13. h4
13... Ne4 14. Bf3 Qe8 15. Nxd7 Bxd7 16. Kg2 Bb4
White seems to have defended more than got on with his own plans. He now makes
a mistake:
17. Bxe4 ? 17... fxe4 18. Rh1 Qh5 19. f3 Qg6 20. Kf1 e5 21. dxe5 Rxf4 22.
gxf4
Black has some clear achievements:
22... Qg3
23. Nxe4 dxe4 24. Rxd7 Bc5 25. e3 Qxf3+ 26. Qf2 Qxh1+ 27. Ke2 Qh3 28. f5 Qg4+ 29. Kd2 Rf8 30. e6 Qxf5 31. Qxf5 Rxf5 32. Rxb7 Rf2+ 33. Ke1 Rf6 34. b4 Bxe3 0-1.
Another decisive King-side attack:
Steiner - Botvinnik, Groningen, 1946
1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Bb4+ 5. Bd2 Be7 6. Nf3 d5 7. Nc3 c6 8.
O-O O-O 9. Bf4 Qe8 10. Qc2 Qh5 11. Rae1 Nbd7 12. Nd2
Aiming at e4, but too slowly. Another plan is to attack c6 with the b-pawn.
12... g5 13. Bc7 Ne8 14. Be5 Nxe5 15. dxe5 f4
Black's plans are well-advanced; e4 will now be answered by ..f3
16. gxf4 gxf4 17. Nf3 Kh8 18. Kh1 Ng7 19. Qc1 Bd7 20. a3 Rf7 21. b4
Rg8
Making use of the open g-file
22. Rg1 Nf5 23. Nd1 Rfg7
Black has a winning position
24. Qxf4 Rg4 25. Qd2 Nh4 26. Ne3 Nxf3 27. exf3 Rh4 28. Nf1 Bg5 0-1.
if the Q moves, ...Bf4 forces mate.
Here's an important game against a powerful rival:
Flohr - Botvinnik, (10) Match, 1933
1. d4 e6 2. c4 f5 3. g3 Nf6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nc3 d5 6. Nf3 c6 7. O-O O-O 8. b3
8... Qe8 9. Bb2 Nbd7 10. Qd3
10... Qh5 11. cxd5
11... exd5 12. Nd2
12... Ne4 13. f3
13... Nxc3 14. Bxc3 f4 ! 15. Rfe1 Bd6 16. Nf1 Rf7 17. e3 fxg3 18.
Nxg3 Qh4 19.Nf1 Nf6 20. Re2 Bd7 21. Be1 Qg5 22. Bg3 Bxg3 23. Nxg3 h5!
the final phase
24. f4 Qg4 25. Rf2 h4 26. Bf3
26... hxg3 27. Bxg4 gxf2+ 28. Kg2 Nxg4 29. h3 Nf6 30. Kxf2 Ne4+ 0-1.
And lastly, a more Complicated Game from an early Tournament:
Yudovitch - Botvinnik, 1934
1. c4 f5 2. d4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. Nf3 d5 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 c6 8. Qc2
Qe8 9. Bf4
9... Qh5 10. b3 Nbd7 11. Rad1 Kh8 12. Kh1
a loss of tempo, and perhaps not even a better square
12... Rg8 13. e3 g5 14. Bc7 Ne8 15. Be5+ Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Nf6 17. f3
the right plan for White
17... Bd6 18. e4 Nd7 19. g4
19... Qe8 20. Nxd7 Bxd7 21. e5 Bb4 22. gxf5 exf5 23. cxd5
23... Bxc3 24. dxc6 risky 24... Bxc6 25. Qxc3 Qe6 26. Qd2 Bd5 27. Rc1 Rg7 28. Rc2 f4 29. Qc1 Rag8 30. h3 h5 31. Kg1 g4 32. hxg4 hxg4 33. Kf2 Rh7 34. Rh1 g3+ 35. Ke1 Rxh1+ 36. Bxh1 Qh6 37. Bg2
the last move before the time-check
37... Bc6
38. a4 Bd7
going for complications instead
39. d5 Bf5 40. Rc7 Qh2 41. Qb2 Qg1+ 42. Bf1 Qe3+ 43. Be2 Be6 44. Qc2
Rg7
45. dxe6
45... Qf2+ 46. Kd2 Qd4+
controlling d8
47. Ke1 Rxc7 0-1.
Since Nigel Short has ventured the STONEWALL on occasion interest in the opening has grown again.
Martin - Troger, 1995 [A94]
1. Nf3 f5 2. d4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 Be7 5. O-O O-O 6. c4 d5 7. b3 c6 8. Ba3
Bd7 9. Bxe7 Qxe7
Black has played it the old-fashioned way: more interest recently has been in
the idea of parking the Queen Bishop on b7. White has responded with another
traditional recipe - exchange off Black's good bishop and milk the dark
squares.
10. Nc3 (?)
Martin was unhappy about this natural move afterwards. Either
could have been tried, but Black is by no means losing either game.
10... Be8 11. Qc2 Nbd7 12. cxd5 cxd5!
13. e3 Bh5 14. Rfc1 Bxf3 15. Bxf3
=+ Martin
15... Rac8 16. Qb2 Nb6
17. a4 g5 18. a5 Nbd7 19. a6 b6 20. Be2 Nb8
Right idea but too late: White is now better.
21. Nb5 Nc6 22. Rc2 Nd7
23. Rxc6
23... Rxc6 24. Nxa7 Rc7 25. Nb5 Rcc8 26. a7 Nf6 27. Qa2
27... Kg7 28. Qa6 Qd8 29. Qb7+ Kg6 30. Ra6 Ra8 31. Nc7 Qe7 32. Qxb6 Qd8 33.
Nxa8 Qxa8 34. Qxe6 Rf7 35. Bd3 1-0
A2.2a. MODERN System with Bg5xf6
2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bg5 d5 4. Bxf6 exf6 5. e3 Be6 6. Bd3 g6
This is currently very popular. I offer you a selection of games in the examples section.
A2.2b. STAUNTON GAMBIT with e4
2. e4 fxe4 3. Nc3 Nf6
Now White can play:
(a) 4. Bg5 Nc6 5. d5 Ne5 6. Qd4 Nf7 7. Bh4
7... g5 8. Bg3 Bg7 9. O-O-O
9... c6 =+ BCO2
(b) 4. f3
4... Nc6
5. fxe4 e5 6. dxe5 Nxe5 7. Nf3 d6 8. Bf4 Ng6]]
A2.2c. KORCHNOI GAMBIT Gambit with g4
Korchnoi has offered a number of gambits with g2-g4, making use of the target on f5.
See the Example game Menadue - Pert.
These shouldn't be any problem
BCO2 gives:
2. Qd3 d5 3. Bf4 e6 4. Qg3 Na6 5. e3 c6 =+
Ivkov
3... fxe4 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. g4 h6 6. h4 d5 7. Nh3 Nc6 8. Nf4 e5 9. Ng6
9... Bxg4 10. Qa4
10... exd4 11. Nxh8
11... dxc3 12. bxc3 d4 13. Rb1
13... dxc3 14. Rxb7
14... Qd7 15. f3
15... exf3 16. Be3 Bc5 17. Rxc7 Qd2+ 18. Bxd2 f2#
A triumph for the spear-carriers
Menadue - Pert, 1995
1. d4 e6 2. Nf3 f5 3. h3 Nf6 4. g4 b6
Normally White would try to blot this out by d5 but there is no Pc4
5. gxf5 exf5 6. Bg2 Bb7 7. Bg5 Be7 8. Nc3 O-O 9. h4
White is wasting too much time on attacking-looking moves but has no real plan.
9... Qe8 10. Qd3 Nc6 11. O-O-O
11... Nb4 12. Qc4+ d5 13. Qxc7 ?
opens a file against the King
13... Ba6 14. Qe5 Rc8 15. Qxf5 ?
15... Rxc3 16. Qe6+ Kh8 17. bxc3 Nxa2+ 18. Kd2
18... Bb4!
a beautiful bit of opportunism
19. Bh3
19... Bxc3+ 20. Ke3 Nb4 21. Qxe8
21... Ng4+ 22. Bxg4 Nxc2# 1-0
Langeweg, K - Perez Garcia, H, Wijk-B, 1986 [A80]
1. d4 f5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. O-O O-O 6. b3 c5 7. e3 cxd4 8.
exd4 d5 9. Ne5 Nc6 10. Re1 Ne4 11. f3 Nxe5 12. fxe4 Nf3+ 0-1.
Sparreboom, W - Bellin, R, Guernsey op, 1988 [A80]
1. d4 f5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Ne5 d6 4. Nd3 Nc6 5. e3 Nf6 6. Nd2 e5 7. Nb3 Be7 8. d5
Nxd5 9. Nxe5 dxe5 0-1.
Barczyczyn - Vasiukov, E, Bled op, 1989 [A80]
1. d4 f5 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bf4 c6
The LONDON System vs. the DUTCH
5. h3 e6 6. e3 Be7 7. Be2 O-O 8. Ne5 Nbd7 9. g4 Nxe5 10. dxe5 Ne4 11. Nxe4 fxe4 12. Qd2 Bh4 13. O-O-O Bxf2 14. g5 Qb6 15. Bf1 Rxf4 16. exf4 Be3
oops
17. Bg2 Bd7 18. Rhe1 Bxd2+ 19. Rxd2 Rf8
20. Bxe4 Rxf4 21. Bd3 0-1.
Ligterink, G (2470) - Van Heste, J (2290), NLD-ch, 1987 [A80]
1. d4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bg5 d5 4. Bxf6 exf6 5. e3 c6 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. Qf3 g6 8.
h3 Qe7 9. g4 f4 10. O-O-O fxe3 11. Re1 O-O 12. Rxe3 Qc7 13. Nge2 f5 14. gxf5
Bxf5 15. Bxf5 Rxf5 16. Re8+ Kf7 17. Qe3 Be7 18. Rh8 Kg7 19. Re8 Bg5
20. f4 Rxf4 21. Kb1 Rf1+ 22. Rxf1 Bxe3 23. Rxe3 Na6 24. Nf4 Kh6 25. Nd3 Qd6
26. Ne5 Rf8 27. Nf7+ Kg7 28. Ref3 Qe7 29. Ne5 Rxf3 30. Rxf3 Qh4 31. Ne2 Qe4 32.
Rf7+ Kg8 33. Rf2 Nb4 34. Nc1 Qxd4 35. Re2 Qd1 36. a3 Na2 37. Kxa2 Qxc1 38. Nd3
Qg5 39. Nc5 Qh4 40. b3 b6 0-1.
Maksimovic, S (2345) - Akhmilovskaya, E (2420), Sochi, 1987 [A80]
1. d4 f5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bg5 d5 4. Bxf6 exf6 5. e3 c6 6. Bd3 g6 7. Qf3 Bb4 8.
Nge2 Nd7 9. h3 Ne5
A characteristic tactic.
10. dxe5 fxe5 11. O-O-O e4 12. Bxe4 fxe4 13. Nxe4 Rf8 14. Qg3 Qe7 15. N4c3
Bd6 16. f4 Bd7 17. Rhe1 O-O-O 18. Nd4 b5 19. Nf3 b4
20. Nb1 Rde8 21. Nbd2 Qf6 22. Qf2 Bc5 23. Nb3 Bb6 24. Qd2 Re4 25. Ne5 Re8
26. Qd3 Rxe3 27. Qa6+ Kc7 28. Rxe3 Qxf4 29. Kb1 Qxe3 30. Nxd7 Kxd7 31. Qb7+ Kd6
32. Qxh7 Qe4 33. g4 Re7 34. Qg8 Kc7 35. Qf8 Kb7 36. h4 a5 37. a4 bxa3 38. bxa3
a4 39. Nd2 Qe2 40. Rf1 Bc5 0-1.
Cazzaniga, W - Speck, H, Mendrisio op, 1988 [A80]
1. d4 f5 2. g4 d5 3. Bg5 Nf6 4. h3 c6 5. Bxf6 exf6 6. e3 Qb6 7. b3 Bd6 8.
Bd3 f4 9. exf4 Bxf4 10. Ne2 Qc7 11. Nxf4 Qxf4 12. Qd2 Qf3 13. Qe2+ Qxe2+ 14.
Kxe2 b6 15. Nd2 Kf7 16. f4 Ba6 17. c4 Nd7 18. a4 c5 19. Bf5 Rhd8
20. Bxh7 cxd4 21. Kf2 dxc4 22. Be4 Rac8 23. Bd5+ Kf8 24. bxc4 Nc5 25. g5 Re8
26. gxf6 Nd3+ 27. Kg3 Re3+ 28. Kh4 Nxf4 29. fxg7+ Kxg7 30. Rhg1+ Kh6 31. Bf3
Rf8 32. Rg4 Bc8 33. Kg3 Bxg4 34. hxg4 Rd3 35. Rh1+ Kg7 36. Rh2 Ng6 37. Re2 Rf7
0-1.
Now
BUT
2. Nf3 d5 3. b3 c6 4. g3 Nf6
An Alternative system is:
Kurajica, Agincourt Defence (French-English), 1995 [A13]
1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. g3 c6
offering to transpose into standard QP lines
4. b3
insisting on independent lines
4... b5
"Black intends to bite the c-pawn until it screams in pain" Benjamin/Schiller
5. Bg2 Ba6
6. cxd5
6... cxd5 7. O-O Nf6 8. Bb2 Be7 9. d3 O-O
10. e4
White could also try:
[10. Ne5!? is a suggestion of Watson]
10... dxe4 11. dxe4 b4 =+ Hartoch - Kurajica, 1974 =
This is the SICILIAN REVERSED line of the ENGLISH Opening, sometimes called the KING'S ENGLISH.
Black can play two lines with a DUTCH feel, playing on the second move either:
EXAMPLE LINES GO:
After 2... d6:
(b) 3. Nf3 f5
(c) 3. g3 f5
After 2...Nc6:
3. Nf3 f5
4. d4 e4
Now White has a number of moves:
(a) 5. Bg5
e.g. 5... Be7 6. Bxe7 Ngxe7 7. Nd2 Nxd4 8. Ndxe4 Nec6 9. Nd2 O-O 10.
g3 d6 11. Bg2 f4 12. O-O fxg3 13. hxg3 Bg4
(b) 5. Ng5 h6
[5... Nf6 6. e3 and now
6... h6
7. Nh3 g5
or spuddle with
6. Nd5
(c) 5. Nd2:
as in Miles - Chaves
3... g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e3 d6 6. Nge2
and now Black has tried:
Play in these hypermodern openings is more flexible and less forcing, so both sides have a lot of choice about their early move orders. I've tried to give an example of each line cited in the games below.
Most folk used to think this was good for White... until this game!
3...exd4 4. Qxd4 Nf6 5. g3 Nc6 6. Qd2 Be6 7. Nd5 Ne5
Creating trouble on c4
8. b3 Ne4 9. Qe3 Nc5 10. Bb2 c6 11. Nf4 Ng4
The pesky Knights keep hopping around, not letting Black settle.
12. Qd4 Ne4
Very alert
13. Bh3
13... Qa5+ 14. Kf1 Ngxf2 15. Bxe6 fxe6 16. Nxe6 Kd7 17. Nh3 Nxh3 18.
Qxe4
Black's initiative persists.
18... Re8 19. Nc5+ Qxc5 20. Qg4+ Kc7 21. Qxh3
21... Be7 22. Bxg7 Rhf8+ 23. Bxf8 Rxf8+ 24. Ke1 Qf2+ 25. Kd1 Qd4+ 26. Kc2
Qe4+ 27. Kd2 Bg5+ 28. Kc3 Qe5+
0-1.
Gonzalez - Rossolimo, 1952
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. g3 f5 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. e3 Be7 6. Nge2 c6 7. d4 O-O 8. b3
Nbd7 9. O-O h5 10. h4 Ng4 11. f3 Nh6 12. Ba3 Qe8 13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Bxe7 Qxe7
15. Qd2 Nc5
Black has more space.]
Korchnoi - German, 1962
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. g3 f5 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. b4 c6 6. b5 c5 !
Now White can't open a file on the Q-side.
7. Bb2 Nbd7 8. d3 g6 9. a4 a5 10. bxa6 Rxa6 11. Nf3 Bg7 12. Nd2 O-O 13. Nb5
Rf7 14. Bc3 Nf8 15. e3 Ne6 16. O-O g5 17. Qe2 Re7 18. Rfe1 g4 19. f4 gxf3 20.
Nxf3 Nf8 21. Nd2 Ng6 22. Nb3 Bh6 23. a5 Ng4 24. Bd5+ Kh8 25. Qd2 Rg7 26.
Kh1
Black has his open lines and could create more with
26... f4 27. exf4 Nxf4
Zlotnikov - Minasian, 1993
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. g3 f5 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. d3 Be7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O Kh8 8. b4
8... Qe8 9. Bb2 Qh5 10. e3 Nc6 11. a3 Bd7 12. Nd2 Qh6
Black is well-placed to build up on the K-side.
...0-1.
Hallerod - Hearst, 1960
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. g3 f5 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. d3 Be7
6. Nf3 O-O 7. O-O Qe8
8. c5 c6 9. cxd6 Bxd6 10. b4 Kh8 11. Rb1 Nd5 12. Qb3 Be6
= 13. Ng5 Nxc3 14. Qxc3 Bxa2 15. Ra1 Bg8 16. Bb2 Qe7 17. Nf3 Nd7 18. Ba3 a6
19. Nd2 Nb6 20. Rfb1 Nd5 21. Qb2 Nc7 22. Nc4 Nb5 23. Rc1 Bxc4 24. Rxc4 a5
0-1. : a Queen-side decision!
System
with 2...Nc6
Miles - Chaves, 1977
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 f5 4. d4 e4 5. Nd2 Nf6 6. e3 g6 7. Be2 Bg7 8. Rb1
a5 9. a3 O-O 10. b4 axb4 11. axb4 Ne7 12. Qb3 d6 13. b5 Kh8 14. Ba3 f4 15.
Ncxe4 fxe3 16. fxe3 Nxe4 17. Nxe4 Bf5 18. Bd3
18... Nd5 19. O-O
19... Nxe3 20. Rf3 Qh4 21. g3 Qg4 22. Rxe3 Rxa3 23. Qxa3 Qh3 24. Kh1 Bxe4+ 0-1.
White resigned here but 25. Rxe4 Rf2 26. Re8+ Bf8 27. Rxf8+ Rxf8 28. Qa2 looked worth trying first!
Bruno - Kurajica, 1985
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 f5 4. d3 Nf6 5. Bg2 Bb4 6. Bd2 O-O 7. Nf3 d6 8.
a3 Bxc3 9. Bxc3 Qe8 10. O-O Qh5 11. Qd2
11... f4 12. gxf4 h6 13. fxe5 dxe5 14. d4 Bh3 15. dxe5 Rad8 16. Qf4
16... Bxg2 17. Kxg2 Nd5 18. Qc1 Nf4+ 0-1.
Darga - Herter, 1968
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 f5 4. d4 e4 5. Ng5
Black now plays more quietly:
5...Be7 6. Nh3 Bf6 7. e3 d6 8. Nf4 Nge7 9. g4 Ng6 10. Nfd5 Bh4 11. Bg2 O-O
12. O-O Nce7 13. gxf5 Bxf5 14. Nf4 Nxf4 15. exf4 d5 16. cxd5 Nxd5 17. Nxe4 Bxe4
18. Bxe4 Nxf4 19. Qg4 Qxd4 20. Bf3
20... h5 0-1.
21. Qxh4 Ne2+]
Seirawan - Browne, 1979
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nf3 f5 4. d4 e4 5. Ng5 h6 6. Nh3 g5
This is a noisier line!
7. f3 exf3 8. exf3 Bg7 9. d5 Qe7+ 10. Kd2 Nd4 11. Bd3 Kd8 12. Ng1 b5 13.
Nge2 bxc4 14. Bxc4 Qc5 15. Kd3 Rb8
16. Be3 ?
16... Qxc4+ 17. Kxc4 Ba6+ 18. Nb5 Nxb5 0-1.
[19. Qa4 Na3+ 20. Kc5 d6+ 21. Kc6 Ne7#]
REVERSED CLOSED SICILIAN
Grunberg - Kasparov, simul, 1987
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 d6 3. g3 f5 4. Bg2 Nf6 5. d3
We have seen all this above. Now
5... g6
is a CLOSED SICILIAN position.
6. e4 Bg7 7. Nge2 O-O 8. O-O c6 9. h3 Be6 10. exf5 gxf5 11. Be3 Qe7 12. Qd2
Kh8 13. Rae1 Nbd7 14. f4 Rg8
Black's position is fine.
15. Kh2 Qf7 16. Bf3 Rae8 17. b4 e4 18. dxe4 fxe4 19. Bxe4 Bxh3 20. Kxh3 Nxe4 21. Qd3 Bxc3 22. Qxc3+ Nxc3 0-1.
Hodgson - Short, 1986
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e3 d6 6. Nge2
6... h5 7. h3 h4 8. g4 f5 9. gxf5 Bxf5 10. d4 exd4 11. Nxd4 Nxd4 12. exd4 c6
13. Be3 Nf6 14. Qd2 Qd7
15. O-O-O Kf7 16. Bg5 b5 17. cxb5 cxb5 18. Bxa8 Rxa8 19. Qe2 Rc8 20. a3 a5
21. f3 b4 22. Kd2 bxc3+ 23. bxc3 Qb7
0-1.
Pierson - Calverley, 1983
1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. g3 g6 4. Bg2 Bg7 5. e3 d6 6. Nge2
6... h5 7. d4 e4 8. a3 Nf6 9. O-O O-O 10. b4 Ne7 11. Bb2 g5 12. d5 Ng6 13. Na4 Qe7 14. Rc1 f4 15. Bxf6 Rxf6 16. Nd4 Ne5 17. Bxe4 Bh3 18. Re1 fxg3 19. fxg3 Raf8 20. Qc2 Qf7 21. Qb1 Rf2 22. Ne6 Rg2+ 0-1.
23. Kh1
23... Qf2 24. Bxh7+
Psakhis - Kasparov, 1990
One of the best example games I have on file for the REVERSED CLOSED SICILIAN is this one.
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.
"...offers excellent chances of equality. Black's plan is extremely logical:
I predict it will remain difficult for KIA players to prove any advantage in this system.
"
8. Nc3 Be7 9. b3 O-O 10. Bb2 Re8 11. Qc2 Bf8 12. h3 Bh5 13. Nh4 Nc5 14. Rad1 Qc7 15. g4 Bg6 16. Nxg6 hxg6 17. e3 a5
4... Nd7 5. d3 Ngf6 6. Qe1
6... e5
7. e4 dxe4 8. dxe4 Bc5 9. b4
9... Bd6 10. Na3 Qe7 11. c3 b5 12. Nc2 a5 13. bxa5 O-O 14. c4 Be6
15. cxb5 cxb5 16. Nh4 Bc5 17. Nf5 Qd8 18. Qd2 Qxa5 19. Qg5
Drawn: Vaganian - Dorfman, Moscow, 1990
You may be interested in this excellent game, which features our system with colours reversed.
Smyslov, V (2565) - Nunn, J (2565), (Tilburg 34/91) 1982 [A48]
1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bg5 Bg7 4. Nbd2 O-O
5. e4 d6 6. c3 h6 7. Bh4
Does driving the bishop back have any effect in this formation? Yes - it does
further weaken the kingside fortress.
7... Nc6 8. Bb5 Bd7 9. O-O a6 10. Bc4 e5 11. dxe5 dxe5 12. Re1!
Overprotection of e4 frees up the minor pieces for more useful tasks.
12... Qe8
13. a4 Nh5 14. Nb3 g5 15. Bg3 Rd8 16. Nfd2
White's pieces have been quickly transferred to the queenside. Black's pieces,
especially the offside knight, cannot get there so quickly.
The exchange of the Black knight for the Bg3 has created new opportunities on the kingside. Smyslov is the master of harmonic play - his pieces are often ready to switch to new targets quickly.
19... Qf6 20. Nc5 Bc8 21. Ne3 Ne7 22. a5 Qg6
Black has chosen to sue the Bc8 to defend the queenside, but the heavy guns are all on the kingside, and White controls a bit more of the center. But before foraging on the queenside, Smyslov squashes the counterplay.
23. g4! b6?!
Black is paralyzed on the kingside, unable to transfer the knight to f4 due to the placement of the queen at g6. But this sacrifice of a queenside pawn leads to disaster. There is nothing more rueful than a lost pawn formation. Black could resign without remorse
24. Nf5! Nxf5
25. gxf5 Qc6 26. Nxa6 Bxa6 27. Bxa6 bxa5 28. Rxa5
Now White has an extra pawn and better bishop. The rest is easy for a player of Smyslov's caliber.
28... Ra8 29. Rea1 Rfd8 30. Bc4 Rxa5 31. Rxa5 Kg8 32. Ra6 Qd7 33. Bd5 Qe7 34. Qh5 Rd6 35. Rxd6 cxd6 36. b4 1-0
Resigns; a tale of two bishops...
So you may prefer to play into your line with
The other way to play into the DUTCH allows some transpositions:
[2. b3 Be7]
2... f5 3. Bg2 Nf6 4. O-O Be7
Both sides are quietly getting on with their own systems. The trouble with
meeting White's flexible setup with the DUTCH is that Black may be denied the
outpost on e4 and White can even try to blow up the pawn structure by playing
e2-e4.
5. d3
5... O-O 6. Nbd2 d6 7. e4 fxe4 8. dxe4 e5 9. c3 Qe8 10. Nh4 Nc6 11.
Nc4 Qh5 12. Qxh5 Nxh5 13. Nf5 Bd8
With about equal chances.
White can try
2...d5 3. Bb2 f6
should be fine for Black
1. b4 f5
but the theory on this line is hardly explored.
White may play d3 at some point which may rob you of some of your best ideas.
The Bb2 needs watching but you should be OK in this opening.
is fine for Black
1. b3 f5
...and Black should not be without play.
1. b3 f5 2. Bb2 Nf6 3. d3 d6 4. e4 e5 5. exf5 Bxf5 6. Ne2 Nc6 7. d4 Be7 8.
Ng3 Bg6 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Qxd8+ Rxd8 11. Bb5 O-O
Black has active play and won in 23 moves! -- KEENE]
1...d5
and
1...f5
both look playable. White may well transpose into lines considered above.
1. f4 f5 2. e4
is awkward.
But why not play the most awkward lines for White: the FROM GAMBIT.
1. f4 e5
Now
2. fxe4 d6 3. exd6 Bxd6
gives you a development lead and free play for your pieces. Instead:
A while ago I wouldn't have bothered with this odd-looking opening, but it has
become a bit of a secret weapon among those in the know. What to play against
it depends on what else you play; it's probably the best of the unusual
lines.
1...d5 2. e4 d4 3. Nce2
is a well-known sequence, after which
3...e5 4. Ng3 Be6
Else 5. Bc4 will follow. This looks like Black's best idea to me.
Example
game in the Dunst:
Ekebjaerg, Ove - Strand, Torger, cr Nielsen-mem, 1987
1. Nc3 d5 2. e4 d4 3. Nce2 e5 4. Ng3 Be6 5. Nf3 Nd7 6. c3 c5 7. cxd4 cxd4 8.
Be2 Bd6 9. O-O h5 10. d3
This doesn't look to me very promising for White, although White did win.
1. g4 d5 2. Bg2 Bxg4 3. c4!
...when the pin on the b7 point may be embarrassing.
The two best-known players of this line, Henri Grob and Claude Bloodgood, agree that one of the most awkward lines for White is
1. g4 e5
with the idea 2. Bg2 h5! when the pawn cannot advance to g5.
Grob himself played this against 1. g4. So Bloodgood reckons White's best try is
2. d3
To be honest, many Grob players have no idea that this is a known line, all they know about is the ...Bxg4 variation. So they may be out-tricked in their own opening!
Some sample lines in this rare opening:
Hug - Grob, Corr
1. g4 e5 2. Bg2 h5 3. gxh5 Rxh5 4. e3 Nf6 5. c4 c6 6. Nc3 d5 7. cxd5 Rg5 8.
Bf3 cxd5 9. Qa4+ Nc6 10. d3 Rg6 11. e4 d4 12. Nd5 Be6 13. Qb5 Qd7 14. Bd2 Bxd5
15. exd5 Nb4 16. Qxd7+ Kxd7 17. Bxb4 Bxb4+ 18. Kd1 Kd6 =
Grob - Aebi (corr) and; Analysis
1. g4 e5 2. d3! d5 3. Bg2
3... Bxg4 4. c4
Now this gambit is not as good for White as in the lines without d3 and ...e5.
4...Bb4+ 5. Nd2 c6 6. cxd5 Ne7
7. dxc6 Nbxc6 8. a3 =
Grob - Stingelin+ Analysis, 1993
1. g4 e5 2. d3! d5 3. Bg2 c6 4. h3 Ne7 5. Nf3 Ng6 6. Nc3 f5 =/+
If this sly system doesn't appeal you might fancy the emerging main line approach:
Basman - Keene, Benedictine, 1981
1. g4 d5 2. h3 e5 3. Bg2 c6 4. d4 e4 5. c4 Bd6 6. Nc3 Ne7 7. g5
Basman has also tried:
[7. Bg5 f6 8. Bd2 unclear, (Basman - Kudrin, Benedictine, 1981)]
7... Be6 8. h4 Nf5 9. Bh3 O-O 10. cxd5 cxd5 11. Nxd5
11... Ng3 12. Nf6+ gxf6 13. fxg3 Bxg3+ 14. Kf1 Nc6 15. Be3 Nb4 16. Kg2 Nd5
17. Kxg3 Nxe3 18. Qd2 Qd6+ 19. Kf2 Qf4+ 20. Nf3 exf3
0-1.
21. Qxe3 Qxh4+ 22. Kxf3 Bd5+
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This document (black_d4.html) was last modified on Feb 8 1996 by
Dr. Dave