Download PGN of April ’25 d-Pawn Specials games
The Torre Attack: 2...e6 3 Bg5 c5 4 e3 Be7 5 Nbd2 cxd4 6 exd4 Nc6 7 c3 [A47]
After 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 e6 with 3 e3 c5 4 Nd2 Nc6 5 c3 cxd4 6 exd4 Be7 7 Ngf3 play transposed from the Trompowsky into Torre waters in a battle between two rising stars in the recent Menorca Open, where Black immediately went in for a standard freeing manoeuvre, albeit one not normally played quite so early, with 7...Nd5!?:
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Here 8 h4!? isn’t completely ridiculous, but 8 Bxe7 Ncxe7 was seen in Pranav, V - Lu Miaoyi, where Black was fine until overly weakening her kingside.
The Torre Attack: 2...e6 3 Bg5 h6 4 Bh4 d6 [A46]
It’s long been known that 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 Bg5 h6 4 Bh4 d6 is one of Black’s best defences to the Torre when 5 Nbd2 is normal, but 5 h3 b6 6 Nbd2 Bb7 7 e3 Nbd7 8 a4 a6 was seen in Cuartas, J - Aroshidze, L:
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The resulting early middlegame was pretty instructive and White was definitely better before losing his way and allowing Black to fully equalise.
The Jobava-Prié Attack: 3...Bf5 4 f3 e6 5 g4 Bg6 [D00]
One of the main battlegrounds after 1 d4 d5 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 Bf4 remains 3...Bf5 4 f3 e6 5 g4 Bg6 6 h4 h6 7 e3 when 7...a6 is good prophylaxis and preparation for ...c5:
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White can go 8 Bd3 Bxd3 9 cxd3!? here, but Black should be fine after 9...c5 and indeed he was, before the subsequent winner of the Superbet Poland Rapid & Blitz event found himself being completely outplayed in Carlsen, M - Fedoseev, V.
The Jobava-Prié Attack: 3...a6 4 e3 Bf5 [D00]
After 1 d4 d5 2 Nc3 Nf6 3 Bf4 a6 4 e3 Bf5 White can play à la Carlsen with 5 f3 or prefer 5 Bd3 when 5...Bg6 is certainly pretty solid for Black:
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Delchev put his experience to good use in Korpa, B - Delchev, A, holding without any real trouble as Black and even missing one decent opportunity along the way.
The London System: 3...c5 4 e3 Nc6 5 c3 Qb6 6 Qc2 [D02]
These days White normally meets 1 Nf3 d5 2 d4 Nf6 3 Bf4 c5 4 e3 Nc6 with the modern move order 5 Nbd2, but 5 c3 Qb6 6 Qc2!? has seen a bit of interest of late:
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Here 6...Nh5!? still looks quite decent for Black to me, but the slightly meek 6...e6 was preferred in Duda, JK - Vachier-Lagrave, M, where both players struggled slightly to come to terms with the early position at a very quick time control.
The Colle Opening: 3...c5 4 Be2 [D04]
Another line which almost never used to be seen, but has received some attention this year is 1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 e3 c5 4 Be2 when 4...Nc6 5 c3 cxd4 6 exd4 Bg4 7 Bf4 is actually quite Londonesque:
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White has a grip on e5, but Black must be fine with the light-squared bishop actively developed and went on to hold in fairly straightforward fashion in Deac, BD - Gavrilescu, D, where, just like in Korpa-Delchev, Black broke with ...e5 in timely fashion, despite the ensuing IQP position.
The Colle Opening: 3...a6 [D04]
I never expected to see 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 d5 3 e3 a6!? become trendy, but it has:
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One point is that White’s bishop isn’t so well placed in the event of 4 Bd3 c5. Fabiano Caruana has been seen on both sides here this year and even tried to imitate Black with 4 h3!?, while we’ll see 4 b3 c5 5 Bb2 cxd4 6 exd4 Nc6 in Rendle, T - Deac, DB, where Black quickly obtained a pretty comfortable and active set-up.
Will we have to visit the Colle again next time?
Until then, Richard
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