Welcome to the November Update
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I hope you are all enjoying your chess. If you haven't already, you might like to take the chance to look around ChessPub- you will be surprised at how much material is there, not just on the French but every other opening as well. The website has been running for over four years now and there is a mass of archive material- even if you find studying theory boring, there are a lot of great games to play through. And don't forget you can download anything you want onto your computer. |
I hope to get the December Update online before the end of the month and I'll reply to all the emails I've received in that update. Meanwhile thanks to everyone who has contacted me!
To download the November '03 French games directly in PGN form, click here: 
Advance Variation
Two wins for Del Rio Angelis
Black gets off to a great start this month with two model wins by Del Rio Angelis from the Isle of Man tournament. OK, he wasn't playing Shirov and Movsesian, but his opponents put up sturdy enough resistance to make these games very instructive. After 6...Nge7:
            
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If you need a line against both 7.Na3 and 7.0-0 in the Advance mainline, you could do worse than study the games Bjarnason - Del Rio Angelis and Molander - Del Rio Angelis.
Tarrasch 3...Nf6/5.Bd3 Variation
Another anti-'Play the French' Idea
As a lot of club players base their repertoire on John Watson's brilliant book, it is always nice to see how a 2650+ player takes on the lines he recommends. This month Rublevsky, one of the top young Russian players, meets the Tarrasch Qb6 line with a little known rook move. And he wins easily! So if you are looking for a way to slay one of Watson's unsuspecting disciples this could be just the ticket- here is Rublevsky - Meessen.
Tarrasch 3...c5/4...Qxd5 Variation
The Kasparov Variation- without the sacrifice
The former [future?] World Champion injected new life into the Tarrasch Qxd5 line by offering a piece sacrifice against Gelfand a couple of years ago. As usual, all the details can be found on ChessPub. Since then the leading Czech player Hracek has played this line three times as White: three wins! His latest encounter, from the European Club Championships, is highly intriguing: he has taken Kasparov's basic idea but removed the sacrifice! Check out Hracek - Kelly.
Classical Variation 4.e5
Some heavyweight theory from Bologan
I would love to have a collection of Sergei Volkov's Best Games- the former Russian Champion is a genius in the art of brinkmanship. He must have nerves of steel to put his king through such danger game after game. Here Volkov grabs the famous poisoned pawn on b2 with his queen:
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, but unfortunately he runs into some deep preparation by Bologan. I guess this game puts the variation out of business for a while, but I'm sure that Volkov is already plotting his revenge! Here is Bologan - Volkov.
McCutcheon
A new idea from Volkov
The last thing you expect to happen when two fighters such as Shirov and Volkov face each other is for the game to fizzle out to a quick draw. Yet it isn't for the want of trying, as Shirov sacrifices his queen! Theoretically speaking, this game represents a success for Black, who introduces an old idea of Albin's into top-class chess. Enjoy Shirov - Volkov.
Classical 4.Bg5
Morozevich's idea- refuted by Philidor!
In the September 2003 Update we saw Morozevich score a fine attacking win as Black versus Inarkiev in the Russian Championship. This month Sakaev, no doubt impressed, copies Morozevich's idea, but the outcome is very different: rather than getting an attack he is slowly crushed by a moving wall of pawns. Naiditsch plays a superb game in the style of Philidor and shows that sometimes the pieces are indeed the servants of the pawns. Here is Naiditsch - Sakaev.
Winawer Mainline 6...b6
Shirov Magic and smooth technique by Lputian
In the previous update we discussed Winawer lines with 4...b6- followed as a rule by Qd7-and 4...Qd7. This month we complete some more of the picture by looking at the variation 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.e5 Ne7 5.a3 Bxc3+ 6.bxc3 b6!?:
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In the first game French devotee Lputian, on the way to winning the Isle of Man tournament, scores a convincing positional win by neutralising White's attack. Black isn't so lucky in the second game as he faces Shirov at his most creative. Whether your taste is for technique or brilliancy, you will find something to enjoy in the games Prasad - Lputian and Shirov - Atalik.
Winawer 7.Qg4
Another victory for the Rustemov System
Finally, the good old Rustemov System is alive and well. With his smooth positional victory GM Barsov shows that White cannot gain any advantage by avoiding the sharp mainline. Have a look at Menacher - Barsov.
Well that's all for now. I hope the French brings you luck in your tournaments and club games!
Best Regards,
Neil