Download PGN of October '04 1 d4 d5 games
Chebanenko System [D10 & D15]
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Huzman,A - Zhao Zong Yuan: The set-up with ...a7-a6 and ...Bc8-g4 or ...Bc8-f5 in the Exchange Slav was considered to be quite acceptable for Black - see the game Van der Sterren - Piket, Rotterdam 1999. However, Alexander Khuzman demonstrated that White can still maintain some pressure. Moreover, White can easily play this line in reply to the Chebanenko System if he is not in a mood to compete in deep theoretical lines...
Georgiev, K - Movsesian, S: Sergei Movsesian shows that the manoeuvre ...Qd8-c7-b8 is not the only black option in this well-developed line. His simple-looking approach solved the problems quickly and confidently so the ball is now back on White's side...
Hillarp Persson, T - Arlandi, E: The new set-up which we considered in the game Dreev - Ni Hua/Moscow 2004, brings excellent results for White. Black still failed to find a good antidote and at the Olympiad he suffered some defeats with the same scenario: Qd1-b3, a2-a4, Qb3-a3
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then axb5, penetration on the a-file, exchange of the queens, pressure on the c6-pawn by Ra1-a6 and Nc3-b4 and Black's Q-side eventually collapsed since his minor pieces were too limited by White's pawns. Here is one such victory ...
Damljanovic, B - Dautov, R: It seems that White recently found a promising idea to make use of his extra tempo in case of Black's manoeuvre ...Nf6-h5-f6. Branco Damljanovic rather easily crushed a solid opponent - Black could play more precisely in the opening but White also has other options to prove he has the better chances. The whole set-up deserves more analysis and practical tests and it might be a real headache for Black...
Main line Slav [D16-D19]
Johannessen, L - Isaev, J: The Morozevich Variation remains popular:
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In this game White has easily achieved his goal by simply copying Peter-Heine Nielsen's approach (P.H.Nielsen - Shirov/GER-chT 2004) since Black did not pay any attention to the fact that White left his rook on a1...
Jobava, B - Grischuk, A: Another triumphant appearance of Baadur Jobava's idea, which we considered last month in the game Jobava, B - Kulaots, K/WJCC Istanbul 2004. This time it helped him to crush a formidable rival and, by the way, to obtain the best performance at the Olympiad. Did White finally find a good antidote against the Morozevich Variation?!
Cambridge Springs [D52]
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Nyback, T - Fridman, D: A very deep line has been tested here. White gets two minor pieces for the rook but Black's major pieces can quickly create pressure on the White pawn weakness and so distract him from his attacking plans. Generally Black gets acceptable play but he should not overestimate his position since White has more pieces in action...
Lasker's Defence [D56-57]
Van Wely, L - Azmaiparashvili, Z: The Lasker Defence is a solid defensive approach, which gives Black a slightly worse but quite defendable position. In this game White has eventually gained a whole extra tempo compared to the game Karpov - Yussupow/Dortmund 1997 but still failed to get real winning chances.
In the next update I am looking forward to presenting Alexei Shirov's excellent victory over Laurent Fressinet in the Latvian Bayonet, and some other interesting ideas in the Semi-Slav.
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.