Download PGN of June ’18 KID games
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Fianchetto Variation early ...c5 [E61]
The topical 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.g3 Bg7 4.Bg2 0-0 5.Nc3 c5 6.dxc5 Na6 sees White play a move which goes against the grain of Avrukh’s recommendation, 7.Nh3:
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but Martinovic, S - Djukic, D is still interesting. 7.Nxc5 8.Nf4 d6 9.0-0 with a Maroczy-type position that can easily become unpleasant for Black.
Panno 6.Nc3 Nc6 7.0-0 a6 8.b3 Rb8 9.d5 [E63]
After the common 6...Nc6 7.0-0 a6 8.b3 Rb8 the slightly unusual 9.d5 Na5 10.Bg5 is Avrukh's latest recommendation:
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After 10.c5 we again see White looking to get a Maroczy structure with 11.dxc6! Nxc6 12.Rc1 Bd7. In Matlakov, M - Iljiushenok, I White went off course a bit with 13.e4 and Black managed to score an upset.
Seirawan System 5.Bd3 0-0 6.Nge2 Nc6 7.0-0 e5 [E70]
5.Bd3 0-0 6.Nge2 Nc6 7.0-0 e5 8.d5 Nd4 9.Nxd4 exd4 10.Ne2 Re8 11.Bg5 is seen in Bulski, K - Szelag, M:
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This is an unusual move that is not iin my second King's Indian book. After 11...c5 12.f4 Qc7 13.Bxf6 Bxf6 14.Ng3 Black has the bishop pair and a healthy protected passed pawn, but the position seems easier to play with White, who will simply advance his kingside pawn majority.
Classical - Makagonov 6...c5 7.d5 e6 8.Bd3 exd5 9.exd5 Re8+ 10.Be3 [E90]
Gorti, A - Kotronias, V has an unusual transposition and a speculative exchange sacrifice:
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10...Rxe3+ here is a reasonable practical try, but technically it is probably not sufficient. (But perhaps nothing is! We have looked at 10...Bh6 11.0-0 Bxe3 12.fxe3 several times before) Now, 11.fxe3 Qe7 12.Kf2N is new, but does not change much. White is ‘better’ but Black’s position is quite playable.
Makagonov 6.h3 e5 7.d5 Nh5 [E90]
7...Nh5 has always been the tactical choice. After the modern 8.g3 Na6 9.Be3 f5 10.exf5 gxf5 11.Ng5 Qe8 12.Be2 Nf6 there is 13.Rg1:
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This thematic move has been played in several correspondence games, but it has not been considered on ChessPub before. Firouzja, A - Guseinov, G is a sharp battle, but I think Black is walking on the edge here.
Classical - Petrosian Mainline 7.d5 a5 8.Bg5 [E92]
In the line 7...a5 8.Bg5 h6 9.Be3 Ng4 10.Bd2 f5 11.h3 Nf6 12.exf5 gxf5 we have examined Kramnik’s 13.Qc1 f4 14.g3 several times, with the verdict that Black is doing well if he knows his stuff. However, 13.g3!? is something new!
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13...Na6 14.Qc1 is the point. White avoids the complications of the main line. See Korobov, A - Kovalev, Vl.
Gligoric 7...exd4 8.Nxd4 Re8 9.f3 c6 [E92]
We have two games this month in the 7...exd4 8.Nxd4 Re8 9.f3 c6 line, and both are slightly unusual. In Tomczak, M - Dragun, K White plays the older 10.Qd2. After 10...d5 11.exd5 cxd5 12.0-0 Nc6 13.Rfd1!? (if 13.c5 White has to contend with Kasparov's 13...Rxe3 14.Qxe3 Qf8!) looks quite safe and White wins the game, but this should not be ultimately dangerous for Black.
In Van Wely, L - Cossin, S White plays the more common 10.Bf2 d5 11.exd5 cxd5 12.0-0 Nc6 13.c5 which is met with 10...a6!?:
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This was recently played by Carlsen. Novel ideas from a sitting World Champion tend to get attention. Black stops Bb5 and Ndb5 forever, and the computer says it's ok. The Dutch Grandmaster does not seem to be taken aback, but he does not achieve much and Black achieves a safe draw.
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.