ForumHelpSearchMy ProfileSite InfoGuests InfoRepertoireLinks
The new year comes with some new ideas. This last month there were many games in the KID and it was hard to choose between them but I picked games with strong players and interesting ideas. From Black's point of view the most interesting is the line with an early ...Bg4 where we have a couple of games. And of course, a totally new idea to me: 6...a5 which actually might not be so bad.

Download PGN of January ’24 KID games

>> Previous Update >>


Karpov Variation 5.Be2 0-0 6.Be3 a5 [E73]

The game Matrosyan, H - Riazantsev, A was in the line.... well, actually, I could not believe my eyes when I saw Black go 6....a5 !











I thought I had seen it all. Apparently there are some high profile games in the last year so, could this be the next big thing? White replied with 7 h4 and soon the game was very wild which suited Black. He decided to take a pawn and the game went into an endgame. White was ok until he opened the game and then Black managed to make the extra pawn count and won in the end.



Sämisch Gambit Accepted 9.Bxc5 Nc6 10.Nge2 Nd7 11.Be3 [E81]

Batchuluun, T - Dubov, D was in the Saemisch Gambit and soon, after trading the queens, Black went for the new move 11....Nb6:











White decided to pick up another pawn but Black had enough activity and good compensation. Later Black was trying to create something and White was defending well, but in the end White eventually missed something and Black managed to win a piece and the game.



Classical Variation 6.Bd3 Nc6 [E90]

Abdusattorov, N. - Schevchenko, K was in another rare line, but this time where White was trying something new. In the Classical with 6 Bd3 Black went 6....Nc6 and soon the position was almost new.











Black managed to prepare the central break 13....d5 and got good compensation for the pawn. White did not have good piece coordination and Black could even have got some advantage if he'd developed his rook, but instead he made a blunder with 25 ...Qd6 and soon lost the game.


Classical Variation 5...Bg4 6.Be2 Bxf3 7.Bxf3 e5 [E90]

Thybo, J - Jovanovic, Z featured one of the trendy new lines, 5...Bg4 in the Classical. This actually looks easy to learn for Black and he went for a very direct approach to get an outpost on d4:











White won the pawn but Black obtained his usual compensation on the dark squares. Black simply developed and traded some pieces and there was nothing White could do so it ended in a draw in the endgame. A good game to study if you are happy with a draw.

Daneshvar, B - Giri, A was in the same 5....Bg4 line as the previous game, but White went for the most popular 8.d5 move:











Black was solid but a bit passive and was waiting for a while. White decided to go active but later Black gambled with 25...g5 and it turned out to be good as he took the initiative. White did not defend very well and Black managed to create a strong attack and won the game.


Classical 7...exd4, Glek's 8...Nc6 9.Be3 Re8 10.f3 Nh5 11.Nxc6 bxc6 [E94]

Finally a normal line, In Duda, J - Chigaev, M we have the Classical with 7...exd4 where later Black went for the plan with 12...a5:











Later he decided to part with his bishop by 15...Bxc3 and then he blocked the dark squares. White had to open the game if he wanted to attack but that allowed Black to create a strong counterattack and after 23 ...Qe8 he had a big edge. Then he conducted a very good attack and was totally winning for many moves. In the end he missed mate and instead somehow the game ended in a draw.


Classical Variation 7.Be3 Nbd7 8.0-0 Qe7 [E94]

Polak, T - Amin, B was in the 7...Nbd7 Classical line. White decided to go for the unambitious line 10.dxe5 with a settled pawn structure.











Black managed to get the pair of bishops but White had the d- file. For a long time the game was equal until in the endgame White decided to give a piece for some pawns and activity. He had enough play to hold but in the end he made some mistakes and Black slowly coordinated his forces and managed to win the game.


Classical Variation 7.0-0 Na6 8.Rb1 [E94]

Korobov, A - Rapport, R was in the Classical with 7...Na6. White went for a rare line, 8.Rb1, and then Black found a way to get an easy setup with an equal position.











Black managed to trick his opponent with 17...Nfe4! in the diagram position and got an edge. Then, however, he missed a chance to win a pawn and White managed to get an equal game. The game was close to a draw but suddenly Black made a blunder and even lost the game.



Till next month, Marian

>> Previous Update >>

Don't hesitate to share your thoughts and suggestions. Any queries or comments to the KID Forum, or to me directly at support@chesspublishing.com (subscribers only) would be welcome.