July'00 Update
New HighlightsWelcome to the July Update. Some highlights this month-- Oldies: |
|
1) Observe how Victor Kupreichik constructs a dazzling attack out of 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Be2 0-0 6 Bg5 Nbd7!?
            
|
This old move has been all but superseded by 6…Na6, the modern fad, but it seems as though 6..Nbd7 is still serviceable, see KID542.
2) Then see Vasily Smyslov all but refute his own system ie 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 Nf3 0-0 5 Bg5 d6 6 e3 c5! 7 Be2 h6 8 Bh4 Bf5!
|
|
A bizarre turn of events.
3) We will also find Icelandic GM Margeir Petursson on top form in KID544 using his favourite Averbakh sytem- quite a sight!
Newies:
4) In the Bayonet Attack Epishin's 10 Qc2 bites the dust. Could Fedorov's response amount to a refutation?
5) Bogdan Lalic comes unstuck with 9…Kh8!?
|
|
in the Uhlmann Variation but it takes inspired play by Tregubov to prove it. Check out the wonderful finish here
|
|
starting with 21 Nxe5!!
6) In KID548 Zarnicki starts a debate about the merit of 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 f3 0-0 6 Be3 b6 7 Bd3 Nfd7!?
|
|
He wins comfortably but it looks a bit bare around the Black King to me. What do you think?
Main Games
Classical
KID545 Epishin's speciality which we've encountered in previous updates. White entices Black to play ...Nf4 after which he snaps off the Knight, plays Rad1 and hopes to plough through in the centre.
But here Black makes 10 Qc2 look poor.
KID549 7....a5 is all the rage these days as can be seen from this game, but I think 7...Nbd7 is still pretty much in business, as long as Black chooses his lines with care.
Bg5 Systems
KID542 The modern preference is for 6...Na6 but I think that Kupreichik's 6...Nbd7 is still fully serviceable.
KID543 What a choice- the Smyslov System against Smyslov! Perhaps the veteran Pachman wanted a few answers. He certainly got his wish!
KID544 A sober and straightforward way of meeting 6...Na6. White concentrates on keeping Black's activity to a minimum.
Fianchetto
KID546 9...Kh8 is an idea borrowed from the Classical Variation. Black waits constructively I guess hoping that White will play 10 Ne1 when he has saved time on ...h7-h6 and can proceed with ...f5 ,for instance,with ...Ne8...Ng8,...f5 and maybe ...Bh6.
KID550 Stand by for a theoretical duel in this sharpest of lines! But he ball is firmly in White's court as far as I'm concerned. The novel 19 Qa4 didn't impress.
Samisch
KID547 I have always had a liking for 9 h4 because it's easy to understand and very direct. For those who aren't afraid to plough ahead come what may, 9 g4 can also be recommended. But is the kingside onslaught the best approach? I give a recent summary of the alternatives about which you must make up your own mind.
KID548 I guess Zarnicki uses this little-played move to take his opponent off the beaten track. It works a treat. In itself, 7...Nfd7 can't be too bad- it just seems to leave the Kingside rather bare.
Miscellaneous Lines
KID541 Gheorghiu made a speciality out of these positions on the seventies and eighties. He would delay the capture on d5 until the most propitious moment, hoping to catch White with the move order. Here, as White has a couple of Bishop moves and Qd2 at his disposal- there are no finesses for Black- he has to capture on d5 sooner rather than later.
There's plenty more in this update, including the usual selection of HOT games (without commentary).
and some more Internet magic from Noel Aldebol in the emailbag. As usual, your questions, views and games are very welcome- I will endeavour to reply to them all.
Until August, keep well and thank you for accessing chesspublishing.com