Download PGN of January ’25 d-Pawn Specials games
The Trompowsky: 2...c5 3 Bxf6 gxf6 4 d5 Qb6 5 Qc1 f5 6 c4 Bg7 [A45]
While not as popular at grandmaster level as 2...d5, it’s noticeable that several GMs still quite like to respond in dynamic fashion to 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 with 2...c5. Then 3 Bxf6 gxf6 4 d5 Qb6 5 Qc1 f5 remains an important line and 6 c4 Bg7 7 Nc3 d6 8 e3 Nd7 something of a tabiya:
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9 Qc2 remains White’s most common choice, but with 9...Nf6 10 Bd3 e5! Black was able to secure sufficient counter-chances in Alonso Rosell, A - Markus, R.
The Trompowsky: 2...c5 3 d5 b5 [A45]
White’s other big option after 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 c5 is, of course, 3 d5 when we take a look at a few ideas with an early ...b5 in Ivanisevic, I - Paulsen, D. That includes 3...b5, but then 4 Bxf6 gxf6?! 5 e4 seems too ambitious for Black:
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There is 5...f5, but 6 exf5 Bg7 7 Nd2!? gave White an early advantage and the Serbian Grandmaster quickly had both an extra pawn and the much safer king, factors he was to exploit in brutal fashion.
The Trompowsky: 2...e6 3 e4 h6 4 Bxf6 Qxf6 5 e5 [A45]
Another important defence to 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 is, of course, 2...e6 3 e4 h6 4 Bxf6 Qxf6. Here we’ll explore Shakhriyar Mamedyarov’s adventures from the World Rapid & Blitz on the white side of 5 Nc3 Bb4 6 Qd3 b6!?, as well as Daniel Dardha’s ongoing use of 5 e5!?:
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The further 5...Qd8 6 Qg4!? is a pretty risky choice, but at a fast time control can quickly bear fruit as demonstrated by the brutal miniature that was Dardha, D - Mohr, G.
The London: 2...e6 3 Nf3 c5 4 e3 Nc6 5 Nbd2 [A46]
After 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 Bf4 c5 4 e3 a fairly topical line is 4...Nc6 5 Nbd2 h6!? 6 Nc4 d5 7 Nce5:
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This gives White a firm hold on e5 and Black a decent enough classical set-up, with 7...Bd6!? seemingly a decent option, as we’ll see in Yakubboev, N - Svane, F.
The London: 2...Nf6 3 e3 e6 4 Nf3 Bd6 5 Ne5 [D02]
Sticking with the action from Wijk aan Zee, we find that 1 d4 d5 2 Bf4 Nf6 3 e3 e6 4 Nf3 Bd6 5 Ne5!? is also a fairly trendy approach, in place of the main line, 5 Bg3. After 5...0-0 6 Nd2 c5 7 c3 another tabiya appears:
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Here 7...Qc7 8 Bd3 b6!? is new for us and was met by the thematic 9 h4! in Suleymanli, A - Divya, D, where Black should never have allowed AlphaZero ’s beloved pawn all the way to h6.
A more critical approach is likely 8...Nc6 when we’ll examine both 9 Ndf3! and 9 Nxc6 Bxf4 10 exf4 bxc6 11 g3 Qb6, which generated decent counterplay for Black, in Rasulov, V - Krishnater, K.
The London: 2...e6 3 e3 c5 4 Nf3 Nc6 5 c3 Bd6 6 Bg3 [D02]
Returning to the north Dutch coast, we move on to the main line London, 1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 e6 3 Bf4 c5 4 e3 Nc6 5 c3 Bd6 6 Bg3, except that here we won’t be looking at 6...Nf6, but rather 6...Nge7 and especially 6...Nh6!?:
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This highly creative piece of preparation facilitates ideas of both ...Nf5 and ...f5, with 7 Bd3 Bb7 8 Nbd2 b6 9 Qe2 Bb7 arguably an improved version for Black of the much more normal position with the knight on f6, rather than h6. Indeed, he at least equalised in Caruana, F - Van Foreest, J, before being outplayed.
There may well be more Tata Steel action next month!
Until then, Richard
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