Download PGN of August ’24 d-Pawn Specials games
The Trompowsky: 2...Ne4 3 h4 c5 4 dxc5 [A45]
After 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 Ne4 3 h4!? we take a look at developments after both Black’s main moves, 3...d5 and 3...c5. In Malyi, V - Nihal, S, White meets the latter with 4 dxc5 and following 4...Qa5+ 5 Nd2 Nxg5 6 hxg5 g6 going 7 Rh4!? was certainly in keeping with the original spirit of 3 h4.
             |
Here 7...Nc6 should be met by the game’s calm 8 c3 and not 8 Rc4 due to 8...b6!.
The Trompowsky: 2...Ne4 3 h4 c5 4 d5 [A45]
I’ve long preferred to meet 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 Ne4 3 h4 c5 with 4 d5 when 4...h6 5 Bf4 (5 Bc1!? is also a decent choice here, as played of late by Kacper Piorun) 5...Qb6! 6 Nd2!? Qxb2 7 Nxe4 Qb4+ 8 c3! Qxe4 9 e3 resembles a better known gambit line where the h-pawns haven’t moved:
|
|
Here Black clearly doesn’t have 9...g5, and 9...e5 was very sensible in Palliser, R - Bazakutsa, S, which quickly became an extremely complex and fun struggle.
The Trompowsky: 2...c5 3 d5 Qb6 4 Nc3 d6 [A45]
Even in a blitz game, I was surprised to see Hikaru Nakamura wheeling out 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 c5 3 d5 Qb6. Surely he’d be much happier on the white side after 4 Nc3? The blitz expert tried to avoid allowing White a strong early initiative, but 4...d6 5 e4 g6?! 6 Rb1 Bg7 7 Nf3 was hardly a great type of Schmid Benoni for Black:
|
|
Nakamura tried to fight with 7...h6!? 8 Bf4 g5, but was still quickly somewhat worse in Praggnanandhaa, R - Nakamura, H.
The Veresov: 3...c5 4 Bxf6 exf6 5 e3 [D01]
Via a 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 d5 3 e3 c5 4 Bxf6 exf6!? 5 Nc3 move order, a Veresov arose in Praggnanandhaa, R - Vachier-Lagrave, M, which continued along standard lines: 5...Be6 6 Nge2 Nc6:
|
|
Here 7 g3 has been normal and the Indian super-GM didn’t exactly make a great case for 7 Nf4 in the game, playable though it should be.
The Veresov: 3...c5 4 dxc5 [D01]
As we’ve just seen, after 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nc3 d5 3 Bg5 c5 (I’ve also examined a few other recent games after both 3...h6 and 3...Nbd7, with GMs on the white side), White usually exchanges on f6 and 4 dxc5? is not to be recommended, despite having been used more than once by a Russian IM.
|
|
The refutation is the direct 4...d4 5 Bxf6 exf6 6 Ne4 and now not the 6...Qd5? of Kornyukov, A - Hamblok, R, but rather 6...Bf5! 7 Ng3 Bxc5!, and if 8 Nxf5? Qa5+ 9 c3 dxc3.
The London System: 3...c5 4 e3 Nc6 5 Nbd2 e6 6 c3 Nh5 [D02]
Unsurprisingly 1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Bf4 was also seen at the Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, with the topical 3...c5 4 e3 Nc6 5 Nbd2 e6 6 c3 Nh5!? tested in Abdusattorov, N - So, W.
|
|
After 7 Bg5 f6 8 Bh4 g6 9 Be2 cxd4 10 Nxd4 Ng7 11 0-0 White is absolutely fine, but must be careful how he times any e3-e4 advance, as the game demonstrated.
The Colle: 3...c5 4 Nbd2 Nc6 5 dxc5 [D04]
After 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 d5 3 e3 c5 going 4 Nbd2 is still fairly trendy, and only if 4...Nc6 then 5 dxc5 when play may go 5...e6 6 a3 a5 7 c4:
|
|
This shouldn’t promise White an objective advantage, but he quickly obtained a pleasant edge and then a huge attack in Piorun, K - Sherman, R.
Let’s hope we have more such fine attacking play to enjoy next month too.
Until then, Richard
>> Previous Update >>