJc3 e6 3 g3 d5 13 liJb I! liJd7 14 c3 liJc6 15 a4 4 exd5 exd5. That's a perfectly i.g5 16 .txg5 'iixg5 17 axb5 axb5 valid anti-closed weapon. 18 lha8+ i.xa8 19 liJa3 liJa7 But 2... e6 is a more committal 20 d4!. move than Black may suspect and On the other hand, if Black after 3 liJf3 he cannot stop 4 d4. If assumes he is headed into a closed Black is a Najdorf or Dragon Sicilian, White can switch to an player, he'll find himself tricked out open one. This is the case of 2 liJc3 of his repertoire. 55

Sicilian Defense

players are not familiar with. And 5... a6 is trickier than you might think - 6 'ii'd3 tbc6 7 ..tf4 'ii'c7 8 00-0 tbe5?? 9 tbxe5 dxe5 10 ..txe5! Resigns was Benjamin-Hrop, The first version is the most Parsippany 2003. deceptive. After 2 tbf3 a Taimanov The Dragon player may feel at Variation player might reply 2 ... e6 ease in this first Chameleon version because he wants to avoid 2 ...tbc6 because he can meet 2 tbf3 tbc6 3 ..tb5, the Rossolimo Variation. 3 tbc3 with 3... d6 4 d4 cxd4 But 3 tbc3 poses a problem. 5 tbxd4 g6. But this is a Modern Then 3... tbc6 allows one of the Dragon Variation with a slight better editions of the Rossolimo, difference: ...tbc6 has been played 4 ..tb5!. And 3 ...tbf6 transposes in place of ... tbf6. That means after 4 e5 tbd5 into the dubious 6 tbd5! is possible. Then 6.....td7 Nimzovich Variation (usually 7 ..tg5 is annoying and 6... e6 7 tbc3 reached via 2 tbf3 tbf6 3 e5 tbd5 exposes holes. 4 tbc3 e6).

There are three basic versions of the Chameleon: White can bring his knights to f3 and c3. Or he can play 2 tbe2 and 3 tbbc3. Or he can begin with 2 tbc3 and then 3 tbge2.

The most flexible response to 2 tbf3 e6 3 tbc3 is 3... d6. Then 4 d4 cxd4 5 tbxd4 opens a path to various mainstream Sicilians (5 ...tbf6, 5... tbc6, 5... a6). However, White can surprise him with 5 'i'xd4!?

If Black replies 6.....tg7 instead he is not lost - as Alexey Suetin claimed in the first edition of ECO. But he is worse after 7 tbb5! :b8 8 c4. The Dragon player might refme his order and meet 2 tbf3 with 2..• d6 3 tbc3 g6. But he lands in new and complicated territory after 4 d4 cxd4 5 'ii'xd4! (5 ...tbf6 6 e5 tbc6 7..tb5).

Then 5...tbc6 6 ..tb5 is a position (usually reached via 2 tbf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 'iixd4) that most 2 ... e6 56

Sicilian Defense

But life isn't so simple for White But this is how Bobby Fischer in this Chameleon order. A major outsmarted himself in his 1992 drawback to 2 tDf3 tDc6 3 tDc3 or rematch with Boris Spassky. 2... d6 3 tDc3 is 3... e5!. Then d2-d4 Spassky switched to a closed is impossible and he is stuck in a Sicilian, 3 tDbc3 d6 4 g3! tDc6 closed Sicilian with his KN 5 i.g2 g6 6 0-0 i.g7 7 d3 0-0 8 h3 misplaced at D, where it blocks his and 9 f4 - an excellent weapon f-pawn. against Fischer, who had always preferred ... f5 or ... e6/ ... tDge7 For example 2... tDc6 3 tDD e5 systems, not those with ... tDf6. 4 i.c4 d6 5 0-0 i.e7 6 a3?! tDf6 Perhaps Black's best policy after 7 :b 1 0-0 8 b4 a6 9 d3 b5! as in J.Polgar-Kramnik, Paris 1994. 2 tDe2 is allowing an open Sicilian, White can improve on 6 a3?! but so say with 2...tDc6 3 tDbc3 d6 4 d4. He delays ... e5 until White has far 3... e5! has performed well. given up on tDd5/i.c4, such as 4 g3 Jose Capablanca and Paul Keres e5!. tried to solve the ... e5 problem with There are slight differences in the the second Chameleon version, 2 tDe2 and 3 tDbc3. The difference third Chameleon order, 2 tDc3 and is that 2... tDc6 3 tDbc3 e5 allows 3 tDge2. A Najdorf player can be 4 tDd5! followed by tDec3! and expected to reply 2..•d6 and 3... a6. i.c4, which coordinates the White Then after 4 d4 cxd4 5 tDxd4 he has a choice between transposing pieces well. into a normal Najdorf with 5... tDf6 The natural response to 2 tDe2 is and the extra option of 5... e6!? 2...tDf6. This attacks the e-pawn That avoids the 6 i.g5 Najdorf and invites the complications of 3 e5?! tDg4 or 3 ... tDd5 4 tDbc3 e6. and gets good versions of other Najdorfs, such as 6 f4 b5 7 i.d3 i.b7 8 0-0 tDd7 9 f5? 'iib6!. It also creates a reasonable Keres Attack after 6 g4, e.g. 6... tDe7 7 a3 tDbc6 8 tDb3 b5 as in Vallejo PonsTopalov, Leon 2006. The problem with the Najdorfwannabe order is Black has to justify ... a6 after 4 g3!.

57

Sicilian Defense

Then 4 g3 .ltg7 is an innocuous Closed Sicilian in which White's KN is once again misplaced. Better is 4 d4 cxd4 5 tDxd4 i.g7. If Black has any Dragon instincts he'd be happy here because he enjoys the benefits of the accelerated order without allowing White his strongest weapon, the Maroczy Bind.

Now 4 ... e5 is not nearly as effective when White's f-pawn is unblocked. He is virtually a move ahead of normal closed Sicilians after 5 .ltg2 tDc6 6 d3 g6 7 f4 .ltg7 8 0-0 tDge7 9 .lte3 0-0 10 'i'd2 tDd4 11 litf2. Note that Black also gets an extra option in both the 2 tDc3/3 tDge2 and 2 tDc3/3 tDf3 orders. After 2 ... tDc6 and 3 ... d6 4 d4 exd4 5 tDxd4 he can try 5... e5.

But White can also feel happy with this move order, because he discouraged Black from a slew of other openings he might have prepared, such as the Taimanov or Sveshnikov.

This has the benefit of reaching a Sveshnikov Variation (6 tDdb5 a6 7 tDa3 b5 8 tDd5) but with the possibility of 8 ...tDce7!?, which has tested well. However, White also has an extra option, 6 tDf5!?, and this entire 5 ... e5 line must be called unclear.

GRAND PRIX ATTACK The Grand Prix was once considered a patzer's opening. But no less a Sicilian authority than Yevgeny Sveshnikov said that allowing it by answering 2 f4 with 2 ... tDc6 was a serious mistake. 'Already Black is worse,' he wrote.

The biggest problem with all the Chameleon orders is the accelerated form of the Dragon.

White's basic plan in the attack is tDc3 and f2-f4 followed by tDf3 and posting his KB on c4 or b5. If Black

After 1 e4 c5 2 tDf3 tDc6 3 tDc3 g6!:

58

Sicilian Defense

could count on White not transposing, his best order would be 1 e4 c5 2 lLlc3lLlc6 3 f4 e6 4lLlnlLlge7:

What about a more flexible - and very common - order such as 1 e4 c5 2 lLlc3 lLlc6 3 f4 d6 4 l'bn e6 ? Then 5 i.b5 can be firmly answered by 5... l'bge7 and 6... a6!. But on 5 g3!:

In that way he can meet 5 i.b5 with 5... a6! and 5 i.c4? with 5... d5!. White gets a good Chameleon, e.g. 5...lLlge7 6 i.g2 and if 6... g6 then 7 d4! exposes the d6 hole again.

But the greatest strength of the Grand Prix today is its transpotential. White can switch to an open Sicilian, 5 d4 cxd4 6 lLlxd4. The result is perfectly good version of the Taimanov Variation. But there's quite a bit of theory for Black to know - and if he's not a Taimanov player, he's been tricked out of his repertoire.

Better is 4... a6. But 5 d4 cxd4 6 lLlxd4 lLlf6 would land Black in a strange Najdorf. That is, 1 e4 c5 2 l'bf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 lLlxd4 l'bf6 5 l'bc3 a6 and 6 f4 l'bc6?!, e.g. 7 i.e3 i.d7 8 'iYn g6 9 l'bd5! ':c8 10 l'bxf6+ exf6 11 c3 is excellent for White (F 0 garasi -Ftacnik, Austria 2006).

This kind of switch happens because Black has to make pawn and piece commitments. That provides White with the information he needs to decide whether to transpose into another Sicilian line. In the last diagram for example, White could play 5 g3, creating a closed Sicilian in which Black has given up on the recommended ... lLlf6 and ... e5 defenses.

Most likely the best answer to 1 e4 c5 2 l'bc3 l'bc6 3 f4 d6 4 l'bf3 is neither 4... e6 nor 4... a6 but 4... g6. Black should be happy with 5 i.b5 i.d7, a familiar Grand Prix position. But he had better know a lot of Dragon theory as well because of 5 d4!? 59

Sicilian Defense

The Grand Prix is a particularly good weapon against Najdorf, Scheveningen and Modem Dragon players because they'll meet 1 e4 c5 2 liJc3 with 2•.. d6 in the hopes of transposing (3 liJf3 liJf6 4 d4) or punishing White's order (3 liJf3 e5!).

The trickster can try to exploit Kasparov's order with the paradoxical 5 .tb5+ .td7 6 .tc4!? His point is that Black's bishop gets in the way of supporting ... d5.

There are only a few examples of this so far (6 ... liJc6 7 0-0 e6 8 d3 liJge7 9 'i'el a6 10 f5!? gxf5 But there's a problem with 2... d6. 11 'i'h4 b5 12 .tb3 'iVb6, Some of the best forms of the Grand Ramon Perez - Movsziszian, Prix for White are those with ... d6. Balaguer 2006). But this may be a For example, 3 f4 liJc6 4 liJf3 g6 finesse with a future. 5 .tb5! is a pin that rules out And there is one more headache ... liJd4, a strong idea when the pawn for Black after 3... g6. White can is at d7. reply 4 d4 cxd4 5 'i'xd4. This Garry Kasparov's solution was allows him a promising pawn sack 1 e4 c5 2 liJc3 d6 3 f4 g6 4 liJf3 after 5... liJf6 6 e5 liJc6 7 .tb5 .tg7: (7 ... dxe5 8 'i'xd8+ ~xd8 9 fxe5! liJxe5 10 .tf4 liJed7 11 0-0-0).

ALAPIN VARIATION Simon Alapin - pronounced ah-LAH-peen, in case you were wondering - gets the credit for 2 c3. But the German player H. W.Popert played it, as well as the wily This is far superior to 4 ... liJc6 5 2 liJf3 I 3 c3, more than 50 years .tb5 .tg7?! 6 .txc6+!, which before Alapin. favors White. Black can meet The benefit of the second order is 5 .tb5+ with 5....td7!. that White gets to see Black's second move before he commits himself to c2-c3. That's significant because after 2 liJf3 liJc6 3 c3!? Black has lost some of his best 2 c3 options.

He also invites a Dragon, 5 d4 cxd4, and can meet 5 .tc4 with 5 ...liJc6 6 0-0 e6 followed by kicking the bishop with ... liJge7/ ... d5 60

Sicilian Defense

The difference is 2 ttJO e6 3 c3 ttJe7!? 4 d4 cxd4 5 cxd4 d5:

He can't play the best version oLb6/... i.b7 - which arises in 2 c3 ttJf6 3 e5 ttJd5 4 d4 cxd4 5 cxd4 e6 6 ttJf3 b6 - because the QN is in the way (3 ...ttJf6 4 e5 ttJd5 5 d4 cxd4 6 cxd4 b6 7 i.c4!).

And now 6 exd5 allows 6... ttJxd5!. What's happened is Black slipped into a harmless SemiTarrasch Defense position which Also 3... d5 4 exd5 'iixd5 leads to more commonly occurs in orders a 2 c3 d5 position in which Black's like 1 ttJf3 ttJf6 2 c4 e6 3 d4 c5 4 e3 QN is developed early. White soon cxd4 5 exd4 d5 6 cxd5?! ttJxd5. threatens to push his center pawns, White does better with 6 e5 even e.g. 5 d4 i.g4 6 i.e2 e6?! 7 h3 i.h5 8 c4 'i'd6 9 g4 i.g6 10 d5! though 6...ttJbc6 and 7...ttJf5 is quite a respectable version of the with advantage. Advance French for Black. It's In practice, the delayed form of respectable - but perhaps not the the Alapin appears infrequently kind of middle game that a after 2 ttJO d6 because of 3 c3 ttJf6! Sicilianista would like to defend. (4 d4? ttJxe4). It occurs most often That's why you'll see 1 e4 c5 after 2 ttJf3 a6, when White tries to 2 ttJO e6 3 c3 d5 4 e5 being played, prove that ... a6 is irrelevant. even though 4 exd5 is objectively It's also a good weapon against better. White is hoping a 1...c5 2... e6 but there is a counter-finesse player won't be comfortable in a in 3 c3 ttJe7!? and ... d5. This French. And that's also why Black favorite of Yevgeny Vasiukov's often avoids the objectively best avoids ... d5/exd5 lines in which 4... ttJc6 5 d4 and prefers a gambit Black has to retake with his queen with 4 ... d4!? 5 cxd4 cxd4 6 i.b5+ or e-pawn, that is 1 e4 c5 2 c3 d5 ttJc6 7 i.xc6+ bxc6 8 'ifa4 or 3 exd5 or 2... e6 3 d4 d5 4 exd5. 6 ... i.d7 7 ttJxd4!? 61

Sicilian Defense

MAIN ALAPIN LINES

unclear, especially after trendy continuations such as 7 .te2 'fIe7

After 2 e3 tLlf6 play usually continues 3 e5 tLld5 4 d4. But 8 'iVe2 g5!? Sveshnikov, the leading authority The main line of 2.•• d5 is 3 exd5 on 2 c3, prefers 4 tLlf3 and meets 'iVxd5 4 d4. Black should avoid 4 ... tLlc6 with 5 .i.c4 and then 5... e6 4... cxd4 because he's headed to one 6 0-0 d6 7 d4 cxd4 8 cxd4 to reach of the isolated pawn middlegames a typical Alapin position. we know to be inferior when they His point is that this order averts arise in the Queen's Gambit some troublesome lines such as Accepted and Semi-Tarrasch. For example, 4 ... cxd4 5 cxd4 tLlc6 4 d4 cxd4 5 cxd4 d6 6 tLlf3 tLlc6 6 tLlf3 e6 7 tLlc3 'fId8 8 i.c4 7 .Jtc4 dxe5 and 7... tLlb6 8 .i.b3 d5. transposes to a 1 d4 position with an Another virtue of 4 tLlf3 is that it extra tempo for White. gives Black a chance for 4..• e6 Better is 4... tLlf6 5 tLlf3. Both 5 ..te4 b6. He thinks he can transpose into the 4 d4 cxd4 5 cxd4 5... e6 and 5... .i.g4 are common. The e6 6 tLlf3 b6 line, which enjoys a sly alternative is 5•..tLle6!? good reputation.

This rules out popular attacking setups with .i.d3 because of 6 .id3 .i.g4! (7 .i.e3 cxd4 8 cxd4 i.xf3 9 gxf3 e6).

But White can cross him up with 6 .i.xd5! exd5 7 d3 and claim a slight edge. The more accurate route to the fianchetto line is 4 tLlf3 b6! 5 ..tc4 ..ib7.

Another benefit of 5... tLlc6 is that 6 .i.e2, which prepares c3-c4, can be handled by 6.•. exd4! 7 exd4 e6 with rough equality. White cannot take with his knight on d4 because g2 is hanging.

The drawback to 4 tLlf3 tLle6 5 .Jte4 is Gedeon Barcza's idea, 5... tLlb6! 6 ..ib3 e4. That's not necessarily bad for White. It's just 62

Sicilian Defense

In contrast, 6... e6 7 0-0 cxd4 8lbxd4! lbxd4 9 cxd4 followed by lbc3 or i.f3 favors White.

8 i.g5! and 0-0-0.

However, 7 ... h6!? leaves him without a plan. A cautionary tale, Lopez-Dobrov, Neiva 2005, went ROSSOLIMOIMOSCOW!'iIVxd4 8 i.e3 e5! 9 'ilVd3lbf6 10 0-0-0 i.e7 The two variations in which 11 h3? 'ilVd7 12 ~bl b5 13 lbd2? White places his bishop on b5 at 'ilVb7 14 f4 0-0 15 fxe5 dxe5 move three are naturally related. If 16 lbf3? b4 17 lbe2 i.b5 White Black is versatile enough to play resigns. As a result White has been open Sicilians with both 1 e4 c5 2lbn d6 and 2 ...lbc6 he can reduce anticipating 7 lbc3 h6 with the his investment in midnight oil by immediate 7 i.g5!. means of 2.•. d6 3 i.b5+ lbc6! and 2...lbc63 i.b5 d6!, transposing.

This almost always transposes (7 ... lbf6 8 lbc3) and so far no one has found a drawback to 7 i.g5!.

Another virtue is that 4 d4 cxd4 5 'ifxd4 i.d7 6 i.xc6 i.xc6 is a main line that can also occur after 2... d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 'ifxd4 and then 4... lbc6 5 i.b5 i.d7 6 i.xc6 i.xc6.

The easiest way to deal with 1 e4 c5 2lbn d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 'ilVxd4 with the prospect of c2-c4 is simply to avoid it by means of 3 ...lbf6! (4lbc3 cxd4!).

If Black spends his home time on that position, he can be prepared for all the major i.b5(+) and 'ilVxd4 variations.

Top GMs such as Vishy Anand have tried to find an edge for White in 4 dxc5 but failed after 4...lbxe4 5 cxd6 lbc6! 6 lbbd2 lbxd6.

Note that in the 6 i.xc6 i.xc6 position White's only bid for advantage or even for the initiative is supposed to be 7 lbc3 lbf6

There's a more direct, but little known, way for White to seek the 63

Sicilian Defense

Maroczy Bind, 1 e4 cS 2 tiJf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 tiJxd4 tiJf6 S .td3!?

Objectively this isn't dangerous. Subjectively, it can be a major pain for Black because the reason he plays 4 ... tiJf6 is to prompt 5 tiJc3 and avoid c2-c4. Today we know that the pawn structures after 5 iLd3 e6 6 c4 or 5... g6 6 c4 aren't necessarily bad for Black. But they can be very difficult to handle if you're unfamiliar with them - as a Modern Dragon, Scheveningen or Najdorfplayer usually is.

For example, 8 ....tg7 9 .tb2 0-0 10 0-0 "ikc7 11 tiJc3 (FogarasiStarostits, Scanno 2005). So far a simple antidote to 5 .td3!? hasn't appeared. MODERN DRAGON VARIATION The Modern Dragon was born as a counter-finesse. When the Dragon began scoring victories in the 19th century it commonly came about via 1 e4 c5 2 tiJf3 tiJc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 tiJxd4 tiJf6 5 tiJc3 d6 6 .te2 g6. But White found an effective deterrent in 6 .tg5 and then 6... g6?! 7.txf6!.

Black has two forcing replies to . 5 .td3. One is 5... e5 when 6 tiJf3 Kurt Richter, who helped launch and 7 c4 reaches a good version of 6 .tg5, also popularized the refined the Kalashnikov Variation for order of 1 e4 cS 2 tiJf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 White. 4 tiJxd4 tiJf6 S tiJc3 g6!. Then Perhaps better is S...tiJc6 and 6 .tg5 .tg7 is too late. then 6 tiJxc6 bxc6 and 7... g6. Unlike the 6 .td3 Najdorf we'll consider later, Black hasn't spent a tempo on ... a6. But experience indicates White stands well after 7 c4 g6 8 b3:

The price Black pays IS committing himself to a Dragon before .te2. This gives White more aggressive options, including the Yugoslav Attack - .te3/fl-f3J'iid2/ 0-0-0 - and some quiet ones like the 64

Sicilian Defense

fianchetto system, 6 g3. Even the latter contains pitfalls after 6 g3 .tg7 7.tg2:

More common is 6 .te3. It sets a small trap (6 ... lDg4?? 7 .tb5+) and typically leads (6 ....tg7 7 0) to another fork in the road. One path is 7... 0-0 8 'iVd2 lDc6 and another is 7... lDc6 8 'iVd2 0-0. Most players see no difference. But there is one because 7...lDc6 8 'iid2 allows Black to use 8....td7!? as a waiting move.

The natural 7...lDc6 walks into 8 lDxc6! bxc6 9 e5, a trap which has snared many a master. Black should either play 6... lDc6 (7 .tg2 lDxd4!) before ... .tg7 - or he should delay ... lDc6 in favor of 6... .tg7 7 .tg2 0-0. Then on 9 .tc4 he can transpose, with 9... 0-0, into main lines. That's useful during times, like these, when Black is faring better against .tc4 Yugoslavs than against non.tc4 ones. Thanks to this order he can temporarily keep his king in the center after 9 0-0-0 ~c8. Then 10 g4 lDe5 11 h4 h5! 12 g5 lDh7 In the Yugoslav Attack there is a makes it safer for Black to castle, 'something to think about' move, now that the g- or h-file can't be 6 D. Yefim Geller indicated in the forced open. 1975 ECO that '6 f3?!' was Another situation arises when punished by 6... 'i'b6 7 .te3 'iixb2. White plays .tc4 but delays 'iid2, But that allows 8 lDdb5! with as in 7..•lDc6 8 .tc4 in order to threats to trap the queen with accelerate the h2-h4-h5 attack. 9 ~b 1. This is strong enough to This order tries to tempt Black make 6... 'i'b6 the move deserving into 8... 'i'b6. That looks good in ofa '?!'.

This trap is important to recognize because it arises from other move orders, including 1 e4 c5 2 lDf3 lDc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 lDxd4 lDf6 5 lDc3 d6 6 g3 g6 when 7 .tg2 .tg7 8 lDxc6! transposes into what White wants and 7... lDxd4! 8 'iixd4 .tg7 is what Black wants.

65

Sicilian Defense

view of 9 ii.b3? liJxe4 or 9... liJg4. However 9 liJf5! 'ifxb2 10 liJxg7+ is such a promising sack that masters abandoned 8... 'ifb6?! in the 1960s. Black's best policy after 8 ii.c4 is 8... 0-0!, which usually transposes to a main line after 9 'ifd2. If instead 9 ii.b3 Black can get his queenside attack running before White inflicts kings ide damage, 9...ii.d7 10 h4 liJxd4 11 ii.xd4 bS 12 hS as.

For instance 13 hxg6 hxg6 14 liJdS liJxdS 1S ii.xdS l::te8 16 'ifd2 ':xe2! 17 'ifxe2 ii.xd4 18 0-0-0 ii.g7 19 'itb1 'ib6 20 g4 e6 as in Perez Candel-Guseinov, Kusadasi 2006.

Then 10 exd5 liJxd5 11 liJxc6 bxc6 12 ii.d4 is heavily analyzed and remains controversial and 12 liJxd5 cxd5 13 'ifxd5 is risky. White should avoid the alternative 10 liJxe6 bxe6 11 exdS.

This transposes to the pawn-grab line after 11... liJxd5 12 liJxd5 cxd5 13 'ifxd5. But there's no reason to grant a dangerous extra option, Vasily Panov's l1 ...'ifaS 12 dxe6 ii.e6!. A 1954 Soviet game went 13 a3 l::tfd8 14 'ife2 l::txd1+ 15 'ifxd1 l::td8 16 'i'e2 liJd5 17 liJxd5 'ifxd5 18 c7? ii.xb2+! 19 'itxb2 'i'a2+ and wins. If Black doesn't play 9... d5, he has two natural orders to reach a tabia. One is 9...liJxd4 10 ii.xd4 ii.e6 11 'itb1! 'i'e7 (not 11...'i'a5 12 liJd5! 'i'xd2 13 liJxe7+). Experience says White is better but not enough to discourage Black from seeking it.

DRAGON: 90-0-0

In the Yugoslav tabia (1 e4 eS 2 liJt3 d6 3 d4 exd4 4 liJxd4 liJf6 S liJe3 g6 6 ii.e3 ii.g7 7 t3 liJe6 8 'ifd2 0-0) White has three chief alternatives. One of them, 9 0-0-0, The other order is 9...ii.e6 allows only a little room for finesse followed by 1O ... liJxd4. Black may be skittish about it because ... after the forcing 9...dS. 66

Sicilian Defense

.. .instead of 10 'it'b 1 ttJxd4 11 i£.xd4 "ikc7, transposing, White can try 10 ttJxe6 fxe6 11 g3! and 12 i£.h3, which puts e6 under fire. But there's an upside to 9... i.e6. Black steers clear of 9 ... ttJxd4 10 i.xd4 i..e6 11 ttJd5!?, which many Dragonistas don't like to face. So it's up to him to choose which line he wants to avoid more, the 11 ttJd5!? one or the 9... i.e6 10 ttJxe6 one.

Not at all. A natural continuation is 12 ..."ika5 13 i.a4 l::f.fc8 14 i.b3. Then we've landed in a position that was reached in the 1950s via 9 i.c4 ttJxd4 10 i.xd4 i.e6 11 i.b3 'iia5 12 'it'bl l::f.fc8. It's been analyzed well into a king-and-pawn endgame (!) with the conclusion that White is much better, if not winning . This underlines a danger to both players in a Modem Dragon - the possibility of a 9 0-0-0 line suddenly turning into a risky 9 g4 position and vice versa. Or a 9 0-0-0 line transforming into a 9 i.c4 position. That's the case with 9 0-0-0 ttJxd4 10 i.xd4 "iia5 and 11...i.e6. This looks like just another routine Dragon. But Black's order is faulty because 11 i.c4! will transpose, after 11 •••i.e6 12 i.b3, into that bad 1950s line.

Whatever the route to that tabia White usually continues 12 g4 or 12 h4. A clever transposer may prefer 12 i.b5!? The bishop is headed for b3, its best square on the board.

DRAGON: 9g4 The 9 g4 thrust was long been considered a worthy alternative to 9 0-0-0. It's superior in some ways: It stops 9 ... d5 with 10 g5!. It discourages 9 ... ttJxd4 10 i.xd4 i.e6 because 11 ttJd5! is a better version of 9 0-0-0 ttJxd4 10 i.xd4 i.e6 11 ttJd5.

But doesn't that just lose time?

But 9 g4 was dealt a serious blow m the 1995 world championship

67

Sicilian Defense

match. What Team Kasparov came up with was 9.•. il..e6! 10 0-0-0 tbxd4 11 il..xd4 'ilVa5!.

DRAGON: 9 il..c4 Some Dragon experts, like Sergey Tiviakov, have circumvented this hyper-theoretical line by meeting 6 il..e3 il..g7 7 f3 tbc6 S'ilVd2 with S..•il..e6!?:

We are headed toward a standard position in the 9 0-0-0 tbxd4 line but with an extra tempo for Black. He saved it by getting his queen to a5 in one move, compared with 9 0-0-0 tbxd4 10 il..xd4 il..e6 11 ~bl! when l1..:iWc7 is played because 11 ... Via5? stumbles into 12 tbd5!.

Black is willing to transpose into non-il..c4 lines after 9 0-0-0 0-0 or 9 g4 0-0. The obvious drawback is 9 tbxe6 fxe6. But so far the pawn weakness hasn't proven significant in games that went 10 0-0-0 .a.c8 11 il..c4 'ilVd7 or 10 il..c4 ct;f7 11 a3 (else ... tba5) .a.c8 12 il..a2 tbe5 and ...tbc4.

An extra tempo is worth platinum in the Dragon and this was apparent in the first AnandKasparov game. After 12

Now 7 ... 0-0 8 ... g2 d6 9 0-0 gets him to a respectable Modem Dragon (1 e4 c5 2liJf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 liJxd4 liJf6 5 liJc3 g6 6 g3 .i.g7 7 .i.g2 0-0 8 0-0 liJc6 9liJde2). But Black improves with 7 ...bS! (8 liJxb5 liJxe4). In contrast he usually has to spend a tempo on ... l:.b8 or ... a6 to engineer ... b5 in the Modem Dragon. More often you'll see 6 liJb3. White is seeking a Classical Dragon (6 ... liJf6 7 .i.e2 0-0) in which he retains the .i.g5 option as well as

But there is a rarely mentioned downside to 6 ... liJf6. It grants 72

Sicilian Defense

White an extra option, 7 ltJxc6!? SCHEVENINGEN VARIATION bxc6 8 e5, which leads to a space The basic elements of the edge following 8 ... ltJg8 or into Scheveningen are Black pawns at razor-sharp tactics (8 ...ltJdS) that e6 and d6 and a ltJ on f6 facing have been analyzed past move 20. White knights at c3 and d4 and a Do you really want to subject pawn at e4. This can come about yourself to memorizing lines such from a variety of orders but many of as 8... ltJdS 9 ltJxdS cxdS 10 'fixdS them prematurely commit Black to l:.b8 11 ii.xa7 ltxb2 12 ii.d4 ltxc2 moves like ... 'fic7. 13 ii.d3 e6! 14 ~a8 ltc6 IS ii.bS lta6 ? Why is it premature? After all, Black is always playing ... ~c7 in If the answer is no, the mental the Sicilian, so 'it just transposes,' hygiene move 6... d6 is preferable. You may end up in the Yugoslav right? this way but it may help you to sleep at night.

No, not when White develops ii.g2, for example. One of the best features of the modem Scheveningen order, 1 e4 c5 2 ltJf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ltJxd4 ltJf6 5 ltJc3 e6, is that after 6 g3:

Because of the ways that the Accelerated move order degrades White's options it would be a perfect defense to 1 e4 - if it weren't for the Maroczy Bind. To avoid it Black has tried orders such as 1 e4 c5 2ltJf3 g6. Then if White tries to transpose into the Bind with 3 c4 ii.g7 4 d4 or 3 d4 ii.g7 4 c4 (and then 4 ... cxd4 SltJxd4ltJc6) Black has a variety of independent options, including 4 ... ~aS+ or 4 ... d6. Those extra options have to be weighed against the downside. To play 1 e4 cS 2 ltJf3 g6 3 d4 ii.g7 Black has to feel comfortable in other openings, including a Schmid Benoni (4 dS) and a Panov CaroKann after (4 c3 cxd4 S cxd4 dS! 6 exdS!) as well as 4 dxcS!?

Black can dispense with ... 'iic7 and obtain equal play from 6...ltJc6 7 ii.g2 ii.d7!, e.g. 8 0-0 a6 9 a4 ii.e7 10 ii.e3 0-0 11 ~hl ltJeS 12 f4 ltJc4, Malakhov-Vogt, Feugen 2006. No better is 8 ltJdbS ~8 9 ii.f4 ltJeS and ... a6. 73

Sicilian Defense

The Scheveningen order is also effective against White players who try to escape to a more exciting Sicilian with 6 ~c4 or 6 ~g5. They expect 6 ... tiJc6 or 6 ... a6, reaching familiar territory.

5 ... a6 6 ~c4 e6 7 ~e3?! ~e7. For example, 8 'iWe2 b5 9 ~b3 b4 or 9 ~d3 .tb7 10 a3 tiJbd7 11 0-0 tiJc5 12 f3 0-0 and Black stood splendidly in Ulko-Ulybin, Moscow 2005.

But Black has a better move, 6 ... ~e7!. Then both sides risk being trapped in an inferior Najdorf or other Sicilian.

KERES AND ENGLISH ATTACKS Two major alternatives to quiet Scheveningens involve g2-g4. There is the Keres Attack, with an immediate 6 g4, and the English Attack, with ~e3, f2-f3 and 'iWd2 added.

For example, 6 ~c4 ~e7! 7 ~b3 and 7 ... a6? 8 f4 favors White, e.g. 8 ... b5 9 e5! with advantage or 8... 0-0 9 'iWf3. (In the Najdorf move order this happens with 5 ... a6 6 ~c4 e6 7 .tb3 when Black plays 7 ... ~e7?! instead of7 ... b5!.)

For decades it was thought the Keres Attack could only come about from the traditional order. There's no point to g2-g4-g5 if Black hasn't put a knight on f6, the thinking went. As a result a 1967 Shakhmatny Bulletin article recommended 1 e4 c5 2 tiJf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 tiJxd4 tiJc6 5 tiJc3 e6.

Black can get better counterplay from ... tiJa6-c5 rather than ... a6, e.g. 7... 0-0 8 ~e3 tiJa6! 9 f4 tiJc5. If White is alert he may try 7 ~e3 instead of 7 ~b3. He wouldn't mind reaching a book Sozin Variation (7 ... tiJc6). But 7... a6! is much better.

Then 6 ~e2 tiJf6 gets Black into This is a superior Najdorf the Scheveningen while avoiding position that could come about via the Keres.

74

Sicilian Defense

But White doesn't need to with a2-a3 and has already played attack a knight. In the 1985 world g4-g5. That's enough to ensure an championship match Karpov advantage, 8... tiJb6 9 :gl tiJ8d7 improved with the simple, but at the 11 f4 and 12 f5. time, stunning 6 g4!. Then 6 ... ttJf6 7 Another example, is 6.....te7 7 g5 g5 is an excellent Keres. Avoiding tiJfd7 8 h4 tiJc6 9 ..te3 when ... tiJf6 is better but not necessarily 10 ..tc4! gives White a favorable equal (6 ... a6 7 ..te3 tiJge7 8 tiJb3). Velimirovic Attack. The sad truth is there is no From the Sozin order (1 e4 c5 simple anti-Keres route to the Scheveningen. Kasparov even 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 tiJxd4 ttJf6 resorted to the Najdorf (5 ... a6 6 5 tiJc3 d6 6 ..tc4 e6 7 ..te3) he ..te2 e6) to do it, although that could obtain something like that allows White a wealth of sixth only if Black was very cooperative - 7... a6 8 'i'e2 ..te7 9 g4? 'i'c7? move alternatives. (rather than 9... tiJxd4 10 ..txd4 e5! In the normal Keres order, 1 e4 and ... ..txg4) 10 g5 tiJd7 11 h4. c5 2 tiJf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ttJxd4 tiJf6 Another dangerous attacking 5 tiJc3 e6 6 g4, a consensus has emerged that 6... h6 is the only move setup is begun by 1 e4 c5 2 tiJf3 d6 that offers Black a shot at equality. 3 d4 cxd4 4 ttJxd4 tiJf6 5 ttJc3 e6 Other moves allow White to reach 6 ..te3 or 6 f4. In both cases White favorable versions of the English can carry out a Mikhail Tal plan of Attack, the Velimirovic Attack or ..te3, £2-f4, 'i'D and 0-0-0. somesuch. For example, 6... a6 7 g5 The pawn move seemed superior tiJfd7 8 ..te3 b5 9 a3: because 6... ..te7 7 ..tb5+ and 8 e5 poses problems for Black. The bishop move, on the other hand, allows White an extra option, after 6... tiJc6, of transposing to a Sozin (7 ..tc4), without having to face Pal Benko's 6 ... 'i'b6 in the normal Sozin order. But today 6 ..te3 is preferred for another reason. It is the main route into the English Attack.

This is an English Attack in which White has replaced £2-D

After 6... a6: 75

Sicilian Defense

10 g4! dxe4 11 'iVf2 'iVc7 12 g5 with advantage. CLASSICAL VARIATION

If White adopts the f2-f4 plan Black obtains quick counterplay (7 f4 b5! 8 'iVf3 .tb7 9 .td3 ttJbd7 10 a3 ':c8). But 7 g4 is a good response. Then the natural 7... h6 transposes into a kind of Keres in which White has added the useful move .te3 while Black has added the slow ... a6. As a result White has good chances whether he continues a la Keres (8 h4), in English Attack style (8 f3), or in a TaVTopalov hybrid with 8 f4. There is a drawback to 7 g4 inasmuch as 7••. e5 8 ttJf5 g6 forces White to sack material (9 ttJg3? .txg4). But 9 g5! gxf5 10 exf5, the Bela Perenyi line, has been prohibitively strong.

The wonderfully flexible system that comes about via 1 e4 c5 2 ttJf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ttJxd4 ttJf6 5 ttJc3 ttJc6 should be named after Louis and Wilfried Paulsen, who explored it in the 1880s. But there already is a Paulsen Variation so 'Classical' may have to do. Black has a choice of two orders, 2 ... d6 and 5 ... ttJc6 versus 2... ttJc6 and 5 ... d6. Today his decision usually hinges on how he feels about 2 ... ttJc6 3 .tb5 as opposed to 2 ... d6 3 .tb5+, as well as how he would deal with 3 c3 or 3 ttJc3 . The Paulsens used the Classical to reach the Dragon, Scheveningen and other lines that came to prominence long after they were gone, including Isaac Boleslavsky's 6 .te2 e5. Today it's also used as a waiting policy. After 6 .te2, for example, Black can play a Scheveningen or a Dragon more safely (or 6 ... ttJxd4!? 7 'iVxd4 g6 as noted earlier).

But there is no absolutely correct In the majority of games White English move order after 6 .te3 a6, since 7 f3 and 8 'iVd2 or 7 'iVd2 and plays 6 .tg5 and 6 .tc4 and so 8 f3 also have merit. In the 1990s Black spends his home preparation White showed that his better mainly on the Rauzer and Sozin development trumped ... d5 even Variations. This makes him more when g2-g4 is delayed, as in 7 'iVd2 vulnerable to transpositional traps, .te7 8 f3 ttJc6 9 0-0-0 d5 and now beginning with 6 f4. 76

Sicilian Defense

This move can be a problem for a Black who uses the Classical to dodge the Keres Attack and reach the Scheveningen (6 i.e2 e6).

l:.e8 14 i.b3 a6 15 llJd4 llJa5 16 llJf5 llJxb3 17 axb3 llJxe4 18 llJh6+ gxh6 19 l:txe4 i.xe4 20 llJxe4 i.f8? 21 i.g5 with mixed chances. The safest response to 6 f4 may be 6 ... g6, transposing into the Levenfish Dragon. But while a Dragonista will have memorized those complex 7 llJxc6 bxc6 8 e5 and 7 i.b5 i.d7 8 i.xc6 lines, it's unlikely a Classical player has. That's another point in favor of 6 f4!?

If he replies 6... e6 White has an ambitious plan in 7 i.e3 and 'if01 0-0-0. This transposes into 1 e4 c5 2 llJf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 llJxd4 llJf6 5 llJc3 e6 6 f4 llJc6 7 i.e3 when Black has lost the chance for the sharper 6 ... a6 and ... b5/ ... i.b7.

Other tricky Classical options are 6 i.e3 and 6 0, which are both aggressive and waiting moves. They can transpose into a Dragon (6 ... g6) or an English Attack (6 ... e6) - but if Black really wanted to play a Dragon he would have chosen 5 ... g6 and if he wanted an English he would have played 5... e6.

A Black who prefers to meet 6 i.e2 with the Boles1avsky Variation may also have a problem with 6 f4. Books recommended 6 ... e5 because 7 llJxc6 bxc6 8 fxe5 llJg4! gives him excellent darksquare play whether White accepts the pawn (9 exd6 i.xd6) or permits 9 ... llJxe5.

He loses some options this way. Theory prefers ... a6 to ... llJc6 in the English but after 6 i.e3 e6 Black is already committed to ... llJc6. Also, 6 ... e6 7 i.c4! will be annoying to a Black who usually meets 6 i.c4 with Benko's 6 ... 'iib6. There are two clouds on 6 i.e3 's horizon. One is 6 ... e5, which transposes into a line of the Boleslavsky that is considered even (7 llJb3 i.e7 8 i.e2) or into a Sveshnikov Variation that's rated good for Black (7 llJdb5 a6 8 llJa3 b5).

However, 6 ... e5 is tested by 7 llJO! followed by i.c4. An example of a Boleslavsky player finding himself in unfamiliar surroundings is Salmensuu-Atalik, Groningen 1999: 7 ... i.e7 8 i.c4 0-0 9 0-0 exf4 10 i.xf4 i.g4 11 'iid2 i.h5 12 l:.ae1 i.g6 13 ~h1 77

Sicilian Defense

The other cloud is 6 ... lbg4! which theory says is at least equal. That's why 6 f3! is more accurate.

It normally occurs via 6 ... e6 7 'it'd2 .te7 8 0-0-0 0-0 9 lbb3 'it'b6. But White can keep it from happening by playing 9 f4 or 9 f3. Both moves enjoy good reputations.

White can still reach Yugoslav Dragon and English Attack positions (6 ... g6 7 .te3 or 6 ... e6 7 .te3) but he avoids 6 .te3 lbg4. Experience with 6 ... e5 7 lbb3 .te7 8 .te3 .te6 9 lbd5 and 7 ... .te6 8 lbd5 is mixed.

That's why Black may prefer 6...'it'b6 and then 7 lbb3 e6 8 'it'd2 .te7 9 0-0-0 0-0, transposing. A third route to the tabia is 6... e6 7 'it'd2 'it'b6 8 lbb3 .te7 9 0-0-0 0-0.

In the Classical order, 6 .tg5 discourages a switch to the Dragon (6 ... g6 7 .txf6) or the Boleslavsky

Which order is best? The latter two threaten ... 'it'xd4 as well as ... 'it'xb2. But they share the demerit of allowing White to double pawns with .txf6.

(6 ... e5 7 .txf6 'it'xf6? 8 lbd5). Black usually replies 6 ... e6 and experience has shown that White's only way to seek an edge is 7 'it'd2 and 8 0-0-0.

In addition, White can answer 6.•. e6 7 'it'd2 'it'b6 with 8 0-0-0 (and transpose after 8 ....te7 9 0, for example). The only way to punish this is 8 ... lbxd4 9 'it'xd4 'it'xd4

RAUZER VARIATION

Black makes major decisions 10 Ihd4. Unlike other early about the timing or need for Sicilian endgames, this one favors ... lbxd4, ... h6, ... a6 and ... 'it'b6. If White, according to Peter Svidler. White meets ... 'it'b6 with lbb3 he might reach this position, one of the best Rauzer tabias for Black.

He preferred 6•..'it'b6. But that may have its own problem, 7.te3!? 78

Sicilian Defense

It's considered double-edged enough to be attractive to both White and Black and can come about from 6 i.g5 e6 7 .d2 i.e7 80-0-00-09 f4liJxd4 10 .xd4. If Black would rather defend this position than the one that arises after 9 liJb3, he can get where he wants to go with 8•••liJxd4 9 .xd4 0-010 f4.

Declining the pawn is bad (7 ...•a5? 8 liJb3 .c7 9 liJd5! or 8...•d8? 9 i.e2 e6 10 0-0, a Scheveningen a tempo or two down).

The problem with the second order is White doesn't have to cooperate by playing 10 f4. He also The same goes for 7 ... liJg4 has 10 e5, which Jan Timman said 8 liJd5! liJxe3 9 fxe3 in view of is the only way to punish Black's 9...•a5+ 10 b4! liJxb4 11 liJb3! sequence, e.g. 10... dxe5 11 .xe5 liJd3+ 12 ~e2, winning a piece. In i.d7 12 i.e2 :c8 13 i.e3 a6 14 g4 contrast, 6... e6 7 .d2 'iWb6 8 i.e3 was unclear in Akopian-Jobava, liJg4! is fine for Black. Beer Sheva 2005. So the answer to which order is White also has a promising best may depend on whether Black can play 6... 'iWb6 7 i.e3 .xb2 alternative in 10 f3. That works 8 liJdb5. If not, 6... e6 7 .d2 i.e7 better here than with knights on the and 8 0-0-0 0-0 9 liJb3 'iWb6 is board (6 i.g5 e6 7 'iid2 i.e7 better. 8 0-0-0 0-0 and then 9 f3 a6 10 g4 d5!). Another tabia is: That's the tradeoff: Black has to decide which middlegame to shun the one with 8... 0-0 9 liJb3 or the 8... liJxd4 9 .xd4 0-0 10 e5 and 10 f3 ones. A Black trickster may like the rare 7 'iid2 i.e7 8 0-0-0 0-0 9 f4 i.d7!? 79

Sicilian Defense

His idea is to answer the natural 10 Jic4 with 1O ... liJxd4 11 'iixd4 Jic6 and reach a promising position (12 .l:thel 'iia5). That's a line that commonly comes about via 9 ... liJxd4 10 'iixd4 'iia5 11 Jic4 Jid7 when White passes up 12 e5! for the less ambitious 12 ::thel.

This order is significant because on 9 f4 Black transposes not into the bad line (9 ... 0-0?) but into a very good one, 9... Jid7!. This comes about via 7 'iid2 a6 8 0-0-0 Jid7 9 f4 Jie7 when White has bypassed 9 D.

If he insists on 9 f3 Black responds 9...liJxd4 to 'iixd4 b5! and posts his bishop more usefully The apparent refutation of on b7 than on d7, e.g. 11 h4 Jib7 9 ... Jid7 is to liJdb5, threatening 12 ~bl 'iic7 13 'iid2 .l:tc8 14 Jid3 liJxd6. But to ... d5!? offers good h6 15 Jie3 b4 16liJa4 d5!, Sax-Acs, play for a pawn, e.g. 11 exd5 liJxd5 Hungarian Championship 2003. 12 liJxd5 exd5 13 'iixd5 Jig4! 14 'iixd8 Jixd8 15 ::td2 Jib6. Or And since 9 liJb3 allows 9... b5! 11 e5 liJe8 12 h4 a6 13 liJd4 f6, under better than usual circumSutovsky-Zviagintsev, Essen 2000. stances, the real test of Black's Another deceptive order is move order is 9 Jixf6. Then 7 'iid2 Jie7 8 0-0-0 a6 (or 7... a6 9 ... Jixf6? drops a pawn to 8 0-0-0 Jie7). This bears a 10 liJxc6. But experience with resemblance to 7 'iid2 Jie7 80-0-0 9... gxf6 10 f4 Jid7 and 10 Jie2 0-0 9 f4 a6? which Paul Keres 'iib6 has been inconclusive so this refuted with 10 e5! dxe5 11 liJxc6 order may be a real contribution to the Rauzer. bxc6 12 fxe5.

80

Sicilian Defense

SOZIN VARIATION

Pal Benko's great contribution to 6 Jtc4 theory was realizing that 6...'iib6 7 lbb3 e6 transposes to a fairly good Scheveningen for Black, even though he'll probably retreat his queen to c7 at the cost of a tempo. One of the secrets of the Sozin is that getting into the right line is often worth a tempo.

Joseph Blackburne used 6 Jtc4 against the Classical Variation so that 6 ... g6 could be punished by 7 lbxc6 bxc6 8 e5!. Later Os sip Bernstein demonstrated the finesse of6... Jtd7.

This is evident when White stays within Sozin borders by answering 6.. :ii'b6 with 7 lbdb5!? and then 7... a6 8 Jte3 'i'a5 9 lbd4 e6 (not 9 ... lbxe4? 10 'iif3):

Books recommend 7 0-0 because 7 ... g6 8lbxc6 slightly favors White. But 7... e6!? is an 'old' Sozin with 0-0 that isn't considered as dangerous as 0-0-0 lines, e.g. 8 Jtb3 Jte7 9 Jte3 0-0 10 'i'e2 lbxd4 11 .ixd4 .ic6. And there's been virtually no GM experience with 8lbdb5 'iib8 9 Jtf4 or 9 Jtg5.

White is a tempo down in an 'old' Sozin. (It would occur after 6 Jtc4 e6 7 Jte3 a6 if Black had the extra tempo .. :~i'a5.)

The subtle reply is 7 Jtb3, which waits for Black to choose between 7... e6 and 7 ... g6. But after 7 ... g6 8 .ie3 Black has 8 ... lbg4! and against 8 1'3 there is 8 ... lbxd4! 9 'i'xd4 Jtg7 with excellent play, e.g. 10 Jte3 0-0 11 'i'd2 b5 12 Jth6 .ixh6 13 'i'xh6 b4 14 lbd5 e6! 15 lbe3 a5 16 h4 a4 17 Jtc4 d5!, Shivaji-Motylev, Minneapolis 2005.

But even a move down, White has good chances following 10 0-0 Jte7 11 f4, theory says. In fact, GMs often gives the tempo back, say with 11...'i'c7 12 .tb3 0-0 to reach a book line, 13 'i'f3 lbxd4 14 Jtxd4 b5, with equal chances.

81

Sicilian Defense

In the orthodox 6 .tc4 e6 White chooses between the old 0-0 and f2-f4-fS plan and Dragolyub Velimirovic's attack with .te3, 'i'e2, 0-0-0 and g2-g4-gS. Black, meanwhile, has to pick either quick development ( ... .te7, ... 0-0) or more ambitious but slowdeveloping counterplay (... a6, ... bS, .. .'iVc7).

.td7 10 .tb3 ""8 11 g4! :c8 12 gS ttJe8 13 h4 ttJaS 14 g6! as in Velimirovic-Milic, Belgrade 1965, one of the earliest successes of White's strategy. Instead, Black does better against the Velimirovic when he begins queenside operations, e.g. 7 i.e3 a6 8 'ife2 "iic7 9 0-0-0 ttJaS or 9... i.e7 10 l:thgl ttJaS 11 i.d3 bS.

Matching the right defense with each attacking plan and vice versa is crucial. Queenside play didn't fare well against the old Sozin when 6 .tc4 e6 7 0-0 was young. After 7... a6 8 .te3 'i'c7 9 .tb3 ttJa5 10 f4 b5:

What this means is each side should be flexible enough to exploit the plan his opponent chooses. White's best waiting move is 7.tb3. Then on 7....te7 8 .te3 0-0

Black often got crushed by 11 fS ttJxb3 12 cxb3! (l2 ....te7 13 'iVd7 14 'i'f3 and IS eS or IS fxe6 fxe6 16 'iVh3).

... he can head toward the Velimirovic with 9 "iie2!, having the benefit of knowing where Black's king lives.

:c1

An antidote was found in quick development, 7....te7 8 .te3 0-0 9 f4? d5!.

The best waiting reply is 7... a6. If White makes a commitment with 8 f4, then 8... .te7 9 .te3 0-0 heads into an old Sozin tabia that offers chances for both sides (10 0-0 ttJxd4! 11 .txd4 bS!).

But that policy doesn't fare well against the Velimirovic, e.g. 7 .te3 .te7 8 'iVe2 0-0 and now 9 0-0-0 82

Sicilian Defense

The waiting game continues if 7 i.b3 a6 is followed by 8 i.e3. Strong players, such as Vishy Anand, have played 8.. :iic7 to keep the queenside counterplay option alive. However switching to the old Sozin with 9 f4! exploits Black's tardiness and he is worse after 9...b5 10 ttJxc6 'iixc6 11 f5. Or The novelty pays off when White 9... i.e7 10 0-0 ttJxd4 11 i.xd4 b5 plays 6 i.c4 and discovers after 12 e5!, which won quickly in 6 ... a6 7 i.b3 e6 that he's been Golubev-Lerner, Odessa/Istanbul pulled into a popular Najdorf line 2006 after 12 ... dxe5 13 fxe5 ttJd7 that may be good for Black. 14 :xf7! ~xf7 15 'iif3+.

In the normal Najdorf order, 5 ... a6 6 i.c4 e6, White can Both sides are finally out of circumvent that position (7 i.b3 passes after 8 i.e3 and 8...i.e7!. ttJbd7) by means of 7 O-O!, as Then 9 0-0 0-0 is a good Sozin for played by that devious transposer Black and 9 'iie2 0-0 10 0-0-0 is a Deep Fritz against Vladimir Velimirovic tabia that is still being Kramnik in 2006. evaluated. But there are no other 5... ttJbd7 tricks and plenty of drawbacks: On RARE FIFTH MOVES 6 i.g5 Black's best is probably ... a6, reaching a Najdorf (5 ... a6 6 We know a lot about 1 e4 c5 2 ttJO d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ttJxd4 ttJf6 6 i.g5 ttJbd7) that hasn't had 5 ttJc3 when Black replies 5... g6, success since the 1960s. 5... e6, 5... a6 and 5... ttJc6 but very Also, White's d4-knight cannot little about two alternatives. The be exchanged off by ... ttJc6xd4 so it first is 5...ttJbd7, which has been dominates the center. He gets a tried by Tigran Petrosian, Mark superior English Attack after Taimanov, and Bent Larsen. In the 6 i.e3, e.g. 6... a6 7 g4 h6 8 f3 e6 Havana 1966 tournament book 9 'iid2 'iic7 10 0-0-0 and 11 h4, or Petrosian wrote, 'The only 8...b6 9 'iid2 i.b7 100-0-0 e6 11 h4 advantage of this move... consists d5 12 i.h3! with a strong initiative, Balogh-Bilek, Budapest 2002. of its relative novelty.' 83

Sicilian Defense

The more successful alternative is 5...i.d7, a specialty of Viktor Kupreichik and Aloyzas K veinys.

the unclear 7 ltJdb5 i.c6 8 i.xf6. Bottom line: 5... i.d7 has a few advantages over the Classical order but Black has to risk the worst-case scenario, a somewhat questionable English Attack or Rauzer. NAJDORF VARIATION The essential Najdorf move, ... a6, is useful in most Sicilian variations and that gives Black freedom to transpose into them. Whether that makes sense depends on which of the nearly a dozen reasonable alternatives White picks at move six. The move orders of some of them, such as 6 i.e2, 6 i.g5 and 6 f4, are too complex to consider here. Among the others:

This works as a waiting move in cases such as 6 i.e2 g6, when Black has dodged the Yugoslav Attack, or 6 ... e6, when he got a Scheveningen without encountering the Keres or English attacks. The principle drawback to 5 ... i.d7 is the bishop occupies the KN's best retreat square and that improves the impact of g2-g4-g5 in an English Attack (6 i.e3 or 6 f3).

(a) 6 i.d3

But in practice 6 i.g5 is White's favorite. Then 6 ... ltJc6 transposes into a 6 ... .td7 Rauzer. The only apparent benefit to Black for doing it that way, rather than 5 ... ltJc6 6 i.g5 i.d7, is to avoid the Sozin and other Classical alternatives like 6 f4.

This virtually unbooked move has great transpo value. After 6... e6 7 f4 or 7 0-0 White gets quite reasonable Scheveningen positions in which i.d3 replaces i.e2, e.g. 7 f4 ltJc6 8 ltJf3 i.e7 9 0-0 and "iVel-g3. If Black never plays

For the sake of originality, GMs prefer meeting 6 i.g5 with 6 ... e6. That offers White a choice of a very rare Najdorf line (7 f4 a6), another Rauzer (7 "iVd2 ltJc6 8 f4 h6) and 84

Sicilian Defense

Scheveningen positions, because he meets 6 ~e2 with 6 ... e5, then 6 ~d3 could be a problem.

2004. That can't be the best line for Black after 6 ~d3. But what is? (b) 6 a4

And if Black answers 6 ~d3 with 6... e5 White has a good retreat square at e2, e.g. 7 ttJde2 ~e7 8 0-0 0-0 9 f4 ttJbd7 10 ttJg3 (10 ... exf4 11 ttJf5! ttJe5 12 ttJxe7+ 'ilixe7 13 ~xf4 h6 14 ~g3! and .th4, Gallagher-Karjakin, Panomo 2002).

This is White's best waiting move in the Najdorf. Against 6... e5, he can continue 7 ttJf3 so that 7....te7 8 ~c4 0-0 9 ~g5 or 7... h6 7 ~c4 will put him a tempo ahead of 6 ~e3 e5 7 ttJf3 and 6 ~e2 e5 7 ttJf3 lines.

The drawback to 6 ~d3 would seem to be 6•.. ttJc6, since the attacked knight cannot be maintained on d4 (7 ~e3 ttJg4!). However after 7 ttJxc6 bxc6 8 0-0:

Instead, Black may transpose to a Scheveningen, Boleslavsky or Dragon after 6 ... ttJc6. Evidence indicates the a-pawn advances help White in the Dragon. For example, 6•..ttJc6 7 .te2 g6 8 0-0 ~g7 9 ~e3 0-0:

White can continue ttJa4/c2-c4! as he does in the Sozin line that runs 1 e4 c5 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ttJxd4 ttJf6 5 ttJc3 d6 6 .tc4 'ilib6 7 ttJxc6 bxc6 8 0-0 and ttJa4 with a bright outlook.

The hole at b6 gives White chances for a queenside bind here after 10 'ilid2 ttJg4 11 ~xg4 ~xg4 12 ttJd5! lic8 13 a5. Also good is 10 f4 since 1O ... 'ilib6, which instantly equalizes when the a-pawns are on their original squares, can be met by the strong 11 a5! ttJxe5 12 e5. If Black has to settle for 10 ... ~d7 then

In the diagram he can answer 8... e5 with 9 b3 .te7 10 .tb2 0-0 11 ttJa4. Then 11...~e6 12 'ilie2 'ilic7 13 c4 ttJd7 14 c5! favored him in Dgebaudze-Wemmers, Belgium 85

Sicilian Defense

11 ttJb3 and ttJd5 guarantees a positional edge.

So Black turned to 7...b5. Then White found 8 0-0 was good since 8 ... iLb7 9 :tel! ttJbd7 10 .tg5 ttJc5? 11 iLd5! is a sound sack, as Fischer showed.

Another idea after 6...ttJc6 is 7 iLe2 e5. Books recommend 8 ttJxc6 and show how it only equalizes. Better is 8 ttJb3! iLe7 90-00-0 and now 10 iLg5!:

To preempt that Black began to play 7...ttJbd7 and ... ttJc5, much in the spirit of the Scheveningen (1 e4 c5 2 ttJf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ttJxd4 ttJf6 5 ttJc3 e6 6 iLc4 i.e7 7 .tb3 0-0 8 iLe3 ttJa6!?). After 8 0-0 ttJc5 Black is faster than in the Fischer line. The counter-finesse is 7 0-0, which had been discarded in the 1950s. Then 7 ... b5 8 .tb3 transposes to the 7 i.b3 b5 8 0-0 position that White wants and it avoids the 7 i.b3 ttJbd7 one that Black wants.

This favors White after 10...iLe6 11 iLxf6 and ttJd5. This is different from the normal Boleslavsky (5 ... ttJc6 6 i.e2 e5 7 ttJb3 i.e7) when Black equalizes immediately after 80-00-09 i.g5 ttJxe4!.

If Black plays 7...ttJbd7 anyway then 8 i.g5!:

The addition of a2-a4 and ... a6 means that 10 i.g5 ttJxe4? dooms the knight, 11 iLxe7 ttJxc3 12 iLxd8 ttJxdl 13 i.c7 ttJxb2 14 :tfbl. (c) 6 iLc4 There's general agreement that Black's best is 6... e6 but the consensus about White's reply is breaking down. The old favorite, This transposes to a 6 i.g5 7 i.b3, was considered best because it preserves the 0-0-0 Najdorf position that has been option, e.g. 7 ...iLe7?! 8 f4 0-0 9 scoring well for White since the 'it'f3 and then 9... ttJbd7? 10 g4 or 1960s. Strong players such as Leonid Yudasin have tried 9.. :ilc7 10 f5 ttJc6 11 i.e3. 86

Sicilian Defense

8... 'ii'c7?!. But 9 .txe6! fxe6 10 liJxe6 has been crushing Black

11 liJd5, as in Topalov-van Wely, Wijk aan Zee 2007.

since a Keres brilliancy (l0 .. .'iic4 11 liJd5 rJif7 12 .i.xf6 rJixe6 ~ 13 .&.c3! and wins). To play this line Black may have to risk 8... h6 9 .th4 g5 10 .i.g3 liJe5.

The crafty response to 6 .te3 is 6...liJc6.

He can avoid all this by remembering why 7 0-0 was abandoned half a century ago 7....i.e7! 8 .i.b3 0-0. Then 9 f4liJc6 reaches a fairly balanced main line of the old Sozin and 9 .te3 b5 is an equally double-edged line of the Najdorf.

This avoids 6... e6 7 g4 and forces an English Attacker to prepare g2-g4. On 7 'iVd2 Black has an active reply in 7... liJxd4 8 .txd4 e5 and .•..te6. And if White offers a Scheveningen, with 7 .te2, Black can force his way to a Classical Dragon, 7... g6, in which White has been deprived of the Yugoslav Attack and .tg5 lines. The price he pays is being committed to ... a6!?

(d) 6.te3 White is ready for a quiet Scheveningen or an English Attack. Some GMs, like Michael Adams, would rather play against 6 .te3 e5 than 6 .te2 e5 so they begin with 6 .i.e3. If 6... e6, then 7 .i.e2 allows them to transpose to 6 .te2 e6 7.i.e3. Some English Attackers prefer 6 f3 and 6... e6 7 .i.e3. In this way they avoid 6 .i.e3 liJg4. But they also surrender options such as 6 .i.e3 e6 7 g4 and 6 .i.e3 e5 7 liJb3 .i.e7 8 'ii'd2!?

TAIMANOVIKAN VARIATION The standard starting position of the Taimanov Variation can be reached in two different ways, and Mark Taimanov used both of them, 1 e4 c5 2 liJf3 liJc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 liJxd4 e6 and 2... e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 liJxd4 liJc6.

In the last line White delays £2-f3 so that he rules out ... d5 and keeps the £2-f4 option, as in 8 'ii'd2 .i.e6 9 0-0-0 liJbd7 10 f4. He can also trick Black into a bad line after 8... 0-0 9 0-0-0 b5? 10 f3! .te6

The first order discourages the King's Indian Reversed (3 d3), which is promising against 2 ... e6. 87

Sicilian Defense

The second order eliminates the Rossolimo, in view of 2 ... e6 3 .tb5? a6!. Black also may choose an order based on how he intends to meet 3 lLlc3 or 3 c3. For example, 1 e4 c5 2 lLlf3 e6 3 lLlc3 is a good Chameleon for White but 2 ... lLlc6 3 lLlc3 e5! isn't. Both orders, as well as a third used by Salo Flohr, 1 e4 cS 2 lLlo lLlc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 lLlxd4 'iVc7!?, have the drawback of allowing a Maroczy Bind. For instance, 4... e6 S lLlbS threatens lLld6+ and usually buys time for 5... d6 6 c4!.

The timing of the three key Taimanov moves, ... a6, ... lLlc6 and ... 'iVc7, has turned out to be more complicated than it seemed a decade or so ago. Only recently was 1 e4 cS 2lLlo lLlc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 lLlxd4 e6 S lLlc3 a6 tested by the English Attack, for example. This has proven to be dangerous after 6 .te3 lLlf6 7 g4 or 6... 'iVc7 7 'iVd2 lLlf6 8 0-0-0. This provides an argument in favor of S•.• 'iVc7.

Black can bailout of the bind with S.•.lLlf6!?

Now on 6 ..te3 Black can respond more vigorously with 6•••lLlf6 7 'iVd2 ..tb4! and then 8 f3 lLlxd4 9 .txd4 e5 or 9 'iVxd4 ..txc3+ 10 bxc3 e5.

If White defends the attacked epawn with 6 lLllc3 then 6 ... d6 7 .tf4 e5 8 .tg5 is the Sveshnikov Variation. So is 6 .tf4 e5 7 .tg5 d6 8lLllc3.

The drawback to this order may be 7 lLldbS 'iVb8 8 f4 although Black gets a tempo back after 8... d6 and ... a6.

Of course, Black has a simpler route to the Sveshnikov if that's his wish, and 5... lLlf6 makes most sense when Black seeks a Taimanov and is upset to see 5 lLlb5.

Fischer, who liked lLlb5/c2-c4 lines as White, reached the Taimanov as Black through another order, Ilya Kan's 1 e4 c5 2 lLlf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 lLlxd4 a6. After SlLlc3 88

Sicilian Defense

he transposed (S ... ~c6) into the S... a6 Taimanov.

and now S c4 ~f6 6 ~c3 .i.b4!) but not versus the Kan. Another minus Other Kan players delay ... ~c6 is that White can play S i.d3 further, by means of 5...fie7 in because his knight is not hanging on order to disturb White's d4 as it is in the Taimanov. That development with ... b4 or ... .i.b4. enables him to create a delayed For example, 6 i.e2 ~f6 7 i.e3? Maroczy Bind with c2-c4. allows 7...i.b4!, e.g. 8 fid3 ~c6 Black will have ample threatening 9... ~eS. opportunity in these orders to Or 8 i.d2 i.xc3 9 i.xc3 ~xe4 transpose into a Scheveningen with 10 i.b4 'iVb6 11 i.a3 ~c6 with ... d6. But that makes the most sense little compensation for the lost when White has played a move that pawn in Bonte-Cabrilo, Timisoara is useful in the Taimanov but isn't 2006. in a Scheveningen. An illustration is Another plus of the Kan order appears when White fianchettos, 5 ~c3 fie7 6 g3 and then 6....i.b4!:

a2-a3 to rule out ... i..b4 and to anticipate ... b5-b4. A popular order in the 1960s was 1 e4 e5 2 ~O ~e6 3 d4 exd4 4 ~xd4 e6 5 ~e3 a6 6 .te2 fie7 7 a3:

White cannot ignore ... i.xc3+. But neither can he claim an advantage after 7 ~e2 ~f6 or Here 7... ~f6 8 0-0 .i.e7 9 .i.e3 7 i.d2 ~f6 (8 i.g2 ~c6 9 ~b3 d6! is a good decision. Compare it i.e7! and ... d6 with an excellent with 1 e4 cS 2 ~f3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 Scheveningen). 4 ~xd4 ~f6 S ~c3 e6 6 .i.e2 a6 The drawbacks to the Kan order 70-0 fic7 8 f4 ~c6 9 .i.e3 i.e7 and begin with S c4. This works badly now instead of normal lines such as against the Taimanov (1 e4 cS 10 a4 or 10 fie1 White would 2 ~f3 ~c6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ~xd4 e6 transpose with 10 a3?!. 89

Sicilian Defense

But it's considered unwise for Mortensen). Black is ready to playa Black to transpose into a normal Scheveningen after 9... lLlf6 Scheveningen after g2-g3 when and 10 ... 0-0. he's already played ...'fic7. After The only way to prevent that is 1 e4 c5 2 lLlf3 lLlc6 3 d4 cxd4 9 l:.el, with the idea of 9... lLlf6? 4 lLlxd4 e6 5 lLlc3 'fic7 6 g3 Black 10 lLlxc6!, reaching the 1960s more or less has to play 6... a6 to position. But the difference is avoid 7 lLldbS 'iVb8 8 ..tf4. 9•••.i.f6!? Then 6... a6 7 ..tg2 d6 8 0-0 lLlf6 Now 10 lLlb3, 10 lLlde2 and 9 liel! allows White to carry out his 10 .i.e3 aren't much after strategic plan of lLlxc6 and e4-eS 10 ... lLlge7. The crucial lines are which ... ~c7 is intended to prevent 10 lLlxc6 bxc6 11 .tf4 eS and - by tactical means. That is, 9••. ..te7 10 lLlfS exfS 11 lLldS and unless 10 lLlxc6! bxc6 11 e5! dxe5 they prove more successful than 12 J::txe5 and 12 .. :ii'xe5 13 .txc6+. they have been, Mortensen's order There have been no major is a significant strengthening of the improvements in that line since the Taimanov. 1960s. For this reason many players feel S... 'fic7 is a slight error that is punished by 6 g3! and that S... a6 is a superior waiting move (6 g3 d6!).

THE ...~6 VARIATIONS There is a family of lines built around ... 'iib6 and ... e6, often with ... ..tcS. They all use pressure on the b6-f2 diagonal, at least at the start, but often are used to reach the Scheveningen. The family members are:

But Black has another finesse even if he's committed to ...'fic7 and ... a6.

(a) 1 e4 c5 2 lLlf3 lLlc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 lLlxd4 ~6, (b) 1 e4 c5 2 lLlf3 lLlc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 lLlxd4 lLlf6 5 lLlc3 ~6, (c) 1 e4 c5 2 lLlf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 lLlxd4 ..tc5, and (d) 1 e4 c5 2 lLlf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 lLlxd4 ~6.

This can come about after 5•• :ii'c7 6 g3 a6 7 .i.g2 and then 7•.. d6 8 0-0 ..te7!? (Erling

The last two, popularized by Michael Basman and Kveinys 90

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respectively, can transpose into one another, e.g. 1 e4 cS 2 tLln e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 tLlxd4 iVb6 and now S tLlc3 i.cs 6 i.e3 tLlc6.

7 i.d3 i.e7 8 0-0 0-0 9 i.e3 "fic7 10 f4 d6 11 iif3 a6 12 a4 or 12 g4. Theory says White is favored a bit but Black's position is solid. If that's what Black wants, which is the best route to it? In order (a) White has an extra option of S tLlbS. But Black has a surprising reply in S... a6 6 i.e3 'iVd8!.

Not 6.. :iVxb2? 7 tLldb5, which was refuted in a Morphy-Paulsen (!) game. Black has been getting quite good positions after 6... tLlc6, e.g. 7 liJa4 'i'aS+ 8 c3 i.xd4! 9 i.xd4 tLlxd4 10 'i'xd4 liJf6 11 i.e2?! eS! 12 'i'c4 d6. Black's most accurate route to the diagram is Kveinys' . One reason is that 4... i.c5 has not done well when met by the surprising 5 .te3 'i'b6 6 c3!. For example, 6... 'i'xb2 7 'i'b3 'i'xal? 8 tLlc2 or 7 ... 'i'xb3 8 axb3. Or 6 ... tLlc6 7 tLld2! tLlxd4 8 tLlc4.

His point is that 7 tLld4 tLlf6 8 tLle3 e6 is a Taimanov Variation with i.e3. That has a much better reputation today thanks to 'iVd2 and 0-0-0 but it may not be something White feels comfortable with, especially ifhe normally plays i.g2 against the Taimanov. This order may also confuse White since 7 tLlSc3 and then 7... e6 8 tLld2 bS! is fine for Black. If Black has any doubts about that, he should prefer order (b) because 6 tLldbS a6 7 i.e3? is a mistake (7 .. :iVa5 wins material) and 7 tLla3 e6 8 tLle4 "fie7 9 i.e3 bS has never done well for White.

The three other orders often reach Scheveningens after White retreats his knight to b3. The benefit to Black is avoiding the English and Keres Attacks. For example, in the Kveinys order, play may continue 5 tLlb3 tLlc6 6 tLlc3 liJf6 and then 91

Sicilian Defense

FOUR KNIGHTS VARIATION For decades the variation that begins 1 e4 c5 2 liJo liJc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 liJxd4 liJf6 5 liJc3 e6 was in the Sicilian's 'dubious' basket because the main line, 6 liJdb5 .tb4 7 a3, handed White the two bishops and better prospects. After 6 ... d6 Black says, 'I outsmarted you. I reached a Scheveningen in which your a2-a3 is a wasted tempo.'

This changed in the 1970s when Black adopted the Four Knights as a way of transposing, after 6 ... d6 7 .tf4 e5 8 .tg5 a6, to what was dubbed the Sveshnikov Variation.

White replies, 'Not at all. My goal was to avoid both the Sveshnikov and 6 ... ..tb4. The added

This denies White options of the normal Sveshnikov, 1 e4 c5 2 liJf3 liJc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 liJxd4 liJf6 5 liJc3

benefit is that I'll play 7 ..tc4! and get a Sozin in which you've denied yourself the Benko line.'

e5 6 liJdb5 d6 7 .tg5 a6, such as 6 liJf5, 6 liJdb5 d6 7 liJd5 and 7 a4. Of course, there's a lot of theory to know in the Four Knights as well, if White decides not to join him on the road to the Sveshnikov. But Black can reduce that significantly by shifting to a Scheveningen with 6 ... d6.

Or Black can play 6 ... e5 and say, 'I'm the one who got what I wanted, a Sveshnikov. In this version you can't play 7 liJdb5 d6 8 .tg5 because your knight has no retreat aft er 8... a6".. To which White replies, 'Nonsense, I'm the one who came out ahead because after 7 liJb3 it's a Sveshnikov with an extra tempo for t me. That tempo sops ... A~b4'.. '

That is usually second-best. But it avoids heavy analysis such as 6 g3 d5 7 .tg2 ..tb4 8 exd5 liJxd5 or 6 .te2 .tb4 7 0-0 .txc3 8 bxc3 liJxe4 9 .td3 d5 10 ..ta3. Instead, Black is roughly equal after 6 g3 d6!? or 6 .te2 d6!?

There is no consensus on the best reply to 6 a3 but 6 ... d6 can't be bad, especially since 7 ..tc4?! really isn't a good Sozin after 7 .. :ikc7! 8 ..ta2 a6 9 0-0 liJxd4 10 'iVxd4 liJg4.

There's a who-tricked-whom quality to 6 a3.

92

Sicilian Defense

The Four Knights variation-into Zaitsev said he played this for the Sveshnikov order was bound to first time in a five-minute game spawn a counter-finesse. The ever- and later in a simul that went creative Igor Zaitsev found one in 8...~xd5 9 exd5 exf410 dxc6 bxc6 11 'ii'f3. 6 ~db5 d6 7 i.f4 e5 8 ~d5!?: Experience with 11...d5 12 0-0-0 remains mixed (12 ... .lid6? 13 'ii'c3! cxb5 14 'iVc6+ .lid7 15 'ii'xd6 favored White in a ZaitsevSveshnikov game). But so do the main lines of the Sveshnikov Variation. The Sicilian is never easy for Black - or for White.

93

Chapter Four: Semi-Open Games Black reveals something about himself when he answers 1 e4 with a move other than 1...e5 or 1...c5. An Alekhine's specialist, for example, almost certainly likes positional imbalances and quick counterplay. He may have a problem with 1 e4 liJf6 2 liJc3!? because the Vienna Game (2 ... e5) is not likely to give him what he wants.

can lead to a Steinitz French (4 f4 e6 5 d4). But the alternatives are somewhat questionable, such as 3... liJe4 or 3... d4 4liJce2liJg4. If White is going for a bigger edge in the Alekhine's, the traditional choice is the Four Pawns Attack, 1 e4 liJf6 2 e5 liJd5 3 c4 liJb6 4 d4 d6 5 f4. The standard response is 5... dxe5 6 fxe5liJc6. It sets some traps based on a liJf3/ ... .tg4 pin. For example, 7liJf3 hopes for 7... .if5? 8 d5! liJb4 9liJd4 with advantage but 7... .tg4! is excellent for Black.

Moreover, few Alekhine's players are prepared for a French (2 ... e6 3 d4 d5) or a Pirc (2 ... d6 3 d4), and a Sicilian (2 ... c5?! 3 e5) is dubious. On 2... d5 3 e5:

The same goes for 7 .te3 .if5 8 liJc3 e6 9 liJf3 and 9... .ig4!, despite the loss of time, e.g. 10.te2 .txf3 11 gxf3 'iih4+ 12 .tn 'l'f4. White avoids this by simply reversing the order, 9 .te2! and 10 liJf3. A more deceptive Black will delay both ... dxe5 and ... liJc6 as Viktor Korchnoi did with 5....tf5 6liJc3 e6.

Black may be reluctant to play the best move, 3... liJfd7! because it 94

Semi-Open Games

12 i.e3ltJc6 gets Black to where he wants to go. When this order was introduced in a 1960 GellerKorchnoi game White became confused and was worse after 11 ~f4? ltJc6 12 exf6 ..txf6. ALEKHINE'S: 4ltJf3 When White meets 1 e4 ltJf6 This pays dividends after 7 ~d3? 2 e5 ltJd5 with the more modest i.xd3 8 'i'xd3 c5 (9 d5? dxe5 3 d4 d6 4 ltJf3 the timing of pawn 10 fxe5 'i'h4+ and ... 'i'xc4). Better exchanges on d6 and e5 become is 7 ltJD, after which 7 ... dxe5 pivotal. After 4...i.g4 for example 8 fxe5 ltJc6 9 ~d3?! i.g4! is White looks for the right moment for exd6, since ... cxd6 allows him to another trap. grab space with d4-d5!. But after 9 i.e3! ~e7 White has But on the immediate 5 c4 ltJb6 reasonable chances in either the 6 exd6 Black has 6... exd6!. That's well-trod 10 i.e2 0-0 11 0-0 f6 or the enterprising 10 d5!? (1O ... ltJb4 a satisfactory version of the Alekhine's Exchange Variation, 11 ltJd4 i.g6 12 a3). more commonly seen after 4 c4 Since 10 d5 demands exact ltJb6 5 exd6 exd6. More accurate is preparation by Black, he may prefer 5 i.e2 e6 and then 6 c4ltJb6 7 exd6 to meet 7 ltJf3 dxe5 8 fxe5 with or 7 0-0 ~e7 8 exd6. 8•..i.e7!. This allows him to reach a Another question concerns Four Pawns tabia smoothly after h2-h3. In most cases Black will 9 i.e2 0-0: simply retreat to h5. But 5 ..te2 e6 6 h3 is mistimed in view of 6... ~xf3! 7 ~xf3 c6.

Now 10 d5 i.b4! collapses the center and 10 0-0 f6 11 exf6 ~xf6 95

Semi-Open Games

Black wants to set up a target on e5 (8 0-0 dxe5 9 dxe5 lbd7 10 'iVe2 'tic7). He benefits from White's sloppiness because 8 c4 lbb6 9 exd6 allows the favorable 9••• lbxc4!.

If the bishop were still on g4 Black would stand well with ....tf6. But here it's en prise and that gives White time for 14... i.g6 15lbd4!. His pieces dominated after 15 ... ..tf6 16 lbxc6 bxc6 17 'i'xc6, as in A.Sokolov-Arzhenkov, Bor 2000 (17 ... i.xb2 18 ::tadl 'i'a5 19 'tixd6 'iVxa2 20 ..tf3 ::tac8 21 c5! a5 22 c6).

If White intends to put the question to the bishop, a better order is 6 O-O! i.e7 7 h3. Then 7.....txf3 8 i.xf3 c6 9 c4 lbb6 loses material to 10 exd6 and 11 c5. The reason Black needs 8 ... c6 is that 8... dxe5 fails to 9 c4! lb-moves 10 i.xb7.

A separate branch of the 4 lbf3 tree is 4... g6. Today 5 .tc4 and 5... lbb6 are considered best. But the old 5... c6!? has a new use thanks to

Moreover 7...i.f5 permits White to carry out the space-grabbing plan

transposition.

under ideal conditions. For example 8 c4 lbb6 9 lbc3 0-0 10 i.e3 lbc6 and now 11 exd6 cxd6 12 d5! exd5 13 cxd5! lbe5 14 lbxe5! dxe5 15 "iVb3 with advantage.

After 6 0-0 White seems to be getting a good Exchange Variation in view of 6.....tg7 7 exd6! exd6 8 ::te1+.

The main benefit of h2-h3 lies in 7... i.h5 8 c4 lbb6 9 lbc3 lbc6 10 exd6 and then 10... cxd6 11 i.e3 0-0 12 d5!. This is quite good for White, particularly after the natural 12 ...exd5 13 lbxd5 lbxd5 14 'tixd5:

However, 6... dxe5! 7 lbxe5 ..tg7 is the order of a slyboots. What has happened is that Black transposed into a line attributed to Edwins Kengis. It usually comes about via 4 lbf3 dxe5 5 lbxe5 g6 6 ..tc4 c6 70-0 i.g7. 96

Semi-Open Games

11...0-0 12 b3 .tf6 13 .tb2 as 14 0-0 with a space edge, EmmsBaburin, Isle of Man 1997.

Black has been equalizing, e.g. 8 c3 lbd7 9 lbxd7 ..txd7 10 lbd2 0-0 11 lbf3 ..te6 12 'iie2 lbc7! 13 iH4 ..txc4 14 'iixc4 lbe6 IS ..teS 'iidS, Sarbok-Carlsen, Gausdal 2003.

This possibility wouldn't arise in a normal Exchange (4 c4 lbb6 S exd6 exd6 6 lbf3) if Black is careful, e.g. 6.....te7 7 lbc3 0-0 The point of the 4... g6 S ..tc4 c6 order is that Black avoids some of 8 ..te2 and 8 ...lbc6 9 .te3 .tg4!. the options in Kengis's order, such as (4lbf3 dxeS S lbxeS g6) 6 c4 and CENTER COUNTER DEFENSE 6 'iif3. If Black likes the Kengis Once upon a time a player who line, 4... g6 S ..tc4 c6 may be the answered 1 e4 with 1...d5 2 exd5 most precise way to reach it. 'iixd5 just wanted to get out of Finally, there is 4 lbf3 lbc6. The book and was hoping White didn't reputation of this line rests on the know that 3 lbc3 'iia5 4 d4 lbf6 latest analysis of a gambit, S c4 5 lbf3 .tg4 6 h3! favors him lbb6 6 e6!? fxe6. If White isn't significantly (6 ... ..thS 7 g4! .tg6 8 confident about what to do then, he lbeS). should bail out with 6lbc3. Today Black usually plays 1 e4 dS with ... ..tfS to obtain a CaroKann pawn structure with more active play. But he watches for a chance to transpose into a good version of ... ..tg4. For example 4 lbf3 lbf6 5 ..tc4 c6.

Then 6.....tg4 (or 6... dxeS 7 dS) 7 exd6 exd6 transposes to an Exchange Variation in which Black committed his queenside pieces too early. Now 6 0-0 ..tg4! has the benefits of a superior Caro-Kann (7 d4 e6 8 .:tel lbbd7).

For example, 8 ..te2 ..te7 9 d5! and 9... ..txf3 10 ..txf3 lbeS 11 ..te2 lbexc4? 12 ..txc4lbxc4 13 'iia4+ or 97

Semi-Open Games

But Black is the one most likely to be outfoxed in the Center Counter even when he thinks he is the fox. After 4 tiJf3 he might be tempted to seize the center with 4 ... e5. But then 5 d4! traps him in a discredited old line that used to arise after 4 d4 e5?! 5 tiJf3!.

The same idea succeeds, however, after 9 0-0-0 tiJd5 in view of 10 ~xd5 cxd5 11 'iib5+ tiJd7! (12 'iVxb7 l:.b8 13 'iVc6 ~a3). White also derives some extra options from 9 tiJe5 !, such as 9 ..•tiJbd7 10 tiJxd7 tiJxd7 11 g4 ~g6 12 h4, which has been dangerous the few times it's occurred.

The major finessing of the Center Counter begins after 4 d4 tiJf6 5 tiJf3 (or 4 tiJf3 tiJf6 5 d4). The waiting move 5 ... c6 anticipates White most dangerous strategic idea, d4-d5, and avoids queen traps (6 tiJe5 tiJbd7 7 tiJc4 'iWc7!).

The most dangerous situation for Black is when both ~c4 and 'iie2 are played early on so that the strategic d4-d5! break is in the air. For example, 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 'iVxd5 3 tiJc3 'iVa5 4 d4 tiJf6 5 ~c4 c6 6 ~d2 ~f5 and now 7 'iVe2! allows White's bishops to take command after 7 ... e6 8 d5! cxd5 9 tiJxd5 'iVd8 10 tiJxf6+.

The more common reply to 5... c6 is 6 ~c4. This reaches a tabia after 6... ~f5 7 iLd2 e6 8 'ife2 ~b4 when White chooses between 9 tiJe5 and castling. The two often transpose 9 tiJe5 tiJbd7 10 0-0-0 and 9 0-0-0 tiJbd7 10 tiJe5.

The best try to exploit White's order is 5 ..• ~g4!?, rather than 5 ... c6.

But the more accurate knight move cuts down Black's options. The simplifying 9 tiJe5! tiJd5? is dreadful (10 iLxd5! cxd5 11 'iWb5+! 'iVxb5 12 tiJxb5 iLxd2+ 16