Download PGN of March ’25 Nimzo and Benoni games
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Nimzo-Indian: 4 g3 [E20]
4 g3 0-0 5 Bg2 d5 6 Nf3 dxc4 7 0-0 Nc6 8 a3 Be7 9 e4:
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Pragg unleashed the Nimzo-Catalan gambit against Gukesh at the 2024 Candidates. Although he was lost against Gukesh, Pragg willingly repeated the same line in a recent game, and with more success. After 9...Rb8 10 Bf4 b5 11 Re1 a6 12 d5!:
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Pragg seized the opportunity to take action in the centre at the earliest moment, and before Black could fully coordinate his forces. See Praggnanandhaa, R - Nguyen, T for analysis.
Nimzo-Indian: 4 e3 0-0 5 Bd3 d5 6 a3 Bxc3+ 7 bxc3 [E49]
4 e3 0-0 5 Bd3 d5 6 a3 Bxc3+ 7 bxc3 c6:
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7...c6 is a move we’ve seen before and is a perfectly reasonable alternative to the main line with 7...dxc4 8 Bxc4 c5. Black’s main idea is ...b6 followed by ...Ba6, and ...c6 allows Black to recapture on d5 with the c-pawn thus avoiding the Botvinnik-Capablanca structure. This plan seems to be more effective when White has already developed the light-squared bishop. A recent game continued 8 a4 b6! 9 Ba3 Re8 10 Nf3 Ba6 with level chances - see the notes to Van Foreest, J - Seemann, J.
4 e3 0-0 5 Bd3 d5 6 a3 Bxc3+ 7 bxc3 dxc4 8 Bxc4 c5 9 Ne2 Qc7 10 Bd3 b6!?:
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10...b6 is the main choice against 10 Ba2, when Black chooses the light-squared plan involving ...Ba6 and ...Nc6-a5. Against 10 Bd3, however, 10 ...b6 is relatively rare as Black far more often prefers the plan with ...Nc6 and ...e5. However, ...b6 followed by ...Ba6 is a natural plan, and there’s certainly a case for 10...b6 being a good practical option for Black. White’s route to an edge is far from obvious, and Black may gain useful queenside counterplay, as demonstrated in the recent game Divya, D - Bjerre, J.
Nimzo-Indian: 4 e3 0-0 5 Nf3 d5 6 Bd2 [E51]
4 e3 0-0 5 Nf3 d5 6 Bd2 Nbd7 7 Qc2 Re8!?:
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We’ve seen the inclusion of an early ...Re8 in numerous Nimzo lines, and here’s another example. 7...Re8 is a useful, flexible move. Black waits to see how White commits, while at the same time vacates the f8-square for a potential bishop retreat. Additionally, there’s more than one variation where Black’s play is tactically justified specifically because the rook is on e8. See the recent game So, W - Caruana, F for details.
Bogo-Indian: 4 Bd2 Qe7 [E11]
4 Bd2 Qe7 5 Nf3 Bxd2+ 6 Qxd2 Nc6 7 Nc3 d5!:
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Modern engines have demonstrated that this is a reliable way for Black to play in the 4 Bd2 Bogo-Indian. Black plays a type of Catalan in which the knight on c6 is reasonably placed and ...dxc4 is a real option.
Black has scored well in the line 8 Ne5 dxc4 9 Nxc6 bxc6 10 Bg2 0-0 11 0-0:
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Here 11...Rb8 has been a reliable choice for Black, but 11...Rd8 planning ....e5 is also logical - see the notes to Samunenkov, I - Grandelius, N.
White may play more ambitiously with 9 Bg2 (instead of 9 Nxc6), which allows the exchange of knights on e5. After 9...Nxe5 10 dxe5 Nd7 11 f4 (11 Qd4 is also possible),
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White accepts the pawn loss and aims to reach a position in which he has long-lasting compensation. See Finek, V - Bjerre, J for analysis.
Till next time, John
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