What's New (February 2003 update)
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Hi Everyone! This month we take a look at the most important and entertaining Nimzo, Queen's Indian, Modern Benoni and Bogo-Indian games from February. |
Remember, if you have any opinions, ideas or questions, please either make yourself heard at the Forum (the link above on the right) or email me at JohnEmms@ChessPublishing.com.
To download the February '03 Nimzo and Benoni games directly in PGN form, click here: 
Nimzo-Indian: 4 Bd2
Rory from London writes:
«I have recently come up against 4 Bd2 in the Nimzo and, while there is general agreement that White loses a lot of his advantage here, I (as a complete patzer) have had some difficulty against it. In your book (Easy Guide to the Nimzo-Indian) you recommend 4...c5 and 4...d5 and give this line 2 pages in all. Do you still hold with this or are there any new ideas here?»
4 Bd2 is a perfectly natural pin-breaking move that has similar motives to 4 Qc2. This idea has always been criticised by the 'experts' and it's true that Black should be able to reach a comfortable position. However, as far as I can see there's certainly no refutation that Black can confidently wheel out. Black should just concentrate on finding a reply that is most in line with his normal way of playing the Nimzo. As Rory mentioned, I advocated 4...c5 and 4...d5 in Easy Guide to the Nimzo-Indian. However, these are not the only playable moves, and in the game Schaufelberger - Jaracz, Biel 2000 I'd like to take a brief look at a couple of other options for Black.
Classical Variation: 4 Qc2
I.Sokolov-Macieja, Reykjavik 2003 begins 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 c5 5 dxc5 0-0 6 a3 Bxc5 7 Nf3
            
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In this position we have previously looked at 7...d5, while 7...Nc6 is also possible. However, Macieja decides to fianchetto with 7...b6, and this looks pretty logical. From this position you would expect the game to continue reasonably quietly, but in fact it soon explodes into a crazy tactical melee.
Classical Variation: 5 Qb3
Gretarsson - Adams, Reykjavik 2003 begins 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 Nc3 Bb4 5 Qb3 c5 6 a3 Ba5 7 Bg5 h6 8 Bh4 g5 9 Bg3 g4!
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Now moving the knight simply leaves the d4-pawn hanging, so White is forced to sacrifice material. Massive complications ensue but my feeling is that White needs some big improvement here if he wants to continue playing this line.
Queen's Indian Fianchetto Variation
Kasparov - Ponomariov, a game from the very recent Linares super GM event, begins 1 Nf3 Nf6 2 d4 e6 3 g3 b6 4 Bg2 Bb7 5 c4 (note that Kasparov's sneaky move-order has eliminated Black's possibility of playing ...Ba6 to hit the c4-pawn) 5...Be7 6 Nc3 Ne4 7 Bd2 8 0-0 0-0 9 Rc1
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Previously we have considered 9...c5, but here Ponomariov stakes a claim for the centre with 9...d5. However, after a later inaccuracy the Ukrainian FIDE world champion finds himself in some trouble and the world number one is in a ruthless mood to exploit it.
Queen's Indian 4 a3
Often unleashing a novelty can have an unsettling effect on one's opponent and this certainly seems the case in Nisipeanu - Tiviakov, Saint Vincent 2003. The opening moves are 1 Nf3 Nf6 2 d4 e6 3 c4 b6 4 a3 Bb7 5 Nc3 d5 6 cxd5 Nxd5 7 Qc2 Nxc3 8 Qxc3
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Last month we looked at the move 8...h6 in Karpov-J.Polgar, Wijk aan Zee 2003, but here Tiviakov plumps for 8...Nd7. On move fourteen Nisipeanu plays a new move which at first looks very harmless. However, it contained a sneaky trap into which Tiviakov immediately falls!
Modern Benoni Old Classical Variation
The game Almond - Ward, Jersey 2003 (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 Na6) is not particularly important in a theoretical sense but it does contain some typical Benoni themes as both sides strive for the initiative. Eventually it is Black who is successful after White misses a trick on the kingside. The end of the game is pretty and is well worth a look.
Snake Benoni
We finish with our good friend, the Snake Benoni. In the game Dittmar - Legky, Saint Vincent 2003, White is successful after adopting the critical line 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 e6 4 Nc3 exd5 5 cxd5 Bd6 6 Nf3 Bc7 7 d6!?
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We have seen before on this site that 7 Bg5 leads to a safe edge for White (see Tkachiev-Savchenko, Cannes 2000 - ECO code A60). However, 7 d6 is a direct attempt at refutation.
Till next month,
John Emms