The King's Indian Formula

(Playing to Win with the King's Indian Defense)

Christiansen,Larry (2560) - Tate,Emory (2395) [E80] NY Open (7), 1997

1.c4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.d4 d6 4.Nc3 Nf6

After a little jockeying, we have arrived at the King's Indian.

5.f3 Na6 6.Bg5

When Black does not pressure the d4 square, it can be good to

place the bishop on g5 rather than e3. In this case, Christiansen will

earn a free hit against the Black pawn that ends up on h6.

c5 7.d5 h6 8.Be3 e6 9.Nge2 exd5 10.cxd5 Bd7 11.Nc1

c1 is a very unusual spot for a knight, but in this line the

knight just wants to stay out of trouble. 11 Ng3 would definitely

invite Tate to march his h-pawn up the board!

Nc7 12.Be2 b5 13.Qd2 b4 14.Nd1 0-0 15.0-0

Not 15 Bxh6 Nxe4! 16 fxe4 Qh4+ with a great position for Black.

This is why 13 ... b4 was played: White is stopped from capturing on

e4 with his knight.

Kh7 16.Nf2 a5 17.a4!

Blunting the effectiveness of Black's queenside pieces and

building a cozy home for the light-squared bishop on c4.

Qe7 18.Bc4 Rae8 19.Re1

Preparations are being made for the big push with f3-f4. For now,

at least, Black's queenside majority is going nowhere.

Na8 20.Ncd3 Nb6 21.Qc2

DIAGRAM

Rc8

Correct was 21 ... Nxc4 followed by trying to circle Black's

light-squared bishop around to a6.

22.b3!

If this move works tactically, then White has solidified a

tremendous positional advantage, as the bishop on c4 cannot be

disposed of without giving White a tremendous center.

Nxc4 23.bxc4 Nxd5 24.exd5 Bxa1 25.Bxh6 Qf6

DIAGRAM

26.Ne4!

Christiansen's intent was not to recover the Exchange and let

Black's dark-squared bishop rule, but to harass the Black queen and

destroy his queenside.

Qd4+ 27.Be3 Qg7 28.Nxd6 Rb8 29.Nxc5 Rfd8 30.Qf2 Bc3 31.Nce4!!

From their advanced posts, the knights suddenly turn their

attention to the kingside. On this second Exchange sacrifice 31 ...

Bxe1 32 Qxe1, there is no stopping moves like Qe1-h4+ and Ne4-f6+.

Ba1 32.Nxf7 g5 33.Nexg5+ Kg8 34.Qh4 Rdc8 35.Nh6+ Kf8 36.Qf4+ 1-0

The King's Indian Defence arises after, for example, 1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7

Now White has a tremendous number of choices. The most important are the

following:

4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 (the Classical)

4 e4 d6 5 f4 (the Four Pawns Attack)

4 e4 d6 5 f3 (the Saemisch)

4 e4 d6 5 Be2 O-O 6 Bg5 (the Averbach)

4 g3 (the Fianchetto)

A great feature of the King's Indian is that Black can play the above

moves in response to almost any move order, such as 1 Nf3, 1 c4, 1 d4

followed by 2 Nf3, etc., that White chooses, other than 1 e4. Thus,

the King's Indian Defence forms a complete repertoire against all

queenside-type openings by White.

*****************************************

Tate - A. Ivanov

chicago, 1996

1.c4 g6 2.Nc3 Bg7 3.d4 c5 4.d5 d6

Ivanov declines the invitation to play the controversial 4 ...

Bxc3+ 5 bxc3 f5, subject of extensive analysis by Dzindzihashvili in one of his

"Roman Forum" videotapes.

5.e4 e6 6.dxe6

A sharp treatment, looking to get in an early Bc1-f4 if 6 ... Bxe6.

6...Bxc3+ 7.bxc3 fxe6 8.h4!?

Tate has no problem playing this type of move.

8...Nf6 9.h5 Nxh5 10.Nf3 Nc6?!

[No good is 10...Qf6 11.e5 dxe5 12.Bg5, but one decent defence is

10...e5! 11.Bg5 Qc7! 12.Be2 Bg4! - in this manner Black makes sure that White

does not get to hit the h5 knight with his bishop on e2 - in this line 11 ...

Nf6 is weak because of 12.Nxe5 Qe7 13.Nxg6 Qxe4+ 14.Qe2]

11.Bg5 Qc7 12.Be2 e5??

[Things were already getting wobbly, but 12...Qg7 to shore up the

kingside and induce White to castle (because of the threat to c3) would have

been interesting. Then a strange possibility is 13 O-O Kd7!? 14 Qd2 Kc7 15 Rfd1

Qf8 and White is for choice.]

13.Nh4

Now if the h5 knight retreats, g6 falls.

Rf8 14.Bxh5 gxh5 15.Qxh5+ Rf7 16.Nf3 Be6 17.Bh4

Crisply dealing with the situation.

Bxc4 18.Ng5 Qa5 19.Rh3 Nd4 20.Nxf7 Bxf7 21.Qg5 Kd7 22.Qe7+ Kc6 23.Rb1 Nc2+

24.Kd2

1 - 0

Traditionally, after the New York Open, the Marshall Chess Club

holds a very strong blitz tournament. This year, I faced the tough GM

Vadim Milov in the Marshall Blitz. Milov turned a hedgehog / Queen's

Indian type of position into a King's Indian and then embarked on a

typical King's Indian attack.

Rohde - Milov

Marshall Blitz April 1997, 1997

1.Nf3 c5 2.c4 Nf6 3.Nc3 b6 4.e3

A pet line against the Hedgehog. One possibility is 4 ... Bb7 5 d4

cxd4 6 exd4 e6 7 a3 (preventing ... Bb4 and thus preparing to shut off

the Black bishop by d4-d5). Then after 7 ... d5, great complications

can arise after 8 cxd5 Nxd5 9 Ne5 a6 10 Qf3.

4...g6!

A good reaction. Black suddenly treats the position like a King's

Indian, where the move e2-e3 is not very effective.

5.d4 Bg7 6.Be2 0-0 7.0-0 d6

Still avoiding the placement of his bishop on b7, which would only

be greeted by d4-d5.

8.a3 Na6 9.Re1 Bb7

Finally drawing forward the White d-pawn. The alternative was 9 ...

Bf5.

10.d5 Nc7 11.e4 e5

Achieving a position with potential counterplay. If 12 dxe6 Nxe6 is

satisfactory, and otherwise Black now plays it like a King's Indian,

ignoring the fact that he has wasted time with his queen's bishop.

12.b4 Bc8 13.Rb1?!

Correct was 13 Nd2, stopping the Black knight from traveling to h5.

13...Nh5 14.g3 f5 15.exf5 gxf5 16.Qc2

Covering the c3 knight so that now White has the possibility of

Nf3xe5.

16...Nf6

Allowing White to dictate the tempo. Better was 16 ... Qe8.

17.Nh4 Qe8! 18.bxc5 bxc5 19.Nxf5

I thought that the resulting position, in which I have the two

bishops, would favor me. Possibly the preparatory 19 Bf1 was better.

19...Bxf5 20.Qxf5 Nfxd5 21.Qc2 Nxc3 22.Qxc3 e4

Now Black gets to use the d4 outpost.

23.Qe3 Bd4 24.Qg5+ Kh8 25.Be3 Ne6 26.Qd5

The position is unclear.

26...Qg6 27.Bh5 Qf6 28.Qxe4 Ng5 29.Qg2 Bxe3 30.Rxe3

Looks logical, but this is a blunder. After 30 fxe3! Qf5 31 Kh1 Nh3

32 g4, Black's activity just balances White's pawn up.

30...Nh3+ 31.Kh1 Nxf2+ 32.Kg1 Qd4 33.Rbe1 Nd3

If 34 Re2 Qa1+ mops up.

0 - 1

The "Shirazi Indian" features ... Bc8-f5 on the 3rd or 4th move. The greatest exponent of

this system is the creative International Master Kamran Shirazi.

This system complements the repertoire of a King's Indian player,

and often throws the White player off prepared theory.

The 2 related systems are:

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 d6 3 Nc3 Bf5

(note that this radically stops the move e2-e4 for now), and

1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 g6 3 c4 d6 4 Nc3 Bf5

(here Black plays the ... Bc8-f5 move in a true King's Indian with

2 ... g6, where White cannot respond with f2-f3 as his knight is

already on that square).

I. White plays 4 f3

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Bf5 4.f3

[This is a critical continuation.]

e5! 5.e4

[5 dxe5 is not very strong as White's center is broken up. An important

line is 5 d5 e4 (forced - Black cannot allow White to gain time with 6

e4) and now White can win a pawn with 6 g4!? Bg6 7 g5, but Black has

compensation in White's messed-up pawn structure.]

exd4 6.Qxd4 Be6 7. b3

[7.Bg5 Be7 8.b3 0-0 9.Nge2 was tried in Morovic Fernandez - Shirazi, NY

Open 1988, but the bishop does not exert any pressure on g5, and Black

would have been fine with 9 ... h6 10 Bh4 Nc6 11 Qd2 Ne5, as the knight

can always drop back comfortably to g6.]

7 ... g6

[In Browne - Shirazi, US Champ 1986, the extravagant a5 8.Bb2 Be7

9.Nge2 Nc6 10.Qd2 a4 11.Nd5 0-0 12.Nef4 Bxd5 13.Nxd5 Nxd5 14.cxd5 Ne5

15.Be2 was played, and White's space advantage gave and two bishops

gave him the advantage.]

8. Bb2

[Now in Kouatly - Fedorowicz, Brussels 1987, Black chased the queen

away with 8 ... Nc6 9.Qd2 Bg7 10.Nge2 0-0 11.Ng3 h5 with a reasonable

game; the White knight on g3 does not make a favorable impression. In

Dlugy - Shirazi, US Champ. 1986, Black again chose 8 ... Bg7 9.Qd2

a5!? 10.Nge2 a4 11.Rd1 axb3 12.axb3 0-0 13.e5 Ne8 14.exd6 Qxd6 15.Ne4

Qe7 16.Bxg7 Nxg7 17.Qg5 Qxg5 getting to a rough equality.]

The 4 f3 line really does not have that much punch.

Another reason to hesitate in placing the bishop on f5 is the move 4

g3 - the White bishop on g2 will radiate power.

II. White plays 4 g3

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Bf5 4.g3 e5

[Again it is necessary to distract White with this move.]

5.Bg2

[In Browne - Ivkov, New York Open 1988, the amazing sequence 5.d5 h5

6.Bg2 h4 7.e4 h3 transpired. After 8.Bf3 Bg6 9.Bg5 Nbd7 10.Qa4 Bh5

11.Qb5, play was very complicated.]

exd4 6.Qxd4 Nc6 7.Qd2

[White bases his play on the d5 outpost for his minor pieces.]

g6 8.Nh3 Bg7 9.Nf4 0-0 10.0-0 Re8 11.f3 Ne5 12.b3 g5!?

This was D. Gurevich - Shirazi, New York Open 1987. Shirazi was able

to hold the balance after 13.Nfd5 Nxd5 14.cxd5 g4 15.fxg4 Bxg4 16.Bb2

Bh5 17.h3 c5 18.dxc6 bxc6 19.Rf2 d5.

III. The unsound 4 e4

In Bonin - Fedorowicz, Lloyds Bank, 1987, the overly agressive

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Bf5 4.e4?!

was tried. White does get the pawn back, but Black obtains a very

strong pawn center -

4 ... Bxe4 5.Nxe4 Nxe4 6.Qf3 d5 7.Qb3 e6 8.Qxb7 Nd7 9.c5 Be7 10.Nf3

0-0 11.Be2 Rb8

Now White fell into a trap -

12.Qc6 Ndxc5 13.dxc5 Nxc5 14.Be3 Rb6

White loses his queen.

IV. Bg5 systems

Bg5 systems do not seem that impressive to me:

Alburt - Shirazi, US Champ. 1986

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Bf5 4.Bg5

[I do not like this move when Black has not made any commitments yet

with his king bishop. For example, after Black connects his knights,

Black can play ... h7-h6 and after Bg5-h4, play ... g7-g5 in one

stroke, followed by a fianchetto. Similarly, if you know your opponent

is partial to the "Torre", a good system is 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 d6!, as 3

Bg5 Nbd7 is not that effective for White.]

Nbd7 5.Nf3 h6 6.Bh4 c6 7.e3 Qb6 8.Qd2 e5

[Black has reacted well. By playing 7 ... Qb6 before moving his e-pawn,

there never was a pin, and thus White was not given the opportunity to push

his e-pawn to e4. Now Alburt decided to mix it up.]

9.c5 Qc7 10.cxd6 Bxd6 11.dxe5 Nxe5 12.Bxf6 Nxf3+ 13.gxf3 gxf6 14.Bd3

Be6 15.0-0-0 0-0-0

Black has a good game.

Whitehead,J - Shirazi, New York Open 1987

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Bf5 4.Nf3 g6 5.Bg5

[Here Black has committed with 4 ... g6, so the bishop placement on g5

acts like a type of Torre against the King's Indian.

Bg7 6.e3 c5 7.Be2 Ne4 8.Nxe4 Bxe4 9.0-0 Qb6

Black does not have any problems. The play was very similar in the

following game -

Garcia Gonzales,G - Rohde, New York Open 1988

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.c4 g6 4.Nc3 Bf5 5.Bg5 Bg7 6.e3 h6 7.Bh4 0-0 8.h3

c5 9.Bd3 Bxd3 10.Qxd3 Nc6

With easy equality.

V. The Normal System with Nf3, g3

Eingorn,V (2570) - Rohde,M (2555) [E61] Saint John op-1 ;CBM 06, 1988

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.c4 g6 4.Nc3 Bf5 5.g3 c6

[Shirazi prefers the immediate 5 ... Ne4, but 5 ... c6 is better - see

Christiansen - Shirazi below.]

6.Bg2 Ne4 7.0-0

[As the f5-bishop stops White from utilizing the b-file, there is not

enough justification for allowing White's pawns to be doubled. White

could consider 7 Nxe4 Bxe4 8 O-O Bg7 9 Bh3!? trying to isolate the

Black bishop on e4. For these reasons, the correct way for Black to

play is to delay ... Ne4, for example 6 ... Bg7 7 O-O O-O 8 b3 (there

is no more useful move) Ne4 9 Bb2.]

Nxc3 8.bxc3 Bg7 9.Nd2 0-0 10.e4 Bc8 11.a4 c5 12.Nb3 Nc6 13.a5 Rb8

14.Be3 b6 15.axb6 axb6 16.e5 Bb7 17.exd6 exd6 18.Bf4 cxd4 19.cxd4 Ne7

½-½

Kogan,B (2465) - Shirazi,K (2450) [A53] USA-ch ;CBM 03, 1986

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Bf5 4.Nf3 g6 5.g3 Ne4 6.Nxe4 Bxe4 7.Bg2 Bg7

8.0-0 0-0 9.Be3 c5 10.Nh4

[This exchange of bishops gives White nothing. See Christiansen's

treatment in the next game.]

Bxg2 11.Nxg2 Qb6 12.dxc5 dxc5 13.Rb1 Rd8 14.Qc1 Nc6 15.Nf4 Qa5 16.a3

e6 17.b4 cxb4 18.axb4 Qa4 19.Nd3 b6 20.c5 b5 21.Bf4 e5 22.Bg5 Rd4

23.Bh6 Qa2 24.Bxg7 Kxg7 25.Rb2 Qd5 26.Qb1 h5 27.h4 g5 28.Ne1 e4 29.Ng2

Rd8 30.Qc1 f6 31.Qc3 Kg6 32.hxg5 fxg5 33.Ne3 Qe6 34.Kg2 h4 35.Rh1 hxg3

36.fxg3 Ne5 37.Rc2 Nc4 38.Nxc4 Rxc4 39.Qb2 e3 40.Rhc1 Qe4+ 41.Kg1 Rcd4

42.Qa1 Rh8 43.Qa6+ Kf5 44.Rf1+ Kg4 45.Rf3 Rd1+ 46.Kg2 Rdh1 0-1

Christiansen,L (2560) - Shirazi,K (2450) [A53] USA-ch ;CBM 03, 1986

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 Bf5 4.Nf3 g6 5.g3 Ne4 6.Nxe4 Bxe4 7.Bh3!

[Exploiting the too-early ... Ne4 maneuver. The e4 bishop runs out of

space and will either have to trade itself for the knight on f3 or

retreat to f5. White should not be allowed to get this setup without

wasting time first on Bf1-g2-h3.]

Bg7 8.0-0 0-0 9.d5

[Cutting off the bishop's retreat. White has a positional advantage.]

Bxf3 10.exf3 c6 11.Re1 Nd7 12.f4 Nf6 13.f5 cxd5 14.cxd5 Qd7 15.Qd3 Rfe8

16.Bd2 Kf8 17.Re2 a6 18.a4 b5 19.a5 Rad8 20.Rae1 Qb7 21.Bg2 b4 22.fxg6

hxg6 23.Rc1 Rb8 24.Rc4 Qb5 25.Bxb4 Nd7 26.f4 Nc5 27.Qc2 Na4 28.Ba3 Nxb2

29.Bxb2 Bxb2 30.h4 Qxa5 31.f5 Qb6+ 32.Kh2 Qb3 33.fxg6 Be5 34.Rg4 Qxc2

35.Rxc2 Rec8 36.Rf2 Bf6 37.gxf7 Kxf7 38.Bh3 Rg8 39.Ra4 Rg7 40.Be6+ Kg6

41.Rxa6 Rb3 42.Ra8 Kh6 43.Rh8+ Rh7 44.Rxh7+ Kxh7 45.Kg2 Kg7 46.Rf3 Rb1

47.Kh3 Kh6 48.Rf4 Ra1 49.Rg4 Be5 50.Bf5 Ra3 51.Rg6+ Kh5 52.Rg8 Kh6

53.Be6 Kh7 54.h5 Re3 55.Rg6 Bf6 56.Kg2 Re5 57.Bg8+ Kh8 58.Bf7 Rg5

59.Kf3 Rxg6 60.Bxg6 Kg7 61.g4 Kh6 62.Kf4 Bg5+ ½-½

VI. Black plays an early ... c6

Olafsson,H (2555) - Rohde,M (2530) [A53] New York op ;CBM 02, 1987

1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 d6 3.c4 c6 4.Nc3 Bf5 5.g3 Nbd7

[Highly speculative. As the bishop no longer has a good retreat on

the c8-h3 diagonal, Olafsson decides to hunt it down.]

6.Nh4 Bg4 7.h3 Bh5 8.g4 Bg6 9.Bg2 e6

[Of course not 9 ... e5 weakening the f5 square.]

10.Nxg6 hxg6 11.e3 d5 12.cxd5 exd5 13.g5 Nh5 14.h4 Nb6 15.b3 Bb4

16.Bd2 Qe7 17.Ne2 Nc8 18.Bxb4 Qxb4+ 19.Qd2 Qe7 20.0-0-0 Nd6 21.Qc2 a5

22.Nc3 0-0 23.Bf3 b5 24.Rdg1 a4 25.Kd2 axb3 26.axb3 f5 27.Ra1 Rac8

28.Kc1 Ng3 29.Rg1 Nge4 30.Nxe4 dxe4 31.Be2 c5 32.dxc5 Qe5 33.Kb1 Rxc5

34.Qb2 Rc3 35.Rc1 b4 36.Rxc3 bxc3 37.Qa3 Qd5 38.Ra2 Rb8 39.Kc1 Kh7

40.Bd1 Nb5 41.Qb4 Rd8 42.Be2 Ra8 43.Bc4 Qd8 44.Qe7 Qxe7 45.Rxa8 Nc7

46.Bg8+ Kh8 47.Rc8 Ne8 0-1

Knott,S (2350) - Anand,V (2505) [A53] London Lloyds (06) ;TD 87\02,

1987

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d6 3.d4 c6 4.Nf3 Bf5 5.Nh4 Bg4 6.h3 Bh5 7.g4 Bg6 8.Nxg6

hxg6 9.Bg2 Nbd7 10.d5 Rc8 11.Be3 Nb6 12.Qb3 e6 13.Rd1 exd5 14.cxd5 c5

15.0-0 Be7 16.f4 0-0 17.g5 Nfd7 18.Ne4 Rb8 19.h4 Nc8 20.Bc1 Re8 21.Qg3

Bf8 22.h5 gxh5 23.f5 g6 24.fxg6 fxg6 25.Nf6+ Kh8 26.Bh3 Ncb6 27.Nxe8

Qxe8 28.Be6 Ne5 29.b3 Bg7 30.Bb2 Nbd7 31.Ba1 Nf8 32.Bh3 Qe7 33.Rf2 Nh7

34.Rg2 Rf8 35.Be6 b5 36.Rf1 Rxf1+ 37.Kxf1 Nf8 38.Qh3 c4 39.bxc4 Nxc4

40.Bxg7+ Qxg7 41.Rf2 Nh7 42.Kg2 Nxg5 43.Qh4 Qe5 44.Qf4 Qxf4 45.Rxf4

Kg7 46.Kf2 a5 47.a4 Na3 48.axb5 Nxb5 49.Ra4 ½-½

Ivanov, Se. - Groszpeter, Budapest 1996

ECO code E73

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Bg5

The Averbach Variation.

Na6

A popular and comfortable reply for Black, although White can declare

attacking intentions on the next move (see the next note). Not 6 ... e5?

7 dxe5 dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9 Nd5. The main line is 6 ... c5 as in Forintos

- Schneider below, and another alternative is 6 ... h6.

7.Qd2

7 Nf3 does not go with the Averbach so well here because Black will

play 7 ... h6, and then 8 Be3 Ng4, or 8 Bf4 Nh5 are fine for Black,

while 8 Bh4 could leave the bishop out of play after 8 ... Qe8!

intending 9 ... e5. A very interesting 7th move alternative for White,

however, is the stark 7 h4 as in Bareev - J. Polgar, Hastings 1992.

White can also try the wildly aggressive 7 f4 as in Jakovic - Smirin,

Nunich 1992.

e5

Now this is ok as 8 dxe5 dxe5 9 Qxd8 Rxd8 10 Nd5 can be met by 10 ...

Rd6, and White has only suceeded in giving himself a weak central

position.

8.d5 c6

I believe this is Black's best, striving for counterplay on the

queenside. One point about the Averbach is that White's pieces are

poised to support an advance of the kingside pawns against Black's

castled king, while White's king remains uncommitted in the center. 8

... Qe8 9 O-O-O [why not? Black can not play ... c7-c6 now, as his

d-pawn would be undefended] Nh5?! 10 Bxh5, did not work out very well in

Se. Ivanov - Kovalev, Minsk 1995.

9.f3

This move prevents the activation of the knight on a6, as now ...

Na6-c5 will meet the immediate b2-b4.

cxd5 10.cxd5

It is almost always better for White to recapture this way. Taking

with the e-pawn unnecessarily gives Black a spearhead in the center with

his unobstructed e5 pawn; capturing with the c3 knight will lead to

trades that will relieve Black's relatively cramped position.

Bd7 11.h4 Qb6 12.g4 h5 13.Be3 Nc5 14.g5 Nh7

The results of the kingside skirmish are that White has relinquished

hopes for an attack, yet he has gained some space and pushed the f6

knight back; Black, however, can fight back with ... f7-f6 at the right

moment, gaining f-file counterplay. Meanwhile, Black has sufficient

queenside activity to ensure a dynamic equality. The game continued:

15.Nh3 a5 16.Rc1 Rac8 17.b3 Qb4 18.Nf2 f6 19.Nb1 fxg5 20.hxg5 Na6

21.Rxc8 Rxc8 22.Nd3 Qxd2+ 23.Kxd2 Nb4 24.Nc3 Bf8 25.Nb2 Be7 26.Nc4 Nxg5

27.Rg1 Nf7 28.Nb6 Rd8 29.Nxd7 Rxd7 30.Rxg6+ Kh7 31.Rg1 Rd8 32.f4 exf4

33.Bxf4 Rg8 34.Rxg8 Kxg8 35.Bxh5 and White later won a long struggle.

Perk - Uhlmann, Bad Liebenzell (World Senior Ch) 1996 ECO code E73

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Bg5 Na6 7.Qd2 Qe8!

An accurate move by the great King's Indian exponent Uhlmann, in

contrast to 8 ... e5 in the above game. Now if White plays 9 O-O-O,

then Black has reserved the option of 9 ... c5 10 d5 Nc7, with quick

play brewing on the queenside.

8.Bh6

This may be a case where the trade of bishops is not that great for

White, as it allows Black to accept the dark-square chain without fear

of later obtaining the bad bishop, and meanwhile the cramping effect of

the active White dark-squared bishop disappears. I would have prefered

8 f4, 8 f3 or 8 h4.

e5 9.Bxg7 Kxg7 10.Nf3 Bg4

Consistent emphasis on winning control of the dark squares.

11.d5 Nc5 12.Qe3 Bxf3 13.Bxf3 a5 14.h4 h5 15.0-0-0 Rh8

Trying to head off a kingside advance by White. The game is about

even, as Black has more strategical ideas available (control of the

dark squares, meaningful potential counterplay against White's king)

and yet White is operating with a significant edge in space. The game

continued:

16.Rdg1 Qd7 17.Be2 Rh7 18.f3 c6 19.g4 Qe7 20.Rg2 Rah8 21.g5 Nfd7

22.Bd1 Nb6 23.Be2 a4 24.Rf1 Rc8 25.Kb1 Rhh8 26.f4 exf4 27.Qxf4 Nbd7

28.Rgf2 Rhf8 29.dxc6 bxc6 30.Rd1 f6 31.Qxd6 Qxd6 32.Rxd6 fxg5 33.Rxf8

Nxf8 34.hxg5 Nfe6 35.Nxa4 Nxa4 36.Rxe6 Rb8 37.Kc1 Rxb2 38.Bd1 Rxa2

39.Bc2 Nc3 40.Kd2 Nb1+ 41.Kd1 Na3 42.Bd3 Rg2 43.Rxc6 Rxg5 44.Ra6 h4

45.Rxa3 h3 46.e5 h2 47.Be4 Rxe5 48.Bb7 Rc5 49.Rc3 Kf6 50.Rh3

1/2 - 1/2

Forintos - Schneider, Bad Liebenzell, 1996

ECO code E74

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Be2 0-0 6.Bg5 c5 7.d5 Na6

The usual follow-up to the 6 ... c5 variation is 7 ... h6 8 Bf4

(also possible is 8 Be3 followed by f2-f3 with a Saemisch type of

setup) e5, offering the pawn sacrifice 9 dxe6 Bxe6 10 Bxd6 Re8 with

decent activity / compensation. Usually White declines the sacrifice,

for example by playing 10 Nf3.

8.Qd2 Nc7

Probably better is the immediate 8 ... e6, heading for a Benoni

type of position.

9.Nf3 a6

Forintos demonstrates that this early move towards queenside

expansion merely results in a prospectless position. I would prefer 9

... e6.

10.a4 Bd7

To be considered was the cautionary 10 ... b6, although it does

seem kind of slow.

11.a5!

This robs Black of the move ... b7-b5, and instead gives him the

opportunity to open the b-file, but without any disturbance of White's

center. The Averbach is a very flexible variation, and White intends

to castle kingside, and Black will not have convincing counterplay.

Rb8 12.0-0 b5 13.axb6 Rxb6 14.Ra2 Qb8 15.e5

A strong breakthrough, showing the problems in Black's disorganized

position.

dxe5 16.Nxe5 Be8 17.Nd3 e6 18.Be3 exd5 19.Bxc5 Rb3 20.Bxf8 Kxf8 21.Nc5

Rb6 22.cxd5 Rd6 23.Nxa6 Nxa6 24.Rxa6

1 - 0

Adianto - Gunawan

Jakarta, 1996

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3

[The lead-in to the Saemisch Variation.]

0-0 6.Bg5

[The Saemisch is 6 Be3. Now the position is likely to transpose to

the Averbach Variation of the King's Indian, which is technically 5

Be2 O-O 6 Bg5.]

c5

[This "Benoni" reaction is standard. Of course not 6 ... e5? 7 dxe5

dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9 Nd5.]

7.d5 e6 8.Qd2 exd5

[In Campos - Topalov, Palma, 1992, the Bulgarian superstar played

the immediate 8 ... h6! and Campos responded with 9 Be3. The idea, after

9 Bxh6, is 9 ... Nxe4 10 Nxe4 Qh4+ 11 g3 Qxh6. This concept is well

known after the exchange of central pawns; I am not sure how inserting

... h7-h6 before the central exchange helps Black, but it is well worth

investigation.]

9.cxd5 a6 10.a4

Nbd7

[The variation 10 ... h6 was tested in Kelecevic - Arbakov, Bad

Ragaz, 1994: 11.Bxh6 Nxe4 12.Nxe4 Qh4+ 13.g3 Qxh6 14.Qxh6 Bxh6 15.Nxd6

Nd7 16.Bh3 f5 17.f4 Nb6, with continuing complications - 18.Nf3 Nxd5

19.Ne5 g5 20.Rd1 Ne3 21.Rd3 Nc2+, etc.; 1/2-1/2 in 55. In Varga -

Loginov, Budapest, 1993, White instead retreated 11 Be3, and play

developed 11 ... Re8 12 Nge2 Nbd7 13 Nc1 (also played is Ne2-g3) Ne5

14 Be2 with chances for both sides. Gunawan's 10 ... Nbd7 was weak,

not only because he failed to get ... h7-h6 in, but also because he

allows White the following knight development on h3, as the knight

will settle quite usefully on f2 from where it supports a White

central / kingside pawn advance. Therefore, aside from 10 ... h6, a

better move is the waiting 10 ... Re8.]

11.Nh3 Re8 12.Be2 Ne5 13.Nf2 Qc7 14.0-0 Rb8

[Because of his 10th move inaccuracy, Black has a very difficult

position here.]

15.Bxf6!

[A nice prelude to the coming attack. White wants to force the

Black bishop to the square f6.]

Bxf6 16.f4 Nd7

17.e5!

[This is a classic example of a "sealer-sweeper". By sacrificing on

e5, White opens the way for the d5 pawn to advance, closes off the

square e5 (which might have been a strong square for Black's pieces,

opens the square e4 for his own knights, and sweeps by with his f-pawn

to try to pry open the f-file.]

dxe5 18.d6 Qd8 19.Nfe4 Bg7 20.f5 gxf5 21.Rxf5

[Now White has a hammerlock on the position, which he reinforces

with the following Exchange sacrifice.]

Nf8 22.Raf1! Bxf5 23.Rxf5 Ne6

[Trying to get some activity. There is no stopping the moves Nc3-d5

and Be2-c4 or Be2-h5.]

24.Nd5 Nd4 25.Ndf6+ Kh8

26.Rh5!

[A little mating combination.]

Nxe2+ 27.Kf1 Bxf6 28.Qh6 1-0

Classical

Watson - Gulko

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 Nf3 O-O 5 e4 d6 6 h3

[A general principle of the h3 systems is that whenever White normally plays

Be2, he also could play h3. The move h2-h3 keeps Black pieces off g4, prepares

to expand if desired with g2-g4, and allows for later deployment of the White

bishop on d3, since Black can no longer pressurize the center with ... Bg4. A

well-known version of this occurs without the knight on f3, i.e. 4 e4 d6 5 h3 e5

6 d5 Nh5 7 Be2 Nf4 8 Bf3, etc. In the 1992 U.S. Championship, after 4 e4 d6 5

h3, Fedorowicz and Sherzer each played 5 ... 0-0 against Gulko, and Boris

responded with 6 Bg5, analogous to the Averbach Variation, but with h3, not

Be2.]

Na6

[In Gulko - Shirov, Groningen 1990, black tried the immediate 6 ... e5 7 d5

(possible is 7 dxe5 dxe5 8 Qxd8 Rxd8 9 Bg5, with an Exchange Variation where h3

has been substituted for Be2) a5, reminiscent of the Petrosian Variation,

although having h3 in instead of Be2, White is more aggressively placed on the

kingside; after 8 Bg5 Na6 9 Bd3 h6 10 Be3 Nh5 11 Qd2 Nc5 12 Bc2 Nf4 Gulko

rejected the pawn sac with 13 Rh2! and stood well. In this line Black could have

dispensed with 7 ... a5 and played 7 ... Na6.]

7 Bg5

[Previously 7 Be3 was the main move here. Black was able to find active play

in Grunberg - Dydysko, Bratislava 1992 after 7 ... e5 8 d5 Kh8 9 9 g4 Ng8 10 Bd3

Nb4. In the previous round of the World Open, Gulko had tried the text against

Remlinger. One of the points is that 7 ... e5? is unplayable because of 8 dxe5

dxe5 9 Qxd8 Rxd8 10 Nd5. Also, Black should be hesitant to weaken his kingside

with 7 ... h6 8 Be3, as White can play g2-g4 at any time.]

Qe8! 8 g4?!

[By radically gaining kingside space, Watson prevents Gulko from activating

with 8 ... e5 9 d5 Nh5. In Gulko - Remlinger, rd 4, White also forestalled this

plan, by menas of 8 e5 dxe5 9 dxe5 Nd7 10 Bf4, but Black equalized easily: 10

... Ndc5 11 Nd4 Ne6 12 Bh2 f6 13 Nf3 b6 14 Exf6 exf6 15 Be2 Bb7 16 O-O Rd8 17

Qa4 Qxa4 18 Nxa4 f5 20 Rad1 1/2 - 1/2]

c5!

[Usually one does not associate this move with the queen's position on e8,

but given White's kingside stance, it is best to keep the center fluid.]

9 d5 e6 10 Qe2 Nc7?

[Inviting the following complications. Much better was 10 ... exd5. Then

after 11 cxd5, (not 11 exd5 h6, and only Black can obtain the advantage) Black

stands well in the unbalanced pawn majority position.]

11 e5! dxe5 12 d6 e4

[Black would stand badly after 12 ... Na6 13 Nxe5. The text is justified by

Black's fifteenth.]

13 Bxf6!

[White would lose his grip on the center after 13 dxc7 exf3 14 Qxf3 Nd7, and

13 Nxe4 Nxe4 14 Qxe4 Bxb2 is just bad.]

exf3 14 Qxf3 Bxf6 15 Qxf6 Qc6 16 dxc7 Qxh1 17 Rd1

[White has sacrificed the exchange to stunt Black's development and weaken

the dark squares around his king. The major question was whether to castle or

just play 17 Rd1. Castling would have allowed potential queen-exchanging checks

on the c1-h6 diagonal, so Watson correctly leaves his king in the center. Also,

the king needs to defend the bishop in case the rook leaves the back rank.]

Qc6

[Too slow is 17 ... b6 18 Rd8 Ba6 19 Qe7.]

18 h4!

[Watson picks the most ambitious choice, trying to win in the middlegame.

Also very scary is 18 Qe7 (threatening 19 Rd8). On 18 ... Qe8 19 Qd8 Black just

palys 19 ... Qc6! with the idea of 20 ... b6. Also not convincing are 19 Qh4

Qc6, or 19 Qxc5 b6. Best is 19 Qd6! Qc6 (what else?) 20 Qxc6 bxc6 21 Ne4 and

Black, still the Exchange up, is in bad shape.]

Qxc7 19 h5 Qh2

[Forced, to stop 20 h6. 19 ... h6 would have gotten blown out by 20 g5!]

20 Rd3 b5

[Since he cannot eject the White queen from f6, Black faces horrible threats

of h5-h6 after White cuts off the Black queen by putting a piece on h3. However,

Black can survive the immediate blocking of the h-file, e.g. 21 Rh3 Qd6 22 h6

Qd4, or 21 Bh3 h6, allowing 22 hxg6, but at least 22 g5 is refuted by 22 ...

Qg1+. Meanwhile, it is impossible to improve the Black position. If 20 ... e5 21

Nd5 wins. Therefore, Black attempts to create a diversion.]

21 Bh3?

[It seemed that 20 ... b5 was just a throwaway to distract White from the

main arena. However, 21 Nxb5! was the right move (whether the b-pawn was there

or not). The knight on b5 controls d6 and d4; therefore White threatens 22 Rh3.

If after 21 Nxb5! e5, preparing ... Qf4 (this would have been a sufficient

defense to 21 Ne4), then 22 Nc7! with the following variations: a) 22 ... Rb8 23

Nd5 Re8 24 Rh3; b) 22 ... e4 23 Rh3 Qxc7 24 h6, or c) 22 ... Bxg4 23 Nd5! Rfe8

24 Rh3! Bxh3 25 h6. Is it possible that Gulko used reverse psychology when he

played 20 ... b5, in order to get Watson not to hop to that square?]

h6 22 hxg6 fxg6 23 Qxg6+

[Of course White is doing fine here, but the queen has been pushed off f6,

and the Black queen is just barely able to come back to the defense.]

Kh8 24 Qxh6+ Kg8 25 Qg6+ Kh8 26 Ne4!

[If White did not need to protect f2, 26 Bf1 would decide matters. The text

is better than settling for the perpetual.]

Qe5

[Of course not 26 ... Bb7? 27 Rd7.]

27 Bg2 Qg7 28 Rh3+ Kg8 29 Nf6+ Rxf6 30 Qxg7+ Kxg7 31 Bxa8 bxc4 32 Be4

1/2 - 1/2 ?!

[A generous draw offer, as White's pieces are well placed and the g-pawn is

dangerous, but Watson was in serious time pressure and felt unable to switch

into endgame mode.

Classical - 9 Bg5!?

Bonin - Sherzer, Chicago 1992

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 O-O 6 Be2 e5 7 O-O Nc6 8 d5

Ne7 9 Bg5

[A mysterious move championed by Eingorn, and played occasionally by Ftacnik.

The variations are similar to those arising from 9 b4, a system in which Bonin

is a well-known expert, in that both moves allow Black to play 9 ... Nh5,

whereas the main lines, 9 Ne1 and 9 Nd2, prevent that maneuver. But while 9 b4

helps prepare the thematic break c4-c5, the text does not, which is one reason

W. Watson felt confident enough recently to award 9 Bg5 with a "?!".]

Nh5 10 Ne1

[The usual reaction here has been 10 g3, as in Eingorn - A. Kuzmin, USSR

championship 1991, which continued 10 ... f6 11 Bd2 f5 12 exf5 Nxf5 13 Bd3 (Not

13 g4? Nd4) Nf6 14 Ng5 Nd4 with equality. In Bern - Watson, Gausdal 1991 Black

played more actively: 10 g3 h6 11 Bd2 Bh3 12 Re1 f5 13 Nh4 Nf6 14 exf5 g5! (an

improvement over the 14 ... gxf5 given in the new E Encyclopedia) 15 Ng6 Nxg6 16

fxg6 Bf5. The text effectively redeploys White's knight, at the cost of ceding

the two bishops.]

Nf4 11 Nd3 Nxe2+ 12 Qxe2 h6 13 Be3

[Deciding to engage in a battle of pawn chains and competing flank attacks.

Probably better was 13 Bd2 with a view towards opening instead of closing the

center. Then 13 ... f5 can be met by 14 f4! which either saddles Black with a

weak pawn on e5 or forces him to exchange pawns and mobilize White's pieces

after 14 ... exf4 15 Nxf4 fxe4 16 Nxe4. If Black snatches a pawn with 16 ...

Bxb2, 17 Bc3! gives White strong compensation. But a more subtle method for

Black is 13 ... g5!! which stops f2-f4 first, and looks forward to the usual

kingside attack after f7-f5-f4. White could stop this radically by 14 g4?! but

Black surely stands better after 14 ... Ng6. Or if 14 h4?! g4! (Not 14 ...

gxh4? 15 f4) 15 f4 gxf3 followed by 16 ... f5 is strong. White could play

modestly with 14 f3 f5 15 exf5 Nxf5 16 Nf2 with even chances, or aggresively

with the paradoxical 14 g3!?, envisionsing the wild 14 ... f5 15 f4, or 14 ...

Bh3 15 Re1 with the bizarre variations 15 ... f5 16 f3 g4 (the threat was 17

Nf2) 17 f4, or 15 ... g4!.]

f5

[Now this move is stronger than 13 ... g5 14 f3 f5 15 exf5 Nxf5 16 Nf2.]

14 f3

[I still prefer 14 f4, although now Black has 14 ... fxe4 15 Nxe4 Bf5 16 Ng3 e4!

17 Nf2 Qd7, so that on 18 Nfxe4 Rae8 Black has plenty of activity for the pawn.]

f4 15 Bf2 g5

[The classic King's Indian pawn roller. Although the competing pawn breaks, on

g4 and c5, are quite familiar, White misses his light-squared bishop, which from

e2 would slow down Black's "lever" g5-g4.]

16 c5 Ng6 17 Rac1 g4!

[Sherzer takes advantage of tactical opportunities to get the pawns moving: if

now 18 fxg4 Qg5 19 h3 h5 20 gxh5? Bxh3.]

18 Kh1 Rf7 19 Nb5

[The g-pawn was again defended indirectly: 19 fxg4 Qg5 20 h3 h5! 21 gxh5 f3! 22

gxf3 Qxh5 and wins. But White could have tried 19 fxg4! anyway. After 19 ... Qg5

the solid 20 Ne1! recycles the knight back as a defensive bulwark, and after 20

... Bxg4 21 Nf3 White will get serious queenside counterplay.]

Bd7!

[By drawing the c-pawn up to c6 Black gives up space but retains the solidity of

his pawn chain.]

20 c6 bxc6 21 dxc6 Be6 22 Nb4?

[Heading in the wrong direction. 22 fxg4! Qg5 23 Ne1 was still a tough nut to

crack.]

g3! 23 Bg1

[On 23 hxg3 Qg5 is too strong, e.g. 24 g4 h5 25 gxh5 Qxh5+ 26 Kg1 Bf6.]

Nh4

[Starting a new phase - the bombardment of g2.]

24 Rc2 a6 25 Nc3 Bh3 26 Qc4 Qg5 27 Nbd5

[If White attempts to fish in troubled waters with 27 Nxa6, then 27 ... gxh2 28

gxh3 hxg1(q)+ 29 Rxg1 Qh5 wins, for example 30 Nxc7 Nxf3 31 Qe6 Nd4, or 30 Nd5

Kh8 followed by 31 ... Nxf3. The text move stops this variation - 27 Nbd5 gxh2?

28 gxh3 hxg1(q)+ 29 Rxg1 Qh5?? 30 Nf6+ - but it has the disadvantage of

unpinning the Black rook on f7.]

Nxg2

[The patient 27 ... Kh8! may be even better, as 28 Ne3 Raf8 does not help White,

and 28 hxg3 fxg3 29 Be3 Qh5 30 gxh3 Nxf3 wins.]

28 Rxg2 Bxg2+ 29 Kxg2 gxh2+ 30 Kxh2 Kh8 31 Qe2?

[31 Kh1! saves an important tempo, and the position is unclear after 31 ... Qh5+

32 Bh2 Rg8 33 Qe2 Bf6 34 Nxf6! Rxf6 35 Rg1.]

Qh5+ 32 Kg2 Rg8 33 Bh2 Bf6+ 34 Kh1 Bh4 35 Nb1

[It's too late for 35 Rg1 Rxg1+ 36 Kg1 Rg7+ 37 Kh1 Bg3, or 37 Kf1 Bd8.]

Rfg7 36 Nd2 Bd8

[Now ... Qh3 and ... Rg2 cannot be prevented.]

37 Nc4 Qh3 38 Nce3 fxe3 39 Nxe3 h5 40 b4 Bh4 41 a4 Bg3 42 b5 axb5 43 axb5

Bf4

0 - 1

Lembit Oll - Alexey Shirov, Tilburg 1992, knockout round 2 [E96]

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 O-O 6 Be2 e5 7 O-O Nc6 8 d5 Ne7 9 Bg5

Nh5 10 Ne1 Nf4 11 Nd3 Nxe2+ 12 Qxe2 h6 13 Bd2

[Deviating from Bonin - Sherzer, Chicago 1992, which continued 13 Be3 f5 14

f3 f4, with a good game for Black. The idea of 13 Bd2 is to meet 13 ... f5 with

14 f4!]

g5 14 h4!

[I had considered and rejected this continuation in my notes to Bonin -

Sherzer. But Oll investigated the situation more diligently and discovered that

it is White who has the attacking chances in the game continuation.]

g4 15 f4 gxf3 16 Qxf3 f5 17 Qh5

[Black has the two bishops and the generally smoother pawn structure, but

White's temporary lead in development and immediate attack on h6 is annoying. If

now 17 ... Kh7, then 18 Bg5! (threatening the pawn on f5) f4 19 g3! is serious:

19 ... fxg3 fails to 20 Rxf8 followed by 21 Rf1, and 19 ... Bh3 20 Rg3 Qd7 21

Nf2 is no help.]

Rf6 18 g4!

[Giving Black no time to organize with ... Bd7 and ... Qe8, etc.]

f4 19 g5 hxg5!!

[Safer seems 19 ... Rg6, avoiding the opening of the h-file. But Shirov was

afraid of 20 Bxf4! exf4 21 Nxf4 Qe8 22 Nb5! Then the defense of 22 ... Rb8 (what

else?) 23 Nxc7 Qd8 24 Nxg6 Nxg6 25 Qxg6 Qxc7 would not be available because of

26 gxh6. Thus Shirov eliminates the h-pawns first.]

20 hxg5 Rg6 21 Kf2

[White prepares combined play on the h- and f-files by getting his king out

of the way first. If he plays as in the above note -21 Bxf4 exf4 22 Nxf4 Qe8 23

Nb5 Rb8 24 Nxc7 Qd8 25 Nxg6 Nxg6 26 Qxg6 Qxc7, then after 27 Qe8+ Kh7, 28 Rf4 is

met by 28 ... Bg4!, and various other attempts to land a rook on the h-file may

be frustrated by diagonal checks. And on 21 Bxf4 exf4 22 Nxf4 Qe8 23 Kg2, then

23 ... Be5 24 Rh1 Qf7 25 Raf1 Qg7 is a sufficient defense.]

c6 22 Rh1 cxd5 23 cxd5

[Not 23 Nxd5 Kf7, and Black's cramped position is relieved.]

Qb6+

[If I were Black here, I might have played for maximum confusion with 23 ...

b5 aiming for ... b4 and ... Ba6. 24 b4 or 24 a3 could be met by the consistent

24 ... a5. One goal of this diversion might be to exchange a pair of rooks, to

lessen the chance of getting mated on the kingside. But Shirov stays cool.]

24 Ke2 Bd7 25 Raf1 Kf7!

[The threat of Bd2xf4 has become intolerable, so he heads for the hills.]

26 Bxf4 exf4 27 Rxf4+ Ke8 28 Rhf1 Kd8

[The threat was 29 Qh8+! On 28 ... Bb5 29 Nxb5 Qxb5 30 Rf7 too strongly

menaces both 31 Rxe7+ and 31 Rxg7.]

29 Rf8+ Be8!

[The rook is not going anywhere, so Black does not allow White the extra

possibility of 29 ... Bxf8 30 Rxf8+ Be8 31 Qh8 Kd7 32 e5 and White, a rook down,

has plenty of chances.]

30 e5 Rc8!

[The tempting 30 ... Bxf8 31 Rxf8 does not lead to clarity after 31 ... Qg1

32 Qh8 or 31 ... Kc7? 32 Qh7.]

31 Rxe8+

[Trying to draw the king back to the more dangerous side.]

Kxe8 32 Ne4 dxe5

[The king's bishop has done such a good job that Shirov, in time

pressure, was reluctant to part with it. But 32 ... Bxe5 was winning,

e.g., 33 Nf6+ Kd8 34 Nxe5 (or 34 Qh8+ Rg8) Qxb2+, etc.]

33 d6

[Now, if Oll can win the knight on e7, he will be only the Exchange

down, with active pieces.]

Rc4??

[Correct was 33 ... Qd4, which sets up ... Rc2+, undermining the knight

on d3, forcing 34 Qf3. Then White can fight on after 34 ... Rxd6 35 Nxd6+

Qxd6 36 Qf7+ Kd8 37 Rd1! But 34 ... Rc2+ 35 Kd1 Nf5! wins - 36 Kxc2 Ne3+ 37

Kc1 Nxf1, or 36 Re1 Rxb2.]

34 Nf6+ Bxf6 35 gxf6

[The new f-pawn has turned into a monster, while the knight on d3 holds

Black's major pieces at bay, leading to a problem-like conclusion.]

Re4+ 36 Kd1 Qe3!

[The best way to counterattack, as White is forced into offering the

exchange of queens.]

37 f7+ Kd7 38 Qf3 Qxf3+ 39 Rxf3 Rg1+ 40 Kd2 Rg2+ 41 Kd1 Ng6 42 Nc5+

[Amazingly, White finally is able to equalize material. In view of 42

... Kxd6 43 Nxe4+ Ke7 44 Rc3 Kxf7 45 Rc7+, the players agreed to a draw.]

1/2 - ½

Classical – 9 b4

D. Gurevich - Shaked, U.S. Championship 1996

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6

8. d5 Ne7 9 b4 a5

A much more popular way of meeting the Bayonet Attack is 9 ... Nh5.

10. Ba3 axb4 11. Bxb4 b6 12. a4 Ne8 13. Nb5

Starting to lose his grip on the center. This was motivated by the

realization that 13 a5 would be met by 13 ... c5! However, I would

prefer White for sure on 13 Ne1 f5 14 Nd3 Nf6 15 f3 f4 16 a5.

f5 14. Ng5

It looks like 14 Nd2 was better.

Bh6

With an edge for Black. 0-1 in 32.

[Event "US Championship (Gp 1)"]

[Site "Chandler"]

[Date "1997.08.24"]

[Round "2"]

[White "Browne, Walter"]

[Black "Fedorowicz, John"]

[Result "1/2-1/2"]

[ECO "E97"]

[WhiteElo "2540"]

[BlackElo "2510"]

[PlyCount "72"]

[EventDate "1997.08.23"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Nf3 O-O 6. Be2 e5 7. O-O Nc6

8. d5 Ne7 9. b4

The Bayonet Attack. In recent years, Browne has preferred the

more classical 9 Nd2

here, and

other moves are 9 Ne1, 9 Bd2 and 9 Bg5!?

Nh5 10. Re1

A new twist. The main lines here are 10 c5 Nf4 11 Bxf4 exf4 12

Rc1, and 10 g3 f5.

f5

Since 10 ... Nf4 11 Bxf4 gxf4 12 Rc1 h6 followed by ... g6-g5 is

fine for Black,

Fedorowicz must

have disliked 10 ... Nf4 11 Bf1. The 11 ... f5 12 g3 fxe4 appears ok.

11. Ng5

A forcing continuation. Instead, 11 c5 transposes to Sosonko -

Nijboer, Netherlands

Champ.

1992, which saw 11 ... Kh8 12 Nd2 Nf6 13 f3 f4 14 Nc4 reverting to a

more familiar type of

King’s

Indian position.

Nf4 12. Bxf4 exf4 13. Rc1 Bf6

An unusual maneuver which wins a pawn temporarily. Both knights

are knowcked off the

defence of e4.

14. Ne6 Bxe6 15. dxe6 Bxc3 16. Rxc3 fxe4 17. Bf1

The strong pawn on e6 gives White the better chances, but

Fedorowicz does his best to

confuse

the issue.

e3 18. fxe3 a5 19. b5 c6 20. bxc6 bxc6 21. Kh1 Qc7 22. Rd3 Rad8 23.

exf4 Rxf4 24. Rd4 d5 25.

cxd5

Rxd5 26. Rxd5 cxd5 27. Qd2 Rh4 28. h3 a4 29. Bb5 Rf4 30. Bd3 Qd6 31.

Qe3 Rf6 32. Qd4

Rxe6 33.

Rxe6 Qxe6 34. Qxa4 Qe1+ 35. Kh2 Qe5+ 36. Kh1 Qe1+ 1/2-1/2

Classical – 7 Be3

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7 Be3

ECO codes E92 and E94 generally deal with 7 Be3 for White and 7 O-O

for White (other 7th move alternatives for White are 7 d5 - the

Petrosian System, and 7 dxe5 dxe5 8 Qxd8, the Exchange Variation [in

the King's Indian, White usually cannot win the e-pawn with Nf3xe5

because Black has counterplay either along the e-file or the ong

diagonal]), where Black responds to 7 O-O with a move other than the

main line 7 ... Nc6.

7.Be3 is a very popular move because it avoids the long main lines

with 7 O-O Nc6 8 d5 Ne7, with attacks on opposite wings. 7 ... Nc6 is

not a particularly good reply to 7 Be3 because of 8 d5 Ne7 9 Nd2!, and

if then Black moves his king's knight to enable the move ... f7-f5, for

example with 9 ... Ne8, then White will be very snug after 10 Qc2 f5 11

f3 followed by castling queenside, with White initiating the play on

both wings.

We should also note that on 7 O-O, if Black does play the main line

7 ... Nc6, 8 d5 is usually played; 8 Be3 is not as popular here as

Black can choose between (A) 8 ... Re8, and then 9 d5 Nd4! is equal, so

White has to opt for the dry 9 dxe5 dxe5; or (B) 8 ... Ng4 9 Bg5 f6 10

Bc1 (10 Bh4 invites an early pawn storm against White's king) and now a

good line for Black is 10 ... f5! and if 11 Bg5 Bf6 12 Bxf6 Nxf6 13

dxe5 dxe5 14 Qxd8 Rxd8 15 Nd5 Nxe4! (first played by Kasparov against

Portisch) 16 Nxc7 Rb8 and it turns out that Black's center is strong.

7 Be3

A) 7 ... exd4

This move was given new meaning by Kasparov in his 1990 World

Championship match against Karpov. After 8 Nxd4 (not 8 Bxd4 Nc6) Re8 9

f3 c6 10 Qd2 d5 11 exd5 cxd5 12 c5 Nc6 13 O-O, Kasparov's Exchange

sacrifice 13 ... Rxe3!! 14 Qxe3 Qf8! is dangerous for White. The point

of 14 ... Qf8 is to threaten ... Nf6-g4, which is not playable

immediately because White can play 15 Nxc6 attacking Black's queen.

Thus, in Giorgadze - Nalbandian, Capelle la Grande 1995, White played

10 Bf2 instead of 10 Qd2; this eliminates the potential Exchange

sacrifice. After 10 ... d5 11 exd5 cxd5 12 O-O Nc6 13 c5 Nh5 14 Qd2,

White has queenside play and a strong square on d4, but Black has some

oblique pressure on the kingside.

B) 7 ... c6

This was chosen in Topalov - Kramnik, Las Palmas 1996. Play continued

8.d5! (A good idea, dispensing with the complications resulting from

the opening of the center in the lines below.) Ng4 9.Bg5 f6 10.Bh4 c5

(An interesting move closing the center; Black could also have played

the immediate ... Ng4-h6-f7.) 0-0 Nh6 12.Ne1 Nd7 13.Rb1 b6 14.a3, and

now Seirawan suggests Black should play 14 ... a6 followed by ...

Ra8-a7, with a potential rooklift to the kingside. Instead, Kramnik

tried 14 ... g5?! 15.Bg3 f5 16.exf5 Nxf5 17.Ne4, and White's grip on

the light squares gave him the better game.

After 7 ... c6, 8 O-O exd4 (Also frequently played here is 8 ... Na6;

8 ... Ng4 does not make such a favorable impression when Black has no

chance to pressurize the d4 square - Budt - Martin, 1991 continued 9

Bg5 f6 10 Bd2! f5 11 dxe5 Nxe5 12 exf5 with a pleasant position for

White.) 9.Bxd4! (This is a good idea now that Black cannot harass the

bishop with ... Nb8-c6. White achieved little in Matamoros - Ubilava,

Linares Open 1994 with 9 Nxd4 Re8 10 f3?! [better is 10 Qc2 Qe7 11 Bf3

as in Polugaevsky - Ivanchuk, Roquebriore, 1992] d5 11 cxd5 Nxd5!,

which is possible because in this order of moves, the bishop on e3 is

undefended) Re8 10.Qc2 Qe7 11.Rfe1 Nbd7 12.h3 a6 (The queenside

expansion does not have any clear objectives here. Correct was 12 ...

Ne5, posting up the knight as White's f-pawn is immobile. Also

possible was 12 ... a5, clearing a spot for the knight on c5.

Interesting is the pawn grab 12 ... c5 13 Be3 [White does not get the

advantage on 13 ... Bxf6 Nxf6] Nxe4, when both 14 Nd5 Qd8 15 Bd3 Ndf6,

and 14 Nxe4 Qxe4 15 Bd3 Qc6 are unclear.) 13.Rad1 b5 14.b4 c5 (A

miscalculation losing a pawn.) 15.bxc5 dxc5 16.Bxf6 Nxf6 17.cxb5 Nxe4?

18.Nxe4 1 - 0 (Because 18 ... Qxe4 runs into 19 Bd3) Shulman -

Relange, Anibal Linares Open, 1997.

After 7 ... c6, 8.Qd2 is a strange move. Although White will suffer

temporary embarrassment dealing with the threats to the e4 pawn and

the lack of available squares for his dark-squared bishop, the idea is

to put quick pressure against the weakened d6 pawn. Giorgadze -

Avrukh, Anibal Linares Open, 1997, saw 8 ... Qe7 9.Bg5 exd4 10.Nxd4

Re8 11.f3 Na6 12.Rd1 Nc5 13.b4 Ne6 14.Nxe6 Bxe6 with equality, as 15

Qxd6 (White settled for 15 O-O Rad8 16 a3) Qxd6 16 Rxd6 Ng4 gives

Black enough play for the pawn.

C) 7...h6 (An idea popularized by John Nunn. Black intends to play ...

Nf6-g4 without allowing the annoying retort Be3-g5. The main point is

that White cannot similarly play 8 h3, because then 8 ... exd4 9 Nxd4

Re8 is very strong for Black, as f2-f3 weakens the g3 square.) 8.0-0

Ng4 9.Bc1 Nd7 (This was tried in San Segundo - Mollov, Anibal Linares

Open, 1997. The usual line is 9 ... Nc6 10 d5 Ne7 and then, by

comparison to the main lines of the Classical (with 7 O-O Nc6 8 d5 Ne7,

Black has two extra moves - his h-pawn is on h6 and his knight is on

g4! On 11 Ne1, Black should play 11 ... f5, rather than give the tempos

back with 11 ... Nf6). After 10.d5 Ngf6 11.Be3 Nh7 12.Qc1 h5 13.b4 f5

the position was balanced.

D) 7...Ng4 (This natural reaction must be considered the main line.)

8.Bg5 f6 9.Bh4 (Because White has not castled, it is convenient to

post the bishop here, as White can follow up with Nf3-d2 and envision

a kingside advance of his own. 9 Bd2 is, however, a viable

alternative.) Nc6 10.d5 Ne7 11.Nd2 Nh6 (I think 11 ... h5 is

preferable; after the text it is a little difficult for Black to

organize a kingside advance.) 12.f3 c6 (This was played in Giorgadze -

Shaked, Anibal Linares Open 1997; Shaked decides to push through in

the center.) 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.b4 Be6 15.Nb3 d5 16.Nc5 Bf7 17.0-0 d4 (A

double-edged position has arisen. White has good outposts for his

knights, but Black has captured central space.)

E) 7 ... Na6 (This is also often played against 7 O-O. Another new

idea against 7 O-O is 7 ... Qe8, trying to exert latent pressure

against e4, but a good response to that is 8 dxe5 dxe5 9 b4!) 8 O-O

Ng4 (This seems better to me than 8 ... c6 9 d5! which leaves the a6

knight without a good future. Schlecht - Peng Xiaomin, Groningen 1996

continued 9 ... Ng4 10.Bg5 f6 11.Bd2 f5 12.Ne1 Nf6 13.exf5 gxf5 14.Bg5

Kh8 15.Kh1 cxd5 16.Nxd5 with a nice game for White. Another alternative, seen in Gulko – Christiansen, U.S. Champ 1996, is 8 … Qe8 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. Nd2 b6 11. a4 Rb8 12. a5 c6 13. axb6 axb6 14. Na4 c5 and careful play has netted Christiansen an even game; 1/2-1/2 in 25.) 9.Bg5 Qe8 10.dxe5

dxe5 11.Nd2 was Mikhalevski - Comas Fabrego, Anibal Linares Open,

1997. Black obtained relative equality after 11 ... f6 12.Bh4 h5 13.a3

Be6 14.h3 Nh6 15.b4 Rd8 16.c5 Nb8 17.f3 Nc6 18.Nd5 Qf7 19.Bc4 Nd4.

Yermolinsky - Dzindzihashvili, U.S. Championship 1996

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Nf3 Na6

This move has become very popular, especially as a good branch for Black

away from the long lines of the Classical starting with 6 ... e5 7 O-O Nc6,

if he feels he is up against a real theoretician.

7. Nd2

Executing this maneuver a little early for my tastes.

c5 8. d5 e6 9. O-O Nc7 10. Re1 Re8 11. a4 a6 12. a5 exd5 13. exd5

A good idea: this way of recapturing deadens the position, which is fine

for White, as his development needs to be completed.

Rb8 14. Nf1 1/2-1/2 in 25.

Dlugy - Rohde, ICC GM Knockout, October, 1996

1.d4 d6 2.Nf3

Max and I have had many games in the line 2 c4 e5 3 Nf3 e4 4 Ng5

f5. Then after 5 Nc3 Black should play 5 ... c6 6 g3 Na6! heading for

c7. By playing 2 Nf3 all this is avoided, and yet Max is now unable to

play his favorite Saemisch or Four Pawns Attack lines against the

King's Indian.

Nf6 3.c4 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.e4 0-0 6.Be2 Na6

An idea which has gained a lot of credence as of late. The usual

move is 6 ... e5.

7.0-0 e5 8.dxe5

This is not accurate here. A better reaction was 8 Be3 or 8 Re1.

The exchange does not accomplish anything, and Black is left with the

better central formation, as White's pawn on c4 is left without a real

purpose for being there.

dxe5 9.Qxd8 Rxd8 10.Bg5

A consistent followup to 8 dxe5 would have been 10 Nxe5, but after

10 ... Nc5, Black is at least equal after 11 f3 Nfxe4.

h6

This is possible because the a6 knight defends c7 in variations

such as 11 Bxf6 Bxf6 12 Nd5.

11.Bh4 Re8 12.Nd2 c6 13.Rfd1 Nh7

Black has a slight advantage due to White's dark-square weaknesses

in the center.

14.Na4 Bf8 15.Rac1 Ng5 16.c5 Ne6 17.Nb3 Nf4 18.Bxa6 bxa6

Now Black's 2 bishops are very strong.

19.Rd2 f5 20.f3 fxe4 21.fxe4 Bg4 22.Rcc2 g5 23.Bf2 Rad8 24.Na5 Bd1

Decisively winning material, although my technique for the rest of

the game leaves an awful lot to be desired.

25.Nxc6 Rxd2 26.Rxd2 Bxa4 27.Nxa7 Re6 28.Be3 Kf7 29.b3 Bc6 30.Nxc6

Rxc6 31.b4 Ne6 32.Rd5 Kf6 33.Kf2 Be7 34.g3 Nc7 35.Rd3 a5 36.a3 Ke6

37.Rb3 axb4 38.axb4 Nb5 39.Ke2 Ra6 40.Kd3 Kd7 41.Kc4 Kc6 42.Bc1 Ra1

43.Bb2 Re1 44.Kd3 Bf6 45.Kd2 Rxe4 46.Rf3 Be7 47.Rf7 Kd7 48.c6+ Ke6

49.Rh7 Rxb4 50.Bxe5 Rc4 51.Bb2 Bf8 52.Rh8 Kf7 53.Rh7+ Kg6 54.Rb7 Nd6

55.Rb6 Kf5 56.Kd3 Ke6 57.Rb8 Kf7 58.Rb6 Rc5 59.Bd4 Rb5 60.Ra6 Ne8

61.Ra7+ Ke6 62.Ra8 Kf7 63.Ra7+ Be7 64.c7 Nd6 65.Ra6 Rb3+ 66.Kc2 Rb7

67.Rc6 Nc8 68.Rxh6 Rxc7+ 69.Kd3 Rb7 70.Rh7+ Kg6 71.Rg7+ Kf5 72.h4 g4

73.Rf7+ Ke6 74.Rf4 Rb3+ 75.Bc3 Nd6 76.Kc2 Rb8 77.Rxg4 Kd5 78.Bb4 Nc4

79.Rxc4 Bxb4 80.Rg4 Bc5 81.Kd3 Rb3+ 82.Ke2 Bd6 83.Kf2 Be5 84.Kg2 Ke6

85.Rg5 Kd5 86.Rg4 Rb1 87.Rg5 Ke4 88.Rg4+ Ke3 89.h5 Rb8 90.Ra4 Bd6

91.Kh3 Rg8 92.g4 Kf3 93.Ra1 Bc5 94.Rf1+ Bf2

0 - 1

Classical with 6 ... Bg4 by Black

Classical - 6 ... Bg4

van Wely - piket

tilburg, 1996

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.d4 Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 Bg4

[An important and distinctive alternative to the long variations of

6 ... e5 7 O-O (or the Exchange Variation 7 dxe5, or the Petrosian

Variation 7 d5) Nc6 8 d5 Ne7, etc. Other sixth moves for Black are 6

... Na6 and 6 ... Qe8 - but not 6 ... Nbd7 7 e5 and e5-e6 will cause

some damage.]

7.Be3 Nfd7 8.Ng1

[The idea of this move is to alleviate the pressure on d4. The

major alternative is 8 Rc1 (preparing to meet 8 ... Nc6 with 9 d5; if

8 O-O Nc6! 9 d5 - or 9 Rc1 Bxf3 10 Bxf3 e5 and Black has won the

battle for control of the dark squares - 9 ... Na5 and the soft spot

on c4 gives White trouble) and then Maksimenko - Krasenkov, Katowice,

1993, continued 8 ... e5 9 d5 a5 10 a3 Na6 11 Rb1 f5 with an

interesting position, while Chekhov - Zueger, Prague 1989 saw 8 ... a6

9 O-O c5 10 d5. A very agressive treatment by White is 8 h4!?, played

in Ehlvest - Spraggett, Manila 1992. Spraggett reacted cautiously with

8 ... h5 9 Qd2 c5 10 d5 Na6 11 Bh6 Nc7, avoiding the testing 8 ...

Nc6, which probably would have been met by 9 d5 Na5 10 Qd2 with a

tense game.]

Bxe2 9.Ngxe2 c5

[This is considered preferable to 9 ... e5 here, as Black will have

trouble developing a strong kingside attack in the closed pawn

formation after d4-d5 due to the absence of light-squared bishops.]

10.d5

[This appears to be over-ambitious. In Lobron - Spraggett, Manila

1992, play continued with the sober 10 O-O cxd4 11 Nxd4 Nc6 12 Rc1.]

a6 11.a4 Qa5!

12.Bd2

[A necessity, as on 12 O-O Ne5 13 b3 (13 Qb3? Qb4), Black has 13

... Nxc4.]

Ne5 13.b3 Nd3+ 14.Kf1 Nd7

[While Black has done quite well, it is not clear that he has more

than equality.]

15.g3 Rae8 16.Kg2 Nb4 17.Be3

e5!!

[An amazing pawn sacrifice.]

18.dxe6

[This is forced. Otherwise, Black will get ... f7-f5 in with a

clear initiative.

fxe6

[The idea is simply to open the f- and d-files, where White has

some weak squares. 18 ... Rxe6 would permanently cede control of d5

to White.]

19.Qxd6 Rf7 20.Rad1 Nc6

[The recirculation of this knight is an important justification of

the sacrifice.]

21.Qd2 Qb6 22.Qa2 Bd4 23.a5

[Drifting into serious trouble. White should just admit that things

have not worked out and play 23 Rhf1, allowing his extra pawn to be

doubled, but neutralizing some of the pressure.]

Qb4 24.Bxd4 cxd4 25.Na4 e5 26.Nc1 Qxa5 27.Qd2 Qxd2 28.Rxd2 Nb4 29.Nb2

Nc5

[White lost on time here, but his position is not good after 30 Re1

Ref8.]

0-1

Classical – 9 Nd2

At the San Francisco Pan-Pacific International 1995, Walter Browne

used the Classical system against both John Nunn and Xie Jun. Note

that on Black's 10th move, Nunn played 10 ... Bd7, while Xie Jun got

in the break ... f7-f5 quicker by playing 10 ... Nd7, but her minor

pieces were passively placed, and Browne was able to establish the

initiative.

Browne - Nunn

San Francisco (Pan Pacific), 1995

King's Indian: Classical

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5

Ne7 9.Nd2 a5 10.a3 Bd7 11.b3 Ne8 12.Rb1 f5 13.b4 axb4 14.axb4 Nf6

15.c5 fxe4 16.Ndxe4 Nf5 17.Bg5 h6 18.Bxf6 Bxf6 19.Bd3 Bg5 20.Nxg5 Qxg5

21.Ne4 Qh4 22.cxd6 cxd6 23.Rc1 Ra3 24.Rc7 Bb5 25.g3 Qd8 26.Rc3 Rxc3

27.Nxc3 Bd7 28.Be4 Nd4 29.Qd3 Qb6 30.Kg2 Kg7 31.h4 Bc8 32.Ne2 Nxe2

33.Qxe2 Qxb4 34.h5 gxh5 35.Rc1 Bf5 36.Rc7+ Kg6 37.Bxf5+ Rxf5 38.Rd7

Qc5 39.Qd2 e4 40.Re7 Qxd5 41.Qxd5 Rxd5 42.Rxb7 Rd2 43.Kf1 d5 44.Rb6+

Kg5 45.Ke1 Rd3 46.Rd6 h4 47.gxh4+ Kxh4 48.Rxh6+ Kg5 49.Re6 Kf4 50.Ke2

Ra3 51.Re8 Ra2+ 52.Ke1 d4 53.Re7 Ra1+ 54.Kd2 d3 55.Rf7+ Kg4 56.Rf8

Ra2+ 57.Ke1 Ra5 58.Rg8+ Kf4 59.Rf8+ 0-1

Browne - Xie

San Francisco (Pan Pacific), 1995

King's Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5

Ne7 9.Nd2 a5 10.a3 Nd7 11.Rb1 f5 12.b4 Kh8 13.f3 Ng8 14.Qc2 Nh6 15.c5

dxc5 16.bxc5 Nxc5 17.Nb5 Na6 18.Nc4 Nf7 19.Be3 Nd6 20.Nbxd6 cxd6

21.Rb6 fxe4 22.fxe4 Rxf1+ 23.Bxf1 Bf8 24.Qf2 Kg8 25.Nxa5 Nc5 26.Bxc5

Rxa5 27.Bb4 Ra8 28.Bb5 Be7 29.a4 Qc7 30.a5 Bg4 31.Qd2 Rf8 32.Qc3 Qd8

33.h3 Bc8 34.Kh2 Rf2 35.Bxd6 Bxd6 36.Rxd6 Qxd6 37.Qxc8+ Rf8 38.Qe6+

Qxe6 39.dxe6 Ra8 40.e7 Kf7 41.e8Q+ Rxe8 42.Bxe8+ Kxe8 43.Kg3 Kd7

44.Kg4 h6 45.h4 Ke6 46.h5 g5 47.g3 Kf6 48.Kf3 Ke7 49.Kg4 Ke6 50.Kf3

Kd6 51.Kg4 Ke6 Draw

Fillippov - Zakharevich

Elista (Russia Ch.), 1996

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.d4 Bg7 4.g3

[The "fianchetto" variation of the King's Indian, in which White

also fianchettoes his king bishop, is considered a positional

treatment by White which completely avoids the possibility of Black

obtaining a kingside attack right out of the opening. However, Black

has many methods to obtain dynamic play against the White center.]

0-0 5.Bg2 d6 6.Nc3 Nbd7 7.0-0 e5 8.e4 c6

[This is the most established move here. Other ideas are the

immediate 8 ... exd4 followed by 9 ... Re8, or 8 ... a6 which prepares

... e5xd4 followed by ... Nd7-e5 and ... c7-c5, but White can foil all

of that with 9 d5!. See the next game for the highly unusual 8 ... h6,

used with great effect by a master against one of the world's leading

exponents of the fianchetto system!]

9.h3

[This is standard. White prepares to place his bishop on e3.]

exd4

[Other lines are 9 ... Qb6 (the Main Line), 9 ... Qa5 (endeavoring

to pressurize c4 with ... Qa5-b4 or ... Nd7-b6) and 9 ... a5 (looking

to expand with ... a5-a4).]

10.Nxd4 Re8

[In Adorjan - Lautier, Moscow 1989, 10 ... Qb6 11 Nde2 Qc7 12 Be3

Re8 13 Rc1 Nc5 worked out well for Black.]

11.Be3 Nc5 12.Qc2 Qe7 13.Rfe1 a5 14.Rad1 a4 15.f4

Qc7

[Black went for it in Dautov - Akopian, Tbilisi, 1989 with 15 ...

Nfxe4?! 16.Nxe4 Nxe4 17.Bxe4 Qxe4 18.Bf2 Qxe1+ 19.Bxe1 Bxd4+ 20.Rxd4

Rxe1+, getting rook, bishop and pawn for the queen, but White

consolidated with 21.Kf2 Bf5 22.Qd2 Rh1 23.Kg2 c5 24.Kxh1 cxd4 25.Qxd4

Bxh3 26.Qxd6 Be6 27.Qd4 and White eventually won.]

16.Bf2 Qa5 17.Nf3 Nh5 18.a3 f5

[A critical moment. Black just gets sufficient counterplay.]

19.Rxd6 Bxc3 20.bxc3 Nxe4 21.Rd4 Be6 22.Ng5 Nxf2 23.Qxf2 Ng7 24.Qb2

Re7 25.Qb4 Qc7 26.Qc5 Rae8 27.Rd2 Bc8 28.Rxe7 Qxe7 29.Qxe7 Rxe7 30.Kf2

Ne6 ½-½

Wojtkiewicz - Resika

New York City (Marshall CC) Nov., 1996

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.d4 g6 4.g3 Bg7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.e4

h6

[Wojtkiewicz, the Polish Champion, is a great expert on this

variation. Perhaps this is why National Master Resika decides to leave

the well-trodden pathways.]

9.Re1 Nh7

[A bold idea - Black makes clear his intent to commit agression on

the kingside.]

10.d5

[I believe this is an inappropriate reaction to Black's

decentralizing last move. I would prefer 10 Rb1, keeping the central

tension, with a fairly nice position for White.]

Ng5 11.Nh4

[Using his pieces to restrain the ... f7-f5 advance.]

Nf6 12.Qe2 Bg4 13.f3 Bd7 14.Be3 Nh3+ 15.Kh1 Nh5

[Black has clearly obtained a slight initiative.]

16.Nf5

[If White does not play this, then Black will follow up with the

similar motif 16 ... N5f4.]

N3f4 17.gxf4 gxf5 18.fxe5 Bxe5

[A good decision, clearing the g-file for operations.]

19.Qf2 f4 20.Bd4

Kh7

[An important moment. 20...Ng3+ does not work - 21 hxg3 fxg3 22 Qd2

Qh2+ 23 Kf1 Bh3 24 Bg1.]

21.Bxe5 dxe5 22.Rg1 Rg8 23.Ne2 Qe7 24.Rad1 Rg6

[The position is about even - while Black has the kingside

pressure, he does not have enough firepower to break through, and

meanwhile, White has potential play on the queenside due to his

superior pawn structure.]

25.Bf1 Rag8 26.Rxg6 Rxg6 27.Rd2 b6 28.Nc3 Qg5 29.Ne2 Qe7 30.a3 a5

31.Rc2 Qg5 32.c5 Ba4 33.Rc1 Bb5 34.Re1 bxc5 35.Bh3 Bxe2 36.Rxe2 Ng7

37.Qxc5 Qh4 38.Bf5 Nxf5 39.exf5 Rg5 40.Rxe5 Qh3 41.Qf2 Rxf5

1/2 - 1/2 in 60

LeSeige - Sokolin, Marshall-Manhattan International Title Challenge

1996

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nf3 Bg7 4.g3 0-0 5.Bg2 d6 6.0-0 Nbd7 7.Nc3 e5 8.e4

a6

[This move is a close cousin of 8 ... exd4 9 Nxd4 Re8, with which

it often transposes.]

9.h3

[A reasonable idea of Ribli's is to shut down the immediate

counterplay with 9 d5. Then Black's best is the thematic 9 ... Kh8

followed by Nf6-g8. This leads to a more flexible placing of the

knights then 9 ... Ne8; in any case Black would rather have his king

on h8 when ... f7-f5 is met by Nf3-g5. On the other hand, nothing is

achieved with the stubborn 9 ... Rb8 10 Ne1! (not 10 a4 a5 gaining the

c5 square) b5 11 cxb5 axb5 12 a3 with the upper hand on the queenside.

A less well-motivated concept is 9 Rb1!? Then Chiburdanicze - Zsu.

Polgar, St. Petersburg 1995 m/6 continued 9 ... b5 10 cxb5 axb5 11 b4

Bb7 with no problems. Polgar wrested the initiative even more quickly

in the fourth game of the match, where Chiburdanidze tried 9 Re1 exd4

10 Nxd4 Ng4! 11 Rf1 (wild is 11 h3 Qf6 12 Nf5 Nxf2 13 Kxf2 Nb6!,

Obuhov - Pugacev, USSR 1990) Nge5 12 b3 Nc5 13 h3 b5!]

exd4 10.Nxd4 Re8 11.Be3

[In Nikolic - Van Wely, Wijk zzn Zee, 1993, White played for

consolidation rather than development with 11 Rb1 Rb8

12 Re1 h6 (planning the strange maneuver ... Nd7-c5-e6-g5!?) 13 Be3 c5

14 Nf3! holding Black's knight at bay. In this line, a more active try

for Black was Ne5 13.b3 c5 14.Nc2 b5?! 15.cxb5! [15.f4 Ned7 16.cxb5

Nh5 17.Re3 axb5 18.Qxd6 g5 is unclear) 15...axb5 16.f4 Ned7 17.Qxd6

Nh5, but White stood better after 18.Qd3! in Timoshenko - Golubev,

Alusta 1994. Not so effective for White was 11 Nb3 Ne5 12.Qe2 Be6

13.Nd2 Nfd7 14.f4 Nc6 in Zsu. Polgar - Chiburdanidze, Shanghai 1992,

the stem game in these two players' discussion of this line.]

Ne5 12.b3 c5 13.Nde2!

[It is difficult to choose between this and 13 Nc2 which avoids the

jumble on the e-file and lends tactical support to the bishop on e3

rather than the knight on c3, but leaves the c2 knight without any

active prospects. Both alternatives put the onus on Black to justify

the early arrival of his knight on e5. One possibility is 13 Nc2 Rb8

14 f4 Nc6 15 Qd2 Nh5 16 Kh2 b5 17 cxb5 axb5 18 Rad1 with an unclear

position.]

Rb8 14.f4 Nc6 15.Qd2 Qe7!

[Just in time. Black cannot play 15 ... b5? because of 16 e5, and

it would be awkward to try to arrange this. Sokolin finds a different

source of counterplay.]

16.g4

[On the direct 16.Rad1, 16 ... Bf5! 17.exf5 Qxe3+ 18.Qxe3 Rxe3

19.fxg6 hxg6 20.Kf2 (or 20.Rxd6 Nh5) 20...Rbe8 is good for Black. A

good way to head off these problems was the modernistic 16 Bf2! Then

things could open up after 16 ... Na5! (the most convenient way to

enable ... b7-b5) 17 Rad1 b5 18 cxb5 axb5 19 Qxd6 Qxd6 20 Rxd6 b4.

Instead, Leseige selects a multi-purpose move which stops 16 ... Bf5

and prepares to strengthen e4 with 17 Ng3.]

16...h5?! 17.gxh5?

[Trusting Black to recapture 17 ... Nxh5 18 Rad1 with a good game.

Better was 17.g5! Then 17 ... Nxe4? is no good because of 18.Nxe4!

(not 18 Bxe4 Bf5 19.Bxf5 Qxe3+ 20.Qxe3 Rxe3 21.Kf2 Rxc3) Bf5 19.N2g3

h4 20.Nxf5 gxf5 21.Rae1! fxe4 22.f5 with a very strong attack. Black

would be reduced to 17 ... Nh7 18 Rad1 and White is much better. This

shows that Sokolin's 17th move was overambitious. It was necessary at

all costs to get ... b5 in; therefore, 17 ... Na5 was indicated. In

reply 18 g5 Nh5 19 Nd5 Qd8 would be inconclusive.]

17...Bxh3!!

[Aside from its tactical justification, the opening of the king

file and the long diagonal must be worth the price.]

18.Bxh3 Nxe4 19.Nxe4 Qxe4 20.Kf2 Nb4!

[Black is not interested in rook-and-pawn vs. 2-minor-pieces

variation with 20 ... Bxa1. The text carries with it two very mean

points: if 21 Rad1 Nc2 wins, and if 21 Ng3 Nd3+ 22 Ke2 Nxf4+ 23 Rxf4

Qxf4 is crushing.]

21.Nc3 Nd3+ 22.Ke2 Bxc3 23.Qxd3 Bd4

[Winning neatly.]

24.Rf3

[Amazingly, there is no way to give back only a bishop. If 24 Qxe4

Rxe4 25 Bg4, then 25 ... Bxa1! 26 Rxa1 Rbe8 ends matters.]

Bxa1 25.Qxe4 Rxe4 26.Kd3 Rbe8 27.Rg3 Bd4 28.Bd2 Bf2 29.Rf3

[White lost on time here. Black is winning very easily after 29 ...

Rd4+ 30 Kc3 (30 Kc2 Re2 31 Rd3 Be3) Re2 31 Rd3 gxh5]

0 - 1

Four Pawns Attack

Ivanov, I - Shaked, US Champ. 1996

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f4 O-O 6. Nf3 c5 7. d5 e6 8.

Be2 exd5 9. exd5

On White's 9th, he can choose 9 cxd5, heading for the Benoni

permutation of the Four Pawns Attack, after which Black has a safe line

in 9 ... Bg4! The sharpest try for White is 9 e5 dxe5 10 fxe5 Ng4 11

cxd5, sacrificing a pawn to open the f-file and get a strong d-pawn.

Bf5

In this pawn formation, it is sound practice to blockade the f4

pawn, to label it as a weakness, and to stop it from advancing

in a line-opening sacrifice.

10. O-O Na6 11. Bd3 Qd7 12. h3 Nb4!

A strong move forcing favorable simplification.

13. Bxf5 Qxf5 14. a3 Nc2 15. Nh4 Qh5 16. Qxc2 Qxh4

Black has attacking chances, but 1-0 in 41.

Saemisch

[Event "US Championship (Semi-Final)"]

[Site "Chandler"]

[Date "1997.09.05"]

[Round "3"]

[White "Seirawan, Yasser"]

[Black "Christiansen, Larry"]

[Result "0-1"]

[ECO "E81"]

[WhiteElo "2630"]

[BlackElo "2550"]

[PlyCount "70"]

[EventDate "1997.09.03"]

1. d4 d6

In round 1 of their match, Christiansen played the Bogo-Indian

against Seirawan and got a bad game. Here he varies with 1 ... d6,

leading to a sharper game, better suited to Christiansen's style.

2. e4

On 2 Nf3 Black has the irregular 2 ... Bg4, or he can revert to

a

King's Indian with 2 ... Nf6. On 2 c4, Black has the extra option

of

the Old Indian move 2 ... e5, which is not bad.

Nf6

This is a Pirc Defence right now.

3. f3

A means of transposing into the Saemisch Variation of the

King's

Indian. If White had played 3 Nc3 (the normal Pirc move), White's

c-pawn is blocked, and the opening cannot be classified as a

King's

Indian Defence.

g6

Also possible is 3 ... e5?! or even 3 ... d5, which would most

likely transpose to a Classical Frenceh after 4 e5 Nfd7.

4. c4 Bg7 5. Nc3 O-O 6. Be3

The players have arrived at the main "tabia" for the Saemisch

King's Indian.

a6

Black has many moves at this juncture, including 6 ... e5 (the

main

line), 6 ... Nbd7, 6 ... Nc6, 6 ... c6 and 6 ... c5 (a pawn

sacrifice). The text prepares to meet 7 Qd2 with 7 ... Nc6, and

Black

is ready for ... Ra8-b8 and ... b7-b5 if White castles queenside.

7. Bd3 c5

A typical positional pawn sacrifice. If now 8 dxc5 dxc5 9 Bxc5

Nc6

and Black's counterplay on the central dark squares is worth a

pawn.

8. d5 e6

The position has evolved into a type of Modern Benoni

formation.

9. Nge2 exd5 10. cxd5 b5 11. a3

With the square e4 heavily fortified, the prospect of Black

playing

... b5-b4 is not a real threat. But Seirawan's plan is to "fix"

the

Black queenside and render it immobile. If White succeeds in this,

he

can then turn his attention to the kingside unfettered by any

counterplay on the other wing.

Nbd7 12. b4 Qe7 13. O-O Bb7

This move looks inaccurate as the bishop "bites on granite"

(i.e.,

White's light-squared pawn chain) from this post. More natural

seems

13 ... Ne5 with a view towards developing the bishop on d7

instead.

14. Qd2 Rac8 15. Rab1

White has been enouraged to make this move, as the bishop on b7

is

potentially a sitting duck.

Rfe8 16. Bf2 Ne5

Christiansen was cautious in placing his knight here, as the

exchange ... Ne5xd3 has little intrinsic value - White may be able

to

expand in the center more easily as Black would have less control

over

the e5 square. Of course, White will not retreat the d3 bishop, as

Black's knight would then cruise into c4.

17. a4

Another step in the thus far successful queenside plan. The

pawn on

b5 is softened up, while pawn exchanges are likely to lead to an

isolated pawn for Black. White does not worry about 17 ... c4, as

then

on 18 Bc2, the queenside is completely blockaded, and White can go

about the business of preparing f3-f4.

cxb4 18. Rxb4

Black appears to have problems with his b-pawn here.

Bh6!

Now if 19 Qd1 the bishop on h6 is very active, although this

may be

the line that White should play; meanwhile if 19 Be3 Bxe3+ 20

Qxe3,

much of the pressure against Black's queenside, emanating from

White's

"good" dark-squared bishop, is gone.

19. Qxh6 Nxd3 20. Rd4 Nxf2

There was no question that the dangerous bishop had to be

eliminated.

21. Rxf2 Rc5 22. Qd2 Rec8

Christiansen, a very dangerous tactician, has found a way to

obtain

some counterpressure, along the c-file.

23. Rf1 bxa4!

A positional surprise, but Christiansen has calculated ahead.

24. Nxa4 Rc2

Threats against the White knight on e2 will allow Black to

start

breaking down White's proud center.

25. Qd3 Nxd5 26. Rb1

Trying to convince Black's knight on d5 to go away, by means of

the

threat Rb1xb7 followed by capturing on d5.

Qe5!!

Now if 27 Rxb7 Rxe2 and Rc1+ is threatened.

27. exd5 Rxe2 28. Re4

A way of both exchanging off Black's very dangerous rook, and

shoring up the d5 point through the forced exchange.

Rxe4 29. fxe4 Rc7

Now Black is a clean pawn up, and although his bishop on b7 is

a

little awkward, so is the knight on a4, which must remain there to

guard against an invasion with ... Rc7-c3.

30. Rd1 Bc8 31. Nb6

Trying to embarrass the bishop.

Rc3 32. Qd4

White had to play 33 Qe2 here.

Rc1! 33. Qd2

Forced, to avoid loss of material.

Rxd1+ 34. Qxd1 Bb7

A very subtle trap. Also good was 34 ... Bg4 as 35 Qxg4 Qd4+ is

super for Black.

35. Qa4?

A natural move, holding both d4 and e4. However, the only move

was

35 Qb1!, physically defending both e4 and the errant knight on b6.

Qc3!

Suddenly, there is no defence to the twin threats of 36 ... Qe1

mate and 36 ... Qc5+ picking off the knight. If 36 Kf1 Qc1+ 37 Kf2

Qb2+ wins.

0-1

Gulko - Shaked, US Champ. 1996

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. e4 d6 5. f3 O-O 6. Be3 c5

Other moves here are 6 ... e5 (the main line - see the next game), 6

... Nbd7, 6 ... Nc6, and 6 ... c6

7. Nge2

This declines the pawn sacrifice offered by Black, which is

considered to reasonable for Black after 7 dxc5 dxc5 8 Bxc5 Nc6.

Black's compensation is based on White's lack of development, and

relative weakness on the central dark squares.

Nc6 8. d5 Ne5

It will take some work for White to remove this knight from its

temporary outpost, as c4 needs to be defended, and f3-f4 can meet with

the retort ... Ne5-g4.

9. Ng3 e6 10. Be2 exd5 11. cxd5 a6 12. a4 h5

I disagree with chasing the knight off its lousy post. Black would

have nothing to complain about if he continued 12 ... Rb8, with

normal queenside operations in store.

13. O-O Nh7 14. Qd2 h4 15. Nh1f5 16. Nf2 b6 17. exf5 gxf5 18. Nh3

White has the more harmonious position; 1-0 in 52.

Marques - Toth, Sao Paulo (ch-Brazil) 1996 ECO code E87

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.f3 0-0 6.Be3 e5 7.d5 Nh5 8.Qd2

Qh4+

A controversial line; the alternative is 8 ... f5, where Black

established a kingside beachhead, although White has many options, and

it is unclear where his king will be living.

9.g3

On 9 Bf2, the theoretical view is that Black can profitably offer

to repeat moves with 9 ... Qf4 10 Be3 Qh4+.

Nxg3

A tactical move leading by force to a queen sacrifice by Black, for

two minor pieces and a pawn. There is another line - 9 ... Qe7, where

Black figures that White's position has not improved by the placing of

the pawn on g3.

10.Qf2 Nxf1 11.Qxh4 Nxe3 12.Ke2

Agreed to be the most efficacious way for White to rid himself of

the multiple threats posed by the knight.

Nxc4 13.Rc1 Bd7

Better is 13 ... Na6, as then 14 Nb5 is ineffective due to 14 ...

Bd7.

14.b3 Na3

The knight is actually offsides here. Better was 14 ... Nb6,

allowing Black to chip away at the White center with a later ...

c7-c6.

15.Nh3 a5 16.Rhg1 Na6 17.Ng5 h5 18.Ne6 fxe6 19.Rxg6 Be8 20.Rg5 Kh7

21.Rcg1 Bh6 22.Qg3 Bf7 23.Rg7+ Kh8 24.Rxf7 Rxf7 25.Qg6 Rh7 26.dxe6 c6

27.e7 Nc7 28.Qxd6 Re8 29.Qxc7 Nc2 30.Qxe5+ Bg7 31.Rxg7

1 - 0

Bd3 System

Loeffler - Armas, Wijk ann Zee Open, 1996 ECO code E90

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 d6 3.Nc3 g6 4.e4 Bg7 5.Nf3 0-0 6.h3

The idea of this is to feign or actually play the restricting

g2-g4; meanwhile White waits to see whether Black will strike back

with ... e7-e5 or ... c7-c5.

Re8

This is a major misplacement of the rook, which may be needed on

the f-file to support a later ... f7-f5.

7.Bd3

Most commonly the "Bd3 system" involves an early Bd3 followed by

Nge2. That would be classified as E70. Here White has already

prevented the pin ... Bc8-g4, and therefore places his bishop on the

more active d3 square.

Nc6 8.Be3 Nd7 9.Be2

Unnecessary. White could have played 9 O-O e5 10 d5 and if 10 ...

Nd4 11 Bxd4 exd4 12 Ne2 is good.

e5 10.d5 Ne7 11.g4 f5

Black is not ready for this here. Better was 11 ... Rf8.

12.Ng5 Nf8 13.gxf5 gxf5 14.Bh5

White has the advantage. The game continued:

Neg6 15.exf5 Bxf5 16.Bg4 Nf4 17.Bxf5 Qxg5 18.Qg4 Ng2+ 19.Ke2 Qxg4+

20.hxg4 Nxe3 21.fxe3 and White later won.

Christiansen - Yermolinsky, U.S. Championship 1996

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. e4 d6 4. d4 Bg7 5. Bd3 Nc6 6. Nge2 e5 7. d5

Nd4

A direct equalizing method. Yermo gets the knight in to d4 before

bothering to castle.

8. Bg5

Seirawan has experimented with 8 Bc2!? here, getting rid of the

knight on d4 posthaste.

h6 9. Bxf6 Qxf6 10. Nxd4 exd4 11. Ne2 h5 12. O-O O-O 13. Qb3 c6

Black has equalized comfortably; 1/2-1/2 in 45 moves.

Christiansen - Shaked, U.S. Championship 1996

1. c4 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Bd3 0-0 6. Nge2 Nbd7 7.

0-0 c5

This is probably best here. 7 ... e5 8 d5 Nc5 9 Bc2 would leave

White with good opportunities to build up a kingside pawn storm

later.

8. d5 Ne5 9. f4 Nxd3 10. Qxd3

In this type of position, Black's two bishops are nullified by his

difficulty in getting some elbow room with ... e6 without allowing

White a quick f4-f5, or pressure on Black's center.

a6 11. a4 b6 12. Be3 Ng4 13. Bd2 e6 14. h3 Nf6 15. dxe6 fxe6 16. Rad1

White has a slight advantage. 1/2-1/2 in 97.

Larry Christiansen played the 5 Bd3 system against both Nunn and Xie

Jun. Note that Nunn played 7 ... e5, whereas Xie Jun prepared this

with 7 ... Nd7. Against Nunn, Christiansen forced the immediate

exchange of the Black knight which arrived on d4, whereas against Xie

Jun, Christiansen allowed the knight to remain on d4 and tried to play

around it.

Christiansen - Nunn

San Francisco (Pan Pacific), 1995

King's Indian

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.Nge2 0-0 7.0-0 e5 8.d5

Nd4 9.Bc2 Nxc2 10.Qxc2 Nh5 11.Be3 f5 12.exf5 gxf5 13.f4 Bd7 14.Rae1

exf4 15.Nxf4 Nxf4 16.Bxf4 Qf6 17.Kh1 Rae8 18.Rd1 Rf7 19.Rd3 Kh8 20.Qd2

a6 21.a4 b6 22.b3 Qh4 23.Ne2 Qg4 24.Rdf3 Rfe7 25.Ng3 Qg6 26.Bg5 Re5

27.Be3 c5 28.Bf4 R5e7 29.b4 Bxa4 30.bxc5 dxc5 31.Bg5 Re5 32.Nxf5 Re2

33.Qf4 Rf8 34.Nh4 Qh5 35.Qxf8+ Bxf8 36.Rxf8+ Kg7 37.Bh6+ Kxh6 38.R1f6+

Qg6 39.Nxg6 hxg6 40.h4 Re4 41.Rh8+ Kg7 42.Rff8 Rxc4 43.Rfg8+ Kf6

44.Rb8 b5 45.Rb6+ Kg7 46.Rc8 Rxh4+ 47.Kg1 b4 48.Rc7+ Kh6 49.Rxa6 b3

50.Rb6 c4 51.Rb4 Rd4 52.Rcxc4 Rxd5 53.Rc1 Bd7 54.Rxb3 Rd4 55.Rcb1 Bf5

56.R1b2 Kg5 57.Rb4 Rd3 58.Kf2 Rd1 59.Rb5 Rc1 60.R2b3 Rc4 eventually

drawn.

Christiansen - Xie Jun

San Francisco (Pan Pacific), 1995

King's Indian Defense

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.e4 d6 4.d4 Bg7 5.Bd3 0-0 6.Nge2 Nc6 7.0-0 Nd7

8.Be3 e5 9.d5 Nd4 10.Kh1 c5 11.Qd2 a6 12.Rab1 b5 13.cxb5 axb5 14.Nxb5

Nxb5 15.Bxb5 Rxa2 16.Nc3 Ra8 17.b4 cxb4 18.Rxb4 f5 19.f3 Nf6 20.Bc6

Ra6 21.exf5 gxf5 22.Bg5 Qe7 23.Rb8 Qa7 24.Rbb1 f4 25.Nb5 Qe7 26.Rfe1

Bf5 27.Rbc1 h6 28.Bxf4 Kh7 29.Nd4 Bg6 30.Ne6 Rb8 31.Be3 Ra3 32.Nxg7

Qxg7 33.Ra1 Rd3 34.Qf2 Rf8 35.Ra7 Rf7 36.Rxf7 Bxf7 37.Bb5 Rxd5 38.Bc4

Ra5 39.Qd2 Ra8 40.Bxf7 Qxf7 41.Qxd6 Re8 42.Bd2 Re6 43.Qd3+ Qg6 44.Qc4

Re7 45.Qh4 Rg7 46.Qf2 Rf7 47.Qe2 e4 48.Rf1 Rd7 49.Bc3 exf3 50.Qxf3 Ne4

51.Ba1 Rd2 52.Re1 Rd7 53.Qf8 Qe6 54.Rf1 Ra7 55.Bd4 Rd7 56.Qh8+ Kg6

57.Kg1 Kh5 58.Re1 Re7 59.h3 Kg6 60.Qf8 Qf7 61.Qc8 Qd5 62.Qa6+ Kh7

63.Qd3 Qf5 64.Rf1 Qg6 65.Rf8 Re8 66.Rf4 Ng5 67.Qb3 Re1+ 68.Kf2 Rb1

69.Qc4 Nxh3+ 70.gxh3 Qg1+ 71.Kf3 Rf1+ 72.Ke2 Re1+ 73.Kd2 Rd1+ 74.Ke2

Re1+ 75.Kd3 Rd1+ 76.Ke2 Draw

Browne - Wojtkiewicz

Chicago 1997, 1997

1.d4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.c4 d6 4.Nc3 e5 5.d5 f5 6.exf5 gxf5 7.Qh5+ Kf8 8.Nh3

Nf6 9.Qh4 Na6 10.Bd2 Bd7 11.f3 c6 12.dxc6 bxc6 13.0-0-0 h6 14.Be3 Qe7

15.Bd3 Nb4 16.Bb1 c5 17.Rhe1 Nc6 18.Nb5 Nd4 19.Bxd4 cxd4 20.Nxd4 Nd5

21.Qh5 Rc8 22.Bxf5 Rxc4+ 23.Kb1 Be8 24.Qg4 Bf7 25.Bg6 Rxd4 26.Rxd4 Be6

27.Qe4 Nb6 28.Rd2 d5 29.Qc2 Nc4 30.Rde2 Qf6 31.Bd3 Na3+ 32.bxa3 e4

33.Qb2

1 - 0

Chow - Rajlich

Chicago, 1997

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5

Ne7 9.Nd2 a5 10.a3 Bd7 11.b3 Ne8 12.Rb1 f5 13.b4 axb4 14.axb4 Nf6

15.c5 Bh6 16.Nc4 Bxc1 17.Rxc1 Nxe4 18.Nxe4 fxe4 19.Qd2 Nf5 20.Qc2 Nd4

21.Qxe4 Ra2 22.Bd1 Bb5 23.g3 Qa8 24.f4 Qa6 25.Qd3 Rb2 26.Qc3 Rb3

27.Bxb3 Ne2+ 28.Kg2 Nxc3 29.Rxc3 exf4 30.gxf4 Re8 31.f5 Re4 32.fxg6

hxg6 33.cxd6 cxd6 34.Rfc1 Bd7 35.Ne3 Qe2+

0 - 1

Yermolinsky - Ortiz

Chicago, 1997

1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.d4 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Na6 8.Re1

exd4 9.Nxd4 Nc5 10.f3 h6 11.Be3 a5 12.Qd2 Kh7 13.Rad1 Bd7 14.Ndb5 b6

15.Qc2 Re8 16.Bf1 Qc8 17.b3 Bc6 18.a3 Nh5 19.Nd5 Ne6 20.g3 Nf6 21.Bh3

Bxb5 22.cxb5 Nxd5 23.Rxd5 Qb7 24.Bg2 Nc5 25.f4 Rad8 26.b4 axb4 27.axb4

Nd7 28.e5 Qb8 29.Red1 Nf8 30.Qd2 Qa7 31.Bf2 Ne6 32.f5 gxf5 33.exd6

Rxd6 34.Rxd6 cxd6 35.Qc2 Kg8 36.Rxd6 Qa3 37.Rd7 Qxb4 38.Qxf5 Re7

39.Rd1 Qa4 40.Re1 Qb4 41.Bd5 Bd4 42.Rf1 Ng5 43.Qg6+ Bg7 44.Qxb6 Re2

45.Kh1 Qd2 46.Bg2 Ne6 47.Qa7 Bf8 48.Bg1 Ng5 49.Qb7 Re1 50.Rxe1 Qxe1

51.b6 Qb1 52.Qd5 Ne6 53.b7 Nc5 54.b8Q Qxb8 55.Bxc5 Qb1+ 56.Bg1 Qc1

57.Be4 Be7 58.Kg2 Qb2+ 59.Kh3 Qf6 60.Qf5

1 - 0

Gulko - Paschall

Chicago, 1997

1.c4 g6 2.d4 Bg7 3.Nc3 d6 4.Nf3 Nf6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 g5 7.Bg3 Nh5 8.e3

Nxg3 9.hxg3 e6 10.Qc2 Qe7 11.0-0-0 a6 12.d5 Nd7 13.Nd4 Ne5 14.Be2 c5

15.Nb3 Bd7 16.f4 Ng6 17.dxe6 Qxe6 18.Nd5 0-0-0 19.Na5 Ne7 20.Qb3 Bc6

21.f5 Qe5 22.f6

1 - 0

Gulko - Castaneda

Chicago, 1997

1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 g6 3.d4 Bg7 4.Bg5 c6 5.e4 d6 6.Be2 Nbd7 7.Nf3 Qc7 8.0-0

a5 9.Nd2 0-0 10.a3 e5 11.d5 h6 12.Be3 Ne8 13.Rc1 c5 14.Nb5 Qd8 15.b4

axb4 16.axb4 b6 17.Qb3 f5 18.f3 f4 19.Bf2 Ndf6 20.Ra1 Bd7 21.Rxa8 Qxa8

22.Qb2 Kh7 23.Ra1 Qb8 24.Qa3 Bxb5 25.cxb5 cxb4 26.Qxb4 Rf7 27.Nc4 Rb7

28.Qa4 Qc7 29.Qa8 Rb8 30.Qc6 Qxc6 31.bxc6 b5 32.Rb1 Bf8 33.Na3 b4

34.Nb5 Be7 35.Rxb4 Bd8 36.Ra4 Kg8 37.Ra7 Rc8 38.g3 fxg3 39.hxg3 g5

40.Kg2 Bc7 41.Nxc7 Rxc7 42.Ra8

1 - 0

Dandridge - Baczynskyj

Chicago, 1997

1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 0-0 5.Nf3 d6 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nbd7 8.d5

Nc5 9.Nd2 a5 10.b3 Ne8 11.Rb1 f5 12.a3 Nf6 13.f3 Nh5 14.b4 axb4

15.axb4 Na6 16.Ra1 Bd7 17.Qb3 Nf4 18.Ra3 Kh8 19.Rf2 c5 20.dxc6 bxc6

21.Bf1 Qb6 22.c5 dxc5 23.bxc5 Qxb3 24.Nxb3 Nb4 25.Rd2 Be6 26.Na5 Bh6

27.Rd1 fxe4 28.Nxe4 Nc2 29.Ra4 Bb3 30.Nxb3 Rxa4 31.g3 Rb4 32.Na5 Nd4

33.Rxd4 Rxd4 34.gxf4 Bxf4 35.Bxf4 exf4 36.Nxc6 Rd1 37.Ne5 Ra8 38.Nf2

Rb1

1/2 - 1/2

[Event "US Championship (Gp 1)"]

[Site "Chandler"]

[Date "1997.08.24"]

[Round "2"]

[White "Gulko, Boris"]

[Black "Zamora, Jorge"]

[Result "1-0"]

[ECO "E61"]

[WhiteElo "2590"]

[BlackElo "2390"]

[PlyCount "77"]

[EventDate "1997.08.23"]

1. c4 Nf6 2. Nc3 g6 3. d4 Bg7 4. Bg5 h6 5. Bh4 O-O 6. Nf3 d6 7. e3 c5

Heading for a Benoni setup, but one in which the pressure exerted

by the White bishop

on h4 is

hard to neutralize. It is more traditional to play for ... e7-e5, and

possibly ... g6-g5, against the

early

bishop deployment.

8. d5 e6 9. Nd2 a6 10. a4 Qb6 11. Ra3

An effective response. Snapping the b-pawn will always lose to

Ra3-b3.

e5 12. Be2 Nbd7 13. O-O Nh7 14. f4 f5 15. Qc2

White has a clear advantage, as he can prepare b2-b4 on the

queenside, but what can

Black do on

the kingside?.

Re8 16. Bd1 Ndf6 17. a5 Qd8 18. Qb1 Qe7 19. Na4 g5 20. fxg5 hxg5 21.

Bf2 e4?

Now Gulko goes to work on the weak f5 square.

22. Nb6 Rb8 23. Bg3 f4 24. exf4 gxf4 25. Nxc8 Rexc8 26. Bxf4 b5 27. Re1

bxc4 28.

Nxc4 Rd8 29. Rg3 Kh8 30. Rh3 Rb4 31. b3 Qf7 32. Bxd6 Qxd5 33. Be7 Qd4+

34. Kh1

Re8 35. Bxf6 Bxf6 36. Bh5 Re7 37. Bg6 Qf2 38. Bxe4 Kg7 39. Rxh7+ 1-0

Christiansen,Larry (2560) - Tate,Emory (2395) [E80] NY Open (7), 1997

1.c4 g6 2.e4 Bg7 3.d4 d6 4.Nc3 Nf6

After a little jockeying, we have arrived at the King's Indian.

5.f3 Na6 6.Bg5

When Black does not pressure the d4 square, it can be good to

place the bishop on g5 rather than e3. In this case, Christiansen will

earn a free hit against the Black pawn that ends up on h6.

c5 7.d5 h6 8.Be3 e6 9.Nge2 exd5 10.cxd5 Bd7 11.Nc1

c1 is a very unusual spot for a knight, but in this line the

knight just wants to stay out of trouble. 11 Ng3 would definitely

invite Tate to march his h-pawn up the board!

Nc7 12.Be2 b5 13.Qd2 b4 14.Nd1 0-0 15.0-0

Not 15 Bxh6 Nxe4! 16 fxe4 Qh4+ with a great position for Black.

This is why 13 ... b4 was played: White is stopped from capturing on

e4 with his knight.

Kh7 16.Nf2 a5 17.a4!

Blunting the effectiveness of Black's queenside pieces and

building a cozy home for the light-squared bishop on c4.

Qe7 18.Bc4 Rae8 19.Re1

Preparations are being made for the big push with f3-f4. For now,

at least, Black's queenside majority is going nowhere.

Na8 20.Ncd3 Nb6 21.Qc2

DIAGRAM

Rc8

Correct was 21 ... Nxc4 followed by trying to circle Black's

light-squared bishop around to a6.

22.b3!

If this move works tactically, then White has solidified a

tremendous positional advantage, as the bishop on c4 cannot be

disposed of without giving White a tremendous center.

Nxc4 23.bxc4 Nxd5 24.exd5 Bxa1 25.Bxh6 Qf6

DIAGRAM

26.Ne4!

Christiansen's intent was not to recover the Exchange and let

Black's dark-squared bishop rule, but to harass the Black queen and

destroy his queenside.

Qd4+ 27.Be3 Qg7 28.Nxd6 Rb8 29.Nxc5 Rfd8 30.Qf2 Bc3 31.Nce4!!

From their advanced posts, the knights suddenly turn their

attention to the kingside. On this second Exchange sacrifice 31 ...

Bxe1 32 Qxe1, there is no stopping moves like Qe1-h4+ and Ne4-f6+.

Ba1 32.Nxf7 g5 33.Nexg5+ Kg8 34.Qh4 Rdc8 35.Nh6+ Kf8 36.Qf4+ 1-0

Dlugy - Rohde

1.d4 d6 2.Nf3

Max and I have had many games in the line 2 c4 e5 3 Nf3 e4 4 Ng5

f5. Then after 5 Nc3 Black should play 5 ... c6 6 g3 Na6! heading for

c7. By playing 2 Nf3 all this is avoided, and yet Max is now unable to

play his favorite Saemisch or Four Pawns Attack lines against the

King's Indian.

Nf6 3.c4 g6 4.Nc3 Bg7 5.e4 0-0 6.Be2 Na6

An idea which has gained a lot of credence as of late. The usual

move is 6 ... e5.

7.0-0 e5 8.dxe5

This is not accurate here. A better reaction was 8 Be3 or 8 Re1.

The exchange does not accomplish anything, and Black is left with the

better central formation, as White's pawn on c4 is left without a real

purpose for being there.

dxe5 9.Qxd8 Rxd8 10.Bg5

A consistent followup to 8 dxe5 would have been 10 Nxe5, but after

10 ... Nc5, Black is at least equal after 11 f3 Nfxe4.

h6

This is possible because the a6 knight defends c7 in variations

such as 11 Bxf6 Bxf6 12 Nd5.

11.Bh4 Re8 12.Nd2 c6 13.Rfd1 Nh7

Black has a slight advantage due to White's dark-square weaknesses

in the center.

14.Na4 Bf8 15.Rac1 Ng5 16.c5 Ne6 17.Nb3 Nf4 18.Bxa6 bxa6

Now Black's 2 bishops are very strong.

19.Rd2 f5 20.f3 fxe4 21.fxe4 Bg4 22.Rcc2 g5 23.Bf2 Rad8 24.Na5 Bd1

Decisively winning material, although my technique for the rest of

the game leaves an awful lot to be desired.

25.Nxc6 Rxd2 26.Rxd2 Bxa4 27.Nxa7 Re6 28.Be3 Kf7 29.b3 Bc6 30.Nxc6

Rxc6 31.b4 Ne6 32.Rd5 Kf6 33.Kf2 Be7 34.g3 Nc7 35.Rd3 a5 36.a3 Ke6

37.Rb3 axb4 38.axb4 Nb5 39.Ke2 Ra6 40.Kd3 Kd7 41.Kc4 Kc6 42.Bc1 Ra1

43.Bb2 Re1 44.Kd3 Bf6 45.Kd2 Rxe4 46.Rf3 Be7 47.Rf7 Kd7 48.c6+ Ke6

49.Rh7 Rxb4 50.Bxe5 Rc4 51.Bb2 Bf8 52.Rh8 Kf7 53.Rh7+ Kg6 54.Rb7 Nd6

55.Rb6 Kf5 56.Kd3 Ke6 57.Rb8 Kf7 58.Rb6 Rc5 59.Bd4 Rb5 60.Ra6 Ne8

61.Ra7+ Ke6 62.Ra8 Kf7 63.Ra7+ Be7 64.c7 Nd6 65.Ra6 Rb3+ 66.Kc2 Rb7

67.Rc6 Nc8 68.Rxh6 Rxc7+ 69.Kd3 Rb7 70.Rh7+ Kg6 71.Rg7+ Kf5 72.h4 g4

73.Rf7+ Ke6 74.Rf4 Rb3+ 75.Bc3 Nd6 76.Kc2 Rb8 77.Rxg4 Kd5 78.Bb4 Nc4

79.Rxc4 Bxb4 80.Rg4 Bc5 81.Kd3 Rb3+ 82.Ke2 Bd6 83.Kf2 Be5 84.Kg2 Ke6

85.Rg5 Kd5 86.Rg4 Rb1 87.Rg5 Ke4 88.Rg4+ Ke3 89.h5 Rb8 90.Ra4 Bd6

91.Kh3 Rg8 92.g4 Kf3 93.Ra1 Bc5 94.Rf1+ Bf2

0 - 1

In this issue, I present in-depth analysis of one variation of the

King's Indian. This issue features the Classical King's Indian with 1

d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 O-O 6 Be2 e5 7 Be3!!?

ECO codes E92 and E94 generally deal with 7 Be3 for White and 7 O-O

for White (other 7th move alternatives for White are 7 d5 - the

Petrosian System, and 7 dxe5 dxe5 8 Qxd8, the Exchange Variation [in

the King's Indian, White usually cannot win the e-pawn with Nf3xe5

because Black has counterplay either along the e-file or the long

diagonal]), where Black responds to 7 O-O with a move other than the

main line 7 ... Nc6.

7.Be3 is a very popular move because it avoids the long main lines

with 7 O-O Nc6 8 d5 Ne7, with attacks on opposite wings. 7 ... Nc6 is

not a particularly good reply to 7 Be3 because of 8 d5 Ne7 9 Nd2!, and

if then Black moves his king's knight to enable the move ... f7-f5,

for example with 9 ... Ne8, then White will be very snug after 10 Qc2

f5 11 f3 followed by castling queenside, with White initiating the

play on both wings.

We should also note that on 7 O-O, if Black does play the main line

7 ... Nc6, 8 d5 is usually played; 8 Be3 is not as popular here as

Black can choose between (A) 8 ... Re8, and then 9 d5 Nd4! is equal,

so White has to opt for the dry 9 dxe5 dxe5; or (B) 8 ... Ng4 9 Bg5 f6

10 Bc1 (10 Bh4 invites an early pawn storm against White's king) and

now a good line for Black is 10 ... f5! and if 11 Bg5 Bf6 12 Bxf6 Nxf6

13 dxe5 dxe5 14 Qxd8 Rxd8 15 Nd5 Nxe4! (first played by Kasparov

against Portisch) 16 Nxc7 Rb8 and it turns out that Black's center is

strong.

7 Be3

A) 7 ... exd4

This move was given new meaning by Kasparov in his 1990 World

Championship match against Karpov. After 8 Nxd4 (not 8 Bxd4 Nc6) Re8 9

f3 c6 10 Qd2 d5 11 exd5 cxd5 12 c5 Nc6 13 O-O, Kasparov's Exchange

sacrifice 13 ... Rxe3!! 14 Qxe3 Qf8! is dangerous for White. The point

of 14 ... Qf8 is to threaten ... Nf6-g4, which is not playable

immediately because White can play 15 Nxc6 attacking Black's queen.

Thus, in Giorgadze - Nalbandian, Capelle la Grande 1995, White played

10 Bf2 instead of 10 Qd2; this eliminates the potential Exchange

sacrifice. After 10 ... d5 11 exd5 cxd5 12 O-O Nc6 13 c5 Nh5 14 Qd2,

White has queenside play and a strong square on d4, but Black has some

oblique pressure on the kingside.

B) 7 ... c6

This was chosen in Topalov - Kramnik, Las Palmas 1996. Play continued

8.d5! (A good idea, dispensing with the complications resulting from

the opening of the center in the lines below.) Ng4 9.Bg5 f6 10.Bh4 c5

(An interesting move closing the center; Black could also have played

the immediate ... Ng4-h6-f7.) 0-0 Nh6 12.Ne1 Nd7 13.Rb1 b6 14.a3, and

now Seirawan suggests Black should play 14 ... a6 followed by ...

Ra8-a7, with a potential rooklift to the kingside. Instead, Kramnik

tried 14 ... g5?! 15.Bg3 f5 16.exf5 Nxf5 17.Ne4, and White's grip on

the light squares gave him the better game.

After 7 ... c6, 8 O-O exd4 (Also frequently played here is 8 ... Na6;

8 ... Ng4 does not make such a favorable impression when Black has no

chance to pressurize the d4 square - Budt - Martin, 1991 continued 9

Bg5 f6 10 Bd2! f5 11 dxe5 Nxe5 12 exf5 with a pleasant position for

White.) 9.Bxd4! (This is a good idea now that Black cannot harass the

bishop with ... Nb8-c6. White achieved little in Matamoros - Ubilava,

Linares Open 1994 with 9 Nxd4 Re8 10 f3?! [better is 10 Qc2 Qe7 11 Bf3

as in Polugaevsky - Ivanchuk, Roquebriore, 1992] d5 11 cxd5 Nxd5!,

which is possible because in this order of moves, the bishop on e3 is

undefended) Re8 10.Qc2 Qe7 11.Rfe1 Nbd7 12.h3 a6 (The queenside

expansion does not have any clear objectives here. Correct was 12 ...

Ne5, posting up the knight as White's f-pawn is immobile. Also

possible was 12 ... a5, clearing a spot for the knight on c5.

Interesting is the pawn grab 12 ... c5 13 Be3 [White does not get the

advantage on 13 ... Bxf6 Nxf6] Nxe4, when both 14 Nd5 Qd8 15 Bd3 Ndf6,

and 14 Nxe4 Qxe4 15 Bd3 Qc6 are unclear.) 13.Rad1 b5 14.b4 c5 (A

miscalculation losing a pawn.) 15.bxc5 dxc5 16.Bxf6 Nxf6 17.cxb5 Nxe4?

18.Nxe4 1 - 0 (Because 18 ... Qxe4 runs into 19 Bd3) Shulman -

Relange, Anibal Linares Open, 1997.

After 7 ... c6, 8.Qd2 is a strange move. Although White will suffer

temporary embarrassment dealing with the threats to the e4 pawn and

the lack of available squares for his dark-squared bishop, the idea is

to put quick pressure against the weakened d6 pawn. Giorgadze -

Avrukh, Anibal Linares Open, 1997, saw 8 ... Qe7 9.Bg5 exd4 10.Nxd4

Re8 11.f3 Na6 12.Rd1 Nc5 13.b4 Ne6 14.Nxe6 Bxe6 with equality, as 15

Qxd6 (White settled for 15 O-O Rad8 16 a3) Qxd6 16 Rxd6 Ng4 gives

Black enough play for the pawn.

C) 7...h6 (An idea popularized by John Nunn. Black intends to play ...

Nf6-g4 without allowing the annoying retort Be3-g5. The main point is

that White cannot similarly play 8 h3, because then 8 ... exd4 9 Nxd4

Re8 is very strong for Black, as f2-f3 weakens the g3 square.) 8.0-0

Ng4 9.Bc1 Nd7 (This was tried in San Segundo - Mollov, Anibal Linares

Open, 1997. The usual line is 9 ... Nc6 10 d5 Ne7 and then, by

comparison to the main lines of the Classical (with 7 O-O Nc6 8 d5

Ne7, Black has two extra moves - his h-pawn is on h6 and his knight is

on g4! On 11 Ne1, Black should play 11 ... f5, rather than give the

tempos back with 11 ... Nf6). After 10.d5 Ngf6 11.Be3 Nh7 12.Qc1 h5

13.b4 f5 the position was balanced.

D) 7...Ng4 (This natural reaction must be considered the main line.)

8.Bg5 f6 9.Bh4 (Because White has not castled, it is convenient to

post the bishop here, as White can follow up with Nf3-d2 and envision

a kingside advance of his own. 9 Bd2 is, however, a viable

alternative.) Nc6 10.d5 Ne7 11.Nd2 Nh6 (I think 11 ... h5 is

preferable; after the text it is a little difficult for Black to

organize a kingside advance.) 12.f3 c6 (This was played in Giorgadze -

Shaked, Anibal Linares Open 1997; Shaked decides to push through in

the center.) 13.dxc6 bxc6 14.b4 Be6 15.Nb3 d5 16.Nc5 Bf7 17.0-0 d4 (A

double-edged position has arisen. White has good outposts for his

knights, but Black has captured central space.)

E) 7 ... Na6 (This is also often played against 7 O-O. Another new

idea against 7 O-O is 7 ... Qe8, trying to exert latent pressure

against e4, but a good response to that is 8 dxe5 dxe5 9 b4!) 8 O-O

Ng4 (This seems better to me than 8 ... c6 9 d5! which leaves the a6

knight without a good future. Schlecht - Peng Xiaomin, Groningen 1996

continued 9 ... Ng4 10.Bg5 f6 11.Bd2 f5 12.Ne1 Nf6 13.exf5 gxf5 14.Bg5

Kh8 15.Kh1 cxd5 16.Nxd5 with a nice game for White.) 9.Bg5 Qe8 10.dxe5

dxe5 11.Nd2 was Mikhalevski - Comas Fabrego, Anibal Linares Open,

1997. Black obtained relative equality after 11 ... f6 12.Bh4 h5 13.a3

Be6 14.h3 Nh6 15.b4 Rd8 16.c5 Nb8 17.f3 Nc6 18.Nd5 Qf7 19.Bc4 Nd4.

Bill Goichberg's Chicago International, held April 4 - 12, promised

GM norm opportunities, and delivered, as I. Gurevich and I. Ivanov

each made norms. In such tournaments one must do well in the early

rounds to play sufficiently strong opposition, in order to have norm

chances. When norm hopefuls Jay Bonin and Alex Sherzer met in the

first round of the event, a classic King's Indian confrontation of

competing flank attacks developed.

Both players must have been happy with the results of the opening.

Bonin, whose penchant for knights over bishops is legion, exchanged

off his light-squared bishop and constructed a light-squared pawn

chain, while Sherzer, a much-feared attacking player, established his

kingside pawn roller and wasted no time trying to hammer it home.

As Bonin's pawn chain came under attack, he must have missed the

"bad" bishop which was needed for defence. The critical question

became whether his queenside counterplay could stop Sherzer from

bringing up decisive reinforcements.

Bonin - Sherzer, Chicago 1992, Round 1

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 O-O 6 Be2 e5 7 O-O Nc6

8 d5 Ne7 DIAGRAM 9 Bg5

[A mysterious move championed by Eingorn, and played occasionally by

Ftacnik. The variations are similar to those arising from 9 b4, a

system in which Bonin is a well-known expert, in that both moves allow

Black to play 9 ... Nh5, whereas the main lines, 9 Ne1 and 9 Nd2,

prevent that maneuver. But while 9 b4 helps prepare the thematic break

c4-c5, the text does not, which is one reason W. Watson felt confident

enough recently to award 9 Bg5 with a "?!".]

Nh5 10 Ne1

[The usual reaction here has been 10 g3, as in Eingorn - A. Kuzmin,

USSR championship 1991, which continued 10 ... f6 11 Bd2 f5 12 exf5

Nxf5 13 Bd3 (Not 13 g4? Nd4) Nf6 14 Ng5 Nd4 with equality. In Bern -

Watson, Gausdal 1991 Black played more actively: 10 g3 h6 11 Bd2 Bh3

12 Re1 f5 13 Nh4 Nf6 14 exf5 g5! (an improvement over the 14 ... gxf5

given in the new E Encyclopedia) 15 Ng6 Nxg6 16 fxg6 Bf5. The text

effectively redeploys White's knight, at the cost of ceding the two

bishops.] Nf4 11 Nd3 Nxe2+ 12 Qxe2 h6 13 Be3

[Deciding to engage in a battle of pawn chains and competing flank

attacks. Probably better was 13 Bd2 with a view towards opening

instead of closing the center. DIAGRAM Then 13 ... f5 can be met by 14

f4! which either saddles Black with a weak pawn on e5 or forces him to

exchange pawns and mobilize White's pieces after 14 ... exf4 15 Nxf4

fxe4 16 Nxe4. If Black snatches a pawn with 16 ... Bxb2, 17 Bc3! gives

White strong compensation. But a more subtle method for Black is, from

the Diagram, 13 ... g5!! which stops f2-f4 first, and looks forward to

the usual kingside attack after f7-f5-f4. White could stop this

radically by 14 g4?! but Black surely stands better after 14 ... Ng6.

Or if 14 h4?! g4! (Not 14 ... gxh4? 15 f4) 15 f4 gxf3 followed by 16

... f5 is strong. White could play modestly with 14 f3 f5 15 exf5 Nxf5

16 Nf2 with even chances, or aggresively with the paradoxical 14 g3!?,

envisionsing the wild 14 ... f5 15 f4, or 14 ... Bh3 15 Re1 with the

bizarre variations 15 ... f5 16 f3 g4 (the threat was 17 Nf2) 17 f4,

or 15 ... g4!.]

f5

[Now this move is stronger than 13 ... g5 14 f3 f5 15 exf5 Nxf5 16

Nf2.]

14 f3

[I still prefer 14 f4, although now Black has 14 ... fxe4 15 Nxe4 Bf5

16 Ng3 e4! 17 Nf2 Qd7, so that on 18 Nfxe4 Rae8 Black has plenty of

activity for the pawn.]

f4 15 Bf2 g5

[The classic King's Indian pawn roller. Although the competing pawn

breaks, on g4 and c5, are quite familiar, White misses his

light-squared bishop, which from e2 would slow down Black's "lever"

g5-g4.]

16 c5 Ng6 17 Rac1 g4!

[Sherzer takes advantage of tactical opportunities to get the pawns

moving: if now 18 fxg4 Qg5 19 h3 h5 20 gxh5? Bxh3.]

18 Kh1 Rf7 19 Nb5

[The g-pawn was again defended indirectly: 19 fxg4 Qg5 20 h3 h5! 21

gxh5 f3! 22 gxf3 Qxh5 and wins. But White could have tried 19 fxg4!

anyway. After 19 ... Qg5 the solid 20 Ne1! recycles the knight back as

a defensive bulwark, and after 20 ... Bxg4 21 Nf3 White will get

serious queenside counterplay.]

Bd7!

[By drawing the c-pawn up to c6 Black gives up space but retains the

solidity of his pawn chain.]

20 c6 bxc6 21 dxc6 Be6 DIAGRAM 22 Nb4?

[Heading in the wrong direction. 22 fxg4! Qg5 23 Ne1 was still a tough

nut to crack.]

g3! 23 Bg1

[On 23 hxg3 Qg5 is too strong, e.g. 24 g4 h5 25 gxh5 Qxh5+ 26 Kg1

Bf6.]

Nh4

[Starting a new phase - the bombardment of g2.]

24 Rc2 a6 25 Nc3 Bh3 26 Qc4 Qg5 27 Nbd5

[If White attempts to fish in troubled waters with 27 Nxa6, then 27

... gxh2 28 gxh3 hxg1(q)+ 29 Rxg1 Qh5 wins, for example 30 Nxc7 Nxf3

31 Qe6 Nd4, or 30 Nd5 Kh8 followed by 31 ... Nxf3. The text move stops

this variation - 27 Nbd5 gxh2? 28 gxh3 hxg1(q)+ 29 Rxg1 Qh5?? 30 Nf6+

- but it has the disadvantage of unpinning the Black rook on f7.]

Nxg2

[The patient 27 ... Kh8! may be even better, as 28 Ne3 Raf8 does not

help White, and 28 hxg3 fxg3 29 Be3 Qh5 30 gxh3 Nxf3 wins.] 28

Rxg2 Bxg2+ 29 Kxg2 gxh2+ 30 Kxh2 Kh8 31 Qe2?

[31 Kh1! saves an important tempo, and the position is unclear after

31 ... Qh5+ 32 Bh2 Rg8 33 Qe2 Bf6 34 Nxf6! Rxf6 35 Rg1.] Qh5+

32 Kg2 Rg8 33 Bh2 Bf6+ 34 Kh1 Bh4 35 Nb1

[It's too late for 35 Rg1 Rxg1+ 36 Kg1 Rg7+ 37 Kh1 Bg3, or 37 Kf1

Bd8.]

Rfg7 36 Nd2 Bd8

[Now ... Qh3 and ... Rg2 cannot be prevented.]

37 Nc4 Qh3 38 Nce3 fxe3 39 Nxe3 h5 40 b4 Bh4 41 a4 Bg3 42 b5 axb5

43 axb5 Bf4 0 - 1

HOMEWORK

Two young stars from the Baltics, Lembit Oll of Estonia, and Alexey

Shirov of Latvia, faced off in a second-round match in the Tilburg,

Netherlands knockout tournament. Of course, Shirov has already broken

into the top elite of the chess world, while Oll is known as a fierce

theoretician and tactician.

The first game of their match followed a line I had suggested in

the notes to Bonin - Sherzer, Game of the Month, July 1992. Oll forces

us to recharacterize a variation that had seemed to be antipositional

as, in reality, providing a dangerous attack. Even though Shirov

creates an impressive-looking pawn chain, he is on the precipice. This

game reminds us that bizarre ideas have to be treated with respect,

because they are probably the product of rigorous home preparation.

But like a term paper that takes forever to finish, Oll has trouble

delivering the winning sacrifice. Although he does get the sacrifice

in just before the "deadline", i.e. the completion of Black's

development, Shirov is a harsh grader.

Lembit Oll - Alexey Shirov, Tilburg 1992, knockout round 2 [E96]

1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 Bg7 4 e4 d6 5 Nf3 O-O 6 Be2 e5 7 O-O Nc6 8 d5

Ne7 9 Bg5

[For background information on this variation see my column in the

July 1992 issue of CL.]

Nh5 10 Ne1 Nf4 11 Nd3 Nxe2+ 12 Qxe2 h6 13 Bd2

[Deviating from Bonin - Sherzer, Chicago 1992, which continued 13

Be3 f5 14 f3 f4, with a good game for Black. The idea of 13 Bd2 is to

meet 13 ... f5 with 14 f4!]

g5 14 h4!

DIAGRAM

[I had considered and rejected this continuation in my notes to

Bonin - Sherzer: "13 ... g5!! stops f2-f4 first, and looks forward to

the usual kingside attack after f7-f5-f4. If 14 h4?! g4! (Not 14 ...

gxh4? 15 f4) 15 f4 gxf3 followed by 16 ... f5 is strong. White could

play modestly with 14 f3 f5 15 exf5 Nxf5 16 Nf2 with even chances, or

aggresively with the paradoxical 14 g3!?, envisionsing the wild 14 ...

f5 15 f4, or 14 ... Bh3 15 Re1 with the bizarre variations 15 ... f5

16 f3 g4 (the threat was 17 Nf2) 17 f4, or 15 ... g4!". But Oll

investigated the situation more diligently and discovered that it is

White who has the attacking chances in the first line above.]

15 f4 gxf3 16 Qxf3 f5 17 Qh5

[Black has the two bishops and the generally smoother pawn

structure, but White's temporary lead in development and immediate

attack on h6 is annoying. If now 17 ... Kh7, then 18 Bg5! (threatening

the pawn on f5) f4 19 g3! is serious: 19 ... fxg3 fails to 20 Rxf8

followed by 21 Rf1, and 19 ... Bh3 20 Rg3 Qd7 21 Nf2 is no help.]

Rf6

DIAGRAM

18 g4!

[Giving Black no time to organize with ... Bd7 and ... Qe8, etc.]

f4 19 g5 hxg5!!

[Safer seems 19 ... Rg6, avoiding the opening of the h-file. But

Shirov was afraid of 20 Bxf4! exf4 21 Nxf4 Qe8 22 Nb5! Then the

defense of 22 ... Rb8 (what else?) 23 Nxc7 Qd8 24 Nxg6 Nxg6 25 Qxg6

Qxc7 would not be available because of 26 gxh6. Thus Shirov eliminates

the h-pawns first.]

20 hxg5 Rg6

DIAGRAM

21 Kf2

[White prepares combined play on the h- and f-files by getting his

king out of the way first. If he plays as in the above note -21 Bxf4

exf4 22 Nxf4 Qe8 23 Nb5 Rb8 24 Nxc7 Qd8 25 Nxg6 Nxg6 26 Qxg6 Qxc7,

then after 27 Qe8+ Kh7, 28 Rf4 is met by 28 ... Bg4!, and various

other attempts to land a rook on the h-file may be frustrated by

diagonal checks. And on 21 Bxf4 exf4 22 Nxf4 Qe8 23 Kg2, then 23 ...

Be5 24 Rh1 Qf7 25 Raf1 Qg7 is a sufficient defense.]

c6 22 Rh1 cxd5 23 cxd5

[Not 23 Nxd5 Kf7, and Black's cramped position is relieved.]

Qb6+

[If I were Black here, I might have played for maximum confusion

with 23 ... b5 aiming for ... b4 and ... Ba6. 24 b4 or 24 a3 could be

met by the consistent 24 ... a5. One goal of this diversion might be

to exchange a pair of rooks, to lessen the chance of getting mated on

the kingside. But Shirov stays cool.]

24 Ke2 Bd7 25 Raf1

DIAGRAM

Kf7!

[The threat of Bd2xf4 has become intolerable, so he heads for the

hills.]

26 Bxf4 exf4 27 Rxf4+ Ke8 28 Rhf1 Kd8

[The threat was 29 Qh8+! On 28 ... Bb5 29 Nxb5 Qxb5 30 Rf7 too

strongly menaces both 31 Rxe7+ and 31 Rxg7.]

29 Rf8+ Be8!

[The rook is not going anywhere, so Black does not allow White the

extra possibility of 29 ... Bxf8 30 Rxf8+ Be8 31 Qh8 Kd7 32 e5 and

White, a rook down, has plenty of chances.]

30 e5

DIAGRAM

Rc8!

[The tempting 30 ... Bxf8 31 Rxf8 does not lead to clarity after 31

... Qg1 32 Qh8 or 31 ... Kc7? 32 Qh7.]

31 Rxe8+

[Trying to draw the king back to the more dangerous side.]

Kxe8 32 Ne4 dxe5

[The king's bishop has done such a good job that Shirov, in time

pressure, was reluctant to part with it. But 32 ... Bxe5 was winning,

e.g., 33 Nf6+ Kd8 34 Nxe5 (or 34 Qh8+ Rg8) Qxb2+, etc.] 33 d6

[Now, if Oll can win the knight on e7, he will be only the Exchange

down, with active pieces.]

Rc4??

[Correct was 33 ... Qd4, which sets up ... Rc2+, undermining the

knight on d3, forcing 34 Qf3. Then White can fight on after 34 ...

Rxd6 35 Nxd6+ Qxd6 36 Qf7+ Kd8 37 Rd1! But 34 ... Rc2+ 35 Kd1 Nf5!

wins - 36 Kxc2 Ne3+ 37 Kc1 Nxf1, or 36 Re1 Rxb2.]

DIAGRAM

34 Nf6+ Bxf6 35 gxf6

[The new f-pawn has turned into a monster, while the knight on d3

holds Black's major pieces at bay, leading to a problem-like

conclusion.]

Re4+ 36 Kd1 Qe3!

[The best way to counterattack, as White is forced into offering

the exchange of queens.]

37 f7+ Kd7 38 Qf3 Qxf3+ 39 Rxf3 Rg1+ 40 Kd2 Rg2+ 41 Kd1 Ng6 42 Nc5+

[Amazingly, White finally is able to equalize material. In view of

42 ... Kxd6 43 Nxe4+ Ke7 44 Rc3 Kxf7 45 Rc7+, the players agreed to a

draw.]

1/2 - 1/2