Introducción

cS Nc6 cxd4 eS

If White is going to come away with an opening advantage, then this is the only way to go about it.

5 ^.•• d6!

The start of the Kalashnikov [Neo-Sveshnikov] Variation.

Now White has many moves to choose from: A. 6.Bc4; B.

6.N l c3 ; C. 6.N5c3; D. 6.Nd2; E. 6.a4; F. 6.g3; G. 6.Be2; H . 9.Bd3; I. 6.c4; J. 6.Bg5.

A.

6 .Bc4

An extremely logical move. White develops a piece to a good square and adds to his control of the important d5 point.

Other tries are:

6 ... Nf6

1 ) 6 . . . a6 7.N5c3 Nf6 [7 . . . f5? ! is bad because 8.exf5 Bxf5 9.Bd3 Bxd3 1 0.Qxd3 leaves Black weak on the light squares: After 10 .^.. Nb4 1 I .Qe2 Nf6 12.0-0 Be7 13.f4, White had achieved a certain advantage, Averbach-Kuzminikh, USSR 1947] 8 .Be3?! Be7 [ 8 .. . b5 ! ? is a suggestion of Tiviakov and Postovski ] 9.Nd5 Nxd5 1 0.Bxd5 0-0 1 I .Qd2 Be6 12.Nc3 Rc8 1 3.0-0 b5, =, Frolov-Tiviakov, USSR 1988.

l'his all seemed to be easy for Black, but 8.Be3? ! is pointless. White

42 The Neo-Sveshnikov

can improve with 8.Bg5! when play can transpose to the main column.

2) 6 . . . Be6 7.Nl a3 a6 9.Nc3 Nf6 9.Be3?! [9.Bg5 !] 9 . . . b5 IO.Bd5 Rc8 l l .Ne2 b4 1 2.Nc4 Bxd5 13.exd5 Ne7 14.Bb6 Qd7 15.b3 Nexd5 1 6.a3?

Rxc4 1 7.bxc4 Nxb6, 0-1 in 44, Apscheneek-Sultan Khan, Hamburg 1930. Another easy time for Black but White can do better with 7.Bxe6! fxe6 8.Qh5+ g6 9.Qh3 with some advantage to White because Black's King position is insecure. Aside from this, 7.Bb3 ! ? [as in the main column] is also not easy for Black.

3) 6 . . . Be7 7.0-0 a6 8.N5c3 Nf6 9.a4 [9.Bg5 0-0 I O.Bxf6 Bxf6 l l .Nd5 Bg5 12.a4 Kh8 1 3.Nbc3 Be6 was Beilin-Kopaev, Lvov 1 95 1 . The main column will discuss these positions in more detail] 9 . . . Be6

IO.Bd5 0-0 l l .Na3, +=, Hector-Kotronias, Debrecen 1989.

7.0-0!

Avoiding the tempting 7.Bg5 after which 7 . . . Qa5+! 8.Bd2 Qd8 9.Bg5 Qa5 is nothing more than a draw by repetition.

7 ^{• • •} a6

h may be more accurate to play 7 . . . Be6 since 8.Bxe6 fxe6 9.Bg5 a6 10.Bxf6 gxf6 l l .Qh5+ Ke7 1 2.N5c3 Qe8 is perfectly fine for Black.

After 7 . . . Be6, White must try 8.Qd3! threatening 9.Bxe6 and l O.Rd l . After 8 . . . a6 9.N5c3 Be7 10.Bg5 we get play identical to 7 . . . a6 except Black has forced White into an early Qd3.

8.N5c3 B e 6

the resulting closed position. Better is 1 2 .. . Bg5 1 3.a4 g6 when t4.Nbc3 Kh8 1 5.Qd3 ReS gives Black adequate chances due to his play on the c-file, upcoming . . . f7-f5 advance, and landing spot for his Knight on d4. White could also consider 14.Na3 !? followed by 15.c3 and and eventual Nc4 or Nc2. In this case Black would have to play . . . f7-f5 and hope that the Knight's journey away from e4 gives this advance more sting. Can Black equalize? Only more tests will tell.

13.c3 Nxb3

14.axb3 B gS

1S.c4 g6

16.Nbc3 fS

17.Qd3 Rti!

1 8.b4

I.Ivanov-Silrnan, Los Angeles 1990, now Black has to try 1 8 .. . Bh6 followed by . . . f4, . . . g5 and . . . Bf8 with a do-or-die assault on White's King. Though he would have some practical chances with this plan, I can't help but believe that White's play against the Queenside and the backward d6 pawn should crash through first.

Conclusion

5.Nb5 d6 6.Bc4 is one of White 's better plans against the Kalashnikov. Since 6.Bc4 has been played so seldomly, it is not clear if Black can equalize with the ease that some annotators claim. Tests would certainly be welcome here!

B.

6.Nlc3

Though the young Russian Tiviakov has stated his preference for this move, it seems hard to believe that White's offside Knight [after Black plays 7 . . . b7-b5] gives White any real chance for an opening

44 The Neo-Sveshnikov

advantage. However, it is this very pawn move [7 . . . b5-b5] that gives White the play he wants. A later c2-c4 will challenge this pawn chain and give Black some problems to solve on the Queenside. Sharp, interesting positions result. It's clear that there are plenty of new ideas waiting for both sides to find discover and the last word here will not be heard for a long time to come.

6 ... a6

6 . . . Nf6 transposes into the main lines of the Sveshnikov.

7.Na3 bS

Most logical. Other moves are also played but why should B lack allow White 's Knight on a3 to effortlessly re-enter the game? White 's other choices are:

1 ) 7 . . . Be6 S.Be3 [It's probably more accurate to play the immediate S.Nc4 ReS 9.Nd5 Bxd5 10.exd5 NbS 1 1 .Be2 Nd7 1 2.0-0 Ngf6 1 3.a4 Be7 1 4.Be3 0-0 1 5.a5 ! , +-, Matanovic-Larsen, Beverwijk 1960] S . . . Nf6 [S . . . b5 ! keeps the Knight at a3 for awhile] 9.Nc4 b5 1 0.Nb6 RbS l l .Nbd5 Be7 1 2.a4 bxa4 1 3.Rxa4 0-0 1 4.b3 a5 15.Bc4, Matanovic-Pils, Graz 1 9S4. White has the better chances.

2) 7 . . . h6? ! [a waste of time] S.Nc4 [White also gains an excellent position by S.Nd5 Nf6 9.Nxf6+ Qxf6 1 0.Nc4 Qh4 1 1 .Bd3 Bg4 1 2.Qd2 Be7 1 3.0-0 0-0 14.Nb6, Karasev-Klaman, Kronstadt 1 975] S . . . b5 9.Ne3 Nf6 1 0.Ncd5 Be7 1 1 .Be3 0-0 [ 1 1 . . .RbS ! ?-Uhlmann.] 1 2.a4 b4 1 3.Bb6 Qd7 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 1 5 .Nd5, +-, Aronin-Kuzminikh, USSR 194S.

3) 7 . . . Be7 S.Nc4 b5 9.Ne3 Nf6 1 0.Bd3 0-0 1 1 .0-0 RbS 1 2.Ncd5 Nxd5 1 3.Nxd5 Bg5 14.c3 Be6 1 5.Be2 Bxc 1 1 6.Rxc1 a5, Unzicker-Pils, Graz 1 9S4. Black has a reasonable position.

8.Nd5 Nge7 ! ?

45

46 The Neo-Sveshnikov Bxa6 14.0-0 Bb7 15.Re1 d5 !? and Black has some compensation for the sacrificed pawn, Arrnas-Dumitrache, Predeal 1 988] 1 0.Nc2 [The greedy 10.Nxb4! ? is possible but so far nobody has had the nerve to 18.c5?! [White logically tries to open up the position and get to Black's King but Black finds a good reply. Sveshnikov recommends 1 8.0-0 followed by f4, +=] 1 8 .. . Bg4 ! 19.f3 dxc5 20.Bxc5+ Ke8 2 l .Bd6? ! [He should have played 2 1 .Qe2 when Black Sveshnikov thinks that Black

47 would only be slightly superior] 2 1 . . .Qb6 22.fxg4 Rxd6! 23.Qxd6 Rd8 24.Qd5 ! Rxd5 25.exd5 and now instead of 25 . . . b3? ! 26.axb3 Nb4 27.Rd2! Qg6 28.Nxb4 Qe4+ 29.Kf2 Qf4+ 30.Ke2 Qxg4+ 3 1 .Kd3 axb4 when Black was just a little better and White managed to hold the draw, Geo. Timoschenko-Sveshnikov, Moscow 1 989, Sveshnikov gives 25 . . . Ne7 26.d6 Qc5 ! 27.Rd2 Nd5 !, -+, as the correct plan.

2) 8 . . . Rb8 !?. This can transpose to 8 . . . Be7 lines after 9.c4 b4 10.Nc2 Be? 1 1 .Bd3 Nf6 etc.

3) 8 . . . Nce7!?

[An interesting move. Black wants to use both Knights in the fight for d5. It's important to mention that Sveshnikov, after having played 8 . . . Be? in two games, laid the Bishop move aside and gave this a go. 1 6.0-0 Nxd5 1 7.Nxd5 Bb7, unclear, Kindermann-Bischoff, Munich 1987] 9 . . . Nxd5 1 0.exd5 bxc4 [ 1 0 .. . b4? 1 1 .Qa4+] 1 1 .Nxc4 Nf6 sacrificed exchange) 1 8.Bxa5 Qb8. Black will win the d5 pawn and re­

establish material equality when the fight will then center around the question: whose pawns are stronger . . . the Black central pawns or the White Quecnside passers? I'll allow his 'unclear' verdict to stand.

1 5 ^.. . a5 certainly seems like Black 's best chance but watch out!

48 The Neo-Sveshnikov dangerous than Black's central rollers.

All these lines are very interesting but now we 're back to 8 . . . Nge7.

position after 8 . . . Nge7

49 White has tried three moves from this position: B.l. 9.Bg5; B.2.

9.c3; B.3. 9^.c4!.

B.l. 9 . B g5

An aggressive move but Black has achieved some nice victories against it.

9 ^.•• h6

10.Qh5

In Sofieva-Arakhamia, Tbilisi 1 987, White sacrificed the other Bishop by 1 0.Bxb5? ! and was rewarded with a winning position after 10 . . . hxg5?? 1 1 .Nxe7 axb5 1 2.Nxc6 Qb6 1 3.Nb4. Instead of blundering with 1 0 .. . hxg5??, Black should play 1 0 .. . axb5 when 1 1 .Nxb5 reaches an interesting position. Since 1 1 . . .hxg5?? still loses to 1 2.Ndc7+ Black must try 1 1 . . . Ra7. [Trying to hold onto everything with 1 1 . . . Kd7 !? may also be possible] when 1 2.Nxa7? Qa5+ followed by . . . Qxa7 is just good for Black and 1 2.Nf6+?? gxf6 1 3.Nxd6+ Qxd6 14.Qxd6 hxg5 is completely hopeless for White. White's best appears to be 1 2.Be3 but even then 1 2 . . . Nxd5 1 3.Qxd5 Ra6 14.0-0-0 Be6 15.Nxd6+ Bxd6 1 6.Qxd6 Qxd6 1 7.Rxd6 Rxa2! is in Black's favor.

1 0 ... B e 6

B y no means the only move. Black has also had success with:

1) 1 0 .. . Qa5+ 1 1 .Bd2 Qd8 1 2.Bg5 Qa5+ 1 3.Bd2, 1{2-1/2, Lputian­

Sveshnikov, Sochi 1 987. Not very exciting but an easy draw with Black in Grandmaster play is always acceptable.

2) 10 . . . hxg5 !? 1 1 .Qxh8 Nxd5 12.exd5 Qa5+ 1 3 .c3 b4 14.Nc4 Qxd5 is an untried suggestion of Sveshnikov . Black has serious compensation for the exchange.

l l.Bd3 Rb8!

5 0 The Neo-Sveshnikov

By stopping a possible Knight fork on b6 Black is now able to unravel by 1 2 .. . Qd7 followed by 1 3 .. . Ng6.

1 2 . c4

White decides to mix things up so as to prevent Black from getting a good game with simple development. The result though, is that White goads Black into destroying him!

Black gets easy equality against quiet play: 1 2.0-0 Qd7 1 3.Nxe7 Nxe7 14.Be3 Bg4 [ 14 . . . Ng6 ! ?-Alonso] 1 5. Qh4 Ng6 1 6.Qg3 Be7 1 7.h3 Be6 1 8 .c3 0-0 1 9.Nc2 a5 ! 20.Rfd 1 Rfc8, Huergo-Alonso, Cuba 1 988. Now White should play 2 1 .Bc 1 [=] intending Ne3-f5.

1 2 ... Nd4!

13.cxb5?

He had to play 13.Bxe7.

1 3 ...

This gives Black a strong attack.

14.Qxh8 1S.exd5 16.Kd1

hxgS !

NxdS ! Q a S +

On 1 6.Kfl Black gets to execute the old smother mate theme with 1 6 .. . Qd2 ! 1 7.Bc4 Bxd5 1 8.Bxd5 Qd3+ 1 9.Kg 1 Ne2+ 20.Kfl Ng3+

2 1 .Kg1 Qfl+ 22.Rxfl Ne2 mate.

1 6 ... B g4 ! + 17.f3

No better is 1 7.Kc1 ReS+ 1 8.Kb1 [or 1 8.Nc4 axb5] 1 8 .. . Qd2 1 9.Be4 Bd 1 and White is dead.

1 7 ... Nxf3 !

Chapter 6 compelled to give you this exciting game in _full: 2 1 .Rxh1 axb5 22.Qh3 Qa6? [22 . . . Rc7 is much stronger. Now White somehow manages to generate a counterattack! ] 23.Rfl [Threatening 24.Rxn! Kxn 25.Qe6 mate] 23 . . . f6 [23 . . . Rc7 still ^runs intc;> 24.Rxfl! since 24 . . . Rxn loses lhe Queen to 25.Bxb5+. Funnily enough 23 . . . Qb7 also fails to stop 24.Rxfl ! when White is the one who is winning. If Black wanted a draw she could have played 23 . . . Be7 when 24.Qh8+ Bf8 25.Qh3 Be7 26.Qh8+ Kd7 27.Qh3+ is a perpetual] 24.Qe6+ Kd8 25.Qfl [25.Qg8 is a draw but White started having visions of victory at this point] try 33.Qxd7+ Kxd7 34.Rxc4 Rxc4+ 35.Nxc4. Now Black is back on the winning track] 33 . . . Ke7 34.Nxc4 Qg4 35.Ne3 Rxc3+ 36.bxc3 Qf3 ! 37.Kd2 f5 38.Qg8 Qf2+ 39.Kd3 e4+ 40.Kc4 Qxe3 4 1 .Qe6+ Kd8 42.Qxf5 Qf4, � 1 .

B.2. 9 .c3

5 2 The Neo-Sveshnikov

This quiet move doesn't make much sense here. Since White 's main source of counterplay is usually based on a c2--c4 advance, he will have ^to lose a tempo by advancing this pawn a second time.

9 ... NxdS

10.exdS

1 0.Qxd5 is met by 10 . . . Bb7 or 1 0 .. . Qc7 followed by l l . . . Be6.

1 0 ... N e7

1 1 .c4 g6

Black is willing to give up a pawn on the Queenside in exchange for development and open lines for his pieces.

12.cxbS B g 7 13.bxa6 0 - 0 1 4.Nc2?

It's suicide to move an already developed piece when your already behind in development. He had to play 14.Bc4 Bxa6 15.0-0 when Black has compensation for the sacrificed pawn but the meat of the battle is still ahead.

1 4 ... Q a S +

1S.b4 Q a 4

1 6.bS

So White has held onto his ill-gotten gains. However, Black's attack now starts in earnest.

1 6 ... e 4

17.Rb1 B g4

White is already in terrible trouble.

18.f3

No better is 1 8.Be2 Bxe2 1 9.Qxe2 Nxd5.

1 8 .. . exf3

19.gxf3 Bf5!

20.Rb3 Q h4+

2 1 .Ke2

Garcia Martinez-Sveshnikov, Moscow 1 987. Now 2 1 . . . B xc2 22.Qxc2 Rac8 23.Qd l Nf5 would give Black a crushing attack. Instead Black played 2 1 . . .Rfe8? and White managed to hold body and soul together after 22.Ne3 ! Bd7 23.Qd3 Nf5 24.Kd l Nd4 25.Be2 Nxb3 26.axb3 Rab8 27.Qc4 Qd4 28.Qxd4 Bxd4 29.Nc2 Bb6 30.Nb4 Rxe2 ! [The threat of Nc6 forced this return of the exchange] 3 l .Kxe2 Bxb5+

32.Kd l Bc5 33.Nc6 Ra8 34.b4 Bf2 35.Bf4 Rxa6 36.Kc2 Bc4? [36 . . . Be2 is strong] 37.Kc3 Bb5 [Black suddenly realized that the intended 37 . . . Bxd5?? lost to 38.Ne7+. All this looks like the result of time pressure] 38.Nd4 Ra3+ 39.Kb2 Ra4 40.Nc2 Bc4 4 l .Bxd6 Bxd5 42.Rdl Bxf3?? 43.Rfl [Poor Sveshnikov was having a bad day] 43 . . . Bd5 44.Rxf2 f5 45.Rd2 Be4 46.b5 g5 47.b6 Ra6 48.Bc5 Ra8 49.Rd7 f4 50.Rc7 Rb8 5 l .Nd4 g4 52.Ne6 f3 53.Rg7+, 1 -0.

B.3. 9.c4!

This is clearly White's best plan. He goes for immediate play on the Queenside.

9 .. . N d4 1 0.Be3

54 The Neo-Sveshnikov

The most sensible move. White intends to simply chop the Knight offl

Others:

1 ) 1 0.Nc2 [This is hannless] 10 . . . Nxd5 1 l .cxd5 [ 1 l .Nxd4 gives Black good play after either 1 1 . . .Nf6 12.Nb3! Bb7 or 1 1 . . .Nb6 1 2.Nc6 Qh4 !] l l . . . Bg4 ! 12.Qd2 [ 1 2.f3? Qh4+ 1 3.g3 Nxf3+ is a disaster for White] 12 . . . Nxc2+ 1 3.Qxc2 Be7 14.Bd3 0-0 1 5 .0-0 Rc8 1 6.Qb3 Bg5 [Black is already a bit better] 1 7.Bxg5 Qxg5 1 8 .Rfe l f5 1 9.exf5 Bxf5 20.Re3 Bxd3 2 1 .Qxd3 Qh4 22.Rfl Qc4 23.Qxc4 Rxc4 [White is worse because the d5 pawn is weak and Black controls the important open c­

file] 24.Ra3 Ra8 25.Rd l Rc2 26.Rb3 Rac8 27.h3 h5 28.Rdd3 h4 29.Rb4 R8c4 30.Rdb3 Kf7 3 1 .Rx.c4 Rxc4 32.Kfl Ra4! [The d5 pawn is immune:

32 . . . Rd4? 33.Ra3] 33 .Rc3 [33.a3 Rd4 picks up the d5 pawn because the a3 square is no longer available to White 's Rook] 33 . . . Rxa2 34.Rc7+ Kf6 35.Rd7 e4 36.Rxd6+ Ke5 37.Rd8 Rxb2 38.d6 Ra2 39.d7 Ke6 40.Ke l Ke7 4 l .Rh8 Kxd7 42.Rxh4 b4 43.Rxe4 a5 44.Kd 1 Kc6 45.Rg4 b3 46.Kcl Kb5 47.f4 Rc2+ 48.Kbl a4 49.Rxg7 a3 50.Rb7+ Kc4, 0- 1 , Hodgson--Lputian, Soci 1 987.

2) 10.cxb5 !? Nxd5 l l .exd5 challanges the validity of Black's setllp.

Black now has the following possibilities:

2.a.) l l . . .Be7 1 2.Bc4 [ 1 2.bxa6? Qa5+ 1 3.Bd2 Qxd5 is in Black's favor] 12 . . . axb5 1 3.Nxb5 Ba6 14.Na3 [ 1 4.Qd3 Qb6 ( 1 4 .. . Rc8? ! 1 5.Nxd6+ Bxd6 1 6.Bxa6 Nc2+ 1 7.Kd1 Nxa 1 1 8 .Bxc8 ,+=) 1 5 .Nxd4 Qb4+ 1 6.Bd2 Qxc4 1 7.Qxc4 Bxc4 1 8.Nf5 Bxd5 , =+. Analysis by Klovans] 14 . . . 0-0 15.0-0 Bf6 1 6.Be3, +-, Klovans-Kiselev, Frunze 1988.

2.b.) l l .. . Qh4!? 1 2.Be3 Nf5 1 3.Nc2 Be7 14.Be2 Nxc3 15.Nxe3 0 -0 1 6.0-0 f5, Black has some compensation for the sacrificed pawn, Hellers-Cramling, Haninge 1 989.

Chapter 6 55 Nb3 25.Rc3 Nd4 26.Qxa6 Qb8 27.Nb6 Bd8 ! 28.Bh5+ g6 29.Nxd7 Qxb4 30.0-0! [White wisely gets his King to safety. 30.Qc4 BaS ! is a good any chance for an advantage. Am.Rodriguez-Estevez, Camaguey 1 988 continued [after l l .cxd5] 1 1 . . . Be7 1 2.Bd3! [ 1 2.Bxd4 exd4 1 3.Qxd4 0-0

5 6 The Neo-Sveshnikov

Chapter 6 5 7 G.Garcia-Lputian, Saint John Open II 1988. Black actually went on to win this ending: 3 1 .Ra 1 f6 32.Ra3 Bb8 33.Ra8 Kf7 34.Bd2 h5 35.Ra4 h4 36.Kg 1 Bg3 37.Ra7+ Kg8 38.Ra4 Kf7 39.Kf1 g5 40.Be1 Be5 4 l .Bt2 Rb8 42.Bd4 Bxd4 43.Rxd4 Ke7 44.Ra4 Rb6 45.Kt2? ! Kd6 46.Kf3 Ke5 47.Ra3 Rb4 48.Ra6 Rb3+ 49.Kf2 g4 50.Re6+ Kd4 5 l .Rxf6 g3+

52.Ke2?? [52.Kg 1 Kxe4 53.Rfl Kxd5, =] 52 . . . Rb2+ 53.Kfl Rb 1 + 54.Ke2 h3 55.d6 Rb2+ 56.Kfl h2 , 0- 1 .

C o n cl usion

6.N1 c3 is one of White's more exciting possibilities . . . perfect for the attacking or tactically oriented player. Theoretically White can't count on more than a very small edge, but this is often more than he gets in the other lines.

c.

6.N5c3

A logical move. Since White will have to move this Knight anyway, he does so immediately and herds it towards the tempting d5 outpost.

Funnily enough, this will often transpose into lines from 6.Bc4 [Chapter Six, Variation A] . . . a move that I also feel is promising for the first player. It's somewhat surprising that this has not been tried more often.

6 ... Nf6

Forcing White to get rid of his Q-Bishop, since 6 . . . Be7 allows White instant access to d5 : 7.Nd5 Nf6 8.Nbc3.

7.Bg5 B e 7

8.Bxf6 Bxf6

9.Nd5 0-0

The immediate 9 . . . Bg5 i s also possible: I O.g3 [ I O.Bc4 or 1 0.Nbc3 is our main column] 10 . . . 0-0 1 l .Bg2 [I would prefer 1 1 .Nbc3, when

58 The Neo-Sveshnikov 1 6.Nc2, Anand-Tiviakov, Oakham 1 990 was agreed drawn. Play might have continued 1 6 .. . Qb7 [The immediate 1 6 .. . a5 allows 17.Rel Qb7

Chapter 6 59

20 ... Qb3

2l.Bd3 Qe6 !

22.Qxa7 Qxg4

23.Qxb7 Qe6 !

24.Qb4! Nc6

2S.Qc4 Qf6

26.QdS N e S

Short-Van der Wiel, Thessaloniki 1988. Now 27.Qd4 ! [ Stopping . . . Ng4 and intending to continue with Kbl , c3, a4, and Bb5] would have given White a great advantage. Instead White played 27.c3? and all of a sudden Black was right back in the game after 27 . . . Ng4! 28.e5 [This method of closing the h8-a 1 diagonal is an extreme reaction but 28.Rd2 Rxc3+! 29.bxc3 Qxc3+ 30.Bc2 Qxa3+! is strong for Black and 28.Rhfl ReS also gives Black plenty of play] 28 . . . dxe5 29.Rd2 Qe7 ! [Intending to play . . . f7-f5] 30.Bf5?! [Better is 30.Qf3 f5 3 1 .Bxf5 Nxf2 with complications] 30 . . . Rcd8 3 1 .Qf3 Rxd2 32.Kxd2 Nh6! 33.Bc2 f5 34.Kcl Qc7 35.Qe2 Ng4! 36.Bxf5?. Here the players agreed to a draw but Black could have taken a clear advantage with 36 . . . f3 ! [Pointed out by Kasparov] 37.Qc2 [37.Qxf3? Nh6] 37 . . . Nxf2 3 8.Qxf2 Rxf5 and Black's pawns are extremely dangerous.

C o n cl usion

Nobody seems to take 6.N5c3 too seriously but surely the move deserves a better fate then that. Personally I feel that 6.Bc4, 6.N5c3, and 6.c4 are White's best positional remedies to Black's system.

D.

6.Nd2

Completely innocuous. This puts the Knight on a passive square, blocks the Q-Bishop, and allows Black to play the important . . . d�5

60 The Neo-Sveshnikov advance.

6 ... Nf6

7.Nc3 dS

8.Bd3 B g4

9.0 B e 6

10.0-0 B e7

l l.exdS NxdS

12.Nxd5 BxdS

Velimirovic-Holzl, Dubai 1986. Black has no problems at all.

Conclusion

6.Nd2 is useless. It's surpnsmg that a strong and aggressive Grandmaster like Velimirovic would play it.

E.

6.a 4

White wishes to stop Black from expanding on the Queenside by . . . a7-a6 and . . . b7-b5. Though not at _all bad, Black should come out of the opening with equality since 6.a4 wastes a bit of time and weakens the b4 square.

6 ... Nf6

What is best? Black has tried:

1 ) 6 . . . f5? ! [This weakens the light-squares and cannot be recommended] 7.N l c3 a6 [White threatened 8.Nd5 so the b5 Knight must be told to leave] 8.Bg5 ! Qxg5 [If Black plays 8 . . . Qd7 then White might wish to avoid the complications of 9.Nd5 axb5 1 0.Nb6 Qc7 l l .Nxa8 Qa5+ 12.b4 (1 2.c3 b4) 1 2 .. . Qxb4+ 1 3.c3 and instead try the simple 9.Na3 with an edge-analysis by A.Ivanov] 9.Nc7+ Kd8 1 0.Nxa8 Nf6 l l .Nb6 fxe4 12.Nxc8 Kxc8 [White also gets a clear

advantage after 1 2 .. . e 3 1 3.Nxd6 exf2+ 14.Kxf2 Ng4+ 15.Ke l Qe3+

t 6.Qe2 Bxd6 1 7.Nd5, +-] 1 3.Nd5 [And not 13.g3? e3 14.Bh3+ Kb8 1 5 .0-0 d5 with compensation-A.Ivanov] 13 . . . Nxd5 14.Qxd5 Nd4 t 5.Qxe4 d5 1 6.Qd3 Bc5 1 7.Qc3 Kb8 1 8.Qxc5 Rc8 19.Qd6+ Ka7 20.Bd3 Qxg2 2 1 .0-0-0 Qxf2 22.Kb1 Rxc2 23.Qa3 Rc6 24.Rc 1 Rb6? [Black could put up better resistance with 24 . . . e4 25.Rxc6 Nxc6 but things would still be grim] 25.Rhfl Qe3 26.a5 Rc6 27.Rxc6 Nxc6 28.Bxh7 Qd4 29.Qc3, 1 -0, A.lvanov-Makarov, USSR 1 987.

2) 6 . . . Be7 7.Bc4 [7.N1 c3 a6 8.Na3 will go into our main lines]

7 . .^. Be6 [7 . . . a6 is a better idea when 8.Na3 Nf6 9.Nc3 Be6 is fine for Black and 8.N5c3 Nf6 is similar to the 6.Bc4 lines (Chapter Six, Variation A.) except White has played an early (and most likely superfluous) a4. This difference should grant Black an easy game]

8.Bxe6 fxe6 9.Qg4 [9.Qh5+! g6 10.Qh3 is a stronger idea since now Black's dark squares are weakened and Black's upcoming . . . Ng8-f6 won't win a tempo with an attack on White 's Queen. After 9.Qh5+ I would prefer the White position] 9 . . . Kf7 1 0.0-0 Nf6 1 1 .Qf3 a6 1 2.N5c3 Nd4 1 3.Qd3 b5, Lanka-Sveshnikov, Riga (blitz) 1987. Black has good play here but White wasted alot of time with several uneconomical Queen moves.

7.Nlc3

Transposing into the Schlechter Variation of the Sveshnikov.

However, White's other options don't seem to offer anything better:

7.Bg5 a6 [7 . . . Be6 is also reasonable] 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.N5c3 [9.N5a3 goes into a known Sveshnikov line in which White has traded the unimportant a2-a4 for Nlc3. Black would surely have a good game in this case] After 9.N5c3 Black can choose from a host of moves, 9 . . . Be6, 9 . . . Bg7 followed by . . . 0-0, 9 . . . Nb4! ?, 9 . . . f5. All untested but it leads to complicated positions that should be alright for Black.

Another satisfactory reply to 7.Bg5 is 7 . . . Qa5+!?.

62 The Neo-Sveshnikov

Now 8.Bd2 Qd8 leaves White with nothing better than 9.Bg5 with ^a repetition. Other replies to 7 . . . Qa5+! ? should not prove too horrifying for Black: 8.Qd2? [8.c3 is most likely the best alternative when 8 . . . Nxe4 9.b4 Qb6 survives due to the threatened mate on f2]

8 . . . Nxe4 ! 9.Qxa5 Nxa5 1 0.Nc7+ Kd7 l l .Nxa8 Nxg5 and the White Knight on a8 will never get out alive.

After 6 . . . Nf6 White's can also consider 7.N5c3 when 7 . . . Be7 and 7 . . . Be6 8. Bg5 Be7 are both perfectly playable. After 7 . . . Be7 Black threatens to play 8 . . . Be6 and 9 . . . d5 with complete freedom. White might now play 8.Bg5 [8.Bc4 Be6 is comfortable for Black] when 8 ^.. . Nxe4? ! leads to some interesting complications after 9.Bxe7 [9.Nxe4? Bxg5 1 0.Nxd6+ Ke7 is very comfortable for Black] 9 . . . Nxc3 10.Bxd8 [ 1 0.Qxd6? Qxe7 is easy for Black] I O .. . Nxd l l l .Bg5 ! [ l l .Bc7?? Nxf2 ! 1 2.Kxf2 Kd7 would win a pawn for Black] 1 1 . . .Nxb2 12.Ra2 Nxa4 1 3.Rxa4 and though Black has 3 pawns for the piece, I feel that White's chances are far superior. Due to this it seems better for Black to answer 8.Bg5 with 8 . . . 0-0 [intending either . . . Be6 or even . . . Nb4 ! ?] 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 1 0.Nd5 Bg5 l l .Nlc3 g6 with chances for both side:; [see Variation F.3 for a comparison]. Black can continue with either a quick . . . f7-f5 or he can complete his development first by

. . . Be6 and . . . ReS.

After 7 .Nlc3 Black has several possibilities: E.l. 7 ... h6?!; E.2.

7 . . . Nb4 ! ? ; E.3. 7 ^..• Be7; E.4. 7 ^{• . .} Be6; E.S. 7 ^.•• a6!.

E.l. 7 ^••. h6? !

Black hopes to forever prevent the possibility of an annoying Bcl­

g5xf6. However I consider this move to be dubious because, aside from the fact that . . . h7-h6 is unnecessary, it can also lead to a

Sveshnikov line in which White gains a useful tempo.

Chapter 6 and Black had the initiative, Ljubojevic-Tal, Wijk aan Zee 1 976.

2) 8.Be2 [Somewhat passive] 8 . . . a6 [8 . . . Be7 9.Be3 0-0 1 0.0-0 Bc6 l l .Bf3 a6 1 2.Na3 Nb4 1 3.Qe2 Rc8 14.Rfd l Qa5 1 5.g3 Rfd8 1 6.Bd2 Qc7 1 7.Rac 1 d5 1 8.exd5 Nbxd5 1 9.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Nb1 f5 , =+, Lcminski-Schubert, W.German Junior ch. 1977] 9.Na3 Be6 10.0-0 [Or I O.Be3 Rc8 1 1 .0-0 Be7 1 2.Nc4 Nd4 1 3.Bxd4 Bxc4 14.Be3 0-0 1 5.a5 Qd7 1 6.Re 1 Be6 1 7.Bf3 Rc4 1 8.Re2 Rfc8 and Black's pressure on the

2) 8.Be2 [Somewhat passive] 8 . . . a6 [8 . . . Be7 9.Be3 0-0 1 0.0-0 Bc6 l l .Bf3 a6 1 2.Na3 Nb4 1 3.Qe2 Rc8 14.Rfd l Qa5 1 5.g3 Rfd8 1 6.Bd2 Qc7 1 7.Rac 1 d5 1 8.exd5 Nbxd5 1 9.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Nb1 f5 , =+, Lcminski-Schubert, W.German Junior ch. 1977] 9.Na3 Be6 10.0-0 [Or I O.Be3 Rc8 1 1 .0-0 Be7 1 2.Nc4 Nd4 1 3.Bxd4 Bxc4 14.Be3 0-0 1 5.a5 Qd7 1 6.Re 1 Be6 1 7.Bf3 Rc4 1 8.Re2 Rfc8 and Black's pressure on the

In document Alejandra Elbaba (página 47-52)