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Advance Variation 5...Qb6 6 Be2 cxd4 7 cxd4 Nge7 8 Na3 [C02]
In the main variation 3 e5 c5 4 c3 Nc6 5 Nf3 Qb6 6 Be2, I haven’t given much attention over the years to 6...cxd4 7 cxd4 Nge7 8 Na3 Nf5 9 Nc2:
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This is a commonly-arising position, although notice that Black if he wants to can discourage this Na3-c2 idea by 7...Nh6, entering one of the main lines of the Advance. The diagrammed position was tested in Huschenbeth, N - Fridman, D, Ostfildern 2024, where the natural and popular 9...Bb4+ as played, and after 10 Kf1 Be7, White played the most effective move 11 h4 (preventing ...Nh4 after g4). A double-edged game resulted. Black often skips 9...Bb4+ with 9...Be7 or 9...Bd7, which makes sense since Kf1 is a move that White wants to make anyway.
Advance Variation 5...Bd7 6 Be2 Nge7 [C02]
After 5 Nf3, 5...Bd7 6 Be2 Nge7 7 0-0 is normally met by 7...Ng6 or 7...Nf5, but the flexible 7....Rc8 is also seen. Then 8 Na3 is an obvious choice for White:
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Ramsdal, J - Hald Falkesgaard, J, Copenhagen 2024 saw 8...Nf5 9 Nc2 cxd4. Black should have equalized, but there’s plenty to play for. 8...Ng6 is a valid alternative, and I’ve inserted a recent game with 7...Ng6.
In this order the flank thrust 7 h4!? makes some sense, grabbing space and discouraging ....Nf5 due to g4 and ...Ng6 due to h5.
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In Maurizzi, M - Edouard, R, French Open Championship Huez 2024, Black played the ambitious 7...f6!? and an interesting double-edged game resulted. After some errors, White achieved a completely winning position and lost it in time pressure. A potential drawback to 7 h4, however, is that Black can attack the center and obtain a comfortable game (or force a draw if White plays naturally).
Advance 5 Nf3 Bd7 6 Be2 f6 7 0-0 fxe5 8 Nxe5 Nxe5 9 fxe5 Qc7 [C02]
We’ve looked at the popular line 5 Nf3 Bd7 6 Be2 f6 7 0-0 fxe5 8 Nxe5 Nxe5 9 dxe5 Qc7 a lot, and recently with White’s modern preference 10 Re1. Then 10...0-0-0 has suffered some defeats (see the Archives).
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Nevertheless, this line may be satisfactory for Black. In Viani, A - Sengupta, D, RPS International School Ch 2024, White played 11 Bf1 Ne7 12 a4 Nf5 13 Na3 c4 and Black had reasonable play. In the notes, I examine the critical line 11 a4 Qxe5 12 Bf3 Qf5, which also seems satisfactory.
Tarrasch Variation 3...c5 4 Ngf3 cxd4 5 Nxd4 Ne7 [C07]
After 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 c5, the 4 exd5 lines are making little headway and so many of the stronger players of White prefer 4 Ngf3. Then after 4...cxd4 5 Nxd4, Black has satisfactory options such as 5...Nf6 and 5...Nc6, but if you’ve played these innumerable times already, you might want to try something different: 5...Ne7!?:
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This rare move is perfectly logical. In Deng, H - Aronian, L, Titled Tue 6th Aug chess.com 2024, White tried 6 Bb5+ Nbc6 (6...Bd7 deserves consideration) 7 0-0 Bd7 8 Nxc6 bxc6 with play very similar to the 5...Nc6 6 Bb5 Bd7 7 Nxc6 bxc6 8 Bd3 main line.
6 Bd3 is the most popular move:
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Yuan, Q - Lintchevski, D, Titled Tue 23rd Jul chess.com 2024, continued 6...e5 (6...Nbc6 is another sound response) 7 Ndf3 Nbc6. The play in this variation is balanced, and both sides have positive chances.
Tarrasch 3...h6 4 Ngf3 Nf6 5 e5 Nfd7 6 Bd3 c5 7 c3 Nbc6 8 0-0 g5 [C03]
It’s been some time since we looked at one of my old favorites, 3...h6, which is still producing interesting games. One of the main lines is 4 Ngf3 Nf6 5 e5 Nfd7 6 Bd3 c5 7 c3 Nbc6 8 0-0 g5:
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See the Archives for various moves here, the most creative and exciting idea being 9 h3 as discussed in the Archives games ‘Tarrasch 3...h6 Liu Line [1-2]’. In Akshit, K - Madaminov, M, Abu Dhabi UAE 2024, White played another critical move 9 dxc5 and complex play resulted with chances for both sides.
Another modest move 9 b3 was played in Kosakowski, J - Piorun, K, Warsaw 2024 (which has a recent game with 9 Bb5 in the notes):
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Black has a number of answers, most resulting in a minor White advantage with accurate play, In the game, 9...a5 10 Bb2 a4 led to an extremely complicated fighting game.
MacCutcheon Variation 5 exd5 Qxd5 [C12]
There have been relatively few high-level encounters with the MacCutcheon (3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bg5 Bb4) in the past ten years or so, probably because theory has turned favorable for White in some main lines. But that is no excuse for the neglect I’ve given 4...Bb4, something I’ll try to remedy in the future. I noticed this gap when I saw a game between two 2750 players, Firouzja, A - Praggnanandhaa, R Sinquefield Cup Saint Louis 2024. I can’t find a previous game by Praggnanandhaa with the MacCutcheon, so this must have been a surprise.
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The main move here is of course 5 e5, which I treat briefly in the notes and is well-represented in the Archives. But in the game, Firouzja, undoubtedly trying to avoid deep preparation in the main lines, played 5 exd5 Qxd5 6 Nf3 (6 Bxf6 is the main move) 6...Ne4 7 Bd2. A well-played, sound contest resulted, with neither side gaining a serious advantage.
Till next month, John
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