The Latest Developments - July 2003
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Hi everyone! While doing this update I noticed a curious thing: as I was thumbing through my copy of Encyclopaedia A I realised that the first half (containing codes A00-A39) was dirty and the second half was pristine clean! Needless to say I don't play the Benko or the Dutch with White or Black! TonyK |
To download the July '03 Flank Openings games directly in PGN form click here: 
English Opening
1...c5
[A34]: Whilst preparing for one of my opponents at a recent tournament I saw that she played Rubinstein's Variation, and that in a previous game she had reached an awful position, so I was ready to repeat this when I thought I would have a quick look to see whether Black has found any good ideas recently, and then I came across this game!
After my favourite 8 Ne1 the talented French GM Bauer played 8...h5!?
            
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, and I couldn't see a convincing line for White! See Bricard,E - Bauer,C for my reflections. Needless to say I played something else (Gurevich's sharp g4 stuff) but won.
[A38]: Whenever I see Shchekachev's games I am always a little suspicious, as he is incredibly talented, but often very drunk!! At least, the one time we played together he spent most of his time either slumped at the board or trying to re-hydrate himself, but played well and then spoiled everything with a one-move blunder!
However, he can really play classy chess, and in Shchekachev,A - Gharamian,T he diffuses his opponent's sharp innovation with a fine exchange sacrifice, and wins convincingly.
[A37]: 'Krugman' wrote on the Forum, regarding the sharp line 1 c4 c5 2 g3 g6 3 Bg2 Bg7 4 Nc3 Nc6 5 Nf3 e6 6 d4!?: «I just got the new book from John Watson and he talks a lot about this line, and he seems to like it, while Tony K doesn't seem to hold it in high esteem!» and then: «in the e-book Tony only mentions 8.Nb5 while Watson gives 8.Ne4! with good compensation for White!» So, time to have another look at it then!
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This is the position, and we examine the various possibilities in the recent game Foisor,C - Calzetta,M.
However, it looks like fun but not particularly convincing to me, but until I get to see Watson's book I am reserving my judgement!
1...Nf6 & others
[A16]: Do you remember the Friberg,H - Winge,S game from a couple of months ago? White played a standard combination which nets 3 pieces for a queen and two pawns. Well, in Krasenkow,M - McShane,L White played the same combination in a slightly different position, and only let Black have one pawn! Needless to say he was winning, but young McShane's defence was exemplary.
[A17]: In the following Hedgehog-style position from the game Morozevich,A - Lutz,C, try to guess White's next move!
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Did you get it?
[A18]: I have been busy again playing tournaments, but I managed to resist the temptation of annotating too many of my games for you (!) Nevertheless, Kosten,A - Guedon,S is an interesting Mikenas Attack, which nearly featured another brilliant finish (it is there in the notes).
Réti
[A11]: I liked the game Bruzon,L - Nielsen,P very much, as White gains the advantage in pure positional style, and then kills Black with a thumping tactic!
[A11]: Difficult to believe that White could be lost in the following position:
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but nevertheless, it does seem to be the case! Have a look at Salman,J - Fridman,D for the instructive continuation.
KIA
[A04]: Radlovacki,J - Micic,C is a nice example of a Botvinnik System against the King's Indian Attack, and another game where it doesn't pay to play too automatically!
e-mails
Please feel free to share any of your thoughts with me, whatever they are, suggestions, criticisms (just the polite ones, please), etc. Drop me a line at the Flank Openings Forum, or subscribers can write directly to tonykosten@chesspublishing.com
Till next month, Tony K