Download PGN of September ’24 Flank Openings games
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Réti Opening, 1 Nf3 d5 2 g3 b6 [A07]
After 1 Nf3 d5 2 g3, Shankland, S - Bartel, M continued with 2...b6, a comparatively rare second move, which we also looked at in last month's Update. Following 3 Bg2 Bb7 4 0-0 e6 5 d3 Nf6 6 Nbd2 Be7 7 e4, we have a King’s Indian Attack setup where Black has committed to an early ...b7-b6.
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White continued with a typical kingside build up involving e4-e5 and h2-h4-h5, while Black sought queenside counterplay by activating his minor pieces. Chances were finely balanced until Black erred on move 27, allowing a tactical breakthrough.
Anti-Grünfeld, 1 c4 g6 2 e4 e5 3 d4 Nf6 [A10]
In the Anti-Grünfeld move-order 1 c4 g6 2 e4 e5 3 d4 Nf6, the mainline is 4 Nf3 exd4 5 e5, when Black has a choice between the solid 5...Bb4+, and the double-edged 5...Ne4. Praggnanandhaa, R - Abdusattorov, N instead continued with the fresh idea 4 f3:
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After 4...exd4 5 Qxd4 Nc6 6 Qf2 Bg7 7 Nc3 0-0 8 Be3 d6, White has a powerful central structure, but Black is ahead in development. A fighting game ensued, which eventually ended peacefully.
Neo-Catalan, 3...dxc4 4 Qa4+ Nd7 [A13]
The game Duda, J - Bartel, M revisited the line 1 Nf3 d5 2 c4 e6 3 g3 dxc4, where Black captures the c4-pawn right away. After 4 Qa4+ Nd7 5 Bg2 a6 6 Qxc4 b5, White has tried to exploit the delay in ...Ng8-f6, with moves such as 7 Qh4 and 7 Qe4. On the other hand, 7 Qc2 is the most common move here, but it allows Black to develop the queenside smoothly.
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Here, play continued 10 a4 b4 11 Nd1, when 11...Be7 appears adequate for Black. Instead, Black lashed out with 11...c4, but didn’t get enough compensation for the sacrificed c-pawn.
Réti Double Fianchetto vs. Reversed Benoni [A14]
So, W - Giri, A explored one of the older mainlines featuring a reversed Benoni setup, arising after 1 c4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 g3 d5 4 Bg2 Be7 5 0-0 0-0 6 b3 c5 7 Bb2 Nc6 8 e3 d4 9 exd4 cxd4 10 Re1 Re8 11 d3:
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Black normally continues here with 11...Bc5 or 11...Bf8, but given that White often wants to trade the sub-optimal b2-bishop, Giri’s 11...a5 makes sense, and would save a tempo if White went ahead with Bb2-a3. After 12 Ne5 Nxe5 13 Rxe5 Nd7 14 Re1 e5 15 Na3 Bb4 16 Rf1, Black was getting a favourable Benoni setup, but 16...Nc5 allowed White to relieve the pressure with 17 Nb5, initiating a change in pawn structure.
Réti Opening, 1 c4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 g3 d5 4 Bg2 Be7 5 0-0 0-0 6 d3 [A14]
After 1 c4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 g3 d5 4 Bg2 Be7 5 0-0 0-0, the encounter Caruana, F - Giri, A varied from the previous game on move 6 with the flexible move 6 d3!?:
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After 6...c5, White’s continued 7 Ne5, fighting for the centre, with follow-up ideas of e2-e4 and/or f2-f4 in mind. Following 7...Nbd7 8 Nxd7 Bxd7 9 e4 dxe4 10 dxe4 Bc6 11 Qe2 Nd7 12 f4 a6, Black had good chances to equalize, but after 18...Qc6, Black’s piece coordination suffered, and White secured an enduring edge.
Pseudo-Grünfeld, 5 h4 c5 [A16]
Keymer, V - Shankland, S opened with the Grünfeld-style 1 Nf3 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 cxd5 Nxd5 5 h4. Now Black most often plays 5...Bg7, but after 5...c5 6 h5 Nc6, we are already in unexplored territory:
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After 7 hxg6 fxg6, Black’s pawn structure is rather ugly. White had a couple of chances to press early on, but Black was able to activate his pieces and complicate matters. Black eventually won after reaching a favourable endgame.
King’s English, Reversed Dragon 6...Nb6 7 b3 [A29]
In the reversed Dragon with 1 c4 e5 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 Nf3 Nc6 4 g3 d5 5 cxd5 Nxd5 6 Bg2 Nb6, the double fianchetto with b2-b3 is a popular plan, but White usually castles first. In Firat, B - Santos Latasa, J, however White played 7 b3, which in turns gives Black the interesting option of castling long. The game proceeded with 7...Be6 8 Bb2 Qd7 9 0-0 f6 10 Rc1 0-0-0:
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White's restrained queenside setup means that it takes time to generate attacking threats. After 11 Ne4 Kb8 12 d3 Be7 13 a3 a6 14 b4, Black can start a kingside attacking buildup with 14...g5. Instead 14...Bh3 15 Bxh3 Qxh3 allowed a classic Dragon exchange sacrifice 16 Rxc6! bxc6 17 Qc2 gave White full compensation.
Symmetrical English, Rubinstein variation 7 a3 [A34]
Keymer, V - Volokitin, A entered the Rubinstein variation after 1 c4 Nf6 2 Nf3 c5 3 g3 Nc6 4 Bg2 d5 5 cxd5 Nxd5 6 Nc3 Nc7. Here the move 7 a3, hinting at a quick b2-b4, has become quite trendy. Play continued 7...g6 8 h4 Bg4:
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White has tried several moves here, including 9 Na4 b6 10 h5, which was reviewed in the February 2024 Update. Keymer instead varied with the new move 9 Qb3, simply aiming to grab the b7-pawn. After 9...Bg7 10 Qxb7 Bd7 11 Qb3 Rb8 12 Qd1, White returned the queen to home base, hoping that the extra pawn will pay off in the long run. In the meantime, Black has developed with gain of time, and has adequate compensation for the pawn. An interesting battle ended in White’s favour after Black allowed a big attack on the king.
Until next month, David.
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