Theory& Practice of theSokolsky Opening The Sokolsky Opening l.b4 in Theory & Practice
by
Jerzy Konikowski & Marek Soszynski
2009 Russell Enterprises, Inc. Milford, CT USA The Sokolsky Opening l.b4 in Theory & Practice
by Jerzy Konikowski & Marek Soszynski
© Copyright 2009
Russell Enterprises, Inc.
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ISBN: 978-1-888690-65-1
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Cover design by Janel Lowrance Editing and Proofreading: Hanon Russell and Mark Donlan Production: Mark Donlan
Printed in the United States of America Table of Contents
Preface 7 Acknowledgments 8 Selected English Bibliography 8 The Name 9 Signs & Symbols 10 Playing the Sokolsky 11 Introduction 14
Chapter 1 l.b4 a5 26
Game l Sokolsky-Luik, Minsk 1957 32 Game 2 Agrest-Andersson, Umea 2003 34 Game 3 Katalymov-Simagin, Tashkent 1958 35
Chapter 2 l.b4 c6 37 Chapter 2A l.b4 c6 2.Jl.,b2 38 Chapter 2B l.b4 c6 2.e3 44
Game 4 Campora-Anguix Garrido, Canete 1994 47 Game S Lukovski-Hespers, Bad Wildungen 2004 49 Game 6 Katalymov-Sakharov, corr 1988 51 Game 7 Rudenkov-Strugath, Minsk 1961 53 Game S Steffens-Pajeken, Germany 2000 55
Chapter 3 l.b4 e6 58 Chapter 3A l.b4 e6 2.4)f6 Ab2 3.b5 b6 63 Chapter 3B l.b4 e6 2 . .£lf6 A,b2 3.b5 a6 66 Chapter 3C l.b4 e6 2 . .£lf6Ab2 3.b5 c6 69 Chapter 3D l.b4 e6 2 . .£lf6 A,b2 3.b5 A.e7 73
Game 9 Sokolsky-Byvshev, USSR 1951 74 Game 10 Sokolsky-Usov, Odessa 1960 77 Game 11 Sokolsky-Szukszta, Polanica Zdroj 1958 78 Game 12 Sokolsky-Andreev, corr 1960 80 Game 13 Sokolsky-Keres, Moscow 1950 82 Game 14 Schiffier-Kaba Klein, Binz Ruegen 1950 84 Game 15 Zielke-Howe, Kiel 2006 86 Game 16 Sokolsky-Chekhover, Leningrad 1938 88 Game 17 Sokolsky-Weinblatt, Odessa 1949 91 Game 18 Bemstein-Seidman, New York 1959 92 Game 19 Sasonow-Kamenski, corr 1962 94 Game 20 Klavins-Randviir, Vilnius 1955 96 Game 21 Sokolsky-Shagalovich, Minsk 1959 98 Game 22 Pommerel-Bankwitz, email 1984 100 Game 23 Sokolsky-Abzirko, Odessa 1943 101
Chapter 4 l.b4d5 2.A.b2 .£lf6 103 Chapter 4A l.b4 d5 2.A,b2 '(td6 107 Chapter 4B l.b4d5 2.A,b2 A.f5 113
Game 24 Katalymov-Mnatsakanian, Sochi 1969 120 Game 25 Sokolsky-Csaszar, corr 1958 122 Game 26 Lorenc-Navratil, Czechia 2001 124 Game 27 Lapshun-Gravel, Montreal, 2004 125 Game 28 Bessat-Lombard, La Fere 2006 127 Game 29 Sokolsky-Vi llard, Kiev 1955 128 Game 30 Bums-Bennett, Wanganui 2005 130 Game 31 Lalic-Giaidzi, Athens 1992 131 Game 32 Maletzki-Rauscher, Naumburg 2002 132 Game 33 Schiffler-Goers, Soemmerda 1950 134 Game 34 Sokolsky-Romanishin, Lvov 1947 136
Chapter 5 l.b4.£lf 6 2 . .Q.b2 g6 138
Game 35 Reti-Capablanca, New York 1924 150 Game 36 Radshenko-Shapiro, Krasnodar 1955 152 Game 37 Behnicke-Konikowski, Dortmund 1995 154 Game 38 Frombach-Overbeck, Dortmund 2003 155 Game 39 Sokolsky-Kholmov, Kiev 1954 158 Game 40 Sokolsky-Lilienthal, Kiev 1954 160 Game 41 Sokolsky-Kogan, Odessa 1949 162 Game 42 Sokolsky-Solovjev, Minsk 1957 163 Game 43 Sokolsky-Pelz, Minsk 1961 165 Game 44 Katalymov-Bakhtiar, Tashkent 1959 167 Game 45 Sokolsky-Kirilov, Minsk 1957 169
Chapter 6 l.b4f5 171
Game 46 Schiffier-Schmidt, Leipzig 1950 177 Game 47 Jalo-Keskinen, Helsinki 1992 179 Game 48 Sokolsky-Lukin, corr 1960 181 Game 49 Katalymov-Kondratiev, Minsk 1962 182
Chapter 7 l.b4e5 2.A,b2 f6 3.a3 184
Game 50 Valenta-Ruckschloss, Banska Stiavnica 2006 187 Game 51 Capablanca-Pedroso, Sao Paulo 1927 187
4 Chapter 7A l.b4 e5 2 . .Q.b2 f6 3.b5 189
Game 52 Vo lke-Kupreichik, Minsk 1994 196 Game 53 Sokolsky-Golovko, corr 1960 197 Game 54 Sokolsky-Zhukhovitsky, Kiev 1945 199 Game 55 Sokolsky-Kan, Omsk 1943 201 Game 56 Kilpatrick-Bryson, corr 1978 203 Game 57 Sokolsky-Livshitz, Minsk 1956 206 Game 58 Sokolsky-Kotov, Leningrad 1938 208
Chapter 7B l.b4 e5 2 . .Q.b2 f6 3.e4 209
Game 59 Sokolsky-Lisenkov, Zwenigorod 1951 224 Game 60 Danielian-Vardanian, Yerevan 1996 226 Game 61 Katalymov-Estrin, Moscow 1964 227 Game 62 Katalymov-Estrin, Minsk 1962 229 Game 63 Sokolsky-Estrin, Baku 1958 23 1 Game 64 Schifller-Skirl, Leipzig 1950 232 Game 65 Jensen-Labahn, corr 1991 233 Game 66 Tartakower-Colle, Bartfeld 1926 235 Game 67 Goljak-Lilienthal, Moscow 1962 236
Chapter 8 l.b4 e5 2.Ab2 d6 239
Game 68 Cemy-Cominetti, Teplice 2006 246 Game 69 Agrest-Aldobasic, Umea 2003 247 Game 70 Miralles-Bologan, France 2003 249 Game 71 Hiibner-Asplund, Jerusalem 1967 250 Game 72 Sokolsky-Nei, USSR 1955 251 Game 73 Miralles-Seret, Belfort 1983 254 Game 74 Sokolsky-Flohr, Moscow 1953 255 Game 75 Sokolsky-Mnatsakanian, Vladimir 1960 257 Game 76 Katalymov-Suetin, Moscow 1959 258 Game 77 Katalymov-Liberson, Rostov 1960 260 Game 78 Sokolsky-Lavdansky, Vladimir 1960 261 Game 79 Sokolsky-Persitz, corr 1968 262 Game 80 Sokolsky-Samarian, corr 1958 264
Chapter 9 l.b4 e5 2.Ab2 e4 266
Game 81 Gilgevich-Voitech, Minsk 1960 271 Game 82 Frosinos-Kanellopoulos, Patras 2001 273
Chapter 10 l.b4 e5 2 . .Q.b2 .Q.xb4 3.Axe5 .£lf6 4.c4 274
Game 83 Jamieson-Kuenitz, Gibraltar 2006 283
5 Game 84 Zuse-Wemer, Germany 1995 284 Game 85 Schiefelbusch-Gorzinski, Dortmund 2005 286 Game 86 Katalymov-Giterman, Novgorod 1961 288 Game 87 Nevednichy-Parligras, Curtea de Arges 2002 289 Game 88 Miralles-Spiridonov, Bulgaria 1985 291 Game 89 Sokolsky-Anishchenko, Minsk 1959 292 Game 90 Arkell-Gallagher, London 1986 294
Chapter II l.b4 e5 2.Jl.,b2 Axb4 3.Axe5 �f6 4.�f3 296
Game 91 Zielinska-Nodorp, Hamburg 2005 302 Game 92 Markowski-Pedzich, Poland 1994 304 Game 93 Campora-German, Buenos Aires 1995 305 Game 94 Mus-Mitrus, corr 1992 307 Game 95 Althoff-Mueller, Kaufungen 2003 309
Afterword 312 Index ofGames 313
6 Preface
Weird and wacky or safe and sound? The Sokolsky Opening is both. Sometimes the play is truly deviant - both sides' initial few moves all on the a-b-c files and the firstpieces exchanged a pair of rooks - at other times l.b4 becomes merely a roundabout route to a respectable English, Reti, King's Indian or reversed French position.
Grandmasters such as Keith Arkell, Christian Bauer, Daniel Hugo Campora, Vlastimil Hort, Bent Larsen, Gilles Miralles, and Marek Vo kac have used l.b4 in tournament games on more than one occasion. And if we include all relevant games involving an early b2-b4, not just on move one, then we can expand the list to include the top-class players Tigran Petrosian, Boris Spassky, Vassily Smyslov in particular, and quite a few more. (And if we furtherinclude simulta neous and casual games with l.b4 we can add Vassily lvanchuk, Bobby Fischer, and Jose Capablanca.) Clearly, this is not an opening to dismiss lightly. But it deserves more theoretical coverage than was currently available, which is the point of this book.
When we started to systematize our coverage of the Sokolsky Opening we must admit that we were taken aback by the number of possible transpositions (which fo r one thing makes an index of variations impractical - see our Introduction instead). We have drawn attention to the varieties of move order, and to many of the transpositions both within and between the chapters and games, but could not possibly manage them all. Moreover, the deeply nested variations gave rise to formatting problems when converting from digital to print media. The disk and book versions should have all and exactly the same lines (and assessments and comments); however, the arrangement and numbering of subvariations may be very different.
Finally, a word about the most recent item in the Selected English Bibliography, namely Play 1 b4! by Yury Lapshun and Nick Conticello. We did not have sight of it until May 2008, by which time we had virtually completed all our analysis for the present work. Twenty-six of our illustrative games (nineteen with Alexey Sokolsky or Boris Katalymov as white) happened to be in their selection of main games too. However, very little in their book prompted us to change our own content; in fa ct we mention Lapshun and Conticello only in Chapter I 0, although a few ofLapshun's games already appeared in our draft book.
Jerzy Konikowski Marek Soszynski March 2009
7 Acknowledgments
We express our thanks to those who helped us in our work on l.b4; in particular Mike Donnelly, Keith Escott, Joey Stewart, and not least Marek Trokenheim who maintains the www.algonet.se/-marek website devoted to the opening.
Selected English Bibliography
De Firmian, Batsford's Modern Chess Openings 14th Edition [MC014], Batsford, 2000 Dunnington, Winning Unorthodox Openings, Everyman, 2000 Harding, Dynamic White Openings, Chess Digest, 1989 Ivanov, Orangutan, Russian Chess House, 2003 Kasparov et a!, Batsford Chess Openings 2 [BC02], Batsford, 1989 Lapshun and Conticello, Play 1 b4!, Everyman, 2008 Levy, 1 b4 Sokolsky Opening, Chess Player, 1977 Nunn et a!, Nunn 's Chess Openings [NCO], Everyman, 1999 Santasiere, The Futuristic Chess Opening: Santasiere 's Folly, All-Star Printing, 1966 Sokolsky, Pawns in Action, Chess Player, 1976 Soltis, 1 P-QN4, Chess Digest, 1972 Wall, The Orangutan, Chess Enterprises, 1989
Some other works are referred to at the start of Chapter 2.
A special mention should be made here of three online articles, entirely devoted to the Sokolsky Opening, by Tim Harding in "The Kibitzer" series of his (June, July, September 2003) on the ChessCI![e website.
The ChessC;ifi:Arch ives: The Kibitzer
Sokolsky's principal work on l.b4 never appeared in fu ll in an English version, although for Western readers there was a German translation the year afterthe Russian original.
Sokolsky, Die Ero.ffnung 1. b2-b4, Schach-Archiv, 1964
8 The Name
You would think that there could be no better place to start a history of the no menclature of l.b4 (I P-QN4 in descriptive notation) than with the man said to be the originator of the move, the Canadian-bornJoseph Hunt (1851- 1920). Un fo rtunately, we haven't been able to unearth any of Dr. Hunt's games nor what else he might have done to merit the move being called Hunt's Opening. l.b4 became known as the Englisch Opening afterthe Austrian, Berthold Englisch (1851-1897) had success with it. As late as the 1930s it was being called the Hunter-Englisch Game or similar misrenderings like the Hunter-English Open ing, or lazily grouped among the "irregular" games, which still happens to this day.
The greatest impact with the opening was made by Savielly Tartakower (1887- 1956). He played the move as early as 1911, but it was his defeat of Richard Reti in 1924 and his then calling the opening the Orangutan that really caught the imagination. Tartakower explained that "the climbing movement of the pawn to b4 and then b5 is reminiscent of that inventive animal." He did not call the open ing for an ape because it "leads to a hairy game" as later wits quipped.
Partly on account ofTartakower's sometime Polish citizenship, plus the fact that the mirror-version l.d4 b5 had already acquired the tag of Polish Defense, l.b4 was also known as the Polish Attack.
Meanwhile the American, Anthony Santasiere (1904-1977) was an enthusiast of l.�f3 d5 (or 1...4Jf6) 2.b4, which he named Santasiere's Folly, although Alexander Alekhine had played it on a couple of occasions previously.
If Tartakower made the greatest splash, it was Sokolsky who swam deepest. The major theoretical influence on l.b4 was, and still is, the Soviet player, Alexey Sokolsky ( 1908-1 969). Not only did he use the opening on dozens of occasions many more than Tartakower - and defeat strong players with it, but he also wrote at length about it. For this reason it is wholly appropriate for l.b4 to be known as the Soko1sky Opening.
9 Signs & Symbols
1-0 White won 0- 1 Black won Y,-Y, draw ! strong move !! excellent move ? poor move ?? blunder !? interesting move ?! dubious move equal game ;!; White stands slightly better :j: Black stands slightly better ± White is clearly better "' Black is clearly better +- White has a decisive advantage -+ Black has a decisive advantage 00 unclear position ii1i with compensation for material t:. with the threat or idea of � with counterplay with the initiative -+ with an attack X captures C> better is :!!0 inferior is + check # checkmate corr correspondence game simul simultaneous exhibition game
10 Playing the Sokolsky
Although the coverage of this book is biased in favor of White, the assessments are meant to be realistic for both sides. To discover White's and Black's best lines, or the ones that would suit you the most, you will have to refer to the analytical chapters and illustrative games and do some serious study. If you take them together, the main lines in each chapter can form the basis of a complete repertoire fo r White. What we will do in this section, though, is to gather together a few observations and suggestions to give you a quick, practical overview in case you want to play the Sokolsky Opening right away, maybe in internet or other casual games, leaving the hard work of researching variations and strate gies fo r later, afteryou have gained a little experience with the opening.
Typically, White plans to continue with the queenside expansion that he started with l.b4, while keeping the center closed if possible and the kingside quiet. White's desired piece placement involves one bishop on b2 and, aftere2 -e3, one on e2; one knight on f3 and, afterc2-c4, one on c3. Usually, the white queen goes to c2 or b3 while the king castles kingside or stays in the center. Obviously, this is an idealized situation. Very oftenWhite will want to (or have to) adopt a slightly or very different configuration. Everything depends on Black's reaction. Let us be a little more specificabout the possible early play...
The widely recommended l.b4 e5 2.11b2 11xb43. 11xe5�6 undoubtedly poses White the greatest challenges, so no wonder it is the main line, but the variations are complex and interweaving and it is oftenuncl ear precisely how to proceed fo r maximum effect - with either color {Introduction, and Chapters I 0 and II). If White requires a quick fix,then we recommend that he avoids an early c2-c4 and simply gets castled as quickly as possible, as in the main line of Chapter II. White also has the ruse of playing 4.11e5-b2 immediately, at this moment a vol untary retreat, in order to give inexperienced Black players the opportunity to get confusedby the move order.
Black, fo llowing l.b4 e5 2.-'lb2 -'lxb4, must be prepared fo r 3.f4, the sharp Kucharkowski-Meybohm Gambit. However, we don't recommend it for White since it is well answered by 2 ...d6. Moreover, Black can avoid the gambit alto gether by changing his sequence of moves to 2 ....£lf6 3. -'lxe5-'lxb4, as explained in the Introduction.
Afterl. b4 e5 2.11b2 f6, the objectively best line fo r White is 3.b5 (Chapter 7 A). However, 3.e4 remains an attractive option because of the clear attacking possi bilities - even though Black goes a pawn up after3 ...-'lxb4 and should be fineif he knows the theory (Chapter 7B).
11 Playing the Sokolsky
Generally speaking, the more "normal" continuations in which Black organizes himself along the lines of the King's Indian Defense forin stance (Chapter 5), or the London System (Chapters 2B, 4 and 4B), or the Dutch Defense (Chapters 6 and 8), should pose no particular problems to White. Presumably Black will be fami liar with his chosen setup fr om his use of it in other contexts (against l.b3 or l.c4 too, for example), but White goes unpunished for his choice of opening move, and can make the usual progress involved in mainstream closed-opening positions.
Specific anti-Sokolsky systems such as l.b4 c6 2.11b2 �b6 or 2 ...a5 (Chapter 2A), and l.b4 dS 2.11b2 �d6 (Chapter 4A), are over-rated, in our opinion. Hav ing said that, there are some special tricks that White must employ when facing them. In addition, afterl. b4 dS we show that ifWhite varies with 2.-N3, 2 ...�d6 may be met with 3.c4!? (Chapter 4B); while after l.b4 c6 2 . .!1b2 �b6 we draw attention to the odd-looking 3.�c3!? (Game 5).
If Black replies impulsively to l.b4, hoping fo r improvisation by both sides, he will be disappointed. For example, l.b4 bS 2.a4 (Introduction) and l.b4 aS 2.b5 (Chapter I) are fa irly unpromising for Black; while l.b4 cS (Introduction) usu ally leaves Black with a backward or isolated d-pawn after2.bxc5 and so on - White can also transpose to the Sicilian Wing Gambit by 2.e4.
Maybe the simplest way for Black to take White down a less-trodden path is to play l.b4 eS 2.�b2 e4 (Chapter 9), which is better than its reputation, and not the subject of much analysis; but White has opportunities for creativity in this line too.
Finally, while the subject matter of this book is the immediate l.b2-b4, let us see what happens if the move is postponed. Presumably White delays it because he is concernedabout l...eS, which is the commonest reply to l.b4; so he plays 1..£lf3 first. The drawback is that Black may immediately go l ...cS, or l ...g6, not to mention l...aS, which makes 2.b4 questionable.
Anyway, let us have a quick look at some delayed b-pawn advances and where they may transpose in our book:
A) 1..£Jf3 dS (or 1. . . .£Jf6) 2.b4 is Santasiere's Folly (already mentioned in our section on The Name). Higher-rated players are more likely to play 2.b4 against 1 ...-N6 than l...dS; very highly rated players are unlikely to be playing the Folly at all. See Chapters 4B and 5.
B) 1.-N3 �6 2.c4 g6 3.b4 has been used bymany strong players including Viktor Korchnoi, Robert Kempinski and originally Richard Reti. See Chapter 5, and Games 35 and 36.
12 The Sokolsky Opening
C) l. This book, packed with fresh analysis and 95 illustrative games, clearly shows that White has nothing to fear in the Sokolsky Opening and in fact can look fo r ward to a rewarding albeit complex or unusual struggle. There's no need to dwell on the usual platitudes applied interchangeably to unorthodox openings, like "a good psychological choice to get your opponent into unfamiliar territory." The Sokolsky, otherwise known as the Orangutan or the Polish Attack, is an indepen dent opening whose merits are due to chess analysis not psychoanalysis. l.b4 is sound, the refutations don't work, assessments are disputed, printed theory till now has been inadequate, White 's aims are clear, and the practitioners have been world class. So what are you waiting fo r? Get out there and hit your opponents with the b-pawn! 13 Introduction l.b4 The above are regarded as Black's best alternativesto l...e5. Most of the remainder may transpose to those chapters, but are otherwise weaker and/or rarer: A) l...a6 2.�b2 (2.a3!?) 2 ....£lc6 (2 ...d5 3.e3 e6 4.a3 With his first move White indicates a concrete game plan based on active queenside play. He will have a space advantage on that side of the board, which could later fa cilitate operations in the center or even on the kingside. So the move could actually still lead the game in all sorts of directions. l ...e5 Generally speaking, in this opening 1) 4.c4 d6 5.e3 14 The Sokolsky Opening a2-a4 or .Q.d3-e4 and d2-d4, Pilczuk Nowakowski, corr 1991; C) l... 1) 2... 15 Introduction 1) 5.d4 e6 6.c4 li:Je7 7.11e2 (7.11d3!?) 11.li:Je5 and now 11...c5 is met by 7 ...a6 8.0-0 li:Jd7 9.�bd2 g5 10.d5 e5 12.li:Jc6 �c7 13.cxd5 with the advan 11.li:Je1 �g7 12.�c2 h5 13.f4 g4 tage since 13 ...li:Jxd5?? 14.�xd5 �xc6 14.�e4 ± Myslowski-Trocme, Paris 15.li:Jxe7+ wins the queen; 1994; 2) 4.e4 d6 5.f4 (the line 5.li:Jf3 �6 2) 5.c4 e5 6.d4 e4 7 .liJfd2 liJf6 (7 .. .f5?? 6.�d3 g6 7.0-0 �g7 8.h3 intending 8.'�h5+±) 8.li:Jc3 d5 9.cxd5 li:Jxd5 11c1 -e3 is also a good option) 5 ...c5 10.a3 li:Jxc3 1l.�xc3 �d6 12.�c4 ;t; 6.d5 li:Jc7 7.�b2 liJf6 8.li:Jd2 e6 a) 9.dxe6 li:Jxe6 10.f5 li:Jc7 11.c4 g6 E) l...g6 (This move could well lead to 12.g4 with the better chances; positions in Chapter 5, which deals with b) 9.c4 11e7 10.li:Jgf3 Q-0 11.11d3 li:Jh5 l...liJf6) 2.11b2 12.g3 exd5 13.cxd5 f5 14.0-0 fxe4 15.li:Jxe4 liJf6 16.�b3 /iJxe4 17.�xe4 1) 2 ...f6 3.c4 11g7 4.e3 !i:Jh6 5.liJf3 e5 11f5 18JUe1 �d7 19.a4 11f6=; 6.d4 (6.li:Jc3 0-0 7.�e2 intending d2- d4 is good for White) 6 ...e4 7.liJfd2 f5 G) l...g5 2.11b2(2.d 4 h6 3.e4 [3.c4 8.11e2 �e7 9.�b3 li:Jc6 10.b5 �d8 �g7 4.e3 li:Jf6 5.li:Jc3 d5 6.li:Jf3 0-0 11.li:Jc3 c6 12.a4 with a positional ad 7.�b3 c6 8.11bU ] 3 ...11g7 4.c3 a5 vantage to White, who can bring his 5.b5 d5 6.e5 �f5 7.�d3 �xd3 dark-squared bishop into play on a3, 8.�xd3 e6 9.li:Je2 li:Je7 10.0-0 �d7 Schoenwaelder-Schwarz, Dortmund 11.li:Jg3 fo llowed by li:Jg3-h5 with 2003; the better position) 2...li:Jf6 3.c4 c5 4.b5 (4.bxc5!? must be stronger) 2) 2 ...li:Jf6 3.li:Jf3 11g7 4.c4 0-0 5.e3 4 ... a6 5.a4 axb5 6.axb5 E!xa1 7.�xa1 transposes to Chapter 5; 11g7 8.li:Jc3 0-0 9.e3 e6 10.li:Jge2 (10.li:Jf3!? g4 11.li:Je5;!;) 10 ...d5 F) l...li:Ja6 2.b5 (2.a3!?) 2 ... li:Jc5 3.d4 11.li:Jg3 d4 12.li:Ja4 b6 13.11d3 e5 liJe6 14.0-0 E!e8 15.�f5 �bd7 16.d3 �b7 17.e4 li:Jf8 18.11b2 li:Jg6 19.11cl li:Jf4 20.li:Je2 �c7 21.g3 Here Black of fered up the knight 21...'ifi>h8 22.gxf4 exf4 23.f3 E!g8 24.'<�i'h1 11f8 25.E!g1 �d6 26.�fl E!g7 27.h4 h6 28.hxg5 hxg5 29.�h3+ and White won eas ily, Welling-Haukenfrers, Richmond 2004; H) 1 ...c5 The Birmingham Gambit- but don'task us which Birmingham.2.b xc5 (2.b5 d5 is good for Black; 2.e4 trans 1) 4.c4 c6 5.li:Jc3 (5.a4!?) 5 ...�6 6.e3 poses to the Sicilian Wing Gambit [l.e4 (not 6.e4 �a5!?) 6 ...g6 7.li:Jf3 11g7 c5 2.b4 etc.], as does 2.d4 cxb4 3.e4, 8.�d3 0-0 9.0-0 d5 10.bxc6 bxc6 and 2.li:Jf3 cxb4 3.a3 bxa3 4.e4) 16 The Sokolsky Opening �b4 11. I) l...b6 2.11b2 1) 2 .. . �a5 3. 2) 2 ... e5 3.-'lb2 (3.e311xc54.11 b2 17 Introduction a) 6 ...4Jbd7 7.cxd5 4:\xd5 8.4Ja3 e6 8.�d3 (8.4Jbd2 a6 9.a4 axb5 10.axb5 9.�b5 a6 10.�a4E!b8 11.ftb1f6 12.0-0 E!xa1 ll.'i;\ 18 The Sokolsky Opening 3 ...Axa3 4.4Jxa3 d5 5.c3 c6 6.e3 'iWa5 7.'�b3 a6, with advantage to Black, Rabson-Pierce, Brighton CC 1880. a) 5.e3 axb5 6.axb5l:!xa1 7.-'lxa1-N6 8.c4 0-0 9.4Jf3 l:!e8 10.4Jc3 11c7 11.11e2 d5 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.d4 e4 2 ... .1l.xb4 14.4Jd2-'la5 15.0-0 -'lxc3 16.-'lxc3 'i:lc7 17.'i:/a1 b6 18.i:!cl .!le6 19.-'lb4 Exchanging the b-pawn fo r the e-pawn White's clear positional advantage con should be in White's favor since it gives sists in his possession of the c-file and him a central pawn maj ority and in the bishop-pair, Grecescu-Ibinceanu, creases the scope of his dark-squared Timisoara 1999; bishop. However, Black counts on a b) Wo rth considering is 5.c4!? axb5 development advantage and on mobi 6.axb5 l:!xa17.-'lxa1 cxb5 8.cxb5 and lizing his fo rces aggressively. Black's d6-bishop interferes with his own queenside development; Let's look at other possibilities: 2 .. .f6 Chapter 7; 3) 3.e3 'iWe7 4.b5 -N6 5.c4 b6 6.-N3 2 ...d6 Chapter 8; c5 7.-iWc2 (7.11e2!?)7 ...e4 8.-'lxf6 gxf6 2 ...e4 Chapter 9. 9.4Jg1 (looking more active is 9.4Jh4!? 'iWe6 10.4Jc3 11b7 1l.d3 f5 12.dxe4 Other moves are relatively unpopular: fxe4 13.l:!d1 -'le5 14.4Jd5 a6 1 5.a4 etc.) 9 ...11b7 10.4Je2 a6 11.4Jbc3 axb5 A) 2 ...-'ld6 12.cxb5 -'le5 13.g3 l:!a514 .a4 d5 with good play, Goutioudi-Papadouraki, 1) 3.c4 c6 (White gains a tempo on the Greece 2002; main lines after3 ....!1xb4 4 . .!1xe5)4.e3 (4.c5 11c7 5.-N3 'iWe76.4Ja 3!?) 4 ... -N6 4) 3.4Jf3 f6 4.b5 b6 5.e3 c6 6.c4 c5 5.a3 'i:/e7 6.4Jc3 11c7 7 . .!1e2 d6 8.-N3 7.11e2(7.4J h4!) 7 ... a6 8.a4 g5 9.4Jc3 .ilg49.h3 11h5 10.d4 e4 11.4Jd2 .Glxe2 -'lb7 10.0-0 e4 11.4Je1 (11.4Jxg5!?) 12.-iWxe24Jbd7 13.0-0 0-0 with more 11...4Je712 .d4 (12.f3!?op ening the f or less equal chances, Melich-Shiber, file, looks strong) 12... 4Jf5 13.d5 Ceske Budejovice 1995; (13.dxc5!) 13... 'i:le7 14.-'lh5+ with a won position, Skaug-Martinsen, 2) 3.b5 c6 4.a4 a6 Fredrikstad 2003; 19 Introduction B) 2...�e7 C) 2 ...dS 3.�xeS (3.bS �d6 [3 .. .f6, Chapter 7A] 4.e3 �6 S.c4 0-0 6.cxdS 4JxdS7.4J c3 �e6 8.4Jf34Jd7=) 3 ...4Jc6 (there's no point in playing 3 ...f6? 4.�b2 4Jc6 S.bS 4JeS 6.d4 4Jt7 7.e3 .llfS 8.4Jf3 �g4 9.�e2 �b4+ 10.4Jc3 4Je7 11.0-0 0-0 12.a3 .lld6 13.h3 .llfS 14.a4 Black has no compensation for the pawn, Fedotova-Aytav, Eskisehir 2004) 4.�b2 4Jxb4 S.a3 4Jc6(S ...4Ja6 6.e3 c6 [6...�6 7.4Jf3 �d6 8.c4 0-0 9.4Jc3 c6 10 . .lle2 dxc4 11.�xc4 bS 12 . .lle2 .llg4 13.h3 �hS 14.0-0 �d7 1) 3.c4 g6 (3 ...�xb4 4.�xeS d6 s.�c3 1S.d4 E!fe8 16.a4;t]7.c 4 4Jc7 8.�3 �xc4 6.e3iiii) 4.bS �g7 S.e3 4Jf6 4Jf6 9.4Jc3 .lle7 10.cxdS 4JcxdS 6.4Jc3 c6 7.4Jf3 o-o 8.d4 e4 9.4Jd2 dS ll . .lle2 0-0 12.0-0 �e6 13.�c2 White 10.a4 E!d8 1l..ll a3!? (Katalymov has slightly better chances due to the I.Zaitsev, Odessa 1972 continued 11.aS possibility of erecting a pawn center 4Jbd7 12.a6 cS 13 . .lla3 �e8 14.dxcS with d2-d4 and e3-e4) 6.e3 4Jf67. 4Jf3 d4 1S.axb7 .llxb7 16.exd4 e3 17.4Jb3 exf2+ 18.c:;>xf2 4JeS 19. �e2 4Jfg4+ 20.' 20 The Sokolsky Opening 17o4Jc4 t:lad8 18.�b3;t Trokenheim b) 4o4Je4�g6 So4Jg3-'lxb4 60-'l.xeS d6 Pfaumann, corr 1991; 7o.!lb2 4Jf6 8ot:lb1 11aS9o4Jf3 0-0 10oe3 b) 9o4Jc3 -'le6 10ocxdS 4JxdS 1 U1e2 4Je4 11.4Jxe4 �xe4 12o-'ld3 �dS �d7 12o0-0 t:lad8 with equality; 1300-0 11g4=; 3) 7 .. oa6 8oc4 dxc4 9o.!lxc4 .!1g4 10od4 2) 3 .. o-'lxb44o 4JdS �d6 So4Jxb4�xb4 (10o�b3!) 10 .. o-'le7 llo4Jc3 0-0 1200-0 6o.!lxeSli:Jf6 (6 .. .f6 7 o.!lxc7d6 8oc3 �cS li:Ja7 13oh3 .!lhS 14ot:lcl c6 1So-'le2 9o.!lxb8 t:lxb8 10o�b3 ±) 7o.!lxc7 li:JbS 16o�b3 t:lb8 17o4Ja4 �dS (7 o-'lxf6 gxf68og3 4Jc69 o-'lg2±) 7 o o od6 18o�xdS 4JxdS 19o4JcS 4Jf6 20og4 8o.!lxb8 (8oc3 �cS 9o.!lxb8 t:lxb8 .ilg6 21.4JeS t:lfd8 22o4Jxg6 (White 10o4Jf3 0-0 11.e3;t)8 .. ot:l xb8 9oe3 0-0 disregards the tactical blow 22o4Jxa6 10o4Jf3 -'le6 11.-'le2 and White is a bxa6 23o4Jxc6 perhaps because it pawn up; could get messy after 23 .. o-'lxa3!?) 22 .. ohxg6 23oa4 4Jc7 24ot:lc2 -'lxcS E) 2 .. ob6 2Sot:lxcS t:ldS 26ot:ifcl t:le8 27o.ilf3 White has the bishop-pair, reached a 1) 3oa3 d6 (3 .. o4Jc6 4oe3 d6 Soc4 aS better endgame, and went on to win, 6o4Jc3 axb4 7oaxb4 t:lxa1 8o-'lxa1 Lippmann-Schwabe, Bad Homburg 4Jxb4?? 9o�a4+ -'ld7 10o�xb4+ 2005; Gouliaros Antoniadis-Skoulikas, Greece 2002) 4oc4 li:Jf6 Soe311b76oli:Jf3 4) 7 .. o.ile7 8oc4 -'lg4!= Yu dovich -'le7 7od4 e4 (7 .. oexd4 8o4Jxd4 4Jbd7 BC02; 9o.!le20-0 10o0-0 aS 11.4Jc34JeS 12.f4 li:Jg6 13o.ilf3±) 8oli:Jfd2 o-o 9oli:Jc3t:le 8 10o�c2 11£8 11.11e2 with the plan of D) 2...�f6 3o4Jc3 0-0, t:la1-e1 and f2-f3 with central ac tivity; 2) 30-'lxeS 4Jc64o-'lb2 4Jxb4 So 4Jf3 4Jf6 6oe3 11b7 7oc4 11e78o a3 4Jc69od4 0-0 10o-'ld3 dS 11.4Jbd2 4JaS 12ocxdS 4JxdS 1300-0 cS with mutual chances, although Black should be wary of where White's bishops are pointing; 3) 3obS d6 a) 4oe4 -'lb7So 4Jc3 li:Jf66od3 -'le77 oli:Jf3 0-0 8o.!le2a6 9oa4 axbS 10oaxbS t:lxa1 1) 3 .. oc6 11.�xa1 4Jbd7 12o0-0 4JcS=; a) 4obS dS Soe3 11cS 6ot:lb14Jh6 7oh3 b) 4oc4 -'lb7 So4Jc3 li:Jf6 6od311e7 7oe4 0-0 8o4Jf3 a6 9obxc6 bxc6 10ot:lg1 a6 8oa4 axbS 9oaxbS t:lxa1 10o�xa1 (10o4JxdS! cxdS 11.11xeS �e7 4Jbd7 11.4Jf3 4JcS 12o-'le24JhS 13o g3 12o.!lxb8±) 10 .. o.!lfS 11.g4 11e4 o-o 14oo- ors� ; 12o4Jxe4 dxe4 13oli:JxeS± Menzel Palmowski, Rheinhausen 1998; F) 2 .. o4Jc6 3obS 4Jd4 4oe3 21 Introduction 1) 4...-NS 5.-'l.xeSd6 (S ...dS 6.�3 -N6 (In any case, Black can sidestep the 7.c4 dxc4 8.11xc4 g6 9.�b3 �e7 10.0- KMG if he wishes by l.b4 eS 0 -'ld7 11.d4 -'lg7 12.-'lxc7+ 2.-'lb2 4Jf6!? when White has little Poschmann-Solovay, California 1994) better than to transpose back to the 6.-'lb2 ff6 H::lf3 -'le68.-'l e2 -'le79.0- main line with 3.-'lxeS, and so on, 0 0-0 10.d3 dS 11.c4 c6 12.a4 ge8 since 3.a3 d6 loses a tempo compared 13.4Jbd2 '{gc7 14.gc1 with an extra to lines and subvariations in Chapter pawn in a superior position, Schippers 5.): Kuipers, Netherlands 2002; 2) 4 ...4Je6 5.-'l.xeS d6 (5 ...-'ld6?! 6.-'lxd6 cxd6 7.c4 4Jf6 8.4Jc3 0-0 9.-'le2 b6 10.d4 -'lb7 11.d5 4Jc7 12.4Jf3 a6 13.a4 axbS 14.axb5 '{ge7 15.0-0 Black has no compensation fo r the pawn deficit and is losing, Behle Brennecke, Bergisch Gladbach 2002) 6.11b2 11d7 7.-N3 4Jg5?! (if 7...�f6!? 8.d4) 8.4JxgS'{gxg5 9.-{gf3 c6 10.a4 �6 11.-{gg3 '{gxg3 12.hxg3 cxbS 13.11xb5 -'lxb5 14.axb5 a6 15.4Jc3 -'le7 16.<:;>e2 <:;>d717 .bxa6 bxa6 18.ga2 with a won A) 4.fxe5 dxeS S . .!lxeS�6 6.-N3 ending, Dj akov-Paiva, Dos Hermanas 2004; 1) 6 ...0-0 7.4Jc3 4Jg48.-'lf 4 4Jc6 with a good game; G) 2 ...�6 avoids the complications of the KMG (see below) then 3.11xe5 2) 6 ...4Jc6 7 .11b2 0-0 8.e3 4Jg4 (3.b5 -'lcS sets the trap: 4 . .!1xe5? (8 ...-'lg4 9.11e2 4Je4 10.11d3 �e7 [o4.e3] 4 ...-'lxf2+ s.<:;>xf2 4Jg4+ =F) 11.0-0 �gS :;: Jensen-Gilde, Sottrum 3 ...11xb4 etc. transposes to the main line 2005) 9.4Jc3 ges 10.11b5'{ge7 11.11d3 of 2 ...-'lxb4 3.11xe5 -N6; �cS 12.0-0 4::lxe3 13.dxe3 gxe3 14.4Ja4 gxd3+ 15.4Jxc5 .!lxcS+ H) 2 ...c5 Wolferts Gambit 3.bxc5 AxeS 16.<:;>h1 gxd1 17.gaxd1 f6 18.gfe1 (3... �c6 transposes to l.b4 cS 2.bxc5 <:;>f7 19.4Jd4 4Jxd4 20.-'lxd4 .!ld6 eS 3.11b2�c6above) 4.11xe5f6 5.11g3 21.-'lf2 bS Black has reached a supe (5.-'lb2? '{gb6-+ ) s ...4Je7 6.e3 0-0 7.d4 rior endgame and went on to win, -'lb6 8.-'ld3 dS 9. 4Je2± . Gretencord-Keller, DESC 2004; 3 • .Q.xe5 B) After 4.4Jf3 4Jc6S.f xeS dxeS 6.4Jxe5 4Jxe57.-'lxeS �6 8.e3 0-0 Black has a Best, as indicated by practice. developmental plus. 3.f4 leads to the Kucharkowski 3 ...4)f 6 4.4)f3 Meybohm Gambit (KMG), which after the best reply 3 ...d6! favors Black. A normal, developmental move. 22 The Sokolsky Opening 4.c4 Chapter 1 0. A vigorous move, and the most popular; 4.c3 is also Chapter 1 0; 4.e3 normally transposes to the other lines we consider; 4.11b2 also normally transposes; If 4 . .£lc3, 4 ...-'laS or 4 ...c6 avoids any S.-'lxf6 �xf66 . .£JdStrickery. a)6... 11fS 7.11e2 �e7 8.Q-O dS(8... 0-0!?) 9.c4 dxc4 10.-'lxc4 0-0 11..£lc3 l:!ad8 12.d4 -'la313 .-'lxa3�xa3 14.l:!cl l:!fe8 1S.�b3 �xb3 16 . .!lxb3 .£laS .!1c2 17. .!lxc2 18.l:!xc2 otlc6 19.l:!b1 l:!b8 20.'ifi'fl 'ifi'f8 21.l:!cb2 with considerable queenside pressure, Dutschak-Klenk, Germany 1989; b) 6 ... -'lg4 7 .!1e2. 0-0 8.a3 11aS 9.0-0 otld7 10.d4 dS 11.c4 otle7 12.h3 .!lhS Developing with tempo. Other moves: 13. �b3 c6 14.-'lc3.Glxc3? ( o 14 ...1:! b8) 1S.otlxc3 dxc4 16.�xc4 (16.�xb7!?) A) 4 ...0-0, Chapter 11; 16... .£Jb617. �cS otledS 18.otlxdS �xdS 19.l:!fcl �xeS 20.l:!xcS 11xf3 21..!1xf3 B) 4 ...d6 s.-'lb2 fS 22.g3 otld7 23.l:!c2 otlf6 24.l:!b1 l:!ab8 2S.l:!cb2 and Black loses a pawn 1) S ...0-0 6.e3 cS (6 ...-'lg4 7 . .!1e2 c6 without compensation, Wessel 8.0-0 otlbd7 9.c4 l:!e8 10.d3 �e7 Nehmdahl, Kiel 1992; 11.otlc3 dS=) 7.-'le2 otlc68.0-0 11g4 c) 6 ...0-0 7.a3 -'laS 8.c4 .!lg4 9 . .!1e2 9.c4 dS 10.cxdS {10.h3 11xf3 11.-'lxf3 .!le6 10.0-0 dS 11.�c2 dxc4 12 . .£lgS dxc4 12.a3 11aS 13.'�a4 �d6 14.-'lxc6 g6 13.otlxe6 fxe6 14. .!1xc4�d6 1S.d4 .!lc7wit h a sharp position, Lj ubojevic a6 16. .£lc3 bS 17.11e2 l:!ad8 18.-'lf3 COMP Leonardo Maestro, Zuerich otle7 19. .£le2 otlfdS 20.£lg3 . otlf6 1988) 10 ... otlxdS 11.�c2 �e7 12.a3 21.l:!ad1 .!1b6 22.e4 with a clear posi .!laS 13.l:!clb6 14.otlc3 otlxc3 1 S.dxc3 tional advantage, Lueders-Krueger, !::!ad8 16.l:!d1 l:!xd1+ 17 .l:!xd1 l:!d8 Freudenstadt 1996; 18.1:!xd8+ �xd8 19 .c4 -'lhS20 . .!1d3 (or 20. �e4) White has slightly better pros C) 4 ...dS pects as his bishops are better than Black's; 1) S.e3 cS (if S ....!ld6 White can con sider 6.-'lg3!? t:. 7 .-'lh4; S ...0-0 trans 2) s ... otlc6 6.e3 poses to Chapter 11) 6.c3 .!laS7.11bS+ 23 Introduction .£Jbd7 8.0-0 a6 9.Jlxd7+ Jlxd7 10.d3 This fianchetto is as yet very rare, but Jlc7 11.-iWb3 Jlc6 12. .£Jbd2 b5 13.d4 we think that is unjustified as it gives c4 14.Jlxc7 �xc7 15.�a3 �e7 White entirely reasonable chances. 16.�xe7+ 2) 5.c3 Jle7 6.Jlxf6Jlxf6 7.d 4 0-0 8.e3 6 ...d5 7 . .Q.g2 Jlf5 9.Jld3 'iWd7 10.0-0 .£Jc6 11.-iWc2 .£Je7 12. .£Jbd2 c5 13.Jlxf5 (also pos sible is 13.dxc5!? Jlxd3 14.-iWxd3 l:!ac8 15. .£Je4 �f5 16 . .£Jxf6+ �xf6 17.�d4 �c6 18.l:!ab1 l:!c7 19.i:!fd1 White threatens c3-c4 with excellent chances) 13... .£Jxf 5 14.dxc5 l:!ac8 15.l:!ad1 (Bosboom-Van Blitterswijk, Wijk aan Zee 2000, continued 15. .£Jd4 .£Jh4 16.g3 .£Jg6 17 . .£J2b3Jle7 and Black had achieved equality) 15... .£Jh4 16. .£Jxh4 Jlxh4 17 . .£lb3 �e6 18.i:!d3 l:!fd8 19.i:!fd1 Jle7 20.�d2 Jlxc5 21.l:!xd5 7 ... �e8 l:!xd5 22.�xd5 �xd5 23.i:!xd5 Jlb6 24.l:!d7 l:!xc3 25.l:!xb7 h6 26.l:!d7 with 7 ...Jle6 8.0-0 Jle7 9.d3 �d7 10.l:!e1 an extra pawn. l:!ad8 11..£Jbd2 i:!fe8 12.i:!b1b6 13.c3 a5 14. 'iWc2 h6 15 . .£Jb3 Jlf5 16. .£Jbd4 5 . .Q.b2 0-0 .£Jxd4 17 . .£Jxd4 Jlh7 Viloria-Gomez, Barranquilla 1999. A complex position has arisen. White went on to win by ex ploiting positional errors. 8.0-0 .Q.d6 A) 8 ...Jlf5 9.e3=; B) Hollas-Hestad, Trondheim 2004, went 8 ...Jlg4 9.a3 Jle7 10.d3 'iWd7 11..£lbd2 Jlh3 12.c4 Jlxg2 13.'lixg2 l:!ed8 14.-iWb3 d4 15.l:!ad1 .£Jg4 16.h3 5 ... d5 will transpose to lines considered .£Jge5 17. .£Je1f5 18.f4 .£Jg6 (or 18... .£Ja5 in Chapter II. 19. �c2 .£Jec620 . .£Jef3wit h the idea of l:!fl-e1, e2-e3 opening up the center 6.g3 with active play) 19 . .£Jdf3 1li6 20 . .£Jc2 24 The Sokolsky Opening §eB 21.§fel §e7 22.e4 and White has aim has been to cover the main tactical achieved a clear plus. and strategic plans after l.b4 so that, after full and carefulstudy, you will be 9.d3 �e5 10.�bd2.!lg 4 ll.E!bl able to advance the b-pawn with confi E!b8 12.h3 �xf3+ dence in your own games, having made an informed choice fr om among Weak is 12... .l;th5? 13. .£\xeS .llxeS White's options. However, we must 14. .llxe5 §xeS 15.g4 .llg6 16.f4 win highlight a key aspect. It's hard for ning a piece. White to achieve an early plus after l.b4; oftenWhit e won't gain an advan 13.�xf3 .!lxf3 14 . .!lxf3 .!le5 tage until the middlegame or even the 15. .!lxe5E!x e5 16:�cl ifle7 17.c4 endgame. That's why it's so important dxc4 18.'{fJxc4 c5 19.E!fdl b6 to examine the illustrative games for 20.a4 typical plans and maneuvers resulting fr om this opening. In particular the rel White has a small positional advantage. evant games of Sokolsky and He can plan to fo rce through a4-a5 and Katalymov - real virtuosos of l.b4 - d3-d4 to break up Black's queenside ought to be known and understood. pawn structure. Note how the white bishop controls several important We can't promise no errors in our analy squares in the opponent's position. ses. If you spot mistakes or omissions, please direct them to us through the Summary: We hope that the Introduc publisher. You will at least have shown tion familiarizes you with the subject evidence of independent thinking - matter of our work, which comprises similar to the independent thinking re eleven main chapters of analysis. Our quired to play l.b4! 25 Chapter 1 l.M a5 clear) 14... B) 2 ...e6 3.-'lb2 1) 4.c4 b6 ( 4 ...d5 5.cxd5 �xd5 6. 2 . . . c6 �dB 7.g3 -'le7B.Ag2 0-0 9. 1) 4.e3 g6 5.d4 Ag7 6. 26 The Sokolsky Opening White has slightly better chances be 'it>h8 19.-tJxdS -'lxdS 20.-'l.xdS t:la7 cause of Black's undeveloped 21.ID t:lf8 22 .-'lxg7+! <:ixg7 23.-iWg6+ queenside and his need to protect the 1-0, because 23 ...<:ih8 24.�xh6• is a4-pawn; mate, Stemik-Lowry, email 2001; c) 3 ...d6 4.e3 transposes to Lielmezs C) 2 ....£Jf6 (Actually more popular than Tamashiro in the notes above; 2 ...c6) d) 3 ...c6 4.e3 ( 4.c4 transposes to Kuipers-Schenkeveld in the notes be 1) 3.-'lb2 low) 4 ...d5 transposes to the main line; 2) 3.e3 Game 2: Agrest-B.Andersson, Umea 2003; 3) 3.a4 a) 3 ...e5 4.11b2 d6 S.d3 g6 6.g3 11g7 7.-'lg2 o-o 8 . .£Jf3 c6 9.c4 -'lg4 10.h3 11d7 11.0-0 .£Jh512 .e4 cS 13 . .£lc3 11e6 14.-'lcl h6 15.-'ld2 'it>h7 16.t:ib1.£Jd7 17.-tJdS .£Jb6 .18 .£Jxb6 �xb6 19 . .£Jh4 .!1f6 20.-tJfS .£Jf4 (20 ....!1g5 !?) 21.gxf4 gxfS 22.�h5 with a promising attack, Valenta-Docekal, Liberec 2003; a) 3 ...g6 4.e4 (also possible is the b) 3 ...b6 4 . .!1b2 e6 s.e3 -'lb7 6 . .£Jf3 fianchetto4.g3 11g7 S . .!lg20-0 6.c4 d6 -'le7 7.-'le2 dS 8.d3 0-0 9.0-0 .£Jbd7 7 . .£lc3 eS 8.d3 .£\bd7 9 . .£Ja4 t:le8 10 . .£Jbd2 E!c8 11.c4 t:le8 12. .£Jd4 cS 10.'�c2 t:lb8 11.e3 b6 12. .£le2 -'lb7 13.bxc6 (13. .£l4b3 eS 14.cxd5 .£lxd5 13.-'lxb7 t:lxb7 14.e4 .£Jf8 15. .£Jac3 15. .£Jc4 11f8 16 . .!1g4;�; Olsen-Njaa, .£\e6 16.0-0 �d7 17.t:lae1 cS 18.bxc6 Vadsoe 2004) 13 ...-'lxc6 14 . .£Jxc6t:lx c6 �xc6 19.a4 �d7 20.f4 with attacking 1S.cxd5 .£lxd5 16.d4 .£Jb4 17.'�'b3 t:lc7 potential on the kingside, Akesson 18.-'lbS �a8 19.t:iacl t:lec8 20 . .£Jc4 Emst, Skelleftea 1999) 4 ...d6 S.c4 Ag7 'lWb7 21.f3 .£\f622.e 4 with a positional 6.-iWc2 0-0 7 . .£lc3 c6 8 . .£Jf3 eS 9.-'le2 advantage to White who has more room .£Jbd7 10.0-0 .£Jh5 11.t:iad1 cS 12.g3 to maneuver; .£Jb6 13 . .£le1 -'lh3 14 . .£Jg2 'iWgS 1 S.d3 fS 16.exf5 gxfS 17 .-'lf3 t:lae8 18.-'lcl D) 2 ...c5 �g6 19.-'lxb7 without Black having compensation fo r the pawn, Campora 1) 3.e3 .£\f64.c 4 ( 4.-'lb2 e6 S . .£Jf3 b6 Teran Alvarez, Santiago 1995; 6.-'le2 -'lb77.d 3 d6 8 . .£Jbd2.£\bd7 9.0 - b) 3 ...e6 4 . .£Jf3 11e7 ( 4... d5!? S.e3 trans 0 -'le7 10.c4= has been reached in sev- poses to 2 ...e6 lines) S.e3 b6 6.c4 0-0 eral games) 4 ...e6 s.<£lf3 b6 6.-'lb2-'lb7 7Jtd3 h6 8.0-0 -'lb7 9 . .£lc3dS 10.cxd5 7.-'le2 dS (7 ...11e7 8 . .£lc3 d6 9.�c2 exdS ll.a4 .£\bd7 12.-iWc2.£Jc5 13.-'lfS .£Jbd7 10.d3 0-0 11.0-0 t:lc8 12 . .£Jd2 §e8 14.d4 .£Jcd7 15.-tJeS .£Jxe5 'iWc7 13.f4 .!ld8 14.g4 h6 1S.h4 .£Jh7 16.dxe5 .£Jd7 17.e6 fxe6 (17 ... .£Jf8 16.gS with the kingside initiative, 18.exf7+ <:ixf7 19.t:lad1 ±) 18 . .!1xe6+ Franke-D.Hansen, Gemuend 1999) 27 l.b4 a5 8.0-0 .£Jbd7 9.,�k2 11d6 10.cxd5 exd5 a) 4 ... g6 5 . .£Jf3 (the alternatives merit 11..£Jh4 g6 12.f4 f!e7 13. .£Jf3 0-0-0 a look: 5.d4!?; 5.f4!?) 5 ...11g7 6.c4 14. .£Jd4.£Jb8 15 . .£lc3! t:lhe8 16.t:iacl .£Je7 7:i:lc2 .£Jd7 8.d4 0-0 9.�e2 b6 with the initiative; 10.0-0 11b7 1l.t:id1 f6 12. .£lc3 'it>h8 13.11a3 'iWe8 14.c5 dxc5 15.dxc5 c6 2) 3.�b2 d5 4.e3 b6 5 . .£Jf3 �b7 6.c4 16 . .£Je4bxc5 17 . .£lxc5.£lxc5 18.'i:/xc5 ± .£Jf6 7.cxd5 �xd5 8 . .£lc3 �b7 9.�c4 Gimeno Higueras-Ferron Garcia, (9.11e2!? is also reasonable) 9 ...e6 Mislata 2004; 10.0-0 11e7 1l.d4 0-0 12.t:ie1 t:la7 b) 4 ...M5 5.c4 .£Jf66 . .£Jf3 .£Jbd77.d 4 13. .£Je5 11d6 14. 'iWc2 cxd4 15.exd4 and e4 8 . .£Jfd2 h5 9 . .£lc3 (9.h4 d5 oo White has greater fr eedom of move Stejskal-Zeithamt, Czechia 1996) 9 ...h4 ment, Raue-Eberth, Germany 2003; 10.h3 planning 'i:/d1-c2 and 0-0-0, so White has the better chances; 3) 3.c4 b6 4 . .£Jc3 �b7 5.e4 e5 6.d3 d6 c) 4 ...b6 5.d3 �b7 6.c4 .£Jd7 7 . .£lc3 7.�e3 .£Jd7 8.f3 �e7 9.-iWd2 .£Jf8 .£Jgf6 8 . .£Jf3 'itfe7 9.�e2 0-0-0 10.0-0 10 . .£Jge2 .£Je6 11.g3 h6 12.11g2 .£Jf6 (10.e4!? .£Jc5 11.0-0 h6 12 . .£ld5 is also 13.0-0-0 'iWc7 14.h4 and with the reasonable for White) 10 ...h6 11.d4 e4 queenside more or less blocked, White 12. .£Jd2 t:le8 13.'itfa4 with the attack has the better chances on the other side, ing plan .£Jd2-b3,Ab2-a3 and c4-c5; De Visser-Schot, corr 1989; d) 4 ... .£Jd7 5.c4 .£Jgf6 6 . .£Jf3 'i:le77 . .£Jc3 c6 8.�e2 g6 9.a4 �7 1 0.0-0 0-0 11.d4 E) 2 ... e5 3.�b2 t:le8 12.dxe5 dxe5 13.11a3 c5 14.e4 1) After 3 .. .f6 4.e4 �c5 5 . .£Jf3(5.f 4!?) .£Jb6 15.h3 �f8 16.11b2 t:ld8 17.-iWc2 5 ....£Je7 6.11 c4 d6 7 .d4 11b68.0-0 11g4 White has more room to maneuver, and 9.c3 .£Jd7 10.a4 g5 11..£Jbd2 11h5 12.h3 his main thought will be to prepare a ID 13.11xf7+ 'it>xf7 14 . .£Jc4 the black timely .£Jc3-d5,Stemik-Sokanski, corr king doesn't look secure, and indeed 1994; - White went on to win, Etmans e) 4...�6 5.�311g4 6.Ae2 11e7 7.0 0 Mostertman, Dieren 2004; .£Jbd7 8.c4 0-0 9.d4 e4 10 . .£Jfd2 �xe2 11.-iWxe2 t:le8 12.f3!? (12. .£lc3 d5 2) 3 ...d6= BC02 4.e3 ( 4.c4 transposes 13.t:ifcl 11b4 14. .£Jxd5 .£Jxd5 15.cxd5 to l.b4 e5 2.11b2 d6 3.c4 a5 4.b5, 11xd2 16.'iWxd2 ;t Labahn-Chlaifer, Chapter 8) Germany 1994) 12 ...exf 3 13.'i:fxf3 with a positional advantage, which is in creased after.£Jb1 -c3 and e3-e4; F) 2 ...b6 1) 3.c4 �b7 4 . .£Jc3 �65 . .£Jf3g6 6.�b2 11g7 7.e3 0-0 8.11e2 d6 9.0-0 e5 10.d4 e4 11..£Jd2t:le 8 12.-iWc2 (more active is 12.c5!? Game 3: Katalymov Simagin, Tashkent 1958) 12... f!e7 13.t:iae1 preparing f2-f3, with the bet ter prospects; 28 The Sokolsky Opening 2) 3.e3 11b7 4.11b2 d6 H::lf3 eS 6.c4 11..£lxc4 .£Jxc4 12.11xc4 �c7 (not 5 7.4k3 (7.d4!? e4 8.-NdU ) 7....£Jf6 12 ...b6 13.-tJgS! g6 14.�c3 Ae7 8.�c2 g6 9.0-0-0 c6 10.d4 e4 11..£lg5 15. .£Je4c:;>g7 16.d3 11b7 17.t:lad1 with �e7 12.bxc6 .£Jxc6 13.d5 .£Je5 14. .£Je6 obvious pressure) 13.t:iacl with the !'k8 1S.�b3 -Nd7 16.f4 exf3 17.gxf3 more favorable position; Aa6 (17... .£Jxf3 18.c:;>b1 1:. 19.e4 1eaves the f3-knight a bit stranded, but is 2) 3.a4 11f54. �b2 ( 4.-N3 �6 S.e3 e6 Black's best option) 18.-tJbS.!lxbS 6.Ab2 is also possible) 4 ....£Jd7 S. e3 cS 19.�xb5 t:lg8 20.11e2 11h6 21.f4 .£Jf7 (S ...eS !?) 6.c4 �gf6 7.d3 dxc4 (7...�c7? 22.h4 .£Jd8 23.�f3 ' 3) 3.d4 �6 4.e3 �5 S . .!lb2(S . .!la3!? in the hope of exchanging his inferior bishop, looks logical for White) S ...e6 6 . .£Jf3�d6 7.�e2 0-0 8.0-0 .£Jbd79.c 4 dxc4 10. .!1xc4 t:le8 11..£lc3 .£Jb6 12.11e2 .£Jbd5 13.a3 �e7 14.-tJxdS exdS 1S.a4 E!ad8 16.�b3 .£Je4 17.�3 �g4 18.E!fe1 �xf3 19 .�xd6 E!xd6 a) s ... g6 6.d4 d6 7.11d3 �g7 8 . .£Jbd2 20 . .!1xf3.£Jd2 21.�d1 .£Jxf3+ 22.�xf3 .£Jbd7 9 . .£Jc4 0-0 10.�e2 .£Je4 11.0-0 �e4 23.�xe4 dxe4 24.t:iecl t:ld7= �e8 12.t:iad1 eS 13.dxe5 dxeS Konieczny-Obuchowski, Poland 2001. 14.�xe4 �xe4 1S.�a3 .£Jc5 16.�xc5 bxcS 17.a4 and Black's weak pawn on 3.e3 cS gives White the better chances, Poley-N.Sanchez, Condom 2002; Opening up a path for a bishop to de b) S ...e6 6.�e2 Ae7 7.0-0 o-o 8.c4 fe nd the pawn. d6 9.�c2 E!e8 10 . .£Jc3 �f8 11.d4 .£Jbd7 12.E!fd1 �c8 13.E!ac1 cS Another possibility is 3.c4: 14.bxc6 .!1xc6 1S.�b1 �b8 16.h3 eS 17 .11a3 ± Kalashnikov-Kornienko, A) 3 ... �6 4.11b2 e6 S.e3 �e7 6.11d3 Novokuznetsk 2003; 0-0 7.�c2 g6 8.h4 (the conventional 8 . .£Jf3!?must be stronger) 8 ...d5 9 . .£la3 G) 2 ...d5 .£Jbd7 10.h5 .£lxh5 11.E!xh5 �xa3 (11...gxh5 12.11xh7 •) 12 . .!1xa3 gxhS 1) 3.�b2 cS 4.e3 .£Jd7 ( ...4 c4 S.d3 cxd3 13.11xf8 (13.Axh7+ ' 29 l.b4 aS (1S.�b2!?) 1S... cxb5 16.cxb5 �f6 0-0 10.11e2 4Jbd7 11.0-0 �d8 1 H::Jd2 17 .i:!h1 eSwith the advantage, Kuipers- White's better development gives him Schenkeveld, Hengelo 2002; a slight advantage. B) 3 ...d5 4.bxc6 bxc6 S.cxdS cxdS 3 . . . d5 6.4Jf3 e6 7.e3 �d6 8.�b2 �6 9.11b5+ 11d7 10.4Jc30-0 11.a4 AxbS 12.4Jxb5 3 ...�6 4.4Jf3 g6 S . .!lb2 11g7 6.a4 0-0: 4Jc6 13.0-0 l:!e8 14.i:!cl4Jb4 15.4Je5 4Je416 .d3 4Jc5(16 ... f6??17 .4Jc6 4Jxc6 18.l:!xc6 �d7 19.�c2 l:!ac8 20.i:!cl �cS 1 -0, Nguyen Thai Binh-Nguyen Due Hoa, Dong Thap 2003) 17.4Jxd6 �xd6 18.�d4 4Jba6 19.�xc5 4Jxc5 (19 ...�xe5 20.d4 �5 21. �dU ) 20.d4 4Je4 21.f3 4Jg5 22.i:!c6 �a3 23.�c1 �xcl (23 ... �xa4 24.h4±) 24.l:!fxcl f6 25.4Jd3 White's control of the c-file should lead to a fa vorable ending; A) 7.c4 cxbS 8.cxb5 dS 9.�e2 4Jbd7 10.d4 4Je4 11.�b3 4Jb6 12.4Jbd2 11e6 13.0-0. gS 14.l:!fd1 l:!c8 1S.�a3 h6 16.4Jxe4 dxe4 17.4Jd2 11d5 {17 .. .fS!?) 18.l:!ac1 �d7 19.4Jb3 11c4?(nece ssary was 19 ...4Jc4 or 19 ...�d6) 20.4Jc5�dS 21.11xc4 4Jxc4 22.�b3 b6 (22... 4Jb6 23.�xd5 4Jxd5 24.4Jxb7+- ) 23.i:!xc4 l:!fd8 24.i:!dcl bxcS 25.�c2 l:!b8 26.i:!xc5 +- Kool-Neukirch, Dresden 2004; B) 7.d4 dS 8.4Jbd2 4Je4 9.c4 4Jxd2 1) 4.4Jc3 e6 S.e3 �6 (S ... cxbS 6.cxb5 10.4Jxd2 dxc4 11.11xc4 cS 12.4Jb3b6 �c7 7.4Jf3 b6 8.11b2 f6 9.i:!cl �dB 13.0-0 11b7 14.�c2 e6? {o14 ...cxd 4) 10.4Ja4 .!lb7 11.�d4 �cS 12. .!1xc5 1S.i:!ad1 (1S.dxc5!) 1S ... cxd4 16.�xd4 bxcS 13.4Jxc5+- De Visser-Keesman, Axd4 17.l:!xd4 �gS 18.f4 �f6 19.l:!fd1 Haarlem 2000) 6.4Jf3 dS 7.�b2 �e7 Black's queenside development prob- 8.bxc6 bxc6 9.i:!b1 �c7 10.11e2 0-0 lems give White a positional advantage, 11.0-0;!;White plans �d1-c2 and l:!fl - Vukovic-Bogavac, Belgrade 2005. cl; 4.Jl.,b2 �f6 2) 4.e3 �6 ( 4 ...d5 S.4Jc3 �6 6.4Jf3 �fS 7 . .!la3;!;)5.4J f3 g6 6.�b2 �g7 Mobilizing the pieces is better than ad- 7.d4 cxbS 8.cxb5 (8.c5!?) 8 ...d6 9.4Jc3 vancing the a-pawn. 4 ...a4 S.c4 4Jf6 30 The Sokolsky Opening 6.bxc6 bxc6 7.-'lxf6gxf6 8.cxdS cxdS situation; e.g., 21...f4 22.e4 .lle6 (8 .. .'�xdS 9 . .£lc3 �aS 10. .£Jf3 eS 23.i:!c6 -'lf7 24 . .llxb6 l:!xb6 2S . .£Jxb6 11.�c2;!;) 9 . .£lc3 �aS (9 ...e6!?) dxe4 26.e6 .lle8 27.i:!d1 �b8 28 . .£Jd7 10.-'lbS+ -'ld7 1U!b1 e6 12.�g4 �a8 29.�c4+- ; (12. .£Jge2!?) 12 ....£Jc6 13. .£lf3 a3: B) 6.a4 -'lb47.c3 -'le78.d 4 0-0 9 . .£Jbd2 A) 14.0-0 hS 1S.�g3 i:!h6 16 . .£Jd4 -'ld7 10.-'ld3 cxbS 11.axbS �e8 .£Jxd4 17.exd4 l:!g6 18.�e3 l:!c8 12.�b3 .£Je4 13.0-0 fS 14.11a3 a4 19.-'lxd7+c:;>xd 7 20 .l:!bS�a8 21.i:!fb1 1S.�b2 i:!aS 16.c4 dxc4 17.-'lxe7�xe7 Black's exposed king gives White the (giving up material doesn't change advantage, J.Fischer-Gerusel, Germany Black's fa te: 17... cxd3 18.-'lxf8 �xf8 1992; 19.b6 l:!bS20.�cl i:!xb6 21.-tJeS .llbS B) 14. .£Jd4! -tJeS 1S. .llxd7+ .£Jxd7 22 . .£lxe4fxe4 23. �c7 i:!c6 24. �aS -'lc4 16. .£Jxe6! .£leS (16.. .fxe6 17.�xe6+ 2S. .£Jxc6 .£Jxc6 26.�xa4+- Hlavacek .lle7 18.-tJxdS �cS 19.l:!b7 �d6 van Rooijen, IECG 2004) 18 . .llxc4 .£Jd6 20 . .£Jc7+ <:;>dB 21.�xd 6 .llxd6 19. �b4 b6 20 .l:!xa4 -'lxbS 2l.i:!xaS 22 . .£lxa8+- ) 17.�hS .£Jd3+ 18.c:;>e2 bxaS 22.�a3 .£Jc6 23.11xbS .£JxbS �b4 19. .£Jxf8+- . 24.�a2 Black's weak, attackable pawns on aS and e6 give White the advantage; S.{)f3 g6 C) 6.c4 .£Jbd7 7 . .£lc3-'le7 8 . .lle2=. In the Sokolsky Black often selects a 6.c4 Ag7 7.cxd5 cxd5 kingside fianchetto. S ...e6 and now a choice: A) 6.d4 -'le7 7.a4 0-0 8.-'ld3 cxbS 9.axbS .£Jg4 10.0-0 fS 11.c4 .£Jd7 12.�b3 �6 13.h3 .£Jh614 . .£Jc3 .£Jf7 1S.i:!fcl b6 (In Jenneborg-van Rooijen, IECG 2004, Black chose an aggressive plan on the kingside, but White easily countered on the other wing 1S ...' 19. .£lxc8 �xc8 20.b6 l:!a8 21.c6 -'lb4 8 • .1l.e2 22.c7 �d7 23 .l:!a4 ' 31 l.b4 aS White intends �d1-d2 and E!a1-cl with 1991, went 11...E!c8 12.dS -'US 13.g4 the better-looking position. After .£Je4 14. .£Jdxe4 �xe4 1S.0-0 gS 16.�d2 13. .£lb3 Black doesn't succeed with .!lg6 17.�xgS .£ld7 18. .£Ja4 �xb2 13 ... -tJcS 14.-tJxcS �xeS 1S.�3 �c7 19. .£lxb2 a4 20.h4 f6 21.�d2 .£leS 16.E!c1 �dB 17.E!xc8 �xc8 18.�c2 22.hS �e8 23.f4 a3 24.fxeS axb2 E!eB 19.E!clwhen White controls the 2S.�xb2 �cS+ 26.<:;>h2wi th an advan c-file. tage that was turned into a victory. Summary: We agree with Sokolsky 12.d5 that the misguided l...a7-aS is better for White. If the white b-pawn is an annoy White pushes the pawn afterall. An al ance to Black, the black a-pawn is an ternativewas 12.E!cl!? and now Black irrelevance to White. can't play 12... 11xd2+ 13. �xd2 .!1xc4?? 14.-tJdS! .£lxdS 1S. .!lxc4 as White will Game l gain material. Sokolsky-Luik Minsk 1957 12.•. .Q.c8 l.b4 a5 2.b5 �f6 3 . .Q.b2 d6 4.e3 12 ...11fS !? Not 12 ...�d7?! which inter g6 5.d4 .Q.g7 6.�f3 0-0 7.c4 c5 fe res with knight development. s.�c3 cxd4 9.exd4 ttc7 10 . .Q.e2 13.0-0 �bd7 14.�de4 .Q.g7 10.�d3 is analyzed in Chapter I. After 14 ....£Jxe4 1S. .£Jxe4.£JcS 1 6.�d4 f6 17.-tJxcS �xc.S 18.�xcS dxcS 19.f4 .!lfS 20.E!ad1White plans 11e2-d3,and has the better prospects due to greater space. 15.ttd2a4 The variation 1S... .£Jxe4 16. .£Jxe4 �xb2 17.�xb2 b6 18.E!ad1 -tJcS 19.-tJxcS �xeS 20.E!d4 sending the rook to the kingside, is better for White. 10 ..•.Q.e6 ll.�d2 16.gael tta5 17 . .Q.d3? White protects the c-pawn by develop 17. �c2!? unpins the queen. ing naturally. He delays 11.dS as it would leave a hole on c5 for a black knight, at the moment ... Black misses 17 ....£Jxe4! 18.E!xe4 -tJeS ll .•. .Q.h6 19.11e2-'US with active play. Endangering the c-pawn by threatening one of its defenders. Peyrat-Joly, France 32 The Sokolsky Opening Intending f2-f4. 'ili'b3(24 ....Q.xc3 25 .�xc3 f6 26 . .Q.c2 +- ) 25.d6 with good winning chances; e.g., 18 ...�b4 19.a3 �b3? 25 ...exd6 A mistake allowing an elegant combi 1) 25 ....Q.f5 26 ..Q.xf5 gxf527. dxe7 l:'lfe8 nation. After 19 ... 2l... e4?? Black should go 21....Q.f5! 22. 20.§xe51 First the knight is removed, then the queen can be trapped. 20... dxe5 21.4::\ge2?1 Apparently good, but not entirely con vincing. White should consider a couple of altemati ves: A) 21. B) 21.Elbl!? e4 22. 33 l.b4 a5 25 .••Axf 3 26.gxf3 4)h5 27.4)xb3 For other continuations see Chapter I. 4)xf4 28.�dl axb3 29.Afl E!ad8 30.�xb3 3 ...g6 4.Ab2 Ag7 5.4)f3 o-o 6.c4 b6 White has a material advantage, and can now proceed to simplifythe position. An alternative is 6 ...d5!? 7.d4. 30... e6 7.d4 d6 8.4)c3e6 9.g3 More active is 31. White prepares a passed a-pawn. 16 ...4)x c5 17.4)e5Ax g2 18.'tlxg2 �c7 19.4)c6 38 ... E(e8 39. �a3+ 'tlg8 40.Afl E!d441. a5 E!xf4 42.a6 1-0 An active placement for the knight, al though not for long. Game 2 Agrest-B.Andersson 19 ... �b7 20.4)e2 4)fd7 21.f3 e5? Umea 2003 Black leaves a hole on d5. 21...f5!? looks l.b4 a5 2.b5 4)f6 3.e3 better. 34 The Sokolsky Opening 22.e4 �b8 23.�xb8 �xb8 24.�c3 Game 3 f6 25.�d5 'lttf7 26.�al Katalymov-Simagin Tashkent 1958 Now begins a typical regrouping of forces. l.b4 a5 2.b5 b6 3.c4 A.b7 4.�c3 �f6 5.�f3 g6 6.A.b2 A,g7 7.e3 26 ..•Ag7 27.�a3 �ed8 28.Acl 0-0 8.A,e2 d6 9.0-0 e5 10.d4 e4 Eld7 29.A.e3f5 ll.�d2 �e8 At last Black tries something on the 12.c51? kingside, but it's too late. 30.exf5 gxf5 Violently opening the center. The quiet 12. 'i;!tc2 is dealt with in Chapter I. 30... 'l!M5? 31.'i;!txf5 gxf5 3H:Jxb6 1:!xb6 33.-'i.xcS +- . 12... dxc5 13.dxc5 bxc5 31.Axc5 dxc5 Obviously c5-c6 mustn't be allowed. Worse is 31...bxc5 32:lli'd2. 14.�a4 �bd7 15.�b3 1!te7 16.'1ttcl c4 32.�ad3 'i!lf8? Slightly more resistant, maybe, is The c5-pawn is indefensible: 16 ...M8 32...�h8!? 33.otlxb6! l:!xd3 3Hi'xd3 e4 17. .£laxc5 otlxc5 18. .£lxc5 'l;!t xc5 35.fxe4 fxe4 36:�·fl although White is 19.�xc5 11xc520 .Axf6 with the better clearly better. ending. 17.Jl.,xc4 �g4? Or 33 ...i:!x b6 34.l:!xd7 '/;i'e6 35.l:!c7 Black wrongly imagines he can mount l='!b8 36.i:!dd7 winning. a successful attack on White's king. Correct was 17 ....£Jb6! 34.'1ttxd3 � xb6 35.'1ttd8+ 'ltte8 36.'�xb6 e4 37.�d8 1-0 18.Jl.,xg7 'lttd6 35 l.b4 a5 White is also better after 18 ...' 19.g3 'iflxg7 20.'f;tdll 32 •••�x e4 33.�a4 gxh4 34.b6 �g5? Now Black can't avoid the exchange of After34 .. J:!h5!, Black could probably queens and thus the neutralization ofhis equalize; e.g., 35.':th2(35-l:!b l?? l:!g5+ attack wins) 35 ... l:!b536.a3 l:!b3 etc. 20 •••�d e5 21.'f;txd6 cxd6 22.A.e2 35.gbl? �f3+ 23.A.xf3 exf3 24.�d4 gac8 25.gacl h5 26.�b6 gc5 White should try 35.4k3! with winning chances. Black allows the loss of a pawn, as his other options are poor. If 26 ...l:!xcl 35 ••• ghs 27.l:!xcl But not 36.b7? 36 •••�x h3+ 37.'iflh2 �xf2+ 38.'iflg3 �e4+ 39.�xf3 ± f5 4o.gxa5?? A terrible error. 40.b7! l:!b8 41.':tf4 40 ••• gh2 0-1 32 . .£lc4 is more accurate; e.g., 32 ...l:!x h4 33. .£ld6 11d5 34.b6 and Checkmate is inescapable. 36 Chapter 2 I.b4 c6 2 ...d5 This is the typical reaction, but others are good too: A) 2 ...e5 1) 3.11b2 d6 transposes to l.b4 e5 2.11b2 d6 3.c4 c6, Chapter 8; 2) 3.b5 cxb5 (=3 ... d5 4.cxd5 cxd5) 4.cxb5 d5 5.-'lb2-'ld6 (5 .. .f6 6.e3=) 6.g3 Ci:Je77. Ci:Jf3 e4 (7 ...Ci:Jd7 !?) 8.�d4 o-o 9.Ag2 'iWb6=; The OutflankVa riation. With this move Black prepares ...'iWd8-b6 (and/or ...a7- B) 2...�f6 3.11b2 d5 4.e3 -'lg4(4 ...e6 a5 as in Chapter 1 ). White usually re 5.b5 transposes to Chapter 3C, i.e., 1.b4 plies 2.-'lcl-b2 (Chapter 2A) or 2.e2- e6 2.-'lb2 �f6 3.b5 c6 4.c4 d5 5.e3) e3 (Chapter 2B). 5.Ci:Jf3 e6 6.a3 �bd7 7.h3 -'lh58.b 5 h6 9.a4 Ad6 10.d4 0-0 11.c5 -'lc712 .11e2 The popularity of 1...c6 has been main l:!e8 13.0-0 Ci:Je4with shared chances; tained down the years through its pro motion by various authors. C) 2 ... �b6 3.-iWb3 a5 (The ten-year-old Nigel Short played 3 ...�f6 4.e3 Ci:Ja6 • Burgess, 101 Chess Opening Sur 5.a3 g6 6.-'lb2 11g7 7.�f3 0-0 8.-'le2 prises, Gambit Publications, 1998 d6 9.0-0it Petherick-Short, London • Harding, The Refutation of the 1975) 4.bxa5 (4.b5!?) 4 .. :1;rxa5 5.�c3 Sokolsky?, Chess, May 1973 �f66. Ci:Jf3e5 7.g3 (another plan is 7.e3 • Palliser, Beating Unusual Chess t:. 8.-'l.e2, 9.0-0) 7 ...e4 8.�d4 'iWe5 Op enings, Everyman, 2006 9.�c2 Ci:Ja6 10.11g2 -'lc5 11.0-0 0-0 reaching a complex position; It's hard to understand why l...c6 should be so well thought of, expect for D) Note that 2 ...a5 3.b5 (best) trans the significantfa ct that some ofWhite 's poses to l.b4 a5 2.b5 c6 3.c4, which is best lines require him to gambit a pawn. a subvariation of Chapter 1. Nowadays Tim Harding no longer trusts in any refutation of the Sokolsky Open 3.cxd5 ing. Or White can try to maintain the ten 2.c4 sion by delaying the capture: 3.e3 e5 4.11b2f6 5.a3 (5.b5 -'le6 6.cxd5 cxd5 2.a4 e5! 7.�f3 -'ld6 8.Ae2 Ci:Je7 9.-'la3 -'lxa3 37 l.b4 c6 10A�xa3 a6 11.0-0 0-0oo ) 5 ....!1e6 14.4Jxc4 dxc4 15.-'lc24Jd5 =. 6.cxd5 cxd5 7.d4 e4 8.4Je2 f5 9.4Jf4 -'lf7 10.h4 (10.-'lb5+ 4Jc6 11.4Jc3 g5 14... dxc 4 15."(;tf3 12.4Jfe2 �6 13.0-0 [13.h4 g4 14.�4 .!ld6 15.g3oo ] 13... .!1d6 14.f4 exf3 15.11a3 -'lxa3 16J!xa3 �e7 17.'i:/cl 15J!xf3 oo ) 10 ...4Jf 6 11.4Jc3 .!ld6 E!fd8=. 12:�b3 4Jbd7 13.g3 0-0 14.-'le2 (or 14 .11h3 g6 15.4Ja4 'i:/e7 16.0-0 oo 15.•. "(;tc7 16.Aa3 Sjoberg-Rytshagov, Gothenborg 1997) 14 .. J!c8 15-l:!cl 4Jb6andBl ack stands 16.l:!fc1 -'lxe5 17.dxe5 'i:/xe5 18.�xb7 well. 4Jg4 now simply 19.g3 rather than the complications of 19.h3 �h2+ 20.'it>fl oo 3 •.. cxd5 4.Jl.,b24)f 6 5.4)f3 -'lc6! 2l.bxc6 �h1+ (21...l:!b8 is possible now or later). 5.e3 11£5 6.4Jf3 e6 7.b5 4Jbd7 8.4Jd4 (8.-'le2 11d6=)8 ...11g6 9.f4 M 10.d3 16... .Q.xa 3 17.�xa3;!;; .!ld6wit h active play. White can exert pressure on the c-pawn starting E!fl-cletc . 5 •..e6 6.b5 -'l.e7 7.e3 0-0 8.4)c3 4)bd7 9.d4 Summary: 2.c2-c4 isn't as popular as - White wants to maintain central con 2.-'lc1 b2 (Chapter 2A), and Black has trol. Black achieved good play in De several ways to equalize. White must be prepared for 2 ...a7-a5 in particular. Visser-Etmans, corr 1989: 9.11e2 e5 10.d3 Ad6 1l.�c2 'i:/e7 12.a4 a6. Chapter 2A 9 ... .Q.d6 to.Ad3 4)b6 l.b4 c6 2.Jl.,b2 10 ...e5 1l.dxe5 4Jxe512. 4Jxe5 .!1xe5=. White sticks to his guns and plays the 11.0-0 Ad7 12.a4 �c8 natural and obvious move. Harding said "?" Burgess said " ! " - everything depends on their assessment of the position after7. 11xbl. 2 ...a 5 (Watch out for possible transpo sitions to Chapter I which deals with l...a7-a5): A) 3.b5 The Schuehler Gambit 3 ... cxb5 (3 ...d6 4.c4 11d7 5.e3 e5 6.4Jc3 4Jf6 13.4)e54)c 4 14.Axc4 7.d4 exd4 8.�xd4 Ae7 9.4Jf3 (){) 10.a3 38 The Sokolsky Opening Ae6 11. .Q.e2 4Jbd7 12.4Ja4 d5 13.cxd5 fxe6 ( 17 ...4:lxc4 18.exd7 �xd7 .ia.xd5 14.0-0 -'txf3 15.gxf3 c5 16.'/li 39 l.b4 c6 The overwhelming choice. It's hard to A) 4.e3 axb4 5.�d4! �c7 (but not disagree with protecting the pawn. 5 ...c5? 6.Jlxc5! �xc5 7.axb4 �xb4 3.�c3!? Game 5: Lukovski-Hespers, 8.E!xa8+- ) 6.axb4 (6 . .£Jf3!? bxa3 Bad Wildungen 2004. 7 . .£Jxa3.£Ja6 8 . .£Jc41i5)6 ...E!xa1 7.Jlxa1 e5 8.b5 d6 (8 ...d5!?) 9 . .£lc3�6 10.�3 3 ...a5 (10.e4!?) 10... �e7 11.�e2 .£Jbd7 12.0-0 0-0 13.�b2 E!e8 14.�a1 d5 Black proceeds with the theme of this 15 . .£Ja4�d6 16.h3 cxb5 (o 16 ... c5!?) line - the break up of White's 17.�xb5? (o17 . .£lc3!? b4 18. .£Jb5 queenside. �b8 19 . .£lxd6 �xd6 20 . Jlb5 1i5) 17... �xc2 18. .£Jxe5 .£Jxe5 19.Jlxe8 A) 3 ...d5 4.c4 ( 4.e3 is commonest and .£Jf3+! 20.' 2) 4 ...c5 5 . .£Jf3 ( � 5.�b3 .£Jf6) 5 ...axb4 6.cxb4 cxb4 7.�d4 �c7 8.axb4 E!xa1 9.Jlxa1=; 3) 4 ... e5 5.e3 �6 6.c4 d6 7 . .£lc3oo and if7 ...axb 4 8 . .£Ja4! 4 •••axb 4 After 4 ...d6, White has two main pos 4.c4 sibilities: Undoubtedly the strongest move. A) 5 . .£Jc3 40 The Sokolsky Opening 1) 5 ....£Jf6 6.b5 g6 7.l:! b1 (7 . .£Jf3!?) 2) S ...axb4 6.axb4 l:!xa1 7.�xa1 eS 7...'/;i"dB8.g3 (8.e3!?) 8 ...11g7 9.11g2 8.e3 �e6 9 . .£Jf3 .£Jd7 10.-tJgS �fS?? 0-0 10 . .£Jf3 ;t NCO 10 ...d5 11.bxc6 (10 ... d5=) 11.c5+- Durez-Bilquez, St. bxc6 12.0-0 11a6 13.cxd5 cxdS 14.d3 Quentin 2002. 2) S ...axb4 6 . .£Ja4 �aS (The queen should retreat to c7 or d8) 7 .axb4 �xb4? (Again, the queen should retreat) 8.11c3 "11'rxc4 9 . .£Jb6 l:!xa1 10.�xa1 'iWb3 (10 ... �e6 1l.e3+-) 11..£lxc8 .£Jf6 5.c51 12 . .£Jf3 c:;>d7 (12... e5 13.e3 +- ) 13. .£Jd4 1-0, Stemik-Ciesla, corr 1993; This little tactic neutralizes Black's threats. B) s.�b3 Best, as proven by practice: A) 5 ...'/;i"xc S?? 6.axb4 '/;i"xb4 7.l:!xa8 �xb2 8.l:!xb8+- Melzig-Grueneschild, Schloss Schney 2003; B) 5 ... �bS 6.e3 'iWa4 7.�cl .£Ja68.d 4 e5 ( C> 8 ...d6 9.axb4 �xb4+ 10 . .£Jd2;!;) 9.axb4 'iWxb4+ 10.�c3 (10. .£ld2!+- /::,. 11.11c3 trapping the queen) 10 ... �b3 1) s ...eS 6 . .£Jf3 (6.e3!?) 6 ...11g4 7.e3 11..£ld2 'iWdS 12 . .£lgf3 exd4 13.exd4 -'l.xf3 8.gxf3 .£Jd79.� e2 .£Jc5 10.�c3 'iWe6+ 14.11e2.£Je7 15. .£Jc4.£Jd5 16.0- a) 10 ... .£Je6 11.0-0 �6 12.' 41 l.b4 c6 1) 7 ...b6 8.e3 d6 9.'11tc2 bxc5 10.bxc5 7 ...d5 d5 11.4Jf34Jd7 12 .4:\eS(simple devel opment with 12 . .Q.e2!? is preferable) Black has several options: 12 ...4:\xeS 13 . .Q.xe5 4Jf6 14:11ta4 .Q.b7 15. .Q.e2 e6 16.d4 .Q.e7 17.4Jc3 �a8? A) 7 ...d6 8.4Jf3 ("'8. �a4; 8.e3 b5 18.0-0 (18.�xa8+! .Q.xa8 19.\t>d2 0-0 9.4Jf3 .Q.g4 10 . .Q.e2 4Jd7= MCOI4, 20.§a1 leaves Black with a pitiful Nekrasov-Lyuborsky, USSR 1970; 8.d4 bishop) 18... 0-0 19.§b1 4Jd7 20 . .Q.g3 e5 transposes to the notes below [7 ...e5 White is more active, Querol Sora 8.d4 d6 etc.]) 8 ...4Jd7 9.d4 4Jgf6 HernandoWilson, Aragon 2005; 10.4Jc3 b6 1l.cxd6 exd6 12.b5 (12.e4!? .Q.e7 13 . .Q.d3 0-0 14.0-0;t)12 ....Q.e7 2) 7 ...e6 8.e3 4Jf6 9.4Jf3 b6 10.�a4;t 13.bxc6 �xc6 14.e3 0-0 15. .Q.b5 �c7 Durez-Mauron, St. Quentin 2002; 16.0-0 .Q.b7 17. �e2 d5 18 . .Q.b2 .Q.b4 19 .4Ja2.Q.d6 20.§cl ;t White should try 3) 7 ...d5 8.e3 .Q.f5 9.4Jf3 e6 10 . .Q.e2 to exchange the dark-squared bishops 4Jf6 11.0-0 .Q.e7 12.4Jc3 0-0 13.d4 (e.g., by �e2-d3 and .Q.b2-a3!) leaving (13.4Jh4!?) 13 .. :1li'c7 14.4Ja4 4Jbd7 Black with the passive light-squared 15.�b3 §a8 16 . .Q.b2 §b8 17.§c1 h6 bishop, Kim-Abbasifar, Moscow 2004; 18.b5 cxb5 19 . .Q.xb5 4Je4 20. .Q.xd7 �xd7 21.4Jb6 �c7 22.§al. Here Black B) 7 ...b6 8.e3 wanted to quickly fo rce through ...e6- e5 to counter White's activity and mis- takenly played 22 ...f6? and after 23.4:\xdS! �d7 (23 ... exd5 24.�xd5+ \t>h8 25.�xf5 +- ) 24.4:\xe7+ �xe7 25.§a7 was lefta pawn down, Gorzel Hille, Germany 1992; 6.axb4§x al 7 . .!lxal ;t NCO. The section of Nunn s Chess Openings dealing with l.b4 was writ ten by John Nunn himself. 42 The Sokolsky Opening 1) 8 ...�a6 be complex, but White's control of e5 a) 9.�xa6 .£\xa6 10.'�a4 �b7 11.cxb6 gives him good chances; 'l:\'xb6 1 z..ijf3 e6 13.0-0 .£lf6 14 . .£la3 b) Wilk-Organisciak, Ustrzyki Dolne (14.�d4!?) 14... �xb4 15.�d4 �b7 1996, went: 10 . .£ld2�e7 11..£lgf3.£ld7 16.§a1 (16.§b1!?) 16... �e7 17. .£lc4 12.cxd6 �xd6 13.b5 .£\gf6 14.bxc6 /;',c7 18.'lh7 �xa7 19.§xa7 .£lb5 bxc6 15.'ili'c2 e4 16. .£le5 (16 . .£lxe4?? 20.§a8+ �d8 21.�b6± Cemousek -tlxe4 17.'/li'xe4 'ili'a5+ -+ ) 16 ...�d5 Laciner, Baku 2002; 17 . .£\xd7 �xd7 18 . .£\c4�xc4 19.�xc4 b) Interesting is 9 . .£lf3 �xfl 10.'it>xfl �c7 20.g3 '/li'a5+ 21 .�c3 'ili'h5 22.�e2 t;',a6 11.�a4 �b7 12.cxb6 �xb6 �h3 23.�1 '/li'e624 .�d2 �e7 25.�g2 13.�d4 'ili'b7 14. .£lc3.£lxb4 15.'it>e2 0-0 26.0-0 E!.c8 27.E!.c1 c5 28.�b4 c4 with more than sufficientcompensation 29.�xe7 '/li'xe7 30.�h3 E!.c7 31.�a4 c3 for the pawn; 32.�b3 g5 33.E!.xc3 winning the pawn and eventually the game; 2) After 8 ...bxc5 9.bxc5 .£lf6 10 . .£lf3 Aa6 11.�e5 �b7 12. .£lc3 �xfl 2) 9 ...exd4 10.exd4 .£\f6 11..£lc3 �e7 13.'it>xfl .£la6 14.d4 ;!; White could 12. .£lf3 0-0 13.�d3 (or of course - castle by hand (g2-g3 and 'it>f1 g2) but 13.�e2!?) 13 ...�g4 14.0-0 .£lbd7 15.h3 what's Black to do with his own �h5 16.E!.e1 8E!.e 17.E!.e3 t:, 18.�e1 kingside? Weak would be: 14 ...d6 with pressure; 15.cxd6 exd6 16.�xf6 gxf6 17.'/li'a4 ±; E) 7 ....£la6 8. 'ili'b3(8.�c3 d6 9.d4 .£lf6= 3) 8 ...d6 9.-tla3 bxc5 10.bxc5 dxc5 Watson ) 8 ...d6 9.e 3 oo . 11. C) 7 ....£lf6 8.�xf6 (8.e3 Game 6: 8.e3 usually transposes. Katalymov-Sakharov, Kiev 1962) 8 ...exf6 9.d4 d6 10.e3 b6 11.cxb6 'l:\'xb6 12.'/li'a4 �a6 13. .£lc3 �xfl 14.'it>xfl '/li'a6+ 15.'/li'xa6 .£\xa6 16.b5 cxb5 17 . .£\xb5 'it>d7 18. .£le2 �e7 19./;',ec3 §b8 20.'it>e2 .£lc7 21..£\xc7 'llxc7 22 . .£ld5+'it>d7 23.E!.a1 7E!.b 24.g4 White was able to tum his endgame advantage into a win, J.Larsen O.Nielsen, Denmark 1980; D) 7 ... e5 8.d4 d6 9.e3 1) 9 ...�e6 8 ... .£)d7 a) 10 . .£lf3 dxc5 11.bxc5 ( 11.dxc5!?) 1l...exd4 12.exd4 .£lf6 13 .�d3 �e7 This prepares ...e7-e 5, which ought to 14.0-0 0-0 15.E!.e1.£lbd7 16 .£lbd2. §a 8 be enough for near equality. Weaker is 17.�b1 t:, 18. .£lc4oo The position may 8 ...�f5 9.e3 .£lf6 10.�e5 �c8 11..£\c3 43 l.b4 c6 White should of course impede Black's e-pawn. Passive is 9.e3 B) 10.�c2 g6 {10 ... e5!?) 1l.d4 11g7 Summary: 2.11cl-b2 is the logical and 12.11d3 0-0 13.0-0 e5 14.dxe5 l ...c6 l...d5 2.e3 �6 3.c4 c6 4.11b2 trans poses. 2.e3 If not at move two, White is highly likely to be playing this at move three, four or five, so there will be a lot of 13 •..e5 transpositional possibilities in this sec- tion. The thematic move, bringing Black's pieces to life. 2 •••d5 44 The Sokolsky Opening A) 2 ... �b6 Game 7: Rudenkov Airando, Buenos Aires 2002) S ...e6 Strugath, Minsk 1961; 6.h3 �S 7.4Jc3 (7.4Je2dxc4 8.�xc4 4JdS= BC02; Miralles-Van der Wiel, B) 2 ...bS Not entirely bad. 3.a4 �b7 Montpellier 1985) 7 ...4Jbd7 8.d4 a6 4.�3 a6 S.c4 (S.d4!?) S ...bxc4 6.�xc4 (8 ...aS!?) 9.cS 11e7 10.4Jge2 0-0 e6 7.�b3;t BC02 7 .. . �b6 8.�a3 dS (10 ...gS Game 8: Steffens-Pajeken, 9.-'te2 aS 10.bS Axa3 (10... cS!?) Germany 2000) 11.4Jf4 b6 12.4JxhS 11.-iWxa3cxbS 12.axbS 4Jd7 13.d4 4Je7 4JxhS 13.11e2 (13.11d3aS 14.a3 axb4 14.0-0± Harding-Linklater, corr 1989. 1S.axb4 l:!xa1+ 16.�xa1 eS=) 13... 4Jhf6 14.0-0 aS 1S.a3 �c7 a) 16. �c2 l:!fb8 17.l:!fb1bxcS 18.bxcS l:!b7 (18 ...eS!?) 19.�cl l:!ab8 20.�a6 3.a4!? Myers BC02. l:!xb1 21.l:!xb1 White has the better chances on account of Black's weak pawn on a5; b) 16.f4!? (to stop ...e6-eS) 16 ...l:!fb8 17.�c2 bxcS 18.bxcS l:!b7 19.l:!fb1 l:!ab8 20Jlcl ;t; 3) 4 ...MS is the most popular move in this position. S.4Jf3 e6 transposes to the main line; B) 3 .. :�b6 4.a3 3 •••.Q.f 5 Black sets up a London System type of structure.This can also be seen in Chap ters 4 and 4 B. Other plans are: A) 3 ...4Jf6 4.c 4 ( 4.�3 invites 4 ...-'tg4) 1) 4 ...4Jbd7 S.4Jf3 e6 6.bS Ad6 7.4Jc3 Q-0 8.d4 dxc4 a) 9.Axc4 cxbS 10.�xbS �b6 1) 4 ...4Jd7 S.4Jf3 4Jgf6 6.c4 dxc4 ll.l::! b1 ;t; 7.�xc4 e6 8.�b3 �e7 9.4Jc3 aS b) 9.bxc6? 'iWb6 10.cxb7 �xb7 1 U!b1 10.4Ja4 'iWd81l. bS cxbS 12.11xbS 0-0 Jte4 (or 11...'1�hS+) 12.4Jxe4 4Jxe4 13.0-0 4Jb6 14.4Jxb6 �xb6 1S.�d4 13.-'tc3 �c6 14.�c2 4Jxc3 1S.�xc3 11cS 16.�xf6 gxf6 17.d4 11e7 18.l:!ab1 t'!fb8 16J!xb8+ l:!xb8 +- ; a4 19.�d3 White has slightly better chances because of Black's weakened 2) 4 ...-'tg4 S.� b3 (S.4Jf3 e6 6.a3 �d6 kingside, Chirpii-Geanta, Eforie Nord 7.Ae2 4Jbd7 8.4Jc3 l:!c8= Julia- 2002; 45 l.b4 c6 2) 4 ...a5 5.b5!? �6 (5 ... cxb5 6.4Jc3±) 3.b5 c6 4.c4 d5 5.e3) 5 ...4Jbd7 6.«3 6.a4 J1e7 7.11e2 0-0 8.0-0 a5 9.a3 axb4 10.axb4 l:!xa1 11.11xa1�c7 12.d4 4Je4 13.4Jbd2 4Jxd2 14.�xd2 f5 15.11c3b5 16.l:!a1 11b7 17.l:!a3 l:!a8 18.�a2 White's control of the a-file giveshim slightly better chances, Krueger Zimmermann, Pinneberg 2005. His strategy can be to prepare e3-e4 with 4Jf3-d2and f2-f3. a) 6 ...11f5 7.4Jf3 4Jbd78.J1 e2 h6 9.0-0 e6 10.c4 11d6 11.d4 dxc4 12.11xc40-0 13.4Jbd2 �c7 14.11e2 4Je4 15.4Jxe4 11xe4 16.h3 �6 17.4Jd2 11g6 18.l:!cl 4Jd5 19. 4Jc4 11h2+ 20.'it>h1 �b8 21.11a3 l:!d8 22.b6 4Jb4 23.�b3 ( o 23.f4 11g3 24.4Je5 ±) 23 ....!ld6 24.4Jxd6 �xd6 25.l:!c5 4Jd5 26.l:!xa5 gaining a pawn, Alekseev-Novitzkij, St. Petersburg 2000; b) 6 ...11g4 7.f 3 11d7 (7 ...11f5 !?) 8.4Ja3 4 ...e6 �c7 9.c4 e5 10.�b3 J1e7 11.l:!c1 d4 12.exd4 exd4 13.11xd4 0-0 14.11d3 Also seen is 4 ...4Jd7 and now: J1d615 .b6 (White needn't be optimis tic about the complications after A) 5.c4 dxc4 6.11xc4 e6 7.4Jd4 4Jb6 15. .!1xf6 gxf6 16.J1xh7+ 'it>xh7 17.b6 8.4Jxf5 exf5 9.11b3 ffg5 10.0-0 11xb4 l:!e8+oo ) 15... �d8 16.c5 l:!e8+ 17.4Je2 11.f4 �g6 12.l:!f3 4Jf6 13.l:!g3 f!h6 11e5 18.0-0 11f5 19.4Jc2 11xd3 14.f!c2 (14.l:!g5!?) 14 ...4Jg4 20.�xd3 ± Hirth-Semkov, Wuerzburg 1992; 1) 15.h3 �h4 16.l:!f3 4Jf6 (16... 4Jh6 3) 4 ... �6 5.c4 11g46. -N3 dxc4 7.11xc4 17.J1xg7 l:!g8 18. .!1xh6 �xh6 e6 8.0-0 a5 9.11d4 f!c7 10.b5 c5 19.�xf5±) 17.�xf5 0-0 18.g3 �h5 11.11b2 4Jbd7 12.a4 J1d6 (12... 4Je5?? 19.�xh5 4Jxh5 20.g4 4Jf6 21..!1xf6 13.11xe5 f!xe5 14.4Jxe5 11xd1 gxf6 22.'it>f2 l:!ad8 23.'it>e2 Black's 15.l:!xd1 1-0, Guliyev-Stephenson, kingside is weakened, so White is Baku 1999) 13.h3 11xf3 14.f!xf3 0-0 slightly better; 15.4Ja3 l:!ad8=; 2) 15.11xf7+? 'it>xf7 16.�xf5+ �6 17.e4 C) 3 ...e6 4.c4 �6 5.c5 (5.b5 transposes f!h5??(after 17 ...4Jc4 White's attack is to Chapter 3C, i.e., l.b4 e6 2.Ab2 �6 busted) 18.l:!xg7+! 'it>e8 19.�e6+ 'it>f8 46 The Sokolsky Opening 20.'/li'xf6+ 'it'e8 21.4Jc3 E!d8 22.ftg5 C) 13.4Ja3 'lli'd8 14.d4 .Q.g4 15.h3= .llc5+ 23.'it'h1 1-0, J.Adams-Gold, Heinola-Korhonen, Vantaa 1984. Dunedin 1999; 11..1lxd3 itxd3 12. c£Jc3 .£)bd7 B) 5 . .Q.e2 64Jgf 6.d3 .Q.g4 (6... e5 13 ..1la3 .1lxa 3 14.E!xa3 a5 15.bxa6 7.4:\xeS .Q.xb4+ 8.4Jd2 0-0 9.4:lxd7 E!xa6 16.E!b3 E!b8 17.'li\'bl �xbl '11:txd7 10.0-0=) 7.4Jbd2 e6 8.a3 4Jb6 18.E(fxbl 9.c4 dxc4 10.dxc4 Ae7 11.h3 .Q.f5 (1 l... .Q.xf3 12. .Q.xf3 0-0 13.'1;\'cU ) 12.c5 18 .••b6 19.�fl �f8 20.�e2 E!ba8 2I.d4 E!a3 22.h3 h6 23.�d3 �e7 24.e4 �d8 25.E!xa3 E!xa3 26 . .£)d2 1) 12 ...4Jc8 13.4:\eS 0-0 14.4Jdf3 'lli'c7 .£)e8 27.c£lc4 15.0-0 E!d8 16. .Q.d4 (16.'/li'b3!?) 16 ...a6 1H:lg5 .Q.g618 . .Q.d3.Q.xd3 (18 ...4Jd7? Black has less room to operate and must 19 . .llxg64:\xeS 20 . .Q.xh7++- S.Hansen always look out ford4-d 5, which would -Nickel, Neumuenster 200 1) 19.4Jxd3 create a dangerous passed pawn, Ree fld5 20.4Je4wit h the more active posi Bemstein, Netanya 1968. tion; Summary: Following l...c7-c6 White 2) After 12... 4:\bdS 13.0-0 (13.g4!?) has three promising lines. The most 13 ... 0-0 14.4Jc4,Whit e looks better. popular is 2 . .Q.cl-b2, although 2.e2-e3 can lead to similar or even identical 5.c4 c£jf6 6.b5 dxc4 positions. 6 ....ll d6 7.4Jh4!?. Game 4 Campora-Anguix Garrido 7 . .1lxc4 .1le78.a4 0-0 9.0-0 cxb5 Canete 1994 IO.axb5 .1ld3 10 ...'i1i'c7 11.'1li'e24Jbd7 12.ftc1E!f c8: l.b4 c6 2 . .1lb2 a5 3.b5 cxb5 4.e4 b4 5.a3 bxa3 A) 13.4Jd44Jg4 14.f4;J;; Other lines are dealt with in Chapter 2A. B) 13.h3 4Jb6 14. .Q.d3 .Q.xd3 15.'l:'1xd3 'l*d8 16.f!xc8 '/li'xc8 17 . .Q.d4 oo ; 6.c£jxa3 47 l.b4 c6 7.d4 e6 s . .Q.d3 4)f6 9.4)e2 Ae7 10.0-0 4)c6 11.'i!lh1 White prepares to attack. A more posi tional approach, on the other wing, is 11.otlb5 0-0 12.11a3 d5(12 ... b6!?) 13.e5 otle8 14.c3 -'lxa3 15.t:lxa3 b6 (15 ... f6 16. 'i!l'c2 g6 17 .f4 [17 .-'lxg6?! hxg6 18.�xg6+ otlg7 19.c4 oo ] 17... b6 18.t:ib1 .6.19.c455) 16.�c2 h6 17.t:lb1 with queenside pressure. 6 ...d6 Simply 11...0-0!? right away. A) If 6 ....£lc6 then 7.11c4 e6 (7 ...d6 8.4Jf3 otlf6 9.'i!l'e2 .!1g4 10.d4 White has 12. .Q.b5+ .Q.d7 13.c3 Axb5 an active position in return for the 14.4)xb5 4)c6 pawn) 8 . .£Jb5 d6 (8 ...d5? 9.exd5 exd5 14 ....£Ja6!? .6. 15... .£lc7 . 10.'�e2+ otlge7 1 1...Gl.xd5 ±) 9.otlf3 1) 9 ... .£lge7 10:�e2 .£Jg6 11.0-0 e5? (11...-'ld7 12.11a3!?) 12 . .£lg5 �xg5 White can think of d4-d5 which will {12... .£lf 4 13.'i!l'f3 �xg5 [13... -'le6 eventually benefitWhite's bishop not 14.otlxe6 otlxe6 15.d4!] 14. .£lc7+' B) 6...�6 7.e5 otld5 8 . .£lf3 otlc6 9.-'lc4 17.d5 exd5 with the initiative; e.g., 9 ....£Jb6 10 .-'lxf7 +! ' 48 The Sokolsky Opening B) 22 ... 4Je8 23.4Jf5 f6 24.�g4 4Jc5 25.E!e1 11d826.h 4-+. 23.4)f5 4)e6 24.'(;th4 �fe8 25.4)xe7+ 25.E!g3! is more decisive; e.g., 25 ...'it>h8 26.4Jxg7 4Jxg7 27.�xf6 11xf628.�xf 6 E!g8 29.4Jxd6 E!af8 30.E!el+- . 25••• t!txe 7 26.�xf6 Or 26.�xf6!?. 20 ••• 4)b6? 26 ••• gxf6 27• .Q.xf6 'f;td7? Not the stiffestresist ance. Black should try20 .. J:lfc8!? 27 ...�8 is necessary but then comes 28.4Jc7 +- . A) 21.cxd5 �xb5 22A�f5 11d8 (22 ...E!c 7 23.�al!) 23.11xf6 �xf6 28.f4 4)f8 29.t!tg5+ 1-0 24.4Jxd6 ±; 29 ...4Jg6 30.�h6 with mate next B) 21.�e2 li:x:7 (21...E!c5!? 22.�d4 move. t:!xb5 23.cxb5 oo ) 22.4Jf5 4Je6 23.4Jxe7+�xe7 24.�xf6 gxf625.E!dl Game S (25.E!h3!?) 25... E!c5 26.4Jxd6 E!e5 Lukovski-H espers 27.E!g3+'it>h8 28.�d2 a4 and Black is Bad Wildungen 2004 doing well enough. l.b4 c6 2 • .Q.b2 t!tb6 3 • .Q.c31? 2I.ttd4 This rarity looks contrived, but White's 21.4Jf5!? is strong. reasoning is that the bishop can usefully stay on c3 longer than the queen can 21••• 4)a 4 usefully stayon b6. 21...d5!? Black will have three pawns The normal move is 3.a3 for which see forthe knight, but it's not enough be Chapter 2A. causehis pieces are uncoordinated; e.g., 22:1;1xb6 E!fc8 23.�e3 E!xc4 24.4Jf5 3 ...d5 t:!e4? 25.�g5 E!g4 26.4Jh6+ +- . Theres no clear punishment for White's 22• .Q.al 4)c5 third move: 3 ...e6 (3 ...4Ja6 4.a3) 4.e3 4Jf6 5.a3 d5 6.d3°0 • A) 22 .. . E!fc8 23.4Jf5 E!c5 24.4Jxg7 1/xg7 25.E!xf6+- ; 4.e3 .Q.f5 49 l.b4 c6 4 ...4Jd7 5.f4!? puts a stop to Black's plan Here 10 ...-'lxb4!? becomes possible of ...e7-e 5. again, leaving White to try to justifythe pawn deficit. ll.f5 exf5 12.4)xf5 Axf5 13.�xf5 g6? Black weakens this wing, intending to castle on the other wing, even though White's pawns are already advanced on the queenside. Black should consider 13 ...11xb4!? once more. 14.a5 't!!c7 15.�f2 �g8 16.d3 16.�fl .£lgf6 10 . .£ld4 -'lg6 ll.f4 c5 12 . .£lb5 16 ••• 0-0-0 17.4)d2 �df8 18;f;tfl �bB 13.0-0 a6 14 . .£l5a3 11d6 15JH3 't!ld6 19.�d1 '(;te6 0-0 16.-'lxf6 .£lxf6 17. 5 •••4)d7 6.4)d 4 The knight could go the other way like so: 6 . .£lh4 11g6 7.f4!? 6 •••.Q.g6 7.f4 e6 8.a4 a6 Black declines the pawn to be had from 8 ...11xb4. Maybe he was uncertain about the complications after9.a5 �c5 20.e41 h5 10.a6!? -'lxc3 ll.axb7. Black has to hurry up with an attack. 9 • .Q.e2 4)gf6 No good is 20 ...dxe4 2l.dxe4 50 The Sokolsky Opening 23 •••�x e4? 14 ...h4 15.M2 e6 16.0-0 .!le7 17.�c3 h3 18.g4 with active play, Annegam Black missed 23 ...4Jd5 24.�d2 f5=. Renner, Husum 2002; 24.dxe4 .il.d6 25. .1l.c4 (25.11g4!?) 2) 9 ...4Jbd7 25 -·�e7 26.�xf7 �xf7 27.�xf7 a) 10.d4 4Je4 ll.�d3 �df6 12.4Je5;t §fS 28.�xe7 A_xe7 29.e5 /::,. 13.f3; b) 10.11e2 11xf3 ll..!lxf3 e5 12.0-0 The bishop-pair and extra pawn mean 11e7 13.d3 0-0 14.4Jd2 4Ja6 15.�b3 White should win this ending. l:!b8 16.-'tc3 -'td8 17.�e2 fle7 18.d4 exd4 19.�xd4 4Jc7 20.l:!al 4Je6 29 •••g5 30 • .Q.e6 �c7 31.�dl �ds 21.11e5 11c7 22.�b2 4Jd7 23.11xc7;t 32.Ag4 b6 White can plan action down the a-file and/or the centralization of his knight, 32 ...c5 33.bxc5 4Jxc5 34.l:!xd8 11xd8 Rebber-Horstmann, Recklinghausen 35.'it>fl+- 0 2000; 33.�fl bxa5 34.bxa5 �f8 B) 8 ...d6 9.d4 4Jbd7 10.4Jf3 e5 1l�c4 35.�xd8 �xdS ( ll.dxe5 �xe5 12.4Jxe5 dxe5 13.4JdU Ivanov) ll...�e7 12.dxe5 35 ...-'txd8 36 . .!1£5 4Jd7 37.'it>e2+- . 4Jxe5 13.4Jxe5 dxe5 14.0-0 .!lg4 15.�b3 0-0 16.4Jc3 11h5 17.4Je2 l:!d8 36.Ae2 1-0 18.4Jg3 �6 19.l:!dl 4Jd7 Y:z-Y:z, Bott Brehm, Wuerzburg 1987 20.e4 ;!;. Game 6 Katalymov-Sakharov corr 1988 l.b4c6 2 • .Q.b2 �b63.a3 a5 4.c4 axb4 5.c51 �c7 6.axb4 �xal 7 • .Q.xal �f6 8.e3 8.-'txf6, Chapter 2A. 8 •••g6 Black decides to directly oppose White's dark-squared bishop. A) 8 ...d5 9.4Jf3 �g4 9 •••.Q. g7?1 1) 9 ...11£5 10.�e5 �dB 11.4Jd4 �g6 The drawback of this automatic move 12.-'te2 4Jbd7 13.�g3 h5 (13... e5!?) is that it permits White to spoil Black's 14.f4 (White should instead prepare for pawn structure. 9 ...d5! first would be the inevitable ...h5 -h4 by 14.4Jf3!?) desirable. 51 l.b4 c6 10.4)e41 0-0 Or of course 22.t:ib1!?; 22.t:ia1 'iWxb4 23.t:ia8 'iWf8is less clear. 10... White has a positional advantage after 1l...exf612 .£ld6f5 13. 12.4)xf 6+ exf6 13.4)f3 d6 14. �a1 �e7 14... dxc5 15.bxc5: A) 15 ... B) 15... 'iWe7 16.'�c3 ;t (""16.d 4 b5 17.cxb6 �b4+ 18. 24.'f;tc71 �aS 25.�a1 �xa1+ 26.4)xa1 b6 27.4)c2'f;te6 Black has more or less consolidated his position, but the b-pawn remains a weakness. 28.4)e1 �g7 29.h3 A.as 30.Af3 Axf3 31.4)xf3 t;td5 32.d4 cxd4? 32 ...c4!? 33.'�c6 52 The Sokolsky Opening 36 .. .'�e437.M 4 f5 (37 ...�xf 4 38.exf4 A sharp and promising gambit. tlc4 39.�fl ±) 38.f3 �xf4 39.exf4±. 4.11b2 axb4 5.11d4 �c7 (5 ...c5? 37.f4 4)c4 38.f5 4)d2? 6.11xc5!±) 6.axb4 l:!xa17.-'lxa1 =. 4 ...cxb5 This allows White a quick forced win. 38 . . :l;!ta7 39.fxg6 hxg6 40.4Jf5+ �f7 Also played are: 41.4Jd6+ 4Jxd6 42.�xd6 In the long run this endgame is lost for Black. Probably A) 4 ...4Jf6; e.g., 5.c4 d5 6.4Jc3 e6 7.d4 best is 38... 4Je5!?. dxc4 8.-'lxc4 �c7 9.4Jf3 11d7 10.�b3 a4 11.�c2 (11.4Jxa4 cxb5 12.11xb5 39.4)e6+ �f7 40. t!tc7+ �e8 l:!xa4 13.-'lxa4 �a5+ 14.11d2 �xa4 4I.t!td8+ �f7 42.t\'f8# 1-0 15.�xb7oo ) 11...cxb5 12.4Jxb5 11xb5 13.-'lxb5+4Jc6 14.0-0 White will gain Game 7 the a-pawn with the advantage; Rudenkov-Strugath Minsk 1961 B) 4 ...g6 5.-'lb2!?; NB We 've also seen this game variously C) 4 ...d5 referred to as Rudenko-Stugach (or Strugach or Strupatsch), corr 1988. 1) 5.c4 4Jf6 6.4Jc3 transposes to 4 ...4Jf6 5.c4 etc.; l.b4c6 2.e3 t!tb6 2) 5.bxc6 bxc6 6.c4 4Jf6 7.4Jc3 e6 - 2 ...d5 and 2 ...b5, Chapter 2B. 8.4Jf3 -'le7 9.i:!b1 �d810.11e2 0 0 11.0-0 4Jbd7 12.d4 dxc4 13.-'lxc4 c5 3.a3 a5 14.4Je5 4Jxe5 15.dxe5 �xd1 16.i:!xd1 4Jd7 17.f4 l:!b8 18.-'lb5 i:!d8 19.i:!b2 4Jf820.1:! xd8 -'lxd8 21.i:!d2 -'le7 22.a4 3 . ..d5 4.11b2 transposes to Chirpii 11b7 23 .-'la3;!; C.Bauer-Isik, Kerner Geanta in the notes to Chapter 2B. 2007; 5.4)c3b4 Black wants to stay a pawn up. Sticker Werner, Laden burg 1992, went 5 ...4Jf6 6.4Jxb5 (6.-'lxb5 e6 7.i:!b1 4Jc6 8.4Jf3 -'le7 9.11b2 ; Poley-Daurelle, St. Lorrain 2005) 6 ... d6 7.c4 g6 8.i:!b1 -'lg7 9.-'le20-0 10.a4 4Ja6 11.11a3�c6 12.4Jf3 4Jc5 13.0-0 l:!d8 14.d4 with the 4.b51 better chances. 53 l.b4 c6 6.axb4 'f;txb4 7.Aa3 (;t BC02) 17. 'iWb2'iWb7 1B .-'lxg7�xb2 19.-'lxb2 7 •.•ttb6 f6 20.-'lb5wit h the advantage; B) 10 ... bxc4 11.11xc4! e6 (11...�xc4 12.E!cl+- ) 12. .£Je5 'iWb7 13.-'lxfB exd5 14J:lb1 �c7 15.-'lxg7 dxc4 16.-iWf3 +- . 11.4)e5'f;tb7 12.'(;tf3 Even better is 12 . .£Jxt7!bxc4 (12... c:;>xf7 1 3.-iWh5+ g6 14.�f3+ .£Jf6 15.�xf6+ c:;>eB 16.-'l.xfB +- ) 13.-tJxhB 'iWxd5 14.-'lxc4�xg2 (14... �xc4 15.l:k1+- ) 15.�h5+ g6 16.-iWxh7 'iWxh1+ 17.11f1 8.4)d5 11xa3 1B. 'iWxgB+ ' 8 ... ttc6 9.c4 Better is 9.e4!? .£Ja6 (9 ...e6?? 10.11b5!+- ) 10. .£Je2etc. 9 ...b5? Black completely neglects his kingside 13.4)b6 development. Sokolsky awarded this an exclamation 10.4)f3 e6 mark. But it's an ordinary move com pared to 13.c5! dxe5 14.-'lxb5+ <:;>dB Too late. 15.c6 .£lxc6 16.-'lxc6 �xc6 17.11xfB exd5 1B.11xg7 +- . A) 10 ...-iWb7 1l.cxb5! �xd5 12.�c2 �b7 (12... 11b7 1 3.-iWc7 +- ) 13.E!cl n ... �a7 <:;>dB 14.-'lc5 ' 54 The Sokolsky Opening B) 13 ...dxe5 14.11xf8 c:;>xf8 1 5.4Jxa8 e4 Opening up the position benefits the 16.-iWg3 'iWxa8 17.'iWc7 +- ; player with the bishop-pair. C) If not 13 .. .l:!a7, Black's least worst 25•.. dxc 5? line is probably 13 ...b4 14.-'lxb4 l:!a6 15.<�)xc8-iWxf3 etc. Now the roof caves in. 26.fxe5 �g8 1H:lxf7 �xf3 15.gxf3 l:!xf7 1 6. Game S Steffens-Pajeken Germany 2000 l.b4 d5 l...c6 2.e3 d5 3.-'lb2 2.e3 �f6 3.c4 c6 4 . .Q.b2 .Q.g4 5.�b3 e6 6.h3 Ah5 7.�c3 �bd7 18 ...�b7 19.�a4 8.d4 a6 9.c5 Ae7 10.�ge2 g5 Now that Black's passed pawns are ef fectivelybloc ked, White needs only to prepare a central pawn break. 19.c5!? 19... �d7 20.g3 �gf6 2l.Ah3 e5 Black weakens his light squares. 2l...' 22.\fi'e2 .Q.e7 23.f4 \t'c7 24.�hcl §e8 25.c51 55 l.b4 c6 Since White seems committed to a White achieves his dream position in queenside advance, Black commits the Sokolsky Opening: far-advanced himself to a kingside advance, even queenside pawnsand total control of the before seeing the precise destination of a-file. White's king. The normal move is 10 ... 0-0, Chapter 2B. ll.a4 .Q.g6 12.�g3 h5 13 • .Q.e2 itc7 21. ••i!)'c8 22.�b3 -'l.,xe2 23.�xe2 g4 It's hard to come up with a viable de fe nse. 23 .. . <:;>d7 24.-tJaS 14••• axb 5 (14... e5 !?) 15.axb5 gxal+ run. 16 • .Q.xalh4 17.�fl e5 This typical move had been coming. 17 ...b6!? This piece actually started life on gl. 18.�d2 e4?1 24 •••'ifld7 25.t!txb7+ Closing the center is good for White as Or of course 25. 18 ...exd4 19.exd4 0-0 20.0-0 l:!a8, or White's extra pawn is a protected 18 ...0-0 straightaway, with equal passed pawn that gives him a winning chances. advantage. 19.i!)'a41 Ah5 20.i!)'a8+ �b8? 26 ••• ggs 27.�f4 �e8 28.hxg4 2l.b61 g x g4 29.0-0 .Q.g5 30.�h3 f5 56 The Sokolsky Opening 3l.A.c3\ticS 32.�a5 �g7 33.�b3 �e6 34 .A.d2 f4 35.exf4 Axf4 36 . .Q.xf4 �xf4 37.�xf4 .§xf4 3S . .§al h3 39 . .§87 .§g4 40.g3 e3 41.fxe3 .§xg3+ 42.\t'h2 .§xe3 43.�a5 .§e4 43 .. .l:!a344.E!c 7+ �d8 45.4Jb7+ +- . 44 . .§c7+ \t'dS 45.�b7+ \tieS 46.�d6+ 1-0 57 Chapter 3 l.M e6 (i) 11.11c3c6 (11...11e7 12.�a8 �d7 13.11xg7 l:!g8 14.11c3 +-) 12. B) 2 ...b6 1) 3. 58 The Sokolsky Opening �6 8..£Jf3 d6 9.11d3 .£Jbd7 10.bxc6 A) 4 . .£Jf3 -'ld6 5.e3 .£Jbd7 6.c4 c6 11xc6 11..£ld4 '{gc7 12.0-0 .£Jc5 13.f3 7 . .£lc3 0-0 C) 2 ...c6 2) 8.-'le2 �e7 9.i:!cl dxc4 10.-'lxc4 .£Jb6 (10... a5!) 11.11e2 a5 12.bxa5 1) 3.e3 .£Jf6 4.b5!? ( 4.a3 a5=) 4 ...cxb5 l:!xa5 13.�b3 .£Jbd7 14.a4 .£Jc5 15.�c2 5.11xb5 '{gb66.a 4 11e7 (after6 ...11c5 e5 with excellent play, Hasanova 7.11xf6 gxf6 8 . .£lc3 a6 9.-'ld3 Black Pertlova, Pardubice 2006; stands worse because of his weakened kingside; 6 ...a6 7.-'ld4!?) 7.11a3 11xa3 B) 4.e3 a5!? (White appears comfort 8.�xa3 a6 9.11d3d5 10.f4 .£Jc6 11..£lf3 able after 4 ...c5 5.bxc5 -'lxc5 6 . .£Jf3 0-0 12.0-0 -'ld7 13.c3 .£Ja5 .14 .£Je5 0-0 7.c4 .£Jc68.d 4); White is slightly more active and could go on the offensive with i:!fl -f3-h3; 2) 3 . .£Jf3 .£Jf6 (in internet games you may see 3 ...h6 4.e3 '{gb65. a3 a5 6.b5!; e.g., 6 ...cxb5 7.11d4 with the advan tage) 4.a3 a5 (4 ... d5 5.e3 .£Jbd7 6.c4=) 5.b5!? (after 5.bxa5 '{gxa56.e3 d5 7.11e2.£Jbd7 8.0 -0 11d6Bl ack has a promising position) 5 ...cxb5 6.e3 b4 7.11e2 .£Jc6 8.0-0 d5 9.c3 bxa3 10 . .£Jxa3 11e7 11..£lb5Ei5 White plans to open up the long dark diagonal by c3-c4; 3 ...d5 D) 2 ...a6 3.e4 .£Jc6 (3 ...d6 4 . .£Jf3 �6 This is the most popular move in this 5 . .£\c3 11e7 6.d4 0-0 7 .11d3it) 4.a3 precise position; most other moves we "t\fh4 5 . .£lc3 b5 6 . .£Jf3 �dB (6... �g4 analyze elsewhere: 7.d4it)7.d 4 .£Jce7 8.11d3 d6 9.0-0± Wali-Luv2Piay, internet2006; A) 3 ...b6, Chapter 3A; E) 2 .. .f5 etc., is likely to transpose to B) 3 ...a6 (Chapter 3B) 4.a4 d5 positions in Chapter 6. ( 4 ...axb5, Chapter 3B) 5.e3 (transposes to Game 9) 5 ...c5 6 . .£Jf3 -'ld6 7.c4 3.b5 .£Jbd7 8.11e2 transposes to the main line, i.e., 7 ...11d6 7.-'l e2 a6 8.a4; It is more in the spirit of this opening to advance the pawn than to protect it. C) 3 ... c5 4.c4 (4.e3 d5 transposes to the main line) 4 ...b6 ( 4 ...d5 5.e3 transposes :!f3.a3 d5 (3 ... b5!? shows another rea to 3 ...d5 4.e3 c5 5.c4 in the notes be son why White should play 3.b4-b5): low) 5.e3 -'lb7 6 .£Jf3. d6 7.-'le2 a6 8.a4 59 l.b4 e6 I. F) 3 ... a5 transposes to Chapter E) 4 ... c6 5.a4, Chapter 3C. 4.e3 4.a4 4 ...c5 Challenging the key central squares is Black's best plan. 5.c4 As this occurs in the main line too, A) 4 ....l;td6 5.c4 (5. 60 The Sokolsky Opening !'lxd1+ 19.!'lxd1 !'ld8 (19... a6!?) 20.!'ld2 10.d3 �e7 11. 2) 7 ...a6 8.a4 b6 (8 ...axb5 leads to po sitions of the type in Chapter 38) 9.d4 (9.d3 transposes to 9.d3 covered in the notes to Game 10) 9 ....Q.b7 (9 ...�c7 Game 10: Sokolsky-Usov, Odessa 1960) 10. A) The immediate 6 ... dxc4 is better for 3) 7 ...�c7 8.d3 dxc4 9.dxc4 b6 10.0-0 White: 7.-'txc4.Q.d6 8.a4 0-0 9.0-0 e5 .Q.b7 11.h3 0-0 12. 61 l.b4 e6 White will reposition both knights. 18 ...f5 19 . .£lfd2 fxe4 A) 19.. .f4 20. B) 19 ...�g5 shows the downside of 1l...a5 Game 13: Sokolsky-Keres, Black is okay on 2UH3 -'lxe422 .-'lxe4 Moscow 1950. 62 The Sokolsky Opening 4.g3!? -'lb7 5.-N3 -'le7 6.-'lg2o-o 7.0 -0 c6 8.c4 d5= Jamieson-McGowan, Oban 2005. 4 ..•.Q.b7 21 ... �xe4 22.�xe4 �g7 23.�c3 4)e6 24.�d5 .Q.xd5 25.cxd5 �d4 26.Jl,xd4 exd4 27.Jl,c4 Jl,d6 28.§.fel Despite the opposite-colored bishops, White is slightly better. The normal developing move. An inter Summary: In this line White achieves esting departure is 5.f4: only a minimal advantage - sufficient if Black plays inaccurately. Games 9 to A) 5 ...11e7 6.-N3 0-0 7.11e2 d6 8.0-0 13, all five with Sokolsky himself as 2.Ab2 �f6 3.b5 b6 B) 5 ...a6 6.a4 axb5 7.axb5 l:!xa1 8.Axa1 d5 9.-N3 63 l.b4 e6 a) 15.. .'�a4 16.�b4 !'!feB 17.!'lb3 a5 6 .•.0-0 7 . .Q.e2 d6 1B. 5 ••..Q.e7 C) 7 ...c6 B.a4 �c7 9.0-0 !'!dB 10.h3 (c10.4Jc3!?) 10... d6 11.d4 4Jbd7 Black gets on with completing kingside 12.4Jc3 d5 13.4Jd2 !'lacB 14.�b1 �fB development. 15.!'lcl �bB and after ...c6 -c5 Black will be level, Labahn-Kuris, Berlin A) 5 ...d5 Game 15: Zielke-Howe, Kiel 1990. 2006; 8.0-0 B) 5 ... c5!? 6.�e2 d5 7.0-0 4Jbd7 B.d3 �d6 9.4Jbd2 �c7= Ribli. The obvious safety move. Tabor 6.c4 Kane, corr 1995, went B.d4 c5 9.4Jc3 d5 10.0-0 4Jbd7 11.a4 a5 12. bxa6 6.�e2 0-0 7.0-0 d5! MCOI4 B.d3 �xa6 13.4:\bS 4Je4 14.!'lb1 4Jd6 (B.a4!?) B ...c5 9.4Jbd24Jbd7 1 O.c4 �d6 15.cxd5 4:\xb5? (better is 15... exd5 11.!'le1 �c7= MCOI4; Miles-Ribli, 16.4Jc3 �xe2 17.'1li'xe2,although it is London 1984. still good for White) 16.axb5 �b7 17.dxe6 fxe6 1B.�c4 and Black is at a clear disadvantage because of his e- pawn. s ...c5 Black fights for control of the center. A) B ...c6 9.a4 a5 (if 9 ...4Jbd7 then 10.bxc6 �xc6 11.4Jc3preparing a4-a5 with '/li'c1-c2 and !'lf1-b1; 9 ... d5 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.'1li'b3=) 64 The Sokolsky Opening looks stronger) 10.d3 (10. .£lc3 E!e8 1l.d4 11f8 12.f1c2 g6 13.E!fdl 'iWc8 14.e4 with a space advantage, Guziec Lozinski, corr 1991) 10 ...E!e 8 11. .£\bd2 �f8 12.�c2 g6 1 3.d4 11g7 14.E!acl aS 1S.11a3..Q.f8 16.E!fd1 f1c8 17 . .£1b3 11e4 18.f1c3E!b 8 19.cS .£IdS20.� d2 with a positional advantage due to Black's passively-placed pieces, Sternik Lozinski, corr 1991. 9.d3 1) 10.d4 cxbS ll.cxbS {ll.axbS!?) This is the start of our flexibleplan, al ll....£\bd7 12. .£\bd2 E!cB 13.�b3 .£IdS lowing White to play on either wing. 14. .£\c4.£\b4 1S.E!acl �xf3 16.�xf3 dS 9. 3) 10 . .£\c3 dS 1l.d4 { 11.E!cl!? dxc4 12 . .ilxc4cS 13.d3 .£\bd714.-iW e2 f1c7 1S.E!fd1 11d6 16.h3;t)11. ..cxbS 12.cxbS B) 8 ....£\bd7 9.a 4 (9.d3 a6 10.a4 trans poses) 9 ...a6 (9 ...cS intending ...d6 -dS 65 l.b4 e6 12.�b3 c5 13.d3 �b6 14.�d1 -'lf6 15:i!l•d2l:!c B 16 . .£ld1 Also possible is 14.e4 dxe4 (14... d4? 15. Summary: Here too, White's typical 2) In Black's favor is 16 ...Axb5!? left-wing attack (a2-a4-a5) gives him 1 7.-'lxf6 (17.axb5? l:!xa1 1B.11xa1 active play and good prospects. 5.f4 (in -'lxal +) 17... gxf6 18.�c3 i:!xa4; place ofthe normal 4. 2 • .Q.b2 �f6 3.b5 a6 Black wants to resolve the situation on the queenside right away. 3 ...d5 (Chap ter 3) 4.e3 c5 ( 4 ...a6 5.a4 axb5 6.axb5 l:!xa1 7.11xa1 transposes to the main line) 5.ff3 B.a4 axb5 9.axb5 l:!xa1 10.-'lxa1 0-0 4 •••axb 5 transposes. Opening the a-file is oftenadvantageous 4.a4 for White as he gets to control it first, so Black sometimes delays the capture. Obviously, White must support his b pawn. White can also try the rarer 4.c4: A) 4 ... c5 5.e3 d5 6. 66 The Sokolsky Opening .ild7 (weak is 12 ...4Jc3? 13.4Jb3! �b4 12.4Jf6 + 'it>d8 13.4Jxg8 .ilxg7 14.�d2 4Ja2 15.�xb4 4Jxb4 16.'it>d2 14.�g4 +- ) 10.4Jge2 0-0 11.0-0 d5 leaving Black's b-knight in trouble) 12.�b1 .ild7 =i=Valpa-Viejo, www.play 13.0-0 .ilxb5 14 . .ilxb5 �xb5 chess.de 2003; (o14 ...4Jxd2 15.4Jxd2 �xb5 16.�g4 if> 17.�d4 f6 18.i:!b1�c6=) 15.4Jxe4 B) 7.c4 cxb5 8.cxb5 d5 9.e3 4Jbd7 dxe4 16.�d4 .ilf6 17.�xe4 .ilxa1 18.l:!xa1 (18.4Jg5!? g6 19.l:!xa1 ;!;) 1) 10 .4Jf3 .ild6 11.4Jc3 (ll.d4 Game 18 ...�xc5 19.�xb7 �xc2 20.h3 14: Sokolsky-Weinblatt, Odessa 1949) (20 . .£ld4!? was stronger according to 11. .. 0-0 12. .ile2 4Jb6 13.4Ja4 .ild7 Sokolsky) 20 ... �c6 21.l:!a7 �xb7 14.4Jxb6 �xb6 15 . .ilxf6gxf6 16.�a4 22.i:!xb7 4Jc6 'h-Ya, Sokolsky-Geller, l:!c8 17.0-0 e5 18.�h4 �dB 19.�h5 Kiev 1957. .ile620.4Jh4 e4 (20 ....ilf8 !?-) 21..ilg4 �d7 22. .ilf5 .ilxf5 23 .4Jxf5 .ilf8 24.f3 S.axbS �xal 6.A,xal dS l:!c2 25.fxe4 dxe4 26. �g4+ ± Sokolsky-Masseev, corr 1967; Sokolsky: "With his pressure on the long diagonal and possible operations 2) 10.f4!? 4Je4 11 .4Jf3 �a5 12.4Jc3 on the queenside, White's prospects are 4Jdf6 13.�cl (o13 .�a4!?) 13 ... .ila3 by no means worse." 14. .ilb2 .ilxb2 15.�xb2 4Jxc3=i= Giselbrecht-Saitsev, Nordskaane 1990. A different plan for Black involves chal lenging the b-pawn 6 ...c6: 6 ....ile7 7.e 3 d5 transposes to the next note (7 ....ile7) . A) 7.e3 7.e3 1) 7 ... d5 8.4Jf3(8 .c4 4Jbd79. 4Jf3 trans poses) 8 ...4Jbd7 9.c 4 �a5 10.4Jc3 4Jb6 7.4Jf3 .ile78.e3 transposes to 7.e3 .ile7 (10 ....ild6!? looks more natural) 11.bxc6 8.4Jf3. (1 1.cxd5 cxd5 12. .ile2 .ild6 13.0-0 0-0 14:l;!tb1.ild7 15.e4 .ile7 16 . .ild3g6 oo 7 ...c5 Diener-Efimov, corr 1980s) 1l...bxc6 12.4Je5 .ild7 . 13.ile2 .ild6 14.f4 0-0 A) 7 ....ile7 8.4Jf3 4Jbd7 9.c4 (9. .ile2 15.0-0 l:!a8 Since Black has taken con Game 18: Bemstein-Seidman, USA trol of the a-file, White goes into ac 1959) 9 ...0-0 10.4Jc3 tion on the other wing 16.g4! .ile8 17:1;1e1 4Ja4 18.4Jxa4�xa4 19.g5 4Je4 1) 10 ...c5!? 11.d3 �c7 12. .ile2b6 13.0-0 20.d3 .ilb4 21.�h4 4Jd6 22.�f2 �c2 .ilb7 14. .ilb2 i:!a8 1 5.�c2 l:!a7 16.i:!a1 23 . .ilg4�xf 2+ 24.'it>xf2dxc4 25.4Jxc4 �b8 with more or less equal chances; otlxc4 26.dxc4 c5 27 . .ile5 l:!a2+ 28.' 2) 7 ... cxb5 8 . .ilxb5 �a5 9.4Jc3 .ilb4 3) 10 ...c6 11..ile24Jb6!? 12.cxd5 cxd5 (9... .£le4? 10.4Jxe4�xb5 1l. .ilxg7 l:!g8 13.0-0=; 67 l.b4 e6 B) 7 ...c6 transposes to 6 ...c6 7.e3 d5; 12.d3 Ab7 H • .£lbd2 1Jlc7 C) 7 ...�d6 8.-N3 14.h31 Taking the pawn out of the firingline. 8 • .£lf3 Ad6 9.c4 0-0 14.�b2 involves a pawn sac 14 ...dxc4 15. 3) 11..£lc3 'i:/a5 12.'i:/a4 'i:/c7 13.'i:lb3 Black can't prevent 'iWc2-b2. 19 ...-iWa3 cxd4 14. 68 The Sokolsky Opening Summary: In this line we recommend fxe4 21.-tJeS 'i:/f6 22.i:!fl hS Ruhle the solid 14.h3! since the pawn offer Hendry, Bad Wildbad 1993 23.f3!? with with 14.Ab2 leads to uncertainties. the better position; Chapter 3C B) 4 ...d5 S.e3 l.b4e6 2.Ab2 4)f6 3.b5c6 1) S...�e7 a) 6.�e2 0-0 Similarly to the previous section (Chap ter 3B fe aturing 3 ...a6) Black wants to (i) 7.f4 69 l.b4 e6 27.4Jxe4 and White went on to win, a) 7 ...a6 8.4Jc3 4Jbd7 9.11e2 dxc4 Skaug-Biomkvist, Fredrikstad 2002; 10.�xc4 axb5 ll.axb5 E!xa1 12.�xa1 (ii) 8 ...4Jb6 9.d 3 11d7 10.0-0 E!cB 11.a4 cxb5 13.4Jxb5 4Jc5 14.0-0 with more dxc4 12.dxc4 cxb5 13.cxb5 4Jc4 freedom of action; 14.�xc4 E!xc4 15.4Je5;t Schulze b) 7 ... cxb5 8.cxb5 a6 9.4Jc34Je4 10.d3 Frieser, Germany 1995; 4Jxc31l .�xc3 4Jd712 .�e2 M6 13.d4 axb5 14.axb5 E!xa1 15.�xa1 ;!;; 2) 5 ... �d6 6.4Jf3 0-0 7.11e2 dxc4 c) 7 ...4Jbd7 =; a) 8.a4 a6 9.�xc4 (9.4Ja3!?) 9 .. :i:/e7 (9 ...axb5 10.axb5 E!xa111 .11xa1 cxb5 D) 4...�c5 12.�xb5 4Jc6 13.0-0 11d7 14.4Jc3 e5 15.d3 'i:fb6oo) 10.0-0 e5 11.d3 cxb5 1) 5.e3 0-0 6.4Jf3 d5 7.'i:fc2 4Jbd7 12.axb5 4Jbd7 13.bxa6 bxa6 14.4Jbd2 8.cxd5 cxd5 9.�e2 b6 10.0-0 11b7 �b7 15.�e2 a5 16.E!fc1 a4 17.E!ab1 11.d4 11d6 12.�a3 'i:fe7 13.�xd6 a3 18.�a1 E!fb8 19.e4 4Jc520.d 4 exd4 �xd6 14.4Jc3 E!fc8 15.'i:fb2 E!c7 (20 ...4Jcxe4?? 21.dxe5 +- Teichmann 16.E!fc1 E!ac8 17.�d3 4Je4 18.4Je2 Solomon, Melbourne 2002) 21.e5 a2 White is more active because ofBiack's 22.E!b5�xf3 23.E!xb8+ E!xb8 24.4Jxf3 passive bishop; E!b125. E!fl ±; b) 8.11xc4cxb5 9.�xb5 a6 10.11e2b5 2) 5.d4 11b4+6.�c3 'i:fa57. 'i:/d2 11xc3 11.0-0 4Jbd7 12.d3 4Jc5 13.4Jc3 b4 a) 8.'i:/xc3'i:/xc3+ 9.4J xc3 d5 10.e3 0-0 14.4Ja4 4Jxa4 15.'i:/xa4 11d7=; 11.4Jf3 4Jbd7 (11...a6 12.bxc6 4Jxc6 13.c5 ±) 12.a4 a6 13.bxc6 bxc6 14.E!b1 C) 4 ...�e7 5.e3 (5.a4!? transposes to White has the better position and can 4.a4 Ae7 5.c4) 5 ...0-0 6.4Jf3 continue with M1-d3 and 'it>e1-d2; b) 8.4Jxc3 0-0 9.e3 d5 10.4Jf3 a6 11.bxc6 4Jxc6 12.c5 b6 13.cxb6 'i:/xb6 14.11e2 11d7 15.0-0;t. 4 ...a6 Black is determined to eliminate the b pawn. A) 4 ... d5 5.e3 1) 5...�e7 6.4Jf3 a) 6 ...11d7 7.c4 dxc4 8.11xc4 cxb5 1) 6 ...b6 7.11e2 cxb5 8.cxb5 d5 9.0-0 9.axb5 0-0 10.'i:fc2 4Jd5 11.0-0 A£6 �b7 10.a4 4Jbd7 11.4Jc3 E!c8 12.d4 12.d4 'i:/c7 13.�e2 E!c8 14.4Jbd2 'i:/d8 �b4 13.�b3 �a5 14.E!fcl 4Je4 15.E!fcl .f1e8 16.g3 4Jd7 17.e4 4J5b6 (14... 4Je8?? 15.�a3 +- Herm-Donkoff, 18.e5 11g5? ( o 18... 4Jxc4 19.4Jxc4 Karlsruhe 2003) 15.4Ja2 intending �e7) 19.4Jxg5 �xg5 20.4Je4 �d8 4Ja2-b4wit h good chances; 21.4Jd6 E!c7 22 . �b3 E!xc1+ 23.E!xcl+- Schoppmeyer-Muschalle, 2) 6 ...d5 7.a4 Loehne 1971; 70 The Sokolsky Opening b) 6 ...0-0 7.c4 transposes to 4.c4 �e7 S.e3 0-0 6. 2) S ... a6 6.c4 axbS (6 ... �d6 7. 2) 9 ... e4 10.4Jd4 dS 11.4Jb3 11e7 12.d3 dxc4 13.dxc4 axbS 14.axb5 E!xa1 15.11xa1�xd1 16.E!xd1 4Jbd7 17.4Jc3 4Jc5 18.4Jxc5 -'lxcS 19.4Ja4 -'le7 20.-'ld4 ;!;; B) 7.d4 -'lb4+ 8.-'lc3 -'lxc3+ 9.4Jxc3 �aS 10.E!claxbS 11.axb5 dS 12.-'ld3 1) S ...aS 6.c4 dS 7.e3 dxc4 8.-'lxc4 dxc4 13.-'lxc4 cxbS 14. -'l.xbS -'ld7 4Jbd79.4J f3 4Jb6 10.-'le2 11d6 11.0-0 1 s.�b3 E!c8 16.4Jge2 4Je4 17.-'ld3 0-0 12.4Jc3 eS 13.d3 �e7 14.4Ja4 4Jxc3 18.4Jxc3bS=. 4Jfd5=; 6.axb5 2) S ... b66.e3 dS 7.c4 4Jbd78.4Jf3 -'lb7 9.d4 -'lb4+ 10.-'lc3 -'lxc3+ 11.4Jxc3 The normal reaction. 72 The Sokolsky Opening 6.cxb5 dS 7.e3 11e7 8.-N3 0-0 9. 6 ...g xal 7.Axal t\'a5 8.4)c3 Black delays any decisions about pawn structure until after he has safely White's first eight moves have been castled. confined to the a-b-c-files. 4.4)f3 8 ... .Q.b4 9.e3 d5 10.4)f3 4)bd7 ll.bxc6 bxc6 12.4)d4 Ab7 This is yet another opportunity to ex 13.Ae2 0-0 14.0-0 4)c5 15.t\'c2 e5 periment with 4.f4!?; e.g., 4 ...d5 S.e3 t6.4)f3 ges 0-0 6. 4 •••0-0 If 4 ...a6, S.a4 needs to be played to maintain the cramping b-pawn. S ...axbS 6.axb5 E!xa1 7.11xa1 c6 8.c4 cxbS 9.cxb5 �aS 10. 17.d4 5.e3 White can go in fo r some tactics: Transposes to Game 23, but the analy 17.�xe5 E!xeS18.d 4 etc. ses up to move 16 are considered here. 17... exd4 18.4)xd4 4)fe4 19.4)xe4 5 ...c6 dxe4 20.gbl A) S ...a6 6.a4 Ploss-Eiler, Austria 1994. White has the better prospects because of various 1) 6 ...axb5 7.axb5 E!xa1 8.11xa1 c6 threats involving the long dark diago 9.c4 (�9.bxc6 bxc6) 9 ...d5 10. 73 l.b4 e6 2) 6 ...d5 7.c4 c6 transposes to Chapter Weak is 15... -'lxc4 16J!xc4 �d5 3C, i.e., l.b4 e6 2.11b2 4Jf6 3.b5 c6 17.l:k7! ;t. 4.c4 11e7 5.e3 0-0 6.ff3 d5 7.a4 a6; 16.A.a31 B) 5 ...b6 6.d4 11b77.11 d3 c5 8.0-0 d6 9.dxc5 bxc5 10.c4 4Jbd7 11.4Jbd2a6 White seeks a positional advantage by (White has good chances after ll...d5 dominating the dark squares in Black's 12.a4 �c7 13.�c2 -'ld6 14.h3 l:!ac8 territory. For the continuation see Game 15.a5) 12.a4 axb5 13.axb5 l:!xal 23: Sokolsky-Abzirko, Odessa 1943. 14.�xal �a8 15.11c3 �xal 16.i:!xal l:!a8 17.l:!xa8+ -'lxa8 18.'it>fl White has Summary: In the main line White tries the better endgame chances thanks to to take advantage of Black's slow his passed, protected b-pawn. queenside development. Note the pos sibility of 4.f2-f4 instead of 4.4Jgl-f3. 6.a4 Game 9 Sokolsky-Byvshev USSR 1951 l.b4 �f6 2 . .Q.b2 e6 3.b5 d5 4.e3 a6 4 ...c5 is the main line in Chapter 3. 5.a4 �bd7 Black avoids the usual choice, which is 6 ...d5 to swap pawns and rooks, for which see Chapter 3B. 5 ... c5 6.4Jf3 -'ld6 7.c4 If 6 ...a6, then 7.c4 (7.•ik3!?) 7 ...d5 4Jbd7 8.d3 transposes (8.11e2, Game 8.4Jc34Jbd7 9.cxd5 exd5 10.-'le2fo l 10). lowed by 11.0-0. 6.�f3 7.c4 a6 8.�c3 axb5 9.axb5 gxal lO.t\'xal dxc4 ll . .Q.xc4 cxb5 12.�xb5 Black has achieved his aim of eliminat ing the white b-pawn, and can now de velop a knight to c6 - or a bishop. 12 ....Q.d7 13.0-0 Ac6 14.�fd4 A.d5 15,gc1 �bd7 Black completes his development at last 74 The Sokolsky Opening 6 ...A,d6 Sokolsky recommended 14 ...l::l ac8 so that the queen could hide on b8. 6 ... .£lc5 7.�e2 axb5 8.axb5 l:ha1 9.11xa1 11e7 10.0-0 0-0 11. The rook would be threatened by the b knight next move. 17 ...d4 now would be similar to the previous note. 18.�c3 ,134a5 19.d4! ll... t;tc7 The queen could go the other way: 11...�e7 12.�c2 axb5 13.axb5 e5 14.cxd5 White gives up the a-filein the hope of exploiting the position of the black queen with d3-d4 etc. White's pieces are well-placed for this 13 ...axb5 14.axb5 ,13a2 thrust, which puts a pawn on d4 before Black can. Ye s, Black controls the a-file,but in this game it doesn't result in very much. 19... .Q.b8?1 75 l.b4 e6 Stronger was 19 ...dxc4!? 20.�xc4 �e7 c:;>xf83l .b6 i:!a8 32 . .£\d2 +- also loses with chances for equality. fo r Black) 29 ...E!a 8 30.11c7+- . 20.cxd5 exd5 2l.dxc5 bxc5? 26.A,c4 .§Sa7 27.�e5 A,xe5 28.Jl.,xe5.§a4 29.Ad6 Black should take with the knight, gain ing control of the e4-square in return for relinquishing control of the d4- square. 29 •••�e6? Black crumples under the pressure. Necessary was 29 .. . �d8 although af ter 30. �xc5 .£\d7 31.�d4 White retains 22.�xd51 the advantage. Completely unforeseen by Black, pre- 30.b6 sumably. The b-pawn decides the game - how 22••• � xd5 23 • .§xd5 Axd5 appropriate!- although strictly speak 24.�xd5 'lP!e7 ing it started life on the a-file. 24 ...l:!a2 can lead to sharp play: 30 ••• .§d7 3l.b7 .§b4 32.�xc5 .§xd6 33 • .§xd61 A) 25 . .£lg5 �e8 (25...�e7? 26.�c4; e.g., 26 ....£lb6 27. �f5 +- ) 26. �b3 Correct. After the careless 33.11xe6? �e7oo ; l:!xdl+34.' Even better is 35.11b5! l:!xb5 36.�xb5 �xd6+ 37.f4 �b8 38.�c6 +- . A losing line is 25 ....£\f6 26.� d8+ �8 27.�xf6! �h2+ 28.' 29.11xd8 (29.l:!xd8 gxf6 30.E!xf8+ 38 • .§b6 1-0 76 The Sokolsky Opening Game 10 As in Game 9, White's rook abandons Sokolsky-Usov the a-file in order to try to take advan Odessa 1960 tage of the black queen being on the c file. l.b4 e6 2 • .Q.b2 �f6 3.b5 a6 4.a4 d5 5.e3 c5 6.�f3 .Q.d67.c4 �bd7 ll .•.axb5 12.axb5 0-0 13.h3 ga2 8 . .Q.e2 b6 Doubling the rooks on the a-filewon't bring all it promises. Black should con sider 13 ...t:la c8 so that his queen could hide on b8. 14.tjJb3 gfa8 15.0-0 cxd4 Relieving the pressure. Black should be a bit more patient and play 1S ... 9.d4 16. .Q.xd4 �c5 17.t/Jble5 18.Jl.,b2 t/Je7 19.cxd5 9 . d3: 19.E!c2!? threatens to win a pawn by A) 9 ..:(/;tc7 10.h3 dxc4 11.dxc4 �b7 20 .AxeS E!xc2 21.�xd6 �xd6 12. .£lc3 0-0 13.bxa6 Axa6 14. B) 9 ...axbS 10.axbS E!xa1 11.�xa1 0-0 12.0-0 �b7 13. 9 ... tjJc7 It isn't necessary to commit the queen 20 ...gxb 2!? atthis stage. o9... �b7, Chapter 3, see 6 . ..Ad6 7.Ae2 a6 8.a4 b6 9.d4 �b7. It's not clear Black would be getting anywhere by retreating the rook, so he tO.�bd2Ab7 u.gct tries a positional exchange sacrifice. 77 l.b4 e6 37 ...�xf7 38.�h8+ �h7 39.�xb2+- . White is careful. After 22 . .£Jd4 'iWe5 38. '(;tg8# 1-0 23.g3 h5 24.E!al E!c8 25.Axd5 �xd5 (25 ....£Jxd5 26 . .£Jc4±) 26. 'iWa2 �g5 Game 11 27 . .£Jc4 11c7 28 . .£Jc6 E!e8 Black has Sokolsky-Szukszta some kingside play. Polanica Zdroj 1958 l.b4 e6 • .Q.b2 4)f6 3.b5 d5 4.e3 'f. 1/J,d8 23.4)b3 4)d3 24 . .Q.xd3 2 �3 c5 5.4)f3 4)bd7 6.c4 .Q.d6 7 . .Q.e2 0-0 8.0-0 1Jle7 Black regains the exchange. 8 ...b6, Chapter 3, see 6 ...11d6 7.11e2 0-0 8.0-0 b6. 25.'f;tc3 Axel 26.1/J,xcl.Q.xb 3? 9.a4 This drops a pawn. Black should try 26 ...exd3!? 27 . .£Jd4 �c5 28.�b2 (avoiding the horrible 28.-iWxc5 bxc5 29.E!xc5 d2 -+ ) 28 ...11c4 when he is still very much in the game. 27 . .Q.xe41 4)xe4 28.'f;txb3 4)c5 29.1Jlc4 1/J,d2 Control of the 2nd rank isn't enough compensation fo r the pawn deficit. White is in a comfortable situation. 30.4)f3 1/J,b2 31.1/J.all 9 •••e5 Control ofthe a-fileis worth more than The overwhelming choice. control ofthe 2nd rank. 10.cxd5 4)xd5 31 .•.h6 32.ttd51 More often seen is 10 ...e4 11.-tJel .£Jxd5 12.d3 exd3 13. .£Jxd3.£J7f6=. Threatening mate with 33.E!a8+ c:th7 34.�f5+ g6 35.�c8 etc. ll.d3 'i!lh8 32 ... 'if/h7 33.1Jlf5+ g6 34.'f;tc8h5 Preparing ...f7 -f5. However, according to Sokolsky better is 11... .£J7f6. Stiffer resistance is offeredby 34... �d6 35.�c6 �e6 36 . .£Jd4 �e5±. 35.1/J.a8 '(;tf6 36.4)g5+1 'i!lh6 White's pieces are optimally placed and 37.4)xf7+1 'if/h7 pressure the center. b5-b6! is planned. 78 The Sokolsky Opening hopes to reach such a (superior) ending at an even more advantageous time. The complexities after 14 ...e4 are not in Black's fa vor: 1 S.dxe4 fxe4 16:<:rxd5 26 ...�c7? exf3 17 . .!lxf3 .£Jf6 18. �gS .!lxh2+ 19.'it>h1 -'le620.1:Hcl d8 l:!a 21.1la3±. Black misjudges the situation with the heavy pieces off. 26 ...-'ldS !? would 15.b61 axb6 maintain the fight. White has the better chances after 15 ...11b8 16.bxa7 l:!xa7 17 . .£Jb6 .£Jxb6 18.axb6 l:!xa1 19.�xa1 e4 20.-tJeS Not 28 ....£Jxd4? 29.l:! xc7 .£lxe2+30.'it> fl exd3 21.-'lxd3. with a won ending. 16.axb6 �xal 17.t\'xal 4)xb6 29 • .£lb5 �d7 30.Af3 �d8 18.4)xb6 Axb6 19.Axe5 31.Axc6 bxc6 32 . .£jd41 The exchanges have been to White's 32.l:!xc6?? l:!d1+ 33.'it>g2 11b7-+. advantage. 19 ... 4)d5 20.g3 A repetition - with an eye on the clock, To deter .. .fS-f 4. perhaps. 20 ... Jl,.e6 21.�cl .£1b4 22.d4 cxd4 34 ...Jl,.d7 35.�c5 g6 36.�a5 \fjlg8 23 . .Q.xd4 .Q.xd4 24. �xd4 37.f41 24 . .£Jxd4!? looks good too. Creating an outpost on e5 focthe knight. 24... 4)c6 25.t\'c5 �c8 37 •..\t'f7 38.�a7 �e8 39 . .£lf3�e7 40 . .£le5 White is in prime position, and inciden tally threatens to take the c-pawn. 26.ttb6 White declines the variation 26.�xe7 0.xe7 27.l:!xc8+ -'lxc8 28 . .£Jd4. He 79 l.b4 e6 40 ... �e8 41.l::tc7 �e7 42 . .§xc6 A) ll...l:!b8 12.4Jxc4.ll c7 13.a6 .lla8 .§c843 • .§a6 .§c744.h3 A.e645. g4 14.d3 4Jd5 15.�b3 4J7f6 16.�fe5 4Je7 fxg4 46.hxg4 Ad5 47.f51 17.e4 4Jd7 18.f4 4Jg6 19.4Jxg6 hxg6 20.�c3 �f6 21.�el �e7 22.�g3 �6 The f-pawn decides the game. 23.�h4 .lld8 24.g4 4Jd7 25.g5 f6 26.�g4 ;t Bendig-Kuhn, Germany 47 ... gxf5 48.gxf5 A,b7 49.f6+�f8 1988; 50 . .§d6.§cS 51 . .§d7A.e4 52• .§f7+ �g8 53 . .§g7+ 1-0 B) ll...�d5 12.4Jxc4 �xc4 13.�xc4 'i:/c7 14.'i:/a4 'i:/b8 15.d3 bxa5 16.'i:/xa5 53 ... ' White is nicely placed to control events over the entire board. 17 ...«it>h8 18.axb6 axb6 19. .§a7 .§b8 20.e51 A very strong move. White intends to swap light-squared bishops then place a knight on e4; it will take Black longer to place a knight on d5. ll... .§c8 20 ...�f 8 21.Af3 Axf3 22 • .§xf3 .§d7 23.�e4 �6 24.g3 Other moves are also favorable for White: To stop ...4Jg6-h4-f5-d4. 80 The Sokolsky Opening 24 ...�d8 B) 34. .£Jxd6!? l:!xd6 3S.l:!gf3 l:!g8 36.i:!xg7 �xg7 37.-'lxg7+ ' 25.I:I.al 31 . .Q.cl �e7 The rook heads to the kingside where it After 31...h6 32.g5! (less clear is will have more impact. 32.i:!h5 �e7 33.-'lgS f6) 32 ... �hS 33.i:!fl, White has a promising attack. 25 ... �e7 26.g4 �d5 27.gan '/th4 2U:lg3 gbds After this bold move Black's position fa lls apart. 33 ...fxg5 A) 33 ... 'iWf7 34.exf6 gxf6 35.11xf6 B) 33 ... �e6 34.exf6 2) 36 ...-iWg6 37. 81 l.b4 e6 34 ... .£jef6 35.exd7 c;t>hS 12 ... gxa6 13.d4 ga7 14 . .£le5 35 ... 36 ... h6 37 . .£le4 l:!xd7 transposes (37 .. .'�xd7!?38. 37 . .£le4 h6 38.g5 .£jxe4 39.dxe4 ttxe4 40.�d3 t\'d4+ 14•.. gfa8 A) 40 ....£lf6 4l .�xe4 47 ...'it>h7 (47 ...hxg5 48.l:!ee8+- ) 15.f4 48.g6+! l:!xg6 49.l:!ee8 gains the knight. Good or not? Sokolsky suggests Game l3 1S. 82 The Sokolsky Opening 23 ..•�xc 4 24 . .Q.xc4 t\'g5 25.d5 ending 37.-'lxc5 bxc5 38.t:lb7 t!xe5 'l!te3+ 39.t!xt7«t>g6 would be hard to defend. Black has to play accurately too, other wise 25 ...exd5? 26.-'lxd5 �e3+ 27.' 38 .•..Q.g l+ 39.�g3 �g6 40.Ac3 26.�hl �xb3 27 . .Q.xb3 Axd5 28 . .Q.xd5exd5 40 ..•�e4 Following the exchange of rooks by A simple measure against a back rank 40 ...t:ie3 41.t:lxe3 -'lxe3 42.'it>f3 -'lc5 mate, and now the a-pawn fa lls. 43.g4 ' Not 31.-'ld4?? -'lxd432.t!x d4 b5 when Black is on the way to winning. Activation of the king is required in all endings. White has to live with the loss of a pawn. After 33.11a3 t!xa4 34.-'lxc5 bxc5 35.' 83 l.b4 e6 surer path to victory as the threat of 51.g4+ 'iflg5 52• .11.e5 �c2 53 • .Q.c7 ...g5 -g4+ is very great: 'ifjlg6 54 • .1}.d8 .i}.f2 55.�b3 A) 46.g4+ hxg4+ 47.hxg4+ E!xg4 The white pieces cooperate against the 48.E!d7 E!f4+ 49.'�g2 11c5 50.E!xt7+ b-pawn. �g4 51.e6 E!e4 -+ ; 55 •••�f7 56.A,xb6 A,xb6 57.�xb6 B) 46.�g2 11c547.E!f 3+ �e6 48.E!f6+ �e7 49.E!h6E!e3 50.-'l al E!a3 51 .-'lb2 This is a dead draw. E!a2 traps the bishop. 46.e6! fxe6 57 •••�h2 58.g5 �xh3+ 59.'iflg4 �hl 60.�b7+ �f8 61.�h7 But not 46 ...f6? 47.Eld5+ when Black loses material. Now the white pieces cooperate against the h-pawn. 47.A,xg7 �a4 48.A,b2 �b4 49.A.c3 �c4 61.•• �gl+ 62.�f4 �fl+ 63.�g4 e5 64.�xh4 �f7 65.�h6 e4 66.�f6+ Pinning the bishop by 49 ...Elb3 results Y.-Y. in nothing after 50.g4+ hxg4+ 51.hxg4+ 'it>g6 (51. .. 'it>g5?? Game l4 52.11d2+ +- ) 52.'it>e4b5 53.-'ld2 E!xd3 Schiffler-Kaba Klein 54.'it>xd3 'it>t7 55.'it>e4 when White Binz Ruegen 1950 should draw fr om here. l.b4 e6 2 • .i}.b24)f6 3.b5 .i}.e74.e3 50.A,b2 b6 5.f4 0-0 6.4)f3 .i}.b7 7 • .i}.e2 d6 8.0-0 4)bd7 9.a4 a5 10.4)d4 �c8 ll . .i}.f3 ll. ll ...d5 50 •••h4 This leads to a drawn rook ending. Black could still try 50 ... E!c2!?51 .g4+ hxg4+ 52.hxg4+ 'it>g5 53.-'le5 E!f2+ 54.�g3 E!a255.-'l f4+ �f6 etc. 84 The Sokolsky Opening 12.c4 c5 13.�e2 ment on 17.dxe4 etc. because White will have access to the c4-square. More logical and smooth is 13.bxc6 �xc6 14.4Jxc6 E!xc6 lS.cxdS 4Jxd5 17... �d6 18.g5 �d7 19.�g3 16.4Jc3 (16.f5!? Sokolsky) 16 ... 4J7f6 �e8 l7:i;!tb3 with pressure. Sokolsky suggested 19.. .f6!? but White simply plays 20.h4 and continues with his attacking plans. Here Sokolsky recommended 14.d3 with the b-knight going to d2 rather than 20.h4 �f8 21.'�e2 f5 22.�adl the offside a3 . "/t/e723. "/t/ g2 d4? 14 .•. �e4 15.d3 Closing the center fa vors White as he will be able to concentrate on the kingside. Black should be thinking about opening the position by 23 ...E!d 8 with the plan ...4Jd6-f7, ...g7-g6 and then fo rcing through ...e6-e 5. 24 • .Q.xb7 Interesting is 24.exd4!? cxd4 25.4Jc2 hitting the d4-pawn. 24 •.•� x b7 25.e4 �d6 26.�del t!td7 27.h51 15 ... Af6 With the center under control, White 15 ...4Jd6!?, preparing for exchanges on can confidentlypush ahead like this. c4, is better according to Sokolsky. 16. .Q.xf6 �dxf6 It's high time to introduce this knight This enables White to initiate kingside back into the game. operations. 16 ...4Jexf6 wit h equal play was simplest. 28 ... "/t/f7 17.g4 Sokolsky proposed 28 .. .fxe4 29.4Jxe4 4Jf5 with better chances than in the If 17.dxe4 dxe4 18 ..,l xe4 4Jxe4mate game, although after 30. 'iWh3 4Je3 rial is level, but Black is obviously bet 31.E!f2 White is certainly better. ter because his heavy pieces will con trol the d-file; however, 17.cxd5 exdS 29.�d2 t!tb7 30.�f3 fxe4 18.dxe4 dxe4 is a significantimprove - 31.�xe4 85 l.b4 e6 Or 40 ...!'lx g7 41.!'lxg7 'tixg7 42.!'lgl+ 41.:§g5 h6 42.4)g6+ 4) x g6 43.:§ xg6 \tilh7 44.f51 1-0 44 ...!'le8 45.!'lf 6+-. Game 15 Zielke-Howe Kiel 2006 31 .•. 4)f5? t.b4 e6 2.A,b24)f 6 3.b5 b6 4.4)f3 A.b7 5.e3 d5 Less bad is 31... 32.4)e5 5 ...�e7, Chapter 3A. 32. Black had to try 32... !'le7!?. 7.cxd5 33.4)f6+1 In Lorentzen-Kupec, corr 1995, White chose a more typical plan: 7.�e2 dxc4 This move proves dangerously strong 8.�xc4 �e7 (8 ...�d6!? must be stron even though the black queen no longer ger) 9.0-0 0-0 10.d4 c5 ll.bxc6 �xc6 shares the white queen's diagonal. 12. 35. 35 ...4)h6 35 ... 36.fxe8"1!/ :§ xeS 37."1!/g5 "'!/g7 38.\t;lh2 4)f5 39.:§gl :§e7 40."1!/xg7+ 4)xg7 86 The Sokolsky Opening A) 18 ...11d6? Bla ck should give up the 16... A.d6 exchange rather than do this. 19.�xd6 "lli'xd6 20.e5 wins a piece; Black fa ils to take advantage ofWhite's inaccuracy. o 16... C) 18 ...d xe4 A) 19.�xfl l:!fe8 20.�f6 11d5! (20 ...11e7 21.i:!c4 could pose Black some problems) 21.11xd8 1:!xd8 Black's 1) 19.�xf4 exf3 20.11xc7 f!xc7 two bishops and passed c-pawn give 21.�xf3 �c555; him the better endgame; 2) 19. 12.bxc6 11xc6 13..£le5 (13..£lb5!? avoids 19.d3 �f6 20.�el the exchange of knights) 13... .£lxc3 14.11xc3 �d5 is nothing special forei White wants to exchange his passive ther side. bishop for Black's active one. 12 .. • 'f;tc7 13.h3 �adS 14.t!tb3 �xc3 15.A.xc3 �e4 Black can avoid the bishop swap by 20 ...e5 21.11f3 �c8 and 22 ...�e6. 21.Af3 A_xf3? Impulsive. After 21...e5!? 22.�xb7 �xb7 23. 22.�xf3 �fd8 Perhaps slightly better was 22 ...e5!? al 16.Ae5? though after23.d 4 exd4 24.exd4 cxd4 25. 87 l.b4 e6 36.-iWa3!wins again. 36 •••g5 Black could still try relocating his knight to e7: 36 ....£lg8, 37 ....£le7 . At last! 37 ••• t!tc7 38.t\'a8+ 'i!ld7 39.t!tf8 28.t\'d4 t\'f4+ 40.'ifjle2 t!tc7 41.t\'xf7+ 1-0 The ending is better fo r White who Game l6 gradually increases his advantage, al Sokolsky-Chekhover though he did miss the immediate Leningrad 1938 28. l.b4 4)f6 2 • .Q.b2 e6 3.b5 b6 4.e3 28 ••• 4)c5 29.a5 .Q.b75.4)f 3 Ae7 6.c4 0-0 7.Jl,.e2d5 Second-best. 29. 29••• h6 30.axb6? 8.a4 Now the position is near-equal. White should play 30.a6!, swap queens, take the a-pawn, and go on to win. 30 ••• axb6 3V�fl �f8 32.f3 4)d7 33.'iflf2 4)!6 34.t!tb4+ �e8? 34 ...' 35.e4 A) After 35.-iWa3! eS 36.-iWa8+ ' 88 The Sokolsky Opening aS 12.§cl §ac8 13.§c2 §fd8 14:/li B) 9 ...a6 10.d4 4Jbd7 11.4Jbd2 �c7 B) 18 ...�xf 3 19.�xf3 9 . .£la3 c3 10.Axc3 �d5 ll.Ab2 19.dxc5 .Q.f6 12.Axf6 �xf6 13.0-0 §d8 14:�bl �d7 White heads for a favorable ending, but this wasn't the only way to do 14 ... c5 15.4Jc4 4Jd7 16.a5 gives White it. 19.�d1!? �xc4 20.§xc4 a6 21.4:\eS active play. axb5 22.axb5 §xa1 23.�xa1 4Je4 24.�3 4Jd225.§ xc7 4:\xf3+ 26.4:\xf3 15. .£lc4 �c5 16.§cl �e7 4Jd5 27.§a7 and White is a pawn up. After 16 ...a6 17.4:\aS! bxa5 18.§xc5 axb5 19.axb5 'lli'e7 20.d4, White stands 19... �xb 2 20.�xb2 Axe2 2l.�d4 betterbecause Black's queens ide pawns Ah5 are weak. The bishop stays here, doing nothing, 17.d4 Ae4 for some time. 22.cxb6 cxb6 23.�c4 §ac8 24.a5 bxa5 25.�xa5 §xcl+ 26.§xcl \t;lf8 27.f3 §c8 89 l.b4 e6 Sokolsky gave the fo llowing interest- 46.4)c4+ �e7 ing variation: 27 ...e5 28. 28.§xc8+ 4)xc8 29.4)dc6 �e8 30.4)xa71 In fact, there was nothing much Black could do to stop this. Of course not 30 ... 4o .•. �d6 4t.4)fs Ad3 42.g3? The knight doesn't stand a chance A serious mistake that endangers the against all those pawns. win. Simply 42.-tJxh7!? 42 •.•g5 43.4)xh7 4)d744 .4)a5g 4? 4)c5+62.� c6 4)d3 63.�d6 This helps White. 44 ...\t>e7 !? gives Also 63.e6!? 45.�c31 Abl 63 •.. 4)f2 64.e6 4) xg4 65.e7 �f7 66.h5 �e8 67.h6 4)f2 68.h7 4)e4+ 45 ....ll xb5 46.fxg4 lt>e7 47.g5 +- . 69.�e5 4)xg5 70.h8�+ 1-0 90 The Sokolsky Opening Game 17 16.�b3 �b6 17.�e51 �d6 Sokolsky- Weinblatt Odessa 1949 The pressure mounts. Later games saw: NB: We 've also seen Black referred to A) 17 ...' l.b4 e6 2.A.b2 �f6 3.b5 a6 4.a4 axb5 5.axb5 �xa1 6 • .Q.xalc6 7.c4 cxb5 8.cxb5 d5 9.e3 �bd7 10.�f3 Ad6 11.d4 1l. 1) 18... 2) 18 ...'it>xd 7 19.E!cl h6 20.f3 .£Jd6 21..£lc5+ The king is perfectly safe here. 18.�c5 c;!le7 14••• �6 15.�c2 A.d7 The pawn is taboo: 18 ...�xb5?? 19.Elb1 �a5 20 . .!1xb5+ 91 l.b4 e6 19.E!b1 E!a8 20.g4 25 ....!lxb 5+ 26.<;1}d2E!x a1 27. .£)b3 E!fl? Having stymied Black's queenside at tack, White lashes out on the other We shall see that this is weak. Correct flank. was 27 ...§a 4! 28.§xa4 (28.�c3 f6 29.§xa4 .Q.xa4 30 . .£lc5 .Q.e8 3l.gxf6+ 20.§xb4!? §xal 21. A) 22 ...�d8 23.�xd6+! lt'xd6 A) 29 ...�xc5! 30 . .£\xc5.Q.e8 Bl ack is a 24. .£\xf7+ lt>e7 25 . .£\xd8 lt'xd8 pawn up; 26. .£lc5±; B) If 29 ...�xb3 30.�c7+ \t>e8 B) 2 2 ...�xc5 23.dxc5 .£lde4 24.f3 31.�b8+ lt>e7 32.�c7+ �ite saves §xg2+ (24 ....£lc3+ 25. \t>f2±) 25. \t>fl himself by perpetual check. § xh2 26.fxe4 dxe4 27 .c6 .Q.c828 . .Q.xe4 20 ...h6 Maybe there are some drawing chances for Black in the line 29 ...�xc5+! ? 20 ....Q.xb5? loses the exchange after 30.dxc5 .Q.a63l. cxd6+ lt>xd6 32 .£lc4+. 21.§xb4 §xal 22. .Q.xb5 .£\xb523.� d3 (32.§xe4 lt>d5�) 32 ...\t>d5 etc. §a5 24 . .£lb3 .£le4 25.\t>el .£led6 30.E(xb5 �xb5 3l.'itc7+ <;tJeS 26. .£\xa5. 32.�xd 6 f6?? 2l.h4 .!le8 22.g5 hxg5 23.hxg5 .£)fe4 Now this loses. 32 ...g6! was vital. 33. �xe6+ <;1}d8 . 34 .£)f7+ <;tJc7 35.�d6+ 1-0 35 ...'it'c8 36:/li Game 18 Bernstein-Seidman New York 1959 1.b4 .£)f6 2 . .!lb2e6 3.b5 a6 4.a4 axb5 5.axb5 E!xa1 6 . .!l xa1 d5 7 . .£)f3 .!le7 8.e3 .£)bd7 9 . .!le2 24 . .!lxe4 dxe4 25.E!xb4? 9.c4, Chapter 3B 9 ...0-0 10 . .£lc3 .£lb6 This should've ended badly for White. Game 19. If25 . .£\xe4!�xb5+ 26.\t>f3 everything is okay. 9 ... 0-0 10.0-0 .£)e8 92 The Sokolsky Opening Black's regrouping is misjudged. Best Black has some tactics in mind, hoping in this position is 10 ...c5!? to confuseWhite with pressure on both the b5-pawn and the h2-pawn. 23 ...e5!? ll.c4 Af6 12.4)c3 dxc4 13. .Q.xc4 intending ... e5-e4 is better. �6 14.Ae2 b6 24.�a4 White is wise to what's going on, and sets a trap. Nevertheless 24 . .£Jh4!? threatening h2-h3 is stronger. The knight heads fo r the c6-square which was weakened by 14 ...b7-b6. 15 .. .Ab7 16 . .Q.xf6 'f;txf6 17.4)b4 24 •.•4)x h2?? �eS 18.4)d4 �gS 19.g3 �h6 20:�c2 t;th3 21.4)bc6 Black fa lls forit. 24 ...�h3!? was nec essary; 24 ... Nothing else will do. Black was expect ing 25 .l:!h4 White fo rces mate. Again, nothing else 22 ... i:!a8?? 23.l:!xa8+ 11xa8 24 .11fl! will do. �g4 25. 93 l.b4 e6 Game 19 White plans to pressurize the c-pawn, Sasonow-K amenski so first he eliminates its defender. He corr 1962 avoids 17 .11xf6 gxf6 because the doubled pawns can't really be exploited, 1.M d5 2 • .Q.b2 .£lf6 3.e3 e6 4.b5 not to mention the fact that Black is left a6 5.a4 axb5 6.axb5 �xa1 7 . .Q.xa1 with the bishop-pair. Ae7 8 . .£jf3 .£lbd7 9.c4 17 •...Q.xe5 18 . .£jxe5 �aS 19. .£lc3 9.�e2 Game 18. \f/f8 20.f4 9 ... 0-o 10 . .£lc3 .£lb6 Better is 20.E!cl!?which indirectly tar gets the c-pawn, maybe fo llowed by 10 ...c5 and 10 ...c6, Chapter 3B. 4Je5-f3-d4. 20 ... .£jfd7 After1l ...dxc4 12.�xc4 4Jxc4 13.�xc4, 20 ...4Je4!? 21.4Jxe4 dxe4 looks more Black has the two bishops, but since he promising for Black. still has to decide how to develop the one on c8 White has reasonable 21.Af3 .£jxe5 22.fxe5 .Q.e6 chances; e.g., l3 ...b6 14.e4 (a differ ent idea is 14.4Je5!? heading fo r c6) More dynamic is 22 ...11d3 !? 23.E!clc6 14 ...11b7 15.0-0 �d7 16.d3 E!a8 24.bxc6 bxc6 etc. 17.11b2=. 23.�c1 \tieS 24.e4 12.cxd5 exd5 13.Ae2 t\'a3 13 ...M5 !? fo llowed by ...E!f8 -a8. 14. t!txa3 .Q.xa3 15.0-0 .Q.f5 16 . .£lb1 .Q.d6 To open up the position for the f3- bishop. 24 ...c6 A) After24 ...dxe4 25.�xe4 E!a7 26.d4 17 . .Q.e51 White is more active; 94 The Sokolsky Opening B) Best is probably 24 ...d4!? 28 •••.Q.xc 4 29.A.xc6+ �e7 30• .Q.xa8 A,xe2 31.A,e4 h6 32.�f2 1) 25 . .£ld5 �dB 26 . .£Jxc7 l:!a2 A,dl 33.�e3 2H:lxe6+ fxe6 28.-'lg4 c:;>d7 29.d3 l:!d2 30.l:!fl c:;>e7 31.l:!cl �d7 32.l:!fl repeats the position. 2) 25. 25.bxc6 bxc6 26 • .£je2 33 •••f6 34.A.f31 Aa4 Of course 34 ...-'lxf 3 is answered by 35.exf6+. 35.�f4 (35.c:;>d4!?) 35 ...�e6 35 ...g5+ 36.<:;>[5 -'lc2+ 37.11e4 +- . 26••• 4)c4? 36 • .Q.g4+ �e7 37.Ae2 Ad7 Forking two pawns, but at the same time allowing a tactic involving the f3- This makes things simpler for White. bishop down the long diagonal. It's a bit tougher for White after 37 ... g5+!? 38.�f5 -'ld7+ 39.e6 -'lxe6+ A) 26 ...dxe4 27.-'lxe4 11d5 28. .£lc3 40.�g6 f5 41.c:;>xh6c:;>f6 42.h3 etc. gives White the slightly better ending; 38.d4 Aa4 39.A.d3 (39.d5!?) B) i6 ... c:;>d7! protectingthe pawn by 39 •••A,d7 40.d5 fxe5+ 41.�xe5 developing the king must be best. Aa4 42.Ae4 A.d743.Ad3 Aa4 44 • .Q.a6A,d7 45 • .Q.b7 A.a446.A,c6 27.exd5 Axd5 Ab3 47.d6+ �ds 27... cxd5 is also answered by 28.l:!xc4! Now that the black king is restricted White will advance his kingside pawns. 28.§.xc41 48.�f5 A.f7 49.g4 �c8 50.h4 White wins a pawn, although there is �d8 51.g5 hxg5 52.hxg5 �c8 still a little work to be done before vic 53.�e5 �d8 54.A.d5 Ah5 tory. 55.�e6 .Q.g6 56.A,c6 1-0 95 l.b4 e6 56 ...11h5 57.11e4 ' A) 62 ...'it>d8 63.11£ 5 -'le864.-'l e6 -'lhS 12... dxc 4 13. .Q.xc4 6S.W+- ; B) 62 ....!1e8 63.-'la4+ +- ; C) 62 ...'it>e8 63.11g6+ +- . Game 20 Klavins-Randviir Vilnius 1955 l.b4 d5 2.A.b2 e6 3.e3 4)f6 4.b5 Ad6 5.4)f3 a6 6.a4 axb5 7.axb5 �xal s.A.xal 4)bd79. c4 c6 9 ...c5 transposes to Chapter 3B, i.e., 9.c4 .£Jbd7. Sokolsky suggested 13... cxb5! 14.11d3 Q-0 15.0-0 .£Jb6 with Black a pawn up. 10.d4 14.�e2 4)df6? 10.-'le2 0-0 11.0-0 �c7 12 . .£lc3 .£Jb6 13.bxc6 .£Jxc4 14.cxb7 �xb7 15.-'lxc4 14... .£Jxd2! (or 14... cxb5 first) 15. .£lxd2 dxc4 16.�c2 �a6 17 . .£Je4 .£Jxe4 cxbS wins a pawn. 18.�xe4 11b7 19.�g4 g6 20.�h4;t R.Agrest-Isetoft, Taby 2007. 15.4)xe4 4)xe4 16.A.d3 f5 17.t\'b3 0-0 10 ...A.b4+ 11.4)bd2 It's too late to take the pawn. After Simplest was 11.11c3 11xc3+ 12 . .£lxc3 17 ... cxb5 18.i:!b1the b4-bishop has to �aS 13.�d2 �a1+ 14 . .£Jd1 .£Je4 move, then White can take the b5-pawn. 1S.�c2 fo llowed by M1-d3 and 0-0 with a more or less equal position. The lS.�bl Ac3?1 game move sets White some problems. Presumably Black thought that with ll •. .'�a5 12.A.d3 fewer pieces on the board his position would be easier to defend. A better idea White allows the loss of a pawn. At was 18 ...-'ld6 19.11xe4 fxe4 20 . .£ld2 tempting to avoid that could lead to even l:!fS!oo . greater difficulties: 12.bxc6 bxc6 13 .-'ld3 dxc4 (""13 ....£Je4 14. 'it>e2) 19.A.xe4 fxe4 96 The Sokolsky Opening If 19 ...11xa l, 20 . 11d3 and both of 30 •••.Q.c8 Black's bishops are hemmed in. 30 ... exf3+ 3l.' 20 • .Q.xc3 exf3+ 2l.gxf3 1!/c7 22.ggtl? A) 33.' 22••• gf7 B) 33.b7?? l:!xb7 34.'i!l'xb7 �a2+ 35.'it>c3 �c2+ 36.'it>b4 �b2+ 37.'it>c4 22...�xh2 is met by 23J:lg3 threaten �xb7-+; ing 24.d5 g6 25.dxe6+- . C) 33.�a4 h5! is a reminder that Black 23 • .Q.b2 1!/xh224.gg3 1!/h5 25.b6 has a passed pawn too. Ad7 A) 25 ...�b5+ 26.�xb5 cxb5 27.-'la3. Despite the opposite bishops, this end ing is favorable for White; 31.�xe S? is a mistake because of 31...�b5+ 32.'it>el �bl+ 33.'it>d2 B) 25 ...�a5!? or the game move, pre �d3+ 34.'it>cl {34.'it>el? exf3 35.l:!xf3 serves the queen in the hope of �bl + 36.'it>e2�c2+ 37.'it>el l:!xf3-+) counterplay. 34 ...�xa3+ 35.' 26 • .Q.a3 e5 27 .'(;ta4 h6 28.'(;ta8+ 39.' 30.!:M3 -'lg4 31.�xe5 -'l.xf3+ 32.':;'d3 3l. •• gxf3 32.gxf3 'f;txf3+ 33.Cifi'el fft7when Black has sufficient play. h5 29••• e4 30.1!/a6 Black introduces his own passed pawn into the equation. 33 ...-'lg4 is an empty threat since after34.� c2 the bishop has to return to defend against the b-pawn 34 ...11c8. 34.d51 To increase the scope ofthe queen. Af ter 34.�xc6 11a6 35.�c2 �g2 36.�c5 �fl+ 37.' 97 l.b4 e6 34 ...�hl+ Game 21 Sokolsky-Shagalovich 34... h4! 35.dxc6 (35.�d6 h3 36.dxc6 Minsk 1959 �g4 37:�c2 transposes) 35 ...�g4 36.'i:k2 37.�d6h3 'ili'f5 is double-edged l.b4 e6 2.Ab2 �f6 3.b5 a6 4.a4 but probably dead-level with best play. axb5 5.axb5 E!xal 6.Axal d5 7.e3 c5 8.�f3 Ad6 9.c4 0-0 10.Ae2 35.\tild2 �bl 36.dxc6 �bd7 11.0-0 dxc4 36.'/li'xc6?? �d3+ 37.'it'cl(37.'it'el �a6 Regarded as better is ll...b6 as in Chap and White will be mated) 37 ...�xa3+ ter 3B. 38.'it'd2�a 6-+ . 36 •..�xb 6 37.�xe4+ \tilh6 38.�f4+ \tilh7 39.�e4+ \t;lh6 Also played is 12.�xc4; e.g., 12.. . 12... �b6 13.�xc4 �xc4 14.Axc4 b6 15.�e5 Ab7 16.f4 �c7 17.�g41 White's pieces are well placed to go into action. 42.�d6+ \tilh7 43.�e5 �a2+ 44.Ab2 �f7 45.f4 h3 46.f5 White doesn't benefit much from 46. �g5 h2! ( 46... '/li'g647. '/li'xg6+'it'xg6 48 .�e5 ;t)47 .�h4+ <31gB 48.�xh2 'ili'b3 49.'it'cl '/li'c4+ 50.�c2 'ili'fl+ 51.'it'd2�xf 4+. Now that Black is only a pawn down, the ending is drawish. 17 •.•Ae7 46 ••.�f6 47.\tile2 �h6 48.�h2 It's hard to finda good move for Black: .!la6+ 49.\tilf3 �h5+ 50.\tilg3 �g5+ �Vh A) 17 ...�xg4 18.�xg4 g6 (18... e5 19.�g3!) 19.�g5 threatens the decisive 51.'it'f2 'ili'd2+ 52.'it'g3 �e3+ 53.'it'h4 20.'/li'f6; e.g., 20 ...e5 2l.fxe5 'ili'e7 �e2 54 .�e5 '/li'h6+ 55.'it'g3 'ili'e3+ (2l...�e7 22 .�xf7+ +- ) 22. 'ili'h8+! 56.'it'h4 �h6+ etc. is a draw. 'it'xh8 23.exd6+ �f6 24.f!xf6+-; 98 The Sokolsky Opening B) 17 .A�e8 18.f5 -'ld5 19.11xd5 exd5 20.f6Bl ack's position is passive; White was threatening 27 _gf3 'iWcl+ C) 17 ... 4Jd5??18 . .!1xd5 -'l.xd519. 4Jf6+! 28.'it>h2'iWe l 29.gg3+ ' 18.f5!? .!ld5 19 .4Jxf6+ -'l.xf6 20 . .!1xf6 gxf6 (20 ...11xc4?? 21.�g4 g6 22.-iWg5 White will deliver mate on g7) 21.fxe6 fxe6 (21.. . .!1xc4 22.�g4+ 'it>h8 23.'/;i"xc4 +- ) 22.11xd5 exd5 23.�g4+ lfi>h824. �e6 with the advantage in this heavy-piece ending. 18 ••• .i}.xf6 19• .i}.xf6 gxf6 20.f5 e5 Now White would like to organize his A) 34.ga6 -'lxd5 35.exd5 gxd5 queen and rook for a mating attack, but 36.gxb6 gd4 37.g3 ±; of course Black won't just sit back and let that happen. B) 34.gxd7 -'lxd7 35 .11c6 .!1c8 White has all the winning chances, but can he 21.ttg4+ (2l.e4!?) 21. •• 'ifjlh8 22.e4 win by fo rce? �d7 23.d3 �d4+ 24.�hl t\'e3 25.t\'h5 'ifjlg7 26.h4 33 •••A.c6! This saves Black. If 34.ga6 -'lxe4!. 34 •••.1}.xd 7 Because of the need to protect the b5- pawn, White can't get his king to d5, so the ending should be drawn. 99 l.b4 e6 35.�c3 �f8 36.�b3 �e7 37.�a4 15... Axe 5 16.cxb7 Aes 38.Ad5 �d6 39.Ab7 �c7 4o.Ad5 �d6 'h-'h 16. .llxe5 E!.xe5 17.cxb7 .llxb7 18.'l;l l.b4 e6 2.Ab2 .£)f6 3.b5 c6 4.a4 It is wiser to transpose to previous notes AM by 17. .llxe5. For other moves see Chapter 3C. 17 ... Axb2 18.§xb2 Ac6 19.§b4? 5 . .£)f3 d6 6.c3 Aa5 7 . .£)a3d5 This could tie White in knots. Stronger is 19. 20.E!.xb8 'i;\