Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Andrew Soltis
BATSFORD
First published in the United Kingdom in 2007 by
Batsford
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London Wl4 ORA
ISBN 9780713490510
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
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10987654321
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Contents
Page
Introduction 5
3
4
Introduction
5
Introduction
6
Introduction
more familiar lines with 11..J1c8 slow moves often prove fatal, as in
and 12 ...tbc4 13 i.xc4 l:hc4. But this case:
10 ... tba5 gives Black an extra
option, ... tbxb3+, that he may
employ depending on White's next
few moves. In other words, Black
gets to choose whether he wants to
transpose with ...tbc4 or not.
Instead of trying to figure out
how dangerous ... tbxb3+ would be
White made a practical choice,
11 i.e2!. This is a counter-finesse.
It takes away Black's extra option
13 g4! bS 14 h4 e6 1S a3 hS
and leaves the knight with nothing 16 i.gS hxg417 hS! gxhS 18l:1xhS
better to do than go to c4. l:1cS 19 fxg4 l:1xc3 20 i.xf6 'iixf6
This had a bonus effect because a 21 'ifxc3 tbc4 22 i.xc4 bxc4
move order finesse can also be 23 'ifxc4 and White won.
judged by:
This shows how transpositions
How it unnerves or confuses your play tricks not just with move order
opponent but with your opponent's equanim-
Objectively, 11 i.e2 is no better ity. When he realizes he is being
than 11 i.b3. But psychologically dragged into your middle-game, he
it was a potent blow - and may lose the nonnal composure that
transpositions typically have players enjoy in the opening, when
greater psychological power than they confidently rattle off the first
objective strength. 15 moves. Players who lose their
confidence make mistakes.
After 11 .. J1c8 12 ~b1 Black
couldn't bring himself to play the Let's go back to 1 e4 eS 2 tbfJ
best move, 12 ... tbc4, because it tbc63 i.bS tbf6 4 0-0 tbxe4 S d4
would create the middlegame White a6. Giovanni Vescovi was rated No.
wanted to play. Black had more or 60 in the world when he first saw
less decided, when he passed up that position from the White side, in
10 ... ~e5, that he didn't want that 2005. He decided not to be tricked
middlegame. into the Open Defense.
So he chose a very different But that meant choosing
policy, 12... a6? In the Dragon such 6 i.xc6?!, which turned out to be a
7
Introduction
8
Introduction
9
Introduction
10
Introduction
11
Introduction
12
Introduction
13
Chapter One:
Double KP Openings
14
Double KP Openings
15
Double KP Openings
16
Double KP Openings
17
Double KP Openings
18
Double KP Openings
BISHOP'S OPENING
Independent lines in the Bishop's
Opening are somewhat rare today.
Instead, 2 ..tc4 is used primarily as
a route to the Vienna or Giuoco
19
Double KP Openings
20
Double KP Openings
21
Double KP Openings
22
Double KP Openings
23
Double KP Openings
24
Double KP Openings
25
Double KP Openings
26
Double KP Openings
And what about the standard the queen move is even playable. Its
order, 4 llJxd4 .tcS S .te3, fate depends on how we evaluate
threatening llJxc6 ? Much midnight this tabia.
oil has been spent on 5.. :iVf6. The
mental hygiene alternative is
S..tb6!.
27
Double KP Openings
28
Double KP Openings
29
Double KP Openings
30
Double KP Openings
31
Double KP Openings
32
Double KP Openings
33
Chapter Two:
RuyLopez
There are far more tricks in the Black should know the counter-
move order of the Ruy Lopez than finesse, 4 ... a6!. Then 5 .i.xc6 dxc6
in any other I e4 e5 opening and 6 ttJxe5 'iWd4 regains the pawn.
they often start as early as move White's best is 5 .i.a4!, but he
four, as in the Berlin Defense. The has to know the WorralllWormald
bona fide Berliner is content to head Variation, (usually reached by 3 ... a6
into the endgame of 1 e4 eS 2 ttJf3 4 .i.a4 ttJf6 5 'iWe2), into which he's
ttJc6 3 .i.bS ttJf6 4 0-0 ttJxe4 5 d4 transposed.
ttJd6 6 ..txc6 dxc6 7 dxe5 ttJf5
8 'iixd8+. He might be upset by CLASSICAL DEFENSE
4 'iWe2!? In the Classical Defense (1 e4 eS
2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 .i.bS .i.cS) there are
two early tabias and various ways
of reaching them. One tabia, with
... ttJge7, occurs after 4 c3 ttJge7
S 0-0 .i.b6 or 4 0-0 ttJge7 S c3 .i.b6.
He is unlikely to be happy
defending the Steinitz-Defense-like
4....i.e75 c3 d6 6 d4. Nor will he be
eager to gambit a pawn, 4 .....tcS!?
5 .i.xc6, e.g. 5... dxc6 6 ttJxe5 'iVd4
7 ttJd3!. That's probably not in his There's a consensus that White is
DNA. at least slightly better after 6 d4 and
34
RuyLopez
35
RuyLopez
36
RuyLopez
BIRD'S DEFENSE
37
RuyLopez
White is better but Black has And now 5... exd4! 6 ltJxd4 ltJf6
play along the b-file and from ... c5!/ 7 0-0 iJ.e7. Then 8 iJ.xc6 or 8 l:Ie 1
... iJ.c6, e.g. 10 iJ.f4 c5 11 ltJD iJ.c6 0-0 9 iJ.xc6 heads towards the
12 'it'd3 .!tJh5! 13 iJ.e3 l:te8 14 l:Iadl double-edged ... bxc6 tabia that
'ifb8 15 iJ.c1 'iib7, Narciso Dublan- should make Black happy.
Mizoev, Salou 2006.
Unfortunately for him there's a
counter-counter-finesse. White can
Experience shows that White
move up the capture on c6, as
should try to force Black to retake
Jackson Showalter showed more
on c6 with the bishop, thereby
than a century ago, 3... d6 4 d4 .td7
eliminating ... c5! counterplay. He
and then 5 iJ.xc6 iJ.xc6 6 .!tJc3. This
does that with 3... d6 4 d4 iJ.d7
transposes to the favorable line after
5 .!tJc3 .!tJf6 6 iJ.xc6! since 6... bxc6? 6 ...ltJf6 7 'it'd3 exd4 8.!tJxd4.
7 dxe5 drops a pawn.
Of course, Black can accelerate
Instead 6... iJ.xc6 7 'it'd3 renews his plan, too, with 4 d4 exd4, as
the dxe5 threat and favors White Alexander Onischuk does. But
following 7 ... .!tJd7 8 iJ.e3 exd4 there's a difference because White
9 iJ.xd4! or 7... exd4 8 .!tJxd4 iJ.d7 can retake with his queen, 5 'it'xd4
9 iJ.g5 iJ.e7 10 0-0-0 and 8... g6 iJ.d7 6 iJ.xc6, which has been
9 iJ.g5 iJ.g7 10 .!tJxc6 bxc6 known to favor White since
11 e5 dxe5 12 'it'D 'it'd6 13 l:tdl Morphy's day.
(Lupulescu-Pessi, Bucharest 2004). To resuscitate the Steinitz Black
needs a new idea, perhaps the little-
Black's counter-finesse lies in explored 5....!tJge7!? in the last
moving up ... exd4 before iJ.xc6 so order, or something that confuses
that he can retake with the b-pawn. White about the timing of iJ.xc6. He
He accomplishes this after 3... d6 might try the Berlin move order -
4 d4 iJ.d7 5 .!tJc3: 3... .!tJf6 4 0-0 and then 4 ... d6 or
38
RuyLopez
4 ... i.e7 5 :tel d6. This has the most obvious improvement is that
benefit of denying White his most by inserting 3... a6 4 i.a4 before
aggressive plans such as 'iVd3/0-0-0 4 ... d6, Black makes d2-d4 a trifle
and avoiding 4 d4. risky. After 1 e4 e5 2 lbf3 lbe6
But White should be aware after 3 i.b5 a6 4 i.a4 d6 5 d4 Black can
3lbf6 4 0-0 d6 5 d4 i.d7 that he reply 5...b5! 6 i.b3 lbxd4 7 lbxd4
exd4
has 6 i.xe6! i.xe6 7 lbe3.
39
RuyLopez
and it's not clear if that or 6... tbf6 7 .txc6 and get a favorable old
7 tbc3 tbd4 equalize. Steinitz position. '
The most common continuation He means 7....txc6 8 %:tel exd4
after 5 0-0 .td7 is 6 d4. 9 tbxd4 because 8... tbxe4? 9 d5 and
8... .txe4 9 tbc3 favor White. As
often happens with transpositions,
both players may be right. White
got the middlegame he wanted and
Black avoided the middlegame he
sought to avoid.
Lajos Portisch added another
finesse to the Modem Steinitz when
he met 5 0-0 with 5....te7!?
40
RuyLopez
41
RuyLopez
EXCHANGE VARIATIONS
42
RuyLopez
This tries to lure White into i..e3, lbbd2) and at Black's ( ... i.e7,
8 :el and then 8... d5 9 dxe5 .te6, ...lbc5, ... lba5) can be mixed in a
a dead even position that could variety of orders, making trans-
come about after 7 ... d5 8 dxe5 .te6 positions inevitable.
if White plays the inept 9 l:.el?! In the first edition of ECO,
.te7. Viktor Korchnoi endorsed the
The best try at punishing 7 ... .te7 conventional wisdom that 9 c3 .te7
is 8 dxe5. Experience with 8...lbc5 10 .te3 and 9 c3 .te7 10 lbbd2
9 i.d5 .tb7 (or 9 ...lbe6) has been were so favorable that Black should
far from convincing, e.g. 9 ... .tb7 avoid them with 9 ... .tc5!. But
10 lbc3 0-0 11 .tf4 lbe6 12 .tg3 Andrei Sokolov showed how White
f5!. can trick his opponent into a
favorable line with 9 .te3!? and
If Black likes these positions he then 9 ....te7 10 c3!. This is very
can get to them even if White effective against booked-up 9 c3
adopts a standard way of avoiding .tc5 opponents.
the Open Defense, 5 d4. This often
favors a better-prepared White after
5... exd4 6 0-0 or 6 e5. But Black
has 5..b5!? instead:
43
RuyLopez
11 it.xe6 with at least a small White 8 ... l:tb8 9 axbS axbS, he can reach a
edge. That often prompts 9 ... it.e7, much improved Open Defense,
after which 10 c3! is another good 10 dxeS it.e6 11 c3.
transposition.
But 8 a4? was knocked into a
The downside to 9 tiJbd2 is that footnote by the Lasker-Schlechter
White has diminished control of d4, match of 1910 when Black
compared with 9 it.e3 and 9 c3. equalized with 8... tiJxd4!'
That's significant after 9..tiJcS!.
The appeal of the tweaked move
Then White would be happy to order, 8 dxeS it.e6 9 a4, is that
see 10 c3 it.e7 11 it.c2 it.g4 because 9 ... l:tb8 allows White to reach that
that transposes to yet another good ideal version of 8 a4 following
9 c3 line (9 c3 tiJcs 10 it.c2 it.g4 10 axbS axbS 11 c3. For instance,
11 tiJbd2 it.e7). For example, 11...it.e7 12 tiJd4! tiJxeS (12 .. :iVd7
12 .:tel 'ifd7 13 tiJf1 lId8 14 tiJe3 13 it.c2!) 13 f3 tiJcs 14 it.c2 it.d7
it.hS IS tiJfS. IS b4 with advantage, Alekhine-
But Black has been doing better, Rohacek, Munich 1941.
after 10 c3 with 10. d4. That has So what's wrong with 9 a4 ?
become a main line, with book Vintage theory says 9..tiJaS is the
analysis stretching past move 20. answer. But 10 axbS axbS 11 tiJd4!
A trickster will prefer yet another
it.cs 12 c3 0-0 13 it.c2 is hardly
convincing. More testing is needed
ninth move, 9 a4!?
(say of 9 . b4 10 as, threatening
it.a4) before we can properly
evaluate 9 a4!?
MOELLERIARKHANGEL
DEFENSE
There's no better example of how
transpositions can improve a group
of related openings than the
aggressive systems in which Black
mixes ... a6/... tiJf6 with ... i.cs and
White is trying to slip into a possibly ... bS/ ... i.b7. Up until
forgotten line that begins 1 e4 eS fairly recently they seemed like
2 tiJf3 tiJc6 3 it.bS a6 4 it.a4 tiJf6 distant cousins unworthy of our
S 0-0 tiJxe4 6 d4 bS 7 it.b3 dS and attention:
now 8 a4, instead of 8 dxeS. If
The Moeller Attack (1 e4 eS
White gets control of an open a-file,
44
RuyLopez
45
RuyLopez
has perfonned well, e.g. 13 "ifd3 face the more critical 8...l:tb8 and
exd4 14 ii.g5 ii.xf3 15 ii.xf6 8... ii.g4 lines.
ii.xg2!, Pavlovic-Carlsen, Reyk-
Despite that, the .. .ii.c5 family is
javik 2006.
respectable today - because so far
Is there nothing but good news Black has found more good
for Black in the New Arkhangel? transpositions than White.
Not quite. He has to know what to
do after 7 ttJxeS. The amount of MARSHALL and
theory on 7 ... ttJxe5 8 d4 ii.xd4 ANTI-MARSHALL
9 'ilfxd4 d6 has exploded in recent
years and the debris hasn't settled In the 1930s Frank Marshall's
yet. gambit was considered refuted. In
Moreover, White can set his own the 1960s it was resuscitated by
transpo traps. With 7 a4 he forces Boris Spassky - as a drawing
Black to meet the threat ofaxb5. weapon. Today it is perhaps the
Then 7...ii.b7 most dangerous Ruy Lopez
defense. That adds huge signific-
ance to Black's seventh move:
1 e4 eS 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 .tbS a6
4 .ta4 ttJf6 S 0-0 .te7 6 l:tel bS
7 ii.b3.
46
RuyLopez
back out with 8... d6, tranposing into Alexander Grischuk among others.
the main line. Yet the threat is so
worrisome that today's strongest And what about other anti-
GMs skirt the issue with modest, if Marshall lines? The simplest begins
not cowardly anti-Marshall moves with 8 d3. Then 8... d5 is considered
like 8 d3 or 8 h3. unsound since c3 is available for a
knight (9 exd5 tiJxd5 10 tiJxe5
Why then should anyone play tiJxe5 11 :xe5 c6 12 l:te 1 .i.d6
7... d6 if it enables White to play 13 tiJc3!).
more aggressively without risk?
The only downside to 7... 0-0 is Black typically meets 8 d3 with
supposed to be that 8 a4 is stronger. 8...d6. Following 9 c3 White will
It is - but not significantly, after eventually play d3-d4. This ensures
8 a4.i.b7. he can execute the tiJf1 maneuver
That's why top GMs have been that is so important to the Lopez.
hunting for an aggressive way to He plans 10 tiJbd2, 11 tiJf1, 12 tiJg3
sidestep the Marshall. One idea is and eventually d3-d4.
8 d4.
He doesn't get to do that in some
8 c3 lines, such as the Zaitsev
Variation (8 ... d6 9 h3 .i.b7 10 d4
:e8 11 tiJbd2 .i.f8 12 tiJf1? exd4!
and Black wins a pawn).
The downside to 8 d3 d6 9 c3 is
White will be a tempo behind
traditional 8 c3 d6 9 h3 lines when
he eventually advances d3-d4. But
that tempo may be a minor concern
This works best when Black compared with dealing with the
becomes concerned about the looks Marshall.
of 8... tiJxd4 9 tiJxd4 exd4 10 e5 Note that one of the few active
tiJe8 and bails out with 8... d6.
responses Black has is 9 ... .i.e6.
Then 9 c3! transposes into 8 c3 Black seems to be doing well when
d6 9 d4 .i.g4. Books say that old you compare this with 8 c3 d6 9 h3
line is second-best to 8 c3 d6 9 h3. .i.e6 10 d4!, which theory says
But second-best doesn't mean it's favors White after 10 ... .i.xb3
bad and the old line is used by Gata 11 axb3 :e8 12 d5! and 13 c4.
Kamsky, Magnus Carlsen, and But is Black equal after 8 d3 d6
47
RuyLopez
48
RuyLopez
49
RuyLopez
50
Ruy Lopez
51
RuyLopez
MAINLINES
A modem main line runs 1 e4 e5
2 ltJf3 ltJe6 3 .ib5 a6 4 .ia4 tiJf6
5 0-0 .ie7 6 :e1 b5 7 .ib3 0-0 8 e3
d6 9 h3 and now 9...ltJa5 10 .ie2
e5 11 d4. Black typically defends
the attacked e-pawn with ...'fic7,
... he can attack with 13 ... g5!
... ltJd7 or ...ltJc6, with or without a
(14 ltJxg5 :g8), with advantage
trade of c-pawns.
according to Aleksandr Matanovic.
Often he adds ... :e8 so that after
The drawback to the Old Main
... .if8 he smoothes out his
Line is that White saves a tempo by
development and puts pressure on
not playing h2-h3. But that may be
e4, e.g. 11...'ifc7 12 ltJbd2 cxd4
temporary. For instance, 11 ltJbd2
13 cxd4 .ib7 14 ltJf1 :ac8 and
0-0 12 ltJf1?, rather than 12 h3!,
15 ...:fe8.
allows 12 ... cxd4 13 cxd4 .ig4! with
excellent play. More economical is Yaacov
Murey's gambit idea, 11 ...:e8!?
Tal was plainly frustrated with
It's based on 12 dxe5 dxe5
the Old Main Line when Larsen
13 ltJxe5 .ib7 with compensation
adopted it against him in 1991. Tal
for the sacrificed pawn.
knew that the books claimed 10 d4
'ifc7 11 a4 was the refutation. But
as he studied the position he
concluded 11 ... e4! (instead of the
book 11...h4?) was not at all bad.
He also noticed that after
11 ltJbd2 Black can reply 11 ....id7
12 d5 0-0 and when White plays
ltJf1-e3, Black replies ... ltJg4!,
which looked good. So after
considerable thought Tal just played
11 h3 and transposed after all.
For example, 14 ltJd2 .id6 or
This was the final game between 14 'iff3 .if8 15 .if4 :e6 16 ltJg4
these two great warriors and it ltJc4 17 ltJxf6+ :xf6 18 tiJd2 tiJe5,
ended in a draw after Black got to Chandler-Hebden, Millfield 2000.
52
RuyLopez
But the principal idea of 11 .. J::te8 What made the Zaitsev playable
is to save a tempo by omitting was the realization that 9...:e8
... 'iic7. For example 12 liJbd2.tts 10 liJg5:
13 liJf1 gives Black good
counterplay after 13... cxd4 14 cxd4
exd4 15 liJxd4 i.b7.
53
Chapter Three:
Sicilian Defense
54
Sicilian Defense
55
Sicilian Defense
There are three basic versions of players are not familiar with. And
the Chameleon: White can bring his 5... a6 is trickier than you might
knights to f3 and c3. Or he can play think - 6 'ii'd3 tbc6 7 ..tf4 'ii'c7 8 0-
2 tbe2 and 3 tbbc3. Or he can begin 0-0 tbe5?? 9 tbxe5 dxe5 10 ..txe5!
with 2 tbc3 and then 3 tbge2. Resigns was Benjamin-Hrop,
The first version is the most Parsippany 2003.
deceptive. After 2 tbf3 a Taimanov The Dragon player may feel at
Variation player might reply 2 ... e6 ease in this first Chameleon version
because he wants to avoid 2 ...tbc6 because he can meet 2 tbf3 tbc6
3 ..tb5, the Rossolimo Variation. 3 tbc3 with 3... d6 4 d4 cxd4
But 3 tbc3 poses a problem. 5 tbxd4 g6. But this is a Modern
Then 3... tbc6 allows one of the Dragon Variation with a slight
better editions of the Rossolimo, difference: ...tbc6 has been played
4 ..tb5!. And 3 ...tbf6 transposes in place of ... tbf6. That means
after 4 e5 tbd5 into the dubious 6 tbd5! is possible. Then 6.....td7
Nimzovich Variation (usually 7 ..tg5 is annoying and 6... e6 7 tbc3
reached via 2 tbf3 tbf6 3 e5 tbd5 exposes holes.
4 tbc3 e6).
The most flexible response to
2 tbf3 e6 3 tbc3 is 3... d6. Then 4 d4
cxd4 5 tbxd4 opens a path to
various mainstream Sicilians
(5 ...tbf6, 5... tbc6, 5... a6). However,
White can surprise him with
5 'i'xd4!?
56
Sicilian Defense
But life isn't so simple for White But this is how Bobby Fischer
in this Chameleon order. A major outsmarted himself in his 1992
drawback to 2 tDf3 tDc6 3 tDc3 or rematch with Boris Spassky.
2... d6 3 tDc3 is 3... e5!. Then d2-d4 Spassky switched to a closed
is impossible and he is stuck in a Sicilian, 3 tDbc3 d6 4 g3! tDc6
closed Sicilian with his KN 5 i.g2 g6 6 0-0 i.g7 7 d3 0-0 8 h3
misplaced at D, where it blocks his and 9 f4 - an excellent weapon
f-pawn. against Fischer, who had always
preferred ... f5 or ... e6/ ... tDge7
For example 2... tDc6 3 tDD e5
systems, not those with ... tDf6.
4 i.c4 d6 5 0-0 i.e7 6 a3?! tDf6
7 :b 1 0-0 8 b4 a6 9 d3 b5! as in Perhaps Black's best policy after
J.Polgar-Kramnik, Paris 1994. 2 tDe2 is allowing an open Sicilian,
White can improve on 6 a3?! but so say with 2...tDc6 3 tDbc3 d6 4 d4.
far 3... e5! has performed well. He delays ... e5 until White has
given up on tDd5/i.c4, such as 4 g3
Jose Capablanca and Paul Keres e5!.
tried to solve the ... e5 problem with
the second Chameleon version, There are slight differences in the
2 tDe2 and 3 tDbc3. The difference third Chameleon order, 2 tDc3 and
is that 2... tDc6 3 tDbc3 e5 allows 3 tDge2. A Najdorf player can be
4 tDd5! followed by tDec3! and expected to reply 2..d6 and 3... a6.
i.c4, which coordinates the White Then after 4 d4 cxd4 5 tDxd4 he
pieces well. has a choice between transposing
into a normal Najdorf with 5... tDf6
The natural response to 2 tDe2 is and the extra option of 5... e6!?
2...tDf6. This attacks the e-pawn
and invites the complications of That avoids the 6 i.g5 Najdorf
3 e5?! tDg4 or 3 ... tDd5 4 tDbc3 e6. and gets good versions of other
Najdorfs, such as 6 f4 b5 7 i.d3
i.b7 8 0-0 tDd7 9 f5? 'iib6!. It also
creates a reasonable Keres Attack
after 6 g4, e.g. 6... tDe7 7 a3 tDbc6
8 tDb3 b5 as in Vallejo Pons-
Topalov, Leon 2006.
The problem with the Najdorf-
wannabe order is Black has to
justify ... a6 after 4 g3!.
57
Sicilian Defense
58
Sicilian Defense
could count on White not trans- What about a more flexible - and
posing, his best order would be 1 e4 very common - order such as 1 e4
c5 2 lLlc3lLlc6 3 f4 e6 4lLlnlLlge7: c5 2 lLlc3 lLlc6 3 f4 d6 4 l'bn e6 ?
Then 5 i.b5 can be firmly answered
by 5... l'bge7 and 6... a6!. But on
5 g3!:
59
Sicilian Defense
ALAPIN VARIATION
60
Sicilian Defense
61
Sicilian Defense
62
Sicilian Defense
63
Sicilian Defense
64
Sicilian Defense
65
Sicilian Defense
66
Sicilian Defense
67
Sicilian Defense
68
Sicilian Defense
69
Sicilian Defense
8 g4!?
70
Sicilian Defense
71
Sicilian Defense
72
Sicilian Defense
73
Sicilian Defense
74
Sicilian Defense
But White doesn't need to with a2-a3 and has already played
attack a knight. In the 1985 world g4-g5. That's enough to ensure an
championship match Karpov advantage, 8... tiJb6 9 :gl tiJ8d7
improved with the simple, but at the 11 f4 and 12 f5.
time, stunning 6 g4!. Then 6 ... ttJf6 7
g5 is an excellent Keres. Avoiding Another example, is 6.....te7 7 g5
... tiJf6 is better but not necessarily tiJfd7 8 h4 tiJc6 9 ..te3 when
equal (6 ... a6 7 ..te3 tiJge7 8 tiJb3). 10 ..tc4! gives White a favorable
Velimirovic Attack.
The sad truth is there is no
simple anti-Keres route to the From the Sozin order (1 e4 c5
Scheveningen. Kasparov even 2 ttJf3 ttJc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 tiJxd4 ttJf6
resorted to the Najdorf (5 ... a6 6 5 tiJc3 d6 6 ..tc4 e6 7 ..te3) he
..te2 e6) to do it, although that could obtain something like that
allows White a wealth of sixth only if Black was very cooperative
move alternatives. - 7... a6 8 'i'e2 ..te7 9 g4? 'i'c7?
(rather than 9... tiJxd4 10 ..txd4 e5!
In the normal Keres order, 1 e4 and ... ..txg4) 10 g5 tiJd7 11 h4.
c5 2 tiJf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ttJxd4 tiJf6
5 tiJc3 e6 6 g4, a consensus has Another dangerous attacking
emerged that 6... h6 is the only move setup is begun by 1 e4 c5 2 tiJf3 d6
that offers Black a shot at equality. 3 d4 cxd4 4 ttJxd4 tiJf6 5 ttJc3 e6
Other moves allow White to reach 6 ..te3 or 6 f4. In both cases White
favorable versions of the English can carry out a Mikhail Tal plan of
Attack, the Velimirovic Attack or ..te3, 2-f4, 'i'D and 0-0-0.
somesuch. For example, 6... a6 7 g5
tiJfd7 8 ..te3 b5 9 a3: The pawn move seemed superior
because 6... ..te7 7 ..tb5+ and 8 e5
poses problems for Black. The
bishop move, on the other hand,
allows White an extra option, after
6... tiJc6, of transposing to a Sozin
(7 ..tc4), without having to face Pal
Benko's 6 ... 'i'b6 in the normal
Sozin order.
But today 6 ..te3 is preferred for
another reason. It is the main route
into the English Attack.
This is an English Attack in
which White has replaced 2-D After 6... a6:
75
Sicilian Defense
CLASSICAL VARIATION
The wonderfully flexible system
that comes about via 1 e4 c5 2 ttJf3
d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 ttJxd4 ttJf6 5 ttJc3
ttJc6 should be named after Louis
and Wilfried Paulsen, who explored
If White adopts the f2-f4 plan it in the 1880s. But there already is
Black obtains quick counterplay a Paulsen Variation so 'Classical'
(7 f4 b5! 8 'iVf3 .tb7 9 .td3 ttJbd7 may have to do.
10 a3 ':c8).
Black has a choice of two orders,
But 7 g4 is a good response. 2 ... d6 and 5 ... ttJc6 versus 2... ttJc6
Then the natural 7... h6 transposes and 5 ... d6. Today his decision
into a kind of Keres in which White usually hinges on how he feels
has added the useful move .te3 about 2 ... ttJc6 3 .tb5 as opposed to
while Black has added the slow 2 ... d6 3 .tb5+, as well as how he
... a6. As a result White has good would deal with 3 c3 or 3 ttJc3 .
chances whether he continues a la
The Paulsens used the Classical
Keres (8 h4), in English Attack
to reach the Dragon, Scheveningen
style (8 f3), or in a TaVTopalov
and other lines that came to
hybrid with 8 f4.
prominence long after they were
There is a drawback to 7 g4 gone, including Isaac Boleslavsky's
inasmuch as 7. e5 8 ttJf5 g6 forces 6 .te2 e5. Today it's also used as a
White to sack material (9 ttJg3? waiting policy. After 6 .te2, for
.txg4). But 9 g5! gxf5 10 exf5, the example, Black can play a
Bela Perenyi line, has been Scheveningen or a Dragon more
prohibitively strong. safely (or 6 ... ttJxd4!? 7 'iVxd4 g6 as
noted earlier).
But there is no absolutely correct
English move order after 6 .te3 a6, In the majority of games White
since 7 f3 and 8 'iVd2 or 7 'iVd2 and plays 6 .tg5 and 6 .tc4 and so
8 f3 also have merit. In the 1990s Black spends his home preparation
White showed that his better mainly on the Rauzer and Sozin
development trumped ... d5 even Variations. This makes him more
when g2-g4 is delayed, as in 7 'iVd2 vulnerable to transpositional traps,
.te7 8 f3 ttJc6 9 0-0-0 d5 and now beginning with 6 f4.
76
Sicilian Defense
77
Sicilian Defense
78
Sicilian Defense
79
Sicilian Defense
80
Sicilian Defense
81
Sicilian Defense
82
Sicilian Defense
83
Sicilian Defense
NAJDORF VARIATION
The essential Najdorf move,
... a6, is useful in most Sicilian
variations and that gives Black
freedom to transpose into them.
Whether that makes sense depends
This works as a waiting move in on which of the nearly a dozen
cases such as 6 i.e2 g6, when Black reasonable alternatives White picks
has dodged the Yugoslav Attack, or at move six. The move orders of
6 ... e6, when he got a Scheveningen some of them, such as 6 i.e2, 6
without encountering the Keres or i.g5 and 6 f4, are too complex to
English attacks. consider here. Among the others:
The principle drawback to (a) 6 i.d3
5 ... i.d7 is the bishop occupies the
KN's best retreat square and that
improves the impact of g2-g4-g5 in
an English Attack (6 i.e3 or 6 f3).
But in practice 6 i.g5 is White's
favorite. Then 6 ... ltJc6 transposes
into a 6 ... .td7 Rauzer. The only
apparent benefit to Black for doing
it that way, rather than 5 ... ltJc6
6 i.g5 i.d7, is to avoid the Sozin
and other Classical alternatives like
This virtually unbooked move
6 f4.
has great transpo value. After 6... e6
For the sake of originality, GMs 7 f4 or 7 0-0 White gets quite
prefer meeting 6 i.g5 with 6 ... e6. reasonable Scheveningen positions
That offers White a choice of a very in which i.d3 replaces i.e2, e.g.
rare Najdorf line (7 f4 a6), another 7 f4 ltJc6 8 ltJf3 i.e7 9 0-0 and
Rauzer (7 "iVd2 ltJc6 8 f4 h6) and "iVel-g3. If Black never plays
84
Sicilian Defense
Scheveningen positions, because he 2004. That can't be the best line for
meets 6 ~e2 with 6 ... e5, then Black after 6 ~d3. But what is?
6 ~d3 could be a problem. (b) 6 a4
And if Black answers 6 ~d3 with This is White's best waiting
6... e5 White has a good retreat move in the Najdorf. Against 6... e5,
square at e2, e.g. 7 ttJde2 ~e7 he can continue 7 ttJf3 so that
8 0-0 0-0 9 f4 ttJbd7 10 ttJg3 7....te7 8 ~c4 0-0 9 ~g5 or 7... h6
(10 ... exf4 11 ttJf5! ttJe5 12 ttJxe7+ 7 ~c4 will put him a tempo ahead
'ilixe7 13 ~xf4 h6 14 ~g3! and of 6 ~e3 e5 7 ttJf3 and 6 ~e2 e5
.th4, Gallagher-Karjakin, Panomo 7 ttJf3 lines.
2002).
Instead, Black may transpose to a
The drawback to 6 ~d3 would Scheveningen, Boleslavsky or
seem to be 6.. ttJc6, since the Dragon after 6 ... ttJc6. Evidence
attacked knight cannot be indicates the a-pawn advances help
maintained on d4 (7 ~e3 ttJg4!). White in the Dragon. For example,
However after 7 ttJxc6 bxc6 8 0-0: 6..ttJc6 7 .te2 g6 8 0-0 ~g7 9 ~e3
0-0:
85
Sicilian Defense
86
Sicilian Defense
87
Sicilian Defense
The second order eliminates the The timing of the three key
Rossolimo, in view of 2 ... e6 Taimanov moves, ... a6, ... lLlc6 and
3 .tb5? a6!. Black also may choose ... 'iVc7, has turned out to be more
an order based on how he intends to complicated than it seemed a
meet 3 lLlc3 or 3 c3. For example, decade or so ago.
1 e4 c5 2 lLlf3 e6 3 lLlc3 is a good
Only recently was 1 e4 cS 2lLlo
Chameleon for White but 2 ... lLlc6
lLlc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 lLlxd4 e6 S lLlc3
3 lLlc3 e5! isn't.
a6 tested by the English Attack, for
Both orders, as well as a third example. This has proven to be
used by Salo Flohr, 1 e4 cS 2 lLlo dangerous after 6 .te3 lLlf6 7 g4 or
lLlc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 lLlxd4 'iVc7!?, 6... 'iVc7 7 'iVd2 lLlf6 8 0-0-0.
have the drawback of allowing a
This provides an argument in
Maroczy Bind. For instance, 4... e6
favor of S. 'iVc7.
S lLlbS threatens lLld6+ and usually
buys time for 5... d6 6 c4!.
Black can bailout of the bind
with S..lLlf6!?
88
Sicilian Defense
he transposed (S ... ~c6) into the and now S c4 ~f6 6 ~c3 .i.b4!) but
S... a6 Taimanov. not versus the Kan. Another minus
Other Kan players delay ... ~c6 is that White can play S i.d3
further, by means of 5...fie7 in because his knight is not hanging on
order to disturb White's d4 as it is in the Taimanov. That
development with ... b4 or ... .i.b4. enables him to create a delayed
For example, 6 i.e2 ~f6 7 i.e3? Maroczy Bind with c2-c4.
allows 7...i.b4!, e.g. 8 fid3 ~c6 Black will have ample
threatening 9... ~eS. opportunity in these orders to
Or 8 i.d2 i.xc3 9 i.xc3 ~xe4 transpose into a Scheveningen with
10 i.b4 'iVb6 11 i.a3 ~c6 with ... d6. But that makes the most sense
little compensation for the lost when White has played a move that
pawn in Bonte-Cabrilo, Timisoara is useful in the Taimanov but isn't
2006. in a Scheveningen. An illustration is
Another plus of the Kan order a2-a3 to rule out ... i..b4 and to
appears when White fianchettos, anticipate ... b5-b4. A popular order
5 ~c3 fie7 6 g3 and then 6....i.b4!: in the 1960s was 1 e4 e5 2 ~O ~e6
3 d4 exd4 4 ~xd4 e6 5 ~e3 a6
6 .te2 fie7 7 a3:
89
Sicilian Defense
90
Sicilian Defense
respectively, can transpose into one 7 i.d3 i.e7 8 0-0 0-0 9 i.e3 "fic7
another, e.g. 1 e4 cS 2 tLln e6 3 d4 10 f4 d6 11 iif3 a6 12 a4 or 12 g4.
cxd4 4 tLlxd4 iVb6 and now S tLlc3 Theory says White is favored a bit
i.cs 6 i.e3 tLlc6. but Black's position is solid.
If that's what Black wants, which
is the best route to it? In order
(a) White has an extra option of
S tLlbS. But Black has a surprising
reply in S... a6 6 i.e3 'iVd8!.
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Sicilian Defense
This changed in the 1970s when After 6 ... d6 Black says, 'I
Black adopted the Four Knights as a outsmarted you. I reached a
way of transposing, after 6 ... d6 Scheveningen in which your a2-a3
7 .tf4 e5 8 .tg5 a6, to what was is a wasted tempo.'
dubbed the Sveshnikov Variation.
White replies, 'Not at all. My
This denies White options of the goal was to avoid both the
normal Sveshnikov, 1 e4 c5 2 liJf3 Sveshnikov and 6 ... ..tb4. The added
liJc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 liJxd4 liJf6 5 liJc3
benefit is that I'll play 7 ..tc4! and
e5 6 liJdb5 d6 7 .tg5 a6, such as get a Sozin in which you've denied
6 liJf5, 6 liJdb5 d6 7 liJd5 and 7 a4. yourself the Benko line.'
Of course, there's a lot of theory Or Black can play 6 ... e5 and say,
to know in the Four Knights as 'I'm the one who got what I
well, if White decides not to join wanted, a Sveshnikov. In this
him on the road to the Sveshnikov. version you can't play 7 liJdb5 d6
But Black can reduce that 8 .tg5 because your knight has no
significantly by shifting to a retreat aft er 8... a6"..
Scheveningen with 6 ... d6.
To which White replies,
That is usually second-best. But 'Nonsense, I'm the one who came
it avoids heavy analysis such as out ahead because after 7 liJb3 it's a
6 g3 d5 7 .tg2 ..tb4 8 exd5 liJxd5 or Sveshnikov with an extra tempo for
6 .te2 .tb4 7 0-0 .txc3 8 bxc3 me. That tempo sops
t ... A~b4'.. '
liJxe4 9 .td3 d5 10 ..ta3. Instead,
There is no consensus on the best
Black is roughly equal after 6 g3
reply to 6 a3 but 6 ... d6 can't be bad,
d6!? or 6 .te2 d6!?
especially since 7 ..tc4?! really isn't
There's a who-tricked-whom a good Sozin after 7 .. :ikc7! 8 ..ta2
quality to 6 a3. a6 9 0-0 liJxd4 10 'iVxd4 liJg4.
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Sicilian Defense
The Four Knights variation-into - Zaitsev said he played this for the
Sveshnikov order was bound to first time in a five-minute game
spawn a counter-finesse. The ever- and later in a simul that went
creative Igor Zaitsev found one in 8...~xd5 9 exd5 exf410 dxc6 bxc6
6 ~db5 d6 7 i.f4 e5 8 ~d5!?: 11 'ii'f3.
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Chapter Four:
Semi-Open Games
94
Semi-Open Games
ALEKHINE'S: 4ltJf3
95
Semi-Open Games
96
Semi-Open Games
97
Semi-Open Games
But Black is the one most likely The same idea succeeds,
to be outfoxed in the Center however, after 9 0-0-0 tiJd5 in view
Counter even when he thinks he is of 10 ~xd5 cxd5 11 'iib5+ tiJd7!
the fox. After 4 tiJf3 he might be (12 'iVxb7 l:.b8 13 'iVc6 ~a3).
tempted to seize the center with White also derives some extra
4 ... e5. But then 5 d4! traps him in a options from 9 tiJe5 !, such as
discredited old line that used to 9 ..tiJbd7 10 tiJxd7 tiJxd7 11 g4
arise after 4 d4 e5?! 5 tiJf3!. ~g6 12 h4, which has been
The major finessing of the Center dangerous the few times it's
Counter begins after 4 d4 tiJf6 occurred.
5 tiJf3 (or 4 tiJf3 tiJf6 5 d4). The The most dangerous situation for
waiting move 5 ... c6 anticipates Black is when both ~c4 and 'iie2
White most dangerous strategic are played early on so that the
idea, d4-d5, and avoids queen traps strategic d4-d5! break is in the air.
(6 tiJe5 tiJbd7 7 tiJc4 'iWc7!). For example, 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 'iVxd5
The more common reply to 5... c6 3 tiJc3 'iVa5 4 d4 tiJf6 5 ~c4 c6
is 6 ~c4. This reaches a tabia after 6 ~d2 ~f5 and now 7 'iVe2! allows
6... ~f5 7 iLd2 e6 8 'ife2 ~b4 when White's bishops to take command
White chooses between 9 tiJe5 and after 7 ... e6 8 d5! cxd5 9 tiJxd5 'iVd8
castling. The two often transpose - 10 tiJxf6+.
9 tiJe5 tiJbd7 10 0-0-0 and 9 0-0-0 The best try to exploit White's
tiJbd7 10 tiJe5. order is 5 .. ~g4!?, rather than
5 ... c6.
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Semi-Open Games
99
Semi-Open Games
most dangerous anti-Pirc weapons 2 d4 ttJf6 3 ttJc3 g64 g3) but can be
such as a quick .te3-h6xg7. It's interrupted in the Modem, 1 e4 g6
more a matter of taste after 1 e4 g6 2 d4 .tg7 3 ttJc3 d6 4 g3 ttJc6!.
2 d4 .tg7 3 ttJc3 d6 4 f4, when
Then 5 ttJge2? .tg4!, 5 d5 ttJd4
Black can choose between
and 5 .te3 e5, are not the kinds of
transposing into the Austrian Attack
position White wants when he plays
of the Pirc (4 ... ttJf6) or staying in
g2-g3.
the Modem with 4 ... c6, 4 ... ttJc6 or
4 ... a6.
But the Pirc option soon expires.
After 4 f4 c6 5 ttJf3 ttJf6?:
White has to make a key decision The .tc4 lines tell a similar story.
at move four in the Modem. In the Pirc (1 e4 d6 2 d4 ttJf6 3 ttJc3
Suppose he wants to devleop his g6) White has had some success
KB at g2. The fianchetto is carried with 4 .tc4 .tg7 5 'iVe2. But in the
out smoothly in the Pirc (1 e4 d6 Modem he faces 4 .tc4 ttJc6!?
100
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101
Semi-Open Games
102
Semi-Open Games
103
Semi-Open Games
Black waits: After 4 tiJt3 or 4 g3, After 6 0-0 cxd4 7 tiJxd4 0-0,
he can bring about a tame version of he's transposed into a Classical
the Pirc with 4 ... g6. Dragon. On 6 d5 0-0 it's a Schmid
Benoni but a Schmid in which
But if 4 ..tg5, then 4... tiJbd7 and White was denied the useful
S... eS/... ..te7! is a good Philidor ..tbS+!.
because White's QB is misplaced.
The tactical justification is
And on S f4 'iVaS 6 'iVd2 bS! 6 dxc5 'ifa5! with good play. This
Black obtains faster counterplay explains why S... cS is better than
than in a normal Pirc because he S... O-O 6 0-0 cS 7 dxcS dxcS, which
hasn't spent tempi on ... g6/.....tg7, is regarded as favoring White after
e.g. 7 ..td3 tiJb6 8 tiJf3 b4 9 tiJdl 8 'ifxd8 and 9 ..te3.
dS! 10 eS tiJe4 as in Wells- The most dangerous Pirc line is
Hodgson, Edinburgh 1989. 4 f4 and the usual continuation is
4.....tg7 5 tiJt3 0-0 6 ..td3. Black
The test of Ufimtsev's order is may try to avoid this with S... cS
4 f4!. Then neither the Pirc (4 ... g6?! 6 dxcS 'ifas and 7... 'ifxcs since
S tiJf3) nor Philidor (4 ... tiJbd7?! 7 exd6? allows a strong 7... tiJxe4.
S tiJf3) are active enough. Ufimtsev
But White can juggle the move
preferred 4...'iYa5!, which enjoyed
order, 4 f4 ..tg7 5 ..td3!?
some vogue in the 1980s but
remains slightly suspect.
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Semi-Open Games
105
Semi-Open Games
106
Semi-Open Games
107
Semi-Open Games
108
Semi-Open Games
Then 6... e6? 7 cS! is good for 8 ... dxc4! 9 iJ..xc4 a6 because this
him, e.g. 7... iJ..e7 8 iJ..b5 0-0 9 0-0 time it's a good QGA, e.g. 10 0-0 b5
and 9 ... tLle4 10 iJ..xc6 tLlxc3 11 bxc3 11 iJ..b3 iJ..b7 12 l:.el tLlc6 13 a3
bxc6 12 'iVa4. But 6 ... iJ..g4 renders l1c8 or 11 iJ..d3 iJ..b7 12 'iVe2 tLlc6
easy equality following 7 iJ..e2? e6 13l1adl tLlb4 14 iJ..bl tLlbd5.
8 c5 tLle4. In place of 6 iJ..g5 White can try
Instead White's best answer to 6 cS iJ..e7 7 iJ..bS+. But an alert
6...iJ..g4 is 7 cxdS tLlxdS 8 ~3. Black will see through 7 ... tLlc6? -
This leads to a somewhat superior which heads toward the bind after
endgame that became famous when 8 tLlf3 - and play 7 ... iJ..d7! 8 iJ..xd7+
Bobby Fischer beat Max Euwe with 'iVxd7 9 tLlf3 tLlc6.
it (8 ... iJ..xf3 9 gxf3 e6 10 'iVxb7 Instead of 6 iJ..g5 or 6 c5, White
tLlxd4 11 iJ..b5+ tLlxb5 12 'iVc6+! should consider an exchange of
<J;;e7 13 'iVxb5 tLlxc3 14 bxc3 'iVd5 pawns on d5. But the immediate
or 14 ... 'iVd7). 6 cxdS tLlxdS and 7 iJ..d3 iJ..b4! has
performed well for Black.
This is an important line because
White can reach it in other orders Instead 6 tLln makes sense since
and because Black's inferiority is so 6 ... tLlc6 is once again inexact
slight he often cooperates. (7 c5!) and 6 ... iJ..b4 7 iJ..d3 dxc4
8 iJ..xc4 gives White a fairly good
Another Black strategy is quick QGA, actually a Nimzo-Indian.
castling after 4 c4 tLlf6 S tLlc3 and
S... e6. Now on 6 iJ..gS: But the main point is that against
6...iJ..e7:
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Semi-Open Games
110
Semi-Open Games
Black can avoid all of this by But today many GMs distrust
6 i.g5 because 6... h6 and 6... i.e7
meeting 2 c4 with 2... eS. He is
7 liJxf6+ liJxf6 8 i.d3 c5 seem to
betting that a 1 e4 player will be
equalize. So White began to avoid
temperamentally unsuited for an
i.g5 in a Rubinstein - and Black
Old Indian (3 liJf3 d6 4 d4 liJbd7).
discovered that the Burn was his
way to trick White into a i.g5
FRENCH DEFENSE
Rubinstein.
The French (1 e4 e6) variations That is 3 liJc3 liJf6 4 i.gS dxe4
that most often transpose into one S liJxe4 liJbd7 so that 6 liJf3
another are the Rubinstein (2 d4 dS transposes to the last diagram. No
3 liJc3 dxe4 or 3 liJd2 dxe4) and better is 6 liJxf6+ liJxf6 7 liJf3 h6!
the Burn (3 liJc3 liJf6 4 i.gS dxe4). (8 i.d2 c5! or 8 i.h4 i.e7 9 i.d3 c5
That used to be a 'who cares?' 10 'iVe2 'iVa5+!).
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Semi-Open Games
To avoid the Burn, White can Slbce2!? and then S... cS 6 c3lbc6
play entirely different lines, such as 7 f4 'iYb6 8 lbo.
3 lbd2 or 3 lbc3 lbf6 4 e5. But
Black found that 3.....te7 makes
... dxe4! stronger. For instance,
3lbd2 (or 3lbc3) ..te7 4 ..td3 dxe4
S lbxe4 lbf6:
112
Semi-Open Games
113
Semi-Open Games
114
Semi-Open Games
115
Semi-Open Games
116
Semi-Open Games
117
Semi-Open Games
Then 8 tiJa3 allows 8.....txa3! The wait pays off after 6 tiJa3?
9 bxa3 tiJf5. But how does Black cxd4 7 cxd4 ..txa3! 8 bxa3 'ifa5+
get here? with advantage.
The problem with 6 ..te2 tiJh6 is Another benefit is that by
7 .iLxh6!. White can punish delaying ... 'iib6 Black ensures that
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Semi-Open Games
dxc5 will not be forcing. That can for a knight in 6... c4 lines such
be a problem after 5.. .'iVb6 because as 7 liJbd2 liJa5 8 ..te2 liJe7
6...lbge7? allows 7 dxc5! 'iVxc5 9 0-0 h6 10 :e1 liJc8! and ... liJb6
8 .ltd3, which favors White. with prospects for a queenside
But in the diagram 6 ..te2 liJge7 bind.
7 dxc5 liJg6! is excellent for Black Finally, if White feels that
and so is 7 liJa3 cxd4 8 cxd4 liJf5 5... i.d7 means there's no pressure
9 0-0 i.xa3 10 bxa3 0-0 (Sax- on d4, he may play the natural
Dreev, Tilburg 1992). 6..td3.
If White opts for 6 a3, which is But then 6... cxd4 7 cxd4 'iYb6!
likely his best, Black benefits from tricks him into the bad 5.. .'~'b6 6
his move order because b6 is free i.d3 cxd4! position one more time.
119
Chapter Five:
Double QP Openings
120
Double QP Openings
If there are so many pitfalls for but landing in another opening, one
Black, why isn't 2 ttJf3 played by he's never played or simply doesn't
every d-pawn player? The answer is like.
White deprives himself of several How can that happen after such
options and gives Black some quiet moves? Well, suppose Black
useful ones: replies 3.. cS. He had better be
White rules out the QGA lines of prepared for a Semi-Tarrasch (4 c4
1 d4 d5 2 c4 dxc4 3 e4 and 3 e3, as e6) or a Queen's Gambit Accepted
well as QGD variations with ttJge2. (4 ... dxc4).
He gives away his best chances of And if he prefers 3. g6, he needs
crushing the Tchigorin Defense to know a bit about the Gruenfeld in
QGD (2 c4 ttJc6 3 cxd5 or 3 ttJc3) view of 4 c4!? Yefim Geller, who
and the Baltic Defense QGD (2 c4 rarely played the Gruenfeld, once
.tf5 3 cxd5 or 3 ttJc3). discovered as Black that 4. it.g7
S cxdS ttJxdS 6 it.e2 cS isn't an
At the same time he grants Black
easy position to handle.
extra options such as the Ragozin
and Semi-Tarrasch QGD variations,
which are not possible after 2 c4
unless White cooperates. That's a
lot of plusses and minuses to total
up.
Note that 1 ttJf3 dS 2 d4 reaches
the same position as 1 d4 d5 2 ttJf3.
This can be exasperating to an
aggressive Black who likes to
unbalance the position quickly with
Soon after 7 e4! Geller was in
1 ttJf3 d5 2 c4 d4 or 1 d4 ttJf6. That
muddy waters (7 ... ttJb6 8 d5 0-0
was the case when Lajos Portisch,
9 a4) and eventually lost.
an Indian specialist, faced a young
Anatoly Karpov, who began 1 ttJf3. The other major peril for Black
Portisch found himself in a is a switch from the Colle,
relatively unfamiliar Slav Defense characterized by c2-c3, to the
after 1...d5 2 d4! and lost. Colle's sibling, the Zukertort
system, characterized by b2-b3 and
COLLE SYSTEM J..b2. This is a problem because the
best defenses against a Colle often
Black's greatest danger after 1 d4 involve ... ttJbd7 - which can be
dS 2 ttJf3 ttJf6 3 e3 isn't the Colle dubious in the Zukertort.
121
Double QP Openings
122
Double QP Openings
123
Double QP Openings
124
Double QP Openings
125
Double QP Openings
126
Double QP Openings
127
Double QP Openings
128
Double QP Openings
129
Double QP Openings
Amant showed that after 1 c4 Black A third way for Black to prompt
could reach it with 1...e6! and ... d5. liJf3 is a bluff, 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6.
Even the recently popular order Actually it's two bluffs: Black is
of 1 d4 liJf6 2 c4 e6 and then 3 liJf3 counting on White to heed the
d5! is old. It became famous in the majority view that 3 liJf3 is best
games of Boris Kostic and Heinrich against the Slav Defense. Then he
Wolf in the 1920s. can continue 3... liJf6 4 liJc3 e6,
hinting that he is armed to the
That was the 'Nimzo-threat'
order, based on White's fear of theoretical teeth with the latest
3 liJc3 .i.b4. As long as the Nimzo- Meran (5 e3 liJbd7 6 .i.d3 dxc4)
Indian is performing well - as it is analysis. White often flees from
now - this will be useful to Black. that, with 5 .i.g5, into main QGD
He deprives White of liJge2, which lines - which a bluffing Black
is often superior to liJf3, and of a wanted all along.
tempo he might put to better use in He is taking two small risks. He
orders like 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 liJc3 might end up in the rather
liJf6.
dull/drawish Exchange Slav
Black has another way of (3 cxd5). And he can't reach the
inducing liJf3: 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 best version of the Orthodox
3 liJc3 and now 3... i.e7. Defense (5 .i.g5 .i.e7 6 e3 0-0)
because an unforced ... c6 doesn't
work well with ... i.e7. A Kramnik-
Deep Fritz match game in 2002
began 1 d4 liJf6 2 c4 e6 3 liJf3 d5
4liJc3 c6 5 i.g5 .i.e7?!.
130
Double QP Openings
131
Double QP Openings
132
Double QP Openings
133
Double QP Openings
134
Double QP Openings
6 .ig5 .ie7 and ... .if5! (7 'iic2 g6 5 e3 0-0 6 cxd5? tDxd5! 7 .ixe7
8 e3 .if5). 'iixe7 8 tDf3 tbxc3 9 bxc3 b6!
(10 .ie2 .ib7 11 0-0 c5 12 tDe5
Controlling the bl-h7 diagonal is
tbc6 13 tDxc6? .txc6 14.tf3 ~ac8
vital in the Exchange. If Black gets
and Black won in Alatortsev-
control, he usually equalizes. But if
Capablanca, Moscow 1935).
he's played an early ... tDbd7, then
cxd5! usually gives White enough White also has an easy time after
time to stop him, e.g. 1 d4 d5 2 c4 5 tDf3 0-0 6 'ifc2 c6 7 e3 tbbd7
e6 3 tbc3 tbf6 4 .ig5 tbbd7 5 cxd5 8 cxd5 tDxd5! 9 .ixe7 'iixe7
exd5 6 e3 and .id3 or 'iic2 will (10 .te2 ~e8 11 0-0 ctJxc3 12 bxc3
make ... .if5 impossible. Salo Flohr, e5).
a QGD connoisseur, played cxd5 And bear in mind that a delayed
immediately after ... tbbd7 even if cxd5 may be conflict with White's
that was at move eight. other early moves. Alekhine felt the
'economic climate' was favorable
The reason many GMs make the
after 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 tbc3 tDf6
capture early (1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6
4 .ig5 .ie7 5 e3 tbbd7 6 l:.c 1 0-0
3 tbc3 tbf6 4 cxd5) is that once
for 7 cxd5 because 7 ... tbxd5?
.tg5 and ... .ie7 are played, Black 8 tbxd5 drops a pawn.
can favorably swap two pairs of
pieces after ... tbxd5. The result But after 7 ... exd5 8 .ltd3 c6
often resembles an Orthodox 9 'iVc2 ~e8 10 tDf3 he discovered
Defense in which Black simplifies his QR would have been better
with ... dxc4 and ...tbd5. placed at b I to support the minority
attack ofb2-b4-b5.
Take the case of 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6
Another issue is when to bring
3 tbc3 tbf6 4 .ig5 .ie7:
out White's KN. Consider 1 d4 d5
2 c4 e6 3 tbc3 tDf6 4 .ig5 c6 5 e3
tbbd7 6 cxd5 exd5 7 .td3 .ie7.
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Double QP Openings
136
Double QP Openings
137
Double QP Openings
138
Double QP Openings
139
Double QP Openings
4 tbf3 tbf6 5 'iVc2. Then 5.. 0-0 ... dxe4 attacks it. White can avoid
6 iLg5! h6 allows him to reach the that by delaying either tbf3 or tbc3.
promising 7 iLxf6 iLxf6 8 0-0-0. For example, 1 d4 d5 2 c4 e6 3 tbf3
tbf6 4 iLg5 iLe7 5 e3:
140
Double QP Openings
141
Double QP Openings
142
Double QP Openings
143
Double QP Openings
144
Double QP Openings
SLAV: EXCHANGE
White can initiate the Exchange
Why would White play such a Variation at move three (as most
quiet move? The reason is that an players do today), at move four (as
early e2-e3 is a good way of Botvinnik preferred) or later. The
avoiding the high-maintenance rationale for delay is that Black may
Open Variation (1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 prematurely commit his pieces
3 tZJc3 tZJf6 4 tZJf3 dxc4). To get an before he knows that cxd5 is
advantage White has to play 5 a4 coming, e.g. 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 tZJf3
.if5 6 e3 or 6 tZJe5, or risk the tZJf6 4 ttJc3 .if5? 5 cxd5 cxd5
5 e4!? gambit. Either way he has to 6 ~3! favors White.
memorize a huge amount of book.
But if Black plays ... dxc4 after
e2-e3 White can retake on c4
without spending a tempo on a2-a4.
He transposes into a favorable
QGA, as if Black played 1 d4 d5
2 c4 dxc4 3 e3 c6?! 4.ixc4.
In case of 1 d4 tZJf6 2 c4 c6 3 e3,
Black has a good alternative,
3... g6!. Then he transposes into one
of his best versions of the King's The same goes for 4 ... ttJbd7
Indian Defense, e.g. 4 tZJc3 .ig7 when 5 cxd5! cxd5 6 .if4 leaves his
5 tZJf3 0-0 6 .id3 d6! 70-0 tZJbd7 8 QN misplaced.
'ilc2 e5 9 l:tdl 'ile7 10 .in e4 11
White has the better pieces after
tZJd2 l:te8.
6... e6 7 e3 .ie7 8 h3 0-0 9 .id3,
There are two other drawbacks to e.g. 9... tZJb6 10 0-0 .id7 11 ttJe5
e2-e3 in any Slav order. One is that l:tc8 12 'ilb3! .ie8 13 l:tfc1 tZJfd7
... .if5! is safer to play when 14 a4!, Reshevsky-Bernstein, U.S.
White's QB is blocked in. Also, Championship 1951.
145
Double QP Openings
146
Double QP Openings
147
Double QP Openings
148
Double QP Openings
149
Double QP Openings
White can counter with the His best in the diagram may be
finesse S i.d3, so that S... fS 6 cxdS! simply to transpose to a Reynolds
exdS? 7 i.xfS hangs a pawn and Variation of the Meran with 7 .lid3
6... cxd5 is an Exchange Slav in .lib7 8 ttJf3 a69 e4! and then 9... c5
which Black's QN is misplaced. 10 d5 c4 11 .lic2 ttJgf6!' But the
As a result, Black usually plays super-sharp Reynolds isn't for
5 ... ttJgf6 instead and 6 ttJf3 everyone.
gets White to the Semi-Slav he Clearly the Three Pawns holds a
wanted. huge number of feints and
Alexey Dreev and Yevgeny sidesteps. The other version occurs
Sveshnikov have met 5 .lid3 with a when White's KN comes out first,
counter-finesse, S... dxc4 6 i.xc4 1 d4 dS 2 c4 c6 3 ttJf3 e6.
bS.
After 4 e3 ttJd7 Black can again
playa quasi-Meran without fear of
e3-e4-e5, e.g. S .lid3 dxc4! 6 .lixc4
bS 7 .lid3 a6 and 8 0-0 ttJgf6 is a
harmless line of the Meran.
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Double QP Openings
151
Double QP Openings
152
Chapter Six:
Indians
The most popular answer to 1 d4 makes sense for a White who only
today is 1...tbf6 and the most likes the Tromp when he's allowed
popular reply is 2 c4, opening the to double pawns, i.xf6, or to build
door to the Hypermodern and a center with f2-f3, after 2... tbe4.
related defenses we call Indians. We For the Tromp player who has no
tend to overlook 2 tbf3 because it
interest in transposing to another
usually 'just transposes.'
opening, this is a critical position:
But it allows White to sidestep
the Benko Gambit, Budapest
Defense and a few other systems. In
exchange, Black can enter a King's
Indian without fear of the Samisch
Variation or a Modern Benoni
without concern about f2-f4
systems. Or he can offer a QGD
(2 ... d5) in which White is
committed to tbf3.
Books also underestimate 2 ..tg5 Theory claims Black can
but it becomes a significantly equalize with 4.. :iVb6. If that's true,
stronger weapon in the hands of a how can White avoid this and how
flexible thinker who can shift into a can Black obtain it?
Torre Attack or a QGD when
One route is 1 d4 tbf6 2 ..tg5 c5
appropriate.
and then 3 d5 tbe4 4 i.f4. But
For example, after 2 ... e6 White Black has to be concerned about
can back out of the normal 3 i.xf6 and 3 tbc3!? Both are
Trompowsky (3 e3 or 3 e4) and dangerous and have their own body
enter the Torre with 3 tbf3. This of must-memorize book.
153
Indians
154
Indians
155
Indians
156
Indians
157
Indians
Another benefit is that Black Black gets little out of 6... axb5
often replies 6... a5?!. He does this 7 i.xb5 \i'a5+ 8 ttJc3 i.b7?
out of habit - because it's a good because White can simply castle
move in the comparable 4 cxb5 a6 and keep his extra pawn (9 0-0 i.g7
5 b6 a5 position. Then Black can 10 a4 0-0 11 e4).
playa quick ... iLa6 and decide later Instead, Black should play
whether to retake on b6 with the 8...i.a6! 9 iLxa6 \i'xa6. Then 10 e4
queen or QN. d6 11 e5 needs more testing
(11...dxe5 12 ttJxe5 i.g7 13 \i'd3,
But in the delayed form White
Balgojevic-S.Kasparov, Curto
gets the upper hand from 7 ttJc3
2006).
iLa6 and now 8 b7! i.xb7 9 e4 or
8... %:ta7 9 e4 iLxfl 10 ~xfl d6 And what happens if Black meets
11 e5!. For example, 11...dxe5 4 ttJf3 with 4... a6 instead of 4... g6 ?
158
Indians
For example, S... bxc4 6 liJc3 d6 But this order has a major minus
7 e4 g6 8 .ltxc4. Black has an extra since White hasn't committed
. tempo compared with 4 liJf3 bxc4 himself to c2-c4. He can play a
S liJc3 d6 6 e4 g6 7 .ltxc4. But the more open game with 3 liJc3. Then
extra move is ... a6, which is more 3...liJf64 e4 exd5? 5 e5! favors him
harmful than useful. considerably and 4 ... d6 S .ltbS+ and
6 dxe6 less so.
159
Indians
160
Indians
161
Indians
Black the extra option of meeting i.a6 15 'iVb3! exf4 16 i.xf4 i.xc3
3 liJf3 with 3... cxd4 4 liJxd5 e5!?, 17 'i!Vxc3 'i!Vxe2 18 ltae1 with a
one of the most enterprising anti- powerful attack.
English lines.
Objectively, a good solution to
To avoid that White may prefer White's order is 6... d5!, a better-
3 e3. A BenkolBenoni specialist can than-usual Gruenfeld. But to play it
become confused after 3... g6 4 liJc3 Black has to know complex theory
i.g7 5 liJf3 0-0 6 i.e2. such as 7 dxc5 'ifa5 8 cxd5 ttJxd5!.
That helps make 3 e3 a more
credible weapon against a Benko/
Benoni-booked player.
Today you're more likely to see
the other Modem Benoni order,
1 d4 liJf6 2 c4 e6 and 3 ... c5
because it contains the Nimzo-
threat (3 liJc3 i.b4!). That often
prompts 3 ttJf3 and enables Black,
after 3 ... c5 4 d5, to avoid the
Now 6... cxd4 7 exd4 d5 is a
aggressive Modem Benoni lines in
reversed Tarrasch QGD with an
extra move for White. That sounds which White plays f2-f4 or f2-f3.
more promising than it really If Black is also happy with
is, e.g. 8 0-0 liJc6 9 i.e3 dxc4 Symmetrical English positions such
10 i.xc4 liJa5 with equal chances. as 3 liJf3 c5 4 liJc3 cxd4 5 ttJxd4,
this is his most pleasant route to the
Instead, a more Indian-like Modem Benoni.
approach, 6... d6 7 0-0 b6?! 8 e4!,
drifts toward another poor Maroczy If White tries 1 d4 liJf6 2 c4 e6
Bind (8 ... cxd4 9 liJxd4 and 10 f3) 3liJf3 c5 4 e3:
or a Benoni or KID in which
... b6/ ... i.b7 only blocks Black's
queenside counterplay.
For example, 8... i.b7 9 d5! e5
10 liJe 1 liJe8 11 liJd3 suddenly
becomes a dubious King's Indian.
This was evident in Bisguier-
Kavalek, Tel Aviv 1964 after 11...f5
12 exf5 gxf5 13 f4 ~e7 14 i.e3
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Indians
This is a tacit invitation to a 7... iLd7 8 'Yib3 is nice for him and
Semi-Tarrasch QGD (4 ... d5). A true 7 ... tiJbd7 8 tiJfd2! imperils the
Benoni player will prefer Mihai g4-bishop, e.g. 8... a6 9 h3 b5
Suba's 4... a6 5 tiJc3 "iic7 followed 10 "iic2 iLh5 11 a4! b4 12 tiJc4 and
by ... d6/ ... tiJbd7 and eventually iLf4. Or 11...iLg6 12 axb5 tiJxd5
... g6/ ... iLg7. 13 bxa6 and White won in
All of those moves are useful to Dokhoian-Lukov, Plovdiv 1988.
Black in a Benoni. That means he'll Of course, Black has an easier
be in great shape when White time engineering ... b5 in this order.
recognizes that his only chance for However, that push doesn't solve
an edge lies in d4-d5, e.g. 6 iLe2 d6 his problems in 6.. g6 7 h3 iLg7
70-0 tiJbd7 8 d5 exd5 9 cxd5 b5. 8 iLd3 0-0 9 0-0, e.g. 9 ... b5 10 :el!
a6 11 a4 b4 12 tiJbd2 or 10 .. J~e8
Or 8 a4 g6 9 d5 exd5 10 cxd5
11 iLxb5 :'xe4 12 tiJc3 :'xe1+
iLg7 11 e4 0-0 (Tukmakov-Suba,
13 "iixe 1 a6 14 iLa4 and iLf4, as in
Erevan 1980) - when Black has
I.Sokolov - Papaioannou, Turin
actually gained a move on a normal
2006.
Benoni.
There's a simple counter to a
White can try to exploit the
delayed tiJc3. After 1 d4 tiJf6 2 c4
Nirnzo-threat order, 1 d4 tiJf6 2 c4
e6 3 tiJf3 c5 4 d5 Black should play
e6 3 tiJf3 c5 4 d5 exd5 5 cxd5 d6,
4... d6! rather than 4 ... exd5.
with 6 e4!?
This is more than a one-move White can't play 5 e4? tiJxe4 this
trap (6 ...tiJxe4?? 7 'iVa4+). White is time and 5 tiJc3 allows Black to
holding his QN back until he knows transpose, with 5... exd5 6 cxd5, to
whether it belongs on c3, a3 or d2. normal lines.
He also benefits from tactics This also gives White reason to
such as 6...iLg4 7 'iVa4+!. Then think about 6 tiJxd5 tiJxd5 7 'iVxd5.
163
Indians
But the backward d-pawn is not the 8 tiJd2) in which Black has been
weakling it seems after 7..tiJc6, e.g. finessed into a ... tiJbd7 line, rather
8 e4 i.e6 9 "ii'dl i.e7 or 8 tiJg5 than one of the more popular ... tiJa6
'ike7 8 'iVe4 h6 as in the forgotten or ... i.g4 variations. There's no
game Bandal-Fischer, Meralco downside to White's order - or at
1967. least we haven't discovered it yet.
In the Modem Benoni's main
OlD-in to-KID
line, 1 d4 tiJf6 2 c4 cS 3 dS e6
4 tiJc3 exdS S cxdS d6 6 tiJf3 g6, Some people actually like the
the move 7 tiJd2 was considered a Old Indian. After 1 d4 tiJf6 2 c4
virtual refutation when the opening they voluntarily play 2... d6 and
was introduced in Nimzovich- 3... eS or 3.tiJbd7 and 4... eS. But
Marshall, New York 1927, e.g. others use the Old Indian order as a
7 ... i.g7 8 tiJc4 and 9 i.f4 or safe path into a King's Indian. The
7... tiJa6? 8 tiJc4 tiJc7 9 a4 i.g7 early ... e5 usually discourages
10 i.f4!. White from sharper lines, such as
the Samisch Variation. That shrinks
But the Benoni was rescued by
the amount of theory Black has to
the realization that 7 ... tiJbd7 8 tiJc4
know.
tiJb6 is a good response. Some
annotators gave '7 tiJd2?!' and This finesse is a century old.
'7 ... tiJbd7!' when those moves Janowsky-Tchigorin, Ostende 1907
occurred in the 1972 Spassky- went 1 d4 tiJf6 2 c4 d6 3 tiJc3
Fischer match. Nevertheless, 7 tiJd2 tiJbd7 4 tiJf3 eS S e3.
has transpositional value because
after 7...tiJbd7:
164
Indians
But when the diagram arose in For instance, 7... exd4 8 tiJxd4
another Ostende 1907 game, Black 0-0 9 'iYd2 and O-O-O! or 7... h6
(Aron Nimzovich) deviated with 8 .te3 0-0 9 'i'id2 'it>h7 10 d5! a5
5... g6!. He tricked White into one of 11 g4! tiJg8 12 h4 tiJc5? 13 h5 g5
the most innocuous of KID 14 tiJg3 with a big positional
variations and equalized after plus (Kohlmeyer-Lymar, Balaguer
6 .te2 .tg7 7 0-0 0-0 8 b3 :e8. 2006).
White can insist on playing a A sly move like 5 tiJge2 deserves
Samisch setup, after say 4 e4 e5 a sly reply, 5... c6. Then 6 f3 .te7!
5 d5 tiJc5 6 fJ. But the point of this transposes to a pretty good Old
order is revealed when Black Indian, since 7 .te3 0-0 8 'iYd2
changes his mind about the KID. allows 8... d5! (9 cxd5 cxd5 10 exd5
After 6 a5 7 .te3 .te7! was played exd4 11 .txd4 tiJb6). Or 8 tiJg3 d5!
in the 1954 USSR Championship, 9 cxd5 cxd5 10 exd5? .tb4 with an
the tournament book said this was edge.
'an openmg accuracy even
The traditional counter to 1 d4
M.l. Tchigorin knew. '
tiJf6 2 c4 d6 3 tiJc3 tiJbd7 is 4 tiJfJ
but few players realize why. It stops
4... e5 5 .tg5 g6? because of 6 dxe5
dxe5 7 tiJxe5!. If instead Black
chooses an Old Indian (5 ... .te7),
it's an OlD that is quite good for
White after 6 e3 and .te2!'iic2.
Black's counter-finesse to 4 tiJf3
is simply 4.. g6.
165
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166
Indians
On the opposite side of the coin, 11 0-0, e.g.ll ... a5 12 'ilVc2 "ikc7
Black can delay rather than 13 l'itadl tiJc5 14 %:lfel tiJfd7 15 f4
accelerate castling. This gives him tiJe6 16 "ikd2 tiJxd4 17 .i.xd4,
an extra tempo for development and Rogozenko - Dragomirescu, Timis-
denies White a kingside target, e.g. oara 2006.
1 d4 tiJf6 2 c4 g6 3 tiJc3 .i.g7 4 e4
d6 S f3 tiJc6!? and 6 .i.e3 a6 What has happened is White
7 tiJge2 %:lbS. reached a favorable position that
usually comes about from 6 0-0
tiJbd7 7 tiJc3 e5 8 e4 c6 9 h3 %:le8
and ... exd4, a line Black gave up on
decades ago. In the 6 tiJc3 order
Black lost his chance to play better
lines.
The main drawback to tiJc3 in
place of 0-0 is it may make ... c5
stronger, as we'll see in a few
pages. But if White doesn't mind
... c5 lines, this order makes sense.
That tempo enables Black to
meet S tiJc1 eS 9 dS tiJd4 10 tiJb3
KID: SAMISCH
with 10... cS! 11 dxc6 bxc6 with
b-file play, e.g. 12 tiJxd4 exd4 After 1 d4 tiJf6 2 c4 g6 3 tiJc3
13 .i.xd4 %:lxb2. After 9 tiJb3 Black .i.g7 4 e4 d6 S f3 0-0 Black usually
can transpose into normal lines with chooses between breaking in the
9... exd4 10 tiJxd4 0-0. center with ... c5 or with ... e5. The
first seemed harder to achieve until
White can also profit from
it was discovered in the 1980s that
delayed castling. In the Fianchetto
6 .i.e3 c5 is a sound gambit. That
Variation, 1 d4 tiJf6 2 c4 g6 3 g3
told White he should consider other
i.g7 4 .i.g2 0-0 sllJf3 d6 he can try
sixth moves, such as 6 tiJge2.
Viktor Korchnoi's favorite 6 tiJc3
(instead of 6 0-0). It's a good waiting move since
there are only a few Samisch lines
Then 6...tiJbd7 7 e4 eS S h3 in which White develops the knight
offers to transpose into the elsewhere but there are several in
conventional ... c6 lines, such as which .i.g5 serves better than .i.e3,
8... c6 9 .i.e3 exd4 10 tiJxd4 %:le8 e.g. 6 tiJge2 eS?! 7.i.gS!.
167
Indians
168
Indians
KID: CLASSICAL
169
Indians
170
Indians
171
Indians
172
Indians
173
Indians
174
Indians
175
Indians
But 3... tbc6 can tum out very But today we know ltJf3 fits in
badly after 4 tbf3! instead of 4 dS. quite well with the center exchange
Then a typical continuation such as because after, say, 7... cS 8 :blltJc6
4 d6 5 d5! tbb8 6 h3 heads for a White can favorably allow 9 dS!
Benoni (6 ... cS 7 i.d3) in which i.xc3+ 10 i.d2. And 4 ... dS no
White enjoys two extra tempi, longer deserves an exclamation
thanks to ... tbc6-b8. Life isn't easy point.
for the Modem player.
A Black who can play both the
KID and Gruenfeld may prefer the
GRUENFELD DEFENSE
more flexible 4 ... 0-0. If White plays
When Bobby Fischer called S i.f4, which is designed to hold up
2 tbf3, after 1 d4 tbf6, 'a common ... eS after S... d6 6 e3, Black can
error,' he was thinking of how it then go ahead with S... d5, as
limits White's options in the Fischer did in his 'Game of the
Gruenfeld as well as in the King's Century,' six years before he tried
Indian. It makes the Exchange the normal Gruenfeld order.
Gruenfeld harmless because of a
pinning ... i.g4, he felt. That meant In that order, 1 d4 ltJf6 2 c4 g6
after 1 d4 tbf6 2 tbf3 g6 3 c4 i.g7 3 tbc3 d5, the most fertile area for
4 tbc3: traps lies in the Russian ('itb3)
Variation. One of the tabias comes
about after 4 tbf3 i.g7 S 'iVb3 dxc4
6 'Yi'xc4 0-0 7 e4 or alternatively,
4 'iVb3 dxc4 5 'Yi'xc4 i.g7 6 e4 0-0
7 tbf3.
In an earlier era 4 'Yi'b3 was
considered more accurate because
4 ... c6 S cxd5! favors White,
whereas in the second order, 4 ltJf3
i.g7 5 'iVb3 c6 is a reasonable
Black could play 4.. d5! since defense. That seems trivial today
5 cxd5 tbxd5 6 e4 tbxc3 7 bxc3 but the case for 4 'iVb3 was
allows him to corrupt the White strengthened in the 1963 world
center with a timely ... i.g4. One of championship match when
Ernst Gruenfeld's first games with Petrosian demonstrated that after
the opening he created went 7 ... 0-0 4... dxc4 5 "iixc4 i.g7 6 e4 0-0
8 i.e2 cS 9 0-0 cxd4 10 cxd4 tbc6 White did not have to play 7 ltJf3
11 i.e3 i.g4! with advantage. but could try 7 i.e2!?
176
Indians
177
Indians
tZJxc5 as in Goletiani-Neubauer,
Port Erin 2005. Only tricksters
should rely on 5 'ifa4+.
GRUENFELD:EXCHANGE
178
Indians
179
Indians
idea of meeting 9 j"e3 with 9 ... cxd4 But with the c-pawns on the
10 cxd4 'iia5+ 11 j"d2 'it'd8!. board, 12 j"d5 j"d7 13 ':bl 'it'c8
Experience with 12 j"c3 liJc6 is threatens the bishop with ... c4! and
inconclusive. If White doesn't have ... e6.
anything better than 12 j"e3 'iia5+ Another problem with ... cxd4
he is headed towards a draw by lies in the line made famous in the
repetition before the game is five 1987 world championship match,
minutes old. So far no downside to 13 j"xf7+ ':xf7 14 fxg4 ':xfl+ 15
9 0-0 has been found. ~xfl 'iib6 16 ~gl! 'it'e6.
Black delays ... cxd4. The old Then 17 "ii'd3 'iixg4 18 ':fl is
main line of the Exchange regarded as a slight edge for White.
Gruenfeld was 4 cxd5 liJxd5 5 e4 But with the c-pawns on the board
liJxc3 6 bxc3 j"g7 7 i.c4 c5 8 liJe2 we reach a slightly different
0-0 9 j"e3 liJc6 10 0-0 and then
position after ~g1/ .. :ife6.
1O ... cxd4 11 cxd4 j"g4 12 f3 liJa5.
But in the late 1970s Jan Timman Then 16 'it'd3 'it'c4! gives Black
demonstrated the value of delaying more vigorous queenside play, e.g.
an exchange of c-pawns, with 17 'it'd2 'it'e6! 18 liJg3 liJc4 or
10 ... i.g4. Play often transposes 17 'it'xc4+ liJxc4 18 j"f2 cxd4
following 11 f3 liJa5 and a later 19 cxd4 e5. As a result, the more
... cxd4. accurate 10 ... j"g4 is replacing
What's the point of 10... i.g4 1O... cxd4.
11 f3 liJa5 ? Two stand out.
NEO-GRUENFELD
180
Indians
181
Indians
.Jib7 4 g3 such as 4 ... e5!?, 4 ....Jixf3 If White can conquer his Nimzo-
and 4 ... c5 5 d5 b5!? And the fear, he can play the more ambitious
downside? Books say White can 1 d4 tDf6 2 c4 e6 3 tDf3 b6 4 tDc3,
win control of e4 with tDc3 and allowing 4 ... .Jib4. He takes that risk
'iVc2 or f2-f3. For example, 3 tDc3 in the hope that Black will prefer
.Jib74 'iVc2 d5 5 cxd5 tDxd5 6 tDf3 4 ... .Jib7 and 5 'iVc2 .tb4 or 5 .tg5
e6 7 e4. h6 6 .th4 .tb4.
But good players, including But then 5 a3! reaches the 4 a3
Fischer and Larsen have used .Jib7 5 tDc3 Petrosian system. The
2 ... b6!? and others as White,
difference is that Black has lost his
including Anatoly Karpov, usually
chance for 4 a3 .ta6, a major
transposed into normal lines with
alternative.
3 tDf3, so there may be more
plusses than minuses to it. That's why 4 tDc3 is more often
In the conventional order, 1 d4 met by 4 . .Jib4. White usually
tDf6 2 c4 e6. White is indicating his chooses between 5 .tg5 and 5 e3
feelings about the Nimzo-Indian and may transpose into one of the
when he chooses 3 tDf3. Black can 4 .Jig5 and 4 e3 lines. For example,
try to exploit that in lines such as 5 e3 .Jib7 6 .Jid3 tDe4 7 0-0 is that
3 ..b64 e3 .Jib7 5 .Jid3 .Jib4+!? gambit again.
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His point is that White would see But Black can avoid trans-
that S... b6 6 ii.g2 ii.b7 is a posing into Botvinnik-Capablanca
favorable version of the QID. But (7 ... llJf6?!) with 7 ... llJc6 8 .td3
after S g3 Black has a good fallback llJge7! and ... i.fS. For example,
- 5... d5! transposes into a good 9 'iVc2? c4 10 .te2 .tfS and 9 llJe2
version of the Closed Catalan, one c4 10 i.bl .tfS 11 a4 0-0 12 i.a3
that usually arises from 1 d4 llJf6 l:.e8 with sufficient counterplay as
2 c4 e6 3 g3 dS 4llJf3 .tb4+ S .td2 in Khurtsidze-Tsereteli, Tbilisi
.te7 - and one a 3 llJf3 player may 2006 .
know little about. His KN can also be put to better
use if White tries 4 "ika4+. This
NIMZO-INDIAN DEFENSE would transpose into a Ragozin
The Nirnzo-Indian is related to QGD after 4 ... llJc6 S llJf3 llJf6
an opening without a name, 1 d4 d5 which is double edged after 6llJeS.
But Black renders llJeS harmless
2 c4 e6 3llJc3 .tb4!?
with S... llJe7!?
This move order is still very
young and that's why many players
sitting in White's chair will flee
towards the familiar with 4 llJf3.
But that limits him after 4 ... dxc4 to
allowing the Noteboom QGD (S e3
bS) or trying to reach a Vienna after
S e4 cS.
NIMZO: LENINGRAD
Black seems to be saying, 'If I'd
played 1.. .llJf6 2 c4 e6 you might Alexander Alekhine said 'the
have avoided the Nirnzo with 3 llJf3 most logical answer' to 1 d4 llJf6
or 3 g3 or even 2 .tgS. But now 2 c4 e6 3 llJc3 .tb4 was 4 .tgS
I've gotten into a Nirnzo after all.' because 4 ... dS is 'a rather
But this is not a normal Nirnzo unattractive variation' of the QGD.
because if Black doubles the That is, 1 d4 dS 2 c4 e6 3 llJc3 llJf6
c-pawns, White can undouble with 4 .tgS ii.b4?!, which favors White
after S 'ii'a4+ or S e3.
cxdS, as we saw in Botvinnik-
Capablanca in the Introduction. But the real test of 4 i.gS, the
That means the litmus test should Leningrad Variation, is ... cS!. A
be 4 a3 .txc3+ 5 bxc3. For main line is 4 .tg5 h6 5 .th4 c5
instance, 5... c5 6 cxd5 exd5 7 e3. 6 d5 .txc3+ 7 bxc3.
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Chapter Seven:
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
After 1 d4 f5 2 liJc3:
191
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
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Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
just as effectively against the Dutch control of e5 with ltJd3. But after
as against the Nimzo-Indian. ... d6 a knight maneuver to f4 runs
into ... e5.
In practice an order such as 1 d4
fS 2 g3 ltJf6 3 iLg2 e6 4 ltJf3 iLe7
S 0-0 makes S... dS attractive
because White has already showed
his hand with ltJf3. In contrast, after
4 ltJh3 iLe7 S 0-0 his best is S... d6!.
Consequently, if Black commits
his d-pawn too early, White knows
what to do with his KN - 1 d4 fS
That means 4 'iic2 ltJf6 S e3! 0-0 2 g3 e6 3 iLg2 ltJf6 4 c4 dS S ltJh3!.
6 iLd3 followed by ltJe2 and a2-a3,
The same applies if White develops
favors White, e.g. 6... d6 7 ltJe2 ltJc6
his knight at e2 rather than h3. Two
8 0-0 iLxc3 9 'iixc3 a5 10 b3 e5
of the 1951 world championship
11 iLa3! J:te8 12 d5 ltJe7 13 f4!,
games reached this position.
Yakovich-Gleizerov, Stockholm
2000.
The more accurate order, after
1 d4 f5 2 c4 e6 3 ltJc3, is 3. ltJf6.
This waits for White to make a
decision, such as 4 g3 or 4 ltJf3,
which would justify 4 ... iLh4!. If
White chooses 4 e3?! instead he is
starting the Rubinstein plan too
early and Black should switch
to the ... d6/ ... e5 pawn structure, e.g.
4 ...iLe7 5 iLd3 0-06 ltJge2 d6! with Mikhail Botvinnik played
a good game. 6 ... d5?!, got the worst of7 ltJge2 c6
8 b3 ltJe4 9 0-0 ltJd7 10 iLb2 ltJdf6
Once White decides to fianchetto
11 f3! and eventually lost.
his KB, the focus turns to his KN. If
it goes to e2 or h3, the conventional When David Bronstein was
wisdom holds that Black is better Black he chose 6... d6!. White's
off with ... d6 than with ... d5. A knight had little to do following
knight stands nicely on f4 in a 7 ltJge2 c6 8 0-0 eS. In fact it never
Stonewall because it watches the moved again and he was soon
backward e-pawn and can reinforce worse.
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Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
194
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
195
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
196
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
197
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
198
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
199
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
200
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
5 'i'xd8+). Karpov chose the latter against the OlD. For example, 8 e4
and lost. :e8 9 h3 i.f8 10 l:tel a6 11 d5?!
The drawback to 2 g3 is 2...tbf6 cxd5 12 cxd5 b5! 13 a3 tbb6 14 b3
3 i.g2 c6 since 4 tbfJ e4 5 tbd4 d5 i.d7 15 i.e3 'i'b8 with a fine game
6 cxd5 can be met by Mikhail Tal's for Black (A.Sokolov-Sherwin,
6.'i'xd5!. By attacking the knight Swiss Team Championship 2001).
Black obtains excellent chances, In the main closed variation of
e.g. 7 tbc2 'iih5 and ... i.h3. the Reversed Sicilian, 1 c4 e5
The comparable 2 tbc3 tbf6 3 g3 2 tbc3 tbc6 3 g3 g6 4 i.g2 i.g7,
c6 line never returned to fashion White usually chooses among 5 d3,
after it was met in the Tal-Botvinnik 5 e3 and 5 :b 1. But the finesses
rematch by 4 tbfJ! e4 5 tbd4 d5 start earlier if Black plays 1 c4 g6
6 cxd5. Transposing to the other 2 tbc3 i.g7, as Kasparov did. This
line with 6 ... 'i'xd5?? is clearly enabled him to shift to his favorite
King's Indian after 3 d4 tbf6.
impossible and 6 ... cxd5 7 d3!
favors White. But what about 3 g3 ? That seems
to narrow Black's options since the
However, this order IS quite
Gruenfeld is discouraged and the
playable after 4... d6!.
Neo-Gruenfeld, 3... c6 and 4 ... d5,
can be stopped by 4 i.g2/5 e4.
Instead, Kasparov responded
3...tbc6!?
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Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
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Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
203
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
204
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
205
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
206
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
207
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
208
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
209
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
210
Dutch Defense and Flank Openings
211
212
Index of Opening Variations
(numbers refer to pages)
Alekhine's Defense 94
Alekhine's 4 lDf3 95
Bishop's Gambit 16
Bishop's Opening 19
Breyer Gambit 14
213
Index of Opening Variations
Center Game 18
Colle System 121
Danish Gambit 19
Dutch Defense 191
Dutch by transposition 194
English Defense 199
English Opening 199
English, Reversed Dragon 203
Giuoco Piano 29
Goring Gambit 32
Gruenfeld Defense 176
Gruenfeld, Exchange Variation 178
Gruenfeld, Russian Variation 176
214
Index of Opening Variations
Hungarian Defense 17
King's Gambit 14
King's Gambit Declined 15
King's Indian, Classical Variation 169
King's Indian, Fianchetto Variation 170
Maroczy Bind 64
Max Lange Attack 29
Modem Benoni Defense 161
Modem Defense, 1 d4 175
Modem Defense, 1 e4 99
Modem, Gurgendize Variation 101
Neo-Gruenfeld Defense 180
215
Index of Opening Variations
216
Index of Opening Variations
Scotch Gambit 32
Scotch Game 25
Semi-Slav Defense 151
217
Index of Opening Variations
Sicilian, .. :"b6 90
Sicilian, 4 'ii'xd4 56
Vienna Game 16
218