Download PGN of April '12 1 e4 ... games
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Alekhine's Defence 5.c4!? [B04]
In Sutovsky - Finkel we see a new idea as early as move 5! Here's the position after 5.c4!? which I have the feeling we'll be seeing more of in the future:
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The game's assessment changes wildly from one move to the next over the coming few moves!
Modern Defence - Gurgenidze System [B15]
Our second game features a critical position in the 1.e4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 c6 4.f4 d5 line. In Balogh - Chatalbashev White introduces the improvement 12.Kf2!:
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and goes on to win an interesting game.
Modern Defence 4 Bg5 [B06]
Swiercz - Bacrot features the topical 4.Bg5 line and Black went into a line that Gawain has previously assessed as good for White:
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Here Bacrot chose 8...c5 (as opposed to Gawain's recommended 8...f6) and was soon in hot water - in fact he was lucky to escape with a draw.
Caro-Kann - unusual lines [B10]
Next up we see the unusual 2.Ne2 against the Caro which can always be relied upon for original play. Black plays the critical continuation in Mamedov - Turov and I don't think this was quite the position White was aiming for after 9 moves:
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Two Knights 3..a6 [B11]
Game 5 features 3..a6 in the Two Knights Caro but after going wrong in a critical line Black finds himself in an ugly position after the thematic 12.e6!:
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Advance 4 Nd2 [B12]
After 1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 Bf5 4.Nd2 e6 5.Nb3 Nd7 6.Nf3 Bg6 7.Be2 Ne7 8.0-0 Nf5 we examine the unusual but dangerous 9.a4. The position after 15 moves has been reached a few times:
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and here Black is in desperate need of counterplay as results have not been promising to say the least! Check out our thoughts on Areshchenko - Shimanov.
Panov Attack [D42]
Kobalia - Jobava covers the critical 12.Bg5:
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Black has a great deal of choice in these positions but the games shows that he has to be very accurate as it only took one mistake for him to be in real trouble, although that was by no means the final word in a topsy-turvy game!
Smyslov System - 4...Nd7 [B17]
Our final game reaches quite a standard position after 11 moves:
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and now Black chooses the unusual (but not necessarily bad) 11...Nf6 but he doesn't follow it up correctly and White scores a quick victory in Akopian - Shimanov.
Until next month, Gawain and Tom.
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