Download PGN of October ’16 d-Pawn Specials games
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The Trompowsky: 2...e6 3 e4 h6 [A45]
Last month we considered the uncompromising 2...Ne4 and 2...c5 in response to 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5, but the sensible 2...e6 retains its fair share of fans. After 3 e4 h6 4 Bxf6 Qxf6 5 Nc3 d6 6 Qd2 a tabiya is reached:
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The Cox-endorsed 6...c6 continues to hold up well for Black, whereas I have my doubts about 6...g5!?, although it did soon lead to easy equality in Ghaem Maghami, E - Morovic Fernandez, I.
The Trompowsky/Torre 2...d5 3 e3 c5 [D03]
When most recently faced with 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 I plumped for the trendy 2...d5 and was then quite pleased to see 3 e3 c5 4 c3. After 4...Ne4 5 Bf4 Qb6 6 Qc1 Nc6 7 Nf3 Black has a few decent options:
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7...Bg4 was my choice in Fodor, T -Palliser, R, where White immediately went astray.
The Trompowsky/Veresov: 3...c5 [D01]
Somewhat more critical in that Trompowsky move order is 4 Bxf6 gxf6 when 5 Nc3 is but one option, reaching the same position as 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nc3 d5 3 Bg5 c5 4 Bxf6 gxf6 5 e3 can. Here 5...e6 6 Bb5+!? is Ziaur Rahman's favourite move:
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Once again, he failed to gain any advantage with it in Rahman, Z -Palac, M, but eventually provoked Black into a major slip.
The Pseudo-Trompowsky 2...h6 [D00]
I recently noticed that White had scored a few rating upsets with 1 d4 d5 2 Bg5, so an overview seemed indicated. One critical response is 2...h6 3 Bh4 c5!?:
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As Boris Avrukh has shown, White isn't better after 4 dxc5, but I still find myself having to agree with Aaron that 4 dxc5 is more critical than the ambitious 4 e4?! of Mehmeti, D - Postny, E.
The Blackmar-Diemer Gambit 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 f3 c5 [D00]
It's been a while since we saw a BDG, but an IM and GM clashed this summer after 1 d4 d5 2 e4!?, with 2...dxe4 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 f3 c5 a slightly offbeat response in Mellado Trivino, J - Sandipan, C.
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Now 5 d5 supplies decent compensation, whereas 5 Bb5!? is quite rare, but soon posed questions in the game.
The London System v King's Indian [A48]
Radjabov is but the latest GM to try 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bf4, although after 2...g6 he unsurprisingly avoided the mayhem of 3 Nc3, preferring 3 Nf3 Bg7 4 Nbd2 0-0 5 c3 d6 6 h3:
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As in so many London King's Indian lines, here a double fianchetto is a very sensible approach and even 6...b6 7 e4!? failed to give White anything in Radjabov, T - Banikas, H.
The Barry Attack 4...c6 [D00]
In August's update we saw that Mark Hebden still has confidence in his trademark 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 Bf4 and others continue to employ the Barry too.
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Kevin Goh Weiming shows why 4...Bg7 5 e3 0-0 6 Be2 c5 7 h4?! is inadvisable in the notes to Sale, S - Kozul, Z, where Black is able to equalise with another double fianchetto approach after beginning with the solid 4...c6.
Look out for fireworks in the Jobava-Prié Attack next month! Until then, Richard
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