Download PGN of February '14 d-Pawn Specials games
>> Previous Update >>
The Trompowsky 2...d5 3 Nd2 c5 [A45]
Boris Gelfand didn't enjoy the best of Wijks, so must have been quite happy to face 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 d5 3 Nd2 in the tenth round. This is rather untheoretical and also allows Black an easy game with 3...c5:
             |
White's position is by no means terrible, of course, but after 4 dxc5 Qa5 5 c3 Qxc5 6 Ngf3 Nc6 7 Bxf6 gxf6 8 e4 Be6 9 Bd3 0-0-0 Black could have no complaints and went on to win his first game of the tournament in Van Wely-Gelfand.
The Veresov 3...Nbd7 4 Qd3 [D01]
It's been a few months since we last examined 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nc3 d5 3 Bg5 and three grandmaster games come under the microscope after 3...Nbd7. All three deviate at this major junction, with Corrales Jimenez-Leon Hoyos proceeding 4 Qd3 e6 5 e4 dxe4 6 Nxe4 h6:
|
|
Here 7 Bh4 would take play into the main line of this sub-variation. I also quite like 7 Bxf6, but 7 Nxf6+ Nxf6 8 Be3 Nd5 didn't give White anything in our main game.
The Barry Attack 4...c6 [D00]
After 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 Bf4 Black has two main moves, of which we'll see 4...c6 5 e3 Bg7 6 Be2 Nbd7 being met by the logical 7 Ne5 0-0 8 h4 in Vera Gonzalez-Cori. Black can easily run into trouble here, but the talented young Peruvian finds the best move, 8...h5!:
|
|
Even more important is 4...Bg7 and after 5 Qd2 0-0 I'm afraid I have to report that Mr Barry, Mark Hebden, has taken to playing 6 e3, which simply can't be a sign that his favourite opening is in great health.
The Jobava-Prié Attack 2 Nc3 d5 3 Bf4 [D00]
As mentioned, Eric has kindly sent me a number of his games with and some analysis on 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nc3 d5 3 Bf4, which I've woven into the notes to Naiditsch - Harikrishna. Our favourite French GM's opponents seem to like 3...c6, although he has also faced 3...Bf5 4 f3 e6:
|
|
Here Eric has done well with 5 g4!?, which may look radical, but is a much better try than the choice of the out-of-form German star, namely 5 Qd2 Be7 6 0-0-0 Nc6 7 Qe1?!. It wasn't long before Harikrishna's knight had landed on b4 and he went on to win a brutal miniature.
Neo-London System 5...g6!? [D00]
1 d4 d5 2 Bf4 Nf6 3 e3 c5 4 c3 Nc6 5 Nd2 gives Black a number of options, but we've never considered before the attempt to take play into more King's Indian-like waters with 5...g6!?. That may be because 6 Ngf3 Bg7 7 dxc5! 0-0 8 Bb5 leaves Black struggling:
|
|
Yemelin - Bernotas wasn't a flawless game, but Black does appear to be short of full compensation after the pawn sacrifice.
Anti-Nimzo 4...Qb6 5 Nc3 [D02]
Two more new London moves for us appear in Kosic - Rindlisbacher, where 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 Bf4 c5 4 e3 Qb6 5 Nc3 is seen:
|
|
Do please check out the Archive for Eric's extensive analysis of this position, while noting that 5...d5?! 6 Nb5 is best avoided by the second player.
The Torre Attack 2...g6 [A48]
Black rarely meets 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 Bg5 with 3...Ne4!?, but such a hit can hardly be a terrible move when White has blocked his f-pawn. That said, after 4 Bh4 Bg7 5 e3 it's not so easy for Black to equalise, with his advanced knight about to be challenged:
|
|
Georgiev - Massironi sees the meister outplaying the amateur in instructive fashion.
Until next month, Richard
>> Previous Update >>