Download PGN of July ’25 d-Pawn Specials games
The Trompowsky: 2...Ne4 3 h4 d5 4 Nd2 Nxd2 5 Qxd2 [A45]
Needing to win in a penultimate round, the Latvian GM Nikita Meshkovs went for 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 Ne4 3 h4!? and had to face the solid 3...d5 4 Nd2 Nxd2 5 Qxd2 h6 6 Bf4 Bf5 7 e3 e6:
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Here 8 f3 would be thematic and sensible, but 8 Bd3 was preferred in Meshkovs, N - George, K, where White got on top and even missed a win before doing well to save a tricky major piece endgame with an exposed king.
The Trompowsky: 2...e6 3 e4 h6 4 Bxf6 Qxf6 5 Nc3 Bb4 6 Qd2 [A45]
We’ll also see Meshkovs in action after 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 e6 3 e4 h6 4 Bxf6 Qxf6 5 Nc3 Bb4 6 Qd2 (there have been developments too with 6 Qd3 d5 7 0-0-0!?, which we’ll cover) 6...b6!?, which is rare, but 7 Nge2 Nc6! looked like a decent novelty in Meshkovs, N - Martinez Alcantara, J:
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Here 8 f4!? might be considered, with 8 a3 Bxc3 9 Qxc3 Bb7 leading to a pretty solid and harmonious set-up for Black in the game.
The Trompowsky: 2...c5 3 d5 h6 [A45]
After 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 c5 3 d5 we need to look at developments after both 3...Qb6 4 Nc3 e6?!, which remains under a cloud despite being deployed by Sindarov, and 3...h6?! 4 Bxf6 exf6 5 e4 d6:
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Here 6 Bd3! followed by Nge2 should be quite pleasant for White, in contrast to which the aggressive 6 Nc3 g6 7 f4!? quickly became quite unclear in the turbulent struggle that was Andreikin, D - Duda, JK.
The Trompowsky: 2...c5 3 Nc3 [A45]
The strong Ukrainian Grandmaster Alexander Moiseenko quite likes the aggressive 1 d4 Nf6 Bg5 c5 3 Nc3!? when the critical line is very much still 3...cxd4 4 Qxd4 Nc6 5 Qh4 and then 5...e6 6 0-0-0 Be7 7 e4, which can quickly become quite dangerous for Black, as we’ll see. There’s also 5...h6 6 0-0-0 b5!?:
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Here 7 Nxb5? hxg5! 8 Qxh8 Qa5 9 Nc3 Rb8 is just what Black is hoping for and very dangerous, but after 7 e4 hxg5!? 8 Qxh8 b4 9 Nd5 Nxe4 there may not have quite enough for the exchange, very murky though the position was in Zalega, M - Kasperek, R.
The Trompowsky: 2...d5 3 Nd2 c5 4 dxc5 e6 5 e4 [D00]
From a practical perspective, 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 d5 3 Nd2 is a decent sideline for White. Play can quickly become quite sharp after 3...c5 4 dxc5 e6 5 e4:
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Here 5...Nc6!? is new for us and not necessarily equal after 6 Nb3!, but 6 Bd3 was preferred in Williams, S - Zhakshylykov, E, where Black was later completely outplayed.
The main line is 5...Bxc5 6 e5 Qb6! 7 exf6! Bxf2+ 8 Ke2 with a big mess:
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Black should be OK, but only if well prepared, something which 8...gxf6?! 9 Nh3 Bd4! 10 Bh4! Bxb2!? 11 Rb1 suggested he might not have been in Nigmatov, O - Vakhidov, J, where White was quickly an awful lot better.
The Veresov: 3...c5 4 Bxf6 gxf6 5 e4 [D01]
With a nod to Zalega-Kasperek, we’ll finish by examining 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 d5 3 Nc3, which is of course a Veresov, and then 3...c5. Here 4 e4!? has more sting than I’d realised before, at lest from a practical perspective, and there’s also 4 Bxf6 gxf6 5 e4:
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Caught by surprise, Black lashed out with 5...e5?, which he quickly came to regret in Cech, P - Novotny, M.
Will there be more such fun and mind-bending lines to explore again next month?
Until then, Richard
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