Download PGN of June ’23 Nimzo and Benoni games
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Nimzo-Indian: 4 e3 0-0 5 Bd2 d5 6 Nf3 b6 [E52]
4 e3 0-0 5 Bd2 d5 6 Nf3 b6 7 cxd5 exd5 8 Rc1 Bb7 9 Bd3 Re8 10 0-0 Bf8 11 Ne5 c5:
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This is a familiar position to us, and it’s one where White automatically supports the knight with 12 f4, which is met by 12...Nc6. However, 12 Bb5!? is another option for White. The bishop will likely soon retreat back to d3, but by attacking the rook White hopes to disrupt Black’s coordination. See the recent game Maghsoodloo, P - Sevian, S for analysis.
Returning to the position after 9...Re8, there’s another fresh idea for White. Instead of castling, White can try 10 Nb5!?:
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10 Nb5 is another new idea to this site, and one which Nihal has played on a few occasions. White will try to profit from the exchange of dark-squared bishops See Nihal, S - Bjerre, J for details.
Nimzo-Indian: 4 e3 0-0 5 Bd3 c5 6 Nf3 d5 [E53]
4 e3 0-0 5 Bd3 c5 6 Nf3 d5 7 cxd5 exd5 8 dxc5 Bg4 9 0-0 Bxc5 10 h3 Bh5 11 b3 Nc6 12 Bb2 a6:
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As we’ve seen before, 7 cxd5 is a suitable choice for players who enjoy playing against the IQP. It’s worth comparing this line to one from the Karpov Variation: 7 0-0 cxd4 8 exd4 dxc4 9 Bxc4 b6 10 Bg5 Bb7 11 Rc1 (11 Re1 Nc6 12 a3 Be7) 11...h6 12 Bh4 Nc6 13 a3 Be7 (see Vachier Lagrave,M-So,W/ Leuven 2018). Here White is effectively a tempo up on the set-up with Black, and of course the ideas are similar - see the recent game Navara, D - Robson, R
Nimzo-Indian: 4 e3 0-0 5 Bd3 d5 6 cxd5 exd5 [E48]
4 e3 0-0 5 Bd3 d5 6 cxd5 exd5 7 a3 Bd6 8 Qc2 c6 9 Nge2 Re8 10 Bd2 Nbd7:
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6 cxd5 has gained some interest over the last couple of years, helped by some success for White in aggressive lines involving queenside castling in conjunction with a kingside pawn storm involving f2-f3 and g2-g4. In a recent game Sam Shankland preferred 11 0-0, after which f3 and e4 is a typical plan. Vincent Keymer responded with 11...b6!?, which looks critical. Black intends a quick ...c5, which cuts across White’s plan. After 12 Ng3 c5, Shankland found the most challenging option, 13 e4!, but Black was okay in the resulting position - see Shankland, S - Keymer, V.
Nimzo-Indian: 4 e3 0-0 5 Bd3 d5 6 a3 [E49]
4 e3 0-0 5 Bd3 d5 6 a3 dxc4!? 7 Bxc4 Be7 8 Nf3 c5 9 0-0 a6:
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Black’s most popular response by far to 6 a3 is 6...Bxc3+. However, as we’ve seen in recent updates, there’s been some interest in the 6...dxc4/7...Be7 line, the point of which is to reach a QGA type position. In the recent game Paravyan, D - Svane, F White created problems with 10 dxc5! Bxc5 11 Bd3!?, a rare move, but a tricky one too.
Nimzo-Indian Saemisch: 4 e3 0-0 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 bxc3 [E28]
4 e3 0-0 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 bxc3 d6 7 Ne2 e5 8 Ng3 Re8 9 f3 e4:
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The Saemisch variation continues to grow in popularity, especially in rapid and blitz time controls. Recently we looked at 7...c5 8 Ng3 Nc6 9 Ra2!? which was Ding’s creative idea he unleashed at the World Championship (see the notes to Ding Liren-Nepomniachtchi,I/Astana 2023). Not to be outdone, the Armenian GM Aram Hakobyan has twice played 10 Ra2! in this position, chalking up wins against both Caruana and Grischuk! See Hakobyan, A - Grischuk, A for analysis.
Queen’s Indian: 4 g3 Bb7 5 Bg2 Be7 6 0-0 0-0 7 Re1 [E17]
4 g3 Bb7 5 Bg2 Be7 6 0-0 0-0 7 Re1 a5 8 h4 h6 9 Nc3:
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Black has many options against 7 Re1, and 7...a5 is a move we’ve seen Richard Rapport try before. 8 h4!? is another move we’ve come to expect in this type of position. White doesn’t yet commit the knight, and it’s surprising how useful h2-h4 can be. The flexible 8...h6 follows suit, and after 9 Nc3 we reach a typical position. 9...Ne4 is usually Black’s go-to move after Nc3. However, the alternative plan with 9...Bb4!? 10 Qc2 Bxc3! 11 Qxc3 d6 12 b3 Nbd7 was successful for Black in Gukesh, D - Rapport, R.
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Rapport was able to find a position where the insertion of h4 and ...h6 favours Black.
Till next time, John
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Feel free to share your ideas and opinions on the Forum (the link above on the right), while subscribers with any questions can email me at JohnEmms@ChessPublishing.com.