One of the hardest tasks faced by competitive chess players is the development of an opening repertoire suited to their own style of play. As in their companion volume An Opening Repertoire for the Attacking Player (also translated by Ken Neat), the authors provide a refined and thoroughly up-to-date opening program, this timeselecting variations of a more positional nature.

e Practical repertoire based on 1 e4 as White and the Classical

Sicilian and King's Indian Defences as Black

e Concentrates on solid and reliable lines of play

e Provides an easy-to-learn explanation of the typical plans and

ideas

Eduard Gufeld is one of the most popular and widely travelled grandmasters, and is known throughout the world as a coach, opening theoretician, journalist and author.

Nikolai Kalinichenko, author of more than 30 chess books, holds the International Master title in correspondence chess and enjoys a growing reputation as a specialistin opening theory.

CADOGAN CHESS BOOKS

An Opening Repertoire for the Positional PlayerEnglish Translation Copyright 1997 Ken Neat

First published 1997 by Cadogan Books plc, 27-29 Berwick Street,

London W1V 3R

Distributed in North America by The Globe Pequot Press, 6 Business Park

Rd, P.O. Box 833, Old Saybrook, Connecticut 06475-0833

Al rights reserved No part o f this publication ma y be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means:electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission in writing .from thepublishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication DataA CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

ISBN 1 85744 152 4

Cover desig n by Brian Robins

Typeset by Ken Neat, Durham

Printed in Great Britain by BPC Wheatons Ltd, Exeter

An Opening Repertoire for the Positional PlayerbyEduard Gufeld and Nikolai Kalinichenko

Translated and Edited by Ken Neat

CADOGANchess

LONDON, NF.W YORK

CADOGAN CHESS BOOKS

Chief Advisor: Garry Kasparov

Editor: Murray Chandler

Russian Series Editor: Ken Neat

Other chess titles from Cadogan include :

The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal

Mikhail Tal

The Genius of Paul Morphy

Chris Ward

Improve Your Chess Now

J onathan Tisdall

Ivan Sokolov's Best Games

Ivan Sokolov

Winning in the Opening

John Walker

The Final Countdown

Hajenius & Van Riemsdij k

The Art of Chess Analysis

Jan Timman

Vasily Smyslov: Endgame Virtuoso

Vasily Smyslov

Basic Chess Openings

Gabor Kallai

Practical Opening Tips

Edmar Mednis

More Basic Chess Openings

Gabor Kallai

Play the Evans Gambit

Hardi ng & Cafferty

Lessons in Chess

Garry Kasparov

Queen's Indian Defence

Bogdan Lalic

Fire on Board: Shirov's Best

Games

Alexei Shirov

An Opening Repertoire for the

Attacking Player

Gufeld & Kalinichenko

For a complete catalogue ofCADOGAN CHESS books (which includes the

Pergamon Chess and Maxwell Macmillan Chess lists) please write to:

C adogan Books plc, 27-29 Berwick St, London W I V 3RF

Tcl : (0 1 7 1 ) 287 6555

Fax: (0 1 7 1 ) 734 1 733

ContentsIntroduction 6PART 1: WHITE REPERTOIRE

1 2 3 4

Sicilian Defence

Scotch Game

French Defence

Caro-Kan Defence

Pirc-U fimtsev Defence

9 27 41

59

5

6 Alekhine Defence

66 73

PART II: BLACK REPERTOIR

7

8

9 1 0

11 12 13 14

Sicilia Defence

King's Indian Defence:

Fou r Pawns Atck

Samisch Vaation

Variations with .i.g2

Classical Variation

Deviations by Wte from the Classical Variation

A verbakh Variation

Torre Attack

84

15

16

17

Trompowsky Attack English Opening Bird Opening

105 114 129 139 154 162 169 174

179

185

Index of VariationsList of Illustrative Games189

192

IntroductionOpening strategy is the most difficult aspect in the study of chess. The present book (one of the few in the continual stream of chess literature) is

aimed at helping readers to solve the problem of studying opening theory. We offer a universal program, suitable both for novices, and for players of high class.

A most important problem for a player aiming for competitive success is the development of an opening repertoire. This is a rather complicatedand laborious process, through which we will proceed together with the readers. An opening repertoire depends on many factors, notable among which are the styleof a player (tactical or positional), his character, his liking for this or that type of position, and finally - his tournament position, and so on.

This book gives an opening repertoire for players with a positional style, and, compared with our companion volume An Opening Repertoire for the Attacking Player, represents a kind of second stage in the mastery of opening theor y (although many variations are closely linked to theother volume, which refined here is very useful from the organisational point of view). More for Black have a high degree of stability. is the battle for thecentre, and the systems of defence chosen

After 1 of the Scotch Game4 eS we recommend the highly insidious Four Knights Variation without allowing the opponent any serious counter-chances. e, which gives White a slight but enduring advantage, Against the Sicilian Defence the Alapin Variatfon 2 c3 has in recent timesbecome a formidable weapon for White. Against the French Defence we recommend the Tarrasch Variation 3 d2, which for many years wassuccessfully employed by Anatoly Karpov. In the Caro-Kann Defence, Black is set problems by a set-up that ha s been used at the very highestlevel (for example, the 1995 Candidates Match Gelfand-Karpov): 3 eS and 4 liJf3. Quieter, but n o less dangerous variations for Black, arerecommended against the Pirc-Ufimtsev Defence (3 fJ!) and the Alekhine Defence (the classical 4 liJf3).

Against l e4 as Black we recommend

Attack the line leading to the Rauzer or the Sozin Attack, in which Black has counter-play, but does not hur n all his boats behind him, andwhere it is not easy for White to gain an advantage.

And finally, against 1 d4 we suggest the King's Indian Defence - the lavomill' Wl'apon of World Champion Garry Kasparov, as well as one of the

Introduction 7

authors of this book, which has served him faithfully for many a decade. Not without reason is Black's powerl piece at g7 called the 'Gufeld bishop'.

It should be mentioned that this book includes the most up-to-date chess material (including important games from the first half of 1997), which often clarifies or refutes existing evaluations. Thereforethis work will be useful not only to a wide range of chess enthusiasts taking their first steps in studying theory, but also to experienced players, who after studying the book will be able to look anew atmany well-known positions.

complicated task of developing The authors are convinced that the given work will help you to solve the a opening repertoire, including the most repertoirimportant thing -e will enable you to raise signthe

problem of the black pieces! After all, a competent ificantly your stdard of play and t improve your tournament results.

We are sure that this book will be exceptionally useful to all wishing to improve their mastery of chess.

Eduard Gufeld Nikolai Kalinichenko

October 1997

8 An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player

Publisher's Note

The companion volume by the same authors An Opening Repertoire f or the A/lacking Player gives sound methods for White of opposingunusual openings such as the Centre Counter Game, and the Nimzowitsch, Owen and St.George Defences. Also covered there are ways forBlack to proceed when faced by early deviations against the Sicilian Defence. Rather than repeat this material here (which would have addednearly 40 pages to this book) we refer the reader to the companion volume.

Conventional signs used in this book

! good move

! ! excellent move

!? move deserving consideration

?! dubious move

? incorrect move

?? blunder

= equal position

; White has a slight advantage

+ Black has a slight advantage

White has a clear advantage

+ Black has a clear advantage

+- White has a decisive advantage

-+ Black has a decisive advantage

o unclear position

0 with compensation for the material

l with the idea of

GM grandmaster

IM international master

corr. correspondence game

PART 1: WHITE REPERTOIRE1 Sicilian Defence1 e4 2 c

cS

centre and controls more space,

giving him a stable advantage. The lDf

1game continued 9 . .. .te7 10 c 7 1 1 l:!g3 0- 12 l:!g5 i.xg5

13 .txg5 f6 14 exf6 gxf6 15 .te3;(b) 5 ... cxd4 6 cxd4 l:!c6 7 l !;; ; iJe2

e5 (little is promised by 7 . .. l:!b4 8 i.b 1 i.a6 9 l:!t3, when White com

pletes a regrouping typical of this

type of position, and is ready to drive back the black pieces: 9 . . . 1

i'c7

10 l:!c3 e6 1 1 a l:!c6 12 .tg5 l:!h5

13 d5 l:!a5 14 e5 with a great advan

tage, Schmittdiei-Grooten, Wijk aa

A variation developed by the 19th l

Zee 1993) 8 d5 l:!b4 9 .tb 1 i.c5 10

:!c3 0 1 1 a 3 l:!a6 12 0 l:!c7 13 century Russian player Alapin, and .td3 lDfe8 14 liJf 3 1i'e7 1 5 b4 i.d6 one that is very popular today. From 16 i.g5 (Smagin-Milov, Greece the very star t White aims to set up a 1993). strong pawn centre, which demands accurate

The main replies are play on Black's part. 2 eS (1.1),

2 ... d6 (1.2), 2 ... e6 (1.3), 2 ... dS (1.4) and 2 ...tf (l.S).Other moves do nothing to hinder

White's plan:

2 .. .b6 3 d4 b7 4 d3 (or 4 d5!?, restricting the i.b7) 4 ... l:!f6 5 l:!d2, and now:(a) 5 ... e6 6 l:!gf 3 d5 7 e5 lDfd7 8 0-0 l:!c6 9 %le

I (Tiviakov-Reinhard,

Singapore 1990). White has a solid

1 0 An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player

White has a considerable advantage in the centre and his hands are free for action on either wing. l . . . 'ifaS d2-d4, which, however, iseasily (an attempt to prevent suppressed) 3 lbf 3 lbc6 4 d4 cxd4 5 b4 "fkc7 6 b5 lbe5 7 lbxe5 "fkxe5 8

'ifxd4, maintaining pressure both in the middlegame, and in the endgame

(Makropoulus-Ljubojevic, Athens

1981).

2 .g6 (more justified than the fianchetto of the d4 cxd4 (after 3 ... s bishop) 3

An idea of the Russian IM Fili

4 dxc5 "fkxc5

5 . penko. Black tries by direct means i.e3 White has a lead in development) 4 cxd4 d5 (if 4 ... .i.g7 5 lbc3 to prevent White fromcreating a d6 6 .i.e3 lbf6 7 f

3 0- 0 8 'ifd lDc6 pawn pair in the centre. However,9 0- .i.d7 10 b1 'ifa5 1 1 lbge2 the weakening of the light square b5 12 lbc1 b4 13 lD3e2 l complex (in particular d5 and fS) :tfc8 14 g4

allows the opponent to develop with a powerful attacking position comfortably. for White: his line of pawns on the 3 cl)f lbc6 kingsidehas gone into action, 4 .i.c4 wherea s on the queenside Black's The bishop takes up a good post play has come to nothing, Rausis fromwhere it 'eyes' the iA.Sokolov, Moscow 1992) 5 e5 1fc7 pawn.

4.i.g7 (Black fails to solve his After 4 .J.e7 White is able to set problems by 5 ... lbc6 6 lbc3 lbh6 7 lbt 3 J.g4 8 J.b5 "ikd7 9 h3 J.xf up strong

pressure: 5 d4 cxd4 6 cxd4

3 10 d6 7 dxe5 dxe5 8 1rb3.

"fkxf 3 lbf S 1 1 lbe2 a6 12 J.xc6 bxc6 4 ..lbf 6 ha13 g4, when the knight at f S is de too is insuf s been played, but this prived of its post) 6 c3 lDh6 7 lbxd5 7 "5 g6 8 "ficient: 5 lbg5 d5 6

exd5 fkf 3 J.e6 9 lbxe6

"fkb3!? lbc6 8 .i.e3 lbf S (Rausis fx.e6 10 d3 (Okhotnik-Kapetovic,

'Dybowski, Lublin 1993), and here 9 Romania 1988). White has the two ifxdS!? was possible, retaining the bishops and play against Black'sadvantage. pawn weaknesses, which gives him the advantage.

1.1 (I e4 cS 2 5 0 lbfNote should be made of Smagin

2 eS Brendel (Dorund 1993), where

Sicilian Def ence 1 1

5 ... .i.e7 was refuted: 6 gS! (a typical stroke in such positions) 6 . . . .i.xgS 7 'ii' hS dS 8 exdS .i.f4 9 dxc6

f6 1 0 't'e2 0 1 1 cxb7 .i.xb7 12

d3 e4 13 .i.xf4 't'xf4 14 dxe4 xe4

15 'ii' e3, when White retained his

extra pawn with a sound position. 6 llel .i.e7

(1 e4 cS 2 c3)23 d4d6f6

A relatively recent idea. Black

attacks the e4 pawn and simul

taneously prevents e4-e5.

3 ... cxd4 4 cxd4 f6 is less accu7 d4! rate, since White acquires c3 for hisThis active move sets Black knight. After 5 c3 g6 (if 5 ... a6 6 definite problems. .i.d3 e6 7 f 3 .i.e7 8 0 0 9 eS! After

7 ... cxd4 8 cxd4 xd4 9 dxeS 10 dxe5 fd7 1 1 'ii' e2 :es 12xd4 exd4 10 eS! 'ii' xc4 1 1 exf6 lld1 'ii' c7 13 .gxf6 12 b3 'ii' c6 13 .i.a3 (S.Arkell i.f4, Handoko-RojpraPorsson, Reykjavik 1990) Black

has payont, Manila 1992, or 5 ... e6 6 f 3 .i.e7 7 .i.d3 c6 8 'ii' e2 0 9 a ver y difficult position. His king eS, Van der Werf-B.German, Grondoes not have a secure shelter, and ingen 1990, White stands better -all the open lines are controlled by the pawn at e5 is very unpleasant forthe opponent. the opponent) 6 f 3 a6 7 h3 .

7 . . .d6!? (Kalinichenko-Vysotsky, .i.d3 0 9 0 bS 10 e5 e8 1 1

i.g7 8 corr. 1995/6) is more accurate, i.e4 lla7 1 2 .i.e3 .i.b7 13 d5 lla8 agreeing after 8 dS to territorial 14 e6 (Torre-Barcenilla, Bacolodconcessions, but retaining a solid 1991) White has the better chances. position, although without any The pawn at e6 cleaves Black's activecounterplay. For example: position in two, seriously hindering

8 . . . d8 9 .i.bS+ d7 10 a4 0-0 1 1 the coordination of his forces. aS a6 12 .i.d3 f6 13 bd2;!;. 4 i.d3

12 An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player

7 tLlbc3 08 0 ttJc69 f eS 10 dS tLle7

White to develop harmoniously. The The most popular move, enabling main replies

a 4 cxd4 (1.21),4 ... tLlc6 (1.22) and 4 ..g6 (1.23).

1.21 (1 e4 cS 2 c3 d6 3 d4 tLlf6 4 outweigh Black's counterplay on the White's chances on the queenside i.d3) kingside,e.g. 1 1 i.e3 tLle8 12 'i'b3

f5 13 tLlbS b6 14 a4 tLlf6 15 'i

4 cxd4 (Rozentalis-Smirin, Vilnius 1988).5 cxd4 g6This variation is simila r in charac 1.22

ter to the positions examined in the i.d3) (1 e4 cS 2 c3 d6 3 d4 ttJf 6 4note to Black's 3rd move.

The attempt to put direct pressure 4 tLlc6 on White's centre is unsuccessful:

5 . tLlc6 6 tLlf i.g4 7 d5 tLleS 8 t'LlxeS! dxe5 (8 ... i.xd1 9 i.b5+) 9 i'b3 (Schmittdiel-Y rjola, Gausdal 1987), while s ... e 6 d5 transposes into lines examined below.6 tLle2The knight is better placed here than at fl, where it will be attacked by the bishop from g4, but 6 f 3 or 6 tLlc3 is possible, also assuring White of an opening advantage.

6 i.g7

Sicilian Def ence 13

5 tDfHere too 5 tDe2 is possible, transposing into set-ups examined above.5on the centre, which, however, does Continuing the policy of pressur

Jlg4not produce the desired result. But no better is

5 ..g6d5! ?) 6 0 i.g7 7 d5 tDb8

(5 ... e5 6

(Schmittdiel-J.Amason, St. Martin

1993 ), when 8 c4 would have

consolidated White's territorial

gains.

6 d5 tDb8

After 13 l:te 1 f:lce8 14 Jtf b6 15

Wc2 Jlb7 16 l

6 .. tDe5 lLlxe5!, while is met by the simple 7 6 ..Jlxf 7 Wxf how Black can 'get up of:tad1 it is not apparent f his knees' tLleS is also inadequate: 8 Jlb5+ (Sveshnikov-Loncar, Bled 1994). tLled7 9 0 g6 10 tLld2 Jlg7 1 1 a4!

1.23 (1 e4 c5 2 c d6 3 d4 f:lf 6 4(initiating a queenside bind)

I 1.. Jld3) . 0-0 12 aS tLle8 13 1i'h3 tLldf614 a6 b6 15 l:tel f:lc7 16 Jlc6 l:tb8 417 f g6 :lf3 (Smagin-Borik, Germany1993). Black is completely deprived of counterplay, whereas White is threatening a typical attack on the kingside (.i.h6, !

:lg5), and (after preparation) the central breakthrough e4-e5.

7 f:lbd2 g68 b3 Jlc88 . Jlxfsomewhat, but also fails to solve simplifies the position

Black's problems.

9 a410 f Jlg7 :lc4 011 .i.f4 tDa612 0 fat g7 without removing the pawn An attempt to develop the bishop

:lc7 tension in the centre. However,White deploys his pieces in the White now has additional resources

optimal way for play in the centre. in the struggle for an advantage.

14 An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player

After 4 .. -c7 queen has its drawbacks: 5 0 g6 6 the position of the () -0 g7 7 f4 0 8 bd2 bd7 9 :e 1 e5 1 0 dxe5 dxe5 1 I i.g3h5 12 a4 b6 13 aS!; (Karpov-J.Polgar, Dos Hermanas 1994).

5 dxc5!? dxc56 e5 lLld56 ... l.i.bS+ i.d7 8 e6! L!g4is dubious in view of 7

7 i.e4The point of White's play. Black

is forced to exchange queens and go

into a slightly inferior ending.

7 lL!b68 xd8+

2 e6 xd2 14 li'xd2 i.d6 1 5 lr.fei 'ii c7

Sicilian Def ence 15

16 h3 (Barlov-Gallagher, Biel We are following the game

play, and the weakness of the d5 1990). Black has no active counter Machulsky-Panchapagesan (Dublin pawn may tell later, therefore 1991).After 12 .. . g5 13 l:.d3 c6 14 0 xe3+ 15 fx.e3 White has

White's chances are to be preferred. 6 'ife2+ e7Black to regain his pawn, and the better chances. It is not easy for

6 'ife7 is the alternative. After 7 Whe3 cxd4 8 xd7+ xd7 9 xd4 ite's pressure on the d-file should not be underestimated.

gf6 tO d2 'ife6 ll it'xe6+ fx.e6 12 gO d6 13 00 0- 0 14 ltfe l

l:.fe8 1 5 e5 White's chances are to (1 e4 c52 c3)

be preferred (Machulsky-Wessman, 2 d5New York 1990). He is blockading the black pawn couple ( d5+e6), on

which he will be able to exer

unpleasant pressure. 7 dxc5 f8 e3It is useful to take control of the

key square d4, at the same time

covering the queen and defending

the c5 pawn.

8 09 d2 l:.e8

10 b311 xd7 'g4 xd712

tries to gain counterplay by activitOne of Black's main replies. He in the centre, immediately bringing into play his 'heav y artillery' - the queen.

3 exd5 'xd53 . fremains alive: 4 b5+ bd7 (or is risky, a s the d5 pawn 4 ... d7 5 xd7+ i

t'xd7 6 c4 e6 7 it'e2 d6 8 0 0a6 6 xd7+!? xd7 7 0 e6 8 0 9 dxe6) 5 c4 'ife2 i.e7 9 dxe6 i.xe6 10 0- 0 f (if 10 . .. 0--0 , then 1 1 ld l followed by d2-d4 is good) 1 1 le 1 ! d3 12 it'e5 (Smagin-Sveshnikov, Amantea

16 An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player

1995). Black still has to t and at e6 (Sermek-Moatlhodi, Parana

regain the c pawn, and the time 1993).

spent on this will allow White to 4 .cxd4 take the initiative. ... c6 5 cxd4 eS (positions wida considered later) 6 dxeS!

4 d4 .tb4+ 7 d2 with a lead in developWhite plans to gain a pawn ment.

the isolation of his d-pawn. On the majority in the centre, not fearing basis of an 'isolani' the active side 'ii' xd1.41 (1 e4 cS 2 c3 dS3 exd55 4 d4)can often gain lively piece play with

chances of an attack. 4Black's main replies are 4 t6(1.41) and 4 .f6Black intensifies the pressure on

Other tries: (1.42). the d4 pawn. 5 f4 .. g6gaining time - White exploits the 5 dxc5 (a typical way of

early of the opponent's

5 ... 6 .te3 'ii' c7 7 a3

8 b5 b8 9 0 .tg7 1 o d2 f6 1 1 .tf4 e5 12 d6+ e7

13 xe5 xe5 14 .txe5 e4 1 5

'ii' f4 .ixe5 16 't'xf7+! d8 17

xe4 with a big advantage (Guido

Hulak, Balatonbereny 1993 ).

4 ... e5 5 dxe5! (again Whiteexploits the opponent's 'developed'

(after 5 ... 'queen to gain time) 5 ... 'ii' xe5+ t'xdl+ 6 xdl c6 White Now Black faces a choice:

maintains the advantage with

accurate play - 7 .tf4 ge7 8 0 whether to intensif y the pressure on .ig4 9 .te2 g6

10 .tg3 0the critical d4 pawn - s ... .tg4{)+ 1 1 (1.411), relieve the tension in thebd2 .ie7 1 2 cl llhe8 1 3 :te1, centre - S ... cxd4 (1.412), or continueSeeger-Jukic, Germany 1992) 6 his development - 5 ... f6 (1.413). .te3 f6 7 0 "ikc7 3

l .tb5+ (8 2Ja3 !? is also good) 8 .. .l2Jc6 9 ' We should mention straight away t'e2 that 5 . eS does not solve his.i.e6 I 0 l2Jg5 0-0-0 1 1 l2Jxe6 fxe6 problems in view of 6 xeS xe5 7

12 l2Jd2 h6 13 0- a6 14 .ta4 b515 .

dxeS 'ii' xe5+ 8 .te2 .tg4 9 .te3,

i.c2, and White's chances are when White is somewhat ahead in

better, since Black has no com development, giving him a slight

pensation for his chronic weakness advantage.

Sicilia n Defence 17

1.411 (1 e eS l e 3 dS 3 exdS 1i'c5 13 a4 0- I4 Wb3 tlJh6 IS 'iVxdS 4 d4 tlJe6 S liJtJ) lZ.b 1 with mounting pressure forWhite (Chmelik-J.Ruiz, Rimavska

s J.g46 J.el Sobota I992). exd4 8 h3After 6 ... e6 Black ha s to reckonwith the idea of c3-c4: 7 h3 J.h5 8 It is useful to push back the bishop to h5, since it is unfavourable

c4 (White also maintains good for Black to take on f3. chances after 8 J.e3) 8 ... 1

worse is 8 ... 1 i'd6 (even

8 .thSi'd7 9 g4! J.g6 10 d5 9 tlJe 'iVaS exd5 1 I cxd5 tlJb4 I2 tlJeS 'ii' xd5 13White can answer 9 ... J.b4 withi.b5+ d8 I4 0 with a strong IO 0 'ii' a5 1 1 J.d2 (or 1 I a3!?)attack for White, Adamski-Schnei 1 l ...tiJf6 12 a3, forcing Black to der, Wroclaw 198I) 9 d5 J.xf

3 10

J.xf 3 tiJd4 I I tlJc3 tiJf6 I2 J.e3 e5 retreat, and retaining the initiative. After 9 ... 1i'd8 IO 0 tiJf6 I I13 0 1.. e7 I4 J.xd4! (securing b5 J.e3 J.e7 I2 Wb3 l:[b8 I 3 lZ.fdi 0for the knight, which in combination I4 g4 J.g6 IS tlJeS liJb4 I6 tlJxg6

with d5-d6 may cause Black serious hxg6 I7 J.f 3 (G.Braun-Lehmann, problems)

14 . . .exd4 IS liJbS 'ii' d7

16 d6 J.xd6 I7 J.xb7 l Germany 1992) White has the better Z.b8 (Vlasov chances - he has the two bishops

Obodchuk, Moscow I995) and now, according to Chandler, I 8 l and pressure in the centre.

Z.e I+ 10 1b3.te7 I9 'ii' f3! 0 20 J.c6 gives Putting the b7 pawn under fire.

White the advantage. After 20 ... 10. 'ifb4 'ii' d8 21 'ifa3 aS 22 J.f3 (with the 11 J.e3 liJfunpleasant threat of tlJa7-c6) the 12 difference in the activity of the J.g613pieces is obvious. We must also mention that 6 ...

0-0-0 should be answered by 7 J.e3,

when 7 .. . e5 gives Black nothing

after the simple reply 8 dxcS;!;; .

7 exd4 e6

7 .. . eS is insufficient here; after the natural 8 tlJc3 J.b4 9 0- 0 Black is J.xc3 I 0 bxc3 exd4 (or 1 O ... e4 II forced to exchange on c3 - 9 ...liJd2 .if

S I2 f 3 exf 3 13 J.xf 3 1i'd7 dangerous) 1 1 t14 i.a3, and the white bishops are lJxd4 i.d7 12 i.f

18 An Opening Repertoire f or the Positional Player

Rozentalis-Helgason (Malme 1993), We are following the game i.. e7 12 :cl a6 13 :Z.el lbb4 14 which continued 13 ... i.. d6 14 ... xb4 i.. bl b515 lbe5 White's pieces are lbxb4 15 0- better and more harmoniously deve0 0- 0 16 h4! h6 17 lbxg6 fxg6 18 i..f loped (S.Arkeii-L.Evans, London 3 with a clear 1988); advantage to White in the ending - (b) 7 ...... d8, when GM Kharlov he has the two bishops (the hasdemonstrated a good set-up - 8 exchange on e3 merely strengthens i.. e2 lbf6 9 0- 0 i.. e7 I 0 i..e3 the white pawns and is clearly (supportingd4, to make possible the inadvisable) and play against the e6 typical manoeuvre lbe5 and i..f3) pawn. 1 o ... 0- 0 1 1 lbes lbb4 12.i.flbbd5 13 3 as 14 i.. g5 wit

1.412 (1 e4 cS 2 cl d5 3 exd5 powerl pressure (Kharlov-Bos... xd5 4 d4 c6 5 f3) Siecik, Holland 1993); fore practically forced) 8 i.. e3 lbf6 9 (c) 7 ...... d6 (this retreat is therea 3 i.. e7 10 ... c2 a6 1 1 :Z.c1 0- 0 12 i.. d3 h6 13 0- . :Z.d8 14 :Z.fd1

(Markovic-Laevic, Yugoslavia

1993). White stands better - he controls more space, and has possibilities of play on both wings.

With a large number of pieces on the board the weakness of the d4 pawn is not felt, and things may not get as far as an endgame.

7 c i..b48 i..d2 i..xcl9 i..xcl e4

5

cxd46 cxd4 e5

White has intensified the pressure

After stabilising the situation in on the critical e5 square and Black is the centre, Black is aiming to clea forced to make concessions.completely this pa t of the board.

6 ...i..g4 7 i.. e2 leads to position Exchanging in the centre -9 ...exd4 10 lbxd4 lbge7 (or IO ... lbxd4 examined below (section 1 .42). 1 1 xd4 xd4 12 i.. xd4 withThe other possibility is 6 e6, which, however, does not promise advantage in the endgame) 1 1 xc6 xc6 12 i.. e2 0-equality after 7c3: (a) 7 ... i.. b4 8 i.. d3 lbf6 9

0--0 , and dangerous in view of 13 i.. b5+ lbc6

0 (12 ...... xg2 is

14 e2+ .*.e6 15 0- 0 :Z.d8 16 after 9 . . .... d8 10 i..g5 h6 1 1 i.. h4 :Z.de 1 wit h strong pressure) 13 0-

Sicilian Def ence I9

e6 14 1i'd4 does not promise

Black an easy life (Kavalek has strong pressure after I 8 . . . lI9 :adi h6 20 ' 'Dg6

Hermann, Bochum 198I ). '10 l'De5 lifg3) 19 :adi, and White's chances ife3 followed by

'Dxe511 dxe5 lare clearly better (Van der Brink

'De712 e2 Bezemer, Dutch Ch 1993). The exchange of queens favours

White: 12 1.413 (1 e4 c5 2 c3 d5 3 exd5 .1i'xdl+ 13 lhdi e6(13 . . .0 14 b4) 14 bS+ l

'ifxd5 4 d4l'Dc6 5l'Df3)'Dc6

IS 0-0!? xa2 I6 :rei b3 17 5:d6 - he has two bishops and pressure on the central open files. but in so doing he has to reckon Black continues his development,

with the fact that the cS pawn is protected only by his queen.

The critical position of the variation, which can be considered to favour White. He has two bishops, the 6 e3!? possibility of quicklyoccupying the An insidious plan - Black is d-file, and the unpleasant eS pawn, invited to attack the bishop with making it difficult for Black to ... l'Dg4 or to relieve the tension in defend his kingside. There can the centre (6 ... cxd4), which favours follow 13 0 d7 (or 13 ... 'ife6 14 White.

1i'd4 'ifg6 I S l:tfei l'Dc6 I6 1i'e3 6 lfS 17 :ad 1 :ad8 1 8 h4;:;, Smagin After 6 'Dg4 .. e5 7 dxeS 'ii' xd I+ 8 Yagupov, Moscow I99S) I4 'ifcl ! xd I l'Dg4 9 l'Da ltlxe3+

I 0 fxe3 (vacating the d-file and preparing to g4 I I ltlc4

S ll)f e6The alternative S .. .tg4 leads to aslight weakening of the queenside, which may

b

.te2 e6 7 h3 .th5, and now: exploited by White: 6 (a) 8 .te3 cxd4 9 cxd4 l

i)c6 10

lbc3 'ifd6 I 1 g4! .tg6 12 lbe5 .te7

13 0- 0 0- 0 14 .tf4 'i'd8 1 5 .tf

with appreciable pressure (Adams

This is a position from the game Topalov, Las Palmas 1994);

By continuing 10 lbe4! cxd4 1 1 Finkel-Sermek (Groningen 1993). cxd4 .tb4!? 1 1 (b) 8 0-

0 lbc6 9 i.e3 cxd4 10

a .ta5 12 lbc3exd4 .te7 12 0- 0 0- 0 1 3 ec2 b6 14 '

lZ.ad I White would have gained an .i.g6 14 lifd6 (12 ... f'd7 can be met by 13 g4 5!) 13 lbb5 'i'e7?!

appreciable advantage: the d4-d5 breakthrough is very much a reality, (more accurate is 13 ... 'ii' b8, after

and in addition the opponent's king which White's advantage is minis insufficiently well defended. imal) 14 lbe5 .txe2 1 5 'ifxe2 0-16 lZ.acllZ.ac8 I7 .tg5! and Black

encountered problems (Deep Blue

Kasparov, New York 1996) - cf.

1.42 (1 e4 cS 2 c3 dS 3 exdS Ill ustrative Game No. 1. exdS4 d4) 6 .i.e2 ll)c6If Black plays 6 ... .te7, delaying

4 the development of his queen'sThe most popular reply. Black knight, White does best to reply

keeps open the possibilit y of varying wit h the typical 7 lba3 0- 0 8 lbb5

his plans. li)a6 9 0- 0 cxd4 10 cxd4 .td7 1 1

Sicilian De f ence 21

lDc3 'ii' a5 12 lDe5 .:tfd8 13 .to, This is a position from the game

achieving the desired set-up, with Kharlov-lstratescu (Metz 1993), in

positional pressure (Hort-Bokac, which White demonstrated a clear

Germany 1992). way to consolidate his advantage: 15

7 0 cxd4 lDb5 l:ad8 16 .tc7! :xdl+ 17 l:xd1Black transposes into a set-up l:c8 18 .td6 f 8 19 .txe7+ xe7

where White has an 'isolani'. 20 lDd6 l:b8 21 b5. Black is

If 7 . ..te7 8 c4 White can reach a condemned to a difficult defence

typical ending with a queenside without any real majority, in which it is not easy for

lDxc6 '(c) 8 ... 'ii' d7 9 lDe5!

10

Black to obtain adequate play: ifxd 1 1 1 :Z.xd 1 bxc6 12 .to (a) 8 ... Wf5 9 lDc3 cxd4 10 lDxd4 .tb7 13 lDc3 0- 0 14 .te3 l:fd8 15

lDxd4 1 1 'ii' xd4 e5 12 'ii' d3 0- 0 13 b3 e5 16 lDa4;

Wxf5 .txf S 14 .te3 .:tfc8 15 . !;; (Afek-Redon, Paris :tfd I

lDg4 16 lDd5; 1993). !;; (Sveshnikov-Sunye, 8 cxd4 .te7Moscow 1989); 9 lDc 'ifd6:Z.xdl .txc5 (the situation is not (b) 8 . . . Wd8 9 dxc5 Wxd1 10 The most popular continuation. Let us consider Black's other

changed by I O .. .lDe4 1 1 .te3 lDb4 12 lDbd2 lDxc5 13 lDd4 e5 14 possibilities:

9 ...

lD4b3, when White's chances on the the knight) 10 'ii' a5 10 .tb5! (securing e5 for . . . 0- 0 1 1 lDe5 lDb4

queenside are better than Black's on 12 'ii' e2 a6 13 .tc4 Wd8 (it is the kingside and in the centre, difficult for Black to complete his

lvanchuk-Petursson, Lucerne 1993) 1 1 lDc3 0- queenside development - 13 ... b5 14

0 12 a3 b6 (or 12 ... a5 13 .tb3 .tb7? 15 lDxf7!) 14 a lDbd5 .tg5 a4 14 .:td2 b6 15 l:adl;!;; ) 13 b4 15 lil.e7 14 .tf4 i :.d 1, and White has the better

l.b7. chances: his pieces are haon

iously placed, and Black still has

development problems (Tartakower

Giigoric, Amsterda 1950).

9 ... 'ifd8 10 .te3 (a familiarprocedure - White supports his base

lDe5), and now: on d4 in order to follow up with

pawn structure l l ... exd5 12 lDe5 0-0 (a) lO ... lDd5 1 1 lDxd5 'ii' xd5 (the 13 'ii' b3 favours Wh

lDxe5 13 dxe5 ' ite) 12 lDe5!

dangerous in view of 14 .td4 'iiifa5 (13 ... 'ii' xe5 is ' g5

15 f4 with a powerful atk) 14

22 An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player

'ii' d4 15 l:.fd1 l:.d8 16 'ife4 l:.d5 slavia 1982, or 13 ... l:lb6 14 .i.c7

17 .td4 and White retains the 'ifd7 1 5 .txb6 axb6 16 'ii' e2 'ii' d8 17

advantage (Vaulin-Groszpeter, l:.fd1, Sveshnikov-Dokhoian, Mos

Kecskemet 1993); (b) 10 . . . 0-0 1 1 le5 l cow 1983, with a clear advantage to

b4 (the White in both cases) 14 .i.xd5 axb5

at e5 leads to difattempt to eliminate White's outpost ficulties - 1 1 ... c

(after 14 ... exd5 the invasion of the

!Dxe5 white knight is unpleasant - 1 5 l:lc7

12 dxe5 l:ld7 13 f4 .tc5 14 .txc5 l:.a7 16 'ii' b3 .td6 17 .i.xd6 'ii' xd6

l:lxc5 15 b4! 'ifb6 16 'W'd4) 12 ..tf 1 8 'W'b6, and it is not easy for Black

l:lbd5 (things are

unchanged by 12 ... l:lfd5 13 'essentially to complete his queenside developW'b3 ment, J.Polgar-Lautier, Linares l:lxc3 14 bxc3 l:ld5 15c4;\;) 13 '

ifb3 1?94) 15 .te4 b4 (or 15 ... l:.a6 16

a5 (after 13 ... c!Dxe3 14 fxe3 l:ld7 15 l 1We2 f5, Sveshnikov-Korchnoi, Biel

:lc4 White retains some advantage 1993, and here 17 .txc6 bxc6 1 8

- he has a strong pawn pair in the .tf4 would have given White the

centre and pressure on the

queenside, Sveshnikov-Andersson, l:a5 17 'advantage - Sveshnikov) 16 llel Rio de Janeiro 1986) 14 l:.ac1l

:lxc3 are obvious W'c2, and Black's problems

15 bxc3 a4 16 'W'c2 l:ld5 17 c4 l (Sveshnikov-Bukic, :lb4

18 ' Bled 1994). ifb1 a 19 l:fd1 'W'c7 20 .tf4 13 l:lc 0with a very strong bind for White 14 l:.cl(Sveshnikov-J.Polgar, Biel 1993). This is more accurate than 1410 l:lb5 'W'd8 'ifb3The post at b8 is insecure

10 'ifb8 1 1 g3 l:ld5 12 .the strongest) when 14 ... l(which used to be considered :lf6! puts

i.c4 a6 13

.i.xd5 axb5 14 . pressure on the d4 pawn (no longer .tf4!.

11 .tf4 defended b y the queen) and preventsTaking control of the h2-b8 White from carrying out the diagonal. thematic regrouping l:le5 and .tf3. After 1 5 l

11 l:.ad1 (Kalinichenko-Oud,

:ld5

Or 11 ...0- 12 .i.c7! 'W'd7 13l:le5 corr. 1995/6) Black made the stral:lxe5 14 dxe5 l:ld5 15 .td6, and tegic mistake 15 ... l:lb4?! (15 . . . b5 ! o), and stood worse after 1 6

White's outpost at d6 secures him a l:le5.

slight but enduring advantage 14 l:lxc3(Yagupov-S.Kisilev, Orel 1994). 14 ...l:lf12 .

6 can be met by 15 a b6g3 a6 16 l:lb5!? axb5 (if 16 . . . ..tb7 White

The natural 12 ...0- G is strongly has the unpleasant 17 c!Dc7! lr.a7 18met by 13 .tc4! a6 (if 13 ... 'W'b6 14 .i.xa6 .i.xa6 19 l:lxa6 l:lxd4 20 'ii

' e2 a6 15 .txd5 axb5 16 .tb3 .tf6 'ii' xd4 jfxd4 21 c!Dxd4 l:.xa6 22

17 l:.fd 1, Barlov-Marjanovic, Yugo- l:lc6, when he has a strong bishop

Sicilian Defence 23

and a queenside pawn majority) 17 l

:.xc6, when White's chances are

preferable - Black's queenside

pawns are weak, and after 17 . . . b18 axb4 ltld5 19 b5 J.b7 20 l

:.c4 he

is unable to rid himself of his weak

b5 pawn without losing material.

15 bxc .tf

(1 e4 c5l c3)l ltlf6

15 b5 can be met by the typical 16 c4 (16 a4!? is also possible) 16 ... bxc4 17 .txc4 .tb7 18 d5 exd5 19 J.xdS;t.

As in the Alekhine Defence, Black provokes an advance of the a counterattack on them. However, white pawns, in order then to launch thesituation here is more favourable for him than in the Alekhine Defence - he has made the useful move ... c7-c5, whereas the same cannot besaid about White's c2-c3,

The critical position of this varia since the pawn takes two steps to tion. White's chances are better - he reach c4. has a solid position in thecentre and It must again be mentioned that in good possibilities for active play on other lines it is hard for Black to the queenside, and insome cases on equalise, and that 2 . . . ltlf6 is his the kingside, whereas Black has no most flexible and promising active counterchances. continuation.

The game Chekhov-Korpeev 3 e5 ld5 (Moscow 1996) continued 16 .td3 4 ltlt( 16 :bI is also good, putting the The most logical positional setrook on a active square) 16 .. .b5 17 a4! bxa4 (17 ... b4? 18 . up, involving the

rapid development 'ifxa4 ..td7 19 ' .te4!) 18 of the kingside, and the one ifa3 wit h pressure for preferred by two of the leading White. 19'ifc2! h6 20 'ife2 a 5 21

' practitioners of the A lap in Variation ife4 was even stronger. with White: Sveshnikov and Adams.

24 An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player

4 c6l f 4 .. e6 White gains the withBlacks pawns) followed by llxg5

a unclea r position.

advantage by 5 i.c4 b6 6 i.b3 d5 7 exd6 'ik:xd67 d4 c6 8 i.g5 i.e7 9 h4! h6 10 After 7 .e:xd6 8 d4i.xe7 ' i.g4 ikxe7 1 1 dxc5 (Sveshnikov). (lvanchuk-Kasparov, Dortmund

Black is unable to arr ange swif t play 1992) White could have gained an

against the outpost e5 pawn, and he advantage by 9 dxc5 dxc5 10 0

ends up in a cramped position. i.e7 1 1 lla 0 12 i.f4!5 i.c4 b66 i.b3 combination with l(lvanchuk). The invasion at c7 in tlb5 may beThe fashionable reply. If Black unpleasant for Black.

wishes to restrict the activity of this 8 0-- i.e6 bishop, he has to advance his c The alternative is 8 ... c4 9 i.c2 g6pawn, which is a slight positional 10 b3 i.g7 1 1 ltla3 cxb3!? (after plus for White - the undermining l l...i.e6 12 'ike2 cxb3 13 axb3 (

move b2-b3 becomes possible. 14 d4 ltld5 1 5 i.d2 White retains

6 d5 the advantage, Rozentalis-Watson,Black begins counterplay in the Germany 1995) 12 axb3 0 13 d4

centre, at the same time preparing to i.g4! 14 h3 i.xf 3 15 'i'x e5 withbring out his queen's bishop (a chances for both sides (Lutz

second way of neutralising the Khalifman, Wijk aan Zee 1995).

bishop at b3). 9 lla3 c4The alternative is 6 c4 7 i.c2: 9 a6(a) 7 ... g6 8 ltla3 d6 9 'i'e2 d5 10 lg5!;is strongly met by I 0

t

h3 i.g7 1 1 0-0 (Adams-Gelfand, 10 i.clWijk aan Zee 1994). White has

g6retained an advantage in the centre

and controls more space, and his

chances are to be preferred;

(b) 7 ... d6 (more interesting) 8

cxd6 'xd6 9 0 i.g4 10 l:.e1li1c5!? 11 l:.xe5! i.xf 12 Wel i.d5

( 12 ... ..ic6 is well met by 13 ltla

and lilbS) 13 b3 e6 14 i.a3 'ii' c6 15

i x fR x f 16 :.gs f6 with chances

fu r both sides (Adams-Miladinovic,

Belgrade 1994 );

(c) 7 ... "ii c7 8 "ii e2 g5 !? (Torre

lvalll:hu. Ycrcvan 1996), and now We are following the game

lunman '"csts 9 e6 (dou b ling Benjamin-Gavrikov (Horgen 1994),

Sicilia n Defence 25

where the continuation was 11 d4 b6 it cacxd3 12 l:)b5 ' i'd7 13 'ii' xd3 ' n put pressure on the d4 irxd3 pawn.

14 .i.xd3 ( ) 15 .i.e2 a6 16 l:)bd4

l:)xd4 17 cxd4 f6 with approximate 10 ... .te7 1 1 lExperience has shown that after :)c3 'ifd6 12 a 3 0 13

equality. 'ii' b3 White's chances are better.

11 b3!? came into consideration, 11 a .ta5as in the variations considered above 12 lc3 'i'd6(compare the Rozentalis-Watson 13 lb5 'i'e7?!game). This leads to a difficult position for Black. However, as mentioned in

the analysis, it is also not easy to

Game I (p.20) equalise after 13 ... '8 (14 b4 .tb6

Deep Qlue-Kparov 15 l:)e5!? i.. xe2 16 'i'xe2 l:)xe5 17New York, 1996 .tf4). 14 l:)e51 e4 c5 A typical manoeuvre - White rids

2 c3 himself of the pressure of Black'sEven against such a giant of the light-square bishop and (after the

Alapin Sicilian Defence as Kasparov, the Variation exchange on e2), occupies the best dangerous. proves very square for hisqueen ( e2), in order to

2 d5 post a rook at dl . 14 .txe2As is mentioned in the analysis, 15 'i'xe2 0-2 ... l:)f6 gives Black better chances 16 l:tacl l:tac8of equalising, but the move chosen 17 .tg5!by Kasparov leads to more com This pin is rather unpleasant plicated play in the strategic sense, now Black inevitably incurs some

and demonstrates his readiness for a pawn weaknesses.

struggle. 17 .tb63 exd5 'ifxd5 18 i.. xf64 d4 ll)f6 19 lgxf6:)c4 :tfd85 ll)f6 .te2 .tg4 e67 h3 i.. b5of the queen check at g4. The d4 pawn is immune in view

20 l:)xb6 axb68 0- l:)c6 21 :tfd1 f9 i.. e3 cxd4 22 'i'e3 'i'f610 cxd4 .ib4 Black has created the maximumThe bishop is as though firing into An interesting idea of Kasparov. pressure on the 'isolani', but now

thin air, but in fact after switching to White carries out a typical breakthrough.

26 An Opening Repertoire f or the Positional Player

27 ..,c5 d428 lDd6 f4All Black's pawns are hopelessly

weak and he has only faint hopes of a counterattack.

29 lDxb7 lDe530 .d5 t31 g3 lDd3 32 l:c7!

A precise move. 32 l:c6 (with

gain of tempo) suggests itself, but

the m 32 ... l:tgS! leads to unclear

23 d5! lconsequences. The text move takes

:txd5 aim at the f 7 pawn.24 :xd5 exd5 32 :es25 b3! 33 lDd6 l:tel+from the line of fire and prepares to White calmly removes this pawn

34 b2 lDxtassail Black's queenside. h8?! struction, but it is White to move. Black has set up a mating con25This natural move (the king If 35 ... 'ii' xf

35 lDxt7+! g7d8+ rt;g7 (36 ... l7 White wins by 36 moves away from a possible check :te8 37 'ii' xd4+) 37

at g5, and g8 is freed for the rook) is l:txf7+ xf 7 38 .. dS+ g6 39 .. xf

evidently the decisive mistake. d3 40 xf 2 l:te2 41 rt;g2.

lowing regrouping: 25 ... lSmyslov suggested here the fol 36 lDg5+ h6 :td8! 26 37"' l:txh7+ xb6 l:td7 27 'ii' e3 g7, andwith

Black resignshis passed d-pawn Black can hold After 3 7 ... r..,g8+ fS 39 lDxf3. t;g6 there follows 3 8

on.

26 'ii' xb6 l:tg8

2 Scotch Game1 e4 e5 3 ...2 lDc3This move order via the Vienna J.. e7 the simplest is 5 d4 d6 6 J.. b5

second player) 4 lb4 (Spanish motifs by the iJd5 aS (if 4 ...

Game is the most advisable, a s it exd4 7 liJxd4 d7 8 0- 0 lDf6 9 l:e I

rules out Philidor's Defence 2 . . . d6, 0- 0 10 xc6 bxc6 1 1 lDxe7+ ti'xe7

the shar p Latvian Gambit 2 . . . f 5 and also 2 . . . d5, thereby significantly re White, Znosko-Borovsky-Aiekhine, 12 J.. g5 with a stableadvantage for

ducing Black's options. We consider Pistyan 1922, or 4 ... liJf6 5 lDxb4

2 ... lDc6 (2.1) and 2 lDf (2.2). lDxb4 6 lDxe5 ti'e7 7 d4 d6 8 a3! White has retained the two bishops,

2.1 (1 e4 e5 2lDc3) which promise him an advantage in this open position) 5 c3 d6 (or2 lDc6 5 ... liJf6 6 d4 exd4 7 b4 followed by3 liJf3! J..g5!) 6 b4 J.. b6 7 a4 a6 8 lDxb6This transposes into the main line cxb6 9 J..c4.

after 3 .. .lDf6, or draws Black intothe Three Knights Game, which does not promise him an easy life.

3 g6

Black has several other tries: The most topical move, although

3 ...f5, in the spirit of the LatvianlDxe5 lDf6 6 c4 d5 (or 6 ... tGambit, is risky. After 4 d4 fxe4 5 i'e7 7 g5!) 7 lDxd5! lDxd5 8 t

i'h5+ g6

and wins) 10 t9 lDxg6 hxg6 (9 ... lDf6!? 10 f7+! ... e8 12 J..f i'xg6+! d7 1 1 xd5

a great advantage (Breyer-Balla, 7 ... e7 13 g5 White has We are following a recommen

Pi sty an 1912 ). is passive: 4 c4 lDg6 5 dation by Keres. White's slight but

3 .. ld4 exd4 6 llJge7 iJxd4 b4 7 0--0 xc3 8 persistent advantage is undisputed bxc3 0- 0 9 f4 lDa5 10 d3, and it is he has the two

bishops and the better

not easy for Black to oppose the pawn formation. 3 .c5 4 llJxe5! (a tical comthreatened attack on the kingside

(Goldenov-Bakulin, Tbilisi 1965). White) 4 . . . lbination, leading to an advantage for e5 (the seemingly

28 An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player

active 4 ... .txf2+ 5 xf . llxe5 6 d4 3 . d6 4 d4 .td7 5 .tc4 exd4 6... f6+ 7 g 1 lin view of8 Wd2!, defending d4 and lg4 is in fact weaker lJxd4 llf6 7 i.e7 8 l:le1 lle5 9 i.f

l (the best square for the bishop

f2., after which the black pieces will in such positions) 9 . . . 10 f4.

be driven back, while White retains

a

ops, e.g. 8 . . . h5 9 h3 lstrong centre and two active bish14h6 10 lJd5 d8 1 1 Wg5!) 5 d4 .td6 (the most

7 f4 c5 8 .tb5+ ftenacious; after 5 ... .txd4 6 Wxd4 d6 8 9 'iVd1 White

has a clear advantage - Keres) 6 dxe5 .txe5 7 .td3 Wh4 (7 ... d6

allows White easily to consolidate

his advantage: 8 Wh4 9 f4 .td4+ 10 h 1 .tb6 1 1 .tb5+ c6 12

.te2 llf6 13 f5 llxe4 14 llxe4

'ii' xe4 15 Wxd6, Verlinsky-Kubbel, USSR 1922) 8 .te3 l

1 0 'ii' xg4 .txc3+ 1 1 bxc3 llf6 9 g3 'iVg4 White, who controls more space, lxg4 12 has the better chances. However, to .td4 0- 0 13 f 3llf6 14 e5 l

ld5 15 transfor

< m this slight advantage into t>f . (lstratescu-Hauchard, Bucha a win demands great mastery. This

rest 1993). type of position was handled in

virtuoso fashion by the German

would be useful to examine his Champion Dr. Tarrasch, and it

games 0.11 this theme.

4 d4 exd45 lJxd46 .te3 .tg7White's plan is simple and logical

- queenside castling and an attack

with his pieces and pawns on

Black's kingside, which has been

weakened by the fianchetto. In

contrast to similar set-ups, in the

White has the better chances - he Dragon Variation for example,

has

Black's knight has no central stronga lead in development, while Black's counterplay is less effective, point, and he ha s problems in com pieces are not so actively placed. since the c-file is not open and his

pleting his queenside development. 6 llf

Scotch Game 29

Or 6 ..lge7 7 'ii' d2 0- (danger 12 h5! c5 13 J.e3 liJxh5 14 ..tb5, ous is 7 ... d5 8 liJxc6 bxc6 9 0 with strong pressure for theJ.e6 I 0 J.d4 0' 1 1 J.xg7 ri;xg7 12 temporarily sacrificed pawn. ifd4+ f6 13 'ifc5 'ifd7 14 J.c4, Now after 10 liJxc6 bxc6 1 1 ..th6

Nunn-Belyavsky, Belgrade 1991) 8 J.h8 12 exd5liJxd5 13 J.c4 J.e6 14 0 d6 9 b1 a6 10 h4 h5 1 1 liJxd5 cxd5 15 J.xd5 J.xd5 16 liJxc6lDxc6 1 2 J.g5 'ii' e8 1 3 J.h6 1i'xd5 'ifh4 17 J.g5 1i'b4 1 8 'ifb3

J.e6 14 J.xg7 xg7 1 5 liJd5, and White firmly holds the initiative Black has no compensation for the

(Leko-Alterman, Munich 1991). paw

(Svid1er-Geller, Moscow 1992).

7 'dl 08 0- l:te8After 8 ... liJg4 9 liJxc6 bxc6 I 0 J.d4 J.xd4 1 1 'ifxd4 'ii' f6 12 h3 1i'xd4 13 l:.xd4 Black faces a difficult ending (Am.Rodriguez Lima,

Mata8 ... l as 1992). iJxd4 is more critical and demands accuracy by White: 9 J.xd4 d6 10 fJ.e3 'ii' a5 13 J.h6! J.xh6 (danger3 J.e6 1 1 g4 c5 12 ous is 13 ... J.xa2? 14 J.xg7 xg7 15 lxa2 'ifxa2 16 'ii' c3!, Makary xg7 1 5 h4 h5 16

gxh5 lchev, while if 13 ... l:.fd8 14 .ixg7 xh5 17 l:.g 1 b5 1 8 'f g5 with a strong attack, Yur

1 taev-Gulko, Frunze 1985) 14 16 h5 'i'xh6 b5 (or 14 ... .ixa2 15 h4! J.e6 ifal+ 17 d2 'ifxb2 18 l:.b1 'ii' a 3 19 hxg6 fxg6 20 g5 liJh5 21 l:.xh5!with a crushing attack) 15 J.xb5 l:.ab8 16 1i'f4 liJe8 17 J.xe8 l:.fxe8

Aktyubinsk 1985), when, a(Tseshkovsky-Vorotnikov, s shown by Tseshkovsky, 1 8 'iff6 'ifb4 19 le2! ..txa2 20 liJf4 would have given White aclear advantage.

9 f dSAgainst 9 ... d6 simply: .1 0 h4 liJxd4 1 1 J.xd4 White can respond .ie6

(1 e4 eS l lc3)l3 liJf

liJf6

30 An Opening Repertoire f or the Positional Player

Black faces a choice: whether to 3 tDc6 go in for the main set-up with 4 d4 3 ... tlJc6, or to deviate with 3 . .. .i.b4.After 3 ... . i.b4 4 tDxe5 0- 0 5 .i.e2:es 6 tlJd3 jixc3 7 dxc3 tDxe4 8

0-0 d6 (or 8 ... d5 9 .i.e3 tlJd6 10 :et tlJd7 t t tlJf4 c6 t2 tlJh5 tlJf 8 t3 jid3 4 t4 g3 'ii' g4 t 5 .t6 t i.e2 'ii' g6 lJf4, lstratescu-Mijailovic, Belbetter - he has the two bishops and grade t994; White's chances are more harmoniously placed minor

pieces, whereas Black has to find a- good post for his queen, which is not so easy) 9 :et tlJc6 tO .i.f jif

1 1 f 3 tDf6 t2 .i.g5 the game Lau The basic position of the Four

Raetsky (Switzerland t994) reached Knights Variation of the Scotch the following position. Game. White initiates active piece slight

advantage after the opening of play in the centre, hoping to gain a right of the first move. Black can the position thanks to his natural defend with 4 ... jib4 (2.21) or

4 .exd4 (2.22).

2.21-..(1 e4 e5 2 tlJc3 tlJf 6 3 tlJftlJc6 4 d4)

4

.i.b4

A sharp continuation that unpleasant, as was shown by the The pin on the f6 knight is rather

demands accuracy on the pa t of White. However, given correct play

Black will be forced to make serious further course ofthe game: t2 ... tlJe5 t3 ' positional concessions (White's two h6 14 .i'd2 (13b3;i.h4 g5 1 5 .!;; is also good) 13 ... i.f tlJd5 t6 t bishops in an open position will lJxe5 dxe5 t7 :ad t. The slight activity of become a powerfulforce). 5 tDxe5

Black's minor pieces is not suf The most accurate response. ficient compensation for his pawn White clears the way for his queenweaknesses, and he stands worse. to go to the kingside.

Scotch Game 3 1

gives him an extra pawn in the

endgame.

5 .. i.xc3+ (a comparatively new

idea) 6 bxc3 'ile7 7 xc6 Wxe4+ 8 i.e2 dxc6 9

0 0 I 0 l:tb I lZ.e8 1 1i.d3 Wh4 12 'ii' f

14 1Wd2 bS 15 a4 a6 16 c4 bxc4 17 l i.g4 13 'ii' f4 dS

i.xc4 i.fS! 18 l:tb7 i.e4 and, al

though a paw down in this ending

with opposite-colour bishops, Black

was able to hold the position

(Rublevsky-Svidler, St Petersburg

1994). However, during the course

of this game too Black had to solve

Black's other tries a: some difficult

5 ...xe4 6 Wg4! (the target is the besides, White's possibilities are notproblems, and

g7 pawn) 6 . . . xc3 7 Wxg7 llf 8 8 exhausted by the example given.

a3, and now: (a) 8 ... xd4 9 axb4 xc2+ 10 Also possible is 8 1We2!? dxc6 9

d2 xa 1 1 1 xc3 aS 12 i.c4 i.f4!, when Black still has to solve

We7 (or 12 ... axb4+ 13 d2 dS 14 the problem of neutralising the i.bS+ c6 15 l white bishops.

5 ... 'We7Gutman, Pavlovsk 1987) 13 :el! Z.el+-, Polovodin 6 Wd3! (a multi-purpose 'ifxb4+ 14 'itd3 dS 1 5 xf7+! Wxe1 move; typical of this type

of

16 d6+ cxd6 17 i.bS+ d8 18 position; the queen supports the e4

i.gS++ pawn, clears the way for queenside - (Diaz-Rodriguez, Cuba castling, and will also be very useful

1981) - this variation is highly on the third rantactical, but absolutely unacceptable k - from g3 it can

exer

for Black; t strong pressure on Black's (b) 8 ... i.a5 9 xc6 dxc6 10 castled position) 6 ... xe5 7 dxeS 1Wxe5 8 i.d2

0 9 0 d6 1 0 f4WeS+ We7 1 1 Wxe7+ xe7 12 i.d2

(this pin is the idea behind the move 1We7 (10 ... 1We6 can be met by 1 1 J:te 1 i.xc3 12 i.xc3 1i'xa2 13 i.xf6 8 a3) 12 . . . i.f5 13 bxc3! i.xc214 c4

i.xd2+ 15 xd2 i.g6 16 h4 h6 17 i.c4 1gxf6 14 1Wg3+ h8 1 5 1Wc3 1We6 16 l

:th3 (Nadyrhanov-Safin, Bishkek attack - Rublevsky) 1 1 l

i'e7 17 eS! with a very strong Z.el l

Z.e8 12

1993). White has a clear advantage 1W g3 with powerful pressure

- he ha s a pawn majority on the (Rublevsky-Onischuk, Moscow

disadvantaged by his doublekingside (in this respect Black is 1994) - cf.

Illustrative Game No.2.

d pawns 5 ...xe5 6 dxeS xe4 7 1i'g4 on the queenside ), which effectively xc3 8 1i'xb4 dS 9 1i'g4.

5 0--

32 An Opening Repertoire for th e Positional Player

Black's difficulties are obvious. 9 l:txeS6 1i'd3 10 0- dSHere too this familiar idea is 10 . d6 is well met by I I f3, with considered best.6 :es a clear advantage.7 dl lDxd4 based on the fact that the knight at An interesting tactical possibility, eS is insufficiently well defended.After 7 .. dS8 ... dxe4 9 ' 8 lDxc6 bxc6 (if lDg4 I I i.ei 'ii' gS+ I2 bi li'c4!) 9 eS cS IO 0-:tb8?! 13 f4 (Yurtaev-Kochiev, USSR tage. But I2 ... fS,

recommended by I979) White gained a solid advantheory, also fails to give real counterplay: 13 1i'e2 cxd4 I4 f4!

'ii' g6 I S lDxdSt.

7 ..lDxe5 has also been played.The critical position of the variation. The game Estevez

Kristensen-Plachetka (Denmark

I993) went 8 dxeS l Espinosa (Havana 1992) continued :txeS 9 0- 0 d6 11 exd5 I 0 f 3 i.d7 I I a3 .tcS I2 .tf4 l i.g4 I2 'i'g3 l%xdS 13:te8 lDxdS 'i'xdS I4 'i'b3 'i'xb3 IS axb3

13 g4 (White is the first to begin i.xd I 16 xd I l%d8 17 .td3 lDg4 active play against the enemy king) with approximate equality.

13 . . . bS (a desperate counterattacking attempt) I4 lDxbS l An attempted improvement for :tb8 I S lDd4'as I6 tbb3, and Black had no White was made in the game Borgocompensation for the sacrificed Arlandi (Filettino 1994 ):

11 tbxd5 tbxdS I2 i.xb4 cxb4 13 f4!? l:te7 I4 pawn. 'i'xdS ltd7 I S 'i'hS, and White

8 'ii' xd4 c59 'ii' d3 retained his extra pawn.The main continuation. However, 2.22 (1 e4 e5 2 lDc3 lDf 3 li)four analysis of this position lDsuggested an interesting alternative:

c6 4 d4) 9 'ild6!? i.xc3 I 0 i.xc3 lDxe4 1 1 4 exd4'ifd3 lDxc3 I2 'ilxc3 f6 13 0- S lDxd4 i.b4 llxeS I4 f4! with excellent play for Black's main idea in the Scotch the pawn - the black rook,

forced to Game is to eliminate the central try and guard the cS pawn, is very white pawn by exchanging it for his awkwardly placed. d-pawn after . . . d7-dS. For this S . . .

Scotch Game 33

.i.b4 is the most logical, intensifying 5 xe4 (a clever attempt tothe pressur e on the e pawn and the solve Black's problems by tactical

d5 square. means) 6 e4 'ile7 7 n d5 8 ..tb5 .i.d7 (the forcing play revolves

.around White's pinned knight) 9 i.xc6 bxc6 10 0- 0 dxe 1 1 fxe g6

12 b3 .i.g7 13 .i.e3 .i.e6

(13 ... 1i'xe4? 14 '

possible is 14 .i.d4 .ilxd7+!) 14 c3 (also .txd4+ 1 5 1i'xd4

0- 1 6 '

Bulgaria 1995) 14 ... .ilc5t, Todorov-Delchev, .tc4 1 5 ltf2

(Pukshansky-V .lvanov, Leningrathe

centre, and this gives White the 1974). The black king is stuck in

advantage.

6 xc6 bxc6Let us consider Black's other 6 .. .1Lxc3+possibilities: is not altogether in the 6 .i.e2 (6 .

.tb5 is also good, spirit of the variation White

5 gains ..d6 the two bishops and a slight initiatransposing into a favourable tive, which outweigh his queenside

variation of the Steinitz Defence to

the Ruy Lopez) 6 ... . pawn weaknesses: 7 bxc3 dxc6 8 .te7 7 0- ) 0- 8 'ilxd8+ xd8 9 .ILg5 h6 10 f4 .

.td7 9 .tot (Honfi-Lokvenc, e7 1 1 ..th4 g5 12 ..tg3 ..te6 13 ntVaa 1962). Black is somewhat

cramped, which gives White a slight (Rigo-Mira, Vienna 1986). 7 ..td3 d5 advantage.- ..tc5 6 xc6 bxc6 7 ..td3 d6(Black chooses restrained strategy in the centre, relying on a flank diver

sion; 7 ... d5 8 exd5 cxd5 9 0- ) 010 .tg5 ..te7 is considered on p.36)8 0- g4 (8 ... 0- 9

g5 10 .td2 'ii' f6 1 1 'ii' e2 'ii' e5 (Black a4!) 9 .tf4

tries to attack without sufficient

justification; not surprisingly, this

attempt is easily parried by White) 12 g3 'ii' e6 13 a4 .1Ld4 14 c3 'ii' h6

Cuba 1995). It is time for Black to 1 5 h4 .tf6 16 e5! (Miles-Sorin, resign - material loss is inevitable. After other moves White's chances Themost logical continuation.

34 An Opening Repertoire f or the Positional Player

of gaining an advantage are

increased:

7 d6 8 0- 0 'ile7 (Black adoptstactics of passive restraint; after

'8 ... g4 9 h3! eS 10 a4 xd3 1 1 ilxd3 b7 12 c4 0- 0 1 3 f4; ; it is

hard for him to equalise, as

attempted pawn advances on the

queenside lead merely to the

creation of weaknesses, while 8 ...

0-0 can be met by a plan that is

typical for such set-ups - 9 .U7 1 0 c4i) 9 h3 0- 0 10 Wf 3 d7

1 1 Wg3 l:te8 12 d2 S 13 llae1 After 8 .xd5 9 0- 0 xc3 l 0 aS 14 c4; ; (V.Georgiev-Dobrev, bxc3 .Bulgaria 199S). White's pieces .te7 (forced, since the risky a 10 ... ..txc3 1 1 ..ta3! ..txal 12 'ilxal

harmoniously placed, and he has the Wf6 13 'ilel+ ..te6 14 'ile4 allows

initiative.

7 .0-- 8 0- 0 l:le8 9 .White a dangerous attack) 1 1 'ilf

.tgS h6 10 0- 0 12 ..tf4 White has strong h4 gS (Black chooses a risky plan

pressure (Fish-Zvyagintsev, USSR

to eliminate the pin on his knight; safer is 10 ... e7 1 1 l 1990).

:lel or 10 ... d6

along the lines of the Steinitz 1 1 f4 b7 12 e2!, with a position l.lll (1 e4 e5 l c3 f6 3 tc6 4 d4 exd4 5 xd4..tb4 6 Defence to the Ruy Lopez, wherexc6 bxc6 7 White has a slight but enduring d3 d5 8 exd5)advantage)' 1 1 g3 d6 12 eS dxeS 8 'ile7+ 13 xeS g4 14 ..tg3 fS IS h3 f6At one time it was thought that

(Pomar-Ljubojevic, Las Palma this continuation enabled Black to

1974), when the strong and logical solve his opening problems, but

16 f4! would have given White the subsequent experience has not

position in the vicinity of his king is advantage - the opening of the confirmed this opinion. 9 'ile2 cxd5 dangerous for Black. Having ensured the exchange of

8 exd5Black is at the cross-roads: he ca queens, Black repairs his queenside

play 8 ..'ile7+ (l.lll), aiming for pawns. Other tries: simplification, or8 ... cxd5 (2.222), 9 ...xd5 10 Wxe7+ e7 1 1 awhich leads to a more complicated ..txc3+ (the pin cannot be

game. maintained - l l ...aS 12 b4 xc3

Scotch Game 3 5

13 bxa5 liJdS 14 0-0, or 12 ... .tb6 10 ... xe7+I3 liJe2 liJf6 14 ..tb2 :ds 15 0 aS White

16 bxa5 :xa5 17 a4 .ta6 18 .tc3, prevents

Black from

castling and prepares to castle

and White effectively has an extra queenside, thereby emphasising that

Russia 1993) 12 bxc3 .te6 13 0passed a-pawn, Pugachev-Notkin, the position still has middlegame features. f6 (Lautier-Karpov, Biel 1992)and

10 ci>xe7here, as shown by Karpov, White 11 .tdl c6could have retained the advantage 12 0- l:[d8 by 14 ..td2 f l 1 5 l:[fb1 :ab8 16:b3.

9 ...11fxe2+ 10 xe2, and now:'activate his knight) 1 1 l(a) 10 ... cxd5 (this allows White to iJbS .ta5 (in the old game Spielmann-Lasker,

Moscow 1935, Black preferred l l ...ci>d8, but this did not get him

out of his difficulties: 12 l:[d1 c6 13

c3 :es+ 14 fl .tf 8 15 l

.tf4 c5!? 13 .tc7 .txc7 14 liJd4) 12 lJxc7+

d8 1 5 llJxa8 c4 with an unclear

game - the knight at a8 is trapped,

White does better to play 13 land the bishop at d3 has no retreat. In the game Radulov-Pinter iJd6+ (Pemik 1978) White chose 13 llJa4,ri;e7 14 llJxc8+ l:taxc8 15 c3;t, and after 13 ... .td6 he seized control

satisfying himself with the advantage of the two bishops; of c5 by 14 .te3 and gained the

(b) IO ... llJxd5 1 1 llJxd5 cxd5 12 advantage. However, Black could .tb5+ .td7 13 .txd7+ xd7 14 have played more strongly ..te3 ri;e6 (or 14... .ta5 15 :ac1 13 ... .txd2+! 14 :xd2 d6, when

:ab8 16 b3 .tc3 17 l nothing real for White is apparent -:[hdl c6 18

l the c5 square is under Black's :.d3, with c2-c4 to follow, control.

Rublevsky-Alexandrov, Oakham 1992) 15 :ac I l:[hd8 16 l:[hd 1 .ta5 the game Kalinichenko-Schebenyuk White played more accurately in

17 c4 dxc4 18 :xd8 .Z.xd8 19 :xc4; (corr. 1993/4): 13 .:thel+! f 8 14(Yandemirov-Arkhipov, Elista llJe4 with advantage. Indeed, after

1994). White has maintained a 14 ... .txd2+ 15 llJxd2 c5 16 liJb3 minimal advantage in the endgame the black pawns are in danger, while

Black's isolated a- and c-pawns are 14 ... .te 7 1 5 llJxf6 .txf6 16 .ta5!

weak. :e8 17 .tb4+ ..te7 18 :xe7 :xe7

36 An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player

19 :et .i.e6 20 .i.xh7! leads to a

difficult position.

This old continuation, securely

defending the d5 pawn, is the most

reliable.

2.222 (1 e4 eS 2 lic3 lif 6 3 lif The exchange on c3 looks lic6 4 d4 exd4 S lixd4 .i.b4 6 dangerous - 10 ... .i.xc3 1 1 bxc3 h6 llxc6 bxc6 7 .i.d3 dS 8 exdS) (or l l .. . d6 12 i.xf6 xf6 13 'ifh5, Maroczy-Rubinstein, 1929) 8 cxdS 12 .i.h4 .d6 13 .f 3 .i.g4 14 .g3'ifxg3 15 .i.xg3 (going into the

endgame has not brought the desired

gerous) 1 5 ... lrelief - the white bishops are danle4 (a clever attempt;

after 15 ... c6 16 f 3 .i.e6 1 7 i.a6 i.c8

18 .i.xc8 :fxc8 19 :ab 1 tid7 20

:re 1 the main squares are in

White's possession, and he has an

obvious advantage, Kimelfeld

Marszalek, Prague 1966) 16 .i.xc7 llxc3 17 f 3 .i.d7 1 8 t 2 i.b5 19

.i.e5 :ac8 and Black gained equal

chances (Svidler-Smyslov, Moscow

The main line of the opening. 1992), but 17 :re 1 ! would have set

Black has thematically developed him more difficult problems: his his pieces and exchanged White's knight at ccentral pawn, but it is tooearly to is out of play (even if talk of complete equality - Wh only temporarily) and Wh

ite ha s two

ite active bishops (17 ... d4 1 8 .i.e5 still holds the initiative. He has the :fd8 19 .possibility both of active play on the 10 . . i.a6;t). e7kingside (the manoeuvre of his 1 1 .i.xf6 .i.xf6 12 1allows the forcing line i'xd5 knight to f 5 via e2 and d4 will 1i'xd5 (or 13 ... i.e6 14 1i'h5 g6 131i'c6!?!) 14 strengthen his attacking potential), lixd5 .i.xb2 15 :ab 1 i.e5 16 :re 1 and of attacking Black's central .i.d6 17 lif6+ 'l;g7 18lie8. pawns by c2-c4, creating favourable 10 ..i.e6 is often played, when conditions for play on the the best reply is Bastrikov's movequeenside. 1 1 lib5! (the knight aims for d4

9 0-- 0-- from where it will control theThe security of the kings is a maximum number of squares) 1 1 ... important strategic principle in open c5 (after ll .. . .i.e7 White advantage

positions.

10 .

ously exchanges the knight at e6 -

i.gS c6 12 .i.f4 c5 13 llc7 :c8 14 llxe6

Scotch Game 37

fxe6 IS 'ife2 l:.c6 16 c3;!;, Vatnikov ll ...'ifd6 I2 h3 l:.e8 13 l:.fei i.d7Solntsev, USSR 1962) 12 a 3 (White I4 i.f4 l:.xel+ I S l:.xel 'iff 8 16 combines play against the bishop at i.eS and Wh

ite has a serious

b4 with pressure on the kingside) 12 . . . i.aS 13 b4 cxb4 (13 initiative (West-Handoko, Sydney

... a6 is 1991).

.

strongly met by 14 ltJd4!, and ll ...i.e7 12 h3! (a typical way of13 ... i.b6 is also insufficient - 14 c3

:c8 l S bxcS i.xcS 16 ltJd4 i.e7 17 restricting the mobility of Black's

l:.e l :xc3 1 8 l:.xe6 fxe6 19 cLlxe6 light-square bishop) 12 . . . c

Lld7 13

it.xe7 'ifxe7 14 l:.fel 'ifgS (after

'ifb6 20 cLlxf 8 i.xf 8 21 i.c2;!;, 14 ... 'iff6 1 S 'ifxf6 cLlxf6 16 cLla4

Svidler-Purgin, St Petersburg 1993; White succeeds in blockading the

cannot be underestimated) 14 'White's chances on the kingside ife1 !? the advantage) 1 S cc6-dS pawn pair, which gives him Lla4! 'ifh4 16c4

(White's queen joins the play on the dxc4 I 7 i.e4 :b8 18 i.xc6 ctJf6 19

kingside) 14 . . . bxa 3 (after 14 ... 'ifb8 l:.e7 i.e6 20 l:.xa7 'ifd4 21 l:.aS 1 S it.xf6 gxf6 16 axb4 i

. b6 17 l

'ifd2; :.fd8, and Black has some compen; the two bishops cannot sation for the pawn (Chandler

compensate for weaknesses) I S i Black's pawn R.Mainka, London 1994). More t.xf6 (the tactical accurate is 16 b3 cLlf6 17 l:.e3;

'point of White's play) lS ... gxf6 16 ife3 i.b6 17 'ifh6 (17 l (Gutman). tJd4!? is also ll ...i.d6 12 l:.fel l:.b8 (12 ... h6 13good) 17 . .. f 5 I 8 l:.xa3. i.f4 leads to the main line) 13 cLla4 h6 (after 13 ... l:.b4 14 b3 l

it.xf6 'ifxf6 I6 'ifxf6 gxf6 17 l:.g4 I S :.adl

h8 1 8 c4 Blck has no compen

sation for his pawn weaesses,i.xf6 'Nunn-G.Gildardu, London 1994) 14 ifxf6 IS '

following the game Nunn-Sulskis ifxf6 gxf6. We are

(Moscow 1994). Now 16 b3 i.e6 17

c3! followed by 1 8 l:.ac1 and c3-c4 would have led to some advantage

for White (Gutman).

12 i.f4!?The modem way of handling this

White has excellent compensation variation. White exchanges the dark

for the pawn (Yakovich-Emst, square bishops, leaving Black with a

Gausdal 1991 ). ' passive light-square bishop.

11 iff b6!?Black's other tries: Experience

ha show that

nothing is achieved by the exchange

38 An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player

on f6: 12 ..t: 114 lle2 (14 li'xf6 13 Wxf6 gxf6 la4!? comes into consideration) 14 ... c5 15 llJf4 ..te6 16 ..te2 c4 17 ..tf 3 :adS 18 c3 ..td6!= (Tisdaii-Morris,

Gausdal defended and his pieces 1992). Black's pawns are securely are harmoniously placed.

We think, nevertheless, that the choice of the Scotch Game as a main opening weapon is a good one - Black has to overcome many tests,and the limit of his ambitions is a draw.

12 ..td6 Game 2 (p.3 1)13 :re1 :bs14 lla4 e5 Moscow Olympiad 1994Rublevsky-OnisebukThe best way for Black to arrange 1 e4 e5 his central isolated pawn pair - by 2 llf le6placing diem side by side, he is 3 lle3 llfready to meet c2-c4 with ... d5-d4. 4 d4 ..tb415 b3 ..te6 5 llxe5 "ile7The critical position of the As is shown in the analysis, other variation (see diagram next column). tries also do not promise equality.

Black has deployed his pieces well 6 Wd3 llxe5and White has only a microscopic 7 dxe5 1i'xe5advantage. The game Sutovskij 8 .d2 0Davies (Rishon le Zion 1995) 9 d6 continued 16 h3 :b4 17 ..txd6

'i'xd6 1 8 :ad I :cs 19 c3 :bb8 20 White's chances are definitely

i.f5, and White still had a slight plan of an attack with his e- and fbetter. He has available the typical

initiative, but it was hard to pawn pair, which in combination

transfor m it into anything real. with his superiority in the centre and

Scotch Game 39

the harmonious placing of his pieces tougher defence, but we should

is very dangerous for Black. mention that 18 lbe2 ' (also10 f4 ile710 ... ' recommended by him) leaves White ile6 is considered in the with a considerable advantage (the

analysis. 11 l:el l threat of playing the knight via f4 to:te8

12 'g3 c6 g6 is rather unpleasant). 17 f6!Black covers the d5 square and A typical way of breaking up the

prepares the possible transference of castled position.

his bishop to c7. The main problem 17 gxf6in this type of position is the 17 ... lL!xf6 is strongly met by 1 8

complete absence of counterplay, e5! ( 1 8 i.g5!? is an alternative))

which makes defending a difficult 18 ... dxe5 19 '4 e4 (19 ...h6 is

and thankless task.

13 .t.d3 lrefuted by the obvious 20 .

L!d7 lL!xe4 lL!xe4 21 l:txe4 i.e6 22 i.g5!,

t.xh6!) 20

14 a .t.as and wins.15 l:bf 17 ... fWhite methodically strengthens 8 demands imagination and accuracy - 18 eS! lL!xeS

(18 ... dxe5 19 'ifh4 g6 20 i.h6 'ifc5 storming of Black's kingside. his position, preparing for the 21 l

. 2Je4+-)19 h4 lL!xd3+ 20 cxd3

15 t.c715 ... l l:xel+ (20 ... i.e6 21 lL!e4+-) 21

16 .t.e2 .L!c5 is unpleasantly met.c 7 17 . t by l:xe I i.f5 (Black appears to have t.h5!

16 f bprevented the white knight from

8?! going to the kingside) 22 lL!dS!!(simply brilliant: the knight cannot

be taken in view of 22 ... cxdS 23

fxg7+ 'ifxg7 24 i.c3) 22 ... i.d8 23

'fxg7+ xg7 24 'ifxf8+ x 26 .th6+ and mat6+ g8 25

next move (analysis by Rublevsky).

18 e5!freedom. The i.d3 acquires the desired

18 fleSOther tries also fail:

18 ... dxe5 19 .txh7! xh7 20

l:e4; 18 ... lL!xe5 19 '

ifh4 f 5 (19 ...

brilliant atThis allows White to carry out a lLlxd3+ 20 cxd3 'ifd8 21 l:xe8+

that 16 ... f6 17 .tack. Rublevsky suggests t.c4+ h8 wa s a 'ifxe8 22 'ifxf6+ g8 23 i.h6) 20

40 An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player

20 ...lilf is met by 21 .tg5!21 Wb4+ g822 :a

The heavy ailler y moves into

The bishop cnot be ten - position.

19 ...xh7 20 l:le4 .td8 21 l:lh4+! 22 e4(diversion) 21 . . . Wxh4 22 l:lxf7+. 23 lilxe4 20 .tr fBlack resignsi.g5 Wf 8 21 i.f6+ g8 22 l:lxe5! (eliminating the defender), and mate is inevitable.

19 i.xb7 dS

3 French Defence1 e42 d43 lDd2e6 d5

White's control over the central squares d5 and e5, which makes possible the reply . . . c7-c5.

Black has te defence: 3 main systems of lJc6 (3.1), 3 ltJf (3.2) and 3 c5 (3.3).Other possibilities:

3 1 (3 . ..e5 is bad in view of 4 dxe5 dxe4 5 'ife2) 4 exf S exf5 5 i.d3 i.d6 6 tLldf 3 (a typical manoeuvre in such playing his bishop positions - after tod3, White places his king's knight at e2 and his queen's knight at f3, harmoniously developing 6 ... ltJf6 7 l his minor pieces)

Lle2 0- 0 8 0- 0 c6 9 i.f4 lLle4

In recent times this flexible move (also inadequate is 9 ... h8 10 c4 of Siegber t Tarrasch has become tLla6 1 1 i.xd6 'ifxd6 12 c5, initoneof the main methods of fighting iating a bind on Black's queenside) worthy rival to the classical 3 lfor an opening initiative, and is a

10 i.xd6 'ifxd6 1 1 tLle5; ; (Bye ).

Llc3. 3 g6 (the fianchetto is not verThis is due in no small measure to appropriate here - White's solid the fact that it was taken up by position in the centre allows him to

Karpov. The Tarrasch Variation begin a pawn advance on the wing) features in the repertoires of many 4 ltJgf 3 i.g7 (or 4 ... ltJe7 5 h4 h6 6leading players: Adams, Gelfand, h5) 5 i.d3 ltJe7 6 c3 ltJd7 7 e5 c5

Khalifman, Timman, Tivyakov, 8 h4 tLlc6 9 'ife2 'ilb6 10 h5 cxd4 1 1

Topalov, and others. cxd4 lLlxd4 12 tLlxd4 'ifxd4 13 tLlfvariation is due mainly to its The rise in the popularity of this with very strongpressure (Nemetreliability. At an early stage White Planinc, Yugoslavia 1972). 3

...tLle7 4 ltJgf 3 ltJd7 (it is not aims to restrict Black's counterplay, easy for Black to develop his pieces by adopting a flexible set-up in the harmoniously; 4 ... tLlg6 can be met centre (the move of the black bishop by 5 h4, while 4 ... g6 is insufficient to b4 loses its point). Itsdrawbacks in view of 5 i.d3 i.g7 6 h4 h6 7 c3 include a slight weakening of 0-0 8 h5, Zlotnik-Kaidanov,

42 An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player

Moscow 1980, and the immediate .i.e7 (the simplifying 6 ... lbxe4 is freeing attempt 4 ... c5 also does not inadequate: 7 .i.xe4 lbf6 8 .i.gSpromise an easy life - 5 dxcS!? 'ifaS .i.e7 9 .i.xf6 gxf6 10 'ife2 c6 1 1

6 c3 'ifxcS 7 .i.d3 'ilc7 8 lbd7 9 'ifb6 12 c4 .i.d7 13 cS, Anand

:e 1 lbcS 10 .

Kraft, corr, 1992) 5 .i.c2;t, Poehlmanni.e2 (5 . Vaganian, Riga 1995) 7 lbxf6+ i.d3 is .i.xf6 8 'ile2 'ife7 9 g4!? h6 10 .i.d2 also good) s ... lbg66 .i.e7 7 cS 1 1 0 cxd4 12 h4 with the :et 0-0 8 .i.fl c6 9 c4 lbf6 10 'ilc2 initiative for White (Adamsb6 1 1 b3, and Black is condemnedto a gruelling defence without any Hodgson, London 1990); (b) 4 ... .i.d7 (the fashionable active counterplay (Kagan-Garcia, continuation; thebishop is switched

Rio de Janeiro 1979). to c6 onto the long diagonal,

3 ..b6 for White) 4 c3 .(3 ... a6 4 c4!? looks good enabling Black to solve the problem i.b7 (4 ... dxe4 can of the 'French bishop'. White, bemet by 5 lbxe4 .i.b7 6 .i.bS+ lbd7 7 'ile2; exploiting the fact that Black's !;, Yudasin-Gulko, actions a rather slow, strengens

USSR 1981) 5 .i.d3 cS 6 eS lbc6 7 lbe2 ' his influence in the centre) 5 lbfild7 8 0 9 f4 fS 10 .i.c6 6 .i.d3 lbd7 7 lbgf6 8 lbg3 lbf 3c4 1 1 .i.c2 lbh6 12 b3 with the .i.e7 9 b3 10 .i.b2 aS (also initiative for White (Aseev-Gulko, inadequate is 1 o .. . .i.xf 3 1 1 'ifxf 3 c6

Moscow 1982). 12 c4 :e8 13 :rei .i.f8, Shirov

3 ...i.e7 (not determining for the Chemin, Groningen 1993, and here moment the situation in the centre) 4 14 :e2 followed by l:tae 1 promises eS (seizing space and depriving the White an advantage) 1 1 c4 a4 12 black knight of the f6 square) 4 ... c5 lbeS. 5 c3 lbc6 6 lbdf

6 ... 'ilb6 7 .i.d3 cxd4 8 cxd4 .3 ( 6 lbgf 3 ! ?) i.b4+ 9

f .i.d7 10 a .i.e7 l l lbe2 hS. We are following the game Matulovichere Black would have been set Despotovic (Smederevo 1981 ), and theidea of playing the king_ to definite problems by 12 h3!?, with h (or after g2-g3 to g2), connecting the rooks, followed by b2-b4.

3 ...dxe4 (transposing into theRubinstein Variation, where Black obtains a slightly passive, but sound position) 4 lbxe4, and now:

(a) 4 ... lbd7 5 lbf 3 lbgf6 6 .i.d3 the Rubinstein Va

One of the important positions of riation. After

French Defence 43

12 ... axb3 13 /l)xc6 bxc6 14 xb3 4 ..eS?! 5 .i.b5 exd4 6 0 .i.d7 7c5 15 d5! Black failed to equalise exd5 ltlb4 8 e2+ .i.e7 9 d6.

(Bologan-Kramnik, Greece 1992). 4 ... /l)ge7 5 c3 ltlg6 6 g3 .i.e7 7 h4However, after the exchange of dxe4 8 ltlxe4 b6 9 h5 ltlfknights 12 ... /l)xe5 13 dxe5 /l)d7 8 I 0 h6 g6

1 4 1 1 .i.b5 .i.d7 12 d5, and White has

'ifc2 followed by :ad1 White also an undisputed advantage (Spiel

retains the advantage (Bologan). mann-Nimzowitsch, Berlin 1928). 4.f 5 5 exf 5 exf 5 6 .i.b5 .i.d6 7

3.1 (1 e e6 2 d4 dS 3 /l)d2) ltle5;!;. 4./l)b6 (an idea of Bronstein) 53 /c6 c3 f 5 6 exd5 exdS 7 .i.d3 (7 c4!? isalso good) 7 ... .i.d6 8 0 0 0 9 :e 1 'iff6 I 0 '3 ltle7 1 1 /l)e5 (Mikh.

Tseitlin-Muratov, USSR 1977).

4 dxe4 5 /l)xe4 ltlf6 6 l6+gxf6 7 .i.b5 a6 8 .i.xc6+ bxc6 9 'ife2, and Black has insufficient

compensation for the spoiling of his

pawn1991). s (Rachels-Penkelsky, USA

4 ..g6 5 c3 .i.g7 6 .i.d3 ltlh6 7 0-0

(7 h4!?) 7 ... 0 8 :et f6 (it is clearthat Black annot get by without

attempting to create counterplay in

This continuation appeared in the the centre, but in the given situation

mid-1940s. Black aims for piece the white pieces apressure on the centre, and in the clearly betterevent of e4-e5 he is ready to attack placed) 9 b4 a6 10 a4 l

tlf 7 1 1 .i.a3

:e8 12 '3 ltle7 13 b5. White has

the critical e5 square by . . . f7-f6. begun wide-scale operations on the

White tries to hinder as fa r as queenside, whereas Black has no

possible the opponent's intentions, possibility of counterplay on the

and aims to complete his develop kingside, and he stands worse

ment quickly and establish piece (Keres-Troianescu, Moscow 1956).

control in the centre. 5 e5 /l)d74 /l)gt /l)f6 5 .../l)e4?! cannot be recomBlack tries to stabilise the mended in view of the simple 6 .i.d3

situation in the centre, in order to ltlxd2 7 .i.xd2 ltlb4 8 .i.xb4 .i.xb4+

begin attacking it. Other possibilities 9 c3 .i.e7 10 'ifd2 0-0 1 1 h4 c5 12

allow White freedom of action in ltlg5 h6 1 3 .i.h7+ h8 14 .i.c2, and

the centre: it is hard for Black to find a

44 An Opening Repertoire for the Positiona/ Player

satisfactory plan of counterplay freeing advance . . . e6-eS. His

(Timoshchenko-Panbukchjan, Vaa chances are better (V .Spasov

1977). 6 . Johansen, Manila 1992). xfi.d3 7 exf68 0 xd4

ups for Black: White is ready to One of the most dangerous setmeet . . . f7-f6 in the appropriate way. pawn, relying on the opening of theWhite has given up his central

6 f inattempt is associated with ... c7-cS, Black's other counterattacking

position and his lead

to complete his kingside developdevelopment. The attempt by Black

but it involves a loss of precious ment is also inadequate: 8 ...d6 9time: 6 ...b4 7 .i.e2 cS 8 c3 c6 9 c4! 00- 0 cxd4 (9 ... 'irb6 is inadequate in take on d4 - 9 ... xd4 10 0 (here too it is dangerous to

d4

view of 10 b3 aS 1 1 dxcS 'flc7 12 'irxd4 1 1 : 'irf6 12 .i.gS 'irf 7 13.i.f4 xcS 13 bd4, Geller cxdS 0- 0 14 dxe6 'irxe6 1S l:.e 1,

Vaganian, USSR 197S) 10 cxd4 f6 Dimitrov) 10 b3 l2)b 1 1 cS xd3(here too Black fails to equalise 12 'irxd3 eS 13 l2)gS e4 14 'after 10 ... 'irb6 1 1 b3 aS 12 a4) 1 1 irh3, and

exf6 xf6 (l l ...'irxf6 does not it is hard to offer Black any good

change the character of the play - 12 advice (Dimitrov-Carpintero, LintiJb3 .i.d6 13 .i.gS 'irf 7 14 .4 f6 ares 1994). 9 xd4 'irxd4I S .i.g3;!;, Gavrikov-Muratov, Beltsy 10 IZ.el1977) 12 b3 .i.d6 13 .i.gS 'irc7 14 .

i.h4 0- IS .i.g3 hS 16 .

The critical position of the 6 .i.d3

i.xd6 variation. What should Black do? If

xd6 17 .i.bS. White ha s provoked lO ...cS (10 ... eS 1 1 'irhS+) therthe important exchange of dark follows 1 1 'irhS+ g6 12 i.xg6+

square bishops and hindered Black's hxg6 13 'irxg6+ Wd8 14 fl.

French Defence 45

Black immediately attacks the e4 pawn, provoking a closing of the centre on which he then launches a

counterat

of the centre occurs here in fairly tack. However, the closing

favourable circumstances for White

- he gains the opportunity to deploy

his forces harmoniously for the

defence of his centre and to hinder

Black's queenside counterplay. A

complex battle ensues, in which the

prolonged tension demands great

The Ghinda-Urzica accuracy of White. game 4 eS lLlfd7(Romania 1984) went 10 .lbf 6 1 1 lbf 3 'ii' b4 1 2 lLlgS i.c5, when the Other replies are less popular:4 ...lbtime had come for tactics: 13 lbxe6 'i'd7 7 'g8 5 i.d3 c5 (or 5 ... b6 6 c3 i'e2 aS 8 lbh3! i.a6 9 i.xa6

i.xe6 14 :.xe6+ q;f 15 :.xf6+! It is lbxa6 1 0 0 h5 1 1 lLlf4 wit h thedoubtful whether Black can better chances for White, Suetin

overcome his difficulties.

lbc6 7 lbe2 i.d7 8 Gorenstein, Moscow 1968) 6 c3 0 'ii' c7 9 lbf3,3.2 (1 e4 e6 2 d4 dS 3 lbd2) and White's strong centre gives him the advantage (Stein-Bagirov,Leningrad 1963).

4 ..lbe4of a worsening of his pawn 5 lbxe4 dxe4 (at the cost

counterplay against d4 and to hinder structure, Black hopes to gain the normal development of White's

kingside) 6 i.c4 (the knight is

allotted the e2 square), and now:

lLlh3 l(a) 6 ... c5 7 d5 lbd7 8 dxe6 fxe6 9 LlxeS 1 0 'i'h5+ lbf

g6 12 'i'g4 lbe5 13 i.b5+ and Black 7 1 1 lbg5

is in difficulties (Kindermann

Dobosz, Ber

(b) n 1995); other counterattacking

A

is still one of Black's most popula old continuation, which today attempts against the white centre replies to the Tarrasch Variation. also failto equalise: 6 ... lbd7 7 lbe2 cS 8 c3 cxd4 9 cxd4 i.b4+ 10 i.d2

46 An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player

'ii' aS 1 1 c3 b6 12 .i.b3 .i.xc3 13 13 ... 'ii' d7 14 b3 0 15 c4 .i.b7 16bxc3! (Oienin-Moskalenko, Yalta aS, and White initiated action

1995); (c) 6 ... .i.d7 7 e2 b5 8 . against the enemy king (Rayner

i.b3 c5 9

c3 c6 1 0 Minero, Novi Sad 1990). 0 cxd4 1 1 cxd4 b4 5 .i.d3 c512 f4 .i.c6 13 .i.e3 ; ; (Smagin 5 ...b6

Zach, Biel 1995); 6 ... .i.a6 7 .leads after 6 e2 cS (or i.xa6 tlJxa6 8 0 cS 9 f4axis) 7 . . . b6 8 e2 .(d) 6 . . . a6 7 a4 (essential prophyl-i.b7 9 f4 c6 g6 10 f 3 i.e7 1 1 i.e3!, RadulovAtanasov, Bulgaria 1977) 7 c3 to

(9 ... cS is met by the planned 1 0 dS) 10 .i.e3 e7 1 1 positions considered in the main line

0. under 6 . . . b6.6 c c6The most logical reply, leaving

Black a wide choice of continu

ations. We will also examine the

bishops -idea of exchanging the light-square 6 ... b6.

4 . . . e4 variation. White has a lead The critical position of the

in development and his pieces are more harmoniously placed, whereas

it is not easy for Black to find a

good post for his king (on the

queenside it will feel insecure). Exploiting his spatial advantage

There can follow:

(d1) 1 1 ...g6 12 't'g4 h5 13 ' and solid position in the centre, t'e2 . White begins active play on the

i.h6 1 4 l:lad1 f S I S 'dS! (a typical kingside: 7 tiJe2 .i.a6 8 .i.xa6 xa6

breakthrough) 1 5 . . . .i.xf4 16 .i.xf4 9 0 bS (Black aims for countercxdS 1 7 .i.xdS .i.xdS 18 c4 c6 19 play on the queenside, but his

cxdS cxdS 20 f3 (Pedzich actions are too late; however, 9 ...

Przewoznik, Warsaw 1990);

(d2) I I .. . tiJdS 12 i.xdS .

c7 also does not promise an easy

i.xdS 13 life: 10 tiJf4 i.e7 1 1 '

lih5 t'g4 g6 12 l:el (the alternative is 13 b3!?) c4 13 f 3 bS 14 h4 hS 15 't'g3 b4

French Defence 47

I6 tanalysis by Zlotnik) I 0 f4 g6 I 1 g4 Cih3 with strong pressure - 'g4 t4 bS+ d7 IS xd7+ ifxd7 16 :dt 0 17 tC!xdS hS I2 fS 'ifh4 I3 fxe6fxe6 (or 13 ... tC!xdS 18 c4) t 0 tC!f

3 cxd4

'ifxg4+ 14 ht 'ifxe6 IS t C!f 3 e7 (tO ... d6 1 1 tCihS) 1 1 0- -0! tC!deS t6 lCif4 'position begins to crack) I4 lifc6 t7 e6, and Black's Cif4 t( t l ...dxc3 is strongly met by t2 C!xe6!) t2 tC!xeS tC!xeS 13 bS+ hxg4 1 S 1fe2 g3 t6 h3 1fh7 t7 tC!c6 (13 ... d7 loses quickly to 14

W g4. White has a clear advantage xd7+ xd7 IS :et dxc3 16 tC!xdS

(Campora-Bator, Belgrade I988). exdS t7 xdS+ d6 1 8 xb7+ 7 tC!e2 e6 19 f4!) 14 :et with the initiative for White (Uhlmann).7 a5 transposes into the main line after 8 0- 0 cxd4 9 cxd4, while

7 tC!b6 is well met by 8 tC!f 3 cxd4 9 tC!exd4.8 cxd4

White hannoniously deploys his cavalry - his queen's knight will be comfortably stationed at f3.

7 cxd4Other moves restrict Black's options, without giving him any particular advantages (in some cases Black has a choice: 8 .a5 (3.21),White ha s dxcS), although they do 8 Wb6 (3.22) or 8 . f (3.23). occur in practice:7 Wb6 8 tC!f 3 f6 9 exf6 tC!xf6 t 0 3.21 (1 e4 e 2 d4 d5 3 t!d2 tC!f0-tC!exd4 is good) t t dxcS xcS t2 0 d6 (if tO ... cxd4, here 1 1 4 e5 tCifd7 5 d c5 6 c tC!c6 7 t tC!ed4 and White

has strong pressure C!e2 cxd4 8 cxd4)(Bo1bochan-Vade, Teplice t949). 8 aS7 f6 8 tCif4 We7 9 exf6 Wxf6(weaker is 9 ... tC!xf6 10 t Black avoids ... f7-f6, intending C!f 3 eS 1 1 to concentrate his forces for dxeS t

C!xeS t2 0- 0 tCixf3+ 13 Wxf counterplay on the queenside.

IIH An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player

8 ... lf)b6, with the same idea, is IM.xb4 IM.xb4 16 h4 Black faces aulso possible: 9 a a5 10 b3 (useful passive defenceprophylaxis) 10 . . . d7 1 1 (Sax-Bohm, 0 a4 Amsterd(also insufficient is 1 1 ... ltc8 12 b2 1984 ).

c7 1 3 f4 0 14 ltc1 a4 15 b4, 3.22 (1 e4 e 2 d4 dS 3 l0d2 l0fEstrin-Arapovic, Lublin 1978) 12 bc71 3 f4 f5 14 exf 6 xf6 15 lbf

4 eS lfd7 5 IM.d3 cS 6 c tLlc6 7t0-0 1 6 c2, and 16 ... g6 allows 17 Lle2 cxd4 8 cxd4)xg6 hxg6 1 8 'ii' xg6+ g7 19 lOgS 8 'ii' b6with a very strong attack (lvkovic

the centre and sets his sights on the Black intensifies the pressure on llccht, Vrsac 1983). 9 0 a410 lL!f lb2 pawn.

L!b611 l0f4 I;_ 9 lbf fM.e7 Oer tries a clearly inadequate:l l ... g6 is also insufficient. After 9 ... /e7 10 0 0 1 1 l0f4, with

1 2 lbh3 h6 13 liJf4 IM.e7 14 g3 lL!b4 excellent prospects on the kingside.

1 5 IM.bl lbc4 16 a 3 lbc6 17 IM.c2 9 ... !M.b4+ 10 fl ! IM.e7 (or 10 ... f6White's chances are preferable - his 1 1 l0f4 fxe5 12 lbxe6 liJf6 13

play on the kingside outweighs the lbxg7+ f 8 14 IM.h6 g8 15 'ii' c1

opponent's actions on the queenside e4 16 gs f l 17 lbh5, Rotaru(Marjanovic-Lalic, Yugoslavia 1983). Diaconescu, corr. 1961) 1 1 a lbf12 !M.d2 IM.d7 12 b4 IM.d7 13 IM.e3 lbd8 14 lbc3 a513 ltct g614 lbe2 lbb415 lba4, with powerful pressure on

the opponent's position (Aiekhine

Capablanca , A VRO 1938).

10 exf6 lbxf11 0 IM.d6

The opponents are operating on opposite wings, but White has made o;lightly more progress. After 15

French Defence 49

The critical position of the 9 e:d6 liJ:d6 variation. We ca n recommend the The alternative 9 1i': leads plan involving the exchange ofthe after 10 liJf l J.b4+ (or I O . ..J.d6 1 1 dark-square bishops: 12 J.f4!? (the

0- 0 0- 0 12 liJg3 e5 13 1i'b3! , alternative is 12 liJc3) 12 . .. J.xf4

(weaker is 12 ... 1i'c7 13 J.g3 0- Miiller-Donner, Helsinki 1952) 1 1 0 14 J.d2 J.xd2+ 12 1i'xd2 0- 0 13 0:c 1, when White retains strong e514 dxe5 liJdxeS 15 lDxe5 1i'xe5 pressure) 13 liJxf4 1i'xb2 (if 13 .. .0- (15 ... lLJxe5 16 liJd4) 16 J.b5 to a the simplest is 14 :

Z.e 1, transposing into the main line) 14 : slight but enduring advantage for

Z.e1 0- 0 15 White - Black has insuf

: ficient play Z.e3! (an interesting attempt to with his 'isolani' (Matulovic

'arr est' the black queen from b3) Korchnoi, Yugoslavia 1972).

15 . . .1 (15 ... lLJg4? 16 l:te2 't'b6 10 0-- J.d617 lLJxe6 i.xe6 18 :Z.xe6 :Z.ae8 is bad 11 liJO 't'c7 in view of 19 i.xh7+!, or 15 ... i.d7 16 i.f5! exf 5 17 :Z.b3) 16 lLJxe6

J.xe6 17 :Z.xe6 :Z.ae8 1 8 :Z.xe8 :Z.xe8

19 :Z.b 1 with pressure for White

(Glatt-Weijerstrass, corr. 1992/4).

3.23 (1 e4 e6 2 d4 d5 3 liJd2 liJf4 e5 liJfd7 5 i.d3 c5 6c liJc6 7

lDe2 cxd4 8 cxd4)

8 f6

The most popular continuation, preventing the thematic exchange of dark-square bishop by i.f4.

However, the plan with 11 .. . 0-also has its supporters. After 12 Jf4 J.xf4 13 liJxf4 Black has various possibilities: (a) 13 ... 't'b6 14 :et ,transposing into variation 3 .22; (b) 13 ... liJg4 14 lDe2!? e5 I 5 lLJxe5 llJcxe5 16 dxe5 lLJxe5 I 7

The fashionable response. Black llJd4; !;; (Kczynski-Laptev, Krakow

immediately attacks White's centre. 1991);

50 An Opening Repertoire for the Positional Player

. (c)

13 . .. '

i.d 7 16 l:.e 1 l

i'd6 14 g3 'i'b4 15 l:.bl :.ae8 17 a3 ' White provokes a weakening of

i'b6 18

. the opponent's kingside and actii.c2, and White's pieces are more vates his knight with