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Fianchetto Variation 4...Bf5 [E61]
We have a bit of a theme this month in the Fianchetto Variation, with Black opting for a quick ...Bf5 and ...Ne4 in three of our games.
First, in Martynov, R - Bologan, V the Moldavian GM plays something similar to 1.d4 d6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 g6 4.g3 Bf5!? Which we saw last month. 1.d4 d6 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 g6 4.Nc3 Bf5 5.g3 Ne4:
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The continuation 6.Nxe4 Bxe4 7.Be3 Bg7 8.Qd2 d5 already seems comfortable for Black. Later Bologan takes too many liberties and after some back and forth, his opponent scores the month’s first upset.
Irregular 6...c6 7.Nc3 Bf5 [E62]
The veteran GM Johan Hjartarson features in two of our games this month. In one he scores an upset, and in Hjartarson, J - Kavutskiy, K he is fortunate to not be the upset victim. 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0 c6 7.Nc3 Bf5 is a line with no name that I am aware of:
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The former Candidate meets it quietly with 8.b3 and after the thematic 8...Ne4 9.Bb2 Nxc3 10.Bxc3 Be4 11.Rc1 Nd7, the move 12.Bh3 seems strategically risky after 12...Bxf3 13.exf3 e6 14.f4 d5, with comfortable play for Black.
‘Lesser Simagin’ 6...Nc6 7.Nc3 Bf5 [E62]
The line with 7.Nc3 Bf5 is not as common as the Simagin Variation with 7...Bg4, but it has its followers.
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A safe, if not supremely challenging line, is 8.b3 which one is likely to face if White is not very well prepared. After 8...Ne4 9.Bb2 Nxc3 10.Bxc3 Be4 11.Qd2 e6!? intending ...d5 works out well for Black in Akesson, R - Solodovnichenko, Y. I find the ...d5 plan to be more thematic than the playable ...e5 - not for the King's Indian in general, but for this type of line.
6...Nc6 7.Nc3 e5 8.dxe5 [E62]
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Predojevic, B - Kukk, S is played at a very fast time control and I normally do not include such games, but 7.Nc3 e5 8.dxe5 Nxe5 9.b3 is a very topical line, and a huge upset. 9...Qe7 is new. Kukk also tried 9...Nxf3+ in the same match. After 10.Bb2 Nxf3+ 11.Bxf3 is fine, but 11.exf3! looks much more attractive due to Black's exposed queen. In the game Black manages to equalize, and then he outplays his much higher rated opponent in the endgame.
8...dxe5 is more common, and Onischuk has tremendous experience in this line. After 9.Bg5 Be6 10.Qc1!? is topical, and we saw this recently in Jumabayev, R - Onischuk, V. This month’s Yuffa, D - Onischuk, V went 10...Qc8 11.Rd1 Nd7 12.b3 (12.Nd5 e4! was Jumabayev, R - Onischuk, V) 12...f6 13.Bh6 Rf7 14.Bxg7 Kxg7 15.Nd2 Qf8 16.Bxc6! which ensures a long term advantage. He goes on to win, but not without some strange adventures.
Yugoslav Gambit 8...Nxc6 9.Nxc6 bxc6 Rb8 [E65]
After the normal moves 11.Bg2 Qa5 White goes for 12.Qe1!? in Nguyen,Thai Dai Van - Kovalev, V. Interestingly enough, this was the choice of Hrant Melkumyan, who is perhaps the biggest specialist in this gambit for Black!
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After 12...Qa6 13.b3 Rxb3 14.axb3 Qxa1 15.Qd2 the move 15..Be6 looks like a decent novelty, and Black held without difficulty.
Classical - 6...Bg4 [E91]
Brown, M - Mamedyarov, S is another fast game in a line that is not very theoretical at all, but it's complex and the concept that Shak uses in the game is very interesting. After 7.Be3 Nfd7 8.Rc1, 8...c5 9.d5 Na6 is a Benoni structure that should favour White:
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Later this position was reached and Black came up with the creative 17...Rxe3! There is no immediate tactical point, but soon the black army was swarming around the white king.
Bayonet 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.b4 a5 [E97]
Eljanov, P - Hjartarson, J features a 2700+ GM against a former candidate. 9.b4 a5 10.Ba3 Re8!? is a funny move that shows up in various lines of the Bayonet:
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Sometimes Black can offer his d6-pawn because his rook will not be loose after a future Bxd6 from White, and ...Bf8 can come up too. After 11.bxa5 Rxa5 12.Bb4 Ra8 13.a4 c5 is a thematic novelty.
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.