What's New- September '01
I live about a mile from the World Trade Center so I'm pretty shook up. I guess life goes on though, it has to doesn't it?
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Scheveningen
The September 2001 Scheveningen/Najdorf updates sees Shirov play a weird mix of moves vs Palac, SEP01/01, and it turned out well. Black had some decent alternatives though.
Playing (or attempting) a Velimirovic attack vs a Najdorf move order is really asking for it as R Anderson-Lapshun, SEP01/02, shows.
In I Schneider-Brueckner, SEP01/05, White doesn't get much from the opening, but then Black goes hogwild.
I've included 2 (unannotated) examples vs Qe2 where Black got good play. Grabics-Sleisz, SEP01/03, and Zanaty-Restas, SEP01/04.
Best wishes!
Najdorf
Hope this month's B90 to 99 Najdorf finds everyone well.
The 6 Bg5 lines make an appearance every now and then. If I was playing Black I would choose between the Poisoned Pawn or the main line. In Trichkov-Vladyka, SEP01/07, Black gets involved in major theory without sufficient knowledge.
Check Wolff-de Firmian, SEP01/12, which I've included as an example of the theory involved. 11...gf6 is certainly possible, but 11...Nf6 is fine for Black. In my opinion 13...Bxg5+ is Black's best path presently.
Checkout Mendoza-Bruzon, SEP01/09, and the older game Shabalov-Hellers, SEP01/08, as good examples of Black's play.
Instead of 13 f5 White can try 13 h4 (protecting g5) which would transpose into Groszpeter-Sammalvuo, SEP01/10, where Black's ...e5 looked like the cause of his difficulties.
I've included Gofshtein-Kaspi, SEP01/11, as an example of Black keeping the center fluid.
Kolev-Anand, SEP01/06, was in the quiet Be2 line where Black although worse remained solid and drew.
Good Luck!
English Attack
Greetings everyone!
This month's English Attack update sees Black getting seriously discombobulated by 12 Bg5!?, SEP01/34, but what was ...Qc8 about? Black's position was playable if alternatives on move 16 were tried. I still think the e6 lines give Black the best play.
Gonzalez Diaz-Vera, SEP01/35, sees White allow the stock exchange sac after which Black's position plays itself.
Richter-Rauzer
Hello everyone welcome to the September Richter-Rauzer update.
Sadvakarov-Dlugy, SEP01/15, sees Black triumph in the old queen sac line. Max Dlugy has been playing the h6 variation since the early eighties. I'd say he's the world's leading expert in this line.
In Spraggett-Odachowski, SEP01/18, Black never found the correct plan and f3 dished out more punishment. 11...Ne5 looks to be best.
White let Black off the hook with 12 Bxf6 in Reinaldo Castineira-Tyomkin, SEP01/13. Benjamin-Gulko, SEP01/14, shows superior play.
Manik adopted Kozul's ...Ra7 idea with success vs Svoboda, SEP01/16, I've included Zelcic-Kozul, SEP01/17, as an example of better play.
Hope everyone is well and safe.
Sveshnikov/ Kalashnikov
Hello everyone! Hope this months Sveshnikov/Cheliabinsk/Kalishnikov update finds everyone well.
Lets start off with some Kalishnikov action.
Isaza-Gamboa, SEP01/19, fits into our 'N on the rim is grim' category. Whatever possessed White to play 7 N5a3? allowing Black the interesting 7...f5!? clearing out the center.
Arakhamia-Gohil, SEP01/20, was a nice positional crush. Black's position was passive and the breakout idea ...f5 made millions of weaknesses.
If insanity is not your bag check De Firmian-Gausel world chess network banter 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cd4 4 Nd4 e5 5 Nb5 d6 6 N1c3 a6 7 Na3 b5 8 Nd5 Nce7 9 c4 Nd5 10 cd5!? (10 ed5 is the insanity) 10... Nf6 11 Bd3 Be7 12 Nc2 0-0 13 0-0 Bd7 14 Ne3 Qb8 15 Bd2 Rc8 and now 16 f4!? looks good.
Lets talk about the Sveshnikov/Cheliabinsk Variation.
From White's point of view I'd focus on 2 lines. First the positional line. 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cd4 4 Nd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e5 6 Ndb5 d6 7 Bg5 a6 8 Na3 b5 9 Nd5 Be7 10 Bf6 Bf6 11 c3 0-0 12 Nc2 Bg5 I feel this is Black's best approach 13 a4 ba4 14 Ra4 a5 now White has Bc4 or Bb5 with chances for a slight edge, but not much more. I've included Leko-Gelfand, SEP01/22, as a good example. One example of 15 Bb5 turning out well is De Firmian-Lobron from another WCN banter game. 15...Bb7 16 0-0 g6 17 Na3 Kh8 18 Nc4 Rb8 20 Bc6 Bc6 21 Ra5 with a pawn.
If the positional line gives zilch my second choice would be Acs-Gagunashvili, SEP01/21, in the Bxf6 doubled pawn line. For an opening that doesn't seem solid it's a tough nut to crack. The lines with g3 don't impress from White's point of view.
Good Luck!
Paulsen/ Taimanov
The September 2001 Taimanov/Paulsen/Kan update sees Rublevsky taking the double dip vs Khalifman, SEP01/23, and Lastin, SEP01/24. The variation looks mighty passive, I'm sure we won't see Rublevsky playing this again. Another Kan hits the garbage can!
The Taimanov lives on though as a solid variation. Volokitin-Neverov, SEP01/25, deserves a look, 9 Bg5 is a hit or miss proposition. I like it for White except 9...Qd6!? as in the 2 example games Cela-Miladinovic, SEP01/26, and Arakhamia-Miladinovic, SEP01/27.
After 9...Bxc3 10 Bxf6 I'll take White anytime anywhere as 2 more example games show. Torre-Beliavsky, SEP01/29, made an impression on me years ago while Milos-Murshed, SEP01/28, made an impression on me 30 minutes ago! Both are very nice for White.
See everyone next month!
Classical Sozin/ Two Knights
Hi to all my chess friends around the world. This months B54 to 59 has the usual assortment of Benko Sozins.
Lets start off with Cernousek-Sedlak, SEP01/30, where Black played an odd kind of set-up but looked to be ok anyway. It's a mystery why he didn't take on c3.
Zambrana-Bakre, SEP01/31, is interesting for theory. I've had extensive experience from this position. I've included some old games to Illustrate the ideas. In 1989 vs Rachels, SEP01/32, I wanted to face 0-0-0 which I think is plain awful. It's not easy for Black to attack in the opposite-side castles situation. I've included Van Riemsdijk- Rachels, SEP01/33, (Black lost but was much better) which is what I play. Black castles Kside defends his K and then plays on the Qside. It's very tough for White to crack.
Take care! Hope everyone is safe and sound.