The JR Chess Report (July 10): Magnus Number One Once Again

[Jack Rabbit]

Sorry about the delay. We've been busy.

The JR Chess Report and Gloat-Free Scores theme music: Merrick, The Look Sharp, Be Sharp March (From a broadcast of The Gillette Cavalcade of Spots).

Magnus reclaims ratings top spot



Magnus Carlsen
Photo by Stefan64 from Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Twenty-year-old Norwegian GM Magnus Carlsen overtook reigning world champion Vishy Anand in the official FIDE rating list released July 1.

Magnus lifted his Elo score to 2821, six points above the previous period, on the strength of his winning the Kings' Tournament in Medias, Romania, just in time to make time to make the official ratings. Anand played no games under classical time control during the two-month rating period and remains at 2817, just four points behind Magnus.

Armenian grandmaster Levon Aronian lost three points but remains the world's number three at 2805. Russian Sergey Karjakin, who turned 21 in January and tied Magnus for first plasce in Medias, jumped 12 points to 2788 and surpasses former world champion Vladimir Kramnik as the world's number four.

The leading American on the list is Hikaru Nakamura, who is now the world's sixth-ranked player at 2770.


Catching up from mid-June

Alex Bikfalvi, Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

Magnus, Karjakin share first in Transylvania Magnus takes home the bragging rights with a superior tie break score.

Ruslan Ponomariov crowned Ukrainian National Champion Ruslan Ponomariov handily won the Ukraibnian national championship.

Morozovich and Zaiatz win Higher League, advance to Russian National Championship Veteran Russian grandmaster Alexander Morozevich, who has spent much time away from chess during the past year, won the general group of the Russian Higher League, a qualifiying event for next month's Russian National Championsip "superfinal". Three spots were at stake for the superfinal, the other two were won by Artyom Timofeev and Alexander Galkin. Elena Zaiatz won the women's group, where five spots in the women's championship were up for grabs. Baira Kovanova, Valentina Gunina, Daria Charochkina and Tatiana Shadrina took the other spots.

Anish Giri and Peng Zhaoqin win Dutch Championships Seventeen-year-old GM Anish Giri, whose mother is Russian and whose father is Nepalese and whose family makes its home in Holland, won his second Dutch national championship in three years with 7½ points in nine rounds in an event completed July 5. Ivan Sokolov, another Dutchman from abroad, finish a distant second with 5½ points. In the women's group, Peng Zhaoqin, originally from China, won her 12th consecutive Dutch women's championship and 13th overall with 9 points in 10 rounds. Anne Haast, who turned 18 during the event, finash second with 6 points.

Italian Champ Caruana wins New Delhi TournamentFabiano Carauana, the American teenager who is the three-time Italian national champion, won the AAI Tournament in New Delhi with 7 points in ten rounds. Indian GM Krishnan Sasikiran finished second with 6 points. The double round robin event was sponsored by the Airports Authority of India. Fabulous Fabiano, as he is known to his fans, turns 18 at the end of July.


THIS WEEK

Chinese League, Rounds 7-9, Shenzhen The leaders from Beijing took a blow by losing to Qingdao in today's eighth round.

5th Leiden Open, July 7-17 After three rounds, David Howell (Britain), Oleg Spirin (Russia), Chakkravarthy Deepan (India) and Erik van den Doel (Holland) top the tables with perfect scores. Games begin 1 pm local time weekends/7 pm local time weekdays (6 am/noon PDT). Official website.

Science Park Open, Amsterdam, July 9-17 Not much information yet. American GM Josh Freidel is among the leaders after two rounds. Games begin at 1 pm in Amsterdam (6 am PDT). Official website.

COMING ATTRACTIONS

Biel Chess Festival 18-29 July.
Sparkassen Chess Meeting, Dortmund 21-31 July.

[Jack Rabbit]

1. This Week's Games

Your humble hare acknowledges the assistance of Rybka 4 and Fritz 6.0 on analysis.

Diagrams on the Jack Rabbit Chess Report are made with Aquarium, a commercially available interface for Rybka.

Diagrams and other images are hosted on imgur.com.

BLACK



WHITE
White to move
(This position is a theoretical draw)


I would like to thank my impressive and loyal staff: Buccaneer, Spitfire, Desperado, Swashbuckler, Pancho and Robin Hood.

[Jack Rabbit]

2. Kings' Tournament, Medias, Romania

Hunyad Castle, Transylvania, where Vled Tepes Dracula was held prisoner in the 15th century
Alex Bikfalvi, Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

4. Carlsen - Nisipeanu, Round 5

Magnus Carlsen
Photo by Stefan64 from Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Magnus Carlsen - Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
5th King's Tournament, Round 5
Medias, 15 June 2011

Open Queen's Gambit: Main Line/Furman Opening

1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4



Open Queen's Gambit (Queen's Gambit Accepted)

• The first thing beginners are told about the Queen's Gambit is that it is not a gambit since Black cannot hold the pawn. Therefore, we do not call this opening the Queen's Gambit Accepted, but rather the Open Queen's Gambit.
• By whatever name it is called, my staff and I agree that this opening is better than it reputation.

3.e3

• The Main Line nowadays is 3.Nf3, attributed to Blackburne and which usually transposes into the text.
• Up to about 150 years ago, the Main Line was the Saduleto Opening, 3.e4 which is usually met with the McDonnell Defense, 3...e5 See Aronian-Stevic, Euro Club Cup, Plovdiv, 2010. The Saduleto Opening, which dates from the seventeenth century, still has some adherants because today's Main Line gives White problems developing his queenside, especially the Queen's Bishop.

3...Nf6 4.Bxc4 e6 5.Nf3 c5 6.0-0 a6



7.dxc5

• The text is the Furman Variation.
• (Alekhine Variation) If 7.Qe2 then:
• If 7...b5 8.Bb3 Bb7 then:
• If 9.Rd1 Nbd7 10.Nc3 Qb8 then:
• If 11.d5 exd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Bxd5 14.Rxd5 then:
• If 14...Be7 15.e4 Qb7 16.Bg5 then:
• If 16...Nb6 17.Rad1 then:
• If 17...f6 18.Bf4 0-0 19.R5d2 Rfe8 20.e5 then:
• If 20...fxe5 21.Qxe5 Bf8 22.Qg5 then:
• 22...Qe7 23.Qxe7 Rxe7 24.b3 a5 25.Rd8 Rxd8 26.Rxd8 Rd7 27.Rxd7 Nxd7 gives Black the advance remote pawn majority, which is good for a slight advantage (Ivanchuk-Seirawan, IT, Tilburg, 1990).
• 22...Re6 23.Rd8 Re8 24.Rxa8 Qxa8 25.h4 Qc6 26.h5 c4 is equal (Kharitonov-Chekhov, IT, Moscow, 1989).
• 20...c4 21.e6 Bb4 22.Rd4 Bc5 23.Re4 Nd5 is equal (Leitão-Ponomariov, Young Masters, Lausanne, 1999).
• If 17...h6 18.Bxe7 Nxd5 19.Bxc5 then:
• If 19...Ne7? 20.Ne5! then:
• If 20...Rc8 21.Rd7 Rc7 22.Rd8+ Kxd8 23.Nxf7+ then:
• 23...Kd7 24.Qg4+ Kc6 25.Qe6+ Black faces mate in two and resigns (Boleslavsky-Dzindzichashvili, Soviet Universities Ch, Minsk, 1966).
• If 23...Kc8 then White wins after 24.Nd6+ Kb8 25.Nxb7 Kxb7 26.b4.
• 20...Qc8 21.Bxe7 Kxe7 22.Rd7+ Ke8 23.g3 Qc1+ 24.Kg2.
• 19...Nf4 20.Qe3 Ne6 21.Bd6 Rd8 22.h3 f6 23.e5 Kf7 24.exf6 gxf6 is equal (Pietracola-Peddie, Cyberspace, 1999).
• If 16...f6 17.Bf4 0-0 then:
• If 18.Nh4 Nb6 19.Rd3 Rfe8 20.Nf5 Bf8 21.Re1 then:
• 21...Rad8! 22.Nd6 Bxd6 23.Rxd6 Rxd6 24.Bxd6 Qc6 is equal (Chuchelov-Schlosser, French ChT, Mulhouse, 2001).
• 21...Re6 22.f3 Rae8 23.Red1 Qc8 24.Qf2 c4 25.R3d2 gives White more space; Black's queenside majority is on the march (Kelly-San Segundo, Euro ChT, Göteborg, 2005).
• 18.Rad1 Nb6 19.R5d2 transposes into the main line of this variation.
• 14...Nb6 15.Rh5 Be7 16.e4 0-0 17.e5 Qb7 18.e6 is equal (U. Andersson-Cifuentes, Ol, Solonika, 1984).
• If 11.e4 cxd4 12.Nxd4 Bd6 then:
• 13.g3 0-0 14.f3 Kh8 15.a3 b4 16.axb4 Bxb4 is equal (Savon-Kots, Soviet Ch, Baku, 1961).
• If 13.h3 0-0 14.a3 Rd8 15.Bg5 then:
• 15...h6?! 16.Nxe6!! fxe6 17.Bxe6+ Kh8 18.Bxf6 Nxf6 19.e5! White wins a piece and goes a pawn to the good (Bannik-Suetin, Spartak Ch, Minsk, 1962).
• 15...Bh2+ 16.Kh1 Bf4 17.Bxf4 Qxf4 gives Black a small advantage.
• If 9.Nc3 Nc6 10.Rd1 then:
• If 10...Qc7 11.d5 exd5 12.e4 then:
• If 12...d4 13.e5 0-0-0 14.exf6 dxc3 then:
• If 15.Rxd8+ Nxd8 16.bxc3 gxf6 17.a4 then:
• 17...Bc6 18.axb5 axb5 19.Bc2 Bd6 20.Bf5+ gives White a vicious attack on the Black and enough extra space to compensate for the pawn minus (Szapiel-Markarczyk, Polish Ch, Katowice, 1952).
• If 17...Rg8 18.Kf1 c4 19.Bc2 Qd7 20.h3 then:
• 20...Bc5 21.Be3 Bxe3 22.Qxe3 Nc6 23.Rd1 Qc7 24.Bf5+ gives White a strong advantage, especially in the center and the kingside, where Black has a load of pawn weaknesses (Szilagyi-Makarczyk, Sopot, 1951).
• 20...f5 21.axb5 axb5 22.Qe5 Bd6 23.Qf6 Be7 24.Qxf5 gives White a strong game.
• 15.a4 Rxd1+ 16.Bxd1 gxf6 17.axb5 axb5 18.Qxb5 Bd6 19.bxc3 leaves Black attacking Black's King position while enjoying better pawn structure on the opposite wing (Barden-Clough, British Ch, York, 1959).
• 12...dxe4?! 13.Nxe4! Nxe4 14.Qxe4+ Be7 15.Bf4 Qc8 16.Bd5 gives White a strong center and more space (Najdorf-Christoffel, IT, Groningen, 1946).
• 10...Qb6 11.d5 exd5 12.Nxd5 Nxd5 13.Bxd5 Be7 14.b3 is equal (Grünfeld-Böök, Ol, Warsaw, 1935).
• If 7...Nc6 then:
• If 8.a4 then:
• If 8...cxd4 9.Rd1 Be7 then:
• If 10.exd4 0-0 11.Nc3 then:
• If 11...Nd5 12.Qe4 Nf6 13.Qh4 Nd5 14.Qg4 Nf6 15.Qg3 Nh5 then:
• 16.Qh3 Nf6 17.Bg5 Nb4 18.Qg3 Re8 19.Ne5 gives White a clear advantage in space (Polugaevsky-Hort, ITZ, Manila, 1976).
• 16.Qg4 Nf6 17.Qf4 Nd5 18.Qe4 Nf6 19.Qe2 Nd5 20.Bd2 is equal (Gavrikov-Yakovich, Soviet Ch, Kiev, 1986).
• If 11...Nb4 then:
• 12.Bg5 Bd7 13.Ne5 Rc8 14.Re1 Be8 15.Rad1 Nfd5 16.Nxd5 Nxd5 17.Bxd5 Bxg5 18.Bxb7 Bxa4 19.Bxc8 Bxd1 20.Qxa6 Qxc8 21.Qxc8 Rxc8 22.Rxd1 Rb8 23.Rb1 leaves White with an extra pawn (Bareev-Ivanchuk, IT, Linares, 1994).
• 12.Ne5 Nfd5 13.Bb3 Bd7 14.Qg4 Nf6 15.Qg3 Kh8 16.d5 exd5 17.Nxd5 Nfxd5 18.Bxd5 Bf5 19.Bb3 gives White a strong advantage in space (Yang Shen-Ding Yixin, Chinese ChW, Xinghua, 2009).
• If 10.Nc3 e5 11.exd4 exd4 12.Nxd4 Nxd4 13.Qe5 Qd6 14.Qxd4 Qxd4 15.Rxd4 then:
• 15...Bc5 16.Rd1 0-0 17.Bg5 then:
• 17...Be6 18.Bxe6 fxe6 19.Bxf6 gxf6 20.Ne4 then:
• 20...Bb4 21.Rd4 a5 22.Rad1 Rac8 23.Rd7 Rf7 24.Rd8+ Rxd8 25.Rxd8+ Kg7 is equal (Ushenina-N. Kosintseva, World ChTW, Ekaterinburg, 2007).
• 20...Rac8 21.Kf1 Bb4 22.Rac1 Rxc1 23.Rxc1 f5 24.Rc4 draw (So-Wojtaszek, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 2011).
• If 17...Bg4 18.Rd3 Bf5 19.Rf3 Bg6 then:
• 20.Bxf6 gxf6 21.h4 Bd4 22.Rd1 Be5 23.g4 h5 gives Black a small advantage in space (Khenkin-Aronian, Bundesliga 0304, Germany, 2003).
• 20.Nd5 b5 draw (David-Chabanon, Op, Paris, 2006).
• 15...0-0 16.Bf4 Bf5 17.Bd6 Rfd8 18.Rad1 Rxd6 19.Rxd6 Bxd6 20.Rxd6 Rc8 (U. Andersson-Cifuentes, IT, Hanige (Sweden), 1992).
• If 8...Qc7 9.Nc3 Bd6 10.Rd1 0-0 11.h3 b6 then:
• If 12.d5 exd5 then:
• If 13.Bxd5 Bb7 14.e4 Rae8 then:
• If 15.Be3 Bf4 16.a5 Bxe3 17.axb6 Qxb6 18.Qxe3 Nb4 is equal (Cooper-Rahman, Ol, Manila, 1992).
• 15.Bg5 Nd4 16.Nxd4 Nxd5 17.Nxd5 Bxd5 18.Nf5 Rxe4 19.Qh5 f6 gives Black an extra pawn and a healthy advantage in space (Movorvic-Lautier, IT, Las Palmas, 1994).
• If 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.Bxd5 Bb7 15.e4 Rae8 16.Be3 Bf4 then:
• 17.Bxf4 Qxf4 18.Qd2 Qc7 19.Rac1 Na5 20.Qc3 is equal (Grigorov-Chatalbashev, Bulgarian Ch, Oleven, 2005).
• 17.Rac1 Bxe3 18.Qxe3 Re7 19.Nh4 Bc8 20.f4 Nb4 is equal (Kononenko-Kulaots, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2006).
• If 12.dxc5 Bxc5 13.e4 Nd7 14.e5 Ndxe5 15.Bf4 Nxf3+ 16.Qxf3 then:
• 16...e5 17.Nd5 Qd8 18.Nb4 Qf6 19.Nxc6 exf4 gives Black an extra ().
• 16...Qb7 17.Ne4 Nd4 18.Qd3 Rd8 19.b4 is equal (Jussupow-Svetushkin, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• 8.dxc5 Bxc5 transposes into the text.
• (Russian Gambit) If 7.e4 b5 8.Bd3 Bb7 then:
• If 9.Bg5 cxd4 10.a4 then:
• If 10...Be7 11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.e5 Be7 13.axb5 0-0 14.Nbd2 axb5 15.Rxa8 Bxa8 is equal (Kozul-Stevic, Op, Nova Gorica, 2007).
• 10...b4 11.Nbd2 Be7 12.Re1 Nbd7 13.e5 Nd5 14.Bxe7 Qxe7 15.Ne4 0-0 is equal (Sasikiran-D. Presad, Indian Ch, Nigpur, 1999).
• 9.e5 Nd5 10.Nbd2 cxd4 11.Ne4 Nc6 12.Bg5 Qb6 13.Rc1 h6 14.Bh4 Be7 is equal (Heuer-Pohla, Estonian Ch, Tallinn, 1970).

7...Bxc5 8.Qxd8+

• The more usual line of the Furman is 8.Qe2, which can also be reached by 7.Qe2 Nc6 (or another move) 8.dxc5 Bxc5.
• If 8.Qe2 then:
• If 8...Nc6 9.e4 then:
• If 9...b5 10.Bb3 Nd4 11.Nxd4 Qxd4 12.Be3 then:
• If 12...Qe5 13.Bxc5 Qxc5 14.Nc3 Bb7 then:
• If 15.Rad1 Rc8 then:
• 16.Kh1 0-0 17.e5 Qc6 18.f3 Nd7 19.Rd6 Qc7 20.a3 gives White a clear advantage (Tkachiev-Domínguez, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2009).
• 16.e5 Qc6 17.f4 Ne4 18.Nxe4 Qxe4 19.Qxe4 Bxe4 20.Rd4 gives White a better center and a slight advantage in space (Bregadze-Brandenburg, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2007).
• If 15.Rac1 Rc8 16.Qd2 Qb4 then:
• 17.Rfd1 0-0 18.f3 Rc7 19.Ne2 Qxd2 20.Rxd2 Rxc1+ 21.Nxc1 Rc8 is equal (Radjabov-Kasparov, IT, Linares, 2003).
• 17.e5 Ng4 18.Qg5 0-0 19.h3 Nh6 20.Ne2 Nf5 21.Rxc8 Rxc8 22.Rd1 h6 23.Qg4 Qe4 24.Qxe4 draw (Svidler-Domínguez, IT, Foros, 2007).
• 12...Qxe4 13.Nd2 Qf5 14.g4 Qe5 15.Nf3 Qe4 16.Ng5 Qc6 gives Black an extra pawn (Timman-Lautier, IT, Ubeda, 1997).
• If 9...Qc7 10.e5 then:
• If 10...Ng4 11.Bf4 f6 12.Nbd2 Ngxe5 13.Nxe5 fxe5 14.Bg3 0-0 15.Rac1 Qe7 then:
• 16.Qe4 Bd4 17.b3 Bd7 18.Nf3 Qf6 19.Bd3 is equal (Kempinski-Meins, Op, Groningen, 1997).
• 16.Bd3 Bd7 17.Nf3 Bd4 18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.Bxe5 Bxe5 20.Qxe5 gives White more freedom, fewer pawn weaknesses, a better center and command of the c-file; Black has command of the f-file (Nogueiras-Seirawan, Candidates' Trmt, Montpelier, 1995).
• If 10...Nd7 11.Bf4 then:
• 11...b5 12.Bb3 Be7 13.Nbd2 Nc5 14.Rac1 gives White a better center and more space; BLack needs to complete his development (Gaprindashvili-Dlugy, IT, Brussels, 1988).
• 11...Nd4 12.Nxd4 Bxd4 13.Rc1 0-0 14.Bd3 Qb6 15.Nd2 gives White a better center and more space; Black still needs to complete his development (Topalov-Santo Roman, Op, Las Palmas, 1991).
• If 8...b5 9.Bd3 Nc6 then:
• If 10.a3 Bb7 11.b4 Bd6 12.Bb2 then:
• If 12...0-0 13.Nbd2 then:
• 13...Qe7 14.Rac1 Rac8 15.Rfd1 Nb8 16.Nb3 Nbd7 draw (Minev-Zinn, IT, Maribor, 1967).
• 13...e5 14.Rfd1 Qe7 15.Ng5 Rad8 16.Nde4 Nxe4 17.Nxe4 f5 18.Nxd6 Rxd6 gives Black the edge in space and White the Bishop pair (Kruppa-Feoktistov, Chigorin Mem Op, St. Petersburg, 2002).
• 12...Qb8 13.Nbd2 Ng4 14.h3 Nge5 15.Ne4 Nxf3+ 16.Qxf3 gives White a safer King; both side control important open lines (Portisch-García Palermo, IT, Mar del Plata, 1982).
• If 10.Nbd2 Bb7 11.e4 then:
• If 11...Nd7 12.Nb3 Bd6 13.Rd1 Qb8 14.Be3 0-0 15.Rac1 then:
• 15...Nce5 16.Nxe5 Nxe5 17.Bc5 gives White a small advantage in space (Ruban-Ehlvest, Op, Novosibirsk, 1993).
• 15...Rd8 16.Bb1 Nde5 17.Nxe5 Nxe5 18.Bb6 gives White more space and the initiative (Wojtkiewicz-Yakovich, Op, Yerevan, 1996).
• 11...Ng4 12.h3 Nf6 13.e5 Nd5 14.Ne4 Be7 15.a3 h6 16.Bd2 gives White more a bit more space and a slightly better center; Black should complete development (Porat-Anisimov, Euro Youth, Halkidiki, 2001).

8...Kxd8 9.Be2 Ke7 10.Nbd2

• If 10.Ne5 Nbd7 then:
• If 11.Nd3 Bd6 12.Nd2 then:
• If 12...Nc5 13.Nc4 Nxd3 14.Bxd3 Bc5 15.Be2 then:
• 15...Rd8 16.b3 Bd7 17.Bf3 Nd5 18.Bb2 gives White a slight initiative (van Wely-Shirov, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2003).
• 15...Bd7 16.Bf3 Bb5 17.b3 Bxc4 18.bxc4 is equal (van Wely-Shirov, Amber Bland, Monte Carlo, 2003).
• 12...b5 13.Nb3 Nb6 14.Na5 Bd7 15.Nb7 Rhc8 16.Nxd6 Kxd6 leaves Black's King exposed, giving White a slight edge (Ibrahimov-Zatonskih, US Ch, St. Louis, 2009).
• 11.Nc4 Rd8 12.Nbd2 Kf8 13.Nb3 Be7 14.Bd2 b6 15.Bf3 Ra7 gives White more space, but Black's Rooks are more active (Scholtz-Huschenbeth, Bundesliga 0910, Katernberg, 2010).

10...Bd7 11.Nb3

• If 11.b3 Bb5 12.Nc4 then:
• If 12...Nc6 13.Bb2 Rac8 then:
• 14.Rac1 Rhd8 15.a4 Bxc4 16.Rxc4 Bd6 17.Rfc1 gives White a small advantage with Rooks doubled on the open c-file (Polugaevsky-Anand, Monte Carlo, 1993).
• If 14.Rfc1 Rhd8 then:
• 15.Kf1 Kf8 16.a4 Bxc4 17.Rxc4 Be7 18.Rac1 gives White a small advantage (Domínguez-Kenkhin, Capablanca Mem, Havana, 2008).
• 15.Ne1 Ke8 16.Nd3 Bf8 17.Kf1!? Ne4! gives Black a slight edge in space (Bobula-Huschenbeth, World Jr Ch, Chotowa, 2010).
• 12...Nbd7 13.Bb2 Rhc8 14.Rfc1 Nb6 15.Nfe5 Nxc4 16.Nxc4 gives White a slight edge in space (Gritsak-Yakovich, IT, Stockholm, 2002).

11...Bd6 (N)

• If 11...Bb6 12.Ne5 Bb5 then:
• 13.Bxb5 axb5 14.Bd2 Na6 15.Rfc1 Ne4 16.Be1 Rac8 is equal (R. Pert-Logothetis, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• If 13.Nc4!? then:
• 13...Bxc4! 14.Bxc4 Nc6 15.Be2 Rhd8 gives Black a slight advantage with command of the d-file (Kharlov-Anisimov, Op, St. Petersburg, 2003).
• 13...Bc7 14.Nd4 Bxc4 15.Bxc4 Rc8 16.b3 Bd6 17.Bb2 is equal.
• 13...Ba7 14.Bd2 Nc6 15.Bc3 Rac8 16.Rfd1 is equal.

12.Na5

• The game is equal.
• 12.Nfd2! Rd8 13.Nc4 Bc7 14.Bd2 Bb5 15.Rfc1 Nc6 is equal.

12...Ra7

• If 12...b6 13.Nc4 then:
• 13...Bb5 14.Nfd2 Nc6 15.a4 Bxc4 16.Nxc4 Bc5 17.b3 is also equal.
• If 13...Bb4?! 14.a3! Bc5 15.b4 then:
• 15...b5 16.bxc5 bxc4 17.Bb2 Rc8 18.Bd4 Ba4 19.Bxc4 gives White an extra pawn and more space.
• If 15...Bd6?! when after 16.Nxb6 Ra7 17.Nd4 Rb7 18.Nxd7 Nfxd7 19.Bb2 White has an extra pawn and more space.

13.Nc4 Bb5

• 13...Bc5 14.a3 b5 15.Nce5 Rc8 16.b4 Bd6 17.Bb2 remains equal.

14.b3 Rd8 15.Bb2 Bxc4 16.Bxc4

• 16.bxc4 Nbd7 17.Nd4 Nc5 18.Rab1 Nfe4 remains equal.

16...Nc6

• 16...b5 17.Be2 Rad7 18.Rac1 then:
• 18...b4 19.Rc4 Rc7 20.Rd1 Rxc4 21.bxc4 Nbd7 remains equal.
• 18...g6 19.a4 bxa4 20.bxa4 Nd5 21.e4 Rb7 22.Rc2 gives White a small advantage with space in the center.

17.Rfd1 Raa8 18.h3 g6

• 18...Rac8 19.Rac1 h6 20.Bd3 g6 remains equal.

19.g4 h6 20.Bf1 Rac8

• 20...Ne4 21.Bg2 f5 22.Rac1 Rac8 23.a3 Rd7 gives White a slight advantage in space.

21.Rac1 Nd5

• 21...Ne4 22.Bg2 f5 23.a3 b5 24.b4 gives White a fair advantage in space.

22.h4

• 22.e4! Nf4 23.e5 Bb8 24.Kh2 g5 25.Rxd8 Rxd8 remains equal.

22...Ke8

• Black takes a defender away from the hole at f6.
• 22...Ncb4 23.a4 Na2 24.Rc4 then:
• If 24...Rxc4 25.Bxc4 Ndc3 26.Ra1 Rc8 27.g5 then:
• 27...h5 28.a5 Bb4 29.Kf1 Ke8 remains equal.
• 27...hxg5!? 28.hxg5 Rc5 29.e4! b5 30.Bf1 e5 31.axb5 gives White a slim advantage in that he will be able to use the a-file to penetrate with his Rook.
• 24...Ndc3 25.Rd2 Rxc4 26.Bxc4 Ne4 27.Rd4 f5 28.g5 remains equal.

BLACK: Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu



WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 22...Ke7e8

23.g5?!

• Although this appears to be the logical reply, White should not entertain this move before he takes care of his iwn weakness at b4.
• 23.a3! then:
• If 23...f6 24.e4 Nde7 25.Bxf6 Bxa3 26.Ra1 Kf7 27.g5 gives White a considerable advantage in space.
• 23...f5 24.g5 hxg5 25.Nxg5 Ke7 26.Bg2 Nf6 27.b4 gives White the advantage in space.

23...hxg5?!

• A better course of action for Black is to lock the King's wing.
• If 23...h5 24.a3 Rc7 25.e4 Nf4 then:
• 26.b4 b5 27.e5 Bf8 28.Rxd8+ Kxd8 29.Rd1+ Rd7 is equal.
• 26.e5!? Bf8 27.Rxd8+ Kxd8 28.Rd1+ Rd7 29.Rxd7+ Kxd7 gives White a small advantage in space.
• If 23...f5!? 24.Bg2 Nf6 25.b4 then:
• 25...Ng4 26.a3 h5 27.Kf1 e5 28.e4 Ke7 29.Re1 gives White a slight advantage.
• 25...Bxb4?? drops a piece to 26.Rxd8+ Rxd8 27.Bxf6.

24.hxg5! Be7 25.Kg2!?

• Black misses a more powerful line.
• If 25.a3! then:
• If 25...Bd6 26.Bd3 b5 27.a4 then:
• 27...Ndb4 28.Be4 bxa4 29.bxa4 Ne7 30.Kg2 Rxc1 31.Rxc1 gives White a significant advantage in space and the Bishop pair.
• If 27...Ncb4 28.Rxc8 Rxc8 29.axb5 Nxd3 30.Rxd3 then:
• 30...Rc2 31.e4 Rxb2 32.exd5 axb5 33.dxe6 Bc5 34.exf7+ gives White an extra pawn.
• 30...Be7?! 31.bxa6! Ra8 32.Rd4! Rxa6 33.Rh4 Ra2 34.Rh8+ give White an extra pawn.
• If 25...Nb6 26.Rxd8+ then:
• 26...Nxd8 27.Rxc8 Nxc8 28.e4 Nc6 29.Bd3 gives White a significant advantage in space and the Bishop pair.
• 26...Bxd8 27.Bd3 Nd5 28.Rc4 Bc7 29.Rh4 Rd8 30.Rh8+ gives White command of attacking lanes and a fierce initiative
• 26...Rxd8?! 27.Bxa6 bxa6 28.Rxc6 gives White an extra pawn and the initiative.

25...Nb6

• White still has the Bishops and more space.
• If 25...Ncb4 then after 26.a4 Nc6 27.Bc4 Nb6 28.Rh1 White continues to enjoy the advantage.

26.Bd3 Nb4

• Is is alive , but his breathing is shallow.
• If 26...Rd5 27.Be4 then:
• If 27...Ra5 28.Rh1!! then:
• 28...Rxa2 29.Rh8+ Bf8 30.Bg7 Nd7 31.Ne5 Ke7 32.Bxc6 Bxg7 33.Rxc8 leaves Black with only a pawn for the exchange.
• If 28...Bxg5 29.Rh8+ Kd7 30.Bxc6+ Rxc6 31.Ne5+ then:
• 31...Rxe5 32.Rxc6 Rb5 33.Rc2 Nd5 34.Rh7 e5 35.Rxf7+ leaves White up by a clean exchange with the initiative.
• 31...Kd6 32.Rd1+ Kc7 33.Nxc6 Kxc6 34.a4 Be7 35.Bd4 leaves Black with only a pawn for the exchange.
• If 27...Rxd1?! 28.Rxd1 then:
• If 28...Nd5 29.Rh1! b5 30.a3 a5 31.Rh8+ then:
• 31...Kd7 32.Rh7 Rf8 33.Bg7 Rb8 34.Bh6 Bxa3 35.Rxf7+ gives White the initiative, the Bishop pair and a shot at an extra pawn; Black has command of the dark squares on the queenside.
• 31...Bf8?! 32.Ne5 Nxe5 33.Bxe5 Ke7 34.Bd3 b4 35.e4 gives White the Bishop pair, the initiative and more space.
• 28...Rc7 29.Rh1! Nd5 30.a3 Bd6 31.b4 b5 32.Rd1 gives White more freedom and a shot at gasining a pawn.

BLACK: Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu



WHITE: Magnus Carlsen
Position after 26...Nc6b4

27.Be4!!

• White proffers the a-pawn.

27...Nxa2

• Black may actually be better off declining the sacrifice.
• If 27...Rxd1 28.Rxd1 Nd7 29.Rh1 Nc5 then:
• 30.Rh8+! Bf8 31.Bb1 Nd7 32.Ne5 Nxe5 33.Bxe5 gives White a very strong as he thratens 34.Be6, winning a piece.
• 30.Bb1 Nc6 31.Rh8+ Kd7 32.Rh7 Ke8 33.Bf6 gives White a strong advantage.

28.Rxd8+ Kxd8?

• Black pushes his King to the open and loses quickly.
• If 28...Rxd8 29.Rh1 Nd7 30.Bxb7 then:
• 30...Nb4 31.Rh8+ Bf8 32.Ne5 Nxe5 33.Bxe5 then:
• 33...Kd7 34.Rh7 Ke8 35.Bd4 Rb8 36.Be4 gives Black a strong advantage with a better center and the Bishop pair, but Black has it good enough on the queenside to take a stand there with fair chances of success.
• If 33...Nd5? 34.Bc6+ Ke7 35.Bxd5 then:
• 35...Rxd5 then White wins after 36.Bf6+ Ke8 37.f4 Rd3 38.Bg7 Rxe3 39.Rxf8+.
• If 35...Bg7 36.Bf6+ then 36...Bxf6 37.gxf6+ Kd7 38.Bc6+ Kc7 39.Rxd8 leaves White a piece up.
• If 30...Nb8 31.Ne5 then:
• 31...Nb4 32.Rh8+ Bf8 33.Be4 Nd7 34.Ba3 a5 35.Bxb4 leaves White up by a piece.
• If 31...Bf8 32.Rh8 a5 33.Nc4 then:
• 33...Nb4 34.Bf6 N8c6 35.Bxc6+ Nxc6 36.Bxd8 Nxd8 37.Nxa5 leaves White up by an exchange plus a pawn.
• 33...Ke7 34.Be5 Kd7 35.Nb6+ Ke8 36.Bc7.

29.Rh1!

• White moves to the attack and wins quickly.

29...Nd5

• If 29...Bd6? 30.Rh8+ then:
• If 30...Ke7 then White wins after 31.Bf6+! Kd7 32.Rh7! Ke8 33.Bxb7 Rc1 34.Bxa6 puts the Black King in a mating net.
• If 30...Kd7 then 31.Rh7! Nd5 32.Rxf7+ Ne7 33.Bxb7 Rb8 34.Bxa6 wins.

30.Ne5 f5

• If 30...Kc7 31.Nxf7 Rg8 32.Rh7 then:
• If 32...Nab4 33.Nh6 Rd8 34.Bxd5 then:
• If 34...Rxd5 then White wins after 35.Rxe7+ Rd7 36.Rxe6 Nd3 37.Ba3 when he has a huge material advantage.
• If 34...Nxd5 then White wins after 35.e4 Rd7 36.exd5 exd5 37.f4 Bf8 38.Rf7 when White is a piece to the good.
• If 32...Kc8 then White wins after 33.Nh6 Re8 34.Bxg6 Rd8 35.Bf7 Kd7 36.g6! when Balck cannot stop the g-pawn without losing material.

31.Bxd5 1-0

• If 31...exd5 32.Nxg6 Bxg5 33.Rh5 then:
• 33...Rc2 34.Bd4 Black must lose material.
• 33...Be7 34.Rh8+ Kd7 35.Rh7 Re8 36.Ba3 wins the Bishop.
• Dm. Nisipeanu resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

5. Karjakin - Ivanchuk, Round 9

Sergey Karjakin
Photo by Stefan64 from Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Sergey Karjakin - Vassily Ivanchuk
5th King's Tournament, Round 9
Medias, 20.June 2011

Moorish Game: Rat Dragon Defense (Austrian Opening/Weiss Variation) (Pirc Defense)

1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6



Moorish Game: Rat Dragon Defense

• The Moorish Rat Dragon, more often called the Pirc Defense, is one of the hypermodern responses to 1.e4. Although many talk about its similarities to the King's Indian, it actually has more in common with the Sicilian Dragon except that Black doesn't hold up White for his d-pawn. See also the notes to Black's fifth move.

4.f4

• The text is the Austrian Opening.
• (Main Line) If 4.Nf3 Bg7 then:
• If 5.Be2 0-0 6.0-0 then:
• If 6...c6 then:
• If 7.h3 then:
• If 7...Nbd7 8.Bf4 Qa5 9.Nd2 Qc7 10.a4 then:
• If 10...e5 then:
• If 11.Be3 Ng4 12.Bxg4 exd4 13.Bxd4 Bxd4 14.Nc4 Bc5 is equal (Vallejo-Gashimov, IT 1011, Reggio Emilia, 2011).
• If 11.Qd2 Re8 then:
• If 12.Rfd1 Bf8 then:
• If 13.Bc4 Nc5 14.Ng5 Be6 15.Qe2 then:
• 15...a5 16.Bxc5 Bxc5 17.Bxe6 fxe6 18.Qc4 Qe7 19.Nf3 gives White more space, better pawns and command of the d-file (Efimenko-Mamedov, Euro Club Cup. Ohrid, 2009).
• 15...Bxc4 16.Qxc4 h6 17.Bxc5 hxg5 18.Bxf8 Rxf8 19.Nd5 Nxd5 20.exd5 gives White more space and a slight tactical edge (Kotronias-Hoi, IT, Reykjavik, 1988).
• 13.Bg5 a5 14.Bc4 Nh5 15.Ne2 Nhf6 16.Qe3 Bc5 17.Qb3 gives White the advantage in space and the initiative (Erneste-Korotylev, Op, Berlin, 1995).
• 12.Bc4 Nb6 13.Bb3 Be6 14.Bxe6 Rxe6 15.Rfd1 Nc4 16.Qe2 Nxe3 17.Qxe3 gives White more mobility (Taher-Nikolic, ITZ, Manila, 1990).
• If 11.Bc4 Nh5 12.a5 Nf4 13.Qd2 then:
• 13...Nf6 14.Rfd1 Ne6 15.Qd6 Qxd6 16.Rxd6 gives White a significant advantage in space (Berger-Bokros, Op, Pardubice, 2001).
• 13...b5 14.Bd3 Nf6 15.Bxf4 exf4 16.e5 Nd7 17.Qxf4 Nxe5 gives Black a slight advantage (Barua-Kazhgalayev, Asian Ch, Calcutta, 2001).
• 10...Rd8 11.Nc4 e5 12.Bh2 Nb6 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Bxe5 Qe7 is equal (Sinkevich-Matjushin, Chigorin Mem Op, St. Petersburg, 2003).
• If 7...a5 8.h3 Na6 9.Be3 Nb4 10.Nd2 then:
• 10...Re8 11.Ncb1 e5 12.c3 exd4 13.Bxd4 Na6 14.Bf3 Be6 15.Na3 Nd7 16.Ndc4 Ne5 is equal (Wang Jue-Tan Zhongyi, Chinese ChW, Xinghua, 2009).
• 10...d5 11.e5 Ne8 12.Na2 Nxa2 13.Rxa2 f6 14.f4 b6 15.c3 Ba6 16.Bxa6 Rxa6 17.h4 Qd7 is equal (Kotronias-Ftacnik, Op, Lisbon, 2001).
• 10...Ne8 11.f4 f5 12.e5 Nc7 13.Kh1 Ncd5 14.Bg1 Bh6 15.Bc4 dxe5 16.dxe5 Kh8 is equal (Oral-Strikovic, Rodríguez Peña Mem, Ourense, 2007).
• If 7...Nbd7 8.h3 Qc7 9.Be3 b6 then:
• If 10.Nd2 then:
• If 10...a6 11.f4 Bb7 12.e5 Ne8 then:
• If 13.Nce4 c5 14.c3 Bh6 15.exd6 Nxd6 16.Nxd6 exd6 then:
• If 17.Bf3 d5 18.g3 Rfe8 19.Bf2 Nf6 gives Black a slight advantage in space (Krajcovic-Oral, Slovakian Ch, Trencin, 1995).
• 13.Bf3 c5 14.Bxb7 Qxb7 15.Qf3 Rb8 then:
• If 16.Qxb7 Rxb7 then:
• 17.Nf3 cxd4 18.Bxd4 dxe5 19.Nxe5 Nxe5 20.Bxe5 Nd6 is equal (Lukov-M. Marin, Op, Naujac-sur-Mar, 2001).
• 17.Re1 Rfe8 18.Bf3 d5 19.g3 Re6 is equal.
• 16.Rfe1 cxd4 17.Bxd4 Nc7 18.Qxb7 Rxb7 19.Rad1 Ne6 is equal.
• 10...e5 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.f4 Ned7 13.Nc4 d5 14.exd5 Nxd5 15.Nxd5 cxd5 16.Qxd5 leaves White with an extra pawn (Bruzón-Valés, ZT, San José de Costa Rica, 2009).
• If 10.Qd2 Bb7 11.Bh6 a6 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 then:
• 13.Qe3 e5 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Nh4 b5 is equal (Roos-Hoffmann, French ChT, Bischwiller, 2001).
• 13.Bd3 e5 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.Qe3 b5 16.Nd2 Rfe8 is equal (Zainuddin-Ehlvest, Op, Bali, 2000).
• If 7.h3 Nbd7 then:
• If 8.Bf4 Qa5 then:
• If 9.Nd2 then:
• If 9...Qc7 10.a4 then:
• If 10...e5 then:
• If 11.Be3 Ng4 12.Bxg4 exd4 13.Bxd4 Bxd4 14.Nc4 Bc5 is equal (Vallejo-Gashimov, IT 1011, Reggio Emilia, 2011).
• If 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Be3 Rd8 then:
• 13.Bf3 Bf8 14.g3 Bc5 15.Bg5 Kg7 16.Nb3 h6 is eaual (Bologan-Iordanescu, Op, Dresden, 1996).
• 13.Bc4 Nf8 14.Qf3 Qe7 15.Ne2 b6 16.c3 Bb7 is equal (Faibisovich-Malaniuk, Op, Swidnica, 2000).
• 10...Rd8 11.Nc4 e5 12.Bh2 Nb6 13.dxe5 dxe5 14.Bxe5 Qe7 15.Qe1 is equal (Sinkevich-Matjushin, Op, St. Petersburg, 2003).
• 9...e5 10.Nc4 Qc7 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Be3 Ne8 13.a4 f5 14.exf5 gxf5 15.f4 gives White the advantage in space (Rossiter-Rogers, Op, London, 1993).
• 9.Qd2 e5 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.Bh6 Re8 12.Bxg7 Kxg7 13.a3 Qc7 14.Nh2 is equal (Kramnik-Kasparov, IT, Moscow, 1996).
• If 8.e5 Ne8 9.Bf4 dxe5 10.dxe5 Nc7 then:
• If 11.Qc1 Ne6 12.Bh6 Qa5 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Qe3 Qb6 15.Qc1 then:
• 15...Qc5 16.Ne4 Nd4 17.Nxc5 Nxe2+ 18.Kh2 Nxc1 19.Nxd7 Bxd7 20.Raxc1 is equal (Martín-Azmaiparashvili, Op, Toledo, 1991).
• 15...Qa5 16.Qe3 Qc5 17.Qxc5 Ndxc5 18.Rfd1 gives White the dvantage in space (Vukovic-Damljanovic, Yugoslav ChT, Cetinje, 1992).
• 11.Re1 Ne6 12.Bg3 b5 13.Ne4 Bb7 14.c3 a6 15.Nd4 c5 16.Nxe6 fxe6 17.Ng5 gives White the advantage in space (Morovic-M. Marin, Spanish ChT, Barcelona, 2000).
• If 6...Bg4 7.Be3 Nc6 8.Qd2 e5 then:
• If 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Rad1 Qc8 11.Qc1 Rd8 12.Rxd8+ then:
• If 12...Qxd8 13.Rd1 Qf8 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Bxf3 Rd8 then:
• If 16.Rxd8 16...Qxd8 then:
• If 17.Qd1 Qxd1+ 18.Bxd1 Nd4 19.f3 gives White a small advantage with the two Bishops (U. Andersson-Hazai, Op, Pula, 1975).
• 17.Qd2 Qxd2 18.Bxd2 Nd4 19.Bd1 c6 20.f3 Bf8 21.Kf2 Nd7 22.Be3 b5 is equal (Webb-Matulovic, IT, Birmingham, 1975).
• If 16.Nb5 then:
• If 16...Rxd1+ 17.Qxd1 Qb8 18.c3 Bf8 19.Bg5 then:
• 19...Be7 20.Bxf6 Bxf6 21.Qd7 Qd8 22.Bg4 h5 23.Qxd8+ Bxd8 24.Bc8 b6 25.Bb7 Na5 26.Ba6 Nc6 27.Bb7 draw (Ivanchuk-Azmaiparashvili, Soviet Ch, Tallinn, 1986).
• 19...Ne8 20.Qa4 a5 21.Bg4 h6 22.Be3 gives White the Bishop pair and a substanial advantage in space (Novikov-Azmaiparashvili, Soviet Ch, Vilnius, 1984).
• If 16...Rc8 17.c3 a6 18.Na3 Rd8 19.Rxd8 Qxd8 then:
• 20.Nc4 Qd3 21.Nd2 Nd7 22.Bd1 Nf8 23.Bc2 Qd7 gives White the Bishop pair and a slight advantage in space (U. Andersson-Qi Jingxuan, Ol, Buenos Aires, 1978).
• If 20.Qc2 Qf8 21.Qb3 b5 22.Nc2 Na5 23.Qa3 draw (Jansa-Ftacnik, IT, Esbjerg, 1982).
• If 12...Nxd8 13.Rd1 Ne6 then:
• If 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Bxf3 c6 then:
• 16.Qd2 Bf8 17.Ne2 Qc7 18.Qc3 Bd6 19.a4 gives White a slight advantage in space (M. Petrov-Iturrizaga Bonelli, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2011).
• 16.a3 Qc7 17.Ne2 a5 18.g4 Bf8 19.g5 Nd7 20.Bg4 give White the advantage in space (Bozgodov-Khalifman, Russian Ch ½-finals, Kazan, 2005).
• 14.Nd5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Bxf3 16.Bxf3 Nd4 17.Bxd4 exd4 18.Qf4 draw (Gheorghiu-Dr. Nunn, IT, Linares, 1983).
• If 9.d5 Ne7 10.Rad1 Bd7 11.Ne1 then:
• If 11...Ng4 12.Bxg4 Bxg4 13.f3 Bd7 14.f4 Bg4 then:
• If 15.Rb1 c6 then:
• If 16.h3 Bd7 17.fxe5 dxe5 then:
• 18.d6 Nc8 19.Rd1 Nb6 20.b3 Be6 21.Ne2 gives White narrow advantage in space; Black has two Bishops (Karpov-Timman, IT, Tilburg, 1977).
• 18.Bc5 cxd5 19.Nxd5 Nxd5 20.Bxf8 Qb6+ 21.Kh1 Rxf8 22.exd5 Bb5 gives White the exhange; Black has the Bishop pair, more space and the initiative (E. Torre-Chandler, Asian GM, Penang, 1978).
• 16.fxe5 dxe5 17.Bc5 cxd5 18.Qg5 dxe4 19.Bxe7 Qd4+ 20.Kh1 f5 21.Bxf8 Rxf8 22.h3 gives White an outstanding game; Black resigned on the 36th move (Liberzon-Chandler, Masters, Hastings, 1981).
• 15.Nf3 f5 16.fxe5 dxe5 17.h3 Bxf3 18.Rxf3 Nc8 19.exf5 gxf5 20.Bh6 Nd6 21.Re1 Qh4 22.Bxg7 Kxg7 draw (Geller-Thipsay, IT, New Delhi, 1987).
• If 11...b5 then:
• If 12.a3 a5 13.Nd3 Qb8 14.f3 c6 15.dxc6 Bxc6 then:
• 16.b4 d5 17.Bc5 Re8 18.Nf2 d4 is equal (R. Perez-Arencibia, Cuban Ch, Santa Clara, 2005).
• 16.Bh6 b4 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.axb4 axb4 19.Nb1 Qb6+ is equal (Barlov-Jansa, IT, Bor, 1985).
• 12.f3 Qb8 13.Nb1 Rd8 14.c4 bxc4 15.Bxc4 c6 16.dxc6 Bxc6 is equal (G. Schmidt-Ingenerf, Masters T, Niederdreisbach, 1981).
• (Schlechter Opening) If 5.h3 0-0 6.Be3 then:
• If 6...c6 7.a4 Nbd7 8.a5 then:
• If 8...Qc7 9.Be2 e5 10.dxe5 dxe5 11.0-0 then:
• If 11...Rd8 then:
• If 12.Qc1 Nf8 13.Rd1 Bd7 14.Bc5 Be8 15.Rxd8 Qxd8 16.Qe3 gives White a significant advantage in space (Ljubojevic-Shirov, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 1996).
• If 8...e5 9.dxe5 dxe5 10.Qd6 then:
• If 10...Ne8 11.Qd2 Qe7 12.Bc4 Nc5 13.b4 then:
• 13...Nd7 14.Rb1 Nc7 15.0-0 Ne6 16.Rfd1 Nf4 17.Qd6 Bf6 18.Qxe7 Bxe7 19.b5 gives White greater piece activity, the Bishops, an ongoing minority attack on the queenside and a huge advantage in space(op den Kelder-De Wit, Op U20, Hengelo, 2005).
• 13...Ne6 14.Bxe6 Bxe6 15.Bc5 Qc7 16.0-0 Rd8 17.Qe3 gives White greater piece activity and a strong advantage in space (Tal-Quinteros, IT, Rio de Janeiro, 1987).
• 13...Ne6 14.Bb6 axb6 15.axb6 Qxb6 16.Qxa8 Qxb2 17.Qa5 b6 18.Ra2 is equal (Timmerman-Kuijpers, Dutch ChT, Holland, 1992).
• 12.Qb1 Nf8 13.Qa2 then:
• If 13...Be6 14.Qa3 h6 15.Bc5 then:
• 15...b5 16.Rfd1 Ne8 17.Rxd8 Rxd8 18.Rd1 is equal (Lutz-Kasimdzhanov, Borowski Mem, Essen, 2001).
• 15...Ne8 16.Rfd1 Nd7 17.Be7 Rdc8 18.Nd2 b5 19.axb6 Nxb6 20.Ba6 gives White an impressive advantage in space and stronger queenside pawns (Barbero-Rukavina, Op, Bern, 1990).
• If 14...Nh5 15.Rfd1 Nf4 16.Bf1 then:
• 16...Bf6 17.Rxd8 Qxd8 18.Rd1 Nd7 19.a6 Be7 20.Qa1 Black cannot avoid weakening his queenside (Loginov-Azmaiparashvili, Ol, Manila, 1992).
• 16...Nd7 17.b4 h6 18.Rd2 Bf8 19.Qb2 b5 20.axb6 axb6 is equal (Timmerman-Temmink, Corres, 1991).
• If 11...Re8 12.Qd2 Bf8 then:
• If 13.Bg5 Be7 14.Bc4 Nc5 15.Rfe1 Be6 16.Bf1 Nh5 17.b4 Nd7 18.Bxe7 Rxe7 19.Red1 gives White the advantage in space (Andrijevic-Lisicic, IT, Belgrade, 2008).
• 13.Ng5 h6 14.Nf3 Kh7 15.Nh2 Nc5 16.Bd3 Be6 17.f4 Rad8 is equal (Adianto-Kakageldyev, Ol, Manila, 1992).
• If 10...Re8 11/Bc4 Be8 12.Qd3 then:
• 12...h6 13.O-O Qc7 14.Nh4 g5 15.Nf5 Nh5 16.Rfd1 Ndf6 gives White a considerable advantage in space (Berendse-Bosboom Lancheva, IT C, Wijk aan Zee, 2004).
• 12...Bg7 13.O-O Qe7 14.Na4 Nh5 15.g3 Nf8 16.Ng5 Ne6 17.Nxe6 Bxe6 18 Bxe6 Qxe6 gives White more space and Black the initiative (Perelshteyn-Nyback, IT, Bermuda, 2002).
• 12...Bb4?! 13.Bxf7+!! Kxf7 14.Qc4+ Kg7 15.Qxb4 Nb8 16.Rd1 gives White an extra pawn, domination of the board and the initiative (Svidler-Minasian, IT, Yerevan, 1996).
• If 6...a6 7.a4 b6 then:
• If 8.Bd3 Bb7 9.0-0 Nbd7 10.Qd2 e5 11.Bh6 exd4 12.Nxd4 then:
• 12...Nc5 13.Rfe1 Re8 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Qf4 Nh5 16.Qg4 Qf6 is equal (Pogonina-Bluvshtein, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2011).
• 12...Re8 13.Bxg7 Kxg7 14.Rfe1 c5 15.Nf3 Ne5 16.Nxe5 is equal (Fogarasi-Beim, Op, Aschach, 2000).
• 8.Bc4 e6 9.0-0 then:
• If 9...Bb7 then:
• If 10.d5 then:
• If 10...Nbd7 11.Nd2 Kh8 12.Ne2 Ng8 13.Bd3 Nc5 gives Black a slight edge in space (Leuba-Miles, Op, Lugano, 1989).
• 10...e5 11.Qd2 Nbd7 12.Rae1 Re8 13.Bg5 Qe7 14.Nh2 gives White the advantage in space with an opportunity to open the center (L. Day-B. Harper, Canadian Ch, Calgary, 1975).
• 10.e5 dxe5 11.Nxe5 Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 13.Qe2 Qc8 14.Rfd1 Qb7 15.Qf1 Ne4 16.Nxe4 Bxe4 17.c3 Rfd8 draw (Goran-Anisimov, Op, Koszalin (Poland), 2001).
• 9...d5 10.Bd3 dxe4 11.Nxe4 Bb7 12.Bg5 Nbd7 13.Ne5 gives White the advantage in space; Black should be able to exchange his way to equality (Haba-Banas, Austrian ChT, Austria, 1996).
• (Byrne Opening) If 4.Bg5 h6 5.Bh4 Bg7 then:
• If 6.Qd2 g5 7.Bg3 Nh5 8.0-0-0 then:
• If 8...Nc6 then:
• If 9.Bb5 Bd7 10.Nge2 then:
• If 10...e6 11.f3 Nxg3 12.hxg3 a6 then:
• 13.Ba4 Qe7 14.f4 0-0-0 15.Qe3 Kb8 16.a3 Rhg8 is equal (Spence-Kuzubov, Masters, Gibraltar, 2007).
• 13.Bxc6 Bxc6 14.g4 Qe7 15.Ng3 Rg8 16.Rhe1 0-0-0 is equal (Tiviakov-Markowski, Rubinstein Mem, Polanica Zdroj, 1995).
• 11.Kb1 Qe7 12.d5 Ne5 13.Bxe5 Bxe5 14.Bxd7+ Qxd7 15.h4 g4 16.Qe3 gives White the advantage in space (van der Wiel-Chapman, Op, Hoogeveen, 2008).
• If 10...Nxg3 11.hxg3 a6 12.Bxc6 Bxc6 then:
• 13.f4 e6 14.d5 Bd7 15.dxe6 fxe6 is equal (Smyslov-Kuzminykh, Soviet Ch ½-final, Leningrad, 1951).
• If 9.Nge2 then:
• 9...Nxg3 10.hxg3 e6 11.f4 g4 12.e5 dxe5 13.fxe5 f6 14.Nf4 fxe5 (Megaranto-Pitra, World Univsity Ch, Zürich, 2010).
• If 9...e6 then:
• If 10.f3 Nxg3 11.hxg3 Bd7 12.f4 Qf6 13.e5 dxe5 then:
• 14.dxe5 Qe7 15.Ne4 0-0-0 16.N2c3 gives White a slight edge (Horvath-Leib, Swiss Op, Saas Almagell, 2005).
• 14.fxe5 Qe7 15.Ne4 0-0-0 16.N2c3 f5 17.exf6 Bxf6 18.Nxf6 Qxf6 19.Ne4 is equal (Z. Almasi-M. Marin, IT 0809, Reggio Emilia, 2008).
• 10.Qe3 Qf6 11.h4 Bd7 12.e5 dxe5 13.dxe5 Nxe5 14.hxg5 hxg5 is equal (Shabalov-Gardner, Canadian Op, Edmonton, 2005).
• If 8...Nd7 9.Nge2 c5 then:
• 10.Nd5 cxd4 11.Nxd4 Ndf6 12.Bb5+ Kf8 13.Nxf6 Nxf6 14.Be2 Nxe4 gives Black an extra pawn (Bellon-M. Marin, IT, Goteborg, 2004).
• If 10.f3 Nxg3 11.hxg3 then:
• 11...Qa5 12.Kb1 Nb6 13.Nc1 cxd4 14.Nb5 Qxd2 15.Rxd2 0-0 16.Nxd4 d5 gives Black a small advantage with more freedom (Gwaze-M. Marin, Ol. Istanbul, 2000).
• 11...a6 12.f4 Qa5 13.Kb1 g4 14.Nd5 Qd8 15.Ne3 Nf6 16.Nc3 cxd4 17.Qxd4 Nh5 gives Black a clear advantage (Tiviakov-D. Gurevich, FIDE Knock Out, Las Vegas, 1999).
• If 6.f4 c5 7.e5 Nh5 8.dxc5 then:
• If 8...Nxf4 9.exd6 g5 10.Bf2 Nc6 11.Qd2 exd6 12.0-0-0 Bg4 then:
• 13.Nf3?! 0-0 14.h4 dxc5 is equal (Nijboer-Bogdanovski, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• 13.Re1+ Be6 14.cxd6 Qa5 15.g3 give White an extra pawn.
• 8...dxe5 9.Qxd8+ Kxd8 10.0-0-0+ Bd7 11.Nd5 Nc6 12.fxe5 g5 is equal (Kiewra-Molner, Op, Philadelphia, 2006).
• (Yugoslav Opening) If 4.Be3 c6 5.f3 Bg7 6.Qd2 then:
• If 6...b5 7.g4 then:
• If 7...h5 8.g5 Nfd7 9.f4 Nb6 10.Nf3 d5 then:
• If 11.Ne5 b4 12.Ne2 then:
• If 12...dxe4 13.Ng3 h4 14.Nxe4 Bf5 then:
• 15.Nc5 f6 16.gxf6 exf6 17.Nxg6 gives White an extra pawn and a strong initiative (Yasudin-Azmaiparashvili, Soviet Ch ½-final, Minsk, 1985).
• 15.Bg2 f6 16.gxf6 exf6 17.Qxb4 Bf8 18.Qb3 fxe5 19.0-0-0 gives White a material advantage and more space (Yudasin-Gipslis,TT, Moscow, 1983).
• 12...a5 13.Bg2 h4 14.0-0 h3 15.Bh1 dxe4 16.Bxe4 gives White a clear advantage in space (YudAsin-D. Gurevich, Op, New York, 1990).
• 11.Bd3 Bg4 12.Ne5 Bxe5 13.fxe5 b4 14.Nd1 Bf3 15.0-0 gives White a small advantage (Ankersty-Polzin, Bundesliga 9899, Germany, 1999).
• If 7...Qa5 then:
• If 8.Nge2 h5 9.g5 Nfd7 10.f4 then:
• If 10...b4 11.Nd1 c5 12.Bg2 then:
• 12...Na6 13.e5 Rb8 14.exd6 exd6 15.f5 gxf5 16.Bf4 gives White a clear initiative by pinning Black backward pawn (Gelfand-Nikolic, It, Sarajevo, 1981).
• 12...Bb7 13.0-0 Na6 14.f5 cxd4 15.Bxd4 Bxd4+ 16.Nxd4 is equal (Mallahi-Darban, Asian Candidates, Tehran, 2001).
• 10...Nb6 11.Bg2 Nc4 12.Qc1 Bg4 13.h3 Bxe2 14.Kxe2 b4 is equal (Gagunashvili, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• If 8.g5 Nh5 then:
• If 9.Nge2 e5 10.Ng3 Nf4 11.Nge2 Nh5 draw (Sveshnikov-Kuzmin, Soviet Ch, 1981).
• 9.0-0-0 Nd7 10.Nge2 Rb8 11.a3 Nb6 12.Ng3 Nxg3 13.hxg3 Nc4 14.Bxc4 bxc4 15.Ne2 gives White a small advantage with command of the h-file and a center duo; Black has command of the b-file; space is approximately equal and neither side has pristine pawn structure (Solomins-McNab, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• If 6...Nbd7 7.0-0-0 Qa5 8.Kb1 b5 then:
• If 9.Bh6 Bxh6 10.Qxh6 then:
• If 10...Nb6 11.Nh3 then:
• 11...Bxh3 12.Qxh3 0-0 13.Qh6 Nc4 14.Ne2 Kh8 15.h4 gives Whiote a small advantage owing to the active Queen, but he need to activate more pieces (Klovans-Gufeld, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1963).
• If 10...b4 11.Nce2 Nb6 12.Nc1 Na4 then:
• 13.Bc4 d5 14.Nb3 Qc7 15.Bd3 dxe4 16.fxe4 gives White the active Queen, a center duo and more space (Tskitishvili-Vepkhvishvili, Georgian Ch, Tbilisi, 1974).
• 13.Nb3 Qc7 14.g4 Be6 15.Ne2 a5 16.d5 gives White more space and the active Queen (Maduro-Sanchez, Ol, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
• 11...Rb8 12.Nf4 Nc4 13.Bxc4 bxc4 14.Ka1 gives White a slight advantage with more space and a center duo; Black has command of the b-file (Seredenko-Ufimtsev, Kazakh SSR Ch, Kazakhstan, 1965).
• If 9.g4 Nb6 then:
• 10.b3 Rb8 11.h4 h5 12.g5 Nfd7 13.f4 b4 14.Nce2 c5 15.dxc5 dxc5 is equal (Shankland-Readey, USCL, Cyberspace, 2008).
• 10.Bd3 Rb8 11.h4?! h5 12.g5 Nfd7 13.f4 Nc4 14.Bxc4 bxc4 is equal (Short-E. Torre, Blitz, Brussels, 1987).

4...Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0

• If 5...c5 (This develops into a kind of Open Sicilian Dragon that opens up abnormally) then:
• If 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.e5 Ng4 then:
• If 8.Bxd7+ Qxd7 9.d5 dxe5 10.h3 e4 then:
• If 11.Nxe4 Nf6 then:
• If 12.Nxf6+ Bxf6 13.0-0 0-0 14.Be3 then:
• If 14...Bxb215.Rb1 Bg7 16.Bxc5 Rd8 then:
• If 17.Bd4 then:
• If 17...Bxd4+ 18.Qxd4 Qxd5 19.Qxd5 Rxd5 20.Rxb7 gives White a clear advantage (Karjakin-Maksimenko, IT, Nikolaev, 2001).
• 17...Qxd5 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Qxd5 Rxd5 20.Rxb7 Nc6 21.Rc7 White's active Rook and the initiative tilts the game in his favor; Black has an active Rook and stronger pawns (Tansca-Resika, IMT, Paks, 2001).
• 17.c4 Qc7 18.Bd4 Qxc4 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Rxb7 Qxd5 21.Qxd5 Rxd5 22.Rxe7 Nc6 23.Rc7 Nd8 24.Re1 a5 25.Re8 Rb8 26.Ng5 h6 27.Rxd8 draw (Acs-Chernin, Hungarian Ch, Lillafured, 1999).
• If 14...Na6 15.Ne5 then:
• If 15...Qf5 16.c4 Bxe5 17.fxe5 Qxe5 18.Bh6 Rfe8 then:
• 19.Qf3 f6 20.Rae1 Qh5 21.Qxh5 gxh5 22.Rf5 gives White more activity, stronger pawns and a great deal more space (Fernández Romero-Franco Ocampo, IT, Dos Hermanas, 2003).
• 19.Qb3 b6 20.Rae1 Qd4+ 21.Be3 Qh4 22.Bf4 gives White a small advantage in space, of which he is making good use on the kingside; the pawn at d5 cramps Black ability to counterattack (Carlsson-Movsziszian, IT, Soller, 2007).
• 15...Qd6 16.Ng4 Bxb2 17.Rb1 Bg7 18.f5 Nc7 19.Rxb7 leaves White clearly better with more activity and space in compensation for a pawn (Jussupow-Adams, IT, Dortmund, 1994).
• 12.Ne5 Qa4 13.Nc3 Qa6 14.Nd3 Nbd7 15.0-0 0-0 16.Be3 is equal (Khenkin-Hillarp Persson, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• If 11.hxg4 exf3 12.Qxf3 Na6 13.Bd2 0-0-0 14.0-0-0 then:
• If 14...Nc7 then:
• If 15.Be1 f5 16.gxf5 then:
• If 16...Qxf5 17.g4 Qf7 then:
• If 18.Bg3 h5 19.f5 hxg4 20.Qf4 then:
• 20...Rd7 21.Rxh8+ Bxh8 22.Nb5 Qxf5 23.Nxc7 Qxf4+ 24.Bxf4 g5 is equal (Laurent-Klerides, Euro Ch, Crete, 2007).
• 20...Na6 21.fxg6 Qxg6 22.Rxh8 Rxh8 23.Kb1 Rf8 gives Black an extra pawn and the initiative; White has fewer pawn weaknesses (Schön-Umansky, Corres, 2003).
• 18.f5 h5 19.Rf1 gxf5 20.gxf5 h4 21.Bf2 b6 gives Black a small advantage owing mainly to the passed pawn (Kotronias-Hillarp Persson, IT, Malmö, 2007).
• If 16...gxf5 17.Rh5 h6 18.Bh4 Rde8 then:
• 19.Bxe7!? Qxe7 20.d6 Qe3+! 21.Kb1 Bd4 22.Qxe3 Rxe3 23.dxc7 gives White an extra pawn and the initiative; Black has more space (Acs-Nyback, Euro ChT, Plovdiv, 2003).
• 19.Bf2! b6 20.Ne2 Rhf8 21.Be1 Qd6 22.Bc3 Bxc3 23.Qxc3 gives White a strong advantage in space.
• If 14...Nb4 15.Ne4 then:
• 15...Nxa2+ 16.Kb1 Qb5 17.Qa3 Nb4 18.Nxc5!! gives White command of the queenside as Black can capture the Knight only by walking into a nasty pin (Chilira-Gagunashvili, Euro Ch, Budva, 2009).
• 15...Qa4 16.Bxb4 cxb4 17.Kb1 h6 18.f5 Be5 19.fxg6 fxg6 20.Nc5! gives White more freedom, more space and the initiative (Tzermiadianos-Inarkiev, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• If 8.e6 then:
• If 8...Bxb5 9.exf7+ Kd7 10.Nxb5 Qa5+ 11.Nc3 cxd4 12.Nxd4 then:
• If 12...Bxd4 then:
• If 13.Qxd4 Nc6 14.Qc4 Qb6 15.Qe2 h5 then:
• If 16.h3 Nh6 then:
• If 17.Bd2 Nf5 then:
• If 18.0-0-0 Ng3 19.Qd3 Nxh1 20.Rxh1 then:
• 20...Qd4 21.Qxg6 Qf6 22.Qxf6 exf6 23.Nd5 gives White the minor piece and two pawns against a Rook, a passed pawn at the gate, stronger pawns and the initiative (Anand-Ng Ek Teong, Asian ChT, Malasia, 1989).
• 20...Raf8 21.Qxg6 Qa6 22.Qf5+ e6 23.Qg6 Qa5 is equal and soon drawn (Berelovich-Klenburg, Op, Essent, Hoogeveen, 2001).
• 18.Ne4 Ncd4 19.Qd3 Qxb2 20.0-0 Qxc2 21.Qxc2 Nxc2 gives Black more active minor pieces (Donaldson-Pein, Op, London, 1979).
• 17.Be3 Qxb2 18.Kd2 Qa3 19.Rab1 b6 20.Rb3 Qa5 is equal (Chandler-Kindermann, IT, Weisbaden, 1981).
• 16.Bd2 Nd4 17.Qd3 Nf5 18.Ne4 Rac8 19.0-0-0 Nge3 20.Bxe3 Nxe3 21.c3 leaves White a pawn to the good (Hellers-Ivanchuk, Op, Champigny-sur-Marne, 1984).
• 13.Qxg4+ Qf5 14.Qf3 Qe6+ 15.Ne2 Nc6 16.Rf1 Rhf8 is equal (Zuidema-Timman, Dutch Ch, Leeuwarden, 1972).
• If 12...h5 then:
• If 13.h3 Nc6 14.Nde2 Nh6 15.Be3 Nf5 16.Bf2 then:
• If 16...Rac8 then:
• 17.0-0 h4 18.a3 Qa6 19.Ne4 Kc7 20.c3 gives White an extra pawn and a pawn at the gate; Black has more space (T. Ernst-van Wely, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 1992).
• 17.Qd2 h4 18.0-0-0 Rhf8 19.Kb1 Rxf7 20.Qe1 Qa6 is equal (Yedidia-van Wely, Op, New York, 1993).
• 16...Raf8 17.0-0 Rxf7 18.a3 Qa6 19.Ne4 Kc8 20.Qd5 is equal (Hellers-van Wely, Op, Philadelphia, 1992).
• 13.Qf3 Nc6 14.Nde2 Qf5 15.h3 Nh6 16.0-0 Qxf7 17.Be3 Nf5 is equal (Wempe-Korotylev, IT C, Wijk aan Zee, 2005).
• If 8...fxe6 9.Ng5 Bxb5 then:
• If 10.Nxe6 Bxd4 11.Nxd8 Bf2+ 12.Kd2 Be3+ 13.Ke1 Bf2+ etc. draws.
• If 10.Nxb5 Qa5+ then:
• 11.c3 Qxb5 then:
• If 12.Qxg4 cxd4 13.Nxe6 Qc4 then:
• If 14.Nxg7+ Kf7 15.Nf5 then:
• If 15...Qe6+ 16.Ne3 dxe3 then:
• 17.Qxe6+ Kxe6 18.Bxe3 Nc6 19.Ke2 b5 20.Rad1 gives White more activity (Smeets-Gagunashvili, IT C, Wijk aan Zee, 2004).
• 17.Qf3 Nc6 18.0-0 Rhf8 19.Bxe3 Kg8 20.b3 doesn't promise very moch for either player (Domatov-Chernin, IT, Moscow, 1990).
• 15...h5 16.Qg5 Qe6+ 17.Ne3 dxe3 18.Qb5 Nd7 19.Qe2 Black's extra pawn is dead wood (Smeets-Nyback, Bundesliga 0405, Solingen, 2005).
• 14.f5 Bf6 15.fxg6 Rg8 16.g7 Nc6 17.Nc7+ Kd8 18.Ne6+ Ke8 19.Nc7+ Kd8 20.Ne6+ draw (Watson-Shirov, Troll Masters, Gausdal, 1991).
• If 12.Nxe6 Na6 13.Nxg7+ Kf7 14.Ne6 then:
• If 14...Kxe6 15.Qxg4+ Kf7 16.f5 cxd4 17.fxg6+ hxg6 18.Rf1+ Ke8 is equal (M. Petursson-Thorsteins, Op, Reykjavik, 1990).
• 14...Nf6 15.Ng5+ Kg7 16.Ne6+ Kf7 17.Ng5+ Kg7 18.Ne6+ Kf7 is drawn by repetition (van der Wiel-Seirawan, TT, Lucerne, 1989).
• If 6.dxc5 Qa5 7.Bd3 Qxc5 8.Qe2 0-0 9.Be3 then:
• If 9...Qa5 10.0-0 then:
• If 10...Bg4 then:
• If 11.h3 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 Nc6 13.a3 Nd7 14.Bd2 then:
• If 14...Qb6+ 15.Kh1 Nc5 16.Rab1 Nxd3 then:
• If 17.cxd3 f5 then:
• If 18.Nd5 Qd8 then:
• If 19.exf5 gxf5 20.Bc3 e6 21.Nb4 Rc8 22.Rbc1 Qd7 23.Bxg7 Kxg7 24.Qe3 Kf7 then:
• 25.Nc2 Rg8 26.Nd4 Nxd4 27.Qxd4 b6 28.Rxc8 Rxc8 29.Re1 gives White a better center and a small advantage in space; Black has stronger pawns (Balashov-Diesen, IT, Karlovac, 1979).
• 25.Nxc6 Rxc6 26.Rxc6 bxc6 27.Qb6 Ra8 28.Rc1 c5 is equal (Pedersen-M. Smith, Corres, 1991).
• 19.Bc3 e6 20.Bxg7 Kxg7 21.Nc3 Qb6 draw (Kuijf-van Wijgerden, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 1983).
• 18.g4 e6 19.gxf5 exf5 20.Nd5 Qb3 21.Bc3 Rae8 is equal (Glek-Lobron, Bundesliga 9091, Germany, 1991).
• 17.Qxd3 Qa6 18.Nb5 Nd4 19.c4 Nxb5 20.cxb5 Qa4 is equal (Tseitlin-Beim, Israeli Ch, 1990).
• 14...Qd8 15.Kh1 e6 16.Rae1 Rc8 17.f5 a6 18.Qg3 Be5 is equal (Fierz-M. Gurevich, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2001).
• If 11.Qe1 Nc6 12.Kh1 then:
• If 12...Rac8 then:
• 13.Nd4 Bd7 14.Nb3 Qc7 15.Nd5 Qd8 16.Rd1 gives White the advantage in space (Saravanan-Koshy, TT, Nigpur, 2002).
• 13.Nd2 Be6 14.f5 Bd7 15.Nc4 Qd8 16.Qh4 gives White a respectable advantage in space (Mortensen-C. Hansen, ZT, Espoo, 1989).
• If 12...Bxf3 13.Rxf3 Rac8 14.a3 d5 then:
• 15.e5 d4 16.exf6 Bxf6 17.Ne4 dxe3 18.Nxf6+ exf6 19.Rxe3 gives White much greater activity for his pieces; Black should decline the offer to exchange Queens (deFirmian-Chernin, IT, Moscow, 1990).
• 15.Nxd5 Nxd5 16.Qxa5 Nxa5 17.exd5 Bxb2 18.Rb1 Bxa3 19.Bxa7 Bc5 20.Rb5 draw (Baklan-Chernin, Euro Club Cup, Panormo, 2001).
• If 10...Nc6 11.h3 then:
• If 11...e5?! then:
• If 12.Qf2 Bd7 13.Rad1 Rad8 14.fxe5 dxe5 15.Nd2 Be6 16.Bg5 then:
• 16...Nh5? 17.Bxd8 Rxd8 18.Nb3 leaves White up by an exchange with a strong initiative; he soon wins (Mecking-Pfleger, ITZ, Manila, 1975).
• 16...Rxd3 17.cxd3 Nd7 18.Nc4 Qa6 19.Nd5 leaves Black fighting for life.
• 12.fxe5 dxe5 13.Bc4 a6 14.Qf2 Qb4 15.Nd2 Nd4 16.Bg5 gives Black stronger pawns and White more space (Roche-Blair, Op, Mulcahy, 1974).
• If 11...Nh5 12.Qe1 then:
• 12...Bh6 13.b4 Qd8 14.b5 Nb4 15.f5 gives White a small advantage in space (Ljubojevic-Bujupi, Yugoslavia, 1975).
• 12...Bxc3! 13.bxc3 b6 14.a3 Bb7 15.c4 Rac8 is equal.
• If 9...Qc7 10.0-0 Nbd7 then:
• If 11.h3 a6 12.a4 b6 13.Qf2 Bb7 then:
• If 14.Qh4 Nc5 15.f5 b5 16.axb5 axb5 17.Nxb5 gives White an extra pawn, a significant advantage in space and the initiative (Tal-Gufeld, IT, Dneproptrovsk, 1970).
• 14.f5 e6 15.Qh4 Rae8 16.Bh6 Qc5+ is equal (Timman-Sigurjonsson, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 1977).
• 11.Kh1 e5 12.fxe5 dxe5 13.Bc4 Nb6 14.Bb3 Be6 15.Bxe6 fxe6 16.Rad1 gives White a clerar advantage with command of the d-file, fewer weak pawns and a queenside majority (van der Sterren-Reyner, World Youth, Tjentiste, 1975).
• If 6.Be2 0-0 then:
• If 7.dxc5 then:
• If 7...Qa5 8.0-0 Qxc5+ 9.Kh1 then:
• If 9...Nc6 10.Bd3 Bg4 11.Qe1 then:
• If 11...Bxf3 12.Rxf3 Nb4 then:
• If 13.Be3 Nxd3 14.cxd3 Qb4 then:
• 15.Rb1 a5 16.f5 Rac8 17.Bg1 a4 18.a3 Qb3 19.Bd4 e6 gives Black the advantage on the queenside with active pieces while White rules the kingside with his advanced pawns backed by heavy pieces (Short-Speelman, Candidates' ¼-final Match, London, 1988).
• 15.Bg1 e6 16.d4 Rfc8 17.f5 exf5 18.exf5 g5 19.Qd2 h6 20.Be3 d5 is equal (Golubev-Ponomariov, ZT, Donetzk, 1998).
• 13.f5 e6 14.Bg5 Nxd3 15.cxd3 exf5 16.exf5 gives White more freedom and potent threats on the kingside (Smirin-Rublevsky, Op, Bastia, 1999).
• If 11...Rac8 12.Be3 Qa5 13.Nd2 then:
• 13...Be6 14.f5 Bd7 15.Nc4 Qd8 16.Qh4 is equal (Mortensen-C. Hansen, ZT, Espoo, 1989).
• 13...Bd7 14.e5 dxe5 15.Nc4 Qc7 gives Black a slight advantage.
• 11...Rfc8 12.Be3 Qa5 13.Nd2 Bd7 14.Nc4 Qd8 15.Qh4 Nb4 16.Na3 Qa5 is equal (Chandler-Ivanchuk, Op, Reykjavik, 1991).
• If 9...Nbd7 then:
• 10.Qe1 a6 11.Bd3 e5 12.Be3 Qc7 13.fxe5 dxe5 14.Qh4 h5 15.Ng5 b5 16.Rf3 gives White an advantage in space concentrated on the kingside, but he also has an isolated pawn (Kuijf-Timman, Dutch Ch, Leeuwarden 1981).
• If 10.Bd3 b6 11.Qe1 Bb7 12.Be3 Qc6 then:
• 13.f5 Nc5 14.fxg6 fxg6 15.Bc4+ Kh8 16.Bd5 Qd7 gives White the advantage in space (Mortensen-D. Gurevich, IT, Helsinki, 1983).
• 13.Qh4 Nc5 14.Rf2 h6 15.Nd4 Qd7 16.f5 g5 (Kuijf-D. Gurevich, IT, Beer Sheba, 1987).
• If 7.d5 e6 8.dxe6 then:
• If 8...Bxe6 Nc6 9.0-0 Nc6 10.Ng5 Nd4 then:
• If 11.f5 gxf5 12.Bd3 Bd7 then:
• 13.exf5 Bc6 14.Nce4 Bxe4 15.Nxe4 Nxe4 16.Bxe4 d5 is equal (Kovacevic-Vilimirovic, IT, Zagreb, 1972).
• 13.Nd5 h6 14.Nh3 fxe4 15.Nxf6+ Bxf6 16.Bxe4 d5 17.Bf3 Bxh3 18.gxh3 Bg5 gives Black an extra pawn and a powerful advantage in space (Le Roux-I. Popov, Euro Ch, Aix-les-Bains, 2011).
• 11.Nxe6 fxe6 12.Bd3 d5 13.e5 Nd7 14.Ne2 Nf5 15.Ng3 Nh6 16.c4 Nb6 17.cxd5 draw (Illescas-Chiburdanidze, IT, Linares, 1988).
• If 8...fxe6 then:
• 9.0-0 10.Qe1 Nd4 11.Bd1 Bd7 12.e5 dxe5 13.Nxe5 Be8 14.Be3 Rc8 is equal (Scholl-Ujtelky, IT B, Beverwijk, 1967).
• 9.h4 Nh5 10.e5 d5 11.f5 Ng3 12.Rh3 Nxe2 13.Qxe2 gxf5 14.Bg5 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space (Dr. Pecci-Fritz 6, Match, California, 2001).

6.Bd3

• The text is the Weiss Variation.
• (Kurajica Variation) If 6.Be3 b6 then:
• If 7.Qd2 Bb7 then:
• If 8.e5 Ng4 9.0-0-0 c5 10.dxc5 bxc5 11.Bxc5 then:
• If 11...Qa5 12.Ba3 dxe5 then:
• If 13.Nd5 Qxd2+ 14.Rxd2 Bxd5 15.Rxd5 Ne3 16.Rd2 then:
• If 16...Nc6 17.Bb5 Rfc8 18.Bxc6 Rxc6 19.Nxe5 Bxe5 20.fxe5 gives White an extra pawn (Kasimdzhanov-Svidler, World Ch Trmt, San Luís, 2005).
• 16...Nxf1 17.Rxf1 Nc6 18.Nxe5 Nxe5 19.fxe5 Bh6 20.Bxe7 gives White two extra pawns (Shirov-McNab, Masters, Gibraltar, 2006).
• 13.h3 Bh6 14.Ng5 exf4 15.Nxf7 Rxf7 16.hxg4 Bg5 17.Ne4 Qxd2+ 18.Nxd2 gives White the advantage in space; Black has healthier pawns(Dunn-McNab, Masters, Gibraltar, 2006).
• 11...Nd7 12.Ba3 Ndxe5 13.fxe5 Bh6 14.Ng5 Nxe5 15.Kb1 Qa5 is equal (Inarkiev-Peralta, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2007).
• 8.Bd3 c5 9.d5 Nbd7 10.h3 a6 11.a4 Qc7 12.0-0 c4 13.Be2 Nc5 14.e5 dxe5 15.Bxc4 Nfe4 16.Nxe4 Nxe4 (Pavosavic-Conquest, EU ChT, Batumi, 1999).
• 7.e5 Ng4 8.Bg1 c5 9.h3 Nh6 10.d5 Bb7 11.Qd2 Nf5 12.Bh2 dxe5 13.fxe5 e6 14.0-0-0 exd5 15.Nxd5 Nc6 16.c3 Ncd4 17.Nf6+ Bxf6 18.cxd4 Bg7 is equal (Beliavsky-Anand, Munich, 1991).
• (Unzicker Variation) If 6.e5 then:
• If 6...dxe5 then:
• If 7.dxe5 Qxd1+ 8.Kxd1 then:
• If 8...Rd8+ then:
• If 9.Ke1 then:
• If 9...Ne8 10.Bc4 Bf5 then:
• 11.Ng5 e6 12.Nge4 Nc6 13.Be3 Nd4 14.Bd3 c5 15.Rc1 Rac8 is equal (Bohosjan-Ujtelky, IT, Stary Smokovec, 1973).
• 11.Be3 Nc6 12.Rc1 Na5 13.Be2 f6 14.h3 fxe5 15.fxe5 is equal (Tatai-Keene, Ol, Skopje, 1972).
• If 9...Nd5 10.Nxd5 Rxd5 11.Bc4 Rd8 12.Ng5 e6 then:
• 13.Be3 b6 14.Kf2 Nc6 15.Rad1 Bb7 16.c3 Rxd1 17.Rxd1 Rd8 draw (Burnett-Parr, British Ch, Oxford, 1967).
• If 13.Be2 Nc6 14.c3 b6 15.Bf3 Bb7 16.Be3 then:
• 16...h6 17.Nh3 Na5 18.Bxb7 Nxb7 19.Ke2 Na5 20.Rad1 Nc4 21.Bc1 f6 22.exf6 Bxf6 23.Nf2 draw (Adorjan-Sapi, Hungarian Ch, Budapest, 1966).
• 16...Na5 17.Bxb7 Nxb7 18.Ke2 Na5 19.Bf2 Rd5 20.Ne4 gives White a small advantage in space (Hofni-Barcza, Hungarian Ch, Budapest, 1966).
• If 9.Bd3 Ne8 10.Ke2 Nc6 11.Be4 then:
• 11...Bd7 12.Be3 f6 13.Rad1 fxe5 14.fxe5 Bg4 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Bf4 gives Black the Bishop pair and White more space (Fichtl-Hort, Trinec, 1972).
• 11...f6 12.Bd5+ Kh8 13.Be3 Bg4 draw (Gligoric-Keene, IT, Hastings, 1971).
• If 8...Nh5 9.Bc4 Bg4 then:
• 10.Ne2 Bxf3 11.gxf3 Nc6 12.c3 Rad8+ 13.Kc2 Bh6 14.b4 e6 15.Rg1 is equal (Ljubojevic-Timman, IT, Bugojno, 1980).
• 10.Ke1 Bxf3 11.gxf3 Nc6 12.Be3 e6 13.Ne4 Bh6 14.Ng5 Bxg5 15.fxg5 Nxe5 is equal (Kulicov-Lahno, IT, Kramatorsk, 2003).
• If 7.fxe5 Nd5 8.Bc4 then:
• 8...Be6 9.Nxd5 Bxd5 10.Bxd5 Qxd5 11.Qe2 then:
• 11...b5 12.0-0 then:
• 12...Nc6 13.c3 a6 14.Bf4 Nd8 15.a4 Ne6 16.Bg3 c6 is equal (Unzicker-Parma, IT, Palma de Mallorca, 1969).
• 12...Nd7 13.c3 Nb6 14.b3 a5 15.Ba3 Qd7 16.Bc5 gives White the active Bishop and more space; Black has the more active Knight (Unzicker-Chandler, IT, Buenos Aires, 1978).
• 11...Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Qb6 13.0-0 Qxb2 14.Qc4 Qb6 15.Rab1 gives White a better center, a lot more space and the initiative (Unzicker-Donner, TM, Hitzacker, 1971).
• 8...c6 9.0-0 then:
• 9...Na6 10.Qe1 f6 11.Qh4 Nac7 12.Bh6 gives White the better center and more space; Black's centralized Knight helps keep some balance (Sharbaf-Salman, Op, Dubai, 2006).
• 9...a5 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bd2 Be6 12.Nxd5 Bxd5 13.Bxd5 cxd5 14.c3 gives White the advantage in space (Unzicker-Matanovic, IT, West Berlin, 1971).
• If 6...Nfd7 7.h4 c5 8.h5 cxd4 then:
• If 9.hxg6 dxc3 10.gxf7+ Rxf7 11.Bc4 then:
• If 11...e6 12.Ng5 Nxe5 13.Qh5 h6 14.fxe5 hxg5 15.Qh7+ Kf8 16.Qh8+ Bxh8 17.Rxh8+ Kg7 18.Rxd8 then:
• 18...Rc7 19.Bd3 cxb2 20.Bxb2 d5 21.Ba3 Bd7 22.Bf8+ Kf7 23.Kd2 Rc8 24.Bh7 Black resigns (Perecz-Hever, Hungary, 1974).
• 18...Nc6 19.Rxd6 Nxe5 20.Be2 Rd7 21.Rxe6 Rd1+ 22.Kxd1 Bxe6 23.Bxg5 Rh8 White resigns (Perecz-Dr. Nunn, IT, Dortmund, 1979).
• 11...Nf8 12.Bxf7+ Kxf7 13.Ng5+ Kg8 14.Qh5 dxe5 15.Qf7+ gives White a huge initiative (Shirov-I. Smirin, Rpd, Odessa, 2007).
• If 9.Qxd4 dxe5 10.Qf2 e4 then:
• If 11.Nxe4 Nf6 12.Nxf6+ exf6 13.Bd3 Re8+ 14.Kf1 then:
• 14...Nd7 15.hxg6 hxg6 16.Qh4 Nc5 17.Be2 b6 18.Bd2 Bf5 19.Bc3 draw (Shilov-Szczechowicz, Lasker Mem Op, Barlinek, 2001).
• 14...Qd5 15.hxg6 hxg6 16.b3 Bf5 17.Bc4 Qd1+ 18.Ne1 Nc6 is equal (Valhondo Morales-Schweizer, Masters, Gibraltar, 2011).
• 11.Ng5 Nf6 12.hxg6 hxg6 13.Qh4 Bf5 14.Be3 Nc6 15.Bc4 gives White more space and the initiative; Black has an extra pawn, but more pawn weaknesses (Hassan-Spasov, Op, Egypt, 2001).
• If 6.Be2 c5 7.dxc5 or 7.d5 transposes into Short-Speelman or Kovacevic-Vilimirovic or any asociated variation in the notes to Black's fifth move.

6...Na6 7.0-0 c5 8.d5 Nc7

• If 8...Bg4 then:
• If 9.Bc4 Nc7 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Qxf3 then:
• If 11...a6 12.a4 then:
• If 12...Nd7 13.Qd3 Rb8 14.a5 Qc8 15.Na4 b5 16.axb6 Nxb6 17.Nxb6 Rxb6 18.Ra2 gives Black a slight initiative while White has a better center, the Bishop pair and more space (Dembo-Reizniece, OlW, Torino, 2006).
• 12...b6 13.Qd3 e6 14.Be3 exd5 15.exd5 Nd7 16.Bf2 gives White the advantage in space (Karjakin-Chatalbashev, Euro Club Cup, Ohrid, 2009).
• 11...e6 12.dxe6 fxe6 then:
• If 13.Be3 b6 14.Rad1 Qe7 then:
• If 15.Bf2 Nd7 16.Qg4 then:
• 16...Rad8 17.Rfe1 Kh8 18.Bg3 Bd4+ is equal (Ziaziulkina-Klimets, Belarusian ChW, Minsk, 2010).
• 16...Kh8 17.Bh4 Bf6 18.Bxf6+ Rxf6 19.Nb5 Nxb5 20.Bxb5 gives White an inpressive advantage in space (Wells-Spraggett, Op, Isle of Man, 2007).
• 15.Rfe1 Kh8 16.Bc1 Rad8 17.a4 Nd7 18.Qg4 Bd4+ is equal (Levushkina-I. Marin, Euro Ch, 2004).
• 13.Rd1 Qe7 14.e5 dxe5 15.Qxb7 Rab8 16.Qxa7 Rb4 17.Nb5 Nfe8 18.Bf1 gives White the advantage in space, command of the d-file and the more active Queen and Knight; Black has an active Rook and a supermajority on the kingside (Mastrovasilios-M. Marin, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• If 9.h3 Bxf3 then:
• If 10.Rxf3 10...Nc7 11.a4 then:
• If 11...a6 12.a5 then:
• 12...Nb5 13.Ne2 c4 14.Bxc4 Nxe4 15.c3 Nc5 16.b4 gives White a strong advantage (Copie-Hoorweg, Corres, 2000).
• 12...Nd7 13.Bd2 e6 14.dxe6 fxe6 15.Ne2 Kh8 16.Rb1 gives White a small advantage in space (Dolmatov-Kuzmin, Soviet Ch, Frunze, 1981).
• 11...e6 12.dxe6 fxe6 13.Qe2 d5 14.e5 gives White the advantage in space (Diermair-Danielsen, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).
• If 10.Qxf3 then:
• If 10...Nb4 11.Rf2 Nxd3 12.cxd3 then:
• 12...a6 13.a4 b6 14.Re2 Nd7 is equal (Fridthjofsdottir-V. Smith, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
• 12...Nd7 13.Be3 a6 14.g4 b5 gives White more space and Black stronger pawns; Black should play on the queenside, White on the kingside (Cioara-Dumitrache, Spring Fest, Bucharest, 2001).
• If 10...Nc7 11.a4 then:
• 11...a6 12.a5 Rb8 13.Bd2 Nd7 14.Kh1 Nb5 15.Nxb5 axb5 16.Bxb5 Bxb2 17.Rab1 gives White the better center, two Bishops and more space (Berend-Hernández, Mindsports Rpd, Beijing, 2008).
• 11...e6 12.Bd2 exd5 13.exd5 a6 14.a5 Rb8 15.Bc4 Nd7 16.Na4 gives White a small advantage in space (J. Polgar-Todorcevic. IT, Pamplona, 1990).
• If 8...Rb8 then:
• If 9.Kh1 Bg4 then:
• If 10.h3 Bxf3 11.Rxf3 Nc7 12.a4 then:
• If 12...a6 13.a5 Nb5 then:
• If 14.Nxb5 axb5 15.Bxb5 Nxe4 then:
• 16.Qe1 f5 17.Bd3 Nf6 18.c4 gives White more space and the Bishop pair (Nithander-Angskog, Op 0910, Stockholm, 2010).
• 16.Qe2 Nf6 17.c4 Kh8 18.Bd2 Ng8 19.Bc3 Bxc3 20.Rxc3 gives White an impressive advantage in space (Mkrtchian-M. Socko, OlW, Palma de Mallorca, 2004).
• 14.Bd2 Rc8 15.b3 Nd4 16.Rf2 e6 17.Qg1 exd5 18.exd5 Nb5 is equal (Seirawan-Speelman, Team M, Reykjavik, 1990).
• 12...Nd7 13.Bc4 a6 14.Qd3 Qc8 15.a5 b5 16.axb6 Nxb6 17.Bxa6 Nxa6 18.Qxa6 is equal.(Felgaer-Peralta, Argentine Ch, La Plata, 2009).
• If 10.a3 Nc7 11.Qe1 b5 12.Qh4 then:
• If 12...c4 13.Be2 e6 then:
• If 14.f5 exf5 15.exf5 Bxf5 16.Bg5 Re8 17.Rae1 h6 18.Bxh6 Ne4 19.Ng5 then:
• If 19...Bxh6 20.Ncxe4 Kg7 then:
• If 21.Rxf5 gxf5 22.Qg3 Qe7 then:
• 23.Ne6+ Kh7 24.N4g5+ Kh8 25.Qh4 fxe6 26.Qxh6+ Kg8 27.Bh5 gives White a fierce initiative in compensation for the exchange (Sadvakasov-Lugovoi, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2002).
• 23.Nxf7+ Kxf7 24.Nxd6+ Kf8 25.Nxe8 Rxe8 26.d6 Qh4 27.dxc7 leaves White two pawns to the good.
**
• 21.Qxh6+ Kxh6 22.Nxf7+ Kg7 23.Nxd8 Rxe4 is equal.
• 19...Bxc3 20.bxc3 Re5 21.g4 Nxg5 22.gxf5 Ne4 23.f6 is equal.
• 12...Bxf3 13.Rxf3 e6 14.dxe6 fxe6 15.e5 Nfd5 16.Qxd8 Rfxd8 is equal (Renet-Piket, IT, Lyon, 1990).
• If 14.dxe6 fxe6 then:
• 15.f5?! exf5! 16.Bg5 h6 17.Bxh6 Nxe4 gives Black the advantage in space (Larrea-Peralta, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 15.Be3! Bxf3 16.Bxf3 a5 17.Qe1 b4 18.Na4 is equal.
• If 9.Qe1 Nb4 10.Qh4 Bg4 then:
• 11.Kh1 Qc8 12.Nd2 Nxd3 13.cxd3 b5 14.Qf2 Qa6 15.h3 b4 16.Ncb1 Bd7 gives Black the initiative, more space and better development (Stehouwer-van der Wiel, Holland, 1984).
• 11.f5 c4 12.Bxc4 Nxc2 13.Rb1 Qb6+ 14.Kh1 Ne3 15.Na4 Qb4 16.Bxe3 Qxc4 is equal (Doncevic-Ftacnik, Bundesliga 9091, Germany, 1991).

9.a4 b6

• If 9...e6 10.dxe6 fxe6 11.e5 Nfd5 then:
• If 12.Ne4 Nxf4 13.exd6 Ncd5 14.Bc4 then:
• 14...Bxb2 15.Bxb2 Ne3 16.Qe1 is equal (K. Szabo-Azmaiparashvili, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• If 14...Nb6?! then after 15.Ba2! Nxa4 16.c3 Qe8 17.Nfg5 White gets a strong advantage with forces gathering against the Black King (Vera-Laketic, Op, Saint Vincent, 1999).
• 12.exd6 Qxd6 13.Ne4 Qe7 14.Ne5 b6 15.Qg4 is equal (Dr. Nunn-Pfleger, Op, Bath, 1980).

10.Qe1 (N)

• If 10.Qe2 a6 then:
• 11.Bc4 Rb8 12.e5 Ng4 13.h3 Nh6 14.g4 Qd7 15.f5 b5 16.e6 gives White a slight advantage in space (Darban-Aryanejad, Asian Candidates, Tehran, 2001).
• 11.Bd2 Bb7 12.Rad1 Re8 13.Bc4 e6 14.dxe6 Nxe6 is equal (K. Szabo-Azsmaparashvilli, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).

10...e6!?

• This move isn't at all bad, but it isn't the most exact.
• 10...Qd7 11.Be3 Bb7 12.Rd1 a6 13.Qe2 Rad8 14.Ng5 is equal.

11.dxe6 fxe6 12.e5!

• White has a small advantage in space.

12...Nfd5

• Black doesn't realize the extent of the danger. He cannot advance his center pawns and he cannot complete his development. It is easy to understand that his position would be a lot easier if he could move his Rooks along the back rank, but he can't get his Bishop off c8. To develop the Bishop at d7 interruptsd the communication between Black's Queen and the d-pawn, while developing on b7 removes a defender for the e-pawn. White has very subtly restrained his opponent's entire position.
• The text is somewhat better than 12...Nfe8!? 13.Ng5! Qe7 14.Qh4 Bh8 15.Bd2 when after 16.Nb5 White will have a pincer attack set up against White's center.

13.Ne4 dxe5 14.fxe5 Bb7?!

• Black, under a false sense of security, nonchalantly develops the Queen's Bishop.
• Better is 14...Nb4 when White sacrifices a pawn for the initiative by 15.Bg5!! Nxd3 16.cxd3 Qxd3 17.Be7

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk



WHITE: Sergey Karjakin
Position after 14...Bc8b7

15.Bg5!

• White harrasses the Queen and takes command of the dark squares around Black's King.

15...Qd7 16.Qh4 Nb4 17.Rad1 Qc6?

• Black has been teetering on the cliff since his 14th move, but now he drops off.
• After 17...Nxd3 18.Rxd3 Qc6 19.Nf6+ Bxf6 20.Bxf6 Blkack is holding on, at least in some technical sense.

18.Nf6+!

• This is a fine move, but it is not a sacrifice, as many commentators have called it. With the pawn at e5, White hs not committed to any temporary or permanent material deficit.
• If 18.Be7! Nxd3 19.Bxf8 then:
• 19...Qxe4 20.Bxg7 Qxh4 21.Nxh4 Ba6 22.Bf6 leaves White up by the exchange.
• If 19...Rxf8 then White wins after 20.cxd3 Nd5 21.Nfg5 h5 22.Rxf8+ Kxf8 he delivers the knock out blow 23.Qf2+! when Black must submit to immediate mate or lose more material.

18...Bxf6

• If 18...Rxf6 19.exf6 Nxd3 20.cxd3 then:
• 20...Bxf6 21.Bxf6 Rf8 22.Be5 Rf5 23.Qd8+ leaves White a Rook to the good with his pieces plaguing the Black King.
• 20...Qd5 21.Rde1 Bxf6 22.Bxf6 Rf8 23.Be5 leaves White up by a Rook.

BLACK: Vassily Ivanchuk



WHITE: Sergey Karjakin
Position after 18...Bg7f6:N

19.Bxg6!!

• This is a sacrifice, and it is a most pleasing way to end the festivities.
• Also good, but not as spectacular, is 19.exf6 Nxd3 20.Rxd3 Qe4 then:
• 21.Rd7 Qxh4 22.Rg7+ Kh8 23.Nxh4 Ne8 24.Rxb7 leaves Black up by a piece.
• 21.Qh6?! Rf7! 22.Bf4 e5 23.Bxe5 leaves White a pawn to the good, but he'll have to win the game over again.

19...hxg6 20.Bxf6 Rxf6 21.exf6 Rf8 22.Qg5 1-0

• If 22...Qe8 then after 23.Ne5 Nbd5 24.Nxg6 Rxf6 25.Rxf6 Nxf6 26.Qxf6 things really get ugly for Black.
• Vassily Mikhailovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

3. Russian Higher League, Taganrog

Stutue of Anton Chekhov, a son of the city born in 1860, in Taganrog
©Alexander Mirgorodskiy in Wikipedia. The copyright holder of this file allows anyone to use it for any purpose, provided that the copyright holder is properly attributed. Redistribution, derivative work, commercial use, and all other use is permitted.

[Jack Rabbit]

6. Timofeev - Morozevich, General Group, Round 8

Alexander Morozevich
Photo by karpidis modified from flickr (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Artyom Timofeev - Alexander Morozevich
Russian Championship Qual/Higher League, Round 8
Taganrog, 23 June 2011

French Exchange Game: Tarrasch Opening (Chistiakov Defense)

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2



French Game: Tarrasch Opening

3...c5

• If 3...Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 then:
• If 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 then:
• If 7.Ne2 cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 then:
• If 9.Nf4 Nxd4 10.Qh5+ Ke7 11.exf6+ Nxf6 12.Ng6+ hxg6 13.Qxh8 Kf7 then:
• 14.0-0 e5 15.Nb3 Nxb3 16.axb3 Bf5 17.Bxf5 gxf5 18.Bg5 Bc5 19.Qh3 Qd7 20.Bxf6 Kxf6 gives White a small advaqntage in space(Ni Hua-S. Grover, Op, New Delhi, 2011).
• If 14.Qh4 e5 15.Nf3 then:
• If 15...Nxf3+ 16.gxf3 Bf5 17.Bxf5 gxf5 18.Bg5 then:
• If 18...Qa5+ 19.Kf1 g6 20.Bxf6 Qa6+ 21.Kg2 Qxf6 22.Qa4 then:
• If 22...Qc6 23.Qb3 then:
• If 23...Bh6 then:
• 24.Rad1 .Rd8 25.Rd3 Kf6 26.Rc3 Qd7 27.Qc2 d4 28.Rc7 Qd5 (Ni Hua-Wang Hao, IT, Singapore, 2006)./i]
• 24.Rhd1 Rd8 25.Rd3 Kf6 26.Rc3 Qd7 27.Rc5 b6 28.Rb5 d4 is equal (Belov-Kosyrev, Chigoin Mem, St. Petersburg, 2001).
• 23...Bc5 24.Rac1 b6 25.Rhe1 Kf6 26.Qe3 Qd6 27.Qh6 a5 28.Rg1 Qf8 is equal (Kurnosov-Iljushin, Russia Cup, Samara, 2002).
• 22...Qe6 23.Rad1 b6 24.Rhe1 Be7 25.Rc1 Bd6 26.Rc6 e4 27.Kf1 f4 28.fxe4 Re8 29.Qb3 Kf8 30.e5 Black resigns in the face of losing at least a Bishop (Miroshnichenko-Nosenko, Ukrainian Ch, Ordzhonikidze, 2002).
• 18...Rc8 19.0-0 Rc4 20.Qh3 Qd7 21.Rad1 Qe6 22.Rfe1 Nd7 23.Re2 a5 24.f4 a4 gives White more material and Black more space (Timman-Morzevich, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 2000).
• 15...e4 16.Nxd4 Bb4+ 17.Bd2 Bxd2+ 18.Kxd2 Qa5+ 19.Kd1 exd3 20.Nb3 Qc7 21.Rc1 Qe5 22.Re1 Bg4+ gives Black the better game(Furguson-Mossison, 4NCL, Birmingham, 2001).
• If 9.exf6 Nxf6 10.0-0 Bd6 11.Nf3 then:
• If 11...Qc7 12.Bg5 0-0 then:
• If 13.Rc1 Ng4 14.Ng3 g6 15.Nh4 then:
• If 15...e5 16.Be2 Nf6 17.dxe5 Bxe5 18.b4 Bf4 19.Bxf4 Qxf4 20.b5 Nb4 21.Nxg6 hxg6 22.a3 Be6 23.axb4 Qxb4 then:
• 24.Qd3 Kg7 25.Qe3 Qd6 26.Bd3 gives White stronger pawns and the advantage in space (Geller-Dolatov, Moscow, 1985).
• 24.Rc7 Rf7 25.Qc2 Kg7 26.Rxf7+ Bxf7 27.Qc7 White's active Queen tilts the game heavily in his favor (Garbett-Wallace, TT, Aukland, 1992).
• 15...Nf6 16.Qd2 Rf7 17.h3 Bd7 18.Nf3 Qb6 19.Be3 gives White a small advantage in space (Geller-Vaisser, IT, New Delhi, 1987).
• If 13.Bh4 Nh5 14.Qc2 h6 15.Bh7+ Kh8 16.Bg6 then:
• 16...Rxf3 17.Bxh5 Rf8 18.Bg3 Bd7 19.Rac1 Rf6 20.Qd2 Raf8 21.Rc3 Be8 22.Bxe8 Rxe8 23.b4 Qb8 24.a3 Ref8 25.Qe3 is equal (Vachier Lagrave-Ganguly, Masters', Gibraltar, 2009).
• 16...Nf4 17.Nxf4 Bxf4 18.Bg3 Bd7 19.Rad1 Qb6 20.Rfe1 Rac8 21.Qb1 Bxg3 22.hxg3 Rf6 23.Bh5 Be8 24.Bxe8 Rxe8 is equal (Pogonina-Rakhmanov Op, Moscow, 2006).
• If 11...Qb6 12.Nc3 0-0 13.Be3 Bd7 then:
• 14.a3 Be8 15.Ng5 Ne7 16.h3 Bc7 17.Qc2 Bg6 18.Bxg6 Nxg6 19.Rac1 Rac8 is equal (Mogranzini-De Val, Italian ChT, Arvier, 2010).
• 14.Re1 Kh8 15.a3 Be8 16.Ng5 Bh5 17.Qb1 Nxd4 18.h3 e5 19.Bxh7 e4 20.Qa2 Nxh7 21.Nxh7 Rf5 leaves the Kniht at h7 no quarter (van der Wiel-Ree, Dutch Ch, Hilversum, 1985).
• If 7.Ngf3 then:
• If 7...Be7 then:
• If 8.0-0 then:
• If 8...a5 then:
• If 9.Re1 cxd4 10.cxd4 then:
• If 10...Qb6 11.Nb1 Nxd4 12.Nxd4 Qxd4 13.Nc3 then:
• If 13...Qb6 14.Qg4 0-0 15.Bh6 g6 then:
• If 16.Nb5 Nc5 17.Qd4 then:
• 17...Bd7 18.Bxf8 Rxf8 19.a4 f6 20.exf6 Bxf6 gives White a slight material advantge and stronger pawns; Black has more pawns and the initiative (Rublevsky-Lputian, FIDE Knock Out, New Delhi, 2000).
• 17...Rd8 18.Rac1 Ra6 19.Be3 Nxd3 20.Qxd3 gives Black an extra pawn; White has more space and a strong initiative (I. Smirin-Uliban, Croatian ChT, Pula, 2000).
• If 16.Bxf8 Bxf8 then:
• 17.Bb5 Nc5 18.a4 Be7 19.Rad1 gives White the exchange for a pawn and also more space; Black has passed pawn on the d-file and the Bishop pair (Nedev-Bauer, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• 17.Na4 Qa7?! 18.Bb5 b6 19.Bxd7 Bxd7 20.Qd4 gives White the exchange for a pawn, a pin at b6, more space and the initiative (Mkrtchian-Matveeva, Euro ChW, Istanbul, 2003).
• If 13...Bc5 14.Be3 Qh4 then:
• 15.Bc2?! b6! 16.Nxd5 exd5 17.Qxd5 Ra7 gives Black a material advantage (Gormally-Quillan, Masters, Gibraltar, 2005).
• 15.Bxc5 Nxc5 16.Re3 Nxd3 17.Qxd3 Qb4 18.Rb1 0-0 is equal.
• If 10...g5 11.h3 h5 then:
• If 12.Nf1 g4 13.hxg4 hxg4 14.N3h2 then:
• If 14...Bb4 15.Re3 Qh4 16.Rg3 f5 then:
• If 17.exf6 Nxf6 18.Bf4 then:
• 18...Ke7 19.Be5 Bd7 20.a3 Bd6 21.Qe1 Rag8 gives Black a clearly more aggressive position (Valenti-Cioara, Euro Ch, Rijeka, 2010).
• 18...Qh5 19.Be2 Qf7 20.Be5 Nxe5 21.dxe5 Ne4 22.Nxg4 Nxg3 23.Nxg3 Bd7 gives Black the advantage in material and more space (Sebag-Berry, 4NCL, West Bromwich, 2004).
• 17.Bb5 Kf7 18.Be3 Be7 19.f3 gxf3 20.Rh3 fxg2 21.Rxh4 gxf1Q+ 22.Qxf1 Rxh4 23.Nf3 Rh5 24.Kf2 gives White a better center and more freedom (Josse-Sathyanandha, British Ch, Canterbury, 2010).
• 14...Nxd4 15.Qxg4 Bc5 16.Be3 Qh4 17.Qxh4 Rxh4 18.f4 b6 gives Black the best minor piece on the board in the Knight at d4, more space and freedom; White should activate his Bishop on the queenside (Chernov-Feygin, Bundesliga 0910, Emsdetton, 2010).
• 12.g4 Qb6 13.Nf1 hxg4 14.hxg4 Nxd4 15.Ng3 Nxf3+ 16.Qxf3 Qd4 gives Black an extra pawn (Shirov-Kasimdzhanov, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2007).
• If 9.a4 cxd4 10.cxd4 Nb4 then:
• If 11.Bb5 0-0 12.Nb1 then:
• 12...Nb8 13.Nc3 Bd7 14.Re1 N8c6 15.Bf4 Na7 16.Bf1 gives White a clear advantage in space (Hou Yifan-Mkrtchian, Grand Prix W, Jermuk, 2010).
• 12...Nb6 13.Nc3 Bd7 14.b3 Rc8 15.Bd2 Bxb5 16.axb5 Nd7 is equal (Adams-Carauan, Ruy López Mem, Zaifa, 2009).
• 11.Bb1 b6 12.Re1 Ba6 13.Nf1 Rc8 14.Ra3 b5 15.axb5 Bxb5 is equal (Babaev-Gleizerov, Lasker Mem Op, Berlinek, 2001).
• If 8...g5 9.dxc5 then:
• If 9...g4 10.Nd4 Ndxe5 11.Bb5 Bd7 12.N2b3 h5 13.Re1 then:
• If 13...Nxd4 then:
• 14.Bxd7+ Qxd7 15.cxd4 Ng6 16.Bd2 gives White a slight overall advantage with more freedom and space; a good plan would be for him to play opn the Queen's wing (Rublevsky-Vysochin, Russian ChT, Olginka, 2011).
• 14.Qxd4 Bxb5 15.Rxe5 Bf6 16.Bg5 Bxg5 17.Rxg5 f6 18.Rg7 gives White a strong strategic advantage (Fedorchuk-Carron, CC Bicententennial, Zürich, 2009).
• If 13...Ng6 14.c4 then:
• 14...a6 15.Bxc6 bxc6 16.Bd2 e5 17.Ba5 Qb8 18.cxd5 then:
• 18...cxd5 19.c6 Bc8 20.c7 is equal (Timofeev-Arencibia, Op, Cappelle-la-Grande, 2004).
• If 18...exd4?? opens the game to White's advantage after 19.d6! Be6 20.dxe7 Nxe7 21.Nxd4 when:
• If 21...Qxb2 then White wins easily after 22.Qd3 Qb7 23.Nxe6 fxe6 24.Rxe6 0-0 25.Bc3.
• If 21...Rh6 then White wins after 22.Qd2 Rg6 23.Rad1 h4 24.Nxe6 fxe6 25.Qc3.
• If 14...Nxd4 15.Bxd7+ Qxd7 16.Qxd4 0-0-0 17.cxd5 Qxd5 then:
• White resigns in the face of great material loss or checkmate (Gaffagan-Holt, Op, Berkeley, 2011).
• 18.Be3 e5 19.Qxd5 Rxd5 20.Rad1 Rhd8 gives Black the advantage as he retains command of the d-file.
• If 9...Ndxe5 10.Nxe5 Nxe5 then:
• If 11.Nb3 then:
• If 11...Nxd3 12.Qxd3 e5 13.Qe2 Qc7 14.Re1 e4 15.c4 Be6 16.Nd4 then:
• If 16...0-0 17.Be3 a6 18.Rad1 Rad8 19.Qh5 gives White a small advantage in space and Black stronger pawns (T. Gara-Toth, Marx Mem WGM, Paks, 2009).
• 16...Bxc5 17.cxd5 Bxd5 18.Qb5+ Kf8 19.Be3 is equal (Pavasovic-Bartel, Vidmar Mem, Potorosz, 2005).
• If 11...Qc7 12.f4 Bxc5+ 13.Nxc5 Qxc5+ 14.Rf2 Nxd3 15.Qxd3 then:
• 15...g4 16.b3 Bd7 17.Be3 Qb5 18.Qd4 is equal (Iordacescu-S. Volkov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2007).
• 15...Bd7 16.Be3 Qc4 17.Qxc4 dxc4 18.fxg5 gives Black a little more active game for now, but the opposite-colored Bishops and more-or-less symmetrical pawn structure potend a drawn game (R. Mamedov-Bartel, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009).
• If 11.Bb5+ Bd7 12.Bxd7+ then:
• If 12...Qxd7 13.Nf3 Nxf3+ 14.Qxf3 e5 15.Be3 Qe6 16.c4 d4 is equal (Meier-B. Socko, Rpd, Corsica, 2005).
• 12...Nxd7 13.b4 Bf6 14.Nf3 Rg8 15.Nd4 Be5 16.Bb2 is equal (Diamant-Sanguinetti, Pan-Am Jr Ch, Montevideo, 2009).
• If 7...Qb6 8.0-0 then:
• If 8...cxd4 9.cxd4 then:
• If 9...Nxd4 10.Nxd4 Qxd4 11.Nf3 Qb6 12.Qa4 Qb4 13.Qc2 then:
• If 13...Qc5 14.Qe2 Be7 then:
• If 15.Be3 Qa5 16.a3 0-0 then:
• If 17.Qc2 h6 then:
• 18.Rac1 Re8 19.Qe2 Nf8 20.Nd4 gives White more freedom and space (Lastin-Gavrilov, Russian Ch HL, Krasnoyarsk, 2007).
• 18.Bd4 Qd8 19.Rfc1 Nb8 20.b4 Nc6 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space (Chibudanidze-Ivkov, TM, Aruba, 1992).
• If 17.Bd4 Re8 18.Rac1 Nf8 19.b4 Qd8 20.Rc3 Bd7 21.Rfc1 gives Black an extra pawn and White command of the c-file and more space (Dembo-Blackburn, OlW, Dresden, 2008).
• If 15.Bd2 0-0 16.Rac1 Qb6 then:
• 17.Bb1 f5 18.exf6 Nxf6 19.Bc3 Bd7 20.Rfe1 Bb4 21.Bd4 is equal (Dr. Nunn-Mednis, IT, Budapest, 1978).
• 17.Bg5 Qd8 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.h4 h6 20.Bb1 Nc5 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space (Navara-Berelovich, Euro Club Cup, Fügen, 2006).
• If 13...Nc5 14.Bd2 Qa4 then:
• If 15.b3 Qd7 then:
• If 16.Bb4 b6 17.Nd4 Ba6 18.Bxa6 Nxa6 19.Bxf8 Kxf8 then:
• If 20.f4 Nc5 21.b4 Ne4 22.f5 Kg8 23.Rac1 exf5 24.Nxf5 h6 25.Rcd1 Qe6 26.Rxd5 Black resigns (Chiburdanidze-Vezzosi, Op, Forli, 1990).
• 20.Rac1 g6 21.Qe2 Nc7 22.Qf3 Kg8 23.Rc3 f5 24.exf6 Kf7 25.Qf4 Rhc8 26.Nc6 Black resigns as 26...Ke8 is met by the crushing 27.Ne5, winning the Black Queen (Priyadharshan-Sangma, Indian Ch, Mumbai, 2009).
• 16.Be2 b6 17.b4 Ba6 18.Bxa6 Nxa6 19.a3 Be7is equal gives Black an extra pawn and White a lot more space (Sano-Múñoz, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• 15.Bxh7 Qxc2 16.Bxc2 Bd7 17.Be3 b6 18.Rac1 a5 is equal (Vachier Lagrave-Ismail, World Youth, Belfort, 2005).
• If 9...Be7 then:
• 10.Nb3 a5 11.a4 Nb4 12.Bb1 Qd8 13.Nfd2 f5 14.exf6 Nxf6 15.Nf3 0-0 16.Re1 gives White the advantage in space (Can-Saravana, World Youth, Vung Tau, 2008).
• 10.Re1 a5 11.Nb1 Nxd4 12.Nxd4 Qxd4 transposes into Rublevsky-Lputian, above.
• If 8...Be7 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.Bc2 then:
• 10...Qc7 11.Re1 Nd7 12.Qe2 0-0 13.Nb3 f6 14.exf6 Nxf6 15.Nbd4 (Kaidanov-Bradford, US Ch, Stillwater, 2007).
• 10...a5!? 11.Nb3! Ne4 12.Nbd4 f6 13.exf6 gives White the advantage in space (Das-Clery, Op, Prague, 2006).
• (Steinitz Variation) If 5.f4 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ndf3 Qb6 then:
• If 8.g3 cxd4 9.cxd4 Bb4+ 10.Kf2 g5 then:
• If 11.fxg5 Ndxe5 12.Nxe5 Nxe5 then:
• If 13.Kg2 Nc6 14.Nf3 then:
• 14...Bf8 15.b3 Bg7 16.Bb2 Bd7 then:
• 17.Be2 h6 18.Qd2 0-0-0 19.h4 f6 20.gxf6 Bxf6 21.Rac1 Rdg8 22.b4 Kd8 23.b5 Ne7 24.Bc3 gives White the advantage in space (Malakhov-Jurkovic, Op, Montecatini Terme, 1997).
• 17.Qd2 h6 18.Rc1 Qb4 19.Bc3 Qe7 is equal (Glek-A. Shmirin, Kharkov, 1987).
• If 14...Bd7 then:
• If 15.h4 Bf8 16.b3 Bg7 17.Bb2 h6 18.Qd2 0-0-0 gives Black stronger pawns and White more space (Brinck Clausen-Hagen, Politiken Cup, Copenhagen, 2001).
• If 15.Bd3 Bf8 16.Qe2 Bg7 then:
• If 17.Bf4?! then:
• 17...Na5?! 18.Be5! Bxe5 19.Nxe5 Qxd4 20.Rhf1 gives White enough activity and space to compensate for the pawn minus; in the game, he soon wins (Jansa-Stangl, Op, Aalborg, 1991).
• If 17...Nxd4! 18.Nxd4 Qxd4 19.Rab1 Qb4 20.a3 Qe7 gives Black an extra pawn, but White has more space.
• If 17.Be3 Nb4 18.Bb1 Rc8 19.Qf2 Qa6 20.Bf4 remains equal.
• 13.Be3 Nc6 14.Nf3 Bd7 15.Bd3 Bf8 16.Qe2 Qb4 17.a3 gives White more space and weaker pawns (Kholmov-Chernin, Soviet Ch 1L, Sverdlovsk, 1984).
• If 11.Be3 then:
• If 11...g4 12.Nh4 Be7 13.b3 Bxh4 14.gxh4 f5 is equal (Zozulia-Lada, Rubinstein Mem Op, Polanica Zdroj, 2001).
• If 11...f6 12.Bh3 then:
• If 12...fxe5 13.fxe5 0-0 14.Bg4 Be7 15.Qb3 Ndxe5 16.dxe5 is equal (Chandler-Botterill, ZT, Brighton, 1987).
• 12...gxf4 13.gxf4 Rf8 14.Ne2 fxe5 15.fxe5 Be7 16.b3 is equal (Efimenko-deFirmian, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2002).
• 8.Ne2 transposes into the Main Line Steinitz (1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Ne2 Qb6 8.c3).


• (Morozevich Defense) If 3...Be7 4.Bd3 then:
• If 4...c5 5.dxc5 Nf6 6.Qe2 then:
• If 6...Nc6 7.Ngf3 Nb4 then:
• If 8.Nb3 then:
• If 8...Nxd3+ 9.cxd3 a5 10.Bg5 a4 11.Nbd2 h6 then:
• If 12.Bxf6 Bxf6 then:
• If 13.exd5 then:
• If 13...a3 14.Ne4 then:
• 14...Bxb2 15.Nd6+ Kf8 16.0-0 Bxa1 17.Rxa1 exd5 18.Rb1 gives White a handsome advantage in space (Mahesh Chandran-Hanley, World Jr Ch, Nakhchivan (Azerbaijan), 2003).
• 14...Qxd5 15.Nxf6+ gxf6 16.b4 Bd7 17.Qe4 Bc6 18.Qxd5 Bxd5 19.Nd4 is equal (Vachier Lagrave-Marzolo, French Ch, Chartres, 2005).
• 13...Qxd5 14.Ne4 Bd7 15.d4 Bc6 16.Nd6+ Kf8 17.Ne5 gives White an extra pawn and a small advantage in space (Korbut-Tairova, Russian ChW, Moscow, 2007).
• If 13.e5 Be7 14.Rc1 then:
• If 14...Qa5 15.Qe3 then:
• 15...b6 16.cxb6 Bd8 17.Qc5 Qxc5 18.Rxc5 Bxb6 19.Nf1 Ba6 is equal (Godena-Morozevich, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• 15...Bd7 16.0-0 0-0 17.Rc2 Rfc8 18.Rfc1 Rc7 19.Qd4 gives White an extra pawn, more freedom and more space; Black has the Bishop pair, but the center is locked so that will make little difference (Pogonina-Tairova, Russian ChW, Moscow, 2007).
• 14...Ra5 15.Qe3 0-0 16.0-0 Bd7 17.Rc2 Qa8 18.Rfc1 gives White a significant advantage in space; Black can get play on the queenside (Adams-Morozevich, IT, Sarajevo, 2000).
• If 12.Be3 Qa5 13.0-0 Bxc5 then:
• 14.exd5 Bxe3 15.Nc4 Qa6 16.Qxe3 0-0 17.dxe6 Bxe6 18.Nce5 gives White an extra pawn, albeit a weak one (Ganguly-Hanley, British Ch, Torquay, 2002).
• 14.Bxc5 Qxc5 15.Rfc1 Qb6 16.e5 Ng8 17.Qe3 Qxe3 18.fxe3 gives White a small advantage in space (Narvara-Duppel, Op, Pardubice, 2000).
• If 8.0-0 Nxd3 9.cxd3 Bxc5 10.Nb3 Be7 11.Bg5 h6 12.Bh4 then:
• If 12...Qb6 13.e5 Ng8 14.Bg3 Bd7 15.Bf4 (Anisimov-Nepomniachtchi, Russian Ch HL, Krasnohyarsk, 2007).
• 12...Bd7 13.Rac1 dxe4 14.dxe4 Qb6 15.Rfd1 Ba4 16.Qc4 Bxb3 17.axb3 (Ponomariov-Morozevich, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• If 8...a5 9.a4 0-0 then:
• If 10.exd5 Nxd3+ 11.Qxd3 Nxd5 then:
• 12.Be3?! b6 13.0-0-0 bxc5 14.Bxc5 Ba6 15.Qe4 gives White an extra pawn and more space (Hachatrian-Lputian, Armenian Ch, Yerevan, 2001).
• 12.Qd4 Nb4 13.Qe4 Bd7 14.Ne5 Bf6 15.c3 gives White an extra pawn and more space; Black can alleviate his spactial deficit with 15...Nc2+!, forcing exchanges.
• 10.Bg5 b6 11.e5 Nxd3+ 12.cxd3 Nd7 13.c6 Bxg5 14.cxd7 Bxd7 15.Nxg5 Qxg5 16.0-0 Qe7 is equal (Umudova-Vojinovic, Euro Ch, Rijeka, 2010).
• If 6...0-0 7.Ngf3 a5 then:
• If 8.0-0 then:
• If 8...Na6 then:
• If 9.e5 Nd7 then:
• If 10.c3 Naxc5 11.Bc2 then:
• If 11...b6 then:
• If 12.Re1 then:
• If 12...Ba6 13.Qe3 f6 then:
• If 14.exf6 Bxf6 then:
• 15.Nd4 Re8 16.Qf3 Nf8 17.Qg3 e5 18.Nf5 Ng6 19.Nb3 e4 gives Black the advantage in space; White has stronger pawns and Black's hanging pawns have all the advantages and disadvantages associated with hanging pawns (Jens-Feibig, Euro Club Cup, Kallithea, 2008).
• If 15.Nb3 e5 16.Nxc5 bxc5 17.Ng5 Bxg5 18.Qxg5 then:
• 18...Qf6 19.f3 Rae8 20.Qg3 Qf7 21.Bd2 Re6 22.Rad1 e4 then:
• If 23.f4 Rg6 24.Qe3 Qf5 25.h3 Nf6 26.Kh1 Qh5 gives Black more space and the initiative against White's King (Shen Yang-Abrahamyan, World Jr Ch Girls, Yerevan, 2006).
• If 23.fxe4?! Rg6! 24.Qe3 Ne5 25.exd5 Nf3+ 26.Kh1 Nxe1 then:
• 27.Qxe1 Qxd5 28.Bxg6 Rf1+ 29.Qxf1 Bxf1 30.Rxf1 hxg6 gives Black a strong advantage with an active, centralized Queen.
• If 27.Rxe1? Rf6 28.h3 Qxd5 29.Be4 then:
• Black wins after 29...Qd6! 30.Bf3 Bb7 31.Rf1 Re6.
• 29...Qe6? 30.Bxh7+! Kxh7 31.Qxe6 Rxe6 32.Rxe6 gives White two extra pawns.
• 18...Qe8 then:
• If 19.Be3 Qf7 20.Qh4 then:
• If 20...h6 21.Rad1 Rab8 22.b3 then:
• 22...Rb6 23.f3 gives Black more space, but White has brilliantly restrained Black's position (Kudrin-Perelshteyn, US Ch, Tulsa, 2008).
• 22...d4 23.Bc1 a4 24.cxd4 cxd4 25.bxa4 Qxa2 26.Qe4 gives Black hanging center passers, which White has blockaded, and more space, but his Queen is in an awkward spot; the game is approximately equal.
• 22...e4 23.c4 d4 24.Bxe4 Bb7 25.Bxb7 Rxb7 26.Bd2 gives White an extra pawn and a comfortable advantage in space
• 20...e4 21.Rad1 h6 22.Qh3 Bb5 23.f3 is equal.
• 19.Bd2 Qf7 20.f3 Bb5 21.Qh4 h6 22.b3 a4 is equal.
• 14.b4 fxe5 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.bxc5 Bxc5 17.Qxe5 Bxf2+ 18.Kh1 Bxe1 19.Qxe6+ is equal (Kristjansson-Carauana, Op, Reykjavik, 2008).
• 12...f6 13.exf6 Bxf6 14.Nb3 Ba6 15.Qd1 gives White stronger pawns (Kryuvoruchko-Shulman, Op, Reykjavik, 2009).
• 11...b5 12.Nd4 Qc7 13.Re1 b4 14.cxb4 axb4 15.Qe3 is equal (Sjugirov-Najer, Russian ChT, Olginka, 2011).
• If 10.c4 Naxc5 11.Bc2 b6 12.b3 then:
• 12...Ba6 13.Bb2 dxc4 14.bxc4 Qc7 is equal (Papp-Varvak, Hungarian ChT, Szombathely, 2009).
• 12...Bb7 13.Bb2 f5 14.Nd4 Qb8 15.Rad1 Qxe5 16.Qxe5 Nxe5 is equal (Vachier Lagrave-Sprengler, Bundeslinga 0708, Mülheim, 2007).
• If 9.exd5 exd5 then:
• If 10.Nb3 a4 11.Nbd4 Nxc5 12.Bb5 Bd7 13.Bf4 Re8 14.Bxd7 Qxd7 15.Qb5 Qxb5 16.Nxb5 Ne6 gives Black a slight initiative (Malakhov-del Rio Angeles, Euro Club Cup, Halkidiki, 2002).
• If 10.Re1 Re8 11.Nb3 Nxc5 12.Bb5 then:
• If 12...Bd7 13.Be3 a4 14.Bxd7 Qxd7 15.Bxc5 then:
• 15...axb3!? 16.Bxe7! Rxa2 17.Rac1 gives White a slight advantage with stronger pawns (Naiditsch-de la Riva Aguado, IT 0405, Pamplona, 2004).
• 15...Bxc5 16.Nxc5 Qc6 17.Qd3 Qxc5 remains equal.
• 12...Nxb3 13.axb3 Bd7 14.Bg5 h6 15.Bxd7 Qxd7 16.Be3 with equality.
• If 8...Nc6 then:
• If 9.c3 Nd7 10.exd5 exd5 then:
• 11.Bc2 11...Nxc5 12.Nb3 Re8 13.Nxc5 Bxc5 14.Qd3 g6 15.Bg5 Qb6 16.Bb3 d4 (C. Hansen-Lputian, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• If 11.Nb3 a4 12.Nbd4 Nxc5 13.Bb5 Na7 14.Bd3 Nc6 is equal (C. Balogh-Berczes, Bundesliga 0708, Zehlendorf, 2008).
• If 9.a4 Nb4 10.Nb3 b6 11.e5 Nd7 12.c6 Nxc6 then:
• If 13.Bb5 Qc7 then:
• If 14.Bf4 Nc5 15.Nbd4 Nxd4 16.Nxd4 Bd7 is equal (Kurmann-Farago, Young Master, Lausanne, 2006).
• 14.Nbd4?! Nxd4! 15.Nxd4 Nxe5 gives Black an extra pawn.
• 13.c3 Nc5 14.Nxc5 bxc5 15.b3 Qb6 16.Qc2 h6 is equal.
• If 8.a4 Na6 9.e5 Nd7 then:
• If 10.Nb3 Naxc5 then:
• 11.Nxc5 Nxc5 12.0-0 Nxd3 13.Qxd3 b6 14.Re1 Ba6 is equal (Carlsson-Kruppa, Euro Club Cup, Halkidiki, 2002).
• 11.Nfd4!? Nxd3+ 12.cxd3 Nc5 13.Nxc5 Bxc5 14.Nf3 b5 gives Black a slight advantage in space (Ganguly-Sengupta, Commonwealth Ch, Nigpur, 2008).
• If 10.c3 Naxc5 11.Bc2 b6 12.Nd4 then:
• If 12...Ba6 13.Nb5 f6 14.exf6 Bxf6 15.0-0 then:
• 15...e5 16.b4 axb4 17.cxb4 e4 18.Ra3 Ne6 is equal (Velcheva-Rudolf, OlW, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2010).
• 15...Qe7 16.Re1 Rae8 17.Rb1 Ne5 18.b3 Ng6 19.Bxg6 hxg6 20.c4 gives White stronger pawns and Black a slight edge in space (Katsuhara-Galyas, 1st Saturday June, Budapest, 2005).
• 12...Qc7 13.f4 Ba6 14.Nb5 Bxb5 15.axb5 f5 16.Nf3 gives White a slight advantage in space (M. Andersen-S. Christensen, Politiken Cup, Helsignør, 2007).
• If 4...Nc6 5.Ngf3 Nb4 6.Be2 then:
• If 6...dxe4 7.Nxe4 Nf6 8.Nxf6+ Bxf6 then:
• If 9.0-0 0-0 10.c3 Nd5 11.Bd3 b6 then:
• If 12.Qc2g6 then:
• 13.Re1 Bb7 14.Bh6 Bg7 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Be4 gives White a small advantage with the pin at d5 (Adams-Seirawan, IT, Bermuda, 2000).
• 13.Bh6 Bg7 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Be4 Rb8 16.Ne5 gives White more space (Pertrik-Totsky, Op, Chappelle-la-Grande, 2003).
• 12.Qe2 Rb8 13.Qe4 g6 14.Bh6 Bg7 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Rad1 gives White the advantage in space (Mednis-Romanishin, IZT, Riga, 1979).
• 9.c3 Nd5 10.Qc2 b6 11.Bb5+ Bd7 12.Bd3 Bc6 13.0-0 Qd6 14.Nd2 Ne7 15.Ne4 gives White the initiative and more space (Ye Jiasngchuan-Myo Niang, TM, Yangon, 1999).
• If 6...c5 7.c3 Nc6 then:
• 8.exd5 exd5 9.dxc5 Bxc5 then:
• If 10.Nb3 Bb6 11.0-0 Nf6 12.Bg5 then:
• 12...Be6 13.Nfd4 0-0 14.Re1 h6 15.Be3 gives White a small advantage in space (Kaplan-Bartel, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If 10.0-0 Nf6 then:
• If 11.Re1 Qb6 12.Bd3+ Be6 13.Qe2 Ng4 14.Rf1 Bd6 gives White stronger pawns and Black more space.
• If 12...0-0 13.Qd3 Re8 14.Rfe1 Ne5 15.Qc2 h6 is equal.
• If 11.Nb3 Bb6 12.Re1 0-0 13.Nfd4 Ne4 14.Be3 is equal.
• If 8.dxc5 Bxc5 9.Nb3 Bb6 then:
• If 10.exd5 Qxd5 11.Qxd5 exd5 12.Bf4 then:
• 12...Nge7 13.Rd1 0-0 14.0-0 Re8 15.Rfe1 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (J. Grachev-Akselrod, Op, Novosibirsk, 2001).
• If 12...Nf6 13.0-0 0-0 14.Bd3 Re8 15.Rae1 Bd7 16.h3 gives White a small advantage in space,
• If 10.Bg5 Nge7 11.exd5 Qxd5 12.c4 Qxd1+ 13.Rxd1 e5 14.c5 Bc7 is equal

4.exd5

• If 4.Ngf3 cxd4 5.Nxd4 then:
• If 5...Nc6 then:
• If 6.Bb5 Bd7 7.Nxc6 then:
• If 7...Bxc6 8.Bxc6+ bxc6 9.c4 then:
• If 9...Bd6 then:
• 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.exd5 exd5 12.0-0 Ne7 13.Nf3 0-0 14.Qd3 Qd7 15.Rd1 Rfd8 16.Be3 a5 is equal; Black can live with an isolated d-pawn for now (Topalov-Kamsky, CM Final, Sofia, 2009).
• 10.Qa4 Qd7 11.exd5 cxd5 12.Qxd7+ Kxd7 13.cxd5 exd5 14.0-0 Ne7 15.Nf3 Rab8 16.b3 a5 17.Bd2 Bb4 is equal (Majoob-Ghane Gardeh, Iranian Ch, Tehran, 2000).
• If 9...Bc5 then:
• 10.Qa4 Ne7 11.exd5 exd5 12.Nb3 Bb6 13.c5 Bc7 14.0-0 0-0 15.Bg5 f6 16.Bf4 Be5 17.Rae1 Qc7 18.Bc1 Bxh2+ 19.Kh1 Nf5 20.g4 Nh4 21.f4 Qd7 gives Black an extra pawn and a strong initiative (Hanley-Luther, EU Ch, Liverpool, 2006).
• If 10.cxd5 cxd5 11.exd5 then:
• 11...Qxd5 12.Qa4+ Qd7 13.Qxd7+ Kxd7 14.Ne4 Bb6 15.Bf4 Ne7 16.0-0-0+ Nd5 17.Nc3 Kc6 18.Nxd5 draw (Glek-Jussupow, Bundesliga 9192, Germany, 1992).
• 11...exd5 12.0-0 Ne7 13.Nb3 Bb6 14.Bg5 f6 15.Be3 gives White the advantage in development and in that Black is saddled with an isolated pawn (Ligterink-Donner, IT, Amsterdam, 1976).
• If 9...Qa5 then:
• If 10.Qb3 Rd8 11.0-0 then:
• 11...Nf6 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.e5 Nd7 14.Qg3 Rc8 15.Nb3 Qa6 16.Bg5 h6 17.Be3 g6 is equal (Abergel-Malakhatko, Op, Cappelle la Grande, 2006).
• 11...Bd6 12.cxd5 cxd5 13.exd5 exd5 14.Qb7 Ne7 15.Nb3 Qa4 16.Be3 0-0 17.Qxa7 Qh4 18.h3 gives White an extra pawn (I. Smirin-Dizdar, Croatian Cup, Sibenik, 2005).
• 10.Qc2 Qa6 11.Rb1 Bb4 12.exd5 cxd5 13.0-0 Nf6 14.b3 0-0 15.Qb2 Rac8 draw (Ehlvest-Chernin, Euro ChT, Pula, 1997).
• If 9...Nf6 10.Qa4 Qd7 11.e5 then:
• 11...Ng8 12.0-0 Ne7 13.Nf3 dxc4 14.Rd1 Nd5 15.Qxc4 Be7 16.Qg4 gives White the initiative (Diamant-Vescovi, Op, São Paulo, 2006).
• If 11...Ng4 12.Nf3 then:
• 12...h5 13.0-0 Rb8 14.a3 Be7 15.b4 Rb7 16.Bf4 gives White the advantage in space (Tseitlin-Vaganian, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1971).
• If 12...Bc5 13.0-0 Rb8 14.cxd5 exd5 15.Qc2 Bb6 16.Bf4 gives White more space and better pawn structure.
• 7...bxc6 8.Bd3 then:
• If 8...Qc7 9.Qe2 Ne7 10.Nf3 Ng6 11.0-0 then:
• 11...Bd6 12.Re1 Nf4 13.Bxf4 Bxf4 14.c4 0-0 15.g3 Bh6 16.exd5 cxd5 17.Qc2 g6 18.cxd5 Qxc2 19.Bxc2 exd5 20.Bb3 Be6 21.Nd4 Rfe8 draw (Zakharov-Petrosian, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1976).
• 11...Be7 12.c4 dxe4 13.Bxe4 f5 14.Bc2 e5 15.Ng5 h6 16.Qh5 Qd6 17.Ne4 Qe6 18.Rd1 Bc8 19.h3 Rf8 20.Ng3 Rf6 21.Re1 Kf8 22.Qe2 a5 23.Bd2 gives White more activity (Shamkovich-Vaganian, Trmt, Dubna, 1973).
• If 8...Bd6 9.Qe2 then:
• If 9...Qc7 10.Nf3 dxe4 11.Qxe4 Nf6 12.Qh4 then:
• 12...h6 13.0-0 Rb8 14.Bd2 Nd5 15.c4 Nf4 16.c5 Nxd3 17.cxd6 Qxd6 18.Rad1 Rb5 19.Bc3 0-0 20.Be5 gives White the initiative (Yakovich-Shulman, Trmt, Vladivostok, 1994).
• If 12...Rb8 13.0-0 then:
• If 13...Nd5 14.Re1 Be7 15.Qg4 then:
• If 15...g6 16.c4 f5 17.Bxf5 then:
• 17...Nf6 18.Qf4 Qxf4 19.Bxf4 Rxb2 20.Bxe6 Bc5 21.Bxd7+ Kxd7 22.Ne5+ Kc8 23.Nd3 Rc2 24.Nxc5 Rxc4 25.Be3 Black resigns (Yudasin-Gulko, ITZ, Biel, 1994).
• 17...exf5 18.Qd4 0-0 19.cxd5 Rb4 20.Qc3 Re4 21.Rxe4 fxe4 22.Nd4 gives White an extra pawn.
• 15...Bf6 16.c4 Ne7 17.Re2 c5 18.Rb1 h5 19.Qe4 Bc6 20.Qe3 is equal.
• 13...c5 14.Bh6 Bf8 15.Bf4 Bd6 16.Bxd6 Qxd6 17.b3 is equal.
• 9...Ne7 transposes into Zakharov-Petrosian, above.
• If 6.Nxc6 bxc6 7.Bd3 Nf6 8.0-0 Be7 then:
• If 9.Qe2 0-0 10.c4 a5 11.b3 a4 12.Bb2 Bb7 13.e5 Nd7 14.Nf3 Ba6 15.Qc2 h6 16.Rfd1 Qb6 17.Rab1 axb3 18.axb3 Rab8 19.Bd4 Bc5 20.Bc3 Bb4 21.Bd4 Bc5 22.Bc3 Bb4 23.Bd4 Bc5 draw (Lakos-Navara, Op, Oberwart, 2003).
• If 9.b3 0-0 10.Bb2 a5 11.Qe2 a4 12.f4 Ba6 13.c4 Bb4 14.e5 Nd7 15.Nf3 Be7 16.f5 then:
• If 16...Nc5? 17.f6 gxf6 18.exf6 Bxf6 19.Ng5 Bxb2 20.Qh5 Qxg5 21.Qxh7# checkmate (Bergstrom-Reyner, Jr IT, Hallsberg, 1975).
• 16...Qb6+ 17.Kh1 axb3 18.axb3 exf5 19.cxd5 Bxd3 20.Qxd3 Rxa1 21.Rxa1 Nc5 is equal
• If 5...Nf6 6.exd5 Qxd5 then:
• If 7.Nb5 Na6 8.c4 Qf5 9.Be2 Be7 10.0-0 0-0 11.Nd4 Qg6 12.N2f3 Rd8 13.Bd3 Qh5 14.Re1 Qa5 15.Qe2 Nb4 16.Bb1 Bd7 is equal (Hunt-Peng, Euro ChTW, León, 2001).
• 7.N2f3 Bc5 8.Be2 Nc6 9.c4 Bb4+ 10.Bd2 Qa5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.a3 Bxd2+ 13.Qxd2 Qxd2+ 14.Kxd2 c5 15.b4 Ke7 16.Ne5 Bb7 17.Ke3 Bxg2 18.Rhg1 Be4 19.Rxg7 Bg6 20.Rg1 gives White more activity and better pawn structure, but the awkward position of the Rook at g7 provides Black with opportunities for counterplay (Smagin-S. Ivanov, Russian Ch, St. Petersburg, 1998).

4...Qxd5

• This is the Chistiakov Defense.
• If 4...exd5 then:
• (Shaposhnikov Gambit) If 5.Ngf3 then:
• If 5...a3 then:
• If 6.Be2 c4 7.0-0 Bd6 8.b3 then:
• If 8...cxb3 9.axb3 Ne7 10.Re1 0-0 11.Nf1 Nbc6 12.Ne3 h6 13.c3 Be6 14.Bd3 then:
• If 14...Rc8 15.Ba3 Bxa3 16.Rxa3 Qd6 17.Ra2 Rfd8 18.Rae2 gives White a tactical edge (Kosteniuk-Kiriakov, Op, Isle of Man, 2000).
• 14...Qd7 15.Ba3 Rfd8 16.Bxd6 Qxd6 17.Ra2 Qf4 18.Rae2 Qf6 19.Qa1 Ng6 20.Bxg6 Qxg6 21.g3 Qd3 is equal (Geller-Skalkotas, IT, Malta, 1980).
• 8...b5 9.a4 c3 10.axb5 cxd2 11.Bxd2 Nf6 12.c4 dxc4 13.bxc4 0-0 14.c5 Be7 15.Bc4 Bf5 16.Re1 Be4 17.Ba5 Qc8 18.Rxe4 Nxe4 19.Bd5 gives White the more active game (Mong Lin Wang-Broucke, Corres, 1997).
• If 6.dxc5 Bxc5 7.Nb3 then:
• If 7...Bb6 then:
• If 8.Bd3 Qe7+ 9.Qe2 Nc6 10.c3 Bg4 11.0-0 Qxe2 12.Bxe2 Nf6 13.h3 Bh5 14.Bf4 h6 15.Rfe1 0-0-0 16.Ne5 Bxe2 17.Rxe2 Rhe8 18.Rae1 g5 19.Be3 Rxe5 20.Bxb6 Rde8 21.Be3 Nh5 is equal (Hjartarson-Nikolic, Op, Greenland, 2003).
• If 8.Bg5 then:
• 8...Ne7 9.Qd2 Nbc6 10.Be2 0-0 11.0-0 h6 12.Be3 Re8 13.Rad1 Bg4 14.Rfe1 Bxe3 15.Qxe3 Ng6 16.Qd2 Qf6 17.Nfd4 Bxe2 18.Rxe2 Rxe2 19.Qxe2 is equal (Matulovic-Andersson, IT, Titovo Uzice, 1978).
• 8...Nf6 9.Qe2+ Be6 10.Nbd4 Qe7 11.0-0-0 Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Nd4 Bxd4 14.Rxd4 h6 15.Bh4 g5 16.Bg3 Ne4 17.f3 Nxg3 18.hxg3 is equal (B. Socko-Kiriakov, Euro ChT, Saint Vincent, 2005).
• If 7...Ba7 then:
• 8.Bd3 Qe7+ 9.Be2 Nf6 10.0-0 0-0 11.Nfd4 Nc6 12.Re1 Ne4 13.Be3 Ne5 14.Nd2 f5 15.f4 Nc6 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Bc4+ Kh8 18.Nxc6 Bxe3+ 19.Rxe3 bxc6 is equal (Ciric-Korchnoi, IT, Budva, 1967).
• 8.Bg5 Ne7 9.Qd2 Nbc6 10.Be3 Bxe3 11.Qxe3 0-0 12.0-0-0 Bf5 13.Nfd4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 Bg6 15.Bd3 Re8 16.Rhe1 Qd7 17.Bxg6 Nxg6 18.Qg5 Rxe1 19.Rxe1 Re8 20.Rxe8+ Qxe8 is equal (van der Wiel-Seirawan, ITZ, Biel, 1985).
• If 5...Nf6 6.Bb5+ Bd7 7.Bxd7+ Nbxd7 8.0-0 Be7 9.dxc5 Nxc5 10.Nb3 Nce4 11.Nfd4 Qd7 then:
• If 12.f3 Nd6 13.Nc5 then:
• If 13...Qc8 14.Nd3 0-0 then:
• If 15.Be3 Re8 16.Bf2 Bd8 17.a4 then:
• 17...Nc4 18.Qc1 Bb6 19.b3 Na5 20.Qf4 Nc6 21.Nf5 Bxf2+ 22.Rxf2 Qd8 23.g4 d4 24.Qg5 g6 25.Nh6+ Kg7 26.Nf5+ Kg8 27.Nh6+ draw (Akopian-Dolmatov, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2004).
• 17...a6 18.b3 Ba5 19.Nf4 Nf5 20.Qd3 Re5 21.Rad1 Qd7 is equal (Rudolf-Tairova, World Jr Ch (Girls), Yerevan, 2006).
• 15.Re1 Bd8 16.c3 h6 17.a4 Nc4 18.Kh1 Bb6 19.b3 Na5 20.Ba3 Re8 21.Rxe8+ Qxe8 is equal (Timofeev-Potkin, Russian ChT, Sochi, 2004).
• 13...Qc7 14.Nd3 0-0 15.b3 Rfe8 16.Be3 Nd7 17.Qd2 Bf6 18.Rfe1 Nb6 19.Bf2 h6 20.a4 Rad8 21.Rxe8+ Rxe8 22.Re1 Rxe1+ 23.Nxe1 Nbc8 is equal (Timofeev-Lastin, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2004).
• If 12.Qf3 0-0 13.Nf5 Bd8 14.Be3 then:
• If 14...Rc8 15.c3 Re8 16.Rfd1 a5 17.Nd2 Qe6 18.Nd4 Qe7 draw (Oral-Nogueiras, Capablanca Mem, Varadero, 2000).
• 14...g6 15.Ng3 Re8 16.Rfd1 Qc8 17.c3 a5 18.a4 Ra6 19.h3 Nd6 20.Nc5 Rc6 21.Nd3 Nc4 is equal (Rade-Dizdar, Croatian ChT, Pula, 2001).
• If 5...Nc6 6.Bb5 Bd6 7.dxc5 Bxc5 8.0-0 Nge7 9.Nb3 then:
• If 9...Bd6 10.Re1 0-0 then:
• If 11.Bg5 Bg4 12.Be2 h6 then:
• If 13.Bxe7 Bxe7 14.h3 Bh5 15.c3 Bf6 16.Nh2 Bg6 17.Ng4 d4 18.Nxf6+ Qxf6 19.Nxd4 Rad8 20.Qb3 Nxd4 21.cxd4 then:
• 21...Be4 22.Rad1 Rxd4 23.Rxd4 Qxd4 24.Qc4 Qd5 25.Qxd5 Bxd5 26.Bf3 Be6 27.Rc1 Rc8 draw (Jansa-Prandstetter, IT, Prague, 1985).
• 21...Qxd4 22.Rad1 Qb6 23.Qxb6 axb6 24.Bf3 Rxd1 25.Rxd1 Re8 26.Rd6 b5 27.Rb6 wins a pawn for White (Jansa-Farago, IT, Bagneux, 1983).
• If 13.Bh4 Re8 14.c3 Qb6 15.Nfd4 Bxe2 16.Rxe2 Nxd4 17.Nxd4 Nc6 18.Nf5 Bf8 then:
• 19.Nxh6+ gxh6 20.Rxe8 Rxe8 21.Qg4+ Kh7 22.Qf5+ draws by perpetual check (Rodríguez-Psakhis, IT, Cienfuegos, 1983).
• 19.Rd2 Re4 20.Bg3 Rae8 21.h3 d4 22.Qf3 dxc3 23.bxc3 Re1+ 24.Rxe1 Rxe1+ 25.Kh2 Qb1 is equal (Suetin-Uhlmann, IT, Debrecen, 1987).
• If 11.Bd3 h6 12.h3 Nf5 13.c3 Qf6 14.Bc2 Rd8 15.Qd3 g6 then:
• 16.Bd2 a5 17.a4 b6 18.Qe2 Ba6 19.Bd3 Bxd3 20.Qxd3 d4 21.cxd4 Nfxd4 22.Nfxd4 Nxd4 23.Bc3 Nxb3 24.Bxf6 Bh2+ 25.Kxh2 Rxd3 is equal (Brodsky-Lputian, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 1999).
• 16.Qd2 Bf8 17.Qf4 Bg7 18.Bd2 g5 19.Qh2 Nd6 20.Nbd4 Nc4 21.Bc1 Bf8 22.g4 Bc5 23.b3 Bxd4 24.Nxd4 N4e5 is equal (Zubarev-Lysyj, Op, Nishnij Tagil, 2005).
• If 9...Bb6 10.Re1 0-0 11.c3 then:
• 11...Nf5 12.Bd3 h6 13.Bc2 Qd6 14.Qd3 Rd8 15.Bd2 d4 16.c4 Bc7 17.Re4 Qg6 18.Rae1 f6 19.c5 White wins a pawn (Howell-Hall, British Ch, Great yarmouth, 2007).
• If 11...Bg4 12.Be3 then:
• 12...Bxe3 13.Rxe3 Qd6 14.h3 Bh5 15.Be2 Rad8 16.Nfd4 Bg6 17.Bf3 Ne5 18.Qe2 Nxf3+ 19.Qxf3 Nc8 20.Nf5 Bxf5 21.Qxf5 Rfe8 22.Rae1 Rxe3 23.Rxe3 Ne7 24.Qg5 gives White a more active position and better pawn structure (Macieja-Movsesian, TT, Czechia, 2001).
• 12...Re8 13.h3 Bh5 14.Bxb6 Qxb6 15.Be2 f6 16.Qd2 Bf7 17.Rad1 Ng6 18.Nbd4 Nxd4 19.Nxd4 Re5 20.Bd3 Rxe1+ 21.Rxe1 Ne5 gives White the advantage in space (Rublevsky-Meijers, Ol, Torino, 2006).
• If 5.Bb5+ Bd7 6.Qe2+ Be7 7.dxc5 Nf6 8.Ngf3 0-0 then:
• If 9.Nb3 Re8 10.Be3 then:
• 10...a6 11.Bd3 Ba4 12.Nfd4 Nbd7 13.0-0-0 Bxb3 14.Nxb3 Nxc5 15.Qf3 Nxb3+ 16.axb3 Qa5 17.Kb1 Bc5 18.Rhe1 Bxe3 19.Rxe3 Qb4 20.h3 Rxe3 21.Qxe3 Re8 22.Qf3 h5 gives Black the advantage in space (Muraiu-Vaganian, IT, Bnaza, 2008).
• 10...Bxc5 11.Bxd7 Nbxd7 12.Nxc5 Nxc5 13.Qb5 Rc8 14.0-0 a6 15.Qb4 Re4 16.Qd2 h6 17.Rad1 Re8 18.c3 Nce4 19.Qd3 Qc7 20.Rfe1 Qc4 21.a3 Qxd3 22.Rxd3 Nd6 23.Kf1 Nc4 24.Bc1 Rxe1+ 25.Nxe1 Rc6 26.Nc2 Rb6 draw (Browne-Larsen, IT, Hastings, 1972).
• 9.0-0 Re8 10.Nb3 Bxc5 11.Qd3 Bb6 12.Bg5 Bxb5 13.Qxb5 Nbd7 14.Rad1 Qc7 15.Qd3 Re4 16.Nfd4 h6 17.Nb5 Qe5 18.Bxf6 Nxf6 19.N5d4 Ng4 20.Qg3 Qe7 21.Nf5 Qf6 22.Rxd5 Rd8 23.Rxd8+ Qxd8 24.h3 g6 25.hxg4 gxf5 26.gxf5+ Kh7 27.c3 Re2 28.f6 Black resigns two pawns down (Zimina-Kononenko, Bykova Mem, Vladimir, 2005).

5.dxc5 Qxc5

• This move is rarely played, but Morozevich's use of it here might change that.
• More usual is 5...Bxc5 6.Ngf3 Nf6 7.Bc4 then:
• If 7...Qd6 8.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 9.Qe2 then:
• If 9...Nc6 10.Nb3 Bb6 then:
• If 11.Bg5 e5 12.Rad1 Qe7 then:
• 13.Rfe1 Re8 14.Bd5 Bc7 15.Qc4 gives White greater activity (Kovalev-Snatenkov, Russian ChU14, Nizhnij Novgorod, 1999).
• 13.h3 Bf5 14.Rfe1 Rfe8 15.Bb5 Bc7 16.Bxc6 bxc6 gives White stronger pawns and command of the d-file; Black has a pawn achoring the center and the Bishop pair (Bethauer-Wetterling, German ChWU18, Willingen, 2004).
Re8 14.Bd5 Bc7 15.Qc4 gives White greater activity (Kovalev-Snatenkov, Russian ChU14, Nizhnij Novgorod, 1999).
• 11.Rd1 Qe7 12.Bg5 Bc7 13.Nbd2 a6 14.Ne4 gives White a better center and a substantial advante in space (Kemularia-Song, World Youth Girls U10, Heraklio, 2002).
• 9...Qc7 10.Ne4 Be7 11.Bg5 Nxe4 12.Qxe4 h6 13.Bf4 Qc6 14.Qe2 gives White more space and better development (M. Nielsen-Lahlum, Politiken Cup, Copenhagen, 1998).
• If 9.Nb3 Qxd1 10.Rxd1 Bb6 then:
• If 11.Ne5 Nc6 12.Nxc6 bxc6 13.Bf4 Bb7 14.Be5 Ng4 15.Bg3 (Schwarz-Rosinus, Op, Bad Zwesten, 2006).
• 11.Bf4 Nc6 12.Bb5 Nb4 13.c3 Nbd5 14.Be5 gives White a small advantage (Franco-Benggawan, Pan Am ChWU14, Guaymallen, 2001).
• If 7...Qd8 8.0-0 0-0 then:
• 9.Qe2 Nc6 10.Nb3 Be7 11.Bg5 a6 12.Rad1 Qc7 13.c3 b5 14.Bd3 gives White a slight advantage in space and the threat of 15.Bxf6 Bxf6 16.Qe4, with which Black must deal (Yanez-Cave, ZT, San Felipe, 1999).
• If 9.Nb3 Be7 then:
• 10.Bf4 Qb6 11.a4 Nc6 12.a5 Qd8 13.Qe2 Nh5 14.Be3 Qc7 15.Nfd4 Nf4 is equal (Dong Bao Nghia-Ton That Nhutung, Vietnamese ChU15, Ho Chi Minh City, 2005).
• 10...Nc6 11.Qd2 b6 12.Rfd1 Bb7 13.a4 a6 14.Qe2 Qc8 15.Rd2 Rd8 16.Rad1 is equal (Keilhauer-Schmidtke, German ChTU12, Verdun, 1999).
• If 7...Qc6 8.Qe2 0-0 9.0-0 then:
• If 9...Nbd7 10.Nb3 b6 11.Nxc5 Qxc5 then:
• If 12.b3 Bb7 13.Bb2 then:
• If 13...Rac8 then:
• 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.Qxe5 Qxe5 16.Bxe5 Bd5 17.Bxd5 exd5 18.c3 is equal (Bok-Berelowitsch, Bundesliga 1011, Solingen, 2010).
• If 12.Be3 Qc7 then:
• 13.Rad1 Bb7 14.Rd4 Rac8 15.Bb3 Ne5 16.Nxe5 Qxe5 17.c4 Rfd8 18.Rfd1 gives White a slight advantage in space (Tiviakov-Malakhatko, , Rpd, Corsica, 2008).
• 14.Rad1 Qh5 15.Nd4 Ne5 16.Ba6 Bxa6 17.Qxa6 is equal (Lobzhanidze-Buhmann, Op, Deizishau, 2010).
• 13...Rfd8 14.Rfd1 Nf8 15.Ne5 Ng6 16.Nxg6 hxg6 17.Qe5 Qxe5 18.Bxe5 gives White an active Bishop pair and stronger pawns; Black has command of the long diagonal (Adams-Lemos, Masters, Gibraltar, 2011).
• If 13.Bd4 Bb7 14.Ne5 then:
• 14...Rad8 15.Rad1 Nxe5 16.Bxe5 Qc6 17.f3 Qc5+ 18.Kh1 Ne4 is equal (Kornev-Zvjaginsev, Russian Ch, Krasnoyarsk, 2003).
• 14...Rac8 15.b3 Nxe5 16.Qxe5 Qxe5 17.Bxe5 Bd5 18.Bxd5 exd5 is equal (Godena-Stellwagen, Euro ChT, Novi Sad, 2009).
• If 9...a6 10.a4 Nbd7 then:
• 11.Nb3 Bd6 12.Rd1 Nb6 13.Bd3 Nbd5 14.Na5 Qc7 15.Nc4 is equal (Adams-Borovikov, Euro Club Cup, Halkidiki, 2002).
• If 11.c3 b6 12.b4 Bd6 13.Ba3 Qc7 then:
• 14.Bb3?! Bb7 15.c4 Rfd8 16.Rfc1 Rac8 leaves White with a queenside majority and the center is for now a no man's land (M. Nielsen-Rugholm, Op, Herlev, 1997).
• 14.b5 Bxa3 15.Rxa3 axb5 16.Bxb5 Rd8 gives Black stronger pawns.

6.Ne4 (N)

• If 6.Ngf3 Nf6 7.Bd3 Be7 then:
• If 8.0-0 0-0 9.Qe2 Nbd7 10.Ne4 Qc7 11.Bg5 b6 then:
• If 12.Nxf6+ Nxf6 then:
• 13.Ne5 Bb7 14.Rfe1 Rad8 15.Rad1 Rd6 16.Bf4 Qc8 17.Ng4 draw (Kobalia-Vitiugov, Russian ChT, Dagomys, 2010).
• 13.Bf4 Bd6 14.Rad1 Bb7 15.Rfe1 Nd5 16.Bg3 Rad8 is equal (Ni Hua-Ding Liren, GMT, Danzhou, 2010).
• 12.Bh4 Bb7 13.Rad1 Nc5 14.Bg3 Qc6 15.Ne5 gives White a slight andvantage in space and a slight initiative (Yegiazarian-Lputian, Armenian Ch, Yerevan, 1999).
• 12.Rfd1 Bb7 13.Rd2 h6 14.Bh4 Nxe4 15.Bxe4 Bxh4 16.Nxh4 Bxe4 17.Qxe4 Nf6 is equal (Janev-Nepomniachtchi, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 8.Qe2 Nbd7 9.Nb3 Qc7 10.Bg5 0-0 11.0-0-0 b6 12.Nbd4 Nc5 is equal (Rublevsky-Ni Hua, TM, Ningbo, 2010).

6...Qb4+ 7.Nc3

• The game is more or less equal or perhaps slightly favorable to White. White has better development and better potention for the Bishops; Black has a little more space and the most active piece on the board.

7...Nf6 8.Bd3 Nbd7 9.a3

• White has a slight but definite advantage.
• 9.Nge2 Nc5 10.a3 Nxd3+ 11.Qxd3 Qd6 12.Qxd6 Bxd6 is equal.

9...Qd6!?

• This makes the Black Bishops harder to develop.
• If 9...Qa5 10.Nf3 Nc5 11.Bb5+ Bd7 then:
• 12.Qe2 a6 13.Bxd7+ Ncxd7 14.0-0 Bd6 15.Rd1 Qc7 is equal.
• 12.b4 Qc7 13.Qd4 Nce4 14.Bxd7+ Qxd7 15.Qxd7+ Kxd7 is equal.

10.Nf3!

• White has a small advantage in space.

10...Nc5 11.Bb5+ Bd7 12.Qe2!?

• White loses his advantage, however trifling it is.
• If 12.Bg5! Qxd1+ 13.Rxd1 then:
• 13...Be7 14.Ne5 Bxb5 15.Nxb5 0-0 16.c4 a6 17.Nc3 leaves White with a slight advantage.
• If 13...Rc8! then:
• 14.Bxf6 gxf6 15.Be2 Rg8 16.Rg1 is equal.
• If 14.Be2 Nce4 then:
• 15.Nxe4! Nxe4 16.Be3 a6 17.Ne5 Ba4 gives White a fair advantage in space.
• 15.Ne5?! Nxc3! 16.bxc3 Ba4 17.Rd4 b5 18.Rxa4 bxa4 leaves Black up by an exchange with opportunities to grab some weak White pawns.

12...a6!

• The game is equal.

13.Bc4

• If 13.Bxd7+ Ncxd7 14.0-0 Qc7 15.Rd1 Bd6 16.Bg5 h6 is equal.

13...Qc7 14.0-0

• If 14.Bg5 Be7 15.Bxf6 then:
• 15...Bxf6 16.Nd5 Qd8 17.Nxf6+ Qxf6 18.Ne5 0-0 19.0-0 remains equal.
• 15...gxf6 16.Nd4 b5 17.Qf3 Qb7 18.Be2 e5 19.Nf5 remains equal.

14...Bd6!?

• Black is no doubt aware of it and it anyway, but White will be able to spoil Black's kingside.
• 14...Rc8 15.Rd1 Na4 16.Nxa4 Qxc4 17.Qxc4 Rxc4 18.Nc3 remains equal.

15.b4!?


• White misses the best line.
• If 15.Bg5! b5 16.Ba2 Ng4! (removing the threat of 17.Bxf6 gxf6, giving White a positional advantage.) 16...Be7?! 17.Nd5 Qb8 18.h3 gives White more freedom and a slight advantage in space.
• 17.Bxf6 Bxf6 18.Nd5 Qd8 19.Nxf6+ Qxf6 20.Ne5 gives White more space and the initiative.

15...Rc8!?

• Black should paly 16...Na4 immediately.
• If 15...Na4 16.Nxa4 Bxa4 17.Bd3 Bc6 18.h3 Rd8 19.Bg5 remains equal.

16.Bb2?!

• White loses his advantage, however trifling it is.
• If 16.bxc5! Qxc5 17.Nd2 then:
• If 17...Qe5 18.Qxe5 Bxe5 19.Bb2 then:
• 19...b5 20.Nxb5 axb5 21.Bxe5 bxc4 22.a4 gives White a passed pawn and more space.
• 19...Rxc4? 20.Nxc4! Bc7 21.Rfe1 b5 22.Ne5 leaves White up by a Rook.
• If 17...Qc7?! 18.Kh1! then:
• 18...Bc6 19.Bd3 Bxh2 20.Nc4 b5 21.Nb2 gives White a Knight against two pawns.
• If 18...b5?! 19.Nd5! Nxd5 20.Bxd5 then:
• If 20...Be5 then White remains up a piece after 21.Ra2 exd5 22.f4!.
• If 20...0-0 then White stays a piece to the good after 21.Be4 Bc6 22.Bd3 Be5 23.Rb1.

BLACK: Alexander Morozevich



WHITE: Artyom Timofeev
Position after 16.Bc1b2

16...Na4!

• Black seizes the initiative.

17.Bxe6?

• White digs a deeper hole.
• Better is 17.Nxa4 when 17...Qxc4 18.Qxc4 Rxc4 19.Nc3 Ke7 20.Rad1 Rd8 gives Black the Bishop pair and a healthy advantage inspace, but White can force the Rook from c4.

17...Nxc3!

• Black is a piece to the good.
• Also good is 17...Nxb2! 18.Nd5 Nxd5 19.Bxd5+ Kf8 20.Rfe1.

18.Bxd7+

• White connot recover the piece.
• If 18.Bxc3? Bxe6! 19.Bxf6 gxf6 then:
• If 20.Rad1 then Black wins after 20...0-0! 21.Qe4 Be5 22.Nxe5 fxe5.
• If 20.Qe4 then Black wins after 20...Qc6! 21.Qe3 Qc3 22.Qa7 Bd5 23.Rfe1+ Kd7.

18...Kxd7 19.Qd3 Rhe8 20.Ng5 Qc4?

• Black takes the pressure off long enough for White to escape.
• If 20...Ne2+! 21.Kh1 Qxc2 then:
• If 22.Rad1 then Black wins after Qxd3 23.Rxd3 Nf4.
• If 22.Qh3+ then Black wins after 22...Ke7 23.Bxf6+ Kxf6 24.Qh5 g6 25.Qh6 Qf5.

BLACK: Alexander Morozevich



WHITE: Artyom Timofeev
Position after 20...Qc7c5

21.Qf5+!

• White will win a pawn and Black will have to win the game over again.

21...Kc7 22.Bxc3 Qxc3 23.Nxf7 Qc4?!

• Black allows his King to be driven into the open.
• Black will have an easier time returning to a winning position after 23...Bf8! 24.Qf4+ Kb6 then:
• 25.Nd6 Bxd6 26.Qxd6+ Ka7 27.b5 Qc7 28.Qd2 Qd7 puts Black on the brink of winning with a Knight agaisnt two pawns, command of three files and more space.
• 25.Ng5? Rc4! 26.Qf3 Qxf3 27.Nxf3 Rxc2 28.Nd4 Rc4! drives the Knight to an ineffective square and wins.

24.Nxd6 Kxd6 25.Qg5 Qg4 26.Qa5

• Black has more active Rooks, a material advantage and more space.
• 26.Rad1+ Ke6 27.Qxg4+ Nxg4 28.Rd4 Kf5 29.h3 Ne5 Black continues to enjoy a material advantage and takes aim at White's backward c-pawn.

26...Ke7 27.Rad1?

• White seizes the open file, but at the cost of a pawn.
• If 27.Qb6 Qd7 28.Rad1 Qc7 then:
• If 29.Rde1+ then after Kf7 30.Rxe8 Kxe8 31.Qe6+ Kf8 Black remains with a piece against two pawns.
• 29.Qxc7+? loses to 29...Rxc7! 30.Rfe1+ Kf8 31.Rxe8+ Kxe8 32.Rc1 b5.

BLACK: Alexander Morozevich



WHITE: Artyom Timofeev
Position after 27.Ra1d1

27...Kf7!

• This time Black follows White's error with a strong move.
• Also good is 27...Rxc2! 28.Qb6 Qc8 29.Rfe1+ Kf7 30.Rxe8 Nxe8 when Black enjoys an extra piece.

28.Qb6 Re7

• Black stays on course and allows Black no opportunities for effective counterplay.
• If 28...Qe4?! 29.Rd4! Qe6 30.Qxb7+ then:
• 30...Re7 31.Qf3 Rxc2 32.h3 Qe2 33.Qb3+ Kf8 34.Rdd1 Black remains clearly better.
• 30...Kg8! 31.Rd2! Rc3 32.a4 Ra3 33.Rd3 Rxd3 34.cxd3 gives White three pawns against Black's Knight, which is almost equal and when combined with the active Queen gives White some drawing chances.

29.b5 axb5 30.Qxb5 Qc4

• Black offers an exchange of Queens.
• If 30...Rxc2 31.Rfe1 Rce2 then:
• 32.Rxe2 Qxe2 33.Qb3+ Qe6 34.Qxe6+ Rxe6 35.f3 Rb6 leaves Black with a piece to a pawn.
• 32.Qb3+ Qe6 33.Qxe6+ R7xe6 34.Rxe2 Rxe2 confines the White Rook to defending the back rank.

31.Qb3

• With a material deficit he is having great difficulty overcoming, White should want nothing to do with a Queen exchange.
• If 31.Qxc4+ Rxc4 32.Rd2 Rc3 33.a4 Rc4 then:
• If 34.f4 drops a pawn to Rxa4 35.g3 b5.
• If 34.a5 then White wins back the pawn with 34...Rc5 35.f3 Rxa5 36.Rb1 Nd5.
• 31.Qb6 avoiding the Queen exchange altogether, loses to 31...Qxc2 32.Rde1 Ne4 33.Re3 Rc6 34.Qd8 Rce6.

BLACK: Alexander Morozevich



WHITE: Artyom Timofeev
Position after 31.Qb5b3

31...Qxb3

• It's time to put a fork in White.

32.cxb3 Rc3 33.Rb1 b5

• If 33...Ne4 34.Rfd1 Rc2 then:
• If 35.Rd3 Rxf2 36.Rdd1 Re2 then:
• 37.Rbc1 Re3 38.Rb1 Nc3 39.Rf1+ Kg6 is an easy wn for Black.
• 37.Rdc1 Nd2 38.Ra1 Nxb3 wins the exchange.
• 35.Rbc1 Rxf2 36.Re1 Rb2 37.Re3 Nd6 38.Rf3+ Ke8

34.a4

• 34.Rfc1 Rxc1+ 35.Rxc1 Ra7 36.Ra1 Ne4 37.Ra2 Kf6 Black has two active pieces.

34...b4

• 34...bxa4 35.bxa4 Ra7 36.Ra1 Rc4 37.Rfd1 Rcxa4 Black continues to enjoy a material advantage.

35.Rb2 Ne4 36.Rd1 Rec7

• 36...Nc5 37.h3 Rb7 38.Rdb1 Rd7 39.g3 Kf6 gives Black more material and freedom.

37.Kf1 Rc1 38.Ke1 Rxd1+ 39.Kxd1 Rc3 40.a5 Rc5 41.Ke2

• 41.a6 Nc3+ 42.Kd2 Rd5+ 43.Ke3 Nd1+ Black wins the Rook.

41...Ke6 42.Ke3 Nc3 43.Kd4

• If 43.Rc2 then Black wins after 43...Rxa5 44.Kd4 Rh5 45.h3 Nb5+ 46.Kd3 Rd5+.

43...Rxa5

• Black has a permanent extra piece.

44.Kc4 Nd5 45.Re2+

• If 45.h4 then Black wins after 45...Kd6 46.Rd2 Rc5+ 47.Kd4 Nc3 48.Rd3 Kc6.

45...Kd6 46.Re8

• If 46.Rd2 then Black wins after 46...Rc5+ 47.Kd4 Nc3 48.f4 Nb5+ 49.Ke4+ Kc6.

46...Rc5+ 47.Kd4 Rc2 48.Rd8+ Ke6 0-1

• 49.Rf8 Rc3 50.h4 Rxb3 51.Rg8 g6 52.Ra8 Ne7 53.Ra6+ Kd7 leaves Black with an extra piece.
• Artyom Valeryevich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

12. French Game

WHITE



BLACK

French Game
Position after 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5


Two games in the French Game series have already been presented:

Tarrasch Opening: Timofeev-Morozevich, Russian Championship Qual/Higher League, Taganrog, 2011
Richter Opening: Hector-So, IT, Malmø, 2011

[Jack Rabbit]

7. Tomilova - Zaiatz, Women's Group, Round 7

There is no photo of Elena Zaiatz available with an internet-friendly copyright
Photo by Jon Sullivan from public-domain-photos.com (Public Domain)


Elena Tomilova - Elena Zaiatz
Russian Championship Qual/Higher League (Women's Group), Round 7
Taganrog, 23 June 2011

Queen's Gambit: Exchange Opening (Reshevsky Variation)

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d5 3.c4 e6 4.cxd5 exd5 5.Nc3 c6 6.Qc2 Na6

• If 6...Be7 7.Bg5 then:
• If 7...g6 then:
• If 8.e3 Bf5 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Nbd7 then:
• If 11.0-0 0-0 then:
• If 12.Rab1 a5 13.Qc2 Re8 then:
• If 14.a3 then:
• If 14...Ne4 15.Bxe7 Qxe7 then:
• 16.b4 Nd6 17.bxa5 Rxa5 18.a4 Ra6 is equal (Galliamova-A. Petrosian, IT, Lvov, 1995).
• 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Nd2 c5 18.dxc5 Nxc5 19.Rbd1 Rac8 20.Nb3 Nd3 21.Qb1 Qg5 22.Nc1 Nxc1 draw (Bukal-Barbero, ITZ, Budapest, 1987).
• 14...Bd6 15.b4 axb4 16.axb4 b5 17.Rfe1 Qc7 18.e4 draw (Savon-Pietzsch, IT, Sarajevo, 1967).
• 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.a3 Nb6 16.Nd2 Nc8 17.b4 axb4 18.axb4 b5 is equal (Ivkov-E. Torre, IT, Sochi, 1980).
• If 12.h3 Re8 13.Bf4 Bf8 14.Ne5 Nxe5 15.Bxe5 Nd7 then:
• 16.Bh2 Nf6 17.Be5 Nd7 18.Bh2 Nf6 19.Rab1 Bd6 20.Bxd6 Qxd6 21.Rfe1 draw (Chernin-Vyzmanavin, IT, Protvino, 1988).
• 16.Bg3 f5 draw (Chowdhury-Arun Presad, Indian Ch, Visakhapatnam, 2006).
• If 11.Bh6 Bf8 12.Bxf8 Kxf8 13.0-0 Kg7 14.b4 then:
• If 14...a6 15.a4 Qe7 16.b5 axb5 17.axb5 then:
• 17...Ne4 18.bxc6 bxc6 19.Qc2 Nd6 20.Nd2 Nb6 21.Na4 Nbc4 22.Nxc4 Nxc4 23.Nb2 Nxb2 24.Qxb2 gives White the edge in space; the game was agreed drawn after a few more moves (Grefe-Tarjan, Op, Seattle, 1983).
• 17...c5 18.dxc5 Nxc5 19.Qe2 Nce4 20.Qb2 Nxc3 21.Qxc3 Rhc8 22.Qb2 Rxa1 23.Rxa1 Rc4 24.Nd4 Qb4 draw (Uhlmann-Jansevic, IT, Skopje/Ohrid, 1968).
• 14...Qe7 15.Qc2 Rhe8 16.b5 cxb5 17.Qb3 Qe6 18.Qxb5 Rec8 19.Ne2 is equal (Rogers-M. Gurevich, ITZ, Biel, 1993).
• If 8.e4 dxe4 9.Bxf6 Bxf6 10.Qxe4+ then:
• If 10...Qe7 11.Bc4 then:
• If 11...0-0 12.0-0 Qb4 then:
• 13.Bb3 Bf5 14.Qf4 Nd7 15.Rfe1 a5 16.g4 Be6 17.Bxe6 fxe6 18.Qe3 Rae8 is equal (Ruban-Dreev, Soviet ChU26, Tbilisi, 1989).
• 13.Qf4 draw (Huzman-Kruppa, Soviet Ch, ½-fianl, Kherson, 1989).
• If 11...Bf5 12.Qxe7+ Kxe7 13.0-0-0 Rd8 14.h3 then:
• 14...b5 15.Bb3 a5 16.a4 b4 17.Rhe1+ draw (Nanu-Nyback, Euro Ch, Rijeka, 2010).
• If 14...h5 15.g4 then:
• 15...hxg4 16.hxg4 Bxg4 17.Rh7 Rf8 18.Re1+ gives White a comfortable advantage with the active Rooks for which he sacrificed a pawn (Tomashevsky-Maletin, Russian ChT, Olginka, 2011).
• 15...Be6 16.Rhe1 hxg4 17.hxg4 Na6 18.Bxe6 fxe6 19.Ne4 gives White the better center and more space (Shen Yang-Sebag, Grand Prix W, Nanjing, 2009).
• If 10...Kf8 then:
• If 11.Bc4 Kg7 12.0-0 Re8 13.Qf4 Be6 14.Bxe6 Rxe6 15.Rfe1 then:
• If 15...Qd6 16.Qxd6 Rxd6 17.Ne4 Rd8 then:
• If 18.Nxf6 Kxf6 19.Re4 Na6 20.Rae1 Rd7 then:
• 21.h4 Rad8 22.Re8 Nc7 23.Rxd8 Rxd8 24.g3 Ne6 gives Black more activity and stronger pawns; White has more space for the moment (van Hoolandt-Gusdtafsson, Euro Club Cup, Antalya, 2007).
• 21.a3 Rad8 22.Kf1 draw (Dreev-Lutz, IT, Nussloch, 1996).
• 18.g4 Be7 19.b4 Bxb4 20.Reb1 Na6 21.a3 Re8 gives Black the advantage following 22.axb4 Rxe4 (Wang Yue-Khalifman, Ol, Palma de Mallorca, 2004).
• 15...Rxe1+ 16.Rxe1 Nd7 17.Ne4 Be7 18.h4 Qb8 is equal (Timman-Short, IT, Beograd, 1987).
• 11.0-0-0 Be6 12.h4 Nd7 13.Ne5 Qa5 14.Nxd7+ Bxd7 is equal (Cramling-Grandelius, IT, Malmö, 2010).
• 7...Nbd7 8.e3 is the main line of the Orthodox Queen's Gambit.

7.a3 Nc7 8.Bg5 Ne6 9.Bh4 Be7 10.e3 g6 11.h3 (N)

• If 11.Bd3 Ng7 12.0-0 then:
• If 12...0-0 13.b4 a6 then:
• If 14.Na4 then:
• If 14...Bf5 15.Nc5 b6 then:
• 16.Nb3 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 Ne4 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.Rfc1 Rac8 20.Rc2 gives White a considerable advantage in space and the initiative; Black's central Knight has potential (Gabriel-Kupreichik, Euro ChT, Batumi, 1999).
• 16.Na4 Bxd3 17.Qxd3 Nd7 18.Bxe7 Qxe7 19.Rfc1 gives White a fair advantage and fewer pawn weaknesses (Uhlmann-Barcza, IT, Vienna, 1961).
• 14...Nf5 15.Bg5 Bd6 16.Nb6 Qxb6 17.Bxf6 Re8 18.Rab1 is approximately equal; White's Bishop at f6 must sell himself for what the market will bear (Zarkua-Stellwagen, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2006).
• 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.a4 Bg4 16.Nd2 Qd6 17.Rab1 gives White a slight advantage in space (Serper-M. Gurevich, Rpd, Cap d'Agde, 2000).
• 12...Bf5 13.b4 a6 14.Na4 Bxd3 15.Qxd3 Nf5 16.Bg5 0-0 17.Nc5 gives White a better center and the advantage in space (Rossetto-Lombasrdy, IT, Mar del Plata, 1957).

11...Ng7

• White has a small advantage in space.

12.g4!?

• White allows Black to equalize.
• 12.Bd3 Bf5 13.0-0 0-0 14.b4 Re8 15.b5 continues to give White a small advantage in space.

12...h5 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.Rg1 Be6

• 14...g5 15.0-0-0 Be6 16.e4 hxg4 17.hxg4 dxe4 18.Qxe4 is equal.
• 14...Be7!? 15.0-0-0 Be6 16.g5 h4 17.Qb3 Qc8 18.Ne5 gives White the advantage in space.

15.0-0-0

• The game remains equal.
• If 15.g5 Be7 16.Qb3 Qc7 then:
• If 17.Qa4 0-0 then:
• 18.0-0-0 Rfe8 19.Qc2 Qc8 20.Rh1 Bf5 21.Qd2 Ne6 22.Rg1 Rb8 gives Black the Bishops, the opportunity for an initiative on the queenside and a small advantage in space; White can gain a foothold in the center with 22.Ne5!.
• 18.Rh1 Bf5 19.Qb3 Bd6 20.0-0-0 Qd7 21.Bg2 Rfe8 gives Black the Bishop pair on open diagonal, command of the e-file and a fair andvantage in space; White will have a slight initiative after 22.Ne5!..
• If 17.Rc1 0-0 18.Na4 Bd6 then:
• 19.Rc3 b6 20.Qc2 Bd7 21.Bb5 Rfc8 22.Ba6 Re8 gives White a little more space and Black the Bishop pair on open diagonals.
• 19.Nc5 Qe7 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Ne5 Bxe5 22.dxe5 Nf5 give White more space while Black has a safer King and need only move the Knight to take command of the f-file.

15...Rc8

• 15...Be7 16.g5 0-0 17.Na4 Qc8 18.Nc5 Bf5 gives Black the Bishop pair and the initiative; White has more space for now.

16.Kb1

• The game is equal, but tilting Black's way.
• 16.Na4 b6 17.g5 Be7 18.Nc3 b5 gives Black a slight advantage with the Bishop pair and some extra space; White can challenge Black in the center.

16...b5

• If 16...g5 17.Be2 Qd7 18.e4 then:
• 18...hxg4 19.hxg4 Rh3 20.exd5 cxd5 21.Ne5 gives White a small advantage.
• 18...Qc7 19.exd5 cxd5 20.Qa4+ Kd8 21.Qxa7 hxg4 22.hxg4 gives White an extra pawn and more space.

17.e4 a6

• 17...hxg4 18.hxg4 Kf8 19.exd5 Bxd5 20.Nxd5 Qxd5 21.Bg2 remains equal.

18.Re1

• The game remains equal.
• If 18.Ne5 Bxe5 19.dxe5 then:
• 19...Kf8 20.Qd3 hxg4 21.hxg4 Qb6 22.exd5 cxd5 23.Bg2 gives White a narrow advantage with stronger pawns.
• 19...Qg5 20.exd5 cxd5 21.Qd3 Qxe5 22.Bg2 d4 23.Rge1 gives White the stronger center and the initiative; Black's extra pawn is too weak to count for much.

BLACK: Elena Zaiatz



WHITE: Elena Tomilova
Position after 18.Rd1e1

18...Kf8

• The game remains equal.

19.exd5 cxd5 20.Ne5

• 20.Qb3 Qd6 21.Ne5 hxg4 22.hxg4 Bxe5 23.Rxe5 Rh2 is equal.

20...Bxe5

• 20...hxg4 21.hxg4 Rh2 22.Bg2 Bxe5 23.Rxe5 f6 24.Ree1 is equal.

21.Rxe5 hxg4 22.hxg4 Rh2 23.Re2?!

• White should have looked for for an alternative to retreating her centralized Rook.
• If 23.Qd2 Qh4 24.Rg2 Rh1 25.Re1 b4 then:
• 26.Ne2 bxa3 27.Ng3 Rh3 28.Qb4+ Kg8 29.Bxa6 Ra8 gives Black the initiative.
• 26.axb4 Bxg4 27.Bxa6 Rxe1+ 28.Qxe1 Re8 29.Qc1 Bf5+ gives Black open avenues of attack and White has a weak extra pawn.

23...Qf6! 24.Qd1?!

• White drops a pawn.
• Better is 24.Qd2 b4!! 25.axb4 Bxg4 26.f3 Bf5+ 27.Ka1 Rh4 gives Black a considerable advantage in space and a shot at an extra pawn.

BLACK: Elena Zaiatz



WHITE: Elena Tomilova
Position after 24.Qc2d1

24...Rxf2!

• Black picks it up.

25.Rh1 Ne8

• 25...Kg8 26.Rxf2 Qxf2 27.Be2 Qe3 28.Re1 Qf4 gives Black a significant advantage in space.

26.Re3

• 26.Re5 Kg7 27.Be2 Qf4 28.Ka1 Nf6 29.Rg1 Rc6 leaves Black with an extra pawn.

26...Rf4

• Also good is 26...Qf4 27.Qe1 Nf6 when:
• 28.g5 Ng4 29.Reh3 Nh2 30.Rh8+ Kg7 31.Rxc8 Bxc8 leaves Black on the brink of winning with an extra pawn, active pieces and more space.
• If 28.Bh3?! g5! then:
• 29.Rd3 Ke7 30.Ka1 Kd7 31.Rg1 Ne4 32.Bg2 Nxc3 wins easily for Black.
• 29.Nd1? Rfc2! 30.Nc3 Qf2 31.Qxf2 Rxf2 32.Re5 Rc4! gives Black an extra pawn.

27.Reh3?

• White intends to attack the Black King from the flank, but now her center collapses.
• Better is 27.Re5 when 27...Bxg4 28.Be2 Bf5+ 29.Ka1 Nc7 30.Qd2 Rh4 leaves White hanging on, although down by two pawns.

BLACK: Elena Zaiatz



WHITE: Elena Tomilova
Position after 27.Re3h3

27...Rxd4!?

• Black wins more quickly after 27...Qxd4! 28.Rd3 Qe5 29.Bh3 Rfc4 30.Re1 Qg5 White Black's forces focus on White's King position.

28.Rh8+

• Better is 28.Qe1 , but after 28...Ke7 29.Be2 Kd7 30.Rf1 Qg7 31.Qf2 Nd6 Black still wins.

28...Ke7

• This move isn't hard to find; after all, it is Black's only playable move. Now White has no defense.

29.Qe2

• White saves herself from losing another pawn.
• If 29.Qb3 Qg5 30.Be2 Nf62 then:
• If 31.Rxc8 Bxc8 32.Nd1 Qd2 then:
• 33.Nc3 Ne4 34.Nxe4 Qxe2 35.Nc3 Qxg4 36.Ka1 Qf3 37.Re1+ Be6 leaves White three pawns to the good.
• If 33.Qc3 then 33...Qxc3 34.bxc3 Re4 35.Bf3 Rf4 36.g5 Rxf3 37.gxf6+ Kxf6 leaves White three pawns to the good.
• If 31.R8h2 then 31...Bxg4 32.Ka2 Bxe2 33.Rxe2+ Kd6 34.Rf2 Rf4 leaves White three pawns to the good.

29...Qf4 30.Bg2

• 30.Qe1 Qxg4 31.Bh3 Qf3 32.Bxe6 fxe6 33.Ka2 Kd6 leaves Black up by three pawns.

BLACK: Elena Zaiatz



WHITE: Elena Tomilova
Position after 30.Bf1g2

30...Rxc3!!

• The sacrifice puts the icing on the cake.

31.bxc3 Rd2 32.Qf3 Qa4 0-1

• If 33.Rxe8+ then Black wins after 33...Kxe8 34.Qd1 Rxd1+ 35.Rxd1 Qxd1+ 36.Kb2 Qd2+.
• Ms. Tomilova resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

8. Gunina - Charochkina, Women's Group, Round 6

There is no photo of Valentina Gunina available with an internet-friendly copyright
Photo by.Jon Sullivan from.public-domain-photos.com (Public Domain)



Russian Championship Qual/Higher League (Women's Group), Round 6
Taganrog, 22 June 2011

Semi-Slav Queen's Gambit: Petit Anti-Meran Gambit

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5

• 5.e3 accepts the Meran Defense. See.Kramnik-Anand, World Ch M, Bonn, 2008.

5...dxc4

• The text is the Petit Anti-Meran Gambit.
• 5...h6 is the Grand Anti-Meran Gambit. See.Anand-Leko, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2009.

6.e4 b5 7.e5 h6 8.Bh4

• If 8.Bxf6 gxf6 9.a4 then:
• If 9...Bb4 10.exf6 Qxf6 11.Ne5 then:
• 11...Bb7 12.Be2 c5 13.0-0 0-0 14.Nxb5 cxd4 15.Qxd4 Rd8 16.Qg4+ gives White a small advantage (Geller-Koblents, Sverdlovsk 1947).
• 11...c5 12.Be2 Nd7 13.0-0 cxd4 14.Ng4 Qg7 15.Nxb5 h5 gives Black an extra pawn, more space and the initiative (Geller-Foltys, Przepiorka Mem, Szczawno Zdroj, 1950).
• 9...Bb7 10.exf6 a6 11.Be2 Nd7 12.Ne5 Nxf6 13.0-0 Bg7 14.Bf3 Qb6 gives Black an extra pawn and White more space (Geller-Smagin, Przepiorka Mem, Szczawno Zdroj, 1950).

8...g5 9.Nxg5

• If 9.exf6 gxh4 10.Ne5 Qxf6 then:
• If 11.a4 Bb7 then:
• If 12.Be2 c5 13.Nxb5 Na6 then:
• 14.0-0 Rg8 15.Bf3 Bxf3 16.Nxf3 cxd4 17.Rc1 Rc8 18.Nfxd4 Rc5 is equal (Seirawan-Pinter, IZT, Zagreb, 1987).
• 14.Bf3 Bxf3 15.Qxf3 Qxf3 16.gxf3 cxd4 17.Nxc4 Bc5 leaves Black with an extra pawn (Meulders-van der Wiel, Brussels, 1987).
• If 12.axb5 then:
• If 12...c5 13.Be2 then:
• 13...cxd4 14.Qxd4 Bg7 15.f4 0-0 16.0-0 Qd8 17.Rfd1 Qxd4+ 18.Rxd4 gives WHite active pieces in the center (Gozzoli-I. Ivanisevic, French League, Marseille, 2007).
• If 12...cxb5 13.Bxc4 then:
• If 13...a6 14.Nxb5 axb5 15.Bxb5+ Kd8 16.Rxa8 then:
• 16...Bxa8 17.Qa4 Bd6 18.Nc4 Bc7 19.Qxa8 is equal (I. Sokolov-Shirov, IT, Sarajevo, 2005).
• 13...Bd6 14.Bxb5+ Ke7 15.Qe2 h5 16.h3 draw (Cramling-García Martínez, Op, Malaga, 2001).
• 16...Bb4+ 17.Kf1 Bxa8 18.Qa4 Bxg2+ 19.Kxg2 Rg8+ 20.Kf1 is equal (Rombaldoni-Ragger, World Jr Ch, Gaziantep, 2008).
• 13...Bg7 14.Nxc4 0-0 15.dxc5 Bxg2 16.Rg1 h3 17.c6 is equal (Azmaiparashvili-Chernin, Euro Rpd Ch, Neum, 2000).
• If 11.g3 Nd7 12.Qe2 c5 13.Nc6 then:
• 13...Bg7 14.Bg2 cxd4 15.Nd5 Qf5 16.g4 Qg5 17.f4 d3 18.fxg5 dxe2 19.Nc7+ is equal (Rychagov-Grischuk, Russian Ch, Moscow, 2007).
• 13...Bb7 14.Nd5 Bxc6 15.Nxf6+ Nxf6 16.d5 Nxd5 17.Bg2 Bg7 18.a4 is equal (Jobava-Cheparinov, IT B, Wijk aan Zee, 2006).

9...hxg5 10.Bxg5 Nbd7 11.exf6 Bb7

BLACK: Daria Charochkina



WHITE: Valentina Gunina
Position after.11...Bc8b7

12.g3

• If 12.Be2 Qb6 then:
• If 13.0-0 0-0-0 then:
• If 14.a4 b4 15.Ne4 c5 then:
• If 16.Qb1 Qc7 17.Ng3 cxd4 18.Bxc4 Qc6 19.f3 d3 20.Qc1 Bc5+ 21.Kh1 then:
• 21...Qd6 22.Qf4 Rxh2+ 23.Kxh2 Rh8+ 24.Qh4 Rxh4+ 25.Bxh4 Qf4 White resigns (Denker-Botvinnik, Team Match, via Radio, 1945).
• If 21...Rxh2+ 22.Kxh2 Rh8+ 23.Bh6 d2 ("White is defenseless." --.Botvinnik) 24.Qxd2 then:
• If 24...Nxf6 25.Bb5 then:
• If 25...Qd6 26.Qg5 then:
• If 26...Ng8 27.Rfd1 Nxh6 then:
• If 28.Qh5 then Black wins after 28...Ng4+ 29.fxg4 Rxh5+ 30.gxh5 Qf4.
• 28.Bd7+ Kc7 29.Qh5 Bd4 30.Rac1+ Kxd7 31.Rc4 Ng4+ leaves Black with an easy win.
• If 26...Qf8 then Black wins after 25...Qd5? 26.Qxd5 Bxd5 27.Ne4 Rxh6+ 28.Kg3 gives Black only a small advantage.
• 24...Qd6? 25.Bd3 Ne5 26.Rfc1 Nxd3 27.Qg5 is equal.
• If 16.Qc2 then after 16...c3!! 17.bxc3 Qc7 18.Ng3 cxd4 19.c4 Nc5 "Black would get a completly won game." --Botvinnik
• If 14.b3 b4 15.Ne4 c5 then:
• If 16.Nd2? c3 17.Nc4 Qc7 then:
• 18.h3 cxd4 19.Qxd4 Bc5 20.Qd1 Rxh3!! White resigns as she must either submit to mate or lose material (Caoili-Hole, IT, Gausdal, 2001).
• 18.f4 cxd4 19.Bd3 Nc5 20.Re1 Bh6 21.Bxh6 Rxh6 gives Black a winning advantage.
• 16.Qc2 c3 17.dxc5 Qc7 18.Nd6+ Bxd6 19.cxd6 Qxd6 gives Black a slight advantage.
• If 13.a4 0-0-0 then:
• 14.Rc1 a6 15.Bf4 Nxf6 16.Be5 Rh6 17.axb5 axb5 18.0-0 Bd6 is equal (Alster-Sefc, Czechoslovakian Ch, Bratislava, 1955).
• 14.a5 Qa6 15.b3 Bb4 16.Qc1 c5 17.Kf1 cxd4 gives Black a clear advantage in space (Borisenko-Kuuskmaa, Corres, 1968).

12...c5 13.d5 Qb6

• If 13...Bh6 14.Bxh6 Rxh6 then:
• If 15.Qd2 Qxf6 then:
• If 16.0-0-0 Kf8 then:
• If 17.f4?! Nb6! 18.Bg2 exd5 then:
• 19.Qf2 Rc8 20.Nxb5 Na4 21.Qc2 Qa6 22.Na3 c3 23.Bxd5 Nxb2 gives Black an advanced passed pawn, more space and the initiative; he soon wins (Kamsky-Shirov, World ChT, Lucerne, 1993).
• 19.Nxb5 Bc6 20.Nc7 Rd8 21.f5 Na4 22.g4?! c3! gives White the unpleasant choice of weakening his pawn structure in front of his King or losing his Queen (Alterman-Kamsky, IT, Tilburg, 1993).
• 17.g4 Rg6 18.Rg1 Ne5 19.g5 Qf5 20.Qe3 exd5 21.Bh3 gives White more activity and stronger pawns (Picket-Kaidanov, IT, Tilburg, 1993).
• 16.Ne4 Qf3 17.Nd6+ Ke7 18.Nxb7 Rh5 19.Rg1 c3 20.Qc2 gives White an extra Bishop (van Wely-Moll, Amsterdam, 1994).
• If 15.Bg2 then:
• If 15...b4 16.Ne4 Nxf6 17.Nxc5 Bxd5 then:
• 18.0-0 Bxg2 19.Kxg2 Qb6 20.Qf3 Rc8 21.Ne4 Nxe4 22.Qxe4 Rh5 gives Black the advantage of the remote pawn majority (Tunik-Bagirov, Soviet Ch ½-final, Sverdlovsk, 1984).
• 18.Bxd5 Qxd5 19.Qxd5 Nxd5 20.Rc1 Rc8 21.Rxc4 Nb6 22.Rc1 Na4 23.Nd3 Rxc1+ 24.Nxc1 Nxb2 draw (Azmaiparashvili-Dolmatov, Soviet Ch, Kiev, 1986).
• 15...Nxf6 16.Nxb5 Bxd5 17.0-0 Qb6 18.Nc3 Bxg2 19.Kxg2 Qc6+ gives Black more activity and White healthier pawns (van Wely-E. L'Ami, Dutch Ch, Leeuwarden, 2005).

14.Bg2 0-0-0 15.0-0 b4 16.Na4

• If 16.Rb1 Qa6 17.dxe6 Bxg2 18.e7 Bxf1 then:
• If 19.Kxf1 Qc6 20.exd8Q+ Kxd8 21.Nd5 Rxh2 22.Kg1 Rh8 then:
• If 23.Bf4 then:
• If 23...Bd6 24.Bxd6 Qxd6 25.Qf3 Ne5 26.Qe4 Re8 27.Ne3 leaves White threatening to pin and win the Queen (Kramnik-Shirov, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 1996).
• 23...Qe6 24.Qf3 Qh3 25.Rd1 b3 26.a4 Qh2+ 27.Kf1 gives White the advantage in the center; Black's kingside activity is keep him in the game (Nikolic-Shirov, IT, Linares, 1997).
• 23.Qf3 Ne5 24.Qe4 Bd6 25.Rd1 Nd3 26.b3 Nb2 27.Nc3 Kd7 gives Black a small advantage in space (van Wely-Shirov, Amber Rapid, Monte Carlo, 2005).
• If 19.Qd5 then:
• If 19...Bxe7 20.fxe7 then:
• If 20...Rdg8 21.Ne4 then:
• 21...Rg6 22.Rxf1 Qc6 23.Qxc6+ Rxc6 24.Rd1 Re8 25.Nd6+ Rxd6 26.Rxd6 f6 27.Bxf6 gives White two extra pawns and more space (Kaparov-Kramnik, Rpd, New York, 1994).
• 21...Bd3 22.Nd6+ Kc7 23.Bf4 Kb6 24.Re1! wins for White (Inarkiev-Shomeov, Russian ChT, Dagomys, 2008).
• 20...Bd3 21.Ne4 Bxb1 22.Nd6+ Kc7 23.Bf4 Kb6 24.Nxc4+ Kb5 25.Nd6+ is equal (Topalov-Kramnik, IT, Dortmund, 1996).
• If 19...Bh6 20.Bxh6 Bd3 then:
• 21.Qa8+ Nb8 22.exd8Q+ Rxd8 23.Re1 bxc3 24.Bf4 Qb6 25.bxc3 Bf5 is equal (van Wely-Smeets, Dutch Ch, Leeuwarden, 2005).
• 21.exd8Q+ Rxd8 22.Ne4 Ne5 23.Qxe5 Bxb1 24.Bf4 Rd1+ gives Black the material advantage and the initiative (Grabuzova-Charochkina, Russian ChW HL, Chelyabinsk, 2008).

16...Qa6

• If 16...Qb5 17.a3 then:
• If 17...exd5 18.axb4 cxb4 19.Be3 Nc5 20.Qg4+ Rd7 then:
• 21.Qg7 Bxg7 22.fxg7 Rg8 23.Nxc5 then:
• 23...Rxg7 24.Bd4 Rc7 25.Nxb7 Rg6 26.Ra5 Qxb7 27.Bxd5 Qb8 28.Be5 Qb6 (Bacrot-Carlsen, IT, Dortmund, 2009).
• 23...d4 24.Bxb7+ Rxb7 25.Nxb7 Qb6 26.Bxd4 Qxd4 27.Rfd1 Qxb2 28.Nd6+ Kb8 (Ivanchuk-Shirov, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 1996).
• If 21.Nxc5 Bxc5 22.Bxc5 Qxc5 23.Rfe1 then:
• 23...Kc7 24.h4 Rhd8 25.Re5 a5 26.h5 Bc6 27.h6 a4 28.Qf4 Qd6 (van Wely-Shirov, Amber Bland, Monte Carlo, 2004).
• 23...Rhd8 24.Re7 Kc7 25.Rae1 Bc6 26.Qf4+ Kb6 27.Bh3 (Kasimdzhanov-Ragger, Ol, Dresden, 2008).
• 17...Ne5 18.axb4 cxb4 19.Qd4 Nc6 20.dxc6 Rxd4 21.cxb7+ gives Black a small advantage after.21...Kb8 22.Be3 Bc5 23.Rfc1 Rhd8 when he has a material advantage and more space (Kamsky-Kramnik, Candidates' ¼-final Match, New York, 1994).

17.a3 Bxd5

• 17...Qb5 18.h4 exd5 19.axb4 cxb4 20.Be3 Nc5 21.Qg4+ gives White a strong game (Muir-Kamsky, Bern, 1990).

18.Bxd5 Ne5 19.axb4 Rxd5 20.Qe2 cxb4 21.Nc3 Ra5

• If 21...Qc6 22.Nxd5 Qxd5 then:
• If 23.f3 Bc5+ 24.Kg2 Nd3 25.h4 Kb7 then:
• 26.Ra5 Qd4 27.b3 Bb6 28.Ra2 gives White a strong advantage (Ivanchuk-Shirov, IT, Novgorod, 1994).
• 26.b3 c3 27.Rfd1 Rd8 28.Ra5 Kb6 29.Rxc5?! Kxc5 30.Qe3+ Kb5 31.Qxa7 Ra8 32.Qe3 Rd8 33.Qa7 draw (Kharitonov-Shabanov, Moscow, 1995).
• 23.f4?? Bc5+! 24.Rf2 Bxf2+ 25.Qxf2 Nf3+! White resigns as after.26.Kh1 Nsg5+ 27.Qg2 Rh2+!! 28.Kxh2 29.Nf3+ she must either submit to mate or lose the Queen (Borzova-Charochkina, Rudenko Mem, St. Petersburg, 2006).

22.Rxa5 Qxa5 23.Ne4 Nd3 24.Be3

• If 24.b3 Qe5 25.Rd1 then:
• 25...Nc5 26.Qxc4 Qxe4 27.Qb5 Kc7 28.Be3 Rh5 29.Qe8 is equal (Korchnoi-Lutz, Op. Horgen, 1994).
• 25...Qb2 26.Nd2 Bc5 27.Be3 Qc2 28.Bxc5 Nxc5 is equal (Ahlander-Tella, Trmt, Stockholm, 1999).

24...Qh5 25.f3

BLACK: Daria Charochkina



WHITE: Valentina Gunina
Position after.25.f2f3

25...a5!?

• This move looks powerful, but is premature. White will be able to get her pieces behind the Black pawns and render them less effective.
• 25...b3 26.Bxa7 Qe5 27.Rb1 Kd7 28.Rd1 remains equal.

26.b3!

• Black's pawns are blocked.

26...a4

• If 26...c3? 27.Rd1! then:
• 27...Bc5 28.Rxd3 Bxe3+ 29.Rxe3 Kc7 30.Nxc3!! (say, "good night," Gracie) 30...bxc3 31.Re5 then:
• 31...Qh7 32.Rc5+ Kb8 33.Qb5+ Ka8 34.Qc6+ Kb8 35.Qb6+ Ka8 36.Rxa5#.
• 31...Qxh2+ 32.Qxh2 Rxh2 33.Kxh2 Kd6 34.Rxa5 c2 35.Ra1 is all over.
• 27...Qxh2+ 28.Qxh2 Rxh2 29.Kxh2 Ne5 30.Ra1 leaves White with an extra Rook.

27.bxc4! (N)

• If we ever see.25...a5 again, we will probably see 27.bxc4.
• 27.h4?! axb3! 28.Bg5 Qg6 29.Rc1 b2 30.Rxc4+ Bc5+ is equal as White can sacrifice the exchange to rid himself of those dangerous b-pawns (Rahman-Gaston, Op, Paris, 2002).

27...Nc5 28.Ng5

• White has an extra pawn and Black more space and connected passers on the queenside.

28...Bd6 29.Qg2 a3?!

• This is not yet a Rook-and-pawn ending. There are plenty of White defenders available to fight the pawns and Black should not advance the pawns without her pieces behind them.
• If 29...Kc7 30.Rb1 then:
• If 30...b3 31.Qd2 Nb7 then:
• 32.Bf4 Bxf4 33.Qxf4+ Kc8 34.g4! Qg6 35.Ne4! gives White the advantage in space and Black's queenside pawns must remain as they are.
• If 32.Ne4 then:
• If 32...Be5 33.Qf2 Qh7 then:
• If 34.c5 Na5 35.Bc1 Kc6 36.Qe2 Bd4+ 37.Kh1 Nc4 is equal.
• If 34.Bb6+ Kc8 then:
• 35.Kh1 Bxf6 36.Rd1 b2 37.Bc5 Be5 is equal.
• If 35.Re1? then Black wins after 35...a3! 36.f4 Qxh2+!! 37.Qxh2 Rxh2 38.Kxh2 a2!!
• 35...b2! transposes after 36.f4 Qxh2+!! 37.Qxh2 Rxh2 38.Kxh2 a3!! 39.fxe5 a2
• 32...Qxf3?? 33.Nxd6! Nxd6 34.Bf4 Rd8 35.c5 wins for White.
• 30...Nb3?! gets in the way of the passed pawns and White gets a splendid game after 31.Ne4 Be5 32.Rd1 Kc8 33.Qe2.

BLACK: Daria Charochkina



WHITE: Valentina Gunina
Position after.29...a4a3

30.f4

• White supports he Knighht at g5 with a pawn and frees the Bishop to fight against Black's advancing queenside pawns.

30...Kc7 31.h3 b3 32.Qf2 Kc6 33.Qg2+

• 33.g4 Qg6 34.f5 Qxf6 35.Qg2+ Kc7 36.fxe6 is equal.

33...Kc7?! 34.Qd2! Rb8?

• Black stakes her game on pushing passed pawns. Stopping them is too easy.
• A better plan is stopping White's pawns.
• If 34...Rc8! 35.Qa5+ Kd7 then:
• 36.Qa7+ Rc7 37.Qxa3 Qe2 38.Bf2 b2 39.Rb1 Rb7 is equal.
• If 36.Ne4 b2 37.Nxd6 Qe2 then:
• If 38.Bxc5 Qxf1+ 39.Kxf1 b1Q+ 40.Ke2 then:
• If 40...Rxc5 41.Qxc5 a2 42.Nc8 Qe4+ 43.Kf2 then:
• 43...Qc2+ 44.Ke3 Qc3+ 45.Ke2 Qc2+ 46.Ke3 etc draws.
• 43...a1Q?? 44.Nb6+! Kd8 45.Qe7#.
• 40...Qc2+ 41.Ke3 Qb3+ 42.Kf2 Qc2+ 43.Ke3 etc. draws.
• 38.Qb5+ Rc6 39.Bd4 Qd3 40.Bxc5 Qxg3+ 41.Kh1 Qxh3+ 42.Kg1 Qg3+ etc. draws.

35.g4!

• White wins.

35...Qg6 36.Rd1 Rb6

BLACK: Daria Charochkina



WHITE: Valentina Gunina
Position after.36...Rb8b6

37.Qa5!

• This is the strongest move. Black's pawns aren't going anywhere fast enough to save the game.

37...b2 38.f5 Qxf6

• If 38...a2 then White wins easily after 39.Bxc5 b1Q 40.Qxb6+ Qxb6 41.Bxb6+ Kxb6 42.fxg6.

39.Bxc5 Bxc5+ 40.Qxc5+ Rc6

• Black is down by a whole piece and is reduced to pacivity while awaiting the end.

41.Qa7+

• Also good is 41.Nxe6+ fxe6 42.Qa7+ Kc8 43.Qd7+ when White wins the Rook.

41...Kc8 42.Ne4 a2 43.Qa8+

• Also good is 43.Qxa2 Qe5 44.Qa8+ Kc7 45.Qa7+ Kc8 46.Qd7+ when White wins the Rook.

43...Kc7 44.Nxf6 b1Q 45.Ne8+ 1-0

• 45...Kb6 46.Qb8+ wins the Queen and a-pawn for the bargain price of a Rook.
• Ms. Charochinka resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

11. Sjugirov - Timofeev, General Group, Round 7

There is no photo of http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=&imgrefurl=http://sportsreda.ru/chess/person/15790&usg=__LMBzuJtb1-YQNMz2QQPnUZEH4Oc=&h=400&w=300&sz=35&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=IVP-KtUlWXhSJM:&tbnh=135&tbnw=92&ei=RTsaTrraNJKisQPYrdXJDQ&prev=/search%3Fq%3D%25D0%2590%25D1%2580%25D1%2582%25D0%25B5%25D0%25BC%2B%25D0%25A2%25D0%25B8%25D0%25BC%25D0%25BE%25D1%2584%25D0%25B5%25D0%25B5%25D0%25B2%2B%25D1%2588%25D0%25B0%25D1%2585%25D0%25BC%25D0%25B0%25D1%2582%25D1%258B%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26biw%3D1573%26bih%3D713%26site%3Dwebhp%26tbm%3Disch%26prmd%3Divns&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=580&vpy=318&dur=8976&hovh=259&hovw=194&tx=135&ty=122&page=1&ndsp=34&ved=1t:429,r:20,s:0">Artyom Timofeev available with an internet-friendly copyright
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Sanan Sjugirov - Artyom Timofeev
Russian Championship Qual/Higher League, Round 7
Taganrog, 22 June 2011

Open Sicilian Rat Game: Dragon Defense

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



Open Sicilian Rat Game: Dragon Defense

• This is another hypermodern defense, although it was around long before Nimzovich and Reti. Black refrains from advancing his center pawns and tries to control the center with pieces.

6.Be3

• The text is the Yugoslav Opening.
• (Opocensky Opening) If 6.Be2 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 then:
• 8.Be3 Nc6 then:
• 9.Nb3 Be6 10.f4 Qc8 then:
• 11.Kh1 Rd8 then:
• 12.Bg1 d5 13.e5 Ne4 then:
• 14.Nb5 f6 15.exf6 exf6 16.c3 f5 17.a4 then:
• 17...Kh8 18.a5 d4 19.N3xd4 a6 20.Na3 Nxa5 is equal (Negi-G. Jones, World Jr Ch, Yerevan, 2007).
• 17...Bf7 18.a5 a6 19.N5d4 Re8 20.Qd3 Bf8 draw (Gufeld-B. Ivanovich, IT, Vinkovici, 1982).
• 14.Bd3 f6 15.exf6 exf6 16.Nb5 f5 17.c3 Bf7 18.a4 is equal (Sammalvuo-L. Karlsson, Op 0607, Stockholm, 2007).
• If 12.Bf3 Bc4 13.Rf2 e5 then:
• If 14.Rd2 exf4 15.Bxf4 Ne5 then:
• If 16.Rxd6 Rxd6 17.Qxd6 Nxf3 18.gxf3 then:
• If 18...Qh3 19.Nd2 Nh5 20.Be5 f6 21.Qd4 Rc8 then:
• 22.Bc7?! Be6! 23.Rg1 Bf8 24.Nd5 Kg7 gives Black the advantage in space (Hoyos Millan-Benjamin, Op, Philadelphia, 1992).
• 22.Bd6 Bf7 23.Qxa7 Bh6 24.Rd1 Rc6 is equal.
• 18...Nh5 19.Be5 Bxe5 20.Qxe5 Bxb3 21.axb3 Qh3 22.Nd5 Qxf3+ 23.Kg1 Qg4+ 24.Kf2 Qh4+ 25.Kg2 Qg4+ 26.Kf2 Qh4+ 27.Kg2 Qg4+ is drawn by repetition (Rossetto-Panno, ITZ, Portoroz, 1958).
• 16.Na5 Ba6 17.Be2 Bxe2 18.Qxe2 Qc7 19.Qb5 a6 gives Black a small advantage with more freedom Ferrer Lucas-Kasparov, SX, Barcelona, 1984).
• 14.Qd2 Qc7 15.Rd1 Rac8 16.Qc1 b5 17.f5 b4 is equal (Ragozin-Aronin, Soviet Ch, Moscow, 1948).
• If 11.h3 Rd8 12.Bf3 then:
• If 12...Bc4 13.Rf2 e5 then:
• If 14.Rd2 exf4 15.Bxf4 Ne5 then:
• 16.Kh2 Ba6 17.Bxe5 dxe5 18.Rxd8+ Qxd8 is equal (Matanovic-Geller, TMatch, Belgrade, 1956).
• 16.Nd4 Nxf3+ 17.Qxf3 Qc5 18.Rad1 Re8 19.Kh1 d5 is equal (Llado Lumbera-Toran Albero, IT, Madrid, 1951).
• 14.Nd2 exf4 15.Bxf4 Ne5 16.Nxc4 Nxc4 17.Nd5 Nxd5 18.Qxd5 Qc5 is equal (Navara-Evdokimov, Euro Ch, Warsaw, 2005).
• 12...d5 13.e5 Ne4 14.Bxe4 dxe4 15.Qe2 f6 16.exf6 exf6 is equal (Mosterman-Overeem, Op, Dieren, 2009).
• If 9.Qd2 then:
• If 9...Ng4 10.Bxg4 Bxg4 then:
• If 11.f4 Bd7 then:
• If 12.Rad1 Rc8 13.Rf2 then:
• If 13...b6 14.h3 Qe8 15.b3 Nxd4 16.Bxd4 e5 17.fxe5 dxe5 18.Be3 Bc6 19.Nd5 is equal; Black has more freedom and White has more space (Paoli-Mariotti, Op, Lucca, 1674).
• 13...Rb8 14.b3 Qa5 15.Qe3 Rfd8 16.h3 Be6 17.Rfd1 f6 is equal (Timman-Topalov, IT, Novgorod, 1995).
• 12.Nce2 a6 13.c3 b5 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.Ng3 Qd7 is equal (Kopa-Przepiorka, Masters, Barmen, 1905).
• If 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Bh6 Bxh6 13.Qxh6 then:
• If 13...Qb6 14.Rab1 Be6 15.Rfe1 Rab8 16.b3 then:
• 16...Qd4 17.Na4 c5 18.c3 Qg7 is equal (Ljubojevic-van der Wiel, IT, Tilburg, 1984).
• 16...Qc5 17.Qd2 f6 18.Na4 Qb4 19.c3 Qa5 20.Qe2 c5 is equal (Zelcic-D. Gurevich, IT, Geneva, 1996).
• 13...Na5 14.b3 b6 15.f5 Nc6 16.Nd5 Ne5 17.h3 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Michel-Aspenieks, Ol, Buenos Aires, 1939).
• If 9...Bd7 10.h3 Rc8 11.Rad1 a6 12.f4 then:
• If 12...b5 13.a3 Qc7 then:
• 14.Nb3 Be6 15.Rfe1 Bxb3 16.cxb3 gives White a small advantage in space (Kreymborg-Chajes, New York, 1911).
• 14.Nf3 Rfd8 15.Qe1 b4 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.exd5 gives White a small advantage in space (Szczepkowska-Ohme, Worlc ChTW, Ekaterinburg, 2007).
• 12...Qc7 13.Bf3 Na5 14.Qf2 Nc4 15.Bc1 b5 is equal (Voigt-Lasker, SX, Philadelphia, 1892).
• If 8.Bg5 Nc6 9.Nb3 then:
• If 9...Be6 10.Kh1 then:
• If 10...Na5 11.f4 then:
• If 11...Nc4 12.f5 Nxb2 then:
• If 13.Qc1 Bc4 then:
• 14.Qxb2 Bxe2 15.Nxe2 Nxe4 16.f6 Nxf6 17.Nbd4 Ne4 18.Be3 gives White the advantage in space (Stefansson-Pinter, Op, Pardubice, 2001).
• 14.e5 Bxe2 15.Nxe2 Ne4 16.f6 exf6 17.exf6 Nxg5 18.Qxg5 Re8 is equal (Brandenburg-van der Wiel, Op, Gronigen, 2004).
• If 13.Qe1 Bd7 14.Qh4 then:
• 14...Rc8 15.Rf3 Re8 16.Raf1 Rxc3 17.Rxc3 Nxe4 18.Qxe4 Bxc3 leaves Black two pawns up (Kotronias-Khalifman, IT, Bled, 1991).
• 14...Na4 15.Nxa4 Bxa4 16.Nd4 Rc8 17.Bd3 Bd7 18.Rab1 Qc7 gives Black an extra pawn (Kuzmin-Khalifman, Soviet Ch, Leningrad, 1990).
• 11...Rc8 12.f5 Bc4 13.Bd3 b5 14.Qe2 b4 15.Nd1 Re8 16.Ne3 Bxd3 17.cxd3 gives White a small advantage in space (Fishbein-Aramal, Op, Chicago, 2002).
• If 10...Rc8 11.f4 a6 then:
• If 12.a4 Na5 13.Nxa5 Qxa5 14.Bd3 Rfe8 then:
• 15.f5 Bd7 16.Qf3 Rxc3 17.bxc3 Qxc3 18.Qe2 gives White the exchange (Spraggett-Danailov, Op, Zaragoza, 1994).
• 15.Qe2 Qb4 16.a5 Bg4 17.Qd2 Bd7 18.Qe2 Qxb2 19.Bxf6 Bxf6 gives Black a strong spatial advantage (Anand-Topalov, IT, Linares, 1994).
• 12.Bf3 b5 13.Nd5 Nd7 14.c3 Nb6 15.Qe2 Nc4 16.Rad1 Qd7 17.Rfe1 gives White a small advantage in space (Karpov-Martín González, IT, Las Palmas, 1977).
• If 9...a6 10.f4 b5 11.Bf3 then:
• If 11...b4 12.Na4 then:
• If 12...Bd7 13.Rf2 then:
• 13...Ra7 14.a3 Na5 15.Nxa5 Qxa5 16.axb4 Qxb4 is equal (Trepp-Walter, Swiss ChT, Switzerland, 1994).
• 13...Rc8 14.a3 Na5 15.Nxa5 Qxa5 16.axb4 Qxb4 17.c3 gives White the initiative (Mencinger-M. Petursson, IT, Ljublanja, 1981).
• 12...Qc7 13.c4 Nd7 14.Kh1 a5 15.Qd2 Nb6 16.Nxb6 Qxb6 17.e5 gives White the advantage in space (Gipslis-Shirov, IT, Daugavpils, 1990).
• If 11...Bb7 12.Kh1 Nd7 then:
• If 13.Rb1 Re8 14.Nd5 then:
• If 14...f6!? 15.Bh4! (White has a slight advantage) 15...e6 16.Ne3 g5 17.Bg3 gxf4 18.Bxf4 Nde5 19.Bh5 Rf8 then:
• If 20.Qe1 Kh8 21.Rd1 Qe7 22.c3 Rad8 then:
• 23.Rf2!? Nb8! 24.Nc2 f5 is equal (Zigangirova-N. Kosintseva, OlW, Palma de Mallorca, 2004).
• 23.Qh4! Rd7 24.a3 Rg8 25.Rf2 Ba8 26.Rfd2 gives White the advantage in space concentrated on the kingside.
• If 20.c3 Qe7 then:
• 21.Qe2!? Ng6 22.Bg3 Nce5! 23.Nd2 Kh8 24.Rf2 is equal (Apicella-Svidler, Ol, Yerevan, 1996).
• 21.Qd2! Rfd8 22.Rbd1 Rac8 23.Qe1 gives White a small advantage in space.
• 14...Qb8 15.c3 a5 16.a3 a4 17.Nc1 e6 18.Ne3 is equal (Xie Jun-Tisdall, IT, San Francisco, 1995).
• 13.Qe1 a5 14.Nxb5 a4 15.Nd2 Qb8 16.c4 a3 is equal (Zagrebelny-Kotsur, Asian Ch, Calcutta, 2001).
• (Austrian Opening or Levenfish Opening) If 6.f4 Nc6 then:
• If 7.Nxc6 bxc6 8.e5 Nd7 9.exd6 exd6 then:
• If 10.Be3 Be7 11.Qd2 then:
• If 11...0-0 12.0-0-0 Nf6 then:
• If 13.h3 Be6 then:
• 14.g4 Qa5 15.Bg2 Rab8 16.b3 d5 17.f5 Bd7 18.Kb1 Bb4 19.Bd4 gives White possibilities of opening up a kingside attack, the initiative againast the Knight on f6 and more space; Black's position is still defensible, put White soon won (Fuderer-Trifunovic, Yugoslav Ch, Belgrade, 1952).
• If 14.Kb1 then:
• 14...d5 15.g4 Bb4 16.Bg2 Qa5 17.a3 Ne4 18.Bxe4 Bxc3 19.Qxc3 Qxc3 20.bxc3 dxe4 21.Rd6 is equal (N. Weinstein-Robatsch, Op Rd 9, Lone Pine, 1975).
• 14...Qa5 15.b3 Qa3 16.g4 Rab8 17.f5 gxf5 18.Bd4 Nd7 19.Qh6 leaves White more than compensated for his pawn minus with a strong game (N. Weinstein-Shamkovich, Op , Lone Pine, 1975).
• 13.Bc4 d5 14.Bb3 Bf5 15.Bd4 Ne4 16.Nxe4 Bxe4 is equal (Bogdanovich-Golubev, Geller Mem, Odessa, 2005).
• If 11...Nf6 12.0-0-0 Be6 then:
• If 13.Bd4 0-0 14.Qe1 Rb8 then:
• If 15.h3!? then:
• If 15...Qc7! (Black has a small advantage with more freedom) then:
• If 16.g4?! c5 (Black has more space and a strong initiative) then:
• If 17.Nb5? Qb7! (Black wins) then:
• 18.Bc3 Qxh1 19.f5 Ne4 20.fxe6 Bg5+ 21.Kb1 fxe6 White resigns (Espinosa-Le Gore, Corres, 1991).
18.Bxf6 Bxf6! 19.Rh2 a6 wins the Knight.
• 17.Be3 Qb7 18.Bb5 a6 19.f5 Bd5 20.Nxd5 Nxd5 continues to geive Black more space and a strong initiative
• 16.b3 Rfe8 17.Qd2 d5 18.Be5 Bd6 19.Bxd6 Qxd6 continues give Black a small advantage
• 15.a3 Qc7 16.Qh4 Ng4 17.Qg3 c5 18.Bg1 Qb7 leaves Black threatening to win a pawn (Szily-Gereben, Hungarian Ch, Budapest, 1953).
• 13.h3 Qa5 14.b3 0-0 15.Kb1 Rab8 16.Ne4 Rb4 is equal (Salinnikov-Gaponenko, Ukrainian ChT, Alushta, 2000).
• If 10.Qd4 Nf6 11.Be3 Be7 12.0-0-0 0-0 then:
• If 13.Be2 Be6 14.Bf3 then:
• 14...Qc8?! 15.f5! Bxf5 16.Bg5 Nd5 17.Bxe7 Nxe7 18.g4 gives White a huge advantage in space (Vasiukov-Grushevsky, Soviet ChT, Moscow, 1959).
• 14...Ng4 15.Bg1 d5 16.h3 Nf6 is equal.
• If 13.h3 d5 then:
• 14.Na4?! Ne4! 15.Be2 Be6 16.f5 Bxf5 gives Black an extra pawn (Illijin-Cebalo, Op, Baden-Baden, 1999).
• 14.Qd3 Qa5 15.g4 Rb8 16.Bd4 Nd7 17.a3 Bd6 gives Black the initiative.
• If 7.Nf3 Bg7 8.Bd3 0-0 9.0-0 a6 then:
• If 10.Kh1 Qc7 11.Qe1 then:
• If 11...Bg4 12.Qh4 then:
• 12...h6 13.f5 Bxf3 14.gxf3 Kh7 15.Rg1 Ne5 16.Qh3 is equal (Miles-Baljon, IT, Groningen, 1972).
• If 12...Qd7 13.Bd2 Nb4 14.h3 Bxf3 15.Rxf3 Nxd3 16.cxd3 b5 is equal (Hardarson-Moradiabadi, Op, Reykjavik, 2008).
• If 11...e6 12.Qh4 b5 13.f5 b4 14.Ne2 exf5 15.exf5 gxf5 16.Ng3 gives Black an extra pawn and more pawn weaknesses; White will win back the pawn with advantage (Wheeler-Batchelder, Op, Lincoln, 1969).
• If 10.Qe1 e6 11.Kh1 b5 then:
• If 12.Bd2 Nd7 13.Rd1 Nb4 14.Be3 Bb7 15.f5 Nxd3 16.cxd3 exf5 17.exf5 Ne5 18.Nxe5 dxe5 is equal (Spassky-Rantanen, IT, Tallinn, 1975).
• 12.f5 Nb4 13.Qh4 Nxd3 14.cxd3 b4 15.Ne2 exf5 16.Bg5 h6 is equal (Rantanen-Peters, Op, London, 1978).
• If 7.Nb3 Bg7 8.Be2 0-0 9.Be3 Be6 10.0-0 Qc8 transposes into Negi-G. Jones, above.
• (Zagreb Opening) If 6.g3 (on a personal note, this move seems curious after White has already opened a lane for developing the Bishop by playing 1.e4).) 6...Nc6 7.Nde2 Bg7 8.Bg2 0-0 9.0-0 then:
• If 9...Bd7 10.h3 Rc8 then:
• If 11.a4 then:
• If 11...a6 12.Be3 then:
• If 12...Na5 13.b3 then:
• 13...b5 14.axb5 axb5 15.Ra2 Nc6 16.Qd2 draw (I. Gurevich-Sadler, Op 9293, Hastings, 1992).
• 12...Qc7 13.Kh1 Ne5 14.b3 Bc6 15.Ra2 e6 16.a5 Rfe8 17.Qd2 gives White the advantage in space.(Asrian-Mamedov, Op, Dubai, 2004).
• 13...Qc7 14.Rc1 b5 15.axb5 axb5 16.Qd2 gives White a slight advantage (Frhat-El Ghazali, Op, Egypt, 2001).
• If 11...Nb4 12.Be3 a5 13.Qd2 then:
• If 13...Be6 14.Rfd1 Nd7 then:
• 15.Rac1 Ne5 16.b3 Bxh3 17.Nd5 Bxg2 18.Kxg2 Nxd5 19.exd5 Ng4 gives Black an extra pawn and the advantage in space (Matic-Davila Texeira, Cyberspace, 1999).
• 15.Nd4 Ne5 16.b3 Nec6 17.Ndb5 f5 18.Rac1 Kh8 19.Bh6 Bxh6 20.Qxh6 is equal (Kudrin-B. Ivanisevic, Titograqd, 1984).
• 13...Bc6 14.Rfd1 Nd7 15.Nd4 Nb6 16.b3 d5 17.Rac1 gives White a slight advantage in space (Dr. Nunn-Mortensen, IT, Helsinki, 1983).
• If 11.Be3 Qa5 12.Nd5 Rfe8 13.Bd2 then:
• If 13...Qa6 14.Bc3 Nxd5 15.exd5 Ne5 16.a4 Rc7 17.Re1 Rec8 18.Kh1 Qb6 19.Bd4 gives White a better center (Geller-Parma, IT, Bled, 1961).
• 13...Qc5 14.Bc3 e5 15.b4 Qc4 16.Ne3 Qe6 17.Nd5 Ne7 is equal (Cuellar Gacharna-Benko, IT, Stockholm, 1962).
• If 9...Rb8 10.a4 a6 11.h3 then:
• If 11...b5 12.axb5 axb5 13.Nd5 then:
• If 13...Nd7 then:
• If 14.c3 e6 15.Ne3 Nc5 16.Nd4 then:
• If 16...Nxd4 17.cxd4 Na4 then:
• If 18.Qd3 Qb6 19.Nc2 Ba6 20.Rd1 Rfc8 21.Qb3 Rxc2 22.Qxc2 Bxd4 23.Qd2 e5 24.Kh2 Nc5 25.Qh6 draw (Popescu-Raceanu, Romanina ChT, Sovata, 2001).
• 18.Qd2 f5 19.exf5 gxf5 20.Qb4 Qc7 21.Rd1 gives White a small advantage in space.
• If 16...Bd7 17.Kh2 b4 then:
• If 18.Nc4?! bxc3 19.bxc3 Nxd4 20.cxd4 Bb5 gives Black a stong initiative (Bacerra-Martinez, US Op, Ft. Lauderdale, 2004).
• 18.Ne2 bxc3 19.Nxc3 Qc7 20.Ra3 Nd4 gives Black the advantage in space.
• If 14.Ra2 b4 15.b3 Nc5 16.Be3 e6 17.Ndf4 Qc7 is equal (Vachier Lagrave-Iglesias, French ChU18, Le Grand Bornand, 2003).
• If 13...b4 14.Be3 Nd7 15.Ra2 e6 16.Ndf4 Nc5 17.b3 Bb7 18.Nd3 Qe7 is equal (Timofeev-Bocharov, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• If 11...Bd7 12.Nd5 b5 13.axb5 axb5 then:
• 14.Bg5 Nxd5 15.exd5 Ne5 16.Nd4 h6 17.Be3 Qc8 is equal (Balashov-Nordlund, Op, Stockholm, 1992).
• 14.Be3 b4 15.Ra2 gives White a small advantage in space (Smirin-Pigusov, Soviet ChT, Podolsk, 1990).
• (Italian Opening) If 6.Bc4 Bg7 7.h3 0-0 8.Bb3 then:
• If 8...Nc6 9.Be3 then:
• If 9...Bd7 10.0-0 Qa5 then:
• If 11.f4 then:
• If 11...Nxd4 12.Bxd4 Bc6 then:
• If 13.Qd3 Rad8 then:
• If 14.Rad1 then:
• If 14...Nd7 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 then:
• If 16.Qd4+ then:
• 16...Nf6 17.Kh2 e5 18.fxe5 Qxe5+ 19.Kg1 a6 20.Rd3 Rd7 is equal (I. Smirin-Lutz, ZT, Dresden, 1998).
• 16...e5 17.Qxd6 Nf6 18.Qxe5 Qb6+ 19.Kh2 Rfe8 20.Qg5 (Hindle-Webb, British Ch, Oxford, 1967).
• 16.Nd5 Bxd5 17.exd5 Nf6 18.Rde1 Rd7 19.Re3 Rc8 20.Kh2 gives White a small advantage in space (Tiviakov-Gogoladze, Op, Riga, 1987).
• If 14...e6 then:
• 15.f5!? gxf5 16.Bxf6 Bxf6 17.exf5 d5 18.Kh1 Kh8 19.fxe6 fxe6 is equal (Friedel-Perelshteyn, Op, Toronto, 2009).
• 15.a3! b6 16.Bc4 b5 17.Bxb5 Bxe4 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 gives White a small advantage in space.
• 14.Rae1 Nd7 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Qd4+ Nf6 17.f5 Qb6 18.Qxb6 axb6 19.g4 gives White a considerable advantage in space (Short-Korchnoi, Rpd, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 1994).
• If 13.Nd5 Bxd5 14.exd5 then:
• 14...Rfe8 15.Kh2 Rac8 16.Qd3 Nd7 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 18.Rae1 gives White a small advantage in space (Parligras-Fedorov, Euro Ch, Dresden, 2007).
• 14...Nd7 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Qd4+ Kg8 17.Rae1 Rae8 18.Kh2 Nc5 19.f5 gives White a better center and the advantage in space (Vasiukov-Ciocaltea, IT, Bucharest, 1967).
• If 13.Qe1 Qb4 then:
• If 14.Rd1 Nxe4 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.Nd5 then:
• If 16...Qc5+ 17.Kh2 Nf6 18.Nc7 Bxg2 19.Qxe7 Bxh3 then:
• If 20.Kxh3 Qh5+ 21.Kg2 Qg4+ 22.Kh2 Qh4+ 23.Kg2 Qg4+ 24.Kf2 Qh4+ 25.Kg2 is drawn by repetition (Ostojic-Kaplan, Masters, Hastings, 1967).
• If 20.f5 Bxf5 then:
• 21.Rde1? Ng8! 22.Qg5 Qxc7 23.Rxf5 f6 24.Qg3 Rae8 gives Black three extra pawns and a safer King (Janosevic-Soos, IT, Skopje, 1967).
• 21.Nxa8 Ng4+ 22.Kg3 Ne3 23.Nc7 Qe5+ 24.Qxe5+ dxe5 is equal.
• 16...Qxe1 17.Rfxe1 Nc5 18.Nxe7 Rfe8 19.Nxc6 Rxe1+ 20.Rxe1 bxc6 21.Re7 Nxb3 22.axb3 draw (Kostro-Hort, Rubinstein Mem, Polanica Zdroj, 1967).
• 14.Bxf6 Bxf6 15.Nd5 Qc5+ 16.Kh1 Bxd5 17.Bxd5 Qxc2 18.Rc1 Qxb2 gives White two extra pawns against White's superior center (Hector-Efimenko, Bundesliga 0809, Emsdetten, 2008).
• If 11...Rac8 12.Qf3 Qh5 then:
• If 13.Qf2 b5 then:
• If 14.Nxc6 Bxc6 15.Bxa7 Nxe4 16.Nxe4 Bxe4 then:
• 17.Rae1 d5 18.Bd4 Bxd4 19.Qxd4 e6 20.c3 Qh4 21.Rd1 Qe7 22.a3 Rc7 23.Rf2 Rb7 draw (Musil-Reshevsky, IT, Maribor, 1967).
• 17.c3 Qf5 18.a4 bxa4 19.Rxa4 d5 20.Bd4 Rb8 21.Bxg7 Kxg7 22.Qd4+ Qf6 draw (Kuijpers-Toran Alberto, Op, Leysin, 1967).
• 14.Ndxb5 Nxe4 15.Nxe4 Qxb5 16.Ng3 a5 17.a4 Qb4 gives Black a small advantage in space (R. Byrne-Stein, IT, Sarajevo, 1967).
• 13.Rad1 Qxf3 14.Nxf3 Bh6 15.g4 Ne8 16.Kg2 gives White a significant advantage in space (Kostyra-Haba, Lang Mem, Brno, 1984).
• If 11.Re1 Rfe8 12.Qe2 then:
• If 12...Qh5 13.Nf3 Ne5 14.Nxe5 Qxe5 15.Qd3 then:
• 15...Bc6 16.Bd4 Qg5 17.Rad1 Nd7 18.Bxg7 Kxg7 19.Nd5 gives White a better center and a slight advantage in space (Wedberg-Tikkanen, Swedish Ch, Umea, 2003).
• 15...Qa5 16.Bd4 Rac8 17.Rad1 Bc6 18.Qe3 Nd7 19.Bxg7 Kxg7 20.Nd5 Qc5 21.Qf4 Ne5 22.Qh4 Bxd5 23.exd5 Nc4 draw (Ree-Sosonko, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1993).
• 12...Rac8 13.Rad1 Nxd4 14.Bxd4 Bc6 15.Nd5 Nd7 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Qe3 gives White a small advantage in space (Gashimov-Carlsen, Tal Mem Blitz, Moscow, 2009).
• If 9...Na5 10.0-0 b6 then:
• If 11.Re1 Bb7 12.Bg5 Nxb3 13.axb3 h6 14.Bh4 then:
• If 14...a6 15.Nd5 e6 16.Nxf6+ Bxf6 17.Bxf6 Qxf6 is equal (DeFirmian-K. Georgiev, Ol, Yerevan, 1996).
• 14...Qd7 15.Qd2 Nh5 16.f3 e5 17.Nde2 f5 18.Red1 is equal (Anand-Kasparov, IT, Linares, 2003).
• If 11.Qd3 Bb7 12.Rad1 Nxb3 13.axb3 then:
• If 13...a6 14.f3 Qc7 15.Rd2 b5 16.Rfd1 b4 17.Na4 d5 18.exd5 Nxd5 19.c4 then:
• If 19...bxc3?! 20.bxc3 Rfd8 is equal (Kholmov-Tibensky, IT, Stary Smokovec, 1996).
• 19...Nxe3 20.Qxe3 Rad8 21.Nc2 Rxd2 22.Qxd2 a5 gives Black stronger pawns, the Bishop pair in an open center and the advantage in space.
• 13...Nd7 14.Bg5 Nc5 15.Qe3 Qd7 16.Nd5 Rae8 is equal (Ross-D. Gurevich, US Ch, San Diego, 2004).
• If 8...a6 9.0-0 b5 10.Re1 Bb7 11.a4 then:
• If 11...Nc6 12.Nxc6 Bxc6 then:
• 13.axb5 axb5 14.Rxa8 Qxa8 15.Nd5 Bxd5 16.exd5 Qb7 17.c3 gives White the advantage in space (Jansa-Khalifman, Bundesliga 9091, Germany, 1991).
• 13.Nd5 e6 14.Nxf6+ Bxf6 15.c3 Qb8 16.axb5 axb5 17.Rxa8 Qxa8 18.Qxd6 Bxe4 19.Bh6 Re8 20.Qf4 Bf5 21.g4 e5 22.Qe3 Be6 draw (Leskur-Kovacevic, Yugoslav ChT, Cetinje, 1992).
• 11...b4 12.Nd5 Nc6 13.Nxc6 Bxc6 14.Nxb4 Bxe4 15.a5 gives White a small advantage in space (Kupreichik-Aston, Op, Cattolica, 1993).

6...Bg7 7.f3 Nc6

• If 7...0-0 8.Qd2 Bd7 9.0-0-0 Nc6 10.Bc4 then:
• If 10...Rc8 11.Bb3 Ne5 12.Kb1 then:
• If 12...Nc4 13.Bxc4 Rxc4 14.g4 then:
• If 14...b5 15.b3 Rc8 16.Ndxb5 Qa5 17.a4 a6 18.Nd5 Qxd2 19.Nxe7+ Kh8 20.Rxd2 Rce8 then:
• 21.Nxg6+ fxg6 22.Nxd6 Re6 23.Bc5 Bc6 24.Nc4 Rb8 25.Rd6 Rxd6 26.Bxd6 gives White four pawns for a minor piece (Bologan-Fedorov, IT, Calcutta, 1999).
• 21.Nf5 gxf5 22.Nxd6 fxg4 23.Nxe8 Rxe8 24.Bd4 Bc6 gives White a theoretical extra pawn in an asymmetical material balance (Timoshenko-Rogozenko, Op, Cappelle la Grand, 1998).
• If 14...Qa5 15.g5 Nh5 16.Nd5 Qd8 17.Ne2 Be6 18.Bxa7 Bxd5 19.Qxd5 Qc7 20.c3 then:
• 20...Ra4 21.Bd4 Ra5 22.Qb3 Rxg5 23.h4 Rg2 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 25.Nd4 Ra8 is equal (Negi-Hakki, Op, Dubai, 2004).
• 20...Rc8 21.Qb5 Rc6 22.Be3 Ra6 23.Nc1 Ra5 24.Qb4 leaves White a pawn to the good (Kovacevic-Torres, Op, Mallorca, 2000).
• 12...Re8 13.h4 h5 14.Bh6 Nc4 15.Bxc4 Rxc4 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 17.Nd5 e5 18.Nxf6 Qxf6 19.Nb3 Rec8 20.Qxd6 Be6 21.c3 R4c6 22.Qb4 gives White the advantage in space (Leconte-de Blasio, cyberspace, 2002).
• If 10...Qa5 11.Bb3 Rfc8 12.h4 Ne5 13.Kb1 then:
• 13...Nc4 14.Bxc4 Rxc4 15.Nb3 Qc7 then:
• If 16.Bd4 Be6 17.h5 a5 18.hxg6 hxg6 19.a4 b5 20.Nxb5 Qb8 21.Nc3 Rb4 22.Rh4 then:
• If 22...Qb7 23.Rdh1 Rb8 24.Nd5 Bxd5 25.exd5 then:
• If 25...Rxa4 then:
• If 26.g4 Rxd4 27.Qxd4 Qxd5 28.g5 Qxg5 is equal, but the material balance is asymmetrical (Gara-Gaponenko, Ol, Bled, 2002).
• 26.Bxf6 Rxh4 27.Rxh4 Bxf6 28.Ra4 Qb6 is equal (Medvegy-V. Rajlich, 1st Saturday August, Budapest, 2001).
• 25...Rxb3?! 26.cxb3! Qxb3 27.Bc3 then:
• 27...Rf8? 28.g4! Nh5 29.gxh5 leaves White up by a Rook (V. Rajlich-Grafl, 1st Saturday October, Budapest, 2001).
• 27...Rc8 28.g4 Rc4 29.Qe3 Nh5 30.gxh5 Bxc3 31.Qe2 clearly gives White much the better of it, but Black is still presenting some problems to White's King position.
• If 22...Bxb3 23.cxb3 then:
• 23...Rxd4? 24.Qxd4! Qxb3 25.e5 Rc8 26.exf6 Bxf6 27.Qxf6!! exf6 28.Rdh1 f5 29.Rh8+ Black resigns (Fercec-Markovic, Op, Bled, 2000).
• 23...Rxb3! 24.g4 Qb4 25.Rh2 Rb8 gives Black a small advantage as White must marshall his forces to the defense of b2.
• If 16.g4 Rc8 17.e5 then:
• If 17...Ne8 18.Nd5 Qd8 19.exd6 Nxd6 20.c3 then:
• 20...R4c6 21.Qh2 Nc4 22.h5 Nxe3 23.Nxe3 g5 24.Nd4 Rd6 is equal (Aharon-Vovoturo, World Jr Ch, Puerto Madryn, 2009).
• 20...Bc6 21.Rhe1 Bxd5 22.Qxd5 Qc7 23.Bg5 Bf8 24.h5 gives White a very comfortable game, but he must shut down Black's potential counterplay on the queenside (Robson-Mostertman, Op, Hoogeveen, 2008).
• 17...Nxg4 18.exd6 exd6 19.fxg4 Bxg4 20.Rc1 Rxc3 21.bxc3 Bxc3 22.Qf2 gives White the material advantage (al-Sayad-V. Rajlich, 1st Saturday June, Budapest, 2001).
• If 13...b5 14.Ncxb5 Qxd2 then:
• If 15.Rxd2 15...Rab8 then:
• If 16.Nc3 a5 17.a4 Nc4 18.Bxc4 Rxc4 then:
• 19.Rd3 Rcb4 20.Ndb5 Bxb5 21.Nxb5 Rxa4 22.Rb3 Nd7 23.Rd1 Rc4 is equal (Hossain-Rahman, Op, Calcutta, 1999).
• 19.Ndb5 Bxb5 20.axb5 Nd7 21.h5 Bxc3 22.bxc3 Rxb5+ gives White a powerful queenside attack (Kett-Theocharides, Euro ChT, Plovdiv, 2003).
• 16.a4 a6 17.Na3 Be8 18.Ka2 Nfd7 19.Ne2 Nc5 20.Bxc5 dxc5 21.c3 gives White an extra pawn and more space (Nadig-Freuler, Masters, Gibraltar, 2010).
• 15.Bxd2 Rab8 16.Nc3 Nc4 17.Bc1 h5 18.Nde2 a5 gives White an extra pawn and Black more space (Kovacevic-Markovic, Yugoslav Ch, Niksic, 1997).

8.Qd2 0-0 9.0-0-0

• If 9.Bc4 then:
• If 9...Bd7 10.0-0-0 Rb8 11.Bb3 Na5 12.Bh6 then:
• If 12...Bxh6 13.Qxh6 b5 then:
• If 14.g4 Nxb3+ 15.Nxb3 b4 16.Nd5 Nxd5 17.exd5 then:
• 17...Rb6 18.Rhe1 e5 19.dxe6 fxe6 gives Black a backward pawn to target (Domínguez-Carlsen, IT, Linares, 2009).
• 17...Ba4 18.Nd4 Qa5 19.h4 Rfc8 20.Kb1 Qxd5 21.b3 Bd7 is equal (Kritz-Jianu, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• If 17...Qc7 18.h4 e5 19.dxe6 Bxe6 20.h5 Rfc8 21.Rh2 Bxb3 22.axb3 Rb6 is equal (Anuprita-Premnath, Commonwealth Ch, Nagpur, 2008).
• 14.h4 e5 15.Nde2 b4 16.Nd5 Nxb3+ 17.axb3 Nxd5 18.Rxd5 Rb6 19.h5 g5 20.f4 Bg4 21.Nd4 gxf4 gives Black an extra pawn (Zambrana-Zhao Zong Yuan, IT, São Paulo, 2008).
• 12...b5 13.h4 Nc4 14.Qg5 Bxh6 15.Qxh6 Kh8 16.Qg5 Rc8 17.h5 gxh5 18.Qh4 Rg8 19.g3 b4 20.Nd5 Nxd5 21.exd5 e5 is equal (Gutsche-de Blasio, Corres, 2002).
• If 9...Nxd4 10.Bxd4 Be6 11.Bb3 Qa5 12.0-0-0 then:
• If 12...b5 13.Kb1 b4 14.Nd5 Bxd5 15.Bxd5 then:
• 15...Rac8 16.Bb3 Rc7 17.h4 Qb5 18.h5 Rfc8 19.hxg6 hxg6 20.g4 a5 21.g5 gives White the advantage in space {i](Fischer-Larsen, ITZ, Portoroz, 1958).
• 15...Qb5 16.Rhe1 a5 17.Qe2 Qxe2 18.Rxe2 a4 19.Bc4 Rfc8 20.Bb5 Ra5 21.Bxf6 Bxf6 22.Bc6 gives White a small advantage in space (Tal-Larsen, IT, Zürich, 1959).
• 12...Rfc8 13.Kb1 b5 14.Rhe1 Bxb3 15.cxb3 b4 16.Bxf6 bxc3 17.Bxc3 Rxc3 draw (Matanovic-Ivkov, Bled, 1961).
• If 9...Nd7 10.0-0-0 Nb6 11.Bb3 Na5 12.Qd3 then:
• If 12...Bd7 13.h4 Rc8 14.h5 Nbc4 15.hxg6 hxg6 then:
• If 16.Bg5 Nxb3+ 17.cxb3 then:
• If 17...Qa5 18.Bxe7 Ne5 then:
• If 19.Qc2 then:
• 19...Rxc3 20.bxc3 Rc8 21.Kb2 Qb6 22.Bg5 Nc4+ 23.Ka1 Na3 24.Qb2 Nb5 25.Nxb5 Qxb5 26.Be3 Bxc3 27.Qxc3 Rxc3 28.Bd4 leaves White threatening mate in one and it will be impossible for Black to meet all of White's threats (Wedburg-Sosonko, IT, Haninge, 1988).
• 19...Rfe8 20.Bxd6 b5 21.b4 Qa6 22.Nb3 Rxc3 23.bxc3 (D. Popovic-M. Stojkovic, IT, Subotica, 2003).
• 19.Qd2 Rfe8 20.Bxd6 Qxa2 21.Nc2 Qxb3 22.Bxe5 Bxe5 (gives Black a strong initiative focuses on White's King and now) 23.Qxd7 Bxc3 24.bxc3 Qxc3 25.Qd3 Qa1+ 26.Kd2 Qb2 27.Rb1 Rxc2+ 28.Ke3 Qc3 29.Qxc3 Rxc3+ 30.Kf4 Re7 gives Black an extra pawn and he eventually won (Marjanovic-Sax, IT, Sarajevo, 1982).
• 17...Ne5 18.Qd2 f6 19.Bh6 Nf7 20.Be3 Qa5 21.Kb1 gives White more space and a better center; Black has the Bishops and more easily repairable pawn weaknesses (Ris-Mikkelsen, EU ChU16, Urgup, 2004).
• If 16.Bh6 e5 17.Bxg7 Kxg7 then:
• 18.Ndb5 Bxb5 19.Nxb5 Qg5+ 20.Kb1 gives White opportunities to win a pawn (J. Howell-Mohr, IT, Belgorod, 1990).
• 18.Nde2 Qg5+ 19.Kb1 b5 20.g3 b4 21.f4 exf4 22.gxf4 Qf6 is equal (Lobron-Kalka, Op, Bad Wiessee, 2000).
• 12...Nxb3+ 13.Nxb3 then:
• 13...Be6 14.Bd4 Bh6+ 15.Be3 Bg7 16.Bd4 Bh6+ is equal (Kovacevic-Markovic, Yugoslav Team Ch, Cetinje, 1992).
• 13...Bd7 14.Bd4 a5 15.Bxg7 Kxg7 16.h4 a4 is equal (Tomczak-Chojnacki, Polish ChU18, ).

9...d5 10.exd5

• If 10.Qe1 then:
• If 10...e5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.exd5 then:
• If 12...Nxd5 13.Bc4 Be6 14.Ne4 Qc7 15.Bc5 Rfd8 then:
• If 16.g4 16...Nf4 then:
• If 17.Qc3 then:
• If 17...Bd5 18.g5 then:
• 18...Ne6 19.Be3 Nd4 20.Kb1 Bxc4 21.Qxc4 Nxf3 is equal (Mahesh Chandran-Gashimov, World Jr Ch, Nakhchivan (Azerbaijan), 2003).
• 18...Qc8 19.Be7 Qe6 20.Bxd8 Rxd8 21.Kb1 gives White the material advantage and more space (A. Pachmann-Zvzra, IT, Prague, 1995).
• If 17...Rd5!? 18.Kb1 Rad8 19.Rde1 h6 then:
• 20.Be3!? Qe7 21.Rhg1 Kh8 22.h4 gives White a slight advantage in space (Gdanski-Fedorov, Euro Ch, Ohrid, 2001).
• 20.Bxd5 cxd5 21.Be3 Qe7 22.Qc5 Qb7 23.Ng3 Rb8 is equal./li]
• If 17.Bxe6 Nxe6 18.Bd6 Qb6 19.g5 Nd4 20.Rf1 Nf5 is equal (Dolmatov-Ricardi, Najdorf Mem, Buenos Aires, 1991).
• If 16.Qh4 h6 17.g4 a5 18.g5 h5 19.a4 Nf4 20.Bxe6 Nxe6 is equal (Fercec-Vocaturo, IT 0506, Reggio Emilia, 2005).
• If 12...cxd5 13.Bg5 Be6 14.Bc4 then:
• If 14...Qc7 15.Bxf6 dxc4 16.Bxg7 Kxg7 then:
• If 17.Qe3 Rab8 18.Rhe1 f6 19.Ne4 Rb6 then:
• 20.Nc5 Rc8 21.Nxe6+ Rxe6 22.Qc3 Rd6 23.Rxd6 Qxd6 is equal (Müller-Berndt, Bundesliga 9899, Porz, 1998).
• 20.Re2 Rfb8 21.c3 Rb5 22.Rd6 R8b6 23.Red2 f5 24.Qg5 fxe4 25.Rd7+ Bxd7 26.Qe7+ Kg8 27.Rxd7 Qxd7 28.Qxd7 exf3 29.Qe8+ draw (Schmitzer-Kangur, Cyberspace, 2002).
• 17.Nd5 Bxd5 18.Rxd5 Rfe8 19.Qc3 Kg8 20.Qa5 Qe7 21.Re1 gives White a noticeable advantage in space (Carlsen-Leko, Rpd Match, Miskolc, 2008).
• 14...Rb8 15.Bxd5 Qb6 16.Bb3 Rfc8 17.Kb1 a5 18.Bc1 Rc6 19.g4 Rbc8 20.g5 gives White a slight advantage in space Ye Jiangchuan-Carless, ZT, Shah Alam, 1990).
• If 10...e6 11.h4 Qc7 then:
• If 12.h5 Nxh5 13.exd5 exd5 then:
• If 14.Ndb5 Qg3 15.Bf2 Qf4+ 16.Be3 then:
• 16...Qf6 17.Rxd5 Nf4 18.Rd6 Be6 19.Qd2 Nh5 20.Bg5 Qe5 21.g4 Ng3 22.Bf4 Nxf1 23.Rxf1 Qc5 24.Be3 Qc4 is equal (Adams-Topalov, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 1996).
• 16...Qg3 17.Bf2 Qf4+ 18.Kb1 Be6 19.g4 d4 20.gxh5 dxc3 21.Rh4 Qxf3 gives Black two extra pawns (Szieberth-V. Rajlich, Elikases Mem, Budapest, 2001).
• 14.Nxd5 Qe5 15.Bc4 Be6 16.Bf2 Qg5+ 17.Qe3 Qxe3+ 18.Bxe3 Nxd4 19.Bxd4 gives White a slight advantage; the game is volitile (Luther-Kabanov, Op, Pardubice, 2000).
• If 12.exd5 Nxd5 13.Nxd5 exd5 14.Qd2 then:
• If 14...Re8 15.h5 Rxe3 16.Qxe3 Nxd4 then:
• If 17.Qe8! Bf8 18.Rxd4 Bf5 19.Qa4 Qe5 20.Rd1 leaves Black down by an exchange and in big trouble (Dvoirys-Brodsky, Op, Berlin, 1996).
• 17.Rxd4?! Bf5 18.Bd3 Qb6 19.Rhh4 Be4 20.Rdxe4 Qxb2+ 21.Kd1 dxe4 gives Black an extra pawn and command of attacking lanes (Shirov-Topalov, IT, Dos Hermanas, 1996).
• 14...h5 15.Nb5 Qe7 16.Bg5 Qe5 17.c3 Be6 18.Bf4 gives White stronger pawns and the initiative (Kramnik-Alterman, Sochi, 1990).

10...Nxd5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 12.Bd4 Bxd4

• If 12...e5 13.Bc5 Be6 14.Ne4 Re8 15.h4 then:
• If 15...h6 16.g4 Qc7 17.g5 h5 18.Bc4 Red8 19.Qf2 then:
• If 19...Nf4 20.Bxe6 Nxe6 21.Bd6 then:
• 21...Qa5 22.Kb1 Rd7 23.Rd2 Nd4 24.Rhd1 Rad8 25.Bc5 Rd5 is equal (Maslak-Azorov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2007).
• 21...Qb6 22.Rd2 Rd7 23.Rhd1 Rad8 24.Qxb6 axb6 25.Be7 Rxd2 26.Rxd2 Ra8 is equal (Psakhis-Komljenovic, Op, Andorra, 1994).
• If 19...a5 20.a4 then:
• 20...Qb7 21.Rd3 Nf4 22.Rxd8+ Rxd8 23.Bxe6 Nxe6 24.Bd6 Nd4 25.Rd1 Qd7 26.c3 draw (Psakhis-Marin, Op, Andorra, 1995).
• If 20...Rab8 then:
• 21.b3 Qb7 22.Qe1 Qc7 23.Rh2 Rd7 24.Rhd2 Rbd8 is equal (Priyadharshan-Koushik, Commonwealth Ch, Nigpur, 2008).
• 21.Rd2 Rd7 22.Ba3 Rdd8 23.Rhd1 Kh7 24.b3 Rbc8 is equal (Menghi-Davila Texeira, Cyberspace, 1999).
• If 15...Nf4 then:
• If 16.g3 Qxd2+ 17.Rxd2 Nh5 18.g4 then:
• If 18...Nf4 then:
• If 19.h5 Bd5 20.hxg6 fxg6 then:
• 21.Rdh2 h6 22.Rf2 Ne6 23.Be3 Rf8 24.Nd2 Nf4 is equal (van der Wiel-Tiviakov, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1994).
• 21.c4 Bxe4 22.fxe4 Rad8 23.Bd6 Bf8 24.c5 gives White the better center and more space (Coleman-Schorra, Cyberspace, 1998).
• 19.Ba6 Bd5 20.c4 Bxe4 21.fxe4 Ne6 22.Be3 Rad8 23.c5 gives White a comfortable advantage in space (Adams-al-Modiaki, Masters, Gibraltar, 2007).
• If 18...Nf6 19.Bd3 Nd7 20.Be3 Nb6 then:
• 21.h5 Nd5 22.Bc5 Red8 23.hxg6 hxg6 24.Ba6 gives White a considerable advantage in space (Shirov-Polzin, Bundesliga 0506, Germany, 2006).
• 21.b3 Nd5 22.Bc5 a5 23.a4 Nf4 24.Nd6 Reb8 25.Bc4 Bd5 26.Bxd5 draw (Leko-Tiviakov, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1996).
• 16.Qe1 Bd5 17.h5 f5 18.hxg6 hxg6 19.Nd6 Qg5 20.Kb1 Red8 21.c4 gives White the advantage in space (Timmerman-Kangur, Corres, 2006).

13.Qxd4 Qb6

• If 13...Qc7 14.Bc4 Nb6 then:
• 15.Be2 Be6 16.Qc5 Rfb8 17.g3 Qb7 18.b3 Nd5 19.Rd4 Nxc3 20.Qxc3 is equal (Kurnosov-Fedorov, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• If 15.Bd3 Be6 then:
• 16.Rhe1 Rfd8 17.Qh4 Rab8 18.Qg3 Qb7 is equal (N. Kosintseva-Pogonina, Russian ChW, Moscow, 2007).
• If 16.h4 then:
• If 16...Rfd8 17.Qe3 Nd5 18.Nxd5 Rxd5 then:
• 19.h5 Qe5 20.Qxe5 Rxe5 21.hxg6 hxg6 22.Rh4 Kg7 23.Ra4 a5 24.b4 gives White a serious initiative to win a pawn (Ryan-G. Jones, EU Ch, Cork, 2005).
• If font color="purple"]19.Be4 Rb5 20.h5 Qe5 21.Qd4 Qg5+ then:
• 22.Rd2?! c5! 23.Qc3 Rab8 24.hxg6 fxg6 25.b3 draw (P. Popovich-Markovic, Yugoslav ChT, Herceg Novi, 2001).
• 22.Qd2 Qxd2+ 23.Rxd2 Ra5 24.a3 Bd5 25.Bd3 leaves White threatening to open the h-file to advantage.
• 16...Rad8 17.Qc5 Nd5 18.h5 Qf4+ 19.Kb1 Qb4 20.Ne4 gives White a small advantage in space and the opportunity to open the kingside; Black has chances for counterplay on the b-file (Majdan-Pogonina, OlW, Dresden, 2008).

14.Na4 Qa5 15.b3 Be6

• If 15...Qc7 16.h4 h5 17.Bc4 Rd8 then:
• 18.g4 hxg4 19.h5 g5 20.fxg4 Qf4+ 21.Qxf4 gxf4 22.Nc3 gives White a passed pawn, the advantage in space and a pin at d5; Black is attacking the backward pawn at g4 (Swinkles-Reinderman, Op, Groningen, 2009).
• 18.Rhe1!? Bf5! 19.Qe5 Qxe5 20.Rxe5 is equal (Sebag-Calzetta Ruiz, Euro ChTW, Novi Sad, 2009).

16.g3 (N)

• 16.Qd2 Qc7 17.Nc5 Qd6 18.Nxe6 Qxe6 19.Bc4 gives Black a small advantage in space; White has pressure on d5 (Korneev-Aronian, Russian Cup, Omsk, 1996).

16...Rfd8

• The game is equal.

17.Qc5 Qc7

• If 17...Qb4?! 18.Qxb4 Nxb4 then:
• 19.Rxd8+! Rxd8 20.a3 Nd5 21.Bd3 Kf8 22.Nc5 gives White stronger pawns and a small advantage in space.
• 19.Bg2?! Bf5 20.a3 Nxc2 21.g4 Ne3! gives Black an extra pawn.

18.Re1 Nb6 19.Nc3 a5 20.Rxe6!?

• White lives to tell the tale, but the sacrifice is dubious.
• Better is 20.a4 Rab8 when:
• 21.Qe5 Qd7 22.Rd1 Nd5 23.h4 Qd6 remains equal.
• 21.Qxa5!? Qd6! 22.Nb1 Nd5 23.Bc4 Bf5 24.Re2 Ra8 remains equal.

20...fxe6 21.Bh3 Nd7!?

• Black concedes a pawn to White and misses the opportunity to level the game or even get the upper hand.
• If 21...Kf8! 22.Ne4 Nd5 then:
• 23.f4 Qa7 24.Qxa7 Rxa7 25.Nc5 Ke8 26.Re1 e5 is equal.
• If 23.Ng5 Qe5 24.Nxe6+ Kf7 25.Nxd8+ Rxd8 then:
• 26.c3 Qxc3+ 27.Qxc3 Nxc3 28.a3 Rd3 gives Black more active pieces.
• If 26.Re1? Qa1+!! 27.Kd2 Nc3+ then:
• If 28.Ke3 Qxe1+ 29.Kf4 Nd5+ then:
• 30.Kg4 Qe6+ 31.Kg5 Qe5+ 32.Kh4 Qh5#.
• 30.Qxd5+ Rxd5 31.Bd7 h5! 32.Be6+ Qxe6 33.h4 Qe5#.
• 28.Bd7 Rxd7+ 29.Ke3 Qxe1+ etc.

BLACK: Artyom Timofeev



WHITE: Sanan Sjugirov
Position after 21...Nb6d7

22.Qxe7!

• White assumes a small advantage with more space and stronger pawns.

22...Qe5 23.Qxe6+ Qxe6 24.Bxe6+ Kg7

• If 24...Kf8?! 25.Ne4! Ke7 26.Bh3 Nf6 27.Nc5 then:
• 27...Rd5 28.Ne6 Re5 29.Nd4 Kd6 30.f4 gives White White a slim advantage in space.
• 27...Rd6?! 28.Re1+ Kf8 29.Nb7 Rd5 30.Re6 gives White a comfortable advantage in space.

25.Bxd7

• If 25.Ne4 Nb6 26.f4 then:
• 26...Ra7 27.g4 Nd5 28.f5 a4 29.Kb1 Nf6 remains equal.
• 26...Re8 27.Nc5 Kf6 28.Bg4 a4 29.b4 a3 30.Nd7+ gives White a slight initiative.

25...Rxd7 26.Re1 g5

• 26...h6!? 27.Na4 Rf7 28.f4 Raa7 29.Re5 gives White a more active Rook.
• 26...Rad8!? 27.Re5 Rf8 28.f4 Rf5 29.Re4 h6 30.h4 gives White a little more freedom.

27.Re5

• If 27.Re6 Rf8 28.Rxc6 Rxf3 then:
• 29.Rc5 h6 30.Kb2 g4 31.Rxa5 Rd2 32.Ra7+ remains equal.
• 29.Kb2 Rf5! 30.Rc4 h5 31.a3 g4 32.Ne4 Rd1 remains equal.

27...h6 28.f4 gxf4 29.gxf4 Rd4

• 29...Rf8 30.Ne2 Rd5 31.Rxd5 cxd5 32.Kd2 remains equal.

30.Re7+ Kf6 31.Rc7

• 31.Rh7 Kg6 32.Rc7 Rxf4 33.Rxc6+ Rf6 remains equal.

31...Rxf4 32.Rxc6+ Kg5 33.a4?!

• White should concern himself with the advance of Black's h-pawn
• If 33.Rd6 h5 34.a3 Raf8 35.Kb2 h4 36.Rd2 Kg6 remains equal.
• 33.Rc5+ Kh4 34.Rc6 h5 35.Ne2 Re4 36.Ng3 Re5 gives Black a slight advantage.

BLACK: Artyom Timofeev



WHITE: Sanan Sjugirov
Position after 33.a2a4

33...Rh4!

• Black wins White's h-pawn, creating a remote passer.

34.Rc5+ Kg4

• 34...Kg6 35.Nd5 Rxh2 36.Ne7+ Kf6 37.Nd5+ Ke6 gives Black a remote passed pawn.

35.Nd5 Rxh2!

• Now it's official. Black has a remote passed pawn.

36.Kb2 Kg3

• If 36...Re2 37.Nb6 Ra6 38.Nc4 then:
• 38...h5 39.Kc3 h4 40.Kd3 Re8 41.Ne3+ Kh3 leaves White's drawing chances remote, but his 3-1 majority on the queenside keeps him in the game; Black's winning chances get better and better with every square the h-pawn advances.
• 38...Re8?! 39.Nxa5! h5 40.Rc4+ Kg3 41.Rc3+ Kg2 the remote passed pawn is a clear advantage for Black.

37.Ne3 Kf4 38.Nd5+

• 38.Nc4 h5 39.Nxa5 h4 40.Rc4+ Kg3 41.Rc3+ Kf2 gives Black the advantage with his ability to push a remote passer and the initiative against the Knight.

38...Kf3 39.Nb6 Ra6 40.Nc4

• 40.Rc3+?! Kf2! 41.Nc4 h5 42.Rd3 h4 43.Rd2+ Kg3 gives Black a greater advantage with every step the h-pawn takes.
• 40.Nd7 Rg2 41.Ne5+ Ke4 42.Nd3 Rd6 43.Re5+ Kf3 gives White a strong advantage as when the King reaches g4 he can advance the pawn.

BLACK: Artyom Timofeev



WHITE: Sanan Sjugirov
Position after 40.Nb6c4

40...h5!!

• Black ignores the threat to the a-pawn and advances the h-pawn, which being remote is all the more dangerous.

41.Nxa5

• 41.Rf5+ Ke4 42.Rb5 h4 43.Rh5 Kf4 44.Nxa5 Kg4 leaves Black with the choice of abandoning the advancing h-pawn or abandoning the Knight.

41...h4 42.Nc6 h3 43.Rc3+

• If 43.Ne5+ then after 43...Ke4 44.Nd3 Rh6 45.Re5+ Kd4 Black may have only one pawn, but it's still the most dangerous thing on the board.

43...Kg2 44.Nb4

• This is about the best move White can make. To put it another way, he's got big problems.
• If 44.Rc4?! Kf1 45.Ne5 Re6 then:
• If 46.Nf3 Rg3+ (Rf2) 47.Rc3 Rg6 48.Re3 Rf6 then:
• 49.Nd2+ Rxd2 50.Rxh3 Ra6 51.Rh1+ Ke2 52.Kc1 Rd8 gives White a powerful advantage, but three connected passed pawns can always but up a fight against a Rook.
• If 49.Ne5? h2 50.Rh3 R6f4 then:
• 51.a5 Re2 52.Nd3 Rf5 53.b4 Kg2.
• 51.Rh7 Kg1 52.Nd3 Rf7 53.Rh4 Rd2 54.b4 h1Q will leave Black up by two Rooks against a Knight.
• If 46.Nd3? Rg2 47.Rh4 h2! 48.b4 Kg1 then:
• If 49.a5 Ree2 50.Kb3 h1Q 51.Rxh1+ Kxh1 then:
• If 52.Nf4 53.Nd3 Rg1 then:
• 54.c3 Re3 55.Nc5 Kg2 56.a6 Kf3 57.Kc4 Rc1 wins for Black.
• 54.Nf4 Rf2 55.Nd3 Rb1+ 56.Ka2 Rff1 57.Nb2 Kg2 wins.
• 52.c3 Rg3 53.Nc5 Kg2 54.a6 Re1 55.Kc4 Rd1 56.Na4 Ra1 57.Kb5 Rg5+ 58.Nc5 Ra3 wins.
• 49.Kb3 h1Q 50.Rxh1+ Kxh1 51.a5 Rg3 gives White almost no chance of saving the game.
• Concerning endings of Rook vs. three connected passed pawns: Three pawns on the fifth rank or beyond win against the Rook in the absence of Kings . . . . With the enemy King directly in front of the pawns, the critical position is:
  
  Analysis Diagram
  
  
  
  From Fine, Basic Chess Endings
  
  If we move all the pawns back one rank, the Rook wins; if we move them up one rank the pawns conquor. -- Reuben Fine, Basic Chess Endings, (New York: McKay, 1941, 1969), chapter VI.1.C.1.

44...Ra5!?

• White has an even stronger move.
• If 44...Rh6! 45.Nd5 Kf2 46.Nf4 Rh1 then:
• 47.Nxh3+ R1xh3 48.b4 Rxc3 49.Kxc3 Ke3 gives Black three connecter passers against a Rook with fair drawing chances.
• 47.Rxh3 R6xh3 48.Nxh3+ Rxh3 49.b4 Ke3 50.Kc3 Rh8 gives Black three connected passers against a Rook.

45.Rd3!

• Black chances of survival have improved considerably, but the situation is still critical.

45...Rc5?!

• White misses the best line, that will put him close to victory.
• If 45...Kf2! then:
• 46.Nc6 Rc5 47.Nb4 Rh1 48.Rd2+ Kf3 49.Rd3+ Ke4 gives White a huge advantage.
• 46.c4 Rh1 47.Nd5 h2 48.Rh3 Ra8 49.Ne3 Rg8 wins for Black.
• 45...Kf1?! 46.Nd5 then:
• 46...Rxd5 47.Rxd5 Re2 48.Rh5 Kg2 is equal.
• 46...Ra8 47.Nf4 Rh8 48.a5 Kf2 49.a6 Rh1 50.a7 is equal.

46.Nd5 Kf1 47.Ne3+?!

• White tries to win when he can't but a draw is obtainable and that is for what he should play.
• If 47.Nc3 Rc6 48.Rd1+ Kg2 then:
• 49.Rd2+ Kg1 50.Rd1+ Kf2 51.Rd2+ Kg1 52.Rd1+ etc. draws.
• If 49.b4 Rh1 50.Rd2+ Kg3 51.Rd3+ Kf4 52.Ne2+ Kg4 gives Black a clear advantage.

47...Ke1 48.b4?

• Suddenly, White is completely lost.
• If 48.Rd1+ Ke2 49.Rd3 then:
• If 49...Rg2 50.Nxg2 hxg2 51.Rg3 Kf2 52.Rg8 then:
• If 52...g1Q 53.Rxg1 Kxg1 54.c4 Kf2 gives White good drawing chances per Fine (see note to White's 44th move).
• 52...Rh5 53.b4 Rh4 54.c3 Kf3 55.Rxg2 Kxg2 56.Kc2 gives White good drawing chances.
• If 49...Rh5 50.Nd5 Rf2 51.Nc3+ Kf1 then:
• If 52.Ne4 Rg2 53.Rd1+ Ke2 54.Nc3+ Kf3 then:
• If 55.Rd3+ then Black wins after 55...Kf4 56.Rd4+ Kf5 57.Rd5+ Kg6 58.Rd1 h2.
• If 55.a5 then Black wins after 55...h2 56.a6 Ra5 57.Rf1+ Rf2 58.Rh1 Rxa6.
• If 52.Rd1+ then Black wins after 52...Kg2 53.Ne4 Rff5 54.Rd3 Re5.

BLACK: Artyom Timofeev



WHITE: Sanan Sjugirov
Position after 48.b3b4

48...Rc8!

• Black wins.
• If 48...Rh5 then after 49.a5 Rf2 50.a6 Rh4 51.Ra3 Rxb4+ 52.Kc3 Black is definitely better, but White still has counterplay.
• If 48...Rc6 49.Rd1+ Ke2 50.Rd3 Rg2 51.b5 Rf6 52.Nxg2 hxg2 53.Rg3 is equal

49.Kb3

• There is nothing White can do.
• If 49.a5 Rd2 50.Rxd2 Kxd2 then:
• If 51.Nf1+ Ke2 52.Nh2 then:
• If 52...Ra8! 53.c4 Kf2 then:
• If 54.b5 Kg2 then:
• 55.b6 Kxh2 56.b7 Rb8 57.a6 Kg3 58.Kc3 h2 59.a7 Rxb7 60.a8Q h1Q Black's extra Rook is enough to assure victory.
• Black has other winning procedures: If 54...Rxa5 55.Kc3 then:
• If 55...Kg2 56.b6 Ra1 57.Ng4 Rb1 58.c5 Kg3 59.Kc2 then:
• If 59...Kxg4 60.Kxb1 h2 then:
• 61.Ka2 then Black wins after 61...h1Q 62.Ka3 Qe4.
• If 61.c6 then the simpe after 61...h1Q+ 62.Ka2 Qxc6 wins.
• 59...Rb5 60.Ne3 Rxc5+ 61.Kd3 Rc1 62.b7 Rb1 63.Nf1+ Kg2! forces the Knight to lose contact with the blockading square and wins.
• If 55...Ra1 56.Kb2 Ra8 then:
• If 57.b6 then Black wins after 57...Kg1 58.c5 Kxh2 59.c6 Rb8 60.b7 Kg3 61.c7 Rxb7+ when White's last pawn falls.
• If 57.c5 then after 57...Ra5 58.Kc3 Rxb5 59.Kd4 Rb1 60.c6 Rc1 61.Kd5 Kg3 62.Kd6 Kxh2 Black's simplest win is sacrificing his Rook for White's last pawn and then queening.
• If 54.Kc2 then Black wins after 54...Kg2 55.b5 Kxh2 56.b6 Rb8 57.c5 Kg1 58.c6 h2.
• If 52...Rb8 then Black wins after 53.Kc3 Kf2 54.a6 Kg2 55.b5 Rxb5 56.Ng4 Ra5!.
• Less stubborn is 51.Ng4 when Black wins after 51...Rc4! 52.Nh2 Rxc2+ 53.Kb3 Kd1 54.Nf3 Rf2 55.Ng5 h2.
• If 49.Rd1+! then Black wins after 49...Ke2 50.Rd3 Rf2 51.Ng4 Rf4.

49...Rd2 50.Rxd2 Kxd2 51.Nf1+

• If 51.Ng4 then after 51...Rg8 52.Nh2 Rg2 53.a5 Rxh2 54.a6 Rg2 the Rook returns to the eighth rank in time to stop the a-pawn.

51...Ke2 52.Nh2 Kf2 53.a5 Kg3 54.Nf1+ Kg2 55.Ne3+ Kg1 56.Ng4 Rg8 0-1

• If 57.Ne3 then after 57...h2 (or 57.Rg3 58.Kc4 Rxe3 and 59...h2) the pawn queens.
• Sanan Vyacheslavovich resigns.

[Jack Rabbit]

9. Ukrainian National Championship, Kiev

The Golden Gate of Kiev

Please click on the picture
Photo by Håkan Henriksson in Wikipedia (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)

[Jack Rabbit]

10. Moiseenko - Ponomariov, Round 11

Ruslan Ponomariov
Photo by karpidis modified from flickr (Creative Commons License, Attribution/Share Alike)


Alexander Moiseenko - Ruslan Ponomariov
80th Ukrainian Championship, Round 11
Kiev, 21 June 2011

Orthodox Queen's Gambit: Nimzo-Ragozin Defense (Exchange Opening)

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 d5 4.Nc3 Bb4 5.cxd5

• If 5.Bg5 then:
• If 5...h6 6.Bxf6 Qxf6 7.e3 0-0 8.Rc1 dxc4 9.Bxc4 c5 10.0-0 cxd4 11.exd4 then:
• If 11...Nc6 12.Ne4 then:
• If 12...Qf4 13.Qe2 Rd8 14.g3 Qg4 15.Rfd1 Bd7 16.a3 then:
• 16...Be7 17.Qe3 Be8 18.b4 a6 19.Be2 Qh3 20.Nc5 Bxc5 21.dxc5 gives White the advantage in space (Gelfand-Piket, FIDE Knock Out, New Dehli, 2000).
• 16...Bf8 17.Qe3 Be8 18.b4 Qh5 19.Be2 Qf5 20.Nh4 Qh7 21.Nc5 g5 22.Nf3 Rab8 23.Bc4 Qg7 24.d5 exd5 25.Bxd5 Ne7 gives White excellent winning chances (Magai-Mitkov, Ol, Istanbul, 2000).
• 12...Qd8 13.a3 Ba5 14.Qd3 Bb6 15.Rfd1 Qe7 16.Bb5 Bd7 17.Nc5 Be8 18.Qc3 gives White the advantage in space (Topalov-J. Polgar, IT, Madrid, 1997).
• 11...Rd8 12.Ne4 Qe7 13.Qe2 Nc6 14.Rfd1 Ba5 15.Bb5 Bd7 16.Ne5 Rac8 17.Bxc6 Bxc6 18.Nxc6 Rxc6 19.Rxc6 bxc6 is equal (Cebalo-Dizdar, Croatian Ch, Vukovar, 2005).
• If 5...dxc4 6.e4 c5 then:
• If 7.Bxc4 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bxc3+ 9.bxc3 Qa5 10.Bb5+ then:
• If 10...Nbd7 11.Bxf6 Qxc3+ 12.Kf1 gxf6 13.h4 a6 14.Rh3 then:
• If 14...Qa5 15.Be2 Nc5 16.Nb3 Nxb3 17.Qxb3 b6 then:
• 18.Rb1 Bb7 19.Re3 Rc8 20.Kg1 b5 21.a4 Bc6 22.Rc3 0-0 23.Qb2 Bxe4 24.Rg3+ Bg6 25.h5 wins the Bishop (Nielsen-Sargissian, Euro Ch, Istanbul, 2003).
• 18.Rd1 Bb7 19.Qb2 Qe5 20.Qxb6 Bxe4 21.Rg3 f5 22.Kg1 h6 23.Qb4 f4 24.Rg4 Rb8 is equal (Topalov-van Wely, Corus A, Wijk aan Zee, 2001).
• 14...Qb4 15.Be2 Ne5 16.h5 Qd6 17.Kg1 Bd7 18.Rb1 Rd8 19.Rc3 b5 20.Rbc1 b4 21.Rg3 Ke7 22.f4 Be8 23.fxe5 fxe5 24.Qe1 exd4 25.Bd3 gives Black excellent winning chances (Shulman-Naiditsch, IT, Montreal, 2009).
• If 10...Bd7 11.Bxf6 gxf6 then:
• 12.Bxd7+ Nxd7 13.0-0 a6 14.Rb1 Qc7 15.Qh5 Nc5 16.Rb4 Qe5 17.Qh4 Qg5 18.Qh3 Qe5 19.Qh4 Qg5 20.Qh3 Qe5 21.Re1 Rd8 22.Qe3 Rg8 is equal (Gelfand-Jakovenko, Tal Mem, Moscow, 2007).
• 12.Qb3 a6 13.Be2 Nc6 14.0-0 Qc7 15.Qa3 Rc8 16.Rad1 Na5 17.Qc1 Ke7 18.Qh6 Bc6 19.Nxe6 Qe5 20.Nd4 Rcg8 21.f4 Qc5 22.Kh1 Rg6 23.Qh3 Bxe4 24.Bf3 Bxf3 25.Rxf3 Qc7 26.Nf5+ Kf8 27.Rfd3 Nc6 28.Rd7 Black resigns (Piket-Topalov, FIDE Knock Out, Groningen, 1997).
• If 7.e5 cxd4 then:
• If 8.Nxd4 Qa5 9.exf6 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Qxg5 11.fxg7 then:
• If 11...Qxg7 12.Qd2 0-0 13.Bxc4 Rd8 then:
• 14.Qe3 Bd7 15.0-0 Nc6 16.Nf3 Ne7 17.Ne5 Ng6 18.f4 Nxe5 19.fxe5 Bc6 20.g3 Rd7 21.Rf6 Rad8 22.Be2 Rd2 23.Rf4 Kh8 24.Rd4 is equal (Onischuk-Jakovenko, IT, Foros, 2007).
• 14.Qb2 Qe5+ 15.Be2 Nc6 16.Nc2 Rd3 17.Na3 Qxc3+ 18.Qxc3 Rxc3 19.Nb5 Rc2 20.Rd1 Rxa2 21.Bf3 Ra5 22.Nc7 Re5+ 23.Kf1 Rb8 24.h4 Kf8 gives Black two extra pawns (Halkias-Gyimesi, Rueo ChT, Crete, 2008).
• 11...Rg8 12.g3 Qd5 13.Rg1 Rxg7 14.Qe2 Nd7 15.Qxc4 Qxc4 16.Bxc4 Nb6 17.Bb5+ Bd7 18.Bxd7+ Kxd7 19.0-0-0 Ke7 20.f4 Rc8 is equal (Browne-Su. Polgar, Op, Reykjavik, 1988).
• 8.Qa4+ Nc6 9.0-0-0 Bd7 10.Ne4 Be7 11.exf6 gxf6 12.Bh4 Rc8 13.Kb1 Na5 14.Qc2 e5 15.Nxd4 exd4 16.Rxd4 Qb6 17.Rxd7 Kxd7 18.Be2 Ke8 19.Qc3 Rc6 20.Rd1 Rg8 21.Bf3 Re6 gives Black the initiative (Kamsky-van Wely, Euro ChT, Antalya, 2007).

5...exd5 6.Bg5 Nbd7

• If 6...h6 7.Bh4 c5 8.e3 then:
• If 8...g5 9.Bg3 then:
• 9...c4 10.Be2 Ne4 11.Rc1 Qa5 12.Ne5 Nc6 13.0-0 Bxc3 14.bxc3 Nxc3 15.Rxc3 Qxc3 gives Black more material and space, but the shakey position of Black's King offers White chances for counterplay (Topalov-Aronian, Amber Blind, Monte Carlo, 2011).
• If 9...Ne4 10.Bb5+ Bd7 11.Bxd7+ Nxd7 then:
• 12.dxc5 Nxc3 13.Qd4 Nxa2+ 14.Ke2 Qf6 15.Rxa2 Qxd4 16.exd4 gives White a clear advantage in space(Sargissian-Dizdar, Masters, Abu Dhabi, 2003).
• 12.0-0 Bxc3 13.bxc3 c4 14.Qc2 Qe7 15.Rab1 b6 16.Nd2 is equal (E. Agrest-Zifroni, Euro Club Cup, Kemeri, 2007).
• 8...Nc6 9.dxc5 g5 10.Bg3 Ne4 11.Bb5 Nxc3 12.Bxc6+ bxc6 13.Qd4 Nxa2+ 14.Nd2 0-0 15.Rxa2 a5 16.h4 f6 17.0-0 Re8 draw (Smejkal-Tal, IT, Wijk aan Zee, 1976).

7.e3

• If 7.Rc1 c6 8.a3 then:
• If 8...Bxc3+ 9.Rxc3 0-0 10.e3 then:
• If 10...h6 11.Bh4 g5 12.Bg3 Ne4 then:
• 13.Rc2 Ndf6 14.Bd3 Bf5 15.Ne5 Kg7 16.f3 Nxg3 17.hxg3 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 Qe7 19.Kf2 Nd7 20.Ng4 Rh8 is equal (Zhao Xue-N. Kosintseva, World ChTW, Ningbo, 2009).
• 13.Rc1 Ndf6 14.Bd3 Bf5 15.0-0 Qe7 16.Be5 Nd7 17.Bg3 f6 18.Bb1 Nb6 19.Nd2 is equal (Huang Qian-N. Kosintseva, TMatch (Blitz Game), Sochi, 2009).
• 10...Qe8 11.Bf4 Ne4 12.Rc1 Nb6 13.Be2 f6 14.0-0 Bg4 15.h3 Bh5 16.Ne1 Bxe2 17.Qxe2 Qe7 18.Nd3 Rae8 19.Nc5 draw (Gormally-Conquest, British Ch, Liverpool, 2008).
• If 8...Bd6 9.e3 0-0 10.Bd3 Re8 11.0-0 Nf8 12.Re1 Bg4 then:
• 13.h3 Bh5 14.Bh4 Bg6 15.b4 a5 16.Rb1 axb4 17.axb4 Ra3 18.Bxg6 Nxg6 19.Bxf6 Qxf6 20.Qc1 Rea8 is equal (V. Popov-S. Atalik, Euro Ch, Plovdiv, 2008).
• 13.Bh4 Ng6 14.Bg3 Ne4 15.Bxd6 Nxd6 16.h3 Bxf3 17.Qxf3 is equal (Evdokimov-Aleksandrov, Aeroflot Op, Moscow, 2008).

7...c5 8.Bd3 Qa5 9.Qc2 0-0 10.0-0 c4 11.Bf5 Re8 12.Nd2 g6 13.Bh3

• If 13.Bxd7 Nxd7 then:
• 14.Rae1 Nb6 15.f3 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Na4 17.Rc1 f6 18.Bh6 b5 is equal (Romanko-Zdebskaja, World ChTW Rd 1, Ningbo, 2009).
• 14.h4 f6 15.Bf4 Bxc3 16.bxc3 Nb6 17.f3 Qa4 18.Qb2 Bf5 19.Rfe1 Qc6 20.Qa3 Bd3 21.Qxa7 draw (Aleksandrov-Malakhatko, Op, Kolkata, 2009).

13...Bxc3

• 13...Kg7 14.Rae1 Ne4 15.Ndxe4 dxe4 16.Bf4 f5 17.f3 Nf6 18.a3 Bxc3 19.bxc3 h5 20.Qf2 Bd7 21.Qg3 is equal (Grischuk-Morozevich, FIDE World Ch Trmt, San Luis, 2007).

14.Qxc3

• If 14.bxc3 Ne4 15.Nxe4 dxe4 16.Bxd7 Bxd7 17.Bf4 Re6 then:
• 18.d5 Ba4 19.Qd2 Rd8 20.d6 Qc5 is equal (Grivas-Hector, EU CHT, Haifa, 1989).
• 18.Rfb1 Qd5 19.a4 a5 20.Qb2 Bc6 is equal (Pinter-Sosonko, IT, Heninge, 1988).

14...Qxc3 15.bxc3 Ne4 16.Nxe4 dxe4 17.Rfb1

• If 17.Bg4 Nb6 18.Be2 Be6 then:
• 19.Rab1 Rac8 20.Rfc1 Rc7 21.f3 Bd5 22.Kf2 Rc6 23.h4 Kg7 24.a4 Nxa4 25.Rxb7 gives White a Rook on the seventh, the Bishop pair and more space; Black has a passed pawn, but it remains to be proved if it can go anywhere (Karpov-Milov, Rpd, Cap dAgde, 2002).
• 19.a4 Nd5 20.Ra3 Rac8 21.Rb1 b6 22.h3 Bd7 23.Bd1 a6 24.Bh4 b5 is equal (Cebalo-Greenfeld, EU ChT, Debrechen, 1992).

17...Nb6 18.Bxc8

• 18.Rb5 f5 19.g4 fxg4 20.Bf1 Bd7 21.Rxb6 axb6 22.Bxc4+ Kg7 gives White teh exchange and more space (Sakaev-Lautier, World Cup, Khanty-Mansiysk, 2005).

18...Raxc8 19.Rb5

• If 19.a4 Nd5 20.Rxb7 Nxc3 then:
• 21.a5 a6 22.Kf1 Nd5 23.Ke1 c3 24.Kd1 c2+ is equal (Seirawan-Sosonko, IT A, Wijk aan Zee, 1986).
• 21.Rxa7 Nd5 22.Rc1 c3 23.Kf1 Nb4 24.Rb7 Rc4 Gives White an extra pawn and more space (Dreev-González, Op, Santa Barbara de Casa, 1992).

19...Rc6 (N)

• 19...Re6 20.Rab1 Rd6 21.Be7 Rd7 22.Bc5 is equal (Nyback-Adams, Euro ChT, Crete, 2007).

20.Ra5

• The game is equal.

20...f6 21.Bf4 Rd8 22.Rxa7 Nd5?!

• If 22...Rd7 then White wins back the pawn with advantage after 23.a4 g5 24.Bg3 Nd5 25.a5 Kf7 26.Rb1.

BLACK: Ruslan Ponomariov



WHITE: Alexander Moiseenko
Position after 22...Nb6d5

23.Rxb7!

• White is two pawns to the good with a remote passer.

23...Nxc3 24.Bh6 Rdc8 25.Rg7+

• If 25.a4 R8c7 26.Rxc7 Rxc7 27.a5 then:
• 27...Nd5! (the Knight will intercept the Bishop if it moves to f4 on its way to the queenside) 28.a6 Ra7 29.f3 c3 30.fxe4 Nb4 31.e5 c2 32.e4White passed pawns are troublesome for BLack, but this is mitigated by the trouble BLack's pawn at c2 is causing Black.
• 27...Ra7 28.f3 f5 29.a6 then:
• 29...Nd5 30.fxe4 fxe4 31.Kf2 c3 32.Ke2 Nb4 33.Kd1 c2+ 34.Kd2 leaves White a pawn to the good, but his priority is clearly to capture the pawn at c2.
• 29...Kf7 30.Ra5 Ke6 31.Kf2 Nd5 32.Ke2 c3 33.Kd1 leaves White a pawn to the good; Black's passed c-pawn is covered by the Knight, but no trouble at the moment.

25...Kh8 26.a4 Nd5

• If 26...Ra6 27.a5 Nb5 28.f3 c3 then:
• 29.Rb7 Nd6 30.Rb6 Rxb6 31.axb6 Rb8 32.Bf4 gives White an extra pawn.
• 29.fxe4 c2 30.Rc1 Rxa5 31.Rb7 Kg8 32.h4 Na3 33.Rg7+ gives Black an extra pawn, a Rook on the seventh and a strong center.

27.Rd7 Nb4 28.d5 Rc5

• If 28...Ra6 29.Ra3 Nd3 30.a5 Kg8 31.d6 Rxd6 then:
• 32.Rxd6 c3 33.Ra1 c2 34.h3 c1Q+ 35.Rxc1 Rxc1+ gives White an extra pawn and a passed pawn; all pieces on the board are active.


• 32.Rg7+?! Kh8 33.Re7 Ne5! 34.h3 Rd3 35.Ra2 c3 is equal.

29.Bg7+

• 29.d6 c3 30.h4 c2 31.Rc1 Rd5 32.Kh2 continues to give White an extra pawn.

29...Kg8 30.Bxf6 c3 31.d6?!

• The c-pawn is bad news for White. It should be taken immediately.
• If 31.Bxc3 Rxc3 32.h3 R3c7 33.Rxc7 Rxc7 then:
• If 34.Rd1 Rd7 35.Rd4 then:
• 35...Nxd5 36.a5 Nf6 37.Rxd7 Nxd7 38.a6 gives Black a small advantage in that the Knight can stop the a-pawn.
• 35...Na6 36.f3 exf3 37.gxf3 Nc5 38.e4 Ra7 is equal.
• 34.d6 Rd7 35.Rd1 Nd3 36.f3 Kf7 37.fxe4 Nc5 gives Black enough activity to compenate for the material deficit; White's weak center should be easy pickings.
• If 31.Rg7+ Kf8 then:
• If 32.Rxh7? c2! then:
• If 33.Rh8+ then after 33...Kf7 34.Rxc8 Rxc8 35.Bb2 Nd3! 36.Bc1 Nxc1 37.Rxc1 Rb8! Black's advanced passer triumph over White's three extra pawns.
• 33.Rh4?? loses immediately to 33...c1Q+!!.
• If 32.Rb7 c2 33.Be7+ then:
• 33...Kg8 34.Bxc5 Rxc5 35.h4 c1Q+ 36.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 37.Kh2 Nxd5 gives Blac a material advantage against White's passed pawn.
• 33...Ke8 34.Bxc5 Rxc5 35.h3 c1Q+ 36.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 37.Kh2 is equal.

31...c2 32.h4

• White could wait no longer to give his King a Luft.

BLACK: Ruslan Ponomariov



WHITE: Alexander Moiseenko
Position after 32.h2h4

32...Rd5!

• Black threatens 33...Ke1+!, winning immediately.

33.Kh2

• The prophylactic move is not forced, but it's the best move.
• If 33.Rg7+ Kf8 then:
• 34.Kh2 c1Q 35.Rxc1 Rxc1 36.Rxh7 Nc6 gives Black a material advantage equivalent to a pawn and White's passers are inadequately protected.
• If 34.Rxh7? Rd1+! 35.Kh2 Rc4! 36.a5 Rxa1 then:
• 37.Bb2 c1Q!! 38.Bxc1 Rcxc1 gives White a material advantage equivalent to a piece.
• 37.Bxa1 c1Q 38.Rh8+ Kf7 39.d7 Nc6 wins for Black.

33...c1Q 34.Rxc1 Rxc1

• Black has a Rook against three pawns. White's passers can still generate plenty of counterplay.

35.Rg7+

• If 35.Rb7 Nc6 36.d7 Rc4 37.Rc7 Rxa4 then:
• 38.Rxc6 Rxd7 39.Kg3 Ra2 40.f3 Kf7 41.Bd4 Re7 leaves Black with a Rook against White' Bishop and extra pawn and also leaves White less counterplay; nevertheless, White's pieces are active.
• If 38.Rc8+ Kf7 then:
• 39.Rxc6 Rxd7 40.Bd4 Ra2 41.Kg3 Ke8 42.Rc8+ Ke7 leaves White with a material advantage.
• If 39.d8Q?! Nxd8! then:
• 40.Bxd8 Rd2 41.Kg3 Raa2 leaves White little to do but wait for the end.
• If 40.Rxd8 Rf5 41.Bd4 Ra2 42.Rd7+ Ke6 43.Rxh7 Rfxf2 leaves White looking into the abyss.

35...Kf8 36.Rxh7

• The moral of the notes to White's 35th move is that White's chances of survival are better if he leaves his passed pawns on the board.
• If 36.Rb7!? then after 36...Nc6 37.d7 Rc4! 38.Rc7 Rxa4!! 39.Rxc6 Rxd7 although Black has only two pawns for the Knight, White's opportunities for counterplay are pretty much extinguished.

36...Nc6

• If 36...Rxd6 37.Be7+ Kg8 38.Bxd6 Kxh7 39.Bxb4 Rc4 then Black wins the a-pawn.

37.Rc7

• White's passers continue to be his most importan asset.
• If 37.Rb7!? Rcd1 38.Be7+ Nxe7 then:
• 39.dxe7+ Ke8 40.Rb4 Ra1 41.Rxe4 Ra5 42.Kg3 R5xa4 should be enough for Black to win.
• If 39.Rxe7 then 39...Rxd6 40.Rxe4 Ra6 41.g4 Ra1 eliminates a critical White pawn.

37...Ke8!

• Black must not be too greedy.
• If 37...Rxd6? then White equalizes with 38.Bb2! Rcd1 39.Ba3 Ke8 40.Bxd6 Rxd6.

38.Rc8+?

• The fatal error allows the Black King to approach the pawn at d6.
• If 38.Be7 Rc2 39.Kh3 Rdd2 then:
• 40.f3 exf3 41.gxf3 Nxe7 42.Rxe7+ Kd8 wins the d-pawn.
• 40.Rc8+ Kd7 41.Rg8 Nxe7 42.dxe7 Kxe7 leaves White fighting on, but Black is close to winning.

BLACK: Ruslan Ponomariov



WHITE: Alexander Moiseenko
Position after 38.Rc7c8+

38...Kd7!

• If a chess player is given a strategically important square, he'll take it. Black wins.
• Also good, but less direct, is 38...Kf7 39.Be7 Ke6 40.f3 Ra5 41.fxe4 Rxa4 when White's weakened center pawns fall.

39.Rc7+ Kxd6

• Black has a Rook over three pawns which haven't advance beyond gthe third rank.

40.Rg7 Ke6 41.Bb2 Rc2

• The a-pawn falls without making a mess if it is first deprived of defenders.
• If 41...Rc4 42.Rxg6+ Kf7 43.Rg7+ then:
• If 43...Ke8 44.Rg8+ Kd7 45.Rg7+ Kd6 then:
• 46.Rg6+ Kc7 47.Rg7+ Kb6 48.Bf6 Rxa4 gives Black three pawns to a Rook with White's a-pawn eliminated.
• 46.Kg3 Rxa4 47.Rg6+ Kc5 48.Bf6 Rd2 49.Rg4 Raa2 gives Black a Rook against three pawns and he will soon take another.
• 43...Kf8!? 44.Rc7 Ra5 45.g4 Raxa4 gives White two connected passers and chances for counterplay.

42.Rxg6+ Kf7 43.Rf6+ Ke7 44.Kg3 Rdd2

• If 44...Rdc5 45.Ba1 Ra2 then:
• After 46.Rf4 Rxa1 47.Rxe4+ Kf7 48.Kh3 Ne5 49.g4 Nc4 the a-pawn falls.
• If 46.Rxc6 Rxc6 47.Bd4 Rg6+ then:
• 48.Kf4 Rxg2 49.f3 exf3 50.Kxf3 Ke6 White is toast.
• 48.Kh3 Rxf2 49.g3 Rf3 50.Be5 Rxe3 51.h5 Rg5 White has nothing left.

45.h5 Rxb2 46.Rxc6 Rxf2 47.h6 Rxg2+ 48.Kf4 Kf7

• The King will dispose of the h-pawn.

49.a5

• If 49.h7 Rh2 50.a5 Ra2 51.Ra6 Rxh7 then:
• 52.Ra7+ Kg6 53.Ra6+ Kh5 54.Kxe4 Rg7 is time to turn out the lights.
• 52.Kxe4 Ra4+ 53.Kd3 Rh5 54.Ra7+ Ke6 55.a6 Ra3+ the e-pawn falls.

49...Rbf2+ 50.Kxe4 Rg4+ 51.Kd3 Ra2 52.a6 Rga4 53.h7 Kg7 54.h8B+ Kxh8 0-1

• White cannot hope to promote a pawn when he cannot afford to exchange his Rook.
• Alexander Alexandrovich resigns.