Phases
It was said of Alekhine that to win against him one had to beat him
three times: once in the opening, once in the middle game, and once in
the endgame. Nowadays many of the top players are this resourceful in
defence. In their game from the Aarhus, Denmark International in June,
Michael Adams definitely beat Bent Larsen in the opening. And Adams
navigated the middlegame successfully as well, coming out a pawn
ahead. Yet when it got to the endgame, suddenly everything was
liquidated, and the win became a ghost.
Adams,Mi - Larsen,B [C08]
Skolernes Skakklub, Aarhus DEN (03), 1997
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 a6
Strange-looking at first. The idea is to play ... c7-c5 and then ...
Nb8-c6 without experiencing the hassle of a pin from White's bishop at
b5. Because the Tarrasch move 3 Nd2 aims not for quick development but
instead play against a potential Black isolated queen-pawn (if ... c5
is played), Black can afford the luxury of this non-developing move.
4.Ngf3 c5 5.Bd3 Nc6 6.dxc5
Black's pressure against the d4 square induces White to make this
exchange.
Bxc5 7.exd5 exd5 8.0-0 Nf6?!
It is rare for this move to be a mistake. I would prefer 8 ... Ne7,
which fights to keep Black's bishops active, as the dark-squared
bishop would not have to retreat to cover the e-file, and Black
also envisions the move ... Bc8-f5. After 8 ... Ne7 9 Nb3, probably
9 ... Bd6 is best (on 9 ... Ba7 10 Re1 followed by Bc1-e3 is a good
plan) as 10 Nbd4 can be met by 10 ... Bg4 (a move which would be
unplayable if Black had already castled because of Bd3xh7+ followed
by Nf3-g5+) 11 Be3 Qc7 12 h3 Bh5. Note that because Black's
isolated queen's pawn is stuck on a light square, theoretically
White would like to trade dark-squared bishops and Black would like
to trade light-squared bishops.
9.Re1+ Be7 10.Nf1
DIAGRAM
Adams already enjoys a nice edge as Black's minor pieces lack good
squares to go to, and White is heading places with the f1 knight.
0-0 11.Ng3 Qd6
This makes quite an unfavorable impression, given that White is focussing
efforts on getting a knight to f5 anyway. A better idea was to start
creating distractions with 11 ... Nb4!, as 12 Bf1 is met by 12 ... Bg4.
12.Bg5!
By drawing the h-pawn forward, White greatly improves his prospects
of landing and keeping a knight on f5, as ... g7-g6 will become
impossible, and Black's kingside pawns will be under great pressure.
h6 13.Bd2 Rd8 14.Nh4 Bf8 15.Nhf5 Qc5 16.Qf3
DIAGRAM
White is threatening 17 Nxh6+.
Ne4!
An excellent defensive pawn sacrifice. Larsen pitches his center pawn
in order to eliminate White's attacking formation, and obtain obscure
counterplay against White's queenside. There was not much of a choice
anyway.
17.Be3 Qa5
Even more obscure is 17 ... Qb4, providing an immediate hit on the
b-pawn. White has many tantalizing possibilities, but I do not see
anything conclusive. For example, 18 Nxe4 dxe4 19 Qxe4 Bxf5! 20 Qxf5
(not 20 Qxb4? Bxb4!) g6 21 Qh3 h5 22 b3 Ne5 does not resolve
anything.
18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Bxe4 Ne5 20.Qe2
A necessary retreat. 20 Qg3 would allow 20 ... Bxf5 21 Bxf5 Nc4
which establishes opposite-colored bishops, still with good chances
of hassling White on the queenside.
Qb4 21.Bc1?!
A brave move, undeveloping the bishop to preserve his extra pawn!
But Adams was intent about holding the extra material, and does not
want to be bluffed into giving it back. Still, I think 21 Bf4 was a
better try. This stops 21 ... Qxb2?? 22 Bxe5 Qxe5 23 Nxh6+! gxh6 24
Bh7+ and wins. Also 21 ... Bxf5 22 Bxe5 Bxe4 23 Qxe4 leaves White
consolidated with a healthy extra pawn, and 21 ... Re8 or 21 ...
Nc4 both allow 22 c3. Therefore, Black would play 21 ... Ng6 (as 22
c3? fails to 22 ... Nxf4), and White should stand better after 22
Bg3 Qxb2 (or 22 ... Re8 23 Qf3) 23 Qh5.
Bxf5 22.Bxf5 Re8
A strange phase of the game. Of course White's extra pawn and two
bishops would win easily in the endgame, but the bishops find
themselves with no middlegame targets to counterbalance Black's
pressure.
23.Be4
To stop Black from inflicting damage with 23 ... Nf3+ or other
discoveries.
DIAGRAM
Nc4?!
More energetic was 23 ... f5! 24 Bd5+ Kh8; then if White sidesteps
with 25 Rf1, 25 ... Qd6 carries with it the threat of ... Ne5-g4.
And on 25 Rd1 Bc5 should make White very uncomfortable.
24.c3 Qb5 25.a4 Qc5 26.Bf4! g5
As the idea 26 ... f5 fails to 27 b4! followed by a bishop check on
d5, Larsen finds another way to create distractions.
27.b4 Qc8 28.Bg3 Bg7 29.Qc2 a5!
Although it looks as if White has finally consolidated and is about
to move over to the attack, Larsen succeeds in making an issue out
of the backward c-pawn. If White now just develops with 30 Rad1,
then 30 ... Na3 forces 31 ... Qxc3 next. It may be that White
should try 30 bxa5 here, just to get Black off his back for a move
or two.
30.b5 Nb6 31.Re3
DIAGRAM
Qc4!!
A very finely calculated defensive riposte. Larsen sees that he can
afford to jettison his b7 pawn. Now the focus is the weak a-pawn,
as White is still wrestling with the extrication process on the
e-file.
32.Rae1
Trying to turn the e-file battery against Black, with the threat of 33
Bh7+.
Kh8 33.Bxb7 Rxe3 34.Rxe3 Rd8!
DIAGRAM
35.h3
Reasonable. White stops to take care of his back rank, as 35
Re4? Qa2! is only looking for trouble. Although some
simplification is allowed, it looks like White will remain a
pawn up.
Nxa4 36.Re4 Qxb5 37.Rxa4 Qxb7 38.Rxa5 Qe7!
A frontal assault on the c-pawn would have allowed c3-c4, but now
this advance is impossible because 38 ... Qe1+ would spear the rook
on a5.
39.Ra1 Rc8
Now White's extra pawn is pinned on the diagonal, and is history.
40.Rb1 Bxc3 41.Kh2 Qe6 42.Rb8 Qc6
Note that after 43 Rxc8+ Qxc8, if 44 Be5+?? Black captures on e5
with check. Therefore, there is no way to intensify the pressure,
and Black will unwind next with 44 ... Qc5.
½-½
[Event "US Championship (Gp. 2)"] [Site "Chandler"] [Date
> "1997.08.31"] [Round "7"] [White "Shabalov, Alexander"] [Black
> "Seirawan, Yasser"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "C02"] [WhiteElo "2555"]
> [BlackElo "2630"] [PlyCount "94"] [EventDate "1997.08.31"]
>
> This game was an amazing battle. Both players needed a win to qualify
> into the Semi-Finals
> matches. Even more striking was the different styles of the players.
> Shabalov, who is quite
> capable of solid positional play, prefers a maniacal attacking game.
> Seirawan, perennially one of
> America's best, is also America's most pronounced "positional" player.
>
> 1. e4 e6
>
> Harking back to the French Defence in this very important game.
>
> 2. d4 d5 3. e5
>
> The Advance Variation always leads to protracted battles.
>
> b6
>
> Immediately trying to exchange off his "bad" light-squared
> bishop, a theme which
> Seirawan always emphasizes when playing the French. More usual is 3 ...
> c5, starting the
> pressure against the base of White's pawn chain at d4.
>
> 4. Bb5+ c6 5. Ba4
>
> This preserves the bishop from exchange.
>
> b5 6. Bb3 c5 7. c3
>
> White has preserved all of his potential kingside trumps - the
> White bishop can drop
> back to c2 at its leisure. However, Black is playing for queenside
> space, and has already
> advanced his cause in that sector.
>
> Ne7 8. Nf3 Nec6 9. O-O h6 10. Be3 Nd7 11. Nbd2 c4 12. Bc2 b4
>
> Black could also temporize with 12 ... Be7, as White will have to
> get his f-pawn in motion
> to develop any real threats on the kingside.
>
> 13. Ba4 Qc7 14. cxb4
>
> Shabalov decides to fight on the queenside and the center, as at
> this point opening the
> kingside has become too much hassle.
>
> Nxb4 15. a3 Nd3 16. Qc2
>
> Seirawan gives the direct 16 b3 as leading to a White advantage.
>
> Ba6 17. b3 Be7 18. bxc4 dxc4 19. Bxd7+ Kxd7 20. d5
>
> A thematic "sealer-sweeper", closing d5 to Black's pieces, and
> opening d4 for White's
> pieces. Quick action was needed, as if Black was given a chance to play
> ..Rh8-d8 and ... Kd7-
> e8, White's game would be positionally suspect.
>
> exd5 21. Nd4
>
> Now 22 Qa4+ is threatened.
>
> Kc8
>
> With White's f-pawn mobile, the kingside is no longer a safe
> place.
>
> 22. f4 Rb8 23. Rab1 Rb6
>
> Building a bridge behind which to hide the king.
>
> 24. Kh1 Bc5 25. N2f3 Kb7 26. e6 Ka8
>
> Finally the king reaches safety, but now White has tactical
> threats based on his wedge
> on e6.
>
> 27. f5 Rhb8 28. Rxb6 Rxb6 29. Qa4 f6 30. h3 c3
>
> Seirawan decides not to wait any longer and starts using his own
> passer.
>
> 31. Qa5 Ne5 32. Re1
>
> Correct was 32 Rc1! intending 32 ... Nxf3 33 gxf3 Qg3 34 Qxc5
> Qxh3+ with a draw.
>
> Nxf3 33. Nxf3 Bxe3 34. Qxd5+ Rb7
>
> Seirawan gives 34 ... Kb8! (34 ... Bb7? 35 Qd7!) as winning - 35
> Rxe3? c2 is impossible.
>
> 35. Nd4 Qg3 36. Nf3 Qc7 37. Nd4 c2 38. Nxc2 Bc5
>
> Black now must consolidate with his extra piece.
>
> 39. Nb4 Bxb4 40. axb4 Qe7 41. Rd1 Bb5 42. Qf3 Kb8 43. Qf4+ Rc7
> 44. Rd6 Kc8 45. Qd2 Rc4 46. Qd5 Rc1+ 47. Kh2 Kc7 0-1
One of Akiba Rubinstein's greatest legacies is the family of
super-stodgy defenses descending from the French 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3
dxe4. And while, after 4 Nxe4, 4 ... Nd7, 4 ... Be7 and 4 ... Nf6 are
equally annoying, the crown prince of this system is 4 ... Bd7, which
envisions multiple exchanges to dampen White's initiative.
This system was used quite effectively against me at the June
Action Championship at the Marshall Chess Club by IM Danny Shapiro. I
tried an attacking system, but forgot the analysis, and Shapiro got a
solid game while I was floundering in time pressure.
At the 1993 Geneva Open, then-22-year-old IM Mikhail Golubev faced
the 4 ... Bd7 system in the French Defence twice. Golubev borrowed an
idea that has proved dangerous in the Caro-Kann, and used it to
brilliant effect, hammering 2 peacefully-inclined opponents, and
deterring others from believing that a fortress can be created right
out of the opening.
Danny Shapiro played a little differently than Golubev's opponents!
Rohde - Shapiro, NY June Action Championship
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Bd7
[Among American players, IMs Jay Bonin and Walter Shipman are known
to trot this out on occasion.]
5 Nf3 Bc6 6 Bd3 Nd7
[Necessary to cover the e5 square.]
7 O-O
[Interesting is 7 c4 to plan a knight retreat to c3. Then 7 ...
Ngf6 8 Nc3 Be7 9 O-O Bxf3! (else 9 d5!) 10 Qxf3 c6 was reasonably
solid for Black in Klovan - Noguieras, Jurmala 1978.]
Ngf6 8 Neg5!
[Reminiscent of the Caro variation 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4
Nxe4 Nd7 5 Bd3 Ngf6 6 Ng5 which has caused Black so many headaches
recently. Sacs on e6 crop up because of the absence of the
white-squared bishop. Previously 8 Ng3 was considered the main move to
"preserve" chances, as 8 Qe2 is too tame after 8 ... Nxe4 9 Bxe4 Bxe4
10 Qxe4 c6. A good example of 8 Ng3 is Cholmov - Dymerski, Poland
1992, which continued 8 ... Be7 9 c4 O-O (Some players would snap 9
... Bxf3 at the first sign of trouble.) 10 Ne5 Nxe5 11 dxe5 Nd7 12
Qh5!? g6 13 Qe2 and Black should have joined the battle with 13 ...
Nxe5! (14 Qxe5 Qxd3 15 Bh6 f6 16 Qxe6+ Rf7) instead of accepting
permanent passivity after 13 ... Nc5 14 Bc2.]
Bd6!
[In Golubev - Scher, Geneva 1993, Scher, obviously on "show-me" mode,
played 8 ... h6, and after 9 Nxe6 fxe6 10 Bg6+ Ke7 11 c4 was facing
destruction by 12 d5, and 11 ... Be4 12 Nh4 does not help. So Black tried
11 ... Bxf3 12 Qxf3 Nb6 13 Re1 Now 13 ... Qxd4 is unappetizing due to 14
Qxb7 Rd8 15 Be3 and the solid-looking 13 ... c6 14 Bf5 Qd7 can be met
simply by 15 Qh3. Scher played 13 ... Nxc4, trying to clear the d5 square
for his queen, but he was rudely awakened by 14 Rxe6+! Kxe6 15 Qe2+. In
the face of paralyzing bishop checks coming on f5 and f4, Black essayed
the confusing 15 ... Ne3, but Golubev finished him off artfully: 16 Qe3+
Kd6 17 Qg3+ Kc6 18 Qc3+ Kb6 19 Qb3+ Kc6 20 Bf4 b5 21 Rc1+ Kb6 22 a4 Qd5
23 Bxc7+ Kb7 24 Be4! 1 - 0 Instead of 8 ... Bd6, 8 ... Be7 would not
be good because 9 Qe2 renews the possibility of 9 ... h6 10 Nxe6, and
after 9 ... O-O 10 Ne5 Black just has a bad position.]
9 Re1 h6 10 Nh3
[It looks like Black is doing well because of the awkward position
of White's knights, but White still has the nucleus of a strong
kingside attack - he will play Nf3-e5, and if the Black knight is
driven off f6 White will have Qd1-g4. To prevent this Epishin burrows
a hole for his queen bishop. but it may have been better to ditch it
with 10 ... Bxf3! 11 Qxf3 c6, and Black, after castling on either
side, can play for the equalizing break ... e6-e5. Note that 10 ...
g5? works out badly after 11 Ne5 Bxe5 12 dxe5 Nd5 13 Qh5.]
Bxf3!
[Golubev - Epishin, Geneva 1993 instead continued 10 ... b6?! 11
Ne5 Bb7 12 Bb5! (Although the bishop does not want to leave its juicy
post on d3, this move snuffs out the long diagonal and creates play
against the resulting weak white squares. Black cannot afford 12 ...
Bxe5 13 dxe5 Nd5 14 Qg4.) O-O 13 Bc6 Rb8 (Taking on e5 loses
material.) 14 Bxb7 Rxb7 15 Qf3 Qc8 16 Qg3 Kh7 17 Qh4 c5 18 Bxh6!! gxh6
19 Ng5+ Kg7 20 Re3 cxd4? (Also weak was 20 ... hxg5?? 21 Qxg5+ Kh8 22
Rh3+ Nh7 23 Qh6 and it's over. A better defense was 20 ... Bxe5! 21
dxe5 - There is no point to 21 Rh3 Ng8 - Ng8. After 22 Rg3? Kh8, both
23 Re1 and 23 Qf4 can be met by 23 ... Nxe5! followed by 24 ... f6. Or
23 Ne4 Nxe5 24 Rxg8+ Kxg8 25 Nf6+ Kg7 26 Nh5+ Kh7 27 Qf6 Rg8 28 Qxe5
Rg5. And on 23 f4 Black has 23 ... Qc6, stopping 24 Ne4 and preparing
24 ... f6. After 23 ... Qc6 24 Qh5 Nb8 hangs tough. But White has
better on his 22nd. The direction-switching 22 Ne4! menaces 23 Rg3+
Kh8 24 Qg4, and 22 ... Nxe5 is bested by 23 Nd6 Ng6 24 Qe4. Therefore,
22 ... Kh8 is forced. Then after 23 Nd6 Qc6 24 Qh5 White is doing
well. Extremely tricky is 20 ... Ng8!! which could transpose into a
previous line after 21 Rg3 Bxe5! 22 dxe5 Kh8. After 20 ... Ng8 21
Nxe6+? fxe6 22 Rg3+ Kh8! (not 22 ... Kh7? 23 Qe4+) holds. And on 21
Ngxf7 Bxe5! is again sufficient! White's best would be 21 Ne4! Then 21
... Bxe5 22 dxe5 is good for White, as noted above. But Black has 21
... Nxe5!! 22 Nxd6 Ng6, with continuing complications and an unclear
position after 23 Qe4 Qc7 24 Nxb7 Rb8.) 21 Rg3! and Black could not
recover.]
11 Qxf3 c6 12 Bf4?
[Correct was 12 Nf4 and if 12 ... O-O (Korchnoi gives 12 ... Qa5
followed by castling long) 13 Nh5 Re8 14 Bd2, and Korchnoi - Dreev,
Brno 1992 continued 14 ... e5? (better is, for example, 14 ... a5) 15
Nxg7! e4 16 Qh3 Kxg7 17 Qxh6+ Kg8 18 Bc4 Re7 19 Qg6+ and the game was
drawn, but 19 Bb4!! Bxb4 20 Re3 would have won.]
Qc7
[Now White has absolutely nothing!]
13 c3 g5 14 Bxd6 Qxd6 15 Qg3
[Ignominious scrambling is necessary, to deal with the plight of
the knight on h3.]
Qxg3 16 hxg3 O-O-O 17 Rad1 c5 18 Bc2 cxd4 19 Rxd4 e5 20 Rc4+
[Another awkward move by a heavy piece, to avoid the sting of ...
g5-g4.]
Kb8 21 Kf1
[White has worked hard to obtain equality!]
Nb6 22 Rb4 Rd2 23 Bb3 Nfd5 24 Rbe4
In the ensuing time scramble, I managed to come out on top and win the game.
[Event "US Championship (Gp. 2)"]
[Site "Chandler"]
[Date "1997.08.24"]
[Round "2"]
[White "Shabalov, Alexander"]
[Black "Schwartzman, Gabriel"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C11"]
[WhiteElo "2555"]
[BlackElo "2510"]
[PlyCount "77"]
[EventDate "1997.08.23"]
1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bg5 dxe4
A stodgy defence. Black gives up the little center, and endeavors
to exchange minor
pieces.
5. Nxe4 Nbd7 6. Nf3 Be7 7. Nxf6+ Bxf6 8. h4
Shabalov indicates his intention early to castle long, and
possibly initiate a kingside
pawn storm.
h6 9. Bxf6 Qxf6
Schwartzman keeps his knight on d7 to facilitate a break with ....
c7-c5.
10. Bc4 O-O 11. Qe2 c5 12. O-O-O cxd4 13. Rxd4 e5
Getting this move in while he has a chance. On 13 ... a6 both 14
g4 and 14 Rhd1 are
food for
thought.
14. Rd2 a6 15. Re1!
A risky-looking strategy to just focus on Black’s e-pawn. But now
15 Rhd1 b5 would be
unclear.
Re8 16. Qe4 Nc5 17. Qe3 Na4
A natural reaction to White’s provocative play. But Shabalov has
calculated accurately.
18. Nxe5 Be6 19. Rd6 Rad8 20. Rxd8 Rxd8 21. Bxe6 Qxe6 22. Qb3
White is just a pawn up now.
Rd5 23. Qxb7 Nc5 24. Qa8+ Kh7 25. Nf3 Qd7 26. b3 Qd6 27. Qe8 Qf6 28.
Kb1 a5 29. Qe3 a4
30. b4 a3
31. Ne5 Qxh4 32. c4 Na4 33. cxd5 Qxb4+ 34. Kc2 Qb2+ 35. Kd3 Qb5+ 36.
Ke4 f6 37. Kf3 fxe5
38. Qe4+
Kh8 39. Qxe5 1-0
[Event "US Championship (Gp 1)"]
> [Site "Chandler"]
> [Date "1997.08.27"]
> [Round "4"]
> [White "Christiansen, Larry"]
> [Black "Gulko, Boris"]
> [Result "1/2-1/2"]
> [ECO "C19"]
> [WhiteElo "2560"]
> [BlackElo "2590"]
> [PlyCount "82"]
> [EventDate "1997.08.23"]
>
> 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. bxc3 Ne7 7. Nf3
> Qa5 8.
> Bd2 Nbc6 9. a4
>
> Also played here is simply 9 Bd3. Then 9 ... c4 10 Bf1! Qa4 11 g3
> is one possibility.
>
> Bd7 10. Bb5 Qc7
>
> Now if 10 ... c4, White will eventually recycle his dark-squared
> bishop to a3.
>
> 11. O-O b6 12. Re1 O-O?!
>
> Black should play 12 ... Na5 here.
>
> 13. dxc5 bxc5 14. Be3
>
> The sudden weakness of c5 appears. Gulko decides on a positional
> pawn sacrifice.
>
> Nxe5 15. Nxe5 Bxb5 16. axb5 Qxe5 17. Bxc5 Qc7 18. Bxe7 Qxe7 19. Qxd5
> Rab8 20.
> Qe5 Rfc8 21. c4 Qb4 22. Re4 Rb7 23. Rd1 Qa4 24. Red4
>
> Black is in serious trouble here.
>
> h6 25. Rg4 g5 26. h4 Qxc2 27. Rgd4 Kh7 28. R1d3
>
> Starting to waste time. 28 hxg5 looks convincing here.
>
> Rbc7 29. Qe4+ Kg7 30. Qe5+ Kh7 31. Qf6 Qb2 32. Rd2 Qb1+
> 33. Rd1 Qf5 34. Qxf5+ exf5 35. hxg5 Rxc4 36. Rd7 R8c7 37. gxh6 Kxh6 38.
> R7d6+
> Kg7 39. R1d5 R4c5 40. g3 Rxd5 41. Rxd5 Kf6 1/2-1/2
[Event "US Championship (Gp 1)"] [Site "Chandler"] [Date
> "1997.08.30"] [Round "6"] [White "Benjamin, Joel"] [Black
> "Christiansen, Larry"] [Result "1/2-1/2"] [ECO "C10"] [WhiteElo
> "2555"] [BlackElo "2560"] [PlyCount "41"] [EventDate
> "1997.08.23"]
>
> 1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nd2 dxe4
>
> Christiansen, leading his group, wants to coast into the playoffs
> by getting a draw with
> this stodgy defence.
>
> 4. Nxe4 Nd7 5. Nf3 Ngf6 6. Nxf6+ Nxf6 7. Bg5 h6 8. Bh4 c5
>
> It is important to get this move in early. White has a much freer
> hand on 8 ... Be7 9 Bd3.
>
> 9. Bb5+ Bd7 10. Bxd7+ Qxd7 11. Qe2
>
> If 11 Bxf6, Black will just end up castling on the queenside.
>
> Be7 12. O-O-O O-O 13. dxc5 Qc6 14. Ne5 Qxc5 15. Bxf6 Bxf6 16. Nd7
> Bxb2+!
>
> A shot which forces a draw. Black would be uncomfortable after 16
> .. Qg5+ 17 Kb1.
>
> 17. Kxb2 Qb4+ 18. Kc1 Qa3+ 19. Kb1 Qb4+ 20. Kc1 Qa3+ 21.
> Kb1
>
> 21 Kd2 Rfc8 would give Black the better chances.
>
Of my 8 games against GM-strength opposition in the US Open, 4 were French Defenses and 4 were Bogo-Indians! This bizarre circumstance allows me to conveniently annotate these games in the form of theoreticals on these openings. This month's theoretical covers the French, with a small digression into the c3 Sicilian. The murkier side of my play at the summer chess festival is featured, including my match against Wolff from the Championship, and my games against Zapata, Lputian, Akopian and Dzindzi from the Open. Next month's theoretical discusses the Bogo as expressed in my games from the Open against I. Ivanov, Ftacnik, Alburt and Yermolinsky
Rohde - Lputian, US Open 1991, Rd 7
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nd2 [I don't play the Tarrasch that often, but I was prepared for Lputian's specialty here, 3 ... Be7, because I played that myself against Wolff in the first round of the concurrent US Championship! I had also played it against Patrick in January '91 in the Liberty Bell Open. The point of 3 ... Be7 is that on 4 Ngf3 Nf6 5 e5 Nd7, White's knights are stuck on f3 and d2, whereas he would prefer, after playing Bd3, to put his knights on e2 and f3. If in this line 5 Bd3 then 5 ... c5 6 dc de with equality. And on 4 Bd3 Black has 4 ... c5 5 dc Nd7, effectively regaining the pawn with no time loss. In the January game Wolff tried 4 c3 c5 5 dc Bc5 6 Nb3 (if he wanted to give me an isolated pawn, why not 6 ed, as 6 ... Qb6 is refuted by 7 Ne4, and 6 ... Qd5 7 Ngf3 and 8 Bc4 is nice for White) Bb6 7 ed Nf6! and Black equalizes as he avoids the isolated pawn: 8 Bb5+ Bd7 9 Bd7+ Qd7 10 Nf3 (better than 10 de Bf2+ 11 Ke2 Qd1+ 12 Kd1 fe) Qd5. I had not prepared any new defenses by the time the US Championship rolled around, and this time Wolff was ready, after 3 ... Be7, with 4 Bd3 c5 5 dc Nd7 6 b4! a5 7 Bb2 Bf6 8 Bf6 Qf6 9 Ngf3 ab 10 ed ed 11 0-0 with advantage after 11 ... Ne7 12 Nb3, or the game continuation, 11 ... Nc5 12 Bb5+ Kf8 (1/2 - 1/2 in 39). But Lputian smelled a rat. Or maybe he read the bulletins.] c5 4 Nf3 Nf6 [An unsual line. After 4 ... Nc6 White can transpose back to normality with 5 ed or experiment with 5 Bb5 a6! 6 Bc6+ bc 7 c3!? as in Rohde - Gulko, US Champ. 1989.] 5 ed Nd5 6 Nb3 Nd7 7 Be2 Be7 [Black's position is passive but resilient. He refuses to take on d4 which would activate the Nb3.] 8 c4 N5f6 9 dc [Not 9 d5? Nb6!] 0-0 10 0-0 Qc7 [10 ... Nc5 11 Qd8 Rd8 12 Be3 is comfortable for White.] 11 Nfd4 Nc5 [11 ... a6? 12 c6 bc 13 Nc6 wins.] 12 Nb5 Qb6 [Better was the active 12 ... Qe5! Then 13 f4 Qe4 or 13 Be3 Rd8 are OK. With the text Black hopes for 13 Be3 a6 14 Nc3 Qc7 with a fine position.] 13 Bf4 Bd7 14 Bc7 Qa6 15 Bd6 [15 Be5 Bb5 16 Nc5 Bc5 17 cb Qb6 18 Bf6 gf or 16 cb Qa4 are not convincing.] Bd6 16 Nd6 Nb3 17 ab Qb6 [A new phase has arrived. White would like to shore up the Nd6 and combine that with a kingside attack or a queenside pawn roller. But if 18 Qd2, which sets the trap 18 ... Qb3 19 Ra3 with Rg3 or b4 to follow, Black plays 18 ... a5! fixing the queenside pawns.] 18 Rc1 a5 19 Rc3 Rfd8? [19 ... a4 was necessary to maintain an active queen. I was planning 20 Rg3 with great complications.] 20 c5 Qc7 21 Qd4 Bc6 22 Rg3 Qe7 [Black still hopes to undermine the Nd6 with ... b6.] 23 Qe5 [Threatening 24 Nf5 or 24 Rg7+] Rd7 24 f4! g6 [24 ... b6 fails to 25 f5 bc 26 Nf7! Kf7 27 fe+ Kf8 28 Qf5 followed by 29 Qh7.] 25 Bc4! [25 f5 ef is now nothing.] b5 26 f5 ef [Not 26 ... bc 27 fg fg 28 Rf6, with the crushing at of 29 Rg6+.] 27 Bf7+ Kf8 28 Qc3 [Stronger than 28 Be6 Bd5. Now Black must deal with the threat of 29 Re3.] b4 29 Qc1 Rd6 30 cd Qa7+ 31 Kh1 Bg2+ 32 Rg2 Qf7 33 Qh6+ Qg7 34 Qg7+ Kg7 35 Rf5 and 1 - 0 in 73.
[The next round Akopian also played the French against me. I switched gears totally and played 2 d3 - the King's Indian Attack! Akopian played the modern antidote 2 ... d5 3 Nd2 Nf6 4 Ngf3 de 5 de Bc5 6 Bd3 e5. Black's last move was necessary to prevent White from playing 7 e5 with an eventual Ne4. But after 7 Nc4! Nc6 8 c3 I was strongly threatening 9 b4. Akopian's reaction - 8 ... Ng4 9 0-0 b5 was too violent. After 10 Ne3 Be3 11 Be3 Ne3 12 fe I had a great position, later losing inexplicably. 0 - 1 in 64.]
Rohde - Zapata, US Open 1991, Rd 5
The day before I flew out to the US Championship/Open, the talented young master Boaz Weinstein advised me to try the c3 Sicilian. Inasmuch as I had done virtually no preparation and I was sick of playing d4 and losing to things like the Semi-Slav, I took his advice.
1 e4 c5 2 c3 e6 [The second game of my match against Wolff followed Weinstein's preparation exactly: 2 ... Nf6 3 e5 Nd5 4 d4 cd 5 Nf3 Nc6 6 Bc4 Nb6 6 Bb3 d6 7 ed Qd6 8 0-0 Be6 9 Na3 (the old line is 9 Be6) Bb3 10 ab!? a6 11 cd Rd8 12 Nc4! Smagin successfully bluffed Abramovic with this move in ___________. Their game continued 12 ... Nc4 13 bc e6 14 Be3 with a White edge. But Wolff snatched the pawn: 12 ... Nc4 13 bc Nd4 14 Nd4 Qd4 and after 15 Qf3 Rd7 16 Bf4 Qd3 the position was equal.] 3 d4 d5 4 e5 Qb6 5 Nf3 Bd7 [In round 11 of the Open, Dzindzi played 5 ... Nc6 against me. Suddenly I realized that I was not looking forward to the protracted positional battle against Roman that would ensue after 6 a3 c4, so I tried 6 Be2. After 6 ... cd 7 cd Nh6 Dzindzi offered a draw, which I accepted since I had no idea what I was doing!] 6 a3 [Edelman - Gulko, World Open 1991 featured 6 Be2 Bb5 7 c4 Bc4 8 Bc4 Qb4+ 9 Nbd2 dc and White had attacking chances for the pawn.] Bb5 7 c4 Bc4 8 Bc4 dc 9 d5 Ne7! [Instead of accepting a disadvantage after 9 ... ed 10 Qd5 Black dares White to keep pressing and tries to prove that White's pawns are weak.] 10 d6 Nec6 11 0-0 Nd7 12 Re1 g6 13 a4?! [I wasn't impressed with 13 Nbd2 Bg7 14 Nc4 Qa6.] Bg7 14 Na3 Qb3! 15 Bf4 Nb4? [Much better was 15 ... Nb6!] 16 Re4! and White has recovered, 1-0 in 70.
One of Akiba Rubinstein's greatest legacies is the family of super-stodgy defenses descending from the French 1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4. And while, after 4 Nxe4, 4 ... Nd7, 4 ... Be7 and 4 ... Nf6 are equally annoying, the crown prince of this system is 4 ... Bd7, which envisions multiple exchanges to dampen White's initiative.
But in ____________, ______ Golubev borrowed an idea that has proved dangerous in the Caro-Kann, and used it to brilliant effect, hammering 2 peacefully-inclined opponents, and deterring others from believing that a fortress can be created right out of the opening.
Golubev - Epishin, Geneva Open 1993, rd. 6
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Bd7
[Among American players, IMs Jay Bonin and Walter Shipman are known to trot this out on occasion.]
5 Nf3 Bc6 6 Bd3 Nd7
[Necessary to cover the e5 square.]
7 O-O
[Interesting is 7 c4 to plan a knight retreat to c3. Then 7 ... Ngf6 8 Nc3 Be7 9 O-O Bxf3! (else 9 d5!) 10 Qxf3 c6 was reasonably solid for Black in Klovan - Noguieras, Jurmala 1978.] Ngf6
DIAGRAM
8 Neg5!
[Reminiscent of the Caro variation 1 e4 c6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 dxe4 4 Nxe4 Nd7 5 Bd3 Ngf6 6 Ng5 which has caused Black so many headaches recently. Sacs on e6 crop up because of the absence of the white-squared bishop. Previously 8 Ng3 was considered the main move to "preserve" chances, as 8 Qe2 is too tame after 8 ... Nxe4 9 Bxe4 Bxe4 10 Qxe4 c6. A good example of 8 Ng3 is Cholmov - Dymerski, Poland 1992, which continued 8 ... Be7 9 c4 O-O (Some players would snap 9 ... Bxf3 at the first sign of trouble.) 10 Ne5 Nxe5 11 dxe5 Nd7 12 Qh5!? g6 13 Qe2 and Black should have joined the battle with 13 ... Nxe5! (14 Qxe5 Qxd3 15 Bh6 f6 16 Qxe6+ Rf7) instead of accepting permanent passivity after 13 ... Nc5 14 Bc2.]
Bd6
[The previous round, Epishin had watched his compatriot Scher go down in a blaze of glory: Scher, obviously on "show-me" mode, played 8 ... h6, and after 9 Nxe6 fxe6 10 Bg6+ Ke7 11 c4 was facing destruction by 12 d5, and 11 ... Be4 12 Nh4 does not help. So Black tried 11 ... Bxf3 12 Qxf3 Nb6 13 Re1 (DIAGRAM) Now 13 ... Qxd4 is unappetizing due to 14 Qxb7 Rd8 15 Be3 and the solid-looking 13 ... c6 14 Bf5 Qd7 can be met simply by 15 Qh3. Scher played 13 ... Nxc4, trying to clear the d5 square for his queen, but he was rudely awakened by 14 Rxe6+! Kxe6 15 Qe2+. In the face of paralyzing bishop checks coming on f5 and f4, Black essayed the confusing 15 ... Ne3, but Golubev finished him off artfully: 16 Qe3+ Kd6 17 Qg3+ Kc6 18 Qc3+ Kb6 19 Qb3+ Kc6 20 Bf4 b5 21 Rc1+ Kb6 22 a4 Qd5 23 Bxc7+ Kb7 (DIAGRAM) 24 Be4! 1 - 0 Instead of Epishin's move, 8 ... Be7 would not be good because 9 Qe2 renews the possibility of 9 ... h6 10 Nxe6, and after 9 ... O-O 10 Ne5 Black just has a bad position.]
9 Re1 h6 10 Nh3
[It looks like Black is doing well because of the awkward position of White's knights, but White still has the nucleus of a strong kingside attack - he will play Nf3-e5, and if the Black knight is driven off f6 WHite will have Qd1-g4. To prevent this Epishin burrows a hole for his queen bishop, but it may have been better to ditch it with 10 ... Bxf3! 11 Qxf3 c6, and Black, after castling on either side, can play for the equalizing break ... e6-e5. Note that 10 ... g5? works out badly after 11 Ne5 Bxe5 12 dxe5 Nd5 13 Qh5.]
b6?! 11 Ne5 Bb7 12 Bb5!
[Although the bishop does not want to leave its juicy post on d3, this move snuffs out the long diagonal and creates play against the resulting weak white squares. Black cannot afford 12 ... Bxe5 13 dxe5 Nd5 14 Qg4.] O-O 13 Bc6 Rb8
[Taking on e5 loses material.]
14 Bxb7 Rxb7 15 Qf3 Qc8 16 Qg3
[Abandoning positional play, the Queen sidles over to the kingside to start a direct attack.]
Kh7 17 Qh4 c5
DIAGRAM
18 Bxh6!!
[Time to cash in, before Black successfully unravels.]
gxh6 19 Ng5+ Kg7 20 Re3
DIAGRAM
cxd4?
[Also weak was 20 ... hxg5?? 21 Qxg5+ Kh8 22 Rh3+ Nh7 23 Qh6 and it's over. A better defense was 20 ... Bxe5! 21 dxe5 (There is no point to 21 Rh3 Ng8.) Ng8. After 22 Rg3? Kh8, both 23 Re1 and 23 Qf4 can be met by 23 ... Nxe5! followed by 24 ... f6. Or 23 Ne4 Nxe5 24 Rxg8+ Kxg8 25 Nf6+ Kg7 26 Nh5+ Kh7 27 Qf6 Rg8 28 Qxe5 Rg5. And on 23 f4 Black has 23 ... Qc6, stopping 24 Ne4 and preparing 24 ... f6. After 23 ... Qc6 24 Qh5 Nb8 hangs tough. But White has better on his 22nd. The direction-switching 22 Ne4! menaces 23 Rg3+ Kh8 24 Qg4, and 22 ... Nxe5 is bested by 23 Nd6 Ng6 24 Qe4. Therefore, 22 ... Kh8 is forced. Then after 23 Nd6 Qc6 24 Qh5 White is doing well. Extremely tricky is 20 ... Ng8!! which could transpose into a previous line after 21 Rg3 Bxe5! 22 dxe5 Kh8. After 20 ... Ng8 21 Nxe6+? fxe6 22 Rg3+ Kh8! (not 22 ... Kh7? 23 Qe4+) holds. And on 21 Ngxf7 Bxe5! is again sufficient! White's best would be 21 Ne4! Then 21 ... Bxe5 22 dxe5 is good for White, as noted above. But Black has 21 ... Nxe5!! 22 Nxd6 Ng6, with continuing complications and an unclear position after 23 Qe4 Qc7 24 Nxb7 Rb8.]
21 Rg3!
[Now there is no time to set up a coherent defence.]
Bxe5 22 Nxe6+ Kh8
[Of course not 22 ... Kh7 23 Rg7+.]
23 Qxh6+ Nh7 24 Rh3
[Black's pieces interfere with each other uniquely. 24 ... Nf6 allows 25 Qg7 mate.]
Qxc2 25 Nxf8 Kg8 26 Nxh7
[Black has no compensation for the lost material.]
1-0
Benjamin - Psakhis, rd 5, NY INt 1992 C11
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 Bg5 dxe4
[Benjamin has been playing the Alekhine-Chatard (4 ... Be7 5 e5 Nfd7 6 h4) lately. Unfortunately, Psakhis opts for a boring continuation.]5 Nxe4 Nbd7 6 Nxf6+
[If White delays this exchange by playing 6 Nf3, then after 6 ... Be7 7 Nxf6+ Black would have 7 ... Bxf6 offering more exchanges. Note that if Black had played 5 ... Be7 instead of 5 ... Nbd7, White's most agressive continuation would be 6 Bxf6.]
Nxf6 7 Nf3 h6 8 Bh4 c5 9 Bb5+
[To make room for the queen on e2.]
Bd7 10 Bxd7+ Qxd7 11 Qe2 Be7 12 O-O-O O-O 13 dxc5 Qa4 14 Kb1 Rfd8 15 a3 Bxc5
DIAGRAM
16 Bxf6
[The threat of a kingside attack is not too serious because of Black's active pieces. Benjamin is playing for an endgame with the more mobile pawn majority.]
gxf6 17 Nd2 Be7 18 Nb3 f5 19 f3 Rxd1+ 20 Rxd1 Rd8 21 Rxd8+ Bxd8 22 Qd2 Bg5 23 Qd4 Qxd4 24 Nxd4 Bf4 25 h3 Be3 26 Nb5 Kg7 27 nd6 b6 28 c3 Kf6 29 Kc2 Bf4 30 Nb5 a6 31 Nd4 Bd6 32 Kd3 e5 33 Ne2 Ke6 34 c4
[Even though there are pawns on both sides of the board, the Black bishop is unable to accomplish anything, and WHite's pawns are finally starting to move.]
f4 35 Nc3 Bc5 36 b4 Bg1 37 Nd5 a5 38 Ke4 f5+ 39 Kd3 axb4 40 axb4 Kd6 41 Kc3 Bf2 42 Kb3 b5?
[Facilitating White' plan. Better was 42 ... Be3! and if 43 Ka4 e4 44 Kb5 Bd2.]
43 Nc3 Bxc4+ 44 Kxc4 Bh4 45 b5 Bd8 46 Nd5 Bg5 47 b6 Kc6 48 Nb4+ [Now the WHite king will chew up the remaining Black pawns.]
Kxb6 49 Kd5 e4 50 fxe4 fxe4 51 Kxe4 Kc7 52 Kf5 Kd7 53 Nd3 Ke8 54 Kg6 Ke7 55 Ne5 Ke6 56 Nf7 Be7 57 Nxh6 f3 58 gxf3 Ke5 59 Nf5 Bf8 60 h4 Kf4 61 h5 Kxf3 62 Ng7 1 - 0
2 Quick Frenches
Below I present 2 recent examples of the topical ____ variation of the French. In the first, Kasparov gives notice that he might have won his last World Championship match by an even larger margin; In the second, a surprising innovation by Sherzer turns out to have more bark than bite.
C11
Kasparov - Short VSB Euwe Memorial Tournament Rd 2
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 5 f4 c5 6 Nf3 Nc6 7 Be3 cxd4
[A critical branching point in this line. 7 ... Qb6 leads to a piece sacrifice by Black which has not been working lately: 8 Na4 Qa5+ 9 c3 cxd4 10 b4 Nxb4 11 cxb4 Bxb4+ 12 Bd2, etc. Against Sherzer I tried the modern way 7 ... a6. In this game Short uses a more straightforward approach.]
8 Nxd4 Bc5 9 Qd2 O-O 10 O-O-O a6 11 h4 Nxd4 12 Bxd4 b5 13 Rh3 b4 14 Na4 Bxd4 15 Qxd4 f6 16 Qxb4 fxe5 17 Qd6 Qf6 18 f5 Qh6+ 19 Kb1 Rxf5 20 Rf3 Rxf3 21 gxf3 Qf6 22 Bh3 Kf7 23 c4 dxc4 24 Nc3 Qe7 25 Qc6 Rb8 26 Ne4 Nb6 27 Ng5+ Kg8 28 Qe4 g6 29 Qxe5 Rb7 30 Rd6 c3 31 Bxe6+ Bxe6 32 Rxe6 1 - 0
Sherzer - Rohde, Manahattan CC Action 5/26/94
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Nf6 4 e5 Nfd7 5 f4 c5 6 Nf3 Nc6 7 Be3 a6 8 Qd2 b5 9 dxc5 Bxc5 10 Bxc5 Nxc5 11 Qf2 Qb6 12 b4!?
[This is the new concept.]
Nd7 13 a4 bxa4 14 Qxb6 Nxb6 15 Nxa4 Rb8 16 c3 d4 17 b5 Nxa4 18 bxc6 Nxc3 19 Nxd4 O-O 20 g3 Rb4 21 Rc1 Nd5 22 Rc4 Rb2 23 Rc2 Rb4 24 Rc4 Rb2 25 Rc2 1/2 - 1/2
Kamsky - Benjamin, Wall Street Blitz, Jan 1992 C19
1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e5 c5 5 a3 Bc3+ 6 bc Ne7 7 Qg4 Qc7 8 Bd3
[8 Qxg7 is more popular here.]
8 ... c4
[8 ... cxd4 9 Ne2 Nbc6 could lead to wild complications.]
9 Be2 Nf5 10 h4 h5 11 Qg5 g6 12 Nh3 Bd7 13 f3
[Kamsky decided that 13 a4 Qa5 14 Bd2 Bxa4 would not yield enough compensation, so he ignores Black's plans and engages in a bizarre maneuver.] Ba4 14 Bd1 Nd7 15 Rb1 a5 16 Nf2 Nf8 17 g4 Nh7 18 Qd2 Ne7 19 Qf4 [Benjamin stands well and decides to complicate but in so doing he dissipates his advantage.] hg 20 fg g5 21 hg Ng6 22 Qf3 O-O-O 23 Rh6 Qe7 24 Rh5 Rdg8 25 Qe3 Kb8 26 Nh1 Nhf8 27 Ng3 Nh4 28 Kf2 Nhg6 29 Qf3 Nd7 30 Qh1 Ka7 31 Rh6 Nb8 32 Nh5 Na6 33 Nf6 Rd8 34 Kg3 Nc7 35 Qf3 Nb5 36 Ra1 Rb8 37 Bb2 Rbd8 38 Qf2 Qc7 39 Kg2 Ka6 40 Bf3 Nf4+ 41 Kg3 Ng6 42 Qe2 Ka7 43 R1h1 Qe7 44 Qd2 Qc7 45 Kf2 Qb6 46 Kg2 Ka8 47 Bc1 Qc7 48 Rh8 Rh8 49 Rh6 Rd8 50 Kg1 Qb6 51 Qe3 Na7 52 Kg2 Qb1 53 Kg3 Qc2 54 Rh2 Qb3 55 Rb2 Qa3 56 Rb7 1 - 0