Feb 2000 Update
Winawer
There's been a lot of action here. First of all, there is a mega clash in the 5...Ba5 Winawer. White is Vishy Anand, one of the greatest players ever, and Black is Smbat Lputian, the greatest ever exponent of the variation. So you can expect a game of enormous interest for all devotees [and enemies!] of this line. Have a look at Anand - Lputian.
Next we have added the mainline variation 7 Qg4 Qc7 8 Bd3!? to our stock of ideas. Two important games are given which demonstrate the opportunities and pitfalls for both players. In particular there is a very interesting idea by Sutovsky which I have seen criticised for no other reason than that he lost the game! Alas, that is often the case. Here the value of the novelty is reassessed. Click on Sutovsky - Hillarp Persson and Lautier - Poldauf.
In the 7 Qg4 0-0 line we feature the latest attempt to refute Rustemov's 8...Qa5 system which we have championed here. This time the 'villain' is Peter Svidler. Black comes unstuck but analysis seems to prove that he missed a good chance of equality or more. It's just a click away in Svidler - Psakhis.
King's Indian Attack
Mighty Morozevich is still all conquering in the 2 d3 and 3 Qe2 French. At Wijk aan Zee he scored another two wins, against Nikolic [...e5 system] and Lputian [...b6]. True, he had a lot of help from his opponents in these games, especially in the latter where he blundered a piece!
However, it is highly significant that at top level 2 d3 is becoming one of Black's most problematical variations. That's the advantage of a website over a book: look at all that writing on the French on your shelf and you won't find much of a treatment of 2 d3. In fact, you might be fobbed off with the assertion that it's not really the French, it's the King's Indian Attack! But we know it's the French through and through- unfortunately for Black. When is someone going to discover a foolproof way to equalise? Meanwhile check out Morozevich - Nikolic and Morozevich - Lputian to see Black's latest disasters.
Tarrasch
Here we have analysed the tricky line 3.Nd2 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Bd3 c5 6.c3 Nc6 7.Ne2 cxd4 8.cxd4 f6 9.Nf4!? This is in response to the game Timman-Morozevich in which the young Russian Grandmaster was soundly beaten as Black. Have a look at the analysis in Timman - Morozevich. If you want to play 3...Nf6 you really need to know what to do here- it's a popular line just below international level and as this game proves can claim the strongest victims.
Also in the 3...Nf6 variation we examine a nice attacking game which shows the value of forcing your opponent into unfamiliar opening territory. Black is deprived of the structure he wants and soon finds himself in trouble. Click on Plaskett - Knott for this 'secret weapon'.
The Advance
Here I treat you to one of my own games as Black in which I tried out one of the mainline systems, just to make sure it works. It does! Click on Lyell - McDonald to see I practice what I preach.
The Classical
Here we look at a game from the Hastings Premier in which White adopted the unusual system 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.Nce2!? The knight moves again so that the centre can be supported after 5...c5 6 c3. This gives a type of position more normal in the Tarrasch. Every Classical player should look at this game so as not to be caught out by the unfamiliar setup. Click on Lalic - Speelman.