May'00 Update
New HighlightsHi and welcome to the May Update. It's holiday season in the Martin Household so a little less for you this month although we don't compromise on quality. |
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There's a variety to the play but overall White comes out on top. As Bogdan Lalic and Paul Van Der Sterren demonstrate, Black has problems in the Classical Main Line with 9 Ne1.
            
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We witness a remarkable attacking performance by Grigory Serper who has made the Kramer System with 5 Nge2
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his own little baby.
Sympathise with Igor Glek as his usual brilliantly creative style costs him time on the clock in KID475.
Feel for Oliver Reeh as Garcia Palermo mows him down in KID476. And then, just when you were thinking of going back to the Queen's Gambit, Grandmasters Muse and Timoschenko show the enduring appeal of the King's Indian with two excellent wins.
Add to this mix 25 entertaining 'Hot Games' and there is plenty of good chess to be going on with.
And watch out for a flashy but juicy mate in KID496 .
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Have a great month ! Andrew Martin
Main Games
Bg5 Systems
KID469 An idea of Igor Glek. Black waits as constructively as he can. Sometimes he will respond with ...c7-c5 and ..b7-b5, sometimes with ..Nc6, it depends on what White plays now. But here White's response is practical. He simply develops his pieces and plays to make ...a7-a6 superfluous.
KID471 White's best chance in this rarely used system which doesn't really score very well. Don't know why, because the idea isn't THAT bad. I suppose White is just saying,'well your ...h7-h6 isn't too pretty' but Black usually manages to make use of it...
KID474 A treatment of this position which seems neither one thing nor the other. Then you realise that Black intends to go...b7-b5 quickly with similar play to a Benko. Is this idea any good? Certainly in this game he shows he means business.
KID475 One of those very rare moves, linked to an idea, which is better than its reputation. White aims to set up a Maroczy Bind position or if Black doesn't want to play ball, then push through in the centre.
KID477 A typically Speelmanic grind, fittingly illustrates White's play in this line.
KID478 More misery for 6...Na6 fans as Black's approach is found wanting against an expert.
Classical
KID470 White announces that he intends to waste no time. I guess that appeals to a lot of players because Korchnoi's 13 a4 has become the most popular move here. One concealed idea apart from the obvious Queenside push is that White might consider Ra1-a3 sometime in the future to help defend the Kingside.
KID472 We enter one of the most theoretical lines of the King's Indian. Battle lines are drawn and it's a question of whether Black can press home his attack against the White King because frankly, the rest of his position is nothing to shout about.
KID476 7...Bg4 might well be OK but requires senstive handling. Black will be obliged to give up the two bishops and it's important he keeps active after that. Reeh fails to come to grips with this important point.
Fianchetto
KID479 Another triumph for superior Israeli home preparation.
Samisch
KID480 Proof positive that even the most powerful search engines can't contain Black's dynamism in the Samisch pawn sacrifice line.
Miscellaneous Lines
KID473 A breathtaking demonstration of how to attack the Black King. Perhaps Becerra gives help with his exotic 7...Nfd7 but this really is a good advert for the Kramer System.