What's New- May '01
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Scheveningen
This month's update starts off with 7...Nbd7 vs the Sozin variation. In both games Black got very comfortable positions.
In Os.Garcia-Garcia Martinez, MAY01/15 White tried 10 f5 which doesn't seem very threatening.
9 e5 was tried in Zaitsev-Kurochkin, MAY01/16 where Black quickly got the better of things only to blunder with 36...Be5??.
Dolmatov-Jakovenko, MAY01/14 was a solid Scheveningen, things can get sharp but Black has very nice resources.
Najdorf
Our May 2001 Najdorf update is spread out this month as I've added another section (the English attack).
The Canadian GM Kevin Spraggett has done well with a relatively quiet 6 Be2-line.
In the first game he makes quick work of Gallagher, MAY01/17 while game 2 sees him fall to Fressinet, MAY01/18. On move 20, Nd4! was a good chance and 21 Qf4 Qf4 22 Rf4 Bd5 23 Nd4 isn't so bad. Black's counterplay consists of the ...f5 push. Food for thought vs the ...e5 line.
All the best!
English Attack
Hello everyone! This is the first update devoted to just the English Attack. Due to it's popularity vs the Najdorf or Scheveningen it deserves its own section.
We'll start off with more misery for Black in the 6...Ng4 line. In Landa-Marek, MAY01/21 Black continues to struggle. Here 10 h4!? worked out well but I'm still on the 10 h3 bandwagon.
In Quedada-Leyva, MAY01/19 White allowed the ...Rxc3! sac, earning the right to defend forever!
In Korneev-Alvarez, MAY01/20 White attempts a different plan. Playing for action with f4-f5 instead of g4. Here it worked out well, but Black can go after the e4 point other ways.
Y Gonzalez-Vera, MAY01/22 sees a very direct approach. Black gets a lot of activity- both K's are in the middle- a real mess! Typical Najdorf stuff!
We end this update with V Georgiev vs K Georgiev (2510 FIDE not Kiril), MAY01/23 Black's ...Be7 and ...Nc6 looks very slow to me. Exchanging on c6 looks very nice for White.
Good Luck to my fellow Sicilian fans!
Richter-Rauzer
Welcome to the May 2001 B60 to B69 Richer-Rauzer update.
One of the older lines has been growing in popularity. We'll start off with Matulovic-Vuckovic, MAY01/11. 11 Qe1 is scarier-looking than it really is. I prefer the simple 11...Be7!? over the 11...h6 played in the game.
Game 2, MAY01/12 sees 2 computers battle it out. White looked better but in this line Black has chances for counterplay on the dark squares. Sometimes White's pieces get distracted from the Q-side then it's trouble.
We end with Heymann-Sudakova, MAY01/13. White must lookout for Nd5 ideas. Here 14 Nd5! would've caused problems.
See everyone in June!
Sveshnikov/ Kalashnikov
Welcome to our May 2001 B32 to B33 Svesh/Kalash update.
It's a Ponomariov double header. In the Sveshnikov variation Eljanov is the victim, MAY01/02. White played so well it's difficult to pinpoint where Black went wrong. I'm leaning towards 19...exf3 as a possible cause.
The second victim in a Kalashnikov was Zubarev, MAY01/01. Black's position got ugly fast. In an earlier update (sometime last year) Shabalov sacrificed his d6-pawn for good play, but here I don't see it. Ponomariov is on his way to becoming a real Sicilian killer. Something to keep an eye on.
Paulsen/ Taimanov
Welcome to the May 2001 B40 to 49 Taimanov/Kan update. We have 3 Taimanov variations to check on.
In Van den Doel-Van der Werf, MAY01/03 Black's 9...Qd6!? avoids positions I believe favor White after 9 Bg5. The ...Qd6 idea comes close to equalizing.
The variation White played in Vasquez-Bruzon, MAY01/04 has never fared well. Black's Q and B battery on the a8-h1 diagonal keeps White busy. Of all the Hedgehog positions, the one in the Taimanov is the most pleasant. White's Na3 is offside and Black is hard to crack. Other than space White has little else.
Frhat-Surjadrij, MAY01/05 shows the redeployment of the c6 knight to d7 when Black is fine.
Good Luck All!
Classical Sozin/ Two Knights
Hello everyone! Our B54 to 59 May 2001 update sees Black getting unbelievable results in the Benko system.
Starting off with Hunt-Krush, MAY01/06 where White's 12 Qd3 didn't pose Black any serious problems.
In Berndt-Popovic, MAY01/07 White got a good position after 9...Qa5. Black should go pawn snatching with 9...Qxb2!?.
Black's set-up with ...Nb4, and ...e5 worked-out well in Zheliandinov-Atalik, MAY01/08.
In Abreu-Stefansson, MAY01/09 White played the over sharp 0-0-0, but Black didn't react well. As in many Sicilians Black must not play too mechanically with ...Bb7.
We'll finish up with an old game J Polgar-Fedorowicz, MAY01/10 which showed a possible way of dealing with White's Q-side.
Adios! Happy Chess Hunting to all my friends!