Daring Defences, November 2003
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Hi everyone! GM Glenn Flear |
A couple of entertaining wins for Black to start with.
To download the November '03 games in PGN form click here: 
English Defence
Game One features White going for a big centre against the English Defence.
Budapest Defence
In Game Two White tried an interesting development plan against the Budapest.
Neither of these systems are that bad, it's just that in both cases Black was more tactically awake.
The rest of the update features the Grünfeld Defence.
Grünfeld Defence
In Game 3 Mikhalevski wins as White against an aptly named opponent(!) with 4 Bf4 in a line that has been causing Black problems since Dreev managed to out-book Svidler last year.
Game 4 is worth noting. The Exchange variation with 7 Nf3 and 8 Be3 was becoming dull for Black because of a "played-out" drawish endgame. Not any more! Black seems to have good chances in the following position:
          
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Black plays the aggressive 16...f5. Results have been encouraging so far including the featured game.
In Game 5 Dvoirys repeated a line which had recently earned him a short draw. Nick Pert aggressively pursued the initiative, but Black was able to diffuse the attack. Later on Black (who was probably in time trouble) blundered into a bad ending.
Game 6 followed a 14-year-old game until Sutovsky varied with a suggestion of Ftacnik's. Van Wely quickly went wrong and lost (for him) a poor game. The opening is far from clear but makes a refreshing change from the over-played main line of the Seville Variation.
In Game 7 we again come back to the Exchange Sacrifice Variation.
 
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Kudrin introduces the strong improvement 25...Rg8! in this position. The forcing continuation of the game led into a double-edged endgame with Rook and 6 pawns against Rook, knight and three. This in itself clearly makes 20...Bb5 viable again, and yet Black may even be able to get a better version of this, see move 28. Amazing how a couple of nice moves change things around! A few months ago Black was reeling in the Exchange Sacrifice Variation, but now he seems to be OK. Will this be the end of the story, or are some people ready with some new ideas for White?
Well, keep your subscription up-to-date and we'll find out in the coming months!
Game 8 shows an easy way for Black to get a good game against the hybrid Exchange/Bg5 system which has recently been recommended elsewhere. Note how with White going for the "solid" pawn centre c3,d4,e3 the light-squared bishop can find a comfortable home on e6 or even d5.
Gagunashvili again tries his pet-line against the Prins variation in Game 9. Khalifman is faced with a new idea, but is able to equalize. White's exchange sacrifice was probably his best choice in the later stages and with the benefit of hindsight it was adequate to keep the balance. As for the theory... well frankly, Black doesn't seem unduly worried by this Bxa6 idea to me. Great bishops are worth disfigured pawns in such an open position.
A couple of e-mails from Franck Steenbekkers asking for me to find winning chances for Black in two different lines. I've found a game in one of them (e-mail bag 1) that should give heart to the regular contributor, but nothing special in the second one (e-mail bag 2). Black has nothing to fear in either, but you can't always get "straightforward winning chances" even if you play a dynamic defence!
I've decided to include the full game Turner - Rowson as a supplement to the first as this illustrates some ideas for both sides.
Overall, Black seemed to be doing well this time around with his dynamic defences, but keep reading this space...maybe next month there'll be new problems to face...
Glenn Flear
If you have any questions, either leave a message on the Daring Defences Forum, or subscribers can email me at Glenn_Flear@chesspublishing.com.