Download PGN of October ’24 Nimzo and Benoni games

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Modern Benoni Fianchetto: 9...Re8 10 Re1 [A63]

6 Nf3 g6 7 g3 Bg7 8 Bg2 0-0 9 0-0 Re8 10 Re1 a6 11 a4 Nbd7 12 h3:

10 Re1 isn’t the main line, but it has been favoured by Ding, amongst others. 12 h3 is a natural move which prepares the e4 advance without allowing ...Ng4 in response. In the recent game Gorshtein, I - Ivanchuk, V, Black replied with the logical 12...Ne4!. With White spending time on both Re1 and h3, this feels like a favourable version, for Black, of the many ...Ne4 lines. After 13 Nxe4 Rxe4 14 Nd2 Re8 Black got a decent position, and 14...Rb4 is also possible - see the notes for details.

Modern Benoni Fianchetto: 9...Re8 10 Bf4 [A63]

After 6 Nf3 g6 7 g3 Bg7 8 Bg2 0-0 9 0-0 Re8, 10 Bf4 has become the main line in recent years, with 10 Bf4 slowly overtaking 10 Nd2.

A) 10...a6 11 a4 Ne4 is another line with an early ...Ne4. The insertion of a4 and ...a6 gives White the extra possibility of meeting ...Ne4 with Ra3. However, 12 Nxe4 Rxe4 13 Nd2 remains the most popular choice, and here 13...Rb4!:

is Black’s best option - see Wiedenkeller, M - Nielsen, H for analysis.

Black’s main idea is to play ...g5, forcing the bishop away from the key f4-square and gaining space on the kingside. The risk is that Black may have to accept significant weaknesses in the position. A recent game continued 11 Qc1 g5 12 Bd2 Bf5 13 h4 g4 14 Ne1 Kh7, arriving at a position which has previously been reached on surprisingly many occasions.

15 Nc2, planning, Ne3, has been by far White’s most popular choice here. In a recent game, White preferred the rare but logical 15 Nd3, when the knight heads for f4. See the notes to the entertaining battle Vazquez, F - Djukic, N.

Modern Benoni: 7 e4 g6 8 Nge2 [A65]

6 e4 g6 7 Nge2 Bg7 8 Ng3 0-0 9 Be2 h5?!:

We’ve seen this move in a previous game, and it didn’t end well for Black there either. This pawn advance is a typical idea for Black against Ne2-g3, but it’s premature here. Find out why in the notes to Kokje, J - Schoorl, R.

Modern Benoni, Flick-Knife Attack: 8 Bb5+ Nfd7 [A67]

6 e4 g6 7 f4 Bg7 8 Bb5+ Nfd7 9 Nf3 0-0 10 0-0 a6 11 Bd3 b5 12 a3:

Unlike the main line 9 a4, 9 Nf3 does allow Black queenside expansion with ...a6 and ...b5. However, as we’ve seen before, 9 Nf3 is a perfectly good alternative and there’s the added bonus of avoiding ... Qh4+ lines.

The diagrammed position has been reached on many occasions. 12...Re8 has been the most popular choice here, but in a recent game Black preferred 12...c4?!. This advance is both logical and appealing, as it paves the way for ...Nc5 and queenside counterplay. However, ...c4 is also committal. It gives away the d4-square and there’s a danger that Black may be neglecting the defence on the kingside. This certainly turns out to be the case in the game. See Rohith, K - Dau Khuong Duy for analysis, including discussion of a little-played suggestion for Black on move 12.

Modern Benoni, Old Classical: 9...Re8 10 Nd2 Na6 11 f3 [A79]

6 e4 g6 7 Nf3 Bg7 8 Be2 0-0 9 0-0 Re8 10 Nd2 Na6 11 f3 Nc7 12 a4 b6 13 Kh1 Rb8:

The diagrammed position is a standard one for ...Na6 lines and has been reached many times. White typically plays 14 Nc4! here, and Black responds with 14...Ba6. In a recent game, White instead tried 14 Nb5?!. The ambitious plan is to meet 14...a6 with 15 Na7, in order to utilise the c6-square. However, there’s a huge flaw in White’s idea. Find out what it is in the notes to Visakh, N - Tarhan, A.

Till next time, John

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