McDonald - SO. 1 e4 a Reliable Repertoire for the Improving Player (2006)

starting out: 1e4! NEIL MCDONALD

EVERYMAN CHESS Gloucester Publishers pic www.everymanchess.com

First published in 2006 by Gloucester Publishers pIc (formerly Everyman Publishers pIc), Northburgh House, 10 Northburgh Street, London ECl V OAT Copyright © 2006 Neil McDonald The right of Neil McDonald to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN: 1 85744 4167 ISBN13: 9781 85744 416 2 Distributed in North America by The Globe Pequot Press, P.O Box 480, 246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437-0480. All other sales enquiries should be directed to Everyman Chess, Northburgh House. 10 Northburgh Street, London ECl V OAT tel: 020 7253 7887; fax: 020 7490 3708 email: [email protected] website: www.everymanchess.com Everyman is the registered trade mark of Random House Inc. and is used in this work under licence from Random House Inc.

EVERYMAN CHESS SERIES (formerly Cadogan Chess) Chief Advisor: Byron Jacobs Commissioning editor: John Emms

Typeset and edited by First Rank Publishing, Brighton. Cover design by Horatio Monteverde. Production by Navigator Guides. Printed and bound in the US by Versa Press.

Contents Introduction

5

Open Games 1

1 e4 eS

7

The Sicilian 3 4

Sicilian: Introduction and Classical Sicilian Scheveningen Sicilian Najdorf

5 6 7

Sicilian Dragon Sicilian Sveshnikov (and Kalashnikov) Sicilian Taimanov (and other variations)

2

48

58 69 81

94 108

Black's Other Defences 8 9 10 11

12

Alekhine's Defence Caro-Kann Defence Scandinavian (and 1 ... Nc6) Pirc and other Fianchetto Defences French Defence Index of Variations Index of Complete Games

125

134 146 161

173 194 199

Introduction

Taking up a new opening is like being thrown into the jungle, with danger lurking behind every bush. If you climb a tree to avoid the snakes, a tiger might be waiting to bite your head off. It is also an incredibly refreshing experience. Indeed, when trying something new, the extra alertness generated often at least compensates for any lack of formal knowledge. If you find that you are often reckless in your chess, and tend to overestimate your chances, being in unfamiliar territory can inject a healthy sense of caution - or realism - into your play. Or if you are jaded and a little bored of the game, facing a fresh series of problems - what psychologists call' challenges' could be just what you need. And here's a specific reason for playing 1 e4: it is the best move on the board! Bobby Fischer, who certainly knew a thing or two about chess - and also jungles, as his favourite reading was Tarzan - famously remarked that 1 e4 is 'best by test'. Grandmaster Bogdan Lalic once explained things to me in a more technical style: 'When Kasparov plays 1 d4 as White, he doesn't always win versus the Slav (1...d5 2 c4 c6); whereas when he plays 1 e4, he usually manages to build up a big attack against the Sicilian Defence. Therefore 1 e4 is the best move. QED.' We may be back in the jungle, but we aren't going to be fighting with stone axes or wooden spears. There are no variations in this book that are based on crude tricks or primitive attacks that would only work against weak opponents. The suggestions here will help you fulfil your potential as a player, no matter how high you rise up the chess ladder. Every line in your new 1 e4 repertoire has been tried and tested by world class players such as Kasparov, Adams and Anand. The attacking systems presented here have defeated Black in many Grandmaster games, and will no doubt continue to do so. 5

Starting Out: 1 e4!

On the other hand, so that you can get up and running as quickly as possible with 1 e4, the theory you need to learn has been kept to a minimum. For example, the Scotch Opening has been chosen in preference to the Ruy Lopez. By selecting 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 you will have the chance to play against the earlier divergences - such as 2... d6 and 2... Nf6, the Philidor and Petroff respectively - without having to worry about the hugely varied and theory-riddled defences that arise after 3 Bb5. Still, I hope at some point in the future you will try out 3 Bb5: as someone once said, you can't claim to be a real chess player unless you have played the Ruy Lopez as White or Black! Of course, anyone taking up 1 e4 has to be prepared to meet 1...c5, the Sicilian Defence. There is nothing at all wrong with a quiet positional approach such as 2 c3 or 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5, but I am convinced that at the beginning of your 1 e4 career you should play the bold 2 Nf3! and 3 d4!. It means more work for you, but the rewards to your chess understanding will be enormous. The resulting positions will expand your feel for the initiative and your tactical imagination, both of which are essential for your development as a player. Don't expect to understand everything in this book, at least on a first reading. After all, some of the moves and ideas presented here are of such subtlety that they have perplexed and defeated Grandmasters. Nonetheless, just through becoming acquainted with the strategic ideas that govern top class chess you will find your play begins to improve. Let me wish you good luck on embarking on your adventure with 1 e4 - and let the journey begin!

6

Chapter One

1 e4 e5

_

Introduction

_

Latvian Gambit

_

Elephant Gambit

_

Philidor Defence

_

Petroff Defence

D

Scotch Opening

~

m~ i ml~.

~~

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Introduction The die is cast. For better or worse, you have played the daring 1 e4 and your opponent has replied 1... e5 (Diagram 1)

Diagram 1 (W)

Diagram 2 (W)

No going back!

The Latvian Gambit

A couple of centuries of analysis seems to have confirmed that 2 Nf3 is the best move. White attacks the e5-pawn and develops his knight to its most active square.

The Latvian Gambit Now the most scary move is perhaps 2...fS (Diagram 2). Already your opponent is attacking your e4-pawn, and it looks like your centre is going to be overrun after 3 exf5 e4. Then where does your knight go? Maybe you are already thinking that you should have played 1 c4 or 1 Nf3 ... In such situations the advice is: don't panic! If you are sure you've done nothing wrong, there will be a move there to save you - just keep looking until you find it. After all, why isn't 2... f5 played in international chess? Does your opponent have a wonder weapon up his sleeve that Kasparov and Topalov and every other great player in the history of chess has missed? Players of the Latvian and other gambits are counting on the fact that their opponent will be taken aback, play with insufficient energy and so hand them the initiative 'for nothing'. Of course, we aren't going to be bluffed out of playing the best moves. Let's see how a very strong player handles things as White.

8

1 e4 eS Gamel

o G.Lane •

M.Wojnar

Queenstown 2006 1 e4 eS 2 Nf3 fS

You might have noticed that Black is mimicking the King's Gambit (1 e4 e5 2 f4) a tempo down. So let's exploit the difference with... 3 Nxesl

Already Black has to watch out for a queen check on h5, which would, for example, be the killing reply to 3... fxe4?

3... Qf61 Attacking the knight and getting ready to meet 4 Qh5+? with 4... g6 when White's impetuosity will cost him a piece. Still, there is something distinctly fishy about Black's piece development, as the queen is taking the f6-square away from the knight. If instead 3... Nc6, White has a neat way of avoiding all the complications and keeping a clear plus: 4 d4 (not being lured into the mess that follows 4 Qh5+ g6 5 Nxg6 Nf6) 4... Qh4 5 Nf3 Qxe4+ 6 Be2 and Black is dangerously behind in development without any counter-attack in sight. 4d4

Direct, forceful play of the type required of White in every opening: he supports his knight and opens up a line for his queen's bishop. 4... d6 5 Nc4 fxe4 6 Be21? (Diagram 3)

Diagram 3 (8)

Diagram 4 {W}

Bronstein's 6 Be2!?

Black attacks d4

9

Starting Out: 1 e4!

There was a lot to be said for 6 Nc3!? At first glance Black seems to have a good reply in 6...Qg6, when he is ready to bolster e4 with ... Nf6. Besides, the black queen looks well placed on g6 to attack the white king once he castles; and castling itself is problematical as Be2 drops the g2-pawn to ... Qxg2. With the open ffile at his disposal after a subsequent ... Be7 and ... 0-0, you can see why some players are attracted to the Latvian Gambit as Black. However, it is all a mirage as (after 6 Nc3 Qg6) White has a strong attacking move at his disposal: 7 f3! when upon 7... exf3 8 Qxf3 it is the white pieces who are first to seize the open lines. If then 8 ... Qxc2?? 9 Bd3 traps the queen, while otherwise 8... Nf6 9 Bd3 etc. leaves White in control. The move chosen by former Australian Champion Gary Lane represents a more subtle, positional approach. Black is prevented from unwinding his game with 6... Qg6?? as 7 Bh5 costs him the queen. This means that the black knight is denied the f6-square and so, at one stroke, the pawn on e4 has lost two potential defenders. TIP: A good strategy is based on preventing the opponent playing the moves he wants to play. 6...Nc6 (Diagram 4)

Let's see quickly what happened in a recent game where Black hastened to reinforce his centre with 6 ... d5 7 Ne3 Be6 S c4! (the black centre is undermined in classic style) S...Bb4+ 9 Bd2 Bxd2+ 10 Qxd2 Ne7 11 Nc3 c6 12 0-0 0-0 13 f3! (as in the 6 Nc3 line discussed above, the opening of the f-file finds Black unprepared) 13 ... exf314 Rxf3 Qg5? (an unfortunate square for the black queen to say the least; instead after 14... Qh6 15 RxfS+ KxfS 16 Rf1 + White has the initiative, but the game is still alive) and now 15 Nexd5! was a horrible surprise for Black, who would be mated after 15 ... Qxd2 with 16 Nxe7+ KhS 17 RxfS+ BgS 1S RxgS. Black tried 15 ... Qh4, but in S.Kozhuharov-P.Vasilev, Bulgaria 2005, he resigned after 16 g3! as his queen is crowded out from guarding e7. Now let's return to the Lane game with 6...Nc6.

7 dS! Cutting the e4-pawn off from its fellow pawns. 7 ... Nd4 8 Nc3 BfS 9 Ne3

Threatening 10 Nxf5 when the forced recapture with 10 ... Nxf5 costs the e4-pawn. 9 ... Nxe2 10 Qxe2 0-0-0

A doomed attempt to get the rook to eS to support e4. 11 QC4! a6

If 11...ReS 12 NbS! and there is no good way to defend c7, as 12... Qf713 Nxf5 wins a piece and 12 ... Re713 Nxf5 Qxf5? 14 Nxd6+ wins the queen.

10

1 e4 eS 12 b4! (Diagram 5)

Diagram 5 (B)

Diagram 6 (B)

White starts an attack

It's a total massacre

White could grab a pawn with 12 Nxe4, but he sees that there is more to be gained through direct action against the black king, as the pawn on a6 is a hook for a pawn onslaught with b4-bS. 12 ..• Bd7 13 Bb2 ReS

The pawn on e4 is now safe, but what about the king? 14 a4 KbS 15 Rbi Qe7 16 b5 as 17 b6!

A vital move, as White's attack would grind to a halt after 17 0-0 b6!. NOTE: A big lead in development is only of value if there are open lines and diagonals that can be exploited. 17... cxb618 Qd4 Ka719 Ba3 Qd8

Back to square one for the black queen. 20 Nc4 1-0 (Diagram 6)

The b6-pawn drops with a quick massacre to follow. Black's kingside pieces remained on their starting squares right until the end of the game. NOTE: It is necessary to play with a mixture of patience, alertness and energy against gambit openings. You will therefore probably have to work harder at the start of the game than is usual. On the other hand, if you make the required effort, the reward could be a nice win in twenty moves.

11

Starting Out:

1

e4!

The Elephant Gambit Well, that was fun. Now let's look at the second scariest move after 2 Nf3, which is 2... dS. This time we grab the pawn with 3 exds (Diagram 7)

Diagram 7 (8)

Diagram 8 (W)

Position after 3 exd5

The Elephant Gambit"

If 3... Qxd5? 4 Nc3 Qa5, when for those in the know, we have a type of Scandinavian (1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Qxd5 3 Nc3 Qa5 4 Nf3 e5?) in which Black has recklessly exposed the e5-pawn to attack. Simple development with 5 Bc4 followed by 6 0-0 must be excellent for White, not to mention ideas of attacking f7 with 6 Ng5 etc.

Instead 3... e4?! 4 Qe2 is highly awkward for Black, as after 4 ... Qxd5 5 Nc3 it's goodbye to the e4-pawn. (Again, those with knowledge of other openings should compare this to the King's Gambit line 1 e4 e5 2 f4 d5 3 exd5 e4 4 Qe2. It is only just playable for Black in this form - so think how much worse it is for Black when White has a knight on f3 rather than a weak pawn on f4!) So far, so bad for Black, but he has the quixotic move 3... Bd61? (Diagram 8) - the so-called Elephant Gambit. Despite its name, which is somewhat evocative of the ancient origins of chess in India, it first came to my attention when Jonathan Rogers, an English player of IM strength, began adopting it in the late 1980s. Putting the bishop on d6 looks bizarre, but it is by no means easy to refute. Black develops, defends e5 and plans to seize the initiative with ...e5-e4 at a more opportune moment. Nonetheless, the following game extracts cast doubt on Black's plan. He is, after all, handing over a pawn with no guarantee that he will ever get it back.

o 12

NOTE: Chess is a sea in which a gnat may drink and an elephant may swim says the old Indian proverb. Ensure you drown the Elephant.

1 e4 eS

Game 2

o K.Dolzhikova •

A.Janovsky

Kiev 2005 1 e4 eS 2 Nf3 dS 3 exds Bd6 4 NC3 Nf6 5 d41

The importance of playing such vigorous, assertive moves cannot be overestimated when facing gambits. You mustn't just sit tight and expect the extra pawn to win the game by itself. Every move that passes without a crisis allows Black to strengthen his game. S... e46 NeS (Diagram 9)

Diagram 9 (B)

Diagram 10 (8)

strong knight or a target?

White is the exchange up

White insists the knight is well centralized on eS; Black tries to prove it is a target. 6 ... 0-0

After 6 ... Nbd7 7 BbS! 0-08 Bxd7 Bxd7 9 BgS White is in charge. For example 9 ... B£S 10 g4!? Bg6? (he had to play 10 ... Bc8!) 11 h4 h6 12 Bxf6 Qxf6 (giving up the exchange rather than endure 12... gxf613 Nxg6 fxg614 Qd2 etc.) 13 Nd7 Qf414 Nxf8 Rxf8 IS Qe2 Re816 Rh3! (an instructive move - placing the rook on the third rank draws the strength of Black's pawn thrusts) 16 ...hSI7 Rg3 hxg418 Rxg4 QfS19 f3 (preventing ...BhS, though Black doesn't realize it!) 19... e3 20 0-0-0 BhS? 21 RgS Qxf3 22 RxhS1-0 G.Lee-M.Van Dommelen, Ghent.200S. 7 BgS ReS? A serious mistake. Still, if 7 ... Nbd7 White can probably get away with 8 Nxe4!?, but perhaps he should prefer 8 Ng4!? which maintains the pressure on f6 and prepares Ne3 to bolster dS if necessary. 8 BbSI Nbd7?

13

Sta rti n gOut: 1 e4!

I guess he didn't want to move the rook back to f8. 9 Bxf6 Nxf6

Yep, Black is losing the exchange, as both 9 ... Qxf610 Nxd7 and 9 ... gxf610 Qg4+ drop a piece. 10 Bxe8 Qxe8 11 O~O Bxe5 12 dxe5 Qxe5 :1.3 f4!

An important move that prevents Black launching an attack with 13 ... Ng4 etc. :1.3 ... Qd6 14 Qd4 BfS 15 Rad1 (Diagram 10)

Enough. Despite a stubborn resistance, Black resigned at move 30.

Philidor Defence :1. e4 e5 2 Nf3 d6 (Diagram 11)

Diagram 11 (W)

Diagram 12 (B)

Philidor's Defence

A nice combination

Now we switch from the 'modern' Elephant Gambit to something that is as old as the hills: the Philidor Defence. It is named after Francois Philidor, the French musical composer and the strongest chess player of the 18th century. However, the first game in my database is almost 400 years old, and was played by the first star of chess, the Italian maestro Gioacchino Greco: Game 3 G.Greco • anonymous

o

Europe 1620 :1. e4 e5 2 Nf3 d6 3 Bc4 Bg4 4 h3 Bxf3 5 Qxf3 Qf6 6 Qb3 b6 7 NC3 c6 8 Nd5! (Diagram 12)

14

1 e4 e5

Beginning a nice combination to win a couple of pawns, as 8... exd5 9 Bxd5 wins the rook in the corner. B••• QdB 9 Nxb6! Qxb6 10 Bxf7+ Kd7 11 BxgB dS

Trying to trap the bishop, but... 12 exds! Qxb3 13 dxc6+ Nxc6 14 Bxb3 (Diagram 13) 1-0

Diagram 13 (8)

Diagram 14 (8)

White is three pawns up

White takes the centre

And three pawns down Black gave up. Such was his brilliance that Greco earned 5,000 crowns from his chess exploits in France. Alas, he then travelled to London in 1622 and was robbed of all the money. Greco has been similarly robbed by posterity, in that he was the first to play both the Philidor and the Latvian Gambit, yet his name is attached to neither of them. Still, there is some sense in calling 2 ... d6 the Philidor, as Black uses his pawns before his pieces; and the French genius always espoused the importance of the pawns, as in his famous saying 'pawns are the soul of chess'. To see this pawn strategy taken to an extreme, and how it is best countered, we need to call on the services of one of the great positional players of the modern age. Game 4

o M.Adams •

B.Kurajica

European Club Cup, Izmir 2004 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 (Diagram 14)

15

Starting Out: 1 e4!

More energetic than Greco's 3 Bc4; Adams takes the space on offer. 3... Qe7?1 4 Nc3 c6

Black has certainly neglected his development, but no one can accuse him of neglecting to control the centre with his pawns. The pawn on c6 guards the dSsquare, and thanks to his eccentric-looking third move, the eS-pawn remains in place, contesting the d4-square. 5 Bc4 h6

Remember Greco's bishop on c4 in the extract above? Kurajica is more careful. He continues his strategy of using his pawns to keep the white knights at bay. If instead S... Nf6 6 dxeS dxeS 7 NgS! and the attack on f7 will force Black to allow his pawns to be wrecked with 7...Be6 8 Nxe6 fxe6. 60-0 Nf6 (Diagram 15)

Diagram 15 (W)

Diagram 16 (8)

Black finally develops!

Making way for f2-f4

White can be said to have achieved a textbook development: pawns on d4 and e4, knights on c3 and f3, bishop on c4, and king safely castled. This is the sort of model of opening play we recommend to players not long after they have first learnt the moves. In contrast, Black seems to have broken most of the rules with his flurry of little pawn moves. Nevertheless, Black has remained true to one principle: if you are behind in development, keep the position blocked. His pawns, like the bristles of a porcupine, are warding off the white pieces from encroaching on to his central space. So what can White do? It is unlikely, though not entirely impossible, that he might be able to arrange a piece sacrifice to break through Black's fortress. However, a far more realistic plan is to use his own pawns to smash through the obstacles and win squares for his pieces.

16

1 e4 eS

One approach would be with the pawn advance c2-c4-c5, ramming the d6-pawn; but the pawn is obstructed by both the bishop on c4 and the knight on c3. Suddenly we see that White's 'ideal' set-up of pieces has a downside. Another, more plausible plan for White is the preparation of f2-f4, as this only requires the knight on f3 to move out of the way. 7 a41 First of all, however, Adams takes the chance to gain space on the queenside. He is also keen to prevent Black from expanding with 7...b5, when the 'excellentlyplaced' bishop suddenly finds itself a target.

7... QC7 8 as White is in no hurry to exchange with 8 dxe5? dxe5 as it would open up the way for the black bishop to go to b4 or c5. As a general principle, with this type of centre White delays or avoids an exchange on e5 for as long as possible - he hopes that Black will be the first to blink with ... e5xd4, conceding the centre. 8... Be7 9 Nh41 (Diagram 16) There are two points behind this move. Firstly, it clears the way for f2-f4, as discussed above; and secondly, it gives White the chance to answer 9... 0-0 with 10 Ng6! Re8 11 Nxe7+ Qxe7. The bishop on e7 might be an unremarkable piece at the moment, but its loss would be felt once the game opened up. White's move is also tactically sound. Remember what we said about Black needing to keep the centre blocked as he is behind in development: if 9... Nxe4? 10 Nxe4 Bxh411 dxe5 and the deadly 12 Nd6+ is about to follow.

10dxes

Tactics always come before strategy. We said above that White was reluctant to make this exchange. However, 10 f4 exd4 11 Qxd4 d5! would be a nuisance, as besides an attack on the white bishop, there is the threat of 12 ...Bc5. One can't be too careful! White would have to bail out with 12 Bxa6 bxa6 when he has avoided losing material, but he can't rejoice at giving up his strong bishop for an inactive knight. 10 ...dxeS 11 f4

Adams has achieved the strategically desirable advance. 11 ... Nb4 For better or worse, Black should have tried to complicate matters with 11 ...Bg4. 12 fSI (Diagram 17)

Perhaps you thought that White was going to play 12 fxe5 opening the f-file, and then after 12 ... Qxe5 follow up with Bf4 etc. to try to overrun the black centre. However, in that case Black's pieces spring to life; for example, the immediate 13 Bf4?? would lose the bishop on c4 to 13 ... Qc5+. The game move seems quieter but, positionally speaking, it is highly poisonous as 17

Starting Out: 1 e4!

it cripples the bishop on c8 by denying it an effective route into the game, either on g4 or e6. If Black now castles kingside, then after 12 ... 0-0 13 Be3!? (Adams never hurries, so neither will we be tempted by 13 Rf3!?) White can prepare a direct kingside attack with Rf3 and Rg3, with ideas of Bxh6, sacrificing the bishop to denude the black king. Just one little variation: 13 ... Nxe4? 14 Nxe4 Bxh4 15 f6! and the attack is overwhelming.

Diagram 17 (B)

Diagram 18 (B)

Position after 12 fS!

White is in complete control

12 ... Qd6 13 Qe2!

Naturally Adams avoids the exchange of queens so that the insecurity of the black king remains a key theme. Here you will see that the pawn advance 7 a4 and 8 as wasn't just for cosmetic reasons: it has made the queenside an unattractive refuge for the black king. As we have seen above, White also has a ready made attack if the king goes to the kingside. Therefore Kurajica elects to leave the king in the centre and embark on tactical manoeuvres, but this also proves fatal. 13 ... Ng4 14 Bb3

White prefers to keep control than be enticed into 14 Qxg4 Qd4+. 14 ... QC5+ 15 Kh1 Bxh416 Qxg4 Bf617 Qh5 Rf8

If 17... 0-018 Bxh6! gxh6 19 Qg6+ exploits the pin on f7, when 19 ... Bg7 20 f6 mates or if 19 ... Kh8 20 Qxh6+ KgB 21 Qg6+ Kh8 22 Qxf6+ etc. 18 Na4! Qxa5 19 Be3 (Diagram 18)

White completes his development with strong threats that include 20 BcS, attacking the defender of f7, when 20 ... Be7 21 Bxe7 Kxe7 22 f6+ gxf6 23 Qxh6 breaks up the black king's defences. Therefore Black decides to give up his queen for a rook and knight, but it doesn't bring much relief. 19 ... Na6 20 Nb6 axb6 21 RxaS bxa5 22 Bb6 Be7 23 h3

18

1 e4 es

White makes a hole for his king as he intends to bring his rook to the third rank and doesn't want to be bothered by back rank mates. Stylistically speaking, it is a typical Michael Adams move: a quiet interlude in the midst of an attack that tells his opponent he is tied up and can do nothing. Evidently Kurajica is painfully aware of this state of affairs, judging from his next two moves! 23 ... Bd7 24 Rd1 BcB 25 Rd3

With ideas of 26 Qd1 and 27 Rd8+ followed by mate, so Black has to react fast. 25 ... a4 26 Bc4

Again Adams refuses to hurry. If instead 26 Qd1 then 26 ... Bxf5! fights on. 26 ... Nc5 27 Rg3

The white rook needed to be deflected from the centre, but putting the knight on cS means that Black can no longer reply 27 ... Bf6 without dropping a piece. 27 ... Nxe4 28 Rxg7 Nd6 29 Be6 Bf6 30 Be51 (Diagram 19)

Diagram 19 (B)

Diagram 20 (W)

Removing the defender

What now for White?

30... Bxe6

Also hopeless is 30 ...Bxg7 31 Bxd6, when the black rook dare not leave the defence off7. 31 fxe6 Bxg7 32 Bxd6 0-0-0

It's a surprise that Black can still castle, but it won't be enough to save him. 33 Bxf8 Bxf8 34 Qxf7 Rd1+ 35 Kh2 Bd6 36 Qd7+ Kb8 37 e7 1-0

A brilliant game by Adams. I have to admit that you may never play against 3...Qe7 in your entire career with 1 e4. Nevertheless, seeing how Adams solves the problems of this pawn centre is far more valuable than any rote learning of opening theory. 19

After 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4, it is more usual for Black either to concede the ( with 3...exd4 or else support the e5-pawn with ... Nd7. Let's look at good lin against these moves.

Shirov's wild idea GameS

o A.Shirov •

M.Klinova

Gibraltar 2006 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 e5 4 Nf3 Nbd7 (Diagram 20)

A departure from the familiar move order which would be 1...e5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d Nd74 Nc3 Ngf6 or 3 ... Nf6 4 Nc3 Nbd7. However, in any case White's moves, natural and easy to find. One reason Black would begin with 1...d6 is to avoid King's Gambit and other 1 e4 e5 openings. Anyway, by hook or by crook we a rive at the diagram position. If you wish, you can continue in the style of Adams-Kurajica above with 5 Bc4 60-00-07 ReI c68 a4 and, having stopped 8...b5, White can count on a risk fre, slight space advantage. On the other hand, your opponent is likely to have pIa) this position a lot of times. If you want to upset him with something new and g him out of his 'I'm slightly inferior but safe' comfort zone, how about copying rov's treatment with: 5 g4!?

The threat is 6 g5, driving the black knight from the centre, and if 5 ...h6 then 6 , can follow anyway. So Black should probably accept the pawn offer. 5... Nxg4 6 Rg1 Ngf6 7 Bc4

With the threat of 8 Ng5 when f7 drops. 7... h6

It is useful for White to have provoked this move, as the h6-pawn is a potentia target and Black's defences along the g-file are undermined. Imagine, for exarr if he developed with ... g7-g6, ...Bg7 and ... 0-0. With the pawn on h7 this would rock solid, but with the pawn on h6 White can play Rxg6! thank you very muc 8 Be3 (Diagram 21)

White has a straightforward plan for mobilizing his queenside pieces and cast] long. In contrast, it is much harder for Black ever to evacuate his king from thE centre. 8...c6 9 dxe5 dxe5 10 Qd3

Here, rather than d2, as White has an insidious idea in mind.

20

1 e4 es 10 ... QC7?

... which Black completely misses. In another Shirov game, versus Scottish 1M John Shaw, there followed 10 ... Nh5 11 Bxf7+ Kxf7 12 Nxe5+ Nxe5! (giving up the queen but collecting a mass of material in return) 13 Qxd8 Nf3+ 14 Kdl Nxgl15 Kc1 Nh3 with complications that don't seem to favour White (A.Shirov-J.Shaw, Gibraltar 2005). In fact, Shirov had to work hard to get a draw. Instead, simply 11 0-0-0 looks sensible and good. Why should White hurry when his opponent's king will remain a long time in the centre? 11 Bxf7+! (Diagram 22)

Diagram 21 (8)

Diagram 22 (8)

White has easier play

A thematic sacrifice

Black should always be on the lookout for sacrifices on the f7-square, especially when playing Shirov! 11... Kxf7 12 QC4+ Ke7

If 12 ... Ke813 Qe6+ and Black is being massacred after 13 ... Be714 Rxg7 (that's why

we needed the open g-file for the rook!) or 13... Kd8 140-0-0 when there's not much to be done against 15 Nxe5, intending a big check on f7 which might even be mate. 13 Nh4! (Diagram 23)

The knight was barred from g5, but it finds another way to infiltrate into the black camp. 13 ... Nb6 Black loses rather tamely by handing back a rook and remaining the exchange down. Here is what might have happened if Klinova had insisted on 'being shown':

21

Starting Out: 1 e4!

13 ... Rg814 Ng6+ Kd815 0-0-0 Qa5 (freeing the c7-square in an escape bid) 16 Nxf8 Rxf8 17 Rxg7 Kc718 Bc5! (the entrance of the bishop decides matters) 18 ... Re8 19 Bd6+ Kd8 (if 19 ... Kb6 20 Na4+ wins the queen) 20 Qf7! b5 21 Qxf6+! Nxf6 22 Bc7 mate. Instead, the game ended: 14 Ng6+ Ke815 Bxb6 axb6 16 Nxh8 g5 17 Ng6 Bc5 180-0-01-0

Diagram 23 (B)

Diagram 24 (W)

The knight heads for g6

Black plays S... g6

Black concedes the centre So far we have looked at Philidor lines in which Black doggedly defends the e5point. However, there is an entirely different approach: namely, Black concedes the centre with (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4) 3... exd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 when White has more space and freedom of movement for his pieces, but Black no longer has to worry about defending e5 and is solidly entrenched. After 5 Nc3 Black has to make a huge decision: how should he develop his king's bishop? He could fianchetto on g7 with 5... g6 (Diagram 24). Then I recommend that you respond 6 Be3 Bg7 7 Qd2. White's idea is simple: he will castle queenside, play Bh6 to get rid of the bishop on g7 that is vital for Black's defence, and throw his kingside pawns at the black king. A recent game went 7... Nbd7 (time wasting; 7 ... Nc6 would slow down White's attack) 8 0-0-0 a6 9 f3 0-0 10 g4 Nb6 11 Bh6 Qe7 12 h4 Nfd7 13 Bxg7 Kxg7 14 h5 (Diagram 25) and the white attack was about to break through on the h-file. This general attacking method will be examined in our discussion of the Sicilian Dragon and Pire Defence, so I won't go into more detail here. Suffice to say that in the Sicilian Dragon Black at least has the open c-file for counterplay against the white king, whereas his resources are more limited in the Philidor.

22

1

e4 eS

The alternative bishop development is 5... Be7. Then I like the quiet, but venomous kingside fianchetto by White 6 g3!1 0-0 (6 ... d5 is considered below) 7 Bg2 (Diagram 26).

Diagram 25 (8)

Diagram 26 (8)

Breaking in on the h-file

A venomous fianchetto

White has had very good results from this position. In effect, it is a King's Indian with g2-g3, but with the black bishop on e7 rather than fianchettoed on g7. This means that Black has a lot less counterplay. White's scheme for deploying his pieces entails the moves 0-0, b2-b3, Bb2, h2-h3 and then perhaps g2-g4 or f2-f4 on the kingside - or both moves - as part of a general onslaught with the pawns. Game 6 N.Davies • G.Wall

o

British League 2005 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 NC3 Be7 6 g3 0-07 Bg2 Bg4

An attempt to disrupt White's build-up, but it is rather unfortunate in that it encourages White's h2-h3 move. However, Black had no more luck in L.NisipeanuA.Wong Castaneda, Spain 2005, after the alternative 7... Nc6 8 Nde2! (White declines the exchange of knights as this would ease the cramp in his opponent's position) 8... Re8 0-0 Bd710 h3 Bf811 g4! Be612 b3 a513 Bb2. White has completed his preparations and is ready to turn the screw on the kingside with f2-f4 and Ng3, when a subsequent g4-g5 and f4-f5 will push back the black pieces. So Black lashed out with 13... a4 14 Nxa4 Rxa4 15 bxa4 Bc4 16 ReI Nxe4, but after 17 Nd4 didn't have enough for the exchange.

23

Starting Out: 1 e4!

S Qd2 QcS 9 h3 Bd710 g4! (Diagram 27)

Diagram 27 (8)

Diagram 28 (8)

An important advance

Making room for the rook

The familiar kingside pawn advance. 10... ReS 11 0-0 hS?! 12 f3!

GM Nigel Davies was shrewd to delay the f2-f4 move, as it means he can solidify the g4-sguare against this attack from the wing. It looks like he is creating a hotchpotch of weak dark squares around his king, but in fact White has everything under control as his pieces are dominant. If, on the other hand, Black's bishop had been fianchetloed on g7 things might have been very different. 12 ... Nc6 13 NfS!

In the King's Indian g2-g3 system this square would have been defended by the g6-pawn. 13 ... BxfS 14 gxfS Nd7 15 Kh1! (Diagram 2S)

Clearing the gl-square for the rook. It is obvious that Black has suffered a fiasco as he has a loose pawn on h5 besides the vulnerable g7-square, while his queen and knights aren't helping their king. It is therefore no surprise that the game ends in brutal fashion: 1S ... Nb6 16 Ne2!

Beginning an instructive knight manoeuvre. 16 ... dS 17 Ng3 h41S NhS QdS19 Nxg7! (Diagram 29) 19 ... BgS

If 19 ... Kxg7 20 Qh6+ Kg8 21 Rg1 followed by the lethal discovered check 22 B£1+. 20 f4! Kxg7 21 fxgs dxe4 22 Qf4 Qd6 23 Qxh4 RhS 24 f6+ KgS 25 Qxe4 Qd7 26 Bf4 ReS 27 Qd3 1-0 24

1

e4 e5

Two pawns down with a ruined position, Black calls it a day. In view of White's lasting pressure in the line above, Black has tried an immediate break out in the centre with 6 ... d5 (Diagram 30).

Diagram 29 (B)

Diagram 30 (W)

Destroying the black kingside

Black plays 6...d5

However, White also has good chances here, as the following game demonstrates. Game 7

D A.Timofeev • L.Nisipeanu Skanderborg 2005 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Be7 6 g3 d5 7 e5 Ng4

White also has a sumptuous initiative after 7... Ne4 8 Nxe4 dxe49 Bg2 Qd5 10 0-0 Qxe511 Bf4 Qa512 Bxe4 0-013 Qf3 etc., as in E.Sveshnikov-J.Barle, Nova Gorica 2004. 8 Bg2 Nxe5 9 Qe2 Nec6

A weird position to say the least. Black's king's knight has made four moves to end up on c6! 10Be3

White is a pawn down, but he is sure to regain it, when his lead in development will give him a significant advantage. 10...0-0 Handing back the pawn. If instead 10 ...Be6 the tactics allow White to reclaim the d5-pawn anyway with an excellent position: 11 0-0-0 Nxd4 12 Bxd4 0-0 13 Nxd5! Bxd514 Qe5 (the threat of mate on g7 obliges Black to give back the piece) 14... Bf6

25

Starting Out: 1 e4!

15 Qxd5, while 11 ... 0-0 12 Nxe6 fxe613 Nxd5! exd5 14 Bxd5+ Kh815 Bxc6 is even worse for Black. 11 Nxds Nxd4 12 Bxd4 Bb4+

Black hopes to escape the pressure through this simplifying combination. 13 Nxb4 Qxd414 c3 Qcs 15 Nds Be6 (Diagram 31)

Diagram 31 (W)

Diagram 32 (B)

Black has not equalized

White continues his own plan

Black is almost but not quite equal, and this highlights the difference between grovelling and having an easy draw. 16b41

Timofeev exploits the fact that the black queen must stay defending c7 to invigorate his attack. 16 ... Qd6 17 Rd1 Bxd5 18 BxdS Qb6 19 0-0 as 20 Rfel! (Diagram 32)

White ignores his opponent's queenside demonstration. If now 20 ... axb4 21 Bxf7+! wins in all lines, e.g. 21...Rxf7 22 RdS+ RfS 23 RxfS+ KxfS 24 QeS mate or 21...KhS 22 RdS! Nc6 (if 22 ... RxdS 23 QeS+) 23 Rxa8 Rxa8 24 QeS+ and mates, or 21...Kxf7 22 Qc4+ Kf6 (22 ... Kg6 23 Re6+ wins the queen) 23 Qf4+ followed by 24 Qxf8 when White is material up with a winning attack. 20... c6 21 Bb3 axb4 22 Qe7 Na6 23 Res!

The rook heads for h5 to finish off the attack. 23 ... bxc3 24 Rd7 Qb4

If 24 ... Nb4 25 Bxf7+ KhS 26 Rh5 c2 27 Rxh7+ Kxh7 2S Qh4 mate. 25 Bxf7+ Kh8 26 Qgs h6

After 26 ... c2 27 Bc4 c1Q+ 28 Qxc1 Black is still facing a decisive onslaught without even a passed pawn to confuse matters.

26

1

e4 eS

27 Qg6 Qb2 28 RhS Qc1+

Or 28 ... c2 29 Rxh6+ gxh6 30 Qxh6 mate. 29 Kg2 Nb4 30 Rd1! (Diagram 33)

Diagram 33 (8)

Diagram 34 (W)

Deflecting the black queen

The Petroff Defence

The black queen is deflected from the defence of h6. 30 ...QC2 31 Rxh6+! gxh6 32 Qf6+ Kh7 33 Rd7 1-0

After 33 ... Qe4+ 34 Kh3 there is nothing to be done to prevent a killing discovered check from the white bishop. Welt that pretty much deals with the Philidor. Now we will move on to an opening that has figured regularly in World Championship matches.

Petroff Defence The Petroff, 1 e4 eS 3 Nf3 Nf6 (Diagram 34), is a boring, turgid opening line used at the highest level to neutralize the advantage of the first move. Unfortunately, you will also occasionally meet it in your games, as some ordinary players like to copy the play of the great masters, even at the cost of enjoying their chess. But never mind - here is a great attacking system that has been used by Topalov, Anand, Adams, Morozevich and Svidler. Game 8

o

V.TseshkoYsky • N.Giertz Biel2004 1 e4 es 2 Nf3 Nf6 3 Nxes d6

27

Starting Out: 1 e4!

A vital preliminary move as 3... Nxe4 4 Qe2 would be highly awkward for Black. 4 Nf3 Nxe4 5 Ne31 (Diagram 35)

Diagram 35 (8)

Diagram 36 (8)

White plays 5 Nc3!

Straightforward play by White

A long time ago, World Champion Capablanca claimed to be astonished that the Petroff was a viable opening. In his eyes, Black lost at least one tempo with ... Nf6 and ... Nxe4, and so deserved to be punished. Well, that is the spirit behind S Nc3White intends to prove 2... Nf6 is a mistake by going straight for the jugular. 5... Nxc3

Black will run into trouble after S... dS 6 Qe2, so he can't maintain the knight in the centre. The alternative S... Nf6 is considered below. 6 dxe31

The correct recapture as it facilitates the plan of Be3, Qd2 and 0-0-0. You might object that White has sacrificed the chance to build a pawn centre with d2-d4 and in general compromised his pawn structure. True, but we aren't trying for a squeeze in the centre. Our aim is rapid development and then a pawn storm against the black kingside. For this reason, it is actually quite nice for White that things remain static in the centre. 6 ... 8e7 7 Be3

A somewhat contentious decision. At the time of writing, the best players are leaning towards 7 Bf4, to make it harder for Black to employ a ... Nc6 and ... NeS response - not that it does Black much good in this illustrative game. 7... Nd7

A less committal way to get the knight out is via c6. After 7... Nc6 8 Qd2 Be6 White can play 90-0-0 anyway: Black can't capture on a2 without dropping the bishop

28

1

e4 eS

after 9 ...Bxa2 10 b3 and 11 Kb2. Play might continue 9... Qd71O h4 h611 Kbl 0-0-0 12 Nd4 Nxd4 13 Bxd4 Rhg8 14 h5 as in M.Adams-P.H.Nielsen, Dortmund 2005. Black has evaded an attack on his king by castling queenside, but White has a space advantage on the kingside which Adams later increased with f2-f3 and g2g4 etc. 8 Qd2 Ne5 9 0-0-0 (Diagram 36)

Straightforward, powerful and easy to remember play by White. One scheme to get his kingside pawns rolling, especially if Black played ... 0-0 and ...Be6, would be Kbl, Be2, Nd4 and f2-f4, driving the black knight away. Or simply rolling the h-pawn with h4-h5 might be good. The kingside pawns can be utilized in different ways according to circumstances.

o

NOTE: The 'extra' pawn on c3 adds another layer of defence to the white king; for example, if Black puts his bishop on f6 its gaze doesn't reach b2. Therefore the white king is safer here than, say. when castled queenside in the Sicilian Dragon variation.

9...Nxf3

Having spent three moves to exchange his king's knight for a knight that has moved once, Black now performs the same trick with his queen's knight. He hopes that by splitting up the white pawns he prevents the type of gradual pawn storm described in the previous note. However, White is able to exploit the resulting open g-file. 10 gxf3 o-o?

A classic example of castling into an attack. More solid was 10 ...Bf6. 11MI Soon White is attacking like crazy, whereas Black has no counterplay whatever. 11...Be6 12 h5 Bf6 13 Rg1 Qd7 14 Bh61 (Diagram 37)

It's almost too easy. The threat is 15 Bxg7 Bxg716 h6. 14...g6 15 Bd3!

White can't be bought off with the mere win of the exchange. Now Black has to reckon with a sacrifice on g6. 15... Bf5?

Black completes his plan to exchange light-squared bishops, but loses at once. 16Qf411-0 If 16... Bxd317 Qxf6 mates, while otherwise the bishop on f5 is under attack, to say nothing of the rook which is still hanging on f8.

The strength and vitality of White's opening system, coupled with its essential simplicity, seems almost too good to be true. Here, to confirm we aren't dreaming, is another overwhelming attacking win by White taken from a top notch tournament. 29

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Diagram 37

(B)

Simple stuff

Diagram 38 (W)

Black retreats the knight

Game 9 D A.Motylev • H.Koneru Wijk aan Zee 2006 1 e4 eS 2 NO Nf6 3 Nxes d6 4 Nf3 Nxe4 S NC3 Nf6 (Diagram 38)

Black hopes to keep everything quiet with a knight retreat often seen in the main line Petroff. Nevertheless, this is already the third move of the knight, and if Black plays ... d6-dS at some point to balance the space in the centre, it will be another tempo down the drain. White can therefore push for the initiative. 6 d4 Be7 7 BgS

A bolder square than e3 - and why not? 7 •••0-0 8 Qd2 c6

Humpy Koneru clears the way for a knight manoeuvre to e6 via a6 and c7, and at the same time introduces the idea of counterplay with ...b7-bS. 9 Bd3 Na6 (Diagram 39) 10 a3!?

Such a move has to be weighed up very carefully, as the white king intends to live on the queenside, and the pawn on a3 is now a potential 'hook' for a black queenside attack with ...bS-b4. However, Motylev considers it important to prevent ... Nb4, which would threaten to eliminate his strong light-squared bishop on d3, or at least get the black knight to a good central square with ... NbdS. Note that 10 Bxa6? would be entirely wrong, even though it doubles Black's pawns after 10 ...bxa6 and so removes any dynamism based on ...b7-bS. Not only would White be deprived of his strong bishop, but Black would be presented with 30

1 e4 eS

the open b-file which the rook could exploit with ...Rb8 etc. 10... Nc7 11 0-0-0 An efficient development by Motylev with his pieces only needing one move to find their best squares. 11 ... Bg41 This game was played at the end of a long, gruelling tournament. Black was only playing for pride, as they say, whereas White had the wonderful incentive of needing a win to clinch first place. It is therefore no wonder that Motylev shows the most energy. Instead 11...bS!? followed by ... a7-aS or ... Rb8 would generate queenside counterplay. White could respond with 12 Ne4 or the bold 12 h4. 12 h3!

Calling Black's bluff, as 12... BhS 13 g4 etc. gains time for the kingside attack. 12 ... Bxf3 13 gxf3 (Diagram 40)

Diagram 39 (W) What now for White?

Diagram 40 (B) White has excellent play

White's doubled pawns are a familiar sight from the Tseshkovsky game above. Here again the open g-fi1e gives White excellent dynamic play. 13 ... Ne6 14 h4! Motylev maintains the dynamism in his position. 14... NhS

If 14... Nxd4 15 Bxh7+ Nxh7 16 Bxe7 Qxe717 Qxd4 and the white queen supports an attack on both d6 and g7. 15 Rdg1 dS? Losing material, but after lS ... Kh816 dS!? NcS17 BfS White maintains a fearsome attack. 31

Starting Out: 1 e4!

16 Bxe7 Qxe7 17 Qh6! (Diagram 41)

Diagram 41 (8)

Diagram 42 (8)

Black is losing a piece

The Scotch Opening

Suddenly White is winning a piece, as if 17... g6 18 Qxh5 or 17... Nf6 18 Rxg7+ Nxg7 19 Rgl and the threat of mate on g7 wins the game. Black could have resigned here but lingered on for a few more moves: 17 ...fS 18 Qxh5 Qf6 19 Ne2 c5 20 dxe5 Rae8 21 Kbl Re7 22 f4 NxeS 23 Qf3 Rd8 24 Qe3 d4 2S Qe5 1-0

Scotch Opening It is now time to consider the opening you can expect to play the most after 1...e5: namely 2 Nf3 Ne6 3 d4 (Diagram 42).

First of all, a word about 3 ... d6 which maintains a pawn on e5. Judging from my experience of coaching juniors, this move is quite popular at less exalted levels of play. Now White can get an endgame with some advantage after 4 dxe5 dxe5 5 Qxd8+ Kxd8, but it's not so easy to take advantage of the displaced black king. Therefore I recommend 4 Bb5, as once played by Kasparov in a simul'. (His opponent promptly gave away a pawn with 4 ... a6? 5 Bxc6+ bxc6 6 dxe5 Bg4 7 exd6 cxd6 8 Nc3 and White soon won with a kingside attack; so the greatest player of all time was right not to want to play an endgame!) After 4 ... Bd7 5 Nc3 Nf6 6 0-0 (taking on c6 and then e5 at move 5 or 6 would just have led to unnecessary simplification as e4 also drops; but now Black really must watch out for Bxc6 and dxe5, and is therefore forced to concede the centre) 6... exd4 7 Nxd4 Be7 8 Bxc6! bxc6 9 Bf4 (Diagram 43), Black has the two bishops, but he is very cramped. A recent game con-

32

1

e4 e5

tinued 9... 0-0 10 Qf3 Ne8 11 Rad1 g6 12 e5! and White was on the attack in V.BhatO.Ganbold, San Francisco 2005. Nevertheless, you should expect your opponent to play 3... exd4, when 4 Nxd4 regains the pawn. Now Black has three ideas that we should consider: attacking the e4-pawn with the queen; attacking the knight with 4... Bc5; and attacking e4 with 4... Nf6. We shall begin with 4... Qh4 (Diagram 44).

Diagram 43 (B)

Diagram 44 (W)

Black is very cramped

Trying to refute the Scotch

In effect, 4... Qh4 is an attempt to refute the Scotch, as it claims that the e4-pawn has been left insufficiently defended. There is also a latent threat against f2 based on ... BcS, when the knight dare not leave d4 on pain of mate with ... Qxf2. However, Black has not only neglected the development of his kingside pieces, he has also left c7 unprotected. As will be seen, a white knight can exploit this weak point to force the black king to stay in the centre. NOTE: White is obliged to sacrifice a pawn, but it is regarded as so strong for him that players seldom risk 4 ...Qh4.

Game 10

o S.Karjakin •

V.Malinin

Sudak 2002 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Qh4 5 Nc3 Bb4

An attempt to put pressure on f2 could end in embarrassment: S...Bc5 6 Be3 Nge7?? (instead 6... Nxd4 7 Bxd4 Bxd4 8 Qxd4 is very pleasant for White, but the plausible-looking game move just loses a piece) 7 Nf3 QhS 8 g4! Qxg4 9 BxcS and

33

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Black was busted in L.Milov-A.Castro Acosta, Sauzal (rapid) 2004. 6 Be2! (Diagram 45)

Diagram 45 (B)

Diagram 46 (W)

White sacrifices the e-pawn

Has Black escaped?

White offers the e-pawn in order to keep the black king permanently in the centre. It doesn't win by force for White, but Black certainly doesn't have an easy life.

6 ... Nf6?

The critical line is 6... Qxe4 7 Ndb5!. The whole point of White's play is to go after the c7-square. If now 7... Qxg2? 8 Bf3 when Black can resign due to the double threat to g2 and c7. So play typically goes 7... Bxc3+ 8 bxc3 Kd8 (Black has little choice but to forsake castling) 9 0-0 Nf6 10 ReI Re8 11 Be3 and White can build up an attack against the beleaguered black king. If 11 ... a6?, trying to drive away the knight, White has 12 Nd6! winning at once, as 12 ... cxd6 13 Bb6+ Ke7 14 Bf3 pockets the queen. Nonetheless, this line was much to be preferred to what happens to Malinin in the game. 70-0 Bxc3 8 Nf5!

An excellent zwischenzug (in-between move). Instead the immediate 8 bxc3 gives Black the chance to eliminate the dangerous knight with 8 ... Nxd4. So first of all White attacks the black queen, as the bishop on c3 won't be able to run away. 8 ...Qxe4 9 Bd3 Qg4

After 9 ... Qe5 there might follow two more zwischenzugs: 10 Nxg7+ Kf8 (he should try fighting it out after 10 ... Kd8 11 bxc3) 11 Bh6 Kg8 and only now 12 bxc3 with a winning attack. 10f3!

Of course Karjakin has no interest in exchanging queens.

34

1 e4 e5 10...Qa4 11 bxc3 0-0 (Diagram 46)

It looks as if Black has escaped, but there is about to be a big surprise ... 12 Nxg7!! Kxg7 13 Bh6+ Kxh6

After 13 ... Kg8 14 Qd2 Qh4 (to stop a lethal check on g5) 15 Bg5! Qh5 16 Bxf6 and White has regained his piece with a murderous attack. 14 Qd2+ Kh5

The black king is dragged forever forwards, as if 14... Kg715 Qg5+ Kh8 16 Qxf6+ Kg8 17 Qg5+ Kh8 18 Qh6 with a double threat of mate on f8 or h7. 15 g4+ Nxg416 fxg4+ Qxg4+ 17 Khl d618 Rf6! (Diagram 47)

Diagram 47 (B)

Diagram 48 (W)

Playing for mate

Black plays 4... Bc5

Intending mate on h6. Here we see the deadly precision that has made Karjakin one of the best players in the world. Most of us would settle for 18 Be2, winning the queen, but the young Ukrainian remembers that the king is a more important piece. 18... Qg5 19 Be2+ Bg4 20 Bxg4+ 1-0

If 20 ... Kxg4 21 Rgl + leads to mate in two. A brilliant game by the Ukranian prodigy.

o

NOTE; Sergei Karjakin became a Grandmaster aged 12 years and 7 months - the youngest of all time. Judging from his play above as a 12-year-old, it's no surprise!

Instead 4... Bc5 is a developing and centralizing move that contains a big threat and so should be respected. Let's see how to deal with it.

35

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Game 11 B.Savchenko. Kir.Georgiev

o

Moscow 2006 1 e4 Ne6 2 Nf3 eS 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 8eS (Diagram 48) 5 Nxe6 Qf6! (Diagram 49)

An important zwischenzug. If instead 5 ... bxc6 Black has broken pawns and White can complete his development smoothly with 6 Bd3, as 6... Qf6? can be answered by 7 0-0. After the game move, in case you think you have found a great improvement on theory, I should point out that 6 Na5?? Qxf2 is mate. White therefore has no time to save his knight. He usually plays 6 Qd2, defending f2, though it means that the bishop on c1 is shut in; the alternative played by Savchenko is highly interesting.

Diagram 49 (W)

Diagram 50 (8)

What now for White?

Offering an exchange of bishops

6 Qf3!?

This offer to exchange queens is a serious psychological blow for Black - after all, he played 4 ... Bc5 looking for the chance to counter-attack, and instead he is more or less forced to playa slightly worse endgame with no real winning chances. 6 ... Qxf3

Or 6... dxc6 7 Qxf6 Nxf6 8 f3 Be6 9 Nd2 0-0-010 Nb3 Bb6 11 Bd2 Nd712 Bc3 f6 13 Nd4 Bxd414 Bxd4 c5 15 Be3 b616 0-0-0 Kb717 Be2 and White had a slight, but enduring initiative in I.Nataf-E.Postny, Bundesliga 2006. 7 gxf3

Generally speaking, in the middlegame the fracturing of White's kingside pawns would be regarded as a more serious matter than any similar damage inflicted on

36

1

e4 eS

the black queenside. This is because the white king would be denied a safe refuge through castling short. Here, however, the queens have been exchanged and so Black's weaknesses on the queenside prove to be of more consequence. 7... bxc6

Now Black has an isolated pawn on a7 which will become a target. On the other hand, after 7... dxc6?! B Be3 Bxe3 9 fxe3 Black would no longer be able to seek counterplay by attacking the white centre with ... d7-d5, while the ... f7-f5 thrust would also lose power, as e4-e5 followed by f3-f4 in reply would cement a protected passed pawn in the centre. 8 Be3! (Diagram 50)

A very important part of White's plan. Black can only avoid the exchange of bishops with a retreat such as B..•Be7, which not only loses time but also leaves the rook on aB tied down to the defence of the pawn on a7. 8... Bb6?!

Black has no wish to play B...Bxe3 when 9 fxe3 has strengthened the white pawn mass. Nevertheless, Black could then achieve counterplay with 9... Ne710 Nc3 d6 11 Kf2 (the king stays on the kingside to help protect the pawns rather than castle queenside) 11...Be612 h4 RbB 13 b3 0-0 14 Be2 f5!, when S.5ulskis-P.Blatny, Pardubice 2004, continued 15 Rad1 RbeB16 Rd4! preparing to swing the rook to a4 to attack a7. 9c4!

Threatening 10 c5 which would box in the black bishop and leave d7 as a fixed target. 9 ... Bxe3

After 9... d6 10 c5! BxcS 11 Bxc5 dxc5 Black would be saddled with tripled isolated pawns. 10fxe3

So the bishops are exchanged after all. Perhaps Black hoped that the white pawn would be weak on c4? If so, he has misjudged the situation. 10 ... Ne7 11 NC3 d6 12 C5!

The pawn rams the black centre and ensures White a permanent advantage. 12 ... Be6

12... dxc513 Na4 RbB14 b3 followed by 15 NxcS would be horrible for Black. 13 0-0-0 Rd8 14 Rd4! (Diagram 51)

A characteristic theme in this variation: the rook heads for a4 to attack the isolated pawn. 14 ...0-015 Ra4 Ra8 It is a sure sign of a bad endgame when a rook is tied down to defending a pawn.

37

Starting Out: 1 e4! 16 Ba6 RfbS 17 Rd1 dS 18 Rdd4 dxe4 19 Rxe4 Kf8 20 Bd3 g6 21 Ras

Now Black feels compelled to seek counterplay before his rooks are permanently tied down to the defence of a7 after 22 Rea4 Rb7. 21 ... Bf5 22 Rd4 Bxd3 23 Rxd3 fS 24 Ne21 (Diagram S2)

Diagram 51 (B)

Diagram S2 (B)

The thematic rook lift

Re-routing the knight

White has an assortment of attacking ideas in mind, such as Rd7, Rda3, or Nd4 and Ra6. 24... RbS 2S RxbSI

Every strong player knows when to swap one type of advantage for another. Savchenko allows his opponent to straighten out his pawns, as he sees that in return the white rook and knight will achieve absolute mastery over the black pieces. TIP: Always be on the lookout for a way to convert one advantage into another. 25 ... cxbS 26 Nd4 c6 27 Ne6+ Kf7 28 Rd6 ReS

The black knight and rook are both tied down to the defence of c6, as otherwise Nd8+ would win the pawn. 29 Kd2

The entrance of the white king will prove decisive. 29 •.. a5 30 e4 fxe4 31 fxe4 h6 32 Kd3 gs 33 Nd4 h5 34 eS g4 35 Ke4 (Diagram 53)

The excellent co-ordination of the white pieces means that his passed pawn is of far more value than Black's kingside pawns. In fact, Georgiev's attempt to achieve counterplay will merely lead to the loss of a pawn. 35 ... h4 36 Rf6+ Kg8 37 Rf4 g3 38 Rxh4 gxh2 39 Rxh2 Rd8 40 Rf2 a4 41 e6 b442 Rf7

38

1

e4 eS

Black is a pawn down and under even more pressure than before. 42 ... Re8 43 Ke5 b3 44 axb3 axb3 45 Nxb3 Ng6+ 46 Kf6 Nf4 47 Nd4 Nd5+ 48 Ke5 Nb449 Nf5 Nd3+ 50 Kf6 Nf4 51 Ne7+ Kh8 52 b4 1-0

Diagram 53 (B)

Diagram 54 (B)

White is in control

The thematic pawn thrust

The strategic themes in the game above will be reinforced by considering the following extract: Game 12

o V.Tseshkovsky. A.Morozevich Russian Championship. Moscow 2004 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Ne6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 BeSS Nxc6 Qf6 6 Qf3 Qxf3 7 gxf3 bxc6

Now, instead of 8 Be3, White played the intermediate ... 8 Rg1!?

... when play continued: 8•.. Ne79 Be3

Not 9 Rxg7? Ng6 when the rook is shut in and facing extinction after lO ...Bf8 or 1O ... Bd4. 9... Bb6?!

Once again this dubious bishop retreat. 10 c4! Bxe3 11 fxe3 0-0 12 f4 Rb8 13 b3 d6 14 Nc3 f6 15 C5! (Diagram 54)

And once again Black is punished with this pawn stab. 15 ... Be6 160-0-0 Rfd8 17 Rd4!

The rook goes to the familiar square. 39

Starting Out: 1 e4! 17 ... aS18 Be2 fS

Morozevich tries to enliven the struggle, but the d6-pawn is left fatally weak. 19 cxd6 cxd6 20 Rgd1 fxe4 21 Rxd6 Bd5 22 Rxd8+ Rxd8 23 Bg4

But not 23 Nxe4? Nf5!. 23 ... Rd6 24 Nxe4 Rg6 25 Nf2 (Diagram 55)

Diagram 55 (B)

White is a pawn up

Diagram 56

(W)

Black plays 4... Nf6

White exploited his extra pawn to win at move 63, despite the long and vigorous resistance that you would expect from Alexander Morozevich. As you can see from the games above, the apparently innocuous 6 Qf3 has been claiming some mighty victims.

Black attacks e4 with his knight 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 (Diagram 56)

The most popular and challenging move, after which White has to make a choice that will effect the nature of not only the opening but also the middlegame. I recommend 5 Nxc6!, but first of all let's take a moment to look at the solid approach with 5 Nc3 when play typically runs 5... Bb4 6 Nxc6 bxc6 7 Bd3 d5 8 exd5 cxd5 9 0-00-010 Bg5 c6 (Diagram 57). Compare this position to that reached after the more ambitious 5 Nxc6 bxc6 6 e5 Qe7 7 Qe2 Nd5 8 c4 Ba6 9 b3 (Diagram 58). In Diagram 57 (in the line after 5 Nc3), White has achieved a smooth, rapid piece deployment. His king is safely castled and he has no loose pawns to worry about. In fact, he doesn't have any pawn centre to worry about! Moreover, Black's pawns on d5 and c6 look solid, and he has also managed a quick and efficient development. It is no wonder that the ratio of drawn games is high in this variation.

40

1 e4 eS

Now let us turn to the line after 5 Nxc6 (see the second diagram above). White's development has been put on hold whilst he strives to keep the black pieces at bay and prevent the e5-pawn dropping off the board.

Diagram 57 (W)

Diagram 58 (8)

The Scotch with 5 Nc3

The Scotch with 5 Nxc6

However, it is precisely this pawn on e5 that gives Black the most headaches in the Scotch. It dominates the centre, and despite its apparent weakness, is by no means easy to capture or exchange off in a 'clean' way. Furthermore, although White's development has suffered, the same goes for Black's. After all, the bishop on f8 is just as shut in as White's bishop on flo And take a look at the bishop on a6: is it really 'developed' when it is staring at a brick wall on c4? And what about the knight on d5: is that really well centralized when it is in perpetual danger of being captured if White breaks the pin on his queen? Finally, in contrast to the 5 Nc3 line, Black hasn't been allowed to set up a secure pawn centre. Thus we see that the 5 Nxc6 line, whilst demanding more commitment and imagination from White, also sets Black a lot more problems. That is why it is the continuation we shall examine in detail.

Gamel] o T.Radjabov • S.Karjakin Dos Hermanas 2005 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Ne6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nxe6 bxe6 6 e5 Qe7

Black blocks in his own bishop, but this is better than allowing White an easy development with 6... Nd5 7 Bd3. White's reply is more or less forced to defend the e5-pawn.

41

Starting Out: 1 e4!

7 Qe2 Nd5 8 c4 Nb6

The knight voluntarily retreats to b6 as Black feels that his bishop would be misplaced on a6 after 8... Ba6 9 b3. That is of course a contentious issue and one which will be analysed in the next game. 9 Nc3!? (Diagram 59)

Diagram 59 (B)

Diagram 60 (W)

Ambitious play

Has Black freed his game?

White takes advantage of the absence of the black knight from the centre to develop his own horse to its favourite square. This is the most ambitious approach as White no longer has the option of Nd2 to protect the c4-pawn. 9 ...Qe6

Here is an instructive example of what might happen after 9 ... aS: 10 Qe4 (not only to release the bishop on £1, but also to make the developing Be3 possible without dropping the eS-pawn) 10 ... g6 (the fianchetto on g7 will prove most unfortunate) 11 Be3 Bg712 f4 fS 13 Qd3 Ba6 14 Bxb6! (an excellent exchange that will allow White to exploit the weaknesses on b6, d6 and d7) 14... cxb6 IS 0-0-0 0-0-0 16 Qe3 Qb4 17 Rd4 Bb718 a3 Qe719 Rd6 gS 20 Qxb6 gxf421 cS! (suddenly White has a winning attack; Black's counterplay against b2 never materializes) 21...QxeS 22 Ba6 Bxa6 23 Qxa6+ Kb8 24 Qb6+ Kc8 2S Rhd1 Rhg8 26 Kb1 Qe7 27 Qa6+ Kb8 28 NdS! Qe4+ 29 Ka2 1-0 E.Sveshnikov-R.Berzinsh, Latvian Championship 2005. lOQe4

Both players have cleared the way for their king's bishops to enter the game. lO ... Ba6

With the white knight committed to c3, and so no longer able to go to d2, Karjakin feels that he can benefit from a sustained attack on the c4-pawn after all.

42

1 e4 eS Instead, after 1O... g6 11 Bd3 Ba6 12 b3 Bg7 13 f4 0-0 14 Ba3 Rfe8 150-0, White had constant pressure in 5.Rublevsky-J.Lautier, Poikovsky 2004. 11 Bd3 Bb4 12 Bd2 Bxc3

Black hopes that by removing the defender of the white queen, the pawn thrust on the next move will be made powerful. 13 Bxc3 d5 (Diagram 60)

Now Black would have an excellent position after 14 cxdS cxdS15 Qe3 Bxfl, when White is prevented from castling. Instead Radjabov has a little surprise for him. 14 Qh4! This pawn sacrifice will allow White to build up an attack. 14... dxc4 15 Rcl!

A very precise move. Would you believe it is necessary because the dark-squared bishop needs the aI-square? Well, the careless 15 Be2? would allow Black to escape with 15 ... Nd5!, when if 16 Bb2? c3! or 16 Bd4? c5!. So White would have to make do with 16 Ret Nxc317 Rxc3 0-0 when Black has freed his game. So Radjabov cleverly vacates the aI-square. 15 ...0-016 Be2 Nd5 17 Bal! Nb418 bXc4 Rad8

After 18 ... Nxa2 19 RbI Rad8 20 0-0 both the black knight and bishop are cut off on the queenside, which means that White can quickly build up a decisive attack with f2-£4-f5 etc., or perhaps with Rb3 and Rg3. In the latter case he would intend Bg4 and then e5-e6, uncovering an attack on g7 by the bishop on al. 190-0 Nd3 20 Rc3! (Diagram 61)

Diagram 61 (B)

Diagram 62 (B)

A second pawn sacrifice

Black has no defence

The second pawn offer of the game. It will allow the white queen, bishops and this

43

Starting Out: 1 e4! rook to launch a withering onslaught against the black king. The positional justification for such extreme measures is that Black is virtually a piece down as the bishop on a6 is totally idle. 20 ... Nxes 21 Re3 Ng6 22 Qgs Qd7 23

h4!

As usual, a direct attack requires the help of a pawn to achieve its aim. 23 ...f6 24 Qa5 Qe8 25 Rg3 Qe6 26 Re3 Qe8 27 Rel!

White corrects his inaccuracy of the previous move. Now that the bishop on e2 is defended again, 28 Rg3, intending 29 hS etc., cannot be met with 28 ... Qe6 as White can simply take on a6. Karjakin decides to eliminate the advancing h-pawn, but White's pieces are ready to pounce on the open lines. 27 ... Nxh4 28 Rh3 Ng6 29 QhS Qe6 30 Qxh7+ Kf7 31 Rg3 1-0 (Diagram 62)

Black loses his queen after 31 ... Qe4 32 Rxg6! Qxg6 33 BhS. Judging from this game and his earlier effort versus Malinin, it seems that Karjakin prefers to be on the White side of the Scotch! Game 14

o S.Rublevsky •

J.Gelier

Russian Team Championship 2004 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Ne6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nxe6 bxe6 6 eS Qe7 7 Qe2 NdS 8 e4 BaG (Diagram 63)

Diagram 63 (W)

Diagram 64 (B)

The critical 8 ... Ba6

A forced sequence follows

The critical move. Instead of retreating his knight, Black pin the c-pawn. Now 9 Nc3? Nxc3 10 bxc3 Qe6 would just leave White with shattered pawns, so we need another approach. 44

1 e4 e5 9b3!

White bolsters the c4-pawn and at the same time opens the b2-square to allow Bb2, strengthening the e5-pawn. 9 ...g6

A radical idea for Black is 9 ... g5!? which prevents White from supporting his e5pawn with f2-f4. Play might then go 10 g3 Bg711 Bb2 0-0-0 (11...d6? fails to 12 Qe4! when 12 ...Nb4? 13 a3 d514 Qe2 costs Black a piece) 12 Nd2 f5 (12 ... f6? 13 0-0-0 Rde814 Qf3! costs Black material) 13 exf6 Qxe2+ 14 Bxe2 Nxf615 0-0-0 Rhe8 16 Bd3 with a good endgame for White in A.Maksimenko-F.Jenni, Bundesliga 2006 - remember that the bishop on a6 is out on a limb. If you have played through the sequence above after 9 ... g5, you will have noticed that attacks on e5 with ... d7-d6 or .. .£7-f6 always look tempting, but never quite work - and because they fail, the attempt itself ends in disaster for Black. When you play the Scotch, you have to keep your eyes open for tactics to help you restrain this type of attack on e5. 10g3

Also worthy of attention is 10 f4, which led to a very pleasant endgame for White after 10 .. .£6 11 exf6 Qxe2+ 12 Bxe2 Bb4+ 13 Bd2 Bxd2+ 14 Nxd2 Nxf4 15 Rfl Nxe2 16 Kxe2 in D.Pavasovic-O.Sepp, Calvia Olympiad 2004. 10... Bg7 11 Bb2 0-0

White has a lasting initiative for the pawn after 11...d612 Bg2 0-0130-0 Bxe514 Bxe5 dxe5 15 Re1 f616 Qe4 Nb6 17 Nc3 Bb718 Qe3 intending Ne4 and Nc5. 12 Bg2 Rae8 13 0-0 (Diagram 64) 13 ... Bxe5

There begins a forcing sequence that leads to an endgame with an interesting material balance. Instead 13 ... d6? 14 Qd2! Bxe515 Re1! looks excellent for White. 14 Qxe5 Qxe5 15 Bxe5 Rxe5 16 cxd5 Bxf117 Kxf1 cxd5 18 Nc3 c6 (Diagram 65)

Black has a rook and two pawns for a knight and bishop which, nominally speaking, is more than enough material. However, the a7-pawn is a significant weakness, and its loss would concede White a passed pawn. I have chosen this variation for your repertoire as the winning plan is reminiscent of what we intend to do versus 4... Bc5 (see Savchenko-Georgiev above). You will therefore get plenty of practice in grinding out wins with the plan of Rd4 and Ra4! 19 Rdl Rfe8 20 Bf3

Of course 20 Rd4?? would jump the gun in view of 20 ... Re1 mate. 20... Kf8 21 Ne2!

Another important precaution. After 21 Rd4 Black can activate his rooks with 21...Re1+ 22 Kg2 ReI. 21 ... Ke7 22 Rd4

45

Starting Out: 1 e4!

At last it is time for the rook to switch to the queenside. 22 ... RbS 23 Ra4 Rb7 24 b4

The next stage in White's winning plan is to manoeuvre the knight to cS. If Black plays ... d7-d6 to chase it away, then c6 will be severely weakened. 24...Kd6 25 a3 ReS 26 Nd4 hS 27 Nb3 Re7 28 NcS

Mission accomplished. 2S .•• Re7 29 h4 ReS 30 Ra6 ReS 31 Be2 (Diagram 66)

Diagram 6S (W)

Diagram 66 (B)

An interesting endgame

Preparing to activate the king

After some preparatory moves, Rublevsky prepares to bring his king into action via e1 and d2. Geller can't stand the slow torture any longer and makes a bid for activity, but his central pawn structure crumbles away. 31 ...Kes 32 Ke1 d6 33 Nd3+ Ke6 34 a4 Rb8 3S bS Rb6

If 3S... cxbS 36 axbS RxbS? 37 Nf4+ wins a rook, while 3S ... cS 36 Nf4+ Ke5 37 Bf3 d4

38 NdS Rd7 39 Kd2 intending 40 Kd3 is also horrible for Black, as after 39 ... c4 40 Rc6 c3+ 41 Kd3 his passed pawns are stymied and very near to falling off the board. 36 Ras cxbS 37 axbs

Black's proud centre is reduced to doubled and isolated pawns. 37 ... Rbb7 38 Bf3 Rc3 39 Kd2 Rb3

Allowing a pretty finish. 40 BxdS+! KxdS 41 b6+ Kc4 42 Ra4+ 1-0

White will end up with at least an extra piece following 42 ... KdS 43 bxa7.

46

1

e4 es

Having looked at these games with 4... Nf6 we can draw the following conclusions: The main drawbacks to White's position are the pawns on c4 and e5, which are targets, and a backward development. The advantages of White's position are the pawns on c4 and e5 that dominate the centre, and the capacity for a more efficient development than Black's. Thus we see why such a tense battle occurs in the Scotch 4... Nf6 system. A weakness can transform into a strength and vice versa according to the quality of your moves. It is no wonder that the Scotch is a favourite opening of young and ambitious players.

47

Chapter Two

Sicilian Defence: Introduction and Classical _

Introduction

_

The first steps in beating the Sicilian

_

Classical Variation

Sicilian Defence: Introduction and Classical

Introd uction You can expect around one in three of your games with 1 e4 to enter a Sicilian Defence, so you have to be happy facing it! Let's get straight down to business by considering the first few moves. 1 e4 c5 (Diagram 1)

Diagram 1 (W) The Sicilian Defence

Diagram 2 (8) The Open Sicilian

2 Nf3 Nc6 Black's main alternatives are 2... d6 and 2... e6, after which White's reply would be the same:

3 d4! Instigating the Open Sicilian. 3... cxd4! 4 Nxd4 (Diagram 2)

The first steps in beating the Sicilian We have come to bury the Sicilian in this chapter, not praise it. Nevertheless, we can't ignore the fact that over the last half century the opening has amassed literally millions of devotees on the black side. Players with styles as diverse as Petrosian and Tal, Capablanca and Topalov have been attracted to it at some point in their careers. We need to understand the basis of this great appeal for Black, as only by knowing what our opponent is trying to do can we hope to defeat his plans.

49

Starting Out: 1 e4!

No broad white pawn centre One of the good things about the Open Sicilian from Black's point of view is that, after the demise of the d4-pawn, there is no question of White ever building a broad pawn centre. Therefore Black never has to fear a scenario in which his opponent is clamping down on the centre and suffocating the black pieces - or even worse, crashing through with moves like e4-eS and d4-dS in order to drive back the black pieces, either as the prelude to a mating attack or the creation of a passed pawn. Already the black pieces are drawing benefit from the absence of the d4pawn as the knight is sitting pretty on the c6-square without any danger of being harassed by d4-dS.

White's slight weakness on the dark squares Furthermore, after 3... cxd4 White has lost pawn control of c5, more or less permanently (he is unlikely ever to want to play b2-b4), and his influence over e5, another centre square, is weakened, though in this case he sometimes makes amends with f2-f4. In a general sense, with his influence over cS and e5lessened, White's hold on the dark squares in the centre has been loosened. Black's various defences in the Sicilian all attempt to profit in some way or other from the missing d4pawn: this could take the form of playing ...Bc5 or ... Qb6 or even ... Qc7 - and in the latter case the black queen has her eye on the e5-square. With no pawn barrier on d4, the kingside fianchetto with ... g7 -g6 and ...Bg7 becomes attractive - hence the Dragon Variation. Or Black might advance ... e7-e5 to directly control d4 with a pawn, as for example in the Sveshnikov and some lines of the Najdorf. White is fully aware of a certain fragility in his centre, which is why in the Dragon Variation, for example, he meets the arrival of the black bishop on g7 by overprotecting the knight on d4 as many times as possible with Be3, Qd2 and 0-0-0.

o

NOTE: White's dark-squared bishop is an important piece as it helps cover the squares in the centre that have been compromised by 3... cxd4. Therefore, although there are many cases in which it is good idea to exchange off the bishop, White shouldn't part with it on a whim.

White's space advantage Now for the good news for White: the d4-pawn may have vanished, but he still has a proud pawn on e4. Unless Black is prepared to arrange ...e7-e5, which is not without its drawbacks, he will have to make do with setting up his stall on the third rank with ... d7-d6 or ... e7-e6, or perhaps both these pawn moves. Therefore White still maintains a significant space advantage in the centre. Even the absence

50

Sicilian Defence: Introduction and Classical

of the d4-pawn has its bright side as White now has a semi-open file for his rooks in the centre, besides having the knight nicely ensconced on d4.

White's pawn advances on the kingside Because White can't just sit behind a nice pawn centre and gradually suffocate his opponent, he often augments the power of the e4-pawn with an advance of one or more of his kingside pawns. This can entail f2-f4, which might be followed in some cases by e4-e5 as a pawn sacrifice to disrupt Black's game; or else, after Black castles kingside, the pawn on f4 supports a pawn storm with g2-g4-g5. Assuming Black is kept pinned down, this pawn advance can be effectively combined with kingside castling by White. Another common form of pawn attack employed by White is f2-f3 and g2-g4 etc. combined with queenside castling.

Energy and precision is required! Nonetheless, Black trusts in the solidity of his position when he chooses the Sicilian, despite the fact that white pieces will normally have greater scope for activity at the start of the middlegame. Here are three winning scenarios for Black: firstly, in pursuing his attack White makes a sacrifice, material or positional, that falls short; secondly, White underestimates the danger and allows a counter-attack that leads to his own king getting mated; or thirdly, White's initiative spends itself, leaving the black pieces and pawns better placed for the endgame. Of course, if we play with sufficient accuracy and fighting spirit as White, none of the above scenarios will occur: we will have a good chance of carrying out a successful attack and mating the black king; or at least Black will be forced to buy off the attack at the cost of material or an endgame that is bad for him. It is time to look at some specific opening lines and how best to meet them. We

shall begin with the so-called Classical Variation.

Classical Variation 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 NC3 d6 (Diagram 3) This is the starting position of the Classical Variation, but it is worthwhile pausing to consider the moves that lead up to it. 4...Nf6

Black develops a second knight and attacks the e4-pawn. Note that to exchange with 4... Nxd4? would be a poor decision for Black, even though it disposes of White's strong knight. After 5 Qxd4 the white queen sits in majesty in the centre, and there are no black pieces that can dislodge her. Black does better to maintain

51

Starting Out: 1 e4!

the tension between the knights on d4 and c6. S Nc3

It looks as though White can disrupt the black build-up with 5 Nxc6?! bxc6 6 e5?, but alas 6... Qa5+! wins the reckless pawn. Note that a move like 5 Nxc6 should only be made if White has a definite idea in mind, as generally speaking it just strengthens the black cluster of centre pawns by transferring the b7-pawn to c6.

Diagram 3 (W)

Diagram 4 (B)

The Classical Variation

White will castle long

WARNING: Always be on the guard against double attacks by the black queen, especially the move ...Qas coming with check; it is one of the easiest ways to lose material! S... d6

The defining move of the Classical Variation. Black's alternatives, to be analysed later, include S... e6 and 5... e5. On the other hand, 5... dS? would be wholly wrong. Certainly it would be nice for Black if he could get away with this move, as the liquidation of the e4-pawn would deprive White of his space advantage. So why exactly is 5... d5 bad here? After all, Black has two knights in play, so we can't just say it is because he is opening the centre when he is far behind in development! If you have read the introduction to the chapter, you will be aware that the exchange 3... cxd4 4 Nxd4 has loosened White's hold on the dark squares in the centre - but he remains as strong as ever on the light squares. Therefore it is inappropriate for Black to challenge White on the light squares - and sure enough he is punished by 6 Bb5! when, in order to stop Nxc6 (the collapse of one central light

52

Sicilian Defence: Introduction and Classical

square!), Black has little choice but to play 6...Bd7, after which 7 exdS follows (the collapse of a second central light square!) and he would be left a pawn down in a horrible mess. Note that we are by no means rejecting the possibility of Black playing his pawn to dS at some later stage in the game: it is a valuable strategic idea. We are simply pointing out that Black's position wasn't ready for S... dS? The advance requires a lot of preparation to engineer safely, and also some compliance from the opponent. Therefore Black is correct to prefer the modest S... d6, which keeps the centre stable and fits in well with a general scheme of fortifying the dark squares. 6 Bgsl

Simple and strong: White develops his bishop and forces Black to reckon with 7 Bxf6, when after 7... gxf6 his king won't have a safe refuge on the kingside. He also deters a fianchetto with ... Bg7, as if 6... g6? then 7 Bxf6 exf6 is horrible for Black: d6 is left weak and Black is deprived of the pawn that is needed to control dS (see his next move). 6 ... e6

Black rules out the Bxf6 move as he can now recapture with the queen. He also guards the dS-square and clears the way for the development of his bishop on f8. In view of the importance of White's dark-squared bishop in the Sicilian, some players have refused to accept that Bxf6 is actually a threat. And perhaps they are right. In a recent game after 6... Bd7 White simply got on with his plan of advancing the kingside pawns with 7 Qd2 ReS S Nxc6! (a clever moment to exchange, as having gone to the trouble of putting his rook on cS, Black won't want to block the c-file with S...bxc6) 8... Bxc6 9 £3 a6 10 0-0-0 e6 11 Ne2 Be7 12 h4 and White was rolling in P.Svidler-A.Dreev, Russian Championship, Moscow 2004. 7 Qd2 (Diagram 4)

White's plan gradually unfolds. He clears the way for queenside castling and isn't bothered by any apparent loss of tempo after 7... Nxd4 8 Qxd4, as he would be happy to have his queen so finely placed. Let's see how things might work out in practice: Game 15

o K.Spraggett •

J.Khedkar

Winnipeg 2004 1 e4 cS 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 S Nc3 d6 6 BgS e6 7 Qd2 Be7

The alternative 7... a6 is considered below. S 0-0-0 a6

53

Starting Out: 1 e4!

As becomes clear, Black has chosen to linger with his king in the centre, as he doesn't want him to be subjected to a white pawn storm of the kind that occurs after 8... 0-0 9 f3 intending h2-h4 etc. If then 9... d5, to open a second front in the centre, White can effectively change plans: 10. exd5 Nxd5 11 Bxe7 Ncxe712 Bc4 Nxc313 Qxc3 Nd514 Qd2 Nb615 Bb3 Bd716 Qf4! and White had strong pressure in E.Inarkiev-P.Czarnota, Cappelle la Grande 2004, which Black couldn't see anyway to relieve but with 16... Qf6 17 Qxf6 gxf6, when 18 f4! was nice for White due to Black's weakened pawns. 9 O! (Diagram 5)

Diagram 5 (B)

Diagram 6 (B)

Supporting g2-g4

The e5-pawn is immune

Here we go: the first sign that White is limbering up for a kingside pawn attack. 9 ...QC710 Kb1

o

NOTE: In the Classical, Dragon and other Sicilian lines in which he castles queenside, White often takes time out for the consolidating move Kb1. The king is immeasurably safer on b1 than c1, and also lends a hand in defending az, should it ever be attacked.

10... Bd7 11 h4 b5 12 Nxc6 Bxc6 13 NeZ!

White often makes this knight retreat unprovoked in the Classical. As will shortly be seen, the knight is much stronger (and safer) on d4 than on c3. 13... dS

Evidently Khedkar missed White's reply, but what else was to be done? He has no real counterplay on the queenside and if 13 ... 0-0 then 14 h5 etc. persecutes the black king. 14 es! (Diagram 6) 14...Nd7

54

Sicilian Defence: Introduction and Classical

The pawn is immune: 14 ... Qxe5 15 Bf4 Qf5 when 16 Nd4 is simplest, winning the bishop on c6 for nothing. If instead 14...Ng815 Nd4leaves the black knight buried ong8. 15 Bxe7 Kxe7

A highly awkward situation for the black king. 16 f4 Rhd8 17 Nd4 Rac8 18 Bd3 h6

A fatal weakening of the g6-square which Spraggett immediately pounces upon. 19 Qb4+ Ke8 20 Nxe6! 1-0

A move of fearsome strength: the black queen is attacked, mate on g7 is threatened, and if 20 ... fxe6 then 21 Bg6 is mate. I hope White's plan of attack was clear to you in the game above. Here is a similar example from absolutely top class chess. Game 16

o V.Anand • Wijk

J.Timman

aan Zee 2004

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 NC3 Nc6 6 Bg5 e6 7 Qd2 a6 (Diagram 7)

Diagram 7 (W)

Diagram 8 (B)

Black takes control of b5

White prepares g2-g4-g5

Rather than develop the kingside with 7... Be7, Black aims to mobilize his queenside pieces with a view to gaining counterplay along the c-£ile. This entails playing ...Bd7, ... Rc8 and ... Na5; but if 7...Bd7 immediately then 8 Ndb5! slays the unfortunate d6-pawn. Hence the preliminary 7... a6 move.

55

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Another idea is 7... Qb6 when Peter Svidler's play was instructive in the following example: B 0-0-0 Be7 9 Nb3 0-0 10 f3 RdB 11 NbS! (White takes advantage of the fact that Black has omitted to play ... a7-a6 to get his knight to the superior d4square with gain of time) 11...Rd7 (an awkward move, but otherwise 12 Be3 would have ensnared the black queen) 12. Qel a6 13 NSd4 Rd8 14 Be3 Qc7 15 Nxc6 (this capture is effective as Black has no wish to shut in his queen by recapturing with the b7-pawn) IS ... Qxc6 16 g4 bS 17 Nd4 Qc718 Bd2 Nd719 BaS! (the black knight is forced into an awkward pin) 19 ... Nb6 20 h4 Bd7 21 gS and White's attack eventually came up trumps in P.Svidler-A.Korotylev, Russian Championship, Moscow 2004. You can see that there is more to good chess than flinging your pawns towards the opponent's king. Svidler's play involved improving the layout of his pieces by taking advantage of specific quirks of the position (11 NbS!) and hindering his opponent's designs (19 BaS!). 80-0-0 Bd7 9 f3

I hope you are getting the hang of White's strategy by now. It's straightforward but highly effective: not even a great analyst like Timman can find an answer to the advance of White's kingside pawns. g... Be7 10 Be3 (Diagram 8)

Anand calmly moves his bishop out of the way of his g-pawn. 10... Rc8

A better chance was to try to restrain White's kingside pawn advance with 10 ...hS!?, even though this would make the kingside a less than perfect haven for the black king in the future. 11 g4 Na5

The kingside pawns march on after 11...0-0 12 g5 Ne8 13 h4 etc. 12 Kb1

The trademark quiet move to safeguard the white king. 12 ... bS 13 Bd3 Nc4 14 Bxc4 Rxc4 15 Nce2 (Diagram g)

Black has acquired the bishop pair, but this is of no significance when they are languishing on d7 and e7. If Timman persists in leaving his king in the centre, White can play h2-h4-hS and then g4-g5, driving the black knight back to g8. It would of course be intolerable to have a knight and rook entombed on gB and h8. So, for better or worse, Black is obliged to castle into the face of the white onslaught. 15 ...0-016 g5 Ne817 h4 Qc818 b3 Rc7 19 Nf4 Rc3

After 19 ...e5 20 NdS the knight threatens a fork on e7. 20 Rdg1

At last Anand judges it is the right moment to switch every piece to an all-out attack. 56

Sicilian Defence: Introduction and Classica 20 ... b4 21 h5 NC7 22 g6 Bf6

It is too late to try to 'win on points': if 22 ... e5 23 h6! exf4 (23 ... fxg6 24 hxg7 is simi-

lar to the game) 24 gxh7+ Kxh7 25 hxg7+ and wins. 23 h6! fxg6 24 hxg7 Rf7 (Diagram 10)

Diagram 9 (8)

Diagram 10 (W)

The black bishops are ineffective

Whiteto play and win

Or 24 ... Bxg7 25 Qh2. 25 Rxh7! Kxh7 26 Qh2+ Kxg7 27 Nxg6 Rxe3

If 27 ... QdB, 2B Qh6+ KgB 29 Ne7 is double check and mate. 28 Ne7+ Kf8 29 Nxc8 1-0

Too much to bear is 29 ... BxcB 30 Qh6+ and the rook on e3 goes as well.

57

Chapter Three

Sicilian Scheveningen

_

Introduction

_

Modern Scheveningen

_

Black plays 7 ... eS!?

Sicilian Scheveningen

Introduction This typically begins with the moves 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 NC3 e6 (Diagram 1).

Diagram 1 (W)

Diagram 2 (B)

The Scheveningen Variation

6 Bg5 is not good for White!

Here Black sets up the same mini-centre of pawns on d6 and e6 as in the Classical Variation discussed in the previous chapter, but he delays the development of one of his knights, usually the queen's knight. Looking at the diagram above, you might be thinking 'Oh good, this is easy: I can play the way I did against the Classical with 6 Bg5 (Diagram 2) and then a quick f2-f3 and g2-g4.' Alas, the Bg5 move proves strangely ineffectual and is hardly ever seen here. This is because Black still has the option of putting his queen's knight on d7, a much better square than c6, and can get his queenside pawns rolling quickly if White follows the plan recommended against the Classical. For example, 6 Bg5 Be7 7 Qd2 a6 8 f3 b5 (this wouldn't have been possible with the knight on c6) 9 h4 Bb7 10 0-0-0 Nbd711 Kb1 Rc8 12 g4 Nb6 (the knight heads for a fine attacking square) 13 Bd3 Nc4 and Black was very active in L.Mazi-M.Parligras, European Championship, Antalya 2004. Neither, incidentally, can White make 6 Bg5 work by answering 6... Be7 with 7 f4 (hoping to mimic a line in the Najdorf which runs 2... d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6 6 Bg5 e6 7 f4) as Black can take advantage of the fact that he hasn't 'wasted' a tempo on ... a7-a6 by 7...h6! 8 BM? (not wanting to hand over the bishop with 8 Bxf6) and now 8... Nxe4! (Diagram 3) - a trick to watch out for in the Sicilian - 9 Bxe7 Nxc3 10 Bxd8 Nxd1 11 Rxd1 Kxd8 and Black has emerged with an extra pawn.

59

Starting Out:

1

e4!

The upshot of all this is that we have to be more modest with the development of our queen's bishop. After 1 e4 cS 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 S Nc3 e6, the move I suggest is 6 Be3! (Diagram 4)

Diagram 3 (W)

Diagram 4 (B)

Atrap to watch out for

A flexible bishop move

The idea is to follow up with 7 f4, or 7 Be2 and 8 f4. An excellent feature of 6 Be3 and the plan behind it is that it can also be played against the Najdorf. In fact, if Black plays 6... a6 we are immediately in Najdorf territory. However, I'm jumping ahead! To start with, let's see what might happen if Black treats the position in the style of the Classical with a quick ... Nc6.

o

NOTE: In the games that follow, the move order has sometimes been amended to fit your repertoire.

Modern Scheveningen Game 17

o

L.Nisipeanu • Z.Hracek Bundesliga 2004 1 e4 C5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4

Some wise guy might play 3 ... Nf6 here. He wants to delay the capture on d4 in order to avoid the line 3 ... cxd4 4 Qxd4!? Nc6 5 BbS Bd7 6 Bxc6 Bxc6 7 c4 when White has a pincer-like bind on dS. After 3... Nf6 4 Nc3 cxd4 the c2-c4 move is no longer possible, so 5 Qxd4 is less effective.

60

Sicilian Scheveningen

Well, you had no intention of retaking on d4 with the queen anyway; so you can happily transpose to the 3... cxd4 main line after 3... Nf6 4 Nc3 cxd4 5 Nxd4. 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 NC3 e6 6 Be3 Be7

Instead 6...Nc6 7 f4 e5 is the subject of the next game, whilst lines with 6... a6 or 7... a6, including the Classical Scheveningen, will be discussed in the Najdorf chapter. 7 f4 (Diagram 5)

Diagram 5 (8)

Diagram 6 (W)

White builds an e4lf4 centre

A double-edged thrust

A key move in White's opening system: he has been denied the chance to build a centre with pawns on d4 and e4, so he goes for the second best, which is pawns on e4 and f4. 7... Nc6 8 Be2 The move order in this game was actually 6 f4 Be7 7 Be2 Nc6 8 Be3. 8... Bd7

This bishop development works out none too well. Black could still transpose to Najdorf lines with 8... 0-0 9 0-0 a6, when 10 a4 transposes to Game 19. 90-0

Another approach was 9 Nb3, which makes it harder for the bishop on d7 to get into the game. 9... Nxd4 10 Qxd4 Bc6

The bishop has found an open diagonal, but at the cost of allowing the white queen to take up a strong post in the centre. 11 fS (Diagram 6)

This pawn advance always has to be weighed up very carefully in the Sicilian. It is 61

Starting Out: 1 e4!

an impressive attacking move, but it reduces the flexibility of the white centre pawns - for example, the alternative advance e4-eS supported by a pawn on f4 ceases to be an option - and it has left a big hole on eS. In fact, if Black were able to get a knight to eS it would dominate the centre. However, such is not the case in this specific position. Meanwhile, the black e6-pawn is under pressure and can be further attacked with Bc4. Therefore Hracek decides to block the centre. 11... e5

Black's e-pawn is out of harm's way, but he now has a hole on dS. 12 Qd3 a6

Ideally, Black would like to break out with 12... dS, but White can continue 13 exdS NxdS 14 NxdS QxdS 15 QxdS BxdS 16 BbS+! Bc6 17 Bxc6+ bxc6 18 Radl when Black's queenside pawns are split and he can't even castle because of 19 Rd7. Hracek's game move rules out BbS+ in this sequence, which means ... d6-dS is suddenly' on'. 13 BO!

Nisipeanu guards the dS-square a fourth time. He mustn't hurry to start a kingside attack, as 13 g4? is answered by 13 ... dS!. NOTE: If your opponent starts an attack on the wing, counter-attack in the centre; so if you want to start an attack yourself on the wing, make sure everything is under control in the centre. 13...b514 a3

,

Another precaution, as otherwise 14...b4 would drive the knight from its good central post.

X

WARNING: You can't play good chess unless you are aware of what the opponent is up to.

14... Qb8 15 g4! (Diagram 7) It is worth repeating that this wing attack is only viable because Nisipeanu has restrained his opponent in the centre. It would be quite ridiculous for White to

uproot the pawns defending his king if Black could smash open the position with ... d6-dS. lS ... h6 16 Bf21 A useful preparatory move. If immediately 16 h4 then 16 ... Nd7!? (uncovering an attack on h4) 17 Bf2 Qd8 is annoying. By waiting until Black castles before playing h2-h4, Nisipeanu also sidesteps a possible counter-attack against his kingside pawns with ... h7-hS. 16...0-0 17 h4 Nh7 18 Kg2

Thanks to his 16th move, White can now answer 18... Qd8 with 19 Rhl.

62

Sicilian Scheveningen 1S... aS Black seeks counterplay against White's impending kingside attack by advancing his queenside pawns. 19 NdS BxdS 20 QxdS!

Nisipeanu keeps control. Instead 20 exd5 splits up White's pawns, blocks the attack on d6, and allows Black to generate counterplay with ... e5-e4. Indeed, he might even play 20 ... e4 21 Bxe4 Bf6. 20... b4 21 axb4 Qxb4 22 Qd3!

Another precise move. It gets the queen out of the range of ... Nf6, defends c2 directly, and rules out 22 ... Qxb2? because of 23 Rfb1 winning the queen. 22 .•. Rfc8 23 b3 (Diagram S)

Diagram 7 (B)

Diagram 8 (8)

Black cannot play ... d6-dS

White switches to the queenside

So where is White's much heralded kingside attack? Wasn't he supposed to have played g4-g5 by now? Actually, the white kingside pawns are doing a great job in tying down the black minor pieces: both the black bishop and knight are anxiously guarding the g5square, when they might instead have been engaged in activity in the centre or on the queenside. Therefore, Nisipeanu has his sights set on the queenside. For example, he can build up against the a5-pawn with Ra4, Rfa1 and Bel. His minor pieces have much more flexibility than their black opposite numbers, so why not exploit it by starting an attack on the queenside? 23 ... Rc3

Hracek has no wish to wait until the a5-pawn drops off, and so stirs up a crisis. 24 Be1! RacS

63

Starting Out: 1 e4! Black loses the exchange after 24 ... Rxd3 25 Bxb4 Rd4 26 Bc3. 25 Qe21 Bxh4

This is Black's idea: he wins the white queen after 26 BxM Rxc2, whilst he has lovely dark square control for the exchange after 27 Bxc3 Qxc3. But Nisipeanu has prepared a clever refutation. 26 Ra41! QC5 27 Bxh4 Rxc2 28 RC411-0 (Diagram 9)

Diagram 9 (8)

Diagram 10 (W)

A winning skewer

Black plays 7... es!?

White sets up a winning skewer and Black will lose too much material for the queen. A possible finish is 28 ... Rxe2+ 29 Bxe2 Qa7 30 Rxc8+ Nf8 31 Rfel Qe3 32 Rxf8+ Kxf8 33 Rc8 mate.

Black plays 7... e5!? Next up after 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 NC3 e6 6 Be3 we consider 6•.. Nc6 7 f4 e51? (Diagram 10).

Black radically changes the nature of the centre position. Remember what we said about White being slightly vulnerable on the dark squares in the Sicilian? Well, Black is prepared to 'waste' a tempo on first 5 ... e6 and then 7... e5 in order to remove the f4-pawn. Then the e5-square becomes a hole in White's centre - he can no longer attack it with a pawn. As we know holes are bad things, and if a black knight gets to e5 then it would be almost impossible to dislodge. Furthermore, by eliminating the f4-pawn Black removes the lever that might have supported a white attack on the kingside (see for example the Nisipeanu game above). The f4pawn might also have been used to attack e6 with f4-f5, or even to chase away the black knight from f6 after a well prepared e4-e5. 64

Sicilian Scheveningen

All well and good so far for Black: but let's not forget that 7... eS is leaving a hole on dS which a white knight can try to exploit. And do you also remember what we said about White being strong on the light squares in the Sicilian? Furthermore, the backward black pawn on d6 isn't a very pretty sight. There follows a good example of how to play the position as White by Swedish GM Emanuel Berg. The move order is of some importance, so we shall examine it from the beginning: Game 18

D E.Berg. J.Campos Moreno Soller 2006 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6

To repeat, our normal move order is 2 ... d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 S Nc3 e6 6 Be3 Nc6 7 f4. 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 e6 5 Nc3 d6

Black's convoluted move order is favoured by players who want to play the Scheveningen, but don't want to face the Keres Attack that occurs after 2... d6 3 d4 cxd44 Nxd4 Nf6 S Nc3 e6 6 g4 (we, of course, intend 6 Be3 here) We shall return to this position in the future. Suffice to say here that S... Qc7 or S... a6 would be the Taimanov Variation (see Chapter 7). 6 Be3 Nf6

If instead 6... eS? 7 Nb3 Nf6 8 Qd2 Be7 9 f3 a6 10 0-0-0 White is a tempo up on a well-known position in the so-called English Attack, that arises after 2... d6 3 d4 cxd44 Nxd4 Nf6 S Nc3 a6 6 Be3 eS 7 Nb3 Be7 8 f3 0-0 9 Qd2, as Black has played ... e6-eS in two moves; and besides, ... Nc6 doesn't fit in well with Black's opening scheme - he might have preferred ... Nbd7 and ...b7-bS. White's plan would be to attack after 11 ... 0-0 12 g4 in the style of the Anand-Timman game above.

7 f4 e5!?

The challenging move discussed above. Black immediately confronts White's space advantage. SNf3!

A good decision. In view of the note to 6... Nf6 above, you might have thought that 8 Nb3 is an automatic choice. However, things have changed as White has already moved his f-pawn up the board - so the knight can go to f3 without blocking the pawn's attack on the black centre. Therefore, it is sensible to retreat the knight to f3 where it fights for control of eS and is ready to join in any kingside attack. 8... Ng4

Black continues his policy of trying to disrupt his opponent's build-up.

65

Starting Out: 1 e4!

9 Qd2! (Diagram 11)

Diagram 11 (B)

Diagram 12 (B)

White allows ... Nxe3

Playing for mate

Another decision that is based on an analysis of the specific features of the position. White's dark-squared bishop is often a key piece in the Sicilian, but Berg allows its exchange. He realizes that because his knight on c3 has a brilliant outpost on d5, it is at least as valuable as Black's bishop on f8. Furthermore, by refusing to be bullied into retreating his bishop, White gains a lot of time for development after all, you could say that Black is breaking a cardinal rule of development by moving his knight three times in order to exchange it for the white bishop that has only moved once. 9 ... Nxe3 10 Qxe3 exf4

Given the chance White would answer 10 ...Be7 with 11 f5!, when not only is the bishop on c8 denied the e6-square, but the black knight is also kept out of e5. 11 Qxf4 Be7 12 0-0-00-0 13 NdS Be6 14 Kbl

Berg keeps control, whereas after the pawn grab 14 Nxe7+ Qxe715 Qxd6 Qf6 Black would have a strong counter-attack with ... Bxa2 or ... Rfd8 looming. 14... Rc8 is h4! (Diagram 12) Again White isn't interested in grabbing pawns: he intends to play for mate. lS ... BxdS 16 exds

Much better than 16 Rxd5. White opens the bl-h7 diagonal for his queen and bishop to terrorize the black king. 16 ... NeS 17 Nxes dxes 18 Qe4!

Excellent! After 18 Qxe5 Bf619 Qe3 (to stop ... Qb6 attacking b2) 19 ... Re8 Black has bags of play for the pawn. It is important for White to keep the initiative, rather than grab pawns.

66

Sicilian Scheveningen

TIP: It has been said, with mild exaggeration, that when there are opposite-coloured bishops, the player with the attack has an extra piece. 18 ...Qd6 In contrast, 18 .. .f5 weakens Black's kingside and hands the e6-square over to the white queen, when White would take the pawn: 19 Qxe5 Bf6 20 Qxf5!?, so that 20 ... Qb6 21 Qe6+ exchanges the queens. 1994 The pawns roll forwards. Instead 19 Bd3? is met with 19 .. .f5. 19 ... g6 20 gsl Again if 20 h5 then 20 .. .f5! counterattacks in the centre. TIP: If you want an attack on the wing to succeed, first prevent a counter-attack in the centre. 20... RcS 21 c4 Rfc8 22 a3 (Diagram 13)

Diagram 13 (B)

Diagram 14 (W)

22 a3 - a clever idea

The two queens should win

A clever idea. White threatens to roll his queenside pawns forwards with 23 b4 R5c7 24 c5, followed by 25 d6, when the black pieces drown in the deluge of pawns. Campos Moreno therefore prevents this with 22 ... a5, after which 23 b4? axb4 24 axb4 Rxc4! 25 Bxc4 Qxb4+ followed by 26 ...Rxc4 crushes the white king. However, once Black has played 22 ... a5, he has lost the option of ... a7-a6 and ...b7b5 to attack the c4 point. Therefore Black's counterplay on the queenside is reduced in power. 22 ••• as 23 Rh2 a4 24 Rc2

67

starting Out: 1 e4!

White can take as many precautions as he wants before embarking on the attack on the black king, as the bishop on e7 can do nothing active. 24... Bf8

After 24 ...b5 25 Rdc1 bxc4 26 Rxc4 White can renounce a kingside attack in favour of winning the weak pawn on a4. 25 Bd3 Bg7 26 Rf1 R8c7 27 Rcf2

The growing pressure on the kingside persuades Black to lash out, but White will acquire a strong passed pawn on the b-file and the c4-square for his bishop. 27 ... b5 28 cxb5 Rxd5 29 b6! Rd7 30 Bc4 Rd1+ 31 Rxd1 Qxd1+ 32 Ka2 Qd4 33 Qc6 e4 34 Bxf7+!

Just when it seems that Black is escaping the pressure, the hammer blow strikes. But not 34 b7? Rxb7 35 Qxb7 Qxf2. 34... Rxf7 35 b7 Qxf2

Without the pawn on f7, 35 ... Rxb7 36 Qe8+ Bf8 37 Qxf8 is mate. 36 b8Q+ Rf8 (Diagram 14)

White has two queens, but it is still far from simple, as Black has a rook, a bishop and a passed pawn. Berg succeeds in co-ordinating his queens in a final attack on the black king. 37 Qe6+ Kh8 38 Qb7 e3 39 Qee7 Rg8 40 Qb5

The queen stops the passed pawn from advancing. 40 ...Qd2 41 Qeb4 Rd8

If 41...Qxb4 42 axb4! and White can advance his own passed pawn. 42 Q4xa4 e2 43 Qe8+ Bf8

Or 43 ... Rxe8 44 Qxe8+ and mate next move. 44 Qe5+ 1-0 Black resigned as if 44 ... Kg8 45 Qc4+ or 44 ... Bg7 45 Qae8 and mate.

68

Chapter Four

Sicilian Najdorf

• •

Introduction 6/Classical Sch'gen Black plays 6 •.• e

-_

Black plays 6 ... Ng4

M

Black plays 6 .•• es

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Introd uction The opening moves are 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 NC3 a6 (Diagram 1)

Diagram 1 (W)

Diagram 2 (W)

The NajdorfVa riation

Black sets up the mini-centre

In the Najdorf, Black lays out his game in flexible style: he doesn't commit himself to ... Nc6 and maintains the option of either ... e7-e6 or ... e7-eS. His reasoning is impeccable: the move ... a7-a6 almost always proves useful at some point, so why not play it straight away and see how White responds? The chess titans Bobby Fischer and Garry Kasparov were both fond of the Najdorf as Black, so we have to treat it with respect. Our intention is to play in the same style as against the Scheveningen above with 6 Be3, followed if permitted by the moves Be2 and f2-f4. Black has three ways of meeting it: with 6...e5, 6 ... Ng4 or 6... e6. At the time of writing (June 2006) two players have a claim to be World Chess Champion: Vladimir Kramnik and Veselin Topalov. Michael Adams has used the system recommended here to crush both of them - in fact, Topalov has been beaten twice with it! Let's start by looking at one of Adams' wins.

Black plays 6... e6/Classical Scheveningen Game 19

o M.Adams •

Wijk

V.Topalov

aan Zee 2006

1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 NC3 a6 6 Be3 e6 (Diagram 2)

70

Sicilian Najdorf

The most common move. Black sets up the mini-centre characteristic of the Sicilian and look for counterplay along the c-file. 7 Be2

Against the Scheveningen we have been playing 7 f4 immediately. However, since here Black is in a position to expand on the queenside, I prefer to put the bishop on e2 straight away, so that if 7... bS S Bf3 is awkward to meet: S...b4?! (or S... eS 9 Nb3 Bb710 a4 b411 NdS NxdSl2 exd5 a5 - or else 13 a5 cuts off the defence of b4 -13 Be2! intending 14 Bb5+ with some advantage to White) 9 e5! dxe5 10 Nb3! and White will capture the rook on as, with Black gaining insufficient counterplay. Besides, not being committed to f2-f4 allows us to tryout Adams' interesting plan against 7... Nbd7 in the next note. 7... Be7

After 7 ... Qc7 White can set up the standard e4/f4 centre, e.g. 8 a4 b6 9 f4 Bb710 Bf3 Nbd7 11 Qe2 etc. A critical alternative is 7 ... Nbd7!?, after which Adams has scored a fine victory with S g4!? (Diagram 3).

Diagram 3 (B)

Diagram 4 (B)

White plays 8 g4!?

Avoiding tricks on the dark squares

This wing pawn advance is justified by the fact that Black can't play actively with ... Nc6 and ... Nxd4 any longer; furthermore, with d7 blocked, the knight on f6 is deprived of its natural retreat square if attacked by 9 g5. Play might go S...h6 (or S... Nc5 9 f3 and then Qd2, 0-0-0, g4-g5 etc.) 9 f4 g610 f5! (White concedes the e5square in order to further the assault along the f-file) 11...Ne511 h3 (White's kingside pawns may look shaky, but there is a thread of steel that runs through them) 11...bS12 a3 (necessary to stop 12 ... b4) 12... Qe713 Qd2 Bb714 fxe6 fxe615 0-0-0 RcS (after 15 ... Nxe416 Nxe4 Bxe417 Rhc1 White has strong pressure for the pawn

71

Starting Out: 1 e4!

due to the black king's uncertain future: he cannot castle kingside, the queenside would offer him little shelter, and the centre is becoming inhospitable) 16 Rhfl Bg717 gS hxgS 18 BxgS and White had strong pressure which he duly converted into a win in M.Adams-V.Topalov, Wijk aan Zee 2005. 8a4

This advance is a regular part of White's plan in the e4/f4 centre, as otherwise Black's ...bS-b4 might prove highly disruptive. However, if your intention is to play something like f2-f3, g2-g4, Qd2 and 0-0-0, then don't play it! The pawn belongs on a2 if you intend to castle queenside - or perhaps on a3 if Black has played ...b7-bS, as in the Adams game of the previous note.

,

~

WARNING: The moves a2-a4 and 0-0-0 simply don't mix for White in these positions.

8..• Nc6 9 0-0 0-0 10 f4

Reaching a Classical Scheveningen position. Adams used this exact move order against Kramnik in the game given in the notes to move 12 below, but against Topalov he actually preferred 6 Be2 e6 7 0-0 Be7 8 a4 Nc6 9 Be3 0-0 10 f4; while the Classical Scheveningen move order would be S... e6 6 Be2 Nc6 70-0 Be7 8 f4 0-0 9 Be3 a610 a4. 10... Qc7 11 Kh1 (Diagram 4)

As always, White has to be alert for trouble on the dark squares. Tucking the king in the corner avoids any tricks along the a7-g1 diagonaL 11 ... Re8

Here is the sort of disaster that can befall Black if he is careless: 11...Bd7 12 Nb3 NaS? 13 eS! (White always hopes this pawn advance will deserve an exclamation mark) 13... dxeS 14 fxeS NdS (the black knight is driven from the defence of the king, as 14... QxeS? IS Bf4 will cost the knight on as, or the bishop on e7 after 15... Qf5 16 Bd6) 15 NxdS exdS 16 Nxa5 QxaS 17 Bd3 Qc7 18 Bd4 bS 19 QhS and White had a strong attack in N.De Firmian-J.Wikstrom, Stockholm 2003. 12 Bf3

White strengthens the e4-square in anticipation of Black playing ... Bf8, ... e6-eS and then attacking the pawn with the rook after ... eSxf4. 12... Bf8 Or 12 ... Rb8 13 Qel eS 14 Nde2 exf4 IS Nxf4 Be6 (naturally Black is keen to stop 16 NfdS, taking possession of the outpost square) 16 BhS!? (a curious move designed to regain his grip on dS by exchanging off the knight on f6 - the threat is 17 Nxe6, winning the exchange) 16... NxhS 17 NxhS QaS 18 Nf4 Bc4 19 Nd3 Qd8 20 b3 Bxd3 21 cxd3 Bf6 22 Rcl with some advantage to White due to his more compact pawn centre. He went on to win after Black was in too much of a hurry to escape the pressure in M.Adams-V.Kramnik, Wijk aan Zee 2004. 72

Sicilian Najdorf

13 Qd2 Na5 14 b3

It is necessary to prevent 14... Nc4, but White's loosened queenside pawns might raise some eyebrows, and Topalov certainly thought that he might be able to play for the initiative on the queenside. Unfortunately for him, the attempt proves a disaster. 14... Rb8 15 Rad1

Adams improves the layout of his pieces with the eventual aim of advancing e4e5. He is also waiting to see if his opponent will overpress - a typical case of 'know thy opponent!', as the Bulgarian Grandmaster soon becomes overconfident in his pursuit of active play. NOTE: There are two ways of winning a game of chess: either you go for your opponent's throat, or you give him a rope with which to hang himself. 15... Nc6 (Diagram 5)

Diagram 5 (W)

Diagram 6 (8)

What now for White?

Breaking open the position

16 Bf21

The bishop heads for g3, where it supports an e4-eS advance and could embarrass the black queen and rook on b8. On chesspublishing.com, GM Kosten suggests that 16 eS was worth a try, when 16... dxeS 17 Nxc6 bxc6 18 fxeS NdS 19 Bd4 plans Ne4 and Bh5. 16...Nd717 Bg3 Nxd418 Qxd4 b519 axb5 axb5 20 b4

The black b-pawn is stopped in its tracks and the black knight is denied c5. 20... g6?

73

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Now 21...Bg7looks as if it will be awkward to meet, but Adams seizes his chance. Perhaps Black should have played 20 ... eS, even though it leaves a hole on dS. 21 es! dS

After 21...dxeS 22 fxeS White's rook has the open f-file and the knight can enter the fray via e4, followed by landing on d6 or f6 at the right moment. Topalov's attempt to keep the centre blocked will prove spectacularly unsuccessful. 22 fS! (Diagram 6) 22 ... gxfs 23 NxdS! QC4

Black is ripped to shreds after 23 ... exfS 24 e6, when if the hanging black queen, knight, and rook on b8 weren't enough, Black also has to reckon with 25 exf7+ Kxf7 26 BhS+. 24 Qd2 h6 2S

h3!!

Garry Kasparov, one of the spectators at Wijk aan Zee, was very impressed by this simple move which rules out any defence based on ... Qg4. It is all too easy to get overexcited during an attack and spend all your time looking at 'explosive' ways to finish the game, but sometimes it is a quiet, preventative move that proves to be a killer. 2s ... exds 26 BxdS Qxb4 27 c3 QcS 28 RxfS

Now Black has to resort to desperate remedies to avoid immediate disaster on f7. 28 ... Re6 29 Rxf7! (Diagram 7)

Anyway!

Diagram 7 (8)

Diagram 8 (W)

Crashing through

Black plays 6... Ng4

29 ... Nb6

Black won't survive very long after 29 ... Kxf7 30 Qf4+ Ke8 31 Bxe6 or 30 ... Kg7 31 Bxe6, with mate looming in three and two moves respectively after 32 Qf7+.

74

Sicilian Najdorf 30 Rdfl Nxd5 31 Rxf8+ Qxf8 32 RxfS+ Kxf8 33 Qxd5

The dust has settled and White has a queen and two pawns for a rook and bishop. This is too much, even for the reigning FIDE World Champion.

B ... KeS 34 Bh4 Bd7 35 Bf6 b4 36 Qe4 BcS 37 cxb4 Rb7 3S Qg6+ Kd7 39 Qxh6 Kc7 40 Qf4 Kb8 41 h4 Rc7 42 h5 1-0

o

NOTE: Topalov was punished here for his over-optimism; but don't forget that it was his determination to win every game, as White or Black, that had made him the number one rated player in the world at the time of this defeat. You will no doubt lose some games in trying to beat the Sicilian, some as horribly as Topalov; but as long as you don't lose heart, you will be rewarded for your positive play with a lot of wins.

Black plays 6... Ng4 So far we have seen what to do if Black sets up the mini-centre on d6/e6. However, Black has important other options, including 6 .•. Ng4 (Diagram 8). Black seeks to disrupt White's build-up and fianchetto on g7, but I think White has good chances, as the following game illustrates. Game 20

D I.Cheparinov • B.Bruned Andorra la Vella 2004 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 NC3 a6 6 Be3 Ng4 7 Bg5 h6

Black has to keep harassing the bishop or else he will simply have lost time after White kicks the knight back with Be2 or h2-h3. S Bh4 g5 9 Bg3 Bg7

The bishop is excellently placed here; but is this enough to compensate for all the damage done to the black kingside pawn structure? 10 h3! (Diagram 9) Now Black is faced with a difficult choice: should the knight go to e5 or f6? 10... Nf6 Instead 10... Ne5 keeps the white bishop out of c4, but 11 f3 gives White a pleasant plus. The bishop can rejoin the central struggle on f2, when play becomes reminiscent of the Dragon Variation, but with Black having loosened his kingside pawns. 11...Nbc612 Bf2 Ng6! (Black's king does best to remain in the centre, as he is liable to be mangled on gS, e.g. 12... Be6 13 Qd2 Nxd4 14 Bxd4 Qa5 15 a3 0-0 16 h4! and

75

Starting Out: 1 e4! the Classical World Champion was quickly butchered in V.Akopian-V.Kramnik, Wijk aan Zee 2004) 13 Qd2 QaS 140-0-0 Be6 IS Kbl Rc8 16 NdS! (frustrating Black's bid for counterplay by exchanging queens) 16 ... Qxd2 17 Rxd2 Nxd418 Bxd4 Bxd4 19 Rxd4 Bd7 20 g3 Bc6 21 h4 and White had a small but persistent edge in D.Gormally-J.Rowson, British Championship, Scarborough 2004. 11 Bc4!

A direct attacking move endorsed by Kasparov. Here 11 f3 is less attractive as Black has the option of ... NhS at some point, followed perhaps by bringing the knight to f4. 11 ... Qb6

Black tries for immediate counterplay, since if he plays slowly then White will quickly build up with 0-0 and f2-f4, or perhaps Qd2, 0-0-0 and h2-M. 120-00-0

The e4-pawn is poisoned, though this didn't stop a Super GM trying to get away with taking it: 12 ... Nxe4? 13 Nxe4 Qxd4 14 Nxd6+! exd6 IS Qe2+ Be6 (White has a crushing attack after say IS ... Kf8 16 Radl Qf6 17 Rxd6 Qe718 Qd2 Kg8 19 ReI etc., or IS ... BeSI6 Radl QcS17 RdS and eS drops) 16 Bxe6 0-0 17 Radl Qf618 BdS Nc6 19 c3 and Black was left with a horrendous pawn structure in V.lvanchukA.Shirov, Wijk aan Zee 200l. 13 Nde2! Qxb2 14 Bb3 Qa3 15 Khl Qa5 16 f4 (Diagram 10)

Diagram 9 (8)

Diagram 10 (8)

Where should the knight go?

Black has no counterplay

There is no immediate mate, but Black will be subject to relentless pressure on the kingside. Even worse, he has no counterplay and so can only watch as his opponent feeds pieces into the attack. 16 ... gxf4 17 Bxf4 Qh5

76

Sicilian Najdorf The black queen tries to beef up the defence, but she herself becomes a target. 18 Qd2 Nc6 19 Ng3 Qg6 20 Rael

The fact that White has managed to get both rooks engaged in the attack is a sure sign that the pawn offer was sound. Black now makes a fruitless counter-attack that leads to a quick finish. 20 ... Nh5 21 Nf5 Bxf5 22 exf5 Ng3+ 23 Bxg3 Qxg3 24 Ne4 Qh4 25 Rf4 Qh5 26 Qf2! (Diagram 11)

Diagram 11 (8)

Diagram 12 (W)

Threatening Rf4-h4

Black plays 6 ... es

Threatening to trap the black queen with 27 Rh4. You will notice that the bishop sitting quietly on b3 is contributing to the attack in a big way, as it prevents .. .f7f6, which would not only provide an escape route for the black queen but also block the dangerous f5-f6 advance. 26 ... Bd4 27 Qg3+ Kh7 28 Rh4 Qxf5 29 Ng5+ Kg7 30 Nxf7+ 1-0

Black plays 6... es We have already seen several games with the d6/eS pawn structure. Black entrenches himself on the dark squares, but leaves a familiar hole on dS. Let's see how Anand, erstwhile FIDE World Champion, exploits his light square superiority to grind down a particularly doughty opponent. Game 21

o V.Anand. P.Leko Wijk aan Zee 2006 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 NC3 a6 6 Be3 e5 (Diagram 12) 7 Nf3!?

77

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Instead 7 Nb3 leads to a very complex and theoretical position after 7... Be6 8 f3 Be79 Qd2 0-0 10 0-0-0. Anand has no wish to see what new idea Leko has come up with for Black and so prefers a more positional approach. We shall follow the Indian Grandmaster's example. 7.•. Be7

Black could prevent the white bishop getting to c4, but White maintains a small but definite advantage, e.g. 7... Qc7 8 a4 Be7 9 Be2 0-0 10 0-0 Be6 (or 10 ...b611 Qd3 Nbd7 12 Qc4!? Qxc4 13 Bxc4 and the bishop reaches c4 after all) 11 a5 h6 12 Nd5 Nxd5 13 exd5 Bf5 14 c4 and White can prepare an advance of his queenside pawns with the aim of breaking through on c5 with b2-b4 and c4-c5. 8 Bc4

The bishop seizes its best diagonal where it consolidates White's hold over the d5square. 8.•• 0-0 9 0-0 Be6

After 9...Bg4 play might continue 10 a4 Nc6 11 h3 Bh5 12 g4 Bg6 13 Nd2 when the black bishop is shut out of the game on g6. Black would have no useful pawn breaks with which to put the loosened white kingside under pressure, as the advances ... d6-d5 and ... f7-f5 are virtually impossible to achieve. In fact, Black would have to watch out for his opponent encroaching even further on the kingside with h3-h4 threatening to trap the bishop. 10 Bb3 Nc6 11 Bg51 (Diagram 13)

Diagram 13 (8)

Diagram 14 (W)

White threatens 12 Bxf6

Black's central pawns are weak

With the positional threat of 12 Bxf6, eliminating one of the defenders of d5, when after 12 ... Bxf6 Black's dark-squared bishop wouldn't be able to attack much in the future. Therefore Leko prefers to keep the knight to fight for the d5-square.

78

Sicilian Najdorf 11... Nd7 12 Bxe7 Qxe7 13 NdS QdS 14 e3

White can use this pawn to guard d4; unfortunately for Black he cannot fight for dS in a similar way. 14... Nas 15 Rel ReS 16 h3 Nb6

In a later game, Leko improved his play with 16...b5 which led to a quick draw after 17 Nh2 Nc4 18 Bxc4 bxc4 19 b4! (to stop ... NcS and ... Nd3) 19 ... cxb3 20 axb3 BxdS 21 QxdS Rxc3 %-% in P.Svidler-P.Leko, Morelia 2006. Actually, after 22 Rxa6 I think White still has some winning chances. If your opponent wants to learn all this theory by heart just to end up in a position with zero winning chances - well, good luck to him! 17 Nxb6 Qxb6

White has no choice but to make this capture, as his bishop was attacked three ways. Nevertheless, as we shall see, the change in pawn structure isn't all good news for Black.

is Bxe6 fxe6 (Diagram 14) So there is no longer a hole on dS, and the black rook has gained the open f-file. On the other hand, the backward pawn remains on d6 and the e6-pawn will also prove vulnerable 19 Re2 Re6 20 Qd3 Qe7 21 Rdl Ne4 22 b3 Nb6 23 e4

Anand prevents any bid for freedom with ... d6-dS. 23 ... NeS 24 Red2 h6 25 Qe2 Kh7 26 h4!

A fine preventative move. Anand puts a pawn on hS before Black has the chance to manoeuvre his knight via e7 and g6 to f4, when things would suddenly get grisly for the white king. 26 ...Qb6 27 hS Qes 2S Nel!

Having obstructed the black knight, Anand now utilizes his own horse to help smash up the enemy centre. 2S ... Re7

Black can't stop White's breakthrough on cS, as if 28 ...b6 29 Nd3 Qa3 30 Qg4 Rf6 31 cS! bxcS 32 NxeS! dxeS? (better to be a pawn down for nothing with 32 ... Rc7 33 Nc4 Qb4 34 Nxd6) 33 Rd7 and there is no good way to stop mate on g7. 29 Nd3 Qe6 30 es! (Diagram 15)

A decisive breach in the black centre. 30 ... Ne7 31 Qg4 Rf6 32 b4!

Providing the knight with a square on c5, so that 33 cxd6 Qxd6 34 NcS followed by infiltrating with the rooks down the d-file is looming. Leko elects to give up a pawn in a bid for counterplay, but it all falls apart. 32 ...dS 33 Nxes Qa4 34 Qg3 ReS 35 Ng4 Rf7 36 Qd6

79

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Now the threat of 37 Ne5, driving the black rook from the defence of e7, forces the creation of a passed pawn. 36 ... Rcf8 37 Qxe6 Qxb4 38 exd5 QXC5 39 d6

Despite Leko's stubborn defence, the pawn will prove unstoppable. 39... Nc6 40 d7 Nd8 41 Qe4+ QfS 42 Re2 Qxe4 43 Rxe4 bS 44 f3 as 45 Nes Rf646 Ng6 Rg8 47 Re8 Rf7 48 RdS b449 Ne7 1-0

A possible finish is 49 ... Rgf8 50 ReS a451 Ng6 Rg8 52 Rxg8 Kxg8 53 Re8+ Kh7 54 Rh8 mate.

Diagram 15 (8)

Breaching the black centre

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Chapter Five

Sicilian Dragon

_

Introduction

_

Accelerated Dragon, 'Dragodorf' and 9 ••• Nxd4

_

Black plays 9 ..• Bd7

_

Black plays 9 ... d 5

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Introduction This celebrated defence begins 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 g6 (Diagram 1)

Diagram 1 (W)

Diagram 2 (8)

The Dragon Variation

Base camp for White's assault

We should meet the Dragon headlong with direct attacking play that pays no regard to reputation. With this in mind, the best recipe is to castle queenside and rampage on the kingside. Diagram 2 shows the basic set-up we are aiming for as White. It is reached after the further moves 6 Be3 Bg7 7 f3 Ne6 8 Qd2 0-0 9 0-0-0 White has developed his pieces in a solid formation in the centre, with the knight on d4 protected no less than three times. And quite rightly so, as it is the bulwark against Black's famous 'Dragon bishop' on g7. There are no holes in White's pawn structure and his king is safe; still, he might take a time out to play Kbl, which removes his king from the semi-open c-file and protects the a2-pawn a second time. White's plan, against zero resistance, is to use his h-pawn and g-pawn to prise open the h-file and give mate. This could involve moves such as g2-g4, h2-h4 and h4-h5, then h5xg6, when we assume Black recaptures .. .f7xg6, and then Bh6, Bxg7, answered by ... Kxg7, Qh6+, Nd5, Nxf6+ and Qxh7+. This is, of course, easier said than done. For example, as soon as White plays Bh6, he is weakening his protection of the knight on d4, which might give Black the chance for a counterblow in the centre. And what of Black's counterplay on the queenside based on either ... Rc8, ... Qa5 or a queenside pawn advance - or perhaps all three ideas at once? Furthermore, Black might prise open the centre with ... d6dS.

82

Sicilian Dragon So things are by no means simple for White, which explains why a lot of players find the Dragon attractive as Black. Nevertheless, if White does play precisely, he has greater winning chances than against an opening like the Sicilian Taimanov or Caro-Kann. After 9 0-0-0 we shall consider three responses for Black. Against other moves you can just get on with the business of mating the black king with g2-g4 and h2-M etc. In fact, if Black plays too passively, you might be able to dispense with the preliminary g2-g4 move and playa fast h2-M-hS as a sacrifice. Then if ... Nf6xhS in reply, g2-g4 kicks the knight back to f6, when Bh6 etc. should force a quick decision on the h-file. As will be seen, a kingside pawn storm is a fundamental part of White's strategy. Black is often willing to make concessions elsewhere to buy off the attack. For example, he might aim to break in the centre with ... d6-dS, or give up the exchange with ... RcB and then ... Rxc3. In that case he is willing to play an endgame the exchange down, trusting in his compact pawn formation to see him through.

Accelerated Dragon, 'Dragodorf' and 9 ... Nxd4 Carne 22 Ki.Cieorgiev. C.Ward Gibraltar 2005

o

1 e4 cS 2 Nf3 d6

A hybrid variation of the Dragon is the Accelerated Dragon: 2... Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 g6 (Diagram 3)

Diagram 3 (W)

Diagram 4 (W)

The Accelerated Dragon

A 'Dragodorf' set-up 83

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Black has been sneaky in delaying ... d7-d6, as he hopes that he can play ... d7-dS in one go. So we'll spoil his day with 5 c4!, clamping down on the dS-square. This type of pawn centre is known as the Mar6czy Bind, and will be discussed further in the section on the Kan Variation (but without ... Bg7). Here is a good way to handle it after S...Bg7: 6 Be3 Nf6 (6 ... Ng4 7 Qxg4 Nxd4 8 Qdl! eS?! 9 Nb5! is known to be good for White) 7 Nc3 0-0 8 Be2 d6 9 0-0 Nxd4 10 Bxd4 Bd7 11 Qd2 Bc612 f3 as 13 Rabl! (preparing to push back the knight with an eventual b3-b4) 13 ... Nd714 Bf2! (an instructive move; White keeps his dark-squared bishop to fight on the queenside) 14... NcSlS b3 (not IS a3? a4! when White's queenside pawns are crippled) IS ... Qb8 16 Rfel Rc8 17 Rc2 Rc718 Bfl hS 19 a3 b6 20 b4 axb4 21 axb4 Nd7 22 NdS BxdS 23 cxdS and White had a space advantage and the bishop pair in A.Volokitin-M.Leon Hoyos, Cuernavaca 2006. 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 NC3 g6 6 Be3 Bg7

Instead, 6... Ng4?, trying to disrupt White's build-up, is a howler after 7 BbS+ when 7...Bd78 Qxg4! costs Black a piece. Black has also tried 6... a6 (Diagram 4) which combines the Dragon with the Najdorf to create a 'Dragodorf'. Here is an interesting response by White: 7 f3 Nbd7 8 Qd2 Bg7 9 g4 bS 10 gS!? (taking advantage of the fact that the black knight on f6 is blocked from retreating to d7) 10 ... NhS 11 a4!? (as the black knight is shut out of the game on hS, White decides that he can play actively on both sides of the board) 11...bxa412 Rxa4 Bb713 Nb3 0-014 Be2 fS (how else to get counterplay?) IS Na5 Qc716 Nxb7 Qxb717 QdS+ Qxd5 18 NxdS and White won the endgame thanks to the hapless knight on hS in M.AI Modiahki-S.Williams, Amsterdam 200S. 7 f3 Now, however, it is worth White investing a move to prevent ... Ng4. The pawn on f3 also supports a future g2-g4 advance. 7... Nc6 8 Qd2 0-0 9 0-0-0 Nxd4

Black decides to exchange on d4 straight away. If immediately 9...Be6, then you could try 10 Nxe6 fxe6 11 g3 intending 12 Bh3, but this isn't that clear. The move that would annoy your opponent is 10 Kbl in reply, when Black has nothing better than 1O... Nxd4 11 Bxd4, transposing to the main line. 10 Bxd4

Respect for Black's light-squared bishop is paramount. Instead 10 Qxd4 puts the white queen's head in the lion's (Dragon's?) mouth, after which 10... Ng411 Qd3 Nxe312 Qxe3 would be a brilliant exchange for Black: he has eliminated White's dark-squared bishop, leaving the bishop on g7 without its natural enemy.

o 84

NOTE: White wants to exchange his dark-squared bishop for the bishop on g7: an exchange for a knight is hardly ever acceptable.

Sicilian Dragon

10... Be6 11 Kb1! (Diagram 5)

Diagram 5 (8)

Diagram 6 (B)

Preventing 11...Qa5

The e-pawn is backward

A useful precaution. It not only safeguards a2, but also removes the white king from potential danger on the c-file and, as will be seen, vacates the c1-square for the rook. It also has a specific idea in mind, namely: Black's favourite attacking move is ... Qa5, and that is what would follow after say 11 g4 QaS when 12 Nd5? Qxa2 is abysmal for White. However, after the game move,l1 Kbl Qa512 Nd5! wins a pawn upon 12 ...Qxd2 13 Nxe7+ Kh814 Rxd2 or else Black's pawns are smashed up after 12 ... Qd813 Nxf6+.

Cf

TIP: Always try to prevent your opponent playing his favourite moves.

11... QC7 Confounded in her intention of going to a5, the black queen has to make do with c7, where at least she clears the way for the rook on £8 to reach the half-open c-file. 12 NdS!?

At first glance this looks like a blunder, but the pawn on dS will be indirectly defended by the white queen. 12... Bxd5

After 12 ... Nxd5 13 Bxg7 Kxg7 14 exd5 Bd7 15 h4 the black kingside lacks its defender on g7, so the white attack can just roll forwards. 13 exd5 (Diagram 6)

White has eliminated the bishop on e6, which means that there is no longer an attack on a2. He has also opened the e-file and created a potential target at e7.

85

Sta rti ng 0 ut: 1 e4!

13 ... Rfe8 If 13 ... NxdS?? then 14 Bxg7 uncovers an attack on the knight and wins a piece.

Putting the other rook on c8 is more subtle: 13... Rac8 14 Rc1 a6 (Black waits until White plays his next move before playing ... e7-e6, as he hopes that the f3-pawn will then become a target for the rook on f8) IS g4 e6 (Black activates his centre in search of counterplay) 16 dxe6 fxe617 h4 Qc618 Bg2 Qc419 Rhel eS 20 Bgl Rcd8. So far this is D.Vasiesiu-V.Jianu, Rumanian Championship 2001, and now 21 hS! gxhS 22 gS NdS (if 22 ... Ne8 23 Re4 Qc7 24 Rh4 intending RxhS etc.) 23 Re4! Qc6 24 f4 looks highly dangerous for Black in view of the potential attack on the black queen from the bishop on g2. 14 Rei

For the moment White has to tread carefully. He overprotects the c2-square and prepares as necessary to advance c2-c4 to safeguard the dS-pawn. 14... a5 Or 14... a6 IS g4 bS 16 gS NhS 17 Bh3 Bxd4 18 Bxc8 Be5 (Black will regain the exchange) 19 Bg4 Bf4 20 Qd4 Bxc121 Rxc1 Ng7 22 c4 bxc4 23 Qxc4 and White had a big edge in the endgame in E.Van Haastert-T.Lammens, Ghent 200S. 15 Bb5! The bishop manually blocks any pawn sacrifice with ...b7-bS. It also makes the e7pawn less secure by preventing ... Re8. 15 ... a416 e4! Georgiev's queenside is now a solid wall that bars any approach by the black pieces towards his king. 16 ... Nd7 17 Bxg7 Kxg7 18 h4! (Diagram 7)

86

Diagram 7 (B)

Diagram 8 (B)

White begins his attack

Brilliant and decisive

Sicilian Dragon

Just the way we like it: Black's attack has come to a dead end on the queenside and we can push all our pawns at the black king, who has lost the chief defender of his dark squares. 18•..f6 19 g4 Nes 20 f4 Rg8 21 Reel Raf8 22 hS g5 23 fxgs fxg5 24 h6+

Even stronger than taking on g5. 24•.. Kh8 2S Qd4+ Rf6 26 Rhf1 Qd8

The peril of the black king is shown by the variation 26 ... Rgf8 27 Rxf6 exf6 28 Qxf6+!! Rxf6 29 Re8+ and mate next move. 27 Rxe7 Qxe7 28 Qxf6+ Qxf6 29 Rxf6 Rg6 30 Rxg6 hxg6

So Black won't be mated, but the endgame is lost for him as the bishop is superior to the knight, and the black king is too far away to prevent White staging a breakthrough on the queenside, where he already has a 4-3 pawn majority and the a4pawn is a ready target. 31 Ke2 Kh7 32 Ke3 b6 33 Kb4 Nd3+ 34 Ka3 Nes 3S esl! (Diagram 8)

A brilliant move that not only creates a passed pawn for White, but also prevents Black from acquiring one by winning time for the bishop to defend g4. 3S ... bxes

If 35 ... dxc5 36 d6 when Black has no time to take on g4. 36 Be2 Kxh6 37 Kxa4 Kg7 38 Kb5

Now the passed a-pawn rolls through. 38 ... Kf6 39 a4 Ke7 40 Kb6 Kd8 41 Kb7 e4 42 as Nd3 43 b411-0

An elegant finishing touch. The defence ... Nc5+ is ruled out, and taking en passant will cost Black the knight.

Black plays 9... Bd7 Game 23

D N.De Firmian. C.Bleis Copenhagen 2005 1 e4 eS 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 S Ne3 g6 6 Be3 Bg7 7 f3 0-0 8 Qd2 Ne6 9 0-0-0 Bd7 (Diagram 9)

Black utilizes his queenside pieces as rapidly as possible with a view to exploiting the open c-file. 10 g4 Nes 11 Kbl ReS

After 11...b5 12 Ncxb5!? is possible, or else he can ignore the pawn offer: 12 h4 b4

87

Starting Out: 1 e4!

13 NdS NxdS 14 exdS QaS IS Nb3!? Qc716 Be2 a5 17 h5 a4 18 Nd4 a3?! 19 b3 and the white attack will get in first. 12 h4Qa5

If 12... hS White can press onwards with 13 g5 Ne8 14 f4 Ng415 Bgl. 13 Be2

Instead 13 h5 lets Black unleash some heavy sacrifices: 13 ... Nxf3!? 14 Nxf3 Rxc3 15 Qxc3 Qxc3 16 bxc3 Bxg4 17 Bg2 Nxe4. Black has three pawns for a rook and the threat of a big fork on c3. Enough material? Who knows, but Black is clearly having all the fun! Instead we want to mate him without any fuss: hence the simple bishop development, which takes the sting out of any sacrifice. 13 ... Be6

Now White had better be on his guard against the idea of 14...Rxc3! 15 Qxc3 Qxa2+. In at least 95% of cases this type of exchange sacrifice, with a2 dropping whilst the queens remain on the board, proves excellent for Black. 14 Nb3! (Diagram 10)

Diagram 9 (W)

Diagram 10 (B)

Black plays 9... Bd7

Restraining Black's counterplay

The subtlety of a top Grandmaster. Most of us would have broken up the black kingside with 14 Nxe6 fxe6 15 h5 etc. or perhaps been tempted into an adventure with 14 Nd5; but despite his aggressive intentions, De Firmian is for the moment willing to play quietly, and restrain any possible counter-attack.

o 88

NOTE: This game ends with a flurry of pretty sacrifices, but don't be deluded into thinking that's all it takes to win a game of chess. Without the preliminary consolidating phase there would not have been any fireworks.

Sicilian Dragon 14... QC7

After 14... Bxb3 15 cxb3! not only is the white king safe inside a shell-like mass of pawns, but also he no longer has any worries about a black knight landing on c4, the weakest square on his queenside.

1shS This is just the way we want it when we play against the Dragon: our own king is perfectly safe and we are pushing the h-pawn at the black king. It is worth learning a little theory rather than making do with Z c3! 1S ... bS

A rather despairing bid for counterplay on the queenside. 16 NxbS

The fact that White is now a pawn up is entirely irrelevant. What matters is that his opponent is deprived of a lever to disturb the white queenside with ...b5-b4. 16... Qb7 17 NSd4 Bc4 18 NaS!

Again White takes preventive measures rather than allow Black a glimmer of activity with 18 ...BxeZ and 19 ... Nc4. 18 ...Qa6 19 NXc4 NXc4 20 Bxc4 Rxc4 21 hxg6 hxg6 22 c3 Rb8 (Diagram 11)

Diagram 11 (W)

Diagram 12 (B)

White is ready to attack

Piling in down the h-file

23 Bh6

Only now! White finally carries out the strategic thrust he has been aiming for since move eight when he put his queen on dZ. 23 ... Bh8

It looks as if the h-file is going to remain blocked, but...

89

Starting Out: 1 e4! 24 BfS!

A common trick in this type of position. The h6-square is vacated for the white queen, whilst at the same time depriving Black of the defensive resource ... Bg7, as if 24 ...Bg7 25 Bxg7 Kxg7 26 Qh6+ and mate next move. 24 ... RxfS

If 24 ... KxfS 25 RxhS+ NgS 26 Qh6+ and Black will soon be a knight and rook down. 25 RxhS+!

Black's bishop is so precious that its elimination is well worth a rook. 25 ... KxhS 26 Qh6+ KgS 27 Rh1 (Diagram 12) 27 ... NhS

The only way to prevent mate on hS. 2S RxhS! gxh5 29 NfS hxg4 30 Nxe7 mate

Black plays 9... ds Came 24

D M.Adams • S.Rocha French League 2005 1 e4 cS 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 S Nc3 g6 6 Be3 Bg7 7 f3 0-0 S Qd2 Nc6 9 0-0-0 dS (Diagram 13)

Diagram 13 (W)

Diagram 14 (W)

Black plays 9 ... dS

Should White take the rook?

Black seeks counterplay in the centre; he has no wish to be mown down by a kingside attack as in the games above. go

Sicilian Dragon

10 exds NxdSll Nxc6

The correct capture. It would be quite silly to play 11 NxdS, as after 11 ... QxdS the black queen is nicely centralized and a2 is already hanging. 11 ...bxc6 12 Bd4 You might think it a little odd, but White is actually keen to provoke ... e7-eS, as then the bishop on g7 is shut in. 12 ...eS White has some edge after 12 ...Bxd413 Qxd4 Qc714 Bc4 Nb61S Be2 etc. Another line is 12... Nxc313 Qxc3 Bh6+ 14 Be3 (definitely not 14 Kbl?? eS!) 14... Bxe3+ IS Qxe3 Qb6 16 Qxe7 Be6 17 Qa3 and White has good chances to consolidate his extra pawn. 13 Bcs The bishop finds a safe niche in the black pawn structure and attacks the rook, but.. . 13... Be6! (Diagram 14) 14 Ne4! No doubt you are wondering why we don't just snaffle the exchange with 14 Bxf8. Once again, we need to recall the words from the introduction to the chapter: due to the exchange of his d4-pawn, White is slightly weak on the dark squares in the Sicilian. This weakness has been exacerbated by Black putting his bishop on g7, and also by the fact that White has castled queenside, which makes the al-h8 diagonal of greater strategic significance. If White played 14 Bxf8, he would be giving up the chief defender of his dark squares. Can he afford to be without the bishop, given the circumstances? After 14 ... Qxf8, leaving aside the shot IS ... Bh6 winning the white queen, there is the savage positional threat of an attack on b2 from the front with moves like ... Rb8 and ... Qb4, combined with pressure along the diagonal after ...Nxc3 and ...eS-e4, or even ...eS-e4 without the exchange on c3. Hence White should avoid taking on f8, at least for the time being. Putting the knight on e4 is an astute decision, as it rules out ... Nxc3 and blocks the ... eS-e4 advance. Of course, Black could try evicting the knight with 14.. .fS, but this can be answered by IS NgS, hitting the bishop on e6. 14... Re8 So White gets no second chance to grab the exchange.

is h4 Hoping for a typical Dragon wipe-out down the h-file after 16 hS etc. lS ... h6!

Black prepares to block the kingside pawn structure. He also rules out NgS, so that 16 .. .fS becomes an option. 16 g4Qc7

91

Starting Out: 1 e4!

After 16 ... fS? 17 gxfS gxfS 18 Nd6 Black would be in big trouble; for example 18 ... Bf8? 19 Rgl + Kh7 20 Nxe8 BxcS?, when a white rook and knight are hanging and there is a threat of 21...Be3, but 21 Rg7+ Kh8 22 Qxh6 is mate. 17 gS!

White acquiesces in the kingside pawns becoming fixed, even though this rules out a pawn storm. In return he secures his knight against 17.. .£S, as 18 gxf6 would follow. This means that e4 can be considered an outpost - a fine station in the centre for the knight. At the same time, Black's bishop on g7 has been enfeebled as, unless White suffers a positional mishap, it is more or less permanently shut in behind the eS-pawn. Such a situation is very much likely to get on the nerves of a Dragon player, who was no doubt looking forward to achieving an active game. 17 ... hS 1S Bc4 RedS

Nevertheless, we shouldn't exaggerate Black's misfortunes. He doesn't have to fear a kingside pawn onslaught, he is solidly placed in the centre and if he is lucky, there is always the b-file ...

19 Qf2 as 20 a4!! (Diagram 15)

Diagram 15 (8)

Diagram 16 (8)

Blocking Black's a-pawn

Keeping up the pressure

This is the sort of move that might well elude a player inexperienced with facing the Dragon. After all, in the section on the Najdorf it is categorically stated: the moves a2-a4 and 0-0-0 don't mix for White. That sort of talk might put you off playing a2-a4 forever! Things will be easier to understand if we consider two plausible moves that White didn't play: 20 Kbl and 20 a3. Why he doesn't play 20 Kbl: Black can advance with ... a4-a3, when if White re-

92

Sicilian Dragon

sponds b2-b3, the black pawn on a3 would be a thorn in his king's side. An ugly hole also appears on c3, which is almost asking for a deadly knight fork! Why he doesn't play 20 a3: White wants to solidify his defences along the b-file with b2-b3. For this purpose, he wants his rook's pawn on a4, not a3, so that b3 can't be undermined with ... as-a4. Remember that the black bishop is entombed on g7. If it enjoyed an open diagonal aiming at b2, then White's plan of 20 a4 and 22 b3 that follows would be suicidal. As a more positive consideration for White, by fixing the black pawn on as, he makes it a possible target in the endgame. 20 ... Qb7 21 Rhe1 Rab8 22 b3 QC7 23 Rd2

Adams prepares to double his rooks along the only open file and then probe for weaknesses. 23 ... Ra8 24 Qg1 Kh8 25 Red1 Rac8 26 Kb1 Rb8 27 Rd3 Rb7 28 Qe1

The first step in a plan that is psychologically speaking difficult to meet. Adams intends to redeploy his bishop to b2 and create latent threats against the e5-pawn. 28 ... Ra8 29 Bd6 Qd8 30 Ba3

With the threat of 31 NcS, when 31 ...Rbb8 32 Nxe6 fxe6leaves Black's pawns shattered. 30... Rbb8 31 Bb2 Qe7 32 R3d2 (Diagram 16)

Now Black always has to reckon with the rook sliding to e2, when the discomfort of the eS-pawn will increase: after all, if the knight moves from e4 it would be attacked three times. 32 ... Nc3+?

Rocha is unnerved by the nagging threat to eS and so plunges into active play that merely dismantles his blockade in the centre. He should have waited calmly with 32 ... Rb7, when Adams would still have to find a way to break through, as 33 Re2? fails to 33 ...Nf4. NOTE: Adams wasn't lucky: he kept his opponent under unremitting pressure until he cracked. We should try to emulate this strategy, especially against Dragon players who are usually unhappy at having to defend passively. 33 Bxc3 Bxc4 34 Rd7

The lock gate has been opened, and the white pieces flood through. 34... Qf8 35 Nd6 Be6 36 Rc7 c5

There was no good way to defend e5. 37 Bxe5 c4 38 NXc4 Bf5 39 Qc3 1-0

93

Chapter Six

Sicilian Sveshnikov (and Kalashnikov) ~

Introduction

~

Sveshnikov Variation

~

Kalashnikov Variation

Sicilian Sveshnikov (and Kalashnikov)

Introduction Here Black begins 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e5 (Diagram 1)

Diagram 1 (W)

Diagram 2 (8)

The Sveshnikov Variation

Position after 11 c3

The Sveshnikov Variation is immensely popular for Black at the highest levels, with its most dedicated practitioners being the Hungarian Peter Leko and the Dutchman Loek Van Wely.1t has also played a useful role in the repertoires of players such as Topalov, Shirov, Kramnik, Ivanchuk and Radjabov. With all these great names injecting ideas into the line as Black, we will obviously have to play with considerable care and energy if we are going to gain an advantage. For this reason we shall look very deeply into a couple of variations. The good news is that, compared to other Sicilian lines, there are relatively few offshoots from the main line to worry about; play tends to be of a forcing nature. Our desired position is reached after the further moves 6 NdbS d6 7 Bgs a6 8 Na3 bS 9 NdS Be7 10 Bxf6 Bxf6 11 c3 (Diagram 2). White has taken advantage of Black's S... eS by putting his knight on the dS-square, where it is splendidly centralized and can never be driven away by an enemy pawn. This has the further consequence that the ... d6-dS pawn break, which is one of Black's main ideas in the Sicilian, is for the moment impossible. With things quiet in the centre, White can continue Nc2 and then a2-a4, to put pressure on the black queenside pawns. With luck, the outcome of this plan will be that, after ...bSxa4 and the recapture Rxa4, Black will be left with a weak pawn on a6 which will drop off the board; or if Black holds on to the pawn by playing ...b5xa4 and then advancing ... a6-a5, White has the opportunity to create a passed pawn by preparing the advance b2b4. This is White's standard plan for advantage, and not surprisingly players of Black 95

Sta rti ng 0 ut: 1 e4!

have developed ways to contain its power. Nevertheless, it remains effective even at the highest level, as Leko and Anand will demonstrate in the illustrative games.

The Sveshnikov Variation First of all, let's return to move five and trace the reasoning behind the moves that lead up to the diagram position above. 1 e4 C5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e5

Throughout our discussion of the Sicilian, a recurring theme has been White's slight fragility on the dark squares which has been caused by the exchange 3 ... cxd4 4 Nxd4. With S... eS Black tries to profit from this by occupying one central dark square with a pawn thereby gaining influence over two others: d4 and f4. This is all the more attractive as it comes with gain of tempo by hitting the white knight, which is dislodged from its excellent central post. On the downside, Black is allowing White greater control over the light squares: not only is there a hole on dS, but White might attack f7 with a future Bc4. 6 Ndb5! (Diagram 3)

Diagram 3 (8)

D.iagram 4 (8)

White threatens 7 Nd6+

The knight takes up its post

Only thus. If he is to avoid a worse game White needs to discomfort Black with the threat of 7 Nd6+, acquiring the two bishops. If instead 6 Nf3?! Bb4 and Black is already threatening the e4-pawn, to say nothing of ... d7-dS! which would free his position. Sometimes 6 NfS is seen, as this at least has the check on d6 in mind, but then 6 ... dS should equalize for Black - the knight on fS will be hanging if White takes with the pawn on dS. 6 ... d6!

96

Sicilian Sveshnikov (and Kalashnikov)

This pawn move not only prevents the check on d6, but also fits in well with Black's philosophy of dark square control. 7 BgS!

White keeps up the initiative. He threatens to gain control of d5 in great style with 8 Bxf6 gxf6 (forced) 9 Nd5 and a knight check on c7 will be gruesome for Black. 7... a6

Black therefore has to challenge the knight straight away. 8 Na3 bS

A good decision despite the loosening of Black's queenside pawn structure, as the pawn seriously impedes the co-ordination of the white pieces by taking away the c4-square from the white bishop and knight. Instead 8... Be6 is sometimes played, just developing, but then the knight can seize the chance to escape from its prison on a3 with 9 Nc4!; for example 9... Rc810 Nd5 Bxd5 11 Bxf6! gxf6 12 Qxd5 (note this sequence of moves) and White has good chances. 9 NdS (Diagram 4)

Avoiding the fork on b4. So one of our knights reaches a great square; but it will take a lot of effort to get the other one working even half as efficiently. A sharper and very common alternative is 9 Bxf6 gxf6, which would dislocate the black kingside but allow him to use the doubled f-pawns to undermine e4 in two waves: with a basic plan of ... f6-f5, .. .f5xe4 and then ... f7-f5. Black might also be able to attack g2 with ...Rg8. Our chosen move keeps everything under controt and also avoids the bags of theory our opponent has learnt after 9 Bxf6. 9... Be7

Alternatively 9... Qa5+ breaks the pin on f6, but it rather lacks ambition as after 10 Bd2 Qd8 White could of course put his bishop back on gS, repeating the position. But we want to win, so let's try 11 Bd3 (a sharp alternative is 11 c4!?). Then 11...Nxd5 12 exd5 Ne713 c4! g614 cxb5 Bg715 0-0 was played in V.lvanchuk-Ni Hua, Moscow 2005, when Black's collapsing queenside yielded White a passed pawn that proved more significant than the weakness of the d5-pawn. 10 Bxf6

Sometimes the bishops are servants of the knights. It is necessary to hand over the dark-squared bishop to secure the d5 outpost. Black would already be thinking about getting the advantage after 10 Nxf6+? Bxf611 Bxf6 Qxf6, as White has nothing to show for his development but the lame horse on a3. 10... Bxf6 11 c3

... and we have arrived at the position discussed at the beginning of the chapter. It's time to look at a few examples of how play might unfold.

97

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Came 25

o P.Leko •

T.Radjabov

Morelia 2006 1 e4 e5 2 NO Ne6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Ne3 e5 6 Ndb5 d6 7 Bg5 a6 8 Na3 b5 9 Nd5 Be7 10 Bxf6 Bxf6 11 e3 0-0

The most natural move. Black castles with a view to gaining counterplay against e4 and along the f-file with an eventual ... f7-fS. 12 Ne2 Bg5 13 a4

All as outlined in the discussion at the beginning of the chapter. 13 ... bxa4 14 Rxa4 as (Diagram 5)

Diagram 5 (W)

Diagram 6 (B)

Preventing b2-b4

Black's kingside is weakened

Black advances his isolated pawn before White has a chance to tie the a8-rook down to it with IS b4, after which a subsequent ... a6-aS could be met with b4-b5, when White has a strong passed pawn. 15 Be4

As well as exposing Black's remaining queenside pawn to attack, removing the barrier on bS has won back this important square for the bishop. 15 ... Rb816 b3

The most solid move, after which the bishop on c4 and pawn on b3 are mutually defended. 16... Kh8

Black wants to play .. .£7-fS in the future, but first of all he has to make sure there is no discovered attack on his king by the bishop on c4. 98

Sicilian Sveshnikov (and Kalashnikov) 17 Nee3

The knight has completed its journey from the backwoods of a3 to respectable centralization. 17 ... Be6

Black has no wish to hand over his light-squared bishop for a knight after 17 ... f5 18 Nxf5 Bxf5 19 exf5 Rxf5, when 200-0 is a definite plus for White. Therefore he develops with a scheme of ... g7-g6 and then .. .£7-f5 in mind. 18 h41?

Leko begins a highly interesting plan of attack on the black king. 18... Bf4

Not 18 ... Bxh4?? 19 Qh5 g5 20 g3, when the bishop dare not move on pain of mate. Meanwhile, 18 ...Bxe319 Nxe3 Bxc4 gives White the pleasant choice between 20 Rxc4 and 20 Nxc4 with a light square bind. 19 NfSI g6

The white knight must be driven away from a dominant square so near the black king. 20 Nfe3 (Diagram 6)

Back again, but White can be well satisfied to have provoked Black's last move, which provides a hook for an attack down the h-file with M-h5. 20..•Kg7

If 20 ...h5, Leko might have changed tack with 21 g3 (to guard M) 21...Bh6 22 0-0.

Then Black's plan of .. .£7-f5 is difficult to implement, as after e4xf5, recapturing with ... g6xf5 drops the h5-pawn, while as we saw in the note to 17... Be6, Radjabov has no wish to recapture with ...Bxf5 and hand over his light-squared bishop after Nxf5. On the other hand, if Black avoided ... f7-£5 altogether he would have no constructive plan; in which case, White could methodically increase the pressure against d6 or on the queenside. 21 g3 Bh6 22 Ng4

Black will be allowed to play his ... £7-f5 move, but his king will have to pay the price of.a crumbling shelter. 22 ...fS 23 Nxh6 Kxh6 24 hS gs 25 exfs BxfS 26 Ne3 Be8 27 Ra21

In some lines the rook will swing over to d2 to attack the d6-pawn, which would be in danger of dropping with check. 27 ... Ne7 280-0 Rf6

Radjabov feels compelled to place the rook on f6 to bolster the d-pawn and the kingside, but here it will be unable to counter the pressure from the white rooks on the queenside. 29 Qe2 Qb6 30 Rfal (Diagram 7) 30 ...Qe6

99

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Black has little choice but to give up the sickly a5-pawn and risk everything on a counter-attack. 31 Rxas Bb7 32 BdS!

White's pieces have got full value out of the d5-square - first it was the knight, now a bishop and next a rook will enjoy a centre post free from attack by a pawn. 32 ... NxdS 33 RxdS Qxc3

Black regains his pawn, but the white army is able to infiltrate on both sides of the board. 34 Ng4+ Kg7 35 Ra7 Re6 36 Qc4! Qe1+

The pin on b7 is unendurable after 36... Qxc4 37 bxc4, with 38 Rb5 etc. to follow. 37 Kg2 Re7 (Diagram 8) 38 Rxb7!

Diagram 7 (8)

Diagram 8 (W)

Piling up on the as-pawn

What now for White?

At one stroke all Black's counterplay vanishes and his king is left wide open. 38 ... Rexb7 39 Rxd6 Rf8 40 h6+ Kh8 41 QdS Rbb8 42 Qd3 Qb4 43 Rd7 e4 44 QdS RbS 45 Nf6! 1-0

If he takes the queen, it is mate on h7, while 45 ... Rxf6 allows another queen offer: 46 Rd8+ Rf8 47 Qd4+! Qxd4 48 Rxf8 mate. Game 26 D G.Kasparov • Horgen 1994

A.Shirov

1 e4 cS 2 Nf3 Nc6

This game actually began with the move order 2... e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3

100

Sicilian Sveshnikov (and Kalashnikov) Nc6 6 Ndb5 d6 7 Bf4 e5 8 Bg5 a69 Na3 b510 Nd5 Be7 etc. It's the identical position, but with one more move having been played by White and Black! (Bf4 then Bg5, ... e7-e6 then ... e6-e5 respectively)

o

NOTE: When looking up games in the Sveshnikov main line in books and databases, always take account of a possible difference in move number.

3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 S Nc3 eS 6 NdbS d6 7 BgS a6 8 Na3 bS 9 NdS Be7 10 Bxf6 Bxf6 11 c3 Bb7

Rather than castling, Shirov seeks immediate counterplay against the white centre. 12 Nc2 Nb8 13 a4 bxa4 14 Rxa4 Nd7 lS Rb4 NcS It looks as if the black pieces are well organized and causing White problems over

the defence of e4. However, Kasparov found something amazing: 16 Rxb7!! Nxb7 17 b41 (Diagram 9)

Diagram 9 (B)

Diagram 10 (B)

Black has no active play

White starts a direct assault

White is the whole exchange down, but he has killed off any semblance of activity from Black and can proceed to create a passed pawn on the queenside. Furthermore, the black knight on b7 is uselessly placed and the a6-pawn weak. It is admittedly difficult to grasp the value of the sacrifice - after all, Shirov didn't see it coming! However, playing through this game and Anand-Van Wely below (which features a similar sacrifice) will help you to appreciate the concept. 17...BgS18 Na3 0-019 Nc4 as 20 Bd3

White doesn't hurry to play b4-b5 as it would let the black knight out via c5 20 ...axb4 21 cxb4 Qb8 22 h41

101

Starting Out: 1 e4!

The black bishop is made to choose between going to d8, where it blocks the onI} exit for the knight from b7, or else slunk back to h6, when it can no longer join th fight on the queenside. 22 ... Bh6 23 Ncb6 Ra2 240-0 Rd2 25 Qf3! (Diagram 10)

Suddenly Black has to reckon with a direct attack on his king. 2S ... Qa7 26 Nd7 Nd8

Shirov gives back the exchange to try to buy off the attack, as if 26 ... Ra8 27 Bc4!? intending 28 Ne7+ etc. and f7 drops. 27 Nxf8 Kxf8 28 bS Qa3 29 QfS! Ke8

Or 29 ... Rxd3 30 Qd7 and the threat of back rank mate decides. 30 Bc4 Rc2 31 Qxh7! RXc4 32 Qg8+ Kd7 33 Nb6+ Ke7 34 Nxc4 QcS 35 Ra1! Qd4

Or 35 ... Qxc4 36 Ra7+ Ke6 37 Qxd8. 36 Ra3 Bc1 37 Ne3 1-0

Black resigned as the threat of a fork on £5 or invasion on d5 is too much. A classic game with a theme that still works nowadays, as the following encounte. shows. Game 27

o V.Anand •

L.Van Wely

Wijk aan Zee 2006 1 e4 cS 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 NC3 eS 6 Ndbs d6 7 BgS a6 8 Na3 bS 9 Nds Be7 10 Bxf6 Bxf6 11 c3 Bgs (Diagram 11)

102

Diagram 11 (W)

Diagram 12 (W)

Black delays castling

Black tries for counterplay

Sicilian Sveshnikov (and KaJashnikov)

Van Wely delays castling in order to confront White's plan of queenside expansion as quickly as possible. 12 Nc2 Rb8

A classic 'mysterious rook move' - the rook is moved to a blocked file, as Black is fully aware that White intends to blast it open. 13 a4

Anand is undeterred by the discovered attack on b2. 13... bxa4 14 Ncb4! Bd7 15 Bxa6!

White captures the a6-pawn before it can drive away the knight with ... a6-aS. 15 ... Nxb4 16 cxb4 0-0 17 0-0 Bc6

Van Wely intends to take on dS and then b4. If it weren't for his opponent's excellent reply, he would have the better game. 18 Rxa4! Bxa4 19 Qxa4

Not quite as extreme a sacrifice as in Kasparov-Shirov above, as White has an extra, passed pawn for the exchange. 19... Qe8

The Dutch Grandmaster thinks that the exchange of queens will help him counterattack along the e-file, but he is confounded by White's brilliant 22nd move. 20 Qxe8 Rfxe8 21 b5 fS (Diagram 12)

Black had relied on this move to generate counterplay after 22 exfS e4 and then perhaps 23 ...ReS, dislodging the white knight. 22 b6!

A fine riposte. Anand has seen that it is essential to keep the black rooks boxed in, even at the cost of his e4-pawn. 22 ...fxe4 23 h4! Bd2

If 23 ... Bxh4 24 Rc1 and the rook invades c7 in support of the passed pawn. 24 b7 Kf7 25 Rd1 Bh6 26 Nb4 Ke7 27 NdS+ Kf7 28 g4!

As will be seen, the advance of the kingside pawns is no mere sideshow: it is an essential part of White's strategy as he needs the possibility of a pawn breakthrough on the kingside to complement the passed pawn on b7. 28 ... Bf4 29 Rei g5 30 Re2

The rook has found a way to get to the open file. 30... Red8 31 Nb4! (Diagram 13)

The knight leaves its dream outpost as it is needed to help smash the blockade on the b8-square. The manoeuvre to c6 had to be calculated and assessed very precisely, as Black's pawn mass in the centre now gets to rumble forwards. 31 ...dS 32 Nc6 Rg8 33 Nxb8 Rxb8 34 hS Ke7 35 Kf1 d4 36 Rc2 e3 37 fxe3 dxe3 38

103

Starting Out: 1 e4! Rc7+ Kf6 39 Rxh7 (Diagram 14)

Here we see Anand's astonishing foresight in advancing his kingside pawns: the passed pawn on h5 will be the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back. 39 ... e4 40 Bc4 Rd8 41 Rf7+ Ke5 42 Rd711-0

Counterplay along the d-file is squashed, after which the h-pawn advances.

Diagram 13 (8)

Diagram 14 (8)

The knight re-routes to c6

Now White has two passed pawns

Kalashnikov Variation A variation similar in style to the Sveshnikov is the Kalashnikov, which runs 1 e4 c5 2 NO Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 e5 5 NbS d6 (Diagram 15)

104

Diagram 15 (W)

Diagram 16 (8)

The Kalashnikov Defence

White keeps control

Sicilian Sveshnikov (and Kalashnikov)

In effect it is the Sveshnikov but without the moves Nc3 and ... N£6 inserted. Some years ago I wrote a book called Winning with the Kalashnikov, but now is no time to be sentimental. Let's see how a chess legend takes on the opening as White. Came 28

o G.Kasparov •

J.Lautier

Moscow (rapid) 2002 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 e5 5 NbS d6

Instead S... a6 is the Lowenthal, which positively invites the knight to invade on d6. After 6 Nd6+ Bxd6 7 Qxd6 Qf6, one approach for White is 8 Qxf6!? Nxf6 9 Nc3 with a good game; for example 9oo.dS (9 ... Nb4 10 Kd2!) 10 BgS Nxe4 11 NxdS 0-0 (if 11...NxgS, 12 Nc7+ wins the exchange) 12 Be3 Rd813 Nb6 and White stands welL As can be seen, Black very much misses his dark-squared bishop. 6 Nlc3 a6 7 Na3 b5 8 Nd5 Nge7

Instead 8 ... Nf6 9 BgS Be710 Bxf6 Nxf6 transposes to the Sveshnikov. Or if 8 ... Be6, 9 c4 looks dangerous for Black. 9 c4 Nxd5

After 9 ...bxc410 Bxc4 White has developed his bishop to the strong c4-squaresomething which Black had gone to the trouble of 7... bS to prevent. 10 cxd5! (Diagram 16)

A no-nonsense approach. Instead 10 exd5 wins a pawn in view of the double attack on c6 and bS, but it leads to messy complications. Kasparov prefers a guaranteed plus without any hassle. TIP: If you see a way to get a nice positional advantage without having to wrack your brains calculating difficult variations, then go for it! 10... Ne711 Nc2

The knight looked feeble on the wing, but it is going to have a great future exploiting the hole on c6, which is only two hops away. 11... Bd7 12 Bd3 g6 13 0-0 Bg7

Lautier fianchettoes his bishop and looks for counterplay with ... £7-£S. 14 Be3 0-0 15 Rei f5 16 f3 f417 Bf2!

White gets his bishop to f2 where it not only bolsters the kingside against the looming pawn storm, but can also playa useful role in pressuring the queenside. 17...g5 18 Nb4 (Diagram 17)

Why exactly is White better here? It would help to compare the situation to a

105

Starting Out: 1 e4!

King's Indian Defence, say that reached after 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 0-0 6 Be2 e5 70-0 Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 Nel Nd7 10 Be3 f5 11 f3 f4 12 Bf2 g5 (Diagram 1S).

Diagram 17 (8)

Diagram 18 (W)

White stands better

A King's Indian position

Here White has to try to open lines on the queenside, for example with 13 a4. Meanwhile Black already has the makings of an attack on the kingside. Turning back to the Kalashnikov game, we see that White has an enormous headstart in his action on the queenside. Kasparov already has the open c-file for his rook, and his knight is poised for action on b4. Furthermore, Black has loose pawns on b5 and a6, and a weak square on c6 that can be assailed in order to open more lines. 1S ... Ng6 19 Be2!

Kasparov is one of the most dynamic players in the history of chess, but he is not above making a quiet move to frustrate his opponent's attack. By controlling g4 again, he makes it harder for Black to arrange ... g5-g4. 19 ... hS 20 Kh1

Another astute precaution. If Black ever manages to get in ... g4-g3, the bishop can now drop back to gl to guard the h2-square. Alternatively, a future Rgl might be needed to guard g2. 20 ... Rf7 21 a4!

Having secured the kingside to his satisfaction, Kasparov seizes the initiative on the other wing. 21 ... bxa4 22 Nxa6 NfS 23 Rc6!! (Diagram 19)

23 ...Bxc6 24 dxc6 and White can follow up with Qxa4, followed by b4-b5 etc.,

106

Sicilian Sveshnikov (and Kalashnikov)

when the connected passed pawns quickly decide the game. 23 ... Rf6

Black's counter-action on the g-file will arrive much too late. 24 Qxa4 Rg6 25 Qb4 Qf6 26 Nb8 Rxb8

A desperate move, as the threats included 27 Qb7 hitting both a8 and d7. 27 Qxb8 g4 28 Rc7 gxf3 29 Bxf3 Bg4 30 Qe8

With his own king being persecuted by the white queen and rook, Lautier will never manage to generate a sufficient attack along the g-file. 30 ... Qg5 31 Rgl!

Here we see why Kasparov was clever in playing 20 Khl! 31 ... h4 32 h3 Bh5 33 Qf7+ Kh8 34 Re8 1-0 (Diagram 20)

Diagram 19 (8)

Diagram 20 (8)

A rook incursion

Black has no defence

A reminder that it is not only a knight that can utilize an outpost square. If Black defends f8 with his queen, Bxh5 will cost him more material.

107

Chapter Seven

Sicilian Taimanov (and other variations) _

Introduction

_

Taimanov: Black plays 5 ... a6

_

Taimanov: Black plays 5 ... QC7

_

Kan Variation

_

Pin Variation and other Black Ideas

Sicilian Taimanov (and other variations)

Introduction In this chapter we look at ways to defeat the remaining Sicilian set-ups, including the Taimanov, Kan and Pin variations. ~

U

NOTE: A confusing aspects of the Sicilian is the enormous scope for transpositions. For example, Black might play 2 ... e6, 2 ... Nc6 or 2 ... d6 and still reach the same position after five moves! If 2... e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nc6 5 NC3, Black can play 5...d6 when 6 Be3 Nf6 7 f4 transposes to a variation discussed in the Scheveningen chapter.

The Taimanov is reached after the moves 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nc6 or 2 ... Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 e6 (Diagram 1).

Diagram 1 (W)

Diagram 2 (W)

The Taimanov Variation

Position after 6... bxc6

In the Taimanov, Black is in no hurry to play ... d7-d6, which ensures that the e6-

square, the scene of many catastrophes for him in the Sicilian, remains firmly defended. TIus also makes it harder for White to begin an attack against £7, traditionally Black's weakest square, as a bishop placed on c4 would be 'biting on granite'. Having put his trust in the solidity of the d7/e6/f7 triangle of pawns to dampen his opponent's attacking aspirations, Black is often willing to delay his kingside development in order to pursue a plan of rapid queenside expansion with ...b7-bS.

Taimanov: Black plays 5 ... a6 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nc6 5 NC3 a6

Black decides he can get by without an immediate 5 ... Qc7, which is the main move discussed below. 109

starting Out: 1 e4! 6 Nxe6!? bxe6 (Diagram 2)

At first sight, exchanging on c6100ks like a bizarre decision as it strengthens Black's clump of pawns in the centre. Indeed, Nxc6 is one of those moves that, generally speaking, is always condemned in a book on strategy. But thankfully in chess there are no hard and fast rules that apply in every situation: if that were the case, the players would just have to learn them to have faultless technique, and chess would soon become a boring game if no one ever made positional mistakes! If I may be allowed to digress, although we talk about laws of strategy as if they were equivalent to the laws of science, that is not really the case, as a scientific law is considered incorrect if just one single exception is found. A scientific law is the equivalent of a rule of chess such as 'the bishop always moves diagonally', not a precept such as 'a rook is well placed on the seventh rank'. White's reasoning behind 6 Nxc6 is quite valid: 'my opponent has spent a move with 5... a6 preparing to expand on the queenside with ... b7-bS. So I will play Nxc6, when the pawn that could go to bS vanishes after he recaptures. That way, S... a6 starts to look like a wasted tempo.' Let's see how a world class player handles the white side of the position. Game 29

o V.Anand •

I.Morovic Fernandez Sao Paulo (rapid) 2004 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Ne6 5 Ne3 a6 6 Nxe61? bxc6 7 Bd3

White's plan is simple to understand and difficult to oppose: he will mass his pieces in the centre as quickly as possible as a prelude to a kingside attack. 1... d5 If Black satisfied himself with a small centre based on ... d7-d6, then White can castle and attack with f2-f4 etc. And besides, what value would the c6-pawn have in that scenario? 80-0 Nf6

Other strong players have also got in on the act here. For example, 8...Qc7 9 ReI Bb710 Qf3 Bd611 eS! Bf8 (not relishing 11...BxeS 12 QhS Bxc3 - if the bishop retreats, then 13 Rxe6+ comes -13 bxc3 g6 14 Qh4 intending 15 Bf4 with strong pressure on the dark squares for the pawn) 12 Na4!? (clearing the way for c2-c4; earlier, V.Topalov-P.5vidler, Dortmund 2005 had gone 12 Ne2 Ne713 Nf4 g6 with complex play) 12 ... cS13 c4 Ne7 (or 13 ... dxc414 Be4 and White picks up c4later) 14 BgS h61S Bxe7 Bxe716 cxdS BxdS17 Be4 Bxe418 Qxe4 0-0 19 Rac1 and White managed to exploit the sickly c5-pawn in J.Polgar-P.Tregubov, Bastia (rapid) 2005. 9 Re1 Bb7 10 Bf4 Be111 Qf3 (Diagram 3)

White's pieces seem to glide effortlessly on to strong posts. If Black castles, he has 110

Sicilian Taimanov (and other variations) to reckon with an attack that would be heralded by e4-e5, driving his knight from its important defensive post. If, on the other hand, he seeks simplification with 11...dxe4, he is left with a weak pawn on c6. Morovic tries to confuse matters with a queen sortie on the queenside.

Diagram 3 (B)

Diagram 4 (W)

White's pieces take control

White to play and win

11 ... QaS 12 a3 d4

A classic example of a premature attack. Black is always going to come off worse from an exchange of tactical blows, as his king is still sitting in the centre. 13 es! dxe3 14 exf6 exb2

Black's king is trapped in the centre after 14 ... Bxf615 b4! Qb6 16 Bd6. 15 fxe7! bxalQ 16 Rxa1 If Anand, who I consider one of the greatest defenders of all time, had been play-

ing Black here, he might have found a way to save the king on e8 from its terrible peril. However, the Indian super-Grandmaster has command of the attacking pieces; and when it is recalled that this is a rapidplay game, with no time for lengthy reflection, it is easy to guess that something brutal is about to happen. 16 ... Kxe7 17 Rbi Be8 18 Qg3 Kf8 19 Bd6+ Kg8 20 BeS

The attack on g7 forces Black to surrender all the dark squares on the kingside. 20 ... g6 21 Qgs h6 22 Qf6 Rh7 (Diagram 4) 23 Bxg6

I've often noticed that when a player dominates squares of a certain colour, the winning method involves making a sacrifice on a square of the opp'osite colour. 23 ...fxg6 24 Qxg6+ Kf8 25 Bd6+ 1-0

The win is as easy as pie after 25 ... Re7 26 Qf6+ Kg8 27 Qxe7.

111

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Taimanov: Black plays 5... QC7 1

e4 e5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Ne6 5 Ne3 Qe7 (Diagram 5)

Diagram 5 (W)

Diagram 6 (B)

Black plays 5... QC7

A familiar set-up

In the Sicilian Black places a high value on concrete thinking. Not for him rules such as 'develop your knights first!' or 'don't move the queen too early!' The pieces are to be put on their best squares, even if this means breaking general positional rules. Here c7 is a fine square for the black queen, and so she is placed there without any more ado. Already she contests the important e5-square and is ready to exert influence along the semi-open c-file. So how do we intend to meet Black's deployment? Answer: by fearlessly castling queenside right under the nose of the black queen! Good, honest, attacking moves, with a dash of genius thrown in, reap fantastic rewards for top GMs Leko, Grischuk and Sutovsky in the illustrative games. Maybe we are lacking that touch of genius (or maybe not) but the chances are nobody will notice. Let's see how it is done: 6 Be3 a6 7 Qd2 Nf6 8 0-0-0 (Diagram 6)

A familiar trio of moves by White borrowed from our treatment of the Dragon Variation. Note, however, that we haven't spent a move on f2-f3, which would be a serious waste of time: it is only necessary if the e4-pawn is threatened by 8... Bb4 intending 9... Nxe4. But first of all, let's see what happens if Black plays 8...bS. Game 30

o E.Sutovsky •

K.Arakhamia

Gibraltar 2005 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 e6 3 Ne3 Ne6 4 d4 exd4 5 Nxd4 Qe7 6 Be3 Nf6 7 Qd2 a6

112

Sicilian Taimanov (and other variations)

Note the difference in move order to that given above: not only 3 Nc3 and 4 d4 on White's part, but also 6... Nf6 and 7... a6 by Black. Here we reach the standard position, but you should always be wary for 'tricks' in move order - in the opening, not all roads lead to Rome! 8 0-0-0 bS 9 Bf4! (Diagram 7)

Diagram 7 (8) A critical moment for Black

Diagram 8 (8) The knight heads for d6

The black queen finds herself driven from c7. Where should she go? It turns out to be a matter of life and death for the black king. 9...Qb7?

Instead 9... Bd6? falls for a common trick: 10 Ndxb5! axb5 (there's no time for 10 ... Bxf4 as the black queen drops) 11 Bxd6. Black also does well to avoid 9... e5? which, to say the least, looks very risky after 10 Nxc6 exf4 (or 10 ... dxc6?? 11 Bxe5! with mate on d8 if the bishop is taken) 11 eS! etc. However, b7 is an unfortunate square for the queen. Best was 9... Qb6, when simplifying exchanges on d4 would be unwelcome to White, so let's play 10 Nxc6 Qxc6 (if 10 ... dxc6 maybe 11 Bd3!?, or 11 e5 Nd5 12 Ne4 with pressure on the d6square in A.Shirov-S.Movsesian, Sarajevo 2005) 11 f3 Bb7 12 Ne2 Rc8 13 Nd4 Qb6 14 g4 when typical kingside pawn pushing led to a winning attack for White in Wang Hao-Wu Wenjin, Beijing 2005. 10esl Sutovsky grasps the chance to start a vicious onslaught. 10... b4 11 exf6 bXc3 12 Qxc3 Nb4 13 Bc4! Meeting the threat to a2 without breaking stride in his attack. 13 ...gxf6 14 NfS! (Diagram 8)

113

Starting Out: 1 e4!

The knight heads for d6 in style, for if 14 ... exf515 Rhel+ Kd816 Qxf6+ and mates. 14... dS

Nonetheless, two of White's pieces are now hanging, so he has to be accurate in finishing off the game. 15 Nd6+ Bxd6 16 Bxd6 dxc4 17 Qxf61

Sutovsky isn't interested in 17 Bxb4 as he sees that conquering all the dark squares will lead to a quick decision. 17... Nxa2+ 18 Kbl Rg819 Ba31

Again White spurns the knight. The bishop uncovers a threat of mate on d8, and if 19 ...Bd7 20 Qe7 mate. 19...QC7 20 Rd61 (Diagram 9)

Diagram 9 (B)

Diagram 10 (B)

Bringing up the heavy artillery

Black plays 8... Bb4

Intending 21 Rhdl and then 22 Rd8+ forcing mate, and if 20 ...Bb7 21 Rxe6+! fxe6 22 Qxe6+ Kd8 23 Rdl + forces mate. Black therefore grows desperate. 20 ... Nc3+ 21 bxc3 Bd7 22 Rei Rb8+ 23 Ka2 a5

There is nothing to be done, as if 23 ... Bc8 24 Redl etc. 24 Rb611-0

Mate looms on e7, and if 24 ...Bc8 25 Rxb8 and the black queen dare not recapture. A very encouraging win, but the real test of our opening line is 8 .•. Bb4 (Diagram 10), pinning the knight on c3. Then we'll reply 9 f31 (only now, in order to prevent 9... Nxe4), and if 9... 0-0 we can get on with our kingside attack with 10 g4 and 11 g5. So Black usually tries to play actively in the centre with either 9... Ne7 or 9 ...Ne5.

114

Sicilian Taimanov (and other variations)

Game 31

D P.Leko • J.Polgar FIDE World Championship, San Luis 2005 1 e4 eS 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Ne6 5 NC3 QC7 6 Be3 a6 7 Qd2 Nf6 8 0-0-0 Bb4 9 f3 Ne7 10 Nde21 (Diagram 11)

Diagram 11 (8)

Diagram 12 (8)

Preparing for ... d6-dS

Eliminating the key b4-bishop

White vacates the d4-square, so that 10 ... d5 11 Bg5! dxe4 12 Bxf6 gxf6 13 Qd4 exf3 14 Qxb4 fxe2 15 Bxe2 gives him good attacking chances for the pawn, as in I.Cheparinov-J.lvanov, Coria del Rio 2005. Polgar, however, chooses a different pawn move. 10 ... bS11 g4

Beginning a plan of kingside expansion that we have seen in previous chapters. 11 ... h6 12 Rgl Ng6 13 a31

A useful move that obliges Polgar to relinquish the pin if she wishes to keep her bishop in touch with the centre. 13 ... Be7 14 f4 b4 15 axb4 Bxb4 16 Qd41

Leko meets the threat of 16 ...Nxe4. 16 ... Qas 17 Kbl Rb8?

It was essential to fight for the centre with 17... d6 intending 18 ... e5. 18 gs NhS 19 gxh6 Rxh6 20 RgSI Qe7 21 NbSI (Diagram 12)

Black is deprived of the vital dark-squared bishop. 21... RxbS 22 RxbS axbs 23 Qxb4 Nhxf4 24 NC3

115

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Now there is no good way to stop 25 NxbS followed by a killer check on d6. 24... Rxh2 25 Bg111-0

The rook has to retreat and then 26 NxbS decides, but not immediately 25 NxbS?? because of 25 ... Qxc2+. A very impressive game by Peter Leko. To reinforce the idea of dark square domination and complete the theoretical picture, we need to look at one more game. Game 32

D A.Grischuk • J.Gelier Russian Team Championship 2004 1

e4 e5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Ne6 5 Ne3 Qe7 6 Be3 a6 7 Qd2 Nf6 8 0-0-0 Bb4 9

f3 Ne5

The alternative to 9... Ne7 in the game above. 10 Nb3 b5

There is no need for White to fear the capture on c3: 10 ... Bxc3? 11 Qxc3 Qxc3 12 bxc3leaves White with doubled pawns, but he is dominant on the dark squares. 11 Qe11? (Diagram 13)

Diagram 13 (B)

Diagram 14 (8)

With a threat Removing the key bishop again With the threat of 12 Nxb5! axb5 (forced, as the black queen hangs) 13 Qxb4 Rxa2 14 Kbl. Black has no real attack along the a-file and his king is trapped in the centre. The queen retreat also ensures that Black's ... Nc4 doesn't gain time by attacking d2. Therefore White has the chance to expand in the centre with f3-f4 and e4e5. 11 ... Be7 12 f4 Nc4 13 e5

116

Sicilian Taimanov (and other variations)

White's pawn expansion in the centre has opened up the possibility of exploiting the hole on d6. 13 ... Ng4 14 Bd4

Now the threats include 15 Qg3, when if 15 ... Nh6 16 Qxg7 wins a piece. 14.••f5

Instead 14... Bb715 Bxc4!? (1 guess 15 Qg3 h5 16 h3 Nh617 Qxg7 0-0-0 isn't very clear) 15 ...bxc4 16 Nd2 Nh6 17 Qe2 Rc8 18 Nde4 Nf5 19 g4 Nxd4 20 Rxd4 and White later won in A.Volokitin-B.Macieja, Bermuda 2005. Black has the bishop pair, but White has pressure along the d-file which can be increased with Rhdl, and also the d6-square is a superb station for his knight. 15 h3 Nh6

Black has avoided disaster, but with the knight out of things on h6 White is practically playing with an extra piece in the centre. 16Qf21

Grischuk intends to seize control of the dark squares with a well timed Bc5. 16 ... Bb7 17 Bxe4 bxe4

Or 17... Qxc418 Bc5 surrounding the black queen and, at the least, forcing the exchange of dark-squared bishops. 18 Bb6 Qe619 Na5 Qxg2

The pawn grab on g2 will be a disaster, but things would also be horrendous after 19 ... Qc8 20 Rd4 intending 21 Rxc4. 20 Qd4 Be8 21 Be51 (Diagram 14)

The exchange of bishops wins the a3-f8 diagonal for the white queen, the d6square for the white knight and, as will be seen, the g7-square for the white rook! 21 ... Bxes 22 Qxes Kf7 23 Qe3 Rb8 24 Rhg1 Qa8

With the queen driven into the corner, the bishop still asleep on c8 and the knight inert on h6, it is obvious that Black has been completely outplayed. 25 Nxe4 Rf8 26 Nd6+ Kg8 27 Rxg7+! 1-0

Black has seen enough, but it is a pity he didn't let Grischuk finish off his attack with a pretty queen sacrifice: 27 ... Kxg7 28 Rgl+ Kh8 29 Qg3 Rg8 (or 29 ... Ng4 30 hxg4 and then 31 gxf5 is murder on the g-file) 30 Qxg8+! Nxg8 31 Nf7 mate. That's the Taimanov pretty much wiped out! Now let's deal with the Kan.

Kan Variation Basically this is the Taimanov without an early ... Nc6. It is reached after the moves 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 a6 (Diagram 15)

117

Starting Out: 1 e4! The ultimate in flexibility: Black makes a pawn move that almost always proves handy in the long term, and in doing so keeps open all his options as far as piece development is concerned. He trusts that his shell-like pawn structure will blunt any direct attack - and unfortunately we have to agree with him. Instead, we'll try to make Black regret his lack of development in another way: by increasing our grip on the centre with c2-c4. You will notice that this spacegaining exercise is only possible because Black hasn't played ... Nf6 to force us to defend e4 with Nc3, when the advance of the c-pawn is blocked. We'll let one of the greatest players of the modern age show us how to go about the task.

Diagram 15 (W)

Diagram 16 (W)

The Kan Variation

Black plays S... BC5

Game 33

o V.lvanchuk •

G.Kamsky

Wijk aan Zee 2006 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 a6 5 Bd31

A sensible response to Black's previous move. 5 Nc3 was also fully acceptable, but it somehow plays into Black's hands to put the knight on a square where it can be harassed by a future ...b7-b5 - which after all was the main motive behind 4 ... a6. Furthermore, as will be seen, leaving the knight on bI gives White the chance to increase his pawn presence in the centre. 5 ... 8c5 (Diagram 16)

Kamsky takes the chance to put his bishop on an open diagonal before setting up a mini-centre with ... d7-d6.

118

Sicilian Taimanov (and other variations) Instead 5 ...b5 seems inadequate as there is no knight to target on c3. A good response is 60-0 Bb7 7 a4! (undermining the pawn straight away) 7...b4 (Black has no wish to be left with a weak pawn on a6 after 7...bxa4 8 Rxa4) 8 c3!? Nf6 (or 8...bxc3 9 Nxc3 and lines are becoming open with White way ahead in development) 9 e5 Nd510 c4 (White establishes the familiar pawn centre in very favourable circumstances, as c4 can no longer be attacked by ...b7-b5) 10 ... Ne7 11 Nd2 Qc712 f4 Ng613 Ne4 Nc614 Be3 when White had a strong grip on the centre in P.Charbonneau-AKarklins, Philadelphia 2004. Here is another example of Ivanchuk versus the Kan: 5 ... Qc7 6 0-0 Nf6 7 Qe2 (Diagram 17)

Diagram 17 (8) Position after 7 Qe2

Diagram 18 (8) Clamping down on bS and dS

Now Black has to take measures against 8 e5. If he decides to play 7... d6 then 8 c4! Be79 Nc3 Nbd710 f4, as in V.lvanchuk-V.Sladek, Edmonton 2005, gives White the kingside attacking scheme we are recommending versus the Scheveningen. Instead he might try 7... Bd6, hitting h2, when the obvious response 8 f4?! allows 8... Bc5 and 9... Nc6, etc., and White's weakness down the a7-g1 diagonal forces him to act defensively. As you may recall, he often plays Khl! at an early stage in the Scheveningen and Najdorf to avoid this type of discomfort. And that move is the best recipe here: 8 Khl!, intending 9 f4 without allowing the ...Bc5 pin. Then 8...Bxh2? 9 g3 Bxg3 10 fxg3 Qxg3 11 Bf4 is a disastrous exchange for Black as the bishop was far more valuable than the pawns in the middlegame. The fact that White's king is denuded of pawn cover is of little consequence as White has the initiative and plenty of defenders around it. 6 Nb3 Ba7 7 Qe2

The first step in Ivanchuk's winning plan is to exchange off Black's best minor piece, the dark-squared bishop. 119

Starting Out: 1 e4!

7... d6 As in the Sladek game in the note above, Black has to play this move in order to prevent e4-e5 disturbing his knight once he plays ... Nf6. On the other hand, the d6-pawn sits on a semi-open file and is vulnerable to attack from the white rooks. 8 Be3 Nf6 9 Bxa7 Rxa7 10 c4! (Diagram 18) Kamsky is prevented from playing ...b7-b5, when the rook might even have swung from a7 into the centre. Furthermore, by increasing his influence over the d5-square, Ivanchuk begins to fix d6 as a target: it will be less likely to be able to evade capture by breaking out with ... d6-d5. 10 ... Nc6 11 NC3 0-0 12 0-0 You will notice that White avoids f2-f4 in what follows. It would be a senseless disruption of his kingside pawns when he has the straightforward plan of pressure along the d-file. TIP: You can gather a lot of useful ideas by examining the games of

great players; but when it comes to the crunch, you should always choose the moves and plans that make you feel comfortable. Don't just blindly copy Kasparov! 12 ... b6 13 Qe31 An excellent move of the type that often goes unheralded, yet it marks the real difference between a 2750 player and the rest of us. The queen gains a grip on the dark squares and, in particular, ties Black down to b6. Moreover, she clears the e2square, which enables a white rook to attack d6 in due course. 13 ...QC7 14 Be2 Qb8 lS Rfdl Rd8 16 Rd2 es Black concedes the d5-square voluntarily, as otherwise there would be no good way to develop his bishop. 17 Rcl Be6 18 Rcdl h6 19 h3 Rb7 20 Bfl (Diagram 19) Ivanchuk plays a series of quiet moves, just improving the layout of his pieces and waiting to see if his opponent will crack under the pressure of having to defend passively. And he does! 20 ... bS? A plausible bid for freedom - after all, isn't this advance the whole idea behind the Kan? However, it turns out that Kamsky is doing his opponent's work for him by opening lines on the queenside, though admittedly it takes some brilliant play by White to prove it. 21 cxbS axbS 22 NdS! The first surprise. Ivanchuk allows the attack on d6 to be blocked; but it is only temporary. 22 ... BxdS 23 exds Ne7 24 Nas! Rc7 2S Nc6 Nxc6 26 dxc6 Rxc6 27 Qxes!! 120

Sicilian Taimanov (and other variations)

The point: if now 27... dxe5 28 Rxd8+ Qxd8 29 Rxd8+ Kh7 30 Bxb5 and wins; Black can't even attack b2 because of 30... Rc2? 31 Bd3+. 28 Qd4 Qb6 29 Be4 Qxd4 30 Rxd4 (Diagram 20)

Diagram 19 (B)

Diagram 20 (B)

White reorganizes patiently

Black is tied down to defence

Black has been forced into a highly unpleasant endgame in which his rooks are tied down to the defence of weak pawns, and White has a superior minor piece which means that f7 is also a target. 30 ... Rb6 31 Bb3 KfS 32 g41

The advance of the kingside pawns is a key facet in the winning plan. Ivanchuk proceeded to grind down his opponent as follows: 32 ... Ke7 33 Re1+ KfS 34 Rei Rd7 35 ReS+ Ke7 36 h4 g5 37 RhS RdS 3S Rxh6 RgS 39 f3 gxh4 40 Rxh4 d5 41 Kf2 RbbS 42 Ke3 Kd6 43 Rh6 Rbe8+ 44 Kf4 Ke5 45 Rd2 Rg6 46 Rh1 RegS 47 Re1+ Kd6 4S Rde2 RdS 49 Re7 Rd7 50 R1c6+ Ke7 51 Be2 d4 52 Rxd7+ Kxd7 53 Bxg6 Kxe6 54 Bxf7 1-0

Highly instructive endgame play.

Pin Variation and other Black Ideas Game 34

o C.Ross •

H.Johansen Zakopane (blind olympiad) 2000 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 e6

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Instead 2 ... a6, the O'Kelly Variation, takes flexibility to its absolute limit. We should treat it like the Kan: 3 c4! e64 Nc3 Qc7 5 d4 cxd4 6 Nxd4 Nf6 (if 6... Bb4, 7 Qa4!? is an interesting response) 7 a3!? (to rule out ... Bb4) 7... b6 8 Be3 Bb7 9 f3 Nc6 10 Be2 Ne5 11 Na4 (so that if Black takes twice on c4 there is a fork on b6) 11...Rb8 12 Rc1 Be713 b4 d614 0-0 0-015 Qd2 and White had typical pressure in V.AnandA.Morozevich, Calvia Olympiad 2004. Another irregular move is 2 ... Nf6. Then 3 e5 Nd5 4 Nc3! Nxc3 5 dxc3 gives White attacking chances with Bc4 etc., somewhat reminiscent of the line recommended versus the Petroff Defence. Or if 4 ... e6 5 b3!? Nc6 6 Bb2 Nxc3 7 Bxc3 d5 8 exd6 Qxd6 9 Bc4 Bd710 0-0 and White's pressure on g7 is awkward for Black. 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 After 5 ... Nc6 6 Ndb5 play is likely to transpose to the Sveshnikov with 6... d6 7 Bf4 e5 8 Bg5 a6 9 Na3 b5 10 Nd5 etc. However, Black might try throwing a spanner in the works with 6 ... Bb4 (Diagram 21)

Diagram 21 (W)

Diagram 22 (B)

The Four Knights Variation

Taking on the Pin Variation

Then a good treatment for White is 7 a3 Bxc3+ 8 Nxc3 d5 9 Bd3!? d4 (after 9... dxe4 10 Nxe4 Nxe411 Bxe4 Qxdl+ 12 Kxdl the bishop pair and queenside pawn majority give White the edge) 10 Ne2 e5 11 0-0 Qb6 12 b4! Be6 13 Qe1 0-0 14 b5 Na5 15 f4 and White had achieved a nice attacking position in J.Cubas-H.Van Riemsdijk, Mendoza 2004. 5 ... Bb4

It doesn't occur often, but you have to be ready for this annoying move. The e4pawn is suddenly hanging and a defensive reaction would delight your opponent, who would easily equalize. Therefore as always, bold is best:

6 e5! (Diagram 22) 6 ... Nd5!

122

Sicilian Taimanov (and other variations) A head-spinning analysis shows that Black is near lost after 6 ... Ne4? (pure bluff, but highly difficult for an unprepared player to meet) 7 Qg4! and now: a) 7... Nxc3 8 Qxg7 Rf8 9 a3! Ba5 (if 9 ... Qa5 10 Nb3 Qd5 11 Bd3! and you win, believe me!) 10 Bh6 Qe7 11 Nb3! and White wins. b) 7... Qa5 8 Qxg7 Bxc3+ 9 bxc3 Qxc3+ 10 Ke2. If now 1O ... Qxd4 11 Qxh8+ Ke7 12 Ba3+ Nc5 13 Rdl and White wins, so critical is 1O...b6, threatening 11...Ba6+, when White has to act fast: 11 Qxh8+ Ke7 12 Ba3+! d6 13 Nc6+! Qxc6 (if 13 ... Nxc6, 14 exd6+ wins the queen) 14 exd6+ Kd715 Qb2 and White has escaped with his booty, though there'll still be some kicking and screaming. I suggest that you learn the above variations and then don't worry about the 6... Ne4 variation any more. If you face it in a game, you should give yourself plenty of time in the opening to remember the theory - or if you have forgotten it, work out the variations over the board. You have the great assurance that you know there is a strong continuation available, you just have to find it! And even if you think you have forgotten, somewhere at the back of your mind the good moves you need have all been stored: they will help your calculation at an unconscious level. 7 Bd2 Nxc3 8 bxc3 Be7

White's assault on the kingside is stronger still after 8... Ba5?! 9 Qg4 0-010 Bd3 d6 11 Nf3 etc. 9 Qg4g6 Sometimes Black sacrifices the exchange with 9 ... 0-010 Bh6 g611 Bxf8 Bxf8, but I'm not convinced. You can consolidate with 12 Bc4 Qc713 Qe2 a6 14 a4 etc., as in A.Danin-M.Shapovalenko, St. Petersburg 2004. 10h4

The obvious attacking move, but I like the untried 10 NbS!? here, aiming to take advantage of the hole on d6. For example, 10 ... Nc611 Nd6+ Bxd612 exd6 b613 h4 Bb714 h5 Qf6 15 QgS! with dark square supremacy; or 10 ... 0-0 11 Bh6 Re8 12 Rdl Nc6 13 Qg3 with a clamp on d6. lo ... h6?

I can sympathize with this attempt to guard the dark squares, but it was better to develop with 10... Nc6, or else block the attack with 1O ...h5. 11 NbS! (Diagram 23)

Now Ross seizes control of the dark squares. 11 ... QaS

This leads to more trouble. It was imperative to develop with 11 ... Nc6. 12 Qf4 a6 13 c4 Qd8 14 Nd6+ Bxd6

is exd6

Now Black's best strategy would be to slip the bishop on c8 up his right sleeve, juggle it through his clothes and then redeposit it from his left sleeve on g7, when 123

Starting Out: 1 e4!

he would have an excellent game! 15 ... Nc6 16 Bc3 Rh7 17 Bd3 f5 18 g4!

With the dark squares firmly in his hands, White proceeds to dismantle the flimsy light square barricades. 18 ...e5 19 Qe3 Qf6 20 gxf5 gxf5 21 f4 Qxd6 22 Bxf5 Re7 23 O-O! (Diagram 24)

Diagram 23 (B)

Diagram 24 (B)

Seizing the dark squares

White calmly castles

Coolly played. It should be remembered that White is in effect playing with an extra rook and bishop, as the black queenside pieces are still shut in. Therefore his king has nothing to fear from the open lines. 23 ...exf4 24 Qf2 bS

A belated attempt to free his queenside pieces, but Black's king is cut down by the white bishops. 25 Rad1 Qa3? 26 Bg6+ Kf8 27 Qxf4+ Kg8 28 Qf8 mate

On that happy note we end our analysis of the Sicilian Defence.

124

Chapter Eight

Alekhine's Defence

R R R

Introduction Exchange Variation: 5••• cxd6 Exchange Variation: 5••• exd6

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Introduction In this chapter we shall examine a promising line against 1 e4 Nf6 (Diagram 1), the Alekhine Defence.

Diagram 1 (W)

Diagram 2 (8)

Alekhine's Defence

Evicting the black knight

Black's double-edged strategy Black is trying to cajole us into advancing our pawns en masse. He hopes that the white pawn centre thus established will become a victim of a counter-attack by the black pieces, or subject to stabs from his own pawns, which for the moment have been deliberately held back.

Our moderate response So how much territory should we try to seize? It is worth remembering that even if objectively it is right for us to fill the centre with pawns, our opponent is likely to be well versed in the tricks and the techniques that govern the resulting positions. It is therefore best to meet Black halfway: we will take some of the space on offer, but not commit ourselves to the burden of defending a large, unwieldy centre.

o

126

NOTE: Understanding the nature of the pawn centre that arises in this chapter is more important than knowing a lot of theory. Have a good look at the middlegame manoeuvres in the illustrative games.

Alekhine's Defence

Exchange Variation: 5...cxd6 Game 35

o M.Adams •

M.Santo Roman

French League 2004 1 e4 Nf6 2 eS NdS 3 d4

A good start: White supports his eS-pawn and opens up more lines for his pieces. 3...d6 A necessary destabilizing move, as otherwise White would totally swamp the centre with his pawns. 4 e4 (Diagram 2)

The black knight is evicted from the centre. A good decision, but of course it means we can no longer attack straight from the opening with Bc4 etc. Therefore we have to be ready for a long positional haul rather than dream of a snap mate. This is actually just as well, since the Alekhine shows its teeth when White tries for too much. 4... Nb6 S exd6

Consistent with our anti-Alekhine philosophy: White spurns the chance to grab more space with the loosening 5 f4 in favour of a safe long-term advantage. 5... cxd6

This is supposed to be the fighting reply, but the elegant play of Michael Adams makes it almost look like a losing move! 6Nc3!

It is important for White to mobilize his queenside pieces first, in order to take the

sting out of Black's projected counterplay along the al-h8 diagonal. 6...g6

How else is Black to develop his pieces? If 6... dS 7 cS Nc4 (or 7... Nd7 8 NxdS) 8 Bxc4 dxc4 9 Qa4+ and White wins a pawn. 7 Be3

Shades of the Sicilian Dragon Variation. The bishop overprotects the d4-square and dears the way for the rook to go to c1, out of the way of the bishop on g7. Instead 7 Nf3 is inferior because of 7... Bg4, when the black pieces are starting to exert uncomfortable pressure. 7... Bg78 Rel 0-0 9 b3! (Diagram 3)

Adams continues to delay the development of his kingside. He removes the b2pawn from the range of the black bishop and stops the black knight ever going to c4. 127

Starting Out: 1 e4! 9 ... e5

Black has relied on this advance for counterplay, but it has been emasculated by his opponent's careful preparations on the queenside. 10 dxes!

So simple. After the exchange of queens White will have an enduring initiative. 10 ... dxe5

Of course Black has no wish to be left with a weak pawn on d6 after lO ... BxeS. 11 Qxd8 Rxd8 12 (5! (Diagram 4)

Diagram 3 (8)

Diagram 4 (8)

Consolidating the queenside

An interfering move

So that if l2 ... Nd5l3 Rdl Be614 Bc4 and Black has to resign as he loses a whole piece. Therefore the knight is forced back to d7, where it interferes with the devel opment of the bishop on cS - which of course means that the rook on as is also boxed in. 12 ... N6d7 13 Nf3

Only now is it the right moment to develop the knight, when Black no longer has the ... Bg4 response. 13 ... Nc6 14 Bc4! It was also well worth the bishop waiting for this splendid post to appear.

14 ... h6

Directed against 15 Ng5 attacking f7, but there are other ways for the white knights to cause Black grief. 15 Ne4! Heading for d6 - a superb station for the knight in the enemy camp.

128

Alekhine's Defence lS ... Re8 16 0-0

A typical Adams move: he lets his opponent stew in his bad position rather than force matters. 16 ... Re7 17 Nd6 Nf8 (Diagram S)

Diagram S (W)

Diagram 6 (8)

What now for White?

White is in control

18 Nxc8!

An instructive exchange. Adams eliminates the bishop before it has the chance to challenge his own prelate with 18 ... Be6. Before you complain about White giving up his great knight, read on ... 18 ... Rxc8 19 Nd2!

With the intention of Ne4 and Nd6 if appropriate. As White had two knights before 18 Nxc8 and only one brilliant square to surveyor occupy d6, it will be seen that, rather than relinquishing control of d6, Adams has actually disposed of a surplus knight. Simple, but ingenious! 19 ... NaS 20 b4!

More efficient than 20 Ne4 Nxc4 21 Rxc4 f5 with some counterplay for Black. 20... Nxc4 21 Nxc4

The gradual simplification is making White's 3-2 pawn majority on the queenside of increasing value. Supported by the active white pieces, it can yield a passed pawn in the future. 21 ... Ne6 22 Rfd1 (Diagram 6)

White adds control of the d-file to his other positional trumps. 22 ... Nd4

Black can't stand the tension any longer. He builds up his pieces aggressively

Starting Out: 1 e4! along the d-file, but only ends up falling into a deadly pin. NOTE: Despite White's sublime play, objectively speaking his advantage is still far from decisive. However, the psychological effect of being reduced to passive defence is more than most players can bear. As Spassky has observed, modern players are very dynamic, but in his opinion they defend worse than in the 1960s. 23 Kf1 Rd8 24 Rd2 Red7 25 Rcd1 f5 26 f4!

The black knight loses the vital support of e5. 26 ... exf4 27 Bxf4 g5 28 Be5! It is rather unfortunate for the bishop on g7 that, as soon as it comes to life, it falls

prey to a tactical mechanism that costs Black material. 28... Bxes 29 Nxes RdS 30 Nc4 RSd7 31 Kf2 1-0 The knight will be attacked again by Ne5 and Nf3, or by Ne3 and Nc2.

Exchange Variation: 5... exd6 Came 36

o

A.Naiditsch • J.Timman 1st matchgame, Dortmund 2002 1

e4 Nf6 2 es Nd5 3 d4 d6 4 c4 Nb6 5 exd6 exd6 (Diagram 7)

130

Diagram 7 (W)

Diagram 8 (8)

Black plays 5... exd6

Preserving the bishop

Alekhine's Defence The alternative recapture, but it doesn't promise Black an easy life. 6 Ne3 Be7

More or less forced. In contrast to the S... cxd6 variation, if Black played ... g7-g6 and ... Bg7 he wouldn't have an ... e7-eS follow-up (not that it did Black much good in the Adams game). Furthermore, the open e-file means that White might arrange a disruptive check, perhaps even immediately: 6... g6 7 Qe2+ Qe7 8 BgS! Qxe2+ 9 Bxe2 and White has a very nice position. 7 Bd3

With no danger looming from a bishop on g7, White can concentrate on developing his kingside. 7...0-08 Nge2! As in the game above, White has to be cautious about developing the knight to f3. Here 8 Nf3 Bg4 is an awkward pin, which can be followed up with ... Nc6 and ...Bf6, hitting the d4-pawn. In that case, White might have been obliged to advance d4-dS, something he is keen to avoid in the game (see the next note). 8... Ne6 90-0 Bf610 b3!

Naiditsch refuses to be bullied into 10 d5, when 10 ... NeS 11 b3 Nxd312 Qxd3 Bg4 followed by ... Nd7 and ...NeS gives Black active play. 10... Bg4 If 1O... Nxd4 11 Nxd4 Bxd4 12 Bxh7+ Kxh7 13 Qxd4 and White has pressure in the centre, besides the chance to threaten mate on g7 with Bb2 and Nd5. 11 Be31 Steering clear of 11 f3 which might have been met with 11...Nxd4!? and complications. 11 ... Re8 Whereas here 11 ... Nxd4 12 Bxd4 Bxd4 13 Bxh7+ Kxh7 14 Qxd4 is dull inferiority for Black. 12 Qd2 Nb4 13 Bbl! (Diagram 8) Black is striving with all his might to break White's control of the centre, but Naiditsch holds firm. He sees that his bishop will have an important part to play later on in the game, and so avoids the exchange on d3. 13 ... Bxe2 14 Nxe2 e5 15 a3 Ne6 16 Ra2 Qe7 17 h3 g6 Timman is reluctant to simplify by exchanging on d4, as he would be left with an isolated pawn on d6. lSd5

White finally decides he can make progress only if he concedes the eS-square to the black knight. lS ... Ne5 19 Qel Bg7 20 a4 Nbd7 21 NC3 f5 22 Bg5! 131

Starting Out: 1 e4! It's a good idea to exchange off dark-squared bishops, as the white bishop on e3 wouldn't have had much scope after the intended f2-f4. 22 ... Bf6 23 Bxf6 Qxf6 24 Re2 Re7?

An instructive moment. Black should have played 24 .. '£4!, even though it concedes the e4-square to the white pieces. In doing so, he would be converting the e5square into a de facto outpost for his knight, as it is hard to see how White could ever arrange to attack it with a pawn. Then after 25 Ne4 Qf8 26 f3 (to stop 26 .. .f3) things are by no means dear, though White has more scope to improve his position. 25 f4! (Diagram 9)

Diagram 9 (B)

Diagram 10 (W)

Evicting the black knight

Position after 20 ... Ng6

Naiditsch takes the chance to evict the black knight from its fine centre square. The situation here reminds me strongly of a position that Timman reached as White against Topalov at Wijk aan Zee in 2004 (Diagram 10). Here Timman, who was facing enormous pressure along the e-file, played 21 Bb2 and was ground down after 21...Bxb2 22 Rxb2 Qg723 Rc2 f4! (preventing the e5square ever being contested with £2-f4) 24 Nc3 Nxc3 25 Qxc3 Qxc3 26 Rxc3 Re2 and Black won on move 57. Returning to Diagram 10, for better or worse White surely had to play 21 £4 fighting for control of the e5-square. If Black responded 21...gxf4 then his kingside pawns have been broken up. At least White would have counterplay rather than be forced into a horrendous endgame. We should now return to the Naiditsch game (see Diagram 9), in which the young German Grandmaster has just attacked the black knight. 25 ... Nf7 26 Rxe7 Qxe7 27 Rel

132

Alekhine's Defence

With the black knight's grip on e5 broken, the white rook dominates the only open file on the board. 27 ... Qh4 2B Re6 NfB 29 Re2 Nd7 30 Kh2 a6 31 g3 Qf6 32 Kg2 RdB 33 Qe3 Qd4 34 g4!

Now the scope of the white bishop is to be increased. 34... Nf6 35 Qf3!

As he can get a clear plus by normal means, White shuns the complications that follow 35 gxf5 Nh5!. 35 ...fxg4 36 hxg4 RfB 37 Ne4 Nxe4 3B Qxe4 Qe3 39 Be2 Qa140 Rei Qe3 41 g5! (Diagram 11)

Diagram 11 (8)

Diagram 12 (8)

Restricting the black knight

A breakthrough for activity

Continuing the strategy begun with 25 f4!. The black knight has been caged in, as the white pawns deny it the squares e5, g5 and h6. 41 ... Rb8 42 Re2 RfB 43 Qd3 Qxd3 44 Bxd3 NdB 45 Kg3 as 46 Be2 Rf7 47 f5! (Diagram 12)

After this breakthrough White will have the superior rook, bishop and king. 47 ...gxf5 4B Kf4 KfB 49 Bxf5 Rg7 50 Rh2 KgB 51 Rh6 Nf7 52 Be6 KfB 53 Bxf7!

White acquiesces in the exchange of minor pieces, as he sees that his king will be able to infiltrate to h6 with a simple win. 53 ...Rxf7+ 54 Kg4 Ke7 55 Kh4 Kd7 56 Kh5 Ke7 57 Re6+ Kd7 5B Kh6 1-0

Black is in zugzwang, as if 58 ... Kc7 59 Re8 and 60 Rh8 wins the h7-pawn.

133

Chapter Nine

Caro-Kann Defence

_

Introduction

_

Black plays 5 ••• g6

_

Black plays 5 .•• Nc6

_

Black plays 5 ..• e6

Caro-Kann Defence

Introduction We have to decide what to do against 1 e4 c6 (Diagram 1), the Caro-Kann Defence.

Diagram 1 (W)

Diagram 2 (8)

The Caro-Kann Defence

The Panov-Botvinnik Attack

Let's try the Panov-Botvinnik Attack: 2 d4 dS 3 exds cxdS 4 c4 (Diagram 2). It is easy to play and easy to understand, whilst at the same time being hard for Black to meet. White achieves a smooth, active development of his pieces, with immediate pressure on dS. The only drawback is that he has to be prepared to accept an Isolated Queen's Pawn (IQP) in some variations. However, as we shall see, the IQP can be a superb attacking asset. But first of all, let's see what happens if Black responds with a kingside fianchetto. This is fairly common, despite not being at all convincing for Black.

Black plays 5... g6 Game 37 M.Lyell • K.Arkell

o

Coventry 2004 1 e4 c6 2 d4 dS 3 exds cxdS 4 c4 Nf6

Instead 4... dxc4?! S Bxc4 would just develop White's bishop for him. S Nc3 g6

Black is prepared to jettison the dS-pawn, as he believes he will regain it at a later point with a good game. The alternatives S... Nc6 and S... e6 are examined below. 135

Starting Out:

1

e4!

6 Qb3! The motto of White's last three moves is: pressurize dS. 6... Bg7

The only consistent move, as after 6... dxc4 7 Bxc4 e6 (how else to meet the threat to f7?) 8 Nf3, the combination of the moves ... e7-e6 and ... g7-g6 is ugly. After all, one of the reasons Black intends to fianchetto on g7 is to avoid shutting in the other bishop with ... e7-e6. 7 cxdS (Diagram 3)

Diagram 3 (B)

Diagram 4 (B)

White accepts the sacrifice

Exchanging dark-squared bishops

The pawn on dS cramps the black pieces, preventing them working together. And no wonder: between them, the white pawns on dS and d4 control four central squares, besides the two they occupy - that is all territory that is denied to the black pieces. The only drawback is the weakness of the d6-square, which would make a nice base for a black knight; but then, how will the black queen or rooks assail dS from the front if the knight is in the way? 7 ... 0-08 Be2!

Much better than the obvious and entirely wrong 8 Nf3? WARNING. In the opening phase of a game, it isn't good enough to solely rely on natural developing moves. If that were the case, this book would be very short - in fact it would never have been written. Instead, every chess playing house would have a standard reference book called Precepts of Chess, written about 1880 and full of priceless advice such as: 'move out your knights before your bishops', 'complete your kingside development within six moves' and 'move a piece only once in the opening'.

136

Caro-Kann Defence Here, in the real world, Lyell is going to disobey all these rules by putting his bishop on f3. Why? It is because he has a plan: the pawn on dS needs to be protected, and this will be done with Be2 and Bf3. All ideas of 'natural' development have to be jettisoned. 8... Na6 The knight heads for c7 to add to the pressure on dS. 9 Bf4

Here the bishop will make things uncomfortable for the black knight. 9... Ne710 Bf3

Even so, it might seem strange for White to spend two moves putting his bishop on f3, when it might have gone to c4 in one move, and equally have defended the d5-pawn. However, on c4 it would have been vulnerable to attack by the pawn move ...b7-b5, perhaps after the preparatory ... a7-a6. 10 ... Ne8 11 Besl (Diagram 4) Excellent: White counters the threat to d4 by offering Black a most unwelcome exchange of bishops. But if 11...Bxe5 12 dxe5 and White has a beautiful centre, or 11 .. .f6 12 d6+, so Black can hardly refuse. 11... Nd6 A fine post for the knight, but positionally speaking everything else for Black is very poor. 12 Bxg7 Kxg7 13 Nge2 b6 14 0-0 Ba6 15 Rfel Be4 The white knight will do a lot of damage on f4 so, gruesome as it is, perhaps Black should have tried lS ...Bxe2. 16 Qdl Qd7 17 b3 Ba618 Qd2 Bb7 19 Nf4 (Diagram 5) An ideal set-up for White, and easy to play. He has every minor piece defending the d5-pawn and depriving Black of activity. Of course, if Lyell loses control and the d5-pawn drops off, then Black would be doing quite well; so care is still needed. 19 ... Rae8 20 Res White prepares to double rooks on the e-file to increase the pressure on e7. 20 ... NebS 21 Nxbs Nxbs 22 Rael Nd6 23 h4! Now the winning plan takes shape. The advance of the h-pawn will shatter the black kingside that has already been undermined by the exchange of the bishop ong7. 23 ...Qe7 24 hs BeS 25 Be41 f6 The growing pressure on the kingside persuades Arkell to try his luck trapping a rook, but it meets with a brilliant refutation. 26 hxg6! hxg6 137

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Black is annihilated after 26 ... fxe5 27 Nh5+ KgB 28 Qg5!? (threatening a discovered check on h7, then mate on g7; 28 Qh6 also does the trick) 28 ... e6 29 gxh7+ Kh8 30 Qxe5+ and mate in two. 27 RhS! (Diagram 6)

Diagram 5 (B)

Diagram 6 (8)

An ideal set-up for White

A decisive rook sacrifice

The rook insists on being en prise to a pa wn. 27 ... Rh8

Giving up the g6-pawn is hopeless, so Black should have insisted on being shown why he is losing after 27... gxh5. However, 28 Nxh5+ Kg8 29 Qh6 Rf7 30 Bg6 Ref8 31 Re3 intending 32 Rg3looks like a winning attack. 28 Bxg6 Reg8 29 Qd3 RxhS 30 NxhS+ Kf8 31 Nf4 NbS 32 g3 Qc3? 33 QXC3 1-0

Black speeds up his demise by missing that after 33 .. .Nxc3 34 Rc1 he loses a piece. A total demolition of 5 ... g6.

Black plays 5... Nc6 A popular choice for Black, who is slipping ahead in development, so we have to be careful. Came 38

o P.H.Nielsen •

S.Milliet

French league 2004 1c4c62e4

138

Caro-Kann Defence Note the move order, which is frustrating for anyone who wants to play the Slav (after 2 d4 d5) as Black. 2... d5 3 exd5 exd5 4 d4 Nf6 5 Ne3 Ne6 (Diagram 7)

Diagram 7 (W)

Diagram 8 (B)

Black plays 5... Nc6

The 6... Be6 variation

6 Bg5!? The main line is 6 Nf3 Bg4 7 cxd5 Nxd5 8 Qb3 etc., but the bishop move is tricky to meet. 6...e6

The solid reply. A sharper alternative is 6...Be6 7 Nf3 (Diagram 8). If now 7... dxc4? 8 Bxf6 exf6 9 d5 wins a piece. Or 7... Ne4 8 Be2 (a nice little move, not fearing 8... Nxg59 Nxg5 when the black centre is under siege) 8... Nxc3 9 bxc3 dxc4 10 RbI and White has a useful initiative for the pawn. Here is another quick way for Black to lose: 10 ...b6 11 Qa4 Bd7 12 Bxc4 (getting the pawn back with a very pleasant position) 12... Ne5?? (or 12 ... Nxd413 Ne5!) 13 Nxe5 when Black saw the mate on f7 and resigned in H.Rudnik-K.Kunert, Pocking 1996. 7 Nf3 Be7 8 e5! (Diagram 9)

So there won't be an IQP in this game. White fixes a 3-2 pawn majority on the queenside which, in the long term, he intends to convert into a passed pawn. Such a plan would fail if Black succeeded in blasting open the centre with ... e6-e5 or breaking up the pawns with ...b7-b6 etc. Therefore Nielsen has to play precisely in order to keep his opponent under restraint. 8 .•• 0-0

Black can try a bid for freedom with 8... Ne4 9 Bxe7 Nxc3 10 Bxd8 Nxdl (if 10... Qxe711 Bb5 Bd712 0-00-0 13 ReI Nxc3 14 bxc3 Rfc8 15 RbI and White has pressure down the b-file) 11 Rxdl Kxd8 and there follows an impressive example 139

Starting Out: 1 e4!

of preventive chess by White: 12 a3 as (to stop 13 b4) 13 NgS! (a manoeuvre designed to clamp down on Black ever playing ... e6-eS) 13 ... Ke714 £4 Bd71S BbS and White had established a bind in D.Pavasovic-M.Zuper Slovenian Team Championship 2004. 9 BbS!

This is a key move for White in this variation. With 9 BbS he is prepared to give up the bishop for the knight on c6 in order to consolidate his hold over the dark squares. 9 ... Bd7 10 0-0 ReS 11 Re1 b6 It looks at first glance as if White will have to play the insipid 12 cxb6r but he has

something much stronger: 12 Bxc6!

Here we see the value of White's 9th move. 12 ... Bxc6 13 b4

Suddenly Nielsen has a protected passed pawn. 13 ... a6 14 Nes bxcS 15 bxcS QaS 16 Qd2 (Diagram 10)

Diagram 9 (B)

Diagram 10 (B)

Fixing a queenside majority

An impressive bind

An impressive bind: every single white piece and pawn is on a dark square (apart from a2 and g2)r and the threat is 17 NxdS!. 16 ... BdS 17 Rab1 Nd7 18 Bf4 NxeS 19 BxeS BbS 20 Qe3 Bc7 21 Bxc7 RXC7 22 a4!

White increases his grip on both sides of the board. 22 ... Bc4 23 f4 RccS 24 Rb6!

The black queen finds herself boxed in.

140

Caro-Kann Defence 24... RbS 25 Reb1 Rxb6 26 Rxb6 h6 27 Kf2!

Nielsen intends to get maximum value out of all his pieces. With the black queen paralysed, he sends his king to d2 to free his queen from the need to defend the knight. 27 ... RdS 2S Ke1 RcS 29 Kd2 RdS 30 g4 KfS 31 h4 ReS 32 Qe5 Bf133 Qd6+ KgS 34 RbS1-0

After 34 ... Rxb8 35 Qxb8+ Kh7 36 Qb6! Qxb6 37 cxb6 the pawn queens.

Black plays 5...e6 When Black chooses the move 5... e6 the game usually heads towards typical isolated queen pawn (lQP) positions. TIP: Before reading the explanation of strategy below, I suggest you quickly play through the illustrative games that follow it. This will give you a greater comprehension of what is under discussion. You might return to the illustrative games later and look at them in more detail.

Diagram 11 (W)

Diagram 12 (W)

The popular 5... e6

Black plays 6... Bb4

White has two main winning plans in IQP positions. The first is a direct kingside attack. Sometimes he plays Bd3, Bc2 and Qd3 to aim directly at the weak h7 point. In that scenario, Black often responds ... g7-g6, but this allows Bh6, perhaps in combination with Ne5, when the black kingside is beginning to feel threatened. Then the advance hZ-h4 becomes a promising idea, either supporting Ng5 or, if Black has played ... g7-g6, the further advance h4-h5. 141

Starting Out: 1 e4!

In carrying out the attack, White often employs some ingenious method to get a rook involved in an attack on Black's king. For example, the rook can swing across to g3 or h3 from a variety of squares: c3, e3, a3 (after a2-a4) to name but three! White's second winning plan is to try to break through in the centre and exploit the superior power to manoeuvre that a space advantage has conferred on his pieces. This is sometimes achieved in style with a vigorous d4-d5! advance. However, as described in the examples above, Black often cuts his own throat by opening the centre. So a good strategy for White might just be to build up his game and say to Black: 'I've got a space advantage. Given time I will prepare an attack on your king: what are you going to do about it?' With luck, Black will reply with a premature bid for freedom and do White's work for him! When the IQP position is reached via the Queen's Gambit, Black's king's bishop has often already been committed to the e7-square. Here in the Caro-Kann Black has the option of a more aggressive deployment with ... Bb4. Another issue that Black has to consider is whether he should transform the structure from one with an IQP to one with hanging pawns, typically with an exchange of knights by ... Nxc3 when White replies b2xc3. Game 39

D E.Liss • L.Yudasin Israeli Championship 1998 1 e4 c6 2 d4 dS 3 exdS cxdS 4 c4 Nf6 S NC3 e6 (Diagram 11) 6 Nf3 Bb4 (Diagram 12)

Black takes the fight directly to his opponent by pinning the knight on c3. This is his most active way to handle the IQP position. The more cautious 6... Be7 is analysed in the next game. 7 Bd3 dxc4 8 BXc4 0-0 9 0-0 Nc6?J

You may think it odd that I should criticize such a natural developing move. However, it is much less flexible than 9... a6 or 9 ...b6, as now Black won't have the option of blocking the d-file or strengthening f6 with a later ... Nbd7. Furthermore, as occurs in the game, the knight on c6 may become a target for the d4-d5 breakthrough. Black's results after 9... Nc6 have been very poor and the present game is no exception. However, White also has a useful initiative after 9...b6; for example 10 Bg5 Bb711 Ret Nc612 Bd3 Be713 Bbl Nb4 14 Ne5 Rc8 15 ReI etc. This led to a hard tussle in which White (rated Elo 2469) beat Black (Elo 2687) in ABraun-L.Van Wely, Bundesliga 2005. 10 Bg5 Be7 11 a3 (Diagram 13)

White wants to put his queen on d3 without being bothered by the reply ... Nb4. Instead,l1 ReI was played in M.Tal-L.Ljubojevic, Manila Interzonal 1990, where 142

Caro-Kann Defence

the Yugoslav Grandmaster, no doubt sensing the danger in this apparently innocuous position, opted for rapid development with n ... Bd7 12 a3 Rc8. Of course he couldn't have been overjoyed to have his bishop on the inferior d7 -square. In the present game Yudasin is more ambitious: he wants his bishop nicely placed on b7. However, the time wasted in achieving this will have serious consequences. 11 ... b6

Another approach is to try to disrupt White's build-up with rapid action on the queenside, but the open lines created tend to favour the active white pieces; for example 10 ... a6 11 Ba2 b5 12 Ret Bb7 13 Qd3 b4 14 Na4 bxa3 15 bxa3 Na5 16 Ne5 Bd5? (a poor move, but Black is already uncomfortable as White intended 17 Nc5) 17 Bxf6! Bxf618 Bxd5 exd5 (or 18 ... Qxd5 19 Nb6) 19 Nc3 Nc4?! 20 Nc6 Qd6 21 Nxd5! and White was winning in I.Stohl-D.Rogozenko, Moscow Olympiad 1994. 12 Qd3 Bb7 13 Rfe1 NdS?

This is bad. Black should try 13 .. .Na5 14 Ba2 Nd5 (if 14 ... Rc815 Ne5!), although 15 Bxe7 (or 15 Bbl) 15... Nxe716 Ne5 isn't very pleasant for him. 14 BxdS! BxgS

If 14... exd515 Bxe7 Nxe7 the b7-bishop is passive, but this may have been better. 15 Be4 g616 Rad1 Bf617 dS! (Diagram 14)

Diagram 13 (8)

Diagram 14 (8)

Preventing ... Nb4

The classic breakthrough

Here is the classic breakthrough. The absence of pawns in the centre won't make it drawish; on the contrary, with his knight stranded on a5 and his rooks still passive, it is the open lines that spell doom for Black. 17 ... exdS18 BxdS Nas 19 Qe3! Qc7 20 Bxb7 Qxb7 21 NdS! Bxb2 If 21...Bg7 22 Ne7+!? Kh8 23 Ne5! threatening 24 Rd7 is crushing, for if 23 ... Qxe7 24 Nxg6+.

143

Starting Out: 1 e4! 22 Nes! Rad8 23 Nf6+ Kg7 24 Neg4 1-0

Black resigned as he has no defence against 25 Qh6+. This was a drastic example of how dangerous things can be for Black if he doesn't take appropriate measures against White's central breakthrough. Game 40

o A.Timofeev. N.Eliet

Cappelle [a Grande 2004 1 e4 c6 2 d4 dS 3 exds cxdS 4 c4 Nf6 5 NC3 e6 6 Nf3 Be7 (Diagram 15)

Diagram is

(W)

Black plays 6... Be7

Diagram 16 (8)

A typical pawn offer

Less adventurous than 6... Bb4 in the game above. 7 cxdS

White isn't losing time with this, as next move he can put the bishop on c4 in one go, rather than spend a move on Bd3 first and only after ... d5xc4 reply Bxc4. 7 •.. NxdS

Black could recapture 7... exd5, creating a symmetrical pawn structure in the centre, but it isn't very comfortable for him after 8 Bb5+!' For example, 8...Bd7 (or 8...Nc6 9 Ne5 Bd7 10 0-0 0-0 11 ReI etc.) 9 Bxd7+ Nbxd7 10 Qb3 Nb6 11 0-00-0 12 Bg5 h613 Bh4 Rc814 Rfe1 Rc615 Re2 intending 16 Rael. By using the simplest of means White had gained a positional advantage in M.Adams-J.Granda Zuniga, Elenite 1993. 8 BC4 Nc6 9 0-0 NXc3

Eliet decides to give White a weak pawn on c3 rather than try to exploit the IQP.

144

Caro-Kann Defence

In principle this is a reasonable idea, as he can generate counterplay with ... Rc8 etc.; but things happen too fast on the kingside. 10 bxc3 0-0 11 Rei b6 12 Bd3 Bb7 13 h4! (Diagram 16)

A typical pawn offer in this type of centre. If 13 ... Bxh4 14 Nxh4 QxM IS Re3!?, followed by swinging the rook to h3, gives White a huge attack. Therefore the Mpawn lives to provide the knight with a platform on gS. 13 ... Bf6 14 NgS g61S Qg4 hS 16 Qg3 Ne7 17 Ba3

The white pieces increase the pressure on the centre until an 'explosion' occurs. 17 ... Qd718 Radl Rac819 dS!! (Diagram 17)

Diagram 17 (B)

Diagram 18 (W)

The familiar breakthrough

White to play and win

Timofeev combines both plans we talked about in the introduction above: a central breakthrough and a kingside attack. Black would be ripped to pieces after 19 ... BxdS 20 c4 Ba8 21 Bxg6 with a discovered attack on the black queen. 19 ... exds 20 Qf4

Without his 19th move this could have been answered by 20 ... NdS. 20 ... Kg7 21 BbS! Bc6 If 2l...QxbS 22 Bxe7 Bxe7 23 Rxe7, when both b7 and f7 are hanging. Instead 21...Qc7 22 Bd6 Qd8 (Diagram 18) leads to a pretty queen sacrifice: 23 Qxf6+!! Kxf6 24 BeS+

KfS 2S Rd4! and mate follows on f4, e.g. if 2S ... Rc4 26 Bxc4 dxc4 27 Rf4 mate. 22 Ne4!

Another fine tactical stroke. The attack on f6 means that Black has nothing better than to bail out into an endgame the exchange down. 22 ... QfS 23 QxfS NxfS 24 Bxf8+ Rxf8 2S Nxf6 BxbS 26 NxhS+! 1-0

A neat finishing touch. Soon Black will be the exchange down with smashed kingside pawns after 26 ... gxhS 27 RxdS. 145

Chapter Ten

Scandinavian (and

1 ... Nc6)

R

Introduction

_

Scandinavian: 2 ••• QxdS 3 Nc3

R

Scandinavian: 2 ••• Nf6 3 Nf3 NxdS

_

2 ••• Nf6 3 Nf3 QxdS and 1 ... Nc6 (Nimzowitsch's Defence)

Scandinavian (and 1...Nc6)

Introduction The Scandinavian, or Centre Counter, is 1 e4 dS (Diagram 1).

Diagram 1 (W)

Diagram 2 (8)

Scandinavian Defence

Position after 3 Nc3

The challenge to the e4-pawn more or less forces us to play 2 exd5, after which Black has to make a key decision: whether to recapture 2... Qxd5, allowing 3 Nc3 (Diagram 2), or else develop with 2... Nf6 followed by 3 ... Nxd5. The aim of the first two parts of this chapter is to show how White can build up a strong initiative against either of these moves. The third part looks at a type of hybrid between the variations (2 ... Nf6 3 Nf3 Qxd5) and brings us on to a discussion of 1...Nc6, Nimzowitsch's Defence, which is a valid opening in its own right.

-

Scandinavian: 2 ... 0xdS 3 Nc3 From Diagram 2, safest is 3... Qd8, but the loss of time is evident. One interesting response is 4 d4 c6 5 Bg5!?, aiming to inflict damage on the black kingside after S... Nf6 6 Bxf6. Instead S...h6 6 Be3 BfS 7 g4! Bh78 Bd3 Bxd3 9 Qxd3 Nf6 10 h3 e6 12 0-0-0 gave White a pleasant edge in E.Najer-E.Dizdarevic, Saint Vincent 2005. NOTE: Our mantra versus 2... QxdS is: castle queenside, be solid in the centre and push the kingside pawns.

Alternatively 3... Qd6!? has received some attention over recent years. The queen remains in the centre controlling some useful squares. However, White can achieve a promising build-up; for example 4 d4 c6 (if 4 ... a6 5 Bc4 Nf6 6 Nge2 builds up smoothly, as the pawn snatch 6 ...Qc6 7 Bb3 Qxg2 gives White a tremen147

Starting Out: 1 e4!

dous initiative after 8 Rgl Qh3 9 Bf4 Qd7 10 Qd3 etc.) 5 Nf3 Bg4 6 h3 Bxf3 7 Qxf3 N£6 (very risky is 7 ... Qxd4 8 Be3 and White will develop a rapid attack) 8 Be3 e6 9 0-0-0 Be710 Kbl Nbd711 Bd3 0-0 12 g4 and in E.Vorobiov-R.Hasangatin, Cappelle la Grande 2006, White had everything on our wish list above: full development and the chance to gain space on the kingside. The usual move is 3•.. Qa5, when Black hopes that his queen is relatively safe from attack and can hinder White's build-up by pinning the knight on c3. I recommend that we cut across both these notions with 4 d4 Nf6 5 Bd2!? (Diagram 3).

Diagram 3 (8)

Diagram 4 (8)

White plays 5 Bd2!?

A great position for White

I like this immediate attempt to exploit the position of the black queen. With best play, White won't win any material but he will get to break up Black's kingside with NdS and Nxf6+. Black could provoke the advance of the white kingside pawns, but it would be a case of starting an avalanche rather creating weaknesses: 5 ... 8g4?! 6 £3 Bf5 7 g4 Bg6 8 h4 h6 9 Bc4 c6 10 Nh3! (heading for f4 to gain yet more time by harassing the black bishop) 10 ... e611 Nf4 Bh712 Qe2 Bb413 0-0-0 (Diagram 4). Here in F.Nijboer-H.Massink, Vlissingen 2005, White once again has everything he is hoping for against the 2... Qxd5 Scandinavian: his pieces are active, he has successfully castled queenside, and his kingside pawns are rolling up the board. Black was soon annihilated: 13 ... Nbd7 14 g5 Nd5 15 Bxd5 cxd5 16 g6! Bxg6 17 Nxg6 fxg6 18 Qxe6+ Kd819 a3 Bxc3 20 Bxc3 QbS 21 Qxg6 Rg8 22 Rhel and Black lasted only six more moves. Instead, 5... Qb6 moves the queen away from the potential discovered attack and attacks two white pawns, but 6 Nf3 looks good for White. For example, 6... c6 (not 6... Qxb2?? 7 RbI Qa3 8 Nb5 and Black can resign) 7 Bc4 BfS 8 Qe2 when if 8 ...Bxc2, then 9 Ne5! (Diagram 5) gives White huge compensation for the pawn. 148

Scandinavian (and 1...Nc6)

If now 9... e6??, 10 Nxf7! is a typical tactical motif to drive the black king into the

open: 10 ... Kxf7 11 Qxe6+ Kg6 12 Qf7+ KfS 13 Be6 mate! So Black has to try 9...Bg6 when 10 h4, threatening to trap the bishop with 11 hS, looks very strong, as Black has no wish to see his pawns broken up by 1O...h5 11 Nxg6 fxg6 - remember what happened to Massink in the extract above! Instead of grabbing the pawn on c2, 8... e6 is more sensible: 9 0-0-0 Bb410 NeS Nbd7 (or 10 ... Qxd411 NbS! cxbS12 Bxb4 attacking the black queen with BxbS+ to follow) 11 Nxd7 Nxd7 12 dS! TIP: As a rule of thumb, if White achieves a d4-d5 breakthrough in the Scandinavian, he is doing very well.

12 ...Bxc313 Bxc3 cxdS14 RxdS 0-0-0 15 Rddl Nf616 f3! and White's bishop pair, granted open lines by d4-dS!, gave him a useful initiative in V.KramnikV.Malakhov, Paris 2004. So returning to move five, the usual move is 5••• c6, opening a line of retreat for the black queen back to dS. White can then fracture Black's kingside pawns, as the following game demonstrates.

Diagram 5 (8)

Diagram 6 (W)

White has huge compensation

Black plays 5... c6

Game 41

D A.Grischuk • C.Bauer French League 2005 1 e4 d5 2 exd5 Qxd5 3 Nc3 Qa5 4 d4 Nf6 5 Bd2 c6 (Diagram 6)

If S...BfS straight away, then 6 Qf3 attacking b7looks very awkward for Black.

149

Starting Out: 1 e4!

There is already the threat of 7 b4! winning the bishop. 6 Bc4 Bf5 7 NdS Qd8 8 Nxf6+ gxf6 9 Nf3 e6l0 c3

In contrast to the hectic lines above, Grischuk is content to build upon his superior pawn structure. 10 ... Nd7 11 Nh4

The knight clears a good centre post for the queen on £3. 11 ... Nb6 12 Bb3 Bg6 13 Qf3 Be7 14 g31

White opens an escape hatch for the knight before Black has the chance to play 14.. .£5, otherwise the positionally undesirable exchange 15 Nxg6 hxg6 would be foisted upon him. 14... Qd7 15 0-0 f5 (Diagram 7)

Diagram 7 (W)

Diagram 8 (8)

The g6-bishop is entombed

White will attack the king

Defensively speaking, the bishop on g6 is doing a great job in holding together the black kingside. On the other hand, it is now entombed. In what follows the other minor pieces are exchanged off, leaving White with the significant advantage of a far more active light-squared bishop. 16 Ngl NdS17 Nf4 0-0-0 18 Rfel Nxf4

Here and on the next move Bauer is being rather compliant with his opponent's wishes by simplifying the position. 19 Bxf4 Bd6 20 Bxd6 Qxd6 21 ReS Kb8 22 BC4 Rhe8 23 Rael Re7 24 b4 (Diagram 8)

Starting a direct attack on the black king, which has every chance of success in view of the difference in strength of the respective bishops. Furthermore, Bauer can't even generate any counterplay as his kingside pawns are defensively strong but unfit to move forwards. 24 ... Rc7 25 h4 h5 26 a4 Qf8 27 Qf4 Rdc8 28 Bfl Bh7 29 Be2 Bg6 30 Bf3 150

Scandinavian (and 1...Nc6) For all intents and purposes White has an extra piece. 30... Ka8 31 bS Qa3 32 as

The advance is remorseless. If 32... Qxa5, 33 bxc6 uncovers an attack on the queen and wins at once. 32 ... cxbS 33 RxbS a6 34 Rxb71

It had to happen. 34... Rxb7 3S Rbi Qe7

If 35 ... Rcb8 36 Qc7! and disaster follows on b7. 36 Rxb7 Qxb7 37 Bxb7+ Kxb7 38 Qd6 Re6 39 Qb4+ Ke8 40 f4 1-0

Scandinavian: 2 ... Nf6 3 Nf3 NxdS If Black prefers to have his knight rather than his queen sitting on d5, we can still gain time to establish a centre with c2-c4. After 4 d4 Black has a big decision to make: should he develop with 4...Bf5, fianchetto with 4 ... g6, or try pinning with 4...Bg4? The following illustrative games will show us how to meet these moves.

Diagram 9 (W)

Diagram 10 (8)

Black plays ... Nf6xd5

White has a space advantage

Black plays 4... Bfs Game 42

o

V.Topalov • G.Kamsky Wijk aan Zee 2006 1 e4 dS 2 exds Nf63 Nf3 NxdS (Diagram 9) 4 d4 BfS S Bd3 151

starting Out: 1 e4!

Topalov, slightly uncharacteristically, consolidates his space advantage in the centre in a quiet manner. .. 5... Bxd3 6 Qxd3 e6 7 0-0 Ne6 8 e4 Nb6 9 Ne3 Be7 10 Bf4 (Diagram 10) 10 ... g5?

... after which Kamsky goes berserk, whereupon the reigning FIDE World Champion switches to attacking mode: 11 Bg3 g4 12 NeS Nxd4

The attack doesn't abate after 12 ... Qxd4 13 Qe2!. Black has won a pawn, but his king will be forever a target, whether it stays on e8 or goes to the kingside. 13 e51

Deflecting the black bishop from the defence of the kingside and winning time for a later Ne4. 13 ... Bxe5 14 Rad1 0-0 15 Ne4 Be7 16 Nxg4 e5 (Diagram 11)

Diagram 11 (W)

Diagram 12 (W)

White has an immediate win

Black plays 4...g6

17 b4?!

Here Kasparov pointed out there was an instant win with 17 Be5! (threatening 18 Nh6 mate) 17 ... f6 18 NgS! NfS 19 Nh6+ and a further knight check on £7 or e6 wins the queen, as if 19 ... Nxh6 20 Qxh7 mate. 17 ... NdS 18 bxes NfS 19 Qf3 Re8 20 Bd6!

Despite his imprecise 17th move, White's initiative becomes deadly with the acquisition of a passed pawn. 20... Nxd6 21 exd6 Bh4 22 d7 Re6 23 NeS Re7 24 Qg4+ Kh8 25 Nd6 1-0

The threat of a knight mating on f7 is lethal.

1S2

Scandinavian (and 1...Nc6)

Black plays 4... g6 Game 43

o B.Vuckovic. S.Vukanovic Bar 2005 1 e4 dS 2 exdS Nf6 3 Nf3 NxdS 4 d4 g6 (Diagram 12) 5 c4

Obvious and best; the black knight is evicted from dS. S... Nb6 6 NC3 Bg7

Or 6... Bg4 7 h3 Bxf3 8 Qxf3 with the two bishops - and the attack on b7 dissuades Black from taking on d4. One of the drawbacks of 4 ... g6 is that in this sequence 7... BhS?? loses the bishop to 8 g4, as the pawn on g6 gets in the way of the bishop's retreat! 7 cS! (Diagram 13)

Diagram 13 (8)

Diagram 14 (8)

The key advance

Black is lost

The key move in White's plan. The black knight is chased back to the dS-square, so that it can be attacked with further gain of time by White's light-squared bishop. 7 ... NdS

If 7 ... N6d7 8 Bc4 and 9 0-0 leaves White well on top as regards development. 8 BC4c6

White's d4-square is bolstered after 8 ... Nxc3 9 bxc3 - not something that would make the bishop on g7 happy.

153

Starting Out: 1 e4!

9 0-0 0-0 10 Re11

With the simple, but highly effective threat of 11 Bg5, followed by taking the knight on d5 and then Bxe7. If Black replied with 11...£6, blocking the attack on e7, his centre would be weakened and the bishop on g7 shut in. 10... h6

If 10 ...Be6 then 11 Qb3 looks good. So Black spends a move to ward off the threat,

but loosening the kingside pawn structure, rather than bringing out a piece, looks highly suspicious. Not surprisingly, White can take advantage of his superior development. 11 Qb3 e6

The black knight refuses to be driven from d5 a second time, but now the bishop on c8 is shut in and, even worse, a big hole has appeared on d6. A white knight heads towards it immediately. 12 Ne4 Nd7 13 Bd21

Sensible. Vuckovic's first priority is to take the sting out of any attempt by his opponent to undermine c5. 13 ... b6 14 Qa3 QC7 is Rac1

The white rook is also keen to support c5, even if indirectly. ls ... as?116 b41

It turns out that Black's bid for counterplay on the queenside has merely weakened his pawns. 16 ... bxcS 17 bxcS es?

Opening the centre is disastrous. He had to try to get away with 17...Ba6!. 18 Nd611-0 (Diagram 14)

The game ends abruptly as soon as the knight lands on its dream square. There is nothing to stop 19 dxe5 winning an important centre pawn for nothing, as after 18 ... exd4 the following sequence is virtually forced: 19 Ne8! Qd8 (going to a7 just means that a later Bxh6+! will win without c6-c7 needing to be inserted) 20 Nxg7 Kxg7 21 Bxd5 cxd5 22 c6 Nf6 23 c7! (driving away the black queen from the defence of the rook) 23 ... Qd7 24 Bxh6+! Kxh6 25 Qxf8+ Kh7 26 Ng5 mate!

Black plays 4... 8g4 Game 44 P.Svidler • A.Dreev Russian Championship, Elista 1997

o

1 e4 dS 2 exds Nf6 3 Nf3 NxdS 4 d4 Bg4 5 h3ll

1S4

Scandinavian (and 1 ... Ne6) Often this move is made for rather vague reasons: 'it can't do any harm to drive the bishop back a square, and maybe at move 48 it will be handy that I've given my king an escape square on h2.' Here, however, the attack on the black bishop is a fundamental part of White's strategy, as he intends to expand with his pawns on the kingside and thereby gain the initiative. S... BhS 6 (4 Nb6 7 Nc3 (Diagram 1S)

Diagram 15 (B) Position after 7 Ne3

Diagram 16 (B) Opening lines on the kingside

7 ... eS?

Dreev attempts to equalize quickly, but he brings down a big attack upon his head. He had to settle for the modest 7... e6, even though 8 g4 Bg6 9 NeS c6 10 Bg2 N8d7 11 Nxg6 hxg6 12 Qe2 (to defend c4) gives White the advantage in view of his bishop pair. His plan would be to blast open lines for the light-squared bishop with d4-d5. Note that the he can castle kingside without any reservations about his apparently fragile pawn defences: the bishop on g2 is a fine defender as well as being a dangerous attacker. 8 g4 exd4 9 Nxd4 Bg6 10 Bg2 c6 11 0-0 Be7 12 f4!

The black bishop will be shut out of the game on h7, and this will give White the positional justification for launching a sacrificial attack. 12 ... h6 13 fS Bh714 cS!

Shades of 13 c5! from Topalov-Kamsky above. 14 ... N6d7

If 14... Bxc515 Re1+ Kf8 16 Be3, with the threat of 17 Ne6+ winning the queen,

looks very strong for White. Now the black knight on b8 and bishop on h7 are

155

Starting Out: 1 e4!

temporarily shut out of the game, to say nothing of the idle rooks on a8 and h8. Therefore, Svidler is entitled to dream of a gaining a crushing attack: 15 g5! (Diagram 16)

The idea is to open the h5-square for the queen so that if 15 ...hxg5, 16 Ne6! attacks the black queen and also threatens 17 Nxg7+ with a huge attack. If then 16 ... fxe6 17 Qh5+ Kf8 (he won't last long after 17... g618 fxg6) 18 fxe6+ Nf619 Qf7 mate. 15 ...0-0 16 g6!

The g-pawn acts like a battering ram against the black kingside and ensures that White wins the exchange. 16 ...fxg617 Ne6 Qc818 Nxf8 BXc5+ 19 Khl Bxf8 20 fxg6 Bxg6 21 Bxh6! (Diagram 17)

Diagram 17 (8)

Diagram 18 (8)

White nabs another pawn

Black misses his h-pawn

Without this further tactical blow Black might have survived. 21 ... Ne5

Svidler gives the variation 21...gxh6 22 Qg4 Kg7 23 Be4 Qe8 24 Rael! Nf6 25 Rxf6! Kxf6 26 Rfl + Kg7 27 Bxg6 Qxg6 28 Qd4+ Kg8 29 Rgl and White pockets the queen and should win. 22 Bf4 Nbd7 23 Ne4 Qe8 24 Qb3+ Qf7 25 Qg3 Bxe4 26 Bxe4 Nf6 27 Bg2 Nh5 28 Qgs Nd3 29 Be5 Qe7 30 Qxh5 Qxe5 31 Qf7+ Kh8 32 Rf5 (Diagram 18)

Dreev has battled hard, but the missing h6-pawn is now his undoing, as there is no way to prevent a fatal rook check on h5. 32 ... Nf2+ 33 Kgl Nxh3+ 34 Kfll-0

A brilliant win by Peter Svidler. I hope you are ready to wipe Black off the board in similar style if he dares to play 1...d5. 156

starting Out: 1 e4!

temporarily shut out of the game, to say nothing of the idle rooks on a8 and h8. Therefore, Svidler is entitled to dream of a gaining a crushing attack: 1S gS! (Diagram 16)

The idea is to open the h5-square for the queen so that if 15 ...hxg5, 16 Ne6! attacks the black queen and also threatens 17 Nxg7+ with a huge attack. If then 16 .. .fxe6 17 Qh5+ Kf8 (he won't last long after 17... g6 18 fxg6) 18 fxe6+ Nf6 19 Qf7 mate. 1S ...0-0 16 g6!

The g-pawn acts like a battering ram against the black kingside and ensures that White wins the exchange. 16 ...fxg617 Ne6 Qc818 Nxf8 Bxc5+ 19 Khl Bxf8 20 fxg6 Bxg6 21 Bxh6! (Diagram 17)

Diagram 17 (B)

Diagram 18 (B)

White nabs another pawn

Black misses his h-pawn

Without this further tactical blow Black might have survived. 21 ... Nes

Svidler gives the variation 21...gxh6 22 Qg4 Kg7 23 Be4 Qe8 24 Rael! Nf6 25 Rxf6! Kxf6 26 Rfl + Kg7 27 Bxg6 Qxg6 28 Qd4+ KgB 29 Rgl and White pockets the queen and should win. 22 Bf4 Nbd7 23 Ne4 Qe8 24 Qb3+ Qf7 25 Qg3 Bxe4 26 Bxe4 Nf6 27 Bg2 Nh5 28 Qg5 Nd3 29 Be5 Qe7 30 Qxh5 Qxes 31 Qf7+ Kh8 32 RfS (Diagram 18)

Dreev has battled hard, but the missing h6-pawn is now his undoing, as there is no way to prevent a fatal rook check on hS. 32 ... Nf2+ 33 Kg1 Nxh3+ 34 Kf11-0

A brilliant win by Peter Svidler. I hope you are ready to wipe Black off the board in similar style if he dares to play l. .. dS. 156

Scandinavian (and 1...Nc6)

2 ... Nf6 3 Nf3 QxdS and 1 ... Nc6 (Nimzowitsch) Here we consider what happens if, instead of playing 3 ... Nxd5 as in Part Two above, Black reverts to 3... Qxd5 (Diagram 19) in the style of Part One. White doesn't have to rush into 4 Nc3; he can instead take the chance to increase his pawn control of the centre. For example 4 d4 Bg4 5 Be2, after which he is ready to play 6 0-0 and 7 c4 with a pleasant edge. If 5 ... Nc6 6 h3! is a key move, when 6...Bxf3 7 Bxf3 Qxd4?? 8 Bxc6+ loses for Black, while 6... Qh5 7 0-0 is also very bad for him; and finally, after 6... Bh5 7 c4, the black queen, which can go neither to f5 (because of the g2-g4 fork) nor h5, is driven backwards. The inability of the black queen to take up an active stance on f5 or h5 means that Black's set-up here is less threatening for White than that reached from a Nimzowitsch Defence move order after 1 e4 Nc6 etc. Looking at an illustrative game beginning 1...Nc6 will make this clear. I've twisted the move order for the sake of clarity.

Diagram 19 (w)

Diagram 20 (W)

Black reverts to ... QxdS

Nimzowitsch's Defence

Game 45

D V.Lapshun • R.Adamson US Championship. San Diego 2004 1 e4 Nc6 (Diagram 20) 2 d4

Why not? White takes the space on offer. 2 ...dS

157

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Black sometimes wanders off the beaten track with 2... eS here, after which I suggest we get him back into our territory with 3 Nf3 transposing to the Scotch - as for example in Game 11, which did take this route. 3 exd5 Qxd5 4 Nf3 Bg4 5 Be2

White is able to develop calmly since, as pointed out above, S... Bxf3 6 Bxf3 Qxd4 would lose the black queen. 5...0-0-0 A very aggressive stance which can easily demoralize an inexperienced opponent. Here 6 h3?, which was the star move in the discussion above, just drops a pawn to 6... Bxf3 7 Bxf3 Qxd4. 6 C4Qh5

You will see that the queen is able to go to this attacking square, whereas in the Scandinavian move order, with Black having 'wasted' a move on ... Nf6, it would be impossible: 1 e4 dS 2 exdS Nf6 3 Nf3 QxdS 4 d4 Bg4 S Be2 Nc6 6 h3 BhS 7 c4 and the h5-square is blocked. Another possibility (only with the 1...Nc6 move order) is 6... Qf5 (Diagram 21)

Diagram 21 (W) Black plays 6... Qf5

Diagram 22 (8) White develops sensibly

This is less overtly threatening to the white king after he castles kingside, as the queen isn't in contact with the h2-square. The game KSpraggett-J.Shaw, Gibraltar 2006, continued sharply with 7 Be3 Bxf3 8 Bxf3 Nxd4 (Black wins material with this trick, but he ends up facing a mighty attack) 9 Bxd4 Qe6+ 10 Be2 (the only move, as if 10 Kfl Qxc4+) 1O... Qe411 0-0 Rxd412 Nd2! Qf413 Qa4 Rxd2 14 Radl! Nf6 (not 14... Rxe2 15 Qe8 mate) 15 Qxa7 Nd716 Bf3 c6 17 Rxd2 Qxd2 18 Rd1 Qh6 19 b4! (White remains a whole piece down, but with the black kingside pieces still out of the game, the black king is a sitting duck) 19 ...Qe6 20 b5 g6 21 bxc6 bxc6 22 158

Scandinavian (and

1 ... Nc6)

a4 Bg7 23 as and Shaw could find nothing better than to give back the piece with 23 ... NcS 24 QxcS when he eventually lost the endgame. 7 Be3!

The black queen is waiting on hS for White to play 0-0, so that she can try for a deadly blow against h2 with a future ... Ng4 or ... Bd6. So we should frustrate her by leaving our king in the centre for the time being and considering 0-0-0.

,

)(

WARNING: The golden rule here for White is as follows: don't hurry to castle!

7 ... es

Black is trying his best to upset the white centre, but it stands firm. S dS Nf6 9 Nbd2 (Diagram 22)

Sensible play: the knight goes to d2 rather than c3 in order to break the pin on the dS-pawn. Therefore the black knight is driven away from c6, which opens the way for decisive action on the a-file. 9 ... Ne710 h3!

Although there is no immediate threat to take the bishop, this is a very annoying move for Black. He has to worry all the time that White will suddenly defend the rook on hI, or else move it, when his bishop really will be hanging, and if he retreats it then his queen will come under a discovered attack from the bishop on e2. 10... NfS 11 Bxa7!

Whereas Black has been playing lots of pseudo-attacking moves, it is White who has managed to inflict real damage on the enemy king's shelter. 11 ... Bd6 12 Qa4 e4 13 a-a-a! (Diagram 23)

Diagram 23 (8)

Diagram 24 (8)

Castling out of it

Opening up the black king

159

Starting Out: 1 e4!

The complete vindication of White's decision to delay castling kingside. Black would be a pawn down with no counterplay after 13 ... exf3 14 hxg4 Qxg4 15 Bxf3 etc. 13 ... Bxf3 14 gxf3 exf3 15 Bd3

White prefers to play for the attack rather than grab the pawn with 15 Bxf3, when 15 ... Qh4 fights on. 15 ... Nd7 16 Qe2

Over the remaining moves Lapshun arranges a decisive c4-c5 advance to demolish the black king's already fragile shelter. 16 ...g617 Ne4 Bf4+ 18 Kbl Ne519 Bfl Nd6 20 Nxd6+ exd6 21 Bb6 Rde8 22 Kal Nd7 23 e5 dxe5 24 BbS! (Diagram 24)

An efficient combination to conclude the game. The bishop pair come into their own when attacking a badly defended king. 24... Nxb6 25 Qxes+ Be7 26 BxeS KbS

If 26 ... Rxe8 27 Rc1 Nxd5 (or 27... Na8 28 d6) 28 Rhd1, intending 29 Rxd5 then mate

onc7. 27 Rc1 Qe5 28 Rhel Qf6 29 Qxe7+ 1-0

160

Chapter Eleven

Pirc and other Fianchetto Defences _

Introduction

_

A model attack vs the Pirc Defence

_

How to attack the Modern Defence

_

Attacking other ••• Bg7 systems

_

Attacking the queenside fianchetto

Starting Out:

1

e4!

Introduction In this chapter we shall look at variations in which Black bases his strategy on a fianchetto at g7 or b7.

Defeating the kingside fianchetto The spectrum of Black systems involving ... Bg7 stretches all the way from the mainstream Pirc Defence (1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6), to the slightly offbeat Modern Defence L.g6 (Diagram 1), and beyond that to the decidedly irregular L.g5. We'll begin by considering the standard Pirc set-up: 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 (Diagram 2).

Diagram 1 (W)

Diagram 2 (W)

The Modern Defence

The Pirc Defence

What is the best way for White to take on the Pirc? It's easy: you should put the bishop on e3, the queen on d2, play Bh6, break open the h-file and checkmate the black king. In England this scheme is referred to as the '150 Attack'. If it sounds familiar, it's because it's the same approach we advised against a

variation of the Philidor (1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 g6 6 Be3 Bg7 7 Qd2) and against the Sicilian Dragon (1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 N£6 5 Nc3 g6 6 Be3 Bg7 7 £3 0-0 8 Qd2). The experience you gain in conducting the kingside attack in a variety of situations should increase the level of skill with which you carry it out. Let's see how the plan might work in practice.

162

Pirc and other Fianchetto Defences

A model attack versus the Pirc Defence Game 46 D U.Dirr • A.Carstens Bundesliga 1992 1 e4 d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 NC3 g6 4 Be3 Bg7 5 Qd2 0-0 6 Bh6 c6 7 h4! (Diagram 3)

Diagram 3 (8)

Diagram 4 (8)

The 150 Attack

White opens lines

Already B h5 is looming, when if B... Nxh5? 9 Rxh5! gxh5 10 Qg5 and mate on g7. 7 ... Qb6 S 0-0-0

Everything is flowing well: White deals with the threat to b2 without the slightest disturbance to his attacking plan. S.•.e5

A belated attempt to stir up counterplay in the centre. 9 Bxg7 Kxg7 10 h5 8e6

Or 10 ... Qxd411 Bd3!? Nxh5 12 Rxh5! gxh5 13 Nf3 Qc5 14 Qg5+ KhB15 Qf6+ KgB 16 Ng5 and the threat of 17 Qh6 and then mate on h7 is decisive. 11 hxg6 fxg6 12 Qh6+ KgS 13 Nf3 QC7 14 Ng5

Now h7 is under maximum pressure, but it is also defended three times. The winning method is quite instructive. 14 ...Qe7 15 d51 (Diagram 4)

It isn't enough just to attack h7 from the front. White needs to open up a file in the

163

Starting Out: 1 e4!

centre for his rook on dl and a diagonal for the bishop on fl. 1S ... Bg4

If 15 ... Bd716 dxc6 bxc6 17 Bc4+ Kh8 18 Rxd6! and the rook can't be captured because of 18 ... Qxd619 Qxh7+! and mates, while 19 Rxf6! would be a threat.

Alternatively, 15 ... cxd5 16 Nxe6! Qxe617 Nxd5 threatens to take on f6 and then on h7, while if 17... Nbd718 Bc4 and the threat of a discovered attack on the black queen or king is murderous, e.g. 18 ... Kh8 19 Nxf6 when saving the queen allows mate on h7. 16 f3 BhS

The bishop blocks the attack on h7, but this is hardly an achievement as it is about to be trapped. 17 g4 Bxg418 dxc6 bxc6 19 Bc4+ Kh8 20 fxg4 Nbd7 21 Rxd61-0

If Black takes the rook it is mate in two; while to add to his other woes he is a piece down. This looked like an easy victory, but White had to play with some finesse (15 d5!), and be aware of the tactics.

How to attack the Modern Defence So far so good. Now let's imagine that Black leaves his bishop on f8 for some time and keeps his king in the centre. Then the plan of Bh6 loses momentum, as not only is there no king on g8 to target, but Black saves a tempo with ... Bf8xh6, having avoided the intermediate ... Bg7. In some circumstances, White will play Bh6 anyway, despite these drawbacks: his reasoning is that even if there is no mate in sight, he is still depriving Black of his best minor piece and creating weaknesses on his dark squares. Alternatively, White will wait patiently until Black does play ... Bg7 before venturing Bh6. After all, Black can't leave his bishop on f8 indefinitely, or else his king will end up in danger on e8 sooner or later. Another anti-Bh6' method is to leave the knight on g8. That virtually rules out Bh6 altogether; but again, how long can Black afford to delay his development? I

Here is what happened to a strong Grandmaster when his king overstayed its welcome in the centre:

Game 47

o K.Mekhitarian •

W.Arencibia

Buenos Aires 2005 1 e4 g6 2 d4 d6 3 Nc3 c6

The first indication that Black is angling for immediate queenside counterplay. 4 Be3 Nd7 5 Qd2 Ngf6

164

Pirc and other Fianchetto Defences

Instead, delaying the development of the knight with S... Bg7 6 0-0-0 bS 7 Kbl a6 (Diagram 5) would transpose to the game J.Stocek-P.Petran, Tatranske Zruby 2004

(which actually began 1 e4 g6 2 d4 Bg7 3 Be3 d6 4 Nc3 - we would prefer the move order 3 Nc3 d6 4 Be3 - 4... c6 S Qd2 bS 6 0-0-0 Nd7).

Diagram 5 (W)

Diagram 6 (8)

Black delays ... Ng8-f6

A familiar attacking formation

Now Stocek played 8 M!, which takes advantage of the knight being back on g8 to threaten 9 hS - after all, Black has no wish to see the h-file opened by 10 hxg6, or perhaps his bishop pushed back to f8 with 10 h6!? So Petran played 8... hS, stopping the pawn in its tracks. There followed 9 f3 Nb6 10 Bd3 Nf6 11 Nh3, when if White is allowed to play 12 NgS his knight would be on an excellent square - it is virtually an outpost, as even if Black could arrange .. .f7-f6 it would grievously weaken his central squares. So Black took the knight: 11 ... Bxh3 12 Rxh3, but Stocek expanded in the centre and got a knight to gS anyway: 12 ... Nfd713 f4! Qc714 eS 0-0-0 IS Qf2 e616 Ne4 Bf817 NgS! and Black was in a bind and eventually lost. TIP: If Black keeps his knight back on g8, remember the plan of h2h4, provoking ... h7-h5, followed by putting a knight on g5. 6 13! (Diagram 6)

In the Pirc White shouldn't hurry to play f2-f3 unless there is a distinct purpose, as it could turn out to be an unnecessary weakening of the dark squares - and don't forget the knight on gl is deprived of its best square. (Remember this consideration doesn't arise when playing Be3 and Qd2 versus the Dragon or the Philidor, as there the white knight is already on d4 before he plays f2-f3). Here White sees that Black is intending 6 ...bS, and so decides to pre-empt the threat of 7...b4, driving away the knight from c3, followed by ... Nxe4. More aggressively speaking, he introduces the idea of g2-g4-gS; and in this specific situa165

Starting Out: 1 e4!

tion, the knight on f6 is lacking its two natural retreat squares: d7 and e8. Instead, 6 Bh6?! wouldn't be ridiculous, but Black gets ample play after 6...Bxh6 7 Qxh6 b5 etc. 6 .•. bS 70-0-0

Bold, direct chess: but you only get to live once! 7.•. Bb7 8 Kbl eS 9 g41 a6?

Black gets into all sorts of trouble as he underestimates the power of g4-g5. Perhaps best was 9... Nb6, vacating the d7-square for the other knight. 10 dxes dxes 11 gSI NhS 12 Bh3 Be8

A horrible retreat, but d7 is attacked three times and if 12 ... Nc5, then 13 Qf2 Qe7 14 Bxc5 Qxc5 15 Bd7+ Kd8 16 Bxc6+ obliterates Black. 13 NdSI (Diagram 7)

Diagram 7 (8)

Diagram 8 (W)

A decisive knight sally

The Gurgenidze System

With the threat of 14 Nb6 attacking d7 a fourth time, when if 13 ... Ra714 Nxc8 etc. 13 ... Bb7

If 13 ... cxd5 14 Qxd5 Rb8 15 Bxd7+ Bxd7 16 Qxe5+ and Black can only choose which rook he wants to lose with check. 14 Ne7+ Qxe7 is Bxd7+ Kd8 16 Bg4+ Ke8 17 Bb611-0

It is mate on d7 in one move if he takes the bishop, or in two moves after 17... Qe7.

Attacking other ... Bg7 systems Black can also playa type of hybrid Caro-Kann/Modern Defence known as the Gurgenidze System. We will meet it in the usual style with the 150 Attack: 166

Pirc and other Fianchetto Defences

a) 1 e4 g6 2 d4 Bg7 3 NC3 c6 4 Be3 d5 (Diagram 8) If Black delays ... Bg7 we play the same way: 1...d6 2 d4 g6 3 Nc3 c6 4 Be3 dS S f3.

5f3 Not giving Black the chance to remove our pawn presence on e4 with ... d5xe4. Play might continue S... b6 (nonetheless, perhaps Black should act at once in the centre with S... dxe4!? 6 fxe4 Nf6, even though it frees the f3-square for the white knight; after 7 Nf3 Ng4 8 BgS f6 9 Bf4 e5 10 dxeS Qxdl + 11 Rxdl NxeS 12 Nxe5 fxeS 13 BgS Be6 14 Rd6 Bd7 IS Bc4 White had a minimal advantage in the endgame in S.Ganguly-S.Syed Anwar, Dhaka 200S) 6 Qd2 Ba6 7 Nge2! h5 (Black tries to restrain White's pawn advances on the kingside, but it turns out he is merely loosening his own pawn structure) 8 0-0-0 e6 9 g4! h410 Bh3 (here we see that White was astute to avoid the exchange of bishops offered on move seven, as the cleric will support the breakthrough on f5) 10 ... Ne711 Kbl Nd712 eS c5 13 f4 Qc7 14 fS and White had a clear edge in A.Lugovoi-G.Astashov, St Petersburg 200S. b) 1 e4 g6 2 d4 Bg7 3 NC3 c5 (Diagram 9)

Diagram 9 (W)

Diagram 10 (W)

Black swipes with 3... c5

The Grab

Here Black immediately attacks the d4-square. No doubt he is hoping for a good version of the Accelerated Dragon after 4 Nf3 cxd4 S Nxd4 Nc6. Instead 4 dxcS is a good response, which forces Black to expose his queen to attack in order to regain the pawn: 4 ... QaS (4 ... Bxc3+ pays too high a price to triple White's pawns, as the black kingside is left riddled with holes) S Bd2! QxcS 6 NdS! b6 (extremely risky is 6... Bxb2? as 7 Rbl Bg7 8 Bb4 Qc6 9 Bb5! exploits the fork on c7 to win at once) 7 Bb4 Qc6 8 BbS Qb7 9 Nf3 and White had a strong initiative in P.WellsM.Dougherty, Hoogeveen 2005.

167

starting Out: 1 e4!

c) The best way to answer 1 ... gS (Diagram 10), the Grob, is to treat it like a Modern Defence in which Black has weakened his own kingside. Play might go 2 d4 h6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 Be3 d6 5 Qd2 Nc6 6 0-0-0 (our completely familiar build-up) 6 ... a6 7 Nge2! (here rather than f3, so as not to obstruct the advance of the f-pawn; furthermore, the knight heads for g3, where it eyes the two squares - f5 and h5 - that Black has senselessly weakened with 1...g5) 7...b5 8 f4 Nf6 (an attempt to gain counterplay that not surprisingly misses the mark in view of Black's backward development) 9 fxg5 hxg5 10 Ng3 Ng4 11 Bgl! (jealousy guarding his darksquared bishop from exchange) 11...b412 Nd5 e6 (giving up the b4-pawn, but if 12 ... Rb8 13 Be2 etc. and Black is in a very bad way) 13 Nxb4 Nxb4 14 Qxb4 Qf6 15 Be2 Qf4+ 16 Qd2 f517 Rfl Qxd2+ 18 Kxd2 and Black was a pawn down with a collapsing position in S.Collins-S.Williams, British League 2004. It might also be worth playing again through the game Cheparinov-Bruned in the Najdorf chapter, as it is a fine example of how to undermine the g5/h6 pawn structure.

Attacking the queenside fianchetto Against the kingside fianchetto we are planning a set-up with Nc3, Be3, Qd2, 0-0-0 and f2-f3. A mirror image approach with Nf3, Bd3, Qe2, c2-c3 and 0-0 works well against a queenside fianchetto, as the following examples demonstrate.

The Birmingham Defence 1 e4 a6!? (Diagram 11)

I probably have more sympathy for this move than it objectively deserves, as it was used by the late and great Tony Miles to beat World Champion Anatoly Karpov at the 1980 European Team Championship in Skara. Incidentally, thanks to Miles's win, England drew its match with the USSR 4-4 - an unprecedented achievement for a Western chess power against a team that at the time combined the might of Russia, the Ukraine and all the other former Soviet countries. The opening was thereafter christened the Birmingham Defence in honour of Miles' birthplace. 2 d4

Why not? If in doubt, seize the centre! 2 ... bS

On the other hand Black hasn't forgotten about the centre: he prevents Bc4, which is the white bishop's best attacking post, and clears b7 for his own bishop to assail e4. Furthermore, the knight on bl usually heads for c3, but then it might be driven away with ... b5-b4.

168

Pirc and other Fianchetto Defences 3 Nf3 Bb7 4 Bd3 e6 5 Qe2 c5 6 c3!

Keeping the pawn centre intact. As described above, the 'mirror image' set-up to that employed against the kingside fianchetto secures White a comfortable advantage. 6 ... Nf67 0-0 cxd4 8 cxd4 Be7 9 NC3 0-0 10 Bg5 d611 es!

Only now does White makes an aggressive move to increase his space advantage. 11 ... Nfd7 12 Bf4! (Diagram 12)

Diagram 11 (W)

Diagram 12 (B)

The Birmingham Defence

White has more space

The exchange of bishops would ease the cramp in Black's position. Furthermore, the threat to d6 has to be met. 12 ... Bxf3 13 Qxf3 dS 14 Qg4

and White had an uncontested grip on the centre and attacking chances in S.Rublevsky-S.Drazic, Bastia 2004. Rublevsky highlighted the deficiencies of 1...a6 and 2...b5 not with wild attacking play, but rather by building his game up methodically and proving Black's pawn moves on the queenside to be an irrelevance.

Owen's Defence Game 48

o T.Radjabov. A.Stromer Mainz (rapid) 2005 1 e4 b6 (Diagram 13)

A relatively popular move for Black, no doubt due to the attention that the Eng169

Starting Out: 1 e4!

lish Defence 1 d4 e6 2 c4 b6 has received in recent times. 2 d4 Bb7

The variation might also arise after 1 e4 e6 2 d4 b6, when 3 Nf3 Bb7 4 Bd3 Nf6 (or 4... cS S c3) S Qe2 reaches the note to move 4 below. 3 Bd3

We don't want to play N c3 as then we are liable to be pinned by ...Bb4 in the future. 3 ... Nf6

You have to know what to do against 3 ... fS? - a losing move, but one that requires a precise response which would be very hard even for a Grandmaster to discover over the board: 4 exfS! Bxg2 S QhS+ g6 6 fxg6 (Diagram 14).

Diagram 13 (W) Owen's Defence

Diagram 14 (8) Complicated tactics

If now 6... Nf6? 7 gxh7+! NxhS 8 Bg6 mate! However, 6 ...Bg7! is surprisingly resilient, when analysis reveals 7 QfS!, spurning the knight on g8, to be the best reply. Black must deal with the threat of mate on f7, so 7... Nf6 S Bh6! (forcing the bishop to h6 where it becomes a target for a future Qg6+ and Qxh6+) 8 ... Bxh6 (or 8 ... Kf8 9 QgS! Bxh1- he can't just let White take on g2 - 10 gxh7 Bxh6 11 Qxh6+ Kf712 Nh3 transposing to the main line) 9 gxh7 Kf8 (sidestepping the check on g6, but the queen goes there anyway) 10 Qg6 Bxhlll Qxh6+ Kf712 Nh3 with the threat of 13 NgS+ and mate next move, and White is winning, e.g. 12 ... Ke6 (or 12 ... QfS 13 Bg6+ Ke614 Qf4! and the black king will be trapped sooner or later) 13 NgS+ KdS as even if the black king survives, White has at least an endgame a sound pawn up after 14 Nf7 Qf8 (or 14 ... QcS 15 Qg7) 16 Qxf8 Rxf8 17 hSQ Rxh8 18 Nxh8 etc.

This analysis may be difficult, but forewarned is forearmed; and as soon as 3 .. .£5 appears on the board, all your strength of mind, memory and calculative ability

170

Pirc and other Fianchetto Defences

can focus on just this one tiny position. 4Qe2 Ne6

The more solid 4... e6Ieaves White with a space advantage similar to that in the Rublevsky game above after 5 Nf3 dS (or 5 ... c5 6 c3 etc.) 6 eS Nfd7. Instead, Black's plan of counter-attack with ... e7-e5 proves a little extravagant. 5 c3 e5 6 Nf3 (Diagram 15)

Diagram 15 (8)

Diagram 16 (8)

A mirror 150 Attack

White will win material

Once again we have the typical white set-up for the 150 Attack, but. in a kind of mirror image as Black has played ... Bb7. 6...d6 7 0-0 g6

Stromer establishes a kind of Philidor Defence with both bishops fianchettoed. Given the chance to castle kingside, this set-up doesn't look at all bad for him; but of course his world class opponent won't allow him the time to make the couple of vital moves he needs. Radjabov provokes an immediate crisis in the centre. 8 Rd1!

Radjabov sees that having the rook on the d-file will bring dividends. Already the black queen needs to flee a possible discovered attack. 8 ...Qe7 9 dxe5 Nxe5 10 NxeS Qxe5 If 1O... dxe5 11 Ba6! Bxa6 12 Qxa6, when White has a strong attack with Qb5+ or BgS. 11 Nd2 0-0-012 Nf3 Qh5

He had to make do with 12 ... Qe8, though White can attack with 13 BgS Bg714 a4! etc. 13 Ng5!

171

Starting Out: 1. e4!

The weakness of £7 will prove fatal, despite the exchange of queens. 13 ... Qxe2 14 Bxe2 Rd7 15 e5! (Diagram 16) 15 ... h6

Dropping the exchange, but if IS ... dxeS 16 Rxd7 Nxd7 17 Nxf7 Rg8 and White has the pleasant choice between 18 Bg4 pinning the knight, or 18 Bc4 going after the rook. Black would at the least lose the eS-pawn. 16 exf6 hxg5 17 Bg4 Rh4 18 h3! 1-0

An instructive final move. Most players would jump at the chance of 18 Bxd7+, but after 18 ... Kxd7 Black at least has an active rook, and 19 BxgS? meets with 19 ...Rg4 attacking both gS and g2. So Radjabov simply defends his bishop, intending BxgS, and if 18 ...Bh6 19 ReI Rxg4 20 Re8+ Rd8 21 Rxd8+ Kxd8 22 hxg4 then the simplification has made it much easier for White to win the endgame.

172

Chapter Twelve

The French Defence

R

Introduction

R

The Korchnoi Gambit accepted

R

The Korchnoi Gambit declined

R

Black avoids the Korchnoi Gambit

~

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'/. /.

~" I~1 - % ,

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1 ' . '/ /.0

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, I

Starting Out: 1 e4!

Introd uction Finally we consider 1 e4 e6 2 d4 dS (Diagram 1).

Diagram 1 (W)

Diagram 2 (W)

The French Defence

A standard position

The French Defence is one of the oldest and most respected responses to 1 e4. Black sets up a solid wall of pawns on the light squares in the centre in order to dampen White's attacking chances - or so he hopes! In fact, most of White's replies acquiesce to a blocked centre, in return for which he gains a marginal space advantage. However, a lot of young and ambitious players aren't willing to sell their attacking rights for the sake of long-term positional pressure.

o

NOTE: The modern way of playing chess is very dynamic. As former World Champion Boris Spassky has remarked, modern chess is more fast moving and complex than in his heyday back in the 1960s and 1970s; on the other hand, players defend worse. Therefore we should meet the French in a way that reflects the mood of the age and gives us the best chance to win: namely outright attacking play.

It took a long time for the opening line described in this chapter to achieve inter-

national popularity, but once established it has never looked back. It has truly been the scourge of French players, who find they have to re-attune their mindset: they thought they were going to be involved in trench warfare, but instead find themselves engaged in an open tactical battle. I have already discussed this opening variation on the website chesspublishing.com, where I run the French Defence section. There I have often described it as the

174

The French Defence 'Universal System', based on'the fact that it works equally well against the move orders (after 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2) 3 ... Nf6, 3 ... Be7 and even 3 ... cS. Obviously this means you will be spared a lot of labour learning a separate reply against these three moves. The only way for Black to avoid the system is with 3 ... dxe4 or the less popular 3 ... Nc6. We shall discuss how best to meet these moves towards the end of the chapter. Here I shall refer to the variation by its better-known name of the 'Korchnoi Gambit' - though, as will be seen, it has far outgrown in sophistication the original idea of a pawn sacrifice for the sake of fast development. Nevertheless, the willingness to offer the d4-pawn is central to White's thinking, so we need to look in some detail at the consequences of Black's acceptance of the gambit. Consider these three move orders after 1 e4 e6 2 d4 dS 3 Nd2: a) 3 ... Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 S Bd3 c5 6 c3 Nc6 7 Ngf3 Qb6 (Diagram 2); b) 3 ... c5 4 Ngf3 Nf6 5 eS Nfd7 6 c3 Nc6 7 Bd3 Qb6; c) 3 ... Be7 4 Ngf3 Nf6 S eS Nfd7 6 Bd3 cS 7 c3 Nc6. The first two lead to an identical position at move seven. In the last case, because the bishop went to e7 on move three, Black hasn't yet got his queen to b6; and he is also lacking the option of ... g7-g6 and ...Bg7 considered in Part Two below.

The Korchnoi Gambit accepted 1 e4 e6 2 d4 dS

We dealt with 2 ... b6 at the end of Chapter Eleven, whereas after 2 ... c5 White can seize space with 3 dS!, or else transpose to the Sicilian Kan by 3 Nf3 cxd4 (there is nothing better) 4 Nxd4. 3 Nd2 (Diagram 3)

The Tarrasch Variation. White defends e4 without exposing his knight to a pin, as is the case in the Winawer Variation after 3 Nc3 Bb4. There are two positional objections to putting the horse on d2: firstly, the bishop on c1 is temporarily shut in, which makes it less likely that White will be able to launch a quick attack; and secondly, the pawn on d4 is no longer defended by the white queen. This last fact encourages Black to make a concerted bid to attack d4 in the near future with ... c7c5. It is assumed that this will prove annoying for White and restrict his plans. In fact, it could be said that putting pressure on d4 is the very life and soul of the French Defence as far as Black is concerned. Our system, however, cuts the Gordian knot. He refuses to be tied down to the defence of d4. On the contrary, he positively invites Black to take the pawn. Thus

175

starting Out: 1 e4!

the two proposed deficiencies of 3 Nd2 vanish: the defence of d4 ceases to be an issue and White gains freedom to attack, with the supposedly neglected bishop on c1 playing a major role. 3 ... Nf6

Black develops a knight and persists with his attack on e4. As we will see later on, both 3... c5 and 3...Be7 could lead to an identical or very similar scenario at move eight. 4e5

In what follows White develops his kingside pieces as rapidly as possible, whilst maintaining an intact pawn centre. Black meanwhile builds up against the d4pawn, leading to a crisis at move seven. 4 ... Nfd7 5 Bd3 c5 6 c3 Nc6 7 Ngf3 Qb6

Now the pressure on d4 is at breaking point, but White has no wish to give in with 8 dxc5 when 8... Qc7!? spells the demise of the e5-pawn Gumping ahead to Part Two of the chapter, it will be seen that White is only ever willing to sell his e5-pawn at the price of a positional concession by Black such as ... g7-g5). Therefore, the d4-pawn is to be gambited: 8 O-O! (Diagram 4) 8...cxd4

Diagram 3 (8)

Diagram 4 (8)

The Tarrasch Variation

The Korchnoi Gambit

Black won't always be in a hurry to take the d4-pawn, but we have to know what to do if he does. After all, giving up a centre pawn is a serious business! 9 cxd4 Nxd4 10 Nxd4 Qxd4 11 Nf3 Qb6

The best retreat square for the queen. 12 Qa41 (Diagram 5)

176

The French Defence

We have reached a crucial position.

Diagram 5 (8)

Diagram 6 (8)

White has a strong initiative

The queen returns to a4

What does White have as compensation for the pawn? Basically a lead in development and attacking chances down the c-file. The player who gets his rooks into the game before his opponent has a huge advantage in firepower, and here White has the straightforward plan of doubling rooks on the c-file, having first vacated the c1-square with gain of time by attacking the black queen by Be3. The white queen also pins the black knight, and so it is easy to imagine a sequence of White moves: Be3, Rac1, Bb5, Rxc8+! and then Bxd7+. This sort of thing can easily happen - here is a game with a Grandmaster playing White: Game 49

D M.Saltaev. A.Bednorz Porz 1989 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 5 c3 e5 6 Bd3 Ne6 7 Ngf3 cxd4 8 exd4 Qb6 9 0-0 Nxd4 10 Nxd4 Qxd4 11 Nf3 Qb6 12 Qa4 Be7

It will be necessary to develop this bishop at some point if Black is going to evacuate his king from the centre and develop his king's rook. 13 Be3

Alternatively he might swing the queen over to g4 to terrorize g7, as 13 ... 0-0 14 Bh6 costs Black the exchange. However, 13 ... g6 isn't very clear, as Black always has the resource ... Qb4 if necessary. The game move is more logical and promising. 13 ... Qb4 14 Qe2 Qg4 15 Rac1 Qh5

177

starting Out: 1 e4!

Black defends h7 as a preliminary to castling, as if immediately 15 ...0-0 16 Bxh7+ regains the pawn with advantage due to the open black king. 16 Qa4! (Diagram 6)

Back again, and this time the black queen is stranded on h5 so she can no longer contest the queenside squares. You will notice the artful way Saltaev switches between threats on both sides of the board. 16 ...0-0

Submitting to the loss of two pieces for a rook, but the alternatives were grim. If 16 ... Kd8 then 17 Rc2 builds up methodically on the c-file. There is no way for Black to unwind his game: after a subsequent 18 Rfel White already threatens to show off with 19 Qxa7!! Rxa7 20 Rxc8 mate. Alternatively, 16 ... a6 achieves nothing as it doesn't deter 17 Bb5 due to the pin on the a-file. 17 Rxe8!

The poor black bishop is slain without even getting to move. 17 ... Rfxe818 Qxd7

The two minor pieces are far more valuable than the rook in the middlegame, and Black is still suffering terribly because his queen is out on a limb, whilst her opposite number is attacking both b7 and the bishop. Nonetheless, after the game continuation White is spared a lot of work. 18 ... Bd8?? 19 Qe8 mate

A better way for Black to resist is to break the contact of the white queen with d7 straight away with 12 ... Qb4. White of course has no wish to exchange queens when he is trying for the initiative, and so 13 Qc2 follows. Now Black can try 13 ... Be7. Will delaying the bishop development for a move bring him any more luck than in the game above? Let's see: Came 50

o V.Rasik. V.Laznicka

Czech Championship 2004 1 e4 e6 2 d4 dS 3 Nd2 Nf6 4 es Nfd7 S e3 eS 6 Ngf3 Ne6 7 Bd3 Qb6 8 0-0 exd4 9 exd4 Nxd4 10 Nxd4 Qxd4 11 Nf3 Qb6 12 Qa4 Qb4 13 Qe2 Be7 14 Bd2!

White finds another way to gain time by attacking the black queen. 14... Qg4 1S Rae1

Familiar play. If now 15 ...Qh5 16 Qa4! etc. as above. 1S ... NeS

Black didn't have this resource in the Saltaev game as the white bishop was on e3,

178

The French Defence not d2. Therefore White has to work harder to exploit the c-file. First step as always is to remove the black queen from the picture. 16 h3! QhS

Once again the black queen is forced into the wilderness on h5. If 16 ... Qa4? Black ends up losing two pieces for a rook in another way: 17 Qxa4+ Nxa418 Rxc8+! Rxc819 Bb5+ Kd8 20 Bxa4. 17 Bb4! (Diagram 7)

Diagram 7 (B)

Diagram 8 (B)

What if 17... Nxd3 - ?

White threatens Bc6

If there is a move crying out to be played, even though it seems to fail tactically,

then take a second look - maybe your instinct is trying to tell you something. Nothing can be more natural than booting the knight on c5 out of the way, but it appears that Black can now win material with 17... Nxd3 18 Qxd3 Bxb4. Not so: 19 Qb5+ Bd7 20 Qxb4 regains the piece, and leaves the black king trapped in the centre. Then after 20 ...Bc6 White can prepare a breakthrough along the c-file with Nd4 etc. 17 ... b6 18 BbS+ Kf8

If 18 ... Bd719 Bxd7+ Black has to forgo castling with 19 ... Kxd7, since if 19 ... Nxd7 20 Qc6! Rd8 21 Bxe7 Kxe7 22 Qd6+ Ke8 23 Rc7 and White's rooks will rampage down the c-file, whilst the black queen and rook on h8 are shut out of things. 19 BxcS bxcS

If 19 ... Bxc5 20 b4! Bxb4 21 Qc6 Rb8 22 Qe8 mate - evidently Black always has to

watch out for mate on e8 in this variation! 2ob4!

Anyway. Now 20 ... cxb4 21 Qc6 (or even 21 Qxc8+) and Black must resign. If in-

179

Starting Out: 1 e4! stead 20 ... c4, which on the face of it looks highly plausible, then 21 Bc6 Rb8 22 Qa4! exploits the disorganization in the black camp to break through on the queenside after 22 ...Rxb4 23 Qxa7, intending 24 Qa8 or 24 Qc7 slaying the bishop on c8. Black also has to contend with RbI, exchanging off his only active piece with Rxb4, followed by the overrunning of his queenside with RbI or a white queen move. In this variation, the black passed pawn on c4 is beautiful, but how does it help Black when his pieces are so hopelessly uncoordinated? 20 ...g6

Black elects to sacrifice the c5-pawn in a last bid to get his pieces working together. 21 Qa41 (Diagram 8)

One of the golden rules when it comes to exploiting an advantage is: do not hurry! Most of us would grab the free pawn with both hands, but by introducing the threat of 22 Bc6 Rb8 23 Qxa7, in the style of the note to 20 b4 above, Black is cajoled into putting his bishop on b7, where it facilitates the advance of the white passed pawn that appears next move. 21 ... Bb7 22 bxe5 Kg7 23 e6

In what follows on the queenside, Black might as well be a queen down. 23 ... Be8 24 e7 a6 25 Be6 Ra7 26 Bd7 Bg5 27 Re2 Ra8 28 Qe6 Bxd7 29 Qxd7 Rhe8 30 Nd4

The knight will prove the proverbial straw that breaks the camel's back. Already there is a threat to take on e6. 30... Kf8 31 Ne6 Kg7 32 Na7 1-0

So far we gave seen how White's pawn sacrifice allows him to exploit his superior development/piece co-ordination to cause havoc along the c-file. But we should also remember that a direct mating attack is another possible outcome of White's initiative. Game 51

D J.M.Degraeve •

V.Lukov

Cappelle la Grande 2002 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 5 Bd3 e5 6 e3 Ne6 7 Ngf3 Qb6 8 0-0 exd4 9 exd4 Nxd4 10 Nxd4 Qxd4 11 Nf3 Qb6 12 Qa4 Qb4 13 Qe2 Qe5

Black harasses White with one more queen move before developing his bishop. If 13...Nc5 White keeps up the initiative with 14 Bd2 Qa4 15 b3 Qd716 Be2!?, intending 17 b4 to fight for the open c-file, or perhaps 17 Nd4 threatening 18 Bb5.

180

The French Defence

14 Qe2 Be7

Well, it's third time lucky for Black in putting the bishop on e7. Will the preceding dance of the queens help him? 15 Be3 Qe7 16 Rael Qd8 17 Re2

Intending to double rooks with lasting pressure. 17 ... Nb8 (Diagram 9)

Diagram 9 (W)

Diagram 10 (8)

White has lasting pressure

Threatening fxe6 and Qxg4

Black is anxious to block the c-file with ... Nc6 and also complete his queenside development, but relinquishing control of the d4-square allows White to begin a snap attack on the kingside: 18 Nd4 Bd7 19 f4

Black always seems caught between a rock and a hard place in this variation. If he avoids disaster on one side of the board, he always seems to be struck down on the other wing. 19 ... Ne6 20 f5! Re8

Black loses the knight after 20 ... Nxe5 21 fxe6 fxe6 22 Qh5+, while if 20 ... 0-0 21 f6 gxf6 22 exf6 Bxf6 23 Qh5 and h7 is indefensible. 21Qg4

Now 21...0-0 is definitely not on the cards because of 21 f6. 21 ... Nxe5 22 Qxg7 Bf6 23 Qh6 Ng4 24 Qh5 (Diagram 10)

White's queen has been pushed around by the black knight and bishop, but she is about to have her revenge as if 24 ... Nxe3 25 fxe6 Bxe6 26 Nxe6 is lethal. 24 ...e5 25 Qxg4 exd4 26 Bh6! Qb6 27 Bg7 Rxe2

181

Starting Out: 1 e4!

If 27 ... Bxg7 28 Qxg7 Rf8 29 Rel+ and the black king dare not move as then f8

drops. 28 Bxh8 Re8 29 Qg8+

A long and rather amusing king hunt now begins. 29 ... Ke7 30 Rel+ Kd6 31 Qg3+ Ke5 32 Rel+ Kb4 33 Qel+ Ka4 34 b3+ Ka3 35 Bxf6 1-0

Black resigned rather than allow the curious mate after 35 ... Qxf6 36 Qa5+ Kb2 37 Rbl. Having seen the games above, it won't surprise you that in modern tournament play Black has shown a marked reluctance to take the pawn on d4, or at least to take it immediately.

The Korchnoi Gambit declined Black has two main ways to decline the pawn: in a nutshell, he either fianchetloes on g7, or else tries to counter-attack with ... a7-aS or ... g7-gS, or even combines both pawn moves. We'll start by getting a lesson from a great player on how to defeat the fianchetto line.

Black fianchettoes on g7 Game 52

o G.Kasparov •

E.Bareev

Cannes (rapid) 2001 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 e5

Here we see an alternative move order by Black. 4Ngf3

Adoption by Kasparov is the ultimate seal of approval for any opening variation. 4 ... Nf6

Instead, 4 ... cxd4 avoids the Korchnoi Gambit set-up. Now upon 5 Nxd4 Nf6 White gains a useful space advantage with 6 e5 Nfd7 7 N2f3, so Black normally plays 5 ... Nc6 when 6 BbS! (Diagram 11) is a clever move. If immediately 6 Nxc6 bxc6 7 Bd3, Black can prepare the exchange of lightsquared bishops with ... Qb6 and ...Ba6. Therefore White first of all obliges the black bishop to go to d7: i.e. 6 BbS! Bd7 7 Nxc6 Bxc6 (or 7...bxc6 8 Bd3, leaving the black bishop shut in on d7, when White's plan would still be c2-c4) 8 Bxc6+ bxc6 9 182

The French Defence c4! and White has pressure on the black centre which can be increased with 10 Qa4 etc. Alternatively, 4... Nc6 S BbS transposes to the line above after S... cxd4 6 Nxd4 Bd7 7 Nxc6 etc. Here Black has the extra option of S... dxe4 6 Nxe4 Bd7, but White still has the initiative after 7 dxc5 QaS+ 8 Nc3 BxcS 9 0-0 Nf610 BgS, intending to break up the black kingside with 11 Bxf6. Another anti-Korchnoi Gambit method is 4... a6 (note that 3... a6 4 Ngf3 cS amounts to the same thing) S exdS exdS 6 dxcS BxcS 7 Nb3 Bb6 8 Be2 Nf6 9 0-0 0-0 10 BgS and White has typical pressure against the isolated pawn on dS. 5 eS Nfd7 6 c3 Nc6 7 8d3 Qb6

Black could leave his queen on d8 and play 7... g6 straight away. White can then take advantage of the fact that he hasn't castled (which means the rook is still in an attacking square on hI) with 8 M!? Then 8... Be7 (rather than 8...Bg7 as Black intends to keep the h-file blocked after 9 hS gS) 9 Kfl!? 0-0 10 Kgl f611 exf6 Bxf6 12 NgS! BxgS 13 hxgS Qe714 Nfl eS IS Ne3 Qf716 Ng4 and White had a promising attack in M.Sebag-V.Popov, Cappelle la Grande 2006. 80-0

We have reached the standard position by a different route. 8... g6 (Diagram 12)

Diagram 11 (8)

Diagram 12 (8)

Position after 6 BbS

Black declines the gambit

So Bareev chickens out of taking the d4-pawn - it's difficult to blame him. He hopes that a fianchetto on g7 will allow him to complete his kingside development in peace, after which he can think about gaining play in the centre either by challenging White's space advantage with ... f7-f6 or by pressuring d4 with ... Qb6. 9 dxcS! NxcS 183

Starting Out: 1 e4! If 9 ... Qc7, going after the e5-pawn instead, then 10 Nb3 Bg7 (or 10 ... Ndxe5 11 Nxe5

Nxe5 12 Bf4 with an annoying pin on e5) 11 Nfd4!? Ncxe5 12 Nb5, intending a check on d6, keeps up White's initiative. 10 Nb3!

Excellent judgment: Kasparov relinquishes the bishop pair in order to claim a dark square bind in the centre. 10... Nxd3 11 Qxd3 Bg7 12 Bf4 0-0 13 Qd2! (Diagram 13)

Diagram 13 (8)

Diagram 14 (8)

White lines up Bf4-h6

The knight heads for f6

Do you recall the strength of the 150 Attack against the Pirc? Kasparov aims to eliminate the bishop on g7 as soon as possible to leave the black kingside full of holes. 13 ... Bd7 14 Rfel as 15 Bh6 a416 Bxg7 Kxg7 17 Nbd4

For the moment White consolidates his hold on d4 and e5, and then it will be time for a direct attack on the black king. 17 ... Na5 18 Rabl Ne4 19 Qf4 Qd8 20 h4! h6 21 Qg3 Qe7 22 Ne2!

The knight heads for £4 to join in the kingside assault. 23 ... Kh7 23 Nf4 Rg8 24 Re2 Raf8 25 Rbel Re8 26 Nh2 (Diagram 14)

With the terrible threat of 27 Ng4 and 28 Nf6+. Black has no choice but to weaken his defences in a last bid attempt to save himself with complications. 26 ... g5 27 Nh5 gxh4 28 Qh3 Rg5 29 Nf6+ Kg7 30 f4 Rg6 31 Nhg4 Rh8 32 Nh5+ Kf8 33 Ngf6 Be6 34 Qxh4 a3 35 b3 Nb2 36 Kh2 Qe5 37 Re3

Kasparov sees that it is only the rook on g6 which is holding Black's kingside together. He therefore hurries to exchange it off, when the white knights will be able to wreak havoc.

184

The French Defence 37 •.. d4 38 Rg3 dXc3 39 Rxg6 fxg6 40 Nd7+! Bxd7 41 Qf6+ 1-0

Black can only decide if he wants to be mated on g7 by the knight or queen next move.

Black tries a counter-attack with his pawns Game 53

o S.Rublevsky •

A.Morozevich

Russian Team Championship 2003 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 Be7

An example of the third possible move order: Black puts his bishop immediately one7. 4 Ngf3 Nf6 5 Bd3

The move order 5 e5 Nfd7 6 Bd3 is more usual. Perhaps White wanted to rule out 5 e5 Ne4, though 6 Bd3 Nxd2 7 Bxd2 is then a comfortable edge for White. 5..• c5 6 e5 Nfd7 7 c3 Nc6 8 0-0 g5 (Diagram 15)

Diagram 15 (W)

Diagram 16 (B)

An aggressive-looking thrust

Black's position is full of holes

Rather a frightening move for White to face. His knight is about to be pushed back to el with 9... g4, which is hardly the way to pursue an attack, or even to keep his centre defended. Therefore extreme measures are called for: 9 dxc5!

An ugly-looking move, as Black is allowed to capture on e5, when White's lovely pawn centre is reduced to a stump on c5. On the other hand, it has to be admitted 185

Starting Out: 1 e4!

that 8... g5 is also a very ugly move: once it is stripped of its dynamism it becomes no more than a self-inflicted gash in the black kingside. Furthermore, the 'stump' on c5 will turn out to be the spearhead of an assault on the queenside. And most important of all, White has vacated the d4-square for his knight, which means it no longer has to fear the limbo of el. 9 ... Ndxes

Or 9... g4 10 Nd4 Ndxe5 11 Bb5 Bd7 12 b4 with a similar type of assault brewing to that in the game. 10 Nxes Nxes 11 BbS+ Bd7 12 Bxd7+ Nxd7?

Black should try to mobilize his pieces with 12... Qxd7, intending to castle queenside, though White can still build up an attack with, say, 13 b4 etc. 13 b4 b6 14 c41

Rublevsky plays in vigorous style by gambiting the c5-pawn. In what follows, his sole aim is to break open lines and mate the black king. 14...dxc41S NXc4 bXCS16 Nd6+ Bxd617 Qxd6 Qb61S Qg31 (Diagram 16)

The centre is becoming open and the black king has nowhere safe to run. White's bishop is far superior to the knight as it can co-operate with the queen to wreak havoc on the dark squares, which Black himself has undermined with 8... g5. lS ...cxb4 19 Qxgs QcS 20 Qg3 Nb6 21 Be3 Qe7 22 Racl NdS 23 BcS Qd7 24 Qg7

This looks like the end, though Morozevich finds a way to play on. 24... 0-0-0 25 BfS+ Kb7 26 QxhS QeS

Winning the bishop, but Black is still left the exchange down with an open king. 27 Qxh7 QxfS 2S Rfdl as 29 h4 Kb6 30 Qd3 QhS 31 g3 Qb2 32 a411-0

The pawn which has been sitting unobtrusively on a2 suddenly decides the game. There is no way to prevent a lethal check on b5, as 32 ...bxa3 33 RbI wins the queen. Finally, we should return to the position at move eight in the above sequence and consider the major alternative S...as (Diagram 17). In effect Black argues that he can profitably delay capturing on d4, as White hasn't any way to strengthen his game after 9 ReI cxd410 cxd4 Qb6. In fact, the retreat 11 Nbl! is a highly useful move. It is paradoxical that the knight returning to bl is the way to invigorate White's attack, but after 11...Nxd412 Nxd4 Qxd413 Nc3 (Diagram is), the knight returns to the fray with its eye on the b5-square which, thanks to 8... a5, is a hole in the black queenside. After 13 ... Qb6 one way for White to get a lasting initiative is by 14 Be3!? (or 14 Qg4!?) 14... d4 15 Na4 Qa716 Bf4, intending 17 Qg4 etc. Instead 13 ...Bc514 Be3 Qh415 Bc2!? worked out spectacularly well for White in D.Gormally-G.Quillan, Gibraltar 2005: 15 ...b6?! 16 Nxd5!! exd5

186

The French Defence 17 Qxd5 Ra718 e6 0-019 exf7+! Kh8 20 Bxc5 bxc5 21 Re81-0 as 22 Qxd7 is a winning threat.

Diagram 17 (W) Black plays 8... a5

Diagram 18 (8) White has the initiative

Black avoids the Korchnoi Gambit We have already seen (in the notes to the Kasparov game above) that in some lines of the 3 ... c5 Tarrasch it is possible for Black to sidestep the Korchnoi Gambit set-up. In the final part of this chapter we shall look at two other methods for Black: namely the fairly unusual3 ... Nc6 and the more common 3: .. dxe4.

Bashing the Guimard Variation Game 54

o I.Moiseev •

T.Galinsky

Kiev 2004 1 e4 e6 2 d4 dS 3 Nd2 Nc6

This is the Guimard Variation. It is controversial for Black to block his c-pawn, as in many variations it is regarded as essential to put pressure on d4 with ... c7-c5. 4 Ngf3

White plays the developing moves that we saw above in the Korchnoi Gambit. 4 ... Nf6 S eS Nd7 6 c3

As will be seen, this not only supports d4 again but also clears the way for the white queen to go to a4 with great effect. 187

Starting Out: 1 e4! 6 ...f6

Having no opportunity for ... c7-cS, Black hopes to achieve counterplay with this alternative pawn advance. 7 BbS! (Diagram 19)

Diagram 19 (8)

Diagram 20 (8)

Fighting for eS

Attacking the dark squares

An aggressive and correct response that maintains the pawn on eS. 7 ... fxes 8 dxe5 a6?

This natural move allows White to show up the weakness of the black pawn structure. The alternative 8 ... Be7 is discussed below. 9 Bxe6 bxe6 10 0-0 eS

Guarding the d4-square, but this won't be enough to keep the white knights at bay. 11 Q.a4!

Threatening 12 Qc6, attacking the rook, when 13 Qxe6+ would be unstoppable. 11 ... Bb7

The best chance was l1...aS! 12 Nb3 Ra6 when the rook helps to defend e6. 12 Nb3!

Now Na5 has to be met, which means White gains time for his initiative. 12 ... Rb8 13 Bgs Q.e8

He can't even play 13 ... Be7 because of 14 NxcS!! exploiting the pins on d7 and e7. 14 Q.g4 Nb6 lS Be3 (Diagram 20)

Suddenly c5 is indefensible, as 15 ...c416 Nbd4 Ke717 NgSleads to murder on e6. lS ... Ne416 Bxes Nxb2 17 Bxf8 Kxf8 18 Nes

188

The French Defence Black's defenceless dark squares are easy plunder for the white knights. lS ••• g6 19 Ngs KeS 20 Ngxe6 RgS 21 Qh4 hS 1-0

Returning to the position at move eight, rather than 8... a6, 8...NdxeS? loses a piece as c6 is pinned; but let's look at the alternative S••• Be7. Game 55 V.Kotronias •

o

S.Halkias Greek Championship 2005 1 e4 e6 2 d4 dS 3 Nd2 Nc6 4 Ngf3 Nf6 S eS Nd7 6 c3 f6 7 BbS fxes 8 dxes Be7

A sensible developing move. 9 Nd41? (Diagram 21)

Diagram 21 (B)

Diagram 22 (B)

A tricky knight move

A swift assault

A tricky move to face from the renowned opening expert Kotronias. 9 ••• Nxd4

Critical was 9... NdxeS 10 f4 (or 10 QhS+!?) 1O... a6 (the only move, as Black loses the exchange after 10 ... Nf711 Nxc6, while even worse is 1O ... Nd711 Nxe6 and the queen is trapped) 11 QhS+ and Black must move his king to d7, leaving White with a strong initiative for the pawn, as 11...Kf8 12 fxeS axbS 13 0-0+ wins for White in view of the mate looming on f7-. 10 cxd4 0-0 11 Bd3

The bishop's visit to bS has been successful, as the exchange it provoked on d4 means that eS is secure from attack. Now it is time to aim at a target on the other 189

Starting Out: 1 e4!

side of the board. 11 ... CS?? The defensive 1l ... Rf7 was necessary, though White remains with a formidable space advantage in the centre. 12 QhS (Diagram 22) 12 ... RfS

Black may have missed that, after 12... g613 Bxg6 hxg614 Qxg6+ Kh8 (an honourable draw by repetition?), White has 15 h4!, intending Rh3 and then Qh6+ and Rg3+ with a winning attack. 13 BxfS exfS 14 Qf3 Nf8 15 dxcS 1-0

We do not need to see any more, as Halkias is the whole exchange down for no compensation. Black resigned on move 41.

Black concedes the centre with 3 ... dxe4 Game 56 D G.Vescovi • A.Karpov Sao Paulo (rapid) 2004 1 e4 e6 2 d4 dS 3 Nd2 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Nd7 (Diagram 23)

Diagram 23 (W)

Diagram 24 (W)

The Rubinstein Variation

The Fort Knox Variation

The former World Champion adopts the solid Rubinstein Variation. Instead, the early deployment of the black bishop to c6 with 4... Bd7 5 Nf3 Bc6 (Diagram 24) constitutes the Fort Knox Variation, so named as it is very difficult to crack. There is no violent response that promises White a strong attack; but on the other hand, 190

The French Defence he certainly has the better of it. A possible continuation is 6 Bd3 Nd7 7 0-0 Ngf6 8 Ng3 (it's sensible to avoid exchanges as they will only help Black's cramped position) 8...Be7 9 c4 0-0 10 b3 Bxf3 (if Black delays this capture, White can consider NeS!?) 11 Qxf3 c6l2 Bb2 QaS 13 a3! (again White avoids exchanges, this time by 13... Ba3). We have been following V.Ivanchuk-A.Chernin, Warsaw 2002. With the bishop pair and the lion's share of space in the centre, White can be confident about his chances in the middlegame. 5 Nf3 Ngf6 6 Nxf6+

The exchange of knights wins the eS-square for the other white horse. 6 ... Nxf6 7 c3

A quiet move by White, but extremely poisonous. 7 ... cS

If Black avoids this challenge to White's centre, he ends up in a rather passive position: 7... Be7 8 Bd3 0-0 9 0-0 b610 Qe2 Bb711 Bf4 and White can build up an attack with Radl, Rfel, c3-c4 and NeS. 8 Nes! (Diagram 25)

Diagram 25 (8)

Diagram 26 (8)

A powerful knight

White has full compensation

It looks very strange to move the knight a second time, but then opening theory often defies conventional rules - an idea either works or it doesn't! Incidentally, all great chess players throughout history have been aware of this. Former World Champion Capablanca, an apostle of logic and correctness, once began a game as White with the similar 1 e4 e6 2 d4 dS 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Nd7 S Nf3 Ngf6 6 Nxf6+ Nxf6 7 NeS. After explaining the positional worth of moving the knight to eS in his great work Chess Fundamentals, the Cuban maestro ended by saying 'Generally it is bad to move the same piece twice in the opening before the other pieces are

191

out, and the violation of that principle is the only objection that can be made to this move, which otherwise has everything to recommend it.' In other words: be aware of the principles, but if you need to break them to make a good move, go ahead and break them! It only remains to point out that modern theory regards 7 c3 c5 8 Ne5 (as given here) to be a more precise method of attack for White - but we shouldn't be too harsh on Capablanca, as the aforementioned game was played way back in 1913! 8 ... a6

After 8... Be7 9 Bb5+ Bd7 10 Nxd7 Nxd7 Black has been deprived of the bishop pair. Therefore he guards the b5-square. Or if 8... Nd7?!, 9 Bb5 Bd6 10 Qg4! and Black already felt obliged to give up castling with 10... Kf8 in G.KasparovR.Ponomariov, Linares 2002, as 10... 0-0 loses the exchange to 11 Bxd7 Bxd7 12 Bh6. 9 Bg5!

Black has defended himself against a bishop strike on the queenside, but he is hit by a similar blow on the other wing. There is no entirely satisfactory way to shake off the pin on f6, as after 9...h610 Bh4 g5? 11 Bg3 Black has wrecked any hopes his king might have had of finding a secure haven on the kingside. Or 9... Be710 dxc5 Qxd1+ 11 Rxd1 Bxc5 12 Be2 and White is ready to put pressure on b7 with 13 Bf3 when, despite the exchange of queens, Black is struggling to free his game. 9 ... Qd5!?

Karpov trusts that his active queen and bishop pair will compensate for the damage done next move to his kingside. But the big question is: will his king survive White's initiative? 10 Bxf6 gxf6 11 Nc4 cxd4

Black choose to ignore the fork on b6, and rightly so it seems. After 11 ... Qc612 Be2! (the fact that White can fearlessly develop his pieces is fatal for the black king) 12 ... Rg8 (if 12 ... Qxg2 13 Bf3 Qg514 Nb6 Rb815 Qa4+ is very dangerous for Black) 13 Bf3 Qc714 0-0 cxd4 15 Qxd4 Rb8 16 Radl, White built up a winning attack in S.Vysochin-Y.Kruppa, Kyiv 2006. 12 Nb6 Qe4+ 13 Be2 Rb8

The only move, as 13 ... Qxg2 14 Bf310ses a rook. 140-0 dxc3 15 bXc3 (Diagram 26)

White's attacking chances against the black king give him full compensation for the pawn. 15 ... Bc5 16 Rbi Qc6?

The cold blooded 16... 0-0 was called for, as after 17 Bf3 Qf4 18 Nxc8 Black has 18 ...b5!!, when he can pick up the trapped knight without dropping the b7-pawn. Of course White has other attacking options, such as 17 Bd3!? 17 Bf3

192

I ndex of Va riations

Now White's onslaught grows in strength, as both the black queen and king are targets. 17 ... Qc718 Qa4+ Ke7 If 18 ... Bd7 19 Nxd7 Qxd7 20 Bc6! and wins. 19 Qa5 Bd6 20 Rfe1 Bxh2+? An unfortunate pawn snatch, but Black was already in bad shape.

21 Kh1 Be5 (Diagram 27)

Diagram 27 (W) White to play and win

Or else 22 g3 will trap the bishop. It looks as if Black has blocked of the attack, but... 22 Nd5+I1-0 An abrupt finish. After 22 ...exdS 23 Qxc7+ the queen is lost. I hope all your efforts to attack with 1 e4 end as successfully, especially when playing World Champions!

193

Index of Variations

Open Games 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6

2.. .£5 - Game 1

2... d5-Game2 2... d6 3 d4 (3 Bc4 - Game 3) 3 ... Qe7 - Game 4 3... Nf6 4 Nc3 Nbd7 - Game 5 3... exd44 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 Be7 6 g3 6 ... 0-0 - Game 6 6... d5 - Game 7 2... Nf63 Nxe5 d6 4 Nf3 Nxe4 5 Nc3 5... Nxc3 - Game 8 5... Nf6 - Game 9 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6

4... Qh4 - Game 10

4 ... Bc5 5 Nxc6 Qf6 6 Qf3 Qxf3 7 gxf3 bxc6 8 Be3 - Game 11

8 Rgl- Game 12 5 Nxc6 bxc6 6 eS Qe7 7 Qe2 NdS 8 c4

8... Nb6 - Game 13

8... Ba6 - Game 14 194

Index of Complete Games

The Sicilian 1 e4c5 2 Nf3

2 ... d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 a6

5 ... Nc6 6 Bg5 e6 7 Qd2 7 ... Be7 - Game 15 7 ... a6 - Game 16 5 ...e6 6 Be3 6 ... a6 - 5 ... a6 6 Be3 e6 6 ... Nc6 7 £4 e5 - Game 18 6 ... Be7 7 £4 Nc6 8 Be2

8 ...0-090-0 a610 a4 - 5 ... a6 6 Be3 e6 8 ...Bd7 - Game 17 5 ... g6 6 Be3 Bg7 7 £3 0-0 8 Qd2 Nc6 9 0-0-0 9 ... Nxd4 - Game 22 9 ...Bd7 - Game 23 9 ... d5 - Game 24 6 Be3 e6

6 ... Ng4 - Game 20

6 ... e5 - Game 21 7 Be2 Be7 8 a4 Nc6 9 0-0 0-0 10 f4 - Game 19 2... Nc6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6

4 ... e5 - Game 28 4 ... e6 - 2 ... e6 3 d4 cxd44 Nxd4 Nc6 5 Nc3 e5

5 ... d6 - 2 ... d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 N£6 5 Nc3 Nc6 6 NdbS d6 7 Bg5

(or 2 ... e6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 N£6 5 Nc3 Nc6 6 Ndb5 d6 7 Bf4 e5 8 Bg5) 7...a6 8 Na3 b5 9 Nd5 Be7 10 Bxf6 Bxf6 11 c3

11...0-0 - Game 25 11...Bb7 - Game 26 1l ... Bg5 - Game 27

195

Starting Out: 1 e4! 2... e6 3 d4 exd4 4 Nxd4 Ne6

4 ... a6 S Bd3 - Game 33 4 ... Nf6 S Nc3 S... d6 - 2... d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4 Nf6 5 Nc3 e6 S ... Nc66 Ndb5 d6 7 Bf4 eS 8 BgS - 2 ... Nc6 S... Bb4 - Game 34 5 Ne3 Qe7

S... a6 6 Nxc6 - Game 29 6 Be3 a6 7 Qd2 Nf6 8 0-0-0 Bb4

8...b5 - Game 30 9f3

9... Ne7 - Game 31 9 ... Ne5 - Game 32

Alekhine's Defence 1 e4 Nf6 2 eS NdS 3 d4 d6 4 e4 Nb6 5 exd6

S... cxd6 - Game 35 S...exd6 - Game 36

Caro-Kann Defence 1 e4 e6 2 d4 ds 3 exds exds 4 e4 Nf6 5 Ne3

S... g6 - Game 37 S... Nc6 6 BgS - Game 38 S... e6 6 Nf3

6 ...Bb4 - Game 39 6 ... Be7 - Game 40

Scandinavian Defence 1e4dS

1...Nc6 2 d4 dS 3 exdS QxdS 4 Nf3 Bg4 S Be2 - Game 45 2 exds Nf6

196

Index of Complete Games

2 ... Qxd5 3 Nc3 Qa5 4 d4 N£6 5 Bd2 - Game 41 3 Nf3 NxdS

3 ... Qxd5 4 d4 Bg4 5 Be2 - 1...Nc6 4d4

4 ...B£5 - Game 42 4... g6 - Game 43 4... Bg4 - Game 44

Pirc, Modern and Other Defences le4g6

1...a6168 1 ... b6 - Game 48

1...d6 2 d4 N£6 3 Nc3 3 ... e5 4 Nc3 Nbd7 -1. e4 e5 2 Nf3 d63 d4 Nf6 4 Nc3 Nbd7 3 ... g6 4 Be3 Bg7 - Game 46 2 d4 Bg7

2 ... d63 Nc3 3 .. .Nf6 - 1...d6 2 d4 Nf6 3 Nc3 g6 3 ... c6 4 Be3 - Game 47 3 Nc3

3... d6 4 Be3 Nf6 - 1...d6 2 d4 N£6 3 Nc3 g6 4 Be3 Bg7 3 ...c6 4 Be3 d5 167 3 ... c5167

French Defence le4e62d4dS3Nd2Nffi

3 ... dxe4 - Game 56 3 ... Nc64 Ngf3 Nf6 5 e5 Nd7 6 c3 f6 7 Bb5 fxe5 8 dxe5

8... a6 - Game 54 8 ... Be7 - Game 55 3 ...Be74 Ngf3 N£6 5 e5 Nfd7 6 Bd3 c5 7 c3 Nc6 - Game 53 3 ... c5 4 Ngf3

197

Starting Out: 1 e4!

4 ... Nf65 e5 Nfd7 6 c3 Nc6 7 Bd3 - 3... Nf6 4... cxd45 Nxd4 182 4... Nc6 5 Bb5 183 4... a6 5 exd5183 4 e5 Nfd7 5 Bd3 c5 6 c3 Nc6 7 Ngf3 Qb6

7... Be7 - 3... Be7 80-0cxd4

8 ... g6 - Game 52 9 cxd4 Nxd4 10 Nxd4 Qxd4 11 Nf3 Qb6 12 Qa4 Qb4 12 ...Be7 - Game 49 13QC2

13 ... Be7 - Game 50 13 ... Qc5 - Game 51

198

Index of Complete Games

Index of Complete Games

Adams.M-Kurajica.B, European Club Cup, Izmir 2004 .................................... 15 Adams.M-Rocha.S, French League 2005 .............................................................. 90 Adams.M-Santo Roman.M, French League 2004 ............................................. 127 Adams.M-Topalov.V, Wijk aan Zee 2006 ............................................................ 70 Anand.V-Leko.P, Wijk aan Zee 2006 .................................................................... 77 Anand.V-Morovic Fernandez.!, Sao Paulo (rapid) 2004 ................................. 110 Anand.V-Timman.J, Wijk aan Zee 2004 .............................................................. 55 Anand.V-Van Wely.L, Wijk aan Zee 2006 ......................................................... 102 Berg.E-Campos Moreno.J, Soller 2006 ................................................................. 65 Cheparinov.I-Bruned.B, Andorra la Vella 2004 .................................................. 75 Davies.N-Wall.G, British League 2005 ................................................................. 23 De Firmian.N-Bleis.C, Copenhagen 2005 ............................................................ 87 Degraeve.J.M-Lukov.V, Cappelle la Grande 2002 ........................................... 180 Dirr.U-Carstens.A, Bundesliga 1992 ................................................................... 163 Dolzhikova.K-Ianovsky.A, Kiev 2005 ................................................................. 13 Georgiev.Ki-Ward.C, Gibraltar 2005 .................................................................... 83 Greco.G-anonymous, Europe 1620 ....................................................................... 14 Grischuk.A-Bauer.C, French League 2005 ......................................................... 149 Grischuk.A-Geller.J, Russian Team Championship 2004 ............................... 116 Ivanchuk.V-Kamsky.G, Wijk aan Zee 2006 ...................................................... 118 Karjakin.S-Malinin.V, Sudak 2002 ...................................................................... 33 Kasparov.G-Bareev.E, Cannes (rapid) 2001 ....................................................... 182

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Starting Out: 1 e4!

Kasparov.G-Lautier.t Moscow (rapid) 2002 ..................................................... 105 Kasparov.G-Shirov.A, Horgen 1994 ........................................................... ........ 100 Kotronias.V-Halkias.S, Greek Championship 2005 ......................................... 189 Lane.G-Wojnar.M, Queenstown 2006 .................................................................... 9 Lapshun.Y-Adamson.R, US Championship, San Diego 2004 ......................... 157 Leko.P-Polgar.J, FIDE World Championship, San Luis 2005 .......................... 115 Leko.P-Radjabov.T, Morelia 2006 ......................................................................... 98 Liss.E-Yudasin.L, Israeli Championship 1998 ................................................... 142 Lyell.M-Arkell.K, Coventry 2004 ....................................................................... 135 Mekhitarian.K-Arencibia.W, Buenos Aires 2005 ............................................. 164 Moiseev.I-Galinsky.T, Kiev 2004 ....................................................................... 187 Motylev.A-Koneru.H, Wijk aan Zee 2006 ............................................................ 30 Naiditsch.A-Timman.J, 1st match game, Dortmund 2002 ............................... 130 Nielsen.P.H-Milliet.S, French League 2004 ...................................................... 138 Nisipeanu.L-Hracek.Z, Bundesliga 2004 ............................................................. 60 Radjabov.T-Karjakin.S, Dos Hermanas 2005 ..................................................... 41 Radjabov.T-Stromer.A, Mainz (rapid) 2005 .................................................. .... 170 Rasik.V-Laznicka.V, Czech Championship 2004 ............................................. 178 Ross.C-Johansen.H, Zakopane (blind olympiad) 2000 .................................... 122 Rublevsky.S-Geller.t Russian Team Championship 2004 ............................... 44 Rublevsky.S-Morozevich.A, Russian Team Championship 2003 ................. 185 Saltaev.M-Bednorz.A, Porz 1989 ........................................................................ 177 Savchenko.B-Georgiev.Kir, Moscow 2006 .......................................................... 36 Shirov.A-Klinova.M, Gibraltar 2006 ......................................................... ........... 20 Spraggett.K-Khedkar.J, Winnipeg 2004 ............................................................... 53 Sutovsky.E-Arakhamia.K, Gibraltar 2005 ......................................................... 113 Svidler.P-Dreev.A, Russian Championship, Elista 1997 ................................. 154 Timofeev.A-Eliet.N, Cap pelle la Grande 2004 .................................................. 144 Timofeev.A-Nisipeanu.L, Skanderborg 2005 ..................................................... 25 Topalov.V-Kamsky.G, Wijk aan Zee 2006 ......................................................... 151 Tseshkovsky.V-Giertz.N, BieI2004 ...................................................................... 27 Tseshkovsky.V-Morozevich.A, Russian Championship, Moscow 2004 ........ 39 VescovLG-Karpov.A, Sao Paulo (rapid) 2004 ................................................... 190 Vuckovic.B-Vukanovic.S, Bar 2005 .................................................................... 152

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