The Italian game II

Giuoco Piano and Evans' Gambit (continued)
File Contents
t+lDj+-T
XxXx+xXx
-+s+-+-+
+-+-+-+-
-LbP-+-+
+-S-+n+-
pP-+-PpP
R-Bq+rK-
File in PGN Format

Giuoco Piano

Black avoids the Moller 8...Nxc3

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4. c3 Nf6 5. d4 ed4 6. cd4 Bb4 7. Nc3 (risky main line) Nxe4 8. 0-0

White has to play
9. bxc3

when Black has another choice


Bernstein's line: greedy 9...Bxc3
t+lDj+-T
XxXx+xXx
-+s+-+-+
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+-L-+n+-
p+-+-PpP
R-Bq+rK-

Reply

10. Ba3


t+lDj+-T
XxXx+xXx
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+-+-+-+-
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B-L-+n+-
p+-+-PpP
R-+q+rK-
This is Bernstein's line, and Black no longer has a satisfactory reply. When I came across this line as a junior I fell in love with it, and always tried to play it.

CHOOSE:


t+lDj+-T
XxXx+xXx
-+s+-+-+
+-+-+-+-
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B-L-+n+-
p+-+-PpP
R-+q+rK-
The most important one to deal with is the most obvious:

10... Bxa1

11. Re1+ Ne7 12. Bxe7 Qxe7 13. Rxe7+ Kxe7 14. Qe1+ Kf8 15. Qxa1

t+l+-J-T
XxXx+xXx
-+-+-+-+
+-+-+-+-
-+bP-+-+
+-+-+n+-
p+-+-PpP
Q-+-+-K-
with extra material, and White's attack is far from over. Black must back out earlier.

t+lDj+-T
XxXx+xXx
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+-+-+-+-
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B-L-+n+-
p+-+-PpP
R-+q+rK-
10... d6

is also insufficient

11. Rc1 Ba5 12. Qa4 a6 13. Bd5 Bb6 14. Rxc6 Bd7 15. Re1+ Kf8 16. Rxd6 cxd6 17. Bxd6+ Kg8 18. Bxf7+ Kxf7 19. Qb3+ Kg6 20. Ne5+

t+-D-+-T
+x+l+-Xx
xL-B-+j+
+-+-N-+-
-+-P-+-+
+q+-+-+-
p+-+-PpP
+-+-R-K-
20...Kf6

21. Qf7+ Kg5 22. Qxg7+ Kh5 23. g4+ Bxg4 24. Qxg4+ Kh6 25. Nf7#


t+lDj+-T
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10... d5

Often a good idea but here is no good either:

11. Bb5 Bxa1 12. Re1+ Be6 13. Qa4 Qc8 14. Bxc6+ bxc6 15. Qxc6+ Kd8 16. Ng5 Qb8

tD-J-+-T
X-X-+xXx
-+q+l+-+
+-+x+-N-
-+-P-+-+
B-+-+-+-
p+-+-PpP
L-+-R-K-

t+lDj+-T
XxXx+xXx
-+s+-+-+
+-+-+-+-
-+bP-+-+
B-L-+n+-
p+-+-PpP
R-+q+rK-
10... Qf6

Not even close

11. Rc1 Bb4 12. Bxb4 Nxb4 13. Re1+

t+l+j+-T
XxXx+xXx
-+-+-D-+
+-+-+-+-
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p+-+-PpP
+-RqR-K-

t+lDj+-T
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+-+-+-+-
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B-L-+n+-
p+-+-PpP
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10... Ne7

best: the game might go

11. Qb3 d5 12. Qxc3 dxc4 13. Rfe1 Be6 14. Bxe7 Kxe7 15. d5 Qxd5 16. Rad1 Qc5 17. Re5 Qb6

t+-+-+-T
XxX-JxXx
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White now can finish nicely:

18. Rxe6+ Qxe6

else Qxg7+ is terrible

19. Re1 Qxe1+ 20. Qxe1+ Kd8 21. Ne5

t+-J-+-T
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when White should be able to handle the Pawns, which lack support from the Rooks.


Bernstein: the safer 9... d5

t+lDj+-T
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This may be really where Black should back out.

10. cxb4 dxc4 11. Re1+

11... Ne7

t+lDj+-T
XxX-SxXx
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p+-+-PpP
R-BqR-K-
12. Qe2


t+lDj+-T
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After 12. Qe2 Fritz wanted to play out a game it knew about, which ran:

12... Be6 13. Bg5 Qd7 14. Qe5 c6 15. Qxg7 O-O-O 16. Ne5 Qd5 17. Qf6 Ng6 18. h4 Rhg8 19. Nxg6 hxg6 20. Rac1 b5 21. a4 Qxd4 22. axb5 Qxf6 23. Bxf6 Rd3 24. bxc6 Kc7 25. Rxe6 fxe6 26. Rxc4

-+-+-+t+
X-J-+-+-
-+p+xBx+
+-+-+-+-
-Pr+-+-P
+-+t+-+-
-+-+-Pp+
+-+-+-K-
White's exchange deficit is compensated by the pawns

If you don't fancy this you can always play 11.b5.

Moller attack

8... Bxc3

Now the key reply is 9. d5, although we will look at 9. bxc3 below.

9. d5
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9... Bf6

What indeed?)]

t+lDj+-T
XxXx+xXx
-+s+-+-+
+-+p+-+-
-+b+s+-+
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pP-+-PpP
R-Bq+rK-


t+l+-T-J
XxDx+bX-
-+-X-Sq+
+-+-+-N-
-+-+-+-+
+-P-R-+-
p+-+-PpP
R-+-+-K-
winning]

After 9...Bf6, the only try is

t+lDj+-T
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10. Re1


t+lDj+-T
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R-BqR-K-
10... Ne7 11. Rxe4 d6 12. Bg5 Bxg5 13. Nxg5

t+lDj+-T
XxX-SxXx
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+-+p+-N-
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+-+-+-+-
pP-+-PpP
R-+q+-K-
13... O-O

14. Nxh7 Kxh7

15. Qh5+ Kg8 16. Rh4 f5 17. Re1 Re8 18. Re6 Kf8 19. Be2 Nxd5 20. Qxf5+ Kg8 21. Qh7+ Kf7 22. Rxe8 Kxe8 23. Qg8+ Kd7 24. Bg4+ Kc6 25. Qxd8 winning

t+lQ-+-+
XxX-+-X-
-+jX-+-+
+-+s+-+-
-+-+-+bR
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pP-+-PpP
+-+-+-K-


If this is all a bit much, White can go instead

9. bxc3

when 9... d5

is OK for Black.

t+lDj+-T
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+-+x+-+-
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p+-+-PpP
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White is still ahead in development but Black still has a pawn. At Grandmaster level they have given up on this line, thinking White cannot get enough of an attack going. At club level, though, there may be enough meat left to chew.

Let's look at two example lines, to see how games might go.

10. Bb5 O-O 11. Qc2 Bf5 12. Bd3 Bg6 13. Rb1 Nd6 14. Ba3 b6 15. Ne5 Bxd3 16. Qxd3 Ne7 17. Rfe1 f6 18. Ng4 Qd7 19. Qh3 Rad8 20. Rb2 Ng6 21. Qf3 Rfe8 22. Rbe2 Rxe2 23. Rxe2 Ne4 24. h3 Qa4 25. Bb2 Qxa2 26. Ne3

-+-T-+j+
X-X-+-Xx
-X-+-Xs+
+-+x+-+-
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+-P-Nq+p
dB-+rPp+
+-+-+-K-
when it has all gone minty for White.
So White can try instead

t+lDj+-T
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10. Be3 dxc4 11. Re1 f5 12. Nd2 Kf7 13. Nxe4 fxe4 14. Rxe4 Qf6 15. Qe2 Bf5 16. Qxc4+ Kg6 17. Re3 Rae8 18. Rae1 Rxe3 19. Rxe3 h5 20. h3 h4 21. d5 Ne5 22. Qxc7 Nd3 23. Qxb7 Bc8 24. Qc6 Qxc6 25. dxc6 Nf4 26. Re7 a6

-+l+-+-T
+-+-R-X-
x+p+-+j+
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-+-+-S-X
B-P-+-+p
p+-+-Pp+
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when White has enough pawns to account for the piece, but their scattered placing makes it hard to play for a win.
If you are not convinced by any of these lines (and while they are worth a punt in practice the theory is against them) you can always play safe on move 7. So let's look at that next.


Safe main line 7. Bd2

7. Bd2
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7... Bxd2+ 8. Nbxd2 d5

Of course.

9. exd5 Nxd5

10. Qb3 Nce7 11. O-O O-O

t+lD-Tj+
XxX-SxXx
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+-+s+-+-
-+bP-+-+
+q+-+n+-
pP-N-PpP
R-+-+rK-
White has several alternatives in this well-known position:


For an example of 12. Rfe1 see the games section.


The closed variation 4...Bb6

4... Bb6 5. d4 Qe7 6. Bg5

t+l+j+sT
XxXxDxXx
-Ls+-+-+
+-+-X-B-
-+bPp+-+
+-P-+n+-
pP-+-PpP
Rn+qK-+r
This continuation was discovered by Jonathan Mestel and helped him win the UK Championship in 1975. Of course, Black doesn't want to weaken the King's-side with ...f6, when Nxe5 looks very dangerous.

6... Nf6 7. d5 Nd8 8. d6 cxd6

The capture with 8...Qxd6 9. Qxd6 cxd6 is no safer for Black.

9. Na3 a6 10. Nc2 Bxf2+ 11. Ke2 Bc5 12. Nh4 Ne6 13. Nf5 +-

t+l+j+-T
+x+xDxXx
x+-XsS-+
+-L-XnB-
-+b+p+-+
+-P-+-+-
pPn+k+pP
R-+q+-+r
Mestel-Doyle '75; White has a large positional advantage and may be winning.

Evans' Gambit 4. b4

4. b4
t+lDj+sT
XxXx+xXx
-+s+-+-+
+-L-X-+-
-Pb+p+-+
+-+-+n+-
p+pP-PpP
RnBqK-+r

Evans' Gambit Declined (4...Bb6)

4... Bb6

The best way to refute a gambit is to accept it.
5. a4 a6 6. Nc3 d6

7. Nd5 Ba7 8. d3 h6

9. Be3 +=

t+lDj+sT
LxX-+xX-
x+sX-+-X
+-+nX-+-
pPb+p+-+
+-+pBn+-
-+p+-PpP
R-+qK-+r
With an edge for White - Panov/Estrin]


Evans' Gambit Accepted (4...Bxb4)

4... Bxb4

t+lDj+sT
XxXx+xXx
-+s+-+-+
+-L-X-+-
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+-P-+n+-
p+-+-PpP
RnBqK-+r
[If instead 4... Nxb4 5. c3 Nc6 6. d4
transposes to the 5...Bc5 variation]


5. c3
t+lDj+sT
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Black has three choices:

Evans' Gambit with 5... Bc5

5... Bc5 6. d4 exd4 7. O-O

t+lDj+sT
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+-L-+-+-
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p+-+-PpP
RnBq+rK-
7...d6

8. cxd4 Bb6 9. Nc3 Na5 10. Bg5 Ne7


t+l+j+sT
XxX-+dXx
-L-X-X-+
+-+n+-+-
-+qPpB-+
+-+-+n+-
p+-+-PpP
R-+-+rK-


-+t+j+-T
+xX-+d+x
-X-+l+-+
+-+xPs+-
-+-N-+-+
Q-+-+-B-
p+-+-+pP
R-+-+rK-


t+lDj+-T
XxX-SxXx
-L-X-+-+
S-+-+-B-
-+bPp+-+
+-N-+n+-
p+-+-PpP
R-+q+rK-
Now an old analysis goes:

11. Bxf7+ Kxf7 12. Nd5 Re8 13. Bxe7 Rxe7 14. Ng5+ Kg8 15. Qh5 h6 16. Qg6 hxg5 17. Nf6+ Kf8 18. Nh7+ Kg8 19. Nf6+

t+lD-+j+
XxX-T-X-
-L-X-Nq+
S-+-+-X-
-+-Pp+-+
+-+-+-+-
p+-+-PpP
R-+-+rK-
with a draw by perpetual check - Tchigorin.

Evans' Gambit with 5..Be7

5... Be7
t+lDj+sT
XxXxLxXx
-+s+-+-+
+-+-X-+-
-+b+p+-+
+-P-+n+-
p+-P-PpP
RnBqK-+r

6. d4


t+lDj+-T
XxXxLx+x
-+-+-+-X
+-+-X-+-
-+qPp+-+
+-P-+n+-
p+-+-PpP
Rn+-K-+r


t+lDj+sT
XxXxLxXx
-+s+-+-+
+-+-X-+-
-+bPp+-+
+-P-+n+-
p+-+-PpP
RnBqK-+r
6... Na5 7. Nxe5 Nxc4 8. Nxc4 d5 9. exd5 Qxd5 10. Ne3 Qd7 11. O-O Nf6 12. c4 O-O

13. Nc3 c6 14. d5 cxd5 15. Ncxd5 Nxd5 16. Nxd5

t+l+-Tj+
Xx+dLxXx
-+-+-+-+
+-+n+-+-
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p+-+-PpP
R-Bq+rK-
+= Nunn-Larsen 1980

White has a small edge.

The most famous recent example of this line is of course:


Kasparov, Gary - Anand, Viswanathan, Riga 1993

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Bc5 4. b4 Bxb4 5. c3 Be7 6. d4 Na5 7. Be2
t+lDj+sT
XxXxLxXx
-+-+-+-+
S-+-X-+-
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+-P-+n+-
p+-+bPpP
RnBqK-+r
A new move

7... exd4 8. Qxd4 Nf6 9. e5 Nc6 10. Qh4 Nd5 11. Qg3 g6 12. O-O Nb6

t+lDj+-T
XxXxLx+x
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p+-+bPpP
RnB-+rK-
The Black king never escapes the centre

13. c4 d6 14. Rd1 Nd7 15. Bh6 Ncxe5 16. Nxe5 Nxe5 17. Nc3

Develop before attacking with a move like Bg7

17... f6 18. c5 Nf7 19. cxd6 cxd6 20. Qe3 Nxh6 21. Qxh6 Bf8

t+lDjL-T
Xx+-+-+x
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p+-+bPpP
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White's lead on development could hardly be greater

22. Qe3+ Kf7 23.

Nd5 Be6 24. Nf4 Qe7 25. Re1 1-0

t+-+-L-T
Xx+-Dj+x
-+-XlXx+
+-+-+-+-
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+-+-Q-+-
p+-+bPpP
R-+-R-K-

An amazing destruction of the current world No.3 and his PCA championship challenger.


File Contents

Black avoids the Moller
8...Nxc3

Bernstein's line:
greedy 9...Bxc3

Bernstein: the safer
9... d5

Moller attack
9.d5 after 8..Bxc3

Safe main line
7. Bd2

The closed variation
4...Bb6

Evans' Gambit 4. b4

Evans' Gambit Declined
(4...Bb6)

Evans' Gambit Accepted
(4...Bxb4)

Evans' Gambit with
5... Bc5

Evans' Gambit with
5..Be7

Kasparov, Gary - Anand,
Viswanathan, Riga 1993

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Dr Dave, Exeter Chess Club