..... 0 - Have you ever wished you had a first move for Black you could play
oE it has become quite respectable in the last decade, being used by u � Jon Speelman as a surprise weapon.
Study this book, and you need never be forced down theoretical main
lines ever again!
Raymond Keene needs no introduction. One of the world's most
prolific chess writers, he is known to the general public as an
entertaining TV commentator and through his chess columns in
The Times and The Spectator.
Byron Jacobs is an experienced and erudite chess writer, with a
regular column in New Statesman and Society. His first book for
Batsford was Winning With the Benko.
Other openings books from Batsford include:
An Opening Repertoire for the Attacking Player Raymond Keene & David Levy
An Opening Repertoire for White Raymond Keene & Byron Jacobs
Beating the Flank Openings Vassilios Kotronias
Beating the Sicilian 3 John Nunn & Joe Gallagher £12.99
For further information about Batsford chess books, please write to:
Batsford Chess Books, 4 Fitzhardinge Street, London WI H OAH
A Complete Defence for Black
Raymond Keene and Byron Jacobs
B. T. Batsford Ltd, London First published 1996 Raymond Keene and Byron Jacobs 1996 ©
ISBN 7134 7732 6 0
British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data. A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, by any means, without prior permission of the publisher.
Typeset by B. B. Enterprises, Brighton and printed in Great Britain by Redwood Books, Trowbridge, Wilts for the publishers, B. T. Batsford Ltd, 4 Fitzhardinge Street, London WI H OAH
To the memoryand achievements of the Russiangrand master EjimBogoljubow
A BATSFORD CHESS BOOK EditorialPa nel: MarkDvoretsky, Jon Speelman General Adviser: Raymond Keene OBE Sp ecialist Adviser: Dr John Nwm Commissioning Editor: Graham Burgess Contents
Bibliography 5 Symbols 6 Foreword 7
Introduction to 1 ... lbc6: Strategic Themes and History 9 Palma de Mal/orca 1989 9 1 Kaidanov-Miles, 2 Weinitschke-Bogoljubow, Elster 1938 12 3 Teichmann-Chigorin, Cambridge Sp rings 1904 14 4 Pillsbury-Chigorin, St Petersburg 1896 16 5 Spielmann-Nimzowitsch, Stockholm 1920 18 6 Spielmann-Nimzowitsch, New York 1927 21 7 Brinckmann-Nimzowitsch, Niendorf 1970 25 8 Wendel-Nimzowitsch, Stockholm 1921 28 Margate 1935 33 9 Milner-Barry - Mieses, 10 Piket-Christiansen, Monaco 1993 34 11 Kasparov-Smyslov, Vilnius Ct 1984 36 12 Charnley-Keene, London 1964 38 Correspondence 1963 40 13 Hindley-Keene, Dulwich 1961 41 14 Sandiford-Keene, 15 Sugden-Keene, Dulwich 1961 43 16 Tisdall-Jacobs, Gausdal 1996 44
2 1 e4 lbc62 d4 e5 48 17 Gi. Garcia-Miles, Linares 1994 49 Kudrin-Miles, US Championship 1989 53 18 Ta llinn 1969 58 19 Tarve-Keres, 20 Hebden-Jadoul, Td rnby 1987 61 21 Howell-Miles, Isle of Man 1995 65 22 Campora-Miles, Seville 1993 69 23 Hort-Xie Jun, Prague (Women v Ve terans) 1995 73 24 Golubev-Malaniuk, Alushta 1994 78 3 1 e4 lt:Jc62 lt:Jf3 d6 83 25 Tseshkovsky-Miles, Palma de Mal/orca 1989 83 26 Doric-Mestrovic, Bled 1996 89 27 Rodriguez-Miles, Palma de Mal/orca 1989 96 28 Almasi-Miles, Groningen 1994 101 29 Ligterink-Miles, Wijk aan Zee 1984 104 30 Kharlov-Minasian, Moscow 1991 108
4 1 d4 lt:Jc6 without 2 c4 113 31 Lukacs-O'Donnell, Budapest 1991 113 32 Shestoperov-Bus, Krasnodar 1991 117 33 Piza-Novak, Bratislava 1991 120 34 Granda-Morozevich, Amsterdam 1995 123 35 H. Olafsson-Hjartarson, Reykjavik 1995 127 36 Radulov-Lorenz, Bad Mergentheim 1989 13 1
5 1 d4 lt:Jc6 2 c4 e5 13 6 37 Farago-Speelman, Beersheba 1987 13 7 38 Alvarez-Izeta, San Sebastian 1993 140 39 Stempin-Kuczynski, Wa rsaw 1990 143 40 Komarov-Zagema, Dortmund 1992 146 41 Juraczka-Palos, Oberwart 1991 151
6 1 ...lt:Jc6 against Openings 154 Flank 42 Capablanca-Bogoljubow, Nottingham 1936 154 Bibliography
ChessBase Magazine 1-52, ChessBase GmbH lnformator 1-64, Sahovski Informator Keene and Jacobs, An Op ening Repertoire fo r the Attacking Player, Batsford 1995 Matanovic, Encyclopaedia of Chess Op enings, Vo lume C, Sahovski Informator 1981 Matanovic, Encyclopaedia of Chess Op enings, Volume D, Sahovski Informator 1987 Nimzowitsch, My System, Batsford Nimzowitsch, Chess Praxis, Batsford Reti, Masters of the Chessboard, Batsford Keene and Schiller, Winning with the Hypermodern, Batsford 1994 Keene, A ron Nimzowitsch, Master of Strategy, Batsford Kasparov and Keene, Batsfo rd Chess Op enings 2, Batsford 1988 Gufeld, An Op ening Repertoire fo r the Attacking Player, Cadogan 1996 Charushin,A Single Passion - but an Ardent One, Victor Charushin 1995 Symbols
+ Check ++ Double check Good move !! Excellent move ? Bad move ?? Blunder !? Interesting move ?! Dubious move OL Olympiad Ch. Championship z Zonal IZ Interzonal 1-0 Black resigns 1h-1h Draw agreed 0-1 White resigns Foreword
How often have you stared at the acres and acres of books, articles and computer disks devoted to the ever-expanding mass of open ings theory - and despaired? It seems that as we know more and more about chess, instead of shrinking the possibilities and pruning away variations that do not work, the universe of chess theory con tinues to grow as if fuelled by a cosmic Big Bang. Surely, at some point, you must have wished that as Black you could choose just one single opening move against any White sys tem and be confident that there was a method applicable to all openings to back this up. In the early 1970s Ray Keene (here a co author) sought to do this with his book The Modern Defence. Then the suggestion was for Black to play l...g6 and 2 ... �g7 more or less irrespective of White's opening moves. At the time, it seemed a universal panacea. Now, even the Modem Defence has exploded into a massive complex of super-highways and spaghetti junctions. Its ramifications go far beyond the immediate grasp of the enthusi astic amateur or club and county player. What we have tried to do in this book is to provide a modem de fence for the 1990s and the 21st century. We advocate the surpris ing move l...lbc6 as the answer to every White opening! What are the advantages of this? First of all, the lines are unusual, so the White player will be thrown immediately upon his or her own re sources. Secondly, l...lbc6 is a pleasant blend of soundness and aggression. There are few Black defences in which White can be overrun with such devastating rapidity, as numerous Black wins in this book will testify. Finally, this defence enjoys the sanction of many top champions and grandmasters. Lines with ...lLlc6 have been favourites with ex.._world champion Vassily Smyslov, also with the two-times world championship challengers, Mikhail Chigorin and Efim Bogoljubow. Hard hitting British grandmaster Tony Miles has elevated l...lLlc6 to one of his main defences, while even such a classically minded player as Nigel Short, Britain's own world championship challenger, has utilised versions of the ...lbc6 defence in his own games. 8 Foreword
By playing ...lDc6 on move one, Black is able to play across many White systems and thus avoid the most dangerous lines. For example after 1 d4 lDc6 2 c4 we recommend 2 ...e5, while against 1 d4 lDc6 2 .!Df3 we now counsel transposition to the Chigorin De fence where White has forfeited the option of a very early lDc3 (i.e. 1 d4 lDc6 2 c4 d5 3 lDc3!) which makes this line risky for Black in the main variations. Similarly, after 1 e4 lDc62 d4, Black is by no means committed to 2 . . . d5 when once again there can follow 3 lDc3! which renders this line equally risky for the second player. We prefer 1 e4 lDc6 2 d4 eS, which is sound, reliable and full of counter-chances. In conclusion, we would like to draw particular attention to the section in this book which starts 1 d4 lDc6 2 d5 in which White takes up the challenge of playing a mirror image to Alekhine's De fence ( 1 e4 lDf6 2 e5) on the other side of the board. This has been championed especially by Bogoljubow and Miles, who have notched up excellent results with it. Alekhine's Defence has been popular since the 1920s, yet this parallel line, which we name Bo goljubow's Defence, has, in comparison, been unjustly neglected. We regard it as fully the equal of Alekhine's Defence and invite you, the readers, to join us at what might be termed the theoretical birth of a fascinating and hitherto under-analysed line which we hope will score heavily for you in your own games as Black.
Raymond Keene and Byron Jacobs, London, July 1996 1 Introduction to 1 ... lt:Jc6: Strategic Themes and History
In this book we recommend an leaving themselves short of unusual but sound defence. This time for the more critical posi is based on the immediate de tions later on. velopment of Black's queen's lrnight against both kingside, Section A queenside and even fianchetto Against the d-pawn openings. It has been patronised by Nigel Short, Jon Speelman Game 1 and, particularly, Tony Miles, Kaidanov-Miles while in the past it has num Palma 1989 bered such greats as Mikhail Chigorin, Aron Nimzowitsch 1 d4 lbc6 and Efim Bogoljubow amongst its devotees. It has even been played by former world cham pion Smyslov against Garry Kasparov, a game where, after a fluctuating struggle, Smyslov held the draw (see page 38 for the full game). A chief merit of the queen's knight's defence is that it im mediately throws booked-up white players onto their own resources with the result that Black can often score quick and This is the essential move of crushing knockouts, as many Black's defence, whatever first games from this introduction move White chooses. In this will show. A further, practical, specific line, Black challenges benefit for Black players is that White to start an immediate many players, when confronted hunt of the black queen's with an unusual variation, will knight, with 2 d5, which can spend a great deal of time in the lead to thrilling tactics and early stages of the game, thus combinations. 10 Introduction to J.JiJc6: Strategic Themes and History
2 e4 Black's pieces on the kingside White refuses the invitation frequently leads to White's to join the hunt. pawn structure becoming over 2 eS extended and unwieldy. This is the move we mainly 8 0-0 recommend in the book, though 9 i.h3?! c6! Nimzowitsch's favourite 2 ...d5 is certainly playable and exam ples of it will figure later in this introduction. 3 dS Now this space-gaining thrust gives Black's defence its spe cific character. White could, of course, play 3 liJf3 transposing to the Scotch Game (see games 23 and 24). 3 ltJce7 4 c4 Although White has played 2 Preparing to set the board e4, this move marks this varia alight with tactical complica tion out as a queenside opening. tions. The simple 9 ...d6, offer 4 liJg6 ing exchanges, would be quite 5 ..te3 ..ib4+ satisfactory, but perhaps a little By developing the king's too stereotyped. bishop in this fashion Black 10 a3 ..tcs aims to weaken White on the 11 liJfl bS! dark squares. In particular the Black has a clear initiative. manoeuvre .....tb4, followed by 12 b4 .id4! .....ta5 and ... ..tb6, has been known since the 19th century. One example was 1 e4 lLlc6 2 d4 e5 3 d5 ltJce7 4liJf3 liJg6 5 ..te3 ..ib4+ 6 c3 i.a5 7 ..td3 i.b6, Williams-Kennedy, Lon don 1848. 6 liJd2 liJf6 7 f3 'fle7 8 g3 White wants to keep Black's knight out of f4 . However, the desire to restrict the activity of Introduction to l . .. lbc6: Strategic Themes and History 11
Offering a pawn, if only tem 22 axb4 porarily, to blast open the board whilst White's men are still asleep in their beds. 13 .i.xd4 exd4 14 'i'xd4 Black was threatening to play ...l!J xe4 with devastation. 14 bxc4 lS d6 White can scarcely hope to survive after 15 dxc6 d5. The text tries to seal things up. IS 'i'eS 16 l!Je2 aS This piece sacrifice is essen- tially desperation. 22 .:txb6 23 bxcS l:c6 24 :.as l!JeS 2S l!Jf4 'i'gS 26. 'i'd4 l:b8 27 :.at h6 28 :.xa6 The only way to get castled is to give up a full rook, but this merely demonstrates the bank ruptcy of White's position. 28 l:xa6 Black, in contrast, is anxious 29 0-0 l!Jc6 to open as many lines as possi 30 'i'c4 :.as ble as quickly as possible, be 0-1 fore White can consolidate his position. As an advertisement for 17 l.De3 axb4 Black's strategy this game is 18 t.Dxc4 'i'hS brilliant. There are few black 19 i.g2 cS! defences available nowadays 20 'i'e3 .i.a6 which can reduce White to rub With the entry of Black's ble so rapidly. bishop at long last into the game, Black's advantage is fi For a fu ll analysis of this line nally clear. see chapter five. 21 liJb6 :.ab8 12 Introduction to l . . . lf:x6: Strategic Themes and History
Through the Looking Glass 9 l'Dc3 0-0 10 il.d2 l'Dg4 11 And what if White accepts the l'Dd1 l1e8 12 h3 l'Df6 13 g4 l'De4 challenge and chases Black's 14 l1h2 lDh4 15 l'Dg5 l'Dxg5 16 provocative knight? Two-times fxg5 "ile7 17 "ilg3 (now Black world title contender, Efim Bo wins material with an astound goljubow, demonstrated Black's ing stroke! See page 114 for an resources in this Mirror Alek amusing parallel) 17... il.g 1 hine Defence line.
Game 2 Weinitschke-Bogolj ubow Elster 1938
1 d4 lDc6 2 dS ltJe5 3 f4 White treats the opening as a kind of mirror image to Alek hine's defence, with Black's queen's knight being hounded to the other side of the board. 18 :n il.xf2+ 19 "ilxf2 "ile4 However, the difference is that 20 l'De3 'ii'h1 + 21 il.fl l'Df3+ 22 here White weakens his king 'it>d1 l'Dxg5 0- 1. side by striving excessively to 5 f5 underline the reflective analogy. Optimistically hoping for a 3 lDg6 supine retreat, 5 ...t'D6e7, when 4 e4 eS White's space advantage would This tactical resource empha be immense. More cautious sises the difference. The parallel would be 5 dxe6 though after move ...d5 is not an option in 5 ...f xe6 Black has the open f the Alekhine Defence, viz. 1 e4 file as a base for counter-attack. l'Df6 2 e5 l'Dd5 3 c4 l'Db6 4 d4 See page 114 for analysis. d5? 5 c5 when Black is already 5 "ilh4+ cramped and suffering severely. Naturally Black chooses a As we shall see in this game, more active continuation, even White gets into trouble by try though it involves the sacrifice ing to repeat this line move for of material. move on the opposite wing. 6 �d2 "ilxe4 4 ...e6 is seen in modem play, Not 6 ...l'Df4 7 g3 or 6 ...l'Dge7 e.g. Gerusel-Miles, Porz 1982, a 7 l'Dc3 to be followed by l'Df3, drastic miniature; 5 l'Df3 exd5 6 gaining time and space, when exd5 il.c5 7 'ii'd3 d6 8 il.e2 l'Df6 White's opening play would Introduction to J...tbc6: Strategic Themes and History 13 have been justified. This carries black pawns. In order to make a the fight to the opponent. game of it White had to play 12 .li.e2.
12 ... lbe7 13 l:le1 dS
7 fxg6 If 7 �d3 Black can respond 7 ...'ii' xg2+ 8 lbe2 'ii'g5+ 9 �c3 'ii'h4 Ulrich-Bogoljubow, Elster Black's opening sacrifice has 1937. been a complete success. He
7 ... 'ii'xdS+ controls the centre and his three 8 �e1 'ii'xd1+ pawns outweigh White's extra 9 �xd1 hxg6 piece. White now decides to 10 lbc3 c6 return this piece, but this is a 11 lbf3 f6 somewhat forlorngesture . 12 �d3 14 h3 e4 15 �xe4 dxe4 16 lbxe4 �t7
Storing up trouble. White's minor pieces become poten tially exposed to the advancing 17 �d2 14 Introduction to l ... liJc6: Strategic Themes and History
If 17 &iJd6+ then simply was the first to adopt it, and he l7... �g8 when Black's king is amassed a number of very rapid safe. knockouts with it against un 17 lDfS suspecting opponents. In recent 18 b3 gS years, it has also proved popular 19 �e2 ltJd6 with Nigel Short. Here are some 20 ltJf2 �fS of the classic examples by the 21 ltJd4 �g6 line's inventor. 22 �fl ltJfS 23 lbe2 ..tcs Game 3 24 lbe4 ..tb6 Teichmann - Chigorin Black's task is easy. He ha..<; Cambridge Sp rings 1904 an extra pawn, two bishops and better development. 1 d4 ltJc6 25 c4 llad8 2 ltJf3 dS 26 lled1 llxd2 Readers should note that in 27 ltJxd2 ltJe3+ all games, we have standardised 0-1 the opening sequence as 1 d4 White resigns on account of lbc6 2 lDf3 d5, even though 28 �el lbxg2+ 29 Wfl lbe3+ several may have reached the 30 �e l llxh3. critical positions by transposi A splendid example of the tion via l d4 d5 2 c4 lbc6. dynamism concealed in the 3 c4 ..tg4 black opening. For a full analysis of this line see chapter four.
Ducking the Challenge What if White ducks out of the with d4 lbc6 2 challenge 1 lDf3? Bogoljubow used to play 2 ...g6. Here, however, we rec ommend transposition to the Chigorin Defence, 1 d4 d5 2 c4 lbc6!?, but without giving White the option of the danger ous 1 d4 d5 2 c4 lbc6 3 lbc3!. Now Black has the position This unusual defence has the he wants. Here White could try virtue that it can score remarka 4 lbc3 �xf3 5 gxf3 e6 6 e3 bly quick wins against unpre ..tb4 7 cxd5 'ii'xd5 8 �d2 ..txc3 pared opposition. The Russian 9 bxc3 though after 9 ...ltJge7, in grandmaster Mikhail Chigorin the game Lasker-Chigorin, Has- Introduction to 1 . . . liJc6: Strategic Th emes and History 15 tings 1895, Black's pair of knights give him good counter play. Another possibility is 4 liJc3 e6 5 i.g5 i.e7 6 i.xe7 liJgxe7 7 cxd5 liJxd5 8 e3 0-0 9 i.e2 liJxc3 10 bxc3 liJa5 11 'i'a4 b6 Hulak-Muse, Vinkovci 1993 when Black has a solid position. In fact, Black won both of these games. Finally, 4 e3 e6 5 liJc3 .ib4 6 .id2 liJge7 7 .id3 .if5 8 .ixf5 liJxf5 9 cxd5 exd5 10 'i'b3 i.xc3 11 .ixc3 l:.b8 with a level position With this move Black seizes as in Steinitz-Chigorin, World the initiative and maintains it Championship, Game 12, Ha until the end of the game. The vana 1889. See page 128 for our point is that if 12 0-0, then recommendations. 12... i.xc3 13 bxc3 liJxe3 wins 4 cxd5 i.xf3 material. 5 dxc6 .ixc6 12 'i'c2 f5 6 liJc3 e6 13 .ie5 Hoping that Black will snatch the bait on g2 but he does not oblige. 13 :n 14 0-0-0 .ixc3 15 bxc3 b5 Black's attack spreads to the other wing and White is soon overwhelmed. 16 l:thg1 17 l:tdfl 18 �d2 19 c4 7 .tf4 After this, Black's pieces In the next game we shall pour in but clearly 19 cxb4 look at the more testing 7 e4. liJxb4 is a disaster for White. 7 liJf6 19 .ta4 8 e3 i.b4 20 'i'b1 liJc3 9 'i'b3 liJd5 21 'i'a1 l:td8 10 i.g3 0-0 22 g3 liJe4+ 11 .id3 'i'g5 23 �e2 lLlc5 16 Introduction to 1 . ..tiJc6: Strategic Themes and History
central fortress in Christiansen Short, Monaco (blindfold) 1993. Black's later plan is to expand with ...h6, .. .f5 and ...g5 . 5 ...i.xc6
24 'i'b1 Not 24 dxc5 'i'xd3+ or 24 ...i.b 1 lL!b3 spectacularly win ning White's queen. 24 lL!xd3 25 'i'xd3 'i'xa2+ 6 lL!c3 e6 26 �f3 ...i.c2 A fascinating gambit occurs 0-1 after 6 ...lL!f6 7 f3 e5 ! 8 dxe5 White's queen still goes, e.g. 'i'xdI+ 9 �xd I lL!d7 10 f4 27 'i'e2 ...i.e4+ or 27 'i'd2...i. e4+ 0-0-0 11 �c2 ...i.c5 and ...l:.he8, 28 �e2 ...i.f3+. White therefore with full value for the pawn. resigned. There are few open 7 e4 ings in which Black can score This is the first divergence quite so quickly and decisively. from the previous game. 7 .tb4 Game 4 8 f3 f5 Pillsbury - Chigorin St Petersburg 1896
1 d4 lL!c6 2 liJf3 d5 3 c4 ...i.g4 4 cxd5 ...i.xf3 5 dxc6 5 gxf3 'i'xd5 6 e3 0-0-0! 7 Or lL!c3 'i'h5 8 ...i.d2 lL!f6 9 f4 'i'xd1+ 10 lb.d1 e6 11 ...i.g2 when 11...lL!e7, followed by ...lL!d5, gave Black an excellent Introduction to J . ..li:Jc6: Strategic Th emes and History 17
A risky and ambitious at 21 'ii'b3 {jjc4 tempt to batter White's centre into submission. 9 eS Now Black overruns the board. White must gambit him self here with 9 i.c4! fxe4 10 0-0 exf3 11 i.xe6fxg2 12 :le1. 9 {jje7 10 a3 .iaS 11 i.c4 .idS 12 'ii'a4+ c6 13 ..td3 'ii'b6 Threatening an immediate win with .....tb3, netting the Winning a piece. The rest is White queen. agony. 14 ..tc2 'ii'a6 22 � {jjxd2 23 'ii'xe6+ �b8 24 .if3 'ii'b6 25 �g3 {jjxf3 26 gxf3 .ic4 27 'ti'xfS .ixc3 28 bxc3 l:.d2 29 'ii'h3 g6 30 �h4 h6 31 'ii'g4 'ii'f2+ 32 'ii'g3 gS+ 33 �g4 hS+ 34 �fS .id3+ 35 �e6 'ii'b6 Now with a new threat of 36 'ii'xgS cS+ ...b5, winning White's queen. 37 �f7 i..c4+ 15 i.d1? 38 �g7 l:.g8+ After this White is smashed. 0-1 15 b4 ! 'ii'c4 16 .ib2 was the last After 39 �h7 :ld7+ 40 'ii'g7 chance. l:.dxg7we have, as a contempo 15 .ic4 rary note put it, 'A very pro 16 f4 0-0-0 nounced case of checkmate in 17 i..e3 {jjdS deed.' 18 .id2 {jjb6 19 'tWc2 .J:.xd4 For our detailed analysis of 20 :ct i.d3 this variation see page 124. 18 Introduction to J . . .li:Jc6: Strategic Th emes and History
Section B more fluid 3 lbc3!? from Against 1 e4 Spielmann which is, in fa ct, the best move. We have seen Bogoljubow and 3 i.fS Chigorin in action against the An even more provocative opening move 1 d4. Both of method of handling this pro these grandmasters were twice vocative defence is 3 .. .f6!?. contenders for the World 4 lbe2?! Championship. The man who put 1.. .lbc6 on the map against 1 e4 was the great chess thinker and strategist, Aron Nimzow itsch, author of My System and arguably world number two to World Champion Alekhine at the close of the 1920s and the opening of the 1930s. Here are some of his classic masterpieces with the defence he introduced and regularly championed. We start with Nimzowitsch's most impressive wm with Better is 4 lbf3!?. The plan l...lbc6. chosen by White diverts too many pieces from the protection Game S of his centre (d4) and could Spielmann-Nimzowitsch have boomeranged seriously Stockholm 1920 had Black played correctly on move 7. 1 e4 lbc6 4 e6 2 d4 dS!? s lbg3 i.g6 The pure, Nimzowitschian 6 h4 hS interpretation of this defence 7 i.e2 (D) which normally leads to intri 7 i.e7?! cate pawn chain play. When this Inviting remarkable compli defence is employed in contem cations. Instead of this flank porary chess 2 ...e5 tends to be defence to White's pressure preferred and it is the line we against his h-pawn it was possi recommend too, on account of ble to obtain a fine position by 2 ...d5 3 lbc3!. For our analysis means of a central counter of 2 ...e5 see chapter two. attack, as suggested later by 3 eS Nimzowitsch: thus 7 ...lbb4 ! 8 lt:'Ja3 c5 9 c3 lt:'Jc6 0 lt:'Jxh5 One might have expected the I Introduction to J . ..tiJc6: Strategic Themes and History 19
�xh5 11 �xh5 cxd4 12 cxd4 forced. The remarkable move, �b4+ 13 �fl �xa3 14 bxa3 g6 then, was Black's 12th which 15 �e2 l:xh4 16 .:xh4 'i'xh4 prepared this combination. threatening mate and the d White could decline Black's pawn. 'passive' sacrifice with 14 c3, allowing ...i.g5 at last, but why should he? Is it obvious that Black obtains anything concrete for his sacrificed piece? 14 gxh4 lbfxd4 The compensation to date amounts to one pawn, but more is to come, since the founda tions of White's pawn centre have been destroyed. The threats at the moment (positive ly crude in comparison with the enchanting variations based on 8 i.xhS i.xhS the power of his centralised 9 lbxhS g6 knight pair which Nimzowitsch 10 lbf4 l:xh4 soon conjures up) are 15... lbb4 11 l:xh4 i.xh4 16 'i'xd4 lbxc2+ and 15... lbxe5 12 'i'd3 16 'i'xe5 lbf3+.
12 lbge7!! 15 lba3 'i'xh4 Surely Black must now lose Rejecting the possibility of material? entering an endgame where he 13 g3 lbfS would possess three pawns for a 13... i.g5 would lose to the piece. This possibility arises trap 14 lbxe6, so the text is after l5... lLlxe5 16 ifh3 liJdf3+ 20 Introduction to l ...li:Jc6: Strategic Themes and History
17 �fl 'ji'xh4. In this case it pects are still not bad. He is would certainly be Black who ahead in development with two would be justified in playing for pawns for a piece and with a win. However, Nimzowitsch White somewhat tied up. had observed a variation of trulyshattering beauty. 16 'ji'h3 'ji'gS?!
17 1Wg1+ 18 1Wfl Or 18 �d2 1Wxa 1 19 1Wh8+ It was still possible to steer �d7 20 1Wxa8 1Wxb2! winning. for an ending which promised a 18 lbf3+ good possibility of victory 19 1;e2 lbfd4+ (16... 'ji'xh3 17 li:Jxh3 lbxe5 18 20 �d2 lbf3+ i.f4 lbef3+). With the text 21 �e2 lbcd4+ Nirnzowitsch subordinates his No draw. desire for the accumulation of points to his desire for the crea tion of beauty. 17 i.e3? This is a plausible move which, however, loses spec tacularly. The line conceived by Nimzowitsch ran as follows: 17 �8+ �d7 18 'ji'xa8 'ji'gl+ 19
Now that Black has com pleted his development White is helpless. This position should be preserved for the benefit of Transposing to a version of posterity. the French Defence where 25 b3 bS Black will experience problems 26 lbxbS 'it'e4+ in undermining White's centre 27 �c3 ._xc2+ by means of ...c5. 28 �b4 cS+ 4 b6 0-1 'Since Black cannot make any progress without ...c5 I Again Ducking the Challenge would try here 4 ...lba5 !? and What to do if White side-steps only after 5 c3 would I continue the challenge with 2 lbf3, hop with 5 ...b6 ' (Alekhine). ing for 2 ...e5 3 i.b5 with a con 5 c3 li:Jce7!? ventional Ruy Lopez? In chap The start of a rather artificial ter three we propose Tony manoeuvre designed to seize Miles's favourite 2 ...d6. Nim control of the f5 -square. Black zowitsch tried something play- seems to have abandoned all 22 Introduction to J ...lbc 6: Strategic Th emes and History respect for the hallowed cliches Protecting his g3-square and concerning development. thus preparing to force the with 6 i.d3 aS drawal of Black's knight by Hoping to exchange his light means of c3 and g4. If Nimzo squared bishop, but White fore witsch's plan was to restrain stalls this. White's kingside pawns it has 7 'ii'e2 !Drs clearly been a failure. 8 h4 hS 11 cS 9 !DgS g6 12 f3 c4 Or 12... cxd4 13 g4 hxg4 14 fxg4 lDxh4 15 'i'f2 winning outright. The advance of the text is characteristic of Nim zowitsch in that he renounces the attack against the frontal area of the white pawn-chain, preferring to transfer his on slaught to the base (c3 and b2). Furthermore the struggle in this game has clearly been sub divided into two theatres of war by the very nature of the pawn 'Black's position could, per chain. 12 ...c4 ensures that Black haps, have withstood the ec will retain a valuable spatial centricities committed so far, advantage on the queenside if since they did not create any White fails to burst through on irreparable weaknesses in his the opposite wing. own camp. However, this 13 i.c2 bS frightful weakening of f6 - 14 g4 !Dg7 given the absence of any stable and effective strong points for his own pieces - transforms his situation into a hopeless one' (Alekhine). Nimzowitsch later recom mended 9 ...!Dge7 as better, e.g. !Dd2 c5, and 11 !Dfl is im lO possible as the d-pawn hangs. 10 !Dd2 !Dge7
And not 10 . ..!Dxh4? 11 .1i.b5+ but lO... c5 looks stronger. 11 !Dfl Introduction to J...t.t:Jc6: Strategic Themes and History 23
An unusual fianchetto of the The text should, in fact, win, Black queen's knight on the g7- but the correct follow-up is not square! easy to find. Alekhine gives the 15 ltJg3 ltJc6 preparatory 19 �e2!, which And that is the king's knight. maintains the option of sacri Black has played six moves out ficing on f7, while eliminating of fifteen with his knights and any counterplay (e.g. checks on not yet touched any of his other h4). pieces. 19 23 'it>d7! Spielmann had overlooked this, expecting only 23 ...l:.xh5 24 'ii'g7+ We8 25 'ii'g6+, which is most unpleasant for Black. 18 l:.a7 After the text it is Black who is 19 t.t:Jxt7!? winning. 24 Introduction to l ...liJc6 : Strategic Themes and History 24 'ii'g7+ ..ie7 This re-establishes material 25 ..it7 .:th2+ equality. 26 �d1 �c7 39 'i'c2! The base of White's pawn Avoiding the trap 39 ...%:.g l+ chain falls in a highly unex 40 �f2 .:E.xa1 41 .idS+! liJxd8 pected manner. 42 'i'xd8+ when White secures 27 ..if4 .:E.xb2 perpetual check. 28 'ii'h7 �b6 40 .idS+ liJxd8 29 .:tg8 'ii'c7 30 'ii'h8 liJdS 31 ..ig6 ltg2 32 'ii'h1 41 'i'b8+ 0-1 In this case 41 'ii'xd8+ �b7 is quite hopeless. Black threatens mate and the rook, while the g7- Once White is compelled to rook defends the black king retreat the end is in sight. from the checks. 32 .:E.xg6 Those notes to this game Over the next few moves mentioned as stemming from Black cashes in his material Alekhine we have translated plus in return for a decisive ini from his tournament book, in tiative. German, of New York, 1927. 33 l:.xg6 b4 Exciting stuff, but we cannot 34 l:tg7 'i'c6 honestly recommend readers to 35 'i'h8 'i'a4+ play this riskily as Black. For 36 �e1 liJc6 our recommendation against 2 37 'i'xc8 ..ih4+ liJf3 see chapter three. 38 ..ig3 Or 38 .:E.g3 'tlfc2 with annihi The Main Test lating effect. Also testing for Black are lines 38 .:E.xg7 based on liJc3 particularly, if 39 ..ixh4 Black insists on playing ...d5. Introduction to l ... li:Jc6: Strategic Themes and History 25 Game? with ...c5 so easily, on account Brinckmann-Nimzowitsch of the knight at c6. Niendorf19 27 (Notes based on those by Reti) 1 e4 li:Jc6 2 li:Jc3 In an absolute sense, this move is hardly a very strong one as Black can, with 2 ...e5 , bring about the innocuous Vi enna Game. Relatively, how ever, i.e. against Nimzowitsch, the move does have this advan tage over an immediate 2 d4, li:J that Black being anxious to play 4 ge7 ...d5 plays the preparatory move 5 li:Jf3 b6 2 ...e6 whereupon his queen's 6 li:Je2 bishop can no longer develop at White wants to have the pos f5 . sibility of consolidating his 2 e6 centre with c3, but thereby 3 d4 dS makes possible for his opponent Also worth considering is the following strong move, 3 ....tb4 as Nimzowitsch played which eventually leads to the in two games against Maroczy: exchange of Black's inactive 4 .te3 li:Jge7 5 'i'g4 0-0 6 'i'h4 queen's bishop for White's f5 7 f3 d5 8 e5 li:Ja5 9 a3 .txc3+ king's bishop, which has much 10 bxc3 'i'e8 11 lt:Jh3 lt:Jc4, Ma more scope. roczy-Nimzowitsch, Karlsbad 6 .ta6 lt:J .txfl 1923 or 4 lt:Jf3 d6 5 .tf4 tlJge7 7 g3 6 .te2 .txc3+7 bxc3 0-0 8 0-0 8 'itxfl lt:Jg6 9 .te3 'i'e7 10 l:.el ..id7 White has pl ans for attack, 11 'i'cl b6 12 lt:Jd2 e5 Maroczy and therefore does not want to Nimzowitsch, San Remo 1930. go back with his knight. There is plenty of scope for 8 hS! originality in this line. Such manoeuv res are some 4 eS what startling, and yet they are This move can be made here excellent, and aim at the domi with less hesitation than in the nation of light squares. First analogous variations of the there is a threat of ...h4; com French Defence, as Black can bined with an impregnable not clean up White's centre knight position on f5. We shall 26 Introduction to J . ..lDc6: Strategic Themes and History see later that, positionally, the he has the advantage. But that is most important factor in this not the case. The real criterion game is Black's domination of by which to appraise close po the light squares, which has sitions is the possibility of been made possible only by the breaking through. In general, exchange of White's king's the player who can move freely bishop. over a greater area can probably place his pieces more advanta geously for a possible break through than his opponent, who is restricted in his movements. 9 .i.gS 'l'c8 10 'l'd3 White wants to meet the thrust ...'l'a6. Positionally more correct, however, would be to As we know, this is the idea maintain the knight on g3 by underlying the method of play h4. ing in restricted positions which 10 tbg6 owes so much to Dr Tarrasch. 11 c3 Tarrasch's opposite, Nimzow Even now White could still itsch, now shows that one may play h4, but then Black could be in a restricted position and seize the initiative on the yet have every possibility of queenside by gaining time with breaking through. Thus, in the ...tbb4 and ...c5. present position, the possibili 11 h4 ties of White's breaking 12 tbe2 .i.e7 through obviously lie in c4, and 13 h3 .i.xgS f4-f5. The first is scarcely a 14 tbxgS tbce7(D) strong move, for White domi Much profit can be derived nates more territory in the mid from a study of this position. dle and on the kingside, but not White is in control of more ter on the queenside. In the present ritory, and so one might think case it is a particularly doubtful Introduction to l ...lt:.c6: Strategic Th emes and History 27 move, as White's d-pawn would playing into Black's hands. become backward. The liberat ing move dictated by the posi tion would therefore be f4-f5. But there can be no question of making these moves, as White will obviously never be able to dominate the f5-square. Furthermore, Black has made a very good provision for the fu ture in his seemingly artificial but really very profound ma noeuvres ( ...li:Jg6, ...h5-h4, ...li:Je7, but above all in the ex change of White's king's 18 'ii'c7 bishop). 19 cxd5 c4 Thus, while White has no se 20 'i'c2 exd5 21 rious possibilities of breaking llhe1 0--0 through, and is therefore limited 22 li:Jc3 fxe5 to making waiting moves be 23 li:Jxe5 li:Jxe5 hind the wall of his pawns, the 24 dxe5 d4 second player has at his dis 25 li:Jb5 'ii'c5 posal the possibilities of break 26 li:Jd6 d3 ing through afforded him by ...f6 and ...c5. Black alone, therefore, is able to take the ini tiative, and consequently he is in a superior position, in spite of his limited territory. 15 Game S Wendel-Nimzowitsch Stockholm 1921 1 e4 !iJc6 2 d4 dS 3 !iJc3 34 l:tf4 White is now completely lost. After 34 llxe2 dxe2 35 Re 1, Black would win with 35 ....:d 1 36 .:txe2 !iJg3. 34 'ite6 35 .:tg4 d2 36 ltg6+ �f7 37 l:lg4 a6 38 l:lf4 �e6 Introduction to l .. .llJc6: Strategic Themes and History 29 One of the sharpest methods of combating Nimzowitsch's special defence. With this move White offers a pawn sacrifice in order to destroy Black's strong point on d5. In this case Nimzowitsch accepts the chal lenge. 3 dxe4 The alternative is the stolid refusal to give ground 3 ...e6. Later in the 1920s (as in the Brinckmann game we have just seen) Nimzowitsch gained 4 ltJeS many victories with this move, 4 ...l2Jb8 is possible but such a one other of which is suffi retrograde move is hardly in the ciently amusing to merit repro spirit of the opening. duction here: Mieses-Nimzo 5 .i.f4 l2Jg6 witsch, Kissingen 1928: 3 ...e6 4 6 .i.g3 exd5 exd5 5 .i.e3 .i.f5 6 .i.d3 l2Jge7 7 l2Jge2 lbb4 8 .i.xf5 l2Jxf5 9 .i.f4 g5 10 i.d2 i.e7 11 'i'c1 f6 12 l2Jd1 l2Jc6 13 c3 l2Jh4 14 l2Je3 'i'd7 15 'i'c2 f5 16 f4 17 l:hf8 18 :dfl 0-0-0 0-0-0 :deS 19 fxg5 .i.xg5 20 l2Jf4 l2Je7 21 �b 1 .i.xf4 22 :xf4 l2Jeg6 23 :f2 f4 24 ltJd1 'i'g4 25 .tel l2Jf5 26 :hfl l2Jd6 27 h3 'i'g5 28 :e2 :e4 29 :ef2 :fe8 30 'i'd3 l2Jf5 31 :g 1 ltJg3 32 .i.d2 'i'f5 33 a3 'i'e6 34 �a 1 'i'c6 35 'ii'f3 h5 36 �a2 'ii'b5 6 a6 (completing the encirclement) Black naturally has to prevent 37 �a1 (see fo llowing diagram) lbb5 and the obvious way to 37... ltJh4 checkmate, but to achieve this is 6 .. .f5 but then 7 White's queen rather than his lbh3! with a big plus for White king! and Black has great difficulty in 4 dS freeing his position, e.g. 7 ...e5 8 Andnot 4 .i.b5?i.d7 5 l2Jxe4 dxe6 'ii'xd 1 + (8 ....i.xe6 9 lbb5 lbxd4! winning a pawn in broad .i.b4+ 10 c3 .i.a5 11 'ii'a4 .i.b6 daylight. 12 ltJxc7+ 14 l:.xd8 ..ixd8 15 ..ic4 tt:'lf8 16 10 tt:'lf3 tt:'lf4 tt:'lf6 17 tt:'lxe6 tt:'lxe6 18 10 dxe6 ..ixe6 would give jfb3 1-0 Bomgaesser-Louis, Black a splendid development Bundesliga 1982) 9 :xdl c6 and leave White with a weak e- (9 .....ib4 10 ..ic4 We7 11 0-0 pawn. ..ixc3 12 bxc3 ..ixe6 13 ..ixe6 10 ..id6 �xe6 14 f3 h6 15 fxe4 fxe4 16 'A move dictated by the law tt:'lf2 with a powerful attack, P. of the blockade: passed and Nielsen-Furhoff, Copenhagen semi-passed pawns must be 1991) 10 ..ic4h6 11 0-0 tt:'lf6 12 blockaded' (Nimzowitsch). Nim f3 ..ic5+ 13 �hi b5 14 .i.b3 e3 zowitsch regarded this position 15 :rei rj;e7 16 tt:'lf4 tt:'lxf4 17 as approximately level and con ..ixf4 ..ia6 18 tt:'le2 l:.ad8 19 sidered that White's next moves :xd8 'itxd8 20 ..ie5 and the should have been ..id3, 0-0 and pawn on e6 remains a bone in tt:'le2, followed by the activation Black's throat, Apicella-Soe of his queenside majority c4-c5. tewey, Brussels Z 1993. As it is, White fails to spot this 7 f3?! plan and indulges, instead, in a Much stronger is Bole series of highly artificial rna- slavsky's 7 ..ic4 tt:'lf6 8 'i'e2 noeuvres . ..if5 9 White's choice in 0-0--0. 11 h4? the game permits Nimzowitsch Black's next is the first step to return his extra pawn for a in the plan to restrain White's lasting initiative. Our conclu advance of c4. sion must be that the whole line 11 bS with 3 ...dxe4 is suspect. 12 hS tt:'lf8 7 fS 13 ..ih4 'i'd7 8 fxe4 f4 14 .i.e2 b4 9 ..if2 eS 15 tt:'lb1 tt:'lf6 Introduction to l . ..li:Jc6: Strategic Themes and History 31 lbreatening White's e-pawn measure against 23 c3. Black and h-pawn. White has but one now seizes the b-file in addition method of avoiding material to his other treasures. Joss. 23 bxc3 16 .txf6 24 bxc3 'ii'g3 Unpleasant but forced. After 25 'ii'c2 l:.g8 this exchange Black's centre is 26 lbc4 .td7 strengthened and he is given the 27 lbxd6+ cxd6 open g-file as a free gift in 28 i.f3 which to operate against White's weak g-pawn. On top of this the absence of White's queen's bishop leaves him woe fully exposed on the dark squares. From now on White is reduced to meeting Black's threats and can form no positive schemes of his own. 16 gxf6 17 lbbd2 fig7 18 <1m. lbd7 19 h6 'iWg3 20 l:.h3 'iWg8 In control of all the open 21 lbh4 lbcS lines and all the dark squares 22 l:th1 l:.b8 and with White's units strewn at 23 c3?! random around the perimeters of the battle-field Black has an obviously winning position. The positional way to victory, pointed out by Nimzowitsch, was 28 .. .'it>d8 29 lLlf5 i.xf5 30 exf5 l:.e8 31 l:.h3 'iWg8 ! and White's position is an uncoor dinated shambles. But, as so often, Nimzo witsch espies a combination which leads even more rapidly to the desired goal. And, as we might expect, this combination A weird reaction to Black's is laced with problem moves. It last move, which was obviously almost looks like a constructed conceived as a prophylactic situation rather than a game 32 Introduction to J.Ji:Jc6: Strategic Themes and History continuation. Black to play and queen and knight. Meanwhile, win; it is certainly worthwhile the white king's rook will not trying to find Nimzowitsch's run away. beautiful win yourself before 35 �d1 'i'fl+ inspecting the remainder of the 36 �d2 game. Or 36 �c2 'i'd3+ 37 �b2 28 i..b5+ lL!a4 with a 'problem mate' 29 c4 i..xc4+ (Nimzowitsch). 30 'i'xc4 %:[b2 36 'i'd3+ 31 i..e2 %:[g4 37 �e1 'i'g3+ 32 'i'cl 38 Wf1 'i'xh4 32 :h3 looks like an ade- With the shelter of his king quate defence, but then comes completely swept away White is the brilliant stroke 32 ...l:txh4 !, hopelessly lost. Black's mate e.g. 33 :txg3 :thl+ 34 �f2 rial investment amounts to a fxg3+ 35 �xg3 :txa1. 'Black mere exchange and he will soon wins the a-pawn and then de annex some more of White's cides the game in his favour by pawns. a direct attack with the rooks. 39 �g1 'i'g3+ Do not overlook that passed 40 �h1 'i'h3+ black a-pawn lurking in the 41 �g1 lL!xe4 background' (Nimzowitsch). 42 'i'c6+ 32 :txh4 33 :txh4 :xe2! 34 Wxe2 'i'xg2+ Taking a circuitous route to the defence of the white king. 42 �f7 As in his game versus Spiel 43 'i'c7+ �g6 mann from Stockholm 1920 44 'i'g7 + �h5 (page 18), Nimzowitsch harries 45 'i'g2 'i'e3+ the whole white army with his 46 �h2 lL!f2 Introduction to l . . .lt:Jc6: Strategic Themes and History 33 47 :n Game 9 Or 47 l:tgl 'i'e2 and White Milner-Barry- Mieses has no checks (Nimzowitsch). Margate 1935 47 ltJg4+ 48 'ithl e4 1 e4 lbc6 2 d4 d5 3 lbc3 dxe4 4 d5 lbe5 The only danger Black has to avoid is an accidental stalemate. White's advance of the a-pawn is an attempt to generate this 5 f3 accident. An adventurous gambit alter 49 l:tgl f5 native to 5 �f4. Also possible 50 a4 'itxh6 is 5 'ii'd4. 51 aS �g5 5 exf3 52 l:tbl f3 Black demonstrates excessive 53 'ii'b2 f2 confidence in his ability to de 0-1 fend the resulting position. More circumspect and better In spite of Nirnzowitsch's would have been 5 ...e3, refusing impressive victory in this game, the poisoned chalice. this is another line which is ob 6 ltJxf3 lbxf3+ jectively dubious for Black. For 7 'i'xf3 ltJf6 this reason, our main chapter on 8 �f4 a6 1 e4 tbc6 2 d4, concentrates on TI1e threat was now 9 lbb5. 2 ...e5 as Black's major reply. 9 h3 g6 If 9 ...�f 5, then 10 �xc7 A further idea, involving a 'ii'xc7 11 'ii'xf5 regains the gambit, also makes surrender of pawn, though this could hardly the centre with 3 ...dxe4 seem have been worse than the text. less than attractive. 10 g4 �g7 34 Introduction to J . ..tiJc6: Strategic Themes and History 11 0-0-0 i.c4+ ..t>h8 19 l:.xh7+ ..t>xh7 20 1 + i.h6 21 'i'xh6 is mate. In l:.h this variation 18... e6 is a supe rior parry to the check but after 19 'i'e3 the threats of i.xe6+ and l:.xd7 followed by i.xe6 are impossible to meet. Black's material advantage is completely irrelevant in the face of White's overpowering attack. 16 i.xc3 17 'i'h4 lLlf6 18 g5 'i'a5 19 gxf6 h5 11 i.d7 A last vain effort to check the After 11...0-0 12 'i'g3 l2Je8 impetus of the attack. Now 13 h4 White gains a huge attack White finishes off effortlessly. against the black king, much as 20 gxt7+ �xt7 in the game. 21 i.xh5+ 1-0 12 'i'g3 :cs 13 i.e2 0-0 Section C 14 h4 c6 Modern Times 15 h5 l2Jxd5 The next two games show the attraction that the ideas of Nimzowitsch, Chigorin and Bo goljubow still exert over mod ern grandmasters. Game 10 Piket-Christiansen Monaco Blindfo ld 1993 1 d4 l2Jc6 Starting with Bogoljubow. 2 e4 A voiding the Chi gorin. 16 hxg6 2 d5 White's attack is on the point Finally Black transposes to of crashing through. Now Nimzowitsch's Defence. 16 ...hxg6 allows 17 'i'h4 l:.e8 3 e5 i.f5 18 'i'h7+ �f8 19 i.h6, while 4 c3 f6 16... l2Jxf4 17 'i'xf4 fxg6 18 5 l2Jf3 Introduction to l.JiJc6: Strategic Themes and History 35 refuge in sight for White's king. 5 fxe5 Normally Black would not 14 i.g5 'i'h5 release the tension so quickly, 15 .txc6 bxc6 5 .. .'i'd7 being the more ortho 16 h3 h6 dox move in this case. 17 'i'f4 6 dxe5 This meets with an interest White has an interesting ing refutation but, if instead 17 gambit with 6 �b5! exd4 7 �f4 tt:::lh4! 18 hxg4 tt:::lxg2+ 19 tt:::lxd4 or 6 �b5 e4 7 tt:::le5. �e2 'i'xg4+ then Black wins. 6 e6 17 �f3!! 7 �b5 This is a standard pin by White who is attempting to in crease his control over the e5- square. 7 �c5 8 tt:::ld4 i.xd4 9 cxd4 'i'h4 White's somewhat dilatory play has allowed Black to seize the initiative. Black's queen occupies a most threatening post. 10 tt:::lc3 tt:::lge7 A beautiful thrust which leaves White's position full of 11 .te3 0-0 12 :ct .tg4 holes. 13 'i'd2 tt:::lf5 18 'i'xf3 'i'xg5 All Black's pieces are in ac 19 0-0 tt:::lxd4 tive play and there is no safe White has no defence and 36 Introduction to J . ..llJc6: Strategic Th emes and History rapidly loses several pawns. 4 cxdS ..i.xf3 20 'ii'g4 'ii'xeS 5 gxf3 'ii'xdS 21 .:teet 'ii'f6 6 e3 eS 22 4Ja4 eS In the main body of the text 23 ltJcS 'ii'd6 (see page 120) we prefer 6 ...e6 24 b4 11£4 which preserves Black's second 25 'ii'g3 .l:af8 bishop. 26 4Jd3 7 4Jc3 ..tb4 8 ..i.d2 .ixc3 9 bxc3 'ii'd6 The whole point of playing this defence against Kasparov was to unsettle him with some thing unusual. In that sense this move is consistent. In the or thodox lines of the Chigorin Black nonnally plays 9 ... exd4 10 cxd4 and then ...4Jge7 or ...4Jf6 . The text plans to side step an exchange of queens based on 'i'b3. 26 4Jf3+ Elegant to the last. 27 gxf3 lhf3 28 'ii'xeS 'ii'g6+ 29 'ifilh1 29 With the threat of ...lbxd4. 23 i.xd4 ... xd4 15 i..e2 f5 24 l:tf5+ 16 0-0 Settling for half a point. 16 fxe4? 24 lbxf5 Here Black misses the best 25 ti'xf5+ �g8 path. According to Kasparov Not 25 ..."i'f6 26 i.c4+ �e7 16... lbg6 ! 17 i..xc7 :ac8 18 27 l:te l+ winning. exf5 :xc7 19 ti'd5+ �h8 20 26 ti'h7+ �f7 fxg6 lbe7 is unclear. Slightly lfz_llz better for White is 17 i..c4+ It is perpetual after 27 ti'f5+. �h8 18 i.cl fxe4 19 "i'xe4 "i'd6, though Black's position Section D remains quite playable. White Practising What We Preach has the two bishops but his kingside is broken up. The following games are in 17 ti'xe4 ti'xc3 cluded for two reasons: 18 i.e3 ti'a3 a) to demonstrate to readers 19 i..d3 "i'd6 that we have actually played the 20 "i'xh7+ 12 lbrs The safest haven for Black's 13 lbbd2 cS king. It is interesting in this variation how often Black de lays castling, or even omits it altogether. 20 g4 White had to undertake something, but now the opening of the h-file plays into Black's hands. Conversely, if White did nothing, Black would simply have pressed forwards on the queen 's flank, by means of ...b4. 20 hxg4 Black plays on both wings. 21 hxg4 lbh4 He maintains the choice of 22 lbg3 lbxf3+ trading on d4 or implementing a 23 'jj'xf3 g6 general queenside pawn ava 24 30 ltcal It is important, when White This trick permits White to has claimed so much of the save his queen, but he remains a centre with his pawns, to keep a knight down with a hopeless firm grip over the blockading position. square f5 . 30 %bg3+ 8 lLld2 lLlfS 31 'i'xg3 .txg3 9 lLlf3 "i'd7 32 l:ta7 q;c7 10 .td2 Black emerges a piece ahead This development of the with an win. easy bishop is somewhat passive. It 33 :xb7+ q;xb7 seems more sensible to develop 34 :n l:.xb2 White's king's bishop instead, 35 fS gxfS either on e2 or b5. 36 gxfS .th4 10 lLlce7 37 fxe6 fxe6 38 :ct .tgs 0-1 Game l3 Hindley-Keene Correspondence 1963 1 e4 lLlc6 2 d4 dS 3 eS .tfS 4 lLle2 e6 s lLlg3 .tg6 6 c3 f6 Reinforcing the blockade of 7 f4 lLlh6 f5. Introduction to 1 . ..liJc6:Strategic Themes and History 41 11 tLle2? e5 though White is severely This is a catastrophic retreat. handicapped by the presence of White's threat of g4 is easily his king in the middle of hos parried and now Black swiftly tilities. seizes the initiative. 11 .ihS 12 tLlg3 .1g4 13 .id3 tLlxg3 14 hxg3 �fS 15 'itf2 It is a choice between this humiliating king move to de fend g3 or the supine exchange 15 .1xf5. The latter would, however, have been somewhat preferable. 15 � 16 'i'b3 cS 21 fxeS Now both White's king and 22 cxdS lLlfS queen are in the firing line. It is 23 dxe6 fascinating to observe how This loses a piece but 23 quickly Black can obtain a win i..xf5 'i'xf5 was also very poor. ning position with this defence 23 �xd4+ if White's play is hesitant. 24 �f2 �xbS 17 �h2 �h6 25 exf7 .:xd3 18 tLlxg4 tLlxg4+ 26 �e2 e4 19 �f3 0-1 Hoping for 19... c4? 20 i..xc4 dxc4 21 'i'xc4+ followed by Game l4 �xg4 when the worst is over. Sandiford-Keene 19 lLlh6 Dulwich 1961 20 'i'bS Now seeking relief in the ex 1 e4 tLlc6 change of queens, but Black 2 d4 dS transfers his attention to 3 eS f6 (D) White's exposed king. Nimzowitsch's original idea, 20 'i'f7 which is far more challenging 21 c4? than 3 ...i.. f5 . A final blunder which loses 4 f4 i..fS material. It would have been 5 tLle2 'i'd7 better to launch a hand-to-hand 6 tLlg3 i..g4 fight with 21 exf6 gxf6 22 dxc5 7 .ie2 .1xe2 42 Introduction to J.Jijc6: Strategic Th emes and History As so often in this defence, 13 hxg3 lt:Je7 the trade of light-squared bish 14 ..tf2 f5 ops furthers Black's aims rather than White's. Black no longer requires the f5 -square for his knight. It is 8 lt:Jxe2 e6 more important to fix White's 9 .i.e3 lt:Jge7 pawn on g3 as a weakness in Almost imperceptibly, Black preparation for the line-opening has gained tangible influence attack ...h4. over the centre and White's re 15 lt:Ja3 lt:Jg6 maining dark-squared bishop is 16 'i'd3 �f7 seriously restricted by its own A vital step in connecting pawns. Black's rooks. The king is safer on n than it would be after 10 0-0 lt:Jf5 11 'i'd2 h5 ... 0-0-0. Once again, this strategically 17 c4 ..txa3 valuable advance of Black's h 18 'i'xa3 h4 pawn plays a vital role. The final attack commences. 12 lt:Jg3 There is no need to risk the A common factor in this opening of the position after opening is that White simply 18. . . dxc4. cannot stand the presence of the 19 cxd5 'i'xd5 black knight on f5 and therefore 20 l:acl c6 accepts doubled pawns in order 21 l:c5 'i'd7 to eliminate it. However, 22 b4 h3 White's doubled pawns on the White's demonstration on the g-file represent an attractive other wing comes too late. target for Black's further attack, There is really no defence to by means of ...h4. Black's numerous options on 12 lt:Jxg3 the h-file. Introduction to J.Ji:Jc6:Str ategic Themes and History 43 from 1921, referred to in the introduction to this section: 6 ....i.xb 1 7 :xb 1 0-0-0 8 cxd5 'i'xd5 9 .i.xc6 'i'xc6 10 0-0 e6 11 .i.e3 t:i"Je7 12 ji'e2 t:i"Jd5 13 l:.fc 1 'i'd7 14 l:tc4 �b8 15 'i'd2 l:tc8 16 liJe 1 .i.e7 17 !iJd3 .:hd8 18 'i'c2 f5 19 l:.c l g5 20 t:i"Jc5 i.xc5 21 l:.xc5 :g8 22 'i'e2 h5 23 gxh3 :xh3 24 'i'c1 l:ah8 25 b5 l£Je7 26 �g2 b6! An elegant move which gains control of the vital d5-square for Black's queen. 27 bxc6 l£Jxc6 0-1 28 l:.xc6 'i'd5 is checkmate, offering a sacrifice to help while after 28 :b5 t:i"Je7 White open lines against White's king. also loses control of the long Indeed, Black's pawn avalanche light-squared diagonal. The next soon broke through in decisive game follows an identical the fashion, Three Swedish Ama matic trend. teurs-Nimzowitsch, Uppsala 1921. Game 15 6 0-0-0 Sugden-Keene Already the battle lines are Dulwich 1961 set. Opposite castling will lead to a very sharp fight. 1 e4 l£Jc6 7 l£Jc3 e6 2 d4 d5 8 i.e3 a6 (D) 3 e5 f6 9 i.xc6 4 !iJf3 .i.f5 This is a strategic blunder. 5 �b5 ji'd7 White should either play 9 �e2 preserving his light-squared 6 0-0 Varying from 6 c4, which bishop or even 9 i.a4 when was played in the famous Black would hardly consider Nimzowitsch consultation game permitting the sacrifice 9 ...b5 44 Introduction to 1 ·..lLl c6: Strateg•c · Themes and H'� Wry 10 lilxbS. Black's pieces o�t ?f play' but weaknesses aris e m tts wake. 13 4 lt:lh6 Not 13 :t_3 1� l:.f3 fxg4 15 lbh3 gxh3 16 g4 regaining control with ��ood position. . 14 i.e7 15 l:.f2 lt:lf7 16 'i'f3 l:.h4 17 gxfS gxfS 18 l:.h2 l:.dh8 9 'i'xc6 10 lt:lh4 i.g6 11 lbxg6 hxg6 12 f4 fS Black's attack plays itself . · The move . . . g 5 wtll soon smash Whtte's' position 19 �hi gS 20 JLf2 g4 This advan ce �orces a deci- sive gain of matenal . Black alread has an excel- 2 1 'i'e � l:.xh3 lent position� Je owns the half 22 JLg l:.xh2+ open h-file nd has a potential . 23 JLxh2 l:.h3 attack against White's king'· 0-1 ...g5 perhaps comb'med with There is no de�ence to ...g 3. r.-. ..."l.Jh6-g4 . M eanw h'l 1 e, as so . o ften occurs Wh'tt e's remammg · Game 16 ' . dark -squared bishop ts an ex . Tisdaii-Jacobs tremely feeble ptece. White's Gausdal 1996 . next move an ambitious at- tempt to g�fn space and lock 1 d4 lt:lc6 Introduction to 1 . . .lt:Jc6: Strategic Themes and History 45 2 dS The tempting alternative 4 f4 An earlier game of mine (BJ) gains time and space but, again, from the same tournament, as we have seen, White must be against the Russian grandmaster very wary of playing too many A. Ivanov, saw 2 l2Jf3 d5 3 g3 pawn moves while his devel .i..f5 (3 ....i.. g4 is a perfectly opment lags. playable alternative and is per 4 l2Jg6 haps more dynamic - see page 5 l2Jf3 l2Jf6 131) 4 .i.. g2 e6 5 0-0 l2Jf6 6 6 l2Jc3 l2Jbd2 .i..e7 7 a3 l2Je4 8 c4 0-0 9 b3 .i..f6 (the tactical try 9 . . . l2Jc3 10 'i'e1 dxc4 11 l2Jxc4 l2Jxd4? backfires after 12 l2Jxd4 'i'xd4 13 .i..b2 .i.. f6 14 l:.cl and White wins a piece) 10 .i..b2 a5 11 l:.cl 'ilfd7 12 e3 l:.fd8 13 'ilfe2 and White had a small advantage. 2 lbes 3 e4 e6 4 'i!fd4 6 i.e7 I spent a long time on this move convincing myself that Black's position was okay after White's reply. A strange looking alternative which tries to make use of the unusual po sition of White's queen is 6 ...b6 !? when play can continue 7 dxe6 (this is a critical attempt to disrupt Black's position by White hopes to gain time by attacking his knight; if White kicking the black knight around. continues quietly Black should However, as with Alekhine's not have problems, e.g. 7 .i.. g5 Defence, White can find that his �c5 8 'i'd2h6 9 i.xf6 'iixf6 is own position has become over fine for Black) 7 .. .fxe6 8 e5 extended if he is not careful. In i.c5 and now 9 'i'c4, prevent this game White has some diffi ing the knight from corning to culties with the exposed posi d5 with the following possibili tion of his queen. ties: 46 Introduction to l ... lt:Jc6: Strategic Th emes and History a) 9 ...lt:Jg8 might be playable weakness on g4 is also a very but White has dangerous tries important feature of the posi such as 10 .ltg5 lt:Jxe5 11 'ii'e4 tion. lt:Jxf3+ 12 'ii'xf3 'ii'xg5 13 'ii'xa8 9 0-0-0 d6 lt:Je7 14 lt:Je4e5 'ii' 15 0-0-0 0-0 Black is planning to close the 16 lt:Jxc5 'ii'xc5; 10 h4 i.b7 11 centre with ...e5 and White de .ltg5 lt:J8e7 12 h5 lt:Jf8 13 lt:Je4; cides to prevent this. or finally, 10 b4 Ji.e7 11 lt:Jb5 10 dxe6 i.xe6 c6 12 lt:Jd6+ .ltxd6 13 exd6. 11 lt:JdS b) 9 ...d5 fails to the accurate This move allows Black to continuation 10 'ii'a4+! i.d7 force a favourable simplifica (10... lt:Jd7 11 'i'c6) 11 i.b5 and tion. White would have done Black is in trouble, e.g. 11.. .a6 better to maintain the tension 12 .ltxd7+ lt:Jxd7 13 'ifc6 and with a simple developing move the e-pawn cannot be sensibly such as 11 i.c4. defended. 11 i.xdS 7 h4 hS 12 exdS lt:Jg4 Wilhelm Steinitz, who was From now until the end of the well-known for his love of con game White's f-pawn proves to stricted positions, would proba be an annoying weakness for bly have rejoiced in Black's him. position after 7 ...0-0 8 h5 lt:Jh8, 13 Ji.d3 Ji.f6 but I didn't like the look of it. 14 Ji.xf6 'ifxf6 8 Ji.gS 0-0 15 'ifxf6 gxf6 The slight weakness of Black's kingside pawn structure is compensated for by the active positioning of his knights. 16 :d2 lt:Jf4 17 .trs l:.ae8 18 l:.e1 18 g3 appears to tidy up the white position but then the black knights come into their own, e.g. 18... lt:Je2+ 19 �b 1 lt:Jxf2 20 l:.h2 (or 20 l:.e1 lt:Jxg3 21 :g 1 lt:Jfh 1! when Black's It looks as though Black's h knights are on very strange pawn must be terribly weak but, squares but it is not at all clear as the game progresses, it be that White can exploit this) comes clear that this is not the 20 ...lt:Jg l! and the weakness of whole story and that White's White's back rank means that Introduction to . ..li)c6: Strategic Th emes and History 47 I Black will escape with an extra 20 �d1 1/z-lfz pawn. The position is equal. Black's 18 lhel+ active knights fully compensate 19 lbxe1 .:.es for the weakened pawns. This game demonstrated a typical by-product of playing ...lbc6 - Tisdall used up nearly an hour on his first six moves, including 20 minutes on 2 d5. His comment on the opening after the game was: 'It looked terrible for Black but, actually, it's not at all bad'. The moral to be drawn from this is that the white player runs terrible dangers if he underes timates Black's resources. 2 1 e4 l2Jc6 2 d4 e5 1 e4 lL:lc6 Black, for his part, will try to 2 d4 eS maintain the knight on e5 and by doing so keep control of the central dark squares. If he is obliged to exchange this piece, he will be looking to simplify the position with further ex changes. An important theme for Black in this variation is the move ...�b4+ which can often prove awkward for White. For example, if White drives the bishop away with c3, then he has taken the natural develop ment square away from his With this move, Black queen's knight. Alternatively, launches a swift central attack he could try �d2, but then there on the dark squares and imme is a danger that Black will ex diately gives White a problem change pieces and the position with the threat to his d-pawn. will become too simplified for There are three ways that White White to hope for an advantage. can counter this early attack and the manner of response lays the ii) Advancing with 3 dS foundation for the ensuing mid White gains space in the centre dlegame. as well as some time by driving the black knight back. If White i) Capturing with 3 dxeS now continues (after 3 ...lL:lce7) By playing like this, White 4 c4, we have a direct transpo hopes that Black's central sition into the lines which more knight will provide a target and commonly arise from the se help him to develop his pieces. quence d4 lL:lc6 2 c4 e5 3 d5 I White can attack this knight t:Dce7 4 e4, considered in chap with moves such as tLlf3, �f4 ter five. Here we consider at or, most adventurously, f4 . tempts by White to avoid c4. 1 e4 lLlc62 d4 e5 49 This plan should not be trou 7 b4!? blesome for Black as he has a An adventurous try from very flexible position and can White, trying to take the initia develop in King's Indian fash tive at a very early stage. White ion with ...g6 and ...f 5 or play hopes to gain time and space by more adventurously by devel this advance but the drawback oping the bishop on a more ac is that his position could be tive square such as b4 or c5. come over-extended. Others: a) 7 �c4 is a simple alterna iii) 3 tbf3 - The Scotch Game tive which incidentally threat By playing 3 tbf3, White trans ens mate. Solomon-Miles, Mel poses directly to the Scotch bourne 1991 continued 7 .. .'i'f6 Game. This is an important op 8 J.f4 d6 9 tbd2 tbe7 10 0-0-0 tion for White and so here we (this, combined with White's consider defences for Black next move, constitutes an ambi against the two most popular tious plan, but he is unlikely to ways of playing the Scotch for get anywhere with the quiet 10 White. 0-0) 10... 0-0 11 h4 lt:Jc6 (ll ...li:Jg6 immediately should Game 17 also be fine, although White Gi. Garcia-Miles would then have more options - Linares 1994 e.g. 12 J.g3 or 12 g3 - than he does in the game) 12 'iWg3 lt:Je5 1 e4 tbc6 13 J.e2 tbg6 14 J.e3 J.xe3 15 2 d4 eS 'ii'xe3 'ii'f4 (Black has a slight 3 dxeS tbxeS initiative) 16 tbfl :e8 17 'ii'xf4 4 tbf3 �b4+ li:Jxf4 18 �f3 J.e6 19 b3 a5 20 5 c3 tbxf3+ lt:Je3 a4 and Black's chances are 6 'ii'xf3 �cs preferable. b) With 7 J.d3 White leaves the c4-square free as he has a plan in mind to harry the black bishop, e.g. 7 ...d6 8 tbd2 li:Je7 9 b4 �b6 10 lt:Jc4 0-0 11 0-0 J.e6 12 a4 (White continues with his plan, but his queenside structure is quickly becoming exposed and this soon tells against him) 12 ...c6 13 tbxb6 axb6 14 'ii'e2 �b3 15 �c2 �xc2 16 'ii'xc2 b5 17 J.e3 bxa4 18 l:ha4 :xa4 19 'ii'xa4 'ii'd7 20 ltd1 'i!Ve6 21 'i!Vc2 50 1 e4 lbc62 d4 e5 d5 (Black has completely waste too much time, due his equalised) 22 �c5 (White slightly undeveloped state. For should have reconciled himself example 9 lLlc4 0-0 10 a4 to 22 exd5 as the text backfires comes unstuck after the in on account of White's weak structive reply 10 ...d5 ! 11 exd5 back rank) 22 ... dxe4 23 .:td6 lLlxd5 and if now 12 a5? .:.e8+ .:ta8 24 h3 'ii'e5 25 'ii'a2 (White 13 ..te2 lt:Jxc3! Black wins, as tries a back-rank trick of his ...�d4 fo llows if White cap own, but the damage has al tures the knight. ready been done) 25 ...l:.e8 26 9 c6!? l:td7tt:Jd5 27 ..td4 'ii'b8 28 'ii'e2 Black is trying to provoke 'ii'c8 29 'ii'g4 g6 30 c4 h5 31 White into over-extending him 'ii'g5 'ii'xd7 32 'i'h6 lt:Jf6 0-1 B. self - a conunon theme in this Martin-Miles, Auckland 1992. variation. For the less adventur c) 7 �e3 is rather insipid. ously inclined, the simple 9 ...a6 After 7 ...i.xe3 8 'ii'xe3 lt:Jf6 9 was a perfectly sound alterna lt:Jd2 0-0 10 ..td3 .Ue8 11 0-0 d5 tive. The play now assumes a 12 l:.ae1 ..tf5 13 'ii'f3 dxe4 14 forcing nature. lt:Jxe4 i.xe4 15 i.xe4 Black 10 tt:Jc4 i.c7 was completely equal in Thip 11 eS! say-Miles, Calcutta Open 1994. White must continue his 7 i.b6 strategy aggressively, otherwise An alternative scheme of de his position will become ex velopment is 7 ...i.e7 8 i.c4 posed to a quick black counter i.f6 eyeing the slight weakness attack. For example after 11 on c3. i.f4 d5 Black already stands 8 tt:Jd2 0.e7 well. 11 0-0 9 a4 White must be careful not to 12 i.gS 1 e4 lDc62 d4 e5 51 Again it is essential for White 16 'l'g3 f6 to continue actively as Black, 17 i.h6 'l'f7 although cramped, is poised to take the initiative with moves such as ...lZ'lg6 or .. .f6 when White will regret his lack of development. 12 'l'e8 Black side-steps the pin and threatens to bring intolerable pressure to bear on the white e pawn with ...lZ'lg6. White's con tinuation is thus forced. 13 lZ'ld6 i.xd6 14 exd6 lZ'ld5+! This is much stronger than 18 i.c4 the attempt to round up the Miles points out the amusing White e-pawn. After 14... lZ'lf5+ variation 18 i.e2 'lt>h8! 19 the logical conclusion of the i.h5? 'l'g8! (Black defends in game may well be a curious true Steinitzian fashion) 20 i.f4 draw, i.e. 15 �d2! 'l'e6 (not tt:lxf4 and ...'l'd5+ will pick up 15... lZ'lxd6 16 %tel when the a piece. black queen is 'checkmated') 16 18 �h8! i.d3 lZ'lxd6 17 %the1 lZ'lc4+ 18 19 .tf4 b5! The white d-pawn is now in defensible. 31 '�tel .:txd6 The contrast with the position 32 'ifc3 .i.dS of just a few moves ago is re Black continues methodi markable. The black forces cally, exchanging off White's have emerged from confine- better minor piece and further 1 e4 lbc62 d4 e5 53 exposing his king. White could safely resign here. 33 a) 5 .id2 leads to an immedi ate simplification of the posi tion which should leave Black without serious difficulties, e.g. 5 ...i.xd2+ 6 l'hbxd2 'i'f6 7 lbxe5 'i'xe5 8 c3 l'he7 9 i.d3 0-0 10 0-0 l'hg6 11 :l.e1 d6 (Black has an easy game) 12 i.fli.d7 13 l'hc4 'i'g5 14 'i'd2 1i'xd2 15 l'hxd2 .:tfe8 16 g3 .ic6 41 'i'c5 17 .ig2 l'he5 18 :tab 1 .:te7 19 A blunder, but White's posi f4 l'hd7 20 l:te3 l:tae8 21 .:tbe1 tion was hopeless. f5 22 h3 'itf8 23 �f2 l'hc5 24 e5 0-1 dxe5 25 .ixc6 bxc6 26 fxe5 41...lba4+ picks up the white l:txe5 and Black went on to win queen. in Zaninotto-Miles, Mendrisio 1989. Game IS b) 5 l'hc3 is untested but a Kudrin-Miles logical continuation for Black is US Championship 1989 5 ...l'hxf3+ 6 'i'xf3 'i'f6 which looks equal as 7 ji'g3 can be 1 e4 lbc6 comfortably met by 7 ...'i'g6 2 d4 e5 c) 5 l'hbd2 is the most dy 3 dxe5 lbxe5 namic of White's alternatives, 4 lbf3 .ib4+(D) e.g. 5 ...l'hxf3+ 6 'i'xf3 lbe7 5 c3 (6 ...jff6 followed by ...lbe7 is White can also consider other another scheme of develop ways of blocking the bishop ment) 7 a3 i.a5 8 b4 .ib6 9 check: .i.b2 0-0 10 .i.c4 (10 'i'g3 f6 54 1 e4 tbc62 d4 e5 and Black is preparing to hit 'ii'c3 ..ixd 1 25 l:.xd1 "ilf7 26 back in the centre with ...d5 .) it'e3 ii'f3 and Black won easily, . ..tbc6 11 l'bb3White is now IO Gi. Garcia-Miles, Matanzas Ca threatening 'ii'g3 - on the previ pablanca Memorial 1995. ous move this would have been 5 ..id6!? met by .....id4 - which would cause a serious weakness in the black kingside) 11...'i'h4 12 g3 (White is trying to create an initiative on the kingside, but this weakness has long-term repercussions) 12... 'i'h6 13 l:.d 1 d6 (due to the weakness created by g3, it is now impossible for the white king to find a secure home) 14 :d5? ..ie6 15 l:.h5 'I'g6 16 ..ie2 f5 ! 17 exf5 ..ixf5 18 0-0 l:tae8 (Black has smoothly completed his devel This is an imaginative alter opment while White has been native to the straightforward driven back in confusion) 19 capture on f3 . ..id1 ..ie420 'i'c3 tbe5 21 l'bd4 6 l'bbd2 Or 6 tbxe5 ..ixe5 7 f4 .id6 8 .i.e3 'i'e7 9 'i'if3 .i.c5 10 i.c4 ..ixe3 11 'i'xe3 (White seems to be making all the running but Black now finds a neat equal ising blow) ll...d5 12 i.xd5 l2Jf6 13 ..ib3 'ii'xe4 14 'i'xe4+ l2Jxe4 15 0-0 0-0 16 l:.e1 l2Jc5 17 i.c2 i.e6 18 b4 l2Jd7 19 f5 i.d5 20 lLla3 tbf6 21 c4 .ic622 b5 ..td7 23 h3 h5 24 �f2 l:.fe8 and Black drew without diffi culty, Popovych-Emrns, London 21.. . ..ixd4! 22 'ifxd4 ..if3 Lloyds Bank 1990. (White's over-ambitious plan of 6 tbxf3+ switching his rook to h5 has 7 tbxf3 tbe7 backfired and it now provides a 8 eS target for Black) 23 .U.xe5 (23 Black's defence has reacted :h3 'ilff5 leaves White without on the white player like a red a sensible reply) 23 ...dxe5 24 rag to a bull and he now pro- 1 e4 tbc62 d4 e5 55 ceeds to charge at his opponent White continues to play is if without any thought for the he stands well, but a more pru safety of his own pawn struc dent course would have been 13 ture. 0-0 with equality. 8 �cS 13 :e8+ 14 �e2 fl'f6! 9 b4?! One of the attractive features This counterattack against c3 of this variation for Black is ensures that Black regains his that White often overstretches material. himself while searching for an 15 0-0 cxd6 advantage. The black position 16 i.bS looks underdeveloped and this 16 �xd6? l:.xe2. often encourages aggressive 16 lld8 white players to force the play 17 fl'd2 �g4 more than is justified by the 18 tbd4 .:ac8 situation on the board. Black's 19 :act position is very solid and is un The weakness of the c3-pawn likely to be broken down by forces White into this passive brute force. rook placement. 9 �b6 19 tt:Jes 10 i.f4 0-0 The relative weaknesses ap 11 �c4 tbg6 pear to cancel each other out, 12 �g3 d6! but if anyone stands better, it is Suddenly Black has com Black. As well as eyeing pleted development and the White's weak pawn on c3 early white advance with 9 b4 (somewhat counterbalanced by has just led to a weakening of Black's isolated pawn on the d the c3-square. file), Black also has designs on 13 exd6 occupying c4 with his knight. If 56 1 e4 lLlc62 d4 e5 now, for example, 20 c4 to fight Black's pieces to converge on against that weakness, then White's king from all sides. 20... �xd4 21 'ifxd4 liJf3+ wins 29 i.xh4 'ifhS White's queen. 20 :ret :c7 21 i.fl a6 22 .:e4 'ifg6 23 :eel f6 30 �g3? White blunders in a compli cated position. Correct was 30 lLlf3 'i'xh4 which should lead to a draw, e.g.: The weaknesses on c3 and d6 a) 31 'i'a2+ �h8 32 thxh4 cancel each other out and so the thf2+ and White would be ad position is complex but bal vised to acquiesce in a draw by anced. perpetual as 33 'ifxf2 i.xf2 34 24 'ithl l:.dc8 thg6+'it>h7 35 :.1e2 i.a7 leaves Having reinforced his central Black with the better chances. knight, Black now gradually b) 31 i.c4+ 'it>h8 (not increases the pressure against 31...'ith7 32 'i'c2+ or 31...l:.xc4 White's c-pawn. 32 'ifd5+ �h8 33 thxh4 win 25 .:4e3 i.d7 ning) 32 thxh4 thf2+ 33 'i'xf2 Black envisions a regrouping (33 'it>g1 the4+ 34 'ife3 i.xe3+ of his pieces with the knight 35 l:.xe3 l:.xc4 and Black is coming to g4 and the bishop to holding the balance as 36 lhd7 c6. can be met by the clever 26 a4 hS 36 ...l:.xb4) ...33 i.xf2 34 thg6+ Of course not 26 ...i.xa4 27 �h7 35 llle2 'it>xg6 and Black 'ifa2+. The text combines play stands well. on both sides of the board. c) 31 thxh4 thf2+ 32 'itg 1 27 f4 ltJg4 and now Black can draw with 28 l:.e7 h4 32 ...lLlh3+. Trying for more A neat sacrifice which allows with 32 ...the4+ 33 'ii'e3 �xe3+ 1 e4 lbc62 d4 e5 57 34 l:be3 d5 is dangerous after queen with two extra pieces. 35 c4. His last remaining task is to 30 l:lxc3! assuage White's fury, as he After this blow, which White doubles his rooks on the 7th must have underestimated, the rank. black attack assumes decisive 37 �g3 l:lxd2 proportions. 31 l:lxd7 l:lxg3 32 h3 'ii'dS! The immediate point is that 32 hxg4 fails to 32 ...l:lh3+ 34 'iitg1 .i.xd4+. However, White believes that he has seen a flaw in Black's plan. 33 t:bf3 38 l:lee7 White is desperately trying for a trick based on his doubled rooks on the seventh rank. This is a forlorn hope but 38 cli>xg4 l:lc7 is also completely pros pectless. 38 lbh6 39 l:txg7+ cli>f8 33 'ii'xf3! 40 l:lh7 l:lcc2 This is a neat concluding tac 41 l:lh8+ t:bg8 tic from Miles. White's next is 42 �g4 l:lg2+ forced in order to cover the 43 cli>fS l:lg7 g 1-square, as 31 gxf3 l:lg 1 is 44 l:lxd6 l:lc6 checkmate. 0-1 34 �c4+ A brilliant game, again re Vacating the back rank with vealing the hitherto undiscov tempo. White sacrifices his ered energy inherent in the un bishop to defend g 1. usual positions that develop 34 1:bc4 from this uncharted variation. 35 gxf3 .:txh3+ 36 'iitg2 l:lh2+ The plan with ...e5 is not a The point. Black regains the modem invention, as the fol- 58 1 e4 lbc62 d4 e5 lowing game shows. have insufficient compensation for the material sacrificed, Game 19 Planinc-Lutikov, Skopje 1969. Tarve-Keres b) 6 .....ib4+ 7 lL'ld2 lL'lf6 8 0-0 Ta llinn 1969 d6 9lL'lc4 'iie7 10 c3 ..ic5 11 b4 ..ib6 12 a4 (this time Planinc 1 e4 lLlc6 has developed much more 2 d4 eS smoothly and Black has trouble 3 dxeS lLlxeS co-ordinating his forces) 4 lLJf3 'i'f6 12 ... ..ig4 13 'i'e1 c6 14 ..ig5 h6 5 ..ie2 15 ..ih4 ..ic7 16 f4 g5 (a rather After 5 lLlxe5 'iixe5 the posi desperate measure, but the tion has become slightly simpli threat of e5 was hard to counter) fied but Black must be careful 17 fxg5 hxg5 18 ..ixg5 d5 19 that his queen does not provide exd5 ..ixh2+ 20 �f2 (White's too much of a target for the pressure on the e- and f-files is white pieces. Play can continue so great that the disturbance of 6 ..id3 and now: his king does not prove to be a problem) 20 .....ie6 a) 6 .....ic5 7 'i'e2 d6 8 lLlc3 lL'lf6 9 ..id2lLJg4 led to complex 21 �e2 (it is highly unusual play in Planinc-Lutikov, Skopje for a king to walk directly into 1969: 10 f4 'iie7 11 0-0-0 lLJf2 the path of a discovered check 12 lLJd5 'i'd8 13 l:.dfl lLJxh 1 14 but once it relocates to the ..ic3�f8 (this is a strange move queen's wing the pin against f6 but if 14... 0-0, then 15 'iih5 will be decisive) 2l... ..if5+ 22 yields what looks like a danger Planinc-Lutikov, Skopje 1969. struggling to find anything con 5 .i.b4+ structive to do with his queen's The bishop check is often bishop and, in attempting to awkward for White in this activate this piece, he runs into variation. If he meets it by in difficulties. terposing a piece, there is a 12 lbd4 l0g6 danger that his development 13 i.e3 will not flow smoothly or that White could prevent any in the position will become simpli cursions by the black knight fied. However, if he counters with 13 g3 but then 13... i.h3 14 with c3, as here, then the natural i.g2 i.xg2+ 15 �xg2 :res development square for his leaves Black with a very pleas queen's knight istaken away. ant position as the white king 6 c3 ..tc5 side has been weakened and his 7 0-0 4Je7 e-pawn is exposed. 8 lbbd2 d6 13 lbh4 9 lbb3 i.b6 14 lbc2 lbxf3 10 �h1 15 'i'xf3 'i'xf3 16 gxf3 White is hoping to develop play by continuing with an ex White got himself very tan change of knight on e5 and then gled up from the opening and f4 to generate pressure on the f has tried to solve his problems file. However, Black's next by baling out into an endgame. move cuts across this plan. However, the black initiative 10 lbxf3 persists despite the simplified 11 i.xf3 0-0 nature of the position. Black has developed his 16 f5 pieces comfortably and has no 17 'it>g2 i.d7 problems. Meanwhile White is 18 i.xb6 60 1 e4 lLlc6 2 d4 e5 Every time White exchanges Black should then win with his pieces he is helping Black to extra pawn) 21.. . .ie6 andWhite improve his position. Here he cannot cope with all the threats. opens the a-file for the black 20 fxe4 rook to come into the game. It 21 fxe4 c6 was better to sit tight with 18 22 b4 l:.fel. 22 lLlxb6 l:.g5+ 23 �h1 .ih3 18 axb6 24 .:Z.g1 .:Z.h5 and the white f 19 llJe3 l1a5! pawn goes. This is very instructive play. 22 l1a3 Keres maximises the activity of 23 lLlxb6 his rook by keeping an eye on The white knight cannot now the white a-pawn while simul retreat from the enemy camp taneously threatening to switch but if instead 23 lLle3 l1xc3 he to the kingside. In contrast is a pawn downfor nothing. 19... :ae8 20 exf5 .ixf5 21 23 .ie6 lLlxf5 l1xf5 22 l:.fe1 simplifies the position and leaves White with fewer problems to solve. 24 f4 One of White's problems is that 24 c4, trying to secure the 20 llJdS knight with c5, runs into This works out badly, but 24 ....ih3+. If White tries to im White's position was already prove on this variation with 24 very difficult, e.g. 20 a3 fxe4 21 l:.fd 1 then, amongst others, fxe4 %tg5+ 22 'ith1 l:.b5 and Black can play 24 ....:Z.xc3 25 Black wins due to the dual .:Z.xd6 .ih3+ 26 �g 1 .:Z.f4 and, threats of ....ih3 and ...l:.xb2; despite his extra pawn, Wh ite is 20 exf5 .ixf5 21 l:.fe1 (White unlikely to be able to beat off should perhaps reconcile him the rampant black pieces. self to 21 lLlxf5 .l:.axf5 although 24 l1a6 1 e4 lLlc6 d42 e5 61 White is now losing his ad- back with ... d6) 9 ... d6 10 h3 vanced knight. lte8 11 �d3 was seen in Pop 25 fS i.t7 chev-Cvetkovic, Vrbas 1993. 26 ltfdl lld8 Now 1I...tLlb4 is equal accord 27 tbc8 l:.xc8 ing to Cvetkovic. 28 lbd6 :es a2) 5 .tc4 .tb4+ (not 29 �f3 J:a3 5 ...i.c5? in view of then 6 0-1 i.xf7+) 6 c3 i.a5 7 lLlf3 'iii'e 7 8 'i'e2 .tb6 9 tLlbd2 d6 10 i.d3 Game 20 lt::lf6 11 tbc4 0-0 12 tLlxb6 axb6 Hebden-Jadoul 13 0-0 l:.e8 14 l:.e1 h6 gave Tdrnby 1987 Black a solid position in the game Knaak-Przewoznik, Dort 1 e4 tbc6 mund 1992. 2 d4 eS b) 4 ...tbg6 and now: 3 dxeS tLlxeS 4 tbf3 4 f4 is a more aggressive way for White to handle the posi tion. Black can then try: bl) 5 lDf3 �b4+ (5 ...i.c5 eyeing up the dark-square weakness as quickly as possible is more logical) 6 tbc3 'ii'e7 7 �d3 d6 8 0-0 �xc3 (this opens a) 4 ...tbc6 envisages an up too many lines for White) 9 eventual follow-up of ...�c5 (or bxc3 tLlf6 10 i.a3 c5 (10... tLlxf 4 ...i.b4-a5-b6) to exploit the 11 e5 and White's bishops weak dark squares. Possible come into their own) 11 e5 now are: (White forces the position open a1) 5 �e3 g6 6 tbc3 i.g7 7 anyway and effectively demon 'iii'd2 tbf6 8 tLlf3 0-0 9 0-0-0 strates exactly what Black must (White could try 9 e5 tbe8 but strive to avoid in this variation) then Black is poised to strike 1l...dxe5 12 fxe5 lt::ld7 13 e6 62 1 e4 ttJc6 2 d4e5 fxe6 14 �xg6+ hxg6 15 'iWd3 Black, e.g. 6 ...ttJxf6 7 �d3 (7 (Black's play has been a disas tLlc3 ..ib4 8 �d2 0-0 9 f3 d6 10 ter) 15 ...0-0 16 'i'xg6 and White tLlb5 �xd2+ 11 �xd2 lbe8 12 has an excellent position, Vogt a4 ..ie6 13 a5 a6 14 ttJd4 c5 15 Hoi, Tastrup 1990. ttJe2 d5 16 exd5 �xd5 and b2) 5 �e3 tlJh6 (a straight Black has nothing to complain forward alternativeto this inter about, Vujadinovic-Mestrovic, esting move is 5 ...�b4+ 6 c3 Yugoslav Ch 1991) 7 ...d5 8 �a5 intending ...�b6) 6 'i'd2 f5 lbd2 �e6 9 exd5 lbxd5 10 a3 (this is a double-edged plan; 0-0-0 11 lbe4 h6 12 �d2 f5 13 Black is hoping to obtain supe lbc3 g6 14 0-0-0 ..ig7 15 �c4 riority in the centre, but he must lbf4 16 �xe6+ ttJxe6 17 lbe2 be very careful as his develop again with complete equality, ment lags) 7 �d3 fxe4 8 �xe4 Westerinen-Yermolinsky, Mos 'i'f6 9 ttJc3 c6 10 �d4 'i'f7 11 cow OL 1994. 0-0-0 �e7 12 lbf3 0-0 13 �xg6 6 'iWg6 (this is adventurous play from An alternative is 6 ...�b4+ 7 White but if he reconciles him c3 �d6 8 f4 'iWg6 9 ..id3 self to 13 g3, then Black obtains 'i'xg3+ 10 hxg3 �c5 11 lbd2 a perfectly good position with d6 12 lbc4 a6 13 a4 tLlf6 14 13... d5) 13... 'i'xg6 14 g4 'i'f7 ..ie3 �xe3 15 lbxe3 ..id7 16 15 l:tde 1 �b4 with unclear play ttJd5 ttJxd5 17 exd5 a5 18 �f2 as in Roschina-Vlasov, Moscow �e7 19 l:ae1+ Hiibner 112-112 1994. Hort, Oslo 1984. 4 lbxf3+ 7 'i'xc7 5 'i'xf3 'iWf6 This is obviously risky, but it 6 'i'g3 is the only way White can try to 6 'iWxf6 is much too simple to play for the advantage. create any real problems for 7 �d6! 1 e4 ttJc62 d4 e5 63 Playing the posttlon as a be concerned about Black cap gambit is Black's best ap turing on c3 and then e4 as proach. 7 ...'ilt'xe4+ S �e3 gives White would then have the two White the chance to develop an bishops in an open position and initiative. all the chances. Play can con 8 'iic4 ttJf6 tinue 10 ...0-0 11 0-0-0 d6 when 9 ttJc3 Black has some counterplay but 9 f3? runs into the strange White should be better. tactic 9 ...�x h2!. 10 0-0 9 �eS 11 0-0-0 This move is positionally well motivated but Black may do better to launch an attack as quickly as possible, e.g. 9 ...0-0 10 f4 (simple development from White allows Black to achieve what he wants, e.g. 10 �e3 lieS 11 .:.d1 �e5 and Black will re gain his pawn as the trick 12 f3 �xh2 is always in the position) 10... b5 (it is imperative for Black to play as actively as pos sible) 11 ttJxb5 ttJxe4 12 �d3 lieS and Black's lead in devel 11 dS!? opment easily compensates his Jadoul plays this game with pawn deficit. tremendous energy. A more restrained approach with ll...d6 was possible but then White, as in the previous note, should stand slightly better. Jadoul is prepared to gambit most of his queenside in the interest of opening lines against the white queenside. 12 exdS After 12 lDxd5 Jadoul gives a demonstration of the Black's chances with the variations 12... ttJxd5 13 exd5 (13 'ii'xd5 10 �d2?! 'ii'f6 14 'i'b3 �e6 15 'ii'a3 10 �e3 is a better test of 'iixf2) 13... �f5 14 .i.d3 .:.fcS Black's idea. White should not 15 �xf5 'iixf5 16 'i'b3 b5! 64 1 e4 tLlc62 d4 e5 planning ...l:.c4, ...l:.ac8 and 16 'Wb3 l:.ab8 leaves White ...a5 and in both cases Black has without a decent move. promising play. 14 lUeS 12 bS 15 'il'a4 a6! 16 tL!d4 13 tL!xbS? White is determined to take 16 .:txc3! everything thrown at him, but This wonderful sacrifice from this is a little too greedy. With Jadoul is a fitting conclusion to the restrained 13 'iib3! b4 14 his imaginative play. Although tL!a4 .i.f5 15 .id3 .ixd3 16 Black is vastly behind on mate 'iixd3 'iixd3 17 cxd3 tL!xd5 rial, the white position is a White would have good end wreck and he is unable to co game chances. A plan here is 18 ordinate his forces in time to 'iti>c2!? intending �b3. beat off the black attack. Instead 13 'iixb5 is also un 17 bxc3 necessarily gluttonous. A possi After 17 tL!xf5 'ii'xf5 18 bxc3 ble variation is then 13... l:tb8 14 tL!e4! despite being the ex 'iia5 (14 'ii'a4 i.d7 15 'ii'a5 i.f5 change and three pawns down, 16 'ii'a4 is a way to draw imme Black has a crushing attack. The diately) 14... i.f5 15 'ii'a4 co-ordination of Black's forces tL!xd5! 16 tL!xd5 i.xb2+ 17 creates a powerful impression. 'iti>bl i.a3+ 18 �a1 with a draw 17 l:.b8! as 18 .ib4? .i.xb4 19 tL!xb4 18 tLlb3 .i.xc2+! 20 'ii'xc2 l:.xb4+ 21 18 tL!xf5 'il'xf5 leaves White 'it>cl 'ii'g5+ 22 l:.d2'ii' e5 23 l:.dl floundering hopelessly against a l:b7 is good for Black. corning check on the cl-h6 di 13 i.fS agonal, e.g. 19 i.d3 'il'f4+! 20 14 i.c3 'il'xf4 i.xf4+ 21 l:.d2 tL!xd5 and 14 .i.d3?l:.fc 8 15 .i.xf5'ii' xf5 Black wins. 1 e4 lt:Jc6 2 d4 e5 65 18 lbe4! White has not improved his po sition) 2I 'i'xa6 (there is noth ing better) 2I...'i'g5+ 22 �b1 'i'd2 23 .id3 ltJxc3+ and White will soon be mated. 19 'i'gS+ 20 �b2 ltJxc3 21 l:.e1 'i'd2 White has managed to close down the action of the black rook on the b-file but posi his tion remains a mess. Mean while, Black is guaranteed to regain much of his sacrificed material thanks to the threats against c3 and f2. The invasion of White's 19 'i'xa6 queenside is complete. There is It is very difficult to fm d a no defence to the massed black way for White to defend, e.g. I9 forces. g3 (planning to meet checks on 22 .id3 the ci-h6 diagonal with f4) 23 �b1 I9... lt:Jxf2 ! 20 l:.eI (if 20 .ixa6 0-1 .ixc2 2I l:.deI .ixb3 22 axb3 'i'g5+ 23 �bi lt:Jxhi 24 l:.xhi Game 21 .ixc3, the white position is a Howell-Miles disaster or 20 .id3 .ixd3 21 Isle of Man 1995 cxd3 lt:Jxh1 22 l:.xh1'i'xd3 and again Black regains virtually all 1 e4 lbc6 of his material and the white 2 d4 eS king is left defenceless) 3 dxeS lbxeS 20 ...lt:Je4! (it is surprising that 4 ltJc3 Black should expend two moves With this move White avoids simply capturing the white f the inconvenience of the bishop pawn, but now the weakness on thrust (4 ....ib4 is well met by 5 the c 1-h6 diagonal is again 'i'd4) and keeps his options opened up and meanwhile open as to how to deal with 66 1 e4 tt:Jc62 d4 e5 Black's central knight. Miles, Moscow I990. s d6 5 ...tt:Jg6 6 ..1g3 d6 7 h4 (7 'i'd2 ti:Jf6 8 0-0-0 0-0 9 ..1c4 is an alternative scheme of devel opment) 7 ...h5 8 'i'd2 ti:Jf6 9 0-0-0 ..1d7 (9 ...'i'e7 10 ti:Jd5 tt:Jxd5 II exd5 0-0 left Black permanently hampered by his weak kingside in Dolmatov Gulko, Hastings 1989: 12 i.e2 i.g4 13 i.xg4 hxg4 14 h5 tt:Je5 I5 i.h4 'i'd7 16 h6 'i'f5 17 hxg7 �xg7 I8 tt:Je2 .l:.h8 19 4 ..tcs ti:Jg3 'i'g6 20 'i'f4 f6 21 tt:Je4 This is the most logical .:.af8 22 tt:Jxc5 dxc5 23 i.g3 move. Black develops a piece, .l:.xhi 24 llxh1 lidS 25 'i'a4 does not yet commit the king's .l:.xd5 26 'i'xa7 'i'g5+ 27 �b1 knight and keeps the h4-d8 di 'i'd2 28 a3 'i'e2 29 'i'xb7 .l:.d i+ agonal open to develop his 30 .l:.xd 1 'i'xdl + 31 �a2 and White went on to win) I 0 queen. f3 s ..1f4 'i'e7 11 �b 1 0-0-0 12 tt:Jge2 (White has a space advantage but the black position is very solid) 12 ...tt:Je5 13 ti:Jd4 lt::lc6 14 lt::lxc6 .txc6 15 .tc4 ..1b4 (Black frees his position with exchanges) 16 'i'd3 ..1xc3 I7 'i'xc3 ti:Jd7 18 .td5 ..1xd5 19 .:.xd5 ti:Jb6 20 .l:.a5 �b8 21 ..1f2 f6 22 .txb6 axb6 23 .l:.b5 'i'd7 24 'i'b3 .l:.de8 25 lld1 .l:.e5 26 a4 .l:.he8 27 .l:.dd5 .l:.xd5 If2-lh Brinck-Claussen - Hoi, Tastrup I995. A more adventurous, but also Note how in these two games more risky try is 5 f4, e.g. the black knight had very little 5 ...tt:Jc6 6 ..1c4 (incidentally to do on g6. Therefore Miles's threatening ..1xf7+) 6 ... d6 7 continuation, maintaining this ..1e6 8 ..1xe6 fxe6 9 tt:Ja4 ti:Jf3 piece in the centre, seems more ..1b6 10 tt:Jxb6 axb6 and the po logical. sition was unclear in Akopian- 6 'ili'd2 1 e4 lDc6 2 d4 e5 67 our main line move 6 ... lDf6. 7 0-0-0 i..e6 8 ltJa4 6 lDf6 Others: a) 6 ...i.. e6 led to intricate play in Kazhgaleev-Vlasov, White takes advantage of a Moscow 1994: 7 h4 a6 8 h5 f6 tactical feature of the position in (this is a strange move; why not order to gain the bishop pair. 8 ...h6 with a perfectly reason 8 i..b6 able position?) 9 ltJd5 c6 10 Miles is happy to allow lDe3 'i'b6 11 c3 a5 12 lDf3 White to gain the two bishops 0-0-0 13 ltJd4 i..t7 14 i..g3 lDh6 as in return the a-file will be 15 i..e2 l:.he8 16 0-0 g6 with a opened which will allow him to complex middlegame. generate pressure against the b) 6 ...ltJe7 7 0-0-0 i..e6 8 white king. He could also have lDa4 (the lack of pressure ag tested White's idea with ainst the white e-pawn - 6 ...lDe7 8 ...lDxe4, which leads to com instead of 6 ...lDf6 - allows plex play, e.g. 9 'i'e 1 lDxf2 10 White to gain the bishop pair) lDxc5 lDxh1 (lO... ltJxd 1 is bet 8 ...ltJd7 9 lDxc5 lDxc5 10 f3 0-0 ter and leads to an unclear posi 11 i..e3 b6 12 lDe2 a5 13 a3 tion after 11 lDxe6 fxe6 12 was Ulibin-Danailov, lbercaja 'i'xd 1 0-0) 11 i..b5+! (more 1992. White is a little better. incisive than 11 lDxe6 fxe6 12 In his recent book, An Op en lDh3) 1l...c6 12 lDxb7 'i'b6 13 ing Repertoire fo r the Attacking lDxd6+ �f8 14 'i'xe5 cxb5 15 Player, Eduard Gufeld dis i..e3 and White is winning. misses the defence l...lDc6 by 9 f3 0-0 claiming a large advantage for 10 a3 'i'e7 White in this variation. How The black opening has been a ever, he only considers 6 . ..CiJe7 complete success. He is fully and does not take into account developed and has attacking 68 1 e4 lDc62 d4 e5 chances on the queenside. 15 'i'cl 11 lLlxb6 axb6 This is too passive to give 12 lbe2 White chances of beating off the black attack. White could have tried for a tactical solution to his problems with 15 ..ig5 but this also looks unpromising, e.g. 15 .. .f6 (15... 'i'c5 16 lLJd4 gives White chances to defend) 16 lLld4i..f7 and now White has various tactical tries but they ultimately fail: 17 ..ih6!? (17 c4 fxg5 18 cxd5 ..ixd5 is very good for Black) 17... 'i'd7! (this is more accurate than 17... gxh6 which becomes messy after 18 12 lLlg6! lLlf5 'i'c5 19 lLlxh6+ �g7 20 It looks strange to retreat the lLlxf7 lLle3 21 b4!) 18 c4 knight from its fine central po (forced) 18... gxh6 19 cxd5 sition, but Miles wants to play 'i'xd5 and Black stands well. ...d5. This advance will clear 15 b5 the centre and allow him to feed The advance of this pawn pieces swiftly over to the will completely open the white queenside. White is already in king's defences. White is al big trouble. ready completely lost. 13 �b1 16 ..id2 b4 If 13lLlc3then 13... lla5 . 17 axb4 lLlxb4 13 d5 14 exd5 lLlxd5 18 b3 Other tries also succumb 1 e4 lDc62 d4 e5 69 quickly: 18 lDc3 lDa2 19 lDxa2 3 dS i.xa2+ 20 �a1 llfe6 and White has no way to meet the threat of ...i.b 1+ or 18 i.xb4 i.a2+ 19 �a1 'i'xb4 and the white king sill not survivelong. 18 lDxc2! 19 'i'xc2 19 �xc2 lta2+ 20 �b1 ltfa8 with ...:a 1 + and ...i.f5+ on the cards. 19 3 lDce7 White's most usual continua tion here is 4 c4, transposing into the variation 1 d4 lDc6 2 c4 e5 3 d5 lDce7 4 e4, examined in chapter five. Here we consider attempts by White either to de lay c4 substantially, or to get by without it altogether. 4 i.e3 4 lDf3 lDg6 5 h4 led to ob 20 llfc3 scure play in Mortensen-Hoi, After 20 i.c3one way to win Ostrava 1992: 5 ...h5 6lDc3 (this is 20 ...i.xb3 21 'i'd2 i.a2+ 22 looks better than 6 i.g5 i.e7 7 �c2 'ii'h3+ 23 �d3 ltad8+ 24 g3 d6 8 lDbd2 i.g4 9 i.b5+ lDd4ltf e8. �f8 10 i.e2 a6 11 a4 lDf6 12 20 i.fS+ .ixf6 i.xf6 13 lDh2 i.xe2 14 0-1 'i'xe2 and Black had no prob A well played game by Miles lems, Ostojic-Kaulfuss, Hessen and an excellent advert for the 1991) 6 ...i.b4 (this leaves the black system. black h-pawn rather exposed and so 6 ...i.e7 may be better) 7 Game 22 i.g5 lZJf6 8 lZJd2 c6 9 i.e2 Campora-Miles i.xc3 10 bxc3 cxd5 11 i.xh5 Seville 1993 lZJf4 12 i.f3 lDe6 13 i.xf6 'i'xf6 14 exd5 lDc5 15 g3 d6 1 e4 lDc6 with some counterplay for the 2 d4 eS pawn. 70 1 e4 lDc62 d4 e5 4 fS advanced e-pawn but his inva The positioning of the white sion along the g-file means that bishop on e3 acts as a target for the white h-pawn is, in the long this advance. term, indefensible) 22 ...lLlf4 23 5 f3 lLlf6 l:lxe3 l:.g5 24 a3 (White is very 6 l2Jc3 tangled up and the attempt to Or 6 i.d3 f4 7 .tf2 g5 8 c4 (8 expel the black knight with 24 h4!?) 8 ...l2Jg6 9 lLlc3 .tb4 lLle2 leaves the white rook en (Black is playing the position tombed after the response like a King's Indian but, having 24 ...lLlg2) 24 ...l:.ag8 25 c5 not yet committed his bishop to l:tg l+ 26 l:txg l lhg l+ 27 �a2 g7, he finds a more useful role l:.hl 28 .tb5 lhh2 29 lLla5 .tc8 for this piece) 10 'i'b3 'i'e7 11 30 cxd6+ cxd6 and the black h 0-0-0 i.c5 12 j,xc5 'i'xc5 13 pawn proved to be the decisive �b 1 d6 (having exchanged his factor, Paramos-Izeta, Spanish inferior dark-squared bishop, Ch. 1993. Black has a very comfortable 6 d6 game) 14 l2Jge2 'i'b6 15 'i'c2 7 'i'd2 g6 j,d7 16 ..tal ri;;e7 (there is no 8 0-0-0 .tg7 need for Black to castle and he wants to keep the g-file free for his rooks) 17 lDc l g4 18 'i'e2 :thg8 19lLlb3 gxf3 20 gxf3. 9 h3 White is hoping to gain space on the kingside by advancing g4, but Black's reply cuts across White is hoping for counter this plan. play based on c5, but Black 9 f4 ! keeps everything under control 10 j_f2 0-0 with a clever pawn sacrifice: 11 c.tb1 a6 20 ...'i'e3 ! 21 'i'xe3 fxe3 22 12 lLlge2 j,d7 l:.del (now Black will lose his 13 lLlcl 1 e4 lLlc62 d4 e5 71 17 dxc6 lLlxc6 18 lLlxc6 .i.xc6 19 .i.h4 l:td7 20 .i.xf6 .i.xf6 21 tLldS 13 bS This is perfectly playable but it leaves Black's queenside a little exposed. An alternative plan was 13... lLlc8, defending the d-pawn and planning to 21 .i.h4 break with ...c5 . White now The bishop appears out of conceives of a plan to manoeu play here but if Black ever has vre his pieces around to the the chance to play ....i.f2, it will queenside in the hope of ex have a wonderful diagonal to ploiting the slight Black weak work on. nesses there. 22 lLlb4 .i.b7 14 a3 'iib8 23 c4 r3;g7 15 lLlb3 l:td8 24 .i.d3 Black employs an alternative Here White goes astray and method of defending his d-pawn the black position comes to life. in preparation for ...c5. White should have preferred 24 16 lbaS cS cxb5 axb5 25 .i.d3 (but not 25 Black has been angling for .i.xb5 .i.xe4+ 26 fxe4 'iixb5 this break but White's 19th when the unhappy position of move leaves him in control of the white king gives Black all the important d5-square. There the chances) 25 ...'ii a7 26 l:thfl fore Black might have done preventing ....i.f2 and keeping better to wait with l6... h6, pre the position balanced. venting the plan White now car 24 aS! ries out. It is difficult to see This is very sharp play from how White can then improve Miles. With the aid of a pawn his position before Black plays sacrifice, Black's whole posi ...cS on his next move. tion now comes to life . 1 e4 lL!c62 d4 e5 72 31 'iib3 .i.a6 Black now always has the option of ... .i.xb5 when the re sulting opposite-coloured bish ops position greatly favour the attackingplayer. 32 .:.at .i.e3 33 .:thdl llb7 34 lL!xd6? 25 lDa2 b4! 26 axb4 axb4 27 'i'xb4 Instead 27 lL!xb4 'iia7 threat- ens, amongst others, ....i.f2 and if 28 l:.hfl then 28 ....i.d8 ! and with the bishop coming round to b6 or a5, White has big problems. 27 .i.f2! White, under heavy pressure, 28 lL!c3 .i.d4 blunders and loses immediately. His best try was 34 �b 1 when Black has the pleasant choice between 34 ....i.xb5 at once, or keeping the tension with 34 ....:tb6, planning to increase the pressure with ...'ilfc5 or ...'ii b7. 34 l:txb3 White had no doubt calcu lated 34 .. .lbb3 35 lbxc8 .:txd3 36 .:txd3 when Black is unable to recapture the lrnight on c8. Unfortunately he had over This fabulous outpost for the looked 34 .. .lbb3 35 lbxc8 bishop is worth much more than llab8! when the lrnight on c8 is the sacrificed pawn. lost as 36 llxa6 gets mated after 29 �c2 'ilfc8 36 ...llxb2+ 37 �c3 ll8b3. 30 lL!bS .i.cS 0-1 1 e4 lbc62 d4 e5 73 Transposition to the Scotch 5 bxc6 6 e5 "i'e7 Game 23 7 "i'e2 t:Dd5 Hort-Xie Jun 8 c4 .ia6 Prague (Women v Ve terans) 1995 1 e4 t:Dc6 2 d4 e5 3 lbf3 9 b3 White has various other pos sibilities here: a) 9 "i'e4 suggests that White is content with a draw as Black can reply 9 ...tt:lf6 10 "i'e2 ttld5 With this move White turns repeating the position. How the game into the Scotch ever, Black is not obliged to Opening. Although readers may acquiesce in a draw, e.g. 11 consider the Scotch Opening to "i'e4 tt:lb6 12 tt:ld2 0-0-0 13 b3 be outside the parameters of this f6 (the black queenside pieces book, transposition into this are temporarily locked out of opening is an option for White the game but White is under if Black plays the move we con developed and his centre is vul sider most promising here, i.e. nerable) 14 f4 fxe5 15 fxe5 d5 2 ...e5 . Therefore in this game 16 cxd5 ..txfl 17 l:.xfl cxd5 18 and the next we recommend "i'g4+ 'iitb7 19 ..tb2 h5 20 "i'e2 defences for Black against the 'i'e6 (Black has very good two main variations of the chances) 21 0-0-0 ..te7 22 tt:lf3 Scotch. c5 (by preventing the white 3 exd4 knight from coming to d4, 4 t:Dxd4 t:Df6 Black maintains the central 5 t:Dxc6 blockade) 23 h4 "i'g4 24 'i'c2 In the next game we consider :h6! (an excellent way to com White's alternativeof 5 t:Dc3. plete the mobilisation of his 74 1 e4 lLJc62 d4 e5 forces) 25 �b 1 l:.c6 26 .icl d4 0-0-0 17 0-0 l:.he8 18 :fe 1 f6 27 'ii'd3 a5 28 lt:Jg5 lt:Jd5 29 and Black has a solid position, �d2 c4 (it looks as though this J. Polgar-Piket Aruba 1995. attacking plan will expose both 9 'ifh4 kings but the key features are Black's central control and the excellent co-ordination of his forces which allow him to bene fit from the opening of the po sition) 30 bxc4 4Je3 31 �xa5 l:b8 32 �a1 �aS 33 g3 l1a6 34 �c7 This is a tricky tactical move which threatens to invade the white position with a com bination of ...'i'd4 and ....ib4+. White's passive reply is more or forced. less 10 a3 i..cS 11 i..b2 34 ...:a 3! 35 'ii'g6 :xa2+ 0- 1 White has two other tries: Gavrilakis-Wahls, Haifa 1989. a) If White tries to expel the b) 9 4Jd2 liJb4 (with this black queen from her post with move Black plans to regroup 11 g3 with ...c5 and ...lt:Jc6 but an al ternative is 9 ...g6) 10 'ife4 4Jb6 11 �d3 .ig7 12 0-0 0-0 13 f4 d6 (Black must counter quickly in the centre and he is not afraid of 14 'ii'xc6 as he gains the ini tiative after 14 ...dxe5 14 lLlf3 dxe5 and Black has a promising position as 15 f5 runs into the tactic 15 f5 .ixc4 16 �xc4 'ifc5+) 10 lt:Jf3 c5 11 a3 lLlc6 12 .id2 d5 13 exd6 'ifxe2+ 14 .ixe2 .ixd6 15 b4 .ib7 16 l:b l 1 e4 it:)c62 d4 e5 75 he runs into the surpnsmg 0-0 18 i.d3 f5 ! (Black has an tactic ll...i.xf2+! which nets excellent position as the white one of the white rooks and leads king is so exposed) 19 i.c4 to complex play, e.g. 12 'i'xf2 'ifilh8 20 ..ixd5 cxd5 21 'i'd3 (or 12 'ifilxf2 'i'd4+ 13 'iti'g2 .:tabS 22 l:te1 'i'xh2 23 it:)c3 'ii'xal and it is difficult for 'ii'xg2 24 'ii'xd5 'i'xf2 25 l:te2 White to justify his material 'i'fl+ 26 'iti'c2 f4 27 l:te7 f3? (a deficit, e.g. 14 'i'c2 'ii'xe5 15 mistake which allows White to i.d3 it:)e3+ 16 i.xe3 'ii'xe3 17 draw; the simple 27 .. .'i'g1 'ii'c3 0-0-0 18 .:tel 'i'h6 19 'ii'a5 would have prevented White's c5 20 'i'xc5 i.b7+ 21 i.e4 next and left Black with good i.xe4+ 22 l:txe4 'i'c6 23 'i'xc6 winning chances) 28 l:lxg7 dxc6 24 l:te3 l:the8 25 l:tf3 l:te2+ 'ii'f2+ 29 'iti'd3 'ii'fl + Yak 1h-1h 26 'ifilh3 l:tb2 0-1 Tomczak ovich-Emelin, St Petersburg Lukacs, Bundesliga 1995) 1995. 12 ...'ii' e4+ 13 'iti'd2 'i'xhl 14 11 it:)f4 i.g2 'ii'xh2 15 cxd5 cxd5 (White has regained some mate rial but his exposed king gives Black good play) 16 �c2 (16 it:)c3 c6 17 .i.b2 'i'h6+ 18 'ii'f4 is unclear) 16... c6 17 i.e3 'i'h5 18 it:)c3 0-0 19 i.d4 l:tfe8 20 'itb2 i.d3 21 1 'ii'g5 22 ..ih3 .:th l:tad8 23 l:td1 i.a6 24 l:td2 d6 (Black breaks White's central blockade and opens lines for the rooks) 25 exd6 l:txd6 26 'ii'f4 'ii'xf4 27 gxf4 l:th6 28 ..if5 ..ifl 29 l:.f2 ..ih3 30 i.xh3 l:txh3 31 12 'ii'f3 ..ixa7 h5 32 f5 :hi 33 ..id4 White must be careful here. 'it;h7 34 l:tg2 g6 and Black went For example the natural 12 on to win, M. Maric-Voiska, 'ifd2? loses immediately to the Subotica IZ 1991. tactical trick 12... it:)h3 ! 13 gxh3 b) 11 'ii'f3 tt:)e7 and White 'ife4+. must be careful as his position 12 �6 is somewhat underdeveloped. 13 g3 For example, after the over White is anxious to expel the ambitious 12 b4? Black hits black queen but also possible is back with 12... 'ii' d4 13 l:ta2 13 i.d3 ..id4 14 l:.a2 with an i.xc4! 14 l:td2 'ii'xe5+ 15 'iti'd1 unclear position. i.d5 16 l:.xd5 it:)xd5 17 bxc5 13 it:)gS 76 1 e4 lLlc62 d4 e5 This is a complex position 18 "ii'xc2 'ii'xe5+, Gomez and there are two other moves Valdes, Cuba 1991. which should also be considered by Black. We give both of them as they demonstrate typical methods by which Black can exploit his active pieces in this variation: a) 13... 'i'h6 14 'i'd1 (14 lLld2 0-0 15 lLle4 l:.ab8 16 lLlxc5 lLlxc5 17 b4 lLla4 18 i.e1 'i'e6 19 'i'e4 - Black has developed all his pieces whereas White only has the queen in play so it is not surprising that Black opens the position and quickly 14 'ii'e2 gains a decisive advantage - 14 'ii'xf7+ �xf7 15 gxh4 19... c5 20 i.d3 f5 21 exf6 lLlf3+ 16 �d 1 l:.ae8 17 lLld2 'i'xe4+ 22 i.xe4 l:.be8 23 f3 i.d4 18 i.xd4 lLlxd4 19 f4 l:.hf8 i.xc4 24 bxc5 lLlxc5 25 i.e3 and the white pawns are ex lLlxe4 26 fxe4 l:.xe4 and Black posed in the endgame. soon won, Ocytko-Aleksandrov, 14 'ii'e4 Wisla 1992) 14... f6 (White's 15 'i'xe4 lLlxe4 dark-square weaknesses become apparent after this pawn break) 15 exf6 0-0 16 i.e2 l:.xf6 17 0-0 (17 i.xf6 'i'xf6 hits a1 and f2 and wins immediately, but the move played does not help) 17... l:.xf2 18 l:.xf2 l:.f8 19 b4 l:.xf2 0- 1 Edvardsson-Carlham mar, Gausdal 1992. b) 13... 'i'e7 also looks prom ising, e.g. 14 lLld2 0-0-0 15 b4 (15 i.g2 lLld4 16 'i'e4 d5 ! 17 exd6 'i'xd6 18 0-0 l:.he8 and Black wins due to the threat of 16 f4 ? ...lLle2+) 15... i.d4 16 i.xd4? (a With so many pieces unde blunder but the position was veloped, this move is a luxury difficult for White anyway) that White cannot afford. He 16... lLlxd4 17 1i'e4 lLlc2+! and had to play more actively with the white rook on a 1 goes after 16 f3 lLlf2 17 b4 i.e3 when the 1 e4 lbc6 2d4 e5 77 line given by Blatny is 18 c5! 19 .txf4 lbd3+ (not 18... -txfl 19 l:txfl 20 l:txg7 �e7 lDd3+ when the white king 21 .tg2? charges up the board to good This loses the exchange but effect, e.g. 20 �e2 lbxb2 21 after 21 l:tg2 .:hg8 Black is a �xe3 d5 22 exd6 cxd6 23 cxd6 pawn up with a good position lbc4+ 24 �d4 lbxd6 25 �c5) and should win easily. 19 Jtxd3 i.xd3 20 lbc3 0-0-0 21 .th6 with an unclear position. 22 .txe4 .txg7 16 l:tb8! 23 lbd2 Now the black pieces become White is hoping to create too active and White cannot chances of saving the game cope with all the threats. Not so based on the temporary lack of good is 16... lbf2 17 b4 Jte3 18 co-ordination of the black �e2 i.b6 as White now has the forces but Xie Jun easily pre clever move 19 �e 1! threaten vents White becoming too ac- ing c5 and Black has nothing tive. better than 19... i.e3 repeating 23 f6 moves. With her extra exchange 17 b4 .tf2+ Black concentrates on opening 18 �d1 up files as quickly as possible. The resulting slight exposure of her king is of minimal impor tance. 24 exf6+ .txf6 25 i.xf6+ �xf6 26 'itc2 l:tbe8 27 l:tfl+ �e7 Black's only remaining task now is to activate her dormant queen's bishop. 28 .:rs �d8 29 .td3 i.c8 30 a6 :as 18 i.xg3! 31 l:tbS 19 l:tg1 31 c5 is perhaps an improve This is a desperate attempt to ment but it does not help after stir up complications, but after 31.. .d5 32 cxd6 cxd6 33 i.xa6 19 hxg3 lbf2+ 20 'ite2 lDxh1 21 .txa6 34 l:.xa6 �d7 and Black �f3 c5! 22 b5 .tb7+ Black res w1ns. cues the knight with a winning 31 d6 position. 32 lbe4 l:teS 78 1 e4 lbc62 d4 e5 33 %lxe5 dxeS .ie2.ib4+ 8 lbc3 .ixf3 9 .ixf3 34 lbgS cl;e7 1Wc4 10 .ixc6+ (10 1Wb3 1Wxb3 11 axb3 lbge7 leaves White with a feeble pawn structure) IO. . . bxc6 11 1We2+ 1Wxe2 12 'iii>xe2 0-0-0 and many games have shown that Black has a very pleasant position. b) 4 .ic4 is an attempt to transpose to variations such as the Giuoco Piano or Two Knights Defence. One way for Black to avoid these is 4 ....ic5 5 c3 d3, e.g. 6 (White can b4 play more safely by not ex 35 .ixh7? panding on the queenside, but From the perspective of then Black has a comfortable avoiding tactical traps, this has game) 6 ....tb6 7 1Wb3 1We7 8 not been one of Hart's better 0-0 d6 9 a4 a6 10 a5 .ia7 11 b5 games. However 35 lbxh7 .ie6 axb5 12 .ixb5. ECO mysteri 36 c5 .ig8 37 lbg5 l:.xh2+ was ously assesses this position as also hopeless. clearly better for White, but, 35 l:txh7 after the simple 12... lbf6, this 0-1 seems wrong, e.g. 13 e5 dxe5 After 36 lbxh7 .tf5+ picks 14 .ia3 1We6 15 .ic4 ifd7 16 up the knight. l:te1 e4, Emmerich-Kaulfuss, Hessen 1988 or 13 a6 0-0 14 Game 24 .ixd3 .ib6 15 lbbd2 bxa6 16 Golubev-Malaniuk lbc4 .ic5, Roeberg-Kaulfuss, Alushta 1994 Bundesliga 1994 and in both cases Black stands much better. 1 e4 lbc6 4 lbf6 2 d4 eS 5 lbc3 .ib4 3 lbf3 exd4 6 lbxc6 bxc6 4 lbxd4 7 .id3 dS There are a couple of gambit 8 exdS cxdS tries here for White which need 9 0-0 0-0 to be considered: 10 .igS c6 a) The Goring Gambit is 11 lba4 brought into play with 4 c3. A This variation has recently safe line for Black here is 4 ...d5 gained popularity. White con 5 exd5 ifxd5 6 cxd4 .ig4 7 cedes the centre, but gains ac- 1 e4 lL\c62 d4 e5 79 tive piece play in return. This this bishop with 14... .i.e5 15 c3 can manifest itself in the form when the position is equal, of an attack with pieces on the Ljubojevic-P. Nikolic, Wijk aan kingside or an attempt to gain Zee 1988) 15 .i.xf5 l:.b8 (it is a play in the centre with c4 (or typical theme of this variation perhaps c3 and �e3, playing for that the white queenside can a blockade). become exposed) 16 b3 ..te5 17 In the following analysis we .:tb1 'i'd6 18 �g3 �xg3 19 see White attempting to play hxg3 l:.fe8 (Black has co along the formerlines. ordinated his forces and now a) 11 lLle2 (White intends to stands better thanks to his cen route this knight around to the tral control) 20 l:.e1 .t:.Xe1+ 21 kingside via d4 and f5) 1l...h6 'i'xe1 l:.e8 22 'i'd2 'i'e5 23 'i'f4 12 �h4 �d6 (another way for 'i'c3 24 g6 25 �d3 �g7 26 .:n Black to play is to break the pin f3 a5 and Black has a useful with 12 ....i.e7) 13 lLld4 .i.d7 14 initiative, Lutz-Yusupov, Mu c3 l:.e8 15 'i'c2 lLlh5 16 .i.xe7 nich 1992. 'i'xe7 (Black has comfortably b) 11 'i'f3 .i.e7 equalised and now takes the initiative on the kingside) 17 ..te2 lLlf4 18 ..tf3 'i'g5 19 g3 c5 20 lLle2 �f5 21 'i'd1 lLlh3+ 22 �h 1 l:tad8 23 lLlg1 d4 24 cxd4 cxd4 25 l:.c1 lLlxg1 26 �xg 1 ..th3 27 l:.e1 d3 28 'i'a4 'i'xc l 0- 1 was Weinzettl-Dobrovols ky, Oberwart 1991) 13 lLld4 c5 14 lLlf5 (it is a perfectly reasonable idea for Black to allow the dou bling of the f-pawns - with �xf6 - but here he chooses to prevent this possibility while also breaking the pin on his knight) 12 l:.ae1 l:.e8 13 lL\e2 (13 h3 .i.e6 14 lLie2 lLid7 15 .i.xe7 'i'xe7 16 lLid4 'i'b4 17 lLixe6 :xe6 18 l:.xe6 fxe6 19 14... ..txf5 (Black can save 'i'e3 lLif8 20 'i'e5 'i'b8 21 l:.e1 80 1 e4 lbc6 2d4e5 'ii'xe5 22 l:.xe5 l:.b8 23 b3 rj;f7 36 l:.xc3 .:xd4 37 b4 i.c4 38 and the black centre pawns give �f2 g5 39 l:.e3 l:.d2+ 40 rl;e1 him the edge in the endgame, l:.d3 41 rl;f2 rl;g6 42 l:.xd3 Rotman-Smyslov, Rishon le i.xd3 43 rl;e3 i.c2 44 rl;d4rl;f5 Zion 1993) 13... h6 14 i.f4 i.d6 45 �d5 h5 0- 1 Deep Blue 15 lbd4 i.g4 16 'ii'g3 i.xf4 17 Kasparov, Philadelphia 1996. 'ii'xf4 'itb6 18 c4 i.d7 19 cxd5 11 h6 cxd5 20 l:.xe8+ l:.xe8 21 'ii'd2 12 i.b4 lieS lbe4 22 i.xe4 dxe4 23 b3 l:ld8 13 c4 was the continuation of the This is the most thematic 5th game from the Deep Blue continuation for White, who Kasparov match in Philadelphia hopes to mount an initiative 1996. The position is fine for against the black centre. Instead Black and Kasparov offered a 13 c3 i.d6 is somewhat insipid, draw. However, the Deep Blue e.g. 14 b3 i.f4 15 'ii'c2? (this team, perhaps unwisely, de blunder loses a pawn, but Black clined, as the position is an had nothing to complain about open one and thus should fa anyway) 15... i.xh2+ (before vour the computer's enormous White obligingly moved his calculating power: 24 'ii'c3 f5 queen to c2, this combination 25 l:.d1? (this move will cause would have failed as after white White some headaches on the d captured the bishop with his file) 25 ...i.e6 26 'ii'e3 (Deep king and White replied ...lbg4+, Blue still doesn't sense the dan White would have had the ger that the pin on the d-file counter-stroke 'ii'xg4) 16 rl;h1 poses) 26 .....tf7 27 'ifc3 f4 28 i.f4 17 g3 i.d6 18 f4 c5 and l:.d2 'iff6 29 g3 l:.d5 30 a3 rl;h7 Black won easily, Lau-Piket, 31 '1Pg2 'ii'e5 32 f3 e3 33 l:.d3 Leeuwarden 1993. e2 34 gxf4 e1'if35 fxe5 'ii'xc3 13 ..td6 1 e4 lbc62 d4 e5 81 Or 13... .:tb8 14 .:te l i.e6 15 this does not prevent Black cxd5 i.xd5 16 b3 i.d6 (al from taking the initiative. though, theoretically, Black has 14 cxd5 slightly the worse pawn struc ture, the activity of his pieces and their central outposts con stitute more than enough com pensation) 17 lbc3 .:tb4 18 i.g3 (here 18 lbxd5 runs into the tactic 18... i.xh2+ !) 18... i.xg3 19 hxg3 i.xg2! 20 'itxg2 l:td4 21 'i'f3 lbd3 22 'i'xc6 (White has maintained material equal ity but his kingside has been compromised) 22 ....:te6 23 'iib7 .:te7 24 'iib4 lbd5 25 lbxd5 'i'xd5+ 26 �g1 l:te2 (Black's 15 lbc3 plan of centralisation is com White has to be careful to plete) 27 'ii"h8+ �h7 28 'i'f4 complete his development with lba2 29 :tee 1 .:.f3 30 .:te5 out getting tangled up, e.g. 15 'i'xb3 31 'i'g4 l:taxf2 0- 1 was .l:lc 1 i.f4 16 .:tc6 g5 17 i.g3 the game Schmaltz-Dubiel, Al i.d7 and Black has the initia- tensteig 1994. After 32 l:txf2 tive. 'i'd1 + 33 �g2 1hf2+ the white 15 i.e5 queen is lost. 16 :tel 14 cxd5 Black's last move set a trap Black also gained great ac which White fell for in Shvid tivity after 14 :te l i.f4 in Zar ler-Malaniuk, St. Petersburg nicki-1. Sokolov, Oviedo 1993, 1993, viz. 16 lbxd5?? 'i'xd5 17 viz. 15 .:tc2 i.g4 16 f3 i.e6 17 i.xf6 (White's play is based on cxd5 i.xd5 18 i.c4 'i'd6 19 17... i.xf6 18 i.h7+, but ...) i.xf6 i.xh2+ 20 �h1 'i'xf6 21 17... i.b 7!. Now the queen is i.xd5 i.g322 .:tc4cxd5 23 .:tg4 defended and White has no time 'i'e5 24 'itg1 i.h2+ 25 26 . ..'ib3, maintaining pressure against White's queenside. Now White succeeds in simplifying the position to force a draw. 27 b4 'i'a6 28 'i'd8+ �h7 Here we have the same 29 'i'd7 'i'xa3 structure as occurred in the 30 'i'xb7 'i'xc3 game between Kasparov and 112-112 3 1 e4 l2Jc6 2 l2Jf3 d6 1 e4 tbc6 now: 2 tLlf3 d6 3 d4 lLlf6 .i. 4 lLlc3 g4 In this variation, Black offers an immediate transposition into From this position White has standard open-game territory, three main strategies: to weaken with 2 ...e5 , but Black declines Black's pawn structure with with our recommended con .i.b5 and .i.xc6, to break the pin tinuation of 2 ...d6. on his f3-knight with 5 .i.e2 or With this move, Black pre finally, to develop with 5 .i.e3 pares to develop his queen's and hope to find a more active bishop at g4 and his knight at f6 role for the king's bishop. All of leaving him with a very flexible these strategies, and the correct position. Depending upon how ways for Black to counter them, White lines up his forces, he are examined in the following can counter in the centre with games . ...e6 and ... d5, the direct ...e5 or perhaps capture the f3-knight Game 25 and then play ...g6, heading for Tseshkovsky-Miles a type of Pirc Defence position. Palma de Mallorca 1989 The most natural continua tion (from the above diagram) is 1 e4 ttJc6 84 1 e4 ltJc62 ltJj3 d6 2 lt:Jf3 d6 Black won easily, Jukic-Kling 3 d4 lt:Jf6 er, Vienna 1991. 4 lt:Jc3 ..tg4 b) 6 'i'd2 is not really to the 5 ..te3 e6 point as White should be con centrating on building up an initiative on the light squares, e.g. 6 ...d5 7 e5 lt:Jd7 8 .te2 .te7 9 h3 .th5 10 0-0 0-0 11 t2Je1 .txe2 12 l2Jxe2 f6 (Black has achieved a French Defence structure without being ham pered by a constricted queen's bishop) 13 l2Jf4 'i'e8 14 c3 (one point of Black's play is that 14 l2Jxe6 .tb4 15 c3 'i'xe6 16 cxb4 fxe5 leaves him with an excel lent position) 14... 'i't7 15 exf6 6 h3 lt:Jxf6 16 t2Jf3 l2Je4 17 'if d 1 .td6 Putting the question immedi 18 t2Jd3 'i'f5 19 t2Jh4 'i'f6 20 ately to Black's bishop is 'ifg4 :ae8 21 t2Jf3 l:.t7 22 l:.ae1 White's best. Others are less l:.ef8 23 .tc1 a5 with an equal troubling: game, Almasi-Klinger, Bala a) 6 .tb5 a6 7 .txc6+ bxc6 is tonbereny 1993. not an effective continuation for 6 .te2 is examined in game White, e.g. 8 h3 .th5 9 g4 .tg6 27. 10 lt:Jd2 d5 11 e5 lt:Jd7 (the 6 .thS black light-squared bishop has a wonderful diagonal to operate on) 12 lt:Jb3 (White is probably hoping to take the initiative on the queenside with lt:Ja5, but Black takes action first) 12... h5 (Black takes the opportunity to disrupt White's kingside before he can build up a threatening position with f4) 13 llfl 'ii'h4 (now if White defends his h pawn with 14 'i'f3 Black can reply 14 ....txc2) 14 g5 'i'xh3 15 'i'd2 'i'f3 16 lt:Je2 'i'f5 17 c3 7 .tbS a5 18 lt:Jf4 c5 19 lt:Jxg6 'i'xg6 This pin is how White used to 20 f4 cxd4 21 lt:Jxd4 'i'e4 and handle this variation but in fact 1 e4 lbc6 2 lbf3 d6 85 line 'b' of the alternatives be (White has brought his king to low is more testing. safety but his position, espe a) 7 •e2 cially the central pawns, re mains uncomfortably exposed) l8... .1f6 19 l:td1 ..tc2 20 .:te l ..te4 21 g5 ..te7 22 l:tc3 (White has just managed to hold the centre together but now Black turns his attention to the king side) 22 .....a5 23 c!De5 (this leads to an endgame a pawn down, but the alternative 23 b4 .. f5 24 c!Dh4 �7 25 .. g4 ..txg2 26 c!Dxg2 l:.h8 was worse) 23 .....txg2 24 �xg2 c!Dxe5 25 dxe5 .. xe5 26 .. f3 .. f5 27 7 ...d5 8 g4 .ig6 9 exd5 c!Dxd5 ..xf5 exf5 28 .:tel l:td3 and 10 a3 (White is obliged to waste Black won, Gi. Hernandez this tempo as Black's powerful Miles, Seville 1994. bishop on g6 makes ...c!Ddb4 a b) 7 d5 is a dangerous move strong threat) 10... h5 II c!Dxd5 for Black who now has two ..xd5 12 .ig2 hxg4 13 hxg4 possibilities: .:txh1 + 14 ..txh1 0-0-0 a) 7 ...lbe7 and now: (Black already stands slightly a1) 8 .ib5+ c6 9 dxc6 bxc6 better) 15 .ig2 .ie7 (White (this is a natural recapture but it would like to bring his king to leaves Black with trouble co the queenside but 16 0-0-0 will ordinating his forces, so he be met by 16 .....a2) 16 c4 should consider 9 ...lbxc6 which 'ilt'a5+ 17 �fl •a4 18 �g1 leaves White with only a small 86 1 e4 lbc62 lD.f3 d6 edge after 10 'ii'e2 iie7) 10 .i.a4 �e6 29 gxf5+ �xf5 30 'ii'f3+ 'ii'c7 (Black is hoping to get 1-0 Illescas-Miles, Linares developed with ...l2Jc8 and 1995. ... iie7, but this is all very slow a2) 8 .i.e2 and White cuts across this plan with a series of active moves) II 'ii'e2! l2Jd7 I2 g4 iig6 I3 0-0-0 allows Black to complete his development without trouble: 8 ...exd5 9 exd5 .i.xf3 10 .i.xf3 l2Jf5 11 JigS iie7 12 0-0 0-0 13 13... e5 (examples of Black's l:.e1 l2Jd7 (Black frees himself problems can be seen from the with exchanges) 14 .i.xe7 l2Jxe7 variations: I3... d5 I4 exd5 cxd5 15 'ii'd2 l2Jg6 (the position is IS l2Jxd5! exd5 I6 �xd5 l2Jxd5 equal) 16 g3 'ii'f6 17 .i.g2 l:tae8 I7 ii.b6+ iie7 I8 iixc7 l2Jxc7 18 b3?! (weakening the long I9 �d 1 and 13... 0-0-0 14 'ii'a6+ diagonal like this creates tacti �b8 15 l:txd6 'ii'xd6 16 l2Jb5 cal opportunities for Black) and White wins in both cases) 18... h5 ! (this advance provokes I4 'ii'c4 (an earlier game, White into weakening his king Apicella-David, Linares 1995, side) 19 h4 l2Jge5 20 f4 l2Jg4 21 finished abruptly after 14 l2Je4 'iWg6 22 l2Jg5 l2Jdf6 23 a4 l2Jh4!? l2Jc8? 15 'ii'c4 l2Jc5 16 'ii'f5 24 iif3 c6 and Black has iixc5 dxc5 17 'iWd5 1-0) an edge, Klovans-Miles, Gron 14... �c8 15 l2Jh4 l2Jb6 I6 iixb6 ingen 1992. axb6 17 �d3 (White prepares a b) 7 ...exd5 8 exd5 l2Je5 (this powerful exchange sacrifice) is best as 8 ...iixf3 9 'ii'xf3 l2Je5 17... d5 18 exd5 ..txd3 I9 'ii'xd3 10 'ii'e2 gives White a free hand i:.d8 20 �d 1 g6 21 d6 iih6+ 22 to develop a kingside initiative, �b I 'ii'b8 23 l2Je4 b5 24 lDf6+ e.g. 10 ... a6 11 0-0-0 .i.e7 12 f4 Wf8 25 dxe7+ rt;xe7 26 l2Jd7! lt:Jg6 13 g4 l2Jd7 14 g5 0-0 15 bxa4 27 lDf5+! gxf5 28 'ii'a3+ h4 l:.e8 16 h5 lt:Jgf8 17 'ii'd2 c5 1 e4 lbc62 lbj3 d6 87 18 dxc6 bxc6 19 h6 g6 20 lbe4 handle the variation which with powerful play, Golubev starts with 7 ...exd5 . Markowski, Biel 1995) 9 g4 7 a6 8 .ta4 9 ....i.g6 (this is preferable to 9 ...lbxf3+ 10 'i'xf3 �g6 11 8 lbd7 0-0-0 a6 12 �d4 �e7 13 'i'e2 Not, of course 8 ...b5 9 lbxb5 0-0 14 f4 h6 15 f5 �h7 16 'i'f3 axb5 10 .txb5 'i'd7 11 d5 and l:.e8 17 �b 1 when Black is left White wins. with an entombed bishop on h7 9 dS ltJaS Spraggett-Mohr, Ubeda 1996) 10 'i'e2 bS 10 .i.b5+ (10 lbxe5 dxe5 solves Once again White has been many of Black's problems by thrown on his own resources in allowing him to develop his the opening and the absence of king's bishop actively while 10 theoretical guidance means that lbd4 is well met by 10... c5 11 Black has swiftly achieved a .i.b5+ltJf d7) 10... lbed7 11 'i'e2 fully playable position. �e7 12 0-0-0 a6 13 �d3 �xd3 11 .tb3 eS 14 l:.xd3 0-0 15 lbd4 lbc5 16 12 a3 l:dd1 l:.e8 and the exchange of This looks like a terrible bishops has eased the conges strategic concession, but White tion in Black's position and he hopes to gain compensation on went on to win in 40 moves, the open c-file. I.V. lvanov-Nesterov, Moscow 12 lbxb3 1995. Black has avoided weak 13 cxb3 .te7 ening his kingside and will con 14 b4 0-0 solidate with ...�f8. He can 15 g4 then begin counterplay on the White was clearly worried by queenside with ...b5. This is the prospect of .. .f5, liberating clearly the best way for Black to Black's position but now 88 1 e4 �c6 2 �/3 d6 White's whole position is be 21 �d5 ifb7 ginning to look like a Swiss 22 axb5 axb5 cheese with holes all over the 23 0-0 i.d8 place. 24 .:ret f5 15 ..tg6 A superb coup from Miles 16 �d2 �b6 which must have come as a ter 17 b3 .:.cs rible shock to his opponent. 18 a4 c6 Black speculates on being able to undermine White's appar ently impregnable knight on the d5-square. 25 exf5 25 gxf5 meets with the same response. 25 i.xf5 Now 26 gxf5 .:txc l 27 ifxd5 would leave White with weak pawns everywhere. 26 lbc6 ifxc6 27 iff3 Threatening �e7+ so Black Paradoxically, Black is the must defend his queen. first to utilise the open c-file. 27 .td7 19 dxc6 %:txc6 28 ife4 �h8 20 ..txb6 29 .:td1 ifa8 White is hoping to gain con A marvellous retreat, which trol of d5 in order to stabilise prepares to bring Black's bish the situation. ops into scything action against 20 ifxb6 White's king. 1 e4 lLlc6 2 lLlj3 d6 89 intermezzo 35... l:lxc l+. 35 l:lxc4 bxc4 36 'ii'd7 'ii'a1+ 37 ttJn cxb3 38 'i'xd6 Equally, if 38 'i'xd8+ then 38 ... i.g8 is a simple win. 38 i.g8 0-1 Game 26 Doric-Mestrovic Bled 1996 30 lL'lfl i.c6 31 lL'lfe3 l:U4 1 e4 lLlc6 32 ._.c2 l:ld4 2 lL'lf3 d6 With a few deft strokes Black 3 d4 lL'lf6 has forced the win of material. 4 lLlc3 i.g4 White now loses a piece. 5 i.e3 33 l:lcl i.xd5 34 ._.c8 5 e5 This leads to positions where A final throw, which Black Black is a little cramped but has refutes brilliantly. a very solid position and 34 l:lc4 chances for long term counter A wonderful riposte, which play. It is thus a good choice blocks the connection between against an opponent who is im White's pieces and banishes any patient and may over-extend prospect of counterplay. If now himself. 35 'ii'xa8 Black wins with the Black has two alternatives 90 1 e4 lt)c62 lt)j3 d6 here which both lead to com cult for White to form a plan) plex play: 15 :a3 'ii'c7 16 'ii'd3 l:tfe8 17 a) 5 ...a6 eliminates the prob g4 cxd5 (now that White has lem of a white bishop check on exposed his king Black feels b5 but is a little slow. Play can more comfortable about open continue 6 h3 �h5 ing the centre) 18 exd5 e6 19 dxe6 l:txe6 20 g5 l:tae8 21 �d4 ll:)e4 22 �xg7 rj;xg7 23 'ii'd4+ �g8 24 ..tg4 ll:)xc3 25 l:txc3 'ii'xa5 26 �xe6 l:txe6 27 l:te3 :xe3 28 'ii'xe3 'ii'f5 (the open white king makes it very diffi cult for him to realise the ad vantage of the exchange) 29 'ii'd3 'i'e6 30 b4 h6 31 gxh6 �h7 32 f5 'fke7 33 'i'g3 !itxh6 34 h4 ll:)e5 35 'ii'f4+ �h7 36 'ii'g5 'ii'c7 37 fxg6+ fxg6 38 h5 'ii'xc2 39 'ii'e7+ �h6 40 'ii'xd6 7 d5 (quiet development with 'ii'e4 41 hxg6 'i'g4+ lf2-lh 7 �e2 is not dangerous for Yagupov-Hodgson, Linares Black, e.g. 7 ...e6 8 0-0 d5 9 1996. exd5 ll:)xd5 10 ll:)xd5 exd5 11 a2) 7 ...�xf3 and now: ll:)e5 �xe2 12 'iWxe2 ll:)xe5 13 a2 1) 8 'ii'xf3 lDe5 9 'i'd1 c6 �f4 �e7 14 �xe5 0-0 15 'ii'g4 10 f4 lDed7 11 ..te2 cxd5 (it f6 16 �f4 'ii'c8 17 l:tfe 1 'ii'xg4 may be better to avoid this ex 18 hxg4 �f7 19 l:.e3 c6 with a change for the moment - see completely equal position, Lu Yagupov-Hodgson above) 12 ther-Miles, Hastings 1995/6) exd5 g6 13 'ii'd2 �g7 14 a4 and now: 'ii'a5 15 0-0 0-0 16 l:ta3 :ac8 al) 7 ...ll:)b8 (Miles has had no (Black is struggling to create joy with the active 7 .....txf3 - play while White has a plan to see note 'a2' - so Black should advance on the queenside) 17 consider this simple knight re :d 1 ll:)c5 18 �f3 lDcd7 19 l:tb1 treat) 8 a4 ..txf3 9 'ii'xf3 g6 10 l:.c4 20 ..te2 :cc8 21 b4 'i'c7 •d1 �g7 11 �e2 0-0 12 0-0 c6 22 a5 e5 23 dxe6 fxe6 24 b5 (Black has a type of position ll:)c5 25 bxa6 bxa6 26 l:tb6 and familiar from the Pirc Defence) White has a clear advantage, Gi. 13 a5 ll:)bd7 14 f4 'iib8 (Black Garcia-Miles, Wijk aan Zee delays exchanging on d5 as, 1996. compared with Garcia-Miles a22) 8 gxf3 ll:)b8 9f4 c6 (this below, this makes it more diffi- opens up the position to White's 1 e4 �c6 2 �/3 d6 91 advantage so Black would be 15 ..td2 l:tfe8 I6 l:tfe l �d7 and better advised to try to complete the position is about equal, his development with 9 ...e6 or Komasiewicz-Angelov, War 9 ...g6) 10 ..tg2 "ikc7 11 "ikd4 saw 1989. cxd5 12 �xd5 �xd5 13 exd5 6 .i.bS �d7 14 c4 �f6 15 :te l g6 16 c5 dxc5 17 l:txc5 "ikd6 18 "ika4+ �d7 19 l:tc6! This is the most dynamic continuation for White. Others: a) The immediate 6 d5 is less 19... "ikb8 (19... bxc6 20 dxc6 worrying, e.g. 6 ...�e7 7 ..te2 (7 l:tc8 21 "ikxa6 is hopeless for h3 ..td7 8 a4 �g6 9 a5 a6 10 g3 Black) 20 l:tb6 "ikc8 21 0-0 l:tb8 i.e7 11 �h2 0-0 12 h4 "ikc8 13 22 .:le i "ikd8 23 d6 ..tg7 24 ii.e2 ii.d8 14 ..tg5 �e8 15 ..tg4 l:txb7 :.xb7 25 .txb7 0-0 1-0 i.xg5 16 i.xd7 "ikxd7 17 hxg5 Onishchuk-Miles, Wijk aan Zee f6 I8 �f3 'if g4 I9 gxf6 �xf6 1996. 20 �d2 'ii'd7 21 'ii'e2 :n 22 b) 5 ...g6 is playable. Black is �dl �e7 23 �e3 l:.af8 24 f3 again angling for a Pirc Defence and the exchange of two pairs but White gains free develop of minor pieces has helped ment for his pieces, e.g. 6 h3 Black to activate his position ..txf3 7 'i'xf3 ii.g7 8 .tb5 (this and obtain equal chances, is a rather feeble continuation Damljanovic-Mestrovic, Yugo and more to the point is 8 0-0-0 slavia 1989) 7 ...�g6 8 �d2 0-0 9 g4 e5 10 dxe5 �xe5 11 .i.d7 (although Black wants, in "ikg2 a6 I2 g5 and White ob principle, to exchange pieces, tains good attacking chances, this is a good piece and so he Hiibner-Wockenfuss, Bundes prefers, for the moment at least, liga 1986) 8 ...0-0 9 0-0 �d7 10 to retreat it) 9 �c4 i.e7 10 a4 l:.adl e5 II ..txc6 bxc6 I2 dxe5 0-0 II 0-0 h6 I2 a5 a6 13 b4 �xe5 13 "ike2 "ikb8 I4 b3 'ifb4 �h7 I4 i.g4 i.g5 92 1 e4 ltJc6 2 ltJf3 d6 knights very statically posi tioned) 17 J:ae I .i.e5 I8 .i.g5 fi:Jf6 I9 .i.d3 fi:Jbd7 20 �h 1 J:fe8 21 fi:Je4 fi:Jxe4 22 .:..Xe4 f6 23 .i.h4 'i'f7 24 b4 (24 b3 is preferable to this weakening move) 24 ...a5 25 a3 axb4 26 axb4 J:a3 27 'i'e2J:ea8 28 .i.c4 lDb6 29 .i.b3 fi:Jxd5 30 'i'c4 c6 and Black went on to win in the game Krieger-Mestrovic, Wer fen I993. 6 fi:Jd7 (the plan to exchange dark 7 dS squared bishops with ....i.g5 is a typical one for this variation) I5 J:bl fi:Je7 I6 .i.xd7'i'xd7 I7 b5 f5 I8 bxa6 bxa6 19 f3 .i.xe3+ 20 fi:Jxe3 fi:Jf6 2I 'ifd3 g6 22 J:b7 f4 23 fi:Jc4 J:fb8 24 J:bbi g5 25 fi:Jd2 J:xb1 26 J:xb1 g4 and Black had excellent king side counterplay in the game Wedberg-Mestrovic, Biel I990. b) 6 .i.e2 .i.e7 7 0-0 0-0 8 d5 fi:Jb8 9 fi:JeI .i.c8 (Black care fully leaves the d7-square free for use by his knights) 10 f4 7 fi:Jcb8 exf4 II .i.xf4 fi:Jfd7 12 fi:Jf3 Black side-steps the cunning .i.f6 13 'iid2 'i'e7 (although trap 7 ...ti:Je7? 8 fi:Jxe5 ! .i.xdi 9 White has a big lead in devel .i.xd7+ 'it'xd7 10 fi:Jxd7 .i.xc2 opment, Black has very strong 11 l'tJxf8 i.d3 12 0-0-0 .i.a6 13 control over the central dark fi:Jxh7 and White emerges a squares) I4 fi:Jd4 fi:Je5 15 fi:Jf5 pawn ahead in the endgame. (this is playing into Black's Black's play ( ...fi:Jfd7 and hands and White would do ... fi:Jcb8) seems very retrograde much better to keep pieces on but with a blocked position this the board with a simple move is not of great importance. Fur such as 15 J:ae1) 15... .i.xf5 16 thermore, if White wants to exf5 fi:Jed7 (this is an excellent play either of the natural ad regrouping by Black - the natu vances c4 or f4, he will have ral 16... ti:Jbd7 would leave his some regrouping to do himself. 1 e4 lLJc62liJj3 d6 93 8 ..ie2 he has solved his opening An alternative way for White problems) 11.. .a6 (following to deploy his pieces is 8 'i'd2 11.. . ..ig5 White has the pleasant ..ie7 9 0-0-0 0-0 10 l:dg 1 lLJf6 choice between 12 .txg5 'i'xg5 11 lLJe1 c5 12 f3 a6 13 ..ifl 13 'i'xg5 hxg5 14 l:.dg1 f6 15 ..ic8 14 g4 b5 15 h4 lbes h4 and 12 f4 exf4 13 ..ixf4 Beshukov-Mestrovic, Lj ubljana ..ixf4 14 'i'xf4) 12 f4 exf4 13 1994. .ixf4 .ig5 14 .txg5 'i'xg5 (after 14... hxg5 White gains a big advantage with the same idea as in the game, viz. 15 .:.dg 1 f6 16 h4) 15 'i'xg5 hxg5 16 l:dg 1 f6 17 h4 0-0 18 ..ig4! g6 19 h5 White has a space advantage and attacking prospects on the kingside. However, Black has been careful not to weaken him self and so it will take White a long time to force a break through on the kingside. Mean (White now gains a winning while Black will be able to gen attack on the kingside despite erate queenside play. This is a the absence of queens) 19... lbe5 typical position arising from 20 hxg6 lLJxg4 (20 ...lLJxg6 21 5 ...e5 . White has an edge but ..if5 q;g7 22 f4 lLJxf4 23 :h7+ the battle has only just begun. q;gs 24 l:gh1 and the black po 8 ..ie7 sition has been completely in 9 'i'd2 lLJf6 vaded) 21 l:xg4 lLJd7 22 f4 In an earlier game Mestrovic, l:ae8 23 :h7 f5 24 l:xg5 lLJf6 an expert in this variation, un 25 l:h1 q;g7 26 l:xf5 1-0 necessarily weakened his king Sveshnikov-Mestrovic, Ljublja side with 9 ...h6 ?! and quickly na 1994. paid the penalty: 10 0-0-0 ..ixf3 10 h3 11 gxf3! (Black was no doubt After 10 0-0-0 ..ixf3 11 ..ixf3 anticipating 11 ..ixf3 ..ig5 when c5 12 g4 a6 13 lLJe2 'i'd7 14 g5 94 1 e4 tbc62 tbf3 d6 tbg4 15 .i.xg4 'i'xg4 the ex ciently resilient to cope with change of pieces has eased this attack. Black's cramp. The game Pava 13 hS sovic-Mestrovic, Nova Gorica 14 gS 1996 continued 16 f4 tbd7 17 White closes the position, l:thg 1 'i'h4 18 tbg3 exf4 19 speculating on the long-term .i.xf4 g6 20 �b1 0-0 21 'i'e3 weakness of the black h-pawn. l:.ae822 l:.dfl An alternative strategy was to lf2-lh. 10 i.hS keep the position on the king 10 ...i.xf3 is, of course, per side open with 14 gxh5. fectly playable but Mestrovic 14 lDfd7 has a different idea in mind. 15 0-0-0 lba6 11 'i'd3 0-0 16 tbd2 lbacs 12 g4 i.g6 17 i.xcS tDxcS 18 'i'e3 This bishop regrouping seems strange but Black is hoping to Given time White will now undermine the white centre with bring his knight on d2 round to ...c6. The opposition of the g3 and win the black h-pawn. black bishop and white queen However, by opening the centre will make this thrust particu Black generates sufficient coun larly strong. terplay to avoid this. 13 h4 18 c6 Not 13 tbh4?, which fails to 19 tDn cxdS the standard tactic 13... .i.xe4 14 20 l:txdS tbxe4 tDxe4. Of course 20 l2:Jxd5 leaves the White is hoping to use the e-pawn en prise, but another black bishop on g6 as a target way for White to play was 20 for his kingside advance but the exd5 'i'a5 (20 ...f 5 21 gxf6 .i.xf6 black position proves suffi- is dangerous for Black as lines 1 e4 lbc62 lbj3 d6 95 on the kingside are opened) 21 25 ...lbxe2+ is a very common lbg3 (Blackhas very good piece type of mistake. The black play on the queenside, which knight is a much better piece makes it difficult for White to than the white bishop and so carry out his plan, e.g. 21 'it>b1 exchanging it seems illogical. :ac8 22 lbg3 lba4 and Black is However, this is a case where very active) 2l...lba4 22 lbxa4 the tactical considerations (i.e. 'i'xa4 23 'i'b3 'i'xb3 24 axb3 f6 Black is able to continue his and Black has the more active initiative) outweigh the posi position in the endgame. tional ones (i.e. the black knight 20 lbe6 is better than the black bishop). 21 lbg3 lLlf4 26 the weakening ...g6) 16 .i.f3 'i'a5 17 'itb l'ithS 1S .i.g4l:tadS 19 'i'd3 b5 20 .i.xd7 l:.xd7 21 'i'f5 'i'dS 22 lLle2 g6 23 'i'd3 .i.g724 f5 l:.e5 25 fxg6 hxg6 26 lLlf4 WaS 27 l:.g5 l:.de7 2S h4 with a complex position, Lyr berg-Malaniuk, Lyngby 1991. 7 0-0 32 .i.c4+ .tt7 33 l:.dfl l:.f4 34 .i.xt7+ 'itxt7 35 lLld5 l:.xfl+ 36 lbfl+ 'itg6 37 :r5 �h5 0-1 Game 27 Rodriguez-Miles 8 l:e1 Palma de Mallorca 1989 With S lLld2 White hopes to mount a kingside attack by 1 e4 lLlc6 freeing a path for his f-pawn to 2 lLJf3 d6 advance, e.g. S ....i.xe2 9 'i'xe2 3 d4 lLlf6 d5 I 0 e5 lLld7 11 f4 f5 (Black 4 lLlc3 .i.g4 cuts across White's immediate 5 .i.e3 e6 plans) 12 exf6 .i.xf6 13 lLlf3 6 .i.e2 .i.e7 1We7 14 'i'd2 l:.aeS 15 l:.ae1 7 0-0 'i'b4 16 b3 lLlb6 (Black re 7 1Wd2 a6 S d5 exd5 9 exd5 groups his knight to d6 in order .i.xf3 10 gxf3 (White tries this to keep an eye on the important recapture in a number of exam central light squares e4 and f5) ples in this section; the idea is 17 l:.e2 lLlcS 1S 'i'd3 lLld6 19 to save time and utilise the open lLlb 1 a6 20 c3 'i'b5 21 1Wc2 lLle7 g-file for attacking purposes) 22 a4 'i'c6 23 lLlbd2 lLldf5 24 10... lLle5 11 f4 lLled7 12 0-0-0 'i'd3 'i'd6 25 .tf2 'ii'xf4 26 0-0 13 l:.hg1 c5 14 l:.g2 :es 15 l:.xe6 lLlg6 27 l:txeS l:.xeS 2S l:tdg1 .i.fS (Black is careful to l:r.el l:be1+ 29 lLlxe1 c6 with an avoid, for the moment at least, equal endgame, Adams-Miles, 1 e4 tLlc6 2 tiJj3 d6 97 Intel Grand Prix, London 1995. for his counterplay. 8 dS Black's plan in this variation is to head for a French Defence structure but with his queen's bishop outside the pawn chain. 9 h3 9 exd5 would lead to a com pletely equal position. White must keep the tension to have any hope of obtaining the ad vantage. 9 i.hS 16 c3 t006 Black is now preparing the standard thrust ...c5 . The earlier piece exchange has left White with a passive bishop, which he now tries to exchange. 17 .tgS i.a3 White's bishop is slightly hampering his other pieces and so Black declines to allow the exchange. 18 'ti'c2 10 eS !Lld7 White is insistent. He clears Also possible is 10 ...!Lle4 11 the c 1-square in order to be able 'Dxe4 dxe4 12 'Dh2 i.g6 with to offer the bishop exchange an unclear position. once again. 11 'tWd2 !Llb6 18 ltac8 12 b3 i.g6 19 b4 13 i.d3 'ti'd7 Suddenly White completely 14 !Lle2 !Llb4 changes his plan. The logical 15 i.xg6 fxg6 follow-up to his previous play In principle, such recaptures would have been 19 i.e1 i.e7 should be made towards the 20 i.g5 but then Black contin centre, i.e. 15... hxg6. Here, ues 20 ....txg5 21 tLlxg5 c5 and however, Black frees his posi the opposition of the white tion considerably be playing queen and black rook on the c ...fx g6 and the open f-file file allows Black to gain more proves to be an excellent route time. 98 1 e4 lLlc6 2 ltJf3 d6 19 l:.xf3! 23 .tel This is a very important sac It may seem strange to ex rifice for Black. White's last change off Black's wandering move cut off the black bishop at bishop on a3, but this piece was the expense of acquiring serious not going to be out of play for weaknesses on the queenside, ever (Black will play ... aS one particularly, the c4-square. The day). Meanwhile White wants best way for White to cover this to create threats by advancing weakness is by playing lLld2 on the kingside with h4 and f4 and so Black immediately and his own bishop is in the eliminates this knight. Note that way. the other knight, on e2, is four 23 jtxc1 moves away from being able to 24 l:.axel lObS attack the c4-square. 24 ...g5 !? was an interesting 20 gxf3 alternative. Black is planning Black has excellent compen ...ltJa6-b8-c6-e7-g6 but there is sation for the exchange as a danger that White may be able White has unpleasant weak to co-ordinate himself in order nesses on both sides of the to be able to play h4 before board. Black's knight on a6 and Black completes his regrouping. his bishop on a3 are temporarily After 24 ...g5 !?, 25 h4?! imme out of play, but the closed na diately is not advisable on ac ture of the position means that count of 25 ... g4. White is unable to co-ordinate 25 h4 ltJc6 his forces successfully before 26 f4 ltJe7 Black can regroup. 27 l:th1 ltJfS 20 l:tf8 28 l:th3 21 �g2 'ii'f7 The black knights have won 22 'ii'd3 ltJc4 derful outposts and if White 1 e4 ll'lc62 ll'lf3 d6 99 tries to eliminate one of them breaking through anywhere and with 28 ll'lg3 Black can con Black has all the play. tinue 28 ...'ii'e7 29 ll'lxf5 l:.xf5 34 'ii'xg6 and the white f-pawn is very 35 l:txh7 vulnerable. 28 'ii'e7 29 l:tchl 35 �t7!! Miles commences a brilliant king march which decides the 29 aS! game in his favour. He has re White is preparing to create alised that his king will be threats on the kingside with h5 safely placed on d7 and that and so Black opens a line on the immediate attacking attempts queenside to activate his own do not succeed, e.g. 35 ...lbce3+ rook. 36 �gl 'ii'g4 (36 ...lbh4 hoping 30 bxaS l:ta8 for 37 'ii'xg6 lbf3 mate, is a nice 31 ll'lg3 lbaS try but unfortunately fails to 37 32 hS 'ii't7! l:th8+! and White wins) 37 Black's plan is to meet 33 l:th8+ 'it>fl 38 'ifb4 and the hxg6 with 33 ... 'ii'xg6. White can threats to invade on f8 leave then capture on h7 and even Black with a lost position, e.g. check on h8, but the black king 38 ...lbxg3 39 'ii'f8+ 37 ...lbce3+ 38 �gl lbh4!! 40 �h1 'i'f3+ 41 �g1 'ilig4+ (now this really does work) 39 �4+ (39 'i'xg6 lbf3 mate) 42 �f2? 39 ...c5 winning. White there After this White is lost. He fore brings his rook back to ful should have played 42 �hl l:.b5 fil a defensive role. 43 'i'c l (forced) 43 ...'i'g6 44 f5 36 lbce3+! and now Black can choose be 37 38 lUh2 Others: a) 38 l:.g5'i'xf 4 winning. b) 38 lUh3 lbxg3 39 lhg3 'i'xh5 40 fxe3 l:.a8 and ...l:.h8 is corning. 38 lbxg3 39 fx g3 'ifxg3+ 1 e4 ltJc62ltJ f3 d6 101 The black attack is now too exd5 7 exd5 i.xf3 and now: hot for White to handle. 48 'ii'el 'ii'd3+ 49 �gl l:tbS so l:t5h3 50 J:ld2 'ifg6+ 51 l:tg5 Or l:tbl 52 l:.xg6 .:.xel+ 53 �f2 l:td1 54 l:tc2 'ifilxg6 55 l:txc3 ltxd4 56 l:txc7l:.xf4+ and Black wins. so 'i'xd4+ 51 Miles, Biel 1995) 10... 0-0 11 f4 only serves to weaken his king lbed7 12 'i'd2 lLlc5 13 i.f3 side) 17 ...i.f6 18 i.d2 'i'd7 19 'i'd7 (this leaves Black cramped aS 'i'h3 20 :.f2 :.fe8 21 i.fl and a better plan is 13... l:.e8 'i'd7 22 �h2 lLlb5 23 lLlxb5 when Black can follow up with axb5 with a comfortable posi ...i.f8 and the d7 -square is left tion for Black, Zollbrecht free for the f6-knight to use, e.g. Miles, Biel 1995. 13... l:.e8 14 0-0-0 i.f8 and 11 0-0 Black has the options of bring 12 a4 a6 ing a knight to e4 or taking the 13 i.e3 lLlfd7 initiative on the q•teenside with 14 aS lLlg6 ...a6 and ...b5) 14 0-0-0 l:.ae8 15 i.d4 .idS 16 :he1 l:txe1 17 ltxe1 l:.e8 18 g4 :.xe1+ 19 'i'xe1 h6 20 h3 a6 21 'i'e3 'i'e7 22 'i'xe7 i.xe7 23 b4 and White has a small advantage in the endgame, Dlugy-Miles, USA Ch 1989. 6 ..thS 7 dS exdS 8 exdS .i.xf3 9 .i.xf3 lbes 10 i.e2 i.e7 15 l:.a4 White is hoping to create pressure against the black queenside by bringing his rook to b4. 15 lLlcS 16 l:ta3 16 :.b4 b5 17 axb6 cxb6 was an alternative. With the text White is planning the advance b4-b5 and Black must act quickly. 16 i.gS!? 11 0-0 Miles finds a very aggressive 11 f4 lLlg6 12 0-0 0-0 13 i.d3 plan based on allowing his c5 14 'i'f3 a6 15 a4 lLle8 16 g3 queenside to become seriously lLlc7 17 h4 (as White never gets compromised in order to obtain round to playing h5, this plan dark-square play in the centre 1 e4 lbc62 lbf3 d6 103 and on the kingside. A solid 22 lbxb7 ..tes alternative was 16... l:te8 17 b4 23 l:tb3 lLlf4 lbd7. Although Black two pawns is 17 ..i.xcS down, the white forces are After 17 f4 ..i.f6 White has scattered and Black has danger· weakened himself along the e ous play on the kingside. The file. immediate threat is ...lbxh3+ . 17 dxcS White may be able to consoli· 18 lbe4 ..i.e7 date his position with very ac· 19 l:lc3 l:te8 curate play, but the practical The immediate 19... b6 is bad difficulties are immense. for Black after 20 axb6 cxb6 21 24 g3! d6 White cannot now capture An example of the difficulties on c5 as 20 lbxc5? ..i.xc5 21 facing White can be seen with l:lxc5 'iie7 hits c5 and e2. How the variation 24 lle l ..i.d4! 25 ever this pawn will prove inde llxe8+ llxe8 26 'iid2 ..i.xf2+ 27 fensible for Black in the long 'iixf2 :tel+ and the white queen run and so he must tum his at goes. Almasi suggests that tention to the kingside. White would do better to defend 20 ..i.f3 with 24 ..i.g4 h5 25 ..i.d7lle7 26 ..i.c6. 24 'iixh3 20 ..i.d6 Another way to play the po sition was 20... lbe5 21 lbxc5 25 d6? ..i.xc5 22 llxc5 'iie7 23 llc3 This natural move appears to l:lad8 when Black is a pawn be completely crushing, but down but has good control of Almasi has overlooked a fiend the dark squares. However, ish trap. Instead 25 lbc5 llad8 Miles is more ambitious. leaves Black with compensation 21 lLlxcS W'h4 but 25 lle3! would have placed 104 1 e4 lLlc62 lLlf3 d6 the onus on Black to justify his stead 27 l:le1 then 27 ...l:lh6 28 bold attacking concept, e.g. gxf4 l:lg6+ 29 i.g4 l:lxg4+ 30 25 ... l:lab8 26 l:lxe5 l:lxe5 27 'i'xg4 'i'xg4+ 31 l:lg3'i'xd7 32 gxf4 l:le7 28 lLlc5 and White lLlxd8 i.xb2 leaves Black with consolidates. a winning endgame) 27 ...l:lh6 White gets mated, e.g. 28 l:lel 'i'h2+ 29 'itfl 'i'hl+ 30 i.xh1 l:lxh1 is mate. 26 i.xc7 27 'i'd7 l:.ae8! 25 Ue6!! With the rook about to enter the fray on h6 Black obtains a decisive attack. 26 dxc7 At first sight it looks as 28 l:le3 though 26 d7 leaves Black with The back rank tricks continue a hopeless position but Miles after 28 'i'xc7 'i'xfl+ 29 'itxfl had prepared the brilliant coun l:.el mate. ter 26 ...l:.d8 !. 28 lbe3 29 'i'xh3 lLlxh3+ 30 'itg2 l:lxf3 0-1 Black emerges a piece ahead. Game 29 Ligterink-Miles Wijk aan Zee 1984 1 e4 lLlc6 2 �f3 d6 3 d4 lLlf6 4 lLlc3 i.g4 Then after 27 lLlxd8 (if in- 5 i.b5 a6 1 e4 lDc62 liJj3d6 105 6 .i.xc6+ bxc6 on the kingside as this will be met with a quick h4-h5 and a dangerous attack. However, this advance also has its negative side. Having advanced the g pawn, White is unlikely to want to castle on the kingside himself but Black has a ready-made at tack along the b-file if the white king ends up on cl. However, quiet play promises little, e.g. a) 9 i.g5 i.e7 10 0-0 0-0 11 g4 (it makes little sense to ex pand like this when the king is The position is unbalanced already committed to the king and this promises an interesting side so more logical is 11 l:.ad 1 middlegame battle. White has l:.e8 12 i.f4 'i'b8 13 b3 'i'b7 14 good control of the centre and :tfe 1 d5 15 e5 tlJd7 16 ltJb 1 a5 the better pawn structure but 17 c3 c5 and Black has good Black has a very flexible posi play on the queenside, Veroci tion with the bishop pair and a Mohr, Belgrade 1988) 11...i.g6 useful open line on the queen 12 e5 ltJd7 13 i.f4 d5 14 ltJa4 side. c5 15 ltJxc5 ltJxc5 16 dxc5 7 h3 i.hS i.xc5 17 c4 f5 (Black exploits 8 'i'e2 e6 White's advances on the king side) 18 g5 i.h5 19 l:.fd 1 c6 (White has managed to keep the kingside closed but Black has the advantage on all areas of the board) 20 'it>g2 i.e7 21 h4 d4 22 :td3 c5 and Black stands well, as in Ionescu-Tomescu, Orobeta 1993. b) 9 0-0 i.e7 10 i.f4 0-0 11 .l::tad 1 h6 12 i.h2 'i'b8 13 'i'e3 'i'b6 (Black avoids a trick which remains in the position for the next few moves, viz. 9 g4 13 ...'i'xb2? 14 l:r.b1 and now Once White has forced the 14.. .'iixc2 15 l:.fc 1 traps the bishop to retreat, Black will black queen, while 14... 'i'a3 is find it difficult to castle quickly met by 15 tlJd5 !and White wins 106 1 e4 lLlc62 lLlf3 d6 a piece) 14 �h1 �xf3 15 gxf3 point on e5) 15 f4 0-0 16 lLle2 �h7 (now Black really does e5 17 'it'c3 l:tab8 18 dxe5 fxe5 threaten the b-pawn) 16 b3 d5 19 fxe5 dxe5 20 l:.hfl �f7 21 17 lLla4 'it'a5 18 l:.g1 lLld7 19 b3 g6 22 'itb1 lLla4 23 'it'g3 l:.d3 �d6 with a balanced posi 'ii'c5 24 lL:lf3 l:.fe8 25 lLle1 'ilfa3 tion, Neumark-Hauke, West 26 lL:ld3 i.c4 27 'ilff2 (White Germany 1988. goes astray in the face of 9 �g6 Black's continuing pressure; 27 10 �gS l:.d2 was the only move and left Or 10 lL:lh4 d5 11 lLlxg6 hxg6 the position unclear) 27 ...l:.f8 12 i.g5 �e7 13 i.xf6 �xf6 14 28 'ili'a7 i.xd3 29 l:.xf8+ :.xf8 0-0-0 �g5+ 15 �b1 'it'd6 16 30 bxa4 �xe2 31 :.c 1 'it'b4+ 32 lLla4 'it'b4 17 b3 'it'b5 18 l:td3 �a 1 l:tb8 33 'ii'xb8+ 'ii'xb8 34 l:.bS and Black has good play, l:.b 1 'ili'd8 35 l:.b3 �c4 0- 1. S. Salov-Klinger, Zurich 1993. b) 11 �xf6 �xf6 12 0-0-0 10 i.e7 'it'b8 13 'ii'e3 'it'b6 14 h4 h5 (this demonstrates why Black should not be too anxious to commit his king to the kingside in this variation) 15 g5 �e7 16 lLld2 d5 17 lLlb3 dxe4 18 lLlxe4 0-0 (although Black's pawn structure is very poor it is diffi cult for White to keep the active black forces under control) 19 lLlec5 'it'b5 20 'ii' c3 .l:.fd8 21 :he1 a5 22 a4 'ii'b4 23 'ii'e3 .:tabS 24 lL:ld3 'i'c4 and Black retains a very active position, 11 0-0-0 Weiss-Somrnerbauer, Austria Others: 1993. a) 11 'it'e3 encouraged Black c) 11 e5 lLld5 12 lLlxd5 cxd5 to find an unusual plan in 13 i.xe7 'ilfxe7 (White's play Matulovic-Radlovacki, Tivat has only developed Black's 1995, e.g. 1I...lL:ld7 (ll...'iifb8 pieces for him and strengthened would be a more normal con his centre) 14 0-0-0 c5 15 exd6 tinuation) 12 i.xe7 'it'xe7 13 'ii'xd6 16 dxc5 'i'xc5 17 lL:ld4 0-0-0 lLlb6 14 lLld2 f6 (Black :c8 18 h4 h5 (this move again hopes, at the cost of leaving demonstrates why Black should himself with a very poor pawn defer kingside castling for as structure, to contain the white long as possible) 19 l:.h3 'ii'c4 initiative by building a strong- 20 'ifd2 hxg4! 21 ltc3 'ii'xa2 22 1 e4 lLlc62 li:Jj3 d6 107 lL'lb3 0-0 23 h5 i.xh5 24 'i'g5 12 �f4 l:.xc3 25 bxc3 i.g6 26 lLld4 l:.c8 Others: 0- 1 Jamieson-D. Johansen, Ad a) 12 i.h4?! lLlxe4! is now elaide 1990. strong as 13 lLlxe4 can be safely 11 h6 met by 13... i.xh4. 11.. .lLlxe4!? is an interesting b) 12 �xf6 �xf6 13 h4 h5 14 simplifying manoeuvre. After g5 �e7 15 lL'ld2 0-0 16 lLlc4 the forced 12 lLlxe4 i.xe4 13 'i'e8 (Black wants to play ...d5, i.xe7 i.xf3 14 'i'xf3 q;xe7 15 but if he does so immediately, 'i'xc6 Black has a good pawn the reply 17 lLle5, attacking c6 structure but problems with his will be awkward) 17 f4 d5 18 king, e.g. 15 ...'i'd7 16 'i'c3 lLle5 �b4 19 f5 exf5 20 exf5 l:.hb8 17 d5 �f8 18 dxe6 fxe6 �xf5 21 'i'xh5 i.xc3 22 bxc3 19 l:.he1 �g8 20 f4 l:.e8 21 l:.e4 c5 (both kings are exposed but l:.e7 22 b3 l:.ae8 23 'itb2 and the white one proves to be eas White gradually gained the up ier to get at) 23 l:.hfl i.e4 24 per hand in Groszpeter-Miles, l:.de1 'i'e6 25 .Uf4 cxd4 26 cxd4 Andorra 1995. l:.ab8 27 �d2 (White already Also possible is 11.. .0-0 has to run for cover) 27 ...'i'e7 which leads to some forcing 28 g6 fxg6 29 lLlxg6 'i'b4+ 30 tactics: 12 h4 h5 13 i.xf6 �xf6 This method of activating the queen is very typical for this variation. 13 �b1 'ii'b4 JOB 1 e4 li.Jc62 li.Jj3 d6 14 .i.cl ltb8 17 0-0 15 b3?? 0-1 The black queen is still trapped but White is unable to exploit this, e.g. 18 ltd3 (or 18 h4 li.Jd2+! 19 l:hd2 ltxb3+ 20 axb3 1ixb3+ 21 �a1 1ia3+) 18... 1ic4 and the queen escapes. Game 30 Kharlov-Minasian Moscow 1991 1 e4 li.Jc6 2 li.Jf3 White thinks he has found a White can try 2 li.Jc3,off ering clever method of dealing with a Vienna Game after 2 ...e5 . the threat against his knight on Black can then take up White's c3 but this is, in fact, a blunder offer, decline with 2 ... e6 reach which loses immediately. ing a position discussed in 15 1ixc3! chapter six (page 156), or even 16 �d2 try 2 ...d6 3 d4 li.Jf6 4 f4 (the The black queen is trapped, only independent try) 4 ...e5 5 but there is a simple resource. dxe5 .i.g4!? with unclear play, 16 li.Jxe4 e.g. 6 1id2 dxe5 7 f5 .i.b4 8 17 �e1 1ixd8+ ltxd8 9 .i.d3 ltd4 10 li.Jge2 ltxe4!? Klinger-Mest rovic, Sarajevo 1988. 2 d6 3 d4 li.Jf6 4 li.Jbd2 White deploys his pieces in a quiet but solid fashion. He lends support to the f3-knight (anti cipating a ....i.g4 pin) and pre pares to consolidate his central position with c3. An active alternative, if White wants to avoid the stan 17 .i.xc3 li.Jxc3+ regains the dard 4 li.Jc3, is 4 d5 li.Jb8 5 li.Jc3 queen and Black has an extra g6 (5 ....i.g4 is another perfectly piece. reasonable continuation) 6 ..tg5 1 e4 ltJc62 lbj3 d6 109 i.g4 7 'ii'd2!? (an aggressive plan from White who wants to castle quickly and launch an attack) 7 ...i.xf3 8 gxf3 lbbd7 9 0-0-0 c6 10 �b1 i.g7 11 i.h6 i.xh6 12 'ii'xh6 'ii'b6 Black could transpose into a quiet line of the Pirc Defence with 4 ... g6, but this is more in the spirit of l...lbc6. 5 c3 5 i.b5 a6 6 i.xc6+ bxc6 13 i.h3 (White continues gives White the opportunity to very actively, ignoring the play as in game 29, but with the threat to his f-pawn) 13... lbe5 option of c4, e.g. 7 0-0 e6 8 c4 (better than 13... 1ixf2 14 l:.hfl i.e7 9 l:te1 0-0 10 h3 i.h5 11 'ii'b6 15 f4) 14 :bg1 'ii'xf2! 'ii'a4 (White has created prob (now that White has been lems for Black with a direct forced to waste time with his attack against the front c-pawn, king's rook, it is less dangerous but Black can solve these with a for Black to accept this sacri dynamic pawn sacrifice) ll...c5 fice) 15 f4 lbc4 16 e5 lbh5 12 dxc5 lbd7! 13 cxd6 i.xd6 (White has a strong initiative, but his centre is collapsing) 17 exd6 'ii'xf4 18 d7+ �d8 19 :.g5 lbxb2! 20 �xb2 'ii'b4+ 21 �cl 'ii'xc3 22 l:d3 'i'e l + 23 �b2 'ii'b4+ 24 l:b3 'i'd4+ 25 �b1 f5 26 l:xb7 'i'd 1+ 27 �b2 'ii'xd5 28 l:xh5 c5! 29 'ii'g7 'ii'xb7+ 30 �c 1 'i'h 1 + 0- 1 Rohde-Miles, Chicago 1990. Black has de fended the aS-rook, so 3l...gxh5 will win easily. 4 i.g4 110 1 e4 lbc6 2lbj3 d6 14 1Wc2 (Black's chances 8 h3 were clearly illustrated in the 8 0-0 f6 (Black does not have game Ostrowski-Przewoznik, the thrust ...c5 immediately Mikolajki 1991, e.g. 14 1Wdl f5 available, so this is the natural 15 exf5 exf5 16 1Wc2 1Wf6 17 way to attack the centre) 9 exf6 1Wd3 ltae8 18 l:tfl �h8 19 lL'lb3 'ii'xf6 10 h3 i.h5 11 1Wb3 0-0-0 f4 20 i.d2 lbe5 21 lL'lxe5 i.xe5 12 i.b5 lL'ldb8 13 'tli'a4 i.d6 14 22 i.b4 ltd8 23 1We4 l:tfe8 24 b4 g5 15 i.xc6 lL'lxc6 16 b5 %bel f3 25 g3 i.xg3 26 i.e7 lL'lb8 17 lL'le5 l:thg8 (17... i.xe5 1Wxb2 27 1Wf5 l:txe7 28 l:tb 1 18 dxe5 'i'xe5 was about equal 'i'e5 29 1Wxe5 i.xe5 0- 1) 14 .. .f5 but Black prefers to build up his 15 exf5 exf5 16 b3 lL'lc5 17 lL'le5 position) 18 f3 i.e8 19 'i'xa7 i.xe5 18 .:xe5 lL'ld3 19 .:e3 i.xb5 20 .:tb1 i.a6 21 c4 i.xe5 'i'd4 20 .:bl lL'lxf2 21 'ii'c3 22 dxe5 'i'xe5 23 i.b2 d4 24 (Black regains his pawn; if 21 l:tfe l 'i'f4 25 lL'le4 d3 and Black �xf2, then 2l...f4) 21...'i'xc3 stands well, Yudasin-Minasian, 22 l:txc3 lL'ldl 23 l:ld3 f4 24 (20-minute game) Tilburg 1993. i.a3 ltfd8 25 ltxd8+ ltxd8 26 8 i.hS i.b4 i.e2 27 lL'le4 f3 28 gxf3 9 lL'ln f6 i.xf3 29 lL'lc3 l:td3 30 lL'lxdl 10 lL'lg3?! i.xd1 with a drawn endgame, White sees that he can dis Wahls-Miles, Biel 1990. place the black king by sacri 5 e6 ficing a pawn, but his compen 6 i.d3 dS sation turns out to be insuffi As in previous examples, cient. Better was 10 g4 i.f7 11 Black is heading for a French 'i'e2 with a balanced position. Defence with his bishop outside 10 i.xf3 of the pawn chain. 11 'i'xf3 fxeS 7 eS lL'ld7 12 'i'hS+ 1 e4 lt:\c62 l:iJj3d6 111 This looks very dangerous for his pawn. Black but he does in fact win a 17 i.e7 pawn in relative safety. 18 i.xf6 gxf6 12 rj;e7 18... lt::l xd3+ 19 .:txd3 6gxf Not however 12... g6? 13 was also very good for Black. i.xg6+hxg6 14 �xg6+ rj;e7 15 19 �h5 f5 i.g5+ and now 15... rj;d6 might Black avoids the simple trap not be so bad if Black was 19... dxe4?? 20 i.b5+. merely losing his queen, but 20 lt::\g3 �g8 unfortunately 16 lt::lf5 is check- mate. 13 dxe5 13 i.g5+ lt::lf6 14 dxe5 lt::lxe5 simply transposes back to the game. 13 lt::lcxe5 14 i.g5+ lt::lf6 15 0-0-0 15 i.e2 rj;d7 16 'ib4 h6 17 i.e3 was another way for White to play but the two central pawns provide an excellent bar rier for the black king. This neat move allows Black 15 rj;d7! to complete his development with ....:tf8 and ...rj;c8 after which White will have nothing for the pawn. White has no good way to prevent this re grouping and so the game is essentially decided. 21 1 d4 lbc6 2) 2 lbf3 dS 3 c4 With this sequence White transposes directly into the Chi gorin Defence ( 1 d4 d5 2 c4 tt:lc6), but Black has side stepped the dangerous 3 tt:lc3 line and obliged White to play the less testing 3 tt:lf3. White will usually obtain a strong centre and the bishop pair at the expense of a broken pawn structure and a slight lack of development. This unbalancing of the position ensures a dy In this chapter we consider namic middlegame. White plans which delay c4 or avoid it entirely. Broadly 3) 2lbf3 dS 3 g3 speaking, White can adopt three This is not a critical test of different approaches: Black's opening. White devel ops quietly and hopes to break 1) 2 dS lbeS open the centre with c4 at a Here White plays what could be later date. However, Black can described as a 'mirror-image' generate swift play with a com Alekhine's Defence. He gains bination of ....ig4, .. .'i'd7 and time and space in the centre, but ... 0-0-0 and can look to the fu must be careful not to become ture with confidence. too carried away with thoughts of kicking the black knight Game 31 around. Black remains solid and Lukacs-O'Donnell must be on the look-out for op Budapest 1991 portunities to exploit the slight dark square weaknesses which 1 d4 lbc6 often appear in the white posi 2 ds lbes tion. 3 f4 114 1 d4 ltJc6 without 2 c4 15... ltJxd2 16 ltJxd2 .tg1. ltJ 3 g6 4 e4 e6 (An amazing way to win 4 ...e5 has no independent material, especially considering significance since White's best it has happened twice!) 17 l:.h1 move is 5 dxe6. For a mis ltJg2+ 18 �fl ltJxf4 19 'iff3 guided attempt by White to ltJxe2 20 ltJxe2 i.b6 and Black avoid this simple transposition went on to win, Prudnikova see the game Weinitschke Rucheva, Alushta 1992. The Bogoljubow, given in the intro ...i.g 1 theme is a remarkable duction. coincidence in these two games. 5 dxe6 5 fxe6 5 ltJf3 does nothing to cure White's perennial weakness in this type of position, where he is in danger of over-extension, namely a sensitivity along the g 1-a7 diagonal, e.g. 5 ...exd5 6 exd5 i.c5 (thematically occu pying the key diagonal) 7 'i'd3 d6 8 ltJc3 ltJf6 9 i.e2 0-0 10 i.d2 ltJg4 11 ltJd1 l:e8 12 h3 ltJf6 13 g4 ltJe4 14 l:h2 ltJh4 (White now falls foul of an un usual invasion by the black pieces) 15 ltJc3 (15 ltJg5 ltJxg5 Of course, Black would not 16 fxg5 'i'e7 17 'i'g3 i.g1 and enter into this combative open Black's neat bishop move wins ing at all if he were inclined to material, Gerusel-Miles, Porz play 5 ...dxe6 here. After 6 1982 - see the introduction) 'ifxd8+ �xd8 7 ltJf3 Black's 1 d4 ltJc6 without 2 c4 115 position is sound but quite de tainly consistent with the dou void of energy. ble-edged nature of the entire After the recapture by the f opening is 6 ....ic5 7 lbf3 lbh6 8 pawn, the pawn structure is un .id3 0-0 9 g3 (9 .ixg6 hxg6 10 balanced and Black looks for lbc3 b6 is unclear) 9 ...b6 10 counterchances not only along i.e4 (otherwise Black gains a the key g1-a7 diagonal, but also smooth development with on the half open f-file. ....ib7) 10 ....ia6 ! and if now 11 6 ltJf3 .ixa8 1Wxa8 Black's attacking chances more than outweigh his Or: a) 6 i.d3 i.c5 7 g3 d6 8 h4 small material investment. (White chooses an aggressive 6 .icS plan but the black position is 7 ltJc3 too solid to be disrupted by such early violence) 8 ....id7 9 h5 lDf8 10 .id2 ike7 11 ltJc3 i.c6 12 ife2 liJh6 13 0-0-0 0-0-0 14 lDf3 liJd7 15 .:th4 lDf6 16 e5 liJd5 17 exd6 cxd6 18 lDxd5 i.xd5 19 c4 .ixf3 20 'i'xf3 lDf5 21 .:thh1 �b8 with a balanced position, Ballmann-Bus, Odessa 1990. b) After 6 e5 Black could consider the immediate 6 ...d5, when 7 exd6 i.xd6 leaves Black with better development 7 e5 transposes into 6 e5 .ic5 and the white f-pawn rather ex 7lbf3. posed. These factors would 7 liJh6! easily compensate for the weak A solid alternative is 7 ...d6 8 pawn on e6. Instead, in the ltJa4 .ib6 (surely it is better for game Miralles-Maeser, Swit Black to play 8 ...i.b4+ 9 c3 zerland 1994, Black delayed his .ia5 when if White wants to central counter too long, viz. gain the bishop pair he is 6 ....ic5 7 liJf3 lDh6 8 .id3ltJh4 obliged to weaken his queenside 9 g3 lDxf3+ 10 'i'xf3 ife7 11 with 9 b4) 9 ltJxb6 axb6 10 e5 liJd2 and now 11.. .d5 lost a ltJ8e7 11 exd6 cxd6 12 .id3 0-0 pawn after 12 exd6 cxd6 13 13 0-0 h6 14 ltJd4 e5 15 fxe5 .ib5+ .id7 14 'i'xb7 .:td8 15 ltJxe5 16 .ie2 .:txfl+ 17 1Wxfl .ixd7+ l:.xd7 16 'i'a8+ and ltJ7c6 18 .ie3 with a small plus White won easily. for White, Ruban-Ermenkov, However best of all, and cer- Miskolc 1990. 116 1 d4 tLlc6without 2 c4 8 tt:la4?! Black from breaking in the Decentralising like this does centre (e.g. 10 g3 d5), but this not help White's cause. Better move weakens his dark squares is 8 e5 0-0! (not 8 ...tt:lg4 9 tt:le4 and doesn't do anything for his �e3 10 �xe3 tt:lxe3 11 'i'd2 development. However, 10 f5 !? tt:lxfl 12 l:.xfl 0-0 13 g3 when is doubtful, e.g. 10... exf5 11 Black has only helped White to i.xh6 gxh6 12 exf5 tt:lh4 13 develop all his pieces) 9 tt:le4 (9 tt:le5 ( 13 tt:lxh4 ..txh4+ 14 g3 g3 d5 10 exd6 cxd6 11 tt:le4 'i'e7+ is good for Black) 'i'b6 12 c3 Balogh-Kriz, If2-If2 13... 0-0 and White is insuffi Czech Republic 1993) 9 ...i.b6 ciently well developed to ex 10 g3 tt:lf5 (a dynamic attempt ploit Black's exposed king. by Black to exploit his lead in 10 0-0 development is 10 ...d5 !? 11 11 g3 b6 exd6 e5 with compensation) 11 The fianchetto development 'i'd3 d5 with an equal game. of Black's queen's bishop is a 8 ..tb4+ common strategic motif here. A standard finesse instead of 12 fS the immediate 8 ...i.e7, to un White pushes forwards, but derscore the decentralisation of preferable would have been a White's knight. If, in response, more solid course with 12 i.h3 9 tt:lc3 then, of course, �b7 13 tt:lc3 ..tc5 14 'i'e2 Not 12 ...exf5 13 'i'd5+. 13 tt:lc3 Others are not attractive, e.g. 10 c4 13 ..td2 ..txd2+ 14 'i'xd2 ..tb7 White is anxious to prevent or 13 13 1if6 17 lLlxeS 1ixeS 14 ..te2 lbes 18 'i'xd7 lLlxfS Black does well to avoid 19 exfS 1Wxe2 White's main idea, which was 20 'i'xe6+ 1ixe6 14... exf5 15 ..txh6 (15 1id5+ 21 fxe6 l:.xfl+ �h8 16 1ixa8 ..txc3+ 17 bxc3 22 �xfl ..ta6 1ixc3+ 18 'iti>d1 1ixa1 19 exf5 lLlxf5 20 1Wxa7 lbe3+ 21 �d2 lbe5 is terrible for White) 15... J.xc3+ 16 bxc3 fxe4 17 0-0 1id6 (not 17... gxh6 18 1id5+ 1ie6 19 1Wxa8 exf3 20 ..txf3) 18 1ixd6 cxd6 19 J.c1! exf3 20 J.xf3 l:b8 21 J.d5+ �h8 22 l:.xf8+ lLlxf8 23 J.a3 when Black is completely hamstrung in the endgame. IS 0-0 Black will now win a pawn but it is not enough to win the game. 23 ..tf4 ..txc4+ 24 �fl l:.e8 2S J.xc7 l:.xe6 26 l:e1 l:bel 27 �xe1 J.xa2 28 ..tb8 a6 29 ..tc7 bS 30 �d2 �fi 31 �cl J.e6 IS jixc3 32 h4 'iti>e7 After 15 ... J.b7 16 J.xh6 33 'iti>b2 11 fS Black can also consider pre paring this thrust with ...(jje7 and ...0-0. 12 exfS i.xfS 13 (jje4 i.xe4 This gives White the bishop pair and leaves Black with a rather inflexible position. A better continuation is 13... i.a7, intending ...(jj f6 and Black has equal chances. 14 i.xe4 (jjf6 15 i.f3 0-0 23 l:dl bxaS 16 b4 i.a7 24 1ha5 .l:tf8 17 c4 i.d4 25 i.e3 i.c3 In spite of White's bishops 26 l:lbl l:tfb8 and mobile queenside pawns, 27 l:a4 the activity of Black's one re maining bishop still gives him sufficient counterplay to hold the balance. 18 l:.a3 b6 19 aS l::tfb8 20 g4 In this position, there is little more that White can achieve on the queen 's flank, given that Black's bishop controls al. He therefore tries to gain space on the other wing. 20 h6 If White now had time to 21 h4 e4 consolidate with l:b3 then he Just in time. This comes at a might be getting somewhere, moment when White's bishop but the general activity of cannot retreat and still maintain Black's pieces suggests that he its attack on e4. will always have a saving 22 i.e2 clause. This now arrives in the If 22 i.g2, then22 ...{jj xg4 23 form of a tactical trick to force a i.xe4 .l:tf8, when Black has drawn endgame. nothing to fear. 27 tt.Jcs 22 (jjd7 28 i.xcS dxcS 120 1 d4 lbc6without 2 c4 29 b5 axb5 For many years the automatic 30 :xa8 :xa8 move in this position was 6 ...e5 31 :xb5 .i.d4 but then there came the gradual 32 �g2 .:tal realisation that opening the po 33 'itn cj;f7 sition really did help to rein 34 l:tb7 �e5 force White's advantage of the 35 l:tb5 .i.d6 bishop pair. The modem move 36 l:tb3 �f4 is the more restrained 6 ...e6, 37 l:tb5 �d6 which actually does achieve 38 .:tb3 i.f4 Black's ambition of hampering the free play of the white bish- 39 l:tb5 liz.l iz ops. Transposition to 7 lbc3 Chigorin's Defence Game 33 Piza-Novak Bratislava 1991 1 d4 lbc6 2 lbf3 d5 3 c4 �g4 7 �h5 Black often plays 7 ...� b4 here, but this queen move, which eyes up the broken white kingside, has more to recom mend it. Therefore we select this as our main variation. 8 i.e2 Experience indicates that of 4 cxd5 i.xf3 fering a speedy trade of queens 5 gxf3 does not promise White any For White's other main con thing. The text looks more logi tinuation, 5 dxc6, see the next cal in that White prepares to game. harass the black queen and 5 1Wxd5 swiftly realign his king's bishop 6 e3 e6 along the powerful hl-a8 di- 1 d4 lbc6without 2 c4 121 agonal. .id2 g5 15 fxg5 hxg5 16 .:tag1 Here is a brief summary of f5 17 .ic2 l:th5 18 .ib3 12 lbe4 (12 i..d2 h6 13 lbb5 Preparing an exchange sacri fice which gains control of the dark squares and leaves White's king displaced. 21 e4 �xeS 25 h4 'i'f4 26 .tlc2 lbd6 27 hS lbfS 28 h6 Instead of struggling on with 22 i.xgS 28 �g 1 which could be met by It is more than likely that 28 ...lbxd4 29 l:.b2 i.c5 for ex White had been relying here on ample, White tries the hope playing 22 .:txc5 when Black lessly optimistic text. appears to lose a mass of mate 28 lbe3+ rial but then he has the cunning 29 �e2 ttJxd1 riposte 22 ...lbe 3!! 23 i.xe3 30 h7 'i'xf2+ l:.xc5 when the pin on the d-file 31 �xd1 'i'xd4+ means that it is White who loses 32 'itcl 0-1 material. 22 i.b4+ Game 34 23 �fl 'it'xgS Granda-Morozevich 24 exdS exdS Amsterdam 1995 For all practical purposes the game is decided. White's posi 1 d4 dS tion is so completely disorgan 2 c4 lbc6 ised that it is merely a matter of 3 lbf3 ..tg4 time before Black's forces 4 cxdS �xf3 gather for the decisive punch. 5 dxc6 Having missed his own chance This is one of the oldest lines to sacrifice the exchange White in this opening and was fre has to watch helplessly as quently employed against Black's counter sacrifice gath Chigorin. White foregoes the ers momentum. advantage of the bishop pair, 124 1 d4 lbc6without 2 c4 but hopes to avoid any damage 12 'i'xd2 0-0 13 0-0 a6 with a to his pawn structure and also completely equal position, Gon speculates on being able to gain zalez-!. Ivanov, Manresa 1993. time by advancing the central b) 7 ..if4 has also not served pawns to attack Black's queen's White particularly well. This bishop. On the whole, though, bishop is probably needed to Black's free piece play has gen defend either c3 or d4. For ex erated very good Black results ample: 7 ...l2Jf6 8 e3 ..ib4 9 'i'b3 in this line. ltJd5 10 ..ig3 0-0 11 ..id3 'i'g5, s ..ixc6 was Teichmann-Chigorin, Cam 6 lbc3 e6 bridge Springs 1904. For fu ll As we have already noted in notes to this game, see the in the introduction an interesting troduction. alternative is the gambit 6 ...lbf6 Alternatively, 7 ...lbe7 8 e3 7 (planning e4) 7 ...e5 8 dxe5 lbg6 9 ..ig3 a6 10 'i'b3 ..ie7 11 f3 'i'xd1+ and whether White re 0-0-0 0-0 12 d5 exd5 13 lbxd5 captures with king or knight 'i'c8 and Black had no cause for Black proceeds with the plan of complaint, Teichmann-Chigor ...lbd7, ...0-0-0, ...J.c5 , and, if in, Berlin 1897. necessary, .. Jthe8 and .. .f6. 7 ..ib4 when White's tardy develop 8 f3 ment and straggling pawns give Black plenty of compensation. 8 'i'h4+ Another try here for Black is 7 e4 8 .. .f5!? as played in the game Others: Pillsbury-Chigorin, St Peters a) 7 e3 is much too passive to burg 1896. However the pawn create problems for Black, e.g. sacrifice 9 ..ic4 fxe4 10 0-0, as 7 ... lbf6 8 f3 ..id6 9 ..ib5 ..ixb5 recommended by Pollock in 10 lbxb5 ..ib4+ 11 ..id2 ..ixd2+ 1896, is highly risky for Black. 1 d4 lbc6without 2 c4 125 See the introduction for further lbe2 .i.b6 13 lDf4 'i'a5+ 14 analysis of this game. i.d2 'i'b5 15 i.c3 lDf6 16 a4 Black's queen check here is 'i'g5 17 e5 ltJd5 18 lbxd5 i.xd5 typical of situations where (as with the previous example, White has played f3 . The idea is Black has encouraged White to to loosen White's entire central advance in the centre and can and kingside pawnstructure and now hope to exploit the weak to reposition Black's queen on nesses thus created) 19 .i.d2 h5 where it can target the soft 'i'g6 20 i.e3 a6 21 a5 i.a7 22 spot on f3. 0-0 h5 23 :te l :d7 24 :f2 h4 Houshan-Wittmann, Lucerne 9 g3 01 1982. The white kingside is weak and the pawn on d4 is a target. Black has all the chances. 10 0-0-0 Setting the evil trap 11 0-0? :xd4 12 'i'xd4 i.c5 winning White's queen. 11 .i.e3 fS 9 'i'hS Nevertheless, also possible is 9 ...'i'f6 10 .i.e3 0-0-0 e.g. 11 .i.g2 ( 11 .i.d3 .i.a5 12 0-0 .i.b6 13 e5 'i'e7 14 .i.e4 with an un clear position) 11... .i.c5 12 e5 'i'e7 13 0-0 f6 (Black has strong pressure against the white cen tre) 14 f4 .i.xg2 15 Wxg2 .i.b6 16 :f2 lbh6 17 :d2 lDf5 18 Although this implies the sac .i.f2 h5 19 :c 1 q;,b8 20 lba4 rifice of a pawn this thematic l%d5 and Black's firm control thrust against White's central over the central light squares installations is much better gives him excellent chances, times here than on move eight, Moiseenko-Kobaliya, St Peters where Chigorin originally tried burg 1995. it. 10 ..te2 12 'i'b3 .i.xc3+ 10 .i.g2 0-0-0 11 a3 .i.c5 12 13 bxc3 fxe4 126 1 d4 tbc6 without 2 c4 14 'iixe6+ .td7 15 'iixe4 22 i.d1 i.d7 23 d5 'it'e7 15 .:te8?! 24 llb3 'i'c5+ Black can gain more effective 25 28 ... l:t5e7 29 i.g5 .:te5 with a 47 gxh6 1-0 draw by repetition. 29 i.xe3 .:txe3 Game 35 30 :xe3 l:txe3 H. Olafsson-Hjartarson 31 i.c2 Reykjavik 1995 1 d4 dS 2 lbf3 lbc6 3 c4 i.g4 31 b6? There is no need to give an other pawn away. After 3l...h6 White would have had a hard time converting his pawn ad 4 e3 vantage to a win. Others: 32 .txh7 a) 4 'ii'a4 was favoured by Now White is doing very Alekhine. 4 ...i.xf3 gives White well. a choice of recaptures: 32 ... :aJ 33 .tb1 'ii'xc4 34 :ct 'ii'bS 35 'ii'c2 it'cS 36 'ii'xcS bxcS 37 l:txcS 7 cxd5 (7 e3 lbge7 8 -'.d2 0-0 9 'ilfc2 lbg6 10 f4 lbh4 11 0-0-0 lbe7 12 �bl c6 13 -'.d3 'iti>h8 14 'i'b3 a5 was about equal, Ki. Georgiev-Morozevich, Tilburg 1993) 7 ...exd5 8 a3 �xc3+ 9 bxc3 lbge7 10 l:.b1 l:.b8 11 h4 6 a3 (11 �f4 0-0 12 e3 was a solid 6 'Wi'b3 lbge7 (6 ...�xf3 7 gxf3 alternativeto this ambitious try) lbge7 8 -'.d2 0-0 9 a3 ..ta5 10 11...0-0 12 h5 'ii'd6 13 h6 g6 14 0-0-0 .:tb8 11 'ilfc2 dxc4 12 e4!? 'ii'e6 15 �h3 f5 16 0-0!? �xc4 �xc3 13 ..txc3 b5 with a 'ilff6 1 7 exd5 lbxd5 18 'ilfc4 useful initiative on the queen l:tbd8 19 l:.b5 'ii'd6 20 �g5 l:td7 side although White's bishops 21 l:.e1 a6 and Black stands could later prove to be a power well, Malaniuk-Morozevich, ful force, Maherramzade-Kam Alushta 1994. inski, Halle 1995) 7 -'.e2 0-0 8 b) 4 lbc3 is likely to trans 0-0 a6 9 a3 -'.a5 10 .:td1 .:tb8 11 pose back to the text after 4 ...e6. i.d2 -'.xc3 12 -'.xc3 dxc4 13 1 d4 lbc6without 2 c4 129 'ii'xc4 'ii'd5 14 'ii'd3 .tf5 15 squares to compensate for the 'i'd2 lbg6 16 llacl llfd8 17 weakened black queenside. 'ii'e 1 .ie4 with a finn hold on 9 0-0 the central light squares, Y e 10 .td3 lbg6 Rongguang-Manor, Thessalo 11 h3 niki 01 1988. 6 .txc3+ 7 bxc3 11 .txf3 12 gxf3 White avoids the natural 12 7 lbge7 'i'xf3 on account of 12... dxc4 7 ...lbf6 8 cxd5 exd5 9 h3 13 ..txc4 lbxd4 14 exd4 'i'xd4 ..th5 10 c4 0-0 11 .ib2 lbe4 12 forking a 1 and c4. 'ii'a4 a6 13 'i'c2 .ig6 14 ..td3 12 dxc4 :es 15 0-0 is playable for 13 .txc4 'i'f6 Black, Spraggett-Perovic, Vi Black has everything he enna 1990. Black has a normal wants from the opening. Al queenside position with his though White, as so often, has a bishop outside the pawn chain. big pawn centre and two bish 8 cxdS exdS ops against two knights, Black's 9 c4 development is far superior and With Black's queen's bishop he can start to pound White so active, the two bishops are both on the central files and on not such a huge plus in this the kingside where White's situation, so White tries to make pawns are shattered. the most of his slight central 14 litn lbce7 pawn majority. 9 l:.b1 should be 15 .tb2 l:.ad8 met by 9 ...llb8 while 9 a4 0-0 16 .td3 lbh4 10 .ta3 lieS 11 .tb5 lbg6 12 17 f4 cS .ixc6 bxc6 13 h3 i..f5 with suf 18 :ct cxd4 ficient control over the light 19 .txd4 130 1 d4 lDc6without 2 c4 25 �n lLld2+ 26 �e1 lLlxc4 27 'ii'xc4+ �h8 28 �n 'ii'f4 Just as White's bishops ap pear to be co-ordinating Black eliminates White's hopes by sacrificing the exchange. In subsequent play Black's agile A pawn down and with a knights prove superior. shattered position further sisre 19 l:txd4 tance is futile. 20 exd4 'ii'xf4 29 'ii'e2 'ii'xd4 21 l:tc4 ltJf3 30 �g2 'ii'dS+ 22 �g2 lLlg6 31 f3 'i'gS+ 32 �h2 'i'f4+ 33 �g2 hS 34 l:d1 :rs 35 'ii'f2 l:tgS+ 36 23 J.xg6 Not 23 'ii'xf3 lLlh4+, but the text only increases Black's power on the f-file. 23 fxg6 24 'ii'e2 'ii'g5+ 36 l:tg3 1 d4 tLlc6without 2 c4 131 37 l:td4 l:txh3+ demonstrated that 8 dxc6 ti:Jxd2 38 �g2 'i'h2+ 9 �e2 ._,d5 10 ._,a4 ..txf3+ 11 0-1 gxf3 'i'xf3+ 12 �d3 'i'e4+ 13 �e2 would be a draw by per Game 36 petual check. In this line Radulov-Lorenz though, Graham Burgess has Bad Mergentheim 1989 pointed out that Black can try 9 ...b5 !! and if 10 a3 (10 'i'c2 is 1 d4 tt:Jc6 stronger but Black is still well 2 tt:Jf3 d5 on top) 10 ...'i'd5 11 axb4 ti:Jxf3. 3 g3 A much better reply to Of White's third move alter 5 .....tb4+ is 6 tLlc3 when a pos natives which side-step the sible line is 6 ...tt:Jge7 7 lie1 (7 main lines, the kingside fi h3 ..th5 8 .:tc1 0-0 9 a3 ..txc3+ anchetto is the most testing. 3 10 l:txc3 dxc4 11 l:txc4 ti:Jg6 12 ..tg5 would actively assist ..th2 ..txf3 13 'i'xf3 e5, Akes Black, since he can strike out at son-Morozevich, Lloyds Bank, the white bishop with .. .f6 at London 1994 was also fine for some moment. 3 ..tf4 ..tg4 4 e3 Black) 7 ...0-0 8 ..td3 ti:Jg6 9 h3 e6 5 ..tb5 ..td6 followed by ..th5 10 ..th2ti:Jh4 11 g4 ti:Jxf3+ ...tt:Jge7 is not dangerous. 12 'i'xf3 ..tg6 13 ..txg6 hxg6 14 A curiosity was the strange cxd5 exd5 15 �fl tLle7 and encounter Langeweg-Diickstein, Black stands well, van Wely Zurich 1975 which finished Morozevich, Tilburg 1993. abruptly after 3 ..tf4 ..tg4 4 e3 3 ..tg4 e6 5 c4 ..tb4+ 6 ti:Jbd2 ti:Jf6 7 4 ..tg2 'i'd7 cxd5 tLle4 and here White re signed! This gives the vanatton its distinctive flavour. Black plans However subsequent analysis to castle queenside, possibly 132 1 d4 lLlc6without 2 c4 trade off White's king's bishop bergue-Holzl, Bern 1990. with ...�h3 and where neces It is interesting that Landen sary he will resort to .. .f6 to bergue, although a noted ...lLlc6 fence White out of the central system specialist, was unable to zone. demonstrate a convincing line 5 0-0 when himself confronted with Others: the opening. a) 5 h3 �f5 b) 5 c4 e6 6 0-0 0-0-0 7 ltJc3 dxc4 (once the white queen's knight is committed to c3 it makes good sense for Black to make this capture) 8 'i'a4 �b8 (not 8 ...�b4, which led to a swift disaster in Kumaran Miles, Dublin Zonal 1993: 9 ltJe5 lLlxe5 10 'i'xa7 c6 11 �f4 i.d6 12 'i'a8+ �c7 13 lLlb5+ �b6 14 'i'a7+ �xb5 15 a4+ 6 c4 (6 lLle5 lLlxe5 7 dxe5 0-0-0 8 c3 f6 9 �f4 e6 10 lLld2 fxe5 11 �xe5 lLle7 12 �f4 ltJc6 13 ltJf3 �e4 14 0-0 �d6 15 i.xd6 'i'xd6 16 lLld4 �xg2 17 �xg2 ltJe7 18 e3 c5 19 lLlc2 �b8 and Black's excellent cen tral control guarantees him the advantage, Kaenel-Landenber gue, Switzerland 1993) 6 ...dxc4 7 'i' a4 e5 8 dxe5 lLlxe5 9 1-0) 9 l:.d 1 i.xf3 10 i.xf3 'i'xd7+ lLlxd7 10 lLlc3 (afterthis ltJb4 11 'i'a5 lLlf6 12 a3 lLlbd5 White never regains his pawn 13 e4 b6 14 'i'a6 lLlxc3 15 bxc3 so 10 ltJbd2 looks better, but 'i'c6 16 a4 (White's centre is after 10... 0-0-0 Black has noth dropping off so he must launch ing to complain of) 10 ...c6 11 a quick attack) 16... lLlxe4 17 a5 �e3 �b4 12 l:c1 lLlgf6 13 0-0 f5 18 axb6 axb6 19 i.f4 1Wb7 lLlb6 14 �d4 0-0 15 �xf6 gxf6 (better is 19... i.d6 20 i.xd6 16 ltJd4 �e6 1 7 lLle4 f5 18 cxd6) 20 'i'xc4 i.d6 21 'i'xe6 lLlf6+ �h8 with a good extra l:.de8 22 'i'd7 (White missed a pawn as in the game Landen- good chance here with 22 'i'xf5 1 d4 lL!c6without 2 c4 133 the idea being to meet the cap .i.xg5 'iig8 24 exf5 'iWxg5+ 0- 1 ture 22 ....i.xf4 with 23 :te l! and Mellado-Pascual, Barbera del White stands well) 22 ....i.xf4 23 Valles 1995. This game is a fine gxf4 :thf8 with an unclear po advertisement for Black's sys sition, Loginov-Wells, Harkany tem. 1994. 5 0-0-0 c) 5 tLle5 tLlxe5 6 dxe5 e6 7 c4 c6 (Black has a solid position although there is no reason for White to go into self-destruct as in this game) 8 '*d4 f5 9 tLlc3 c5 10 1Wdl d4 11 �b5 a6 12 '* a4 :tb8 13 tt:Jd6+ .i.xd6 14 '*xd7+ �xd7 15 exd6 �xd6 with a winning position for Black, Karlsson-Hector, Oslo 1994. d) 5 c3 .i.h3 6 0-0 .i.xg2 7 14 h4 fx gS 15 i.xgS lbge7 16 bS lbb8 17 .:tel .f:.dg8 18 'ili'd2 White is struggling both to open a line on the queenside 23 .f:.fd 1 against Black's king and to If 23 lbxh4 'ili'xh4 24 f3, then stern Black's tide on the other 24 ....f:.xg2+ forces mate. flank. The text, however, walks 23 lbxg2 into a fresh sacrifice. 0-1 5 1 d4 ltJc6 2 c4 e5 1 d4 l2Jc6 losophy behind playing l...lbc6 2 c4 eS and so here we consider alter native ways for Black to com plete his development. How ever, many King's Indian De fence and Modem Defence themes will feature in the games in this section. The most obvious way for Black to do this is to capitalise on the fact that - compared with the King's Indian - he has not yet committed himself to ...g6 and ...i.g7 and can therefore try to develop this piece more ac In this chapter we consider the tively with ...i.c5 or ...i.b4. variations where White declines When White chooses to play a to play the obscure positions quick e4, his central dark resulting from the critical 2 d5 squares can often become a lit and instead aims to steer the tle weak and Black should be game into calmer, and perhaps looking for opportunities to ex more familiar, waters. In our ploit this. In this context, the opinion this is less testing for more active development of the Black than the direct 2 d5, but dark-squared bishop fitsthe bill these variations nevertheless well. require close study. As any good King's Indian After 3 d5 lbce7, Black player will tell you, when the could, if so inclined, probably position has been closed with work his way into the main White playing d5, Black should lines of the King's Indian De be looking for opportunities to fence or Modem by continuing snap away at the white centre with ...d6 and ...g6. However, with pawn breaks such as ...f5 , transposing back into main lines ...c6 or even ...b5 . We see all of is not consistent with the phi- these ideas coming into play in 1 d4 t'i:Jc62 c4 e5 137 the following material. i..h3 13 t'i:Jc3 t'i:Jf6 14 t'i:Jfl t'i:Je8 15 t'i:Je3 t'i:Je 7 16 'i'c2 i.xe3 17 Game 37 i.xe3 f5 with a fine game, Iash Farago-Speelman vili-Z. Nikolic, Belgrade 1992. Beersheba 1987 8 t'i:Je2 Others: 1 d4 lbc6 a) 8 l:c1 led to a complex 2 c4 eS struggle in Shirazi-Miles, Chi 3 dS lbce7 cago 1990, viz. 8 ...c6 9 lbh3 0-0 4 e4 lbg6 10 i.e2 a5 11 a3 i.c5 12 i.xc5 5 i.e3 i.b4+ 'iVxc5 13 lbb3 'i'a7 14 d6 a4 15 6 lbd2 lba1 l:e8 16 c5 b6 17 0-0 bxc5 6 lbc3 lDf6 7 f3 i.xc3+ 8 18 i..c4 'iib6 19 :n h6 20 l:d2 bxc3 d6 9 c5 0-0 and Black has .:as 21 lbf2 i.a6 22 i.xa6 a useful lead in development l:xa6 23 lbc2 lDf4 24 t'i:Je3 t'i:Je6 which counter-balances the 25 lbc4 'iib5 26 ltJd3 ltJd4 27 strength of the white bishop .l:.c3 lbb3 28 l:f2 lbd5! 29 exd5 pair. cxd5 and Black went on to win. 6 lbf6 b) 8 'iVe2 a5 9 'iVf2 b6 10 lbe2 i.c5 11 lbc1 lbh5 12 g3 d6 13 ltJd3 i.xe3 14 'i'xe3 f5 15 exf5 i.xf5 16 lbf2 lbf6 17 i.d3 i.xd3 18 ltJxd3 0-0 19 0-0 'iVd7 with an equal position, Collas-Bus, Cappelle la Grande 1992. For 8 g3 see the game Kai danov-Miles in the introduction. 8 0-0 7 f3 This creates a dark-square weakness on the g1-a7 diagonal which Speelman rushes to ex ploit. 7 'iVe7! Less dynamic, but also per fectly playable for Black is 7 ...0-0 8 a3 i..e7 9 i..d3 d6 10 tz'le2 tz'lh5 11 g3 i..g5 12 i.f2 138 I d4 ti:Jc62 c4 e5 9 g3 15 .tfl i.b4 9 a3 i.c5 10 'ii'b3 a5 11 16 .J:tad1 i.xc5 'i'xc5 12 'i'c3 a4 13 g3 16 l:i:Jc4? runs into the tactical d6 14 ti:Jc1 c6 15 i.e2 'i'a7 16 trap 16 ...d5 ! and Black wins. dxc6 bxc6 17 c5 d5 18 ti:Jd3 16 i.b7 i.h3 19 l:g 1 i.e6 20 l:c 1 ti:Jd7 21 ti:Jb4 l:ac8 22 �f2f5 and the insecure position of White's king guarantees Black a good game, Pisulinski-Gdanski, Byd goszcz 1990. 9 aS 10 .th3 .tcs 11 'i'b3 c6 12 0-0? Black has an active position and has certainly vindicated his choice of opening. The incau tious text, however, makes Black has achieved every matters worse for White. He thing he could hope for from the should first play 12 l:cl. Now opening. Although White has a Black breaks his chains on the protected passed pawn on the queen's flank. queenside Black has a mass of 12 bS! central pawns combined with excellent development. Mean while, White's king's fortress is none too solid. The pawn moves in front of White's king repre sent a permanent weakness in the defensive shield. soon as As Black achieves the key advance ...d5 he will start to punch holes in White's carapace. 17 l:i:Jc4 dS 18 exdS 18 ti:Jb6 is met simply by 18... dxe4 ! 19 l:i:Jxa8 i.xa8 20 13 cxbS fxe4 l:i:Jxe4 and Black has over 13 dxc6? bxc4 and ...d5 is whelming compensation for the corning. exchange. 13 cxdS 18 i.xdS 14 a4 d4 19 'ii'd3 .J:tad8 1 d4 tDc62 c4 e5 139 20 �f5 e4 26 ... �xc6 27 'i'xd8 l:.xd8 28 A bold and impatient attempt l:txd8+ 'i'xd8 29 bxc6 and now to convert his central advantage Black rounds up the dangerous into immediate victory by over passed pawn with 29 ...ttJe5 30 runningWhite 's king. l:.c2 'i'h6+ 31 �g2 lDxc6 with 21 fxe4 ttJxe4 an easy win. 22 ltJxd4? c) 24 lDd2! was the best try, After this White is in terrible but after 24 ...�a8 25 lD2b3 difficulties as Black's king's �b6 the black bishops are im bishop develops ferocious ac mensely powerful and White tivity. The best chance to de has to deal with the threat of fend was22 �xd4 lDc5 23 'i' c2 ...'i'b7 . lDb3! and now White cannot 24 �xc4 afford to lose the dark-squared 25 'i'xc4 bishop and so must reconcile 25 �xg6 hxg6 26 'i'xc4 'i'e5 himself to 24 �f2 i.xc4 25 27 l:.f4 (27 l:.fd2 l:.xd4) 27 ...g5 'i'xc4 ltJd2 and Black gains the 28 l:.g4 l:.xd4! 29 .Ugxd4 .Ud8 exchange and should win the and wins. game easily. 25 ttJe5 22 tDxf2 26 'i'c3 'i'a7! 23 l:.xf2 �c5 0-1 24 'i'c3? The diagonal pin against Now White loses by force. White's king is deadly, for ex Others tries are: ample, 27 .Ufd2 �xd4+ 28 a) 24 tDe3 �xd4 25 'i'xd4 .Uxd4 .Uxd4 29 l:txd4 'ifxd4+ 30 .li.b3 winning. 'ii'xd4 lDf3+ and Black wins on b) 24 lDxa5 .li.xd4 25 'ifxd4 material. A superb vindication .if3 26 ttJc6 (or 26 l:.xf3 l:.xd4 of Black's opening against a 27 l:.xd4 'ii'el+ and Black wins) strong opponent. 140 1 d4 li:Jc62 c4 e5 Game 38 nesses in the white kingside Alvarez-Izeta give Black a very promising San Sebastian 1993 game, Knoll-Mestrovic, Werfen 1993. 1 d4 li:Jc6 b) 5 ... ..ic5 6 h4 h6 7 li:Jc3 2 c4 eS li:Jf6 8 ..ih3 d6 9 'ii'f3 c6 IO ..if5 3 dS li:Jce7 ..ixf5 I1 'i'xf5 cxd5 12 cxd5 li:J 0-0 13 li:Jge2 li:Jh7 I4 'i'f3 l:.c8 4 e4 g6 s li:Jf3 15 h5 4Je7 16 g4 f6 17 li:Jg3 A natural alternative to this li:Jg5 18 ..ixg5 fxg5 19 li:Jf5 simple developing move is 5 g3, li:Jxf5 20 gxf5 'i'b6 21 l:.bI ..id4 played not so much with the 22 0-0 ..ixc3 23 bxc3 'ii'a6 24 idea of fianchettoing the white l:.fc 1 b6 Sitnik-Mestrovic, Por king's bishop, but so as to pres toroz I996. Black has coped ent a discouraging palisade, rep with the white kingside initia resented by the white pawn on tive and now stands better g3, to the black knight on g6. thanks to the weak pawns on a2, Nevertheless, this slow treat c3 and e4. ment does not face Black with 5 ..icS any serious problems and he has Move-order is not stagger two ways of continuing, both ingly important here. In the based on the free development game Koemetter-Welling, Vel of his king' s bishop on c5: den 1995 Black scored a power ful win with the alternative 5 ...li:Jf6 6 'i'c2 ..ic5, viz. 7 ..ie2 0-0 8 0-0 d6 9 a3 a5 IO li:Jc3 ..id7 11 li:Je i c6 I2 li:Jd3 ..id4 (it is surprising how often d4 turns out to be a useful outpost for Black's dark-squared bishop in this variation) 13 ..ig5 h6 14 ..ixf6 'i'xf6 15 b4 'ii'g5 16 l:.fci f5 (Black is playing in King's Indian style, but with a very powerful king's bishop on d4, instead of its familiar post on a) 5 ... li:Jf6 6 ..ig2 ..ic57 li:Je2 g7) 17 li:Je1 li:Jf4 18 ..ifl li:Jh3+ h5 8 h3 d6 9 li:Jbc3 .i.d7 I 0 19 'iti'hl tt:'lxf2+ 20 'iti>gl li:Jxe4+ 'ii'd3 a6 II a4 h4 I2 g4 li:Jh7 I3 21 'iti>h1 li:Jg3+ 22 hxg3 'i'h5 ..ie3 'ii'f6 I4 ..ixc5 dxc5 I5 mate. 'ii'e3 b6 I6 aS llJgS I7 axb6 6 ..ie2 d6 cxb6 I8 f3 0-0 and the weak- 7 0-0 aS 1 d4 ll:lc62 c4 e5 141 prepares the manoeuvre i.e3, finally challenging the domi nance of Black's active bishop. 10 i.d7 11 g3 h6 12 i.e3 b6 Although this renounces any thought of prodding White's centre with ...c6 in the future it is worthwhile gaining play in the soon-to-be-opened b-file if White's insists on trading off Black's bishop. A useful precaution against 13 i.xcS bxcS possible queenside expansion 14 a4 from White based on a3 and b4. White moves over to the de As seems to be the norm in this fence on the queenside, prepar variation, Black's king's bishop ing to block the b-file with ltJb5 is firmly entrenched on the dark at some distant date. However, squares and White has no easy if White instead seeks to keep way of dislodging it. his options open by means of 14 8 llJc3 ltJf6 b3 followed by a3 and b4, 9 lbe1 0-0 Black's counterplay on the 10 llJc2 other wing with ...ltJh7 and ...f 5 still gives him the superior chances. 14 ltJb7 15 llJe3 lLle7 16 ..tg4 fS 10 ltJd3 is well met by 10 ...i.d4 when White would already be obliged to resort to the clumsy 11 i.f3 in order to defend his e4-pawn. The text 142 1 d4 lbc62 c4 e5 Achieving his dream ad pressure intensifies on the white vance. Now, after inevitable ex position from Black's other de changes on f5 Black will secure sirable property,the f-file. all the play in the position, since 24 b3 l:[f3 he is able to press the white 25 lbd2 l:td3 camp both on the b-file and the 26 l:tb2 :rs f-file. Black's alternating attacks 17 i.xf5 i.xf5 are most attractive. His primary 18 exf5 lbxf5 goal has now been achieved: 19 lbxf5 l:txf5 one black rook has penetrated 20 1i'g4 1i'd7 the white position. 21 h4 27 1i'e2 l:td4 To stop ...lbg5 . 28 lbe4 1i'g6 21 .:tars 22 lbe4 22 lbb5 would have been more consistent with his 14th move but White feels that he needs his knight on the kingside for defensivepurposes . 22 l:tb8 Black immediately exploits the absence of White's knight from its blockading post. 23 :Sbl 1i't7 29 l:tel l:tf4 Winning material; the threats of ...l:tfxe4 or ...l:txh4 cannot be satisfactorily parried. White's next move is pure desperation. 30 lbxc5 dxc5 31 1i'xe5 l:tfe4 32 l:txe4 l:txe4 33 1i'xc7 .:tel+ 34 'iti>g2 1i'd3 35 1i'c8+ lt:Jf8 36 1i'xc5 White's next move is de Although White, on paper, signed to shore up his queenside has more than enough material and prevent the annoying inva compensation for his knight, the sion ...l:tb3. Now, though, the concentrated power of Black's 1 d4 lbc62 c4 e5 143 forces in direct attack against somewhat less logical. Since the exposed white king swiftly White has not played e4 yet, he proved decisive. can always revert at some point 36 'i'fl+ to e3, defending the dark 37 �f3 'i'h1+ squares and blotting out Black's 38 'itg4 'i'e4+ king's bishop. A wild example 39 f4 l:te3 of this was Lugovoi-Karpachev, Smolensk 1992: 6 �g2 a6 7 h4 h6 8 lbe4 �b4+ (after all Black once again resorts to placing his bishop on b4) 9 ..tfl f5 10 a3 �f8 11 h5 t'iJ6e7 12 d6 t'iJc6 13 dxc7 'i'xc7 14 t'iJc3 lbf6 15 t'iJf3 d6 16 tbh4 t'iJe7 17 lL:ld5 lLlfxd5 18 cxd5 �d7 with an unclear position. 40 'ii'c8 'i'g6+ 0-1 Game 39 Stem pin-Kuczynski Wa rsaw 1990 1 d4 tbc6 2 c4 e5 3 d5 tbce7 6 'ii'b3 4 tbc3 tbg6 This is the type of formation 5 g3 where White would prefer to In this variation White tries avoid doubled pawns. The text to restrict the activities of seeks to achieve this whilst si Black's queen's knight on g6 multaneously gaining a tempo without committing himself against the black bishop. immediately to the rigid e4, oc Against 6 'ii'c2 Black has two cupying the centre but at the methods of proceeding, either cost of a general weakening of the restraint of White's queen the dark squares. side pawns, combined with the 5 �b4 retention of Black's king's In this situation 5 ...�c5 is bishop or an acquiescence in the 144 1 d4 li:Jc62 c4 e5 exchange of bishop for knight, with the expectation that Black will in return gain a lead in de velopment and prospects of har assing the white queen. Here is one example of each: a) 6 ...a5 7 a3 i.e7 8 h4 d6 9 e4 h6 10 i.h3 i.xh3 11 li:Jxh3 li:Jf6 12 i.e3 li:Jf8 13 0-0-0 li:J8d7 14 f3 li:Jc5 15 li:Jf2 li:Jfd7 16 �b1 li:Jb6 17 li:Jd3 lDxd3 18 'ii'xd3 lDd7 19 lLlb5 :a6 20 l:th2 a4 21 'ii'f1 0-0 22 'ii'h3 c6 and Black's queenside play keeps 10 h6 the game in a state of dynamic 11 lLlxb6 axb6 equality, Barlov-Z. Nikolic, 12 e4 lL:lf6 Yugoslav Ch. 1985. 13 .i.d2 .i.d7 b) 6 ... lLlf6 7 a3 i.xc3+ 8 14 hS ltJf8 'ii'xc3 0-0 9 h4 lDe4 10 'ii'c2 f5 15 f3 lD8h7 11 i.g2 d6 12 lLlh3 h6 13 h5 lLle7 14 i.xe4 fxe4 15 'ii'xe4 i.f5 16 ... g2 i.g4 17 f3 i.xh5 18 lLlg5 i.f7 19 'ii'h3 'ii'c8 20 e4 'ii'xh3 21 lLlxh3 i.h5 22 g4 .i.e8 23 �f2 b5 and Black has a slight initiative, Agrest-Miles, Miinster 1993. 6 'ii'e7 7 a3 i.aS 8 'ii'c2 i.b6 To meet the threat of b4 and c5 by White, Black could also play 8 ....i.xc3+ 9 'ii'xc3 lLlf6 Strategically, Black faces dif reaching something similar to ficulties in that White can Agrest-Miles, quoted above. blockade the kingside with g4 9 h4 d6 whilst possessing the long-term 10 lLla4 advantages of the bishop pair White speculates on the and mobile queenside pawns. variation 10... lLlf6 11 h5 lDf8 12 Tactically, though, Black is in h6 g6 13 i.g5 with a powerful fine shape since White's ambi pin, but Black's next move pre tious and time-consuming ma empts this. noeuvres on both flanks have 1 d4 lbc62 c4 e5 145 deprived his king of any perma 20 f4 nently secure shelter. White's White loses patience and al kingside is full of holes whilst, lows Black everything he is on the queenside, Black con hoping for. He was doubtless trols the only open line (the a concerned that against slower file) and can add further fuel to means Black would trade on e4 the flames with breaks such as and follow up with moves like ...c6 and ...c5. ...i.g4 and ...lbf6 , fixing the 16 lbe2 0-0 White pawn on h5 as an irrevo 17 lbc3 lbe8 cable weakness for the end- 18 0-0-0 game. There is a strong case here 20 lbxe4 for sealing things up with g4. 21 lbxe4 fxe4 White takes a gamble by al 22 i.xe4 lbf6 lowing Black to counter with .. .f5. After 18 g4 'i'f6 19 i.e2 lbg5 20 'ii'd3 c6 21 0-0-0 lbc7 22 �bl, for example, White has the plan of l:.dfl and f4 with all to play for. Indeed, the whole notion of a concerted attack against f3 by means of ...'i'f6 may be too ambitious. Hence, White could certainly count on equality by playing g4. After the text, a hand-to-hand fi ght ensues. 18 lbgS 23 .:tdel 19 i.g2 fS Giving in without a fight and ceding Black global control of all the crucial light squares. White should at least have tried 23 i.g6 when matters are not yet clear. 23 lLlxe4 24 'ii'xe4 .trs 25 'ii'e2 'ii'd7 Black does not need to de fend what remains of his pawn centre. The light-square coun terattack initiated by this move will prove more than adequate 146 1 d4 liJc62 c4 e5 compensation for any slight equally fatal. material loss. 29 �d2 ._.c2+ 26 fxeS ._.a4 30 �e3 27 .i.c3 ._.b3 30 l:.xc3+ 28 e6 0-1 He may as well try to cement his ill-gotten gains in as much Game 40 as the defensive 28 �d2 allows Komarov-Zagema 28 .. .l:ha3 29 bxa3 ._.c2+ 30 Dortmund 1992 �e3 ._.xc3+ with a winning attack. In this line the humbly 1 d4 liJc6 palliative 29 ._.d 1 fails just as 2 c4 eS dismally to 29... ..-xc4 30 bxa3 3 dS 'i'd3+31 'iti>c1 ..-xc3+. Compared with the Budapest 28 l:txa3 Gambit capturing on e5 is not worrying. Let us first examine what happens in the cognate gambit line: 1 d4 lt:Jf6 2 c4 e5 3 dxe5 liJg4 4 lt:Jf3 �c5 5 e3 liJc6 6 liJc3 and now Black can re capture his gambit pawn with 6 ...liJgxe5. In comparison after 3 dxe5 in the main game Black does not have to waste tempi in order to recapture his pawn. Here is one example 3 dxe5 liJxe5 4 e3 liJf6 5 liJf3 liJxf3+ 6 ._.xf3 d5 7 h3 �e6 8 lt:Jc3 �b4 This irruption is again (Black already has an active 1 d4 lbc62 c4 e5 147 position) 9 .i.d2 0-0 10 0-0-0 1988) 7 ... l2Jf6 8 i.g20-0 9 l2Jf3 dxc4 11 e4 l2Jd7 12 l2Jd5 a5 10 b4 l2Je4 11 0-0 l2Jxd2 12 i.xd2+ 13 l:.xd2 c6 14 'i'f4 'i'xd2b6 13 :acl axb4 14 axb4 cxd5 15 exd5 c3 16 bxc3 'i'a5 i.g4 15 lbe l l:.a4 16 l2Jc2 'i'd7 17 dxe6 'i'xc3+ 18 �b 1 fxe6 19 17 c5 bxc5 18 bxc5 �5 and 'i'd4 'i'xd4 20 l:.xd4 l2Jb6 21 f3 Black has successfully freed his l:.ad8 22 l:.d3 l2Jd5 23 a3 l:.d6 position, Koch-Becker, Bun 24 g3 l:.b6+ 25 �a2 l:.c8 26 desliga 1992. l:.b3 l:.c2+ 27 �bl :xb3+ 28 b) 6 'i'xd2 d6 7 'i'g5 (this �xc2 l:.xa3 29 .i.e2 l:.a2+ 30 strange queen sortie hopes to �d3 b5 0- 1 Trivuncevic-Mest force a weakness with ...g6, but rovic, Lj ubljana 1994. Black proves that he does not 3 l2Jce7 have to be so accommodating) An interesting alternative is 7 ...h6 8 'i'xg7 l2Jg6 9 l2Jf3 l2Jf6 for Black to develop his king's 10 l2Jg5 'i'e7 (after 10... hxg5 11 bishop before retreating the .i.xg5 White regains the piece, knight. Play then has some but the simple text move leaves similarities to that typical of the the white queen stuck) 11 g4 Bogo-Indian (1 d4 l2Jf6 2 c4 e6 (this is necessary as Black was 3 l2Jf3 i.b4+), e.g. 3 ...i.b4+ 4 threatening ...l2Jh5, snaring the l2Jd2 l2Jce7 5 a3 .i.xd2+ and white queen) ll...l2Jxg4 12 l2Je4 now: .i.f5 13 l2Jg3 .i.d7 14 .i.h3 0-0-0 15 i.xg4 .i.xg4 16 l2Je4 .i.f5 17 lbf6 lbf4 18 e4 .i.g6 19 l:.gI l2Jh5 20 l2Jxh5 .i.xh5 21 'i' g3 and the complications have re sulted in equality, Justa German, Buenos Aires 1995. 4 l2Jc3 The pseudo-pin with 4 .i.g5 does not seem to serve any par ticularly useful purpose, e.g. 4 ... h6 5 .i.h4 c6 6 e4 'i'a5+ 7 'i'd2 'i'xd2+ 8 l2Jxd2 l2Jg6 9 i.g3 l2Jf6 I0 lt:)gf3 .i.b4 11 a3 a) 6 i.xd2 d6 7 g3 (7 e4 l2Jg6 i.xd2+ 12 lt:)xd2 c5 13 f3 d6 14 8 'i'c2 f5 9 exf5 l2Jh4 10 g3 .i.f2 b6 15 lbb 1 i.d7 16 lt:)c3 l2Jxf5 11 lbe2 lbf6 12 .i.g2 0-0 ri;e7 17 �d2 l2Je8 18 h4 h5 19 13 0-0 'i'e8 14 l:.ae1 'i'h5 15 .i.e3 f5 20 .i.d3 f4 21 i.f2 l£Jc7 'i'c3 l2Jh6 16 f3 lbfl 17 'i'e3 and the black knights are more i.d7 with an easy game for useful than the white bishops in Black, Semkov-Rossi, Forli this blocked position, Thaler- 148 1 d4 ltJc62 c4 e5 Summerbauer, Austria 1993. dence, Stojnic-Soln, Bled 1996. 4 d6 6 i..d3 Hitherto we have examined An alternative is 6 ltJf3 ltJf6 7 variations where Black has i..d3 and now 7 .. .f4 or even the played 4 ...ltJg6 with the plan of adventurous move 7 ...h6 per liberating his king's bishop ei haps planning ...g5. ther on c5 or The text is an 6 ltJf b4. 6 alternative in which Black al 7 i..g5 lows himself the possibility of 7 ltJf3 would transpose to the an immediate rupture of the previous note. The text hopes centre based on .. .f5. However, for 7 .. .fxe4 8 .!bxe4 .!bxe4 9 we must caution that this places i..xe4 when Black is virtually a great deal more stress on paralysed. Black's structure than the fluid 7 f4 piece development lines arising Black does not oblige and from 4 ...ltJg6. switches instead to an advance 5 e4 which is, as we have already seen, typical for Black's coun terplay in this line. 8 g3 White essays a head-on as sault and the game soon devel ops along the uncharted and tactically rich contours which all black players who employ this variation should desire. The more rigidly positional course is 8 i..xf6 gxf6 9 'iWh5+ ltJg6 10 i..e2 'ii'd7 11 h3 with the plan of i..g4 to control the light 5 f5 squares. This is, perhaps, the 5 ... g6 6 i..d3 f5 7 exf5 ltJxf5 way Karpov would have pro 8 ltJf3 i..h6 (this exchange is ceeded and White's grip on the positionally desirable but Black light squares gives him the ad must now play with care as he vantage. has fallen behind in develop 8 ltJg6 ment) 9 i..xh6 ltJgxh6 10 'ii'd2 9 h4 ltJf7 11 0-0-0 ltJh4 12 ltJxh4 In contrast to the basically 'ii'xh4 13 g3 'iWh6 14 f4 i..g4 15 strategic treatment outlined l:tdfl 0-0-0 and Black has safely above, White's bull-in-a-china co-ordinated his forces and can shop approach here gives Black look to the future with confi- time to consolidate. 1 d4 ltJc62 c4 e5 149 16 a3 0-0 17 �e2 lt:Jb8 Black's queen's knight, after a wondrous series of gyrations, finally reaches home. Indeed, Black's entire game plan ap pears to be based on the sys tematic undevelopment of his pieces but, in the mean time, there have been compensations. By rushing his pawns forward on both flanks, White has ex posed himself to severe 9 fxg3 counter-punches. 10 fx g3 �e7 18 lL'lh4 axb4 11 h5 lt:Jf8 19 axb4 l:.xa1 In view of the threat of 20 'i'xa1 lba6 ...lt:Jxd5, neatly bagging a pawn, 21 'i'b1 White must nowretr eat. 12 �e3 lt:Jg4 13 �d2 lt:Jf6 14 lt:Jf3 Of course 14 �e3 would lead to repetition. 14 lt:J8d7 15 b4 21 c6 Black's counterplay takes on definite shape. What had once looked like a significant space advantage for White now re sembles more a position shot through with gaps and weak nesses. Depriving Black of the c5- 22 dxc6 bxc6 square for his knight. 23 b5 15 aS For his troubles White does 150 1 d4 liJc62 c4 e5 at least create an instant passed This would also have been pawn, though one that can be the answer to 31 lLlc6. fairly easily blockaded. 32 �e3 �b4+ 23 cxb5 33 33 i..d2 i..xd2+ 34 �xd2 lLlxe4+ is hopeless. 33 1Wc5 If immediately 33 ...lLlxe4, 34 1Wa6 keeps White afloat. How ever, 33 lLlg4 looks quite deci sive. 34 1Wa6 If 34 "i'c l �c3 35 lLle2 d4, 27 lLlf5 36 1Wxc3! but 34 ...1We7 still It is worth considering here leaves White with the insuper 27 11t'a2 to slow down Black's able task of holding his passive occupation of the centre. legions together. 27 liJd4 34 1Wc4 28 lLlxd4 exd4 35 lLlf5 "i'd3+ 29 lLle2 d5 36 �cl i..a3+ With White's forces scattered 0-1 around the perimeters, his king stuck in the centre, and with A scrappy game in which the Black now possessing a passed advantage swung to and fro. Its pawn of his own, it is evident chief merit lies in its demon that White's entire strategy has stration of the resilience of collapsed. Black's position. Even though 30 lLlxd4 "ii'b6 White appeared to be driving 31 "ii'al �c5 Black back on all fronts Black's 1 d4 ltJc6 2 c4 e5 151 position remained sound and queenside most effectively by was quite capable of delivering means of the manoeuvre ....td7- a decisive counter-punch when c6 and meanwhile he is ready to White's pawn structure became advance powerfully on the other bloated and unwieldy after his flank. Sugden-Keene, Cam early and ruthless attempt to bridge 1969 continued 16 f4 gain space on all fronts. exf3 17 lLlxf3 lLlg6 18 .ltb5 .ltd7 19 'ii'c3 .ltc6 20 .tel .:te7 Game 41 21 .ltd3 lLle4 22 .ltxe4 fxe4 23 J uraczka-Palos ltJg5 'ii'd7 24 .:tb2 .tb525 l:.ff2 Oberwart 1991 .ltc4 26 'ii'c2 'it'g4 27 lLlh3 .:tf8 28 .:txf8+ lLlxf8 29 c6 bxc6 30 1 d4 tbc6 l:.b8 (at long last White, with 2 c4 eS his threat of .ta3, appears to 3 tiJf3 have gained palpable counter play but unfortunately for him Black is ready with a swift tac tical refutation) 30 ....:tf7 31 4Jf2 l:.xf2 32 �xf2 'ii'h4+ 0- 1. White's problem in this game was the inflexibility of his cen tral and queenside pawns. Nev ertheless, if White seeks to pre serve his pawns intact with 7 'i'c2 0-0 8 a3 .ltxc3 9 'i'xc3 then Black can still gain his fair share of the centre with 9 ...d5 10 b3 lLle7 followed by ...c6 and This transposes to a version ....te6 is quite satisfactory for of the English Opening in Black. The long-term aim is to which Black has a compara strike at White's kingside with tively easy time. ...f 4 and the closed nature of the 3 e4 position renders White's ad 4 lLlgS vantage of the two bishops An alternative is 4 lLlfd2, but somewhat nugatory. Black can still gain excellent 4 .tb4+ counterplay,e.g. 4 ...f5 5 e3 lLlf6 5 ltJc3 6 lLlc3 .tb4 7 .lte2 0-0 8 0-0 Any other move would lose .ltxc3 9 bxc3 d6 10 .ta3 .:te8 11 the knight on g5, but as it is c5 d5 12 l:.bl lLle7 13 c4 c6 14 now Black can smash White's 'it'cl 'it' c 7 15 cxd5 cxd5. Here pawns. Black can consolidate his 5 4Jf6 152 ld4t'i:Jc62c4e5 6 e3 10 t'i:Jg1 g4 6 d5 is more combative than 11 t'i:Je2 t'i:JbS the text, but Black is still able to Maintaining the theme of gain good play by wrecking dominating White's knight. White's pawn structure, e.g. 12 g3 fS 6 ...J.xc3+ 7 bxc3 t'i:Jb8 8 g3 d6 13 t'i:Jf4 9 J.g2 'iie7 10 c5 J.f5 11 cxd6 cxd6 (White has managed to dissolve the doubled c-pawns, but the weakness on the c-file remains) 12 0-0 h6 13 t'i:Jh3 0-0 14 i.e3 t'i:Jbd7 15 'iid2 t'i:Je5 with a good game, van den Donk-Lemmers, Netherlands 1994. It is also worthpointing out a trap that has claimed many vic tims. After 6 'iib3? Black can in fact snatch the white pawn on d4 with 6 ...t'i:Jxd4 since 7 'iixb4 At last White's knight is foiled by 7 ...t'i:Jc2+, snaring emerges, but the resultant posi White's queen. tions is inimical to White's 6 ..ixc3+ bishops. Black now proceeds to 7 bxc3 d6 besiege White's weak pawn on 8 h4 h6 c4. 9 t'i:Jh3 gS 13 t'i:Jxf4 An ingenious move, utilising 14 exf4 b6 the potential pin on the h-file to 15 i.e3 lbas lock White's knightout of play. 16 i.e2 i.a6 1 d4 lbc62 c4 e5 153 17 :b1 cS 23 hS :ac8 18 0-0 'i'd7 24 .ixg4 fxg4 25 •xe4 'i'e8 26 .hl •e7 27 fS �h7 Black has to neutralise White's possibility of •a4 be fore annexing the c4 pawn. Black now has a classic won 28 f3 0-1 position, with a blockade that The final blunder since Black robs White of any possibility of can now play ...•xe3+. It is active counterplay. notable that when thrown on 19 :bs .ixbS their own resources and unable 20 cxbS c4 to follow established theory, so 21 dS •xbS many white players succumb so 22 .d4 0-0 quickly. 6 1 ...lbc6 against Flank Openings In this chapter we consider the anchetto of the white king's viability of opening l...lbc6 bishop exerting pressure against against moves other than 1 d4 Black's queen's flank. or 1 e4. In the following analysis we The main point of the inter consider l...lbc6 against other pretation of ...lbc6 that we sug White openings: gest in this book is to angle for a) 1 b3 was popularised by a quick ...e5 . Therefore, al Larsen in the late sixties and though l...lbc6 is perfectly early seventies. However, ced playable against 1 c4, Black ing the centre so early to Black then does best to continue with is not to everyone's taste. Black a quick ...e5 transposing to lines can meet this move comfortably of the English. An in-depth with l...lbc6 2 .ib2 e5, e.g. 3 analysis of these variations is e3 d6 4 i.b5 (against other beyond the scope of this book, continuations, Black can suc but in this chapter we suggest cessfully adopt a King's Indian methods for Black to combat formation where the white White's various options. bishop on b2 plays a minimal The encounter chosen for our role in proceedings, e.g. 4 lbe2 stem game is an old one, but it g6 5 d4 .ig7 6 d5 lbce7 7 'i'd2 is one that has been overlooked lbf6 8 c4 0-0 9 lbbc3 c6 10 g3 in many anthologies and excel cxd5 11 cxd5 i.d7 and Black lently demonstrates many of the has the initiative, Minasian themes of this particular varia Wolff, Glendale 1994; or 4 c4 tion. g6 5 g3 .ig7 6 .ig2 h5 7 h3 h4 8 g4 f5 9 lbc3 lbf6 10 gxf5 Game 42 .ixf5 11 d3 g5 and Black has Capablanca-Bogoljubow very good play, Bagirov-Gel Nottingham 1936 fand, Amsterdam 1989) 4 ...i.d7 5 lbe2 a6 6 i.xc6 .ixc6 7 0-0 1 c4 'i'g5 ! (an excellent move which In this particular game White drives White into a passive po diverts play into lines of a strict sition as 8 lbg3 h5 9 f4 'i'g6, English Opening with the fi- threatening ...h4 is very un- l...l2Jc6 againstFlank Op enings 155 pleasant) 8 f3 l2Jf6 9 c4 d5 tion that White wants to play an English Opening, but without allowing Black the option of the ...e5 variations. Against such a player, l...l2Jc6 is a good reply. Now (after 1 l2Jf3 l2Jc6) 2 c4 e5 or 2 g3 e5, Black gets the varia tions which White may be try ing to avoid. If White changes tack with 2 e4 d6 or 2 d4 d5 then Black has again obliged White to enter channels with which he may be unfamiliar. d) 1 g3 l2Jc6 is obviously per 10 l2Jbc3 (Adams suggests fectly playable for Black and is that White's best is 10 f4 ! exf4 likely to transpose into lines of 11 l2Jxf4 dxc4 12 bxc4 i.d6 13 the English Opening. i.xf6 ti'xf6 14 l2Jc3 which is e) 1 l2Jc3 is often used as a unclear) 10 ...0-0-0 and Black transpositional device. For ex has a good game, Minasian ample 1 l2Jc3 d5 2 e4 and now Adams, Debrecen 1992. 2 ...d4 and 2 ...dxe4 have inde b) 1 f4 l2Jc6 is perfectly play pendent significance, but 2 ...e6 able. If White now heads for a and 2 ...c6 transpose respectively king pawn opening with 2 e4, into the French Defence and Black should change plan and Caro-Kann Defence. play 2 ...d5 and if 3 e5 then However, our key defence 3 ...i.f5 with an improved ver still holds good. 1 l2Jc3 l2Jc6 and sion of Nimzowitsch's original now 2 e4 can be met by 2 ...e6 3 treatment. d4 i.b4. Better for White is 1 f4 l2Jc6 2 tbf3 when Black can play 2 ...d5 (also possible is 2 ...d6, intending ...e5 ), e.g. 3 g3 (3 e3 i.g44 i.b5 e6 5 0-0 l2Jge76 b3 d4 7 e4 a6 8 i.d3 lbb4 and Black stands well, Parr-de Cov erly, Hastings 1995) 3 ...i.g4 4 i.g2 ti'd7 5 tbc3 0-0-0 6 h3 i.xf3 7 i.xf3 l2Jf6 8 d4 l2Je4 with active play, Tu Hoang Thong-Kagan, Melbourne 1994. c) 1 tbf3 is often an indica- 156 l . . . liJc6against Fla nk Op enings Furthermore, after 2 d4 e6 ..ixf2 30 ..ixf2 lLle5 is also White really has nothing better hopeless for White) 27 .. .'�h728 than 3 e4 ..ib4 with the same 'ii'e6 l:txh3+ 0- 1 David-Miles, position. Linares Z 1995. An interesting example of play from this position is: 4 lL:lf3 (4 a3 ..ixc3+ 5 bxc3 d6 6 'i' g4 'i'f6 7 'i'g3 'ii'g6 8 'ii'xg6 hxg6 9 f4 b6 10 lL:lf3 ..ib7 11 i.d3 lba5 12 0-0 c5 with a solid po sition for Black and chances to play against White's weakened pawn structure, Angqvist Hj elrn, Stockholm 1992) 4 ...d6 5 ..id2 (5 ..ib5 a6 6 ..ie2 lLlge7 7 'ii'd3 0-0 8 a3 ..ia5 9 0-0 e5 10 d5 lLlb8 11 lLld2 lL:ld7 12 b4 ..ib6 13 ..ig4 i.d4 14 lLlb3 ..ia7 f) I b4!? is the only move we 15 lLla4 'i'e8 16 lLlc3 f5 and feel a slight reluctance to rec Black has active play as in ommend 1.. .lLlc6 against. We Stertenbrink-Dausch, Bundes leave it to readers to decide if 2 liga 1984) 5 ...lLlge7 6 a3 ..ia5 7 b5 lbe5 3 ..ib2 lLlc4!? ..id3 0-0 8 0-0 lbg6 9 h3 ..ib6 10 lLle2 (10 d5 exd5 11 exd5 lbce5 is pleasant for Black) 10... lLlh4 11 lL:lxh4 'ii'xh4 12 ..ie3e5 13 c3 f5 ! 14 exf5 ..ixf5 15 ..ixf5 l:txf5 16 'i'd2 (better is 16 dxe5 l:txe5 17 i.xb6 axb6 maintaining an equal position) 16... exd4 17 cxd4 lbf8 18 l:tad1 �h8 19 l:tfe 1 h6 20 f3 d5 21 .tf2'i'd8 22 lLlc1 'ii'f6 23 l:te2 l:tg5 24 �h1 'ii'g6 25 i.g1 'ii'h5 26 'ii'e1 (see fo llowing diagram) (or, perhaps more cautiously, 26 ...l:txf3 ! (the tactical cul 3 ...lLlg6) gi ves Black a playable mination of Miles's patient ma position. noeuvring) 27 :e8+ (27 gxf3 1 lLlc6 'ii'xh3+ 28 l:th2 'ii'xf3+ 29 l:tg2 2 lLlc3 eS 'ii'xg2 is mate, while 27 l:tf2 Having staked his claim in lLlxd4! 28 gxf3 lLlxf3 29 'ii'e6 the centre, Black will now aim l ... lbc6against Flank Op enings 157 to gain space on the kingside na 1989) 7 ...lDf6 8 e3 0-0 9 with ...f5 which can also act as a ..te2 d6 10 0-0 c5 11 lbb3 b6 prelude to a potential kingside and Black again stands well, attack. Gulko-A.V. Ivanov, USA Ch. We have now entered the 1989. realms of the English Opening. 3 g6 The following notes and varia 4 i.g2 ..tg7 tions are not intended to be de 5 d3 finitive, but to suggest sensible An alternative here for White choices for Black against the is 5 e3 when Black can try to various possible schemes of gain space on the kingside with development by his opponent. 5 .. .f5 and now: 3 g3 After 3 lLlf3 a good line for Black is 3 ...f5, e.g. 4 d4 e4 and now: a) 6 d4 e4 7 lbge2 ..tg7 8 lDf4 lbe7 9 h4 d5 10 b3 c6 11 i.a3 ..th6 12 ..tfl ..txf4 13 gxf4 ..te6 14 ._d2 rj;f7 with an equal a) 5 lbg5 .i.b4 6 lLlh3 lLlf6 7 game, Korchnoi-Salov, Wijk e3 ..txc3+ 8 bxc3 d6 9 i.e2 0-0 aan Zee 1992. 10 0-0 ._e7 11 f3 i.d7 12 fxe4 b) 6 lbge2lLlf6 7 0-0 0-0 8 d3 lLlxe4 13 ._c2 l:.f6 with a lLle7 9 e4 d6 10 exf5 lDxf5 11 promising kingside initiative, lDe4 lDxe4 12 ..txe4 c6 13 �3 Ubilava-Kurajica, Las Palmas l:.f7 14 f4 exf4 15 ..txf4 ..te6 1994. and Black has no problems, b) 5 ..tg5 ..te7 6 i.xe7 Sher-Hodgson, Isle of Man lbcxe7 7 lLld2 (7 lLlg 1 lbf6 8 e3 1995. d6 9 h4 c6 10 lLlh3 ..te6 11 ..te2 5 d6 (D) ..tf7 12 l2Jg5 0-0 13 �3 �6 6 ..td2 with a good game for Black, The main point of this move Vaganian-Pr. Nikolic, Barcelo- is to defend White's queen's 158 J.JiJc6 against Flank Op enings knight against possible Black 10 jfc2 h6 tactics based on ...f5 and ...e4. The long range intention is to Once the knight is defended, march forwards on the king's White can launch a quick strike flank with... g5 and .. .f4. on the queenside by means of 11 e3 a6 l:b1 and b4. An interesting decision which was criticised at the time. It seems that the queenside is White's domain and it is folly by Black to provoke a skirmish there. The point, though, is to disturb White's planned onrush of pawns on the queenside by gaining counterplay on the open a-file. 12 a4 Here 12 bxa6 :xa6 13 �xb7 ..txb7 14 :xb7 ..-as exposes White's rooks to all sorts of After 6 liJf3 Black can again unpleasant tactics. That would aim for his usual kingside ex also be the reply if White were pansion with 6 .. .f5, e.g. 7 l:b1 to capture on b7 over the com a5 8 a3 lDf6 9 0-0 0-0 10 b4 ing moves. axb4 11 axb4 h6 12 b5 lDe7 13 12 cS �b2 ..te6 14 l:.a l l:c8 (14... l:b8 13 bxa6 l:.xa6 15 c5 ltJd7 16 lDa4 dxc5 17 l:.a3 g5 18 ._,a1 ltJg6 19 liJd2 ._,e7 20 lDc3 lDf6 21 l:.a7 b6 22 ._,a6 l:.fd8 23 l:td1 ..-n 24 l:.b7 l:.xb7 25 ._,xb7 lDe8 26 lDc4 e4 27 lDe3 f4 0-1 Urban-Soffer, Bu dapest 1993) 15 c5 ltJd7 16 cxd6 cxd6 17 4Ja4 d5 18 4Jd2 jfeS with a complex game, lv anchuk-Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 1996. 6 fS 7 l:tb1 4Jf6 8 b4 0-0 14 l!Jge2 4Jc6 9 bS 4Je7 15 liJdS 4Jxd5 Here Alekhine recommended 16 �xdS+ �h7 9 ...4Jd4 10 e3 l!Je6. 17 h4 l ...�c6 against Flank Op enings 159 Capablanca liked this kind of strategy for White would be manoeuvre which both inhibits �g2 followed by doubling ...g5 and prepares long term rooks on the b-file and then pressure against Black's king :b6. Just in time, though, Bo side. goljubow activates the inherent 17 'ii'e8 dynamism of his position and 18 � launches a power counter-attack White's idea is to plant his along the light squares. king on g2 where it would stay 22 gxf4 i.g4 in perfect safety, but Bogol 23 l:.g1 i.f3 jubow's clever play never gives 24 e4 exf4 Capablanca time to carry out 25 �xf4 this manoeuvre. In view of that Although this looks ex the uncomplicated 18 i.g2 is tremely promising the pawn stronger to be followed by l:.b5 capture under-estimates Black's and a5 when White retains chances. Alekhine recommend some pressure against Black's ed instead 25 'ii'b5. b7-pawn. 25 i.eS 18 �e7 26 �e6 After this there is no way that White can avoid the exchange of his strong bishop. 19 aS �xdS 20 cxdS 'ii'f7 21 'ii'c4 f4 ! This seems crushing and it is hardly surprising that Capa blanca could not resist playing it. It should be noted on the other hand that 26 lbxg6 l:.g8 27 h5 fails to 27 ...i.h2. Without this White would 26 l:.aa8 slowly consolidate and eventu Black cannot move his rook ally break into Black's position from f8 since, for example, via the b-file. The long range 26... l:.e8 fails to the tactic 27 160 l . ..ti:Jc6against Flank Op enings �xh6 �xh6 28 'ii'c1+. by ...i.d7 evading the queen ed 27 tiJxf8+ l::txf8 exchange and leaving White's 28 'ii'b5 kinghopelessly exposed. In his haste to exchange 31 �xf3+ queens Capablanca overlooks a 32 �h3 �xd5 defensive resource. 28 �e3 33 'i'xf7+ l:.xf7 �h2 29 l:.g2 �xg2+ 30 �xg2 34 l:tgfl �e6+ �e5 31 �fl 'ii'd7 would be cor Now Black has all the chan rect when Black has compensa ces but White can ultimately tion for his pawn, but nothing save himself with i.f4, trading more. off one of Black's dangerous bishops. 35 �g2 �f5 36 a6 �e4+ 37 �h3 l:.g7 38 l:.b6 �f5+ 39 �g2 ..ie4+ 40 �h3 l:.e7 Also inadequate for a win is 40 ...g5 41 hxg5 hxg5 42 �g4. 41 ..if4 l:.f7 28 �xe4! Capablanca had probably only expected 28 ...�e2+ 29 �xe2 'i'xf2+ 30 �dl 'i'xg l+ 31 �c2 when White's king has escaped immediate danger and the b7-pawn falls after which White has a dangerous passed a-pawn. 29 'ii'xb7 Suddenly Capablanca has to 42 ..ixe5 fight for a draw. The final liquidation which 29 �xd3+ ensures a draw. 30 �g2 �e4+ 42 l:.xfl 31 f3 43 i.xd6 l:tf3+ The saving grace which de 44 �h2 g5 flects Black's bishop. If instead 45 hxg5 hxg5 31 �h3 then 31.. .�f5+ follow- 46 �xeS lfz-1/z