Download PGN of May ’21 d-Pawn Specials games
The Torre: 2...e6 3 Bg5 c5 4 e3 Nc6 5 Nd2 b6 [A46]
Via a 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 e6 3 Nd2 c5 4 e3 Nc6 5 Nd2 move order, Artemiev, V - Jakubowski, K, reached Torre waters, whereupon Black opted for the rare 5...b6!?:
             |
I suspect that White should aim to exploit this unusual move order with 6 Ne4, whereas 6 c3 quickly led to standard Torre fare if also an instructive enough white win in the game.
The Torre: 2...e6 3 Bg5 h6 4 Bh4 c5 5 e3 cxd4 6 exd4 Be7 [A46]
Not for the first time the world champion clashed with Artemiev after 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 Bg5 h6 4 Bh4 c5 5 e3 cxd4 6 exd4 Be7 7 Nbd2 b6, preparing quite a popular and harmonious set-up as Black with 8 c3 Bb7 9 Bd3 d6:
|
|
White has a few different plans he can deploy here, with 10 0-0 Nbd7 11 Re1 0-0 the solid course of Artemiev, V - Carlsen, M, in which Black enjoyed the more comfortable side of a draw.
The Torre: 2...g6 3 Bg5 Bg7 4 Nbd2 d6 5 c3 h6 [A48]
Even leading Torre practitioners Artemiev and Kamsky can’t decide whether to meet 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 Bg5 Bg7 with 4 c3 or 4 Nbd2, and generally use both. Play can, of course, easily transpose, with 4 c3 d6 5 Nbd2 h6 6 Bh4 g5 7 Bg3 Nh5 8 e4 e6 9 Nc4 a critical line seen when the two clashed head-on.
|
|
Here Black absolutely must be prepared and go in for the brave 9...f5!, as Maxime Vachier-Lagrave has, since 9...Qe7?! 10 Nfd2 gave White a pleasant edge in Kamsky, G - Artemiev, V.
Trompowsky: 2...e6 3 e4 h6 4 Bxf6 Qxf6 [A45]
By no means everyone is countering 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 with 2...d5. These days 2...Ne4 may be relatively unusual at higher levels, but 2...e6 3 e4 h6 4 Bxf6 Qxf6 still has plenty of supporters. We’ll check out developments after both 5 c3 and 5 Nc3, with the latter and then 5...d6 6 Qd2 c6 7 f4 e5 8 dxe5 dxe5 seen in Firouzja, A - Jobava, B.
|
|
Over the years we’ve covered 9 f5 a fair bit, but while not demonstrating an advantage, the rising young star does show that 9 fxe5 is also not without its dangers for Black.
The Trompowsky: 2...d5 3 Bxf6 gxf6 4 c4 c5 [D00]
Former ChessPublishing columnist Aleksandr Fier has been happy enough to meet 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 d5 not with 3 e3, but 3 Bxf6 gxf6 4 c4 in recent months. After 4...c5 Eric liked to go 5 Nc3!? as White, but 5 cxd5 Qxd5 6 Nf3 cxd4 7 Nc3 Qa5 is also decent enough for the first player:
|
|
Here I would go 8 Nxd4 looking to get in a quick fianchetto as White, whereas 8 Qxd4!? quickly became extremely messy in Fier, A - Blomqvist, E.
The Trompowsky: 2...d5 3 e3 c5 4 Bxf6 exf6 [D00]
After 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 d5 3 e3 c5 4 Bxf6 we’ve long grown used to seeing 4...gxf6, but a recent Candidate preferred 4...exf6 in the Mr Dodgy Invitational.
|
|
This is far from ridiculous, even if it does give White a choice of a few set-ups. The direct 5 Bb5+ Nc6 6 Ne2 was selected in Jobava, B - Grischuk, A, where 6...a6!? was already a novelty.
The London: 2...Nf6 3 Nf3 e6 4 e3 Bd6 [D02]
1 d4 d5 2 Bf4 Nf6 3 e3 e6 4 Nf3 Bd6 5 Bd3 0-0 6 Bg3 c5 can easily lead to the modern main line of the London:
|
|
However, 7 c3 Nc6 8 Nbd2 is by no means forced here and 7 Nbd2!? was seen in Praggnanandhaa, R - Tristan, L, where probably Black should have taken up the challenge with 7...c4!?.
Will there be more Londons again next month? Until then,
Richard
>> Previous Update >>