Download PGN of February ’23 1 e4 e5 games
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Urusoff Gambit 2 Bc4 Nf6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nf3 Bb4+ [C24] - Theo Slade
Mari_Ooriad, P - Lorparizangeneh, S, Rasht 2015: The Urusov Gambit can be quite tricky if you’re not prepared, but the Iranian GM demonstrates how to completely neutralise White’s play with 4...Bb4+ 5 c3 dxc3 6 bxc3:
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And now 6...d5!.
Vienna Game 2...Nf6 3 f4 d5 4 fxe5 Nxe4 5 Qf3 f5 [C29]
I know this line is quite trendy, but I was still very surprised to see it played at the Tata Steel Masters between two 2700+ super GMs. Fortunately for us, Black played the move that Victor preferred and that we haven't yet looked at very deeply, 5...f5:
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Both players were exceedingly well prepared, but it was Black who introduced a good novelty and soon gained an advantage. This line is dangerous for Black, so it is good to see another strong defence, don't miss Rapport, R - Abdusattorov, N.
Petroff Defence 3 Nxe5 d6 4 Nd3 Nxe4 5 Qe2 Qe7 6 Nf4 c6 [C42]
Same tournament, and same story, as in Carlsen, M - Rapport, R the World Champ played a line I've looked at recently and Black chose the one main move I hadn't analysed in any detail, 6...c6:
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Despite its drawish reputation this game became very sharp with Rapport sacrificing first one piece and then a second to expose the white king. However, Carlsen defended very accurately and snuffed out Black's initiative.
Giuoco Piano 8 a4 Ba7 9 h3 h6 10 Nbd2 Re8 11 b4 [C54] - Theo Slade
So, W - Nakamura, H, 2023 from the Airthings Masters round 2.1: Wesley So kicked his match off against Hikaru Nakamura in the Airthings Masters with an idea we haven’t covered before on ChessPublishing 13 Rb1:
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This is interesting and has performed very well.
So, W - Nakamura, H, 2023 from the Airthings Masters round 2.3: In So’s next White game, he deviates on move 13 with 13 Qc2 Qd7 14 Rb1:
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However, Nakamura shows the best defense.
Giuoco Piano 7 Bg5 h6 8 Bh4 g5 9 Bg3 a5 [C54]
In Erigaisi, A - Ding, L on the further 10 Re1 Ba7 11 Nbd2 Nh7 White played 12 d4, which had served him well in a previous game:
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However, Ding had prepared the new counter 12...g4!? , which led to interesting complications where Black could have obtained a decent advantage in only a few moves.
Spanish, Yurtaev System 10 a5 Ba7 11 h3 0-0 12 Be3 Ra8 [C78]
The next game involves a long line of the Yurtaev where Black refuses to play ...h6 until it's necessary. After 10 a5 Ba7 11 h3 0-0 12 Be3 Ra8 13 Nbd2 Bb7 14 Re1 Re8 invites 15 Ng5 Re7 16 Ndf3 (Victor examined 16 d5 in the game Anand,V-Shirov,A back in 2010) and only now Black played 16...h6!:
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This forces White's hand, he has no choice but to capture on f7 and change two pieces for a rook and one (or more) pawns. After the complications Ding, L - Maghsoodloo, P reached an interesting endgame of rook and two pawns against two strong bishops. White was pushing for the win for a long time, but Black stood firm.
Spanish, Zaitsev Variation 6 Re1 b5 7 Bb3 d6 8 c3 O-O 9 h3 Re8 10 d4 Bb7 [C92]
After the further 11 Nbd2 Bf8 12 a4 h6 13 Bc2 exd4 14 cxd4 Nb4 15 Bb1 c5 16 d5 Nd7 17 Ra3 c4 we reach the mainline position:
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Various authors have considered 18 axb5 axb5 19 Nd4 on ChessPublishing in the past, but what about the natural 18 Nd4 keeping the a-file closed so that the a3-rook can avoid exchange and swing across to the kingside? This move was tried in the Kasparov-Karpov World Championship match 1986, but Black seems to be OK, see Pham, K - Van der Werf, M.
Until next month, Tony.
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