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The lines 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 Bb5+ and 1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bb5 are
nice alternatives for White to the grueling Open Sicilian 3 d4. It is generally felt that White has more of a chance for a lasting advantage where he has played Bb5 after 2 ... Nc6, as in the 2 ... d6 lines, 3 Bb5+ can
be met with the relatively more neutralizing 3 ... Bd7. See the following. |
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(10) Judit Polgar - Zsuzsa Polgar [B50]
Reshevsky Memorial New York, 06.1992
[Rohde, M.: Bb5]
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Avoiding Zsuzsa's expertise in the Sveshnikov and Taimanov variations. Judit also plays the Taimanov as Black, although she exclusively uses the 2 ... e6 move order. 3...e6 4.0-0 Nge7 This is the standard follow-up to 3 ... e6. 5.c3 A strong move which has been long overlooked. The idea is to develop a Ruy Lopez pawn center with d2-d4 and let the bishop drop back to c2; Black's awkwardly placed minors might then give her problems. The old move is 5 b3, trying to utilize the long diagonal. Then Black's best is probably 5 ... Nd4! 6 Nxd4 cxd4 7 Bb2 a6! (Better than 7 ... Nc6 8 c3 Bc5 9 Qh5.) 8 Bd3 Nc6 with equality. A sharper alternative, inviting White to complete her plan, is, after 5 b3, 5 ... a6 6 Bxc6 Nxc6 7 Bb2 b5 8 d4 cxd4 9 Nxd4 Bb7 or 9 ... Qf6!? 5...a6 6.Ba4 b5 A radical way to stop d2-d4 is 6 ... c4!? as tried in Psakhis - Rohde from the 6th round of this event. One of the ideas is illustrated by 7 Qe2 b5 8 Bc2 Ng6 9 b3 Bc5! 10 bxc4 Nf4, etc. In the game Psakhis played the uninspiring 7 d4 cxd3 8 Qxd3, obtaining little. More dangerous would have been 7 Bc2! followed by 8 b3. 7.Bc2 d5 8.e5 White plans on getting a nice Advance French with d2-d4 next where Black's ... a6 and ... b5 are irrelevant compared to White's secure center and kingside space advantage. Zsuzsa correctly prevents this possibility. 8...d4 9.Be4 Nd5 Perhaps Black can dispense with this and simply play 9 ... g6. Now White develops irritating pressure. 10.a4 Rb8 11.axb5 axb5 12.Qc2 h6 13.cxd4 Nxd4 14.Nxd4 cxd4 15.d3 Bb7 16.Qe2 g6 Seemingly risky, but White would be very happy after 16 ... Be7 17 Nd2. The text provides needed counterplay against the e-pawn. 17.Nd2 Bg7 18.Nb3 Eyeing c5 and a5. It would be tough to make forward progress on the mundane 18 Nf3 Qb6. 18...Bxe5 Typical of Zsuzsa's practical style: she eliminates her positional disadvantage, figuring she has better equity in a tactical battle. 19.Bxg6 Of course not 19 Nc5? Bxh2+. The text is the beginning of a campaign to break down the e6 square. 19...Qd6 20.f4 Nxf4 Again seeking the most complicated route. But Black's position would finally have been cohesive after the judicious retreat 20 ... Bg7. Then after 21 Be4 an interesting positional problem arises. Black doesn't want to allow f4-f5, so she should play 21 ... f5 22 Bf3 O-O 23 Bd2 Rfe8, after which she is ready for e6-e5. The point is that the Black pawn on f5 stops White from sealing the e-file with her bishop on e4. 21.Bxf7+ Ke7 Not 21 ... Kxf7? 22 Bxf4 Bxf4 23 Rxf4+ Qxf4 24 Rf1 and the White queen and knight combo will be deadly. 22.Bxf4 Bxf4 23.Rxf4 Judit breaks through on e6 after all, at the cost of the Exchange. At first, White's threats seem overwhelming, but she has to watch out for potential queen exchanges and threats on the long diagonal. 23...Qxf4 24.Qxe6+ Kf8 25.Re1 Qg5 In turn, each sister threatens total destruction. 26.g3 Rd8 The threat was 27 Re5, and 26 ... Kg7 would not have helped. But the text prepares the vicious sequence 27 Re5 Bc8! and wins! Note also that if White tries instead 27 Rf1, then 27 ... Kg7 is strong as 28 ... Qe3+ is coming. 27.Bg6 Bd5 28.Nxd4 Amazingly, on 28 Rf1+? Kg7 29 Rf7+ Kg8 White has overreached. But now, with her queen in a hlding pattern (i.e., still hovering on e6), 28 ... Rg8 is refuted by 29 Rf1+ Kg7 30 Nf5+ Kh8 31 Qe5+. So Black must exchange. 28...Bxe6 29.Nxe6+ Kg8 30.Nxg5 hxg5 31.Re5 Judit has 2 pawns for the Exchange, and intends to clean out her opponent's remaining pawns. Zsuzsa scrambles for counterplay. 31...Rc8 32.d4 Rc1+ 33.Kg2 Rd1 The arrival of the rook on the seventh rank ensures the draw. 34.Rxg5 Rd2+ 35.Kf3 Rhxh2 36.Bd3+ Kf7 37.Ke3 Rxb2 38.Bxb5 Kf6 39.Rc5 Rb3+ 40.Bd3 Rh1 41.Rf5+ Ke6 42.Rf3 Kd5 43.Rf5+ Kd6 44.Rf6+ Kd5 1/2-1/2
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