What's New- October '04
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Greeting to all of my chess friends around the world! It's amazing isn't it that this late October update isn't all that late! I'm hoping the next few updates see alot of good action. Whenever the Olympiad is played it provides us with all kinds of good and sometimes new material. Fed |
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Hello everyone!Download PGN of October '04 Open Sicilian games
Paulsen/Taimanov [B40 to B49]
More activity in the B40-B49 section with 2 more games.
German GM Lutz has been putting up great numbers on the Black side of the Kan/Paulsen. This times it's Galiana - Lutz (B43) where Black got a good game early. I thought White's opening was a mixture of ideas that led nowhere. I prefer 5 Bd3 or 5 c4 over the move played in the main game. A search of games with 5 Nc3 showed Black getting outstanding results:
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Zhang Zhong-Bannink (B43) saw Black get completely brutalized in the line with 6...Qb6. Black has to pay more attention to the queenside. White's 10 a4! is the biggest test to Black's setup. It's possible that Black's d6 is slightly inaccurate. 11...Nc6!? avoiding the move a5 deserves a look.
Game 3 Motylev - Movsesian (B48) saw White try the interesting 11 Qe1!? when Black replied with ...Nc4:
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This looks more to the point than the alternative 11...Be7. In the positions where White has doubled c-pawns, Black must be careful of the bishops of opposite color situation. Check the note Sebag-Zigangirova to see Black's king get stuck in the middle, although I don't think White's Bf2 has any independent value here. Black could've delayed Bxc3 as well.
Black has been getting decent results in this line. Note that Black's move order allows White the possibility of 5 c4 leading to a pawn sacrifice if Black is greedy.
Richter-Rauzer [B60 to B69]
Game 4 is a reappearance from Rauser (B67) hero Zdenko Kozul. This time he was Black against American GM Shabalov a very creative attacker and good against the Rauser. As I can attest to. The big idea here was Black's 11...Qb8 followed by ...Rc8 then ...Ne5:
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It worked out well here and we'll look for future tests.. A curious idea instead of 13 Be3 is 13 Nxc6!? when Black is forced to capture with a piece. Black can avoid this with 12...Ne5 followed by ...Rc8 getting into the game continuation. White could have tried 12 h5 ideas keeping the pawn storm going instead of letting Black's Nh5 clog the works. The jury is out on 11...Qb8, for now I'll stick with the ...h6 booting the bishop back to e3 then h5.
Scheveningen [B80 to B89]
Our next game is Crosa - Milos (B80) a good example of when not to play the g6 pawn sacrifice. After 15 g6 fxg6 Black has better defensive chances when this capture is possible:
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In the notes I included a couple of alternatives that looked pretty good. I liked 15 Bh3 played in Haslinger-Gormally. Keeping an eye on e6, and preventing if possible the f-pawn capture. Forcing Black to play hxg6, Nxg6, or no capture at all is what White wants. Getting d5 in would help Black, but 9...d5 doesn't look so good. Most of the examples I included favor White. Black should play ...d5 when he can recapture on d5 with a knight.
Najdorf [B90 to B99]
We finish this not very late update with Bologan - Freitag (B90) in what could be viewed as a good sideline for Black. I think ...a5 is a very underrated and mostly overlooked idea:
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There are some players that have a nose for the initiative and GM Bologan is one, but he didn't prove much against Black's ...a5 idea.
One thing is clear...White cannot allow the a-pawn to advance. Freitag played pretty well and really wasn't in any danger the entire time. Check the note Anand-Vallejo Pons.
Good Luck! See you all at the November 2004 update. Thanks for tuning in!
Adios, GM John Fedorowicz
P.S. Feel free to contact me at the Forum (above) or send stuff to my email at feddy@mindspring.com (subscribers only). I'll try to answer your questions as soon as possible. I've had problems replying when contacted through Chess Publishing at thefed@chesspublishing.com. Thanks! Fed.