Download PGN of January ’18 1 d4 d5 2 c4 games
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Catalan Opening 7.Qc2 a6 8.a4 [E05]
The first three games involve the Catalan:
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In game 1, Mamedyarov, S - Wei Yi Wijk An Zee 2018, we deal with the classical line 4...Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qc2 a6 8.a4 Bd7 9.Qxc4 Bc6 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bxf6 Bxf6 12.Nc3, and now 12...Bxf3 13.Bxf3 Qxd4!?:
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An interesting approach, White won the game, but some important questions remain unanswered.
Catalan Opening 7.Qc2 b6 [E05]
Game 2 is Gelfand, B - Deac, B Gibraltar 2018. Here we have a unusual modern line, 4...Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 dxc4 7.Qc2 b6!?:
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White had some initiative during the game, but nothing significant, so at the moment the surprising 7...b6 is still in business.
Closed Catalan Opening 4...Bb4+ 5.Bd2 Be7, 9.Rc1 [E11]
This time, in the game Karjakin, S - Wei Yi from Wijk An Zee 2018, the Chinese GM tried the super solid line 4...Bb4 5.Bd2 Be7 6.Bg2 0-0 7.0-0 c6 8.Qc2 Nbd7, and now one of the latest attempts against this very respectable line is 9.Rc1!?:
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Karjakin opted for this approach, which caught on just recently, where White takes control of the c-file as soon as possible. Wei Yi played well and drew, but the line itself is worth examining.
Blackburne QGD 5 Bf4 0-0 6 e3 c5 7 dxc5 Bxc5 [D37]
Games 4 and 5 involve the 5. Bf4 systems in the QGD and where we see that after 5...0-0 6.e3 the line 6...c5 7.dxc5 Bxc5 gains serious attention again:
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In Vachier Lagrave, M - Nakamura, H Gibraltar 2018, White continued with 8.cxd5 Nxd5 9.Nxd5 exd5 10.a3:
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This is the line that is known from the Leko-Kramnik match, for instance. White is a little better, but we will see that Black was ready for it and held relatively easily.
In Mamedyarov, S - Anand, V Wijk An Zee 2018, White avoided the immediate exchange on d5 and tried another main line against 5.Bf4, 8.Qc2 Nc6 9.Rd1 Qa5 10.a3 Re8:
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Another important game in this line, although this time it is Anand who is testing it with Black. Mamedyarov launched a new idea, 17.Qd2!?, but Anand played well and managed to draw. The ball is again in White's court.
Ragozin System 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4 [D38]
Game 6 and 7 concern the Ragozin opening which is doing really fine. Let's see more detail:
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In Svidler, P - Mamedyarov, S Wijk An Zee 2018, White opted for a relatively new line with 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bf4:
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This line has been gaining popularity recently, but after the direct attempt 6...Ne4!? Svidler somehow failed to find good play. In any case the positions are far from clear and very sharp.
Ragozin System 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5, 8...Bf5 [D38]
In So, W - Karjakin, S Wijk An Zee 2018, we have what is now considered best play for Black, 5.cxd5 exd5 6.Bg5 h6 7.Bh4 0-0 8.e3 Bf5:
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After 9.Qb3 Bxc3+ 10.bxc3 Nbd7! 11.Be2 c5 White opted for 12.dxc5 but Black was doing ok all the way, this line is very solid for Black.
Chebanenko Slav 5.e3 Bf5 6.Qb3 [D15]
The only game that is not from one of those big events is Melkumyan, H - Repka, C Austrian league 2018, which features a Chebananeko Slav, 4.e3 a6 5.Nc3 Bf5 (Black insists on having a bishop on the f5-square) and now 6.Qb3:
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Now Black opted for 6...b5 7.c5 a5 8.Ne5 a4 and after 9.Qd1 he now played the new but bad move 9...Nfd7?. White quickly achieved the better game, but it was not simple at all. We can say that Black has to really be on high alert to handle such lines.
Hope you enjoy the presented material, best wishes GM Milos Pavlovic.
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