13. Rd1 Qc8 14. f4 Bc5+ 15. Be3 O-O 16. Rd2 Bxe3+ 17. Qxe3 c5 18. Rad1 Bc6 !
(N moves are met by f4-f5) 19. Rd6 Re8 20. R1d2 ?! 20... Qc7 21. Nd1 b4 !? 22.
Bf1 Bb5 23. Bxc4 Nb6 24. Bxb5 axb5 25. b3 Nc8 26. Rd7 Qb6 27. Rc2 c4 28. Rd4
Ra3
29. Nf2 Ne7 30. Qd2 c3 31. Qd3 Nc6 32. Rd6 Raa8 33. Kg2 Red8 34. a3 Rxd6 35.
exd6 Nd4
36. axb4 Nxc2 37. Qxc2 Qd4 38. Kf3
38... e5 39. Nd3 exf4 40. gxf4 f6 41. e5 0-1.
Tukmakov - Korchnoi, Leningrad, 1973
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 d5 4. Bg2 dxc4 5. Nf3 b5!? 6. a4 c6 7. O-O Bb7 8.
Ne5 a6
9. b3
9... cxb3 10. Bb2 Qb6 11. Qxb3 Nbd7 12. Nxd7
12... Nxd7 13. Nd2 Be7 14. d5 (!) 14... cxd5 15. Bxg7 Rg8 16. Bc3
16... Rg4
17. Rfb1 Bc5 18. e3 Bxe3!!
19. fxe3 Qxe3+ 20. Kh1 Rc8
21. Ba5
21... Qxb3 22. Nxb3 Rxa4 23. Rxa4 bxa4 24. Nd2 Bc6 25. Rc1 Ne5 26.
Kg1 Kd7 27. Nf3 Nxf3+ 28. Bxf3 d4
29. Bh5 f5 30. g4 fxg4 ?!
31. Rd1
31... Bd5 32. Rxd4 Rc1+ 33. Kf2 a3 34. Bxg4 a2 35. Bc3
35... Rc2+ 36. Ke1 Rxc3 37. Rxd5+ Ke7 38. Rd1 Rb3 0-1.
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4
and Black has tried:
I have gone for the SEMI-SLAV because it seems easier to play into from other openings:
The SEMI-SLAV has two very popular main lines:
I'll show you an example of each but they are very fashionable systems with an awful lot of sharp theory to learn.
The MERAN system is characterised by this move.
8. Bd3 a6 9. e4 c5
10. e5
10... cxd4 11. Nxb5 axb5 12. exf6 Qb6 13. fxg7 Bxg7 14. O-O Bb7 15.
Bf4 O-O 16. Re1 Bd5 17. Ne5 Nxe5 18. Bxe5 Bxe5 19. Bxh7+ Kxh7 20. Qh5+
Kg7
and White recovers the piece with advantage.
A1.2(b). The ANTI-MERAN GAMBIT
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. Bg5 h6
This avoids the Gambit.
White has a choice:
6... dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. e5
We have now transposed into the MAIN line of the Gambit.
8... Nd5
But this is new. This is ALATORTSEV'S Variation, an even messier alternative to the main line of the Gambit.
9. Bg3 Bb4 10. Rc1 Qa5 11. Bxc4 Nxc3 12. bxc3 Bxc3+
13. Kf1 Bb4 14. h4 g4 15. Nh2 h5 16. f3 Nd7 17. fxg4 Nb6 18. gxh5 Nxc4 19.
Rxc4 b6 20. Kf2 Ba6 21. Rxc6 Rd8 22. Ng4 Bc3 23. Rxc3 Qxc3 24. Qa4+ Kf8 25.
Qxa6 Rg8 26. Bf4 Rxg4 27. Be3 Qc2+ 28. Qe2 Rxg2+ 0-1.
These are great fun, and are superb counter-attacking systems for people with time to study, but the amount of theory really is too much to try as your first defence to 1.d4. I recommend some slower lines of the SEMI-SLAV, which are not so dynamic, but quite safe and should give you a good game.
SEMI-SLAV Theory
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6
4. Nf3 c6
Most of your games will end up in this position. White can play the opening
moves in a different order, e.g. 1. c4 2. Nf3 3. Nc3 4. d4
A1.2a. Main-line SEMI-SLAV with 5. Bg5
5. Bg5
5... Nbd7
is an attempt to steer into the CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS. After
6. e3 Qa5
we have got there.
A1.2b
Main-line SEMI-SLAV with 5. e3
5. e3
As Black you should play
5... Nbd7
Now White usually continues:
6. Bd3
This is of course not forced and you may meet
After 6. Bd3 Black has a choice between:
I'll show you these last two.
A1.2b-1. SEMI-SLAV with 6...Bd6
White now has a choice:
b-1(1). SEMI-SLAV with 6...Bd6 7. e4
Still a critical line
7. e4 dxe4 8. Nxe4 Nxe4 9. Bxe4 O-O !
10. O-O c5
11. Bc2 Qc7 12. Qd3
White also has a choice:
13... b6 14. dxc5 bxc5 15. Rd1 Be7 16. b5 Bf6 17. Rb1 Ne5 18. Qe2 = Portisch
b-1(2). SEMI-SLAV with 6...Bd6 7. c5
7. c5
An opportunity?
But it takes all the pressure off d5 and Black can soon get in ...e5
7...Bc7 8. b4 e5 9. dxe5 Nxe5 10. Nxe5 Bxe5 11. Bb2 Qe7 12. Be2 O-O 13. Qc2
Bd7 14. O-O Rae8
-+ Burn - Teichmann, Hastings, 1895
For the conclusion, see Example Games.
b-1(3). SEMI-SLAV with 6...Bd6 7. O-O
7. O-O
Probably the best preparation for e4.
7... O-O 8. e4 dxc4 9. Bxc4 e5 10. Bg5 Qe7
11. Re1
11... Nb6
12. Bb3 Bg4 13. h3 Bxf3 14. Qxf3 Nbd7 15. d5 h6 16. Be3 cxd5 17. Bxd5 += ECO
17... Bc5 18. Bxb7 Rab8 19. Bc6 Rxb2
White is more comfortable but Black is still in the game.
Gligoric - Pachman, Sarajevo, 1961
A1.2b-2. SEMI-SLAV with 6...Bb4
7. O-O
This natural move may lose the inititiative.
7... Ba5
8. O-O O-O 9. Qc2!
9... dxc4
10. Bxc4 Bc7 11. Bd2 e5
12. dxe5 Nxe5 13. Nxe5 Bxe5 14. h3
7... O-O 8. Qc2 Re8
[10. e4 e5 11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 Bxe5 13. h3 Nh5 14. Ne2 Qh4 15. f4
Bc7
"unclear", Doroshkevic - Antoshin, 1969]
10... Qe7 11. Ne2
= Tolush - Alatortsev, 1947]
A1.2c. White avoids Nc3
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3
3... e6
A1.2c-1. White deviates with 4. Qc2
4...Nf6 5. Bg5
The outline of the CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS can already be seen.
5... Nbd7 6. Nc3
See above.
A1.2c-2. White deviates with 4/5. Nbd2
4. e3
[My computer always plays
5. c5 Bc7 when
...e5 is bound to come quickly]
4... Nf6 5. Nbd2
The best strategy against these Nbd2 systems is to take advantage of the lack of pressure on d5 by playing ...c5(!). This of course loses a tempo, but it hopes to show that White has misplaced the Knight on d2 and will not be able to defend the d4 point so easily.
[White often continues 5. Bd3 Nbd7 6. Nbd2
6... c5! Our key move
7. b3
Now 17... Bd7! 18. Bxe4
18... dxe4 = Alekhine:
the opposite-coloured Bishops reduce the excitement of the extra pawn which
at the moment blocks the line of the Bishop on b2]
7... cxd4 8. exd4 b6 9. O-O Bb7 10. Qe2 Be7 11. Bb2 O-O
5... c5!
Here we go again
6. Be2
6... Nc6 7. O-O cxd4 8. exd4 Be7 9. a3 O-O 10. c5 Ne4 11. Qc2
Bf6
"unclear" Keres - Nei, Tallinn, 1973]
A1.2d. Main line ABRAHAMS' Variation [D31]
One more SEMI-SLAV option you should know about:
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c6 4. Nc3 dxc4
This odd move order looks a bit like a MERAN, but Black means to create more
trouble with those Queen-side pawns. It's less well-known, not perhaps as
sound, but easy to learn.
Let's look at a quick game from Erik Teichmann:
Arkell - Teichmann, 1985
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bb4 6. e4
Natural but as we shall see, possibly over-optimistic.
6... b5 7. Bd2 a5 8. axb5 Bxc3 9. Bxc3?! cxb5 10. b3 Bb7 11. d5
11... Nf6
12. bxc4 b4! 13. Bb2 Nxe4 14. Bxg7 Rg8 15. Bd4 exd5 16. cxd5 Qxd5
Black is winning all over the board!
17. Rc1 Nc6 18. Bc4 Qf5 19. Be3 Nc3 20. Qd2 Rd8 21. Qb2 Rxg2 22. Rxc3 Qxf3 23. Be2 Qf6 24. Rc2 Qxb2 25. Rxb2 Nd4 26. Rd2 Rg6 27. Rf1 Nxe2 28. Rxe2 Ba6.
Looks easy, doesn't it? Grab a Queen-side pawn, hit the centre, swarm all over White's position. Well, you won't get that every game, but it's worth a punt.
Now for a spot of theory:
We will examine
A1.2d-1. ABRAHAMS'Variation with 5. e4
This is a critical line.
5. e4 b5
6. a4 Bb4 7. Bd2 a5 8. axb5 Bxc3 9. bxc3!
Better than Arkell's Bishop move.
9...cxb5
White must make something of the central mass or the Queen-side pawn will win
for Black.
10. Rb1 Bd7 11. Qc2 Nf6 12. e5 Nd5 13. Ng5
This old analysis shows Black to be at least equal here.
A1.2d-2. ABRAHAMS' Variation with 5. e3
5. e3 b5 6. a4
This move-order may avoid the ...Bb4 manoeuvre but invites other trouble
6...b4 7. Ne4 Ba6 8. Qc2 Qd5 9. Ned2 c3
10. bxc3 bxc3 11. Qxc3 Bxf1 12. Nxf1 a5 13. Ba3 Bxa3 14. Qxa3 Na6 15. Ng3
Nb4 16. Rc1
with good chances for Black in an unclear position.
A1.2d-3. Main line ABRAHAMS' Variation with 5. a4
This is the main line.
5. a4 Bb4
White usually plays here 6. e3 but can also try:
or
After 5. a4 Bb4:
6. e3 b5 7. Bd2
7... Bxc3 8. Bxc3 a5! (The KEY MOVE 8...a5!)
Novel play arises in this line on
or earlier after 7...a5:
9. axb5 cxb5
10. b3
10... Bb7
Instead after the better
11. bxc4 b4
White now has two tries:
12. Bd2 Nf6 13. Bd3 Nbd7 14. O-O O-O 15. Qc2 Qc7 16. e4 e5
In this important position experience has shown Black to have fully equal
practical chances after:
17. d5 Nc5 (a-iii)
(b) 12. Bb2 Nf6 13. Bd3 Be4
Deviations by White
Miralles, G - Granda Zuniga, J, 1989 [D45]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Be2 O-O 8.
O-O dxc4 9. Bxc4 e5
10. h3 Qe7 11. a3 g6 12. Ba2 b6 13. dxe5 Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Bxe5 15. e4 Nh5 16.
Ne2 Ba6 17. Rd1 Rfd8 18. Be3 Qf6 19. Rab1
19... g5 20. g3 Qf3 21. Nd4 Bxd4 22. Bxd4 Be2 23. Qc1 Nf4 24. gxf4 Qxh3 25.
f5 Qg4+ 26. Kh2 Bf3 27. Bxf7+ Kf8 28. Bc5+ Kxf7 29. Qc4+ Rd5 0-1.
Rohde, M - Shabalov, A (8)
1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. e3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. d4 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. Bd3 O-O 8.
O-O dxc4 9. Bxc4 e5
Philadelphia, 1990 [D45]
10. Bb3 Qc7 11. h3 b5
12. Ng5 Bb7 13. Rd1 Rad8 14. a4 a6 15. Nce4 Nxe4 16. Nxe4 Be7 17. axb5 axb5
18. d5 Nb6 19. Ra7 Nc8 20. Ra1 c5 21. Ng3 c4 22. e4 Bc5 23. Ba2 Nd6 24. Qe2 Ra8
25. Be3 b4
26. b3 c3 27. Rac1 Ra3 28. Bxc5 Qxc5 29. Nh5 Bc8 30. Rd3 Qb5 31. Rc2 f6 32.
f4 Rf7 33. fxe5 fxe5 34. Qe3 Qa6 35. Kh2 Rxa2 36. Rxa2 Qxa2 37. Qb6 Qe2
38. Qd8+ Rf8 39. Nf6+ gxf6 40. Rg3+ Bg4 41. Qxd6 h5 42. Qxb4 c2 43. Qc5 Qd1
44. hxg4 c1=Q
45. gxh5+ Qg5 46. Rxg5+ fxg5 47. d6 Qxh5+ 48. Kg1 Qd1+ 49. Kh2 Rd8 50. Qc4+
Kf8 51. Qe6 Qxd6 52. Qf5+ Ke7 53. Qh7+ Ke8 54. Qg8+ Kd7 55. Qf7+ Kc6 56. Qc4+
Kb6 57. b4 Qh6+ 0-1.
Example of ROMIH Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e3 e6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bb4 7. a3 Ba5 8.
O-O O-O 9. Qc2 Re8 10. Rd1 e5
Hegeler, F - Wockenfuss, K, 2BLN, 1989 [D46]
11. dxe5 Nxe5 12. Nxe5 Rxe5 13. cxd5 cxd5 14. b4 Bb6 15. Bb2
15... Bg4 16. Be2 Rc8 17. Qd2 Qd7 18. Rac1 Rd8 19. Nb5 Ne4 20. Qc2 Rg5
21. Bd4 Bh3 22. g3 Rg6 23. Bxb6 Rxb6 24. Qc7 Qe8 25. Nxa7 Rf6 26. Bf1
26... Nxf2 27. Re1 Ra8 28. Qxb7 h5 29. Rc7 Rxa7 30. Qxa7 Qe4 0-1.
Kraai, J - Donaldson, J, (2) American, 1989 [D46]
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. c4 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bb4 7. O-O O-O 8.
Qb3 Bd6 9. e4 dxc4 10. Bxc4 e5
11. h3 b5 12. Be2 a6 13. a4 Bb7 14. dxe5 Nxe5 15. Re1 Re8 16. Bg5 h6 17. Bh4
Ng6 18. Bxf6 Qxf6
19. Rad1 Ne5 20. Nb1 Nxf3+ 21. Bxf3 Be5 22. Re2 Bc8 23. Red2 Be6 24. Qa3
Rac8 25. b4
25... bxa4 26. Qxa4 Bxh3 27. Qxa6 Be6 28. b5 cxb5 29. Qxb5 Rb8 30. Qe2 Rec8
0-1.
Karpov - Tal, Moscow, 1973 [D46]
1. Nf3 d5 2. c4 c6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bb4 7. O-O O-O 8.
a3 Bd6 9. Qc2 dxc4 10. Bxc4 Qe7 11. h3 e5
12. Ba2 a5 13. a4 Bb4 14. Rd1 b6 15. dxe5 Nxe5 16. Nd4 Bd7 17. Bd2 Rad8 18.
Be1 Ng6 19. Nf3 Ne5 20. Nd4 Ng6 21. Nf3 Ne5
Q-Q
Example of TCHIGORIN Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c6 4. e3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nbd7 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. O-O dxc4 8.
Bxc4 Qe7 9. e4 e5
Plachetka, T - Drtina, M, (5) Trnava, 1989 [D46]
10. Bg5 Nb6 11. dxe5 Bxe5 12. Bb3 O-O 13. Qc2 h6 14. Bh4 Re8 15. Nxe5 Qxe5
16. f4
16... Qc5+ 17. Bf2 Qh5 18. Rae1 Be6 19. Bd4 Bxb3 20. Qxb3 Nfd7 21. Rf3 Kf8
22. Rh3 Qa5 23. Rg3 f6 24. e5 c5 25. Bf2 fxe5 26. fxe5
26... c4 27. Qc2 Rxe5 28. Rf1 Kg8 29. Bd4 Rg5 30. Rff3 Ne5 31. Re3 Nc6
32. Bxg7 Kxg7 33. h4 Rxg3 34. Rxg3+ Kh8 35. Qg6 Qc5+ 36. Kh2 Qf8 37. Ne4 Ne5
38. Qh5 Qf4 39. Ng5 Qf6 40. Ne4 Qf4 41. Ng5 Qf8 42. Ne4 Nbd7 43. Rg5 Nf7 44.
Rf5 Nde5 45. Ng5 Kg8
46. Nxf7 Nxf7 47. Qg6+ Qg7 48. Qe6 Rf8 49. Rf6 Kh8 50. Kh1 b5 51. Qe7 Rg8
52. Rf2 Ne5 53. Qe6 Nd3 0-1.
ABRAHAMS' Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. e4 b5 6. Bg5
Curtis - Teichmann, 1985
6...f6 7. Be3 Bb4 8. Be2 Ne7 9. O-O O-O 10. Qc2 Nd7 11. a4 Nb6 12.
axb5 Bxc3 13. Qxc3 cxb5 14. b3 Bb7
15. Nd2 f5 16. Bg5 h6 17. Bxe7 Qxe7 18. bxc4 fxe4 19. cxb5 Nd5 20. Qa3 Qf6
21. Nxe4 Qg6 22. Ng3 Nf4
23. f3 h5 24. Qe7 Rf7 25. Qh4 Qh6 0-1.
Serebrjanik - Maximenko, 1991
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 c6 4. Nc3 dxc4 5. a4 Bb4 6. e3 b5 7. Bd2
7... Bxc3 8. Bxc3 a5! 9. axb5 cxb5 10. b3 Bb7
11. d5!? Nf6 12. bxc4 b4! 13. Bxf6 Qxf6 14. Qa4+ Nd7 15. Nd4
This is the point we left off above.
15... e5 16. Nb3 Ke7
17. Qb5
17... Ba6 18. Qxa5 Rhb8 19. d6+ Ke8 ! 20. Qd5 Bb7 21. Qd2 Rxa1+ 22.
Nxa1 Nc5 ! 23. d7+ Kd8 ! 24. Qxb4 Qd6 25. Qd2 Qa6 26. Qb2
26... Qa5+
The White pawn on d7 shelters the Black King,While the useless White
pieces can only sit around and watch their own King get mated.
0-1.
A1.3. The EXCHANGE Variation
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5
White's approach in this line has many advantages: the position is simplified, White has a permanent structural advantage and a clear plan to follow, and Black's counterplay is limited.
White can now adopt two plans:
If nothing else happens, this can be enough to lose the game.
5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 c6 7. Bd3 Nbd7
8. Qc2
8... O-O 9. Nf3 Re8 10. O-O Nf8 11. Rab1 Ne4
12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. Ne5 Bf5 14. Nxe4 Bxe4 15. Bxe4 dxe4 16. b4
A1.3b. Central break with f3 and e4
White's other plan is less popular but more dynamic.
Black's best plan is to hit back. We may see a bit more of this plan since the following advertisement for it:
Kasparov - Short, (10) WCh, 1994 [D35]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 Nbd7
8. Nge2 Re8 9. O-O Nf8
10. b4!
10... a6
11. a3 c6 12. Qc2 g6 13. f3 Ne6 14. Bh4 Nh5 15. Bxe7 Rxe7
16. Qd2 b6? 17. Rad1 Bb7 18. Bb1 Nhg7 19. e4
White has his cake and is eating it too: he has succeeded in playing both b2-b4
and e2-e4; and Black has no counterplay. Black soon collapsed.
Below you can see some ways of fighting against this idea, particularly if White risks castling Queen-side.
Steinbacher, M - van der Sterren, P, (5) Ostend, 1989 [D36]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 Be7 7. Qc2 g6 8.
e3 Bf5 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Nbd7 11. O-O O-O 12. Bxf6 Nxf6 13. Rab1 Bd6 14. b4
b5
Black defends his Queen-side solidly. White tries a Knight advance.
15. Ne5 Bxe5 16. dxe5 Nd7 17. f4 a5 18. a3 Nb6 19. Ne2 axb4
20. axb4 Nc4 21. Nd4 Qb6 22. Ra1 Ra4 23. Rxa4 bxa4 24. Ra1 Ra8 25. Nc2 a3
26. Ra2 Ra7 27. Qd4 Qxd4 28. exd4 f6 29. exf6 Kf7 30. Kf2 Kxf6
Black now wins methodically.
31. Ne3 Nxe3 32. Kxe3 Kf5 33. Kf3 h5 34. h3 h4 35. Ke3 Ra4 36. Kd3 Kxf4 37. Kc3 Ke3 38. Kb3 Ra8 39. Kc3 Ra7 0-1.
Black wins with a King-side attack
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. Qc2 O-O 7. e3 Re8 8.
Bd3 Nbd7 9. Nf3 Nf8 10. O-O c6 11. Rab1 Ng6 12. b4 a6 13. a4 Bd6 14. b5 axb5
15. axb5 h6 16. Bxf6 Qxf6 17. bxc6 bxc6 18. Rb6 Bg4 19. Nd2 Re6
??-?? [D34]
This neat move is useful for attack and defence: if Rxc6, then Bxh2+ wins the
exchange. GM Nigel Davies in an article praises this type of rook manoeuvre
for Black: the Rook can move to (say) the g-file and cause problems for the
White King. As it happens White soon digs a pit into which he or she falls!
20. Na4 Nh4 21. g3 Nf3+ 22. Nxf3 Qxf3 23. Re1 Bh3 24. Bf1 Bf5 25. e4 Rxe4 26. Qxc6 Rxe1 27. Qxa8+ Kh7 28. Nc3 Bh3 0-1.
Davidovic, A - Smagin, S, (4) It-open, Dortmund, 1989 [D36]
1. Nf3 d5 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 e6 4. Nc3 c6 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Qc2 Be7 7. Bg5 g6
This plan is unusual.
8. e3 Bf5 9. Bd3 Bxd3 10. Qxd3 Nbd7 11. O-O O-O 12. Rab1 a5 13. a3 Re8 14. Rfc1 a4 15. Qc2 Qa5 16. Re1 Bd6 17. Bh4 Ne4
This plan is very familiar!
18. Nxe4 dxe4 19. Nd2 Qh5
Black is well-placed for a quick King-side attack. White's intended
Queen-side initiative is nowhere to be seen.
20. Bg3 Bxg3 21. hxg3 Nf6 22. b3 Ra5 23. bxa4 Ng4 24. Nf1 Rf5 25. Rxb7 c5 26. Re2 Qh6 27. Qb3 Re6 28. f3 Rh5 29. fxg4 Rh1+ 30. Kf2 Rxf1+ 0-1.
Von Gleich, A - Ekstroem, R, (1) Lugano, 1989 [D36]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Be7 4. Nf3 Nf6 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bg5 c6 7. Qc2 h6 8.
Bxf6 Bxf6 9. e3 O-O 10. Bd3 Re8 11. h3 Nd7 12. O-O Be7 13. a3 Bd6 14. b4 Nf6
15. Rfc1 Qe7 16. Ra2 a5 17. bxa5 Rxa5 18. a4 Ne4 19. Bxe4 dxe4
The familiar ...Ne4 move leads to a quick King-side kill.
20. Nd2 Be6 21. Raa1 Bxh3 22. Qxe4 Qd7 23. Qh4 Rg5 24. g3 Bg4 25. Qh1 Bxg3 26. Nce4 Rh5 27. Qg2 Bh2+ 28. Kf1 Kh8 29. Ke1 Bc7 0-1.
Yermolinsky - Shipman, W, (3) MCC, 1989 [D36]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 Nbd7 6. cxd5 exd5 7. e3 Be7 8.
Qc2 O-O 9. Bd3 Re8 10. O-O Nf8 11. h3 Nh5 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. a3 g6 14. b4 Ne6
15. b5 Ng5 16. Nxg5 Qxg5 17. Kh2 f5 18. bxc6 bxc6 19. Na4 Re6
White has created a weak pawn on c6 but Black doesn't care too much!
20. Nc5 Rf6 21. Be2 f4 22. Bxh5 Qxh5 23. f3 fxe3 24. Qd3 Bxh3 25. gxh3 Re8 26. Nd7 Rf4 27. Rae1 Re7 28. Qa6 Qf5 29. Ne5 Rxe5 30. dxe5 Rh4 0-1.
White wants to play in the centre:
Deze, A - Tadic, K, (1) Novi, 1989 [D35]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 O-O 7. Bd3 c6 8.
Qc2 h6 9. Bh4 Re8 10. Nge2 Nbd7 11. f3 c5
A change of emphasis: White wants to advance in the centre with e2-e4, so Black immediately hits at the d-pawn with ...c7-c5.
12. O-O b6 13. Rad1 Bb7 14. Bf2 cxd4 15. exd4 a6 16. Qb3 b5 17. a4 b4 18.
Na2 Qb6 19. Rc1 Bd6
White's plan has come to nothing.
20. Qd1 Nf8 21. Bg3 Ne6 22. Bxd6 Qxd6 23. Qd2 a5 24. Bb5 Re7 25. Ng3 Qb6 26. Nf5 Rc7 27. Rfe1 Kf8 28. Rxc7 Qxc7 29. Nc1 Bc6 30. Bxc6 Qxc6 31. Nd3 Re8 32. b3 Qc3 33. Qxc3 bxc3 34. Rc1 Rc8 35. Nd6 Rc6 36. Nb5 c2 37. Ne5 Nf4 0-1.
White castles Queen-side:
Paduch, A - Ghafour, Y, (8) A. Kotov memorial, Singapore, 1990 [D35]
1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Nbd7 5. cxd5 exd5 6. Bf4 Be7 7. e3 c6 8.
h3 O-O 9. Bd3 Re8 10. Qc2 a5 11. g4 Nf8 12. O-O-O a4
Black was all ready to meet White's King on the Queen-side.
13. a3 Qa5 14. Ne5 Be6 15. Bf5 c5 16. Kb1 Rec8 17. Qe2 c4 18. e4 dxe4 19.
Bxe4 Bd5
20. Bxd5 Nxd5 21. Bd2 Bxa3 22. Nxc4 Nxc3+ 23. Bxc3 Qb5 24. d5 Qxc4 25. Qe5
f6 26. Qf5 Bd6 27. f4 Qxf4 28. Qd3 a3 29. Rhg1 axb2 30. Bxb2 Qa4 0-1.
Tisdall, J - Inkiov, V, (5) Gausdal, 1990 [D36]
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. Qc2 c6 7. e3 Nbd7 8.
Bd3 O-O 9. Nge2 Re8 10. h3 Nf8 11. g4 b5 12. O-O-O a5 13. Ng3 a4 14. Kb1 Qa5
15. Nce2 Bd7 16. Nf5 Bxf5 17. gxf5 Rac8 18. Rhg1 Kh8 19. Bxf6 Bxf6
An exciting opposite-side castling position has arisen.
20. Nf4 Nd7 21. Rc1 a3 22. b3 c5 23. Nxd5 c4 24. Nxf6 Nxf6 25. bxc4 bxc4 26.
Bxc4 Ne4 27. Ka1 Nd2 28. f6 Rxc4 0-1.
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MORE - Playing Black Pieces against 1. D4