Download PGN of July '10 KID games
Fianchetto Variation
I cannot remember the last time I saw the old Kavalek system in such a high level game, but in Leko - Mamedyarov Black plays 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 c6 7.0-0 Qa5 After 8.e4, Black usually plays 8...Bg4 or reverts to classical patterns with 8...e5. Instead the game's 8...Qh5 looks like an easy edge for White:
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Leko is better throughout, but he has trouble pulling the trigger and Black escapes.
In the Panno Variation 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.0-0 a6 we can expect to see more of 8.Qd3 as it was recommended in Avrukh's recent Grandmaster Repertoire Volume 2. Swinkels - Turov sees the combative 8...Nd7!? in reply:
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but White's reply was hardly critical.
Gligoric Variation
In the main line of the Gligoric 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.Be3 Ng4 8.Bg5 f6 9.Bh4 g5 10.Bg3 Nh6 11.dxe5 dxe5 12.Qd5+!? is a tricky line:
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12...Kh8 13.Qxd8 (I think 13.0-0-0 is more challenging) 13...Rxd8 14.h4 g4 15.Nd2 Nc6!? was a new attempt in Feller - Al Modiahki. Black subsequently plays a nice idea, but he does not follow up properly.
The topical 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.Be3 Ng4 8.Bg5 f6 9.Bh4 g5 10.Bg3 Nh6 11.c5 is seen yet again in Giri - Vachier Lagrave. After 11...g4 12.Nh4 Nc6 13.cxd6 cxd6 14.dxe5 fxe5 15.0-0!? White plays well but then agrees to a draw in a pleasant endgame.
Another popular line of the Gligoric is the flexible 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.Be3 c6. After 8.d5 Ng4 9.Bg5 f6 10.Bh4 Na6:
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Here 11.Nd2 is the most common move, but I cannot help but wonder if 11.0-0, intending 12.Ne1 is more accurate after seeing Shankland - Shabalov.
Classical Variation
After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Nf3 Na6 7.0-0 e5 8.Re1 The move remains 8...Qe8 popular, with both Kamsky and Kasimdzhanov playing it with success. It looks funny to intentionally place one's queen opposite the opponent's rook, but if there are not really tactical problems the move makes sense and avoids committing the pawn structure compared to the more common move 8...c6. In Margvelashvili - Kasimdzhanov Black just overwhelms his opponent when White quickly loses the thread.
This modern line of the 7...Nbd7 variation remains popular and scores well. After 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Nf3 e5 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.Be3 Re8 9.d5 Nh5:
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Even though White should be able to fight for an edge, this line scored 4-0 for Black this month! We look at the current trends in Savina - Fedorov.
In Korobov, A - Maslak, K we look at a long line of the Bayonet where Black has been considered to have adequate resources. That assessment remains accurate, although the pawn sacrifice considered in the game may make some active KID players uncomfortable.
Until next month, David
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.