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The April update covers recent developments. The most important discoveries are Zoltan Gyimesi's new and tricky approach, which finally helped White gain an advantage in an ending which has been a problem for him since the 6th Topalov - Kramnik game, WCh Elista 2006, and the excellent opening preparation of Ismael Karim of Morocco, who neutralized White's 16.Rb1 in the Botvinnik in excellent style.

Download PGN of April '08 1 d4 d5 games


Chebanenko System [D15]

Bacrot - Karjakin: The two opponents resumed theoretical argument that they had begun at the World Cup in 2007. Bacrot did not repeat his own idea here, but instead tried to improve upon the game Aronian - Van Wely/Wijk aan Zee 2008. However, Karjakin defended well - he established control over the central d-file which secured his vulnerable king.



Main Slav [D17]

Gyimesi - Bindrich: Zoltan Gyimesi discovered some new subtleties in the Slav ending, which Black successfully held a number of times, starting with the famous encounter Topalov - Kramnik/WCC Elista (m/6) 2006. White's idea to use the c-file for tricky tactics is quite impressive:

this seems to be the way to maintain the advantage after some previous fruitless attempts.



Ragozin System [D38]

Tregubov - Delchev: Alexander Delchev reacted very well to his opponent's novelty and quickly got the better chances with black, proving that Morozevich's risky-looking 13...Kg7 is very much alive:



Vienna Variation [D39]

Khismatullin - Nielsen: Peter-Heine Nielsen introduced a novelty in a principle line in which Black is recently under some pressure. He quickly solved all the problems but it seems White would have maintained the better chances with more precise play.



Botvinnik Variation [D44]

Gustafsson - Berczes: Black's novelty in a rare line of the Botvinnik led him to a worse ending which he managed to hold thanks to his opponent's inaccuracy. However, more precise analysis proves that the whole line does not promise much for White if Black plays accurately.

Mikhalevski - Karim: Victor Mikhalevsky tried to improve upon the game Topalov - Kramnik/Dortmund 1996, but his opponent, Ismael Karim of Morocco, showed excellent preparation and proved that his far-advanced passed pawn fully compensates White's extra queen!

A very important theoretical game, which seriously decreases White's ambitions in the whole 16. Rb1 line.



QGD Classical Approach ...Nb8-d7 [D60-D66]

Tkachiev - Graf: Black's slow approach gives White a good opportunity to comfortably develop his pieces. However, Black maintains a solid position, being ready to begin active play if gets a chance. Here he came up with a clever pawn sacrifice and achieved excellent play though later he lost control over the situation and spoiled his chances.

Mikhalevski - Speelman: Victor Mikhalevsky met Black's slow set-up with ambitious long castling:

Then he consistently opened the g-file but soon missed an excellent chance to launch a powerful attack. Instead he missed a strong defensive resource and then got carried away by a beautiful queen sacrifice, which turned out to be wrong. However, Black had to find no less than 8 'only' moves to prove that!

Carlsen - Jussupow: Arthur Jussupow played a mainline, in which Black gets a worse but very solid position. Magnus Carlsen tried to put pressure on his opponent but failed - Black slowly but confidently got his pieces into play without any concessions, simplified the position and conclusively solved all the problems. It seems that White should look for something more promising in this variation or find some more precise option to maintain the edge.



Ruslan

 

If you have any questions, then please post a message at the 1 d4 d5 Forum, or subscribers can email me at ruslan@chesspublishing.com.