Download PGN of December '09 KID games
King's Indian with ...Ne7
Well, when the knight is developed to e7 it is not really the King's Indian, but 1.Nf3 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.e4 d6 4.c4 c5 5.d5 e6 was the choice of both Morozevich and Ponomariov for their must-win games in Khanty-Mansiysk:
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See Gelfand - Ponomariov for all the details.
Fianchetto Variation
After 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.0-0 d6 6.d4 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 White's move 8.b3 is hardly critical, but it was GM Malakhov's choice:
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So it gives us a reason to discuss this line, see the game Malakhov - Ami.
Sämisch System
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3:
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The news after 6...c5 7.Nge2 Nc6 8.d5 Ne5 9.Ng3 e6 10.Be2 exd5 11.cxd5 is the key topic, but there are also a few examples of 6...Nbd7 7.Qd2 a6. See Khairullin - D.Petrosian for all of this.
Krasenkow Line 5.Nf3, 6.h3
In Sakaev - Radjabov Black's choice after 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.h3 was 6...e5 7.d5 Nh5:
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White responded with the rare 8.Nd2. Radjabov's loss in this game was not really related to the opening, after which he was somewhat better, in fact.
Classical
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5:
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We have four main Classical games this time.
See Roiz-B.Socko for the latest developments (and answers to the questions from the forum) after 7.Be3 Ng4 8.Bg5 f6, with a main focus on 9.Bh4:
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In the notes to Nakamura - McShane there is an overview of 7.0-0 Na6. After 8.Be3 Ng4 9.Bg5 Qe8 10.c5 exd4 11.Nd5 McShane deviated from his 2005 game versus Navara and went on to win. His choice in this ultra-sharp line certainly deserves attention.
For news after 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.Be3, see Pelletier - McShane. Black was basically worse in all the games that have attracted my attention. I did not do it intentionally!
Finally, we have Gyimesi - Hagara where GM Gyimesi again repeated the Bayonet Attack line 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. b4 Nh5 10. Re1 f5 11. Ng5 Nf6 12. f3 Kh8 13. c5 h6 14. Ne6 Bxe6 15. dxe6 d5 16. exd5 Nfxd5 17. Nxd5 Qxd5 18. Qb3 Qxb3 19. axb3 Nc6 20. Ra4 as White, and won:
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Inside the notes, a bit is said about the really rare 9.Qc2. And there are also my latest observations on the hot variation 9.Ne1 Nd7 10. Nd3 f5 11. f3 f4 12. Bd2 g5 13. Rc1 Ng6 14. c5 Nf6 15. Nb5.
Till next month, Mikhail
Don't hesitate to share your thoughts and suggestions with me. Any queries or comments to the KID Forum, or to me directly at mikhail@chesspublishing.com (subscribers only) would be most welcome.