Download PGN of June '10 1 e4 e5 games
Chigorin Variation [C97-99]
First, I would like to hand over to GM Berg, and so the first game in this update is Berg, E - Getz, N.
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In the position given above, instead of the main line 15...Na5, Black introduced the novelty 15...Nb8. First White put some pressure on Black and then he won in spectacular style. Probably it's better to play 15...Na5, where the knight is better situated.
The game Gashimov, V - Inarkiev, E FIDE GP Astrakhan 2010, saw the early 12.d5, instead of the main line 12.Nbd2 which occurred in Emanuel Berg's game.
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Here Gashimov played the uncommon 13.b4, which was introduced by 13-year-old Kasparov back in 1976. Gashimov later outplayed his opponent thanks to some nonstandard solutions. However, both the opening line with 12...c4 and Kasparov's 13.b4 deserve further practical tests.
Anti-Marshall with 8.h3 [C88]
Gashimov, V - Ivanchuk, V FIDE GP Astrakhan 2010, featured an interesting novelty in the 8.h3 Anti-Marshall.
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In the diagram position Gashimov introduced a strong new idea, 14.Ng5. The game was a good win for Gashimov who assessed the position better than his opponent, who found himself in trouble without making any visible mistakes. The opening idea 14.Ng5 is interesting and will certainly be seen again at the highest level in the very near future.
Open Variation [C83]
Leko, P - Akopian, V FIDE GP Astrakhan 2010, reached a well-known endgame position:
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Leko didn't managed to set Black any real problems and the game was drawn. I believe the key idea is b4 followed by a4 which would at least give White some hope for an advantage.
Archangel Variation [C78]
Inarkiev, E - Leko, P FIDE GP Astrakhan 2010, saw one of the most important lines of the Archangel Variation:
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White has just played 17.Ra4, which is the last word of theory in this line, and after 17...Qf6 introduced the novelty 18.Be3. Leko reacted well and soon it was White who had to be accurate to save half a point. It seems that Leko fully neutralized White's novelty, so perhaps 18.e5 promises more chances for an advantage.
The Exchange Variation [C68]
A brilliant idea was demonstrated by Jakovenko in the game Jakovenko, D - Inarkiev, E 4th ACP World Rapid Cup 2010.
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Black just played the natural 10...f6? and after 11.Bf4 0-0-0 Jakovenko now found the beautiful 12.Ncb5!! which completely refutes Black's 10th move. Black has to test the alternatives, and one of them occurred in the game Radjabov, T - Mamedyarov, S FIDE GP Astrakhan 2010, five days before Inarkiev's defeat. Radjabov obtained a slightly better position after 10...Be7, instead of 10...f6, and then 11.Bxe7 Nxe7 12.Rad1 when the following position was reached:
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White exploited the small pluses in his position very skilfully, and Radjabov produced a very good technical win. Despite some luck at the end the win is fully deserved. Probably Black's position after 10...Be7 is holdable, but Black has to suffer without any realistic chances to win the game..
Four Knights [C48]
In the game Svidler, P - Gelfand, B White avoided the Petroff and introduced a new concept in a well-known position:
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Earlier White only played 9.c3, trading the d4-pawn, but here Svidler introduced the move 9.a3, saving his light-squared bishop on the a2-g8 diagonal and refraining from exchanges in the centre. The idea worked surprisingly well, when Gelfand blundered with 21...f5 while under some pressure. Svidler's new idea 9.a3 requires further practical tests, though Black's position remains pretty solid, as the loss in the current game was caused by a blunder.
Enjoy.
See you next month, Victor.
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