Black avoids 2...Nc6
or plays one of the Semi-Open defences
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Dunnington, How to play the King's Indian Attack
Evans, The Chess Opening for You
Hodgson/Day, The Grand Prix Attack
Hort, Alekhine's Defence (inc. Nimzovitch Defence)
Karpov, The Semi-Open Game in Action
Kasparov/Keene, Batsford Chess Openings 2
Keene et al. Understanding the Caro-Kann Defence
Levy/Keene, An Opening Repertoire for the Attacking Club Player
Nunn, The Complete Pirc
Pachman, Semi-Open Chess
Schiller, How to play the King's Indian Attack
Solitis/Hall, The King's Indian Attack
Walker, Chess Openings for Juniors
Various magazines and other books
Which you choose will depend on what sort of player you are. It may also depend on what you hope to play after 1. e4 e5.
Sadly, the KIA lines have no real force and are not good lines to adopt against 1...e5. But the point is, how well does your chosen repertoire fit together? I'll go through each approach in turn, looking at a system to play against each defence.
I'll concentrate more on the example games than the theory, and more on the 'piece attack' lines than the others, because I think that's what you should be playing.
and
Iskov, G - Woge Nielsen, J, it, Kobenhavn, 1989
1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. e5 d4 4. Nce2 Ne4 5. c3 c5 6. d3 1-0.
You must be prepared, after 1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3, to play, after:
2...d5 3. exd5 Nxd5 4. Bc4
White's next is easy to find.
5. Bb3 c5
6. Qh5 e6 7. d3 Nc6 8. Bg5 +=. This is the best move.
14. Bxg7 Bxh3 15. Nxd5 Qa5+ 16. Kf1 O-O-O 17. Bxh8 Rxh8 18. gxh3
White has a cunning reply to this move.
5. Qf3 e6 6. Qxc3
6... Qg5 7. Nf3
7... Qxg2 8. Rg1 Qh3
White has compensation for the sacrificed pawn.
Again, the Qf3 move is strong; Black is obliged to lock in the Bc8.
5. Qf3 Be6 6. Nge2 Nc7 7. Bxe6 Nxe6 8. d4
8... Nxd4 9. Nxd4 Qxd4 10. Be3 Qb4 11. O-O-O e5 ?
12. Qf5 f6 13. Ne4 Be7 14. Qe6
White places his pieces as actively as possible.
5. Qf3 Nb4 ?! 6. Bb3 N8c6 7. Nge2 Be7 8. a3 Ne5 9. Qg3 Nbc6 10. d4
White is better placed.
Karaklajic, N - Marjanovic, Z (3) Pula, 1990 [B02]
1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. exd5 Nxd5 4. Bc4 Nb6 5. Bb3 c5 6. Qh5
Again, White tries to get Black to play ...e6; Black resists.
6... c4 7. Bxc4 Nxc4 8. Qb5+ Nc6 9. Qxc4 Qd4 10. Qxd4 Nxd4 11. Kd1
White is a pawn up and just needs to survive the next few moves to reach a
winning endgame.
11... Bf5 12. d3 O-O-O 13. Be3 e5 14. Nge2 Bc5 15. Re1 Nxe2 16. Kxe2 Bxe3 17. Kxe3 Rhe8 18. f3 h5 19. a4 g5 20. h3 g4 21. hxg4 hxg4 22. f4 Rd4 23. fxe5 Rxe5+ 24. Kd2 1-0.
Lendwai - Neckar, L, Nova-Park/SW,2,21, 1989 [B02]
1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. exd5 Nxd5 4. Bc4 e6 5. Nf3 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Re1 Nb6
8. Bb3 c5 9. d3 Nc6 10. a3 Nd5 11. Ne4 b6 12. Qe2 Qc7
Neat Knights!
13. Bd2 Nf4 14. Qe3 Nd5 15. Qe2 h6 16. Ng3 Nf6 17. Bc3 Bb7 18. h4
An adventurous pawn
18...Rad8 19. Ng5 hxg5 20. hxg5 Nd5 21. g6 Nf4 22. gxf7+ Rxf7 23. Qg4 Nd4
24. Bxd4 Rxd4
Now an enterprising sacrifice to expose the Black King. White can regain the
exchange with Bb3xe6 xf7 but hopes for more.
25. Rxe6 Nxe6 26. Qxe6 Qf4 27. Nf5 c4 28. Nxe7+ Kh7 29. Qg6+ Kh8 30. Qh5+ Qh6 31. Qxf7 Rd8 32. Bxc4 1-0.
Madl, I - Guadalpi, D (1) Val-Thorens, 1989 [B02]
1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nxd5 4. Bc4 Nxc3 5. bxc3 g6 6. Qf3 e6 7. Ne2 Bg7
8. Ba3 Nc6 9. d4 Ne7 10. O-O O-O 11. Ng3 Re8 12. Rfe1 Rb8
White has good chances for an attack.
13. Ne4 Nf5 14. Rad1 b5 15. Bd3 a5 16. Bc1 Bb7 17. Qe2 Bxe4 18. Bxe4 Qe7 19.
Bxf5 gxf5 20. Rd3 b4 21. Rg3 Kh8 22. Qh5 Qf8 23. Bf4 Rb7
Black undoubtedly missed White's idea when considering his last few moves.
24. Rxg7 1-0.
Weiss, M - Shields, P (5), Chicago, 1989 [B02]
1. e4 Nf6 2. Nc3 d5 3. exd5 Nxd5 4. Bc4 e6 5. Qf3 Nxc3 6. Qxc3 Nc6 7. Nf3
Qd6 8. a3 Bd7 9. O-O O-O-O
Black skips to the Queen-side.
10. d4 Be7 11. Be3 Bf6 12. Rad1 Ne7 13. Ne5 Be8 14. Bf4 Nf5 15. Ng6 e5
This central break is the right sort of idea for Black, but goes very wrong
here.
16. dxe5 Qxd1 17. exf6 Bc6 18. Qe5 Rd7 19. Rxd1 Rxd1+ 20. Bf1 Nd6 21. Nxh8 Bb5 22. Qxb5 Nxb5 23. fxg7 1-0.
I have spent quite a while on the ALEKHINE'S, not because it's a very common
line, but
You won't find much on the Bc4 plan in the books
The White plan is exactly what you should be doing in all the recommended lines below.
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5
and now
3. Nd2
3...dxe4 4. Nxe4
gives us the starting position from the books.
5. Bc4 Ngf6 6. Ng5 e6 7. Qe2 Nb6
8. Bd3 h6
9. N5f3 c5 10. dxc5 Bxc5 11. Ne5 Nbd7 12. Ngf3 O-O 13. Bd2 Nxe5 14.
Nxe5 Bd4
15. O-O-O Qd5 16. f4 Qxa2 17. c3 Bc5 18. g4 Nd5 19. g5 Qa1+ 20. Bb1
g6 21. gxh6 b5 22. Qd3 Ba3 23. Qc2 Bb7 24. Rhg1 Rfc8
Ripe for picking, I'd say.
25. Rxg6+ Kf8 26. h7 Ke7 27. Rg7 b4
28. Rxf7+ Kd6 29. Rd7+ Kc5 30. Rxb7 1-0.
Kirpichnikov - Lein, 1974]
5. Nxf6+
...and Black has a choice of captures.
This is a dull line for Black. The most straightforward attacking line
against it is
6. c3 Bd6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. Ne2 Re8 9. Qc2 g6 10. h4
See Example games.
This is the more dynamic line. Black hopes to make good use of the half-open
files.
6. Nf3 Bg4
13. Rc1 f5 14. c5
7. Be2 Qc7 8. h3 Bh5 9. O-O Nd7
10. d5 Rd8 11. c4 Nb6 12. Be3 Bxf3
13. Bxb6 axb6 14. Bxf3 cxd5 15. cxd5 Bh6 16. Qa4+ Kf8 +/-.
Smyslov - Pachman, 1964]
Now play:
5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nh3
This is the most exciting line. The main line goes something like:
...when White has a small advantage which is difficult to make any use of.
7... Nf6 8. Nf4 Bh7 9. Bc4 e6 10. O-O Bd6
Now we see the point of the Nf4 move:
11. Nxe6 fxe6 12. Bxe6
White has good chances for attack, although if the attack fails, the missing
piece will lose the game.
12... Qc7 13. Re1
13... Nbd7 14. Bg8+ Kf8 15. Bxh7 Rxh7
and Black is holding on.
Kavalek - Andersson, 1978
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2
3...dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6 5. Nxf6+ exf6 6.c3 Bd6 7. Bd3 O-O 8. Ne2 Re8 9.
Qc2 g6 10. h4 Nd7 11. h5 Nf8 12. Bh6 Qc7 13. O-O-O Be6
14. c4 Rad8 15. hxg6 fxg6 16. c5 Be7 17. Nf4 Bf7 18. Bc4
The Bf7 must be exchanged.
18... Rd5
19. Rde1 Red8 20. Bxd5 cxd5 21. Re3 Rd7 22. Rhe1 g5
23. Bxf8 Bxf8 24. Rh1 h6 25. Ng6 Bxc5 26. Rc3 Bd6 27. Rxh6 Kg7 28. Nf8 Kxf8
29. Rh8+ Ke7 30. Qe2+ Be6 31. Rh7+
White, who has conducted the attack with great accuracy, finds an equally crisp
finish. 1-0.
De Armas, A - Jensen, C (7) Novi, 1990 [B18]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h5 7. N1e2 e6 8.
Nf4 Ne7 9. c3 Nd7 10. Nxg6 Nxg6 11. Nxh5 Nxh4 12. g3
The open h-file looks dangerous for both sides, but Black must retreat.
12... Ng6 13. Bd3 Rh7 14. Qc2
Suddenly, White looks much the better.
14... f5 15. Qb3 Ne7 16. Qxe6 g6 17. Bg5 Qa5 18. O-O-O
White is looking very good!
18... Rxh5
19. Bxe7 Qd5 20. Qxg6+ Kxe7 21. Rxh5
Enough! 1-0.
Haas, C - Trachsel, Arosa, 1990 [B18]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. h4 h6 7. Nh3 Nf6 8.
Nf4 Bh7 9. c3 e6 10. Bc4 Nd5 11. Qg4
Black now exchanges one his two developed pieces, bringing another White piece
into play.
11... Nxf4 12. Bxf4 Qf6 13. Kf1 Nd7 14. Re1 O-O-O 15. Rh3 Bf5
Winning the exchange? This was actually a cunning trap for Black to fall
into.
16. Qf3 Bxh3 17. Qxc6+ 1-0.
Rodriguez, Danie - Ruxton, K (6) WchJ, 1989 [B18]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6
Here White adopts a slightly different move order to the recommended line above.
6. N1e2 e6 7. Nf4 Bd6 8. h4
Again, Black is prompted to exchange on f4.
8... Bxf4 9. Bxf4 h6 10. h5 Bh7 11. c3 Nf6 12. Qb3 Qe7 13. Be5 b6 14. O-O-O
O-O 15. Bd3 Bxd3 16. Rxd3 Nbd7 17. Kb1 Ng4 18. Re1
White simply plays to dominate the d-file after the exchange on e5.
18... Ngxe5 19. dxe5 Nc5 20. Qa3 Qg5 21. Rd4 Rfd8 22. Red1 Rd5 23. b4 Nd7
24. c4 Rxd4 25. Rxd4 Qe7 26. f4 c5 27. b5 f6 28. exf6 Nxf6 29. Rd2 e5 30. fxe5
Qxe5 31. Qd3
Black's position is loose and he must be very careful...
31... Rf8 32. Re2 Qf4 33. Nf5 Re8
34. Ne7+ Kf7 35. Qg6+ Kf8
36. Qxe8+ Kxe8 37. Nd5+ 1-0
...More careful than that, anyway.
Schlindwein, R - Hugger, M (1) Badenweiler, 1990 [B18]
1. e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bf5 5. Ng3 Bg6 6. N1e2 h6 7. Nf4 Bh7
8. Bc4 e6 9. O-O Nf6 10. Re1 Nd5
The pin on the e-file can be exploited.
11. Bxd5 cxd5 12. Qh5 Qg5
13. Rxe6+ Kd8 14. Qxf7 Nc6 15. Re8 # 1-0.
1. e4 e6
Now play the natural sequence
2. d4 d5 3. Nc3
Black now has an important choice: SAFE or BRAVE ?
This is a solid line but Black lacks counterplay.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nf6
White can get an advantage through straightforward moves:
5. Nxf6+ gxf6
6. Nf3 b6 7. Bb5+ c6 8. Bc4 Bb7 9. Bf4 Bd6 10. Bg3 Qc7 11. Qe2 Nd7
12. O-O O-O-O 13. Ba6
+/-. Liublinsky - Ufimsev, 1945.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Bd7
This STONEWALL variation recently had some recommendations with the idea of getting a line for the Bishop with Bc6, but White shouldn't be short of play:
5. Nf3 Bc6 6. Bd3
6...Nf6
7. Nxf6+ gxf6 8. Qe2
+/- Levy.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7
The main line, which, however, promises Black little. There have been many lines explored here but as an example you could play over:
5. Nf3 Nf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. Ne5
White has a small advantage with easy development. Tarrasch showed us several
times how to play these positions: See EG.
In this line, Black cannot play the natural counterattck ...c5, and the other
break with ...f6 is riskier. Now
4...f6
when, after
5. exf6 Nxf6 6. Nf6 Bd6 7. Bg5 O-O 8. Bd3 Bd7 9. Qd2 Qe8 10. O-O-O Qh5
11.Rde1 [[threesuperior]],
White has pressure along the e-file and is in any event more actively placed.
This is met by
4. Bg5
The natural reply here is the balancing ...Be7 but Black has two alternatives:
...Bb4 and ...dxe4.
This has obvious links with the Rubinstein line.
5. Nxe4 Be7 6. Bxf6
And Black has tried both recaptures:
Black has the two bishops and is solid; White can claim only a small
advantage.
7. Nf3 Nd7 8. Qd2 O-O 9.O-O-O b6 10. d5 Ne5 11. Qf4 Ng6 12. Nxf6+ Qxf6 13.
Qxf6 gxf6
...when White hopes that the greater harmony of the pawns will give the
advantage.
A more risky and more dynamic try.
After 7. Nf3 Black hopes the two bishops and open d- and g-files will give active play. White should develop properly and aim for d5, breaking open the position.
This line still offers Black some prospects of a counterattacking game, but is
not as good as the Winawer.
5. e5 h6 6. Bd2 Bxc3 7. bxc3 Ne4 8. Qg4 g6 9. Bd3 Nxd2 10. Kxd2 c5 11. Qf4
Nc6 12. Nf3
White has the idea of dxc5 and Nd4, with advantage.
(and Alekhine-Chatard Attack with 6. h4)
Again White's move is easy to remember:
5. e5 Nfd7
6. h4
This is, at last, the ALEKHINE-CHATARD Attack. White offers a pawn for chances of attack. Just how good this line can be is shown by the following miniature:
Zuber, M - Halmkin, P (Exeter Vs Teignmouth, 1995)
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 Bxg5 7. hxg5 Qxg5
8. Nh3 Qe7 9. Qg4 g6 10. Bd3 b6 11. Nf4 Ba6 12. Bxg6 fxg6 13. Nxe6 Nf8 14. Nxd5
Nxe6 15. Nxe7 1-0
Good, isn't it?
Black has various ways of declining the gambit, but none are very promising (analysis from BCO2 and elsewhere):
7. Qh5+ Kf8
7. Bxe7 Qxe7 8. Nb5 +=
7. Be3 c5 8. Qg4 g6 9. Nf3 +=
Hellers - Barayev, 1986.
7. Qg4 Bxg5 8. hxg5 c5 9. g6 f5 10. Qg3 h6 11. Nf3 O-O 12. O-O-O Nc6 13.
Ne2
+=/unclear BCO2
7. Qg4 f5 8. exf6 Nxf6 9. Qg3 c5 10. dxc5 Nbd7 11. O-O-O Nxc5 12. Bd3
b5
unclear: Kupreichik - Moskalenko, 1986.
7. hxg5 Qxg5 8. Nh3 Qe7 9. Nf4 Nc6
The N goes to h3 instead of f3 to allow Q to move to g4 when White has good
prospects of attack.
Black has a couple of alternatives to 9...Nc6:
[9... a6 10. Qg4 Kf8 11. Qf3 Kg8 12. Bd3 c5
13. Bxh7+
10. Qg4 Nxd4 11. O-O-O Nf5 12. Nfxd5
With compensation, according to BCO2.
Alekhine Gambit 4. Nge2
Black takes a risky decision - to attack White's Knight but with the important
dark-squared bishop. White has the main try
Another Alekhine Gambit
4. Nge2
Black is advised not to hang on to the pawn, but to concentrate on good
development instead.
4... dxe4 5. a3 Be7 6. Nxe4 Nf6
An open game with about equal chances has resulted.
A3. EXAMPLE GAMES
Alekhine - Fahrni, Mannheim, 1914
This is an early game that showed us all the way.
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 Bxg5 7. hxg5 Qxg5
8. Nh3
The key move in the Gambit Accepted.
8... Qe7 9. Nf4 Nf8 10. Qg4 f5 11. exf6 gxf6 12. O-O-O c6 13. Re1 Kd8
14. Rh6 e5 15. Qh4 Nbd7 16. Bd3 e4 17. Qg3 Qf7
18. Bxe4 dxe4 19. Nxe4 Rg8 20. Qa3!
Great idea.
20... Qg7 21. Nd6 Nb6 22. Ne8 Qf7 23. Qd6+ Qd7 24. Qxf6+
1-0.
Cid, M - Araya, R (4) Copa, 1989 [C13]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 a6
Declined.
7. Qg4 Bxg5 8. hxg5 c5 9. g6 f5 10. Qf4 h6 11. Nf3 O-O 12. dxc5 Qe8 13.
O-O-O
The g-pawn is tempting...
13... Qxg6 14. Nxd5
A characteristic sac.
14...exd5 15. Rxd5 Qg4 16. Qd2 f4 17. Rh4 Qe6 18. Bc4 Kh8 19. Rxf4 Rxf4 20.
Qxf4 Qe7 21. Nh4 Qe8 22. Rd6
Black's useless Q-side pieces are all still in bed.
1-0.
Djurhuus, R - Minero, S (7) Santiago, 1990 [C13]
1. Nc3 d5 2. e4 e6 3. d4 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 a6
Declined
7. Qg4 Kf8 8. Qf4 c5 9. dxc5 Nc6 10. Nf3 Nxc5 11. O-O-O b5 12. Rh3
The position is still not easy for Black.
12... Bd7 13. Kb1 b4 14. Ne2 Ne4 15. Bxe7+ Qxe7 16. Ng5 Nc5 17. h5 h6 18.
Nf3 Ne4 19. Qe3 a5 20. Ng3 Nc5 21. Nd4 a4 22. f4 b3 23. cxb3 Nxd4 24. Rxd4 axb3
25. a3 Rb8 26. Rb4 Rc8 27. Ne2 Ba4 28. Qd4 Bd7 29. Nc1 g6 30. hxg6 fxg6 31.
Nxb3 Kg7 32. Nxc5 Rxc5 33. Rg3 Rhc8
At last the K-side attack comes!
34. f5 Rc1+ 35. Ka2 Rxf1 36. f6+ Rxf6 37. exf6+ Qxf6
And White won with the exhange and extra pawns.
38. Qa7 Rd8 39. Rb7 Qe7 40. Rc3 Kf8 41. Qb6 Kf7 42. Qe3 Qg5 43. Qd4 h5 44.
Rf3+ Kg8 45. a4 Qe7 46. Qe5 Qg7 47. Rf6 Ra8 48. b3 Re8 49. Qg5 Kh7
50. Rxd7 1-0.
Sokolov - Shemiakin, T, Simferopol, 1989 [C13]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 O-O
Declined.
7. Bd3 f5 8. exf6 Nxf6 9. Nf3 c5 10. dxc5 Nc6 11. Qe2 Qa5 12. O-O-O
Black now becomes provocative.
12... d4 13. Bxf6 gxf6 14. Nxd4 Nxd4
The crowd were baying for...
15. Bxh7+ Kxh7 16. Qh5+ Kg7 17. Rxd4 f5 18. Rh3 Bxc5 19. Rg3+ Kf6 20.
Ne4+
The lonely King wanders to his grave.
20... Ke5
21. f4+ Kxd4 22. Qd1+ Qd2+ 23. Nxd2 Kd5 24. Nb3+ Kc6 25. Nxc5 Kxc5 1-0.
Zeh, H - Bahry, J, Baden-Baden, 1989 [C13]
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 e6 3. e4 d5 4. Bg5 Be7 5. e5 Nfd7 6. h4 a6 7. Qg4 h5
Declined again
8. Qg3 g6 9. Nf3 c5 10. dxc5 Nc6 11. O-O-O
11... Bxg5+ 12. Nxg5 Qe7 13. f4 Nxc5 14. Be2 Bd7 15. Qf2 O-O-O
Black escapes to the Q-side.
16. g3 Rdf8
17. Rxd5 exd5 18. Nxd5
the sacrifice is not so great, after all!
18... Nd3+ 19. Bxd3 Qd8 20. Ne4 Kb8 21. Nd6 Qa5 22. Nc3 Be6 23. a3
23... Nxe5
24. fxe5 Qxe5 25. Qb6 Bc8 26. Bxa6 1-0.
Now, a few games in the Other ALEKHINE Gambit.
In the WINAWER Variation
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nge2 dxe4 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Nxc3 Nc6 7.
Bb5 Nge7 8. Be3 O-O 9. Qd2 a6 10. Bxc6 Nxc6 11. O-O-O f5 12. Bg5 Qe8
13. f3 exf3 14. gxf3
14... Nd8
15. Rhg1 c6 16. Rg3 Rf7 17. Rdg1 b5
to allow ...Ra7, but a move too late.
18. Bf6
1-0. 18... Rxf6
19. Rxg7+ Kh8 20. Qg5 Rg6
21. Rxg6 hxg6 22. Qh6+ 1-0.
Conejero, J. M - Perez Torres, J, Valencia [C15]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nge2 dxe4 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Nxc3 f5
Yeuch.
7. Bf4 Nf6 8. f3
The best approach.
8...exf3 9. Qxf3 O-O 10. O-O-O Nd5 11. Be5 Rf7 12. Bc4
12... Qg5+ 13. Kb1 Ne3 14. Bf4 1-0.
Ristic, Nen - Sanchis, A, Chartres [C15]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nge2 dxe4 5. a3 Be7 6. Nxe4 Nc6 7. Bf4 Nf6
8. Qd3 b6 9. O-O-O Bb7 10. N2c3 O-O 11. Kb1 Qd7 12. Nxf6+ Bxf6
13. d5
Always, this is the key break.
13...Ne5 14. Qg3 Ng6 15. Bb5 Qc8 16. Bxc7 Bxc3 17. dxe6 Bxg2
The position is opened up nicely.
18. Rhg1 Bf6 19. exf7+ Rxf7 20. Bc4 Bb7 21. Rge1 Qf5 22. Qb3 Bg5 23. Be6 Qf3 24. Rd3 Qf6 25. Rd7 Ne7 26. Be5 Qxf2 27. Bg3 Qf3 28. Bxf7+
1-0.
Westerinen, H - Bergsson, S, Gausdal [C15]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nge2 dxe4 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Nxc3 Nc6 7. Bf4 Nf6
8. Bb5
Black now prompts a move White might make voluntarily.
8... a6 9. Bxc6+ bxc6 10. Bg5 h6 11. Bxf6 Qxf6 12. Nxe4
Black's pawns look awful.
12... Qh4 13. Qd3 e5 14. dxe5 Qf4 15. O-O Qxe5 16. f4 Qxb2
Careless.
17. Rfb1
1-0.
Abdulla, M - Khechen, N, Novi [C15]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nge2 dxe4 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Nxc3 Nc6 7. Bb5
Nge7 8. Bg5 f6
Ill-advised.
9. Be3 a6 10. Bxc6+ Nxc6
11. Qh5+ g6 12. Qh6 Qe7 13. Nxe4 Bd7 14. Qh4 Rf8 15. O-O-O O-O-O 16. Rhe1
Be8
Again, the position needs opening up with d5.
17. d5 Rxd5 18. Rxd5 exd5 19. Bc5
winning the exchange.
19... Qf7 20. Bxf8 dxe4 21. Qxe4 Bd7 22. Bc5 Qa2
a hopeful lunge.
23. Bd4 Nxd4 24. Qxd4 Qa1+ 25. Kd2 Qa2 26. Re7 Bc6 27. c4 b6 28. Rxh7
Bxg2
1-0.
Castillo, O - Segovia, J, WchJ [C15]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nge2 dxe4 5. a3 Be7 6. Nxe4 Nc6 7. Qd3 Nf6
8. Nxf6+ Bxf6 9. Be3 O-O 10. O-O-O
Black now tries a break. Because White is not much better developed, he keeps
it closed. We than have an opposite-side castling situation, where both sides
must attack quickly.
10... e5 11. d5 Ne7 12. Ng3 Ng6 13. Qe4 Bg5 14. Nf5 Bxe3+ 15. fxe3 Ne7 16.
g4
You can make this sort of move if your king is on the other side.
16... Bxf5 17. gxf5 f6 18. Rg1 Kh8 19. Rg3 Qd7 20. Bd3 Rad8 21. Rdg1 Rg8 22.
Qh4 h6
Black's attack hasn't even started.
23. Rxg7 Nxf5 24. Rxg8+ Rxg8 25. Qxf6+ 1-0.
De Eccher, S - Schneiders, A, Lugano [C15]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Nge2 dxe4 5. a3 Be7 6. Nxe4 Nf6 7. Qd3 b6 8.
Bf4 Bb7 9. Nxf6+ Bxf6 10. O-O-O
Black is fairly well placed, though behind in development, but now blunders.
10... Bg5 11. Qb5+ 1-0.
Tarrasch - Mieses, Berlin Match (3), 1916 [C30]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Bd3 Be7 7. O-O Nxe4
8. Bxe4 Nf6 9. Bd3 b6
Black has conceded a small space advantage and plays his last move to get the
blocked Bc8 out. Tarrasch prevents even that.
10. Ne5 O-O
11. Nc6 Qd6 12. Qf3 Bd7 13. Nxe7+ Qxe7 14. Bg5 Rac8 15. Rfe1 Rfe8
Black knows enough not to move his King's-side pawn unless he is forced to. So Tarrasch forces him to!
16. Qh3
Threatening 17. Bxf6 and 18. Qxh7
16... Qd6 17. Bxf6 gxf6 18. Qh6 f5
In just a few moves, Tarrasch has got into the heart of the King's defences.
19. Re3 Qxd4 20. c3!
A pretty final move: Black resigns, unable to stop Rg3.
The trouble with the PIRC is that Black will just lurk behind his pawns, and your pieces won't find much to attack. I play the PIRC/MODERN as Black, and am always more impressed by systems which threaten to open lines with pawn breaks than any of the piece play lines. But that's not to say they aren't all dangerous; the player with a plan will always beat the player without one.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nf3 g6 4. Bc4 Bg7 5. Qe2
White concentrates on rapid development and aims at a timely e5.
The other line I have in mind is:
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2
Now the simple idea is to play the standard attack with O-O-O, f3, g4, h4,
Nge2-g3 and h5. Let's see this in action:
Hort, V - Rota, Aachen/SW,16,18 [B07]
1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. Be3 Bg7 5. Qd2 O-O 6. O-O-O
6... c6 7. Bh6 b5 8. f3 a5 9. h4 b4 10. Na4 Bd7 11. h5
11... Nxh5 12. Rxh5 Bxh6
13. Rxh6 c5 14. Rh2 1-0
This plan depends a little on Black castling King-side, although it will not have guaranteed safety on the other side, nor in the centre. See the Example games.
Christ, R - Kljako, D, it, Biel [B07]
1. e4 d6 2. d4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. Qe2 c6 6. e5 dxe5 7. dxe5 Nd5 8.
Bd2
Simple development is the trademark of the White system
8... Nxc3 9. Bxc3 O-O 10. f4 a5 11. a4 b6 12. Nf3 Ba6 13. Rd1 Qc7 14. O-O
Bxc4 15. Qxc4 Na6
White has a simple advantage in space.
16. Ng5 h6 17. Ne4 Qc8 18. Rd3 Rb8 19. Rh3 b5 20. Qe2 b4 21. Bd2 f5
Black was cramped, but this bid for freedom looks very loose.
22. exf6 exf6 23. f5 g5 24. Qc4+ Kh7 25. Bxg5 fxg5 26. f6 Bh8 27. Nxg5+
Kg6
Black's King is being knocked about all over the place, while the Black pieces
watch glumly from the wings.
28. Rxh6+ Kxh6 29. Qh4+ Kg6 30. Qh7+ Kxg5 31. h4+ Kg4 32. Qg6+ 1-0
Knippel, M - Stratmann, B, NRW [B08]
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. e4 d6 4. Bc4 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Qe2 Nc6 7. e5
This is the key break in the Bc4 systems.
7... Ng4 8. h3 Nh6 9. g4 Na5 10. Bd3 b6 11. Bf4 Kh8 12. O-O-O
Black's next move seals the centre, but White's King's side attack can now
proceed without worrying about the central tension.
12... d5 13. Qe3 Ng8 14. Rdg1 h6 15. h4 Nc4 16. Bxc4 dxc4 17. h5 Bb7 18.
g5
It looks grim for the Black King.
18... Bxf3 19. Qxf3 Qxd4 20. Rd1 Qc5 21. Rd5 Qc6 22. gxh6 Nxh6 23. hxg6
Qxg6
Recapturing with the pawn wasn't pretty, but this fails to:
24. Rdd1 1-0.
25. Rdg1 is killing.
See also the games under the GURGENIDZE System.
1. e4 d6 2. d4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Be3 c6 5. Qd2 b5 6. h4 Nf6 7. f3 Qc7 8. Bh6
Bxh6 9. Qxh6 Be6 10. Nh3 Bxh3 11. Rxh3 Nbd7 12. O-O-O
White's K-side initiative persuades Black to castle Queen-side.
12... Nb6 13. Kb1 O-O-O 14. Qe3 e5 15. a3 d5 16. dxe5 Qxe5 17. f4 Qe7 18. e5
Nfd7
White opens up the Q-side; he can skip the Rh3 across easily.
19. a4 a6
20. a5 Na8 21. Nxd5 cxd5
The entry of the Queen is decisive.
22. Qa7 Nc7 23. Rc3 Nb8 24. g3 1-0.
Lane, G - Saucey, M, Royan [B07]
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be3 Nf6 5. Qd2 O-O 6. f3 e5 7. Nge2 c6 8.
O-O-O Nbd7 9. g4 b5 10. Nb1 Nb6 11. Ng3 Be6 12. b3
Black now takes on d4, and the game starts to look rather like the YUGOSLAV
Attack in the SICILIAN DRAGON.
12... exd4 13. Bxd4 d5 14. g5 Nfd7 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. f4 f6 17. h4 Bg4 18.
Be2 Bxe2 19. Qxe2 Qe7 20. Rdg1
Again, White's attack has proceeded faster than Black's.
20... f5 21. exf5 Qxe2 22. f6+ 1-0
Black will have no prospects in the endgame with White's secure pawn on f6.
Chacon, E - Blazquez, J. L, Alicante [B07]
1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. Be3 Nf6 5. f3 c6 6. Qd2 O-O 7. Bh6 Bxh6 8.
Qxh6 Qb6 9. O-O-O Nbd7 10. h4
A typical thrust.
10... c5 11. d5
Often, if the situation in the centre is clear, the attack is easier.
11...Ne5 12. h5 Bd7 13. Be2 c4 14. Nh3
White threatens Ng5 after which hxg6 and f4 look very strong.
14... Bxh3 15. Rxh3 g5 16. Qxg5+ Kh8 17. g4 Rg8 18. Qd2 Qa5 19. g5 Ne8 20.
f4 Nd7 21. Qd4+ f6 22. Bg4 Nc5 23. Bf5 Qb6 24. Kb1 h6 25. Bg6 Nd7
White's King-side initiative will persist into an endgame.
26. Qxb6 Nxb6 27. gxh6 1-0.
After 27... Nc7 28. h7 Rg7
29. Rg3 e5 30. h6
The endgame is hopeless for Black.
It would be wrong to say there is much theory on these lines.
The basic idea is to develop the King-side pieces quickly, and play c3 and d4 (very much the same plan as the normal 1. e4 e5 openings).
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3
Now Black has a basic choice between 2...d6, 2...Nc6 and 2...e6. Alternatives are less strong, e.g. 2...a6 3. c4 or 2...Nf6 3. e5. These should not be scorned - GMs have played each line - but are less good for Black than normal lines.
2...d6
5. c3 Nc6 6. d4;
(compare the line 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 e4 4. Ng5 b5)]
3. Be2 Nf6
4. c3 Nc6 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 Qa5+ 7. Nc3 Nxe4 8. d5
...with interesting gambit play in each line.
3. Bb5
Now the most common line is
3...g6
Alternatives:
4. O-O Bg7 5. c3 Qb6 6. Na3 Nf6 7. Re1
...when White has good play.
3. Bb5+
This is a complex line. After
3...Bd7 White will often play 4. Bxd7+ and 5.c4,
Placing the pawns on light squares
to complement the dark-squared bishop.
One example in another line:
3... Nd7 4. d4 cxd4 5. Qxd4 Ngf6 6. Bg5 e6 7. Nc3 Be7 8. O-O a6 9. Bxd7+
Bxd7 10. Rad1 Bc6 11. Rfe1 O-O 12. Bxf6 gxf6
Again, White has good piece play, although the bishops may be dangerous.
Basman - Stean, Hastings, 1974
This is a famous game in this line.
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Be2 Nf6 4. c3 Nc6 5. d4 cxd4 6. cxd4 Nxe4 7. d5 Qa5+
8. Nc3 Nxc3 9. bxc3
9...Ne5
10. Nxe5 Qxc3+ 11. Bd2 Qxe5 12. O-O Qxd5
15. Qa4+ Kf8 16. Rc7 Bf5
17. Qc6 Rd8 18. Bxa6
The game as it goes is a rout.
13. Rb1 e6 14. Bb5+ Bd7 15. Bxd7+ Kxd7 16. Qa4+ Kd8 17. Rb5 Qc6 18. Rc1 Qa6 19. Ra5 Qd3 20. Be3 d5 21. Rxa7 Rxa7 22. Qxa7 Ba3 23. Qb8+ Ke7 24. Bg5+ f6 25. Qxb7+ Kd6 26. Qc7 #.
Georgiev, Kr - Feher, G, Cappelle [B30]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. O-O Nge7 5. b3 Qb6 6. Na3 Ng6 7. Bb2 a6 8.
Nc4 Qc7 9. Bxc6 Qxc6
White is miles ahead in development, so breaks with d4.
10. d4 cxd4 11. Nxd4
Black now grabs a hot pawn while behind in development. (Kids! Don't try this
at home!)
11... Qxe4 12. Re1 Qf4 13. Nb6 Rb8 14. Nd5
Almost inevitable.
14... f6 1-0.
Smirin, I - Nun, Ji, Polanica [B30]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. O-O Nge7 5. b3 Ng6 6. Bb2 Be7 7. Bxg7 Rg8
8. Bb2 h5 9. Nc3 Qc7 10. Re1
10... h4 11. Nd5
A very typical SICILIAN sacrifice.
11...exd5 12. exd5 Nd4 13. Nxd4 cxd4 14. Ba3 Qa5 15. Bxe7 Nxe7 16. Qe2
Qa3
White threatens Qe5 and d6, winning the knight. Black keeps the Knight, but
loses the King.
17. Qe5 Kf8 18. d6 Ng6 19. Qf6 Qa5 20. Bc4 Rg7 21. Re7 1-0
Bogumil - Sarosi, Budapest [B30]
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e6 4. O-O Nge7 5. c3 d5 6. exd5 Qxd5 7. d4 cxd4
8. c4 Qd8 9. Nxd4 Bd7 10. Nf3 Nf5 11. Nc3 Be7 12. Ba4 O-O 13. Bc2 Nh4 14. Nxh4
Bxh4 15. b3 Bf6 16. Ba3
A neat move making use of the extra space and mobility.
16... Re8
17. Qd3 g6 18. Rad1 Ne5 19. Qg3 Qa5 20. Ne4 Bg7 21. b4 Qc7 22. Nd6
Red8 23. Bb2 Nc6
White is obviously winning. He finds a neat unmasking (Nf5).
24. Bxg7 1-0.
Sadly, this line has no real force and is not a good line to adopt.
If you insist on consistency, you can try it, but otherwise I would look at a different line.
Lazarevic, M - Maric, D (6) Pula, 1990 [B02]
1. e4 Nf6 2. d3 d5 3. e5 Nfd7 4. f4 Nb6
With the N on b6 it is harder to organise the obvious 'French' break with f6.
5. c3 c5 6. Nf3 Bg4 7. Be2 e6 8. Na3 Be7 9. O-O O-O 10. Nc2 Nc6 11. Ne3 Bxf3
12. Bxf3
Black has done everything right so far, but gets careless.
12... d4 13. Ng4 dxc3 14. bxc3 c4 15. d4 Nd5 16. Bxd5 Qxd5 17. Ne3 Qb5 18.
Qe2 Rac8 19. f5 Bg5 20. f6 gxf6 21. Ng4 Ne7 22. Bxg5 fxg5 23. Nf6+
White should never have been allowed to reach this easy attacking position.
23... Kg7 24. Qh5 h6 25. Ng4 Ng8 26. Nxh6 Nxh6 27. Qxg5+ Kh7 28. Rf6 Nf5 29. Rf1 Rg8 30. Qh5+ 1-0.
I couldn't find a single example of this with f4. This is probably because it's not a very good line!
Van der Vaeren - Savva, Haifa, 1989 [A00]
1. e4 d5 2. Nc3 dxe4 3. Nxe4 c6 4. Bc4 Nf6
This could have arisen from the CARO-KANN.
5. Nxf6+ exf6 6. Ne2 Be6 7. Bxe6 fxe6 8. Nf4
Hitting at the weak White squares. Black now prompts an elementary
combination.
8... e5 9. Qh5+ Ke7 10. Ng6+ hxg6 11. Qxh8 Kf7 12. Qh3 Qd7 13. Qb3+ Ke7 14.
O-O b6 15. d3 Qd5
An interesting moment: I would have swapped off here to try and win on
material.
16. c4 Qd6 17. Be3 c5 18. a4 Nc6 19. a5 Nb4 20. axb6 Qxb6 21. f4 exf4 22.
Bxf4 Kf7 23. d4 Nd5 24. Qf3
Black is very wobbly here.
24... Nxf4 25. Qxa8 Ne2+ 26. Kh1 Nxd4 27. Rxa7+ Kg8 28. Qd5+ Qe6 29. Qxe6+ Nxe6 30. Re1 1-0
Now, I have found a few of these. With the P on e6, Black is necessarily a little more passive than the CARO lines above. I don't think White can claim much advantage (indeed, John Watson reckons that the Pf4 may be in the way of the Bc1), but it's an easy line to understand.
Hill, S - Wright, A , ch-AUS/SW,5,18, 1989 [B21]
1. e4 c5 2. f4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 dxe4 5. Nxe4 Nc6 6. Bc4
White has nicely centralised pieces.
6... Nf6 7. Nxf6+ Qxf6 8. O-O Bd6 9. d3 Bxf4 10. Ng5 Qxg5 11. Bxf4 Qe7 12.
Qg4 O-O 13. Rae1 Kh8 14. Qg3 Rd8 15. c3 b6 16. Re3 Re8
Every White piece is well-placed.
17. Bd5 Bb7 18. Be4 Nd8 19. Bg5 f6
White now plays a sacrifice which is easy to think of but hard to analyse!
20. Bxh7 Kxh7 21. Qh4+ Kg8 22. Bxf6 gxf6 23. Rg3+ 1-0.
Campora, D. H - Shirazi, A, Ch New York (open), 1989 [B21]
1. e4 c5 2. f4 e6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. Bb5 Nge7 5. O-O a6 6. Be2 g6 7. d3 Bg7 8. c3
d5 9. Nbd2 O-O 10. Qe1 b5 11. Qf2 Qb6
A position that could have arisen from either the FRENCH or the SICILIAN.
12. e5 f6 13. d4 cxd4 14. cxd4 fxe5 15. fxe5 g5 16. g4 h5 17. gxh5 g4 18. h6
Bxh6 19. Nc4 dxc4 20. Bxh6 Nf5
Rather a sign of distress; White is winning.
21. Bxf8 Kxf8 22. Nh4 Ncxd4 23. Bxg4 Bb7 24. h3 Qc5 25. Rae1 Kg8 26. Kh2 1-0.
Against the PIRC, f4 is not a particularly slow line!
6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O
The White attack is easy to understand; White will complete development and
then break with e5 or f5 - or both!
Ekebjaerg, Ove (2580) - Van Manen, Gerben (2580) cr Blass-mem, 1990 [B07]
1. Nc3 Nf6 2. e4 d6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. d4 O-O 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Bg4 8.
e5 Nd7 9. Be3
A set-up for White which is easy to understand. I have watched relatively weak
(170-grade) players carve up 200-strength players in this line.
9... dxe5 10. dxe5 f6 11. exf6 Bxf6 12. h3 Be6 13. Qe2 Bf7 14. Rad1 Qe8 15.
f5
The classic break.
15... Kh8 16. fxg6 Bxg6 17. Bxg6 hxg6 18. Nd5 Rc8 19. Bh6 Rf7
Black is busted.
20. Ng5 Bxg5 21. Bxg5 Nb6 22. Nxb6 cxb6 23. Qe6 Rf5 24. Rxf5 gxf5 25. Rd7 Rd8 26. Bxe7 1-0.
Mednis - Vadasz, 1978
Another typical White win in this line
1. d4 d6 2. e4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Bd3 Nc6 7. O-O Bg4 8.
e5 dxe5 9. dxe5 Nh5 10. Be3 f6 11. exf6 Bxf6 12. h3 Bxf3 13. Qxf3
threat f5
13... Bd4 14. Ne2 e5 15. Nxd4 Nxd4
16. Qe4 Nxf4 17. Bc4+
1-0.
Bareev - Norwood, Marseilles, 1990 [B09]
Norwood, in his book Winning with the Modern, offers this game as a reason for Black to avoid the AUSTRIAN at all costs.
1. d4 d6 2. e4 Nf6 3. Nc3 g6 4. f4 Bg7 5. Nf3 c5 6. e5
6...Ng4
7. dxc5 dxc5 8. Qxd8+ Kxd8 9. h3 Nh6 10. Be3 b6 11. O-O-O+ Bd7 12. g4 Kc8 13. Ng5 f6
Yeuch
14. Rxd7 Kxd7 15. Bb5+ Kc8 16. Ne6 Bf8 17. Nd5 Nf7 18. Ndc7 Nd8 19. Rd1 Nxe6
20. Nxe6 fxe5 21. Rd8+ Kb7 22. Bd3
1-0.
Black never got going.
A second idea is to play Bb5xNc6 and then play a slow DUTCH-style attack with Qe1 and Qh4.
]
[2... e6 3. Nc3 d5
4. Nf3]
3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Bc4
Black can play ....d6 (EG) but more often goes:
5... e6
6. f5
This is the sharpest line, although White does not have to gambit
Now the complications that follow...
[7... fxe6 may be better
There are also many lines with f4 in the OPEN SICILIAN i.e.. 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 (...) 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 (...) 6. f4.
B5.A. EXAMPLE GAMES
First, a straightforward quick attack down the King's side
1. e4 c5 2. f4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Bc4 e6 6. f5 exf5 7. d3 Nge7 8.
O-O O-O?
This natural-looking move is probably a decisive mistake. Black has no
effective counter to White's simple mating attack.
9. Qe1 Nd4 10. Qh4 Nxf3+ 11. Rxf3 fxe4 12. Rh3 h6 13. Bg5 Re8 14. Rf1 d5 15.
Nxd5 hxg5 16. Nf6+ Black resigns.
17. Nh7+ Kg8 18. Bxf7+ Kh8 19. Nxg5+ Bh6 20. Qxh6 #]
1-0.
Next, a slower attack with the Bb5 idea.
Hebden - Large, British Ch'p, 1982 [B21]
1. e4 c5 2. f4 Nc6 3. Nf3 g6 4. Bb5 Bg7 5. Bxc6 dxc6 6. d3 Nf6 7. Nc3 O-O 8.
O-O b6
White has an obvious plan. And the player with a plan will always beat the
player without one.
9. Qe1 Ne8 10. Qh4 Nd6 11. f5 gxf5 12. e5 Ne8 13. Bh6 f6 14. Kh1 Bxh6 15.
Qxh6 Ng7 16. Rae1 Be6 17. Ne2 c4 18. Nf4 cxd3 19. cxd3 Bxa2
Black might as well snatch a pawn, he has achieved nothing to counter White's
simple attack.
20. e6 Qc8 21. Re3 Nxe6 22. Nxe6 Bxe6 23. Rxe6 Rf7
24. Rfe1 1-0.
And what if Black throws a spanner in the works with 2...d5?
Plaskett - Howell, British Ch'p, 1983 [B21]
1. e4 c5 2. f4 d5 3. Nc3 dxe4 4. Nxe4 e6 5. Nf3 Be7 6. Bc4 Nf6 7. Qe2 Nc6 8.
c3 O-O 9. O-O b6 10. d3 Bb7 11. Ng3 Bd6 12. Bd2 Qc7 13. Ng5
Black's pieces are nicely placed but going nowhere. White, as usual, knows
where he is going!
13... Ne7 14. N5e4
forcing an exchange he had earlier avoided
14... Nxe4 15. dxe4 Ng6 16. Nh5 Kh8 17. Rae1 Rad8 18. Bc1 Rd7 19. e5 Be7 20.
f5 exf5 21. Rxf5 Bd5 22. Bxd5 Rxd5 23. Qg4 Qd7 24. Ref1 Kg8
25. Nxg7 Kxg7 26. Qh5 Kg8 27. Bh6 Qe6 28. Bxf8 Nxf8 29. c4
29... Rd4 30. Rxf7 Qg6 31. Qf3 Ne6 32. Rxe7 Rf4 33. Rxe6 1-0.
Ekebjaerg, Ove - Danner, Georg, cr Nielsen-mem, 1987
[B23/07]
1. Nc3 c5 2. e4 d6 3. f4 g6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bc4 e6 6. f5 Ne7 7. O-O
O-O
A typical sort of position in this line, although an odd move order (no
...Nc6).
8. fxe6 fxe6 9. Ng5 d5 10. Rxf8+ Qxf8 11. exd5 b5 12. Bxb5 exd5 13. Qf3 Qxf3
14. Nxf3
White is simply a pawn up and needs only consolidate to win the ending.
14... Ba6 15. Ba4 Bb7 16. d3 Nbc6 17. Bg5 h6 18. Bxe7 Nxe7 19. Re1 Nf5 20. Bd7 Nd4 21. Be6+ Nxe6 22. Rxe6
White has given up both bishops, which would make me anxious, but he seems to know what he is doing.
22... g5 23. Na4 Rc8 24. Ne5 Rc7 25. Re8+ Kh7 26. Nc3 a6 27. Nd1 d4 28. b3
h5 29. Nb2 g4 30. Nbc4 Kh6 31. Nd6 Bd5 32. Nec4 Kg6 33. Nb6 Bf7
34. Nxf7 1-0.
Without the light-squared bishop Black is in trouble, but it might have been worth struggling on over the board (this was postal).
Hodgson - Nunn, Aaronson Open, 1978 [B23]
1. e4 c5 2. f4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Bc4 d6
6. O-O Nf6 7. d3 O-O 8. f5 gxf5 9. Qe1 fxe4 10. dxe4 Bg4 11. Qh4 Bxf3
12. Rxf3 Ne5 13. Rh3 Ng6
15... exf6 16. Qxh7+ Kf8 17. Rg3 Bh8]
14. Qg3 Qd7 15. Nd5 Nxd5 16. Bxd5 e6 17. Bb3 d5 18. Qf3 c4 19. Ba4
Qxa4 20. Qh5 Rfd8 21. Qxh7+ Kf8 22. Bh6 Bxh6 23. Rxh6 Rd7
24. Rf1 Ke8 25. Qg8+ Nf8 26. Rxe6+ Kd8 27. Qxf8+ Kc7 28. Qc5+ Kd8 29. Rh6 1-0
6... e6 7. Nf3 Nge7 8. O-O O-O 9. Be3 Nd4 is the MAIN line,
Theory is not so critical in the CLOSED SICILIAN because of the non-forcing nature of the line.
B5.b. EXAMPLE GAMES
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 d6 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 g6 5. d3 Bg7 6. f4 Nf6 7. Nf3 O-O 8. O-O
Rb8 9. h3 b5 10. a3 a5 11. Be3 b4 12. axb4 axb4 13. Ne2 Bb7 14. b3
Another defensive move! Is White just going to stand and get punched apart?
14... Ra8 15. Rc1 Ra2 16. g4
At last an attacking gesture.
16... Qa8 17. Qe1 Qa6 18. Qf2 Na7 19. f5
The characteristic break
19... Nb5 20. fxg6
Opening the f-file (so what? see move 23!)
20... hxg6
21. Ng5 Na3 22. Qh4 Rc8
the Q-side is about to give, but...
23. Rxf6 exf6 24. Qh7+ Kf8 25. Nxf7 Rxc2
or Nh8+
26. Bh6 Rxc1+ 27. Nxc1 Kxf7 28. Qxg7+ Ke8 29. g5
29... f5 30. Qxg6+ Kd7 31. Qf7+ Kc6 32. exf5+
1-0.
32... Kb6 33. Qxb7+ Qxb7 34. Bxb7 Kxb7 35. f6 1-0.
Psakhis - Kasparov, La Manga, 1990 [compare B23]
Oddly, one of the best example games I have on file for the CLOSED SICILIAN is
this one, from quite a different opening
1. c4 g6 2. Nc3 Bg7 3. g3 Nc6 4. Bg2 d6 5. Nf3 e5 6. d3 f5 7. O-O Nf6
8. Rb1 h6 9. b4 O-O 10. b5 Ne7 11. a4 Be6 12. Ba3 Rc8
Black does not rush but secures the Q-side.
13. Nd2 b6 14. e3 g5 15. d4 exd4 16. exd4 f4
17. Re1 Bg4 18. Nf3 Qd7 19. c5 Rce8 20. Rc1 Nf5 21. Qd3 Kh8 22. cxd6 cxd6
23. Rxe8 Qxe8 24. Rf1 Qh5
The Black pieces hover like vultures.
25. Ne4 Nxe4 26. Qxe4 Bh3 27. Ne5 Bxg2 28. Kxg2 g4 29. Bxd6 Rf6 30. Bb8
Qh3+
0-1.
Smyslov - Romanishin, Moscow, 1976 [B23]
1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. d3 d6 6. Nh3 h5
The sixth moves on each side are unusual.
7. f4 Bg4 8. Qd2 Nd4 9. Ng1 Qd7 10. h3 Be6 11. Nce2 h4 12. g4 f5 13. exf5
gxf5 14. g5
Black can find no refuge on the King-side, it is clear.
14... O-O-O 15. Nxd4 cxd4 16. Ne2 Bf7 17. c3 dxc3 18. bxc3 Kb8 19. Rb1 d5
20. O-O e5 21. fxe5 Bxe5 22. d4 Bc7 23. c4 Ne7 24. c5 Rdg8 25. Qb4 Bd8 26. Rf3
Nc6 27. Qb5 Bh5 28. Rfb3
White's tripling is very threatening.
28... Rg7 29. Nf4 Bxg5 30. Nxh5 Rxh5 31. Qe2 Bxc1
And the coup de grace:
32. Rxb7+ Qxb7 33. Qe8+ Kc7 34. Rxb7+ Kxb7 35. Qxh5 Nxd4 36. Kf1 Be3 37. Qh8 Rd7 38. Qe8 1-0. Of course, dxc4 is an awful move.
17. Qf3 Qe7 18. d4 Ne6 19. Qc3 Ng5 20. Qxc4 Bh3 21. Rxb7 Bxg2 22. Nxg2 Qxe4
23. Rxc7 Qe2 24. Qxe2 Rxe2
The exchanges have left White's pieces dominant.
25. h4 Nh3+ 26. Kh2 Nf2 27. Nf4 Rd2 28. Kg1 Ng4 29. Ne6+ Kh8 30. Rfxf7 1-0.
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