What's New (August 2004 update)
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Hi Everyone! This month we take a look at games in the Nimzo Indian, Modern Benoni, and Queen's Indian from tournaments that have taken place in the past month.Remember, if you have any opinions, ideas or questions, please either make yourself heard at the Forum (the link above on the right) or subscribers can email me at JohnEmms@ChessPublishing.com.
To download the August '04 Nimzo and Benoni games directly in PGN form, click here: 
Nimzo Indian Classical Variation: 4 Qc2 d5
We begin this month with a game that could well prove to be extremely important in a theoretical sense. In Dreev - Zhang Zhong, Moscow 2004 the players opt for the incredibly sharp line first brought into prominence eleven years ago in the Kasparov-Short World Championship clash: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 d5 5 cxd5 exd5 (the main alternative for Black is the solid 5...Qxd5) 6 Bg5 h6 7 Bh4 8 dxc5 g5 9 Bg3 Ne4 10 e3 Qa5 11 Nge2 Bf5
            
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The main move here has been 12 Be5 (see, for example Atalik - Short, Sarajevo 2004 in ChessPub). Instead Dreev unleashed the novelty 12 Bxb8!?, a move which could cause Black serious headaches in this line.
Nimzo-Indian Classical Variation: 4 Qc2 0-0
The theory of the sharp line 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 0-0 5 e4!? continues to expand, and Nimzo players have been forced to search for new defensive resources in this line. The most recent game, Al Sayed-Tissir, Dubai 2004, went 5...d6 6 e5!?
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White continuing in a very aggressive fashion (the alternative is 6 a3 - see for example Ivanisevic-Nisipeanu, Istanbul 2003 in ChessPub). White wins a very nice miniature here, but the notes show more than one way for Black to improve.
With the game Dreev - Kulaots, Moscow 2004 we go back to the well trodden paths of the main line with 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 0-0 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 Qxc3 b6 7 Bg5 Bb7 8 e3 d6
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Here Dreev played 9 Ne2 Nbd7 10 Qd3!?, an idea which was introduced at the highest level by Bareev. The point is that after Ne2-c3 the e4-square will be well within White's control. White achieves a slightly better ending and Dreev's technique in turning this edge into a full point must be admired, but theoretically speaking I don't think this line should cause Black many problems.
Dearing - Ward, British Championship 2004 sees Black playing more ambitiously with the gambit line 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 0-0 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 Qxc3 b5!?
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We've come across this enticing pawn sacrifice a few times before on this website. In a refreshing change from 6...b6, Black gives up a pawn in Benko Gambit fashion in order to open up lines on the queenside and exploit his slight material advantage. The game continued 7 cxb5 c6 and here Eddie Dearing opted for 8 f3!?, which is perhaps White's most aggressive way of meeting the gambit with White, immediately trying to establish a pawn centre with e2-e4.
Modern Benoni: Fianchetto Variation
The game Martyn - Gordon, British Championship 2004 is an entertaining battle between two of Britain's most promising young players: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 c5 4 d5 exd5 5 cxd5 d6 6 Nc3 g6 7 Bg2 Bg7 8 Nf3 0-0 9 0-0 Re8 10 h3
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As we've seen before, White's main move here is 10 Nd2, planning Nc4. The idea of h2-h3 is simply to prevent a black piece coming to g4 and White plans to follow up with Re1 and e2-e4. Here Stephen Gordon chose the idea of 10...a6 11 a4 Ne4!, a typical ploy for Black in this type of position. The Benoni bishop is unleashed and the exchange of a pair of minor pieces eases the slightly cramped look to Black's position.
Modern Benoni: Old Classical Variation
Despite White's success with the Modern Classical Variation, some White players still prefer the older lines. A recent example is the game Postny - Simacek, Olomouc 2004: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 e6 4 Nc3 exd5 5 cxd5 d6 6 Nf3 g6 7 Nd2 Bg7 8 e4 0-0 9 Be2 Re8 10 0-0 Na6
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Black's plan is to play ...Nc7. From this square the knight supports the possible advance ...b5 and dissuades White from play e4-e5 on account of the pressure on the d5-pawn. However, Black must be careful not to be left with a passive knight on c7, and this is exactly what happens in this game!
Queen's Indian 4 g3
Finally this month a look at a very new gambit line for White that looks very dangerous. Z.Almasi-Balogh, Budapest 2004 goes 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 c4 b6 4 Nc3 Bb4 5 Bg5 Bb7 6 Nd2!? (this move has become the fashionable alternative to the tried and trusted 6 e3) 6...h6 7 Bh4 c5
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Until recently the main move for White has been 8 a3 (see, for example, see Degerman-Ivanov, Sweden 2003). However, Almasi played 8 d5!?, an interesting twist in this line. White offers a pawn sacrifice, but if Black accepts he must weaken his kingside. So far White's results have been very promising.
Until next time,
John Emms