Download PGN of May '14 1 e4 e5 games
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Spanish - Open Variation with 9.Nbd2 [C83]
I would like to start with the game Caruana, F - Nakamura, H, Vugar Gashimov memorial 2014.
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Caruana introduced an interesting novelty in the diagram position (after 17...Bg6), the move 18.Bg5!?. Nakamura was up to the task and managed to maintain the balance throughout this well-played game.
Berlin Wall 9.h3 h6 with ...Ke8 [C67]
In the game Caruana, F - Carlsen, M, Vugar Gashimov memorial 2014, Fabiano managed to set the World Champion some problems in the opening.
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In the position given above White introduced the novelty 13.Ne4. Surprisingly, Carlsen soon succumbed under some pressure and blundered a pawn, and despite all his attempts to complicate matters Caruana led the game to a win with an iron hand. A well-played game by Caruana, as it's not easy to force the World Champion to make the mistakes he made in this game. However, Black's position seems to be defendable, for example, both 19...Ke7 and 21...Kxd7 seem to maintain the balance.
Archangel with 7.Bc2 d5 [C78]
The game Dominguez, L - Leko, P 21st TCh-RUS 2014, saw a critical forcing line with 7...d5, and the players reached the following diagram position after 21...Bxf2 virtually by force:
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Now Dominguez decided to improve upon two early games (which featured 22.Rf1) with 22.Ne4. Once again a well-played game by both players, which led to a fair outcome, Leko proved that Black is doing fine in this forced line and so the ball is still in White's court. I suggest trying 10.dxc5!?
Scotch with 4...Nf6, Mieses Variation 9.Nc3 [C45]
In the game Nepomniachtchi, I - Svidler, P 21st TCh-RUS 2014, the players started to surprise each other pretty early. First, White played 10.Qe4 reaching the following diagram position:
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Then Black answered with the uncommon 10...g6 and initiated wild complications, which led to a fascinating game, more typical of 19th century chess. A short, but beautiful draw! Black's opening idea 10...g6 requires further practical tests.
Giuoco Piano with 5.d3 [C54]
Radjabov, T - Karjakin, S, Vugar Gashimov memorial 2014, followed the game Kudrin, S - Vescovi, G/Cali 2007 for the first 17 moves, till they reached the following diagram position:
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Here Karjakin introduced the strong novelty 17...Qd3, which I have already mentioned in the analysis of my game against Kudrin, but his next move was inaccurate and he came under some pressure. However, Sergey showed his good defensive skills again. If he had played 18...g5! the position would have remained equal.
In Ivanchuk, V - Vallejo, P, 49th Capablanca Elite 2014, Black started to fight for the initiative from the very beginning with 6...d5, and after 7.exd5 Nxd5:
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Ivanchuk decided to surprise his opponent with the very rare 8.a4. On move 20 the Ukrainian player sacrificed a piece with 20.Rd1, which turned out to be wrong, as he didn't receive sufficient compensation and eventually lost. Black's setup with an early 6....d5 is an interesting way to fight for the initiative from the very beginning. I believe its critical test should be 8.Re1, though Ivanchuk's idea of a4-a5 is not without poison too.
Ponziani/Reversed Hanham with 4.d3 d5 [C44]
This system has become a favourite weapon of the Georgian GM Jobava against 1...e5, and in the next two games he defeated two strong opponents with its help.
We'll start with the game Jobava, B - Svidler, P, 21st TCh-RUS 2014. Peter obtained a reasonable position from the opening, but then started to make inaccurate moves and was outplayed. A well-played game by Jobava who slowly, but surely outmanoeuvred his strong opponent. Even though White's setup doesn't set opening problems White's play is easy and his plans are standard. On the other hand, Black can't be worse if he plays accurately and may even hope to fight for the advantage as he usually obtains a spatial plus.
3 Knights/Reversed Hanham with 3...g6 [C46]
In the game Jobava, B - Kamsky, G, 21st TCh-RUS 2014, Kamsky went for a different system with 3...g6:
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The players exchanged mistakes early in the game by 10...Ne8, 11.Bd4, but Gata was the last to err and lost the game. Kamsky chose a solid setup against Jobava's favourite system, but his move 10...Ne8 can't be recommended and could have led to White's advantage. Instead 10...Nd7 promised equal chances.
Enjoy!
See you next month, Victor.
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