What's New May: 02 Update
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GM John Emms rounds up the latest in these Nimzo, QI and Benoni Systems. |
Hi everyone!
All this month's new games are easily downloaded in PGN format using ChessPub.exe, go to ChessPub.exe, put the date on, say, 31st May 2002, and then click on 'Nimzo and Benoni', over on the right. All these games should appear!
To download the May '02 Nimzo and Benoni games directly in PGN form, click here: 
Nimzo-Indian: Classical Variation (4 Qc2)
We begin this month's collection of games and theory by taking a look at the miniature Karpov-Short, Prague 2002. Karpov goes down a complicated line with which Short has much experience: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 d5 5 cxd5 exd5 6 Bg5 h6 7 Bh4 c5 8 dxc5 g5 9 Bg3 Ne4 10 e3 Qa5
            
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Short prepared this idea for his 1993 World Championship encounter with Kasparov and was able to utilise it twice in that match. In this game Short diverges at move twelve but is soon left regretting his decision.
In Herraiz Hidalgo-Zarnicki, Havana 2002 we take a look at the main line beginning with 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 Qc2 0-0 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 Qxc3 b6 7 Bg5. Here Zarnicki opted to put his c8-bishop on a6 rather than b7 and this plan worked well here.
Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein Variation (4 e3)
In the game Speelman-Richardson, British League 2002 we once again look at the fashionable line 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e3 0-0 5 Nf3 d5 6 Bd3 c5 7 0-0 cxd4 8 exd4 dxc4 9 Bxc4
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Here Black played the committal-looking 9...Bxc3. It's unusual to exchange on c3 so early. Normally Black keeps his options open and prepares to fianchetto his c8-bishop with 9...b6 or 9...a6, planning ...b7-b5. However, if followed up correctly, this looks to be a perfectly viable idea for Black.
Modern Benoni: Modern Classical Variation
In the game Krasenkow-Lagowski, Warsaw 2002 we revisit the critical 9...b5 pawn sacrifice: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 e6 4 Nc3 exd5 5 cxd5 d6 6 e4 g6 7 h3 Bg7 8 Nf3 0-0 9 Bd3 b5
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We have already seen this pawn sacrifice many times before and it's a critical test of the Modern Classical Variation. Krasenkow goes down one of the main lines but gives back his pawn on move eighteen with a relatively fresh idea. Krasenkow triumphs in the end, but I suspect that this was more to do with superior play by him rather than the merits of the idea.
Next up we have the game Istratescu-Shariyazdanov, Dubai 2002, in which Black adopts the crafty move order 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 c5 4 d5 exd5 5 cxd5 d6 6 Nc3 g6 7 e4 a6!?
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This little move continues to be popular amongst Modern Benoni practitioners. Black plans to answer 8 a4 with 8...Bg4 before White has a chance to playh2-h3. In the game White played 8 h3, preventing ...Bg4 but allowing Black to expand on the queenside.
Queen's Indian 4 g3
Khalifman-Anand, Prague 2002 sees the line 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 g3 Ba6 5 Qb3. This is quite a popular move amongst the world elite at the moment. Whether this is just a fad or whether it's here to stay, we shall have to wait and see. Anand continued with 5...Nc6 6 Nbd2 d5!?
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attacking c4 in another way (6...Na5 has been the 'normal' move).
We finish with the game Qendro-Valenti, Milan 2002. Via an unusual move order we reach the old main line of the g3 Queen's Indian: 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 g3 Bb7 5 Bg2 Be7 6 0-0 0-0 7 Nc3 Ne4 8 Qc2 Nxc3 9 Qxc3.
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Here 19...f5 and 9...c5 are the most popular moves but Black preferred 10...Be4!?.
Remember, if you have any questions or remarks on the Benoni, Weird Benonis, Nimzo Indian, Queen's Indian or Bogo-Indian, I'd be glad to hear from you.
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