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English Defence 3 Nc3 e6 4 e4 Bb4 5 Bd3 f5 [A40]
The English defence where Black develops the bishop to b7, is holding up reasonably well theoretically and is an occasional favourite of dynamic players like Alireza Firouzja and Hikaru Nakamura, who revel in the kind of strategically complex, murky positions it tends to throw up. In French, M - Baxter, M we look at an example of a game where White played an early f3:
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Even though Black ended up winning a pawn in this game they would have been better to refrain from taking on e4, as I demonstrate in the notes.
English Defence 3 a3 Bb7 4 Nc3 f5 5 Nf3 Nf6 6 d5 [A40]
In the English defence one nice possibility for Black is to play an early ... f5, which only becomes available because they have delayed the development of the knight to f6. That means when the knight comes to f6 later, they have excellent control over the e4 square, as that knight is also complimented by the bishop on b7:
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As I point out in the annotations to Bayaca, S - Johansen, D, it might have been better for Black to focus on speedy development with 7... 0-0, instead of the slightly time-wasting (if logical) 7...Ne4, as played in the game.
Queen’s Fianchetto Defence: 4 Qc2 e6 5 e4 [A50]
The English defence often looks like a hybrid of the Nimzo-Indian, Queens Indian, Kings Indian and also Dutch defences, as Black looks to combine many of these ideas by playing the move ... f5 and combining it with .. Bb4, or in some cases fianchettoing the bishop to g7 and going for a King's Indian style set-up. Still perhaps too many cooks spoil the broth, and as I explain in the game Varga, C - Baski, B after 4.Qc2 it ends up looking like a good Nimzo for White:
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He has attacking chances after the ambitious pawn advance e4, controlling the center.
Queen’s Fianchetto Defence: 3 Nc3 e6 4 a3 Nf6 5 d5 [A50]
In this next game of the English Defence, Ghosh, D - Mitrabha, G, White goes for an early pawn push with 5.d5. This is designed to limit the potential of the bishop on b7, while also preventing Black's own central counterplay, where they might look to play ... d5 themselves.
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Despite the wide variety of choices that Black has available in this strategically complex opening, White seems better in every line, at least if the engine is anything to go by. However, it is one thing for the engine to say that one side is better, quite a different task to prove this in a practical game where the opponent has a lot of resources available...
Budapest Gambit 3...Ng4 4 Bf4 Bb4+ 5 Nc3 [A52]
We have to look at lines where White goes for an early 5.Nc3 in the 4.Bf4 line of the Budapest gambit, even though this gives Black the option of capturing on c3 and rupturing the White structure.
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White seems better in these lines if they play carefully, but Black at least has what they are aiming for when playing such an opening- a double-edged position with some winning chances, see Goh, J - Levi, E.
Budapest Gambit 3...Ng4 4 Bf4 Nc6 5 Nf3 Bb4+ 6 Nbd2 [A52]
Now we examine another game where White meets the Budapest Gambit with the solid Bf4. Black often responds to this with an early ... g5, to gain some time on the bishop, but as indicated in the notes this tends to be a weakening advance and favours White. So, instead, we mainly focus on the line where Black goes for quick development with 4...Nc6 and 5...Bb4, followed by ... Qe7, where they gain the pawn back on e5:
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Still, their problems are not entirely over even after they recapture the pawn. White often enjoys a steady and more or less risk-free edge, with the bishop pair and chances to push on the queenside, as seen in Arca, C - Concio, M.
Benko Gambit Declined 4 Qc2 b4 [A57]
Now we see a game where White refuses the pawn in the Benko gambit and instead goes for 4.Qc2. White can develop simply and also play e4, taking the center. But Black is not without counterplay, in this game they block with ... b4, and then go for queenside expansion with ... a5:
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As shown in the notes to Livaic, L - Cvitan, E, taking on c4 is also an acceptable method for Black. Currently 4.Qc2 isn't challenging Black theoretically in the Benko, but still remains eminently playable for White if they want to avoid the main-lines that have been more thoroughly covered by theory.
Exchange Grünfeld 7 Be3 c5 8 Rc1 [D85]
As seen in the next game, Delgerdalai, B - Willow, J, Jonah Willow runs into trouble against an old favourite of Anatoly Karpov's with 7 Be3. This is a positional line but has some venom. The obvious intention is to play Qd2 and in some cases exchange bishops with Bh6. Then White can attack with h4. There is also the positive side that Be3 supports the center. Here White went for the tricky 9.d5!?:
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However, Jonah didn't respond in the best way. As indicated in the notes, a quick ... e6 seems to solve Black's problems, but Jonah went for ...f5, not a bad response but it weakens the kingside and puts the pressure on Black to play accurately.
Till next time, Danny
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