Download PGN of February ’25 Nimzo and Benoni games
>> Previous Update >>
Nimzo-Indian: 4 e3 0-0 5 Nf3 d5 6 Bd2 [E51]
4 e3 0-0 5 Nf3 d5 6 Bd2 Nbd7:
             |
Lines with an early Bd2 continue to be popular. We’ve seen 6...Nbd7 before, and it’s a decent alternative to the main line, 6...b6. By developing the knight, Black maintains maximum flexibility with the pawn structure. In many situations, Black chooses a QGA set-up with ...dxc4 or a Semi-Slav set-up with ...c6.
a) 7 Rc1 c6 8 Be2 Qe7 9 0-0 dxc4 10 Bxc4 e5 11 Qc2 has been played a few times:
|
|
Here 11...Bxc3! is an improvement over the previously seen 11...Bd6 - see the notes to Oro, F - Yakubboev, N.
b) 7 Qc2 c6 8 Be2 was played in Gukesh, D - Keymer, V. Here 8...dxc4 9 Bxc4 b5 10 Bd3 Bb7 is the obvious choice for Black, but the young German grandmaster preferred 8...b6 9 0-0 a5!? with interesting play.
4 e3 0-0 5 Bd2 d5 6 Nf3 b6 7 cxd5 exd5 8 Bd3 Bb7 9 Qc2!?:
|
|
As we’ve studied before, 9 Qc2 offers White some chances for a quick attack on the kingside (for example, after 9...Re8 10 a3 Bf8 11 Ng5! g6 12 h4!) so the queen move is an attractive alternative to the main lines with 9 Rc1 and 9 0-0. A quick reaction in the centre with 9...c5 certainly discourages White’s kingside ambitions, which makes it a wise practical choice. After 10 0-0 c4 11 Be2 Nc6:
|
|
to have any chance of gaining an advantage, White needs to challenge the pawn on c4 with 12 b3!. See the notes to So, W - Anand, V for analysis.
Nimzo-Indian: 4 e3 0-0 5 Bd3 d5 6 Nf3 dxc4 7 Bxc4 c5 8 0-0 Nc6 [E55]
4 e3 0-0 5 Bd3 d5 6 Nf3 dxc4 7 Bxc4 c5 8 0-0 Nc6 9 dxc5 Bxc5 10 Qe2!:
|
|
9 dxc5 certainly doesn’t look particularly ambitious, and it’s no surprise that it’s less popular than 9 a3 and 9 Bd3. We get a symmetrical position which more often arises from an e3 QGD. Black had an opportunity to deaden the game and by exchanging queens on move nine. At least with queens on the board, there’s more chance of some excitement. The position now resembles the Furman (6 Qe2) Variation of the QGA. It’s instructive how White managed to squeeze something from here in a recent game - see the notes to Nguyen, T - Yakubboev, N.
Nimzo-Indian Saemisch: 4 a3 Bxc3+ 5 bxc3 b6 [E24]
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 a3 Bxc3+ 5 bxc3 b6 6 f3 Nc6 7 e4 Na5 8 Bd3 Ba6 9 Qe2:
|
|
The Saemisch is still enjoying its revival as a serious weapon, even at the highest level. However, this does mean that those playing Black are no longer surprised by it. We’ve previously seen 9...d6 10 f4!, which led to a convincing for White in Van Foreest,J-Giri,A/Wijk aan Zee 2022. At the same event, but three years later, Black improved with 9...c5! and a sharp, complex position was soon reached - see the notes to Abdusattorov, N - Wei,Y.
Queen’s Indian: 4 g3 Ba6 5 Qc2 [E15]
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 g3 Ba6 5 Qc2 Bb7 6 Bg2 c5:
|
|
If White is looking for a quieter life, 7 dxc5!? could be considered. This move leads to positions very similar to those seen after 5 Qa4 Bb7 6 Bg2 c5 7 dxc5, and White could argue that the queen is better placed on c2. It certainly worked well for White in the recent game Baum, J - Harshavardhan, G.
Till next time, John
>> Previous Update >>
Feel free to share your ideas and opinions on the Forum (the link above on the right), while subscribers with any questions can email me at JohnEmms@ChessPublishing.com.