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Georgiev, Kiril The Modern English Vol 2 - 2columns
Georgiev, Kiril The Modern English Vol 2 - 2columns
Table of Contents
Title page
Bibliography
Introduction
Chapter 6. Anti-Grünfeld
Main Ideas Step by Step Annotated Games
Chapter 7. Anti-Nimzo
Main Ideas Step by Step Annotated Games
Index of Variations
2
The Modern English
www.chess-stars.com
3
Bibliography
Books
Periodicals
Chess Informant
New in Chess Yearbook
Internet resources
Databases
The Week In Chess (www.theweekinchess.com)
Chess Publishing (www.chesspublishing.com)
4
Introduction
Therefore, our main dish is the hot line 1.c4 Kiril Georgiev
Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.Nf3 c5 5.e4!? (instead March 2019
of the above-mentioned 5.e3 g6 6.Bb5+)
6
Chapter 1. 1.c4 c5. Symmetrical with ...g6
Main Ideas
1.c4 c5
A little background
8
It is vital to provoke ...e6. Black cannot 12.Qc2 is more popular, but we need the
avoid it since 8...Nxc3 is strongly met by 9.Bc4! queen on the kingside. We intend to trade
Nd5 10.Bxd5 e6 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.0-0 Qd5 dark-squared bishops with 12...Bg7 13.Ba3 Rc8
14.0-0 Bf8 15.Bxf8 and organise an attack with h4.
9
Chapter 1. 1.c4 c5. Symmetrical with ...g6 ineffective when Black has not spent a tempo on an
Step by Step early ...d6:
3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 Nc6 5.e3 e5
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3
b) One of the biggest drawbacks of 2.Nc3 is After 2...Nc6 we can already play 3.e3!
2...g6. Then the tempo spent on Nc3 would be 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 throws us
important if we chose to push d4: out of our repertoire.
3.Nf3 3...e5
3.e3 is always premature in KI set-ups when 3...g6 4.d4 Bg7 (4...cxd4 5.exd4 Bg7 6.d5
Black has not committed his knight to c6. The Ne5 7.Nxe5 Bxe5 8.Bd3 d6 9.0-0 Nf6 10.Nc3 0-0
reason is that 3...Bg7 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.d4 0-0 gives 11.Re1 Bd7 12.h3 a6 13.Bf1 b5 14.Bh6²) 5.d5 Na5
White the “poor man’s Benoni” as Axel Smith calls 6.e4² with more space.
it – some may find it playable, but I’m on the 3...Nf6 4.Nc3! transposes.
opposite opinion, and practice confirms my distrust. 4.Nc3
3...Bg7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.e3 Nf6
7.Nc2 d6 8.Be2 Bf5!, as mentioned in the comments
to Black’s 6th move of the main line.
The other popular approach with g3 is also
10
before committing ourselves with e3. 3.e3 could
face 3...d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5, when 5.Bb5+ Bd7 is
balanced, and 5.b3 Nc6 6.Bb2 Ndb4! is even worse
for White. 5.Nc3 Nxc3! 6.bxc3 g6 is currently fine
for Black.
Besides, 3.e3 g6 is a perfect version of the
Benoni for Black.
3...Nc6
a) 4...Nf6! 5.d4 e4 6.d5 offers White the 3...e6 4.e3 transposes to Chapter 2/3.
better pawn structure and a modest, but stable plus.
See more details in Game 3 Mamedyarov-Vachier 3...d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.e4 is another critical
Lagrave, Biel 2018. lines. I cover it in Chapter 6 /line B.
b) 4...f5 5.d4 (5.Be2 is also interesting) 5...e4
4.e3
3.Nc3 4...g6
It is essential to await Black to define its plan The key of our design is the stab 4...d5
11
5.cxd5 Nxd5 6.Bb5. It practically forces 6...Nxc3 Now 23...b6? loses to 24.Ne5! Bxe5
(6...g6 7.Qa4 Nxc3 8.Bxc6+²) 7.bxc3 Bd7 8.0-0 e6 25.d8+=Q, while 23...Qc2 24.Ne5! Nxe5 25.Bxe5
9.d4 Be7, when we get a mobile pawn centre Rd8 26.Bc7 also favours White. Best defence is:
without allowing exchanges. All that said, White 23...h6! 24.Qf5! (or 24.Qxc5 Qc3 25.Rd3
must play energetically, with the break d4-d5 in Qc2 26.Kg2 with an initiative) 24...g6 25.Qd3 Nb4
mind. Otherwise Black will get counterplay on the 26.Qf1 Re4 27.Be5! regaining the material with
queenside. A good example is the game interest.
Ganguly-Xiong, Saint Louis 2018. Note that Xiong
is the highest rated fan of this variation, and it was b) The earlier game L’Ami-Xiong, Wijk aan
his third try in less than an year. No doubt that both Zee 2018, went:
opponents were heavily prepared at home: 10.e4 0-0 11.Be2
The set-up with Bd3 looks more natural, but
a) 10.Rb1!? (to prevent ...Ne5) 10...0-0 in some lines Black might have ...Nb4.
11.Re1 Qc7 12.e4 Rfd8 13.g3 Bf6 14.Bf4 Qa5 11...Qc7 12.Be3 Rfd8 13.Rc1 Rac8. Now
White’s plan is d4-d5, but perhaps he could
postpone it and play 14.g3 first, having in mind:
14...Be8 15.d5 or 14...Na5?! 15.Bf4 Bd6
16.e5 Be7 17.d5. Strongest reply is:
14...cxd4 15.cxd4 Qa5 16.Qb3 Qb4 17.Qd3.
We keep the queens and watch for d4-d5.
5.d4 cxd4
6.exd4
12
a) 9...Bf5! 10.Nd4 (10.f3 Bxc2) 10...Nxd4 We have considerably more space. More
11.exd4 d5 12.c5 Ne4 13.Nxe4=. importantly, every exchange will underline the
weakness of the central pawn island. The computer
b) 9...Nfd7 10.Bd2 (preventing doubled may be confident in Black’s resources, but I would
pawns after ...Bxc3) 10...a5 is passive. We could certainly prefer White here. An illustrative line is:
connect the knights with Nc2-a3-b5 and establish a 16...Bxc2 17.Rxc2 Nd4 18.Rc1 e6 19.Be3
firm grip on the centre with f3. Nf5 20.Bf2 Bh6 21.Rb1 d5 (21...Ne3 22.Qxd6 Rc6
23.Qd3 Nxf1 24.Kxf1²) 22.Qb3 Be3 23.cxd5 Nd4
c) 9...Be6 10.e4 24.Qa2 Bxf2+ 25.Rxf2 e5 26.Qb2 Nf6 27.Bd3 Nxd5
If Black does not generate counterplay 28.Nxd5 Qxd5 29.Be4². The d3-knight looks great,
quickly, we’ll enjoy a nice space advantage. For but its stand could be undermined with f4.
instance, the plan with ...b5 is ineffective: 10...Rc8
11.Bd2 a6 (11...Ne5 12.b3) 12.Rc1 Ne5 13.b3, when 6...d5 7.cxd5 Nxd5
13...b5 is a bluff – 14.cxb5 axb5 15.Bxb5 Qb6
16.Be2². (Mind the trap 16.Qe2? Rxc3! 17.Bxc3
Bg4.) More energetic is the idea with ...f5:
10...Nd7 11.Bd2 Nc5
A typical manoeuvre to attack e4. 11...Rc8
could be met by 12.Kh1.
12.f3 f5 13.b4 Nd7 14.Rc1 Rc8
The tempting 14...f4 leaves us with a stable
centre. After 15.Kh1 we could organise the break g3
with the help of Rg1 or Qe1.
15.exf5 Bxf5 16.a3
14
19.Rab1 Kc6 20.Bc5 Rcb8 21.Kd3 Kd5 22.Nd2.
11.Bd3
10...Bd7
15
White has won a pawn, but the game should be Kg7 20.Rfc1 Rc7 21.Qf3 Qc8 wins a pawn, but it
drawn – 25.Qd4 Qxd4 26.Rxd4 e5 27.Re4 Ra8. would be difficult to convert it. I’d rather sacrifice
b) 18.Bb2 Bg7 19.Rfb1 0-0 20.Ba3 Re8 one:
21.Bc5 e5=. 17...Kg7 18.Qe5+ Kg8 19.h4 h5 20.Qg3 Qb8
21.f4 Rh7 22.d5!? exd5 23.Qe3 Nc4 24.Bxc4 dxc4
c) 18.Bc1 Bg7 19.a4 0-0 20.Ba3 Re8 25.f5ƒ.
21.Rfb1 Qf6 22.Qxf6 Bxf6 23.Bc5 Red8 (23...b6)
24.Bxc6 b6!=. 14.0-0!
12...Bg7
13.Ba3 Rc8
16...Kg7 17.Re1
16
Chapter 1. 1.c4 c5. Symmetrical with ...g6
Annotated Games
1. Giri – Mamedyarov
Wijk aan Zee 21.01.2018
12...Qd6?!
2. Buhmann – Lupulescu
Kings Medias (5.4), 03.11.2015
18
1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.Nc3 e5 4.e3 f5 14.b3 favours White.
13.0-0 Bb7 14.Qc2 0-0-0 15.Rd1 Qc7
16.Bd2 Bd6 17.Nf4. White’s king is safer.
5.d4 e4 6.d5
7.d3
7.Nh3 d5 (7...Bd6 8.d4) 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.0-0
Nxc3 10.bxc3 Be7 11.f3 exf3 12.Bxf3 Ne5 13.Be2
looks also in the spirit of the English, but Black
could sac a pawn – 13...c4! 14.Bxc4 Nxc4 15.Qa4+
Qd7 with some compensation.
7...d5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 Qxd5 10.Nh3
exd3 11.Nf4 Qd7 12.Nxd3 b6
Preparing to castle long. 12...Bd6 13.0-0 0-0
19
18.Ne2².
16.Nxe4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 g6 18.h4 Rf8 19.h5
Bf5 20.hxg6 Bxg6 21.Bxg6 hxg6 22.Rd3² and Black
cannot untie the bishop.
In most events White should prepare e4 with
Ne2, h4, Rhe1, Ng3, probably f4 and f3.
19...f4?
It is more natural to put the other rook on d8.
Let’s consider 13...Rhd8 14.Kc2
This move drops material. More solid was
19...b6 20.Rhe1 a6. Black prepares counterplay with
...b5 at a suitable moment. (20...Kf7 21.h5±). Then
21.e4 should be already good – 21...f4 (21...fxe4
22.Bxf6+) 22.Nf5+ Kf7 23.Nh6+ Ke7 24.Rg1 Nh5
25.Ng4 Kf8 26.Rgd1 with a passed pawn.
6.Ne5
5...e4
9...Qe7
9...0-0 10.Nxe4 Nxe4 11.Bxe4 was already White still has a draw – 24.Nxg7 Kxg7
possible. Black’s king would be a target after 25.Rf6 Nxf6 26.Rxf6 Rad8 27.Bc3 Rd1+ 28.Kh2
11...Qe7 12.Bd5 Nxe5 13.dxe5 Bxe5 14.e4. R1d3 29.Rxe6 Nxe6 30.Qc1 Rd1 31.Qb2 R1d3=.
10.b3 cxd4?! Or 15.a4 Rd8 16.Ba3 dxe5 17.fxe5 Nxg4
18.hxg4 Qh4 19.Nxe4 Bxe5 20.Qf3 Qh2+ 21.Kf2
Qh4+=.
The critical position for Mamedyarov’s idea The verdict is that the knight sac is correct,
arises after 10...Nb4! 11.a3 Na6 12.0-0 d6 but it does not promise White much. I think it was a
23
one-game-novelty from Mamedyarov. But it paid off
nicely, as we’ll see below.
11.exd4
24
reverses the roles – see Chapter 3.
6.d4
Kramnik-J.Polgar
Geneve 2013
27
Chapter 2. 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6
Step by Step
5...d5!
5...e5 6.d3 d6 7.0-0 Be7 8.Ne1! 0-0 9.f4 exf4
10.Bxf4 offers White lasting pressure on the
kingside. The plan with a3+b4 is less promising.
6.exd5 exd5 7.d4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 dxc4 9.Nxc6
Qxd1+. White achieves amazing results after all 3
Black commonly plays 3...Nc6 first, to make recaptures, but that is mostly due to Black’s wrong
White show his hand. We answer 4.e3 e6 5.d4, defensive set-ups. For instance, 10.Nxd1 bxc6
transposing. The move order with 3...e6 encourages 11.Bxc4 Nd5 12.Ne3 Bb4+ 13.Bd2 Bxd2+ 14.Kxd2
4.g3, but that would mean to fight with a timid Be6 15.Bxd5 0-0-0 16.Rhc1 Bxd5= is equal, as well
set-up against the Hedgehog 4...b6, which is not my as 10.Bxd1 bxc6 11.Bf3 Bb7! – the Black king goes
intention. to the queenside to defend both weaknesses, e.g.
12.0-0 0-0-0 13.Be3 Kb8 14.Na4 Nd5 15.Rfd1 Bd6
4.e3 16.Bd4 f6=.
4...d5
Sometimes White tries 4.e4, hoping to get
the Maróczy Bind after:
4...d6?! 5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 a6. We must also be prepared against the rare
The known equaliser to 4.e4 is: option 4...a6.
4...Nc6 5.Be2 The aim of this bizarre move is to avoid Bb5
5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Bb4! 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3 after ...d5. The first players answer 5.d4 d5 6.cxd5
e5! is in no way better for White. exd5 7.Be2 Nc6 (7...c4!?) 8.0-0 Bd6 9.dxc5 (9.b3 is
premature on account of 9...cxd4 10.Nxd4 Qc7)
9...Bxc5 10.b3 0-0 11.Bb2 Ba7 12.Rc1
28
Bf5 13.b3 give White a pleasant game. The bishop
stays very well on g2 against the isolated pawn.
10.Bb5
White cannot keep his material advantage
after 10.b4 e5 11.Nxe5 Nxe5 12.dxe5 a5 13.Bb5+
Bd7 14.Bxd7+ Qxd7 15.bxa5 0-0.
10...0-0 11.0-0 Bd7 12.Bf4 a5 13.Rfc1!.
Aimed against ...b6.
13.Rfe1 b6! 14.Rac1 bxc5 15.Bxc6 Bxc6
16.dxc5 Rc8 17.Nd4 Bd7 18.c6 Bb4 19.Qe3 Bxe1
20.Qxe1 Re8 21.Qe5 Re7 22.cxd7 Rxc1+ 23.Bxc1
Qxd7 is hardly any better for White.
13...Re8 14.h3 Bf6 15.Bxc6 Bxc6 16.Qe3 a4
17.Rc3 Nonetheless, White can grab space with
11.f4!?, intending g4 or f5, and if 11...Nc6, then
12.Nc2.
5.cxd5 exd5
A. 6.Bb5+; B. 6.d4
31
It is tempting to hamper ...c4 by 9.b3!?.
Then the lame 9...Be7 10.Bb2 0-0 11.d4
Rfd8 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.Rc1 Qe7 14.Nb5 and 9...Bd6
10.Nb5 0-0 11.d4 Be7 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.Bb2 Ne4
14.Rc1 Rfd8 15.Qe2 Rac8 16.Rfd1 Be7 17.Nbd4
give White the desired IQP position with a firm
control of d4. The problem lies in:
9...d4 10.Ne2 dxe3 11.dxe3 Be7 12.Qxd7+
Nxd7 13.Bb2 0-0 14.Rfd1 Rfd8 with gradual
equalisation.
9...c4
B. 6.d4!?
It makes sense to damage Black’s queenside
pawn structure before pushing b3.
10.b3!? Bb4 11.Bd2 is double-edged, but it
is the best practical chance to impose sharp play.
10...Qe6!
11.Qa4
B1. 6...a6
32
8...c4 is less popular, but it is more
challenging:
9.Ne5 Bb4
9...Be7 does not hamper b3. White was
clearly better after 10.0-0 0-0 11.b3 cxb3 12.Nxc6
bxc6 13.axb3, although the engine Gull 3 held the
draw against Texel 1 in 2014.
10.Bd2 0-0 11.0-0
7.g3!?
7...c4 8.Bg2 Nc6 9.Ne5 transposes to 8...c4. 13...Bg4 14.Qc2 Bxc3 15.Bxc3 cxb3
Only 8.Ne5 b5 (8...Nc6) is of independent 16.axb3², Tomashevsky-Borisek, rapid, Doha 2016.
significance. Hebden-B.Lalic, Hastings 2018, went
9.Bg2 Bb7 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.b3 b4? 12.Nxd7 Qxd7 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.0-0 0-0
13.Na4 Qb5 14.e4±. An obvious improvement is
11...Bd6 with tangled play. Perhaps simpler for
White would be 11.e4 dxe4 12.Qe2 Be7 13.a4 0-0
14.axb5 axb5 15.Rxa8 Qxa8 16.Nxd7 Nxd7
17.Nxb5.
8.Bg2 Be7
33
I consider this version of an IQP position as 15.a3
pleasant for White since ...d4 is not an imminent 15.Nxe6!? fxe6 16.a3 was already possible.
threat and the g2-bishop safely defends the king. Hebden-Emms, Southend 2008, saw 15.Nd4
Nxd4 16.Bxd4 h6 (16...Bxd4 17.Qxd4 Qc5²) 17.Qd3
11.b3 Be6 (17.Rc1!) 17...Bxd4 18.Qxd4 Qc5 19.Rfd1 Qxd4
20.Rxd4 Rd7 21.Rad1 Rc2, when 22.Nxd5 wins a
pawn, although Black has good chances to draw 3:4
11...Bf5 is hardly any better. The simple pawns on the same wing after 22...Nxd5 23.Bxd5
12.Na4 Bxd5 24.Rxd5 Rxd5 25.Rxd5 Rxa2 26.Rd8+ Kh7
12.Bb2 Qd6 13.a3 is a decent alternative – 27.Rd7 b6 28.Rb7².
13...Rfe8 14.b4 Ba7 15.Ne2 Be4 16.h3 h6 17.Rc1 15...Ba7
Qe7 18.Qb3 Rac8 19.Rfd1². 15...a5 cedes the b5-square – 16.Nxe6 fxe6
12...Ba7 13.Ba3 Re8 14.Bc5 Bxc5 15.Nxc5 17.Nd4 Bb6 18.Qe2 Rc7 19.Qb5.
Qe7 16.Rc1, Grachev-Dragnev, Minsk 2017, 16.Qd3².
consolidated to a small edge.
Emms made two draws from here, but I do This stab wins a tempo on development since
not think we should reconsider the classical chess Black must put his bishop on the passive square d7.
understanding about blocked isolated pawns. White
can count on lasting pressure. He could always
transform it in a bishop pair advantage with
Ne2-f4xe6, but perhaps he should take control of the
queenside dark squares first:
14.Nf4
Of course 14.Ned4 is not bad, but many
decades ago GM Bent Larsen observed that isolated
pawns should be taken, not blocked!
14...Rfd8
13.Rc1
13...Bd6 14.Ne2!
14...c5 15.h3
12.Rc1
36
We should not allow Black to keep his
bishop on the a7-g1 diagonal as after 12.Be2 a6
13.Rc1 Ba7.
12...Bd6
13.Be2
14.Nd4
The inclusion of 13.h3 Bh5 only helps Black
to avoid the exchange of his bishop for Be2:
14.Be2 Bb8 15.Nh4 14.h3 Bh5 15.Nh4 might be objectively the
15.Nb5!? Ne4 16.Nd2 Bxe2 17.Qxe2 Qa5 best continuation.
forces 18.Nxe4 dxe4. Black got rid of the isolator Then 15...Bxe2 16.Nxe2 Re8 17.Nf5 is nice
and is only slightly worse. and safe for White. I only fear:
15...Bg6! 16.Nxg6 hxg6. Without the 15...Bg6! 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.Bf3 d4. Of
f3-knight White cannot prevent ...d4. His bishop pair course White remains slightly better after 18.exd4
is not worth much in such positions. Nxd4 19.g3 Re8 20.Bg2, but a good player should
hold this.
13...Bb8
14.Nb5 Ne4 15.Nd2 Bxe2 16.Qxe2 Qa5! is a
double hit so White has to take on e4 with just a
This is Black’s most aggressive plan. marginal edge – 17.Nxe4 dxe4 18.a4 g6.
13...Re8 14.Nd4 Bxe2 15.Ncxe2 strengthens
the blockade on d4. After 15...Ne4 White has a 14...Qd6 15.g3 Bh3 16.Rfe1²
pleasant choice between 16.Ng3 and 16.Nf5 Be5
17.Bxe5 with further exchanges of minor pieces.
13...a6 14.Nd4 Bxe2 White’s position looks slightly cramped, but
The retreats look inconsistent: in fact his pieces stand well and the d5-pawn is a
14...Bd7 15.Bf3 forces the passive 15...Nce7 target. See Game 8 Matlakov-Jakovenko, Porto
(15...Qa5 16.Nxc6 Bxc6 17.Ne2²), when White Carras 2018
could start pressurising the isolator.
14...Be6 15.Na4 Ne7 16.Rxc8 (or 16.Bd3
Bb8 17.Nxe6 fxe6 18.g3 e5 19.Rxc8 Qxc8 20.Ba3 B23. 7...cxd4 8.Nxd4
Qe6 21.e4²) 16...Bxc8 17.Qd3 Bd7 18.Rc1 Ne4
19.Nc3 Nf6 20.Bf3².
In 2018 Mamedyarov crushed Anand in a
blitz game with 8.exd4 Bd6 9.Bg5 Be6?! (everybody
plays this!) 10.0-0 0-0 11.Re1, when even the
relatively best line 11...h6 12.Bh4 Re8 is in White’s
favour – 13.Qd3 Rc8 14.Re2 Be7 15.Rae1².
Still, 9.Bg5 is a bluff. Black can sac a pawn
with 9...0-0! 10.Bxf6 Qxf6 11.Nxd5 Re8+ 12.Kf1
Qd8°. It is wiser to castle – 10.0-0 Bg4!, transposing
37
to a well know position with totally even chances. as the d6-bishop is protected and White lacks the
stab e3-e4 – 13...bxc6 14.Rc1 Re8 with
8...Bd7 9.0-0 double-edged play.
13...Bg4 14.h3 Bh5
9...Bd6
10...a6
38
15.Nh4 Bg6 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.Bf3 Be5 with 18.Rad1! g6 19.Nd4. Black is playing for
even chances. The drawback of Nh4 is that it two results only. Play might continue 19...a6 20.Qb2
removes the control on d4. It would be interesting to Rfd8 21.Ne2 Qc7 22.h3 Qe7 23.Bb1 and White
try some useful move: begins the siege of the d5-pawn.
15.Rac1, hoping to win a tempo after
15...Bc7 16.Nh4. However, Black has 15...Rc8 11.Bxc6 Bxc6
16.Nd4! (16.Nh4 Bg6=) 16...Nxd4 17.Bxh5 Nc6
18.Bf3 Be5 19.Ba1 d4 20.exd4 Bxd4. It looks that
Black has accomplished his goal, but 21.Na4 Bxa1 The point of White’s previous move is that
22.Bxc6! bxc6 23.Rxa1² assures White of a 11...bxc6 would face 12.e4!, winning a pawn.
long-term structural advantage. The second rank is
only temporarily weak – 23...Qxd1 24.Rfxd1 Re2 12.b3 0-0 13.Bb2
25.Kf1 Rc2 26.Rdc1 Rd2 27.Nb6 Re8 28.Nc4.
Finally, 10...Bf5!? is the novelty White has achieved the positional dream of
Lysyj/Ovetchkin propose in the Chess Stars book the Semi-Tarrasch. He can squeeze here for the rest
The Hedgehog vs the English/Reti. It remains of the game without any risk. See Game 7
untested, but the resulting positions do not defer Ruban-Kharlov, Novosibirsk 1995.
much from what we have already seen after
10...Bg4. Lysyj/Ovetchkin’s line goes 11.Bd3 Be4
12.Nb5 Bb8 13.b3 0-0 14.Bb2 Bxf3 15.Qxf3
AlphaZero’s games inspired me to check
15.gxf3!? Re8 16.f4, but Black succeeds in trading
our most important piece with 16...a6 17.Nd4 Nxd4
18.Bxd4 Ba7=.
15...Be5 16.Bxe5 Nxe5 17.Qe2 Qb6
39
Chapter 2. 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 e6
Annotated Games
4. Rybka 3 – Chessmaster 11
CCRL 2008
13.h3!?
40
17...Qe7 23.Re2 f6 24.Rd2 Bb4 25.Rd3 Qe6 26.h3
Qc6 27.Nd4 Qd7 28.Ne2 Qc7 29.Nc3 Bxc3 30.Rxc3
Qa5 31.Rxc8+ Nxc8 32.Qg4 Qc7 33.Bxf6, eating a
17...Qd7 18.Ne2 Ne4 19.Ned4 Nxd4 healthy pawn.
20.Bxd4 Bb8 occurred in Junior 10-Rybka 3, CCRL
2008, when 21.Bb6! Rc8 22.Rxc8 Rxc8 23.Ba5 23.a4?!
maintains pressure.
18.Ne2 Ne4 19.Ned4 Nxd4 20.Nxd4 The machine places its pawns “by the book”
– on light squares, to complement its bishop.
However, this is an example of play without a plan.
The first stage of the game is over. White has Let’s assess the position. White has
blocked the d5-pawn and safely sidestepped any established a firm blockade on d4, and his king is
attempts of Black to attack. His advantage may not safe. That means, the opponent lacks any dangerous
be tangible yet, but it is very stable. Even the plan to fear. Therefore, we should construct our own
machine cracks in the long run. plan of how to make progress. We have one clear
target – the d5-pawn. It is unrealistic to expect that it
20...Bb6 21.Rc2 Qd7 22.Rdc1 f6 will fall by itself.
Keene-Fries Nielsen
Gausdal 1983
41
The game was played in 2008. Today no
engine would weaken its kingside in such a manner.
They would stay tight with 34...Qf7 35.Qf3 Re7
36.b6 Qe6². The punishment came inevitably:
10...Bd7
42
development so much – 11.Rc1 more active. The d3-pawn is a serious nuisance for
11.Bxf6!? gxf6 12.Rc1 is also pleasant. Black.
White will get more than enough compensation for
the exchange – 12...Nb4 13.Nxc5 Qd5 14.Na4 Bg4 This analysis shows that 9...d4 is not so
15.Nc3 Qa5 16.g3 0-0-0 17.Bg2 Nc2+ 18.Rxc2 smooth for Black .
dxc2 19.Qxc2².
11...b6 11...b6 12.exd4 Nxd4 13.Nxd4 cxd4
Or 11...Ne4? 12.g3! Nb4 13.Ne5± Nc2+
14.Rxc2 dxc2 15.Bb5++–.
12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.a3 Qd5 14.Rc3 Bb7
15.Rxd3.
11.Rc1
43
gave us additional possibilities in comparison with
the main line Semi-Tarrasch.
9...Nxd4 is also premature in view of
10.Qxd4 0-0 11.Nb5.
8...0-0 9.Na4 b6
8.Rc1
13...Qe7
15...Ba3?!
Bacallao-Bruzon, Havana 2018, went 18.Qc2 An obvious positional mistake. Black will
f6 19.Nd4 Bd7 20.Nf5 Qe6 21.Nxd6 Qxd6=. Of obtain some temporary pressure on the queenside,
course White should not accept opposite-coloured but in the long run the weakness of his dark squares
bishops. His main positional aim should be to will begin to tell. To be fair, 15...Ne4 16.Qxe7 Bxe7
exchange the dark-squared bishops, or at least get 17.Ne2 is also pleasant for White – 17...Bb5
control of the diagonal a3-f8. That should be 18.Nfd4 Bf6 19.Rfe1 Bxe2 20.Rxe2 Rac8 21.f3.
46
White allows a weakness on e3, but it is easy to
defend with the king – 21...Nd6 22.Kf2 Rfe8 23.Rd2
Bg5 24.Re1 h6 25.Ba3 Bh4+ 26.g3 Be7 27.Red1².
White misses a simple trick, or he did not 33...Bxe4! 34.fxe4 Rc3 should be an easy
evaluate correctly the result of the exchanges. The draw.
logical continuation was 22.Nf4 a4
Or 22...Bc6 23.Nce2 a4 24.Ng3 axb3 34.Rd3
25.axb3 Qxb3 26.Nf5 Ra8 27.Nxg7±.
23.Rab1
34.Rd8+ Kh7 35.Nd2 leaves White
considerable chances.
47
10.b3 Bg4 11.Bb2 Rc8 12.Rc1 Bd6 13.Be2 Bb8
14.Nd4
48
It was better to keep the bishop – 29.Rxc5
Be4 30.Bxe4 Nxe4 31.Qxe7 Rxe7 32.Rc2 Rb7 33.f3
Nf6 34.Rdc1².
9. Giri – L’Ami
Amsterdam 11.07.2015
27.Bd4 h6
49
17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.f3 Bd7 19.Qd4 Qe7
20.Nc3 This strike in the centre is White’s main
weapon against the c6+d5 pawn pair. It is also
effective without any minor pieces on the board
The knight is going to c5 via a4. In my since it widens the scope of White’s rook from c5.
opinion, 20.Nf4, intending Rfe1, e4, is more White could have transformed his positional
straightforward. advantage into material with 25.Nxd7 Qxd7
26.Qxc6 Qxc6 27.Rxc6, immediately snatching a
pawn. The critical position arises after 27...a4
28.bxa4 Rb2 29.Kf1 Rxa2 30.Ra6. Here an
exchange of rooks would have been a decisive
mistake:
27...Bf5 28.Qd4
25.e4!
50
Correct was 59.Na6! Rc8 60.Kg2 Kg7 61.Rcf3 Rb7
62.Nc5 Re7 63.Nxe6+ fxe6 64.h4! Qc1 65.Rf6±.
59...Bd7
59.Nd3?!
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.e3 e6 5.d4
d5 6.cxd5 exd5 7.Bb5 Bd6 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.0-0 0-0
White has finally made some progress – he 10.b3 Bd6 11.Bb2 Bg4 12.Be2 a6 13.Nd4 Bd7
has opened the f-file, and could proceed with Rf6. 14.Bf3 Be6 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Rc1 Rc8 17.Na4 c5
However, his last move is a tactical mistake – he
allows Black to activate his rook through the a-file.
51
Unlike the previous game, Black prevents
the blockade on the c5-square. However, it is
impossible to support the pawn on c5 for long. In
most cases it should move to c4, surrendering the
d4-square.
18.Qe2?! c4 19.g3 Qa5 20.Bc3 Qb5?! Now the game is over. The only move was
29...Kh8 30.Rd4! Be7 31.Nh5 c3 32.Rc4±.
It is difficult to criticize this move, although 30.Nd7 Kg6 31.Rxc4 Qb5 32.a4! Qxa4
it offers White an advantage. Black’s main chance is 33.Rcd4?!
the bad placement of the knight on a4. If White
succeeded in returning it into play, he would be
clearly better. Thus 20...Bb4! is obvious enough.
The difficult move is 21.Qb2 Ne4!! 22.Bxe4 dxe4
23.Bxg7 Rfe8, and it suddenly transpires that
White’s king is in more dangerous situation than the
black one. For instance: 24.Bh8 is not a threat owing
to 24...Bf8, while 24.Bf6 is dangerous after
24...Bh3. Remains:
24.Bc3 cxb3 25.axb3 Qh5 26.f3 Bf8 27.fxe4
Bh3 with considerable counterplay.
52
Black is tight up and down. The obvious
threat is discovered check from e5, the hidden –
Rh4. Besides, 33.Rh4 was winning on the spot.
33...Qa5 34.Ne5+
53
Chapter 3. Symmetrical with ...e6, ...Nxd5
Main Ideas
54
Black prepares ...Nce7, ...Bc8-d7-c6. The Our further plan assumes Bc4, Bg5, f2-f4-f5.
standard development with ...Nxc3 and ...b6 offers We might also “correct” the placement of our rooks
White considerable chances on the kingside thanks with Rf1 or Re1. We’d like to play with a pure
to the pawn sacrifice h4 (after Re1). White has won isolator rather than with a hanging pair (the latter is
some model games from the diagram position, easier to attack). Thus we should always consider
implementing consistent dark-squared strategy with the option of Nxd5.
11.Be4 Nce7 12.Ne5. Then he provokes ...g6, takes
on d5 and aims to remain with a knight on e5 against It seems that Black has no immediate need to
a bishop on e6. See Game 11 Smyslov-Ribli, open our queen and bishop with 9...cxd4. He often
London 1983. Apparently White’s game is easier in chooses:
this case, since he scores well in such positions. 9...b6 to await 10.Rd1, and only now
However, Black should hold with good defence. 10...cxd4.
55
plausible idea is g4, Bg5-h4-g3, h2-h4.
K.Szabo-Petran
Hungary 2011
Theoretical status
58
Chapter 3. Symmetrical with ...e6, ...Nxd5
Step by Step
A. 6.Nxd5 exd5
59
Black’s king. All this sounds nice, but I have mixed
feelings about this sacrifice. I’m mostly concerned
that the b4-pawn gives Black an active stand on the
queenside.
7...cxb4
8.Bb2 Nc6
12.Bb5+
62
7...cxd4 opens prematurely the c1-h6
diagonal. After 8.exd4 the only justification of the
previous exchange is 8...Bb4.
8...Be7 9.0-0 0-0 10.Re1 Bf6 11.Be4 Nce7
gives White an improved version of the line 9.Re1 –
see below. White has an extra tempo, as he saved a3.
Both 12.Qd3 and 12.Ne5 maintain the pressure.
However, it turns out that White can ignore the hit
on c3 by:
9.0-0!, when 9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 Bxc3 11.Rb1
assures White of an edge:
7...Be7
63
12.Rd1.
9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 b6 hands White the better
centre. See Game 13 Sargissian-Bogner, Batumi
2018.
10.exd4 Bf6
9.Qe2
10...Qxd5
10...exd5 is also possible. Black only should
avoid the positional trap 11.b3 cxd4?! (11...Nb4!
12.Bb1 Be6 13.Bb2 Rc8=) 12.Bb5 Bd7 13.Bxc6
Bxc6 14.Nxd4².
11.e4 Qd8 12.dxc5 bxc5 13.Bf4 Bb7=.
11...Qxd5
14...Re8
After 18...Qd6 19.Be3 Rad8 20.Rac1 Na5 14...Nd5!? looks dangerous owing to 15.Qe4
21.Bxb7 Nxb7 22.Nd4 Qd7 23.Nc6 the white knight g6 16.Qh4 Nxc3 17.bxc3 h5 18.Be4 Bxg5 19.Nxg5
occupies the c6-square. Na5 20.Bxb7 Nxb7 21.g4, but 21...Nd6 22.gxh5
Ne4 neutralises the attack – 23.f4 Nxg5 24.fxg5
19.Ne5 Rxc3 25.hxg6 fxg6 26.Qh6=.
White can try 15.Nxd5 Bxg5 16.Nc3 Bf6
17.d5 (17.Be4 g6 18.h4 Ba8 19.h5 Nxd4=) 17...exd5
19.Bd2 Rad8 20.Bc3 Na5 21.Qxd7 Rxd7 18.Rxd5 Qc7 19.Qd3 g6 20.Rd7 Qb8 21.Nd5 Bg7
22.Bc2 Nc6 23.Ba4 a6, and Black tames the 22.Rd1 with a pretty position, yet the only weakness
initiative. on f7 should be defendable.
15.h4
19...Nxe5 20.Qxd7 Nxd7 21.Bxb7 Bb4 White cannot break the defence of the black
22.Rd1 Rad8 23.Bg5 f6 24.Be3 king without the help of the h-pawn. Game 12
Anton Guijarro-Mo.Nikolov, Linares 2017, is a fine
illustration of an effective dark square strategy after
The two queenside pawns give White some 15...Nd5?! 16.Nxd5 exd5 17.Qd3 g6. Black’s best
chances to squeeze. follow up is:
15...h6 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.Qe4 Kf8 18.Ba4
Kg8 19.Qf4∞.
B2. 9...cxd4 10.exd4 Nf6
67
Obviously we should attack on the kingside
here. White has two plausible plans :
to push f2-f4-f5;
to prepare g4, Bg5-h4-g3, h2-h4.
Here are some illustrative lines:
68
Chapter 3. Symmetrical with ...e6, ...Nxd5 Nxe5 23.Nh5 Nf3+ 24.gxf3 Nf5 25.Nxf6 Nxh6
Annotated Games 26.d5+–.
11...Nce7 12.Ne5
11.Be4
Perhaps this recapture is based on wrong A critical moment. The only way to fix the
calculation. It could have been justified only if advantage was 24.Ra7! Ra8 25.Nxc6 Qxc6 26.h5!,
Black had tempi for ...f6. However, Smyslov does winning the battle for the dark squares. Smyslov’s
not leave Ribli a chance for it. The blunt 17...exd5! move allows 24...h6! 25.fxe4 hxg5 26.Nxc6 Rxc6
dooms Black to play for two results only, but the 27.hxg5 Rc2=, when even his legendary technique
bishop would control the g4- and h3-square. It is should not bring him a full point. The b-pawn is
unlikely that White could win the Q+N vs Q+B bound to fall.
endgame, although it looks pleasant for him. For
instance, the queenside play 18.Rc3 Be6 19.Qa4 is 24...Qf5? 25.Ra7 Ba4 26.Re1 Rc2 27.b4
ineffective due to 19...Qg5 20.Nf3 Qe7 21.Rfc1 Bb3 28.bxa5 bxa5 29.Re4 h6 30.Qe3 Rb2 31.Rg4
Rfc8.
20...a5 21.h4
70
12. Guijarro – M. Nikolov
Linares 14.08.2017
21...Bxg5
15...Nd5?!
11.Qc2
1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 Nf6 4.cxd5 Nxd5 13...Bb7 14.Be3 Rfd8 15.h4!
5.e3 c5 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.Nf3 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.a3 Nxc3
10.bxc3 b6
This approach has become semi-automatic in
such positions. I also noticed that the AI project
Alpha Zero tended to employ it against virtually any
set-up with g6.
72
21...Bf6 22.Bxf6 Qxf6 23.e5
21.Bg5?
73
41...a5+?
74
Chapter 4. Symmetrical with ...b6
Main Ideas
8...Be7
If Black delays the development of his
kingside, he might never succeed in castling, as
Game 14 Kasparov-Salov, Barcelona 1989, teaches.
9.Bg2 a6 10.0-0 Qc7 11.Be3
75
That’s it. Any manoeuvring in the centre is 15.Bxe6! fxe6 16.Nxe6 Kf7 17.Ng5+ Kf8
useless. Our target should be the black king. We aim 18.Ba3 Bxd5 19.e5!!±.
to take all the space we can – g5, h4, f5. In my
opinion Black is in trouble here. Another typical break is e4-e5:
Serper-Pisulinski
Miedzybrodzie 1991
Analysis
76
pieces around for ever.
In practice White most often chooses 4.g3
Bb7 5.Bg2 e6 6.0-0 Be7 and begins to fight for e4
with 7.Re1. I do not understand why not put it in
immediately on move 4?!.
Another popular move is 4.d4, but after
4...cxd4 5.Nxd4 Bb7 White has to play 6.f3 in order
to achieve e4. That completely changes his future
plans towards play on the queenside with b4.
My proposition 4.e4, then 7.Qe2, is the most
aggressive approach. It is based on the natural plan
of fianchettoing the king’s bishop and a subsequent
pawn storm with g4-g5. Practical experience
confirms that Black does not feel happy against it,
11.e5! Bxg2 12.exf6 Bxf1 13.fxe7². scoring less than 38%.
Theoretical status
4.e4!
4...d6
78
10.g4!. See my analysis of this stab in the The threat e4-e5 is quite awkward. 12...h5
annotations to Game 16 Shredder 12-Quazar 0.4, weaken the kingside – 13.f5 Qc7 14.Nd5 Bxd5
CCRL 2012. 15.exd5±, while 12...Nc5 13.b4 e5 14.Ndb5 destroys
Black’s centre – 14...Ne6 15.Nxd6 exf4 (15...Nd4
I consider 7.Qe2 as a main line mostly 16.Rxd4 exd4 17.Nxb7 dxc3 18.e5 Ne8 19.c5 bxc5
because I have tested it in practice myself. 20.bxc5+–)
16.Nxb7±.
11.Nxc6 Bxc6 12.Bg5 Re8 13.Rfd1 Qc7
14.Rac1 Rac8
A. 7...Nc6; B. 7...e6
9...Nd7
10.Rd1
10...h6
10...h6
10...Qc8 11.Kb1 Nc5 12.f3 a5 13.h4
discouraged Black from trying to castle. In
Korchnoi-Gheorghiu, London 1980, he succeeded in
evacuating the king from the centre, but remained
very passive after 13...Qb7 14.h5 h6 15.Bh4 e6
16.Qd2 Qc7 17.Nd5 Qb8 18.Bd3 Ra7 19.Rhe1 Kd7
20.Bc2 Kc8 21.Nc3±.
B. 7...e6
11.Bf4
11...e5
11.Be3
If Black tries to force b3 at the expense of We have two possible plans – g4 and f5.
...a6 or ...Be7 – 8...Nbd7 9.Bg2 Qc7, intending Black takes measures against the latter, preparing to
10.0-0 Rc8, we could transpose to the main line with defend the e6-pawn with his rook. Black’s second
10.Ndb5 Qb8 11.0-0 a6 12.Nd4, when Black’s choice is:
queen should soon return to c7 (or 12...Be7 13.f4 13...Rac8 14.g4!
0-0 14.g4). Nobody has found this energetic stab in
practice. 14.f5 e5 15.Nd5 Qd8 16.Nc2 is
9.Bg2 a6 unimpressive, while 14.b3 Qb8 15.g4 Nc5 16.Bd2²
is pleasant for White, but b3 might be superfluous.
10.0-0 Qc7
14...Nc5
82
The trick is 14...Qxc4 15.Qd1!, and the
queen lacks retreats –15...Nc5 16.g5 Qd3 17.Qxd3±.
15.Bd2 h6
White’s attack is even stronger after 15...g6
16.g5 Nh5 17.f5 e5 18.Nc2 f6 19.fxg6 hxg6 20.Nb4
fxg5 21.Nbd5 Qd8 22.Rxf8+ Bxf8 23.Bh3 Nf4
24.Bxf4 gxf4 25.Qg2 Kh7 26.Kh1+–.
16.h4 g6 17.f5 h5 18.gxh5 Nxh5 19.fxe6
fxe6 20.Bh3 Ng7 21.Qg4 Bf6 22.Be3ƒ.
83
17.f5 Ne5 18.b3±
84
Chapter 4. Symmetrical with ...b6 against Kasparov. He would not even need to find
Annotated Games some extraordinary moves. Simple mobilisation of
forces should do the job:
13...Ne5 14.f4 Qc5 15.Bb2 Nfd7 16.fxe5
14. Kasparov – Salov dxe5 17.Kh1+–;
World Cup Barcelona 03.1989
13...Kd8
14.a4!
Of course 14.Re1 Ne5 15.f4 is good enough,
but the text is just crushing. White is planning a5,
Bd2.
If Black wanted to play the Hedgehog, he 14...Ne5 15.f4 Ng6 16.a5 Be7 17.axb6 Qd7
should have better started with 7...e6 and ...Be7. His 18.Be3 Ke8 19.f5 Ne5 20.Ne6!+–;
“original” move order quickly leads him into
trouble. 13...Be7 14.Nf5! Ne5 15.Nxg7+ Kd8
16.Bb2+–.
9.Bg2 a6 10.0-0 Qc7
13.Rd1
85
The critical moment of the game. Only
16...Rc7 allowed Black to keep his position together,
although White remains better after 17.Na4 (17.e5?
dxe5 18.Qxe5 0-0). After the text White opens up
the centre.
17.e5! Bxg2
21.c5!!
86
dangerous: 15.g4! Nc5
15...g6 16.e5!?;
Note that the move order 8...Be7 9.Bg2 a6 15...h6 16.g5 hxg5 17.fxg5 Nh7 18.h4 g6
(9...0-0 10.0-0 a6 11.e5±) 10.0-0 Qc7 does not 19.Qe3 Bg7 20.Rad1 Ne5 21.Qg3ƒ.
impede the queenside fianchetto. 11.b3 is possible 16.b4 e5 17.fxe5 dxe5 18.Nf5 Ne6
since:
11...b5 12.Ba3 bxc4 13.Qxc4 Qxc4 14.bxc4
is difficult for Black – 14...Nbd7 15.Rab1 Rb8
16.Rfc1. White’s pieces generate a lot of tactical
threats. For instance:
20.Ne4!
18.Nf5 Ne6 19.Nh6+ Kg7 20.fxe5 Bxg5 Regaining the pawn, but throwing my
21.Nf5+ Kg8 22.Nxd6 Nef4 23.Qf3±. advantage away. 22.g5!± Nh5 (22...Nf5 23.Nxf5
17.Rad1 Rcd8 18.Qg2 e5 19.Nde2 f6 exf5 24.Nf6+ Bxf6 25.gxf6+–) 23.Nc2 would have
20.gxf6 Bxf6 21.Kh1 Kh8 22.Nd5 Bxd5 23.exd5 given me a huge edge.
exf4 24.Bxf6 Nxf6 25.Rxf4².
4...Nc6
10.Be2
This trivial for the English Attack blow is
winning here – 18...hxg6 19.h5 g5 (19...gxh5
20.Bxg7+–) 20.h6 gxh6 21.Bf5+–. Suba and Korchnoi won their games with
10.0-0-0 0-0 11.g4. However, their opponents
5.d4 cxd4 6.Nxd4 Bb7 7.f3 e6 8.Be3 Qb8 missed 11...Ne5!, when 12.g5 Nxf3!? would be
messy. On the other hand, the prophylactic 12.Be2
Rc8 13.Bf4 allows the counter-attack 13...Ba6
Other options are: 14.Ndb5 Bxb5 15.cxb5 Bb4 16.Kb1 Bxc3 17.bxc3
8...Bc5 9.Qd2 0-0 10.0-0-0 Qe7 11.Nxc6 Ne8÷. Short castling looks safer.
The flank attack 11.g4 is not dangerous
when the black bishop is active – 11...Nxd4 12.Bxd4 10...0-0 11.Rd1 Rd8
d6 13.Be2 Rad8.
11...Bxc6 12.Bxc5 Qxc5 13.Qd4 Qa5
14.Kb1². White has a comfortable space advantage. 11...a6 12.0-0 Qc7 occurred in a game
between engines.
8...Bb4!? – preparing ...d5. A logical retort is Instead of 13.Nxc6 dxc6 14.c5 b5 15.f4 Rfd8
9.Qc2 0-0 10.0-0-0, when 10...d5 11.Nxc6 Bxc6 16.Qc2 e5 17.f5 a5= White should take aim at b6:
12.Kb1 Qe7 13.exd5 exd5 14.Bd4 leaves White with 13.Qe1 Bc5 14.Qf2 d6 15.Na4 Nxd4
the more active pieces. 16.Bxd4 e5 17.Be3².
90
After the text the centralised black queen
keeps the position together.
15...Bf8
15...Qc8?! would be ignored – 16.g4! Qxc4
17.g5 Ne8 18.Rc1 Bf8 19.Be2 Qc7 20.Qh4±.
16.f5 Re8 17.fxe6 fxe6 18.b3 Ne5 19.Bg5
Nfd7 20.Be2 a6 21.Qg3. Black has only one good
piece, but his kingside is all weak. White threatens
Bh5 or Rf1-f4-h4.
26...Rad8 27.Qxa7+ R3d7 28.Qa5 h6 29.a4
13.Bxd4 Bd6 14.f4 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Bxe4 Rd1 30.Qc7+ Qxc7 31.Rg7+ Ke8 32.Rxc7 Rxf1+
16.Bxg7 Bc5+ 17.Bd4 d5 33.Kxf1 Ra8 34.Ke2 Rxa4 35.Kd2 Ra1 36.Rxc5
Rg1 37.g3 Rg2+ 38.Kc1 Rxh2 39.Rxc4 Rg2
40.Rc3 Kd7 ½-½
18.Bxc5
Analysis
94
Almost all tournament and correspondence Here the pawn is on b7, so 17...Rfc8 retains
games finished in a draw after 17...Ne4 18.Be3. good drawing chances. Khalifman traded all the
heavy pieces and won the ending with his bishop
I believe that White has more practical pair, but only with the help of his opponent.
chances to win if he takes with the c-pawn, because
that widens the scope of his bishop. Of course, that My final verdict is that we should play Nd5
would make sense if Black had weakened his light mostly if we have another knight. Thus I
squares and White could penetrate through the recommend 10.Nc2! after 9...Bd7. Without knights,
c-file: I would prefer to manoeuvre around and await a
mistake, as in Game 18 Kurnosov-Maze, Biel 2012.
georgedimitrov-boeien
net-chess.com 2014 Break in the centre
Grandelius-Bejtovic,
Sweden 2015
Khalifman-M.Petrov
Porto Carras 2018
95
Here is a more complex example:
Analysis
Hracek-Roganovic
Hungary 2015
Analysis
Ragger-Bezold
Munich 2016
96
18.c5! dxc5 19.Qxc5 Qb8 20.e5±. Panjwani’s main recommendation is 7...0-0
8.Be2 d6 9.0-0 Bd7. I studied this variation several
And here is a final example where White just years ago for my students, and came to the
strangles the opponent in the centre: conclusion that White should preserve his knight
with 10.Nc2!. Then he should consolidate and make
Mareco-A.Hoffman a few prophylactic moves as 10...Rc8 11.Rc1! Ne5
Montevideo 2017 12.b3 Qa5 13.Bd2!
21.f4 Bc6 22.a3 b6 23.Re3 Qf6 24.b4 axb4 13...Qb6 14.Kh1 Bc6 15.f3². White has
25.axb4 Na4 26.Bxa4 Bxa4 27.Rd3±. The d6-pawn preserved all his pieces and Black will soon become
is doomed. to wriggle in the Maróczy binds.
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 g6
3.e4!
7.Be2
98
White looks better, but concrete analysis 13...Ng4!
reveals enough defensive chances – see Game 19 After 13...b5 14.b4 Qc7 15.Nxb5 (15.c5 a6)
Ivanchuk-Kiril Georgiev, Belgrade 1997. White’s queenside pawns are more dangerous –
15...Qd7 16.Rfc1 Nxe4 17.Qd1 a5 18.a3.
7...Nxd4! 14.Nd5 Qxd2 15.Bxd2 Kf8=.
9...0-0
99
15...b5 stumbles into the typical for the Bg5
set-up 16.f5² Bd7 17.fxg6 hxg6 18.e5.
16.Qe3
10.Qe3
17.h3
100
The position is very sharp, but White’s pawn
look dangerous.
101
11...Be6 transposes to the main line after
12.Nd4 Nxd4 13.Bxd4, but White has also 12.0-0
Rc8 13.Rac1.
12.Na4!?
This is the only way to exploit the early
sortie of the enemy queen. The trivial approach is
12.0-0 a4 13.Nd4 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Qa5.
12...Nd7
12...Be6 is less provocative –
13.0-0 Nd7 14.Nd4 Nxd4 15.Bxd4 Bxd4+ 16.Qxd4
Nc5 17.Nc3.
After the text, besides 13.0-0, White could
also try 13.0-0-0!±.
5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.Be3 Nf6 7.f3 could face 7...Qb6!? 8.Nf5 Qxb2 with
unorthodox play. In practice White does not cope
well.
A rare sideline is 6...Qb6 7.Nb3 Qd8.
Black’s idea is take on c3 should we lead out our 7...0-0
knight. We have to play 8.Qd2, losing control of g4.
Then 8...Nf6 forces the committal 9.f3 which might 7...Nxd4 8.Bxd4 d6 9.Be2 0-0 10.0-0 Bd7
not have been in White’s plans. Perhaps that could 11.Qd3! transposes to the main line.
explain his unsatisfactory results in tournament
chess. Surprisingly, even in correspondence and 7...Ng4 8.Qxg4 Nxd4 9.Qd1 e5 10.Bd3 d6
computer chess White cannot prove an edge. Let’s 11.0-0 0-0 is a second-rate variation with obvious
delve deeper: positional flaws.
9...0-0
9...a5 is premature, because the b3-knight
goes for a4 to underline the weakness of b6 –
10.Nc5 a4 (10...d6 11.Na4) 11.Nc3 a3 12.b3 d6
13.N5a4±.
10.Nc3 d6 11.Be2
102
Black commonly answers 12...Be6 13.a5 f5 (Or White is clearly better in this position. He
13...Qd7 14.Qa4 Qxa4 15.Rxa4 Rfc8 16.Nd5 Bxd5 has 2:1 pawn majority on the queenside and pressure
17.exd5, Saric-Navara, Batumi 2018. White is down the d-file. He could force play with 17.Bxb5
certainly in control, and he won the game, but I axb5 18.Nc3 Qa5 19.Nd5 Qxd2 20.Rxd2 Rfe8 21.a4
think that Black has very good chances to hold the bxa4 22.bxa4 f5 23.a5², but it is even better to start
draw.) 14.exf5 Nxf5 15.Qe2 rolling the pawns immediately:
17.b4! Nc7 18.a3 f5 19.Bb6². Black has less
space and two targets on a6 and d6.
8.Be2 d6
10...Qa5 is not a good idea either. Panjwani recommends as slightly better for
105
White 11.f3 Be6 12.f4 (12.Qd2 Nd7 13.Rac1 Re8)
12...Qa5 13.Rc1 Qa6 (13...h5 14.h3 Nd7 15.Rb1)
14.b3 (14.Na3 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Bxb2 16.Nb5 Bxc1
17.Bxc1 Qxa2 18.Nbc3 Qa5)
13.Bd2 Qb6
106
13.b3
13...Nd7
B2. 10.Qd2
107
16.Rfd1
15.Rab1
15...e6
108
in that direction. Black’s only activity could be
based on ...f5, but it would weaken his king. Thus
White is not afraid of spending tempi on
prophylaxis, and even on several other
noncommittal moves like Nc3-e2-d4. It is more
difficult to find such “free” moves for Black.
On the contrary, it was early to play 17.a3
owing to 17...Qf6 18.Bd4 (Marin erred with
18.Nb5?, when 18...Bxb5 19.cxb5 a4! would have
grabbed the initiative.) 18...Bxd4 19.Qxd4 Qxd4+
20.Rxd4 Rfd8. Then Black plays ...e5, ...Ne6, and
the b3-pawn is obviously weak.
17...Qf6
18.Bd4
109
Chapter 5. Maroczy Bind is already strong:
Annotated Games
14.Na3
42.Rb2
32...Na5 33.Bb5 Nab7 34.Nc4 Na5 35.Nd2 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.c4
a3 36.bxa3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Nc3 0-0 8.Be2 d6 9.0-0 Bd7
10.Qd2 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Bc6 12.f3 a5 13.b3 Nd7
14.Bf2 Nc5 15.Rab1 Qc7 16.Rfc1 Rfc8 17.Bd1
Of course 36.b3 is also possible, but the Qd8 18.a3 Nd7 19.Be2 Nc5 20.Bd1 Nd7
game had a relatively short control at 45 minutes
without any seconds per move, and I decided to play
it safe, avoiding any future traps with ...Nxb3.
111
White’s bishop does not have any business
on d1 anymore. White often employs it on the h3-c8
diagonal after g3, so e2 is a step in the right
direction.
23...Qf8
21.Ne2 24.Be3
I chose this game for it offers a good idea of I prefer 24.Nb5 Bc6 25.Nc3, to support e4 in
possible plans in a waiting game. White’s previous the event of f4.
moves prepared b3-b4, and the only sensible try now
was to push the b-pawn. However, White suddenly 24...h5 25.Nb5 Nc5
decides to manoeuvre aimlessly, without committing
himself with a plan. This is possible of course, but it
would have been better to leave the pawn on a3, to
avoid the weakness on b3. Let’s investigate 21.b4
axb4 22.axb4 Nb6
22...Ne5 invites f4 – 23.Be2 Ra3 24.f4
26.b4?!
112
It looks that White should be better in view 44...f5?
of the weakness of c6 and the possibility of b4.
However, it is a draw, even if White wins a pawn –
32...Nd7 33.Rc6 Ne5 34.Rxb6 Kg5 35.Rb7 h4 36.h3 Perhaps Black missed White’s answer.
Rc2 37.Rxe7 Ra2 38.a4 Rb8 39.Ra7 Rxa4=. Black’s 44...Ke7 (or 44...Kc7) was a draw – 45.Kd4 Kf6
pieces are much more active. 46.e5+ dxe5+ 47.fxe5+ Kf5 48.b5 f6 49.exf6 Kxf6
White’s space advantage could be useful 50.c5 bxc5+ 51.Nxc5 Nb6=.
only with queens. For instance, the attempt:
29...f5?! 30.exf5 gxf5 31.Nd5 Bxd5 32.Bxh6 45.e5! dxe5 46.fxe5 Nxe5 47.Nxb6 Kc7?
Qxh6 33.Qxd5± would be risky for Black.
26...axb4 27.axb4 Nd7 28.Bf1 Kh7 29.Qf2 This last mistake loses. Black could have
Bh6 30.Ra1 still saved a half point with 47...Ke7 48.c5 Nc6
49.b5 Na7 50.Nc8+ Nxc8 51.b6 Nd6!.
30.Re1 Bxe3 31.Qxe3 Ba6 32.Na3 Qh6 48.c5 Kc6 49.Nc8 Kb5 50.Ne7 Nc4+ 51.Kf4
33.Qf2 Bb7 34.Nb5 Ba6 is balanced. e5+ 52.Kg5 Kxb4 53.c6 Kc5 54.c7 Nb6 55.c8Q+
Nxc8 56.Nxc8 e4 57.Kf4 Kd4 58.Ne7 e3 59.Kf3 f4
30...Bxe3 31.Qxe3 Qg7 32.Nc3 Qh6 33.Kf2 60.Nxg6 fxg3 61.Nf4 Ke5 62.Kxe3 1-0
Provoking ...g5!? with sharp play. Instead 19. Ivanchuk – Kiril Georgiev
33.f4 e5 34.g3 exf4 35.gxf4 Nf6„ is double-edged. Belgrade 11.11.1997
Maze opts for a safe ending:
33...Rxa1 34.Rxa1 Ra8 35.Rxa8 Bxa8 1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nc6 5.e4
36.h4 Bc6 37.Qxh6+ Kxh6= 38.g3 Kg7 39.Ke3 e6 Nf6 6.Nc3 d6 7.f3 Nxd4 8.Qxd4 Bg7 9.Be3 0-0
40.f4 Kf8 41.Be2 Ke7 42.Bd1 Kd8 43.Ba4 Bxa4 10.Qd2
44.Nxa4
113
12...Rfc8 13.Be2 a6 14.Na4
10...Be6
16...f5! 17.exf5
Black is passive, but solid. White lacks a
good concrete plan, so he should start manoeuvring,
for instance: 15.Nb5, Rfd1, Bf1. 17.gxf5 loses control of f4 after 17...gxf5
18.Rhg1 (18.Nc3 fxe4) 18...Kh8 19.Bd3 f4! 20.Bf2
11.Rc1 Qa5 12.b3 Bf7=.
114
24.hxg4 d5
19...Nf6?!
I
The only effective counterplay is based on cannot allow White to consolidate, but the text does
the break ...d6-d5. not solve my problems either.
However, the immediate 19...d5 20.cxd5
Bxd5 does not equalise due to 21.Rhd1 fxg4 25.f5 Rd8 26.Ke1 d4?!
22.hxg4 e6 23.Nc3 Bc6 24.g5!, when Black’s knight
is severely restricted: 24...Rad8 (24...h6 25.Bc4
Rae8 26.Rg1 hxg5 27.Rxg5 Kf7 28.f5; 24...e5 25.f5 Ftacnik suggested 26...Bf7, but it is also dull
Rxf5 26.Bg4 Rff8 27.Ke1) 25.Kc2 Rc8 26.Bc4 Kh8 – 27.g5 Ne8 28.Nxd5 Bxd5 29.Rd1 Bc3+ 30.Kf2
27.Kb1². Rcd6 31.cxd5. The d-pawn costs an exchange, e.g.
The right way of achieving the break is: 31...Ng7 32.Bf4 R6d7 33.f6 exf6 34.gxf6 Bxf6
19...Rad8! 20.Nc3 d5! 21.cxd5 Nf6 22.Bb6 35.Bg4 Re7 36.d6 Re4 37.Kf3 Rd4 38.d7+–.
Rd6 23.Bc5 Rd7 24.Ke3 Rc7 25.dxe6 Rxc5 26.Bf3 The rest is easy.
fxg4 27.hxg4 Nxg4+= with opposite-coloured
bishops. 27.Rd1 Rcd6 28.c5! Nd5 (Or 28...Bxb3
29.cxd6 Bxd1 30.dxe7 Re8 31.g5) 29.cxd6 Nxe3
20.Rhg1 Rad8 30.dxe7 Re8 31.fxe6 Rxe7 32.Ne4 1-0
21.Bb6 Rc8
115
Chapter 6. Anti-Grünfeld
Main Ideas
I believe that the most testing way of If we attempt to transpose to Chapter 3 with
fighting the Grünfeld is to enter the main lines. Thus 5.e3, Black can deviate by 5...Nxc3! 6.bxc3 g6.
4.d4 should be the best move. However, if Black has Although I discovered some interesting ideas in the
exceptional memory and had learned well his lesson, hot line 7.h4!? Bg7 8.h5 Nc6 9.Be2, I think that it is
he could often equalise without making any move only a matter of time for Black to find how to
on is own. neutralise White’s slightly “anti-positional” flank
This chapter deals with two alternative assault.
systems where White attempts to outplay the
opponent in relatively unexplored lines.
4...c5
4...g6 is less flexible and allows us to attack
at once with 5.h4. In fact this is a purely positional
stab, which awaits 5...Bg7 to offer a trade of queens
with 6.e4 Nxc3 7.dxc3!. These endgames are, as a
rule, better for White if Black cannot oppose the
construction ...f6+...e5. In our case, the bishop
would be misplaced on g7.
It is wiser to meet 5.h4 by 5...h6 6.e4 Nxc3
7.dxc3 Qxd1+ 8.Kxd1, but again, practical
experience has seen Black struggling to find an
employment for his light-squared bishop.
After all, White has not established yet any
superiority in the centre, to have the right to count
on a successful flank attack. His main problem is the
poor queen’s bishop.
116
Black is still probing several approaches My improvement over the above-mentioned
against White’s provocative set-up. While 8...Ne6 game is 15.Kg1! with a strong initiative.
9.b4!! cxb4 10.Ne2 is more or less acknowledged as I expect more high-level tests of 5.e4, as the
dangerous for Black, the counter-sac 9...g6 10.bxc5 other trend e3 followed by h4 does not inspire much
Bg7!? still hides secrets. I believe that we should confidence.
play for activity and return the pawn with 11.Bb2!.
Svidler recommends for Black 8...Nd3!?
9.Qe2 Nxc1 10.Rxc1 e6.
117
Chapter 6. Anti-Grünfeld
Step by Step
5...h6
5...Bg7 6.e4 Nxc3 7.dxc3 Qxd1+ 8.Kxd1
Nd7 is scoring very well for White after both 9.Nd4
c5 10.Nb3 and 9.h5! Nc5 10.h6 Bf8 11.e5. I guess
that the latter line would be the choice of the AI
Alpha Zero, which values highly pawns on h6.
4.Nf3
An interesting, but risky approach is 5...Bg7
6.e4 Nb6. We go 7.d4 Bg4 8.Be3
4.Qb3 Nxc3 5.dxc3, 4.e3 g6 5.Bc4 (5.Qb3
Nb6 6.Nf3 Bg7 7.d4 0-0 8.Be2 Be6 9.Qc2 Bf5
10.Qb3=) 5...Nb6 6.Bb3 Bg7, and 4.g3 c5 5.Bg2
Nc7 are fine for Black.
4...c5
118
6...g6
119
12.Qh4 Bf6 13.Qh7 Be6, Pachman-Lau, Munich
1979. However, all this is perfectly comfortable for
Black.
120
9.Be2
9...Bf5 10.Qb3 b6
14.Qe1!?
Another idea is to double the heavy pieces Perhaps Black could try:
on the h-line with Rh3+Qh1, threatening to mate by 10...Qd6 11.Ba3 b6 12.d4 0-0 13.Rd1 Na5
Rh8. For instance: 14.Rh3!? Rad8 (14...Rfd8 14.Qb5 Qc7 15.dxc5 bxc5 16.0-0.
15.Qb3 Rf8 16.Kg1 Rad8 17.Qa4 Bc8 18.dxc5
Qxc5 allows 19.Rh8+! Bxh8 20.Qh4 Qxg5 21.Qxg5, 10...0-0 is also interesting since 11.hxg6
although Black has considerable compensation for hxg6 12.Qc4 e5 13.Qxc5 is risky – Black has
the queen) 15.f4 Bf6! 16.Nh7 Rfe8 17.Kf2 Kg7 compensation for the pawn after 13...Bd3 14.a4
18.Qh1 Rh8 19.Ba3÷. Bxe2 15.Kxe2 e4 16.Nd4 Rc8 17.Qb5 Re8.
a) 14...Na5 (on 14...cxd4 we take 15.exd4)
15.f3 f6 16.Nh3 Kf7 17.Kf2 g5 18.Bd3 Rh8 19.Qe2 11.Ng5 e6
Rad8 20.Ba3 Bc8 21.Rad1 Qc7 22.g4
121
b6) 10.d4 Qc7 11.Bxd7 Nxd7 12.e4 Rfd8 is level
since 13.Bg5 could be parried by 13...h6.
8.Be2
This move shuns a lot of move order tricks
and transpositions, so typical for 5.e3. At the same
8.a4 Bg7 9.0-0 (9.d4 Qa5=) is insufficient time it immediately takes the initiative.
owing to 9...Bxb5 10.axb5 Qd3 11.Qb3=.
5...Nb4
8.Qb3 Bg7 9.0-0 0-0 10.d4 Nc6=.
8.Rb1 Bg7 9.0-0 0-0 (9...Bxb5!? 10.Rxb5 5...Nxc3 6.dxc3 Qxd1+ looks drawish at a
122
glance, but White scores surprisingly well, both in
practical and computer chess. White commonly
enjoys a small, but stable edge. It is mostly due to
the c5-pawn, which limits the scope of the Black
bishop. White should concentrate on the kingside
and take space with h4. See Game 20
Timman-Kamsky, rapid Paris 1991.
7.Ke2 Nf4+
6.Bc4
123
b) 11.dxc5 e6 12.c6
Komodo 7 won a game following 12.Qd4
exd5 13.exd5 Qf6 14.Rhd1 Qxd4 15.Nxd4 g6 16.c6.
Black is holding here, but he is playing for two
results only.
12...b4
Or 12...exd5 13.Nxd5 Bd6? (13...Rc7
14.Qd4) 14.Qd4.
13.Qd4 Rc7
13...Qe7 14.Na4 exd5 15.Rhe1 dxe4 16.Kf1
f5 17.Nb6 Be6 18.Ng5 Qxg5 19.Qe5 Qd8 20.c7
Rxc7 21.Qxe6+ Re7 22.Qxf5 keeps the attack.
14.Na4 exd5 15.exd5
15...Bd6!
Best defence. K. Hansen recommends
15...Qf6?!, but if we dig deeper, we find Black
struggling in this endgame – 16.Rhe1 Qxd4
17.Nxd4 Bd6 18.Kf1+ Kd8 19.Nb6 h5 20.h3 a5
21.Kg1 Ba6 22.Nf5 Bf4 23.Rcd1 g6 24.Re4.
15...Be7?! 16.Qxg7 Bf6 17.Qh6 Re7+
18.Kf1 was also better for White in
Giri-Harikrishna, Wijk aan Zee 2017.
16.Qxg7 Re7+ 17.Kf1 Rf8 18.Qd4. White
has full compensation, but 18...f5 19.Nb6 Re4
17...Qd6 18.Qe3 Bf5 19.Rxb5 Rd7 20.Nc4 20.Re1 Kf7 21.Rxe4 fxe4 22.Nd2 Bf4 23.Nxc8
Qxh2 21.d6+ Kf7 22.Rxb8 Nxc6 24.Qc5 Qxc8 25.dxc6 Qd8 26.Qh5+ leads to
Or 22.Rxf5 Nxc6 23.Qxe4 Bxd6 24.Qxc6 perpetual check.
Re7+ 25.Kf3 Rd8 26.Rd1 Re6 27.Nxd6+ Rdxd6
28.Rxd6 Qxd6 29.Qxd6 Rxd6=. 8.Kf1
22...Bxd6 23.Nxd6+ Rxd6 24.Rb7+ Kg6
25.Bxe4 Qh5+ 26.Qf3 Qxf3+ 27.gxf3 Re8 28.Rg1+
Kh5 29.Rgxg7 Bxe4 30.fxe4 Rxe4+ 31.Kf3 Ra4!
32.Rxh7+ Kg5 33.a3 Rf4+ 34.Ke2 Re4+ 35.Kf1
Rd2=. Black’s rook on d2 ensures enough
compensation for the pawn.
124
If Black wanted to play 12...Nc6, he did not
need 11...a6. We answer 13.Bd3 Bd7
Or 13...Be7 14.Rh3 Qc7 15.Qe3².
13...b5 offers a pawn – 14.Bxh7 Rxh7
15.Qe4, but we could also follow our main plan –
14.Be4! Bb7 15.Rh3 Be7 16.Qe3.
14.Rh3 Qc7
Hou,Yifan-Tari, Fagernes 2016, saw
14...Rc8 15.Re1 (aimed to protect e5 in the event of
Ng5, Qh5. The immediate 15.Ng5 was stronger –
15...h6 16.Qh5) 15...b5?! (15...Be7 16.Ng5ƒ)
16.Ng5! Nd4 17.Qg4 h6 18.Qh5±.
B1. 8...Nd3!; B2. 8...Ne6
11...a6
12.h4 b5
125
14.a4 Be7 15.axb5 axb5 is unclear as Black
gets counterplay on the queenside. White should not This ingenuous sacrifice was introduced in
distract himself from the main battlefield. 1980 by the famous analyst Polugaevsky, but his
original idea to meet 9...cxb4 by 10.Nd5 was
An important question is whether to insert h5 unconvincing. The tide turned when Lerner
h6. In my opinion, ...h6 is a useful move, and I do improved it with 9...cxb4 10.Ne2!
not see a necessity to provoke it, at least at the early
stage of the opening.
10...Nc7
The alternative set-up is 10...Nc5 11.Qc2 e6
12.d4 Ncd7. Here White players often continued
development with 13.Bb2, but I prefer to remain
true to the spirit of the line with Kf1: 13.h4!? Nb6
14.Bd3 Bd7 15.Nf4ƒ.
We have fulfilled our plan. Our king is safe, 11.d4 e6 12.h4! Nd7 13.Bd3!
while Black cannot castle. Our next step should be Kasparov played 13.Bg5 Be7 14.Rc1.
to open the centre, e.g. 18...h6 19.a3 Rb8 20.Qf4 b4 Stronger was 13...Nf6, when g5 is hardly the best
21.Ne2 Na5 22.d4². place for the bishop.
13...Nf6 14.Bb2 Bd7 15.Rh3 Be7 16.Nf4
White’s pieces are dreadful. The bishops
B2. 8...Ne6 trade does not help much – 16...Bb5 17.Kg1 Bxd3
(Our attack is also strong after 17...a5 18.Bc2 a4
19.Rc1 b3 20.axb3 a3 21.Ba1 a2 22.b4 Bxb4 23.Rg3
Ba3 24.d5 exd5 25.e5 Ne4 26.Rxg7 Ra6 27.e6.)
18.Qxd3 Rc8 19.Rd1 0-0 20.Rg3±. The computer
proposes the bold:
16...0-0 17.Qe2 e5 18.dxe5 Ng4 19.Rg3
Bxh4 20.Nxh4 Qxh4
9.b4!!
126
than pawns. Let’s consider:
11.Bxe6 Bxe6 12.d4 Nc6 13.Be3 Qa5
Both sides are trying to outsacrifice each I suppose that White might improve this
other! Instead of taking on e6 White is planning d4, sequence of moves, but the position on the diagram
followed up by Nd5. In such strategically suits me enough. White’s pieces are much more
unbalanced positions initiative is more important active, but the cherry on the cake is the h6-pawn.
127
Thanks to it even endgames are in White’s favour.
128
Chapter 6. Anti-Grünfeld
Annotated Games
Li-Ostenstad
Fornebu 2017
7...f6
Krasenkow-Tomczak
Lublin 2009
129
19...f5 20.gxf5 gxf5 21.Be6+ Kc7 22.Bxf5². 12.a4
Black did not allow the opponent to produce a
passer on the h-file, but he made a weakness on e5.
This move is in no way weak, but White had
Greenfeld-Aghayev a better idea, which would work against long
Tortoreto 2015 castling. Instead of entrenching the c4-knight, he
could create a weakness on c5 with a3, b2-b4xc5.
For instance: 12.Ke2 0-0-0
The point is that 12...b5 only facilitates
White’s play after 13.Nd2 Kf7 14.a4 b4 15.Nc4.
13.a3 Rd7 14.b4 Nd8 15.Rad1 Rxd1
16.Rxd1 b6 17.bxc5 Bxc5 18.Bxc5 bxc5. The first
stage is finished, and the next step should be to
undermine e5 – 19.g3 Kc7 20.f4 exf4 21.gxf4 Ne6
22.f5 Ng5 23.Ke3 with serious space advantage.
130
17.f4! exf4 18.Bxf4 Rac8 19.Na3? Black is positionally dead. White only needs
a second target, and the easiest way to make it was
22.a5!. Timman let a great part of his advantage slip
Such a familiar picture! You follow a good away, but eventually won:
plan, get a tangible positional advantage, and you
know that you should switch to a calculating phase. 22.Nd6 Rb8 23.Kf3 h5 24.Nb5 Rxd5
But there is nobody to tell you when is the exact 25.Rxd5?! Rb7 26.c4 Be7 27.Ke2 a6 28.Nc3 Rb8
moment for that! Timman found a concrete (28...Rd7!²) 29.Rd3 a5 30.Nd5 Bd8 31.Rh3 g6
manoeuvre – Nc4-a3-b5, but it is too hasty. He 32.Rg3 Kf7 33.Rf3+ Kg7 34.g3 Rb7 35.Rd3 Kf7
should have kept on squeezing the opponent with 36.Rf3+ Kg7 37.h3 Rd7 38.h4 Rd6 39.Kf2 Rd7
19.h4 Kf7 20.g4. 40.Kg2 Rf7 41.Rb3 Rb7 42.Kh3 Rd7 43.g4 hxg4+
44.Kxg4 Rd6 45.Rh3 Re6 46.h5 Rd6 47.b3 Bf6
19...Ne5?? 48.Rh1 Re6 49.Rf1 Be7 50.Rf3 Kh6 51.Rh3 Kg7
52.hxg6 Kxg6 53.Rh8 Bd6 54.Rd8 Kf7 55.Rd7+
Kg6 56.Rb7 Bf8 57.Nxb6 Rf6 58.Nd5 Rf1
This is a double fault, I would say – both 59.Rb6+ Kf7 60.Rb5 Rb1 61.Kf5 Rf1+ 62.Kxe5
positional and tactical. It is more than obvious that Bg7+ 63.Kd6 Bd4 64.e5 Re1 65.Rb7+ Kg6 66.e6
White’s knight would be dominating the bishop. Be5+ 67.Kd7 Bf6 68.Nxf6 Kxf6 69.Rb6 Kg7
Besides, Black could have launched a counter-attack 70.Rd6 Kf8 71.Rd5 Re3 72.Rxc5 1-0
with 19...g5! 20.Bg3 Na5 21.Nb5 Rxd5! 22.exd5+
Kd7 23.Nxa7 Ra8, and suddenly Black’s pieces
develop great activity – 24.Nb5 Nb3 25.Bc7 Rxa4
26.Bxb6 Ra2 27.Rb1 c4 with decent compensation 21. Cheparinov – Gopal
for the pawn. Dubai 18.4.2016
131
13.Qe3!? 20...Kf6 21.Rc7 Bd6 22.Rxb7 Rb8 23.Rd7
Rhd8 24.Rxd8 Rxd8 25.Ke2 Rb8 is a dead draw
despite the extra pawn. Yet it could be White’s best
Sometimes White plays 13.Rh3, but this option as the alternatives are:
move is essential when we need to attack the 14.h5 0-0-0 15.Rh4 transposes to
kingside. Meanwhile, we have more urgent matters Nepomniachtchi-Bok, Moscow 2016: 15...Be7
to attend to. Black’s last move displays his intention (15...Kb8!∞) 16.Rg4 g6 17.Nb5?! Qb6 18.Be2,
to castle. If we do not hinder his plan, he will when 18...gxh5 would have been pleasant for Black;
proceed with ...Qb6(c7), 0-0-0, possibly ...h6,
...Kb8, with fair chances. A move like Rh3 does not 14.Kg1 0-0-0 15.Bf1 Kb8 16.Rh3 Be8
pose any concrete problem. I was more attracted by 17.Ne4 Nxe5 (Black always meet Ne4 by this
13.Kg1 at first, but analysis convinced me that it capture) 18.Nxc5 Ng4 19.Qg5 f6 20.Qxg4 Bxc5
was too slow. Cheparinov chooses to oppose the 21.d4 h5 22.Qxe6 Qd6 23.Bc4=;
enemy plan with the manoeuvre Qd2-e3-f4, hitting
f7. I like his move for other reasons too – from e3 14.Rh3 0-0-0;
the queen squints at c5 and prepares Be2, Ne4.
Our second target is c5! 14.Qf4 0-0-0 15.Qxf7 Nxe5 16.Nxe5 Qxe5
17.Re1 Qf5=;
132
15...Be7
15.b3
20...Nd4?!
24.a4?!
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5
5.d4 Nxc3 6.bxc3 g6 7.e3 Bg7 8.Bb5+ Nd7 9.a4!
White has two weaknesses – on a2 and d2. 0-0 10.0-0
He should have defended them with 24.Rc2 Rh8
25.Bd3, retaining the better chances.
24...Rh8 25.Re1
10...b6
134
Thus e4 is indispensable.
12...Bb7 (12...Nf6 13.Bd3) 13.e5 cxd4
14.cxd4 Bd5 15.Be3
a) 15...f6 16.Rc1
The normal place for the rook is b1 (16.Rb1 With a hindsight, 11...bxa5 deserves
a5 17.exf6), but the computer wants to drag the attention, in order to stop the pawn’s march to a6.
enemy king to h8 first. 11...cxd4 12.cxd4 bxa5 is inferior on account
16...Kh8 17.Rb1 a5 18.Qd2 fxe5 19.Nxe5 of 13.Bd2.
Be4 20.Nxd7 Qxd7 21.Rb5²; 12.Qa4 Nf6
12...Nb6 13.Qxa5 cxd4 14.cxd4 Bb7
b) 15...Qb8 16.Re1 Qb7 17.Rb1 f6 18.Bf1 occurred in Gustafsson-Baskin, Germany 2015.
Rad8 (18...Bxf3 19.gxf3 fxe5 20.Bg2!±) 19.exf6
exf6 20.Qe2 Kh8 21.Bd2 Ra8 22.Qe3 Rfc8 23.Bd3².
White’s heavy pieces could penetrate through e7.
18.Be3
18...Nd6 19.Be2 e6
In Datler-Feco, ICCF 2014, Black provoked
c4 with 12...Bd5 13.Qe2 Qc7 14.c4 Be4
14...Bxf3 15.Qxf3 cxd4? fails to 16.Qb7±. Black is struggling against White’s centre.
15.Bb2 e6 16.Rad1 Rad8 17.Rd2 cxd4 19...Rc3 20.Bf2 Qc8 21.Rad1 f6 22.Nd3 Bh6
18.exd4 Bc6 19.Rfd1 Rfe8 23.Nb4².
19...Bxb5 20.cxb5 Nf6 gains the d5-square,
but surrenders c6 – 21.Ne5 Nd5 22.Nc6 Rd7 23.g3². 20.Rfc1 Qe7 21.Qa3 Rfd8 22.Nc4 Bf8
20.h4 Bh6 21.Rc2 Bg7 22.h5 Rc8 23.Rcc1². 23.Nxd6 Qxd6 24.Qxd6 Bxd6 25.Bg5 Rf8 26.Bb5
In all the lines White’s main trump is the a6-pawn. It
could decide any endgame.
As I noted before, the endgames are difficult
13.Qa4 for Black.
136
17.Qxa4+ Nc6 18.Nxc6 bxc6 19.Ke2 Qb2+ 20.Bd2
Qb5 21.Qb3 e6 22.Rab1 Qxb3 23.Rxb3²) 15...e6
16.b4 Nb8 17.Rb1 Qc7 18.Bxd7+ Nxd7 19.Qa4 b6
20.g3 Bd6 21.bxc5 bxc5 22.Kg2 0-0 23.Rhc1².
12.Nbxd4
12...cxd4
23. Khalifman – Paravyan Or 12...Nxd4 13.Nxd4 Qxd4 14.Bd2 Qxb2
Kaliningrad 01.07.2015 15.Rb1 Qd4 16.Qa4+ Bd7 17.Qa5±.
13.Rh3 with prospects for an attack.
11.Ng5
11...Nc6!
Perhaps 9...Nc6 10.h4 h5 would transpose if
Black played ...g6 later. The plan with 10...Ned4
yields worse results: 11.Nb5 e6
Or 11...Nxb5 12.Bxb5 Qb6 13.Ba4 Bd7
14.Be3 Rd8 (14...e6 15.b4 Nxb4 16.Bxd7+ Kxd7
17.Ne5+ƒ) 15.a3!? (15.b4 Nxb4 16.Ne5 Bxa4
137
15.Rg3! 0-0-0 16.Rxg6 Ne5 17.Rg3 Nxd3
18.Qb3 was clearly better for White.
12.Nxe6
19.e5!? Nb4
15.Be3
138
24. Bu Xiangzhi – Zeng
China 27.11.2018
47...Nb1
The alternative is 8...Bg4, employing the 10.Kc2 Bg7 11.Nd2 Be5 12.Be3 Nf6 13.f3
problem bishop. Nh5 14.Bc4 Bf4
140
Black kept the e-file closed, but White’s
knight has obtained access to e6. That decides the
game eventually. Besides, the c8-bishop has lost his
only available place to go. White could use that to
double his rooks on the d-file and win the battle for
the 8th rank.
141
Chapter 7. Anti-Nimzo
Main Ideas
Serper-Epishin
Soch 1984
A. 3...b6
142
only point at one nuance. You should not allow 8.e3
Bg4! 9.Be2 e4! 10.Ng1 Bxe2 11.Nxe2 Nbd7 12.Ng3
Ne5 13.0-0 Re8 14.Bb2 Nd3=. The right move order
with 8.Bb2 is a good workaround as 8...Bg4 could
be attacked by 9.h3 and g4.
144
Chapter 7. Anti-Nimzo
Step by Step
7...Be7
(13...Rac8 14.Qe2)
145
Ne5 21.Qf4 b5 with typical Sicilian counterplay.
15...Rad8 16.Qf2!? (correcting the queen’s
placement) 16...g6, when White seizes the initiative
with 17.f5 exf5 18.exf5 Bg7 19.Nd5², transposing to
the main line with 16.Qf2.
14...Bf8
148
This position occurred in 10...Nbd7
Gustafsson-Almasi, Reggio Emilia 2009. Instead of
trading queens prematurely with 19.Qa3. White
should keep manoeuvring, cashing on his space A key moment is that 10...e4?! stumbles into
advantage on both wings. Plausible continuations 11.h3! exf3
are 19.Qb3 b6 20.Ne1, or 19.Nd2 Qa6 20.Nf1 Or 11...Bh5 12.g4 exf3 13.Bxf3 Bg6 14.g5
intending f2-f4-f5. Nbd7 15.gxf6 Ne5 16.Be2².
12.hxg4 fxe2 13.g5 and Black lacks the
9.e3 Bg4 e8-square for the knight.
Thus White succeeds in completing
development, and his chances are slightly higher in
9...Nbd7, now or on the previous turn, is view of his bishop pair.
inconsistent as it blocks the bishop. After 10.d3 Nf8
11.Be2 Zhigalko chose against Meribanov in 2016: 11.d3
b) 11...a5 12.0-0 Bg4 was Stockfish’s choice 11...h6 12.h3 Bh5 13.0-0 Qe7²
against AlphaZero. See Game 26.
10.Be2
9...Nbd7 10.Be2 c5
150
For instance: 14...d5?! 15.a4 Nb6 16.Nd2
(16.cxd5!?) 16...Rfd8 17.a5 Nxc4 18.Nxc4 dxc4
19.Rfd1 Rd5, M.Gurevich-Aagaard, Torrelavega
2007, 20.f3+–. Or 14...e5 15.Nd2 Ne8 16.a4 f5
17.Rae1 Nef6 18.f3.
13.Qb3 (13.Qd3 is not much different)
13...f5
151
12...e5 13.d4 Ne4 14.Qb3 (14.Qc2!)
14...Rab8 15.Rad1 was pleasant for White in
Ubilava-Huss, Zaragoza 1996.
13.d3
152
Chapter 7. Anti-Nimzo
Annotated Games
153
19.d4! exd4 20.Nxd4 Bg6 21.Rb2 f6 22.Ra2 Rd6 41.Qg3 Rad8 42.Bf5 Kf8 43.Rxd6 cxd6
Ne5 23.Bc3 Kh8 44.Ba1 Qe7 45.Bd3 Nc4
46.a4!+–
This move regains the pawn, but allows
White to activate the bishop. 33...Kg8 was more
resilient. Showing the reason behind the retreat
44.Ba1. Although White is conducting an attack on
34.Bd3+ Kh8 35.Rdd1 Nxa5 the kingside, the AI always plays all over the board
and does not miss any opportunity to increase the
pressure with stabs on the opposite wing. For
example, after 46...d5 47.axb5 Bxb5, its rook enters
play from b1!.
154
We saw in the previous game the manoeuvre
Rfd1+Qe1, preparing a queenside activity. Here the
AI shows an alternative. Its primary goal is to push
d4 in order to activate the b2-bishop.
14...h6 15.Bc3 b6
61...h5 62.Qf2 d5 63.Qxf4 hxg4 64.Qxg4 A surprising decision for Stockfish. If it were
Ra8 65.Bc1 (yet another quiet move!) 65...Kf7 a regular engine with White, we could muse upon
66.Bg5 Qe8 67.e6+ 1-0 the imperfections of computers’ evaluating methods
and how they sometimes tend to overestimate space
and weaknesses.
However, AlphaZero operates on a
26. AlphaZero – Stockfish 8 completely different basis! It does not care about
match, London 18.01.2018 weak squares. It just plays many games against itself
and uses statistical data, measuring the probable
outcome after any move. Apparently it found that
1.Nf3 e6 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.Qc2 0-0 even with a closed queenside it retained good
5.a3 Bxc3 6.Qxc3 d6 7.b4 e5 8.Bb2 Nbd7 9.e3 Re8 chances to win on the other wing. In that sense its
10.d3 Nf8 11.Be2 a5 12.0-0 Bg4 13.h3 Bh5 decisions are utmost pragmatic and not biased by
any human experience.
14.Qc2
155
should not forget that the engine was programmed
by humans. Since Tarrasch’s time we fear flaws in
our pawn structure, especially close to our king.
Stockfish also expected 24.Nxf3 with just a slight
edge. Yet opening the g-file dramatically changes
the prospects in White’s favour. It is enough to look
at the next diagram to understand in what a mess
Black engaged owing to a wrong positional
evaluation. Even the best defender in the world
proved unable to neutralise White’s pressure.
Correct was 23...Qe7 24.Bxe4 Qxe4 with a tenable
position.
This is the critical moment of the game. One The expected score has risen to 82.6.
move earlier White refrained from the mundane
f3+e4 because it would leave it with a “bad” 41...Rd7 42.f5 gxf5 43.Rxf5 Qe6
light-squared bishop. Although the AI loves space, I
have observed that it values much higher piece
activity. If AlphaZero does not see a way to activate
a piece, it seeks to exchange it. Meanwhile it set up
a positional trap and Stockfish failed into it! We
156
14.Be2 Qf6
45...Qe3
27.e5! dxe5 28.Rhe1!! e4 (28...Nd5 29.c6) 46.fxg6 Qxc1 47.gxh7+ Kf7 48.Rxc1 Nxh7
29.Bxe4 Qf8 30.d5 exd5 31.Bd3! 49.Bxh7 Re3 50.Rd1 Ke8 51.Ka2 Bd7 52.Bd4 Rh3
53.Bc2 Be6 54.Re1 Kd7 55.Kb2 Rf3 56.Re5 Rg3
57.Re3 Rg2 58.Kc3 Rg4 59.Rf3 Ke8 60.Rf2 Rg3+
The final touch! Like in the first commented 61.Kb4 Rg4 62.Rd2 Bd7 63.Ka5 Rf4 64.Be5 Rf3
158
65.Rd3 Rf2 66.Bd1 Bc6 67.Kb6 1-0
159
Chapter 8. 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4
Main Ideas
15.c5!ƒ.
Smerda-Mudra
ICCF 2012
Goganov-Shevchenko
Moscow 2016
161
23.c5 Bf4, when 24.Bc6 or 24.h3 retain the 27.c5! Rdd8 28.Bc6 Rbc8 29.c4±.
initiative.
Finally, an example where the c5-break is
Chiron 2-Sting SF 4.7 not so efficient:
CCRL 2014
Goganov-Kovalenko,
Izhevsk 2012
Theoretical status
162
This system is known as the Flohr-Mikenas
Attack. It has been in hectic development in the last
2-3 years, so we cannot talk about established main
lines. Only 3...c5 4.e5 Ng8 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.d4 cxd4
7.Nxd4 Nxe5 8.Ndb5 a6 9.Nd6+ Bxd6 10.Qxd6 f6
11.Be3 Ne7 12.Bb6 Nf5 13.Qb4 Nc6 14.Qc5 Qe7 is
a tunneled route. In The Full English Opening C.
Hansen considers only 15.0-0-0, which is rather
balanced.
I advocate 15.Qxe7+!.
163
Chapter 8. 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4
Step by Step
5.Nf3
8...a6
164
After 8...f6 it is best to transpose to the main
line with 9.Be3 a6 10.Nd6+.
13...Qe7!? is less popular, but it is a worthy
9.Nd6+ Bxd6 10.Qxd6 f6 alternative. In fact, White has not proved a tangible
advantage after:
Black intends to contend for the d6-square a) 14.Qxe7+ Nxe7! (intending ...d7-d5 or
with ...Nf7. It is difficult to play the whole game ...d7-d6).
with dark-squared holes: He has adequate compensation for the pawn
10...Nc6 11.Be3 Nge7 12.Bd3 0-0 13.0-0! after 15.f4 Nf7 16.0-0-0 d6, but at some point he
White usually castles long in this line, but here his will have to take on d6 which will even the chances.
king would be safer on the kingside. The best option is:
13...Ng6 14.c5 with a steel grip. 15.c5 d5! 16.cxd6 Nd5 17.Nxd5 exd5
11.Be3 Ne7
12.Bb6 Nf5
18.Rc1!
18.Rd1 Be6 19.f4 Nf7 20.f5 Bxf5 21.Rxd5
Ne5 would turn the tabels in Black favour, because
his king will comfortably block the d6-pawn.
18...Nc6 19.g3 Be6 20.Bg2 Kd7 21.0-0.
White retains some pressure, but Black should hold
this.
13...Nc6
165
20.Rd1 underline the fact that White has a clear plan
to advance on the queenside. Finally:
15...Nfxe7
The reason behind the queen’s pendulum
manoeuvre was to drag the black pawn on c5, where
it is bound to perish: 14...d6 15.Bxd8 dxc5 16.Bb6 This recapture prepares the freeing ...d7-d5.
15...Kxe7 offers White a tempo for g4 – 16.0-0-0 d6
(16...h5 17.c5) 17.g4 Nh6 18.f4. Now 18...Nxg4
introduces new imbalances which favour White’s
bishop pair and active rooks – 19.Rg1 f5 20.h3 Nf6
21.Rxg7+ Kf8 22.Rg3².
16.0-0-0
4...d4
168
8.Nf3
8.Qe2 Be7! is considered safe for Black.
8...exd4 – see line B11.
B1. 7...e5
169
In 2017 Harikrishna chose here 14...Nc6, and balanced position.
a year later he decided to include first 14...h6 15.Nf3 11...h6 12.h5
Nc6, with a satisfactory game in both events.
However, in the latter line White might try 15.Bh5
Qa6 16.Nxf7 Rxf7 17.Bxf7+ Kxf7 18.f5 Qf6 19.Rf4
Kg8 20.Qf3 Nc6 21.Re1 Bd7 22.Qd5+ Qf7 23.f6
gxf6 24.Rxf6 Qxd5 25.cxd5 Nb4 26.d6 Nd5
27.Rxh6 Kg7 28.Rh5 Nf6 29.Rc5². He does not risk
anything with his rook and 2 pawns vs a bishop and
knight.
Lately Black prefers to keep the tension, but
it is a risky approach:
8...Nc6?! 9.Qe2!?
This move should be a big surprise for your White had been scoring well here until the
opponents. Although it is not entirely new, White’s game Anand-Karjakin, London 2017 which
investigations were focused on other lines: introduced the novelty:
Dubov beat nicely Nakamura with 9.Be2 12...Qa6! and Black was fine after 13.Be3
exd4 10.Bg5 Qg6 11.0-0 Nd7 14.Bd3 Ba3=.
11.cxd4 Bb4+ 12.Bd2 Bxd2+ 13.Qxd2 0-0
14.d5 Ne7= (Cummings). 9...Bg4 10.d5 Bxf3 11.gxf3
11...dxc3! Looks risky, but it will probably
be analysed up to a draw very soon.
12.Bd3 Qd6 13.Re1+ Be7 14.c5!? Qxc5
15.Bxe7 Nxe7 16.Re5 Qd6 17.Bb5+ Kf8 18.Qe2 f6
11...Ne7
19.Rd1 fxe5 20.Nxe5! Bf5 21.Rxd6 cxd6 11...Nb8 occurred only once, but might be
22.Nd7+ Kf7 23.Qc4+ Be6 24.Qf4+ Nf5 25.g4. the better option. White still retains an initiative with
Now instead of 25...Rad8? Black could have played 12.Rg1! – see Game 28 Petursson-Lagunow, Bern
25...Rhc8 26.gxf5 Bxd7 27.Bxd7 c2 28.Qc1! with a 1996.
draw, according to the computer.
12.Rb1 b6
9.Bg5 Qg6 10.d5 Nb8 11.h4
The sharp attempt 11.Bd3 f5 12.h4 e4 13.h5
Qd6 14.0-0 h6! 15.Bh4 Be7 concludes with a 12...0-0-0 looks dangerous, but it is not easy
170
to crack Black’s castling position: endgame after
13.Rg1 Kb8 21.h6 g6 22.Be6+ Kh8 23.Rb2, Almarza
Black cannot entrench himself with 13...Qd6 Mato-Mason, ICCF 2017.
14.Be3 c5 owing to 15.Qb2 Rd7 16.Bh3 f5 17.Qb5 I would prefer to keep the pawn on h5:
and he is tied up and down. 21.Be6+ Kh8 22.Be3. We want to play a
White’s task now should be to provoke ...b6 rook endgame, where our active king should be the
which could be attacked later by a4-a5. prevailing factor thanks to the break c4-c5. For
14.a4. All the engines favour White, instance: 22...Bxe3 23.fxe3 Nc8 24.Bxc8 Raxc8
although I doubt that we could break through. Note 25.Ke2 Kg8 26.Kd3 Rf2 27.Ke4 Rg2 (27...Rxa2
that White does not rely only on an attack. His 28.Ra1) 28.Rbg1² or 22...Bd6 23.Ke2 Nf5 24.Bxf5
“centralised” king assures him of an edge in most Rxf5 25.a4 Kg8 26.Kd3 Re8 27.c5 bxc5 28.Rb7 Ra8
endgames. For instance: 14...Ka8 15.a5 Rb8 16.Qe4 29.Kc4².
Qa6 17.f4ƒ f5 18.Qxe5 Ng6 19.Qxc7 Bd6 20.Qd7
Rhe8+ 21.Kd1 Bxf4 22.Bxf4 Nxf4 All that said, 9.Qe2 is very committal and
requires energetic play from White. Otherwise the
split pawns could remain a heavy burden.
9.0-0 0-0
23.Qb5 Qxb5 24.Rxb5±.
13.h4 Ng6 14.Qe4 Bc5 15.Bg5 Qd6 16.h5 Black could discourage Be4 by 9...Na6,
Ne7 17.f4 f6 18.fxe5 Qxe5 19.Qxe5 fxe5 20.Bh3 intending 10.Bc2 Bg4 11.d4 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Qxf3
0-0 13.gxf3
171
13...exd4 14.Ba4+!? albeit defendable for Black.
14.Re1+ Kd8 15.cxd4 c5 is not too clear as 10.0-0 Bd6 11.Be3 0-0
Black can exchange a pair of rooks from e8. The
bishop’s check prevents it in the event of 14...c6
15.Re1+ Kd8 16.cxd4 c5 17.d5±.
14...Kd8 15.cxd4 c5 16.d5 Kc7 17.f4!
The point of White’s strategy. He denies the
e5-square to the knight, discouraging the manoeuvre
...Na6-b4-d3-e5. Kuljasevic-Grigorov, Konya 2014,
went further:
17...Nb8 18.Rb1 b6, when the rook lift along
the third rank would have produced weaknesses:
19.Rb3! Nd7 20.Ra3 a5 21.Rg3 (Kosten).
172
B3. 7...b6! 8.d4
9...h6!? might be a slightly improved version
of the main line because White’s king is no better on
We could prevent new damages in our pawn g1 while ...h6 could enable counterplay with g5.
structure by 8.g3 Bb7 9.Bg2, but 9...Bd6 10.d4 h6 10.0-0
11.0-0 Nd7, followed by ...c5, is level. We have to play this anyway, now or after
10.a4!? a5. (10...Bd6 11.a5 Nd7 12.0-0 Bxf3
8...Bb7 9.Bd3 13.Qxf3 at least gives White an initiative on the
queenside. The a-pawn could be unpleasant on a6 in
some endings.) Note that after 11.Ne5 (instead of
9.Bg5 Bxf3 10.Qxf3 Qxf3 11.gxf3 Be7!? is 11.0-0) 11...Bd6! 12.Qe2 Black can even take on g2,
no better. You’ll understand that after reading the although White has enough compensation.
main line. I found an interesting example of how 10...Bxf3
helpless are the engines in such purely strategic After 10...Bd6 White can save the knight
positions. Black was clearly ill at ease in its shoes in with 11.Nd2 0-0 (11...Qh4 12.g3 Qd8 13.a4! 0-0
the following game: 14.a5 Nd7 15.Ne4ƒ) 12.Qh5, retaining a flexible
11...Nd7 12.0-0-0 Bd6 13.Kc2 h6 14.Be3 pawn formation.
Ke7 15.h4 c6 16.f4 Nf6 17.Bg2 Kd7 18.h5 Rhg8 11.Qxf3 Qxf3 12.gxf3 Nd7
19.Bf3 Rac8 12...Nc6 allows White to push c5 – 13.Be4
Kd7 14.Rd1 Rd8 15.c5! and Black quickly lost in
Goganov-Shevchenko, Moscow 2016, following
15...bxc5? 16.dxc5+ Kc8 17.Be3 Rxd1+ 18.Rxd1.
The a7-pawn is weak. Of course Black should have
entrenched himself with 15...Ne7, but 16.c4ƒ
activates White’s central pawns.
13.a4 a5
I also investigated:
9.Be2 Bd6 10.Bg5 I explain this pawn structure in Game 30
White had not enough compensation Williams-Norman, ICCF 2013. The annotations will
following 10.c5?! bxc5 11.Qa4+ Bc6 12.Bb5 Bxb5 also be helpful for grasping the essence of the main
13.Qxb5+ Nd7 14.0-0 cxd4 15.Bg5 Qg6, line with the immediate 9...Bxf3.
Furman-Taimanov, Moscow 1955.
10...Qf5 11.0-0 h6 12.Bh4 0-0 13.a4 Nd7 10.Qxf3
14.a5 e5=.
173
unbalanced play.
14...Kf8!
14...g5 15.h3 c5 16.Rd1 Bf4 17.Qc2 Ke7
18.Ke2 was pleasant for White in
Iordachescu-Gajewski, Legnica 2013.
15.0-0-0 Bxh2 16.Rg4 e5 17.Bc2 Re8
18.Ba4 c6 19.Re4 g5 20.dxe5 Nxe5 21.f4!=.
However, note that it is White who should make the
draw.
10...Qxf3 11.gxf3
13...Bxf4!
In Aleksandrov-Riazantsev, Loo 2014, Black
did not brace himself for this sacrifice and was
worse after 13...Rd8 14.Qg4 g6. White puts his rook
on d1, the king on f1, and enjoys a nice attacking
position. In some lines f4-f5 could be the needed
break.
14.Qf3 Bxe3 15.Qxa8+ Ke7 16.Qg2 Bg5
17.Ke2. This position may be equal for the engines,
but OTB White is more prone to mistakes.
12.Kd1
11...f5!
Despite White’s enormous space advantage White returns the favour. 25.Rf3 was equal.
and bishop pair, the game remains balanced after
18...Nb6! 19.c4 f6 20.a4 g5 21.Be6 gxf4 22.a5 f3+ 25...Rdg8 26.d6 Rg2?
23.Rxf3 Rhg8+ 24.Rg3 Rxg3+ 25.hxg3 Qd4
26.axb6 Qxa1 27.bxc7+ Kxc7 28.Bf4 Qg1+ (26...cxd6 27.exd6 Ka8µ)
29.Kh3=.
Black’s attempt to undermine the centre at 27.dxc7+ Kc8 28.Qe4 R2g6 29.Rd8+ Rxd8
once could have passed the initiative to White: 30.cxd8=Q+ Kxd8 31.Rb1 Qd7 32.Qf3 Ke8
33.Bg3 Bb6 34.Rd1 ½-½
18...g5 19.fxg5
177
More consistent is 17...Bd7!?, trying to trick
White with the move order, e.g.:
18.Rhe1 dxc4 19.Bxc4 Ne5 20.Bb3 Rc8.
Thus we have no choice, but “concede” to regain the
pawn:
18.cxd5 exd5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Rxd5 Be6
21.Rd6 Ke7! 22.Bc5 Kf7. The worst is behind
Black, but he’ll still have to work hard for the draw
because of the bishop pair.
18.Rhe1
178
and we should also check the idea from the previous to take committal steps in clearly superior positions.
paragraph: Instead they secretly hope that the opponent will
19...d4 20.f4 e5 21.fxe5 fxe5 22.Ne4 h5 lose by himself. All too often this tactic costs them
23.h3. White retains pressure. their advantage, as was the case in the current game.
22...f5?! 23.Bb6! White had not spotted yet the original mating
net, which eventually decided the game. 32.Re1!
N7c6
23.f3 exf3 24.Bxf3 is also possible, although
the position after 24...Kf6 25.c5 Nb8 26.Bxb7 Nxd7
27.Rxd7² is double-edged.
23...Rb8 24.b3!?
179
33.Rxe4!! Kxe4 34.Bg4+ Kd3 35.Rd1+ Ke4 14.f4?!
36.f3+ Nxf3 37.gxf3+ Ke5 38.Re1+ Kf6 39.Rxe6+
Kf7 40.Re4 was close to winning!
This is mostly a defensive move. It does
32...axb5 33.axb5 h5 takes control of the centre, but loses the initiative. At
the same time White should rely on dynamic factors.
(33...Ng8! kept Black in the game) His only way to break the enemy front is c4-c5. It
34.Re1! Ng8 35.Rxe4 would allow White’s rook to penetrate to b7.
Therefore, he should play concrete chess:
14.Rb1!
This is even more destructive now as Now 14...c5 would face 15.d5 while 14...g5
35...Kxe4 36.Bg4+ Kd3 37.Rd1+ Ke4 38.Rd4 15.f4 would help us to open files.
mates! 14...f5?! allowed White to execute his main
threat – 15.c5!
35...Nf6 36.Rxe5+ Kxe5 37.Bg4+ Kd6
38.Rxe6+ Kd7 39.Bf5 1-0
180
Note that 14.Rb1 also prevents 0-0-0, which Rb8
would be good after 14.Be4 0-0-0 15.f4 g6=.
15.Re1 0-0
Although this is the first line of Houdini, it is 41.Rxa5 Kf6 42.Be4 Re8 43.Ra6+ Ke7
a step in a wrong direction. A good long-term 44.Bc6 Rc8 45.a5 Kd8 46.Bd5 Rb8 47.Bxf7 1-0
solution would be to prevent the option of c4-c5
with 17...c5.
181
Chapter 9. Anti-Slav and Chebanenko
Main Ideas
A. 4...Bg4
White
Cummings recommends here 5.Qb3 Qb6
has created a permanent flaw in the enemy pawn
6.Ne5 Be6 7.d4, hoping to gain two bishops with
structure. Black’s c-pawn will remain a juicy target
Na4-c5. I tried it in practice (see Game 31 Kiril
for many moves ahead, binding his pieces with its
Georgiev-Terbe, Arad 2018), and it is a fair plan,
defence.
but it is nearly impossible to offer you any clear plan
That assures White of an edge if he managed
to follow. The kingside pawns stand symmetrically
to trade queens. In such event the play would be for
on their initial squares, and both players could
two results only.
arrange them in many different configurations. A
Our heavy pieces would be more active – the
long complex fight in a queenless middlegame is
rooks will double on the c-file and the queen is close
ahead. Besides, I came upon on a more
to the black king.
straightforward idea:
I have found only 19 games in my database.
5.cxd5!?
Black is obviously ill at ease in this position
as he achieves just 16%.
Now 5...cxd5 6.Qb3 Bc8 is totally passive
You’ll see the concrete moves in the “Step
and brings Black the horrifying 17%, 5...Nxd5 gives
by Step” section. Here I’ll add some positional
up the centre, so he commonly parts with his bishop:
guidance.
5...Bxf3 6.Qxf3 cxd5
Analysis
182
Our ultimate strategic goal is to block the 16.Rc2=. Our queenside pieces have no
c-pawn on c6. White could then claim a clear edge. prospects and we lack space.
Black will probably anticipate the above The computer might be seducing you with an
scenario by pushing ...c5. Then the attack on c5 with early d4, claiming some advantage, but then our
Na4, Ba3 is ineffective if Black’s queen is on the dark-squared bishop would become completely
queenside. However, we can try to exploit its useless. We should not be able to win a game with
absence from the kingside by mounting a kingside such a bad piece!
attack or striking at the centre with e3-e4. Note that
e4 is effective only when Black cannot answer ...d4. The second part of the chapter deals with the
Chebanenko-like:
Bishoff-Bagirov
Netherlands 1998 B. 4...a6!?
White’s plan is to trade queens and attack the The advantages of delaying d4 are best seen
queenside with Nd2-b3, a4. His dream position is: in the line 5...b5 6.b3 Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 8.cxd5 cxd5
9.g4 Bg6 10.g5 Ne4 11.Bb2 Nxc3 12.Bxc3 Nc6
Fressinet-Karjakin
blitz, Beijing 2012
185
Chapter 9. Anti-Slav and Chebanenko
Step by Step
4.Nc3
3...Nf6
186
0-0 13.Rac1. This set-up in IQP positions, with Be3 12.Ne5 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 0-0 14.Rac1 Nb6
and Rac1 instead of Bg5+Rad1, was recommended 15.Nd3 Rfe8 16.Rfd1±.
by Akiba Rubinstein.
6.Qxf3 cxd5 7.Bb5+
10...Be7
187
11.Bb2 0-0 12.Rac1 Qa5 13.Rc2 c5
15.Ne2!?
188
between 7.Qb3 Nbd7 8.d4 and 7.g4!? Bxg4 8.Nxg4
Nxg4 9.Qb3². However:
5...e6, intending ...c5, underlines the clumsy
stand of White’s queen on the c-file:
5...e6 6.0-0 b5
6...dxc4 7.Bxc4 transposes to line B3, while
White gets also the additional option of 7.a4 c5
8.Bxc4 Nc6 9.Qe2 Be7 10.Rd1 0-0 11.d4. Now 9...Nc6 loses a pawn to 10.Ne5 Bxe2
7.b3 Bd6 8.d4 Nbd7 9.Qc2 11.Nxc6, and 9...Nbd7 10.Qd4! Nb6 11.Na4 is not
pretty either.
In practice White chooses 6.Qb3 Ra7 7.h3
Bxf3 8.Bxf3, but I believe that our queen does not
belong to b3 unless it gains concrete benefits. The
game Critter 1.6a-Houdini 5.01 CCRL 2016, went
8...e6 9.d4 b5 10.c5 a5 11.0-0 Be7 12.Rd1 0-0
13.Qc2 Qc7 14.a3 Nbd7 15.e4 dxe4 16.Nxe4 a4
17.Nd6 Ne8 18.Nxe8 Rxe8 19.Qe4 Rc8 20.Bf4 Qd8
21.Qe2 Nf8 22.Rd3 Rd7 23.Rad1 Ng6 24.Bg3=.
6...Bxf3 7.Bxf3
9...b4
9...0-0 10.e4 dxe4 11.Nxe4 Nxe4 12.Qxe4
Bb7 13.c5 Be7 14.Bd3 Nf6 15.Qh4 Re8 16.Bg5 h6
17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Qe4 Qd5 19.Qh7+ Kf8 20.Rad1
Ke7 21.Bc2 Rh8 22.Qd3 Rad8 23.Rfe1 Qd7 24.Ne5
Qc7 25.Qg3 Qa5 26.Nxf7! was crushing in
Riazantsev-Korobov, Dubai 2014.
10.Na4 Bb7 11.a3 bxa3 12.Bxa3 Bxa3
13.Rxa3 Qe7 14.Rfa1 0-0, Delchev-Golubovic,
Kastel Stari 1997. White has a strategically winning
position, and 15.c5 would have been the simplest
solution.
7...e6
B1. 5...Bg4 6.h3!?
Amazingly, this position has never occurred
in practice. The tactical justification of my novelty is
The most challenging timing for this move the pawn sacrifice 7...dxc4 8.b3! cxb3 9.Qxb3 Ra7
since the retreat is dubious – 6...Bh5 7.Qb3 Ra7 10.0-0 e6 11.d4 Be7 12.a4 0-0
allows 8.cxd5 cxd5 9.Qa4+!
190
Pardubice 2015.
13.a5
The immediate 13.e4 allows 13...c5 and the 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.e4! dxe4 12.Nxe4 Nd5
b8-knight receives the c6-square. 13.Rd1 is another 13.Qb3 Qb6 14.Qa4²
interesting option.
13...Nbd7
The knight has to go to a passive place since White has the more active pieces and the
13...c5 loses to 14.Qb6. bishop pair.
14.e4 with more than enough compensation.
In such positions the only constructive plan Again, it is good to define the future of the
for White, in my opinion, is to push e4. bishop right away.
7.Bb2 e6 8.Ne5 Bxe2 9.Nxe2 Bd6 10.Rc1
The alternative is 8.b3 Bd6 0-0 11.0-0 looks a decent alternative, only after
8...d4?! broke the symmetry in White’s 11...Nfd7 we should retain more pieces – 12.Nf3!.
favour – 9.exd4 Qxd4 10.0-0 Be7 11.Bb2 0-0
12.Qc2 Qf4 13.Ne2 Qc7 14.d4 Nbd7 15.Rad1ƒ, 7...Bh5
Sambuev-S.Kasparov, Montreal 2009.
9.Bb2 0-0 10.d4 Nbd7 11.0-0 Re8. White is
considerably better according to the engines, but in 7...Bxf3 8.Bxf3 e6 is solid, of course.
fact he lacks a plan. But not 8...e5 9.Bb2 Ra7 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.g4
h6 12.Rc1 Be7 13.0-0 0-0 14.Bg2 with expansion on
8...Nbd7 9.d4 the kingside.
9.d4 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Qc2 Nbd7
9...Be7
191
Now in Gulko-Short, Candidates playoff, 17.Rxc6!? Qxc6 18.Bxe5 Bxh3 19.Nd4 Qc8
New York 1994, White opened a file on the 20.Bh5 Bc5 21.Qa1 Rg8 22.Ne2 Kf8 23.Bf3 Qd7
queenside with 12.a4!? Rc8 13.axb5 axb5 14.c5! e5 24.Nf4 Rd8 (24...Be6 25.Nh5) 25.Nxh3 Qxh3
15.Bd2 Ra8 16.Na2 Qc7 17.Nb4. White should gain 26.Bg4 Qh4 27.Qc1 Be7 28.Bc7 Qxg5 29.Bxd8
control of the a-file. His bishop pair and pressure on Bxd8 30.Qc5+ Qe7 31.Qxd5. The opposite-coloured
c6 promise him a lasting initiative. bishops only hinder Black’s defence;
8.cxd5 cxd5 9.g4 Bg6 10.g5 Ne4 11.Bb2 14...Be4 15.Rc1 Qd6 16.Rg1 e5 17.h4 h6
Nxc3 12.Bxc3 Nc6 18.h5 hxg5 19.Nxg5 Bf5
20.f4!?
13.a4! b4 14.Bb2 20.e4 dxe4 21.Bc4 Ra7 22.Qe2 is also
interesting.
20...exf4 21.Bg4 Ne7 (21...Bxg4 22.Qxg4
This sharp unexplored position is suitable to fxe3 23.Rg3!‚) 22.Bxf5 Nxf5 23.Qf3!? or 23.Qg4
play for a win. For instance: Qd7 24.Qxf4ƒ.
14...Qd6 15.Rg1 e5 16.Rc1 Bf5 This move looks the most consistent retort to
5.Be2 since White will have to lose a tempo. Then
192
Black will lose a tempo, too, to enter the Queen’s Delchev/Semkov point out.
Gambit Accepted. 11...Nbd7 is equally played, but it leaves
White the initiative – 12.Be3 Rc8 (12...Nc5 13.Qe2
6.Bxc4 Be7 14.Rac1 0-0 15.Rfd1 Qb8 16.f3) 13.Nxe6!?
fxe6 14.Bxe6 Qe7 15.Bh3 Rd8 16.Qe2 b4 17.Nd5
Nxd5 18.exd5 Nf6 19.Rfe1 Rxd5 20.Qf1 Kf7
6.a4 Be6!? is dynamically balanced – 7.Nd4 21.Bf4+–, DisasterArea 1.54-Dirty 3Nov2015,
Bd5 8.Nxd5 cxd5 9.b3 e5 10.Nf3 e4 11.Nd4 Nc6 CCRL 2015.
12.Bb2 Bc5 13.bxc4 Bxd4 14.exd4 dxc4 15.Bxc4 12.Nxc6 Qxd1+ 13.Rxd1 Bxc6 14.f3 Bc5+
Nxd4 16.0-0 0-0 17.d3. White has enough 15.Kf1 Ke7 16.e5 Nd7 17.Bg5+.
compensation for the pawn, but that’s all. Here in Korobov-Lesiege, Baku 2016, Black
erred and quickly lost after 17...f6? 18.exf6+ gxf6
6...b5 19.Re1 e5 20.Bh4 b4 21.Nd5+ Bxd5 22.Bxd5 Rac8
23.Rad1 Rc7 24.f4 Bd6 25.Rd3 h5 26.Bb3 Rh6
27.Rd5 Rc6 28.fxe5 Nxe5 29.Rdxe5+ 1-0. However,
the calm king retreat neutralises most of White’s
pressure:
17...Ke8! 18.Rac1 h6 19.Bd2 a5.
7.Be2!
194
Chapter 9. Anti-Slav and Chebanenko
Annotated Games
6...Be6
22...Nc4
(22...axb5 23.Re1+!)
23.R5a2 a5 24.b3 Nd6 25.Bxa5 Re8
26.Bg4+ Ke7 27.Bb4 Rxa2 28.Rxa2 h5 29.Re2+
1-0
13...exd4
32. Cheparinov – Banusz
Sibenik 12.10.2016
General considerations suggest that Black
should maintain the symmetry, but the game course
proved that it was a difficult task. Perhaps he should 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e3 e6 5.Nf3 a6
have allowed an isolator – 13...Bd6 14.dxe5 Bxe5 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 8.Be2 c5 9.0-0 Bb7 10.dxc5
15.Ra2 0-0 16.g3 Nf6 17.Ke2 a6 18.Bg2 Rac8 Bxc5 11.Qxd8+ Kxd8 12.Nd2
19.f4².
16.Bd2
24...a3!!= (24...exd5 25.Rd1+–).
Therefore, White should consent to a small
plus after: 16.a4! b4 (16...Bb4 17.axb5) 17.Na2 was
more direct:
14.Nxc5 Nxc5 15.b4 Nce4 16.Nxe4 Nxe4
17.Bb2. The game Rychagov-Rozhkov, Voronezh
2016, continued 17...Rhc8 18.Rfc1 f6 19.f3 Nd6
20.Bd4 Rxc1+ 21.Rxc1, and White went on to win,
197
31...Ke6 held on a little longer – 32.h4 Rf8
33.Kf2 h6 34.h5 f5 35.Kg3 fxe4 36.fxe4+–. The
e5-pawn is doomed.
32.Bxe5 1-0
16...Bc7
21.Bxc4 bxc4
198
Chapter 10. Anti-Meran
Main Ideas
Move order
The schemes with e3 and b3 have come to Whenever Black plays ...Nbd7, we should
the fore when White discovered the idea of gaining answer Qc2, preparing to meet ...e5 by cxd5 and
space with g4-g5. Delchev’s book The Modern Reti Nb5. Otherwise we develop the bishop on b2 first.
from 2012 was the first to popularise this plan, and it The early ...Nbd7 offers us the powerful,
quickly found many followers. Unfortunately, I have albeit double-edged, plan with Rg1 and g4. For
a cold shower for all the fans of magical solutions: instance:
5...Nbd7 6.Qc2 Bd6 7.Bb2 0-0
Black can sidestep the plan with g4 with a
clever move order:
Iturrizaga-Biag
chess.com 2017
199
20.Nh2±. White’s attack is playing itself, and we could
even throw in a piece to open the diagonals for our
akjoltoy-misterija bishop pair. I give enough examples in the
gameknot.com 2013 theoretical chapter.
200
We got a typical Sicilian structure with
colours reversed. Black’s piece are passive, so we
should not fear an attack. On the other hand, it is not
clear what we could do ourselves. The thematic
break d4 would only activate the black bishop. If
Black’s knight were on c6, we could prepare b4-b5,
but with the pawn on c6, b4-b5 does not make much
sense. The only constructive plan I see for White is
to put the rooks on e1 and d1 and push e4 to gain
space in the centre. Then we could think about an
activity on the queenside or even d4. Play may
continue 11.Ne4 Bc7 12.Rad1 (12.Ng3) 12...Nf8
13.d3 Qe7 14.a3 a5 15.Rfe1 Bf5 16.Ng3 Bg6 17.Bf1
Nd7 18.e4.
Theoretical status
201
Chapter 10. Anti-Meran a) 8.h3 does not seem the most useful move
Step by Step in this position. Let’s check 8...e5
Then 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Ne4 Bc7 11.Ng3 Re8
would be similar to 8.Be2 Re8, only White played
1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 h3 instead of Be2, which is not something to boast
about. However, the sharper alternative is worse:
9.d4?! e4 10.Nd2 Re8 11.g4 h6 12.0-0-0 Nf8
13.Kb1 Ng6 14.Be2 Bd7 15.Rhg1 Bb4 16.g5 hxg5
17.Rxg5 b5
5.b3 Bd6!
5...a6 6.Bb2 b5 defines Black’s plan too It is obvious that Black has taken the
early. We could exploit that by developing our initiative – 18.Rh1 bxc4 19.bxc4 Nh7 20.Rg3 Rb8
bishop on d3 instead of the common e2 – 7.Qc2 Bd6 21.Nb3 Be6, Kupsys-Efremov, ICCF 2014.
8.d4 0-0 9.c5 Bc7 10.Bd3.
b) 8.Rg1! e5 9.cxd5
6.Bb2 0-0! 9.g4 d4!? 10.exd4 exd4 11.Nxd4 Re8+ looks
very pleasant for Black – 12.Be2 Bxh2 (12...Nc5)
13.Rh1 Nc5 14.Rxh2 Qxd4 15.0-0-0 Rxe2ƒ.
6...Nbd7 offers White additional options, 9...Nxd5 10.Ne4 Bc7 11.g4
based on the Bayonet attack with g4:
7.Qc2 0-0
Now besides 8.Be2, which transposes, White
also has:
202
7.Be2!
7...Nbd7
203
12.Ng3
Lately the main line has been: This set-up leaves a free lane for the f-pawn.
12...Rad8 13.g3!? 12...N7f6 13.d3 Qe7 14.a3 c5 15.Rac1 b6 16.Rfe1
13.Bf1 is probably premature due to 13...e5 Bb7
(but not 13...dxc4 14.bxc4 e5 15.g3ƒ, as in my game
Korobov-Kiril Georgiev, Bilbao 2014).
See more details in Game 34 Le Quang
Liem-Wang Hao, rapid Huai’an 2017.
13.a3 Qe7!
204
It is important to prevent d4. kingside attack. In the majority of games White
Grischuk-Kramnik, Wijk aan Zee 2011, saw chose to undermine Black’s centre with f3, which
13...a5?! 14.d4! Ng6 15.Bd3 exd4 16.Nxd4 Bg4 gave Black considerable piece play against the
17.Bf5±. weakened kingside. I propose to show character and
ignore the enemy threats:
14.b4 a6 15.Rac1 Ng6 12.a4!? e4 13.Nd2 Nf8 14.a5 Ng6
Or 14...a6 15.Rfb1 h5 16.Qd1 Bg4 17.h3.
White’s position is more flexible, and he 15.Rfb1
could continue in the Taimanov style with 16.Bc4
Nb6 17.Bb3 Bg4 18.Qe4.
c) 15...a6 16.Na4
16.Nf1 Nh4 17.Qd1 is also possible –
17...Bc7 18.Ng3 Qd8 19.d5 Nf5 20.dxc6 bxc6
21.Qxd8 Bxd8 22.Nxf5 Bxf5 23.c5².
16...Bg4 17.Qd1 Bxe2 18.Qxe2 Rab8
19.Bc3².
In all the events our mobile central pawns
maintain enough tension.
205
White retains slight pressure in the endgame.
C. 8...b6?! 9.Rg1!
9...Bb7
206
17.cxd5 cxd5 18.f5± was crushing. 12...e5 blocks the main diagonal, but the
13.h5!. The position is ripe for destructive debacle comes on the light squares – 13.h5 g6
tactics. 14.Nh4 Nc5 15.0-0-0 d4
13.Bd3 gave Black a tempo after 13...g6 Or 15...Rd8 16.b4 Nd7 17.f4 Bxb4 18.f5+–.
14.h5 Nc5 15.Be2, although White retained the 16.b4! dxc3 17.Bxc3 Ne6 18.hxg6 hxg6
attack after 15...e4? (15...N7e6) 19.Nxg6 fxg6 20.Qxg6+ N8g7 21.Bd3+–.
D. 8...a6 9.d4
207
as an improvement. Perhaps the most precise is:
14.Bd3 Re8 15.f4 Bc7 16.e4±.
13.Rac1
14...Nfg4
209
Chapter 10. Anti-Meran
Annotated Games
12.g5 Nf8
210
16.Bxd4 exd4 17.Nf6+ Nxf6 18.Qxf5 Ne4?
19.g6 fxg6 20.hxg6 dxe3 21.fxe3 h6 22.Qf7+ Kh8
23.Rh1 Bg3+ 24.Ke2 1-0. The only defence was
18...Nxh5! 19.Bc4 g6 20.Qxf7+ Kh8 21.Be2 with
some initiative. However, Black has survived the
first wave. I think that a little prophylaxis does not
hurt.
14...Bg6 15.d3
13.g3!?
13...a6
19.Qc3
16.d5?! 21.Bg2
This break is premature as it leads to 21.f4 Ng4 22.Bg2 Qb4 would lead to a
multiple exchanges. White should have exploited his balanced queenless middlegame.
space advantage by keeping the tension with
16.Nd2! cxd4 17.exd4 h6, and only now 18.d5 Nc5 21...Qc4?!
213
d4.
The idea of this move is rather simple – Now 18.Bxa3 led to a quick draw in
White hopes to win quickly the d5-pawn with the Haugen-Hagen, ICCF 2014 – 18...Qxa3 19.h3 Qa5
help of f4-f5 or to trade the dark-squared bishops via 20.Nxd5 Nxd5 21.Bxd5 Rc3 22.Qe4 Bxd5 23.Qxd5
214
Qxa2 24.Rd3 Rxd3 25.Qxd3 g6 26.Rd1 ½-½.
White could have preserved the tension with
18.Ba1!? Bc5 19.Kh1 Rfd8 20.h3.
15.Rad1 Rc8
17.Kh1?!
215
Chapter 11. Anti-Queens’s Gambit
Main Ideas
216
Here the plan with 8...b6 is again not very
challenging. Black does not pressurise d4, and that
gives us the opportunity to develop our bishop on
the active square d3, aiming for the same scheme
with Ne5: 9.Bd3 Bb7 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.Ne5.
The big problem is 8...Nc6. Now 9.Bd3?!
would be pointless owing to 9...cxd4, so we have to
content ourselves with 9.Be2 Ne4! and our last
chance for an opening advantage is probably
10.dxc5 Bf6
217
Chapter 11. Anti-Queens’s Gambit B. 4...Be7!? practically forces White to
Step by Step fianchetto the bishop – 5.b3 0-0 6.Bb2 c5
You should not be surprised that Black b) 10...Ne4 11.Rc1 Nxc3 12.Rxc3 Bd6
scores around 50% in this position. He has several 13.Qc1!. We aim to trade dark-squared bishops by
decent set-ups, and White often overpresses because Ba3. The point is that 13...Qe7 stumbles into
he feels he has the “advantage of the first move”! 14.Rxc7! grabbing two central pawns for the
Still, White has found a few active ideas lately. exchange.
A. 4...c5 5.d4!
Mamedyarov tried against Nakamura, rapid
Saint Louis 2018 the sneaky 7.Rc1.
Now the play transposes to Chapter 2. For
instance, I consider in line B1 5...a6 6.cxd5 exd5
7.g3, and the less principled 7.Be2 leads to Chapter
2/Game 4 Rybka 3-Chessmaster 11 CCRL 2008.
5...Nc6 6.cxd5 Nxd5 is the subject of
Chapter 3.
5...dxc4 transposes to the QGA. I deal with it
in Chapter 9 Game 32 Cheparinov-Banusz, Sibenik
2016.
218
order and start with 8.a3, 8...b6! throws a spanner in
the works (8...Nc6 9.Qc2!). Still, nothing wrong has
happened, and we can transpose to the main line
with 9.Qc2.
219
14.d4 (14.Rg1!?) 14...Bb7 15.dxc5 Qxc5 16.Qxc5².
9.a3
9...Ba6
220
yields White less than 50%.
12.Ne2
10...Bf6
Recommended by Mikhalevski.
The most popular continuation is 9...Bg4
10.dxc5 Bxc5 11.0-0 a6 12.Rc1 Ba7. This is almost
identical with a line I analysed in Chapter 2, only
instead of ...Qd6 Black put ...Bg4 here. However,
this “small” difference tips slightly the balance in 11.Rc1
White’s favour after 13.h3 Bf5 14.Bd3 Bxd3
15.Qxd3 d4 16.exd4 Nxd4 17.Rcd1. The point is
that Black cannot keep on eliminating the material Cummings also analyses 11.Nd4 Nxc5
with 17...Nxf3+ 18.Qxf3 since 18...Qc7 19.Ne2 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.0-0 Bf5 14.Rc1 Re8 as in
would be horrendous. Farago-Acs, Balatonlelle 2002, when 15.Ba3 (Ribli)
is not much of an improvement. Play is balanced
9...Be6 10.0-0 Rc8 11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.Rc1 after both 15...d4 16.Nb5 cxb5 17.Rxc5 Bg6
Qe7 is playable. The computer suggests to activate a 18.Bxb5 dxe3! and 15...Ne4 16.Nxe4 Bxe4 17.Bd3
piece – 13.Bd3!?, not being afraid of 13...Bg4 in Qa5 18.Bd6 Qxa2.
view of 14.h3 Bh5? 15.g4.
Humans prefer the thematic 13.Nb5, without 11...Nb4!
big success after 13...Ne4 though.
9...a6 10.0-0 Re8 11.Rc1 cxd4 12.Nxd4 is This novelty evens the chances. Cummings
slightly better for White. Compare this position to and Mikhalevski mention only 11...Nxc5?!, missing
Chapter 2 – the black bishop is on e7 instead of d6. the obvious 12.Nxd5 Bxb2 13.Rxc5 Ba3 14.Rc2
That reduces Black’s attacking potential. Nb4 15.Rd2 Nxd5 16.Rxd5 Bb4+ 17.Kf1. Not only
has White an extra pawn, his pieces are also more
10.dxc5 active – 17...Qc7 18.Rd4 Qe7 19.Bd3 g6 20.h4 h5
21.g3².
222
12.Nd4 Nxc3 13.Rxc3 Nxa2 14.Rc2 Nxc3
15.Rxc3 Qa5=.
223
Chapter 11. Anti-Queens’s Gambit
Annotated Games
11.0-0 Bxf3
225
Chapter 12. Odds and Ends
Step by Step 5.d4!?
Most authors offer a full English repertoire. I I believe that it is better to have a small
adhere to a more practical approach. Some major positional advantage than an extra pawn with
openings simply should not be avoided – the King’s passive pieces. However, in practice the pawn eaters
Indian, the Modern Defence, the Dutch, even the are twice as much, and they score 71%! So have a
Queen’s Gambit. In this chapter I only discuss how look at:
to transpose smoothly to the main lines. 5.Nxe5 0-0!
Or 5...Nxe4 6.Nxe4 Bxe5 7.d4 Bg7 8.Bg5 f6
9.Be3².
King’s Indian Defence
6.Nf3
6.d4 Re8 7.Bd3 c5 8.Nf3 cxd4 9.Nxd4 d5
10.cxd5 Nxd5 11.0-0 Nxc3 12.bxc3 Nc6 13.Nxc6
bxc6 14.Be3 (14.Qc2 Be6 15.f4 Qa5 16.e5 f6)
14...Be6 15.Qc2 Qa5 16.Rfc1 also keeps the pawn,
This anti-Grünfeld move order is the only but not an edge – 16...Rab8 17.Bf1 c5 18.h3 Qa3
reasonable way to aspire to the advantage. The 19.Qd2 a5=.
answer 3...d6 4.d4 will give us the KID without any 6...Re8 7.d3 d5 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 Qxd5
concessions, but Black has a way to steer the game 10.Be2 Qd6. White had a clear extra pawn, but no
into an original track. idea how to convert it in Game 37 Svane-Duzhakov,
Riga 2018.
3...e5!? 4.Nf3 Bg7
5...exd4 6.Nxd4 0-0 7.Be3 Re8 8.Bd3! c6
226
9...Na6 White has to part with the d3-bishop, but he
preserves pressure down the d-file. The critical line
is 12...Nxd3 13.Qxd3 d5
9...d5 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.Bb5 Rf8 12.exd5 13...Nd7 14.Rad1 Nc5 15.Qc2 Qa5 16.f3 a6
Nxd5 13.Nxd5 Qxd5 was tested in 17.a3 Qc7 18.Bf2 Qe7 19.b4 Ne6 20.Qd2² Be5
Tomashevsky-Sutovsky, Ohrid 2009. Now 14.Rc1!? 21.Nxe6 Bxe6 22.f4 Bg7 23.Nd5.
assures White of a huge lead in development since 14.exd5 cxd5 15.Rad1 dxc4 16.Qxc4 Bd7
14...Qxa2 is dangerous – 15.Bc4 Qxb2 (15...Qa5 17.Ndb5
16.Bxf7+!) 16.Qd3, and Black should give up his
queen for a rook, bishop and a pawn – 16...Nc6
17.Rb1 Qxb1 18.Rxb1 Nxd4 19.Bxd4 Bf5 20.Qe2
Bxd4 21.Rxb7. Although this might be insufficient
for a full point, White can squeeze for many moves.
10.h3!
Modern Defence
227
1.c4 g6 2.Nc3!?
Dutch
2...Bg7 3.d4
228
Chapter 12. Odds and Ends
Annotated Games
14...Be6 15.Qb1
14.Rad1!?
15.a3 was also possible. Perhaps White was
afraid of 15...Na5, missing that 16.e5! Qd7 17.Qc3
It is clear that Black has good compensation would neutralise the threat ...Bb3, gaining space in
for the pawn, but on the other hand, White does not the process.
risk much with these two pawns in the centre. His
chance would come if he could open a file on the 15...h6 16.Rfe1
wing – with f4-f5 or b4. Aronian-Grischuk,
chess.com INT 2016, went 14.a3 Bg4 15.Ng5 Be6
15...Bd7!? looks more natural. Without its White clearly put his hope on the manoeuvre
bishop Black still should be able to keep the Be3-d2-c3
balance, but he will lack threats.
16.Nxe6 Qxe6 17.Kh1 Rad8 18.f4 Bd4 16...Rad8
229
22.Nxd4 Bxd4 23.e5?
27...h4
231
Index of Variations
232
1.c4 c5 2.Nf3 g6 3.e4 Nc6 105 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 b6 156 (3...d5 –
3...Bg7 4.d4 cxd4 5.Nxd4 Nc6 6.Be3 Nf6 Ch.11)
(6...Qb6 109) 7.Nc3 0-0 (7...Ng4 110) 8.Be2 d6 3...Bb4 4.Qc2 0-0 5.a3 Bxc3 6.Qxc3 d6 159
9.0-0 Bd7 (9...Nxd4 111) 10.Nc2 112 6...b6 162
10.Qd2 115
Chapter 8. 1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.e4 173
Chapter 6. Anti-Grünfeld 125
3...c5 177
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.cxd5 Nxd5 4.Nf3 c5 3...d5 4.e5 (4.cxd5 exd5 5.e5 180) 4...d4
(4...Nxc3 127; 4...g6 127) 5.exf6 dxc3 6.bxc3 Qxf6 7.Nf3 182
5.e3 Nxc3 6.bxc3 g6 7.h4 129 7...e5 (7...Nc6 182) 8.d4 183
7.Bb5+ 131 8.Bd3 185
5.e4!? 132 7...c5 186
7...b6 187
Chapter 7. Anti-Nimzo 153
Chapter 9. Anti-Slav and Chebanenko 199
233
1.c4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.e3 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bg4 5.cxd5 1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e3 (3.d4!) 3...Nf6 4.Nf3
204 (5.Qb3 204) c5 237
4...a6 5.Be2 Bg4 208 (5...Bf5 207; 5...e6 4...Be7 5.b3 0-0 6.Bb2 c5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 238
207) 7...exd5 8.d4 b6 241
5...b5 209 8...Nc6 241
5...dxc4 210
Chapter 12. Odds and ends 245
Chapter 10. Anti-Meran 217
234