Download PGN of October ’19 d-Pawn Specials games
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The Trompowsky: 2...g6 3 Bxf6 exf6 4 c4 d5 [A45]
After 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bg5 g6 3 Bxf6 exf6 4 c4 Black is by no means committed to a kingside fianchetto and 4...d5 is likely his most critical choice. Here 5 e3 dxc4 6 Bxc4 Bd6 7 Nc3 0-0 8 Nf3 was all fairly thematic in Zhang Zhong - Amin, B:
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Black might now set up with 8...c6 9 0-0 f5, but the more creative 8...a6!? also turned out well enough in the game before Black became too ambitious and was put to the sacrificial sword.
The London: 2 Bf4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 e3 Bg7 5 h4 [A45]
That direct modern line 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bf4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 e3 Bg7 5 h4 just won’t go away. 5...h5 6 Nf3 0-0 7 Ne5 c6 8 Be2 was all quite Barry-like in Nihal, S - Nebolsina, V:
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Now Black should prefer the routine 8...Nbd7, since 8...Nfd7?! 9 g4! gave White a strong early initiative.
The London: 2 Bf4 c5 [A45]
Arguably the critical test of a 1 d4 Nf6 2 Bf4 move order is 2...c5, as deployed by Fabiano Caruana no less.
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After 3 e3 Qb6 4 Nc3 the world no.2 avoided capturing on b2 which can easily lead to an early repetition, preferring 4...cxd4 in Zhang Zhong - Caruana, F, where 5 Qxd4?! wasn’t too impressive a recapture.
Of White’s alternatives, 3 dxc5 has lost a fair degree of popularity, as we’ll see in the lively encounter Repka, C - Fedorchuk, S, but there’s also the even more unbalancing 3 d5.
The London: 2...g6 3 Bf4 Bg7 4 c3 d6 [A48]
Following 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 Bf4 Bg7 we have developments after both 4 c3 and 4 e3 to consider this month. The former can easily transpose to the latter, but 4...d6 5 Nbd2 0-0 6 e4!? gave play a unique twist in Kamsky, G - Erdos, V:
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Gata Kamsky is, of course, a major expert on both the London and the Torre, but after 6...Nbd7 7 Be2 Qe8 8 0-0 e5 his set-up didn’t particularly impress and White soon found himself a tempo down on a line of the Torre.
The London: 3...e6 4 e3 Bd6 5 Bg3 0-0 [D02]
After 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 3 Bf4 d5 4 e3 Bd6 5 Bg3 0-0 White usually develops with 6 Nbd2, but he can also opt for less charted waters with the Queen’s Gambit-like 6 c4!?:
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Such a position only occurs via a London move order and after 6...c5, 7 dxc5 was new for us in Berkes, F - Bjerre, J.
The London: 3...c5 4 e3 Nc6 5 c3 Qb6 [D02]
Ferenc Berkes likes the traditional London move order 1 d4 d5 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Bf4, but this does allow 3...c5 4 e3 Nc6 5 c3 Qb6:
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Now 6 Qb3 is normal and while not overly promising, it is surely a better choice than 6 Qc2?! which quickly led to Black enjoying a pleasant edge in Berkes, F - Van Foreest, J.
Will the London remain as popular over the coming weeks as it was on the Isle of Man?
Until next time, Richard
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