What's New (October 2002 Update)
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GM John Emms rounds up the latest in these Nimzo, QI and Benoni Systems. |
Hi everyone!
To download the October '02 Nimzo and Benoni games directly in PGN form, click here: 
Nimzo-Indian: 4 f3
We begin this month's action with a look at the game Volkov-Gershon, Halkidiki 2002, in which White plays 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 f3. This move is very closely linked with the Saemisch Variation 4 a3 and has been a favourite of Alexei Shirov. The game continues 4...c5 (4...d5 is the main alternative) 5 d5 b5!?
            
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offering a gambit which, in practice, White rarely accepts. However, after 6 e4 the move of real interest is 6...0-0!? (instead of the normal 6...bxc4). This natural-looking move is actually quite rare, but it's showing signs of gaining in popularity over the past couple of years. One thing that should be noted is that it has been played by Sakaev, who is a leading expert on this line.
Nimzo-Indian 4 e3 b6
In Collier-Couso, Halkidiki 2002 we take a brief look at 1 d4 e6 2 c4 Nf6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e3 b6 5 Nge2 Ba6 6 a3 Be7 7 Nf4 0-0!?
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7...d5 is the normal try. See, for example, Ibragimov-Burnett, Philadelphia 2002 (ECO code E45). The move 7... 0-0 is risky as it invites White to take over the centre with d4-d5 and/or e3-e4. Black is victorious in this game but I fear this has nothing to do with his choice of 7...0-0.
Modern Benoni: Modern Classical Variation
The Modern Classical Variation with h2-h3 and Bd3 continues to be a very popular choice against the Modern Benoni. The game Lalic-Palliser, Port Erin 2002 began 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 c5 3 d5 g6 4 c4 d6 5 Nc3 Bg7 6 e4 0-0 7 h3 e6 8 Bd3 exd5 9 cxd5 b5
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We've already looked at this sacrifice several times before and theory is still undecided about it. Capturing with the bishop seems to lead to a very slight advantage for White, while 10 Nxb5 is more ambitious and also more complicated. In this game Lalic chooses a third option: not capturing at all! In theory 10 0-0 shouldn't cause Black too many problems, but it's noticeable that quite a few GMs are beginning to play this way as White. In the game Lalic poses Black with problems that could not be solved over the board.
Modern Benoni: Flick-Knife Attack
In the game Bermejo Martinez-Oleksienko, Peniscola 2002, White unleashes the dreaded Flick-Knife Attack 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 c5 4 d5 exd5 5 cxd5 d6 6 e4 g6 7 f4 Bg7 8 Bb5+. At various times this has been considered as a near refutation of the Modern Benoni, but nowadays Black's position enjoys a slightly healthier reputation. This game continues down the most common line with 8...Nfd7 9 a4 0-0 10 Nf3 Na6 11 0-0 Nc7
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and here White plays the slightly unusual 12 Re1. Normally White retreats the bishop from b5, but here White delays this and vacates the f1-square for the bishop. The rook on e1 supports the push e4-e5, but then again the rook is also well placed on f1. This game is noticeable for a nice tactic for Black involving ...Rxe4.
Queen's Indian: 4 g3
Granda Zuniga-Cotrina Moscoso, Lima 2002 begins 1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 b6 4 Bg2 Bb7 5 d4
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Via a different move order we have reached the old main line of the g3-Queen's Indian. Note that with the move order White has employed, he has avoided lines with...Ba6 (4...Ba6 would have looked a little strange with White's pawn still on d2). In this game Black tries 5...c5. This is a logical-looking strike at the centre, but this move is seen rarely due to the strength of White's response 6 d5!.
Weird Benonis: Schmid Benoni
Timoshenko-Malakhov, Halkidiki 2002 sees the line 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 c5 3 d5 g6 4 Nc3 Bg7 5 e4 0-0!?
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We've already seen this move order once or twice before on this site. Black's idea of delaying... d7-d6 is seen in the sequence 6 Be2 b5! (7 Bxb5 allows Nxe4!). Black also avoids the variation 5...d6 6 Bb5+. However, there is one big problem in that it allows 6 e5!. Recent games have shown that White can drum up an enormous kingside attack with a quick h2-h4-h5. This game is no different and I suspect that 5...0-0 may soon be consigned to the theoretical rubbish bin.
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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