sign in sign up
<<
Home , Fianchetto, Hedgehog (chess), Open Game, The exchange (chess), Ulf Andersson

Cyrus Lakdawala

How Ulf Beats Black ’s Bulletproof Strategic Repertoire for White

New In 2018 Contents

Explanation of symbols ...... 6 Ulf Andersson’s opening repertoire – introduction ...... 7

Chapter 1 Ulf versus the ’s Indian ...... 13 Chapter 2 The Pseudo-Grünfeld ...... 71 Chapter 3 ’s Indian and lines ...... 87 Chapter 4 Quadruple lines ...... 110 Chapter 5 The move order 1.♘f3 d5 2.c4 ...... 121 Chapter 6 Ulf in the Catalan ...... 132 Chapter 7 Ulf versus the Tarrasch Defence ...... 153 Chapter 8 Ulf versus the Symmetrical English ...... 166 Chapter 9 Ulf versus the Modern, the Pirc and the Accelerated Dragon ...... 204 Chapter 10 Ulf versus the Dutch ...... 223 Chapter 11 Ulf in the Slav ...... 234 Chapter 12 What did Ulf play? ...... 250 Solutions to exercises ...... 261

Index of variations ...... 281 Index of players ...... 285 Bibliography ...... 287

5 Ulf Andersson’s opening repertoire – introduction

The Anti-Repertoire yet it may take you your entire The most delusional of beliefs is lifetime to master its subtleties. that we are able to control the When we are young, we are anxious outcome arising from chaos. Yet to discover our chess identity. It’s this repertoire attempts to do just a special time in our lives when we that, and weirdly enough, it seems connect with a pursuit of the heart. to work. For me it was the discovery of Ulf Ever since computers inserted Andersson’s style and opening themselves into our chess lives, repertoire. When I first became two generations of chess players aware of the Swedish GM and his suffered the oppression of having to white repertoire in the early 1980’s, be on high alert for comp-generated I desperately sought out his games tactical landmine preparation from from magazines (it’s hard to believe our more comped up opponents. but there were no chess databases Then there is the danger of rote in those days), the way an adopted memorization without actually child craves a meeting with his understanding, where sometimes birth-parent. we ‘remember’ more than we Normally I’m a capricious flirt actually study and bang out a when it comes to openings, fictional ‘book’ move. switching to a new partner every The Ulf Andersson repertoire six months. One thing I’ve never insulates you from such dangers, abandoned is Ulf’s repertoire. since the lines are heavily Is it possible to proceed with flair strategic/conceptual, rather than and ingenuity in outwardly barren mathematical/memory-dependent. positions? The answer is yes, if Today, dependency on a comp’s you’ve discovered Ulf Andersson’s assessment and analytical power are games. His completely original an addiction for many in the choices veer from the world. I promise you that with this well worn grooves of the ordinary, repertoire, your comp’s assessment with what can only be accurately will not play a domineering role. described as an anti-repertoire. When we take up a new opening Of all the white opening system, sometimes we wish FIDE repertoires you can pick, at first would issue learner’s permits, impression it feels as if Ulf’s is the since our alien, tangled lines are so one with the slimmest prospects to difficult to navigate. Andersson’s even extract our natural birthright repertoire won’t feel this way, and ‘䩲’ edge. Whenever possible he

7 How Ulf Beats Black removes the queens from the board though not to allow this to morph to enter instant endings, where our to paranoia. Sometimes when our resources feel scant, to the point of tendency is to play ultra-safely, we non-existent. His lines operate in are like a child whose mouth is a kind of parasitic fashion, sucking scalded by too-hot pizza and now the vitality out of the game, where blows on a cold, refrigerated slice only strategic considerations and the next day. endgame skills count. 8. You are willing to win your games in 80 moves, rather The principal requirements for than in 20. Just remember: in success with Ulf’s anti-repertoire complications, naturally aggressive are: tactical players have the ability to 1. You are essentially a strategist, see in the dark. Yet in simplified/ rather than a natural attacker/ logic-based positions, many of tactician// them are blind to the ordinary, based player. unaware of the details and slight 2. You score well in controlled, strategic shifts, if initiative, attack quiet maneuvering games. and tactics are removed from the 3. You possess enhanced late equation. middlegame and endgame skills for 9. Your inability/incompetence in your rating level. open/initiative-based positions is a 4. You have a sharp eye for the source of periodic depression. potential for weak squares in the 10. Your prime directives in the enemy camp. opening phase are simplicity and 5. You are skilled in reaching clarity, as opposed to the tactician/ favorable minor piece versus anarchist who lives life in eternal the opponent’s bad minor piece rebellion against order on the situations. . 6. Do you hate opening lines where if you forget the book move, you For most of us the opening phase are as good as dead? No worries represents a repetition of ideas about that in this one, since this which were played over and over repertoire is completely conceptual, by others before us. Andersson’s based on understanding, rather repertoire never wears thin, since than forcing tactical variations. its subtleties are endless. As a chess Some of us go through the opening antique I prefer to surround myself to escape something: knotted with simple, vanilla, easy to play theory or tactically tangled lines. opening lines. While memorization of complex I once read that ancient sea captains opening lines torments others, we had to judge the benefits of the of the fortunate Ulf Clan escape extra firepower of more cannons, without a scratch. with the slowing displacement of 7. Are you genetically predisposed the added weight. Some captains to caution? We must be careful armed their ships lightly, hoping

8 Ulf Andersson’s opening repertoire – introduction that the increase in speed and TsLdMl.t nimble ability to shift directions would compensate for the jJj.jJ_J enemy’s extra cannonballs. In this ._._._J_ repertoire we choose speed over _._._._. armament, throwing the weight of ._._I_._ most mainstream theory overboard _.i._N_. and drawing our opponents into a Ii._.iIi fight in our specialty positions, and r.bQkB_R therefore our realms. You may find it odd when I declare Just as a sampler, here are a few to you that I love White’s position tabiya positions from the book, here. On his last move, Ulf played which give the impression of a 6 dxc3!?, capturing away from the strangely frictionless quality: centre, while allowing Black to TsLt._M_ wreck his on the next move with a queen swap – and there lies jJj._JlJ his weapon. Ulf understands the ._._.sJ_ sub-details of this position better _._.j.b. than anyone in the world and keeps ._I_I_._ winning with this line. He has _.n._N_. been known to drive some of his Ii._BiIi opponents to the brink of madness r._.k._R via carefully applied tedium. At first sight it feels as if one cannot Well, what did you expect from Ulf? accurately describe White’s position Zeus hurling thunderbolts? White’s as one heavy in natural reserves. Yet chances feel as empty as the wind in my database Ulf keeps scoring and many games in the book feel wins from this position, and so do like almost-battles, which look like I. they will take place, but never do. T_L_Ml.t Where queens are removed as early as possible. j._.jJjJ Keep in mind: just because a ._J_._._ position is simplified doesn’t _._._._. mean the battle lacks intensity. ._._._._ Ulf is a master of this position and _.n._.i. understands every detail of this Ii._Ii.i ending, and so will you when you r.bK_._R study it deeply. This repertoire can be described as eliministic, in Once again Ulf dials back the that we strive for clarity, as well as intensity level from a normal eight seeking to suck the dynamism from to about a three! In our present age our opponent’s position. we tend to conflate theory with

9 How Ulf Beats Black entertainment, as if the latter is Remember this: the court of public somehow a necessary element, opinion means little in chess. In and it is un-sportsman-like to play the 1980’s, the and chess in any other way. the were considered This is another of Andersson’s a waste of the white pieces. Today specialty openings/instant endings, they are all the rage. Do the London where he has given up castling System and the Italian Game offer rights to swap queens and then White an edge if Black knows follows by handing over his theory? The answer is ‘no’! Yet precious light-squared on c6 most of the world’s top 10 players, for a to inflict damage upon including World Champion Carlsen, Black’s structure. I can tell you eagerly continue to play them. from experience, it isn’t so easy to Andersson’s repertoire has never play Black here, since many of the been considered an ‘optimal’ way lines are phantoms, devoid of form to use the white pieces either. The or substance, which fail to offer the bottom line is, can you win with it? adventure-loving opponent targets You can and you will, if your style is of opportunity of any kind. in harmony with it. The repertoire resembles movies in slow motion. The optimal white repertoire? But are these lines really as Mirror, mirror on the wall, what characterless as they appear? When is the best opening repertoire of you study them you realize the them all? Before ladling out advice answer is ‘no,’ since vague strategic to my students, I try and make unease tends to flow through certain that I am acquainted with Black’s positions like unseen ocean their stylistic dispositions and currents. We see Ulf’s opponents aptitudes. Many of us pick our throw punches, which only connect repertoires based on which line with empty air. is popular, rather than which fits our stylistic requirements. When The Other Capablanca: Ulf’s style we learn a new opening, most of Many chess players equate talent us arrive encumbered with our with tactical ability. Yet there is a stylistic preconceptions of right secondary, under-the-radar type of and wrong. natural ability of planning, logic, No, this clearly isn’t the optimal and insight into simplified positions white repertoire, since in many and endings – like the homely girl lines we are not all that concerned in her youth, who later in life walks if Black equalizes! This concept the runway as a supermodel. GM may sound ridiculous, but keep in Ulf Andersson is exactly such an mind that Ulf’s repertoire is based under-the-radar strategic genius. He on beating the opponent due to our was a consistent World top-10 player deeper understanding of subtleties, throughout the 1970’s and ‘80’s and rather than an over the board ‘䩲’, his fans range from the fanatical to carefully nurtured to a win. the devout. A while ago I received

10 Ulf Andersson’s opening repertoire – introduction an email from an Ulf fan in England reach either instant or eventual who theorized: if Capablanca had endings. The study of these reached adulthood in the 1970’s, games is of profound value for rather than the 1920’s, he would our endgame skills, even if you play exactly like Ulf Andersson, who don’t play this repertoire, since I is clearly his modern extension. Yet believe Ulf’s technical endgame somehow Ulf’s style also slightly skills were only below Karpov’s differs from Capa’s, in that it and Kortchnoi’s in his peak day. somehow feels more laid back, more He is the master of the simmering filled with a ‘Who cares?’ attitude, pot strategy, where he outplays than Capa’s. Picture an aging hippie his opponent in the simplified who shows up at the corporate job situation and somehow manages interview wearing suit and tie, but to keep the position on an eternal also with long hair and sandals – ‘䩲’ flame, until his opponents that is Ulf’s chess. finally crack with inaccuracies and If he lived today, I’m 100% certain outright errors. Capa would have played this Strategic chess, like time pressure, repertoire as well. If you are a Saint is an effortless, instinct-driven Capa fan like me, then I urge you endeavor. Ulf’s play follows the to study Andersson’s games and philosophy: combat is wasteful opening choices, since his white of resources and energy. So he repertoire is a palace of Versailles somehow learned to win without for the player who never wants to fighting. Within the realm of quiet lose, and is okay with a and positions, Andersson reached the occasional win. Andersson a Capablanca-like perfection, pushes Muhammad Ali’s float- seemingly with no strategic detail like-a-butterfly-sting-like-a-bee escaping his observational powers. philosophy to its furthest limits on The best way to describe his play the chessboard. is that he follows the murder In fact, I will bet that if you were detective’s golden rule: never reveal shown a Capablanca game and what you know about the murder, then one of Ulf’s games, and then until you get the suspect to commit you were asked: ‘Which one of the to his or her version of the story. In two is the Capablanca game?’ I this way, Andersson tends to hold suspect you would pick Ulf’s game, back his central pawns, keeping which, stylistically, generally out- them fluid and uncommitted, until Capas Capa! By playing through his opponent takes a firm structural Andersson’s games, we hope to stance. Only then does Ulf’s set-up acquire the same skill sets to beat reveal itself. our opponents. Can an opening book also double The book’s format as an endgame manual? This one As you may have surmised, most does, since a huge percentage of of the games in this book are ones Andersson’s games in this book played by Andersson himself.

11 How Ulf Beats Black

I added some of mine, when I and completely original opening couldn’t find wins in a particular repertoire speak for itself. line from Ulf’s games. When I first discovered Andersson’s Opening theory has altered some­ repertoire, it felt like I had seen what since Ulf’s heyday (although a cosmic vision and pursued a not as much as you may believe, lifelong quest to discover its inner since his systems are so sedate), meaning. I hope after taking a look so I filled in the theoretical gaps at his style and repertoire in this whenever possible, within the notes. book, it will have the same effect on you. This book is not just intended as an opening manual. It’s also a games Many thanks to Allard, René collection of a great player (and his and Nancy. Good luck in your dorky/devoted sidekick, me) and Ulfieization process. Mine has been also an endgame manual. going on for close to four decades When it comes to non-stop and I’m not done yet! lecturing, your writer is immensely gifted, so I will stop here and Cyrus Lakdawala, allow Ulf’s remarkable games San Diego, December 2017

12 CHAPTER 2 The Pseudo-Grünfeld

What is the ‘pseudo’ part of Andersson’s Grünfeld system? Well, for one thing, White never plays d2-d4. Furthermore, we usually reach a queenless middlegame by move seven!

Game 16 his goal to remove the queens Ulf Andersson 2560 from the board as early as possible. Marcelo Tempone Having played this position since 1979 (4) the early 1980’s, I can testify that there is a lot more here than meets 1.c4 ♘f6 2.♘c3 g6 3.♘f3 d5 4.cxd5 the eye: ♘xd5 5.e4 ♘xc3 6.dxc3!? 1. Since it becomes an instant ending when queens are removed TsLdMl.t from the board, White’s king, which jJj.jJ_J shifts to c2, is an asset rather than a ._._._J_ liability. _._._._. 2. White’s e- sits on e4, so our ._._I_._ side already owns slightly more _.i._N_. central space. Ii._.iIi 3. White is well equipped to gain r.bQkB_R queenside space with a2-a4, a4-a5 and possibly b2-b4. Ulf refuses to walk an obedient Conclusion: I don’t believe the three steps behind mainstream position is as equal as theory theory. All rise. Don’t look so claims. In my database, Andersson shocked. Must I remind you that earned a healthy 70% lifetime score the Ulfian prime directives are: from this position, with zero losses, simplicity and clarity? So slow while mine is around 90% (against moving are some of Andersson’s much lower rated , when opening ideas, that they almost compared to Ulf’s opponents). So it give off the feel we are going over a can’t be all that drawish! game while drugged. Of course, for Ulf to enter a normal On the surface it feels as if there Grünfeld with 6.bxc3 c5 7.d4 ♗g7 is absolutely no logical basis is an unnecessary complication and of designation for such a meek as unlikely as a guy spontaneously move. But this is another of Ulf’s declaring to his wife: ‘The house specialty positions, which follows looks a tad messy, so I will clean

71 How Ulf Beats Black and vacuum... then I will start on 15.♗xc6+! forces mate) 15.♗xd4! the yard.’ cxd4 16.♘xd4 wins a pawn and 6...♕xd1+ 7.♔xd1 retains the initiative. 13.♗c4 ♗g4?! TsL_Ml.t Black will soon regret handing over jJj.jJ_J the guardian of his light squares. ._._._J_ 14.h3! ♗xf3 _._._._. Since Black got crushed the way he ._._I_._ played, it may occur to you that he _.i._N_. may have been better off with the Ii._.iIi nauseatingly servile 14...♗c8. Not r.bK_B_R so. White wins with the forcing line 15.a5! ♘xa5 16.♖xa5! bxa5 7...c5?! 17.♗d5 ♖a7 18.♗xc5 ♖c7 19.♗b6 Believe it or not, this move is ♖d7 20.♗c6. Black must return the inaccurate since it offers White exchange, with a completely busted stationary targets on the queenside. position. Next game we will look at 7...♗g7?! 15.gxf3 0-0 Then later in the chapter we will examine 7...♕d6?! and 7...f6!. T_._.tM_ 8.♗e3 b6 9.a4! _._.jJlJ Intending to loosen Black’s JjS_._J_ queenside with a4-a5. _.j._._. 9...♘c6 10.♗b5 ♗d7 I_B_I_._ On the more natural 10...♗b7 _.i.bI_I follows 11.a5! 0-0-0+ 12.♔e2! and .iK_.i._ now 12...♘xa5? is met with 13.♘g5! r._R_._. when Black has no good way to defend f7. 16.f4! 11.♔c2 ♗g7 12.♖hd1! Denying Black’s pieces the use of The correct . Suddenly Black e5, while gaining useful central experiences problems castling. space. 12...a6 16...♖a7 Now the a6-pawn requires nursing Guarding against ♖d7. care. 17.e5 A) 12...0-0-0 13.♘g5! ♖df8 14.a5! Further restricting Black’s bishop. exploits the fact that Black’s knight 17...a5!? is tactically unable to capture on a5; Gulp! One cannot accurately B) 12...♖d8?? 13.♖d2! (threat: describe this move as one which 14.♖ad1 and 15.♖xd7!) 13...♖c8 embodies the noblest of chess 14.♖ad1 ♘d4+ (on 14...♗e6?? principles. Yet the move is

72 Chapter 2 – The Pseudo-Grünfeld somehow perversely logical, since Also deadly is Answer #2: 22.♖d6!. at some point he wants to free If the knight moves, then the rook his babysitting a7-rook. To do so simply chops b6. If Black accepts he voluntarily Swiss cheeses his the offer with 22...♗xd6 ‘Thank...’ queenside light squares. (the bishop was about to say ‘Thank The calmer 17...♖c8 was almost God,’ but paused, remembering certainly a superior choice. that he no longer believes in Him) 18.♖d2 23.exd6 ♖c8 24.d7 ♖d8 25.♗xc6 and Andersson prefers the slow squeeze, Black can resign. over winning a pawn with the 22...♖xc6 23.♔c4! variation 18.♖a3 (going after b6) This game exudes a deceptively 18...♖b8 19.♖b3 ♖c7 20.♗xc5! ♘xe5 effortless Capablanca-like quality. 21.♗xb6 ♖xc4 22.fxe5 ♖xa4 23.♗d4 23...♗e7 24.♖d7 ♖cc7 25.♖xc7 ♖xc7 with a healthy extra pawn for 26.♔b5 ♖c8 White. 26...♖b7 27.♔a6 ♖b8 28.♖d2! (the 18...e6 19.♖ad1 ♖c8 20.♔b3! ♗f8 immediate 28.♔a7 allows 28...♖d8) 21.♗b5 ♖cc7?! 28...♔f8 29.♔a7 ♖d8 30.♔xb6 and 21...♘e7 22.♖d8 ♖ac7 23.♖xc8 ♖xc8 Black’s pawns fall. 24.♖d7 also looks pretty miserable 27.♖d7 ♔f8 for Black, but still better than the 27...♗d8 28.♔a6 Threat: 29.♔b7, game’s continuation. forcing Black’s bishop to move away with 28...♗h4 when 29.♔xb6 ._._.lM_ wins. t.t._J_J 28.♔xb6 ♔e8 29.♖b7 ♗d8+ 30.♔b5 .jS_J_J_ c4 jBj.i._. When we have nothing to fall back I_._.i._ on, then there is only one direction _Ki.b._I to go: forward. .i.r.i._ 31.♗c5! _._R_._. ._TlM_._ Exercise: Do you get the sense that _R_._J_J the black defenders run low on food ._._J_J_ and ammunition? White has access jKb.i._. to two winning ideas, one tactical, I_J_.i._ and one strategic. Find one of them. _.i._._I Answer: 22.♗xc6! .i._.i._ Exchange on c6 and then walk into _._._._. the queenside light squares with your king, with ♔c4 and ♔b5, after Black resigned. The c4-pawn falls as which Black collapses. well.

73 How Ulf Beats Black

Game 17 margin, with a position devoid of Cyrus Lakdawala 2595 traditional tactical apprehension. Wageeh Boctor 2335 Having played this line for close Buena Park 1994 (4) to four decades, I have yet to lose a game with it, mainly since it’s 1.♘f3 ♘f6 2.c4 g6 3.♘c3 d5 4.cxd5 virtually impossible for me to ♘xd5 5.e4 ♘xc3 6.dxc3 hang my queen (unless I promote When I showed one of my a pawn to a new queen, and then students this game, he told me that hang it!). Andersson’s anti-fun repertoire 6...♕xd1+ 7.♔xd1 ♗g7?! is perfect for the mentally unbalanced, since erratic behavior TsL_M_.t (like handing our opponents jJj.jJlJ equality, if in exchange we get the ._._._J_ queens off the board!) is its . _._._._. Our natural abilities urge us to ._._I_._ discard some stylistic tendencies, _.i._N_. while magnifying others. Ii._.iIi I realize this move looks as bland r.bK_B_R as a sandwich where the middle is a third slice of bread, and it appears Yes, this move, the most obvious as if those who champion this one on the board, is also inaccurate, line have the souls of accountants, after which I don’t believe Black rather than artists. But I love the can equalize. bewildered looks my opponents 8.♗f4 always get when I play Ulf’s A key move, which creates weakness outwardly milquetoast line. in Black’s queenside . In this case Ulf’s line was a perfect 8...c6 choice. This was the final round 8...c5 9.a4! (9.♔c2 0-0 10.a4 a6? 11.a5 of the 1994 State Championship ♘c6?! 12.♗e3 dropped a pawn in and I was leading by a full point, Lakdawala-Vajapeyam, San Diego so a draw insured me of clear first. rapid 2011) 9...0-0 10.a5! ♗d7 11.♗e3 Then my domineering wife Nancy ♖c8 12.♘d2 ♗e6 13.♗c4 ♗xc4 reminded me that if I won, the 14.♘xc4 ♘d7 15.♔c2 f5!? 16.♖hd1 6.5 out of 7 score would be a State ♖c7 17.exf5 gxf5 18.♖d5! e6 19.♖d6 Championship record, so I was ♘f8 20.♖ad1 The advised/ordered not to chicken out was already fighting for his life. and offer a quick draw against my This game is annotated in Chess for 2330 rated opponent. Hawks, Lakdawala-Laylo, San Diego So Ulf’s line allowed me to play rapid 2014. for a win, with a 99% safety 9.♔c2 ♘d7 10.♗c4

74 Chapter 2 – The Pseudo-Grünfeld

More accurate than immediately queenside. 14...♖fd8 would be met staking out queenside space with with 15.a5. 10.a4 e5 11.♗e3 ♘f6 12.♘xe5 (if 15.g3 12.♘d2?! ♘g4 picks up the bishop Preventing ...♗f4. pair) 12...♘xe4 13.♘c4 0-0. The 15...♖fd8 16.♖hd1 comp still prefers White here, while Slightly inaccurate, since when I I think Black is okay. play ♘c4, Black can remove at least 10...0-0 11.a4 one pair of rooks from the board. Beginning the familiar a4-a5 So my move actually violates the clamping mechanism. principle that the side with more 11...♘c5 space should avoid trades. Today, A) 11...b6 12.♗e3 ♘e5 13.♘xe5 having benefitted from a quarter ♗xe5 14.♖hd1 and Black century of further understanding of experiences difficulty developing the structure, I would probably play with harmony; 16.♘c4, which keeps all the rooks B) 11...e5 12.♗e3 ♘f6 13.♘d2 on the board. ♘g4 14.♗c5 ♖e8 15.f3 ♗f8 16.♗g1! 16...♗c7 17.a5! ♘f6 17.♗e3 b6 18.♖hd1 and Black remains counterplayless and still T_.t._M_ under strategic pressure on the jJl.jJ_J queenside. ._J_S_J_ 12.♘d2 ♗e6 13.♗xe6 i._._._. This gets him to his e-pawn, ._._I_._ which means that White earns _.i.b.i. more space in the centre, as well as .iKn.i.i the queenside. r._R_._. 13...♘xe6 14.♗e3 Oh, no you don’t! I push my a-pawn T_._.tM_ to the fifth to halt ...♗b6, which jJ_.jJlJ would ease his position. ._J_S_J_ Outwardly, Black’s position _._._._. appears okay, while disturbing I_._I_._ abnormalities lurk under the _.i.b._. surface. In reality his position isn’t .iKn.iIi one of a person content with his r._._._R life: 1. Black literally has no central 14...♗e5! control with his pawns, while This is a good defensive idea. Black White will expand with f2-f4. wants to transfer his bishop to 2. Black nurses his a7-pawn and a the other wing to help defend his weak square on c5. He will either

75 How Ulf Beats Black have to play ...b7-b6, or ...a7-a6, both T_.t._._ of which weaken his queenside. _Jl.jJm. If he plays ...a7-a6, then he must J_J_S_J_ watch out for ideas involving ♘c4 i._._._J and ♗b6, or ♘b6. White can also .i._Ii._ play for the idea of b2-b4, ♘b3, _Ni.b.i. f2-f4, f4-f5, chasing Black’s knight ._K_._.i away from e6, and then ♘c5, which r._R_._. pressures b7. 3. Black, although relatively solid, 20...f5!? lacks an active plan and can do At last, contact! nothing constructive. A) 20...♖xd1 21.♖xd1 ♖d8 22.♖e1! 17...a6!? (principle: the side with extra Weakening b6 is a serious space should avoid swaps) 22...♖e8 concession. 23.f5 ♘f8 24.♘c5 ♖b8 25.♗d4+ also The alternative is to go for 17...b6 looks unpleasant for Black, who (if he refuses to play either ...b7- remains tied down; b6 or ...a7-a6, then his a8-rook is B) Maybe he should have tried perpetually consigned to its square 20...h4 to try and open kingside of origin to cover the a7-pawn): lines. Even there the comp assesses 18.f4 f6 19.axb6 axb6 20.♘c4 ♖xa1 rather harshly for Black. 21.♖xa1 b5 22.♘d2 ♖c8 23.♖a6 and 21.♗b6!? White still exerts slight but nagging Once we seize power we grow pressure. greedy at clinging to our sense of 18.b4 ascendancy. If he swaps, I recapture Clamping down on the c5-square. and then plant a knight on a5, 18...♔g7 perpetually endangering b7. On 18...♖d7 I planned something But sometimes the best way to like 19.♘b3 ♖ad8 20.♖xd7 ♖xd7 win a position of advantage is to 21.♖e1, intending f2-f4, which maintain the status quo, allowing threatens f4-f5, followed by ♘c5, the frustrated opponent to ferment with simultaneous attacks on the in his or her strategic misery, the d7-rook and the b7-pawn. natural psychological progression of 19.♘b3 h5 which is that they often take action, Black hopes to generate some even when they shouldn’t. Why kingside play in a counterplayless do so many frustrated defenders position. embrace this negative trait over 20.f4 and over? The nature of paranoia is Now Black must worry about both that if there is no external threat or e4-e5, with a squeeze, or f4-f5, enemy facing you, then a fictional followed by ♘c5. one must be invented.

76 Chapter 2 – The Pseudo-Grünfeld

The calmer 21.♖e1 is probably the B) 23...♔f6? 24.♘xe6 ♔xe6 25.♗xc7 move I would choose today. with an extra piece for White. 21...fxe4!? 24.♗xc7 He searches for counterplay based I thought he would resign here on ideas of ...♔f6, ...♔f5, and then and missed his next shot, which invade my kingside. actually makes the game close, and 22.♖xd8?! I win by just a single . Not the best. Black is strategically 24...♖d2+! busted with the simple 22.♗xc7! ._._._._ ♘xc7 23.♖e1 ♖e8 24.♖xe4, when I _Jb.j.m. don’t see how Black successfully J_J_._J_ covers b7, e7 and the invasion on d7. i.s._._J 22...♖xd8? .i._Ji._ He had to try 22...♗xd8 23.♖e1 _.i._.i. ♗xb6 24.axb6 ♔f6 25.♖xe4 with a difficult but still playable game for ._Kt._.i Black. r._._._. My recollections of events long ._.t._._ past tend to be a tad embellished _Jl.j.m. to make myself look slightly less JbJ_S_J_ stupid to the reader than I actually i._._._J am. Here I’m willing to confess to .i._Ji._ you the unvarnished truth: after _Ni._.i. my opponent’s shocking last move, ._K_._.i my mouth gaped open, reminding r._._._. the spectators of a disgruntled trout who bit down too hard on the Exercise: Black’s last move allowed baited hook. a , which even I saw. If Black attempts a sci-fi-like radical I can see it, then so can you. reconstruction of his position at a Answer: 23.♘c5! cellular level with a clever try. He Overloaded defender/. saw that 24...♖d7? loses instantly After this move there arises a to the zwischenzug 25.♗e5+ ♔f7 contingency for which Black is 26.bxc5 with an extra piece. completely unprepared, since in 25.♔xd2 ♘b3+ every variation he tosses away This is not such a free rook, since material like confetti on New Year’s Black’s knight is doomed in the Eve. corner. The worry for White is that 23...♘xc5 my king is a million miles away, A) 23...♗xb6? loses to 24.♘xe6+ allowing his lone king a chance to ♔f6 25.♘xd8; raid my unguarded kingside and

77