1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.c3 Nf6 4.g3 Black is not yet threatening the e-pawn, as 4 ... Nxe4?? runs into 5 Qa4+. However, 4 g3 is not particularly congruous with 3 c3, as the idea of building a big pawn center is immediately scuttled. More common are 4 Be2, and 4 h3 followed by 5 Bd3 (the Kopec System). 4...Nc6 5.d3 g6 6.Bg2 Bg7 7.0-0 0-0 8.h3 I would prefer 8 Re1 to prevent Black's next. 8...c4 9.Na3 cxd3 10.Qxd3 Nd7 An active move which is better than the routine 10...Bd7 11.Rd1 Qc8 12.Kh2.

11.Rd1 Nc5 12.Qe2 12 Qc2 can also be played - on 12 ... f5 13 Ng5 is a good answer, as 13 ... h6 can be met by 14 Be3! 12...b6 An enterprising move which should turn out ok. Again, 12 ... f5 seems to merely weaken Black's position. 13.Bg5

Nick Dorobanov gives the following variations after the challenging move 13 e5 - "13.e5?! Ba6 A) 14.Nb5 Bxe5 (14...d5÷) 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.Bh6 Re8 (16...Bxb5 17.Qxb5 Re8 18.Bf4 Qd7 19.Qxd7 Nexd7 20.Bxa8 Rxa8) 17.Bxa8 Qxa8 18.f4 Nf3+! (18...Qf3 19.Qxf3 Nxf3+ 20.Kf2 Bxb5 21.Kxf3 Bc6+ 22.Ke3=) 19.Kf1 (19.Kf2 Ne4+! 20.Ke3 Nxg3 21.Qxf3 Nf5+ 22.Kf2 Qxf3+ 23.Kxf3 Bxb5 24.Bg5 h6-+) 19...Ne4 20.Qd3 Nxg3+ 21.Kf2 Nf5; B) 14.Qc2 Bxe5! 15.Nxe5 Nxe5 16.Bxa8 Qxa8;"

Nick also mentions 13 c4 as possibly White's best. 13...Ba6 13 ... h6 was indicated here, while Black had the chance. Also the simple 13 ... Bb7 should be considered. 14.Qe3 f6 A move motivated by the sudden twin menaces of 15 b4 and 15 e5. 15.b4 Better was 15.Bh6 Bxh6 16.Qxh6 Ne5 17.Nd4 with a slight edge. Yee decides to use his threat of b2-b4, rather than holding it in abeyance, becuase of the resulting tactical possibilities. 15...fxg5 16.bxc5 bxc5 17.Nxg5 Qa5 18.Nb1 Probably White should play the main idea with 18.e5 Nxe5 19.Bxa8 Rxa8 although Black clearly has good compensation for the Exchange. 18...Qa4 Beginning the process of shoring up Black's light-square weaknesses. 19.Nd2 Nd4?!

Dorobanov later criticized this move, preferring instead 19 ... Bc8, slowly but surely consolidating his middlegame edge. 20.cxd4 Bxd4 21.Qb3+ Qxb3 22.Nxb3 Not 22.axb3 Rxf2 22...Bxa1 23.Rxa1 c4 24.Nd4 Rab8 25.Nc6 Black still seems to have good chances in the endgame, because of the monster c-pawn. Possibly defensive measures with 25 Nge6! Rfc8 26 Bf1 Rb6 27 Rc1 would have been better. 25...Rb2 26.f4 c3 27.e5 Bd3 Driving home the point about the c-pawn. Ineffective would be 27...Rxg2+?! 28.Kxg2 Bb7 29.Rc1 Bxc6+ 30.Kh2, and 27...c2 is met by 28.Be4.

28.Bd5+ Kh8 29.Nd4 c2 30.Nxc2 Bxc2 Finally Black is up a clean Exchange. 31.exd6 exd6 32.Re1 Rb1 33.Rxb1 Bxb1 34.Kf2 Rb8 35.Bb3 Bxa2 36.Bxa2 Rb2+ 37.Ke3 Rxa2 38.Nf7+ Kg7 39.Nxd6 Ra3+ 40.Kf2 a5