CAPÍTULO 3: EVALUACIÓN DE LA PROPUESTA
3.3. Método de Evaluación de Expertos
Variation Index
1.d4 dS 2.c4 c6 3.�f3 �f6 4.�c3 e6 5.e3 �bd7 6.id3 dxc4 7.ixc4 bS s.id3 ih7 9.0-0 a6 10.e4 cS 1 1.dS! c4 12.ic2
A) 13.Wfe2 B) 13.�d4 �cs
Bl) 14.W/f3 B2) 14.W/e2 B3) 14.igS
12 ... Wfc7
B4) 14.b4 cxb3 15.axh3 b4 16.�a4 �cxe4!
B41) 17.dxe6 B42) 17.ixe4
note to move 1 3 B ) note to l 3 . . . li:Jc5 B2) after l 5.b4
149 150 151 152 153 155 155 156
a b c d e f g h
l 5 ... exd5!!
1.d4 dS 2.c4 c6 3.lll£3 tllf6 4.lllc3 e6 5.e3 lllbd7 6.!d3 dxc4 7.!xc4 bS 8.!d3 !b7 9.0-0
The modern playground, since White is not achieving anything in the 9.e4 lines.
9 ... a6
Preparing ... c5 with an easy game.
10.e4 cS should - strike in the centre.
1 1 .dS!
This is the way to do it.
1 1 .e5 cxd4 Black destroys the white centre.
Of course he could also have made use of the enticing d5-square with ... tlid5, but I like the text move more: it leads to forcing play that ends with a nice position for Black! 1 2.tlixb5 ixf3 1 3.Wxf3 tlid5 (not 13 ... tlixe5? 1 4.Wxa8) 1 4.tlixd4 tlixe5 1 5.Wg3 tlixd3 1 6.Wxd3 ic5 and Black has good play. Objectively it is probably equal, but from a practical standpoint the strong knight on d5 - we can almost call it the Semi-Slav knight, because it appears in a lot of variations - makes Black's position easier to play.
l l...c4
Played with tempo and gaining the important c5-square for a piece.
It is possible to do without the text move and instead continue 1 1 ...Wc7!? 1 2.dxe6 fxe6 1 3.ic2 id6 1 4.tlig5 tlif8 1 5.f4 0-0-0 with a complicated game. This line has been advocated by the big Meran expert Dreev, so it is worth examining if you want an alternative to our main line. But to be honest, you don't really need it!
12.!c2
1 2.dxe6 fxe6 transposes to the next chapter after 13.ic2 Wc7.
Black can also try 1 2 ... cxd3 1 3.exd?t Wxd7 but I don't really trust it.
12 ... '.Wc?
A flexible move. The queen is excellent on c7, both overlooking the important d6- and e5-squares and preparing long castling. Black will develop the rest of his army accordingly after noting what White is up to; the bishop can go to c5 or d6 or even stay on f8! Maybe the d7-knight will need the c5-square to defend e6 or attack e4. And the king? Well, it can also castle short!
Chapter 1 2 - 1 3 .lt:ld4 and others 149
Now the big main line starts after 1 3.dxe6 and we will come to that in the next chapter. For the sake of completeness, this chapter provides an overview of the alternatives, the main ones being A) 13.°1We2 and B) 13.�d4. The latter, in particular, has to be taken seriously.
13.lllg5?! is premature. It is one of the main lines after White has exchanged on e6 but here it is simply inaccurate for the following reason:
1 3 ... h6! 14.dxe6 hxg5 1 5.exd7t lt:lxd7 16.h3 Now in Pogromsky - Tretyakov, Nizhny Tagil 2007, best would have been 16 ... ic5!N with
Black is simply threatening to play ... h6 and ... g5!
14.dxe6 fxe6 1 5.ti:ld4 ti:lc5 16.f4
16.ixf6 gxf6 1 7.b4 (l 7.�h5tN �f7+) l 7 ... cxb3 l 8.ixb3 0-0-0 was much better for Black in Kozul - Ribli, Bled 2000.
16 ... 0-0-0! l 7.e5
This was Moskalenko - Goloshchapov, Alushta 1 998, and now I recommend a powerful piece sacrifice:
Black will emerge with a strong attack.
1 8.exf6
Any other move can be met by ... E!:hg8, which threatens ... ti:le4 at some point.
18 ... gxf6 19.ih4 E!:hg8+
A) 13.°1We2 id6
This will almost certainly transpose to 14.�e2 in our main line, on page 1 60 in Chapter 1 3, as now White has nothing better than to exchange on e6. We will follow a high-level game to demonstrate the dangers of failing to do so: much better for White in the following game:
17 ... b4 1 8.E!:d4 ic5 1 9.dxe6 fxe6 20.E!:xc4 tiJ b6 In Karpov - Illescas Cordoba, Linares 1995, White had to give away an exchange to survive the worst, but of course he is worse.
15 ... h6 16.J.h4 g5 17.J.g3 ixg3 18.hxg3 exd5 19.�xd5 �xd5 20.exd5 �f6 21.d6 gxd6 22,gxd6 °1Wxd6 23.gdl °1Wc5 24.b4
°1Wc7 25.a4 ge8 26.°1Wd2 'it>b8
Black now displayed fine technique to bring the point home.
30.i.xb7 c;tixb7 31.°Wf6 ge6 32.°Wf5 gd6 33.gel c3 34.gcl
We have been following Avrukh - Gelfand, Tel Aviv 1 999. Now, in his notes to the game, Gelfand proposed an improvement:
34, .. gd5N
White is in deep trouble.
B) 13.c!lld4
well-known game Kasparov - Kramnik, Dos Hermanas 1 996, which was one of Kasparov's most famous losses to his young rival - and a truly extraordinary game it was! However, the knight move was adopted again by Carlsen against Shirov at Biel 201 1 , so maybe it is about to see a resurgence in popularity? Certainly the old analysis needs a bit of refreshing.
13 ... c!llc5
This is theory's main recommendation.
1 3 ... e5?! 1 4.llif5 g6
IM Bartholomew's suggestion from ChessPublishing, 14 ... h5N, which also happens to be the engines' top choice, is far from good. White's main idea is to smash Black's pawn structure on the queenside with b2-b3 or a2-a4, so l 5.j,d2! g6 l 6.llie3 and White prepares to do just that. Black can delay this with l 6 ... j,c5 with the idea to take first on e3 after b2-b3, forcing a recapture with the f-pawn, but White has all the time in the world to prepare his break:
17.°Wf3 j,d4 1 8.E!:fc l !±
1 5.llih6 llih5 1 6.g3!
This was the official improvement suggested after the game Gelfand - Dreev, Tilburg 1 993, and tested later in the aforementioned Carlsen - Shirov game in 20 1 1 .
a b c d e f g h 1 6 ... j,c5 l 7.°Wf3 E!:f8
Dreev has suggested 1 7 ... fG instead, but
Chapter 1 2 - 1 3.ltJd4 and others 1 5 1
this doesn't seem to change a lot. White can continue as in the Carlsen game with
1 8.!d2.
1 8.!d2!±
Carlsen's assessment at chis point was chat
"Black is in bad shape". Indeed b2-b4! came next with the idea of a2-a4.
13 ... 0-0-0!?
This might actually be a strong choice for those who don't mind living a life with a bit of risk. As GM Stohl correctly points out in his book Instructive Modern Chess Masterpieces (where he analysed both the Gelfand - Dreev and Kasparov - Kramnik games played in this line), the reply 14.dxe6?!
fails to 14 ... tlle5!.
The only serious game in my database continued:
14.!g5 !c5! 1 5.a3
This was Chemin - Horvath, Austria 1 993, but it feels a bit slow (b2-b4 is not a major concern), so Black should play:
a b c d e f g h 1 5 ... h6!N
l 5 ... tlie5!? 1 6.b4 !b6N also looks promising for Black to me.
16.!h4
Exchanging on f6 is clearly worse.
16 ... g5!? l 7.!g3 1Wb6
To be followed by ... tllh5 when Black is simply better!
Along with the rare Bl) 14.'Wf3 White has three major options: B2) 14.'We2 is analysed next; B3) 14.J.g5 is also critical, but if Black knows what to do he'll have an amazing game;
and B4) 14.b4 was seen in the Kasparov -Kramnik game.
Bl) 14.'Wf3
15.1Wh3 b4 16.tlJa4
a b c d e f g h 16 ... 0-0N
Vigorito's proposal looks fine for Black.
l 6 ... exd5 17 .exd5 ixd5 is also playable, but is more complex and less safe.
17.e5
1 7.dxeG ixe4 is nothing for White either.
17 ... ixe5 18.lLlxc5 ixd4
Vigorito puts emphasis on this move, but it is possible that Black has also other strong alternatives at this point.
19.lLlxh7 '1Wxh7 20.dxe6 fxe6 21.'1Wxe6t '\Wf7 Here Vigorito's analysis stops. Black seems better to me despite White's bishop pair. The bishop on d4 is extremely strong and the far
advanced pawn majority on the queenside is a constant nuisance for White.
B2) 14.'1We2 0-0-0 15.h4
Nothing else seems critical at this point as White has to open the position. Clearly he is expecting l 5 ... cxb3 or maybe l 5 ... lLid3.
16.bxc5 ixc5
A harmonious, active and fully developed army is what Black got for his piece. Plus two strong pawns of course!
17.ie3
l 7.lLidxb5 is perhaps not critical from a theoretical standpoint, but in practice you always need to check standard sacrifices such as these. Best play seems to be: l 7 ... axb5 l 8.lLixb5 WcG 1 9.l'!b l l'!he8 All the black pieces are going to the party! It is time for White to try to chicken out with a draw if it is possible - and unfortunately it seems it is! 20.ia3 lLixe4 21 .ixc5 Wxc5 22.Wg4t l'!e6 23.Wxg7 (23.Wf5 l'!d7 24.Wxh7 d4 forces White to seek a perpetual with 25.WgSt l'!d8 26.Wxf7 l'!f6 27.Wxg7 l'!d7 28.Wgst l'!fs 29.lLia7t iids 30.lLicGt Wc8) 23 ... d4 24.Wxf7 l'!e7 25.lLia7t Wc7 26.Wf4t We5 This was eventually drawn in Gor Petrosyan - Neapus, Internet 20 1 1 , though the two passers look scary for White.
l 7 ... '1We5 18.lLldxb5
Again we see chis counter-sacrifice.
The seemingly strong l 8.f4 allows l 8 ... Wxd4!
1 9.ixd4 ixd4t 20.Whl ixc3. Black has amazing compensation for the queen as now the al-rook is threatened, as is the strong advance ... d4.
Chapter 1 2 - 13.tt::ld4 and others 153
been tested in an email game, so let's follow it until the end. The position is coo tense right now co leave anyway!
22.if5t ci>b8 23.a4
White must desperately open some lines cowards the black king before he is squeezed by the mighty passed pawns.
23 ... d3 24.Wf a2 b4
24 ... Wf a5 is also equal bur much less fun.
25.�acl b3 26.Wff2 Wfa5 27.�xc4 d2 28.�dl g6 29.ib6 Wfa6
29 ... \Wd5 is the other option. 30.�d4 gxf5 3 1 . \W xd2! This spoils Black's fun, bur che position might still be drawn (3 1 .�xd5 �xd5 gives Black good compensation for the queen).
3 1 ...\Wxg2t 32.\Wxg2 �xd4 33.�xd4 �xg2
A draw was agreed at chis point in Teverovski - Yarkov, email 201 3. Ir seems char Black cannot avoid the perpetual.
34 ... Wfc2 35.Wfe5t Wc8 36.Wf2 Wfc6 natural, active moves. Next he will follow up with �cl and then probably b2-b4 with a strong positional initiative. So what is wrong with such a strategy? The answer is it is too slow! In a normal opening with less infighting you could get away with just making sound moves. In the Semi-Slav you need co be more concrete and, most of all, you need co threaten something. The drawback of the move �g5 is that is doesn't threaten co take on f6, since that would just give Black the bishop pair for free. Another consequence is that White is neglecting his d5-pawn - ic is not char well defended and with ... b4 and/or ... 0-0-0 Black can increase the pressure.
7 6
8This older move can be met strongly:
1 5.b4
White is ready co open lines against che black king with a2-a4.
1 5 ... cxb3
There is nothing better.
Scoh! has suggested l 5 ... lt:lcd7 and even claimed that White has issues co solve, but I cannot understand what Black is supposed to do after l 6.a4!±.
1 6.axb3 b4 l 7.lt:la4
This was seen in Hoi - Schandorff, Denmark 1 996. I won the game pretty convincingly and if I remember correctly I felt at the time chat I had really outplayed my opponent.
Boy, it is so easy to deceive yourselfl In fact White is clearly better, but he failed to find
the best continuation over the board.
l 7 ... exd5?
This produces an almost lost position already.
l 7 ... lt:lxa4N was the only move, but is still looks grim for Black.
1 8.e5!N
This nice pawn sacrifice was missed by my opponent. Now Black is on the ropes.
1 8 ... �xe5 1
9.�h4!+-A neat point: White is threatening the deadly
�f5t followed by �g3.
15.f4
It is not easy to suggest an alternative at this point.
l 5.g3 b4 1 6.�xf6 (16.lt:la4 is met by 1 6 ... lt:lcxe4) 1 6 ... gxfG 1 7.lt:lce2 (17.lt:la4 0-0-0!) 17 ... 0-0-0 and Black is better.
l 5.h3 b4 is even worse than the last variation.
1 5.@hl might be best, but still l 5 ... b4! is strong.
15 ... h6 16 . .ixf6 1 6.�h4? �xf4+
16 ... gxf6
a b c d e f g h 17.b4
Probably not best but, as I said, I cannot really recommend a decent alternative. Black simply has a comfortable position with his strong dark-squared bishop.
1 7.�f3 0-0-0 1 8.b3 is met by 1 8 ... cxb3 1 9.axb3 (19.�xb3 'kt>b8 and 1 9.lt:lxb3 lt:la4 are excellent for Black as well)
a b c d e f g h 1 9 ... �b6! and again White is clearly worse.
Chapter 1 2 - 1 3.ll:Jd4 and others 1 55
17 ... Wfb6! 18.tllce2
1 8.bxc5 i.xc5 l 9.ll:Jce2 e5 wins the piece back with interest.
18 ... tlid7!+
19.dxe6 fxe6 20.@hl 20.a4 e5 2 1 .a5 '1Wa7+
20 ... ixb4
Black has scored a pawn. Let's see the remainder of the game just for fun.
21.a4 e5 22.tllf5 0-0-0 23.axbS aS 24.Wfcl
@bs 25.tlle3 tlic5
7 8 6 5 4 3 2
a b c d e f g h
26.tllxc4 WfxbS 27.tllxaS Wfxe2 28.�gl �d2 29.ibl tllxe4 30.ixe4 !xe4
0-1 Bosiocic - Ragger, Moscow 201 2.
B4) 14.b4
14 ... cxb3
The sequence 14 ... ll:Jd3 1 5.i.xd3 i.xb4 is a bit too smart for its own good and can be met by: 1 6.tlicxb5 axb5 17.i.c2± There is no need to re-invent the wheel here - let's stick to the well-trodden path.
15.axb3 b4 16.tlia4 tlicxe4!
Taking an important central pawn and at the same time leaving White's a4-knight out of play. Be aware though, Black is behind in development so he is playing with fire.
At this point White can choose either B41) 17.dxe6 or B42) 17.ixe4.
B41) 17.dxe6
Now in Yakovich - Sorokin, Calcutta 1 99 1 , Black played 1 7 .. . Eld8 which is given a "!" in all sources I have consulted, but nowhere is it mentioned that 1 8.i.xe4!N seems to give
White an advantage! So, in my opinion, Black has to play:
7 8 6 5 4 3 2
a b c d e f g h 17 ... id6! 18.exf7t
This is the only move played in my database.
18.g3 0-0 is nothing to worry about.
1 8.i;t>hl should be met by 1 8 ... gd8!, and not 18 ... 0-0 19.f3 which favours White somewhat.
l 8.i.xe4 tllxe4, with the point l 9.exf7t Wxf7, also seems preferable for Black.
18 ... �xf7 19.g3
This was Beckhuis - Lekic, Vienna 20 1 1 , and now Black should have played:
a b c d e f g h
19 ... gheS!N
Black has the more comfortable position, and will castle artificially by playing ... <;;t>g8 next.
B42) l 7.ixe4
A novelty prepared by Kasparov and unleashed in the aforementioned game against Kramnik.
17 ... t2Jxe4 18.dxe6 id6!
Kramnik reacts in inspired fashion.
a b c d e f g h 19.exf7t
Other moves are less critical:
19.i.e3 can be met simply by 1 9 ... 0-0 20.WhS gae8.
1 9.i.b2N
This is another story as now castling might be dangerous due to e6-e7 and tllf5 tricks.
l 9 ... i.xh2t!
1 9 ... 0-0!? is playable: 20.Whs gae8 21 .gacl Wb8 22.e7 gxe7 23.tllf5 ge6 24.i.xg7 gfe8 With the threat of gg6. According to the computers both colours claim an equal position!
20.<;;t>h1 0-0
Now White can try lots of things, but
Chapter 1 2 - 1 3.tlid4 and others 1 57
objectively he is che one that has to worry about how to equalize.
2 1 .Wg4
2 1 .Wh5? is bad due to 2 1 ...if4+.
2 1 .e7 mes 22.lllf5 was given by Stohl, but he missed Black's best reply: 22 ... if4!+
2 1 ...Wf4! 22.Wh3 lllxf2t 23.l3xf2 Wxf2 24.@xh2
Now an amazing computer move gives Black the slightly better chances:
24 ... h5!!
An example of what I would call aggressive prophylaxis! The idea is that Black is simply stopping White from both attacking and defending with Wg4. The luft for the king is useful as well.
24 ... l3ac8 is more human and is also fine.
25.Wg3
25.Wxh5?? Wxg2#
25 ... Wxg3t 26.@xg3 fxe6 27.lllxe6 ms Due to his excellent pieces, Black has
Kramnik goes into attacking mode!
21.g3 did allow Kasparov an opportunity to seize the upper hand.
2 1 ...0-0? 22.fxe4 Wh3
This was the game continuation and now Kasparov should have played:
23.We2!
Instead the World Champion went down against his future nemesis in dazzling fashion:
23.lllf3 ixg3 24.lllc5 l3xf3 25.l3xf3 Wxh2t 26.<;t>fl ic6 27.ig5 ib5t 28.llld3 l3e8 29.l3a2 Whl t 30.<;t>e2 l3xe4t 3 1 .<;t>d2 Wg2t 32.'tticl Wxa2 33.l3xg3 Wal t 34.@c2 Wc3t 35.@b 1 l3d4 0-1 Kasparov - Kramnik, Dos Saarbruecken 2009, and here again 22 ... llle4!N would have been best. Next comes ... 0-0 and ... l3ae8.
22 ••• 0-0 23.:Sa2!
A key defensive move. The forgotten rook helps the white king by covering the important second rank.
a b c d e f g h 23 ... .ixg3
23 ... l:'i:adS!?N 24.l:'i:h2 Wg6 is also possible.
A sample continuation is 25.Wc2 .ie5 26.tlle6 Wxg3t 27.l:'i:g2 l:'i:xf3 28.l:'i:xf3 Wxf3 29.tllxd8 .id4t 30.\tih2 .ie5t with a perpetual.
24J:!:g2 .ie5 25.l!Jc5 l:fadS 26 . .ie3 .icS This was Noeth - Reichgeld, email 2010, which ended in a draw at this point. All these moves are well known as they are part of
certainly Black is not overly afraid of losing, with White having only one pawn left. A possible line now is:
30 ... :Sg4t 31.<i>fl :Sf8t
If the white king abandons his territory then Black intends to start pushing his pawns.
32.<i>e3 :SeSt 33.<i>d3 h5 34.<±>c4 h4 35.<i>xb4 g5 36.<i>c3 h3 37.:Sfl :Sh4
The ruthless machine evaluates this as a draw, but in human play those little pawns
look pretty dangerous!
Conclusion
In the Classical Meran after 9.0-0 a6 1 0.e4 c5 1 l .d5 c4 1 2 . .ic2 Wc7 White usually takes on e6. If he refrains from this exchange Black gets promising play after, for instance, l 3.tllg5?!
h6! or 13 . .ig5?! .id6!.
After 1 3.tlld4 tllc5 White has several choices.
1 4.Wf3 is nothing to worry about: after 1 4 ... .id6 1 5.Wh3 b4 1 6.l!Ja4 0-0 Black is fine.
After 14.We2 0-0-0 1 5.b4 Black has the astonishing piece sacrifice l 5 ... exd5! 1 6.bxc5 .ixc5, with two pawns and great activity as compensation. Theoretically White can still claim equality after the arising complications, but over the board his task is not to be envied.
14 . .ig5 is well met by 1 4 ... .id6. Since White 16.tlla4 tllce4, when White has dangerous play for the pawn. The story continues in hardcore fashion with l 7 . .ixe4 tllxe4 l 8.dxe6 .id6!
and Black fights for the initiative. In general I think Black's activity makes this whole line pretty risky for White - and remember that even a well-prepared Kasparov went down against Kramnik in their classic encounter.
Meran
a b c d e f g h