1 e4 ... December 2003 update
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Greetings and welcome to this festive update for December 2003! Whatever your religion, colour or creed I wish you happiness and much success over the chessboard IM Andy Martin |
To download the December '03 1 e4 ... games directly in PGN form, click here: 
Scandinavian Defence
Two Scandinavians kick off the update.
In the first Game Paul Motwani dismantles the dangerous 8 d5!?
            
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White starts the action a little too early.
The second game finds me in a very experimental mood and ending up with a lousy position after 14 Qe5!
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Only fighting spirit keeps Black afloat after this powerful centralization.
Alekhine's Defence
Moving to the Exchange Alekhine we see an example of 7 a4!? in Game 3:
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This little-used move is very dangerous. Black has to react in the centre but how and when? Grunberg emerged victorious as Black but it was not too convincing.
Pirc/Modern Defence
Two games in the Modern see Black getting wiped out big-time.
The critical position in Kasparov - Azmaiparashvili occurs after 18 f5:
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when Black can try either 18...Bh5 or 18...Rg8!.
Landa - Rudolf is brief but again Black missed his chance. In place of 16...Nc5? I recommend 16...Ne5! and the position isn't too bad. Here we see why the Modern isn't particularly popular; a protracted period of defence is necessary before counterplay can be created. Not to everyone's taste!
Caro-Kann
Vasleslu - Vajda features the Two Knights Variation of the Caro-Kann and the unusual 3...a6!?
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There's a game by Matthew Sadler in the notes where 3...h6!?
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is played too. As Bobby Fischer would say: 'something to break the monotony'.
Klensberg - Kanstler is a bastardized Gurganidze system e.g. 1 e4 g6 2 d4 Bg7 3 Nc3 c6 4 f4 d5 5 e5 Nh6!?. This messy, murky idea deserves full respect because, as played, White got less than nothing. Only Kanstler knows why he did not play 15...Bxb2!:
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and he isn't telling. Black lost.
Finally, Grigoriants - Rogers is a rare outing for 5...gxf6!?
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, one of the few lines in the Caro with aggressive intentions. White seemed to build up the usual edge but then the position became random and he lost. We've all been there I think.
Warmest Regards, IM Andrew Martin
Please post you queries on the 1 e4 ... Forum, or subscribers can write to me at AMartin@ChessPublishing.com if you have any questions or queries.