14 ... dxc3
1 4 .. . tllc5 1 5 .f6 Wxe4 1 6.ixe4 tllxb3
White has a strong initiative.
B4222) 10.f5!
it is particularly important for readers to check out the comments on line B422 1 ) I O.tlld2 to realize why I have come to this conclusion, and to fully understand the resulting positions.10 ... tlld7
Playing Harriet Hunt in a recent Sunday morning 4NCL march (see page 43) , I casually played I O.tll d2 instead of I O.f5 . She told me after the game she intended to meet I O.f5 with I O .. . tlld7, which frustrated me as it could well tllxe2t 1 4.ixe2 ixf6 I
5.tlld5+-1 0 .. . 0-0 5.tlld5+-1 5.tlld5+-1 .Wb3
l l .fxg6!? is an additional possibility gained via this move order, bur Black may be able 'tt>g7 Yi-Yi Doric - Nikolov, Zadar 2005.
8 want to look to the alternatives here, though White still seems able to keep an edge.
1 1 . . . 'tt>h7 l 2.fxg6t fxg6 l 3.�xf8 and Black
Desperation, bur Black has no good way to defend against l 7.ixf7, which is even the reply to l 6 . . . h4.
l 7.ixd5±
Kanep - A. Smirnov, Tallinn (rapid) 2005.
Chapter I -2 . .. e6 3 . e4 45
1 1 .fxg6!
The idea of taking on g6 and then going Wlb3 to stop Black from castling isn't obvious, but it seems effective as it suddenly becomes very awkward for Black to complete his development.
1 1 . .. fxg6 12.°Wb3 tllf6
1 2 .. . tt:lb6 does not really work: 1 3.a4 a5 14.tt:la3 ie6 1 5 .ib5t c6 1 6.ixc6t±
13.tlld2
This position can also arise from line B422 l after 1 0.tt:ld2 tt:l d7 l l .f5 tt:\ f6 1 2.fxg6 fxg6 1 3.Wfb3, but with the current move order we have cut out a lot of Black's options.
13 ... c6
1 3 .. . b6 14.ib5t;I;
14.a4 ie6 1 5 .ic4 ixc4 was not so clear in Rusev - Cebalo, Zadar 2007.
14 ... i.e6?
This obvious developing move for Black has a massive pitfall. However, I would not be
surprised if Black actually chose this move in tournament play, as he has nothing else that looks reasonable and so could play this move without much thought.
14 . . . b5 is my computer's recommendation, but it hardly looks convincing: 1 5 .tt:\a5 id?
l 6.a4 a6 l 7.axb5 cxb5 ( l 7 .. . axb5 ? l 8.tt:lxc6+-) 1 8.c4!±
Conclusion:
We started by looking at the interesting A) 3 . . . c5!? which has grown in popularity in recent years. After 4.d5 Black may choose the solid A l ) 4 . . . d6, though in the main line White has 8.e5! weakening the black pawn structure and securing an edge. Against Black's other main option of A2) 4 . . . h6, White can again land 8.e5!! in the main line, with even greater effect; Black does well to avoid being blown away.Turning to the standard 3 . . . h6, after 4.ixf6 W/xf6 5 .c3!? Black has a wide choice of 5th moves, but White seems able to claim a comfortable plus against the minor options.
With the critical B3) 5 . . . d5 Black is looking to equalize, in contrast to some of the other
lines where. he is looking to counterattack. I like the approach with 6.ltJd2 c5 7.ltJgf3, keeping the centre fluid and using our lead in development and stronger king position to create problems from as early a stage as possible.
Finally we looked at Black's most common option of B4) 5 . . . d6. White's standard plan of playing i.d3, ltJe2, 0-0, f2-f4 seems promising, especially if Black then allows e4-e5. The critical set-up by which Black prevents this advance is B42) 6 . . . g6 7.ltJe2 i.g7 8.0-0 e5 (which can also be reached by a 6 . . . e5 move order) . We examined this in detail, and I believe that the accurate 9.f4 Wf e7 1 0.f5! offers White a significant advantage.
Chapter 2
2 ... e6 3.�d2!?
1 .d4 �f6 2 . .tg5 e6 3.�d2!?
A) 3 ... c5 4.e3 Al} 4 ... cxd4 A2) 4 ... b6!?
B) 3 ... d5
C) 3 ... h6 4 . .th4 Cl} 4 ... d5 C2} 4 ... c5
49
49
50
52
54
54
56
1 .d4 lllf6 2 . .ig5 e6 3.llld2!?
Having looked at my main recommendation of 3.e4 in the previous chapter, we move on to offer players a second option with this flexible move. In the last year alone, this move has been played by Morozevich, Nakamura and Vitiugov, to name just a few. They have mainly used this line in blitz and rapid games, but nevertheless the fact they are using it makes me stand up and take note. Whilst 3.e4 remains into very specific detail in many of the lines, in this variation you are far more likely to enter unchartered positional territory at an early stage, and so I have tried to explain ideas instead of showing exact moves. That said, we are still going to cover Black's three major options of
A) 3 ... c5 B) 3 ... d5
andC) 3 ... h6,
after a brief look at a fourth option.3 . . . ie7 move retreating his bishop.
Bjorn Thorfinnsson, who is a keen which would have been in keeping with his aggressive character, but he had different ideas.
6 . . . d6 7.f4 e5 8.lllgf3 lllc6 9.ib5 0-0
Chapter 2 - 2 . . . e6 3.llJd2!? 49
I O.ixc6 bxc6 I l .dxe5 dxe5 1 2.fxe5 ih4t 1 3.g3 ig5 1 4.llJb3 Wi'e7 1 5.Wi'd4 ig4 1 6.llJxg5 WI' xg5 I 7. 0-0 1'%fe8 1 8 .1'%f4;!;
White had managed to obtain an advantage and went on to win in Nakamura - Kramnik, Moscow (blitz) 20 1 2.
A) 3 ... c5 4.e3
Black's most common move here is
Al) 4 ... cxd4,
but sometimes he forgoes the exchange withA2) 4
. . •b6!?.
Al) 4 ... cxd4 5.exd4 fi.e7
bishops followed by landing the knight on f4, which can make White's life awkward. There are two sensible ways of dealing with this plan which I want to touch on.
In our main line White will exchange his g5-bishop for the f6-knight; this may be followed by castling either side.
A rarer option is to develop with lLie2, keeping an eye on the f4-square.
This is not really a position for exact moves, but more for understanding ideas and choosing a route that you like. I have offered you different ways of playing, so take your pick!
6.tllgf3
White goes into a line that may also come about from the Torre Attack.
6.id3!? seems an interesting way to avoid Torre theory: 6 . . . b6 7.lLie2 As mentioned above, Vitiugov's idea is to keep the f4-square is under control.
8 .
. ..
7
6 ... . .
4
s
2 1
.. .. ....
a b c d e f g h
7 . . . ib7 8.0-0 lLi c6 9.c3 lLid5 I O.ie3 0-0 1 1 .lLif4 lLixf4 1 2.ixf4 d6 1 3.lLic4 e5 1 4.dxe5 dxe5 1 5 .ig3 g6 1 6.ie4 f6 1 7.Wi'c2 'kt>g7 1 8.1'%ad l Wi'c8 1 9.1'%fe l 1'%d8 20.lLie3 id6 2 1 .1'%d2 lLie7 22.1'%ed l White's advantage was obvious in Vitiugov - Kulaots, Aix-les-Bains 20 1 1 .
6
. . •b6 7.fi.d3 fi.b7 8.ixf6 !i.xf6
9.�e2
9.c3 d6 1 0.We2 tt'l d7 1 l .ie4 White goes for a positional approach which will involve castling kingside. l l . . .ixe4 1 2.tt'lxe4 ie7 l 3.a4;l; Gormally - Palliser, Isle of Man 2000.
9
• . •a6 10.c3 d6 1 1.0-0-0
Castling chis side is more aggressive.
1 1
• . •b5 12.�bl tlld7 13.tlle4 ie7 14.h4 c!LJb6
1 4 ... ixe4 1 5 .ixe4 d5 1 6.id3 b4 l 7.c4 dxc4 1 8 .ixc4 tt'l b6, and now 1 9.ib3 gave White an edge in Mamedov - Hammer, Lubbock 2009, but I prefer the more direct: 1 9 .d5!?N exd5 20.ixd5 tt'lxd5 2 1 .We4 0-0 22.:gxd5;!;
1 5.g4!?N
1 5 .tt'leg5 h6 1 6.ie4 Wd7 1 7.ixb? Wxb7 1 8.tt'le4 tt'l d5 was comfortable for Black in Ivanisevic - Gashimov, Internet 2006.
15 ... �c7 16.g5
White has the initiative.
A2) 4 ... b6!?
7
s
6
4
2 3
1
a b c d e f g h Black aims to do without exchanging on d4.
Whilst it is impossible for me to cover every eventuality, I shall show you one idea which you can use against this set-up.
5.tllgf3 ib7 6.J.d3 ie7 7.c3 0-0 8.0-0
Chapter 2 - 2 . . . e6 3.tlJd2!? 5 1
As I write this, I am actually watching a live game between lvanchuk and Aronian in this line in the Candidates Tournament in London. It seems to me that the attacking approach by lvanchuk is rather optimistic, and that he hasn't followed up correctly. I shall be seriously surprised if lvanchuk goes on to win the game. (Should that happen, then I hope that the Quality Chess team will edit out these comments!)
This would have been a much better follow
up to the knight lunge.
The game continued: I l .f4? tlle7 1 2.Wi'g4 kingside as Aronian did in the game, but it is a bit clumsy here as Black temporarily loses control of the g5-square, allowing the pawn advance: 1 2.h5 ixg5 1 3.Wi'xg5 tllf5 1 4.W/g4;!;
and White has ongoing kingside pressure.
1 2.tllxh7
White can play a normal move like 1 2.tll df3 threatening h4-h5, against which Black should probably play 1 2 .. . h5 himself. The
posmon looks balanced, although White may hope to be able to muster up some kingside play in the future.
1 2 .. . 'it>xh7 1 3.h5 'it>g7 1 4.hxg6 l:!h8 1 5 .gxf7t Wxf7 1 6.Wi'g6t We7 1 7.l:'!:h7t l:!xh7 1 8.Wi'xh7t 'it>d6 1 9.Wi'h2t We7 20.Wi'h7t Wf8 2 1 .tlJe4
The game looks likely to end in a perpetual check at some point.
8 ... tlic6
8 . . . cxd4 9.ixf6!? (9.exd4 tlld5 1 0.ixe7 Wi'xe7 1 1 .l:'!:e l with balanced play) 9 . . . ixf6
I O.exd4t takes us to a position similar to those in line Al , with Wi'e2, a2-a4 and tlle4 all on the cards.
9.a3!?
This is an interesting idea, looking to take advantage of Black not having clarified the centre. White prepares expansion plans on the queenside with b2-b4. more space and slightly better development.
B) 3 ... d5
I have decided to stick with this solid option.
As in the previous note, switching to
White's knight dominated the black bishop in Granda Zuniga - Miguel Aparicio, Peru 1 99 5 .
9.dxe5 lLixe5 1 0.lLixe5 ixe5
6
Toufighi, Abu Dhabi 2005.1 3.ic2N
1 3.ixf6 Wxf6 1 4.e5 ic5t 1 5 .\t>h l W/b6 was fine for Black in Samoilov - Beresrnev, Kolomna 20 1 0.
1 3 .. . ig4
1 3 .. . W/b6t 1 4.lifh l Wffxb2? 1 5 .ixf6 gxf6 1 6.exd5 Wxc3 1 7.lLie4 Wb4 1 8.lllxf6t+-1 4.W/e l ! W/b6t 8.lllxf6t+-1 5 .\t>h l Wxb2 8.lllxf6t+-1 6.:B:cl
White has good attacking chances.
7.i.d3
Chapter 2 - 2 . .. e6 3 .tll d2!? 53 on your own if you wish to take that route.
9.lLle5 ll\xe5 transposes to the position that White may later play lLle5, and if Black exchanges on e5 then the f6-knight would be driven away from the defence of the h7-pawn.
9.a3!? also intends queenside expansion with b2-b4. looks playable, Hoang Thanh Trang - Daulyte, Tbilisi 20 1 1 ) 1 1 . . .f6 1 2.lLlf3 fxe5 1 3.ll\xe5
29.l:'l:h8t 1-0 Kasparov - Maiques, Cordoba (simul) 1 992.
IO.%Ya4!
This seemingly innocent move has a hidden sting in the tail.
s
1 6
..
4
..
3
• •
a b c d e f g h
10
•.•�xe5?
Black should prefer: I O . . . Wc7 I I .f4 (or 1 1 .tLl df3!?) l l . .. a6 1 2.l:'l:ae l b5 1 3 .°IWd l This certainly looks pleasant enough for White, although a hard-fought game may lie ahead.