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Advance Variation with 5...Bd7 6 Be2 f6 7 0-0 fxe5 8 Nxe5 Nxe5 9 dxe5 Qc7 [C02]
This month I’m going to take a close look at the line 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 e5 c5 4 c3 Nc6 5 Nf3 Bd7 6 Be2 f6, using games from the past two months. This is a variation that both sides seem to be happy to play: Black avoids some of the more forcing lines that follow 5...Qb6 and renders the Bd3 gambits harmless, while White gets to develop without having to be constantly worried about pressure on d4 and can play for a traditional space advantage.
The main line goes 7 0-0 fxe5 8 Nxe5 Nxe5 9 dxe5 Qc7. In Paichadze, L - Sargsyan, S, EICC Eforie-Nord 2025, White played the older move which was originally very popular, 10 c4:
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The game continued 10...Qxe5 11 cxd5 (11 Bf3 is complex and important) 11...0-0-0 12 Nc3 Nf6 13 dxe6 Bc6!, and several games here indicate that Black has equal chances.
Not too long ago I had become pessimistic about Black’s chances in this line because of White’s plan of play with Re1 followed by a4, Na3, and Nb5 if Black plays ....0-0-0 (even as a piece sacrifice if ...a6 is included). This can be played in various orders. But recent games and a lot of specific analysis have restored my faith in Black’s ability to get counterplay and achieve some sort of dynamic equality with plenty of chances for both sides. Robson, R - Caruana, F, Champions Showdown Kings Saint Louis 2025, saw 10 Re1 0-0-0 11 a4:
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Here 11...Ne7 12 Na3 is too slow, so 11...Qxe5 followed, when 12 Na3 (other games have seen 12 Bg4 and 12 Bf3) 12...Nf6 13 g3 Qf5 held the balance.
Yang, K - Fiorito, J, Titled Tuesday April 01st Chess.com 2025, saw the most common sequence of late 10 Re1 0-0-0 11 Bf1:
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After 11...Ne7, White usually plays 12 a4. In this game, Yang played the rare 12 Nd2, which is more modest but arguably just as good, planning to centralize and defend e5 while gaining influence on the kingside. Ding also played this way in a game against Erigaisi. Black has to be careful to gain counterplay.
In Kocharin, T - Kvaloy, A, Titled Tuesday 01st April Chess.com 2025, White played the current main line with 10 Re1 0-0-0 11 Bf1 Ne7 12 a4:
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I’ve used this as a sort of overview game, analysing three other games played from the same position in recent practice. Again, both sides have chances in what seems an equal position.
Tarrasch Variation 3...c5 4 Ngf3 cxd4 5 Nxd4 Nc6 6 Bb5 Bd7 7 Nxc6 bxc6 8 Bd3 [C07]
After 3 Nd2 c5, 4 exd5 Qxd5 continues to do well (also, for that matter, after 4...exd5). So White continues to be attracted to 4 Ngf3, as illustrated by many games in the Archives. We continue to see the thematic 4...cxd4 5 Nxd4 Nc6 6 Bb5 Bd7 7 Nxc6 bxc6 8 Bd3, which gives Black a wide choice. One traditional option has been 8...Bd6, when White can aim for e5 by 9 Qe2 Qc7 10 Nf3:
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Then 10...dxe4 is the most common move, but 10...f6!? was interesting in Petersen, M - Zhang, R, Reykjavik 2025. This is a tad slow but seems pretty sound, as the notes indicate; nevertheless, there’s a lot of tension and both sides can go wrong rather easily. The game illustrates that.
Instead of 8...Bd6, Black often plays 8...Qc7. Now after 9 Qe2, 9...Bd6 would transpose, but Black can also choose 9...Ne7 intending 10 Nf3 Ng6:
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Black is ready to play ...Bd6, so 11 e5 is natural. Then Black has played both 11...c5 and 11...f6. The latter was tried in Pranav, V - Gomez Falagan, D, La Roda 2025, where 12 Bxg6+ hxg6 13 0-0 Kf7!? was tried (13...c5 is a known option). As you can imagine, this leads to very double-edged play.
Tarrasch 3...c5 exd5 Qxd5 5 Ngf3 cxd4 6 Bc4 Qd6 7 0-0 Nf6 8 Nb3 Be7 [C07]
The familiar 4 exd5 Qxd5 5 Ngf3 cxd4 6 Bc4 Qd6 7 0-0 Nf6 8 Nb3 was played in Birkisson, B - Zhang, R, Reykjavik Open 2025. Here instead of 8...Nc6 with the main line, Black played 8...Be7:
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The idea of putting the bishop on e7 has gained dramatically in popularity over the past few years, but not so often in this exact position. Almost everyone plays 8...Nc6 and only after captures on d4 does Black play ...Be7. After 9 Nbxd4 a6 (9...0-0 is also playable) 10 Qe2, the fact that Black doesn’t have a knight on c6 allows him to play an immediate 10...b5 and achieve unique positions.
Winawer Variation Main Line 7 h4 [C18]
In the Winawer after 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 c5 5 a3 Bxc3+ 6 bxc3 Ne7 7 h4, Black used the order 7...Nbc6 (we have seen more of the moves 7..Qc7 and 7..Qa5) in Svane, F - Yuffa, D, EICC Eforie-Nord 2025.
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White responded with the recently popular maneuver 8 Rh3!?, which is usually played later, and in the game transposes to a well-known position. Black’s 8...Qa5 9 Bd2 Qa4 (9...Bd7 deserves consideration) is a standard idea, and White developed chances after 10 Rb1 c4 11 h5. There are plenty of options in this relatively under-investigated variation.
Winawer Variation 6...Nc6 7 Qg4 g6 [C18]
We’ve seen a lot of 6...Nc6, which is now appearing regularly in master games. After 7 Qg4 g6 in Travadon, L - Rathanvel, VS, Budapest FS02 GM 2025, 8 Qd1 was played, as in in a couple of earlier Archives games:
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This has had a good success rate, and the game’s 8...Qa5 9 Bd2 Qa4 gave White chances to gain a clear advantage. As Black, better options are 9...f6, 9...c4, or 9...Bd7, and you might want to look into my analysis of 8...Bd7 9 Nf3 f6.
Till next month, John
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