Abby Marshall - Chess Cafe - The Openings Explained - 1-51 PDF

The Openings Explained
Abby Marshall
"This past summer Abby Marshall achieved her greatest success in chess when she
became the first girl to win the Denker Tournament of High School Champions. She
has also represented the U.S. at the 2007 World Youth Championship in Turkey and
at the 2008 World Mind Sport’s Games in China. This November she will return to
Turkey for the World Youth Championship, and she is working towards the
grandmaster title. ChessCafe.com is pleased to introduce her new column, The
Openings Explained, in which contemporary opening variations are explained move-
by-move."
© Abby Marshall 2009-2013

Table of Contents
1. Oct 2009 — The Tarrasch Defense [D34]
2. Nov 2009 — The Sicilian Dragon, Levenfish Attack [B71]
3. Dec 2009 — The Two Knights Defense, Keidanz Variation [C55]
4. Jan 2010 — The Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik Attack [B13]
5. Feb 2010 — The Two Knights [C58]
6. Mar 2010 — The Two Knights [C55]
7. Apr 2010 — The Scotch Four Knights [C47]
8. May 2010 — The Lowenthal Sicilian for White [B32]
9. Jun 2010 — The King's Indian with 5.Nge2 [E70]
10. Jul 2010 — The Scotch Four Knights [C47]
11. Aug 2010 — Alekhine's Defense, Four Pawns Attack [B03]
12. Sep 2010 — Sicilian Kan Variation [B43]
13. Oct 2010 — The Accelerated Dragon [B36]
14. Nov 2010 — The Frankenstein-Dracula Variation [C27]
15. Dec 2010 — The English Attack in the Najdorf Sicilian [B90]
16. Jan 2011 — The Queen's Gambit Accepted [D20]
17. Feb 2011 — The Queen's Gambit Accepted [D20]
18. Mar 2011 — The Philidor Defense [C41]
19. Apr 2011 — The King's Indian Defense [E70]
20. May 2011 — The French Exchange [C01]
21. Jun 2011 — The Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attack [C89]
22. Jul 2011 — Semi-Slav Defense, Marshall Gambit [D31]
23. Aug 2011 — The Blumenfeld Gambit [E10]
24. Sep 2011 — The King's Gambit Accepted [C34-C39]
25. Oct 2011 — Danish Gambit and Center Game [C21-22]
26. Nov 2011 — Scandinavian with 2...Nf6 [B01]
27. Dec 2011 — The Chigorin Defense Against the London System [D02]
28. Jan 2012 — The Slav Stonewall [A84]
29. Feb 2012 — The Tarrasch Defense, Swedish Variation [D33]
30. Mar 2012 — Scotch Four Knights Glek Variation [C26]
31. Apr 2012 — The Sicilian Dragadorf [B75]
32. May 2012 — The Latvian Gambit [C40]
33. Jun 2012 — Anti-Moscow Variation 6.Bh4 [D43]
34. Jul 2012 — The Scotch Four Knights [C47]
35. Aug 2012 — The Steinitz Defense in the Ruy Lopez [C66]
36. Sep 2012 — The Trompowsky Attack [A45]
37. Oct 2012 — The Two Knights Defense, Center Fork Trick [C55]
38. Nov 2012 — The Closed Sicilian [B26]
39. Dec 2012 — The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit [D00]
40. Jan 2013 — The Closed Sicilian for White [B23]
41. Feb 2013 — From's Gambit for Black [A02]
42. Mar 2013 — The Two Knights Caro-Kann for White [B11]
43. Apr 2013 — The Giuoco Piano for Black [C50]
44. May 2013 — Owen's Defense for White [B00]
45. Jun 2013 — Alekhine's Defense with 4...Bg4 for Black [B05]
46. Jul 2013 — The Closed Sicilian [B26]
47. Aug 2013 — The Scandinavian Defense [B01]
48. Sep 2013 — The Pirc Defense Classical System [B08]
49. Oct 2013 — The Scandinavian Defense [B01]
50. Nov 2013 — The King's Bishop's Gambit [C33]
51. Dec 2013 — Rubinstein's Defense in the Four Knights [C48]
This past summer Abby Marshall achieved her greatest success in Visit Shop.ChessCafe.com
chess when she became the first girl to win the Denker Tournament for the largest selection of
of High School Champions. She has also represented the U.S. at the chess books, sets, and clocks
2007 World Youth Championship in Turkey and at the 2008 World in North America:
Mind Sport’s Games in China. This November she will return to
Turkey for the World Youth Championship, and she is working
towards the grandmaster title. ChessCafe.com is pleased to
introduce her new column, The Openings Explained, in which
contemporary opening variations are explained move-by-move.
The Openings Explained

The
The Tarrasch Defense [D34]
Openings
Welcome to my first column of The Openings Explained! I’m glad to
Explained have this opportunity to share my favorite systems and I hope to ensure The Tarrasch Defence
that you have success with them. The first opening I want to look at is the by Nigel Davies
Tarrasch. It has been a staple in my repertoire since I was six years old Save 10%!
Abby Marshall and I’ve had many great games with it. I have only had one disaster, but it
was because I forgot the correct move, not due to a problem with the
opening itself. It’s a great opening for improving players, because it’s
very important to learn how to play open positions with active piece play;
while not any position can become closed, any position can become open.
The Tarrasch can also be played against almost all queen-pawn openings.
And, it’s fun.
Theory
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5
Playing the Queen's Gambit

A Grandmaster's Guide
by Lars Schandorff
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These are the opening moves of the Tarrasch. One of the main goals
Black has in many queen-pawn openings is to play c5, which often frees
Black’s position. One of the immediate benefits of the Tarrasch is that Tactics in the Chess
you get to play this move right away and quickly get an open position Openings 4: Queen's Gambits
with active piece play. However, you also get an isolated pawn on d5, by Friso Nijboer
& Geert van der Stricht
which I will talk about in a few moves. I love to play with isolated pawns,
but it’s important to know the correct way to handle the position, because
the isolani can easily end up being a weakness.
4.cxd5
It’s generally a good rule that if four pawns are engaged like this in the
center, it is wise to trade at least one set of pawns. Otherwise, your
opponent will do so, probably to his or her advantage. After 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.
e3 Nf6 6.Be2 Be7 7.0–0 0–0, Black has nothing to fear and can decide
how to resolve the situation in the center to his or her convenience. If
White exchanges pawns in the center, it will transpose to Tarrasch lines.
4...exd5 5.Nf3
5.dxc5 is White’s most direct challenge, but it’s not very good. 5...d4 6.
Na4 b5!? 7.cxb6 axb6
White is up a pawn, but his knight is misplaced and Black is extremely

active. The lines get complicated, so some theoretical knowledge would
be good here, but this is the subject of another column.
5...Nc6
Black brings a piece out and exerts some influence on d4. With isolated
pawns, it is important to try to control the square in front of the pawn. If
the pawn can ever be pushed, it severely limits the White pieces and gains
space for Black.
6.g3
This is White’s main and most challenging set-up. From g2, the bishop
will hit the isolated d5-pawn. As well, the set-up provides extra protection
for the white king if Black develops an attack. 6.e3 blocks the c1–bishop.
The drawback of 6.g3 is Black often targets the c4-square and queenside
because the bishop will be far away on the kingside.
6...Nf6
For Black, the main set-up is easy to play and remember. Bring out all
your pieces.
7.Bg2
7…Be7
The bishop prefers square e7 to d6 because the latter would allow an

unpleasant pin on the f6 knight when White plays Bg5.
8.0–0 0–0
This is the main line of the Tarrasch. The next several moves will usually
result in Black having an isolated pawn on d5.
9.dxc5
This is one of the main lines and the one I want to examine. 9.Bg5 is the
other main line. 9...cxd4 10.Nxd4 h6 Putting the question to the bishop
and alleviating the pressure on the f6 knight, one of the defenders of the
d5-pawn. 11.Be3
White eyes the d4-c5 dark square complex. 11...Re8 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.
Rc1 Bf8
One of Black’s trumps is pressure on the e-file and the e2-pawn. The
bishop leaves the way open for the rook to exert pressure. 14.Na4 Bd7 15.
Bc5 Bxc5 16.Nxc5 Bg4 I’ve encountered this position many times and
have always felt comfortable as Black. It’s a dynamic fight. White will
focus on the c6-d5 pawns and the c5-square, while Black will focus on
the e-file, e2-pawn, and possibly the white king, because White will be
distracted on the queenside.
9...Bxc5
Now Black has an isolated pawn. It all depends on the specific position as
to whether the isolani is a strength or a weakness. The benefits of having
an isolated pawn are the open files on either side of the pawn, active piece
play, and if the pawn ever gets to d4 it will restrict White’s position and
gain space for Black. However, in an endgame it is almost always weak
because no pawns can defend it, and the square in front of the pawn is
weak because no pawns can defend that square. Black must play actively,
avoid trading into an endgame, and always look for opportunities to push
to d4.
10.Bg5
10.Na4 Be7 11.Be3 This is similar to the line with 9.Bg5, where White is
targeting Black’s queenside. 11...Bg4 12.Bc5 Re8 13.Rc1 Ne4
This is ideal for Black. Having a knight on e4 is strong and the bishop on
g4 indirectly pressures the e2-pawn. 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Re1 (15.Qxd5?
Rad8 16.Qb5 Bxf3 17.Bxf3 Nd2 18.Rfe1 Nd4 Black wins.) 15...Rad8
Black is very active and slightly better.
10...d4
Always, always, always play this move if given the chance. Look at how
much space Black gains.
11.Bxf6
11.Ne4 Be7= By allowing Black to play d4, White needs to generate

some play against the weakened light squares (e4, d5, c4) left behind.
Trades are inevitable now and contradictory to White’s goals.
11...Qxf6 12.Nd5
12.Ne4 Qe7 13.Nxc5 Qxc5 14.Rc1 Qb6 15.Qc2 h6 16.Rfd1 Be6 Again,
White has nothing to show for allowing Black to push d4.
12...Qd8 13.Nd2!
This is the idea. Black gets to push to d4, but the light squares on the
queenside become vulnerable and White’s bishop has a lot of scope.
13...a6!
I love this variation and have never had problems with it. The idea is to
bring the bishop back to a7 after Ne4. It protects the d4-pawn, defends the
queenside, and if White ever pushes the e-pawn, after the exchange of d-
and e-pawns in the center, Black’s bishop will have great influence on a7.
14.Rc1
14.Ne4 Ba7 15.Qd2 This is all normal looking stuff. Now Black strikes
out dynamically. 15...f5 16.Ng5 f4 17.gxf4 h6 18.Ne4 a5 Black is looking
at the b4-square. 19.Ng3 Be6 20.e4 dxe3 21.fxe3 Nb4 22.Rad1 Nxd5 23.
Bxd5 Bxd5 24.Qxd5+ Qxd5 25.Rxd5 Bxe3+ 26.Kh1 Rxf4 Black is much
better.
14...Ba7 15.Nf4
15.Ne4 Re8 16.Nc5 Re5 17.Qb3 Rb8 White has some loose pieces, while
Black is slowly building up pressure.
15...Bg4!
Taking on c6 is not a real threat. Black gets another piece out.
16.h3
16.Bxc6?! bxc6 17.Rxc6 d3 18.Nxd3 Qe8 19.Qc1 Qxe2 Black is down a

pawn, but has the two-bishops and White’s pieces are in messy places.
16...Bf5 17.Qb3
White needs some activity and develops the queen with a threat against
b7.
17...Rb8
The position is about even here. The pawn on d4 cramps White’s position
and Black has the two bishops, even though Black’s position is a little
precarious on the queenside. If Black just plays chess here, it should be a
good game.
18.g4
The rest of the variation is White’s most forcing way to play, but Black is
too active and has no problems.
18...Qg5 19.Qg3 Bd7 20.Ne4 Qe7 21.Nd5 Qe6 22.Qh4 f6 23.g5 fxg5 24.
Nxg5 Qh6 25.Qxh6 gxh6 26.Ne4 Kh8
The open files and the two bishops counteract the weak h-pawns.
Lessons Learned
1. Playing with an isolated pawn: active piece play is essential. Avoid

trades and an endgame, and always look for ways to push the pawn.
2. The usual set-up for Black is bishops on g4 and a7, rooks on the e-
and d-files, and the knight on e4.
3. White is playing on the queenside, Black is playing in the center
and on the kingside.
Games
The following game showcases some motifs in the main line with 9.dxc5
that I focused on when I explained the theory of the Tarrasch.
Jonasson,Benedikt (2210) - Chandler,Murray (2515)

Reykjavik op (2), 19844
1.Nf3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.d4 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.g3 Nf6 7.Bg2 Be7
8.0–0 0–0 9.dxc5 Bxc5 10.Bg5 d4 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Nd5 Qd8 13.Nd2 a6
14.Ne4 Ba7
14...Qxd5 Yeah, this line, sacrificing the queen when White plays 15.Nf6
and 16.Bxd5. Hmm, never mind it is probably not good.
15.Rc1 Re8 16.Qd2
In the theory part of the column I explained what happened after 16.Qb3.
The text is a very normal move as well, but gives Black some interesting
possibilities.
16...Re5
16...Bh3!? is a possibility worth watching for. It’s a good move here, but
would be even a better move if White had played h3 at some point, and
Bxh3 would win a pawn. 17.Bxh3 Qxd5
White’s pieces are awkwardly placed. 18.Ng5 h6 19.Nf3 Rad8 20.b3

Stops 20...Qxa2. 20...Bb6!? The bishop wants to play too. 21.Qd3 Nb4 22.
Qd2 a5 Black is better here. We have space and pressure on the center
and on the queenside.
17.Nb4
17.Nf4 Black has immediate threats here. 17...Bf5 18.f3 Qa5 19.Qxa5
Rxa5 20.a3 d3+ 21.Kh1 Be3 is a disaster for White.
17...Nxb4 18.Qxb4 Rb5
18...Be6!? I like developing another piece. 19.Nc5 Bd5 was a threat. (19.
Qxb7 Bd5) 19...Bxc5 20.Rxc5 Qf8 21.Rfc1 b6 22.Rxe5 Qxb4 23.Bxa8
g6-/+.
19.Qd6
White has to remain active to keep from being tied down into passivity.
19.Qd2 Qe7 20.Rfd1 Bf5 The knight is trapped on e4 and the white queen
is tied to b2. It’s a mess.
19...Bf5 20.b3 Qe8
Keep pieces on the board!
21.Qf4 Bb8 22.Qd2 Re5 23.Nc5 Rxe2 24.Qxd4 Ba7
The pawn structure is now symmetrical, but notice Black’s activity. The
rook is on the second rank and the two bishops oversee the entire board.
Of course, White is also now active as well.
25.Qf4
It’s basically drawn here. 25.Bxb7 Rd8 26.Qh4 Rxa2=/+.
25...Bxc5 26.Rxc5 Bd3 27.h4
27.Bxb7?? Re1 28.Rxe1 Qxe1+ 29.Kg2 Bf1+ 30.Kf3 Qe2#.
27...Re7 28.Rfc1 Be4 29.Bxe4 Rxe4 30.Qxe4 Qxe4 31.Rc8+ Qe8 32.
Rxe8+ Rxe8 33.Rc7 Rb8 34.Kg2 Kf8 ½–½
I chose the next game because it one of the great Tarrasch games and
illustrates the potential of the black pieces. It investigates the other main
line of the Tarrasch with 9.Bg5. Kasparov has the black pieces, so you
know there will be fireworks.
Zueger,Beat (2400) - Kasparov,Garry (2735)

SUI-Kasparov Switzerland, 19877
1.c4
The Tarrasch is easy to get after 1.c4 or 1.Nf3, so it pays to make sure
that you understand how to transpose to a Tarrasch if your opponent plays
a different move order. 1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 c5 I like playing this against the
Nf3 move order. 3.dxc5 (3.c4 e6 4.Nc3 Nc6 5.cxd5 exd5 is familiar.) 3...
e6 Black will get the pawn back, even if White tries to hang on to it. 4.b4
a5 5.c3 axb4 6.cxb4 b6.
1...Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 3.g3 e6 4.Nf3 d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.d4 Nc6
And we are back in a Tarrasch.
7.Bg2 Be7 8.0–0 0–0 9.Bg5 cxd4 10.Nxd4 h6 11.Be3 Re8 12.Rc1 Bg4
Simple chess. Black develops all his pieces. 12...Bf8 This is the line that I
play. 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Na4 Bd7 15.Bc5 Bxc5 16.Nxc5 Bg4 17.Re1 Qa5
Black is active and has clear targets: the queenside pawns and the e2-
pawn.
13.h3 Be6
This reinforces the d5-pawn and keeps an eye on White’s kingside. Black
sometimes retreats to h5, but keep in mind that it leaves the f5-square for
the white knight and is somewhat out of play.
14.Kh2 Qd7 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Na4
White begins the characteristic plan of zeroing in on the dark squares. He

will blockade the hanging pawns and strengthen his queenside. But
Kasparov had other plans.
16...Bf5
Black eyes the e4-square and starts clearing the e-file for the black rook.
17.Bc5 Bd8!
Generally, when you have isolated pawns or hanging pawns, you do not
want to trade pieces. In an endgame, you will be worse. Black’s pieces
are better than White’s pieces.
18.Bd4 Ne4
Black covers the c5-square.
19.f3?!
This move weakens the e-file and the squares around the king. White
wants to gain more control over c5 and dislodge the knight from its active
post, but the price is too high. White may have to be satisfied with 19.Nc5
Nxc5 20.Bxc5 Bf6=/+.
19...Ng5 20.Nc5 Qe7 21.e4
If White does not play this, then his bishop remains buried and Black is
free to attack the kingside. The best answer to an attack on the flank is to
attack in the center.
21...dxe4 22.fxe4 Bg6 23.e5

The game is complicated now. Black will hope that his active pieces and
the exposed white king will compensate for his busted queenside.
23...Bb6 24.h4 Rad8!!
This is an amazing move. It really emphasizes the dynamism of Black’s

pieces and the open files, and provides a lesson in attacking chess;
awesome stuff by the former number one.
25.hxg5
25.Bxc6 is best. 25...Ne6 26.Nxe6 Qxe6 27.Rf4 It’s even here.
25...Qxg5 26.Qa4
White gets out of the pin on the d-file.
26...Qh5+ 27.Kg1 Rxe5!
Another great move, which exposes the dark square weaknesses around
White’s king. Even though Black is giving up the exchange here, he gets
rid of White’s principal defender of the dark squares and unleashes his
own dark-square bishop.
28.Bxe5 Qxe5 29.Qb4
29.b4 Qe3+ 30.Kh1 Qxg3 Black has a very strong attack.
29...Rd3
Kasparov brings all his pieces into the attack.
30.Rf2 Rxg3 31.Qf4
31.Qc4 Survives longer, but Black has huge amounts of pressure. 31...
Qg5 32.b4 Rg4 33.Qc3 Rxb4.
31...Rxg2+! 32.Kxg2 Qd5+ 33.Kg3
33.Qf3 Qg5+ 34.Qg3 Qxc1.
33...Bxc5 34.Rd2 Qh5 35.Qg4
35.b4 The best. The computer is going to love White, but any sane person
would prefer Black. The white king is exposed and Black has three pawns
for being down a double exchange. 35...Be7 36.Rxc6 Bg5.
35...Qe5+ 36.Qf4 Qe7 37.Rc3 Bb6 38.Kg2 Qe1 39.Rc1 Qe6 40.Qg3 Be4
+ 41.Kh2 Qf5 0–1
Further Reading
● Meeting 1.d4 by Jacob Aagaard – "People who play this as Black
will want to have this book..." Carsten Hansen, Checkpoint, April
2002
● Winning Pawn Structures by Alexander Baburin – This is a great
book that explains the typical ideas in isolani positions.
Practitioners of the Tarrasch
● Miguel Illescas-Cordoba
● Garry Kasparov (in the 1980s)
● Me?!
© 2009 ChessCafe.com. All Rights Reserved.
Comment on this month's column via our Contact Page! Pertinent

responses will be posted below daily.
Readers' Responses
Henry from the USA - Love your new layout and the new column The
Openings Explained.
Atomic Patzer from the USA - Good job Abby. Looking forward to
many more articles like this.
Busson from France - Very nice lecture on the Tarrasch! Do you think
that the Swedish variation, 6...c4 !? 7...Bb4 and 8...Nge7, is playable or
only a surprise weapon? Hope to read you for a long time!
Allan from the USA - American GM Varuzhan Akobian has also played
the Tarrasch frequently.
Paul from the USA - Excellent column Abby. Thank you. And Chesscafe
- love the new look!
Mark from the USA - I couldn't have put it better myself, not much
anyway! Other Tarrasch practioners of note: Siegbert Tarrasch (doh!),
Eduard Dyckhoff (an amazing German correspondence player of bygone,
pre-computer days), Paul Keres (he beat Tal with it) and Boris Spassky,
who used it to defeat Tigran Petrosian in their memorable match for the
world championship.
Abby Marshall - Thanks for all the nice comments! To Busson - I have
never played that way so I am not an expert, but I believe that it is
unsound. You might catch someone offguard, but in the long run you
would want a reliable way to play.
Mark from the USA - You write an excellent column, Abby. Do you
recommend any particular books on this defense?
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accessible:
The Sicilian Dragon, Levenfish Attack [B71]
I will alternate between examining openings for White and openings for
Black, so the topic for this column is the Levenfish Attack against the Sicilian
Dragon.
Theory
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.f4

The
Openings
Sicilian Dragon B70-B74
Explained by Dorian Rogozenko
Now only $16.95!!
Abby Marshall
The Levenfish. To those who know that I love the King's Gambit, it may seem
that I must push the f-pawn no matter what opening I play. The Levenfish
avoids the craziness of the mainline Yugoslav while still being strong,
especially against an unsuspecting opponent. The f-pawn lunge opens the f-
file for the rook after White castles and prepares a quick e4-e5. Starting Out:
The Sicilian Dragon
6...Bg7 by Andrew Martin
Play through and download This is most natural. It also can lead Black to some nasty traps. 6...Nc6
the games from Black's safest. 7.Nxc6 (7.Nf3 This is what I always play, because it keeps all
ChessCafe.com in the the pieces on the board and becomes just a normal game of chess. White will
DGT Game Viewer. play Bd3, 0–0, Qe1–Qh4 and win. 7.Nxc6 is also possible.) 7...bxc6 8.e5 dxe5
(8...Nd7 9.Qf3 Bb7 10.Be3 dxe5 11.Bc4 White is much better. Compare the
development and activity of the White and Black pieces.) 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 10.
fxe5 Ng4 11.Bf4 Bg7 12.0–0–0+ Kc7 13.e6+ Be5 14.Bxe5+ Nxe5 15.exf7
Nxf7 16.Be2+/-.
7.e5!
The Dragon for Experts
It is important to not waste time. The variation becomes a bit sharp and
by Attila Schneider
tactical, so being familiar with the different lines will pay off.
7...dxe5
7...Ng4 8.Bb5+ Kf8 (8...Bd7

9.Qxg4 I've won more than one game this way.) 9.h3 Nh6 10.Be3 Nc6 11.
exd6 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Qxd6 13.Bxg7+ Kxg7 14.Qxd6 exd6 15.0–0–0+/- Black
has weak pawns and is underdeveloped.; 7...Bg4 8.Bb5+ Nbd7 9.Qd3 Ng8 10.
exd6 Qb6 11.Be3 Qxd6 12.h3 Be6 13.Nxe6 Qxe6 14.0–0–0+- White has
gorgeous development and threats against the misplaced black pieces.; 7...
Nh5!? This move has some hidden resources for Black and I believe that it is
the best shot. 8.Bb5+ (8.g4? Nxf4 9.Bxf4 dxe5 Black regains the piece and
picks up a pawn or two.) 8...Bd7 9.Qe2! This key variation will be examined
in the illustrative games. Again, development and misplaced black pieces give
White an edge.
8.fxe5 Nfd7
8...Ng4 9.Bb5+ Nc6 The only move. (9...Kf8 10.Ne6+) 10.Nxc6 Qxd1+ 11.
Nxd1 a6 12.Ba4 Bd7 So, Black will get back the piece. This technique is
worth remembering (a6 and Bd7). 13.h3 Nh6 14.Nxe7 Bxa4 15.Nd5+/- White
is up a pawn.
9.e6
9...Ne5
9...fxe6? 10.Nxe6 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Qa5 12.Bf4! Qxc3+ 13.Kf2 Kf7 14.Qd5
Qf6 15.Nc7++- Kg7 16.Qg5 White has safeguarded the position and will win
the rook on a8.
10.Bb5+ Nec6
10...Nbc6 11.exf7+ Kxf7 12.0–0++/=.
11.exf7+ Kf8
The following moves are pretty much forced if Black wants to regain the
pawn.
12.Nxc6 Qxd1+ 13.Nxd1 Nxc6 14.Bc4 Nd4 15.Ne3 Be6 16.Bxe6 Nxe6 17.0–
0 Bf6 18.Nd5 Kxf7 19.Be3+/-
Black has an isolated pawn on e7. White has a queenside pawn majority,
which is often an advantage because the pawns can be pushed without
endangering the king (not the case with a kingside majority) and the opposing
king is far away from the eventual passer that will be created. White also has
a great centralized knight. These factors give White a clear advantage.
Lessons Learned
1. The importance of a quick e4-e5

2. Understand the activity of White's pieces and the tactical tricks
3. Remember the 12.Bf4! idea after 9...fxe6. It will surprise your
opponents.
Games
In the following game, I do not advocate the line that White tries with 9.e6.
However, the game provides a good conceptual framework for understanding
the position. As well, I do not just want to study openings; it is important to
study chess, which is why I included this instructive game.
Schmidt Schaeffer (2314) - Lindemann (2322)

17th Open Brooklyn (9), 30.12.20000
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.f4 Bg7 7.e5 Nh5 8.Bb5+
Bd7
9.e6
I believe that 9.Qe2 is a better try, but the text shows the resources in both the
white and black positions.
9...fxe6
9...Bxb5 10.exf7+ Kxf7 11.Ndxb5+/= White has fewer pawn islands and the
light squares are loose.
10.Nxe6 Bxc3+
This bishop will be exchanged anyway, so Black saddles White with isolated
double pawns on the c-file, creating a target.
11.bxc3 Qc8
11...Qa5 12.Bd2! Bxb5 13.c4 Qa4 14.cxb5+/-.
12.Bxd7+?!
This looks most natural, but allows a strong reply. 12.Qd3 keeps the position
equal.
12...Nxd7
12...Kxd7!
13.Ng5 Qxc3+ 14.Bd2 Qc4 This is unclear, but I would prefer Black. Black is
up a pawn and White cannot castle.
13.0–0 Nc5 14.Ng5
White does not want to trade pieces, as he will be worse in an endgame

because of his weaker pawns.
14...Nf6 15.Be3 h6
Black kicks White's knight and gains more control over the e4-square.
16.Bd4 0–0
16...hxg5 17.fxg5 The knight is pinned to the rook on h8. This would open the
position, not a good idea when the king is still in the center.
17.Nf3 Nd5
17...Nfe4 This seems more natural. White has weak light squares.
18.g3 Kh7 19.Nh4

This is also rather unclear, but I prefer White because of the attacking chances
and the strong bishop.
19...Rf7??
Black fails to anticipate White's threat and in fact makes the threat even
stronger in this position. An unfortunate end. 19...Qe6 20.Qf3 Qf7 21.Rae1
unclear. White has pressure, while Black is going to target the weak white
queenside.
20.f5 g5 21.Qh5 1–0
Black resigned. Oww.
The next game is a good example of the line that I advocate with 9.Qe2.
Krnan,T (2306) - Brkic,A (2428)

WYb16 Halkidiki GRE (3), 25.10.2003
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.f4 Bg7 7.e5 Nh5 8.Bb5+
Bd7 9.Qe2!
This is the strongest.
9...Bxb5
9...0–0? 10.g4! This is now a threat because the white queen covers e5, so
Black's trick of Nxf4, dxe5 does not work. 10...dxe5 11.fxe5 e6 12.gxh5 Qh4
+ 13.Qf2+-; 9...a6 10.Bc4 Nc6 11.Nxc6 Bxc6 12.0–0 I would prefer White
here. Now g4 is a threat.
10.Ndxb5!?
10.Qxb5+ Qd7 11.Qxd7+ Kxd7 12.Nf3 is what I play.

Black has to face the threat of g4 and White is more coordinated than Black.
The game move is also interesting.
10...dxe5 11.fxe5 a6 12.Na3 Qd4
12...e6?! 13.0–0 Qd4+ 14.Be3 Qxe5 15.Nc4 Qc7 16.Nb6 White wins. 16...
Ra7 17.Nbd5 exd5 18.Bxa7+.
13.g4 Nf4
13...Bxe5!? 14.gxh5 Qh4+ 15.Kf1 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Nc6 This is a bit wild. Black
only has a pawn for the piece, but this time it is White who suffers from poor
pieces and a weak pawn structure.
14.Bxf4 Qxf4 15.Nd5 Qxe5 16.Qxe5 Bxe5 17.Nc4 Nc6
The bishop cannot move to a safe place that also protects the c7-square. Black
will lose the exchange.
18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.Nc7+ Kd7 20.Nxa8 Rxa8 21.0–0–0+ Ke6
Black has a pawn for the exchange and a passed pawn on e7. I don't think this
is enough compensation, which makes it a risk-free endgame for White with
winning chances.
22.Rd4
22.Rhe1 However, White managed to lose this same endgame. 22...f5 23.gxf5
+ (23.Re2 White will win the knight, which would be the end of the game:
23...Kf6 24.g5+ Ke6 25.Rde1) 23...gxf5 24.Rd3 Kf6 25.Rh3 f4 26.Rxh7 Nf7
27.Re4 e5 28.Rxf7+? Not necessary. 28...Kxf7 29.Rxe5 Kf6 30.Re4 Kf5 31.
Re7 b5 32.Kd2 Rh8 33.Rf7+ Ke4 34.Re7+ Kf5 35.Re2 f3 36.Rf2 Ke4 37.b3?
Rd8+ 38.Ke1 Ke3 39.Rf1 b4 40.h4 Rd5 0–1, Lederman,L-Mittelman,G
Beersheba 1997.
22...Rc8 23.Rhd1 a5
23...f5 24.gxf5+ gxf5 25.Rh4 White nets another pawn. 25...Rh8 26.Rh6+
Ng6 27.Rg1.
24.h3 f5 25.gxf5+ gxf5 26.Rh4

26...Rc4?
Black needed to keep his rook to support the kingside passers. This makes
White's task easier. When you are down in material, trading is bad. For
example, if you have nine pieces of chocolate and your friend has ten, it's no
big deal because you both have lots of chocolate. But when you have one
piece and your friend has two, then you might feel upset.
27.Rxc4 Nxc4 28.Rd4
Especially with pawns on both sides of the board, White's rook will dominate.
The knight is a short-moving piece and can't cover both sides.
28...b5 29.a4 Ke5 30.Rd7 Ke6 31.Rc7 Kd6 32.Rc8 Nb6 33.Rd8+ Kc7 34.
Rf8 1–0
Further Reading
● Play the Sicilian Dragon by Edward Dearing - "This is an awesome

book that is a must-buy for anybody playing these lines with either
Black or White." Carsten Hansen, Checkpoint, April 2005
● Chess Publishing.com is a good resource on openings.
Practioners
● Grigory Levenfish, a strong grandmaster from the past and the inventor
of the opening.
Comment on this month's column via our Contact Page! Pertinent responses
will be posted below daily.


accessible:
The Two Knights Defense, Keidanz Variation [C55]
In this column I examine the wonderful Keidanz variation, a black response

against the Scotch Gambit. While it does demand memorization and
theoretical knowledge, I always found the variations fun, interesting, and full
of tactics. I believe that it also has great practical value over-the-board and in
blitz, because if White does not know what to do, he or she will be crushed
quickly. The drawback is that White of course can sidestep the variation, but
it is still useful to have in your repertoire and will teach you about tactics and
The attacking the king.
Openings Theory
Excelling at Chess
Explained 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bc5 by Jacob Aagaard
Now 25% off!!
Abby Marshall
Pawn Sacrifice!
The potentially exciting Keidanz variation. by Timothy Taylor
Now 25% off!! Now 25% off!!
8.Nxc6
Play through and download If two beginners were playing this game, it would initially seem that Black
the games from had overlooked that the knight on c6 was attacked twice and defended once.
ChessCafe.com in the Unfortunately I have to say potentially, because White can always sidestep
DGT Game Viewer. the fun with 8.Be3. This would steer the game into mainstream lines in which
Black does not have anything to fear, but that is the subject for another
column.
8...Bxf2+ 9.Kf1
9.Ke2 is examined in the Arnott-Hebden game.

True Combat Chess
by Timothy Taylor
9...Qh4 Now 25% off!!
Black has only a pawn for a piece right now, but the proximity of three
dangerous pieces compensates. The knight and the queen are particularly
lethal, because the queen can move as every piece except the knight, so they
complement each other.
10.Qxd5
There are three main alternatives to this move.
10.Nxa7+ c6 11.Nxc8 Rxc8 12.Be2 (12.Bd3 Ng3+ 13.hxg3 Qxh1+ 14.Ke2

Qxg2 15.Qf1 Qxf1+ 16.Kxf1 Bxg3–+ So, Black has a rook and two passed
pawns for the two pieces. Advantage to Black. Plus look at the white
queenside.) 12...Ba7 13.Qe1 Nf2 14.c3
This is to take away the d4-square from the black queen. Right now the knight
cannot capture on h1 because it is pinned. 14...0–0 15.Nd2 Qe7 16.Rg1 Qxe5
17.Nf3 Ng4
18.Qh4 Qe4 19.Rh1 Rfe8 20.Qe1 Re6–+ Black will double rooks on the e-
file. Notice how easy it is for Black to play. Black is down a piece, but can
logically improve the position.;
10.Nd4+ c6 11.Nf3 (11.Be2 Bxd4 12.Qxd4 Ng3+;
11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Bxc6+ Ke7-/+)

11...Ng3+ 12.Kxf2 Ne4+ 13.Ke3 Qf2+ 14.Kd3 Bf5! 15.Nd4
15...Bg6=/+ 16.Nd2? Nd6+ 17.Kc3 Nxb5+ 18.Nxb5 Qe3+ 19.Kb4 a5+ 20.
Ka4 cxb5+ 21.Kxb5 Bf5 It is mate in three.;
10.Nc3 0–0 11.Nxe4 dxe4 12.Nd4 (12.Nb4 Rd8 13.Qe2 Bg4–+) 12...c5 13.
Nb3 Bg4 14.Be2 Rad8 15.Bd2 f5 16.Qc1 Bxe2+ 17.Kxe2 f4–+ The nice
pawns on f4 and e4 guarantee a winning attack.
10...Bc5!
Keidanz's move.
11.Nd4+
11.Be3!! This incredible move was played in the Clark-Morss game given
below.;
11.g3 Qh3+ 12.Ke1 Bf2+ 13.Ke2 (13.Kd1 Bg4+ 14.Be2 Qg2!
15.Bxg4 Qxh1+ 16.Ke2 Nxg3+ 17.Kxf2 Qxd5) 13...Qg4+ 14.Kd3 Nc5+ 15.
Kc3 0–0 16.Ne7+ Kh8 17.Qd1 Ne4+ 18.Kb3 Qe6+ 19.Qd5 Nc5+ 20.Kc3
Qxe7–+ Material is even, but look at White's queenside, a reoccurring
embarrassment for White in this variation, and White's king.
11...c6 12.Be3
12...0–0 13.Qb3
13.Bxc6 bxc6 14.Qxc6 Be6–+ Black just has to give up two pawns for this
position?
13...Be6 14.Bc4
14.Nf3 Ng3+ 15.Ke1 Qh5 16.Qc3 Bxe3 17.Qxe3 Nxh1–+.
14...Bxd4 15.Bxd4 b5! 16.Bxe6 fxe6+ 17.Ke2 Rf2+ 18.Bxf2 Qxf2+ 19.Kd1
Rd8+–+
Painful. This was not White's best, but what is most natural. 10.Nxa7 may be
the best. Nothing leads immediately to any conclusion in that variation, but
Black, despite the piece minus, has a good position.
Lessons Learned
1. 9...Qh4 and 10...Bc5! are the keys to the variation.

2. Logically improve the position. The pressure is on White to defend
against all of Black's moves, while Black only has to try out attacking
ideas.
3. King safety and development are more important than material in this
variation. It is worth examining situations where material is not the first
priority, as it is in most cases.
Games
This game illustrates White's alternative 9.Ke2. Black should have won, but
made a key mistake. This is a sharp variation that demands precision.
Arnott,Jonathan (2126) - Hebden,Mark (2560)

BCF-ch rapidplay Halifax (1), 15.11.2003
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bc5 8.
Nxc6 Bxf2+ 9.Ke2
This looks weird. but it is important.
9...Bg4+
9...Qh4 This is not as good as the text, but the following is interesting. As I've
said before, my objective is not just to teach about openings, but about chess.
10.Qxd5 a6 11.Nd8+! axb5 12.Qxf7+ Kxd8 13.Rd1+ Nd6 14.exd6 Bg4+ 15.
Kf1 Bxd1 16.Qxg7 Qc4+ 17.Kxf2 Qe2+ 18.Kg3 Qe1+ 19.Kh3 Bg4+!! The
saving move! 20.Qxg4 (20.Kxg4 Ra4+ 21.c4 Rxc4+ 22.Kf3 Qf1+ 23.Kg3 Qe1
+=) 20...Qxc1 21.dxc7+ Kxc7 22.Qg7+ Kc6 23.Qf6+ Kd7 24.Qd4+ Kc6=;
9...Qd7!? This alternative to 9...Bg4 also looks weird. 10.e6! (10.Nd4 c6 11.
Ba4 Qg4+ 12.Nf3 Bb6–+
13.Qf1 Nf2–+) 10...fxe6 11.Nxa7!? c6 12.Nxc8 Qxc8 13.Bd3 0–0 14.Nd2
Nxd2 15.Kxd2 e5 unclear. Black remains down a piece, but in terms of time
and space he has the edge.
10.Kf1 Qh4 11.Qxd5
11.Qd3 a6 12.Ba4 Bd7–+ Black gets the piece back.
11...Ng3+?
This is bad. 11...Bb6!
12.Nd4+ c6 13.Qxe4 (13.Bxc6+ bxc6 14.Qxc6+ (14.Qxe4 Bxd4 15.Qxd4 Be2

+)
14...Bd7 15.Qxa8+ Ke7 16.Bg5+ Nxg5 17.Qd5 Rd8–+) 13...Bxd4 14.Qxd4

Be2+ 15.Bxe2 Qxd4 unclear.
Black has a pawn and a queen for three minor pieces. Usually three minors
are better than a queen, but in this case Black is better because of White's
sleeping queenside.
12.hxg3 Qxh1+ 13.Kxf2+- 0–0
White has three minor pieces for the rook and is easily winning. His exposed
king gave Black some counterplay and he was able to temporarily stave off
defeat, but eventually White won.
14.Ne7+
14...Kh8 15.Bg5 Rad8 16.Qe4 Rd1 17.Qxg4 Qe1+ 18.Kf3 Qxe5 19.Be2
Rh1 20.Be3 Qxe7 21.Bd4 f5 22.Qf4 c5 23.Bf2 b5 24.Be3 Qf6 25.c3 a6 26.
Kf2 Qe7 27.Qg5 Rf6 28.Qf4 h6 29.Qb8+ Kh7 30.Qc8 c4 31.a4 Re6 32.Qc5
Qxc5 33.Bxc5 Rc1 34.Be3 Rc2 35.axb5 axb5 36.Ra7 Rxb2 37.Bd4 Rg6 38.
Na3 Rb3 39.Nc2 Rb2 40.Nb4 h5 41.Nd5 Kh6 42.Be3+ Kh7 43.Rb7 Rd6 44.
Nf4 b4 45.Rxb4 Rxb4 46.cxb4 c3 47.Bd3 g6 48.Ke2 Kh6 49.Ne6+ Kh7 50.
Ng5+ Kg7 51.b5 Kf6 52.b6 Rd7 53.Ba6 c2 54.b7 Rd8 55.Bc1 Rb8 56.Bf4
Rd8 57.Bd3 Rb8 58.Bxc2 Rxb7 59.Bd2 Rb5 60.Bc3+ Kxg5 61.Bd2+ Kf6
62.Bc3+ Ke7 63.Bd3 Rd5 64.Ke3 Rd8 65.Ba6 Rd6 66.Be1 Rd4 67.Be2 Re4
+ 68.Kf2 Rg4 69.Kf1 Ke8 1–0
This game was played by my beloved first coach Mark Morss. It is great for
understanding the complexity of the variation. I used Mark's notes when
annotating this game.
Robert Clark - Mark Morss

USCF corr. 92CM76
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.e5 d5 6.Bb5 Ne4 7.Nxd4 Bc5 8.
Nxc6 Bxf2+ 9.Kf1 Qh4
In his notes to the game, Mark said that he discovered a very extensive
analysis of the Keidanz variation in the 1916 edition of the Handbuch des
Schachspiels (edited by Karl Schlecter). This was a correspondence game, so
such research is possible during the game. Over-the-board, even if Black did
not know all the variations, I would say that Black has more practical chances
than White. It is easier to attack than defend.
10.Qxd5 Bc5! 11.Be3!!

Mark gives this a double exclam. Objectively the move is not that good, but
Keidanz did not think of this move in his analysis, probably because it looks
crazy. However it is a great winning try.
11...Ng3+
This is safe, but not the best and does not lead to an advantage.
11...Bxe3?! This variation illustrates the point of 11.Be3. 12.g3 Qh3+! (12...
Nxg3+ 13.hxg3
13...Bh3+ 14.Ke2 Qxg3 15.Nd4+ Ke7 16.Qf3 Qg5 17.Rxh3 Bxd4 18.Rh5
Qc1 19.Bc4 Raf8 20.Rf5 Bxb2 21.Rxf7+ Rxf7 22.Qxf7+ Kd8 23.Nd2+-) 13.
Ke2
The point of Be3 is that when the White king is driven all over the place with
checks, it picks up a tempo by attacking the Black bishop on e3. 13...Bg5 14.
Qxe4 Qg4+ 15.Qxg4 Bxg4+ 16.Kf2 a6 17.Ba4 Bd7 18.h4 Bh6 19.Nc3 bxc6+/
=
Black has the two bishops, but weak queenside pawns. White also has very
active pieces. This gives White an edge.;
11...0–0! This is winning. Fittingly, it looks equally as strange as 11.Be3. 12.

g3 (12.Bxc5 bxc6 13.Qxc6 Qf4+ 14.Kg1 Nxc5 15.Nc3 White defends the
back rank against a Qc1 check. 15...Qd4+ 16.Kf1 Bb7 17.Qxc7 Rac8 18.Qa5
Ne4–+) 12...bxc6 13.gxh4 cxd5 14.Bxc5 Nxc5
White has terrible pawns and development.
12.hxg3 Qxh1+ 13.Kf2
13.Ke2 Bg4+–+ 14.Kf2 Bxe3+ 15.Kxe3 Qe1+ 16.Kd4 0–0.
13...Bxe3+ 14.Kxe3 0–0
14...Bd7 15.Nb8! Qe1+ 16.Kf3 Bxb5 17.Qxb5+ c6 18.Qxb7 I don't think

Black has a perpetual here. Maybe it's okay for Black because White has poor
development and an exposed king, but why risk this. 18...0–0 19.Qxa8 Qxe5
unclear.
15.Ne7+ Kh8 16.Nxc8?
The knight is active, while the bishop is lying dormant on c8. 16.Qe4 This is
necessary. White targets the Black kingside. 16...Qc1+ 17.Kf3 Qxb2 18.Bd3
g6 (18...f5? 19.Ng6+ hxg6 20.Qh4+ Kg8 21.Bc4++-) 19.Qf4 Rg8 20.Qf6+
(20.Nxg8 Kxg8 21.Bc4 Be6–+ White is losing a rook on a1.) 20...Rg7 21.
Nxg6+ fxg6 22.Qf8+ Rg8= This may be the best for White in the Keidanz
variation. It leads to equality, a triumph for the black player. 23.Qf6+ Rg7 24.
Qf8+ Rg8.
16...Qc1+ 17.Qd2 Qxb2 18.Qd4 Qxb5 19.Ne7 Rae8 20.Nc3 Qb2 21.Rb1
Qxc2 22.Ned5 Qxg2 23.Ne4
White seems to have formed a nice cocoon around his king.
23...c5! 24.Qxc5 f5 0-1
After 25.Nd6 Rxe5+ 26. Kd4 Qxf2+! Black wins.
Future Reading
● Handbuch des Schachspiels, 1916 edition. Well, obviously this is not

easily attainable, though for those who live in Cleveland, the library
should have it. I give a good overview in the column, but it is not
exhaustive. Independent research should be sufficient, with the help of
Fritz, to verify that other White moves are not challenging.
Practitioners
● Dr. Hermann Keidanz. He was born in 1865 in what is now Poland. He

was a Jewish Polish-German master who played throughout Europe in
the 1890s.

accessible:
The Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik Attack [B13]
In this column I take a look at the Panov-Botvinnik attack against the Caro-
Kann Defense. My notes have a lot to thank from Jacob Aagaard's lovely
book Easy Guide to the Panov-Botvinnik Attack. The line I examine actually
gets interesting in the middlegame, which may appeal to the more positionally
minded readers than the very sharp variations in my earlier columns.
Theory
The
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4
Openings
I initially played the Panov-Botvinnik attack because I thought it would get Modern Chess:
Explained Caro-Kann players into positions that they do not like. I have since learned Move by Move
that the Caro is pretty flexible and black players are comfortable in closed and by Colin Crouch
open positions, and the Panov definitely steers toward a more fluid game. I
Abby Marshall like the resulting positions, even if Caro players like them too.
4...Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nf3
This is the positional way to play. Since I have been covering a lot of tactical,
variation-heavy lines lately, I wanted to change it up and focus on strategic
positions that can be explained in words. I actually play the more tactical 6.
Bg5; however, 6.Nf3 may cause more problems for Black.
6...Bg4
ABC of the Caro-Kann

by Andrew Martin

the games from
DGT Game Viewer.
Nothing strange so far: White develops and Black attacks the center. The next
seventeen moves that follow are the main line. 6...a6!? is a suggestion made My Best Games in
by Neil McDonald on Chess Publishing to avoid the main line. After 7.Bg5 the Caro-Kann Defence
Be6 8.Be2 g6 9.Bxf6 exf6 10.0–0 Bg7 11.c5 f5 12.Qd2 Qf6 13.Rfd1 f4, by Alexei Shirov
McDonald calls the play unclear in Brynell-Speelman, Solingen 1998. It is
worth investigating.
7.cxd5
White needs to resolve the position in the center, otherwise Black will take on
f3, take on c4, and the d4-pawn will fall.
7...Nxd5 8.Qb3
White has a double threat on d5 and b7, and gets out of the pin, so the knight
on f3 is free to move.
8...Bxf3
Black takes the opportunity to double White's pawns and protects the knight
on d5 for the time being.
9.gxf3 e6
Black protects the centralized knight and also threatens to take the d4-pawn. If
Black wishes to avoid the following endgame, 9...Nb6 is a reasonable
alternative. White has the two bishops, while Black has the better pawn
structure. However, the endgame after 9...e6 is not something Black has to
necessarily fear. The winning chances are small, but Black has excellent
drawing chances.
10.Qxb7 Nxd4 11.Bb5+
White develops a piece with tempo and forces the next series of moves.
11...Nxb5 12.Qc6+!
This forces the king to an awkward square. 12...Qd7 is not possible because of
13.Qxa8.
12...Ke7 13.Qxb5 Qd7
The king on e7 makes development and king safety awkward issues for Black.
Exchanging queens would help alleviate these problems. Black appears to
gain from 13...Nxc3 14.bxc3 Qd5, as the black queen is on a better square
than d7 and White has an additional pawn island on c3. However, 15.Rb1!
Qxf3 16.Rg1 Qxc3+ 17.Bd2 Qf3 18.Bb4+ Kd8 19.Rd1+ and the open files
show that 13...Nxc3 is not really playable, although Black did not have to go
pawn munching.
14.Nxd5+
14.Qb3 Avoiding the queen trade loses too much time. 14...f6 15.Bd2 Nxc3
16.Bxc3 Kf7 17.Rd1 Qc6 18.0–0 Be7=.
14...Qxd5
14...exd5? 15.Qb4+ Ke8 16.Qd4

Black's lack of king security, the open files for White, and the weak d5-pawn
give an advantage to White.
15.Bg5+!
Aagaard says that he believes this check is the best move in the position for
three reasons:
● Black will have to weaken the second rank with 15...f6.

● another pawn is put on the bishop's color.
● the e6-square will be weakened.
15...f6 (15...Kd6 16.Rd1) 16.Qxd5 exd5 17.Be3
So what's going on? One advantage of this variation is that you get to play
seventeen moves without taking much time off your clock if you know the
theory thus far. This gives you more time to think now. When Aagaard talks
about this position, he mentions several ideas that I will discuss as I go
through the next moves. But initially, I want to elaborate on exchanges:
Knowing what pieces should be exchanged or stay on the board is important
not only in this variations, but in general.
First, if all the pieces are exchanged except for kings and pawns, White has
good winning chances because White can create an outside passed pawn on
the queenside that distracts the black king. The White king will be free to
attack Black's kingside pawns. Second, if all the rooks are exchanged, it is
very drawish. White has the initiative because of the lead in development, and
by exchanging rooks Black will alleviate the pressure. Even if Black can only
exchange one pair of rooks, it brings him closer to a draw. Third, if the
bishops are exchanged - creating a double rook endgame - evaluation depends
on the activity of the rooks and the king. White has had good results in this
ending, and the second game in this column is an example.
17...Ke6
The black king opens the diagonal for the bishop, protects the d5-pawn, and
retains the possibility of coming over the queenside. Upon 17...Kf7?! 18.0–0–
0 Rd8 19.Rd3 (19.Bxa7 Ra8) 19...Rd7 20.Rhd1 Ke6 21.a3, White restricts the
black bishop and is better.
18.0–0–0
The king is best placed on the queenside. King safety is still an issue with two
rooks and a bishop on the board, so the white king will be out of the action. It
will also protect the queenside pawns.
18...Bb4
This looks like it's putting the bishop in the middle of nowhere, but Black
develops a piece and opens the rank for the h8-rook. The a8-rook wants to
stay where it is to protect the a-pawn.
19.Kb1
The king creates room for the white rooks. 19.a3!? is also a choice, though
Black should be okay. 19...Rhc8+ 20.Kb1 Bc5 21.Rhe1 Bxe3 22.Rxe3+ Kd6
23.Rde1 Rc4! 24.Re6+ Kc5 25.Ra6 Rf4 26.Rc1+ McDonald in his notes on
ChessPublishing says that this is a critical position for the opening. It is move
twenty-six! 26...Kb5! Black is doing okay. This is an improvement over 26...
Kd4. 27.Rac6 Rc4! The white rooks were creating a net around the black
king, so Black trades off a pair of rooks. 28.R1xc4 dxc4 29.Rc7 Re8! In rook
endgames, activity is more important than material. Black cannot save his
pawns, so he counterattacks. 30.Rxa7 Re2 31.Rb7+ Kc6 32.Rb4 Kc5 33.Rb7
Rxf2 34.a4 Rxh2 35.a5 Rh1+ 36.Ka2 Re1 37.Rxg7 Kb5 38.Rxh7 Kxa5 and a
draw was agreed after ten more moves in Wahls-Brunner, Biel 1994. An
excerpt from this game is also in Aagaard's book.
19...Rhd8 20.Rd3
Rook activity and initiative are very important if White is going to have an
edge. The maxims of put your rook behind passed pawns, on the golden
seventh rank, and on open files are very true. Also White has possibilities
presented by the open queenside files and the weak d5- and a7-pawns.
20...Rd7 21.Rc1 a5!
Aagaard mentions the possibility of a5 in his book, but does not elaborate.
Now Black will not be tied down to defending the a7-pawn, and it becomes
more active. I am now following the game of Bologan-Velicka 1999. 21...
Rad8 22.a3 Bf8 23.Rc6+ Kf5 24.Rd4! This is the blockading position that
Black wants to avoid. It will be examined in the first game.
22.Rc6+ Kf5 23.Rb6 Be7 24.Rb5 Ke6 25.a4 Bb4
It is about equal here. White actually went on to lose, but that is because he
pushed too hard for a win against his lower-rated opponent.
Lessons Learned
● This is a variation where ideas matter more than individual moves.

Think about exchanges and piece placement.
● Remember 12.Qc6+ and 15.Bxg5+
Games
Lerner,Konstantin Z (2570) - Rogozenko,Dorian (2405)

Berliner Sommer 12th Berlin, 1994
1.c4 c6 2.e4 d5 3.exd5 Nf6 4.d4 cxd5 5.Nc3
The Panov-Botvinnik has been reached by transposition.
5...Nc6 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qb3 Bxf3 9.gxf3 e6 10.Qxb7 Nxd4 11.Bb5
+ Nxb5 12.Qc6+ Ke7 13.Qxb5 Qd7 14.Bg5+ f6 15.Nxd5+ Qxd5 16.Qxd5
exd5 17.Be3 Ke6 18.0–0–0 Bb4 19.Rd3 Rhd8 20.Kb1 Rd7 21.Rc1 Rad8
Black does not employ the active 21...a5! plan.
22.a3 Bf8 23.Rc6+ Kf5 24.Rd4
This is not a happy situation for Black. The d-pawn is blockaded and isolated,
and Black's pieces are passive.
24...Rb8 25.Ra4 Rbb7 26.h3
It is not necessary to rush in the endgame. Making seemingly innocent moves

lures your opponent into a false sense of security. 26.h3 could also be useful
in the future in restricting the advancement of Black's kingside pawns.
26...Bd6 27.f4
This restricts Black's bishop and king, even though it makes the pawn weaker.
27...Bb8 28.Rc5 Ke6 29.Kc2 Rd6 30.b4 Bc7 31.Kd3
White logically improves his position. Black is tied down.
31...Bb6 32.Rc1 d4
This is a mistake, but so often the defending side gets frustrated and lashes
out. Now the pawn is very weak and the black bishop is effectively dead. 32...
Kf5 This maintains the balance.
33.Bd2 Rd5 34.Ra6 Rh5 35.Rh1 Kd5 36.a4
Aagaard says this is the winning plan. Notice the bishops: Black's bishop is
killed by the d4-pawn, while White's bishop is doing a fantastic double duty
of protecting the kingside and queenside pawns.
36...Rh4 37.f3 f5 38.a5 Bc7 39.Rc1 Bd6 40.Rc4
The pawn is lost.
40...Rd7 41.Rxd4+ Ke6 42.b5 Ke7 43.Raxd6 1–0

After all the pieces are exchanged, the king and pawn ending is winning for
White. This is a textbook example of how to play an ending with a blockade.
Improve the position slowly. It is not an advantage that is necessarily
decisive, but often the defender will crack under the pressure.
Nun,Jiri (2470) - Timmer,Robert

Dortmund op, 1988
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Nf3 Bg4 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.
Qb3 Bxf3 9.gxf3 e6 10.Qxb7 Nxd4 11.Bb5+ Nxb5 12.Qc6+ Ke7 13.Qxb5
Qd7 14.Nxd5+ Qxd5 15.Bg5+ f6 16.Qxd5 exd5 17.Be3 Ke6 18.0–0–0 Bb4
19.a3
White chooses to play the text instead of 19.Kb1.
19...Rhc8+ 20.Kb1 Bc5 21.Rhe1 Bxe3 22.Rxe3+ Kd6 23.Rde1 Rc4 24.b3
I looked at 24.Re6 immediately in the theory section. Aagaard says he dislikes

24.b3 because it weakens the queenside. It is not necessarily bad however.
24...Rb8?
Black's rook came to c4 not to stay there, but to get active. The black rooks
are not doing much on b8 and c4. As I said in the theory section, evaluation of
the position depends on the activity of the rooks. 24...Rh4= The rook is active.
25.Re6+ Kc5 26.Kb2
26...a5
After 26...Rh4 27.Rc1+ Kd4 28.Rd1+ Kc5 29.b4+ Kc4 30.Rc6+ Kb5 31.Rc7,
the black king is in a perilous spot and the black pawns are beginning to look
ripe for picking.
27.Ra6 Rb5 28.Re7
Black's pieces are all crunched together. White is very active.
28...Rf4 29.Rc7+ Kd4 30.a4
The a-pawn is now won.
30...Rb8 31.Rxa5 Rxf3 32.Rb5 Rxf2+ 33.Ka3 Re8 34.h4
34...Ke4
Black wants to make room for the d-pawn to advance, but maybe it gives up
too much material. 34...Rg2 may be better. When White advances the a-pawn,
Black can play ...Rg1 and try to get behind the pawn.
35.Rxg7 d4 36.Rxh7
This is not an easy win for White. It is instructive how White converts his
advantage into a full point.
36...Rd8 37.Re7+ Kf3 38.Rf5+ Kg2 39.Rxf2+ Kxf2 40.Kb2!
The king arrives just in time to stop the pawn.
40...d3 41.Kc1 Rb8 42.h5 Rxb3 43.h6 Rb8 44.Kd2 Rh8 45.h7 f5 46.a5 f4
47.a6 f3 48.a7 Kf1 49.Rb7 f2 50.Rb8 1–0
Further Reading
● Easy Guide to the Panov-Botvinnik Attack by Jacob Aagaard. This

book, like all of Aagaard's works, is excellent.
Practitioners
● Onishchuk has played this endgame a lot at least in the past.

● Karpov had an epic fight with Kramnik in this variation at Linares
1993.
● Kamsky has also played it a few times.

accessible:
The Two Knights [C58]
The Italian Game is an opening that everyone has seen before. In fact, it
probably evokes memories from grade school. Yet, despite the youthful
connotations that it may have, the Italian Game with 4.Ng5 also provides
double-edged positions for both sides. I will be looking at it from Black's
perspective.
Theory
The
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5
Openings
Modern Chess:
Explained Move by Move
by Colin Crouch
Abby Marshall
As a Class C and B player, I played this opening from both sides of the board
all the time. My fondest memory is in third grade when I went to nationals
and played some pickup games with these fifth grade boys. I played this Two Knights Defence
against one of them and he groaned and said all the good players play this. He by Jan Pinski
went on to lose.
Play through and download 4...d5

the games from
ChessCafe.com in the This is the only way to defend f7. In the opening, this is the weakest point in
DGT Game Viewer. Black's position, because it is only defended by the king. Black also has other
very interesting tries, but these are complicated and in my opinion, not worth
it.
5.exd5
For this pawn sacrifice, Black gets a lead in development and attacking
chances. After all, White has moved a piece twice in the first four moves, Two Knights Defence (CD)
which beginners learn is taboo. by Reinhold Ripperger
5...Na5
This is very playable for both sides. Black has nothing to fear.
5...b5!? is a very interesting possibility. I dabbled in it and had very good

results. I don't think it is quite sound, but most White players are totally
stunned when they see it. A possible variation could go 6.Bxb5?! (6.Bf1 h6 7.
Nxf7 Kxf7 8.dxc6 is one of White's main lines.) 6...Qxd5 7.Bxc6+ Qxc6 8.0–
0 Bb7 Black has good play and will castle queenside.
5...Nxd5 A club level player should never ever play this because White gets
an attack so easily. 6.d4! Black is going to be in some trouble. It's just not
worth it in my opinion. (6.Nxf7 is the Fried Liver attack, as I remember it.
This move order does let Black have good chances. 6...Kxf7 7.Qf3+ Ke6 8.
Nc3 Ncb4 Full investigation is beyond the scope of this article, but Black is
better.) 6...exd4 7.0–0 Be7 8.Nxf7 Kxf7 9.Qf3+ Ke6 10.Nc3 dxc3 11.Re1+
Ne5 12.Bf4 Bf6 13.Bxe5 Bxe5 14.Rxe5+ Kxe5 15.Re1+ Kd4 16.Bxd5 Re8 17.
Qd3+ Kc5 18.b4+ Kxb4 19.Qd4+ Ka5 20.Qxc3+ Ka4 21.Qb3+ Ka5 22.Qa3+
Kb6 23.Rb1# A beautiful Morphy game.
6.Bb5+
White does not lose time.
6.d3 This looks wimpy, but at least White gets a piece out. 6...h6 7.Nf3 e4 See
how easily Black gets the initiative. 8.Qe2 Nxc4 9.dxc4 Bc5 10.h3 White
does not want the Black bishop to go to g4. (10.0–0 0–0 11.Nfd2 Bg4 12.Qe1
Qd7 13.Nb3 Bf3! 14.Bf4 Qg4 15.Bg3 Nh5 16.Nxc5 Nf4 17.Nxe4 Qh3
Now that is just awesome. Black mates next move.) 10...0–0 11.Nh2 c6 This
opens lines against the underdeveloped White position and the uncastled
White king. 12.dxc6 e3! 13.Bxe3 Bxe3 14.fxe3 Ne4
15.0–0 Castling loses the exchange, but the threats of Ng3 and Qh4 are too
much. 15...Ng3.
6...c6
Black does not want to lose time either. This ensures Black's pawn deficit, but
development and open lines are more important than material.
7.dxc6 bxc6
Black has a shattered pawn structure, but now the bishop must move to an
awkward spot and White loses time.
8.Be2
8.Ba4 is a common mistake among club players. It keeps pressure on the c6-
pawn, but that's it. 8...h6 9.Nf3 e4 10.Qe2 Bd6 11.d3 0–0 12.dxe4 Nxe4 13.0–
0 Nc5 Black develops quickly and naturally, and gains another tempo on the
bishop. 14.Bb3 Ba6=/+.
8.Qf3 White's other main choice. 8...h6 (8...Rb8 is another main move. 9.Bd3
h6 10.Ne4 Nd5 11.b3 Black is looking a little tangled.) 9.Ne4 Nd5 When
behind material and up on time, do not exchange pieces! 10.Nbc3 White
develops a piece instead of wasting even more time moving the bishop again.
10...cxb5 11.Nxd5
11...Bb7 12.Ne3 Qd7 13.0–0 Nc6 14.d3 0–0–0 It's double-edged. Opposite-
side castling, two bishops, and unequal material: all these imbalances ensure a
dynamic position. This position will be examined in the first illustrative game.
8...h6 9.Nf3
9.Nh3 is a weird-looking move, but with a point. Black cannot play ...e4 with
tempo. 9...Bd6 Black definitely does not want to trade the light-squared
bishop for the h3-knight. True, the exchange would wreak White's kingside
pawns, but the bishop is too strong to leave the board for the knight on the
rim. (9...Bc5 is the other main move. I like the text because it more directly
targets the kingside, specifically the h2-pawn, which is consistent with Black's
plan: a kingside attack.) 10.d3 0–0 11.Nc3 Nd5 Black offers the exchange of
knights in this case because, if White does trade, Black's center will be vastly
strengthened. Now the path for the f-pawn is clear. 12.Bd2 (12.Ne4 Bc7 13.c4
White now tries to control the action. 13...Ne7 14.0–0 f5 15.Nc3 g5 16.Kh1
Ng6 17.b4 Nb7 unclear Weird position, but Black at least looks intimidating.)
12...Rb8 13.b3 Nb7 Don't forget about this soldier. Another plus of playing 6...
c6 and 7...bxc6 is the knight has a route back to the center. 14.Ng1 White
follows suit and reroutes his misplaced piece. 14...f5 15.Nf3 Qe7 16.d4 e4 17.
Ne5 White gives the pawn back to open up more space for his pieces.
Otherwise, Black has more space and all the play. 17...Bxe5 18.dxe5 Qxe5 19.
Nxd5 cxd5 20.Be3 f4 21.Bd4 Qe7 Again, Black has the initiative.
9...e4
Keep up the initiative!
10.Ne5 Bd6
One thing about the 4.Ng5 line is that although White is a solid pawn ahead,
Black's moves are obvious. I always loved seeing this variation as Black.
10...Bc5 is more adventurous, but not as reliable as the text.
11.d4
White's main move. It opens the diagonal for the c1–bishop and gets some
center play going.
11.f4 is a macho-looking pawn thrust, but it does nothing to further develop.

11...exf3 12.Nxf3 0–0 13.d4 (13.0–0 c5 Black attempts to influence the center
and open more lines. 14.Nc3 Bb7 15.Qe1 It's standard to play this queen
maneuver with an open f-file. 15...Nc6 16.Qh4 Nd4
Black places a piece in the center and opens up the b7-bishop. 17.Bd1 Rb8 18.
Nxd4 cxd4 19.Ne2 d3! Black gives up a second pawn to cripple White's
center and gain more open lines. 20.cxd3 Qb6+ 21.Kh1 Qc6 White is up two
pawns, but White's position is a hot mess.) 13...Qc7 14.0–0 c5 The point of
13...Qc7 was to play this and not have to trade queens if White took on c5. 15.
Nc3 a6 16.d5 White shuts down the open files and gains a little space.
However, this pawn is a target. 16...Bb7 17.Kh1 Rad8 18.Be3 Rfe8 19.Qd2
This allows Black to win back the pawn, but retreating the bishop would let
Black have complete command of the center files and a fantastic position. 19...
Nxd5=/+ 20.Nxd5 Bxd5 White has traded off one set of pieces, alleviating
some pressure, but Black is much better.
11...exd3
In either case of 11.f4 or 11.d4, Black should take en passant. More lines are
opened and the white knight has to leave the center.
12.Nxd3 Qc7
Black prevents White from castling and gets off the open file. A rook will be
better placed on d8.
13.b3
White remains flexible.
13.h3 White prepares to castle and takes away a square for the Black pieces
on g4. 13...0–0 14.0–0 c5 This pawn move is a reoccurring theme and good to
remember. 15.Nc3 Rb8 16.Bf3 Be6 After White takes control of the diagonal,
Black changes plans for the light-squared bishop. 17.b3 White's c1–bishop
was tied to defending the pawn. White is becoming a little loose. It's time for
Black to do something. 17...c4 18.bxc4 (18.Nb2 Be5 19.Ne4 Nd5 White's
pawn structure remains nice and pretty, but his pieces are sloppy. Black has
better coordination.) 18...Nxc4 19.Rb1 Qa5=/+.
13.f4 is examined in the second illustrative game.
13...0–0 14.Bb2 Ne4
Knights are best when in the center.
15.Nc3 f5 16.h3
16.f4 The knight on e4 is now immovable. 16...Ba6 (16...Bxf4? Do not focus
on material equality. 17.Nxf4 Qxf4 18.Qd4
Material equilibrium is re-established, but now White has the initiative. The
Black knights as well are terrible: they are either pinned or on the rim.) 17.0–
0 Rad8 Emms, in Play the Open Games as Black, says that Black's activity is
enough for the pawn.
16...Ba6
The next few moves are straightforward.
17.0–0 Rad8 18.Qe1 c5 19.Kh1 Bb7
This is very dynamic and unclear. Black is the aggressor and only has to come
up with attacking ideas, as White hangs tight and waits for that extra pawn
plus to kick in. I believe it's a dynamic, equal game, but easier for Black to
play.
Lessons Learned
1. This is a classic introduction to imbalances: White's material advantage

versus Black's lead in development and space. This determines the play
for both sides.
2. ...c5 for Black is a very thematic idea.
3. Keep up the initiative and look for forcing moves.
Games
Van der Wiel, John (2570) – Spassky, Boris (2620)

Reggio Emilia, 1986
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.
Qf3 h6 9.Ne4 Nd5 10.Nbc3 cxb5 11.Nxd5 Bb7 12.Ne3 Qd7 13.0–0 Nc6 14.
d3 0–0–0
This is complex. White has an extra pawn and chances against Black's
exposed kingside; Black has the two bishops and kingside pawn-storm
potential.
15.c3
White takes away the d4-square from the black knight.
15...g6
Black mirrors White's intentions. The f5-square is off limits to the white
pieces and Black prepares a pawn storm.
15...Qxd3 16.Rd1
Oops. The queen is leaving the board next move.
16.a4 b4
This keeps the lines closed around the king. When faced with a pawn storm,
it's almost always correct to push the pawn if it is attacked.
17.Nf6
This is the beginning of a misplaced plan is my opinion. White organizes his

strategy around the d5-square, abandoning the plan of brutalizing the black
king. Not good for White.
17.a5 is better. 17...f5 18.a6 Ba8 19.Nd2 Bg7 This is an interesting chess
fight. Black will hope that the pawn-storm will counterbalance the his loose
king. Dynamically equal. 20.Ndc4 Rhe8 21.Rd1 f4 22.Nc2 g5 unclear.
17...Qe6 18.Nfd5
This lets the f-pawn move forward, but the knight cannot stay anyway.
18.Nc4 Nd4 19.Qg4 Nf5 20.Ne4 Rxd3-/+.
18...f5 19.c4
White puts positional concerns above an attack. The d5-square is now

clamped down. However, White has problems finding ways to attack the
black king.
19...Nd4 20.Qh3?!
The queen's purpose here is to pin the f-pawn, but it is misplaced. It needs to
be near the center or the Black queenside; on the kingside, it will be attacked
by the Black pawns.
20.Qd1 It's too bad for White to have to retreat like this, but the queen
remains centralized (sort of). 20...f4 21.Nc2 Nb3 22.Rb1 Bxd5 23.cxd5 Qxd5
24.Qg4+ Kb7 25.Qxg6 Qxd3 26.Qxd3 Rxd3 White is unhappy here too, but at
least some pieces have come off.
20...g5 21.Re1
21.b3!? The pawn is free, yes, but the white bishop gets out, and taking the
pawn would open lines around the black king. 21...g4 22.Qh5 Rg8 23.Bb2
Nxb3 24.Rad1 f4 Actually, Black is still crushing. The white queen is just
messing everything up.
21...Rg8 22.Qh5 g4 23.Nf1
White is becoming less coordinated. This also loses the exchange.
23.Bd2 Rg5! (23...f4 is a fascinating variation. Black is taking things left and
right as White desperately tries to prove something. 24.Nc2 Really? It has a
point... 24...Nxc2 25.Rxe5 Qg6 26.Qxg6 Rxg6 27.Rc1 Bxd5 28.cxd5 b3 29.
Bxf4 Bg7 Black ends up on top.) 24.Qh4 f4 Black is winning.
23...Nc2 24.Bf4
24...Nxa1 25.Rxe5
White goes for broke, throwing everything at Black.
25...Qg6 26.Re7 Rd7 27.Re8+ Rd8 28.Re7 Rxd5
This simplifying tactic makes it easy for Black to consolidate his extra
material. Remember, Black was up a rook!
29.Rc7+ Kd8 30.Qh4+ Ke8 31.cxd5 Rg7
Black is safe and up a piece.
32.Ne3 Nb3 33.h3 Nd4

The knight quickly re-enters the game.
34.Kf1 Rxc7 35.Bxc7 Be7 36.Qg3 f4! 37.Qxg4
37.Qxf4 Qxd3+ 38.Kg1 Ne2+.
37...Qxd3+ 38.Kg1 fxe3 0–1
Showalter, Jackson Whipps – Chigorin, Mikhail

New York Congress (30), 1889
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Ng5 d5 5.exd5 Na5 6.Bb5+ c6 7.dxc6 bxc6 8.
Be2 h6 9.Nf3 e4 10.Ne5 Qc7 11.d4 exd3 12.Nxd3 Bd6 13.f4
I looked at 13.h3 and 13.b3 in the theory section. This is another idea. I don't
think it is a very good one, because it blocks the c1–bishop and weakens the
kingside dark squares.
13...0–0 14.0–0 Bf5 15.Nc3 Rad8 16.Qe1
All this is normal development schemes so far.
16.Kh1 Rfe8 17.Re1 a6 18.b3 c5 19.Bf3 is boring, albeit more solid, White
development. It's equal. 19...c4= 20.bxc4 Nxc4.
16...Rfe8 17.Qg3 Nc4 18.b3?!
The white bishop was tied down to defending the b-pawn. If White has to do
this, it is unfortunate. The White queenside becomes loose, and White's
position begins to unravel.
18.Nf2 is an interesting idea. 18...Nb6 19.Bd3 Bxd3 20.Nxd3 Nbd5=.
18...Nd5
Black centralizes the knight. The tactics work for Black because of the perfect
activity of the black pieces.
18...Qa5 19.bxc4 Qxc3 20.Bb2 Ne4 21.Bxc3 Nxg3 22.hxg3 Rxe2-/+ is almost
forced. Black is still down a pawn with the queens and a set of minor pieces
off, but Black will pick off the weak white pawns. The two bishops also
dominate.
19.Nxd5
Forced.
19...cxd5 20.Bg4
This allows a strong tactical sequence.
20.Qf3 Keeping it together, though 20...Na3 21.Bxa3 Bxa3 Black has the two
bishops and the dark squares.
20...Bxd3 21.Qxd3 Ne3! 22.Bxe3 Rxe3
23.Qd2?
23.Qf5 White has to protect the f-pawn. 23...g6 24.Qf6 Re4 25.Rae1 Rxf4 26.
Rxf4 Bxf4 unclear. So White loses the pawn anyway, but a pair of rooks have
been traded and White has play.
23...Bxf4 24.Qf2
This loses another pawn, but the alternatives are not rosy.
24.h3 The dark squares are looking worse and worse, but at least the pawn is
not lost. 24...Bg5 25.Qf2 Rc3 Black is winning
24...Bxh2+
Black wins another pawn with tempo and has a crushing advantage.
25.Kh1 d4 26.Rad1 Bg3 27.Qd2 Qe7 28.Bh3 Bc7
The bishop comes back to open the diagonal for the queen to go to d6/e5.
29.Qf2 Rd5!
Including all the pieces in the attack.
30.Rd3 Rh5 31.Kg1

31.Rfd1 Qe5 32.Kg1 Qh2+ 33.Kf1 Qh1+ 34.Qg1 Rexh3 35.Rxh3 Rxh3 36.
gxh3 Qf3+
Black wins.
31...Bg3 32.Qd2 Re2 33.Qd1 Bc7
Black's pieces are now on their best squares.
34.Rdf3 Qe5 35.Rf4 Qe3+
35...Rxh3 is flashier and faster. 36.gxh3 Qg5+ 37.Rg4 Qe3+ 38.Kh1 Rh2#.
36.R4f2 Rxf2 37.Rxf2 Bg3 38.Qe2 Bxf2+ 39.Qxf2 Qxf2+ 40.Kxf2 Rc5 0–1
Further Reading
● Play the Open Games as Black by John Emm is a great resource for 1...
e5 players and provides a complete black repertoire against everything
except the Ruy Lopez.
Practitioners
● Young Kids: everyone played this at my elementary school. I do

recommend this opening for both sides. This was my first experience
into the open games and the dynamism and tactics are good for
developing players.
● Kasparov. It's true! He actually played this as white. It's hard to find
famous players who play this as black, since it is more of a reaction to
White's choice of 4.Ng5, which is a move without a lot of innovative
responses.
● Morozevich has also played the white side of this opening. He is
known as a very inventive, imaginative player.

accessible:
The Two Knights [C55]
The focus of this column is on tactical play, which I know I've done a lot of
lately, so next month will be something positional. But for now, I am
examining the Max Lange Attack from the white point of view. My choice of
reference is Chris Baker's A Startling Chess Opening Repertoire. I remember
buying it a long time ago for the attractive yellow book jacket, and in this
case, you can tell a book by its cover. It's great, offering offbeat lines, usually
gambits, for White in e-pawn openings. What I like about Baker's book is that
The he often shows complete games rather than a fragment followed by the
perfunctory "White is slightly better."
Openings
Theory Two Knight's Defence
Explained by Lawrence Trent
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6
Abby Marshall This is the wonderfully important opening called the Two Knights Defense to
the Italian Game. I love it as black, even if White has fun variations as well.
4.d4
Two Knights Defence (CD)

by Reinhold Ripperger

the games from
DGT Game Viewer. This is the Scotch Gambit, another important opening that all players should
be familiar with as white or black. It leads to open games with plenty of
tactics and piece play, which is the quickest way to learn when you are below
master-strength.
4...exd4
Gambiteer I
This makes the most sense. Black loses no time defending the e-pawn, and by Nigel Davies
exchanges a center pawn for a center pawn
5.0–0
White is temporarily down a pawn, with a second one hanging. For this,
White gets rapid development. It is a classic imbalance of material vs. time.
5.e5 d5 Often, a premature e5 allows Black to respond strongly with ...d5.

Black opens the line for the c8-bishop, gains central space, and will get a
bishop for a knight if White takes on f6.
5...Bc5
Black courageously hangs on to the pawn while developing another piece.

This move does have the drawback of no longer defending the g7-pawn,
unlike the previous variation (4.e5 d5) where Black was easily doing well.
This move requires preparation, but comes with good rewards if White does
not know what to do.
5...Nxe4 This is my personal choice. The problem is that it can often lead to
drawish positions. For example, 6.Re1 d5 7.Bxd5 Qxd5 8.Nc3
It is taboo to take the knight. 8...Qh5 (8...Qa5 This is a better try for Black to
spice up the play. It leads to equality. By inertia I am still playing 8...Qh5, but
this leaves less prospects for interesting play.) 9.Nxe4 Be6 10.Bg5 Bd6!? 11.
Nxd6+ cxd6 12.Bf4 Qd5 13.c3 0–0 14.Nxd4 Nxd4 15.Qxd4 Qxd4 16.cxd4 d5
Draw? This position is actually close to my heart. In the third round of the
2006 Virginia Closed State Championship, two girls were on Board One. This
was not the girl's states or the high school states, but the state championship:
open to anyone in Virginia. Having two girls play each other on the top board
was huge. I was black and Ettie Nikolova was white, and we reached this
position after fifteen minutes. Maybe this was the best result for both of us,
but not the most inspiring for such a great moment for women's chess.
6.e5
White gains time and space with this pawn thrust. Here it is strong, because
after taking the black knight, White is also threatening the g7-pawn, which the
c5-bishop had previously protected.
6...d5!
This is logical, as well as the best move. Black strikes back in the center and
wastes no time moving the knight.
6...Ng4 The knight moves away from the center and wastes a tempo. 7.Bf4 0–
0 (7...d6 Black immediately attacks the encroaching pawn, but this opens lines
with an ncastled king, not a wise decision. 8.exd6 Bxd6 9.Re1+ Kf8 10.Bxd6
+ Qxd6 11.c3! Qc5 12.Nxd4! White continues to open lines against the
vulnerable black king. 12...Qxc4 13.Nxc6 Bf5 14.Nd4
Black's abominable king is unsafe and obstructs the development of the h-

rook. Black's pieces are also all over the place. White is close to completing
development after developing the b-knight. White stands better.) 8.h3 Nh6 9.
Bxh6 gxh6 10.c3 White challenges the Black d-pawn. Black will now be able
to be a solid pawn up, but his kingside is wrecked and his c8-bishop remains
behind the lines. 10...d5 11.Bb3 Taking en passant would be a mistake. White
should keep the e-pawn, which is securing a potential outpost on f6 for the
white king and also stifles Black's position because it is advanced into Black's
territory. 11...dxc3 (11...Bf5 is better. This would exchange more pieces and
keeps lines closed, but the position still favors White. 12.Nxd4+/=) 12.Nxc3
d4 13.Nd5+/- Be7? 14.Qd3! White is almost forcing mate with the maneuver
Qd3-Bc2. 14...Kg7 Only defense. 15.Rad1+- Bring all the pieces into the
attack, and win one pawn back. Black is losing.
6...Ne4 Although the knight is in the center, it is so exposed and easy to attack
that Black is probably almost busted. 7.Bd5 This is what Morphy played in a
pretty game. (7.Re1 However, isn't this just winning? 7...d5 8.exd6 f5 9.Nbd2
+-) 7...f5 8.exf6 Nxf6 9.Bg5 Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.Re1+ Ne7 12.Ne5 Bxe5 13.
Qh5+ g6 14.Qxe5 Rf8 15.Nd2 c6 16.Nc4 d6 17.Nxd6+ Kd7 18.Be6+ Kc7 19.
Nxc8+ Qd6 20.Qxd6# Baker says this was an old game of Morphy's. I believe
it.
7.exf6
7...dxc4 8.Re1+
8.fxg7 This is not the best here. White should remain flexible. 8...Rg8 9.Re1+
Be6 10.Ng5 Qd5 11.Qg4 White piles pressure on the e6-bishop. 11...0–0–0 12.
Nxe6 fxe6 13.Rxe6 Rxg7 14.Rg6+ Rgd7 White does better to delay the
capture of the g-pawn until an opportune moment.
8...Be6
This is the most natural. Black develops a piece and retains castling rights.
8...Kf8 This looks dreadful, but at least defends the g7-pawn. 9.Bg5 White
develops a piece and basically forces Black to open more lines. 9...gxf6 (9...
Qd7 10.Bh6! gxh6 11.Qd2! This is a good example of exploiting weak color
complexes. 11...Be7 Black has to block the e-file to survive. 12.Qxh6+ Ke8
13.Qg7 Rf8 14.fxe7 Nxe7 15.Ng5+- The whole kitchen sink comes at Black
to tragic effect for the second player.) 10.Bh6+ Kg8 11.Nc3 Bf8 (11...Bf5
Black develops with the hope of blocking the g-file with a bishop on g6.
However, it leaves the h6-bishop unopposed, which is threatens the safety of
the black king. 12.Ne4 Bf8 13.Qd2 Bg6 (13...Bxh6 This allows the queen to
get dangerously close to the weak king. 14.Qxh6 Bxe4 15.Rxe4 f5 16.Rf4
Qd5 17.Nh4 Ne7 18.Nxf5!+-) 14.Bxf8 Kxf8 15.Qh6+ Kg8 16.Nh4
White wins.) 12.Bxf8 (12.Nxd4? This attempt at cleverness backfires for

White. 12...Nxd4 13.Qxd4 Qxd4 14.Re8 Qd6 15.Ne4 Bf5! 16.Nxd6 Rxe8 17.
Nxe8 Bxh6-+ White has either miscalculated or is bad at counting.) 12...Kxf8
13.Ne4 f5 14.Ng3 This position is complicated. Baker says that Black's
trumps are the two extra pawns, while White has the better pawn structure, a
lead in development, and good attacking chances. Mr. Materialistic Fritz likes
Black - surprise, surprise - but not by much. Black could very easily lose
unless White flounders around. I would practice this position with friends
(though not with the computer because it is unrealistic competition and
obviously an inhumanely expert defender).
9.Ng5
White keeps up the pressure. This is one of the key positions of the Max
Lange Attack. Black has five - fortunately short - alternatives.
9...Qd5
Again, logical and strong. Black prepares to castle long and puts the queen in
the center.
9...Qxf6 Natural, but it loses. 10.Nxe6 fxe6 11.Qh5+.
9...Qd6 10.Nxe6 fxe6 11.fxg7 Rg8 12.Qh5+ 9...Qd6 fails to defend the h5
square, unlike Qd5. 12...Kd7 13.Nd2! Nice! A quiet move that develops a
piece and attacks a pawn. 13...Qe7 14.Ne4 Bb4 15.Bg5+-.
9...Bb6 Black gets the bishop out of any tricks with the Qh5 double attack. 10.
Nxe6 fxe6 11.Qg4 Black is completely exposed.
9...0–0 Terrible, but a natural forget-everything-and-get-castled reaction. 10.

fxg7 Re8 (10...Kxg7 11.Rxe6! h6 12.Rxh6 Kxh6 13.Nxf7+) 11.Qh5 Kxg7 12.
Qxh7+ Kf8 13.Rxe6 Absolutely disgusting.
9...g6 This is the only other conceivable alternative. 10.Qf3 Qd7? (10...0–0
This is better. Black is still having some problems. 11.Rxe6 fxe6 12.f7+ Kh8
13.Nxe6 unlcear The weak dark squares are a common occurrence in this
line.) 11.Rxe6+! fxe6 12.f7+ Ke7 13.Ne4 Qd5 14.Bg5+ Kf8 15.Qf6+-.
10.Nc3
The knight is untouchable.

10...Qf5
Black keeps the queen active and centralized.
11.Nce4
Develops into the center and prevents the queen from taking the f6-pawn.
11...0–0–0!
Black finally achieves king safety and activates the a8-rook. White still has
dangerously poised pieces however. There are many alternatives to this move,
but White is winning in most of the lines, so it's fun to learn them.
11...0–0 Black castles the wrong way. 12.fxg7 Rfe8 13.g4 Qe5 14.Nxh7.
11...gxf6 12.g4 Qe5 13.Nf3 Bxg4 14.Nxf6+ Kf8 15.Rxe5 Nxe5 16.Bh6+ Ke7
17.Qe2 White won the queen.
11...Bb4 The queen had the task of defending the c5-bishop because the white
knight was attacking it. This move takes the burden off of the queen. 12.c3
dxc3 13.bxc3 Ba5 14.g4 Qg6 15.Nxe6 fxe6 16.f7+ Kxf7 17.Ng5+ Kg8 18.
Rxe6 Qd3 19.Qe1+/= Rf8? 20.Re8 (20.Rxc6 This would have immediately
won.) 20...Qd7 21.Rxf8+ Kxf8 22.Ba3+ Ne7 23.Rd1 Qxg4+ 24.Kf1!! Qxg5
25.Rd5! If the king had gone to h1, this finesse would have failed because the
queen would take the rook with check. 25...Qh4 26.Rh5 Qf6 (26...Bxc3 This
would have saved Black and left the position murky.) 27.Rf5
This variation illustrates the importance of being very precise.
11...Bb6 12.fxg7 Rg8 13.g4 Qg6 14.Nxe6 fxe6 15.Bg5 Rxg7 16.Qf3 Black
has resolved the f6-g7 pawn tension as White garners force against the black
king. 16...Rf7 (16...Kd7 17.Nf6+ Kc8 18.Rxe6! Qxg5 19.Rxc6 Qe5 (19...bxc6
20.Qxc6 Kb8 21.Re1+-) 20.Rxc4 Like a lot of these positions, it's a little bit
crazy, but I like White, who has the extra material.) 17.Nf6+ Rxf6 18.Bxf6
Kd7 19.g5 Re8 20.Qe2 Nb4 21.Red1+/- White is up the exchange and the
pawns are equal, however bizarre their structure may be. This ensures White's
advantage.
11...Bf8 12.Nxf7! Kxf7 (12...Bxf7 13.Nd6+) 13.Ng5+ Kg8 (13...Kg6 14.Nxe6

gxf6 15.g4 Qa5 16.Bd2 c3 17.bxc3 dxc3 18.Bf4 Bd6 19.Qd3+ Kf7 20.Nxc7
+-) 14.g4 Qg6 (14...Qxg4+ 15.Qxg4 Bxg4 16.f7#; 14...Qxf6 15.Rxe6 Qd8 16.
Qf3 Qd7 17.Re7! Pretty.) 15.fxg7 Bd5
Why not give up the rook, which is doing nothing on h8, and preserve the
strong bishop. 16.gxh8Q+ Kxh8 17.Bf4 Bc5 18.Be5+ Kg8 19.Nh3 d3 20.cxd3
cxd3 21.Nf4 Qf7 22.Qxd3 Rd8 23.Qf5+- That was quite a lengthy set of
variations. It's not necessary to memorize everything. Make sure to be aware
of the tactics and ideas.
12.g4!
The white king is now definitely looser, but this ugly looking pawn push is
disruptive to Black.
12...Qe5
12...Qd5 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.fxg7 Rhg8 15.Nf6 Qd6 16.Nxg8 Rxg8 17.Bh6 d3
18.Qf3 Nd4 19.Qf7+-.
13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.fxg7 Rhg8 15.Bh6 d3!
Black opens lines and sticks an annoying pawn down White's throat. A pawn
on the opponent's third rank is said to be as strong as a piece.
16.c3
It may look scary to give Black a protected passer on the third rank, but 16.c3
does shut down any open lines for Black. This is the second key position from
the opening. Black has four choices.
16...d2!
Black insists on opening up avenues to make his or her pieces more active.
16...Bb6 17.Qf3 Qd5 18.Qg2 Ne5 19.Nf6 Nf3+ 20.Kf1 Nxe1 21.Qxd5 exd5
22.Rxe1 d2 23.Rd1 d4 24.Nxg8 Rxg8 25.Rxd2 d3 26.Rd1 Bc5 27.Re1 Kd7
28.Re4 b5 29.Rf4 Ke8 30.Rf5+- Of course, a pawn on the opponent's second
is also very dangerous because it is so close to queening.
16...Be7 17.f4! Qd5 18.Qd2 Rd7 19.Re3 Nd8 20.b3 Nf7 21.bxc4 Qa5 22.Rh3
Nxh6 23.Rxh6 Rxg7 24.h3 Baker likes White. I'm not so sure, but I don't
think White is worse. It's balanced.
16...Bd6 17.f4! Qd5 18.Qf3 Be7 19.Kg2 This is unclear with chances for both
sides.
17.Re2
This is forced.
17.Nxd2 Bxf2+ 18.Kxf2 Qxh2+; 17.Bxd2 Rxg7.
17...Rd3 18.Nxc5
18.Qf1 is the other main continuation. It leads to an approximately equal

game. Keep in mind that equal by no means is equatable with a draw. Maybe
balanced is a better word to describe the position.
18...Qxc5 19.Rxd2 Ne5 20.Rxd3 cxd3 21.h3 unclear
The funny thing is that although the position looks complicated, it often
quickly turns to an advantage to one side or the other. I chose three games to
illustrate the strength of White's position as well as the danger.
Lessons Learned
1. Tactical sense is crucial to playing this system. Although there are

many variations, the lines are easy to memorize because they are
tactical and interesting.
2. Piece play comes before material. Don't be afraid of holding back, as in
the case of delaying capturing on g7.
3. In balanced positions, the winning result will come from the player
who is better prepared. Practice these positions.
Games
Nystrom, Leif – Marshall, Frank

Helsinki op (2), 1990
The Frank Marshall in this game is not the American grandmaster.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.0–0 Bc5 6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4 8.Re1
+ Be6 9.Ng5 Qd5 10.Nc3 Qf5 11.Nce4 0–0–0 12.g4 Qe5 13.fxg7 Rhg8 14.
Nxe6 fxe6 15.Bh6 d3 16.c3 d2 17.Re2 Rd3 18.Nxc5 Qxc5 19.Rxd2 Ne5 20.
Rxd3 cxd3
So here we are, at the start of where I left off in the theory section. I'm
showing this game as a cautionary tale for white players. It's important to
realize that the situation from the opening is reversed: White is no longer
sacrificing material and gunning for the black king. White's advantage lies in
the endgame. After all, White is up a pawn. The danger for White lies in the
middlegame because of the exposed king.
21.Kg2
I don't like this move, as it allows Black to centralize the queen with tempo
and the white king feels a bit too exposed. I prefer 21.h3.
21...Qd5+ 22.Kg3 Nf7
Black has to recapture the g-pawn or else his rook is tied down.
23.Be3
This is not terrible, but White is on the wrong track. Trading pieces favors
White, and White should try to hold on to the g-pawn, which is tying down
Black's rook.
23.Qd2 is my preference. 23...e5 24.h3 Qd6 25.g5 Trapping the bishop makes
me a little nervous, but on the other hand Black is threatened by back-rank
problems because of the g-pawn.
23...Rxg7 24.Qa4?!
This is another move that I dislike. White should work on defending the
kingside and trading into an endgame. White's job is not to play aggressor.
Don't steal roles.
24...Nd6 25.f3
White reinforces protection of the g-pawn and stops the black pieces from
going to e4, but Black has a strong reply. Unfortunately, Black's position is
too strong at this point to offer any alternatives. 25...a6?!
25...h5! looks winning and obvious. 26.g5 Rf7 27.f4 e5 28.Rf1 h4+ White is
losing, badly. 29.Kg4 Qe6+ 30.Kxh4 Rh7+ Mate in four.
26.Rf1 d2
Black missed a chance to gain a decisive advantage last move, but follows up
strongly as White is now the one tied down by an enemy pawn on the seventh.
27.Rd1 Rf7
28.Bf4
This loses immediately, but the alternatives offer little respite.
28.f4 e5 29.f5 c6 This frees Blacks knight once the threat of Qe8 is
extinguished. 30.Qb3 Nxf5+! 31.gxf5 Rg7+ 32.Kh4 Qe4+ 33.Kh5 Qxf5+ 34.
Kh6 Qg6#.
28...e5 29.Bxd2 Qxf3+ 30.Kh4 Qf2+ 31.Kg5 Rg7+ 32.Kh6 Rg6+ 0–1
White gave up in light of checkmate in a couple more moves. White players

take note: be able to adapt to the position. Tactics and king hunts may still be
flying around your head, but the win is found in the endgame.
Brudnova, Jana - Comp Fritz 2

Klatovy op-B, 1994
1.e4
The players in these first two games are not the strongest. However, by
looking at games of non-GMs we can recognize our own mistakes and learn
how to correct them.
1...e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Bc4 Nf6 5.0–0 Bc5 6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4 8.Re1+
Be6 9.Ng5 Qd5 10.Nc3 Qf5 11.Nce4 0–0–0 12.g4 Qe5 13.Nxe6 fxe6 14.fxg7
Rhg8 15.Bh6 d3 16.c3 d2 17.Re2 Rd3 18.Nxc5 Qxc5 19.Rxd2 Ne5 20.Rxd3
cxd3 21.h3
This is the move I recommend. We're back to the fun and games now. In this
game, White wins mainly by neutralizing Black's counterplay.
21...Qd5 22.f4!?
This is interesting. It does limit the range of the bishop, but it also kicks the
black knight out of the active central square and creates more space for White.
22.Kh2 This keeps the equilibrium. 22...Nf7 23.Qd2 Nxh6 24.Qxh6 Qe5+ 25.
f4 Qe2+? (25...Qe3 This is equal.) 26.Kg3 d2 27.Kh4!
The king can now escape the checks. White wins.
22...Nf3+?
This doesn't make much sense to me. Black drives the white king to a better
square, wastes time, and puts the knight in a weird spot.
22...Nf7 This directly challenges White's idea by targeting the weakness it

created: White's bishop has no space to move. 23.g5 Nd6 (23...Qe4 This leads
to equality. 24.Qd2 Nxh6 25.gxh6 Qg6+ 26.Kh2 Qxh6 27.Rg1 Rxg7 28.Rxg7
Qxg7 29.Qxd3 A draw offer would not be misplaced.) 24.Qf1 c5 25.Rd1 c4
26.b3 b5 27.Qf2 Ne4 28.Qxa7 Nxc3 Both sides have attacking chances, and
White has at least a perpetual … probably. I would prefer White, but it's up
for grabs who is better.
23.Kf2 Nh4 24.Qh1
24.Kg3 is stronger. 24...Ng6 25.Qf3 Qxf3+ 26.Kxf3 c5 27.c4+- Black will

lose the d-pawn with zero compensation. The g7-pawn remains a thorn in the
Black position. White wins.
24...Qc5+ 25.Kg3 Ng6 26.Qe4 Qd6 27.Rd1 Qe7
28.g5
Why allow counterplay?
28...e5
Black tries to create some play instead of dying a slow, sure death.
29.fxe5 Nxe5 30.Qxh7
Although White looks loose and the king is wide open, White has enough
protection from his pieces. Black has hardly any pieces to attack with, so
White is quite safe.
30...Qf7
This should have lost immediately.
31.Qe4
31.Rf1!
31...Rxg7 32.Bxg7 Qxf1 33.Qg8+ Kd7 34.Qd5+ Ke7 35.Qxe5++-.
31...Re8 32.Qf4 Qg6 33.Re1 d2 34.Qxd2
The rest of the game is fairly straightforward. In this game, Black did not
create any play against the white king, so White consolidated and easily won.
34...Qf5 35.Qe3 Qg6 36.Qe4 Qf7 37.g6 Qxa2 38.Qf5+ 1–0
White is up something like plus a bazillion according to Fritz. The knight will
fall and the pawns will queen shortly.
Marshall, Frank – Capablanca, Jose

07.10.1910
I mainly threw in this game for fun. There's been some speculation about my
relation to Frank Marshall; to clear the record, I am not in any way related to
the famous American player.
1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bc4 Bc5 5.0–0 Nf6 6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4 8.Re1
+ Be6 9.Ng5 Qd5 10.Nc3 Qf5 11.Nce4 0–0–0 12.Nxe6
Marshall played this first instead of 12.g4, but it transposes.
12...fxe6 13.g4 Qe5 14.fxg7 Rhg8 15.Bh6 d3 16.c3 Be7 17.Qf3
Baker mentions that he thinks 17.f4 is even better. The advantage of moving
the f-pawn is that it gains space and shoves the queen off e5.
17...Qd5 18.Rad1 b5?!
This is a bit bizarre. Why is Black weakening his king position? The c4-pawn
is well protected.
18...Ne5 19.Qf4 Bd6 20.Re3 Qb5 21.Nd2 It's dynamically equal and tense.
Black would do better to focus on piece play rather than pawn moves.
19.g5 Ne5 20.Qf4 Rd7 21.Re3

White lifts the rook to provide some protection to the king, retains the
possibility of swinging over to help the g-pawn, and doubles on the e-file.
21...a5 22.Rde1 b4?
It's as though Capablanca was sleeping through this game.
23.Nd2
This quiet retreat is almost decisive.
23...Bxg5?
Now Black is simply down a piece with a sliver of a chance at an attack.

White is winning.
23...Ng6 24.Qg4 e5 25.Nxc4 Bc5 26.Re4 bxc3 27.bxc3+/-.
24.Qxg5 Nf7 25.Qh4
White declines to trade queens even with the piece plus. The queen creates
more threats than Black can handle.
25...Nd6 26.Qf6
26...Nf5 27.Re5
27.Qf8+ This is not a threat yet. 27...Rd8.
27...Qb7 28.Rxf5 exf5 29.Qxf5
This is easiest. It's a typical pattern to give back some material to simplify the
position.
29...Qd5 30.Re5 Qf7 31.Qxf7 Rxf7 32.Rxa5
The win is simple.
32...Kb7 33.cxb4 Rf6 34.Rb5+ Ka7 35.Rh5 Rg6+ 36.Kf1 Rb8 37.a3 Rg8
38.Be3+ 1–0
Having two pieces for a rook is already a material advantage, and White will
also be picking up Black's pawns and win with the queenside passers.
Further Reading
A Startling Chess Opening Repertoire by Chris Baker. For any player looking
for a repertoire book for white with lots of gambits, this book is golden.
Practitioners
Top players usually don't play this opening; if both players are well-prepared,
the game can quickly fizzle out to a draw. Of course, most of us aren't playing
Anand or Kramnik, so the Max Lange is great. Frank Marshall played the
Max Lange on a few occasions. He was a grandmaster in the early twentieth
century and a great American player.


accessible:
The Scotch Four Knights [C47]
The topic this month is the Belgrade Gambit in the Scotch Four Knights;
specifically, what Black should do against the Belgrade. I'm using Play the
Open Games as Black by John Emms, which is excellent for anyone who
plays 1...e5 against 1.e4, which should be most players under 2000 in my
opinion. Of course there are many other good openings against 1.e4, but I was
taught that open games, full of tactics and piece play, are the most important
to a player's initial development. Emm's book was published in 2000, which is
The ancient by today's standards, but the basic ideas and lines still hold. It's my
objective to make this column focus more on verbal explanations and less on
Openings dense analysis.
Unbeatable White Repertoire
Explained Theory by Evans & Smith
Abby Marshall 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4
The Scotch Four Knights Gambit.
4...exd4 5.Nd5
The Four Knights

by Jan Pinski

the games from
DGT Game Viewer. This is the Belgrade gambit. I saw it a lot as a kid because it sets a trap from
move five: the e-pawn is poisoned. There are some fantastic variations
involved with taking the pawn, but I do not recommend it for Black. The
Belgrade is harmless, yet it's important to know what to do.
5...Be7
Attacking Manual 2
by Jacob Aagaard
This is the line that I play. There is another option that I will also investigate.
5...Nb4!? Why not copy White and move a knight? 6.Bc4 White develops
another piece and defends the d5-knight, which had two attackers on it. 6...
Nbxd5 Black trades the rogue knight for the centralized one. 7.exd5 Bb4+
This move disrupts White's position. I will further examine the 5...Nb4!?
variation in the first illustrative game.
5...Nxe4 This line gets crazy, and I do not recommend it. It may be fine for
Black, but it involves too much study for a line that doesn't come up very
often. 6.Qe2 This is the idea. The pin and the knight on d5 create a
threatening iconography. 6...f5 Only move. 7.Ng5
I can't remember all the tricks, but if someone plays this, it's very likely that
they at least know this line and Black players have to constantly be on their
guard.
6.Bf4
White has a multitude of choices here, but they are not difficult to play
against.
6.Nxd4 White immediately restores material equality. Taking the pawn still
looks risky to me. 6...Nxd5 Black first eliminates the intruding knight. (6...
Nxe4 7.Nf5 0–0 8.Qg4 Bf6 9.Nh6+!? Kh8 10.Qxe4) 7.exd5 Nxd4 Second,
Black eliminates the threat of Nf5 and does not waste a tempo with his
attacked knight. 8.Qxd4 0–0 9.Be2 Bf6
This looks extremely equal to me. Black can play ...d6 or consider ...b6 and ...
Bb7 to attack the advanced d-pawn.
6.Bb5 This is another non-anxiety inducing move. 6...0–0 Black calmly

develops and waits for White's aggressive play to prove something. 7.0–0 d6
8.Bxc6 bxc6 9.Nxf6+ Bxf6 10.Nxd4 This is a classic example of the two
bishops versus a weakened pawn structure. I prefer Black's two bishops in this
open position. 10...c5 Black advances the weak pawn and takes more control
of the center. 11.Ne2 Ba6 12.Re1 Rb8 13.c3 Re8
Black easily has the initiative.
6.Bc4 The c4-square is the normal home for the Italian bishop. 6...0–0 As in
the previous variations, Black develops quietly. 7.Nxd4 (7.0–0 This allows an
interesting imbalance. White gives up a pawn for the initiative and a better
pawn structure, although it will be one pawn short. 7...Nxe4 8.Re1 Nf6 9.Nxe7
+ Nxe7 10.Qxd4 d5 This is all pretty much forced. White has definite
compensation for the pawn, but Black has good defensive resources and the
center. 11.Bg5? Too fancy. White should just retreat his bishop with a tense
game. 11...Nf5! 12.Bxf6 Nxd4 13.Bxd8 Nxc2
Black is going to end up a couple of pawns ahead.) 7...Nxd5 8.Bxd5 Nxd4 9.

Qxd4 Bf6 10.Qd3 c6 11.Bb3 d5! Black follows the same pattern as before,
exchanging pieces to reveal White's overextension. Now Black is castled and
has control over the center. 12.0–0 White chooses development over material.
(12.exd5 The pawn deficit is not a problem for Black. 12...Re8+ 13.Kf1 cxd5
14.Bxd5 Be6 Black has everything developed while White languishes behind
with trapped rooks and an undeveloped bishop. Play may continue 15.Bxe6
Qxd3+ 16.cxd3 Rxe6 17.Be3 Rc8) 12...dxe4 Black starts to take the initiative.
13.Qxe4 Re8 14.Qf3 Be6 15.Bxe6 Rxe6 16.Be3 Qa5 Black activates the
queen and looks to White's weak queenside. (16...Bxb2 17.Rab1) 17.c3 Qb5
18.Rab1 a5 This frees the a-rook to move because it had been guarding the a-
pawn, and restricts White's vulnerable queenside pawns. 19.Rfd1 Re7 20.
Bd4?!
White would do better to sit tight and not allow weaknesses or Black to get
further into the white position. 20...Bxd4 21.cxd4 Rd8 22.Rd2 Qg5 Black is
better. An isolani in the endgame is going to be no fun for White.
6...d6
White develops a piece and makes an immediate threat to c7. Black again
responds with a natural move.
7.Nxd4
Now, instead of eyeing f5, the knight is looking at b5.
7...0–0
Black avoids any complications and finishes development.
8.Nb5
8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.Nc3 White has doubled Black's pawns, but also opened files
for the black pieces. 9...Rb8 10.Rb1 Re8 11.Bd3 Bg4 12.Qd2 d5 Black gets a
firm hold in the center as well. 13.0–0 Bb4
Both sides have a stake in the center, Black has active pieces, and White has
the better structure.
8...Nxd5
Black removes the threat to the c-pawn.
9.exd5 Ne5 10.Qd2
10.Be2 This is similar to 10.Qd2. 10...Ng6 11.Bg3 f5 Black gains space and
keeps the initiative by making threats. The e6-square is not weak, because
White has no way to take advantage of it. 12.f4 Bf6 13.c3 Re8 14.0–0 a6 15.
Nd4 Bxd4+ 16.cxd4 Bd7 17.Re1 Qf6 The blocked nature of the position is
unfavorable to the white bishops. Still, White has open files, and Black has
the possibility of taking advantage of the white pawns. It's equal.
10...c6 11.Nc3
11.dxc6 bxc6 12.Nd4 Qb6 Black is better developed and creates immediate
threats. It is not wise to open the center when you are behind in development
and uncastled.
11...Ng6 12.Be3 c5
White is not going to surrender the center by taking on c6, so Black focuses
on the d4-square.
13.Be2 f5 14.f4 Bf6 15.Nd1 Qe8 16.0–0 b5 17.Bf2 a6 18.Bf3 Ra7 19.g3 Re7
Black has an edge because he controls more space. I don't know what White
is planning. This position will be examined in the second game.
Van Haastert, E – Golod, V

Dieren, 1998
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nd5 Nb4
This is the other option available to Black. I think the decision of which
variation to play depends on how comfortable you are with the resulting
positions rather than evaluations, since 5...Be7 is more sound.
6.Bc4
6.Nxd4 Nxe4 This makes a picturesque position. This is part of the point of
5...Nb4: the d5-knight is now attacked and unprotected. 7.Nb5 (7.Nf5 With
the bishop still on f8, this is not scary. 7...c6 8.Nxb4 Bxb4+ 9.c3 Qf6!
Black develops the queen to make some potential threats. 10.Qf3 (10.Nxg7+
Kd8! Mate is threatened. 11.Qf3 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 Qxg7-/+) 10...Nxc3! 11.a3
Qe5+ 12.Kd2 Ne4+ 13.Kc2 Bf8! I love this. Black slips all the way back with
a winning position, up two pawns.) 7...Nxd5 8.Qxd5 Nc5 Black retreats the
knight out of danger. Going back to f6 is not an option because of 9.Qe5 and
the double attack on the king and the c7-pawn. 9.Be3 (9.Bc4 Ne6 10.Bf4 c6
11.Nd6+ Bxd6 12.Qxd6 Nxf4 13.Qxf4 Qe7+ Generally, this kind of position
is dead equal, but Black is up a pawn.) 9...Ne6 (9...c6? This is not a threat. 10.
Nd6+) 10.Nxa7 c6 11.Qd2 d5 12.Nxc8 Rxc8 White has the two bishops, but
Black has the center. It's dynamically equal with chances for both sides.
6...Nbxd5
The main point of 5...Nb4 was to get rid of the imposing d5-knight.
7.exd5 Bb4+
Black develops with tempo and remains up a pawn for the time being.
8.Bd2
8.Kf1 Well, this move is of course legal. 8...0–0 9.Qxd4 Be7 10.Bg5 d6 Black
sets up a solid defensive structure, waiting to take advantage of the awkward
White development with the king on f1 and the undeveloped rook on h1. 11.
Re1 h6 12.Bh4 Re8 13.h3 Bd7 14.g4 c5! Black is better. If White takes en
passant, Black has the center with 15...bxc6. If White retreats, Black has
control over the important d4-square and can think about queenside
expansion. I wouldn't worry about the white attack because the black king is
quite secure and White has poor piece coordination.
8...Qe7+
Black is still up material, so it serves Black's advantage to trade. White's

aggression is now a distant memory.
9.Qe2 Bxd2+
10.Kxd2
10.Nxd2 The pressure is of the d4-pawn, which is still an extra pawn for
Black.
10...Qxe2+ 11.Kxe2 c5 12.dxc6 bxc6!?
Black unbalances the position. The a-pawn loses its neighbor, but Black has
the center. 12...dxc6 The position is now dead level.
13.Nxd4 d5 14.Bd3
14.Bb3 c5 15.Ba4+ Ke7 16.Nb3 Ba6+ 17.Kf3 Kd6 I'm not sure what good the
white bishop is doing on a4. 18.a3 Rab8 19.Rab1 Bc4 20.Rhd1 h5 Black has
all the play, although it is still about equal.
14...c5
Black exerts more control over the center.
15.Nb5
15.Bb5+ Bd7 16.Bxd7+ Kxd7 17.Nf5 Rhe8+ 18.Kf3 Re5 The bishop
exchange has helped Black, who now has an active king and active pieces.
Notice that the white rooks have not even moved from their starting squares.
15...0–0 16.b3
White preemptively nullifies pressure on the b-file.
16...Be6 17.c4?!
It's a general rule that when you are worse you do not move your pawns,
because each pawn movement leaves undefended squares behind. This
eventually weakens your position. Most importantly, this move wastes time.
Where are the white rooks?
17...Rfe8 18.Kf3 Rad8 19.Rhe1 Re7 20.Nc3
I'm not a fan of this move because it allows Black to quickly seize the
initiative. 20.h3 is a better try. The white king will be solidly placed on f3,
which is not such a bad square for it.
20...Rde8
21.Rec1 d4 22.Na4 Bg4+ 23.Kg3 Re5-/+ 24.f3 Bd7 25.Nb2
This is the another knight move that I dislike. 25.Kf2 Nh5 26.g3 is better.
White should not fear the doubling of his a-pawns if Black trades bishop for a
knight.
25...Nh5+ 26.Kf2 Nf4
This is a superb square for the knight, which makes Black's next move
confusing to me.
27.Rc2 Nxd3+
I don't like this move because I love the strength of the f4-knight. It's curious,
because an often repeated mantra is not to trade pieces when you have more
space. After thinking about this and talking about it with other players, I think
this piece of advice is mistaken. Often it makes a lot of sense to trade because
your advantage carries into the endgame. Here, however, trading is
unsatisfactory. Black would do better to slowly improve the position with 27...
Bc6 .
28.Nxd3 Bf5 29.Nxe5 Bxc2 30.Re1 f6 31.Nc6 Ra8
Black's advantage is not as good with more pieces off the board. White gains
some play.
32.b4
32.Re7 a5 33.Rd7 This is the obvious plan. White's activity should hold the
position.
32...Ba4 33.b5?
33.Ne7+ Kf8 34.Nd5 The bishop is preferable to the knight, but White has
good drawing chances.
33...a6
Black quickly mops over the over-extended pawns.
34.Rb1 Kf7 35.Ke2 Ke6 36.Kd2 Kd6 37.a3 g5 38.h4
38.h3 axb5 39.cxb5 Bxb5 40.Nxd4 cxd4 41.Rxb5 Rxa3 Even this is still a
little unclear if Black can win. Rook endings are so drawish, and it pays to
know them.
38...gxh4 39.Nb4 cxb4 40.Rxb4 axb5 41.cxb5 Kc5 0-1
Prié, Eric (2435) - Van der Wiel, John (2550)

FRA-NED Cannes (9), 1990
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nd5 Be7 6.Bf4 d6 7.Nxd4 0–0 8.
Nb5 Nxd5 9.exd5 Ne5 10.Qd2 c6 11.Nc3 Ng6 12.Be3 c5 13.Be2 f5 14.f4
Bf6 15.Nd1 Qe8 16.0–0 b5 17.Bf2 a6 18.Bf3 Ra7 19.g3 Re7
This is where we left off in the theory section.
20.c3
This dulls the scope of the black bishop on the diagonal.
20...Nh8
If a student of mine played this move, I would want to slap her hand. In
closed positions, however, it's not taboo to play such slow, ugly moves
because time is less important when there is limited piece engagement.
21.Ne3 g5!?
Black could also advance on the queenside. 21...Qd7 22.Rae1 a5 23.Bg2 b4.
22.Rae1 gxf4 23.gxf4 Ng6
Black goes right back and attacks the isolated f-pawn.

24.Ng2 Rff7
Black doesn't have serious attacking threats, so trades are fine. Black has a
little more space and active pieces, which will be felt in the middlegame as
well as the endgame.
25.Rxe7 Rxe7 26.Re1 Rxe1+ 27.Bxe1 Bg7 28.Bf2 Qe7 29.b4
This move makes sense. The white bishops are prepared for queenside play
and White wants to combat Black's space advantage.
29...cxb4 30.cxb4 Qf6 31.Ne1?
White's weak pawns makes his position slightly vulnerable, and with this
knight retreat White allows Black to ravage his position. When playing 29.b4,
White was not sufficiently aware of the new weaknesses he had created.
31...Qc3! 32.Qxc3 Bxc3
It's interesting how quickly White's position falls apart.
33.Nd3 Bb7 34.Bb6 Bd2 35.Bc7 Nxf4 36.Nxf4 Bxf4 37.h3 Kf7 38.Kf2 Kf6
39.Ke2 Ke5 0-1
White's pawn falls and the two extra pawns easily will win.
Lessons Learned
1. Learn to be comfortable with imbalances. In some variations, Black has

a pawn vs. White's initiative, or Black has a bishop vs. knight.
2. Even though White's play is aggressive, Black responds with simple,
quiet moves (Be7, 0–0).
3. Watch out for tactical tricks.
Further Reading
Play the Open Games as Black by John Emms. It has a very good section on
the Belgrade.
Practitioners
This is not a popular opening at the highest levels, but club players love it. It
can also surprise an unwary opponent, so maybe it's something to take up as
White?!

accessible:
The Lowenthal Sicilian for White [B32]
The topic of this month's column is the Lowenthal Sicilian from White's point
of view. When I was in grade school, the Lowenthal was quite popular at club
level because there are tricks, but it is not a serious challenge for a well-
prepared white player.
Theory
The 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5
Openings
Dangerous Weapons:
Explained The Sicilian
by Emms & Palliser
Abby Marshall
[FEN "r1bqkbnr/pp1p1ppp/2n5/4p3/3NP3/8/
PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq e6 0 5"]
Black immediately stakes a claim in the center with this bold pawn push. The
obvious drawbacks are the weakened d6- and d5-squares. O’Kelly Sicilian
by Andrew Martin
5.Nb5
White immediately attacks the vulnerable squares.

the games from
5...a6
DGT Game Viewer.
Black is undeterred.
5...d6 is the Kalashnikov Variation, which could be considered a cousin to the

Lowenthal. The d6-square is now sort of covered, but the d5-square remains a
problem for Black.
6.Nd6+ Experts vs. the Sicilian

by Shaw & Aagaard
Of course! White gains a bishop for a knight and exploits the squares left
behind.
6...Bxd6
This is the only move. Moving the king so early in the game is rarely a sign of
a good opening, and this comes from someone who plays the King's Bishop's
Gambit, but that is a rare exception.
7.Qxd6 Qf6
Black develops the queen to f6 get the white queen out of Black's territory.
7...Qe7 is more passive. 8.Qd1 Nf6 9.Nc3 h6 Black wishes to prevent a Bg5
pin. 10.Be3 0–0 11.Qd2 White has command of the center, so White is free to
castle queenside and pursue a flank attack on Black's kingside. 11...b5 12.0–0–
0 Qe6 13.f3 Ne7 Black plans ...b4, and if Nd5, then after the exchanges White
will have to take on d5 with a pawn, which would eliminate Black's hole on
d5. 14.Bc5 Black's absence of a dark-squared bishop really hurts here.
7...f5?! How can this move be right. 8.Nc3 Simple development parries this
loosening thrust. 8...Qf6 9.Qd1 Nge7 10.Bc4 Now Black cannot even castle.
8.Qd1
Black's development is a little awkward because of the early queen move, so

White keeps the pieces on the board. The white queen also keeps control of
Black's weak d-file.
8...Qg6
[FEN "r1b1k1nr/1p1p1ppp/p1n3q1/4p3/4P3/8/
PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 9"]
This is one of the key moves to Black's strategy. There is some trickery, but a
prepared white player has nothing to fear.
9.Nc3
Keep in mind that the white bishop cannot move because otherwise Black will
take the g2-pawn.
9...Nge7
9...d5 was the main move when I was younger. It looks ridiculous at first
because White has three captures, but only one is good. 10.Nxd5! This looks
bad at first, because Black gets the e-pawn with check. But the tactics work
for White, since the knight is so dangerous on d5. (10.exd5 Nb4 11.Bd3 Nxd3
+ 12.Qxd3 Qxg2; 10.Qxd5 Be6 11.Qd1 Rd8 12.Bd2 Nf6 Black has more than
enough compensation.) 10...Qxe4+ 11.Be3 Nd4 (11...Nb4 This loses almost
immediately. 12.Nc7+ Ke7 13.Bd3 Nxd3+ 14.Qxd3 Qxg2 15.0–0–0 Kf6 16.
Rhg1) 12.Nc7+ Ke7 13.Rc1! I really like this move. It is certainly weird
looking, but it defends the threat while emphasizing how powerless Black is.
13...Bg4 White now has to trade queens for the advantage. Black succeeds
partially in untangling. 14.Qd3 Qxd3 15.Bxd3 Rd8 The only thing White has
to watch out for is that the c7-knight does not become trapped. 16.h3 Bh5
(16...Bc8 17.f4 Kd6 18.Na8) 17.f4! Kd6 (17...f6 18.g4 Bf7 19.fxe5 fxe5 20.0–
0 White has another target on e5.) 18.Nxa6 The knight was trapped, so it
becomes a desperado. It is okay though, because White will win the piece
back. 18...bxa6 19.g4 Bg6 20.f5 Bxf5 (20...Nf6 21.c3 Nxf5 22.gxf5 Bh5 23.
Rg1 Black preserves the bishop, but it's unclear what it is doing on h5.) 21.
gxf5 Ne7 22.Rd1 Nd5 23.Bc1
[FEN "3r3r/5ppp/p2k4/3npP2/3n4/3B3P/
PPP5/2BRK2R b K - 0 23"]
Material is even. White has the bishop-pair and the open e- and g-files to
attack the black pawns, so White is better.
9...Nf6 is a valid try, but then what was the point of bringing the queen out if
White can go right back to d6? 10.Qd6 Black cannot castle and the dark
squares suffer. 10...Qg4 11.f3 Qe6 12.Qd1 Ne7 13.Bg5 White targets the
defenders of d5. The holes on the d-file give White the advantage. I
investigate this position in the first illustrative game.
10.h4!
[FEN "r1b1k2r/1p1pnppp/p1n3q1/4p3/4P2P/2N5/
PPP2PP1/R1BQKB1R b KQkq h3 0 10"]
At first glance, this looks like a beginner's move. White is not trying to bring
the rook to h3, but to attack the black queen and secure an outpost for the
bishop on g5.
10...h5
Black logically prevents the push to h5.
10...f5 In the Sicilian, the moves e5 and f5 are rarely played together, and for
good reason. 11.h5 Qf7 12.Be3.
10...0–0 11.h5 Qe6 12.Nd5 Qd6 13.h6 g6 14.Bg5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Qb4+ 16.c3
Qe4+ 17.Be3 Ne7 18.c4 This actually does not look so bad for Black.
However, White's position is very easy to play.
11.Bg5 d5
11...f6 12.Be3 d5 The difference is that Qxe4 will not be with check, so White
has gained something. 13.Nxd5 Bg4 14.Nc7+ Kf8 15.f3 Rd8 16.Bd3 Bc8 17.
Qd2 White has an extra pawn that won't be easy for Black to win back.
12.exd5
Of course taking with the knight would be bad, because after Qxe4+ it is
double-attacked and would have to retreat to Ne3.
12...Nd4
12...Nb4 13.Bxe7 Kxe7 14.Bd3 Nxd3+ 15.Qxd3 Qxd3 16.cxd3 Rh6 17.Kd2
This position is examined in the second illustrative game.
13.Bd3 Bf5
Black logically develops a piece.
14.Bxf5 Ndxf5
14...Nexf5 is also interesting. 15.Qd3 White opts for queenside castling since
Black could potentially have strong threats on the kingside. 15...f6 16.Be3
Qg4 (16...Qxg2 17.0–0–0 Material is now even, but Black is looking
precarious.) 17.Bxd4 Nxd4 18.Ne2 An endgame is desirable for White, since
White is up a pawn. 18...0–0–0 19.Nxd4 Qxd4 20.0–0–0 White preserves the
passed d-pawn. 20...Qxf2 (20...Rxd5 21.Qf5+) 21.Rd2
[FEN "2kr3r/1p4p1/p4p2/3Pp2p/7P/
3Q4/PPPR1qP1/2K4R b - - 0 21"]
White is better because of the d-pawn and Black's weak color complex.
15.Qd2 f6 16.Be3 Qxg2
16...Qg4 This doesn't accomplish much. 17.f3 Qg3+ 18.Qf2.
17.0–0–0 0–0–0 18.Bb6
[FEN "2kr3r/1p2n1p1/pB3p2/3Ppn1p/7P/
2N5/PPPQ1Pq1/2KR3R b - - 0 18"]
White's activity, Black's weak color complex, and the passed d-pawn add up
to a White advantage.
Mikhaletz, Lubomir – Kazmin, A

Yalta op, 1996
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 a6 6.Nd6+ Bxd6 7.Qxd6 Qf6
8.Qd1 Qg6 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.Qd6 Qg4 11.f3 Qe6 12.Qd1 Ne7 13.Bg5
[FEN "r1b1k2r/1p1pnppp/p3qn2/4p1B1/4P3/
2N2P2/PPP3PP/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 0 13"]
Here is where the theory section ends.
13...0–0 14.Qd2
White has a slight advantage because of the bishop-pair, extra space, and
Black's vulnerable d-file.
14...b5 15.a3
This wastes time and makes the queenside more vulnerable. And ...b4 was not
really a threat.
15.0–0–0 Bb7 (15...b4 16.Na4
[FEN "r1b2rk1/3pnppp/p3qn2/4p1B1/Np2P3/
5P2/PPPQ2PP/2KR1B1R b - - 0 16"]
16...Qxa2? 17.Qxb4 Qe6 18.Qd6 White has the better pawns and command of
the position.) 16.Qd6! White stops the advance of the d-pawn, which we will
see is important.
15...Bb7 16.Bxf6
I don't like this, but maybe it has to be played to prevent ...d5. White has
exchanged positional superiority worth more than a pawn, for a material
pawn. Black gets play in return.
16.0–0–0 d5 17.exd5 Nexd5 All of the sudden, the position has opened up and
Black is doing fine.
16...Qxf6 17.Qxd7 Bc6
Black chases the queen out of enemy territory.
18.Qd2
White is still better, but White's positional trumps have vanished. The d-file is
adequately covered by Black, and White no longer has the bishop-pair.
18...Rfd8 19.Bd3 a5?!

White was not planning to castle queenside anymore, but this really makes
sure that White does not make the mistake of castling queenside. The black
queenside pawns are now quite weak.
19...Ng6 is sensible:
[FEN "r2r2k1/5ppp/p1b2qn1/1p2p3/4P3/
P1NB1P2/1PPQ2PP/R3K2R w KQ - 0 20"]
Black is down a pawn, but has control over the dark squares.
20.0–0
White completes development.
20...b4?
This is bad.
20...Ng6 21.Ne2 Bd7 The bishop does not have to defend d5 anymore. 22.
Rad1 The game favors White, but it is a game nonetheless.
21.axb4 axb4
The queenside pawn is not only weak, but isolated now.
22.Rxa8
An endgame favors White, so White trades.
22...Rxa8 23.Nd1
[FEN "r5k1/4nppp/2b2q2/4p3/1p2P3/
3B1P2/1PPQ2PP/3N1RK1 b - - 0 23"]
This is the most flexible square for the knight.
23...Qd6
Black shifts the queen to a more active, centralized location.
24.Qe3 Ng6 25.g3
This covers f4, but I don't see why White fears a knight on f4. White's bishop
is only a spectator behind the pawn chain, so White would be happy to trade it
for the knight. Now the light squares are a little tender.
25.Nf2 Nf4 26.Rd1 Qg6 27.Bf1 White is consolidated and can go after the
weak b-pawn.
25...Rd8
25...Bd7 would be my preference.
26.Nf2 Qd4?
This is really the fatal error. Black's hope was to create counterplay on the
kingside. White's extra pawn and better pawn structure make this a winning
endgame especially with the queens off.
26...Nf8 27.Rd1 Qe7 This is pretty miserable too, but at least with queens on
the board Black has more chances.
27.Qxd4 Rxd4 28.Ra1
[FEN "6k1/5ppp/2b3n1/4p3/1p1rP3/
3B1PP1/1PP2N1P/R5K1 b - - 0 28"]
It took many moves before the win was achieved, but there's little that Black
could have done.
28...h5 29.b3 h4 30.Ra6 hxg3 31.hxg3 Ne7 32.Bc4+- Kh7 33.Nd3 f5 34.
Nxe5 Bb7 35.Rb6 Bc8 36.Bd3 fxe4 37.fxe4 Kg8 38.Kf2 Rd8 39.Rxb4 Rf8+
40.Ke3 Be6 41.Rb6 Bh3 42.Rb7 Nc8 43.Rb8 Re8 44.g4 g5 45.Kf3 Kg7 46.
Kg3 Rh8 47.Ba6 Nd6 48.Rxh8 Nxe4+ 49.Kxh3 Kxh8 50.Bd3 Nc3 51.Nf7+
Kg7 52.Nxg5 1–0
Hodges, Paul – McClure, D

cr USA, 1994
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e5 5.Nb5 a6 6.Nd6+ Bxd6 7.Qxd6 Qf6
8.Qd1 Qg6 9.Nc3 Nge7 10.h4 h5 11.Bg5 d5 12.exd5 Nb4 13.Bxe7 Kxe7 14.
Bd3 Nxd3+ 15.Qxd3 Qxd3 16.cxd3 Rh6 17.Kd2+/=
[FEN "r1b5/1p2kpp1/p6r/3Pp2p/7P/
2NP4/PP1K1PP1/R6R b - - 0 17"]
Here is where the theory section stopped.

17...Rb6 18.b3 Rg6 19.g3 b5?!
[FEN "r1b5/4kpp1/p5r1/1p1Pp2p/7P/
1PNP2P1/P2K1P2/R6R w - b6 0 20"]
This move is poor because it weakens the squares along the c-file.
20.Rac1 b4 21.Ne4 f5
All this lashing out has weakened squares. When you are defending a
position, it is wise not to make pawn moves, because in general they are
weakening. It's amazing how many players, when they are worse, lash out like
this out of frustration. This is a psychological trap to avoid.
22.Ng5+/- Rd6 23.Rc5 Bb7?
23...Bd7 would hold on longer. Black needs to remain solid.
24.Re1 Kf6
24...Rxd5 25.Rc7+ Rd7 26.Rxe5+ Kd6 27.Rxd7+ Kxd7 28.Rxf5.
25.f4!
[FEN "r7/1b4p1/p2r1k2/2RPppNp/1p3P1P/
1P1P2P1/P2K4/4R3 b - f3 0 25"]
This breaks open the position and takes advantage of the weak squares created
by Black's pawn moves.
25...exf4 26.gxf4 Rad8 27.Re6+ Rxe6 28.dxe6

[FEN "3r4/1b4p1/p3Pk2/2R2pNp/
1p3P1P/1P1P4/P2K4/8 b - - 0 28"]
This pawn is extremely powerful. Notice also the strong outpost on g5.
28...Be4
28...Rc8 is better, but Black is totally lost.
29.Rc7 Rxd3+ 30.Ke2 Rd6
30...Rc3 31.Rf7+ Kg6 32.Nxe4 fxe4 33.e7 Rc8 34.Rf8.
31.Rf7+ Kg6 32.Rd7 1-0
White wins. The pawn cannot be stopped.
Lessons Learned
1. Black's Achilles heel in this entire opening is the weak d-file, because the
squares d6 and d5 can no longer be defended by pawns.
2. Black is counting on tricks after an eventual ...Qg6, followed by ...d5. If

Black plays 9...d5 early, remember the key move 10. Nxd5!. If Black plays ...
d5 later, respond with exd5.
3. Black will initially have more pieces out than White. Black's disadvantages
are structural and static, so they will carry on into the endgame. White does
not fear simplifying into an endgame.
Further Reading
Dismantling the Sicilian, by Jesus de la Villa. I recommend it for anyone

looking to build a repertoire against the dreaded Sicilian.
Practitioners
1. Louis-Charles Mahé de La Bourdonnais was the big hero of the Lowenthal

Variation. It was, however, never used seriously at the higher levels. La
Bourdonnais was a French chess player and was considered the unofficial
world champion from 1821–1840.


accessible:
The King's Indian with 5.Nge2 [E70]
To be honest, the opening I'm presenting in this month's column - the King's
Indian Defense - is one in which I have no experience playing. The positions
that arise are often closed and positional and are not to my taste. However, the
benefit of this is a totally fresh look at something that has been studied for
ages. The King's Indian is also a very complex opening, so I, of course, will
not try to tackle the entire opening in one column. I will instead focus on one
particular variation that interests me, while also providing an outline of the
The major lines in this opening.
Openings Theory
Dangerous Weapons:
Explained 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 The King's Indian (Ebook)
by Palliser, Flear, & Dembo
2.Nf3 g6 Black can use the King's Indian setup even if White does not play
Abby Marshall the Queen's Gambit.
2...g6
The King's Indian

by Victor Bologan

[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pppppp1p/5np1/8/2PP4/
the games from
8/PP2PPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 3"]
DGT Game Viewer.
This is the King's Indian Defense. It was developed in the 1920s, the
hypermodern era, and became popular in the 1940s with the help of
Bronstein, Boleslavsky, and Reshevsky. It is a hypermodern system in that
Black is planning to challenge the center indirectly; play mostly occurs on the
wings. The apex of its popularity was in the 1970s when Fischer used the KID
with great success. The key pawn break in the KID is usually ...e5, though
sometimes ...c5 is important. White generally replies with d5 with a closed ABC of the King’s Indian
center. Black's pawns point to the kingside and White's to the queenside, so by Andrew Martin
Black will attack the king while White plays on the queenside.
3.Nc3
3.g3 is the Fianchetto System. 3...Bg7 4.Bg2 0–0 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 Nbd7 7.0–0
e5 8.e4 c6 Black has a fairly solid setup and will slowly try to pressure the
white center.
3...Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nge2
This is the variation I want to look at today. A problem with this is that it is a
bit slow and the knight is awkwardly placed on g3. This is a minor line. Other
variations include
The Classical variation: 5.Nf3 0–0 6.Be2 e5 7.0–0 (7.d5 This is the Petrosian
system, locking everything up.) 7...Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Ne1 Nd7.
The Samisch variation: 5.f3 The idea is to prevent Black from Ng4/Bg4 and
possibly advance with g4. 5...0–0 6.Be3 Nc6 This is a prelude to a very
complicated game.
The Four Pawns Attack: 5.f4 0–0 6.Nf3 Na6 7.Be2 e5 This is a line, but I'm
not sure what's going on here.
The Averbakh variation 5.Be2 0–0 6.Bg5 Na6 7.Qd2 e5 8.d5 Qe8 9.Bd1 Nc5
10.Bc2 a5.
Also interesting is 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nge2 Nd7 7.Be3 e5 8.d5 Nd4.
5...Nbd7
[FEN "r1bqk2r/pppnppbp/3p1np1/8/2PPP3/
2N5/PP2NPPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6"]
This is a useful developing move. It prepares ...e5 and the delay in castling is
OK, because the next move is better if Black has not castled.
6.Ng3
This is the obvious choice and the move most commonly played.
6.f3 is similar to the Samisch set-up. The moves c6, a6, and b5 may be ideas.
6.g3 is similar to the fianchetto variation. 6...e5 7.Bg2 0–0 8.0–0 c6 is

comfortable for Black.
6.Bg5 c6 7.Qd2 is a weird hybrid. Black should target the dark-squared

bishop and just play chess. 7...h6 8.Bh4 0–0.
6...e5
This is a very common move in the KID. It gains space and challenges
White's center.
7.d5
White cramps Black and keeps the center closed. White also has the option of
keeping the tension in the center by leaving the pawn on d4. This results in
very tactical play. White can also exchange on e5, which leads to relatively
tame play.
7...h5
Besides messing with White's kingside, ...h5 allows the positional idea of ...
Bh6. This is a good idea in a slow closed position, because the bishop is
somewhat locked in. White is also going to be a little puzzled to find a plan
because h4-h5 is ruled out, f4 creates weaknesses, and queenside play would
require a change in plans; for instance, what is the knight doing on g3?
8.h4
8.Bg5 This move appears earlier than usual. 8...h4 9.Nge2 a5 It is interesting
how important Black's flank pawns are to the position. 10.Ng1 Nc5 11.Qc2
Rh5 12.Bd2 Don't forget this idea: it is a useful way to take control of the
dark-squares. 12...Bh6 13.Bxh6 Rxh6 14.Nf3 Bd7 15.Be2 Kf8 16.0–0–0 Kg7
I examine this position in the first illustrative game.
8.Be2 I would think many White players would just develop in this position.
8...h4 9.Nf1 Nc5 and now
[FEN "r1bqk2r/ppp2pb1/3p1np1/2nPp3/2P1P2p/
2N5/PP2BPPP/R1BQKN1R w KQkq - 0 10"]
a) 10.Bg5 Bh6 11.Bxh6 Rxh6 12.Nd2 a5 13.Qc2 (13.b3 White wants to

prepare a3, b4, but can't play 13.a3 immediately because of 13...a4. 13...Nh5
14.Bxh5 Nd3+ 15.Kf1 Rxh5 This is probably equal with chances for both
sides. I think Black is more aggressively placed.) 13...Bd7 14.b3 c6 15.h3 Kf8
This is also double-edged. Play on the dark squares gives Black decent
chances.
b) 10.Qc2 White tries a third way to protect the e-pawn. 10...a5 Black
employs the common technique of solidifying the knights position on c5. 11.
Bg5 Qd7 Black gets out of the pin in an unusual way. Though the light-
squared bishop is blocked, this is not as important as the knight on f6 being
free to move. 12.Ne3 h3 13.g3 Notice how White has somewhat unwittingly
allowed the dark-squared bishop to be locked in. 13...Nh7 Now follows a
forced sequence. 14.Bg4 f5 15.exf5 Nxg5 16.f6 Qf7 17.fxg7 Qxg7 Material is
even in a wild position. 18.0–0–0 e4
[FEN "r1b1k2r/1pp3q1/3p2p1/p1nP2n1/2P1p1B1/
2N1N1Pp/PPQ2P1P/2KR3R w kq - 0 19"]
This move clamps on the sensitive squares in White's position. 19.Bxc8 Rxc8
20.Kb1 0–0 Black usually does not castle kingside with a pawn on h3, but
Black has enough command of position not to worry about an attack. 21.Nb5
Nf3 22.Qe2 Nd3 Knights on the sixth rank are vicious. Black can consider
attacking the white king or cashing out positionally in the weak white squares.
c) 10.f3 a5 11.Bg5 Qd7 These moves look familiar. 12.Nd2 Nh5 13.Be3 (13.
Nb3 White touches the centralized c5-knight. 13...Nf4 14.Nxc5 dxc5 White
changes the pawn structure, but this should not hurt Black. Black retains
control on the dark squares and may even plan on ...Rh5.) 13...Nf4 14.0–0
Qe7 15.Kh1 Qg5 16.Rf2 Nfd3! 17.Bxc5 It hurts White to give up the dark-
squared bishop, while Black retains the dark-squared bishop. 17...Nxc5
[FEN "r1b1k2r/1pp2pb1/3p2p1/p1nPp1q1/
2P1P2p/2N2P2/PP1NBRPP/R2Q3K w kq - 0 18"]
White's dark squares are very weak.
8...a5
This gains control of the b4-square, so the black knight can go there safely
without worrying about White playing b4.
9.Bg5
[FEN "r1bqk2r/1ppn1pb1/3p1np1/p2Pp1Bp/
2P1P2P/2N3N1/PP3PP1/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 0 9"]
This sort of position is important to this variation. Here, it is important to

know how to play with a closed center with knights on f6 and d7, and control
of the dark squares. If you know the basic ideas and concepts of a position, it
saves you time at the board and also gives you time to think about other
factors of the position. The idea here is to get control of the dark squares and
free up the knights, which are very important in closed positions. Without
knowing the ideas, the next move might have been hard to find, but now it is
easy.
9.Be2 Nc5 10.Bg5 Bh6 Black continues in the same vein of a dark-square
strategy.
9...Bh6 10.Bxh6 Rxh6
This bishop exchange is a common motif in this variation. It rids Black of the
dark-squared bishop, which was locked in by the d6-e5 pawn chain, and gets
rid of White's dark-squared bishop, so Black has more control over the dark
squares.
11.Be2 Nc5 12.b3
12.Qd2 White does not try to pursue Black's c5-knight right away and focuses
on development instead. 12...Rh8 13.f3 (13.0–0–0 Qe7 14.Kb1 Bd7 15.f3 0–
0–0 16.Nf1 Ng8 17.Nb5 b6 The plan of castling queenside is an alternative to
the Kf8-g7 maneuver.) 13...Bd7 14.Nf1 Qe7 15.Nb5 White coerces Black to
exchange minor pieces. 15...Bxb5 16.cxb5 b6 Black plans to castle queenside.
17.g3 Ng8 18.0–0–0 f5 19.exf5 gxf5 20.Qc2 Qf6 I examine this position in
the second illustrative game.
12...Rh8 13.a3 Bd7
Black doesn't try to immediately thwart White's plans and continues simple
development.
14.b4 axb4 15.axb4 Rxa1 16.Qxa1 Nb3!
[FEN "3qk2r/1ppb1p2/3p1np1/3Pp2p/
1PP1P2P/1nN3N1/4BPP1/Q3K2R w K - 0 17"]
This nice little maneuver gives Black a good position.
17.Qa7 b6
17...Qc8 I'm a little suspect of this passive move. 18.0–0 Ng4 (18...Kf8 tries
to get the king to safety and is a good idea in general, but here it does not look
so good to me. 19.f4 Qd8 20.fxe5 dxe5 21.Qf2 Kg7 22.d6 cxd6? 23.Nd5) 19.
f3 Nh6 20.f4 Nd4 White has the initiative.
18.Bd1
18.0–0 Ng4.
18...Nd4 19.Nce2
White wants to dislodge the intruding knight.
19...c5!?
This is a bit radical, but it looks interesting.
20.dxc6 Nxc6 21.Qa3 Kf8
This looks like a dynamic position with chances for both sides.
Dive, Russell John (2295) – Sarfati, Jonathan D (2325)

NZL--ch Dunedin (11), 1992
1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.d4 Bg7 5.Nge2 Nbd7 6.Ng3 e5 7.d5 h5 8.Bg5
h4 9.Nge2 a5 10.Ng1 Nc5 11.Qc2 Rh5 12.Bd2 Bh6 13.Bxh6 Rxh6 14.Nf3
Bd7 15.Be2 Kf8 16.0–0–0 Kg7
This is where the theoretical section left off. The players in this game are both
strong masters, which is OK since they will make moves more typical of non-
elite players.
17.g3
White wants to open the black kingside to get at the king.
17...Ng4!
I like this aggressive move.
18.Rhf1 hxg3
18...h3 would keep the kingside closed, but it would also close off Black's
rook; therefore, Black's chosen move is interesting.
19.hxg3 Qf6
[FEN "r7/1ppb1pk1/3p1qpr/p1nPp3/2P1P1n1//
2N2NP1/PPQ1BP2/2KR1R2 w - - 0 20"]
20.Rd2
I don't think this is the best. 20.Rde1 may be useful, so the bishop can drop
back to d1 and the rook can protect e4. 20...Rah8 21.Kb1 To be fair, White is
a little stumped for a plan. 21...a4.
20...Nh2
This is okay, but I would prefer to build up first with 20...Rah8 21.Kb1 a4. In
the meantime, what is White doing?
21.Nxh2 Rxh2
Black penetrates a little deeper into White's position.
22.Bd1 Rh3?!
22...Rg2! 23.Rh1 Rxf2 24.Rxf2 Qxf2 25.Qxf2 Nd3+ 26.Kd2 Nxf2.
23.Re1 Rah8 24.b3 Qg5
Black is drifting. Luckily his position is strong enough that it doesn't matter,
but it takes longer than it needs to for him to obtain control.
25.Bf3 Rh2 26.Kb2 R8h3
[FEN "8/1ppb1pk1/3p2p1/p1nPp1q1//
2P1P3/1PN2BPr/PKQR1P1r/4R3 w - - 0 27"]
I'm guessing that Black wants to prevent g4.
26...f5!? 27.exf5 gxf5 28.Rf1 e4 29.Be2 Rg2=/+.
27.Rg1 f5
This is a strong move. White is in a vulnerable position, so Black rips it open.

28.Qd1
White chooses to not cede the center and tries to remain solid.
28...Qf6 29.Qe2 Rh8 30.exf5?!
30.Bg2 shuts out the rook on h2. 30...f4 31.Qf3 g5 I think that White will be
overrun regardless.
30...Bxf5 31.g4 Bd7
[FEN "7r/1ppb2k1/3p1qp1/p1nPp3/2P3P1/
1PN2B2/PK1RQP1r/6R1 w - - 0 32"]
White has gained some space, but there are now new targets. White's center in
particular is quite weak.
32.Ne4?
Unfortunately for White, he has long-term structural disadvantages that will

be accentuated when the pieces start coming off.
32...Nxe4 33.Bxe4 Qf4
Now there is one less piece defending the dark squares.
34.Rg3?
This is just a blunder is an already nearly lost position.
34...Qxg3 35.fxg3 Rxe2 36.Rxe2 Bxg4
Black wins a pawn and with it the game.
37.Rf2 Rh3 38.Rg2 Bf5 39.Bc2 Kf6 40.Kc3 c6 41.a3 cxd5 42.cxd5 Bxc2 43.
Kxc2 e4 44.Kc3 Ke5 45.Kc4 Rh1 46.b4 axb4 47.axb4 Rd1 48.Kb5 Rxd5+
49.Kb6 e3 50.Rb2 Rd2 51.Rb1 e2 52.Re1 Rb2 53.b5 d5 54.Kc7 d4 55.b6
d3 56.Kxb7 Ke4 57.Kc6 Kf3 58.b7 d2 59.b8Q Rxb8 0–1
[FEN "1r6/8/2K3p1/8/8/5kP1/3pp3/4R3 w - - 0 60"]
This is a picturesque end.

Nikolaidis, Konstantinos (2355) - Grivas,Efstratios (2500)
Aegina op (8), 19966
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nge2 e5 6.d5 Nbd7 7.Ng3 h5 8.h4 a5
9.Bg5 Bh6 10.Bxh6 Rxh6 11.Be2 Nc5 12.Qd2 Rh8 13.f3 Bd7 14.Nf1 Qe7
15.Nb5 Bxb5 16.cxb5 b6 17.g3 Ng8 18.0–0–0 f5 19.exf5 gxf5 20.Qc2 Qf6
This is where I left off in the theory portion of this column. In this game,
Black has a very different plan than in the first game.
21.f4
Both sides have backward development, but Black's king is also still in the
center, so White tries to open the position and take advantage of this factor.
21...0–0–0
Black castles queenside instead of running to the kingside.
22.Nd2 Ne7 23.Nf3 exf4
I don't know about this. There is no need for Black to resolve the tension. I
like 23...Ng6 24.fxe5 dxe5 25.Ng5 Ne7 26.Bc4 Rd6, because Black has the
center and a target on d5.
24.gxf4 Ng6
[FEN "2kr3r/2p5/1p1p1qn1/pPnP1p1p//
5P1P/5N2/PPQ1B3/2KR3R w - - 0 25"]
However in this position, Black does have two targets.
25.Bd3 Rhf8 26.Nd4
26.Qc4 Ne4!? 27.Ng5 Nxf4 28.Bxe4 fxe4 29.Nxe4 looks about equal.
26...Kb7
26...Nxf4 27.Bxf5+ Kb7 28.Rhf1 Qxh4 I'm a little nervous, but Black is up a
pawn, has a passed pawn, and the weak light squares don't look like too much
of an issue.
27.Bxf5 Nxh4?
27...Nxf4 transposes to the previous variation.
28.Bh3 Qxf4+ 29.Kb1+/-
This reaches a similar position with the knight on h4 way out of play.
29...Nf3 30.Ne6 Nxe6 31.dxe6 Rde8 32.Rhf1 d5?
32...Kb8 is still losing, but not right away: 33.Qd3 Qg3 34.Bf5 Rxf5 35.Qxf5
Ne5 36.Qxh5.
33.Bg2
White wins at least a piece.
33...Qe4 34.Rxf3 Rxf3 35.Bxf3 Qxf3 36.Qc6+
[FEN "4r3/1kp5/1pQ1P3/pP1p3p/8//
5q2/PP6/1K1R4 b - - 0 36"]
36...Ka7 37.Qxc7+ Ka8 38.Qc6+ Ka7 39.Qd7+ 1–0
This shows that you have to be careful in unbalanced, dynamic positions. 27...
Nxf4 rather than Nxh4 would have kept the game interesting.
Lessons Learned
1. Control of the dark squares is important. Key moves include ...Bh6 to trade
off White's dark-squared bishop, ...Qd7 to unpin the knight and play ...Nh5,
and ...a5 to secure the c5-square for the knight.
2. Notice how Black's pawns point to the kingside (d6, e5) and White's pawns
point to the queenside (e4, d5). Although it is not too much of a factor in the 5.
Nge2 variation, this often determines future play: Black on the kingside,
White on the queenside.
3. Common pawn breaks are ...e5 and ...c5. This is a hypermodern system, so
Black challenges the center indirectly or in unconventional ways.
A friend of mine described this section of my column as similar to Cliffs

Notes. So if you don't feel like reading everything (or anything), feel free to
skip to here.
Further Reading
Dangerous Weapons: The King's Indian by Richard Palliser, Glenn Flear, and
Yelena Dembo. The theory is presented in an attractive, user-friendly manner.
They show some interesting and often overlooked ideas.
Practitioners
1. David Bronstein. He was a Soviet grandmaster active in the middle of the

twentieth century. He was also a very good writer. In 1951, he narrowly
avoided becoming world champion against reigning champion Mikhail
Botvinnik.
2. Isaac Boleslavsky. He was a contemporary of Bronstein and responsible for

many interesting ideas in the Sicilian Defense and the King's Indian Defense.
3. Samuel Reshevsky. He was considered a child prodigy and became a

famous American grandmaster. Reshevsky and Fischer had a bitter rivalry. He
also played eleven of the first twelve world champions.
4. Bobby Fischer. Everyone knows about Fischer.
5. John Nunn. Nunn is a brilliant English grandmaster, chess problem solver,

writer, and mathematician.
6. Garry Kasparov. Kasparov is a genius. This is a highly regarded opening,
so many strong players have had it in their repertoire.


accessible:
The Scotch Four Knights [C47]
The opening for this month's column is the Scotch Four Knights. It is a very
solid and reliable choice for club players and can be used for one's entire
chess career, unlike some openings such as the King's Gambit (smile). I
remember facing it a lot as a younger player. For my reference this month, I
used the excellent Starting Out: The Scotch Game by John Emms. I
recommend all of his books, because they cover the important variations and
are packed with useful tips.
The The Scotch Game
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 by Alexander Beliavsky
Openings & Srdjan Cvetkovic
This is the Scotch Four Knights. White defends the pawn in the most natural
Explained way. Black has a few possibilities here.
5...Bb4
Abby Marshall
The Scotch Game

by Nigel Davies
[FEN "r1bqk2r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/8/1b1NP3/
2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6"]

This is the main line move. It is the most challenging because it attacks the
the games from
center right away and prepares to castle.
DGT Game Viewer.
5...Bc5 is a reasonable option; however, ...Qf6 is no longer available. 6.Be3
This develops a piece and keeps the tension in the center. (6.Nxc6 is the other
common choice and it leads to sharp positions.) 6...Bb6 (6...0–0 7.Nxc6 is a
common error!; 6...d6 is a level up from the 6...0–0 disaster, but it is not much The Scotch Game for White
better. 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bxc5 dxc5 I have actually seen a game where the by Vladimir Barsky
tripled isolated pawns were good, but this was only a single game. All other
times, the pawns are extremely weak. If they protect important squares, then
maybe it is okay, but what an ugly picture.; 6...Bb4 At first this looks silly
because Black has already moved this bishop, so White is a tempo up in the
5...Bb4 lines. However, the inclusion of Be3 may not benefit White much. 7.
Nxc6 bxc6 8.Qd4 White is ahead in development so might castle queenside
here.) 7.Qd2!?
[FEN "r1bqk2r/pppp1ppp/1bn2n2/8/3NP3/
2N1B3/PPPQ1PPP/R3KB1R b KQkq - 0 7"]
White employs an aggressive setup. 7...0–0 8.0–0–0 Re8 Black pressures e4.
9.f3 d5!? Black has to strike fast because White's attack is fast. The way to
respond to an attack on the flanks is to attack in the center. (9...d6?! is just too
passive. White is attacking quickly. 10.g4 Nxd4 11.Bxd4 Be6 12.Rg1 Bxd4
13.Qxd4 Black exchanges some pieces to relieve the pressure and to get
Black's own pawns rolling on the queenside. 13...c5 14.Qd2 Qa5 15.a3 a6 16.
g5 Nd7 17.f4 b5 18.f5 Black is really hurting here.) 10.Bb5 White develops
and responds with White's own threat. 10...Bd7 (10...dxe4 11.Nxc6 Qxd2+ 12.
Bxd2 a6 13.Ba4 Bd7 14.Nb4 Bxa4 15.Nxa4 a5 16.Nxb6 cxb6 17.a3 axb4 18.
Bxb4
[FEN "r3r1k1/1p3ppp/1p3n2/8/1B2p3/
P4P2/1PP3PP/2KR3R b - - 0 18"]
At the end of this mostly forced variation White's bishop is better than the
knight, and the doubled b-pawns are weak.) 11.exd5 Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Bxb5 13.
Nxb5 Qxd5 14.Bxb6 Qxb5 15.Be3 As in the previous variation, the bishop is
an advantage over the knight.
5...d6 is too passive and White gets an easy edge. 6.Bc4 Be7 7.0–0 0–0 8.h3
Nxd4 (8...Nxe4 The fork trick is not so good here. 9.Nxe4 d5 10.Nxc6 bxc6
11.Bd3 dxe4 12.Bxe4 Black has poor pawns.) 9.Qxd4 Be6 10.Be3 (10.Bxe6?!
fxe6 Exchanging bishops gives Black another pawn in the center and opens
the f-file for Black.) 10...Qd7 11.Rad1 Bxc4 12.Qxc4 Qc6 13.Qd3 Rae8 14.
Bd4 Bd8 15.Rfe1 Now Black begins some suspect play. 15...Nd7?! (15...Re6
Looks better and keeps all the pieces active.) 16.Nd5 f5? It is very common to
see players lash out when they are in a worse position. This is almost always
bad and ruins the chance of putting up a tough defense. 17.Qb3
[FEN "3brrk1/pppn2pp/2qp4/3N1p2/3BP3/
1Q5P/PPP2PP1/3RR1K1 b - - 0 17"]
17...Kh8 18.exf5 Rxe1+ 19.Rxe1 White is ahead a clear pawn. Black cannot
take back. 19...Rxf5 20.Re8+ Rf8 21.Qg3 Bf6 22.Bxf6 gxf6 23.Nxf6 Rxe8 24.
Nxe8.
5...Nxe4!? This may shock White, but it is not very good. Of course, Black
regains the piece, but at the cost of a good position. 6.Nxe4 Qe7
[FEN "r1b1kb1r/ppppqppp/2n5/8/3NN3/8/
PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 7"]
The peculiar pressure of the knight attacking d4 and the queen attacking the
e4-knight allow Black to regain the piece. 7.f3 d5 8.Bb5 Bd7 9.Bxc6 White
gets rid of Black's most active piece. 9...bxc6 (9...Bxc6 is inferior because
Black is giving up a bishop for a knight, and the ensuing open d-file means
Black can't castle queenside. 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.0–0 dxe4 12.fxe4) 10.0–0 dxe4
11.Re1 0–0–0 (11...f5 is weakening and asks for trouble. 12.fxe4 fxe4 13.c3
c5? 14.Qh5+ Qf7 15.Rxe4+ Be7 16.Rxe7+! Kxe7 17.Bg5+ Ke8 18.Re1+ Be6
19.Rxe6+ Kf8 20.Re7 Qxh5 21.Ne6+ Kg8 22.Rxg7# The position before 16.
Rxe7! would make a good tactics problem.) 12.Rxe4 Qf6 13.Qe2 c5 14.Nb3
Qb6 (14...Bc6 15.Rf4 Qg6 16.Rg4 Qd6 17.Bf4 Qd7 18.Qa6+ Kb8 19.Na5
Ba8 20.Be3 g6 21.Rb4+ cxb4 22.Bxa7# This is not a forced line of course,
but it gives a good idea of the dangers that Black faces.) 15.Be3 Bd6 16.Qf2
Piling up on the c5-pawn. 16...f5 17.Rh4 Be7 18.Rc4 Qb5 19.Bxc5 Qxc4 20.
Bxe7 Rde8 21.Qxa7 White is ahead two pawns and the black king is exposed.
5...Be7? is much too passive. 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.e5 Ng8 8.Qf3 This position is
terrible for Black.
5...d5? I've seen this move played a few times at scholastic tournaments. It is
simply bad. 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.exd5 White just wins a pawn.
5...Nxd4 is not good. White's queen becomes developed and White has tons of
space. 6.Qxd4 c5? I've actually seen young players play this sequence:
drawing the queen out with ...Nxd4 and then attacking it with ...c5. All this
does is create holes in the position. Attacking the queen is exciting because
sometimes the opponent won't notice, but it is not recommended. 7.Qe3.
6.Nxc6 bxc6
6...dxc6 prevents the a7-pawn from becoming isolated, but Black gets an
uncomfortable position. 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.Bd2 Even though the queens are off
the board, the black king is vulnerable in the center and White has easier
development. 8...Bxc3 9.Bxc3 Nxe4 10.Bxg7 Rg8 11.Bd4 White is much
better with the two bishops in a wide open game.
7.Bd3 d5
7...d6 This may be more adventurous than the main line 7...d5, but White
scores better. 8.Bg5 (8.0–0 Ng4! Black doesn't want to get into a Bg5 pin. 9.
Be2 Qh4 10.h3 Ne5 11.f4 Ng6 Equal play.) 8...h6 9.Bh4 Be6 10.f4 White
wants to prevent Black from breaking the pin with ...g5. Playing ...g5 on the
previous move would have been unwise because White had not yet committed
the king to the kingside. I like White here because White has more space and
greater central control.(10.0–0? White plays into Black's hands. 10...g5! 11.
Bg3 h5 12.f4 White tries to chip away at the pawns and open the center, but
Black is quite solid. 12...h4 13.Be1 gxf4 14.Rxf4 Nd7
[FEN "r2qk2r/p1pn1p2/2ppb3/8/1b2PR1p/
2NB4/PPP3PP/R2QB1K1 w kq - 0 15"]
Black has dark squares around White's king and also the g-file to conduct an
attack.).
7...0–0 is another option. It usually transposes to the main line if Black

follows up with 8...d5, so in this variation we will examine what happens
when Black doesn't seek a stake in the center. 8.0–0 Re8 9.Bg5 h6 10.Bh4
Rb8 (10...d6 11.f4 Bb7 12.Ne2!
[FEN "r2qr1k1/pbp2pp1/2pp1n1p/8/1b2PP1B/
3B4/PPP1N1PP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 12"]
This is a common maneuver in the Scotch. The knight moves over to the
kingside for an attack, and Black's bishop is looking silly.) 11.f4!? Since
Black hasn't challenged the center, White threatens to advance in the center
and gain more space. 11...d6 12.Kh1 White prepares e5. 12...Bb7 13.e5! dxe5
14.fxe5 Bxc3 15.exf6 Bxf6 16.Bxf6 gxf6 17.Qh5 Black's pawns are shattered
and Black's king is extremely weak.
8.exd5
8.e5 I was always afraid of this move as Black, even though it might not be
that dangerous. 8...Ng4 9.0–0 0–0 (9...Nxe5? 10.Re1 Qe7 11.f4) 10.Bf4 f6!
Black immediately attacks the white pawn to relocate the knight on g4. 11.
exf6 Qxf6 12.Bg3 (12.Bxc7 Bc5 13.Bg3 Nxf2 14.Bxf2 Bxf2+ 15.Kh1 Qh4)
12...Bc5 13.Qd2 Rb8 14.Rab1 Bd6 Black chips away at the main defender of
the White kingside. 15.Be2 Ne5 16.Nd1 d4 17.Kh1 c5 Black has a fantastic
game.
8...cxd5
This recapture makes the most sense. Black undoubles the c-pawns and gains
a solid pawn in the center. 8...Qe7+!? 9.Qe2 cxd5 10.Qxe7+ Kxe7 11.Bd2 c6
12.0–0–0 Rd8 13.Na4!
[FEN "r1br4/p3kppp/2p2n2/3p4/Nb6/
3B4/PPPB1PPP/2KR3R b - - 0 13"]
White tries to seize control of the dark squares. 13...Bd6 14.Be3.
9.0–0
9.Qe2+ is an interesting choice. I remember facing it in scholastic events and

it can be a surprise because castling looks so automatic. 9...Be7 10.Bg5 0–0
11.0–0–0 c6 12.Rhe1 Bb4 Both sides look aggressive and it is attractive to
young scholastic players. White has nice bishops while Black has the open b-
file making it a good game.
9...0–0 10.Bg5
White puts immediate pressure on the Black center.
10...c6
One ridiculous game I played long ago went 10...Bb7 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Qh5
g6 13.Nxd5 Qxb2 (13...Qd8).
10...Be6 Black protects the d-pawn in a different way. This develops a piece
and prepares to save a tempo with an immediate ...c5, but leaves the b5-square
open for occupation. 11.Nb5 c5 (11...Be7 After the knight moves, Black's
dark-squared bishop looks a little silly, and ...c5 right away cuts off the
bishop. 12.Nd4 Qd6 13.Re1 c5 14.Nf5 Bxf5 15.Bxf5 The two bishops have a
slight pull on the Black position.) 12.a3 Ba5 13.b4 cxb4 14.Qe1 Qe7?! (14...
bxa3 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Qe3; 14...h6 This is the best. 15.axb4 Bb6 16.Bh4 Re8
Black has lost the mobile pawns in the center, but has an okay position.) 15.
Nd4 Rac8 16.Nf5 Qd7 (16...Qd8 White is still better of course, but this would
prevent the ensuing tactic and king hunt.) 17.Nxg7! Kxg7 18.Bxf6+ Kxf6 19.
f4
[FEN "2r2r2/p2q1p1p/4bk2/b2p4/1p3P2/
P2B4/2P3PP/R3QRK1 b - f3 0 19"]
19...Kg7 (19...Bf5 Stopping the advance of the f-pawn is no use. 20.Qe5+

Kg6 21.g4) 20.f5 f6 (20...Kh8 21.Qh4 Rg8 22.Qxh7+ Kxh7 23.fxe6+ Kg7 24.
exd7 Rc7 25.Bf5) 21.fxe6 Qe7 22.Qh4 Kg8 23.Rf5 Rc7 24.Rh5 f5 25.Qg3+
Kh8 26.Bxf5 Qf6 27.Rd1 Rg7 28.Qh3 Qe7 29.Rxd5 White is clearly crushing
Black.
10...h6? fails tactically, but positionally it is also a poor move. Black weakens
the kingside and at some point will have to play ...g6 to combat the strength of
the light-squared bishop. 11.Bxf6 Qxf6 12.Nxd5 Qxb2 13.Rb1.
11.Qf3
There are other choices such as 11.Ne2 and 11.Na4, but here is start of the
main line. White has better development and more stable pawn structure,
versus Black's control of the center and open files. I always liked this position
when I was a junior.
11...Be7
If Black wants to avoid the drawish ending that may arise in 11...Bd6 after
Bxf6, then 11...Be7 is the smarter choice.
11...Bd6 It looks weird to allow White to double the pawns. However, Black's
central control and the two bishops make it an equal ending. 12.h3
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/p4ppp/2pb1n2/3p2B1/8/
2NB1Q1P/PPP2PP1/R4RK1 b - - 0 12"]
White doesn't want to be bothered by a future ...Bg4. Regardless of 12.h3,

Bg4 couldn't have been played immediately because Bxf6 wins a piece, but
White wants to safeguard against that for the future. (12.Rfe1 This variation
will look at what happens if White chooses to exchange on f6, where it makes
little difference whether White plays 12.h3 or 12.Rfe1. 12...Rb8 13.Na4 h6 14.
Bxf6 Qxf6 (14...gxf6? Black's king is too weak for this. Why keep the queens
on the board?) 15.Qxf6 gxf6 16.Rad1 Bg4 17.f3 Be6 This is considered a
level ending. See the game Nunn-Sulskis 1994 below.) 12...Rb8 13.Rab1 h6
14.Bf4 (14.Bh4 This natural move leads to some complications. 14...Re8 (14...
Rb4 This basically forces White to take on f6 anyway, so if White doesn't
want to play that, 14.Bf4 makes sense. 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.Qxf6 gxf6=) 15.Rfe1
Playing other moves allow ...g5, g4. (15.b3 g5 16.Bg3 g4 17.Qd1 (17.hxg4?
Bxg4 And the queen is trapped!) 17...gxh3) 15...Rxe1+ 16.Rxe1 g5 17.Bg3
Rxb2 18.Ne2 Kg7 Emms suggests this as an improvement over 18...c5. 19.
Bxd6 Qxd6 20.Ng3 Qf4 Black is definitely on top.) 14...Re8 15.Ne2 c5 16.c3
Bb7 17.Bxd6 Qxd6 Emms says this is about equal, and he's right, but the
position looks easier for Black. The mobile c- and d-pawns look good for
Black to me. These types of positions make me think that going into the Bxf6
ending is best for White, but maybe that's just my preference.
12.Rae1
White plays this rook to e1 because there is no other good square for the a1–
rook, the f1–rook may get in the game after a f2-f4 pawn push, and the bishop
may drop back to c1 at some point and the rook won't be hemmed in.
12...h6
Emms cautions readers about this move because White has a chance to force
an immediate draw, and Black has to play accurately if White continues to
play on. 12...Rb8 may be a better choice. 13.Na4 Be6 14.Bf4 White can try to
play on the dark squares.
13.Bf4
13.Bxh6 guarantees White at least a draw. Also, ...h6 is a common move, so

unsuspecting opponents may play it and then be totally surprised by the
sacrifice. 13...gxh6 14.Qe3 This double attack is the point. 14...d4! Black
counterattacks and ignores all of White's threats. 14...d4 also takes away the
e3- square for a rook lift.
a) 14...Bd6? Black takes care of the threat to the bishop, but does not
adequately stop White's attack. 15.Qxh6 The rook blocks off a king escape
and the queen is dangerously close to the black king. 15...Bg4 Black wants to
block off the g-file and develop a piece, but Black is so tied up that White
finds another way in: going around the bishop on g4. 16.Re3
[FEN "r2q1rk1/p4p2/2pb1n1Q/3p4/6b1/
2NBR3/PPP2PPP/5RK1 b - - 0 16"]
16...Rb8 This essentially does nothing to stop White, but Black was lost. 17.
Rfe1 Rxb2 18.Re5! This is the idea. All of White's pieces except the knight
are in the attack. 18...Bxe5 19.Rxe5 Ne4 This is the only square for the knight
because otherwise Qh7 is mate. 20.Bxe4 f5 21.Re6 White has broken through
the black position. 21...fxe4 22.Rg6+ Kf7 23.Rg7+ Ke8 24.Qg6+ Rf7 25.
Qxf7#.
b) 14...Re8? Black defends the bishop in a different way, but this too is not
good enough. The rook lift to e3 is too strong. 15.Qxh6 Qd6 16.Re3 Bg4 17.
Rg3 Qe6 (17...Qe5 Black defends more proactively. 18.Nd1! The last piece
comes to the attack and also, as the variation shows, opens the f1–rook into
the attack as well. 18...Bc5 19.Ne3 Bxe3 20.fxe3
[FEN "r3r1k1/p4p2/2p2n1Q/3pq3/6b1/
3BP1R1/PPP3PP/5RK1 b - - 0 20"]
Everything is falling apart. The bishop is attacked, which is defended by the

knight, which is also attacked, which blocks the rook from the f7-square.) 18.
h3 This begins a nice tactical sequence. 18...Bd6 19.Bh7+ Nxh7 20.Rxg4+
Qxg4 21.hxg4 White wins.
15.Qxh6 Qd6 Black develops and protects the e5-square, so White is having
trouble getting the rook into the attack, which was the crucial element in the
previous lines. 16.Qg5+ Kh8
[FEN "r1b2r1k/p3bp2/2pq1n2/6Q1/3p4/
2NB4/PPP2PPP/4RRK1 w - - 0 17"]
This is a critical position. White can always draw by perpetual check. I show
all of White's possibilities here: consider this a lesson in calculation and
attack. 17.Rxe7
a) 17.Qh6+ Kg8 18.Qg5+=.
b) 17.Qh4+ fails because White cannot just attack with a queen and a bishop.
17...Kg7 18.Ne4 Nxe4 19.Qxe4 Rh8–+ Remember that Black is ahead a
piece. And now Black has the attack.
c) 17.Re5 White threatens mate in two with 18.Qh6 and 19.Rg5, but this idea
does not work either. 17...Ng4 18.Qxe7 Qxe7 19.Rxe7 White wins the piece
back, but don't forget that ...d4 was a fork. 19...dxc3–+.
d) 17.f4 This tries to sneak the f1–rook into the attack, but it is too slow this
time. 17...dxc3 (17...Ng8 This throws the win back to White. Black has to be
accurate. 18.Rxe7 dxc3 (18...Qxe7 19.Qh5+ Kg7 20.Qh7+ Kf6 21.Qh8+ Ke6
22.Re1+) 19.Re3 White is still down a piece, but now the rook is in the attack,
so White is winning.) 18.Re3 Ng8 The difference here is that the knight on c3
is now gone. Black is winning. 19.Rxe7 Nxe7! 20.Qh5+ Kg7 21.Qh7+ Kf6
There is no knight check on e4, as in the previous variation.; 17...Qxe7 This
variation has White play some fancy moves, but it ends in a draw. 18.Ne4
Ng8 19.Qh5+ Kg7 20.Nf6 Nxf6! 21.Qg5+ Kh8 22.Qh6+=.
13...Bd6 14.b3 a5 15.h3
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/5pp1/2pb1n1p/p2p4/5B2/
1PNB1Q1P/P1P2PP1/4RRK1 b - - 0 15"]
This is a dynamic position.
The next game looks at the ending in the 11...Bd6 line. At the elite levels, this
ending is drawn; while at the club levels, it is anyone's game. Here, White
does not win and perhaps should have lost, but we can learn from White's
mistakes. Also, practice playing this ending against friends. Familiarity is
more important than evaluations, especially at the club level.
Nunn, John (2625) – Sulskis, Sarunas (2455)

Moscow ol (Men) (10), 1994
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5
8.exd5 cxd5 9.0–0 0–0 10.Bg5 c6 11.Qf3 Bd6 12.Rfe1 Rb8 13.Na4 h6 14.
Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qxf6 gxf6 16.Rad1 Bg4 17.f3 Be6
[FEN "1r3rk1/p4p2/2pbbp1p/3p4/N7/
3B1P2/PPP3PP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 18"]
This is where the theory section ended. To recap, Black has doubled pawns
and twice as many pawn islands as White, but Black does have the two
bishops and the center pawns.
18.g3
18.c3 is another possibility, aimed at stopping the advance of the Black c- and
d-pawns. Playing b4 becomes a possibility, but White should be cautious
about this because it weakens White's own pawns. 18...Rfd8 19.b3 Kg7 20.g3
Play may progress like this. It is an even position.
18...Kg7
Black moves the king to make way for the rooks to have access to the g- and
h-files if necessary, and puts the king closer to the action for the endgame.
19.b3
The knight has a square on b2 now and controls another square to stop the
advance of the black pawns.
19...h5
Black wants to get rid of the isolated and weak h-pawn.
20.Kg2
White should not try to force the play, and hope Black's structural weaknesses
outlast Black's strength: the two bishops.
20...h4 21.c4!?
[FEN "1r3r2/p4pk1/2pbbp2/3p4/N1P4p/
1P1B1PP1/P5KP/3RR3 b - c3 0 21"]
This isn't bad, but maybe it isn't necessary yet.
21.gxh4? Rh8.
21.g4 I like this move, clamping down on f5 and not allowing Black to
exchange off the weak h-pawn.
21...Bb4
Black gets the bishop off the d-file.
22.Re2 dxc4
I don't like this because it trades off one of Black's bishops, and the two
bishops are stronger than the bishop against a knight.
22...hxg3 23.hxg3 Rh8 It is still even, but this keeps the position more juicy.
23.Bxc4 Bxc4
If Black doesn't trade bishops, all he has done is made White more active and
the c6-pawn is now weak.
24.bxc4 hxg3 25.hxg3
This position is really equal. The pawns are roughly the same, the bishop is a
little better than the knight in this ending, but there's not much play.
25...Rfd8 26.Rxd8
White should probably not trade a set of rooks. The rooks help defend the
position, and double rook endings are very drawish. However, a rook and
bishop against rook and knight is a bit different, and now Black has more
chances.
26...Rxd8 27.Kf2 Rd1 28.Nb2?
[FEN "8/p4pk1/2p2p2/8/1bP5/5PP1/
PN2RK2/3r4 b - - 0 28"]
This allows the bishop to favorably relocate. 28.Rb2 Bd6 29.Ke3 f5 30.f4
This position would rest easier on my mind if I were White.
28...Bc5+ 29.Kg2 Rc1
Black pretty easily infiltrates the White position, which would not have
happened if another set of rooks were on the board. Black is better, but not
enough to win.
30.g4 Bd4 31.Rd2 c5 32.Kg3 Kg6 33.Re2 Be5+ 34.Kg2
White can only wait.
34...Bxb2?
Black wins a pawn, but in rook endings this is rarely enough to win. 34...Rc3
35.Rd2 Kg5 36.Re2 Bd4 37.Kg3 f5 may be winning for Black. The king is
very active and Black has a clamp on the position.
35.Rxb2 Rxc4
[FEN "8/p4p2/5pk1/2p5/2r3P1/5P2/
PR4K1/8 w - - 0 36"]
The rook ending is not so interesting in terms of our opening study. White is
down a pawn, but in rook endings this is not a tragedy, and White was able to
draw the game. Notice how both sides kept their rooks active.
36.Rb5 f5 37.gxf5+ Kxf5 38.Kg3 Ke5 39.Ra5 f5 40.Rxa7 Rc1 41.Re7+ Kd4
42.Kf4 Rf1 43.a4 c4 44.a5 Ra1 45.Rd7+ Kc3 46.Kxf5 Rxa5+ 47.Ke6 Kb4
48.f4 c3 49.Rd1 Ra6+ 50.Ke5 Ra2 51.Re1 Rf2 52.f5 c2 53.Rc1 Re2+ 54.
Kd6 Kc3 55.f6 Rf2 56.Ke7 Kd2 ½–½
Lessons Learned
● This column had more variations than usual. Don't skip over something
because it is long. The moves are easy to memorize and understand, so
take a deep breath and learn the moves.
● Study the illustrative game to understand the ending in the 11...Bd6
line.
● This opening leads to unbalances: pawn structure vs. the two bishops;
activity vs. the center. Know what the unbalances are in the position,
and construct a plan to maximize your pluses.
Practitioners
● Garry Kasparov: He revitalized the Scotch in the 1990s and made it

much more popular.
● Alexander Morozevich: He is a very creative grandmaster who plays
some fascinating chess, although sometimes his moves are extremely
risky.
● Lev Gutman: He has made theoretical contributions to the Scotch.
Further Reading
Starting Out: The Scotch Game by John Emms. Emms is a wonderful author
and explains things in a lucid, easy prose.

The Openings Explained Purchases from our
chess shop help keep
ChessCafe.com freely
Alekhine's Defense, Four Pawns Attack [B03] accessible:
I chose Alekhine's Defense as the opening for this month. Specifically, I will
be looking at what happens when White responds with the Four Pawns
Attack. This choice may seem odd for a number of reasons:
1. The Alekhine is a tough opening to recommend to beginning and

intermediate players.
2. The Four Pawns Attack is complicated and full of long variations that
The do not lend themselves to a column about basic ideas and concepts.
3. I have no experience on either side.
Openings
However, I made this choice because the Four Pawns Attack is highly
Explained interesting for both players. It is a sharp line that will likely score wins against ABC of the Alekhine
ill-prepared opponents. It also teaches tactics, as well as positional ideas, and by Andrew Martin
is fun to explore. I will be looking at it from Black's perspective, but will also
Abby Marshall mention mistakes Black can make, which is useful for white players.
1.e4 Nf6
This is unconventional move develops a piece gives Black a threat on the first
move. It fits the spirit of the opening as well. Black gives up the center and
allows White more space with the idea that White will overextend and Black
will have enough piece play and a solid position to be able to counterattack.
The Alekhine also offers a chance to play with different pawn structures than
the usual static 1.e4 e5.
2.e5 Play the Alekhine

by Valentin Bogdanov
This is the most popular and challenging answer. White gets the pawn out of
harm's way and gains space and a tempo on the black knight.
the games from 2...Nd5
DGT Game Viewer. The knight goes to the center while having b6 as a good square to go to if
attacked.
3.d4
Easy chess: White advances a center pawn and supports the head of the pawn
chain.
Starting Out:
Alekhine’s Defence
3.c4 Nb6 4.c5 is the Chase variation. The White pawns are uglier than usual.
by John Cox
The idea is to take away Black's retreat square of b6 and develop quickly, but
Black can defend.
3...d6
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppp1pppp/3p4/3nP3/3P4/
8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 4"]
This is essential. Black nudges the cramping e5-pawn and remains flexible. It
is unclear where Black's pieces will go: the f8-bishop may develop after ...e6
or ...g6; the knight may go to c6 after a ...c5 push; the bishop may go to f5 or
g4.
4.c4
White grabs more space immediately.
4.f4 White normally plays this next move after the knight has been kicked
from the center. This is the choice of strong players A.Vitolinsh and Viktor
Kupreichik. 4...dxe5 As in the main line, Black exchanges pawns on e5. This
eases some of the spacial pressure on Black and opens up White's position. 5.
fxe5 This is the logical recapture. White's king is more exposed, but White
has two pawns in the center and has the open f-file. 5...c5 Black immediately
attacks White's center and gains more space. Pawns thrusts such as this are
common in systems that don't stake out space with the center pawns. 6.Nf3 (6.
c4 White can't transpose to the main lines. 6...Nb4 7.a3 N4c6 Black can do
this little knight dance after the c-pawn has been pushed. Now White is facing
serious pressure in the center.; 6.c3 cxd4 7.cxd4 e6 White retains two pawns
in the center, but the black knight is here to stay.) 6...cxd4 Black breaks up the
White center. 7.Qxd4 Nc6 8.Bb5 Bf5 Black gets all the pieces out. 9.Nc3 e6
10.Qa4?! Ndb4
[FEN "r2qkb1r/pp3ppp/2n1p3/1B2Pb2/Qn6/
2N2N2/PPP3PP/R1B1K2R w KQkq - 0 11"]
Black wins a pawn. 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.Be3 Bxc2! This move and Black's next
move keep the initiative. Taking on c2 with the knight would leave c6
hanging. 13.b3 Qd3–+ White can't castle and Black easily develops more
pieces into the attack.
4.Nf3 is the Modern variation and the main choice of grandmasters. Black has
many choices. 4...dxe5 5.Nxe5 c6 is an interesting line to explore.
4...Nb6
Black retreats and prepares to attack the advancing pawns.
5.f4
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppp1pppp/1n1p4/4P3/
2PP1P2/8/PP4PP/RNBQKBNR b KQkq f3 0 5"]
This is the creatively named Four Pawns Attack. White wants to cramp the
Black position, open the f-file, and provide extra support for the e-pawn. It
certainly looks frightening, but not only for Black. Both players need to know
what they're doing.
5.exd6 is the Exchange variation. 5...exd6 leads to quieter play; while 5...cxd6
is more tactical and unbalanced.
5...dxe5
Black opens up the d-file and the f8-bishop if ...e6 is played later. I look at 5...
g6 in the first game.
6.fxe5
Trading queens with 5.dxe5 would be an insult to White's choice of opening.
6...Nc6
This is the move on the way to the main line where Black has been
experiencing problems. I offer 5...g6 and 6...c5 as alternatives, but the main
line is quite exciting with chances for Black.
6...c5!? is a crazy line played by Lubomir Ljubojevic and Alex Shabalov, two
very noted tacticians. I look at this in the second game.
7.Be3
7.Nf3 is another way to defend the d-pawn, but this is worse. 7...Bg4 8.e6
White sets a trap. 8...fxe6 Black's e-pawns are isolated and doubled, but Black
has good center control and can develop with ...g6.(8...Bxe6 9.d5).
7...Bf5
[FEN "r2qkb1r/ppp1pppp/1nn5/4Pb2/2PP4/
4B3/PP4PP/RN1QKBNR w KQkq - 0 8"]
Black gets the bishop out before playing ...e6.
8.Nc3
8.Nf3 Nb4 9.Na3 e6 is not what White wants.
8...e6
The moves for Black aren't hard to remember. Just get the pieces out.
9.Nf3
9.Be2 Note that this avoids the 9...Bg4 system. 9...Be7 10.Nf3 0–0 11.0–0 f6
transposes to 10.Be2 in the main line.
9...Be7
This is the main line; however, I do not recommend it because White can get
an advantage if he does not charge ahead.
9...Bg4 This system is interesting and more playable than 9...Be7. 10.Be2
Bxf3 (10...Qd7!? This is a recent idea. 11.0–0 Rd8 Black chooses to not castle
queenside because the king protects the f7-square. It is bizarre reasoning to
have the king protecting anything in the middlegame, but it is a try. 12.Ng5
(12.c5 needs to be examined.) 12...Nxc4
[FEN "3rkb1r/pppq1ppp/2n1p3/4P1N1/
2nP2b1/2N1B3/PP2B1PP/R2Q1RK1 w k - 0 13"]
Multiple things are attacked. White can either safeguard the e3-bishop or
counterattack on f7. 13.Bf2! This cuts off the f1–rook; however, the bishop
will return to e3 once Black's pieces have been kicked back. (13.Rxf7 Nxe3
14.Rxd7 Nxd1 15.Rxd8+ Nxd8 16.Bxg4 Ne3 Black is okay here. 17.Bh3 (17.
Bxe6 h6) 17...c5) 13...Bxe2 14.Qxe2 Be7 (14...Nb6 15.Be3 Nxd4 16.Bxd4
Qxd4+ 17.Kh1 Rd7 18.Rad1 Qc4 19.Qf3 White has scary compensation for
the two pawns.) 15.Nxf7 Kxf7 16.Qxc4 Rhe8 Black gets safe but this looks
like no fun.) 11.gxf3 Qd7 This position reminds me of the Chigorin's Defense
against the Queen's Gambit. White has the center, more space, and the two
bishops, while Black is aiming to chip away at the white pawns. In this
position, the Black knights may even be better than the bishops since the
position is semi-closed. (11...Qh4+ is the main move. 12.Bf2 Qf4 13.c5 Nd7
(13...Nd5 14.Nxd5 exd5 15.Qd2 Qxd2+ 16.Kxd2 The two bishops give White
a slight pull. 16...g6 17.Be3) 14.Qc1 Qxc1+ 15.Rxc1 0–0–0 16.Ne4 Ndb8!
[FEN "1nkr1b1r/ppp2ppp/2n1p3/2P1P3/
3PN3/5P2/PP2BB1P/2R1K2R w K - 0 17"]
Black puts together a plan for the knights. The c6-knight will go to e7/f5 or
d5, and the b8-knight will take its place on c6. 17.Ng5 Rd7 18.Bb5 h6 19.Ne4
g6 20.0–0 Bg7 21.f4 h5 22.Rc4 Bh6 23.Be3 a6 24.Ba4 Rdd8 25.b4 Na7 Black
has less space, but with the knights this is not a problem. 26.Bb3 Nbc6 27.a4
Kb8 28.Kg2 Ne7 29.Kf3 Nd5 Black is solid and eventually won this position
in Byrne-Albert 1984.
10.d5
10.Be2 is a tamer system than the critical 10.d5. 10...0–0 11.0–0 f6 Black
should always be looking at these pawn breaks. 12.exf6 Bxf6 13.Qd2 Qe7 14.
Rad1 Rad8 15.Qc1 (15.Kh1 h6 Black has several ideas here and the position
is equal.) 15...e5! This shot frees the Black position. 16.d5 Nd4 17.Bxd4 (17.
Nxd4 exd4 18.Bxd4 Bg5 19.Qa1 c5 20.Bf2 Bc2 21.Rde1 Rxf2 22.Rxf2 Be3
Black has enough pressure for the pawn.) 17...exd4 18.Nxd4 Bc8 In an open
position with two bishops, Black has enough play for the pawn.
10...exd5
10...Nb4!? It feels a little weird that I am giving so many choices for Black;
normally, this would be the case if I were writing this for the white player. I
just think that Black has a lot of interesting play and it helps to have options
and to get more familiar with the positions. 11.Nd4 (11.Rc1 In this line, the
usual rhythm of cause and effect seems to be absent. Black charges forward
and doesn't directly respond to White. 11...exd5 12.a3 c5 The knight stays put.
13.axb4 d4 14.Bxd4 cxd4 15.Nxd4 Qb8 Black leaves the bishop en prise. 16.
Nxf5 Qxe5+ 17.Be2 Qxf5 18.c5 Nd7 19.Nd5 Bd8 20.Rc3 0–0 White is a little
bit better, but what's a +/= evaluation between the ranks of the non-titled
players?) 11...Bg6 12.a3 Na6 13.dxe6 0–0 14.exf7+ (14.Be2 Declining the
pawn may be best. 14...c5 15.Nf3 fxe6 unlcear) 14...Bxf7 15.Qg4 Bc5 16.e6
Bg6 Black has open files, play against the white king, and can try to pick off
the vulnerable e6-pawn sooner or later. White is up a pawn, but I would take
Black here.
11.cxd5 Nb4
[FEN "r2qk2r/ppp1bppp/1n6/3PPb2/1n6/
2N1BN2/PP4PP/R2QKB1R w KQkq - 0 12"]
This is the best place for the knight.
12.Nd4
12.Bxb6 The idea is to eliminate pressure on d5, but this comes at the cost of
parting with the dark-squared bishop in an opening position. 12...axb6 13.Nd4
Bg6 (13...Bd7 14.a3) 14.Bb5+ c6 15.dxc6 0–0 16.cxb7 Rb8 White wishes for
a dark-squared bishop.
12...Bd7 13.Qf3
13.e6 This is a position that gets me excited about chess. Maybe it is because I
like tactical positions where no one is really sure what's going on. Analyzing
positions like this will make you a stronger player and help you enjoy the
richness of chess. 13...fxe6 14.dxe6 Bc6 Both sides are in a precarious
situation. 15.Qg4 (15.Nxc6 Qxd1+ 16.Rxd1 Nc2+ 17.Kd2 Nxe3 18.Kxe3
bxc6 This is drawish. Black's queenside pawns do not impress, but either does
the White e6-pawn. It is also features opposite-colored bishops, though they
are not always drawish when other pieces are on the board. Except in this
case.; 15.Qh5+ is not dangerous. 15...g6 16.Qh6 Bh4+ 17.g3 Bf6 Where are
White's threats?) 15...Bh4+ Black will be crushed by sitting around. 16.g3
White gives up the rook for time. Moving the king away would be ridiculous
in a position like this. 16...Bxh1 17.0–0–0 (17.Bb5+ This is a noble effort to
get all the pieces out. Unfortunately, Black has a good trick. 17...c6 18.0–0–0
0–0 19.gxh4 h5! Black prepares to take on b5. (19...cxb5 20.Nf5 Qf6 21.Bd4
+-) 20.Qg3 cxb5 21.Nf5 Rxf5 22.Rxd8+ Rxd8 Black has way too much
material for the queen.) 17...0–0 (17...Bf6 18.Nf5 White wins.) 18.gxh4 Qf6
Black gets the pieces out and defends the king. 19.Bb5 (19.Bg5 Qxf1 20.Rxf1
Rxf1+ 21.Nd1 Nd3+ 22.Kc2 Ne1+ is a draw.; 19.Be2 Bd5 Simply protect the
bishop.) 19...c5 20.Bg5 (20.Rxh1 White can bail out. 20...cxd4 21.Bxd4 Qf4+
22.Qxf4 Rxf4 23.Bxb6 axb6 24.e7 Nc6 25.Nd5 Re4 26.Rg1 unclear
Everything is simplified. White's play balances the exchange.) 20...Qe5 21.e7
cxd4 Black is up a lot of stuff and can afford to give some of it back. 22.exf8Q
+ Rxf8 23.Rxh1 h6 24.Bd2? (24.Bxh6 dxc3 25.Qxb4 cxb2+ 26.Kb1 Qf5+ 27.
Kxb2 Qf6+ 28.Kb1 Qxh6 This position is about equal. I would prefer Black
because of the king cover.) 24...dxc3 25.Bc4+ Nxc4 26.Qxc4+ Kh8 27.bxc3
Nc6 28.Rf1 Rd8 =/+
[FEN "3r3k/pp4p1/2n4p/4q3/2Q4P/
2P5/P2B3P/2K2R2 w - - 0 29"]
Black stands better because of the safer king and superior pawn structure.
13...c5
Black has to act quickly because of the e6 threat.
14.dxc6 bxc6
This is what is usually played. I looked at the other two choices and neither
seem exciting for Black.
14...Bxc6 15.Nxc6 Nxc6 16.Qe4 White has two bishops and more space.
14...Nxc6 brings a piece back and keeps Black's pawn structure intact. I'm not
sure how much I believe in it, but I like it better than 14...bxc6. 15.e6 This
needs immediate attention. 15...fxe6 16.0–0–0 Qc8 (16...Nxd4 17.Bxd4 Bf6
18.Bxf6 Qxf6 19.Qxb7 0–0 20.Rxd7 Rfb8 21.Qc6 Nxd7 22.Qxd7 Rb6 White
must be better.) 17.Bd3 Nb4 18.Qh5+ (18.Be4 Nxa2+; 18.Bb1 N6d5) 18...Kf8
19.Kb1 (19.Rhf1+ Bf6) 19...Kg8 What a messy position. At least Black
retains chances, although of course White has them as well. What I really
dislike is the rook on h8.
15.Be2!
I think what's going on here is that White is the one who has consolidated and
has pressure on the black position, so White doesn't need to press right away.
15.e6?! This is a really cool short game that illustrates the hidden resources
for Black. 15...fxe6 16.0–0–0 N6d5 17.a3 Nxc3 18.Nxe6 Nca2+!! 19.Kb1
Bxe6 20.Rxd8+ Rxd8 21.axb4 Nxb4 22.Be2 Rf8 23.Qh5+ g6 24.Qe5 Bf5+ 25.
Ka1 Rd5 26.Qb8+ Kf7 0–1, Pegoraro-Henderson, Ischia 1996. If 27.Qxa7 Nc2
+ 28.Ka2 Nxe3 29.Qxe3 Ra5+ 30.Kb3 Rb8+.
15...0–0 16.0–0 N4d5 17.Bf2 Qc7 18.Bg3 Nxc3 19.bxc3

[FEN "r4rk1/p1qbbppp/1np5/4P3/3N4/
2P2QB1/P3B1PP/R4RK1 b - - 0 19"]
19...Qc8
Black is under a lot of pressure here, and it is hard to say what went wrong. I
do not recommend the main line for Black; I presented it simply for clarity
since I analyzed this line the most. It is a shame for Alekhine players, but
thankfully there are many alternatives, such as 9...Bg4 or even 10...Nb4.
In the next two games, we will look at 5...g6 and 6...c5!? It is amazing that
there is so much richness in an opening that most players do not take the time
to study.
In the first game, Black deviates from the main line from the very start.
Brener - Pushkin
USSR, 26.07.1988
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 g6!?
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppp1pp1p/1n1p2p1/4P3/
2PP1P2/8/PP4PP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 6"]
This is uncommon, but considered playable for Black.
5...g5!? is a very interesting move that has had great practical results. It
remains pretty untested if Black players are curious to play it. It basically
takes pawn breaks to the extreme.
6.Nc3
6.Nf3 White wants to play Nbd2 to safeguard the c4-pawn. 6...dxe5 7.fxe5
Bg4 None of this has been tested in practice. Black will fianchetto the dark-
squared bishop, castle, and chip at the white pawns with ...f6/...c5.
6...Bg7 7.Be3
White develops along normal lines.
7...0–0?!
This move order is incorrect and allows a dangerous continuation.

7...Be6!? is correct. 8.Qb3 (8.c5 Nd5 Black is fine here. If Black castles first,
then there is no d5-square after 8.c5.; 8.Nf3 0–0 transposes to the game.; 8.d5
Bf5 9.Be2 0–0 10.Nf3 e6 The four pawns on e5, d5, e6, and d6 look strange.
Something will give in the white center and Black is okay.) 8...a5!
[FEN "rn1qk2r/1pp1ppbp/1n1pb1p1/p3P3/
2PP1P2/1QN1B3/PP4PP/R3KBNR w KQkq a6 0 9"]
Black has a plan for the b8-knight. 9.a4?! This weakens the b4-square. 9...Na6
10.Rd1 Nb4 11.Nf3 d5! Watch for strikes in the center such as ...e5/...d5. 12.
cxd5 (12.c5?! Nc4!) 12...N4xd5! 13.Nxd5 Bxd5 14.Qc2 Bxf3 Knights are
more important than bishops here. The e3-bishop is buried and Black has the
light squares, which means outposts for knights. 15.gxf3 Nd5 16.Bc1 e6
Black is better.
8.Nf3
8.c5! N6d7 (8...dxc5 9.dxc5 Qxd1+ 10.Rxd1 N6d7 11.Nd5 is clearly terrible
for Black.) 9.h4!? is scary for Black. White has all this space and wants to
steamroller Black. In my opinion, this is best avoided by playing 7...Be6.
8...Be6!
This move was a novelty by IM Sergeev played against Ivanchuk. It would

have been better a move earlier, but better late than never.
9.Qb3
This is the critical move.
9.Nd2 is the other choice. 9...dxe5 10.fxe5 c5! is another example of a strong
pawn push from the flank. 11.d5 (11.dxc5 N6d7 is also good for Black.) 11...
Bf5 12.Bf4 e6! Ivanchuk-Sergeev, USSR, 1984. White's center will fall apart.
13.d6 Nc6 14.Nf3 Nd7 15.Qe2 Bg4 This is a pretty typical manuevering
success by Black: White advances too far and Black picks off the pawns.
9.d5? One of the advantages of ...Be6 is that tempting pawn pushes don't
work well. 9...Bg4 10.exd6 (forced) 10...exd6.
99.b3 White protects the c-pawn in the most obvious way, but it fails
tactically. 9...c5! 10.dxc5 N6d7 Avoiding the queen trade. 11.cxd6 exd6 12.
Qxd6 Nxe5!
[FEN "rn1q1rk1/pp3pbp/3Qb1p1/4n3/2P2P2/
1PN1BN2/P5PP/R3KB1R w KQ - 0 13"]
The c3-knight is going to drop off the board.
9...a5!
This is an idea worth remembering. As before, it gains space and prepares a

knight jump to a6/b4.
10.Ng5
White is definitely testing Black.
10.Ne4!? If a white knight can get to e4, it usually means Black did
something wrong. Here Black has plenty of activity to make up for the well-
placed knight. 10...d5 11.Neg5?! dxc4 12.Nxe6 cxb3 13.Nxd8 Rxd8 14.axb3
Nc6 This is second time Black gives up the two bishops and has control over
the light squares. Black is favored in this endgame.
10...a4! 11.Nxe6
11.Qb5?! This is just not good at all. 11...Bd7 12.Qb4 Nc6 13.Qa3 f6! White's
queen is out of place and the center is falling to pieces.
11...axb3 12.Nxd8 Rxd8 13.a3 Nc6
[FEN "r2r2k1/1pp1ppbp/1nnp2p1/4P3/
2PP1P2/PpN1B3/1P4PP/R3KB1R w KQ - 0 14"]
Quite suddenly the position has transitioned into an endgame. I think the
knights are going to beat the bishops while the pawns clutter the board.
Black's bishop will become active after a ...f6 push.
14.0–0–0?!
White's king and rook are not really where they want to be.
14.Rc1 is better, after 14...dxe5 15.dxe5 Nd4 16.Bd3 Nc2+ 17.Bxc2 (17.Ke2
fails tactically: 17...Rxd3! 18.Kxd3 Rd8+ 19.Ke2 Nxe3 20.Kxe3 Nxc4+ 21.
Ke4 Nxb2 Black has two pawns the the exchange, and it is a little early in the
endgame for the king to be in the center.) 17...Nxc4! 18.Ke2!? bxc2 19.Rxc2
Black has a slight edge. ...f6 is coming and Black has active pieces.
14...Na5!
Black is better now.
15.c5
White is forced to advance the threatened pawn.
15...dxc5 16.dxc5 Rxd1+ 17.Nxd1
17.Kxd1 is even worse: 17...Nbc4 18.Bc1 Rd8+ 19.Ke1 f6!.
17...Nbc4
All of Black's next moves force the play. Notice Black's lead in development.
It is almost as though castling undeveloped White's king.
18.Bd4 Rd8 19.Bc3 Rd5 20.Bb4 g5!
This is a nice move. Keep attacking the pawn chain in the Alekhine.
21.fxg5
21.g3 The usual solution, but it doesn't work here. 21...gxf4 22.gxf4 Bh6 23.
Rg1+ Kf8 24.Rg4 Rd4 and Black wins.
21...Rxe5 22.Bxc4 Nxc4 23.Re1
[FEN "6k1/1pp1ppbp/8/2P1r1P1/1Bn5/
Pp6/1P4PP/2KNR3 b - - 0 23"]
White finally gets developed, but Black is too active.
23...e6 24.h4
24.Rxe5 Bxe5 25.g3 Bd4 It is instructive to see how Black continues to carry
the initiative. White is close to paralysis.
24...Rd5!
Black would prefer to keep rooks on, since his rook is stronger than White's.
25.Re4
25.Nc3 It is too late to activate. 25...Rd2 26.Re2 Rxe2 27.Nxe2 Bxb2+.
25...Ne5 26.Nf2
White gets all of the pieces off the back rank, but Black is ideally placed and
cleans up.
26...Bf8!
Winning the c5-pawn.
27.c6
White cannot stop the loss of the pawn.
27...Nxc6 28.Bxf8 Kxf8

[FEN "5k2/1pp2p1p/2n1p3/3r2P1/
4R2P/Pp6/1P3NP1/2K5 w - - 0 29"]
Black is up a pawn with better pieces and wins pretty easily.
29.Rc4 Rd4 30.Rc3 Rxh4 31.Rxb3 Na5 32.Rd3 Rh2 33.Rg3 Kg7 34.Ne4
Kg6 35.b4 Nc6 36.Nc5 Nd4 37.Rg4 e5! 38.Re4 Rxg2 39.Rxe5 Rxg5 40.
Rxg5+ Kxg5 41.Nxb7 Kg4 0–1
The h-pawn will queen. This game really expresses the ideas of the 5...g6 line
and Black's play was exemplary all through the endgame.
The next game is short and sweet. Black wins because White didn't really
know what to do in the opening, which is a good precursor to losing a
miniature as white.
Vermeer - Shabalov
USSR, 26.07.1986
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.c4 Nb6 5.f4 dxe5 6.fxe5 c5!?
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pp2pppp/1n6/2p1P3/2PP4/
8/PP4PP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq c6 0 7"]
This is phenomenal to play against an unprepared opponent; for example, a

kid who just likes to play aggressive lines while probably not knowing theory.
Even if White spent all night and morning preparing, Black has good play.
The idea is that White has already overextended and Black is ahead in
development, so it is a good time to strike.
7.d5
Protecting the pawn lets Black get in the ...c5 break for free.
7.Nf3 Bg4 and Black won't complain.
7.Be3 cxd4 is not how White planned it, trust me.
7...e6
The d-pawn gets no relief.
7...g6 Fianchettoing the bishop is also possible here. The only thing is that the
lines get obscure and confusing. 8.Bf4 Bg7 9.Nc3 (9.h3!? White wants to
avoid a ...Bg4 pin. 9...0–0 10.Nf3 e6 11.Nc3 f6 I think Black is fine.) 9...0–0
10.Qd2 (10.Bd3 The bishop has no home here. 10...e6 11.d6 When this
happens, the base of the pain chain should be where Black focuses; in this
case, the e5-pawn. 11...Nc6 12.Nf3 Nd7 Exactly. 13.Qe2 Nd4 14.Nxd4 cxd4
15.Nb5 Qa5+ 16.Bd2 Qb6 17.b4 Nxe5 White played a couple weird moves
and let Black just win the pawn, but Black has pressure regardless.) 10...e6
11.0–0–0 White adopts an aggressive set-up. 11...exd5 12.cxd5 Re8 Black
opens lines to pressure the white pawns. 13.Re1 Na6 14.Nf3 Nb4 15.Bg5 Qc7
[FEN "r1b1r1k1/ppq2pbp/1n4p1/2pPP1B1/
1n6/2N2N2/PP1Q2PP/2K1RB1R w - - 0 16"]
This is a crazy line within a crazy line. 16.d6 Qc6 17.Bh6 Bh8 I saw on
ChessPublishing that this is a suggestion of my old coach, national master
Mark Morse. The idea is, of course, to preserve the bishop. 18.h4 Bf5 I'm not
really sure what's going on here, except that this looks like a typical position I
might play. I don't know if that is a good thing or not.
8.Nc3
8.d6 fails tactically: 8...Qh4+ 9.g3 Qe4+ 10.Qe2 Qxh1 11.Nf3 Black is totally
winning, but I have to show a long line to prove it, since the queen has to go.
11...Nc6! 12.Nbd2 Nd7! 13.Kf2 Ndxe5! 14.Nxe5 Qxh2+ 15.Bg2 Nd4 16.Qd1
Bxd6 17.Nf1 White has done it! But it doesn't matter that the queen is lost.
17...Qxg2+ 18.Kxg2 Bxe5 Black is winning with a rook, a piece, and three
pawns for the queen and a bunch of undeveloped pieces.
8...exd5 9.cxd5 c4
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pp3ppp/1n6/3PP3/2p5/
2N5/PP4PP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 0 10"]
This is the best move. Black's f8-bishop is free to move. This is a critical
position for this line.
10.a3
10.Bf4 Bb4 11.Bxc4? Nxc4 12.Qa4+ Nc6 13.dxc6 Nxb2–+ Black is just
winning. 14.cxb7+ Nxa4 15.bxa8Q Bxc3+.
10.Qd4 White's goal is simple: grab the c-pawn. 10...Nc6 11.Qe4 Nb4 12.a3
(12.d6 g6 White is in trouble.) 12...N4xd5 13.Nxd5 Qxd5 14.Qxd5 Nxd5 15.
Bxc4 Nc7 16.Be3 Be6 Sleepy equality.
10.d6 has been played very rarely, yet is a scary looking move. What to do?
10...Be6 11.Nf3 (11.Nb5 Nd5 12.Nf3 Qa5+) 11...Nc6 12.Nb5 (12.Be2 Nd7)
12...Rc8 13.Bg5 (13.Nc7+ Rxc7 14.dxc7 Qxc7 Black gives up the exchange.
In return, White's center has disappeared. Black is better.) 13...Qd7 14.a4 h6
15.Be3 Nd5 16.Bf2 a6 17.Nbd4 (17.Bxc4 axb5 18.Bxd5 Nxe5 19.Nxe5 Qxd6
Black gets the piece back.) 17...Nxd4 18.Qxd4 Nb4 19.Qd2 Nc6 ...g5 is
coming to gain space and develop the f8-bishop.
10.Nf3 is the main line. Black sacrifices a pawn, but with good compensation
and a fine position. 10...Bb4 11.Bxc4 (11.Bg5 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 Qxd5 13.Qxd5
Nxd5 14.0–0–0 Ne7 15.Bxe7 Kxe7 16.Bxc4 Bg4=) 11...Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 Nxc4
13.Qa4+ Nd7 14.Qxc4 Nb6 15.Qb5+ Qd7 16.Qxd7+ Bxd7 17.d6 Rc8 18.Bd2
Bb5 19.Nd4 Bd3 White's pawns are extended and White can't castle. ½- ½,
Shulman-Baburin 2001.
10.Bxc4 Qh4+.
10...Bc5
What White did in the game is not recommended. Now White can't castle and
Black has a clear plan of attack.
11.Nf3 0–0 12.Be2 Bf5!
[FEN "rn1q1rk1/pp3ppp/1n6/2bPPb2/2p5/
P1N2N2/1P2B1PP/R1BQK2R w KQ - 0 13"]
White seems to have developed safely, but keeping the king in the center is
terrible, so White has to castle queenside, which is very dangerous.
13.Bg5 Qd7 14.Qd2 h6 15.Bf4 Na6 16.0–0–0 Rac8
Black is all developed and ready for action. White has played all normal
looking moves, so maybe his danger radar was not on yet.
17.h3 Na4!
Black's idea is simple: attack the king.
18.Nd4?
This is tactically flawed.
18.Rhf1 Bxa3! 19.bxa3 N6c5 20.Bxc4 Nb3+ 21.Bxb3 Rxc3+.
18...Bxd4 19.Qxd4 N6c5 20.Bxc4
White looks consolidated somewhat.
20.Qxc4 Nd3+.
20...Qb5!!
This is such a cool move. I remember reading once that it is important to save
positions such as this in a notebook full of similar gems. It makes you feel
good about chess.
21.Rd2
21.Nxb5 Nb3#; 21.Bxb5 Nb3#; 21.b4 Nb3+ 22.Bxb3 Rxc3+–+ winning.
21...Nxc3 0–1
22.Qxc3 (22.bxc3 Qb1#) 22...Nb3+ 23.Bxb3 Qxb3–+.
This kind of game makes this line look inviting. Of course, White played
poorly, but Shabalov made it look so easy. The critical lines need to be
investigated more closely.
Lessons Learned
● The first one is that the mainline for Black (9...Be7) is under a cloud. I
personally am excited about 6...c5!?, while 5...g6 is a solid choice.
Maybe 10...Nb4 is the most dubious, while 9...Bg4 is okay. I would
encourage black players to do their own analysis and explore the
possibilities. Many lines are untested.
● The variations may be a bit daunting. Whenever I'm looking at a line
with a lot of theory, I try to bring it back to basics: If I reached this
position over-the-board for the first time, what would I think about?
Break down the analysis into bits; don't just chug variation after
variation. I also like printing out the critical positions and playing them
out on a board.
● As for the actual chess, specifics are important, but so are ideas in some
positions. Black is aiming to break up the white pawns with ...f6 and ...
c5 pawn breaks and gain space. It is a combative opening full of
creativity.
Further Reading
● Starting Out: Alekhine's Defense by John Cox. This is a great book full
of ideas for both White and Black. It is from 2004, and so considered a
grandfather in terms of opening books, so the main line is outdated, but
everything else looks pretty fresh.
● Chesspublishing.com is a wonderful site that I highly recommend. In
fact, I used it as a reference for this column.
Practitioners
● Bobby Fischer. Many players know of the funny story from the 1965
Havana tournament. Fischer was playing by phone and thought that his
opponent had played 1.d4. Fischer replied 1...Nf6 and was shocked
when White played 2.e5. Luckily Fischer didn't blow his cool when he
learned that the first move was 1.e4, and he used Alekhine's to good
effect throughout his career.
● Vladimir Bagirov. The strong grandmaster is a champion of the defense.
● Edvins Kengis. He is a strong Latvian grandmaster.
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Sicilian Kan Variation [B43] accessible:
My subject for this column is the Sicilian Kan Variation, which is also known
as the Paulsen Variation. Many top players have employed it over the years
and it is popular at club levels because of its flexibility. With the help of Jesus
de la Villa's book Dismantling the Sicilian and Richard Palliser's notes on
Chess Publishing, I give a solid, aggressive choice for white players to
combat this system.
The 1.e4 c5
Openings The idea of the Sicilian is to stake a claim in the center while avoiding the
symmetry of 1...e5 systems.
Explained Sicilian Kan Variation
2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 by Valeri Lilov
Abby Marshall
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The Cutting Edge 1:

[FEN "rnbqkbnr/1p1p1ppp/p3p3/8/3NP3/ The Open Sicilian 1
8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5"] by Milos Pavlovic
This is the Kan Variation. Black hasn't yet developed a piece, but the position
is flexible. The pawn advances ...a6 and ...e6 are common Sicilian moves that
Black wants to make anyway. Black may play ...b5 and ...Bb7, or ...d5 at
Play through and download some point, and has a nice plan of development. The dark-squared bishop has
the games from a wide variety of squares available and Black is safe from attack since the e6-
ChessCafe.com in the pawn is well defended by the f- and d-pawns.
DGT Game Viewer.
5.Nc3
White develops simply. Now playing c4 is no longer an option, but White is

Sicilian Kan
eschewing positional considerations for quick piece play and an aggressive
by Andrew Martin
setup.
5.Bd3 is a move that I played for a while. The possibility of putting a pawn on
c4 to pressure the center is still open and the bishop defends the e-pawn,
which may come under attack after ...b5 and ...Bb7. However, I began to
dislike this move because Black has so many possible responses.
5...Qc7
This is the main line, though Black has a wide variety of options, which
makes the Kan attractive to black players.
5...b5 is the most direct way to counter White's development scheme.

[FEN "rnbqkbnr/3p1ppp/p3p3/1p6/3NP3/
2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq b6 0 6"]
The c3-knight may lose its place in the center and the defense of the e-pawn,
and Black's c8-bishop is free to move. 6.Bd3 White continues developing.
Notice that the bishop will usually come to d3 in the Kan. It looks weird
because it is behind its own pawn, but the idea is to protect the e-pawn after
the ...b4 and ...Bb7 setup. 6...Qb6 Again Black responds to White's
development in the most direct way. The queen is useful here and a bishop on
c5 may place pressure on the a7-f2 diagonal.
a) 6...Bb7 This logically follows up Black's idea. 7.0–0 Nc6 Black doesn't
want to play ...b4 at this stage since the pawn would be a weakness and open
up the c4-square for White's bishop. (7...Qc7 transposes to the main move 5...
Qc7.) 8.Nxc6 White exchanges knights to avoid losing a tempo and to gain
more control over the e5-square. 8...Bxc6 (8...dxc6 This recapture blocks
Black's light-squared bishop, and if the pawn advances to c5, then the dark-
squared bishop is blocked. And if it advances to c4 later, then the Black
queenside pawns become vulnerable. 9.e5! White gains space and starts
looking at the d6-square. 9...Qc7 10.Bf4 Black is getting cramped and the d3-
bishop bishop is sitting pretty as well.) 9.Re1 White sets up a common theme
in the Sicilian: putting a white knight on d5 with a rook on e1 to disrupt the
black position. 9...Qb8
[FEN "rq2kbnr/3p1ppp/p1b1p3/1p6/4P3/
2NB4/PPP2PPP/R1BQR1K1 w kq - 0 10"]
Black wants to put pressure on the e5-square if White makes the push. (9...
Qc7 10.Nd5 Now the idea comes with tempo. The effect of this knight will be
seen in the main variation.; 9...Nf6 10.e5 Nd5 11.Ne4 The Black knight looks
active, but it's blocking the light-squared bishop. The black bishop is also
unsure of where to go and White's pieces are pointing toward an attack.) 10.a4
White first starts tickling Black's queenside pawns. This is the drawback of
playing ...b5 very early. 10...b4 11.Nd5 The main purpose is simple: White
wants an active knight, and the center of the board is an ideal spot. Black
would be unhappy trading bishop for knight since the position would become
open, favoring the side with the bishop-pair. 11...Nf6 With this move Black
directly attacks the intruding knight. (11...Bd6 Black develops, makes a threat
on h2, and prevents Bf4. 12.Qg4 White takes advantage of what Black left
behind. 12...Bxh2+ 13.Kh1 Kf8 Black got the pawn with tempo; however,
White has a scary initiative. 14.Nf4 Forces Black to allow White the bishop-
pair. 14...Bxf4 15.Bxf4 e5 Black gives White no extra time. 16.Bg5 White is
down a pawn. Black has a king in the center and little activity. It's
complicated though; White easily has the edge in over-the-board play.) 12.
Bf4 (12.Nxf6+ This isn't bad, but it diffuses White's plan of playing e5 and
Black has some play along the g-file and with bishops at c6 and d6 targeting
the white king.) 12...Bd6 13.Bxd6 Qxd6 14.Nb6 White keeps the initiative
and gains a nice outpost. 14...Rb8 15.a5 Qf4 16.Qf3+/- The game looked
pretty tactical. Now it seems like White wants to calm things down. White has
the positional edge because of the b6-knight and Black's tender dark squares,
and doubled pawns on f2 and f3 are no big deal since they actually help
protect e4 and render the c6-bishop useless.
b) 6...d6 7.a4 Almost always play a4 if Black has played ...b5 and ...d6.
Black's dark-squared bishop is cut off from defending the pawn once it
advances to b4. 7...b4 8.Na2 Nf6 9.0–0 (9.Nxb4 d5) 9...Bb7 10.Re1 a5 Black
can defend the b-pawn, but now the black queenside is opened up. 11.c3
[FEN "rn1qkb1r/1b3ppp/3ppn2/p7/Pp1NP3/
2PB4/NP3PPP/R1BQR1K1 b kq - 0 11"]
White has the queenside light squares and open files.
c) 6...Bc5 7.Nb3 Almost always play Nb3 after Bc5 to poke the bishop. If it
goes to a7, then the kingside dark squares are a little weak. If it goes to e7,
then the queenside squares have lost some support. 7...Be7 8.Qg4 Now White
can get some play against the undeveloped kingside, so 6...Bc5 may have
been premature. 8...g6 9.0–0 d6 10.e5! We've seen the e5-push is good to get
in; here it works tactically. If 10...dxe5?, then 11.Qe4 Ra7 12.Qxe5
7.Nf3! It is uncommon to retreat the knight back to f3 in the Sicilian. Usually

the knight will not return until f4 is played. However, in this case White wants
to gain control over e5 with pieces, since Black is behind in development.
This is another juncture where Black has a bit of choice in how to continue.
7...Qc7 The queen retreats to check up on e5 and to prevent White's threat of

8.a4, a5, and Na4.
a) 7...Nc6 8.0–0 Qb8 Black wants control over e5. (8...d6 is in the first
illustrative game.) 9.e5 White can still play it, however. 9...Nge7 Black
declines the sacrifice and will try to take advantage of the space that the e-
pawn left behind. (9...Nxe5 10.Nxe5 Qxe5 11.Qf3 Qb8 12.Bf4 White is down
a pawn so needs to act quickly. Keep the initiative! 12...Bb7 13.Be4 Bxe4 14.
Nxe4 Qd8 15.a4 I like this move since it throws Black off a little. White has
been making threats and now whips out a pawn move from edge of the board
to loosen things up. Maybe the a1–rook will join the action. 15...b4 16.Be5
This is another nice move that keeps Black tied up. Black's bishop can't move
nor can the knight go to f6. 16...h6 17.c4 Again, nice! White prepares to
cramp Black even further and at the same time opens things up for the white
rooks. The pawn deficit doesn't mean much.) 10.Re1 Bb7 11.Be4 White
relocates the bishop to a more advantageous location. Black can't really gain
control of d5. 11...Qc7 12.h4 White wants to gain space and impede the
development of the Black kingside pawns, since it is likely Black will castle
queenside. 12...h6 13.h5 0–0–0 14.Bd3 f6 (14...f5 15.Bxb5 axb5 16.Nxb5+-)
15.exf6 gxf6 16.a4+/=
[FEN "2kr1b1r/1bqpn3/p1n1pp1p/1p5P/P7/
2NB1N2/1PP2PP1/R1BQR1K1 b - a3 0 16"]
It is not an easy position, since Black has the open g-file and all the center
pawns. However, Black's development is poor and the position of the black
king is not so great. White should focus on attacking and neutralizing Black's
counterplay.
b) 7...Bb7 doesn't work out too well: 8.a4 b4 9.a5 Qc7 10.Na4 Qxa5? 11.Be3
Qc7 12.Nb6 Ra7 13.Nxd7.
c) 7...d6 8.a4 We have seen this idea before. 8...b4 9.a5 Qc7 10.Na4 Nd7 11.
Be3; 8.0–0 Bb7 (8...Nc6 9.Re1 d6 10.Bf4 Ne5 Black commonly plays ...Ne5
since doubling the e-pawns is fine for Black; the pawns control important
central squares. 11.a4 White didn't play this right after 9...d6, but it still gets
played. 11...b4 12.Na2 Rb8 13.c3 White opens up files to take advantage of
Black's underdevelopment and weak queenside. 13...bxc3 14.Nxc3 Rxb2 15.
Rc1 Although the Kan doesn't have a reputation for the tactical violence of
the Dragon or the Najdorf, White still seems to be making sacrifices and
relying on initiative. Every White piece is developed and White has easy
compensation.; 8...d6 9.a4 Here we go again. 9...b4 10.Na2 Nc6 11.Bd2 Qb7
12.Qe1 Rb8 13.c3 All the pieces attack or defend the b-pawn, and then White
opens files. 13...bxc3 14.Bxc3 White takes back with a piece in order to have
a queenside majority and highlight the weakness of the a6-pawn. 14...Nf6 15.
b4 e5 16.b5+/-) 9.Re1 The same idea of getting e5 in reoccurs. 9...Bc5 This is
more active than 9...Be7. (9...Be7 Black chooses to keep the bishop close to
home and remain solid. 10.e5 f5 Black immediately gets some space, blunts
the d3-bishop and gets control over e4. 11.Bf4 Nh6 12.a4 (12.Bxh6 gxh6 This
looks tempting, but now Black has the bishop-pair and the open g-file, which
more than makes up for the ugly h-pawns.) 12...b4 13.Nb1 Now that the b-
pawn is well-defended, White doesn't drop back to a2. 13...Nf7 14.h4 h6 15.h5
+/= White's gained some space and plans to relocated the knight to influence
the e5-d6 complex.) 10.Qd2
[FEN "rn2k1nr/1bqp1ppp/p3p3/1pb5/4P3/
2NB1N2/PPPQ1PPP/R1B1R1K1 b kq - 0 10"]
The idea of going to g5 is sort of hard to combat. 10...Be7 This isn't a huge
concession since 10.Qd2 did block the c1–bishop, so both sides are losing
tempo.
a) 10...Nf6 11.Qg5 Bf8 (11...0–0 12.e5 This is not pretty.) 12.Bf4 White has
all the play.
b) 10...Ne7 11.b4! The other idea of 10.Qd2. 11...Bxb4 12.Nxb5 axb5 13.
Qxb4 White has the bishop-pair and the b-pawn will fall shortly.; 11.b3 Nf6
12.Bb2 d6 (12...0–0 This looks dangerous because all of White's pieces want
to go that way. Here's a variation that shows the dangers. 13.e5 Nd5 14.Nxd5
Bxd5 15.Ng5 h6?! 16.Nh7 Re8 17.Nf6+! gxf6 18.Qxh6+- f5 19.Bxf5! exf5 20.
e6 f6 21.Qg6+ Kf8 22.Qf7#) 13.a4 b4 (13...bxa4 Exchanging on a4 is
generally bad because it opens the file for the rook and the a6-pawn looks
really weak. 14.Rxa4 Nbd7 15.Rc4 Qb8 16.Ba3 0–0 17.e5 Nd5 18.exd6 Bxd6
19.Bxd6 Qxd6 20.Rh4 That's a lot of attackers.) 14.Na2 Nc6 15.Nd4 (15.
Nxb4? Nxb4 16.Qxb4 d5) 15...Nxd4 16.Bxd4 a5 17.Rac1 0–0 18.c3 bxc3 19.
Nxc3
[FEN "r4rk1/1bq1bppp/3ppn2/p7/P2BP3/
1PNB4/3Q1PPP/2R1R1K1 b - - 0 19"]
As with the other times that Black has tried ...b4, ...a5, etc, White takes
control with c3.
5...d6 6.Be3 Nf6 transposes to the Schevenigen Sicilian, which more

commonly arises after 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.
Be3 a6.
5...Nc6 transposes to the Taimanov Sicilian: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.

Nxd4 Nc6 5.Nc3 a6.
5...Ne7 This move, and 5...Bc5 and 5...Bb4 are basically side-lines. 6.Be3
Nec6 7.Nb3 d6 8.f4 b5 9.Bd3 Be7 10.0–0 Nb4 11.Be2 White employs a basic
development scheme that gives an edge.
5...Bc5 6.Be3 d6 7.Qd2 Nf6 8.0–0–0 Nbd7 9.Nb3 This is probably not what
Black envisions.
5...Bb4 6.Bd2 Nc6 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.Bd3 d5 9.0–0 Nice and easy development.
6.Bd3
We have finally reached the main line, which branches out into 6...Nc6 or 6...
Nf6. The bishop goes to d3 as usual, and Black has choices.
6...Nf6
6...g6 is not recommended since it creates dark-square holes. The pawn

advances ...e6 and ...g6 are usually not played together. 7.f4 Bg7 8.Nf3 This
setup is similar to the Levenfish Variation, which I discussed in my
November 2009 column. 8...d6 9.0–0 Nd7 10.Kh1 Ngf6 11.a4 Stop Black
from gaining space with ...b5. 11...b6 12.Qe1 Bb7 13.Bd2 Black's setup is
wrong because there are dark-square holes, a weak d6-pawn, and the
fianchettoed g7-bishop isn't so scary since White is castled kingside.
6...b5 This advance is probably better on the fifth move. 7.0–0 Bb7 (7...Nf6 8.
Qe2 d6 9.Bd2 Be7 10.a4 b4 11.Na2 a5 12.c3, etc.) 8.Qe2
[FEN "rn2kbnr/1bqp1ppp/p3p3/1p6/3NP3/
2NB4/PPP1QPPP/R1B2RK1 b kq - 0 8"]
(8.a3 I look at this in the second illustrative game.) 8...Nf6 Black doesn't have
much of an answer to e5. (8...Nc6 9.Nxc6 Bxc6 10.a4 b4 11.Nd5 The motif of
Nd5 pops up again. Of course remember that a major piece has to be on the e-
file for this to work, otherwise White just loses the knight to ...exd5. 11...Qb7
12.Bf4 Black really doesn't want to give White the two bishops. If Black
doesn't do this, then White can continue opening lines with c3.; 8...Bc5 9.Nb3
Be7 10.e5 b4 This forces the knight to a bit of an awkward spot. 11.Nd1 Nc6
12.Bf4 g5 13.Bg3 h5 14.h3 h4 15.Bh2 g4 Black has begun a violent
counterattack that may not so good. 16.Qxg4 Nxe5 17.Re1+/- Black's pawns
on h4 and especially b4 are weak, and the king is still in the center.) 9.e5 Nd5
10.Nxd5 Bxd5 11.a4 b4 12.c4 This opens lines, since Black can't really let
White gain this much space. 12...bxc3 13.bxc3 Qxc3 14.Bb2 White has
sacked a pawn yet again in this variation. 14...Qa5 15.Rfc1 Nc6 16.Nb5
White uses tactical means to take advantage of the d5-bishop. 16...Qb6 17.
Nc3 Bb3 18.Ne4 Be7 19.Bc3 Now things are good for White. The b3-bishop
is out of play and the White pieces are beautifully placed. 19...0–0? 20.Nf6+
gxf6 21.Qg4+ Kh8 22.exf6 Rg8 23.Qh4+-.
6...Bd6 Black wants to stop White from castling and from playing f4 or e5. 7.
Qd2 White threatens to get in f4 and also eyes g5. 7...Nc6 8.Nxc6 dxc6 9.Qg5
f6
[FEN "r1b1k1nr/1pq3pp/p1pbpp2/6Q1/4P3/
2NB4/PPP2PPP/R1B1K2R w KQkq - 0 10"]
10.Qh5+ Qf7 11.Qe2 e5 The flavor of the opening is different than what we
are used to. Black is the one who as gotten in ...e5. 12.0–0 Ne7 13.Rd1 Bc5
14.Na4 Ba7 15.Be3 White is a little better because of Black's holey dark
squares on the queenside. White also has control over the d-file.
6...Nc6 7.Nxc6 White doesn't want to lose a tempo responding to the

threatened knight, and White gains control over e5. 7...dxc6 This is the most
natural recapture for Black. ...b5 is still a possibility, the queen is on a nice
square, and the d-file can be used for both players. (7...bxc6 This is good for
preparing a central push to d5, but the queen is on the wrong square for this.
8.0–0 Nf6 9.Qe2 d5 10.b3 White uses an alternative route to gain control over
e5. White doesn't want to exchange on d5, and instead keeps the tension and a
pawn in the center. If Black trades on e4, the c6 pawn becomes very weak.
10...Be7 11.Bb2 0–0 12.Na4 Bb7 13.e5 Nd7 14.c4+/= White has gained space
in the center and on the queenside.; 7...Qxc6 This is a bit goofy. What is the
queen doing? 8.0–0 b5 9.e5 The pawn can go to e5 without any support. 9...
Bb7 10.Be4 Qc7 11.Qf3 White wants to ensure control over the e4 square.
11...Rb8 12.Bxb7 Qxb7 13.Ne4 The d-file and d-pawn are weak and will fall
into White's hands.) 8.0–0 Nf6 (8...b5 Thematic but Black needs to develop
some pieces. 9.e5!? It seems that if you want to play this as White, it would be
good to practice positions in which you give up material for time. White is
once again sacking a pawn for an initiative, with the justification that the extra
development and time are enough. 9...Qxe5 10.Re1 Qc7 11.Ne4
[FEN "r1b1kbnr/2q2ppp/p1p1p3/1p6/4N3/
3B4/PPP2PPP/R1BQR1K1 b kq - 0 11"]
Now it's a bit awkward for Black to develop the knight or the dark-squared
bishop. 11...Bb7 (11...Be7 12.Qg4) 12.Qf3 Ne7 13.Bf4 e5 14.Bg3 Ng6 15.
Ng5 There's a lot of pressure on e5 and Black's king in the center looks very
vulnerable.) 9.f4 e5 Black can't let White get in e5 and steamroller through
with f5. 10.Kh1 (Not 10.fxe5 Bc5+ 11.Kh1 Ng4 12.Qf3 0–0 Now it's Black
who as an easy initiative.) 10...Bc5 (10...Bd6 11.f5 h5 The position is now of
a closed nature. Black has covered all of the center squares so White will try
to exploit the slight space advantage on the kingside. 12.Be3 b5 13.a4 b4
White tickles Black's queenside. 14.Nb1 Qe7 15.Nd2+/=) 11.Qe1 White
wants to keep the position open if possible in order to attack the Black king.
11...Ng4 (11...b5 12.fxe5 The scenerio here is different than when we
previously saw this move. White's queen is well placed on e1, covering the f2
square and the e-file. 12...Ng4 13.Bf4 Be6 14.h3 Nxe5 15.Nd5 This is a good
trick to remember. 15...cxd5 16.exd5 Nxd3 17.cxd3 Qe7 18.dxe6 0–0 (18...
Qxe6 19.Qc3; 18...fxe6 19.Bg5! Qxg5 20.Qxe6+ Kd8 21.Rf5 White wins.) 19.
exf7+ White is up a clear pawn.) 12.Qg3 h5 Black wants to gain kingside
space. 13.f5 Now the Black pieces are a bit in disarray. The h-pawn is frozen,
the knight can't move. 13...Qe7 (13...Bd7 14.Bg5 White makes Black cut off
the f6 square for the knight in order to castle queenside. 14...f6 15.Bh4 0–0–0
16.h3 Rh7 Black safegaurds the g7-pawn and relies on the h-file pin to regain
the piece if White captures on g4. 17.Rab1!?+/-; 13...b5 14.Be2) 14.Be2 Bd7
Black can't save the pawn. 15.Bxg4 hxg4 16.Qxg4 0–0–0 17.Qg3 Rh5 18.Be3
Rdh8 19.h3 White is well defended and up a pawn.
7.f4
This is aggressive. White delays castling to fight for the e5-square.
7...d6
This position can also arise via the Sicilian Scheveningen move order. Black
has to be precise with development since White has a very aggressive setup.
7...b5 This is a bit ill-timed since White has a lot of development at this point.
8.Qe2 (8.a3 I look at this in the second illustrative game.) 8...Bb7 (8...b4 9.
Na4 Nc6 10.Nb3 Be7 11.Be3 Rb8 12.c4 Black's early pawn pushes have left
holes on the queenside that White's lead in development can quickly exploit.
If Black trades pawns, then the c-file is for White. Otherwise, White will
march ahead to c5 and have a grip on the dark squares.) 9.Bd2 b4 (9...Bc5 10.
Nb3 Be7 11.e5 Nd5 12.Ne4 White gained more time and space attacking
Black's pieces.; 9...d6 10.a4 b4 11.Na2 e5 Black has to play actively or else
simply be down a pawn. 12.Nb3 Nc6 13.Nxb4 Nxb4 14.Bxb4 exf4 15.Bd2
Here 9...d6 was not a very good move.; 9...Nc6 10.Nf3 White has already
played f4 so the knight retreat isn't a big deal. 10...Nb4 11.0–0 Nxd3 12.cxd3)
10.Na4 d5 11.e5 Ne4 12.Be3 Of course White preserves the bishop-pair. 12...
Nd7 13.0–0 Ndc5 (13...Bc6 14.Nxc6 Qxc6 15.Bxe4 dxe4 16.b3 Be7 17.Rac1)
14.Nxc5 Bxc5 15.Nb3 Bxe3+ 16.Qxe3 0–0 17.a3 bxa3 18.Rxa3 After all the
exchanges, White has the better pawns. 18...Rab8
[FEN "1r3rk1/1bq2ppp/p3p3/3pP3/4nP2/
RN1BQ3/1PP3PP/5RK1 w - - 0 19"]
(18...f6 Attacking the pawn chain at its head is a good idea, but White can
begin a forcing sequence. 19.Bxe4 dxe4 20.Nc5 Bd5 21.c4! Rac8 (21...Bxc4
22.Rc1 Bd5 23.Nxe6) 22.cxd5 Qxc5 23.Qxc5 Rxc5 24.dxe6 fxe5 25.f5 The
protected e-pawn is too strong. White wins.) 19.Nd4 White makes the knight
more active and moves toward the potentially vulnerable black kingside. (19.
Bxa6 Bxa6 20.Rxa6 Qxc2) 19...Qb6 20.Rb3 Qc5 21.Ra1 g6 22.h4 h5 23.Ra4
Qe7 24.Bxe4 dxe4 25.Rab4 White ties down the black pieces. Black can't take
on h4. 25...Qc7 26.f5! exf5 27.Nxf5 Qxe5 Black is in a bad position and tries
one last thing. (27...gxf5 28.Qg5+ Kh8 29.Qh6+ Kg8 30.Rg3#) 28.Rxb7 Rxb7
29.Nh6+ Kh7 30.Rxb7 White is up a piece.
7...Bb4 8.0–0 Bc5 (8...Bxc3 9.bxc3 Qxc3 10.Nb3 0–0 11.e5 Nd5 12.Bd2
Black's dreadful development is going to get slammed by White's attack.) 9.
Nce2 Nc6 10.c3 d6 11.Kh1 White basically gained time.
7...Bc5 8.Nb3 Ba7 9.e5 Nd5 10.Nxd5 exd5 11.Qg4 White has an easy attack.
7...Nc6 8.Nxc6 White isn't going to waste time. 8...Qxc6 9.Qe2 Bb4 10.Bd2
d6 11.0–0–0 Qc7 12.Kb1 Ba5 13.Rhe1 Bd7 14.e5 dxe5 15.fxe5 Bxc3 16.Bxc3
Nd5 17.Bd2 Black played some weird opening moves and White came out on
top with the bishop-pair and a target: the black king.
8.Qf3
White intends to castle queenside.
8...b5
8...Nbd7 9.g4 Nc5 10.g5 Nfd7 11.Bd2 Involve all your pieces in the attack.
Black has allowed White to press ahead. 11...b5 12.b4!? This is a radical way
to stop Black's queenside play. 12...Nxd3+ (12...Na4 13.Nxa4 bxa4 14.0–0
Black's pawns are terrible and Black has no play.) 13.cxd3 Bb7 14.0–0 g6 15.
Rac1 Qd8 16.f5 exf5 17.Qf2+/- Oh my, everything is about to become open
and Black's position is a mess.
8...Be7 9.g4 Nc6 (9...b5 10.g5 Nfd7 11.Be3 Black has played conservatively
and White has a big space advantage.) 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.g5 Nd7 12.Be3 Rb8
13.0–0–0 Qb7 14.b3 Qb4 15.Bd2 Black does not really have queenside play
against White's king.; 8...Nc6 9.Nxc6 bxc6 10.0–0 Bb7 11.Qg3+/-.
9.g4 Bb7
9...b4 10.Nce2 d5 11.e5 Nfd7 12.Be3 Bb7 13.Qg3 Nc5 14.0–0–0 Nbd7 15.
Kb1 0–0–0 16.Rc1
[FEN "2kr1b1r/1bqn1ppp/p3p3/2npP3/
1p1N1PP1/3BB1Q1/PPP1N2P/1KR4R b - - 0 16"]
White has a space advantage and a clear plan, or at least an idea.
9...Nc6 10.Nxc6 Qxc6 11.g5 Nd7 12.Be3 Bb7 13.a3 Nc5 14.f5 0–0–0 15.0–0–
0 White has all the space.
10.g5 Nfd7 11.h4 Nc6 12.Be3 Nc5 13.0–0–0 Nb4
13...Nxd4 14.Bxd4 b4 15.Ne2 Rc8 16.Kb1 d5 17.e5 is complicated.
14.Kb1 Nbxd3 15.cxd3 b4 16.Nce2
[FEN "r3kb1r/1bq2ppp/p2pp3/2n3P1/
1p1NPP1P/3PBQ2/PP2N3/1K1R3R b kq - 0 16"]
If Black plays the main line, it will be difficult for White to prove an
advantage. White has good play here and good practical chances for the win.
The first game shows the ideas after the typical ...d6 advance and the thematic
sacrifice of a pawn. It is also instructive in terms of tactics and planning.
Gormally, Daniel (2509) – Ciuksyte, Dagne (2426)

Liverpool Open, 08.09.2007
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 b5 6.Bd3 Qb6 7.Nf3 Nc6 8.0–0
d6 9.a4
Here is the idea that we saw in the theory section.
9...b4
Basically forced.
10.a5!
A thematic pawn sacrifice to gain time. Black's knight also becomes

misplaced.
10...Nxa5
Otherwise the b6-square fall into White's control.

11.Be3 Qc7 12.Na4 Rb8
White justifies the sacrifice by reasoning that the gain in time and queenside
squares outweighs the pawn.
13.Nb6
Palliser suggests that 13.c3!? is better. This opens even more lines. 13...b3
(13...bxc3 14.Rc1! Ne7 15.Rxc3 Nec6 16.Qc2 White has lots of pressure and
the a5-knight is way out of play.) 14.Nb6 White exchanges this knight for the
one on a5 to pressure the now weak a6-pawn. 14...Rxb6 15.Rxa5 Rb8 16.Qa1
[FEN "1rb1kbnr/2q2ppp/p2pp3/R7/4P3/
1pPBBN2/1P3PPP/Q4RK1 b k - 0 16"]
16...Nf6 17.Bxa6! Bd7 (17...Nxe4? 18.Bb5+ Ke7 19.Qa4! d5 20.Bc6 Black

can't untangle.) 18.Bd3 Be7 19.Ra7 Rb7 20.Ra8+ Rb8 21.Qa7 Qxa7 22.Rxa7
This occurred in Dzhumaev-Fominyh, Tashkent 2007. White has regained the
pawn and has control of the seventh rank. The pawn on b3 will likely fall
shortly.
13...Rxb6 14.Rxa5 Rb8 15.Qa1
White will easily win the a-pawn and restore material equality. However,
White is more active and Black's b-pawn is a target.
15...Nf6 16.Bxa6 Bd7
16...Bxa6 17.Rxa6 Nxe4 18.Ra7 Rb7 19.Ra8+ Ke7 20.Qa4 Black has kept the
pawn, but the kingside development is all wrong.
17.Bd3 Be7 18.Ra7 Rb7 19.Ra8+ Rb8 20.Qa7
White figures that he will have an advantage in the endgame with the weak
black pawn and the open file.
20...Qxa7 21.Rxa7
[FEN "1r2k2r/R2bbppp/3ppn2/8/1p2P3/
3BBN2/1PP2PPP/5RK1 b k - 0 21"]
21...e5!
Black shows good presence of mind to put up strong defense. The two
weaknesses of the seventh rank and the weak b-pawn give White a clear
advantage.
21...0–0?! 22.e5 dxe5 23.Nxe5 This position further adds to White's edge.
22.Bg5
This fights for the d5-square.
Palliser gives the following plan as perhaps being stronger. 22.Rfa1 0–0 23.
Nd2!? This keeps pieces on the board, but since White has better coordination
it could be better.
22...Be6 23.Rfa1 h6 24.Bxf6 Bxf6 25.R1a6!
White cannot allow Black to play ...d5 at a favorable moment, since then the
position would be rather open and favor the bishop-pair. However, by forcing
it now, White is in a better position to counter it since Black is missing the h8-
rook.
25...d5 26.Ra5 dxe4
26...Rd8 27.Kf1 Sooner or later Black will have to take on e4.
27.Bxe4 0–0 28.b3
White does not have to rush.
28...Rfd8 29.h3 Rd1+ 30.Kh2 g6 31.R5a6!?
[FEN "1r4k1/R4p2/R3bbpp/4p3/1p2B3/
1P3N1P/2P2PPK/3r4 b - - 0 31"]
Nice! White maintains the tension. 31.Nxe5 Bd8! 32.Ra1 Rxa1 33.Rxa1 Bc7
34.f4 g5 The bishop-pair give Black chances to defend. This shows the
weakness of White's plan to control d5.
31...Bd8!
Black plays well and tries for counterplay now that White has abandoned the
pawn-grabbing strategy.
32.Nxe5 Bb6 33.Re7 Bxf2??
Black cracks under time pressure. 33...Bc5! leads to an unclear game. 34.
Nxg6!? (34.Rexe6 fxe6 35.Bxg6 Rd6 defends) 34...Bxe7 35.Nxe7+ Kg7 36.
Nc6 Rb5 37.Bd3 Rb7 38.f4 White is doing pretty well here, too, but at least
Black has more chances.
34.Raxe6!
This tactical blow leads to the win.
34...fxe6 35.Bxg6 Bg3+
What else to do? 35...Kf8 36.Rf7+ Ke8 37.Rxf2+ Kd8 38.Nc6+; 35...Rbd8 36.
Bh7+ Kf8 37.Ng6#.
36.Kxg3 Kf8 37.Rf7+ Kg8 38.Bh7+ 1–0
The next game is very interesting and shows the typical ideas, even though it
does not follow our theory exactly.
Bologan, Victor (2665) – Caruana, Fabiano (2620)

European Championship, Plovdiv (10), 01.05.2008
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Bd3 Nf6 7.f4!? b5 8.a3
I recommend 8.Qe2, but I chose this game to illustrate what to do in certain

positions, even if they do not arise from our exact move order. The text move
is not bad, and it leads to positions I like to examine.
8...d6
Now playing 9.a4 would just be a wasted tempo.
8...Bb7 would be more typical. White could play 9.Qe2 now and attack more
conservatively.
9.g4!?
Palliser says, "Typically Bologan. As those who have studied his excellent
best games collection will be aware, the Moldovan GM specializes in sharp
Sicilian struggles with opposite-side castling. I don't think that White has an
objective advantage here, but I suspect that Bologan was already feeling the
more comfortable." We have seen this move in other lines of the Kan, so it is
important to understand the position.
9...h6
Black delays development and tries to hold White up.
10.Qe2 Nbd7 11.Bd2
We have seen a similar position in the theory section. Now we will discover
what happens when Black attempts to stop White's extension plans.
11...g6?
White's pawn storm has been halted, but Black has weaknesses on the dark
squares.
11...Be7 Black should develop. 12.0–0–0 Nc5 13.Kb1 Bb7 14.h4 d5!? 15.e5
Nfe4 This is complicated with chances for both sides.
12.0–0–0 Bg7
Black has his desired set-up, but White is well-placed to open the position.
13.g5!
White justifies the ensuing sacrifices with the fact that Black has weaknesses
and a king in the center.
13...hxg5 14.e5!
[FEN "r1b1k2r/2qn1pb1/p2ppnp1/1p2P1p1/
3N1P2/P1NB4/1PPBQ2P/2KR3R b kq - 0 14"]
White wants to open everything up.
14...dxe5 15.Bxg6?
The machine proves that this is not best. 15.Nxe6! fxe6 16.Bxg6+ Kd8 17.
fxg5 White has only a pawn for the piece, but also open files and available
squares. Plus, a direct threat that forces Black to spend more time. 17...Nd5 18.
Rhf1 White has a great deal of pressure and mobile kingside pawns. 18...Rf8
(18...Nf4 Black wants to close off the position. 19.Bxf4 exf4 20.Qxe6 Qe5 21.
Qc6 Rb8 22.Rfe1 Qxg5 fails to 23.h4! Qxh4 24.Nd5; 18...Bb7 19.Rf7 Bf8 20.
Qg4) 19.Bf7 N7b6 20.Qh5! 21.Qg6 is coming. Black would not find it easy to
deal with this position over-the-board.
15...exd4 16.Qxe6+ Kd8 17.Qxf7
This is aesthetically pleasing for White.
17...Nf8
Palliser says that the critical test is 17...Nc5! 18.fxg5 Qxf7 19.Bxf7 Ng4 20.
Nd5 This looks quite scary, so Black needs to react strongly. 20...Nf2! 21.Ba5
+ Kd7 22.Nb6+ Ke7 23.Bd5 Rb8 24.Rde1+ Kd6 25.Rhf1 Rf8 White saved all
of his pieces for the time being, though he is still down one. Black may be a
little better since he is now active.
18.fxg5
White can't afford to use a tempo to avoid the trade of queens.
18...Qxf7 19.Bxf7 dxc3 20.Bxc3+ Ke7
[FEN "r1b2n1r/4kBb1/p4n2/1p4P1/8/
P1B5/1PP4P/2KR3R w - - 0 21"]
21.Bb3!?
White keeps the play mischievous. 22.Rhe1 is a big threat and Black doesn't
have time to move the knight.
21.gxf6+ Bxf6 22.Bd5 is the obvious continuation. 22...Bxc3! (22...Rb8?! 23.

Bb4+ Kd7 24.Rhe1 Black keeps the piece, but maybe not his own king.) 23.
Bxa8 Be5 White has won some material back. Now he has a rook and two
pawns for a bishop and a knight, which is usually good for the side with the
rook, especially in the endgame.
21...Be6
21...Ne6!? This is the other move that blocks the nasty b3-bishop from the
powerful diagonal. 22.gxf6+ Bxf6 23.Bb4+ Kf7 24.Rd6! Rd8 25.Rc6 White
has a lot of play for the piece. Palliser gives a possible variation: 25...a5!? 26.
Bxa5 Rxa5 27.Re1 Kg6 28.Bxe6 Ra6 29.Rxc8 Rxe6 30.Rxe6 Rxc8 This
should be a pretty easy draw.
22.Rhe1?!
White falters. 22.Rhf1! N6d7 (22...Ne8?? 23.Bb4+; while 22...Ne4 23.Bxg7

Rg8 24.Bf6+ Nxf6 25.gxf6+ Kf7 26.Bxe6+ Nxe6 27.Rd7+ Kg6 28.f7 should
be OK for White; 22...Nh5 23.Bb4+ Ke8 24.Rde1) 23.Bxg7 One piece down.
23...Rh5 24.Bxe6 Nxe6 25.g6! Nxg7 26.Rf7+ Ke6! 27.Rdxd7 This is pretty
good for White.
22...Ne8!?
Black works to keep the advantage. 22...Re8 23.gxf6+ Bxf6 24.Bxf6+ Kxf6
25.Rd6; for example, 25...a5 26.Bxe6 Nxe6 27.Ra6 a4 28.c4! bxc4 29.Rxa4
With too much simplification, the extra piece becomes less significant.
23.Bb4+ Kf7 24.Bxe6+ Nxe6 25.Rd7+ Kg6 26.Rxe6+ Kf5 27.Re2!
White holds on to the h-pawn and threatens the king with checks, but White is
running out of pieces.
27...Rc8
27...Kxg5!? 28.Rg2+ Kf5 29.Rf2+ Kg4 30.Rg2+=.
28.Kb1
[FEN "2r1n2r/3R2b1/p7/1p3kP1/1B6/
P7/1PP1R2P/1K6 b - - 0 28"]
This is an odd move to me. White is down a piece, so the onus is on him to
prove something, but he seems to be playing it cool and waiting for Black to
make a mistake.
28...Rc7?
This loses the knight.
Taking the pawn may have been the best solution. 28...Kxg5! when 29.Ra7
(or 29.Rxe8 Rhxe8 30.Rxg7+ Kh5 31.Rg2 This looks equal.) 29...Kf4 30.
Rxa6 White gets another pawn and it's complicated.
29.Rd8 Kxg5 30.Rdxe8 Rxe8 31.Rxe8 Rf7 32.Re6 Rf1+ 33.Ka2 Rf2 34.
Kb3 1–0
If the position was complicated when White was minus a piece, then now it
seems that White has an extra piece. White will win by picking off the
queenside pawns.
Lessons Learned
● Black's setup ensures that for the time being, White can't carry out blitz
attacks on the e6-square, since the d-pawn has remained on d7. Also,
the b8-knight has delayed development so that a quick ...b5 and ...Bb7
places immediate pressure on White's center.
● On ...d6, play a4, because the queenside pawns are now vulnerable,
since the f8-bishop is blocked off. On ...Bc5, play Nb3 to put the
question to the bishop.
● Sacrificing the pawn for the initiative is a common motif, as is the
knight jump to d5.
Practitioners
● Louis Paulsen. Although the variation bears his name, this variation
was introduced by Anderssen decades earlier.
● Savielly Tartakower. He was a Polish grandmaster who was known for
his opening contributions and wit.
● Mark Taimanov. He is a Russian grandmaster and also an
accomplished concert pianist. Chess and music do go together!
● Mikhail Tal. He is one of my favorite players. The Latvian grandmaster
was known for his tactics and wildly complicated positions.
● Lev Polugaevsky. This Soviet grandmaster was a frequent world
championship contender and an important theoretician.
● Lajos Portisch. He is a Hungarian grandmaster known for his positional
play.
Further Reading
● Dismantling the Sicilian by Jesus de la Villa. I believe I recommended

this book before, and with good reason.
● Play the Sicilian Kan by Johann Hellsten


The Accelerated Dragon [B36] accessible:
This month I look at the Accelerated Dragon. It isn't as violent and theoretical
as the main line Dragon, and in its ideal form it follows a formula for piece
development that should be copied as closely as possible. It is relatively easy
to play and a good introduction for those who want to play the Sicilian. The
drawback is that it is drawish in many cases, though from Black's point of
view this isn't so bad. The variation under consideration is called the
Gurgenidze System. It is an answer to when White plays the Maróczy Bind.
The The Classical Variation is too passive for my taste.
Openings 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 g6
Explained I recommend the Hyper-Accelerated Dragon move-order, as this bypasses the Accelerated Dragons
Rossilimo variation. by John Donaldson
& Jeremy Silman
Abby Marshall 2...Nc6 is the main way to reach the basic position. 3.d4 (3.Bb5 White has this
well-respected option, the Rossilimo, which I am trying to avoid with 2...g6.
[Find us on Facebook.] Of course, if Black has something prepared against this, then it makes sense to
play 2...Nc6.) 3...cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 This is the basic position of the Accelerated
Translate this page Dragon. (4...Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 is the Sicilian Dragon. I may look at an interesting
sideline in this variation in the future. It is interesting to note that there are
many cases where expert-rated players have beat grandmasters in the Dragon.
Many people, when playing a stronger player, try to get out of theory as fast
as possible. This is a huge mistake! Amateurs have the best chances to beat
titled players in these super-sharp theoretical lines. A GM will beat a weaker
player in an even position, but keep it theoretical and you know that you are
playing perfectly.
The Cutting Edge 1:
3.d4 The Open Sicilian 1
by Milos Pavlovic
This is the typical way to introduce the Open Sicilian, though Black should be
aware of some alternative move orders; for instance, 3.c4 Nc6 4.d4 cxd4 5.
Nxd4 Nf6 and we have transposed to the basic position.
Play through and download 3...cxd4 4.Nxd4

the games from
ChessCafe.com in the 4.Qxd4 By playing 2...g6, Black has avoided the Rossilimo but White now
DGT Game Viewer. has this option. It comes down to whether Black prefers to play against this or
3.Bb5. 4...Nf6 5.e5 Nc6 6.Qa4 Nd5 The play gets sharp from here, but Black
emerges okay. I won't cover it here, but Greet analyzes this in the first chapter
of Starting Out: The Accelerated Dragon. I am using this as my reference for Accelerated Dragon
this column. Easily Explained
by Andrew Martin
4...Nc6 5.c4
[FEN "r1bqkbnr/pp1ppp1p/2n3p1/8/2PNP3/
8/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq c3 0 5"]
This is the Maróczy Bind, considered one of White's strongest responses. It

aims to restrict Black's position, prevent the freeing ...d5, and squeeze Black
slowly. On the other hand, 5.c4 leaves White vulnerable on the h8-a1 diagonal
and loosens White's position a little.
5...Nf6
This signifies Black's interest in the Gurgenidze System. Black delays the
natural ...Bg7 to stop White from playing Be3. Black does this because he
wants to play ...Nxd4 and force White to recapture with the queen.
6.Nc3
This is the most natural and the best way to defend the pawn.
6...d6 7.Be2
White has a few choices here:
7.Nc2 This move raises an interesting point. First of all, the knight avoids
Black's scheme of development and retreats to a good square. From c2, the
knight covers the important b4-square and can possibly jump to e3. It also
avoids exchanges. When you have more space, you should avoid exchanges,
since you have more of the opponent's pieces to cramp. However, it isn't
about exchanging or not exchanging, but about what pieces to exchange in
order to maximize your space. So here, White is not necessarily gaining
anything by avoiding an exchange, even though he does have more space; the
knights are of equal value in the position. It is a perfectly viable choice
however. 7...Bg7 Black develops naturally. 8.Be2 Nd7 This is fairly typical
for the Sicilian. Black unleashes the bishop's reach and moves the knight to
White's loosened queenside. 9.Bd2 White prevents the doubling of pawns in
the event that Black plays ...Bxc3. (9.0–0?! White misses Black's idea. 9...
Bxc3 10.bxc3 Nc5 Players are advised not to give up the fianchettoed bishop,
especially not the Dragon dark-squared bishop. But here, since White has
retreated the knight to c2, he is not well set up to attack Black, and the
weaknesses of the c-pawns and the strength of Black's knight make up for the
loss of the bishop.) 9...0–0 10.0–0 a5
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/1p1nppbp/2np2p1/p7/2P1P3/
2N5/PPNBBPPP/R2Q1RK1 w - a6 0 11"]
This is a move that will arise in a later variation. The idea is to gain control
over the b4-square, which in turn gives Black the c5-square for the knight,
since it can't be kicked away by b2-b4. The drawback is that the black queen
can no longer jump to a5, and the b5-square becomes weak. 11.Re1 Curiously
now White is a little squished for space. White is going to reorganize his
pieces over the next few moves. 11...Nc5 12.Bf1 b6 (12...f5!? This is active
and interesting. 13.exf5 Bxf5 unclear Black has become quite active, while
White now has an open e-file.) 13.Na3 White hones in on the weakened b5-
square. 13...Bb7 14.Rc1 Rc8 15.Bg5 This places some pressure on the e-
pawn. 15...Nd4 16.Qd2 Re8 17.f3 Nce6 Both sides are maneuvering their
pieces trying for an advantage. 18.Be3 f5 I like moving the f-pawn, so maybe
my enthusiasm over this move is a bit biased. It is not an easy game: Black is
active, but has a weak b-pawn and weak squares on d5 and b5. 19.Nd5 fxe4
20.fxe4 Rf8 Black moves the rook back to the open file. 21.Rc3 An odd-
looking move, with the idea of going to d3 to get rid of the black knight, and
then going to b3 to attack the b-pawn. 21...Nc6 22.Rb3 Nc5 23.Rxb6 Rb8
Black is temporarily down a pawn since White's pieces are a little loose. 24.
Rb5 White needs to move the rook away from the queen's grasp otherwise
losing the exchange is likely. (24.Nb5 Na4) 24...Nxe4 25.Qd3 Nc5 It is about
equal here. 26.Bxc5 dxc5 27.Nxe7+ Nxe7 28.Qxd8 Rfxd8 29.Rxe7 Bd4+
This has actually turned in Black's favor since the two bishops are extremely
strong.
7.f3 This is reminiscent of the feared Yugoslav attack. White wants to play
Be3, Qd2, 0–0–0, h4-h5-h6xg7, and checkmate the black king. Luckily, Black
can also play some moves, and while Black has to play accurately, this system
isn't so dangerous against the Accelerated Dragon. 7...Nxd4 As we will soon
see, this is the key idea of the Gurgendize: force White to recapture in the
center with the queen. Otherwise, White would play Be3 next move. 8.Qxd4
Bg7 9.Be3 (9.Bg5 This is not as popular. White wants the bishop closer to
home on e3, because it defends the dark squares that have become loosened
after f3.) 9...0–0 10.Qd2 White gets out of the path of the g7-bishop and
prepares a possible Bh6. 10...a5!?
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/1p2ppbp/3p1np1/p7/2P1P3/
2N1BP2/PP1Q2PP/R3KB1R w KQ a6 0 11"]
If you are familiar with the Classical variation of the Accelerated Dragon, this
plan may be foreign to you. Instead of going Bd7-Bc6, Black goes Be6. The
rationale is that the purpose of going Bc6 is to attack the e-pawn, but it is
already defended in this position. Also, White's plan of pushing the f-pawn to
annoy the bishop on e6 is not good here, since the f-pawn has already made a
move. Black wants to play Be6, a4, and Nd7-c5. 11.Be2 (11.b3 This is
interesting. White opens up the diagonal for the g7-bishop even more, but the
idea is that the bishop will be attacking along an empty diagonal. The other
idea is that after ...a4, White can push past with b4. 11...Be6 12.Rc1 Nd7 13.
Bd3 Nc5 Here we are seeing all the usual conventions of Black's opening.
White will not trade the bishop on e3 for the knight since the g7-bishop would
be unopposed. 14.Bb1 Qb6 15.0–0 Qb4 We are following the game Dovliatov-
Sazhin 2005. Black equalized.) 11...a4 Black restricts White's queenside
pawns and opens the path for the black queen to go to a5. 12.0–0 (12.Rc1 Be6
13.Nd5 Nd7 14.0–0 Nc5 This is the game Polgar-Tiviakov and again Black is
doing okay.) 12...Be6 13.Rab1 (13.b4 Rc8 The c-pawn is in trouble.) 13...Qa5
So we are on move fourteen for White and the play is still branching out into
variations. Don't worry about memorizing the exact moves, just the ideas.
When learning a new opening, first just go over the whole thing. Don't go
variation by variation. After reviewing everything, you get the basic ideas and
feel for the positions. Then you memorize.
a) 14.b4 axb3 15.axb3 One of the purposes of pushing the a-pawn was to give
Black the open a-file after White pushed b4. 15...Ng4
[FEN "r4rk1/1p2ppbp/3pb1p1/q7/2P1P1n1/
1PN1BP2/3QB1PP/1R3RK1 w - - 0 16"]
This is a nice tactical trick to be aware of. 16.Bd4 Bxd4+ 17.Qxd4 Ne5 Black
has nothing to fear from a White attack, so the exchange of the g7-bishop is
not a big deal, and the knight has the e5-square.
b) 14.Nd5 Qxd2 15.Bxd2 (15.Nxe7+ The usual trick doesn't work to good
effect here. 15...Kh8 16.Bxd2 Rfe8 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.cxd5 Bxd5) 15...Nxd5
16.cxd5 Bd4+! The bishop becomes active with tempo. 17.Kh1 Bd7=.
c) 14.Rfc1 Rfc8 15.b4 axb3 16.axb3 Qb4 Black opens the path of the a8-rook.
See how the pawn advance to a4 opened files for Black and weakened White's
pawns. 17.Rc2 Nd7 18.Nd5
[FEN "r1r3k1/1p1nppbp/3pb1p1/3N4/1qP1P3/
1P2BP2/2RQB1PP/1R4K1 b - - 0 18"]
Black does have weaknesses on queenside squares, so White trades into an

endgame to lessen the pressure on the queenside. 18...Qxd2 19.Rxd2 Kf8 20.
b4 (20.Nf4 This looks attractive, since it is going to double Black's pawns on
the e-file, but because the position is semi-closed the knight may be at least
equal to the bishop. 20...Bc3 21.Rc2 Bb4 Another drawback of the knight
move is the black bishop relocates to more favorable prospects.) 20...Ra3 21.
Kf2 f5!? Black attempts to undermine the white position. Of course, we are
pretty deep into the game, so the rest should not be committed to memory, but
studied to see the various interactions of the pieces and characteristics of the
position. 22.exf5 (22.Bg5 Bxd5 Black is pretty much forced to exchange the
bishop for the knight now. 23.exd5 Nb6 24.c5 Na4 Black doesn't want to
capture on c5 and open files for the white d-rook and white bishops. 25.cxd6
exd6 26.Bf4 Be5 27.Bxe5 dxe5 28.d6 Nc3 unclear) 22...Bxf5 23.Rbd1 Nf6 24.
Nb6 Rc6 25.c5 Rxe3! This is a masterful example of understanding the value
of the pieces. The dark-squared bishop is at least equal to the rook. 26.Kxe3
Bh6+ 27.f4 dxc5 28.Rd8+ Kg7 29.bxc5 Re6+ 30.Kf2 Bxf4 Black gave up the
exchange to have the two bishops basically against vulnerable white pawns
and a vulnerable king. 31.Nd5 Nxd5 32.R1xd5 Be3+ 33.Kf1 Be4 34.R5d7
Bc6 35.Bf3 Bb5+ Of course, Black is not aiming to win back the exchange.
36.Be2 Rf6+ 37.Ke1 Bf2+ 38.Kd1 Ba4+ 39.Kc1 Bxc5 40.Rxb7 Bc6 41.Rdd7
An odd-looking move that is probably one of the best. 41...Ba3+ 42.Kd1 Ba4
+ 43.Ke1 Bb4+ 44.Rxb4 Bxd7 No more opposite-colored bishops! Black won
this game, by the way. Volokitin-Jakovenko 2007.
7.Be3 Ng4 White made a mistake.
7...Nxd4
This is one of the trademarks of the Accelerated Dragon. White was ready to
play 8.Be3, so Black acts to force White to recapture with the queen.
8.Qxd4 Bg7
The same ideas we saw earlier are going to apply here as well.
9.Bg5
9.0–0 0–0 10.Qe3 (10.Qd3 This is meant to avoid the ...Qb6 idea. 10...Be6 11.
Bd2 Nd7 Black sticks to the conventional scheme of development. 12.b3 a5
Secure the c5-square. 13.Rac1 Nc5 14.Qe3 Bd7 Black re-routes the bishop in
anticipation of White's idea. Notice here that f3 has not been played, so the e4-
pawn could become a target. 15.f4 Bc6 16.Bf3 e6 This is a complicated and
interesting position, roughly equal.) 10...Be6 11.Bd2 (11.Rb1 Qb6!? Trading
queens in this fashion opens the a-file for Black and makes for good play. 12.
Qxb6 (12.Qd3 Nd7 13.Nd5 Bxd5 14.exd5 Rfc8 15.Qh3 Nc5 16.Bg5 Ne4
Black is doing fine.) 12...axb6 13.Be3 Rfc8 14.b3 b5
[FEN "r1r3k1/1p2ppbp/3pbnp1/1p6/2P1P3/
1PN1B3/P3BPPP/1R3RK1 w - - 0 15"]
White can't capture this pawn without losing material and Black has a great
position.) 11...Qb6 Here is this common motif! 12.b3 (12.Qxb6 axb6 13.a4
White is a bit smarter about this whole ...b5 tactic. 13...Nd7 14.Ra3 Nc5
[FEN "r4rk1/1p2ppbp/1p1pb1p1/2n5/
P1P1P3/R1N5/1P1BBPPP/5RK1 w - - 0 15"]
15.Rfa1 Bxc3 Black wins a pawn temporarily, though it probably doesn't lead
to more than equality. 16.Bxc3 Nxe4 17.Bd4 Rfc8 18.Re3 Bxc4 19.Rxe4
Bxe2 20.Bc3 (20.Rxe2 Rxa4 21.Rd1 Rxd4–+) 20...Bb5 21.Rxe7 Bxa4 22.
Rxb7 Bc6 23.Rba7 Black is up a pawn, but it is opposite-colored bishops and
White has a rook on the seventh.) 12...Qxe3 13.Bxe3 Nd7 14.Rac1 Nc5 Black
is doing fine.
9.Be3 The other main move is 9.Bg5. As we will see, the two moves
transpose in the main line. 9...0–0 10.Qd2 Be6 11.0–0 (11.Rc1 Qa5 12.f3
Rfc8 13.b3 transposes to the type of endgame position found in the 9.Bg5
lines. 13...a6 14.Na4 Qxd2+ 15.Kxd2 Nd7 Black has defended everything and
is solid.) 11...Qa5 White has some choices here:
a) 12.Rab1 Rfc8 13.b3 (13.b4 Qd8 14.c5 This is pretty aggressive, but Black
can lash back. 14...a5 15.a3 axb4 16.axb4 Ra3 17.Nb5 Ra2 18.Qd3 dxc5 19.
bxc5 Qxd3 20.Bxd3 Ng4 21.Bd4 Rd2 Black has no problems.) 13...Ng4 14.
Nd5 (14.Bd4 Bxd4 15.Qxd4 Qc5 White has chosen a more aggressive mode
of play, so Black aims to exchange queens and reorganizes their pieces. 16.
Qd3 Nf6 17.Kh1 Bd7 18.f4 a5 19.a4?! This leaves the b-pawn backward. 19...
Bc6 20.Nd5 Re8 21.Rbd1 (21.Nc7 Bxe4) 21...Rad8=) 14...Qxd2 15.Bxd2 Kf8
I examine this position in the second illustrative game.
b) 12.Rfc1 Here Black has a trick. 12...Nxe4 13.Nxe4 Qxd2 14.Nxd2 Bxb2
Players are taught that two pieces are better than a rook and a pawn,
sometimes even a rook and two pawns. Here, we need to consider the nature
of the position. Black gets the two pawns and the white queenside pawns are
weak. 15.Bf3
[FEN "r4rk1/pp2pp1p/3pb1p1/8/2P5/
4BB2/Pb1N1PPP/R1R3K1 b - - 0 15"]
15...Rab8 16.Bxa7 Ra8 17.Be3 Bxc1 18.Rxc1 Rxa2 19.Bxb7 Rb8=.
c) 12.f3 Rfc8 Same old, same old. 13.Rfc1 (13.b3 Ng4) 13...Nd7 (13...Bxc4?
14.Nd5 Qxd2 15.Nxe7+ Kf8 16.Bxd2 Kxe7 17.Rxc4 +/-) 14.Rab1 Bxc4 15.
Nd5 Qxd2 16.Nxe7+ Kf8 17.Bxd2 Bd4+ 18.Kh1 Kxe7 19.Bxc4 The structure
of the position is the same, but Black has more activity. 19...Nb6 20.Bb3 Rc6
21.Rd1 Rac8 unclear.
d) 12.Rac1 a6 13.f4 (13.f3 Rfc8 14.b3 b5 Black has carried out the formulaic
plan and has a good position. This position is so important that it should be
committed to memory. 15.Nd5 (15.cxb5 axb5 16.Nxb5 (16.Bxb5 Rxc3 17.
Qxc3 Qxb5 Black has two pieces for the rook and pawn.) 16...Qxd2 17.Rxc8+
Bxc8 18.Bxd2 Rxa2 19.Rd1 Be6=/+) 15...Qxd2 16.Bxd2 Nxd5 17.exd5 Bd4+
Remember this idea. The bishop check makes the bishop more active without
loss of tempo. It can move on both the h8-a1 diagonal and the g1–a7 diagonal.
18.Kh1 Bd7) 13...b5 14.cxb5 (14.f5 Bxc4 15.Bxc4 bxc4) 14...axb5 15.f5 Bc4
Black has nothing to fear.
9...0–0 10.Qd2
10.Qe3 This retreat is clumsy. 10...Be6 11.0–0 Qb6
[FEN "r4rk1/pp2ppbp/1q1pbnp1/6B1/2P1P3/
2N1Q3/PP2BPPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 12"]
Motif! 12.Qxb6 (12.b3 Qxe3 13.Bxe3 Nd7) 12...axb6 13.Rac1 Rfc8 14.b3 b5.
10...Be6 11.Rc1
11.0–0 Qa5 12.Rad1 (12.Rac1 a6 Notice that ...a6 usually means ...b5 is in the
works. 13.b3 b5 We will look at this position in the first illustrative game.; 12.
f3? Bxc4 13.Bxc4 Qc5+ 14.Kh1 Qxc4) 12...a6 13.Bxf6 (13.f4 b5 14.e5 b4
You will just have to memorize this sequence. 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.exf6 exf6)
13...Bxf6 14.Nd5 Qxd2 15.Nxf6+ Kg7 This is not a move you see often. It is
meant to make the pawn structure favorable for Black. 16.Nh5+ gxh5 17.
Rxd2 h4 18.b3 Rac8 Black has the open g-file and possibility of counterplay
with ...b5.
11...Qa5 12.f3
12.0–0 a6 transposes to an earlier line: 11.0–0 Qa5 12.Rac1 a6.
12...Rfc8 13.b3
13.Nd5 Qxd2+ 14.Kxd2 Nxd5 15.cxd5 f6 Black is fine. The bishop will
retreat to f7 and then ...e6.
13...a6 14.Na4
14.Nd5 Qxd2+ 15.Kxd2 Nxd5 16.cxd5 f6.
14...Qxd2+ 15.Kxd2 Nd7
It is up for some debate as to whether Black can hold this ending.
16.g4
16.Bxe7 Bh6+ 17.Kd3 b5 18.Nb2 Ne5+ 19.Kc3 Bg7!? Even in boring

endgames there is still interesting play. White clearly cannot pawn grab. 20.
Kc2 Nc6 21.Bxd6 Nd4+.
[FEN "r1r3k1/5pbp/p2Bb1p1/1p6/2PnP3/
1P3P2/PNK1B1PP/2R4R w - - 0 22"]
16...f6 17.Be3 f5
Now it is easy to see how the same endgame position could be reached if the
bishop went to 9.Be3 or 9.Bg5.
18.exf5
18.gxf5 gxf5 19.Rhg1 Kh8 20.Bd3 (20.Nc3 fxe4 21.fxe4 Bf7 22.Nd5 e6
Black's king looks like it is caught in the rain without an umbrella, but in
reality it is well defended and Black is okay.) 20...f4! 21.Bxf4 Rf8 22.Bg5 (22.
Ke3 Rxf4 23.Kxf4 Bd4 The white king is experiencing some peril.) 22...
Rxf3=.
18...gxf5 19.h3
19.g5 d5 Closing the position is not advisable. Black opens the center and
may drum up play against the white king.
19...Rf8 20.f4
20.Nc3 b5 21.cxb5 axb5 22.Bxb5 f4 unclear.
20...Rad8 21.g5 Nc5 22.Nc3 Bd7!?
Greet notes that this is a suggestion of Tsesarsky.
23.Bf3 Bc6 24.Nd5 Rde8
[FEN "4rrk1/1p2p1bp/p1bp4/2nN1pP1/
2P2P2/1P2BB1P/P2K4/2R4R w - - 0 25"]
Black is okay and has possibility for active play. For practice, I suggest
playing this out against a friend and seeing if the position is okay for you, too.
This game follows a different move order to to reach the same position we
looked at above. This is a pretty typical Gurgenidze game. It does not end in a
lovely Black win, but it does achieve a good result for the second player.
Illescas Cordoba, M (2562) – Almasi, Z (2640)

GMA Dos Hermanas ESP (3), 21.04.2001
1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.e4 Nf6 6.Nc3 d6 7.Be2 Nxd4 8.
Qxd4 Bg7 9.Bg5 Qa5
We saw 9...0–0 here, but the moves transpose.
10.Qd2 Be6 11.Rc1 0–0 12.0–0
Now the knight jumps to d5/a4 are less of a worry because the king has left
the center, so after the exchange of queens the king will not be ready for
action.
12...a6 13.b3 b5
Now we are back in familiar territory. Black has completed the usual
developmental moves and the play is forced for a few moves.
14.Nd5
14.cxb5 axb5 15.Bxb5 Rfc8

[FEN "r1r3k1/4ppbp/3pbnp1/qB4B1/4P3/
1PN5/P2Q1PPP/2R2RK1 w - - 0 16"]
White's position is a bit loose, and Black should recover the pawn easily.
14...Qxd2 15.Nxe7+ Kh8 16.Bxd2 Nxe4
Shirov,A-Ivanchuk,V Amber Rapid, Monaco 1997 went 16...Rfe8 17.Nc6

Nxe4 18.Bb4 Bd7 19.cxb5 axb5 20.Bxb5 Rxa2 21.Rfe1 h5 (21...Nxf2!? 22.
Rxe8+ Bxe8 23.Bxd6 Ne4 This keeps some play in the position.) 22.Re2
Rxe2 23.Bxe2 Nc5
[FEN "4r2k/3b1pb1/2Np2p1/2n4p/
1B6/1P6/4BPPP/2R3K1 w - - 0 24"]
24.Bb5 Nxb3 25.Rd1 Bf8 26.h3 Kg8 27.Bxd6 Bxc6 28.Bxc6 Rd8 29.Ba4
Rxd6 ½– ½. Not the most rousing game, but a draw is still an achievement for
Black.
17.Ba5 Rae8 18.Nc6
18.Nd5 leads quickly to equality. 18...Bxd5 19.cxd5 Nc3 20.Bxc3 (or 20.Bf3
Ne2+ 21.Bxe2 Rxe2) 20...Rxe2=.
18...bxc4 19.Bxc4 Bxc4 20.bxc4
20.Rxc4 This looks natural and preserves White's pawn structure. I guess the
black passed d-pawn was a worry, but it is also isolated so could be a
weakness.
20...Rc8 21.Ne7 Rb8 22.Rc2 Rb7
[FEN "5r1k/1r2Npbp/p2p2p1/B7/
2P1n3/8/P1R2PPP/5RK1 w - - 0 23"]
White guards the second-rank and Black mirrors. This is the problem with
many Gurgenidze positions: they seem filled with tension as the pawn
advances to ...b5, but it can also lead the way to a draw. I wouldn't play it if
you had to go all out for a win, but as a drawing mechanism it is pretty solid.
23.Nd5 Rc8 24.Re1 Nf6 25.Nxf6 Bxf6 26.Bc3 Bxc3 27.Rxc3 Rb4 28.Rec1
Kg7 29.g3 Rb2 30.Rd1 Rc6 31.a3 Re2 32.Rd5 Re4 33.c5 dxc5 34.Rdxc5 ½–
½
It is good to show typical games, even if they are not the most fascinating to
go over.
I found this next game to be very informative and interesting. Hopefully, it

will spark further interest in the Gurgenidze. I base my annotations on those
in Greet's book.
Rowson, J – Malakhov, V
Selfoss, 2003
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.c4 Nf6 6.Nc3 d6 7.Be2 Nxd4 8.
Qxd4 Bg7 9.Be3 0–0 10.Qd2 Be6 11.0–0 Qa5 12.Rab1 Rfc8 13.b3 Ng4 14.
Nd5 Qxd2 15.Bxd2 Kf8
[FEN "r1r2k2/pp2ppbp/3pb1p1/3N4/2P1P1n1/
1P6/P2BBPPP/1R3RK1 w - - 0 16"]
This is where I stopped in the theory section. Black has exchanged queens,
which is a good sign, and White has kept the usual space advantage. What I
like about this game is that it seems that Black is simply content to equalize
and then draw.
16.Bg5
Greet says this is the most ambitious move. It will create an imbalance of two
bishops versus bishop and knight in a semi-closed position. White has to be
careful not to exchange dark-squared bishops, because it will result in a good
knight versus bad bishop.
16.Bxg4 would lead to a draw. 16...Bxg4 17.Bg5 f6.
16...Bxd5
16...f6 is possible, but then the knight has no good retreat.
16...Nf6!? 17.Nxf6 Bxf6 18.Bxf6 exf6 The weak black pawns give White an
edge.
17.exd5 Nf6 18.Bd3
Both sides, rather than taking the easy way to a draw, fight for an advantage.
18.Bxf6 Bxf6 is drawn.
The odd game Nunn-Pigosov 1999 went 18.Rfe1 h6 19.Bh4 Rc7 20.f3 g5 21.
Bf2 b5 22.Rbd1 b4
[FEN "r4k2/p1r1ppb1/3p1n1p/3P2p1/
1pP5/1P3P2/P3BBPP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 23"]
23.c5!? Rxc5!? 24.Bxc5 dxc5 25.d6 e6 26.Bb5 Rd8 and was eventually drawn.
18...h6 19.Bd2 Nd7 20.Rfe1 a5
The natural move. Black is going to tickle White's queenside and force
inroads.
21.Rbc1
21.a4 Greet considers this the lesser evil. It looks aesthetically displeasing for
the White queenside and the light-squared bishop, but it does force Black to
find a new plan.
21...Rc7 22.f4 (22.a4!) 22...Bd4+
22...Bb2 is another idea. 23.Rcd1 Ba3.
23.Kf1 a4 24.b4 Rac8
The white queenside pawns are coming under attack.
25.Re4 Bb2 26.Rc2 a3
The problem for White is that ...Nb6 threatens not only the c-pawn, but also ...
Nxd5 working the pin on the c-file.
27.Bc3
27.f5
[FEN "2r2k2/1prnpp2/3p2pp/3P1P2/
1PP1R3/p2B4/PbRB2PP/5K2 b - - 0 27"]
This looks like a better try to mix things up. 27...g5 28.h4 Nf6 29.Re2 b5=/+
(29...Nxd5? 30.cxd5 Rxc2 31.Bxc2 Rxc2 32.Bxg5 Rxe2 33.Bxh6+).
27...Nb6 28.Bxb2 axb2 29.Rxb2 Nxc4 30.Rf2
30.Bxc4 Rxc4 31.Rxc4 Rxc4 32.g3 b5! White has too many pawn weaknesses.
30...Nb6 31.Rd4 Rc1+ 32.Ke2 Ra8 33.Ke3 Ra3 34.g4 Nc4+ 35.Ke2
35.Kf3 Ne5+ 36.fxe5 dxe5 37.Re4 Rxd3+ 38.Kg2 Rxd5.
35...Rxa2+ 36.Kf3 Ra3 37.Kg2 Ne3+ 0–1
[FEN "5k2/1p2pp2/3p2pp/3P4/
1P1R1PP1/r2Bn3/5RKP/2r5 w - - 0 38"]
An excellent example of the possibilities of the Gurgenidze.
Lessons Learned
● Be aware of the key motifs: ...a5, ...Qb6, and ...a6, and ...b5. These
moves crop up again and again, so you need to be looking for them.
● Know the development scheme: ...Be6, ...Qa5, ...Rfc8, ...a6, ...b5, and
in particular the early ...Nxd4 to force White to recapture with the
queen. You will use these moves in ninety-five percent of games in this
system.
● Black is aiming to develop quickly and get rapid counterplay. If an
opponent really knows their stuff, then you will probably reach the
endgame we saw above. Practice it and know it. It is a complicated
position and knowing its subtleties is more is more important than a +/
= or =/+ evaluation.
Famous Practitioners
● Vladimir Malakhov is a modern proponent of this system. The Russian

grandmaster was a nuclear physicist before he became a professional
player.
● The late Danish grandmaster Bent Larsen played this opening for fifty
years.
● The Serbian grandmaster Dragolijub Velimirovic also gave us the
Verlimirovic Attack in the Schevenigen, which is a wild system.
● The Dutch grandmaster Sergei Tiviakov has been very successful at
European team championships.
● The Bulgarian Super GM Veselin Topalov plays the Accelerated
Dragon on occasion.
Further Reading
● Starting Out: The Accelerated Dragon by Andrew Greet. These

starting out books are quite good. They go into enough depth and
manage to keep your interest.
Readers' Responses
Quentin from the USA - Good job, Abby! I always enjoy your articles. Keep
up the good work.


The Frankenstein-Dracula Variation [C27] accessible:
Since this column will appear a few days after Halloween, I thought I would
do a holiday special. This month's opening is the Frankenstein-Dracula
Variation. It doesn't get more spooky than this. The name of this variation
comes from Tim Harding's book Bishop's Opening (1973), where the author
wrote that the "sharp and often hair-raising play" would not be out of place in
"a game between Dracula and the Frankenstein Monster" (pg. 45). It occurs in
the Vienna game and, besides being relevant to All Hallow's Eve, it also has
The some good chess lessons in it. I am covering this opening from the
perspective of the white player.
Openings
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3
Explained ABC of the Vienna
It is fitting that the Frankenstein-Dracula variation occurs in the Vienna game, by Andrew Martin
since the beginning of Bram Stoker's book Dracula begins with the speaker
Abby Marshall arriving in Vienna.
[Find us on Facebook.] White can also start out with 2.Bc4 to reach the desired variation. If the Black
player usually plays 2...Nc6 against 2.Nc3, avoiding our current topic, then
Translate this page the Bishop's Opening may mislead Black into playing 2...Nf6. This is, of
course not, a bad move, but maybe not what Black intended. After 2...Nf6 3.
Nc3, we have transposed.
2...Nf6
The Vienna is one of the first openings I learned how to play against as Black.
When my coach first showed me 2.Nc3, I responded with 2...Nf6. This is a Play 1 e4 e5
little weird because the e4-pawn is protected, so 2...Nf6 doesn't have a threat. by Nigel Davies
However, this is the main move.
2...Nc6 is another well-respected move. Though, it does not reach the

Frankenstein-Dracula variation.
3.Bc4 Nxe4
the games from
DGT Game Viewer.
SOS, Vol. 4
by Jeroen Bosch
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pppp1ppp/8/4p3/2B1n3/
2N5/PPPP1PPP/R1BQK1NR w KQkq - 0 4"]
With this gutsy move, Black is nearly forced to enter into the variation if
White so desires.
4.Qh5
I feel like this move is obligatory, since for the moment White is down a
pawn. Other moves do not impress.
4.Nxe4?! Clearly, Black did not overlook this move. It plays into Black's
hands. 4...d5 White has fallen into a variation of the Fork Trick. This
normally arises after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bc4?! Nxe4. Black
equalizes. 5.Bd3 dxe4 6.Bxe4 Bc5 Black has more space and the idea of ...f5.
4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Nxe4 While this sequence may look attractive, it really just
gives Black the center and the two bishops. The black king can castle by hand
(a quick ...Rf8 and ...Kg8). 5...d5 6.Nc3 Bf5=.
4...Nd6
4...Ng5 This is awkward for Black. 5.d4!
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pppp1ppp/8/4p1nQ/2BP4/
2N5/PPP2PPP/R1B1K1NR b KQkq d3 0 5"]
When you are ahead in development, open lines! 5...Ne6 6.d5 (6.dxe5 This
move is perfectly good, but 6.d5 is also a thought.) 6...Nd4 (6...g6? This leads
to a violent end. 7.dxe6! gxh5 8.exf7+ Ke7 9.Bg5+ Kd6 10.Bxd8+-) 7.Qxe5+
Qe7 8.Qxe7+ Bxe7 9.Bd3 White has a slight edge because of the lead in
development and more space.
5.Bb3
5.Qxe5+ This is White's last chance before he is caught up in the

Frankenstein-Dracula variation. 5...Qe7 6.Qxe7+ Bxe7 7.Be2 Ulf Andersson
gives this position as an advantage to White. Andersson is a marvelous player,
but his opinion may be somewhat slanted here because he is such an expert
technical player who excels in precisely these kinds of positions. Of course,
for above master level he is correct. In our case, he is probably wrong.
Certainty this is not bad for White, but between club players I don't think this
kind of advantage is very meaningful.
5...Nc6
Black protects e5.
5...Be7 This is a solid alternative to the chaos. However, we have digressed

enough, so let's skip the boring moves and go on to the exciting ones!
6.Nb5
[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/2nn4/1N2p2Q/
8/1B6/PPPP1PPP/R1B1K1NR b KQkq - 0 6"]
White continues the threat against f7, Black's Achille's heel. In fact, Black
cannot answer this threat without giving up the exchange, but first Black
strengthens his position.
6.d4?! is Weaver Adams's gambit. It will definitely surprise some people, but
it is a little unsound.
6...g6
Black defends the threat against f7 for the moment.
7.Qf3
White is not deterred. Note that White needs to keep making threats, since he
is no longer ahead in development and is still down a pawn.
7...f5
7...f6 David Bronstein played this and won, though he was lost in this game. 8.
Nxc7+! Qxc7 9.Qxf6 White has crashed through with a nice tactic. 9...b6
Bronstein is going to lose something, so he focuses on development and
taking advantage of the wayward white pieces. 10.Qxh8 Bb7 11.Qxh7 0–0–0
12.Ne2 Nf5 13.d3 Ncd4 14.Nxd4 exd4 15.0–0 It looks as though White has
weathered the black storm, or rather the gathering black storm. 15...Qc6 16.f3
Qf6 17.Qh3 Bd6 18.Qg4?! This seems a little oblivious to me. (18.g3 Rh8 19.
Qg2 The kingside is bolstered and White should be able to defend.) 18...Rh8
19.g3 (19.h3 This avoids Black's counterplay.) 19...Bxg3! 20.hxg3 Rh5 21.
Rf2 Qh8 22.Rg2 Rh1+ 23.Kf2 Qe8 Now Black should win this game. 24.Bd2
Rxa1 25.Qf4 Qh8 26.Bc1 Qh5 27.g4 Qh4+ 28.Ke2 g5 29.Qxg5 Ng3+ 30.
Rxg3 Qxg3–+ Mukhin-Bronstein 1959. Black won in the end, but White was
winning in the opening.
8.Qd5
White threatens f7 for the third time. Black has no choice but to give White
the exchange.
8...Qe7 9.Nxc7+ Kd8 10.Nxa8
[FEN "N1bk1b1r/pp1pq2p/2nn2p1/3Qpp2/
8/1B6/PPPP1PPP/R1B1K1NR b KQ - 0 10"]
We have finally reached the starting position of the Frankenstein-Dracula

variation! I confess that I have never played it, nor know anyone who has. A
reputable source is ChessCafe.com's own Tim Harding! He wrote about this
variation in June 1996 and March 1998. In putting together this column I used
his notes, Chesspublishing's few words to say on the subject, and good old
fashioned analysis. There is not much "theory" to speak of in this variation, so
I will mostly try to formulate a general statement on what to do and what not
to do. The line has been played by top correspondence chess players Gert Jan
Timmerman and Joop van Oosterom, as well as the strong IM Terje Wibe.
10...b6
This is the logical move in this position. It develops the light-squared bishop
and prepares to pick off the knight in the corner. White has a few choices
here.
11.d3
This is the white plan that has found the most success. The two players who
revived this line according to Harding are the American master Santasiere and
the Danish postal chess master Julius Nielsen. It is interesting that many of
the high-level games of the Frankenstein-Dracula are correspondence games.
I guess most people are too afraid of the complications over the board, where
it's anyone's game.
11.Qf3 was an earlier try. It contrasts with the text since White is not
developing anything, where 11.d3 at least opened the line for the c1-bishop.
11...Bb7 12.h4?! This occurred in the game Raud-Hector. Johnny Hector is a
strong Swedish GM, while Raud is rated 2365. Raud did not play the best
move, but he beat Hector, which shows how volatile this variation is. (12.
Nxb6 Harding cites Mieses 1921 supplement when describing early origins of
the variation. Mieses only gives this weak continuation and gives Black an
advantage after 12...axb6 13.d3 Nd4 14.Qh3 f4 Like most everything in this
variation, nothing is really clear. Unlike Dracula who has eternity to study the
position, we can only ascertain a few points. I'm worried about the position of
the white queen and White's lack of development and space. I can sacrifice
time for material, but time and space and piece coordination? That's a bit
much.; 12.d3 Nd4 13.Qh3 is the recommendation of Tseitlin and Glazkov.
White again is faced with some difficult problems, and found improvements
earlier.) 12...Bg7?! (12...Nd4 13.Qh3 Bxa8 Black is reputed to have some sort
of advantage here. White cannot play 14.Ne2 since there is no way the king
can be safe in the center after 14...Nxe2. Another problem is the queen is
poorly placed on h3, which is what the earlier improvement of 11.d3 fixes.)
13.Qh3 e4 14.Ne2 Bxa8 15.0–0 White has not played the best moves, but
based on Black's little slip at move twelve, White has managed to castle. 15...
Bf6 16.d3 White smartly doesn't waste time defending the h-pawn. 16...Bxh4
17.Bf4 Bf6 18.Bxd6 Qxd6 19.dxe4 fxe4 20.Rad1 White turns the tables and is
the one making the threats again. 20...Qe7 21.Nf4 Bxb2 Black didn't take
White's threat seriously enough. 22.c3!? I like White's play. He does what
White is supposed to do in this variation: give back material and go on the
offensive. 22...Re8 23.Rxd7+ (23.Rd2 Ba3 24.Rfd1 This may be even
stronger.) 23...Qxd7 24.Rd1 Qxd1+ 25.Bxd1 White is winning at this point.
It's a slog, but the black queen is a little insecure and White can pick off the
pawns. 25...Re7 26.Qh6 Ke8 27.Nxg6 hxg6 28.Qh8+ Kd7 29.Qxa8 Raud-
Hector, 1996, 1-0 in sixty moves.
11.Nxb6 This desperado move to nab an extra pawn is not such an important
idea. By leaving the knight on a8, White makes Black use a move to capture
the knight and in some cases, the knight can escape. 11...axb6 12.d3 Bb7 13.
Qf3 Nd4 14.Qh3 h5 15.f3 When White has to play moves like this, I become
unsure of White's chances. 15...f4 16.Bd2 Bg7 17.0–0–0 N6f5 This occurred
in the game Kaidanov-Lputian, 1987. This position is immensely
complicated, but I suspect Black has gained.
11.h4 White ran into trouble after this move. 11...Bb7 12.Qf3 Bxa8 13.Ne2
Bg7 14.Qh3 Rf8 15.Nc3 Nd4 16.0–0 f4 17.d3 Rf5 and Black soon won in
Simmons-Hector 2003.
11...Bb7
This is the follow-up to the previous move.
12.h4
[FEN "N2k1b1r/pb1pq2p/1pnn2p1/3Qpp2/
7P/1B1P4/PPP2PP1/R1B1K1NR b KQ h3 0 12"]
This move is a great discovery; it has a threat and forces Black to respond in a
way that benefits White. Harding makes the insightful point that Black's
exchange sacrifice is not really a Romantic gambit. The King's Gambit,
probably the most famous Romantic gambit, is a sacrifice of a pawn followed
by an all-out attempt to checkmate the enemy king. Here, although Black did
sacrifice material to gain time and activity, White is aware of maintaining a
delicate balance between having extra material and disregarding it to develop
an attack of his own. Therefore, both sides have to match their strengths to a
position that could quickly change.
12...f4
12...Bg7 13.Bg5 Bf6 14.Bxf6 Qxf6 15.Qf3 White wants to trade, so this series
of moves has helped White. (15.0–0–0?? Nb4 The queen is lost.)
13.Qf3 Nd4
13...Bh6 John Nunn once played this move. We will look at how play ensues
in the illustrative game.
14.Qg4
[FEN "N2k1b1r/pb1pq2p/1p1n2p1/4p3/
3n1pQP/1B1P4/PPP2PP1/R1B1K1NR b KQ - 0 14"]
White wants to play 15.Qg5 and trade queens. This is an obvious move, but
could be easy to miss. I, at least, am a little disoriented by the position. At
first, it seems that Black's king is the one in trouble, since he can't castle, so
White will want to keep queens on the board. However, this is not the case,
and White is the one who is in trouble since Black has plenty of activity. Now
it is Black's turn to have a bit of choice.
14.Qh3 is the old line, but the queen is more active on g4.
14...Bg7
14...Bh6 15.Bd2 (15.Nh3 This is how one of the first important games in the
variation went between Nielsen-Althschuler, fifth Correspondence World
Championship. 15...N6f5 (15...Rf8 Black has strong counterplay after this
move. I guess Black wants to lift the rook to f5-h5, which is totally bizarre,
but not out of place with the whole variation.) 16.Ng5 Bxg5 17.hxg5 f3 18.g3
e4 Things are looking scary for White, but maybe he has enough defensive
resources. 19.Be3 Nxe3 20.fxe3 f2+ (Better is 20...Rf8, since it keeps the
tension. 21.Kf2 Bxa8 22.exd4 e3+ 23.Kf1 Rf5 It would take a very brave
white player to go into this.) 21.Kf1 Nf3 22.Qf4 d6 23.Qf6 Nd2+ 24.Ke2
Qxf6 25.gxf6 Nxb3 26.axb3 exd3+ 27.cxd3 Bxh1 28.Rxh1 Kd7 29.g4 h5 30.
gxh5 gxh5 31.e4 Rxa8 Black won the exchange back, but loses all his pawns
and subsequently the game. 32.Rxh5 Ke6 33.Rf5 Kf7 34.Rxf2 Rh8 35.b4 Rh5
36.Ke3 Rb5 37.Kd4+- A very nice performance by Nielsen.) 15...e4 Black
can't wait, since White will castle next move. 16.Kf1 (16.0–0–0? Castling
now is bad. 16...e3 17.fxe3 (17.Bc3 exf2 18.Nf3 Ne2+ 19.Kb1 Nxc3+ 20.
bxc3 Nb5) 17...Nxb3+ 18.axb3 fxe3 19.Be1 e2+ 20.Rd2 Bxd2+ 21.Kxd2 Re8
22.Nxe2 Qe3+ 23.Kd1 h5 24.Qg5+ Qxg5 25.hxg5 Bxg2 This is in Black's
favor if anyone's.) 16...e3 17.Bc3 N6f5 It's very complicated, but 14...Bh6 is
still one of Black's better tries.
14...h5 Eric Schiller published a book that gives this line. I do not recommend
the book, but let's have a look. 15.Qxg6 Rh7 16.Qg5 Rg7 17.Qxe7+ Bxe7 18.
c3 Bxg2 19.cxd4 Bxh1 20.Nh3 exd4 21.Nxb6 axb6 22.Bxf4 White is better
here and illustrates the idea to give back material to mollify Black's initiative.
14...Bxa8 is a possibility, although the knight is not going anywhere, so why

waste a tempo. 15.Bd2 And on to more craziness.
15.Bd2
15.Nxb6 axb6 16.Bd2 This occurred in a game between two of the stars of the
opening, Wibe and Timmerman. 16...N6f5 17.c3 Nxb3 18.axb3 Bf6 19.h5
Nh6 20.Qe2 g5 Timmerman is moving slowly. (20...Bxg2 Why not? 21.Rh2
Bc6 22.hxg6 hxg6 23.Ra6 Kc7 It's very unclear.) 21.f3 Nf5 22.Qf2
[FEN "3k3r/1b1pq2p/1p3b2/4pnpP/5p2/
1PPP1P2/1P1B1QP1/R3K1NR b KQ - 0 22"]
22...Kc7 23.Ne2 g4 24.fxg4 Bh4 25.Rxh4 Nxh4 26.Kd1 We see it again:

White gives back material. 26...Rf8 27.c4 Nxg2 28.Nc3 Ne3+ 29.Kc1 Qc5 30.
Nb5+ Kb8 31.Qg1 d5 32.Ra4 The white king has found refuge on the
queenside, while Black has the passed f-pawn. 32...d4 This opens the a8-h1
diagonal for the black bishop. 33.Bb4 f3 34.Bxc5 f2 35.Bd6+ Kc8 36.Qxf2
Rxf2 37.Bxe5 (37.Kb1! Rf1+ 38.Ka2 Nxg4 39.Bc7 White could do for a
win.) 37...Rf1+ 38.Kd2 Rf2+ 39.Kc1= Wibe-Timmerman, 1991. A very
interesting battle.
15...Bxa8
Black goes ahead and takes the knight.
16.0–0–0
16.Nh3 is uncommon, but had a quick result in the game J.J. Carleton-J.A.
Tait: 16...N6f5 17.Ng5 h5 18.Qh3 Rf8 19.c3 Nxh4 20.Qxh4 Nxb3 21.axb3
Bf6 22.Rxa7 Bxg2? (22...Bxg5 23.Rxa8+ Kc7 24.Qxg5 Qxg5 25.Rxf8 An
interesting unbalanced position has been reached.) 23.Qh2+-.
16.h5 This is from another Timmerman game. 16...g5 17.c3 N4f5 18.Rh2
White plays this weird looking move to free up the queen from defending the
g2-pawn. 18...Nh6 19.Qe2 g4 20.0–0–0 Ndf5 21.d4 White begins to chip
away at the advanced black pawns. 21...Bb7 (21...exd4 22.Qxe7+ Kxe7 23.
Bxf4 White has consolidated.) 22.Re1 Re8 23.d5 Bf6 24.Bc2?! (24.Qb5
White looks to tickle Black's queenside and block the kingside with g3. 24...
Qd6 25.g3 fxg3 26.fxg3) 24...g3 (24...Bxd5 This is the move that I would be
concerned about. 25.Qa6 g3 26.Qxa7
[FEN "3kr3/Q2pq2p/1p3b1n/3bpn1P/5p2/
2P3p1/PPBB1PPR/2K1R1N1 b - - 0 26"]
26...Qe6 27.fxg3 fxg3 28.Rh3 Bxg2 29.Rxg3 Nxg3 30.Bxh6 unlcear Who
knows what's going on.) 25.fxg3 Nxg3 26.Qf3 Qc5 27.Bb3 Nhf5 28.Kb1 Nd6
29.Be3 Qb5 (29...fxe3 30.Qxf6+) 30.Bf2 Ngf5 31.Rd1 h6 32.Qe2 This is
where White starts to drift. The white queen was holding things together well.
32...Qxe2 33.Nxe2 Ba6 34.Re1 Rg8 35.Kc1 Bg5 36.Kd1 e4 37.Rg1? Nc4 38.
g4 Nfe3+ 39.Ke1 f3 40.Nd4 Nxb2 41.Bc2 Nxc2+ 42.Nxc2 Nd3+ 43.Kd1 Rf8–
+ Fiorito-Timmerman 1980.
16...Bf6 17.Re1!?
This move seems best.
17.h5 was played in the game Wibe-van Oosterom, NBC-25 correspondence

tournament. It bears resemblance to when White played h5 a move earlier.
The game ended in a draw.
17.Bb4 occurred in another top-level encounter. 17...a5 18.Bxd6 Qxd6 19.

Nh3 (19.Rh2 This is a good move despite its appearance. The f- and g-pawns
are likely to move, so the rook will exert influence on the second rank, and the
knight can now go to e2.) 19...Qc6 20.Ng5 a4! 21.Bc4 b5 22.Nf7+ Kc7 23.
Nxh8 Bxh8 24.h5 The position resembles a particularly vicious Dragon
Sicilian, where both sides are rushing ahead heedless of their opponent. 24...
g5 25.c3 bxc4 26.cxd4 cxd3+ 27.Kb1 Qc2+ 28.Ka1 a3 29.Rb1 Be4! 30.Qd1
exd4 31.Qf1 d6 32.f3 Bf5 33.Qc1? From this point, Black takes over. 33...d2
34.Qxc2+ Bxc2 35.Rhd1 d3 36.Rxd2 Kb6–+ Ekebjaerg-Timmerman NBC-25
tournament.
17...Qg7 18.Kb1 h5 19.Qh3
[FEN "b2k3r/p2p2q1/1p1n1bp1/4p2p/
3n1p1P/1B1P3Q/PPPB1PP1/1K2R1NR b - - 0 19"]
From here it is just a game, although a very interesting and complicated one.
19...N6f5 20.Ne2 Nxe2 21.Rxe2 Nxh4 22.g3 Nf3 23.Bc3! Ng5 24.Qh2
Bxh1?
24...fxg3 25.fxg3 Bxh1 is the correct order, with an unclear game.
25.gxf4! Bf3
25...Nf3 26.Qxh1 e4 27.dxe4 Bxc3 28.Qxf3 Bxb2 29.e5 Ba3 30.Rd2+-.
26.fxe5 Qf8 27.exf6 Qc5 28.Re5 Qc7 29.Qf4+-
M.Okkes-Timmerman Amstelveen-Volmac2 1993. I admire White's play in

this game. The plan with 11.d3 and 14.Qg4 seems best, and I am impressed
by the way Okkes played against Timmerman. Of course, there is much room
for discovery. Happy Trick or Treat!
Dracula vs. Frankenstein
In an article in Chess (December 1978, pp.82-85), Harding imagined an

encounter between Frankenstein and Dracula that followed the game Hansen-
Nunn, Student Olympiad 1974. Harding cleverly says that this game took
place at the Borgo Pass Open in Transylvania. Dracula, of course, is black.
Jacob Ost-Hansen – John Nunn

Teesside, 1974
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Qh5 Nd6 5.Bb3 Nc6 6.Nb5 g6 7.Qf3 f5 8.
Qd5 Qe7 9.Nxc7+ Kd8 10.Nxa8 b6 11.d3 Bb7 12.h4 f4 13.Qf3 Bh6
[FEN "N2k3r/pb1pq2p/1pnn2pb/4p3/5p1P/
1B1P1Q2/PPP2PP1/R1B1K1NR w KQ - 0 14"]
Here is where we left off in the theory section.
14.Qg4
Harding gives this a question mark and says 14.Bd2 is better: 14...e4 (14...
Nd4 15.Qg4 This transposes to the lines in the theory section.) 15.dxe4 Nd4
16.Qd3 In The Complete Vienna (1995), Tseitlin and Glazkov give White and
advantage in this position. 16...Nxb3 17.axb3 Bxe4 18.Qc3 Bxa8+ 19.Kf1
Re8 20.Rxa7 White has a strong position.
14...e4 15.Bxf4
White is in trouble. Mistakes are quickly punished in this variation.

15...exd3+ 16.Kf1 Bxf4 17.Qxf4 Rf8 18.Qg3 Ne4 19.Qc7+ Ke8 20.Nh3
[FEN "N3kr2/pbQpq2p/1pn3p1/8/4n2P/
1B1p3N/PPP2PP1/R4K1R b - - 0 20"]
Here we have a position where it looks like both kings are in danger.
20...Nxf2! 21.Nxf2 Qe2+
21...Qe3! 22.Kg1 Rxf2 23.Kh2 Ne5 The Nightmare!
22.Kg1 Qxf2+ 23.Kh2 Qxh4+ 24.Kg1 Qd4+ 25.Kh2 Ne5–+
[FEN "N3kr2/pbQp3p/1p4p1/4n3/3q4/
1B1p4/PPP3PK/R6R w - - 0 26"]
What follows is a pretty king hunt.
26.Rhf1 Ng4+ 27.Kh3 Qe3+ 28.Kxg4 h5+ 29.Kh4 g5+ 30.Kxh5 Rh8+ 31.
Kg6 Be4+ 32.Rf5 Bxf5+ 33.Kxf5 Rf8+ 34.Kg6 Qe4+ 35.Kg7 Qe7+ 36.Kg6
Qf6+ 37.Kh5 Qh8+ 38.Kg4
Harding jokingly says that Black lost on time here because Dracula may have
seen the first rays of sunshine through the shutters or a crucifix around the
neck of the white king.
38...Qh4# 0-1
In the real game, of course, Black won. A wild and fun game.
Lessons Learned
● Practice, practice, practice. Play blitz against training partners to get a

feel for this position. There is not much to memorize, so this is how
you learn the opening.
● Understand that, as white, you are not trying to hold on to the material.
Ideally, you give it back at the right time and go on the offensive. The
first step is one known to all beginners: develop your pieces and castle.
● Even though the position is very complicated and tactical, get a feel for
the general ideas by going over games, since it is too hard to calculate
fully here.
Famous Practitioners
● Terje Wibe is a Norwegian IM who is probably the strongest player to
regularly play the Frankenstein-Dracula.
● Gert Jan Timmerman is a strong FM from the Netherlands and a great
correspondence player.
● Menno Okkes is another strong FM from the Netherlands.
Further Reading
● The Kibitzer, June 1996 by Tim Harding

● The Kibitzer, March 1998 by Tim Harding
● The Complete Vienna by Tseitlin and Glazkov


The English Attack in the Najdorf Sicilian [B90] accessible:
I am devoting this column to the study of 6...Ng4 against the English Attack
in the Najdorf. First, I will provide some background on the Najdorf and this
variation in a general sense. In this day and age, when computers have
revolutionized opening preparation at all levels, it's not unreasonable to
assume that many intermediate players prepare their openings in the length
and the depth that I go into in this month's column. The first nine moves are
standard and easy to remember, so the theory really starts from there. I want
The to thank one of my readers, Mr. Horst, who provided the suggestion for this
column and gave me valuable games to use in preparation. I looked at his
Openings notes, as well as those at ChessPublishing.com and in New In Chess Yearbook
in preparing this column.
Explained How to Play the Najdorf, Vol. 1
1.e4 c5 by Garry Kasparov
Abby Marshall At some point all e4-players lock themselves away with fifty books on the
Sicilian with hopes of cracking this vast and complex opening. The move ...c5
[Find us on Facebook.] shows Black's intention to pursue an asymmetric position, while still aiming
to control the center. It promises an exciting battle.
Translate this page
2.Nf3 d6
This move can give rise to a number of different systems. 2...e6 and 2...Nc6
are popular alternatives. With the text, Black is still following basic opening
principles: controlling the center and opening lines to get pieces out - while
not stepping into any kind of symmetry.
How to Play the Najdorf, Vol. 2
3.d4 by Garry Kasparov
The Open Sicilian. Do not be afraid to play the main lines, even if there is
much to learn. They are often the best.
3...cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6
This is the start of the Najdorf Variation in the Sicilian Defense. Named after
the great Polish-Argentinian player Miguel Najdorf, this opening attempts to
maintain flexibility and generate play against the e4-pawn by means of ...b5, ...
Bb7, ...Nbd7-c5. Fischer and Kasparov are among the many famous adherents
Play through and download who played the Najdorf.
the games from
6.Be3 How to Play the Najdorf, Vol. 3
by Garry Kasparov
ChessBase Game Viewer.
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/1p2pppp/p2p1n2/8/3NP3/
2N1B3/PPP2PPP/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 0 6"]
The English Attack and currently in vogue. White has other options as well:
6.Bg5 was the main line, but the English Attack replaced it. 6...e6 7.f4 Qb6
The Poisoned Pawn variation is extremely tricky. (7...Be7 8.Qf3 Qc7 9.0–0–0
Nbd7 10.g4) 8.Qd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qa3 10.e5 We could analyze this for days, so
I won't try to here. 10...dxe5 11.fxe5 Nfd7 12.Ne4.
6.Bc4 is the Fischer-Sozin Attack. 6...e6 7.Bb3 Nbd7 Lately it has fallen out
of fashion.
6.Be2 is among the more tame choices and leads to an interesting fight. Black
will play ...e5 and try for active play.
6...Ng4
According to ChessPublishing, this move is worse than 6...e6 and 6...e5.
6...e6 transposes to the Schevenigen Sicilian, another very well respected

system.
6...e5 7.Nb3 Be6 8.Qd2 Be7 9.f3 0–0 10.0–0–0 Qc7 and a tough fight is ahead.
7.Bg5
This is basically forced.
7.Bf4? e5 8.Nf5 exf4 9.Qxg4 g6.
7.Bc1 Nf6 Obviously, it is to White's detriment to have a draw.
7...h6
The next few moves are standard.
8.Bh4 g5 9.Bg3 Bg7
Black has fallen slightly behind in development and loosened the kingside,
but does have decent dark-square control.
10.h3
[FEN "rnbqk2r/1p2ppb1/p2p3p/6p1/3NP1n1/
2N3BP/PPP2PP1/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 0 10"]
This is the move that has been giving Black problems.
10.Be2 is a popular choice. 10...h5 11.Bxg4 (11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 Qa5 You
should always try to make threats, no matter how simple.; 11.h4 gxh4 12.
Bxh4 Nc6 13.Nb3 Be6 14.Qd2 Rc8 15.0–0–0 Qb6 unclear These are
commonsense Sicilian moves. Black is okay.) 11...hxg4 12.0–0 (12.Nd5 Nc6
13.Nf5 Bxf5 14.exf5 Bxb2 15.Rb1 Qa5+ 16.Qd2 Bd4 17.Qxa5 Nxa5 18.Nc7+
Kd7 19.Nxa8 Rxa8 20.Kd2 Anand-Topalov Dortmund 1999. Although Black
only has a knight and a pawn for the exchange, the white bishop is terrible.
Black managed to get a slight edge.) 12...Nc6 13.Nf5 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Qa5
What I like about Black's play is that there are plenty of threats and chances
for creative play, which makes it a great choice for an improving player. 15.
Qxg4 f6 16.Qf3 (16.Rab1 Qxc3 17.Rfd1 Ne5 18.Bxe5 Qxe5 19.g3 b5 Black is
doing well.; 16.f4 Bxf5 17.exf5 gxf4 18.Rxf4 Qxc3 19.Rb1 b5 The black king
is safer in the center. 20.Qe2 Rc8 Black can hold his own. ) 16...Ne5 17.Qe3
Bxf5 18.exf5 Rc8 19.Qa7 Kf7 20.Qxb7 Rxc3 21.Rfd1 Qb5 22.Qa7 Nc6 23.
Qd7 Nd4 24.Qxb5 Nxb5= For the moment Black is down a pawn, but has
plenty of activity.
10.h4 Nc6 Black has enough center control to stop play on the flanks for now.
10.Qd2 Nc6 11.Nb3 Nge5 12.f3 (12.a4 Be6 13.Nd5 Rc8 14.f3 Ng6 with sharp
play.
[FEN "2rqk2r/1p2ppb1/p1npb1np/3N2p1/
P3P3/1N3PB1/1PPQ2PP/R3KB1R w KQk - 0 15"]
Black has a good grip on the dark squares.) 12...b5 this, along with ...e5, is a
typical black pawn thrust. 13.Bf2 Rb8 14.Nd4 b4 15.Nce2 Nc4 16.Nxc6 Qc7
17.Qd5 Be6 18.Qd3 Qxc6=.
10...Ne5
ChessPublishing prefers this over 10...Nf6, given as okay by none other than
Kasparov in a recent DVD.
10...Nf6 11.Qe2 Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.e5 This direct approach was pretty
strong according to Chess Publishing. 13...dxe5 14.Bxe5 0–0 15.h4 g4 16.g3
a5 17.Bg2 Ba6 18.Qe3+/- Rowson-De Firmian Selfoss 2003.
11.Nf5
11.f3 White wants to get the dark-squared bishop back in the game, but the
dark-squares become even weaker. 11...Nbc6 12.Bf2 Ng6 (12...Be6 This is
the older idea. 13.Qd2 Qa5 14.Nb3 Bxb3 15.cxb3 Nb4 16.a3 Ng6 17.Rd1 Nc6
18.Nd5 Qxd2+ 19.Rxd2 Maybe White has a slight edge.) 13.Qd2 (13.Nd5
Rg8 14.Qd2 e6 15.Nc3 Be5 16.0–0–0 Qf6 17.Nde2 Bd7 Black is holding his
own.) 13...0–0 There is no strict rule regarding king safety, as we have seen
positions where the king castles kingside, queenside, or stays in the center.
Typically the Najdorf king stays in the center, since kingside castling runs
into an attack and the queenside has expanded with ...b5. Remain flexible;
don't rush it, but don't let it get in the way of rook development.
11.Be2 Nbc6 12.Nf5 Bxf5 13.exf5 Nd7 14.Qd2 Nd4 15.Bd3 Qa5 If White
doesn't play forcefully, then Black quickly gets a fine position.
11...Bxf5
The knight has to be expelled right away.
12.exf5 Nbc6 13.Nd5 e6
Follow first World Champion Wilhelm Steinitz's advice and take away
squares from the knights!
14.fxe6
14.Ne3 0–0 (14...Qa5+ 15.c3 Nf3+ This sort of transposes, without the moves
fxe6 and ...fxe6. The illustrative games will throw more light on the
difference.) 15.c3 d5 16.fxe6 fxe6 17.Be2 Qe7
[FEN "r4rk1/1p2q1b1/p1n1p2p/3pn1p1/8/
2P1N1BP/PP2BPP1/R2QK2R w KQ - 0 18"]
18.0–0 Rad8 19.Qe1 Ng6 20.Rd1 Nf4 21.Bd3 Nxd3 22.Rxd3 Qf7 Black has a
two pawn advantage in the center and is doing well.
14...fxe6 15.Ne3 Qa5+
15...0–0 White could transpose to this position in the previous line, so it

should be good here too. This is a possibility if you want to avoid the
complications that follow.
16.c3
16.Qd2 Qxd2+ 17.Kxd2 0–0 Black's central pawn majority, or more

accurately domination, ensure good chances.
16...Nf3+!
[FEN "r3k2r/1p4b1/p1npp2p/q5p1/8/
2P1NnBP/PP3PP1/R2QKB1R w KQkq - 0 17"]
This was Topalov's idea.
17.Qxf3 Bxc3+ 18.Kd1 (18.bxc3 Qxc3+) 18...Qa4+
18...Bxb2 is also playable, but let's stick with the main line.
19.Nc2
19.Kc1 Bxb2+ 20.Kxb2 Qb4+ 21.Kc1 Nd4 A picturesque Najdorf scene: the
black king sits safely in the center of the board, while the white king is a
victim. 22.Qh5+ Ke7 23.Bc4 Qc3+ 24.Kb1 (24.Kd1 Qxa1+) 24...Qb4+ 25.
Kc1 (25.Bb3 Nxb3 26.Nc2 (26.axb3 Qxb3+ 27.Kc1 Rac8+) 26...Nd2+ 27.
Kc1 Rac8) 25...Qc3+= Black shouldn't be upset with a draw.
19...Bxb2 20.Rc1!
20.Qb3 Qxb3 21.axb3 Bxa1 22.Nxa1 Ke7 It is two bishops versus a rook and
two pawns. Roughly equal, but practice this position against friends, or better
yet, rivals. (22...Ne5 is another idea.).
20.Rb1? Qxa2 21.Rxb2 Qxb2 the black queen is still lodged in the white
position.
20...Rc8 21.Bd3 Rf8=
[FEN "2r1kr2/1p6/p1npp2p/6p1/q7/
3B1QBP/PbN2PP1/2RK3R w - - 0 22"]
There is no need to rush. Black is fine. Yet the position is crazy! Let's look at
some games and see how top players approach this system.
The following game is where 15...Nf3+! was first played, with excellent
results.
Svidler, P (2738) – Topalov, V (2788)

WCh-FIDE San Luis ARG (5), 03.10.2005
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Be3 Ng4 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4
g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 10.h3 Ne5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 Nbc6 13.Nd5 e6 14.Ne3
Notice that White omits 14.fxe6 for now.
14...Qa5+ 15.c3 Nf3+ 16.Qxf3 Bxc3+ 17.Kd1 Qa4+ 18.Nc2 Bxb2 19.fxe6
This move should help Black, since it opens lines.
19...fxe6 20.Qb3
Later games improved on this try. But Svidler is 2700+, so it is instructive to

see how a world-class player handled the situation. I imagine Black's play had
caught him off guard. Whenever an opponent comes out with a stinger,
especially in the opening, always take a deep breath and collect yourself.
Otherwise, the game will feel out of control.
20.Qh5+? Ke7 Now Black's rooks are connected and the white king is stuck.
20...Qxb3 21.axb3 Bxa1 22.Nxa1 Ke7 23.Bd3 Rac8 24.Re1 Nd4 25.f3
[FEN "2r4r/1p2k3/p2pp2p/6p1/3n4/
1P1B1PBP/6P1/N2KR3 b - - 0 25"]
Both players are trying to activate their pieces, the fundamental axiom of
chess.
25...Rc3 26.Kd2 Rhc8 27.Rb1 R3c5 28.b4
28.Bf2 The pin doesn't work out. 28...Rd5 29.Be4 Nxf3+.
28...Rd5 29.Bf2 Kd7 30.Be3 Nf5 31.Bf2 Nh4 32.Bxh4 gxh4 33.Nc2
The problem for White is that this knight was tucked in a corner for quite a
few moves. Now, White has already ceded one of his bishops and Black has
all the activity.
33...h5
33...Rg8 seems more natural to me. 34.Ne3 Rd4 35.b5 a5.
34.Re1
34.b5!? a5 35.Ra1 Ra8 36.Ra4 Rg5 37.Ne3 Rc5 38.Rxh4 a4 White has at
least some counterplay.
34...Rg8 35.Kc3 a5
35...Rxg2 36.Ne3 Rxd3+ 37.Kxd3 Rh2 also looks very convincing.
36.Bc4
36.bxa5 Rxa5 37.Kb4 Rc5.
36...Rc8 37.Ne3 Rb5 38.Kd3 Rxb4–+ 39.Bxe6+ Kxe6 40.Nc2+ Kd5 41.
Nxb4+ axb4
Black liquidates into a winning rook endgame. Contrary to the popular saying,
not all of them are drawn.
42.Re7 b5 43.Rh7 Rc3+ 44.Kd2 Rc4 0–1
The debut of Topalov's idea was certainly successful. Let's see if history will
agree with his inventive play.
Here is a rather recent game with this opening. Black defeated his stronger
opponent in our new favorite line.
Yemelin, V (2578) – Bogner, S (2467)

2nd Pfalz Open Neustadt an der Weinstrasse (6), 19.02.2009
g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 10.h3 Ne5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 Nbc6 13.Nd5 e6 14.fxe6
Unlike the Svidler game, White captures the e-pawn immediately.
14...fxe6 15.Ne3 Qa5+ 16.c3 Nf3+ 17.Qxf3
17.gxf3 only justifies the knight sacrifice! 17...Bxc3+ 18.bxc3 Qxc3+ 19.Qd2
(19.Ke2? Nd4+ 20.Qxd4 Qxd4–+) 19...Qxa1+-/+.
17...Bxc3+ 18.Kd1 Qa4+ 19.Nc2 Bxb2 20.Rc1!
This makes sense. White needs to protect the rook and also keep the black
queen out.
20...Rc8
This is the recommendation of New In Chess.
20...Bxc1? 21.Qf6 (21.Kxc1?? Qxc2+ 22.Kxc2 Nd4+ 23.Kd2 Nxf3+ 24.gxf3

e5–+) 21...Kd7 22.Kxc1 Qxa2 23.Bd3 is similar to the game we just looked
at, except the queens are present, which tilts the advantage to White, since the
two bishops offer attacking chances. 23...Rac8 24.Rd1 d5 25.Bf5 Rhe8 26.Qf7
+ Kd8 27.Re1 Qa3+ 28.Nxa3 Ne5+ 29.Kd2 Nxf7 30.Bxe6 Let's draw a
curtain over the rest of the game. 1–0, Svidler,P (2735)-Grischuk,A (2726),
Mexico City 2007.
20...0–0–0!? is Horst's idea.
[FEN "2kr3r/1p6/p1npp2p/6p1/q7/
5QBP/PbN2PP1/2RK1B1R w - - 0 21"]
It seems promising: 21.Qg4 Qxg4+ 22.hxg4 Bxc1 23.Kxc1 e5 24.Ne3 Kd7 25.
Bd3 Nd4 26.Kd2 Ke6; 20...Qxa2? 21.Qe4 Qd5+ 22.Qxd5 exd5 23.Rb1+-.
21.Bd3 Rf8 22.Qe4
22.Qg4 Horst gives 22...Nd4 (22...Qxg4+ 23.hxg4 Bxc1 24.Kxc1 Rf6 I like
this too.) 23.Re1 Qxa2 24.Re4 Bxc1 25.Rxd4 Bf4=.
22.Qh5+ Kd7 23.Qxh6 Bxc1 24.Kxc1 Qxa2 25.Rd1 Ne7 26.Qxg5 Rc6 New
In Chess analyzes this position deeply. But practicing this position is more
useful that memorizing moves. 27.Qg7 (27.Bh4 Rxc2+! 28.Bxc2 Nf5 29.Qg4
Rc8 30.Qe4 Nxh4 31.Qh7+ Ke8 32.Qh8+ Kd7 33.Qh7+=) 27...Rfc8 28.Qb2
unclear.
22...Qxe4 23.Bxe4 Bxc1 24.Kxc1 Nd4
Bogner does not let the position die and keeps pushing.
25.Re1 Kd7 26.Kd2 Nf5 27.Bh2?!
Now White is coming under the mercy of Black.
27.Bxb7 Rc5 28.Bxa6 Rb8 29.Bd3 Rb2 Black gets a lot of activity for the
pawn, but maybe this is best.
27...Nh4 28.Bg3 d5 29.Bd3
29.Bxh4 gxh4 30.Bf3 Kd6 31.Ne3 Rf4 As we have seen, Black does pretty
well in this unbalanced ending.
29...Nxg2 30.Rb1 b5 31.Nb4
Finally, White gets some piece play, but Black keeps his cool.
31...h5!
Black switches from queenside to kingside play, a sign of a great player.
32.Nxa6 h4 33.Bxb5+ Ke7 34.Be5 Rxf2+–+ 35.Kd3 Rcc2 36.Rd1 Rxa2 37.
Bc3
37.Nb4 Here is a sample variation. 37...Ra3+ 38.Kd4 Nf4 39.Nd3 Re2 40.
Nxf4 Re4+ 41.Kc5 gxf4.
37...Rf3+ 38.Kd4 e5+ 39.Kxd5 Rxc3
Now the win is very simple.

40.Kxe5 Re3+ 41.Kf5 Rf2+ 42.Kg4 Re4+ 43.Kh5 Nf4+ 44.Kh6 Re6+ 45.
Kh7 Nxh3 46.Nc7 Rf7+ 47.Kg8 Rg6+ 48.Kh8 Rd6 49.Re1+ Kf6 50.Ne8+
Kg6 51.Kg8
White fights to the finish but Bogner is an expert in these kinds of positions.
51...Rff6 52.Re7 Rd8 53.Rg7+ Kf5 54.Bd7+ Kf4 55.Re7 g4 56.Kg7 Ra6 57.
Nf6 Rxf6 58.Kxf6 Ng5 0–1
I was really impressed by this game.
This next game was played a few weeks ago by two world-class players.
Karjakin,Sergey (2760) - Grischuk,A (2771)

Tal Memorial Moscow RUS (6), 11.11.2010
g5 9.Bg3 Bg7 10.h3 Ne5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.exf5 Nbc6 13.Nd5 e6 14.fxe6 fxe6
15.Ne3 Qa5+ 16.c3 Nf3+ 17.Qxf3 Bxc3+ 18.Kd1 Qa4+ 19.Nc2 Bxb2 20.
Rc1 Rc8 21.Bd3 Rf8 22.Qg4
We looked at this move briefly in the previous illustrative game.
22...Nd4 23.Re1 Qxa2 24.Re4 Bxc1 25.Rxd4 Bf4
This position looks about equal.
26.Bxf4 Rxf4 27.Rxf4 gxf4 28.Qg8+ Kd7 29.Qf7+ Kd8 30.Qf8+ Kd7 31.
Qxf4 Qd5
[FEN "2r5/1p1k4/p2pp2p/3q4/5Q2/
3B3P/2N2PP1/3K4 w - - 0 32"]
Even though the queens are still on the board, Black is much safer than in
previous scenarios that we examined.
32.Qf7+ Kd8 33.Ke2 Rxc2+
Grishuk goes for the draw.
33...Qe5+ 34.Ne3 d5 If you are playing someone of roughly equal strength,

play on with these fighting moves.
34.Bxc2 Qe5+ 35.Kd2 Qa5+ 36.Kd1 Qa1+ 37.Ke2 Qe5+ 38.Kd3 Qd5+ 39.
Kc3 Qc5+ 40.Kb2 Qe5+ 41.Kc1 Qe1+ 42.Kb2 Qe5+ 43.Kb3 Qb5+ 44.Kc3
Qc5+ 45.Kd2 Qa5+ 46.Ke2 ½–½
Black is still holding his own in this line. The verdict is still out on 6...Ng4;
though it has been supplanted by 6...e6 and 6...e5.
Lessons Learned
● The Najdorf is about active piece play and the pawn breaks ...b5 and ...
e5. Remember to keep your pieces active and make threats.
● Don't be afraid of the endgame, since the rook and two pawns usually
proves better than the two bishops.
● Memorize as much as you can and write down what you learn from
your practice games. If you are playing the Najdorf, this should not be
anything new.
Practitioners
● Sebastian Bogner is a recently crowned grandmaster from Germany.

Keep a watch on this young player.
● Alexander Grischuk. This Russian grandmaster has long been among
the world's best. I know him best for his dreadlocks and leather jackets,
but those days may be past. He is also a world-class blitz player with a
sharp style.
● Veselin Topalov. The Bulgarian grandmaster still has world title
aspirations.
Further Reading
This variation is constantly evolving, so I would keep current with new games
via The Week in Chess (TWIC) and look for updates in the New In Chess
Yearbooks. Opening books are not as essential, since the theory on this
changes so quickly.


The Queen's Gambit Accepted [D20] Purchases from our
This month and next I thought it would be a good change to cover a 1.d4
accessible:
opening. I will be dealing with an interesting variation in the Queen's Gambit
Accepted: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dc 3.e4 Nc6. As reference, I used The Queen's Gambit
Accepted by Konstantin Sakaev and Semko Semkov and ChessPublishing.
1.d4
1.e4 is generally recommended to beginning and intermediate players because

it quickly gets their pieces out and emphasizes development and piece play. 1.
The d4 is generally more positional and more advanced, not as symmetrical as 1.
e4.
Openings
1...d5
Explained Play the Queen's Gambit
Besides 1...d5, there is 1...Nf6, which leads to many popular openings. by Chris Ward
Abby Marshall 2.c4
[Find us on Facebook.] The Queen's Gambit is the most common response to 1...d5. In 1.d4 openings,
space and pawn play are usually more important than in 1.e4 openings.
Translate this page
2...dxc4
The Queen's Gambit Accepted. Black immediately challenges White by

taking material. This leads to interesting and dynamic play.
3.e4
The Queen's Gambit Accepted
by Valeri Lilov

[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppp1pppp/8/8/2pPP3/8/
the games from PP3PPP/RNBQKBNR b KQkq e3 0 3"] How to Play the Queen's Gambit
by Garry Kasparov
ChessBase Game Viewer. White seizes the entire center with this immediate challenging move, but it is
not White's strongest approach at the moment.
3...Nc6
Black responds with a challenging move in turn, one which Sakaev and
Semkov are quite excited about. It looks weird, since the c-pawn usually
advances in queen-pawn openings, but Black quickly generates piece play and
threats. Both sides are slugging it out. This move will be examined next
month from Black's point of view. For a sense of completeness, let's have a
cursory look at the other three main choices against 3.e4.
3...e5 is the most popular choice. Black does not allow White to be the the
only player with pawns in the center. 4.Nf3 White develops a piece and
protects the center. (4.dxe5 is weak: 4...Qxd1+ 5.Kxd1 Nc6 6.f4 Bg4+ and
Black is in the driver's seat.)
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/8/4p3/2pPP3/
5N2/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 4"]
a) 4...exd4 5.Bxc4 Nc6 (5...Bb4+ 6.Nbd2 White wants to keep pieces on the
board and the knight is going to end up on b3. 6...Nc6 7.0–0 Nf6 8.e5 Nd5 9.
Nb3 White sticks a pawn on e5 and prepares to regain the d-pawn. 9...Nb6 10.
Bg5 Be7 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.Bb5 White has pressure.) 6.0–0 Be6 7.Bxe6 fxe6 8.
Qb3 Qd7 9.Qxb7 Rb8 10.Qa6 Nf6 11.Nbd2 This line is very interesting and
should be further studied.
b) 4...Nf6 This is a little too combative. 5.Nxe5 Nxe4 6.Bxc4 Nd6 7.Bb3 Be7
8.Nc3 White has the center and free piece play.
c) 4...Bb4+ 5.Nc3 exd4 (5...Nf6 6.Nxe5 b5 7.f3 This simple move keeps
White active and protects the e-pawn, which was under attack since the c3-
knight is pinned. 7...c5 8.dxc5 Qxd1+ 9.Kxd1 a6 10.a4 White is hacking away
at the black queenside.) 6.Nxd4 Ne7 Black focuses on development and
quieter play. (6...Qe7 7.Bxc4 White ignores the threat and goes for activity.
7...Nf6 (7...Qxe4+ 8.Kf1 The strongest to keep the queens on the board. Black
has only one piece beside the queen out. 8...Bxc3 9.bxc3 Be6 10.Qa4+ Nd7
11.Bg5
[FEN "r3k1nr/pppn1ppp/4b3/6B1/
Q1BNq3/2P5/P4PPP/R4K1R b kq - 0 11"]
White stops queenside castling and prepares to move the rook to e1.) 8.f3
Again this move, which shores up the White center.) 7.Bxc4 Nbc6 8.Be3
Nxd4 (8...0–0 9.a3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Na5 11.Be2 White has the bishop-pair and
a fine position.) 9.Bxd4 0–0 10.a3 Ba5 11.0–0 Ng6 12.Bc5 Re8 13.Qxd8
Rxd8 14.Rad1 White has a lead in development and a pawn in the center.
3...c5 has been under a cloud lately because of 4.d5 e6 (4...Nf6 5.Nc3 b5 6.
Bf4 This leads to complicated play, but White is doing well.) 5.Nc3 exd5 6.
Nxd5 Ne7 7.Bxc4 This is also complicated.
3...Nf6 is a sharp choice that concedes space to White in exchange for

activity. 4.e5 Nd5 5.Bxc4 Nb6 6.Bd3 Nc6 7.Ne2 Bg4 8.f3 Be6 9.Nbc3 Sakaev
and Semkov believe that White is doing well. If you want to play this way as
white, I would do more research.
4.Nf3
White develops a piece and protects the center.
4...Bg4
[FEN "r2qkbnr/ppp1pppp/2n5/8/2pPP1b1/
5N2/PP3PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5"]
Here is our basic position for this variation. White has two ideas: to gain
space by pushing the h-pawn or to castle kingside and play on the queenside.
Black will try for counterplay.
4...Nf6 This is again a clumsy move. 5.d5 Nxe4 Basically forced. (5...Na5 6.
Qa4+ c6 7.Bd2 b6 8.Bxa5 bxa5 9.e5 Nh5 10.Bxc4+-) 6.Bxc4 (6.dxc6? Qxd1+
7.Kxd1 Nxf2+) 6...Nb8 7.0–0 g6 8.Nc3 Nf6 9.Re1 Bg7 10.Qe2 Nbd7 11.d6
cxd6 12.Bxf7+! Kf8 (12...Kxf7 13.Ng5+ Ke8 14.Ne6) 13.Ng5 Nc5 14.Bc4 d5
15.Be3 Nce4 16.Rad1+/-.
5.d5 Ne5 6.Bf4
6.Qd4!? is a very interesting alternative. Sakaev and Semkov very much like
this move. 6...Nxf3+ (6...Bxf3 7.Qxe5 Bg4 8.Bxc4 White has the center and is
much better.; 6...Nd3+ 7.Bxd3 cxd3 8.Ne5 Bd7 9.Nc3 e6 10.0–0 Nf6 11.Bg5
Be7 12.Rad1 The extra space tilts the position in White's favor.) 7.gxf3 Bxf3
8.Bxc4 White is down a pawn with a shattered kingside, but White has the
center. Now Black has a few choices. 8...a6 is the most promising. The benefit
of this move is to prevent the Bb5 check that caused havoc in the other lines.
[FEN "r2qkbnr/ppp1pppp/8/3P4/2BQP3/
5b2/PP3P1P/RNB1K2R b KQkq - 0 8"]
a) 8...e5 leads to a strange position. Black gives back a pawn to develop and
exchange pieces. 9.Bb5+ (9.Qxe5+? Qe7 10.Qxe7+ Nxe7 11.0–0 Bxe4) 9...c6
10.Qxe5+ Qe7 (10...Ne7 11.Nd2 (11.dxc6?? Qd1#) 11...f6 (11...Qb8 12.dxc6
+-; 11...Bxh1 12.dxc6) 12.dxc6 bxc6 13.Qe6 cxb5 14.Nxf3 Qc8 15.Nd4
White is a little better.) 11.dxc6 Now things get a little weird. 11...Qxe5 12.
cxb7+ Qxb5 13.bxa8Q+ Kd7 14.Qxa7+ Ke6 15.Nc3
[FEN "5bnr/Q4ppp/4k3/1q6/4P3/
2N2b2/PP3P1P/R1B1K2R b KQ - 0 15"]
15...Bb4 16.Qe3 Bxc3+ 17.bxc3 Bxh1 18.Ba3 Sakaev and Semkov say that
White has full compensation for the piece. What follows is their analysis. 18...
f5 19.0–0–0 Bxe4 20.Rd6+ Kf7 21.Qa7+ Bb7 22.Rb6 Qf1+ 23.Kb2 Qe2+ 24.
Kb3 Qd1+ 25.Kb4 Nf6 26.Qxb7+ Kg6 27.Qg2+ Kh5 28.Qh3+ Kg6 29.c4
White is now better. I would play this kind of position against a friend for
practice before you face the real thing.
b) 8...c6 also challenges the center. 9.Rg1 Nf6 10.Nc3 e6 11.Bg5 Be7 12.Bxf6
Bxf6 13.e5 Bg5 14.d6 A pawn on the sixth rank is as powerful as a piece.
c) 8...f5 is yet another way to influence the center, though it is a bit

unorthodox. 9.Rg1 The bishop now really threatened to take the rook. Notice
that against the check on b5 Black now has the f7-square to escape. (9.exf5??
Bxh1 10.Bb5+ c6 11.dxc6 Qxd4 12.cxb7+ Kf7 13.bxa8Q Bxa8–+; 9.Bb5+?
c6 10.dxc6 Qxd4 11.cxb7+ Kf7–+) 9...Bxe4 10.Bf4
[FEN "r2qkbnr/ppp1p1pp/8/3P1p2/
2BQbB2/8/PP3P1P/RN2K1R1 b Qkq - 0 10"]
This is the ambitious move. White is down two pawns. At least now Black
can't play ...e5 to good effect. (10.Nc3 This is the safe way. 10...e5 (10...Nf6
11.Nxe4 fxe4 12.Bg5 Qd6 13.0–0–0 g6 14.f3 exf3 15.Rge1 0–0–0 16.Qxa7
Nd7 17.Re3 Bg7 (17...Nb6=) 18.Qa8+ Nb8 19.Bf1) 11.Qxe5+ Qe7 12.Bf4 0–
0–0 13.Nxe4 fxe4 14.d6 Qxe5 (14...cxd6 15.Qa5÷) 15.Bxe5 cxd6 16.Be6+
Kb8 17.Bxg7 Bxg7 18.Rxg7 Nf6 19.Rc1 Rhe8 20.Rcc7=) 10...c5 Since ...e5
is no longer available, this move kicks the white queen out of the center. 11.
Qd1 Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Qc7 13.Qa4+ Kd8 14.Nc3 The position becomes pretty
unclear. 14...Nf6 15.0–0–0 Bf3 16.Nb5 Bxd1 17.Rxd1 Qb8 18.d6 exd6 19.
Bf4 Ne4? (19...Qc8 20.Nxd6 Bxd6 21.Bxd6 Re8÷) 20.Be6+-.
d) 8...Bxh1? 9.Bb5+ c6 10.dxc6 a6 (10...Qxd4 11.cxb7+ Kd8 12.bxa8Q+) 11.

c7+ axb5 12.cxd8Q+.
e) 8...Qd6 is the other main response. 9.Bb5+ Kd8 (9...c6 This runs into some
problems. 10.Nd2 Bxh1 11.dxc6 Kd8 12.cxb7 Rb8 13.Qxa7 Qc7 14.Nc4
Rxb7 15.Qd4+ Kc8 16.Ba6 e5 17.Bxb7+ Kxb7 18.Qd5+ Kc8 19.Bg5+-) 10.
Rg1 c5 11.Qe3 Qxh2 12.Rg3 Bg2 13.Bf1 Bxf1 14.Kxf1 Nf6 15.e5 Nd7 16.e6
Nf6 17.Nc3 Sakaev and Semkov have confidence in White's positions. If
these variations seem long and obtuse, do not worry. It's best to practice the
initial position and get a feel for the position.
9.Rg1 e5 10.Qxe5+ Qe7 11.Qxe7+ Nxe7 12.Nd2 Bh5 13.b3 Theory views
this position as unclear with chances for both sides. I like the big White center.
6...Ng6
This is sort of automatic.
6...Nxf3+ 7.gxf3 Bd7 8.Bxc4 is a bad position for Black.
6...Bxf3 7.gxf3 Nd3+ (7...Ng6 8.Qa4+ Qd7 9.Qxd7+ Kxd7 10.Bg3 White has
that big center.) 8.Bxd3 cxd3 9.Qxd3 c6 10.Nc3 Nf6 11.0–0–0 White is better.
7.Be3 Nf6
[FEN "r2qkb1r/ppp1pppp/5nn1/3P4/
2p1P1b1/4BN2/PP3PPP/RN1QKB1R w KQkq - 0 8"]
7...e5 usually transposes, but can be independent. 8.Bxc4 a6 (8...Bd6 9.Qa4+

Kf8 Black cedes the right to castle, but the white position is now a little
disorganized. 10.Nbd2 Nf6 11.Be2 h6 12.h3 Bd7 13.Bb5 Bc8 Black keeps the
bishop on the board to improve attacking chances. 14.Rc1 is Zilberstein-
Ibragimov, Katowice 1990. This game shows how White plays this position to
good advantage. 14...Kg8 15.a3 Kh7 16.Qc2 Rf8 17.g3 Ne8 18.Bd3 a6 19.
Nc4 Kg8 20.Nfd2 Bd7 21.Na5 Qc8 22.h4 f5 23.exf5 Ne7 24.Qb3 Nxf5 Black
lets White take over the queenside in hopes that he will take the d5-pawn. 25.
Bxf5 Bxf5 26.Qxb7 Nf6 27.Qxc8 Raxc8 28.0–0 Nxd5 29.Bc5! Nf6 30.Rfe1
Rfe8 31.Nb7 Bxc5 32.Nxc5 Now White has an advantage since Black's
pawns are looking very bad. 32...Rcd8 33.Nc4 e4 34.Nxa6 Re7 35.Ne3 Bg6
White won.) 9.h3 Bd7 10.h4 Bd6 (10...h5 This would be the usual response,
but here it is not so good. 11.d6 Bxd6 12.Qb3) 11.h5 N6e7 12.h6 gxh6 13.
Nc3 Ng6 14.Qd2 Qe7 15.0–0–0 White has more space and pressure on the
black position.
8.Nc3 e5
8...e6 was the older approach. 9.Qa4+ Qd7 10.Qxd7+ Kxd7 (10...Nxd7 11.
Bxc4 exd5 12.Nxd5 Bd6 13.Nd4 c6 14.Nc3 Nde5 15.Bf1 (15.Be2?! White
wants to keep this bishop. 15...Bxe2 16.Kxe2 Nc4) 15...Bd7 16.h3 f6 17.0–0–
0 We will examine this in the first illustrative game.) 11.Ng5 exd5 12.Nxf7
Rg8 13.f3 Be6 14.Ng5 c6 15.0–0–0 This occurred in Karpov-Lautier Amber-
blind Monte Carlo 1997. White has some pressure.
9.Bxc4 Bd6
9...a6 Sakaev and Semkov say that most players prefer this prophylactic
move. However the authors recommend developing. 10.0–0 Bd6 11.Be2 0–0
12.Nd2 Bd7 (12...Bxe2?! Black wants to keep this bishop since he is looking
at the white kingside. 13.Qxe2 Nd7 14.Nb3 Qe7 15.Rac1 Rfc8 16.Rc2 White
will slowly build on the queenside where White has a space advantage.) 13.a3
[FEN "r2q1rk1/1ppb1ppp/p2b1nn1/3Pp3/
4P3/P1N1B3/1P1NBPPP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 13"]
This prevents b5-4. 13...Nf4 (13...Qe7 14.Rc1 b5 15.Nb3 Nf4 16.Bf3 This
position cropped up in Karpov-Milov Credit Suisse 1997. We will examine
this in the second illustrative game.; 13...b5 14.Nb3 c6 15.Nc5 cxd5 16.Nxd5
+/=) 14.Bf3 g5 This is an interesting idea from Ehlvest-Baburin Oak Bridge
2000. 15.Nc4 Kh8 16.Na5 b5 17.Nb7 Qe7 18.b4 Rg8 19.Nc5 Bc8 20.a4 Rb8
21.axb5 axb5 22.Be2 This is unclear with chances for both sides.
9...Nh4 is not very effective. 10.Rg1.
10.Be2
10.Bb5+ White usually does not play this check. 10...Kf8 11.Be2 Nf4 12.Bxf4
Bxf3 13.Bxf3 exf4 14.Qb3 Qc8 15.Rc1 White looks a little better. Black has
the e5-square, but White has good chances on the queenside.
10...0–0
Black castles before continuing the main operations on the kingside.
11.0–0
White's pawns point to the queenside so White gets the king to safety and
looks at the queenside.
11...Nf4
Black looks to gain the bishop-pair and the e5-square.
11...Nd7 is a little slow. 12.Qb3 Qc8 13.h3+/-.
12.Bxf4
The knight is a little strong to stay there.
12...exf4 13.Nd2
[FEN "r2q1rk1/ppp2ppp/3b1n2/3P4/4Ppb1/
2N5/PP1NBPPP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 13"]
Moving towards the queenside and exchanging pieces.

13...Bxe2
13...Bd7 Black's strategy has shifted from attacking the king to controlling the
center and e5, so this bishop retreat is no longer mandatory. 14.Nc4 Re8 15.
Qd2.
14.Qxe2 Re8
Black activates the rook and aims at the White center.
15.Rfe1
This is the game Pogorelov-Najer Ubeda 2001.
15...Nd7 16.Rac1 a6
This prevents invasion on b5 by the white knight and the white queen.
17.a3 Ne5 18.Nf3 Qd7 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 20.Qd3 c5 21.Ne2
This led to some odd pawn exchanges and eventually a draw, though it
seemed that Black was winning in the final position. White was the underdog
by 200 points (2400 versus 2600), so this is a pretty good result. I like 21.b3
better. Both sides have chances and the better-prepared player should do fine.
Smyslov, Vassily (2550) – Fontaine, Robert (2300)

Cannes mT (6), 1996
This is the first of two games we will look at. Vassily Smyslov was World
Champion 1957-8 and a contender for the title eight times. He was also a
great baritone singer.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.d5 Ne5 6.Bf4 Ng6 7.Be3 Nf6 8.Nc3
e6 9.Qa4+ Qd7 10.Qxd7+ Nxd7 11.Bxc4 exd5 12.Nxd5 Bd6 13.Nd4 c6 14.
Nc3 Nde5 15.Bf1 Bd7 16.h3 f6 17.0–0–0
[FEN "r3k2r/pp1b2pp/2pb1pn1/4n3/3NP3/
2N1B2P/PP3PP1/2KR1B1R b kq - 0 17"]
This is where we left off. Black's position seems a bit loose. The knight on e5
can be kicked by f4 and White will have more space.
17...Bc5
Black get's the bishop off the radar of the rook on d1 and influences the
center.
18.f4
White logically plays this pawn thrust to take away squares from the knight.
18...Nf7
Only move.
19.g3
White shores up f4 and maybe plans to play Bg2.
19...h5
Gaining space and prophylaxis to prevent g4. 19...0–0 With plans for
queenside expansion is more active.
20.Na4
Tickling the bishop and exerting more pressure.
20...Bd6
20...Be7 takes away the e7-square from the g6-knight. 21.Nf5 Bxf5 22.exf5
Nf8 23.Bd3+- White has so much space and the better game.
21.f5
Symslov recognizes the time to directly seize the initiative and force the play.
21...Nge5
21...Ne7 22.Ne6 Rg8 23.Nac5 White is squeezing Black tight.
22.Ne6
[FEN "r3k2r/pp1b1np1/2pbNp2/4nP1p/
N3P3/4B1PP/PP6/2KR1B1R b kq - 0 22"]
This is a nasty double attack.
22...Ke7
22...Rg8 23.Be2 g6 24.Nac5 gxf5 25.Nxb7 Bxe6 26.Nxd6+ Nxd6 27.Rxd6

Ke7 28.Rhd1 fxe4 29.Bc5 Black has a pawn, but the king is going to be an
issue.; 22...Bxe6 23.fxe6 loses a piece.
23.Nac5
Not 23.Nxg7 Rhg8 24.Ne6 Rxg3.
23...Bxe6
Black exchanges to alleviate the pressure. 23...Rhg8 24.Nxb7.
24.Nxe6
A knight on the sixth rank is a highly unpleasant experience.
24...b6
24...Rhg8 This inadvertently creates another target for White. 25.Be2 g6 26.
Rhg1 After ...gf ef the g3-pawn will be defended. 26...Rae8 27.Nf4.
25.Be2
A quiet move that develops a piece and prepares an assault on the kingside.
25...Rh7
This defends the g7- and h5-pawns, but h7 is hardly a desirable place for the
rook.
26.a3
Another quiet move! This doesn't serve much purpose in the game, but it puts
pressure on Black who has to decide what to do. Notice that Black plays a
series of five committal pawn moves.
26...h4
I'm not sure if other plans help much. 26...Re8 27.Kb1 Kd7 28.Rd4 Kc8 29.
Rhd1 Be7 30.Ba6+ Kb8 31.Bf4 Black can't extract himself from the coils of
defeat.; 26...Nd8 27.Nf4 h4 28.g4 transposes to a later variation.
27.g4
The black h-pawn is relatively stable though White forges ahead.
27...c5
Not a pretty move to make, leaving a big hole on d5. 27...Nd8 This
regrouping doesn't help either. 28.Nf4 Nb7 29.g5 fxg5 30.Ng6+ Nxg6 31.fxg6
Rhh8 32.Bxg5+ White is going to clean up.
28.g5
White busts open the position relying on superior space and piece position.
28...g6
28...fxg5 29.Nxg5 Rhh8 30.Rhg1 Rhg8 31.Nxf7 Nxf7 32.Rg6 White has
successfully infiltrated the black position.
29.Rhg1
The rook puts itself on the open g-file. 29.fxg6 is also very strong. 29...Nxg6
30.Rhf1 fxg5 31.Nxg5.
29...gxf5
Might as well. 29...Rhh8 30.fxg6 Kxe6 31.gxf7 fxg5 32.Rxg5 Again awkward
piece placement and king insecurity lead to problems for Black.
30.exf5
White protects the e6-knight.
30...fxg5 31.Nxg5 Rhh8 32.f6+ Kxf6 33.Rdf1+ Ke7 34.Nxf7 Nxf7 35.Rg7
Raf8 36.Bc4 1-0
Simple chess principles work: pile on the pinned piece. Admittedly, White
significantly outranked his opponent, but it can never hurt to learn from the
play of the world champions.
Karpov, Anatoly (2745) – Milov, Vadim (2635)

Credit Suisse Biel (9), 1997
Karpov needs no introduction, and Vladimir Milov is also a high-caliber

player. This game shows off Karpov's ability to launch his own queenside
attack while deflecting an attack on his own king.
e5 9.Bxc4 a6 10.0–0 Bd6 11.Be2 0–0 12.Nd2 Bd7 13.Rc1 Qe7 14.a3 b5 15.
Nb3 Nf4 16.Bf3
Here we are from the theory section. White is targeting the queenside and
Black is gunning for the white king.
16...Kh8
[FEN "r4r1k/2pbqppp/p2b1n2/1p1Pp3/4Pn2/
PNN1BB2/1P3PPP/2RQ1RK1 w - - 0 17"]
Black prepares to push his pawns.
17.Na2
White follows suit and prepares his attack. 17.Na5 In light of what 17.Na2
allows, maybe this is another option. 17...g5 (17...c5 18.dxc6) 18.b4 g4 19.
Be2 N6h5 20.Nb7.
17...g5
And here we go! Theory considers that White has the better chances. Karpov
and Milov are both world-class players, so let's see. 17...N4xd5!? 18.exd5 e4
19.Be2 Qe5 20.g3 Qxb2 21.Nb4 a5 22.Ra1 Qe5 Probably White is still better,
but what a change in position! (22...axb4 23.Bd4). White wants to take control
of the dark squares.
18.Nc5 Rg8
Black continues his kingside attack.
19.Nb4
This is reminiscent of a Dragon position, where both sides follow their plan
heedlessly. The thing that Black has going for him is that if his plan succeeds,
it's mate. End of story. If White's plan succeeds, he will win several pawns
and maybe a piece, and have to protect his king.
19...Rg6
[FEN "r6k/2pbqp1p/p2b1nr1/1pNPp1p1/
1N2Pn2/P3BB2/1P3PPP/2RQ1RK1 w - - 0 20"]
Preparing for some bilateral rook activity.
20.Qc2
White deploys the queen to a better square and moves away for the f1-rook,
which constrains rather than protects the white king.
20...g4 21.Be2 Rag8 22.Rfd1 N6h5 23.g3!
Stopping ...g3. 23.Nxd7 Grabbing material is not so wise. 23...Qxd7 24.Nxa6

g3 25.fxg3 Nxg3 26.Bxf4 (26.hxg3 Rxg3 Now Black has the upper hand. 27.
Bf3 Rxf3) 26...Nxe2+ 27.Qxe2 exf4–+.
23...Bc8
Now 24.Nxd7 was a threat, so Black retreats and protects the queenside.
24.Nc6
24.gxf4? g3 25.fxg3 Nxg3.
24...Qg5
All the Black forces are ready. Let's see if Karpov can hold off the attack.
25.Bf1 Rh6 26.Qc3
[FEN "2b3rk/2p2p1p/p1Nb3r/1pNPp1qn/
4Pnp1/P1Q1B1P1/1P3P1P/2RR1BK1 b - - 0 26"]
Unfortunately, White is not only targeting the queenside, but can also
influence the kingside. Now Bxf4 is a threat.
26...Nf6
Black parries the threat and opens the way for the black rook.
27.Nd3 Qh5
27...Nxe4! 28.Bxf4 Qh5 29.Bxe5+ f6 30.Bxf6+ Nxf6 31.Bg2 Qxh2+ 32.Kf1

Bf5 Material is even. Both sides are unsteady and its anyone's game.
28.h4
Forced.
28...gxh3?
Looks obvious and forced, but loses. 28...Nxe4 Even now this is good. 29.
Nxf4 Qf5 30.Qc2 exf4.
29.Ndxe5
Now White is simply winning.

29...Rg7 30.Bxf4 Nxe4 31.Qe3 Qf5 32.Bxh6 h2+ 33.Kxh2 Nxf2 34.Bxg7+
Kxg7 35.Rd4 1-0
A very interesting game with a couple critical moments that could have
swung the position in favor of either side.
Lessons Learned
● This whole variation is double-edged for both sides. Some lines are
unclear. It is best to practice this with friends or online before playing it
in a serious tournament. In general White plays on the queenside while
Black tries for counterplay.
● White has a big choice of going for uncharted territory with 6.Qd4 or
the traditional main line 6.Bf4. 6.Qd4 is a great choice, since it is
surprising and requires accurate play. 6.Bf4 may offer more chances
for a lasting advantage.
● Both players need to be on their toes. Active play is essential.
Practitioners
● The Queen's Gambit has been a staple of most top players.

● Sergey Volkov is a Russian grandmaster who has represented Russia at
the Olympiad. He plays 3.e4 against the QGA frequently.
● Alexei Shirov has appeared on the white side of 3.e4. He is a Latvian
grandmaster who at one time was number four in the world.
Further Reading
● The Queen's Gambit Accepted by Konstantin Sakaev and Semko

Semkov. This book is concise and clear.


The Queen's Gambit Accepted [D20] Purchases from our
This is complementary to my January column on the variation 1.d4 d5 2.c4 dc
accessible:
3.e4 Nc6. In January, I covered it from White's point of view, and in this
column I am looking at it from Black's perspective. I used ChessPublishing
and the book, The Queen's Gambit Accepted, by Konstantin Sakaev and
Semko Semkov, as my main references. Not surprisingly, we will end up at a
position that also ended the January column since I wanted to show the best
continuations for both sides.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 Nc6

The
Unfortunately for Black players, White has more options than Black in this
Openings line. However, that also provides more chances to go wrong or choose an
inferior continuation. This is a sharp system for both sides and I won't hide
Explained the fact that there is much to learn. Play the Queen's Gambit
by Chris Ward
4.Nf3
Abby Marshall
This is the main line, although the alternatives pack some bite.
4.d5
Translate this page
The Queen's Gambit Accepted

by Valeri Lilov
[FEN "r1bqkbnr/ppp1pppp/2n5/3P4/2p1P3/
8/PP3PPP/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 4"]
This is the most direct move and Black needs to memorize what to do.
Everyone's different, but I don't think it is that difficult to memorize forced
sequences, so I hope the following lines are easy to follow.
Play through and download 4...Ne5

the games from
How to Play the Queen's Gambit
ChessCafe.com in the Black centralizes the knight. by Garry Kasparov
5.Qd4
White centralizes the queen, and attacks the c-pawn and the black knight.
a) 5.Nc3 White chooses to develop rather than challenge the knight on e5. 5...
e6! I give this an exclamation because I want to draw attention to this move.
Black immediately attacks the intruding pawn chain and prepares to develop
the kingside. 6.Nf3 Nxf3+ 7.Qxf3 exd5 8.exd5 White has a little space
advantage but the pawn chain has been weakened to an isolated pawn. (8.
Nxd5 This is poor. 8...c6 9.Nc3 Be6) 8...Nf6 9.Bxc4 Be7 10.0–0 0–0 11.Re1
Bg4 12.Qg3 Bd6=.
b) 5.Bf4 White chooses to kick the knight out of the center. 5...Ng6 This is
not a terribly big deal because White also has to lose time moving the bishop.
6.Be3 This is the usual retreat. (6.Bg3 Black can take advantage of the bishop
on this square. 6...h5!? This gains space and makes White's kingside a little
uncomfortable. Black's king more often than not castles queenside or goes to
f8, so the h-pawn push does not compromise Black's king position. 7.Nf3 (7.
h3 I think many White players would see 6...h5 as silly and basically let Black
advance the pawn as far as possible. 7...h4 8.Bh2 e6 9.Nc3 Nf6 10.Bxc4 exd5
11.exd5 Bd6 12.Qe2+ Kf8 In this variation the king is okay here. White's
dark-squared bishop is neutralized and the d5-pawn almost makes the position
seem closed! 13.Nf3 Bxh2 14.Nxh2 Qd6 15.0–0 Bd7 16.Qd2 Nf4 17.Nf3 Rh5
Black has chances for a kingside initiative or rounding up the d-pawn.) 7...h4
8.Be5 e6 9.Bxc4 Nxe5 10.Nxe5 Bd6 Black has the bishop-pair. 11.Qa4+ Kf8
12.f4 White wants to be really aggressive and sacrifices a pawn. 12...Qf6!
This is another move that we will see again. White may think that the king on
f8 is vulnerable, but what about White's own king? 13.Nc3 Bxe5 14.fxe5
Qxe5 15.0–0–0 Nf6 I'm not so worried about White's play. White's king is
sitting on the open c-file. White has something for the pawn but not much.) 6...
Nf6 7.Nc3 e6 8.Bxc4 exd5 9.exd5 Bd6.
[FEN"r1bqk2r/ppp2ppp/3b1nn1/3P4/2B5/
2N1B3/PP3PPP/R2QK1NR w KQkq - 0 10"]
We have come across this position before. Black is doing fine. Isolated pawns
do usually want to be pushed, but in White's case the d5-pawn is blocking the
c4-bishop and giving the e5-square to the black knights. 10.Bb5+ Bd7=
c) 5.f4 Lunges with the f-pawn always send a shiver down the spine but here
White is only delaying development. Black is well-defended. 5...Nd3+ 6.
Bxd3 cxd3 7.Qxd3 e6 Black is fine after this simple solution. 5...Ng6 6.Nf3 (6.
f4?! e5 When the white queen is undefended on d4, this move, combined
with ...c5, is very effective to combat f4. 7.fxe5 c5 8.Qxc4 Nxe5) 6...e5! 7.
Qxc4 (7.Nxe5? Bb4+ 8.Bd2 c5; Black wins the e5 knight.) 7...Nf6 8.h4 White
wants to gain more space and kick the knight from defending e5. (8.g3 Bd7 9.
Nc3 a6 ...a6 is a tricky move. It is a common theme because it prevents a
bishop check on b5 or a knight on b5, and sometimes Black wants to play b5.
However, it should not come at the expense of development. 10.a3 b5 11.Qe2
c5 12.dxc6 Bxc6 Black has a good position with pressure on the long h1–a8
diagonal and space on the queenside.) 8...h5 9.Nc3 Bd6 10.Be3 a6= .
The variation 4.d5 leads to a typical position where White has more space and
Black chips away with ...e6 and some expansion on the queenside with ...a6 or
maybe ...c5.
4.Be3
[FEN"r1bqkbnr/ppp1pppp/2n5/8/2pPP3/
4B3/PP3PPP/RN1QKBNR b KQkq - 0 4"]
White needs to defend the d-pawn and this is the only way left, besides the
main line 4.Nf3.
4...Nf6 Black immediately makes another threat. White has tried three ways to
defend the pawn.
5.Nc3
This is the most natural way to defend the e-pawn.
a) 5.f3 e5 This ...e5 break breaks up the pristine White center. 6.d5 Since the
f3-square is no longer available to the white knight, the d-pawn must be
pushed to defend itself. 6...Na5!? Black is going to give up an entire piece! To
Black's advantage, that is. There will be a similar sacrifice that Black won't
have a choice about later. (6...Nb4. This is for those who are squeamish about
the 6...Na5 piece sacrifice. Both moves are pretty good. 7.Bxc4 c6 Black
chips away at the white center. 8.dxc6 (8.Nc3 doesn't really work because
Black has a tactic. 8...Nfxd5 9.Nxd5 (9.exd5 Qh4+ is the tactic; winning the
bishop on c4, a common motif) 9...Nxd5 10.Bxd5 cxd5 11.Qxd5 Qxd5 12.
exd5 Bb4+ Black has the bishop-pair and the d-pawn could be weak.) 8...Qxd1
+ 9.Kxd1 Nxc6 10.Ne2 Be7 11.Nbc3 0–0 Once the white center is taken care
of, Black usually can't be worse.) 7.Qa4+ c6 8.b4 b5 (8...cxb3. This other way
of sacrificing a piece doesn't seem bad either. 9.axb3 b6 10.b4 Nxd5 11.exd5
Qh4+ 12.Kd1 Qxb4) 9.Qxa5 Qxa5 10.bxa5 cxd5 11.Nc3 Bb4 12.Bd2 d4 13.
Nxb5 c3 14.Bg5 0–0 with a not totally clear position. Black has good play for
the piece and a pawn to boot. Even if White consolidates, it isn't clear that he
is the one with any winning chances.
b) 5.e5 This leaves the white squares in the center open to invasion. 5...Bg4 6.
f3 This doesn't really win a piece since Black moves the knight with tempo.
6...Nd5 7.Bf2 Be6 8.Nc3 f6 Yet another way to chip at the white center. It
copies the ...e6 idea against the white pawn d5 in "mirror" fashion. 9.Ne4 This
fanciness isn't effective. (9.exf6 exf6 Black has taken over the center.) 9...fxe5
10.Nc5 Qd6 11.Nxb7 fails to Qb4+; 5...e5 6.d5 (6.Nf3 exd4 7.Nxd4 Ne5
White still has to decide how to get the c-pawn.) 6...Na5. Now comes a great
sacrifice, either after 7.Nf3 first, or 7.Qa4+ right away.
7.Nf3
If 7.Qa4+ immediately, then 7. .. Bd7 (7...c6 here is another option to duck

out of the sacrifice, though keep in mind that you will have to make it
eventually in this opening. 8.dxc6 (8.b4 doesn't win the piece. 8...cxb3 9.axb3
b5 10.Qa2 (10.Qxa5 Qxa5 11.Rxa5 Bb4) 10...Bb4) 8...Nxc6 9.Bxc4 Bb4
Black is doing well.) 8.Qxa5 a6
[FEN"r2qkb1r/1ppb1ppp/p4n2/Q2Pp3/2p1P3/
2N1B3/PP3PPP/R3KBNR w KQkq - 0 9"]
White has choices here but Black is good. Over the board White will have
much difficulty getting out of this one. If you are Black, don't bang these
moves out like you know what you're doing; your opponent will suspect a
trap! Play slowly and pretend to be lost so your opponent will snatch up the
knight unaware that it's a nasty trap.
9.d6
Over the board I don't think this would be an easy move to find.
a) 9.Na4 The queen has an escape path but the e-pawn goes. And the queen is
again out of squares. 9...Nxe4 10.Bxc4 White will have to give the material
back since ...b6 is coming and the queen will have nowhere to go. 10...b5 11.
Bd3 bxa4 12.Bxe4 Qh4 The bishop can't move but 13.f3 to protect the bishop
is illegal. 13.g4 (13.Bd3 Bb4+) 13...Qxg4 14.f4 exf4 15.Bc5 Bd6 Black has
three pawns for the piece and the white king is naked.
b) 9.b4 This gives the queen a space on a3 to hide but opens up new
problems. 9...b6 10.Qa3 a5 White cannot save the b-pawn. 11.Qc1 axb4 12.
Nd1 b5 Black has two pawns for the piece and a mass of pawns ready to
advance and wreak havoc.; 9...Bxd6 10.Nd5 This is the point: the white
knight is on a more active square than e2 to d1 and the queen has an escape
route. 10...Nxe4 11.Bxc4 b6 12.Nxb6 White has to give a piece back with
some tricks. 12...cxb6 13.Qd5 Bb4+ Black saves a piece and ensures that both
kings will be mutually unstable. 14.Kf1 Nd6 15.Qxe5+ Kf8 16.Bd3 Qe7 This
is a bit of a weird position. Black should be okay because of more
development.)
7...Bd6 8.Qa4+
This is the main variation where the sacrifice occurs. (8.Bxc4 is weak. 8...
Nxc4 9.Qa4+ c6 10.Qxc4 (10.dxc6 b5! 11.Qxb5 Nxe3 12.fxe3 Qc7–+) 10...
cxd5 White's center gets broken up.) 8...Bd7 9.Qxa5 a6. This position bears
some resemblance to the previous sacrificial position.
10.Na4
a) 10.b4 b6 11.Qa3 a5 12.Qc1 axb4 13.Ne2 Nxe4 Fighting chess! Black

allows the queenside pawn mass to dissipate in favor of an attack. (13...b5
would be a normal move.) 14.Qxc4 Nc5!
[FEN"r2qk2r/2pb1ppp/1p1b4/2nPp3/1pQ5/
4BN2/P3NPPP/R3KB1R w KQkq - 0 15"]
A nice active move. The knight touches the e4/d3 squares and White doesn't
want to give up the e3-bishop for a knight. 15.Ng3 f5 16.Be2 Ra3 17.0–0 0–0
This was actually a game that found one of the authors of my main reference
on the white side: Sakaev-Vorobiov RUS-ch Krasnoyarsk 2003. (17...f4? 18.
Bxc5; 17...Rc3? 18.Qxb4) 18.Bc1 (18.Qxb4 Nb3 19.Qe1 Nxa1 20.Qxa1 f4)
18...Ra4 19.Bd1 b3 20.Qc3 f4 21.Ne2 Rxa2 22.Rxa2 bxa2 23.Bb2 Qe7 24.
Nc1 (24.Nxe5 Bxe5 25.Qxe5 Qxe5 26.Bxe5 Bb5 27.Ba1 Bc4 White is
paralyzed.) 24...e4 Black won.
b) 10.Ne2 Nxe4 11.0–0–0 c3! Black cuts off White's retreat. 12.b4 b6 13.Qa3
a5 Now White really is in trouble because the white king is in the fire of the
queenside Black pawn mass.
c) 10.Bxc4 White decides to give up the queen and gets a rook and a piece in
return. This can't be a victory for White. 10...b6 11.Qxa6 Rxa6 12.Bxa6 0–0
13.0–0 Ng4, black is better; 10...Qe7.
[FEN"r3k2r/1ppbqppp/p2b1n2/Q2Pp3/N1p1P3/
4BN2/PP3PPP/R3KB1R w KQkq - 0 11"]
Instead of taking on e4 Black makes use of new resources. 11.a3 0–0.

ChessPublishing doesn't mention this move, while the authors give this a
double exclamation point. One exclamation point I might argue but it is two
so I'm inclined to believe it, especially on further analysis of the position. The
point seems to be that the white position is very loose and undeveloped, so
Black should keep threats in the air and maximize development. This is the
game Latzke-Zeller 2001 and I examine it in the second illustrative game.
4...Bg4
We are finally back to the main line. Black follows up naturally by

challenging the white center.
5.d5
5.Bxc4 White indirectly defends the center. 5...e6 Now the d-pawn really is
under attack. (5...Nxd4?? This sort of error is surprisingly common! 6.Qxd4
wins the knight!; 5...Bxf3 6.Qxf3 e6 7.d5 This gets a little thorny.)
6.Be3
This move is the most natural way to defend the center.
a) 6.d5 Black is prepared to meet this advance. 6...exd5 7.Bxd5 Qf6
This is a nice move that came up earlier.
8.Qa4
a1) 8.Qb3 Bb4+ This blocks the attack on b7 with tempo.
a2) 8.Nc3 Natural development is no reason for concern. 8...Bb4 9.h3 Bxf3 10.
Qxf3 Nd4 11.Qd3 c6 12.0–0! White doesn't have to move the bishop. 12...
Rd8! (12...cxd5? 13.Nxd5 Qe5 14.Bf4+-) 13.e5 White has some tricks but
Black ends up okay. 13...Qxe5 14.Bxf7+ Kxf7 15.Qc4+ Qe6 16.Qxb4 Nc2 17.
Qa5 Attacking the d8-rook. 17...b6 18.Qh5+ g6 19.Qg5 The rook is again
under attack. 19...Nf6 20.Rb1 Nd4=; 8...Bxf3 9.Bxc6+ bxc6 10.gxf3 Bc5.
This equal position occured in Arkell-Rowson London 2001. Black managed

to grind out a win as follows:
11.f4 Ne7 12.Qa5 Bb6 13.Qe5 Qh4 14.Rf1 f5! Black doesn't forget to chip at
the center. 15.Bd2 fxe4 16.Nc3 e3 17.Bxe3 0–0–0 18.Rd1 Bxe3 19.Qxe3 Ng6
20.Qe6+ Kb7 21.Qb3+ Ka8 22.Qc4 Ne5 23.Qe4? Nd3+! 24.Rxd3 Rde8 25.
Re3 Rxe4 26.Rxe4 Qxh2 27.Ke2 Qh5+ 28.f3 Rb8 29.b3 Rd8 30.Rf2 Qc5 31.
Rc4 Rd2+ 0–1.
b) 6.Bb5 This is a logical choice. 6...Nge7 7.Nbd2 a6 8.Be2 Ng6 9.h3 Bxf3 10.
Nxf3 Bb4+ A common strategy when your opponent has the bishop-pair is to
exchange off at least one of them, even if it is with your own bishop. 11.Bd2
Bxd2+ 12.Qxd2 Nh4 13.Nxh4 Qxh4 14.Qe3 0–0–0=; 6...Bxf3 7.gxf3 Forced
otherwise the d-pawn falls.
7...Qf6
[FEN"r3kbnr/ppp2ppp/2n1pq2/8/2BPP3/
4BP2/PP3P1P/RN1QK2R w KQkq - 0 8"]
This is the third time this move has been good. White has some choices but
Black is still doing well.
8.Nc3
a) 8.Bb5 Bb4+ 9.Nc3 Nge7 10.f4 0–0–0 This is the usual development
scheme for Black. 11.Qa4?! Nxd4! 12.0–0–0 Bxc3 13.Qxa7 Nec6 14.Bxc6
Nxc6 15.Qa8+ Nb8 16.bxc3 Qxc3+ 17.Kb1 b6; Black is better.
b) 8.e5 Qh4 9.Bb5 Bb4+ 10.Nc3 Nge7 11.Qa4 0–0–0 12.0–0–0 a6 13.Bd3
Bxc3 14.bxc3 Nd5 15.Qc2 (15.Bxa6?- this tactic does not work since Black
retreats and is on the c3-pawn. 15...Nb8) 15...f6 and Black is better.
c) 8.d5 exd5 9.exd5 0–0–0 Black has the better pawn structure and
development.; 8...0–0–0 9.d5 Bb4 10.Qb3 exd5 11.Bxd5 Qxf3 12.Rg1 Nge7
13.Rd1 Bxc3+ 14.Qxc3 Nxd5 15.exd5 Rxd5 16.Rxd5 Qxd5 17.Rxg7 Rd8
Black is up a pawn and has the initiative.; 5.Be3 e6 6.Bxc4 This transposes to
5.Bxc4 e6 6.Be3.
5...Ne5
This move puts pressure on the knight and protects the c-pawn.
6.Bf4
6.Qd4
We looked at this interesting move in January's column.
6...Nxf3+ 7.gxf3 Bxf3 8.Bxc4 a6 This is probably best since Bb5+ is a big
threat. 9.Rg1 e5 Black has to give the pawn back in order to develop. 10.Qxe5
+ (10.Qd3 Bh5 11.Rg5 Bb4+ 12.Nc3 Bg6 13.Rxe5+ Ne7 14.Rg5 h6 15.Rg3
c6; Black is chipping away at the center.) 10...Qe7 11.Qxe7+ Nxe7 12.Nd2
Bh5 13.b3 c6. This is unclear. 6.Nbd2 e6 7.Qa4+ Qd7 8.Qxd7+ Nxd7 9.dxe6
Bxe6 10.Nd4 Ne5 11.Nxe6 fxe6 12.Nxc4 (12.Bxc4 lets Black take the
initiative. 12...Bb4 13.Bxe6 Nd3+ 14.Kf1 Rd8 15.Nb3 Nc5 16.Bg4 Nf6 17.
Bf3 Nfxe4) 12...Bb4+ 13.Bd2 Bxd2+ 14.Kxd2 Rd8+ 15.Ke3 Ng4+ 16.Ke2
Rd4 17.Nd2 e5= (17...Nxf2?! 18.Nf3)
6...Ng6 7.Be3
7.Bg3 Nf6 8.Nc3 e6 9.Bxc4 (9.Qa4+ Qd7; 9.dxe6 Qxd1+ 10.Rxd1 Bxe6 11.
Nd4 Bb4 12.Nxe6 fxe6 13.f3 b5=) 9...exd5 10.Bxd5 c6 11.Qa4 Bxf3 12.gxf3
Nd7 13.Bc4 Nge5 With precise play Black has established control of the
center and White has a shattered pawn structure.
7...e5
Black strikes out in the center.
8.Bxc4 Nf6 9.Nc3 Bd6 10.Be2
10.Bb5+ Kf8 11.Be2 Nf4 12.Bxf4 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 exf4 14.Qb3 g6 We will
look at this game, Hauchard-Baburin Andorra 1998, in the illustrative games
section.
10...0–0
Black is okay. We are following now the game I cited in the January column.
Both sides have chances.
11.0–0 Nf4 12.Bxf4 exf4 13.Nd2 Bxe2 14.Qxe2 Re8 15.Rfe1 Nd7 16.Rac1
a6 17.a3 Ne5 18.Nf3 Qd7 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 Pogorelov-Najer Ubeda 2001.
Hauchard, Arnaud (2480) – Baburin, Alexander (2600)

Andorra op 16th Andorra 1998
This game shows Black's resources in a line usually thought better for White.
Hauchard is a GM from France.
e5 9.Bxc4 Bd6 10.Bb5+ Kf8!?
[FEN"r2q1k1r/ppp2ppp/3b1nn1/1B1Pp3/4P1b1/
2N1BN2/PP3PPP/R2QK2R w KQ - 0 11"]
If Black plays 10...Bd7 here, he is not creating any imbalances and White has
a space advantage.
11.Be2 Nf4 12.Bxf4 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 exf4
Black has the e5-square and chances for attacking the center.
14.Qb3 g6
This is where we left off in the theory section. 14...Rb8 can't be that bad
either.
15.Qxb7 Kg7
Black lets White ravage the queenside but the white king is vulnerable.
16.0–0
White can't let the king remain in the center.
16...h5
Black starts a counterattack.
17.Nb5
With 17.Qa6 White could try to bring his pieces back. 17...Ng4 18.h3 Ne5 19.
Qe2 Qh4 20.Nb5 Rhb8 (20...g5? 21.Nd4 Kg6 22.Nf5) 21.Nd4 Qf6; unclear.
17...Rb8 18.Qa6 Ng4
Black ignores the queenside threats and goes for the king. 18...Rb6 chases the
queen closer to defending critical squares; White then plays 19.Qa4.
19.Nxd6
I like 19.Nd4 preserving the knight since the light-squared bishop is bad.
19...cxd6 20.Qxa7 Qh4
[FEN"1r5r/Q4pk1/3p2p1/3P3p/4Ppnq/
5B2/PP3PPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 21"]
White has many pawns but Black has squares and counterplay; not 20...Rxb2?
21.Qd4+ Qf6 22.Qxf6+ Kxf6 23.a4+/-.
21.Qd4+ Kg8 22.h3
22.Bxg4 hxg4 is obviously not an option for White.
22...Ne5 23.Be2 f3 24.Bxf3 Nxf3+ 25.gxf3 Qg5+ 26.Kh1 Qh4 27.Kg2
27.Qc3!? This is very much a computer move. 27...Qxh3+ 28.Kg1 Qh4 29.
Rfc1 leads to a position that is difficult to assess, especially with the clock
ticking.
27...Qg5+ 28.Kh1 Qh4 29.Kg2 Qg5+ ½–½
A draw as Black is not so bad.
Latzke, Boris Alexander (2234) – Zeller, Frank (2422)

Wuerttemberg op Germany 2001
IM Frank Zeller is a well-known player, journalist, and trainer from

Tuebingen, with several books to his credit through the Kania publishing
company.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.e4 Nc6 4.Be3 Nf6 5.Nc3 e5 6.d5 Na5 7.Nf3 Bd6 8.Qa4+
Bd7 9.Qxa5 a6 10.Na4 Qe7 11.a3 0–0!!
[FEN"r4rk1/1ppbqppp/p2b1n2/Q2Pp3/N1p1P3/
P3BN2/1P3PPP/R3KB1R w KQ - 0 12"]
I don't think I have used double exclamation marks before in this column.
12.Bxc4
White chooses to give back the piece right away. Remember that the white
queen is immobile because it has to defend the knight on a4. 12.Nd2 defends
e4 and doesn't give back material right away. 12...Ng4! Black doesn't settle
for ...b6 and tries to shake White up immediately. 13.Nxc4 (13.Bxc4 Nxe3 14.
fxe3 b6 15.Nxb6 cxb6 16.Qxb6 Rfb8 17.Qa5 Qg5 Black is down two pawns
but has tons of activity and threats against the white king.) 13...Nxe3 14.Nxe3
b6 15.Nxb6 cxb6 16.Qd2 b5.
12...b5 13.Bd3 bxa4
Material is now even, as is the position. Black has the open b-file which is
nice to counteract the doubled a-pawns. Black is quickly able to build up
pressure against the white center.
14.0–0
14.Bxa6? Bc8.
14...Rfb8 15.Rab1?!
15.Qd2 is necessary. 15...c6 16.dxc6 Bxc6 17.Bg5 Rb6=
[FEN"r5k1/4qppp/prbb1n2/4p1B1/p3P3/
P2B1N2/1P1Q1PPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 18"]
15...Bb5 16.Qc3
If 16.Bxb5, White loses a pawn. 16...axb5 17.Qd2 Nxe4.
16...Nxd5
Black has a little tactic to open up the position.
17.exd5 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 e4 19.Qe2 exf3 20.Qxf3 Qe5

The idea is that Black has the initiative.
21.g3 Rb3 22.Qg4 Qxd5
Black gladly swaps a center pawn for a wing pawn.
23.Qxa4 Rab8 24.Rbd1 Qf3 25.Qxa6 Rxb2 26.Qc4 R2b3 27.a4 R3b4 28.
Qc2 h5!?
Besides the a-pawn, Black looks to create a second target: the white king.
29.Rd3 Qa8 30.Rd4 h4
[FEN"qr4k1/2p2pp1/3b4/8/Pr1R3p/
4B1P1/2Q2P1P/5RK1 w - - 0 31"]
31.Rxh4
31.Qf5 to cover the kingside is better, but Black retains all the chances: 31...
Rxd4 32.Bxd4 Qxa4 33.Be3 Re8 34.Bg5 hxg3 35.hxg3 c5–+.
31...Rxh4 32.gxh4 Qf3
I'm surprised that White survived as long as he did after this.
33.Rb1 Re8 34.Qc4 Re4 35.Rb8+ Kh7 36.Qc2 f5 37.Qb3 Qh3 38.Qg8+
Kg6 39.h5+ Qxh5 40.Kf1 Qd1+ 0–1
It's mate in two after 41.Kg2 Rg4+ 42.Kh3 Qf3# I really like this game. It
shows the power of the initiative and exactly how to handle a position like the
one Black got.
Lessons Learned
● Remember the key idea of breaking down the center with pawn
breaks: ...e6 is the most common, and ...f6, ...c6, and ...e5 are also
typical.
● Black is striving for breaking down the center and active play.
Remember ...Qf6 and ...Kf8.
● There were many positions where White had the bishop-pair and more
space while Black was more active and had the better pawn structure.
Be comfortable with that imbalance.
Practitioners
● Alexander Baburin is a Russian-Irish grandmaster who has participated

in the Olympiad on the Irish team.
● Alexander Morozevich is a highly creative grandmaster from Russia.
He is known for playing unusual openings and taking risks.
Further Reading
● The Queen's Gambit Accepted by Konstantin Sakaev and Semko

Semkov. This book is concise and clear.


The Philidor Defense [C41] Purchases from our
This month I decided to do a column on the Philidor Defense from White's
accessible:
perspective. As a King's Gambit player, I have not had to face the Philidor, or
other Black responses to 2.Nf3, but I was happy to enrich my chess education
by investigating this opening.
1.e4 e5
1...d6 is a good move order for Black to reach the Philidor. 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3
The
Openings
Explained The Philidor Files
by Christian Bauer
Abby Marshall
Translate this page

[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppp1pppp/3p1n2/8/3PP3/2N5/
PPP2PPP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 0 3"]
A) 3...Nbd7 This is Black's idea in this move order, as long as he isn't worried
about 4.f4. 4.Nf3 (4.f4 is a good choice to avoid Black's plans. 4.Nf3 e5. This
looks more like the Austrian Attack in the Pirc than Philidor territory, so I
won't explore it here.) 4...e5 This is what Black wants, but it can be fun for
White too. Check out the 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nc3 move order to see The Fighting Philidor
by Victor Bologan
what is going on in this position.
B) 3...e5 4.dxe5 (4.Nf3 Nbd7 transposes to the position mentioned above.) 4...
dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 6.Bg5 I like White's lead in development. 6...Be6 7.f4
This is a nice idea that keeps some initiative. Otherwise, the fact that Black
can't castle won't be a factor. 7...exf4 8.Nf3 (Not 8.e5 h6 9.Bh4 g5.) 8...h6 9.
Bxf4 Nbd7 10.0-0-0 c6 11.Nd4 Bc5 12.Be2 (12.Nxe6+ fxe6 13.Bc4 Ke7 14.
Rhe1 looks good too.) 12...Re8 13.Bf3 Kc8?! (13...g5 Black should maybe try
for more active play.) 14.e5! Bxd4 (14...Ng4?? 15.Nxe6 White wins a piece.)
15.Rxd4 Nh7 (15...Ng4 16.Ne4 Kc7? walks into 17.Bxg4 Bxg4 18.e6+) 16.
Ne4 Kc7 17.Nd6 Once White gets a knight on the sixth rank, Black has a real
Play through and download problem. 17...Re7 18.Rhd1 Nhf8 19.Bg3 a5 20.h4 Nb6? Black lets White
the games from unleash a nice tactic. 21.Nf5! Rd7 (21...Bxf5 22.e6+ Kc8 23.Rd8#) 22.Nxg7
The Philidor Defence
ChessCafe.com in the Rxd4 23.Rxd4 Rd8 24.Rf4 Black is a pawn down in a terrible position and
by Alexei Shirov
ChessBase Game Viewer. about to lose even more pawns. 1-0, Degraeve,J-Kasparov, S/Bethune Open,
France 2002.
2.Nf3
After somewhat of a digression we have reached the move order generally

associated with the Philidor.
2...d6
Black protects the e-pawn, but blocks the f8-bishop and accepts a space
disadvantage.
3.d4
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/3p4/4p3/3PP3/5N2/
PPP2PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq d3 0 3"]
White immediately tries to gain more space and put pressure on Black. Even
in the main lines, White always has a pull and gets much of the fun if Black is
unsure of what to do. However, Black has some options.
3...exd4
3...Nf6 Here I recommend 4.dxe5 (line b). This is the variation Black tries to
avoid when playing a 2...d6 move order.
A) 4.Nc3 Nbd7 Black has a solid set-up and may be able to take advantage if
White oversteps. 5.Bc4 Be7 6.0-0 White has more space and free
development. Objectively, the position may end up equal, but I would prefer
White. (6.Bxf7+? Looks tempting, but 6...Kxf7 7.Ng5+ Kg8 8.Ne6 Qe8 9.
Nxc7 Qg6 10.Nxa8 Qxg2 is bad for White.) 6...0-0 7.Re1 c6 Black gains
some more space and control over d5. 8.a4 This prevents ...b5 and gains space
for White. 8...b6 The light-squared bishop will be fianchettoed.
A1) 9.Ba2 I like this move quite a bit. Rather than go after Black strategically,
White tries to make the space advantage count on the kingside. 9...Bb7 10.
Nh4!? This is a fantastic game between Morrison-Ruck, Hungary 1999. If
White wants to fight it out tactically, this would be the variation to choose!
According to Chess Publishing, Morrison spent forty minutes on this move.
[FEN "r2q1rk1/pb1nbppp/1ppp1n2/4p3/
P2PP2N/2N5/BPP2PPP/R1BQR1K1 b - - 0 10"]
A1a) Black waits to see what is going on. 10...Re8 11.Nf5 Bf8 12.dxe5 Black
will gain control over e5 eventually, so White goes ahead and trades. 12...
Nxe5 13.f3 a6 14.Bg5 Bc8 15.Ne3 Ng6? (Chess Publishing says that Black
had to play 15...h6 16.Bh4 Ng6 I like White here, but I guess Black can
defend. The f8-bishop looks so bad.) 16.Qd4 Re5 (16...h6 The endgame is not
going to be a comfort for Black. 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.Qxf6 gxf6 19.Nc4 Rb8 20.
Rad1+/-) 17.f4 Rxg5!? Black tries to take the pressure off and disrupt White.
18.fxg5 Nd7 19.Kh1 Qxg5 20.Nf5 White is of course better here since White
is up the exchange. At least Black is breathing. 20...d5?? 21.Nxd5! cxd5 22.
Qxd5 Nde5 23.Qxa8 and Black resigned at move thirty-seven. Morrison,C-
Ruck,T/Koszeg, Hungary 1999. This game well illustrated the dangers of the
cramped Philidor position.
A1b) 10...Nxe4 is naturally the critical move since Black is wins a pawn. 11.
Nxe4 Bxh4 12.Qg4! and now we have the following variations: (Not 12.Nxd6
Bxf2+ 13.Kxf2 Qf6+ 14.Kg1 Qxd6 15.dxe5 Qxd1 16.Rxd1 Nxe5 White is
probably okay, but attacking chances are gone. 17.Bf4 Ng6 18.Bg3)
A1b1) 12...g6? Black needs a more active defense. 13.Bh6 Re8 (13...d5 14.
Bxf8 f5 15.Qe2 Qxf8 16.Nd2 This doesn't look terrible for Black, but it's not
what Black wants.) 14.Bxf7+! Kxf7 15.Nxd6+ Kg8 16.Nxe8 wins for White.
A1b2) 12...Kh8! 13.Nxd6 Bxf2+ 14.Kxf2 Nf6! (14...Qf6+? 15.Nf5 g6 16.

dxe5 Qxf5+ 17.Qxf5 gxf5 18.b4! The bishop-pair and Black's exposed king
mean that White is crushing.) 15.Qh4 Qxd6 16.dxe5 Qc5+ 17.Kg3 This is
unclear. It's promising and I would recommend playing this position with a
friend before trying it over the board.
A1b3) 12...d5? This looks natural, but White is coming too fast. 13.Bh6! Bf6
14.Nxf6+ Qxf6 15.Bxg7 Qxg7 16.Qxd7 White has attacking chances and the
initiative.
A2) 9.d5 This move covers d5 before Black gets settled with ...Bb7. White
will try to put some pressure on the light squares in Black's queenside.
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/p2nbppp/1ppp1n2/3Pp3/
P1B1P3/2N2N2/1PP2PPP/R1BQR1K1 b - - 0 9"]
A2a) 9...Bb7 10.dxc6 Bxc6 11.Bb5! This is a nice move to loosen up the light
squares. 11...Bb7!? (11...Bxb5 12.axb5; 11...Rc8 12.Bxc6 Rxc6 13.Qe2 h6 14.
Be3 The f5-square is tender and Black's queenside could face danger on the
light-squares.) 12.Nh4! a6 (12...Nxe4? 13.Nxe4 Bxh4 14.Nxd6+/-) 13.Bxd7!
Qxd7 14.Nf5 Rfd8 (14...b5 15.axb5 axb5 16.Rxa8 Rxa8 17.Nxb5 Bxe4 18.
Nxe7+ Qxe7 19.Qxd6 Qb7 20.Qxe5 Bxg2 21.Nd6 Qf3 22.b4 White is
winning.) 15.Bg5 White has plenty of pressure.
A2b) 9...c5 10.a5 Unfortunately, Black can't push past with ...b5. White gains
nice space on the queenside.
A2c) 9...cxd5! 10.Nxd5 Bb7= Chess Publishing says, "This is close to equal.
As a general rule, one outpost isn't usually enough to win the game." Maybe
so, but we usually aren't playing grandmasters and this may be enough to win.
11.b3 Just for reference, here is what may happen. 11...Rc8 12.Re2 Nc5 13.
Nxf6+ Bxf6 14.Bd5 Qd7 15.Ba3 Bxd5 16.Qxd5 Rfd8= Chadaev,N-
Kazhgaleyev,M/Moscow RUS 2007.
B) 4.dxe5 Nxe4 (4...dxe5 5.Qxd8+ Kxd8 6.Nxe5 Be6 7.Bg5 White is up a

pawn.) 5.Qd5 Nc5 6.Bg5 Be7 (6...Qd7 7.Nc3 c6 8.Qd4 This is really slow for
Black.) 7.exd6 Qxd6 8.Nc3 White has such a lead in development that it has
to be good for White.
[FEN "rnb1k2r/ppp1bppp/3q4/2nQ2B1/8/
2N2N2/PPP2PPP/R3KB1R b KQkq - 0 8"]
B1) 8...0-0 9.0-0-0 Qxd5 10.Nxd5. What's nice about this variation is that
even after the exchange of queens White still has a pull.
B1a) 10...Bd6 11.Be7! Bxe7 Forced. (11...Re8?? 12.Bxd6 cxd6 13.Nc7) 12.
Nxe7+ Kh8 13.Nxc8 Rxc8 14.Ne5 f6 (14...Kg8 15.Bc4 Ne6 16.Rhe1 Black is
so undeveloped on the queenside and White should be able to quickly force
concessions.; whereas 14...Rf8 immediately drops a pawn to 15.Nxf7+!) 15.
Nf7+! Kg8 16.Nd8! Nc6 17.Bc4+ Kf8 18.Nxc6 bxc6 19.b4 Na4? 20.Rd7 Nb6
21.Rf7+ Kg8 22.Be6 Re8 23.Bb3 Nd5 24.Rxc7 Kf8 (24...Re6 25.Rxc6!) 25.
Bxd5 cxd5 26.Rd1 Re2 27.Rd2 Re1+ 28.Kb2 Re5 29.Kc3 a5 30.b5 Rb8 31.a4
Re4 32.Rd4 Re2 33.Rxd5 1-0, Velimirovic,D-Sekulic,V/Bijeljina, Yugoslavia
2001.
B1b) 10...Bxg5+ 11.Nxg5 White has too many threats and Black can only
parry one at a time. 11...Nba6 12.Ne7+ Kh8 13.Nxf7+! Rxf7 14.Rd8+ Rf8 15.
Rxf8#.
B1c) 10...Bxg5+ 11.Nxg5 Nba6 12.Ne7+ Kh8 13.Nxf7+! Rxf7 14.Rd8+ Rf8
15.Rxf8#.
B2) 8...a6 9.0-0-0 Be6 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Qe5
B2a) 11...f6 12.Qh5+ Bf7 13.Qh4 Nbd7 (13...0-0 14.Bc4 Nc6 15.Rhe1 The
Black queen is in trouble.) 14.Re1 Ne6 (14...Be6 15.b4 0-0 16.Nd4) 15.Bc4 0-
0-0 16.Nd4 Ndc5 17.Nxe6 Nxe6 18.Qe4 Rd6 (18...Rde8 allows 19.Bxa6!
bxa6 20.Qa8+ Kd7 21.Rd1+) 19.Bd5! c6 20.Bb3 Kb8 21.Qg4 Re8 22.Re3 g6
23.Qg3 Ka8 24.Rhe1 f5 25.Na4! Qd8? (25...f4 is met by 26.Qxf4 Nxf4 27.
Rxe7) 26.Nb6+! 1-0, Keitlinghaus-Gretarsson, Iceland 1997. If 26...Qxb6 27
Qxd6 or 26...Ka7 27 Nc8+! Qxc8 28 Qxd6 or 26...Kb8 27 Bxe6 Bxe6 28
Rxe6! Rxe6 29 Rxe6.
B2b) 11...0-0 loses to 12.Nd5 Qd8 13.Nxc7.
3...Nd7 4.Bc4 Here there is another whole slew of variations in which White
has all the fun.
[FEN "r1bqkbnr/pppn1ppp/3p4/4p3/2BPP3/
5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQK2R b KQkq - 0 4"]
A) 4...Be7? 5.dxe5! Now everything loses. 5...Nb6 (5...Nxe5 6.Nxe5 dxe5 7.

Qh5; 5...dxe5 6.Qd5) 6.Bb3 White is up a pawn for absolutely nothing. In
another six moves Black resigned in Banikas, H-Sofronie,I/Kubbeli Salon,
Turkey 2002.
B) 4...h6 This looks like an invitation to disaster. 5.dxe5 dxe5 (5...Nxe5? 6.

Nxe5 dxe5 7.Bxf7+; 5...Qe7 looks ugly but may be necessary after the earlier
mistake. 6.exd6 Qxe4+ 7.Be2 Bxd6 8.0-0) 6.Bxf7+! This leads to a really
great lesson in hunting down the king. 6...Kxf7 7.Nxe5+ Kf6 (7...Ke8 8.Qh5+
Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Nc4+ Kc5 11.Qd5+ Kb4 12.a3+ Ka4 13.Nc3#) 8.Nc3!
B1) 8...Kxe5 9.Qd5+ Kf6 10.Qf5+ Ke7 11.Nd5+ Kd6 (11...Ke8 12.Qg6#) 12.
Bf4+ Kc6 13.Qe6+ Bd6 14.Nb4+ Kb5 (14...Kb6 15.Bxd6 cxd6 16.Qxd6+
Ka5 17.Nd5 b6 18.c4 Qf8 19.Qc6 Ba6 20.a4 Ngf6 21.Qb5+ Bxb5 22.axb5+
Qa3 23.Rxa3#) 15.a4+ Ka5 16.Qc4! Bxb4+ (16...a6 17.Nd5) 17.c3 Bxc3+ 18.
Qxc3+ Kb6 19.Qb4+ Kc6 20.Qb5#;
B2) 8...Bb4 9.Qd4! Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Ke6 11.Qd5+ Kf6 12.Qf7+! Kxe5 13.Bf4
+ Kxe4 14.f3# 1-0, Skatschkov,P-Krovelstschikov,A/Tomsk Open, Russia
2001. Such an awesome game.
C) 4...Ngf6? 5.dxe5 Nxe5 (5...dxe5 6.Ng5; 5...Nxe4? 6.Qd5) 6.Nxe5 dxe5 7.

Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qxd8 Bb4+ Black doesn't actually lose a queen, but is still
going to be a pawn down. 9.Qd2! Bxd2+ 10.Nxd2.
D) 4...exd4 5.Nxd4 Be7 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Ne6! Qe8 (7...Kxe6 8.Qd5+ Kf6 9.
Qf5#) 8.Nxc7 Qd8 9.Qd5+ Kf8 10.Ne6+ Kf7 11.Ng5+ Kg6 12.Qf5+ Kh5 13.
g4+ Kh4 14.Nf3+ Kh3 15.g5+ Kg2 16.Rg1#;
E) 4...c6 5.0-0 Be7 6.dxe5 dxe5 7.Ng5 Nh6 (7...Bxg5 8.Qh5) 8.Ne6 fxe6 9.
Bxh6 Nb6 10.Qh5+ Kf8 11.f4 again White is on top.; 3...f5 This is the ultra-
sharp "Mestel variation," named after England's Jonathan Mestel, who is a
grandmaster in regular chess and correspondence chess.
4.Nc3
A) 4...fxe4 5.Nxe4 d5
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppp3pp/8/3pp3/3PN3/
5N2/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6"]
A1) 6.Neg5!? intending after 6...e4 (6...h6 7.Nf7! Kxf7 8.Nxe5+ Black has so
many weak squares around the king that this move is great.) for 7.Ne5 Nh6 8.
Nxh7 The weak light squares are killing Black.
A2) 6.Ng3 e4 7.Ne5 Nf6 8.f3! White goes after the head of the pawn chain to
weaken Black's grip on the center. 8...Bd6 9.fxe4 dxe4 10.Bc4 Qe7 11.Bf7+
Kd8 12.Bb3+/=.
B) 4...exd4 5.Nxd4 (5.Qxd4!? Nc6 can be answered by 6.Bb5) 5...fxe4 6.

Nxe4 Nf6 7.Nxf6+ Qxf6 8.Bc4 Nc6 9.Nb5 Kd8 (9...Qe7+ 10.Be3 a6 11.Nc3
Black is guilty of little development.) 10.0-0 Black's king is in the center.
C) 4...Nf6 5.dxe5 White is doing well. 5...Nxe4 6.Bc4 Nxc3 7.bxc3 c6 8.exd6
Qxd6 9.0-0 White has more activity and Black has weak squares.; 3...Bg4? I
think this occurs in many Greco games where White just destroys Black. 4.
dxe5 Bxf3 5.Qxf3 dxe5 6.Bc4 Nf6 7.Qb3!.
4.Nxd4
White has more space because the e-pawn is farther advanced than the Black
d-pawn.
4...Nf6
4...Be7 5.Nc3 should transpose to the main line. (5.c4!? is interesting, to gain
space.)
5.Nc3
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/3p1n2/8/3NP3/
2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 5"]
5...Be7
5...g6 is the Larsen variation, named after GM Bent Larsen. 6.Be3 Bg7 7.Qd2
White is going for a Yugoslav type set-up found in the Dragon Sicilian. 7...0-
0 8.0-0-0 Re8 9.f3 Nc6
A) 10.Nb3 White does not rush ahead into the pawn storm but prevents Black
from exchanging on d4 and getting the c-pawn ready to be pushed. This move
obstructs Black's plans quite a bit. This may be a good choice for the more
positionally inclined. See Prasad-Saravanan below. 10...Be6!? (10...a6?! looks
a bit slow. We will look at this in the first illustrative game.) 11.Bg5 White
has lasting pressure.(11.Nd5? Bxd5 12.exd5 Nxd5! 13.Qxd5 Rxe3).
B) 10.g4 Both sides seem to be ready to madly rush at the king. Unfortunately
for Black, the c-file is not open for attack. 10...a6 11.Be2 No rush and
regardless, this move helps the attack by supporting f3-f4 and g5. 11...Ne5 12.
g5 Nh5 13.f4 Exactly the point of White's eleventh move. Now the threat is
14.Bxh5. 13...Ng4 14.Bg1 c5 15.Nb3 Bxc3 Normally Black would not want
to give up the dark-squared bishop, but here it does force White to somewhat
weaken White's king position. 16.bxc3 (16.Qxc3? would allow 16...Nxf4) 16...
Rxe4 17.h3! Ng3 (After 17...Rxe2 18.Qxe2 Ng3 19.Qf3 Nxh1 20.hxg4, Black
lost track of the h1-knight.) 18.Bf3! Ra4 (If 18...Nxh1 19.Bxe4 Ng3 20.Bf3,
now Black lost track of the g4-knight.) 19.Bxc5 Nxh1 20.Bxh1 Rxa2 21.Kb1
Ra4 22.Bd5 Bf5 (22...dxc5? 23.Bxf7+ followed by 24 Qxd8.) 23.Bd4 Qd7 24.
hxg4 Bxg4 25.Re1 Black is still up the exchange, though check out White's
bishops, especially the d4-bishop. Black has no dark-squared bishop to
oppose it. 25...Bf5 26.Qe3 Kf8 27.Bf6 White soon won in Rytshagov,M-
Meijers,V/Mezezers zonal tourn., Latvia 2000.
6.Be2
Simple development makes the most sense here, since Black doesn't have any
weaknesses besides being a little cramped.
6...0-0 7.0-0 Re8 8.f4
Chess Publishing notes that this system was advocated by Aron Nimzowitsch
in My System.
8.Re1 is the more mainstream move, so let's look at it:

[FEN "rnbqr1k1/ppp1bppp/3p1n2/8/3NP3/
2N5/PPP1BPPP/R1BQR1K1 b - - 0 8"]
A) 8...Nc6 Black remains cramped. 9.Bf4 Ne5 10.Bg3 c6 11.f4 Ng6 12.Kh1
Qb6 13.Rb1 d5? 14.f5! Nf8 15.exd5 Rd8 16.Bf3+/- Smirin, I-Golod, V/
Ledyards USA 2006.
B) 8...a6 9.Bf1 h6 Black takes away one nice square from the c1-bishop. Alas,
there is another square for it. (9...b5 10.Nf5 Bf8 11.Bg5+/= White has nice
pressure on Black.) 10.b3! See Ivanchuk, V-Urban,K/Team tournament,
Poland 2002 below.
C) 8...Bf8 9.Bf1 Nbd7 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 c6 12.Qd2 (12.a4 Ne5 13.a5 a6 14.
h3 Bd7 15.Qd2 Ng6 16.Bg3 Nh5 17.Bh2 Qf6 18.Na4 Rad8 19.Nb6 Nhf4 20.
Nxd7+/= White had good play in Moiseenko, A-Kazhgaleyev, M/Moscow
RUS 2006) 12...Ne5 13.f3 Ng6 14.Bf2 White still has that space edge.
Sergienko-Chuprov, Voronesh 2002.
D) 8...c5!? This move creates weaknesses on d5 and d6, but also frees Black's
game a bit. 9.Nf3 Nc6 10.Bf4 Bg4 11.h3 Bh5 12.Bc4 a6 13.a4 Qc8 Black
plays this move to forestall g4 14.Nd5 This is the logical way to follow. 14...
Nxd5 15.Bxd5 Nd4 16.Kh2 Bf6 17.c3 Nxf3+ 18.gxf3 Be5 19.Bg3 Qd8 20.
Qd3 Qf6 21.Kg2+/= is probably about even.
8...Bf8 9.Bf3 c5?!
9...c6 This looks more consistent with the ideas of the Philidor: cramped, but
with room to maneuver without creating too many weaknesses.
10.Nde2 Nc6 11.h3!
[FEN "r1bqrbk1/pp3ppp/2np1n2/2p5/4PP2/
2N2B1P/PPP1N1P1/R1BQ1RK1 b - - 0 11"]
Restricting Black's pieces and preparing a pawn storm.
11...Bd7
11...h5!? 12.f5! with the idea Nf4 or Bg5. 12...Ne5 13.Nf4 Nxf3+ 14.Qxf3+/-.
12.g4 h6 13.Ng3 Nd4 14.Bg2 b5 15.a3 Bc6 16.Be3 Qb6 17.Qd2 1-0
It is interesting and certainly fun to play.

The next example is a great attacking game. White's attack develops almost
effortlessly and Black hardly has time to notice.
Prasad, D – Saravanan, V
Indian Championship 2001 New Delhi IND, 2001
Philidor Defense [C41]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 g6 5.Nc3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nf6 7.Qd2 0-0 8.0-0-
0 Re8 9.f3 Nc6 10.Nb3!?
[FEN "r1bqr1k1/ppp2pbp/2np1np1/8/4P3/
1NN1BP2/PPPQ2PP/2KR1B1R b - - 0 10"]
White choses to disrupt Black's plans before pursuing his own.
10...a6?!
As I said in the theory section, this is quite slow. 10...Be6 is better.
11.h4
The kings are on opposite sides of the board, so White begins the pawn storm
to attack the enemy king.
11...b5
11...h5 Black can try to stop White's plan. 12.Bg5 The knight is now pinned,
which makes ideas of g2-g4 stronger and ideas of Nd5.
12.Bg5!
White also pins in this variation with the same ideas.
12...Be6
Black defends against the Nd5 threat.
13.h5! b4
Black has no time to stop either.
14.Nd5 Bxd5 15.exd5 Ne7 16.hxg6 hxg6 17.Bc4
This is a nice move that preserves the pawn on d5 and really restricts Black.
17...Nd7 18.g4 Nb6 19.Qh2!

[FEN "r2qr1k1/2p1npb1/pn1p2p1/3P2B1/
1pB3P1/1N3P2/PPP4Q/2KR3R b - - 0 19"]
Black tried to swing around to the queenside and threaten White, but it's too
late.
19...Kf8
19...Nxc4 20.Qh7+ Kf8 21.Bh6 Ouch. 21...Bxh6+ 22.Qxh6+ Kg8 23.Qh8#.
20.Qh7
This is often a strong move.
20...Ng8
Black finds the one way to defend against 21.Bh6, but it comes at a terrible
price.
21.Bxd8 Nxc4 22.Bg5 Bxb2+ 23.Kb1 Bc3 24.Nd4 Na3+ 25.Kc1 Nb5
[FEN "r3rkn1/2p2p1Q/p2p2p1/1n1P2B1/
1p1N2P1/2b2P2/P1P5/2KR3R w - - 0 26"]
26.Qxg8+! 1-0
A nice way to finish Black off. Black resigned because the next move is 27.
Bf6 with no defense to 28.Rh8#.
The next game features super-grandmaster Ivanchuk.
Ivanchuk, V – Urban, K
Team tournament, Poland 2002, 2002
Philidor Defense [C41]
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 Re8 8.
Re1 a6 9.Bf1 h6 10.b3!
[FEN "rnbqr1k1/1pp1bpp1/p2p1n1p/8/
3NP3/1PN5/P1P2PPP/R1BQRBK1 b - - 0 10"]
Ivanchuk creatively reconfigures the bishop's position to b2 with great effect.
10...Bf8 11.Bb2 Nbd7
11...b5 12.a4 b4 13.Nd5 is also great for White, especially after 13...Nxe4? 14.
Qf3.
12.Qd2 Nc5
12...b5?? 13.Nc6 Black loses the queen.
13.f3 c6 14.Kh1 a5 15.a3
15.Rad1 a4 16.b4 a3!.
15...Qc7 16.Rad1
White slowly nurses the space advantage.
16...Bd7 17.Qf4 Nh5 18.Qh4 Nf6 19.Rd2
The start of a very effective maneuver.
19...Rad8 20.Nd1!
[FEN "3rrbk1/1pqb1pp1/2pp1n1p/p1n5/
3NP2Q/PP3P2/1BPR2PP/3NRB1K b - - 0 20"]
20...Be7 21.Qf2 Bc8 22.Rde2!
The immediate 22.Ne3 fails to 22...Nfxe4 23.fxe4 Nxe4 24.Qe2 Nxd2 25.
Qxd2 Bf6 Black is a little better since White has no center pawns.
22...Bf8 23.Ne3 Ncd7
23...g6? This makes sense to prevent White from going to f5, but it fails
tactically. 24.Nxc6 bxc6 25.Bxf6.; 23...d5? is another tactical error. Often, the
best positional plans are supported by little tactics that prevent the other side
from stopping the plan. 24.exd5 cxd5 25.Nxd5! Rxd5 (or 25...Rxe2 26.Nxf6+
gxf6 27.Rxe2) 26.Rxe8 Nxe8 27.Rxe8.
24.Rd1 g6 25.Qh4 Bg7
It seems that Black has managed to stop any knight from going to f5 and
shored up the kingside with the bishop on g7.
[FEN "2brr1k1/1pqn1pb1/2pp1npp/p7/3NP2Q/
PP2NP2/1BP1R1PP/3R1B1K w - - 0 26"]
26.Ndf5!!
This is the whole key to the plan.
26...gxf5 27.Nxf5 Re6
If 27...Ne5, then 28.Nxg7 Kxg7 29.f4 Ned7 30.Re3, followed by Rg3/Rh3,

crushes Black.
28.f4!
A rook lift is coming.
28...Nf8 29.Nxh6+ Bxh6 30.Qxh6 N8h7 31.Re3 Ne8
31...Kh8 32.Rh3 Kg8 33.Rg3+ Kh8 34.Qg7#.
32.Rg3+ Rg6 33.Rxg6+ fxg6 34.Qxg6+ Ng7
[FEN "2br2k1/1pq3nn/2pp2Q1/p7/
4PP2/PP6/1BP3PP/3R1B1K w - - 0 35"]
35.Bc4+
The bishop-pair is too strong.
35...d5 36.exd5 cxd5
If 36...b5, then 37.dxc6+! (not 37.d6+?? bxc4 38.dxc7 Rxd1#) 37...bxc4 38.
Rxd8+ Qxd8 39.Qxg7#.
37.Rxd5 Rxd5 38.Bxd5+ Kh8
Or 38...Kf8 39.Qxh7.
39.Qe8+ 1-0
Another game that ended in a brutal attack.
Lessons Learned
● There are plenty of chances to attack in the Philidor! I gave a few

complete games with many variations to show how exactly White nets
the black king, but don't let those scare you. Memorize ideas, not
moves.
● White has more space in the Philidor, while Black consents to being
cramped. Be careful not to press too hard.
● A couple of the positions I recommend are not entirely clear, so I
would identify and practice them. The one at the end of the theory
section for sure.
Practitioners
● French grandmaster Oliver Renet is a fan of the 8.f4 system.

● Serbian grandmaster Dragoljub Velimirovic is often on the white side
of these nice attacks. He is a known for his attacking play and has a
variation in the Sicilian named after him.
● Ukrainian grandmaster Vassily Ivanchuk was once ranked number two
in the world.
Further Reading
● The Modern Philidor Defense by Vladimir Barsky. I respect Barsky as

an author. This is from Black's perspective.


The King's Indian Defense [E70] Purchases from our
After last column's rather heavy theoretical look, I wanted to do something
accessible:
different. This column is about a little-known variation in the King's Indian
Defense, an opening I have addressed before. I tried to make it more idea-
centered and do a more hyper-modern variation, where Black does not fear
the advance with e5, something which I have not done much in the past. I
used Dangerous Weapons: The King's Indian as my reference, specifically
Chapter Six by Yelena Dembo. I added a bibliography section to my column
to make it as easy as possible to find the reference works.
The 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7
Openings I covered the KID defense in June 2010 so I won't repeat myself, but basically
the two main breaks are logically ...e5 and ...c5 and Black is employing a
Explained hyper-modern system: Black does not challenge the center directly, but aims Attacking Chess:
at it from the wings. The KID is quite a popular system. I have heard that The King's Indian, Vol. 1
some players have the "King's Indian Disease" meaning that they only play by David Vigorito
Abby Marshall KID-type positions.
[Find us on Facebook.] 4.e4
Translate this page White naturally seizes the chance to create a big center.
4...0–0
4...d6 is the standard move, which transposes to ECO code E80 upon White's
5.f3. The text move and Black's next show an emphasis on rapid development
at the expense of the center and space. The resulting positions are interesting
and fruitful. 4...d6 5.Nge2 Nbd7 6.Ng3 e5 7.d5 h5 was covered in my June
2010 column. Dangerous Weapons:
The King's Indian
by Yelena Dembo et al
5.f3

the games from
The Controversial
Samisch King's Indian
[FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppppppbp/5np1/8/2PPP3/
2N2P2/PP4PP/R1BQKBNR b KQ - 0 5"] by Chris Ward
This leads to Sämisch-type positions. This move both signals a possible

kingside attack and more positionally, it shores up the center. Before we look
at the Sämisch versions here, let's consider White's most aggressive fifth
move option.
A) 5.e5 This takes us away from the Sämisch but it's sharp and essential to
consider. Fischer, in My 60 Memorable Games, calls the move "weak." We'll
see his game with this variation below. 5...Ne8 Only move. Black is looking
to take advantage of White's overextended center. If 5...Nh5? (knights on the
rim are dim!), then 6.g4! and the knight is trapped.
A1) 6.f4 This aggressive move is what I would be most afraid of over-the-
board. The drawback for White is loss of time and the c1-bishop is restricted.
6...d6 Black immediately strikes back at the center and frees the c8-bishop. 7.
Be3 White develops. 7...c5 Here is the first real strike. Otherwise, Black is
going to be tightly constricted.
A1a) 8.Nf3 White needs to play more energetically than this. 8...cxd4 Black
breaks open the center. 9.Bxd4 Nc6
[FEN "bqnrk1/pp2ppbp/2np2p1/4P3/2PB1P2/
2N2N2/PP4PP/R2QKB1R w KQ - 0 10"]
10.Be2 dxe5 11.Bxe5 Nf6 White's center has fallen and now the f-pawn looks
like a liability that could be attacked.
A1b) 8.dxc5 Nc6 The d-pawn was pinned so this move is obvious. Black is
ahead in development since Black has already castled. White is up a pawn but
the center is falling apart. 9.cxd6 White takes the extra pawn. 9...exd6 10.
Ne4?! (10.Nf3 Development seems better. 10...Bf5 11.Be2 dxe5 12.fxe5
Nxe5 Black has regained the pawn and abolished White's center. White does
have a queenside pawn majority while Black has activity, so it is a balanced
game.) 10...Bf5! Black continues developing and keeps the initiative.
A1b1) 11.Nxd6 This is the logical follow-up. 11...Nxd6 12.Qxd6 (12.exd6?

Bxb2 Black wins the exchange.) 12...f6
Suddenly Black's bishop on g7 will open up and ravage White's abandoned

queenside. 13.Qxd8 Raxd8 14.e6 White better slow down Black's activity.
14...Bxe6 15.Nf3 Nb4 Black is in control.
A1b2) 11.Ng3 Be6
[FEN "r2qnrk1/pp3pbp/2npb1p1/4P3/2P2P2/
4B1N1/PP4PP/R2QKBNR w KQ - 0 12"]
12.Nf3 Qc7 Black hits the e-pawn a fourth (!) time and avoids the exchange
of queen after ...dxe5. (13.Be2 White has no time to simply develop. 13...dxe5
14.Bc5? If 14.f5 gxf5 15.Nh5 f4 Black is on top. 14...Qa5+ 15.b4 Nxb4 16.
Bxf8 Kxf8 17.0–0 exf4 Black has a bishop and two pawns for the rook which
is materially even but look how strong the two Black bishops are.) 13.Qb1
This is confusing to look at. The idea is to play 14.f5 and generate some play.
13...dxe5 14.f5 e4!
One reason I really liked this variation is that it demands that Black stay
active and keep the initiative, which is essential for improving players to
learn. This move subtly clears the fifth rank. (15.Qxe4 gxf5 16.Qf4. If 16.
Nxf5 Qa5+ This is why 14...e4! was so good. 16...Bxb2 Black is actually up a
pawn.) 15.fxe6 exf3 16.gxf3 f5 Black keeps up the threats. 17.f4 Nf6 18.Be2
Rfe8 19.Kf2 This is the deadly mistake. If 19.0–0 Rxe6 20.Bc5 Black has a
much better position but at least the white king is safe. 19...Rxe6 20.Re1 Rae8
21.Bf3 Take a second and try to find the tactic. 21...Rxe3 22.Rxe3 Rxe3 23.
Kxe3 Qxf4+ A beautiful move. 24. Kxf4 Bh6#, Letelier-Fischer, Leipzig
Olympiad 1960.
B) 6.Nf3 d6 7.Bf4 Bg4 8.Be2 Nd7 9.0–0 c5 Black is doing fine, chipping
away at the white center.
Now back to the Sämisch-type variation.
5...Nc6
Generally Black's focal point is White's d-pawn since the e- and c-pawns are
well-defended and the g7-bishop eyes the d-pawn. This move reminds me of
Alekhine's Defense (1.e4 Nf6) and even Chigorin's Defense (1.d4 d5 2.c4
Nc6) because Black allows White to build up an impressive space advantage,
with the idea that Black will be able to fight back with active piece play.
6.d5
Clearly this will be the critical move since it puts its finger on Black's
problem: space.
A) 6.Be3 is a more conservative approach. 6...e5 This is another common

strike besides ...c5. 7.d5 Nd4 This works tactically and establishes a knight in
the center.
A1) 8.Bxd4 Attempts to win a pawn do not work out well for White. 8...exd4
With the white dark-squared bishop gone the dark squares around the white
king are weak. 9.Qxd4 Now Black can unleash the g7-bishop. (9.Nce2 c5 10.
dxc6 dxc6 11.Nxd4 Nxe4) 9...Nxe4! 10.Qxe4 Re8.
A2) 8.Qd2 c5 Black stakes out a claim in the center. The g7-bishop does not
look too hot but neither does the f1-bishop and Black is holding back White.
The position is closed so play is going to be about maneuvering. 9.Bd3 d6 10.
Nge2 a6 Black signals an attention to look at the queenside. 11.Bg5 Bd7 12.0–
0 Rb8 Black has a clear plan to play ...b5 and expand on the queenside. White
is a little stuck because a similar expansion on the kingside with f4 is bad
since the e5-square becomes weak and the g7-bishop opens up. Maybe g4 will
become an option; however, Black is moving faster.
B) 6.e5 This is another one of those sharp approaches that is not the most
testing but it is scary. 6...Ne8 Only move.
B1) 7.Be3 d6 Logical. 8.f4 dxe5 9.fxe5 (9.dxe5 Qxd1+ 10.Rxd1 f6) 9...f6 The
common theme is easy to discern: attack the center with pieces then hit it with
pawns.
10.e6 (10.Nf3 fxe5 11.d5 Nd4 12.Nxd4 exd4 13.Bxd4 e5 Now Black is even
better since the f-file is looking real nice for the black rook.) 10...f5 (10...
Bxe6? 11.d5) 11.Nf3 f4 12.Bf2 Na5 Black targets the c-pawn. 13.d5 Nd6 14.
Qa4 c6 15.Rd1 b6!? This position is tense as Black attacks the center and
White works on constriction. 16.Be2 (16.dxc6 Bxe6) 16...Bxc3+!? 17.bxc3
Ne4 18.Qc2 Nxf2 19.Kxf2 Qd6 20.Qe4 Bb7 Exchanging the g7-bishop is
counterintuitive. The idea is that Black gets the f2-bishop and can attack the
weak white pawns and dark squares.)
B2) 7.d5 Nb4 (7...Nxe5 8.f4) 8.f4 d6 9.Nf3 Bg4 10.a3 Na6 White has reached
too far. Black has a knight coming to c5 and pressure on the e5-square.
C) 6.Nge2. Like 6.Be3 White sticks to a cautious route. 6...e5
C1) 7.Be3 Nh5 8.d5 Na5 Black's position looks funny with the knights both
on the side of the board. However there is logic to both positions. The knight
on h5 cleared the way for Black's queen to go to h4 and the a5-knight attacks
c4. 9.Qa4 b6 10.g4 Nf4 11.0–0–0. If 11.Nxf4 exf4 12.Bxf4? Bxc3+ 13.bxc3
Qf6.
[FEN "r1b2rk1/p1pp1p1p/1p3qp1/n2P4/
Q1P1PBP1/2P2P2/P6P/R3KB1R w KQ - 0 14"]
11...d6 12.Ng3 Bd7 13.Qc2 Rc8 14.Kb1 c6 A really double-edged position

has arisen. I think Black would be fun to play since the c-file is about to open
and Black is completely developed, ready to attack.
C2) 7.d5 Nd4 Again we see this move.
C2a) 8.Bg5 c5 9.Qd2 h6 10.Be3 (10.Bxh6? Bxh6 11.Qxh6 Nc2+) 10...a6 11.
Nc1 h5 Now Black is the one gaining space. White has been pushed back. 11...
h5 stops a possible g4 and Black may aim at the white king wherever it goes.
C2b) 8.Nxd4 This kind of thing intuitively fails because Black is more
developed and already castled. If White starts going after pawns, there is
bound to be trouble. 8...exd4 9.Nb5 (9.Qxd4 Nxe4. We have seen this trick
before.) 9...c6 10.Nxd4 cxd5 11.exd5 (11.cxd5 Nxe4 12.fxe4 Qh4+ 13.Ke2
Qxe4+ 14.Be3 Re8 15.Nc2 d6 Black will win this position.) 11...Re8+ 12.Be2
Nxd5 13.cxd5 Qh4+ White has tried for too much.
C2c) 8.Be3 c5 9.dxc6 In this variation White tries to resolve the center tension
right away. 9...dxc6
C2c1) 10.Qd2 Be6 11.Rd1 c5 12.Nd5 b5 White's moves did not work.
C2c2) 10.Bxd4 exd4 11.Qxd4 Nd7 Black could win back the pawn after
exchanging queens and playing 12...Nxe4 but goes for more here. 12.Qe3 (12.
Qd2 Ne5 13.Qxd8 Rxd8 Simultaneous threats of ...Nd3+ and ...Nxc4. 14.Nc1
Be6) 12...Ne5 13.Nf4 f5 White has not castled and the f-file is about to open.;
10.Nxd4 exd4 (11.Bxd4? Nxe4 12.Bxg7 Qh4+ 13.g3 Nxg3 14.Bf6 (14.hxg3
Qxg3+ 15.Ke2 Re8+ 16.Kd2 Rd8+ 17.Nd5 Kxg7 Black wins.) 14...Re8+ 15.
Ne2 (15.Ne4 This gets fun and we will look at it in the second illustrative
game.) 15...Qxf6 16.hxg3 Qxf3 17.Rg1 Bg4
[FEN "r3r1k1/pp3p1p/2p3p1/8/2P3b1/
5qP1/PP2N3/R2QKBR1 w Q - 0 18"]
There is no clear exact route to a win, but Black's win is undeniable. Black
will play ...Rad8 and pile up on the e2-knight.) 11.Qxd4 Nd5! 12.Qd2 Nxe3
13.Qxe3 f5 There is again the problem of the white king in a center that is
rapidly disintegrating.
6...Nb4
The knight always has the retreat to a6-c5.
7.a3
Dembo thinks this is the best move. If 7.Nge2 d6 8.Nd4 c5 (8...Nxe4? This
attempt at cleverness fails. 9.Nxe4 Bxd4 10.a3) 9.dxc6? (9.Nb3 Bd7) 9...Nxe4
10.Nxe4 Bxd4 11.a3 Nxc6 Black has won a pawn for nothing.
There is also 7.Nh3 d6 8.Nf2 This was the planned route for the h3-knight. 8...
c6 9.Be2 e6 This is a new type of idea that we have not yet looked at. Black
keeps the pawns back a square and instead of e5 and c5, attacks on e6 and c6.
10.a3 (10.dxc6 Nxc6 11.0–0) 10...Na6 11.0–0 White forces Black to resolve
things in the center. 11...exd5 12.cxd5 cxd5 (13.Nxd5 This seems more
natural since it keeps the d-file open so the d6-pawn is a target. Here
calculation is more important than this general strategic idea. 13...Nxd5 (14.
Qxd5 Be6 15.Qb5 If 15.Qxb7 Nc5 16.Qb4 Rb8 17...Nb3 is coming next.
White is in disarray and the two Black bishops look very strong. 15...Nc5 The
two black bishops and activity make the difference.) 14.exd5 Qb6 White's
center is mostly gone and Black will rely on the strength of the laser g7-
bishop.) 13.exd5 Re8 14.Bb5 Bd7 15.Bxd7 Qxd7 16.Bd2 Rac8 17.Rc1 Qd8
18.b4 (18.Re1 keeps the balance.) 18...Qb6 The momentum is now on Black's
side as we will see in the first illustrative game.
7...Na6
The knight is not terrible here. It eyes the c5-square and may even drop back
to c7 if Black plays ...c6.
8.Be3
White prevents Black from moving to Nc5 and develops. If 8.Bd3 d6 9.Nge2
c6 10.Be3 e6. The plan is still this little center strike against the head of the
pawn chain. 11.dxe6 Bxe6 12.0–0 Nc5 13.Nd4 Nfd7 The only thing that
makes me nervous is the d6-pawn. Otherwise, Black is active and has gotten
rid of the imposing White center.
8...d6
Standard development.
9.Bd3
With 9.Rc1 White would focus on the queenside. 9...c6 10.b4 Nc7 11.Qd2 e6
12.dxc6 bxc6 13.Nge2 Bb7 14.Ng3 d5 15.cxd5 exd5 16.e5 Nd7 17.f4 f6 As
we see, Black always has this little pawn moves that prevents White from
stretching too far.
9...Nd7
The move uncovers the g7-bishop and prepares to move the knight to a more
active position.
10.Nge2
All logical, developing moves so far. If 10.f4 e5.
10...Ne5
Black sticks a knight in the center and uncovers the c8-bishop.
11.b4
White's pawns point toward the queenside (f3-e4-d5) so White expands in that
region of the board.
11...f5
Black counterattacks on the other wing.
12.Rb1
Since it is sort of a closed position, White delays castling to focus on the

queenside.
12...c6
Black hits the center and creates some space.
13.0–0
Eventually White gets around to this.
13...fxe4
Black opens up the f-file for the black rook and the diagonal for the c8-
bishop.
14.Nxe4
This capture is the best choice. 14.fxe4 is not good. 14...Rxf1+ 15.Kxf1 Ng4
16.Bg1 e6.
14...Nc7
This is a dynamic position where White has more space while Black is
holding solid with active pieces.
15.Qd2
This is a natural move.
15...b5!?
This breaks up the center even more this time by attacking the base pawn.
16.cxb5 Nxd5 17.bxc6 Nxe3 18.Qxe3 Qb6 19.Qxb6 axb6 20.Bb5 Rxa3
[FEN "2b2rk1/4p1bp/1pPp2p1/1B2n3/
1P2N3/r4P2/4N1PP/1R3RK1 w - - 0 21"]
This is just a sample line. I think Black is active and doing OK.
P. Haba – P. Murdzia
Czech League, 2006
King's Indian Defense [E70]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 0–0 5.f3 Nc6 6.d5 Nb4 7.Nh3 d6 8.Nf2 c6
9.Be2 e6 10.a3 Na6 11.0–0 exd5 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.exd5 Re8 14.Bb5 Bd7 15.
Bxd7 Qxd7 16.Bd2 Rac8 17.Rc1 Qd8 18.b4 Qb6
[FEN "2r1r1k1/pp3pbp/nq1p1np1/3P4/1P6/
P1N2P2/3B1NPP/2RQ1RK1 w - - 0 19"]
This is where the theory section left off. The d5-pawn could become a target
and the two black rooks are working on active files.
19.Re1
White looks to trade rooks to alleviate some of the pressure on the open files.
19...Rxe1+
This is a temporary surrendering of the file.
20.Bxe1
Taking back with the queen would allow 20...Re8 with tempo.
20...Re8
Black takes over the e-file regardless of the rook exchange.
21.Kf1
White breaks the pin on the diagonal.
21...Nb8
This move makes a lot of sense. The knight was very restricted in movement
on the rim of the board, so Murdzia relocates it.
22.Nd3
The newly free knight moves to a more active space.
22...Nbd7
Now the e5-square becomes a possibility.
23.a4
This move is basically unavoidable. 23.Bf2 Qa6 24.a4 Bh6 25.b5 Qa5 26.Rc2
Nb6 Now the queenside pawns become under fire.
23...Bh6
The bishop becomes more active and tickles the rook.
24.Rc2
White does not want to concede the c-file.
24...Qd4
24...a5 Dembo points out that this move is stronger. 25.b5 Rc8 26.Bg3 Nh5
27.Bf2 Qd8 It is interesting that Black is looking at both sides of the board.
The squares around the queenside and king have become weak and vulnerable
to occupation.
25.Bf2
White wants to get the queen out of the strong center spot.
25...Be3
Getting rid of White's dark-squared bishop makes sense, since it is one of the
key guards of the vulnerable dark squares.
26.Nb5 Qb6
The queen is now out of the center. White however still has to find a
constructive plan.
27.Nb2
27.Nc7 Re7 28.a5 Qd4 29.Re2 a6 30.Qd2 Qc4 31.Bxe3 Qxc7 This is a better
route for White to pursue. 27.Bxe3 This looks logical. 27...Rxe3 28.Nb2.
[FEN "4r1k1/pp1n1p1p/1q1p1np1/1N1P4/
PP6/4bP2/1NR2BPP/3Q1K2 b - - 0 27"]
27...Ne5
27...Bxf2! Dembo points out that Black missed this. Concrete calculation was
required here to realize the advantage. 28.Nc4 Qd8 29.Kxf2 Nxd5 30.Nbxd6
(30.Qxd5 Qh4+ 31.g3 Qxh2+ 32.Kf1 Qh1+ 33.Kf2 Re1 Black wins.) 30...
Nxb4 31.Nxe8 Nxc2 32.Ned6 Nb4 33.Nxb7 Qh4+ A rather forced variation
leads to a Black advantage.
28.Nc7
28.Bxe3 Qxe3 29.Nxd6 Rd8 30.Nxb7 Rxd5 is also complicated.
28...Bxf2
This was one move too late. 28...Re7 This variation as we will see had to be
precisely calculated. 29.Na8 Qxb4 30.Bxe3 Nxf3 31.Qxf3 (31.Bf2 Nxh2+ 32.
Kg1 Nhg4 This is totally winning for Black.) 31...Ng4 32.Rc8+ Kg7 33.Rc4
(33.Bg1 Re1#) 33...Nxh2+ 34.Kf2 Qxb2+ 35.Qe2 Qf6+ 36.Kg1 (36.Rf4 This
forces a draw. 36...Qg5 37.Re4 Qf5+ 38.Rf4 Qg5) 36...Rxe3 37.Qxe3 Qf1+
38.Kxh2 Qxc4 39.Qxa7 Qh4+ Black has at least a draw and maybe can play
on to see what happens.
29.Nxe8 Bh4
Black sacrifices the exchange to try for mate, but perhaps miscalculated.
30.Nxf6+ Bxf6 31.b5
31.Qd2 This is another easy to find move. White is probably winning.

31...Qe3 32.Nc4 Qf4 33.Nxe5
The urge to simplify is strong, but trading pieces leads to a weird position
where the dark-squared bishop has no white minor pieces to worry about and
Black gets counterplay. 33.g3 Dembo shows that this wins. 33...Qf5 34.Nxd6
33...Bxe5 34.g3 Qf5 35.Kg2 h5 36.Rc4 Bf6 37.h4 Kg7 38.Rc7 g5 39.hxg5
Qxg5 40.Qd3 h4 41.f4
Black has tried for some desperate counterplay, but White has a commanding
position.
41...Qg4 42.Qf3?
A miracle for Black. 42.Rxb7 wins easily.
42...h3+ 43.Kf2 Bd4+ 44.Ke2 Qf5
This is enough to make White nervous.
45.Rc1 h2 46.g4 Qh7 47.f5 Qh6 48.Rh1 ½–½
White could have pushed for the win, but the momentum had shifted.
F. Gheorghiu – W. Watson
London, 1980
King's Indian Defense [E70]
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 0–0 5.f3 Nc6 6.Nge2 e5 7.d5 Nd4 8.Be3 c5
9.dxc6 dxc6 10.Nxd4 exd4 11.Bxd4 Nxe4 12.Bxg7 Qh4+ 13.g3 Nxg3 14.
Bf6 Re8+ 15.Ne4
[FEN "r1b1r1k1/pp3p1p/2p2Bp1/8/2P1N2q/
5Pn1/PP5P/R2QKB1R b KQ - 0 15"]
In the theory section I promised fireworks, so here they are.
15...Rxe4+
Clearly this has to be the move, demolishing the guard around White's king.
15...Nxe4+?? 16.Bxh4.
16.fxe4
What else?
16...Qxe4+
Now the king and rook are forked.
17.Kf2
17.Kd2 Qxh1 18.Kc3 Amusingly the computer recommends this as a second

choice. After everything Black is two pawns ahead which isn't remarkable,
but the white king is nearing an early death. 18...Ne4+ 19.Kb3 Nxf6 20.Qd6
Qf3+ 21.Qd3 Qf2 22.a3 Bf5 Black is totally winning.
17...Bg4!
Keep making threats. 17...Nxh1+? 18.Kg1 Bg4 19.Qd4 Suddenly the knight
on h1 is going to be possibly trapped, or at least out of the game.
18.Qd3
White is forced to do this which allows a neat trick. If 18.Qd4 Qf3+ 19.Kg1
Bh3 20.Bxh3 Ne2#.
18...Nxh1+ 19.Kg1 Nf2
By taking on h1 on move eighteen instead of nineteen, Black has this pretty

maneuver.
20.Qg3!?
White tests Black. 20.Qxe4 Nxe4 The two pawn deficit is hopeless for White.
20...Nd1!
[FEN"r5k1/pp3p1p/2p2Bp1/8/2P1q1b1/
6Q1/PP5P/R2n1BK1 w - - 0 21"]
Beautiful. This move gets the knight to safety and cuts off White's rook from
the action.
21.h3 Bh5 22.b3
22.Qg5 Re8 23.Qh6 Qe3+.
22...Re8 23.Rc1 Qe3+ 24.Qxe3 Nxe3 25.Bd3 Re6
The rest of the game is, as they say, a matter of technique.
26.Bg5 f6 27.Bf4 Kf7 28.b4 a6 29.b5 g5 30.Bb8 Bg6 31.bxa6 bxa6 32.Be2
Nc2 33.Kf2 Nd4 34.Bf1 Bh5 35.Rc3 c5 36.Ba7 Re5 37.Ra3 Be2 38.Rxa6
38.Bxe2 Rxe2+ 39.Kf1 would have kept White in the same losing bracket. 38.
Rxa6 skyrockets White to minus six in computer evaluation.
38...Rf5+ 39.Ke3 Bxf1
Black wins a piece.
40.Ra5 Ne6 41.Bb8 Bxh3 42.a4 Bg4 43.Ra7+ Kg6 44.a5 Rf3+ 45.Kd2 Ra3
46.Bd6 Bf5 47.Kc1 Rc3+ 48.Kb2 Rxc4 49.Be7 Be4 50.Ra6 Kf5 0–1
White capitulated. Besides being aesthetically pleasing, this game shows the
power of the initiative and subtleties in positions.
Lessons Learned
● Activity versus space is the imbalance provoked by Black's opening

moves. I think learning to use activity is really important for improving
players and this line is good for practicing using piece play and the
initiative.
● With that said about piece activity, also watch for the typical pawn
breaks: ...e5 and ...c5, and even a trifecta of ...c6, ...d6, and ...e6. Also ...
f6 factored into one variation.
● Maintain the initiative. There was at least one variation where every
single Black move was forcing. This makes sense since otherwise
Black would be squeezed to death.
Practitioners
● Piotr Murdzia is a strong Polish international master. He has also won

the World Chess Solving Championship five times (problem solving
such as mates in three and the like).
● Yelena Dembo. I don't know if Dembo herself plays this variation, but
she is clearly interested and knowledgeable about it. She is a Greek
international master.
Bibliography
● Dembo, Yelena. "Hold Back that d-pawn!" Dangerous Weapons: The

King's Indian. Palliser, Flear, and Dembo. London: Everyman Chess,
2009. 114–124.
● Chesspublishing.com.


The French Exchange [C01] Purchases from our
Finding a good system for White against the French Defense is difficult. The
accessible:
Advance variation and the Tarrasch variation both require plenty of study.
Play 3.Nc3 and the Winawer takes a year to learn. Even less common lines
such as the Exchange variation with 4.c4 or the 2.Nf3 and 3.Nc3 variation still
leave a struggle to not only get an advantage but also sometimes to equalize.
And this as white! I came across 4.Bf4 in the Exchange variation while in the
NYC scholastic chess scene. I didn't know much about it, but the more I learn
the more I think it could be a good idea.
The 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5
Openings This is the standard French position.
Explained 3.exd5
Play the French
by John Watson
This is the Exchange variation. White resolves the tension in the center right
Abby Marshall away and gives Black no central targets as is the case in the main lines.
However on principle this approach is a little wobbly since it lets the c8-
[Find us on Facebook.] bishop out.
Translate this page 3...exd5
3...Qxd5. One person has actually played this move against me, but it defies
reasoning. Black lets the c8-bishop remain behind bars, the queen is a target
for attack, and White has more space. 4.Nf3 Nc6 5.Nc3 (5.c4 is another idea
that White can play, aiming for maximum center space. 5...Bb4+ 6.Nc3 Qa5 7.
Bd2 Nf6 8.Bd3 White is fully developed and the black queen looks
displaced.) 5...Bb4 6.Bd3 Nf6 (6...Bd7 Black can also try to castle queenside. Dangerous Weapons:
7.0–0 Qa5 8.Bd2 0–0–0 9.d5! This is powerful because Black cannot take the The French
pawn. 9...exd5? 10.a3 Bxc3 11.Bxc3 Qb6 12.Bxg7) 7.0–0 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Bd7 9. by John Watson
c4 Qh5 10.Rb1 0–0–0 11.c3 White opens the diagonal for the queen. 11...h6
12.Ba3 g5 13.Qb3 Na5 14.Qb4 b6 15.c5 Bc6 16.Ne5 White has good
chances.) 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Bd3 Ne4 (6...0–0 7.0–0 Bxc3 8.bxc3 Nc6 9.
Bf4 Black is more passive because of the c8-bishop.) 7.Bd2 Bxc3 (7...Nxd2??
8.Nxd5) 8.bxc3 Nxd2 9.Qxd2 Nc6 10.0–0 0–0 11.c4 White has more space
and is more developed.
4.Bf4

the games from
The Flexible French
by Victor Moskalenko
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/8/3p4/3P1B2/8/
PPP2PPP/RN1QKBNR b KQkq - 0 4"]
I have not been able to find serious theory on this move. Most sources say it is
extremely drawish; however, mass exchanges are not imminent, so play
remains on the board. If White is a much lower rated player than Black, this is
a good weapon for not losing to the monster. I found 748 games with this line.
There were draws forty-seven percent of the time, which is not an
overwhelming number. It is worth pointing out that this can also be used
against the Caro-Kann (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.ed cd 4.Bf4). The most interesting
idea in this line against the French or the Caro-Kann is a rather primitive
attacking idea that could turn venomous.
4...Bd6
This seems most popular and most direct.
A) 4...c6 does not look so impressive.
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pp3ppp/2p5/3p4/3P1B2/8/
PPP2PPP/RN1QKBNR w KQkq - 0 5"]
A1) 5.c3 This is the oldest game I found in this variation, against the
venerable Kortchnoi no less. 5...Bf5 6.Bd3 The white bishop has no other
good spot other than the passive e2. 6...Bxd3 7.Qxd3 Nf6 8.Nd2 Be7 Black
doesn't allow the position to become completely symmetrical. 9.h3 Nbd7 10.
Ngf3 0–0 11.0–0 Re8 12.Ne5 (12.Rfe1 avoids exchanges and is a possibility.)
12...Nxe5 13.Bxe5 Nd7 14.Bh2 Bf8 15.Rfe1 Qf6 Here White did not opt for
the aggressive primitive plan and allowed exchanges. ½–½, Khalilbeili,S-
Kortchnoi,Tbilisi 1956).
A2) 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.Qd2 Bb4 7.Bd3 0–0 8.Nge2 The knight is better here since it
supports the knight on c3 and the d4-square. White may also play f3-g4 at
some point. 8...Re8 9.0–0–0 I like White's lead in development.; 4...Nf6 5.
Nc3 (5.Nf3 Another quick draw coming up! But again, if you are an 1800 and
playing a master or above, maybe this isn't the worst choice. 5...Be7 6.Bd3 0–
0 7.0–0 Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.Nbd2 ½–½, Prié,E-Kaminski, Paris 1996) 5...Bd6 6.
Qd2 0–0 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.Nge2 We have out little scheme all set up. 8...Re8 9.0–
0–0 Nb4 10.h4 Maybe it's a little artificial, but so what? If I was Black and
playing against one of these NYC scholastic kids, I'd be getting nervous.
B) 4...Bf5 This is a solid move. If the bishop is left unopposed, White will
start getting in trouble. 5.Bd3 This is going to have to be played inevitably. 5...
Bxd3 6.Qxd3 Bd6 7.Ne2 (7.Bxd6 Qxd6 8.Nf3 Nd7 9.0–0 Ne7 10.Re1 0–0 11.
Qa3 Qxa3 12.Nxa3 ½–½, Degraeve,J-Apicella, Chartres 2005) 7...Nc6 8.
Nbc3 Nf6 9.Bg5!? Be7 10.Bxf6 Bxf6 11.Qb5
[FEN "r2qk2r/ppp2ppp/2n2b2/1Q1p4/3P4/
2N5/PPP1NPPP/R3K2R b KQkq - 0 11"]
C) 4...Be6 This looks uninspiring. The bishop is blocked by the d-pawn. 5.

Bd3 Nd7 6.Nf3 (6.Qd2 It is possible that here this setup is not the greatest
since after White castles queenside, Black has the option of playing ...c5, and
then the bishop on e6 is aimed at the queenside. 6...Ngf6 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Nge2 0–
0 9.0–0–0 c5 10.dxc5 Nxc5)
[FEN "r2q1rk1/pp3ppp/4bn2/2np4/1b3B2/
2NB4/PPPQNPPP/2KR3R w - - 0 11"]
6...Ngf6 7.0–0 Be7 8.Re1 0–0 9.Ng5 Bg4 10.f3 Bh5 11.Bxc7?! This doesn't
work tactically. (11.Nc3 c6 12.Qd2 Simple chess. White has a little space
advantage.) 11...Qxc7 12.Rxe7 h6 13.Nh3 Qd6? (13...Qb6 is a double attack
on d4 and b2 and would have won back the pawn.) 14.Re2 Rfe8 15.Nd2 Qb6
16.Nb3 Ne5 17.Nf4 Nxd3 18.Qxd3 Rxe2 19.Qxe2 Well White is just up a
pawn. 19...Re8 20.Qf2 a5 21.c3 a4 22.Nc5 Qc6 23.Ncd3 a3 24.Ne5 axb2 25.
Qxb2 Qc7 26.Rb1 Re7 27.Qb3 Qa5 28.g4 Bg6 29.Nfxg6 fxg6 30.Nxg6 Re3
31.Qxb7 Rxc3 32.Qb8+ Kh7 33.Nf8+ Kg8 34.Rb7 Rc1+ 35.Kg2 Qd2+ 36.
Kh3 Qe2 37.Ne6+ 1–0, Reginato,M-Simone,Bratto 2006.
D) 4...Nc6 5.Qd2 We just continue with the same setup. 5...Bd6 6.Nc3 Nf6
7.0–0–0 0–0 8.Bg5 Bb4 9.Qf4!? Bxc3 10.bxc3 Be6 11.Nf3 This is an odd
position. The doubled c-pawns don't matter because White can double Black's
pawns anytime. White has more flexibility.
E) 4...c5 Now the plan with Qd2 and castling queenside is eclipsed by central
considerations. 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.Bb5 White has too much development for ...c5 to
work well. 6...Nf6 7.0–0 Be7 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Qe2+ Qe7 10.Qxe7+ Kxe7 11.
Nc3 White has a pull because of the lead in development.
5.Qd2
This move is most consistent with our setup.
5.Bxd6 This is another option that could lead to the attacking setup we talked
about as well. I just don't like making Black more active since the queen gets
to come to d6. 5...Qxd6
[FEN "rnb1k1nr/ppp2ppp/3q4/3p4/3P4/8/
PPP2PPP/RN1QKBNR w KQkq - 0 6"]
A) 6.c3 This turned out poorly for White. 6...Nf6 7.Bd3 0–0 8.Ne2 Already,
this is too artificial for me. 8...Bg4 9.0–0 Re8 10.Re1 Nbd7 11.Nd2 Nf8 12.
Nf1 Ng6 13.Bxg6 hxg6 14.f3 Bd7 15.Qd2 Bb5 16.Neg3 b6 17.Rxe8+ Rxe8
18.Re1 Rxe1 19.Qxe1 Kf8 20.Qe3 Ng8 21.Nd2 Ne7 22.Kf2= f6 23.f4 Bd7 24.
Nf3 Qc6 25.Qd3 Qa4 26.Qb1 Nf5 27.a3 Ne7 28.Ke3 Qb5 29.Qc2 Bg4 30.h3
Bc8 31.Kf2 Kf7 32.Ke1 Ba6 33.Kf2 Qd7 34.Kg1? Qd6 35.Qa4 (35.Qd2 g5
Black wins the f-pawn.) 35...Bc4 36.Qxa7 Qxf4 37.Nf1 Bxf1 38.Kxf1 Qc1+
39.Ne1 Qxb2 40.Qxc7 Qxa3 41.Qxb6 Qxc3 42.Nf3 Qe3 43.Qc7 g5 44.Qd7
Qe6 45.Qc7 Kg6 46.g4 Qe4 47.Kf2 Kh7 48.Qc3 Ng6 49.Nd2 Qf4+ 50.Ke1
Qh2 51.Nf1 Qh1 52.Qc2 Kh6 53.Qc8 Nf4 54.Qh8+ Kg6 55.Qe8+ Kh7 0–1,
Kritz,L-Jussupow, Osterburg 2006).
B) 6.Nc3 Bf5 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.Bd3 Bxd3 9.Qxd3 Ngf6 10.Qe2+ Qe7 11.Qxe7+
Kxe7 12.0–0–0 White is more active.
B1). 6...Ne7 This is an option played in a high level game between two
players over 2400. 7.Qd2 White plays the aggressive setup! 7...c6 8.Nf3 0–0
9.0–0–0 Bg4 10.Be2 Bxf3 11.Bxf3 Nd7 12.h4 b5 13.h5
[FEN "r4rk1/p2nnppp/2pq4/1p1p3P/3P4/
2N2B2/PPPQ1PP1/2KR3R b - - 0 13"]
This is the kind of chess we are looking to play. 13...Nb6 14.Be2 White
retreats to cover c4 and clear the third rank. 14...h6 15.Rde1 Rab8 16.g4 Rb7
17.Rh3 b4 18.Nd1 Nc4 19.Qd3 Nc8 20.Qf5 Ne7 21.Qf3 f5 22.b3 fxg4 23.
Qxg4 Rf4 24.Qg3 Na3 25.Rh4 Rf6 26.Qxd6 Rxd6 27.Bd3 So White's traded
queens with the idea that Black has created a lot of structural damage to to his
pawns. White also has the open g-file. 27...Rf6 28.Ne3 Kf8 (28...Rxf2 lets
White get an initiative, 29.Rg1 Kf8 30.Rhg4 Ng8 31.Nf5) 29.f4 Nc8 30.Rf1
Nb5 31.Ng4 Rd6 32.Bxb5 cxb5 33.f5 Kg8 34.f6 Rf7 35.Re1 Nb6 36.Rh3 Nd7
37.Re8+ Rf8 38.Rxf8+ Kxf8 39.fxg7+ Kxg7 40.Rg3 Kf7 41.Rf3+ Ke7 42.Rf5
White has the edge and was able to convert it to a win. Nicely done. 42...a6 43.
Kb2 Rc6 44.Rxd5 Re6 45.Rf5 Kd6 46.Nf2 Re3 47.Nd3 Ke6 48.Rf1 a5 49.Nf4
+ Kd6 50.Rg1 Re4 51.Rg6+ Ke7 52.Nd5+ Kf7 53.Rxh6 Rxd4 54.Rh7+ Ke6
55.Nc7+ Kf6 56.Nxb5 Rd5 57.Nc7 Rd2 58.Rh6+ Ke7 59.Kc1 Rh2 60.Nd5+
Kf7 61.Ra6 Rxh5 62.Rxa5 Rf5 63.Rb5 Rh5 64.Kb2 Rf5 65.Nc7 Rxb5 66.
Nxb5 Ke6 67.Nc7+ 1–0, Hess,R- Shulman,Saint Louis 2009.
5...Nf6
This seems most natural.
If 5...Qe7+, I don't believe White is in trouble after 6.Be2 Bxf4 7.Qxf4 Qb4+
8.Nd2 Qxb2 9.Rb1 Qxc2 10.Ngf3. For the moment White's queenside is
wiped out but the lead in development and precarious position of the black
queen can't be good for the second player: 10...Ne7 11.0–0 0–0 12.Rfc1 Qxa2
13.Qe3 Ng6 (13...Nbc6? 14.Ra1 Qb2 15.Rcb1 Qc2 16.Bd3) 14.Qc3 Nf4 15.
Bf1 Qa4 16.Qxc7.
6.Nc3
This is all consistent with our development idea.
6...0–0
Black castles as quickly as possible.

[FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppp2ppp/3b1n2/3p4/3P1B2/
2N5/PPPQ1PPP/R3KBNR w KQ - 0 7"]
7.Bd3
It's best to do this before castling otherwise 7...Nc6 would be awkward since 8.
Bd3 leaves the d-pawn hanging.
7...Re8+
Black seizes a chance to take the file.
8.Nge2
Now White is all developed.
8...Ne4
Black tries to force things right away. If 8...Nc6 9.0–0–0 Nb4 10.f3, unclear.
9.Bxe4
White does not lose a tempo and takes off the knight with the bishop.
9.Nxe4 dxe4 10.Bc4 Bg4 The loss of tempo moving the bishop costs White.
9...dxe4
Black recaptures.
10.0–0–0
This is what we would play.
10.0–0 Here is another example of how to play the white position. 10...Nc6 11.
Nb5 Bf5 12.Bxd6 cxd6 13.Qf4 Bg6 14.Nxd6 Re6 15.Nxb7 Nxd4 16.Nxd4
Qxd4 17.Na5 Qxb2 18.c4 h6 19.Qc1 Qb4 20.Qe1 Qc5 21.Rc1 e3 22.Nb3 Qg5
23.f4 Qf6 24.Qc3 e2 25.Rfe1 Qxf4 26.Qd2 Qxd2 27.Nxd2 Rd8 28.Nf3 Bd3
29.c5 Bb5 30.Rc2 g5 31.h3 f5 32.a4 Ba6 33.c6 g4 34.c7 Rf8 35.Nd4 Re4 36.
Nb5 gxh3 37.Rcxe2 Rxe2 38.Rxe2 Bxb5 39.axb5 Rc8 40.Re7 Kf8 41.Rh7
Ke8 42.gxh3 h5 43.Kf2 h4 44.Kf3 f4 45.Kxf4 1–0, Zabiak,J-Farkas,Hungary
2008.
10...Bg4
Black develops and pins the e2-knight.
11.h3
White does not allow that pin to stick and starts subtly advancing the kingside
pawns.
11...Bxe2
Black refuses to lost a tempo and forces a White response.

12.Nxe2
White recaptures and keeps the f4-bishop protected.
12...Nd7
Simple development. Black maneuvers the knight to best effect and keeps the
possibility of an advance to ...c5.
13.Kb1
This guarding move usually makes sense.
13...Nb6
Development.
14.Rhe1
[FEN "r2qr1k1/ppp2ppp/1n1b4/8/3PpB2/
7P/PPPQNPP1/1K1RR3 b - - 0 14"]
Just play chess.
Vorotnikov, Vladislav (2505) – Naumkin, Igor (2455)

Moscow Open 1995
French Exchange [C01]
This game was played by two strong players, both of whom I would love to
be able to beat since they are quite strong. A 2500+ player adopts the set-up I
recommended so let's take a look.
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Bf4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Bb4
This is definitely more combative than ...Bd6 and Black can hope to have a
fight here. 5...Bd6 is the move that we looked at briefly in the theory section.
6.Bd3
We are going to see White do a delayed version of our set-up.
6...0–0 7.Nge2 Bg4?!
This move seems to give White what we want. Possible is 7...Nc6 8.Qd2 Re8
9.0–0–0 Ne4 10.Bxe4 dxe4 11.d5 Na5 with an interesting game.
8.f3 Bh5 9.Qd2 Bg6
9...Nc6 Development seems more important here. 10.0–0–0 Re8 11.Kb1 and
it's a game.
10.0–0–0 Nbd7 11.g4

[FEN "r2q1rk1/pppn1ppp/5nb1/3p4/1b1P1BP1/
2NB1P2/PPPQN2P/2KR3R b - - 0 11"]
This is White's ideal strategy: attack the king! White is better already.
11...c6
If 11...Nb6 12.h4 Qe7 13.h5 Bxd3 14.Qxd3 Nc4 15.g5, White's attack is
coming awfully fast.
12.h4 Bxd3 13.Qxd3 b5 14.h5 Nb6 15.Kb1
15.g5 I guess White doesn't have to play this right away but it seems most
direct. 15...Ne8 16.g6 h6 17.gxf7+ Oh this looks so good to me. 17...Rxf7 18.
Rdg1 Kh8 19.Be5 White is winning.
15...Nc4 16.Ng3
I like that White wants to involve both pieces and pawns in the attack, but this
is so slow. Like I say to my students, forcing moves! (16.g5!)
16...Bd6
Now Black gets to exchange a piece off, detracting from White's attack.
17.Bxd6 Qxd6 18.Rdg1 Rae8 19.Nf5 Qb4 20.Nd1
The one slip of the initiative let Black back in the game.
20...Qd2
20...g6!? This is such a computer move. 21.hxg6 fxg6 22.Nh6+ Kg7 unclear.
21.g5 Nd7 22.b3 Na3+ 23.Kb2 Qxd3 24.cxd3
What is kind of cool is that even with queens off the board, White has a nice
attack.
24...b4 25.Re1
Now the knight is going to get to the square e7 where is has more vantage to
attack the black king.
25...a5 26.Ne7+ Kh8 27.Rh2
27.f4!? Nb8 28.f5 Nb5 29.Rh4; 27.Nxc6? Rc8 28.Ne7 Rc2+ 29.Ka1 Rc1+ 30.
Kb2 Rb1#.
27...Nb8
27...Nb5 is begging to be played.
28.Rhe2 Rd8 29.Ne3 Nb5 30.N3f5

[FEN "1n1r1r1k/4Nppp/2p5/pn1p1NPP/
1p1P4/1P1P1P2/PK2R3/4R3 b - - 0 30"]
30...Rd7?
The position is difficult whatever Black does but this loses pretty quickly.
30...g6 31.hxg6 fxg6 32.Nxg6+ hxg6 33.Rh2+ Kg8 34.Nh6+ Kh8 35.Re7;
30...Nd6 This is probably best. 31.Nxd6 Rxd6 32.Nf5 Rdd8 33.Re7 White of
course has a large advantage.
31.g6! fxg6 32.hxg6 h6 33.Rh2 Re8 34.Nxh6 gxh6 35.Rxh6+ Kg7 36.Rh7+
Kf6 1–0
Black resigned here. It is mate in three: 37.Rf7+ Kg5 38. Rg1+ Kh4 39. Rh7#.
Rodriguez Perez, Angel Mariano (2053) – Iagar, Razvan Gabriel (2141)

Galapagar Open 2009
French Exchange [C01]
It's no accident that these players are about 400 points lower than the players
in the previous game. I thought it would be helpful to show a game between
strong players and between two players closer to our playing levels.
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.Bf4 Nf6 5.Nc3 c6
A third possible response after 4...Nf6.
6.Qd2 Bf5 7.0–0–0
White right away follows the set-up.
7...Bd6 8.Re1+ Be6 9.Nge2 0–0 10.f3 Re8 11.g4 Bf8 12.Ng3
12.h4 was also a possibility.
12...b5 13.h4 Qa5 14.g5 b4
[FEN "rn2rbk1/p4ppp/2p1bn2/q2p2P1/1p1P1B1P/
2N2PN1/PPPQ4/2K1RB1R w - - 0 15"]
15.gxf6
This is gutsy.
15.Nb1 is better. 15...Nfd7 16.h5 Qxa2 17.g6 Nf6 18.gxh7+ Nxh7 19.Bd3.
15...bxc3 16.bxc3 Qxa2 17.Qg2 Qa1+?
17...g6 White is okay, but the king is just so exposed. 18.Kd2 (18.h5 Qa1+ 19.
Kd2 Qxe1+ 20.Kxe1 Bh3+ 21.Qe2 Rxe2+ 22.Bxe2 Be6) 18...Nd7 19.Bd3
Qa5 It's a complicated game.
18.Kd2 Qxe1+ 19.Kxe1 Bh3+ 20.Qe2 Rxe2+ 21.Bxe2 Be6 22.fxg7
Black's whole sequence is suspect because he is hardly developed on the

queenside.
22...Be7
22...Kxg7 23.Nh5+ Kg6 24.Rg1+ Kxh5 25.Rg5+ Kxh4 26.Rg8 Nd7 27.Bg3+
Kh5 28.f4+ Kh6 29.Bh4 Bg7 30.Rxa8; 22...Bxg7 23.Rg1 Kf8 24.Nh5.
23.h5?! (23.Bh6) 23...a5?
23...Kxg7 Now there is no knight check on h5.
24.h6 a4 25.Bd3 Nd7 26.Kd2 a3 27.Ra1 c5 28.Nf5 Bf6 29.dxc5 Nxc5 30.
Nd4 a2 31.Nc6 Nd7 32.Nb4 Ra3 33.Nxa2
This works. 33.Kc1 is a little better. 33...Bxc3 34.Nc6
[FEN "6k1/3n1pPp/2N1b2P/3p4/5B2/
r1bB1P2/p1P5/R1K5 b - - 0 34"]
34...Bf6 35.Bd6 Ra8 36.f4.
33...Bxc3+ 34.Nxc3 Rxa1 35.Nb5
[FEN "6k1/3n1pPp/4b2P/1N1p4/
5B2/3B1P2/2PK4/r7 b - - 0 35"]
White gave up the exchange, but the g7- and h6-pawns are very strong.
35...Ra4 36.Be3 Ne5 37.Nd4 Ra8 38.Bb5 Nc4+ 39.Bxc4 dxc4 40.Nc6 Re8
41.Bc5 f5 42.Bf8 1–0
White won eventually, although it looks like a tough battle still.

42.Ne7+ Kf7 43.g8Q+ Rxg8 44.Nxg8 Kxg8=.
Lessons Learned
● Learn the basic ideas: Qd2 and castle queenside with usually a Bd3,
Nge2, f3, and g4. If Black changes things up and attacks the center
with ...c5, this plan may have to be eschewed in favor of playing in the
center.
● Besides the exchange of the dark-squared bishops, not many other
exchanges are forced here. Unless you want a draw (a dangerous
attitude to have!), try for attacking chess, which is probably not what
your opponent is expecting from this line.
● The main lesson to take away is that you should play this opening out
against friends and decide what move order/plan you prefer, since there
is so little theory.
Practitioners
These are a little hard to come by since many people use it on occasion for a
draw. Even Anatoly Karpov played this once, back in 1970.
● Éric Prié. The French grandmaster has played this opening a few times.
He was French champion in 1995 and is a multiple winner of the Paris
championship.
● Heikki Westerinen. He is a Finnish grandmaster, four-time Finnish
champion, and played this opening quite a bit in the 1990s. He is best
known for an original and combinative style of play.
Further Reading
There is not much out there, which shows that most opponents don't take this
seriously.
● Play the French by John Watson. Watson is the expert so I would pay
attention to what he is recommending.


The Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attack [C89] Purchases from our
This column's topic is the Marshall Attack. How could I resist?
accessible:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
This is the Spanish or Ruy Lopez. It is one of the oldest chess openings,
dating around 600 years old. 3.Bb5 makes a lot of sense. This move attacks
the knight guarding the e5-pawn.
3...a6
The
This is the most common way to proceed. The threat to win the e-pawn is
Openings more important than actually capturing the pawn, which does not work right
away. With ...a6 Black maintains flexibility. The bishop is forced to decide on
Explained a plan of action, and if it retains the pull on the knight with 4.Ba4, then Black Understanding the
has the option of ...b5 at some point. Marshall Attack
by David Vigorito
Abby Marshall 4.Ba4
[Find us on Facebook.] 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.Nxe5 Qd4 and Black wins back the pawn.
Translate this page 4...Nf6
Black develops and attacks the e-pawn.
5.0–0
Like Black, White is also not concerned with directly defending the e-pawn.
Black could capture the pawn, but it gets complicated since White has more
development and the e-file would become open. Fighting the Ruy Lopez
by Milos Pavlovic
5...Be7
Black develops the bishop and prepares to castle.
6.Re1
White defends the e-pawn now. Black was probably threatening to take the e-
pawn since Black is better developed than on the previous move.
Play through and download 6...b5

the games from
ChessCafe.com in the Black in turn defends the black e-pawn indirectly and gains space on the
Attacking the Spanish
ChessBase Game Viewer. queenside.
by Sabino Brunello
7.Bb3
White sensibly retreats.
7...0–0
Black develops and prepares to unleash the Marshall Attack. 7...d6 8.c3 0–0 9.
h3 would be the start of the main position in the Ruy Lopez. Black has several
choices and play is usually more positional than in the Marshall Attack.
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/2ppbppp/p1n2n2/1p2p3/4P3/
1B3N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQR1K1 w - - 0 8"]
8.c3
This leads us to the Marshall Attack or Marshall Gambit. However, there are
also alternatives, called Anti-Marshall Variations. I have to include them,
because they are important and a strong reason that many players avoid the
Marshall since there are several sidelines. Let's take a quick look.
A) 8.a4 is the main Anti-Marshall system. It jostles the queenside up,

restraining Black's idea of ...d5 since Black must contend with queenside
concerns. 8...b4 GM Alexander Grischuk has been a big proponent of this
move. He recently played in the Candidates Matches for the World
Championship so it seemed good to recommend his system against 8.a4. 8...
b4 keeps the position closed on the queenside and impairs development of
Nb1–c3. Worth noting is that I have not seen a top game where Black ever
played ...a5 after ...b4. Probably it is considered a waste of time and not a big
deal if White gets in a5.
A1) 9.c3 White immediately challenges Black's advance. With 9...Rb8 Black
moves on the open b-file and does not capture on c3 right away, which would
dissolve the pressure on White's queenside and allow bxc3-d4. 10.d4 d6 11.h3
h6 12.Nbd2 Re8 13.a5 bxc3 Black resolves things on the queenside to make a
break in the center. 14.bxc3 exd4 15.cxd4 d5 16.e5 Nh7. This looks okay for
Black. Black is not looking at breaking on the kingside, because White's d4-
and e5-pawns point there, so ...f6 is not good, but the open queenside files and
the possible weak pawn on a5 make for an interesting game.
A2) 9.d4 White challenges the center immediately. 9...Nxd4 Black

immediately simplifies in the center rather than holding back with 9...d6. 10.
Nxd4 exd4 11.e5 Ne8 12.Qxd4 Bb7 Black is sitting on the back rows for a
moment but will be able to get out in a few moves. 13.Bf4 c5 14.Qe3 d5.
Black equalizes with this simplifying thrust. 15.exd6 Bxd6 16.Nd2 Qc7 17.
Be5 Bxe5 18.Qxe5 Qc6 19.f3 Nd6 20.Nc4 Nxc4 21.Bxc4 Rae8 22.Qf4 a5 23.
Bb5 Rxe1+ 24.Rxe1 Qd5 25.h3 Bc8 26.Bc4 Qf5 27.Qc7 Be6 28.Bxe6 fxe6 29.
Re4 Qd5 30.Kh2 h6 31.c4 bxc3 32.bxc3 Qd2 33.Qxc5 Rxf3 34.Qc8+ Kh7 35.
Qxe6 Rf2 36.Rg4 Qxc3 37.Qe4+ ½–½, Grischuk,A-Beliavsky, Tripoli 2004.
A3) 9.d3 This is another reasonable, natural looking decision. 9...d6 Black
follows suit and develops simply. 10.a5 Be6 11.Nbd2 Qc8 This move is
interesting. The queen can either go to the queenside or stay in the middle,
and the black rook may come to d8. 12.Bc4 (12.Nc4 has been getting a bad
rap recently. 12...Rb8 13.h3 h6 14.Be3 Nh7
[FEN "1rq2rk1/2p1bppn/p1npb2p/P3p3/1pN1P3/
1B1PBN1P/1PP2PP1/R2QR1K1 w - - 0 15"]
15.d4 (the usual response to opponent's play on the wing) 15...exd4 16.Nxd4
Nxd4 17.Bxd4 Rb5 18.f4 Bf6 19.f5 Bxc4 20.Bxc4 Bxd4+ 21.Qxd4 Re5 22.
Qd3 Nf6 23.Bxa6 Qa8 Black won later playing a great game. 0–1, Hou Yifan-
Harikrishna,V, Gyorgy Marx Mem 2007) 12...Re8 13.b3 Bf8 14.Bb2 h6 15.h3
Rb8 16.Nf1 g6 17.Ne3 Bg7 Black is very solid and White always has the a-
pawn to worry about in an endgame.
A4) 9.a5 d5 This is Marshall-esque with the moves a4-5 and Black's b5-4
inserted. 10.exd5 e4 This is an interesting twist here. This was played in a
game between Ruslan Ponomariov and Levon Aronian. Aronian is such a
talented guy, who, although he was knocked out of the Candidates Matches,
has been having tremendous results. 11.dxc6 exf3 12.d3 (12.Qxf3 Bg4 13.
Qg3 Bd6 14.Qh4 Re8 and White is having problems with development.) 12...
fxg2 13.Qf3 Rb8 14.Bc4 Ne8 15.Bf4 Bf6 16.Nd2 Bxb2 17.Rab1 Bc3 I like
how unbalanced the position has become. 18.Bg5 Bf6 19.Rxe8 Rxe8 20.Ne4
Rxe4 21.Bxf6 Qxf6 22.Qxf6 gxf6 23.dxe4 Kf8 24.Kxg2 Ke7 25.Rd1 ½–½,
Ponomariov,R-Aronian, Moscow 2006.
B) 8.h3 This move takes the bite out of the Marshall Attack. If Black goes
ahead with ...d5, since now a future ...Qh4 would not threaten checkmate, as
we will see in the actual Marshall Attack. 8...Bb7 9.d3 d6 10.a3 Na5 11.Ba2
c5 12.Nbd2 Nc6 There are a few systems where Black does this maneuver:
Na5, c5, Nc6. 13.Nf1 Bc8 14.c3 Be6 Black is solid and may even be a little
better because of more space. 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.b4 Qd7 17.Qb3 Rfb8 18.Ng3
a5 19.bxc5 dxc5 20.a4 b4 21.Be3 Ne8 22.Red1 Nc7 23.Qc4 Na6 24.d4 cxd4
25.cxd4 exd4 26.Nxd4 Nxd4 27.Bxd4 Rc8 28.Qb3 Bf8 29.f4 Bc5 30.Nf5 Qf7
31.Ng3 Bxd4+ 32.Rxd4 Rc3 33.Qd1 Rxg3 34.Rc1 Rc3 0–1, Shomoev,A-
Smikovski, Novokuznetsk 2008.
C) 8.a3 White waits and provides a square for retreat for the b3-bishop. 8...
Bb7 9.d3 Re8 10.c3 h6 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.Nf1 d5 13.exd5 Nxd5 Black is fine
after this freeing break.
8...Bc5 is another choice that leads to a sharp game. 9.c3 d6 10.d4 What
makes 8...Bc5 a little edgy is that 10.d4 comes with tempo. Black does have
pressure on the center now however. 10...Bb6 11.h3 Re8 12.Bg5 h6 13.Bh4
exd4 14.cxd4 g5 15.Bg3 g4 16.hxg4 Bxg4 17.Bh4 Nxd4 18.Nc3 Bxf3 This
was a tense game between Carlsen-Aronian Morelia/Linares 2008. Aronian
lost but he had improvements that would have at least equalized (18...c6 keeps
the knight out of d5 and is less crazy than what Aronian played.)
D) 8.d4 This is one of the sharpest Anti-Marshall systems. 8...Nxd4 I like this
active move the best. 9.Nxd4 exd4 10.e5 Ne8 11.c3 (11.Qxd4 d6 This move is
very logical, attacking the pawn that is crowding Black. 12.c3 Bb7 13.Nd2 c5
14.Qe3 dxe5 15.Qxe5 Bd6) 11...dxc3 12.Nxc3 d6 13.Qf3 Be6 14.Nd5 Rc8 15.
Bf4 dxe5 16.Nxe7+ (16.Bxe5 Bd6) 16...Qxe7 17.Bxe5 Nd6 White has
definite compensation for the pawn but Black is fine. Let's see how a top level
game ended. 18.Qc3 Qg5 19.Bxe6 fxe6 20.b3 Qg6 21.Qc6 Nf7 22.Bg3 e5 23.
Rac1 Qf6 24.h3 Rfd8 25.Rc2 h5 26.Qxf6 gxf6 27.Rc6 Kg7 28.f4 Rd3 29.Kh2
Rd6 30.Rc5 Re6 31.a4 bxa4 32.bxa4 Kg6 33.fxe5 Nxe5 34.Bxe5 fxe5 35.Kg3
Kf6 36.Kf3 c6 37.Rec1 Rd6 38.R1c4 Kf5 39.g4+ hxg4+ 40.hxg4+ Kf6 41.
Ke4 Rg8 42.Ke3 Ke6 43.Rxc6 Rxc6 44.Rxc6+ Kd5 45.Rxa6 Rxg4 ½–½,
Leko,P-Aronian, ARM 2009.
9.Bxf7+ is another option that Black needs to be aware of. 9...Rxf7 10.Nxe5
Rf8. Black has no choice since moving the knight on d4 does not work. (10...
Nc6 11.Nxf7 Kxf7 12.e5 Ne8 13.Qd5+ Kf8 14.Re3; 10...Ne6 11.Nxf7 Kxf7
12.e5 Ne8 13.Qf3+)
[FEN "r1bqn3/2ppbkpp/p3n3/1p2P3/8/
5Q2/PPP2PPP/RNB1R1K1 b - - 0 13"]
11.Qxd4 c5 12.Qd1 Bb7 13.Nc3 Qe8!? 14.h3 d5 15.exd5 Rd8. I like opening
the position and having the bishop-pair.
E) 8.Bd5 This is an odd choice though it tops the list of alternatives to the
main Anti-Marshall systems. 8...Nxd5 9.exd5 Nb4 10.Nc3 Bb7 11.Nxe5 d6
12.Ng4 f5 The founder of this opening plays aggressively. 13.Ne3 f4 14.a3
fxe3 15.dxe3 Bh4 I won't say that Frank Marshall did not have games where
he crashed and burned, but he also had many nice attacking games. 16.Rf1
Bxf2+!? 17.Rxf2 Rxf2 18.Kxf2 Qf6+ Keep in mind that the knight on b4 has
no escape. Marshall's attack is not so easy. 19.Ke2 Qg6 20.axb4 Qxg2+ 21.
Kd3 Bxd5 22.b3 Bf3 23.Qe1 c5 24.Bb2? Rc8 (24...c4+! 25.bxc4 bxc4+ 26.
Kxc4 Qxc2 The bishop on b2 is now under attack.) 25.e4? cxb4 26.Qg3 Rxc3
+ 27.Bxc3 Qe2+ 0–1, Black,R-Marshall,F, New York 1918.
F) 8.Nc3 This move looks like it can't really be bad, but it is hardly ever
played because it doesn't address White's usual ideas of playing c3-d4, Nbd2-
f1 and so on. 8...d6 9.d3 Bg4 10.h3 Bh5 11.Be3 Na5 Black is easily equal.
8...d5!?
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/2p1bppp/p1n2n2/1p1pp3/4P3/
1BP2N2/PP1P1PPP/RNBQR1K1 w - - 0 9"]
The start of the Marshall Attack, named after Frank Marshall.
9.exd5
A) 9.d4 is White's last chance to avoid entering the Marshall Attack. 9...exd4
This is the best way to resolve the center tension. 10.e5 Ne4 (11.Nxd4 Nxe5
12.Bf4 [12.f3 does not win a piece because Black can play 12...c5 and
threaten 13...c4. 12...c5 13.fxe4 cxd4 14.cxd4 Bg4 15.Qd2 Nc4 Black is much
more active and developed.] 12...Bf6 13.f3 [13.Bxe5 White quickly went
down after this move in a game between two 2600+ players. 13...Bxe5 14.Nf3
Bg4 15.Qxd5 Bxf3 16.Qxe5 Qh4 17.Rxe4 Qxe4 18.Qxe4 Bxe4 19.Nd2 Bb7
0–1, Belov,V-Akopian,V, Moscow RUS 2007] 13...c5 14.fxe4 cxd4 15.Bxd5
Bg4 16.Qd2 dxc3 17.Nxc3 Rc8
[FEN "2rq1rk1/5ppp/p4b2/1p1Bn3/4PBb1/
2N5/PP1Q2PP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 18"]
Black has an outpost on e5 and the open c-file.) 11.cxd4 Bf5 12.Nc3 Nxc3 13.
bxc3 Qd7 Black is going to play on the queenside. 14.Bc2 h6 15.Be3 Na5 16.
Nd2 White wants to cover the c4-square. 16...Rab8 17.Bxf5 Qxf5 18.Nf1 Nc4
19.Bc1 c5 Black is starting to walk all over White, and not playing
particularly revolutionary moves. 20.Ne3 Nxe3 21.Bxe3 c4 Black is better. It
is instructional to see how Jakovenko finishes White. 22.g4 Qd7 23.f4 f5 24.
exf6 Bxf6 25.a3 Bh4 26.Rf1 Rbe8 27.Qf3 Re4 28.f5 Rfe8 29.Bf4 Bf6 30.Ra2
Qe7 31.Kg2 Kh7 32.h3 a5 33.Rb2 Qxa3 34.Rxb5 Re2+ 35.Kh1 Rc2 36.g5
Rxc3 37.Qg4 Bxg5 38.f6 Bxf6 39.Rxd5 Rxh3+ 40.Kg2 Rh4 41.Qf5+ Kh8 42.
Be5 Bxe5 43.Rxe5 Rb8 44.Rfe1 Rf8 0–1, Nijboer,F-Jakovenko, Sabadell
2008.
B) 9.d3 This is not a serious choice. 9...dxe4 10.dxe4 Qxd1 11.Bxd1 Bb7
White has five pieces on the back row so Black is better.
9...Nxd5
Black recaptures and gets a knight in the center.
10.Nxe5
Black would have a great game were it not for the hanging e5-pawn. Even so,
by taking the pawn, White is not developing any pieces and leaves the rook on
e5 open to attack.
10...Nxe5
Black takes the knight as not to lose any time.
11.Rxe5
White now has a rook in the center, which is not where rooks usually belong.
11...c6
Black keeps the knight in the center and prepares to play ...Bd6. 11...Nf6 was
Marshall's original idea but it is not as good as 11...c6 and he soon switched.
12.d4 Bd6 13.Re1 Ng4 14.h3 Qh4. The attack looks fairly strong but it does
not seem to work. 15.Qf3 Nxf2 16.Bd2 (16.Qxf2 is also pretty good. 16...
Bg3? 17.Qxf7+) 16...Bb7 17.Qxb7 Nd3 18.Re2 Qg3 19.Kf1 Nf4 20.Rf2 Qh2
21.Bxf4 Bxf4 22.g3+- .
12.d4
White has to get out some pieces.
A) 12.d3 is also a choice. 12...Bd6 13.Re1 Bf5 Black focuses on the pawn on
d3 as a target.
[FEN "r2q1rk1/5ppp/p1pb4/1p1n1b2/8/
1BPP4/PP3PPP/RNBQR1K1 w - - 0 14"]
A1) 14.Nd2 Nf4 (14...Bxd3 Black could recapture the pawn and make the
material even, but it might be better to keep up the pressure. 15.Nf3 Bg6) 15.
Ne4 Nxd3 16.Nxd6 Qxd6 17.Be3? This lets Black basically take over. 17...
Qg6 Now material is even and Black is just much better. 18.Rf1 Nxb2 19.Qd2
Nd3 20.f4 c5 Black is dominating.
A2) 14.Qf3 Qh4 15.g3 Qh3 16.Bxd5 (16.Nd2 Development is too slow in this
situation. 16...Rae8 17.Ne4 Bg4 18.Qg2 Qxg2+ 19.Kxg2 f5 This does not
actually win a piece because the knight on d5 is pinned after White recaptures
dxe4. However White has weakened his king position and kingside pawns
very much. 20.h3 Bh5 21.Bf4 Now the rook on e1 is protected and the pin on
the e4-knight is broken. 21...Bxf4 22.gxf4 Bf7 23.Nc5 Nxf4+ 24.Kg3 g5) 16...
cxd5 This is similar to the position in the main line except for the pawn on d3
and bishop on f5, targeting the pawn.
A2a) 17.Bf4 This is a developing move but it gives the pawn back. 17...Bxf4
18.Qxf4 Bxd3 19.Nd2 Rfe8 with equality.
A2b) 17.a4 This was a novelty by Hikaru Nakamura. 17...b4 18.Qxd5 Rad8
This transposes to the main line with the moves a4, ...b4 thrown in.
ChessPublishing says this doesn't make a difference for the main line.
A2c) 17.Be3 This developing move makes more sense than 17.Bf4. 17...Bxd3
18.Qxd5 So White did not actually give back the pawn. However Black is
more active and White still has not developed on the queenside. 18...Rad8 19.
Qg2 (19.Qf3 Rfe8 20.Nd2 Qf5 Black no longer holds out for an attack but
goes to an endgame where the bishop-pair are enough to offset the pawn
deficit. 21.Qxf5 Bxf5 22.Bd4 f6 23.f3 b4 24.Ne4 Bc7 25.Kf2 bxc3 26.bxc3
Rb8 27.Re2 Kf7 28.Rd1 h5 29.Bc5 Kg6 30.Bd4 Magnus Carlsen as White
decided not to press for a win. ½–½, Carlsen,M-Anand, Leon 2005) 19...Qf5
20.Nd2 Rfe8 21.Nf3 Be4 22.Nd4 Qd7 23.f3 Bd5 I feel okay with the bishop-
pair and the possibility of ...b4.
A2d) 17.Qxd5 Rad8 White has won another pawn at the cost of leaving the
queenside undeveloped. We will look at this position in the first illustrated
game.
B) 12.Re1 This transposes after 12...Bd6 13.g3 Qd7 14.d4 Qh3.
C) 12.Bxd5 This is the main alternative to the alternatives to the main line.
White seeks to trade material immediately since White is a pawn up. Black
gets the bishop-pair. 12...cxd5 13.d4 Bd6 14.Re3 (14...f5 15.Qf3 Bb8 16.Nd2
g5 Ivanov tried this violent approach and it worked out alright. 17.Qh5 g4 18.
Nb3 f4 19.Re2 Bf5 20.Bd2 Bd6 21.f3 gxf3 22.gxf3 Qf6 23.Rae1 Ra7 24.Kh1
Rg7 25.Nc5 Qf7 (25...Rg6 26.Nxa6 Kh8 If I was White, I would be scared of
this attack. As well, Black can play ...Ra8-xa2 and get in on the queenside.)
26.Qxf7+ Kxf7 27.Ne6 Bxe6 28.Rxe6 Rg6 29.R6e2 Rfg8 30.Rf1 a5 31.a3 a4
32.Be1 Re8 33.Rxe8 Kxe8 34.Bd2 h5 35.Rg1 Rxg1+ 36.Kxg1 Ke7 37.Be1
Ke6 38.Bh4 Bc7 39.Kf2 Bb6 40.Ke2 Bc7 41.Bg5 Bd6 42.Kd3 Bc7 43.Kc2
Bd6 44.Bd8 Kd7 45.Bg5 Ke6 46.Kb1 Bc7 47.b3 Kf7 48.Ka2 Ke6 49.Kb2 Kf7
50.bxa4 bxa4 51.c4 dxc4 52.Kc3 Bd6 53.Kxc4 Ke6 54.d5+ Kf5 55.Bd8 Bxa3
½–½, De Firmian,N-Ivanov, Seattle 2002) 14...Qh4 15.h3 Bf5 Black seems
about equal here too. The bishop-pair count for a lot.
D) 12.g3 This preemptive move is also a choice. It was played by none other
than Fischer. 12...Nf6 13.d4 Bd6 14.Re1 Bg4 15.Qd3 c5 16.dxc5 Bxc5 17.
Qxd8 Raxd8 18.Bf4 h6 19.Na3 g5 20.Be3 Bxe3 21.Rxe3 Rd2= 22.Nc2 Re8
23.Rxe8+ Nxe8 24.Ne3 Bf3 25.Bc2 Nd6 26.b3 Kf8 27.a4 Ne4 28.Bxe4 Bxe4
29.axb5 axb5 30.b4 Rb2 31.g4 Kg7 32.Kf1 Kf6 33.Ra5 Rb1+ 34.Ke2 Rb2+
35.Kf1 ½–½, Fischer,R-Spassky, Santa Monica 1966.
12...Bd6
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/5ppp/p1pb4/1p1nR3/3P4/
1BP5/PP3PPP/RNBQ2K1 w - - 0 13"]
Black naturally takes aim against the white king. This is after all an attack.
13.Re1
A) 13.Re2 This is awkward. 13...Qh4 14.g3 Qh3 The problem for White now
is that the queen is blocked from getting out, for instance to f3. 15.Nd2 Bf5 16.
a4 Bd3 17.Re1 Rae8 18.Nf3 Rxe1+ 19.Qxe1 b4 20.c4 Nf6 21.c5 Bb8 22.Qd1
Be4 23.Qe2 h6 24.Bd1 Re8 Black is already a little better. 25.Qf1 Qf5 26.Nh4
Qd7 27.Be3 Nd5 28.Bb3 g5! 29.Ng2 Bxg2 30.Qxg2 Nxe3 31.fxe3 Rxe3 32.
Qc2 Kg7 33.Rf1 f6 34.Qc4 Qe8 35.Qxb4 Bxg3 36.hxg3 Rxg3+ 37.Kh2 Rg4
38.Bd1 Qh5# 0–1, Kotronias,V-Vouldis,A, Greece 2002.
B) 13.Re4 This does not make sense here. 13...Bf5 14.Re1 Qh4 This is the
same as the main line except Black has an extra ...Bf5 in.
13...Qh4
The queen enters the attack and targets h2.
14.g3
This is the only move to defend. 14.h3 is too much of a target. 14...Bxh3 15.
gxh3 Qxh3 16.Nd2 (16.Re5 Bxe5 17.dxe5 Rad8 Black is better because of
White's exposed king.) 16...Bh2+ 17.Kh1 Bg3+ 18.Kg1 Qh2+ 19.Kf1 Qxf2#.
14...Qh3
Black gets closer to the white king and takes over the weakened light squares.
It is nice that White's light-squared bishop is over on the queenside.
15.Be3
This is White's chance to breathe a little before Black starts throwing pieces at
the king, so this decision point is very important.
A) 15.Re4 is a main move as well. 15...g5! A move that has to be memorized.

It prevents Rh4 and provides ammo for a possible ...f5-f4. (15...Bf5 16.Rh4)
[FEN "r1b2rk1/5p1p/p1pb4/1p1n2p1/3PR3/
1BP3Pq/PP3P1P/RNBQ2K1 w - g6 0 16"]
A1) 16.Qe2 f5 17.Bxd5+ cxd5 18.Re6 f4! This was Anand's big novelty. It's
tough to see because it apparently gives up a bishop for nothing and allows
the trade of queens. The threats around the white king prove to be formidable
enough. 19.Rxd6 Otherwise Black gets the diagonal open for the c8-bishop
for nothing. 19...Bg4 20.Qf1 Qxf1+ 21.Kxf1 Rae8 Mate in two is threatened.
22.Bd2 Bh3+ 23.Kg1 fxg3 At this point Black can only get a draw, but a
thrilling game nonetheless. Very imaginative play. 24.hxg3 Re2 25.Be3 (25.
f4? This loses. 25...Rfe8 26.Rh6 g4 27.Rxa6 Rg2+ 28.Kh1 Ree2 White can
delay mate by seven moves.) 25...Rxe3 26.fxe3 Rf1+ 27.Kh2 g4 28.Rxd5 ½–
½, Ponomariov,R-Anand, Linares 2002.
A2) 16.Bxg5? Qf5 The double attack is winning.
A3) 16.Qf1 White quickly tries to trade down. 16...Qxf1+ 17.Kxf1 Bf5 18.
Nd2 White can actually do this because if Black takes the exchange, White
first gets the g-pawn, makes Black have weak pawns, and completes
development easily. 18...h6 19.Re1 Rae8 20.Nf3 g4 21.Ng1 Development is a
little awkward for White. 21...Bd3+ 22.Ne2 Re6 23.Bxd5 cxd5 24.Be3 Rfe8
25.Red1 Be4 26.Nc1 h5 27.Nd3 Bf3 28.Re1 h4 29.Bf4 Be4 30.Ne5 Bf5 (30...
f6!? 31.Nxg4 Bxf4 32.Rxe4 Otherwise Black will play ...Bd3+ 32...dxe4 33.
gxf4 Maybe Black felt that the knight and two pawns are stronger than the
rook.) 31.f3 ½–½, Motylev,A-Onischuk, Biel 2007.
B) 15.Qf3 White tries to run over the kingside and defend. 15...Bg4 16.Qg2
Qh5 17.Be3 Bh3 18.Bd1 Qxd1 19.Rxd1 Bxg2 20.Kxg2 f5 I like the black
knight. 21.c4 bxc4 22.Nd2 c3 23.bxc3 f4 24.gxf4 Rae8 Nice and active. 25.
Nc4 Bxf4 26.Rd3 Rf5.
[FEN "4r1k1/6pp/p1p5/3n1r2/2NP1b2/
2PRB3/P4PKP/R7 w - - 0 27"]
Black has ideas on the kingside.
C) 15.Qe2 Unlike 15.Qf3, there is no threat of winning a pawn on d5. 15...

Bd7 Black has an interesting idea of bringing the queen to f5. 16.Qf1 Qf5 17.
Be3 h5; we have seen the f-pawn and g-pawn get pushed, but this is the first
time the h-pawn is part of the action. 18.Nd2 h4 19.Qg2 Rae8 20.Rac1 Qh5
21.Ne4 Bb8 22.Bd2 Bg4 23.Ng5 h3 24.Qf1 Rxe1 25.Rxe1 f6 26.Ne6 Re8 27.
Nc5 Re2 28.Bc1 Bxg3! 29.fxg3 Rg2+ 30.Qxg2 hxg2 Black ground out the
win. 0–1, Banikas,H-Melkumyan,H, Kavala 2009.
D) 15.Nd2 A normal move like this is not so good. 15...Bg4 16.Nf3 Qh5 17.
Kg2 Rae8 It's easy for White to drift and let Black take over.
15...Bg4
Black develops with tempo.
16.Qd3
White prepares a possible Qf1 defense and gets the queen off the back row.
16...Rae8!
Black brings another piece into the game and prepares a rook lift.
17.Nd2
White also develops. We are nearing the critical stage.
17...Re6
[FEN "5rk1/5ppp/p1pbr3/1p1n4/3P2b1/
1BPQB1Pq/PP1N1P1P/R3R1K1 w - - 0 18"]
The rook can either swing over to the kingside or double up with ...Rfe8.
18.a4
White touches Black's queenside and opens the a-file for the rook. Keep in
mind that White is up a pawn and will be playing conservatively. The
pressure is on Black is prove something of value for the pawn. Otherwise,
White will cruise into an endgame a pawn up.
A) 18.c4 is tactically wrong. 18...Bf4! A great interference move. 19.cxd5 (19.

gxf4 Rh6) 19...Rh6 20.Qe4 Qxh2+ 21.Kf1 Bxe3 22.Rxe3 Rf6 White is
finished.
B) 18.Bxd5 White gets rid of the black knight while giving Black the bishop-
pair. As we will see, White will dearly miss the light-squared bishop. 18...
cxd5 19.Qf1 Qh5 20.Qg2 Rfe8 21.a4 b4 22.Rec1 Bh3 23.Qf3 Bg4 24.Qg2
Rf6 25.Re1 Bh3 26.Qh1 Qf5 27.f4 Qd3 28.Qf3 Rfe6 29.Nf1 Bxf1 30.Qxf1
Qxf1+ 0–1, Naranjo Moreno,A-Fernandez Siles,L, Ronda 2007/EXT 2008
(30).
C) 18.Qf1 White challenges the nest the black queen has made on h3. 18...
Qh5 19.a4 (19.f3 Nxe3 20.Qf2 Nd5 21.fxg4 Qxg4 Black has regained the
pawn with a good position.) 19...Rfe8 20.axb5 axb5 transposes to the main
line.
18...Qh5
Black seeks to do some reshuffling. The bishop may come to h3, the queen to
f5, maybe Rf6 putting pressure on f2. 18...Bf4 does not work here. In the
other line with 18.c4, the c-pawn blocked the light-squared bishop from
taking on d5. 19.Bxd5 Rh6 20.Bg2 Qxh2+ 21.Kf1 Bh3 22.Bxh3 Qxh3+ 23.
Ke2 White is up a piece.
19.axb5
White opens the a-file.
19...axb5
After nineteen moves we have reached the main battleground position of the
Marshall Gambit.
20.Qf1
White guards the king.
A) 20.Nf1 This move, defending e3 and h2, will be covered in the second
illustrative game.
B) 20.c4 White tries to mix things up on the queenside even more. The danger
is that it distracts the white pieces from the queenside. 20...bxc4 21.Nxc4 Bb4
22.Rec1 Be2 The kingside looks suddenly abandoned so White opts for a
trade of queens although giving the pawn back to Black. 23.Bd1 Qxh2+ 24.
Kxh2 Bxd3 25.Ne5 Bb5 26.Bb3 Rd8 27.Ra7 f6?! This allows a tactical
sequence. 28.Nxc6 Bxc6 29.Ra6 Kf8 30.Raxc6 Rxc6 31.Rxc6 Nxe3 32.fxe3
Bd2 33.Bc4 Bxe3 34.d5 Bd2 35.Rb6 Ke7 36.Re6+ Kf8 37.g4 ½–½, Tal,M-
Spassky,B, Candidates, Tbilisi 1965.
C) 20.Ne4
[FEN "5rk1/5ppp/2pbr3/1p1n3q/3PN1b1/
1BPQB1P1/1P3P1P/R3R1K1 b - - 0 20"]
Rather than retreat White moves the knight forward, attacking the d6-bishop
and leaving open the chance of an irritating fork of Ng5 if a bishop goes to h3/
f3. 20...Bc7 21.Bd2 Rfe8 22.Bd1 Bxd1 23.Rexd1 f5 24.Ng5 Re2 25.Qf3 Qg6
This is a complicated position. Unfortunately Black has lost the light-squared
bishop. On the other hand, the rook is on the seventh rank and the knight on
d5 is strong.
20...Bh3
The bishop takes over the light squares on the white kingside.
21.Bd1
White gets the light-squared bishop over to defend the kingside.
21...Qf5
Black continues to guard the h3-bishop and prevents the queen from going to
d3.
22.Qe2
It looks to me like White is under pressure on the e-file.
22...c5!?
This is an unexpected break. The idea seems to be that is White's tied up.
Since the kingside is reasonably guarded at this point, Black targets the
center.
23.Nf3
White is trying to get organized.
A) 23.dxc5 Nxe3 24.fxe3 Bxc5 25.Nf1 Rfe8
[FEN "4r1k1/5ppp/4r3/1pb2q2/8/2P1P1Pb/
1P2Q2P/R2BRNK1 w - - 0 26"]
Black has open lines and plenty of pressure.
B) 23.Qf3 White can try to get out of the pin on the e-file. 23...cxd4 24.Qxf5
Bxf5 25.cxd4 Bb4 26.Bb3 Nxe3 27.fxe3 Bxd2 28.Bxe6 fxe6. Two bishops are
much stronger than the rook.
23...Bf4
Black keeps up the pressure by attacking the pinned piece. I will show the rest
of a game between two elites, Peter Leko and Vladimir Kramnik, Monte
Carlo 2007, but I am stopping detailed analysis here. When researching the
attack I was surprised at how many top level players have assayed it at one
time or another. Look in the databases and you will find Aronian, Shirov,
Jakovenko, Grischuk, Spassky, Bacrot, Kramnik, and other top level players
are on the black side of the Marshall Attack. Even if they are only using it to
draw, having a drawing weapon as Black against top players is not a bad
thing. I included more complete games than I usually do because the variation
itself is long: the main position starts at move nineteen. So if a game goes
thirty-five moves, we are already more than halfway through. More
importantly it is helpful to see how strong players play the position. The
Marshall Attack is tough for both sides because White has to deal with the
attack while Black has to justify being down a pawn. Both sides have chances
for interesting chess and I recommend the Marshall Attack if you are willing
to put in the work to study it.
24.Qd2 Nxe3 25.fxe3 Bh6 26.Qf2 Rfe8 27.Ne5 Qxf2+ 28.Kxf2 f6 29.Bg4
29.Ng4 This is better when Black should move the bishop to g5.
29...Rxe5 30.Bxh3 Bxe3+=/+ 31.Kf3 cxd4 32.Rad1 dxc3 33.bxc3 Bb6 34.
Rxe5 Rxe5 35.Rd5 Re3+ 36.Kg2 Rxc3 37.Rxb5 Rc2+ 38.Kh1 Bc7 39.Be6+
Kf8 40.Bb3 Rc3 41.Kg2 g6 42.Bd1 Ke7 43.Rb2 Rd3 44.Be2 Re3 45.Bf3
Ra3 46.Re2+ Be5 47.g4 Ke6 48.Be4 h5 49.gxh5 gxh5 50.Rf2 Bd4 51.Rf3
Ra2+ 52.Kh3 Bg1 53.Bf5+ Ke5 54.Kh4 Rf2 0–1
Smeets, J (2573) – Bacrot, E (2700)

Corus B Wijk aan Zee NED 2008
Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attack [C89]
This game featured a great tactic. And like the other tactics we have seen, it
did not end just then and there. Black combined the tactic with positional
pressure and squeezed out a win.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.c3
d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d3
This is not the main line, though still a major alternative.
12...Bd6 13.Re1 Bf5 14.Qf3 Qh4 15.g3 Qh3 16.Bxd5 cxd5 17.Qxd5 Rad8
[FEN "3r1rk1/5ppp/p2b4/1p1Q1b2/8/
2PP2Pq/PP3P1P/RNB1R1K1 w - - 0 18"]
So here we are from the theory section. White is up two pawns with no
queenside developed. Black has the bishop-pair and control of the light
squares, and is down two pawns. Black has definite compensation.
18.Qg2
White flies immediately back to defend the kingside and avoids the ...Bxg3
discovered tactic.
18...Qh5
Black can better exert pressure with the queens on the board. 18...Qxg2+ 19.
Kxg2 Bxd3; this is a pretty classic mistake. Black gets distracted by a chance
to win material, forgetting that one, pressure is worth more than a pawn, and
two, Black was down two pawns! So Black still has a material deficit with
greatly decreased pressure.
19.Be3
Here we have development. White does not defend the pawn because of the
same reason Black does not take the pawn: it would take time and lessen the
pressure. White can afford to give one pawn back.
19...Bh3
19...Bxd3 I like Bacrot's move so much better. As I was told by my coach and
as I tell the kids I coach, play forcing moves! 20.Nd2 Bf5 21.Qc6 Bh3 22.a4
(22.Qxa6 Bxg3 23.hxg3 Rxd2)
[FEN "5rk1/5ppp/Q7/1p5q/8/2P1B1Pb/
PP1r1P2/R3R1K1 w - - 0 24"]
22...Bb8 23.axb5 axb5 24.Ra5 Bd7. Now Black is the one who is scuttling
backwards.
20.Qh1
White chooses this ugly square over other choices because of light-square
problems. If 20.Qb7, White has to keep an eye on f3. 20...Be6 21.Nd2 Bd5
This would be scary if I was White without the cold computing power of
Fritz.
20...f5
Another example of piece play working with pawn play to attack.
21.Bb6
White stopped ...f4 from coming with tempo and gained a tempo by attacking
the rook on d8. 21.f4 g5 is violent. The open lines against the king and the
bishop-pair make this a good choice.
21...Rd7
At this point Black may have been preparing the surprise. The rook may also
swing over to f7.
22.Qd5+
This looks good because White gets the queen out of the corner with tempo
and prevents ...f4. However...
22...Kh8
Black moves and avoids pinning himself.
23.Nd2
[FEN "5r1k/3r2pp/pB1b4/1p1Q1p1q/8/
2PP2Pb/PP1N1P1P/R3R1K1 b - - 0 23"]
White has the bases covered. The maneuver ...Bg4-f3 is no longer good. If it
weren't for Bacrot's preparation, the two pawns may have prevailed.
23...Bxg3!
For the exchange Black gets open files and murderous play on the light
squares.
24.Qxd7
White hardly has a choice.
24...Bf4
A double attack: the threat Qg4-g2 checkmate and the attack on the d2-knight.
25.Qb7
White defends on the long diagonal. If 25.Kh1 Bg4! 26.Nf1 Bf3+ 27.Kg1
Bxh2+ 28.Nxh2 Qg5+ 29.Kf1 Qg2#.
25...Bxd2
Black gets a piece and removes a defender.
26.Bd4
White centralizes and starts a counterattack.
26...Rg8
Black needs the other pieces to attack. This is what was amazing to me: Black
has to play moves like this while down material with no direct threats (he is
threatening the rook but that would not even balance material), and he is still
at least equal.
27.Re7
This puts White's position in jeopardy. 27.Qd5 doesn't work well. 27...Bf4
(27...Bxe1 28.Rxe1 Black could win back some material but it distracts focus
from the main goal of attack and decreases pressure.) 28.Be5 White can
barely keep the balance. 28...Bg4 29.Kf1 Bh6 Black has secured his king,
how is White going to strike back now? (29...Bf3? 30.Bxg7+ Rxg7 31.Qd8+
Rg8 32.Qd4+ Rg7 33.Re7 Qg6 34.Rxg7 Qxg7 35.Qd8+ Qg8 36.Qd4+=).
27.Qc6!? I like this move. It keeps the defense and starts creating threats
around the black king. 27...h6 (27...Bg4 28.Bxg7+ Rxg7 29.Re8+; 27...Bf4 28.
Be5 Bg4 29.Bxg7+ Rxg7 30.Re8+ Qxe8 31.Qxe8+ Rg8 32.Qxg8+ Kxg8 33.
a4 A bizarre ending that is unclear, though the two extra White pawns make
me nervous in the endgame.) 28.Re3 Bxe3 29.fxe3 Kh7 This is around equal
and unclear because of the opposite-colored bishops and open lines.
27...Bc1!
The second tactic of the game!
28.Re1
White has to defend the first rank. 28.Bxg7+ Rxg7+ This is check!; 28.Rxc1
Qg5+ 29.Kh1 Qxc1+.
28...Bf4
Now the bishop-pair are going to wreak havoc.
29.Re3
The bishops must be neutralized. If 29.Qc6, White can try to hang on to

material at any cost. 29...Bxh2+ 30.Kh1 Be5 31.Re3 Bxd4 32.cxd4 f4, but
Black is crushing.
29...Bxe3
Black removes a defender with the light-squared bishop still in reserve.
30.Bxe3 Re8
Every piece must enter the attack.
31.Bd4 Qg4+ 32.Kh1 h6
Now the black rook is free to roam around.
33.f4
[FEN "4r2k/1Q4p1/p6p/1p3p2/3B1Pq1/
2PP3b/PP5P/R6K b - - 0 33"]
I believe I have seen this position in a tactics book. If 33.a4 f4.
33...Re7
Classic deflection.
34.Qa8+
White cannot leave the mate threat on g2.
34...Kh7 35.Be5 Qe2 36.Rg1 Bg4 37.Rxg4 fxg4 38.d4
38.Qe4+ Qxe4+ 39.dxe4 g5 Black will break through with a winning

advantage.
38...Qf1# 0–1
This was a nice tactical kill.
Shirov, A (2730) – Aronian, L (2773)

Second Grand Slam Masters, Bilbao 2009
Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attack [C89]
Here is a game in the main line where a 2700+ player quickly went down.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 0–0 8.c3
d5 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 11.Rxe5 c6 12.d4 Bd6 13.Re1 Qh4 14.g3
Qh3 15.Be3 Bg4 16.Qd3 Rae8 17.Nd2 Qh5 18.a4 Re6 19.axb5 axb5 20.Nf1
Besides 20.Qf1, this is another main choice. White protects the squares
around the king. As we will see, White becomes too cramped.
20...Bf5
Black may want this square for the queen later, so Black kicks the white
queen away from defending this square.
21.Qd2
21.Qe2 This would let Black repeat moves, and a draw is not in the white
player's interest. 21...Bg4 22.Qd3 Bf5.
21...Bh3
[FEN "5rk1/5ppp/2pbr3/1p1n3q/3P4/
1BP1B1Pb/1P1Q1P1P/R3RNK1 w - - 0 22"]
Black has taken over the light squares and now the knight on f1 is out of
moves, crowding the white king.
22.Bd1
White has to defend the light squares. 22.Qd1 Bg4 is the same kind of
repetition.
22...Qg6
Black did not play here 22...Qf5 because of 23.Qc2
23.Bf3
White brings the bishop around to guard the light squares.
23...Qf5
Black moves to a more aggressive post now that it cannot be challenged by

the white queen.
24.Bh1
24.Bg2 This came to my mind first. 24...Bxg2 25.Kxg2 Rfe8 The position
looks about even. Black is thinking not only attack but also positional
pressure down the e-file.
24...Rfe8
Aronian has not had to do anything fancy so far.
[FEN "4r1k1/5ppp/2pbr3/1p1n1q2/3P4/
2P1B1Pb/1P1Q1P1P/R3RNKB w - - 0 25"]
25.Re2?
Now Black does have serious pressure on the e-file and White was forced to
retreat back a couple moves later. 25.Qd1, With the idea of going to f3, looks
better.
25...h5
Here is another example of pieces plus pawn play in the attack. This move
softens up the white king and opens the h-file.
26.Qc2
White tries to trade queens and gain more control over the light squares.
26...Qg4
The threat now is pushing h4-xg3, Bxf11, and Bxg3, opening everything up.
27.Ree1
White makes way for the white queen to guard the light squares.
27...h4
Black continues the plan of breaking through.
28.Qd1
White is a tiny bit worse since he wasted time with Re1–e2-e1 although the
end is not inevitable yet.
28...Qf5
[FEN "4r1k1/5pp1/2pbr3/1p1n1q2/3P3p/
2P1B1Pb/1P3P1P/R2QRNKB w - - 0 29"]
Aronian sets a nasty trap.
29.Qf3?
Such a natural move that is also somewhat forcing! It is hard at first to see
why this is a mistake. It is the cramped pieces that make White's move an
error. 29.Qb1 Qh5 30.Qd1 The White queen may be better off doing this. 30...
Bg4 31.f3 hxg3 This is still critical for White. 32.fxg4 gxh2+ 33.Kg2 Qg6
This is really cold-blooded.
29...Qg6 0-1
White resigned. The threat is ...Bg4 and ...h3 winning the queen. If White
retreats, Black plays 30...hxg3 31. hxg3 Nxe3 32.Rxe3 Rxe3 33.fxe3 Bxf1
and it is curtains. This game made an impression on me because it was over
so fast. All White did was drift for a move or two, and it was over.
Lessons Learned
● The Marshall Attack is a game of imbalances: White has an extra

pawn, and Black has more time and the white king as a target. Most of
Black's moves (Bd6, Bg4-h3, Rae8-e6) are for attacking the king. We
saw Black put pressure on White down the e-file, on the h2-square, and
on the light squares. Know these pressure points.
● The Marshall Attack is not all about pieces. On occasion Black pushed
f5-4, g5, and even h5-4. However, if you have played a rook lift to e6,
take care not to block off files for the rook by pushing the kingside
pawns.
● The Marshall Attack hits positionally, since White is forced to create
weaknesses on the kingside and delay development, and also hits
tactically. Tactics are often what make the attack work: recall ...Bf4, ...
Bxg3, and Anand's ...f4!.
Practitioners
Many strong players have the Marshall Attack as part of their repertoire:
● Levon Aronian – The Armenian grandmaster is number 3 in the world.

● Alexander Onishuk – He is a well-known American grandmaster and is
number three in the United States.
● Alexander Grischuk – The Russian grandmaster recently played in the
Candidates Finals match, narrowly missing a chance to play Anand for
the World Championship.
● Etienne Bacrot – He is a French grandmaster who has won the French
championship six times.
● Frank Marshall – Marshall was an American grandmaster who held the
U.S. Championship title for twenty-seven years: 1909-1936. He also
founded the famous Marshall Chess Club in Manhattan.
Further Reading
● ChessPublishing.com – This site offers a great wealth of information

on the openings being employed by top players.
● Understanding the Marshall Attack by David Vigorito – The author has
a good reputation as teacher, trainer, and writer.
● Attacking the Spanish by Sabino Brunello – This book discusses three
gambits against the Ruy Lopez, including the Marshall Another, and
was well received by ChessCafe.com reviewer Carsten Hansen.


Semi-Slav Defense, Marshall Gambit [D31] Purchases from our
I could not resist presenting the Marshall Attack in the Ruy Lopez and the
accessible:
Marshall Gambit in the Semi-Slav in consecutive columns.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6
The Slav variation of the Queen's Gambit.
3.Nc3 e6
The
Openings
Explained Play the Semi-Slav
by David Vigorito
Abby Marshall
Translate this page

[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pp3ppp/2p1p3/3p4/2PP4/2N5/
PP2PPPP/R1BQKBNR w KQkq - 0 4"]
3...Nf6 is the main move.
4.e4
Starting Out: Slav &
White opens things up right away, using more space and one piece ahead in
Semi-Slav
development to justify this decision. This is the Marshall Gambit named after by Glenn Flear
Frank Marshall. The main line features White sacrificing a pawn.
4...dxe4
A) 4...dxc4 hasn't been played very much, probably because it is not very
good. 5.Bxc4 White recaptures and takes over the center. 5...Nf6 6.Nf3 Be7
7.0–0 0–0 8.e5 White gains space. This advance opens up a hole on d5, but
Black cannot do much from that square anyway. 8...Nd5 9.Ne4 White has
more space and the open c-file. 9...Nd7 10.Qc2 h6 11.Bd2 b6 12.Ng3 a5 13.
Rac1 Re8 14.Qe4 Bf8 15.Qg4 f5 16.Qg6 Kh8 17.Bxd5 cxd5 18.Bg5! White is
Play through and download winning without too much effort.
the games from
ChessCafe.com in the B) 4...Bb4 This is the main alternative to 4...dxe4. The Slav and Semi-Slav
Revisited
B1) 5.cxd5 This is the main line 5...exd5 6.e5 Ne7 7.Bd3 Qb6 (7...c5 is the by Alexei Shirov
main move.) 8.Nge2 Bg4 9.0–0 0–0 10.a3 Bxc3 11.bxc3 Nd7 12.Rb1 Qc7 13.
a4 White is a little better.
B2) 5.e5!? This move is not very popular; however, I consider it to be a

playable move.
B2a) 5...dxc4 6.Bxc4 Ne7 7.Nf3 Nd5 (7...h6 8.0–0 Nd7 9.a3 Bxc3 10.bxc3 b5
11.Bd3 Nb6 12.Nd2 0–0 13.Ne4 I am a fan of White's attacking potential. The
c8-bishop is also looking really bad and the d6-square is a big hole.) 8.Bd2 b6
9.0–0 Nxc3 10.bxc3 Be7 White's extra space is an advantage.; 4...Nf6 This
move is uncommon. 5.e5 Nfd7 6.Nf3 Be7 7.Bd3 dxc4 8.Bxc4 We have seen
this kind of position before and White just seems to have a great game. 8...b6
9.0–0 Ba6 10.b3 0–0 11.Ne4 h6 12.Be3 b5 13.Bd3 b4 14.Rc1 Bxd3 15.Qxd3
a5 16.Ng3 Nb6 17.Qe4 Nd5 18.Bd2 Re8 19.Qg4 White has lots of threats and
attacking pieces while it is unclear what Black is doing.
B2b) 5...f5 From a game where White is an IM rated 2500; Black is a 1950.
This kind of setup with pawns on c6, d5, e6, f5 is just terrible. 6.a3 Bf8 I am
not sure why Black played this move. 7.h4 Black's central pawns are all on
light squares, which means the dark squares have become weak. This
aggressive move helps clamp down on the dark squares. 7...a5 8.Nh3 Na6 9.
Nf4 Ne7 10.cxd5 exd5 (10...cxd5 11.Nb5) 11.Bd3 Qb6 12.Be3 Nc7 13.Qc2
Ne6 14.Na4 Qd8 15.Nxe6 Bxe6 16.Nc5 Bc8 17.h5 h6 18.Rc1 b6 19.Na4 Be6
20.Nc3 Qd7 21.Ne2 Rc8 22.Nf4 Bf7 23.0–0 Rg8 24.Rfe1 g5 25.hxg6 Bxg6
26.b4 axb4 27.axb4 Bf7 28.e6 Bxe6 29.Bd2 After the e6-bishop moves White
will play 30. Bxf5. 1–0, Podzielny,K-Mehrer,B, Schwaebisch Gmuend 2002.
B2c) 5...Nh6 White can use an imaginative attack to completely tie Black up.
6.Nf3 Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 Nf5 8.Ba3 h6 9.h4 Nd7 10.g4 Ne7 11.Nd2 Nb6 12.Qf3
Nxc4 13.Nxc4 dxc4 14.Bxc4 Nd5 15.0–0–0 The bishop-pair make it very
difficult for Black.
5.Nxe4
White recaptures and gets centralized.
5...Bb4+
Logical because it develops a piece with tempo. 5...Nf6 is rare because it

doesn't challenge White's ideas and White gets to make the black queen move
to an awkward spot. 6.Nxf6+ Qxf6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.Bd3 h6 Black has to stop 9.
Bg5. 9.0–0 White is better with free development.
6.Bd2
This basically forces the next sequence of moves. Otherwise Black is just
behind in development with less space.
6...Qxd4
Black counterattacks by taking a pawn and attacking the knight on e4.
7.Bxb4
[FEN "rnb1k1nr/pp3ppp/2p1p3/8/1BPqN3/
8/PP3PPP/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 0 7"]
White gets the bishop-pair and puts the dark-squared bishop on a powerful
diagonal.
7...Qxe4+
Black gets the piece back with tempo.
8.Be2
White develops further and tempts Black with another pawn. I instinctively
like White's position because of the activity and development.
8.Ne2 is the other choice. White's position looks contorted to me.
8...Na6
A) 8...Qxg2 Black has many options, but this is not really a good one. 9.Bf3
Qg6 10.Ne2.
[FEN "rnb1k1nr/pp3ppp/2p1p1q1/8/1BP5/
5B2/PP2NP1P/R2QK2R b KQkq - 0 10"]
Black has helped White get another piece out and threaten to get more pieces
out with tempo. 10...Nd7 11.Rg1 Qf6 12.Nc3 White is going to go to the e4-
and then the d6-square.
B) 8...Ne7 This at least blocks the a3-f8 diagonal. 9.Qd2 White wastes no
time in going after the black king.
B1) 9...Ng6 Instead of developing another piece Black starts to make threats.
10.Nh3 This stops ...Nf4.
B1a) 10...Na6 11.0–0–0 f6 12.Ba3 Kf7 13.g4!? This game features GM Van
Wely 13...c5 14.f4 Rf8 15.Rhf1 Kg8 16.Bd3 Qc6 17.Nf2 (17.Kb1 is also
possible. 17...Rb8 18.Bxg6 hxg6 19.Qd3) 17...Rb8 18.h4 e5 19.Bxg6 hxg6 20.
fxe5 fxe5 21.b3 Nb4 22.Bxb4 cxb4 23.Qxb4 Be6 24.Rd6 Qg2 25.Qe1 Rbe8
26.Rd2 Qf3 27.Rg1 e4 28.Qxe4 Qc3+ 29.Qc2 Qa1+ 30.Qb1 Qc3+ 31.Qc2 ½–
½, Van Wely,L-Krasenkow,M,Pamplona 1998.
B1b) 10...f6 11.0–0–0 Kf7 12.g4 I like this straightforward attack. (12.f3!?
This is a strong new possibility. 12...Qh4 13.Bc5 This occured in the game
Khalifman-Filippov, Kazan 1995.) 12...c5 Used to gain time. Black was
already up a pawn, so Black is not down anything after this sacrifice. 13.Bxc5
Nd7 (If 13...b6 14.Bd6 Ba6 15.f3 Qc6 16.b3 Rd8 17.Bd3 White has the
bishop-pair and is more active, see the diagram below.)
[FEN "rn1r4/p4kpp/bpqBppn1/8/2P3P1/
1P1B1P1N/P2Q3P/2KR3R b - - 0 17"]
14.Ba3 Re8 15.Rhe1 Nde5 16.f3 Qc6 17.Qc3.
White has that bishop-pair again and control over the center and more
development.
B2) 9...Qxg2 In this kind of position there is no way this move is good. White
has several pieces developed and Black's king is unsafe. 10.0–0–0 Black has
to spend time defending the mate threat. 10...Nd7 11.Nf3 The threat is 12.Ne5
or 12.Bxe7 is also good.
B3) 9...Nd7 10.0–0–0 Ng6 11.Bd6 White wants control over e5. 11...f6 12.
Nf3 e5 13.g3 Stops a piece from entering the f4-square. 13...Nb6 14.b3 Bf5
15.Kb2 White calmly protects the king. 15...Bg4 16.Ng1!? This retreat is hard
to see. White is counting on the bishop-pair and perilous black king position
to be enough for the exchange. 16...Qxh1 17.Bxg4 Qe4 18.f4 Qd4+ 19.Qxd4
exd4 20.Nf3 Kf7 21.Bh5 Rhd8 (21...f5 22.Ng5+ Kg8 23.Rxd4 The h8-rook is
in a terrible spot.) 22.Bc7 Rd7 23.Bxb6 axb6 24.f5+- White ground out the
win many moves later. 1–0, Kalinitschew,S-Drenchev,P, Illkirch-
Graffenstaden 2004.
C) 8...c5 Again this is to gain time. 9.Bxc5 Qxg2 10.Bf3 Qg5.
[FEN "rnb1k1nr/pp3ppp/4p3/2B3q1/2P5/
5B2/PP3P1P/R2QK1NR w KQkq - 0 11"]
11.Bd6 Ne7 12.Ne2 Nbc6 13.Rg1 Qf6 14.Nc3 Nd4 15.Be4 Black's issues are
awkward development, and dealing with White's activity and open files. 15...
Ndf5 (15...Nef5 16.Bxf5 exf5 17.Nd5 Qxd6 18.Qxd4) 16.Bxf5 exf5 (16...
Nxf5 17.Nb5) 17.Nb5 Kf8 18.Nc7 Rb8 19.c5 Black is going to be in big
trouble after Qe2 and Nd5.
D) 8...Nd7 Black tries to develop. 9.Qd6 c5 (9...a5 This move dislodges

White's bishop. White could move it to a3, but then it could not go to the a1–
h8 diagonal. 10.Bc3 Ngf6 11.Nf3 c5 12.Rd1 Ra6 13.Qd2 0–0 14.0–0 Ne8 15.
Bd3 Qg4 16.Rfe1 Nd6 17.b3 The bishop-pair and Black's problems with
development (c8-bishop, queen on g4) much more than compensate for the
pawn deficit.) 10.Bc3 The dark-squared bishop is much more valuable than
winning a pawn to make material even. 10...Ne7 11.0–0–0 Qxg2 12.Nf3 Nf5
13.Qd3 Qxf2 14.Rhg1 f6 15.Kd2 Black's queen is about to be trapped with 16.
Rdf1. 15...Nd4 16.Bxd4 cxd4 17.Rxg7 White is on top.
E) 8...Nf6? Black cannot abandon the dark-squares like this. 9.Qd6 c5 10.
Bxc5 Nc6 11.Nf3.
9.Bd6
The old-fashioned move. The bishop is hard to move from this square. 9.Ba5
is the modern try but it is very complicated. 9...b6 10.Qd6 Bd7 11.Bc3 f6 is
unclear.
9...e5
This is a sharp idea that lets Black bring out the c8-bishop and gain control of
the center.
A) 9...Bd7 Straightforward development is not going to cut it. Black has an

extra pawn but Black's development is very messed up. 10.Nf3 c5 11.Ne5!
Bc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.0–0 Ne7 14.Qa4 White has achieved mastery of the
position and won quickly. 14...Nb4 15.Bxc5 a5 16.Bf3 Qc2 17.b3 Rc8 18.
Qxa5 Nd3 19.Be4 Qe2 20.Bxd3 Qxd3 21.Rad1 Qf5 22.Qa7 1–0, Taimanov,M-
Steiner,H, Saltsjobaden 1952.
B) 9...Qf5 The point is to relocate the queen to a5 and cause White some
discomfort. It seems too slow for me. 10.Nf3 Qa5+ 11.Nd2 Ne7 12.0–0 White
does not take the knight on e7 even though the black king would have to
move. The d6-bishop is too valuable. It controls the dark-squares and prevents
Black from castling. We will look at this position in the first illustrative game.
C) 9...b6 Black wants to develop the bishop on a better diagonal and add
support to c5. 10.Nf3 White develops and can consider Ne5 at some point.
10...Bb7 Black goes through with the plan. 11.0–0 White is nearly developed
and ready to take advantage of Black's poor development.
C1) 11...c5 Black opens the diagonal for the bishop, but White has a brilliant
rejoinder. 12.Nh4! White threatens Bf3 and gets the queen of the a8-h1
diagonal. Of course, White also just dropped a piece. In a game about the
power of bishops on diagonals (the d6-bishop), this kind of move is great. 12...
Qxh4 If instead 12...Qc6 13.Bf3 Qd7 14.Nf5! 0–0–0 15.Be5.
[FEN "2kr2nr/pb1q1ppp/np2p3/2p1BN2/
2P5/5B2/PP3PPP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 15"]
13.Qa4+ Black cannot play ...Bc6 to block the check now that the black queen
is no longer on e4. 13...Kd8 14.Rad1 Kc8 15.Qe8+ Qd8 16.Qxd8+ Kxd8 17.
Bf8+ Kc7 18.Bxg7 Nf6 (18...Ne7 19.Be5+ Kc8 20.Bxh8) 19.Bxf6 White is
winning because of the bishop-pair and the attack.
C2) 11...Rd8 Black puts the rook on the open file without committing to
castling. 12.Ne5 We will look at this in the second illustrative game.
C3) 11...0–0–0 12.Ne5 White puts a knight in the center and threatens to put a
bishop on f3. 12...Qf5 This is the most active square to move to. 13.Re1
White goes slow and activates the rook, which may lift to e3 or help the
bishop go to e4. (13.Bg4 This is good enough to at least draw. 13...Qf6 14.Bf3
Ne7 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 16.Qa4 Qc7 17.Nxc6 Bxc6 18.Qxa6+ Kb8 19.Bxc6 Qxc6
20.Rac1 Rc8 21.Rc3 Rhd8 22.h3 Rd2 23.Qa3 Qd6 24.b4 Rd1 25.Qb3 Rxf1+
26.Kxf1 Rd8 27.a3 Qd1+ ½–½, Verduga Zavala,D-Vera Gonzalez Quevedo,
R, Havana 1986) 13...h5 Black stops Bg4 and moves aggressively toward the
white king. 14.Bf3 White targets the queenside. 14...Ne7 Black defends the
c6-pawn. 15.Be4 The queen is running out of good places. 15...Qf4 Black
wants to avoid trades. (15...Qf6 16.Bxe7 Rxd1 17.Bxf6 Rxa1 18.Rxa1 gxf6
19.Nxf7) 16.Rc1 White is better. The bishop-pair and Black's bad pieces on
a6 and b7 give White a significant advantage.
D) 9...Qxg2 If Black is gung-ho on this move, this position is the best time so
far to do it. 10.Qd2 Nf6 (10...Qxh1? 11.0–0–0 Threatening 11.Bf3. 11...Qe4
12.Be7!) 11.Bf3 Qg6 12.0–0–0.
D1) 12...Bd7 13.Be5 0–0–0 14.Ne2 Qf5 15.Qe3 Nb4 16.Nd4 Nxa2+ 17.Kd2
Be8 18.Ke2 You do not often see a king walk like this in the middlegame!
18...Qh3 19.Nb5 Now it is Black's king in jeopardy. 19...Rxd1 20.Rxd1 Qxf3
+ (20...cxb5 21.Qc5+ Bc6 22.Bxc6) 21.Kxf3 cxb5 22.Qxa7 Bc6+ 23.Ke2 1–0,
Gerard,N-Martinez,J, Sautron 2006.
D2) 12...e5 This move opens the path for the c8-bishop and if White takes,
Black can castle. The open files and the a1–h8 diagonal make taking the pawn
a good decision. 13.Bxe5 Be6 (If 13...0–0 White can attack Black on the
queenside and on the kingside. 14.Ne2 Qf5 15.Qe3 Nb4 16.Nd4 Nxa2+ 17.
Kd2 Rd8 18.Ke2 This king trip is turning out well. 18...Qg6 19.Rhg1 Bg4 20.
Bxf6 Qxf6 21.Rxg4 c5 22.Rdg1 White is winning.) 14.Ne2 Qf5 15.Qe3 Nb4
16.Nd4 Nxa2+ 17.Kd2 Rd8 18.Ke2 This should be okay here too. White has
so many open files and the knight on a2 is misplaced.
10.Nf3
White develops and attacks the e-pawn.
10...Bg4
Black makes the bishop active.
10...f6 is slow. 11.Qb3
[FEN "r1b1k1nr/pp4pp/n1pB1p2/4p3/2P1q3/
1Q3N2/PP2BPPP/R3K2R b KQkq - 0 11"]
11...Nh6 12.0–0 and White is a little better because of Black's knights on the
rim.
11.0–0
White declines to take anything yet and castles instead.
11.Nxe5 might be good too. 11...Qxg2 12.Rf1 Be6 13.Bf3.
11...0–0–0
Black also castles and gets some activity, but the kingside remains
undeveloped and the d6-bishop is scary.
12.b4!?
Energetic play. White is developed, so it is time to punish Black.
12...Nf6
A) 12...Nxb4 13.Re1! This quiet move protects the bishop on e2 and gives
Black problems. 13...Nf6 (13...Nc2? 14.Bd3 Qxe1+ 15.Nxe1 Bxd1 16.Bf5+
Rd7 17.Rxd1 Nxe1 18.Bxd7+ Kxd7 19.Bxe5+ Ke7 20.Bxg7 After this forced
variation Black loses.) 14.Nd2.
[FEN "2kr3r/pp3ppp/2pB1n2/4p3/1nP1q1b1/
8/P2NBPPP/R2QR1K1 b - - 0 14"]
B) 12...Nh6 13.c5 The dark-squared bishop is able to haunt Black on the
kingside and the queenside. 13...f6 14.Re1 Nc7? This is a mistake since it
leaves the king vulnerable. (14...Bxf3 This at least gets the e2-bishop off the
knight on a6.) 15.Qa4 Kb8 16.Bxc7+ Kxc7 17.Qxa7 Now White can smoke
out the king. 17...Qf5 18.b5 cxb5 19.c6 Qc8 20.cxb7 Qb8 21.Qc5+ Kd7 22.
Bxb5+ 1–0, Kovacevic,B-Pavlovic,Z, Bosnjaci 2008.
13.c5
[FEN "2kr3r/pp3ppp/n1pB1n2/2P1p3/1P2q1b1/
5N2/P3BPPP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 13"]
White protects the d6-bishop and opens lines against Black.
13...Ne8
Black seems to be able to attack the dark-squared bishop and eliminate it, but
not if White plays quickly.
14.Bd3
The bishop blocks the pin on the d-file and becomes more active.
14...Qf4
Black must move.
14...Qxb4? 15.Rb1 Qa5 16.Nxe5 Bxd1 17.Bf5+ Rd7 18.Bxd7+ Kd8 19.Rxb7.
15.Bxe5
If 15.Bxa6 Nxd6.
15...Qxb4 16.Rb1 Qa5 17.Qc2
[FEN "2krn2r/pp3ppp/n1p5/q1P1B3/6b1/
3B1N2/P1Q2PPP/1R3RK1 b - - 0 17"]
White has the bishop-pair, open lines, and a strong attack that more than
makes up for the missing pawn.
Ivanchuk, Vassily (2390) – Dreev, Alexey (2450)

Minsk, 1986
Semi-Slav Defense, Marshall Gambit [D31]
Ivanchuk uses his development to sacrifice and hunt down Black's king.
1.c4 e6 2.Nc3 d5 3.d4 c6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Qxd4 7.Bxb4 Qxe4
+ 8.Be2 Na6 9.Bd6 Qf5 10.Nf3 Qa5+ 11.Nd2 Ne7 12.0–0
By transposition, this is where we left off in the theory section. Black's play
does not look like it is going to pose White problems.
12...Nf5
Black can eliminate White's bishop since retreating from d6 gives up too
many squares. However, Black is still stuck in the center and the c8-bishop is
a problem.
13.Ne4 Nxd6 14.Nxd6+ Ke7
Black appears to have underestimated White's chances.
15.Qd3
This is the beginning of a very interesting sequence. The target is Black's

kingside and the justification is Black's loss of time. 15.Qd4 is decent for
White but Ivanchuk decided to go for more. 15...e5 16.Nxc8+ Rhxc8 17.Qh4+
f6 18.Qxh7 Rg8.
15...Rd8
Black pins the knight and appears to force White to trade the knight for the
bishop on c8 since it comes with check, but Ivanchuk has other ideas.
16.Rad1 Qc7 17.Qxh7!
[FEN "r1br4/ppq1kppQ/n1pNp3/8/2P5/
8/PP2BPPP/3R1RK1 b - - 0 17"]
This sacrifice does not lead to a forced win but White knows that he can at
least force a perpetual check so it is not a risky move.
17...Rxd6 18.Qxg7
19.Bh5 is a major threat. Black has few choices and decides to strike back
proactively.
18...e5
Black lets White have two pawns for the piece in order to get his pieces out.
18...Rd7 19.Qg5+ Ke8 20.Rxd7 Qxd7 21.Rd1 Qc7 22.Bh5; 18...Qa5 19.Rxd6
Kxd6 20.Qxf7.
19.Qxe5+
19.Bh5 Be6.
19...Re6
At this point Black is in trouble and it's hard to find a defense.
I like 19...Be6 a little better since the king at least gets some cover. 20.Qg5+
Kf8 21.Qh6+ Kg8 22.Rd3! Rxd3 23.Bxd3 f6 24.Qxf6 Qf7.
20.Qg5+ Rf6
20...f6 21.Qg7+ Ke8 22.Bh5+ .
21.Rd3
The threat is 22.Rf3.
21...Qf4
21...c5 Black can try to open up a defense along the sixth rank but it fails. 22.
Re3+ Be6 23.Rf3.
22.Qg8 Rd6 23.Re3+ Re6 24.Rd1
Black has no way to protect the king.
24...Rxe3 25.Qd8+ Ke6 26.Bg4+!
[FEN "r1bQ4/pp3p2/n1p1k3/8/2P2qB1/
4r3/PP3PPP/3R2K1 b - - 0 26"]
White makes Black open up even more.
26...f5
26...Qxg4 27.Rd6+ Kf5 28.Qf6+ Ke4 29.Rd4#.
27.fxe3 Qe5 28.Bh5 Qc7 29.Qg8+ Ke5 30.Qe8+ Kf6 31.Rd8 Rb8 32.Qg6+
Ke5 33.Re8+ Be6 34.Rxe6# 1–0
An interesting attacking game between two very strong players before they
were among the elite.
Sokolov, Ivan (2425) – Vera Gonzalez Quevedo, Reynaldo (2470)

Portoroz, 1987
Semi-Slav Defense, Marshall Gambit [D31]
1.d4 e6 2.c4 d5 3.Nc3 c6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Qxd4 7.Bxb4 Qxe4
+ 8.Be2 Na6 9.Bd6 b6 10.Nf3 Bb7 11.0–0 Rd8 12.Ne5
Here is where we left off. White is ready to shove Black around and that
knight on a6 never seems to be able to get in the game.
12...Ne7 13.Re1
This quiet move setting up a discovered attack has cropped up a couple times.
Black now has to waste time moving the queen.
13...Qh4 14.g3 Qf6 15.Ng4 Qf5 16.Qd4 0–0 17.Bd3 Qh5 18.Qf4 Rfe8 19.
Rad1
White is playing natural moves.
19...Nf5
This seems to be starting trouble. The knight is loose here.
19...Ng6 20.Qf3 Qa5 is unclear and if 20...Rxd6 21.Bxg6 hxg6 22.Rxd6.
20.Be5
White can start to consider capturing on g7, so Black has to react again.
20...Qg6 21.Bb1
[FEN "3rr1k1/pb3ppp/npp1p1q1/4Bn2/2P2QN1/
6P1/PP3P1P/1B1RR1K1 b - - 0 21"]
White creates more tension in the position. Black now has to worry about the
rook trade.
21...c5?!
21...f6 22.Bc3 Bc8 This may be the time for Black to clamp down although it
is hardly inspiring.
22.Rxd8 Rxd8 23.Ne3 Nb4?
Too slow.
23...Bc8 Black cannot expect relief after defending the f-pawn. 24.Bxf5 exf5
25.Nd5.
24.Bxg7!
24.Bc3 is also very good.
[FEN "3r2k1/pb3ppp/1p2p1q1/2p2n2/1nP2Q2/
2B1N1P1/PP3P1P/1B2R1K1 b - - 0 24"]
24...Nd3
24...Qxg7 25.Nxf5 exf5 26.Qc7; 24...Kxg7 This is probably best. 25.Bxf5

exf5 26.Nxf5+ Kh8 27.Qe5+ f6 28.Qc7 Rc8 29.Qd7 White has a strong
attack.
25.Bxd3 Rxd3 26.Bc3 Rxc3
Black knocks the dark-squared bishop out but at this point it is just
desperation.
27.Nxf5 exf5 28.Re8+ Kg7 29.bxc3 1–0
Another game where White sacrificed for a great attack and broke through.
Lessons Learned
● The d6-hole is often exploited by a knight or especially, a bishop; the

d6-bishop running the dark-square diagonals is often White's ace. It can
attack on every sector of the board.
● Black can try ...c5 and ...e5 to gain space and time. White usually does
not take on c5, but may take on e5 since the bishop is good on that
diagonal.
● The gambit features the imbalance of material versus development and
activity. This is an imbalance that fits certain player's styles very well.
Know what positions you like, and if you like long strategic grinds, this
may not be your opening.
Practitioners
Many have played this line as both white and black.
● David Bronstein. Bronstein was a Soviet grandmaster and world

championship contender. He also wrote wonderful chess books.
● Leonid Shamkovich. He was a grandmaster and had won several strong
tournaments back in the 1960s-'70s and wrote a classic book on
sacrifices in chess.
● Ivan Sokolov. This grandmaster is an active tournament player and in
the top 100 players in the world.
● Frank Marshall. The originator; the first game in which he played this
line appears to be Marshall-Schlechter, Monte Carlo 1902.
Bibliography and Further Reading
There are many good books on the Semi-Slav that cover the Marshall Gambit.
● ChessPublishing.com – As noted last month, this site offers a great

wealth of information on the openings being employed by top players.
● Starting Out: Slav and Semi-Slav by Glenn Flear looks at the opening
mainly from the black side.

The Blumenfeld Gambit [E10] Purchases from our
My original intention for this month's column was to cover the Benko
accessible:
Gambit, because it has such a good reputation. But since that gambit seems to
have sufficient coverage already, I turned instead to what looks like a similar
setup: the Blumenfeld Gambit. This is the third gambit I have covered in a
row; perhaps the summer is placing me squarely in gambit mode.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3
3.Nc3 This can lead to the Nimzo-Indian after 3...Bb4.

The
3...c5
Openings
3...Bb4+ is the Bogo-Indian.
Explained Squeezing the Gambits
4.d5 by Kiril Georgiev
Abby Marshall 4.g3 transposes to a set-up similar to the Réti opening.
[Find us on Facebook.] 4...b5
Translate this page
The Gambit Files

by Bill Harvey
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/p2p1ppp/4pn2/1ppP4/2P5/
5N2/PP2PPPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5"]
The Blumenfeld Gambit. The choices here pretty much run the gamut, as they
often do. Black sacrifices a pawn to gain control of the center and secure open
files.
4...exd5 5.cxd5 is a Benoni.

Play through and download The Blumenfeld Gambit
the games from 5.dxe6 Easily Explained
ChessCafe.com in the by Andrew Martin
ChessBase Game Viewer. This is the way to accept the gambit; otherwise the d-pawn would be hanging.
A) 5.Bg5 This is the major alternative to accepting the pawn sacrifice. 5...h6
(5...Qa5+ is the main line, but it is not as sharp as the pawn push.) 6.Bxf6 (6.
Bh4 White placed the bishop here to limit Black's influence on the center, not
to retreat. 6...g5 7.Bg3 bxc4) 6...Qxf6 7.Nc3 b4 8.Nb5 Kd8 This works
because White has little development and no good way to attack the black
king. 9.e4 exd5 Black has not lost with this move in the database. (9...g5 is the
most common move.) 10.e5 (10.cxd5 White shouldn't block the d-file from
the queen 10...Qxb2.) 10...Qb6 11.Qxd5 Bb7 12.Qxf7 a6 13.Nd6 Bxd6 14.
exd6 Re8+ 15.Be2 Qxd6
[FEN "rn1kr3/1b1p1Qp1/p2q3p/2p5/1pP5/
5N2/PP2BPPP/R3K2R w KQ - 0 16"]
Black gets the e-file and suddenly Black is doing well. 16.Rd1 Qe6 17.Qxe6
Rxe6 18.Kd2 Nc6 It is instructive how Black wins the ending. 19.Bd3 Kc7 20.
Bf5 Re7 21.Rhe1 Rae8 22.Rxe7 Rxe7 23.Re1 Rxe1 24.Kxe1 Ne7 25.Bg4 d5!
Black's pieces and especially the black king become active and decide the
game. 26.cxd5 Bxd5 27.a3 a5 28.Nd2 Nc6 29.Bf3 Kd6 30.axb4 cxb4 31.Ne4+
Ke5 32.Nd2 Bxf3 33.Nxf3+ Ke4 34.Kd2 a4 35.Kc1 Kd3 36.Nh4 Nd4 37.Ng6
Ke2 38.f4 Kf2 39.g4 Kf3 40.g5 h5 41.Kd2 Ke4 42.Ne5 a3 43.bxa3 bxa3 44.
Kc3 Kxf4 45.Nd3+ Kxg5 46.Ne1 a2 47.Kb2 Kf4 48.Kxa2 Nf3 49.Ng2+ Kg4
50.Ne3+ Kh3 51.Kb2 Kxh2 52.Kc2 g5 53.Kd1 g4 54.Ke2 Kg3 55.Kf1 h4 56.
Nd5 h3 57.Nc3 Nd2+ 58.Kg1 Kf3 59.Kh2 Nf1+ 60.Kh1 g3 0–1, De Saegher,
C-Van Eijk,Dieren NED 2002.
B) 5.Qc2 This is weak. 5...Na6 6.Nc3 bxc4 7.e4 Nb4 8.Qd1 Ba6 9.Bg5 h6 10.
Bxf6 Qxf6 Black has a small advantage.
C) 5.e4 White replies with a sharp counteroffer. 5...Nxe4 6.dxe6 (6.cxb5 Qa5
+ 7.Bd2 Nxd2 8.Nbxd2 Be7 This looks good enough for Black.) 6...dxe6 7.
Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.cxb5 Nd7 9.Nbd2 Nd6 10.b3 Bb7 11.Bb2 f6 12.a4 e5 13.Nc4
Nf5 Black is solid enough.
D) 5.cxb5 I am not impressed here. Black gets another pawn in the center and
easy play. 5...exd5 6.e3 g6 7.Nc3 Bb7 8.Be2 Bg7 9.0–0 0–0 10.Qc2 a6 11.a3
Ne4 12.Rd1 Nxc3 13.bxc3 Qa5 14.bxa6 Bc6 Black has taken over the
initiative and the g7-bishop is very strong.
E) 5.Nc3 This is a natural developing move that ignores the gambit pawn but
not in a constructive way.
E1) 5...a6 6.Bg5 (6.cxb5 axb5) 6...b4 7.Ne4 d6 8.Nxf6+ gxf6 9.Bh4 Be7.
E2) 5...b4 6.Na4 d6 Black has a fine game.
5...fxe6
Black will get central play and the open f-file in return for the pawn.
6.cxb5
White takes the pawn.
With 6.e4 White again can try a counteroffer although I am not scared by it.
6...Nxe4 7.Bd3 Bb7 8.cxb5 a6 9.Qc2 (9.bxa6 Nxa6) 9...Nf6 10.Nc3 axb5=.
6...d5
Black takes over the space White lost by the capture.
7.g3
Viewed as one of the more challenging responses to the Blumenfeld.
A) 7.Nc3 This is the natural choice.

[FEN "rnbqkb1r/p5pp/4pn2/1Ppp4/8/2N2N2/
PP2PPPP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 7"]
A1) 7...Bb7 This is a choice for those who don't want to go into the
complications. 8.e4 d4 9.e5 (9.Na4 Bxe4 10.Bc4 Bd5 This is equal.) 9...Nfd7
10.Nb1 Qc7 11.Qb3 Be7 12.Nbd2 Nxe5 13.Qxe6 Nbd7 Black has the center
and is very active.
A2) 7...Nbd7 8.e4 d4 9.e5 Ng4 10.Ng5 White enters a complicated line. 10...
Ndxe5 11.f4 Be7 (11...dxc3 This is no good. 12.Qxd8+ Kxd8 13.fxe5 Nxe5
14.Bf4) 12.Nce4 (12.fxe5 dxc3 13.Qxg4 cxb2 14.Bxb2 Bxg5) 12...Qd5 13.
fxe5 Nxe5 Black is down a piece for the time being but White's knights are in
jeopardy. 14.Qh5+ g6 15.Qh3.
A2a) 15...Nf7 16.Nxf7 Qxe4+ 17.Be2 0–0 (17...Kxf7? 18.0–0+ Kg7 19.Bf3)
18.Qf3 Bb7 19.0–0 d3 20.Qxe4 Bxe4 21.Bf3 Bxf3 22.Nh6+ Kg7 23.gxf3
Rfd8 Maybe Black can hold but I don't like it.
A2b) 15...h6!? 16.Be2 (16.Ng3 c4 17.N5e4 Qxb5) 16...Bb7 17.0–0 hxg5

Black gives up the exchange now and the activity gained should carry the day.
18.Qxh8+ Kd7 19.Qg7 Qxe4; 7.Nbd2 This is another natural move. 7...Bd6 8.
g3 a6 As in the Benko, Black tries to open more lines and pressure the
queenside. 9.bxa6 0–0 10.Bg2 Bxa6 11.0–0 Nc6 12.Re1 Qe8 Black has a fine
game with play on the kingside and the queenside.
B) 7.e3 Bd6 8.Nc3 (8.b3 Qe7 9.Bb2 e5 10.e4 This is the typical reply to ...e5,
breaking up Black's center. White has chosen a funny development scheme so
Black is okay. 10...0–0 11.Nbd2 Bb7 12.Qe2 a6 13.exd5 axb5 14.g3? e4 15.
Nh4 Be5 16.Nf5 Qe8 17.Nb1 Nxd5 Black is winning.) 8...0–0 9.b3 (9.Be2
We will look at this in the first illustrative game.) 9...Nbd7 10.Bb2 Qe8 Black
is doing well.
C) 7.Bg5.
C1) 7...Qa5+ This is a viable choice as well. 8.Nbd2 (8.Qd2 Qxb5 9.e3 Qb6
10.Nc3 Nbd7 gives an equal game.) 8...Ne4 9.e3 c4 White is under a lot of
pressure on the queenside.
C2) 7...Be7 8.e3 0–0 9.Bd3 a6 10.bxa6 c4 11.Be2 Qb6 12.Qc1 Bb4+ 13.Nc3
Ne4 14.Bf4 (14.0–0 Bxc3 15.bxc3 Rxf3 16.Bxf3 Nxg5; 14.Bh4 Qa5) 14...
Rxf4! 15.exf4 Qxf2+ 16.Kd1 Bxc3 17.bxc3 Bd7 18.a4 Qxg2 Black is better.
D) 7.Bf4 Another development choice. 7...a6 8.e3 c4 9.bxa6 Qb6 10.Nbd2 (10.
Qc1 Bxa6 11.Be2 Bb4+ 12.Nc3 0–0 13.0–0 Nbd7 White is passively placed.)
10...Nc6 11.Qc2 Bxa6 12.a3 Be7 13.Be2 0–0 Black has more space.
7...a6
Black wants to have pressure on the queenside files and the open a6-f1
diagonal.
8.bxa6
White accepts another pawn. 8.b6 is possible, but Black cannot be badly off.
8...Qxb6 9.Nc3 Be7 10.Bg2 0–0 11.0–0 Nc6.
8...Bd6
8...Nc6 is also fine. 9.Bg2 Bd6 10.0–0 0–0 11.b3 Bxa6 12.Bb2 Qe8 13.Nbd2
Rd8 We have seen this kind of position before; here is an example of how to
play it. 14.Re1 e5 (14...Ng4 This leads to wild complications. 15.h3 Nxf2!?
16.Kxf2 Nd4 17.g4 h5 18.g5 Qf7 19.e3 Nxf3 20.Nxf3 Bh2 21.Bf1 Qc7 22.
Bxa6 Qg3+ 23.Ke2 Qg2+ 24.Kd3 c4+ 25.Kc3 Rxf3 26.Qd4 Rf2 Black is
winning. 27.Qb6 Be5+ 28.Kb4 Rb8 29.Bb7 Bxb2 30.Qxe6+ Kh8 31.Kc5
Bxa1 32.Bxd5 Qxg5 33.Rxa1 c3 34.h4 Qxh4 35.e4 c2 36.Rc1 Qg5 37.Qh3
Qxc1 0–1, Georgiev,K-Nisipeanu,L, Fuegen 2006.) 15.e4 This is the normal
response but here it allows Black to attack the light squares. 15...Nb4 16.exd5
Nd3 17.Nc4 Bxc4 18.bxc4 Nxb2 19.Qc2 e4 20.Qxb2 Qh5 21.Nh4 Be5 22.
Qc1 Rde8 The dark-squared bishop is too strong to give up, especially since
White does not have one. 23.Rb1 Bd4 24.h3 Nd7 25.Rb2 Qe5 Black is close
to winning.
9.Bg2
A) 9.Nc3 Black can develop as usual. 9...0–0 10.Bg2 Nc6 11.0–0 Bxa6 12.
Bg5 h6 13.Bxf6 Qxf6 14.Rc1 Be7 Black is probably better at this point.
B) 9.Bh3 White is going to go after Black's light squares. 9...0–0 10.0–0 Nc6
11.Nc3 Rxa6 12.e4 d4 13.Nb5 Bb8 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bxf6 Qxf6=.
9...0–0
Black does not deviate from the script.
10.0–0
White develops the h1–rook.
10...Bxa6
Black takes back a pawn.
11.Nc3
A) 11.Ng5 Qe7 12.Bh3 Bc8 13.Nc3 Nc6 14.Nb5 Bb8 15.a4 e5 16.Bxc8 Rxc8
17.e4 Nd4 Black tries to grab an even greater share of the center. 18.Nxd4
cxd4 19.exd5 h6 20.Nf3 Qf7 Black has many open files and the center.
B) 11.b3 We will take a look at this in the second illustrative game.
11...Ra7
[FEN "1n1q1rk1/r5pp/b2bpn2/2pp4/8/
2N2NP1/PP2PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 12"]
This is a interesting use of the rook. Black decides not to keep the rook on the
open a-file but uses it for the center.
12.Ng5 Re7 13.f4 Kh8 14.Re1 c4 15.e3 Nc6 16.a3
White wants to stop ..Nb4 but creates a weakness on b3.

16...Na5 17.Ne2 Nb3 18.Rb1 e5
Black has taken over the initiative.
19.fxe5 Bxe5 20.Nf3 Bc8
[FEN "2bq1r1k/4r1pp/5n2/3pb3/2p5/
Pn2PNP1/1P2N1BP/1RBQR1K1 w - - 0 21"]
21.Ned4?
21.Nxe5 Rxe5 22.Nd4 and Black is only a little better.
21...Bxd4 22.exd4 Rxe1+ 23.Qxe1 Bf5–+ 24.Bf4 Bxb1 25.Qxb1 Qb6 26.
Be5 Ne4 27.Qe1 Na5 28.Nh4 Nc6 0–1 As in Jasnikowski-Volokitin, Karpacz
2008.
The gambit is speculative and not as eminent as the Benko, but it may be a
good weapon at the club level and for surprises.
Tarrasch, Siegbert – Alekhine, Alexander

Bad Pistyan, 1922
Blumenfeld Gambit [E10]
I included this game since it involves two of the great masters from the early
twentieth century, and it is well-known as one of the first implementations of
the gambit in a major game.
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.d5 b5 5.dxe6 fxe6 6.cxb5 d5 7.e3 Bd6 8.Nc3 0–
0 9.Be2
[FEN "rnbq1rk1/p5pp/3bpn2/1Ppp4/8/
2N1PN2/PP2BPPP/R1BQK2R b KQ - 0 9"]
This is where we left off. White has chosen a more modest setup. Black's play
likewise does not have to be overly forcing since compensation comes in the
form of the center and open files, which are factors in the position that do not
disappear quickly, unlike a lead in development.
9...Bb7
Black develops the bishop to a strong diagonal and avoids being blocked by
the e-pawn. The bishop also protects the d-pawn for a possible push to ...e5.
10.b3
White seeks to get the bishop to an open diagonal.
10...Nbd7 11.Bb2 Qe7
Black aims for the e5-square. Notice that the strategy is not about regaining
the pawn.
12.0–0 Rad8 13.Qc2 e5
White hasn't made any obvious errors besides choosing a less critical setup. I
love Black's space advantage.
14.Rfe1
14.e4 This runs into all of Black's firepower. 14...d4 15.Bc4+ Kh8 16.Nd5
Nxd5 17.Bxd5 Bxd5 18.exd5 e4.
14.Nh4 This allows White a better set-up. 14...g6 Keeps the knight out of f5.
15.f3 d4 16.Nd1 Nd5 17.g3=.
14...e4 15.Nd2 Ne5
[FEN "3r1rk1/pb2q1pp/3b1n2/1Pppn3/4p3/
1PN1P3/PBQNBPPP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 16"]
Now Black has to be better. The bishop on b7 is blocked by the center pawns
but it can always relocate from c8 and it helps if Black ever wants to push d4
since it guards the e-pawn. Black also has a great knight on e5.
16.Nd1
White wanted to protect f2. This is so unaesthetic. If 16.h3 Qf7:
[FEN "3r1rk1/pb3qpp/3b1n2/1Pppn3/4p3/
1PN1P2P/PBQNBPP1/R3R1K1 w - - 0 17"]
16...Nfg4!
This opens the diagonal for the queen and the file for the rook. The threat is
taking on h2.
17.Bxg4
On17.h3 I am assuming Black planned an unexpected reply. 17...Nh2! 18.Rc1
(18.Kxh2 Nf3+ 19.Kh1 Nxe1) 18...Qg5 19.Kh1 Rf7 20.Rg1 Rdf8 21.Kxh2
Rxf2 22.Nxf2 Ng4+ 23.Kh1 Nxf2#
17.Nf1 Nf3+ 18.gxf3 exf3 19.Bd3 Qh4 Black has everything hitting h2.
17...Nxg4 18.Nf1 Qg5
After this Black is winning.
19.h3 Nh6 20.Kh1 Nf5 21.Nh2 d4
Black takes more of the center. If White captures on d4, the a8-h1 diagonal
could become open. 21...Nh4 22.Rg1 Qh5 23.Rc1 Bc8 Black could also build
up the attack this way. White has no plan.
22.Bc1 d3 23.Qc4+ Kh8 24.Bb2 Ng3+! 25.Kg1
If 25.fxg3 Qxg3 and Black attacks two pieces while threatening mate:
[FEN "3r1r1k/pb4pp/3b4/1Pp5/2Q1p3/
1P1pP1qP/PB4PN/R2NR2K w - - 0 26"]
25...Bd5 26.Qa4 Ne2+
26...d2 This wins the exchange but Black wants to keep all his pieces for the
attack.
27.Kh1 Rf7
Black takes the time and caution to protect the a-pawn. There is no rush.
28.Qa6 h5
Now the h-knight cannot come to g4 and the pawn may advance to h4,
restricting White further.
29.b6 Ng3+ 30.Kg1 axb6 31.Qxb6 d2 32.Rf1 Nxf1
Black cashes in now that White is too scattered to defend against the attack.
33.Nxf1 Be6 34.Kh1 Bxh3
A nice final tactic.
35.gxh3 Rf3 36.Ng3 h4
Now we see why ...h5 was such a good move.
37.Bf6 Qxf6 38.Nxe4 Rxh3+ 0–1
39.Kg1 Bh2+ wins the queen on b6. An instructional game from Alekhine,
one of the great masters of attack.
Chuprov, Dmitry (2534) – Ovetchkin, Roman (2534)

RUS-ch sf Nizhnij Tagil , 2007
Blumenfeld Gambit [E10]
This is a game in the theoretically important line 7.g3. As in the previous

game, Black gets a nice attack.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 c5 4.d5 b5 5.dxe6 fxe6 6.cxb5 d5 7.g3 a6 8.bxa6 Nc6
9.Bg2 Bd6 10.0–0 0–0 11.b3
Here is where we left off in the theory section. White has chosen not to
contest the center with pawns yet but control it instead with fianchettoed
bishops.
11...Bxa6 12.Bb2 Qe8
[FEN "r3qrk1/6pp/b1nbpn2/2pp4/8/
1P3NP1/PB2PPBP/RN1Q1RK1 w - - 0 13"]
Black begins the trip to the kingside.
13.Nbd2 Rd8
All this looks normal.
14.Re1 e5 15.e4
This is the normal response to e5 since it breaks up Black's center. Here,

Black has a chance to take advantage of the d3-square.
15...Nb4 16.exd5
White relies on tactics in making this move.
16...Nd3 17.Nc4
17.Rb1!? This seems to be a better way of doing things. Now White will not
lose time as in the game. 17...Nxe1 (17...Nxb2 18.Rxb2 White is well-placed.)
[FEN "3rqrk1/6pp/b2b1n2/2pPp3/8/
1P3NP1/PR1N1PBP/3QR1K1 b - - 0 18"]
18.Qxe1 Nxd5 19.Nxe5 White has two pawns and a knight for the rook, and
active pieces, while Black also has open files. This is unclear.
17...Bxc4
If 17...Nxe1 18.Qxe1 Bxc4 19.bxc4 White will have two pawns and a bishop
for the rook, plus the squares in the center. White is better.
18.bxc4 Nxb2 19.Qc2
The knight is trapped. White loses time however.
19...e4 20.Qxb2 Qh5 21.Nh4 Be5
White is disorganized in this position. Winning the exchange is not the point
here since the dark-squared bishop is unopposed and therefore a monster
bishop.
22.Qc1 Rde8 23.Rb1 Bd4
Black is turning the screws on White.
24.h3
This is very slow. 24.Qd1 This doesn't help much. 24...Ng4 25.Bh3 Bxf2+ 26.
Kh1 Bxe1 27.Bxg4 Qg5 28.Be6+ Rxe6 29.dxe6 Rf1+ 30.Kg2 Rf2+ 31.Kg1
Qe3 Black is winning.
24...Nd7
24...Nxd5 This looks attractive although it gives away an attacking piece. 25.
cxd5 Bxf2+ 26.Kh1 Bxg3 27.Rxe4 Rxe4 28.Bxe4 Qxh4 29.Bg2 Bd6 Black is
better.
25.Rb2?
Are we going to take this rook? You should know the answer by now. 25.Re3
White has to block this bishop. 25...Bxe3 Now that the bishop is blocked, we
might as well take the rook. 26.Qxe3 Qe5 unclear.
25...Qe5
[FEN "4rrk1/3n2pp/8/2pPq3/2Pbp2N/
6PP/PR3PB1/2Q1R1K1 w - - 0 26"]
I'm sure White saw that Black had this double attack. Maybe he overestimated
his chances in the ending that follows.
26.Nf3
White goes into this funny ending to stymie the attack.
26...Rxf3 27.Bxf3 Bxb2 28.Qf4 Qxf4 29.gxf4 Nf6
White has two pawns for the piece which is usually better to have in the
endgame than in the middlegame. Still Black is winning and just needs to
exercise caution.
30.Bg4 Ra8 31.Kg2 Kf7 32.Bf5 Bd4 33.Rb1 Ke7 34.Rb6 g6 35.d6+ Kd8 36.
Be6 Nh5 37.f5 Ng7 38.Bd5 Rxa2 39.Bc6 Rxf2+ 40.Kh1 Rb2 41.Bb5 Rxb5
Black eliminates any chance of counterplay, utilizing the common theme of

giving a little back to convert to a winning advantage.
42.cxb5 Nxf5 43.Kg2 c4 44.Rb8+ Kd7 45.b6 Kxd6 0–1
Lessons Learned
● Black gives up a pawn for control of the center and open files on the
queenside and the f-file. This leads to dynamic play which may be
exploited in the middle- or endgame.
● Playing for ...e5 is one of Black's ideas, and it is often met with White
playing e4. As we saw in the second illustrative game, this does not
always turn out bad, so long as Black times the reply well.
● Because of the half-open f-file, Black can look at the kingside, as well
as the open files on the queenside.
Practitioners
Not many people play this regularly. It typically is a surprise weapon.
● Alexander Alekhine. The fourth world champion held the title twice.
He was known for his attacking style and tactics, as well as his
dynamic play, and his game cited here is recognized as one of the first
and best games with the gambit developed by Benjamin Blumenfeld.
● Lev Alburt. A good game to look up in your database from this three-
time U.S. champion is Miles-Alburt, Philadelphia 1989.
● Andrei Volokitin. I have seen many attacking games from the
Ukrainian GM.
Bibliography/Further Reading
● The Blumenfeld Gambit by Przewoznik and Pein. This out-of-print

Pergamon Press book (1991) is still the main source.
● Starting Out: Benoni Systems by Raetsky and Chetverik contains
material on the Blumenfeld.
● Squeezing the Gambits by Kiril Georgiev covers four gambits,
including the Blumenfeld, from White's perspective.
● The Gambit Files by Bill Harvey includes what he calls "the neglected
Blumenfeld."
● The New in Chess Yearbook #84 contains a survey by Konstantin
Lamba on the opening.


The King's Gambit Accepted [C34-C39] Purchases from our
I have wanted to do a column on the King's Gambit for ages. However, I
accessible:
realized that doing a column on my favorite Bishop's Gambit would probably
ruin me, so I decided to cover a different variation from what I play. Even
better, it happens to be the more usual approach.
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3
The
Openings
Explained ECO C
by Chess Informant
Abby Marshall
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppp1ppp/8/8/4Pp2/5N2/
PPPP2PP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 3"]
Translate this page This is the King's Gambit Accepted. 3.Bc4 is the Bishop's Gambit. I will
cover Black's defenses with the exception of the modern 3...d5.
3...g5
The classical way to play.

Beating the Open Games
by Mihail Marin
A) 3...d6 The Fischer Defense. 4.d4
A1) 4...Qe7 5.Nc3 c6 This is an old defense that isn't considered very good
today. 6.Bxf4 h6 7.Bd3 White already has four pieces out. 7...d5? 8.0–0 Nf6 9.
exd5 Nxd5 10.Re1 Be6 11.Nxd5 cxd5 12.c4 Qd8 13.cxd5 Qxd5 14.Re5 Qd8
15.d5 Qb6+ 16.Kh1 Bd6 17.dxe6 Bxe5 18.exf7+ Kf8 19.Nxe5 Qf6 20.Bc4 g5
21.Ng6+ A typical Blackburne game. 1–0, Blackburne,J-Pigott,London 1862.
A2) 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.Bxf4 0–0 7.Qd2 White decides to forget developing
classically and goes for Black's throat. 7...a6 8.0–0–0 d5 9.e5 Ne4 10.Nxe4
dxe4 11.Ng5 Bxg5 12.Bxg5 Qd5 13.c4 Qc6 14.d5 Qg6 15.Bf4 Bf5 16.h3 h5
17.g4 Bd7 18.gxh5 Qxh5 19.Be2 Qh4 20.Rdg1 Qh7 21.Bh6 g6 22.h4 Bf5 23.
Play through and download h5 Nd7 24.hxg6 A beautiful attacking example! 1–0, Ivanchuk,V-Szivek, Modern Chess Opening Vol. 1
the games from Mainz 2007. by Kalinin & Kalinichenkn
ChessBase Game Viewer. A3) 4...Bg4 5.Bxf4 Qf6 6.Bg3 Bxf3 7.gxf3 One interesting thing about the
King's Gambit is that White can often use a better pawn structure to squeeze
out a win. It is not all about kingside attacks. 7...a6 8.Nc3 Nc6 9.Nd5 Qd8 10.
Qd2 Nge7 11.Bc4 White has the center and more space.
A4) 4. .. g5 5.h4 g4 6.Ng1 White can swing around to Ne2 to attack the f4-
pawn.
A4a) 6...f3 7.Bg5 (7.gxf3 Be7, see below.)

[FEN "rnbqk1nr/ppp1bp1p/3p4/8/3PP1pP/
5P2/PPP5/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 8"]
7...Be7 8.Qd2 f2+ 9.Kxf2 h6 10.Bxe7 Qxe7 11.Nc3 Nc6 12.Nd5 Nf6 13.Re1
Qd8 14.c3 Be6 15.Nf4 g3+ 16.Kxg3 White can afford to go on king walks
sometimes in the King's Gambit. 16...Rg8+ 17.Kf3 It's complicated but I don't
see White as in any immediate danger.
A4b) 6...Nf6 7.Nc3 Nh5 8.Nge2 Bh6 9.g3 White will be able to regain the f-
pawn and will have the center.
A4c) 6...f5 Black usually can't get away with this. The position that results is
complicated. 7.Nc3 Nf6 8.Bxf4 fxe4 9.d5 Bg7 10.h5 0–0 11.Qd2 Nbd7 12.
Nge2 Nc5 13.Ng3 Qe8 14.0–0–0 Bd7 15.Re1 a5 16.Bg5 This is a strange
position. Black's king is less safe however.
B) 3...Nf6 This move is logical. 4.e5 Nh5 This is the critical move, defending
the f-pawn. (4...Ne4 5.d3 Nc5 6.d4 Ne4 7.Bd3 d5 8.exd6 Nxd6 9.Bxf4 White
has the center. 4...Nd5 5.c4 Ne7 6.d4 Ng6 7.Bd3 White will get the f-pawn
back and have the open f-file and central control.) 5.d4 d5 (5...d6 is not
accurate. 6.Qe2 Be7? 7.exd6 Qxd6 8.Qb5+)
[FEN "rnb1k2r/ppp1bppp/3q4/1Q5n/3P1p2/
5N2/PPP3PP/RNB1KB1R b KQkq - 0 8"]
6.Be2 We will look at this position in the second illustrative game.
C) 3...h6 This is usually attributed to Becker. 4.Bc4 g5
C1) 5.h4 A Greco teaching game! 5...f6? 6.Nxg5? (6.Ne5!) 6...fxg5 7.Qh5+
Ke7 8.Qf7+ Kd6 9.Qd5+ Ke7 10.Qe5# 1–0, Greco,G-NN, Europe 1620.
C2) 5.Ne5 Rh7 gives Black an inconvenient resource.
C3) 5.0–0 Bg7 6.d4 d6 7.c3 White is fine.
D) 3...Be7 The Cunningham Defense 4.Bc4
D1) 4...Bh4+ 5.Kf1 This is not bad for White since Black has lost time and
White can also, at the right moment, castle by hand with Kf2, Rf1, and Kg1.
5...d5 6.Bxd5 Nf6 7.Bb3 Ng4 8.d4 Ne3+ (8...Nf2 9.Qe1 Black can't take on
h1 because the bishop on h4 is hanging.) 9.Bxe3 fxe3 10.Qd3 Bg5 11.Nc3 c6
12.Re1 Bg4 13.Nd1 Nd7 14.Nxe3 Bxf3 15.gxf3 g6 16.c3 Bh6 17.h4 White
cleverly consolidated in an old Lasker game. 17...Qe7 18.h5 0–0–0 19.Qe2
Rdf8 20.Qh2 Nb6 21.Ng4 Qg5 22.hxg6 fxg6 23.Be6+ Kd8 24.Qxh6 Qe7 25.
Bb3 Rxf3+ 26.Ke2 Rg3 27.Ne5 1–0, Lasker,E-Lewit,A,Teplitz-Schoenau
1922.
D2) 4...Nf6 5.Nc3 (5.d3 This small move may have to be played.) 5...Nxe4
Black may be able to get away with this move. 6.Bxf7+ Kxf7 7.Nxe4 d5 (7...
Rf8 8.0–0 Kg8 9.d4 d5 10.Nc5 Nc6 11.c3 Kh8 12.Nd3 unclear.) 8.Ne5+ Kg8
9.Qf3 I'm not so sure about this though White may have good practical
chances. Of course Black can't take on e4 because of Qb3.
E) 3...Ne7 The Bonsch-Osmolovsky. Black wants to go to g6 to defend the f-

pawn. 4.d4
E1) 4...Ng6 5.h4 h5 (5...Be7 6.h5 Nh4 7.Bxf4 d5 8.Nxh4 Bxh4+ 9.g3 Bg5 10.
Qd2 Bxf4 11.Qxf4 dxe4 12.h6 Qxd4 13.Nc3 Nc6 14.Rd1 Qf6 15.hxg7 Qxg7
16.Nd5 Kf8 17.Nxc7 Rb8 18.Qd6+ Kg8 19.Ne8 Qg5 20.Nf6+ Kg7 21.Nh5+
Kg8 22.Rd5 Qe3+ 23.Be2 White won this game after some knight acrobatics.
1–0, Vinokurov,A-Tolstikh,N,Voronezh 2001.) 6.Bc4 c6 7.Nc3 Be7 8.0–0 d6
Black doesn't want to spend any more time getting pawns. 9.Ne2 Bg4 10.g3
d5 (10...fxg3 11.Bxf7+ Kxf7 12.Ne5+ Ke8 13.Nxg6) 11.exd5 cxd5 12.Bb5+
Nc6 13.Bxf4 This is a bizarre game. I like White's position.
E2) 4...d5 5.Qe2 Ng6 6.h4 dxe4 (6...h5 7.Nc3 c6 8.exd5+ Be7 9.Ne5 White
attacks the g6-knight which is the main part of Black's defense strategy of the
f4-pawn.) 7.Qxe4+ Qe7 8.Qxe7+ Nxe7 9.Nc3 c6 10.Bc4 Nf5 11.0–0 f6 12.
Bxf4 White's superior pawn structure is going to win the game. 12...Bd6 13.
Rae1+ Kd8 14.Nd2 Bxf4 15.Rxf4 Nd6 16.Bd3 Nd7 17.h5 Black is cramped
and will have to go through strange maneuvers. 17...h6 18.Re3 Re8 19.Rg3
Re7 20.Nce4 Ne8 21.c4 Nf8 22.d5 cxd5 23.cxd5 Re5 24.Nc3 Rxh5 25.Re3
Nd6 26.Nf3 Nf7 27.Rfe4 Ne5 28.Nxe5 Rxe5 29.Rxe5 fxe5 30.Rf3 Ke7 31.d6
+ Ke8 32.Nb5 Ne6 33.Bg6+ Kd8 34.Rf7 Bd7 35.Bf5 Be8 36.Re7 Nd4 37.Nc7
Bc6 38.Bh3 1–0, Morozevich,A-Sokolov,I,Sarajevo 2000.
F) 3...c6 We will see this in the first illustrative game.
G) 3...g6 I have never seen this move before. 4.d4 Bh6 5.Bc4 d6 6.Nc3 White
is already doing well. The idea of defending the pawn with the bishop on h6 is
just not very good.
H) 3...f5? This is a bad move. 4.exf5 d5 5.d4 Bd6 6.Bd3 Qe7+ 7.Kf2 Qf6 8.
Re1+ Ne7 9.c4 c6 10.Nc3 0–0 11.cxd5 cxd5 12.Qb3 Nbc6 13.Ne4 Qh6 14.f6
Na5 15.Qb5 Black is regretting letting White get a pawn on the f-file after all.
I) 3...Bc5? This is another bad move. 4.d4 Bb6 5.Bxf4 d6 6.Bc4 Qf6 7.Qd2 h6
8.Nc3 Ba5 9.0–0 Qg6 10.e5 Nc6 11.Rae1 d5 12.Bxd5 Nge7 13.Be4 Bf5 14.
Nh4 Qg4 15.Nxf5 Nxf5 16.h3 Qh5 17.g4 White wins.
J) 3...Nc6 This move can be dangerous. 4.d4 d5 (4...Nf6 5.d5 Ne7 6.Nc3 Ng6
7.e5 Nh5 8.d6 White is better since Black's knights have gotten so off track.;
4...g5 5.d5 Nb4 6.a3 g4 7.axb4 gxf3 8.Qxf3; 4...d6 5.Bxf4 Nf6 6.Nc3 Bg4 7.
Bb5 a6 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.0–0 Be7 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 0–0 12.e5 White is
overrunning Black.) 5.exd5 Qxd5 6.Nc3 Bb4 7.Bxf4 Nf6 (7...Bg4 8.Kf2!
White opens the e-file and unpins the c3-knight. 8...Bxc3 9.bxc3 0–0–0 10.
Bd3 Nf6 11.Re1) 8.Bd3 Qe6+ 9.Kf2 Ng4+ 10.Kg1 0–0 11.h3 Nf6 12.d5 Bc5+
13.Kf1 Qe7 14.dxc6 Nh5 15.Qd2 Qf6 16.Ne4 Qxb2 17.Be5 Qb6 18.Qg5 1–0,
Keres,P-Pruun,R,Tallinn 1943.
4.Bc4
4.d4 and 4.h4 are other possibilities but I like targeting the f-pawn. 4.h4 g4 5.
Ne5 leads to some speculative play.
4...Bg7
Black starts to set up the ideal defensive structure while defending the pawn
on f4.
A) 4...g4 The Muzio Gambit. 5.0–0 gxf3 6.Qxf3 Qf6 (6...Qe7 7.d4 Nc6 8.
Bxf4 Nxd4 9.Qd3 Ne6 10.Nc3 c6 11.e5 b5 12.Bb3 a5 13.Ne4 Qh4? 14.Bxe6
fxe6 15.Bg5 White is winning. Black has nothing developed.) 7.e5 Qxe5 8.
Bxf7+ If you have already sacrificed one piece what is another? 8...Kxf7 9.d4
Qf5 (9...Qxd4+ 10.Be3 Qg7 11.Bxf4 Nf6 12.Nc3 Qg4 13.Qxg4 Nxg4 14.Be5
+ Kg6 15.Bxh8 Bg7 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Nd5 Na6 18.Rae1 c6 19.Re7+ Kg8 20.
Re8+ Kg7 21.Ne7 Nf6 22.Nf5+ Kf7 23.Re7+ Kf8 24.Rfe1 d5 25.Nd6 Kg8 26.
Rf1 Bg4 27.Rxf6 Bd1 28.Ne8 1–0, Tsarenkov,N-Novichkov,V, Serpukhov
2002.) 10.g4 Qg6 11.Bxf4 I am not really sure what is going on in this
position. 11...Nf6 12.Be5 Be7 13.Nc3 d6 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Nd5 unclear.
B) 4...Nc6 5.0–0 Bg7 6.d4 d6 7.c3 h6 8.g3 g4 (8...Bh3 9.Rf2 Qd7 10.gxf4 Qg4
+ 11.Kh1 Nf6 12.Nbd2 Nh5 13.fxg5 0–0–0 14.Qg1 Qf4 15.Ne5 White wins.)
9.Nh4 f3 10.Nd2 Bf6 11.Ndxf3 White sacrifices a piece as in the Muzio
Gambit. 11...gxf3 12.Qxf3 Bh3 13.Qh5 Qd7 14.Rf4 0–0–0 15.Nf5 Bxf5 16.
Rxf5 Rh7 17.Bd2 Rg7 18.Raf1 Rg6 19.R5f3
[FEN "2kr2n1/pppq1p2/2np1brp/7Q/2BPP3/
2P2RP1/PP1B3P/5RK1 b - - 0 19"]
White has a lot of play, but if you don't want to sacrifice a piece you can
deviate earlier.
C) 4...d6 This is not quite accurate here. 5.h4 gxh4 (5...g4 6.Ng5 Nh6 7.Nc3
c6 8.0–0 Qe7 9.d4 f6 10.Bxf4 Black cannot afford to do this.) 6.Rxh4 Nf6 7.
Nc3 Rg8 8.Qe2 Bg4 9.d4 Nc6 10.Bb5 a6 11.Bxc6+ bxc6 12.Bd2 (12.Bxf4
Nh5) 12...Nh5 13.Rh2 Qc8 14.0–0–0 a5 15.Qc4 White is better.
5.0–0
5.d4 This will transpose into the line with 5.0–0. 5...d6 6.0–0 h6 7.c3 Ne7 8.
g3 g4 (8...Ng6 9.Qb3 0–0 10.gxf4 gxf4 11.Kh1 Nc6 12.Qc2 Nce7 13.Nbd2
Be6 14.Rg1 Bxc4 15.Nxc4 d5 16.Nce5 dxe4 17.Qxe4 Qd5 18.Qxd5 Nxd5 19.
Nxg6 fxg6 20.Rxg6 Kh7 21.Rg2 Rae8 22.Bd2 Ne3 23.Re2 Nc4 24.Rae1
Rxe2 25.Rxe2 Nxd2 26.Nxd2 Rf6 27.Nf3 Bf8 28.Re8 a5 29.b3 Bd6 30.c4 b6
31.Kg2 Kg6 32.Kf2 Kf5 33.h3 Rf8 34.Nh4+ Kg5 35.Rxf8 Bxf8 36.Ng2 Bg7
37.d5 Be5 38.Kf3 Kf5 39.Ne1 Bc3 40.Nd3 Be5 41.a3 Bd6 42.b4 axb4 43.
axb4 Be7 44.c5 bxc5 45.bxc5 Bg5 46.Nb4 Be7 47.Na6 Ke5 48.d6 cxd6 49.c6
Bd8 50.c7 Bxc7 51.Nxc7 d5 52.Na6 Kf5 53.Nb4 d4 54.Nd3 Kg5 55.Nxf4
Kh4 56.Kg2 h5 57.Kh2 1–0, Fischer,R-Mott Smith,K,Chicago 1964. Fischer
played the King's Gambit occasionally, and often in simuls. The pawn
structure helped White win in addition to Fischer's chess genius.) 9.Nh4 f3 10.
Na3 0–0 11.Bf4 Nbc6 12.h3 Na5 13.Qd2 Nxc4 14.Nxc4 h5 15.Bh6 Ng6 16.
Nf5 Bxf5 17.exf5 Nh8 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.hxg4 hxg4 20.Qf4 Rg8 21.Rae1
Kh7 22.Kf2 Rg5 23.Rh1+ Kg7 24.f6+ Kg6 25.Rh7 Qxf6 26.Rh6+ Kxh6 27.
Qxf6+ Rg6 28.Rh1# 1–0, Chigorin,M-Schmid,C,Berlin 1881.
5...d6
Black continues to get the pieces out.
6.c3
White gives the center extra support and carves out a path for the queen.
6...Bg4
6...Nc6 7.Qb3 Qe7 8.d4 Nf6 9.Nxg5 Nxe4 10.Bxf7+ Kd8 11.Nxe4 This is not
what Black wants. 11...Qxe4 12.Bxf4 Bh3 13.gxh3 Nxd4 14.Nd2 Ne2+ 15.
Kf2 Qxf4+ 16.Kxe2 Qg5 17.Rae1 Bh6 18.Qd5 Re8+ 19.Kd1 1–0, Morphy,P-
Anderssen,A, Paris 1858.
7.Qb3
This is not really on the traditional King's Gambit track since White is
running around chasing pawns, but it is perfectly good. The King's Gambit is
not as successful as it was in the past, nor is it a clear route sometimes even to
equality. I have been playing an even less respected variation (3.Bc4) for
years, though it is not for everyone.
7...Nh6 8.Qb5+ Nd7 9.Qxg5 Qxg5 10.Nxg5 Ne5 11.Bb3 Bf6 12.h4 Nd3 13.
Bc2 Nxc1 14.Rxc1 0–0–0 15.Rf1 Rdg8 16.Rxf4
[FEN "2k3rr/ppp2p1p/3p1b1n/6N1/4PRbP/
2P5/PPBP2P1/RN4K1 b - - 0 16"]
This is about even.
Morphy, Paul – Ross, Paul

New Orleans simultaneous, 1858
King's Gambit Accepted [C34]
Morphy played the King's Gambit many times since it fit his attacking style
and it was popular in the nineteenth century.
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 c6
In this game we see how to beat a weak opponent, or at least an opponent who
plays passive moves. I think this move is slow and Black would do better to
get out a piece first.
4.Nc3
I think this is the most flexible.
4...Bb4
This is awkward. There is no threat and White just develops. If 4...Nf6 5.e5
Nh5 6.d4 White gets the usual perks: the center and easy development while
Black clings to the f-pawn. 4...d5 is another option. White develops fast. 5.
exd5 cxd5 6.Bb5+ Nc6 7.d4 This is pleasant for White.
5.Bc4 Bxc3?!
Black cannot give up this bishop unless there is a very good reason.
6.dxc3
Black has helped White control the open d-file and develop the c1–bishop.
6...Ne7 7.Qd6!
[FEN "rnbqk2r/pp1pnppp/2pQ4/8/2B1Pp2/
2P2N2/PPP3PP/R1B1K2R b KQkq - 0 7"]
This is very restricting and also attacks the f-pawn. There is a Morphy game
to my recollection, however, where he does the same thing though as Black,
playing ...Qd3!
7...0–0 8.Bxf4 Ng6 9.Bg5 Qe8 10.0–0 Kh8?
This is much too slow. If 10...Qxe4 11.Nd4 I would be very surprised if White
did not have a winning advantage.
On 10...b5 11.Bb3 Bb7 Black has to develop somehow. 12.e5 c5 13.Qxc5

Nc6 14.Qxb5 Black has no compensation.
11.Rae1 f6
Black has violated too many opening laws not to be punished sooner or later.
Morphy starts the tactics.
12.e5!
[FEN "rnb1qr1k/pp1p2pp/2pQ1pn1/4P1B1/
2B5/2P2N2/PPP3PP/4RRK1 b - - 0 12"]
12...f5
12...fxg5 This leads to a quicker defeat. It just opens everything up for White
and Black's queenside can only sit idle. 13.Nxg5 Na6 14.Nf7+ Kg8 15.Nh6+
Kh8 16.Rxf8+ Nxf8 17.Bf7 Qd8 18.e6
13.Nd4
There is no defense at this point.
13...f4 14.e6 dxe6 15.Nxe6 Bxe6 16.Rxe6 Qc8 17.Rxg6 hxg6 18.Qxg6 Qf5
19.Rxf4!
Morphy finishes with a queen sacrifice.
19...Qxg6 20.Rxf8+ Kh7 21.Bg8+ Kh8 22.Bf7+ Kh7 23.Bxg6+ Kxg6 24.
Bf4 1–0
White wins a piece. This is how many King's Gambit games went before
Black figured out better ways to defend.
Shulman, Yuri (2540) – Petukhov, Viacheslav (2275)

Vladivostok, 1995
King's Gambit Accepted [C34]
Now we move into more modern times and higher caliber players. Black does
not find the best plan and after he loses the f-pawn, White is better. White
usually attacks the kingside, but here we see a successful queenside attack.
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e5 Nh5 5.d4 d5 6.Be2
Black has let White gain space in the center while having a hold on the f-
pawn and a pawn on d5. I like White's idea in this game with 6.Be2. An
interesting fight is ahead.
6...Bg4 7.0–0 Be7?!
I believe this was not direct enough, giving White a comfortable game. 7...
Nc6 8.Nc3 (8.c3 g5 9.Ne1 Bxe2 10.Qxe2 Ng7 White will have to develop
awkwardly.) 8...g5 9.Ne1 Bxe2 10.Qxe2 Ng7 11.Qb5 Qd7 This is
complicated since pawns are hanging in several places. I think it is about
even.
8.Ne1!
[FEN "rn1qk2r/ppp1bppp/8/3pP2n/3P1pb1/
8/PPP1B1PP/RNBQNRK1 b kq - 0 8"]
This regrouping idea works out nicely.
8...Bxe2 9.Qxe2 g6 10.Nd3 Nc6 11.c3 Qd7 12.Nxf4 Nxf4 13.Bxf4 h6
Black has to make some funny moves now and White gets the better game.
13...0–0–0 14.Bh6 Qe6 15.Qf3 The f-pawn is hard to defend.
14.Be3
Before Black castles queenside he has to defend the f-pawn.
14...Rh7 15.Qd2
Now the h-pawn is attacked.
15...Bf8?!
15...0–0–0 16.Bxh6 Rdh8 17.Bf4 Kb8 White is still better in my estimation,

but this has got to be more enterprising for Black.
16.Qd3 0–0–0 17.Nd2 Be7 18.b4
Black is all discombobulated and has no attack.
18...Re8 19.Nb3 Qe6 20.a4 Nd8 21.b5 Rhh8 22.Bd2 Ref8 23.a5 Kb8 24.
Rae1
White has superior space and a winning attack. Black cannot even play ..f6.
24...a6
24...h5 25.Nc5 Bxc5 26.dxc5 After 27.b6 Black's king is in trouble.
25.Rb1
White zips back to the b-file which will soon become open.
25...axb5 26.Qxb5 Qc6 27.Qd3 Ka7 28.Be3 f5
Black finally gets some sort of counterplay with this break. Unfortunately, it
comes too late. White already has the open file against the Black king and the
possibility for more breaks with c4.
29.Nd2 Ne6 30.Rb5 Qa6 31.c4!
[FEN "5r1r/kpp1b3/q3n1pp/PR1pPp2/
2PP4/3QB3/3N2PP/5RK1 b - - 0 31"]
Black has to create more weaknesses or let the e3-bishop become active.
31...c6
31...dxc4 32.d5+.
32.Rb6 Qxa5 33.c5 Kb8 34.Rfb1 Nd8
The knight is forced to go back to d8.
35.Nb3 Qa4 36.Qd2 g5 37.Ra1 Qc4 38.Na5 1–0
The queen is trapped.
Lessons Learned
● White targets the f7-square since it is along the half-open or open f-file
and is the weakest square in the Black position before castling since it
is only protected by the king.
● On one hand, White is striving for attacking chess and a quick victory.
The rook on f1, the bishop on c4, and quick development make the
King's Gambit very dynamic.
● On the other hand, with better defenses known to Black now, White
can also strive for more positional advantages such as central control,
open files, and pawn structure.
Practitioners
Many players have essayed the King's Gambit from the days of
swashbuckling chess to more modern times.
● Paul Morphy – Morphy was an American player in the nineteenth

century who excelled at open games and tactics. Many people are
familiar with his combinational victories.
● Boris Spassky – The tenth world champion played this opening on a
number of occasions. He had great results with it, even beating Fischer.
● Joe Gallagher – The British grandmaster has written about the King's
Gambit. He has won the British Chess Championship.
Further Reading
● The King's Gambit for the Creative Aggressor by Thomas Johansson

(Kania, 1998). I have been impressed by this author.
● Winning with the King's Gambit by Joe Gallagher (Henry Holt and Co.).
● Fischer's famous article, written after his loss to Spassky, "A Bust to
the King's Gambit."
A PDF file of this month's column, along with all previous columns, is
available in the ChessCafe.com Archives.


Danish Gambit and Center Game [C21-22] Purchases from our
This month, since we are "back to school," I decided to cover the Center
accessible:
Game and Danish Gambit from Black's point of view. These openings are
very popular at the scholastic level (and still occur often enough in adult
amateur tournaments) and are good to know for the upcoming fall
tournaments.
1.e4 e5 2.d4
White immediately hits Black in the center and tries to use the advantage of
The the first move to gain a more tangible edge.
Openings 2...exd4
Explained Black does not let White take over the center. ECO C
by Chess Informant
Abby Marshall
Translate this page
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppp1ppp/8/8/3pP3/8/
Beating the Open Games
PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 3"]
by Mihail Marin
3.c3
This is the Danish Gambit. We'll return to this in a bit. First we will examine
the capture of the pawn by the queen, known as the Center Game.
3.Qxd4 Nc6 This is the drawback of the Center Game. The queen can be
attacked easily.
A) 4.Qa4 This is a Scandinavian type set-up. 4...Nf6 5.Bg5 (If 5.Bf4 Bc5 6.
Nd2 0–0 7.f3 d5 8.0–0–0 Qe7, Black has a comfortable game. If 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.
Bd2 0–0 7.f3 d5 8.0–0–0 dxe4 9.Nxe4 Bxd2+ 10.Rxd2 Qe7 11.Nxf6+ Qxf6
Play through and download Black is a little better because of the lead in development.) 5...Be7 6.Nc3 0–0 Play the Open Games as Black
the games from 7.0–0–0 d6 8.f4 Ng4 is an even game. by John Emms
ChessBase Game Viewer. B) 4.Qd2 This is not a good square for the queen. 4...Nf6 5.Bd3 (5.Nc3 Bb4 6.
a3 Nxe4 7.Qe3 Bxc3+ 8.bxc3 0–0 and Black is winning.) 5...d5 White's
opening has been a failure. If White isn't careful in this opening, Black can
quickly strike out and get the better game.
C) 4.Qd1 Bc5 (4...Nf6 This works too. 5.Bd3 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Bc5 7.h3 Qe7 8.
Qe2? Nd4 9.Qd1 Nxe4 10.Ne2 Nxf2! 11.Kxf2 Nxe2+ 12.Kf1 Ng3# 0–1,
Gorbunov,O-Poletov,V, Tula 2005) 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.Nf3 d6 We will look at this
in the first illustrative game.
D) 4.Qe3 Nf6 Black has a lead in development while White has a pawn in the
center.
[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/8/4P3/
4Q3/PPP2PPP/RNB1KBNR w KQkq - 0 5"]
D1) 5.Bd2 This move avoids annoying pins on the a5-e1 diagonal. 5...Be7 6.
Nc3 d5 This is a common break in the position. 7.exd5 Nxd5 8.Qg3 Ncb4!
White has neglected the center and now Black wants to take advantage of the
lead in development. 9.0–0–0 (9.Nxd5 Qxd5 10.Qxg7 Nxc2+ 11.Kd1 Qd4
Black might have a small edge.) 9...Nxc3 10.bxc3 Nxa2+ 11.Kb1 Be6 12.c4
Nb4 The knight escapes and White's king is in big trouble.
D2) 5.e5 Ng4 6.Qe4 d5! Black gets activated and protects the knight on g4.
(6...Ngxe5?! 7.f4 d5 8.Qe2 Bf5 9.Nf3) 7.exd6+ Be6
D2a) 8.dxc7 Qd1+;
D2b) 8.Bc4 Nf6 9.Qe3 Bxd6 10.Bxe6 0–0! Black cleverly gets even more
pieces out. 11.Ne2 (11.Bb3 Re8) 11...fxe6 12.Qxe6+ Kh8 13.Be3 Re8 14.Qb3
Ng4 15.Nbc3 Nxe3 16.fxe3 Qh4+ 17.g3 Bxg3+! 18.Nxg3 Rxe3+ 19.Kf2 Qf4
+ 20.Kg2 Qf3+ 21.Kg1 Rf8 22.Nce4 Nd4–+.
D2c) 8.Ba6 This weird move helps White stay in the game. 8...Nf6 9.Qa4 Bc8
10.dxc7 Qxc7 11.Bb5 Bd6 Black is alright since White has nothing developed.
D3) 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.Bd2 0–0 7.0–0–0 Re8
[FEN "r1bqr1k1/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/8/1b2P3/
2N1Q3/PPPB1PPP/2KR1BNR w - - 0 8"]
D3a) 8.Bc4 d6 Black calmly develops. 9.f3 Na5 10.Bd3 (10.Bb3 Nxb3+ 11.
axb3 a5 12.Qf2 Bd7 13.Nge2 a4 14.bxa4 Bxa4 15.Nb1 Bc5 16.Be3 b6 Black
has the bishop-pair and open lines against the king.) 10...d5 11.Nxd5 Nxd5 12.
Qf2 This works because White can regain the piece; watch the hanging bishop
on b4 and later knight on a5. 12...Bxd2+ 13.Qxd2 c6 14.exd5 cxd5 15.Bb5
Nc6 16.Qxd5 Qb6 17.Bxc6 Be6 18.Qb5 Qe3+ 19.Kb1 bxc6 The open lines
and the bishop compensate for the pawn. White also has an undeveloped
kingside.
D3b) 8.Qg3 Rxe4! 9.a3 (9.Nxe4 Nxe4 10.Qf4 Bxd2+ 11.Rxd2 Nxd2 Black
has won a pawn.) 9...Rg4 10.Qe3 (10.Qf3 Ne5 11.Qe2 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 Re4 13.
Qd2 Ng6 Black has won a pawn and White has no attack.) 10...Ba5 11.f3 Rg6
12.h4 Bb6 13.Qe1 d6 14.h5 Nxh5 15.Rxh5 Bxg1 16.Bd3 Bc5 17.Qh1 h6 18.
Ne4 (If 18.Bxg6 fxg6 19.Rh2 Be6 Black has two pawns for the exchange so
material is even.) 18...Bb6 19.Kb1 Ne5 Black is better.
Now back to the Danish.

3...d5
This declination of the gambit is safer than its acceptance.
3...dxc3 Acceptance of the gambit is also okay though somewhat riskier. 4.

Bc4 White gambits two pawns to get two bishops out. Seems dangerous to
me. (4.Nxc3 I haven't seen this move before. Black is just up a pawn with not
much compensation for White. 4...Bb4 5.Bc4 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 Qf6 7.Qc2 d6 8.
f4 Ne7 Black is alright.) 4...cxb2 At this point Black should proceed with
taking the pawns. 5.Bxb2 d5! Don't forget to play this move. Black gives back
just one pawn to get pieces out and gain time. 6.Bxd5 Nf6 Black gets another
tempo by attacking the bishop.
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/5n2/3B4/4P3/8/
PB3PPP/RN1QK1NR w KQkq - 0 7"]
A) 7.Bxf7+ This leads to an about equal ending. 7...Kxf7 8.Qxd8 Bb4+ 9.Qd2
Bxd2+ 10.Nxd2 Re8 11.Ngf3 (11.f3 Nc6 12.Rc1 Be6 13.a3 Rad8 Black is
able to get active much more quickly than White. 14.Ne2 Re7 15.Nc4 Bxc4
16.Rxc4 Nd7 17.Nd4 Nxd4 18.Rxd4 c5 19.Rd5 Rc8 20.Ke2 Rc6 21.Rc1 g6
22.g4 a6 23.h4 b5 24.h5 c4 25.hxg6+ hxg6 26.Bc3 Nb6 27.Rd8 Rd7 28.Rxd7
+ Nxd7 29.Rd1 Nc5 30.Rd5 Na4 31.Kd2 Nxc3 32.Kxc3 Rf6 The advanced
pawns give Black a huge edge. 33.Kd4 Rxf3 34.Ke5 Rxa3 35.Rd7+ Ke8 36.
Ra7 Kd8 37.g5 Ra1 38.Kd6 Rd1+ 39.Ke6 c3 0–1, Nyholm,G-Tartakower,S,
Baden 1914) 11...Nc6 12.0–0 Bg4 13.e5 Nd5 14.Ng5+ Kg6 15.Ngf3 Nf4 16.
h3 Bxf3 17.Nxf3 Rad8 This is equal.
B) 7.Nf3 Bb4+ 8.Kf1 White wants every piece in the game and not let
anything get pinned. 8...0–0 9.Qb3 Nc6 10.Nc3 (10.Bxc6? bxc6 11.Qxb4 Rb8
12.Qc3 Qd1+ 13.Ne1 Rxb2 14.Qxb2 Ba6+ 15.Kg1 Qxe1#) 10...Qe7 11.a3
Bd6 12.Re1 Ne5 13.Nxe5 Bxe5 14.Bc4 c6 15.h4 b5 16.Be2 Be6 17.Qc2 Qc5
Black is winning. 18.Rc1 Rfd8 19.g3 a5 20.Qb1 Rd2 21.Nd5 Rxb2 22.Qxb2
Qxd5 23.exd5 Bxb2 24.Rc2 Bxd5 0–1, Nyholm,G-Reti,R, Baden 1914.
C) 7.Nc3 Be7 8.Qb3 (8.Qf3 c6 9.Bb3 Qc7 10.Nh3 0–0 11.0–0 Bd6 White has
no clear way to attack.) 8...Nxd5 9.Nxd5 c6 10.Nxe7 Qxe7 11.Bxg7 Rg8 12.
Bb2 Qxe4+ 13.Ne2 Na6.
[FEN "r1b1k1r1/pp3p1p/n1p5/8/4q3/1Q6/
PB2NPPP/R3K2R w KQq - 0 14"]
Now Black is up a pawn and the aggressor.
4.exd5
White should take back to not lose time. 4.Qxd4 is never played: 4...dxe4 5.
Qxe4+ Be7.
4...Qxd5
Black gets centralized.
5.cxd4
White does not want to trade pieces. The d-pawn is isolated now.
5...Nc6
The next few moves are fairly forced.
6.Nf3
White protects the d-pawn.
6...Bg4
Black is up in development and White has to defend.
7.Be2
7.Nc3 If White does this first, Black can try to enter a potentially favorable
ending. 7...Bxf3 8.Nxd5 Bxd1 9.Nxc7+ Kd7 10.Nxa8 Bh5 11.d5 Nd4 12.Bd3
Bg6 13.Bxg6 hxg6 14.Kd1 Nh6 15.Be3 Nhf5 16.Kd2 Bd6 17.Kd3 Nxe3 18.
fxe3 Nf5 19.e4 Nh6 20.h3 Rxa8 21.Rac1 f6 22.Rc2 Nf7 23.Rhc1 Bf4 24.Rf1
g5 25.b3 Re8 26.a4 Nd6 27.Re2 Re5 28.Rf3 f5 29.exf5 Rxd5+ 30.Kc2 Nxf5
31.Kb2 Be5+ 32.Ka3 Ke6 33.Rf1 Ng3 0–1, Coleman,D-Westerinen,H,
Gausdal 1991.
7...Bb4+
Black continues to force the issue.
8.Nc3
White decides to enter into another well-known endgame struggle.
8...Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Qc4
[FEN "r3k1nr/ppp2ppp/2n5/8/1bqP4/2N2B2/
PP3PPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 10"]
Now White cannot castle. If 9...Qxd4?? 10.Bxc6+.
10.Bxc6+
White wants to mess around with Black's pawn structure before the endgame.
10.Be3 Bxc3+ 11.bxc3 Qxc3+ 12.Kf1 Qc4+ 13.Kg1 Nge7 is not good for
White.
10...bxc6
Black decides to enter the endgame and not let White castle.
11.Qe2+
Otherwise White cannot castle. 11.Qb3 Qxb3 12.axb3 Ne7 13.Be3=.
11...Qxe2+ 12.Kxe2 Ne7
[FEN "r3k2r/p1p1nppp/2p5/8/1b1P4/
2N5/PP2KPPP/R1B4R w kq - 0 13"]
Here are a few examples of how this endgame might proceed. We are at the
end of the road and Black is equal in this position. If you want something
more exciting, then 3...dxc3 might be more for you, but 3...d5 is reliable and
secure. Black's idea here is to target the isolated d-pawn. It is harder for White
to attack Black's weak pawns.
13.Be3
A) 13.Rd1 0–0–0 14.a3 Ba5 15.Be3 Bb6 Black targets the d-pawn and starts
to poke holes in the white position. 16.Rd2 Rd7 17.Rad1 Rhd8 18.g4 f5 19.h3
Re8 20.Kf3 Rf8 21.Kg3 h6 22.d5 Bxe3 23.fxe3 Rfd8 24.gxf5 cxd5 25.Rf2
Rf8 26.Rdf1 Rd6 27.e4 dxe4 28.Nxe4 Rd3+ 29.Kh2 Re3 30.Ng3 Rd8 31.f6?
gxf6 32.Rxf6 Rdd3 33.Rg1 h5 34.h4 Rd4 35.Nf5 Nxf5 36.Rg8+ Kb7 37.Rxf5
Rxh4+ 38.Kg2 Rc4 39.Rf2 Rd4 40.Rh8 h4 41.Rh7 Red3 42.Re2 Kb6 43.Rh5
c6 44.Kf2 Rg4 45.Re3 Rd2+ 46.Kf3 Rg3+ 47.Ke4 Rxb2 48.Rxh4 Rxe3+ 49.
Kxe3 Rb3+ 50.Kd2 Rxa3 51.Kc2 Kb5 52.Kb2 Rg3 53.Rf4 c5 54.Rh4 Rg6 55.
Rf4 a6 56.Rh4 Rd6 57.Kc3 Rf6 58.Kb3 Rf3+ 59.Kb2 Rg3 60.Kc2 a5 61.Rf4
Rh3 62.Rg4 Rh2+ 63.Kc3 a4 64.Rg8 Rh3+ 65.Kb2 Rb3+ 66.Kc2 Re3 67.Kd2
Rh3 68.Kc2 Kb4 69.Rg4+ c4 70.Rg2 Rc3+ 71.Kb2 Rb3+ 72.Kc2 a3 73.Kc1
c3 74.Rg4+ Ka5 75.Rg8 Rb2 76.Ra8+ Kb4 77.Rb8+ Kc4 78.Ra8 a2 79.Ra7
Kd5 80.Ra5+ Kc6 0–1, Murdzia,P-Ciemniak,R, Lubniewice 1993.
B) 13.Kd3 0–0–0 14.Kc4 White tries something a little different: super active
king. This is probably not an improvement. 14...Ba5 15.b4 Bb6 16.Be3 Nd5
17.a3 Rhe8 18.Rhe1 h6 19.h4 f5 20.g3 f4 21.gxf4 Ne7 22.Red1 Nf5 23.Rd3
Nxh4 24.Rg1 Nf5 25.Ne2 Re7 26.Rg6 Rd6 27.Rg4 Rf7 28.Ng3 Rd5 29.Nxf5
Rdxf5 30.Rd1 Rd5 31.Rdg1 Rdd7 32.Rg6 Kb7 33.f5 Rxf5 34.Rxg7 Rdd5 35.
Rh1 h5 36.Rh4 a5 37.Rh7 axb4 38.axb4 Rb5 39.Rg7 Rbd5 40.f4 Kc8 41.Re7
Kd8 42.Re5 Rdxe5 43.fxe5 Ke7 44.Kd3 Ke6 45.Ke4 Ba7 46.Rh1 Bb6 47.Rg1
Rf8 48.Rg6+ Ke7 49.Rh6 Rf1 50.Rxh5 Re1 51.Rh7+ Ke6 52.Rh6+ Kd7 53.
Rh3 Rb1 54.Kf5 Rf1+ 55.Ke4 Rb1 56.Bd2 Rd1 57.Rh2 Ke6 58.Rf2 Kd7 59.
Kd3 Ke6 60.Kc4 Kd7 61.Be3 Re1 62.Bg5 Rd1 63.Rf7+ Ke6 64.Rf4 Rg1 65.
Bh4 Rc1+ 66.Kb3 Rd1 67.Bf2 Kd5 68.Kc3 Rf1 69.Kd3 Rd1+ 70.Ke2 Rb1 71.
Be1 Rb3 72.Bd2 Rh3 73.Be3 Rh2+ 74.Rf2 Rh1 75.Rf1 Rh2+ 76.Rf2 Rh1 77.
Kd3 Rd1+ 78.Rd2 Rb1 79.Kc3 Re1 80.Bf2 Rf1 81.Rc2 Rxf2 82.Rc1 Bxd4+
83.Kd3 Rf3+ 84.Ke2 Re3+ 85.Kd2 Rxe5 0–1, Kot,J-Staniszewski,P, Warsaw
2005.
13...Nf5 14.Rhd1 0–0–0 15.Rd3 Rhe8 16.Rad1 c5 17.dxc5 Rxd3 18.Rxd3

Bxc5 19.Nd1 Re6 20.Kd2 Nxe3 21.Nxe3 Rb6 22.b3 Rh6
[FEN "2k5/p1p2ppp/7r/2b5/8/
1P1RN3/P2K1PPP/8 w - - 0 23"]
Black's bishop is enough to to compensate for the weak queenside pawns.
23.h3 Rf6 24.Ke2 Re6 25.f4 g6 26.g4 f5 27.Kf3 fxg4+ 28.hxg4 h5 29.gxh5
gxh5 30.Nc4 Rh6 31.f5 Rh8 32.Rd5 Bb4 33.Ne5 h4 34.Rd1 h3 35.Rh1 Rh7
36.Nc4 h2 37.Kg2 Rh5 ½–½, Velimirovic,D-Ziatdinov,R, Kusadasi 1990.
Horwitz, Bernhard – Staunton, Howard

Match, London, 1851
Center Game [C22]
This is one of those classic games where Black exploits a positional

advantage and a lead in development.
1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Qxd4 Nc6 4.Qd1 Bc5 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.Nf3 d6
White has a bigger center although the e-pawn could become a target. Black
is also up in development.
7.h3 h6 8.0–0 0–0 9.Nbd2 Be6 10.c3 Qd7 11.b4?!
This is weakening. 11.Re1 Ne5 12.Nxe5 dxe5 13.Nf1 Rad8 Black is already
winning at least a pawn. If 11.Nb3 Bb6 12.Nbd4 Ne5=.
11...Bb6 12.a4 a5 13.b5 Ne5
With not much effort Black is already better. White's queenside pawns will be
weak in an endgame.
14.Nxe5 dxe5 15.Qe2 Rad8 16.Bc4 Rfe8 17.Bxe6 Rxe6 18.Nc4 Qd3
[FEN "3r2k1/1pp2pp1/1b2rn1p/pP2p3/P1N1P3/
2Pq3P/4QPP1/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 19"]
Black uses the lead in development to start poking at the weak spots in
White's position.
19.Re1 Qxe2 20.Rxe2 Rd1+ 21.Kh2 Nh5
21...Nd7 This move, going to c5, is even more direct.
22.g3 Nf6 23.Nb2

23.Bb2 would put up more resistance since at least the a1-rook gets out.
23...Rd8 24.Nc4 Rd3 25.Bb2 Nd7 26.Kg2 Rf6 27.Ra2 Rdf3 28.Ba1 Rd3 29.
Rac2 Rd1 30.Ra2 Nc5 31.Nxe5
31.Ne3 Rb1 32.Nd5 is still about even.
31...Re6 32.Nc4 Rxe4 33.Ne3
33.Rxe4 Nxe4 34.Nxb6 cxb6 35.g4 Rc1 The knight is superior to the bishop.
Black is likely winning.
33...Rd3
[FEN "6k1/1pp2pp1/1b5p/pPn5/P3r3/
2PrN1PP/R3RPK1/B7 w - - 0 34"]
34.c4 Nb3
Black wins a pawn and retains a superior positional advantage.
35.Ra3 Bc5 36.Raa2 Bxe3 37.Rxe3 Rdxe3 38.fxe3 Rxe3 39.c5 Re1 40.Bc3
Rc1 41.c6 bxc6 42.Be5 cxb5 43.axb5 Rc5 0–1
Black wins another pawn and the game.
Rode, Anthony (2047) – Pilgaard, Kim (2437)

19th Cappelle Open, 2003
Danish Gambit [C21]
This is an interesting game that shows a successful Black defense.
1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 dxc3 4.Bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2 d5 6.Bxd5 Nf6 7.Nc3 Be7 8.
Qf3 c6 9.Bb3 Qc7 10.Nh3 0–0 11.0–0 Bd6
[FEN "rnb2rk1/ppq2ppp/2pb1n2/8/4P3/
1BN2Q1N/PB3PPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 12"]
This is where we left off from the theory section above. I am not sure how
White plans to attack. Still, this is a little scary to face because of the bishop-
pair facing down the black king.
12.Rac1
White does not worry about losing the h-pawn, since it has no role in the
attack.
12...Bxh2+ 13.Kh1 Bg4 14.Qe3 Bxh3 15.Qxh3 Bf4
Black would have had to visualize this position when he took the h-pawn,
making sure it was alright.
16.Nd5
This is White's only chance to shake things up.
16...Nxd5
[FEN "rn3rk1/ppq2ppp/2p5/3n4/4Pb2/
1B5Q/PB3PP1/2R2R1K w - - 0 17"]
17.exd5?
17.Qg4! Be5! (17...f5 18.Bxd5+ Kh8 19.exf5 Bxc1 20.Rxc1 Na6 21.Rc3 Rf6
22.Rh3 cxd5 23.Qh4 White will at least draw. 17...g6? 18.exd5 Bxc1 19.Rxc1
I am uncertain about this. The bishops look awfully strong. 19...c5 20.Qh4
Qd6 21.Qh6 f6 22.Re1 b5 23.Re6 Qd8 24.Bc2 Rf7 25.Bxg6 This actually
wins for White.) 18.Bxe5 Qxe5 19.exd5 cxd5 20.Rfd1 Nc6 Black will be up
two pawns.
17...Bxc1 18.Rxc1 Qd6
Now Black just consolidates. However, White did have an opportunity to trip
Black up.
19.Rc4 Re8 20.Bc3 Nd7 21.Bc2 Nf8 22.Bxh7+
Desperation, but what else to do?
22...Nxh7 23.Rh4 Qg6 24.Rg4 Ng5 25.Qg3 f6 26.f4 Qh7+ 27.Kg1 Ne4 0–1
Black is up a rook.
Lessons Learned
● In the Center Game, White is trying to exploit a space advantage and

castle queenside for an attack. As long as Black develops quickly and
attacks the e-pawn, everything is fine.
● If Black accepts the two pawns in the Danish, it is necessary to
carefully calculate White's attacking chances. If these are neutralized,
Black is winning.
● If Black declines the Danish, knowing the potential endgames is a must.
Practitioners
Many players play the open games as black.
● John Emms. The opening books by this English grandmaster are great.
He also coaches strong players.
● Howard Staunton. He was an English player in the nineteenth century.
The famous Staunton chess sets carry his name.
● Kim Pilgaard. An international master from Denmark who has
competed against the top on occasion.
Bibliography/Further Reading
● Play the Open Games as Black by John Emms. I love this book. It
basically taught me how to play the open games.
● Beating the Open Games by Mihail Marin.
● Sometimes studying white repertoire books helps you find ideas for
your own play as black. Thus, Danish Dynamite by Karsten Müller and
Martin Voigt may be helpful.


Scandinavian with 2...Nf6 [B01] Purchases from our
This month I look at the Scandinavian or Center Counter Defense from
accessible:
White's point of view. I was taught that the Center Counter usually refers to
2...Qxd5, while the Scandinavian refers to 2...Nf6 as a "counter," but I believe
the names are interchangeable. I am restricting myself to the 2...Nf6 line.
1.e4 d5
Black immediately challenges White's center and opens lines for the Black
queen and c8-bishop. It is a great system for the club level since most players
The spend most of their time studying 1.e4 e5 or the Sicilian, and often the
Scandinavian is low on the list. If White is unprepared, Black can often get a
Openings free, easy game with play on the d-file.
Explained 2.exd5
ECO B
by Chess Informant
White does not want to waste a tempo on moving the pawn or defending it. If
Abby Marshall 2.e5 Bf5 Black is totally okay, and 2...c5 3.d4 e6 transposes to an Advance
French.
2...Nf6
Translate this page
Scandinavian Defence
by Curt Hansen
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppp1pppp/5n2/3P4/8/8/
PPPP1PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 3"]
The point here is to develop and not spend time moving the queen to the
center only to have her kicked away by Nc3. 2...Qxd5 is the other main move.
Black will lose time moving the queen, though Black has created an
interesting unbalanced game with Black having the open d-file and White
having the e-file.
Play through and download The Scandinavian
the games from 3.d4 by John Emms
ChessBase Game Viewer. 3.c4 is what I play, not with the idea of hanging on to the pawn but in order to
reach a familiar position by transposition.
A) 3...c6 4.d4 If 4.dxc6? Nxc6.

[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pp2pppp/2n2n2/8/2P5/8/
PP1P1PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 5"]
This is well-known to be bad for White despite the extra pawn. Visually it
makes a lot of sense: Black has two pieces out and control over the dark
squares. White's c-pawn blocks the f1–bishop as well. After 4. d4 then 4...
cxd5 5.Nc3 is the Panov-Botvinnik attack in the Caro-Kann.
B) 3...e6 4.d4 (4.dxe6 Being greedy makes more sense here than it did after
3...c6, since after Black recaptures there will not be the same bind on the d4-
square. Still, I am wary of Black's lead in development after the bishop
recaptures.) 4...exd5 5.Nc3 This is the Exchange French.
3.Bb5+ is an interesting idea that challenges Black right away. White

develops with tempo and wants to disrupt Black's development and influence
on the d-file. Chris Baker recommends this move in A Startling Chess
Opening Repertoire.
A) 3...Nbd7 This move anticipates White's idea and puts a harder question to
White than 3...Bd7. With no immediate threat, White needs to find a good
plan. Black can get untied quickly with ...a6/b5.
There are two other move four alternatives to the main line:
A1) 4.c4 looks logical since it is difficult to see how Black can take advantage
of the lead in development. 4...a6 5.Ba4 b5 This if of course the idea. Black
counts on breaking up White's center and using the lead in development
provided by the two knights. 6.cxb5 Nxd5 7.Nc3 White develops and
challenges one of Black's developed pieces. 7...N5b6 8.Bc2 axb5 9.Nxb5 Ba6
10.Nc3 e5 I am not so happy with this position as White, since I like to be the
aggressor, rather than have my opponent be. I would say Black has definite
compensation for the pawn due to piece activity and control over the center.
A2) 4.Nc3 looks natural as well since it defends the d-pawn but it is out of
place here. Usually White will end up pushing d4 and c4 at some point, so the
knight is just blocking the c-pawn. 4...a6 5.Be2 Nb6 This gives Black the d-
file control I do not like.
A3) 4.d4 White does not use time defending the extra pawn and instead gets
control of the center and develops. 4...Nxd5 5.Nf3
A3a) 5...c6 Black decides to get on with development on the queenside. 6.Ba4
N7b6 7.Bb3 a5 The threat is ...a4. 8.a3 As someone who is used to playing
with isolated d-pawns (IQP), this position is a real treat since in IQP positions
the knight often stays forever on d5, but here it can be kicked away. 8...Bf5 9.
c4 Nf6 10.Nc3 e6 11.h3 This move is not aimed at preventing a ...Bg4 pin but
rather moving Bf4 and if Black plays ...Nh5 White can drop back to h2. 11...
h6 12.0–0 Be7 13.Bf4 0–0 14.Qe2 Re8 15.Rfe1 Here it's about equal or
slightly better for White because of extra space, although the b3-bishop
doesn't look the greatest. 15...Nbd7 16.Rad1 Qb6 17.Ba2 Qa6 18.Ne5 Bf8 19.
g4!? Violence in a position that has previously been relatively contained! I
like this move a lot. Black made moves that seemed okay, but here is this shot
for White. It's justified since Black has no way of striking back in the center.
19...Bh7 20.h4 Rad8 21.g5 hxg5 22.hxg5 Nxe5 23.Bxe5 Nd7 24.Bc7 Rc8 25.
Bg3 (25.Bf4 seems faster since the g-pawn is now protected. 25...Be7 26.Kg2
White has not given up anything for this attack.)
[FEN "2r1r1k1/1p1nbppb/q1p1p3/p5P1/
2PP1B2/P1N5/BP2QPK1/3RR3 b - - 0 26"]
25...Be7 26.Qh5 Bg6 27.Qh4 Nf8 28.Kg2 Nh7 29.Re5 Since White played a
little slowly on move 25 this awkward move is played. 29...f6? Now the
bishop on a2 by accident finds itself on the right diagonal. (29...Qb6 is better;
Black should move the queen back to the kingside.)
[FEN "2r1r1k1/1p2bppn/1qp1p1b1/p3R1P1/
2PP3Q/P1N3B1/BP3PK1/3R4 w - - 0 30"]
30.Rxe6 Nxg5 31.c5! Nxe6 32.Bxe6+ Bf7 Should White now exchange this
bishop for the c8-rook? You've got to be kidding! 33.Bf5 Qc4 34.Qh7+ Kf8
35.Qh8+ Bg8 36.Rh1 Kf7 37.Bg6+ Black will be checkmated on h5 after
taking the bishop. Retreating to f8 runs into Rh7. 1–0, Starostits,I-Spacek,P,
Germany 2008.
A3b) 5...g6 Black is going to let the light-squared bishop sit out on b5 for a
little while and pursue development another way. 6.0–0 Bg7 7.Re1 0–0 8.h3
a6 9.Bf1 b5 10.a4 White's play has been pretty constrained so far with the
idea that Black does not have many targets so White will slowly chip away at
Black's weaknesses. These include no pawn in the center and awkward
development. 10...b4 11.c4!? bxc3 12.Nxc3 White accepts an isolated d-pawn
to get the open c-file and also isolate Black's a and c pawns. White is a little
better here.
B) 3...c6 This leaves Black a little awkwardly placed. 4.dxc6 bxc6 5.Be2 e5 6.
d3 Bc5 7.Nf3 Nbd7 8.0–0 0–0 9.Nc3 Black has one pawn in the center to
Black's advantage, yet I am not sure where the knight on d7 is going. White's
bishop on e2 is slightly passive. However I like having the extra pawn and the
pawns on a7 and c6 are not looking too healthy.
C) 3...Bd7 The natural response that develops a piece. 4.Be2 It looks like
White wasted time but this move is the point: White feels that the inclusion
of ...Bd7 only hinders Black. There are other choices of where to retreat the
bishop, but I like this innocuous looking move since it prevents ...Bg4 pins in
the future.
C1) 4...Nxd5 5.d4 Black has played several moves here.

[FEN "rn1qkb1r/pppbpppp/8/3n4/3P4/8/
PPP1BPPP/RNBQK1NR b KQkq - 0 5"]
C1a) 5...e6 White has received what was desired. Black develops as if all is
normal but now the d7-bishop is blocked in by the pawn. 6.Nf3 Be7 7.0–0 0–
0 8.c4 Nf6 9.Nc3 a5?! (9...c5 10.Be3 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Nc6 This looks far more
typical and a better way for Black to play. This is roughly equal since White
has more active pieces while Black is holding solid in the center.) 10.Ne5 Nc6
11.Be3 Be8 12.f4 The Ne5 paired with f4 plan is seen also in IQP positions.
With the pawn on c4 it seems even better since Black can't even question the
e3-bishop with ...Nd5. 12...a4 13.Bf3 a3 14.b3 Ra5 15.Qd2 Black's silly plan
has let White build up a huge attack. 15...Bb4 16.Nd3 Be7 17.Ne2 Ra8 18.
Rad1 Rb8 19.g4! White has paralyzed the center and Black's play on the
queenside is much too slow. 19...h5 It's hard to say what else to recommend
for Black. (19...Bd7 20.g5 Ne8 21.d5 Take a second to be sure, but, yes, the
knight is trapped.) 20.h3 I give the rest of the game to show how White plays
this position. 20...hxg4 21.hxg4 b5 22.Kg2 bxc4 23.bxc4 Nb4 24.Ne5 Nd7 25.
Rh1 Nxe5 26.fxe5 Ba4 27.Rc1 Qd7 28.Nf4 Bg5 29.Be4 f5 30.exf6 Rxf6 31.
Nh5 Bc6 32.Bxc6 Qxc6+ 33.d5 exd5 34.Bxg5 dxc4+ 35.Kh3 Rf3+ 36.Kh4 g6
37.Nf4 Kg7 38.Qd4+ 1–0, Turov,M-Kondenko,A,Maikop 2004.
C1b) 5...Nb6 This move anticipated c4 to counter it in an imaginative way. 6.

c4 (6.Nf3 avoids Black's idea but runs into a 6...Bg4 pin.) 6...e5!? 7.dxe5 Nc6
Black does have three pieces out to only one white piece. 8.Nf3 Bb4+ 9.Nbd2
Qe7 10.a3 White forces Black to give up the two bishops. 10...Bxd2+ 11.
Qxd2 0–0–0 (11...Nxe5 12.Nxe5 Qxe5 13.Qf4 Qxf4 14.Bxf4 0–0–0 15.0–0 I
wouldn't try to claim a White advantage, but I like the two bishops and the
chances for queenside expansion.) 12.Qc3 Rhe8 13.Bf4 f6 14.0–0 Now things
start to turn violent in White's favor. 14...Qf7 15.a4 g5 16.Be3 g4 17.Nd2
Nxe5 18.a5 Na4 19.Qb4 Qh5? Black has put all the focus on the attack but
this is too slow. (19...f5 20.Bg5 Nc6 21.Qxa4 Rxe2 Black has more chances
in this position than in what happened in the game.) 20.Rxa4 Bxa4 21.Qxa4
Rg8 22.a6 b6 23.Kh1 Rd6 24.c5 Rd7 25.cxb6 cxb6 26.Nc4 White went on to
win fairly easily. 1–0, Arutyunova,D-Jordanova,S,Sunny Beach 2009.
C1c) 5...Bf5 A natural developing move.
C1c1) 6.Nf3 This can also be played before a3. 6...e6 7.0–0 Be7 8.a3 0–0 9.c4
Nb6 10.Nc3 Bf6 11.h3 Nc6 12.Be3 Qd7 (12...a5 13.b3 This is a common way
to stop queenside expansion. If Black plays ...a4 now, White can push past
with b4. 13...e5 If not this White can simply build up and enjoy a space
advantage. 14.d5 e4 Simplifying in the center. White's knight on c3 is
attacked. 15.Nd4 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 c5 This gives White a passed d-pawn yet it
stops White's queenside expansion ideas. 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 18.Qc1 Rae8 19.Qe3
White is just a little better here because Black's queenside pawns are targets
and Black is a little cramped.) 13.b4 Rfd8 14.Qb3 So here we get to see a
different White plan: play on the queenside and gain space. 14...a5 The
correct move, challenging White's control. 15.Rad1 axb4 16.axb4 Qe8 17.
Rfe1 h6 18.d5 Bxc3 19.Qxc3 Ne7 20.Bxb6 cxb6 21.Nd4 Rac8 22.dxe6 fxe6
23.Nxf5 Nxf5 24.Qe5 After the central push on move 18 White has a winning
position. Black has weak pawns and the weaker minor piece. 24...Qf7 25.c5
bxc5 26.Bc4 Rxd1 27.Rxd1 Re8 28.bxc5 Kh8 29.Re1 Qd7 30.Bxe6 Qd2 31.
Re4 1–0, Erdogdu,M-Muzychuk,A,Kalamaria 2009.
C1c2) 6.a3 This move is played to stop the knight from jumping to b4. 6...e6
7.c4 Nf6 8.Nc3 Be7 9.Nf3 h6 10.0–0 0–0 11.Qb3 Rather than advancing with
the b-pawn, White tries to pressure Black's queenside with pieces. 11...Qc8 12.
Bf4 c6 13.Rac1 Nbd7 14.Rfd1 Rd8 15.h3 Ne8 16.Rd2 Bd6 17.Bxd6 Nxd6 18.
Bd3 Bxd3 19.Rxd3 Qc7 20.Rcd1 Nf5 21.Qc2 Nf6 22.Qd2 Nd6 23.Qf4 Nb5
24.Ne5 Nxc3 25.bxc3 Rf8 26.Qh4 Rad8 27.Rg3 White has maneuvered
around in the center and finally received some play around the Black king.
27...Kh7 28.Rdd3 Ng8 29.Rdf3 f6 30.Qe4+ f5 31.Qc2 Nf6 32.Rg6 Rde8 33.
g4 Ne4 34.h4 Kg8 35.c5 Qe7 36.g5 h5 This pawn is now a target and costs
Black the game. 37.Qe2 Rd8 38.Re3 Rd5 39.Qxh5 Rfd8 40.Rxe4 fxe4 41.Ng4
Rf5 42.Nh6+ Kf8 43.Nxf5 Qf7 44.Qh8+ Qg8 45.Qxg8+ Kxg8 46.Rxe6 Rf8
47.Ng3 Rf3 48.Nxe4 Kf7 49.Re5 Rf4 50.Nd6+ Kg6 1–0, Seppeur,R-Schulz,
K, Germany 1985.
C1d) 5...g6 I see this move quite often in the Scandinavian. 6.c4 Nb6 7.Nc3
Bg7 8.c5 If Black is going to play from the wings, White should take over the
center and push Black back. 8...Nc8 9.d5!? An ambitious approach! (9.Nf3
This is more positional and probably just as good. 9...0–0 10.0–0 Bg4 11.Qb3
Nd7 12.Be3 b6 13.Rad1 Rb8 14.Qa4 Nf6 15.Rfe1 Nd5 16.Ne5 Nxe3 17.fxe3
Bxe2 18.Rxe2 Qe8 19.Nc6 Rb7 20.b4 Black can only respond to White and
White is much better.) 9...c6 Black should address the pawns looming in the
center. 10.Qb3 b6 11.Bf3 0–0 (11...bxc5? 12.Qb7 Nb6 13.dxc6) 12.Be3 cxd5
13.Bxd5 Nc6 14.Rd1 Qc7 15.Nb5 Qb7 16.Nd4 Rb8 17.Ngf3 e5 18.Bxf7+!
This is a nice tactic that gives White an overwhelming advantage. 18...Rxf7
19.Nxc6 Bxc6 20.Rd8+ Bf8 21.Nxe5 bxc5 22.Bh6 Everything is under attack
for Black: the queen, both bishops, the rook, everything. 22...c4 23.Qxb7
Rbxb7 24.Nxf7 Rxf7 25.Rxc8 Bxg2 26.Rg1 Bb7 27.Rxf8+ Rxf8 28.Bxf8
Kxf8 29.Rg5 1–0, Bronstein,D-Lutikov,A, Leningrad 1960 URS-ch.
C2) 4...Bf5 Black may want to recapture on d5 with the queen. 5.Nf3 Qxd5 6.
d4 e6 7.0–0 c6 8.c4 Qa5 9.a3 Be7 10.Nc3 This position is more like what
happens after 2...Qxd5. 10...0–0 11.Bf4 Nbd7 12.b4 Qd8 13.Qb3 Ne4 14.
Nxe4 Bxe4 15.Rfd1 Nf6 16.Ne5 Nd7 17.a4 Nxe5 18.Bxe5 Rc8 19.h3 Bf6 20.
Qe3 Bf5 21.Bf3 Re8 22.c5 This move gives up the d5-square, but so what
since Black has no knight to put there. This push ensures that Black's
queenside pawns stay in place and that the f3-bishop will always have an eye
on them. 22...Bc2 23.Re1 Bxe5 24.dxe5 Qd3 25.Qxd3 Bxd3 26.Red1 Red8 27.
Rac1 Kf8 28.b5 Ke7 29.Rc3 Bg6 30.Rd6 cxb5 31.axb5 b6 32.cxb6! Rxc3 33.
bxa7 Ra3 34.b6 1–0, Barrientos Chavarriaga,S-Lotero,F, Buga 2009. Play
could continue 34...Re8 35.Bc6 Rf8 36.Rd7+ Ke8 37.b7]
3...Nxd5
3...Bg4 is the other main move. Like White's move 3.Bb5+, it is meant to
throw White off. 4.f3 This has to be the serious challenge to Black's move. It
gains a tempo and possibly prepares g4 for the future. 4...Bf5 (If 4...Bh5 the
bishop may become a target after Ne2-f4.)
A) 5.c4?! Rather greedy. Black already has two pieces out and now the center
can come under siege. 5...e6! 6.dxe6 If not this then White's last move--
protecting the d-pawn--didn't make sense if the plan all along was to give it
back. (6.Nc3 exd5 This is like a French Exchange with 4.c4 where White
played f3 instead of Nf3. This isn't all bad for White, since sometimes a plan
with Nge2-f4 and g4 enters the works. Black is well placed, however.) 6...Nc6
Energetic play, hitting the d-pawn. If you are already down a couple pawns
don't waste time just recovering one of them. 7.Be3 (If 7.Ne2 Nb4 there is no
way to defend both c2 and d3, and 7.exf7+ doesn't make much of a difference
after Black recaptures. If anything, it opens the e-file for Black. 7...Kxf7) 7...
Bb4+ (7...Nb4 8.Na3) 8.Nc3 Qe7 Black creates a pin along the e-file and
prepares to castle queenside. 9.Bd3 Bxe6 (9...Bxd3 This is also possible with
good attacking chances. 10.Qxd3 0–0–0) 10.Kf2 0–0–0 11.Nge2 Rhe8 12.
Qd2 Bxc4!? An awesome tactical idea. Since I am not recommending this
variation for White I don't want to spend time analyzing what is going on
here, but let's look at a few more moves to see Black's idea. 13.Bxc4 Ne5 14.
Bd3 Neg4+ 15.fxg4 Nxg4+ 16.Kg1 Nxe3 17.h4 f5 Black is down a piece with
an attack. What's funny about this game is that it turns into a maneuvering
struggle. Black eventually won. 18.Rh3 g6 19.Re1 Ng4 20.Rc1 Kb8 21.Qg5
Qe6 22.Nb5 Ba5 23.Qf4 Qd7 24.Na3 a6 25.Nc4 Bb4 26.Qf3 Bf8 27.Na5 c6
28.Nc4 Bh6 29.Re1 Qc7 30.Rb1 b5 31.Ne5 Rxe5 32.dxe5 Qb6+ 33.Kh1 Nf2+
34.Kh2 Ng4+ 35.Kh1 Rxd3 36.Qxd3 Nf2+ 37.Kh2 Ng4+ 38.Kh1 Nf2+ 39.
Kh2 Nxd3 40.Rxd3 Qc7 41.Kh1 Qxe5 42.Nd4 Qe4 43.Rbd1 Kb7 44.Nf3 Kb6
45.Rd6 Bf4 46.R6d4 Qc2 47.b4 h6 48.R4d3 g5 49.Nd4 Qc4 50.a3 gxh4 51.
Nxf5 a5 52.Rd4 Qc2 53.Nxh4 Bc1 54.R4d3 Bxa3 55.bxa5+ Ka6 56.R1d2 Qc1
+ 57.Rd1 Qc2 58.R3d2 Qe4 59.Rd4 Qc2 60.R4d2 Qc5 61.Rd3 Qh5 62.g3 Be7
63.Rd4 c5 64.Rd5 Bg5 65.Ra1 Qg4 66.Ng2 Qxg3 67.Re1 c4 68.Ree5 Qh3+
69.Kg1 Qb3 70.Ne1 Bf4 71.Rf5 Qe3+ 72.Kf1 Bg3 73.Ng2 Qe4 74.Kg1 c3 75.
Rxb5 Qd4+ 76.Kf1 Qd1+ 77.Ne1 Qxe1+ 78.Kg2 Qe2+ 79.Kxg3 Qxb5 0–1
Liu Dede-Fernandes,A, Mallorca 2004.
B) 5.Bb5+ For the moment White has a tempo. Black has three main ways to
get out of check.
[FEN "rn1qkb1r/ppp1pppp/5n2/1B1P1b2/3P4/
5P2/PPP3PP/RNBQK1NR b KQkq - 0 5"]
B1) 5...c6 6.dxc6 Qa5+ 7.Nc3 Nxc6 8.Qe2!? A move with an interesting idea.
8...0–0–0 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Qc4 The queen helps make short work of Black's
queenside. 10...Qb6 11.Nge2 Bxc2? Black can't play this move with the f8-
bishop and the h8-rook sitting at home. 12.Be3 Bg6 (12...e6! No exclamation
point because it is a blockbuster move, but just that it develops the kingside.)
13.Rc1 Kb7 14.d5! Qxe3 15.dxc6+ Kc7 16.Nb5+ Kb6 17.c7 Qd2+ 18.Kf2
Rc8 19.Qc5+ 1–0, Solomon,S-Watson,J, Parramatta 2009.
B2) 5...Bd7 Black is moving the bishop around a lot and we get to a position
similar to the 3.Bb5+ lines except White has gotten d4 in. 6.Bc4 b5!? The
beginning of a funny idea. 7.Bb3 Bc8 From b7 the bishop will attack d5. The
b5 pawn also attacks the c4 square if White is thinking about playing c4. I
don't really believe in this for Black since the light-squared bishop is using so
much time. 8.a4 b4 9.c4 bxc3 10.Nxc3 g6 11.Bf4 Bg7 12.Rc1 0–0 13.Nge2
Bb7 14.0–0 White just has nice development and a beautiful c-file. The c-
pawn will soon be lost.
B3) 5...Nbd7 6.c4 Here is a main position of the 3...Bg4 line. Black has more
pieces out and has the move. White has the center and the extra pawn.
B3a) 6...e6 Here is one idea, to break up White's center and try to exert piece
force on the center. 7.dxe6 Bxe6 8.d5 Conceding dark square control in the
center, though gaining space and not worrying about the e6-bishop hitting the
c4 pawn. 8...Bf5 9.Nc3 Bc5 (If 9...Bb4 10.Nge2 0–0 11.Bxd7 The light
squared bishop is not the best anyway since White's pawns are on light
squares. 11...Nxd7 12.0–0 Re8 13.Ng3 Bg6 14.Nce4 a5 15.Kh1 f5 16.Ng5
Nf8 17.Nh3 Qf6 18.Qb3 White is still up a pawn. Black's structure is looking
shaky since White's knights are ready to jump into the weakened kingside
dark squares and Black's queenside is under pressure from White's queen. 9...
Be7 We will look at this in the first illustrative game.) 10.Qe2+ This is a good
move. White can't castle kingside unless White can get Be3 in, or now the
choice is extended to castling queenside.
B3a1) 10...Kf8 Black is down a pawn so wants to avoid exchanges. 11.Be3

(11.Bg5 and castling long is also good.) 11...Qe7 12.Bxd7 Nxd7 13.Bxc5
Qxc5 14.Ne4 Qb4+ 15.Qd2 Qxc4 16.Rc1 Qxa2 17.Rxc7 This is double
edged, though I would prefer to be White since my king is safer than Black's.
B3a2) 10...Qe7 11.Bf4 0–0–0 12.0–0–0 Rhe8 13.g4 Bg6 14.h4 White has
more space and extra material.
B3b) 6...a6 7.Bxd7+ Qxd7 8.Ne2 e6 9.dxe6 Qxe6 10.d5 White gains space
with an eye for exchanges. 10...Qb6 (10...Qd7 11.0–0 0–0–0 12.Nd4 Bg6 13.
Nc3 Comfortable for White.) 11.Qd4 Qxd4 12.Nxd4 Bg6 13.Nc3 Bc5 14.Be3
This short game is instructive for how White uses a queenside majority to
win. 14...0–0–0 15.Kf2 c6 16.Rac1 Kb8 17.Na4 Bxd4 18.Bxd4 cxd5 19.c5
Rc8? (19...Rhe8 20.c6 Weakens Black's pawns to a great White advantage.)
20.Nb6 Rc6 21.Bxf6 gxf6 22.Nxd5 Rd8 23.Rhd1 Ka7 24.b4 Bf5 25.Ne7 1–0,
Womacka,M-Buchenthal,D,playchess.com 2005.
4.c4
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppp1pppp/8/3n4/2PP4/8/
PP3PPP/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 4"]
I like this move immediately. White has different move order options but
since you are going to play this move at some point, it seems easiest to just
play it now.
4...Nb6
A) 4...Nb4 This move looks like just a mistake. 5.Qa4+ N8c6 Retreating the
other knight runs into a pin after 6.d5. 6.a3 (6.d5? b5 7.Qxb5 Nc2+) 6...Na6 7.
d5 Nc5 8.Qd1 White does not actually win a piece since Black can drive the
queen back, but that's okay because now Black is all discombobulated. 8...
Ne5 (8...Nd4 No this is not a beginners blunder. Still, Black's idea here is not
very good. 9.Qxd4 Nb3 10.Qc3 Nxa1 11.b4 Two knights are usually stronger
than a rook.) 9.b4 Ncd7 10.Bb2 Ng6 11.h4 h5 12.Nf3 White just has so much
space and easy development. 12...Nb6 13.Nc3 e6 14.Qc2 exd5 15.c5 This is
all mostly analysis. I find White's position is just easier to play.
B) 4...Nf6 This isn't something I have seen much because when the knight
goes to b6, it places pressure on the c4-pawn. 5.Nc3 Bf5 6.Nf3 e6 7.Be3 Bb4
8.Qb3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Be4 10.Nd2 Bc6 11.Bd3 We reach this position through
some odd maneuvers. I wanted to show this blast from the past since it shows
Morphy's strength in longer games, which is often quite overlooked since he
had so many short ones. 11...Nbd7 12.Qc2 h6 13.0–0 0–0 14.Rae1 b6 15.h3
Qc8 16.Kh2 Kh8 17.Rg1 Rg8 18.g4! This is what White had been preparing
for the past 10 moves or so. 18...g5 19.f4 Qf8 20.Rg3 Rd8 21.Nf3 Bxf3 22.
Rxf3 Qd6 23.Kg2 Nh5 24.fxg5 hxg5 25.gxh5 g4 26.hxg4 Rxg4+ 27.Kf1 f5 28.
Qf2 Ne5 29.dxe5 Qxd3+ 30.Qe2 Qe4 31.Bf2 Qc6 32.Rd1 Rxd1+ 33.Qxd1
Qxc4+ 34.Qd3 Qxa2 35.Rg3 Qc4 36.Qxc4 Rxc4 37.Rg6 Rc6 38.c4 a5 39.Ke2
Rxc4 40.Rxe6 Rc2+ 41.Kf3 a4 42.Rg6 Rc4 43.Rg1 a3 44.e6 a2 45.Ra1 Re4
46.Rxa2 Rxe6 47.Kf4 Rd6 48.Kxf5 Rd5+ 49.Kg4 b5 50.Ra8+ Kh7 51.Ra7
Rd7 52.Bg3 Rg7+ 53.Kh3 1–0, Morphy,P-Anderssen,A, Paris 1858.
5.Nf3
Again I favor simple development and blocking of any ...e5 break ideas.
5...Bg4
5...g6 I have never faced this move before, but it is a major variation in this
opening. Black basically wants to pressure the d-pawn with the bishop on g7.
6.Nc3 Bg7
A) 7.c5 When looking up games in this opening I saw that this has been
popular as well. It is more direct and takes advantage of the fact that Black
has chosen not to develop traditionally and left the e-pawn on its original
square. 7...Nd5 8.Bc4 c6 9.0–0 0–0 10.Re1 The ideas are pressure: pressure
on d5, on the e-file, on the e-pawn. 10...h6 (10...b6 Black can play this to get
some more activity. 11.cxb6 axb6 12.Bg5 Be6 13.Qd2 Nc7 14.Bxe6 Nxe6 15.
Bh6 Nxd4 16.Nxd4 Bxh6 17.Qxh6 Qxd4 18.Rxe7 From the exchanges White
has emerged better because of the rook on the seventh rank and the other rook
is coming to d1 with tempo.) 11.Qb3 e6.
[FEN "rnbq1rk1/pp3pb1/2p1p1pp/2Pn4/
2BP4/1QN2N2/PP3PPP/R1B1R1K1 w - - 0 12"]
There is now a hole on d6. 12.Ne4 Nd7 13.Bd2 b6 14.Qa3 Qc7 15.Rac1 a5 16.
b4 bxc5 17.bxc5 e5 18.Nd6 White is paralyzing Black.
B) 7.Be3 This move appeals to me since it is as usual straightforward

development and promises some attacking chances. 7...0–0 8.h3 Nc6 9.Be2 e5
10.d5 When Black gains space with e5 we retaliate by also pushing a pawn in
the center and getting a queenside majority. 10...Ne7 11.g4!? This move is
aimed at creating tension when Black plays the typical ...f5 push. The position
is probably equal or slightly better for White.
B1) 11...e4 This is an example of a move to memorize since it is forcing. 12.

Nxe4 f5 (12...Bxb2? 13.Bd4 White is nearly winning after taking over the
dark squares like this. 13...Bxd4 14.Qxd4 f5 15.Nf6+) 13.Nc3 fxg4 14.hxg4
Rxf3? This whole idea fails. White is much too active to fall prey to this
scheme to take White's center pawns. 15.Bxf3 Nxc4 16.Qb3 Nxe3 17.d6+
N3d5 18.dxe7 Qxe7+ 19.Kf1 c6 20.Re1 Qf8 21.Nxd5 cxd5 22.Qxd5+ Kh8 23.
Kg2 1–0, Valerga,D-Luconi,C,Mendoza 2008.
B2) 11...f5 12.Qb3 Kh8 (12...Nd7 13.0–0–0 f4 14.Bd2 Nc5 15.Qa3 b6 16.b4
Gutsy chess. White's rationale is that due to lack of space, Black cannot take
advantage of the holes left behind by the pawn moves. 16...Nb7 17.Rhe1 a5
18.Bd3 I am trying to figure out moves Black has here. The e-pawn is under
attack . Defending it by for example 18...Qd6 runs into 19.Nb5.) 13.0–0–0
Nd7 14.Ng5 Nf6 15.Nb5 White is aiming for control on both sides of the
board. Black is never able to get rolling. 15...a6 16.Na7 f4 17.Nxc8 fxe3 18.
Nxe7 Qxe7 19.Qxe3 Bh6 20.h4 Nd7 21.Kb1 Rae8 22.Rh2 Bxg5 23.hxg5 Qc5
24.Qe4 Kg7 25.Rdh1 Re7 26.Bd3 Rxf2 27.Qxg6+
[FEN "8/1ppnr1kp/p5Q1/2qPp1P1/
2P3P1/3B4/PP3r1R/1K5R b - - 0 27"]
A pretty end. 1–0, Rodriguez Vila,A-Gomez Baillo,J, Pico City 1996.
6.Be2
White breaks the pin and retains central control.
6...Nc6
This is the other developing move that makes sense. White now gets to force
the play. 6...e6 Play could also continue this way. 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Nc3 This is the
best way to deal with Black's fast central play. 8...Bxf3 9.Bxf3 Nxc4 10.Bxc6
+ bxc6 11.Qa4 Nb6 12.Qxc6+ Qd7 13.Qe4 This position is about equal.
White's bishop doesn't look so hot but neither do Black's isolated a and c
pawns.
7.d5
White gains space and forces a favorable exchange.
7...Bxf3
Otherwise the Black knight will get pushed back or to the side.
8.Bxf3
White recaptures.
8...Ne5
The knight finds an active home.
9.Be2
White saves the bishop.
9...Qd7
Preparing to castle queenside. There are two alternatives.
A) 9...c6 10.Qd4 Ng6 11.Be3 e5 12.dxe6 Bb4+ 13.Nc3 Qxd4 14.Bxd4 Nf4 15.
Bxg7 Rg8 16.Bh6 Nxe2 17.Kxe2 Bxc3 18.bxc3 Nxc4 19.exf7+ Kxf7 20.Bf4!
h5 (20...Rxg2 21.Bg3) 21.Rad1 If you only look at the queenside, Black is
doing well, but the kingside makes this a nearly winning position for White.
Grandmaster Leonid Yudasin was White and won after some more moves.
B) 9...e6 This is likely the best move. 10.Nc3 Bb4 11.Qb3 Qe7 12.0–0 0–0 13.
dxe6 Bxc3 14.Qxc3 Qxe6 15.b3 As always I like having the two bishops.
10.b3!?
[FEN "r3kb1r/pppqpppp/1n6/3Pn3/2P5/1P6/
P3BPPP/RNBQK2R b KQkq - 0 10"]
This is an interesting position. We will look at it in the second illustrative

game. I hope this column was helpful in explaining this Black system and in
giving a couple of choices for White on how to counter it.
Polgar, Judit (2550) – Damaso, Rui (2450)

Oviedo rapid, 1992
Scandinavian [B01]
This game showcases the great attacking power of Judit Polgar.
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Bg4 4.Bb5+ Nbd7 5.f3 Bf5 6.c4 e6 7.dxe6 Bxe6 8.
d5 Bf5 9.Nc3 Be7
This is where we left off in the theory section. This move is less active than ...
Bc5 or ...Bb4. Since Black is being passive, Polgar decides that it is
appropriate to play aggressively in order to make Black uncomfortable and
control the play.
10.g4!?
[FEN "r2qk2r/pppnbppp/5n2/1B1P1b2/
2P3P1/2N2P2/PP5P/R1BQK1NR b KQkq - 0 10"]
For the moment White has the center, so Black is not able to strike back as
White plays on the wings.
10...Bg6
The only safe square to retreat.
11.f4
White makes more room for her pieces and continues making threats. If the
Black dark-squared bishop was on c5/b4, White's moves could have been met
with ...Qe7+ or ...Be4 or possibly...Bxg1. Since Black is scrunched up, this is
not possible. 11.g5 also looks strong. 11...Nh5 12.f4.
[FEN "r2qk2r/pppnbppp/6b1/1B1P2Pn/
2P2P2/2N5/PP5P/R1BQK1NR b KQkq - 0 12"]
12...f6 13.f5 Bf7 14.Qe2 fxg5 15.Bxg5 is terrible for Black.
11...h6
It is hard to say what else to do. 11...h5 lets White's pawns advance. 12.f5
Bh7 13.g5 Ng4 14.Qe2 Bxf5 15.h3 traps the knight.
12.f5 Bh7 13.h3
This looks slow, but maybe Polgar wanted to make the queen flexible and not
tied down to defending g4.
13...0–0
It looks like Black is heading from the frying pan into the fire, yet he has to
get developed somehow. Moving the e7-bishop acknowledges the loss of the
tempo while the other pieces have nowhere to go.
14.Bf4
14.Bxd7 The bishop is not the greatest since as stated before the White pawns
are on light squares. This is White's last chance to do this and in the game
Black had a chance to make the bishop into somewhat of an awkward piece.
14...Nxd7 15.Bf4 White has central control and of course an extra pawn.
14...Nc5
The natural move but it has no threats. 14...Nb6! I'm not sure how to respond
to this move. The threat of ...a6 and ...Nxc4 is hard to meet. 15.Qf3 White
may have to return the pawn. Everything else loses time or puts pieces on bad
squares. 15...a6 16.Ba4 Nxc4 17.0–0–0 This is a messy position that could go
either way now what both sides have activity and attack.
15.Qf3
An ambitious move that allows Black to execute a sequence that prevents

White from castling. White could also develop normally with 15. Nge2.
15...a6 16.Ba4 Nxa4 17.Nxa4 Qe8
A sly double attack. The knight on a4 is attacked and Black has set up a
discovered check. White is still doing well. Notice the h7-bishop locked in a
cage.
18.Nc3 Ba3+ 19.Kf1 Bxb2
[FEN "r3qrk1/1pp2ppb/p4n1p/3P1P2/
2P2BP1/2N2Q1P/Pb6/R4KNR w - - 0 20"]
This is the idea: Black regains the pawn and White can no longer castle. The
danger for Black is now White has the initiative: control of play.
20.Re1
20.Rb1 I looked in two different databases at this game and both indicate the
move as 20.Rb1. With nearly a hundred percent certainty this is wrong and
the move played was 20.Re1. Otherwise the game does not make sense.
20...Qd7 21.Nge2
White still has the center and Black's dark-squared bishop is cut off from
attack.
21...b5?
This loses the bishop. 21...Ba3 Going back to cover the dark-squares was
better.
22.Nd1 Ba1
The only square available since the queen on f3 covers the a3 square.
23.Nf2 bxc4
23...Bb2 24.Rb1 The bishop is still lost.
24.Rxa1 Nxd5 25.Rd1
After losing the piece, play is very difficult for Black. White wins with a swift
attack.
25...c6 26.Kg2
26.Qg2 is the move in the databases and again it appears to be wrong since it
would allow a knight fork on the 28th move. This was a rapid game so it's
possible that the recording of the moves was a little off.
26...Qe8 27.Bc1 g6 28.Bb2
A nice maneuver to the long diagonal left behind.
28...f6
28...Ne3+ 29.Kg1 Nxd1 30.Nxd1 This was probably best for Black, but still
White is winning since it is as if White has three pieces for the rook because
the h7-bishop has no play.
29.Nf4 gxf5 30.Nxd5 cxd5 31.g5 Kg7 32.h4 Rd8 33.Rxd5 f4 34.Rd6 1-0
This move doesn't seem right and neither do the last moves so I didn't include
them. Regardless of the final moves the game still retains the same lesson:
attack with f3 followed by g4 when you have control of the center.
Milov, Leonid (2520) – From, Sigfred (2265)

Oberwart open, 1994
Scandinavian [B01]
I like this game since by making natural moves White is able to easily get a
winning position.
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 Nc6 6.c4 Nb6 7.d5 Bxf3 8.
Bxf3 Ne5 9.Be2 Qd7 10.b3
Here is where we left off in the theory section. White is a strong IM playing
against a master.
10...e6
This looks right but it lets White take over quite quickly. 10...0–0–0 11.Bb2
Ng6 12.a4 This is not a fun attack to face.
11.Bb2 Ng6
[FEN "r3kb1r/pppq1ppp/1n2p1n1/3P4/2P5/
1P6/PB2BPPP/RN1QK2R w KQkq - 0 12"]
12.dxe6 Qxe6
12...Bb4+ 13.Kf1 Qxd1+ 14.Bxd1 0–0 Black can try to use development to
justify sacrificing a pawn. I am not sure I believe Black has enough, although
it is better than what happened in the game.
13.0–0 Bd6?
Such a natural move that fails. White gets a winning position quickly and
decisively. 13...Rd8 14.Qc2 Nf4 15.Bf3 c6 16.Nc3 Be7 Not hanging on by
much but at least still in the game.
14.Bg4
Gaining a tempo while opening the e-file.
14...f5 15.Re1 Ne5
15...Be5 16.Bh5 is not much better for Black.
16.Bh5+ g6
Now there is a pin on the long a1–h8 diagonal.
17.c5 0–0–0
[FEN "2kr3r/ppp4p/1n1bq1p1/2P1np1B/
8/1P6/PB3PPP/RN1QR1K1 w - - 0 18"]
Black is facing losing another piece after f4, so he decides to at least develop.
18.cxd6 cxd6 19.f4 gxh5 20.fxe5 Rhe8 21.Na3 dxe5 22.Qc2+ Kb8 23.Bxe5
+ Ka8 24.Nb5 Nd5 25.Qc5 1-0
A strong showing by Milov that shows what happens in this position if Black
plays too slowly.
Lessons Learned
● If Black can play the immediate challenge move 1...d5 with impunity,
then the position is equal. The key seems to be to utilize the inherent
extra time White has. White responds to Black by capturing on d5, and
then Black must respond by finding a way to recapture the d-pawn. If
White can keep the rhythm of Black responding to White, then White
will be better. 3.Bb5+ tries to do that. So does c4 and d4/5.
● g2-g4 is a common motif that crops up in this variation as well as in the
2...Qxd5 branch. If White can get the center under control, then White
is free to play on the wings.
● A more positional idea is to maintain the center with c4 and d4, and use
the open e-file. Black will try to castle queenside and use the d-file.
Bibliography
● Chesspublishing.com
● A Startling Chess Opening Repertoire by Chris Baker.
Practitioners
● Frank Marshall. The early U.S. Chess Champion used 2...Nf6, which is
sometimes called the Marshall Gambit. Marshall was known for his
tactical skill and is credited with the quote: "The hardest thing to do in
chess is to win a won game". He often swindled his opponents when he
had a dead lost position, so I am sure they felt that way.
● Jacques Mieses. The German-English grandmaster won several major
tournaments in the early 1900s. He was a very strong attacking player
although often overlooked in the era of Blackburne and Capablanca.
● Judit Polgar. The Hungarian grandmaster does not play the
Scandinavian but she was on the white side in the first illustrative
game. She is the strongest ever female chess player and in 1996 was
the tenth strongest chess player in the world.


The Chigorin Defense Against the London Purchases from our
System [D02] ChessCafe.com freely
accessible:
The London System is undergoing a resurgence in popularity. From my
experience, White aims for an iron grip on e5 and an attack on the kingside.
The Chigorin Defense is an interesting option to get London players out of
their comfort zone. In this column I will not cover an early c4 by White in
much detail, since London players do not usually play it. Still, even then,
Black gets a typical Chigorin position that turns into a fight of the black
knights versus the white bishops.
The 1.d4 d5 2.Bf4 Nc6
Openings
Explained ECO D
by Chess Informant
Abby Marshall
Translate this page
[FEN "r1bqkbnr/ppp1pppp/2n5/3p4/3P1B2/
8/PPP1PPPP/RN1QKBNR w KQkq - 0 3"]
The idea of the Chigorin is to aim for active piece play. 2...Nc6 looks like a
beginner's move because it blocks the c-pawn, which many players have Unusual Queen's Gambit
learned is unfavorable in Queen's Pawn openings since the extra space gained Declined
by ...c5 is important. It is a tradeoff and an offbeat way to play. Grandmaster by Chris Ward
Alexander Morozevich, a huge proponent of this opening, believes that the
Chigorin may not objectively be the best way to play, but that it is certainly
acceptable and exciting.
2...c5 is the current popular choice.
3.Nf3
I am mainly interested in looking at this position. However, let's look at two

other common moves that your opponents might play.
Play through and download 3.e3 This is the typical reaction to when Black plays ...c5. 3...Nf6 The Black
the games from bishop wants to go to g4, so Black develops and waits for White to play Nf3. ChessBase Tutorials #03
ChessCafe.com in the (3...f6 tries to capitalize on the fact that Black has a knight on c6 exerting by ChessBase
ChessBase Game Viewer. control over e5. But after 4.Bb5 Black will find it hard to develop.) 4.Bd3
Bg4 5.Nf3 e6 This is the main setup we want. Black is planning ...Bd6 next.
3.c3 This is a typical London System move to overprotect d4 against any

Black attack on the center. However, it seems out of place here because Black
has not played ...c5. 3...Bg4!? Although White has not yet played Nf3, Black
develops the pieces as if he did. (3...f6 is interesting here, because White does
not have the option of Bb5. 4.Nf3 g5 5.Bg3 g4 Black chases the knight from
controlling e5. 6.Nfd2 e5 If I was playing the London System as white, I
would be unhappy with this type of position. Black is the one with the e5-
square and will likely put a knight on f5, a bishop on d6 and f5, and maybe
castle queenside.) 4.Nd2 e6 5.f3 Bf5 6.g4 White tries for an attack when he
has no kingside development. 6...Bg6 7.h4 Bd6 Black still employs the ...Bd6
idea. 8.Bxd6 Qxd6 9.Rh3 (Not 9.h5?? Qg3#) 9...h5 White has no attack and
weak dark squares on the c1-h6 diagonal. Black went on to win in Brugali,N-
Munster,P/Westerlo 2004 (33).
3...Bg4
In the Chigorin, Black often exchanges both bishops for the white knights on
f3 and c3. The point is to obtain quick development and strike fast in the
center. Black now has indirect pressure on e5 as a result of the bishop on g4
threatening the f3-knight.
[FEN "r2qkbnr/ppp1pppp/2n5/3p4/3P1Bb1/
5N2/PPP1PPPP/RN1QKB1R w KQkq - 0 4"]
4.e3
This is a normal London System move, solidifying control over d4 and getting
the f1-bishop out.
4.Ne5 If White tries to be aggressive in the center right away, this can only
help Black who has an equal number of pieces out and, after the trade on e5,
has the choice of moving the c-pawn anyway. 4...Nxe5 5.Bxe5 c6 This
protects d5 and gives the Black queen a diagonal to play on. 6.c3 Nf6 7.f3 Bf5
8.Nd2 e6 9.e3 Be7 White's pawn setup leaves his pieces a bit cramped.
Almost effortlessly Black gets an advantage. 10.Be2 Nd7 11.Bg3 (11.Bxg7
Rg8 and Black can take the g2-pawn next.) 11...0-0 12.e4 Bg6 13.0-0 Nf6 14.
e5 Nh5 15.f4 Nxg3 16.hxg3 c5 Black has the bishop-pair and the light squares.
4.Nbd2 This happened in the high-level game Torre-Short, Brussels 1987 in

which Black had all the fun and a big attack. 4...e6 5.c3 Bd6 6.e3 Bxf4 If
White leaves the bishop on f4, Black should take it. 7.exf4 Qd6 The f-pawn
has become a target. 8.Qb3 This is an active solution. It unpins the knight and
attacks Black's b-pawn. 8...f6 Black does not want a knight on e5. 9.g3 (9.
Qxb7 would be the logical continuation, which at least disrupts Black's play.
9...Rb8 10.Qa6 Rxb2 11.Bb5 Nge7 with an interesting game.) 9...0-0-0 10.
Bg2 Nge7 11.0-0 h6 This is the prelude to a big attack.
[FEN "2kr3r/ppp1n1p1/2nqpp1p/3p4/3P1Pb1/
1QP2NP1/PP1N1PBP/R4RK1 w - - 0 12"]
12.Rfe1 g5 13.fxg5 hxg5 14.Nf1 Kb8 15.Qc2 Bf5 16.Qe2 Ng6 17.Ne3 Be4
Black ends up breaking through. 18.Nf1 g4 19.N3d2 f5 20.Nxe4 dxe4 21.Ne3
Qd7 22.Nf1 Rh6 23.Rad1 Rdh8 24.Qe3 Qh7 25.d5 Nce5 26.dxe6 Nf3+ 27.
Bxf3 gxf3 28.Rd7 Rxh2 29.Rd8+ Rxd8 0-1.
4...e6
Black's plan depends on what happens after 5...Bd6. If White captures the
bishop on d6, Black recaptures with the c-pawn and uses the open c-file to
play on the queenside. Otherwise, Black usually captures the bishop on f4 (or
g3 if it retreats) and plays in the center.
5.Be2
White develops and breaks the pin.
5.c4 This is where c4 would likely occur. We soon transpose into a more
common Chigorin position. A sample variation is 5...Nf6 6.Nc3 Bb4 Here
comes the second bishop pinning the knight. 7.Rc1 0-0 Sooner or later Black
will feel the Chigorin pull to exchange the bishops for the knights. The f6-
knight will go to e4. Black may play ...f6 or ...f5 as well. Magnus Carlsen
recently played this type of position as black against Kramnik and got a draw
despite being in a very precarious position.
5.Bd3 This move seems to have a timing problem. The d4-pawn does not
have the support of c3 so Black can strike fast. 5...Bd6 6.Bg3 e5 Once the
center is opened up the game is equal. 7.dxe5 Bxe5 8.c3 Nf6 9.Nbd2 Qe7
Black plans to castle queenside and Black has a nice pawn on d5 with no
white equivalent.
5.c3 We will look at this setup with Nbd2/Bd3 in the first illustrative game.
5...Bd6
[FEN "r2qk1nr/ppp2ppp/2nbp3/3p4/3P1Bb1/
4PN2/PPP1BPPP/RN1QK2R w KQkq - 0 6"]
Here is our key move, putting the challenge to the f4-bishop. A very simple,
effective plan that gets active pieces quickly and stumps White's normal
London plans.
6.Bxd6
This seems most automatic. White can exchange the bishops, move to g3 or
g5, or leave the bishop on f4. Let's look at all these choices.
6.Bg5 Moving the bishop avoids changing the pawn structure, but it wastes
time. 6...f6 I like this move because it protects the queen by gaining a tempo.
7.Bh4 Nge7 8.0-0 Nf5 9.Bg3 Bxg3 In the Chigorin the game belongs to the
knights, so Black preserves the knight on f5. 10.hxg3 Nd6 The knight will go
to e4, while the c6-knight can loop around to e7-g6/f5. Black can castle
kingside or queenside. If anything, Black is a little better.
6.c3 White is still trying to play routine London System moves and allows
Black to capture on f4. 6...Bxf4 7.exf4 Qf6 As we saw in an earlier game, the
f4-pawn becomes a weakness even though it controls e5. 8.g3 Now White's
light squares are weak. 8...Bxf3!? This looks odd because the light-squares are
weak. But Black trades off the light-squared bishop for two reasons: first, so
the f3-knight cannot get to e5, and, second, with a weak color complexes, it is
not only the squares that are weak but also the pawns on all dark squares can
be attacked. Thus, ...h6 and ...g5 may come in the future. White's light-
squared bishop can do nothing to defend the pawns. (8...Nge7 9.Ne5 Bxe2 10.
Qxe2 Qf5 11.Na3 0-0-0 This is probably just dead even.) 9.Bxf3 Nge7.
6.Bg3 As with 6.Bg5, this move is okay, but it loses time for White. 6...Bxg3
7.hxg3 Nf6 8.Nbd2 Qd6 Castling and activating his pieces is going to be
awkward for White. 9.c4 I don't see much besides this move, which attempts
to open lines for the white pieces. 9...dxc4 10.Nxc4 (10.Bxc4 The pin on the
knight becomes annoying. 10...0-0 11.Qe2 e5 If Black can get this in safely, I
am sure the game is at least equal.) 10...Qb4+ 11.Qd2 Bxf3 12.gxf3 0-0-0
This is a common Chigorin pawn structure where White has pawns on f2, f3,
e3, and d4, and Black has a pawn on e6. I would say this position has equal
chances for both players.
6...cxd6!
Black recaptures this way to gain greater control over the center and open the
c-file.
7.Nbd2
Another typical London System move to try to get to e5 via c4 or f3. Here that
is not going to work since e5 is protected, so White is thinking about c4.
7...Nf6
The knight can also go to e7, but f6 is more typical and active.
8.0-0
White finishes development before undertaking anything radical.
8...0-0
[FEN "r2q1rk1/pp3ppp/2nppn2/3p4/3P2b1/
4PN2/PPPNBPPP/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 9"]
Looking at the position it is easy to see that Black has three pawns in the
center to White's two and more active pieces.
9.c4
White needs to open lines for the pieces.
9.c3 If White does not play c4, I am not sure what the plan is. 9...Rc8 10.h3
Bh5 11.Rc1 Qb6 Black is going to double rooks on the c-file and play on the
queenside.
9...dxc4
Black doesn't have to capture right away, since if White plays cxd5, ...Nxd5 is
the same structure, but there is no reason to wait.
10.Nxc4
The knight jumps to a more active position.

10...Rc8
Rooks belong on open files and might double.
11.h3
Putting the question to the bishop.
11...Bh5
11...Bxf3 is also possible to generate play quickly. 12.Bxf3 d5 13.Nd2 Qb6

Black already has the a-rook and the queen out while White is struggling to
get started.
12.Nh4
It is tricky for White to get play.
12.Rc1 This looks natural but has a problem: 12...d5 13.Ncd2 (13.Nce5 Nxe5
14.Nxe5 White would like to do this, but it loses to ...Rxc1 and ...Bxe2.) 13...
Qb6 Black is nice and active.
12...Bxe2
Black wastes no time and trades.
13.Qxe2
With White's knights all over the board, Black moves quickly and logically.
13...d5
Cedes the e5-square, but in return Black gets more control over e4 and kicks
the knight from an active square.
14.Nd2
14.Ne5 White wants a piece not a pawn on e5, which makes the square
unusable. 14...Nxe5 15.dxe5 Ne4.
14...Na5
We will look at this position in the second illustrative game.
Armstrong, Malcolm (2119) – Kovacevic, Blazimir (2443)

Pula op 15th Pula (1), 18.05.2001
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bf4 Bg4 4.e3 e6 5.c3
Here we look at what happens when White absolutely refuses to be deterred.
5...Bd6
Black still plays this move to get active pieces and control of the center, the
two most basic principles of chess.
6.Bg3
This approach gives Black no problems.
6...Nf6
This set-up should be familiar by now. Black decides not to capture the g3-
bishop right away, which is fine.
7.Bd3
In the London System the bishop goes here to participate in a possible attack
against h7.
7...0-0
Before undertaking operations in the center Black gets safely castled.
8.Nbd2
[FEN "r2q1rk1/ppp2ppp/2nbpn2/3p4/3P2b1/
2PBPNB1/PP1N1PPP/R2QK2R b KQ - 0 8"]
The flaw in White's plan is that the bishop on g4 and the knight on c6 put a lot
of pressure on the white center and White simply cannot go through with the
idea of Ne5 and attack. Changing plans and getting in c4, as we will see in the
next game, is a better idea.
8...e5
8...Bxg3 9.hxg3 e5 I like this sequence better, since it prevents the bishop
from being kicked away by h3. White has nothing on the open h-file.
9.dxe5
White cannot let Black charge ahead with ...e4.
9...Nxe5 10.Be2
The pin is slightly uncomfortable for White.
10.Bxe5 White can choose to simplify further with this move. 10...Bxe5 11.h3
Bxf3 12.Nxf3 Bd6 This is simply even. Black will probably put a rook on e8
and a knight on e4.
10...Nxf3+ 11.Nxf3
Taking back with the bishop seemed a little better. Now Black has extremely
easy play in the center.
11...Re8 12.0-0 Bxg3
Black decides to exchange and play for the center.
13.hxg3 c5
This move takes away the d4-square from knight, and opens a diagonal for the
black queen and a file for the black rook.
14.Qc2 Qb6 15.Rfd1 Rad8

[FEN "3rr1k1/pp3ppp/1q3n2/2pp4/6b1/
2P1PNP1/PPQ1BPP1/R2R2K1 w - - 0 16"]
Black has only played very simple moves and already has an edge.
16.Rac1 g6 17.c4
White tries for counterplay, but Black is well-prepared.
17.Qb3 Qc7
17...Bf5
17...d4 is also possible. 18.exd4 cxd4 19.c5 Qa5 20.a3 Rd7 Black plans to
double rooks on the d-file. White cannot take the d-pawn because of tactics.
21.Rxd4 (21.Nxd4 Rxd4 22.Rxd4 Rxe2) 21...Bxf3 22.Rxd7 Rxe2.
18.Bd3 Bxd3 19.Rxd3 dxc4 20.Rc3
20.Rxd8 Rxd8 21.Qxc4 Qxb2 22.Qxc5 Kg7 White has doubled g-pawns,
which are harder to advance than Black's queenside majority.
20...Nd5 21.Rxc4 Nb4 22.Qb3 Qe6
White cannot play Rxc5 because of Nd3.
23.Ne1
[FEN "3rr1k1/pp3p1p/4q1p1/2p5/1nR5/
1Q2P1P1/PP3PP1/2R1N1K1 b - - 0 23"]
White tries to get the knight in the game, but misses a tactic.
23...Nxa2! 24.Ra1
24.Qxa2 b5 and the rook is pinned.
24...Nb4 25.Rxb4
White doesn't see a way out and sacrifices.
25.Rxa7 does not work out well for White. 25...b5 26.Rc3 Qxb3 27.Rxb3 Rd1.
25...cxb4 26.Qxb4 Qe4 27.Qxe4 Rxe4 28.Nf3 Rb4 29.Rb1 a5 30.Nd4 a4 31.
Kf1 Rd6 32.Ke2 Rdb6 0-1
A good example of the power of active pieces and open files.
Claassen, Joerg (2235) – Pirrot, Dieter (2400)

21st Bad Woerishofen op (3), 05.03.2005
1.Nf3 d5 2.d4 Nc6 3.Bf4 Bg4 4.e3 e6 5.Be2 Bd6 6.Bxd6 cxd6 7.Nbd2 Nf6
8.0-0 0-0 9.c4 dxc4 10.Nxc4 Rc8 11.h3 Bh5 12.Nh4 Bxe2 13.Qxe2 d5 14.
Nd2 Na5
[FEN "2rq1rk1/pp3ppp/4pn2/n2p4/3P3N/
4P2P/PP1NQPP1/R4RK1 w - - 0 15"]
Here is where we left off in the theory section. Black is well-placed for play
on the queenside in this equal position.
15.Rfc1 Qb6 16.b3
The only good way to defend the pawn, though it leaves dark-square holes.
16...Rc6
The plan is to double rooks.
17.Rxc6
White is going to lose the file anyway, so exchanges right away.
17...Qxc6 18.b4
This is a double-edged move that gives White space while giving up the c4-
and a4-squares.
18.Nhf3 Rc8 19.Ne5 Qc2 looks very good for Black.
18...Qc3
18...Nc4 19.Rc1 Rc8 20.Nxc4 dxc4 Perhaps this is what White wanted, but
the c-pawn looks strong, especially with ...a6 and ...b5 to back it up.
19.Rb1 Nc6
19...Nc4 is a more critical test. In the game White takes over the open files
and equalizes.
20.Qd1
A devious trap.
20...Ne7
20...Nxb4 This is bad. 21.Rb3 Qc2 22.Qxc2 Nxc2 23.Rxb7.
20...Nd7?? 21.Rb3 Say goodbye to the queen!

21.Rc1 Qxb4 22.Rb1 Qa3 23.Rxb7
[FEN "5rk1/pR2nppp/4pn2/3p4/3P3N/
q3P2P/P2N1PP1/3Q2K1 b - - 0 23"]
Now it is hard for Black to prove an edge.
23...Nc8
23...Rc8 I like to be active. 24.Qb3 Rc1+ 25.Kh2 Qd6+ 26.g3 Rc7.
24.Qb1 Nb6 25.Rc7 Ne8 26.Rc5 Nd6 27.Nhf3
This looks equal, since both side's are well-defended.
27...g6
27...f6 leaves less holes.
28.Qb3 Qa6 29.Ne5 Qe2 30.Ndf3 Nbc4 31.Nxc4 dxc4?!
[FEN "5rk1/p4p1p/3np1p1/2R5/2pP4/
1Q2PN1P/P3qPP1/6K1 w - - 0 32"]
This is quite ambitious, but may be inaccurate. Black's problem is that White
owns the open files. White should try for play in the center, since ...g6 was a
weakening move.
32.Qb1 Kg7 33.a4
White really gets some good center squares and open lines with 33.d5!. Black
would be in big trouble.
33...Rc8 34.Qa1? Rb8!
Now Black gets the open b-file and the tide has turned in his favor.
35.Qf1
35.d5+ Rb2.
35...Qc2 36.Ne1 Qxa4 37.Qe2 Rb1 38.Kh2 Ne4 39.Rc7 Qa5 0-1
[FEN "8/p1R2pkp/4p1p1/q7/2pPn3/
4P2P/4QPPK/1r2N3 w - - 0 40"]
Even without the blunder White is almost lost, because Black is so active. An
interesting back and forth game.
Lessons Learned
● The Chigorin Defense is about active pieces and central play. The
bishops are exchanged for knights, in order for Black to become active
as soon as possible.
● After ...Bd6, if White takes the bishop, Black recaptures with the c-
pawn and has active play on the queenside.
● If White retreats the bishop from f4, Black has gained time and plays
for the center.
● If White keeps the bishop on f4, Black captures it and goes after the f4-
pawn and the e4-square.
Bibliography
● The Chigorin Defense According to Morozevich by Alexander

Morozevich and Vladimir Barsky (New In Chess 2007). Written by an
expert on the opening. I highly recommend it.
Practitioners
● Mikhail Chigorin. The Russian player dominated chess in the latter half
of the nineteenth century. He was a Romantic chess player and served
as an inspiration to the Soviet School of Chess.
● Alexander Morozevich. The Russian grandmaster has many top-level
games using the Chigorin. His style is very inventive and tactical; a
good fit for the opening.
● Magnus Carlsen. I don't know if we will see more of the Chigorin from
him in the future, but I hope so!

The Slav Stonewall [A84] Purchases from our
We have not looked at many 1.d4 openings in this column, so for the New
accessible:
Year let's take a look at some positions that are also new terrain for me. First
up, the Slav Stonewall from White's perspective featuring a Queen's Gambit
move-order that transposes to the Dutch Defense.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3
3.Nf3 is another way to play. 3...e6 4.e3 f5 This is the Slav Stonewall. It
combines the Slav Defense (2...c6) with the Dutch Stonewall (1...f5). 5.Bd3
The Nf6 6.0-0 Bd6 7.b3 Qe7 8.Bb2 0-0 9.Qc1 This looks strange for White, but
the point is to play Ba3 and take control of the dark squares, especially the e5-
Openings square. This is recommended by Boris Avrukh in his popular book
Grandmaster Repertoire 1: 1.d4, Volume One.
Explained ECO A
3...e6 4.e3 by Chess Informant
Abby Marshall
Translate this page
Dutch A80-A85 (CD)

[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pp3ppp/2p1p3/3p4/2PP4/ by Boris Schipkov
2N1P3/PP3PPP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 0 4"]
White does not aim to play Nf3. Instead, the idea is Bd3 and Nge2, with the
plan of playing f3-e4.
4...Bd6
Before playing ...f5, Black develops a piece.
4...f5 Black usually waits to make this move to avoid the possibility of 5.g4!?,
when White attacks the head of the pawn chain e6/d5 and takes advantage of
the extra development from the knight on c3.
Play through and download Mega Database 2012
the games from by ChessBase
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pp4pp/2p1p3/3p1p2/2PP2P1/
2N1P3/PP3P1P/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 0 5"]
A) 5...Nf6 6.gxf5 exf5 7.Qb3 The pressure on d5 and b7 makes defense a bit
awkward. 7...dxc4 8.Bxc4 Notice that normally White plays Bd3 at some
point, so the fact that White can play Bf1-xc4 shows that White has saved a
tempo. 8...Bd6 9.Nf3 Both sides favor development over the check on f7. 9...
Qe7 10.Ng5 b5 It is common to lash out when under pressure. This move only
encourages White. (10...Rf8 is perhaps more tenacious.) 11.Bf7+ Kf8 12.Be6
Nfd7 13.e4 White opens more lines and protects the knight on g5. 13...h6 14.
Nf7 Nc5 Black is already in some trouble, and, unfortunately for Black, this
fancy move does not work. 15.dxc5 Bxe6 16.Nxh8 Bxb3 17.Ng6+ and White
wins a rook.
B) 5...fxg4 This keeps the d5-pawn thoroughly defended and lets Black gain a
tempo. 6.Qxg4 Nf6 7.Qg2 g6 Black tries to stymie White's influence on the g-
file, but White has another way in. (7...c5 The answer to an attack on the wing
is an attack in the center. It's an odd position, since White has the open g-file
and is on move, while Black would have a better endgame. 8.Nf3 Nc6 9.Bd2
Bd7 10.0-0-0 This position is roughly equal. The situation across the board
looks volatile. White can try to work with the open g-file and the e5-square,
while the rook on d1 could exert pressure on the d5-pawn.) 8.Nf3 Bg7 9.h4
Why not try this? White has the center under control and Black has to struggle
to get active. 9...Qa5 10.h5 Ne4 11.Bd2 Nxd2 12.Nxd2 Nd7 13.hxg6 h6 14.
Qg3 White is looking at the d6-square. 14...c5 Black fires back in the center.
The problem is, Black is also not castled and the c8-bishop is nowhere near
developed. 15.cxd5 cxd4 16.Nc4 Qb4 17.a3 Qb3 18.exd4 (18.Nd6+ This
looks tempting but allows the queen on b3 to communicate with the pawn on
e6. 18...Kf8 19.dxe6 Qxe6) 18...0-0 19.dxe6 Nf6 20.d5 1-0, Sretenskij,N-
Dykes,D/Dos Hermanas 2004 (38) White is winning and went on to win.
5.Bd3
This move is the first part of the planned set-up. White develops a piece and
attacks e4.
5...f5
[FEN "rnbqk1nr/pp4pp/2pbp3/3p1p2/2PP4/
2NBP3/PP3PPP/R1BQK1NR w KQkq - 0 6"]
I recently had this kind of structure in one of my own games, which is how I
became interested in it. This is the Slav Stonewall; it leads to interesting play
for both sides and White's plan with f3 is currently the most potent approach.
Black wants control of the e4-square and the open f-file. White wants to build
in the center and attack Black's pawn structure. One way to do this is to
exchange Black's dark-squared bishop, a main defender of the weakened d6/
e5 color complex.
6.Nge2
6.g4 is not as good now because Black is more developed. 6...Nf6 7.gxf5 exf5
Black is doing well. 8.Qb3 dxc4 9.Bxc4 White has lost a tempo compared to
the previous variation, because the bishop on d3 moved twice. 9...Qe7 Black
defends f7. 10.Nf3 Ne4 This stops White from playing Ng5. Black can play ...
b5 or ...Nbd7 next.
6...Nf6
Black has a couple of other development choices.

6...Ne7 7.f3 0-0 8.0-0 In this game White castles kingside and goes for e4
right away. 8...Kh8 9.e4 dxc4 (9...fxe4 10.fxe4 Black is less developed and
cramped. Black does not want to take back on e4, since Black would end up
with an isolated e-pawn.) 10.Bxc4 e5 This looks suspect to me, since White is
more developed. 11.dxe5 Bxe5 12.Qxd8 Rxd8 13.Bg5 Re8 14.Rad1 White's
pressure on the d-file and f-pawn, and development gives White the better
chances.
6...Qh4 is an odd-looking move. However, it does stop 0-0 and f3. 7.Nf4 Nf6
8.g3 White changes gears and aims to take advantage of the black queens
absence from the queenside. 8...Qh6 9.h4 Ne4 10.Nxe4 fxe4 11.Be2 0-0 12.
Bd2 Nd7 13.Qb3 Qf6 14.Bb4 Qe7 15.Bxd6 Qxd6 16.a4 White has achieved
one of the main strategic aims, exchanging the dark-squared bishops, and an
unbalanced position has arisen. White can probably castle or stay in the
center, and use the b-file.
7.f3
White prepares to play e4 and may aim to attack the kingside.
7...0-0
Black gets castled before undertaking any other operations.
8.Qc2
[FEN "rnbq1rk1/pp4pp/2pbpn2/3p1p2/2PP4/
2NBPP2/PPQ1N1PP/R1B1K2R b KQ - 0 8"]
White attacks the e4-square with yet another piece and keeps the position
flexible. White may castle queenside or kingside depending on the flavor of
the play. Black has several good choices here.
8...Na6
Black develops a piece, puts more influence on the c5-square, and aims for
queenside play.
8...Kh8 In this variation, we will see Black try the move ...a6 with no ...b5.
Black starts with ...Kh8, staying flexible and getting off the a2-g8 diagonal.
A) 9.0-0 Kramnik chose to castle kingside in this game. In the game with 9.
Bd2, Carlsen chose to castle queenside. You decide. 9...a6 10.c5 Bc7 11.Bd2
Nbd7 12.b4 Kramnik expands on the queenside and aims his forces at the
choppy Black pawn structure. The dark squares have no pawn defenders. 12...
b6 While this lets Black breathe a little, it also opens the b-file, which
Kramnik uses to his advantage. 13.Na4 bxc5 If Black had advanced to b5,
White may have retreated and played a4. 14.bxc5 a5 15.Rab1 g6 16.Nb6
Bxb6 17.cxb6 Now with all the open lines White is much better. 17...Bb7 18.
Nc3 c5 19.dxc5 Nxc5 20.Be2 Rc8 21.Qb2 d4 22.exd4 Qxd4+ 23.Kh1 Nd3 24.
Bxd3 Qxd3 25.Bh6 Rf7 26.Nb5 Rc2 27.Qe5 Qe2 28.Qxe2 Rxe2 29.Nd6 Kg8
30.Nxf7 Kxf7 31.Rfd1 Rxa2 32.Rd8 1-0, Kramnik,V-Tregubov,P/France
2002.
B) 9.Bd2 a6 10.c5 Bc7 11.0-0-0 White prefers a sharper approach and

reserves the chance for a kingside attack. 11...e5 Black gets space for the
army. However this also gives White the d4-square. 12.dxe5 Bxe5 13.f4 Bc7
14.Nd4 Ne4 Black defends the f-pawn. 15.Nxe4 fxe4 16.Be2 b6 17.cxb6
Bxb6 18.Bb4
[FEN "rnbq1r1k/6pp/pbp5/3p4/1B1NpP2/
4P3/PPQ1B1PP/2KR3R b - - 0 18"]
White has the opportunity to play on both the queenside and the kingside. 18...
Rf6 19.Kb1 a5 20.Bc3 Ba6 21.g4 Bxe2 22.Qxe2 Nd7 23.g5 Bxd4 24.Bxd4
(24.gxf6? Bxc3 25.bxc3 Qxf6 Now Black has all the play.) 24...Rd6 25.h4
Qf8 26.h5 Kg8 27.Qg4 White's initiative becomes overwhelming and he wins
after a long endgame. 27...Re8 28.Rhf1 c5 29.Be5 Rde6 30.Bc3 d4 31.exd4
e3 32.d5 Re4 33.Rfe1 Ne5 34.Bxe5 R8xe5 35.Rxe3 Rxf4 36.Qe2 Qf5+ 37.
Ka1 Rd4 38.Re1 Rxe3 39.Qxe3 Rxd5 40.a3 Qd7 41.Qb3 a4 42.Qc4 Kf8 43.
Ka2 Rf5 44.Ka1 Rd5 45.Rc1 Ke7 46.g6 hxg6 47.hxg6 Kf6 48.Qc2 Rf5 49.
Rd1 Qc6 50.Rg1 Qd7 51.Rd1 Qc6 52.Rg1 Qd7 53.Qc4 Re5 54.Qh4+ Ke6 55.
Qg4+ Ke7 56.Qh4+ Kd6 57.Rd1+ Rd5 58.Qf4+ Kc6 59.Qxa4+ Kc7 60.Qa7+
Kc6 61.Qa8+ 1-0, Carlsen,M-Ivanchuk,V/Leon 2009.
8...Qe7 This variation shows Black playing for calm development and ...e5.
9.0-0 Kh8 Black seems to be trying for ...e5, so White exchanges pawns in the
center. 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.Nb5 Nc6 12.Nxd6 Qxd6 White achieves the
exchange of Black's dark-square bishop. 13.a3 Bd7 14.b4 Rac8 15.Qd2 a6 16.
Bb2 White can aim for the weakened c5-square.
8...Nbd7 Black aims for natural development. 9.Bd2 dxc4 10.Bxc4 Nb6 11.
Bb3 This is about equal. White will castle queenside and plan for g4 or e4.
8...a6 0 9.Bd2 b5 We will investigate this idea in the first illustrative game.
9.a3
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/pp4pp/n1pbpn2/3p1p2/2PP4/
P1NBPP2/1PQ1N1PP/R1B1K2R b KQ - 0 9"]
White stops ...Nb4 and prepares for queenside expansion.
9...dxc4
This is currently the fashionable plan.
9...Kh8 10.cxd5 If Black is staying flexible and not playing ...a6, then
exchanging in the center and trying to exchange the black dark-squared
bishop seems like a good plan. 10...cxd5 11.Nb5 Bb8 12.Bd2 Bd7 13.a4 Qe7
14.Qb3 Bc6 15.0-0 Rg8 Here we see Black try to execute a typical plan:
attack the kingside. 16.Qa3 Qe8 17.Be1 g5 18.Bg3 This attack is not too
dangerous if White can get the dark-squares. 18...Bxg3 19.Nxg3 g4 20.Ne2
Rg6 21.Nf4 Rh6 22.Rac1 e5 Black may have been feeling a little desperate
and totally weakens his position. 23.Nd6 Qg8 24.dxe5 gxf3 25.exf6 fxg2 26.
Rf2 d4 27.Rxc6 bxc6 28.Bc4 1-0, Ibragimov,I-Schubert,S/Berlin 1997.
9...Bd7 10.Bd2 Nc7 11.0-0 b6 Black holes up on the queenside. 12.b4 Nce8
13.h3 Nh5 14.e4 The e4-break is also a thematic motif. Black's weak structure
becomes apparent. 14...Qh4 15.Be1 Qg5 16.e5 White is about to open the c-
file and really press Black.
9...Nc7 10.0-0 e5 This does not work out well because of tactical reasons. 11.
c5 e4 12.cxd6 Qxd6 Cute, because the d3-bishop is trapped, but White ends
up up a pawn. 13.fxe4 fxe4 14.Nxe4 Nxe4 15.Rxf8+ Kxf8 16.Bxe4 dxe4 17.
Qxe4.
10.Bxc4 b5
Black gains space on the queenside and seeks counterplay on the weak
squares that White normally targets.
11.Bd3
White retreats to d3 in order to keep control on e4.
11...Bd7
Black finishes developing the minor pieces.
12.Bd2
We have transposed into the game Koneru-Suvrajit, Mumbai 2009, which we

will look at in the second illustrative game. The Slav Stonewall is not very
popular but it promises good play for both sides.
Gaprindashvili, Valerian (2414) – Martinez Torho, Jorge (2121)

19th Villa de Benasque op (10), 1999
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 f5 4.e3 c6 5.Bd3 Nf6 6.Nge2 Bd6 7.f3 0-0 8.Qc2 a6 9.
Bd2 b5
[FEN "rnbq1rk1/6pp/p1pbpn2/1p1p1p2/2PP4/
2NBPP2/PPQBN1PP/R3K2R w KQ - 0 10"]
Black aims for very active play right away. The drawback is clear: Black
normally has a lot of pawns on light squares, and in this position he has
succeeded in putting seven out of eight pawns on the light squares.
10.b3 Nbd7 11.c5
White starts to turn the screws. As we will see, White gains more space,
closes the position, and then goes after the black king in a way we have not
yet seen.
11...Bc7
Black keeps the bishop on the nice diagonal.
12.0-0
Castling queenside would walk into ...a5-a4.
12...g6
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/2bn3p/p1p1pnp1/1pPp1p2/
3P4/1PNBPP2/P1QBN1PP/R4RK1 w - - 0 13"]
Black protects the f-pawn to try for ...e5, but by placing the eighth pawn on a
light square, the dark squares are very tender.
12...Kh8 13.Nf4 Qe7 14.b4 g5 and Black should try to play the typical moves
of attacking the White kingside. White still stands a little better.
13.e4!
Now ...e5 is impossible. Black becomes paralyzed and it is hard to break out
of the bind.
13...Bb7
13...dxe4 Black has to create some space, otherwise the bind White creates
looks too strong. 14.fxe4 a5.
14.e5 Ne8 15.Qc1
White zeroes in on the dark squares. We see a kingside attack in this game.
15...Ng7 16.Bg5 Qe8 17.a3 Bd8 18.h4 Kf7
The king cannot even escape, because the h-pawn has no defenders.
19.Bxd8 Qxd8 20.Qh6 Kg8 21.Nf4 Qe7 22.Nce2 a5 23.h5 Nxh5 24.Nxh5
gxh5 25.Nf4 Rae8 26.b4 a4
[FEN "4rrk1/1b1nq2p/2p1p2Q/1pPpPp1p/
pP1P1N2/P2B1P2/6P1/R4RK1 w - - 0 27"]
27.Kf2!
The h-file becomes a new source of pain for Black.
27...Rf7 28.Rh1 Rg7 29.Rxh5 Nf8 30.Rah1
The game becomes reminiscent of the famous game where White choked his
opponent with the queen and two rooks all on the h-file.
30...Rc8 31.R5h4 Kh8 32.g4 fxg4 33.Nh5 g3+ 34.Kg2 Rc7 35.Nxg7 Qxg7
36.Rf4 Rc8 37.Rxf8+ 1-0
Black resigned, because he will be down an entire piece after 37...Rxf8 38.
Qxg7 and 39.Rxh7, skewering the king and the b7-bishop.
Koneru, Humpy (2612) – Suvrajit, Saha (2380)

2nd Mayors Cup Mumbai (9), 08.05.2009
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 f5 4.e3 Nf6 5.Bd3 Bd6 6.Nge2 c6 7.f3 0-0 8.Qc2 Na6
9.a3 dxc4 10.Bxc4 b5 11.Bd3 Bd7 12.Bd2
[FEN "r2q1rk1/p2b2pp/n1pbpn2/1p3p2/3P4/
P1NBPP2/1PQBN1PP/R3K2R b KQ - 0 12"]
Here is where we left off in the theory section. Black is active and White will
be unable to get the bind we saw in the previous game.
12...Qb8 13.e4
I found this game very interesting because White has to play actively, while
also dealing with the decision of how to handle king placement. Any option
looks dangerous, so Koneru does not spend time and opens the center.
13...fxe4
Black opens the f-file and lets White decide how to recapture. Positionally
this decision is okay, but it is tactically flawed.
13...c5 14.exf5 c4 15.Be4 Nxe4 16.fxe4 is roughly equal, a fight with

imbalances and equal chances. White has an extra pawn and nice center
control, while Black has the bishop-pair and White's king is still in the center.
14.Nxe4
Another interesting positional decision. White keeps the f-file closed, while
giving herself an isolated d-pawn. This also gives White an open e-file to
attack Black's isolated e-pawn. Tactically this move is correct. White is
threatening 15.Nxf6 and 16.Bxh7+, and the d6-bishop.
14...Nxe4
14...h6 15.Nxd6 Qxd6 16.Bf4 giving White the dark squares would be suicide.
15.Bxe4
[FEN "rq3rk1/p2b2pp/n1pbp3/1p6/3PB3/
P4P2/1PQBN1PP/R3K2R b KQ - 0 15"]
15...h6
At first glance, it seems that White cannot take on c6.
16.Bxc6!
It gets a bit sticky for White, but the extra pawn is worth it.
16...Rc8
The expected reply.
17.d5
This is the saving rejoinder.
17...exd5
17...Bxc6 Black can try to recover the pawn, but it turns out that it is a hard
business. 18.dxc6 Qb6 19.Rc1 Nb8 20.Qe4 Black has too many weaknesses.
18.Bxd5+ Kh8 19.Bc3 b4
This looks like it could be promising, given that the white king is still in the
center, but White remains calm.
20.axb4 Nxb4 21.Qd2
[FEN "rqr4k/p2b2p1/3b3p/3B4/1n6/2B2P2/
1P1QN1PP/R3K2R b KQ - 0 21"]
21...Rxc3
Practically forced because of White's threat. 21...Nxd5? 22.Qxh6+ Kg8 23.

Qxg7#
22.bxc3 Bf5
Black attacks the c2-square.
23.0-0
Finally White castles! And now White is totally winning.
23...Qb6+ 24.Kh1 Nxd5 25.Qxd5
White is ahead a pawn and the exchange with a weak black king.
25...Rf8 26.Nd4 Bg6 27.Rfd1 Rf6 28.Qa8+ Bb8 29.Ne2 Kh7 30.Qd5 Rf5 31.
Qd8 Bc7 32.Qd4 Qe6 33.Ng3 Bxg3 34.hxg3 Rxf3
[FEN "8/p5pk/4q1bp/8/3Q4/2P2rP1/
6P1/R2R3K w - - 0 35"]
35.Rxa7
35.gxf3 It turns out that this is still winning, but it looks like Black has
chances for perpetual check. Why take risks? 35...Qh3+ 36.Kg1 Qxg3+ 37.
Kf1 Qxf3+ 38.Qf2 Qh3+ 39.Qg2 Qxc3 40.Ra2.
35...Rf6 36.Qd7 Bf7 37.Qxe6 Bxe6 38.Kh2 h5 39.Rd6 Kg6 40.Rc7 Bg4 41.
Rxf6+ Kxf6 42.Kg1 g6 43.Kf2 Ke5 44.Ke3 Bf5 45.Rc5+ 1-0
In each illustrative game, the player on the black side was lower-rated, but
they made mistakes that we can learn from.
Lessons Learned
● The main positional considerations for White are playing in the center
with e4 and/or attacking Black's weak squares on the queenside. White
also tries to exchange Black's dark-squared bishop. Normally White
castles kingside in quieter positions.
● White is pretty secure tactically, since when Black lashes out with ...c5
or ...e5, White's development and Black's shaky structure make the
timing of these moves very difficult.
● If the position becomes sharp, White has the option of castling
queenside and trying for a kingside attack.
Practitioners
These players play the Bd3/Nge2/f3 plan against the Slav Stonewall.
● Nikolai Sretenskij is an international master from Russia. He had one

of the most decisive games in this variation.
● Vladimir Kramnik is a former World Champion. He has many interests
besides chess and stresses the artistic side of chess.
● Humpy Koneru is a grandmaster from India. She was a challenger in
the Women's World Chess Championship 2011.
Bibliography
● Grandmaster Repertoire 1: 1.d4, Volume One by Boris Avrukh

(Quality Chess, 2009).



The Tarrasch Defense, Swedish Variation Purchases from our
[D33] ChessCafe.com freely
accessible:
I have played the Tarrasch Defense for years with good success. It is the
Count Dracula of chess openings in that no one has yet been able to put a
stake through its heart. I covered the 9.dxc5 variation in my very first column
in October 2009. Here, we will look at an offbeat line called the Swedish
Variation, also known as the Folkestone Variation.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5

The This is the Tarrasch Defense. Black wants to have active pieces and fight for
Openings the initiative. In many variations the pawn on d5 ends up isolated, which
Black will try to use to advantage.
Explained 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.g3 ECO D
by Chess Informant
Abby Marshall This is the main line for White. The bishop naturally wants to go to g2, where
it can eye the d5-pawn.
6...c4!?
Translate this page
Meeting 1 d4
by Jacob Aagaard
[FEN "r1bqkbnr/pp3ppp/2n5/3p4/2pP4/2N2NP1/
PP2PP1P/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 7"]
The standard way to play with this pawn structure is to wait until the ninth
move, but the idea here is a setup with the knight on e7, instead of f6, and the
bishop on b4. This move does not seem to be covered in either of Aagaard's
book on the Tarrasch, perhaps because of its offbeat nature, but it has been
played by many well-known grandmasters.
Play through and download The Tarrasch Defence
Usually the Tarrasch is about active pieces and fighting for the center with an
the games from by Nigel Davies
isolated d-pawn. Even in the variations with 9...c4, both sides fight for the
center and try to achieve pawn breaks such as e4 or b3 for White, and ...c5 for
Black after an exchange on c6. The bishop on e7 and the knight on f6 both
aim to influence the center. While the bishop on b4 and knight on e7 seem
more about queenside play, which gives White a freer hand to play in the
center.
6...Nf6 7.Bg2 Be7 8.0-0 0-0 9.Bg5 c4 is one of the main lines, with 9...cxd4
an alternative.
7.Bg2
White develops and prepares to castle.
7.e4 White can react right away with this pawn push, but it is premature. 7...
dxe4 8.Ng5 White wants to be active and aggressive; otherwise all White has
is a wrecked pawn structure. Black should react in kind. (8.Nxe4 is
inconsistent with White's idea, which was to challenge Black with unclear
play. Now White is left with weak light squares and three pawn islands. 8...
Qe7 9.Qe2 Bg4 Black makes a threat with every move. 10.Ned2 0-0-0 11.
Qxe7 Bxe7 12.h3 Bh5 The pawn cannot be defended on d4, so Black
preserves the bishop. 13.Bxc4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Rxd4 15.Be2 Bxe2 16.Kxe2
Nf6 17.Nf3 Rb4 Black is a little better.) 8...Qxd4 Black challenges White in
turn. White relies on quick development to justify the dissolved center. 9.Bf4
White opens communication between the queen and the rook. 9...Be7 10.
Qxd4 Nxd4 11.0-0-0 Ne6 Black is doing well here and is able to get
developed while for the moment up a couple of pawns.
7.Bg5 is a natural move. Black should not let this discourage his plan. 7...f6
Gaining a tempo and proceeding as planned. 8.Bf4 Bb4 9.Bg2 Nge7 One of
the nice things is that Bg5 is hardly ever a problem, and often it will lose a
tempo. 10.0-0 0-0 11.a3 Ba5 Notice that Black does not always capture on c3.
The bishop can retreat to a5 to go b6 and attack d4.
7...Bb4
The bishop is a little more active here than on e7 (as in the main lines). From
here, the bishop puts pressure on c3, indirect pressure on e1 if a rook ever
wants to go there, and can also go ...Ba5/Bb6 to attack d4.
8.0-0
White's big break is going to be e4, so the king will want to be castled.
8...Nge7
[FEN "r1bqk2r/pp2nppp/2n5/3p4/1bpP4/
2N2NP1/PP2PPBP/R1BQ1RK1 w kq - 0 9"]
The strong Swedish players Stahlberg, Lundin, and Stoltz developed the
Swedish Variation in the Tarrasch, and this was their intended set-up. The
knight is not as active here as it is on f6, but there is no Bg5 pin, and the
knight lends support to its twin on c6.
9.e4
White has many options here. White must sooner or later choose between this
pawn push, hitting Black's center and undermining the support for the c4-
pawn, or the pawn push b3 attacking the head of the pawn chain.
9.a3 White can feel out where the black bishop is going. The idea in this
variation is to see how Black attacks the queenside. 9...Ba5 10.b4 White again
wants to force Black into making some choices. Black generally lets the c4-
pawn stand after b4 or b3, since it is a passed pawn. (10.e4 The delay of this
move gives Black extra options. 10...0-0 11.exd5 Nxd5 12.Bg5 Nxc3 This is a
choice because bxc3 does not attack a bishop on b4, as it would if e4 was
played on the ninth move. 13.bxc3 f6 Now the c3-pawn is attacked and Black
does not have to worry about discovered attacks coming from the bishop on
g2 after Nxd5 Qxd5.) 10...Bb6 11.b5 Na5 The b3-outpost is looking good. 12.
Ra2 0-0 13.a4 Re8 14.Ba3 Nb3 Black is at least equal, if not slightly better.
The d4-pawn is weak, and if White plays e3 the light squares around f3/e4/d3
become weak.
9.Ne5 is a big alternative that changes the pawn structure before playing e4.
While improving the strength of the g2-bishop, this move, and the subsequent
exchange, give Black the option of ...c5. 9...0-0 10.Nxc6 bxc6 11.e4 Be6
[FEN "r2q1rk1/p3nppp/2p1b3/3p4/1bpPP3/
2N3P1/PP3PBP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 12"]
Black tries to preserve the pawn structure. 12.Bf4 (12.e5 is interesting, taking
the stress off Black's center, but gaining space in the center and kingside. 12...
Bf5 Black can follow up with ...Rb8 and ...Qa5.; 12.a3 Bxc3 Retreating is also
playable. 13.bxc3 dxe4 14.Bxe4 Bd5 This is a solid set-up for Black. 15.Qc2
f5 16.Bxd5+ Qxd5 17.Qe2 Ng6 18.Re1 Rab8 Black is equal here. White is
still not completely developed and Black has open files to compensate for the
doubled isolated c-pawns.) 12...Bxc3 This is another example of Black
capturing, rather than playing ...Ba5. 13.bxc3 dxe4 14.Bxe4 Bd5 15.f3 Ng6 If
Black can play ...Bd5 and ...Ng6, everything should be alright. 16.Qd2 Nxf4
17.Qxf4 Qa5 18.Qd2 f5 This will be followed soon by ...c5.
9.Ne1 This odd-looking move should be taken seriously, since it has been
played by several strong players. 9...0-0 10.Nc2 This is the idea: transfer the
knight to the queenside and open the diagonal for the g2-bishop. (10.Be3 is a
good example of what happens if White is too slow. 10...Ba5!? A nice
decision. Without provocation Black plans to retreat to b6 to attack the d-
pawn, while anticipating the Nc2 tempo. 11.Nc2 Bf5 12.f3 This lets Black
quickly develop an initiative. 12...Qb6 13.Na4 Qb5 14.Ne1 Rad8 15.Bf2 h5
16.b3 cxb3 17.axb3 Rfe8
[FEN "3rr1k1/pp2npp1/2n5/bq1p1b1p/N2P4/
1P3PP1/4PBBP/R2QNRK1 w - - 0 18"]
This is the dream: open files for the rooks, bishops on good diagonals, the
queen pressuring the queenside, and the knights holding up the center. 18.Rc1
Bg6 19.e3 Nf5 20.Nc2 Nd6 21.Na3 Qd3 22.Nc5 Qxd1 23.Rfxd1 Nb4 24.Bf1
b6 25.Na6 Re7 26.Nxb4 Bxb4 27.Nc2 Bc3 28.Ne1 Rc8 29.Nd3 Bxd3 30.
Bxd3 b5 31.e4 dxe4 32.fxe4 Nxe4 33.Bxe4 Rxe4 34.d5 Re7 35.d6 Rd7 36.
b4? The critical error that lets the pawns fall. 36...Rc4 37.Bxa7 Bxb4 38.Rb1
Bxd6 0-1, Granda Zuniga,J-Lputian,S/Las Palmas 1989) 10...Ba5 11.Bg5 h6
The pin is simply not effective. If White captures on e7, Black can recapture
with the knight on c6. 12.Bd2 Bf5 Black is already just better. White is not
prepared for e4, and the N/e3 looks silly precisely because it blocks the e-
pawn. Black can even expand on the queenside with a6-b5.
9.Bf4 is a natural continuation if White is interested in the pawn break b3.

9...0-0 10.Rc1 Be6 11.b3 Qa5 Another nice thing about ...Bb4 is that it makes
b3 tricky since the knight on c3 needs defending. 12.Bd2 Rfd8 13.a4 a6 14.
bxc4 dxc4 15.e3 Rac8 16.Ne4 b6 This stops Nc5. 17.Bxb4 Nxb4 18.Neg5
Bg4 Black has the d3-square to work with and White's decimated queenside.
Black is much better.
9...0-0
Black willingly walks into a messy situation for the sake of castling.
9...dxe4 is not good enough. 10.Nxe4 0-0 11.Qc2 White is able to quickly get
a rook to the d-file to support the passed pawn.
10.exd5
Delaying this move would only let Black get more pieces out.
10.Nxd5 This move, exchanging more pieces, is the main alternative. 10...
Nxd5 11.exd5 Qxd5 12.Be3 White gets developed before exploiting the
discovered attack on the black queen. (12.a3 Ba5 We will look at this in the
first illustrative game.) 12...Qb5 Black gets out of danger immediately. The
position is difficult. I wish Black had more development, but Black is okay
here. (12...Bg4 is tempting but fails tactically. 13.Ne5! It runs into this
anyway! 13...Qxg2+ 14.Kxg2 Bxd1 15.Nxc6 Black's tattered pawn structure
gives White the advantage.; 12...Bf5 This could be a bailout. Safer, although I
see few winning chances. 13.Ne5 Be4 14.Nxc6 Qxc6 15.Bxe4 Qxe4 looks
drawish.)
10...Nxd5 11.Bg5
This is another test. The exchange on d5 transposes to the previous note on

move ten.
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/pp3ppp/2n5/3n2B1/1bpP4/
2N2NP1/PP3PBP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 11"]
11...f6
My instincts trust this move, since it gains a tempo and gives Black an okay
position.
11...Qa5 is the other choice. It is similar to ...f6, but White has more options
because there is no threat to the bishop on g5. 12.Nxd5 Qxd5 13.a3 (13.Ne5
Qb5 14.a4 Qa6 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.d5 We will look at this in the second
illustrative game.) 13...Ba5 14.Ne5 Qb5 15.a4 Qa6 16.Nxc6 bxc6 17.Qc2 (17.
Bd2 Bxd2 18.Qxd2 Be6 This ended in a draw in Sharavdorj,D-Graf,A/
Singapore 1995. Black is equal here and this position is very similar to what
happens after 10...f6.) 17...Be6 18.Rfc1 Rab8 Black probably has enough
counterplay to have fighting chances, but the momentum lies with White.
12.Nxd5
The next few moves are natural and forcing.
12...Qxd5 13.Ne5 Qb5 14.a4

This forces the queen from the active b5-square, where it kept an eye on the
b2-pawn.
14...Qa6 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Bd2
This makes sense, so a rook can go to e1.
16...Bxd2 17.Qxd2 Be6 18.Rfe1 Bd5
[FEN "r4rk1/p5pp/q1p2p2/3b4/P1pP4/
6P1/1P1Q1PBP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 19"]
Both sides pawns look weak. The open b and d-files give Black enough
counterplay for equality.
Vera Gonzalez Quevedo, Reynaldo (2475) – Arencibia Rodriguez, Walter

(2425)
Capablanca Memorial-A Havana, 1990
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.g3 c4 7.Bg2 Bb4 8.0-0
Nge7 9.e4 0-0 10.Nxd5 Nxd5 11.exd5 Qxd5 12.a3 Ba5
[FEN "r1b2rk1/pp3ppp/2n5/b2q4/2pP4/
P4NP1/1P3PBP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 13"]
Here is where we left off. This game is a good example of active play.
13.Ne5
White exploits the discovered attack and the queen has to stick around to
defend c6.
13...Qb5
This is an active spot for the queen. ...Qe6 would run into Nxc6 and Qa4. ...
Qd6 and Bf4 is uncomfortable. ...Qxd4 is the worst because of Nxc6-Ne7+.
14.b4
This gets White into trouble, despite getting rid of the passed c-pawn. Other
moves would be similar to the positions we had in the theory section.
14...cxb3 15.Rb1 Nxe5

Black is better developed and uses that initiative.
16.Rxb3 Qa4 17.dxe5 Bg4 18.f3
18.Qc2 Rac8 19.Qb2 Be2 wins the exchange.
18...Rfd8 19.Rd3
[FEN "r2r2k1/pp3ppp/8/b3P3/q5b1/
P2R1PP1/6BP/2BQ1RK1 b - - 0 19"]
19...Qc4!
A strong move. White has only one move.
20.Rd6
20.Rxd8+ Rxd8 and the queen is trapped!
20...Bf5 21.Be3
White finishes development, but it is too late.
21...Bd3
Another good move. Black blocks communication to the rook on d6 and

prepares to infiltrate the e-file.
22.Rf2
22.Rxd8+ This just shifts the pain to the d-file. 22...Rxd8 23.Rf2 Bf5 24.Qe2
Qxe2 25.Rxe2 Rd1+ 26.Kf2 Bd3 White cannot move the rook because of
mate on f1.
22...Rxd6 23.exd6 Re8
Black is winning now.
24.d7 (24.Bd2 Bb6) 24...Rxe3 25.Qd2
[FEN "6k1/pp1P1ppp/8/b7/2q5/P2brPP1/
3Q1RBP/6K1 b - - 0 25"]
A good try since the queen cannot be taken. Black can defend both the rook
and the bishop however.
25...Qc5 26.Bf1 Bxf1 27.d8Q+ Bxd8 28.Qxd8+ Qf8
Black will be up two pawns and have a winning endgame.
29.Qd4 Rxa3 30.Kxf1 h6 31.Re2 Rxf3+ 32.Kg2 Rf6 33.Qd7 Qb4 34.Qc8+
Kh7 35.Re8 Qd2+ 36.Kh3 Rf2 37.Rh8+ Kg6 38.Qg4+ Qg5 0-1
Tukmakov, Vladimir (2565) – Lputian, Smbat (2590)

Tilburg rapid (3), 1994
1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 e6 3.c4 c5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.g3 Nc6 6.Bg2 c4 7.0-0 Bb4 8.Nc3
Nge7 9.e4 0-0 10.exd5 Nxd5 11.Bg5 Qa5 12.Nxd5 Qxd5 13.Ne5 Qb5 14.a4
Qa6 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.d5
[FEN "r1b2rk1/p4ppp/q1p5/3P2B1/Pbp5/
6P1/1P3PBP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 16"]
White wants to force things immediately. This is dangerous for Black, since
White is better developed.
16...cxd5
Black plays calmly.
17.Qxd5
17.Bxd5 Bb7 18.Bxb7 Qxb7 19.Qg4 Qc8 is equal.
17...Rb8 18.Rfc1 Be6 19.Qe4 Bc5
What I always liked about the Tarrasch is that it leads to open positions and
favors the player who likes activity and to attack. Black has proven that
White's strategy was not the greatest and now the play is in Black's hands.
20.Rc2 Rb4 21.Bf1
[FEN "5rk1/p4ppp/q3b3/2b3B1/Prp1Q3/
6P1/1PR2P1P/R4BK1 b - - 0 21"]
It is difficult to defend the weak queenside pawns. White instead decides to

go after the black pawns.
21...Rc8!
Taking on c4 is impossible for White, who would run into a discovered

check ...Bxf2+ at the end.
22.Be3 Bxe3 23.Qxe3 Rxa4 24.Rac1 Rb4
White is completely tied down and behind a pawn.
25.Rc3
This threatens Ra3.
25.Qd4 is a little better. Everything is defended for the moment and the queen
has more influence here. 25...Qb6!? 26.Qxb6 axb6 Double-rook endings are
very drawish, but the bishops make a difference. Black can play Ra8-a2 and
poke around with Bf5.
25...Qa2
25...Rxb2 26.Bxc4 Bxc4 27.Rxc4 Obviously, Black has all the chances, but
often the threat is stronger than the execution. Black is up a pawn, yet with no
bind on White.
26.Qd4
26.Ra3 Qxb2 27.Rxa7 c3 the passed pawn looks really scary.
26...g6
In endgames where you have the edge, you do not have to rush. White cannot
do anything. The pressure builds on the weaker side and often they make a
mistake.
27.h4 Qxb2 28.h5
[FEN "2r3k1/p4p1p/4b1p1/7P/1rpQ4/
2R3P1/1q3P2/2R2BK1 b - - 0 28"]
This is the mistake. Black is better able to take advantage of a weak king and
the extra black pawn on the kingside eventually tells.
28.Qxa7 Qd2 29.R3c2 Qd6 and the white king looks uncomfortable, plus the
passed c-pawn is hard to handle.
28...gxh5
Black cannot let White play 29.h6.
29.Qf4 Rb5
The checks on the black king are easily stopped.
30.Bxc4 Rf5 31.Qe3 Bxc4 32.Rxc4 Rxc4 33.Rxc4 Qb1+ 34.Kh2 Qb6
[FEN "6k1/p4p1p/1q6/5r1p/2R5/
4Q1P1/5P1K/8 w - - 0 35"]
35.Rd4
35.Qxb6 also loses, because of Black's extra pawn and the holes in the white
kingside. 35...axb6 36.Kg2 Kg7 37.Rb4 b5 38.f4 Kf6 39.Kf3 Rc5 40.Rb3 Kf5
White cannot keep Black out.
35...Kg7 36.Kg1 Qf6 37.Qd2 a5 38.Rd6
It was likely time trouble at this point; White makes a tactical error in a lost
position.
38...Rxf2 39.Qd5 Rf1+ 40.Kg2 Qf2+ 41.Kh3 Qf5+ 42.Qxf5 Rxf5 43.Ra6
Rb5 44.Kh4 f6 45.Kh3 Kg6 46.Kh4 Rc5 47.Ra7 h6 48.Ra6 Rc4+ 49.Kh3
a4 50.Ra8 Kf5 0-1
In this high-level game, and in the previous game, Black used the open lines
and the initiative to great effect.
Lessons Learned
● Black's setup is with pawns on c4 and d5, bishop on b4, and a knight
on e7. There is no Bg5 pin, and the two black minor pieces are in ideal
places to pressure the center and queenside.
● This variation, being somewhat forcing, does not get too heavily into
positional considerations. The main structures that arise are the black
pawn on c4 and the white passed pawn on d4, which Black tries to
blockade, and Black pawns on c6 and c4, where the ...c5 break is a
good thing to think about and the open b-file is ripe to go to.
● This system demands that Black know how to use open files and the
initiative. If White plays b3, Black has the queenside files to work on.
If White plays e4, the e-file and d-files become open, and Black has to
play energetically to use the pawn structure to advantage.
Practitioners
● Gideon Stahlberg was a Swedish grandmaster who held the title of

Nordic champion for ten years. He competed with Najdorf,
Nimzowitsch, and Euwe among others. He was also a chess author.
● Erik Lundin was a Swedish honorary grandmaster who played in many
Olympiads. He also competed with the top players of the world in the
mid-twentieth century.
● Gösta Stoltz was a Swedish grandmaster who won a match against the
very strong American player Isaac Kashdan in 1930.
Bibliography
● ChessPublishing.com



Scotch Four Knights Glek Variation [C26] Purchases from our
This month I cover a familiar opening with a twist: the Scotch Four Knights
accessible:
with 4.g3!
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6
Chess does not get much simpler than this. Both sides follow the principles of
controlling the center and developing knights before bishops.
4.g3
The
Openings
Explained ECO C
by Chess Informant
Abby Marshall
Translate this page

[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/4p3/4P3/
2N2NP1/PPPP1P1P/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 4"]
The light-squared bishop can already be developed, so why would we play

this? First of all, it can be a surprise to the opponent. Second of all, White has
a greater possibility of playing f4 later, as in the Vienna game or King's
Four Knights Game
Gambit. This variation is named for the Russian grandmaster Igor Glek who
by Andrey Obodchuk
pioneered the variation.
4.Bc4?! is an elementary mistake. 4...Nxe4! The classic fork trick! 5.Nxe4 (5.
Bxf7+ 0 Kxf7 0 6.Nxe4 When I first learned the fork trick, this variation
made me nervous. However, the black king is perfectly safe and Black has
complete control of the center. 6...d5 7.Nfg5+ Kg8 8.Qf3 Qd7 Black is better
because of the bishop-pair, center control, and, after ...h6 and ...Kh7, the king
has castled by hand, so to speak.) 5...d5.
4.Bb5 is a common move. Black plays classically with 4...Bc5 or

adventurously with 4...Nd4!?. The latter is called Rubinstein's Variation after
the famous Polish grandmaster.
Play through and download Four Knights
the games from 4...Bc5 by Jan Pinski
ChessBase Game Viewer. This is not generally considered the main line, but it is so natural I decided to
focus on it in this article.
4...d5 is Black's most active response and also prods White's light squares,
which have more holes after 4.g3. In some variations we transpose directly to
the Vienna game. 5.exd5 White cannot let Black have two pawns in the
center.
[FEN "r1bqkb1r/ppp2ppp/2n2n2/3Pp3/8/
2N2NP1/PPPP1P1P/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 5"]
A) 5...Nd4!? This is a gutsy move that tries to take over the initiative, since 4.
g3 stalled development for White. 6.Bg2 White must not take the hanging e-
pawn, which would open the e-file for Black's queen and lead to a scary
situation. 6...Bg4 This is nothing to worry about. 7.h3 This move is fine,
though maybe a bit slow. (7.0-0 may put more fight in the game. 7...e4 This
looks strong but does not work well for Black. 8.Re1 Qe7 9.Nxe4 Nxe4 10.
d3) 7...Bxf3 (7...Bh5 8.g4 Bg6 9.d3 White is comfortably developed and does
not have to worry about the extended kingside because the bishop protects the
king.) 8.Bxf3 Nxf3+ 9.Qxf3 Bb4 10.0-0 0-0 11.d3 This is not the most
exciting chess, making 7.0-0 more attractive.
B) 5...Nxd5 6.Bg2 The threat is 7.Nxe5, exposing an attack from the bishop
on g2 to the knight on d5. 6...Nde7 This is pretty popular. On an intuitive
level I would be happy to see this if I were White. I am developing and my
opponent is retreating, blocking in the f8-bishop. The e-pawn constricts White
a bit. However look at the juicy diagonal of the g2-bishop. (6...Nxc3 This is
okay, but concedes the center to some degree. 7.bxc3 White will play d4 in
the near future and also has the open b-file. 7...Bd6 8.0-0 0-0 9.Rb1 Rb8 10.
d4 The rook on b1 and the latent power of the bishop on g2 give White good
play.; 6...Be6 This is the most natural move. We can reach this position via
the Vienna game too. 7.0-0 Be7 8.Re1 Pressure down the e-file is a major
theme in positions were Black plays ...d5. 8...Nxc3 9.bxc3 Bf6 10.Ba3 A great
move that stops Black from castling kingside. 10...Qd7 11.Qb1!? The
queenside is not so safe for Black!; 6...Nb6 We will look at this in the first
illustrative game.) 7.0-0 g6 Black decides to get the f8-bishop out in a way to
keep the knight on e7. White is much better developed than Black, so I
suspect White is doing well. 8.d4! White strikes energetically in the center. 8...
exd4 9.Nb5 Bg7 (9...a6 is just two slow. Black is still two moves away from
castling. 10.Nbxd4 Bg7 11.Nxc6 Qxd1 12.Rxd1 Nxc6 13.Re1+ Be6 14.Ng5
White has the initiative) 10.Bf4 0-0 11.Nxc7 Rb8 12.Nb5 Ra8 13.Qd2 White
has a pull because of Black's weak dark squares.
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/pp2npbp/2n3p1/1N6/
3p1B2/5NP1/PPPQ1PBP/R4RK1 b - - 0 13"]
4...Bb4 This is a sensible move. Since 4.Bb5 is a common move, it follows

that Black doing the same makes sense. 5.Bg2 d6 (5...Bxc3 Trying to win a
pawn does not work. 6.dxc3 Nxe4 7.Nxe5) 6.d3 Be6 (6...Bg4 7.h3 and g4 is
not far behind.) 7.0-0 h6 8.Nh4 White eyes the f5-square and may play f4 in a
few moves. Nd5 also becomes possible to get control over the light squares.
8...0-0 (8...d5 is premature. Black should castle first. 9.exd5 Nxd5 10.Nxd5
Bxd5 11.Qg4 I would not feel comfortable with my king in the center in this
position.) 9.Nd5 Bc5 10.Be3 White is going to try to make the d5- and f5-
squares into strongholds and perhaps start a kingside attack.
4...g6 Imitation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but it is not the best way
of playing chess. 5.d4 White uses the extra tempo to start play in the center.
5...exd4 6.Nxd4 Bg7 7.Nde2
[FEN "r1bqk2r/pppp1pbp/2n2np1/8/4P3/
2N3P1/PPP1NP1P/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 7"]
This is, of course, not the only way to play this position. But it keeps the
possibility of f4 open and the bishop is going to g2 anyways. 7...d6 8.Bg2
Bg4 9.h3 Be6 10.Bg5 Qd7 11.Qd2 Ne5 12.b3 h6 13.Be3 White is clearly
going to castle queenside, and Black will probably do the same. After Nf4,
White will be better. It is unclear what Black is going to do.
4...Nxe4 This crazy looking move actually makes more sense here than its
White counterpart of 4.Nxe5. After White takes on e4, there is no retreat to
g3. As well, Black is only after equality, whereas White (in 4.Nxe5) is after
an advantage. So let's see how this plays out. 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Nc3 d4
[FEN "r1bqkb1r/ppp2ppp/2n5/4p3/3p4/
2N2NP1/PPPP1P1P/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 7"]
A) 7.Nb1 I would never play this move, but if White is ambitious about
refuting Black's idea, this would be the way to do it! 7...e4 8.Ng1 d3 9.c3
White wants to protect the d4-square, but what about the light squares? 9...
Bc5 10.Qh5 Bb6 11.Qh4 Quiz: Is this a game between novices or 2300+
players? White's strategy is just asking for it, and then I saw the famous
grandmaster Ivanov on the black side. 11...Qxh4 12.gxh4 0-0 13.b3 Ne5 14.
Na3 Re8 15.Nc4 Nxc4 16.bxc4 Be6 17.Bg2 Bxc4 18.Nh3 c6 (18...Re6 is
better) 19.0-0 White is now better, since there is development. 19...f5 1-0
Ivanov,A (2649)-Husari,S (2351)/Natick 2000.
B) 7.Bg2 White should not be ashamed to give the piece back. 7...dxc3 8.bxc3
Bd6 9.0-0 Maybe White is a little better because the c-pawn supports a d4-
push. Still a very interesting try for Black.
5.Bg2
From here the bishop also looks at d5. White also aims for f4, which may
loosen up the e-pawns and open the way for the bishop on g2.
5...d6
Black keeps open the idea of castling queenside.
5...0-0 6.d3 Re8 7.0-0 Nd4 Black adopts a confrontational approach to

White's strategy. Glek works to avoid trades. (7...d6 8.Bg5 Be6 9.Nd5 We see
again the idea of pressuring the light squares by playing Nd5. If the bishop
takes on d5, the f5-square lacks a defender.) 8.h3 c6 9.Nh2 This move
anticipates f4 and opens the diagonal for the g2-bishop. 9...h6 10.Na4 Bf8 11.
f4 d5 and now after 12.fxe5 Rxe5 13.Be3 we have a messy game.
6.h3
White does not like ...Bg4, gumming up White's plans to retreat the knight
and play f4.
6...a6
[FEN "r1bqk2r/1pp2ppp/p1np1n2/2b1p3/
4P3/2N2NPP/PPPP1PB1/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 7"]
Black can now retreat the bishop to a7. We will look at 6...h6 in the second
illustrative game, which gives rise to different structures than we see here.
7.d3 h6 8.0-0 Be6 9.Be3
This is a pretty typical position: both sides just develop their pieces.
9...Qd7
Black prepares to castle queenside.
10.Kh2
White defends the pawn on h3 from the black queen and bishop battery.
10...0-0-0
Black may play ...g5 to go after White's pawns on g3/h3.
10...g5 right away is unfavorable, because the black king is still in the center.
11.d4 exd4 12.Nxd4 0-0-0 13.Nxc6 bxc6 14.Bxc5 dxc5 15.Qe2 Tripled pawns
are not always so bad, especially in this case when they control good central
squares. Black's king is weak, so White is near winning here.
11.d4
This is a good break since, if Black's e-pawn captures on d4, it gives greater
scope to the g2-bishop. White also gets a more space to maneuver.
11...exd4 12.Nxd4 Ne5 13.b3

[FEN "2kr3r/1ppq1pp1/p2pbn1p/2b1n3/
3NP3/1PN1B1PP/P1P2PBK/R2Q1R2 b - - 0 13"]
The knight on d4 can always take on e6 if Black's kingside attack seems

scary. It is a dynamic fight. White will bring the rooks to the center and aim
eventually for a break, probably f4. Notice that White cannot play f4 right
away because Neg4+ wins the bishop on e3.
In the following encounter, White uses d4- and f4-breaks to attack Black's
king in the center.
Solovjov, Sergey (2414) – Yemelin, Vasily (2564)

St Petersburg-ch (1), 29.05.2007
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g3 d5 5.exd5 Nxd5 6.Bg2 Nb6
[FEN "r1bqkb1r/ppp2ppp/1nn5/4p3/8/2N2NP1/
PPPP1PBP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 7"]
This is where we left off in the theory section. The knight on b6 is out of play.
It does not have the flexibility of the knight on e7. Let's see how White
handles this.
7.0-0
One of the appeals of this opening is that White castles quickly.
7...Bc5
7...Be7 is too passive. 8.Re1 f6 9.d4! This breaks down the brittle structure of
the e5-f6-g7 pawn chain. 9...Nxd4 10.Nxd4 exd4 11.Nb5 Black's light squares
are weak.
8.d4!
Dynamic play! White is castled, so he tries to open the position.
8...Bxd4
This is probably best.
8...exd4 9.Re1+ Be6 10.Ng5 is very dangerous for Black. 10...dxc3 11.Nxe6
Qxd1 12.Nxc7+ Kf8 (12...Kd8 13.Rxd1+ Kxc7 14.Bf4+ Kc8 15.Bh3+) 13.
Rxd1 This is much better for White.
8...Nxd4 9.Nxe5.
9.Nxd4
Notice that the g2-bishop is now unleashed.
9...Nxd4
Black keeps the e-file closed.
9...Qxd4 10.Nb5 Qd8 11.Qxd8+ Kxd8 12.f4 White can continue opening up
the center even after the queens are exchanged.
10.f4
White uses the f4-break to benefit from the fact that the black king is in the
center.
10...Nc6
[FEN "r1bqk2r/ppp2ppp/1nn5/4p3/5P2/
2N3P1/PPP3BP/R1BQ1RK1 w kq - 0 11"]
Black missteps under the pressure and lets White get the upper hand. 10...0-0
is better, when White can continue by taking the e-pawn.
11.Qxd8+
Although the queens come off, the position of the king in the center means
things are not better for Black. This is still a middlegame.
11...Kxd8 12.Be3 f5?
Black probably wanted to close the f-file, but the price is too high. The c8-
bishop has nowhere to go and the e-file is weak.
13.Rad1+ Bd7 14.fxe5
White's bishop is now immensely powerful.
14...Kc8 15.e6!?
White wants to open lines, but this is not really necessary. White can protect
the e-pawn and focus on the d-file and d5-square.
15...Bxe6 16.Bf4
[FEN "r1k4r/ppp3pp/1nn1b3/5p2/5B2/
2N3P1/PPP3BP/3R1RK1 b - - 0 16"]
The bishops create a very nice visual as they bear down on the diagonal.
16...Rd8
16...Re8 17.Nb5 Re7 18.Rfe1 is terrible for Black. Nothing is holding

together.
17.Nb5
White has to work out the tactics. Once that is done, this move is very strong
and Black could not do much to prevent it.
17...Bc4 18.Nxc7 Bxf1 19.Rxf1 g6
19...Rb8 20.Ne6 wins the exchange nonetheless.
20.Nxa8 Nxa8 21.Re1
The bishop-pair is much too strong for the two knights, especially with pawns
on both sides of the board, which favors the long-range bishops.
21...Nc7 22.c4
[FEN "2kr4/ppn4p/2n3p1/5p2/2P2B2/
6P1/PP4BP/4R1K1 b - - 0 22"]
White begins expanding where he has a pawn majority.
22...Re8 23.Rxe8+ Nxe8 24.Kf2 Nb4 25.Ke2 Nxa2 26.Bd2
With the knight out of play White won handily.
26...Nf6 27.Kd1 b6 28.b4 Ng4 29.b5 f4 30.Bh3 h5 31.gxf4 Kb7 32.Bxg4

hxg4 33.Kc2 1-0
This was a very nice game by Solovjov. Two of the key pawn breaks were
present in this game.
The next fairly short game illustrates a new structure and old concepts.
Rabelo Gil, Eddy (2330) – Pujols, Carlos (2330)

Havana Provincial, 1999
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.g3 Bc5 5.Bg2 d6 6.h3 h6
[FEN "r1bqk2r/ppp2pp1/2np1n1p/2b1p3/
4P3/2N2NPP/PPPP1PB1/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 7"]
This is where we left off in the theory section. White manages to snag the c5-
bishop and quickly destroy Black's structure.
7.d3
7.Na4? Bxf2+! 8.Kxf2 Nxe4+ and Black picks up the g-pawn as well.
7...Be6
7...a6 is the most accurate. We also see this in the Italian game with 3.Bc4 and
4.d3: Black puts pawns on h6, d6, and a6 to restrict White's movement and
allow the bishop to fall back to a7.
8.Na4
White wants the bishop-pair.
8...Qd7
Black should probably just castle kingside here. The queenside gets a little
messy for Black now.
9.Nxc5 dxc5
This is an interesting structure. Black has doubled pawns, but the d-file is
open and the center is firmly under control by both sides.
10.Be3 b6
10...Qd6 11.0-0 0-0 is more typical of this structure. It is about even here.
11.Qd2
White plays this not to castle queenside, but to get at Black's king on the
queenside. The black king quickly runs into trouble.
11...0-0-0?! 12.Qc3 Qd6
Black defends the e-pawn.
13.Nd2
White starts moving to the queenside and uncovering the bishop on g2.
13...Nd7
13...Nd4 is more active. 14.a4 a5 15.Nc4 Bxc4 16.Qxc4 Kb7 The bishop-pair
makes White a little better.
14.a3
White is planning b4.
14...Kb7 15.f4!?
[FEN "3r3r/pkpn1pp1/1pnqb2p/2p1p3/4PP2/
P1QPB1PP/1PPN2B1/R3K2R b KQ - 0 15"]
This is a good punch. Black has been so focused on the queenside that the
kingside is abandoned. I wish White were castled, but I like the play on both
sides of the board.
15...f6 16.Nc4 Qe7 17.Rb1?!
17.0-0-0 It is easy for Black to open the kingside, so White should get safe
and expand in the center later.
17...a5
17...exf4! 18.gxf4 g5 was Black's best chance to obtain counterplay. The

white king is not very safe.
18.0-0
This is just a mistake. Black should not line up the queen on the file of the
black rook.
18...Qf7? 19.fxe5 Nd4?
This knight was one of the sole protectors of the king.
19...Ndxe5 20.Nxe5 Nxe5 21.b4 White is wreaking havoc on the king.
20.Bxd4 cxd4 21.Qxd4 Bxc4 22.exf6 1-0
Perhaps Black caved under the pressure. White's play shows the f4-break, and
the idea of Na4 and Qc3 as it relates to the structure after the black knight
captures on c5.
Lessons Learned
● Learn the typical pawn breaks: d4, which occurs in many king-pawn
openings, and f4. These breaks open the position for the bishop on g2.
● White usually castles before Black. We have seen a couple games
where White goes after the uncastled black king. The e-file is a typical
avenue for getting at the king in the center and attacking the e-pawn.
● The light squares d5 (supported by the bishop on g2!) and f5 are also
important. White can put knights on those squares to weaken Black's
light squares.
Bibliography
Practitioners
● Igor Glek has won more than 100 international events and was once
number twelve in the world. He is a prolific contributor to opening
theory and has trained many young chess players.


The Sicilian Dragadorf [B75] Purchases from our
This month I cover the Dragadorf, a combination of the Dragon and Najdorf
accessible:
systems in the Sicilian. When you have two (or more) great things, combining
everything into one does not always work. However, the Dragadorf seems to
be doing quite well.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4
The Open Sicilian, the most complicated White response, but probably the
most challenging.
The
3...cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6
Openings
This move signifies that Black is playing the Dragon variation, which is one
Explained of the most popular and exciting openings in chess. The Dragon features a ECO B
bishop on g7 that cuts across the board to the White queenside, where White by Chess Informant
often castles, and a rook on c8 that targets the knight on c3. White will attack
Abby Marshall with pawns on the kingside, since the pawn on g6 is a target. Meanwhile,
Black will attack with pieces, because a pawn storm is too slow and has no
obvious targets.
6.Be3
Translate this page
This is a common response that prepares White to castle queenside.
6...Bg7
Black puts the Dragon bishop into place.

Killer Dragon
7.f3 by Simon Williams
This is the start of the Yugoslav attack. The Yugoslav is an extremely sharp
response to the Dragon. White and Black castle on opposite sites of the board
and then throw everything at the enemy king. If you are playing a much
higher-rated opponent, it can be attractive not to play the main lines, since you
may feel that your opponent must know the theory better than you. The
problem is that a stronger player will likely beat you in an offbeat position
that is equal. Play the main lines! The Yugoslav is a great opening to beat
grandmasters.
Play through and download ChessBase Magazine 112

the games from by ChessBase
[FEN "rnbqk2r/pp2ppbp/3p1np1/8/3NP3/
2N1BP2/PPP3PP/R2QKB1R b KQkq - 0 7"]
7...a6
This has been called the Dragadorf. By playing ...g6 and ...a6, Black
incorporates features of both the Dragon and the Najdorf. Since the Najdorf
combines pawn play on the queenside with piece play, and the Dragon usually
doesn't have ...a6, play will likely resemble the Najdorf more than the Dragon.
7...0-0 is how Black usually plays, when 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.Bc4 is the main line
Yugoslav Attack. I recommend playing this, at least at some point, since it is
very tactical and gives you a chance to be on the cutting edge of chess theory.
9...Bd7 10.0-0-0 Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5 12.Kb1 a6 This is the Dragondorf, not to be
confused with the Dragadorf, at least according to Wikipedia, so make of it
what you want (literally; you can edit the page right now).
8.Qd2
This is the logical follow-up. Black is going to play ...Nbd7 against most
White moves regardless.
8.Bc4 will probably transpose: 8...b5 9.Bb3 Nbd7 10.Qd2 (10.0-0 does not
follow the logic of the Yugoslav Attack. White's dynamism, expressed by
attacking the black king with a pawn storm, is now gone. Black has the c-file
and a nice diagonal for the dark-square bishop.) 10...Bb7 and we transpose.
8...Nbd7
In the Najdorf, Black goes ...Nbd7 in order to play ...Nc5. Here ...b5 is
coming and ...Bb7.
9.Bc4
White puts the bishop on a nice diagonal before Black plays ...b5.
9.g4 This is one of the most direct responses. 9...b5 Black continues with the
plan for ...Bb7. White can go in a few directions here.
[FEN "r1bqk2r/3nppbp/p2p1np1/1p6/3NP1P1/
2N1BP2/PPPQ3P/R3KB1R w KQkq - 0 10"]
10.0-0-0 (10.g5 Nh5 11.Nce2 Bb7 12.Ng3 White tries to untangle from some
of the pressure. It's just a little slow. 12...Nxg3 13.hxg3 d5! In the Najdorf, ...
e5 is a common move, but in these kinds of position it doesn't make much
sense, since it would block the bishop on g7. This makes ...d5 the stronger
move. 14.exd5 Black has the initiative. 14...Ne5; 10.Nc6 This is a tricky
move. 10...Qc7 11.Nxe7 This is the point. If Black takes the knight, then 12.
g5 and if the Black knight moves, Nd5 forks the king and the queen. 11...Bb7
This calm move threatens ...Kxe7 since the bishop covers the d5-square. 12.
Ned5 Bxd5 13.exd5 b4 14.Ne2 Ne5 White is discombobulated.; 10.h4 We
will take a look at this in the first illustrative game. White starts the pawn
storm, but the black king is not yet castled.) 10...Bb7 11.g5 (11.h4 h5 We will
see a different approach in the first illustrative game. Let's focus on the ideas
more than the specific moves. 12.g5 Nh7 13.f4 Nc5 14.Bg2 b4 Playing ...Nc5
and ...b4 are two main goals in the Najdorf, so it makes sense to see them in
the Dragadorf. 15.Nd5 e6 16.Nxb4 Nxe4 17.Qe1 Qc7 18.Bg1 d5
[FEN "r3k2r/1bq2pbn/p3p1p1/3p2Pp/
1N1NnP1P/8/PPP3B1/2KRQ1BR w kq - 0 19"]
The Dragon bishop on g7 is starting to look very good. 19.Nd3 0-0 20.Kb1
Rfc8 21.c3 Nf8 22.Ne2 d4 23.Bxd4 Nxc3+ A nice tactical shot. 24.Bxc3
Bxg2 25.Rg1 Bf3 26.Ne5 Bxe5 27.fxe5 Nd7 28.Rg3 Be4+ 29.Ka1 Nc5 30.
Re3 Qb7 Bishops of opposite colors are very drawish when it is just kings and
pawns on the board, but otherwise, especially when one side has an attack,
they are particularly deadly. It is hard to oppose the light-square bishop, so it
is like having an extra piece. 31.Rd4 a5 32.Nc1 Bf5 33.Rf4 Rd8 34.Rd4 a4 35.
a3 Rxd4 36.Bxd4 Nb3+ 37.Nxb3 axb3 38.Re2 Ra4 39.Rd2 Qf3 40.Qd1 Qe4
41.Bc3 Qb7 42.Rd4 Rxd4 43.Bxd4 Qd5 44.Qg1 Qe4 45.Bf2 Qxe5 0-1,
Moreno Carnero,J (2514)-Del Rio Angelis,S (2489)/Cala Mendia 2001) 11...
Nh5 0 12.Nce2 (12.Kb1 We will look at this approach in the second
illustrative game.) 12...Nb6 It is more common to see ...Nc5. In this situation,
Black is preparing ...d5. It's interesting, but often attacking the head of the
pawn chain is at least as effective as attacking the base. 13.Ng3 Nxg3 14.hxg3
d5 15.Nb3 Na4 I would prefer to be Black.
9.0-0-0 b5 10.Bh6 This is a common maneuver. In the Najdorf, Black often

keeps the king in the center, where it is safer. However, Black is forced to let
the white queen into h6. Castling would make the king an easier target. (10.g4
This transposes to the line where White plays 9.g4 and 10.0-0-0) 10...Bxh6 11.
Qxh6 Bb7 12.h4 b4 13.Nce2 e5 This is the usual Najdorf move. Since the
dark-squared bishop has been traded off, this move make sense. The play has
turned distinctively Najdorfian. 14.Nb3 Qb6 15.Ng3 Rc8 16.Qd2 Ke7!
[FEN "2r4r/1b1nkp1p/pq1p1np1/4p3/1p2P2P/
1N3PN1/PPPQ2P1/2KR1B1R w - - 0 17"]
The king is quite safe in the center and even contributes to defense of the d6-
pawn. 17.h5 Rc6 18.hxg6 fxg6 19.Bd3 a5 20.Qh6 Rhc8 21.Nd2 Ba6 22.Kb1
a4 A scary-looking advance. ...b3 would force the opening of the b-file. 23.
Bxa6 Qxa6 24.Rc1 Qb6 25.Ne2 Qf2 26.Rhe1 Rxc2 27.Rxc2 Qxe1+ 28.Nc1
Rxc2 29.Kxc2 Nc5 30.g4 Ne6 31.g5 Nd4+ 32.Kb1 Nd7 33.Qxh7+ Kd8 34.
Qg8+ Kc7 35.Qc4+ Nc6 36.Kc2 Nb6 37.Qf7+ Kb8 38.Qf8+ Kb7 This was a
great game from Black. 0-1, Skorchenko,D (2502)-Chuprov,D (2575)/
Voronezh 2008.
9...b5
Black gains space with tempo and prepares to develop the bishop to b7.
10.Bb3
White maintains control over d5.
10...Bb7
The pawn chain g2-f3-e4 is under surveillance from the bishop. ...d5 is going
to be the break.
11.0-0-0
11.Bh6 The idea is to trade off Black's strong bishop and create dark-square
holes on h6, g7, and f6. 11...Bxh6 12.Qxh6 Nc5 (12...Rc8 This quieter move
also looks good.) 13.0-0-0 e5 14.Nde2 Nxb3+ 15.axb3 b4 16.Na4 Qc7 17.Rd2
d5!? This is quite risky since the black king is still in the center. Black wants
to get activity for the bishop on b7. (17...0-0-0!? Two sets of minor pieces
have been exchanged, so the focus on attacking is not as strong on both sides.
Now ...d5 looks even better.) 18.Qg5 Qe7 19.Nb6 Rd8 20.Rhd1 h6 21.Qg3
Nh5 22.Qf2 d4 23.Nc4 0-0 Black has more space. The bishop on b7 can easily
become active by ...f5. The queenside pawns are a bit extended and the white
knight is good on c4, so it is probably about equal.
11...Rc8
[FEN "2rqk2r/1b1nppbp/p2p1np1/1p6/
3NP3/1BN1BP2/PPPQ2PP/2KR3R w k - 0 12"]
The rook goes to c8 in many Sicilian variations. The thematic idea of ...Rxc3
can also be considered at some point.
12.g4
12.Kb1 Ne5 12...Nc5 is the usual idea. This game illustrates the ...Rxc3
sacrifice, so we will focus on that. 13.Bh6 Bxh6 14.Qxh6 Rxc3!? This is
especially effective when the black knight can take a pawn on e4, or when the
bishop is still on g7. Even without those targets, this sacrifice can work out
okay, but not so much in this instance. 15.bxc3 Qb6 16.Rhe1 Kd7 17.f4 Nc4
18.Qg7 Rb8 19.e5 Ne4.
12...Nc5
The knight goes to its usual square to pressure the center.
13.Bh6
We see this plan again.
13...Bxh6 14.Qxh6 b4
[FEN "2rqk2r/1b2pp1p/p2p1npQ/2n5/
1p1NP1P1/1BN2P2/PPP4P/2KR3R w k - 0 15"]
Black stands very well. ...Qa5 is coming. Black may even castle after the
white queen retreats. Castling would make ...d5 a good possibility. In
conclusion, I am impressed with the Dragadorf. Since it is still fairly new,
there is not a much theory, and my information is taken from the battlefield in
games.
Klimov, Sergey (2521) – Solovjov, Sergey (2404)

St Petersburg-ch (11), 18.05.2009
Black does not win by a queenside attack, but by positional advantages.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 a6 8.Qd2
Nbd7 9.g4 b5 10.h4
[FEN "r1bqk2r/3nppbp/p2p1np1/1p6/3NP1PP/
2N1BP2/PPPQ4/R3KB1R b KQkq - 0 10"]
Here is where we left off.
10...h6!?
This is an interesting reply. Black is not planning to castle kingside, so this

move maintains maximum flexibility.
11.a4
This is unusual in the violent Najdorf or Dragon. White is going to find it hard
to keep the White king safe.
11.g5?! hxg5 12.Bxg5 b4 This is not a smart strategy for White. The h-pawn
is isolated and Black is about to get ahead in development after ...Bb7.; 11.h5
g5 I think this was the idea. The dark squares are coming under Black control.
12.Nf5 is met by Rg8.; 11.0-0-0 Bb7 And the usual plan of expanding on the
queenside with Rc8, Nc5, and b4.
11...b4
Black kicks the knight from the center.
12.Na2 d5
Gutsy play from Black that tries to take advantage of the fact that Black has
three minor pieces in play while White only has two at the moment. Both
kings are also in the center, though only the White king is on an open file after
the exchange of the e-pawn.
12...a5 13.Bb5 Ba6 This is probably okay too, but gives the White bishop a
diagonal.
13.exd5
13.0-0-0 White can try to get out of the center right away. 13...dxe4 14.Nxb4
Bb7 White's center has dissolved.
13...Nxd5
Now the Dragon bishop looks excellent.
14.Nc6
[FEN "r1bqk2r/3nppb1/p1N3pp/3n4/Pp4PP/
4BP2/NPPQ4/R3KB1R b KQkq - 0 14"]
White enters a forcing line.
14.Nxb4 I do not think it is a wise idea to give Black the two bishops. 14...
Nxe3 15.Qxe3 Qb6 16.c3 Bb7 The two bishops are well worth the pawn.
14...Ne5
The only good move.
15.0-0-0?!
This lets Black get organized. 15.Nxd8 Nxf3+ 16.Kf2 Nxd2 17.Bxd2 Kxd8
This is just equal.
15...Nxc6 16.Qxd5 Qc7
16...Qxd5 17.Rxd5 Bb7 is even stronger.
17.Qc5 Rb8
Black protects the b-pawn.
18.Bc4 0-0
Castling makes sense now since Black needs to get out of the wide open
center.
19.Rhe1 Qe5
Black is restricting White's majority on the queenside. Although these pawns

could also become Black weaknesses, I am really starting to like Black.
19...Be6 20.Bxe6 fxe6 This keeps a middlegame fight going. The White
kingside pawns are vulnerable.
20.Qxe5 Nxe5 21.Bd5 Bb7
[FEN "1r3rk1/1b2ppb1/p5pp/3Bn3/Pp4PP/
4BP2/NPP5/2KRR3 w - - 0 22"]
22.Ba7
If White does not try to create some sort of imbalance, Black's position is just
better.
22.Bxb7 Rxb7 Black's play stands in contrast to White's limp attempts to

generate play.
22...Bxd5 23.Bxb8
23.Rxd5 b3 24.Nc3 Rb7 I think this approach for White would put up more
resistance.
23...Nxg4?
The first of several moves that look like blunders. The players, both 2400+,
could have been in time trouble, or the notation is incorrect. It doesn't matter.
Black's earlier play is what is important.
23...Nxf3 24.Rxd5 b3 25.cxb3 Rc8+ 26.Kd1 Nxe1 Black is slightly better.
24.fxg4?
24.Rxd5! Nf6 25.Ra5 Rxb8 26.Rxe7 is terrible for Black.
24...Bxa2 25.Re3? (25.Be5) 25...Rxb8 26.Rf3 Rc8 27.b3 Bc3 28.Rd7 Kg7
29.Rfd3 Rc6 0-1
Black can start pushing the kingside pawns. A weird ending, so focus on the
middlegame play, particularly the break ...d5. Even in the endgame, Black
could still play on the queenside.
Mrdja, Milan (2400) – Vasilev, Milen (2422)

Sofia (8), 04.12.2006
In this game, Black makes it look easy.
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.Be3 Bg7 7.f3 a6 8.Qd2
Nbd7 9.0-0-0 b5 10.g4 Bb7 11.g5 Nh5 12.Kb1
Here is where we left off in the theory. A lot of the themes we have looked at
will appear in this game.
12...Nb6 The knight is headed to a4, so it does not matter if it goes to b6 or c5.
13.Qf2
[FEN "r2qk2r/1b2ppbp/pn1p2p1/1p4Pn/3NP3/
2N1BP2/PPP2Q1P/1K1R1B1R b kq - 0 13"]
The threat is 14.Ndxb5.
13...Na4 14.Nce2
White gets spooked and moves all targets away from the queenside. The
clumsiness of White's pieces turn the tide in Black's favor.
14...Qc7
Black builds up quietly.
15.Ng3 Nxg3 16.hxg3 Rc8
All of Black's pieces are well-placed with the exception of the h8-rook.
17.Bd3 d5!
White's brittle structure starts to fall apart.
18.exd5
18.g4 Nc5 Just puts more pressure on e4.
18...Bxd5 19.c3?
Now Black has a target.
19.Be4 This is better, but Black still has pressure. 19...Bxe4 20.fxe4 Qc4:
[FEN "2r1k2r/4ppbp/p5p1/1p4P1/n1qNP3/
4B1P1/PPP2Q2/1K1R3R w k - 0 21"]
19...Qa5 20.a3
An unfortunate move to make, but the threat of ...Bxa2 is too strong to do

without it. 20.Rc1 Bxa2+ 21.Kxa2 Nxc3+ 22.Kb3 Qa4#.
20...Nxc3+
The natural move that breaks apart the structure.

21.bxc3 Rxc3 22.Bc1
The alternatives do not inspire.
22.Bd2 This way the queen can come to a3 with check. 22...Ba2+! 23.Ka1 (23.
Kxa2 Qxa3+ 24.Kb1 Rb3+ 25.Nxb3 Qb2#) 23...Bb3! The idea is the same:
bring the queen to a3 with tempo. 24.Bxc3 Qxc3+ 25.Qb2 Qxb2+ 26.Kxb2
Bxd1 27.Rxd1 Bxd4+ Black is up two pawns.; 22.Qb2 This doesn't really
help. 22...Rxa3 23.Bd2 Qa4.
22...b4 23.Be4 bxa3 24.Bxd5 Qxd5 25.Qa2 Qb7+ 0-1
[FEN "4k2r/1q2ppbp/p5p1/6P1/3N4/
p1r2PP1/Q7/1KBR3R w k - 0 26"]
White resigned. Incredibly, castling kingside is going to be the winning move,

because it gets the last black piece, the rook on h8, into the game. A nice
queenside attacking game.
Lessons Learned
● The blending of the Dragon and the Najdorf has one distinct
disadvantage: it is slow since it combines the Dragon idea of attacking
with pieces with the Najdorf queenside pawn expansion a6-b5. The
advantages of combining the setups are that the play resembles the
Najdorf, with the addition of a powerful Dragon bishop, and the play
resembles the queenside attacks of the Dragon, with the benefit of the
Najdorf uncastled king. White finds it difficult to attack the black king
with the usual kingside pawn storm.
● In terms of pawn play: we saw both the ...e5 (typical of Najdorf) and ...
d5 (typical of Dragon) pawn breaks. The former becomes attractive if
the g7-bishop is traded off.
● Let's consider White's plans. A popular try is Bh6, when Black should
trade the bishops. The queen is not positioned well on h6 anyway. Even
after Black loses the Dragon bishop, the knight on c5 and pawn push
to ...b4 are strong.
Practitioners
● Konstantine Shanava. The Georgian grandmaster has played this

system a few times. He is an active tournament player.
● Ivan Cheparinov is a Bulgarian grandmaster who also served as
Topolav's second. At one tournament, he had a performance rating over
2900.
● English grandmaster Simon Williams is a pioneer of the variation and
literally wrote the book on the opening.
Further Reading
● The New Sicilian Dragon by Simon Williams

● Killer Dragon, Part Two by Simon Williams


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The Latvian Gambit [C40] Purchases from our
In this column I am going to discuss the Latvian Gambit, which is an irritating
accessible:
opening to face after you have spent hours studying virtually everything else.
I recently faced the Latvian Gambit for the first time in a blitz tournament, got
crushed, and wished never to repeat the experience again. For obvious
reasons, this opening is not really sound: weakening the king, not developing
a piece, giving up a pawn, etc.
1.e4
The Having been an 1.e4 player all my life, I thought nothing could surprise me in
the opening. Maybe I would not know what to do, but I would have at least
Openings seen it before.
Explained 1...e5
ECO C
by Chess Informant
So far all looks normal.
Abby Marshall
2.Nf3
If Black does not play the Petroff, it seems that Black must protect the e-
pawn. However Black can mix the play up right away.
Translate this page
2...f5
Kaissiber 11
by Stefan Bücker
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppp2pp/8/4pp2/4P3/
5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 3"]
This is the Latvian Gambit. It is not fun to get stuck in someone's prepared
line; thus, shock value is the only good reason to play it. There is not too
Play through and download much to learn, so there is no harm in taking it seriously. In Your Face Chess Novelties
the games from by Andrew Tocher
ChessCafe.com in the 3.Nxe5
This is the most challenging response. Black has given up a center pawn
while the e4-pawn is taboo.
3.exf5 This move can't be too bad, but like the f-pawn thrust in the King's
Gambit, Black gets an open file and two pawns in the center against one. 3...
Bc5 In this interesting line, Black plays as though it is a King's Gambit. I
normally play this with colors reversed. The inclusion of the knight on f3 is
not a minor detail, of course, and White can take advantage of this. 4.Nxe5
This is not the only move to play for an advantage. It leads to a crazy position.
4...Bxf2+ This is actually a book line. Black banks on White's open king, the
loose knight on e5, and the element of surprise as compensation for the
sacrifice. 5.Kxf2 Of course White should capture or be down a pawn and
unable to castle. 5...Qh4+ Black forces the king to step further into the open. 6.
Ke2 runs into ...Qe4+ picking up the knight and 6.g3 runs into ...Qd4+. 6.Kg1
runs into ...Qd4 mate. 6.Kf3 It is move six and already the king is on the third
rank. The problem for Black is that there are no other pieces in the attack. 6...
b5 The idea here is to play ...Bb7+. I cannot believe this is sound, but why
take the risk of running into someone's favorite position?
3...Qf6
This is the main line. Moves that do not challenge the knight on e5 are just not
in the spirit here. White has threats of Qh5 and Bf7.
3...Nc6 is the other main alternative, but does not gain a tempo after White
trades knights.
[FEN "r1bqkbnr/pppp2pp/2n5/4Np2/4P3/
8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 4"]
A) 4.Qh5+ This I suspect is good too, but also more complicated. 4...g6 4...
Ke7 is mate in five. 5.Nxg6 A standard idea that does work, but Black gets
ahead in development. 5...Nf6 If Black does not have this rebuttal, which gets
a piece out with tempo and softens the blow of Nxg6, then Black is probably
lost. 6.Qh4 White retreats the queen while maintaining the pin on the h-pawn.
6...Rg8 This is a fascinating variation that could be scary to face if you did not
know what was going on. Black will have three pieces in play and somehow
manage to get a rook on the e-file despite not being castled. (6...hxg6 This
also looks a bit frightening, though I like having the queen on h8, which
paralyzes Black on the kingside. 7.Qxh8 White captures the rook and pins the
bishop. 7...Qe7 Black is trying to make some play against the white king in
the center. 8.d3 The dark-squared bishop will become a strong force on the
shattered black kingside. 8...fxe4 Black starts to open up files since Black
does have two bishops developed and White currently has none. 9.dxe4 Qxe4
+ Black will attempt to make use of a pin on the e-file. 10.Be3 White blocks
and the bishop is guarded on e3, as opposed to a bishop on e2, which would
only have the king as a protector. 10...Nd5 Unfortunately for Black, this is not
working. 11.Nd2 And with a gain of tempo White easily escapes trouble. 11...
Qe7 Black retreats. 12.0-0-0 Now White has caught up in development and
castled. Black is lost.) 7.Nxf8 White is now up two pawns and Black cannot
castle, and will have to spend a tempo recapturing the knight. 7...Rg4 With
interesting play. White can probably do alright here and come out on top, but
what a crazy position.
B) 4.Nxc6 The natural move that saves a tempo. 4...dxc6 Black recaptures
away from the center in order to have quick development and the d-file. 5.d4!
A good move that develops and start to put pressure on Black. White has the
center and the extra pawn. Black still cannot take the e-pawn. 5...Qh4 A stab
at activity, at least for the black queen, but I am not really convinced by this.
(5...fxe4 This will again serve to illuminate Black's perennial problems on the
h5-e8 diagonal. 6.Qh5+ The king must move because ...g6 leads to Qe5+
picking up the rook in the corner.) 6.e5 I like this move, which puts the
question to Black: why ...f5? The f-pawn blocks its own bishop. White can
develop easily and has the better game.
3...fxe4 is a big mistake. 4.Qh5+ When Black plays 4...g6, White can simply
take on g6 with the knight and have a winning game.
3...Qe7 This move is attributed to Greco, the famous Italian player in the early
seventeenth century. This move lacks the dynamism of ...Qf6 since the e7-
bishop has nowhere to go. 4.Qh5+ This tactic works out here as well, though
not without a wrinkle or two. 4...g6 Black dares White to capture and open the
e-file. 5.Nxg6 White accepts the challenge with the idea that Black has no
backup firepower. 5...Qxe4+ Captures a pawn and gazes on g2. 6.Be2 White
develops and waits for Black's next move. 6...Nf6 Again the typical idea that
makes things a little better for Black. 7.Qh3 White gets out of danger and
maintains position on the h-file. 7...hxg6 Now Black captures and gives up the
exchange. 8.Qxh8 White must capture or else be down a knight. 8...Qxg2 The
idea. White has material while Black is controlling the play for the moment. 9.
Rf1 Only move. 9...Kf7 This protects the knight as well as unpins the bishop
on f8. 10.f4 A strong move, threatening Bf3 winning the queen and getting
space for the White forces. 10...Qc6 Black get the queen out of the white
camp. 11.Nc3 White develops and now Black must contend with the fact that
there are no reserves since the f6-knight is doing a job of defending the black
king. 11...d5 Development, although the bishop on c8 has few choices. 12.d4
White is not in any trouble and probably winning.
4.Nc4
[FEN "rnb1kbnr/pppp2pp/5q2/5p2/2N1P3/
8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 4"]
This is called Leonhardt's Variation. White anticipates ...d6 and aims for rapid
development.
4.d4 is considered the main line and is also good. 4...d6 Black kicks the knight
out of the center and develops the c8-bishop. 5.Nc4 White retreats and may
look at Ne3 to pressure f5. 5...fxe4 Taking the pawn is now safe, since Qh5 is
easily parried by ...g6. In this line, White is playing a bit more slowly with
more positional ideas. The pawn on e4 will be dealt with soon. 6.Nc3
Attacking the e-pawn and developing. 6...Qg6 Unfortunately for Black,
moving the queen again is the most solid move. (6...Bf5 This seems good, but
leaves the queenside loose. 7.f3 The queen will get to f3 and the knight to d5
with tempo.) 7.Ne3 This targets the f5-square. (7.f3 This move, which opens
up lines, can be played sooner rather than later.) 7...Nf6 Black develops. 8.
Be2 White gets ready to castle. Also, the knight on f6 cannot move for the
moment because of Bh5. 8...c6 Black tries to control the center, but takes
away that square from the b8-knight. 9.0-0 Completing kingside development.
9...Be7 Black remains behind with only two pieces developed and an
uncastled king. 10.f3 Black's lack of activity will hurt as we enter the
middlegame. The bishop will come to d3 soon and Black is just trying to hold
on here.
4...fxe4
Black has some choices here and regaining the pawn looks fairly obvious.
4...Qe6 This is a clumsy move that avoids the isolated e-pawn at the cost of
zero development. 5.d4 White continues on with developing all the pieces. 5...
Qxe4+ The queen will become a target on e4. 6.Be2 White blocks the check
and develops a piece while doing so. 6...Nc6 Finally, a piece other than the
queen out! Black could have captured on g2, but that would waste even more
time. 7.c3 White protects the d-pawn. 7...d5 A little too late. White's lead in
development and Black's poor queen position mean that White doesn't even
have to respond to this attack. 8.0-0!? The computer is happy with White
here. If Fritz wants to sacrifice a piece, the position must be overwhelming.
8...dxc4 Black should probably take to at least have one advantage. If Black
can survive, Black will be winning. 9.Re1 Let's look at a couple sample lines
to see how this attack will progress. 9...Qh4 (9...Kd8 10.Bh5 Qh4 11.Re8+
and White picks up the bishop on f8.) 10.Bh5+ Kd7 11.g3 Qh3 12.d5 Nce7 13.
Qa4+ It is kind of ingenious actually, how White moves the attack forward.
Play on both sides of the board make this attack very strong. The king is toast.
4...d6 After 5.d4, White could transpose to the main line or continue with
development. 5.Nc3 White plays the same moves. 5...fxe4 Black decides to
capture the pawn. 6.Ne3 This blocks any weirdness on the e-file and prepares
to take on e4. White will just be up a pawn for nothing.
4...b5 I include this move because there are many games with it. 5.Ne3 No
tricks here: White retreats and hits both the f-pawn and b-pawn.
5.Nc3
White is already ahead two pieces in development and it seems that Black
again must move the queen to protect the e-pawn.
5...Qf7
This strange looking move is actually the fashionable choice right now. Black
exerts pressure on the d5-square and stays on the f-file.
5...Qg6 This is the other main possibility. It is attractive because it protects e4

and hits the g2-square. 6.d3 White continues to hit that pawn. 6...Bb4 Black
hits the knight and gives some semblance of activity. 7.dxe4 This forces
matters and causes Black to give up his one developed piece. 7...Qxe4+ Black
recaptures. 8.Ne3 The knight goes to a good square and Bd3 will gain a
tempo. 8...Bxc3+ Black takes the opportunity to double and isolate White's
pawns while not losing a tempo. 9.bxc3 Nf6 (9...Ne7 We will see how this
strategy works out in the first illustrative game.) 10.Bc4 Now Black cannot
even castle. 10...d6 (10...c6 This logical plan fails because Black's pieces are
so poorly placed. 11.0-0 White prepare to infiltrate the e-file. 11...d5 This was
the idea. 12.Nxd5! This quickly decides matters. The threat is Re1, so Black
takes the bishop not the knight. 12...Qxc4 13.Re1+ Kf7 14.Re7+ Kg6 15.Nf4+
Kf5 16.Qf3 Ng4 17.Nd5+ 1-0, Zude,A (2435)-Ruprich,F/Schwaebisch
Gmuend 1994) 11.0-0 Black is actually near lost here, since the e-file is such
a tender line for Black who cannot castle. 11...Be6 12.f3 Qe5 13.Re1 0-0 14.
Nd5 Black has to give up the queen or lose the bishop on e6.
6.Ne3
White also attacks d5 and puts the knight in the usual spot.
6...c6
More preparation for ...d5. The knight does not rush to f6 because it may go to
e7 to block the e-file.
6...Nf6 7.Bc4 White also gets a tempo on the queen and cuts across Black's
center plan. For the moment, Black does have two pawns in the center to
White's one pawn. 7...Qg6 8.d3 White has to challenge the e-pawn, which
encroaches on White's space. 8...Nc6 9.dxe4 Bc5 (9...Nxe4? 10.Bd3) 10.0-0
Now Black is really stuck and cannot castle.
7.d3
We see this idea again. The problem for Black is that now White has three
pieces in the center vs. Black's one trump: a pawn in the center.
7...exd3
Black does not want to lose this pawn for nothing.
8.Bxd3
[FEN "rnb1kbnr/pp1p1qpp/2p5/8/8/2NBN3/
PPP2PPP/R1BQK2R b KQkq - 0 8"]
White prepares to castle.
8...d5
Black is not really threatening to play ...d4, since White has too many
resources, as we will see. Black has a more static advantage, since the pawn
on d5 will not go away soon, while White's lead in development can disappear.
8...Nf6 Development does not help, since Black is so hopelessly behind.

Black should establish the one advantage he has rather than challenge White.
9.0-0 Be7 10.Nf5 Black is probably lost here! The e-file is impossible to
block. Castling is no better. 10...0-0 11.Bh6! d5 Black's only chance. 12.Bxg7
Bxf5 13.Bxf8 Bxd3 14.Bxe7 Bxf1 15.Bxf6 Qxf6 16.Qg4+ Kf7 17.Kxf1
White is up a pawn and Black's king has no cover.
9.0-0
Development is near complete.
9...Bc5
This is the main line for Black. The bishop is not on any sensitive files, such
as the d- or e-files, and indirectly targets f2.
9...Bd6 This line is more complex, but under a cloud I believe. 10.Re1 Ne7 A
discovered check is too devastating to allow. 11.Nexd5!? White has to act fast
and capitalize on the lead in development before it evaporates. 11...cxd5 12.
Nb5 This position is well-known and the notion is that White has a strong
attack in exchange for the piece. In fact, it seems Black cannot even hang on
to the piece. 12...0-0 (12...Bf4 This makes sense, but does not really work. 13.
Bxf4 Qxf4 14.g3 White will get to play Nc7+ and likely be able to get the
knight out from the corner. White can play c4, for example, opening the c-file
and safeguarding the c7-square so the knight can escape.; 12...Bc5 Even
allowing White to play Nc7+ does not even work. d6 is a bad square for Black
too. 13.Be3 Bxe3 14.Nd6+) 13.Nxd6 Qxf2+ 14.Kh1 Bg4 Black is in trouble
because of uncoordinated pieces, not the isolated pawn. 15.Qd2 Qxd2 This is
not forced, but illustrates Black's problems. 16.Bxd2 Nbc6 17.c4 d4 18.c5
Black is the one under pressure. White has the bishop-pair and better pawns.
9...d4? fails because Black has no pieces out. 10.Bc4 Qd7 11.Qh5+ Kd8 12.
Rd1 Black might as well resign.
9...Nf6 10.Re1 with knight to f5 coming next.
10.Na4
[FEN "rnb1k1nr/pp3qpp/2p5/2bp4/N7/3BN3/
PPP2PPP/R1BQ1RK1 b kq - 0 10"]
White keeps the heat on Black. We will see this critical line in the second
illustrative game.
In this game, White is able to attack even after the trade of queens.
Zude, Arno (2435) – Lutz, Klaus Juergen (2300)

Hessen-ch Doernigheim (4), 1994
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Nxe5 Qf6 4.Nc4 fxe4 5.Nc3 Qg6 6.d3 Bb4 7.dxe4 Qxe4+
8.Ne3 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Ne7
Here is where we left off in the theory section. With 9...Ne7, Black at least
closes the e-file. The problem is that Black cannot castle and the h5-e8
diagonal remains open.
10.Bc4 d6
10...d5 Giving up a pawn is probably the best strategy here. 11.Bxd5 Nxd5 12.
Qh5+ g6 13.Qxd5 Qxd5 14.Nxd5 Na6 15.Be3 and White has all the chances
to win.
11.0-0 Be6
Black does everything possible to block the e-file, but this leaves new
weaknesses; for example, on the queenside. As well, the piling of pieces on
the e-file are targets in themselves.
12.Qh5+
[FEN "rn2k2r/ppp1n1pp/3pb3/7Q/2B1q3/
2P1N3/P1P2PPP/R1B2RK1 b kq - 0 12"]
White can take advantage immediately.
12...Kd7?
This is the first mistake. The king is dead because White is so developed.
12...g6 is the best move. 13.Qb5+ Nbc6 Black was probably not comfortable
giving up the b-pawn, but this was the better alternative. 14.f3 This leads to a
long forcing sequence. 14...Bxc4 15.Qxb7 Rb8 16.fxe4 Rxb7 17.Nxc4 White
has a pawn, but Black is in the game and White's pawns are not strong.
However, if anyone is going to win, it is White.
13.Bd3
This retreat has sting to it. The e6-bishop will become a target on the open e-
file.
13...Qe5 14.Qxe5
A somewhat surprising decision. Retreating is probably stronger, but White

did not want to waste any time.
14...dxe5 15.Ba3 Nbc6 16.Rad1 Ke8
Black is hanging in there. Material is even, both sides have poor pawn
structures, and the black king is in the center, which is the factor that makes
all the difference. A consequence of this is not just king safety, but the rooks
cannot get in the game.
17.f4!
White tries to open up even more lines.
17...Rd8 18.Rde1
Another accurate move that prevents Black from making progress.
18...Kd7
18...exf4 19.Rxf4 Ne5 20.Nf5 shows how powerful the rook are on the e- and
f-files.
19.fxe5 Ng6
Upon 19...Nxe5 20.Bxe7 Nxd3 21.Bxd8 Nxe1 22.Bh4, the knight is trapped!
20.Nf5
[FEN "3r3r/pppk2pp/2n1b1n1/4PN2/
8/B1PB4/P1P3PP/4RRK1 b - - 0 20"]
20...Rhg8?
Here is the big mistake. Now White is able to overwhelm Black.
20...Ncxe5 21.Nxg7 Not to say that this is a fun variation for the second
player, but maybe Black can trade off some pieces and keep hope alive.
21.Nd4! Nce7
Capturing on d4 invites a slow death by material deficit.
22.Bb5+ c6 23.Nxe6 Kxe6 24.Be2

[FEN "3r2r1/pp2n1pp/2p1k1n1/4P3/8/
B1P5/P1P1B1PP/4RRK1 b - - 0 24"]
Bg4+ is now something that Black has to worry about.
24...Rgf8 25.Bc4+ Kd7 26.Rd1+ Ke8
26...Kc8 27.Be6+ Kb8 28.Rxd8+ Rxd8 29.Bd6+ Ka8 30.Rf7 Nd5 31.Bxd5
cxd5 32.Rxg7 is losing as well.
27.Bf7+ 1-0
White wins the exchange and keeps all other advantages. Admittedly, this is
not Black's best play, but Black is a pretty strong player and White was able
to win easily.
Here is a game in the main line where Black again has a king stuck in the
center and is crushed down the e-file.
Huschenbeth, Niclas (2437) – Schlenker, Joerg (2297)

GER-ch Bad Woerishofen (2), 16.02.2008
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 f5 3.Nxe5 Qf6 4.Nc4 fxe4 5.Nc3 Qf7 6.Ne3 c6 7.d3 exd3 8.
Bxd3 d5 9.0-0 Bc5
Passive moves are not going to help. 9...Be7 10.Ncxd5 White can even get
away with this! 10...cxd5 11.Nxd5
[FEN "rnb1k1nr/pp2bqpp/8/3N4/8/3B4/
PPP2PPP/R1BQ1RK1 b kq - 0 11"]
The knight cannot be captured because of Bg6+ picking up the black queen.
Both center files are open. How can Black stop any White threats?
10.Na4
This is where we were in the theory. White paves the way for even more open
files.
10...Bd6 11.c4!
Black risks getting ripped apart.
11...d4?!
This does not work in Black's favor.
11...Ne7 leads to a more solid structure for Black, but no winning chances. 12.
Nc3 0-0 Black is finally castled, but must give up material for this privilege.
(12...d4 13.Ne4) 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Ncxd5 If Black captures twice on d5, Bh7+
discovered attack works. What I see is Black down a pawn with no
compensation.
11...Be6 is also unsatisfactory. 12.Nc3 Ne7 13.cxd5 cxd5 14.Nb5 Nc8 15.f4 0-
0 16.f5 Bd7 17.f6 g6 18.Nxd6 Nxd6 19.b3 White hardly even has to try to get
a winning position.
12.Nc2 c5 13.b4
Now even more lines, both vertical and diagonal, get opened.
13...cxb4
13...b6 does not protect the pawn and opens up a sweet diagonal for White. 14.
Be4 Bb7 15.Bxb7 Qxb7 16.bxc5 bxc5 17.Nxc5
[FEN "rn2k1nr/pq4pp/3b4/2N5/2Pp4/8/
P1N2PPP/R1BQ1RK1 b kq - 0 17"]
14.Nxd4
Black's position had been wrecked. From now on White drives the play.
14...Nc6 15.Nb5 Bb8 16.c5 Nf6 17.Re1+ Kf8 18.Nd6 Bxd6 19.cxd6 Ng4
Black has to develop a piece.
19...Bd7 20.Nc5 is no picnic for Black either. For one thing, a king on f8 is a
big problem.
20.f3 Nge5 21.Be4 Bf5 22.Nc5 b6 23.Bd5 Qg6 24.Bf4 bxc5
24...Qxd6 25.Ne4 Qe7 26.Bxe5.
25.Bxe5 Nxe5 26.Bxa8 Nd3 27.Qe2 Qf7 28.Bd5
[FEN "5k1r/p4qpp/3P4/2pB1b2/1p6/
3n1P2/P3Q1PP/R3R1K1 b - - 0 28"]
A nice deflection tactic.
28...Qd7 29.Qe7+ Qxe7 30.dxe7+ Ke8 31.Bc6+ Bd7 32.Bxd7+ Kxd7 33.
Rad1 c4 34.Re4 Rc8 35.e8Q+ 1-0
White will end up ahead an entire rook after taking on c4. There is not much
to say here, since White masterfully showed Black's faulty strategy at move
eleven.
Lessons Learned
● The Latvian Gambit is unsound. If the King's Gambit has a bad rap,
then understandably the Latvian Gambit requires true devotion. If
White can make use of the extra development, White will end up well
on top.
● The e-file and h5-e8 diagonal are crucial focal points of engagement,
especially since the black king is so often stuck in the center. It is often
possible to sacrifice to open lines in the center, with moves such as
Nxd5.
● The pawn breaks f3 and c4, both to open up center lines, are often
played.
Practitioners
● Paul Saladin Leonhardt, for whom the variation 4.Nc4 is named after,
was a German player in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth
century. He was among the best players of the day, but better known
for his opening contributions.
● Val Zemitis, a chess writer and researcher who was involved in
publishing the Latvian Gambit Newsletter and is said to have
introduced the line 3.d4 fxe4 4.Nfd2!?.
Further Reading
● The Latvian Gambit Lives! by Tony Kosten. He is up on all the latest

theory surrounding this line.


Anti-Moscow Variation 6.Bh4 [D43] Purchases from our
This month we look at the Moscow Variation in the Semi-Slav Defense. Our
accessible:
starting point is further down the road than usual, but I will do my best to
clearly and concisely explain the early opening moves. We will be exploring
the Anti-Moscow Variation (6.Bh4) and the interesting play that follows after
move ten.
1.d4 d5 2.c4
The Queen's Gambit.

The
2...c6
Openings
This is the Slav, which can turn into the Semi-Slav if Black plays ...e6 as well.
Explained Considering just the Slav for the moment, two advantages of ...c6 rather than ECO D
the Queen's Gambit Declined with 2...e6 are clear right away: the c8-bishop is by Chess Informant
not blocked and when Black plays Nf6, there is no pin if White plays Bg5.
Abby Marshall The main drawback is that Black will be giving up the center after capturing
on c4.
3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6
Translate this page White could have played either knight out first, and Black could have
played ...e6 earlier, but the same position is reached. The combination of ...c6
and ...e6 designate the Semi-Slav, as opposed to the regular old Slav, which is
just ...c6. Black tries to keep control of the center and keep the idea of
capturing on c4 in mind.
4...dxc4 is the Main Slav. Anti-Moscow Gambit

by Rustam Kasimdzhanov
5.Bg5
5.e3 is the other main choice.
5...Nbd7 6.Bd3 dxc4 7.Bxc4 b5 is the Meran Variation, which is extremely

popular and well-researched.
5...h6
This avoids the huge complications and theory of the Botvinnik Variation,
where Black plays 5...dxc4, while also retaining chances for double-edged
play. It also invites the Moscow Variation with 6.Bxf6.
Play through and download Play the Semi-Slav
the games from by David Vigorito
6.Bh4
The Anti-Moscow Variation.
For many years, 6.Bxf6 was the only move, or so it was assumed to some
degree. After 6...Qxf6, Black has the bishop-pair, but no development. An
unbalanced fight is in store.
6...dxc4
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pp3pp1/2p1pn1p/8/2pP3B/
2N2N2/PP2PPPP/R2QKB1R w KQkq - 0 7"]
One of the points of c6 is to give this move bite.
7.e4
White takes over the center and threatens both e5 and Bxc4, so Black has to
react.
7...g5
Threat number one is taken care of at the cost of weakening the black king.
8.Bg3
The only retreat.
8...b5
Black almost has to play these flank moves; otherwise, White's superior
development and center are overwhelming. At the moment Black's position
seems much worse because the pawn advances create many holes, but
remember that Black is ahead a pawn and solid for the moment. Castling
queenside is pretty much out of the question, and while the kingside doesn't
look much safer, Black's king may end up there.
9.Be2 Bb7
Both sides have various choices on move nine, but these developing moves
are the main ones at the moment.
10.0-0
10.h4 is also very popular.
10...Nbd7
This is the logical square for the knight, so Black plays this developing move
before deciding about the other pieces.
11.d5
The most forcing reply. White is fully developed except for the rooks, so the
time seems right to take action.
11.a4 White can play this sooner rather than later, though Black is well
positioned to defend. 11...a6 12.d5 The timing is just off on this one. 12...cxd5
13.exd5 Nxd5 14.axb5 Nxc3 15.bxc3 axb5 White has compensation, but
Black seems able to defend.
11.Ne5 is also a sharp move. The e2-h5 diagonal is open for the white bishop
and the f-file may become open.
[FEN "r2qkb1r/pb1n1p2/2p1pn1p/1p2N1p1/
2pPP3/2N3B1/PP2BPPP/R2Q1RK1 b kq - 0 11"]
A) 11...h5 is the new approach and a worthy alternative to 11...Bg7. 12.Nxd7

White gets rid of an important defender of the dark-squares in the black
position. 12...Qxd7 13.Be5 Rh6 The point of h5. Black is not trying to start a
kingside attack; since Black is up a pawn, Black will play conservatively. 14.
Qc1 Hitting g5. 14...Ng4!? A double-edged move that takes off a set of
bishops. (14...Nh7 is also okay.) 15.Bxg4 hxg4 16.Qxg5 Rg6 17.Qe3 c5 This
advance is a common idea for Black in Queen Pawn Openings, but now we
see a drawback of ...c6: Black plays in two moves what can be made in one.
This position is obviously very complicated, and since it is not our focus for
today, I will leave the verdict of unclear.
B) 11...Bg7 Black must complete development and puts another defender on

the kingside. White has a few choices on how to proceed. 12.Nxd7 (12.f4 The
opening of the f-file looks scary, but White is awkwardly placed for a
kingside assault, because the light-squared bishop is on e2 and it not going to
d3 anytime soon. Also, f4 weakens White on the a8-h1 diagonal since f3 is no
longer an option. 12...gxf4 A pawn on h6 is easier to defend than a pawn on
g5. 13.Bxf4 0-0 Black will follow up with ...Qb6 and ...c5, and it is unclear
what White is doing.; 12.Qc2 Nxe5 See the second illustrative game.; 12.Nxf7
This looks like a promising sacrifice, but I don't think it is considered very
strong. 12...Kxf7 13.e5 So White may get a bishop to the h5-e8 diagonal and a
knight to e4. 13...Nd5 14.Ne4 Kg8 Black seems to be doing well, but this
needs more investigation.) 12...Nxd7 Capture this way so that e5 does not
gain a tempo for White. 13.Bd6 White has accomplished a laudable goal:
keeping Black's king in the center. 13...a6 Black protects the b-pawn in the
event of a possible ...c5 or White playing d5. Again White has some choices.
[FEN "r2qk2r/1b1n1pb1/p1pBp2p/1p4p1/
2pPP3/2N5/PP2BPPP/R2Q1RK1 w kq - 0 14"]
B1) 14.e5 White has the center, but it is vulnerable. 14...c5 The natural
response. 15.Bh5 (15.d5 is a bit of a flailing effort. 15...Nxe5 16.dxe6 Nd3
This move gums up White's position, and either gets rid of the light-squared
bishop or has a knight on the third rank.) 15...Bf8 Although it looks ugly, this
gets rid of the annoying bishop. 16.d5 Bxd6 17.exd6 0-0 and Black may be a
little better since White has pawn problems.
B2) 14.Bh5 Bf8 Black is about to be in the cross-hairs of White's bishops, so

this move is essential. 15.Bxf8 Rxf8 16.e5 Qb6 Now we are going to see a
situation where Black castles queenside. It is not as dangerous since some
pieces have been traded and Black is reasonably solid in the center and
queenside. 17.Ne4 0-0-0 18.Nd6+ Kb8 19.b3 (19.Nxf7 Rxf7! This sacrifice
worked out well in a top-level game. 20.Bxf7 Nxe5 21.Qh5 Rxd4 With the
white center destroyed, Black went on to win fairly easily. 22.Bxe6 c5 23.
Qxh6 Ka7 24.Rae1 Nd3 25.Re3 Rd6 26.h4 Nf4 27.hxg5 Nxe6 28.f3 b4 29.
Kh2 Qc7 30.Kg1 Nf4 31.Qf8 Rd2 32.Re7 Qd6 33.Qf7 Ne2+ 34.Kh1 Ng3+ 35.
Kg1 Qd4+ 36.Kh2 Qh4+ 0-1, Radjabov,T (2728)-Anand,V (2779)/Mainz
2006) 19...c3 This position is unclear. Black remains up a pawn, but White's
perks also cannot be ignored. I wouldn't place too much weight on the white
knight, since ...f6 weakens its position quite a bit. I would prefer Black.
B3) 14.a4 Attacking Black's queenside and forcing some fireworks. 14...e5
increases Black's space in the center. Black fights fire with fire and attempts
to stymie White's efforts to make the position blow up completely.
[FEN "r2qk2r/1b1n1pb1/p1pB3p/1p2p1p1/
P1pPP3/2N5/1P2BPPP/R2Q1RK1 w kq - 0 15"]
B3a) 15.d5 This move makes sense, since it continues trying to crack Black's
queenside conglomerate. 15...c5 Unfortunately for the first player, where is
the d6-bishop going? 16.b4 This move is called for here. (16.axb5 Qb6 is a
good rejoinder.) 16...Qb6 17.bxc5 Nxc5 18.Bxc5 Qxc5 19.axb5 axb5 20.Rxa8
+ Bxa8 21.Qa1 0-0 This is one of the those positions where if I was just
walking around the room at a tournament and saw this on a board, I would be
glad not to be either White or Black. Two top players battled out this position
to a draw. 22.Qa5 Rb8 23.Rb1 Bf8 24.Nxb5 f5 25.Qa6 Kh8 26.Nc3 Rxb1+ 27.
Nxb1 Qb4 28.Qxa8 Qxb1+ 29.Bf1 Qb4 30.exf5 c3 31.Qc8 e4 32.d6 Qxd6 33.
Qxc3+ Bg7 34.Qc8+ Kh7 35.g3 Qd4 36.Qe8 Qe5 37.Qg6+ Kh8 38.Kg2 Qe7
39.Kh3 e3 40.fxe3 Qxe3 41.Bc4 Qe7 42.Bb3 Qf6 43.Qe8+ Qf8 44.Qe6 Bf6
45.Kg4 Kh7 46.Kh5 Kg7 47.Bc4 Kh7 48.Qd7+ Qe7 49.Qc8 Qd8 50.Qe6 Qf8
51.Bd3 Kg7 52.Bc4 Kh7 ½-½, Kramnik,V (2799)-Karjakin,S (2732)/Nice
2008.
B3b) 15.Bg4 This move unleashes a volley of insanity for a moment. Let's see
what White has in mind. 15...exd4 16.e5!? The point, and Black does well not
to accept the sacrifice. Intuitively, Black would have to be pretty crazy to
capture on c3, because of White's bishop-pair and the e-file. 16...c5 (16...dxc3
17.e6 Nf6 18.Bh5 Nxh5 19.Qxh5 Qf6 20.exf7+ Kd8 21.Rad1 Ugly.) 17.Re1
Should Black take the knight? (17.e6 Ne5) 17...Nxe5 Black is the one who
should give up a knight. This was your answer, right? 18.Bxe5 0-0 The idea is
now Black gets castled. The mass of Black pawns compensates for the piece.
19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Ne2 f5 21.Bh5 f4 22.b3 d3 This is another difficult position
to play for either side, probably approaching the limit of equal, but not
considered equal in the sense of a draw.
11...cxd5
Black wants to keep the e-file closed.
12.exd5
White has succeeded in weakening the black queenside pawns, at the cost of
giving up the center.
12...Nxd5
Now the bishop on b7 is not so bad.

13.Nxb5
A dynamic equality has been reached. The black pawn structure is nothing to
brag about. I do like the new activity of Black's pieces.
13...a6
Black kicks the knight away so to develop the f8-bishop.
14.Nbd4
14.Nd6+ Getting the bishop-pair and the opportunity to hit Black on the dark
squares seems great, but White loses a great deal of time. 14...Bxd6 15.Bxd6
N7b6 16.Bc5 (16.Qd4 White got smoked in the first illustrative game.) 16...
Qc7 17.Bxb6 Nxb6 18.Qd4 Ke7 19.Rac1 Rac8 Black's extra pawn resists
capture.
14...Bg7
With the white center gone, Black's bishops are looking pretty good.
15.Bxc4
Material is even, and probably so is the position.
15...0-0
[FEN "r2q1rk1/1b1n1pb1/p3p2p/3n2p1/
2BN4/5NB1/PP3PPP/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 16"]
If you are uncomfortable castling on a shaky kingside, you should not play
chess. The Moscow variation involves risk and a desire to play complex,
murky positions. This describes most chess openings and can be a very fun
way to play.
Neurohr, Stephan (2350) – Ribli, Zoltan (2610)

Bundesliga 9091 Germany, 1990
A quick Black attack shows how the dissolution of the center can have heavy
consequences for White.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.
Be2 Bb7 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.d5 cxd5 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Nxb5 a6 14.Nd6+ Bxd6
15.Bxd6 N7b6 16.Qd4
[FEN "r2qk2r/1b3p2/pn1Bp2p/3n2p1/
2pQ4/5N2/PP2BPPP/R4RK1 b kq - 0 16"]
This is not an awful move. It just doesn't do White any favors to play this
tempo-gaining move here, and the queen is in an awkward, vulnerable
position.
16...Rg8
Black gets out of the way and gives up the chance to castle kingside; the king
seems okay in the center for now.
17.Bg3
For the next eight moves, White will only move the queen, with one
exception: when he moves the king.
17...Nf4
Three Black pieces – rook, knight, bishop – are peeking at the white king.
18.Qe5
18.Qxd8+ White should take the chance to get the queens off. For one thing,
no tempo is lost. What is surprising is how rapidly Black's position comes
alive and White can only flounder. 18...Rxd8 19.Bxf4 gxf4 20.Rfc1 Not great
for White, but okay. Another drawback of Qd4 is felt as the rook on g8 is
even active.
18...f6
Chasing the queen again. The e-pawn is hardly weak since it is easily
defended.
19.Qe3
White has to defend the bishop on e2.
19...Nbd5
A fourth piece joins the assault.
20.Qe4
We have the lineup of the bishop on b7, knight on d5, and enemy queen on
e4. A discovered attack may be on the way.
20...Nc3
The knights are very strong, especially in conjunction with the black queen,
who comes in a couple moves.
21.Qxb7
Forced.
21...Ncxe2+ 22.Kh1 Qd5!
[FEN "r3k1r1/1Q6/p3pp1p/3q2p1/2p2n2/
5NB1/PP2nPPP/R4R1K w q - 0 23"]
Gaining another tempo, and making the alternative even worse. If White
captures on d5, Black's isolated, extra pawn on c4 has a buddy.
23.Qh7 0-0-0
In such a dominant position, the black king is not weak despite little pawn
cover.
24.Qa7
24.Rae1 This is a better defense. After White takes on f4, Black will have to
recapture with the knight, so the g-file remains closed. 24...Qc6 25.Bxf4 Nxf4
26.Qe4 Black is still better.
24...Qc6 25.Rfe1 Nd4 26.Bxf4 gxf4 0-1
The threats on g2 and f3 are too strong. Yes, Black was rated almost three
hundred points higher than his opponent, but this is still a 2300+ player we
are talking about.
Porper, Eduard (2492) – Kotanjian, Tigran (2560)

EU-ch 8th Dresden (10), 13.04.2007
Black outplays White with an unexpected idea.
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.
Be2 Bb7 10.0-0 Nbd7 11.Ne5 Bg7 12.Qc2
[FEN "r2qk2r/pb1n1pb1/2p1pn1p/1p2N1p1/
2pPP3/2N3B1/PPQ1BPPP/R4RK1 b kq - 0 12"]
An early alternative is where we start in this game.
12...Nxe5
Black exchanges knights anyway.
13.Bxe5
13.dxe5?! Nd7 14.Rad1 Qc7 15.f4 0-0-0 has turned out very well for Black.
White cannot hold on to his pawns.
13...0-0
Again White is ill-positioned to take advantage of the extended Black

kingside. Black will have to watch out for breaks in the center and possibly f4
at some point.
14.Rad1
14.f4 Nd7 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.fxg5 hxg5 17.e5 c5 Besides the rook on f1, none
of White's pieces are ready to swoop in on the black king. White's center is
already fragile.
14...Nd7!?
The start of a fresh idea.
15.Bd6
The expected reply.
15...Qb6
Black, correctly as it turns out, believes that giving up the exchange is worth
putting great pressure on the white center. White soon cracks.
15...Re8 16.e5 White is now running the show.
16.Bxf8 Nxf8 17.d5
[FEN "r4nk1/pb3pb1/1qp1p2p/1p1P2p1/
2p1P3/2N5/PPQ1BPPP/3R1RK1 b - - 0 17"]
White forces Black to decide whether to win a pawn or give up the dark-
squared bishop.
17.e5 c5 is a normal response. 18.dxc5 Qxc5 19.Ne4 Bxe4 20.Qxe4 Rb8 The
e-pawn is not defensible.
17...cxd5 18.exd5 Bxc3
The center is already broken and the knight on f8 can defend the kingside, so
giving up this bishop makes sense.
19.Qxc3
19.bxc3 This weakens the white pawn structure, but also does not give Black
a passed d-pawn, so this recapture would give better chances for White.
19...exd5 20.Bh5 Rd8
20...Nd7 21.Qf3 Nf6 22.Rfe1 d4 In retrospect, getting the knight into play
seems a bit better.
21.Qf3 f6
Black is well-defended on the kingside and ready to push forward. Material is

even since a knight and two pawns are about equal to a rook.
22.Rfe1 d4 23.Qf5 Rd5 24.Qh3 Re5
[FEN "5nk1/pb6/1q3p1p/1p2r1pB/
2pp4/7Q/PP3PPP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 25"]
Black wisely challenges White on the e-file.
25.Bg4
25.Rxe5 is stronger. 25...fxe5 26.Re1 Qf6 (26...e4 27.Qf5) 27.Qg3 e4 This is

looking pretty good for Black, but White retains chances for counterplay.
25...Kg7 26.Bf3 Bxf3 27.Qxf3 Ng6
As soon as the knight gets into play, Black is nearly winning.
28.Rxe5 Nxe5 29.Qd5 d3 30.a3 Qc6 31.Qxc6 Nxc6 32.Kf1 Nd4 33.Re1 Ne2
34.Rd1 f5 35.Ke1 Kf6 36.Kd2 Ke5 37.h4 g4
The knight and two pawns are stronger than the rook in this closed position.
38.Re1 Kd4 39.Rf1 f4 40.Re1 a5 41.Ra1 h5 42.Ra2 Ke4 43.Ra1 f3 44.g3

Kd4 45.Ra2 Nxg3 0-1
After White takes the knight, 46...f2 47.Ra1 b4 and you can see that White
cannot stop all the pawns.
Lessons Learned
● Black is ahead a pawn much of the time, so there is no need to go all

out. If Black can consolidate, Black is better because of the extra
material.
● Castling kingside is most common, but we also saw positions where the
black king stayed in the center or even went queenside. The pawn
structure, with both wings extended, is the reason for this. Usually
Black does not advance the kingside pawns past the fifth rank, and
keeps the queenside under control with ...a6.
● In terms of piece play, ...Bg7, ...Qb6, and ...Rc8 are good moves to
make after the two knights and light-squared bishop are developed.
Practitioners
● Viswanathan Anand has been on the black side a few times. The Indian
Super GM just successfully defended his world championship title over
Boris Gelfand in the rapid tiebreaker.
● Zoltan Ribli is the star of the first illustrative game. He is a very strong
Hungarian grandmaster, who also writes about chess, collaborating a
couple times with one of my favorite authors, Gabor Kallai.
Bibliography/Recommended Reading
● Play the Semi-Slav by David Vigorito
● The Moscow & Anti-Moscow Variations by Alexei Dreev


The Scotch Four Knights [C47] Purchases from our
This month we will look at an uncommon line in the Scotch Four Knights.
accessible:
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 Bb4
The
Openings
Explained ECO C
by Chess Informant
Abby Marshall [FEN "r1bqk2r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/4p3/

1b1PP3/2N2N2/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5"]
I have never seen this move in the scholastic tournament circuit. Black
ignores the attack on the e-pawn to instead develop a third piece.
Translate this page 5.Nxe5
The other main move is 5.d5. I am advocating 5.Nxe5 because it is more

combative. Black has a variety of choices, but two stand out from the others.
5...Nxe4
Starting Out:
The Scotch Game
The main line. by John Emms
5...Bxc3+ Black has no reason to rush this move. The knight is pinned, so
where is it going? 6.bxc3 Qe7 (6...Nxe4 is a terrible mistake. White's next
move is one to memorize as a motif in these lines. 7.Qg4 Hitting both the g7-
pawn and the knight on e4. 7...Nxc3 8.Qxg7 Rf8 9.Nxc6 White eliminates the
threat to the d-pawn. 9...bxc6 10.Bd3! Either by castling or Kd2, the rook is
getting to the e-file.) 7.Bf4 This move leads to typical endgame situations that
we may encounter. 7...d6 8.Nxc6 Qxe4+ 9.Qe2 bxc6 10.Qxe4+ Nxe4 11.c4
White is better here because of the bishop-pair.
5...Nxe5 White should be smiling if this move appears on the board. Black is
Play through and download already much worse, because the black pieces have abandoned the kingside. 6.
the games from dxe5 Nxe4 The point, otherwise Black would have to retreat to g8. 7.Qg4! The Four Knights Game
ChessCafe.com in the by Andrey Obodchuk
[FEN "r1bqk2r/pppp1ppp/8/4P3/1b2n1Q1/
2N5/PPP2PPP/R1B1KB1R b KQkq - 0 7"]
Examine this position and make sure you know the lines. They are easy to
learn and fun to play, while requiring some knowledge. 7...d5 The only good
choice. (7...Bxc3+? The one thing Black has going in this position was the
pin, so this move must be an error. 8.bxc3 Nxc3 9.Qxg7 Rf8 10.Bg5! The
game lasted only three more moves: 10...f6 11.Bxf6 Rxf6 12.exf6 Nd5 13.
Qg8# 1-0, Ankerst,M (2362)-Tokarchuk,V/Dos Hermanas 2004; 7...Nxc3 8.
Qxb4 Black needs to spend time to get the knight to safety; and with the
bishop-pair White can start hunting the black king.) 8.Qxg7 Rf8 9.a3!
Another vital thematic move to know. This move blunts the force of the pin.
9...Bxc3+ Probably the best since it does not lose a tempo. (9...Bc5 10.Nxe4
dxe4 11.Bg5 Black cannot hold the position together. Rd1 is coming. Even e6
may be strong. White is completely winning.; 9...Ba5 10.Bh6 Qe7 11.b4
Black cannot avoid losing the exchange.) 10.bxc3 Black's problem is Bh6,
winning at least the exchange. 10...f6 Black tries to make space for the rook at
the cost of horribly weakening the king. (10...Qh4 A resourceful try. 11.g3 I
think this is the simplest and leads to a clear advantage. 11...Qg4 12.Qxg4
Bxg4 13.Bg2 White has the bishop-pair and is ahead a pawn.) 11.Bh6 Rf7 12.
Qg8+ Ke7 13.Qxd8+ Kxd8 14.f3 A neat in-between move before capturing
on f6. Black will not be able to take the pawn because of a Bg5 pin. 14...Nxc3
15.exf6 White is ahead too much material.
5...Qe7 is another possible continuation. 6.Qd3 A solid choice. White protects

the e-pawn and prepares to play Bd2 to lessen the effect of the pin. 6...Nxe5
(6...Nxd4!? Black changes gears and goes for a little tactic. 7.Qxd4 Bc5 8.
Qd3 Qxe5 9.f4 White gains space with tempo. 9...Qd4 10.Qxd4 Bxd4 11.e5
Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 Ne4 13.Bd3 I like this move, which keeps the initiative. 13.c4
blocks in the light-squared bishop, and after Black takes the c-pawn, Black
will lose a tempo after Bb2.; 6...Bxc3+ 7.Qxc3 When Black captures on e4,
White can swing the queen to e3 and then continue developing. Black has lost
the development advantage and the bishop-pair.) 7.dxe5 Qxe5 8.Bd2 0-0 9.0-
0-0 A fairly tense position has arisen. Opposite-side castling, both sides
roughly equal in development:
[FEN "r1b2rk1/pppp1ppp/5n2/4q3/1b2P3/
2NQ4/PPPB1PPP/2KR1B1R b - - 0 9"]
A) 9...Bxc3 This is the most forcing sequence, so it is critical to look at it. 10.
Bxc3 Qf4+ (10...Qxe4? 11.Qg3 And now Black is in trouble. 11...Qg6 12.Bd3
Qxg3 13.hxg3 Black has no way to defend the h-pawn. If 13...h6, then 14.
Bxf6.) 11.Rd2 d5 Against virtually every other move White plays f3. (11...
Nxe4? 12.Qd4 Threatens mate and f3.) 12.exd5 Re8 13.b3 Black has some
threats, but the extra pawn and bishop-pair are very strong. 13...Bf5 14.Qf3
Re1+ 15.Kb2 Qg5 16.h4 Qg6 17.d6! Bellon,JM-Lukacs,P/Bucharest/1978.
This game went well for White. Black has no real threats.
B) 9...d6 This is the option I am more worried about. Black keeps the tension
on the e-pawn. 10.f4 This makes sense since the centralized black queen must
be dislodged. 10...Qa5 Black indirectly attacks a2. 11.a3 Bxc3 12.Bxc3 After
White captures on f6, Black's king and pawn position will be much worse
than White's.
5...0-0 This move should not be underestimated. Black is even further ahead
in development: the e-file is about to become a problem for White. In return,
Black had to give up a pawn of course. So how does White consolidate? 6.
Qd3 This is a good answer. White defends the e-pawn as well as the c3-
knight, and may castle queenside. 6...Re8 (6...d5 A reasonable reaction, but
thanks to 6.Qd3 White is well-placed to stymie the effects. 7.Nxc6 This
exchange makes way for the e-pawn and closes the e-file. 7...bxc6 8.e5 Ne4 9.
Be2 Black has some compensation for the pawn in terms of activity and the
open b-file, but I prefer White.) 7.Bd2
[FEN "r1bqr1k1/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/4N3/
1b1PP3/2NQ4/PPPB1PPP/R3KB1R b KQ - 0 7"]
A wise decision. Black is creating counterplay, so White decides to give back

the pawn to develop. (7.Nxc6?! bxc6 8.e5 d6 9.f4 c5 Black has nice play here
thanks to the hits against White's pawn chain.) 7...d5 Tough play by Black.
White has only one sequence that alleviates the pressure. (7...Nxe5 8.dxe5
Rxe5 9.0-0-0 d6 10.f3 White is better here. The rook is more awkward than
anything in the center and the black bishop is cut off from the kingside. White
can start a pawn storm with g4 and h4. 10...Bd7 And so on. 11.g4; 7...Nxd4
This and 8...c5 leads to similar play but with a hole on d5.) 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.e5
c5 Since the e-pawn is pinned for the moment, Black has time to go after the
white center. 10.0-0-0 Keep in mind that White is still ahead a pawn. The
situation is dicier than it has been, however. Black has good activity and the
open b-file. 10...Ng4 11.Be1 This is an ugly move at first, but an eventual
push of the f-pawn will bring the bishop back in play. 11...Qg5+ If Black
plays something else, the white kingside pawns are going to storm the black
king, starting with f4. 12.Kb1 Rb8 13.f4 This move anyway! 13...Qf5 (13...
Qxf4 14.Nxd5 This move had to come with tempo, otherwise Black could
play ...Bxe1 and ...Nxf2. 14...Qg5 15.Bxb4 cxb4 16.Qg3 White owns the
center.) 14.Qg3 (14.h3 This is safer. 14...Qxd3 15.Rxd3 Black is attacked on
several fronts and will come out of this worse. 15...cxd4 16.Nxd5 Bxe1 17.
hxg4 c6 18.Nc7 Re7? 19.Rxd4 Now White is winning. 18...Re7 was a bad
move, but shows that White is ahead in the skirmishes.) 14...Ba3 15.b3 c4 16.
Nxd5 I don't see any imminent danger right now. The c-pawn is hanging and
Black's knight on g4 is not where it wants to be, which is on the queenside.
White is likely already winning.
6.Qg4
[FEN "r1bqk2r/pppp1ppp/2n5/4N3/1b1Pn1Q1/
2N5/PPP2PPP/R1B1KB1R b KQkq - 0 6"]
This thematic double attack is the way to seize the advantage.
6...Nxc3
The only logical move. Everything else is just bad.
6...d6 7.Qxg7 Rf8 8.Nxc6 bxc6 9.Bh6 Qe7 10.Qxf8+ Qxf8 11.Bxf8 Nxc3 12.
Bh6 White is ahead an exchange and a pawn; and Black has no compensation.
7.Qxg7
Black's kingside is destroyed. Black can sort of wriggle out of this mess by
taking advantage of extra development and extra piece (for the moment).
White will keep making threats – maintaining the initiative – and leave Black
few options.
7...Rf8
This is the only move at first glance, but Black has one visually pleasing, if
not very strong, alternative.
7...Qf6 This odd-looking move forces a trade of queens at the cost of a pawn.
8.Qxf6 Ne4+ 9.c3 Nxf6 10.Nxc6 dxc6 11.cxb4 The more I look at this
position the better I feel about it for White. The black f- and h-pawns are
weak; and White has the bishop-pair.
8.a3
The most important move to memorize and a common way to get out of this
pin. This is the climatic moment of the variation: we either reach wild
complications or an ending where White is preferable. In the complications,
too, White has great chances.
8...Ba5
Black chooses to take chances in the endgame.
8...Nxd4 Black decides to go for it. Without preparation, White should be

scared, but once well-versed in this line I would love to see this. 9.axb4 (9.
Bd3? Don't be a chicken. 9...Ne6 Black now has the upperhand, since Black
has won a center pawn and has added defense around the king.) 9...Nxc2+ 10.
Kd2 Nxa1 11.Kxc3 There is no big danger for the white king despite being on
the third rank. The king is actually doing a useful job, because the knight on
a1 cannot escape. Bh6 is coming and after the f1-bishop comes out, the rook
on h1 will be attacking the knight. 11...Qe7 Black puts another defender on f8
and eyes b4. (11...a5 A natural move that doesn't hit the mark. The first
illustrative game demonstrates why this fails.) 12.Bc4!
[FEN "r1b1kr2/ppppqpQp/8/4N3/1PB5/
2K5/1P3PPP/n1B4R b q - 0 12"]
A simple move that keeps Black under immense pressure. Re1 is coming
next. 12.Bh6 may win the exchange, but why settle for less. 12...d5 The only
sane move. Forget about pawns – Black has to get developed and stop White's
attack. 13.Bb5+ The same logic applies to White's moves: keep up the
initiative and don't let Black pause the game.
A) 13...Kd8 14.Nxf7+! This move destroys all important pawn cover. Try and
see it to the end. 14...Rxf7 15.Qg8+ Rf8 Now White unleashes a gorgeous
combination. Set this up on your board and try to see it. Consider all forcing
moves for both sides. 16.Qxf8+! Qxf8 17.Bg5+ Qe7 18.Re1!! Beautiful chess.
This is a standard deflection tactic. It does not matter where the queen goes as
long as it does not guard e8. 18...d4+ Is this just a move made out of inertia?
Played quickly with a shake of the head? It is tempting to stop analyzing here,
but (18...Qxg5 19.Re8#) 19.Kc4 The end was very nice, so I'll provide it in its
entirety. (19.Kxd4?? c5+! A devilish trap and suddenly Black is crushing
White.; 19.Kd2?? Qxg5+ is also a disaster.) 19...c6 20.Rxe7 Another great
find by White. The king is a fighting piece even in the early endgame. 20...
cxb5+ 21.Kd5 h6 22.Bh4 d3 23.Kd6! Wow. 23...Bd7 (23...d2 24.Re1#) 24.
Rxd7+ Ke8 25.Ke6 Rc8 26.Rxd3+- 1-0, Euler,G-Bewersdorff,O/GER 1999
(36).
B) 13...c6 The only move. The alternative fails spectacularly. 14.Be3! 15.Bc5
is of course the threat. 14...f6 15.Qxe7+ Kxe7 16.Nxc6+ Both the knight and
bishop were attacked, so White gets some pawns in return. 16...bxc6 17.Bxc6
Though White is down a rook, the knight on a1 will fall and the threats of
Bxa8 and Bc5 are hard to deal with. 17...d4+ Black clears the lines to get
some play. 18.Bxd4 Nb3 19.Kxb3 Be6+ 20.Ka4 Rac8 21.Bc5+ Kf7 22.Bb7
Rc7 23.Bxf8 Rxb7 24.Bc5 Don't let the opposite-color bishops fool you. This
endgame is not drawn. Without the rooks, it would be much harder for White
to win, but with other pieces on the board the opposite-colored bishops
benefits the aggressor. In this case White, who has more material.
9.Nxc6
White has to get rid of this knight first.
9.Bd2 In this motif of using a3 to get out of the pin, White follows up with
this move. But since the bishop on a5 is protected, it doesn't work. Black just
moves the knight away.
9...dxc6
Black recaptures this way in order to open lines for the queen and light-
squared bishop.
10.Qe5+
[FEN "r1bqkr2/ppp2p1p/2p5/b3Q3/3P4/
P1n5/1PP2PPP/R1B1KB1R b KQq - 0 10"]
The trade of queens is inevitable because ...Qe7+ must be blocked by Qe5, so

White does it without closing the e-file and without giving Black the chance
to castle queenside. Having a king in the center is going to be somewhat
irritating for Black.
10.Bd2 is also possible, but I like keeping the e-file open for mischief. 10...
Qe7+ 11.Qe5 Qxe5+ 12.dxe5=.
10...Qe7
Black's only real choice.
10...Be6 11.Qxa5 Nd5 12.Bd2 Queens on the board favors White, since the
black king is in the center and White has attacking chances with the bishop-
pair.
11.Qxe7+
Even though we are moving into a queenless middlegame and toward an
ending, development should not be neglected. White should not be
preoccupied with saving the extra pawn.
11...Kxe7
The king will be subject to some creative attacks on the center and kingside
files.
12.Bd2
The move that wins the piece back for White.
12...Bf5
Black of course lets the knight sit on c3. If the knight moves, White would get
the bishop-pair, a big advantage in this open position with pawns on both
sides of the board.
13.bxc3
Taking with the bishop leads to similar positions.
13.Bd3? This is mental mistake more than anything. White wants to hold on
to the extra pawn at the cost of activity and good development. 13...Bxd3 14.
cxd3 Rg8 15.g3 Nb5 So as we see, Black gets back the pawn anyway with a
much weakened White pawn structure.
13...Bxc2
Black should not let go of an opportunity to grab the material-tying pawn.
14.c4
This move is about tempo as well as strategy. The pawns are more mobile
standing side-by-side. White's king becomes more active.
14...Bxd2+
Not much choice here since retreating runs into 15.c5.
15.Kxd2
The poor white dark-squared bishop has been traded and now the e-file is
open too. I don't know if this is enough to win. I do think Black's position is
uncomfortable.
15...Bg6
15...Bf5 is our second illustrative game. There is not much difference between
these two retreats. Both illustrate interesting paths White can pursue.
16.h4
[FEN "r4r2/ppp1kp1p/2p3b1/8/2PP3P/
P7/3K1PP1/R4B1R b - - 0 16"]
To me this is fighting chess: create threats, or at least the pretense of a threat.
Black reacts in a natural way that turns out poorly and increases White's
advantage.
16...h5?!
Something calm like 16...Rad8 is stronger. White will have to rely on the
space advantage to make inroads into Black's position. 17.Kc3 Rfe8 18.Rh3
Kf6 19.g4 White has made progress and has an edge. The follow-up is Re3 to
make the center stronger.
17.Re1+
White captures the e-file.
17...Kf6
The kingside is not a bad home. It is out of the action and at least the king can
protect the kingside pawns.
18.Rh3
After Rhe3, White will own the e-file.
18...Rad8
It is hard to see how Black can get the rooks active.
19.Kc3
White has an edge here and went on to beat his higher-rated opponent in
Nguyen Van Huy (2353)-Tu Hoang Thong (2510), Dong Thap 2004. Simply
put, White has more mobility with the king and the rooks. Black's kingside
pawns are also weak and need supervision.
Rublevsky, Sergei (2535) – Gabriel, Christian (2490)

Wch U18 Duisburg (10), 1992
This game is very short. Nonetheless, it is instructive because of its universal

appeal: no matter what opening you are studying, you can learn from the way
that White plays. White's twelfth move is especially instructive.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.d4 Bb4 5.Nxe5 Nxe4 6.Qg4 Nxc3 7.Qxg7
Rf8 8.a3 Nxd4 9.axb4 Nxc2+ 10.Kd2 Nxa1 11.Kxc3 a5
[FEN "r1bqkr2/1ppp1pQp/8/p3N3/1P6/
2K5/1P3PPP/n1B2B1R w q - 0 12"]
Here is where we left off. This move fails because it is too slow. The rook and
the knight are clumsy allies.
12.Bc4!
This move should not come as a surprise. Black is lost, but at least loses in
such a brilliant way.
12...Qe7
This is as good as anything.
12...axb4+ 13.Kd2 d5 14.Bb5+ Re1+ is coming next and Black cannot stop
the infiltration of the White forces. 14...c6 15.Re1 Be6 16.Nxc6 bxc6 17.Rxe6
+! Kd7 18.Rxc6 Qe7 19.Qg3 This move attacks c7. 19...Rfc8 20.Rg6+!
Perhaps it is unfair to give this move an exclamation point since White is
already so far ahead, but what a beautiful idea. The king must eventually
retreat and Rg8+ will be winning.
13.Re1
White follows the wise advice to involve as many pieces as possible in the
attack.
13...d5
Black lashes out and leaves e6 for the c8-bishop. Upon 13...Ra6!?, in Ripari-
Dos Santos, Buenos Aires 2005, White uncorked the novelty 14.bxa5!! as
annotated in Informant #94.
14.Bb5+
White properly ignores the pawn and continues with threats.
14...c6
14...Kd8 allows a pretty mate in four. 15.Qxf8+ Qxf8 16.Nxf7+ Qxf7 17.Bg5
+ Qe7 18.Bxe7#.
15.Nxc6!
How is it that White can allow Black to snap off the rook – with check! We
get to see the white queen and knight work together to get the black king.
15...Qxe1+
Forced otherwise the ship sinks immediately.
16.Bd2
[FEN "r1b1kr2/1p3pQp/2N5/pB1p4/1P6/
2K5/1P1B1PPP/n3q3 b q - 0 16"]
Black is ahead by two rooks against a bishop.
16...Qe4
This is the last mistake.
16...bxc6 Black had to give up the queen, snatching what material he could.
17.Bxc6+ Bd7 18.Bxd7+ Kxd7 19.Bxe1 White will win this game, but it is
not over yet. Weak Black pawns are everywhere.
17.Nb8+
Another great move, stopping ...Bd7.
17...Kd8
17...Ke7 18.Bg5+.
18.Qxf8+ Kc7 19.Qc5+ 1-0
Black gave up because of 19...Kxb8 20.Qd6+ Ka7 21.Be3+ winning. Is there

anything else I can say about this game? What a performance.
Hamdouchi, Hichem (2555) – Schmidt, Georg (2235)

Pyramiden Franken Cup 1st Fuerth (2), 1998
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.d4 Bb4 5.Nxe5 Nxe4 6.Qg4 Nxc3 7.Qxg7
Rf8 8.a3 Ba5 9.Nxc6 dxc6 10.Qe5+ Qe7 11.Qxe7+ Kxe7 12.Bd2 Bf5 13.
bxc3 Bxc2 14.c4 Bxd2+ 15.Kxd2 Bf5
[FEN "r4r2/ppp1kp1p/2p5/5b2/2PP4/
P7/3K1PPP/R4B1R w - - 0 16"]
This is slightly stronger than 15...Bg6, it is more assertive.
16.Be2
Rook endings are notoriously drawish, and four rook endings … you may win
if, say, lightening strikes your opponent. White should keep pieces on the
board. Exchanging one pair of rooks is probably good though.
16...Kd6
This doesn't lose the game, but it wastes time. The black king is going to get
in the way if it is in the center.
17.c5+
This drives the king back.
17...Kd7
17...Kd5 18.Kc3 and the black king just looks silly and is open to attack.
18.Bf3 Be6 19.Rab1 b5
Black starts to make use of one trump: the ability to create a passed pawn on
the queenside.
20.Rhe1 Rab8
20...Rfb8 seems like the correct rook to me. The point is not to just make the
passed pawn, but open files for the black rooks.
21.Re5
[FEN "1r3r2/p1pk1p1p/2p1b3/1pP1R3/
3P4/P4B2/3K1PPP/1R6 b - - 0 21"]
A good move showing off the versatility of this rook.
21...a5 22.Kc3 h6 23.Rh5 Rh8 24.Be4 Rbg8 25.f4?
Maybe White underestimated Black's response.
25.Re5! keeps the rook nice and active. 25...f6? 26.Bxc6+.
25...f6
This is not bad the longer I look at it.
25...f5! Now the h-rook is stranded. White should not take the pawn because
of ...Rxg2.
26.Re1 Bg4 27.Rh4 Be6?
27...h5 White's error with 25.f4? is now painfully apparent. White is not any
better here. The h-rook is too awful.
28.Bxc6+
Black sought activity at any cost, but this might be too active. However, it is a
double rook ending.
28...Kxc6 29.Rxe6+ Kd5 30.Rxf6
30.Re2 h5 31.Rh3 b4+ Black is way too active and this is very drawish.
30...Rxg2 31.Kd3 h5
Black had no choice because of the mate threat.
32.Rf5+ Kc6 33.Rfxh5
[FEN "7r/2p5/2k5/ppP4R/3P1P1R/
P2K4/6rP/8 b - - 0 33"]
33...Rf8
A smart decision. More rooks leads to more chances for counterplay.

Unfortunately, Black cannot really avoid the trade.
33...Rxh5 34.Rxh5 Ra2 White has quicker pawns and the c- and d-pawns are
no joke either. 35.Ke4 Rxa3 36.f5 Ra1 37.f6 Re1+ 38.Kf5 b4 39.f7 b3 40.d5+
White cannot queen immediately because of the skewer on the f-file. 40...Kd7
41.c6+ Ke7 42.d6+! cxd6 43.c7 White wins. 43...Rc1 44.Rh8.
34.Rh8 Rxh8
34...Rf5 35.Ra8 The main source of Black's counterplay falls.
35.Rxh8
The rook is in a less advantageous spot from the previous variation. On h5, it
could have gone behind the pawn by Rf5.
35...Ra2 36.f5 Rxa3+ 37.Ke4 Ra1 38.f6 Rf1 39.Ke5 b4
39...a4 is a better try. 40.Ra8 Kb7 41.Ra5 At least the rook no longer controls
the eighth rank. 41...Kc6 42.h4 White is still winning.
40.Rb8 Re1+
Black mounts a heroic defense, but it is too late.
41.Kf5 Rf1+ 42.Kg6 Rg1+ 43.Kh6 Rf1 44.Kg7 Rg1+ 45.Kf8 Rh1 46.f7
Rxh2 47.Kg7 Rg2+ 48.Kh6 Rf2 49.f8Q Rxf8 50.Rxf8 Kd5 51.Rd8+ Kc4
[FEN "3R4/2p5/7K/p1P5/1pkP4/8/8/8 w - - 0 52"]
52.c6!
The black king is lured backwards away from the queenside pawns.
52...b3 53.d5 Kc5 54.d6 Kxc6 55.d7 a4 56.Kg5 Kd6 57.Kf4 Ke7 58.Rb8
Kxd7 59.Ke4 c5 60.Kd5 Kc7 61.Rb5 c4 62.Kxc4 1-0
This is a tough ending for Black. White lost his way for a move, but Black
over-pushed for activity and he paid the cost.
Lessons Learned
This little-explored variation leads to vastly different positions, but White is

probably able to come out on top.
● Black has sacrificed a pawn, so it is Black that has something to prove.

If Black tries to recover the pawn as soon as possible, such as with ...
Nxe4, then Qg4 is very strong.
● It is important to discern when to give back the extra pawn at an
opportune moment; rather than try to keep it. Often White gets the
bishop-pair, or a superior pawn structure, as in the games we examined.
● Besides keeping Qg4 in mind and not being greedy, another useful
piece of advice here is think about the positions where White castled
queenside. A pawn storm starting with f4 was generally a good
strategy. Castling queenside is rare to see in the Four Knights Defense.
Practitioners
A few top players play the Scotch Four Knights.
● Sergei Rublevsky is a Russian grandmaster who has been highly

successful at the Chess Olympiads and played in the Candidates
Tournament for the FIDE World Championhip in 2007. His win against
Kasparov in 2004 has always stuck with me.
● Hichem Hamdouchi is a Moroccan grandmaster. He has won the
Moroccan chess championship eleven times. In 2003, he was the first
player from Africa to compete in the Corus Chess Tournament.
● Emil Sutovsky has played the Scotch Four Knights a couple of times.
The Israeli grandmaster has had many strong tournament results. This
erudite grandmaster speaks five languages!
Further Reading
I couldn't dig up much on this variation, so I relied a lot on looking up games.


The Steinitz Defense in the Ruy Lopez [C66] Purchases from our
This month I am covering the Steinitz Defense in the Ruy Lopez. This is
accessible:
named for the first world champion Wilhelm Steinitz, who is credited for
promoting the positional aspects of chess in a time when many players
favored swashbuckling attacks.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
The Ruy Lopez or Spanish Game.
The 3...Nf6
Openings
Explained ECO C
by Chess Informant
Abby Marshall
Translate this page
[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/1B2p3/
4P3/5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 4"]
This is the modern recommended move order.

Offbeat Spanish
3...d6 is the old way to play, but Black can become too cramped for my taste.
by Glenn Flear
I first learned about this opening when I saw the famous game Tarrasch-
Marco, Dresden 1892. Marco was a master, but Tarrasch hardly had to spend
any time at all on the game: 4.d4 Bd7 5.Nc3 Nf6 6.0-0 Be7 7.Re1 0-0 Black
insists on holding the center. (7...exd4 is the better move.) 8.Bxc6 White
begins a long forcing sequence that nets at least a pawn. 8...Bxc6 9.dxe5 dxe5
10.Qxd8 Raxd8 11.Nxe5 Bxe4 (11...Bd7 Black should just accept being down
a pawn.) 12.Nxe4 Nxe4 White cannot capture the knight because of 13...Rd1
+, but can make use of the e-file. 13.Nd3 f5 14.f3 Bc5+ 15.Nxc5 Nxc5 16.
Bg5! There is no defense to the fork 17.Be7. 16...Rd5 17.Be7 Re8 18.c4 And
Black would have to play ...Kf7, losing the exchange. This is a really neat
sequence, all started by 7.Re1 0-0? Anyway, Black has found improvements
over the last century.
Play through and download My Best Games in the
the games from 3...a6 4.Ba4 d6 is the Modern Steinitz Defense. However, Black has more Spanish
ChessCafe.com in the interesting play in the lines I chose here. by Alexei Shirov
4.0-0
This is the move you will face most of the time. Black now has a whole host
of choices. For example, capturing on e4 with the knight leads to interesting
play, while 4...Bc5 is solid.
4.d4 White can also delay d4 until move five, so 4.d4 and 5.d4 will transpose.
This type of play is very different from what we will see in the main line. 4...
exd4 5.e5 Ne4 6.0-0 Be7 This is the move that characterizes the Steinitz.
Black is accepting a cramped position that is solid. 7.Re1 Nc5
[FEN "r1bqk2r/ppppbppp/2n5/1Bn1P3/3p4/
5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQR1K1 w kq - 0 8"]
A) 8.c3!? This is an interesting gambit, but Black can defend satisfactorily. 8...
dxc3 Often the best answer to a gambit is to accept it. Here it is almost
mandatory; otherwise, White grabs the center. 9.Nxc3 0-0 10.Nd5 Ne6 Black
adds a defender to the kingside. 11.b3 b6 Black is slowly but surely gaining
activity. (11...f6 is also okay. 12.Bc4 Nxe5 13.Nxe5 fxe5 14.Rxe5 Bd6 and
White is running out of steam.)
B) 8.Nxd4 Nxd4 Black opens the way for a possible ...c6 and ...d5. 9.Qxd4 0-
0 White has two natural ways to develop, so we will look at both.
B1) 10.Be3 This move scares me less than 10.Nc3, when the knight can jump
into e4/d5. 10...d5 11.Nc3 (11.exd6 Qxd6 12.Nc3 Be6 looks reasonable
enough.) 11...c6 12.Bf1 Ne6 13.Qg4 The only move, since White has to
prevent ...d4. If Black goes ahead with pushing the d-pawn, the white rook
can come to d1 and White has three pieces on the pawn to only two black
pieces. (13.Qa4? d4 14.Rad1 b5 15.Qb3 Qb6!) 13...f6 Black is better here
since the white queen is in a dangerous spot and the center is for Black.
B2) 10.Nc3 Black is cramped and less active, so as a precaution let's look at
two possible responses here. Adolf Anderssen played both of these moves.
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppppbppp/8/1Bn1P3/3Q4/
2N5/PPP2PPP/R1B1R1K1 b - - 0 10"]
B2a) 10...a6 11.Bc4 b5 The natural follow-up, since the bishop has arguably
been relocated to a better spot. Black gains space while opening up the
queenside as a possible target. Let's see how Anderssen deals with that. 12.
Bd5 White forces Black to close the a8-h1 diagonal, which the c8-bishop was
probably eyeing. However, now ...d5 gains traction. Other bishop moves
would be met by 12...Bb7. 12...c6 (12...Rb8 loses time and White can start
targeting the queenside. 13.a4) 13.Bf3 Ne6 A good square for the knight. It
exerts strong central influence and keeps an eye out for the black king. Black
for the moment is just working on holding it all together. 14.Qd3 f5 An ugly
looking move that I do not particularly like. All of Black's pawns, except one,
are on light squares, so the c8-bishop is being smothered. (14...Qc7 is
preferable. The next step is ...d6 or ...d5.) 15.exf6 (15.Ne2 makes things more
difficult for Black. 15...Qc7 16.Nd4 Once the black knight is traded, Black
has no good, active pieces left.) 15...Bxf6 16.Ne4 d5! This is equal since
Black has the center. 17.Nxf6+ Qxf6 18.c3 Bd7 19.Be3 Rae8 20.Bd4?! This
lets Anderssen do one of the things he does best: attack the king. Tthough he
also could play positionally very well. 20...Qh4 21.Be5 Ng5
[FEN "4rrk1/3b2pp/p1p5/1p1pB1n1/7q/
2PQ1B2/PP3PPP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 22"]
The storm clouds are gathering around the white king. 22.Bg3 Qh6 23.Re3
Rxe3 24.Qxe3 Nxf3+ 25.gxf3 Qxe3 26.fxe3 Rxf3 27.Re1 Bh3 Maybe White
resigned here, or this is all of the game that we have. Resignation seems
premature, but there is no doubt that Black is winning, because of the extra
pawn and passivity of White's pieces. Zukertort,J-Anderssen,A/Breslau 1864.
B2b) 10...d6 Unlike 10...a6, Black doesn't strive for ...d5 and pawn play, but
activation of pieces. 11.Be3 Bf5 12.Rad1 a6 13.Bc4 Nd7 (13...Ne6 The knight
is better-placed here.) 14.Bf4 Now d6 becomes a problem. 14...Bxc2 (14...
dxe5 15.Bxe5 There is way too much pressure on the black position. 15...
Nxe5? 16.Qxe5 and White wins a piece.) 15.exd6 cxd6 16.Rd2 Bg6 17.Bxd6
(17.Nd5! is much stronger. Now Black gets plenty of counterplay.) 17...Bf6
18.Qg4 Ne5 19.Qe2 Nxc4 20.Qxc4 Rc8 The game has completely changed
and Black's bishop-pair in the open position ensure at least equality if not
more. 21.Qb3 Bxc3 (21...Re8 I would prefer to keep the bishop. Maybe
Anderssen cared more about weakening White's pawn structure.) 22.bxc3 Re8
23.Red1 Be4 24.f3 Bc6 25.c4 Qg5 26.f4? White should not have increased the
range of the black bishop. 26...Qg6 27.Rf2 Re4 28.f5 Qg5 29.Rdf1 Rg4 30.
Bg3 Re8 31.f6 Qc5 32.fxg7 Rxg7 33.Qd3 h5 34.Kh1 This is a blunder that
allows Anderssen to execute a nice combination, but in any event, White was
much worse. 34...h4 35.Bxh4 Qxf2 36.Bxf2 (36.Rxf2 Re1+ 37.Rf1 Bxg2+ 38.
Kg1 Bxf1+) 36...Rxg2 37.Qd5 Rg6 38.Bg3 Re2 39.Rd1 Kf8 40.Kg1 Bxd5 41.
cxd5 Ke8 42.d6 Kd8 43.a4 Rg4 44.a5 Re5 45.Kf2 Rxa5 0-1, Lange,M-
Anderssen,A/Breslau 1859. I share the game in its entirety because it involves
two great players who helped shape chess. The white player was the inventor
of a popular line in the Scotch Gambit.
4...Be7
The moves ...Be7 and ...d6 define the Steinitz Defense to the Ruy Lopez. I can
think of two advantages of playing this opening: most white players are not
apt to know much about it, and it is good against hyper-aggressive players
who may overstep and weaken their position. The disadvantage is that the
Steinitz is cramped and not as active as other Black lines.
5.Re1
White prepares to chip away at Black in the center. This is a challenging

option, but there are others.
5.d4 exd4 6.e5 Ne4 7.Re1 Nc5 transposes to 4.d4 above.
5.Bxc6 You always have to look out for this move in the Ruy Lopez. Here it
is not difficult to face. After all, White is trading a piece that will have moved
twice for a piece that has moved once. 5...dxc6 6.d3 Qd6 (6...Nd7 is also
possible. I just don't like blocking my pieces in. After castling, Black can try
for ...Re8, Nf8, and Ng6 or Ne6.) 7.Nbd2 (7.c3 0-0 8.Qc2 Be6 9.d4 Nd7 is not
a problem.) 7...Be6 Black is still going to castle kingside in order to expand
on the queenside with ...c5 and ...b5.
5.Qe2 is a slower approach. 5...d6 6.c3 0-0 7.d3 a6 8.Ba4 Be6 9.d4 (9.Nbd2
Qd7) 9...b5 10.Bb3 Bg4 11.d5 Na5 One of the advantages of keeping the
bishop at home on e7 is that it protects the d-pawn and prevents pins on the f6-
knight.
5.Nc3 This square is usually reserved for a pawn in the Ruy Lopez. Black is
holding back, so it makes sense for White to gain as much activity as possible.
5...d6 6.d4 Nd7!? A strange move leading to strange play. It is in the spirit of
the Steinitz, since Black hunkers down and dares White to overreach. (6...
exd4 is also an option. It is just hard to argue for complete equality, since
White undoubtedly has more space. 7.Nxd4 Bd7)
[FEN "r1bqk2r/pppnbppp/2np4/1B2p3/3PP3/
2N2N2/PPP2PPP/R1BQ1RK1 w kq - 0 7"]
A) 7.Nd5 This is a powerful-looking move. 7...0-0 8.Nxe7+ Qxe7 9.d5 Nd8

10.Bd3 Kh8 It seems that White should have a plus, because White has the
bishop-pair and Black is living on the seventh and eighth ranks. I love how
methodically Black builds up the position and advances to the kingside, where
the black pawns point. White should probably have gotten the queenside
pawns rolling sooner. 11.Ne1 This knight also creates a problem for White. It
never moves again. 11...f6 12.c4 Nf7 13.Be3 Rg8 14.Rc1 g6 15.Rc3 Nc5 16.
Bc2 f5 17.f3 f4 18.Bf2 g5 19.g4 (19.h3 h5) 19...Nd7 20.Ra3 (20.Nd3 Get this
knight into play! Now c5 or b4 are real possibilities. In the game, White lets
Black get his way and only advances on the queenside far too late.) 20...Nf6
21.Kg2 h5 22.h3 Kg7 23.Rh1 Rh8 24.b4 Nh6 25.c5 Bd7 Black is so patient
and waits for the opportune moment for the big sacrifice on g4. 26.Qc1 Kg6
27.cxd6 cxd6 28.Bxa7 The white king will now be stripped of all his
defenders. 28...hxg4 29.hxg4 Nhxg4 30.Bg1 (30.fxg4 Rxh1 31.Kxh1 Rh8+ 32.
Kg2 Qh7 33.Nf3 Qh3+ 34.Kf2 Qg3+ 35.Ke2 Qg2+ 36.Bf2 Rh1 Everything is
forced.) 30...Rxh1 31.Kxh1 Qh7+ 32.Kg2 Qh3+! Pretty chess. 33.Kxh3 Ne3+
34. Kh2 Rh8# 0-1, Tresling,J-Atkins,H/Amsterdam 1899.
B) 7.d5 is critical and induces a move that I imagine would make many
players cringe. 7...Ncb8 Besides lack of space, Black does not have obvious
weak spots. White decides to go after the f5-square, but is not very successful.
Perhaps White should try for a slow squeeze, but in the meantime Black will
be looking at ...f5. 8.Ne2 0-0 9.c4 Nf6 10.Ng3 Nbd7 11.Ba4 Kh8 12.Qe2 Ng8
13.b4 a5 14.b5 g6 15.Bc2 Bf6 16.Ne1 This is in line with the idea of
queenside expansion; it just seems that White struggles to find time to play
Nd3. 16...Bg7 17.Bb2 Qe7 18.f4? Leaving aside the tactical point,
positionally this is a bad move too. Black gets the e5-square and a target on
the e-file. 18...exf4 19.Bxg7+ Kxg7 20.Rxf4 Qe5 The double attack on the
rooks ended this game. 0-1 Partaj,J-Atkins,H/Amsterdam 1899.
5...d6
The follow-up to 4...Be7. White has a couple approaches here. 6.c3 works to
take over the center while the more critical 6.d4 tries to use White's superior
activity.
6.d4
6.c3 is a slow approach that lets Black settle in. 6...0-0 7.d4 Bd7 8.d5 (8.Nbd2
Nxd4! A nice trick to remember. 9.cxd4 Bxb5 10.Qb3 c6 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.
Nxe5 Nd7 13.Ndf3 Nc5 It is not hard for Black to gain activity.; 8.Bxc6 Bxc6
9.dxe5 dxe5 The e-pawn is under attack and Black has the bishop-pair, so if
anything Black is slightly better.) 8...Nb8 This is the second time we have
seen this move. It is ugly, but in a slow position these kinds of moves work.
[FEN "rn1q1rk1/pppbbppp/3p1n2/1B1Pp3/
4P3/2P2N2/PP3PPP/RNBQR1K1 w - - 0 9"]
A) 9.Bd3 c6 (9...Bg4 and 9...Nbd7 are good too.) 10.dxc6 Nxc6 11.Na3 Be6
Black can aim for ...d5 or stay solid.
B) 9.Bxd7 Nbxd7 10.c4 White begins the typical expansion on the queenside.
10...Ne8 The ...f5 approach we have seen before is coming. A light-squared
bishop would be nice, but at least the knight on d7 will not have to move. 11.
Nc3 g6 Black is not going to play ...f5 without this move, since if White takes
the pawn, Black can reply ...gxf5. 12.b4 a5 Black tickles the queenside. 13.
Bh6 Ng7 14.a3 f5 This is a tough position with chances for both sides. ...f4 is
on the books as well as ...Kh8 and ...Rg8.
6...exd4
6...Bd7 is also possible, reverting to similar positions from above.
7.Nxd4
7.Bxc6+ bxc6 8.Qxd4 The queen is poorly placed in the center in this
position. ...c5 can always kick the queen away while opening the diagonal for
the c8-bishop. 8...0-0 9.Nc3 Bg4 White already has to think about retreating
the queen to capture on f3. Black will play ...Nd7 next.
7...Bd7
[FEN "r2qk2r/pppbbppp/2np1n2/1B6/
3NP3/8/PPP2PPP/RNBQR1K1 w kq - 0 8"]
Black protects the knight from the pin.
8.Bxc6
This is very common, but easier for Black to face. The center has become
more mobile for Black and Black has the bishop-pair.
8.Nb3 White may do this in order to avoid trades; the rationale being that
White has more space. This is a hard move to face, since Black has to figure
out how to get untangled. 8...0-0 9.Nc3 Re8 10.Bf4 Ng4!? This should be
good enough for some play.
8.a4 White gains more space and protects the bishop. 8...0-0 9.Nc3 Nxd4 10.
Qxd4 Be6 ...c6 is going to have to be played soon. With ...Nd7 and ...Bf6
Black is doing fine.
8...bxc6
Black almost always captures with the pawn rather than with the bishop when
given the choice, because the pawn helps control the center.
9.Nc3
A natural developing move.
9.c4 White is going for a major space restriction. It doesn't seem as strong
here, compared for example to the Marcozy bind in the Sicilian, because
Black has more central control. 9...0-0 10.Nc3 Re8 11.b3 h6 this move is
weakening and makes it harder to play ...g6. Black should go ahead with ...c5
here. 12.Bf4 c5 13.Nf3 Bc6 14.h3 Nd7 Black has pressure along the e-file.
9...0-0
Now that Black has completed development, Black has to decide how to
continue. Black has potential maneuvering prospects on the center and the
kingside.
10.Qf3
White begins the move to the kingside and creates space for a rook to move to
d1.
10...c5
This move and 10...Re8 are both good. With this move we see Black's typical
play with ...Nd7 and ...Bf6 in the center.
10...Re8 Black plays on both wings in this game. 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 Nh7
Without this move, 11...h6 would just be weakening, but here Black is gaining
some space. We will look at this in the first illustrative game.
11.Nf5
A good move, weakening the white squares in the black position.
11...Bxf5
Black should probably go ahead and take off the knight. This move makes
room for the black knight to go to d7 and gets rid of White's powerful piece.
12.Qxf5
White wants to keep a pawn in the center.
12.exf5 was worth considering. White gets open files; while Black gets to
play ...d5.
12...Nd7
[FEN "r2q1rk1/p1pnbppp/3p4/2p2Q2/4P3/
2N5/PPP2PPP/R1B1R1K1 w - - 0 13"]
We will look at this more in the second illustrative game.
Klovans, Janis – Boleslavsky, Isaak

URS Spartakiad Moscow, 10.1964
This is an old game, but the opening theory endures in this line. Black plays
well positionally and then tactically.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.0-0 d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.Nc3 Be7 7.Re1 exd4 8.
Nxd4 0-0 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Qf3 Re8 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 Nh7
[FEN "r2qr1k1/p1pbbppn/2pp3p/8/3NP2B/
2N2Q2/PPP2PPP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 13"]
Black has succeeded in equalizing fairly easily.
13.Bg3
Not the best, because Black is able to increase the activity of his bishop; while
White's watches from the sidelines.
13.Bxe7 Qxe7 14.Rad1 is a little better and makes it harder for Black to drum
up play. 14...Rab8 is likely next.
13...Bf6
Black takes over the long diagonal.
14.Rad1 Ng5 15.Qd3 Rb8 16.b3 Rb4!
White has to give up the center.
17.e5
17.Nf5 Bxf5 18.exf5 Rd4 Black has many threats, since the knight on c3 is
loose.
17...dxe5
[FEN "3qr1k1/p1pb1pp1/2p2b1p/4p1n1/
1r1N4/1PNQ2B1/P1P2PPP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 18"]
18.Bxe5?
This lets Black get a better pawn structure and weaken White's king.
18.Nde2 Bg4 19.Qxd8 Bxd8 20.Bxe5 Ne6 White gets back the pawn and this
is probably about equal.
18...Nh3+
18...Rxe5 19.Rxe5 Bxe5? (19...Nh3+! 20.gxh3 Bxe5 21.Nxc6 Qg5+) 20.Nxc6.
19.gxh3 Bxe5 20.Nf3 Bd6 21.Ne4
White doesn't bother defending the h-pawn and instead works on undermining
Black's position.
21...Bxh3 22.c4 Qc8 23.Kh1 c5
Black stops White from playing Nd4 and plans to bring the rook back to the
sixth rank.
24.Nxd6 cxd6 25.Qxd6 Rxe1+ 26.Rxe1
26.Nxe1 is hard to play, but it would help defend the g2-square.
26...Rb6
[FEN "2q3k1/p4pp1/1r1Q3p/2p5/2P5/
1P3N1b/P4P1P/4R2K w - - 0 27"]
27.Qe7?
White overlooks Black's next move.
27.Qe5, allowing White to play Qg3 if needed, is better, but the white king is
so weak that this still runs into problems. 27...Re6 28.Qd5 Ra6 is very strong.
If 29.Re2 Rg6.
27...Bg2+ 28.Kxg2 Qg4+ 29.Kf1 Qh3+ 30.Ke2 Re6+ 31.Qxe6 Qxe6+ 32.
Kf1 Qh3+ 33.Ke2 Qf5 34.Nd2 Qe5+ 35.Kf1 Qxh2 36.b4 cxb4 37.c5 Qh1+
38.Ke2 Qh5+ 0-1
Black didn't work too hard in this game, and makes a strong argument for ...
Re8, h6, and Nh7.
White makes no obvious errors in the following game, yet is convincingly

outplayed.
Kogan, Ar (2572) – Mirzoev, A (2510)

V Stadium Casablanca Open Zaragoza ESP (8), 30.12.2011
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 d6 5.d4 Bd7 6.0-0 Be7 7.Re1 exd4 8.
Nxd4 0-0 9.Bxc6 bxc6 10.Qf3 c5 11.Nf5 Bxf5 12.Qxf5 Nd7
[FEN "r2q1rk1/p1pnbppp/3p4/2p2Q2/4P3/
2N5/PPP2PPP/R1B1R1K1 w - - 0 13"]
In this recent contest, Black uses the dark squares to try to provoke a white
weakness.
13.Nd5 Nb6
A nice move, forcing White to make a tough decision. The knights are about
equal to the bishops here, so White decides to keep pieces on the board.
14.Ne3 Re8 15.a4
It is too early to call this a weakness, but Black starts to gain traction on the
queenside.
15...Rb8 16.a5 Nd7 17.Nc4
The wrong side of the board. 17.Ng4 was a better try.
17...Bf6 18.a6 Ne5 19.Ne3 g6 20.Qh3 Bg7
[FEN "1r1qr1k1/p1p2pbp/P2p2p1/2p1n3/
4P3/4N2Q/1PP2PPP/R1B1R1K1 w - - 0 21"]
Black has slowly improved his position; and White has to flail around for a
good plan. Meanwhile, Black can focus on the queenside.
21.Ra4
A goofy move that White presumably played in order to get rid of the pin
from the bishop on g7 and the b-pawn. The rook has no future here.
21...h5 22.Rd1 Nd7 23.Nd5 c6 24.Nc3 Nb6 25.Ra2 Qf6 26.Qg3 Nc4
26...h4 is also strong. 27.Qh3 Qe6 28.Qxe6 Rxe6 29.f3 f5 This lets Black take
over the e-file, and the absence of a rook on a1 hurts, since White can hardly
challenge Black.
27.h3 Qe6 28.b3 Ne5 29.Ne2 c4 30.Nd4 Qd7 31.bxc4 Nxc4 32.Nb3 Qe6 33.
f3 d5 34.Bf4 Rbd8 35.Nc5
[FEN "3rr1k1/p4pb1/P1p1q1p1/2Np3p/
2n1PB2/5PQP/R1P3P1/3R2K1 b - - 0 35"]
The start of an ill-fated escapade. The knight will be out of play for most of
the game. At this point though, Black is in clear control, so it is hard to
suggest good moves.
35...Qe7 36.Nb7 Rd7 37.exd5 cxd5 38.Qf2 d4 39.Kh1 Ne3 40.Rd3 Qf6 41.
Bh2 Nd5 42.Rb3 Rde7
Black relies on well-placed pieces to win this game.
43.c4
A desperate attempt to win the a-pawn by any means. Unfortunately, now

White gets mated.
43...dxc3 44.Qxa7 Re1+ 45.Bg1 Qd4 46.Qxd4 Bxd4 47.Nd6 Rxg1+ 48.Kh2
Ree1 49.Rb8+ Kg7 50.f4 h4 51.Ne8+ Kh6 0-1
A second game where I thought that Black won with ease; and the white
players were extremely strong.
Lessons Learned
● Black has to be comfortable playing with little space and making

moves such as Ncb8. The ...Be7 and ...d6 setup is super solid, so White
players who like to attack will likely become frustrated.
● In positions where Black plays ...Bd7 in response to d4, Black can
often aim for ...g6 and ...f5, followed by ...f4, g5, Kh8, Rg8 and so on.
White of course will be playing on the queenside, but even if White has
time to do that Black will be checkmating if all goes well.
● When Black plays ...exd4 in the main lines, the usual procedure is to
play ...Nd7 and ...Bf6. Avoid ...h6 if possible, since it is not necessary.
Practitioners
I have already written about Anderssen, so here are some new faces:
● Isaac Boleslavsky was a grandmaster in the USSR. He had successful

tournament results, especially in the Candidates matches, and was an
assistant to the top players in the world.
● Azer Mirzoev is an Azerbaijani grandmaster. He has won first at
several international events.
● Henry Ernest Atkins was a British player. He was posthumously
awarded the International Master title. He modeled his play after
Steinitz so closely that he was called "the little Steinitz."
Bibliography
In addition to books on this opening, reading about Steinitz's own ideas on

chess would also be useful; for example, The Modern Chess Instructor.
● ChessPublishing.com.
● Slay the Spanish by Tim Taylor


The Trompowsky Attack [A45] Purchases from our
This month I am returning to 1.d4 territory; namely, the Trompowsky Attack.
accessible:
1.d4 Nf6
1...Nf6 and 1...d5 are the two most common moves. Unlike 1...Nc6 against 1.
e4, the knight move makes sense, since White cannot take over the center
with e4, while in the case of 1...Nc6, 2.d4 can be played.
2.Bg5
The
2.Bg5 can also be played after 1...d5, but here it is more effective since it can
Openings create an imbalance after Bxf6, giving up the bishop while doubling Black's
pawns and taking the e-pawn out of the center after the ...exf6 recapture.
Explained White also avoids the mountains of theory after more conventional moves ECO A
such as c4 or Nf3. by Chess Informant
Abby Marshall 2...Ne4
Translate this page
Trompowsky Attack
by Rainer Knaak
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pppppppp/8/6B1/3Pn3/
8/PPP1PPPP/RN1QKBNR w KQkq - 0 3"]
This common response is the focus of this column. Black has a slew of moves
here, including 2...d5, 2...e6, and 2...c5.
3.h4
The Raptor Variation. White guards the bishop, and if Black takes it, then
White has an open h-file. The appeal of this somewhat crude idea lies in its
simple, aggressive nature and puts the question to Black. Should Black accept
Play through and download the bishop in exchange for a knight? A huge range of possibilities by Black The Trompowsky
the games from have to be considered here. by Nigel Davies
ChessBase Game Viewer. 3.Bf4 This or the retreat to h4 is also common.
3...Nxg5
This is Black's most straightforward approach and the one I imagine many
players would follow. Black gets the bishop-pair and a target on g5. Of
course, White is not upset by this, since we get what we wanted: the open h-
file.
3...c6 is a flexible move that exerts control over the center and opens the
diagonal for the black queen. 4.Nd2 This is the typical way for White to
develop. The knight challenges the centralized black knight and keeps the
option of c3 or c4 open. 4...Qa5 Black wants the knight to remain in the center
and attacks the bishop on g5. 5.Ngf3 d5 6.e3 White has a fine position and
will follow-up with c3 and Bd3.
3...h6 is a good move, and leads to play similar to 3.Bf4, but with h4 and ...h6.
This is no great victory for White, if a victory at all, but if White can castle
queenside and Black goes kingside, then White has a head start with an attack.
4.Bf4 d5 5.Nd2 Bf5 6.Nxe4 Bxe4 7.f3 White decides on an unusual
development scheme. 7...Bh7 8.c3 c6 9.e3 Qb6 10.Qd2 e6 11.Nh3 White
ended up winning in the game Miladinovic,I (2535)-Vratonjic,S (2430)/Agios
Nikolaos 1995. Both sides castled queenside. Nonetheless, Miladinovic
expands on the kingside and manages to restrict Black's play.
3...d6 is not as challenging as the main responses. 4.Nd2 Bf5 5.Nxe4 Bxe4 6.
f3 Bc6 7.e4 White has taken over the center.
3...f6 is not a very good move here, since it weakens Black's king.
3...d5 is a natural move. White follows the plan of development we examined.

4.Nd2 Bf5 (4...Nxg5 5.hxg5 transposes to the main line.) 5.Nxe4 Bxe4 (5...
dxe4 is rarely played. Black doesn't like the pawn on e4, which could be a
target. 6.e3) 6.f3 Bf5 7.g4 This looks very weakening, but the black bishop
has no good retreat. White is going to castle queenside anyway. 7...Bc8 8.Qd2
h6 9.Bf4 e6 10.0-0-0 Nd7 11.e4 and Black has some untangling to do.
3...c5 is a serious response. The white queenside has lost a defender, so Black
opens the d8-a5 diagonal for the queen to possibly go to b6. Black also has a
centralized knight, so attacking the center makes sense. 4.dxc5 (4.d5 Strong
players have played d5 after ...c5 too. This move is not as theoretical as 4.
dxc5. 4...g6 Now that the dark-squared bishop is partially blocked on the f8-
a3 diagonal, Black switches paths. 5.Qd3 Nxg5 6.Qc3 Rg8 7.hxg5 Bg7 8.Qa3
Na6 9.Nd2 White will castle queenside and then develop the kingside.)
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/pp1ppppp/8/2P3B1/4n2P/
8/PPP1PPP1/RN1QKBNR b KQkq - 0 4"]
A) 4...Nxg5 Black can also try to quickly exploit the white pawn weaknesses.
5.hxg5 e6 6.Nf3 Bxc5 7.e3 Qb6 8.Nbd2! d5 (8...Qxb2 loses too much time.
White's play develops easily and he can play g6 and Bd3.) 9.Nb3 The bishop
should retreat and then White is ahead in development.
B) 4...Na6 Black wants to support the knight on e4. 5.Qd4 5.Nd2 is also
possible. With the queen move, White works to prevent Black from keeping
knights in the center. 5...Naxc5 (5...Qa5+ 6.c3 Nxg5 7.hxg5 Qxc5 8.Nf3 is
about equal.) 6.Nc3 Nxc3 7.Qxc5 Ne4 8.Qd5 White has more space.
C) 4...Qa5+ 5.Nd2 White continues developing. 5...Nxg5 Black wants to

capture on c5, but first needs to get the knight to safety. 6.hxg5
[FEN "rnb1kb1r/pp1ppppp/8/q1P3P1/8/8/
PPPNPPP1/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 0 6"]
C1) 6...g6 If Black tries to stop White from playing g6, then White has an
interesting option that some top players have tried. 7.Rh4!? Nc6 (7...Qxc5? 8.
Rc4 is a crushing skewer.) 8.Rc4 After c3 and Nb3, Black will have trouble
regaining the pawn on c5. The rook can always come back to h4.
C2) 6...Qxc5 7.g6 White sacrifices a pawn to break Black's pawn structure
into three pawn islands 7...fxg6 8.e3 Nc6 9.Ngf3 d6 10.c3 White doesn't want
to play Bd3 right away, since Black can play ...Nb4. 10...Bf5 (10...Bg4 Black
plans ...Ne5 in the case of 11.Bd3 11.Be2 h5 12.Ne4 White can play Neg5,
Qc2, and 0-0-0 to try to take advantage of the holes in the black position.) 11.
Nb3 Qb6 12.Ng5 Things turned out well for White in this short game. 12...
Ne5 13.a4! White gains more space and seeks to dislodge the black queen.
13...Nd3+ This is a big mistake. Black trades two active pieces for two
inactive white pieces. 14.Bxd3 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 Qxb3 16.Rh4 Black can't
defend against the three white pieces in play. White uses the rook to shut out
the black queen. 16...a5 17.Rc4 e5 18.Qd5 Be7 19.Qf7+ Kd7 20.Qe6+ Ke8 21.
Rc8+ Rxc8 22.Qxb3 Bxg5 23.Qe6+ 1-0, Miladinovic,I (2518)-Genova,L
(2232)/Nice 2002.
4.hxg5
This is an odd-looking position since Black hasn't moved any piece other than
the king's knight, which is not even on the board. However, it is Black's move,
so Black should stake a claim in the center.
4...d5
The only move that really passes muster.
4...g6 Black decides to attack the center from the wings. 5.c3 A preparatory
move to protect d4. 5...Bg7 6.Nf3 b6 We will see what happens when Black
lets White have his way in the first illustrative game.
5.Nd2
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppp1pppp/8/3p2P1/3P4/
8/PPPNPPP1/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 0 5"]
White develops the queenside as quickly as possible, and keeps the path for
the c-pawn clear, as in most queen pawn openings.
5...Bf5
Black gets the bishop outside the pawn chain and guards the b1-h7 diagonal.
5...e5 is a move that should be considered. It should not scare White, since
White has a lead in development. 6.dxe5 Qxg5 7.Ngf3 The black queen is a
target and White is ahead in development. 7...Qg6 8.e3 Nc6 9.c3 As in similar
positions, this move restricts the black knight. 9...Bf5 10.Qb3 0-0-0 11.0-0-0
Bc5 12.Bb5 Both sides have targets. White at the moment has Nh4 as a threat.
5...c5 Logical. 6.c3 cxd4 7.cxd4 Qb6 8.e3 Nc6 9.Qb3 e6 10.f4 Bd7 11.Ngf3
Bd6 12.a3 Rc8 13.Bd3 White has convincingly shut out the black light-
squared bishop. 13...Ke7 It is reasonable to expect that the queens will be
traded off, so both kings stay in the center. 14.Ke2 Na5 15.Qxb6 axb6 16.Ne5
Ba4 17.Rac1 Rxc1 18.Rxc1 f6 19.gxf6+ gxf6 20.Nef3 h6 21.g3 Bd7 22.e4
dxe4 23.Nxe4 Bb8 24.Kf2 Bc6 25.Re1 Rd8 26.f5 e5 27.Rh1 exd4 28.Rxh6
Bxe4 29.Bxe4 Nc4 30.b3 Ne5 31.Rh7+ Kd6 32.Nxd4 Rd7 33.Rh8 Bc7 34.b4
Nc4 35.Nb5+ Ke5 36.Re8+ 1-0, Yermolinsky,A (2560)-Shaked,T (2440)/Los
Angeles 1996. It is always good to look at complete games when you are
studying an opening. It is not necessary to memorize any of the moves beyond
theory, just the main ideas of the middlegame and endgame. In this game,
White successfully shut down the bishop-pair and utilized the h-file.
6.e3
White opens the path for the light-squared bishop and keeps ideas of f4 and
g4 in mind.
6...c5
The presence of the g5-pawn and the open h-file suggest that White will play
on the kingside. Black should meet play on the wing with play in the center.
6...e6 was met with an aggressive stance in the second illustrative game.
7.g4
White could choose to play more quietly with 7.Ngf3, but that would not be in
the spirit of the opening.
7...Bd7
This maintains flexibility for the bishop, but is awkward for Black.
7...Bg6 is the better move. Nevertheless, Black has to be careful of f4-f5.

Developing the bishop to g2 may even make sense, since the black bishop
cannot defend the queenside.
8.g6!?
Breaking apart Black's pawn structure and creating new targets.
8.c3 leads to a position similar to the Yermolinsky game after 5...c5.
8...fxg6
Unfortunately for Black, the h-pawn cannot capture.
9.Bd3
[FEN "rn1qkb1r/pp1bp1pp/6p1/2pp4/3P2P1/
3BP3/PPPN1P2/R2QK1NR b KQkq - 0 9"]
A developing move with a threat that is hard to face.
9...Qb6
The only good response that protects the g-pawn.
10.dxc5
Now the queen is kicked around.
10...Qf6
Black wants to keep g6-protected.
10...Qxb2? 11.Bxg6+ Kd8 12.c4 looks brutal for Black.
11.Qf3
[FEN "rn2kb1r/pp1bp1pp/5qp1/2Pp4/6P1/
3BPQ2/PPPN1P2/R3K1NR b KQkq - 0 11"]
White has a great position. The d-pawn is threatened and Qxf6, followed by
Bxg6+, is also a threat. Better development, healthier pawns, and the initiative
give White the edge.
Miladinovic, Igor (2526) – Armanda, Ivica (2400)

Nova Gorica op-A 08th (2), 2003
This game shows a dream scenario for the white player. All the advantages of
having the pawn on g5 and the open h-file are shown.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.h4 Nxg5 4.hxg5 g6 5.c3 Bg7 6.Nf3 b6 7.Nbd2 Bb7 8.
e3
8.e4 is also good.
8...d6
[FEN "rn1qk2r/pbp1ppbp/1p1p2p1/6P1/
3P4/2P1PN2/PP1N1PP1/R2QKB1R w KQkq - 0 9"]
Black's set-up is too passive.
9.Bb5+!
A good disruptive move.
9...c6
Probably the best option
9...Nd7 is natural, but the knight has nowhere to go from there. 10.Qc2 0-0 11.
Qa4 The knight is practically forced back to b8.
10.Bd3
White is going to go after the black king, and the double fianchetto scheme of
development leaves few options for Black. ...d5 blocks the light-squared
bishop, and ...e5 is very loosening, as we will see.
10...Nd7 11.Qe2 0-0 12.0-0-0 e5?
This is very weakening.
12...c5 is not a good break either, since it leaves more scope for White's light-
squared bishop. 13.Rh4
[FEN "r2q1rk1/pb1nppbp/1p1p2p1/2p3P1/
3P3R/2PBPN2/PP1NQPP1/2KR4 b - - 0 13"]
13...Re8 14.Rdh1 Nf8 15.Bb5 White wins the exchange.
Something like 12...Rc8 is better. There is little defense to White's plan to

double or triple on the h-file.
13.dxe5
White takes the chance to open the d-file.
13...Nxe5
13...dxe5 is better, but the damage has been done. Black is hurting along the d-
file and the f6-square has no pawn defenders. 14.Ne4.
14.Nxe5 Bxe5 15.f4 Bh8 16.g4
The queen can now get in on the action.
16...Qe7
[FEN "r4rkb/pb2qp1p/1ppp2p1/6P1/5PP1/
2PBP3/PP1NQ3/2KR3R w - - 0 17"]
16...Bg7 is the only hope for defense. 17.Qh2 h6 18.gxh6 Bf6 19.g5 Be7 20.
Nf3 or 20.f5 right away secures the win.
17.Rxh7! Bg7
17...Kxh7 18.Qh2+ Kg8 19.Rh1 f6 20.Qxh8+ White wins.
18.Qh2 f5 19.gxf5 gxf5 20.Rh1 c5
Do not forget about the bishop on b7 attacking the h1-rook.
21.Bc4+ d5 22.g6 1-0
Black resigned because of the three white pieces on the h-file. 23.Rh8+ is
impossible to prevent.
Hodgson, Julian (2500) – Gufeld, Eduard (2480)

Hastings, 1986
This game features one of the main proponents of the Trompowsky: Julian
Hodgson, and he wins in the aggressive style for which he is known. Black
had a few opportunities to be completely winning, but he did not play the
strongest moves. Perhaps because Hodgson made the weaker moves seem
more appealing. The game may also have been better suited for Hudgson's
style than for Gufeld's. The point is White would have to play differently if he
faced similar positions.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Bg5 Ne4 3.h4 d5 4.Nd2 Nxg5 5.hxg5 Bf5 6.e3 e6 7.g4
[FEN "rn1qkb1r/ppp2ppp/4p3/3p1bP1/3P2P1/
4P3/PPPN1P2/R2QKBNR b KQkq - 0 7"]
What I really like about this game is that it is an exciting game of imbalances:
material versus activity, the wing versus the center, and opposite-colored
bishops. Both players strive to show that their ideas are the best.
7...Bg6 8.f4 c5
White has shown his intention of playing on the kingside, so Black plays in
the center.
9.Ngf3 Nc6 10.c3 Qb6
The first critical moment. White wants to play Nh4, but has not had the
opportunity since the center was under siege.
11.Nh4
White sacrifices a pawn to break up the black pawn structure, weaken the
king, and allow the rook to go to b1.
11.Qb3 is unambitious; just the best way to protect the b-pawn. 11...Bd6 and
it is about even.
11...Qxb2
[FEN "r3kb1r/pp3ppp/2n1p1b1/2pp2P1/
3P1PPN/2P1P3/Pq1N4/R2QKB1R w KQkq - 0 12"]
11...0-0-0 Black could also decline the pawn, although that puts a stall in the
momentum. 12.Nxg6 fxg6 13.Qc2 This is also an even fight.
12.Nxg6
Unfortunately, 12.f5 gets torn apart: 12...cxd4! 13.exd4 (13.cxd4 Bb4 14.Rc1
Qa3 The storm around the white king is quite strong.) 13...Qxc3 14.fxg6 Qg3
+ and mate next move on d4.
12...fxg6 13.Rb1 Qxc3 14.Rb3
White kicks the queen from attacking d4.
14...Qa5 15.Rxb7 c4
This looks strong. However, it gives White a second to breathe.
15...cxd4 is worrisome. 16.Qc2 attacking the knight is met by 16...Qc3. 16.

exd4 Nxd4 17.Bd3 Bb4 is simply a disaster for White. White may have to go
in for 16.Qc2 and trade queens.
16.Kf2
The king steps out of the way of the pin on the d2-knight and can run for more
shelter if the need arises.
16...0-0-0
I imagine Hodgson was glad to see this move. The black king is safer in the
center, even the kingside, because White is busy with his own king safety
problems. This also makes Kf2 look better, since the rook on h1 has one less
barrier to swing to the queenside.
16...Qxa2 creates another pin on the d2-knight and threatens ...c3.

Psychologically, it is not an easy move to play, since it grabs material and
ignores development. After all, what could be bad about castling? 17.Kg3 Rc8
18.Nf3 Be7 and White is stuck.
17.Rb1
Now it is going to be very difficult to stop White from opening lines against
the black king. 17...Qxa2 opens the a-file and White can sidestep the pin
easily.
17...Bb4 18.Nxc4!
[FEN "2kr3r/p5pp/2n1p1p1/q2p2P1/
1bNP1PP1/4P3/P4K2/1R1Q1B1R b - - 0 18"]
Opening lines is absolutely worth a piece. Also, the opposite-colored bishops

favor the attacker.
18...dxc4 19.Bxc4 Kc7
19...Rd6 20.Qf3 The h-rook will come to c1 and the queen can go to e4.
20.Bxe6
Black may be able to weather the storm, but psychologically the damage is
done. Black thought castling would help him consolidate the extra pawn, but
now, although he has a piece for two pawns, White has an attack.
20...Rhe8
20...Nxd4 The counter-sacrifice hurts Black much more than White. 21.exd4
Rxd4 22.Qf3.
21.Qb3 Rd6
21...Bd2 The computer evaluates this move as leading to equality, but who
would play it? It attacks a well-defended target and opens the b-file. Black
plays appealing moves instead, but they don't work.
22.d5
This looks like the obvious move, but it turns out Black can draw. 22.Bf7 is
better.
22...Rexe6!
Black is under pressure and sees a way out.
23.dxe6 Rd2+ 24.Kg3 Qb5! 25.Rhc1 (25.Rhe1? Rd3) 25...a5??

[FEN "8/2k3pp/2n1P1p1/pq4P1/1b3PP1/
1Q2P1K1/P2r4/1RR5 w - - 0 26"]
Perhaps Black got greedy and thought about winning. 25...Qe2 26.Rxc6+
White has perpetual check.
26.Qc4
The rook and two pawns are much stronger than the two pieces in the
endgame. Maybe Black thought White would want to keep attacking.
26...Qxc4 27.Rxc4 Be7 28.Rh1 Kd6 29.Rxh7 Kd5 30.Rc1 Ba3 31.Rb1 Bb2
32.Rh2 Rxh2 33.Kxh2 Ba3 34.f5 gxf5 35.gxf5 Be7 1-0
The score sheet ends here. I don't know if Black gave up at this point.
Regardless, White has 36.Rb7 coming and an onslaught of the white kingide
pawns.
Lessons Learned
● The fact that the queenside bishop is developed first and the h-pawn is
pushed on the third move make this an aggressive opening. White
develops Nd2, brings the queen into play and castles queenside. Black
often strikes back in the center with ...c5 and White can either capture
or play c3.
● When Black takes on g5, the white pawn on g5 has the potential to go
to g6 and create weaknesses for Black. If Black blocks with ...g6, more
holes are created around the king, and Black often gets behind in
development.
● If Black doesn't take on g5, the knight on e4 is a target. White sidesteps
a lot of theory and can develop normally.
Practitioners
● British grandmaster Julian Hodgson is a highly creative and aggressive

player and did much to popularize the Trompowsky Attack.
● Igor Miladinovic is a Serbian grandmaster, who has played in multiple
chess Olympiads.
● Pavel Jirovsky is an international master from the Czech Republic.
Further Reading
● Starting Out: The Trompowsky Attack by Richard Palliser. This is a

more recent book and written by an author I like. The Starting Out
opening books are often very good.


The Two Knights Defense, Center Fork Trick Purchases from our
[C55] ChessCafe.com freely
accessible:
In deciding to present the Center Fork Trick from the Two Knights Defense
this month, I was worried it was too trivial. Reasoning that no strong player
would intentionally play this move order as white, so why study it if you are
likely to beat any opponent that plays into it. I will try to address this in the
column itself. However, while it is conventionally considered advantageous
for Black, it is not always easy to achieve an edge. This month I present a way
to an advantage, or at least a slight pull, for Black in this variation. Please feel
free to weigh in. Any additional insight is welcome.
The
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4
Openings
This is the Italian Game or Giuoco Piano, which means "Quiet Game" in
Explained Italian. ECO C
by Chess Informant
Abby Marshall 3.Nc3 makes playing Bc4 next (without falling into the Fork Trick) difficult if
Black replies 3...Nf6. There is no good way to protect the e-pawn. After 3...
Nf6, White's most challenging moves are 4.Bb5 and 4.d4.
3...Nf6
Translate this page The Two Knights Defense is one of my favorites. See the archived articles for
December 2009, February 2010, and March 2010.
4.Nc3
This is supposed to be a child's mistake, because it allows a simple tactic. Yet,

Attack with the Modern Italian
in my database, there were eighteen games (three were blitz) with both
by Nigel Davies
players 2500+ in this variation. There are 233 games with both players 2200+;
more than 600 games with both players +2000; and double as many games for
players 1600+. And, of course, there are many more games where there is a
rating disparity between the players.
I was surprised by how many players utilize this move order as white. It can
transpose to many other variations, but it gives Black the added possibility of
the fork trick. I think it is safe to assume that most of the players knew about
4...Nxe4 here. Perhaps they think the line is better than its reputation or
simply don't mind simplifying the position. Regardless of intention, strong
players do play this as white, and, as I noted earlier, the way to a black
advantage is not so easy.
Play through and download The Two Knights Defence
the games from 4.d3 If White plans to play Nc3, this is the recommended move order. The e- by Jan Pinski
ChessCafe.com in the pawn is defended and the fork trick fails after Nc3, because ...Nxe4 is met
ChessBase Game Viewer. with dxe4.
4...Nxe4
[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/2n5/4p3/2B1n3/
2N2N2/PPPP1PPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 5"]
This is the Center Fork Trick. Of course, this is not a free piece, because the
fork comes next.
4...Bc5 Some of the 2500+ players playing black opted for this move here. I
can't speak to anyone's motivations, but this position is more complicated than
it seems. 5.0-0 0-0 and play goes on. (5...Nxe4 would be a blunder. 6.Nxe4 d5
7.Nxc5 In fact, whenever the bishop is on c5, the fork trick won't work.)
5.Nxe4
This is the most common response.
5.0-0 This position can also arise after 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.0-0
Nxe4 5.Nc3, and it helps to know what to do since White has a lead in
development. 5...Nxc3 It makes sense to get the knight off the e-file with
tempo. 6.dxc3 Black is up a pawn, but the lack of development and inability
to play ...d5 makes things unclear. 6...h6 This stops Ng5 and is more
combative than alternatives. (6...d6 is a mistake 7.Ng5 Black has no good way
to defend f7.; 6...Be7 is somewhat safer. 7.Qd5 0-0 8.Nxe5 Nxe5 9.Qxe5 Bf6
Probably about even but with few chances for Black to win.) 7.Qd5 Qf6 8.
Re1 There is a lot of pressure from the white pieces, but Black is able to stand
it because White has no center pawns to challenge Black's e- and d-pawns. 8...
d6 9.Bb5 Bd7 10.Nd4 Nd8!
[FEN "r2nkb1r/pppb1pp1/3p1q1p/1B1Qp3/
3N4/2P5/PPP2PPP/R1B1R1K1 w kq - 0 11"]
Everything is covered. The knight is out of danger, the b7-pawn is protected,

and f7-pawn is over-protected. Exchanges will alleviate the pressure. 11.f4
White has to use wing-pawns to attack the center. In doing so, the white king
may become vulnerable. (11.Bxd7+ Kxd7 12.Nf3 c6 13.Qa5 Ne6 There is
little danger to the black king because the center is so strong. Black is up a
pawn.) 11...c6 What follows is a forcing sequence that has been played in a
few games. 12.fxe5 Qe7 Black sets up a pawn on the e-file. 13.e6 fxe6 14.Qh5
+ White gets out of the fork. Nonetheless, Black stands very solidly. 14...Qf7
15.Be2 Be7 16.Rf1 Bf6 White has some compensation for the pawn, though I
would prefer Black.
5.Bxf7+ is tempting and terrible. Of the thirteen games in my database where

both players were 2200+, Black won every single game. 5...Kxf7 6.Nxe4
White's idea is to give back the extra piece in this way so that now Black can't
castle. However, Black has gotten too much in return: the center after ...d5,
the bishop-pair, and the possibility of castling by hand (after the f8-bishop
moves Black plays ...Rf8 and ...Kg8), which makes White's reasoning mute.
6...d5 Black takes over the center with tempo.
[FEN "r1bq1b1r/ppp2kpp/2n5/3pp3/4N3/
5N2/PPPP1PPP/R1BQK2R w KQ - 0 7"]
A) 7.Nfg5+? is a reckless attempt to start an attack. 7...Kg8 Now the e4-

knight cannot even move, because the g5-knight would be undefended. 8.Qf3
This threatens checkmate and makes a vague threat on the d5-pawn. There is
no real danger here for Black. 8...Qe7 9.Qb3 The only way to save the
knights. 9...Qd7 Now Black is no longer attacking the knight on g5. 10.Ng3
Be7 11.Nf3 e4 White might as well be down a piece. The position is a mess
for White. 12.Nxe4 (12.Ng1 Nd4 13.Qc3 Bf6 14...Nf3+ winning the queen is
the threat, and since the queen has no good place to go White has to move the
king. Black is winning.) 12...Qe6 Breaking the pin along the a2-g8 diagonal
and setting up a pin on the e-file, which wins the white knight.
B) 7.Neg5+ disrupts Black's plan to castle by hand. This knight is going to

end up really misplaced, however. 7...Kg8 8.d3 (8.d4 Black could trade on d4
or play 8...e4 9.Ne5 Nxe5, but I would rather bring the pressure to White. 8...
h6 9.Nh3 Bg4 White is tied up. Let's take a look at a short game. 10.dxe5
Nxe5 11.Nf4 c6 12.h3 Bxf3 13.gxf3 Qf6 Clearing the path for the black rook
to come to e8. 14.Be3 Re8 15...d4 is the threat. 15.Kf1 Kh7 16.Rg1 g6 17.c3
Bd6 18.Rg3 Rhf8 19.Kg2 Nc4 20.Rxg6 Rg8 Black is about to win the f4-
knight. And White was a very strong player. 0-1, Novikov,M (2519)-
Afromeev,V (2628)/Tula 2007) 8...h6 9.Nh3 Bg4 10.Be3 Qf6 11.Qe2 White
can't even do this.
B1) 11...e4 12.dxe4 Ne5 This is also very strong. (12...dxe4 13.Qc4+).
B2) 11...Bb4+ 12.c3 Bxc3+! 13.bxc3 e4 The twin threats against the f3-knight
and c3-pawn (forking king and rook) amplify Black's already significant
advantage. 5.Bxf7+ is simply not a good move at all.
5...d5
[FEN "r1bqkb1r/ppp2ppp/2n5/3pp3/2B1N3/
5N2/PPPP1PPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 6"]
The punchline.
6.Bd3
This is the move preferred by 2500+ players. White has actually won quite a
few of these games.
6.Nf6+ is a move that a student once suggested. 6...gxf6! It turns out this is
quite good. 7.Bb5 Rg8 Protecting the pawn is really difficult. 8.g3 creates
huge light-square weaknesses.
6.Bb5 I love to see this move played. 6...dxe4 7.Nxe5 Qg5!
[FEN "r1b1kb1r/ppp2ppp/2n5/1B2N1q1/
4p3/8/PPPP1PPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 8"]
A wicked move. 8.Nxc6 White might as well bail out and not try anything
fancy. (8.d4 Qxg2 9.Rf1 Bd6 10.Nxc6 Bd7 Black is nearly developed and
about to win the piece back with an extra pawn.) 8...Qxb5 9.Nd4 Qg5 Again,
White has problems protecting g2, especially now that the light-squared
bishop is gone. Black is in the driver's seat.
6.Bxd5 is what occurs most often in my games. 6...Qxd5 Black still has a
threat and the center and d-file belong to Black. 7.Nc3 (7.Ng3 The black
queen cannot be allowed to remain in the center. 7...Bg4 8.c3? Trying to
address ...Nd4, but not taking another threat into account. 8...e4 9.h3 exf3 10.
hxg4 fxg2 11.Rg1 Ne5 Painful.; 7.d3 I don't like this move, since it leaves the
white knight open to attack from ...f5, and the black queen remains in the
center. 7...Bg4 8.h3 Bh5 9.Be3 0-0-0
[FEN "2kr1b1r/ppp2ppp/2n5/3qp2b/4N3/
3PBN1P/PPP2PP1/R2QK2R w KQ - 0 10"]
Black gets ready to attack on the kingside starting with ...f5.) 7...Qd8 8.0-0
Bd6 9.d3 It can be easy to drift in this position, so let's see how a strong
player handles it. (9.d4 exd4 10.Nxd4? Nxd4 11.Qxd4 Bxh2+) 9...0-0
A) 10.Be3 I have faced this logical move before. 10...f5 (10...Bg4 is good too.
11.h3 Bh5 12.Qe2 f5) 11.Qe2 Qf6 Since...f4 gives White the e4-square, Black
aims to push ...e4 instead. Black has a persistent initiative. White is too
cramped to do much.
B) 10.Ne4 An attempt at activity. 10...Be7! There is no reason to give up the

bishop-pair. White is about to get kicked with ...f5, so the loss of tempo is no
big deal. 11.Re1 f5 We will take a look at this in the first illustrative game.
6...dxe4 7.Bxe4
This makes sense as the main line for White, although 5.0-0 is not a bad
alternative. White keeps the light-squared bishop and retains pressure on the e-
pawn. White has actually won many games in this line.
7...Bd6
Protecting the e-pawn in case of a future Bxc6. The e-pawn can be a source of
weakness for Black since it is on the open e-file. On the other hand, it does do
useful things, like control the center and restrict White.
7...Ne7 A slick move that threatens 8...f5, winning a piece after the bishop
retreats to d3 and ...e4. 8.c3 (8.Nxe5 Qd4) 8...f5 9.Bc2 Ng6 And I am not so
sure Black has an advantage. I like these kinds of positions for Black, but that
is just my preference.
8.0-0
White takes a safety first approach before doing anything else.
8.d4 is the other main option. I don't mind this as black, because I get the
bishop-pair and have a similar advantage to the other positions. 8...exd4 9.
Bxc6+ This has to be done; otherwise, there are tricks with discovered check
after White castles. (For example, 9.Nxd4 Nxd4 10.Qxd4 0-0 11.0-0?? Bxh2
+) 9...bxc6 10.Qxd4 White trades the bishop-pair for a better pawn structure.
We are still in the middlegame, so I would prefer having the bishops. 10...0-0
11.Be3 Be6 12.0-0 Bd5 This is a game played by grandmaster Michael
Adams. 13.Ng5 f5 14.Nh3 Re8 15.Bg5 Qb8 16.Rfe1 Qb6 17.Qxb6 cxb6 18.
Bf4 Bc5 19.Be3 Bd6 20.Bf4 Bf8 Notice that Adams does not want a bishop
trade, since having the bishop-pair is better than having a knight against a
bishop in most cases. 21.Rxe8 Rxe8 22.Be3 h6 23.Nf4 Bf7 24.Nd3 c5 25.Kf1
g5 26.Bd2 Bg7 27.Bc3 Bxc3 Here he does trade, but in return White weakens
the pawns. 28.bxc3 Black is much better here, because the white knight has
few places to go and Black has a healthier pawn structure.
[FEN "4r1k1/p4b2/1p5p/2p2pp1/8/
2PN4/P1P2PPP/R4K2 b - - 0 28"]
28...Re4 29.a4 a5 30.f3 Re6 31.Nb2 Re3 32.Ra3 f4 33.Kf2 Kg7 34.Nd1 Re7
35.Nb2 Rd7 36.Ke2 Kf6 37.c4 Rd6 38.c3 h5 39.Ra1 g4 40.Re1 Re6+ 41.Kd2
Rxe1 42.Kxe1 Kg5 43.Kf2 Be8 44.Kf1 Bd7 45.Ke2 h4 46.Kf2 g3+ 47.Kg1 h3
48.gxh3 Bxh3 49.Kh1 Bf1 50.Kg1 Be2 51.Kg2 gxh2 52.Kxh2 Bxf3 53.Kg1
Be4 54.Kf2 Kg4 55.Ke2 Kg3 56.Kd2 f3 57.Nd1 f2 58.Ne3 Kf3 59.Nf1 Bc6
An instructive game where Black showed the strength of the bishops and, in
the end, the strength of the bishop over the knight when pawns are on both
sides of the board. 0-1, Koch,J (2507)-Adams,M (2746)/France 2001.
8...0-0
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp2ppp/2nb4/4p3/4B3/
5N2/PPPP1PPP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 9"]
We should do the same. Black is going to use the space advantage given by
the e-pawn and attack on the kingside. White has several moves here that tend
to transpose.
9.Re1
Setting sites on the e-pawn.
9.c3 The main difference between the other positions we have looked at is
White maintains the light-squared bishop. I don't think White is in a rush to
play d4, because that would remove the e-pawn as a possible target. 9...Bg4
(9...Ne7 10.d4 Since Black is obviously trying to play on the kingside with ...
f5 and ...Ng6, the strike in the center makes sense. I would prefer to develop
all my pieces before engaging in maneuvers like this.) 10.h3 White tests to see
were the bishop is going. 10...Bh5 11.d3 f5 (11...Ne7 is not the greatest. 12.
Bxh7+! Kxh7 13.Ng5+ When the Black knight was on c6, this would not
have worked, because here Black could have played ...Qxg5! and Black
would be up two pieces with both queens attacked. 13...Kg6 14.g4; 11...Bg6
has also been played, but I like the other move better since it creates
imbalances.) 12.Bd5+ Kh8 13.Re1 Ne7 This is starting to look like the
position we want. White's light-squared bishop looks awkward, the f- and e-
pawns are mobilized, and Black's pieces are migrating to the kingside. I think
Black has a small plus here.
9.h3 We will look at this move in the second illustrative game. I am betting
you will see it if this variation arises.
9...Bg4
I think this is good here, too.
9...f5?! is premature. 10.Bxc6 bxc6 11.Nxe5 Re8 12.d4 Bxe5 13.dxe5 Qxd1
14.Rxd1 Rxe5 15.Bf4 This is not good for Black, since the pawns are easy
targets and White's bishop is more active than the black bishop.
10.h3 Bh5 11.c3
This is nearly identical to the position we just looked at with 9.c3, except the
white rook is on e1.
11...f5
[FEN "r2q1rk1/ppp3pp/2nb4/4pp1b/4B3/
2P2N1P/PP1P1PP1/R1BQR1K1 w - - 0 12"]
I believe in this position for Black. It turns out that the white light-squared
bishop is in the way much of the time.
11...Bg6 is not good, though many black players have played it. Maybe they
consider ...f5 too weakening and are scared of queen checks on b3. I think the
pin on the f3-knight is extremely annoying and I see no good use for the e4-
bishop, so I would leave these pieces be.
12.Bd5+
Or else 12...e4.
12.Qb3+?! Bf7 Otherwise White could take on c6, and then on e5, since the
pin on the f3-knight is broken. 13.Bd5 Na5 14.Bxf7+ Rxf7 15.Qd5 e4 16.Ne5
Bxe5 17.Qxe5 Nc6 The position has simplified, but Black is now much better.
In contrast to the positions we have seen where the bishops dominate, here the
black knight dominates the white bishop. Moving the d-pawn is difficult and
the knight has the great square d3.
12...Kh8 13.d3
White has to be stop ...e4, and the bishop needs development.
13...Ne7
The maneuver ...Ng6 to h4 is a scary threat.
14.Bg5
Stopping some threats for the moment, but does White really want to trade a
bishop for a knight.
14...c6
Black kicks the bishop, so it will not control e4.
15.Bc4 Qe8
[FEN "r3qr1k/pp2n1pp/2pb4/4ppBb/2B5/
2PP1N1P/PP3PP1/R2QR1K1 w - - 0 16"]
Sooner or later White will be faced with uncomfortable choices. Give up the
bishop-pair to soften Black's initiative? Spend time unraveling to gain space?
Go after Black on the queenside and hope for the best on the kingside? The
more I look at this position the more I like Black.
Roemling, Sven (2199) – Karpatchev, Aleksandr (2380)

Leipzig VfB op 08th Leipzig (2), 21.02.2001
In this first game we are going to see Black use the center and bishop-pair to
convert these two small advantages to bigger ones in space and strong
outposts, culminating with an attack on the kingside and center.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Nxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Bxd5 Qxd5 7.Nc3
Qd8 8.0-0 Bd6 9.d3 0-0 10.Ne4 Be7 11.Re1 f5
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp1b1pp/2n5/4pp2/4N3/
3P1N2/PPP2PPP/R1BQR1K1 w - - 0 12"]
This is where we stopped in the theory section.
12.Ned2 Bf6
I actually prefer ...Bd6, both in this position and more generally. White can
play Nc4 and trade the knight for the bishop, but that makes my center even
stronger. The black queen can go to f6 and Black is aimed at the kingside. In
the game, Black goes for a more positional approach, trading the light-squared
bishop for the knight, and this works out well too.
13.Qe2 Be6 14.c3
This move creates a weakness on d3 that really hurts White later on.
14.Nf1 is nothing to boast about, but at least it doesn't create any more
weaknesses. Black can keep developing or push the kingside g- and h-pawns.
14...Bf7
Looking at the h5-square and clearing the e-file.
15.h3
My impression is that White isn't sure what to do. White is cramped and has
no outposts for the knights.
15...Qd6
15...Qd5 looks even better. 16.Nc4 runs into 16...e4. And ...Bh5 is given more
power since the queen is attacking f3 too.
16.Nc4
This move leads to new difficulties, but it is hard to recommend anything

better.
16...Bxc4
As hard as giving up the light-squared bishop is, now ...e4 becomes very
strong.
17.dxc4
This pawn was weak on d3 and is now weak on c4.
17...e4
Black gains more space and opens the e5-square for the knight.
18.Nh2
White wants to keep the diagonal open for the c1-bishop and plans to bring
the knight to f1-g3/e3.
18...Qe6
Eying the c4-pawn and preparing ...Ne5.
18...Ne5 gives up the good knight after 19.Bf4.
19.Bf4
White tries to trade off pieces to stymie Black's initiative.
19...Be5
Black gets control of the e5-square. Trading pieces when you have a space
advantage is against the traditional axiom that says you shouldn't trade, but
often it is a way to convert another advantage. Such as here, Black brings the
knight to e5.
20.Bxe5
This is still White's best option to try to hold on.
20...Nxe5
[FEN "r4rk1/ppp3pp/4q3/4np2/2P1p3/
2P4P/PP2QPPN/R3R1K1 w - - 0 21"]
Despite the simplification, Black retains attacking chances and can also
capitalize on positional advantages like the d3-square.
21.b3
21.f3 This was my first thought for White, but it doesn't work well. 21...Qb6+
(21...Nd3? 22.Qxd3 Qb6+ 23.Qe3) 22.Kh1 Nd3.
21...Rae8
Bringing every piece into the game.
22.Rad1
Bringing the other rook there is better since future threats of ...Nf3 won't fork
king and rook. Now White ends up even more cramped than before.
22.Nf1 The knight can't afford to move just yet, since it is protecting the f3-
square; for example, 22...Qg6 23.Qe3 Nf3+.
22...Nd3
Now f4 is a juicy square.
23.Rf1
23.Rxd3 The tactic does not work. 23...exd3 24.Qxe6+ Rxe6 25.Rxe6 d2.
23...Rd8
A good, careful move. White can sacrifice the rook for the knight, but at least
it will not be a rook for a knight and a pawn.
23...Qg6 is hasty. White is threatening nothing, so there is no reason to rush.

24.Rxd3 exd3 25.Qxd3 Black is of course still winning, but White can put up
more resistance.
24.Kh1
Anticipating the onslaught.
24...Qg6
25...Nf4 is the threat.
25.g3
This prevents ...Nf4, but cannot stop ...f4.
25.Rg1 f4 26.Ng4 h5 27.Nh2 Rfe8 and ...e3 is coming.
25...f4! 26.g4
Keeping the g-file closed at all costs.
26.gxf4 Nxf4 27.Qg4 Rxd1 28.Rxd1 Qh6 and the h-pawn is gone next.; 26.
Rg1 e3.
26...Qb6
Going for tactics on f2. 26...Rfe8 and ...e3 is also good enough for the win.
27.Kg1
Otherwise, Black could play ...Nxf2+ and pick up the rook on d1.
27.b4 Nxf2+ 28.Qxf2 Qxf2 29.Rxf2 Rxd1+.
27...f3
I like the plan with ...e3 better, but nonetheless.
28.Qxe4
28.Qe3 is more resistive. 28...Qe6 and a rook lift to h6 will end up winning.
28...Nxf2
The winning move.
29.Rxf2
29.Rxd8 Nxh3+ 30.Kh1 Qg1+ 31.Rxg1 Nf2#.
29...Rxd1+
After winning the exchange and destroying the king's cover, Black cruises to
victory.
30.Nf1 Rdd8 31.Qc2 Rde8 32.Ng3 Re1+ 33.Kh2
[FEN "5rk1/ppp3pp/1q6/8/2P3P1/
1PP2pNP/P1Q2R1K/4r3 b - - 0 33"]
33...Re2! 0-1
A nice interference move to end the game. If 34.Nxe2 Qxf2+.
Malla, Kesav – Thipsay, Praveen Mahadeo (2446)

Asian zt 3.2 New Delhi (8), 14.08.2009
A game that shows thematic ideas and the tension between being patient and
being direct.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bc4 Nxe4 5.Nxe4 d5 6.Bd3 dxe4 7.Bxe4 Bd6
8.0-0 0-0 9.h3
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp2ppp/2nb4/4p3/4B3/
5N1P/PPPP1PP1/R1BQ1RK1 b - - 0 9"]
This is where we left off. The idea behind this move is, of course, to stop ...
Bg4. However it creates a possible target on h3.
9...Ne7
Whenever we make this move we always have to consider d4. Since White's
last move did not contribute to the center, this move is pretty good.
10.c3
Similar territory as before, but there is no pin on the f3-knight.
10.d4 is the critical alternative. 10...f5 Otherwise taking the knight out of the
center would look silly, since one of the points was to attack the bishop and
not let it exchange itself for the knight on c6. 11.Bd3 e4 12.Bc4+ Kh8 13.Ne5
White gets out of the fork and steers the game out of the middlegame into the
endgame. 13...Bxe5 14.dxe5 Ng6 15.Qxd8 Rxd8 16.Bb3 Re8 Patience as
always. The e-pawn is a weakness and Black can play ...Be6 to get rid of the
bad bishop. (16...Nxe5 17.Bf4 Re8 18.Rad1 Now White is the one who is
active.)
10...f5
This has always been the idea.
11.Bc2
White retreats.
11...Kh8
A prophylactic move, though Black may be able to be more direct.
11...Ng6? The timing is wrong. 12.d4 Making sure the knight can go to g5
safely, now that the bishop on c1 is guarding the g5-square. 12...e4 (12...h6 is
necessary, but the position is not what Black wants after White plays 13.dxe5)
13.Bb3+ Kh8 14.Ng5 Qe8 15.Nxh7! Because of the knight on g6, the black
queen is not defending the h5-square. The white queen will swoop to h5 next
move.
11...e4 is more to the point. 12.Bb3+ Kh8 13.Ng5 Qe8 The knight on g5, one
of the few defenders on the kingside, is trapped and about to be exchanged,
and White has yet to develop the queenside.
12.d3
This is a typical position for this variation.
12...Ng6 13.Bg5
This is disruptive for the moment and will take Black a few moves to get
organized. This is why 11...Kh8 was fine but slow.
13...Qe8 14.Re1 h6 15.Bd2 Qf7 16.Bb3
I don't like the bishop here.
16.h4!? Qf6 17.h5 Nh4 18.Qe2 Nxf3+ (18...f4 19.d4; 18...Bd7 19.Nxe5) 19.
Qxf3 The h-pawn could become a weakness, though at Black's typical attack
will be harder to carry out.
16...Qf6
[FEN "r1b2r1k/ppp3p1/3b1qnp/4pp2/8/
1BPP1N1P/PP1B1PP1/R2QR1K1 w - - 0 17"]
17.Re2
The rook is very awkward.
17.Bd5 c6 18.Bc4 and perhaps White can poke around on the queenside.
17...Bd7 18.Qe1?
This is a turning point: White does not keep an eye on d3 and f3 – targets of
the black light-squared bishop.
18...Bb5
18...Bc6 may be even stronger. White can defend against the threats, but can
hardly improve the position. 19.Re3 Rad8.
19.c4
This creates more weaknesses and makes the white light-squared bishop even
worse. 19.Bc2 had to be played.
19...Bc6 20.Nh2 f4
This is not patient enough, since it takes away squares from the black pieces.
20...Bc5 Every piece is becoming active. White can try to trade pieces, but it
does little good. 21.Be3 Bxe3 22.fxe3 Qg5 The black knight will become a
monster.
21.f3 h5
Of course, now every white piece is severely constrained. The point of the last
move was to take away the g4-square from the knight.
22.Bb4
The best White can do, but look at those dark squares.
22...Bxb4 23.Qxb4 Rfd8 24.Qc3 Rd4 25.Rd1 Bd7 26.Qe1 Bf5 27.Bc2 Rad8
[FEN "3r3k/ppp3p1/5qn1/4pb1p/2Pr1p2/
3P1P1P/PPB1R1PN/3RQ1K1 w - - 0 28"]
The other weakness means that Black doesn't even need a kingside attack.
28.Red2 Ne7 29.Kh1 Nc6 30.a3 R4d6 31.Bb1 Nd4 32.Ba2 c5 33.Qf2 R8d7
34.Re1
34.Nf1 should be played to protect some of the dark squares. Anyhow, White
does not have long to live.
34...b6 35.b4 Bg6 36.b5 Nf5 37.Red1 Ng3+ 38.Kg1 Rxd3 39.Rxd3 Rxd3 40.
Rxd3 Bxd3 0-1
A good performance by Black though there were improvements at certain

moments.
Lessons Learned
● Black always gets the center and space in this line, which makes it very
appealing. This line is worthy of consideration since it is played by
some strong players and it is possible to be too hasty (early...f5) in
some of these positions.
● The best is when White gives up the light-squared bishop rather than
the knight. The two black bishops amplify the space advantage and
attacking chances, as we have seen.
● When White plays the main line, the game plan is ...Bg4, ...Ng6, and ...
f5, probably in that order but not necessarily. White has problems
generating play, so Black can afford to be patient and move everything
to the kingside before beginning major operations.
Practitioners
It is hard to speak of practitioners, so I'll limit myself to the black players in

the two illustrative games.
● Aleksandr Karpatchev is a Russian grandmaster who is a very active

player and has played in many open tournaments.
● Praveen Thipsay is an Indian grandmaster who was featured in an
article on Chessbase in 2007 for winning the All India Open Chess
Tournament.
Further Reading
● You may find mention of this in a book on the Italian, but I don't know
how extensive the treatment would be.


The Closed Sicilian [B26] Purchases from our
At the request of a reader, I am covering an Anti-Sicilian System for White
accessible:
this month. It was tempting to suggest the Smith-Morra, but Black has too
many ways to equalize or even get an advantage. I chose the Closed Sicilian,
since it is something I have been interested in for a while. The theory on this
opening is enormous, so I will limit my focus to one key variation while also
mentioning Black's other choices.
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3
The This move, with the intention to play 3.g3, is known as the Closed Sicilian. It
is an attractive line because of its reliability and simplicity, and you do not
Openings have to lock yourself in the basement with piles of books to learn the theory,
as you have to do with the Open Sicilian.
Explained ECO B
2...Nc6 by Chess Informant
Abby Marshall 2...e6 is the other main alternative. It is not as combative as 2...Nc6. 2...e6 and
moves such as 2...a6 or 2...b6 can be met with the same scheme of
development 3.g3 and 4.Bg2, which pressures the black queenside, which can
become weak after these pawn moves.
Translate this page 3.g3
3.Nf3, followed by 4.d4, transposes to the Open Sicilian.
3.f4 is the Grand Prix Attack. I also considered covering this system, but it is
very popular. I do not like to go along with trendy lines since everyone knows
them and they are often overrated. The Closed Sicilian
by Nigel Davies
3...g6
Black plans a set-up that makes the f8-bishop active and utilizes it as a
protector of the black king.
3...d6 is playable (if Black is not planning to play ...g6), and is likely to be the
choice of a Dragon or Najdorf player. 4.Bg2 Nf6 5.d3 e6 6.f4
Play through and download Experts on the Anti-Sicilian

the games from by Jacob Aagaard
ChessCafe.com in the & John Shaw
[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pp3ppp/2nppn2/2p5/4PP2/
2NP2P1/PPP3BP/R1BQK1NR b KQkq - 0 6"]
The nice thing about this opening is that the plan rarely changes: after
developing, White begins pushing the kingside pawns.
4.Bg2
This move and the next secure White's stake in the center and prepares
operations on the kingside.
4...Bg7
This bishop will also help with Black's queenside operations.
5.d3
Simple development.
5...d6
Black relies on the same logic.
6.Be3
[FEN "r1bqk1nr/pp2ppbp/2np2p1/2p5/4P3/
2NPB1P1/PPP2PBP/R2QK1NR b KQkq - 0 6"]
This is the starting point of the modern lines and the move we will focus on.
6...Rb8
This is only one of several major and minor lines. Black gets the ball rolling
on the queenside as fast as possible. White should be equally as aggressive,
though whether that is on the kingside or in the center is debatable and we
will see a few examples.
6...e5 is the most direct approach to White's plans to play f4. White can still
play f4, though there are other plans. 7.Qd2 Nge7 8.Bh6 0-0 9.h4 is dangerous
for Black.
6...e6 7.Qd2 Nd4 8.Nge2 White can then play f4 as normal. This is another
very complicated line.
6...Nf6 White should stop 7...Ng4 by playing a move that White usually plays
anyway. 7.h3 0-0 8.Qd2 f4, and Nf3 or Nge2 will follow.
6...Bd7 One of the more minor lines. 7.f4 and the usual plan.
7.Qd2
White is not planning to castle queenside. This move prepares a future Bh6
and Nd1 in order to play c3 and contest the d4-square.
7...b5
This will be played eventually, so the alternatives mostly transpose.
8.f4
I like this, since it is aggressive right away and is more offbeat than 8.Nge2.
White simply wants to expand on the kingside.
8...b4
At the cost of neglecting kingside development, Black has mobilized faster on
the queenside than White on the queenside.
8...Nd4 Besides this move, the alternatives will likely transpose to the main
line. The game I am following shows Black trying to block White's plans
directly and putting the queenside on the back-burner for the moment. 9.Nd1
Not the only move, but the one I like best, since it plans c3 before Nge2,
exchanging less pieces. 9...e5 Black takes it straight to White. 10.c3 exf4
Black is really tearing the position open, though it is unclear as to who will
benefit since Black is active and White has the center. 11.gxf4 Nc6 12.Ne2
Nge7 13.d4 cxd4 14.Nxd4 (14.cxd4 d5 Now White's pieces look very passive.
White can't allow Black to break up the center like this.) 14...Na5 15.b3 0-0
16.0-0 White will play 17.f5 next. 16...f5 would be terribly weakening for
Black and unleash the white bishop on g2.
9.Nd1
[FEN "1rbqk1nr/p3ppbp/2np2p1/2p5/1p2PP2/
3PB1P1/PPPQ2BP/R2NK1NR b KQk - 0 9"]
Here is the true starting point of the column where we will look at the
variations in some detail.
9...e6
Black should play this sooner rather than later as we will see in the
alternatives.
9...Qb6 This is one of three main moves people play. Black continues to delay
kingside development in order to cash in on the queenside and protect two
potential weak spots: the knight on c6 and the pawn on c5 if White plays e5.
10.Nf3 10.Nge2 is also possible and in the main line Closed Sicilian the
knight goes to that square. In this line with an early f4, I like playing the
knight to f3 simply because it controls the center. 10...Nh6 Black
understandably wants to keep ...f5 as an option.
[FEN "1rb1k2r/p3ppbp/1qnp2pn/2p5/1p2PP2/
3PBNP1/PPPQ2BP/R2NK2R w KQk - 0 11"]
A) 11.a3 An alternative played by a very strong player. White eschews

playing c3 and possibly d4 for now and instead opens the a-file. 11...a5 (11...
b3 12.c3 Ng4 13.0-0 I dislike giving up the dark-squared bishop though at
least White gets control of the c4/d5 squares.) 12.axb4 axb4 13.h3 f5 14.0-0 0-
0 15.Bf2 e6 I'm surprised by this move, which seems more weakening than
solidifying. The d6-pawn becomes vulnerable, and is Black really going to
take back on f5 with the e-pawn? 16.Ne3 Nf7 17.Nc4 Qc7 18.Rfe1 I just think
White is better here. 18...Rd8 19.exf5 exf5 20.c3 bxc3 21.bxc3 We are
following the game Short,N (2674)-Kramnik,V (2754)/Wijk aan Zee 2005/
CBM 105 (34). The game was eventually drawn.
B) 11.h3 This will be the focus of the first illustrative game.
9...Bd7 This move defends the c6-knight and develops the bishop a square, so
it makes sense, though it isn't too inspiring at the moment. 10.Nf3 (10.Ne2
Again this is an option, but I want to go with the more centralized square. 10...
f5?! Before the g8-knight is out this looks premature. 11.e5 dxe5 12.Bxc5
White is starting to become very active and Black cannot hold the center.) 10...
Nd4 Obviously not forced, but this move comes up in other variations so we
should consider it. This knight isn't doing much and Black gets to trade it off
for the knight on f3. 11.0-0 e6 I am not impressed with this move in this
situation either. 12.e5! Nxf3+ 13.Bxf3 The problem for Black is that 13...d5 is
impossible because of the hanging c-pawn. 13...Qb6 14.d4 Ne7 15.dxc5 dxc5
16.Nf2
[FEN "1r2k2r/p2bnpbp/1q2p1p1/2p1P3/
1p3P2/4BBP1/PPPQ1N1P/R4RK1 b k - 0 16"]
Black is left with terrible weaknesses. 16...Bc6 17.Ne4 Bxe4 18.Bxe4 Nf5 19.
Bxf5 gxf5 20.Qf2 Bf8 21.a3 a5 22.axb4 axb4 23.b3 Be7 24.Rfd1 The game
went on for a while but White has an indisputable advantage in terms of
active pieces and Black's weak queenside pawns.
9...Bg4 This is an overt attempt to trade pieces and one of the main
alternatives to the three most popular moves. 10.Nf3 (10.h3? Bxd1 11.Rxd1
Bxb2) 10...Nd4 11.0-0 Nxf3+ 12.Bxf3 Bxf3 13.Rxf3 Nf6 Black has gotten
what Black wanted. In light of the knight on d1, Black has the better-placed
pieces. The queenside is awfully extended with both of the queenside minor
pieces gone however. 14.h3 Qa5 15.Nf2 White gradually builds up pieces on
the kingside and attacks Black anyway. 15...0-0 16.a3 Nd7 17.Rb1 Qa4 18.
axb4 cxb4 19.b3 Qa2 20.Rc1 Rfc8 21.d4 a5 22.f5 Rc3 23.Nd1 Rc7 24.Rf2 a4
25.bxa4 Qxa4 26.fxg6 hxg6 27.Bh6 Rbc8 28.Bxg7 Kxg7 29.Ne3 Nf6 30.Rcf1
Qb5 31.Ng4 Qh5 32.e5 Nxg4 33.hxg4 Qxg4 34.Rxf7+ Kg8 35.Qh6 Qxd4+ 36.
Kh2 Until the very end the game was of course not a foregone conclusion. It
does demonstrate White's attacking potential even without the bishop on g2
and knight on f3, and the black player is no slouch. 1-0, Krapivin,A (2466)-
Kunin,V (2494)/Moscow 2006.
10.Nf3
This is the move I am advocating.
On 10.e5, since the queen has stayed on d8, the d-pawn is defended and Black
can just keep developing. 10...Nge7 11.Nf3.
10...Nge7
This is one of the last pieces that needs to be developed. ...Qb6 and ...Bd7 will
likely transpose to previous lines.
10...Nd4 11.Nh4!? A radical way to avoid trades. Both white knights are on
bad squares, though White is able to use the h4-knight as an asset on its new
square. (11.0-0 is fine.) 11...Ne7 12.0-0 f5 13.c3 bxc3 14.bxc3 Ndc6 15.Rc1
Qa5 16.g4 (16.h3 I prefer this preparatory move.) 16...Bf6 (16...fxg4 17.f5 I
guess this was the plan. White is conceding a lot of squares here, not to
mention the pawn deficit.) 17.Bf2 0-0 18.Ne3 fxg4 19.Nxg4 Bg7 20.Bg3 e5
21.f5 gxf5? Black really begs White to become active if this move is played.
22.Nxf5 Nxf5 23.exf5 Bxf5 24.Nh6+ Bxh6 25.Qxh6 Qc7 26.Bd5+ 1-0,
Kovalevskaya,E (2451)-Roessler,U (2221)/Dresden 2004.
No one plays 10...Nf6, because it blocks the f-pawn and the g7-bishop.
11.0-0
White plays according to the schema and we are slowly transitioning to the
middlegame.
11...0-0
Black is well-equipped defensively on the kingside, so delaying castling

makes little sense.
12.c3
This move controls the d4-square, prepares the knight to move from d1, and
puts some pressure on the black queenside pawn chain.
12.d4 is another alternative, though I prefer the slow build up. 12...d5 13.e5
c4 14.Bf2 Qa5 15.c3 Bd7 16.g4 f5 This move seems to give White targets. I
am guessing Black wanted to prevent White from playing f5, but the cure may
be worse than the disease. 17.exf6 Bxf6 18.Ne5 Qc7 19.Ne3 bxc3 20.bxc3
Bg7 21.Nxd7 Qxd7 22.Bg3 And just like that White has more activity, more
targets, and more play. 22...Rb5 23.Rae1 Nd8 24.Re2 Nf7 25.Qe1 There was
plenty of more maneuvering in Hjartarson,J (2570)-Antunes,A (2530)/Clichy
1995. This game ended in a draw, though I would have preferred White.
12...Qa5
Black begins serious operations on the queenside.
13.h3
[FEN "1rb2rk1/p3npbp/2npp1p1/q1p5/
1p2PP2/2PPBNPP/PP1Q2B1/R2N1RK1 b - - 0 13"]
White also prepares the kingside for attack. We will look at this in the second
illustrative game.
Krapivin, A (2478) – Rozhkov, Ve (2275)

ch-RSSU Moscow RUS (2), 02.12.2010
Black could have defended better in this game; nonetheless, it is instructive to

see Krapivin pivot well between the center and the queenside to quickly put
Black away.
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 Rb8 6.Be3 d6 7.Qd2 b5 8.f4 b4 9.
Nd1 Qb6 10.Nf3 Nh6 11.h3
[FEN "1rb1k2r/p3ppbp/1qnp2pn/2p5/1p2PP2/
3PBNPP/PPPQ2B1/R2NK2R b KQk - 0 11"]
White has just stopped ...Ng4, which would be annoying to our bishop on e3,
and this move also supports a possible g4.
11...f5
Black works to stop White's f5 and control g4.
11...0-0 is a mistake. 12.f5! and the knight on h6 is lost.
12.0-0 0-0 13.c3
So far we have seen nothing particularly new. I like holding the tension
between the e4- and f5-pawns for as long as possible, since it restricts the
knight on h6 and Black has to worry about this on every move. I guess White
also has to think about the exchange too, but there is more at stake for Black.
13...bxc3 14.bxc3
Both sides have finished development and the first critical moment has arose.
14...Nf7
This looks inaccurate. Black should focus on getting the rest of the pieces out.
The knight is restricted on h6, yet moving it creates more discord.
14...Bd7 15.Rc1 I like this move since once the knight on d1 moves, White is
vulnerable to the black queen moving in on b2. With the rook here, White can
play Rc2 to rebuff the black queen. 15...Qa6 16.Bf2 And we have an
interesting fight.
[FEN "1r3rk1/p2bp1bp/q1np2pn/2p2p2/4PP2/
2PP1NPP/P2Q1BB1/2RN1RK1 b - - 0 16"]
15.exf5
Since the position has changed with the black knight on f7, exchanging pawns
here now makes more sense. Black cannot capture on f5 with a knight, which
would have been strong.
15...gxf5
Black faced a difficult choice between ceding control of g4 or opening up the
kingside. However, taking back with the bishop would have been better: 15...
Bxf5 16.g4 Be6 17.Nh4 White is starting to pick up momentum though Black
is very solid on the kingside with the rook, two bishops, and knight defending
the king.
16.d4
[FEN "1rb2rk1/p3pnbp/1qnp4/2p2p2/3P1P2/
2P1BNPP/P2Q2B1/R2N1RK1 b - - 0 16"]
This is a tough move to make since it is committal. Black's knight on f7 and

bishop on c8 are not active and Black has several weak points on the kingside
as well as d5/e6, so White decides to open the center.
16.Rc1 is also an important move to consider. It is a useful move anyway and

keeps Black in the dark about our plans. 16...Bd7 (16...Ba6 Now f5 lacks a
defender.) 17.Bf2 I give White an edge since the knight is coming to e3 and
c4 or d5. The slow improvement of position is hard for the other side to
handle, since there are no immediate problems to think about. It becomes easy
to drift.
16...Ba6
We start to see a problem as soon as Black shifts pieces to the queenside. At

least on c8 the bishop was controlling e6 and f5.
17.Re1
The rook wants to go here anyway, since the fight has shifted to the center.
17...cxd4
Unfortunately for Black, this is necessary to relieve some of the pressure. In

return White gets more activity.
17...Rfd8 Natural moves are not so good anymore. 18.d5 Na5 19.Qc2 The f5
pawn is a real burden.
17...e5 This makes the knight on f7 good for something, but is too weakening.
18.dxe5 dxe5 19.Qf2 Rfe8 20.Bxc5 Black has play of course, but White holds
all the cards.
18.cxd4
18.Nxd4 This is also pretty good. 18...Nxd4 19.Bxd4 Bxd4+ 20.cxd4 Where
did the black targets go? White has gotten rid of pawn weaknesses on the
queenside and the blocked bishop on e3.
18...Na5?
The first real mistake. The knight had been protecting the e-pawn.
19.Bf2
Another Black pawn finds itself in trouble on e7.

19...Qd8
The active black queen was one of Black's biggest trumps, so this move can't
be right.
Even after 19...Bf6 20.Ne3 Black has gone astray and has little to play for.
20.Rc1 d5
This gives up the e5-square while trying to get play on c4.
20...Nc4 21.Qe2 White threatens both the e7-pawn and winning two pieces
for a rook.
21.Nc3 Qd6 22.Ne5
22.Nxd5 This is a nice tactic. If Black captures the knight, then 23.Rc5 wins
the piece back. 22...Nc4 23.Nxe7+ White wins.
22...Nc4 23.Qe2
The discovered attack from the a6-bishop to the white queen is no threat and
White looks to the h5-square.
23...Ncxe5
This only makes things worse.
24.dxe5 Qa3 25.Qe3
[FEN "1r3rk1/p3pnbp/b7/3pPp2/5P2/
q1N1Q1PP/P4BB1/2R1R1K1 b - - 0 25"]
The strategy has become to grab material.
25...e6 26.Nxd5
Making use of the discovered attack on the black queen.
26...Qxa2
26...Qxe3 27.Nxe3 Saves the piece and White is a pawn ahead.
27.Ra1 Qc4 28.Ne7+ Kh8 29.Nxf5 1-0
30.Bf1 picking up the bishop on a6 is next. The pawn on a7 will also fall,
leaving Black down three pawns. Black did not put up the best resistance, but
it was still a hard fought game.
Krapivin, Alexander (2502) – Umansky, Vladimir (2320)

Moscow Region-ch op Moscow (7), 03.08.2009
This second game is not a bitter battle to the very end either. It does, however,
showcase the effect of White's kingside pressure.
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 Rb8 6.Be3 d6 7.Qd2 b5 8.f4 b4 9.
Nd1 e6 10.Nf3 Nge7 11.0-0 0-0 12.c3 Qa5 13.h3
We left off at this important move.
13...d5 14.e5
Right away the battle lines have been drawn
14...bxc3 15.bxc3 Ba6 16.Bf2 Rfd8
This is not correct. I would be more worried about Black doubling rooks on
the b-file: 16...Rb7 17.Ne3 Rfb8 18.c4 White does not have to go after the
black king and can instead try to take advantage of the vulnerable Black
queenside pawns.
17.g4
The situation is complicated, though I see more ideas for White than for
Black, as we will see.
17...d4
This helps White more than Black. White does not necessarily have to avoid
trading queens, since Black is uncoordinated and the pawns on c5 and d6 are
weak. I still like the plan with 17...Rb7.
18.c4! Qa3
18...Qxd2 19.Nxd2
[FEN "1r1r2k1/p3npbp/b1n1p1p1/2p1P3/
2Pp1PP1/3P3P/P2N1BB1/R2N1RK1 b - - 0 19"]
White's position looks pretty good.
19.Bh4 Rd7 20.Ng5
The knight is doing a good job on d1 keeping the rook out of b2, so the other
knight heads to e4.
20...Nb4 21.Nf2 Bb7 22.Bxb7
22.Nge4 is even better, since now the black rook is blocked on the b-file.
22...Rdxb7 23.Nge4 Nbc6 24.Nd1?
Black has no serious threats.
24.Nf6+ White can move ahead right away. 24...Kh8 25.N2e4 Rb2 26.Qd1.
[FEN "1r5k/p3npbp/2n1pNp1/2p1P3/
2PpNPPB/q2P3P/Pr6/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 26"]
24...Rb1 25.Rxb1 Rxb1
Now it is just even.
26.Qe2 Ra1?
Black underestimates White's firepower.
Let's say Black makes a relatively neutral move: 26...a5 27.Qf3 Rb8 28.Nf6+
Kh8 29.Nf2 Qxa2 30.N2e4 White has to make sure all this pressure works
out, otherwise the outside passed pawn on the a-file will hurt. With he black
queen shut out on the queenside, and the all the white pieces bearing down on
the king, gives White a good shot at winning.
27.Qf3 Qa6
Black prepares to go to c8 to block the queen on a8, but abandons the pressure
on a2.
27...Rxa2 is impossible. 28.Bxe7 Nxe7 29.Nf6+ White is coming in on a8

with the queen.
27...Nc8 Something like this might be necessary, but depressing.
28.Nxc5 Qc8
[FEN "2q3k1/p3npbp/2n1p1p1/2N1P3/
2Pp1PPB/3P1Q1P/P7/r2N1RK1 w - - 0 29"]
29.Qg2 Bf8 30.Nb3 1-0
And the rook falls on a1 after 30...Rb1 31.Qc2. The game feels anti-climatic,
so let's focus on a couple details. 17...d4 was one turning point that gave
White targets on c5 and d6, since the knights could go to Ne4. In the end it
was the kingside pressure that made the difference.
Lessons Learned
This opening has been played a countless times, so many different moves
have been tried for White and Black. I tried to outline the basic ideas rather
than grind out all the options for both sides (from the white perspective) in the
6.Be3 Rb8 variation, but the most salient points have been made.
● First things first, learn the set-up since it rarely varies: g3, Bg2, and d3.
This is true of all the variations in the Closed Sicilian. IN this column,
we continued Be3, f4, and Nf3. The idea is a kingside attack, though
we have also seen e5 and even d4.
● In the variation we looked at Black charges ahead with ...b5-b4 and
gets the black queen over to the queenside fast. It is a good set-up and
not easy to play against. So if you are White, you have to be
comfortable playing moves like h3, g4, and f5 to get play. You are not
really putting the white king in danger since all of Black's power is on
the queenside.
● Defensively, Black will aim for ...f5 at an opportune time and leave the
dark-squared bishop and one of the knights at home to defend the king.
White on the queenside will almost certainly play c3, and maybe a3, as
we considered. Otherwise, all the pieces should be focused on the
kingside. The advantage of attacking on the kingside is that even if the
queenside is torn to shreds, it is checkmate that matters.
Practitioners
● The young Russian grandmaster, Alexander Krapivin is the star of this

column.
● Johann Hjartarson is a strong grandmaster from Iceland. He has had
several notable tournament results, including qualifying for the 1988
candidates matches.
● Oscar Humberto Castro Rojas is an international master from
Colombiawho has represented Colombia at the Olympiad and beaten
both Petrosian and Geller.
Further Reading
There are many books on this Anti-Sicilian system. I like the following
authors:
● The Ultimate Closed Sicilian by Gary Lane

● Closed Sicilian by Daniel King
● Starting Out: Closed Sicilian by Richard Palliser


The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit [D00] Purchases from our
It has been a while since I covered gambits, so this month I chose to brave the
accessible:
black side against the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit.
1.d4 d5 2.e4
The
Openings
Explained ECO D
by Chess Informant
Abby Marshall
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppp1pppp/8/3p4/3PP3/
8/PPP2PPP/RNBQKBNR b KQkq - 0 2]
White signals that this game will be something different. Playing black, I
would probably sigh upon seeing this move, because once again all my
Translate this page preparation involving innumerable Tarrasch lines and other tricks is useless,
and now I have to think right from move two. Although playing 1.d4 often
means that a player has graduated to more sophisticated and subtle play,
queen-pawn openings still have gambit lines! Black should have a general
strategy for dealing with these gambits, since theory is less important than
knowing a couple defensive motifs.
Beating 1.d4 Sidelines
2.Nc3 This is the start of the Veresov opening for White, although the move by Boris Avrukh
order can transpose to the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit after 1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.
Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5. I want to take a quick look at this variation, since I have
faced it a couple times in tournaments. 2...Nf6 3.Bg5 (3.e4 Nxe4 This is the
main move, though 3...dxe4 will transpose to the main gambit line after 4.f3)
3...Nbd7 This is Black's main move against the Veresov. The logic is clear:
Black is poised to recapture with a knight if White takes on f6, and the d7-
knight can help facilitate ...e5 or ...c5 breaks. 4.e4 This move marks the
gambit line. Otherwise we are in a main-line Veresov – a completely different
opening for White. 4...dxe4 This is back to Blackmar-Diemer territory, sort
of. White could play 5.f3 and we would get the classic style gambit, but first
let's see what can happen if White goes to recover the pawn right away. 5.Qe2
Play through and download h6 6.Bh4 e6 This position is similar to a line in the Veresov where instead of a
queen on e2, White has a knight on f3. That can get dangerous for a distracted Gambit Opening Repertoire
the games from by Valeri Lilov
ChessCafe.com in the black player. However, here White is less aggressively placed. 7.Nxe4 Be7
& John Shaw
ChessBase Game Viewer. 8.0-0-0 Nxe4 9.Bxe7 Qxe7 10.Qxe4 Nf6 11.Qh4 Bd7 12.Nf3 Bc6 13.Ne5
Ne4!
[FEN "r3k2r/ppp1qpp1/2b1p2p/4N3/3Pn2Q/
8/PPP2PPP/2KR1B1R w kq - 0 14"]
A nice move that gets Black activity. Objectively the position is equal. Black,
himself is a grandmaster, is able to outplay his 2600+ opponent instructively,
so I will give the whole game: 14.Qxe7+ Kxe7 15.Re1 Nf6 16.Nxc6+ bxc6 17.
g3 a5 18.Bg2 Ra6 19.a4 Rd8 20.c3 c5 21.dxc5 Nd7 22.Bb7 Ra7 23.c6 Nc5 24.
Kc2 Nxb7 25.cxb7 Rxb7 26.Re4 Rd5 27.b4 c6 28.Rhe1 Ra7 29.Kb3 axb4 30.
cxb4 Rd3+ 31.Kc4 Rd2 32.R1e2 Rxe2 33.Rxe2 Rxa4 34.Kc5 Kd7 35.Rd2+
Kc7 36.Rd6 Rxb4 37.Rxc6+ Kd7 38.Rd6+ Ke7 39.Rd2 Re4 40.f3 Re5+ 41.
Kc4 g5 42.Ra2 Re3 43.Rf2 e5 44.Kd5 Kf6 45.g4 Kg6 46.h3 h5 47.Rf1 h4 48.
Rf2 e4 49.f4 gxf4 50.Rxf4 Rxh3 51.Kxe4 Rg3 52.Rf1 Rxg4+ 53.Kf3 Rg5 54.
Rh1 Kh5 55.Ra1 h3 56.Ra8 Rg6 57.Rh8+ Rh6 58.Rf8 Kg6 59.Rg8+ Kf6 60.
Rg1 h2 61.Rh1 Kg5 62.Kg3 f5 63.Kf3 Rh3+ 64.Kg2 Kg4 65.Kf2 Ra3 0-1,
Zvjaginsev,V (2674)-Sasikiran,K (2661)/Khanty Mansiysk 2007.
2...dxe4
It is nice to be up a pawn for a moment. In return White has more potential

activity, since both bishops can get out.
Of course 2...e6, the French, or 2...c6, the Caro-Kann, are also possible if you
play those openings and d n ot want to learn something new.
3.Nc3
The approach advocated by Emil Diemer, hence the name of the gambit.
White develops a piece before offering the gambit pawn with f3.
3.f3 was the original idea that Armand Blackmar came up with in the late
nineteenth century, but it was not very good because of 3...e5!. Suddenly the
queens come off and it is an entirely different game. Also, it is in Black's
favor. 3...e5 4.dxe5 Qxd1+ 5.Kxd1 Nc6 Black is doing very well with more
development and better pawns.
3...Nf6
So far we have been playing easy to remember moves. Nothing mysterious

going on yet: the knight gets active and defends the e-pawn. The e-pawn, by
the way, is not the gambit pawn, since to recover the pawn White can just
play Qe2, but that would not be the Blackmar-Diemer Gambit.
4.f3
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppp1pppp/5n2/8/3Pp3/
2N2P2/PPP3PP/R1BQKBNR b KQkq - 0 4"]
This is the gambit: Black has the chance to become irrevocably up a pawn. In
return, White gets quicker development and open central lines. So there is
some pressure, but Black is very solid. There is no clear target like the f7-
square in 1.e4 e5 openings, when the kingside knight and bishop are the
attacking pieces.
4...exf3
The best way to refute a gambit is to accept it.
5.Nxf3
White has a few ideas: quick development and swing the queen to h4 via e1,
or castling queenside and launching some sort of attack, or there is still the
possibility of piling on f7 with Bc4, Ne5, and a rook on f1. One of the
problems is that while White has diverted a black pawn from the center, the
white e-pawn went away too, so it is not like the King's Gambit where White
gives up the f-pawn and gets two pawns in the center to Black's single d-
pawn. Black has good center control and the e-pawn is a useful defender of
either the f6-knight or maybe ...e6.
5.Qxf3 This is not as popular anymore. 5...c6 And this is not fully necessary.
Any normal move should turn out fine. (5...Qxd4 6.Be3 Qd8 Playing this way
requires cold blood. Now White gets far ahead in development and has more
open lines than before. I do not think it is necessary.) 6.Bd3 g6 7.h3 Bg7 8.
Nge2 0-0 9.Bd2 Black can bust open the center. 9...e5 10.dxe5 Nfd7 11.e6
Ne5 and Black has become the aggressor.
5...g6
This is the system I recommend. It is called the Bogoljubov Defence, in

homage to the world championship challenger Efim Bogoljubov, who
famously said that as white he wins because he is white, and as black he wins
because he is Bogoljubov. However, with regard to his games against
Alekhine, it seems to me the slogan has always been as black he loses because
he is black, and as white he loses because he is Bogoljubov. Nevertheless, the
system is quite good.
6.Bc4
For many Blackmar-Diemer players the search is endless for new attacking
combinations, tiny adjustments on the same themes, and anticipating future
defensive ideas, so that they will be ready with fresh attacking maneuvers.
Above all they keep trying to perfect the gambit; this is the nature of
obsession. Not all your opponents will be like this, but there is something
about this gambit that has inspired unadulterated devotion. I think it is wise to
meet their main ideas head-on and try to prove the advantage of the extra
material. I am not interested in refuting the gambit as much as reaching a
promising game that gives a modicum of safety.
6.Bd3 This set-up is what 5...g6 is partly meant to counteract since the bishop
is not attacking h7. The g6-pawn and bishop on g7 give Black an extra layer
of protection. White is exerting more control over e4, so this move is worth
considering. 6...Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Qe1
[FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppp1ppbp/5np1/8/3P4/
2NB1N2/PPP3PP/R1B1QRK1 b - - 0 8"]
The standard idea. 8...Nc6 9.Qh4 Nb4 This is pretty annoying. I would not be
too thrilled about losing the bishop-pair.
6.Be3 We will look at Ne5 and Bg5 on the following move. Otherwise, the
bishop makes sense here since it helps protect the d-pawn and gets White
ready to castle queenside, which would be the main reason to play the dark-
squared bishop before the light-squared one. 6...Bg7 7.Qd2 0-0 8.0-0-0 c6 (8...
a5 A straightforward move. Without an f-pawn or e-pawn, I do not feel a
much heat on the kingside. 9.Bh6 a4 10.h4 a3 11.b3 and now 11...Bg4 would
be a good move. The ...e5 or ...c5 fireworks can come later.) 9.h3 Bf5 10.Bh6
Nbd7 11.Bxg7 Kxg7 12.Nh4 Be6 13.Kb1 Qa5 14.b3 Nb6 15.Ne4 Qxd2 16.
Nxd2 Rad8 Black did not do anything special and got a better game in
Fuernkranz,R-Mayer,J/Poysdorf 1994.
6...Bg7
Another nice thing about the bishop on g7 is that it eyes the d4-pawn.
7.0-0
White is a couple moves ahead of Black, since White has three pieces out and
is castled; while Black has two pieces out and has yet to castle. The rook
makes it to f1. The lack of leverage due to the absence of the f- and e-pawns
again makes me unafraid of this position.
7.Ne5 This variation always felt the most Blackmar-Diemer-ish to me. Maybe
it is the unsettling feeling of being immediately attacked, on the f7-square no
less. 7...0-0 8.Bg5 White maintains flexibility and does not provide a clue
where the white king is going to end up. (8.0-0 Nc6 9.Nxf7!? This move
comes up from time to time. 9...Rxf7 10.Bxf7+ Kxf7 11.d5 Na5 Black is
completely safe.) 8...Nbd7 8...Nc6 is more what I am advocating in this
column, but it is good to look at this move too, since it shows typical ideas.
9.0-0 c6 (9...c5 is bad because of 10.Nxf7 when things get uncomfortable.
However, what White does shows how fast the game can go in Black's favor.
10.Nxd7 Qxd7 11.dxc5 Qc7 12.Be3 A blunder. 12...Ng4 13.Qf3 Qxh2# 0-1,
Canal Oliveras,J (2310)-Padreny Gutierrez,J (2285)/Barcelona 1996) 10.Bb3
(10.Nxf7 Rxf7 11.Bxf7+ Kxf7 12.d5 Qb6+ 13.Kh1 Kg8 It is worth
remembering this simple retreat. Black is just up a lot of material.) 10...Nb6
Black is okay here, but you can feel pressure. That is why ...Nc6 is my
preference over this kind of play.
7.h4 I am not afraid of this hyper-aggressiveness. 7...c5 A strike in the center

seems appropriate to counter an attack on the kingside. 8.h5 (8.Bg5 cxd4 9.
Nxd4 0-0 Black has dissolved White's center.) 8...Nxh5! I do not see any
White threats and now there is a lot of pressure on d4.
7...0-0
There is no reason to stick around in the center. White is also kept guessing
where the knight on b8 and bishop on c8 will end up.
8.Qe1
This is the big idea against the Bogoljubov Defense. The queen is going to h4,
where it keeps an eye on the d4-pawn and attacks the h6-square, weakened by
the push to ...g6.
8...Nc6
I like the knight here better than on d7 where it kind of gets in the way of
everything. On c6, the knight controls more central squares and can cause
trouble with ...Nb4 or ...Na5.
8...Bg4 is the first illustrative game and has a good reputation. Often Black
plays ...Nc6 anyway next move. Although in the column I am looking at ...
Bf5, which is less common but just as good, ...Bg4 illustrates typical ideas
and provides a backup line.
9.Qh4
White follows through on his idea: Bh6, Ng5, and Rxf6 followed by Qxh7
mate are threatened.
9.d5 is not really seen in the Blackmar-Diemer because it makes the pawn
more vulnerable and blocks the white pieces. 9...Nb4 Double attack on c2 and
d5. 10.Qh4 Nbxd5 (10...Qd6 This is safest. 11.Bf4 is met by 11...Qc5+) 11.
Nxd5 Nxd5 12.Bh6 f6 (12...Bf6 This is better. 13.Ng5 Re8 14.Rae1 c6 15.
Rxf6!? Let's see if Black can weather the fireworks. 15...exf6 16.Rxe8+ Qxe8
17.Ne4 Qe5 18.Bxd5 g5 19.Qf2 Bf5 The h6-bishop is trapped and all the
white pieces are discombobulated.) 13.Rad1 c6 14.Bb3 Qb6+ 15.Kh1 Kh8
Black is giving too much here. 16.c4 was a threat since after the knight
moves, 17.c5+ would be a discovered attack that wins the queen. But why not
15...a5, meeting 16.c4 with 16...a4 and using the queen to mess with White's
queenside. 16.Ne5! Kg8 (16...fxe5 17.Rxf8+ Bxf8 18.Bxf8) 17.c4 Bxh6 18.
Qxh6 Qe3 19.Qh4 Even after making some mistakes Black is still better,
though White has compensation for the two pawns. 19...Qxe5 20.cxd5 Kg7?
21.d6! And White won in a few moves by attacking on the seventh rank.
Anyway, earlier Black has many chances to lock up the position and prevent
this kind of counterplay.
9.Ne2 Strategically this move makes plenty of sense. It prepares c3 to defend

d4 and gets another piece to the kingside. Unfortunately for White, it is too
slow. 9...Bf5 10.c3 Na5 11.Bb5 White does not want to give up the bishop-
pair. 11...a6 12.Ba4 b5 13.Bd1 Nc4 14.b3 Nd6 White has only weakened the
queenside and Black has firm control over e4.
9.Be3 Another slow move that lets Black take the lead. 9...Bf5 10.Bb3 Na5 11.
Rd1 Nxb3 12.cxb3 Nd5
[FEN "r2q1rk1/ppp1ppbp/6p1/3n1b2/3P4/
1PN1BN2/PP4PP/3RQRK1 w - - 0 13"]
Even without the extra pawn Black would be doing well here, since the
isolated d-pawn has few prospects and the black bishops are raking through
White's center.
9...Bf5
As I said earlier, I am advocating this over ...Bg4, just because ...Bf5 is less-
played and Black gets to keep the bishop rather than exchange it on f3.
9...b6?! An example of what not to do, and what to watch out for! This is not
a terrible move, but if Black just sails along then White can drum up
something. 10.Bh6 Bb7? 10...Bf5 was still possible. (10...Ng4 This move, so
effective in the first illustrative game, is not good here because of the light-
square weaknesses created by 9...b6 11.Bxg7 Kxg7 12.Bd5 Qd6 13.Ng5
Threats on h7 and f7.) 11.Rad1 (11.d5 is even stronger, but already White is
much better, since the Black has wasted time.) 11...Na5 12.Ng5! A great piece
sacrifice. 12...Nxc4 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Rxf6! h6 15.Rxf7+ Rxf7
[FEN "r2q4/pbp1prk1/1p4pp/6N1/2nP3Q/
2N5/PPP3PP/3R2K1 w - - 0 16"]
16.Nxf7!! This is an incredible move. White correctly judges that winning the
queen with 16.Ne6+ is not the best move. 16...Kxf7 17.Qxh6 The attack
continues against the exposed king. 17...Qg8 18.Qf4+ Ke8 19.Qxc7 Nd6 20.
Re1 Be4 21.Nxe4 Qe6 22.Nxd6+ 1-0, Alexopoulos,G (2235)-Niculescu,S/
Jamaica 1992. White played impressive chess. Black should have been more
on guard and more direct. Stuff like ...b6 is not necessary.
10.Kh1
A typically handy move to make with the king open to checks on the g1-a7
diagonal, in this case likely from d4.
10.Bh6 The standard plan. 10...Ng4! This is the subject of the second
illustrative game.
10.h3 is a useful move, preparing g4, while preventing any black pieces from
going to g4. 10...Nb4 The first we get to see of ...Nb4 in action. 11.g4 (11.Bh6
is less reckless and better. 11...Qd6 taking on c2 is possible, though why not
make White think about it on every move? Black is already up a pawn.) 11...
Bxc2 12.Be3 Bd3 13.Bxd3 Nxd3 14.Ng5 h6 White's aggression is rebuked
and Black is up another pawn.
10...Nb4
It is surprising how quickly White gets into trouble. Again the knight and
bishop on f5 make a good team.
11.Bh6?
This is poor timing, though it is hard to recommend much else. The bishop is
needed for the center.
11...Nxc2
There is little risk in taking more material this way. The knight is actually
doing a good job controlling the central d4-square.
12.Ng5
Another advantage of the bishop on f5 is that it stops Rxf6 ideas. White's

timing did not work out in this game.
12...Qxd4 13.Rf4 Qe5 14.Nf3 Qc5 15.b4 Qe3
[FEN "r4rk1/ppp1ppbp/5npB/5b2/
1PB2R1Q/2N1qN2/P1n3PP/R6K w - - 0 16"]
Black had a winning advantage in the game Lopez Pereyra,A (2125)-Pinto

Henriquez,R (2238)/Sunny Beach 2007. However, he misplayed the position
and lost in the end. In any case, as long as Black remains active, White has
limited ammunition to throw at the black king. Often the game takes an ugly
turn if White tries for too much at the wrong time, which is what happened
here.
Baron, Michael (2225) – Pavlovic, Milos (2481)

Oz.com qual blitz ICC INT (2), 05.03.2000
This is a blitz game and Black outrated his opponent by more than 200 points.
That aside, the game is instructive, even if it cannot claim to be strong proof
that this variation is flawed for White given the conditions of the game.
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e4 dxe4 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Qe1
Bg4
[FEN "rn1q1rk1/ppp1ppbp/5np1/8/2BP2b1/
2N2N2/PPP3PP/R1B1QRK1 w - - 0 9"]
This is an alternative to ...Bf5 and is the more common move.
9.Be3
Black has chosen to focus on the d4-pawn, so this move has to be played
sooner or later.
9.d5 Nbd7 Just like in the theory section, this move is usually not good. It
makes room for Black's pieces and weakens the pawn.
9...Bxf3
This dilutes some of White's attacking potential, but I never liked giving up
the bishop-pair in this gambit. Though this is the idea of ...Bg4 in the first
place.
10.Rxf3 Nc6 11.Rd1
White is quickly boxed into a defensive position.

11.Qh4 Nb4 is less fun without a bishop on f5. 12.Bb3 c6 13.Raf1 Nbd5 14.
Rh3 h5 15.Bg5 White doesn't have much here and if Black can weather the
storm, the extra pawn will tell.
11...Ng4
Black starts to make irritating threats on d4. The power of the g7-bishop
manifests itself in this position, something we have not really seen yet.
12.d5?
The dark-squares become a huge problem for White and just gives Black
more room to move.
12.Kh1 Nxe3 13.Qxe3 Qd7 Black still has that extra pawn and can rapidly
generate play against the d-pawn. (13...Bxd4 14.Qh6 is not worth the pressure
White gets.)
12...Nce5 13.Rf4 Nxe3
13...Bh6 As far as I can tell this wins material.
14.Qxe3 a6
14...Qd6 I like this move immediately. The idea is to target the queenside,
bolstered by the strong g7-bishop.
15.Bb3 Qd6 16.Ne4
[FEN "r4rk1/1pp1ppbp/p2q2p1/3Pn3/
4NR2/1B2Q3/PPP3PP/3R2K1 b - - 0 16"]
16...Qb6
Black is giving too much here. Keep the queens on the board and make White
strain for activity.
17.Qxb6 cxb6 18.d6 exd6 19.Nxd6 Rad8 20.c3 Rd7
Black is still better given the extra pawn. I do not like the fact that White has
a target on f7 to focus on.
21.Rfd4 h6 22.Ne4 Rxd4 23.Rxd4 Kh7 24.Nd6 f5
24...Rd8 25.Nxb7 Rxd4 26.cxd4 Ng4 would have been the superior option.
25.Nxb7 f4
[FEN "5r2/1N4bk/pp4pp/4n3/3R1p2/
1BP5/PP4PP/6K1 w - - 0 26"]
26.Rd8
Trading rooks is a mistake. The white rook owns the d-file and can mess
around with the black pawns.
26...h5
26...Rxd8 is better.
27.Rxf8 Bxf8 28.Nd8 Nd3
Now White has a hard time defending.
29.Ne6 Bd6 30.Bc4 Nxb2 31.Bxa6 Na4 32.c4 Nc3 33.Kf2 Kh6 34.Kf3
34.h4 had to be played, when White might be able to defend.
34...g5 35.Nd4? g4+ 36.Kf2 Bc5 0-1
It is fitting that the star of the game, the dark-squared bishop, gives the final
blow. Not a perfect game, of course, since it was blitz, but a good show of the
g7-bishop's power.
Ellrich, Jochen (2104) – Khenkin, Igor (2629)

Rhein Main op 10th Bad Homburg (2), 07.06.2007
Black also far outrates his opponent in this game, so the minor details will be
put aside for more general trends.
1.d4 d5 2.e4 dxe4 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.f3 exf3 5.Nxf3 g6 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 8.Qe1
Bf5 9.Qh4 Nc6 10.Bh6 Ng4
[FEN "r2q1rk1/ppp1ppbp/2n3pB/5b2/
2BP2nQ/2N2N2/PPP3PP/R4RK1 w - - 0 11"]
A surprisingly effective move that takes advantage of White's hastiness.

Playing h3 at some point would have prevented this move, but also blocks
potential rook swings to h3.
11.Bxg7
Unless White wants to lose time this capture makes sense.
11...Kxg7 12.h3
12.Rae1 is a natural move. 12...e6 (12...Nxd4!? invites White to get up to

some shenanigans. 13.Ng5 h5 14.h3 Nf6 15.g4 hxg4 16.hxg4 Rh8 17.Qg3
Nxg4 It looks like Black has done pretty well, though these things are always
easier with the computer helping. 18.Nxf7 Nf3+ 19.Qxf3 Qd4+ Black must
come out of this mess on top.)
12...Ne3 13.g4 Nxd4!?
Cool. 13...Bd7? 14.Ng5 is a disaster for Black.
14.Ng5!?
This is as interesting move as any to stir up the position.
14.gxf5 is the first variation that has to be calculated. 14...Ndxf5 15.Qf4 Nxf1
16.Rxf1 Qd6 A rook and three pawns for two pieces seems like a good deal
for Black.
14.Nxd4 Qxd4 did not really work out for White, since the discovered attack
and attack on c4 bode poorly.
14...h6 15.Nxf7
The point of 14.Ng5. White hopes that the black king will end up without
adequate pawn cover. But which king ends up in real danger?
15...Rxf7 16.Bxf7 Nxf1 17.Rxf1 Kxf7 18.Qxh6 Qh8 19.Qe3?
[FEN "r6q/ppp1pk2/6p1/5b2/3n2P1/
2N1Q2P/PPP5/5RK1 b - - 0 19"]
White should just accept the pawn down endgame. Now the queen is tied to
the h-pawn.
19...Nxc2 20.Qf3 Qd4+ 21.Kh1 Ne3
This part is just the clean-up.
22.Re1 Nxg4 23.hxg4 Qxg4 24.Qd5+ e6 25.Qd7+ Kg8 26.Qxc7 Qh4+ 0-1
White loses the rook next turn. It is not easy being attacked and Black did not
have an easy game, but nonetheless showed that he was always in control.
Lessons Learned
● The Blackmar-Diemer gambit is worth taking seriously, since its

adherents are die-hard players who know a tremendous amount about
this opening. If you have trouble recalling the variations, at the very
least, remember g6, Nc6, and Bf5. The rest will follow.
● The most dangerous White idea is Qe1-h4, Bh6, Ng5, and Rxf6. This is
best answered by swift Black counterplay on the queenside using the
knight on either a5 or b4, or the other knight on g4. The bishop on f5 is
a good tool since it controls the c2/d3 squares that the knight may
target, too. The bishop on g7 can also become quite strong against the
center and queenside.
● Piece play rather than pawn breaks are the norm here, so forget about ...
c5 for the most part, except against crazy White pawn pushes like h4 or
g4.
Practitioners
● Although usually not on the black side of this gambit, Armand

Blackmar was both an avid chess player and musician in the middle of
the nineteenth century. He lived in New Orleans and crossed paths with
Paul Morphy during that time period.
● Igor Khenkin is a German grandmaster. He is consistently among the
top 100 players in the world.
● Milos Pavlovic is a Serbian grandmaster. He has worked as a trainer for
multiple grandmasters and was the Yugoslav champion in 2002. He has
written three books on chess openings and writes for ChessPublishing.
com.
Further Reading
● Beyond the many books on this opening, time is well spent relying on
more up-to-date informal networks, such as Tom Purser's blog on the
Blackmar-Diemer Gambit.
● The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit by Christoph Scheerer
● Grandmaster Repertoire 11: Beating 1.d4 Sidelines by Boris Avrukh


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The Closed Sicilian for White [B23]

Returning to the topic of the November column, I continue to look at the Closed
Sicilian for White in response to a reader request. In November I covered 1.e4 c5
The 2.Nc3 Nc6.
Openings 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6
Explained In this variation the plan for Black is more rigid since ...d5 is in the works. I thought ECO B
a bit about what to recommend against this line and I picked a variation that relies on by Chess Informant
quick development and avoids transpositions to other openings.
Abby Marshall
2...Nc6 is the main move. 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 The setup is the same: g3, Bg2, d3.
4...Bg7 5.d3 Rb8 6.Be3 d6 7.Qd2 is the line I looked at in the November column.
3.g3
Translate this page
This move is a cornerstone of the Closed Sicilian.
Select Language
Powered by Translate 3...d5
Black could possibly delay this move, but would end up transposing. Black's center
looks good, but it comes at the cost of delaying piece development. The Closed Sicilian
by Nigel Davies
4.Bg2
Experts on the Anti-Sicilian

by Jacob Aagaard
& John Shaw
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pp3ppp/4p3/2pp4/4P3/
2N3P1/PPPP1PBP/R1BQK1NR b KQkq - 0 4"]
Developing another piece and becoming two pieces ahead in development puts
some pressure on Black.
Initially, I liked how 4.exd5 exd5 5.d4 led to an open position, but it leads to
positions that I favor as black, since I play a lot with isolated pawns. 5...Nc6
(5...cxd4 This actually leads to an opening I am familiar with from White's
perspective. 6.Qxd4 Nf6 7.Bb5+ Nc6 8.Bg5 Be7 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Qc5 This is very
similar to the Goring Gambit Declined, colors reversed, with the move g3 thrown in.)
6.Nf3 Nf6 This felt too much like a Tarrasch with the white knight in front of the c-
pawn and I did not like it for White. On the other hand, if you like these positions,
the exchange on the fourth move might be for you.
4...d4
The d-pawn was under attack so Black has to either capture, defend, or move it.
4...dxe4 5.Nxe4 Black has a few choices here. White does much the same thing in
each case. White can think about focusing on the queenside and the pawn on c5,
which can become weak, and looking toward the kingside. 5...Bd7
converted by Web2PDFConvert.com
A) 5...Nc6 6.Ne2 Playing the knight to f3 is more active and in other variations the
knight will go there, but in this situation I like the flexibility of the knight on e2. It
does not obstruct the g2-bishop and can hop over to c3 or f4. 6...Be7 7.d3 White is
prevented from having a strong pawn presence in the center; at the same time,
Black's bishops do not have much mobility since they are stuck behind pawns.
7...Nf6 8.0-0 0-0 9.Be3 White makes the first real threat of the game.
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/pp2bppp/2n1pn2/2p5/4N3
/3PB1P1/PPP1NPBP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 9"]
A1) 9...Nxe4 10.dxe4 Qc7 (10...Qxd1 11.Raxd1 This is an easier game for White
because of the control of the d-file. Black's development is a little awkward and the
pawn on c5 is a hindrance.) 11.Nf4 b6 12.Qe2 This stops ...Ba6 which exerts more
control over the queenside and kicks the rook off the f-file. 12...Bb7 13.Nh5!?
13.Qg4 is not good because of 13...Ne5. This menacing looking move prepares f4.
However, the knight can also become trapped, which leads to interesting
complications. (13.Rfd1 is a safer alternative.) 13...e5 Black takes away the f4-
square from the white knight. (13...Rfd8 14.c3 e5 15.g4 Now the fireworks do not
work as well because the bishop can drop back to f8 and Black has more room to
work with. 15...g6 16.Ng3 f4 should not be played lightly because it would give the
e5-square to Black after exf4. White should be patient and wait for a chance to
exploit the fact that Black has few pieces ready to go to the kingside and holes
around the king.) 14.f4
[FEN "r4rk1/pbq1bppp/1pn5/2p1p2N/4PP2/
4B1P1/PPP1Q1BP/R4RK1 b - - 0 14"]
The only logical follow-up. White's knight is trapped, but Black's pieces are poorly
placed to defend against White's attack. 14...g6 15.f5 Nd4 (15...gxh5 This loses.
16.f6 Bd6 17.Qxh5 Kh8 18.Rf5 Black cannot survive. White can try Rg5-g7, Qh6-
Rh5, or Bh6-g7 schemes.) 16.Qg4 Nxc2 17.fxg6 fxg6 (17...hxg6 18.Rxf7! Kxf7
19.Rf1+ Ke8 20.Ng7+ Kd8 21.Ne6+) 18.Qe6+ Kh8 19.Rf7 This move tries to
win. (19.Bh6 I searched, but could only find a draw. 19...gxh5 20.Bxf8 Rxf8
21.Rxf8+ Bxf8 22.Rf1 Qd8 23.Qf7 Be7 24.Qxh5 Bf6 25.Qf7 Be7 The problem is
the g2-bishop is out of play here.) 19...Qd6 (19...Rxf7? 20.Qxf7 gxh5 21.Bg5! The
e7-bishop is pinned and Bf6+ is a crushing threat, too.) 20.Qxe7 Qxe7 21.Rxe7
Nxe3 22.Rxb7 gxh5 23.Re1 White has the initiative since there is a rook on the
seventh and the bishop is better than the knight. This is decent compensation for
being down a pawn.
A2) 9...Qb6 ...Ng4 is a threat now. 10.Nxf6+ Bxf6 11.Rb1
[FEN "r1b2rk1/pp3ppp/1qn1pb2/2p5/8/
3PB1P1/PPP1NPBP/1R1Q1RK1 b - - 0 11"]
This is a comfortable position for White. The bishops are strong and Black has
limited mobility.
B) 5...Be7 A flexible move, as is White's next. 6.Ne2 If Black takes time to control
the square d4, then White may play d4. 6...Nf6 (6...Nc6 transposes to the previous
variation.) 7.d4!? White has better development, so why not open the center.
7...Nxe4 8.Bxe4 Nc6 9.c3 cxd4 10.cxd4 I like playing with the isolated d-pawn.
The e2-knight can go to c3 to help with the pawn's push to d5 or go to f4 to attack
the king. (10.Nxd4 Nxd4 11.Qxd4 Qxd4 12.cxd4 This endgame is OK for White
since the light-squared bishop is better than Black's c8-bishop.)
C) 5...Nf6 6.Ne2 (6.Nxf6+ If Black has not played ...Be7, this move is a possibility
because it draws the black queen to f6, which is a poor spot for it. 6...Qxf6 7.Nf3
The knight comes here and after d3 the bishop on c1 threatens to come to g5.)
6...Nc6 7.d3 Be7 8.0-0 This also tranposes to the first variation with 5...Nc6.
D) 5...Nd7 This is another scheme of development that aims to keep a knight on f6
and protect the c5-pawn. 6.Ne2 Ngf6 7.N2c3 Since Black has hardly any influence
over the d4-square, the knight does not have a reason to stay on e2 and instead
fights for e4. 7...Nxe4 8.Nxe4 Nf6 9.d3 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 White now uses some
geometry to attack Black's queenside and kingside. 11.Nxf6+ Bxf6 12.Qh5 Qc7
13.Bf4 e5 14.Bd2 g6 15.Qf3 Bg7 16.Bc3 Rb8 17.Rae1 c4 It is a mistake to stop
defending e5 with the queen. 18.dxc4 Qxc4 19.Rxe5! Qxa2 And now 20.Re7
would have been very strong. Black has no counterplay.
E) 5...Bd7 6.Nf3 We will look at this in the first illustrative game.
4...Nf6 5.e5 Other moves are possible. I chose this because it leads to new
structures that resembele the French or Tarrasch, but with White choosing
development over pawn play in the center. 5...Nfd7 6.f4 White should play this
move. Otherwise, the e-pawn has to be defended with pieces. 6...Nc6 7.Nf3 Be7
8.Ne2! In other games I looked at White ran into trouble and lost because Black's
pawns stormed down the queenside. The knight removes itself as a target, prepares
c3, and gets closer to the kingside. 8...0-0 9.c3 c4 10.d4 This is a good choice to
hack at Black's center. 10...cxd3 (10...b5 Black does not have to take en passant,
but this leaves White free to push f5 without fear of defending e5.) 11.Qxd3 Nc5
12.Qc2 Bd7 13.Be3 Rc8 14.0-0 f5? Poor timing. (14...a5 is about even. White
should keep the kingside in mind while also fighting over the d4-square and the
center.) 15.exf6 The problem is that the bishop cannot take on f6, because the c5-
knight is hanging. 15...gxf6 16.f5 e5 17.Rad1
[FEN "2rq1rk1/pp1bb2p/2n2p2/2nppP2/8/
2P1BNP1/PPQ1N1BP/3R1RK1 b - - 0 17"]
Black quickly collapses under the pressure on the center. 17...Be8 18.Bh6 Qb6
19.Kh1 Rf7 20.Be3 Qa6 21.Rxd5 Qxa2 22.Rxc5 Bxc5 23.Bxc5 Rd7 24.Nd2
Kg7 25.Ne4 Bh5 26.g4 Bxg4 27.Rg1 b6 28.Nd6 1-0, Rodriguez Vila,A (2536)-
De Toledo,J (2373)/Americana 2005.
5.Nce2
Retreating the knight to b1 is also possible, since after d3 and Nd2 it can go to c4 or
f3. I would like to keep the knight on at least the second rank.
5...e5
This improves control of the center and opens the diagonal for the c8-bishop.
5...Nc6 In this variation Black chooses to castle queenside. 6.d3 Be7 7.f4 This is
how play will typically go. White expands on the kingside. 7...h5 Black will not
castle kingside. 8.h3 This is a smart move that takes away the g4-square from any
black pieces and makes White in good shape to play g4 in the event of ...h4. 8...b6
9.Nf3 Bb7 10.0-0 Qd7 11.Bd2 0-0-0 The opening has ended. White proves that it
is possible to play on both the queenside and the center. 12.a3 a5 is too weakening,
but it is hard to find alternatives. White's kingside is difficult to attack and lashing out
with ...g5 seems to make White more active. 13.Ne5! Nxe5 Practically forced since
the knight would come to c4 next. 14.fxe5 The f-file is open for the white rook and
the f4-square is available for the white knight and bishop. 14...Rf8 15.b4 Black is
getting hit in the center and queenside.
5...d3 This obvious move should be considered. 6.cxd3 Qxd3 7.Nf4 I prefer getting
the queen out of there right away. 7...Qd8 8.Nf3 With the black d-pawn out of the
way the c1-bishop can come to b2 rather than the traditional route of d3 and Be3.
8...Nc6 9.0-0 b6 This protects the c-pawn, but leaves the h1-a8 diagonal weak.
10.Qe2 Be7 11.b3 Nf6 12.Bb2 0-0 13.Rfd1
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/p3bppp/1pn1pn2/2p5/4PN2/
1P3NP1/PB1PQPBP/R2R2K1 b - - 0 13"]
White has a good game here. d4 or e5 could be in the works and both Black's
queenside and kingside are vulnerable.
6.d3
The a1-h8 diagonal, thoroughly blocked, means that the c1-bishop should look the
other way.
6...Nc6
One of the big fights is going to be over the e5-square.
7.f4
This creates space for the white pieces. Taking on f4 will either force White to give
Black the square e5 or, what White should do, is capture with the g-pawn.
7...Bd6
[FEN "r1bqk1nr/pp3ppp/2nb4/2p1p3/3pPP2/
3P2P1/PPP1N1BP/R1BQK1NR w KQkq - 0 8"]
Black maintains the tension.
7...exf4 8.gxf4 Qh4+?! is no good. (8...Nf6 9.Nf3 Be7 10.0-0 Trying to castle
queenside looks tempting, but it would probably involve more risk since Black's
pawns on are ready to go: ...c4 would be played as soon as 0-0-0. What we have
here is a scary game for both sides to play.) 9.Ng3 h5 10.Nf3 Qg4 11.Rg1 White
may not even decide to castle here. White has plenty of activity because Black's
misguided queen attack.
8.Nf3
Piling more pressure on e5 and getting ready to castle.
8...Nge7
The knight may come to g6 and the f-pawn may come to f6.
9.0-0
White may or may not play f5. Relieving the pressure on the center gives Black more
flexibility to work on the queenside. Since the g2-bishop is not going to be involved
in a kingside attack, it makes sense for White to maintain the center tension.
9...Qc7
Another pieces comes to bear on e5. This move also clears the d-file for a black
rook.
9...f6 This is unnecessary right now. 10.c4!? Committal to stop Black's queenside
play. 10...a6 11.Nh4 exf4 12.gxf4 Be6?! (12...Bg4 is a better place for the black
bishop. f5 should not come with tempo.) 13.Ng3 0-0 Right into White's attack!
14.e5! fxe5 15.f5 Bd7 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bd5+ Kh7 18.Ne4! The bishop on d6 is
under attack, the queen is about to come to g4/h5, and even f6 could be a threat.
9...Bg4 10.c4 I would try this move again and bide my time. Bd2 is next. Maybe a3
and b4, or f5 in the future. (10.f5 is also possible. Black can defend with...f6 and
...Bh5-f7, while White holds the queenside.)
10.a3
[FEN "r1b1k2r/ppq1nppp/2nb4/2p1p3/3pPP2/
P2P1NP1/1PP1N1BP/R1BQ1RK1 b kq - 0 10"]
The game gets a little strange from here. We will pick it up in the second illustrative
game. This is a good alternative to the main lines with 4.exd5 that leads to chances
on both the queenside and kingside, and is consistent with the ideas in other lines in
the Closed Sicilian.
Rodriguez Vila, A (2504) – Lafuente, P (2460)
Buenos Aires Minsk, 2001
White throws off Black early on and it goes downhill from there for the second
player.
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Bd7 6.Nf3
[FEN "rn1qkbnr/pp1b1ppp/4p3/2p5/4N3/
5NP1/PPPP1PBP/R1BQK2R b KQkq - 0 6"]
This is where we stopped in Line E in the theory section.

6...Nf6
Black avoids taking control of d4.
6...Bc6 This move led to inventive play by White. 7.Ne5!? Why not? White already
has three pieces out. 7...Bxe4 8.Bxe4 The threat on b7 is annoying. 8...Nd7 9.Nc4
Nb6 10.Na5 Rb8 11.Nxb7 Qc7 12.Na5 c4 13.Qe2 Nf6 14.Bc6+ Nfd7 15.c3 h5
16.d4 cxd3 17.Qxd3 White has plenty of pressure on the d7-knight and is winning.
17...Bc5 18.Bf4 Black is busted. 18...e5 19.Bg5 0-0 20.0-0-0 f6 21.Bd2 Black's
king is hardly safe but it was necessary to get out of the pin. White is easily winning.
6...Nc6 7.d3 Nf6 8.0-0 Be7 9.Be3.
7.Nxf6+
This is one of the situations where capturing is good, since White doesn't lose a
tempo.
7...Qxf6 8.d4
White has superior development, so decides to open the center.
8...Bc6
This misstep lets White take full control. Black should develop another piece.
8...Nc6 9.Be3 If Black keeps his cool, the position is about even. I prefer the g2-
bishop to the one on d7.
8...cxd4 would have also been better. 9.Bg5 Qf5 10.Qxd4 White has two open
center files and an open diagonal for the g2-bishop.
9.Bg5
Now the queen is going to have a hard time retreating back home.
9...Qf5 10.Be3
The queen is less happy on f5, since it is more vulnerable to attack.
10...cxd4
It is best to play this now while White's king is still in the center.
11.Bxd4
I like how this move refuses to resolve things and forces Black to keep thinking
about exchanging on f3.
11.Nxd4 Qa5+ Black gets out of danger and puts the queen on a good square.
11...Qe4+ 12.Kf1!
[FEN "rn2kb1r/pp3ppp/2b1p3/8/3Bq3/
5NP1/PPP2PBP/R2Q1K1R b kq - 0 12"]
White does not want to trade queens or remove the bishop from its gaze on the g7-
pawn. The king is perfectly safe here.
12...Qd5 13.b3
White removes any threats of Qc4+ or Bb5+, since next move White plans Qe2.
13...Nd7
Black finally is able to develop a piece beside the queen and bishop.
14.Qe2 Nf6 15.c4 Qh5 16.h3
This is another great quiet move that forces Black to think hard about a plan. g4 and
Ne5 are possible threats. The bishop is on the a7-pawn. Black goes after his own
initiative, but White correctly judges that it is not dangerous.
16...Rd8
Black decides to give up the a-pawn.
16...Bd6 17.g4 Qa5 18.Ne5 Bxg2+ 19.Kxg2 White has central control and ended
up castling by hand. The king is not in any danger, since the black pieces are in no
position to attack it.
17.Bxa7 Ne4 18.Qe3 Bb4 19.g4
Without this move, made possible by 16.h3, Black would have some threats.
19...Qh6
Basically forced.
19...Qg6 20.Ne5 Nd2+ 21.Kg1 Qf6 22.Bd4 The adventures of the black queen
come back to haunt Black. White blocks the queen's influence on the a1-h8 diagonal
and prepares a nasty discovered attack on c6, whether the c6-bishop is there or not.
20.Qxh6 gxh6
Ironically, it is now Black who has to use his activity to prove compensation for the
material and his weak pawns regardless.
21.Be3 Bc3 22.Rc1 Bb2
22...Bg7 This is best. 23.b4 (23.Rc2? Rd1+ 24.Ke2 Nc3+ 25.Rxc3 Rxh1 White
has no Bd4, as in the game where this works out for White.) 23...b5 Black should
fight to retain control of the diagonal. 24.cxb5 Bxb5+ 25.Ke1 Bc3+? 26.Rxc3
Nxc3 27.Bd4.
23.Rc2
[FEN "3rk2r/1p3p1p/2b1p2p/8/2P1n1P1/
1P2BN1P/PbR2PB1/5K1R b k - 0 23"]
The rook wants to go here anyway to play Nd2 and limit the mobility of the black
pieces.
23...Rd1+?
And the game is over although the total moves played is only half at this point.
23...Bg7 is poor as well, but Black's position was already bad. 24.Nd2 Nc3
25.Bxc6+ bxc6 26.a4 The extra queenside pawns are too good.
24.Ke2 Nc3+
24...Rxh1 This would be a little silly since it gives up the d-file for a rook that wasn't
doing anything. 25.Bxh1 Bg7 26.Bd4 White has total control.
25.Rxc3 Rxh1 26.Bd4
After this move White nets two pieces for a rook, which is devastating.
26...Ra1 27.Bxh8 Bxc3 28.Bxc3 Rxa2+ 29.Kf1 Rc2 30.Bg7 Rc1+ 31.Ke2
Rc2+ 32.Ke3 Ra2 33.Bf1 Bxf3 34.Kxf3 Ra3
[FEN "4k3/1p3pBp/4p2p/8/2P3P1/
rP3K1P/5P2/5B2 w - - 0 35"]
Black gets one of the extra queenside pawns, but there are extremely few cases
where the bishop-pair do not completely overwhelm the rook. This is not one of
them.
35.Bxh6 Rxb3+ 36.Be3 Ke7 37.Kf4 f6 38.h4 Kf7 39.h5 Rb1 40.Bd3 Rb3
41.Bxh7 Rb4 42.Bd3 b5 43.g5 bxc4 44.Bg6+ Kg7 45.gxf6+ Kxf6 46.Bd4+
e5+ 47.Bxe5+ Ke6 48.Bf5+ Kf7 49.Kg5 Rb5 50.f4 Rb3 51.h6 1-0
A good game by one of the main practitioners of this line. He illustrated the potential
energy of White's pieces, particularly the knight that can come to e5 and the bishop
on g2.
Van Voorthuijsen, Pieter – Ligterink, Gert (2430)
Roosendaal, 1983
In this game White does not rush to play f5 and instead focuses on the queenside,
where Black is castled, and seemingly, as an afterthought, attacks the kingside as
well.
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 e6 3.g3 d5 4.Bg2 d4 5.Nce2 e5 6.d3 Nc6 7.f4 Bd6 8.Nf3 Nge7
9.0-0 Qc7 10.a3
10...Bd7 11.Rb1
This looks like one of Nimzowitsch's baffling prophylatic moves. Playing b4 or c3 is
not out of the question and in those cases the rook will be better placed there.
11...f6
[FEN "r3k2r/ppqbn1pp/2nb1p2/2p1p3/3pPP2/
P2P1NP1/1PP1N1BP/1RBQ1RK1 w kq - 0 12"]
As in the theory section, I do not think this move should be played just to be played.
It creates light-square weaknesses and g6 is harder to play since the rook on f1
would become strong.
12.Bd2 b5
This may be premature.
12...0-0 13.c3 Qb6 is a better decision by Black.
13.Nh4
A surprising decision, because 13.c3 was looking good. I am guessing White
wanted to address the fact that Black planned to castle queenside.
13.c3 0-0 (13...dxc3 14.bxc3 makes the rook on b1 strong.) 14.cxd4 exd4
(14...cxd4 15.Qb3+) 15.b4 The pawn on d4, which looked so strong a couple
moves ago, is in fact weak.
13...0-0-0
Black castles queenside anyway.
13...0-0 makes more sense to me. 14.c3 With similar play to the previous move.
The knight may in fact come back to f3 and work on the queenside.
14.Nf5!?
[FEN "2kr3r/p1qbn1pp/2nb1p2/1pp1pN2/
3pPP2/P2P2P1/1PPBN1BP/1R1Q1RK1 b - - 0 14"]
Black does not want to give up the d6-bishop, which is holding the center together.
This means that Black has to open the h1-a8 diagonal for the g2-bishop.
14...Nxf5 15.exf5 Ne7
15...Bxf5? 16.fxe5.
16.Qe1
Another nice idea to get the bishop on d2 active. The threat is Ba5.
16...Rde8 17.Ba5 Qb8 18.fxe5 Bxe5 19.Be4 Bc6 20.Nf4 Bxf4 21.Rxf4 Nd5
22.Rg4
Who would have guessed that the black kingside pawns would become weak?
22...Qb7 23.Bd2
The bishop is needed to cover e3.
23...Qe7?
This self-pins the d5-knight.
23...Nb6 24.b3 White can continue attacking with a4 next.
24.Qf2 g5
This panicky move dissolves Black's position.
24...h5 is better. 25.Rh4.
[FEN "2k1r2r/p3q1p1/2b2p2/1ppn1P1p/
3pB2R/P2P2P1/1PPB1Q1P/1R4K1 b - - 0 25"]
25.fxg6 hxg6 26.Rxg6

Black can't prevent the f6-pawn from falling next.
26...Kb7 27.Rf1 Qf7 28.Qf5 Rd8 29.Bxd5 Rxd5 30.Qxf6 Qxf6 1-0
[FEN "7r/pk6/2b2qR1/1ppr4/3p4/
P2P2P1/1PPB3P/5RK1 w - - 0 31"]
The loss of two pawns leaves no doubt about the result. 14.Nf5 and 16.Qe1 were
creative moves that I can only guess throw Black off. A good example of one way to
attack Black when he has castled queenside.
Lessons Learned
This line is not so different from the other main lines in the Closed Sicilian.
White still plays Bg2, d3, and f4 except in a couple lines as we have seen. If
Black delays on ...Nc6, then d4 becomes possible. As well, in the line where
Black plays 5...d3, then the c1-bishop gets active by b3 and Bb2.
White sometimes plays on the kingside, but more often the center and the
queenside serve as the main focus. White may play Rb1, a3, or c3, and b4 to
break up Black's monopoly on the center.
It is important to maintain the tension in the center. White does not have to
capture on e5 or push to f5.
Practitioners
Andres Rodriguez Vila is a grandmaster from Uruguay. He is the number one
ranked player in the country and this year won the Uruguay Championship.
Pieter Van Voorthuijsen is a FIDE master from the Netherlands.
Oleg Romanishin is a grandmaster from Ukraine. He has had many great
tournament results, including a second place finish at the USSR Championship
in 1975 with Mikhail Tal, Boris Gulko, and Rafael Vaganian, behind only
Tigran Petrosian.
Further Reading
The Ultimate Closed Sicilian by Gary Lane
Closed Sicilian by Daniel King
Starting Out: Closed Sicilian by Richard Palliser
Order The Openings Explained #40 (Ebook)

by Abby Marshall
In ChessBase, PGN, and PDF formats. Viewable in Ipad, Itouch, Kindle,
ChessBase and other PGN and PDF viewers.
All for only .99 cents!!
© 2012 Abby Marshall and BrainGamz Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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From's Gambit for Black [A02]

I examined many entertaining games while researching this column on From's Gambit
for Black. There are more games than you would think where strong 2400+ players
The play inane sacrifices against far weaker players, and end up losing to players
hundreds of points below them. I looked at several games that featured brilliantly
Openings wrong ...Rxh2 sacrifices and others that had a piece sacrifice in exchange for a
menacing single check.
Explained ECO A
1.f4 by Chess Informant
Abby Marshall This is Bird's opening, named after Henry Bird, an English player in the nineteenth
century. It is a rare choice for White, though I believe a mistake to take lightly. If
Black replies 1...d5, it is like White is playing the Dutch Defense (1.d4 f5) a tempo
up. There are several openings where it is not favorable or even desirable to be a
tempo up, but nonetheless I chose From's Gambit as a challenging Black reply to the
Translate this page Bird.
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1...e5
Enter f4
by Andrew Martin
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppp1ppp/8/4p3/5P2/8/
PPPPP1PP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 2"]
This is From's Gambit. Black tries to take immediate advantage of the weakened Kaissiber 12
dark squares around White's king. There is one possible significant disadvantage of by Stefan Bücker
1...e5. What option does this move give White?
2.fxe5
San Remo Chess
The main move. Festival
www.sanremoscacchi.com …
2.d3 is not the best way to decline the gambit because Black gets quick Participate in the Open
development. 2...Nc6 3.Nf3 exf4 4.Bxf4 d5 White's light-squared bishop is going to Chess tournament of San
have a hard time getting active and White lacks central control, despite outnumbering Remo, Italy
Black in center pawns. 5.Nc3 Bb4 6.d4 This is a crucial loss of tempo and cedes
Chess Tactics
the e4-square. Black went on to win a miniature in this game. 6...Nf6 7.Qd3 Ne4 Training
8.0-0-0 Something like 8.Nd2 breaking the pin was necessary, but White was www.ChessTempo.com
already struggling. 8...Bxc3 9.bxc3 Qe7 10.Qe3 Na5 11.Nd2 Qa3+ 12.Kb1 Be6 30,000+ tactical positions
An obvious move, so I won't give it an exclamation point, but notice that Black Track your progress for
free.
involves as many pieces as possible in the attack. 13.Nb3 Nc4 14.Qc1 Nxc3+ 0-1,
Din,M-Ganguly,S (2573)/Pune 2006. Download chess
game free
2.e4! I give this an exclamation mark facetiously, but this transposition to the King's MyPlayCity.com/Xing_Chess
…
Gambit has served me well before in blitz. If you play From's Gambit, you have to Play the game of Kings!
also be prepared to play against the King's Gambit. Download free game Xing
Chess.
2...d6
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Game
Black offers a second pawn again with the idea of using fast development, vulnerable www.tiberiumalliances.com
…
dark squares, and White's weakened king position since the f-pawn is missing. C&C Tiberium Alliances:
From's Gambit is almost certainly sound, though the move I recommend later on, play a new epic city
4...g5, still has some doubters. building game. Join now!
3.exd6 Abstract Strategy

Game
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White takes the importunity to get ahead a pawn and has two center pawns to Like chess? Play
Black's zero. Adomoc! Download rules,
make your own, or buy it.
3.Nf3 If White wants to decline the gambit, this is probably the best way to do it.
3...dxe5 4.e4 White gets, in my opinion, a bad King's Gambit, since this variation
lets Black have so many open lines: the g1-a7 diagonal and the semi-open d-file for
Black make me uncomfortable as a King's Gambit player. (4.Nxe5 Bd6 5.Nf3 g5
transposes to 3.exd6)
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppp2ppp/8/4p3/4P3/5N2/
PPPP2PP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 4"]
A) 4...Bc5 is the obvious move and more flexible. White cannot take on e5 because
5...Qh4+ would be devastating. 5.Nc3 (5.c3 Nc6 6.b4 Bb6 7.b5 Na5 is not a very
attractive square for the black knight. It does keep the white bishop out of c4 and
forces White to find a way to make that bishop active. 8.d4 Bg4 9.dxe5 Qe7 I am
starting to like Black more and more because of the active pieces. 8.d4 was
premature. If White doesn't play that, Black can keep developing with ...Nf6 and
...c6 to get the a5-knight back to the center.) 5...Nf6 6.Nxe5?! This move should
raise a red flag, since it nearly always opens possibilities for damage on White's dark
squares. If White plays something else, Black can just castle and make White squirm
trying to find a way to castle. 6...0-0 (6...Qd4 does not work 7.Nd3 defends both
threats.) 7.Be2 Re8 8.Nd3 Bd4 9.Bf3 White has done a brave job of holding
everything together. 9...Nxe4 Of course. 10.Nxe4 f5 Black has broken through and
is just about winning.
B) 4...Nf6 is uncommon, but I can't find anything wrong with it. 5.c3 (5.Nxe5 Bd6
Either next move or after 6.d4 Bxe5 7.dxe5 and the exchange of queens on d1,
Black will pick up the e4-pawn.) 5...Nc6 6.Bb5 Bg4 7.h3 Bd7 Black has held the
center nicely. 8.d4 exd4 9.cxd4 Bb4+ 10.Nc3 Nxe4 White has a little bit of
pressure, though Black's extra pawn more than balances that out.
3...Bxd6
The stage is set. I have only faced the Bird in blitz and always played From's Gambit
without knowing any theory beyond this. I assume this is most everyone else's
experience too. So I thought it would be a good idea to go into some detail about
what happens next.
4.Nf3
The only real choice, since White has to stop 4...Qh4+.
4.Nc3 A strong player once played this against me. 4...Qh4+ 5.g3 Qxg3+ 6.hxg3
Bxg3#.
4...g5!?
[FEN "rnbqk1nr/ppp2p1p/3b4/6p1/8/5N2/
PPPPP1PP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 5"]
This gross-looking move is what I was interested in exploring. The drawbacks are
clear: it weakens the black king, it creates a hole on f6, and it contributes nothing to
development or the center. On the other hand, White faces an immediate threat,
5...g4, and it is in line with Black's strategy of playing on the dark squares.
4...Nf6 is a more conservative option and offers Black good play.
5.g3
This move and 5.d4 are the two main choices for White. I am not sure which one I
would rather face. Probably 5.g3 since it puts the white pieces in odd spots and
gives Black a new target on g3.
5.d4 is the gutsier move in some respects because it ignores Black's intention to
push. 5...g4 Black must follow through otherwise 4...g5 is ridiculous. White has
three noteworthy possibilities, though only one is good.
[FEN "rnbqk1nr/ppp2p1p/3b4/8/3P2p1/
5N2/PPP1P1PP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6"]
A) 6.Ng5 gives Black too many targets. First of all, that knight is about to be
trapped. 6...f5! 7.e4 This move led to a wild game that I will let you first judge for
yourself. (7.d5 This move is not about playing Ne6, which would give Black way
too much play, but about sacrificing the knight. 7...h6 8.Qd4 Nf6 9.Nc3 hxg5
10.Bxg5 Nbd7 11.0-0-0 Be5 White has some compensation, but Black is definitely
much better because White's kingside pieces are out of play.) 7...h6 8.e5 Be7
9.Nh3 (9.Ne4 This is the better way to give up the piece. It strips away the
protection provided by the f-pawn and gives the e4-square to White. 9...fxe4
10.Nc3 Bb4 This is unclear with the pressure on White to justify the piece deficit.
Black should simply keep developing.) 9...gxh3 10.Qh5+ Kf8 11.Bc4 Rh7!
[FEN "rnbq1kn1/ppp1b2r/7p/4Pp1Q/2BP4/
7p/PPP3PP/RNB1K2R w KQ - 0 12"]
An important move that keeps the black queen on the d-pawn. 12.c3 Bg5 13.Nd2
hxg2 14.Rg1 Qe7 This is a better move than 14...Bh4+, which is what Black played
in the game we are following. After ...Rg7 and ...Be6, Black is solid and ahead a
piece.
B) 6.e4 is another piece-sacrificing move that is unsound. 6...gxf3 7.Qxf3 Nc6!
Delaying ...Qh4+ is best. 8.c3 It is hard to know how to best defend the d-pawn if
not with the white queen. The white queen is actually not well-placed on f3 because
the black queen can easily bother it with ...Qf6 or ...Qh4+, followed by ...Qg4.
(8.Qe3 Nxd4 and White can't take back because of 9...Bg3+ discovered check.)
8...Qh4+ 9.g3 Qg4 10.Qe3 Nf6 Black is ahead a piece and has three pieces while
White's minor pieces sit on the bench. Black is winning.
C) 6.Ne5!? leads to an interesting ending. Black shouldn't let the white knight stay
on e5. 6...Bxe5 Black loses the dark-squared bishop and the black g-pawn
obviously sticks out, but so do White's doubled, isolated e-pawns. Black also gets
to make the first developing move after the forced exchanges. 7.dxe5
[FEN "rnbqk1nr/ppp2p1p/8/4P3/6p1/8/
PPP1P1PP/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 7"]
7...Qxd1+ There is no good way to avoid the exchange of queens. If Black moves
the queen to e7, this lets White get the jump on development and without the dark-
squared bishop Black is suffering. 8.Kxd1 White also loses castling privileges.
8...Nc6 Black attacks the e5-pawn because 8...Nc6 is a good developing move,
with the knowledge that White isn't going to bother defending this extra appendage.
9.Nc3 White leaves open the question of whether the c1-bishop will go to f4 or g5.
(9.Bg5 is a logical choice that takes advantage of the bishop-pair and the holes the
g-pawn left behind. 9...Be6 We will look at this in the first illustrative game.) 9...Be6
10.Bf4 I don't think this move is as good as placing the bishop on g5, where it stops
Black from castling queenside and the bishop may go to f6. 10...Nge7 11.e3 Ng6
12.Bb5 0-0-0+ 13.Ke1 Ncxe5 14.Bg5 Rd6 Black has equality and went on to win
a game in this variation.
5...g4
After that detour we are back to the main line of theory in the column. 5.g3 gives the
knight a home on h4, but lets Black get ahead in center play.
6.Nh4
This is basically the only move that has been played. White keeps the knight on the
kingside. 6.Nd4 could be met by the discovered attack 6...Bxg3+ or even 6...c5.
6...Ne7
By common consensus this is the best move, because the knight can go to g6 to
bother White's knight and prepare ...f5/f4 type stuff.
7.d4
[FEN "rnbqk2r/ppp1np1p/3b4/8/3P2pN/
6P1/PPP1P2P/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 7"]
I think that this move is more popular than 7.e4 because the d-pawn is already
defended and takes dark squares such as e5 away from the black pieces.
7...Nbc6
This move is not the most often-played, but I like it. The first thing I learned about
chess is to activate your pieces, and I heard this advice every time I came to chess
club.
7...Ng6 is the main move. It is important to have one or two different options in an
opening repertoire, so if one plan doesn't work out you have a backup. This is
particularly important for a Black repertoire, since as white you may just lose your
opening edge, while as black a wrong move or idea could make your position worse
as opposed to just equal. 8.Nxg6 Retreating to g2 loses a tempo and Black can get
the ball rolling with ...h5/h4. 8...hxg6 This recaptures toward the center and opens
the h-file for the rook. 9.Qd3 White develops and defends against the threat of
9...Rxh2 and 10...Bxg3+. 9...Nc6 Black makes another two-move threat:
10...Nxd4 11.Qxd4?? Bxg3+ 10.c3 Qe7 I prefer this move since it makes White
wait to see where the c8-bishop will go. (10...Bf5 is a more fashionable line, but I
dislike it because White gets a big pawn center right away and the bishop ends up
moving anyway. 11.e4 Qe7 12.Bg2 0-0-0 The e-pawn is well-defended after Nd2,
so I am not sure of the point of the bishop on f5.) 11.Bg2 This is the only place the
bishop can get active since the other diagonal is clogged. 11...Be6 The square d7 is
the other choice for the bishop, but this is more active. White wouldn't dare
exchange the g2-bishop for the c6-knight, since that would seriously weaken the
light squares on White's kingside. There is no 12.d5 fork, because of 12...Ne5
hitting the queen. 12.Nd2 0-0-0 13.Ne4 White is smart to get pieces out before
pushing the center pawns. (13.e4? f5 And Black's superior development and White's
awkward king and queen give Black the sudden edge.) 13...Rh5 14.Nxd6+ cxd6
White still has a castling problem since neither side nor the center seem very inviting.
Black won't rush to play ...d5 since the h-rook may come over to the queenside if
White castles there. This is a great position to practice. (14...Qxd6 is also possible,
and led to interesting play in one game. 15.Bf4 Qd7 16.e4 The unprotected queen
lets Black get counterplay. Again e4 is premature. 16...g5 17.Be3 Ne5 After
18...Nf3+, Black got through on the kingside and won the game later. 0-1, Lie,K
(2560)-Sulskis,S (2577)/Porto Carras GRE 2011.
8.c3
White needs to defend the pawn from discovered check attacks (...Nxd4).
8...Ng6
As in the previous line, Black plays this move to make the knight more active and
kick White away.
9.Ng2
9.Nxg6 This is better for the same reasons as in the previous lines. 9...hxg6 We will
probably transpose to the 7...Qe7 variation.
9...h5
Black has much more development than White, so attacking right away makes
sense. This pawn push also makes it possible to swing the rook up to h5 after ...h4.
10.Qd3
White centralizes the queen, prepares e4, and puts pressure on the g6-knight
followed by 11.Nf4.
10...h4
White had no good way to prevent this.
11.Nf4
This piece moves yet again, but this was White's strongest choice.
11...Qg5
[FEN "r1b1k2r/ppp2p2/2nb2n1/6q1/3P1Npp/
2PQ2P1/PP2P2P/RNB1KB1R w KQkq - 0 12"]
There are no good discoveries involving the f4-knight and c1-bishop because the
bishop is unprotected. We are going to stop here and continue in the second
illustrative game. I like Black's chances in From's Gambit and encourage you to
study the position after 14...cxd6 in the main line and the endgame after 5.d4 and
6.Ne5.
Tartakower, Saviely – Marshall, Frank James
DSB-19.Kongress Mannheim (8), 1914
It is uncommon to see older games in a discussion about openings. I picked this one
because these were two great players whose games, improvements notwithstanding,
show instructive middlegame and endgame play, the rules of which remain roughly
the same through centuries.
1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.exd6 Bxd6 4.Nf3 g5 5.d4 g4 6.Ne5 Bxe5 7.dxe5 Qxd1+
8.Kxd1 Nc6 9.Nc3 Be6
[FEN "r3k1nr/ppp2p1p/2n1b3/4P3/6p1/
2N5/PPP1P1PP/R1BK1B1R w kq - 0 10"]
Here we are. I am going to try to conserve Black's sole bishop.

10.Bg5
I am most afraid of this move because it targets the squares left behind by the g-
pawn push.
10...Nxe5
I prefer 10...a6 to prevent the sequence that follows starting with 11.Nb5. It is a
slow move, but this is a slow position. White is still far away from finishing
development.
11.Nb5
Otherwise Black will play ...f6 and castle queenside, averting this scenario.
11...Kd7
11...f6 is a possibility. The problem with it is that White still gets the bishop-pair
against two knights. 12.Nxc7+ Kd7 13.Nxe6 White doesn't go after the rook
because he would lose the g5-bishop and the knight would be trapped on a8.
13...Kxe6 14.Bf4 Having the bishop-pair against two knights is an underrated
advantage. It is very difficult to have the knights unless the position is closed, which
is not the case.
12.Ke1
This clears the d1-square for the rook and puts more pressure on Black.
12...f6
This had to be done in any case, because if the g8-knight had moved, the bishop
could go to f6 forking the e5-knight and rook on h8. Now the king can go to e7
protecting the f6-pawn and square.
13.Rd1+ Ke7!
I believe Marshall's choice is correct. This keeps his pieces active and preserves the
tactics. 13...Kc8 is the other move that has been tried by strong players.
14.Be3
[FEN "r5nr/ppp1k2p/4bp2/1N2n3/6p1/
4B3/PPP1P1PP/3RKB1R b - - 0 14"]
White switches to a different diagonal to bother Black.

14...Bc4
I am not surprised to see this Marshall-esque move in a Marshall game. Tartakower
doesn't take full advantage of it though, which is not the best.
14...Rc8!? would have been an interesting move. The a7-pawn is not quite
poisoned, but White should think hard before capturing. 15.Nxa7 (15.Bxa7 b6
16.a4 Bd7 This puts White in self-induced difficulties.; 15.g3 a6 16.Nc3 Kf7 Black
is getting behind in development and has to be careful. He should be fine.) 15...Ra8
16.g3 Kf7 17.Bg2 Ne7 The point of these strange quiet moves is that Black is not
concerned about forcing the white knight to move. As always, it is about activity of
the pieces. The knight is out of play and White has to continually make sure it will
not be trapped.
15.Bc5+ Kf7 16.e3
This gives Black some space.
16.Nxc7 Rc8 17.Bd6 I don't know what Marshall planned if this had happened.
The c4-bishop is a problem since it is trapped by the c7-knight. b3 is coming.
16...Bxb5
Black gives up the bishop-pair for two knights, though in this situation it is not so bad
since the c5-bishop is not well-placed.
17.Bxb5 Ne7 18.Ke2
18.e4 The e-pawn is more vulnerable, but the dark-squared bishop has more scope.
18...Rad8 19.Bd4 N7c6
[FEN "3r3r/ppp2k1p/2n2p2/1B2n3/
3B2p1/4P3/PPP1K1PP/3R3R w - - 0 20"]
20.Bxc6
It is strange that White avoids the exchange of rooks and then makes this
unnecessary exchange that cedes the advantage. Black has little trouble drawing.
20...Nxc6 21.Rhf1
21.Bc3 Ke6 The white isolated e-pawn gives Black some compensation for the
bishop vs. knight imbalance. This move would have led to more fight.
21...Nxd4+
Now the draw is not in doubt.
22.Rxd4 Rxd4 23.exd4 Re8+ 24.Kd3 Kg6 25.c4 h5
A good move. Black gets his pawn majority going as quickly as possible.
26.g3 h4 27.d5 hxg3 28.hxg3 f5 29.Rh1 Rf8 30.Rh4 Rf7 ½-½
After the tension in the middle, the rapid transition into a drawn rook ending felt anti-
climatic. As we saw, both sides had chances to improve.
Paichadze, Luka (2410) – Isgandarova, Khayala (2230)
Tbilisi Municipality Cup (9), 23.06.2009
I was really impressed with the black player in this game. She played extremely well
against her higher-rated opponent and had one very aesthetically pleasing move
toward the end.
1.f4 e5 2.fxe5 d6 3.exd6 Bxd6 4.Nf3 g5 5.g3 g4 6.Nh4 Ne7 7.d4 Nbc6 8.c3
Ng6 9.Ng2 h5 10.Qd3 h4 11.Nf4 Qg5
I left off here in the theory section above. Thanks to White's inaccuracy on move
nine, Black has achieved active play on the kingside.
12.Bg2
12.Nd2 Getting the knight to e4 is more critical. 12...hxg3 13.hxg3 Rxh1 14.Qe4+
Nce7? (14...Kf8 This is better and unclear.) 15.Qxh1 Nxf4 16.Ne4 is clearly a
disaster for Black.
12...hxg3
Black immediately takes advantage of the discombobulated white pieces.
13.hxg3 Rxh1+ 14.Bxh1
The bishop is a target here.
14...Nce7!
Black blocks checks on the e-file, prepares to castle queenside, and further limits the
effectiveness of the white h1-bishop.
15.Qe4
Now the queen too gets pushed aside. However, I am not sure how White can
develop.
15.Nd2 This is bad now. 15...Nxf4 16.gxf4 Qh4+
[FEN "r1b1k3/ppp1np2/3b4/8/3P1Ppq/
2PQ4/PP1NP3/R1B1K2B w Qq - 0 17"]
15.Na3 Even just giving back the pawn seems not to help. 15...Nxf4 16.Bxf4 Bxf4
17.gxf4 Qxf4 18.Qh7 This is going to end badly. 18...Qg3+ 19.Kf1 Nf5 White can
defend after 20.Nc4, though Black is on the offensive after 20...Ke7.
15...c6
Simple, strong moves.
16.e3
White should probably develop something instead.
16...Bf5 17.Qg2 0-0-0
Already it is too late to do much but hang on. With help from her opponent Black
has completely shut down the white bishops.
18.Bd2 Rh8 19.Na3
It is curious, but when you have more space you are supposed to keep pieces on the
board, but here Black shows that trading makes her pieces better and shows the
weakness of her opponent's setup.
19...Bxa3! 20.bxa3 Nxf4 21.exf4 Qg6
Black's light-squared bishop has free rein since its White counterpart is tied up.
22.Kf2
[FEN "2k4r/pp2np2/2p3q1/5b2/3P1Pp1/
P1P3P1/P2B1KQ1/R6B b - - 0 22"]
22...Bb1!
This is reminiscent of Mikhail Tal's famous ...Bb1 move (Aronson-Tal, 1957), which
brilliantly restricted White's pieces, nothing more or less. Here this move does that
and clears the way for the black queen.
23.Kg1 Qd3 24.Be1 Qd1 25.Kf2 Nf5 26.d5 cxd5 27.Rxb1 Qxb1 28.Qxd5
Qb6+ 29.Ke2 Re8+ 30.Be4 Qe3+ 31.Kd1 Qxe4 0-1
The game speaks for itself. White was defenseless almost the entire time thanks to
several great moves by Isgandarova. The h5/h4 plan is strong if White retreats
9.Ng2.
Lessons Learned
In the one endgame variation we studied, Black regains the gambit pawn fairly
quickly. Otherwise, bear in mind that Black is down a pawn in these
variations. It does not feel like it since White's center pawns are kept in check
and Black has more development and is making threats, but do not let that
lead you to mindlessly trade into an endgame where the deficit may count.
It is usually premature for White to advance both center pawns, so look for
tactics or forcing moves if White tries to do this. As well, play on the wings
with ...Rh5 worked out well in a couple of examples.
Active pieces are always key. Attack the dark squares. Put the knights on c6
and e7/g6, and the bishops on d6 and e6. Castling is a harder question,
though it makes sense to delay castling in favor of getting more pieces out or
making threats.
Practitioners
I know I have talked about Frank Marshall before, so I will elaborate on a few
others.
Henry Bird is the opening's namesake since he was the first to popularize 1.f4
(relatively speaking), although it was played well before him. He played
against Paul Morphy and wrote several chess books despite remaining an
amateur player.
Martin Severin From also lived during the nineteenth century and grew up in
Denmark. Chess was not his primary occupation; nevertheless, he served as
president of Københavns Skakforening in Copenhagen. According to its
listing on ICC, it is the oldest chess club in Denmark.
Khayala Isgandarova is a Woman International Master from Azerbaijan. She
has played in the Chess Olympaid and in the European Individual
Championship: Women.
Further Reading
Any book on unusual or flank openings will likely feature the Bird.
Bird's Opening by Tim Taylor.

by Abby Marshall
The ebook also includes fifteen theoretically important bonus games from over-the-
board and correspondence play to jumpstart your repertoire! All for only .99 cents!!
Comment on this month's column via our official Chess Blog!
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accessible:
The Two Knights Caro-Kann for White [B11]

In this column I am examining the Two Knights Variation of the Caro-Kann Defense
from White's point of view.
The
1.e4 c6
Openings
The Caro-Kann gets a low-key rap. It is not as popular as the Sicilian (though
Explained nothing is) or the French or 1...e5, but it enjoys strong loyalty from its adherents. I ECO B
think it is underrated and lets Black get an easy game with not nearly as much as by Chess Informant
effort as has to be expended in other Black systems.
Abby Marshall
2.Nc3
It is not really important which knight comes out first. I like this one because after
2...d5 White may still play 3.d4, so it keeps Black in the dark for one more move.
Translate this page
2...d5
The idea behind 1...c6. One attractive thing about the Caro-Kann is that it does not
block the c8-bishop, which is a problem that plagues French players.
3.Nf3 Grandmaster Secrets:
The Caro-Kann
by Peter Wells
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pp2pppp/2p5/3p4/4P3/
Grandmaster Repertoire 7:
2N2N2/PPPP1PPP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 3"]
The Caro-Kann
by Lars Schandorff
The Two Knights variation. I chose this system because it is straightforward and
favors quick development. As with most of these columns I will not be covering
everything, but just the most important aspects.
New: ChessBase
3...Bg4 12.0
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Black develops the bishop before playing ...e6 to get out the f8-bishop. It seems The top quality chess
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4.e5 and 3...Nbd7 blocks the c8-bishop, this move makes a lot of sense. This is the €99.90
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3...Nf6 White has a natural response to this natural move. 4.e5 White attacks the Degrees
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knight and gains space in the center. 4...Ne4 This is the best move. Otherwise Black Advanced Interactive
becomes very passive. (4...Nfd7 Since Black is going to have to play ...c5 in the Classrooms in a Modern
Online Learning
future to get any kind of space, Black has lost a tempo. 5.d4 Black cannot even Community!
develop a piece right now except for ...Na6, which is not actually a bad move since
the knight can go to c7 and help defend the center, but it is very slow. I prefer White Chess For Kids
here.) 5.Ne2 A strange-looking move, but with the idea of playing d4 and c3 and ChessKid.com
going to g3 to challenge the knight on e4. (5.Qe2 This is the main move, but I Kids learn and play
chess online. Safe and
became interested in other less studied options.) 5...Qb6 A typical move that puts Fun. Made for Kids!
pressure on the center and the b-file. 6.d4 e6 7.Ng3 c5 8.c3 Nc6 9.Bd3 (9.Qd3
pressure on the center and the b-file. 6.d4 e6 7.Ng3 c5 8.c3 Nc6 9.Bd3 (9.Qd3
This move is also okay since it lets the white queen keep an eye on the d-pawn.)
9...Nxg3 10.hxg3 cxd4 A logical move to start breaking down the white center. Hoveround®
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11.cxd4 Bd7 12.Be3 White is going to keep the king in the center and try to w w w .Hoveround.com/W … heelchairs
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3...dxe4 This transposes to a host of other variations, so I will not devote space to it
here. One line is 4.Nxe4 Nf6 5.Qe2 White relies on centralization. 5...Nxe4 6.Qxe4 Entertainment
Qd5 Black also aims to achieve centralization. 7.Qh4 This move is in current fashion Business
to avoid the trade of queens and still control the center. w w w .FullSail.edu
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3...d4 This move is rare although I would not be surprised to see it at the club level. Law , Media Distribution
The problem is that it cedes the center to the white e-pawn. 4.Ne2 c5 This pawn and More Online!
moves blocks in the f8-bishop. (4...d3 This is clearly a mistake. White gets rapid
development and trades the c-pawn for the center d-pawn. 5.cxd3 Qxd3 6.Nc3
After 7.d4, White will have a strong majority in the center.) 5.Ng3 White gets out of
the f1-bishop's way. 5...Nc6 6.Bb5 The bishop could also go to c4. 6.Bb5 exerts
control on the d4- and e5-squares that the knight protects. 6...Qb6 Black wants to
sustain the pawn structure. 7.Bxc6+ Qxc6 8.c3 This is the idea. Black cannot
sustain the d-pawn for long and White controls the center.
4.h3
White put the question to the bishop right away. As we will soon see, this move is
not just the usual preliminary move it is in many other lines, but provokes a Black
response that will structure much of the game.
4...Bxf3
This is more common than any of the retreats. One good sign for White is that Black
trades a bishop that has moved twice for a knight that has moved once.
4...Bh5 The difference between this position and the one when Black played 3...Bg4
is that now White has the option of playing g4 and getting out of the pin right away.
Otherwise, it is not just a matter of playing h3 and g4, because after h3 White would
have had to calculate Bxf3 which might be more advantageous for Black at a later
date. 5.d4 White captures more central space. 5...e6 6.Bd3 dxe4 This move,
although ceding room in the center, gives Black more space for the black pieces.
(6...Nf6 Black is playing too prosaically. 7.0-0 Bb4 Playing the bishop to e7 is safer.
8.e5 Nfd7 9.Bf4 White gives the e-pawn even more support. The black knight on
b8 is going to have difficulty getting into play and White has more freer
development.) 7.Nxe4 Nd7
[FEN "r2qkbnr/pp1n1ppp/2p1p3/7b/3PN3/
3B1N1P/PPP2PP1/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 8"]
Both ...c5 and ...Nb6/c5 are future options. White does have a nice knight on e4
that can go to g3 or stay on e4 to influence the center. g4 could also be played and
then Ng3. White is a little better, but it is an interesting game.
5.gxf3
Almost everything I tell my students in their first year of lessons is a lie. For example,
I say things like castle early, knights out before bishops, don't move a piece twice in
the opening, and do not ever move the g-pawn. That these postulates are dubious at
best is not a new idea of course; many people who know much more about chess
than I do have also questioned the wisdom of teaching kids or beginners these
maxims. However learning them is necessary before you can understand more
advanced concepts. The move 5.gxf3 makes the kingside dangerous for the white
king and creates two pawn islands. But as intermediate players we can look deeper
and think about using the newly opened g-file, castling queenside rather than
kingside, and how the pawn on f3 bolsters the e4-pawn.
5.Qxf3 This is obviously the other choice and more mainstream. It puts the queen
near the center and attacks the d-pawn. 5...e6 6.d4 Nf6 I would be more
comfortable as White, although it is hard to say if White has an edge already. 7.Bd3
White is making a pawn sacrifice. The game that follows is a classic. 7...dxe4
8.Nxe4 Qxd4 And Black chooses to accept it. A pawn is a lasting advantage, while
the open lines and piece activity that White has can quickly dissipate. 9.Be3 Qd8 It
looks plausible to go all the way back, like you are playing it safe, but this makes it
so easy for White. Even 9...Qxb2 is at least more interesting since White can no
longer castle queenside and get that open d-file. (9...Bb4+ This move is more
disruptive. White has to move the king because 10.c3 hangs the d3-bishop.) 10.0-
0-0 Nbd7 11.Bc4 In the absence of a black light-squared bishop, the e6-pawn is a
prime target since it is close to the black king and only defended by the weakest
pawn in the black position: the f7-pawn. 11...Qa5 Black gets out of the new pin on
the d-file. 12.Bd2 Qb6 This is inaccurate because it makes no threats. 12...Qa4 is a
versatile move that cuts along the fourth rank and puts more pressure on White.
After 12...Qb6, it actually helps White to have the bishop on d2 because now the e-
file is more open. 13.Rhe1
[FEN "r3kb1r/pp1n1ppp/1qp1pn2/8/2B1N3/
5Q1P/PPPB1PP1/2KRR3 b kq - 0 13"]
Every piece is now involved in the attack. 13...Nxe4 This move is a prelude to a
brilliant White victory, though other moves are not without problems. (13...Be7 The
g7-pawn has no defender and it is still unclear how Black plans to get activity.
14.Bf4 Again, centralization and the black king will face threats no matter what the
part of the board the king ends up.; 13...0-0-0 At first glance this looks fine, but it
leaves the f7-pawn behind. 14.Ng5 Once the f7-pawn falls, so will the e6-pawn.)
14.Rxe4 Nf6 It hardly mattered what Black played since the next move was coming.
(14...Be7 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.Rxe6 White can triple on the e-file and get the piece
back with a net material gain and the initiative.) 15.Bxe6! The culmination of the
white build-up. Black only has two pieces out, the queen and the knight, while White
is using every piece. 15...fxe6 16.Rxe6+ Be7 (16...Kf7 17.Rxf6+! After 18.Qh5+
White is down a rook but will be able to checkmate since the black queen is unable
to help the king.) 17.Rde1 White wins the piece back and the game is over.
17...Nd5 18.Bg5 0-0-0 19.Bxe7 Nxe7 20.Rxe7 Rhf8 21.Qg4+ Kb8 22.Qxg7
Qxf2 23.b3 Rg8 24.Qxh7 Rxg2 25.Rxb7+ Ka8 26.Rbe7 Qc5 27.h4 a5 28.Re8
Qd4 29.Kb1 Rd2 30.Rxd8+ Qxd8 31.Qe4 Qf6 32.h5 1-0, Boleslavsky,I-
Flohr,S/Moscow 1950/URS-ch. A great instructive game. This is not the variation I
am looking at, but if you play this variation it is good to keep the main lines in mind.
[FEN "rn1qkbnr/pp2pppp/2p5/3p4/4P3/
2N2P1P/PPPP1P2/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 5"]
5...e6
Black has tried a few different choices here. What is nice is that the game has taken
a complete turn from typical Caro-Kann structures so your opponent may not be
familiar or at least not comfortable with what is going on.
5...Nf6 This is a transposition. 6.d4 e6 7.Be3 This transposes to 5...e6 5.d4 Nf6
7.Be3.
5...g6 This move gets out the f8-bishop and Rg1 will have less bite since the pawn
on g6 is well-guarded. 6.d4 White establishes two pawns in the center. 6...Bg7
7.Be3 This is the first time we are encountering this plan of Be3, Qd2, and 0-0-0.
This is the point of the variation in this column. The white and black pawns on e4
and d5 create a fluid center so White does not want to leave the king in the center,
and the bishop on e3 helps protect the d-pawn. 7...e6 The move adds support to d5
since a future ...c5 may be in the works. Black may also play the knight to e7.
8.Qd2 White makes no secret of the plan. 8...Nd7 9.0-0-0 (9.h4 We will look at
the interesting plan White deployed in the first illustrative game.) 9...Ngf6 (9...Qc7 It
is tough for Black to even castle queenside. The black queen has to go somewhere,
but wherever she goes she will be bothered. 10.exd5! cxd5 The other recapture
opens the e-file, a disaster after 11. Bf4 and 12.Re1+. 11.Nb5 Qb6 12.Bf4 Black is
lost! The squares on c7 and d6 cannot be protected. This is also one of the
drawbacks of the ...g6 and ...Bg7 plan.) 10.h4
[FEN "r2qk2r/pp1n1pbp/2p1pnp1/3p4/
3PP2P/2N1BP2/PPPQ1P2/2KR1B1R b kq - 0 10"]
One of the things that attracted me to this system against the Caro-Kann is how
simple it is. White basically follows the same plan. In this position, h4-h5 also
becomes a possibility to play against the g6-pawn.
5...d4 This move makes more sense that before, because it is harder for the white
pieces to jump to the squares that this move leaves behind, namely e4, and it is
harder for White to attack d4. 6.Ne2 e5 Black seizes more space. 7.f4 White
immediately challenges the black center and opens some space for the white light-
squared bishop. 7...Nd7 8.d3 g6 This move is somewhat wasteful and the bishop is
not so good on g7 anyway. 9.Bg2 Bg7 10.0-0 Since the bishop cannot go to e3 and
it is difficult to get the white queen out, castling kingside is okay. Black cannot attack
the white king and now the plan switches to focusing on the center and even the
queenside. 10...exf4 This makes it easier for White. (10...Ne7 This move does not
obscure the g7-bishop and keeps the tension in the center. Black should hold the
pawns in the center as long as possible. 11.c3 White attacks the head of the pawn
chain, which is often as effective as attacking the base.) 11.Bxf4 The squares left
behind by the d-pawn push to d4 hurt here because the e4-pawn is uncontested and
the d4-pawn is not taking away critical squares from the white pieces. 11...Ne7
12.c3 White is slowly taking away squares in the center. 12...dxc3 13.bxc3 0-0
14.d4 Both sides work to finish development. 14...Nf6 Black puts the knight here to
in the future put pressure on the e-pawn since pushing to e5 creates an open square
on d5 for the black pieces. 15.Rb1 Qd7 16.Nc1
[FEN "r4rk1/pp1qnpbp/2p2np1/8/3PPB2/
2P4P/P4PB1/1RNQ1RK1 b - - 0 16"]
White has a clear plan forward using the centralized pawns and Black struggles to
find White targets.
5...e5 This move is suspect, since it is too easy of a solution. At first this looks pretty
good for Black, so lets see how the former world champion Mikhail Tal handles it.
6.f4 Tal challenges the e-pawn right away banking on the fact that White has a lead
in development to make this opening of the center work out. 6.cxd5 cxd5 7.Bb5+
looks good too. 6...dxe4 If Black takes on f4, this is similar to the previous line
where White gets a nice center after d4. 7.fxe5 Qd4 Black wants to get the e-pawn
with the queen to stop any problems on the e-file. 8.Qe2 Tal comes up with a
creative plan to create drama. 8...Qxe5 (8...Nd7 This is safer and does not allow
any White tricks.) 9.d4!? White sacrifices a pawn to open lines. 9...Qxd4 Black
does not have to take the sacrifice, but then White gets a free tempo. 10.Nxe4 Be7
Black has to block the e-file. 11.Bf4
[FEN "rn2k1nr/pp2bppp/2p5/8/3qNB2/7P/
PPP1QP2/R3KB1R b KQkq - 0 11"]
White gives away another pawn in order to release the rook on a1 and the bishop
looks at the d6-square. 11...Qxb2 This is a good decision since the move has a
threat to the rook and Black may be able to create trouble on the white dark
squares. Otherwise White will play c3 and Rd1. 12.Rd1 (12.Nd6+ This is pretty
strong and does not let Black develop anything. 12...Kf8 13.Be5 Rg1 is coming too.
The rook on d1 looks good but the knight on d6 blocks its own rook.) 12...Nf6
13.Nd6+ Kf8 It is unclear where the attack goes from here. White has a lot of
pressure and I would definitely prefer White. Here Tal uncorks a sacrifice that does
not result in a win in part because the bishop on f1 is not able to get in to the attack.
14.Qxe7+ A move like 14.Bg2 keeps the attack going. White is only behind two
pawns, and in return White has a strong knight on d6, a wayward black queen, and
open e-file. 14...Kxe7 15.Nf5+ Ke8 (15...Kf8 16.Rd8+) 16.Nxg7+ Kf8 17.Bd6+
Tal does not really have a choice if Black plays correctly. (17.Rg1? Qb4+ Once the
queen gets back then the deficit of a piece for a queen hurts.) 17...Kxg7 18.Rg1+
Ng4 19.Rxg4+ Kf6 20.Rf4+ Kg7 One of those exciting draws! ½-½, Tal,M-
Koblencs,A/Moscow 1960.
5...dxe4 This is illogical. White is able to undouble the f-pawns and Black has given
up having a d-pawn in the center. 6.fxe4
[FEN "rn1qkbnr/pp2pppp/2p5/8/4P3/2N4P/
PPPP1P2/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 6"]
White will castle queenside and have pressure on the black kingside after developing
and playing Rg1.
6.d4
White jumps at the chance to get two pawns in the center. Black has to expend an
extra tempo to challenge this pawn with ...c5 or ...e5 since these pawns have already
moved.
6...Nd7
Black plays the obvious developing move and defers decisions about the kingside
minor pieces.
6...Nf6 Black decides to fight for the e4-square. 7.Be3 Remember the plan? White
is facing no immediate threats to the center so goes forward with the plan to castle
queenside. 7...Be7 Black keeps the bishop close which is probably the right
decision. (7...Bb4 8.e5 This is the right response, since if White defends the e-pawn
with 8.Bd3, 8...c5 looks like Black is getting good play against the white center.
8...Nfd7 9.Rg1 White aims to attack the dark-squares that the bishop on b4 left
behind. 9...g6 Black cannot defend this pawn satisfactorily. 10.Bg5 The white king
will stay in the center and after the probable exchange of the black bishop for the
white knight, White will work to restrict the squares for the two black knights and
open lines for the white bishops. I love the bishop-pair, even in a closed position like
this, and Black will have problems coming up with a plan and a safe place for the
black king.) 8.Qd2 Nbd7 Black is becoming bottled up. 9.e5 White decided not to
wait to play this move. 9.0-0-0 is also possible to make Black wait. 9...Nh5 10.Be2
We will pick this position up in the second illustrative game.
7.Be3
If there are no threats against the white center, then White can go ahead with this
set-up.
7.Bf4 is what Mikhail Tal played in the 1960 World Championship match with
Mikhail Botvinnik. He later switched to 7.Be3. In the game White ended up moving
this bishop around and eventually the game was a draw.
7...Be7
Black sticks with the Be7/Nf6 set-up.
7...Ne7 This knight ends up not being too useful. 8.Qd2 Ng6 9.0-0-0 White actually
gets to carry out the plan and Black lets White have their way for the following
moves as well. 9...Be7 10.Bd3 The bishop makes sense here rather than e2 because
there is no knight going to h5. 10...Nh4 11.Qe2 0-0 We have a position with
opposite-side castling, which of course means that both sides will throw their forces
at the opposing king. White has an edge in this regard because of the open g-file,
two center pawns, and mobile f-pawns. 12.Rhg1 Kh8 13.Kb1
[FEN "r2q1r1k/pp1nbppp/2p1p3/3p4/3PP2n/
2NBBP1P/PPP1QP2/1K1R2R1 b - - 0 13"]
It is tough for Black to get the pawns rolling, because 13...c5 leaves the d-pawn in
danger and 13...b5 allows 14.exd5 exd5 and the e-file is open for White. White can
thinking about lifting the rook to g3 and using rooks and bishops to attack the king. I
would weigh the decision to play f4 carefully because it blocks the e3-bishop.
8.Qd2
[FEN "r2qk1nr/pp1nbppp/2p1p3/3p4/3PP3/
2N1BP1P/PPPQ1P2/R3KB1R b KQkq - 0 8"]
We have entered the middlegame stage and the previous lines, as well as the second
illustrative game, show the typical play in these positions. If Black does not go into
the main lines with 3...dxe4, White gets a good game fairly easily. The only
drawback is that Black has this choice on the third-move, but in that case we are in
the main lines where White has many good options as well.
Lanzani, Mario (2375) – Ferretti, Folco (2270)
18th Bratto op, 1998
In this game White does something different from the Be3, Qd2, 0-0-0 approach,
but still uses h4 and Rg1. The game also shows the power of the bishop-pair, albeit
this occurs after Black makes a big mistake.
1.e4 c6 2.Nf3 d5 3.Nc3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.gxf3 g6 6.d4 Bg7 7.Be3 e6 8.Qd2
Nd7 9.h4
[FEN "r2qk1nr/pp1n1pbp/2p1p1p1/3p4/
3PP2P/2N1BP2/PPPQ1P2/R3KB1R b KQkq - 0 9"]
In the theory section I favored 9.0-0-0 which is more consistent with what we had
been looking at and less committal in my mind.
9...Ngf6
Especially now that the pawn is on g6, the knight should come here since on e7 it
cannot go to g6 anymore.
10.Be2
White is clearly aiming for h5. 10.h5!? is interesting now. There is no concrete line,
just 0-0-0 and using the open g- and h- files to pressure Black.
10...Qa5
This is also a committal move by Black. 10...Qe7 is better to be able to check on
both the queenside and the kingside.
11.a3
The first move I do not like. White should go ahead with castling queenside then
follow through with the h-pawn push.
11...h5
This is a risky move because it leaves behind the g5-square.
11...0-0-0 This move resigns Black to cramped development. He can no longer
push the queenside pawns with impunity and the bishop on g7 does not look good.
12.0-0-0 e5 13.Kb1 My hunch is that any freeing move like ...e5 has the drawback
of making White's bishop-pair into a definite advantage.
12.Kf1
I am not sure why White played this move. It is just very slow and limits the h1-
rook. I can guess he was nervous about castling queenside because of ...b5, but that
is not a serious concern.
12.0-0-0 b5 13.e5 Already this looks hardly ideal for Black. White can maneuver
his own knight around to these weak dark squares and make Black come up with a
plan.
12...0-0?!
[FEN "r4rk1/pp1n1pb1/2p1pnp1/q2p3p/
3PP2P/P1N1BP2/1PPQBP2/R4K1R w - - 0 13"]
Another dangerous move. Castling queenside looks fine since White has to get
organized to get the rooks into play.
13.Rg1
I get the sense that White is starting to drift. Black misses a good opportunity here.
The little tactic does not work and just leads to equality. 13.Nxd5 Qxd2 14.Nxf6+
Bxf6 15.Bxd2 Bxd4; 13.e5! This must be the move. The black queen is totally
blocked from the kingside and White can play Rg1, Bd3, and Bh6 to break through.
13...e5
This move is positionally sound but tactically flawed. It uses the fact that White's king
is in the center as the reason to open the position, but forgets about the standard
trick involving the discovered attack on d5.
13...dxe4 This is a tough move to make because it undoubles the white pawns and
opens the diagonal for the e2-bishop. But the positives are that the black queen is
involved along the fifth rank, the d5-square is now open to Black if White does push
e5, and the d-pawn is on an open file. 14.fxe4 Rfd8 This would be a more engaging
game.
14.dxe5
White is precise. This move is necessary first. 14.Nxd5? Qxd2 15.Nxf6+ Bxf6
16.Bxd2 exd4 is only even.
14...Nxe5
The knight gets a centralized square, but aside from the tactical problem it can be
kicked away by f4.
15.Nxd5
Making use of the discovered attack on the e1-a5 diagonal.
15...Qxd2
Black should take because otherwise White will not trade knights but move the
knight to f4 and continue to pressure the black king.
16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxd2
Now we get to see the power of the bishop-pair. Of course Black is a pawn behind
which does not help things. It is not hopeless yet because of the fact that White's
kingside pawns are not the greatest.
17...Nd7
17...Bxh4 makes the situation worse. 18.f4 Nd7 19.Bxh5 The open h-file is a
problem for Black, not for White.
18.f4 Kh7 19.e5
[FEN "r4r2/pp1n1p1k/2p2bp1/4P2p/
5P1P/P7/1PPBBP2/R4KR1 b - - 0 19"]
It is hard to say whether White should bother to protect the h-pawn. On one hand, it
gives Black a protected passed pawn, but on the other hand it opens up lines. I think
White made the right choice.
19...Bxh4
If Black does not take the pawn, White can still pursue the same goals except with
an extra pawn.
20.Bb4
Provoking Black to play ...c5 or gain access to the d6-square.
20...c5
This creates more weaknesses and takes away a square from the d7-knight.
21.Bc3 Nb6 22.f5
White wants to open lines and has possibilities to attack the black king even without
queens on the board.
22.Bf3 I also really like this simple move. It threatens the b7-pawn and takes away
d5 from the knight
22...Nd5 23.Bd2
White of course should save the bishop-pair.
23...Rae8
Black has tough choices to make. Probably already Black is lost since the black
bishop is struggling to get in the game.
23...Ne7 This leads to problems with the bishop. 24.f6 Nf5 25.Bd3 Rad8 26.Rd1
The bishop on h4 is in danger of becoming trapped.
24.f4 Bd8
I do not see other options. This leaves Black more at the mercy of the white rooks,
but on the other hand the bishop was becoming a big problem.
25.Bd3 Ne7
Black defends g6.
26.f6
[FEN "3brr2/pp2np1k/5Pp1/2p1P2p/
5P2/P2B4/1PPB4/R4KR1 b - - 0 26"]
White constricts Black even more and now the g6-pawn is pinned and unable to
defend the h-pawn for the time being.
26...Nc6 27.Rg5 Rh8
Black gives up a pawn to seek some relief. Even after something like 27...Kh8,
White can go forward with Kf2, Rh1, and Be2, planning a breakthrough on h5.
28.Rxh5+ Kg8 29.Rxh8+ Kxh8 30.Kf2 Bb6 31.Bc4
This is a strong move and allows White to go after the rest of the black kingside
pawns. Black is lost.
31...Kg8 32.Rg1 Kf8 33.Rh1 Kg8 34.Rh6 Rd8 35.Bc3 Na5 36.Rxg6+ Kf8
37.Rh6 Kg8 38.Bxa5 1-0
An uneven game but one that showed the power of the bishop-pair and of the
doubled f-pawns in conjunction with the e-pawn.
Depasquale, Chris (2344) – Rogers, Ian (2582)
Doeberl Cup 42nd Canberra (6), 11.04.2004
This game did not end in a win for White nor was White necessarily better at any
point. However, I wanted to show this game because it demonstrates the potential of
the white pawn structure and how the endgame could go.
1.e4 c6 2.Nc3 d5 3.Nf3 Bg4 4.h3 Bxf3 5.gxf3 e6 6.d4 Nf6 7.Be3 Be7 8.Qd2
Nbd7 9.e5 Nh5 10.Be2
[FEN "r2qk2r/pp1nbppp/2p1p3/3pP2n/
3P4/2N1BP1P/PPPQBP2/R3K2R b KQkq - 0 10"]
So we stopped here. White has already begun the plan of Be3 and Qd2.
10...g6
This is a strong plan. Black routes the knight to g7 and f5, arguably White's weakest
square since no pawns can protect it. This move also stymies White's presence on
the g-file.
11.Bh6
White stops Black from castling. Black could not have delayed 10...g6 though,
because after 11.f4 the bishop is on the h5-knight.
11...Rg8 12.f4
Like I said before I do not like playing this move without careful consideration. I do
not think there is a rush here.
After 12.0-0-0 Ng7 13.Bxg7 Rxg7 14.Rdg1, I like that White still has the diagonal
open for the queen.
12...Ng7
Black gets the knight out of the e2-bishop's grasp.
13.Bg5
This move surprised me. Especially since the dark-squared bishops are blocked by
pawns on dark squares, I would think White would want to trade this bishop.
13.Bxg7 Rxg7 14.0-0-0 The rook is also now in an awkward spot. White will
prepare h5 to open up Black's kingside.
13...Rh8
13...f6 I wonder about this move too. Capturing on f6 is ugly for the white pawns,
but retreating the bishop loses a tempo to 14...Nf5. 14.exf6 Bxf6
14.0-0-0 h6 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 16.Bd3
[FEN "r3k2r/pp1nqpn1/2p1p1pp/3pP3/
3P1P2/2NB3P/PPPQ1P2/2KR3R b q - 0 16"]
It is even here. Now the game becomes a little strange.

16...Qb4 17.Ne2
I can only guess at White's motives for this move. When playing a higher-rated
player there is a psychological burden to trade pieces, since this might end up in a
draw, which is good for you. The problem is that this comes at the cost of seeing
how you might have actually won the game rather than drawn. What makes it
interesting is that the endgame is actually pretty good for White. So maybe this was
just a chess decision.
17.Rhg1 Besides the little trap this sets (17...Qxd4 18.Rxg6 and Black should not
take the rook because there is a discovered attack on the queen) this is also a good
move.
17...Qxd2+
Black goes in for the trade and the kingside checkmate pressure mostly disappears.
18.Kxd2 Ke7 19.c3 c5 20.dxc5
20.Rhg1 I would prefer to keep the knight out of c5 and let the pawn stay there.
20...Nxc5 21.Bc2 a6 22.Ng3 Rac8 23.h4 Nd7
23...h5 This move looks good for Black but has its problems. The kingside is
basically shut down so the white pawns are hard to get and the h5-square is taken
away from the black knight. 24.Ke3 White can use the d4-square.
24.h5
A little hasty.
24.Rde1 Rc4 25.Ke3 Nc5 26.Kf3 This more cautious and would have involved the
king in the play.
24...g5
This helps White push Black back.
24...Rc4 From what I understood this was one of the ideas of retreating the knight:
to make way for the rook. 25.Ke3 (25.hxg6 Rxf4) 25...g5 26.fxg5 hxg5 Something
similar happened in the game, but in this situation, thanks to the king on e3, White
has no way to defend the e-pawn.
25.fxg5 Nxe5
25...hxg5 26.h6 Ne8 27.Rde1 and Black is in disarray. The g5-pawn has become a
weakness because it cannot be defended by a pawn, since ...f6 can be captured by
exf6.
26.f4
White has undoubled the f-pawns and has pressure on the kingside.
26...Nc4+ 27.Kc1
White lets the rooks take over the open files and the king stays out of the way.
27...Ne3 28.Rdg1
28.Rde1 Centralization is better in my opinion. The threats of g6 or f5 put Black's
king and kingside pawns in danger.
28...Rc4 29.Ne2 Nxc2 30.Kxc2 Nf5
[FEN "7r/1p2kp2/p3p2p/3p1nPP/
2r2P2/2P5/PPK1N3/6RR w - - 0 31"]
Now I do not like White's position. Black has lots of activity in exchange for White's
g and h pawns exerting force on the kingside.
31.Kd3 Re4 32.Rh3
From here on it is a bit of a slog for White to even be totally equal.
32...a5 33.b3 b5 34.gxh6
This decision can probably be delayed, but sooner or later it makes sense to get a
passed pawn.
34...Nxh6 35.Rf1 Nf5 36.h6
A cute trap. If Black captures on h6, then after 36...Rxh6 37.Rxh6 Nxh6 28.Ng3
the rook on e4 is trapped. Black should probably have kept the knight on h6.
Maybe both players were in time trouble here.
36...Rh7 37.Nd4
Double rook endings are the worst since they are so hard to win, but this is the only
way for White to make any progress.
37...Nxd4 38.cxd4 Kf6
[FEN "8/5p1r/4pk1P/pp1p4/3PrP2/
1P1K3R/P7/5R2 w - - 0 39"]
This is almost inaccurate. 38...f5 is equal.

39.Rh5
39.a3! A really subtle move that if Black is just on autopilot, he could get in trouble.
39...Kf5? A mistake! (39...Ke7 Black has to go back! Otherwise he is quickly in
zugzwang. 40.Rh4 f5=) 40.Rg1 This threatens 41.Rg7 40...Kf6 41.Rh4 And Black
amazingly has no good moves. 41...a4 42.b4 Ke7 43.Rg7 Rh8 44.h7 Kf8 45.Rg1
This is all forced and White has a ton of threats, the most serious being coming
around on the c-file.
39.Rh4 Kf5 40.Rg1 Rxf4 So 39.Rh4 right away is not a good idea.
39...Kg6 40.Rg5+ Kf6 41.Rh5 Kg6 42.Rg5+ Kf6 43.Rh5 ½-½
An ending that proves that even the most drawn-looking positions have resources.
Lessons Learned
The plan is to play Be3, Qd2, 0-0-0, and depending on the position sometime
we play h4, or Rg1, or Bd3 and maintain the center. Black's strategy is to
undermine the white center pawns with moves like ...c5 and ...Bb4. In that
case, e5 can be a good move to play, but be careful before committing to
moves like f4 and e5 because, implicitly, these moves are committal and
resign you to their goals.
Centralization is key. Besides the pawns coming to e4 and d4, the major idea
starting from the very first moves of getting both knights into play, is to
maintain central control and not single-mindedly pursuing the black king.
Black has a few different set-ups. The main idea is to exploit the weak
squares that these moves leave behind. A bishop on b4 does not control g7 or
the squares around the black king. Pawn moves always leave behind squares
they could have defended. A knight that goes to e7 and g6 does not defend
the pawn on d5.
Practitioners
Mikhail Tal played this system against Mikhail Botvinnik as the challenger to
Botvinnik's world championship title. The match was played in Moscow in
1960 when Tal was only twenty-three-years-old. The match featured amazing
play by the inimitable Tal, who won after twenty-one games and became the
eighth world chess champion.
Mario Lanzani is an international master from Italy. He had several good
results including in team championships in the 1980s and is still an active
player.
Chris Depasquale is an Australian FIDE master and is ranked sixty nationally
in Australia.
Further Reading
I do not know of any books that feature this line, but check out Tal's book on his
match with Botvinnik, which is a classic in its own right.
Tal-Botvinnik 1960 by Mikhail Tal

by Abby Marshall
The ebook also includes theoretically important bonus games to jumpstart your
repertoire! All for only .99 cents!!

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The Giuoco Piano for Black [C50]

This month I am going close to home via a different route than usual. I am a loyal
adherent of the Two Knights Defense, which I have covered for this column before.
The For April, I am looking at the Giuoco Piano, a name that is fun to hear my students
try to pronounce, and part of the essential education of all young players. The
Openings variation I want to focus on can be reached via the Two Knights, though in a future
column I want to focus on lines unique to the Giuoco Piano.
Explained ECO C
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 by Chess Informant
Abby Marshall
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Two Knights Defense

[FEN "r1bqk1nr/pppp1ppp/2n5/2b1p3/2B1P3/ by Jan Pinski
5N2/PPPP1PPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 4"]
This is the Giuoco Piano, which means Quiet Game in Italian. It avoids some of the
sharper lines in the Two Knights. One obvious benefit is that 4.Ng5 is no longer an
option.
4.0-0
This older line is not as direct as 4.c3 right away. However, the variation I want to
consider becomes sharp immediately.
4.b4 is the Evans Gambit, the exciting counterpart to 4.Ng5 after 4...Nf6. I have ChessBase Magazine 130
always called 4.Ng5 the Fried Liver Attack, although technically the Fried Liver by Rainer Knaak (ed.)
occurs only after Black plays 4...d5 5.exd5 Nxd5, when 6.Nxf7 is a very dangerous
sacrifice when followed by d4. The Evans Gambit, as with the Fried Liver, is a lot of
fun to analyze, but since it veers off topic I will only give a couple lines.
A) 4...Bxb4 Accepting the gambit leads to all kinds of complications. 4.b4 not only
prepares c3 and d4, but also gives an outlet to the c1-bishop to go to b2. 5.c3
White gains a tempo to prop up the pawn push to d4. 5...Bc5 (5...Ba5 This move
leads to a well-known line. 6.d4 exd4 The aim of 5...Ba5 is to pin the c-pawn so
White does not get a strong pawn center. 7.0-0 dxc3 8.Qb3 Qf6 9.e5 Qg6
10.Nxc3 Nge7 In the database there are games between Fritz Riemann and Adolf
Anderssen in the nineteenth century where this same position is reached regardless
of who is white or black. The Evans Gambit has remained extremely popular.) 6.0-0
d6 7.d4 exd4 8.cxd4 Bb6 White has many moves here. Black uses the bishop on
b6 to keep an eye on the center, while White has to prove compensation for the
pawn. I would prefer White.
B) 4...Bb6 Declining the gambit is a decent option since 4.b4 is a committal move in
its own right.
4.c3 is very popular and can transpose to the Two Knights after 4...Nf6 5.d3. This
is a whole different system than what we are looking at in this column. White can
also play Nc3 and d3, which is an extremely low-key system. Black may try ...Be6
and wait for White to overextend.
4...Nf6
I want to look at moves such as 4...d6 in the future. Playing 3...Nf6 could avoid
what follows since 4.0-0 leaves the option of 4...Nxe4.
5.d4
[FEN "r1bqk2r/pppp1ppp/2n2n2/2b1p3/
2BPP3/5N2/PPP2PPP/RNBQ1RK1 b kq - 0 5"]
This pawn sacrifice is more dangerous than it appears. I think this is a curious move
order by White since Black has the option of playing 5...exd4, transposing to the
famous Max Lange Attack.
5...Bxd4
I covered the Max Lange in a column a couple of years ago, but for someone
looking to play quieter lines than those than usually occur in the Two Knights, I
would recommend this move.
5...exd4 The Max Lange goes 6.e5 d5 7.exf6 dxc4 8.Re1+ (8.fxg7 Since the time I
wrote the column on the Max Lange I have seen that this move is more interesting
than I thought) 8...Be6 9.Ng5 Qd5 is the Classical Main Line.
6.Nxd4
This is the only logical move. White gets the bishop-pair and knocks the black
pieces out of sync.
6...Nxd4
Even though it is in the center, the black knight does not want to be here. White can
immediately target the e-pawn that is supporting the knight.
7.f4
[FEN "r1bqk2r/pppp1ppp/5n2/4p3/2BnPP2/
8/PPP3PP/RNBQ1RK1 b kq - 0 7"]
This is the most challenging move. White keeps the initiative.

7.Bg5 Other moves let Black play ...d6, ...Nc6, and ...Be6. Castling kingside looks
dangerous, and Black has now weaknesses on the queenside, so that makes the
queenside the final destination for the black king. 7...h6 I played this when I faced
this variation. (7...Qe7 I actually like the way I played, so I am mostly including this
move for historical purposes. 8.Nc3 c6 9.f4 d6 10.Qd2 Ne6 The position reached
in a few moves is similar to positions we will get later in the main lines. 11.fxe5 dxe5
12.Bxf6 gxf6 13.Kh1 h5 14.Rad1 h4
[FEN "r1b1k2r/pp2qp2/2p1np2/4p3/2B1P2p/
2N5/PPPQ2PP/3R1R1K w kq - 0 15"]
Black pushes this pawn to provoke further dark-square weaknesses. 15.Nd5 This
piece sacrifice ended unsuccessfully but White was floundering for a plan. Black
won later in Markland,P (2405)-Reshevsky,S (2560), London 1973) 8.Bh4 (8.Be3
Nc6 Black should retreat this knight if White does not take immediate action against
the e-pawn. 9.f4 exf4 Now Black has this option. Because White does not have a
d-pawn, the e5-square is available to the black pieces. 10.Bxf4 d6
[FEN "r1bqk2r/ppp2pp1/2np1n1p/8/2B1PB2/
8/PPP3PP/RN1Q1RK1 w kq - 0 11"]
Black is up a pawn and better in this position.) 8...Nc6 9.Nc3 g5 10.Bg3 d6 This
was my plan. I wanted to establish a solid blockade using the fact that I had an extra
pawn. My control over the dark squares makes it hard for White to get play. 11.a4
Be6 12.Nd5 This move is unsound. 12...Nxe4 Black is winning here. Black should
retreat the knight to f6 and castle kingside, giving White no counterplay.
7...d6
Black should maintain a pawn on e5 since White cannot challenge it. There is no d-
pawn or knight on f3 to attack this pawn.
7...Nc6? leads to unfavorable tactical sparks. 8.Bxf7+ Kxf7 9.fxe5 Nxe5 10.Qh5+
Ng6 11.e5 Black's king cover is blown.
8.fxe5
White opens the f-file for the rook and the dark-square diagonal for the bishop.
8.c3 Nc6 9.f5 If White chooses the close the center, the best thing to do may be to
keep the king in the center and chip away at the extended white pawns. 9...Bd7
10.g4 Qe7 This is being extra cautious, though 10...Nxe5 11.Qd5 Ng5 does not
look too bad. 11.Nd2 h6 12.b4 Rg8 Black plans to pay ...g6 next. White's pawn
advances look more like weaknesses than aggression.
8...dxe5
Thank goodness the e-file has no way to become open. White has definite
compensation for the pawn since the position is open and White has the bishop-pair
and an active rook on f1. On the other hand, Black has a clear way forward with
...Be6 and ...0-0-0.
9.Bg5
The pin on the f6-knight looks scary, but since the black king is likely not castling on
that side of the board this is not a problem. As well, if White captures on f6, this
gives up the advantage of the bishop-pair.
9.c3 Black does not have to directly respond to this. 9...Be6 10.cxd4 This is a
mistake, though other moves leave Black comfortable. (10.Na3 Nc6 Now if White
exchanges queens, Black can recapture with the rook on a8.) 10...Bxc4 11.Re1
Qxd4+ Black easily won this game in Eliason,C-Anderssen,A, Berlin 1864.
9...Qe7
[FEN "r1b1k2r/ppp1qppp/5n2/4p1B1/2BnP3/
8/PPP3PP/RN1Q1RK1 w kq - 0 10"]
I do not see much of a difference between playing this or 9...Be6 first. I chose
...Qe7 because ...Qc5 threats could make White nervous. White may blunder with
10.Qd2, when 10...Qc5 with a double threat of ...Nf3+ and ...Qxc4.
10.Na3
White has a problem with this knight throughout this variation. Going to f3 is slow. c3
is not a great square since Black can play ...c6. This move develops the knight and
protects the c4-bishop.
10.Kh1 Steinitz played this in an old game from the nineteenth century to avoid
tricks on the g1-a7 diagonal. 10...Be6 11.Bd3 0-0-0 Retreating the bishop to d3
probably was not very strong. Black is nearly done with development and White still
has a sleeping white knight. 12.Qe1 Nc6 13.a3 h6 14.Bxf6 gxf6 The white bishop is
looking bad and while the black kingside pawns are ugly, the open g-file is nice.
15.Nc3 Rhg8 16.Qh4 h5 17.Rf2 (17.Qxf6 Qc5 Now White's king is not looking so
safe.) 17...Rg5 18.Raf1 Rdg8 19.g3 Qd8 20.Nd5 f5 This last White move is a
mistake that Black takes advantage of to break through on the kingside. 21.Nc3 f4
22.Ne2 Nd4 23.Nxd4 Qxd4 24.gxf4 Rg4 0-1 Steinitz,W-Schiffers,E, Rostov on
Don 1896.
10.b4 We will investigate this strange-looking move in the first illustrative game.
10.Nc3 c6 11.Rf2 This is a slower way to play. 11...Be6 12.Bxe6 Nxe6 13.Bxf6
gxf6 14.Qd2 Rg8 15.Raf1 Rg6 16.Kh1 Rd8 17.Qe3 Qc5 18.Qh3 Ng5 Black
ended up not castling, but since suddenly White is on the defensive, king safety is not
a big issue.
10...Be6
This move is most active and gives White ways to go wrong.
Another line which I ended up not pursuing is 10...Rg8 11.Qd3 Bd7 Black keeps
pieces on the board and will certainly castle queenside. In many games I looked at
where Black lost, the problem was that White got a big initiative against the black
king. Therefore, I do not mind trading pieces and remaining flexible about castling.
11.c3
White kicks the knight so that it will be harder for Black to castle queenside, since
the white queen is attacking the d8-square. Otherwise Black castles queenside and
is fine. If White trades bishops on e6, Black can recapture any way.
11...Bxc4
Black does not have to trade pieces and could just retreat the knight to c6, but I
prefer the knight on e6.
12.Bxf6
I am most worried about this move. Now that White has lost the advantage of the
bishop-pair anyway, not playing this move leaves Black with no real weaknesses.
12.Nxc4 is considered inaccurate. 12...Ne6 13.Bxf6 Black is threatening
13...Qc5+, so the only other choice would be 13.Be3. Defending the e-pawn is
slightly awkward for Black, so White retains a small pull, which I think is outweighed
by Black's extra pawn. 13...Qc5+ The interjection of this move is why the 12.Bxf6
move order is preferred. We will see what happens if Black has this extra option in
the second illustrative game.
12...gxf6
White has broken up Black's kingside pawns and made the f5-square vulnerable.
Black still has an extra pawn and the open g-file.
13.Nxc4
White had no choice of which piece to capture since the bishop was attacking the
f1-rook.
13...Ne6
[FEN "r3k2r/ppp1qp1p/4np2/4p3/2N1P3/
2P5/PP4PP/R2Q1RK1 w kq - 0 14"]
The knight can go to c5, g5, or f4.

14.Ne3
White moves the knight to its natural squares at d5 and f5.
14.Qa4+ has also been played to provoke weaknesses on the black queenside.
14...c6 15.Kh1 (15.Qa5!? looks pretty good for White since Black cannot castle
queenside and it is hard to see what Black should do. However, the queen is so far
away from the black king, so castling kingside is not a bad choice. 15...0-0 16.Ne3
Rfd8 17.Qa4 Rd2 Black is much more active than White, who spent a lot of tempos
on forcing Black to castle kingside.) 15...Nc5 16.Qc2 Qe6 Before making castling
decisions, Black gets the knight away from the queenside. 17.Ne3 0-0-0 I would
feel good as Black in this position. Black is active and has opportunities to attack
White's king.
14...Qc5
Black makes the queen more active and forces White to either defend the knight
with a rook or queen.
15.Qe1
There are other limited choices.
15.Rf3 Ng5 And Black picks up the e-pawn.
15.Re1 Rg8 White could keep Black from castling queenside, but then the rook on
d1 cannot get active.
15...0-0-0
[FEN "2kr3r/ppp2p1p/4np2/2q1p3/4P3/
2P1N3/PP4PP/R3QRK1 w - - 0 16"]
Next will follow ...Nf4 and pressure on the square d3. It is easier to play this
position as black, who is not worse, and as black this is a pretty good deal.
Shumov, Ilia – Kolisch, Ignatz
St Petersburg m (1), 1862
This is a good example of how precarious the white king position can become.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d4 Bxd4 6.Nxd4 Nxd4 7.f4 d6
8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Bg5 Qe7 10.b4
[FEN "r1b1k2r/ppp1qppp/5n2/4p1B1/1PBnP3/
8/P1P3PP/RN1Q1RK1 b kq - 0 10"]
We left off by saying that this is a strange-looking move, but hopefully after seeing
the theory, this move makes more sense. White wants to take away the c5-square
from the black queen or knight.
10...Be6
Black can probably take the b-pawn, but this uses time and opens the b-file, which
could make castling queenside dangerous.
11.Bxf6
White decides to go ahead and create the weaknesses we talked about before on
the f5-square and the split Black pawns. If not, Black can castle queenside without
much fear, since none of the black queenside pawns has advanced.
11...gxf6 12.Bxe6
The isolated h-pawn will still be weak in an endgame, though this move helps Black
shore up the center squares after Black recaptures with the pawn.
White does not have much choice. Retreating the bishop spends a tempo. 12.Na3
Qxb4 Now there is little gray area about taking this pawn, since White is in no
position to be aggressive. Black can castle queenside next and White cannot take
advantage of the open b-file.
12...fxe6
[FEN "r3k2r/ppp1q2p/4pp2/4p3/1P1nP3/
8/P1P3PP/RN1Q1RK1 w kq - 0 13"]
Doubled e-pawns are usually strong.

13.Qh5+
White wants to divert the black queen from the b-pawn.
13.c3 Nc6 14.b5 Na5 is fine. The white pawns are more weaknesses than anything.
13...Qf7
Obviously, a queen trade helps Black, who is up a pawn and more active than
White.
14.Qh4
This is an error that leaves of all things the queenside vulnerable. White should
retreat the queen back to d1.
14...0-0-0
14...Nxc2 is also possible, but why win the game twice? Black is already winning
without taking further risks.
15.Na3
White defends the c-pawn.
15...f5
I cannot argue with this, but maybe it is not necessary.
15...Ne2+ 16.Kh1 Nf4 is the move that begs to be played. If White plays g3, then
Black can advance ...h5/h4 and take advantage of that weakness.
16.Qf2
[FEN "2kr3r/ppp2q1p/4p3/4pp2/1P1nP3/
N7/P1P2QPP/R4RK1 b - - 0 16"]
White now gets some play.

16.exf5 exf5 17.Qf2 f4 ends up being much the same thing.
16...Qh5!
Black uses tactical tricks and gets the queen to a more active spot.
17.Rae1
White protects the e-pawn (though Black was not going to take this pawn anyway)
and stops ...Ne2+.
17.exf5 Ne2+ 18.Kh1 Rhg8 is the point of the 16...Qh5 maneuver. The threat is
19...Ng3+ winning the exchange, and moving the rook would let Black recapture the
f-pawn.
17...f4
Black does not have much choice but to give up the a-pawn.
18.c3 Nc6 19.b5 Nb8 20.Qxa7 b6
Black is still better since the white rooks are not in any position to attack the black
king. The black knight is not in play, but the black rooks are very strong.
21.Qa4 Rhg8 22.Rd1?
This is a tactical blunder.
22.Nc4 makes the knight active and takes away the d2-square from the black rook.
22...Rg4 Black will double rooks and maintain strong pressure on the white king.
22...Rxg2+! 23.Kxg2 Qe2+ 24.Kh1
24.Kh3 Rg8 25.Rg1 Qh5#.
24...Rd2 0-1
[FEN "1nk5/2p4p/1p2p3/1P2p3/Q3Pp2/
N1P5/P2rq2P/3R1R1K w - - 0 25"]
Black could have prevented any White counterplay on the queenside, but took a
riskier route and led to a highly contested game that ended when White faltered in
the tension.
Budimir, Boris (2352) – Blagojevic, Dragisa (2545)
Cetinje Batricevic Memorial op (2), 10.08.2009
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.0-0 Nf6 5.d4 Bxd4 6.Nxd4 Nxd4 7.f4 d6
8.fxe5 dxe5 9.Bg5 Qe7 10.Na3 Be6 11.c3 Bxc4 12.Nxc4 Ne6 13.Bxf6 Qc5+
Here is where we left off. White no longer has the bishop-pair and does not even get
to create Black weaknesses.
14.Kh1 Qxc4 15.Bxe5
White gets the pawn back, but not for long since Black is extremely active and the
knight is arguably better than the bishop.
15...0-0
[FEN "r4rk1/ppp2ppp/4n3/4B3/2q1P3/
2P5/PP4PP/R2Q1R1K w - - 0 16"]
In this variation the king should go kingside. The e-pawn is weak, which makes the
e6-knight a great piece that cannot ever be challenged.
16.Qg4
White also makes a tactical error in this game.
16.Qf3 f6 17.Bg3 Ng5 It is tough for White to defend the e-pawn without becoming
horribly passive, so this pawn will likely fall regardless.
16...f5!
Black wins the pawn back and gets the f-rook into the game.
17.Qg3
17.Rxf5 This loses because of pins on the fourth rank and the f-file. 17...Rxf5
18.Qxf5 Rf8
[FEN "5rk1/ppp3pp/4n3/4BQ2/2q1P3/
2P5/PP4PP/R6K w - - 0 19"]
Mate is coming on f1.

17...fxe4 18.Rfe1
White cannot even hold the f-file without retreating and works on getting back the
pawn.
18...Rf5 19.b3 Qc6 20.c4
It makes sense for White to push back the black queen from attacking the f1-square
and create room for the e5-bishop.
20...Rg5 21.Qc3
The queen does not want to be here, but it has to defend the e5-bishop.
21...Rd8
[FEN "3r2k1/ppp3pp/2q1n3/4B1r1/2P1p3/
1PQ5/P5PP/R3R2K w - - 0 22"]
One of the reasons I picked this game is that Black beautifully uses three open files
(f,g,d) to wreak havoc.
22.Bg3?
White wants to block the g-file. This is, unfortunately for White, the second mistake
that costs the game.
22.Rad1 Challenging this file is not great either. 22...Rf8 23.Rf1 Rxf1+ 24.Rxf1 e3
Mate on g2 is threatened and White has difficulty defending against it. 25.Bg3 Qe4.
22...Rd3 23.Qc2
23.Qc1 is absolutely necessary to prevent what happened, but the queen is awful
here. 23...Rg4 24.Rd1 h5 White is lost.
23...Rdxg3
A nice tactical shot.
24.hxg3 Rh5+ 25.Kg1 Qc5+
If the white queen were on c1, it could go to e3 to block this check that wins for
Black.
26.Qf2
26.Kf1 leads to a clear forced mate. 26...Rf5+ 27.Ke2 Rf2+ 28.Kd1 Qd4+
29.Kc1 Qxa1+ 30.Qb1 Qc3+ 31.Qc2 Qxc2#.
26...Rh1+
[FEN "6k1/ppp3pp/4n3/2q4r/2P1p3/
1P4P1/P4QP1/R3R1K1 b - - 0 26"]
Black wins a queen for the rook and still has strong attack.
27.Kxh1 Qxf2 28.Rxe4 Qxg3 29.Rf1 Qd6 30.Rf5 c6 0-1
In these two games, White made tactical mistakes that led to relatively short games.
These are strong players, so we can conclude that this variation puts a strain on the
white player who is down a pawn from the start and does not have great chances to
attack Black. On the contrary, Black often ends up the aggressor and White relies
on more strategic concerns, such as doubling Black's f-pawns and making the f5-
square weak.
Lessons Learned
Black is up a pawn in all of these positions. In return, White has the bishop-
pair and an open f-file as compensation. However, the only way White can
create lasting weaknesses in the black position is to give up the dark-squared
bishop for the knight on f6, which means Black gets an open g-file and White
loses the advantage of the bishop-pair.
King safety is the biggest problem for Black. Castling queenside is usually
best to get the a8-rook into the game. Black may choose to stay in the center
if White plays f5 rather than exchange pawns on e5, or even go kingside if
White spends time preventing Black from going queenside.
One trump that should not be overlooked for Black is that the black knight is
much more active than the white knight. It takes time for White to develop the
b1-knight to a good square, while the black knight can go to f4/g5/c5.
Practitioners
Ignatz Kolisch was a very strong player in the nineteenth century who
competed at the highest levels with Anderssen and Steinitz. He also pursued
banking and was a millionaire. Duke Georg II awarded him the title of baron.
Dragisa Blagojevic is a grandmaster from Montenegro. He is the second-
highest rated player in the country.
Peter Leko, the super grandmaster from Hungary, has been on the black side
of this variation. He played Vladimir Kramnik for the world championship title
in 2004. Leko was ahead in the match going into the final game, but ended up
losing and allowing Kramnik to tie the match and retain the championship.
Further Reading
This is an old line, so game collections that feature the players from the
romantic period of chess (nineteenth century) will likely feature in this line.
Anderssen played this as both white and black.

by Abby Marshall

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Owen's Defense for White [B00]

This month I am going to take a look at an old foe of mine: 1...b6, Owen's Defense.
The 1.e4 b6
Openings Right away, I am irritated. Besides side-stepping the main lines (Sicilian, French, and
so on), which White has undoubtedly spent many hours studying, Black avoids
Explained engaging White at all. Black is relatively free to develop the pieces as desired and Chess Informant #116
White can easily overextend. For example, I used to always play d4 and f4 against by Chess Informant
these kinds of flank openings, but then the a8-h1 diagonal is weak. I could no longer
Abby Marshall play f3, so my e-pawn was vulnerable. Anyway, I came upon a different set-up.
2.d4
This should be the automatic response when your opponent does not engage in the
Translate this page center.
Select Language 2...Bb7
This fianchetto is the point behind 1...b6. Black makes an immediate threat against
the e-pawn. Chess Evolution #09
by Chess Evolution
3.Bd3
Busy Mans Chess Openings

by Andrew Martin
[FEN "rn1qkbnr/pbpppppp/1p6/8/3PP3/
3B4/PPP2PPP/RNBQK1NR b KQkq - 0 3"]
Of course, there are other moves here, such as the natural 3.Nc3. I like 3.Bd3
because it develops the kingside quickly and keeps c3 as a possibility if Black plays
...c5. (For the Mousetrap Gambit, 3.Bg5, see Over the Horizons #04 in the
ChessCafe.com Archives-ed.)
3...Nf6
3...e6 mostly transposes to what we are going to examine. I am not interested in
...g6 or ...d6 systems, which bear resemblance to either the Pirc or Modern and
would lead us too far astray.
3...f5? is just a mistake, but it is worth remembering the refutation. 4.exf5 It is fine to
open the a8-h1 diagonal since Black has no development and a weak king. 4...Bxg2
Black should develop with 4...Nf6 with no compensation for the pawn sacrifice.
5.Qh5+ g6 6.fxg6 Bg7 Black has to make room for the king. (6...Nf6 just loses right
away. 7.gxh7+ Nxh5 8.Bg6#) 7.gxh7+ Kf8 8.Nf3! Nf6 9.Qg6
[FEN "rn1q1k1r/p1ppp1bP/1p3nQ1/8/3P4/
3B1N2/PPP2PbP/RNB1K2R b KQ - 0 9"]
White attacks the bishop on g2. 9...Bxh1 (9...Bxf3 10.Rg1 Rxh7 11.Qg3 White has
simultaneous attacks on h7 and f3.) 10.Bh6 Rxh7 Black loses everything because of,
among other things, the threats on h7 and 12.Qf7 mate. 11.Ng5.
4.Qe2
This is the system that intrigued me. Now it is White who avoids commitment. White
responds to the immediate threat to the e-pawn, leaves open the possibility of
castling queenside, and the threat of e5 and Qe4 may prove dangerous later.
4...Nc6
This move, followed by the strike ...e5, is one of two main possibilities that I look at.
4...e6 is the other branch. Black moves along more traditional routes with ...d5 and
possibly ...c5. 5.Nf3 The plan for White does not involve f4, so White develops this
knight as soon as possible. 5...d5 Without this move, Black gets squeezed fast.
(5...Be7 is a weak move that does not take into account White's plan to gain space.
6.e5 Nd5 7.a3 8.c4 is threatened, winning a piece. 7...c5 8.dxc5 Black has to move
the bishop on e7 a second time or box in the same bishop with 8...bxc5.) 6.e5 The
only response.
[FEN "rn1qkb1r/pbp2ppp/1p2pn2/3pP3/3P4/
3B1N2/PPP1QPPP/RNB1K2R b KQkq - 0 6"]
A) 6...Ne4 Black ends up moving this knight three times in order to exchange it for a
knight that has only moved once after White plays 7.Nbd2. 7.Nbd2 There are now
three attackers on the e4-knight and only the d-pawn and the b7-bishop behind it
are defending the knight, so Black has to trade. 7...Nxd2 8.Bxd2 White has jumped
way ahead in development. 8...Be7 (8...c5 This certainly makes sense in order to
gain space. 9.c3 Nc6 10.a3 White plays this preemptive move so that if Black plays
10...cxd4, then after 11.cxd4 Black cannot play 11...Nb4. 10...c4 11.Bc2 b5
12.Ng5
[FEN "r2qkb1r/pb3ppp/2n1p3/1p1pP1N1/
2pP4/P1P5/1PBBQPPP/R3K2R b KQkq - 0 12"]
This is a key idea in the ...e6 and ...d5 lines. This move targets the weak light
squares in Black's position. If Black kicks the knight with ...h6, then the light squares
become even weaker. For example, the square g6 would have only the f-pawn as a
defender. White may also ignore the threat to the knight and play h4. 12...Be7
13.Qg4 Black's king is not very comfortable.) 9.h4 (9.0-0 is a calmer plan. 9...Qc8
10.Rac1 Ba6 11.c4 White targets the c-file and the weak Black c-pawn.) 9...h6
10.c3 a5 11.h5 Ba6 12.Bxa6 Nxa6 13.Rh3!? Black exchanged light-squared
bishops since Black's bishop was bad and White's bishop was threatening.
However, the white rook is also very powerful. 13...Qd7 14.Rg3 Bf8 15.Kf1 White
will nudge the king to safety on g1 then attack the black king wherever it may end
up.
B) 6...Nfd7 This is the sensible choice in my opinion. Black keeps this knight as a
defender. 7.Ng5 The thematic move in this variation. White deliberately provokes
Black since any move that attacks the knight also leaves weaknesses behind.
[FEN "rn1qkb1r/pbpn1ppp/1p2p3/3pP1N1/
3P4/3B4/PPP1QPPP/RNB1K2R b KQkq - 0 7"]
B1) 7...c5? 8.Nxe6 fxe6 9.Qh5+ Ke7 10.Bg5+ 1-0, Mastrokoukos,G (2357)-
Klokas,K/Nikea 2002.
B2) 7...Be7 8.h4 Another thematic move along with the rook lift. 8...c5 Black's only
chance to develop counterplay. 9.Rh3 9.c3 is slow and 9...Nc6 would renew
regardless the threat on the d4-pawn. 9...Bxg5 (9...cxd4 It is highly suspicious that
Black would have time to capture a pawn in this position. 10.Nxe6! fxe6 11.Qh5+
Kf8 12.Rf3+ Nf6 13.exf6 Bxf6 14.Bg5 Nc6 15.Bxf6 gxf6 16.Rg3 This is pretty
scary.) 10.Bxg5 Qc7 11.Na3 White continues developing and plans to make Black
uncomfortable with an upcoming Qg4.
B3) 7...Qe7 Black senses the danger and works to castle as soon as possible.
However, moving the bishop to e7 is a better plan. 8.0-0 Since Black is clearly
going queenside, White switches course and discards the h4 and Rh3 plan. The
knight on g5 provoked this response to go queenside, yet the black king will not
necessarily be safer on the queenside. 8...c5 9.c3 Nc6 10.Nf3 We will look at this in
the first illustrative game.
5.c3
White is still not sure where the queenside pieces will belong, so 5.c3 remains the
logical choice.
5...e5
This gains Black some much-needed space. As I said before, I am ignoring the ...d6
or ...g6 set-ups. 5...e6 does not seem consistent with 4...Nc6, since the freeing ...c5
is no longer available.
6.Nf3
[FEN "r2qkb1r/pbpp1ppp/1pn2n2/4p3/3PP3/
2PB1N2/PP2QPPP/RNB1K2R b KQkq - 0 6"]
I prefer keeping the tension to pushing the d-pawn.
6...d6
6...Bd6 looks ugly and it is. 7.Bg5 h6 8.Bh4 0-0 9.d5 Black gets run over in this
game. 9...Nb8 10.Nbd2 Re8 11.0-0 Be7 The bishop ends up having to move back.
12.Nxe5 d6 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.Ng4 Bxd5 15.Nxh6+ gxh6 16.Qg4+ Bg7 17.exd5
Both sides make use of tactics, but White ends up on top with an extra pawn and
Black's kingside ruined. 17...Qg5 18.Qxg5 hxg5 19.f4 Re3 20.Bf5 gxf4 21.Rxf4
Na6 22.Ne4 Re2 23.Raf1 Rxb2 24.Ng5 Nc5 25.Bh7+ Kh8 26.Rh4 f6 27.Nf7# 1-
0, Brunello,S (2540)-De Santis,A (2289)/Cento ITA 2011.
6...exd4?! Black opens the position with the black king still in the center and White's
queen on the e-file. 7.e5 (7.0-0 This is also pretty good. 7...dxc3 8.Nxc3 d6 9.Bb5
a6 10.Bxc6+ Bxc6 11.e5 1-0, Bartel,M (2601)-Polak,T (2508)/Prievidza 2009
(27) Black's position is extremely precarious.) 7...Nd5 8.Be4 Na5 (8...Nde7 9.0-0
dxc3 10.Nxc3 Qc8 11.Rd1 White conducts this game with a lot of energy. 11...Nd8
12.Nd4 Ne6 13.Nxe6 dxe6 14.Bg5 h6 15.Rac1 The threat is 16.Nb5 with attacks
on c7 and d6 since the c-pawn is pinned. 15...a6 16.Bh4 g5 17.Qf3 Ra7 18.Bxb7
Qxb7 19.Ne4 Nd5 20.Nf6+ Nxf6 21.Qxf6 Ra8 22.Bxg5 hxg5 23.Qxh8 1-0,
Friedel,J (2516)-Barrios,F (2244)/Toronto 2009) 9.Nxd4
[FEN "r2qkb1r/pbpp1ppp/1p6/n2nP3/3NB3/
2P5/PP2QPPP/RNB1K2R b KQkq - 0 9"]
The knight on a5 has no anchor, while the white knight is going to f5.
7.0-0
White maintains flexibility with the queenside pieces.
7.d5 is another option that takes a positional tact. 7...Ne7 8.a4 a6 9.a5 Qc8
10.Na3 Nd7 11.Be3 Ng6 12.g3 Be7 13.h4 h6 14.h5 Ngf8 15.Nh4 White is
winning since the black pieces have absolutely no range. Probably 9...Qc8 was a
mistake, losing time.
7...Be7
Black works on completing development.
7...Nd7 This contortion did not work out well for Black in the second illustrative
game.
8.Na3
[FEN "r2qk2r/pbp1bppp/1pnp1n2/4p3/3PP3/
N1PB1N2/PP2QPPP/R1B2RK1 b kq - 0 8"]
In the previous variation with ...e6 and ...d5 we talked about the weak light squares
left behind by Black's light-squared bishop. In this variation, f5 becomes a juicy
square.
8.dxe5 This simple approach worked out well in this game. 8...Nxe5 9.Nxe5 dxe5
10.Nd2 0-0 11.Nc4 White will always have enduring pressure on the e-pawn.
11...Nd7 12.Rd1 Bg5 13.Ne3 Bxe3 14.Bxe3 Qe7 15.Bc2 Rfd8 16.f3 Nf8 17.Bb3
1-0, Paragua,M (2508)-Torre,E (2469)/Boracay PHI 2012 (51) The pull of the
bishop-pair won the game for White.
8...0-0
Black gets to safety.
9.Nc2
We have a position reminiscent of Philidor's Defense. I prefer White because of
space and I do not see a plan for Black that does not involve changing the position
of every piece.
Antonio, Rogelio Jr (2529) – Donguines, Fernie (2362)
Manila op (9), 01.05.2008
This short game shows the limitations of the ...e6/...d5 framework. Black
successfully defends his weak kingside, but castling queenside proves no relief since
White can also attack on that part of the board.
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 Nf6 4.Qe2 e6 5.Nf3 d5 6.e5 Nfd7 7.Ng5 Qe7 8.0-0
c5 9.c3
[FEN "rn2kb1r/pb1nqppp/1p2p3/2ppP1N1/
3P4/2PB4/PP2QPPP/RNB2RK1 b kq - 0 9"]
9.Nc3 I did not mention this in the theory section, but this is an attractive alternative
to 9.c3. Black should play 9...a6 to stop 10.Nb5, when White can trade on c5 and
use his piece activity.
9...Nc6 10.Nf3
This is where we stopped in the theory. This is probably the best way to protect the
d-pawn now that threats on e6 and f7 are not as strong since Black's queen is
guarding those squares. Castling queenside looks dangerous for Black since it is very
easy to attack Black's king with pawns, but hard for Black to attack White's king.
10...h6
I imagine Black was concerned about 11.Bg5. 10...Qd8, followed by 11...Be7, is
preferable.
11.Be3
This brings another piece to aim at the queenside, but gets in the way of the white
queen.
11.Na3 a6 12.Bd2 and busting open the queenside would be my choice. Black's
attack with ...g5 looks forced since there are no pieces to back it up. In the
meantime, Black's king is stuck in the center.
11...0-0-0
Black decides to go for it. 11...Qd8 is safer and better.
11...f6? 12.Nh4 Those weak light squares.
12.Bb5
[FEN "2kr1b1r/pb1nqpp1/1pn1p2p/1BppP3/
3P4/2P1BN2/PP2QPPP/RN3RK1 b - - 0 12"]
White could leave this piece where it is and instead develop the knight to a3. Black
is not really threatening ...c4, since after Bc2 White can play b3 and really open
things up.
12.Na3 f6 13.Nh4 Qf7 14.Ng6 Rg8 15.Nxf8 This leaves the knight free to go to
d6.
12...f5?!
Black is too far behind to have a successful attack. Nonetheless, White cannot
afford to waste time.
12...f6 13.Nh4 Qf7 This is actually not so bad for Black. Instead of 13.Nh4, White
could trade on f6, but that is definitely a victory for Black, who gets more space.
13.dxc5!
White wastes no time in attacking Black.
13.a4 c4 And b3 is no longer as strong since White cannot recapture with axb3.
13...bxc5
This is really asking for it.
13...Nxc5 is necessary to keep the king's position closed for now. 14.a4 g5 15.b4
Nd7 16.a5
[FEN "2kr1b1r/pb1nq3/1pn1p2p/PB1pPpp1/
1P6/2P1BN2/4QPPP/RN3RK1 b - - 0 16"]
White is just a little faster than Black. For one thing, White has not advanced any of
his pawns on the kingside, so there are no targets for Black.
14.b4
The pawn storms begin.
14...g5 15.Nbd2 Qf7
This is much too careless.
15...g4 The only logical move. 16.Ne1 Bg7 17.bxc5 The open b-file spells doom
for Black.
15...f4 fails to 16.Bxc5 Nxc5 17.Bxc6 Bxc6 18.bxc5 Qxc5 19.Rab1 This is a win
for White. The knight comes to d4 and the queen to a6.
15...Ncxe5? 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.Bxc5.
16.bxc5
The black queen's disengagement with its king lets White quickly crash through.
16...Nxc5
16...Bxc5 17.Bxc5 Nxc5 18.Nd4 The white pieces swarm the king.
17.Rab1
[FEN "2kr1b1r/pb3q2/2n1p2p/1BnpPpp1/
8/2P1BN2/P2NQPPP/1R3RK1 b - - 0 17"]
Every single White piece participates in the offensive. None of the black pieces are
even on the kingside where White's king is, except the f8-bishop, which has not left
its original square, or the h8-rook, which has no open files.
17...Nb8 18.Bxc5 Bxc5 19.Nd4 Qe7 20.Rfc1 a6 21.Ba4 Rd7 22.Bxd7+ Nxd7
23.N2b3 Bb6 24.c4 Bc7 25.Na5 1-0
Black tried to give up the exchange to mitigate the threats, but the position was too
far gone. A good attacking game by Antonio, with several places where he may have
considered other possibilities.
Mitkov, Nikola (2530) – Blatny, Pavel (2494)
Lindsborg op Kansas (8), 22.12.2003
I was very impressed by White's play when I saw this game. He makes the squeeze
seem effortless.
1.e4 b6 2.d4 Bb7 3.Bd3 Nf6 4.Qe2 Nc6 5.c3 e5 6.Nf3 d6 7.0-0 Nd7
[FEN "r2qkb1r/pbpn1ppp/1pnp4/4p3/3PP3/
2PB1N2/PP2QPPP/RNB2RK1 w kq - 0 8"]
Black rearranges his pieces, but this is extremely slow.

8.Na3
The knight may go to c4 to influence the center or back to c2 to swing around to e3
and f5.
8.Ba6 is one of those positional motifs where you trade these bishops in order to
take over the light-squares on the queenside. Definitely worth considering.
8...h6
As in the last game, Black stops any ideas of Ng5 or Bg5. I would prefer hunkering
down with 8...Be7.
9.Rd1
This is an interesting move that keeps maximum flexibility about where the dark-
squared bishop will go or where the a3-knight will end up. Putting the rook on the
same file as the black queen is also strong if the d-file opens up, which is entirely
possible because of the tension in the center.
9...a6
This move stops ideas of Ba6.
9...Be7 10.Nc2 Bf6 Black is cramped, but has more freedom than in the positions
that occurred in the game.
10.Bc4
The start of a really strong idea made possible by the absence of a knight on f6.
10...Qe7
This move and the next get Black into trouble. White easily develops a bind and
Black makes too many pawn moves that leave too many targets.
10...Be7 To me this move is begging to be played.
11.Nc2
A subtle move that may not be about what it seems, as we will see.
11...g6?
[FEN "r3kb1r/1bpnqp2/ppnp2pp/4p3/2BPP3/
2P2N2/PPN1QPPP/R1BR2K1 w kq - 0 12"]
I decided to go ahead and give this move a question mark since it really misses
White's ideas. And Black just does not have the time to go slow.
12.Bd5
What makes this move hard to take seriously is that it is not usual for the bishop to
go to d5. However, in this position it pins the black knight and targets the light
squares. Black does not have a good way to resolve this tension.
12...Bg7
Without a good alternative, Black works on castling and deals with White's threats
as they come.
12...0-0-0 gives White a free hand to terrorize the queenside. 13.Bxc6 Bxc6
14.Nb4 Bb7 15.Nd5 This is a very strong knight. Black does not want to take it
since the black king would be left undefended.
13.Nb4
Simple and strong. The knight going to this square was not obvious from where it
started on a3.
13...Ndb8
Unfortunately for Black, this is the only halfway decent defense.
13...Nxb4 14.Bxb7 Rb8 15.cxb4 Rxb7 16.Qxa6 White wins a pawn with tempo.
14.dxe5
And still, White takes his time. He first opens the d-file for the rook and limits the
potential for the g7-bishop by closing the h8-a1 diagonal.
14...dxe5
14...Bxe5 15.Nxe5 dxe5 Black loses the dark-squared bishop, an obvious disaster
in an open position.
15.b3
A quiet move. White transports the bishop to a3 to use it in the attack on that
diagonal.
15...0-0
At this point, Black does not have much choice but to get the king out of the center
as quickly as possible.
16.Ba3 Re8 17.Nc2 Qd7 18.Ne3
[FEN "rn2r1k1/1bpq1pb1/ppn3pp/3Bp3/
4P3/BPP1NN2/P3QPPP/R2R2K1 b - - 0 18"]
Instead of putting the bishops on d3 and e3 as might be expected, White puts the
bishops on the long diagonals aimed at the black king.
18...Qc8 19.Nh4 b5
There is nothing Black can do about the pawn on g6, which is unprotected since the
pawn on f7 is pinned. Therefore, Black works to shut down the a3-bishop.
19...Re6 is probably the best option, but the end would never be in doubt.
20.Nxg6 b4 21.Nf5 Re6
21...bxa3 22.Qg4 Nd7 23.Nge7+ and mate on g7 next move.
22.Qg4 Kh7 23.Bxe6 Qxe6 24.Nf4 Qf6 25.Nd5
[FEN "rn6/1bp2pbk/p1n2q1p/3NpN2/
1p2P1Q1/BPP5/P4PPP/R2R2K1 b - - 0 25"]
First we had domination by the bishops, now by the knights.

25...Qg6 26.Qxg6+ fxg6 27.Nxg7 Kxg7 28.Bb2 Ra7 29.Nxc7 Kf7 30.Nd5 a5
31.a3 1-0
A beautiful game that showed White beating a strong grandmaster by using the
powers of the minor pieces.
Lessons Learned
As always, I will start with the basic set-up: Qe2 and Nf3. From here, White
may or may not castle queenside. The point is to not create weaknesses (such
as pushing f4 does) and hold the center until Black reveals his cards.
In the lines involving ...e6 and ...d5, a common thematic move is Ng5 to
attack the weak light-squares left behind by the bishop on b7. There may be
opportunities to sacrifice on e6 or to target f7. Sometimes this is accompanied
by h4 and Rh3.
Black's plan with ...Nc6 and ...e5 seems more active, but it also creates
weaknesses especially on the square f5. As well, White retains a space
advantage since the d-pawn can be bolstered by c3. White has easy
development, while Black's bishop on b7 looks out of place.
Practitioners
Rogelio Antonio Jr. is a grandmaster from the Philippines. He is the first player
from there to make it to the World Cup, doing so in 2009. He has also played
on the Olympiad team for the Philippines.
Nikola Mitkov is a grandmaster from Macedonia. He is also a veteran of the
chess Olympiad and currently teaches in Chicago.
Pavel Blatny is on the black side of this system. He is a grandmaster from the
Czech Republic and had many good results as a junior. He has also been
successful in the Czech Republic national championship.
Further Reading
Chesspublishing.com
A Ferocious Opening Repertoire by Cyrus Lakdawala

by Abby Marshall

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Alekhine's Defense with 4...Bg4 for Black [B05]

This month I would like to explore an opening that I have always wanted to learn
more about, since it is a very different kind of chess than the Open games that I
The usually play.
Openings 1.e4 Nf6
Explained This is Alekhine's Defense. Chess Informant #116
by Chess Informant
2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.h3
Abby Marshall
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Chess Evolution #09

by Chess Evolution
[FEN "rn1qkb1r/ppp1pppp/3p4/3nP3/3P2b1/
5N1P/PPP2PP1/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 5"]
This is the move that I want to explore from Black's point of view. It is not very
challenging, but it is a viable alternative for White and a good starting point to see
Black's ideas in this opening.
5...Bxf3
Some strong players retreat with 5...Bh5 and wait to exchange the bishop for the
knight. I like the exchange now because Black gets a chance to target the e5-pawn
quickly and the queen does not particularly want to be on f3. The reason White
plays 5.h3 so early is to get the bishop-pair right away and develop White's own Alekhine's Defence
by Nigel Davies
bishops more toward the center.
6.Qxf3
The queen has some flexibility here to go to g3 or e4. However, it is not that
dangerous.
6...dxe5
Black takes advantage of the chance to make White recapture on e5 with a pawn.
The e-pawn often becomes weak and the position is less fluid, which is good when
playing against the bishop-pair.
7.dxe5
[FEN "rn1qkb1r/ppp1pppp/8/3nP3/8/5Q1P/
PPP2PP1/RNB1KB1R b KQkq - 0 7"]
It is going to be hard to defend this pawn. White cannot play f4, the black knight is
attacking the f4-square if the bishop wants to go there, and having the queen defend
the e-pawn is not a good use of the queen.
7...e6
This is a developing move that stops any ideas of White playing e6 and messing up
the black's pawns.
8.Bc4
This is pretty consistent with White's set-up. The bishop gets out in the center. White
has a few other choices before Black fully deploys the rest of the pieces.
8.Qe4 This centralizes the queen and protects the e-pawn. Black gets further ahead
in development. 8...Nd7 From here the knight pressures the e-pawn and can jump
to c5. 9.Bc4 The bishop can pressure the center here. Of course 9.Bd3 is bad
because of 9...Nc5 and there is no other good square. 9...c6 I like this set-up with
...Nd7 and ...c6, which is consistent with what we will see in other lines here. I like
holding the knight on d5 and having the knight on d7 ready to go to either side of the
board. 10.0-0 Qc7 Black attacks the e-pawn and may castle queenside. 11.Re1
(11.f4 This actually makes White weaker. 11...Bc5+ 12.Kh1 0-0-0 13.Bd2 g5!
[FEN "2kr3r/ppqn1p1p/2p1p3/2bnP1p1/
2B1QP2/7P/PPPB2P1/RN3R1K w - - 0 14"]
The g-file becomes open now too and the e-pawn is weakened.) 11...Bc5 There
other choices here, but I like this. Now White cannot play Be3 without ruining his
pawns. 12.Nd2 0-0-0 This is one of those weird situations where castling either way
is okay. Black is really solid in the center. 13.a4 f5!? Black can open the position
while White is still not completely developed. 14.exf6 N7xf6 15.Qxe6+ Kb8 A
rook to e8 is threatened. 16.Qe5 Bd6 17.Qf5 Rhe8 White did not have to take on
e6 with the queen or even exchange pawns on f6, but Black will be okay anyway.
Here I would definitely prefer Black whose activity compensates for the pawn.
8.a3 This inconspicuous move is meant to prevent a black knight from going to b4 or
a black bishop from going to b4. In the lines we have seen so far the b4-square has
not been a problem, but if White wants to challenge the d5-knight with c4 or Nc3,
then 8.a3 comes in handy. 8...c6 Black can also play 8...Nd7 which could transpose
after 9.Qg3 c6.
A) 9.Qg3 White defends the e-pawn and prevents the f8-bishop from moving out.
The drawback is that the white queenside is left behind. 9...Nd7 10.Nd2 Ne7!?
Black decides the queen is a nuisance and plans to go ...Nf5. (10...Qa5
[FEN "r3kb1r/pp1n1ppp/2p1p3/q2nP3/8/
P5QP/1PPN1PP1/R1B1KB1R w KQkq - 0 11"]
Castling quickly with pressure on the d-file and the two knights ready to come to the
center is another option to make White suffer for having the queen off-center.)
11.Nc4 Unlike 11.Ne4, this move keeps an eye on e5. (11.Ne4 We will look at this
in the first illustrative game.) 11...Nf5 12.Qc3 Nb6 Black works to trade off White's
most active piece and open the d-file for the black queen. 13.Nxb6 (13.Bd2 White
wants to castle queenside himself. 13...Qd5 14.0-0-0 0-0-0 15.Bd3 If White does
not play actively, Black is just a little better since the black pieces are more
centralized. 15...Be7 16.Rhe1 Qxg2 Black can probably get away with this. White
has nice pieces but no targets.) 13...axb6 14.Bd3 Qd5 I like this active move.
(14...Bc5 Black reached an even rook ending after this move and managed to win a
really instructive game. 15.Bxf5 exf5 16.Be3 Qe7 17.Bxc5 Qxc5 18.Qxc5 bxc5
19.0-0-0 Ke7 20.Rd6 Rhd8 21.Rd2 This move and the next make White slightly
worse, but by no means should he lose. 21...Ra4 22.Re2 Ke6 Black won after a
long game that is worth checking out. 0-1, Silva,M (2283)-Zilberman,Y
(2520)/Zuerich 1998 (49)) 15.0-0 (15.Bxf5 Qxg2) 15...Nh4 16.f3 Bc5+ Black is a
little better.
B) 9.Bd3 This move seems to make sense since Black's kingside may be weak.
9...Nd7
[FEN "r2qkb1r/pp1n1ppp/2p1p3/3nP3/8/
P2B1Q1P/1PP2PP1/RNB1K2R w KQkq - 0 10"]
Black can easily castle queenside and play the knight to the center to mitigate the
effects of this bishop.
C) 9.c4 Ne7 10.Nc3 Ng6 11.Qe4 We will look at this in the second illustrative
game.
8...Nd7
This move attacks the e-pawn right away. Black can play 8...c6 first, but this gives
White more options.
9.Qg3
[FEN "r2qkb1r/pppn1ppp/4p3/3nP3/2B5/
6QP/PPP2PP1/RNB1K2R b KQkq - 0 9"]
Besides the dark-squared bishop, only the white queen can defend the e-pawn.
9.Bf4 I am not impressed with this move. 9...Nxf4 10.Qxf4 g5 Something safe like
10...c6 is also possible. 11.Qg3 Bg7 This is the advantage of 10...g5. 12.f4? Letting
the pawn go is the lesser evil. 12...Rg8 Now White's kingside is in serious trouble
and White will lose the e-pawn anyway.
9...c6
Besides helping control the center this move also opens the black queen to go to c7,
as we have seen.
10.0-0
White should castle quickly so the rook can help defend the e-pawn.
10.Bxd5 cxd5 This is the best way to recapture. The e-pawn remains fixed and the
c-file is open for Black.
10...Qc7
Black may also castle queenside.
11.Re1
11.Bf4 or 11.f4 are ill-advised, so this move is the only real choice for White.
11.f4
[FEN "r3kb1r/ppqn1ppp/2p1p3/3nP3/2B2P2/
6QP/PPP3P1/RNB2RK1 b kq - 0 11"]
As in an earlier line, this move is more weakening than helpful. The d5-knight is
already on the e3-square, which is weakened by this advance. 11...0-0-0 12.a4
Ne7 13.c3 Nf5 14.Qf3 h5 Now White cannot play g4 without the h-rook becoming
active. 15.b4 White's neglect of development leads to a quick loss. 15...g5 16.Re1
g4 17.hxg4 hxg4 18.Qf2 Nb6 19.Bf1 g3 20.Qf3 f6 21.a5 Rh1+ One of those nice
tactics that are in all the books. 22...Qh7+ and mate is next 0-1, Farah,R (2170)-
Szmetan,J (2405)/Mar del Plata 1996.
11...Ne7
This move again with the same purpose.
12.Nd2
White brings another piece to defend the pawn by planning Nf3.
12...0-0-0
[FEN "2kr1b1r/ppqnnppp/2p1p3/4P3/2B5/
6QP/PPPN1PP1/R1B1R1K1 w - - 0 13"]
I like playing ...h6, g5, Bg7, and Ng6 to advance the kingside pawns and attack the
e-pawn. Both sides have pushed pawns around the king so there are chances all
around. I like Black, who has more targets than White, but objectively the chances
are even
Banas, Jan (2380) – Bagirov, Vladimir (2505)
Tatran Cup 29th Stary Smokovec (1.6), 30.10.1981
I picked this game because it shows how to play against the bishop-pair and
extended white pawns. However, it is a short and frankly disappointing draw by
Black, who should have played for the win, though I do not know the tournament
situation.
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.h3 Bxf3 6.Qxf3 dxe5 7.dxe5 e6 8.a3
c6 9.Nd2 Nd7 10.Qg3 Ne7 11.Ne4
[FEN "r2qkb1r/pp1nnppp/2p1p3/4P3/4N3/
P5QP/1PP2PP1/R1B1KB1R b KQkq - 0 11"]
This is where we left off in the theory section. White plays the knight here to attack
the d6- and c5-squares.
11...Ng6
Since the white knight will not be defending the e-pawn, Black goes after it.
11...Nf5 This is a serious alternative that I would honestly prefer. This way, White
does not get the bishop-pair after Nd6+.
12.f4
12.Nd6+ is the alternative. White gets the bishop-pair. 12...Bxd6 13.exd6 Qf6
White has some pressure. The d-pawn will easily become weak and Black can use
the center e-pawn to stem the effect of the bishop-pair.
12...Nc5
Black works to trade off White's most active piece.
13.Nxc5
13.Nc3 makes it harder for Black to develop. 13...Be7 14.Qf2 Nh4 As long as
Black stays active and attacks the dark central squares, the game is roughly even.
13...Bxc5 14.Bd2 Qh4
This is a smart move. Black knows the white pawns will be weaker in an endgame.
The white dark-squared bishop is also inferior to the black bishop, and with the
queens off, it will be harder for White to trade this bishop.
15.Qxh4 Nxh4 16.b4
This move is weakening.
16...Bb6 17.0-0-0 0-0-0
[FEN "2kr3r/pp3ppp/1bp1p3/4P3/1P3P1n/
P6P/2PB2P1/2KR1B1R w - - 0 18"]
18.g4
One of those moves that is bad, but the alternatives are worse. There was no way to
protect the g-pawn if White wanted to develop the bishop on f1.
18...Nf3 19.Bd3 Nxd2
This bishop is bad, but it does help hold White's position together. Now the pawns
stuck on dark squares are in trouble.
20.Kxd2 h5
Picking away and getting activity on the h-file.
21.Ke2 Rd4 22.Kf3 ½-½
[FEN "2k4r/pp3pp1/1bp1p3/4P2p/1P1r1PP1/
P2B1K1P/2P5/3R3R b - - 0 22"]
I am not sure why the players agreed to a draw here. Black is higher-rated and if
anyone has an advantage, it is him. Opposite-colored bishop endings are not
drawish if other pieces are on the board. Black should trade off a pair of rooks, then
use the black king to advance against White's weak queenside. I have no doubt
Black has winning chances here against a lower-rated player.
Martorelli, Antonio (2273) – Djuric, Stefan (2470)
Rome Petra 03rd (1), 14.03.2005
Black wins the e-pawn early on and must withstand some pressure to win the game.
In the end, White ends up overextending and falling victim to a kingside attack.
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.h3 Bxf3 6.Qxf3 dxe5 7.dxe5 e6 8.a3
c6 9.c4 Ne7 10.Nc3 Ng6 11.Qe4
[FEN "rn1qkb1r/pp3ppp/2p1p1n1/4P3/2P1Q3/
P1N4P/1P3PP1/R1B1KB1R b KQkq - 0 11"]
11...Nd7 12.Be3
White does best to let this pawn go and use development for compensation.
12.f4? Qh4+ The king has to make a step.
12...Ndxe5
Black does not have to take the challenge. This is the best move, which makes
White prove his entire strategy.
12...Ngxe5 13.Rd1 Black probably did not want to get in this pin.
12...Bc5 Developing is safer and also leaves Black in a good spot. The white light-
squared bishop is not good.
13.Rd1 Qc7 14.f4 Nd7
This is the first wave of push-back. White has more space than Black. Because of
the bad f1-bishop, I prefer Black's chances.
15.g3
White tries to get the bishop out. This move also prevents Black's knight from going
to h4.
15...Be7
I like that Black goes slow and chooses to castle kingside. It is a mistake to try to
win by being a pawn up, then try to win by castling queenside and attacking White.
Trying to win twice is not smart.
16.Bg2 Nf6 17.Qf3 0-0 18.0-0
[FEN "r4rk1/ppq1bppp/2p1pnn1/8/2P2P2/
P1N1BQPP/1P4B1/3R1RK1 b - - 0 18"]
This is another transition point. White still has compensation since Black does not
have much space.
18...Rfe8
Black may have been preparing a future ...e5 or space for the g6-knight to go to f8.
I would prefer moving a rook to d8.
19.Qf2
19.g4 Nh4 This is a bad fork, so White gets the queen out of the way.
19...b6
This restricts the black queen. Again, I like 20...Qa5 or 20...Rad8.
20.b4 Rac8
This is too cagey. White may even be a little better here.
20...Rad8 I like getting the rook active and hope that White will overextend.
21.g4
This over-extension turns into real trouble for White. Black has no kingside pawn
weaknesses.
21.Bd4 Using the bishops is a better strategy and chipping at the black kingside
defenders with Ne4.
21...Rcd8
Black wisely waits for White to continue hurting himself.
22.g5
White should wait before pushing the pawns any further and causing more damage.
22.f5 This is also bad. 22...exf5 23.gxf5 Ne5 Black gets the e5-square. White
cannot press for much. 24.Bf4 Bf8 25.Rxd8 Qxd8 26.Bxe5 Rxe5 27.Bxc6 Qd3
The white queenside pawns are going to fall and the white kingside is bad too.
22...Rxd1 23.Rxd1 Nh5
This is the square left behind by the g-pawn push and now the f4-pawn and square
is weak.
24.Ne2
[FEN "4r1k1/p1q1bppp/1pp1p1n1/6Pn/
1PP2P2/P3B2P/4NQB1/3R2K1 b - - 0 24"]
24...e5!
This further hits the f4-square and shows the weakness around the white king.
25.f5
White does not have much of a choice.
25.fxe5 Nxe5 The knight on e5 is dominant and the white knight cannot get in the
game without the h5-knight watching.
25...Ngf4
White cannot let a knight stay there.
26.Bxf4 Nxf4 27.Nxf4 exf4 28.h4
The g-pawn became a target as the pawns marched forward. Black is definitely in
control with the extra f-pawn.
28...a5 29.c5
White has to prevent the black bishop from coming out, so this move is necessary.
White cannot take on a5 since 29...Bc5 is a brutal pin, so the other choice is to
defend the pawn with the rook which is a sure death.
29.f6? gxf6 30.gxf6 Bxf6 Besides giving away a pawn, this move opens the position
in Black's favor. White's king is in danger, not Black's.
29...bxc5 30.bxa5 Bf8
[FEN "4rbk1/2q2ppp/2p5/P1p2PP1/
5p1P/P7/5QB1/3R2K1 w - - 0 31"]
Another slow, impressive move. This opens the lane for the rook.
31.a6 Re3 32.a4
This is the last mistake. White saves a worthless pawn and lets the rook stay in this
great position.
32.Rf1 Rxa3 33.Qxf4 Qxf4 34.Rxf4 Rxa6 Black can win this, but it allows White
much better drawing chances.
32...c4
The pawn is unstoppable.
33.Kh1 c3 34.a7 Qxa7 35.Qxf4 c2 36.Rc1 Qc5 37.a5 Bd6 38.Qf1 Qe5
39.Kg1 Qh2+ 40.Kf2 Qg3+ 41.Kg1 Bc5 0-1
A series of patience moves led Black to win this game.
Lessons Learned
There were a couple set-ups to choose from, including one with ...Nc6,
though I chose ...Nd7 and ...c6. Black targets the e-pawn, provides support
to the d5-knight, and gives room for the queen to go to c7 or a5 and castle
queenside.
In a few lines Black pulls back with ...Ne7 to come around to f5, sometimes
g6. The remaining black bishop may go to either diagonal f8-a3 or f8-h6.
White has good chances if White maintains control on e5 and develops the
bishops. In the second illustrative game we see this to some success before
White overextends. Black should stay patient and make White prove his play.
Practitioners
Jorge Szmetan is an international master from Argentina. He has played in the
Argentine Chess Championship numerous times, winning in 1976 and
continuing to play in this tournament into the twenty-first century.
Vladimir Bagirov was a grandmaster from the Soviet Union who played in the
USSR Championship and moved to Latvia in the 1970s. He once trained
Kasparov.
Stefan Djuric is a Serbian grandmaster. He is still an active player.
Further Reading
Starting Out: Alekhine's Defense by John Cox

by Abby Marshall
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accessible:
The Closed Sicilian [B26]

I covered the Closed Sicilian in the January 2013 and November 2012 columns,
and I have been wanting to return to the opening to examine another main line after
The 2...Nc6.
Openings 1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6
Explained 2...e6 3.g3 was seen in the January 2013 column. White still follows this set-up. The Complete Kalashnikov
3...Nc6 4.Bg2 g6 5.d3 Bg7 6.Be3 Nd4 7.Qd2 Qa5 and we will transpose to this by Matthieu Cornette
line in the column. & Fabien Libiszewski
Abby Marshall
3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 d6 6.Be3
I examined this position in the November 2012 column, where we looked at 6...Rb8
and some alternatives in reply.
Translate this page
6...Nd4
Select Language
Powered by Translate This is one of the main moves. Black moves a piece twice in the opening, while
hoping to exchange off White's kingside knight for the queenside one.
7.Qd2
Experts on the Anti-Sicilian
by Jacob Aagaard
& John Shaw
[FEN "r1bqk1nr/pp2ppbp/3p2p1/2p5/3nP3/
2NPB1P1/PPPQ1PBP/R3K1NR b KQkq - 0 7"]
The Closed Sicilian
by Gary Lane
This move is useful for a couple of reasons: White can play the kingside knight out
without worrying about a ...Bg4 pin; the queen and bishop battery can send the
bishop to h6 after ...Nf6, and the knight can go to d1 to evict Black's knight with c3.
7...Qa5
Black purses a scheme of development that utilizes the dark-squared bishop.
7...Rb8 White gets off Nd1 and c3 very quickly, so this line is a bit different from
what we saw in November. 8.Nd1 Since Black plans to expand on the queenside,
White decides to move the knight, kick the black knight away with c2-c3, and
relocate the d1-knight to f2 after White advances f2-f4. 8...e5 Black gains some
space. (8...b5 We will look at this in the first illustrative game.) 9.c3 White will not
get in d4 since that square is too well-defended, so the point of this move is only to
kick the knight. 9...Nc6 10.f4 White gains some space 10...b6 (10...exf4 leaves
White with an advanced pawn in the center. 11.Bxf4) 11.Nf3 Nf6 12.Nf2 0-0 13.0-
0 (13.0-0-0 Maybe tempting, but too risky in my opinion. 13...b5 Of course.
14.fxe5 Ng4 I would much prefer Black because of the attacking chances.)
13...Re8 14.Rad1 Bg4?! This move is a mistake, though I would probably play
White's next move regardless of what happened. Black's move just makes White's
next move stronger. 15.f5! gxf5 16.Bg5 The f5-square is very weak. Black would
next move stronger. 15.f5! gxf5 16.Bg5 The f5-square is very weak. Black would
prefer the light-squared bishop to be back at home to cover it. 16...Qc8 17.Nxg4
fxg4 18.Nh4 White is much better.
7...Nf6 If I did not know much about this line I would play this move. 8.h3 White
stops ...Ng4 or ...Bg4. 8...Rb8 (8...e5 9.Nd1 d5 is a new possibility afforded by the
knight on f6. 10.c3 Ne6 11.Bh6 Bxh6 12.Qxh6 d4 13.Nf3 White will castle and
work on getting the knight on d1 back into play. 13...dxc3 14.Nxc3 Qxd3? 15.Rd1
White is winning.) 9.Nce2 9.Nd1 is also possible, but since Black is putting so much
emphasis on development, White does not want to retreat inordinately. 9...e5 10.c3
Nxe2 11.Nxe2 b5 12.g4!? This is an interesting plan to kick Black's knight out of
the center. 12...h5 13.g5 Nd7 14.0-0 0-0 15.d4 cxd4 16.cxd4 Nb6 17.b3 White
used a big space advantage to win this game. 1-0, Drazic,S (2483)-Gachet,S
(2070)/Cannes 2000 (40).
7...Bd7 This is a flexible developing move. 8.Nd1 Nf6 9.c3 Nc6 10.Bh6 We will
look at this in the second illustrative game.
8.f4
White plays this move to get space on the kingside.
8.Nf3 Besides being conceptually wrong, this allows an effective cutesy move by
Black. 8...Bh3! 9.Nxd4 Bxg2 10.Nb3 Qd8 11.Rg1 Bf3 Black has the two bishops.
8...e6
This move and ...Ne7 is the idea in this variation. Other moves are similar to the
alternatives on move seven for Black.
9.Nf3
White finishes minor piece development.
9...Ne7
[FEN "r1b1k2r/pp2npbp/3pp1p1/q1p5/
3nPP2/2NPBNP1/PPPQ2BP/R3K2R w KQkq - 0 10"]
The path for the dark-squared bishop on g7 remains open.

10.0-0
The plan is going to be to make a break with either e5 or f5.
10...Nec6
Black finishes what was started.
10...Bd7 Black can also continue with development. 11.Qf2 White puts pressure on
d4. 11...Nxf3+ (11...Nec6 12.e5 Nf5 13.Ne4 d5 14.Bd2) 12.Bxf3 Nc6 13.e5.
11.e5
[FEN "r1b1k2r/pp3pbp/2npp1p1/q1p1P3/
3n1P2/2NPBNP1/PPPQ2BP/R4RK1 b kq - 0 11"]
This is strong. White opens lines to catch the black king in the center.
11.f5 is interesting. White tries to open the f-file and get the d5-square. On the other
hand, Black gets to develop the light-squared bishop and gets the e5-square.
11...d5
Black wants to keep the center closed.
11...dxe5 12.fxe5 Nxf3+ 13.Rxf3 Nxe5 14.Rf4 White has pressure on the f-file and
Black's light-squared bishop is bad.
12.a4
The plan is to play Nb5 soon and work on attacking the d4-square now that the
black bishops are out of the game. I prefer White, but it is probably about even.
Gavrilov, Alexei (2445) – Kopjonkin, Gennady (2340)
Decin op Decin (1), 1996
This game ended in a draw, but White was pushing throughout.
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.d3 Bg7 5.Be3 d6 6.Qd2 Nd4 7.Bg2 Rb8 8.Nd1
b5
[FEN "1rbqk1nr/p3ppbp/3p2p1/1pp5/3nP3/
3PB1P1/PPPQ1PBP/R2NK1NR w KQk - 0 9"]
Here is where we left off. Black wants to use the rook on b8 and the dark-squared
bishop to attack White's queenside.
9.c3
White kicks the knight.
9...Nc6
Black is going to have to be careful since the knight is loose here. A push of the e-
pawn will have the g2-bishop attacking the knight.
10.Ne2
White keeps the path clear for the f-pawn to go to f4.
10...b4
Black continues pressuring the queenside.
11.0-0 Nf6 12.h3 0-0
[FEN "1rbq1rk1/p3ppbp/2np1np1/2p5/
1p2P3/2PPB1PP/PP1QNPB1/R2N1RK1 w - - 0 13"]
Both sides have mostly finished development and it is time to come up with a plan.
13.Bh6
This move is risky. The queen can get diverted from the queenside. More
importantly, the bishop is good here since it keeps an eye on the c5-pawn. After
White plays f4-e5, this pawn becomes a problem.
13.cxb4 White could take advantage of this option, or play 13.f4 and Nf2.
13...Nxb4 Taking back with the pawn would let White take the center with d4.
14.Ndc3 The more I look at this, the more I hesitate for White. Black has a nice
active rook and pawns to target on the queenside. On the other hand, White is more
developed and can play d4 on the next move to open the position in favor of the
more active player.
13...bxc3
Of course. Black opens the file for the rook.
14.bxc3
This is practically forced since otherwise Black will exchange bishops and take the
pawn on b2.
14...e5
I am more afraid if Black kept this square open for the knight on c6.
14...Bxh6 15.Qxh6 Ne5
[FEN "1rbq1rk1/p3pp1p/3p1npQ/2p1n3/
4P3/2PP2PP/P3NPB1/R2N1RK1 w - - 0 16"]
This pawn on d3 is going to be a problem. White has no attack because the d2-
knight is so bad.
15.Bxg7
White takes away a defender of the kingside.
15...Kxg7
There is no real chance of a kingside attack from White.
16.Ne3
At least this knight gets into play.
16...Ng8?!
I guess Black got spooked.
16...Qa5 17.f4 Ba6 18.f5 White may have a little something, but Black is doing fine.
It is an even game.
17.f4
White goes ahead with the plan.
17...f6
[FEN "1rbq1rn1/p5kp/2np1pp1/2p1p3/
4PP2/2PPN1PP/P2QN1B1/R4RK1 w - - 0 18"]
This is definitely not the greatest. This weakens the kingside.

18.d4
Now that White has kingside chances, opening the center is not the best either.
18.f5! This starts to poke at Black. 18...g5 If not this, White can keep building up
on the f-file. 19.h4 h6 20.Kf2 Nge7 21.Rh1 White will inevitably break through.
18...cxd4 19.cxd4 Ba6
Now Black has easy counterplay and it is about equal.
20.Rfc1 Qa5 21.Qxa5
There is no good alternative.
21...Nxa5 22.dxe5 fxe5
22...Bxe2? 23.exd6 The two connected past pawns after 24.e5 are stronger than
Black's extra knight.
23.Rc7+ Rf7 24.Rxf7+ Kxf7 25.Nc3 Rc8 ½-½
White is still a little better here, but the advantage is less than it was about seven
moves ago. An interesting game.
Houska, Jovanka (2325) – Kafka, Graeme (2130)
BCF-chT2 0405 (4NCL) West Bromwich (5.6), 22.01.2005
This is a pretty cool game. I should point out that White outrated her opponent by a
couple hundred points.
1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.d3 Bg7 5.Be3 d6 6.Qd2 Nd4 7.Bg2 Bd7 8.Nd1
Nf6 9.c3 Nc6 10.Bh6
[FEN "r2qk2r/pp1bppbp/2np1npB/2p5/
4P3/2PP2P1/PP1Q1PBP/R2NK1NR b KQkq - 0 10"]
Here is where we left off. As in the last game, this bishop move is premature, but
let's see what happens.
10...0-0
10...Bxh6 Black misses an easy chance with this move. 11.Qxh6 Ne5 12.Qd2 c4
White has to retreat the queen and now this move opens the c-file. Black has the
initiative.
11.Bxg7
This is the point. White hopes for some kingside play.
11...Kxg7 12.f4
This gains space and takes away the e5-square from the black knight.
12...Ne8
This is an ill-advised plan.
12...Qb6 13.Ne2 Rac8 and a future ...c4. White will follow-up her plan with castling
and f5.
13.Nf3 f5
This creates kingside weaknesses for Black.
14.Ne3
14.exf5 Bxf5 15.Ne3 This is good too. Black canot afford to give up the light-
squared bishop, and so has to lose a tempo.
14...Nf6
Black is smart to get the knight right back in play.
14...e5 against this move I would almost be tempted to castle queenside and take
advantage of Black's exposed king. Another option is to take something in the center
and rely on the fact that the e8-knight is out of play to prove an advantage. 15.fxe5
dxe5 16.exf5 gxf5 17.Nc4 White is much better.
14...fxe4 15.dxe4 Nf6 This is more accurate, but White has additional firepower on
f5.
15.exf5
White opens Black's kingside even more.
15...gxf5 16.0-0
Castling queenside is good too.
16...b5
Counterattacking on the queenside is too slow. Black should get the queen out and
develop the rooks before making any more pawn moves.
17.Rfe1
[FEN "r2q1r2/p2bp1kp/2np1n2/1pp2p2/
5P2/2PPNNP1/PP1Q2BP/R3R1K1 b - - 0 17"]
Putting the rook on the open e-file.

17...Rc8 18.a4
Another strong move. Black may face problems on the queenside now too.
18...Na5
Black threatens a fork on b3.
19.Qd1 bxa4
19...b4 20.Nd2 Qc7 These are better moves for Black, but White is still much
better.
20.Rxa4
20.Rxa4
Black has weaknesses on both flanks.
20...Bxa4
There is no way Black will survive after this.
20...e6 21.Ra3 Black can't stop White from crashing in on the a-file.
21.Nxf5+ Kh8 22.Qxa4
[FEN "2rq1r1k/p3p2p/3p1n2/n1p2N2/
Q4P2/2PP1NP1/1P4BP/4R1K1 b - - 0 22"]
23...Qd7
Black faced the choice of getting checkmated quickly or going into a losing
endgame.
22...Qb6 23.Ng5 e5 24.Ra1 Nc6 25.Nxd6 Black cannot defend against all the
threats.
23.Qxd7 Nxd7 24.Rxe7 Rxf5 25.Rxd7 c4 26.dxc4 Nxc4 27.Ng5 Rcf8
28.Rxh7+ Kg8 29.Rxa7 Nxb2 30.Bh3 Rxg5 31.Be6+ Kh8 32.fxg5 Nd1 33.g6
1-0
An efficient game by White.
Lessons Learned
Since Black plays the knight to d4, one of the main plans for White is to play
Nd1 and c3. This kicks the black knight and stunts the power of the black
bishop on g7.
The white knight on d1 comes back into play via the f2-square. White plays
f4 to gain some space and will make a break with e5, though sometimes f5
can be played.
Black is also somewhat active and can develop normally with ...Nf6, or try
...Rb8 and ...b5, or put the queen on a5 and knight to e7-c6 to fight for the
center. White remains safe with clear targets on d4.
Practitioners
Sinisa Drazic is an active Serbian grandmaster. He maintains a blog and
personal website.
Alexei Gavrilov is a Russian grandmaster. He won the 1992 Russian
Championship.
Jovanka Houska is an English international master. She has participated in
many Chess Olympiads on the English Women's team. She is a successful
author of chess books as well.
Further Reading
Starting Out: Closed Sicilian by Richard Palliser
ChessPublishing.com

by Abby Marshall
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The Scandinavian Defense [B01]

I have always found the Scandinavian Defense to be a bothersome response when
playing white, so I thought it would be interesting to cover it from the black side.
The
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4
Openings
There are, of course, other third and fourth white moves.
Explained 4...Nf6
The Complete Kalashnikov
by Matthieu Cornette
& Fabien Libiszewski
Abby Marshall
Translate this page
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppp1pppp/5n2/8/2PP4/ Beating Unusual Chess

8/PP3PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 5"] Openings
by Andrew Greet
I mentioned this briefly in my column for White in November 2011. However,
4...Nb6 is more usual and what I focused on.
5.Nc3
This avoids the pin after 5.Nf3.
5.Nf3 This invites the pin on g4 and leads to different kinds of positions. 5...Bg4
Black should go ahead and take advantage of the chance to put pressure on the
white center. 6.Be2 This is the best place for the bishop. (6.Bd3 Nc6 is easier on
Black since the d4-pawn is not well-supported.) 6...e6
The Scandinavian Defence
by Gary Lane
[FEN "rn1qkb1r/ppp2ppp/4pn2/8/2PP2b1/
5N2/PP2BPPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 7"]
A) 7.Nc3 This may be played first. The two lines transpose. 7...Be7 The bishop
should stay close to home to protect the black king. 8.Be3 (8.h3 Bh5 9.0-0 0-0
Black can play ...c6 next move, but I like ...Nc6. White has a space advantage,
while Black can attack the center and is super solid.) 8...0-0 9.Qb3 Nc6! White's
queen move was premature since White has not yet castled. 10.Rd1 (10.Qxb7 Qd7
11.0-0 Rfb8 12.Qa6 Rxb2 Black is much more active and the white queen is out of
play.) 10...b6 11.0-0 Qe8 The queen removes itself from the path of the d1-rook.
The plan is to be patient, as we will see in the illustrative games.
B) 7.0-0 Be7 8.Nc3 0-0 9.h3 (9.Qb3 We will take a look at this in the first
illustrative game.; 9.Be3 c6 Here is a game involving ...c6. 10.a3 Qc7 Black just
binds his time until White missteps from the transition to the endgame. 11.Ne5 Bxe2
12.Qxe2 Nbd7 13.Bf4 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Qb6 15.Rfd1 Rfe8 16.Rd3 Nd7 17.Rg3
Nxe5 18.Qxe5 g6 19.b4 a5 20.b5 Qd8 21.Rf3 Bd6 22.Qf6 A strategic mistake.
After the exchange of queens Black has a clear advantage with the two bishops and
White's vulnerable pawns. 22...Qxf6 23.Rxf6 Rad8 24.Rf3 Bf8 25.Rd3 Bg7 The d-
pawn soon falls and Black wins easily. 26.Rad1 Rd7 27.Ne4 cxb5 28.cxb5 b6
29.Nc3 Red8 30.Ne2 Rd5 31.a4 e5 32.Nc3 Rxd4 33.Rxd4 exd4 34.Kf1 d3
35.Na2 Rd4 36.Nc1 Rxa4 37.Nxd3 Rd4 38.Ke2 Rd5 39.Rb1 a4 40.Rb4 a3
41.Ra4 Bf8 42.Kd2 Rxb5 43.Kc3 Kg7 44.Kc4 Rg5 0-1, Fox,D (2016)-
Eismont,O (2390)/Dortmund 2006) 9...Bh5 10.Be3 Nbd7 Again I prefer ...Nc6 to
these kinds of set-ups with ...c6 and Nbd7. 11.Rc1 c6 12.a3 h6 13.b4 Re8 14.Qb3
Bf8 This was a quick draw in ½-½, Romcovici,V (2288)-Khamitskiy,S
(2345)/Tiraspol 2007. I give Black good chances against a lower-rated player, but
against someone stronger it will be hard to win.
5...e6
If you play 5...Nc6, White may transpose with 6.Nf3 Bg4, but you also have to
contend with 6.d5.
6.Nf3
Now there is no pin.
6.Be3 White may delay Nf3, in which case Black should try to open the position to
get at the white king in the center. 6...Be7 7.h3 c5!? This is a bold attempt to open
the position. (7...b6 is also a choice.) 8.dxc5 (8.Nf3 is less challenging. 8...cxd4
9.Qxd4 Bd7 10.Be2 Nc6 11.Qd3 0-0 12.0-0 Qa5 Black will bring the rooks to d8
and c8 and attack the white c-pawn.) 8...0-0
[FEN "rnbq1rk1/pp2bppp/4pn2/2P5/2P5/
2N1B2P/PP3PP1/R2QKBNR w KQ - 0 9"]
The knight to a6 is how Black will recover the pawn. 9.a3 a5 10.Nf3 Bd7 11.Be2
Na6 12.0-0 Qc7 13.Bd4 Rfd8 The black light-squared bishop can get in the game
with ...Bc6.
6...Be7
I like leaving this guy at home.
7.Bg5
White adopts a more aggressive set-up, which is perfect for Black to take advantage
of.
7.Bf4 0-0 8.Be2 c5 This is a good move. The pawn gets out of the attack from the
f4-bishop. 9.0-0 cxd4 10.Nxd4 Bd7 11.Bf3 Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Bxc6 bxc6
14.Qf3 Qb6
[FEN "r4rk1/p3bppp/1qp1pn2/8/2P2B2/
2N2Q2/PP3PPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 15"]
This is defendable.
7...0-0
The king is not going to be easy to attack. None of the pawns on the kingside have
advanced and there are two defenders.
8.Bd3
The disadvantage of this move is that it blocks the queen from protecting the d-
pawn.
8...h6
[FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppp1bpp1/4pn1p/6B1/2PP4/
2NB1N2/PP3PPP/R2QK2R w KQ - 0 9"]
I would prefer playing ...Nc6 right away. We will finish looking at this in the second
illustrative game.
Illijin, Neboisa (2270) – Campora, Daniel Hugo (2520)
Corte Ingles op, 1998
This is a great example of how to claw back from a bad position.
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.d4 Nf6 4.Nf3 Bg4 5.Be2 e6 6.c4 Qd8 7.Nc3 Be7 8.0-0
0-0 9.Qb3
[FEN "rn1q1rk1/ppp1bppp/4pn2/8/2PP2b1/
1QN2N2/PP2BPPP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 9"]
Here is where we are going to start.

9...Qc8
9...Nc6 As in the theory section, this is the superior move. 10.Qxb7 Nxd4 11.Nxd4
Qxd4 12.Qxc7 Bd6 Black has compensation for the pawn.
10.h3 Bh5 11.Bf4 Nbd7
I still like 11...Nc6.
12.Rad1
12.Nb5
[FEN "r1q2rk1/pppnbppp/4pn2/1N5b/
2PP1B2/1Q3N1P/PP2BPP1/R4RK1 b - - 0 12"]
12...Ne8 13.Rad1 a6 14.Nc3 Nef6 Now it is White's turn again, so it is as if White

gained a tempo, since ...a6 is not a useful move.
12...Rd8
12...Bd6 is necessary to gain some space. From here Black can play ...c6, move the
queen up, and get the queenside rook into play. 13.Be3 c6.
13.Rfe1 Bd6
A good decision.
14.Bg5
14.Bxd6 cxd6 15.Nb5 Qb8 16.Qa3 d5 is more the direction Black wants to move
in.
14...h6 15.Bh4 Re8
Black is being squeezed because of this passive play.
16.Nb5
16.c5 Be7 17.Ne5
[FEN "r1q1r1k1/pppnbpp1/4pn1p/2P1N2b/
3P3B/1QN4P/PP2BPP1/3RR1K1 b - - 0 17"]
This is more dangerous.

16...Be7 17.Bg3 Bd8
17...Ne4 Maybe Black thought this solution was too precarious. 18.Bf4 Nd6
19.Nc3 b6 This is not too bad for Black. White has more space, but no immediate
threats.
18.Qe3 a6 19.Nc3 Be7 20.Ne5 Bxe2 21.Qxe2 Nxe5 22.Bxe5?!
White missteps. 22.dxe5 is the dangerous choice. 22...Nd7 23.Qg4 This is an
unpleasant situation for Black, who will be defending for a while.
22...Nd7
Now Black is starting to get untangled.
23.Bg3 Nf6 24.a3 c5
23.Bg3 Nf6 24.a3 c5
24...c6 is safer. 25.Be5 b5 26.c5 Nd5 This is okay.
25.Na4
[FEN "r1q1r1k1/1p2bpp1/p3pn1p/2p5/
N1PP4/P5BP/1P2QPP1/3RR1K1 b - - 0 25"]
Now Black has to give up the bishop for a knight, since there is a fork on b6.
25...Qc6 26.Nxc5 Bxc5 27.dxc5 Qxc5 28.Be5
White is back on top.
28...Rad8 29.b4 Qe7 30.Qf3 Nh7 31.c5 Ng5 32.Qe3 Rxd1 33.Rxd1 Rd8
I am surprised by this move. Black had more chances with the rook helping guard
the back rank.
34.Bd6
34.Rxd8+ Qxd8 35.f4 White just dominates here.
34...Qd7 35.Rd4 f6 36.Qd3 Qe8 37.f4 Nf7 38.Kh2
38.Qc4 is stronger, since it ties the black queen to the e-pawn.
38...Qc6 39.h4 Qe8 40.Qe4 Rd7 41.f5
This also makes things easier on Black.
41.Rd3 e5 42.Kg3!? White has a persistent edge.
41...e5 42.Rd3 Kh7 43.Rd2 Qc8 44.Qd5 Qc6
[FEN "8/1p1r1npk/p1qB1p1p/2PQpP2/
1P5P/P7/3R2PK/8 w - - 0 45"]
45.Kg3
An unfortunate blunder. Now it is White who is tied down to the defense of the
pinned d6-bishop.
45...Qxd5 46.Rxd5 g6 47.fxg6+ Kxg6 48.Kf3 Kf5 49.Ke3 Ke6 50.Rd2 Nxd6
51.cxd6 Rxd6 52.Rc2 0-1
White could have played on, but the protected passed pawn in the center will likely
win.
Ronchetti, Niccolo (2304) – Mascellani, Marco (2271)
Bologna-ch assoluto Ozzano dell Emilia (2), 17.10.2004
Black wisely trades pieces to mitigate White's space advantage.
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.d4 Nxd5 4.c4 Nf6 5.Nc3 e6 6.Nf3 Be7 7.Bg5 0-0 8.Bd3
h6
[FEN "rnbq1rk1/ppp1bpp1/4pn1p/6B1/
2PP4/2NB1N2/PP3PPP/R2QK2R w KQ - 0 9"]

9.Bh4 c5
9...Nc6 10.0-0 b6 is another option.
10.0-0
10.dxc5 Na6 Then the knight gets the good square c5.
10...Nc6
10...cxd4 11.Nxd4 Of course, Black cannot capture the knight on d4 because of the
discovered attack 12.Bxh7+. 11...Bd7 This is the best bet for Black. He is less
active, but also much safer.
11.dxc5 Bxc5 12.Qe2
12.Re1 This patient move is better and forces Black to find a plan. 12...Nd4?! With
the queenside undeveloped, this is a bad idea. 13.Ne4
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/pp3pp1/4pn1p/2b5/2PnN2B/
3B1N2/PP3PPP/R2QR1K1 b - - 0 13"]
Since now 12...Nd4 comes with no threat, White can throw in this forcing move.
13...Be7 14.Nxf6+ (14.Nxd4 Qxd4 15.Qc2 This continuation is strongest. White
will bring the least active piece (a1-rook) into the game and Black has little
counterplay.) 14...Bxf6 15.Bxf6 Nxf3+ (15...Qxf6? 16.Nxd4 Qxd4 17.Bh7+)
16.Qxf3 Qxf6 17.Qxf6 gxf6 At the very least, Black's pawn structure is ruined.
12...Nd4
The difference here is that Black gains a few tempo with the exchanges. The queen is
under attack.
13.Nxd4 Qxd4
The bishop on h4 is under attack.
14.Bxf6
14.Bg3 keeps more pressure on Black. 14...Bd7 15.Rad1 Qg4 Black should still try
to trade pieces and hope White's space edge is not enough to win.
14...Qxf6 15.Ne4 Qe7 16.Nxc5 Qxc5 17.a3
[FEN "r1b2rk1/pp3pp1/4p2p/2q5/2P5/
P2B4/1P2QPPP/R4RK1 b - - 0 17"]
White has a slight edge since his bishop is better than Black's.
17...a5 18.b4 Qc7 19.c5 Bd7 20.Be4
20.Qe4 to provoke weaknesses is better.
20...Bc6 21.Rfc1 Rfd8 22.b5 Bxe4 23.Qxe4 Rd5 24.a4 Rad8
Now it is just even.
25.g3 Rxc5
It is better to be patient.
25...Rd4 26.Qe3 Rb4 leaves Black more chances to get counterplay against the
white queenside pawns.
26.Rxc5 Qxc5 27.Qxb7 Qc3 28.Rf1 Qb4?
28...Rd4 gives good enough counterplay. 29.b6 Qb3 30.Rc1 Rb4
29.Qc7
29.Rc1 White should have seized the c-file.
29...Rd2= 30.b6
The overreach hurts White, but is not enough to toss the game.
30...Rb2 31.b7 Qxb7 32.Qxa5 Ra2 33.Qd8+ Kh7 34.Qd4 Qb3
Black's pieces are very active and the pawn is an easy target.
35.Ra1 Qd5 36.Qc3
[FEN "8/5ppk/4p2p/3q4/P7/2Q3P1/
4P1P/R5K1 b - - 0 36"]
This overlooks a simple tactic.

36...Rxa4 37.Qc2+ (37.Rxa4 Qd1+) 37...Re4 38.Re1 f5 39.Rxe4 Qxe4
40.Qd1 e5
It is unclear if this is enough to win.
41.Qd7 f4 42.Qg4 Qb1+ 43.Kg2 Qb7+ 44.f3 Qb2+ 45.Kh3 Qd4 46.Qf5+ Kg8
47.Qe6+ Kf8 48.Qc8+ Ke7 49.Qc7+ Kf6 50.Qc6+ Kf7 51.Qc7+ Kf6 52.Qc6+
Kg5 53.Qc7 ½-½
A perpetual check makes the game for sure drawn. A good performance by Black.
Lessons Learned
Black is trying to play against the slightly extended White center on d4 and
c4. Black plays the knight to c6 early to attack the d4-pawn and the dark-
squared bishop goes to e7 to support the f6-knight and keep the d-file open
to the queen.
Black has less space in this line, so Black has to be patient and wait for White
to overextend with perhaps an ill-timed d5- or c5-pawn advance. This would
open up squares in the center.
White tries to hold on to the center, restrict Black's piece mobility, and
squeeze Black.
Practitioners
Sergei Khamitskiy is a young international master from Belarus. He has
played in several strong tournaments.
Daniel Campora is a grandmaster from Argentina. He has played in nearly a
dozen chess Olympiads and has twice been the Argentine chess champion.
Marco Mascellani is an FM from Italy.
Further Reading
ChessPublishing.com
The Scandinavian by John Emms

by Abby Marshall

publication!!

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The Pirc Defense Classical System [B08]

This month we are going to look at the Pirc Defense.
The 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3
Openings
Explained Pirc Alert
by Lev Alburt
& Alex Chernin
Abby Marshall
Translate this page

[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppp1pp1p/3p1np1/8/3PP3/
2N2N2/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R b KQkq - 0 4"]
The Classical System is the topic for this month. I once thought this was one of the
more conservative approaches against the Pirc, but White can still attack and play
risky, interesting chess. Pirc Defence
by Nigel Davies
4.f4 is the popular Austrian Attack. I have always played this variation since it
seemed the most exciting way to combat the Pirc. However, it is easy to overextend
and lose key central squares.
4...Bg7
Both sides begin normal developing moves.
5.Be2
White plans to keep this bishop close to home because a pawn push to d5 is
coming, which would block the bishop from the center.
The Pirc Defence
5...0-0 by Gary Lane
Black gets to safety quickly. Castling queenside would be risky for White since
Black can strike with ...c5 and use the dark-squared bishop on g7.
6.0-0
The middlegame has been reached without much engagement between the two
sides.
6...Nc6
This is the variation I want to focus on. Upon 6...Bg4 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Bxf3 Nc6 9.Be3,
White does not have to play d5 anytime soon and can build up instead.
7.d5
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppp1ppbp/2np1np1/3P4/4P3/
2N2N2/PPP1BPPP/R1BQ1RK1 b - - 0 7"]
Without a bishop on g4, there is no exchange on f3 and ...Ne5 where the knight
would be unchallenged. This move gains space.
7...Nb8
Since it is a closed game, retreating is not such a big deal. The knight will go to d7
and then to c5 or e5. White gets a lot of space for the white pieces.
7...Nb4 The point of this move is to play ...a6 and ...c5 without blocking the d7-
bishop. 8.h3 This move stops ...Bg4. The knight on f3 is valuable since it covers the
squares left behind by the d-pawn push. 8...e6 Black could wait and play ...Na6-
Nc5 first. However, this gives White time to build up in the center. (8...a5 is the
subject of the first illustrative game.) 9.a3 White makes the knight give up its
influence on the d5-square. 9...Na6 10.dxe6 I like White's plan for the next few
moves. White aims to get in e5 and use the fact that the knight on the queenside is
out of play. 10...Bxe6 11.Nd4 Bd7 Black is smart to preserve the bishop-pair.
12.Bf3
[FEN "r2q1rk1/pppb1pbp/n2p1np1/8/3NP3/
P1N2B1P/1PP2PP1/R1BQ1RK1 b - - 0 12"]
White clears the e-file for the rook and target the b-pawn. 12...Nc5 13.Re1 Re8
14.Bf4 Na4 (14...Ne6 15.Nxe6 Bxe6 16.Qd2 Nd7 17.Rad1 Ne5 18.Be2 Nc4
19.Bxc4 Bxc4 20.b3 Be6 21.Be3 a6 22.Bd4 Bxd4 23.Qxd4 Qg5 24.Re3 Qe5
25.Qxe5 dxe5 26.Nd5 ½-½, Gligoric,S (2565)-Jansa,V (2450)/Moscow
1977/EU-chT (44) This led to a straightforward draw. White may have tried
26.Red3 taking over the d-file.) 15.Nxa4 Bxa4 16.Qd2 Black is put in an awkward
spot. The light-squared bishop has no good square, since going back to d7 takes
away that square from the knight. White can try picking at the kingside with Bg5 or
Bh6.
7...Ne5 leaves Black with little chance to win. 8.Nxe5 dxe5 9.f4 This is interesting.
So is just developing.
8.Re1
This is a good flexible move to see what Black does. White may prepare e5.
8...c6
Black decides to chip at White's center.
8...e5 is another way to do it. 9.dxe6 This is easier to play for White. White has the
bigger center. 9...Bxe6 10.Nd4 Bd7 11.Bg5 (11.Bf4 Nc6 This time Black has this
response to cover e5.) 11...h6 (11...Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Bf3 I would take
White's active pieces over Black's slightly passive ones.) 12.Bh4 Re8 13.Bf3
[FEN "rn1qr1k1/pppb1pb1/3p1npp/8/
3NP2B/2N2B2/PPP2PPP/R2QR1K1 b - - 0 13"]
White is just a little more active and has a space advantage, so the edge goes to
White.
8...Bg4 This is an important alternative, since Black is aiming to take over the dark-
squares in the center. 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Bxf3 c6 11.g3 In the second illustrative game we
will pick this up.
8...c5
[FEN "rnbq1rk1/pp2ppbp/3p1np1/2pP4/4P3/
2N2N2/PPP1BPPP/R1BQR1K1 w - c6 0 9"]
The idea of this move is to expand on the queenside. 9.h3 Na6 10.Bg5 Nc7 11.a4
White plays exactly right, restricting Black on the queenside and then moving to the
kingside. 11...a6 12.Bc4 Nd7 13.Qd2 Rb8 14.Bh6 b5 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.axb5
axb5 17.Bf1 Ne5 18.Nxe5 dxe5 19.h4 The rook on the e-file can swing up to e3
and the rook on the a-file limits Black's queenside options.
9.Bf1
White clears the file for the rook. White should not exchange the center d-pawn for
the flank c-pawn. 9.h3 is more consistent with what we had been playing.
9...Nbd7
Black has a tough time finding a permanent place for this piece.
9...Bg4 It looks better to get this bishop out of the way. 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 Nbd7
12.Be3 Qa5 13.Rad1 Rac8 14.Qe2 cxd5 15.exd5 Nb6 16.Qb5! Now White has
serious winning chances. The black e-pawn is a permanent weakness. White later
won on time in Taimanov,M (2590)-Murey,J (2380)/Sukhumi 1972 (51).
10.Bg5
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/pp1nppbp/2pp1np1/3P2B1/
4P3/2N2N2/PPP2PPP/R2QRBK1 b - - 0 10"]
White develops this bishop where it has an x-ray attack on the e7-pawn. Besides
the other plans we have seen, White may also play the knight on f3 to d2 and to the
queenside, then play f4. The more I look at this opening for White, the more I like it.
White gets a nice edge in most positions.
Hulak, Krunoslav (2470) – Ostojic, Predrag (2435)
YUG Cup 24th Pula (3.2), 20.05.1981
This is a great example of how to build up and wait for mistakes.
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0 Nc6 7.d5 Nb4 8.h3 a5
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/1pp1ppbp/3p1np1/p2P4/
1n2P3/2N2N1P/PPP1BPP1/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 9"]
Here we are from the theory section.

9.Re1
White anticipates the opening of the e-file.
9...c6
9...e6 is more what I would expect. 10.Bg5 White keeps the knight on b4 stranded
and unable to get back to c6. Then comes the typical build-up.
10.Be3
White chooses to keep developing.
10.a3 This forcing line looks good too. 10...Na6 11.dxc6 bxc6 12.e5 Black's pawn
structure is really bad.
10...cxd5
This is probably best to avoid the breakup of the queenside pawns.
11.exd5
The only recapture.
11.Nxd5? Nfxd5 12.exd5 Bxb2.
11...Bf5
The bishop should have gone to d7. There are not really any alternatives to
developing and trying to make use of the c-file.
11...e5 12.dxe6 fxe6 13.Bg5 Black has two pawns in the center while White has
none, but the pawns are vulnerable rather than strong and get in the way of the black
bishops.
12.Nd4
Now the bishop is attacked and the there is no piece defending the b5-square.
12...Bd7
Even if the bishop had not retreated, White would not have traded the powerful
knight on d4.
13.Bf3
White defends the pawn on d5.
13...Qc7
The queen is easily bothered here.
13...Rc8 and ...Re8, just trying to defend everything, are better choices.
14.a3
White kicks the knight away and stops ideas of ...a4 and ...a3.
14...Na6
[FEN "r4rk1/1pqbppbp/n2p1np1/p2P4/
3N4/P1N1BB1P/1PP2PP1/R2QR1K1 w - - 0 15"]
One knight is sitting on the side of the board, while the other knight is dominated by
the white bishop on f3.
15.Qd2
White has basically followed the scheme of development we saw in the theory: Nd4,
Bf3, Qd2.
15...Rfc8
The abandonment of the kingside and the fantasy of getting play on the queenside is
where Black begins the slide to defeat. Moving the other rook to c8 is better.
16.Rad1
This is shuffling pieces around to look nice. White can play 16.Bh6 right away or
double rooks on the e-file to attack the backward e7-pawn.
16...Nc5 17.Bh6 Qd8 18.Re2 Bxh6 19.Qxh6 Na4?
This is the only clear mistake. This knight is the best black piece and the bishop is no
longer defending the f5-square, so it will have to move back to d7 and lose a tempo.
19...Qf8 gave more chances to defend. 20.Qg5 Re8 21.Ncb5 Bxb5 22.Nxb5 Rac8
White is definitely better, but Black has counterplay on the c-file.
20.Nxa4 Bxa4 21.b3
White first takes care of the threats on the queenside and prompts Black into making
a mistake. A clever move.
21.Rde1 is objectively stronger now, since the square f5 is not defended by the
bishop. 21...Qf8 22.Qg5 Re8 23.Nf5 Kh8 24.Nxd6!
[FEN "r3rq1k/1p2pp1p/3N1np1/p2P2Q1/
b7/P4B1P/1PP1RPP1/4R1K1 b - - 0 24"]
White wins.
21...Be8
Black makes the fatal mistake.
21...Bd7 22.Rde1 Qf8 Black could survive though White is still almost winning.
22.Rde1 Rc7 23.g4 a4
23...Kh8 24.Nf5! gxf5 25.Rxe7 Ng8 26.Rxe8+-.
24.g5 Nd7 25.Rxe7 Ne5 26.Ne6 1-0
Mate next move. Black's last move lost the game immediately, but the result was not
in doubt.
Timoscenko, Gennadij (2505) – Lerner, Konstantin Z (2445)
URS-ch otbor Beltsy, 1977
White minimizes queenside counterplay and uses kingside threats to get a winning
endgame.
1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0 Nc6 7.d5 Nb8 8.Re1
Bg4 9.h3 Bxf3 10.Bxf3 c6 11.g3
[FEN "rn1q1rk1/pp2ppbp/2pp1np1/3P4/
4P3/2N2BPP/PPP2P2/R1BQR1K1 b - - 0 11"]
This is where we left off in the theory section. White creates some room for the
bishop.
11...Nbd7 12.Bg2 Rc8
This is a solid set-up and one of Black's best choices.
13.a4 Ne5 14.Ne2
14.Qe2 with 15.Be3 next is my choice.
14...cxd5 15.exd5 Qa5 16.Bd2 Qc5 17.Bc3
On the other hand, the bishop here is quite good.
17...Rfe8 18.Ra2
I prefer 18.Rc1 to protect the c-pawn. 18...Nfd7 19.Bd4 Qa5 20.b3 White has a
nice space advantage.
18...Nfd7 19.b3
[FEN "2r1r1k1/pp1nppbp/3p2p1/2qPn3/
P7/1PB3PP/R1P1NPB1/3QR1K1 b - - 0 19"]
I do not like what White has done the last couple of moves. Now the position is
even.
19...Nf3+ 20.Bxf3 Bxc3 21.Nxc3 Qxc3 22.Re3 Qa5 23.c4 Rc7 24.Rae2 Nf6
I guess Black wanted to keep the knight close to home in case of a kingside attack.
24...Nc5, targeting the white queenside, is more natural to me.
25.Qd4 a6 26.g4
This aggressive move gets the black knight out of play at little risk to White, since the
black pieces are far from the king's aid.
26...h6 27.h4 Nh7
27...b5 is necessary to get some counterplay going. 28.g5 hxg5 29.hxg5 Nh7
30.Qh4 bxa4 31.Ra2 White should keep the a-file closed. 31...a3 32.Bg4 The
attack is strong, but at least Black has something.
28.Qf4 Kg7 29.g5?!
29.Bg2 is more patient and gives the rooks access to swing along the third rank to
the black king. 29...Qc5 30.g5 hxg5 31.hxg5
[FEN "4r3/1pr1ppkn/p2p2p1/2qP2P1/
P1P2Q2/1P2R3/4RPB1/6K1 b - - 0 31"]
29...h5
Black misses a chance to get back in the game.
29...hxg5 30.hxg5 e5! White has to move the queen, so the position would become
blocked and Black would be doing okay. Otherwise, 31.dxe6 Qxg5+ If the white
bishop was on g2, this would not come with check.
30.Qd4+ Kg8 31.Be4 Qc5
[FEN "4r1k1/1pr1pp1n/p2p2p1/2qP2Pp/
P1PQB2P/1P2R3/4RP2/6K1 w - - 0 32"]
Trading queens would seem to help since White has pressure on the kingside, but it
actually provides an easier risk-free way for White to convert an advantage.
31...Nf8 offered more resistance.
32.Qxc5!
I give this an exclamation because it seems to be a hard move to play after the way
the game had been going.
32...Rxc5 33.Bd3 Rc7 34.b4
White gave up attacking the king in order to achieve a near winning endgame edge.
34...Rd7 35.f4 Nf8 36.f5
There is nothing Black can do to stop the pawns.
36...gxf5 37.Bxf5 Rc7 38.c5 Rd8 (38...dxc5 39.d6!) 39.Rxe7 Rxe7 40.Rxe7
dxc5 41.Be4 Rd7?
[FEN "5nk1/1p1rRp2/p7/2pP2Pp/
PP2B2P/8/8/6K1 w - - 0 42"]
The trade of rooks is a death sentence.

41...cxb4 42.Rxb7 a5 43.Kf2 The black rook is totally tied down. Nonetheless, it is
preferable to letting the white bishop dominate the game.
42.Rxd7 Nxd7 43.Bf5 Nb6 44.bxc5 Nxd5 45.Be4 Nc3 46.Bxb7 a5 47.c6 Nd5
48.Ba6 Kg7 49.Bc4 Nc7 50.Kf2 f6 51.Kg3 Kg6 52.Bd3+ Kf7 53.g6+ Ke7
54.Bc4 Ne8 55.c7 1-0
An all-around instructional game for all phases of the game.
Lessons Learned
If White can achieve Nd4, Qd2, and Bf3, it is difficult for Black to crack this
strong central set-up. White can target the pawn on e7 and play Bh6 to get at
the king.
In the illustrative games, we saw it was better for White to be patient. If White
has a strong enough hold on the center, then pushing the pawns to f4, g4, or
h4 work even in this variation, as in the popular Austrian Attack.
Black's king position is reasonably solid and the e5- and c5-squares are
always juicy outposts for the black knights. The dark squares ensure Black
always has resources in the position, which White should stay on alert for.
Practitioners
Mark Taimanov is a grandmaster from Russia and along with many others
from the former Soviet Union, dominated chess in the 1950s and 1960s. He
had been a contender for the world championship and played in numerous
extremely strong tournaments, beating world champions.
Krunoslav Hulak is a grandmaster from Croatia. He has participated in the
chess Olympiad on multiple occasions.
Gennadij Timoschenko is a strong grandmaster from Slovakia.
Further Reading
ChessPublishing.com
Chess Developments: The Pirc by James Vigus
Pirc Alert by Lev Alburt

by Abby Marshall
publication!!

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accessible:
The Scandinavian Defense [B01]

The subject of this column is the Icelandic Gambit in the Scandinavian Defense, or
Center Counter.
The
1.e4 d5
Openings This was once viewed as a kid's opening, yet nowadays many top players employ it Center Counter Carnage
Explained in their games. by Andrew Martin
2.exd5 Nf6
Abby Marshall
Though it is not often thought of this way, but this move is a gambit. Black does not
recapture the pawn in favor of rapid development. It is impractical for White to hold
on to the pawn, so to turn this line into a proper gambit Black will have to go off the
beaten path.
Translate this page
3.c4
This move is worth knowing, since White is trying to transpose into a different
opening. 3.d4 is more usual. Scandinavian Defense
by Abby Marshall
3...e6
Scandinavian Defense
by Gary Lane
[FEN "rnbqkb1r/ppp2ppp/4pn2/3P4/2P5/
8/PP1P1PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 4"]
The Icelandic Gambit. White does not get to transpose and needs to accept the
gambit to have a hope of an edge.
3...c6 is the way to regain the pawn immediately. 4.d4 (4.dxc6? Maybe giving this
move a question mark is too strong. However, Black clearly has excellent
compensation for the pawn and the better position. 4...Nxc6 5.Nf3 e5
[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pp3ppp/2n2n2/4p3/2P5/5N2/
PP1P1PPP/RNBQKB1R w KQkq - 0 6"]
The big problem for White is ...e4 coming, which White has no good way to stop.)
4...cxd5 This is the Panov-Botvinnik Attack, normally reached against the Caro-
Kann (1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.c4 Nf6). There is a little bit of theory to learn
here for Black.
4.dxe6
White gets a pawn while Black will have two pieces developed.
4.d4 is fine for White, but not particularly challenging. 4...exd5 This can be reached
from the Exchange French (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 exd5 4.c4 Nf6). I played this
from the white side for years, not because it promised an advantage, but it led to
play with an isolated queen pawn with which I was comfortable. Of course, White
has solved Black's problem of getting the c8-bishop into play, so Black gets equality
easily.
4.Qa4+ is weak since Black just gets a big lead in development. There is just one
thing that should be known. 4...Bd7 5.Qb3 Na6! This move makes the b7-pawn
immune to capture. 6.d4 Capturing on b7 would lead to the queen being trapped
after ...Nc5. 6...exd5 7.Nc3 Bb4 8.Nf3 Qe7+ 9.Be2 0-0-0 These last few moves
by Black are by no means forced and are in fact risky since White has many ways to
open lines against the black queenside. Black could have just castled kingside and
been fine.
4...Bxe6
[FEN "rn1qkb1r/ppp2ppp/4bn2/8/2P5/8/
PP1P1PPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 5"]
The fact that this bishop gets out early means that queenside castling is facilitated.
Black has no pawns in the center, which is unfortunate. Black will have to work to
take advantage of the open center files instead.
5.d4
This variation is basically 5.d4 followed by 6.Bd2 after Black checks on b4 with the
bishop.
5.Nf3 Piece development is another major branch of course. 5...Nc6
A) 6.d4 In a sense White has goaded Black into playing 5...Nc6 to catch Black into
finding a way out of the fork on d5. 6...Bb4+ 7.Nc3 Instead of blocking with the
bishop on d2, White lets Black keep developing. 7...Ne4 This is the best move.
Otherwise, White develops fine.
A1) 8.Qc2 gets White into difficulties. We get to see Black's development
rewarded. 8...Bf5 (Threatening 9...Ng3) 9.Bd3 Nxc3 10.Bxf5 (10.bxc3 Nxd4!)
10...Nb5+ followed by taking on d4 is good for Black.
A2) 8.Bd2 Nxd2 Black has succeeded in winning the bishop-pair. 9.Qxd2 Qe7
[FEN "r3k2r/ppp1qppp/2n1b3/8/1bPP4/
2N2N2/PP1Q1PPP/R3KB1R w KQkq - 0 10"]
For now d5 is not possible, since the bishop has a discovered attack on the white
king. 10.Qe3 0-0-0 Black is doing okay. If 11.d5 Bxc3+ 12.bxc3 Rhe8 It is messy,
but playing out the position shows that White cannot take the black pieces, since the
white king is too vulnerable. 13.Be2 (13.dxc6 Bxc4 White's king and queen are in
trouble.; 13.dxe6 Qf6! The e-file is really going to hurt White.) 13...Qf6 14.Qc1? A
bad move that tries to avoid the pins on the center file at all costs. 14...Bg4 15.dxc6
Bxf3 16.gxf3 Qxf3 Black wins.
B) 6.Be2 White lets Black have the central dark squares. 6...Bc5
[FEN "r2qk2r/ppp2ppp/2n1bn2/2b5/2P5/
5N2/PP1PBPPP/RNBQK2R w KQkq - 0 7"]
I would be comfortable with Black here. White's light-squared bishop has problems
getting active and the d-pawn is a target on the open d-file. 7.0-0
B1) 7...Qd7 Castling queenside is another option. It is slow which is why I prefer
castling immediately. 8.d3 (8.Nc3 0-0-0 9.Na4 Bd4 Black is even a little better
here. You can rarely go wrong with centralization.) 8...0-0-0 9.Nbd2 Bf5 Black has
good play here too, just the situation is riskier since White can open up lines on the
queenside easily.
B2) 7...0-0 8.d3 Re8 I like getting central pressure right away. White is passive and
has no real targets. Black has a clear plan to centralize and focus on the d-pawn.
5.Be2 What follows is an ambitious plan by Black to put rapid pressure on the white
center. 5...Qe7 6.d3 (6.d4 The cool thing is that this move is prevented because of
the e-file pin. 6...Bxc4 7.Qa4+ b5) 6...Nc6 7.Nf3 0-0-0 We will pick this up in the
first illustrative game.
5...Bb4+
This move develops as quickly as possible.
6.Bd2
Blocking the check with the knight leads to positions we saw earlier involving ...Ne4.
6...Qe7
[FEN "rn2k2r/ppp1qppp/4bn2/8/1bPP4/8/
PP1B1PPP/RN1QKBNR w KQkq - 0 7"]
Black protects the bishop, creates the threat of a discovery along the e-file, and
prepares to castle queenside.
7.Bxb4
Being up material, White trades a set of pieces and disrupts Black's plan of using
pressure on the center files, since now the queen is off the e-file.
7.Be2 allows Black some interesting possibilities.
A) 7...Nc6!? White pretty much has to accept the challenge to fork Black's pieces.
8.d5 (8.Nf3 Bxc4 The c6-knight blocks a Qa4 check which before would have
picked up the b4-bishop.) 8...0-0-0 It pays off to delay sacrificing on d5. The knight
may jump to e4 and White has more choices, which will make White take up more
thinking time. (8...Nxd5 9.cxd5 Bxd5 10.Kf1 0-0-0 is also very interesting and
unclear.) 9.Nf3 Taking either piece is not advisable. (9.dxe6 Ne4 10.Nf3 Qxe6
11.0-0 Rhe8 12.Qc2 Bxd2 13.Nbxd2 Nxd2; 9.dxc6 Ne4 10.Nf3 Nxd2 11.Nbxd2
Rxd2! 12.Nxd2 Rd8 13.0-0 Rxd2 14.Qb3 Rxe2 15.a3 Bd6 16.Qxb7+ Kd8
17.Rad1 Bc8 Time and time again the bishop-pair prove much stronger than the
rook.) 9...Rhe8 For the same reasons as the previous variations showed, White
should not capture any black piece yet. 10.0-0 Nxd5 11.cxd5 Bxd5
[FEN "2krr3/ppp1qppp/2n5/3b4/1b6/5N2/
PP1BBPPP/RN1Q1RK1 w - - 0 12"]
I suspect Black has very good winning chances. Psychologically, this is a crushing
position for White to play since White is up a piece and feels like everything should
be easy, but has to work extremely hard to defend, while all Black has to do is
attack.
B) 7...0-0 Now taking on c4 is threatened. 8.Qb3 There is not a great way to
defend this pawn. 8...Bxd2+ 9.Nxd2 Bg4 I would prefer Black. The e-file is just so
crucial and the queen is misplaced on b3.
7...Qxb4+
White has yet to get a piece out and the most natural move, 8.Nc3, is bad since the
c-pawn falls.
8.Qd2
The only sensible option.
8.Nd2 Nc6 Taking the b-pawn is certainly a possibility, but lets try for more. Again
White is forced to think about forking the two black pieces. A fork usually trumps
piece development, but in this case, moving to d5 takes away time to develop pieces
and could cost White. 9.Ngf3 White waits a move before pushing to d5. This is
almost forced since otherwise the d-pawn will be lost. 9...0-0-0 10.d5 Bg4 11.Be2?
We are following an older game where Black demonstrates beautifully how to take
advantage of the king in the center. (11.dxc6 Rhe8+ 12.Be2 bxc6 White cannot
castle since Black would take on f3 then on d2. With the white king stuck in the
center Black must have enormous compensation. There is not a clear-cut way to
proceed, though that also holds true for the white player as well.) 11...Bxf3 12.Bxf3
Rhe8+ 13.Kf1 Nd4 Black is already winning. 14.Qc1 Nxf3 15.Nxf3 Re4 16.b3
Rde8 17.h3 Nh5 18.g3 Nxg3+! 19.fxg3 Re3 20.Ng1 Qd6 21.Rh2 Rxg3 22.Qb2
Qg6 23.Kf2 Ree3 24.Ne2 Rgf3+ 25.Ke1 Qg1+ 26.Kd2 Qxh2 27.Re1 Qf2 0-1,
Sokolov,A-Speelman, Madrid 1988.
8...Nc6
[FEN "r3k2r/ppp2ppp/2n1bn2/8/1qPP4/8/
PP1Q1PPP/RN2KBNR w KQkq - 0 9"]
Black gets a third piece out and White cannot even afford to trade queens.
9.d5
Forcing White to use time again, but the d-pawn had to be saved.
9.Nc3 is an ill-timed way to give the pawn back. 9...Bxc4 10.Bxc4 Qxc4 11.Qe3+
Kf8 It is kind of exciting for White to get the black king to move to f8, but it turns
out that the king is perfectly safe and White's own king is in jeopardy. The rook is
coming to the e-file, so White has to castle immediately, right into the teeth of the
black queen. 12.0-0-0 Nb4 13.Kb1 Nfd5 This is the start of another beautiful game
that just entranced me. Black shows that his position is better in the middlegame and
endgame, using pieces or pawns. 14.Qd2 Nxc3+ 15.bxc3 Nd5 16.Rc1 Re8 17.h4
Rg8 I did not understand this move. 17...h5 and bringing the rook to h6 seemed
better to me. Nonetheless, play continued 18.Qc2 Nf4 19.Qf5 Qd3+ 20.Qxd3
Nxd3 21.Rf1 c5 22.g3 cxd4 23.cxd4 Re4 24.Nf3 Re2 25.Rh2 Ke7 26.Rd1 Nb4
27.a3 Nd5 28.Rc1 Rd8 29.Ka1 Kf8 30.Kb1 f6 31.Rc5 Rd6 32.Kc1 Ra2 33.Nd2
Nb6 34.Nb3 Na4 35.Rc8+ Ke7 36.Rh1 Kd7 37.Rc4 Rc6 0-1, Barsov,A (2445)-
Ye Rongguang (2500), Dieren 1997.
9.Qxb4 Nxb4 10.Kd2 0-0-0 is just a disaster for White. Nothing is developed and
the pawns are simply targets.
9...0-0-0
Black has a beautiful position.
10.Nc3
White needs to get a piece out and eliminate one of the pins.
10.Bd3 looks like it gets the queen out of the pin on the d-file, but the bishop
actually becomes a target here. 10...Rhe8! 11.Ne2 (11.dxe6 Rxe6+ 12.Ne2 Rxd3)
11...Ne5 If White takes Black's free queen, then the knight forks the king and queen
on d3. The c-pawn is attacked and the white pawns fall.
10...Bg4
Black makes it awkward for White to develop. The knight cannot go to f3 without
the pawns being doubled, and the bishop attacks on e2-square.
11.f3
This move is unattractive, but probably best to limit the bishop's scope.
11.Be2 just loses a pawn: 11...Bxe2 12.Ngxe2 Qxc4.
11...Rhe8+
Black has beautiful centralization.
12.Be2
The knight on g1 is going to have a tough time getting into the game.
12...Bf5
[FEN "2krr3/ppp2ppp/2n2n2/3P1b2/1qP5/
2N2P2/PP1QB1PP/R3K1NR w KQ - 0 13"]
We will pick this up in the second illustrative game.

Kobalia, Mihail (2590) – Galego, Luis (2429)
EU-ch 2nd Ohrid (5), 05.06.2001
In this game Black nurses a small edge to win the game.
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.dxe6 Bxe6 5.Be2 Qe7 6.d3 Nc6 7.Nf3 0-0-0
[FEN "2kr1b1r/ppp1qppp/2n1bn2/8/2P5/
3P1N2/PP2BPPP/RNBQK2R w KQ - 0 8"]

8.Na3
An awkward move, but White has to defend the c-pawn somehow. Moving the
queen out of the pin would leave the bishop on e2 with only the king as a defender.
8...Qb4+
Simple and good. Black potentially trades queens to pick off one defender of d3 and
makes room for the e7-bishop.
9.Qd2
Now the win of the d-pawn is accomplished fairly easily.
9.Bd2 is a little better. Black does not want to take the b-pawn, since this may lead
to trouble after 10.Nb5 and Rb1. 9...Qb6 The dark-squared bishop will come out
next.
9...Bf5
Just like that the pawn cannot be defended.
10.Nc2
The knight comes back toward the center.
10...Qxd2+
Black could also have retreated the queen and been a little better.
11.Bxd2
11.Kxd2 The centralization of Black's pieces is well-suited to attack the king in the
center. 11...Ne4+ 12.Ke1 Nc5 The pawn is lost anyway and Black's knight is just
better placed than it was on f6.
11...Bxd3 12.Bxd3 Rxd3 13.Ke2 Rd7
[FEN "2k2b1r/pppr1ppp/2n2n2/8/2P5/
5N2/PPNBKPPP/R6R w - - 0 14"]
Black's pieces are in more natural places. White's king gets in the way more than
anything.
14.Rhd1
14.Rhe1 is better to help stem Black's centralization efforts.
14...Bd6 15.h3 Ne5!
Black works to get rid of White's one central piece.
16.Ne3 Re8 17.b3 Ne4 18.Be1 Nxf3 19.Kxf3 f5 20.h4 g6 21.Rd3 Rf7 22.b4
Moving the pawns creates weaknesses. It is already so difficult though.
22...b6 23.Rd5 c6 24.Rd3 Bc7 25.Rad1 g5 26.g3 f4
[FEN "2k1r3/p1b2r1p/1pp5/6p1/
1PP1np1P/3RNKP1/P4P2/3RB3 w - - 0 27"]
After patiently building up Black makes a break.

27.gxf4 Rxf4+ 28.Kg2 gxh4 29.f3 Rg8+ 30.Ng4 h5 31.Bxh4 Nf6 32.Bg3
Nxg4 33.Bxf4 Ne3+ 0-1
Black handily beat his opponent, who at nearly 2600 is no slouch.
Kuijf, Marinus (2485) – Hodgson, Julian (2545)
Hoogovens-B Wijk aan Zee (5), 01.1989
In contrast to the endgame grind in the first illustrative game, this is a lesson in tactical
vigilance.
1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Nf6 3.c4 e6 4.dxe6 Bxe6 5.d4 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Qe7 7.Bxb4
Qxb4+ 8.Qd2 Nc6 9.Nc3 0-0-0 10.d5 Bg4 11.f3 Rhe8+ 12.Be2 Bf5
[FEN "2krr3/ppp2ppp/2n2n2/3P1b2/1qP5/
2N2P2/PP1QB1PP/R3K1NR w KQ - 0 13"]
Here we are.
13.0-0-0
White has to complete development.
13...Na5 14.g4
14.Nb5 Qb3 This tactic occurs later on. Taking the queen leads to mate after the
knight recaptures on b3.
14...Bg6 15.Nh3
15.b3 c6 Black aims to open the position to take advantage of his more active
pieces. 16.Bd3 Re3! A cute shot. 17.Ne4 (17.Qxe3 Qxc3+ 18.Kb1 Nxd5 19.cxd5
Rxd5 20.Ne2 Bxd3+) 17...Qa3+ 18.Qb2 Qxb2+ 19.Kxb2 cxd5 Black wins
because of all the pins.
15...Nd7
[FEN "2krr3/pppn1ppp/6b1/n2P4/1qP3P1/
2N2P1N/PP1QB2P/2KR3R w - - 0 16"]
Black decides to preserve the ...Qb3 tactic and leave the threat of taking on c4.
15...Qb3 16.Nf4 Once the g6-bishop is gone White is okay.
16.Nb1
This is the last mistake.
16.Ne4 is essential. White removes Black's attacking piece and now the black
knight on a5 is silly. Black does get the pawn back. 16...Qa4 17.b3 Qa3+ 18.Qb2
Qxb2+ 19.Kxb2 Bxe4 20.fxe4 Rxe4 Black must be a little better since his pieces
are better than White's.
16...Qb3!
The game is over.
17.Bd3 (17.Nc3 Qxa2!) 17...Qxa2 18.Qb4 Re2! 19.Bxe2 Nb3+ 20.Qxb3 Qxb3
21.Rd2 Qe3 0-1
A somewhat trivial finish, yet one that shows the power of Black's activity in the
center.
Lessons Learned
I was fascinated by the positions in which Black gave up a piece without
much in the way of concrete variations. Without a doubt Black has a
psychological edge in these positions, since all Black has to do is attack; while
White has the unenviable task of defense and needs to take time to sort
through when to fork the pieces, when to capture the pieces, whether to take
the knight or the bishop, and so on.
That being said, White's strongest lines are those where White develops
before moving the d-pawn, when it becomes a target in many instances. The
bright side is that White relinquishes control of the center and Black can bring
the bishop to c5 rather than further out to b4. White seems to have a hard
time coming up with a plan that does not involve just waiting.
Black often moves the queen early and castles queenside to get maximum
pressure on the e- and d-files. Centralization is key to this line.
Practitioners
Ye Rongguang in 1990 became the first Chinese chess grandmaster after a
great result at the Asian Zonal tournament. He has competed at the Chess
Olympiad and Interzonal events.
Luis Galego is a Portuguese grandmaster and one of the top players in
Portugal. He has played in numerous Chess Olympiads.
Julian Hodgson is a British grandmaster and is better-known for his
contributions to the Trompowsky. He is known as a highly dangerous and
attacking player.
Further Reading
ChessPublishing.com
by Abby Marshall

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Purchases from our
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The King's Bishop's Gambit [C33]

This month I cover a variation in my favorite line, the King's Bishop's Gambit.
Writing about lines I play allows me to add my own experience to the theory, without
The giving away too many secrets of course.
Openings 1.e4 e5 2.f4
Explained The infamous King's Gambit. It goes against chess principle: not developing a piece, Garry Kasparov, Part II:
weakening the king, and if Black accepts the sacrifice, giving up a pawn as well. In 1985-1993 (Ebook)
return White gets an open f-file and attacks the center with a wing pawn. by Garry Kasparov
Abby Marshall
2...exf4
Black accepts the sacrifice.
Translate this page I faced 2...Bc5 in scholastic events, but hardly anyone seems to play this in open
tournaments. It basically does everything White did not, getting a piece out and
getting closer to castling; something that should be given more attention.
3.Bc4
From's Gambit
by Abby Marshall
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppp1ppp/8/8/2B1Pp2/
8/PPPP2PP/RNBQK1NR b KQkq - 0 3"]
The King's Bishop Gambit. This is what I play. The King's Gambit
by Gary Lane
3.Nf3 is the more common approach and leads to many fun sacrificial variations.
3...g5 4.Bc4 g4 5.0-0 gxf3 6.Qxf3 This is one of those ancient lines where White
just dominated until defensive play improved. Black probably should not go into this.
3...Nf6
This is a reliable reply.
3...Qh4+ 4.Kf1 ends up working against Black since the king is safe here and the
knight coming to f3 will gain a tempo.
4.Nc3
White develops a piece and protects the pawn.
Upon 4.e5? d5.
4...Bb4
A rare move. When I faced this in a recent tournament, I had to think at this point.
4...c6 5.Bb3 d5 6.exd5 cxd5 7.d4 Bd6 is the main line.
[FEN "rnbqk2r/pppp1ppp/5n2/8/1bB1Pp2/
2N5/PPPP2PP/R1BQK1NR w KQkq - 0 5"]
5.Nf3
This is the move Thomas Johansson recommends in his book The Fascinating King's
Gambit, a book that I love. He does a ton of analysis and it is clear that he is
invested deeply in this opening.
5.d3 This is the kind of move you might play if you did not know what to do and
wanted to be safe. 5...d5 This is natural and strong. 6.exd5 Nxd5 7.Bd2 Ne3 This is
not good for White.
5.e5 This is what I chose to play in the aforementioned game. 5...d5 This is strong! I
initially thought that this move was too risky for Black. 6.Bb3 (6.exf6 dxc4 7.fxg7
Rg8 When thinking about the fifth move, I looked briefly at this and thought Black
would not go in for this wild set-up. Black's king looks very exposed, but Black has
the bishop-pair and White's development is poor.; 6.Bb5+ is a slightly better try.
6...c6 7.exf6 cxb5 8.fxg7 Rg8 White has an easier time developing the c1-bishop
and the d-file is not as open for the black queen, but I still do not like it.) 6...Bxc3
This is the way my game went. 7.dxc3 Ne4 8.Nf3 c6 9.Bxf4 0-0 10.Qe2 Bg4
11.c4 It turned out alright, but I think White can do better.
5...0-0
5...Bxc3 gives White more possibilities. 6.dxc3 Nxe4? Reckless. (6...d6 7.Bxf4 0-0
8.Bg5 White delays castling to tie Black up. 8...Nbd7 9.0-0 h6 10.Bh4 Qe8 Black
guarantees winning a pawn, but 11.Qd3 Qxe4 12.Rae1 Qxd3 13.cxd3 Black is tied
up. The d7-knight better not move, since then White doubles the f-pawns. But if the
knight does not move, then the c8-bishop cannot get out, so the a8-rook cannot get
out.) 7.Bxf7+ Kxf7 8.Qd5+ White can easily develop from this point. 8...Ke8
9.Qxe4+ Qe7 10.Qxe7+ Kxe7 11.Bxf4.
5...Qe7 is an interesting try. 6.Qe2 0-0 (6...Bxc3 7.dxc3 Qxe4 8.Qxe4+ Nxe4 9.0-
0) 7.e5 Bxc3 8.dxc3 Nh5 9.0-0 (9.g4 Johansson gives this move, which is echoed
by Fritz.) 9...Re8 10.Qe4 We will pick this up in the first illustrative game.
5...Nc6 Black can choose to develop this knight early, something we do not see in
the other variations. 6.0-0 0-0 7.d3 d6 This is too passive. 7...Bxc3 is necessary.
8.Bxf4 White gets a very typical position when Black is too passive. 8...Bg4 9.Bg5
(9.h3 Bh5 10.g4 is another possibility.) 9...Nd4 10.Nd5 White's kingside is not
under serious attack, but Black's king is in danger. 10...Nxf3+? This will let the
pawn go to f4 and help push to e5. 11.gxf3 Bh3 12.Rf2 Bc5 13.d4 Bb6 14.f4
White is easily winning.
6.0-0
[FEN "rnbq1rk1/pppp1ppp/5n2/8/1bB1Pp2/
2N2N2/PPPP2PP/R1BQ1RK1 b - - 0 6"]
Now that Black is castled, it is bad to keep the white king in the center, nor is it
consistent with the plan of quick development started by 5.Nf3.
6...Bxc3
This is not the only way to win the e-pawn.
6...d6 Or Black can just keep developing. 7.Nd5 c6 A poor move that just
encourages White's plans. (7...Nxd5 8.exd5 The dark-squared bishop is not able to
get over to defend the kingside, but this is still better than the game.) 8.Nxb4 Qb6+
9.d4 Qxb4 Black has used some time to collect back the piece and the king is going
to become vulnerable in this old game of the great master Rubinstein. 10.Bd3 Re8
11.c3 Qb6 12.Bxf4 d5 (12...Nxe4 13.Bxe4 Rxe4 14.Ng5 The black rook is all that
is left to defend its king.) 13.e5 Ne4 14.Ng5 Nxg5 15.Bxg5 Rxe5 16.Bxh7+ Black
was already in dire straits. Now White finishes the game in a series of tactical
flourishes. 16...Kf8 (16...Kxh7 17.Qh5+ Kg8 18.Qxf7+ Kh8 19.Bf6 gxf6 20.Rxf6)
17.Rxf7+! Kxf7 18.Qh5+ The rook to f1 is coming the next move. 1-0,
Rubinstein,A-Mund,A/Lodz 1907.
6...Nxe4 Now that Black is castled this is a reasonable alternative. 7.Nd5 (7.Nxe4
d5 8.d4 dxc4 9.Bxf4 This is another way to play, though I do not prefer it since I
like the light-squared bishop.) 7...c6 It is hard to suggest another move. Where
would the black bishop go? 8.Nxb4 d5 9.Bb3 Qb6+ 10.d4 Qxb4 11.Bxf4 The
more I meditate on this, the more it looks like this is a smart route for Black. It leads
to similar dynamics as in the main line.
6...Qe7 7.e5 is good for White.
7.dxc3
As we will see, part of White's strategy depends on preventing ...d5. This is why
6...Nxe4 may be even stronger, since Black gets to play ...d5.
7...Nxe4
On any other move White will push to e5.
8.Bxf4
This is the position White is aiming for. Development is not easy for Black, while
White is fully developed and has open central lines.
[FEN "rnbq1rk1/pppp1ppp/8/8/2B1nB2/
2P2N2/PPP3PP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 8"]
8...d6
8...c6 9.Bd6 This pretty move freezes Black's queenside and already White has a
clear advantage. 9...Re8 10.Ne5.
8...Nc6 9.Bd5 Nc5? Black cannot do this to the black king. Some crazy fireworks
ensue. (9...Nf6 10.Bg5 This is safer for Black, but the pin is annoying.) 10.Ng5 Ne6
11.Qh5 h6 12.Nxf7 I would love to know if White came up with this over-the-
board, which is probable. 12...Rxf7 13.Bxc7 The second jolt.
A) 13...Rxf1+ 14.Rxf1 Qxc7 (14...Qe7 15.Bd6!) 15.Qe8+ Kh7 16.Be4+ Mate in
two.
B) 13...Qe8 14.Rf2 Ne7 (14...Rf8 15.Rxf8+ Qxf8 16.Rf1) 15.Raf1 Nxd5 16.Rxf7
Ndxc7 A fatal misstep that again leaves the black king unprotected. Taking with the
other knight was essential, when the game may end by perpetual check. (16...Nexc7
17.c4 Qe3+ 18.Kh1 Ne7 19.Rxg7+ Kxg7 20.Qf7+ Kh8 21.Qf6+ Kh7 22.Qf7+=)
17.R1f6! Ng5 18.Rxg7+ Kxg7 19.Qxh6+ A great little game. 1-0, Dzubasz,T-
Ellerbrock,M/Schwaebisch Gmuend 1996.
9.Bd5
9.Qe1 is another possibility given by Johansson. No games have been played with it
so far in the database.
9...Nf6
Going to c5 would spell trouble after 10.Ng5.
10.Bg5
White takes advantage of the fact that there is no dark-squared bishop to block the
pin.
10...c6
So Black gets in a belated ...d5 after all.
11.Bb3
White keeps the possibility of playing c4 later on to undermine a black d5-pawn.
11.Bc4 d5 12.Bd3 Nbd7 is more solid for Black and kingside play is not so easy
here.
11...Bf5
[FEN "rn1q1rk1/pp3ppp/2pp1n2/5bB1/8/
1BP2N2/PPP3PP/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 12"]
Black decides to delay 11...d5 since White can respond with 12.c4.
12.Nd4
It turns out this move may have been rushing.
12.Bxf6 is similar to the game, but keeps White's knight a little more flexible on f3.
12...Qxf6? 13.Nd4.
12...Bg6
This is the point: the bishop helps protect the king.
13.Bxf6
White develops a weakness on f6.
13...gxf6
The black king is not so vulnerable, since White's focus should be on containing the
black center d-pawn.
14.Nf5
14.Rf3 The knight ends up being poorly placed on f5. This threatening-looking move
remains flexible.
14...d5
Of course.
15.Qd2
[FEN "rn1q1rk1/pp3p1p/2p2pb1/3p1N2/
8/1BP5/PPPQ2PP/R4RK1 b - - 0 15"]
The game is continued in the second illustrative game. It is not so easy for White
here. This entire variation is highly underrated for Black. White should take note of
the options.
Fischer, Robert James – Sandrin, Albert
Fischer simul tour Chicago, 22.03.1964
White started out with a great position in this simultaneous game by the eleventh
world champion.
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Nf3 Qe7 6.Qe2 0-0 7.e5 Bxc3
8.dxc3 Nh5 9.0-0 Re8 10.Qe4
10...c6
This is the only good way to get the c8-bishop active.
10...d6 11.Bxf4 Nxf4 12.Qxf4 The pawn on d6 will become a target for the white
pieces. 12...Be6 13.exd6 cxd6
[FEN "rn2r1k1/pp2qppp/3pb3/8/2B2Q2/
2P2N2/PPP3PP/R4RK1 w - - 0 14"]
11.Qd4
A good move. White's queen stays in the center and sidesteps the fork, while
preventing Black from playing ...d6.
11...b5 12.Bd3
The white bishop is so much better than its counterpart.
12...g6
This is just an amateur mistake. Now White does not have to waste time moving the
queen to e4 to provoke this move. Black should have just developed instead.
12...Bb7 13.Qe4 (13.Bxf4 c5) 13...g6 14.Bxf4 d5 White is still much better, but at
least Black has some control over the center.
13.Bxf4 c5
Black starts getting desperate. On the other hand, Black had to get the queenside
pieces active.
13...Nxf4 14.Qxf4 Na6 15.Ng5 Rf8 16.Ne4 is just one way White can win. It turns
out, not being able to move the d-pawn and play the knight to d7 is bad – not just
for the Black queenside pieces, but also the black king.
14.Qe3 Nc6
[FEN "r1b1r1k1/p2pqp1p/2n3p1/1pp1P2n/
5B2/2PBQN2/PPP3PP/R4RK1 w - - 0 15"]
Black does not have time to defend the b-pawn.

15.Bxb5
15.Bg5 is a fun line. 15...f6 16.Be4! fxg5 17.Bd5+ Kh8 18.Nxg5 Black is
defenseless against the four white pieces around the black king.
15...Bb7 16.Rae1
Every piece is involved in the game and centralized.
16...d5
This loses immediately.
16...Nxf4 17.Qxf4 Nd8 18.Ng5 Rf8 19.Qh4 h5 20.Rf6
[FEN "r2n1rk1/pb1pqp2/5Rp1/1Bp1P1Np/
7Q/2P5/PPP3PP/4R1K1 b - - 0 20"]
This is kind of chess paint-by-numbers. The loss of the black bishop on the
queenside is very painful.
17.exd6 Qf6 18.Qxe8+ Rxe8 19.Rxe8+ Kg7 20.Bxc6 Nxf4 21.d7 Ne2+
22.Rxe2 Bxc6 23.Ne5 1-0
It was one wasted tempo by Black that made everything go bad.
Paulsen, Louis – Kolisch, Ignatz
London m2 (9), 1861
This game is much more balanced than the first illustrative game. Both men were
well-known strong players. White had an advantage from the opening, but was lucky
to draw.
1.e4 e5 2.f4 exf4 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.Nf3 0-0 6.0-0 Bxc3 7.dxc3 Nxe4
8.Bxf4 d6 9.Bd5 Nf6 10.Bg5 c6 11.Bb3 Bf5 12.Nd4 Bg6 13.Bxf6 gxf6 14.Nf5
d5 15.Qd2
It is easy to overestimate White's position. The f-file looks so good, though Black
has the center and the white bishop is far away from the kingside (it would be a
different story if it was on d3). White must be better, but not by much.
15...Kh8 16.Rae1 Nd7
White wanted to defend the e4-square. The problem is that now White's access to
the kingside is blocked.
17.Ng3
[FEN "r2q1r1k/pp1n1p1p/2p2pb1/3p4/8/
1BP3N1/PPPQ2PP/4RRK1 b - - 0 17"]
17.Ne3 this retreat is better: to prepare c4 and attack Black's center.

17...Rg8 18.Re3
This is wrong. White does not have to the time to both retreat the knight and build
up a battery.
18.Qd4
[FEN "r2q2rk/pp1n1p1p/2p2pb1/3p4/3Q4/
1BP3N1/PPP3PP/4RRK1 b - - 0 18"]
This targets the f-pawn right away, now that the white knight is out of the way.
18...Nc5 19.Qe2
Moving the queen to d4 is better.
19.Ref3 Ne4 20.Nxe4 Bxe4 the white rook has to retreat to protect the g-pawn.
19...Ne4
It is great that the white knight is defending this square, but taking it unleashes the
black bishop and black rook.
20.c4
Everything has happened too slowly.
20...Qb6
By now the game has gotten away from White because of playing too slowly.
21.Nxe4 Bxe4 22.Rf2?
[FEN "r5rk/pp3p1p/1qp2p2/3p4/2P1b3/
1B2R3/PPP1QRPP/6K1 b - - 0 22"]
22.g3 is necessary.
22...Rg6
22...Rae8 The game is over. 23.g3 Bd3 Black wins with this nice tactic.
23.g3 Rag8 24.cxd5 cxd5 25.Rxe4
The best idea. Now the white bishop gets active.
25.Kf1 f5 is very scary for White.
25...dxe4 26.Bxf7 e3 27.Rf3 Rd8 28.Qxe3
28.Bxg6 Rd1+! 29.Kg2 Rd2.
28...Qxe3+ 29.Rxe3 Rg7
[FEN "3r3k/pp3Brp/5p2/8/8/4R1P1/
PPP4P/6K1 w - - 0 30"]
Black can obviously push for a win here which he did, but White had enough
resources to defend.
30.Bc4 Rd1+ 31.Kg2 Rc7 32.Re8+ Kg7 33.Rg8+ Kh6 34.Bd3 Ra1 35.Rg4
Rxa2 36.b4 Raxc2+ 37.Bxc2 Rxc2+ 38.Kh3 Ra2 39.Rh4+ Kg6 40.Rg4+ ½-
½
A very tense game.
Lessons Learned
I have faith in this line for White and believe sacrificing the pawn is the best
way. White should always try to draw Black's pieces away from the kingside.
The open f-file ensures White has the option of switching to an attack, but the
attack is not the primary focus. First, White restricts Black's development and
gets Black's pieces disorganized.
If Black can get in ...d5 and control the center, then Black will get the
advantage, as in the second illustrative game.
Even one or two tempo make a big difference, particularly in king-pawn
games and especially in an opening as tactical as the King's Gambit.
Practitioners
Akiva Rubinstein lived during beginning of the twentieth century and was one
of the best players never to be a world champion. He stands as one of the
positional greats with many well-known tactical brilliancies.
Bobby Fischer was the eleventh world champion after beating Boris Spassky
in 1972. He is the only player from the U.S. to ever become world champion.
Louis Paulsen was a German player in the nineteenth century. He played a
match with Adolf Anderssen to determine who was best in the world and lost,
but he remained an influence on players such as Steinitz.
Further Reading
The Fascinating King's Gambit by Thomas Johansson.
The King's Gambit by John Shaw
by Abby Marshall

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Rubinstein's Defense in the Four Knights [C48]

The subject of this month's column is Rubinstein's Defense in the Four Knights.
The 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3
Openings Do not confuse Rubinstein's Defense with 3.Bc4 Nd4. Unlike in Rubinstein's, White
can castle here without trading the light-squared bishop. Also, White can capture on
Explained d4 and there is no pawn on d4 attacking a knight on c3, so no loss of tempo. Unbeatable White Repertoire
4.Nxd4 4.Nxe5 is the well-known trap, when 4...Qg5 is near winning for Black. by Evans & Smith
4...exd4 5.0-0, and White is much better.
Abby Marshall
3...Nf6
Chess does not get more basic than this, but that does not mean the position is
simple to play. Black does not want to end up on the worse side of equality.
Translate this page
4.Bb5
Besides 4.d4, this is the only move that makes good classical sense. 4.g3 is an
interesting off-beat move, and 4.Bc4 is a mistake because the fork trick 4...Nxe4.
4.d4 exd4 5.Nxd4 is the Scotch Four Knights, which leads to an unbalanced The Four Knights:
Move by Move
struggle after 5...Bb4 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 d5. by Cyrus Lakdawala
4...Nd4
Starting Out: Open Games

by Glenn Flear
[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/5n2/1B2p3/3nP3/
2N2N2/PPPP1PPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 5"]
This interesting move denotes Rubinstein's Defense. Black moves a piece twice in
the opening; while not achieving complete equality, because White has not made any
suspect moves, it is close to equal and fun to experiment with. 4...Bb4 and 4...Bc5
are good alternatives. If White does not know any opening theory and is just playing
logical moves, then White has to start thinking right away. There are a few choices
here.
5.Ba4
This is the main move; saving the bishop and avoiding ...c6 and ...d5.
5.Bc4 Going toward the center makes sense, but now that the black knight is not on
c6, Black has an interesting choice. 5...d6 This is solid. (5...c6!? 6.Nxe5 [6.0-0
castling is better, when Black probably has to exchange on f3 and White is better
developed.] 6...d5 7.exd5 Bd6 8.Nf3 Qe7+ 9.Kf1 Bg4 Black definitely has
compensation for the two pawns, but I do not see a clear way forward and White
does not have to go into this anyway.) 6.0-0 (6.Ng5 Be6 7.Nxe6 fxe6 The knight on
d4 protects e6. Black can play ...d5 or ...Qd7 and castle queenside.) 6...Bg4 Black
is fine.
5.Nxe5 is a critical alternative. This is the most obvious drawback of moving the c6-
knight. 5...Qe7 (5...Nxb5? 6.Nxb5 Qe7 does not work anymore because the c7-
pawn is hanging.)
A) 6.Nf3 Nxb5 Black grabs the bishop-pair, of which you all know I am a big fan.
The lack of development is Black's biggest issue. 7.Nxb5 Qxe4+ 8.Qe2 Qxe2+
9.Kxe2 Nd5 This is the key move to remember. 10.Re1 (10.c4 a6) 10...a6
11.Kf1+ Be7 12.Nbd4 Maybe this was slow, and 12.Nc3 was better to challenge
Black's knight in the center and after 12...Nxc3 13.dxc3, White's bishop can get
out. 12...d6 Besides letting the c8-bishop out, this guards the square f5 from the
white knight. 13.d3 c5 14.Nb3 Bf5 Now Black is a little better on account of the
bishop-pair. 15.Na5 Nb4 We will pick this up in the first illustrative game.
B) 6.f4 The most interesting and challenging option. 6...Nxb5 7.Nxb5 d6 8.Nf3
Qxe4+ 9.Kf2 This is a choice that White did not have before. 9...Ng4+ (9...Qc4
looks okay too. 10.Re1+ Be6 11.Nbd4 0-0-0 12.d3 Qc5 Black's pieces are not
that active, especially the f8-bishop. Black should go for centralization with ...d5 to
get that bishop out. The bishop-pair will balance out the fact that White has easier
development.) 10.Kg3 This is the most combative. The c7-pawn is threatened and
the white rook is coming to e1. 10...Qg6 This is the only move that is any good;
otherwise, Black has no counterplay. (10...Qc4 11.Re1+ Kd8 12.Nc3 White is not
in danger, while Black's king is in a bad spot.) 11.Nh4 White should stop the threat
of 11...Ne3+ winning the queen. 11...Qf6 12.h3 Otherwise, Black can just play
...Be7 and castle. (12.Nxc7+ is not a threat. 12...Kd8 13.Nxa8 g5 Black wins.)
12...g5 The only move. 13.Qe2+ Ne5!
[FEN "r1b1kb1r/ppp2p1p/3p1q2/1N2n1p1/
5P1N/6KP/PPPPQ1P1/R1B4R w kq - 0 14"]
Again the only move. Otherwise White will take on g5, and then take on g4.
(13...Kd8 14.fxg5 Qxg5 15.hxg4) 14.d4 White protects the f4-square. 14.fxe5 Qf4
mate. But 14.Kh2 is a better defense. 14...gxf4+ 15.Kh2 Qxh4 16.dxe5 Qg3+
17.Kg1
B1) 17...Kd8! The machine finds this move and assays Black as winning. 18.exd6
Bd7 19.a4 (19.dxc7+ Kc8 and 20...Bc5+) 19...Bxb5 20.Qxb5 Bxd6 is horrifying
for White.
B2) 17...f3 18.Qxf3 Qxf3 Now the position is even. 19.gxf3 Kd7 20.exd6 Bxd6
21.Nxd6 Kxd6 ½-½, Popov,I (2613)-Svidler,P (2730)/Aix-les-Bains FRA 2011.
5.Nxd4 White enters a forcing line. 5...exd4 6.e5 This is the best choice. White
does not spend a tempo saving the c3-knight and gets quick development. 6...dxc3
7.exf6 Qxf6 8.dxc3 Bc5 The challenge for Black is to catch up in development.
A) 9.Qe2+ Qe6 10.0-0 0-0 11.Qf3 (11.Qxe6 fxe6 Now Black is fine because of
the pressure on the f2-pawn.) 11...d6 12.Bd3 Qg4 13.Qxg4 Bxg4 14.Bf4 Rfe8=.
B) 9.0-0 0-0 10.Qh5 d6 11.Bd3 h6 12.Be3 Bxe3 (12...Bb6 is also fine.) 13.fxe3
Qe5 14.Qxe5 dxe5 15.Bc4 Bd7 16.Rad1 Bg4 17.Rd2 Rae8 18.a4 g6 19.a5 a6
20.b4 Kg7 21.Bb3 Re7 22.Rd5 f5 Black has succeeded in getting the upper hand,
but White had a bit of a pull. 23.h3 Be2 24.Rf2 Bb5 25.Rfd2 f4 26.exf4 exf4
27.Kf2 g5 28.Rd8 Rxd8 29.Rxd8 Re2+ 30.Kf3 Re3+ 31.Kg4 Bc6 32.Bd5 Bxd5
33.Rxd5 Kg6 0-1, Kekelidze,M (2445)-Malaniuk,V (2525)/Graz 1999.
5.Be2 I include this short game for historical reasons. This move is not ambitious.
5...Nxf3+ 6.Bxf3 Bc5 7.d3 d6 8.0-0 Be6 9.Be3 Bb6 10.Bxb6 axb6 11.d4 0-0
12.dxe5 dxe5 13.Qxd8 Rfxd8 14.Rfd1 Kf8 15.a3 Ke7 16.Rxd8 Rxd8 17.Rd1
Rxd1+ 18.Bxd1 c6 19.f3 ½-½, Maroczy,G-Euwe,M/The Hague 1921.
5...Nxf3+
I decided to go this route. Black sticks to very solid play. The main line has Black
playing 5...c6, daring White to capture on e5.
6.Qxf3
[FEN "r1bqkb1r/pppp1ppp/5n2/4p3/B3P3/
2N2Q2/PPPP1PPP/R1B1K2R b KQkq - 0 6"]
In variations where the bishop is on c4, capturing with the g-pawn has been tried. In
this situation it is not serious, since the bishop is on a4 and not in an attacking
position.
6...c6
Playing ...d5 is not the main goal, since that pawn push would leave the black central
pawns vulnerable until Black is completely developed. The idea is that Black can
now play ...d6.
7.0-0
7.d3 More likely that not this just transposes. 7...d6 8.Bg5 This ends up costing
White. The bishop is better on e3. We will pick this up in the second illustrative
game.
7...d6
Black lets out the c8-bishop. It is fine that the pawn is blocking the dark-squared
bishop, since it is staying close to home anyway.
8.d3
8.h3 This is if White plans to play a slower game and move the knight to e2 without
worrying about ...Bg4. 8...Be7 9.Ne2 0-0 10.c3 h6 Here may be a good time for
10...d5. 11.d3 Be6 12.Ng3 d5 13.Re1 Bc5 14.Bb3 Re8 Everyone is just playing
logical moves. This is an even position from which the stronger player should win.
8...Be6
[FEN "r2qkb1r/pp3ppp/2ppbn2/4p3/B3P3/
2NP1Q2/PPP2PPP/R1B2RK1 w kq - 0 9"]
The point is to stop 9.Nd5 from being strong. If 8.Nd5 had been played on the
previous move, it would have not been that good since there is no bishop on e7 to
attack and Black can play 8...Be6.
8...Be7 9.Nd5 This must give White a slight edge. (9.h3 This is a nice example of
where Black easily gets an advantage and wins. 9...Be6 10.Be3 Just bad timing
since Black gets in a quick ...d5. 10...0-0 11.Bb3 d5 12.Bg5 d4 13.Ne2 Nd7
14.Bxe6 Bxg5 15.Bxd7 Qxd7 16.Qg3 Qe7 17.f4 Opening the position is a bad
idea and White has to swiftly concede. 17...exf4 18.Nxf4 f5 19.exf5 Rxf5 20.Rae1
Qf7 0-1, Dzindzichashvili,R-Borisenko,G/Krasnodar 1966. This game was played
when the famous grandmaster was twenty-two-years-old, before he was an
international master.) 9...h6 10.Ne3 Taking the bishop also leaves the position in
White's favor. 10...0-0 11.Bb3 Be6 12.Nf5 Kh7 13.Qh3 ½-½, Polgar,J (2682)-
Hammer,J (2636)/Kristiansund NOR 2010 (55). Black managed to hold on, but it
was rough.
9.Nd5
White can still win the bishop-pair.
9.Bb3 puts the bishop on a more relevant diagonal. 9...Be7 10.Be3 0-0 11.Rfe1 d5
This looks like the Dzindzichashvili game with 9.h3 in the previous variation. White
has a rook on e1 rather than a pawn on h3, so that is an improvement. The chances
are equal.
9...Bxd5
This is the follow-up to prevent 10.Ne3 and the same issues.
10.exd5
Now Black tries to take advantage of White's disorganization. However, Black is
still two moves away from being castled.
10...Qa5
[FEN "r3kb1r/pp3ppp/2pp1n2/q2Pp3/B7/
3P1Q2/PPP2PPP/R1B2RK1 w kq - 0 11"]
Of course, Black cannot take on d5 right away with the knight, because of
10...Nxd5 11.Qxd5.
11.Bb3
The bishop-pair guarantees a white initiative.
11...Nxd5
The extra pawn and central majority is enough to counter the white pressure.
12.Rd1
The idea is to play 13.Bd2 and bother the black queen.
12...Be7
Trying to get castled.
13.Bd2
The central black knight prevents the dark-squared bishop from going to many
squares.
13...Qc5
[FEN "r3k2r/pp2bppp/2pp4/2qnp3/8/
1B1P1Q2/PPPB1PPP/R2R2K1 w kq - 0 14"]
This is one possible path. Black should be okay, but not better. If this line starts to
sour on Black, there is always the main line against 5.Ba4. With Black about to
castle and the black knight strong on d5, things can become dangerous! This is a
good position to play out.
Gosic, Bogdan (2340) – Bokan, Danko (2380)
YUG Cup Ulcinj (4), 1998
It is very instructive to witness how Black opens the position to use the bishop-pair
and attack the white king in this game.
1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nc6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Nxe5 Qe7 6.Nf3 Nxb5 7.Nxb5
Qxe4+ 8.Qe2 Qxe2+ 9.Kxe2 Nd5 10.Re1 a6 11.Kf1+ Be7 12.Nbd4 d6 13.d3
c5 14.Nb3 Bf5 15.Na5 Nb4
[FEN "r3k2r/1p2bppp/p2p4/N1p2b2/1n6/
3P1N2/PPP2PPP/R1B1RK2 w kq - 0 16"]
Here is where we left off. White's last move wasted time, but anyway Black was
better after 15...Kd7 and bringing the rooks to the center. Black counterattacks
instead of defending the b7-pawn.
16.Nc4
This is best, threatening 17.Nxd6 winning a piece and 17...Kd7 is not possible
because of the fork 18.Nb6+.
16.Re2 opens White up to ideas of ...Nxc2 Rxc2 Bxd3+. 16...Kd7 Black leaves
this threat open. 17.Nxb7? After something like 17.Kg1, Black can keep developing
with 17...Bf6 and just be better. 17...Rab8 18.Na5 Nxc2 19.Rxc2 Bxd3+ 20.Re2
Rhe8
[FEN "1r2r3/3kbppp/p2p4/N1p5/8/3b1N2/
PP2RPPP/R1B2K2 w - - 0 21"]
Black is winning.
16...Be6
Black gets out of the pin on the e-file.
I like 16...Bg6 more. I thought 17.Ne3 stopped everything, but 17.Ne3 Nxc2
18.Nxc2 Bxd3+ 19.Re2 0-0-0 Of course this still works. The advance of the
passed d-pawn is going to be strong.
17.Re2 b5 18.Ne3 Kd7
Black connects the rooks before starting any action.
19.a3 Nc6
[FEN "r6r/3kbppp/p1npb3/1pp5/8/P2PNN2/
1PP1RPPP/R1B2K2 w - - 0 20"]
20.h3?
This gives Black a target.
20.Bd2 Black easily gets a commanding position regardless. 20...Bf6 21.Rb1 Nd4
22.Nxd4 cxd4 23.Nd1 Rac8, and Black can double up on the c-file.
20...h5!
Black works to open the position, much to the delight of the bishops.
21.Nd1 Bd5 22.Re3
Not getting doubled pawns is the least of White's problems.
22.Be3 Bf6 23.Nd2 Nd4 24.Bxd4 cxd4 25.Ne4 White had to make another
concession, giving up the bishop-pair for two knights, yet this position held more
hope.
22...g5
[FEN "r6r/3kbp2/p1np4/1ppb2pp/8/
P2PRN1P/1PP2PP1/R1BN1K2 w - - 0 23"]
From here Black steamrolls on.

23.c3 g4 24.Ng1 Rag8 25.hxg4 hxg4 26.Re2 Ne5 27.Ne3 Bb7 28.d4 cxd4
29.cxd4 Nf3 30.Nf5
30.gxf3 gxf3 31.Rc2 Rh1.
30...Nh2+ 31.Ke1 Bf6 32.Kd1 Bxg2 33.Kc2 Re8 34.Bf4 Rxe2+ 35.Nxe2
Be4+ 36.Kb3 Bxf5 0-1
A great game to go through several times.
Ravinsky, Grigory Ionovich – Simagin, Vladimir
Moscow-ch, 1949
This game was played by one of the great players of the Soviet era.
1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bb5 Nd4 5.Ba4 Nxf3+ 6.Qxf3 c6 7.d3 d6
8.Bg5 Be7
[FEN "r1bqk2r/pp2bppp/2pp1n2/4p1B1/
B3P3/2NP1Q2/PPP2PPP/R3K2R w KQkq - 0 9"]
Black has the solid position we were aiming for.

9.0-0 0-0 10.Qe2
This is clearly a blunder, and the game would not be worth showing if this was the
end of it. Yet Black gives White several chances to get back in the game, and we can
learn from these mistakes.
10.Bb3 Be6 11.Rfe1 Qd7 followed by centralization of the rooks would be usual.
10...Nxe4 11.dxe4
11.Bxe7 Nxc3 Black ends up a pawn ahead.
11...Bxg5
With the bishop-pair and an extra pawn Black is easily winning.
12.Rad1 f5
This hardly throws away the win, but gives White more chances.
12...Qe7 13.Qd3 Rd8 is easier, and then expanding on the queenside.
13.Bb3+ Kh8 14.exf5 Bxf5 15.Ne4
Suddenly, White's knight and bishop are a lot more active.
15...Bxe4
Black decides to cede the bishop-pair.
I would prefer 15...Be7 16.c4 Qc7, but I do not like White's knight being in the
center.
16.Qxe4 Rf4 17.Qe2 Be7 18.g3 Rf6
[FEN "r2q3k/pp2b1pp/2pp1r2/4p3/8/
1B4P1/PPP1QP1P/3R1RK1 w - - 0 19"]
19.c4?
This is a weakening move that makes Black's job easier. White had been holding.
19.Kg2 The plan of 19...Qb6, as in the game, would not work here: 20.f4, and
Black's passivity makes things turn in White's favor.
19...Qb6 20.Rd2 Raf8 21.Kg2 Qc5!
A simple strong move that is easy to overlook. Black is going to re-route the bishop
to attack f2.
22.Qe4
22.f4 g5! and White's king is in trouble.
22...Bd8 23.Bc2 g6 24.a3 Bb6 25.Qe2 Qa5
[FEN "r2q3k/pp2b1pp/2pp1r2/4p3/8/
1B4P1/PPP1QP1P/3R1RK1 w - - 0 19"]
Another great move, making way for the bishop to go to d4, or, if White insists on
playing b4 as in the game, the a3-pawn is hanging.
26.b4
26.f3 Bd4 Black can prepare ...b5 to make a second front.
26...Qxa3 27.c5
White goes ballistic, but he was lost anyway.
27...dxc5 28.f4 cxb4 29.Rf3 Qa1 30.Rd7 exf4 31.Kh3 R6f7 32.Rxf7 Rxf7
33.Bb3 Rf8
[FEN "5r1k/pp5p/1bp3p1/8/1p3p2/
1B3RPK/4Q2P/q7 w - - 0 34"]
Notice that the black queen covers the a1-h8 diagonal.

34.Rd3 fxg3 35.Rf3 Bc5 36.Qe6 Qg7 37.Rxf8+ Bxf8 38.hxg3 h6 39.Kg2 Kh7
40.Kh3 a5 41.Bc2 c5 42.Qc8 b5 0-1
This was an exciting game with a couple quiet queen moves making more of a
difference than the extra pawn.
Lessons Learned
Moving the knight to d4 accomplishes two things: it attacks the bishop on b5
and it prepares ...c6. Furthermore, this move forces White to think about
capturing on d4 or taking a pawn on e5. When facing a weaker player, giving
them many options forces them to think on their own and they are more likely
to make bad choices.
This is a sharp variation and certain lines, such as 5.Nxe5 and the main line
we considered, must be memorized.
The drawback of this line is that White's development is superior. Black can
get a little passive and needs to keep in mind ...c6 and ...d5 for the future.
Practitioners
Vladimir Malaniuk is a Ukrainian grandmaster. He played in the Soviet
Championships and in the Chess Olympiads.
Danko Bokan is a FIDE master from Serbia.
Vladimir Simagin was a well-known grandmaster from Moscow. He trained
Vassily Smyslov and a number of strong junior players in the early to mid
twentieth century.
Further Reading
ChessPublishing.com
The Four Knights: Move by Move, by Cyrus Lakdawala
Play the Open Games as Black, by John Emms

by Abby Marshall

publication!!

Index of Openings
[A02] From's Gambit for Black 41

[A45] The Trompowsky Attack 36
[A84] The Slav Stonewall 28
[B00] Owen's Defense for White 44
[B01] Scandinavian with 2...Nf6 26
[B01] The Scandinavian Defense 47
[B01] The Scandinavian Defense 49
[B03] Alekhine's Defense, Four Pawns Attack 11
[B05] Alekhine's Defense with 4...Bg4 for Black 45
[B08] The Pirc Defense Classical System 48
[B11] The Two Knights Caro-Kann for White 42
[B13] The Caro-Kann, Panov-Botvinnik Attack 4
[B23] The Closed Sicilian for White 40
[B26] The Closed Sicilian 38
[B26] The Closed Sicilian 46
[B32] The Lowenthal Sicilian for White 8
[B36] The Accelerated Dragon 13
[B43] Sicilian Kan Variation 12
[B71] The Sicilian Dragon, Levenfish Attack 2
[B75] The Sicilian Dragadorf 31
[B90] The English Attack in the Najdorf Sicilian 15
[C01] The French Exchange 20
[C21-22] Danish Gambit and Center Game 25
[C26] Scotch Four Knights Glek Variation 30
[C27] The Frankenstein-Dracula Variation 14
[C33] The King's Bishop's Gambit 50
[C34-C39] The King's Gambit Accepted 24
[C40] The Latvian Gambit 32
[C41] The Philidor Defense 18
[C47] The Scotch Four Knights 7
[C48] Rubinstein's Defense in the Four Knights 51
[C50] The Giuoco Piano for Black 43
[C55] The Two Knights Defense, Keidanz Variation 3
[C55] The Two Knights 6
[C55] The Two Knights Defense, Center Fork Trick 37
[C58] The Two Knights 5
[C66] The Steinitz Defense in the Ruy Lopez 35
[C89] The Ruy Lopez, Marshall Attack 21
[D00] The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit 39
[D02] The Chigorin Defense Against the London System 27
[D20] The Queen's Gambit Accepted 16
[D20] The Queen's Gambit Accepted 17
[D31] Semi-Slav Defense, Marshall Gambit 22
[D33] The Tarrasch Defense, Swedish Variation 29
[D34] The Tarrasch Defense 1
[D43] Anti-Moscow Variation 6.Bh4 33
[E10] The Blumenfeld Gambit 23
[E70] The King's Indian with 5.Nge2 9
[E70] The King's Indian Defense 19

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The Openings Explained

© Abby Marshall 2009-2013

The Openings Explained

1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 c5

Playing the Queen's Gambit

Play through and download

White is up a pawn, but his knight is misplaced and Black is extremely

The bishop prefers square e7 to d6 because the latter would allow an

11.Ne4 Be7= By allowing Black to play d4, White needs to generate

Taking on c6 is not a real threat. Black gets another piece out.

16.Bxc6?! bxc6 17.Rxc6 d3 18.Nxd3 Qe8 19.Qc1 Qxe2 Black is down a

1. Playing with an isolated pawn: active piece play is essential. Avoid

Jonasson,Benedikt (2210) - Chandler,Murray (2515)

15.Rc1 Re8 16.Qd2

White’s pieces are awkwardly placed. 18.Ng5 h6 19.Nf3 Rad8 20.b3

17...Nxb4 18.Qxb4 Rb5

19...Bf5 20.b3 Qe8

Keep pieces on the board!

21.Qf4 Bb8 22.Qd2 Re5 23.Nc5 Rxe2 24.Qxd4 Ba7

It’s basically drawn here. 25.Bxb7 Rd8 26.Qh4 Rxa2=/+.

25...Bxc5 26.Rxc5 Bd3 27.h4

27.Bxb7?? Re1 28.Rxe1 Qxe1+ 29.Kg2 Bf1+ 30.Kf3 Qe2#.

Zueger,Beat (2400) - Kasparov,Garry (2735)

1...Nf6 2.Nc3 c5 3.g3 e6 4.Nf3 d5 5.cxd5 exd5 6.d4 Nc6

And we are back in a Tarrasch.

14.Kh2 Qd7 15.Nxc6 bxc6 16.Na4

White begins the characteristic plan of zeroing in on the dark squares. He

Black covers the c5-square.

19...Ng5 20.Nc5 Qe7 21.e4

21...dxe4 22.fxe4 Bg6 23.e5

23...Bb6 24.h4 Rad8!!

This is an amazing move. It really emphasizes the dynamism of Black’s

25.Bxc6 is best. 25...Ne6 26.Nxe6 Qxe6 27.Rf4 It’s even here.

White gets out of the pin on the d-file.

26...Qh5+ 27.Kg1 Rxe5!

28.Bxe5 Qxe5 29.Qb4

29.b4 Qe3+ 30.Kh1 Qxg3 Black has a very strong attack.

Kasparov brings all his pieces into the attack.

30.Rf2 Rxg3 31.Qf4

31...Rxg2+! 32.Kxg2 Qd5+ 33.Kg3

33.Qf3 Qg5+ 34.Qg3 Qxc1.

33...Bxc5 34.Rd2 Qh5 35.Qg4

Practitioners of the Tarrasch

© 2009 ChessCafe.com. All Rights Reserved.

Comment on this month's column via our Contact Page! Pertinent

© 2009 BrainGamz, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 g6 6.f4

7...Ng4 8.Bb5+ Kf8 (8...Bd7

10...Nbc6 11.exf7+ Kxf7 12.0–0++/=.

1. The importance of a quick e4-e5

Schmidt Schaeffer (2314) - Lindemann (2322)

13.0–0 Nc5 14.Ng5

White does not want to trade pieces, as he will be worse in an endgame

18.g3 Kh7 19.Nh4

20.f5 g5 21.Qh5 1–0

Black resigned. Oww.

Krnan,T (2306) - Brkic,A (2428)

This is the strongest.

10.Qxb5+ Qd7 11.Qxd7+ Kxd7 12.Nf3 is what I play.

10...dxe5 11.fxe5 a6 12.Na3 Qd4

14.Bxf4 Qxf4 15.Nd5 Qxe5 16.Qxe5 Bxe5 17.Nc4 Nc6

18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.Nc7+ Kd7 20.Nxa8 Rxa8 21.0–0–0+ Ke6

24.h3 f5 25.gxf5+ gxf5 26.Rh4