What's New- September 2001
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GM John Emms rounds up the latest in these Nimzo and Benoni Systems, with the help of guest GM Chris Ward in the Nimzo-Indian. |
If you want to see if there is anything new in one of your favourite lines, then go to ChessPub.exe, put the date on, say, 15th September 2001, and then click on 'Nimzo and Benoni', over on the right. All these games should appear!
Modern Benoni (JE)
There were 95 Modern Benoni games in The Week in Chess 354-359, with Black scoring 32 wins, White scoring 30 wins and there were 33 draws (Black scored 51% - a very good total).
We begin our Modern Benoni coverage with the game Nussbaumer-Molzbichler, Feffernitz 2001, SEP01/03, in which White plays an unusual 13th move in the main line of the Flick-Knife Attack. After 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 c5 4 d5 exd5 5 cxd5 d6 6 e4 g6 7 f4 Bg7 8 Bb5+ Nbd7 9 e5 dxe5 10 fxe5 Nh5 11 e6 Qh4+ 12 g3 Nxg3
            
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White plays 13 exd7+?!
We've looked at the main line with 13 hxg3 a few times already. 13 exd7 doesn't look so effective; it makes more sense to keep this pin on the knight as long as possible. The game itself sways to and fro - first Black is doing well, then White, but it's Black who has the final laugh.
Gaertner-Huizer, Panormo 2001, SEP01/02, sees an intriguing way to avoid the main line of the Flick-knife attack with 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 c5 4 d5 exd5 5 cxd5 d6 6 e4 g6 7 f4 Qe7!?, an idea mentioned by the American IM John Watson in his book The Gambit Guide to the Benoni.
Dorfman-Degraeve, Marsailles 2001, SEP01/04, is a real slugfest in the apparently quiet lines involving an early ...Bg4 (1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 c5 3 d5 e6 4 Nc3 exd5 5 cxd5 d6 6 Nf3 g6 7 Bf4 a6 8 a4 Bg7 9 e4 Bg4 10 Be2 Bxf3 11 Bxf3 0-0 12 0-0).
We finish with another look one of the sharpest variations of the whole Benoni. Sriram-Antonio, Calcutta 2001, SEP01/01, goes 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 g3 c5 4 d5 exd5 5 cxd5 d6 6 Nc3 g6 7 Bg2 a6 8 a4 Bg7 9 Nf3 0-0 10 0-0 Re8 11 Nd2 Nbd7 12 h3 Rb8 13 Nc4 Ne5 14 Na3
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and here we look at 14...Bd7!?, which was first played by the English GM David Norwood, back in the 80s and has become very fashionable recently.
Weird Benonis (JE)
Take a look at the amazing encounter Gazarek-Rogulj, Pula 2001, SEP01/06, which begins 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 c5 3 d5 b5 4 Bg5 Ne4 5 Qd3 Nxg5 6 Nxg5 Qb6!?. In some of the variations in this game White has two queens on the board but still loses!
(TWIC stats: 142 games, 58 white wins, 43 draws, 41 black wins, Black scores 44%)
Queen's Indian (JE)
Just one game from the solid Queen's Indian this month. In Karpov-Polgar, Buenos Aires 2001, SEP01/05, we have the variation 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 g3 Ba6 5 Qa4. The queen move is less popular than 5 b3 or 5 Nbd2, but has been quite fashionable recently.
(TWIC stats: 250 games, 85 white wins,106 draws, 59 black wins)
The Nimzo (CW)
Hi there!
Statistics: 304 games, 310 white wins, 93 draws, 101 Black wins (Black scores 49%)
Yes it's 100% for the Nimzo this month as the focus falls on 4 e3. Bouncing back from previous losses in our respective variations both Kasparov (4...0-0) and myself (4...b6), achieve the revenge we were looking for. Hopefully you won't be disappointed with the novelties that appear in Vladimirov-Kasparov, SEP01/07, and Townsend-Ward, SEP01/08.
Well I'm off on my travels. First to Venezuela via Barbados for a World Championship zonal (coaching not playing!) and then to the World Youth in Spain. I'll keep my eyes peeled for any interesting tussles and I'll get back to you soon.
Until then.
Chris
Remember, if you have any questions or remarks on the Benoni, Weird Benonis, Nimzo Indian, Queen's Indian or Bogo-Indian, we'd be glad to here from you.
Please e-mail John or Chris at