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August '00 Update

Welcome to this month's update!

Exchange

Winawer

Tarrasch

Classical

King's Indian Attack

The Exchange

Subru Bhat asks whether the line 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 exd5 4 c4 is worth considering for White.

In fact this was the choice of FRITZ6 last year when playing against Morozevich. The computer was under instructions to make it the most 'Un-French' structure possible to upset its human opponent.

Therefore it selected 4 c4 which tends to lead to an IQP [Isolated Queen's Pawn] type of position.

However, the problem is the active reply ...Bb4!

In another IQP set up the Bb4 recipe has proved a powerful response to the Panov-Botvinnik attack after 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 exd5 cxd5 4 c4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e6 6 Nf3 Bb4 so it is no surprise that the recipe works well here.

Have a look at Karteri - Volkov for analysis. This game actually began with the move order 4...Nf6 5 Nc3 Bb4;










I don't see any significance in the transposition. White puts up no resistance at all but it is nevertheless interesting to see Black's plan carried out in a pure form.

Exchange

Winawer

Tarrasch

Classical

King's Indian Attack

Winawer

Here the emphasis is on the trendy 5...Ba5. I still don't know what this should be called- some sources have coined the 'Armenian Variation' because of Lputian and Akopian's patronage, I thought about the 'German Variation' as it seems very popular there, while at the moment I'm calling in the 'Winawer Declined.' Any suggestions?

Firstly, there has been another hard fight in the 7 Qg4 line between Anand and Khalifman. The FIDE World Champion was the first to diverge from their earlier game. His subsequent exchange sacrifice gave him a dangerous looking initiative, but Anand succeeded in turning the tables and won in the end. I have suggested what seems to me to be a significant improvement for Black, but this is a very complex game and I'm watching out for analysis by one of the players in the chess press! Meanwhile take a look at Anand - Khalifman.

Next we look at Barsov's treatment of 7 Nb5. This involves avoiding the mainline with 10...a6 11 a4 as occurred for example in Anand - Lputian FEB00. As you will see, I'm not entirely convinced by this, but Barsov has used it with success against GMs, so it is worth looking into! See what you think of the endgame in Van Delft-Barsov.

Finally, I wish to to ask subscriber Frank Rahde, an advocate of the 6...cxb4 variation, what he thinks of the line 6 b4 cxb4 7 Nb5 Nc6 8 axb4 Bxb4+ 9 c3 Be7 10 Ba3 Nh6 11 Bxe7 Qxe7 12 Nd6+ Kf8 13 Bb5!










as in Topalov- Ermenkov, Elenite 1994. I think this is just good for White. Also 13 Bd3 is not bad. It seems to me that White can always play f2-f4 to support his centre and keep control. The extra pawn doesn't seem to matter so much. I think my email to you got lost as you have changed your email address.

Exchange

Winawer

Tarrasch

Classical

King's Indian Attack

Tarrasch

3...Be7

This still looks as wonderful as ever. However, first of all I must point out a mistake in my analysis in the game Almasi - Timman JAN00. After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 Be7 4.Bd3 c5 5.dxc5 Nf6 6.Qe2 Nc6 7.Ngf3 Nb4 8.Nb3 Nxd3+ 9.cxd3 a5 10.Bg5 I recommend 10...0-0 11.0-0 b6 but here 12 e5! just looks good for White. I hope no one out there has just sent off 11...b6 in a postal game...

So at least for now I would suggest that you stick to the solid 7...Bc5, as for example I played in Zagrebelny- Mcdonald JAN00. Also regarding the game Ledger-Rendle in this line, 13 year old Thomas Rendle wants me to point out that he beat his IM opponent in 22 moves in a slow game, not as quick play game as I suggest. Oops again. I've been using Thomas as a guinea pig to test the lines given on the website, so I ought to get my facts right.

Anyhow, 3...Be7 is more than alive and well judging from the latest top class game in this line. Rublevsky, a 2670 GM, tries to improve as White on the earlier game Nisipeanu - Lputian DEC99. But as always Lputian proves a staunch defender of the variation. I'm particularly impressed with his excellent 13th move, which shows a freedom from dogmatic thinking. Soon White is battling to stay in the game and it seems that only time pressure saved him. Have a look at Rublevsky - Lputian.

3...c5

This month I can offer you a very fine win by one John Emms, who is also known for his work on the Nimzo & Benoni Systems webpage! It seems to confirm my opinion that in the 4 exd5 exd5 5 Ngf3 Nc6 6 Bb5 line Black can't expect to have much fun. Lars Bo Hansen is a strong Grandmaster but having the thankless task of defending an inferior positon with absolutely no counterplay proves too much for him. Of course, it takes a blunder for Black to lose it, but having been brought up in the era of Karpov, who always seemed to win this type of position, it is hard for me to understand why Black would ever voluntarily go in for such a variation.

Taking a look at Emms-L.Hansen should convince you that 5...Nf6 is a much better try for Black.

3...Nf6

In the mainline after 5 Bd3, Black often plays an early Qc7 to rule out or make less attractive White's Bf4 option. We have already seen an example of this in Rozentalis - Rodriguez MAR00. This month we consider one of White's strongest responses. Alexander Volzhin taking time out from his '1 e4 ...' website has found an important zwischenzug which may put the whole line for Black under a cloud. This game shows how superior theoretical knowledge can be virtually decisive. Take a look at Volzhin - Johannessen.

Exchange

Winawer

Tarrasch

Classical

King's Indian Attack

The Classical

In the 4 Bg5 dxe4 variation, some great Classical players- Alekhine, Bareev and Gurevich to name but three!- have tried an immediate Nd7 in preference to castling. This may well transpose to familiar lines, but it can have independent worth. In the short and sharp tussle offered here between two Super GMs Black manages to equalise with some energetic yet also precise play. This is well recommended as a way to set your opponent fresh problems to solve. Have a look at Svidler - Gurevich.

Next we look at an instructive game in the 4 e5 variation. White makes two basic errors- firstly, he allows himself what Michael Adams calls a 'comfort move'- in this case a quiet, consolidating move with his king- when in fact every tempo was vital and no time was to be lost in starting an attack. His second mistake was that for 12 moves in a row he shuffled his pieces about when what was needed was a forceful advance of the pawns. Every plan needs the help of the pawns at some point. It was no wonder that White was destroyed by the enemy pawns while his own pieces were unable to strike a serious blow. Have a look at Zahariev - Ivanisevic.

Exchange

Winawer

Tarrasch

Classical

King's Indian Attack

King's Indian Attack

Next in the King's Indian Attack we see Black's solid line with 2...c5 in action against Ng1-e2 rather than Nf3. White's attempt to gain pressure on the queenside fails and Black is soon in control of the d4 square. Then the white kingside comes under heavy attack and he is soon defeated. Of course, such a smooth win for Black as this requires either a big disparity in Elo rating or a very bad day at the office for White. It's never that easy when Morozevich has White.... Take a peek at Pablo Marin-Vallejo-Pons.

Exchange

Winawer

Tarrasch

Classical

King's Indian Attack

Emailbag

Thanks to the many subscribers who have emailed me over the past months. I will try to answer all the requests and queries in the forthcoming monthly Updates.

Best wishes

Neil McDonald

Exchange

Winawer

Tarrasch

Classical

King's Indian Attack