The August Update
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I've chosen a number of important lines which for some reason were not yet covered in our previous updates. For example 11...Nd7 in Babula-Balabaev and 13.b5 in Xu Yun-Ye. I took three games from the Montreal Invitational tournament (group A) as I was taking part in the B group, which ran at the same place, and so I could see these games live :)... Victor Mikhalevski |
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Hello everyone
To download the August '04 KI games directly in PGN form, click here: 
Classical: The Bayonet attack
As usually I would like to start with the Bayonet attack and our first game is Babula, V - Balabaev, T, Olomouc 2004.
            
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In the board position, which was reached from the important (and yet uncovered in our updates) line with 11...Nd7, White introduced a strong novelty 17.c5. Black was unable to find a good counter idea, soon obtained an unpleasant position and eventually lost. A good game by Babula and a headache for Black in this line. I've suggested 22...Re8 as an improvement for Black, but frankly speaking, I don't like Black's position there. I believe Topalov's 15...Rf6 (see notes) requires further tests.
Next comes Xu Yun- Ye Jiangchuan, Sanjin Hotel Cup 2004.
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The game saw a relatively rare line with 13.b5. The key-position has arisen after 21.Ba3. In this complicated position Black went wrong and got a difficult position. Only tough defense and help from his opponent allowed him to save half a point.
Our next game is Xu Yun-Xie Jun, Sanjin Hotel Cup 2004.
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In this critical position of the line, which mixes ...Nh5 and ...a5, the former Women's World Champion met 18.Bb2 with a new move 18...Nh6!? Soon she sacrificed a pawn, then an exchange and launched a strong attack which reached its goal with the help of Xu Yun. A very interesting game!
Classical: The Gligoric-Taimanov system
In the game Wells, P - Kritz, L, MTO Biel 2004 White tried to surprise his young opponent with a rare idea of Korchnoi's.
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In the board position he played 12.Qd5, but it turned out that Kritz was ready for it and soon White started to play inaccurately. On move 20 he committed a mistaken piece sacrifice which was refuted in style by a counter sacrifice. Black's attack was quick and unstoppable.
Saemisch
Two interesting games were played in the Montreal Invitational by this system. First in Moiseenko, A - Nataf, IA, It A Montreal 2004 White came up with a dubious novelty on move 13, which was refuted by the energetic play of Igor Alexandre. After the game Moiseenko told me that he didn't have a single chance. Well-done, Nataf!
Then we have Novikov, I - Efimenko, Z.
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The young Ukrainian, who won the tournament, came along with a new and interesting idea 10...a5. Then he played 11...b6, prepared counterplay on the kingside and finally penetrated on the queenside scoring a full point. A very good positional display from Efimenko against a 2600 player.
Fianchetto variation
The game Zugic, I - Nataf, IA saw the Lesser Simagin variation- 7...Bf5. White obtained a slightly better position from the opening where Black was lacking counterplay. He succeeded in keeping Black contained throughout the game and despite a number of mutual mistakes in time-trouble won a good game. Black will have to look for a better idea in the opening...
The system with 5...c6
Our last game in this update is Epishin, V - Gutman, L, Nova Open Haarlem 2004.
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In the last update I played this position as White and continued 12.a4. Instead, Epishin tries a very rare, but interesting idea 12.Bg5. After a number of inaccurate moves by Black he obtains a clear positional advantage and then wins the game by very powerful play. One may think that if the specialist of 5...c6 loses so badly, then something is wrong with the system. Maybe so, but 6.h3 doesn't look like a refutation. Black can play better...
Enjoy the games! See you soon.
Victor
Don't hesitate to share your thoughts and suggestions with me. Any queries or comments to the KID Forum, or to me directly at Victor@ChessPublishing.com (subscribers only) would be most welcome.