Download PGN of November ’16 d-Pawn Specials games
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Jobava-Prié Attack: 3...c5 [D00]
After 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nc3 d5 3 Bf4 Black has several moves, but to my mind, as in the Veresov, 3...c5 must be the most principled. Play tends to go 4 e3 cxd4 5 exd4 a6, reaching a rather unusual version of the Exchange Caro:
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Baadur Jobava used to deploy his knight to f3 here, but now prefers 6 Bd3 Nc6 7 Nge2. This too shouldn’t suffice for an advantage, but just look how quickly Jobava was able to mangle Black’s kingside in Jobava, B - Ponomariov, R.
Jobava-Prié Attack: 3...e6 [D00]
Black should be fine too after the classical 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nc3 d5 3 Bf4 e6, but look out for yet more Jobava trickery in Jobava, B - Topalov, V . There 4 Nb5!? Na6 5 a3 c6 6 Nc3 Bd6 7 e3! Nc7 8 Bd3 Bxf4 9 exf4 was likely more solid than Topalov might have wished and also left him with a slightly problematic piece on c8:
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White is a little better here, but Black fought back and equalised before in a queen and rook endgame which was seemingly heading for a draw, Topalov tried to activate his major pieces and ran into a most powerful and magical pendulum from the white rook.
Jobava-Prié Attack: 3...c6 [D00]
My thanks to subscriber Martin Juegel for submitting a game with 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nc3 d5 3 Bf4 c6 4 e3 Bf5 5 f3 (this not only feels critical, but even ‘+=’) 5...e6 6 g4 Bg6 7 h4 h5 8 g5 Ng8 9 Bd3 Bxd3 10 Qxd3:
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Were Black able to play ...c5 without losing a tempo he might be OK, but he can’t. Moreover, the higher-rated black player is outplayed in Juegel, M - Harff, M , where White sometimes opts for the most fun rather than the best move, but Martin does conclude with a crisp attack and neat tactic.
The Torre Attack: 2...e6 3 Bg5 d5 [D03]
Our 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 Bg5 coverage is not especially theoretical this month, being more an example of White’s ideals and what Black should be aiming to avoid. After 3...d5 4 e3 h6 5 Bh4 c5 6 c3 Nc6 7 Nbd2 Black should really just deploy his bishop from f8.
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Instead, Giri’s 7...g5?! seems to ask too much of the black position, while 7...cxd4?! 8 exd4 just gives White a handy grip on e5, which Kamsky exploits in model fashion in Kamsky, G - Bodek, M.
The Torre Attack: 2...g6 3 Bg5 Bg7 4 Nbd2 d6 [A48]
The move order is a little unusual, but via 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 Bg5 Bg7 4 Nbd2 d6 (we also take a look this month at two recent games after 4...0-0 and then ...d5, including some wonderfully dynamic play from Mamedyarov) 5 e4 h6 6 Bh4 0-0 7 c3 c5 8 dxc5 dxc5 9 Bc4 one of the main lines arises in Bogdanovich, S - Artemiev, V:
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Theoretically speaking Black should be fine here, but there is plenty of scope for either side to outmanoeuvre the other. Artemiev plays ambitiously and creatively, and is quickly on top, but no less impressive is the efficient manner in which Bogdanovich patiently defends and then seizes his chance in the run-up to the time control.
The Trompowsky: 2...Ne4 3 Bf4 c5 4 f3 Qa5+ 5 c3 Nf6 6 d5 Qb6 7 e4!? [A45]
Alexander Moiseenko is the latest GM to be lured in by the tempting double gambit 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 Ne4 3 Bf4 c5 4 f3 Qa5+ 5 c3 Nf6 6 d5 Qb6 7 e4!? Qxb2 8 Nd2 Qxc3 9 Bc7:
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9...d6 is one of Black’s better defences whereupon the strong Ukrainian Grandmaster uncorks 10 Bb5+!?, quickly obtaining typical and attractive compensation in Moiseenko, A - Leenhouts, K.
The Trompowsky: 2...d5 3 e3 c5 4 Bxf6 gxf6 [D00]
1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 had never been seen in a world championship match... until last Friday. That’s the good news for Tromp fans; the bad being that after the modern 2...d5 3 e3 c5 4 Bxf6 gxf6 5 dxc5 Nc6 Magnus Carlsen didn’t really demonstrate anything for White.
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Carlsen tried 6 Bb5+!?, a new move to ChessPub, but after 6...e6 7 c4 dxc4 Black was able to hold his own in Carlsen, M - Karjakin, S.
Will there be more Trompowsky news from the match to report next month? Only time will tell...
Until then, Richard
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