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Fianchetto Variation 3...c5 [E60]
In Kramnik - Radjabov we look at 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 c5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Bg2 cxd4 6.Nxd4 0-0 7.Nc3 Qc7 8.b3 d5, which is a topical line that is viable theoretically, but it looks difficult to handle:
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After 9.Ndb5 Qa5 10.Bd2 dxc4 11.bxc4 Qd8 12.0-0 a6 13.Na3 Bf5 14.Nc2 Nc6 15.Ne3 Radjabov played 15...Qd7 which is a novelty, but perhaps not a very good one.
Panno Variation 10.e5 [E63]
Black is doing well in this sharp Panno line, 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0 Nc6 7.Nc3 Rb8 8.h3 a6 9.e4 b5 10.e5 Nd7 11.e6 fxe6 12.d5 Na5 13.cxb5:
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In my first book on the King's Indian I wrote that 13...axb5! was "a good alternative" but perhaps it is simply Black's best. See Ippolito - Izoria.
Four Pawns Attack 6...Na6 7.e5!? [E76]
After 5.f4 0-0 6.Nf3 Na6 7.e5!? Nd7 8.Be2 c5 9.exd6 exd6 White should play 10.0-0 (see Golubev's notes to Flear, G - Hebden, M/Southend 2009) as now the normal looking 10.d5:
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runs into 10...Bxc3+! 11.bxc3 f5, see Johansen - Van Wely.
Sämisch System - 6.Be3 c5 7.Nge2 [E81]
Svidler was well prepared for 6.Be3 c5 7.Nge2 Nc6 8.d5 Na5 (we have seen this knight move a lot in the last year or so) and replied 9.Ng3 a6 10.Be2 Nd7 11.Rc1!:
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with Benko-like play arising after 11...b5 12.cxb5 axb5 13.Bxb5 Ne5. See Svidler - Radjabov.
Perhaps the most amazing game of the Candidates Tournament was Svidler - Grischuk which saw Svidler facing his opponent's deep preparation after 6.Be3 c5 7.Nge2 Nc6 8.d5 Ne5 9.Ng3 h5 10.Be2 h4 11.Nf1 e6 12.f4:
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when Grischuk uncorked 12...Nxc4!? with maximum confusion.
Panno 8...Na5 [E83]
Another early ...Na5 lunge is seen in the miniature Hambleton - Shabalov after 6.Be3 Nc6 7.Nge2 a6 8.Qd2 Na5. Following 9.Nc1 Nd7 10.Be2 c5 the move 11.0-0?! aims for a Maroczy position, but this does not work out well and White resigns after just 3 more moves!
Classical - Petrosian Variation 7...a5 [E92]
The game Mchedlishvili - Stellwagen serves as a reminder that the kingside is not automatically Black's domain. The Petrosian Variation is equal but strategically rich, so whoever knows the subtleties better still has excellent chances. After 6.Be2 e5 7.d5 a5 8.Bg5 h6 9.Bh4 Na6 10.Nd2 Qe8 11.0-0 Bd7 12.b3 Nh7 13.a3 h5 14.f3 Bh6 15.Kh1 Be3 the move 16.Qc2 is one of White's most aggressive options:
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Gligoric Variation 7...Ng4 [E92]
Our own Gawain Jones wins a nice miniature against a strong player in a Gligoric ending that arises after 6.Be2 e5 7.Be3 Ng4 8.Bg5 f6 9.Bh4 g5 10.Bg3 Nh6 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Qxd8 Rxd8:
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I like this kind of game because sometimes I hear that Black "cannot win" such endings. See Siebrecht - Jones.
Until next month, David
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Don't hesitate to share your thoughts and suggestions with me. Any queries or comments to the KID Forum, or to me directly at david@ChessPublishing.com (subscribers only) would be most welcome.