1 d4 lt:\f6 2 c4 e5 3 dxe5 lt:\g4
Less sound is 3 ... lbe4, when 4 a3 is one good move.
a) 4 ... b6 5 lbf3 i.b7 6 lbbd2 a5 (6 .. .fS 7 exf6 lDxf6 8 g3 i.cS 9 i.g2 'if e7 10 0-0 a5 1 1 b3 0-0 12 i.b2 lbc6 13 'if c2 , Flear Spinelli, Asti 1997, and 6 ... ltJcS 7 b4 lbe6 8 i.b2 g6 9 'if c2 i.g7 10 e3 0-0 1 1 i.e2 l:te8 12 0-0 , Caposciutti-Toulzac, Montecatini T erme 1998, both left White with an extra
pawn for nothing) 7 tL:ixe4 .ixe4 8 g3 lLlc6 9 .i.g2 tL:ixeS 10 'if d4 tL:ixf3+ 1 1 exf3 .ic6 12 0-0 'if e7 13 .i.h6!.
This must have been an unpleasant sur prise for Black in Ricardi-Perez Pietronave, Olivos 1993.
b) 4 ... tL:ic6 S tL:if3 d6 6 'ii'c2! calls Black's bluff.
b 1) 6 ... dS 7 e3 is clearly better for White after either 7 ... .ig4 8 cxdS 'i'xdS 9 .ic4 'i'a5+ 10 b4! .ixb4+ 1 1 axb4 'ii'xal 12 'ifxe4 .ixf3 13 gxf3 ii'xeS 14 .tbs, or 7 ... .ie6 8 .ie2 'ife7 9 0-0 0-0-0 10 l:tdl fS 1 1 b4 dxc4 12 tL:ibd2! as in Yrjola-Hamdouchi, Manila Olympiad 1992.
b2) 6 ... .tfs 7 lLlc3 and now:
b2 1) 7 ... lLlg3 8 e4 lLlxhl 9 exfS dxeS 10 .ie3 .ie7 1 1 'ife4 0-0 12 .id3 and White finally collects the knight after 0-0-0.
b22) 7 ... tL:ixf2 8 ii'xfS tt:lxhl 9 e6! fxe6 10 'ifxe6+ ii'e7 1 1 'if dS h6 12 g3 gS 13 .ig2
also gave White two juicy pieces for a rook in
Reshevsky-Bisguier, New York Rosenwald 19SS.
c) 4 ... ii'h4 S g3 'ifhS 6 .ig2:
cl) 6 ... 'it'xeS 7 ii'c2 tt:lf6 8 tt:lf3 is typical. Black loses too much time. Van Wely-Alburt, New York 1994 was pretty awful for Black after 8 ... ii'hS 9 tt:lc3 .ie7 10 h3 c6 1 1 e4 d6 12 b4 etc.
c2) In reply to 6 ... tL:icS 7 tt:lc3 tt:lc6 White
got greedy in Gyimesi-Kahn, Budapest 1995,
but his opponent resigned four moves later:
8 f4 d6 9 tt:Jbs tt:le6 10 .if3 'if g6 1 1 e4 fS? (to be fair, 'resigns' is an option in any case) 12 .ths 1-0.
4 ii.f4 i.b4+
An indication that we are in for some fire
works.
a) 4 ... gS is justified in terms of the Buda pest spirit if not for accuracy. Black seeks to regain the pawn with a fianchetto, but the (voluntary) damage to the kingside is too big a price to pay. S .ig3 .i.g7 6 tt:lf3 tt:lc6 7 tt:lc3 (7 h4!? is also enough for an advantage, but this is simpler) 7 ... tt:lgxeS 8 lLlxeS:
al) 8 ... tt:lxeS 9 e3 d6 10 h4 h6 1 1 ii'b3 0-0 12 hxgS hxgS 13 l:tdl .i.e6 14 tt:lbS! fS lS .ixeS .ixeS 16 tt:ld4 gave White a nagging edge in Korchnoi-Yukhtman, USSR Ch.
19S9.
a2) 8 ... .ixeS?! 9 .i.xeS tL:ixeS 10 ii'd4 d6 1 1 cS 'iff6 (1 1...0-0 12 0-0-0 .ie6 13 e3 tt:lg4 14 l:td2!) 12 l:tdl 0-0 13 cxd6 ii'xd6 14 'irxd6 cxd6 lS e3 .i.e6 16 l:txd6 l:tfd8 17 l:txd8+ l:txd8 18 .ie2 .ic4 19 .i.xc4 tt:lxc4 20 b3 tL:ieS 21 �e2 and White was on his way to the full point, Bulthaupt-Preuss, Germany
1998.
b) 4 ... tt:lc6 S tt:lf3 .ib4+ is Black's most sensible course, when I prefer to deny Black the satisfaction of creating an unclear situa tion after 6 tt:lc3 .ixc3+ 7 bxc3 'it'e7 8 'ifdS 'ii'a3 etc. Instead 6 tt:lbd2 is bad news for Black, who is practically forced into defend ing a position lacking in counterplay.
bl) 6 .. .f6 7 exf6 'ifxf6 8 e3 'irxb2 9 .ie2 d6 10 0-0 0-0 1 1 tt:lb3 'iff6 and now Gleize rov-Bosch, Cappelle la Grande 1996 saw White earn himself a clear advantage after 12 cS! .i.c3 13 l:tcl .ieS 14 tt:lxeS dxeS lS .ig3 ii'g6 16 'irc2 .ifs 17 ii'c3.
b2) 6 ... 'ire7! 7 e3 lLlgxeS 8 tt:lxeS tt:lxeS 9
.ie2. It is a common feature in gambits for
one side to return the material for an alterna tive advantage. In this case Black is slightly behind in development and the b4-bishop is awkwardly placed in the event of a future a2- a3 and subsequent queenside expansion from
White. As we will see in the examples that follow, the c4-pawn has a major role to play in this variation, often used as a battering ram to disrupt Black's pawns. 9 ... b6 looks premature since after 10 0-0 i.xd2 1 1 'ifxd2 White cannot be denied a clear advantage, e.g. 1 1...i.b7 12 b4 a5 (12 ... d6 13 c5! dxc5 14 bxc5, intending 14 ... 'if xc5 15 l:tacl 'ii'e7 16 'Wc3) 13 c5! axb4 14 'ii'xb4 0-0 15 l:tfcl, Lazarev-Plesec, Berne 1994, or 1 1...d6 12 e4! i.b7 13 f3 0-0 14 i.g3 f5 15 exf5 l:txf5 16 f4 ll'ic6 17 l:tael as in Fedorowicz-Shain, New York 1991.
9 ... d6 10 0-0 i.d7 11 a3 (1 1 ll'ib3 i.a4) 1 l...i.xd2 12 'ifxd2 f6 concentrates on the e5-square. In Ivanchuk-Epishin, Terrassa 199 1 White went for the thematic queenside push: 13 b4 l:td8 14 i.h5+ ll'if7 15 c5! i.b5 16 l:tfdl d5 (16 ... dxc5?? loses a piece to 17 'ii'xd8+) and now 17 a4 is the simplest way for White to stay in the driving seat.
The main line runs 9 ... 0-0 10 0-0 with the following possibilities:
b21) 10 ... ll'ig6 hopes for the greedy 1 1 i.xc7?? d6 but after 1 1 i.g3 Black's lot has not been improved. The consistent ll...i.d6 removes White's formidable bishop but 12 i.xd6 'if xd6 13 ll'ie4! is very pleasant for White, e.g. 13 ... 'ifxdl 14 l:tfxdl d6 15 ll'ic3 l:td8 16 f4 c6 17 l:td2 'it>f8 18 l:tadl 'it>e7 19 'it>f2 when White is ready to further increase the territorial advantage by advancing pawns on both flanks. Alternatively, White is also happy to keep the queens on the board: 13 ... 'ii'e7 14 ll'ic3 c6 15 'ii'd4 d6 16 l:tadl l:td8 17 f4! with several pluses for White in Petursson-Brestian, Moscow Olympiad 1994, when White was invited to demonstrate his idea after 17 .. .f5 18 e4 fxe4 19 f5! ll'ih4 20 f6 gxf 6 2 1 ll'ixe4 etc.
b22) 10 ... d6 1 1 ll'ib3 b6 12 a3 i.c5 13 ll'ixc5 bxc5 (13 ... dxc5? 14 'ii'd5 ll'ig6 15 'ii'xa8 ll'ixf4 16 'ii'f3) 14 b4 and now both 14 ... ll'id7 15 i.f3/ i.g4 and 14 ... cxb4 15 axb4 i.b7 16 'if d4 are difficult for Black.
b23) 10 ... aS 1 1 ll'ib3 a4 12 a3 i.a5 (after
O th er D e fe n c e s
12 ... axb3 13 axb4 l:txal 14 'ifxal the b3- pawn soon drops) 13 ll'id4 i.b6 14 ll'ib5 d6
15 ll'ic3 'ii'e8 16 ll'id5 i.a5
Rogozenko-Moldovan, Ciocaltea Memo rial 2000. 17 'ii'd4 ll'id7 (better is 17 ... ll'ic6 18 'ii'd3 ll'ie5 19 'ii'c2 although White is well ahead) 18 i.d3 ll'ic5 19 i.c2 i.e6? (19 .. .f6) and now White missed 20 ll'if6+! gxf6 21 i..h6! i.d7 22 'ii'h4 ll'ie6 23 i.xh7+! 'it>xh7 24 i.g5+! 'it>g8 25 i.xf6 ll'ig7 26 'ii'h6 and mates.
b24) 10 ... i.xd2 1 1 'ii'xd2 d6 is the most popular continuation, when White has a few moves that guarantee a long-term lead. Quite logical is 12 l:tfdl!, e.g. 12 ... b6 13 b4 i.b7 14 c5! White's thematic advance exploits his supremacy on the dark squares. Then 14 ... dxc5 15 bxc5 'ifxc5 16 l:tacl 'ii'e7 17 'ii'c3 ll'ig6 18 'ifxc7 'ifxc7 19 i.xc7 sees the bishop pair dominate, while 15 ... bxc5? 16 'ii'b2 ll'ig6 17 i.h6 gxh6 18 'ifxb7 leaves Black with awful pawns and a knight that is no match for the bishop. In Rogers-Dreyer, Auckland 1992, Black stood considerably worse in the ending after 15 ... ll'ig6 16 'ii'd7! 'ifxd7 17 l:txd7 ll'ixf4 18 exf4 l:tac8 19 cxb6! axb6 20 l:tcl l:ta8 21 i.c4. The problem for Black in this line is that White's bishops have too much power, the dark-squared bishop being particularly strong because it cannot be challenged. Consequently any opening of the position is sure to benefit White, hence White's eagerness to break open the queen-
side with c4-c5, even at the cost, albeit tem porary, of a pawn. Nevertheless this is really the best that Black can hope for in the 4 .tf4 variation, as the continuation in the main game, despite being rather exciting, is worse for Black.
5 l2Jd2 d6?
The beginning of what seems to be an un reliable line. With S ... ltJc6 Black returns to the safer waters of 'b' in the note to Black's fourth move.
6 exd6 'iff6 7 l2Jh3! l2Jxf2?!
The (dubious) point of the variation, initiating complications that favour only White. The alternative is 7 ... 'irxb2 8 .l:tb l 'it'a3 9 .l:tb3 'it'aS 10 dxc7 ltJc6 1 1 a3 .te7 when Gleizerov-Ritova, Berlin 1996, saw White build on his lead with 12 e3 ltJf6 13 'it'cl!? ltJd7 14 'ii'c3 .tf6 lS VxaS ltJxaS 16 .i::tbs .tc3 17 'it>dl a6 18 .i::tds ltJc6 19 ltJe4 .t b2 20 ltJd6+ 'it>e7 21 lbf S+ '.t>e8 22 ltJd6+ '.t>e7 23 lbxc8+ .l:thxc8 24 .td6+ '.t>e8 2S '.t>c2 .teS 26 cS. I'm sure there is an improvement for Black here, but after the tenth move the deficit is two pawns!
8 �xf2 i.xh3
A glance at the diagram position suggests that Black is doing well, with White's king having being flushed out. However, practice has shown that this is not the case, since White is able to consolidate and assume con trol.
9 g3! i.xf1
9 ... .tcS+!? 10 e3 gS has also been seen. Beikert-Chatalbashev, World U26 Ch. 1994 was soon close to winning for White: 1 1 lbe4 'it'xb2+ 12 'if e2! 'ifxal (or 12 ... 'it'xe2+ 13 .txe2 gxf4 14 lbxcS fxe3+ lS 'it>xe3 cxd6 16 ltJxb7 '.t>d7 17 .tf3!) 13 .txh3! 11t'xh l 14 'ifb2! 0-0 15 ltJf6+ '.t>h8 16 .txgS c6 17 ltJg4+ 1-0.
1 0 l%.xf1
10 dxc7!? ltJc6 1 1 .l:txfl is also good for White, when Black should avoid 1 l....txd2 12 Vxd2 gS 13 'it'e3+!, e.g. 13 ... '.t>d7 (13 ... '.t>f8 14 'it'cS+) 14 .l:tadl+ 'it>c8 lS 'it'd3 'ii'e6 (lS ... ltJeS 16 'ifd8+! .l:txd8 17 cxd8'ir + Vxd8 18 .l:txd8+ '.t>xd8 19 .txeS) 16 .txgS, or 13 ... ltJe7 14 Vies 'fixes 15 .txeS. The lesser evil is 1 1...0-0! 12 ltJe4 ii'xb2 13 Vb1! and the c7-pawn will be a problem.
1 0 .. . 'i'd4+
10 ... .txd2 1 1 'ii'xd2 gS 12 dxc7 lbc6 13 'ii e3+ transposes to the previous note, while 10 ... .tcS+ 1 1 '.t>g2 cxd6 12 lbe4 puts Black on the defensive.
1 1 �g2 i.xd6 1 2 'ifb3!
Now it is White's turn to activate his queen. White is no longer a pawn up but development is much better and Black has only two pieces in the game. From b3 the queen attacks b7, but there is also another
possibility in the air. In fact Black needs to be
very careful here just to earn the right to defend a poor position!
In the case of the more circumspect 12 ... i.xf 4 White has 13 l:lxf4! 'iib6 (13 ... lixd2?? loses to 14 J:le4+ and lS J:ldl) 14 °ii'a3! to cut off the king. After 14 ... cS lS lie3+ 'it>f8 16 "iif2! f6 17 lt:Je4 lt:Jd7 18 J:ldl "iic7 19 l:lfS Black is clearly worse.
1 3 �e3 'i'e5
13 ... 'ifg4 14 cS!.
1 4 c5 �e7
14 ... i.xcS lS lixf7+ 'it>d8 16 i.xcS lLixcS (16 ... lixcS 17 °iixg7) 17 lt:Jf3 'iixe2+ 18 l:lf2 lie6 19 "iixg7 l:lg8 20 'iixh7 wins for White. Komarov-Chatalbashev, St Raphael 1998, was even worse for Black after 14 ... lt:JxcS : lS lixf7+ 'it>d8 16 lt:Jc4 °iie4+ (16 ... "iie7 17 li:Jxd6 cxd6 18 i.xcS!) 17 l:lf3 lt:Je6 18 li:Jxd6 cxd6 19 l:ldl 1-0.
1 5 'i'xf7+ �dS 1 6 J.f4 'i'xb2
An attempt to improve on Summerscale Szabolcsi, French League 1996. That game went 16 ... lixe2+? 17 l:lf2 lid3 18 l:lel! and White is already winning - 18 ... i.f6 (18 ... l:le8 19 l:lxe7! l:lxe7 20 'iig8+ l:le8 2 1 i.gS+ li:Jf6 22 lixg7 lids+ 23 li:Jf3) 19 l:lfe2 'it>c8 20 l:le8+ l:lxe8 21 l:lxe8+ i.d8 22 lie7 lids+ (22 ... li:Jf6 23 lixc7 mate) 23 li:Jf3 1-0.
1 7 l:.ab 1 'i'd4 1 S .:!.xb7 l:.fS 1 9 'i'c4
Offering to trade queens when on the of fensive is indicative of the size of White's lead. The c7-pawn and the cl-file make life difficult for Black. It is ironic that Black's own king is under pressure after the energetic start which saw White's come to f2.
O th e r D e fen c e s
1 9 . . • 'i'xc4
19 ... l:lxf4? 20 l:lxf4 lixd2 21 l:ld4!.
20 llJxc4 llJxc5
20 ... J:lc8 21 c6 fails to alleviate the pres sure.
21 .:!.d 1 + �es 22 l:!.xc7 llJe6 23 l:.xe7+ �xe7 24 J.d6+! �f7 25 llJe5+ �gs 26 �xfS llJxfS
26 ... J:lxf8 27 l:ld7.
27 l:!.d5 .:!.cS 2S l:ta5 l:!.c7 29 �f3
The series of exchanges has resulted in an ending in which Black is a (passed) pawn down and also quite passive. White's rook and knight are actively posted and the king is already part way up the board. The same cannot be said of Black's forces. Conse quently Black tries his luck in a rook ending.
29 . . . llJd7 30 llJxd7 l:txd7 31 e4 �f7 32 h4 �e6 33 g4 l:.b7 34 �f4 l:tt7+ 35 �g5 �d6 36 .:!.d5+ �e6 37 l:.f5 l:tb7 3S �f4 l:!.c7 39 l:!.e5+ �d6 40 l:.a5 l:.t7+ 41 �e3 �e6 42 a3 .:!.d7
White can afford to be patient because the ending is winning. The rest is a matter of technique.
43 l:!.h5 h6 44 l:!.a5 l:tb7 45 h5 l:!.d7 46 e5! l:!.d 1 ?
46 ... J:lc7 prolongs the game, White making
progress as follows: 47 'it>d4 l:ld7+ 48 'it>e4 'it>e7 49 l:la6 J:lb7 SO a4 l:lc7 Sl a5 J:lb7 S2 l:lc6 'it>d7 S3 l:lg6 'it>e8 S4 a6 l:lc7 SS 'it>dS etc.
lla 1 50 l:.a7 'it>f4 51 lla4+ �g5 52 '1t>c2 lle1 53 l:.d4 lleS 54 a4 llbS 55 a5 1 -0
1992. After 1 1...ll'lb6 12 ll'ldS! i.xb2 13 i.gS f6 14 i.h6 i.xal (14 ... l:te8 lS l:tbl) lS i.xf8 <it>xf8 (lS ... i.eS 16 i.h6) 16 "if xal <it>f7 17 ll'ld2 ll'ld7 18 f4 White had compensation for
Game 29
the pawn. Black can also resist the urge toVolzhin-Kakageldyev attack White's queen and instead use d7 for